Q2 extended

Q2 extended

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  Name:_________________________________ IGCSE Extended Paper Question2 ~ Language Analysis What will I be asked to do in Question 2? You will have to:  Select four ‘powerful words or phrases’ from each paragraph, identified by the examiner.  Analyse how the writer’s choices of language and / or imagery in the quotes you have chosen are effective for the reader. You will be awarded 10 marks – so this question is worth a fifth of the exam. You should spend 30 minutes on this question. Use the following table to give a mark out of 10. Band 1: 9-10 Wide ranging discussion of language with some high quality comments that add meaning and associations to words in both parts of the question and demonstrate the writer’s reasons for using them. May give an overview of the paragraph’s combined effect or comment on language features additional to vocabulary. Tackles imagery with some precision and imagination. There is clear evidence that the candidate understands how language works. Band 2: 7-8 Reference is made to a number of words and phrases and explanations are given and effects identified in both parts of the question. Images are recognised as such as the response goes some way to explaining them. There is some evidence that the candidate understands how language works. Band 3: 5-6 A satisfactory attempt is made to identify appropriate words and phrases. The response mostly gives meanings of words and any attempt to suggest and explain effects is basic or very general. One half of the question may be better to answer than the other. Band 4: 3-4 The response provides a mixture of appropriate choices and words that communicate less well. The response may correctly identify linguistic devices but not explain why they are used. Explanations may be few, general, slight or only partially effective. They may repeat the language of the original or do not refer to specific words. Band 5: 1-2 The choice of words is sparse or rarely relevant. Any comments are inappropriate and the response is very thin. Band 6: 0 The response does not relate to the question. Inappropriate words and phrases are chosen or none are selected.
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  2 You can usethe PEEZEE structure: POINT Make a point It is clear that… EVIDENCE Use a quotation from the text to support your point. This is evident when… For example… EXPLANATION Explain what the quotation shows the reader or how it supports your point. This word (or phrase) suggests that… This implies that… ZOOMED IN EXPLORATION Now zoom in on key words / phrases – say a lot about a little. How do the words support the point you are making? (It might be that you link to context here / use technical vocabulary / explore alternative meanings) It is clear from this word that… This has connotations of… This could suggest… It could be argued, from the use of this word, that… On the other hand, it could be argued that… EFFECT What effect does this have on you as a reader? What does it make you think? How does it make you feel? The effect of this is that… This causes the reader to feel… The word evokes the feeling that…
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  3 Passage A In thispassage, a British journalist describes a visit to the Libyan desert in North Africa. The plateau, the high dunes, the dry wadi beds and the verdant oases of the South Western desert are a veritable open air museum. The ‘Fezzan’ is littered with millions of pre-historic spear heads; arrow heads; crushing and cutting tools; shards of pottery and even the eggshells of ostriches from pre- history. On my very first day, lunching in the shade of an acacia tree, I picked up a Stone Age cutting tool that was literally lying at my feet. Twelve thousand years of civilization can be charted through the engravings and delicate rock paintings, demonstrating the slow march of climate change – the shift from hunting to pastoral pursuits; tribal differences; mysterious religious ceremonies; the introduction of the horse and finally, as the desert encroached, the camel. The talented artists who engraved their observations in the rocky cliffs above the winding river beds, had a purity of line of which Picasso would have been envious. I saw the last gentle movements of giraffes, the lumbering bulk of rhino, the last moments of a dying elephant and the lassoing of a group of ostriches. As we wandered the desert, we saw a camel giving birth; we ambled through wadis accompanied by chirping mulla mulla birds; we came across cracked, salt lakes where strange, bulbous trees live and die; snowy white patches of gypsum; swathes of green plants with pale purple flowers, (a consequence of only three days rain two months before); we raced in 4x4s our Tuareg drivers vying with each other to get there first (wherever ‘there’ was) and we leapt over impossible, impassable dunes whipped into geometric knife-edges by the ever-present desert wind; and unforgettably lazed beside the great blue- green slashes of still water, fringed with succulent date palms and strands of pampas through the air, tiny pink shrimps swirl in the water and, on one occasion, a solitary white camel was tethered on the shady bank. White camels are highly prized and our driver told me that his family had won races across the Arab world with his fifteen-strong herd. When I explained that England has no desert, he exclaimed sadly ‘then there is no yellow.’ The Tuareg are not of Libya, Algeria, Niger or Mali, they are the people of the Sahara. Proud, honest and exceedingly generous, they are a joy to be around. They acted as our drivers, guides and cooks, regaling us with traditional songs, dispensing chilled water from goat skin bags and on one occasion, picking herbs from a desert bush to alleviate constipation! Every day after lunch, they brewed Tuareg champagne – strong green tea, boiled over a driftwood fire, poured from a height to make cappuchino-like foam, then reheated and poured into small glasses with plenty of sugar. They seemed to genuinely enjoy showing us their territory. But they have had to adapt, choose a nationality, settle in villages and learn Arabic, French, Italian and English. The Tuareg were a thorn in the side of ancient Rome, plundering the trade routes from Africa to the port of Leptis Magna (one hour east of Tripoli). Eventually, the Romans were forced to make peace. To
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  4 safeguard the vitalshipments of ivory, slaves and the thirty-five thousand wild animals that were sent to Rome for gladiatorial displays graphically shown in Ridley Scott’s box office smash, Gladiator. The decadent Emperor Commodus Severius, became Emperor of Rome. The remains of the city, with its theatre, temples, courts of justice, market, saunas, latrines, hunting baths and lighthouse were intact before the war. The historical monuments, the pre-historic rock paintings, and the camaraderie of the fiercely loyal, intelligent and resourceful Tuareg people combined to make this my most highly prized journey throughout the world. Not to mention the romance of the desert. By Angela Clarence, The Observer, 21st May 2000 Question 2 Re-read the descriptions of: a) Wandering in the desert in paragraph 4. b) The Tuareg in paragraph 5. Select four powerful words or phrases from each paragraph. Your choices should include imagery. Explain how each word or phrase selected is used effectively in the context. Write about 200 to 300 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer.
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  5 Passage A Sam Branson,son of the millionaire entrepreneur and owner of the Virgin group, Sir Richard Branson, is on an epic 1200 mile expedition across the Arctic to witness how climate change is affecting one of the world’s most remote places. Here are some extracts from his diary of the journey. 7th May Last night, I woke to the sounds of the dogs barking. Through the commotion, I head someone shout: ‘Polar bear!’ A hundred thoughts raced through my mind. How close was it? Was someone hurt? I looked at my watch – it was 2.30am. I jumped out of my sleeping bag. When I emerged, I saw the bear was about 15metres away and surrounded by mist, making it seemsomewhat mysterious. The low- lying sun coated its fur in a yellowish light and its breath condensed in the cold air. The bear stared us down, then started to run towards us. Someone fired a cracker shell into the air. These sound like firework bangers and are very good for scaring away animals. The shells are also powerful enough to kill a person. The bear was a little startled and stopped its charge, but didn’t retreat. It looked magnificent – it was the size of a truck, but as agile as a cat. We could see it smelling the air and checking us out as it walked closer. When it got to about 7 metres away, one of the Inuit guys shot another cracker shell in the air. There are two cracker shells in the gun – the rest is live ammo. After this second shot was fired, the bear was startled, but then charged forward again with real purpose. It looked hungry. It was a large male and they don’t scare easily. The bear was ready to attack and was showing all the signs of dangerous behaviour. Some more shots were fired. The bear stopped and moved back a little, still eyeing up his targets. The Inuit are polar-bear hunters by culture and one of them now ran away and gradually melted into the show around him. Wow, what a feeling! Scared, exhilarated, awed. What an impressive creature! It moved with such grace and power. However harmless it seemed, it was a stealth bomber – sleek and beautiful, but deadly. Question 2 Re-read the descriptions of: a) the bear’s appearance in paragraph 3. b) The bear’s movements in paragraph 4. Select two powerful words or phrases from each paragraph. Your choices should include imagery. Explain how each word or phrase selected is used effectively in the context. Write about 200 to 300 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer.
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  6 Passage A In thispassage Julia and her parents are visiting the remote Kapawi jungle in Ecuador, South America. The family was trudging in single file through the dense undergrowth. As they sweated they waved sticks at buzzing flies, while trying to stay sure-footed over the thick knots and tangles of roots below. Accompanied by an effortlessly agile local guide, they could barely breathe as the jungle, steaming and hissing, stole their air. They stopped in a clearing and took countless photographs; above, howler monkeys broke into outraged hoops and screams, and tropical birds higher still splashed the canvas of the jungle with bright colours or flecked green onto patches of blue sky. Despite the humidity and terrible discomfort, they were thrilled to have finally arrived in this remote and extraordinary place. Only accessible by plane, Kapawi is one of the last places on Earth where you can experience the rainforest in all its glory. The opportunity to observe the incredibly rich biodiversity and abundance of wildlife, as well as 500 species of birds, was irresistible for Julia’s biologist parents. Even more fascinating for Julia was the opportunity to meet the Achuar community, who have lived in harmony with this rainforest for generations. They were one of the last indigenous groups to remain totally isolated, until the 1970s, and continue to preserve their traditional culture. Julia and her parents knew that the world’s rainforests are being destroyed, and conservation like that found in Kapawi is sadly rare. The family felt privileged to experience this wonderful place and its people. The guide suddenly signalled to Julia’s father that they should turn back, as a slight trickle of rain filtered its way down through the jungle canopy. They wondered why, not realising that this was tropical rain, and dangerous. Within seconds it became a violent storm, with torrential rain beating down, and a dark and sweltering atmosphere. The ground transformed into a wave of thick mud that made them lose their footing, and mini-rapids formed, capable of sweeping a body away on a strong current, down into the belly of the jungle. This was a flash flood – and in a split second Julia felt the sensation of being pulled from her mother’s side, sliding, crashing, and then ... nothing. Hours later, lying in deep darkness, with an injury to her head and concussion, Julia knew that she must force herself up. All her survival training told her not to succumb to sleep. She had to find her parents. She imagined their voices, telling her over and over again, ‘Don’t give in’. Shouting was hopeless in this screaming jungle, and she staggered with the effort of moving. The dense foliage, above and below, snaked, twisted and snared her at every step of her torturous journey. The angry whirr of swarms of insects, some as large as model aircraft, orbited her constantly, ceasing only to dive, attack and bite. There was a stream up ahead which she thought might lead to a village, but her elation was short- lived. As she waded through dark, knee-high water, more creatures gravitated towards her, and leeches attached themselves to her legs. Delirious with exhaustion and pain, she curled up on the bank of the stream, and waited, hoping to be rescued. The moment they reached a village, Julia’s parents raised a desperate alarm. The villagers, knowing the rainforest intimately, spread out in their search for ‘the yellow-haired one’. Her decision to stay close to the stream helped them find her, but they were horrified by her appearance: a patchwork of deep scratches, welts and sores marked her pale skin, and her fair hair was now dark, soaked and knotted.
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  7 They encouraged herto eat, but this made her feel ill, and so she refused food. The organisers of the family’s trip tried to persuade them to leave Kapawi and return to a hospital in the nearest city hundreds of miles away. But as Julia’s parents watched the Achuar nurse her back to health, they realised they had nothing to fear. These villagers know all the secrets of the rainforest, and have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the medical uses of every tree and plant. Their harmonious lifestyle, community spirit, and generosity were all Julia needed to recover. The family had found what they had always been looking for. Question 2 Re-read the descriptions of: a) the rainforest and its wildlife in paragraph 1. b) Julia’s walk through the rainforest in search of her parents in paragraph 4. Select four powerful words or phrases from each paragraph. Your choices should include imagery. Explain how each word or phrase selected is used effectively in the context. Write about 200 to 300 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer.