To remind Nat 5 pupils of the following by way of prep. for the Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation (Close Reading) paper in the prelim:         Questions which require an answer “in your own words” Questions on word choice Questions on tone Questions on the writer’s “language” (word choice; imagery; sound; sentence structure; tone . . .) The link question Questions on imagery Questions which ask you to infer the writer’s attitude the summary question (identify the key points the writer makes)

The 8 Mark Question – Example 1 - Prose

By

referring to

the

ideas or narrative style

of “Away in a Manger”, show how it is

similar to or different from other short stories

by Anne Donovan that you have read.

“Away in a Manger” and “All that Glisters”

• SIMILAR IDEAS • Amy challenges conventional grownup thinking about life (and death) as they encounter it. Amy sees it as natural to welcome strangers into their home; Clare sees it as natural to observe her father’s passing with the bright colours/glitter he liked.

• Both stories explore a parental and child relationship (mother/daughter and father/daughter). Sandra fails to reach out to Amy ref the homeless man and Clare’s mother/aunt fails to reach out to Clare.

• Problems of communication between generations.

• SIMILAR NARRATIVE STYLE • Both use Scots in the dialogue/narrative •

DIFFERENT NARRATIVE STYLE

• In AIAM, narrator is mostly Sandra the mother. In ATG it is Clare talking to herself about what happened.

The 8 Mark Question – Example 1 - Prose

By

referring to

the

ideas or narrative style

of “Away in a Manger”, show how it is

similar to or different from other short stories

by Anne Donovan that you have read.

Answer Any reference to an idea or use of language (1 mark) then comment (1 mark) Do this twice for max of 4 marks.

For example:

Uses Scots in dialogue for realism etc – 2 marks Narrated in first person to make more personal and give reader better insight into thoughts and feelings (2 marks)

The 8 Mark Question – Example 2 - Prose

• Show how the use of setting in this short story is

similar to or different

to

another

short story by Donovan that you have studied.

• Answer: • Reference to the use of setting in this story (2 marks), plus related comments. (2 marks) • AND at least one other reference to setting in another story (2 marks) and comments on such use (2 marks)

The 8 Mark Question – Example 3 - Poetry

• Is the use of imagery in this poem

similar to or different

from

another

poem by Norman MacCaig that you have read?

• Imagery = metaphor/simile/ personification/ alliteration and onomatopoeia. Literal meaning of the image and then the connotations – what other things does it remind you of? THE EFFECT •

Marking Scheme:

To answer this you would choose one of the other set poems and comment on the use of imagery (metaphor/simile/ personification/ alliteration and onomatopoeia). Think about what a typical MacCaig image looks like. In order to get 7/8 marks you would need to construct a FULL answer supported by appropriate quotations.

The 8 Mark Question – Example 4 - Poetry

• With

close textual reference

, show how the ideas

and/or

this poem are

similar to or different

from

another

language of poem by MacCaig which you have read.

• With

close textual reference

, show how a theme or themes from this poem

is similar

to a theme (or themes) from

at least one other

poem by MacCaig which you have read.

•

To gain full marks you need to identity as theme (or themes) from the poem and at least one other and explain this theme (or themes). You need to refer to the poem(s) which relates to these themes.