English Language - IGCSE

1 English Language - IGCSE Touching the Void (I) Viewpoint 1st person account vs 3rd person account 2nd person accounts are normally instructional 1st and 3rd person accounts may contain 2nd person passages biographical vs fictional literature here autobiographical Structure structure relates to the arrangement of the material it can make a considerable impact on the reader, affecting plot, suspense, persuasiveness, etc. here we have two accounts of one incident, a bifocal rather than a unifocal version of events note identical number of paragraphs in each (six) are two accounts wholly synchronous? Touching the Void (II) Title void = physical space/emptiness (literal meaning) void =moral emptiness/sense of abandonment (metaphorical meaning) neither kind of void can be touched so a powerful double metaphor Figures of Speech dozens of different types metaphors are the most important figure of speech metaphors vs similes: implicit vs explicit comparison metaphors are condensed similes don t confuse metaphors with hyperbole (exaggeration) For example, I m starving.

2 I could eat a horse. is not a metaphorical expression, it s a hyperbolic one! Can you recognise metaphors? I swallowed his story whole, I'm sorry to say. Her eyes were filled with pain and I couldn't look at her. Taking this job is a gamble but I hope it works out well in the end. Hotels have sprouted up all over Thailand. The minutes crept by as the party was so dull! Bush said he would stay the course in Iraq. There was a huge amount of fallout over Blair's decision. Low interest rates fuelled the house-prices boom. His idea was warmly received. The two presidential candidates were neck and neck. We'd better go back to square one and start again. His refusal set off a chain of events that ended in his arrest.

3 She made a fatal mistake when she signed the agreement. Compare and Contrast A key phrase in examination questions! Compare means identify similarities. Contrast means identify dissimilarities (differences). For example, an exam paper might ask you to compare and contrast the different reactions of Joe and Simon to the accident. In your answer you might state that: both climbers share the view that a climbing accident of this kind inescapably spells death for the victim (a similarity) but they consider this proposition in very different ways, Joe s emotional horror at the prospect vs Simon s dispassionate acceptance of it (a difference) Make as many good points as you can, and look for short quotations to back them up.

4 Joe s pain physical vs mental physical pain knee pain nausea mental pain shock of seeing broken leg dark (as yet unclear) thoughts false hope ( maybe I ve just ripped something ) danger of falling into panic and screaming prospect of being abandoned and dying alone Essay Compare and contrast Joe s and Simon s reactions to the accident. To what extent do you think their reactions were determined by (i) the situation and (ii) their character? Tips: Try to deal with comparisons and contrasts even-handedly. Make as many good points as possible, making frequent use of short quotations to support them. Structure your essay for maximum effect. Avoid spelling and grammatical errors, as these will distract your readers.

5 Comparisons A close climbing team before the accident, sharing same adventure, tied to same rope. Both experienced enough to appreciate the fatal consequences of such an accident. Both understand that Simon cannot possibly save Joe in this situation. Both state their thoughts with extreme openness and honest, Simon even admitting he wished Joe would fall to his death. Contrasts Joe Accounts covers shorter time period Physical pain & nausea Highly emotive Language , full of pain and anguish Gradual realisation of situation No reference to Simon during middle of account Not resigned to death Tendency to panic calm on surface Lingering hope of survival. Fear of abandonment Simon Account starts earlier and ends later No physical pain Fairly unemotive Language , lacking pain and anguish Rapid realisation of situation Constant reference to Joe during account Resigned to Joe s death.

6 Dispassionate, calm, even cavalier ( matey ) Certain that Joe is dead. Readiness to abandon Joe Using Quotations Support your points with frequent relevant quotations. Keep them short they shouldn t take up more than one quarter of your total essay. Use quotation marks, and quote exactly. Use ellipses (..) to omit intervening material you want to skip. Use block quotes for longer passages, quotes on separate lines. Use a mixture of both (i) point-quote pairs and (ii) point-quote-comment triads. Occasionally put quotation first and comment second. Avoid overuse of point : quotation device. Unless it s obvious, indicate the relationship between your point and the quotation. Quotations (II) Use commas before quotation marks.

7 John said, I saw my friends at school today. I saw my friends today , John said, and they told me everything. Give it to me , she said. Note comma in last sentence, not full stop. Nested quotations: use either: or Help your reader! Express yourself simply and clearly. Vigorous writing is concise! Don t leave it to the reader to work out what you re saying. Make your comparisons and contrasts clearly and cleanly. Be succinct. Use one paragraph per key idea. Use connectives (conjunctive adverbs) to link paragraphs ( firstly , secondly , furthermore , on the other hand , etc. Anaphora So far we ve considered metaphors, similes and hyperboles. Anaphora is the repetition of certain words at the beginning of successive phrases.)

8 In time the savage bull sustains the yoke, In time all haggard hawks will stoop to lure, In time small wedges cleave the hardest oak, In time the flint is pierced with softest shower. Thomas Kyd (Spanish Tragedy) Joe s writing analyse writing techniques, not just content consider Joe s writing style lots of short sentences frequent repetition accumulation of powerful verbs of destruction and pain (line 28) use of metaphors u-turn in thinking (lines 22-24) Homework Guide to Beach Safety - RNLI Anthology contains selected pages for exam Separate pdf (see link below) contains them all and in a much more readable format On The Beach some terms Abbreviations Don t use periods if first and last letter used, Rev.

9 Vs Revd Acronyms form pronounceable words ( AIDS, NASA) Initialisms don t ( BBC, RNLI) 8-page extract or excerpt (synonymous terms) Is front-page picture artificial (made by human art or artifice) rather than natural? Add interest to an informational text by: clear, well-presented facts which avoid the predictable varied layout including bullet points short paragraphs frequent use of relevant graphics (photos, drawings, diagrams) human-interest stories On the Beach Purpose? Cover (front and back) guide relating to beach (no examples in extract) publicity philosophy (motto + emergency contact numbers) status & contact details True Story No blame attached to boys. Rips explained.

10 (1) Lifeguards given heroic qualities (2) Know your Flags & Swimming/Surfing Info Concentrates on the informational (1) Follow the advice of / alert the lifeguards (2) The RNLI (2) Charitable status emphasized Size of organisation and costs emphasized Implicit request made for donations Homework What techniques does this leaflet use to achieve its purpose? How well do you think it succeeds? Write two pages. Make succinct, well-ordered points. Avoid grammar and spelling mistakes like the plague! Touching the Void Student Book not just Andes, but Siula Grande in Peru . how story ends: Simons cuts rope; Joe crawls down mountain. target audience? non-technical writing. modal verbs stress speculation Simon not just a realist , but hard-hearted , unsympathetic explain effects of ellipses, exclamation marks, direct speech, emotive Language , rhetorical questions Climbers thoughts given in direct speech, but mutual communication in indirect speech, emphasising isolation.