Download pdf - English exam revision strategies 2014

How To Revise and Study For Your Unit 3&4 English Exam

56

How?

Three sections

• Language Analysis

• Context Response

• Text Response

Reading Time

15

minutes

1-2 minutes - choose text response question, consider context prompt

2-3 minutes - read through persuasive language analysis material

8-10 minutes - mentally identify persuasive techniques and plan analysis

Language Analysis

• Apart from writing out a whole language analysis, what can you do to study?

• Practise annotating persuasive text with specific words

• Practise writing a variety of analytical sentences

• Practise writing about a visual

THE ratbag gang of unionists, unwashed hippies, NIMBY greenies, bellicose socialists, confused pensioners and progress-hating layabouts protesting against the East West Link are a godsend for the Napthine government. It could not hope for better PR for the $8 billion project.By clashing with police, harassing workers, making unashamedly radical pronouncements to the media and generally behaving like a maddened mob of morons, the protesters have succeeded in undermining their own cause and increasing public support for the new road that is already popular with many voters.

Techniques

• Attack

• Emotive language

• Simile/Comparison/Description

#1: Annotating

• Panahi uses an attack when she says the protestors are “ratbags”.

• Panahi attacks the protestors as “ratbags” and “progress haters”.

Praises, Celebrates, Gushes, Champions,

Supports, Effuses, Commends, Approves,

Accepts, Applauds, Understands,

Advocates, Identifies with, Esteems,

Credits ,Endorses

Labels, Dismisses, Attacks, Insults, Slurs,

Denigrates, Undermines, Criticize, Critiques, Lambasts, Denies, Demeans, Blames, Accuses, Judges, Rejects

Connects...with, likens...to,

compares...to, associates...with/to, connotes...as being

like, relates...to, attaches...to

Queries, Reflects, Raises, Wonders,

Reasons, Philosophises, Ponders, Supposes,

Speculates

Urges, Posits, Contends, Argues,

Disputes, Challenges, Opposes, Debates, Contests, Demands

Forcefully, logically, caustically, sarcastically, emphatically, darkly, quickly, humourously, emotionally, angrily, passionately, laughingly, reassuringly, authoratively, jokingly, seriously, matter-of-factly, accusingly, effusively, speculatively, challengingly, insultingly, disgustedly, righteously, absolutely, clearly, rhetorically, carefully

#2: Writing a variety of sentences

• Panahi attacks the protestors as “ratbags” and “progress haters”. This...

• Panahi attacks the protestors as “ratbags” and “progress haters,” positioning the reader to...

• By attacking the protestors as “ratbags” and “progress haters”, Panahi...

#3: Analyse visuals

• The following picture accompanied an opinion piece where the author argued that Google is taking away our privacy

#3: Analyse visuals

• Our focus is captured by the visual when / at...

• The portrayal of...as...focuses our attention because...

• ...is represented as...

• Re-inforces the point that...

• Supports the contention / argument that...

• The image visually captures the author’s argument that...

Skill improvement

• In 1978 British postmen were taught to type. Some postmen were taught:

• One x 1 hour session each day (60 days)

• Two x 1 hour session each day (30 days)



• After sixty hours of training - who had the highest level of skill?

Skill improvement

• In 1978 British postmen were taught to type. Some postmen were taught:

• One x 1 hour session each day (60 days) (55 hrs)



• Two x 2 hour session each day (15 days) (80 hrs)

• After sixty hours of training - who had the highest level of skill?

Context

• Decide what format you will write in:

• Expository essay

• Persuasive essay

• Creative response

Expository Essay

Expository Essay

• Apart from writing a whole expository essay, what can you do to study?

• Practise planning

• Practise writing introductions

The ability to compromise is important when responding to

conflict

What characters and situations from the text show this to be true?

What examples from events and people in life show this

to be true?

What characters and situations from the text

show this not to be true?

What examples from events and people in life show this

not to be true?

#2 Writing Introductions

• To compromise in the face of conflict means to...

• The importance of compromising is that...

Persuasive

• Practise turning prompts in propositions


conflict

*We should (not/never/sometimes/always)... so..

*We should (not never/sometimes/always)...because

*We should (not never/sometimes/always)...when...

*We must (not never/sometimes/always) believe /accept/value that/the idea of...because


conflict

• We should sometimes compromise in the face of conflict, but never compromise on what are important principles.

Creative writingBad reasons for

choosing the creative option:

*I think it’s easy*I don’t want to study*I’ve got a great idea

for one story

Good reasons for choosing the creative option

*I’m confident about creative writing

*I’m prepared to practice creative writing

*I’ve got a good idea for a character and setting that’s

relevant to the context

Characters and situationsCharacter types:

*A family member who is both loyal and wants to do their own thing (The Rugmaker)

*A younger person who is part of a group and share some values but has different values to the

group (Paradise Road)*A person who is an advocate of change (The Life

of Galileo)

Character + Scenarios

• ‘The ability to compromise is important when responding to conflict.’

• A group of people is detained at an overseas airport by security. One member of the group needs to decide how to best handle the situation.

Effective Study

• Don’t measure study by time passed but by goals achieved

Have a plan

• Have a specific goals for English

• Plan how you’re going to achieve these goals

• Study regularly for short periods of time

Text ResponseKnowing Remembering Writing

• The story: Re-read the text

• Major characters• Minor characters• Examples of symbols, images or

techniques

• How to spell characters’ names• 15 key quotes

from the text

• Understanding an essay question

• Planning a response

• Writing introductions

• Analysing evidence

Despite his family’s fears, Priam brings his son home.’

Why is he successful?

• What does Priam’s family fear?

• How does Priam overcome these fears? How does he bring his son home?

• What does it mean for Priam to be successful?

Despite the violence in Ransom, the reader is left with a sense of optimism.’

• Underline key words

• Turn these words in What, How and Why questions

Checklisting

• Apart from Priam, Somax and Achilles, who are characters in Ransom?

Checklist

• Hector

• Hercules (the slaughtering of Priam’s home)

• Patroclus (the violence that caused him to be exiled)

• Somax’s sons (one dead in the war, another in an accident)

Text Response Study Skills

• Re-read a few pages each night

• Practise breaking essay topics into further questions

• Practise planning a response

• Practise writing introductions

• Memorise quotes/examples/characters

• Practise writing body paragraphs

Set Specific Study Goals

• The first goal I want to achieve with Language Analysis is...

• The first goal I want to achieve with the context is...

• The first goal I want to achieve with the text response is...

6 reasons you should listen

This student was asked to explain what a mutation was in a

Biology exam


This student was asked an algebra question on a

Maths exam


This student was asked to represent expenses on a Accounting exam


This student was asked to expand an equation

on a Maths exam


This student was asked about Arctic wildlife on an Environment exam


This student was asked an algebra question on a

Maths exam

Don’t end up here

Thankyou