DENNY HIGH SCHOOL
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
CREDIT CLOSE READING
TOP TIPS
•The following
strategies will allow
you to take control
over your nerves…
•(everyone has these!)
•and work your way
through the Credit
paper in small,
focussed stages.
•
•
•
•
Read the passage only ONCE
read it quickly
get the gist of it
but do not panic if bits feel a bit
vague or fuzzy
• you will catch up with these.
• The quick read releases time to
spend on actual questions.
• DO NOT READ IT THROUGH
TWICE !
There will always be paragraph guides above the questions –
“Look at Paragraphs 13 and 14” ; and sometimes in the
question – “...(Paragraph 5)...”
• This means that you will only be
focussing on one small chunk of the
text at any one time.
• Always use these signposts and
never stray to another part of the
passage.
• Mark these sections up in the margin
as you start the question
• This will keep your eye trained on
the key section where the answer
lies.
Look at the intro (if there is one) before the
passage, and the details about the author…
• These can give
quite valuable clues
about the type and
purpose of the
passage.
• DO NOT LEAVE
SPACES
• – always put an
answer down
• you can go back and
extend it later
• but if you return to a
blank, chances are you
will remain stuck !
• Do not
agonise over
spelling
• obviously,
this advice
does not
apply to the
Writing
paper !!!
• When a simple idea is
asked for, do not trot out a
full, formal sentence.
• e.g. Question: Which colour
sets Desmond off ?
• Answer 1: The colour red
sets him off
• Answer 2: Red
• Answer two saves time…
• and gets the same marks!!!
• Interact with the passage:
• mark key areas (see
paragraph guides in the
question paper)
• underline words which
you see as clues or as
important
• Do not use two pens or
coloured markers, just
your normal blue or black
one
• Once laid before you, the
paper belongs to you –
feel free to mark it
• “Quote an expression
which…”
• This type of question is
usually looking for a block
of 3-5 words
(approximately)
• If you know the answer
that is fine BUT if you
know the area of text and
cannot pin it down then
MAKE YOUR QUOTE
LONG and you will
perhaps catch the correct
phrase in the “net”
• Even if the rest of the
line is mince
•the marker is required
to give you credit for
finding the correct
phrase.
• Never score or tippex an answer or
part of an answer out.
• Once the line is through it the marker
can ignore it
• if there is no line then you might be
right!
• Leave it !
• Do not be afraid to write a lengthy
answer that requires more space than
you are given in the paper
• asterix or arrow your writing to show
which question it belongs to.
• “IN YOUR OWN WORDS”
• yes, this means you have to avoid lifting
chunks from the passage!
• You have to try to re-explain ideas using
your own expressions.
• In Credit especially, be alert to the fact that
most questions – apart from those requiring
lifted words, images or expressions – need
to be in your own words.
• For instance:
• ‘explain clearly’ means ‘in your own words’
• ‘explain fully’ means ‘in your own words’
• Try to find the keyword or
phrase which you know they
want you to transfer into your
own language.
• For instance, one question
asked about when a character
“confessed”
• the key phrase to be put into
your own words in the
passage came from the section
around the word “admission.”
• SENTENCE
STRUCTURE:
• to be on the
safe side
always
comment plus
quote
• you might pick
a mark up for
identifying a
technique.
• There are two sides to
a writer’s craft
question
• a. IDENTIFYING the
technique used
(repetition, use of
brackets, etc)
• b. explaining the
EFFECT of the
technique.
• The language
describing effects is the
most difficult
• ‘to show hesitation’
• ‘to build to a climax’
• ‘the long list
emphasises the dangers
of…’
• ‘the present participle
increases the feelings of
danger..’
• ‘the use of “very”
intensifies David’s
anger..’
• CONTRAST
• Both sides of any
contrast must be
discussed.
• CONNOTATION
• when you are asked to
think about the associations
a word suggests then keep
your mind open to the links
it has in your mind and
your experience.
• Ask yourself where you
have heard it before and
what ideas the writing is
getting at .
• For instance:
• Question:
• Explain why it
is appropriate to
describe the
shoppers as “a
plague”? (2)
• (possible
associations of
plague
• widespread
disease
• feared
• unwanted
• spread very
quickly)
•Answer:
•There were lots of them (1)
•they spread quickly (1)
•they spread widely (1)
•they were unwanted (1)
•they were a nuisance ( 1) .
• IRONY
• writers like to show how
stupid/ arrogant/ cruel/
hypocritical etc characters
are
• They can do this by
underlining the humorous
difference between their
spoken words and their
actions
• OR their thoughts and
actions.
• There are many shades of
irony – badger your
teacher to discuss this
further.
I expect all students
to work as hard as I
did during my
“studies.”
• SARCASM
• this occurs
frequently
• often in direct
speech
• and reveals one
character’s
attitude to
another
• or to an event.
How
delightful to
be back at
school
Once again
my life has
MEANING
• TONE
• As with
“Sarcasm”
you should
be alert to the
the tones of
characters’
• thoughts
• and spoken
words.
Yup!
Lookin’ no
bad for 65
– eh?!
• FINALLY
• listed below are the
official purposes of
each type of question
at Standard Grade.
• The reality is that
questions are often a
mixture of these
• BUT they come
mainly from types b, c
and e:
Purpose of Questions
• a – to gain overall impression,
gist, of a text.
• b – to obtain particular
information from a text.
• c – to grasp ideas or feelings
implied in a text .
• d – to evaluate the writer’s
attitudes, assumptions and
argument.
• e – to appreciate the writer’s
craft.
AND NOW….
•Go
Get
Those
Marks