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:
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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 language of
this poem are similar to or different from another 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.