Transcript Close Reading Word Choice

Close Reading
Word Choice
Higher/Intermediate 2
2012
What is Word Choice?
Word Choice refers to specific words chosen by the writer
in preference to another.
The words are often verbs or adjectives.
The words usually reflect the writer’s attitude about the
topic.
e.g. She is knowledgeable (suggests respect)
She is opinionated (now she is irritating!)
DO NOT …
Confuse Word Choice with Imagery.
Word Choice requires you to identify the
word/s which show his/her attitude to the
topic.
Whereas IMAGERY requires you to identify the
comparison being made between the two
objects (Literally and connotations)
2. Read lines 16 – 23.
(b) Show how the writer’s word choice in the whole
paragraph makes clear the difference between the two
types of communication (real life and cyber world). 4A
At the same time, this constant reassurance – that
you are listened to, recognised, and important – is
coupled with a distancing from the stress of face-toface, real-life conversation. Real-life conversations
are, after all, far more perilous than those in the
cyber world. They occur in real time, with no
opportunity to think up clever or witty responses,
and they require a sensitivity to voice tone and body
language. Moreover, according to the context, and
indeed, the person with whom we are conversing,
our own delivery will need to adapt. None of these
skills are required when chatting on a social
networking site.
REMEMBER: “QUOTE” + COMMENT
Word Choice – Sample Answer
“Stress” indicates the strain and anxiety the
writer feels can be caused by face to face
conversation.
“Perilous” also describes face to face; this
suggests extreme danger and threat.
“Chatting” describes the safer world of
cyberspace as it connotes warm, easy-going
friendships and relationships.
“Reassurance” establishes the online world
as calming, comforting and encouraging.
1. (b) Show how the writer’s word choice in lines 7 – 10
(“It’s not…family life”) emphasises the extent of
changes she describes.
2A
It’s not that nothing has changed in that
time, of course. There has been turbocharged economic growth, wave upon
wave of migration, a massive shift from
an industrial to a service economy, and
a generation of unprecedented change in
sexual politics and family life.
Word Choice – Sample Answer
She describes economic growth as
“turbo-charged” which links to the idea
of an engine charged for power and
speed. This means change will be
dramatic and quick.
“Massive” describes the shift from
industry to service the economy. This
stresses the extent of change as the
word connotes a huge, unstoppable
force.
1. (b) Show how the writer’s word choice in
lines 1 – 3 emphasises his low opinion of
“consumer society”.
2A
We are caught up on a treadmill of
turbo-consumption powered by the
unfounded belief that having more will
make us happy. We are part and parcel
of a consumer society whose
credentials are becoming more
tarnished.
Word Choice – Sample Answer
“tarnished” suggests that the gloss, the
attractiveness has gone from something (in
this case the appeal of consumerism). It was
once shiny but now it is tainted.
“part and parcel” suggests that we are no
more than commodities in a warehouse, all
the same and wrapped up ready for
someone to use.
CLOSE READING
IMAGERY
Higher/Intermediate 2
How to answer an IMAGERY
Question …
1. Quote the words that create the imagery.
2. Explain its LITERAL/ROOT meaning
3. Explain its connotations (i.e. how it
compares to what the writer is
describing)
Read lines 47 – 57.
(a) Show how the imagery in lines 47 – 49 (“So
what…alien?”) conveys the writer’s view of the
situation we find ourselves in.
2A
So what are we to do, stranded in this no-man’s-land between
an old civilisation that’s no longer sustainable either practically
or morally, and a new one that we still resist because it seems
somehow alien? Some bluster hopelessly about the need to
return to the past. Other’s talk blithely as if there was no
problem about abandoning the family as a useful transmitter of
wisdom, and passing the whole job on to schools.
But for the rest of us – well, we probably do best when we face
the truth that all social change involves some measure of loss,
but that the clock cannot be turned back towards attitudes and
prejudices that were abandoned for the best of reasons. And,
above all, we perhaps need to strive to move forward as a
whole society, rather than as a bunch of fragmented individuals
demanding increasingly impossible feats from our hardpressed public services.
Imagery – Sample Answer
“No man’s land” is literally the space
between warring armies.
This suggests we are trapped between
two forces, in this case old and new
attitudes, uncertain about which way
to go and committed to neither side.
Discuss how effective you find the writer’s use of imagery
in lines 27-37 in making her point clear. You may refer in
your answer to one or more examples.
“Yet at the heart of this even more draconian approach to
immigration policy lie a number of misconceptions. The UK is
not a group of nations swamped by a tidal wave of immigration.
Relatively speaking, Europe contends with a trickle of refugees
compared with countries who border areas of famine,
desperate poverty, or violent political upheaval. The countries
of origin of the highest numbers coming here change from year
to year, depending on the hotspots of global conflict.
But whether they are transient or would-be settlers, they face
an uphill battle trying to find legal employment. People with
real skills and talents to offer us find themselves in the black
economy, or unemployed, because of a sluggish system of
processing applicants, allied to regulations which preclude the
legal marketplace.”
Tidal Wave: is literally a large
upsurge/movement in the height/amount of
water that can often cause destruction on the
area where it occurs
This suggests that the sudden and large
movement of immigration into an area can
cause significant problems.
Uphill Battle: is literally a significant challenge
that you are likely to lose.
This suggests that the immigrants coming into the
country are going to be met with even greater
obstacles that they need to overcome – and
possibly may not be successful at this.