IGCSE LANGUAGE EXAM Notes and strategy Pack IGCSE

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IGCSE LANGUAGE EXAM Notes and strategy Pack

IGCSE LANGUAGE EXAM Notes and strategy Pack

IGCSE Language Paper • Section A (Unseen Passage) • You are given an article

IGCSE Language Paper • Section A (Unseen Passage) • You are given an article to read and then three questions on the article. (3 or 4//4 or 5//12) • Section B (Anthology Based) • One of the passages from the anthology is given to you. You have two questions. One on how the writer creates this tone/mood or effect and the next a experience question. (10//10) • Section C (Creative Writing) • A single task that will ask you to write something that aims to persuade/inform. Either: » » A SPEECH A LETTER A BOOKLET A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

Section A – Unseen Passage • 1 st Question – Look again at lines

Section A – Unseen Passage • 1 st Question – Look again at lines 25 to 33. What three comparisons does the writer make to help us understand the boats appearance? (3) • 2 nd Question – In your own words explain why the leather boat is more at risk than other boats (5) • 3 rd Question – How does the writer convey the violence and power of the sea and weather throughout this passage (12) 20 Marks in total, and this is a standard layout.

Section B – Anthology Based • • • Touching the void Harriet Tubman I

Section B – Anthology Based • • • Touching the void Harriet Tubman I never thought I could be this lucky Impact Alert – Asteroids Shopping for Romanian Babies Explorers? Or Boys Messing About Chinese Cinderella Taking on the world A Foreign Field After stories is the strategies.

Touching The Void • Joe’s Account – Use of Rhetorical Questions » Building Suspense

Touching The Void • Joe’s Account – Use of Rhetorical Questions » Building Suspense – Use of direct speech » Fortifies Him » Deals with the situation (calms him) – Thought Processes » » - Vivid Imagery • Pain ‘ruptured’, ’twisted’, ‘shattering’ • Adjectives ‘sudden’ ‘shattering’ ’fierce’ • Verbs ‘I hit’, ‘Is struck’ Use of Ellipse ‘if’ shows growing panic Series of thought processes Becomes unpredictable – Modal Verbs » (must//could//would//shall) » Speculation on a bleak future – Highly Emotive » » Emphasises the pain he suffered Adjectives and verbs (active/dramatic/full of impact) Avoidance of technical language Dominance of personal pronoun – Emphasis » Particular powerful images (eg. Burning fire) » Use of repetition as a device » Short Sentences (‘He had no choice’)

Touching The Void 2 • Simons Account • Simon talks for most of the

Touching The Void 2 • Simons Account • Simon talks for most of the time about the dilemma they are in • Simon refers to Joe in the first line then carries this on • Simon does not talk about and pain or suffering • Simon thinks very rationally this is shown in long complex sentences.

Harriet Tubman • Story – Narrative – Figurative – Creativity • Biography - Other

Harriet Tubman • Story – Narrative – Figurative – Creativity • Biography - Other Points • Starts with larger text • Short sentences followed by long (PE) • Picture » Informing » Factual and not interested in thoughts and feelings • Third Person » ‘at a distance’ The writer does not know the individual person • Formulaic Structure » Starts with Birth » Ends in death » Sequence The life time (chorological order) • Non Emotive » Does not mean the writing lacks emotion » Events of life have there own drama • Source » Encyclopaedia » History Text Book

I Never Thought I Could Be This Lucky Human Interest Story • ‘Suresh, now

I Never Thought I Could Be This Lucky Human Interest Story • ‘Suresh, now 32’ » Accumulates information quickly and delivers. » Compacts the writing » Sense of character/characteristics • 1 st paragraph delays wedding » » • Delays the emotion Heart warming effect Emotional impact Ends Happy Negative to positive • The BUT • ‘But my friends were really supportive’ • Suggests she is surprised and didn’t expect this. • She uses this in surprised circumstances – ‘I knew I was paralysed, but I was sure it was temporary’ – ‘But then I met Suresh and everything changed’ » Turns all negative to positive » Creates suspense and engages the reader » Makes the reader read on. • Flash Back » The piece of writing goes from present to past • Emotive Language – ‘plunging’ – ‘tears of relief’ » Emotive language strengthens the readers mind • Irony – ‘I never thought I could be this lucky’ » Because if she never fell of the cliff she would never have met Suresh

I Never Thought I Could Be This Lucky 2 Human Interest Story TENSE PAST

I Never Thought I Could Be This Lucky 2 Human Interest Story TENSE PAST is negative and talks about the accident ‘she was an experienced climber' ‘she planned her wedding' PRESENT brings the story up to today ‘Suresh agrees' ‘Karen is the most beautiful women' FUTURE shows the hope for the future ‘I know we can do anything together' CHARACTERS KAREN Presented as ordinary ‘Karen, 31, from Aberdeen' Friendly and Fun ‘They decided to keep it fun' She thinks of everyone else ‘I didn't want to be a burden to anyone' Accident not due to experience nor neglect ‘She was an experienced rock climber' Ambitious ‘The first woman ever to hand cycle across…' SURESH He is nice and accepts the disabled ‘Suresh who designs equipment for…' He is clever ‘…at a conference' He is fun ‘canoed onto the beach' He is open minded ‘Suresh sees me as I am'

Impact Alert – Asteroids • General » The layout is specific to a scientific

Impact Alert – Asteroids • General » The layout is specific to a scientific magazine » The writer gives facts at the beginning » Increasing formality (the writer starts with ‘you’ and ends with ‘we’ and ‘us’) Shift from second to first person • Structure » » The passage starts with factual certainty FAQ’s are answered throughout (dialogue) Sub headings as questions Starts factual then relaxes • Other Points – ‘the size of greater London’ » This is so the reader can easily digest the size – ‘asteroid hits earth. Amazingly’ » The vocab is technical and assumes the reader knows his stuff. » ‘amazingly’ is a highly emotive colloquial – ‘it is estimated that 30, 000’ » This formal tone gives a sense of superiority – ‘wracked with earthquakes’ » The writer mixes specialised words with simple language (this suggests it is specific) – Finishes with a question – FOCUS MAGAZINE – ‘fascinating, authoritative, accessible’ BBC – STYLE – Punchy – Sets out to inform

Shopping for Romanian Babies • Newspaper » » » Journalism Factual Points (‘ 1%

Shopping for Romanian Babies • Newspaper » » » Journalism Factual Points (‘ 1% are what…’) Paragraph Spacing Formal language ‘give me a war zone’ only a journalist Sub Headings • It is like a business ‘vested interest’ the impersonal business side is mixed with the morally wrong personal baby (juxtaposition) • Baby Trade • • • » » » Suggests a product Incongruous ‘Vested Interest’ in quotations implicates criticism » » » Broad sheet More educated audience Subject Matter Language of business Background into Romania Familiar with previous articles. » » » Familiar Phrase Strolling around/walking Daily Tour of duty Depersonalise Mater of Fact Unsympathetic Phrase Target Audience Orphanage Beat Proves this wrong and becomes Moral Outrage Sadness Pity ‘State is the best possible parent’ » » • • • Emotional Implied Criticism Disagree//agree Use of ‘dumped’ to emphasise the babies are rubbish Educates – ‘Cassia dei Copii’ ‘A sea of expectant faces’ » » Unhealthy Millions Need Care They are very young ‘two young fists’ ‘childish drawings’ ‘neglected children’ Personal <> Impersonal ‘no one has a locker’ ‘frantically held up’

Explorers? Or Boys Messing About • Whether the writer sees them as men as

Explorers? Or Boys Messing About • Whether the writer sees them as men as experience expeditionary explorers or as criticised, irresponsible, immature, men. • This is a news paper story (key features) • Headline leaves out words to make it punchy. • Immature » » • Experienced Explorers » » • Mr Smith has a nickname James Bond reference ‘Did not know what they were up to’ ‘trusty helicopter’ not a safe helicopter ‘Both men are experienced explorers’ ‘expeditions to 70 countries in the past 15 years’ ‘trekked to Everest base camp’ ‘flying since the age of five ‘Farce’ » Makes out to be a joke and pointless • Experience list » ‘Despite their experience it is not the first time they have hit the headlines for the wrong reason’ • • • A professional was asked and he disagrees Gunter Endres questions the men Builds up a time line

Explorers? Or Boys Messing About 2 • Presented » The British navy ship was

Explorers? Or Boys Messing About 2 • Presented » The British navy ship was diverted from valuable safety precautions. This is a clear criticism. » Unlike the men the rescuers are professional » His wife is relaxed and does not worry. The watch is a prediction of a later problem. » The reaction of others is always negative • Structure » The piece starts with the fact that the explorers actually failed the mission.

Chinese Cinderella • • Comments Evidence Wealthy ‘Your chauffeur is waiting' Emotional Poverty ‘The

Chinese Cinderella • • Comments Evidence Wealthy ‘Your chauffeur is waiting' Emotional Poverty ‘The chauffeur is rude - 'Don't you know anything? ' She is out of Place ‘Am I dreaming' 'Me the winner' Unhappy with present surroundings ‘The thought of leaving school throbbed at the back of my mind' Autobiography Her father and herself » » » » • Poor relationship with her father ‘Overwhelmed’ ‘never’ been in his room Short sentences ‘Is it possible? ’ She is modest Clearly Educated as she quotes a famous poet He mocks her: ‘Writer! He scoffed’ ‘Full of dread’ The pace • Slow » ‘Time went by relentless’ • Increase » ‘Hurry up downstairs’ • Tense • Past » ‘I knocked’ » ‘He was proud of me’ • Present » ‘I do believe you have potential’ • Future » ‘I shall go to medicine school’

Taking on the world • Autobiographical » Inform » Explain » Describe • Exploring

Taking on the world • Autobiographical » Inform » Explain » Describe • Exploring » » The conditions are numbingly cold (‘I couldn’t feel my fingers’) Looking down from the mast she sees how powerful the waves are She states all the dangers The dangers are conveyed in a simple language » » » The passage begins with a complex sentence which sums up the whole passage She always uses the past tense She uses specialised vocabulary The writer uses ellipses (…) to convey fatigue Starts formal then turns informal Repetition (tugged and tugged) » » » She is physically strong (‘I shook with exhaustion’) She is emotionally strong She sticks to the point (‘I agonised for hours’) The dangers are clear She takes sensible precautions She is prepared to suffer to meet her goals • Style • Character

A Foreign Field • • Complex piece of writing Exploring » » » •

A Foreign Field • • Complex piece of writing Exploring » » » • Letter to mother is most formal: ‘Dear Mother’ The letter is very restrained ‘Sad news for you’ No love just ‘happy in her old age’ Tries to make grand-mere on his side the whole time The letter to Claire is personal ‘darling’, ‘loving’ Patriotism • Mother » England – Strong love for his country • Grand-mere » France and a little bit for England (not King) • Claire » Devotes himself to France and he dies for love not duty • Style » » » • The writers role is to introduce the letters and give basic information He creates moods (‘as dusk approached’) The end of the day is the end of Digbys life Ending has a ironic birdsong The only single line paragraph is for the blunt final scene Other Key Points » ‘Poor Claire and my child’ Shows sympathy » ‘Took aim and killed Robert Digby’ Graphical Ending » ‘You have not suffered the same fate as I’ Guilt trip • His Child » Not mentioned to his Mother » Grand – mere: ‘Poor Claire and My Child’ » Claire: ‘Embrace my baby girl’

Analysis of Section B • When the question asks you ‘how’ this means what

Analysis of Section B • When the question asks you ‘how’ this means what techniques and what impact these have. • The writing style should be in 5 sections: » » » Narrative Viewpoint Choice of Vocabulary Use of figurative and emotive language Types of sentences used Use of punctuation.

Narrative Viewpoint • First Person (I) • • • Personal Creates the writing to

Narrative Viewpoint • First Person (I) • • • Personal Creates the writing to be intense Gives a single perspective Can be biased They writer only records there thoughts and feelings • Third Person (he/she/it) • • Detached Viewpoint The story is told from more than one view point The account will be balanced and can record others emotions Often used in journalism and newspaper articles.

Choice of Vocabulary • Key Points • Common Theme? » Do the words all

Choice of Vocabulary • Key Points • Common Theme? » Do the words all share a theme • Negative/Positive? » Sets the tone of the piece • Specialised technical terms? » » Often in articles (particular topic) Shows expertise Sense of authority and knowledge You must identify these • Complex words? » Formal tone » Shows maturity of writer • Simple words? » » Conveys complex ideas to an non expert audience Explain to a younger audience Shows less educated Simple language can emphasise the point

Use of figurative and emotive language • Figurative Language • Draws figures or pictures

Use of figurative and emotive language • Figurative Language • Draws figures or pictures in the readers mind: » Metaphor » Simile » Any images • When it is used » » Imaginative writing Narrative account When the writer is explaining Dramatic • Found in explanations and diaries • Emotive language • Shows a particular mood • Words/Sentences/Paragraphs can be emotive

Types of sentences used • Long Sentences – Explains in more detail – Often

Types of sentences used • Long Sentences – Explains in more detail – Often shows age of the writer • Short Sentences – Creates sudden impact and change of tone – Often shows age of writer • Long and Short Sentences – Creates intensity and drama – Short sentence (gives the point) followed by long, (explains the point) • Imperatives – Commands – Start with a verb – Purposeful tone • Questions – Rhetorical – What does it ask the reader • Exclamations – ! – Moment of heightened emotion – Gives drama and impact

Use of punctuation • ! » Heightens emotion • ? » Questioning • -

Use of punctuation • ! » Heightens emotion • ? » Questioning • - (…) – » Suspends the narrative then returns • » pauses • … » Ellipse…reflect the mood and confusion • ( ) » Adds extra information • “ “ » Recorded thoughts or ‘direct speech’

Section C – Creative Writing • Four General Options • A SPEECH • A

Section C – Creative Writing • Four General Options • A SPEECH • A LETTER • A BOOKLET • A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE Informs, Argues and Persuades

A Booklet • A booklet: aims to inform and therefore needs to be factual.

A Booklet • A booklet: aims to inform and therefore needs to be factual. • TARGET AUDIENCE > Dictates your style • ADULTS > More formal tone and vocabulary • PUPILS > Can be less formal (use of slang etc. ) • Layout • Paragraphing • Bullet Points (effective way) • Sub Headings • Personal Experience and the ‘I’ pronoun can be used if booklet is about yourself.

A letter • This will often ask you to express an opinion about a

A letter • This will often ask you to express an opinion about a particular issue. • TARGET AUDIENCE – Tone – Context – Language • DO NOT PUT AN ADRESS…However put: • Dear… – Sir//Madam – Mr//Mrs – Fellow Pupils • LETTER OF COMPLAINT: – – – ‘in my opinion’ ‘many of my peers’ ‘in my experience’ ‘I believe’ ‘It is incredible that’ • Use of Rhetorical Questions

A speech • Aims to persuade and informs • The uses of devices to

A speech • Aims to persuade and informs • The uses of devices to allow persuasion: – – – Repetition Opinion Short Sentences Exaggeration Rhetorical Questions Facts (dates/stats) • ‘Let me tell you’ • ‘There's no doubt that’ • In every case’

A Newspaper Article KEY POINTS • Specific Words • Convey Excitement Title – •

A Newspaper Article KEY POINTS • Specific Words • Convey Excitement Title – • Abbreviations • Bold • Witnesses • Opinions • State a biased truth • Missing Words • Tells story Picture Sub Title – • Expands on title • Gives key issues Heading of the picture Bold Writing • Gives the reader the introduction and makes the reader read on. Text in columns