Unit 1 Reading What impressions Learning Objectives To

Unit 1 Reading What impressions. .

Learning Objectives To understand how a writer creates a certain impression by his or her choice of vocabulary

Starter Write the opening lines of a description of a birthday party that you have been to that gives a positive impression of it (that you had a good time).

Swap with your partner • Read your partner’s account • Using the same account, change the necessary words so that you are now creating a negative impression of the same birthday party.

What are ‘impressions’? When you are answering questions about impressions, you need to read through a text while thinking about the impression you are given about a person, place, organisation of event at any given time.

• If a question asks you to look for impressions in a text, what might you focus on?

What’s the right order? • Write your answer, making sure you track the text chronologically • Read the question, highlighting the key words • If it will help you, annotate the highlighted sections in the passage to clarify your impressions • Read the passage, highlighting the areas where you are given an impression

Did you get it right? • Read the question, highlighting the key words • Read the passage, highlighting the areas where you are given an impression • If it will help you, annotate the highlighted sections in the passage to clarify your impressions • Write your answer, making sure you track the text chronologically

Handy Hint • If you are looking at language and words, it is important to quote a short word or phrase and then make clear what impression the word or phrase creates. Never use long quotations in your answer. • If you are given a text with a picture, consider what impressions the picture creates as well as the text (not instead of).

What impression do you get of the people in the picture?

Activity • Read Bill Bryson’s account of Weston-Super. Mare • What impression do you think he wanted the reader to have of the town? • List all the words or phrases that help to create these impressions • Next to the words or phrases, explain what impression they create of the town.

Remember! • Bill Bryson has chosen which details to include so that he can create a clear impression for the reader. • Think about how he presents the details. He mentions going to a pub and to a Chinese restaurant, but he wants to give a particular impression of what they are like. How does he do this?