Login

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

March 28, 2024, 10:54:38 pm

Author Topic: English Advanced Question Thread  (Read 1231676 times)

0 Members and 8 Guests are viewing this topic.

jamonwindeyer

  • Honorary Moderator
  • Great Wonder of ATAR Notes
  • *******
  • Posts: 10150
  • The lurker from the north.
  • Respect: +3108
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1305 on: January 17, 2017, 03:12:31 pm »
0
Sorry, I had no idea where to put this, but I was just reading the "improving your vocabulary" blog post where it mentioned sites designed to help improve vocab and expression.

Specifically ones which "provide you with words targeted at a certain reading level (pick a ‘high school à university/college’ level category if you can). The best ones will operate via association, so they won’t just give you a word and its definition – they’ll provide synonyms or sample sentences to help you see how a word works in context."

This really interested me and so I was wondering if anyone could recommend or suggest some websites which have these features? Maybe even the programs which allow you to set  "daily goals or challenges as a means of incentivising yourself to learn more."

Thank you!!!

The only one I know of that sort of does this is Dictionary.com's Word of the Day. It gives the word and definition, its origin, and some famous citation/users.

I bet a quick search of 'vocabulary' on the Google Play or iOS App Stores will turn a whole bunch of apps that do things on your phone! I seem to remember downloading a few in Year 11 on my teachers recommendation ;D

I just read in a critical reading the phrase "duplicitous dichotomy" and I was wondering if someone could explain to me what it means?

(My google search failed me)

Thank you 8)

So duplicitous, to my understanding, is something appearing different to what it is. Google defines it as 'deceitful,' so that sounds about right. Then dichotomy is about two opposing things, two things that are in stark contrast (or at least appear to be so). So for example, the supposed dichotomy between science and religion.

So, a duplicitous dichotomy is about a division between two opposing forces/things, that isn't as it appears. So in fact, the duplicitous dichotomy between science and religion is a decent example (since many scientists are actually quite religious)! ;D

I hope that helps :)

bsdfjnlkasn

  • Forum Obsessive
  • ***
  • Posts: 417
  • Respect: +28
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1306 on: January 17, 2017, 03:19:30 pm »
0
Hey there me again (for my 3rd post in a row :P),

I just have a question regarding thesis statements. What risk would I be running if I decided to write my thesis statement (and the rest of my intro/essay) in a low modality? I understand that my thesis is important for creating a first impression which convinces the marker of my argument, so this is why my doubt arises. Is there any possibility that the marker may take my use of can, may etc. as indecisive/uncertain? Or is this not even a concern worth having haha?

Thanks again :D

jamonwindeyer

  • Honorary Moderator
  • Great Wonder of ATAR Notes
  • *******
  • Posts: 10150
  • The lurker from the north.
  • Respect: +3108
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1307 on: January 17, 2017, 03:46:16 pm »
+1
Hey there me again (for my 3rd post in a row :P),

I just have a question regarding thesis statements. What risk would I be running if I decided to write my thesis statement (and the rest of my intro/essay) in a low modality? I understand that my thesis is important for creating a first impression which convinces the marker of my argument, so this is why my doubt arises. Is there any possibility that the marker may take my use of can, may etc. as indecisive/uncertain? Or is this not even a concern worth having haha?

Thanks again :D

Hey! So the modality of your Thesis statement is definitely worth considering, and I can't give a blanket answer. In my experience, high modality Thesis statements work better. That said, I've seen ones that are a bit more towards the 'low modality' end of the spectrum that work just fine. I think it depends a little bit on the question and the idea you are presenting.

Usually, I'd recommend at least part of your Thesis being high modality, and you can then add some low modality stuff to broaden your approach. For example:

Unexpected tragedies inevitably lead to significant personal transformations, which may be either enriching or damaging in nature.

The green bit is high modality, the red bit is low modality. This works well, because I'm making a strong argument first, then acknowledging that the effects can vary :)

So I suppose it depends a bit. If this is for the AoS, we have a thread where you can post your Thesis and get some feedback on it, have a chat about ways it could improve, etc ;D otherwise feel free to share what you've been working on and we can give some feedback :)

bsdfjnlkasn

  • Forum Obsessive
  • ***
  • Posts: 417
  • Respect: +28
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1308 on: January 17, 2017, 10:43:51 pm »
0
Hey hey,

I was reading a critical reading early today without too many issues before I stumbled upon a line which really confused me. Could someone please clarify/help me interpret what was meant by the critic when they wrote:
"Idealism and practical reality can’t be mutually exclusive if idealism is to serve our needs"

My interpretation was "One’s desires and the context they find themselves in, need to work together in order to see these desires realised" is this sort of on the right track?

jamonwindeyer

  • Honorary Moderator
  • Great Wonder of ATAR Notes
  • *******
  • Posts: 10150
  • The lurker from the north.
  • Respect: +3108
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1309 on: January 17, 2017, 11:19:02 pm »
+1
Hey hey,

I was reading a critical reading early today without too many issues before I stumbled upon a line which really confused me. Could someone please clarify/help me interpret what was meant by the critic when they wrote:
"Idealism and practical reality can’t be mutually exclusive if idealism is to serve our needs"

My interpretation was "One’s desires and the context they find themselves in, need to work together in order to see these desires realised" is this sort of on the right track?

Wassup  8) You are pretty much on the right track, just be a little more careful with your definition of 'idealism.' It's a little more than just desires, its a pursuit of perfection. Like "world peace, unlimited energy, free money" style stuff. But yep! It means that if we want to chase perfection, we need to be practical in that pursuit ;D


anotherworld2b

  • Forum Leader
  • ****
  • Posts: 747
  • Respect: 0
  • School Grad Year: 2017
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1310 on: January 17, 2017, 11:24:14 pm »
0
Jamon you mentioned in my feedback on my practise I should try using nominalisation.
I am not sure how to use nominalisation or what it is to be honest  :-\

jamonwindeyer

  • Honorary Moderator
  • Great Wonder of ATAR Notes
  • *******
  • Posts: 10150
  • The lurker from the north.
  • Respect: +3108
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1311 on: January 18, 2017, 09:10:56 am »
0
Jamon you mentioned in my feedback on my practise I should try using nominalisation.
I am not sure how to use nominalisation or what it is to be honest  :-\

Oh sure! Sorry I should have explained that.

Nominalisation is, basically, turning verbs into nouns (or more specifically, using the noun form of a verb). Sounds fancy, here's an example:

Non-Nominalised: The author uses a variety of literary techniques to create anticipation for the responder.
Nominalised: The author's use of a variety of literary techniques creates anticipation for the responder.

So instead of saying the author 'uses' literary techniques, I am pointing to their 'use' of literary techniques. It's subtle, and in this case it doesn't make a huge difference, but there are case where it tidies up your writing immensely and can really up your sophistication. It's less recount - More analytical. In my HSC, practically all of my sentences were nominalised. In academic writing, it is the more common approach!

For some further reading on it, try here!

bsdfjnlkasn

  • Forum Obsessive
  • ***
  • Posts: 417
  • Respect: +28
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1312 on: January 18, 2017, 08:15:13 pm »
0
Wassup  8)

I've been doing some work on my related text (film adaptation of The Age of Innocence) these last few days and have come to the conclusion that a lack of discovery is regressive. This isn't explicitly stated in the text but is rather blatantly implied through the lack of plot development (so frustrating that the audience are only left to this conclusion). Would it be wrong to assume this "thesis" by a sort of proof by contradiction approach when discussing in an essay? The film sets up the impression that the protagonist will pursue all the little discoveries that occur throughout the film but to the audience's surprise, ends up leading a complacent life. Although seeming anti-climactic, it still says a lot about the influence of society on the self (which is only realised through the protagonist's regression). So, I have stuff to work with, but I'm just not sure if it's worth working with in the first place.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated  :) :)

jamonwindeyer

  • Honorary Moderator
  • Great Wonder of ATAR Notes
  • *******
  • Posts: 10150
  • The lurker from the north.
  • Respect: +3108
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1313 on: January 18, 2017, 08:31:31 pm »
+1
Wassup  8)

I've been doing some work on my related text (film adaptation of The Age of Innocence) these last few days and have come to the conclusion that a lack of discovery is regressive. This isn't explicitly stated in the text but is rather blatantly implied through the lack of plot development (so frustrating that the audience are only left to this conclusion). Would it be wrong to assume this "thesis" by a sort of proof by contradiction approach when discussing in an essay? The film sets up the impression that the protagonist will pursue all the little discoveries that occur throughout the film but to the audience's surprise, ends up leading a complacent life. Although seeming anti-climactic, it still says a lot about the influence of society on the self (which is only realised through the protagonist's regression). So, I have stuff to work with, but I'm just not sure if it's worth working with in the first place.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated  :) :)

Hey! It certainly sounds like it is worth dealing with to me!! It sounds like a really clever manipulation of form/plot. Provided it works well with the themes in your prescribed text, this is definitely something to include in your analysis!! Discuss it as just another example of a technique used to represent a concept, but it sounds like you've got quite a bit of depth to the example, which is great! ;D

anotherworld2b

  • Forum Leader
  • ****
  • Posts: 747
  • Respect: 0
  • School Grad Year: 2017
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1314 on: January 19, 2017, 01:48:49 am »
0
thank you for your help :)

I was having a look at this practise question
Q3. Discuss how values and attitudes are comparable and/or different in Text 1 and Text 2

I am not sure how to structure it or what to talk about. Text one is a written text while Text 2 is a visual text. Do you talk about the conventions that both and the effect on the audience?

Oh sure! Sorry I should have explained that.

Nominalisation is, basically, turning verbs into nouns (or more specifically, using the noun form of a verb). Sounds fancy, here's an example:

Non-Nominalised: The author uses a variety of literary techniques to create anticipation for the responder.
Nominalised: The author's use of a variety of literary techniques creates anticipation for the responder.

So instead of saying the author 'uses' literary techniques, I am pointing to their 'use' of literary techniques. It's subtle, and in this case it doesn't make a huge difference, but there are case where it tidies up your writing immensely and can really up your sophistication. It's less recount - More analytical. In my HSC, practically all of my sentences were nominalised. In academic writing, it is the more common approach!

For some further reading on it, try here!

elysepopplewell

  • HSC Lecturer
  • Honorary Moderator
  • ATAR Notes Legend
  • *******
  • Posts: 3236
  • "Hey little fighter, soon it will be brighter."
  • Respect: +970
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1315 on: January 19, 2017, 11:42:21 am »
0
thank you for your help :)

I was having a look at this practise question
Q3. Discuss how values and attitudes are comparable and/or different in Text 1 and Text 2

I am not sure how to structure it or what to talk about. Text one is a written text while Text 2 is a visual text. Do you talk about the conventions that both and the effect on the audience?

By the sounds of it, if you want to talk about the conventions of the text as being specific to the text type, then that's something unique that you bring in on your own terms, seeing as the question doesn't specify it. So that's really cool - you're looking at what you can bring to the question! So, I'd start by looking at the values that are shared in the text, or the values that exist in both but are represented differently/there are different perspectives to those values. This way you can take a similarities/differences approach in your response. Hypothetically, if the value of youth is shared in both texts - you'd use that as the string to sew your response. If in text one, that is represented by the motif of the water...and in text two it is represented by the bright colours...then you can bring in your argument about text-type-specific conventions.

I think the starting point here is to work out what values are shared and what are not, and how are they similarly represented and how are they differently represented. When you've got those differences and similarities mapped out, the response should flow :)
Not sure how to navigate around ATAR Notes? Check out this video!

anotherworld2b

  • Forum Leader
  • ****
  • Posts: 747
  • Respect: 0
  • School Grad Year: 2017
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1316 on: January 20, 2017, 01:03:28 am »
0
Hi, I'm back I was wondering if could get help with these question.
I've tried to write a draft but I feel like I'm not answering the question properly :-\
Would it be best to pinpoint a value and attitude and analyse how it is expressed/conveyed in each text?

Spoiler
Q3. Discuss how values and attitudes are comparable and/or different in Text 1 and Text 2

‘Text 1’ and ‘Text 2’ utilise different conventions to convey the similar perception that a mother’s life revolves solely around her child to the audience. Both mothers in ‘Text 1’ and ‘Text 2’ display commendable attitudes of being hard working, reliable and devoted to their daughters as well the values of diligence, love and family. ‘Text 1’ is a visual text and utilises visual conventions such as composition, body language and lighting to convey the hard woking, reliable and devoted attitude towards raising her daughter. Whereas, the use of diction, tone and first person narration in ‘Text 2’ conveys the values mother’s that the mother holds towards diligance, love and family.

By the sounds of it, if you want to talk about the conventions of the text as being specific to the text type, then that's something unique that you bring in on your own terms, seeing as the question doesn't specify it. So that's really cool - you're looking at what you can bring to the question! So, I'd start by looking at the values that are shared in the text, or the values that exist in both but are represented differently/there are different perspectives to those values. This way you can take a similarities/differences approach in your response. Hypothetically, if the value of youth is shared in both texts - you'd use that as the string to sew your response. If in text one, that is represented by the motif of the water...and in text two it is represented by the bright colours...then you can bring in your argument about text-type-specific conventions.

I think the starting point here is to work out what values are shared and what are not, and how are they similarly represented and how are they differently represented. When you've got those differences and similarities mapped out, the response should flow :)

bholenath125

  • Trailblazer
  • *
  • Posts: 35
  • Respect: +1
  • School: Girraween High School
  • School Grad Year: 2017
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1317 on: January 20, 2017, 05:05:30 pm »
0
Elyse

Could you please outline how to write an effective creative. I wrote one but it is terrible

What i did was that I set up the scene.
Like i mean,
that i thought that
You show something thats wrong with the person and then a discovery happens which generates a renewed understanding of the familiar. but its wrong. s

the whole creative is supposed to be about discovery.

My story is essentially about a mother who lost her family in a tsunami, and now has gone back to the beach in front of the hotel where they stayed. She hurls wires into the ocean but she sees a toy that belonged to her younger son. So she looks for more and more remnants of their past. And she gets frustrated coz all she manages to find is alcohol and smokes. so she keeps getting drunk.. and then one morning she gets up to scavenge. But she trips over a bump in the sand. She's so annoyed she wants to find out what made that bump and she starts digging and she has a flashback about the last time they were on the beach. And when she comes out of the flashback she feels so tired from digging. that she just falls in.

My discovery was supposed to be that she realises that there was nothing in the hole.. and that she (literally and figuratively) dug a hole for herself. So she throws away the alcohol and climbs out of the hole.

This is where the creative ends. and also, its written as a feature article.

But the creative is supposed to be about the consequences of discovery and my discovery is too late. So would you please help me out as to how to solve this problem..


Thank you

jamonwindeyer

  • Honorary Moderator
  • Great Wonder of ATAR Notes
  • *******
  • Posts: 10150
  • The lurker from the north.
  • Respect: +3108
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1318 on: January 20, 2017, 06:11:00 pm »
0
Hi, I'm back I was wondering if could get help with these question.
I've tried to write a draft but I feel like I'm not answering the question properly :-\
Would it be best to pinpoint a value and attitude and analyse how it is expressed/conveyed in each text?

I think that's the best approach! Pick one theme/idea/value/attitude, and look at how that is explored in either text. It can be the same, or they can say different things about the same topic (EG - positive/negative). But there needs to be that single conceptual link there to make it cohesive.

Spoiler
Q3. Discuss how values and attitudes are comparable and/or different in Text 1 and Text 2

‘Text 1’ and ‘Text 2’ utilise different conventions to convey the similar perception that a mother’s life revolves solely around her child to the audience. Both mothers in ‘Text 1’ and ‘Text 2’ display commendable attitudes of being hard working, reliable and devoted to their daughters as well the values of diligence, love and family. How is this shown though? This is what you'll explore, so this sentence is a little redundant. ‘Text 1’ is a visual text and utilises visual conventions such as composition, body language and lighting to convey the hard woking, reliable and devoted attitude towards raising her daughter. Whereas, the use of diction, tone and first person narration in ‘Text 2’ conveys the values mother’s that the mother holds towards diligance, love and family.

I think you are going about it the right way, but my big comment right now would be that you need more detail about how the techniques are used. Right now you are just listing - You need the full example and explanation in this question like you've done the others!

In the HSC, this question would demand a solid essay response - I'm not sure about WACE, but doing it justice will take at least a very solid paragraph ;D

feeah

  • Adventurer
  • *
  • Posts: 14
  • Respect: 0
Re: English Advanced Question Thread
« Reply #1319 on: January 20, 2017, 07:36:17 pm »
0
hey guys, do you think using a song as a related text is a good idea? my teacher said not to because it comes off as immature, but i personally love music and songs really speak well to me so i think i'd really enjoy analysing a song as a related and i just wanted a second opinion on whether i should or not
also-- if using it as a related, would we also be able to analyse audio techniques, or should we focus on only the song lyrics?
thanks!