English Advanced Question Thread

[katerinam]

Hi,

I struggle with answering comprehension questions for paper 1 and I find it hard to intepret the texts and try to relate them to the question.
I was wondering if you any materials or tips that could help with answering these types of questions and how to prepare for this section in the exam?

Thanks !

[xlaibaxx]

Hey! I was just wondering if anyone could help me out with the techniques that Shakespeare and Al Pacino have used in King Richard III and Looking for Richard, respectively. Thanks! 

[angewina_naguen]

Hi,

I struggle with answering comprehension questions for paper 1 and I find it hard to intepret the texts and try to relate them to the question.
I was wondering if you any materials or tips that could help with answering these types of questions and how to prepare for this section in the exam?

Thanks !

Hey, katerinam!

I often tell students that the answer is in the question itself! If you find yourself struggling to interpret the provided texts, revise the question and identify what the key words are. I would then link this to the concepts explored in the rubric such as human qualities, paradoxes, emotions and so forth. Your response should be tailored around what the question specifically is asking about in regards to the human experience and what impact this has on you as a reader. If you would like a more detailed breakdown of the nature of the exam, I highly recommend Emily's Advanced English Lecture Slides as a great revision resource, especially for the Common Module 

As for preparation, I found that attempting practice responses and getting feedback on them from my teacher was really helpful! It enabled me to identify areas of strength and improvement, as well as applying the skills required for unseen comprehension properly. I would start off with the sample paper NESA has provided and then requesting some from your teachers to complete 

Hey! I was just wondering if anyone could help me out with the techniques that Shakespeare and Al Pacino have used in King Richard III and Looking for Richard, respectively. Thanks! 

Hey, xlaibaxx!

You can check out a bunch of King Richard III/Looking for Richard notes which might help you! Did you have any particular quotes you wanted help with identifying techniques for? You can reply to this post and I'll work through some with you 

Angelina 

[violet123]

Hi,
I am doing The Crucible for the common module.
I am thinking of doing 2 themes:
Power: the danger of abusing power
Intolerance: extremist suppression of individuality to enforce unity is a paradox because it results in a tragedy.

Are these 2 themes too similar?

[angewina_naguen]

Hi,
I am doing The Crucible for the common module.
I am thinking of doing 2 themes:
Power: the danger of abusing power
Intolerance: extremist suppression of individuality to enforce unity is a paradox because it results in a tragedy.

Are these 2 themes too similar?

Hey, violet123!

Definitely use those two themes! I would perhaps examine with intolerance first as a personal/social attitude that results in marginalisation for individuals (think women, the poor etc.) and power more so from a political framework which leads to the abuse or misuse of it on the community (from authorities and respected members in society). This can enable you to distinguish your analysis for the two themes and use evidence that covers both individual and collective human experiences  Hope that helps!

Angelina 

[violet123]

Hi,
For anyone who studied Looking for Richard, what is the significance in the circular ending of the docudrama where it ended in the line from The Tempest.

[romyss]

hello friends!
I was just going through the common module (texts and human experiences) syllabus rubric and was wondering about this line:
"They [students] communicate ideas using figurative language to express universal themes and evaluative language to make informed judgements about texts."
The ATAR Notes English Advanced Complete Course Notes (which i am in love with and is my saving grace) says: "You are probably used to analysing figurative language in fiction and poetry, or using it in your own creative writing. However, the syllabus now is asking you to incorporate it into you own analytical essays."
I was just wondering how we can use figurative language in an analytical way? My prescribed text is The Crucible - should i prepare similes and metaphors that express it's universal themes?
If anyone could offer clarification or examples (!) of what this would look like, I would be eternally grateful
Thank you!

[violet123]

What is a generic essay question I can build a thematic framework for, for module A?
One that I can easily adapt in exams.

[angewina_naguen]

hello friends!
I was just going through the common module (texts and human experiences) syllabus rubric and was wondering about this line:
"They [students] communicate ideas using figurative language to express universal themes and evaluative language to make informed judgements about texts."
The ATAR Notes English Advanced Complete Course Notes (which i am in love with and is my saving grace) says: "You are probably used to analysing figurative language in fiction and poetry, or using it in your own creative writing. However, the syllabus now is asking you to incorporate it into you own analytical essays."
I was just wondering how we can use figurative language in an analytical way? My prescribed text is The Crucible - should i prepare similes and metaphors that express it's universal themes?
If anyone could offer clarification or examples (!) of what this would look like, I would be eternally grateful
Thank you!

Hey, romyss!

Welcome to the forums  Glad to hear that the English Advanced Notes have really assisted you in deepening your understanding of the course Using figurative in an analytical sense could be done as I've provided as a sample below with Module B.

An Artist of the Floating World

Good literature shows reality. Great literature reveals many realities.

How has the complexity of truth been explored through the protagonist of your prescribed text?

In your response, refer to your prescribed text Kazuo Ishiguro’s An Artist of the Floating World.

Texts that effectively coordinate between the imagination and reality culminate in narratives cryptic on the existence of truth. As truths unfold, composers invite readers to navigate the entanglement of realities produced from uncertainty, ego and denial. In Kazuo Ishiguro’s An Artist of the Floating World (1986), the fallibility surrounding personal experience obscures reality’s accuracy in retrospection. Ishiguro profoundly suggests the existence of multiple realities as significant to ensuring the text’s academic longevity, intricately constructed from the dichotomous perspective of his protagonist and narrator Masuji Ono.

In the provided sample, I suggest that truth and its complexity is like a labyrinth that requires deep investigation to navigate and understand. For the Common Module more specifically, I would consider similes and metaphors that can support your judgement on how your text represents what is means to be human. For a module aspect like "paradoxes, anomalies and inconsistencies", you could say something along the lines of "The fabric of 1984 is laced with compelling dichotomies that are sewn together and viewed by readers." The figurative language doesn't have to be mind-blowing or complicated and should be regulated throughout your essay to prevent the whole response just becoming ways your text is like the wind or a candy bar  A great essay would implement it like how good things are in life- in moderation  Hope this helps!

Angelina 

[angewina_naguen]

What is a generic essay question I can build a thematic framework for, for module A?
One that I can easily adapt in exams.

Hey, violet123!

I would discourage using an essay question to build a thematic framework for Module A only because the questions might become more specific or geared towards certain values. For example, take a look at these sample questions.

Both speakers must gain something out of a conversation for it to be a memorable one. How has the relationship between two texts enhanced your understanding of their key values? Refer to your prescribed texts in Module A: Textual Conversations.

Appropriation is not about borrowing, but about recontextualising. To what extent has an understanding of context assisted you in viewing the resonances and dissonances between a pair of texts? Refer to the prescribed texts you studied in Module A: Textual Conversations.

“No poet, no artist of any art, has his complete meaning alone. His significance, his appreciation is the appreciation of his relation to the dead poets and artists. You cannot value him alone; you must set him, for contrast and comparison, among the dead.” (T.S Eliot, 1920) Discuss how a comparative study in Module A: Textual Conversations has enabled you to understand the individual and combined values of your texts.

As you can see, the questions all cover similarly bases from the module but have different specifications for you to provide a judgement on.

My suggestion would be to construct your notes and to examine Module A through the lenses of context, comparative study/intertextuality and key ideas. For context, you would look at how the texts have been informed by the prevailing personal, political, cultural and social perspectives, attitudes and beliefs of their respective times. Understanding the comparative study and key ideas requires you to look at how the texts may be different but how they explore unchanging values through intertextual connections. I would highly recommend writing notes that pair up quotes and analysing them to extract their individual and combined meanings. I would then suggest the impact of context on these representations and highlight how we can come to appreciate the texts this way. You could also introduce purpose and form to provide more depth for your analysis and suggest the role of the composer and dominating literary conventions in shaping these perspectives. Hope that helps!

Angelina 

[jelena_nina2001]

hey all,

trials are in monday and just wondering if planning the themes/quotes is good enough considering it is an unseen essay question? Text - 1984 George orwell.

thanks

[KC181]

hey all,

trials are in monday and just wondering if planning the themes/quotes is good enough considering it is an unseen essay question? Text - 1984 George orwell.

thanks

Hey! I personally would say yes having them would be really good despite it being an unseen essay question. The trick is to have themes and quote with those themes that can be broad enough to fit other questions. For example, repression is a theme within 1984 that can be used for a broad range of questions. Once you find quotes for repression its then about being able to think of ways to fit that theme and those quotes to the question you're given on the day.
 

[dani01]

For short answers how many tee/s should I do depending on the marks
2 Marks: 1 Tee
3: 2 tee/s
4: 3 with a mini-thesis
5/6: intro conclusion and body paragraph

And in terms of an "intro" how long does it really need to be. and since its only a mini-essay do I say the techniques I'm going to use in them? Just a bit confused.
Also what are some good visual techniques apart from colour, vector, foreground/background etc.
Thanks!!!

[angewina_naguen]

For short answers how many tee/s should I do depending on the marks
2 Marks: 1 Tee
3: 2 tee/s
4: 3 with a mini-thesis
5/6: intro conclusion and body paragraph

And in terms of an "intro" how long does it really need to be. and since its only a mini-essay do I say the techniques I'm going to use in them? Just a bit confused.
Also what are some good visual techniques apart from colour, vector, foreground/background etc.
Thanks!!!

Hey, dani01!

What you've got for your short answer structures will work out nicely  For the introduction of a short answer question, I would only two sentences; one should present a judgement (thesis statement) on the provided question and the other should elaborate on it in reference to the text. If I were to write a response to a question like the one below, this is what my mini-introduction would look like.

Spoiler

How have Texts 1 and 2 explored personal identity as an aspect of the human experience? (5 marks)
Voices in texts are crafted to explore and invite reflection on one’s personal identity. Texts 1 and 2 share the impact of cultural influences on represented characters and personas to similarly renew understandings on our own identities.

As for visual techniques, the one you've listed there are good ones! It's always more how they are used, rather than how fancy they are  Here's a helpful resource you could refer to if you would like to find some more  Hope that helps!

Angelina 

[Chargran]

Hi comrades!
Trials are on Monday. Mod C my prescribed texts are Orwell's really long essay and Noel Pearson's Eulogy. I tried to write a creative and analyse it using one key feature of Pearson's Eulogy (timed 40 mins) but it was a bit of a fail.
What is a substantial, consistent feature of either prescribed text that I can build an analysis off of, and write a creative for?