Answers to coursebook activities

1 Introduction to AS Level English

Language
1.1 Understanding context, audience and purpose

Activity 1
 Knowing context is important because the background to a text – whether that is place, time,
situation – can have an impact on a writer’s mood and perspective. It may also affect the field of
reference – the facts or details of any situation. If you don’t recognise these aspects, you may
include details that are not relevant or do not reflect the writer’s likely viewpoint.

 Identifying the audience is important because it will help students choose appropriate vocabulary
and a voice that the audience can relate to.
 Identifying purpose is vital, because students need to shape what they write to meet their goal – if
their get the purpose wrong, then their whole response will be flawed.

Activity 2
A secondary purpose might be to persuade the audience to do something similar, such as working for
a charity.

Activity 3
a The audience is the editor of a newspaper – probably not a local paper, otherwise the writer would
not emphasise the unfairness of attacking ‘our’ communities.

b The call to action is to ‘attack local government … and demand that they invest in our
communities’.

Activity 4
The mood/tone is angry yet rational and determined. Phrases such as ‘completely unfair’ and the
careful explanations show that this is not just an emotional rant.

Activity 5
 Context: ‘midsummer’s night’ and ‘memories of her dead husband’.

 Audience: ‘the writer’s diary’ and ‘her memories’; diaries are usually written for our own purposes
so both these references suggest that she herself is the audience.

 Purpose: ‘diary’ – a diary’s purpose is to record the day’s events; the use of the word ‘memories’
suggests this will reflect on the past.

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 Activity 6
1 Context (time and setting): ‘twilight’ / ‘sunset’; ‘ten years ago’ / ‘churchyard’. Audience: ‘your
country’, ‘your spirit’, ‘there you are with me’.

Purpose: this is also to describe the scene – so additional references to nature, the moon, the
churchyard are part of that.

2 a She moves from recounting/expressing memories in the first paragraph to expressing feelings
of
regeneration, of new life – and being able to write again – in the second.

b She is probably still addressing her husband but her attention is now on herself and her work,
so
these comments are more directed at herself.

3 She talks about the ‘eclipse of winter’ passing (eclipses block out the light) and how nature (‘trees’,
‘meadows’, ‘flowers’) in the sunlight will help her write.

Activity 7
Students’ own responses. Ensure that references to context, audience and purpose reveal Shelley’s
sentimental nature, looking back at the past and her dead husband, as well as her rejuvenated
feelings now that spring is on its way.

1.2 Understanding form and structure

Activity 1
1 Note the remaining sub-headings (in the same style as the one highlighted) and the single
paragraphs that follow each sub-heading. Two further photographs are linked in each case to the
sub-paragraphs (the first to ‘Your own private paradise’; the second to ‘Trips and treats’).

2 The structure is not chronological. The text is divided according to theme/topic, and perhaps
priority, with the first section covering the overall experience. The following sections focus on ‘Rest
and relaxation’, ‘Trips and treats’ and ‘How to book’ as their sub-headings reveal.

Activity 2

Feature of Comment and example

form or its
absence

Paragraphs Yes – two, of approximately equal length. The first starts ‘She had
explored …’. The second begins, ‘By twelve o clock …’.

Direct speech No

Prose Setting:
description of ‘pretty ferns and leaves, an armful of strange blue flowers with velvety ridges
setting or and a sweet suds bush full of the brown, fragrant buds’
action ‘gloomy in the little cove’

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 ‘The air was damp, the silence close and deep.’
Action:
‘She had explored the woods behind the house many times.’
‘her mother took her to gather nuts’
‘she made her own path, bouncing this way and that way, vaguely keeping an
eye out for snakes’
‘By twelve o’clock, her arms laden with sprigs of her findings, she was a mile or
more from home.’

Short or simple ‘She had explored the woods behind the house many times.’
sentences ‘The air was damp, the silence close and deep.’

Longer, ‘She found, in addition to various common but pretty ferns and leaves, an
complex armful of strange blue flowers with velvety ridges and a sweet suds bush full of
sentences the brown, fragrant buds.’
(Other examples possible.)

Activity 3
 There are no visual images in this text, except the ones created in the reader’s mind.

 The text is all one size, with no specific highlighting or drawing attention to particular information.

 The text is continuous and has no headings, although it is broken into two paragraphs.

Activity 4
All of these could be true. However, the use of ‘strange’ and ‘strangeness’, and the fact that the
narrator finds the area she is in ‘not as pleasant’, ‘gloomy’ and the silence ‘close’, suggests that the
second option – that it creates a claustrophobic effect – is the most accurate.

Activity 5
1 Prepositions related to place: ‘behind the house’; ‘among the fallen leaves’; ‘a mile or more from
home’; ‘in the little cove’.

2 Time markers: ‘in late autumn’; ‘today’; ‘by twelve o’clock’; ‘(as far) before’.

3 Past perfect tense: ‘she had explored’; ‘she had [often] been’.

Activity 6
C best sums up the structure of the extract. The text starts with her memories of going out with her
mother, and then switches to her first walk before she reaches a new location at midday.

Activity 7
Students’ own responses based on the criteria.

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 1.3 Exploring language and style
Activity 1
For each extract, student responses might include:
1 The repetitive nature of the words, and the short sentences or phrases, create a dull rhythm
suggesting boredom and gloom.

2 The extended, longer sentence here creates a flowing effect, emphasised by the participle form
‘enjoying’ and adjective ‘cleansing’. The choice of vocabulary – ‘cleansing’, ‘pure’ and ‘baptism’ –
suggests a religious experience, so the overall style is positive and fresh/new.

3 The three-sentence structure and the sequencing connectives (‘first’, ‘then’) – and the lack of a
narrative voice – create an objective, factual feel. The lack of descriptive detail (there is just one
adjective, ‘invisible’) contributes to the formal, slightly distancing effect.

Activity 2
1 The words/phrases highlighted blue are all descriptions of buildings or parts of buildings.

2 The words/phrases highlighted yellow relate to the visual state of the buildings.

Activity 3
1 The words in bold are determiners.

2 In the first example the girl and shops are imprecise – the writer has not encountered them before.
The second sentence suggests it is a particular girl, who has perhaps been seen before (‘the girl
I’d seen yesterday’) or who is important to the story. ‘The shops’ suggests that the shops are
known to the writer – perhaps his or her local ones.

Activity 4
Students’ own responses. Ideas might include:

 Apple: crunch, sweet, sharp, orchard, fresh, round, green, serpent, Garden of Eden.

 Forest: trees, woods, path, branches, dark, birds, nature, lost, wolves, night.

 Sunrise: dawn, new day, sunlight, rays, new beginning, birds singing, work, horizon.

Activity 5
a Possible order: moist, damp, wet, soaked, sodden, drenched. ‘Wet’ is the most neutral.

b Possible order (positive first): praise, compliment, agree with, sweet-talk, flatter. The last two have
negative connotations – if you ‘sweet talk’ or ‘flatter’ it suggests the recipient does not really
deserve the praise.

c ‘Cleansing’ (meaning refreshing or ridding of dirt or corruption) is more positive than ‘incessant’
(meaning ‘never ending’).

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 Activity 6
a The first three are minor sentences (or, strictly speaking, not sentences at all as there is no clear
subject and no real verb – ‘drumming’ is a gerund). The final sentence is a simple SVO sentence
(subject, verb, object).

b The last sentence creates finality – a summing up of the effect of the ‘incessant rain’.

c Students’ own responses. Examples might include ‘I am not very happy about the rain that is
falling.’ or ‘This rain is going on forever. It is a real bore.’ These would have been less powerful
because they do not have the repetition and the sharp ‘t’ sound of ‘hate’ and ‘it’.

Activity 7
a Examples 1 and 2 are almost identical. The third omits the word ‘police’.

b Example 1 is active: the police are mentioned first – they are ‘doing’ the action to the
demonstrators. Example 2 is passive: the ‘demonstrators’ are at the front of the sentence. In
example 3 the order is the same as for example 2, but those doing the action have been removed.

c In the second headline the focus moves to the demonstrators – they are foregrounded. In the third,
the focus is entirely on the demonstrators as the ‘police’ no longer figure.

Activity 8
Students might be able to justify all three statements, but the first is probably most accurate. This
article plays on the idea that nuns (in particular, rather than women in general) are spiritual people, far
removed from practical ways of living, but that in times of disaster such stereotypes need to be
rejected.

Activity 9
1 and 2 The following annotations highlight some aspects of language and style that students may
identify.

A quite different world opens before me when I only just push at the heavy door that separates the
shop from our apartment.

It is a door [1] entirely covered with tin. Instead of a latch [1] it has a big key [1] that is always inthe
lock. [1] In the dark rear shop, into which I tumble first, I grope along the walls as though I were
blind.
Thick yellow sheets of paper rustle underfoot.

Wrapped-up wall clocks rest on the floor here. Until they are hung on walls, they do not move; they
lie quiet and soundless, as if buried alive. [2] But the stuffy air [3] of the dark chamber seems
swollen with the voices that seep in from the shop. The voices crowd against the high wooden wall
and recoil from it again. I stand behind it as in a prison, [4] and listen to what is being said. I want
to make out whose voice is talking. And if I catch mother’s voice, I am content.

But wait! Is her voice quiet, calm, or, God forbid, angry? [5] Mother’s voice will give me warning,
tell me whether to go into the shop or not.

Her high tones encourage me. I touch the curtain of the last door, which leads to the shop. I
become dizzy at once because of the mirrors and glass. All the clocks are being wound in my

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 ears. The shop is full of glitter on every side. The flashing of silver and gold [7] blinds me like fire;
[8] it is reflected in the mirrors, roams over [9] the glass drawers. It dazzles my eyes.

Two large gas chandeliers burn high up under the ceiling, humming loudly; the sound becomes
a moan of pain. [10] Fire spatters [11] from the close-netted caps on the burners that barely hold
back the sparks.

There are two high walls entirely lined from top to bottom with glass cupboards. [1] The cupboards
reach up to the ceiling and are so solidly built that they seem to have grown into it. Their glass
doors [1] slide easily back and forth. Through the glass one can clearly see all the objects on
display, [1] almost touch them with one’s hand. On the shelves are goblets, wineglasses, sugar
bowls, saucers, braided baskets, milk and water pitchers, fruit bowls. [12] Everything shines and
glitters with a newly polished look. Whenever I move, all the objects run after me [13] in reflection.
The fire of the lamps and the light of the silver cross [14] each other. Now the silver [14] drowns in
a flash [14] of the lamplight, now it re-emerges with an even sharper glitter. [14]

[1] vocabulary related to the precise physical properties of the door and lock
[2] personification – as if clocks were living things
[3] sensory vocabulary
[4] simile
[5] change in sentence style, and punctuation creates tension
[6] short simple sentences sets up next stage of account
[7] vocabulary of precious metal
[8] simile
[9] personification
[10] further personification – metaphor
[11] onomatopoeic verb use
[12] details of cupboard and its contents
[13] personification
[14] further references to the shiny, precious look

3 Students’ own responses. There should be some mention of:

 the effect of wonder created in the child’s mind, along with an element of fear and tension as
she moves into the space

 the almost magical properties of the items, rather like in a fairy tale (such as ‘Beauty and the
Beast’) in which objects come to life

 the sensory overload – the brightness, the sound, the glitter.

1.4 Voice and viewpoint

Activity 1
Students’ own responses.

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 Activity 2
A (Scott extract) Uses the first person voice ‘we’ sparingly so not perhaps as ‘close’ to the reader as
might be expected. The use of dashes creates a slightly disjointed feel – matching the difficulty in
writing, perhaps. The mood is sombre, and details are stark (‘no fuel’). the Narrator seems
resigned to his/their fate (‘…die in our tracks’).

B (Coetzee extract) Use of the third person ‘he’ distances the reader somewhat, although it is
entirely his viewpoint we follow as readers. The initial sentences are simple – statements of fact as
the narrator tries to make sense of his choices. Subsequent sentences are more reflective,
building thoughts one on top of the other as the narrator describes how he will look to others. The
‘but’ is a turning point. The mood is ultimately downbeat, and rather like Scott, resigned to what
will happen.

C Virunga extract: The use of direct address ‘your’ and the inclusive ‘we’ are designed to engage the
reader. The short sentences are created for impact, adding urgency with the imperative ‘Keep’ and
a sense of certainty in the use of the final modal form ‘we will’. The tone is challenging but positive.

Activity 3
1 Two expressions of viewpoint: ‘He loved and hated her’.

2 Viewpoint implied through the language: ‘a dull throbbing in his chest which would not let go’ – the
‘dull throbbing’ is unpleasant, but is in his chest so perhaps relates to his heart and thus love.

Activity 4
In the proximity diagram, Description 3 would be in the centre, and Description 1 in the outer circle,
furthest from the middle. This is because the first person ‘I’ and the direct speech in 3 give it more
immediacy than 1 or 2. Description 2 also has direct speech but the use of third person – and the fact
that no voice is more dominant than any another – creates distance. In Description 1, the lack of direct
speech and the use of third person (again with no predominant voice) means it lacks immediacy.

Activity 5
The use of direct speech in 2 and 3 creates immediacy, as does the use of the present tense in 3,
which places the reader in events as they happen (unlike the past tense used in 1 and 2).

Activity 6
Students’ responses might include:
 Use of the second person: This creates a sense of ‘being in the scene’, as if the reader is
experiencing the scene themselves. Use of ‘you’ as a direct address to the reader both breaks the
‘fourth wall’ of the text and orientates the reader as the narrator-experiencer of what is happening.

 Use of tenses: Use of the past tense is not unusual but use of the present tense adds to the effect
of second person narration. Phrases such as ‘Open the door and the light blinds you’ give the
reader a direct sense of opening a door and seeing a bright light.

 Range and nature of what and how things are described: There are gates and doors and rooms that
are passed through, which gives a sense of discovering a house and its rooms in a fresh way, like
when returning after an excursion. The references to ‘Marta’ also convey a feeling of searching, and
verbs such as ‘peering’ help create this effect. Light and darkness are mentioned again, emphasising

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 the effort needed to see and understand the circumstances and signs of another’s activity, whether
they are waiting for you there or have made preparations for your return.

 Positioning of the reader: The text focuses on the visual details of the house and rooms. It is as if
you are making sense of things from the clues in how the house and its contents have been left. Is
Marta home? Will she greet you? Is she asleep on the bed?

 What is implied and suggested: You have been away; whatever you have been doing has required
a ‘gun belt’, which might mean a lot of things but a gun is a weapon and we know Marta does not
like it around the child, so there is an appreciation that guns are threatening. This adds to the
atmosphere and makes the emptiness of the house unnerving or intriguing. There is a sense of
mystery which comes across in discovering the state of the house but also in the figurative
phrases. For example, ‘It’s empty, a wisp of steam floating up’ is evocative. Mentioning the dark
adds to the feeling of discovery and perhaps suggests distance in the relationship between the
character and Marta, especially as there has been a search for her and she is with a child which
she wishes to shield from the ‘gun belt’.

 Use of speech or dialogue: There are two instances of dialogue where the character is searching
for Marta, and both times the character is calling out for her. Again, this adds to the feeling of
searching and possibly suggests a disconnection between the character and Marta.

1.5 Analysing texts

Activity 1
Definitions for these terms will vary and students should be clear about their own understanding. The
following are brief definitions:
skimming: casting your eyes quickly over a text to get the general ‘gist’ or overall sense of what it is
about
scanning: to run your eyes over a text looking for a specific word or piece of information
close reading: looking carefully at individual words and phrases in sentences, exploring syntax to work
out meaning
finding: seeking out a particular point or language usage
selecting: making a judgement about the relevance of something you have found
analysing: exploring a specific word, phrase or text in great detail to see how it is constructed
interpreting: suggesting possible meanings for a text or part of it
engaging with: finding personal links with ideas or characters in a text, but also making a commitment
to explore meanings and find something of interest
responding personally: bringing your own experience to bear on texts or ideas
evaluating: making a judgement – perhaps about how well something works
researching: looking for background information on a subject, idea or text to help you understand it
better
predicting: thinking ahead when reading a text; making informed guesses about how a text will
develop
quoting: using language directly ‘lifted’ from a text, putting the words in inverted commas/speech
marks
using evidence: drawing on information from a text to support a point.

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 Activity 2
1 The general focus of the commentary extract is the crowd’s behaviour.

2 The student has specifically identified the vocabulary in the passage.

3 The quoted phrases are: ‘very still’, ‘deep’, ‘low happy sigh’ and ‘their bit of fun’.

4 Yes, they have been embedded so they fit the flow of the sentences.

Activity 3
 Modal verbs indicating his obligations: ‘what I ought to do’, ‘I ought to walk up …’.

 Verbs indicating what he will actually do: ‘I knew that I was going to do no such thing’.
(Note too, the use of other verb forms – expressing ability and possibility/certainty of outcomes: ‘If he
charged, I could shoot’; ‘if he took no notice of me, it would be safe to leave him’.

Activity 4
a The student has chosen to analyse the phrase ‘devilish roar of glee’ and has zoomed in on
‘devilish’ and ‘roar’.

b ‘devilish’ = ‘primitive’ and ‘evil’; ‘roar’ suggests the crowd is like a ‘beast’.

Activity 5
Possible responses in the table:

Word/phrase Meaning Inference/interpretation

mysterious difficult to understand There is something almost beyond reason
(change) which the writer cannot make sense of.
terrible causing horrible or The writer is appalled by the change – terrible
(change) horrified feelings for both him and the elephant.
immensely hugely or enormously The elephant seems to have aged dramatically,
(old) almost as if he is a mythic beast from ancient
times.
frightful causing fear or shock The elephant has been utterly shocked to his
(impact) core by the bullet.

1 For the writer, the change is ‘mysterious’ and ‘terrible’ – he is utterly surprised by how the bullet
has had such a dramatic impact, apparently ageing the elephant in a second.

2 The effect on the elephant is seen through the writer’s eyes and, of course, in literal terms the
elephant cannot have shrunk in size. However, the impact is one that stops him in his tracks, as if
frozen in time – his limbs unable to operate.

Activity 6
1 The student uses the actual words and puts speech marks around them to show that a quotation
has been taken directly from the text.

2 Yes, the quotations chosen are relevant.

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