Mastering Reading Comprehension Questions

Lesson 5: Question 4 Objectives: Revise key learning on questions 1-3 Identify and evaluate writer s views Evaluate a writer s use of language Express and support your opinion

Quiz 1) 2) 3) 4) How long do you have to complete the reading questions? How many questions are there? What is the first question and how many marks is it worth? The second questions invites you to comment on a short extract taken from the whole extract. What three things will you be asked to comment on? How many marks is question two worth? What does the third question invite you to comment on and how many marks is it worth? 5) 6)

Quiz 1) How long do you have to complete the reading questions?

Quiz 1) How long do you have to complete the reading questions? 1 hour

Quiz 2) How many questions are there?

Quiz 2) How many questions are there? Four

Quiz 3) What is the first question and how many marks is it worth?

Quiz 3) What is the first question and how many marks is it worth? Information retrieval worth four marks.

Quiz 4) The second questions invites you to comment on a short extract taken from the whole extract. What three things will you be asked to comment on?

Quiz 4) The second questions invites you to comment on a short extract taken from the whole extract. What three things will you be asked to comment on? You will be asked to comment on sentence form, word choice and language technique.

Quiz 5) How many marks is question two worth?

Quiz 5) How many marks is question two worth? 8 marks

Quiz 6) What does the third question invite you to comment on and how many marks is it worth?

Quiz 6) What does the third question invite you to comment on and how many marks is it worth? A question on structure worth 8 marks.

Read the extract by Charlie Higson and discuss: The boy crept cautiously up to the fence and looked around. There was the familiar sign KEEP OUT! PRIVATE PROPERTY. TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT. And hanging next to it, just to make sure that the message was clearly understood, were the bodies of several dead animals, strung up like criminals, wire twisted round their broken necks. 1) 2) Which details does the writer focus on and how do they build the atmosphere? a) How does the writer describe the boy s movement? b) What do these words suggest? c) What image does the writer use to describe the dead animals? d) How does this help to build atmosphere? What kind of atmosphere is created? Give reasons.

Read the two responses to the following question carefully, matching each response with the teacher s comments. Student A: Higson creates an atmosphere in this passage. He does this in lots of different ways. He says that the boy crept cautiously. He also writes about the sign and tells us about the animals strung up like criminals. Student B: The writer creates a dangerous and threatening atmosphere in this passage. He tells us that the boy crept cautiously and mentions the sign which warns that trespassers will be shot. This suggests that the boy is in danger and needs to be careful. This sense of danger is increased by the of the dead animals strung up like criminals with wire twisted around their broken neck. Comment 1: You identify the atmosphere of the passage and explain how several details are used to create atmosphere. You comment on the writer s use of description and suggest how these descriptions affect the reader. Comment 2: You mention that the writer creates atmosphere but have not identified it. You use examples from the text but need to explain how they create atmosphere and the effect they have on the reader. Task: Copy student B s response and annotate where the student has: identified atmosphere, explained how it is created, commented on effect.

Read Source C. The author is describing a woman called Bertha Flowers. She recalls an afternoon when Mrs Flowers stops at the store run by her mother. Answer any three of the five questions below: a) What does the writer s use of detail in the description of Mrs Flowers appearance (lines 1-3) suggest about her character? b) What does the writer s description of the way the others react to Mrs Flowers (lines 4-6) suggest about the way people think of her? c) What does the writer s description of Mrs Flowers behaviour (line 6) suggest about her character? d) What does the writer s description of the way she responded to Mrs Flowers (lines 7-8) add to this impression? e) What does the dialogue add to the reader s impression of her character?

Mrs Flowers is presented as an aristocratic and kindly figure. To what extent do you agree? Look at the opening to a student response on this question and then write three more paragraphs. The details the writer uses in her description of Mrs Flowers appearance help to show her character. The references to voile dresses and flowered hats suggest that she looks aristocratic. In addition the adjective rich is used to describe here skin. This suggests something luxurious. The writer uses a simile to tell us that her skin would have peeled like a plumb if snagged. This emphasises how delicate her skin is. It also makes me think that there is something sweet and tempting about it.

Mrs Flowers is presented as an aristocratic and kindly figure. To what extent do you agree? Look at the opening to a student response on this question and then write three more paragraphs. The details the writer uses in her description of Mrs Flowers appearance help to show her character. The references to voile dresses and flowered hats suggest that she looks aristocratic. In addition the adjective rich is used to describe here skin. This suggests something luxurious. The writer uses a simile to tell us that her skin would have peeled like a plumb if snagged. This emphasises how delicate her skin is. It also makes me think that there is something sweet and tempting about it. Identifies element of characterisation.

Mrs Flowers is presented as an aristocratic and kindly figure. To what extent do you agree? Look at the opening to a student response on this question and then write three more paragraphs. The details the writer uses in her description of Mrs Flowers appearance help to show her character. The references to voile dresses and flowered hats suggest that she looks aristocratic. In addition the adjective rich is used to describe here skin. This suggests something luxurious. The writer uses a simile to tell us that her skin would have peeled like a plumb if snagged. This emphasises how delicate her skin is. It also makes me think that there is something sweet and tempting about it. Identifies element of characterisation. Uses quotations from the text.

Mrs Flowers is presented as an aristocratic and kindly figure. To what extent do you agree? Look at the opening to a student response on this question and then write three more paragraphs. The details the writer uses in her description of Mrs Flowers appearance help to show her character. The references to voile dresses and flowered hats suggest that she looks aristocratic. In addition the adjective rich is used to describe here skin. This suggests something luxurious. The writer uses a simile to tell us that her skin would have peeled like a plumb if snagged. This emphasises how delicate her skin is. It also makes me think that there is something sweet and tempting about it. Identifies element of characterisation. Uses quotations from the text. Comments of effect.

Mrs Flowers is presented as an aristocratic and kindly figure. To what extent do you agree? Look at the opening to a student response on this question and then write three more paragraphs. The details the writer uses in her description of Mrs Flowers appearance help to show her character. The references to voile dresses and flowered hats suggest that she looks aristocratic. In addition the adjective rich is used to describe here skin. This suggests something luxurious. The writer uses a simile to tell us that her skin would have peeled like a plumb if snagged. This emphasises how delicate her skin is. It also makes me think that there is something sweet and tempting about it. Identifies element of characterisation. Uses quotations from the text. Comments of effect. Personal opinion.

Mrs Flowers is presented as an aristocratic and kindly figure. To what extent do you agree? Look at the opening to a student response on this question and then write three more paragraphs. The details the writer uses in her description of Mrs Flowers appearance help to show her character. The references to voile dresses and flowered hats suggest that she looks aristocratic. In addition the adjective rich is used to describe here skin. This suggests something luxurious. The writer uses a simile to tell us that her skin would have peeled like a plumb if snagged. This emphasises how delicate her skin is. It also makes me think that there is something sweet and tempting about it. Identifies element of characterisation. Uses quotations from the text. Comments of effect. Personal opinion. Supports opinion.

Mrs Flowers is presented as an aristocratic and kindly figure. To what extent do you agree? Look at the opening to a student response on this question and then write three more paragraphs. The details the writer uses in her description of Mrs Flowers appearance help to show her character. The references to voile dresses and flowered hats suggest that she looks aristocratic. In addition the adjective rich is used to describe here skin. This suggests something luxurious. The writer uses a simile to tell us that her skin would have peeled like a plumb if snagged. This emphasises how delicate her skin is. It also makes me think that there is something sweet and tempting about it. Identifies element of characterisation. Uses quotations from the text. Comments of effect. Personal opinion. Supports opinion. Begins to explore effect.

Now write three more paragraphs continuing this response and then peer assess each other s work, using the criteria below. 1) Has the Point Evidence Explanation structure been followed? Is the quotation presented properly a new line and indented for a lengthy quotation? Have speech marks been used? In the explanation does the student avoid repeating what has already been said in the point? Has the student spotlighted from the full quotation? Does the choice of quotation allow the student to say something intelligent/analytical/interpretive in the explanation? Does the explanation comment on the effect of the writer s choice of language, exploring alternative interpretations where appropriate? Is the student able to comment on the background, or socio-historical context, to the story where appropriate? 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7)