Higher Close Reading

1
HigherClose Reading

• Close Reading skills can be improved by practice
  however there is something that many pupils do
  not realise there are techniques that you can
  learn!
• Your NABs and exam ask similar types of questions
  and recognising those questions can give you a
  real advantage.

2

• TRY THIS!
•  Olny srmat poelpe can.
• I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty
  uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal
  pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a
  rscheearer at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, maens it
  deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a
  wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the
  frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The
  rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed
  it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn
  mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but
  the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I
  awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

3

• Just as the human mind does not read individual
  letters, you do not need to know all of the words
  in a passage to work out the meaning as a whole.
• This also raises something fundamental about
  Close Reading skills have you thought about the
  way you read?

4

• If you are a fast reader there is a good chance
  you are careless, skipping not only letters but
  words.
• You may need to modify the way you read to
  improve your Close Reading skills.
• Teachers know that many pupils who do not know
  the answer to something can suddenly know what to
  do when the passage is read aloud to them.
• Why is this? They did not read carefully it had
  nothing to do with their comprehension and
  everything to do with sloppy reading!

5

• Context Questions
• Understanding Questions
• Link Questions

6

• Learning Objectives for Contextual Questions
• To identify contextual clues surrounding unknown
  words within a text.
• To categorise unknown words (verb, noun,
  singular, plural etc)
• To identify the meaning of unknown words and
  explain the connection between the word and the
  passage.
• To use the set formula to successfully answer
  contextual questions within close reading papers.

Copy down things in green boxes!!
7

• Look at the following passage and answer the
  questions

8

• Ben quickly entered the didot and cleaned the
  various misturaes he had been using to repair the
  wuipit. He had often thought that this job was
  extremely yullning. However, he had to admit that
  this time things seemed to be a bit easier. When
  he finished, he put on his redick and went back
  to the study to relax. He took out his favourite
  pipe and settled into the beautiful new pogtry.
  What schnappy. Only 300 yagmas!

Questions   1) Identify unknown words in the
first sentence.
2) What types of words are these? ( nouns,
adjectives, prepositions)
3) Along with this identification, what else
would help us to arrive at a meaning for these
unknown words?
9

• Ben quickly entered the didot and cleaned the
  various misturaes he had been using to repair the
  wuipit.

• Questions
• Pick out other clue words from the first sentence
  which help to identify the meaning of the
  unknown words.
• Example misturaes - the clue word is
  repair, which suggests that this is some sort
  of tool used to mend or fix something that is
  broken.

You should not use words from the text in your
explanation. As is the case with many formats to
answering Close Reading questions, use this
formula
Context Questions Formula State meaning Explain
how surrounding sentences helped you to arrive at
the meaning
Remember! Copy down things in green boxes!!
10

• Ben quickly entered the didot and cleaned the
  various misturaes he had been using to repair the
  wuipit. He had often thought that this job was
  extremely yullning. However, he had to admit that
  this time things seemed to be a bit easier. When
  he finished, he put on his redick and went back
  to the study to relax. He took out his favourite
  pipe and settled into the beautiful new pogtry.
  What schnappy. Only 300 yagmas!

Questions   5) Show how the context of the
passage helps you to arrive at the meaning for
the words in red.  
11

• Now lets use English to do the same thing!

• For the following extracts
• State the meaning of the words in red
• Show how you arrived at this meaning

12
Extract 1

• She was five years old, due to start school in
  three months time. It was a torrid, but beautiful
  day and she was playing between the film of
  shimmering heat. It was the kind of heat that
  could wear a mere mortal down his bare bones. I
  saw her lying on her stomach in the grass,
  picking daisies and making daisy chains with
  laborious pleasure. The sun burned on her pale
  red hair and made her skin look very white, but
  she continued with a dogmatic determination.
  (based on Harry by Rosemary Timperley)

Torrid means
very hot and dry.

the passage refers to it being a very hot day a
film of shimmering heat, which is torrid, but
beautiful, the word but suggesting that it is
unpleasantly hot.
We can tell this because
13
Extract 1

• She was five years old, due to start school in
  three months time. It was a torrid, but beautiful
  day and she was playing between the film of
  shimmering heat. It was the kind of heat that
  could wear a mere mortal down his bare bones. I
  saw her lying on her stomach in the grass,
  picking daisies and making daisy chains with
  laborious pleasure. The sun burned on her pale
  red hair and made her skin look very white, but
  she continued with a dogmatic determination.
  (based on Harry by Rosemary Timperley)

requiring a lot of time and effort.
Laborious means
We can tell this because
the passage refers to her making daisy chains
with a dogmatic determination which suggests
that she is working continuously and
concentrating hard on her task.
14
Extract 2

• The Good natured young man hurried away, and
  Philip full of petulant rage, attempted to keep
  his childish temper in check, as he flooded her
  with a final stream of advice and injunctions-
  where to stop, how to learn Italian, when to use
  mosquito nets, what pictures to look at.
• (Based on an extract from Where Angels Fear to
  Tread.)

the word
petulant means
sulky or bad-tempered.
We can tell this because
rage and the phrase childish temper tell us
that he is angry and behaving in an immature
manner.
instructions or orders.
We can tell this because
the passage
injunctions means
refers to a stream of advice and then lists a
series of orders, starting with where, how,
when and what.
15
Extract 3
Only hunger brought him in at noon, but then,
sandwich in hand, he was back searching, his face
both fearful and pleased, excited and depressed,
a furious charge and counter-charge evaporating
his sweat as he traversed the room.
traversed means
travel across or through.
We can tell this because
the passage
describes the man coming in at noon and then
going back searching which suggests that he has
come into and crossed the room.
16
Extract 4

• I seem finally to be learning what you were
  always trying to teach me, that my own country is
  exotic and even as perilous as Algeria. It is
  impossible to survive it without a good mind and
  a fully functioning gun.

perilous means
dangerous.
We know this because
the passage tells us that
it is impossible to survive, implying that
there is great danger in the country.
17
Extract 5
Harry Waldsworths job entails using complex
technology and Microsystems to collate and
disseminate information for investment bankers at
Goldman Sachs. Much of the information is
specialised and it requires a certain level of
intellect just to understand it, let alone decode
it. He is highly intelligent, motivated and was
close to being selected for MI5. He also has
Aspergers Syndrome.
the
disseminate means
spread or disperse widely.
We know this because
passage tells us that Waldsworths job requires
him to collect and analyse information and then
disseminate it for bankers, suggesting that
this means sharing it with them.
18

• Learning Objectives for Understanding Questions
• To identify the difference between fact, opinion,
  debatable, non-debatable, subjective and
  objective topics.
• To translate words of a similar meaning to create
  the same meaning. (In your own words)
• To identify Link questions and know how to answer
  them

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• Good writers, particularly journalists, are
  skilled at manipulating opinion.
• You need to know the difference between fact and
  opinion it isnt always really obvious.

FACT OR OPINION?  Using one sentence, write down
what you believe to be the difference between a
fact and an opinion.
20

• Look at the following statements
• Brazil is almost definitely going to win the
  World Cup.
• Tony Blair was Prime Minister.
• Acupuncture relieves arthritis.
• Girls outperform boys at school.
• Quickly, agree with a partner which of the above
  statements are facts and which are opinions.

21

• SUBJECTIVE OR OBJECTIVE?
• There are also two types of opinion

Subjective opinion relies upon an individuals
knowledge of a subject and what they believe to
be right or wrong. Objective opinion looks at a
subject from several different points of view,
without bias.
22
Look at the statements below. Decide which are
subjective and which are objective

• Based on the opinions of several prominent
  doctors in the field, Dr Clause came to the
  conclusion that the disease must be cancer.
• I feel that there is not enough opportunity for
  pupils to participate in sport during their high
  school years. This is an opinion that is shared
  by many.
• It could be argued that tax should be raised to
  provide better facilities for society. Others
  would counter this argument by stating that the
  same money could be spent improving services for
  the individual in a private system. (Dr
  Stanfield, Tax Expert)

23

• Subjective and Objective Comments
• Do not quote a subjective comment as evidence,
  present it as an opinion and be aware of a
  different viewpoint.
• Look to see who is making the comment and think
  about where their loyalties might lie!
• Trust no-one in writing!

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How Do You Answer In Your Own Words Questions?

• These questions test that a candidate has a
  varied enough vocabulary to use different words
  to convey the same meaning.
• Example
• The boys jumped across the river at its narrowest
  point.
• could be translated to
• The young men traversed the stream at the easiest
  place to cross.

25

• Look at the following extracts and translate the
  meaning into your own words 
• The jockey had won several races on the same
  horse.
• Children should be seen, but not heard.
• The fire swept through the building inflicting
  massive damage to both life and materials.
• Elocution is vital to the defense of the English
  language from Americanisms.
• Circumlocution is a device used by politicians to
  avoid the truth.
• Brevity would lead to a better experience,
  especially when the subject is irksome.

26

• Possible Answers
• The jockey had won several races on the same
  horse.
• The rider had been victorious in several
  contests on the same horse.
• Children should be seen, but not heard.
• Young people should not make a lot of noise when
  they appear in public.
• The fire swept through the building, inflicting
  massive damage to both life and materials.
• The building burned rapidly, killing people and
  destroying resources.

27

• Possible Answers
• Elocution is vital to the defense of the English
  language from Americanisms.
• It is very important to speak clearly if we are
  to prevent English being corrupted by American
  pronunciation and turns of phrase.
• Circumlocution is a device used by politicians to
  avoid the truth.
• Politicians often use many words where fewer
  would do in order to be evasive about the correct
  version of facts.
• Brevity would lead to a better experience,
  especially when the subject is irksome.
• The concise and exact use of words would lead to
  improved practice, particularly when the topic is
  tedious and annoying.

28

• Understanding Questions Formula
• Identify the answer from the text translate it
  into our own words

Look at the following examples and answer the
question in your own words. Remember, if you
see (U) at the end of the question, you will be
expected to use your own words and not those of
the passage.
29
Extract 1

• The boys behaviour was clearly effusive. Like a
  volcano he bubbled and finally exploded in a
  torrent of expletives. There was no sign of
  remorse as his tantrum seemed to climax. By this
  time he had gone too far and a Depute had to be
  called in order to save the victims from his
  tirade.

• What was the boys attitude and how was this
  demonstrated? U (2)
• (The relevant words have been underlined to
  help you)
• Suggest what might have happened had the Depute
  not been called? U (2)

30
Extract 1

• The boys behaviour was clearly effusive. Like a
  volcano he bubbled and finally exploded in a
  torrent of expletives. There was no sign of
  remorse as his tantrum seemed to climax. By this
  time he had gone too far and a Depute had to be
  called in order to save the victims from his
  tirade.

• What was the boys attitude and how was this
  demonstrated? U (2)
• (The relevant words have been underlined to
  help you)

The boy was furious and his anger was out of
control, described using the metaphor of an
exploding volcano. The word torrent describes
his tirade, a raging flow of swearing and
aggression, likening it the uncontainable lava
from the volcano. The people he is shouting at
are described as victims, suggesting that the
boy is terrorising them.
31
Extract 1

• The boys behaviour was clearly effusive. Like a
  volcano he bubbled and finally exploded in a
  torrent of expletives. There was no sign of
  remorse as his tantrum seemed to climax. By this
  time he had gone too far and a Depute had to be
  called in order to save the victims from his
  tirade.

• Suggest what might have happened had the Depute
  not been called? U (2)

Although the tantrum has seemed to climax,
suggesting it had reached its most explosive
point, the Depute is described as coming to save
the victims of his tirade, which would suggest
that there would have still been more ranting and
shouting for them to suffer if he had not been
called.
32
Extract 2

• The government must crack down on reckless
  motorists by encouraging the spread of roadside
  cameras, boosting the number of traffic police
  and ensuring speed limits are enforced more
  strictly, a report from MPs urged yesterday.

• What three things must police do in order to
  crack down on reckless motorists? U (2)

The police must

• promote further widespread use of speed cameras
  beside roads

• increase the quantity of officers patrolling
  the roads

• make sure that drivers who exceed speed limits
  are appropriately punished.

33
Extract 3

• NASA is to launch an audacious deep-space mission
  to save the ailing Hubble telescope, the giant
  orbiting camera that has provided scientists with
  stunning images of far-off planets and the dawn
  of time.
• The space agency yesterday reversed a decision
  made after the 2003 Columbia shuttle disaster to
  abandon the 1.5 bn (about 768m) structure to a
  premature and fiery end on re-entry to Earths
  atmosphere within the next few years.( Guardian
  1/11/06)

• What kind of mission is NASA launching? U (1)
• What advantages has the Hubble telescope given
  to Scientists? U (2)
• What was the fate of the 2003 Columbia shuttle?
  U (1)

34
Extract 3

• NASA is to launch an audacious deep-space mission
  to save the ailing Hubble telescope, the giant
  orbiting camera that has provided scientists with
  stunning images of far-off planets and the dawn
  of time.
• The space agency yesterday reversed a decision
  made after the 2003 Columbia shuttle disaster to
  abandon the 1.5 bn (about 768m) structure to a
  premature and fiery end on re-entry to Earths
  atmosphere within the next few years.( Guardian
  1/11/06)

• What kind of mission is NASA launching? U (1)

A daring / bold / risky mission
35
Extract 3

• NASA is to launch an audacious deep-space mission
  to save the ailing Hubble telescope, the giant
  orbiting camera that has provided scientists with
  stunning images of far-off planets and the dawn
  of time.
• The space agency yesterday reversed a decision
  made after the 2003 Columbia shuttle disaster to
  abandon the 1.5 bn (about 768m) structure to a
  premature and fiery end on re-entry to Earths
  atmosphere within the next few years.( Guardian
  1/11/06)

• What advantages has the Hubble telescope given
  to Scientists? U (2)

It has given scientists amazing pictures
(stunning images) of
distant (far-off) planets and
the start of the existence of the
universe (the dawn of time).
36
Extract 3

• NASA is to launch an audacious deep-space mission
  to save the ailing Hubble telescope, the giant
  orbiting camera that has provided scientists with
  stunning images of far-off planets and the dawn
  of time.
• The space agency yesterday reversed a decision
  made after the 2003 Columbia shuttle disaster to
  abandon the 1.5 bn (about 768m) structure to a
  premature and fiery end on re-entry to Earths
  atmosphere within the next few years.( Guardian
  1/11/06)

• What was the fate of the 2003 Columbia shuttle?
  U (1)

The shuttle was destroyed in an accident during a
mission
37
Extract 4

• Four years ago, ministers gave the go-ahead to a
  scheme whose scope was breathtakingly ambitious.
  They wanted to transform the NHS into a
  high-tech, computerized service, connecting more
  than 30,000 Gps to nearly 300 hospitals. A key
  part of it was the plan to put the medical
  records of 50 million patients on a single
  database.

• What was the aim of ministers four years prior
  to the current situation? U (2)
• What was the most important aspect of this
  plan? U (1)

38
Extract 4

• Four years ago, ministers gave the go-ahead to a
  scheme whose scope was breathtakingly ambitious.
  They wanted to transform the NHS into a
  high-tech, computerized service, connecting more
  than 30,000 Gps to nearly 300 hospitals. A key
  part of it was the plan to put the medical
  records of 50 million patients on a single
  database.

• What was the aim of ministers four years prior
  to the current situation? U (2)

They wanted to change the NHS into a service
which used advanced information technology to
link many local community doctors (GPs) to a
large number of hospitals.
39
Extract 4

• Four years ago, ministers gave the go-ahead to a
  scheme whose scope was breathtakingly ambitious.
  They wanted to transform the NHS into a
  high-tech, computerized service, connecting more
  than 30,000 Gps to nearly 300 hospitals. A key
  part of it was the plan to put the medical
  records of 50 million patients on a single
  database.

• What was the most important aspect of this
  plan? U (1)

Medical histories and information about 50
million individuals would be kept centrally in
one structured set of data.
40
Link Questions

• Just as with the links in a chain, the link
  sentence must connect to the topic discussed in
  the previous paragraph AND the topic to be
  discussed in the paragraph to come.
• Without the link sentence, the piece of writing
  has no flow or progression.

Formula for Link questions They are usually
worth two marks
AND quoting the part of the link
sentence which relates back to it.
naming the previous topic
1st mark
2nd mark
AND quoting the part of
the link sentence which relates forward to it.
naming the topic about to be discussed
41
Example

• Her mother left her at the age of five. As a
  result, she was forced to fend for and pay for
  herself ensuring she had enough to eat clothes
  to wear and shelter from the elements.
• Despite her harsh childhood, Emmas ancestry
  linked her to wealth and social standing. Her
  grandmother was Lady of the local clan, with a
  grand manse and estate to her family name, which
  was renowned throughout the country.

Question Show how the sentence in italics acts
as a link within this piece of writing.

• Which part refers back?

• Which part refers forward?

42
Example

• Her mother left her at the age of five. As a
  result, she was forced to fend for and pay for
  herself ensuring she had enough to eat clothes
  to wear and shelter from the elements.
• Despite her harsh childhood, Emmas ancestry
  linked her to wealth and social standing. Her
  grandmother was Lady of the local clan, with a
  grand manse and estate to her family name, which
  was renowned throughout the country.

Question Show how the sentence in italics acts
as a link within this piece of writing.
Answer

• Despite her harsh childhood links back to the
  previous paragraph where the author looks at the
  poverty Emma experienced, following the untimely
  death of her mother. She was responsible for
  herself and had to find her own food, clothe
  herself and find her own lodgings. (1 Mark)

• ancestry linked her to wealth and social
  standing acts as a link forward, allowing the
  author to mention the fact that, two generations
  previously, her family had owned a large home
  with a great deal of land. They were very well
  known and admired in their area a family at the
  head of other families in the area. (1 Mark)

43

• More often than not, the link sentence is
• found at the beginning of a paragraph,
• with the first half linking backwards to the
  previous topic
• and the second half linking forward to the topic
  to come.

Using the linking questions formula, show how the
red, underlined sentence acts as a link within
the following passages
44
Extract 1

• The company said it had studied more than 50
  other potential sites for a reservoir, from
  Cricklade in the West to Bicester in the North.
  It chose Abingdon from a shortlist of six because
  it was remarkably flat, the geology was right
  clay it was close to the Thames and near to the
  railway line which will be needed to bring in
  construction materials.
• Perhaps, more importantly than all the beneficial
  elements of this choice, it was not heavily
  populated. Only around 20 households stand to
  lose their homes. But the nearby villages of
  Steventon, Drayton and East Hanney will suffer
  years of disruption. Homes will have to be
  rebuilt and families will need to be re-housed.
  Also, buildings and businesses vital to the local
  area, such as libraries, schools and
  supermarkets, will need to be relocated.

refers back to the reasons
why this site was chosen which are outlined in
the previous paragraph (1 mark)

• the beneficial elements

refers forward to
the fact that there are only 20 households
which will lose their homes. (1 mark)

• not heavily populated

45
Extract 2

• The couple separated acrimoniously last year
  after 20 years. Friends said Yorke was mild
  mannered, a keen sportsman and the last person
  to do something like this, and neighbours all
  spoke highly of him. 
• Despite this outward appearance of calm and
  normality, privately he was tortured by the
  break-up of his family. Spiraling into
  depression, he became obsessed with guns and
  carried out target practice in his back garden,
  leading up to the shooting of his wife.

refers back to the
description of the man in the previous paragraph
as mild mannered and the last person to do
something like this (1 mark)

• this outward appearance of calm and normality

• privately he was tortured by the break-up of his
  family

refers forward to the
description of his negative behaviour which is
outlined in the rest of the paragraph (1 mark)

• despite

also signals a contrast / change
in direction between his normal behaviour
outlined in the previous paragraph and his
abnormal behaviour in the next paragraph (1
mark)
46
Extract 3

• Mr MacDonald, from Edinburgh, wore full tartan
  regalia as he was installed in a ceremony in Fort
  William, the clans heartland. He claimed the
  title after he was recognised by the Court of the
  Lord Lyon, which deals with heraldic matters, and
  the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
• Despite what appears to be a high level of
  acceptance of Mr MacDonalds position, some of
  his critics say he has no right to the title.
  They note that he comes from an illegitimate side
  of the family and argue that his ancestor
  Alexander was born out of wedlock in 1832.

• what appears to be a high level of acceptance
  of Mr MacDonalds position

refers back to the MacDonalds recognition by
the Court of the Lord Lyon and the Court of
Session in Edinburgh in the previous paragraph (1
mark)

• some of his critics say he has no right to the
  title

refers forward to the reasons
outlined in the rest of the paragraph as to why
he should not hold the title (1 mark)
also signals a contrast / change
in direction between the acceptance of
MacDonalds position outlined in the previous
paragraph and the lack of acceptance in the rest
of the paragraph (1 mark)

• despite

47
Extract 4

• First-time buyers are continuing to find ways of
  getting a toehold on the property ladder, showing
  just how popular home-ownership is to many young
  people, CML director general Michael Coogan
  said.
• Despite this, higher income multiples, coupled
  with higher interest payments as a proportion of
  income, suggest that they are stretching
  themselves to do so. The research follows fears
  of a rise in home repossessions among young
  people. The Citizens Advice Bureau said that
  770,000 people had missed a mortgage payment this
  year, and that many of them were young first-time
  buyers.

• Despite this

refers back to the
popularity of home ownership among young people
outlined in the previous paragraph (1 mark)
refers forward to the evidence, such as missed

• stretching themselves to do so

mortgage payments, that they are stretching
themselves which are outlined in the rest of the
paragraph (1 mark)
48
Extract 5

• Almost half of adults are expected to continue
  using credit cards when they retire, raising
  fears of a debt crisis among pensioners.
  Forty-five percent of people are expecting to
  continue to use cards when they retire, according
  to research by the insurance group AXA, despite
  evidence that todays pensioners are increasingly
  suffering from debt problems. The majority of
  pensioners struggle to maintain their lifestyle
  on such a small budget, having to cut back in
  essential areas such as grocery shopping and
  heating bills.
• Despite the problems of surviving on a basic
  weekly state pension, people are still dreaming
  of a golden retirement, AXA says. About
  28million adults expect to take at least one
  holiday a year after they retire, with 27million
  also hoping to escape on weekend breaks or day
  trips. A large portion of their weekly budget
  would also be spent on indispensable items, such
  as cigarettes and the National Lottery.

49
Extract 6

• Large numbers of pigs are to be released into
  the New Forest to forage for an exceptionally
  bountiful harvest of acorns, which are poisonous
  to ponies and cattle that roam the ancient
  woodland. Each year commoners, as local
  landowners are known, are allowed to let pigs
  roam freely for a 60-day period, known as
  Pannage. The animals feast on green acorns,
  which are harmful to the New Forest ponies and
  cattle that graze the area. Due to the colder,
  wetter, windier weather normally associated with
  Hampshire, the amounts of acorns produced by a
  single oak tree are minimal. Therefore, usually
  no more than 200 pigs are required to deal with
  this problem of nature.
• However, despite the low acorn count and pig
  requirement due to poor weather conditions of
  previous years, a call has gone out to local
  farmers to provide as many pigs as possible
  because this years crop is so heavy, probably as
  a result of the hot, dry weather. Soaring summer
  temperatures and fewer frosty spells have
  initiated a change to the production of acorns in
  Hampshire. It is estimated that three times the
  usual number of pigs will be necessary to deal
  with the 50,000 acorns expected to be produced by
  each single mature oak in the forest. As the
  forest covers an area of 70,000 acres, there is
  an abundance of oak trees.