Objectives of this session:
• To give you tips for answering the reading
questions
• To help you understand fully what reading skill
each question tests
• To help you practise your timing
• To increase your confidence in tackling this
paper
Q1 (8 marks)
Read Source 1, Lifesaving with Class, by Rory
Stamp, from the RNLI magazine, the lifeboat.
A ‘what’ question is testing
your information retrieval
skills – can you summarise
the main points of
something you have read?
Write in 1st person –
‘I learn…’; ‘This
makes me think…’
What do you learn from the article about the
Beach to City programme run by the RNLI?
Ensure your points are relevant to
the question
Read Source 1 – underline any key points which
give you information about the Beach to City
programme.
5
mins
You now have 12 minutes to write
your answer.
Some sentence starters to help you structure
your answer:
The first thing I learn about the Beach to City
Programme is…
Show you have
This tells me that…
learned at least 4
different things,
I also find out that…
taken from the
entire article.
The first thing I learn about the Beach to City Programme is that it is run by the RNLI in
order to educate ‘inner-city’ children about staying safe by the seaside. I learn that they
have chosen this group of children because they have been ‘highlighted as a high-risk
group’. This makes me think that because they don’t go to the beach very often, they
would be less wary of the potential dangers than children who live near a coast.
Another thing I realise is what a difficult job the team has. They are working with ‘primary
school children’ and only have a short amount of time to get their key messages across –
only ’40 minutes’. Therefore, they need to ensure they are making the sessions engaging
and fun. They use ‘play-acting’ to help with this.
Through reading this article, I learn that these sessions give children a variety of important
information, ranging from staying safe in the sun to ‘beach flags and their meanings.’ This
variety shows that the children are learning useful lessons that will help them wherever
they are, not just at the beach. ‘Inflatable boats’ are a major problem, and it is more likely
that children are going to be using these toys. Therefore it is vital that it is the children
who are being taught these safety measures.
Lastly, I learn that this scheme is due to be extended, with them adding a ‘fourth city’ to
the tour. This can only be a good thing, and will mean that even more children will
benefit from the programme.
Q2 (8 marks)
Read Source 2, the article and the picture which
goes with it called, Trapped Chilean miners:
rescue drill reaches their refuge at last by David
Analyse what the
Batty.
Analyse
language
choices
image shows and
its positioning
Explain how the headline and picture are
effective and how they link to the text.
Effect on the
reader – what
they make us
think
Find quotations from
the body of the text
which relate to the
picture and headline
Source 2
Look at the headline first and annotate
any points about language you notice.
Look at the picture and do the same.
Now read Source 2 and underline any
key words or phrases which relate to the
headline or the picture.
5
min
You now have 12 minutes to write
your answer.
Some sentence starters to help you structure your answer:
The headline is effective as…
For example…
This suggest/ reveals/makes the reader think…
It links to the text as…
The picture is effect as…
For example…
This suggests/reveals/makes the reader think…
It links to the text as…
In source 2 the headline is effective because it tells the reader what the text is about:
“Trapped Chilean miners”, which tells us who is involved and what has happened. The
word “trapped” is effective because it suggests that the miners are confined and
imprisoned against their will. This links to the text as we are told they have been
“stranded since August”.
The headline is also effective because it uses the alliteration of ‘r’ in the words “rescue”,
“reaches” and “refuge”. This is eye–catching and adds emphasis and drama to the
headline. This links to the text as the word “ rescue” is repeated many times: “Nobody
has been rescued yet”, which emphasises the urgency of the operation.
The picture is effective because it shows a bleak and empty countryside where the miners
are trapped, which emphasises the idea that they have limited resources, with which to
help free the miners. This links to the text as we are told that before the journalists
turned up this area was a “remote hillside”.
The picture is also effective because it shows a person dressed as a clown and a reporter
celebrating the news that they have managed to reach the miners. Because the people
contrast so greatly in their appearance and yet come together to celebrate, shows us the
huge sense of relief felt by the people there. This links to the text as we are told “Our
nervousness is gone now”, which suggests that they are now more confident about the
rescue mission.
Q3 (8 marks)
Now read Source 3, Saved, which is an extract
from a non-fiction book. These do not need to
You need to make
inferences (read
between the lines)
be separated in your
answer
Explain some of the thoughts and feelings
Parrado and Canessa have whilst searching for
rescue.
Ensure your points are
relevant to the question!
Read Source 3 – underline any key points
which give you information about the
thoughts and feelings of Parrado and
Canessa.
TIP:
Ensure you read the
whole text and try
to find where there
is a change or shift
in their
thoughts/feelings
5 min
You now have 12 minutes to write
your answer.
Some sentence starters to help you structure your
answer:
To begin with, Parrado and Canessa feel…
For example…
This show/suggests/ reveals…
because…
The word/phrase…
It makes me think that…
In addition, Parrado/Canessa feel/s…
To begin with, Parrado is inquisitive and “spurred on by curiosity”. He moves at speed to see
what’s at the end of the valley, but Canessa “could not keep up”. This suggests that Canessa
wants to keep up with his friend but is unable to, which shows their eagerness or even
desperation to find a way out, to find rescue and save their friends still stuck on the
mountain. Canessa feels “tired” and as if “he can not go on”, as he is lacking in strength. This
phrase sounds very definite and makes me think that he is physically exhausted.
In addition, they feel alarm as “panic entered the hearts of both of them” when they hear a
roar. Their panic turns to careless speed for Parrado who feels “impatient” to find out what
lay ahead, and Canessa feels that he will endanger or “kill” himself through his haste. The
word “kill” has connotations of meaningless death and suggests that Canessa is troubled
about their situation, and about Parrado’s impatience.
The boys think the sight of the river, the end of the snow and the “blessed valley” is a
beautiful sight as they describe it as “paradise”. This shows a change in situation and
feelings; it suggests that they are now more hopeful and optimistic about what is going to
happen to them.
The boys feel tired because of the relief they feel: “both boys staggered forward” before
they “rested in the sun”. This suggests that they are unsteady on their feet , but the tension
and stress that they have been feeling has been relieved so they are exhausted and have to
rest by the river. The “sun” suggests a more positive outlook.
Q4 (16 marks)
Now you need to refer to Source 3, Saved, and
either Source 1 or Source 2.
Compare the ways in which language is used
for effect in the two texts. Give some examples
and analyse the effects.
Similarities and
differences
This is all about the
writer’s choice of WORDS
and language features
What are language features?
• Remember
DA FOREST!
• But most importantly, you need to look at
individual word choices and consider why the
writer has used them.
Comparative connectives
To show similarities
• Both texts…
• Similarly…
• In the same way…
• Source 1 also uses…
To show differences
• However…
• On the other hand…
• Whereas…
We chose
Source 2
because it’s
shorter!
Planning – 5 mins
Source 2
Consider the overall purpose –
what is a news report trying to
achieve?
Source 3
Consider the overall purpose –
what does a non-fiction book
try to achieve?
You now have 19 minutes to write your answer.
Some sentence starters to help you structure your answer:
Source 3 and Source 1 /2 make similar/ different use of
language in order to…
To begin with, source 3 makes use of…
For example…
This show/suggests/ reveals…
because…
The word/phrase…
It makes me think/feel/understand…
In comparison/Likewise, source 1 /2 uses…
In the same way/However…
Source 3 and 2 use language in different ways in order to describe the events of a plane
crash and report the events of a mining disaster.
To begin with, source 3 makes use of emotive words and phrases, for example: “panic
entered the hearts of both of them”. The word panic suggests being out of control and
being scared, which suggests that the men are vulnerable and in danger. The word
“heart” makes the reader think of the characters’ humanity and the fact that they will
be loved and missed by somebody, as well as the idea of their hearts are racing in fear.
Similarly, source 2 also uses some emotive words like “rescue shaft” and “stranded”,
which makes the reader feel sympathy for the miners and engages the reader by setting
a tone of excitement and danger . The word “rescue” makes you think that someone has
been or is in danger and the word “stranded” suggests that they are stuck.
In source 3 the writer has used some vivid imagery, for example: “boulders the size of
armchairs”. This allows the reader to imagine the scene and understand the size of the
rocks involved. The use of the word “armchair” contrasts with the situation that the boys
find themselves in, as when one usually thinks of an armchair one thinks of being
comfortable, which makes their situation that much more shocking.
In contrast, source 2 uses alliteration, for example: “major”, “milestone” and “mine”,
which draws attention to the image and makes the story sound more sensational. The
alliteration of ‘m’ gives the line a rhythmic quality which might reflect the movement of
the drill that is being used to try and get the miners out.
Finally, as one would expect to find in a news article, Source 2 uses factual data to give
information to the reader. For example, ‘The miners have been living in a shelter 700m
underground’. This fact is shocking to the reader and emphasises the horrific experience
the miners have had.
In contrast to this, Source 3 focuses more on the boys’ opinions of their surroundings. For
example, they describe the valley as the ‘Garden of Eden’. This simile suggests that the
boys are almost having a religious experience because their surroundings are so
beautiful.