TakingontheWorld EllenMacArthur

Mr I Elkin-Jones

IGCSE English Language revision lecture

3 March 2011 imej@cokethorpe.org

Wheredoesthiscome inmyexam? IGCSE EnglishLanguage SpecificationA TheAnthology SectionAofanthology Nonfiction EllenMacArthur comesinsectionBof theexam

Eh?
Watch Thisisasampleof whatyourexamcould looklike(althoughnot withthesamecontent astherealexam) Frontpage Time Tasks

SampleEnglishpaper1exampaper
SectionA:Reading 45minutes Secondpageoftheunseenreading

SectionAReading(continued)
Comprehensionquestions Analyticaltypequestionontheunseenpassage

SectionB:ReadingandWriting
45minutes,20marks ThisiswheretheEllenMacArthur sectionmight come
(ButinthissamplewehaveTouchingtheVoid,instead)

SectionB:ReadingandWriting

SectionB:ReadingandWriting
Aquestiononthenonfictiontext: 10marksforreading Animagine question,relatedtothenonfiction text: 10marksforwriting

Finally,forPaper1 SectionC FocusonWriting Thisisanexplain question 45minutes 20marksforwriting Totalforwholepaper is60marks

EllenMacArthur context
Extractfromherautobiography Anemergencyonher44th dayonVendeeGlobein2001 Asolojourneyroundtheworldyachtrace 24yearsofage AloneinheavyseasnearAntarctica Sheneedstoreplaceasail;itsalsoChristmastime Sheisasmall,femalesailor Othersinracewerelargemen,andstrong Thishasanimpactonhowwearetoreadthematerial Affectshowweadmireherachievement

10languagefeatures,10comments

Technicallanguage

Mostly,theabsenceofit (although6examplesare listedintheendglossary) Createsasenseof normality Includesthereader Effect=wecanrelateto theanxiety,challenge, frustration

Directlanguageand activeverbs
Direct,crisplanguage Activeverbs(climbed, worked,agonized,streamed: strongverbs,astheyendin ed) Preciseuseofadverbs (describingverbs) resists temptationtooverusely endings Firstperson sentences=immediacyof experienceconveyed Repetitivelystructured sentences

Words,phrases,clauses thatsuggeststruggle, effort,challenge

Words obvious! Phrases groupofwords formingconceptualunit butnot asentence(usually withoutaverb) Clauses distinctpartofa sentence;includessubject andpredicate Thehardestclimbtodate; therewouldbenosecond chancetoclimbthisone.

Conversationalfeatures
Usedtocreateimmediacy, asifwerebeingrelated thestoryinperson ContractionsusedId Fillersoddmassivewave Imprecisenounsthing Verbtoget Repetitionforemphasis But thisdoesspoilthe refinement(polish)ofthe writing toocolloquial

Syntaxbreakingat climax(grammaticalagreementof
words,showingtheirconnectionand relation)

Makesthereaderfeel present Indicatesthehighpointof theextract MacArthurbreaksinto directspeech,asiftalking toherself,toboosther morale Notfarnow,kiddocome on Wewanttojoinin!

Elaboratephrasing andcomparisons
AsifIwassteppingonto themoon(simile) Thisiswhatitmustlook liketothealbatross Ifeltamilliondollars (metaphor) Butmostly,thewritingis uncompromisinglyliteral: Icouldntfeelmyfingers

Afocusondetail

Helpsuscreateanimage ofherworldinourminds Equipmentonboat Heightofmast Theweather Thewaves Important,asmostreaders knowlittleaboutsailing Strongsenseofactuality created

Directlanguageto detailsherfeelings
Vitalifweareto empathizewithher;grasp hersenseofisolation againsttheelements Agonised,exhausted, rallied Thiscapturesthephysical (body)andpsychological (mental)effortrequired Thiswasbyfarthemost dangerouspart

Strongestphrasingat momentsofgreatest danger

Itsspecificallylikethisso wecanappreciatethe magnitudeofherjeopardy Complexwordsoftenused aworldoverwhichIhad nocontrol youareapassive observer thefrustrationwas unreal notimeforcomplacency now

Humour towardsthe end

Thissignalstheendofthis narrativesection ItsImpossibletosustain jeopardywithoutthe climaxtoit,andthe subsidingfromit(pace) Thuslightertonewith Santareference (prefiguredatthestartof extract) Santahadcalledonthe Kingfisherearlyanew halyard.

Samplequestions
Reading Writing Howdoesthispassagebring Writeaboutanoccasion whenyouwereinadifficult outthethoughtsand situation.Explainhowyou feelingsofEllenMacArthur overcametheproblems. asshesailsaloneinarace aroundtheworld?

Furthersourcematerial
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/sailing/4229079.stm Good reviewofherlifeandachievements,andthepublicsviewofher,onthis BBCwebsite http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_MacArthur Theusualeasytoconsume approachfromWikipedia http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8289226.stm Newsofherretirement,with aradiointerviewincluded http://www.ellenmacarthur.com/ Naturally,herwebsite,likealinktoher charityandenvironmentalworkandcampaigns ImagesfromWikipedia andMacArthurs website SamplepagesfromEdexcel insetinformation