Unit 1 Reading

Unit 1 Reading

What impressions....

Learning Objectives

To understand how a writer creates a certain impression

by his or her choice of vocabulary

Starter

Write the opening lines of a description of a birthday party that you have been to that gives a positive impression of it (that you had a good time).

Swap with your partner

• Read your partner’s account•Using the same account,

change the necessary words so that you are now creating a negative impression of the same birthday party.

What are ‘impressions’?

When you are answering questions about impressions, you need to read through a text while thinking about the impression you are given about a person, place, organisation of event at any given time.

• If a question asks you to look for impressions in a text, what might you focus on?

What’s the right order?

• Write your answer, making sure you track the text chronologically

• Read the question, highlighting the key words• If it will help you, annotate the highlighted

sections in the passage to clarify your impressions

• Read the passage, highlighting the areas where you are given an impression

Did you get it right?

• Read the question, highlighting the key words• Read the passage, highlighting the areas

where you are given an impression• If it will help you, annotate the highlighted

sections in the passage to clarify your impressions

• Write your answer, making sure you track the text chronologically

Handy Hint

• If you are looking at language and words, it is important to quote a short word or phrase and then make clear what impression the word or phrase creates. Never use long quotations in your answer.

• If you are given a text with a picture, consider what impressions the picture creates as well as the text (not instead of).

What impression do you get of the people in the picture?

Activity

• Read Bill Bryson’s account of Weston-Super-Mare

• What impression do you think he wanted the reader to have of the town?

• List all the words or phrases that help to create these impressions

• Next to the words or phrases, explain what impression they create of the town.

Remember!

• Bill Bryson has chosen which details to include so that he can create a clear impression for the reader.

• Think about how he presents the details. He mentions going to a pub and to a Chinese restaurant, but he wants to give a particular impression of what they are like. How does he do this?