Internal, deep structure?

Textual cohesion, reiteration, ellipsis, substitution, collocation or deviant collocation?

Literary terms?

Alliteration, assonance, imagery, simile, rhyme, pararhyme, personification...

Argument?

Persuasion, political tract, sermon, advertisement. Is there evidence of bias, or does the writer make concessions to the other side of the argument? Does the writer anticipate the other side of the argument? Is there a plea to or sense of camaraderie with the audience? Are there balanced two part sentences and use of semicolons? Is there a more sophisticated lexis?

Social Issues?

Class, gender, race, age.

Miscellany

Puns, euphemisms, archaic language, affixation, use of quotations, ambiguity, idiom, clichés, stream of consciousness, phonological features, foreign words, nonsense words, rhythm, metre, anecdotes, didactic, satire, hyperbole, vernacular, coherence, sarcasm, disclaimers...

Don't merely point out features. Say why the writer has used them and consider what the writer is trying to do. What? why? effect?

STRATEGIES TO USE FOR THE TEXT ANALYSIS.

1. Look at the title of the book and the author’s name. Ask yourself:

• What do I know about the author?

• What is the book about?

• What are the problems raised in it?

2. Read the passage carefully and take notes. You’ll have to use the main ideas stated in it in your response.

3. Look through the text again paying attention to :

• the relatively independent elements of the passage;

• the structural component of the plot (if it is clear);

• the way of narration;

• the characteristic features of the main characters;

• the author’s attitude toward the main characters;

• the author’s style;

• the word choice and syntax;

• the tropes and artistic effect.

Don’t forget to make notes.

4. Organize your ideas into a logical progression by using a scheme of the analysis. Check your ideas to make sure they cover the requirements of the task.

5. Increase your skills in using a variety of sentence structures and vocabulary. A good response includes a variety of structures and vocabulary. Do not forget to use transitional expressions to connect your ideas.

6. Be familiar with the time limit. Practice with a timer to get a sense of how much you can say in 5 minutes. On exam day pay attention to it.

7. Get ready for the next item. It’s easy to get anxious during the response if you haven’t finished what you intended to say. Take a deep breath to help you relax and get ready for the next part of the exam.

The scheme of the analysis of the fiction text (and some useful phrases)

1. Some information about the writer.

... is a prominent (outstanding, famous) playwright (short-story writer).

He took up writing...

He is famous for...

The writer is distinguished by his brilliant dialogues...

His books are full of witty paradoxes, irony...

... is a very talented writer, he manages to create...

His elevated style of writing is one of the characteristic features of his books.

His famous books are...

His books gained popularity among the readers...

The phenomenon of his success is still being investigated.

His novels have enjoyed great popularity.

With sparkling humour he criticizes the weak sides of human nature.

His first literary success was...

2. The explanation of the title of the book.

The problems raised in the extract define the title of the book...

The title of the book reveals the problem of...

Under the title of the book the writer means...

3. The problems raised in the extract.

The author focuses his attention on the problems of...

The key (main) problems raised in the extract I’ve read are:

- relationship (relations) between a man and a woman;

• relations between two generations (the old and the young);

• the influence of a man on other people’s fates (lives);

• the man and the society (and his surroundings);

• the place of a man in the society; etc.

4. The peculiarities of the author’s style in the extract.

The typical feature of the author’s style is his using a great number of the high-flown words to describe...

The writer has the talent of depicting the people and the situations vividly, with laughter-provoking details.

The writer tells his story in the objective way without going into the minds of the character and without giving his own comments.

The style of the author is very expressive (ironic, masterful)...

In general the author’s style is marked by...

The dialogues are very intensive and dynamic.

The dynamism of the narration is created by a great number of short sentences the majority of which are exclamatory, imperative and interrogative.

Many author's remarks reveal the character’s traits – good or evil.

The interior (inner) monologue renders the thoughts and feeling of the character

5. The characteristic features of the main characters.

The main characters are portrayed through the dialogues...

The author describes the lady (the man) as...

6. The author's attitude towards the main characters.

I can’t say that the author sympathizes with the characters because he reveals their hypocrisy, evil intentions and practical interests.

In my opinion the author describes the characters in the objective way, that’s why it is rather difficult to find out the author’s attitude to them.

I think that the author’s attitude to the main characters is rather ironic: he laughs at the vices of these careless people.

To my mind the author sympathizes with the lady portraying her as a tall and extraordinary graceful woman with a delicately intelligent face.