Comprehension

SAQ (short answer questions):

Questions that requires close reading:

Locate evidence & paraphrase:

  • Answer can be found directly in the text, just need to paraphrase

  • For qns that requires listing (of reasons), use ‘FIRSTLY’, ‘SECONDLY’ to organise answer

Similarities:

  • Qns examples → what parallels does the author draw…; identify characteristics of __ which __ also demonstrates

  • Answers are also found in the text'

  • Use words to illustrate similarity: Just like (a), (b) also…; then as now

  • [write both (a) and (b) situations briefly]

Differences:

  • Qns examples → how do they differ..

  • Ensure comparison points stem on the same subject

  • Use words to illustrate difference: On the other hand; Unlike; Compared to; In contrast; whereas

  • (a) does this, whereas (b) does this

Contrasts:

  • Qns examples → what contrasts does the author make..

  • Similar to differences, but most of the time need to make inference of the message being conveyed in the answer

  • (a) does this, whereas (b) does this

Questions that requires beyond close reading:

Predictive:

  • Qns examples: what is the author implying by…; who might…

  • Just make a smart guess through passage (usually can’t lift from text)

  • No need to write evidence

Inference:

  • Qns examples: what is the author hinting..

  • Just make a smart guess through passage (usually can’t lift from text)

  • Ans → this suggests that…

  • No need to write evidence

Metaphors:

  • Answer structure → Just as (literal meaning), the topic is (contextual meaning)

Similes:

  • Similar to metaphors

  • Answer structure → Just as (literal meaning), the topic is (contextual meaning)

Contradictions:

  • Logical / expected consequence does not take place

  • Answer structure → One would expect…., yet, (the opposite happens), which makes it contradictory / The writer points out that…, but they (do otherwise). What they do is contrary/opposite of what they practise, which makes it contradictory

Irony:

  • An outcome may come across as bizarre or absurd (eg: a policeman robbed the bank)

  • Answer structure → Instead of (expected outcome), they are doing (the bizarre outcome) even though (final consequence)

Paradox:

  • The sentence seems contradictory, yet it is still true

  • Answer structure → One would expect…Yet, it seems to contradict with what actually happened as (what actually happened). Nonetheless, this situation is true because…

Tactics of Persuasion:

  • Qns examples → how does the author justify his use of the word…

  • Answer structure → The author justifies his words by presenting the experience as those that are…

  • Qns examples → Opening question

  • Answer structure → Rhetorical questions introduces main idea; reminds us how often this observation is made; acts as a hook by arousing readers’ curiosity with regard to the actual parallel the writer is going to make

  • Qns example → using pronouns like ‘me/you/we’

  • Answer structure → The inclusion of these pronouns assumes the readers’ agreement with the view expressed and immediately involves the reader into the topic (grabbing attention)

  • Qns example → purpose of analogy

  • Answer → Creates an appropriate, understandable and recognisable analogy by making a point that…This then suggests that…

  • Qns example → reason for writing similar things at the front and back of text

  • Answer → it enhances essay’s coherence and structure by linking the end of piece with the beginning; reminds us that the topic begins with the thing

  • Qns example → Brackets

  • Answer → shows that the information within the bracket is additional observations/facts and not central to the main argument; information within bracket is relevant and informative but is clearly separated from the theme of the rest

  • Qns example → inverted commas ‘ ‘

  • Answer → author is skeptical about it; they are undeserving of the label

Summary:

  • Find 10 or more points from the whole of PASSAGE 2 only, no more than 120 words

  • Paraphrasing skills → Use synonyms and change the structure of sentence

  • Discard superfluous information (eg: examples)

  • Generalise / group similar words/activities together

  • Try to get the gist of the point and say it in my own words