English Advanced Question Thread

[strawberriesarekewl]

Hey just to confirm but in a discovery essay do we write 2 topic sentences or 4 topic sentences?

[rodero]

Hey there!

I used multiple diary entries for my own creative and they worked fantastically! The only thing to be wary of, however, is rambling in your entries, and implying too much of the plot. You don't want to lose your reader in the characters train of thought. I also introduced another character, but did this through the form of a letter. As you said, this adds another dimension to the piece and clarify some questions within the plot, otherwise overlooked/negated by the perspective of your protagonist

Thanks bowiemily!

I'll definitely be cautious about rambling on. It's good to have some reassurance so I can be confident in what I write!

[ssarahj]

Sent!

by the way, has anyone had any issues concerning plagiarism through submitting their work via the forum? e.g. someone taking their idea/whole story/whole essay?
I'm a little concerned about this and don't want to get into this situation.

thanks

In my time as a moderator I haven't witnessed any serious cases of plagiarism. The fact is people on the forums here probably wouldn't even bother to actually read the scripts that are posted and if they do they're are generally pretty awesome students and know the boundaries 😃 So post away!

[jamonwindeyer]

Hey just to confirm but in a discovery essay do we write 2 topic sentences or 4 topic sentences?

Well it's one per paragraph, so I suppose it depends how many paragraphs you write

[strawberriesarekewl]

I guess 2 is the appropriate number for me then (since I tend to make one paragraph for a topic sentence and have a synthesised idea of both texts in that one paragraph for the area of study)

[sageziman]

Hi There!

What are speech techniques?  How do you integrate them into a speech without using all your word counts???

[biancajuru]

Hi There!

What are speech techniques?  How do you integrate them into a speech without using all your word counts???

Basic speech techniques to include would be rhetorical questions (how to not eat into word count is by transforming sentences you had already included, into this format- this is a key feature in every speech), using the words 'us, you, we, etc', repetition, colloquial language (to an extent), short sharp sentences/variation in sentence length (eg. Materialism, wealth and egocentrism- this is what drives American culture; as evident....) to grab attention, and anecdotes. You essentially want to employ techniques that draws the viewer into the discussion, causing them to sympathise and identify with what you're saying
Then there is the performance element of the speech, where you use hand gestures (but not over the top), talk at a medium pace, with expression in your voice (not monotonous),  employ eye contact and pause at/or emphasise content at specific points in your speech to draw in the viewers attention and consideration to what you are saying there. This depends on whether you are delivering the speech or not.

[bananna]

In my time as a moderator I haven't witnessed any serious cases of plagiarism. The fact is people on the forums here probably wouldn't even bother to actually read the scripts that are posted and if they do they're are generally pretty awesome students and know the boundaries 😃 So post away!

awesome! thank you

[kvella13]

hey guys!
I'm stuck on ways to describe the way 'a speaker uses their voice to shape their interpretation of poems'. We are studying Yeats' poetry and have to listen to two speakers recite a poem and then describe their interpretations of it based on the way they deliver the poem. I'm not really sure how I should be describing their voice/interpretation using the right words. any advice would be amazing!

thankyou 

[elysepopplewell]

hey guys!
I'm stuck on ways to describe the way 'a speaker uses their voice to shape their interpretation of poems'. We are studying Yeats' poetry and have to listen to two speakers recite a poem and then describe their interpretations of it based on the way they deliver the poem. I'm not really sure how I should be describing their voice/interpretation using the right words. any advice would be amazing!

thankyou 

Hey Krystelle! this sounds like a really tricky listening task to me! My suggestions for studying are...:

-Know the content of the poems well. What are the themes being treated in each? This is important to know because each speaker may present the themes differently: one could speak of Yeats' ageing poems as an elegy to youth, whereas another speaker could be using his or her voice to suggest the beauty of the ageing process. So knowing the themes of each will be an important link to the tone of the speaker's voices.

-Study some words for vocal techniques. Tone, diction, and pace are easy places to start. Volume, even! If the speaker clearly gets softer in one section, they could be expressing a mourning, or concealing content. Take note of upwards or downward inflictions in your everyday conversations leading up to the exam. Typically, females use upwards inflictions more, just a warning. So, notice how when we ask a question we usually end the last word, or the last syllable, at a higher pitch than the other words in the sentence? Think of a small child saying, "Can I have some ice cream...pleaaaaase?" If you're imagining it as I hope you are, you'll hear a little upwards infliction at the end. If someone is stating something, they're more likely to use a downwards or monotone infliction. If someone is questioning something, or playfully toying with an idea, they'll likely use upwards inflictions. So if you can pay close attention to the way we speak using inflictions at the end, it could come in handy when you're listening to your speakers. Also, there's a stark difference between someone speaking monotone and someone using their voice to mirror the lulls of wording. Perhaps if we are looking at a poem like Leda and the Swan, someone speaking forcefully and using their volume to add to the crescendo of the violence, we could feel a passion from the speaker. But if someone speaks of Leda and the Swan softly, and perhaps quietly and smoothly, they could be interpreting the poem as a eulogy.

So, good words to use: tone, monotone, inflictions, volume, pitch, diction. If you can have a look at the rhyming scheme of each poem too and commit that to memory, then perhaps you could use that to your advantage too. Is the speaker leaning in to the rhyming scheme and playing along joyfully, or are they using their tone to suppress the rhyming.

Good luck!

[kvella13]

Thankyou so much Elyse! You are a lifesaver

Hey Krystelle! this sounds like a really tricky listening task to me! My suggestions for studying are...:

-Know the content of the poems well. What are the themes being treated in each? This is important to know because each speaker may present the themes differently: one could speak of Yeats' ageing poems as an elegy to youth, whereas another speaker could be using his or her voice to suggest the beauty of the ageing process. So knowing the themes of each will be an important link to the tone of the speaker's voices.

-Study some words for vocal techniques. Tone, diction, and pace are easy places to start. Volume, even! If the speaker clearly gets softer in one section, they could be expressing a mourning, or concealing content. Take note of upwards or downward inflictions in your everyday conversations leading up to the exam. Typically, females use upwards inflictions more, just a warning. So, notice how when we ask a question we usually end the last word, or the last syllable, at a higher pitch than the other words in the sentence? Think of a small child saying, "Can I have some ice cream...pleaaaaase?" If you're imagining it as I hope you are, you'll hear a little upwards infliction at the end. If someone is stating something, they're more likely to use a downwards or monotone infliction. If someone is questioning something, or playfully toying with an idea, they'll likely use upwards inflictions. So if you can pay close attention to the way we speak using inflictions at the end, it could come in handy when you're listening to your speakers. Also, there's a stark difference between someone speaking monotone and someone using their voice to mirror the lulls of wording. Perhaps if we are looking at a poem like Leda and the Swan, someone speaking forcefully and using their volume to add to the crescendo of the violence, we could feel a passion from the speaker. But if someone speaks of Leda and the Swan softly, and perhaps quietly and smoothly, they could be interpreting the poem as a eulogy.

So, good words to use: tone, monotone, inflictions, volume, pitch, diction. If you can have a look at the rhyming scheme of each poem too and commit that to memory, then perhaps you could use that to your advantage too. Is the speaker leaning in to the rhyming scheme and playing along joyfully, or are they using their tone to suppress the rhyming.

Good luck!

[diesxel]

Hello! I recently received a notification for a VR assessment for 1984 and Metropolis, we have to examine a theme and do a VR representation. Any tips for this? Anything will be appreciated!!


Thank youu 

[jamonwindeyer]

Hello! I recently received a notification for a VR assessment for 1984 and Metropolis, we have to examine a theme and do a VR representation. Any tips for this? Anything will be appreciated!!


Thank youu 

Hey!! Wait wait wait, VR, as in, virtual reality? That's pretty awesome!!

Not sure exactly what the representation should entail, but some ideas for themes:

- Effects of totalitarianism
- Manipulation and Control
- Technology and Urbanisation
- Power
- Conformity vs Individualism

I hope they help, at least a little! Be sure to check out some of the FREE notes and essays available for 1984 and Metropolis

[CaitlinSavins]

Hi! I'm currently studying Module A elective 1, and my texts are King Richard III by Shakespeare and Looking for Richard by Al Pacino. My teacher has said that 'we don't have enough time to do a thorough study of King Richard III' (our class is awfully, awfully behind) but has also said that 'questions can be asked of any part of the play'.

So... which is it? What do I do?

[jamonwindeyer]

Hi! I'm currently studying Module A elective 1, and my texts are King Richard III by Shakespeare and Looking for Richard by Al Pacino. My teacher has said that 'we don't have enough time to do a thorough study of King Richard III' (our class is awfully, awfully behind) but has also said that 'questions can be asked of any part of the play'.

So... which is it? What do I do?

Hey! So unfortunately, your teacher has let you down a bit: Because yes, you can be asked questions relating to any aspect of the play. I would say that it is unlikely, but if you look at the 2016 Advanced Paper 2, they specified sections for Module A. They provided extracts, but they didn't help heaps if you didn't at least have a rough idea of where they sat and what their context was.

So you should be analysing the texts properly, picking apart key scenes and getting a good idea of themes. Your teacher not doing that is not good; it's cheating you guys out of your best chance to do well in the Module. You should do your best to try and do your own analysis (with the help of your peers), to build up that knowledge that you aren't getting in class. Remember we have heaps of notes on these texts for you to use, and you can always ask us any questions you have!!

But you should definitely do some independent analysis of the texts, to make up for any lapses in your knowledge caused by the rushed pace of the class