Comprehension Level 14
SECTION A
COMPREHENSION
QUESTION 1
READING FOR MEANING AND UNDERSTANDING
Read TEXTS A and B below and answer the questions set.
TEXT A
NO NEED TO ROMANTICISE NEWSPAPERS
The medium isn't the message: it's content that's king – and that
shouldn't suffer just because it's not printed on paper.
The summers were hotter when we were kids. That's one of my favourites.
It conjures up nostalgia for a bright past that was never cloudy.
It's also a lie. Summers come and go.
It seems a peculiar human habit to re-invent the past in ways that make
living in the shadow of the past easier. We also simply seem to believe that
our earlier experiences were the best of human life and anyone of a different
generation missed out. You hear this, for example, in how retired Jo'burg
hippies say: 'Melville just isn't what it used to be!' And, of course, the truly old
ones say the same of Yeoville.
I bet you the young revellers who are creating intense memories will also
claim the summer was the hottest this year when they retire in 2030. So the
nostalgia of every generation will be uttered again and again while the young
ones roll their eyes.
All of this struck me as I read the nostalgia of older journalists about hard
copy editions of newspapers.
My friend, Anton Harber, co-founder and former editor of the Weekly Mail
(today the Mail & Guardian), wrote with heartfelt nostalgia recently about
how much poorer journalism and our democracy would be if the Mail &
Guardian were to fold. This remark is in the wake of reports of the
newspaper's facing a financial crisis.
But I want to disagree with him. Music was not killed by successive changes
in music technology, from gramophones to cassettes to CDs and MP3 and,
no doubt, countless other technologies I'm unaware of. Music is such an
integral part of our social lives that only the panic-stricken would fear that
changes in the delivery of artistic creations would kill the art itself. News, for
me, and news analysis, should be seen similarly.
It is impossible to undo the history of information. It is forever a part of
human life as we know it that news will happen, that news will break, that
news will be investigated, and that news will lead to analysis, introspection,
accountability, and all sorts of real, material effects on our lives.
Newspapers, as in physical bits of paper you buy daily or weekly, are not
important. It's the content that matters. The medium really isn't the message
any more.
And so one has to wonder what it is that media commentators and hacks
wistfully bemoan? I think it is simply a yearning to keep the artefacts1 of their
earlier careers intact. That is quite self-indulgent, come to think of it. It is like
writers, me included, secretly hoping people buy hard copies of my books – if
they buy them at all – rather than electronic books (e-books). I project my
own romance about hard copy onto my readers.
And, although I have never voiced this, I think I secretly struggle to think of
an e-book sale as a real sale. Frankly, I should get with the times and not
impose a hierarchy of ways of delivering stories to the reader. Some readers
will hear my stories on radio; others will read them on a Kindle2; and yet
others in hard copy. And that's perfectly acceptable variety.
And if in 20 years' time all book sales are e-book sales, so what? My
memory of hard copy, and my own collection of hard-copy books, can remain
my personal pride without my thinking that our democracy is poorer without
physical books.
I would worry more if Harber, as an experienced and insightful newspaper
expert, told me content would suffer in the absence of a physical copy of the
Mail & Guardian's being available to the consumer. But that would be an
exaggeration.
News sites like The Daily Vox and GroundUp, and news analysis portals like
Daily Maverick, are arguably as valuable to democracy as physical
newspapers. Dare I say it? I often read better quality reporting and analysis
on some of these sites than in many of our traditional newspapers that
pretend to be the gold standard of progressive, pro-poor journalism or
comment and analysis.
What newspapers should do is simple: follow your consumers. These days it
is inaccurate to think of us as merely spending a bit of time on the Internet
during the day. Online life is much more integral to us than that. Rather, we
have digital identities that are an integral part of who we are in the
21st century. And so come into our space and invent business models fit for
these changes. Newspapers say they know this, but the romance about
hard-copy editions tells a different story. So what if Mail & Guardian isn't
available in hard copy?
Get on with strategising how to be a part of the digital economy. It is here to
stay.
[Adapted from The Star, 14
September 2015]
GLOSSARY:
1artefacts: made/manufactured things
2Kindle: electronic device for reading books
TEXT B
QUESTIONS: TEXT A
1.1 Provide a word from paragraph 1 which means 'a longing for the
past'.
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1.2 State the writer's intention in paragraphs 1 and 2.
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1.3 Why does the writer use the first person throughout the passage?
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1.4 Account for the use of the expression, 'roll their eyes' in the context
of
paragraph 4.
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1.5 Suggest why the writer introduces the topic of music in paragraph 7.
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1.6 Refer to paragraph 8.
Critically discuss the effectiveness of the repetition of 'that news will' in the
context of paragraphs 9 and 13.
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1.7 Does the writer contradict himself in paragraphs 10 and 11?
Substantiate your answer by making close reference to the text.
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1.8 Discuss the implications of 'Dare I say it?' (line 55).
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1.9 In your opinion, is the last paragraph an effective conclusion to the
article?
Substantiate your answer.
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(3)
QUESTIONS: TEXT B
1.10 Discuss the image of the psychiatrist as presented by the
cartoonist.
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(3)
1.11 Comment on the tone used by the man who is lying down.
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QUESTION: TEXTS A AND B
1.12 In your view, does TEXT B contradict or support paragraph 9 of
TEXT A?
Justify your response.
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(3)
SECTION B
SUMMARY
QUESTION 2
SUMMARISING IN YOUR OWN WORDS
TEXT C provides insight into the importance of self-confidence.
Summarise in your own words the advantages of developing self-
confidence.
NOTE:
1. Your summary should include SEVEN points and NOT exceed 90 words.
2. You must write a fluent paragraph.
3. You are NOT required to include a title for the summary.
4. Indicate your word count at the end of your summary.
TEXT C
THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CONFIDENCE
To achieve even the smallest of goals, and to get through life's daily duties
and
responsibilities, you have to have some self-confidence. Very importantly,
developing a self-confident attitude allows you to wade through the push and
pull of different voices and opinions. Relying on other people to guide you and
following their opinions robs you of your individuality, makes you unsure of
yourself and can lead to depression.
Self-confidence is an attitude that you hold about yourself and that allows you
to move forward and achieve your goals. An article on self-confidence from
the counselling centre at the University of Illinois defines self-confidence as
having a positive attitude, but with realistic views. They note that a self-
confident person has a general sense of control of her own life, and can do
what she wishes, plans and expects. Self-confidence means that even if
things don't go your way, you still believe that eventually, somehow, some
way, they will.
Research at the University of Illinois notes that when parents play a significant
role in
the instilling of self-confidence in children, this encourages self-reliance. If you
did not have your parents' help, you could not accomplish this yourself.
Mentally visualising yourself in great detail as a confident person, is a great
way to start being confident.
In his book, Unleash the Champion, Denny Dicke says that visualising is the
most
effective tool for building confidence and belief. After repeatedly visualising
yourself
being and acting confident, and achieving what you wish by confidently going
after it,
Dicke notes that when it does come time to move with confidence, you will act
confidently because your mind sees this as familiar ground.
Becoming self-confident does not mean you are unrealistic about yourself and
your
situation. You understand that you are not Superman, but being confident
means still
moving forward toward achieving your goals and satisfying your desires, even
when
things don't seem to be going your way. Jennifer Capriati, the 1992 Olympic
gold
medal winner in singles tennis, said to herself, 'I can do this! I am the best!'
Positive
self-talk can really help get you through times of doubt, and help you to
maintain that
feeling of self-confidence.
[Adapted from
http://www.livestrong.com]
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(10)
SECTION C
LANGUAGE STRUCTURES AND CONVENTIONS
QUESTION 3
ANALYSING ADVERTISING
Study the advertisement (TEXT D) below and answer the questions set.
TEXT D
The text printed over the picture of the girl on the swing reads as follows:
THE FEELING
OF FLYING
WITHOUT
THE FEAR
OF FALLING.
The text in small font reads as follows:
'Higher!' your child calls as you give her a
push. The wind tousles her hair, and you
don't give a thought to the rigidity of the
swing's chains or the sturdiness of the
frame. As her toes touch the sky and she
squeals with delight, you realise that the
things you trust most, never stop working
to earn it.
To find out how Coronation can earn your
trust, speak to your financial advisor or
visit www.coronation.com.
CORONATION
FUND MANAGERS
TRUST IS EARNED
QUESTIONS: TEXT D
3.1 Explain how the advertiser uses the company logo as a marketing
tool.
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3.2 Discuss ONE of the advertising techniques used in the headline of
TEXT D:
'THE FEELING OF … FEAR OF FALLING.'
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3.3 Comment on the appropriateness of the image of the girl on the
swing in the context of the advertisement as a whole.
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3.4 Critically discuss the style used in this advertisement.
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(3)
QUESTION 4: UNDERSTANDING OTHER ASPECTS OF THE MEDIA
Study TEXT E and answer the questions set.
TEXT E
CARTOON
QUESTIONS: TEXT E
4.1 Account for the use of the unusual font in FRAMES 1 to 3.
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4.2 Describe Gwen's emotions as depicted in FRAMES 6 and 8.
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4.3 Explain why the cartoonist chooses to leave Gwen out of the last
frame.
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(3)
4.4 Critically comment on any TWO techniques used to create humour in
the
cartoon.
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(3)
QUESTION 5
USING LANGUAGE CORRECTLY
Read TEXT F, which contains some deliberate errors, and answer the
questions set.
TEXT F
THE COMFORT AND COMPASSION OF THE CAFÉ
Me and my mom ordered two very ordinary cheese sandwiches from the
waiter who knew us well enough to bring our drinks order without us
having to request it. This happens when you are a regular at a place.
Whenever we visited the hospital, we will visit the café. It became a place
to drink strawberry milkshakes, in celebration of good news. One thing I
fervently believe is that the hospital cheese sandwich has heart-healing
properties.
At hospital cafés, the waiters let you call the shots; it is also a place
where you may see other diners wearing their pyjamas and slippers to
lunch without anyone being mean about it.
The café never became a depressing place for me and the reason is
because as death entered my world, it became life-affirming. The
everyday ordinariness of sharing a meal while reading the newspaper all
offered some relieve that life goes on.
[Adapted from Mediclinic Family, Spring
2015]
QUESTIONS: TEXT F
5.1 Correct the grammatical error in line 1.
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5.2 Provide the correct form of a word that is incorrectly used in line 2.
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5.3 'This happens when you are a regular at a place' (line 3).
Rewrite the above sentence, using 'regular' as an adjective, but without
changing the meaning of the sentence.
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(1)
5.4 Give the correct form of the verb in the clause, 'we will visit the café'
(line 4).
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5.5 What is the function of the hyphen in 'heart-healing' (line 6)?
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5.6 Rewrite the idiom “call the shots” (line 8) in formal English.
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5.7 Correct the error of concord in line 8.
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5.8 Refer to lines 11 and 12: 'the reason is because as death entered my world'.
Rephrase the above fragment so that it is grammatically correct.
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5.9 Correct the ambiguity in lines 11 and 12.
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5.10 Give the correct form of an incorrect word in line 14.
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