• Summary
• Title
• Themes
• How is the story told?
• Activity 11
• Activity 12

The Dube Train by Can Themba

Daniel Canadoce (“Can”) Themba (1924–1968) was born in Marabastad in Pretoria. He studied at Fort Hare University and later moved to Johannesburg, where he worked as a teacher and journalist on Drum magazine. Many of his stories are about the lives of the people in Sophiatown in Johannesburg where he lived. This was a mixed- race suburb which was very vibrant during the 1950s, but it was later destroyed by the apartheid government. In the early 1960s he moved to Swaziland, where he died a few years later.

1. Summary

The narrator is at Dube Station in Soweto on a cold Monday morning, waiting for the train to Johannesburg. All his descriptions of the station and people emphasise his depression, which he feels is shared by all the people around him.
When he gets onto the train he sits opposite a huge man. When the train gets to Phefeni Station a young woman enters the carriage and sits next to the narrator. Soon afterwards a tsotsi jumps onto the train and begins verbally harassing the girl. When the girl reaches her stop and wants to get off the train the tsotsi prevents her and slaps her. She tries to get away from him by jumping over the narrator but the tsotsi follows her.
No one dares to say anything to stop the tsotsi, until an older woman starts shouting at the men and calling them cowards. This causes the tsotsi to swear at the woman. This angers the huge man sitting opposite the narrator and he gets up and moves towards the tsotsi.
The tsotsi pulls out a knife and cuts the big man’s chest and arm. The big man is enraged and, in spite of his injuries, he grabs the tsotsi and lifts him up. He throws him out of the train window.
Everyone is shocked, but the incident soon becomes just another event on the morning Dube train.

2. Title

The title focuses on the train journey rather than on any characters in the story. The writer intends us to see the train journey as a comment on the lives people experience. Even when bad things happen people just accept them. The incident on the train happens to people no one knows or is concerned about. It soon becomes:
Just an incident in the morning Dube train.

3. Themes

The main themes of this story are:

• Violence, crime and gangsterism in the townships; and
• People’s passive attitudes to these issues.

The train passengers do not at first take action when they are faced with gangsterism and violence. Nobody stops the tsotsi from harassing the girl, or prevents the tsotsi from stabbing the big man, or stops the man from flinging the tsotsi out of the window. The large man who takes action against the tsotsi also behaves in a violent way, which is not a solution to the social problem of crime.
Perhaps the writer is saying that violence has become so common that people no longer see it as a problem:

too many passengers had seen too many tragedies to be rattled by this incident.

People have become so used to violence that they are not shocked by such incidents. They consider them as a break in their dull lives. Although the narrator is also guilty of not getting involved, the writer uses him to convey the message that the people are too used to crime and too passive to fight against it.

4. How is the story told?

4.1 Setting

The story takes place at the Dube station and on the Dube train. It is on the train trip from Dube to Johannesburg that the events involving the girl, the tsotsi and the huge man take place.
The narrator links the train trip with life in general:

the prospect of congested trains filled with sour-smelling humanity, did not improve my impression of a hostile life directing its malevolence plumb at me.

4.2 Structure and plot development

At the beginning of the story the narrator gives a description of the environment at the station and the people who, like him, feel depressed on that Monday morning. The faceless, nameless people add to his feeling of despair.
When the narrator gets on to the train he describes the passengers more individually. The writer describes the huge man who sits opposite him, a young girl who gets on the train later and a tsotsi who sees the girl and comes to harass her.
The tsotsi’s harassment of the girl is the complication in the story. It creates the rising tension, to the point where the huge man gets up to intervene, after the tsotsi insults a woman who yells at the men nearby to stop the tsotsi. When the tsotsi draws a knife it creates panic in the carriage:

the woman shrieked and men scampered on to seats.

The climax of the story occurs when the tsotsi stabs the big man who confronts him. The man then picks the tsotsi up and flings him out of the train window.

The story ends with a negative and disturbing resolution because, although the problem with the tsotsi has been dealt with, the violent action of the man is also a criminal act. The narrator of the story comments at the end of the story:

Odd, that no one expressed sympathy for the boy or the man.

4.3 Characterisation

The main characters in the story are people who are part of the crowd on the train:

• A huge man who sits opposite the narrator. He is described as “a hulk of a man; his hugeness was obtrusive to the sight when you saw him, and to the mind when you looked away”. His presence feels “obtrusive” because he is so large and it feels as if he is blocking the narrator’s view and he can’t see past him.
• A young girl, who is described as “pert, arrogant, live”. She is young but acts more mature than she is.
• A young tsotsi who jumps onto the train and starts to harass the girl.
• An old lady who shouts at the men in the carriage for not stopping the tsotsi.

The men in the carriage “winced. They said nothing, merely looked around at each other in shy embarrassment”. It is only when the tsotsi swears at the woman, that the huge man becomes offended and takes action. He does not react when the young girl is being harassed.
In the story the huge man, the girl and the shouting woman act as protagonists. The tsotsi is the antagonist as he is in opposition to them. It is the tsotsi’s actions that drive the events that take place on the train.

4.4 Style

The narrator of the story notices what is going on with the tsotsi and the girl, as well as all the details of the train journey. The events in the carriage are viewed between station stops. At one point the narrator gives a long description of a bridge and the view of the city skyline, which looks attractive after “the drab, chocolate-box houses of the township, monotonously identical row upon row”.
The writer uses township slang and dialect as ways to indicate the atmosphere of the life he is describing. “Tsotsi”, “Sies” and “Hela, Tholo, my ma hears me, I want that ten-’n-six!” are examples of slang. In the story slang is used by the tsotsis to communicate with each other. It sets the tsotsis apart from the other passengers. The narrator says of their exchange of words:
The gibberish exchange was all in exuberant superlatives.

4.5 Narrator and point of view

The narrator tells the story in the first person. He refers to himself as “I”.

4.6 Diction and figurative language

The way the writer uses language in the story helps to express meaning.
For example, the description of the big man on the train is significant as it helps us build up a picture of him:
a hulk of a man ... The neck was thick and corded, and the enormous chest was a live barrel that heaved back and forth.
With this metaphor of the man’s chest being an enormous live barrel we have an image of how huge he was and don’t question his ability to lift up and throw the boy later.
The writer’s description of the ‘blue’ Monday includes phrases such as “hostile life”, “the grey aspect around me”, “savagery of the crowd” and “all was wrong with the world”, which give the impression of a dreary day which matches his depression.
The writer uses figurative language to describe the scene and the characters:

• Simile
  For example, his description of the movement of the train leaving the station as making the platform look as though it is “a fast conveyor belt”.
• Metaphor
  The woman who shouted at the tsotsi used “barbed words” – her words are compared to barbs, which could mean insults or sharp thorns.
• Oxymoron
  The narrator watches the tsotsi with “grim anticipation”. “Anticipation” is usually associated with looking forward to something positive. Here it is paired with “grim”, which means horrible, awful or unpleasant.

4.7 Tone and mood

From the start of the story the writer gives us a picture of a dreary Monday morning at the station. The narrator surveys the scene with displeasure; the tone of his thoughts conveys a feeling of gloom:

Despairing thoughts of every kind darted through my mind: the lateness of the trains, the shoving savagery of the crowd, the grey aspect around me.

The tone of gloom and despair is continued when the narrator is seated on the train:

the other passengers, looking Monday-bleared, had no enthusiasm about them. They were just like the lights of the carriage – dull, dreary, undramatic.

The writer emphasises how bored and depressed the passengers on the train usually are by contrasting this with how they behave at the end of the story:

[They] break out into a cacophony of chattering.
They were just greedily relishing the thrilling episode of the morning.”

The writer emphasises the fact that people are so used to violence, that they are not so much shocked as excited by what happened on the train. This creates a tone of excitement.
Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? What are the reasons it makes you feel this way?

Summary
 The Dube Train by Can Themba

1. Title
   • Focuses on a train journey
2. Themes
   • Violence, crime and gangsterism
   • Peoples’ passive attitudes to these issues
3. How is the story told?
   3.1 Setting
   • At the Dube Station and on the train
     3.2 Structure and plot development
   • Complication: The tsotsi’s harassment of the girl
   • Rising tension: The continued harassment of the girl
   • Climax: The stabbing of the big man and the tsotsi being thrown out of the train window
   • Resolution: Disturbing because the violence of the man against the tsotsi is also a criminal act
     3.3 Characterisation
   • Protagonists: The big man, the girl and the shouting woman
   • Antagonist: The tsotsi
     3.4 Style
   • Descriptions: Of the township and the city
   • Slang/dialect: For example, “tsotsi”, “sies”, “hela”
     3.5 Narrator and point of view
   • First person
     3.6 Diction and !gurative language
   • “the enormous chest was a live barrel”
     Metaphor
   •  “barbed words”
     Metaphor
   •  “like a fast conveyor belt”
     Simile
   • “grim anticipation”
     Oxymoron
     3.7 Tone and mood
   • Tone: Mainly a gloomy, despairing and depressed tone; except when the violence breaks out, when the tone becomes excited
   • Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Give reasons for your answer.

Activity 11 

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

Extract A

[The narrator describes a typical Monday morning.]

1. Read the following statement and complete the sentence by filling in the missing words. Write down only the words next to the question number (1a)–1b)).
   In lines 1 and 2 “a child of the sun” is an example of personification.
   The a) … is being described as the b) … of the narrator. (2)
2. Refer to paragraph 1.
   1. Quote no more than FOUR consecutive words from the extract to show that this story is written in the first person. (1)
   2. Using your own words, briefly describe how the narrator feels on a Monday morning. State TWO points. (2)
   3. In your view, why does he feel this way? State TWO points. (2)
3. Refer to paragraph 2.
   Quote TWO consecutive words to show that the narrator has a negative outlook on life. (1)
4. Refer to line 10 (“… shoving savagery of the crowds …”).
   Which figure of speech is used here? (1)
5. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence: In line 13, the word “flukes” refers to …
   1. unfortunate accidents.
   2. lucky charms.
   3. unlucky coincidences.
   4. a stroke of good luck. (1)
6. Refer to the story as a whole.
   Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE? Give a reason to support your answer.
   The narrator’s journey was dull and uneventful. (2)
7. What point is the narrator making by including the description of the train carriage and the station? State TWO ideas. (2)
8. A girl boards the train at Phefeni station.
   1. Explain what the narrator finds unusual for a girl of her age.State TWO points. (2)
   2. Explain why the narrator is surprised by the girl’s reactions later, when the tsotsi attacks her. State TWO points. (2) [18]

Activity 12 

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

Extract B

[The narrator describes the reactions of the passengers.]

1. Refer to line 1.
   1. Who is “our caveman lover”? (1)
   2. Why is this person described as a “caveman”? (1)
   3. Quote ONE word from paragraph 2 which shows that the narrator is comparing the “caveman” to an animal. (1)
2. Refer to line 7.
   What caused the “caveman” to reel? (1)
3.  Refer to line 12.
   Using your own words, explain why the woman calls the men “poltroons”. (1)
4. Refer to paragraph 4 of the extract.
   Quote FOUR consecutive words to show that the woman believes that the men have strong fatherly instincts. (1)
5. Refer to line 18.
   What does the use of the word “Sies!” suggest about the woman’s feelings? (1)
6. Later in the story the attacker draws a knife when the big man confronts him.
   How do the following people react when they see the knife?
   1. The woman (1)
   2. The male passengers (1)
7. The big man, who has been sitting quietly all the time, comes to life because of the incident described in the extract.
   1. Why, do you think, does he not react when the tsotsi attacks the young girl? State TWO points. (2)
   2. What causes the big man’s violent reaction later? (2)
8. Do you feel sorry for the attacker who is flung from the train and probably killed? Explain your answer. (2)
9. The passengers on the Dube train choose not to get involved when the tsotsi attacks the girl. They also do nothing when he is flung from the train. Why do you think this is the case? Discuss your view. (2) [17]

Words to know

• Summary
• Title
• Themes
• How is the story told?
• Activity 9
• Activity 10

The Coffee-cart Girlby Es’kia Mphahlele

Es’kia Mphahlele (1919 – 2008) was born in the slums of Pretoria and went on to become a world famous writer, educationist, artist and activist.
He only began attending school regularly when he was 15 and went on to finish high school by private study. In 1945 he taught at Orlando High School in Soweto. As a result of his protests against Bantu Education he was fired from his teaching post. He eventually joined Drum magazine in 1955, where he made a name for himself as a serious writer.
In 1957 Mphahlele went into exile, at first in Nigeria. Here he completed his first autobiography, Down Second Avenue (1959), which was banned in South Africa.
Mphahlele went on to get his doctorate from the University of Denver, USA, in 1968 and was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969.
He finally returned home from exile in 1977, where he went on to found the University of the Witwatersrand’s African Literature Department - the first department of African Literature in the country - in 1983. He is widely celebrated as being the Father of African Humanism. 

1. Summary

The story takes place in the industrial part of a city during apartheid, where a young woman called Zodwa works at a coffee-cart. She sells coffee and pancakes to the workers who pass by. One day there is a strike at the nearby Metropolitan Steel Windows Ltd factory. The striking workers march in the street where Zodwa’s coffee-cart stands. She is so absorbed in the strike that she doesn’t realise that the marching crowd is getting bigger and more restless. There is conflict between the apartheid police and the black people who are striking.
One of the strikers, a young man named Ruben (whose nickname is China), helps to move Zodwa’s coffee-cart away from danger of the crowd. Zodwa is very grateful to him and offers him coffee and food. This is the start of the friendship between Zodwa and Ruben. After the strike China loses his job. As their relationship develops, China gives Zodwa the nickname Pinkie, because her skin is peach-coloured. China finds another job at a shoe factory. When he gets paid by his new employer China takes Pinkie to choose a gift from a cheapjack’s shop. The cheapjack is a man named Naidoo. Naidoo clearly likes Pinkie and he starts coming to her cart for coffee. One day when he cannot pay he gives Pinkie a ring in exchange for coffee and cakes. When China sees the ring on Pinkie’s finger he gets very jealous and accuses Pinkie of being in love with Naidoo.
China pulls out a knife and points it at Pinkie’s throat. She thinks he is going to kill her. But then China realises that he is frightening Pinkie. He apologises to her and leaves. He never sees Pinkie again, as three days after this, Pinkie and all the coffee sellers are chased away from the area by the police. When China comes back to visit her she is gone. All he can do is hope that one day they will meet again.

Note: 

• Cheapjack - a seller of cheap goods.

2. Title

The story is focused on Pinkie, the coffee-cart girl in the title of the story. Although the title is about Pinkie, everything that happens to her is caused by the realities of the apartheid system. For example, she is caught up in the conflict between the apartheid police and the oppressed black workers, and it is only because of China that she is not hurt. Later in the story she is forced by apartheid laws to move to another place to sell her coffee and pancakes.

3. Themes

The main themes are:

• Life affected by apartheid: The strike takes place because of the political situation where white-owned businesses and apartheid laws work together to oppress and impoverish black people. It is because of the strike that the two young people meet. If it had not been for the difficult working conditions China would not have met Pinkie. At the end of the story the political situation interferes again in their lives by forcing Pinkie to work elsewhere, preventing them from meeting again.
• Violence against women/women’s powerlessness: Pinkie is the only female character. The story shows her to be very vulnerable both to the general violence of the strike and to personal violence from China. She has no control over her own life and is pushed around by individuals like China, and by the apartheid state.
• Love: A young man meets a young woman and a bond is established between them.
• Jealousy: When another man, Naidoo, shows an interest in Pinkie, China becomes violently jealous. China’s uncontrolled emotion becomes an obstacle in his relationship with Pinkie.
• Loss: China loses his job and he loses Pinkie. We lose Pinkie at the end of the story, because she is chased away by the police. Like China, we don’t know what happens to her.

4. How is the story told?

4.1 Setting

The story is set in an industrial area in a city during apartheid. Throughout the story the harshness of apartheid shapes the lives of the characters. We are constantly aware of the poverty in the city and the fact that the lives of the people are worth little. Pinkie tells China that unless he accepts her coffee and buns he will “starve to death in this cruel city”.

4.2 Structure and plot development

The story starts with the strikers marching. The writer’s description of the march already gives a sense of tension. In the middle of the chaos is Zodwa, who seems calm as she watches the marchers from her coffee- cart. It is only when one of the coffee-carts gets knocked over that she reacts. “She climbed down from her cart, looking like a bird frightened out of its nest.” China helps to move Pinkie’s coffee-cart before it gets damaged.
Against the background of the strike and unrest China and Pinkie start a quiet friendship. When China finds another job he promises to buy Pinkie a gift. They go to a cheapjack’s shop to choose the gift. Naidoo, the cheapjack, takes a liking to Pinkie and starts to visit her to buy coffee. The complication in the story is that Pinkie has two admirers: China and Naidoo. China is shy and is not able openly to tell Pinkie that he loves her. Naidoo is more direct and able to chat and joke with Pinkie more easily.
China’s jealousy of Naidoo creates the rising tension in the story. One day China notices that Pinkie is wearing a ring. She says Naidoo gave it to her to pay for three days’ worth of coffee and cake. China’s jealousy becomes so great that he accuses Pinkie of being in love with Naidoo and threatens her with a knife. This is the climax or crisis point in the story.
China then realises that he is scaring Pinkie, and he apologises to her. He leaves.
The story does not have a clear resolution as Pinkie is forced by apartheid laws to leave the area three days later. When China comes back some days later she is gone and he is left with his dreams of how things might have been.

4.3 Characterisation

The main characters in the story are Pinkie, China and Naidoo.
Pinkie is the main character or protagonist in the story. She is called “Pinkie” by China because she has a “peach-coloured face”. This is ironic, because apartheid oppressed black people on the basis of the colour of their skin, and yet here is a black woman with light-coloured skin. It points to how unworkable the system of racial oppression really was.
Pinkie is a shy and gentle woman and seems to accept the harshness of her life. She is small and seems fragile. The writer uses descriptions of small creatures when describing her:

looking like a bird frightened out of its nest
She panted like a timid little mouse cornered by a cat.

China is the antagonist in the story. He too has had a hard life. In the past he was in jail. He is not able to express his emotions well with words. Instead, he is quick to get angry and use violence. He seems to feel that he ‘owns’ Pinkie and is jealous of her having any other friends. His jealousy causes him to threaten Pinkie.

However, China is able to show some remorse for the way he treats Pinkie.
He is sorry for frightening her and says to her:
“I pray you never in your life to think about this day.”

Both Pinkie and China have difficulty letting each other know how they feel about each other. This is mainly because of the cruelty and hardships of the apartheid city in which they live. It makes gentle emotions like love seem dangerous and they both “panicked at the thought of a love affair”.
From the start, Pinkie is a bit afraid of China – he attracts and repels (drives her away) her at the same time:

She felt “a repelling admiration”.
She felt he was the kind of man who could be attractive as long as he remained more than a touch away from the contemplator;

China also carried on “a dumb show”, by not telling Pinkie that he loved her:

Pinkie and China panicked at the thought of a love affair and remained dumb.

The seriousness of China and Pinkie’s relationship is contrasted with Naidoo’s ability to chat easily and joke with Pinkie. His anecdotes “sent Pinkie off into peals of laughter”. Naidoo’s relationship is a source of jealousy for China. He suspects that Naidoo likes Pinkie and thinks that Pinkie is in love with Naidoo.
Naidoo also gives some comic relief to the story, as he mispronounces words for comic effect.

4.4 Style

The relationship between Pinkie and China is explored through the use of dialogue and descriptions.
Dialogue works to give us an immediate idea of the characters’ thoughts, feelings and attitudes. Another technique that the writer makes use of is contrasts. For example, the love of China and Pinkie contrasts with the harshness of their world.
In addition, the writer also contrasts aspects of their personalities. For example, at first China seems frightening to Pinkie:

There was something sly in those soft, moist, slit eyes, but the modest stoop at the shoulders gave him a benign appearance; otherwise he would have looked twisted and rather fiendish.
There was something she felt in his presence: a repelling admiration.

The violence of China as opposed to the sweetness of Pinkie is shown right at the beginning of the story when, even though he helps Pinkie, China is seen as one of the violent strikers:

Almost rudely he pushed her into the street, took the cart by the stump of a shaft and wheeled it across the street,

When China first looks carefully at Pinkie he notices her fragility:

His eyes travelled from her small tender fingers as she washed a few things, to her man’s jersey which was a faded green and too big for her, her thin frock, and then to her peach-coloured face, not well fed, but well framed and compelling

Another contrast between China and Pinkie is when China takes her to choose a gift for herself. It is typical of her character that she would buy something pretty such as “a beautiful long bodkin, a brooch, and a pair of bangles”. It is also in character for China to buy something harsher for himself such as “a knife, dangling from a fashionable chain”.
Note the contrasting images and personification in the description which follows, which shows the many emotions China and Pinkie feel for each other:

Within, heaven and earth thundered and rocked, striving to meet; sunshine and rain mingled; milk and gall pretended friendship; fire and water went hand in hand; tears and laughter hugged each other in a fit of hysterics; the screeching of the hang-bird started off with the descant of a dove’s cooing; devils waved torches before a chorus of angels.

At the end of the story the writer uses ellipsis twice to emphasise the incompleteness of the story:

• “I’ll tell her all about myself, all about my wicked past; she’ll get used to me, not be afraid of me any more …” Here the ellipsis indicates that we will never know whether this wish of China comes
• “And still he sat in the coffee-cart which was once Pinkie’s all through the lunch hour …” Here the ellipsis emphasises that we, like China, do not know whether they will ever see each other

4.5 Narrator and point of view

The writer uses a third person point of view to tell the story. This approach allows the reader to learn about the characters from what they say and do. It also allows us to appreciate how the political setting explains so much about them.

4.6 Diction and figurative language

The way the writer uses words and descriptions helps to convey meaning in the story. For example, the writer uses many figures of speech and sound devices in the story:

• Similes and metaphors
  In the first line of the story the writer uses two similes to describe the striking marchers: “The crowd moved like one mighty being, and swayed and swung like the sea.”
  Pinkie is described as having “a peach-coloured face” (a metaphor is used to compare her face to a peach).
  Later, Pinkie realises that China is angry:
  “She sensed a gathering storm” (in this metaphor, China’s anger is compared to a coming storm).
  When China threatens Pinkie with a knife a simile is used to compare Pinkie to a frightened mouse being hunted by a cat:
  “She panted like a timid little mouse cornered by a cat.”
• Personification
  One example of personification used in the story is “the law was brandishing batons”. This image of the law being armed shows that apartheid laws were not about justice or equality, but about violence and oppression.
• Oxymoron
  The writer uses oxymorons for effect in the writing, especially when writing about the confused feelings that China and Pinkie have for each other. Pinkie is described as having “a repelling admiration” for China. ‘Repelling’ means something that is distasteful or repulsive, while ‘admiration’ means something to respect and approve of.

4.7 Tone and mood

Right from the beginning of the story we are made aware of the harshness of life.
The tone created by the strike is one of confusion and danger:

The crowd moved like one mighty being, and swayed and swung like the sea.
Grimy, oily, greasy, sweating black bodies squeezed and chafed and grated.

We are constantly aware of the poverty and grime in this part of the city. The tone of the words the writer uses to describe the area and the people is despairing:

A dreary smoky mist lingered in suspension, or clung to the walls; black sooty chimneys shot up malignantly

The old shopkeepers are described as having:

a vague grimace on their faces, seeming to sneer at the world in general

Later in the story the tone of fear is emphasised by the writer’s description of China threatening Pinkie with a knife:

At that very moment she realised fully the ghastliness of a man’s jealousy, which gleamed and glanced on the blade and seemed to have raised a film which steadied the slit eyes.

At the end of the story the coffee-carts are empty and deserted. Their emptiness emphasises China’s loss of Pinkie. Yet the story ends on a hopeful tone as we read that China hopes that one day he will see Pinkie again:

We’ll meet in town some day, China thought. I’ll tell her all about myself, all about my wicked past; she’ll get used to me, not be afraid of me any more …

Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? What are the reasons it makes you feel this way?

Summary
The Coffee-cart Girl by Es’kia Mphahlele

1. Title
   • Focuses the story on Pinkie, the coffee-cart girl, surviving in apartheid South Africa
2. Themes
   • Life affected by apartheid
   • Violence against women/women’s powerlessness
   • Love
   • Jealousy
   • Loss
3. How is the story told?
   3.1 Setting
   • An industrial area in a city during apartheid
     3.2 Structure and plot development
   • Complication: Pinkie has two admirers
   • Rising tension: China’s jealousy of Naidoo
   • Climax/crisis point: China threatening Pinkie with a knife
   • Resolution: None; the reader is left wondering what happens to the characters next.
     3.3 Characterisation
   • Protagonist: Pinkie is the main character
   • Antagonist: China opposes her
   • Naidoo: A source of tension (China’s jealousy) and comic relief
     3.4 Style
   • Dialogue and descriptions: Used to explore Pinkie and China’s relationship
   • Contrasts: The love of Pinkie and China compared to their harsh world; China’s violence compared to Pinkie’s sweetness; China choosing a knife compared to the pretty things that Pinkie chooses from Naidoo’s shop
   • Ellipsis: Emphasises the incompleteness of the story
     3.5 Narrator and point of view
   • Third person
     3.6 Diction and figurative language
   • “peach-coloured face”
     Metaphor
   • “She sensed the gathering storm”
     Metaphor
   • “The crowd moved like one mighty being, and swayed and swung like the sea.”
     Two similes
   • “She panted like a timid little mouse cornered by a cat.”
     Simile
   • “repelling admiration”
     Oxymoron
   • “the law was brandishing batons”
     Personification
   • “fire and water went hand in hand”
     Personification
     3.7 Tone and mood
   • Tone: Begins with a tone of despair and danger in the strike; tone of fear increases at the point of Pinkie being threatened by China; ends on a hopeful note as China imagines meeting up with Pinkie again
   • Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Give reasons for your answer.

Activity 9

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

Extract A

[China and Pinky meet again after the violent strike.]

1. Describe the events that lead to China saving Pinkie’s cart
   Give THREE points.                                                                       (3)
2. Why does Pinkie refer to China as “uncle” in line 2 of extract A? (1)
3. Choose the correct answer to complete the following In line 3, China says: “Don’t uncle me, please.” His tone in this line is one of:
   1. happiness.
   2. satisfaction.
   3. annoyance.
   4. sadness.                                                                                     (1)
4. Refer to lines 6-9 of extract A (“His eyes travelled ... soiled black beret”). What do these lines show you about Pinkie’s circumstances?  (1)
5. In lines 11–14 of extract A (“There was something .. a repelling admiration”), Pinkie has mixed feelings about China. What are these feelings? (2)
6. Refer to lines 17 of extract A (“just like those ... chamber of horrors”).
   1. Identify the figure of speech in these (1)
   2. In what way does China remind Pinkie of the wax figures? (1)
7. How is China affected by the strike? (1)
8. How are Pinkie and China victims of apartheid prejudice? (2)
9. Later, Pinkie gives China coffee and pancakes. What does this behaviour tell us about the kind of person Pinkie is? State TWO points(2)
10. At the end of the story Pinkie disappears because the police no longer allow her to operate her coffee-cart on the street. In your opinion, is the action of the police justified? Discuss your view (2)  [17]

Activity 10

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

Extract B

[China attacks Pinky in her coffee-cart.]

1. Complete the following sentences by using the words in the list below;

   jersey; guilty; ring; happy; compassionate; jealous; aggressive

   China sees Pinkie wearing a (a) .... He is (b) ... because Naidoo gave it to her. China becomes (c) ... towards Pinkie. Later, he feels (d) ... about this behaviour.                       (4)
2. How does Naidoo make a living? (1)
3. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE? Write “true” or “false” and give a reason for your answer.
   Pinkie accepted the gift from Naidoo as a token of his love.        (2)
4. Refer to line 6 of extract B (“She panted like ... by a cat”).
   Why does the writer compare Pinkie to a mouse and China to  a cat?            (2)
5. Refer to lines 7-8 of extract B (“He had sent ... a knife before”).
   What does this line show you about China’s past behaviour?       (1)
6. Refer to line 12 of extract B (“She looked at him, mystified”). Explain why Pinkie feels this way.      (2)
7. Refer to the last paragraph of extract B (“The following day ... him any more”).
   1. Why does China’s behaviour change at this stage in the story? (1)
   2. In your opinion, is China being realistic when he hopes that Pinkie will not be afraid of him anymore?    (2)
8. Does Pinkie really forgive China? Give a reason for your answer (1)
9. Pinkie and China do not meet Is this an effective conclusion to this story? Discuss your view.    (2) [18]

Words to know

• Summary
• Title
• Themes
• How is the story told?
• Activity 7
• Activity 8

Relatives by Chris van Wyk

Christopher van Wyk (1957–2014) wrote poetry, stories and autobiographical works. He is best known for his autobiographical novels Shirley, Goodness and Mercy and Eggs to Lay and Chickens to Hatch, as well as a children’s illustrated version of Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom. As in Relatives, many of Van Wyk’s stories are based on family relationships and the community he came from. In 1996 he won the Sanlam Literary Award for this short story.

1. Summary

In the story a 21-year-old writer goes down to the Cape. He spends a week in Cape Town, then visits his family in Carnarvon. After two weeks he gets bored and decides to return by train to Johannesburg.
In a train compartment he meets three friendly men and they exchange stories. When they leave the train the writer is left in the compartment with two brothers who are not friendly. As time passes the writer realises that the brothers are juvenile delinquents (boys from a reformatory). The writer is afraid of them as they discuss how they will kill their brother’s murderer when they get to Johannesburg.
While the writer is thinking about how to get away from the brothers and find another compartment to sleep in one of the brothers asks him about his grandmother. They tell him that he is related to them. The writer is very relieved, as they no longer pose a threat to him.
Three years later the writer reads in the newspaper that the brothers have died in gang-related violence, just like their elder brother.

2. Title

The title “Relatives” shows that the story is about what family means to people. At first, the writer was afraid of the two boys, who were strangers to him. When he finds out that they are relatives, as their grandmothers were sisters, he loses his fear of them. They no longer seem like enemies to him, as he has a connection to them.

3. Themes

The main themes of the story are:

• The importance of memories and family: The writer tells us that in Carnarvon his relatives spend a lot of time together, having long meals and discussions about family history. Note how the fear that  the writer feels disappears as soon as he discovers that the two brothers on the train are his relatives, and therefore, they cannot be a threat.
• The power of stories to entertain and teach us about The story also has stories within it, for example, the story of Georgie that the writer relates.
• Coincidences: The first is that both stories (Georgie’s story and the brothers’ story) that are told on the train concern The next is that the gangster brothers have family ties with the writer, so they are his relatives.
• Crime and gang violence: The brothers are clearly already involved in crime as they are in a They want to take revenge for the death of their brother by killing their brother’s murderer. The cycle of gang violence tragically results in their own death.

4. How is the story told?

4.1 Setting

The main setting is a compartment on a train travelling between Johannesburg and Cape Town where the young writer chats to people.

4.2 Structure and plot development

We are introduced to the writer, who is an aspiring (inexperienced) 21-year-old writer who decides to visit his family in Carnavon in the Northern Cape to get information about his roots. He wants to write a “family saga” (history of his family).
After two weeks he becomes bored with the dry, dusty place and conversations that are repeated over and over and decides to return home to Johannesburg.
On the train back to Johannesburg he meets:

• Three friendly carpenters or builders, laughing and drinking beer (“their conversation was full of the hammers and nails of their profession”); and
• Two quiet brothers who sit huddled in a corner and refuse to join in the conversation.

The three friendly young men ask him about his journey to the Cape, and he tells them a story about it which he had already told his relatives in Carnarvon. He believes that the story is excellent because he feels that it has all the necessary basic features of a good story, passing what he calls his litmus test.
The writer tells them the story of Georgie, whom he met on the way from Johannesburg to Cape Town. Georgie told him a story about how he had killed a man (the story within the story), as a warning to the writer not to try to steal his luggage.
The comic ending and anti-climax of this story (Georgie is publicly slapped in the face by his wife) is thoroughly enjoyed by the young men.
Up until this point the writer is relaxed and enjoying the journey and the company. Then there is a complication. As the writer puts it:

But then my journey took an unexpected turn.

Quite suddenly, and without much warning, the three friendly men leave the train. The writer is left in the compartment with the two unfriendly brothers.
The rising tension in the story begins when the writer looks at the brothers more closely and realises that they are wearing the khaki uniforms worn by juvenile delinquents. He also realises they do not have a guard with them. Suddenly their behaviour changes and they begin to act aggressively – they start talking loudly, swearing, spreading their luggage all over the compartment and littering.
Then they start discussing their brother, who was killed by a gang in Coronationville, Johannesburg. They are on their way to attend his funeral and swear to take revenge on his killer. The brutal and violent way they plan to take revenge scares the writer terribly.
The conflict in the story grows:

• The writer is now scared to be alone with the
• They start looking at him straight in the eye, scaring him even
• He thinks about asking for a transfer to another compartment, but is too afraid to leave his luggage

The tension within the writer is now so great he cannot even eat.
The story reaches an amazing climax when one of the brothers recognises him as “that clever boy who used to read books and write stuff”. Their grandmothers were sisters, so in fact the writer and the two brothers are relatives. From then on he begins to relax and enjoy the journey.
The resolution to the main story and the story told by the brothers comes three years later, when the narrator reads in the newspaper about “rampant gang crime in the streets of Western Township and adjacent Coronationville”. The two brothers who had “never reached twenty-one” had been stabbed to death in the violence, and were now “in the same graveyard as their brother, killed three years ago”.

4.3 Characterisation

The narrator is the writer. He is the protagonist, as he is the main character. The two brothers, his relatives, are the antagonists in the story.
The brothers contrast with the writer in every way. For example, while the writer tells a funny story about a man who pretended to be a murderer, the brothers are plotting a murder in real life.
In a train compartment (which is the main setting for the story) the different passengers also form a contrast to one another.
The three young men who are carpenters or builders are very friendly to the young writer. It is to them the writer tells the story about Georgie.

4.4 Style

The story makes use of the stylistic device of “a story within a story”. The bigger story is of the young writer visiting his relatives in Carnarvon to write a family saga. This is the outer frame of the story. His experiences with the people in his compartment on the train back to Johannesburg form the inner frame of the story. The centre frame is the story of Georgie, which the writer tells to his companions as comic relief.

4.5 Narrator and point of view

The narrator is the main character in the story. The story is told from the first person point of view (“I”).

4.6 Diction and figurative language

The way the writer uses language conveys meaning in the story. For example, at the beginning, when the narrator is visiting his elderly uncle, the description of the old men emphasises the slow pace of their lives:

conversations consisting of long, trailing life histories that made the old men in their elbow patches stammer and squint into the past from behind their thick spectacles

The conversational, chatty tone of the characters when telling their stories together with the use of dialect is very effective. For example, in the story of Georgie, his wife greets him by saying: “Ses maande en djy skryf niks, phone niks, not a blerry word van djou.” The Cape Coloured use of a combination of English and Afrikaans is very effective, as it gives us a sense of the rhythms and pronunciation of this speech.
The narrator’s fear is conveyed not only through his thoughts, but also by using many short sentences, which are very dramatic. For example:

I began to worry
He knows what I’m thinking, I thought.
My companions glared at me again.
I had no appetite.

The final sentence of the story, in particular, is very clear in its message about the unfortunate effect of gang crime: “They had never reached twenty- one.”
The reader is given insight into the characters through the vivid descriptions of their appearance. For example, the two brothers are described as having “sandy hair that had been cut so short that the hairs grew in sharp italic spikes”. Here, a metaphor is used to compare the short, bristly quality of their hair to italic writing.
In the line, “When the train slithered out...”, a metaphor is used to compare the train to a snake sliding along the ground.

4.7 Tone and mood

In the story the writer uses dialogue and descriptions to show how the tone changes in the story. For example, when the narrator meets the young men on the train the tone of their conversation is friendly and happy:

their conversation was ... punctuated with laughter and inane arguments.

In contrast, the two brothers’ conversation has a dark tone – it is full of swearing and details about how they will murder their brother’s killer:

They no longer muttered but spoke loudly, spicing their conversation with vulgarities.

The light-hearted tone at the beginning of the story changes to a dark and sombre tone as the story goes on. The story ends on a note of sadness, as it brings to mind the theme of the tragedy of gang crime. The death of the young brothers highlights the tragic waste of life that is the result of gang violence.
Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? What are the reasons it makes you feel this way?

Summary
Relatives by Chris van Wyk

1. Title
   • The writer no longer feels threatened once he knows he’s related to the juvenile delinquents.
2. Themes
   • The importance of memories and family
   • The power of stories to entertain and teach
   • Coincidences
   • Crime and gang violence
3. How is the story told?
   3.1 Setting
   • Mainly the compartment of a train
     3.2 Structure and plot development
   • “Georgie’s” story: Story within a story, with a comic ending and anti-climax
   • Complication: The three friendly men leaving the train unexpectedly
   • Rising tension: The writer realises that the two brothers are juvenile delinquents.
   • Conflict: The increasingly vulgar and loud behaviour of the two brothers
   • Tension: The writer becomes so anxious he cannot even eat.
   • Climax: One of the brothers recognises the writer as a relative.
   • Resolution: Newspaper article about the death of the two brothers in gang crime
     3.3 Characterisation
   • Protagonist: The narrator is the writer and the main character.
   • Antagonists: The two brothers (the relatives)
   • The three young men: Their friendliness contrasts with the behaviour of the brothers.
     3.4 Style
   • Stories within a story: The outer frame of the story is the trip to Carnarvon.
   • The inner frame is the writer’s experiences in the train compartment coming home to Johannesburg.
   • The centre frame is Georgie’s story.
     3.5 Narrator and point of view
   • First person
     3.6 Diction and figurative language
   • “Ses maande en djy skryf niks, phone niks, not a blerry word van djou”
     Dialect
   • “I began to worry”; “I had no appetite”; “They had never reached twenty-one.”
     Short sentences for dramatic effect
   • “sandy hair that had been cut so short that the hairs grew in sharp italic spikes”
     Metaphor
   • “the train slithered out”
     Metaphor
     3.7 Tone and mood
   • Tone: Starts off friendly and happy but becomes darker as the two brothers get louder; ends with a gloomy and sad tone.
   • Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Give reasons for your answer.

Activity 7

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

Extract A

[The narrator is remembering his journey.]

1. Read the following statement and complete the sentences by filling in the missing Write only the words next to the question number (1(a) and1(b)).
   The narrator (person who is telling the story) is visiting Carnarvon because he wants to write a novel about his family (a) … Before going to Carnarvon, he spends a week in (b) …    (2)
2. What are “chains of cigarettes” in line 7? (1)
3. In lines 10–11, “the dry riverbeds of history” are mentioned
   1. Identify the figure of speech used here (1)
   2. Explain why the writer has used this figure of speech  (2)
4. The narrator is surprised and pleased by the way the three big men in the compartment treat
   State TWO ways in which these men make him feel like an old friend. (2)
5. Explain how the narrator feels about the other two passengers in the compartment at this point in the State TWO points. (2)
6. When the three men leave, the behaviour of the two boys changes
   Give TWO reasons for the change in the boys’ behaviour.   (2)
7. Give TWO reasons why the narrator decides not to ask the conductor to move him to another compartment. (2)
8. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE? Write “true” or “false” and give a reason for your answer.
   Before they tell him, the narrator is certain that the two boys are brothers.   (2)
9. The narrator in this story researches his family Do you think it is a good idea for one to do this? Discuss your view.        (2) [18]

Activity 8

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

Extract B

[The narrator tells his fellow passengers about Georgie Abrahams.]

1. Why was Georgie’s wife angry with him when she met him at the station? State TWO points.      (2)
2. Does the writer want his readers to believe that Georgie killed the man? Give a reason for your answer (2)
3. After listening to the story of Georgie Abrahams the people in the compartment have different reactions.
   Describe the different reactions the friendly men and the two boys have (2)
   Why is the narrator not surprised by the boys’ reaction? (1)
4. Read the following statement and complete the sentences by filling in the missing words. Write only the words next to the question number (4(a) and 4(b)).
   The two boys are on their way to their a) … funeral. He was a b) … leader in Coronationville.   (2)
5. The narrator discovers that he is related to the two boys
   1. How does this fact change his feelings towards them?
   2. How does the boys’ behaviour change because of this new-found relationship?       (2)
6. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence
   Write only the answer (A–D).      (1)
   One of the themes in this story is …
   1. romantic love.
   2. sibling rivalry.
   3. fear.
   4. greed.                                                                                           (1)
7. Explain what makes the ending of the story (2)
8. Discuss your views on the following statement:
   Family background does not determine what you will become in life.  (2) [17]

Words to know

• Summary
• Title
• Themes
• How is the story told?
• Activity 5
• Activity 6

The Soft Voice of the Serpent by Nadine Gordimer

Nadine Gordimer (1923-2014) was a South African writer who wrote many short stories and novels. Most of her work concerns the political situation in South Africa. She often spoke out against apartheid and censorship. The Soft Voice of the Serpent comes from her first collection of short stories, published in 1952. She won many international prizes for her work. In 1991 she won the most important prize a writer can win, the Nobel Prize for Literature.

1. Summary

A 26-year-old man has lost his leg. While he is trying to get used to this situation, his wife often wheels him into the garden. As he sits in the garden he thinks about his missing leg. He hopes that one day he will be so used to the loss of his leg that it will feel like it has always been gone.
In the garden one morning, when his wife gets up to fetch some tea, she accidently knocks a locust. The young man watches the locust try to move, and he notices that it has lost a leg. He feels that he and the locust are experiencing the same situation – they both have to cope without a leg. The realisation that he is not alone makes him feel much happier.
When his wife returns with the tea, he shows her the locust and jokes about the fact that they both have a leg missing. The wife tries to touch the locust with a stick and causes it to suddenly fly away. The man realises that he had forgotten that, unlike him, locusts can fly. Once again he feels alone.

2. Title

The title of the story brings to mind the biblical story about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In the Bible story the serpent tempts Eve to do what she has been told not to do, with the result that she and Adam are thrown out of Eden. The use of alliteration in the title (the repetition of “s”) reminds us of the hissing sound that snakes make.
In Gordimer’s story the locust is like the serpent. It tempts the man in the story into feeling that he can cope with his situation. Just as Adam makes a mistake by believing in the serpent, so the man makes a mistake in believing that the locust can help him cope.
These biblical references indicate that the story is an allegory.
In an allegory the characters and events become symbols because they also express a deeper, often spiritual or moral, meaning. The symbolism of the locust and garden is moral. The garden in which the man sits is like Eden as it is a peaceful, beautiful place where he can think and come to terms with his disability.

3. Themes

The man who has lost his leg is struggling to come to terms with his situation. He finds some comfort when he notices that the locust is also struggling to cope without one of its legs. At the end of the story the man realises that he must not depend on others, but must learn to cope on his own.

The themes in the story include:

• Loss and how we deal with it: The man in the story feels a connection with the locust when he realises they share the same
• Hope and the loss of hope: The locust’s struggle to walk and its persistence gives him However, the sense of hope is lost again at the end of the story when the locust flies away.

4. How is the story told?

4.1 Setting

The story is set in a garden, where the man’s wife wheels him every day. The garden reminds us of Eden. Just as Adam was in Eden before entering the wider world, so the man can adjust before going out into the world with one leg:

Perhaps there was something in this of the old Eden idea; the tender human adjusting himself to himself in the soothing impersonal presence of trees and grass and earth, before going out into the stare of the world.

4.2 Structure and plot development

At the start of the story we learn what the complication is: the man has to get used to having only one leg. Sitting out in the garden in a wheelchair every day gives him a lot of time to think about his missing leg. He reads a book in order to distract himself and not to feel overwhelmed by his loss.
The tension rises in the story through the man’s mental struggle to get used to the loss of his leg. This is mirrored by his wife’s reaction to the sudden arrival of a locust. She is afraid of it and jumps up, knocking it away. When she goes inside, the man notices that the locust has lost a leg and is struggling to walk. He immediately identifies with the locust’s physical defect. In some ways, his identification with the insect contrasts with his relationship with his wife. She caused the locust to lose its leg, and so he uses the locust’s dilemma to make fun of her. He teases her by saying:

“Don’t encourage it to self-pity”

The climax of the story takes place when the locust suddenly flies away. The situation does not have a happy resolution because the man feels foolish and let down when he remembers that locusts can fly and he can’t. Perhaps he also realises that he has to face his situation alone.

4.3 Characterisation

The main characters in the story are the man and his wife.
The man is the main character or protagonist in the story. He has recently lost his leg and is having to face a new life without it. Mostly, he shares little about his internal emotional and mental conflict with his wife.
The wife is the antagonist in the story. She tries to support her husband by taking him into the garden and looking after him. She does not speak to her husband directly about the loss of his leg. She is, however, the cause of the locust losing its leg; and of the locust flying away. By doing so, she deprives him of hope and some comfort through a sense of shared experience with the locust. He has to face his loss alone again.
The locust is also a character in the story. The writer emphasises this by the way the other characters refer to the locust:

It looked like some little person out of a Disney cartoon.
“isn’t he a funny old man?”
“The poor old thing”

The man identifies strongly with the insect. He studies it very closely. It comes to represent his own suffering and challenges. By talking about the locust the man and his wife are able to talk indirectly about the man’s loss.

4.4 Style

The writer does not give the characters names or describe what they look like, because the main focus is on the complication – the man trying to cope with the loss of his leg. Neither the man nor the woman makes direct references to the lost leg; in fact, at the beginning of the story, they hardly talk at all. The man’s distress is internal – he tries to come to terms with his condition in his mind. Although he feels very fearful and powerless he does not talk about it to his wife.
After a couple of weeks the man starts to take more notice of his surroundings in the garden: the trees, the birds. Then he studies a locust very closely. The description of the locust in the story is very detailed. The writer does this to help the reader feel empathy for the locust, just as the man has empathy for it when he realises it, too, has lost a leg.
The only dialogue between the man and his wife is about the locust. The locust becomes a symbol of what the man is experiencing – his anxiety, his need to cope and become independent, and his hopefulness when he sees how well the locust is coping without a leg. Their identification with the locust is shown in the way they talk about the locust. The man says:

“I’ve been watching it, and honestly, it’s uncanny. I can see it feels just like I do!”
“Funny thing is, it’s even the same leg, the left one.” She looked round at him and smiled.
“I know,” he nodded, laughing. “The two of us ...” And then he shook his head and, smiling, said it again: “The two of us.”

The writer emphasises the link between the man and the locust by repeating the line “The two of us.”

4.5 Narrator and point of view

The narrator is not one of the characters in the story. The narrative is told using the third person. The narrator refers to the characters as “he”, “she” or “they”.

4.6 Diction and figurative language

The writer uses descriptions of nature to show the man’s internal feelings. The man remembers when he was a young carefree boy, swinging in a tree, and this memory gives him hope:

A first slight wind lifted again in the slack, furled sail of himself; he felt it belly gently, so gently he could just feel it, lifting inside him.

Here, the writer uses the metaphor of a sail on a boat opening in the wind, to describe his feeling of hope.
The writer uses figurative imagery in the description of the locust. Its body is compared to an aeroplane in this simile:

flimsy paper stretched over a frame of matchstick, like a small boy’s home-made aeroplane.

The locust’s movements are compared to a man’s in another simile:

Just as a man might take out a handkerchief and pass it over his brow.

The woman compares the locust to an old man in an extended use of personification:

“Shame, isn’t he a funny old man”
“The poor old thing”

The woman does not realise that her pity for the locust is an extension of her unspoken pity for her husband. He does not want her pity and his irritation becomes clear in his use of sarcasm in response to her comments about the locust :

“Don’t encourage it to self-pity”
“Get another little chair made for him and you can wheel him out here with me.”
“Or maybe he could be taught to use crutches.”

4.7 Tone and mood

At the beginning of the story the tone is gentle and calm. The garden is seen as a good place for the man to recover:

the tender human adjusting himself to himself in the soothing impersonal presence of trees and grass and earth

However, the tone changes slightly when the writer describes how difficult it is for the wife to push the man’s wheelchair into the garden, indicating that she is also having difficulty adjusting to his situation. As we witness the mental and emotional struggle the man faces, the tone becomes gloomy.
Later, the wife causes the locust to lose its leg. When the man watches the locust struggling to cope without its leg he gains a sense of hope that he, too, will overcome his loss. His tone of speech becomes more hopeful.
However, when his wife begins to express sympathy with the locust, the man becomes irritable and sarcastic. This tension rises until, at the end of the story, the locust flies off and there is a pause:

There was a moment of silence.

The tone changes here and becomes hopeless again, as the man is left again with a feeling of loss and he says to her in a harsh tone: Don’t be a fool.
Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? What are the reasons it makes you feel this way?

 Summary
The Soft Voice of the Serpent by Nadine Gordimer

1. Title
   • Allegory: the biblical reference changes characters and events into symbols of morality.
   • Alliteration: The repetition of “s” sound reminds us of a snake.
2. Themes
   • Loss and how we deal with it
   • Hope and the loss of hope
3. How is the story told?
   3.1 Setting
   • In a garden, which reminds us of the Bible’s Garden of Eden
     3.2 Structure and plot development
   •  Complication: The man getting used to having only one leg
   • Tension: The man’s mental struggle to deal with his loss
   • Contrast: The man’s identification with the locust in contrast to his distance from his wife
   • Climax: The locust flying away
   • Resolution: The man realising he can’t fly and feeling alone with his loss again
     3.3 Characterisation
   • Protagonist: The man is the main character in the story.
   • Antagonist: The wife, who cannot connect with her husband and hurts the locust.
   • The locust: Represents the suffering of the man
     3.4 Style
   • Internal thoughts and feelings of the man: His silent thoughts and feelings
   • Dialogue: The only dialogue between the man and his wife is about the locust.
     3.5 Narrator and point of view
   • Third person
     3.6 Diction and figurative language
   • “A first slight wind lifted again in the slack, furled sail of himself”
     Metaphor
   • “flimsy paper stretched over a frame of matchstick, like a small boy’s home-made aeroplane.”
     Simile
   • “Just as a man might take out a handkerchief and pass it over his brow.”
     Simile
   • Shame, isn’t he a funny old man”; “The poor old thing”
     Personification
   • “Or maybe he could be taught to use crutches.”
     Sarcasm
     3.7 Tone and mood
   •  Tone: Begins with a gentle and calm tone; changes to a gloomy tone as the man struggles with his loss; becomes hopeful when the man sees the locust; ends with a hopeless and harsh tone when the locust flies away.
   • Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Give reasons for your answer.

Activity 5

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

Extract A

[The lady wheels the man into the garden.]

1. Complete the following sentences by filling in the missing words. Write down only the word(s) next to the question number (1(a) – 1(d)).
   The man is being pushed in a (a) ... by his (b) ... He spends much time (c) ... in the garden. Sometimes he thinks about the (d) ... he lost.  (4)
2. Refer to “slack, furled sail of himself” (line 1).
   1. Identify the figure of speech used (1)
   2. Explain why the writer has used this figure of (2)
3. How do you know that the woman is not good at pushing the man?     (1)
4. The man does not complain about how the woman pushes him. What does this tell you about him? State TWO (2)
5. Using your own words, briefly describe how the man feels about his loss. State TWO points.  (2)
6. Refer to lines 14-15. (“He felt it ... ready to burst.”)
   What does the use of the word “crushing” tell you about the man’s feelings?    (2)
7. In your view, should the man keep quiet about how he feels about his loss? Give a reason for your answer.      (2)  [16]

Activity 6

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

Extract B

[They talk about the locust.]

1. In line 1 the man says that the locust needs a “little chair”.
   1. Why does the locust need a chair? (1)
   2. Who does the man think is responsible for the locust’s injury? (1)
   3. Do you think he is being serious when he suggests that the woman should wheel the locust around? Explain your (2)
2. What point is the man making in his statement in lines 5–6 when he says, “I’m sure the ... being kept active”.                      (2)
3. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence:
   When the man refers to “The two of us” in line 12, he means the ...
   1. man and the locust.
   2. woman and the locust.
   3. man and the woman.
   4. man and his nurse.                                                                   (1)
4. At the end of the story the locust flies
   1. Explain how the man’s mood (2)
   2. Why does his mood change in this way? (2)
5. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE? Give a reason for your answer.
   In the title of the story the serpent refers to a real snake in the garden. (2)
6. Consider the story as a whole. The woman experiences mixed feelings towards the What are these feelings? (2)
7. Do you admire the woman? Discuss your (2)
8. The main theme of the story is about coming to terms with one’s How can disabled people be helped to come to terms with their loss? Discuss your view stating at least TWO points. (2) [17]

Words to know

• Summary
• Title
• Themes
• How is the story told?
• Activity 3
• Activity 4

The Luncheon by W. Somerset Maugham

William Somerset Maugham was born in 1874 in Paris. His parents died when he was young and he was sent to live with an aunt in England. He travelled in Europe and eventually trained as a doctor. However, his first novel, Liza of Lambeth, was so successful that he took to writing full-time. He wrote many plays, short stories and novels. He was a very popular writer in his time and one of the most highly-paid writers during the 1930s. He travelled widely and later settled in the south of France. Many of his novels and stories, such as Being Julia and The Painted Veil, have been made into films. He died in 1965.

1. Summary

When the story begins a writer is at the theatre one night where he meets a woman whom he has not seen for 20 years. At that time she had admired a novel he had just published. At the theatre she reminds him of their first meeting 20 years ago.
The writer thinks back to that time, when he was poor and he had to make very little money last for a whole month. The woman had sent him a letter complimenting him on his writing and inviting him to take her to lunch when she was in Paris, where the young writer lived. The luncheon took place at Foyot’s, a very expensive restaurant. Nevertheless, he felt flattered that she wanted to meet him. When the menu came he was startled, as the prices were much higher than he had expected.
Therefore, he was relieved when his guest said that she only ever ate one thing for luncheon. Unfortunately, she went on to order some of the most expensive things on the menu – caviare, salmon, asparagus, peaches, ice cream and champagne. The more food she ordered, the more the writer got into a panic. He tried to economise by only ordering a mutton chop for himself.
As the meal proceeded he began to imagine how he would react if the bill was too large for him to pay. First he thought of claiming that someone had picked his pocket. Then he thought that he would leave his watch at the restaurant and come back later and pay. Finally, when the bill arrived and he paid it, he realised that he had no more money to live off for the rest of the month.
Now, 20 years later, the writer tells us that he had “revenge at last” because the woman now weighs 21 stone (the equivalent of 136 kilograms).

2. Title

The story title, The Luncheon highlights the importance of that particular event for the writer. It was a very stressful occasion for him, and ended with him having no money to live on for the rest of the month. By remembering this luncheon the writer remembers how young and immature he was at that time. He remembers how flattered he was that the woman showed so much interest in him; and how he agreed to everything she requested - her choice of restaurant, her choice of food – as he was too immature to oppose her.
A luncheon is defined as a formal meal, but it is usually a small one. The woman’s huge meal contrasts with the tiny meal the writer had.

3. Themes

The main themes of story of The Luncheon are the conflict between truth and lies and the contrast between appearance and reality. At the restaurant the woman repeatedly says that she only eats one thing for lunch, but she contradicts herself by ordering more food. At their meeting 20 years later the woman tells the writer: “You asked me to luncheon”. The reality is that she had suggested that the writer “give her a little luncheon at Foyot’s”.
Twenty years ago the writer may have pretended to be more successful than he really was; but he was too proud to let the woman know that he could not afford the meal, so he kept up appearances. He even lied about never drinking champagne, so that he could save some money.

Note:

•  Keeping up appearances - pretending to be something you are not; giving an appearance or illusion

4. How is the story told?

4.1 Setting

The main story takes place at Foyot’s, a very expensive restaurant in Paris where French senators dined, and where the writer knew that he would struggle to pay for the meal.

4.2 Structure and plot development

The writer uses the present tense to begin the story, but then takes us back in time to the memory of the earlier meeting with the woman. This literary device is known as a flashback. The main action or plot of the story takes place in the flashback to a past event - the luncheon. The story is structured so that only the beginning and end of the story are told in the present tense.
At that time, 20 years before, the young writer knew the restaurant was too expensive for him, which was confirmed when he saw the prices on the menu. The woman, however, kept ordering expensive things to eat, creating the rising tension in the story as the young man became more stressed. The complication is that the young writer was too afraid to stop the woman ordering more food, even though he knew he could not afford it.
The conflict in the story is created by the tension between the writer’s panic and embarrassment and the woman’s greedy desire to enjoy her meal at his expense.
The writer experienced a great deal of anxiety and panic about how he would pay the huge bill at the end of the meal. As the meal proceeded he began to imagine how he would react if the bill was too large for him to pay. First he thought of claiming that someone had picked his pocket, then he thought that he would leave his watch at the restaurant and pay later to get it back. The climax of the story occurs when the bill finally arrives. He found that he could manage to pay it, but would have no more money left for the rest of the month.
Now, 20 years later, the story finally reaches a resolution as it ends with an ironic ‘twist in the tale’. The narrator tells us that he had “revenge at last” because the woman was now very overweight.

Note: 

• A flashback allows the writer to show events that happened before the time of the present narration.
• A twist in the tale is also known as an ironic twist or plot twist. It is an unexpected change in the outcomes or ending of the story.

4.3 Characterisation

There are three characters in the story – the young writer, the woman he takes to lunch and the waiter at the restaurant. The writer is the protagonist, the main character. The woman is the antagonist, as she stands in opposition to him and creates the tension in the story. The young writer is very scared of the forty-year-old woman so he allows himself to be manipulated into buying her an expensive meal. He is too proud to tell her that he cannot afford the restaurant, being a young, inexperienced and upcoming writer. His youth and inexperience contrast with the woman’s ruthless, selfish behaviour. He admits that he is flattered that she had admired his writing:

“she seemed inclined to talk about me”

The writer says he was “prepared to be an attentive listener”. This shows how he is easily seduced by flattery.
In the story we only see the woman from the writer’s point of view. He describes the woman in unpleasant terms:

“She was not so young as I expected and in appearance imposing rather than attractive.”

She seemed to have a big mouth and more teeth than she needed and he is repulsed by the sight of her eating the asparagus:

“I watched the abandoned woman thrust them down her throat in large voluptuous mouthfuls”

Apart from the fact that the woman is not truthful, she is also bossy, as she constantly tells him that he is wrong to eat what she refers to as a “heavy luncheon” and to fill his stomach with “a lot of meat”. She has no sensitivity, as she does not see that one chop is not a “heavy luncheon”, in contrast to what she has eaten.
The woman has no understanding of or insight into the writer’s dilemma. When he leaves only a small tip for the waiter (which is the only money he has left), she thinks he is mean. At the end of the luncheon she does not understand that the writer is telling the truth when he says he will “eat nothing for dinner”. It appears to her that he is joking and she, therefore, calls him a “humorist”. At the end of the story we see that the woman has never admitted the truth to herself about her eating habits, because after 20 years of excessive eating she is now obese.
At the end of the story we see how, 20 years later, the writer has changed and feels differently about the woman’s behaviour. He is not, as he admits a “vindictive” man, as he did not do anything to her, or say anything to show how unfairly she had treated him. However, he is comforted that circumstances (“the immortal gods”) made her pay for her greedy self-indulgence. Now he can look at her without fear or anger, but with “complacency” (self-satisfaction), because clearly years of eating so much have resulted in her being very overweight.
The only other character mentioned in the story is the waiter. The writer feels that he is “ingratiating” and “false”, which makes him seem as if he only wants to please the woman. The waiter has a “priest-like face”, which gives the appearance that he is very serious, and perhaps also intimidating to the young man. It seems that the young man was in such a panic about paying the bill that he thought the waiter was working against him by encouraging the woman to order expensive food. In reality, he was perhaps simply being a good, attentive waiter.
Note: 

• Flattery - Excessive and insincere praise
• Obese - Extremly fat
• The waiter may have encouraged the woman to order more food, so he could get a bigger tip. The higher the bill, the bigger the tip would be.

4.4 Style

In the story the writer emphasises how the woman contradicts herself by saying one thing but doing another. The repetition of her words: “I never eat more than one thing” or “I never eat anything for luncheon” are used each time just before she decides she wants to order something else to eat. The narrator does this to indicate how the meal progressed. The more food she ordered, the more he began to panic.
In contrast, the writer only orders a mutton chop and drinks water instead of champagne. The contrast between the two characters and what they eat highlights the differences in their experience of the meal. Both were not being truthful, but for different reasons: the woman was not telling the truth because she was pretending she was not greedy and the writer was not telling the truth because he was too proud and afraid to tell her that he did not have much money.
The more food the woman orders the more anxious the writer becomes. The tension builds in the story very effectively so that the reader also starts feeling anxious, until the point in the story when the bill finally arrives.

4.5 Narrator and point of view

The story is narrated from a first person perspective. The narrator is the older writer, remembering an event that took place 20 years before. He is able to see how young and immature he was at the time; and how manipulated he was by the woman.

Note:

• The writer uses I to indicate the first person point of view

4.6 Diction and figurative language

Some examples of figures of speech in the story include:

• Irony
  The writer makes use of irony a great deal in the story. Irony is when the narrator suggests that the situation appears to be the opposite of what it really is. For example, it is ironic that the woman often repeats that she does not eat much even when she orders many dishes and certainly eats much more than “one thing”.
  She goes on to criticise the writer for filling himself up on meat even though all he ate was one chop.
  At the end of the luncheon the writer tells her that he will not eat again that day. Ironically, this is one time when he is telling the truth, but she thinks he is joking.
• Similes
  The descriptions of the food in the story are very vivid because of the figurative language used.
  In one effective simile the writer compares the effect of the smell of the asparagus on him to the effect of the delicious smell of temple sacrifices to God made by the Jews in ancient times:
  The smell of the melted butter tickled my nostrils as the nostrils of Jehovah were tickled by the burned offerings of the virtuous Semites.
• Metaphor
  One effective metaphor is the comparison of peaches to the rosy skin of a young girl, or to the colour found in an Italian landscape: “They had the blush of an innocent girl; they had the rich tone of an Italian landscape.”
• Cliché
  A cliché is an expression that is unoriginal and is so often repeated that its original effect is lost. Clichés, however, are expressions which tell a truth. In this story they are used effectively to express the writer’s emotional state during the luncheon. Here are some examples of clichés from the story:
  • “How time does ”
  • “I was earning barely enough money to keep body and soul ”
  • The prices were “beyond my means”.
  • My mouth “watered”.
  • “My heart sank”

4.7 Tone and mood

At the beginning of the luncheon the tone is friendly and polite. The narrator is feeling generous and encourages the woman to order food at the restaurant. As the story progresses he becomes more depressed and the tone becomes anxious, as reflected in these words:

“My heart sank a little.”
“I fancy I turned a trifle pale.”
“Panic seized me.”

The tone lifts again in the last paragraph of the story when the narrator tells us that the woman, 20 years later, has become very overweight. This ‘twist in the tale’ is told in a light-hearted way that contrasts with his anxiety in the rest of the story.
Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? What are the reasons it makes you feel this way?

Summary 
The Luncheon by W. Somerset Maugham

1. Title
   • By calling it The Luncheon the author highlights the importance to him of that lunch date.
2. Themes
   • Conflict between truth and lies
   • Contrast between appearance and reality
3. How is the story told?
   3.1 Setting
   • Mainly in Foyot’s the expensive restaurant in Paris
     3.2 Structure and plot development
   • Flashback: From the present to a past event
   • Rising tension: The woman ordering expensive things to eat
   • Complication: The young writer is too afraid to stop the woman ordering more food
   • Conflict: Tension between the writer’s panic and embarrassment and the woman’s greed
   • Climax: The arrival of the bill
   • Resolution: The ironic ‘twist in the tale’ when the writer sees the obese woman 20 years later
     3.3 Characterisation
   • Protagonist: The writer is the main character.
   • Antagonist: The woman stands in opposition to him.
   • The waiter: Serious and “false”
     3.4 Style
   • Repetition: The woman’s words, “I never eat more than one thing”.
   • Contradiction: Her words (above) contradict her actions.
   • Tension: This contradiction builds the tension in the story.
     3.5 Narrator and point of view
   • First person
     3.6 Diction and figurative language
   • I’ll eat nothing for dinner tonight.”
     Irony
   • “The smell of the melted butter tickled my nostrils as the nostrils of Jehovah were tickled by the burned offerings of the virtuous Semites.”
     Simile
   • “They had the blush of an innocent girl; they had the rich tone of an Italian landscape.”
     Metaphor
   • “How time does fly”; The prices were “beyond my means”.
     Clichés
     3.7 Tone and mood
   • Tone: Begins with a friendly and polite tone; becomes anxious as tension mounts; and ends with a light-hearted tone.
   • Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Give reasons for your answer.

Activity 3 

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

Extract A

[The narrator and his guest are about to order their meals.]

1. Describe the events that lead to the narrator and his guest having lunch (2)
2. Refer to lines 1-2 (“I was startled … I had ”).
   1. Explain what the word “startled” suggests about the kind of restaurants the narrator usually (2)
   2. Write down the more commonly used word for “bill of fare”. (1)
   3. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence:
      The real reason that the narrator agrees to take the guest out for lunch is because he is …
      1. flattered.
      2. forced.
      3. intimidated.
      4. kind.                                                                                                (1)
3. Refer to the following sentence in line 2: “But she reassured me.”
   From your knowledge of the story as a whole, explain why the guest is NOT reassuring.      (2)
4. Complete the following sentences by using the words provided in the list below.

   sensitive; polite; sincere; manipulative

   The narrator and his guest are different in character. The narrator is a) … while his guest is b) …       (2)
5. Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE? Using your own words, give a reason for your answer.
   The narrator does not order asparagus for himself because he hates it.            (2)
6. Refer to line 13 (“My heart sank a ”).
   1. Identify the figure of speech used (1)
   2. Explain why the narrator has used this figure of (2)
7. Consider the story as a whole.
   If you were the narrator, what would you have done in this situation?      (2) [17]

Activity 4 

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

Extract B

[The narrator and his guest are finishing their meal.]

1. Refer to paragraph 1
   Quote ONE word to show that the narrator has not enjoyed his meal.         (1)
2. Consider the story as a whole.
   Is the guest telling the truth when she says, “But I’ve just had a snack…”? Explain your answer.      (2)
3. Refer to paragraph
   Why does the narrator become even more anxious when his guest takes a peach, in particular? State TWO points.  (2)
4. Why does the narrator feel the tip he leaves for the waiter is “inadequate”? (1)
5. Refer to line 9 (“Follow my example …”).
   Explain why it would not be good to follow the guest’s example.
   State TWO points.                                                                                                       (2)
6. Refer to line 11 (“I’ll eat nothing for dinner tonight ”).
   Using your own words, explain the following:
   1. How the guest understands these words (1)
   2. What the narrator means (1)
7. Refer to the last paragraph (lines 15-18).
   1. Write down ONE word to describe how the narrator feels (1)
   2. Explain why the narrator’s desire for revenge is “pardonable”. (2)
8. From your knowledge of the story as a whole, do you think the narrator is a “mean” person? Explain your answer (2)
9. The narrator is to blame for what happens at the restaurant
   Do you agree? Discuss your view.                                                  (2)
10. Explain why the title The Luncheon is suitable (1) [18]

Words to know 

• Summary
• Title
• Themes
• How is the story told?
• Activity 1
• Activity 2

Manhood by John Wain

John Wain was born in England in 1925 and became a university lecturer before he became a writer. He wrote poetry, plays, short stories and novels. He mainly wrote about ordinary people and their problems. His criticism of society resulted in him being called one of the ‘angry young men’ of the 1950-60s. He died in 1994.

1. Summary

There are three characters in the story: Mr Willison, Mrs Willison and their thirteen-year-old son, Rob. Mr Willison is determined that Rob should become good at sports and develop his body, because he never had that chance when he was young. Mrs Willison doesn’t agree with this plan.
The story begins when the father and son are going for a bike ride and the father pushes his son to cycle further, even though the boy is tired and wants to rest. He encourages the boy by saying there is a surprise waiting for him at home – he has bought a boxing “punch-ball” so that his son can practise boxing. The boy is exhausted when they return home. The mother is annoyed with the father as she feels that he is pushing the boy too hard.
The father wants Rob to train with the “punch-ball” so that he can get strong enough to be selected for the rugby team at school. Rob tells him that the team has already been chosen and he has not been selected. The father’s disappointment is relieved when Rob says that he has been selected to box for the school instead. The mother is very angry that her husband wants the boy to box, as she feels that it is a dangerous sport. The father, however, is very happy about it and looks forward to the boxing tournament with great excitement. He puts all his energy into training his son every day.
On the day of the boxing tournament Rob complains of stomach pains. His mother wants to get a doctor but, instead of calling the doctor, the father phones one of Rob’s teachers and discovers that the school does not do boxing. The story ends with Mr Willison realising that Rob has lied about the boxing tournament.

2. Title

The story title, Manhood, points to the main theme of the story – questioning what manhood and masculinity mean. Different versions of masculinity are offered in the story. On the one hand we have the father’s version, which sees manhood in terms of physical strength and skill. Contrasted with that is the version that the father was offered when he was young. This involved a man working hard and getting qualifications so that he could have a secure job. The mother, however, doesn’t mind that her husband is not “manly” and thinks that her son should not be pushed so hard physically as he is still only a boy.

Note: 

• Manhood - the state of being an adult man, rather than a boy.
• Masculinity - having qualities traditionally associated with men

3. Themes

Besides the theme of ‘manhood’, another theme is how people’s failure to communicate openly and clearly can lead to unfortunate events. The theme of lack of communication is evident when Mr Willison shows no insight into the fact that he should not force his own will on Rob and live his dreams through him.
Another main theme in the story is that the boy is dominated by the power of his father. But Rob is too young and immature to stand up to his father, so he tried to please him, even though he is deceitful in doing so.

4. How is the story told?

4.1 Setting

The story starts with Mr Willison and Rob taking a bicycle ride in the country. This event shows how the father pushes his son beyond his physical limits. He forces Rob to continue riding even when the boy is exhausted. The rest of the story takes place in the home of the Willisons, where the tension between Mr and Mrs Willison rises.

4.2 Structure and plot development

From the start of the story it is clear that Mr Willison has an inferiority complex (feels that he is a failure) because of his lack of training in sports when he was young, and that he was not able to develop his physique (his physical body). He becomes obsessed with the idea that Rob will only become a man by being good at sports. With this in mind he constantly advises, instructs and encourages his son to do the things he never had the chance to do when he was young.
Mr Willison puts Rob under a lot of pressure to exercise and train. Rob is passive and does not stand up to his father, but Mrs Willison does not like it. She complains about it and tries to protect her son. This creates the rising tension in the story. The complication in the story is that Rob’s mother and father have opposing ideas about what is best for Rob. This creates conflict in the relationship between them. An example of this is when each of the parents talks of “my big night”. To the mother, “my big night” means the night her son was born, the most important event in her life. This contrasts with the father, whose “my big night” means the night his son will take part in a boxing tournament and make him proud. He feels he is getting a second chance to live his life again, through his son.
The climax of the story is the day of the tournament, when Rob complains of stomach pains just before the tournament. He and his mother think that he is suffering from appendicitis (infection of the appendix). Instead of getting the doctor the father phones one of Rob’s teachers only to discover that the school does not do boxing. Clearly, Rob has lied to his father.
There is no resolution to this story as we are not told what the father says to his son after finding out the truth about the boxing tournament. The story ends with an anti-climax, as the father “put down the telephone, hesitated, then turned and began slowly to climb the stairs”. The words “hesitated” and “slowly” tell us clearly of his disappointment when he realises that his son has been lying to him. It could also be that he realises why Rob lied to him and he climbed the stairs in a sad and accepting way. He was not angry with his son but is perhaps embarrassed for having forced his son to lie when Rob found himself in such a difficult situation.

4.3 Characterisation

There are three characters in the story:
Mr Willison is the protagonist in the story, as he is the central character and controls the actions that take place. Mrs Willison opposes his plans and actions, so she is the antagonist in the story, while Rob is caught in the middle between his parents.
Mr Willison wants the best for Rob, but his attitude causes Rob to resort to deceit and telling lies in the end, even though he tries to please his father. Rob is passive and submissive - he doesn’t stand up for himself but knows he will get support from his mother against his father’s plans. It could be argued that he is too scared and weak.
Mr Willison is strong-willed and obsessed with training Rob. This one-sided view stops him from realising that Rob is not interested in sport. If he was a more mature and sensitive father he might have understood his son better and not pushed and manipulated him. Perhaps then he would not have allowed such a situation to develop. His attitude could be said to have made the boy submissive and ultimately dishonest. Perhaps Mr Willison has missed the point, which is that being a man involves good sense as well as physical strength.
Throughout the story Mrs Willison is opposed to her husband’s behaviour towards and treatment of their son. It could be argued that Mrs Willison was being too protective of Rob and not allowing him to stand on his own feet.

4.4 Style

The main stylistic device that the writer uses to show us more about the characters is through their dialogue rather than through descriptions or the thoughts of the characters. An example of how the dialogue shows the tension between the characters is when Mr and Mrs Willison have a disagreement about what is best for Rob:

“What nonsense. You’re taller than I am and I’m –”
“No son of mine is going to grow up with the same wretched physical heritage that I –”
“No, he’ll just have heart disease through over-taxing his strength, because you haven’t got the common sense to –”

Notice how they don’t allow each other to finish their sentences, adding to the sense of tension and mis-communication between them.

4.5 Narrator and point of view

The narrator is not one of the characters in the story, so the narrative is told using the third person. The narrator refers to the characters as he, she or they. This third person point of view helps the reader see the story from a wider perspective than from only one character’s view point.

Note:

• The narration or narrative means the story. The narrator is the person telling the story, the story-teller.

4.6 Diction and figurative language

The words the writer uses and the way they are used also help to carry meaning in the story. For example, Mr Willison’s enthusiasm for training Rob is shown in the way he orders Rob about:

“Don’t lie there,” said his father. “You’ll catch cold.” “I’m all right. I’m warm.”
“Come and sit on this. When you’re overheated, that’s just when you’re prone to –”
“I’m all right, Dad. I want to lie here. My back aches.”
“Your back needs strengthening, that’s why it aches. It’s a pity we don’t live near a river where you could get some rowing.”

And later, he forces Rob to punch the punch-ball:

“Take a punch at it,” Mr Willison urged.
“Let’s go and eat.”
“Go on. One punch before you go in. I haven’t seen you hit it yet.”

Mr Willison’s relationship with Rob is based on the son being forced to do what his father wants him to do, without being able to negotiate.
By his use of words the writer indicates that Rob is not completely happy and just puts up with all the good intentions of his father. The writer describes the boy: “falling silent”; Rob “lay like a sullen corpse” (simile); he “looked horribly like the victim of an accident” (simile); “A slender shadow”. Rob never really tells his father honestly how he feels and this leads to further deception later.
Mrs Willison opposes Mr Willison’s plans for Rob. The tension between them is shown by words such as: “glaring hot-eyed at each other”; and “her eyes brimming with angry tears”.
At the end of the story Mr Willison comes to a realisation when he phones Rob’s teacher. The use of the words: “With lead in his heart and ice on his fingers” help to emphasise his shock. He realises that Rob has lied to him, to them all – and that he may partly be to blame. He also realises that he has failed to fulfil his dream.

Note: 

• Diction - the choice of words a writer uses to create meaning.

4.7 Tone and mood

Throughout the story the writer makes us aware of how Mr Willison tries to keep Rob’s coaching on track by the tone of his upbeat and encouraging advice (often from what he has read, not what he himself has experienced):

“When fatigue sets in, the thing to do is to keep going until it wears off. Then you get your second wind and your second endurance.”
“If you hit with your left hand and then catch it on the rebound with your right, it’s excellent ring training.”
“No boxer ever went into a big fight without spending an hour or two in bed, resting.”

However, ironically, his tone is not uplifting, but rather creates a note of tension in the story, as Rob does not respond positively to his father’s wishes. Rob is sullen, sulky, silent and mostly not as keen on his father’s plan as the father would like.
The angry and worried tone of Mrs Willison’s words to the father also adds to the unease and tension in the story:

Grace Willison put down the teapot, her lips compressed, and looked from one to the other. “Boxing?” she repeated.
“Boxing,” Mr Willison replied calmly.
“Over my dead body,” said Mrs Willison. “That’s one sport I’m definite that he’s never going in for.”

As the story proceeds she becomes very angry with Mr Willison and the reader realises that their relationship is at a crisis point:

“Go away, please,” said Mrs Willison, sinking back with closed eyes.
“Just go right away and don’t come near me until it’s all over.”
Grace!”
“Please. Please leave me alone. I can’t bear to look at you and I can’t bear to hear you.”

The tone of the last line of the story contrasts with how Mr Willison is characterised earlier in the story:

He put down the telephone, hesitated, then turned and began slowly to climb the stairs.

He is no longer full of energy and enthusiasm. The story ends with a gloomy tone.
Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? What are the reasons it makes you feel this way?

Summary
Manhood by John Wain

1. Title
   • “Manhood” points to the question being asked: what is manhood and masculinity?
2. Themes
   • The meaning of “manhood” and “masculinity”
   • Power of the father in the family
   • Lack of communication in the family
3. How is the story told?
   3.1 Setting
   On a country road in Britain; and in the family’s house.
   3.2 Structure and plot development
   •  Rising tension: Mr Willison puts Rob under pressure; Rob is passive; Mrs Willison resists
   • Complication and conflict: The parents have conflicting ideas about what is best for Rob
   • Contrasts: “My big night”– for Mrs Willison it’s the night she gave birth to Rob; for Mr Willison, the night of his son’s boxing tournament
   • Climax: The day of the boxing tournament, when Rob complains of stomach pains
   • Resolution: None – Rob’s lie about the boxing tournament is unresolved. The conflict between his parents is also unresolved.
   • Anti-climax: Mr Willison “put down the telephone, hesitated, then turned and began slowly to climb the stairs”.
     3.3 Characterisation
   • Protagonist: Mr Willison (Rob’s father) controls the action in the story.
   • Antagonist: Mrs Willison (Rob’s mother) opposes Mr Willison’s actions.
   • Caught in the middle: Rob, the son of Mr and Mrs Willison.
     3.4 Style
   • Dialogue: Main stylistic device to establish character; unfinished sentences show lack of communication between them.
     3.5 Narrator and point of view
   •  Third person
     3.6 Diction and figurative language
   • Rob lay like a sullen corpse
     Simile
   • He looked horribly like the victim of an accident
     Simile
   • A slender shadow
     Metaphor
   • With lead in his heart and ice on his fingers
     Imagery stressing Mr Willison’s shock as he realises his dream has failed 
     3.7 Tone and mood
   • Tone: Begins being upbeat and encouraging (although Rob appears quite defeated); unease and tension grow through the story; tone becomes angry when Mrs Willison confronts her husband on the night of the boxing tournament; ends with a gloomy tone.
   • Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Give reasons for your answer.

Activity 1

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.
Extract A

1. To which sports team is Mr Willison referring in line 1? (1)
2. Mr Willison opened his mouth, closed it again, and stood for a moment looking out of the window
   Choose the correct word to show Mr Willison’s feelings when he says. ‘Bad luck’.
   1. Pleased
   2. Disappointed
   3. Furious
   4. Disinterested       (1)
3. Why does Mr Willison insist that his son train as a sportsman?  Give two reasons for your answer.  (2) [4]

Activity 2

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.
Extract B

1. Where are Mr Willison and his son planning to go at six o’clock? (1)
2. Why does Mr Willison say it is his “big night”? Give TWO reasons for your answer.     (2)
3. What happened on Mrs Willison’s big night? (1)
4. What is Mrs Willison’s attitude at this stage? Give a reason for your answer.            (2)
5. Whom do you think is right, the father or the mother? Give a reason for your answer?
6. Answer TRUE or FALSE and give a reason for your answer: Mr Willison’s big night is successful.     (2) [9]

Words to know

• Visual literacy 
• Critical language awareness 
• Analysing an advertisement
• Analysing a cartoon
• Language 

In this section, pay special attention to your grammar and spelling! 

The exam for Section C will test your knowledge of language structures and  conventions. This will include: 

• Vocabulary and language use; 
• Sentence structure; and 
• Writing and editing skills. 

It will also test your visual literacy skills and your ability to critically analyse  a text so that you understand what is being communicated. 
In this section, you will learn the steps that will help you to write the  advertisement, cartoon and language parts of the exam: 

1. Visual literacy 
2. Critical language awareness 
3. Analysing an advertisement
4. Analysing a cartoon
5. Language 

You will find examples of how to answer the questions in Section C, based  on questions and answers from past exam papers. When answering the  questions, you must: 

• Read the exam instructions carefully so you understand what the  examiner requires you to do; 
• Read the exam questions carefully so that you understand how to  answer them; and  
• Answer the questions according to the exam instructions. Pay attention  to your use of language, grammar and spelling. 

1. Visual literacy 

• A person who is literate is able to read and write. A person who is  visually literate can make  sense of images or  pictures. 

Visual literacy is the ability to make meaning of information presented  in the form of an image. In other words, if you are visually literate you  understand what the drawings in a cartoon, or the drawings or photographs  in an advertisement, are communicating to you.  
In order to answer exam questions that are based on advertisements or  cartoons, you need to be visually literate because advertisements and  cartoons include both words and images (drawings or photographs). 

2. Critical language   awareness 

To be critical when reading, viewing or listening means to analyse the  material so that you can understand what is really being communicated.  
When you study advertisements and cartoons, you should watch out for: 

• Emotive or manipulative language. Advertisers use emotive (emotional)  language and images to persuade us to buy products. 
• Stereotyping. A stereotype is a misleading idea of someone or something  as a type, with no regard to the truth about the actual person or thing.  The ideas that ‘all children are noisy’, ‘women belong in the kitchen’ or  ‘strong men don’t cry’ are examples of stereotyping. We know that not  all children are noisy, women do not all belong in the kitchen and many  strong men do cry. 
• Prejudice or bias. This is close to stereotyping. It is a way of thinking  that makes us believe that we know something about a whole group of  people, and that makes us feel good or bad about them, no matter what  the facts are. Racial, religious and political prejudices are very common.  
• Lies. People often lie to make you believe or do something, so we  forget to ask: ‘Is this the truth?’ For example an advert may promise  ‘Our miracle diet pills will turn you from plump to slender in only three  weeks.’ You are not also told that you will lose weight only if you exercise  and eat a healthy diet at the same time, and what, exactly, ‘plump’ and  ‘slender’ mean. 
• Association. When two things are associated in your mind, you may  feel that they ‘go together’. For example, if you are told about beautiful  people who use Whammo deodorant and who have lots of fun, you  are being asked to believe that if you use Whammo deodorant you will  become like the beautiful people and have lots of fun. Even great music  in a TV commercial can persuade you that the product being advertised  will make you feel as good as the music does. 

3. Analysing an  advertisement 

The purpose of advertising is to persuade someone to buy a product  (for example food or clothing); or to do something (for example, to stop  smoking or to vote in an election). Advertisements also announce events  (for example, Mandela Day or a sporting event) and inform the public about  jobs or services that are available. 

• To persuade: To try to  convince a person to do  something or to influence or  guide a person’s thinking. 
• Read adverts whenever you get the chance!

Advertisements come in many forms: 

• Printed advertisements, which may be:
  • Advertisements containing words and images in newspapers and  magazines;
  • Short advertisements in newspapers using words only, called  classified advertisements;
  • Posters on walls, or streetlight poles, or notice boards; 
  • Flyers (loose sheets of paper handed to people in the street or  dropped into post boxes); and
  • Catalogues (booklets advertising all the products made by a particular  company or sold by a particular store). 

• Radio commercials 
• Television and film commercials 
• Advertisements on smart phones and on the internet 

Advertisements attract people’s attention by: 

• Using layout and colours which draw attention to specific words;
• Being amusing or clever; 
• Featuring attractive or interesting people and places; 
• Using catchy slogans and phrases, for example, ‘Betty’s buns are better’;
• Promoting a bargain; and 
• Playing interesting music (television and radio). 

When you study advertisements, think about: 

• What is being advertised? How do I know? 
• Who is likely to be interested in/ who would like to buy this product? 
• How do the designers of the advertisement try to make the product  appealing? 
• What is the meaning of the words they use? Why do they use these  words? 
• What does the picture (drawing/photograph) show? Why has this picture  been chosen?  
• If I had the money, would I buy this product? Why or why not?  

 Terms related to advertisements 

• Slogan: Words that are linked to a product and that are easy  to remember (for example, “Finger-licking good”).
• Logo: A visual design, sometimes including letters, words  or symbols, that is the official sign of a company or organisation (for example, the Nike tick).
• Font: The style and shape of printed letters, often especially chosen for emphasis in advertisements or  cartoons.
• Target market: The type of people an advertisement wants to attract (for example, fashionable young people; wealthy  business people).
• Layout: The way the advertisement is set out on the page so  that certain words and pictures attract attention.
• Language use: The choice of words and ways of saying things (for  example, the use of slang to sell jeans to young  buyers; formal language used to sell banking services  to business people; dramatic language used to sell  adventure equipment; repetition used to make the  reader remember the message). 
• Figures of speech: The use of metaphor, simile, hyperbole (great  exaggeration), onomatopoeia, puns, personification  and alliteration (for example, hyperbole and  alliteration used together: ‘Betty bakes the best buns  in the world’). 
• Sound devices: Words chosen for the effect of their sounds (for  example, onomatopoeia and alliteration used  together: ‘Shush, baby’s sleeping, it’s time for a  soothing sip of rooibos tea’).  

Analysing advertisements 

• To answer questions about adverts you need to notice every detail of how the advert is presented.

To answer questions on advertisements, you need to: 

• Understand what the words in the advertisement mean; and  understand what is shown in the advertisement drawings or  pictures; 
• Pay attention to how the words and the pictures work together to  persuade the reader to buy a product or do what the advertisement  suggests (for example, a road safety advertisment may ask that  drivers drive slowly); 
• Understand how the layout of the advertisement and the use of  fonts attracts the reader’s attention; 
• Pay attention to how punctuation has been used; and 
• Notice the use of figures of speech.  

Activity 4 

Study the advertisement below and answer the set questions.  

1. Who is the advertisement aimed at? Give a reason for your  answer. (2)
2. Discuss how the picture used in the advertisement supports  each of the following claims:
   1. ‘Full of Omega 3 & 6 seed goodness.’ (2) 
   2. ‘Seeds are high in essential fats Omega 3 & 6, which are  good for your heart.’ (2)
3. How is the slogan, ‘LOVE YOUR HEART’, meant to influence  the reader? (2)
4. Does the advertisement tempt you to buy the product?  Give a reason for your answer. (2)  [10] 

• Any Two of these  answers to question  2b will earn you 2  marks
• Question 4 is  an open-ended  question, which  means you should give your  opinion. You must also give  areason for your view. 

• When reading an advert, you must look at the picture and read the words. 

 Activity 5 

Study the advertisement below and answer the set questions.  

• You can answer ‘yes’ OR ‘no’ to the last  question, but you must support your answer with  a good reason.

1. Who is the advertisement aimed at? Give a reason for your  answer. (2)
2. Why are the words ‘Romany Creams … irresistibly delicious’  written in a larger font size? (2) 
3. How are the following words expected to influence the reader: ‘take your tastebuds travelling to another world …’ ? (2) 
4.  Would this advertisement tempt you to buy Pyotts Romany  Creams biscuits? Explain why. In your answer, you should  focus on both the pictures used and the written text. (4)  [10] 

• Question 4 is for 4 marks, so you need to make four points:  two about the picture and  two about the text.
• For more practice on  advertisements, go to these past exam papers:
  • November 2011, page 9, Question 3
  • Feb/March 2012, page 8, Question 3
  • November 2012, page 9, Question 3
  • Feb/March 2013, page 8, Question 3

3.1 What is expected from you   in the exam? 
In the exam, the advertisment question is worth 10 out of 80 marks for  Paper 1.  
The exam question will include an advertisement made up of words and  images. You will be required to answer questions about this advertisement. 
The exam is two hours long and your should spend about 10 minutes on  the advertisment question. 

4. Analysing a cartoon 

A cartoon is a single drawing, often accompanied by words. A cartoon may  be: 

• Amusing, in order to make us laugh; or 
• Serious, in order to draw attention to something the cartoonist wants  people to think about (for example, an event that is in the news). 

A cartoon strip is a series of drawings where each separate drawing tells  part of the story. Each separate drawing is called a frame. The story in a  cartoon strip usually builds up to, and ends with, a punch line. A punch line  consists of the last few words of a story which make that story amusing or  clever (or both). In a cartoon strip, both the words and the drawing in the  final frame contribute to the punch line. 

Like single cartoons, cartoon strips may also be amusing or serious (or  both). Cartoons and cartoon strips may use satire. Satire makes fun of  people, especially public figures such as politicians, in order to criticise  them. 

• Satire: Making fun of  people in order to criticise  them.

Cartoons may include people, animals or imaginary creatures, or all three.  Cartoonists (people who draw cartoons) may change or exaggerate some of  the features of these figures. For example, people may have huge heads or  skinny legs, animals may wear clothes and talk. A cartoonist commenting  on current affairs may draw a person’s head bigger than it is in real life,  or emphasise his or her nose, his or her glasses, or his or her hair, for  example. This is called a caricature.  

When you study cartoons or cartoon strips, think about the following: 

• Is this meant to make me laugh or to think seriously about something,  or to do both? 
• What do I notice about the body language of each person or animal in  the frames?  
• What do I notice about the font and size used for the words? 
• What do I notice about the punctuation? 
• What connections can I make between the words and the drawings? 

Analysing cartoons 
To answer questions on cartoons, you need to: 

• Understand the ‘message’ or point of a serious cartoon (i.e. one  that is making a comment about something in society that the  cartoonist is concerned about) and understand the joke in an  amusing cartoon; 
• Understand that the way people, animals or objects are drawn in  the cartoon affects the meaning of the cartoon (for example, body  language and facial expressions); 
• Understand how the way words are written in the cartoon (for  example, font size, use of capital letters and bold type) affects  meaning; and  
• Understand how punctuation is used to affect the meaning of the  cartoon. 

1. Read and analyse cartoons whenever you get the chance!

Activity 6 

Carefully look at the cartoon below and then answer the questions that  follow.  
Note: The name of the dog in this cartoon is Fred. 

• Each of the frames in the  cartoon is numbered as  questions are asked about a  particular frame. 

1. Refer to frames 1 and 2 of the cartoon. How does the cartoonist show that the man is angry with  his dog?
   In your answer consider BOTH the man’s body language and  his words. (4)
   • The man’s body  language means  the expression on  his face and what he is do ing with his hands.
2. Refer to frame 3.
   Why are the words “ ‘MY CHAIR!’ ” repeated? (1)
3. Refer to frame 4.
   Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence.  Write down only the question number (3) and the letter (A – D). The sentence “ ‘I switched off ages ago!’ ” suggests that the  dog is …
   1. indifferent.
   2. self-conscious.
   3. embarrassed.
   4. guilty. (1)
4. Do you find this cartoon humorous? Give a reason for your  answer. (2)  [8] 

• • Humorous: Funny or  amusing; something that  makes you laugh.

HINT! 

• Your answer must  focus on both the  image and the words for 4 marks.

• To scold: To tell someone  in an angry way that they  have done something  wrong.

• Indifferent: Not interested  or not caring about  something. 

• To get marks, always give a reason for a ‘YES’ or “NO” answer.

Activity 7 

Read the cartoon below and answer the questions that follow. Note: In this cartoon, the man is Hägar and his dog is Snert. 

1. Refer to frame 3. To whom does the phrase “MY SOMEONE”  refer? (1)
2. Refer to frame 4. Name TWO ways in which the cartoonist  shows the reader that the dog is very hungry. (2)
3. Refer to frame 8. 
   1. How does the dog feel at this point? (1)
   2. How do you know this? Mention TWO points. (2) 
4. Explain how this cartoon makes you feel about Hägar. (2) 
5. Do you think the cartoon conveys an important message  to readers?  Give a reason for your answer. (2)  [10] 

NB: 

• To answer  HINT! question 2, look  at the dog’s face.  
• Also look at what is written  in bold type and the  punctuation in his thought  bubble.
• Questions 4 and 5 are open-ended questions. An open ended question requires you to  give your own opinion. Support  your opinion with a strong reason. 

Activity 8 
Read the cartoon below and answer the questions.  
Note: In this cartoon, Andy is the man in the striped jersey and Chalkie is  his friend. 

NB 

To answer both  parts of question  3, look at what the  men are wearing and what  is in the background of frame 1.  

1. Refer to frame 1. Identify the sport that Andy and Chalkie are  talking about. (1)
2. Give TWO reasons for your answer to QUESTION 1. (2) 
3. Refer to frame 1.
   1. Choose the correct word to complete the following sentence: Andy’s feeling towards Chalkie is one of …
      1. affection.
      2. despair.
      3. jealousy.
      4. anger. (1)
   2. Give a reason for your answer to QUESTION 3a. (1)
4. How do Chalkie’s body language AND facial expression  support his words? (2)
5. Do you think Chalkie’s apology has had any effect on Andy  throughout the cartoon? Give TWO reasons for your answer. (2)
6. Refer to frame 2.  Why is the word STOP written in bold capital letters? (1)  [10] 

• To answer question 5, look at what Andy says with words AND his body  language.
• Any TWO of these  answers to question  2, 4 and 5 will earn  you 2 marks

For more practice on cartoons, go to these past exam papers: 

• November 2011, page 11, Question 4 
• November 2012, page 11, Question 4 
• Feb/March 2013, page 10, Question 4 

4.1 What is expected from you   in the exam? 
In the exam, the cartoon question is worth 10 out of 80 marks for Paper 1.  
The exam question will include a cartoon made up of images and words.  You will be required to answer all the questions about this cartoon. 
The exam is two hours long and you should spend about 10 minutes on  the cartoon question. 

5. Language 

This part of Section C is a challenge to prepare for because the examiners  test your knowledge of many different aspects of language: 

• Grammar 
• Punctuation 
• Vocabulary 
• Spelling 
• Abbreviations 

In the exam, these aspects of language will be tested by answering  questions based on: 

• A word extract; and 
• A picture with a short text. 

This section focuses on the following aspects of grammar, punctuation  and vocabulary: 

5.1 Verb tenses  
5.2 Subject/verb agreement (concord) and singular/plural conversion 
5.3 Verbs in active and passive voice  
5.4 Question tags  
5.5 Direct and indirect speech (reported speech)  
5.6 Negative sentences 
5.7 Combining two short sentences into one longer sentence  
5.8 The apostrophe: when and how to use it  
5.9 Prepositions  
5.10 Vocabulary 

 The meanings of words; knowledge of different forms of the same   word; spelling of words.  

5.11 Language and editing skills in context 
5.12 What is expected of you in the exam? 

HINT:

• To improve your language skills, read as much English as possible. Reading will improve  your grammar, punctuation,  vocabulary and spelling.
• Also work through this section carefully. It will help you to revise many rules of language.
• And look at the Mind the Gap Paper 3: Writing study guide. It gives you  information about how writers use language.

5.1 Verb tenses 
Several of the questions require you to know how the different tenses of  verbs are formed (for example, those on question tags, active and passive  voice, reported speech.) It is a good idea to revise these in your language  textbook.  
Below is a verb tense table for the regular verb ‘to walk’ to help you to  revise the different forms that a regular verb may take in the active voice.  

• There are also many irregular verbs, including commonly used verbs such  as ‘to be’, ‘to have’, ‘to eat’, ‘to sing’, ‘to run’ and many others which take  different forms in the various tenses. You need to become familiar with  these by studying them in your language textbook and by noticing them  whenever you read.
• For the past tense of a regular verb, add ‘ed’ to the end of the present tense verb. For  example, ‘I walked’. You cannot do  this with an irregular verb. For example, the past tense of ‘I eat’ is ‘I ate’ .

Worked examples: Verb tenses 
Sometimes an exam question requires knowledge of the correct  form of the verb in a particular tense. 

1. Rewrite the following sentence in the past tense:
   • She’s healthy and I love her. (2)
   • Correct answer: She was healthy and I loved her. (2)
   • In the past tense, the contracted form ‘She’s’ (meaning ‘She is’) has to  be written as a full verb (‘was’). ‘To love’ is a regular verb so the past  tense is formed by adding ‘ed’. Because ‘love’ already ends in ‘e’, only  the ‘d’ is added.
2. Rewrite the sentence in the future tense:
   • She has received numerous humanitarian awards. (1)
   • Correct answer: She will receive numerous humanitarian awards. (1)
   • The future tense requires the use of ‘will’ with the base form of the verb  (‘receive’). 
3. Rewrite the following sentence in the present tense:
   • I wanted to say I was in awe of him. (2)
   • Correct answer: I want to say I am in awe of him. (2)
   • This question is for 2 marks because two verbs need to change. In this case ‘wanted’ becomes ‘want’ (a regular verb) and ‘I was’ (first  person, past tense) becomes ‘I am’ (first person, present tense of the  irregular verb ‘to be’).  

• If the question is for 2 marks, you know that there are two changes that need to be made to the sentence.

5.2 Subject/verb agreement   (concord)  

• Concord: The agreement  between words in a  sentence. For example, if the  noun is plural, the verb is  

In English, all the words in a sentence that have a special kind of ‘connection’  with each other must be in the same form (that is, they must be all singular  or all plural). This special connection is discussed in this section. 
If the noun or pronoun in the subject of the sentence is plural, then the  verb must be plural. If the noun or pronoun is singular, then the verb must  be singular.  
The subject of a sentence is a noun, a pronoun, or a phrase (a group of  words without a verb) which includes a noun. For example: 

• The policeman (noun) arrested the robbers. 
• He (pronoun) arrested the robbers. 
• The tall, strong policeman (phrase) arrested the robbers. 

The exam will test your knowledge of this part of English grammar in two  ways: 

• By asking you to rewrite a singular sentence in plural form 
• By asking you to correct an error of subject/verb or pronoun/noun  agreement. 

Worked examples: Subject/verb agreement  (concord) 
Read the examples from past exam papers below. This will help you to  understand this part of English grammar and to answer questions of this  kind correctly in the exam.  

1. Rewrite the following sentence in the plural form: 
   Note that question  1 is worth 4 marks,  so you need to   make four changes in the  sentence. 

That mother and baby still move in my thoughts. (4)
Correct answer: Those mothers and babies still move in our thoughts.  
To answer correctly you need to know the following: 

1. The plural form of ‘this’ is ‘these’; and the plural form of ‘that’ is  ‘those’. 
2. To form the plural of ‘mother’, just add ‘s’; but to form the plural of  ‘baby’, change the ‘y’ to ‘ies’. 
3. Although ‘thoughts’ is already in plural form, to show that these  are the thoughts of more than one person, change ‘my’ (singular first  person) to ‘our’ (plural first person). 

2. Correct the single error in the following sentence: 
… my heart was in my throat and a thousand thoughts was racing  through my mind. (1) 
Correct answer: … my heart was in my throat and a thousand thoughts  were racing through my mind. 
The noun ‘thoughts’ is plural, therefore it must be followed by the plural  verb form ‘were’, not the singular form ‘was’. 
3. Rewrite the following sentence in the plural form: 
The Minister of Education worked tirelessly. (1) 
Correct answer: The Ministers of Education worked tirelessly.  
The only change you can make to this sentence is to the number of  ministers in the subject. Education is never written with an ‘s’, and in the  past tense the verb has the same form for both singular and plural. The  question is for one mark, so this means only one change is required. 
4. Correct the single error in the following sentence: 
However, it is possibly due to her warm personality that she make an  impact on people. (1) 
Correct answer: However, it is possibly due to her warm personality that  she makes an impact on people.  
‘She’ is a third person singular subject and ‘make’ is a present tense  verb. In English, when the subject is third person singular (for example,  he, she, it, Jabu, Cindy) in the present tense, the verb always ends in ‘s’. 
5. Correct the single error in the following sentence: 
His face were still partially paralysed and he spoke in a soft voice. (1) 
Correct answer: His face was still partially paralysed and he spoke in a  soft voice. 
‘His face’ is a singular subject and so the correct singular past tense  form of the verb ‘to be’ is ‘was’. “Were” is the plural form. 
6. Correct the single error in the following sentence: 
Robert Phipps, a body language expert, tells you how to interpret this  non-verbal clues. (1) 
Correct answer: Robert Phipps, a body language expert, tells you how to  interpret these non-verbal clues. 
To answer correctly you need to know that ‘non-verbal clues’ is plural, so  the correct form is the plural ‘these’, not the singular ‘this’.  
7. Correct the single error in the following sentence: 
Body language make up 50 to 100% of a conversation. (1)
Correct answer: Body language makes up 50 to 100% of a conversation. 
‘Body language’ is singular (i.e. language, not languages) and the  sentence is in the present tense. This means that the third person  singular present tense form of the verb must be used (‘makes’). (1)  
8. Rewrite the following sentence in the plural form: 
When a person is lying, he tends to become generally less  expressive. (4) 

• An exam question may ask you to correct the single error in a sentence. This will often be a concord error.

 Correct answer: When people are lying they tend to become generally  less expressive. 
The singular subject (‘a person’; ‘he’) must become plural (‘people’;  ‘they’) and the form of the verb must agree with the plural subject (‘are’;  ‘tend’).  

Activity 9 
1. Correct the single error in each of the following sentences: 

1.1 His younger brothers walk to their primary school but Sipho  travel to high school by taxi. (1) 
1.2 Unfortunately the taxi fares is becoming expensive. (1) 
1.3 Sipho is looking for a Saturday job so that he can afford this  higher fares. (1) 

2. Rewrite the following sentences in the plural form: 

2.1 In the procession, the princess walks behind the king  and queen. (4) 
2.2 The conference is being hosted by a government  department. (2)  [9]

5.3 Verbs in active and   passive voice 
A verb is in the active voice when its subject does the action. For example:  ‘The striker scored a goal.’ The subject is the striker and the striker is doing  the action. To find the subject of a verb ask who or what does the action. 
A verb is in the passive voice when the subject ‘receives’ the action: ‘The  goal was scored by the striker.’ When a sentence is written in passive voice  it is possible to leave out the ‘doer’ of the action: ‘The goal was scored.’ 

Four steps to change a sentence  from active voice to passive voice: 

1. Underline the verb in the sentence.
2. Divide the sentence into a Subject – Verb – Object.
3. Begin the new sentence with the object.
4. The verb in the passive voice consists of the past participle form with  some form of the verb ‘to be’ or, occasionally, the verb ‘got’ (for example,  ‘I was stung by a bee’.)  

When you are asked to change a sentence from one voice to the other,  make sure that you keep the tense of the original sentence. For example: 

• Present continuous tense
  Active voice: The striker is scoring a goal.
  Passive voice: A goal is being scored by the striker.  
• Perfect tense
  Active voice: The striker has scored a goal.
  Passive voice: A goal has been scored by the striker. 
• Simple future tense
  Active voice: The striker will score a goal.
  Passive voice: A goal will be scored by the striker. 

Hint/example:

• ‘I kicked the ball.’
  I am the subject, the ball is the object and kicked is the verb. This is the active voice.
• For the passive voice, 
  begin the sentence with the object - the ball. The   sentence becomes: ‘The ball was kicked by me.’

Worked examples: Active and  passive voice 
1. Rewrite the following sentence in the passive voice starting with the  given word (or words): 

1.1 Money provides financial freedom. Start with: Financial freedom… Correct answer: Financial freedom is provided by money. 
1.2 Robert is training someone every week. Start with: Someone… Correct answer: Someone is being trained by Robert every week.
1.3 The 18-year-old had developed an illness causing paralysis.  Start with An… 
Correct answer: An illness causing paralysis had been developed by the  18-year-old. 

2. Rewrite the following sentence in the active voice starting with the  given word (or words): 

2.1 Graça Machel is admired greatly by the people of Mozambique.  
Begin your answer with: The people 
Correct answer: The people of Mozambique greatly admire Graça  Machel.  

Activity 10 

1. Write down what you have noticed about the ways in which a  sentence written in the active voice changes when it is  written in the passive voice. (4)
2. Rewrite the following sentence in the passive voice starting  with the given word (or words):
   2.1 Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb in 1879.  The electric light bulb … (1)
   2.2 Police arrested two men yesterday in connection with a  car hijacking. Two men … (1)
   2.3 The Umlazi high school choir won first prize in an  international school choirs’ competition.  First prize …. (1)
3. Rewrite the following sentence in active voice starting with  the given word (or words):
   3.1 Four rhinos were found dead by members of an  anti-poaching unit. Members … (1)
   3.2 Unusually heavy rainfall has been experienced this year  in the Eastern Cape. The Eastern Cape... (1) 

 [9]

5.4 Question tags 
In English, questions can be asked in various ways. For example, this  can be done by putting one of the ‘W-H’ words (‘Who’, ‘What’, ‘Where’,  ‘When’, ‘Why’) or ‘How’ at the beginning of a sentence. Another way of  asking a question is by adding what is called a question tag at the end of  a statement.  

• Contraction: A shortened  form of a word; or two  words that are combined  into one. For example,  ‘doesn’t’ is a contraction  of ‘does not’.
• A question tag comes at the end of a question, doesn’t it?

There are many ways that a sentence written as a statement changes  when a question tag is added to it: 

• If the verb in the statement is in the negative form, the verb in the tag is  in the positive form.
  Statement: He didn’t always feel this way.
  Question: He didn’t always feel this way, did he?  
• If the verb in the statement is in the positive form, the verb in the tag is  in the negative form.
  Statement: The blind immigrants were treated badly.
  Question: The blind immigrants were treated badly, weren’t they? 
• When the verb in the tag is in the negative form, it is written as a  contraction: ‘weren’t’ is correct but “were not” is incorrect in a question  tag.  
• The verb in the statement and the verb in the question tag must be in  the same tense.
  For example: Graça Machel is a really wonderful person, isn’t she?
  Here, both verbs are in present tense. 
• Sometimes a different verb needs to be used in the question tag. For example: 
  Most people cross their arms if they are feeling defensive, don’t they?  
• The subject in the statement changes to a pronoun in the question tag.  For example:
  The blind immigrants were treated badly, weren’t they?
  A singular pronoun is used for a singular subject and a plural pronoun  is used for plural subject.  
• There must be a comma before the start of the question tag.
• The question tag must end with a question mark. 

Activity 11 
Change the following sentences into tag questions by filling in the blanks. 

1. Cyclists should ride in single file on the road, … … (1) 
2. The traffic police were very busy at the big cycle race, … … (1)
3. The Tour de France cycle race has been run for 100 years, … … (1)
4. Professional cyclists shouldn’t have to struggle for  sponsorship, … … (1)
5. Racing bicycles cost a great deal of money, … … (1)  [5] 

5.5 Direct and indirect speech  
Direct speech refers to the actual words spoken or written by someone.  When someone else uses these exact words, that person ‘quotes’ them.  

• Indirect speech is also called reported speech.

The words are put in quotation marks and all other punctuation marks  used in the sentence will be captured inside these quotation marks. When someone else reports what someone said without using the exact  words, they use indirect or reported speech.  
Read the example of the same sentence written in direct speech and  reported speech. 

Direct speech: 
Nosipho said, “My family will be going to a soccer match next Saturday.”

Reported speech: 
Nosipho said that her family would be going to a soccer match the  following Saturday.  
Here are the differences between the two sentences: 

• The comma and the quotation marks are not used in reported speech. 
• The form of the verb changes in reported speech. (In this example, ‘will’  changes to ‘would’.) 
• The time word changes. (In this example, ‘next’ changes to ‘the  following’.) 
• The word ‘that’ is used to introduce the new version of the words which  were spoken. 

Rules for changing direct speech to indirect  (reported) speech 

1. In sentences that start with a present tense verb, only the pronouns  change. For example:
   Direct speech: He says: ‘I am sorry.’
   Reported speech: He says (that) he is sorry.
   In sentences that start with a past tense verb, the tense becomes one  tense ‘older’. The pronouns and time words also change.  For example: 
   Direct speech: He said: ‘I am sick.’
   Reported speech: He said (that) he was sick.
2. In reported speech there are no quotation marks, but you add a  conjunction such as ‘that’ or ‘whether’. For example:
   Sibongile asked whether I would be going to the party. 
3. The tenses ‘backshift’ (go back in time) as follows: 
   • The simple present tense changes to the simple past tense.  For example, go /goes becomes went; walk/walks becomes walked.
   • The past simple tense changes to the past perfect tense. For example,  went becomes had gone; walked becomes had walked. 
   • The present perfect tense changes to the past perfect tense.  For example, has gone becomes had gone; has walked becomes had  walked.
   • The present continuous tense changes to the past continuous tense.  For example, am walking becomes was walking. 
4. Some pronouns change: ‘I’ becomes ‘he’ or ‘she’; ‘we’ becomes ‘they’;  ‘us’ becomes ‘them’; ‘our’ becomes ‘their’. 
5. In direct speech, punctuation marks are used to show tone of voice or  expression. These are not used in reported speech.
   In reported speech, tone and expression are sometimes shown through  the use of words. 
   For example:
   Direct speech: ‘We’ve won the competition!’ the boys shouted.  Reported speech: The boys shouted that they had won the competition.
6. Time words change. For example:
   • ‘now’ becomes ‘then’
   • ‘today’ becomes ‘that day’
   • ‘tomorrow’ becomes ‘the next day’
   • ‘last week/month/year’ becomes ‘the week/month/year before’
   • ‘next week/month/year’ becomes ‘the following week/month/year’. 
7. The words ‘this’ and ‘that’ change to ‘these’ and ‘those’. 

NOTE: 

• Direct speech  uses quotation  marks; reported speech does not.

 Worked examples: Direct and  indirect speech 
e.g. 

• The number of  marks after each question  tells you how many  changes you must make  in the sentence.

Rewrite the following sentence in reported speech: 

1. The young lady said, “I can’t give my baby a good life here.” (4)
   Correct answer: The young lady said that she couldn’t  give her baby a good life there. 
2. Graça Machel said, “It is something you give a young girl  that can never be taken away.” (3)
   Correct answer: Graça Machel said that it was something  you gave a young girl that could never be taken away. 
3. He wanted to say, “I will never forget you or your parents  and the sacrifices you have made.” (3)
   Correct answer: He wanted to say that he would never forget  him (OR her) or his (OR her) parents and the sacrifices they  had made.
4. Yesterday Robert Phipps said, “Mary, your eyes are the  windows to your soul.” (3)
   Correct answer: The previous day (OR The day before) Robert Phipps told Mary that her eyes were the windows to her soul. 

Activity 12 
Rewrite each of the following sentences in reported speech: 

1.  Nompumelelo said, “My favourite TV programme is Muvhango.” (3)
2. Mpumi said, “The story has too many characters for me and  so I get confused.” (3)
3. “Are you planning to watch the programme even though it’s  confusing for you?” Thulani asked. (5) 
4. “It will depend on whether you can help me understand these  characters,” Mpumi replied. (6)  [17] 

5.6 Negative sentences 

In the exam, you may be tested on your knowledge of how to change a  positive statement into a negative one.  

There are many ways that a sentence written as a positive statement  changes when it is written in the negative: 

• Two words need to be added: (i) a form of the auxiliary verb ‘do’; and  (ii) ‘not’. An auxiliary verb is used with another verb to form negative  sentences or questions or tenses. In English, the auxiliary or helping  verbs are be, have and do.  
• The tense of the auxiliary verb must be the same as the tense of the  verb in the positive sentence. For example, ‘understands’ becomes  ‘does not understand’ (simple present tense); ‘failed’ becomes ‘did not  fail’ (simple past tense). 
• In the negative form, the ending of the main verb changes. For example,  ‘excludes’ becomes ‘does not exclude’; ‘failed’ becomes ‘did not fail’.  
• In the present tense, the third person singular form of the auxiliary verb  ‘do’ is ‘does’.  

Note:

• In English, the auxiliary or  helping verbs are be, have and do. 

Worked examples: Negative  sentences 
Rewrite the following sentence in the negative: 

1. The child belongs with her mother.
   Correct answer: The child does not belong with her mother. 
2. She became a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
   Correct answer: She did not become a Dame Commander of the Order  of the British Empire. 
3. Words failed me.
   Correct answer: Words did not fail me. 
4. Robert understands body language very well.
   Correct answer: Robert does not understand body language very well.
5. . A well-balanced diet excludes vegetables. 
   Correct answer: A well-balanced diet does not exclude vegetables.  

Activity 13

• Note that the negative of a  sentence DOES NOT always  mean the opposite of a  positive sentence.
  For example: ‘He never does  his work.’
  The negative is:’He doesn’t  ever do his work.’
  The opposite would be: ‘He always does his work.’ 

Rewrite each of the following sentences in the negative: 

1. The guitarist plays very well. (1)
2. She seems to be really enjoying herself. (1)
3. Last week the group played in Cape Town. (1)
4. They travelled there by bus. (1)
5. Most musicians earn a great deal of money. (1)  [5] 

HINT:

• It is best not to use contracted forms when making the sentence negative. 
  For example, use ‘cannot’  rather than ‘can’t’

5.7 Combining two short   sentences into one   longer sentence 
It is useful to be able to combine short sentences into longer ones, not only  to answer a question in the Language paper, but when you write a report,  a letter or an essay, for example. 
Here are some ways to join two sentences into a longer one: 

• When two sentences are combined, pronouns are used in the second  part of the sentence. A sentence can be combined with the word ‘but’.  For example:
  The mother loved her child dearly. Poverty forced the mother to give  the child up for adoption. becomes ‘The mother loved her child dearly but poverty forced her to  give him/her up for adoption.’ 
• Combine sentences using the word ‘who’. For example:
  Miriam Makeba was one of the greatest performers South Africa has  ever produced. Miriam Makeba spent many years in exile.
  becomes ‘Miriam Makeba, who was one of the greatest performers  South Africa has ever produced, spent many years in exile’.
  A complex sentence always has two clauses: a main and a subordinate  (secondary) clause. Miriam Makeba was one of the greatest  performers South Africa has ever produced is the main clause as it  can stand alone. When you use ‘who’ instead of ‘Miriam Makeba’ in the  second sentence, it becomes who spent many years in exile which is  a subordinate clause as it cannot stand alone. 
  When the subordinate clause comes between the subject (‘Miriam  Makeba’) and the verb in the main clause (‘spent’) there must be a  comma immediately before and immediately after it. For example,  ‘Miriam Makeba, who was one of the greatest performers South Africa  has ever produced, spent many years in exile’. 
• Combine sentences into a single sentence starting with the word ‘when’.  For example:
  I saw Mark again after his graduation. Mark was feeling great. becomes ‘When I saw Mark again after his graduation, he was feeling  great.’  
• Combine sentences into a single sentence starting with the word ‘if’. For  example:
  Your health improves. You stop eating junk food. becomes ‘If you stop eating junk food, your health will improve.’ 

NOTE:

• A combined  sentence is also called  a complex sentence.
• A clause: A group of  words that contains a verb.  
• In the second part  of this sentence,  use a pronoun  example: (“he”) instead of repeating  the proper noun (Mark). 

Activity 14 

1. Combine the following sentences into a single sentence,  using the word ‘although’:
   The organisers expect many people to attend the concert. The tickets are expensive. (2)
   • Never combine two sentences  by just using a comma. Look  carefully at the examples of  the joining words used on  pages 54 and 55 to combine  two sentences.
2. Combine the following sentences into ONE complex sentence,  using the word ‘which’:
   The province of KwaZulu-Natal is popular with tourists.
   The province has beautiful beaches, game reserves and  majestic mountains. (2)
3. Combine the following sentences into a single sentence,  using the word ‘if’: 
   You exercise every day.
   You will get fit. (2) 
4. Combine the following sentences into a single sentence,  beginning with ‘After’:
   The children ate a lot of cake at the party.
   The children felt sick. (2)
5. Combine the following sentences into ONE complex sentence,  using the word ‘that’:
   The team won the race in record time.
   The team has been training with an Olympic sprinter. (2)  [10] 

5.8 The apostrophe: when   and how to use it 
In writing, the apostrophe sign (’) is used for two purposes: 
Firstly, the apostrophe is used to show that letters have been left out (for  example, ‘do not’ becomes ‘don’t’; ‘I will’ becomes ‘I’ll’; ‘it is’ becomes  ‘it’s’). Another name for the shortened form of the word is the contracted  form (i.e. the word has shrunk, or contracted).  
Secondly, the apostrophe is used to show that something relates to or  belongs to or is possessed by someone or something (e.g. ‘Sam’s book’;  ‘the players’ uniforms’). In this case the apostrophe is used before the ‘s’  in the singular and after the ‘s’ in the plural.  

Worked examples: The apostrophe 

1. Why has an apostrophe been used in the underlined word in the  following sentence?
   Mpho’s commitment to education comes from her training as a  teacher. 
   Answer: It shows that the commitment to education belongs to Mpho/  was Mpho’s own (shows ownership).
2. Rewrite the underlined contracted word in full: 
   When Mark needed to spell a word, he’d nod ‘yes’. 
   Answer: he would. 
   (The first verb in the sentence (‘needed’) is in the past tense, so the  word that you write needs to be in the past tense, as part of the verb  ‘nod’.)
3. Correct the SINGLE error in the following sentence
   Most of us are comfortable with a few second’s eye contact. Answer: Most of us are comfortable with a few seconds’ eye contact.
   (‘Seconds’ is plural (not one second, but a few seconds), so the  apostrophe to indicate belonging/possession must come after the ‘s’.)
4. Correct the SINGLE error in the following sentence:
   ‘Have one of these,’ says the tall man, popping open a pod and  shaking it’s contents into my hands. 
   Answer: ‘Have one of these,’ says the tall man, popping open a pod and  shaking its contents into my hands.
   (In this sentence, ‘its’ does not mean ‘it is’. It is a pronoun and therefore  the word does not have an apostrophe.)  

HINT:

• Note that ‘it’s’  is written with an  apostrophe only  when the writer means ‘it is’. In a sentence such as, ‘The  dog chased its tail’, there is no  apostrophe because ‘its’ does  not mean ‘it is’ here. 

 Activity 15 

1. Correct the SINGLE error in each of the following sentences:
   1. Please collect the childrens’ medicine from the clinic. (1) 
   2. ‘Mr President, its a great pleasure to meet you,’ the  young girl said. (1) 
   3. The doctors husband does the accounts for her practice  because he is an accountant. (1) 

2. Rewrite only the underlined word in the following sentences  in full: 

1. I wish you’d asked me. (1)
2. I could’ve given you a lift. (1) 
3. Next time we’ll do that. (1)
4. You can’t rely on the bus being on time. (1)
5. You’re right about that! (1)  [8]

5.9 Prepositions 
A preposition is a kind of linking word. Prepositions link nouns with other  nouns, or pronouns. They are used to express several kinds of meaning.  
Here are some examples of prepositions: 

• Possession (having):
  The books of the student (books and student are linked). The house with a red roof (house and roof are linked). 
• Time:
  Two days before the weekend (‘days’ and ‘weekend’ are linked). At soccer practice after school (‘soccer practice’ and ‘school’ are linked). 
• Direction:
  He ran towards the taxi rank (‘he’ and ‘taxi rank’ are linked).  A metre to the left (‘metre’ and ‘left’ are linked). 
• Position:
  She is under the table (‘she’ and ‘table’ are linked).
  The furniture beside the window (‘furniture’ and ‘window’ are linked).  
• Place:
  The party at my house (‘party’ and ‘house’ are linked).
  The shoes beneath the bed (‘shoes’ and ‘bed’ are linked). 

Hint:

• An easy way to remember prepositions is to  think of the word position:  where people and things are in relation to one another.

Worked examples: Prepositions 

1. Choose the correct word from those given in brackets:
   The guards of the security company had to appear (in/before) court  the next day.
   Answer: in
   (This is a tricky question! The phrase ‘in court’ refers to the place where  the guards had to appear. If the sentence had included ‘the’ before  court, it would refer to the people (lawyers, judges, etc.) and then the  correct answer would be ‘before the court’.)
2. Choose the correct word to complete the following sentence.
   Write down only the question number and the letter (A – D). 
   Graça Machel has been an inspiration … women around the world. 
   1. for
   2. to
   3. by
   4. with
      Answer: 2 B
3. Correct the SINGLE error in the following sentence:
   His parents insisted he was a fighter; he would get through this and go onto attend university.
   Answer: His parents insisted he was a fighter; he would get through  this and go on to attend university. (When it is written as one word, the  preposition ‘onto’ describes movement to a position on the surface of  something: ‘The cat jumped onto the table’.)
4. Complete the following sentence by writing down only the missing word:
   Research has shown that a diet without meat is associated … a lower  risk of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and some cancers.
   Answer: with
   (In English, the word ‘associated’ is usually followed by the preposition  ‘with’. For example: ‘Two benefits usually associated with exercise are  increased fitness and improved sleeping habits.’) 

Hint:
The more you read English, the more practice you will get in using  prepositions correctly. 
The preposition ‘in’ is used  with the name of a town or  city. The preposition ‘at’ is  used for a particular place,  for example, ‘at my house’ or  ‘at the club house’.

Activity 16 

1. Choose the correct word to complete the following sentence: The money was hidden _____ the mattress. 
   1. on
   2. . under 
   3. at 
   4. by (1)
2. Choose the correct word to complete the following sentence: My sister will come ______ me to the meeting. 
   1. for 
   2. to 
   3. with 
   4. beside (1)
3. Choose the correct word from those given in brackets: The meeting will be held (at / in) Johannesburg on Saturday. (1)  [3] 

5.10 Vocabulary 
The meanings of words; knowledge of  different forms of the same word; spelling of  words and degrees of comparison 
In this section of the exam there are usually some grammar questions that  require you to know:  

• The meaning of particular words; 
• How a word changes its form as a noun, verb, adjective or adverb.
  For example, ‘competition’ (noun); ‘compete’ (verb); ‘competitive’  (adjective); ‘competitively’ (adverb); 
• The correct spelling of words; 
• Synonyms (words similar in meaning);
  Antonyms (words opposite in meaning);
  Homophones (words that sound the same but are spelt differently and  have different meanings); and
  Homonyms (words spelt and pronounced the same way, but with  different meanings); and 
• What abbreviations and acronyms stand for. 

Worked examples: Vocabulary 

1. Correct the SINGLE error in the following sentence:
   ‘She’s healthy and I Iove her,’ she continued calm.
   Answer: ‘She’s healthy and I Iove her,’ she continued calmly.
   (The word ‘calm’ is an adjective, but in this sentence the adverb ‘calmly’  is required because it describes how the woman continued speaking,  i.e. it adds further information to the verb ‘continued’.) 
2. Give the correct form of the words in brackets:
   According to the mother, her baby is the (beautiful) of all those at the  centre.
   Answer: most beautiful
   (The mother is comparing her baby to the many babies at the centre.  The degrees of comparison for the adjective ‘beautiful’ are: beautiful;  more beautiful; most beautiful. So the superlative form of the adjective  ‘beautiful’ must be used: ‘most beautiful’, as this is the most beautiful  baby of them all!)
3. Correct the SINGLE error in the following sentence:
   The teacher never lost patients, even though the class was often  rowdy.
   Answer: The teacher never lost patience, even though the class was  often rowdy.
   (‘Patients’ and ‘patience’ have been confused because they are  homophones (words which sound the same but are spelt differently and  Question 4 tests your dictionary skills!have different meanings). 
4. Choose the correct dictionary entries from the following list to complete  the sentence below.
   • immobile adj. 1. not moving 2. not able to move
   • DERIVATIVES immobility n
   • immobilise verb to make something unable to move or work
   • DERIVATIVES immobilisation n
     Mark’s illness caused him to become (a) … . However, this (b) ... did  not prevent him from being successful.
     Answer: (a) immobile (b) immobility
5. Correct the SINGLE error in the following sentence:
   If you are training someone, it is usefull to know how his mind works.
   Answer: If you are training someone, it is useful to know how his mind  works.
   (The word ‘full’ (meaning containing as much or as many as possible)  is spelt with a double ‘ll’. Words that end in ‘ful’ for example, ‘useful’,  ‘beautiful’, ‘dreadful’, ‘wonderful’ have only one ‘l’.)
6. Give the correct form of the words in brackets:
   Robert Phipps has (information) us about the importance of studying  someone’s eyes closely.
   Answer: informed
   (The answer has to be part of the verb ‘has _____’, so the noun  ‘information’ has to change to ‘informed’.)
7. Give the correct form of the words in brackets:
   Having enough money makes you (a) (independence). The more  money you have, the (b) (happy) you might be.
   Answer: (a) independent (b) happier
   (‘independent’ is an adjective that can be used to describe a person.  ‘happier’ is correct because the comparative form of the adjective  ‘happy’ is needed - ‘the more… the happier’.) 

Activity 17 

1. Correct the single error in the following sentence:
   After the call he said: “Now, where were we?” as if he’d  just orded a cup of tea. (1) 
2. Give the correct form of the words in brackets:
   1. (Adopt) a child requires a great deal of love, commitment and 
   2. (responsible). (2)
3. Correct the SINGLE error the following sentence:
   Graça Machel is the only women in history ever to be  married to two presidents. (1)
4. Give the part of speech of the underlined word in the following  sentence. Write down only the question number (4) and  the letter (A–D).
   She campaigned endlessly to improve the literacy rate  of children in her country.
   1. Noun
   2. Verb
   3. Adverb
   4. Adjective (1)
5. Give the correct form of the words in brackets: 
   Machel believes that (education) girls is very important. (1)
6. Rewrite the underlined abbreviation in the following sentence  in full:
   Robert Phipps is a body language expert on a TV show. (1)
7. Study the following sentence: He stopped eating meat. Use a homophone for the word ‘meat’ in a sentence of your own. (1)
8. Form suitable nouns from the words in brackets:
   She sees expensive items in her (a) (imagine), but she must  remember that she cannot buy (b) (happy). (2)  [10] 

HINT:

• Grow your  vocabulary! The more  words you know, the more  you will enjoy  reading. 

5.11 Language and editing   skills in context 
In the language and editing section of the exam, you will be tested on your  grammar, punctuation and vocabulary skills by answering questions based  on: 

• A prose (word) extract; and 
• A picture with a short text. 

Here is an example of a prose extract and a picture question from a past  exam paper. 

Activity 18 
Read the following passage, which contains some deliberate errors, and  then answer the questions.  

HINT! 

• Check each  language aspect  to find the errors  in question 2. They may  be spelling, punctuation or concord errors.

1. Rewrite the following sentence in the past tense: 
   The idea of a universal bond of sharing connects all humanity. (1) 
2. Correct the SINGLE error in each of the following sentences: 
   1.  Imagine, for a minute, a world were everyone is just a little  kinder. (1)
   2. When you are trying to merge into traffic, someone let’s  you in. (1)
   3. You get back to your car and find someone have put money  in the parking meter. (1)
   4. Kindness has another simalarity with happiness. (1) 
3. Rewrite the following idiomatic expression in its original form: Survival of the nicest (1)
4. Complete the following sentence in the singular form, starting  with the given words:
   Studies have found that helpful people are less likely to fall ill.  A study has found that a helpful ... (2)
5. Rewrite the following sentence in reported speech:  Professor Stephen Post wrote, “A strong correlation exists  between happiness and health.” (2)
6. Combine the following sentences into a single sentence using  the words “not only”: 
   Kindness is a matter of choice.
   Kindness is an attitude. (2) 
7. Rewrite the following sentence in the negative form: Kindness makes a difference in your life. (1)
8. Identify a noun in the following sentence:
   Kindness can make a difference. (1)  [14] 

HINT:

• An idiomatic expression or idiom: An expression  whose meaning is different  from the literal meaning of  the words. 
• In question 5, remember that reported  speech is indirect speech. It does not use any quotation marks.

Activity 19: Picture and text 

We can find partnerships in unlikely places. Since 1993 South Africans have  collected 950 000 tons of cans from our surrounding environment. However, we  can increase this recovery rate and further conserve and sustain the environment.  Recycle cans today. Sustain tomorrow.  [Adapted from Simply Green, Issue 4, 2012]

HINT:

• Antonym: A word that  means the opposite of a  given word.
•  In question 4  ‘conserve’ is a  verb. To answer the  question, you need to find the  noun form of this word. 

QUESTIONS

1. Change the following question into a tag question: We can find partnerships in unlikely places. (1)
2. Write down an antonym for the underlined word in the following  sentence: 
   We can increase this recovery rate. (1)
3. Choose the correct answer from the brackets:
   Since 1993, we have collected no (few/fewer) than 950 000  tons of cans. (1)
4. Give the correct form of the word in brackets:
   The (conserve) of the environment is important. (1)
5. Rewrite the following sentence in the passive voice, starting  with the given words:
   We can keep our country beautiful. 
   Start with: Our country....
6. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence.
   Write down only the question number (6) and the letter (A-D) of the correct answer.
   Recycle cans today. Sustain tomorrow.
   This is an example of ........ language.
   1. persuasive
   2. manipulative
   3. sarcastic
   4. biased  (1)[6]

Answers to activity 19.

1. We can find partnerships in unlikely places, can't we/ can we not? ✔ (1)
2. decrease or reduce ✔ (1)
3. less ✔ (1)
4. conservation (noun)✔ (1)
5. Our country can be kept beautiful (by us) ✔ (1)
6. A/persuasive ✔ (1) [6]

5.12 What is expected from you in the exam?
In the exam, the language and editing skills section is worth 20 marks out of 80 marks for paper 1
This section is made up of two parts.

• A written extract of 150 – 200 words.written extract of 150 – 200 words.This part is worth 14 marks.You will be required to answer a set of questions based on the extractthat test your language and editing skills.
• A picture with a short text.A picture with a short text.This part is worth 6 marks.You will be required to answer a set of questions based on the pictureand text that test your language and editing skills.

The exam is two hours long and your should spend about 20 minutes onspend about 20 minutes onthe language and editing skills questions.

For more practice on language and editing skills, go to these past exam papers:

• November 2010, page 10,Question 5
• Feb/March 2011, page 12,Question 5
• November 2011, page 13,Question 5
• Feb/March 2012, page 12,Question 5
• November 2012, page 13,Question 5.1 and 5.2
• Feb/March 2013, page 12,Question 5.1 and 5.2

• The exam summary
• Writing a summary 
• What is expected from you in the exam? 

A summary is a shortened version of a longer text. It keeps the basic  meaning of the text. It contains relevant facts and accurate information  from the text. It does not contain details from the text, for example, direct  quotations. 
In this section, you will learn the steps that will help you to write the  summary question in the exam: 

1. The exam summary
2. Writing a summary 
3. What is expected from you in the exam? 

1. The exam summary 

In the exam for Section B: Summary, you will be instructed to:  

• Read a text of about 250 words; 
• Write a summary of the text in point form. Write SEVEN points using no  more than 70 words in total. Make sure each point is numbered. 
• Write only one point per sentence. Each point must be a complete  sentence; 
• Not quote or copy sentences directly from the text. Use your own words,  as far as possible; and  
• Count your words when you are finished and write the total number of  words down underneath your summary.  

• Keep to the topic means  that you keep to the main idea or message in each of your seven points.
• Key words and key  sentences link to the main idea or topic in the  extract.

2. Writing a summary 

A good summary should contain seven correct points that keep to the  topic and are expressed clearly. You should use your own words, as  far as possible. Your summary should not contain grammar, spelling or  punctuation errors.  

Steps to writing a summary  in the exam 

There are five steps involved in answering a summary question in the exam. 

Step 1 - Read the question 

• Read the question carefully. The question will tell you what the summary  is about. 
• Look for the key words in the question. These will guide you so that you  know what information to look for in the text extract. 
• Read the instructions. 

Step 2 - Read the text extract 

• Read the text extract carefully. 
• Underline key sentences that are related to the topic in the question.  

Step 3 - Plan your summary 

• Look at the key sentences or phrases you have underlined. Make sure  that they focus on the topic. 
• Number each sentence to check that you have identified seven points.  

Step 4 - Draft and edit your summary

• Write a draft summary – your list of seven points – in your own words.
• Edit your work by correcting any errors.  
• Count the number of words to check whether you need to write more or  edit (cut) your text down. 

Step 5 - Write your final summary 

• Write your final summary of seven points. 
• Cross out your draft. 
• Count the number of words and write an accurate word count in brackets  at the end of your summary. 

Worked example: Summary 

• Read the question and  instructions carefully.

Here is an example of a summary question from a past exam  paper. Try to do the summary, following the steps on the next  page. When you have finished, compare your summary to the example on  page 18. 

Question 

The summer holidays are approaching. You have been asked to write a list  of SEVEN safety tips for this period. Use the following passage to compile  your list. 
Read the passage (TEXT C) below and write a list of SEVEN main points for  inclusion in your list. 

Instructions 

1. List SEVEN points in full sentences using NO MORE than 70 words.
2. Number your sentences from 1 to 7. 
3. Write only ONE point per sentence.
4. Use your OWN words.
5. Indicate the total number of words you have used in brackets at the  end of your summary. 

 TEXT C

Step 1: Read the question 

The question says: 
‘The summer holidays are approaching. You have been asked to write  a list of SEVEN safety tips for this period. Use the following passage to  compile your list.’ 
The key words in the question are safety tips. This will be the topic of your  summary. 

• Key words are words that  link to the main idea or topic  in the extract. 
• The topic in this extract  is safety tips.
• An imperative  sentence is an order or  instruction. “Sit!” is an  imperative sentence of just one word! 

Step 2: Read the text extract 

• Read the text extract carefully. 
• Underline key sentences that are related to safety tips. This has been  done in the extract on page 16 to show you how. 

Step 3: Plan your summary 

• Make sure each of the sentences focuses on safety tips. 
• Number the underlined sentences to check that you have identified  seven points. This has been done in the extract on page 16 to show you  how. 

Step 4: Draft and edit your summary 

• Write a draft summary – your list of seven points – in your own words
• Edit your work and correct any errors.  
• Count the number of words to check whether you need to write more or  cut down the number of words. 

Step 5: Write your final summary 

• Write your final summary of seven points. Number the points. Cross out  your draft.  
• Count the number of words and write an accurate word count at the end  of your summary. 
• The table below shows how the seven points identified in the text have  been rewritten in point form. The most important facts have been  drawn from the extract. It is an example of a good summary using the  imperative form. It has a total of 67 words. 

Answer to Worked example: Summary 

Summary total: 67 words

Activity 3 

Question 
Last year has been one of the most exciting yet stressful years of your  life. You have been asked to talk to your fellow learners at the next school  assembly on how to manage stress. 
Read the passage (TEXT C) below and write a list of SEVEN points for  inclusion in your talk. 

Instructions 

1. List SEVEN points in full sentences using NO MORE THAN 70 words
2. Number your sentences from 1 to 7. 
3. Write only ONE point per sentence.
4. Use your OWN words.
5. Indicate the total number of words you have used in brackets at the end  of your summary. 

Text C 

3. What is expected from you   in the exam?  

In the exam, the summary question is worth 10 marks out of 80 marks for  Paper 1.  
The examiners are looking for seven correct points that keep to the topic  and are expressed clearly, using your own words. They must not contain  grammar, spelling or punctuation errors. Each correct point will earn a  mark; and 3 marks will be given for correct language use. 
The exam is two hours long and you should spend about 30 minutes on  comment the summary. 

For more practice on summaries, go to these past exam papers: 

• November 2010, page 7, Question 3 
• November 2011, page 8, Question 2 
• Feb/March 2013, page 7, Question 2 

Remember practice makes perfect! Practise 

• The exam comprehension 
• Text A: Written extract
• Text B: Visual text
• What is expected from you in the exam? 

A comprehension tests your understanding of the meaning of a text or  message that you have read.  
In this section, you will learn the steps that will help you to answer the  comprehension question in the exam: 

1. The exam comprehension 
2. Text A: Written extract
3. Text B: Visual text
4. What is expected from you in the exam? 

1. The exam comprehension 

The comprehension question in the exam has two parts – Text A and  Text B:  

• Text A is a written extract. 
• Text B is a visual text. It includes a picture, for example, a photograph or  a drawing. It will also include some words linked to the picture. 

The exam questions based on these two texts will test your ability to: 

• Make sense of what you read and respond to it. 
• Understand the literal meaning; and the deeper, figurative meaning of  a text. 
• Understand the writer’s intention or purpose in writing the text. 
• Appreciate the text and reach conclusions by forming your own opinions  about the text. 
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the text in terms of its purpose. 

In this study guide, you will find examples of how to answer the  comprehension question based on the questions and answers from past  exam papers. You will be shown how to approach the exam question by: 

• Reading the exam instructions carefully so that you understand what  the examiner requires you to do. 
• Reading through an exam extract carefully so that you gain the most  understanding from it. 
• Reading the exam questions carefully so that you understand how to  answer them.  vocab 
  • Appreciate: To give an  opinion on a text based on your own view. 
  • Evaluate: To assess or  judge a text.

Steps to writing the  written comprehension  question
There are three main steps involved in writing a comprehension question  in the exam: 

2. Text A: Written extract 

The first part of the comprehension question is Text A. It includes a written  extract and questions. You will need to read the extract carefully and then  answer questions on it. When you answer the questions, follow this three step reading process: 

Step 1 - Skim and scan the text extract and questions 
Step 2 - Read the text carefully 
Step 3 - Answer the questions  

Remember to  read the exam  instructions  carefully.

Step 1 - Skim and scan the text and   questions 

Look over the text quickly (skim) to get an idea of what the text is about.  (Skim - To read through the text and the questions to quickly get an idea of what they are about)
Take note of things such as:  

• How many paragraphs there are in the extract; 
• The title of the extract, which may also offer a clue to the content of the  passage and the writer’s intention; 
• The headings and sub-headings; 
• Who wrote the text and where it came from, if this information is given;
• Key words and names;  
• Topic sentences; 
• Unfamiliar, unusual or difficult words;  
• The introductory paragraph – it often creates the atmosphere and  provides the setting for what is to follow; and 
• The final paragraph – it usually summarises the extract. 

Then, quickly look at (scan) the questions. This will give you an idea of  what kind of information to look for when you read the text again. Notice  things such as: (Scan - To look quickly through a text for specific information, for example, names of people and places.)

• Names of people or places; and 
• The question words and instructions. 

Spend about 5 minutes on Step 1 (for text A). 
A text can also  be called an extract or a passage in the exam.

Step 2 - Read the text carefully 

When you read the extract, take time to read it closely so that you  understand what you are reading. Once you have read the text, think about  the ‘W-H’ question words: who, what, where, when, why, how. 

• WHO are the characters (in a fiction text) or the people written about (in  a non-fiction text)? 
• WHAT is the main idea in the extract? 
• WHERE do the events in the extract take place? 
• WHEN do the events in the extract take place? 
• WHY has this text been written? 
• HOW does the writer express himself or herself? What type of language  has the writer used?  

As you read, consider both the literal and figurative meaning of words,  phrases and sentences. For example, ‘the story touched my soul’ does not  literally mean that a story touched your soul, but figuratively that it had an  emotional effect on you. 

Step 3 - Answer the questions 

Read the questions. As you read through them, jot down any answers  that immediately come into your mind in the ‘rough work section’ of your  answer book.  
Take a minute to think about what each question asks you to do. Here are  some tips for answering comprehension questions: 

• The mark allocation indicates the number of points required. For  example, if the question is for 2 marks, you need to make two points.  
• Look for the key words or topic sentence in each paragraph – it often  suggests what each paragraph is about. (Sometimes a paragraph does  not have a topic sentence.) 
• Do not copy directly from the text, unless you are asked to quote. Try to  answer the questions in your own words, using full sentences. 
• If you are asked to give a synonym or antonym of a word, use the same  part of speech and tense as the original word. For example, replace a  noun with a noun (joy – happiness); and a verb with a verb (look – stare;  looked – stared). 
• Avoid starting sentences with conjunctions such as “but” or “because”. 
• Do not confuse TRUE/FALSE questions with YES/NO questions. Do not  write T/F for TRUE/FALSE. Always back up a TRUE/FALSE or YES/NO  answer with a reason unless the question specifically says that all you  need to do is give the one-word answer. 
• When asked to quote a phrase, remember that a phrase refers to a  group of words without a verb, for example, ‘in the morning’. If asked to  quote consecutive words, keep to the required number of words. 

 Activity 1 

Text A 
The key words have been underlined in  the first five paragraphs  to show you how to  do this.
Read TEXT A and answer the questions that follow.

• Attention Deficit  Disorder (ADD): A  condition causing  people not to be  able to concentrate  on something for a  long period of time.
• HINT! When asked  to refer to a  paragraph, it means  you must go back to that paragraph in the extract to find the answer

1. Refer to paragraph 1. 

Who is responsible for giving the numbers of ‘orphaned or  vulnerable children’? (1) 

1.1. A large number of children are awaiting foster care or  adoption. Identify another social problem mentioned  in this paragraph. Do NOT quote. (1) 
1.2 Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence. 
By using the word ‘only’ in line 6, the writer is emphasising  that the number of children adopted is … 

1. 1. acceptable.
   2. too small.
   3. incorrect. 
   4. too large. (1)

2. Refer to paragraph 2. 

2.1 Using your OWN words, explain what is meant by the  you must go back to that  paragraph in the extract to  e.g. phrase ‘root cause’. Refer to BOTH words. (2)
2.2 Explain why the writer compares ‘a mended pair of  pants’ to children who ‘carry scars with them’. (2) 

3. Refer to paragraph 3. 
Quote FIVE consecutive words from the text that support the  idea that the children of House Jerome are satisfied. (1)
4. Refer to paragraph 4. 
Using your OWN words, say what Basil and Dehlia Fernie’s TWO  long-term aims are in providing shelter for abandoned children. (2) 
5. Refer to paragraph 5. 

5.1 Why is it important for the Fernies to have a good sense  of humour? (1)
5.2 Is the following statement TRUE or FALSE? Give a reason to  support your answer.  The Fernies do not have any children of their own. (2)

6. Refer to paragraph 6.  

6.1 Do you think the picture of the teddy bear on Fernie’s mug  is suitable? Give TWO reasons for your answer. (2) 
6.2 Write a synonym for ‘insane’ (line 28). (1) 

7. Refer to paragraph 7. 

7.1 What encouraged the Fernies to adopt Jerome? (1)
7.2 What was unusual about Jerome’s adoption? (1) 

8. Refer to paragraph 8. 

8.1 Write down any TWO difficulties Jerome has had to face  in his life. (2) 
8.2 In lines 41 – 42 it is stated: ‘… you cannot blame rejection  for a child’s wrongdoings’. Do you agree? Give a reason to support your answer. (2) 

9. This passage does not have a title. 

9.1 Provide a suitable title of no more that SIX words for this  passage. (1) 
9.2 Explain why you have chosen this particular title. (2)  [25] 

ANSWERS TO ACTIVITY 1:

HINT

• To answer  question 2.2, you  must not copy sentences directly from the  text. Your “OWN words” does  not mean your own opinion.  It means you must re-write  the text according to how you  understand it.
• A TRUE or FALSE answer must  always be supported by a strong  reason. If you only write the  word TRUE or FALSE, you will  get no marks.
• Any Two of these answers to question  8 will earn you 2  marks. e.g. 

HINT! 

• These are  examples of the  types of answers  that will earn you marks
• When you are asked for your opinion,  you can agree OR disagree  with the question. You  must also give a reason for your answer.
• For more practice on writing comprehensions, go to these past exam  papers: 
  • November 2010, page 3, Question 1 
  • November 2011, page 3, Question 1
  • November 2012, page 3, 

3. Text B: Visual text 

• A visual text is a picture or  image that is linked to words.
• Facial expression: How people’s faces show  emotion, for example, a  smile shows happiness.
• Body language: How  people move, stand or sit,  and what they do with their  hands to show how they  feel. 
• Gesture: How people use  their hands to show emotion  or to emphasise what they  are saying. 

The second part of the comprehension question is Text B. Text B is a visual text – it has a picture and some text, followed by some questions.  

Steps to writing the visual  comprehension question in  the exam 

When you read a visual text, follow these steps: 

Step 1 - Look at the picture 

Look at ALL the details in the picture. For example: 

• What is the content of the picture? If there are people in the picture,  what are they doing? Where are they? 
• The facial expressions of the people in the picture; 
• The body language of the people in the picture; 
• The gestures the people are using in the picture; 
• The use of light and darkness in the picture; 
• The positioning of each part of the picture – what is in the front,  background or centre of the picture?; and 
• Think about the mood created by the picture. 

Look at the  picture (Link the picture and the words ) Read the  words 

Step 2 - Read the words and link them   to the picture 

Read the words in the heading of the picture and the words below the  picture. 

• Look at the picture again. 
• Think about how the words support what you see in the picture. 

Step 3 - Answer the questions 

Read the questions for Text B and answer them. 

 Activity 2 

Look closely at the image and the text below, and then answer the  questions that follow.  

Text B 

• In Text B,  the words and the  picture are always  linked. 
• To answer  question 1, write  down the question  number and the correct  letter and/or words. 
• Remember practice makes perfect! Practise  writing comprehensions to  do well in the exam.

Questions 

1. Refer to the following: 
‘… you can tackle challenges head-on.’ 
The word ‘head-on’, in the context of TEXT B, means … 

1. facing challenges directly.
2. hitting challenges with your head.
3. thinking about challenges often.
4. avoiding challenges. (1)

2. In your OWN words, explain what is meant by ‘journey to  confidence’. (2)
3. How is the idea of self-confidence supported by the picture? (2)  [5] 

• ‘Head-on’ is a  saying or idiom.  It means to face  something directly

4. What is expected from you   in the exam?  

In the exam, the comprehension question is worth 30 marks out of 80  marks for Paper 1. You must answer both parts of the comprehension  question – Text A and Text B.  
Text A is an extract of between 600 and 700 words. You will need to read the extract carefully and then answer the questions based on the extract. 
Text A is worth 24 marks. 
Text B is a visual text. It includes a picture, for example, a photograph or a  drawing. It will also include some words related to the picture.  
Text B is worth 6 marks. 
The exam is two hours long and your should spend about 50 minutes on  the comprehension question. 

For more practice on visual comprehensions, go to these past exam  papers: 

• November 2011, page 6, Question 1  
• November 2012, page 6, Question 1 
• Feb/March 2013, page 6, Question 1 

OVERVIEW OF THE ENGLISH FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
ENGLISH FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
PAPER 1
STUDY GUIDE AND NOTES
GRADE 12

The Paper 1 exam is two hours long. You must answer ALL the questions  in the exam paper. 
Here is a summary of the three sections you will need to complete in the  Paper 1: Language in Context exam: 

It is recommended that you spend the following amount of time on each  section: 

• Section 1: Comprehension 50 minutes
• Section B: Summary 30 minutes
• Section C: Language structures and conventions 40 minutes 

Manage your  time so that you  answer all the  questions.

Question words  

Here are examples of question types found in the exam.

words to know

100 most commonly used English words 

This is a useful list of words to learn that will boost your English vocabulary and help you with  writing and reading. These words make up about half of all written texts! 
Knowing these words will also help you to read faster and understand more. 
You will be able to identify them quickly in any text and then have more time to focus on the  words you don’t know. 

words to know

The table below shows how the 100 words are used: 

words to know

These are useful words for you to learn for the Language in Context exam. 

• abbreviation – a shortened version of  a word (e.g., prof (professor); doc  (doctor))
• acronym – a word made up from  the first letters of the name of  something (e.g., SARS (South  African Revenue Service))
• active voice – the subject of the  sentence does the action (e.g.,  Sipho threw the ball)
• adjective - the part of speech used to  describe a person, place or thing  (e.g., The old, gray cat slept in a  warm basket.)
• adverb – the part of speech which  describes a verb (e.g., The old man  walked slowly.)
• alliteration – the use of several words  that begin with the same sound or  letter in succession (e.g., silvery  snakes slide swiftly)
• allusion – writing or speaking that  mentions a subject, person, etc.  indirectly (e.g., Some members of  the class seem to think rules don’t  apply to them.)
• ambiguity – a possible double  meaning which may make a  message unclear when used by  mistake (e.g., The lady hit the man  with the umbrella.)
• analyse – to look closely at a text so  that you notice everything about  the way in which it has been  written
• anecdote – a short story based on  personal experience
• antonym – a word that is opposite in  meaning to another word in the  same language (e.g., tall is an  antonym of short)
• appreciation – an understanding  of the importance or meaning of  something, such as a piece of  writing
• appropriate – correct or suitable  for a particular time, situation, or  purpose
• assonance – repetition of vowel  sounds in two or more words to  create effect (e.g., slow boats float  on the ocean)
• assumptions – something that you  think is true although you have no  definite proof bias – an opinion about whether  something is good or bad which  influences how you feel towards it
• caricature – a cartoon type drawing  of a well-known person which  exaggerates their most obvious  features (e.g., Barack Obama with  big ears)
• cartoon – a drawing, which may  include words, which is meant to  be amusing
• clause – a group of words which  contains a finite verb. A sentence  is made up of one or more clauses.
• coherent – something which  makes logical sense (e.g., a  coherent paragraph has a clear  development of ideas)
• cohesive – a cohesive answer or text  is one which flows and where all  ideas hold together
• colloquial – language or words  that are used mainly in informal  conversations rather than in  writing or formal speech (e.g.,  How’re you doing? rather than the  formal, How are you?) 
• comic strip – a series of pictures  or drawings which tell a funny or  interesting story
• concord – the agreement of subject  and verb. If a subject is singular,  the verb must be singular (e.g.,  The team has new members). If a  subject is plural, the verb must be  plural (e.g., The teams have new  members).
• conjunction – the part of speech  which is used to join ideas (e.g.,  and, but, or)
• connotation – the feelings attached  to the meaning of words (e.g.,  holiday has positive feelings  attached to it; murder has feelings  of fear and negativity) 
• context – the part of a text which  surrounds a word and gives it  meaning (e.g., The judge had  a grave look on his face as he  sentenced the prisoner. The  context of “grave” tells the reader  which meaning “grave” has in this  sentence.)
• denotation – the literal meaning of  a word; the definition given by a  dictionary
• direct speech – the exact words  someone says. These should be  written in inverted commas (e.g.,  “I am ready to write my exams,”  Thabo said.)
• edit – to read over carefully what has  been written, to improve the style  and correct errors
• emotive – emotive language is  language which arouses strong  feelings
• euphemism – a polite word or  expression that you use instead  of a more direct one to avoid  shocking or upsetting someone  (e.g. Pass away is a euphemism  for die)
• evaluate – to judge the value or worth  of something, taking into account  the information and experience  which you have
• exaggerate – to describe something  as greater or larger than it really  is (e.g., His shoes must have cost  millions.) 
• explicit – clearly or directly stated  (the opposite of implicit)
• figurative – language which  describes things by using figures of  speech (e.g., similes, metaphors,  alliteration. Figurative expressions  are descriptive and not literal.)
• font – the style and size in which a  text is printed
• homonym – a word which has both  the same sound and spelling 
• as another word but a different  meaning (e.g., the noun bear and  the verb to bear)
• homophone – a word which sounds  the same as another but is spelled  differently and has a different  meaning (e.g., one and won)
• hyperbole – an big exaggeration (e.g.,  He ate a mountain of food.)
• image – a picture. An image can also  be a picture created by words. 
• imagery – lively, detailed description  through which writers share their  ideas
• impact – the effect or influence that  an event, situation etc. has on  someone or something
• imply (implied – past tense) –  suggest, but not to state directly  (e.g., He was in the room when  your bag went missing.)
• infer – to form an opinion about  something; to draw a conclusion  from the information which is  available (e.g., If he does not  answer your call, you can infer that  he does not want to speak to you.) inference – an opinion based on the  information available (e.g. If you  do not attend soccer practice,  the inference amongst the other  players will be that you do not care  about the team.)
• interpret – to explain the meaning of  something in your own words (e.g.,  “You must interpret the meaning  of line 2 of the poem”, the teacher  told the class.)
• irony – something which is the  opposite of what is expected  (e.g. She found maths difficult at  school, so it is an irony that she is  now an accountant.) 
• key words – the most important  words in a piece of writing.  You may be asked to underline  key words to improve your  understanding of a passage.
• literal – the exact, straightforward  meaning of something 
• literacy – the ability to read and write logo – a symbol which belongs to a  certain product (e.g., each make of  car has its own symbol)
• metaphor – a direct comparison; like  or as are not used (e.g., Themba is  a lion in battle.) 
• noun – the part of speech which  names a person, place or thing  (e.g., Angela wore a hat to the  party.)
• onomatopoeia – words which sound  like what they describe (e.g., a  brush swishes, a cow moos)
• oxymoron – words which seem to  contradict each other are used to  describe something (e.g., Being  sent to prison for life must feel like  a living death.)
• passive voice – the object of a  sentence becomes the subject  (e.g., The ball was thrown by Sipho,  instead of Sipho threw the ball.)
• personification – something which is  not human is described in human  terms for effect (e.g., The sun  smiled when it looked down at the  earth.)
• phrase – a group of words which  do not contain a finite verb (e.g.,  The yellow car). A sentence has  phrases in it.
• point of view – a particular way  of thinking about or judging  a situation (e.g., From an  economic point of view, the new  development will benefit the  town greatly.); also someone’s  personal opinion or attitude about  something (e.g., I respect your  point of view, but I’m not sure I  agree with you.)
• prefix – a syllable added to the  beginning of a root word to change  the meaning of the original word  (e.g., co-operate, preview). Prefixes  are often used to create opposites  (e.g., disappoint, unhappy)
• prejudice – an opinion already  formed; bias (e.g., It is prejudiced  to expect all nurses to be women.)
• preposition – the part of speech  which shows the link between two  things (e.g. The basket is on/over/ under/beside the chair.)
• pronoun – the part of speech which  takes the place of a noun (e.g.,  John loves Martha – He loves her)
• pun – a play on words (e.g., Seven  days without water makes a  person weak. “Weak” is a play on  “week”, which has seven days.) reflect – to think carefully about  something (e.g., When I reflect on how I behaved at school, I feel  ashamed.)
• register – the use of a different  language style to suit different  speakers and audiences.  Language can be formal (e.g.,  How do you do?) or informal (e.g.,  Hi/Howzit) depending on who  is speaking and who is being  addressed.
• root word – a word before it has had  a prefix or suffix added to it
• sarcasm – speaking or writing using  expressions which clearly mean  the opposite of what is felt in  order to be unkind or offensive  in an amusing way (e.g., saying  to someone who has arrived at a  meeting very late, “So good of you  to come.”)
• scan – to run one’s eyes over a text in  order to find specific information  (e.g., you scan a telephone  directory for a name and number,  or a timetable for the time of a  train or bus)
• simile – a comparison using ‘like’ or  ‘as’ (e.g., He ran like the wind. He  is as brave as a lion.)
• skim – to read a text very quickly to  get an overview (e.g., skim the  newspaper headlines for the main  news)
• slogan – a well-known saying which  belongs to a certain product  (e.g., ‘finger lickin’ good’ is KFC’s  slogan)
• suffix - a small word added to the  end of a root word to change the  meaning of the original word (e.g.,  helpless, manager)
• stereotype – a fixed (and often  biased) view about what a  particular type of person is like  (e.g., the stereotype of a rugby  player is of a big, strong man).  Stereotypes can be dangerous  when all members of a particular  group are regarded in the same  negative way (e.g., foreigners)
• symbol – something which stands for  or represents something else (e.g.,  a dove is a symbol of peace)
• synonym – a word which has the  same meaning or nearly the same  meaning as another word in the  same language (e.g., big and large are synonyms)
• target market – a group of people an  advertisement aims to attract as  customers
• text – a written text is a piece of  writing. A visual text conveys  a message through pictures,  diagrams etc. 
• tone – the emotional message in a  text (e.g., The tone of the letter is  angry and critical.) 
• verb – the part of speech which  describes doing (e.g., to play, to  fight) or being (e.g., to be, to seem)
• visual literacy – the ability to see  and find meaning in pictures,  photographs, diagrams, etc.