1. National 5 English – RUAE
Analysis Questions

2. Paper 1 Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation - One hour
The exam
Paper 1 Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation - One hour
Single passage- Non-fiction
30 marks

3. What is analysis
Understanding is thinking carefully about making sense of the text and the writer's ideas. In other words, you focus on what the writer is saying.
Analysis is thinking carefully about the language choices the writer has made when writing the text, such as the vocabulary they choose and how they structure their ideas. In other words, you focus on how the writer has expressed her or his ideas.
Evaluation is thinking carefully about the effectiveness of both ideas and language, making up your own mind about whether the writing convinces us about an opinion or an argument, gets information across well, or succeeds in entertaining us. In other words, you focus on how well the writing achieves its purpose.

4. More difficult questions Pupils gain fewer marks
Why focus on analysis?
More difficult questions
Pupils gain fewer marks
/30 marks were analysis
/30 marks were analysis

5. General “use of language” highlights that this is analysis
What the questions look like
2016
Look at lines 7–8, and then, by referring to one example, explain fully how the writer’s use of language makes it clear that Frozen is successful.
General “use of language” highlights that this is analysis
The question directs us to the idea and therefore we have to make sure that we answer on this aspect only – the idea of success. Be aware that a paragraph can have several ideas

6. What the questions look like
2016
Look at lines 42–47, and then explain fully how two examples of the writer’s word choice make it clear that Elsa is not just “doe-eyed and partial to shiny dresses”.
Identified technique “word choice” highlights that this is analysis and that only this technique should be considered
The question directs us to the idea and we have to focus only on this idea.

7. What the questions look like
2016
Look at lines 62–69, by referring to two examples, explain fully how the writer makes effective use of contrast in these paragraphs. You could refer to sentence structure, tone or word choice.
Identified techniques highlights that this is analysis and that only these techniques should be considered
The question simply asks for contrast. This must mean that we deal with two completely contrasting ideas

8. SELECT QUOTATION OR REFERENCE (1)
How to answer
IDENTIFY TECHNIQUE (0)
SELECT QUOTATION OR REFERENCE (1)
PROVIDE ANALYTICAL COMMENT WHICH ADDRESSES THE QUESTION (1)

9. Analysis – How the Writer Uses language to make her or his points
The techniques
Analysis – How the Writer Uses language to make her or his points
Word Choice
Imagery
Sentence Structure
Tone

10. Word Choice
A skeleton found beneath a Leicester car park in 2013 was confirmed as that of English king Richard III. Richard was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 and the location of his body had remained unknown until this miraculous find. The bones were found in the first days of the dig and were eventually excavated under forensic conditions. Richard reigned for only 26 months and he was the last English king to die in battle.
How does the word choice suggest that it was unlikely that the grave would ever be found? (2)

11. Word Choice
A skeleton found beneath a Leicester car park in 2013 was confirmed as that of English king Richard III. Richard was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 and the location of his body had remained unknown until this miraculous find. The bones were found in the first days of the dig and were eventually excavated under forensic conditions. Richard reigned for only 26 months and he was the last English king to die in battle.
How does the word choice suggest that it was unlikely that the grave would ever be found? (2)
The writer tells you that the body had not been found for over 500 years.

12. Word Choice
A skeleton found beneath a Leicester car park in 2013 was confirmed as that of English king Richard III. Richard was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 and the location of his body had remained unknown until this miraculous find. The bones were found in the first days of the dig and were eventually excavated under forensic conditions. Richard reigned for only 26 months and he was the last English king to die in battle.
How does the word choice suggest that it was unlikely that the grave would ever be found? (2)
The writer tells you that the body had not been found for over 500 years.
O marks awarded. This has been answered as an understanding question. There is no element of analysis.

13. Word Choice
A skeleton found beneath a Leicester car park in 2013 was confirmed as that of English king Richard III. Richard was killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 and the location of his body had remained unknown until this miraculous find. The bones were found in the first days of the dig and were eventually excavated under forensic conditions. Richard reigned for only 26 months and he was the last English king to die in battle.
How does the word choice suggest that it was unlikely that the grave would ever be found? (2)
The writer’s word choice of “miraculous” to describe the find suggests it is unlikely. A miracle is a rare event and one that cannot be explained by normal processes. Therefore it is unlikely.
1 mark for selection of the word.
1 mark for explaining how the meaning of the word contributes to the idea.

14. Word Choice
Greyfriars Church, where Richard was buried was demolished during the Reformation in the 16th Century and over the following centuries its exact location was forgotten. However, a team of enthusiasts and historians managed to trace the likely area but it had been extensively built over with modern buildings and a car park. Crucially, after painstaking genealogical research, they found a 17th-generation descendant of Richard's sister with whose DNA they could compare any remains.
Comment on how the word choice emphasises the difficulty in proving that the skeleton was Richard III’s. (2)

15. Word Choice
Greyfriars Church, where Richard was buried was demolished during the Reformation in the 16th Century and over the following centuries its exact location was forgotten. However, a team of enthusiasts and historians managed to trace the likely area but it had been extensively built over with modern buildings and a car park. Crucially, after painstaking genealogical research, they found a 17th-generation descendant of Richard's sister with whose DNA they could compare any remains.
Comment on how the word choice emphasises the difficulty in proving that the skeleton was Richard III’s. (2)

16. Word Choice
Greyfriars Church, where Richard was buried was demolished during the Reformation in the 16th Century and over the following centuries its exact location was forgotten. However, a team of enthusiasts and historians managed to trace the likely area but it had been extensively built over with modern buildings and a car park. Crucially, after painstaking genealogical research, they found a 17th-generation descendant of Richard's sister with whose DNA they could compare any remains.
Comment on how the word choice emphasises the difficulty in proving that the skeleton was Richard III’s. (2)
- NB make sure that you answer the question. The idea of “tracing” the site means that the site was hard to find. Similarly, “extensively” refers to why it was hard to find.
- The word in relation to the proving that the skeleton was Richard is “painstaking”. This has connotations of intense, time-consuming research into the genealogical element (searching his family tree).

17. Word Choice
As the voice of Elsa the ice queen in Frozen, the most successful animated film of all time, who sang its ubiquitous Oscar-winning Let It Go (more than three million copies sold in America alone), she has a more than passing acquaintance with anthems.
The stratospheric success of Frozen — with takings of more than £800 million, it’s No 5 in the all-time list of highest-grossing films — has elevated her into a new league.
By referring to one example, explain fully how the writer’s word choice makes it clear that Frozen is successful. (2)

18. Word Choice
As the voice of Elsa the ice queen in Frozen, the most successful animated film of all time, who sang its ubiquitous Oscar-winning Let It Go (more than three million copies sold in America alone), she has a more than passing acquaintance with anthems.
The stratospheric success of Frozen — with takings of more than £800 million, it’s No 5 in the all-time list of highest-grossing films — has elevated her into a new league.
By referring to one example, explain fully how the writer’s word choice makes it clear that Frozen is successful. (2)
NOT use of statistics
NOT “successful”

19. Imagery
 Imagery questions test your ability to understand, analyse and - often - evaluate a piece of figurative language.
Questions on imagery with generally be for 2 marks, although sometimes a third mark may be available for stating what the meaning of the image (ie. what two things are being compared). The formula below may help you to answer these types of questions.
________________ is being compared to ___________________
This is effective because just as ‘________’ suggests _______________
So too __________________________________

20. Imagery
It is only when a superstition begins to compromise our deeper goals and aspirations that we have moved along the spectrum of irrationality far enough to risk a diagnosis of obsessive compulsive disorder. Take Kolo Touré, the former Arsenal defender, who insists on being the last player to leave the dressing room after the half-time break. No real problem, you might think, except that when William Gallas, his team-mate, was injured and needed treatment at half-time during a match, Touré stayed in the dressing room until Gallas had been treated, forcing Arsenal to start the second half with only nine players.
Explain how effective you find the image of “spectrum” as a way of illustrating people’s “irrationality”. (2)

21. Imagery
It is only when a superstition begins to compromise our deeper goals and aspirations that we have moved along the spectrum of irrationality far enough to risk a diagnosis of obsessive compulsive disorder. Take Kolo Touré, the former Arsenal defender, who insists on being the last player to leave the dressing room after the half-time break. No real problem, you might think, except that when William Gallas, his team-mate, was injured and needed treatment at half-time during a match, Touré stayed in the dressing room until Gallas had been treated, forcing Arsenal to start the second half with only nine players.
Explain how effective you find the image of “spectrum” as a way of illustrating people’s “irrationality”. (2)
Answer
The variety of superstitions that exist is being compared to a spectrum
This is effective because just as a ‘spectrum’ suggests a wide range of colours
So too there are a wide range of different severities of superstitious beliefs

22. Imagery
In the mid-eighteenth century, coal, water-power and the harnessing of steam came together in the middle of Britain and the Industrial revolution was born. The Age of Steam brought hideous changes to the countryside. The green skin was ripped away to get at the coal beneath. The mines spewed out ghastly slag heaps. Towns and factories spread out into the fields, polluting the streams and poisoning the air. Canals were dug, farms were mechanised, the railways opened, and man’s progress, until now geared to the pace of the horse, spurted forward. The destruction of the countryside had begun.
Explain how imagery is used to create a negative view of the industrial process.
(2)

23. Imagery
In the mid-eighteenth century, coal, water-power and the harnessing of steam came together in the middle of Britain and the Industrial revolution was born. The Age of Steam brought hideous changes to the countryside. The green skin was ripped away to get at the coal beneath. The mines spewed out ghastly slag heaps. Towns and factories spread out into the fields, polluting the streams and poisoning the air. Canals were dug, farms were mechanised, the railways opened, and man’s progress, until now geared to the pace of the horse, spurted forward. The destruction of the countryside had begun.
Explain how imagery is used to create a negative view of the industrial process.
(2)
 Find images

24. Imagery
In the mid-eighteenth century, coal, water-power and the harnessing of steam came together in the middle of Britain and the Industrial revolution was born. The Age of Steam brought hideous changes to the countryside. The green skin was ripped away to get at the coal beneath. The mines spewed out ghastly slag heaps. Towns and factories spread out into the fields, polluting the streams and poisoning the air. Canals were dug, farms were mechanised, the railways opened, and man’s progress, until now geared to the pace of the horse, spurted forward. The destruction of the countryside had begun.
Explain how imagery is used to create a negative view of the industrial process.
(2)
 Find images
Which images can be used to answer the question?

25. Word choice or Imagery?
As the voice of Elsa the ice queen in Frozen, the most successful animated film of all time, who sang its ubiquitous Oscar-winning Let It Go (more than three million copies sold in America alone), she has a more than passing acquaintance with anthems.
The stratospheric success of Frozen — with takings of more than £800 million, it’s No 5 in the all-time list of highest-grossing films — has elevated her into a new league.
Find images

26. Word choice or Imagery?
As the voice of Elsa the ice queen in Frozen, the most successful animated film of all time, who sang its ubiquitous Oscar-winning Let It Go (more than three million copies sold in America alone), she has a more than passing acquaintance with anthems.
The stratospheric success of Frozen — with takings of more than £800 million, it’s No 5 in the all-time list of highest-grossing films — has elevated her into a new league.
Find images
If the question says “use of language… refer to more than one technique” then take a close look. Were any of the examples that you set out as word choice “images”?

27. Analyse how the writer creates tone.
What is the subject being discussed?
What is the writer’s attitude?
Explanation of how language helps create that attitude

28. Tone

29. Tone
Families sit between a rock and a hard place when they make decisions about when to go on holiday. Do they choose to be ripped off and pay at least 30 per cent more for their break by taking it during the designated school holidays? Or do they make considerable savings to hard-earned family budgets by going away during term-time, swimming against the tide of government clampdowns, which recently led to Laura Nolan, an English parent, being taken to court by her local authority and fined more than £400?
While brutal action has not yet been taken against Scottish parents, the Scottish Government strategy – to introduce strict procedures for monitoring attendance and absence – does not appear to be acting as a deterrent. In 2014/15, 139,000 children were taken off school to go on holiday. Designated as “unauthorised absences”, these involved 19 per cent of all local authority pupils, who were off for an average of five days.

30. Tone TOPIC and SUBJECTS
Families sit between a rock and a hard place when they make decisions about when to go on holiday. Do they choose to be ripped off and pay at least 30 per cent more for their break by taking it during the designated school holidays? Or do they make considerable savings to hard-earned family budgets by going away during term-time, swimming against the tide of government clampdowns, which recently led to Laura Nolan, an English parent, being taken to court by her local authority and fined more than £400?
While brutal action has not yet been taken against Scottish parents, the Scottish Government strategy – to introduce strict procedures for monitoring attendance and absence – does not appear to be acting as a deterrent. In 2014/15, 139,000 children were taken off school to go on holiday. Designated as “unauthorised absences”, these involved 19 per cent of all local authority pupils, who were off for an average of five days.
TOPIC and SUBJECTS
TOPIC – taking children out of school during term-time
SUBJECTS
Parents who take children out of school for holidays
UK Government
Scottish Government
Local Authorities (England and Scotland)

31. Tone
Families sit between a rock and a hard place when they make decisions about when to go on holiday. Do they choose to be ripped off and pay at least 30 per cent more for their break by taking it during the designated school holidays? Or do they make considerable savings to hard-earned family budgets by going away during term-time, swimming against the tide of government clampdowns, which recently led to Laura Nolan, an English parent, being taken to court by her local authority and fined more than £400?
While brutal action has not yet been taken against Scottish parents, the Scottish Government strategy – to introduce strict procedures for monitoring attendance and absence – does not appear to be acting as a deterrent. In 2014/15, 139,000 children were taken off school to go on holiday. Designated as “unauthorised absences”, these involved 19 per cent of all local authority pupils, who were off for an average of five days.
Identify the writer’s attitude to parents and explain how language helps create her tone. (3)

32. Tone
Families sit between a rock and a hard place when they make decisions about when to go on holiday. Do they choose to be ripped off and pay at least 30 per cent more for their break by taking it during the designated school holidays? Or do they make considerable savings to hard-earned family budgets by going away during term-time, swimming against the tide of government clampdowns, which recently led to Laura Nolan, an English parent, being taken to court by her local authority and fined more than £400?
While brutal action has not yet been taken against Scottish parents, the Scottish Government strategy – to introduce strict procedures for monitoring attendance and absence – does not appear to be acting as a deterrent. In 2014/15, 139,000 children were taken off school to go on holiday. Designated as “unauthorised absences”, these involved 19 per cent of all local authority pupils, who were off for an average of five days.
Identify the writer’s attitude to parents and explain how language helps create her tone. (3)
Tone supportive/ sympathetic
Imagery/ Word-choice
The writer is supportive of parents and adopts a sympathetic tone to their case. By using the word choice of “ripped off” she suggests that travel companies deliberately increase prices and manipulate parents. It creates sympathy because it suggests they are victims or being used.

33. Tone
Families sit between a rock and a hard place when they make decisions about when to go on holiday. Do they choose to be ripped off and pay at least 30 per cent more for their break by taking it during the designated school holidays? Or do they make considerable savings to hard-earned family budgets by going away during term-time, swimming against the tide of government clampdowns, which recently led to Laura Nolan, an English parent, being taken to court by her local authority and fined more than £400?
While brutal action has not yet been taken against Scottish parents, the Scottish Government strategy – to introduce strict procedures for monitoring attendance and absence – does not appear to be acting as a deterrent. In 2014/15, 139,000 children were taken off school to go on holiday. Designated as “unauthorised absences”, these involved 19 per cent of all local authority pupils, who were off for an average of five days.
Identify the writer’s attitude to governments or local authorities and explain how language helps create her tone. (3)
CRITICAL or SCATHING

34. Sentence Construction
You should be aware of the different types of sentence structure. There is generally no need to quote directly when discussing sentence structure - a clear explanation of the structural device being used will do fine.
Long and complex/short simple sentences
Complex sentences may mimic complex ideas; short sentences have impact
Repetition of words or phrases
Repeated ideas will be emphasised or spotlighted
List
Provides detail, complexity, etc.
Climax / anticlimax following a list
Creates suspense/shows easing of tension
Questions / exclamations / commands
Achieve a particular tone, e.g. emotive (arousing strong feelings)
Sentences without verbs (minor sentences)
Create a colloquial (informal) style or build tension
Unusual word order, e.g. inversion
Alters emphasis; may build tension
Sentences with symmetrical pattern of structure but with contrasting (opposite) ideas
Provide contrast
Parenthesis
Adds extra information, comment or clarification

35. Sentence Construction
Punctuation is often a good signpost for sentence structure, so you should also remember the ‘jobs’ done by the different kinds of punctuation.
Commas
Separate items in a list or clauses in a sentence
Pairs of brackets, dashes or commas
Create parenthesis (see above)
Colon (or dash)
Introduces a list, example, explanation or quotation
Semi-colon
Separate complex items in a list (usually a very long list); separate two distinct, but connected, sentences
Inverted commas
Indicate quotation or speech; sometimes used to indicate irony

36. Sentence Construction
Families sit between a rock and a hard place when they make decisions about when to go on holiday. Do they choose to be ripped off and pay at least 30 per cent more for their break by taking it during the designated school holidays? Or do they make considerable savings to hard-earned family budgets by going away during term-time, swimming against the tide of government clampdowns, which recently led to Laura Nolan, an English parent, being taken to court by her local authority and fined more than £400?
While brutal action has not yet been taken against Scottish parents, the Scottish Government strategy – to introduce strict procedures for monitoring attendance and absence – does not appear to be acting as a deterrent. In 2014/15, 139,000 children were taken off school to go on holiday. Designated as “unauthorised absences”, these involved 19 per cent of all local authority pupils, who were off for an average of five days.
Identify the writer’s sentence structure helps present her ideas. (4)
IDENTIFICATION OF SENTENCE FEATURE
COMMENT WHICH ANSWERS QUESTION

37. Sentence Construction
Families sit between a rock and a hard place when they make decisions about when to go on holiday. Do they choose to be ripped off and pay at least 30 per cent more for their break by taking it during the designated school holidays? Or do they make considerable savings to hard-earned family budgets by going away during term-time, swimming against the tide of government clampdowns, which recently led to Laura Nolan, an English parent, being taken to court by her local authority and fined more than £400?
While brutal action has not yet been taken against Scottish parents, the Scottish Government strategy – to introduce strict procedures for monitoring attendance and absence – does not appear to be acting as a deterrent. In 2014/15, 139,000 children were taken off school to go on holiday. Designated as “unauthorised absences”, these involved 19 per cent of all local authority pupils, who were off for an average of five days.
Identify the writer’s sentence structure helps present her ideas. (4)
The first rhetorical question ask us to consider the financial reasons why parents need to take their children out of school.
The parenthesis adds extra information about the government’s policy which is to be more thorough in gathering statistics.

38. Sentence Construction
Idina Menzel is certainly aware of the value of appearing in “several zeitgeist-y things across different generations: from Rent to Wicked, Glee to Frozen”. There’s a ‘through line’ between those four, she thinks: they all resonate with young people and “people who are trying to find themselves. I’m proud of that. I’m not sure why that’s become the pattern for me — maybe it’s because I have as much to learn myself”.
Our time is almost up. I’m allowed to ask one more (burning) question. Does she have her own Elsa dress, the must-have wardrobe item for girls across the western world? “No I do not!” she laughs.
So she doesn’t ever have the urge to indulge her inner ice queen and don the full regalia?
“Nah, I don’t look that good as a blonde. The waistline, though — that would be fun.” Part of me suspects that she’d also quite enjoy ruling over her own wintry kingdom.
By referring to two examples, explain fully how the writer makes effective use of contrast in these paragraphs. You could refer to sentence structure, tone or word choice (4)

39. Reading Practice

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