English Section A

1. Outline concisely: 

  • what you learn about black bears
  • the different thoughts and feelings Guy Grieve experiences during his encounter with the bear

2. How does Guy Grieve use language to make the account with the bear so terrifying? Refer closely to the passage

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  • Created by: Ella
  • Created on: 27-05-13 18:35

- What you learn about black bears

How to answer:

  • Identify key words in the question, what is it asking you to do?
  • Read the article carefully 
  • Annotate and underline any relevent details - annotate in detail, any notes that are relevent 
  • NO QUOATATIONS!
  • Write response 

Notes part 1:

  • Question is asking you to summerise what you find out about black bears from the article
  • They approach slowly, sedately and stealthily / can move with explosive speed / masters of the dark / huge black bear / eyesight is very poor, rely on smell / moves with speed 
  • From the article you learn that black bears are very big and heavy and can move with great speed. You learn that they rely on smell, because their eyesight is poor. 
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giihohiho

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Notes part 2

Notes part 2:

  • Question is asking what the thoughts and feelings of Guy Grieve were during his encounter with the bear
  • my heart jumped into my mouth / shivering hand / light-headed with relief / i felt like the most fortunate man alive 
  • Guy Grieve felt terrified during the encounter with the bear, he was shocked and scared when he first saw the bear, and was shaking with fear. Grieve felt light-headed with relief when he thought that the bear had retreated back to the trees, and when the bear finally left, he expressed his upmost relief, saying that he felt like the most forntunate man alive. 
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Analysis

2. How does Guy Grieve use language to make the account of his encounter with the bear so terrifying?

Include: 

  • Imagery 
  • Onomatopoeia 
  • Vivid, dramatic language 
  • Variety of sentance length
  • Description of senses
  • Repetition of ideas 
  • Question is asking you to analyse how Grieve uses language and vocabulary to make his encounter seem so frightening 
  • 70 stone killing machine /  huge killer / my heart jumped into my nouth / powerful animal charging (towards me) / speed and agility of a cat / most fortunate man alive 
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Analysis continued

  • What is the writer trying to communicate to the audience? How is he achieving this?
  • How does the writer communicate his terror to make his experience so firghtening?
  • Guy Grieve uses dramatic language, imagery, variety of sentance lengths, description of senses and repetition of ideas to emphasise his terrifying encounter with the bear. Grieve describes the bear as a '70-stone killing machine', the use of imagery here suggests that the bear is almost robotic in it's killing, and it's automatic instinct is to kill. The verb 'to kill' implies that the bear will stop at nothing, and will deprive you of existence, unlike the 'cuddly' crreature that you might imagine. Grieve illustrated his terror of the bear further when he said his 'heart jumped into his mouth'. The vivid image here conveys Grieve's sheer fear of the bear, the peronification of the heart implies that even the most important organ in the body is afraid of the bear. He communiactes his fright further with the repetition of the adjective 'huge', this accentuates the size of the bear which makes his account seem more terrifying, because the bear is so colossal. 
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