Welcome!

This web page covers the reading skills required in the HKDSE English Language Paper 1 (Reading). Read this web page thoroughly if you face any difficulties when answering questions in the Reading Paper. Click the buttons on the menu to start!

Specific Factual Information Questions

Specific Factual Information Questions are usually the easiest questions in DSE. They are between Level 2 to 4 in terms of difficulty. While you may be able to directly copy words or phrases from the text as the answers to these questions, you need to know how to locate the words or phrases needed because the exam setters often use synonyms when forming these questions. Also, you should be prepared to replace the pronouns in your answers with their referents in order to make the meaning of the answers complete.

Type 1: Specific factual information

Give TWO examples of mental illnesses mentioned in paragraph 2.
_______________________________

Exam tips

Questions starting with these words are usually specific factual information questions:

Give ... / Name ...

When / Who / Where / What ...

Identify keywords in the question and look for synonyms in the specified paragraph.
Answers are usually short, i.e. a single word or a short phrase. They may be proper nouns, i.e. names of people, places, etc.
Copy words or phrases from the text carefully. Make no spelling mistakes.

Type 2: Numbers and figures

Using the information given in paragraphs 3-6, complete the table below with the missing percentages. (4 marks)

i) Teens who had more than eight hours of sleep per night
__________%
ii) Teens who had less than six hours of sleep per night
__________%

iii) Teens who thought they had enough sleep
__________% iv) Teens who understood the impacts of insufficient sleep
__________%

Exam tips

You may need to work out the numbers with simple calculation.

'a quarter' = 25%
'all but one' = Total number - 1

Identify words describing quantities, such as 'almost half', 'one-fifth' and 'over three-quarters'.
Pay attention to words describing trends and changes such as 'increased/decreased', 'rose/declined', 'doubled' and 'remained constant'.

Type 3: Correct/Incorrect statements

According to paragraph 9, which are some of the effective methods for improving mental health? Put a tick (✓) next to the effective one(s). (3 marks)
☐playing team sports
☐consulting a psychiatrist
☐travelling abroad
☐reading self-help books
☐practicing yoga

Exam tips

Check the total mark to decide how many item(s) you need to choose, if the question does not specify how many tick(s) is/are needed.
Look out for synonyms.

For example, you may find 'taking an overseas trip' in the paragraph, which means you should put a tick next to 'travelling abroad'.

Type 4: Visual question

Which of the following is NOT found in the suspect's backpack? Put a tick (✓) in the box.

☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Exam tips

Before you look for related information in the text, describe the pictures in your own words.

For example, in the above question, you may write down 'small blocks', 'rope', 'sticks', and 'envelope' next to the pictures in the Question-Answer Book.

Pay attention to details of the pictures and notice how they are different from one another.

Type 5: Sentence completion question

Complete the chart below using information from paragraph 10. (3 marks)

(i) Teenagers who are too shy to socialize _____________________________

↓

(ii)They miss out on _____________________________

↓

(iii) They become even more _____________________________

Exam tips

The length of the answer line often shows the expected length of the answer.
Pay attention to the organizational features of the chart, such as title, heading, subheadings, column names and row names.
Study how information is rearranged in the question, such as in chronological order, by topics and categories, by cause and effects, by similarity and differences and by problem and solutions.
Answers can be copied directly from the text, although sometimes you may be required to make changes to make them fit the blanks grammatically.

Referencing Questions

Referencing Questions are common in DSE, but they are also very tricky. They are between Level 2 to 4 in terms of difficulty. Rarely can you find the referent of a pronoun or a phrase within the same sentence; most of the time, you need to read the previous sentence(s) in order to find the referent. Sometimes, you may even need to infer the referent(s) or manipulate the information you have found from the text in order to match the part of speech of the answer required.

Type 1: Referencing Questions

What does 'that' (line 43) refer to?
_____________________________________

Exam tips

Read the sentence(s) or paragraph immediately before the reference word.
If the reference word is a pronoun, its gender ('he'/'she'/'it') and number (singular/plural) can be hints used to find the answer.
If a noun is needed, you may need to put down a noun or a group of words functioning as a noun as the answer.
You may use the following methods to convert a sentence or a clause into a noun phrase:

Convert the verb in the sentence/clause into a gerund (verb in the -ing form)
Add '(the fact/idea) that ...' before the sentence/clause
Add 'what/when/who/where/why/how ...' before the sentence/cause

Do not copy a whole sentence from the text as an answer.
Sometimes, you may need to read sentence(s) or paragraph after the reference word in order to find the referent. This is especially common when the writer defines the word or introduce the situation after the reference word.
Very rarely, you may need to infer the referent.

For example, the pronoun 'you' in a feature article may refer to 'everyone', 'anyone', or 'people in general'.

Type 2: Signposting words/phrases

Find a word or phrase that the writer uses in paragraph 7 to signal a change in topic.
_____________________________________

Exam tips

The question is asking for a more implicit but sophisticated linking word/phrase but not a very obvious discourse marker, such as 'despite' and 'in addition'

For example, 'foodwise'

Pay attention to how ideas are linked and developed in a paragraph.

Synonym Questions

Synonym Questions can be easy to answer if you already know what the words, phrases or expressions mean before reading the text, but if you don't, there are ways to make informed guesses for the answers. They are between Level 2 to 4 in terms of difficulty.

Type 1: Synonyms and antonyms

For each word given below, find a word which has a similar meaning in paragraph 2. (3 marks)

i) difficult
_____________________

ii) methods _____________________

iii) raised _____________________

Exam tips

Pay attention to keywords in the question:

'similar meaning', 'same meaning', 'synonymous', 'synonym'
'opposite meaning', 'antonymous', 'antonym'
'a word' = ONE word
'a phrase' = TWO OR MORE words
'an expression' = can be a word or a group of words

The answer should be in the same form and part of speech as the word given in the question.

If the word is a noun, the plurality of your answer should match that of the word given.
If the word is a verb, the tense of your answer should match that of the word given.
Be careful when determining the form and part of speech of the word given.

For example, 'exciting' can be both an adjective and a verb.
For example, 'safe' can be both an adjective and a noun.

The prefix and/or suffix of a word may give hints about its meaning and part of speech.

Common prefixes: anti-, de-, un-, dis-, im-, mid-, mis-, over-, pre-, re-, super-, under-
Common suffixes: -acy, -al, -ance, -ate, -en, -ify, -able, -esque

Type 2: Multiple-choice question

What does 'set up' (line 24) mean?
A. to make the arrangements for an activity
B. to make someone feel energetic and healthy
C. to provide someone with the money they need
D. to trick someone in order to take advantage of them

Exam tips

Eliminate answers that are obviously wrong.
Replace the word in the text with each of the options to see which meaning fits the best.
Very often, the most straightforward meaning of the word/phrase will not be the meaning in the text.

For example, 'bank' will probably not refer to 'financial establishment' in an exam text.

Determine if the options are positive, negative or neutral in meaning. If the word/phrase given is positive, the option must also be positive.
Read the whole paragraph. The writer may explain the meaning of the word in the next sentence.

Type 3: Phrase question

Find TWO phrases that the writer uses in paragraph 3 to describe Rupi Kaur's abrupt rise. (2 marks)
_____________________________________
_____________________________________

Exam tips

Very often, you are asked to copy an idiom or a phrasal verb.
An idiom is usually between 2 to 4 words.
A phrasal verb is usually made up of a verb and a particle.
Do not copy a whole sentence from the text as an answer.

Type 4: Multiple-choice question

What does Professor Matthews mean by 'rational' in line 37?
_____________________________________

Exam tips

Read sentences near the word/phrase and guess the meaning from contextual clues.
Use your own words to explain the meaning of a phrase or an expression.
Replace the word in the text with your answer to see if it fits the meaning.
For questions about idioms, use the literal meaning and contextual clues to guess its meaning in the text.

Type 5: Suggesting word meaning

Suggest one word to replace 'distinctive' (line 5).
_____________________________________

Exam tips

You need to come up with a word yourself.
Determine the part of speech, tense (if it is a verb) and plurality (if it is a noun) of the word. Your answer must match the word in both form and meaning.
If you know the meaning of the word, try to come up with a synonym and see if the synonym would fit in the text.
If you do not know the meaning of the word, read the paragraph and use contextual clues to help you make a reasonable guess of the meaning of the word.

For example, besides being described as having a 'distinctive' appearance, the text also says Jack Ma looks like an E.T., so it can be inferred that the word means 'unusual' or 'strange' (both are adjectives).

Replace the word in the text with your answer to see if the meaning and the grammar fits.

True, False, Not Given Questions

True, False, Not Given Questions consistently get the most correct answers in DSE. They are between Level 2 to 4 in difficulty, and they test your understanding of the factual information given in the text and occasionally require inferencing skills.

True/False/Not Given Question

Decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F), or if the information is Not Given (NG) based on paragraph 6. (3 marks)

Statements
T
F
NG

i)
Gaming addiction has become more common among younger teens.
○
○
○

ii)
Most parents had underestimated the impact of video games on their children.
○ ○ ○

iii)
The writer thinks video games bring no benefits to teenagers.
○ ○ ○

Exam tips

Before you attempt this question, identify indicators (key words) in the statements and find synonyms of the indicators (key words) in the text.
True: the indicators are synonyms of key words in the text.

For example, 'Paul Smith is 16 years old' and 'Paul is a teenager' are synonymous, so the answer is True.

False: the indicators contradict key words in the text.

For example, 'Mr Lee is in his thirties' and 'Lee is an adolescent' contradict each other, so the answer is False.

Not Given: the indicators do not 100% match the key words in the text or overgeneralise based on the information given in the text

For example, 'Milk and Honey was in the Bestsellers List last week' and 'The book is a current bestseller' almost completely match in meaning, but we do not know whether it is currently a bestseller, so the answer is Not Given.

Be careful of indicators such as 'always', 'never', 'if...', 'only', 'most', 'a few', 'more/less', 'earlier/later'. Given that they are mostly used to overgeneralise based on information given in the text, the answer tend to be False.

Inferencing Questions

Inferencing Questions are slightly more difficult than Referencing Questions because instead of directly copying information from the text as your answer, you need to use your own words to answer the questions using inferencing skills. They are between Level 4 to 5 in difficulty.

Type 1: Inferencing questions

1. What TWO implications does the word 'wicked' have in 'wicked good cupcakes' (line 99)? (2 marks)
_____________________________________

2. What does the sentence 'They consider us "machines"' (line 45) imply?
_____________________________________

3. Why do you think some parents may support their children pursuing a career in esports?
_____________________________________

4. Explain the meaning of 'down the drain' (line 43) in context.
_____________________________________

Exam tips

Questions starting with these words are usually inferencing questions:

'suggest', 'imply', 'implication(s)'
Why ...?
'can be inferred', 'most likely', 'probably', 'may', 'might'

Answers to this type of questions CANNOT be copied directly from the text. Answer the question in your own words and DO NOT copy chunks of information from the text as answers.

While you may be able to copy some information from the text, you ALWAYS have to explain the meaning/purpose of the quoted word/phrase/sentence.

If you are not sure about what a statement implies in the text, studying the writer's views and attitudes may help you make a reasonable guess.
This is a reading exam, so your answers MUST be based on information given in the text. DO NOT write original ideas which cannot be found in the text.

Type 2: Comparison

1. What is the similarity between Jack Ma and Forrest Gump?
_____________________________________

2. Name ONE similarity and ONE difference between the balloons and airplanes, based on paragraph 4. (2 marks)
similarity: _____________________________________
difference: _____________________________________

Exam tips

In your answer, BOTH the two entities being compared to MUST be mentioned. NO mark will be awarded for answers which only mention one entity.

For example, 'Forrest Gump is a fictional character' will not receive any mark even though the idea is correct because no comparison is shown.

Similarity: Use 'Both' in your answer.

Q: 'What is the similarity between Doraemon and Ironman?'
A: 'Both Doraemon and Ironman are fictional characters.'

Difference: Use 'But' or 'However' in your answer.

Q: 'What is the difference between Doraemon and Ironman?'
A: 'Doraemon is short but Ironman is tall.'

Views and Attitudes Questions

Views and Attitudes Questions are a variation of Inferencing Questions and therefore are also between Level 4 and 5 in difficulty. To answer this kind of questions correctly, you must have a clear understanding of the writer's opinion on the topic. You must also know common tone and attitude words, as answers such as 'positive' and 'negative' are typically not accepted in DSE.

Type 1: Views and attitudes

What is the writer's attitude towards implementing the new technology for officiating football matches? Explain your answer with reference to paragraph 9. (2 marks)
_________________________________

Exam tips

Learn about words commonly used to describe attitudes:

Positive

Negative

Neutral

supportive

approving

encouraging

disapproving
critical
skeptical
doubtful

objective
matter-of-fact

If the question requires an explanation, the attitude has to be correct in order for the explanation to get a mark.
You may need to infer the view or attitude, as it may not be directly stated in the text.

For example, the opinion of the writer is often not explicitly stated in the text, but can be inferred by reading the title, subtitle, first and last paragraphs of the text.

Examples of positive word choice: a step forward, can't wait to, conducive to, encouraging, motivate, zealous
Examples of negative word choice: cold-blooded, crime, disrupt, harm, fed up with, unfair

Type 2: Tone

What is the writer's tone in paragraph 6?
A. indifferent
B. mocking
C. excited
D. furious

Exam tips

Determine if the options are positive, negative or neutral in meaning. If the tone in the paragraph is positive, the option must also be positive.
You may need to infer the tone, as it may not be directly stated in the text.
Think about these questions:

What is the writer's word choice?
What is the writer's point of view regarding the subject?
What is the level of formality of the text?
How does the writer feel when they talk about a certain thing?
How does the writer want the reader to feel?

Learn about words commonly used to describe tones:

Positive tone	Negative tone
contented pleased satisfied amazed delighted hopeful optimistic thrilled confident enthusiastic	discontented disgruntled dissatisfied annoyed irritated depressed anxious worried disappointed pessimistic horrified bored embarrassed

Type 3: Table completion question on views and attitudes

Complete the table below by identifying how the researchers differ in their understanding of land reclamation using information given in paragraphs 7-10. (5 marks)

Professor White's view
Professor Black's view

Land reclamation is ...
(i) __________ (ii) __________

Land reclamation's environmental impact is ...
acceptable
(iii) __________

The best land supply option is...
(iv) __________ (v) __________

Exam tips

Before you attempt this question, study the examples. Examples tell you what is expected. For example, 'acceptable' is an adjective and the answer to (iii) is probably also an adjective.
You many need to use your own words to fill in the blanks, especially when the opinion or attitude is inferred.
Grammatical accuracy is essential in your answers. Similar to a summary cloze question, answers that are not grammatically correct may not get marks.

Type 4: Giving and justifying opinions

Do you think that Hong Kong's art scene will become more vibrant in the future? Provide evidence from the text to support your answer.
_________________________________

Exam tips

This is a reading exam, so there is no right or wrong answer. Choose a stance which you can find evidence to support.
Give a direct 'Yes' or 'No' as your stance. If the answer does not contain 'Yes' or 'No', it will receive NO mark.
Opinions MUST be supported by evidence/reasons found in the text.

Even if the evidence comes from common sense, if it is not stated in the text, it will not be accepted as the correct answer.

Quote the evidence and use phrases such as 'According to the text' to introduce the evidence. Answers without evidence will receive NO mark.
Make sure your quoted evidence matches with your stance.
Make sure your quoted evidence is relevant to the question.

Type 5: Justifying two opposing views

Should a licensing system for busking be implemented? Give one reason to support each point of view. (2 marks)
Yes:
_________________________________
No:
_________________________________

Exam tips

The reasons/evidence MUST be found in the text.

Even if the evidence comes from common sense, if it is not stated in the text, it will not be accepted as the correct answer.

The points of view may not be explicitly stated or justified in the text.

For example, the opinion of the writer is often not explicitly stated in the text, but can be inferred by reading the title, subtitle, first and last paragraphs of the text.

If the evidence is clearly stated in the text, copy the relevant evidence and put it in quotation marks.
Use your own words to present the supporting reasons if you cannot find relevant information from the text.

Main Idea Questions

It's safe to say that Main Idea Questions are the most difficult questions in DSE, as they are Level 5 in difficulty. Before you answer these questions, you must have a throughout understanding of the text. You must also have a good understanding of common text types and the common purposes of a writer including certain information in a text.

Type 1: Main idea of a paragraph

What is the main idea of paragraph 5?
A. Millennials are being priced out of Hong Kong's property market.
B. The standard of living in Hong Kong is lower than that in Singapore.
C. The property prices in Hong Kong are not going to drop in the near future.
D. There is a growing trend of emigration in Hong Kong thanks to its house prices.

Exam tips

Look for a topic sentence in the paragraph. It is usually the first or the last sentence of the paragraph, although sometimes it can be in the middle of the paragraph.
For multiple-choice questions, the correct answer is the option containing the most keywords from the topic sentence.

Very often, the correct option contains synonyms of keywords from the paragraph.
Remember that the exam setters will include exact keywords in some options as distractors.

The paragraph before and after the source paragraph may also be helpful.
For short response questions, use your own words to summarise the paragraph.

Remember not to include examples in your answer as examples are not main ideas.

Type 2: Text type

The text is ...
A. an essay
B. a feature story
C. a newspaper article
D. an editorial

Exam tips

Consider the following:

Format (e.g. Title? Subtitle? Sub-headings? Date? By-line?)
Formal or informal? Personal or objective?
Target audience
Purpose of writing
Main idea

Learn about features of text types that are frequently featured in the exam, such as feature articles, news articles, editorials, magazine articles, reviews, report and interviews.

Type 3: Purpose of writing

1. What is the main purpose of paragraph 8?
_____________________________________

2. Which of the following best described the intention of the writer?
A. to argue against a commonly-held belief
B. to show the daily work of an archeologist
C. to convince readers of the importance of conservation
D. to inform about the consequences and implications of an issue

3. Why does the writer mention the benefits of drinking coffee?
_____________________________________

4. Why does Lee compare the transformation of historic buildings in Shanghai and Hong Kong?
_____________________________________

Exam tips

Consider the following:

Target audience
Text type of the text

For short response questions, your answers must contain function verbs:

to support / give an example / prove / illustrate / give a reason / emphasise / point out
to give a definition / define
to compare / give contrast
to summarise / conclude
to encourage readers to ...
to connect the ideas between paragraph ... and ...

Common purposes of writing: to describe, to explain, to inform, to persuade, to argue, to entertain

Type 4: Subheadings that match paragraphs

Match the correct subheadings (A-E) to the paragraphs in Text 3. Write the letter in the space next to the paragraph numbers. (5 marks)

Subheadings

A. We all play a part
B. Fast production, heavy pollution
C. Exploitation in sweatshops
D. A new buying habit
E. Against the tide

Paragraph Nos
(A-E)

1-4

5-6

7-9

10-12

13-14

Exam tips

Before you attempt this question, make sure you have finished reading the whole text.
Pay attention to topic sentences in the paragraphs. The topic sentence is usually the first or the last sentence of a paragraph, although sometimes it can be in the middle of the paragraph.
Be mindful of distractors: the subheading and paragraph(s) having the same keyword(s) may not always match.
The options contain synonyms of keywords from the paragraphs.
Match the easiest pairs first.
Focus on main ideas instead of specific details.
Remember that examples are not main ideas.

Type 5: Best alternative title

Which of the following is the best title for Text 3?
A. The board games' revival
B. The evolution of board games
C. Smart devices losing their appeal
D. Make the most of your downtime

Exam tips

Before you attempt this question, make sure you have finished reading the whole text.
Read the original title and the subtitle to understand the main idea of the text.
Refer to the first and last paragraphs to have a good grasp of the main idea.
Focus on main ideas instead of specific details.
Remember that examples are not main ideas.

Type 6: Quotes

Match each of the following sentences with one of the traits of helicopter parents mentioned in paragraph 6. Write the appropriate trait under the speech bubble. (3 marks)

"They refuse to change."
"They believe they are better parents."
"Deep down, they love their children to bits."

i)________
ii)________ iii)________

Exam tips

The sentences or quotes given in the questions contain synonyms of key words from the source paragraph.
For questions which require you to match the quotes with the people mentioned in the text, it is a good idea to highlight the names of the people in the Reading Passage Booklet.

Type 7: Summary cloze

Complete the summary of paragraphs 4 and 5 by writing ONE word in each blank. Make sure your answers are grammatically correct. (5 marks)

Treating PTSD with Virtual Reality

Virtual reality is a pioneering exposure therapy that can help (i) _________________ suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) adjust to (ii) _________________ life.

The benefits of using VR to treat PTSD include:

effective in treating symptoms such as (iii) _________________ and emotional numbness

treatments can be (iv) _________________for individuals

treatments work well with traditional (v) _________________

Exam tips

Identify key words in the summary and find synonyms of the key words in the text. Information which can help you complete the summary can be found around the key words in the text.
Identify the part of speech needed in each blank. Your answers must be grammatically correct. Make no spelling mistakes.
Come up with answers using the '3C' strategies:

Copy: a word from the text can be directly copied to the blank without making any changes.
Change: a word from the text can be copied to the blank, but changes need to be made to make it fit the blank grammatically

The following aspects of a word may need to be changed: part of speech, tense, plurality

Create: a word cannot be copied from the text to the blank; you have to fill in the blank using your own word(s) based on the contextual clues

For example, you may need to come up with the word 'weather' to represent the meaning of 'it was raining'

Check carefully how many word(s) you can use for each blank.

Type 8: Sequence/Order of events

Number the following events according to the order in which they took place. Write (1-4) in the boxes provided. (4 marks)

Otto Lilienthal flew successfully with his gliders.


The Wright brothers tested their flyers in North Carolina.


The Montgolfier brothers invented the hot air balloon.


The Wright brothers' flyer flew about 24 miles.

Exam tips

Quickly scan the whole text to locate the mentioned events/steps
Pay attention to adverbials of time, such as 'eventually', 'in the ... century', 'after', 'until'
Pay attention to the structure of the text, such as whether the text uses a chronological order.

Type 9: Proofreading

Below is a summary of paragraph 8. In three of the lines, there is ONE mistake. If you find a mistake, underline the mistake and replace the word with one that expresses the correct idea. Write the word in the space on the right. If there is no mistake, put a tick (✓) in the space. The first has been done for you. (4 marks)

Summary
Correction

e.g.
One disadvantage of AI is that it never gets bored.
advantage

i)
With unexpected matters being taken care of,

ii)
humans can focus on their difficult tasks.

iii)
AI can also assist humans in dangerous missions

iv)
such as disaster rescue.

Exam tips

Pay attention to how many tick(s) is/are allowed in the question. If extra ticks are used, NO mark will be given for ALL the ticks.
If you underline the wrong word or do not underline the mistake, you will not get a mark for the correction.
The mistakes are false information that does not match information given in the text.

Very often, the mistakes are antonyms of the key words in the text. ('disadvantage' and 'advantage' is an example)

Look for topic sentences and key supporting details in the original text.
Pay attention to the following in the short text:

figures, numbers and dates
comparatives ('more'/'less') and superlatives ('most'/'least')
words with an obvious antonym

Type 10: Matching speakers to statements

Below are comments made by some of the people mentioned in Texts 4 and 5. Match each with one comment. Use each letter ONCE only. One comment is not used and you should select 'Not applicable'. (6 marks)

A. Dr Murphy
B. Ms Chan
C. Prof Lewandowski

D. Danny
E. Mrs Robinson
F. Not applicable

Comments
Person

i) 'I'm too shy to make new friends.'

ii) 'The fluctuations of hormonal secretions cause mood swings among teens.'

iii) 'There has been a slight increase in the number of juvenile offenders in recent years.'

iv) 'Students in Hong Kong are given too much homework.'

v) 'Extracurricular activities can help relieve students' stress from studying.'

vi) 'Teachers should receive more training for handling students' mental issues.'

Exam tips

Watch out for synonyms and paraphrasing of the statements in the text.

The correct options contain synonyms of what the speakers have said in the text.

Look for connections between details in the statement and the background of the speaker, such as their age, occupation, position, affiliation and expertise.

For example, it is likely that a younger person is too shy to make new friends, so options of adult speakers can be eliminated.

Very often, you need to make inferences about opinions, which means they are not directly stated in the text.

For example, the opinion of the writer is often not explicitly stated in the text, but can be inferred by reading the title, subtitle, first and last paragraphs of the text.

Figurative Language Questions

Figurative Language Questions are statistically the most challenging questions in DSE, as typically less than 10% of DSE candidates can answer these questions correctly. They are Level 5 in difficulty, but it's not an overstatement to say that they are really Level 5** questions. They test your understanding of different literary devices, which include similes, metaphors, personification, onomatopoeia, hyperbole/exaggeration, irony, sarcasm, puns, and understatement.

Type 1: Irony

Describe the irony in paragraph 10.
_____________________________________

Exam tips

Irony is a contrast between expectations and reality, i.e. what is expected to happen is very different from what actually happens.
Your answer MUST contain two parts.

Identify a cause that comes with an unexpected effect.

Highlight the contrast by using

connectives such as 'but' and 'while'
other keywords like 'supposedly', 'is meant to', 'happen to', 'actually' and 'turns out that'.

Use your own words to explain the irony.

Type 2: Metaphors

1. i) Which metaphor does the writer use to describe the subject in paragraph 4? (1 mark)
_____________________________________

ii) Explain the meaning of this metaphor. (1 mark)
_____________________________________
_____________________________________

2. What does the writer compare the Internet to in paragraph 1? (1 mark)
_____________________________________
_____________________________________

Exam tips

A metaphor compares two things without the use of words such as 'like' or 'as' (which are used when a writer makes a simile)
Look for two things that are being compared in the text.
Note that sometimes the writer will not mention the object that is being compared to, assuming that the readers already know what is being compared to

For example, the writer may use the term 'the cloud' to refer to 'the Internet' throughout the whole text.

Identify the similar characteristics between these two things.

For example, just like the clouds, the Internet is everywhere.
Use your own words to describe their similarities.

Type 3: Dilemma/Dichotomy

1. What is the dichotomy that the writer mentions? (2 marks)
_____________________________________

2. What is the dilemma that the writer mentions in paragraph 5? (2 marks)
_____________________________________
_____________________________________

Exam tips

A dichotomy is a contrast between two things that are presented as being opposed.
A dilemma is a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two alternatives.
In your answers, you must include the TWO entities or situations which are mentioned in the text.