Reading 20th- and 21st-Century Non-Fiction Flashcards
All 12 cards in this deck
What kinds of text can appear on Paper 2?
Two non-fiction texts from the 20th and 21st centuries: journalism (articles, reports, reviews), speeches, journals, reference book extracts, and literary non-fiction such as autobiography, letters, obituaries and travel writing. Short-lived texts like adverts and news feeds aren't used.
What is literary non-fiction?
True writing crafted with the techniques of fiction: vivid description, a personal voice, scenes and dialogue. Memoir, autobiography and travel writing are examples. At least one Paper 2 text is literary non-fiction.
What is the difference between autobiography, memoir and biography?
Autobiography: the writer's own life story. Memoir: the writer's memories of particular times or themes. Biography: someone else's life, written by another person, usually in the third person.
What is a news report, and how does its language usually work?
A factual account of a recent event. It leads with the most important facts (what, where, how many), quotes witnesses and officials, and keeps a formal, mostly impersonal tone, though word choice can still reveal an angle.
What is a reminiscence, and how is its tone usually different from a report?
A personal looking-back at the past. Its tone is often nostalgic or affectionate, with sensory detail and the writer's feelings, where a report keeps a cooler distance.
How do you work out a non-fiction text's purpose?
Ask what the writer wants the reader to do or feel: know something (inform), understand it (explain), enjoy it (entertain), agree (argue/persuade) or act on advice (advise). Many texts do several; name the main one.
How do you work out who a non-fiction text was written for?
Use the introduction (where and when it was published), who is addressed, what the writer assumes you know, and the register. A magazine reminiscence for 1970s readers and a modern blog post speak to different audiences.
Why does the date of a Paper 2 text matter?
It tells you the world the writer took for granted: travel, technology, attitudes. Recent papers have paired a 20th-century text with a 21st-century one, so the gap between them often explains a difference in perspective.
What should you read before Text 1 itself?
The italic introduction: it gives the text type, the writer, the date and the situation. That context helps every answer, especially Questions 3, 6 and 7.
What is an obituary?
A piece written after someone's death about their life and achievements. It's usually respectful and admiring, mixing facts (dates, career) with anecdotes that show character.
'I was eleven the summer we moved to the coast, and I can still smell the creosote on the fence.' What kind of text is this most likely to be, and how can you tell?
A memoir or reminiscence: first person, looking back ('I was eleven'), with a sensory memory ('I can still smell') that suggests nostalgia.
'More than 200 homes were left without power last night after high winds brought down cables across the county.' What kind of text is this, and how can you tell?
A news report: it opens with the key facts and a number, uses an impersonal third-person voice, and refers to last night, which suggests a recent event.