Communication Studies Paper 02 Module 1 Essay TOTAL: 25

Reading is a Vacation: ANSWER KEY

QUESTION:
a. State the writer’s main point in no more than 30 words.
b. Write an essay, 500 words, commenting on the organizational strategies and
language techniques used by the writer. Include the writer’s purpose.
c. Evaluate the appropriateness of the writer’s tone.

a. Writer’s main Point: 2 marks

The writer’s main point is that reading is a pleasurable and beneficial activity and not an
unpleasant school assignment, as some people seem to think. (must NOT use verb form)

Organizational Strategies 3 marks

1) Persuasive style- uses persuasive strategies to convince the reader

2) 1st and 2nd person appeal in the narrative- invites the reader, makes it
personal
3) Concession & Rebuttal

Language Techniques 3 marks

1) Repetition: stamp the thought on the readers’ mind

2) Exaggeration- makes the protesting parents seem ridiculous
3) Rhetorical questions: to provoke thought, persuade reader that writer is
correct
4) Anecdote/Personal experience- Catherine Foster
5) Sarcasm- to make the parent the butt of ridicule by readers
6) Argument ad hominem- stupid parents
7) Background info
8) Suspense- we’ll get to that later
9) Emotive language stupid parents-expresses frustration

Appropriateness of tone: 2 marks

To determine whether the tone is appropriate, we must first identify the purpose of the
author. Our discussion must then tie the appropriateness to whether or not it helps in
achieving this purpose. YOU MUST GIVE EXAMPLES/SUPPORT FROM TEXT.

Purpose: Wishes to heap ridicule upon the initiators of the argument, also inviting readers to
agree with him, but not getting too scathing
Tone: light-hearted, humorous, sarcastic.
Discussion: Achieves his purpose very effectively by a light-hearted, somewhat humorous,
yet sarcastic tone.
 Engages and wins over the reader, making him feel the affront of the parents’
position.
 Strikes a fine balance between humorous and serious.
 Not harshly insulting and scathing, but gets the point across