Sample test – Discourse Analysis

Section 1: Decide these following statements are True /false:

1. Formal links can create the unity of discourse. T

2. To non-specialists, the function of language is to send information or to tell other

people your thoughts. T

3. In the public world, referential function is considered the least important. F

4. The function of an utterance must be established pragmatically. T

5. The quantity maxim is violated in both directions: creating prolixity if we day too
much and terseness if we are too brief. T

6. A locutionary act is the saying of something which is meaningful and can be

understood. T

7. An illocutionary act is using an utterance to perform a function. T

8. A perlocutionary act is the results or effects that are produced by means of saying
something. T

9. Declarations are utterances in which saying the words and doing the action are the
difference thing: the function is created by the form. F

10. The politeness principle, like the co-operative principle, may be formulated as a
series of maxims which people assume are being followed in the utterances of others.
T

Section 2: Fill in the blank with a suitable word/words.

1. An Utterance____________ is a unit of language used by somebody in context

to do something-to communicate-and reverse sentence for grammatically
complete units regarded purely formally, in isolation from their context and their
function.
2. According to the linguist Roman Jakobson (1960), among the elements of
communication, the sender____________ is the person who originates the
message, the receiver____________ is the person to whom the message is
addressed and the setting____________ is the social of physical context.
 3. According to the linguist Roman Jakobson (1960), six communicative
functions___________ are established, each focusing attention upon one
element.
4. According to the Cooperative principle____________, we interpret language
on the assumption that its sender is obeying four maxims.
5. The quantity maxim________________________ is violated in both
directions: creating prolixity if we say too much or terseness if we are too brief.
6. The maxim of manner________________________ is violated either for
humour or in order to establish solidarity between speakers and exclude an
overhearer from the conversation.
7. The politeness principle____________ and the co-operative principle are often
in conflict with each other.
8. The act of ordering has a directive meaning____________.
9. The formal literal meaning of the words is the definition____________.
10. The overall aim of a discourse is to understand how language is used in real
life situations____________.

Section 3: Find out the cohensive device of the underline words in paragraph
below.

The paragraphs are from The boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

Bruno smiled and walked towards the door, indicating that Gretel should follow him(1).
She gave out a deep sigh as she did so(2), stopping to put the doll on the bed but(3)then
changing her mind and picking itup(4)and holding it close to her chest as(5) she went into
her brother(6)'s room, where(7) she was nearly knocked over by Maria storming out of
it(8) holding something(9)that closely resembled a dead mouse.

"They(10)'re out there," said Bruno, who had walked over to his own window again and
was looking out of it(11). He didn't turn back to check that Gretel was in the room(12); he
was too busy watching(13) the children. For(14) a few moments he forgot that she(15) was
even there.

1. Him: anaphoric reference

2. So: substitution
3. But: conjunction (adversative)
 4. Picking it up: antonymy (put the doll on the bed)
5. As: additive conjunction
6. Her brother: anaphoric reference (Bruno)
7. Where: anaphoric reference
8. It: anaphoric reference
9. Something: cataphoric reference
10. They: anaphora
11. It: anaphora
12. The room: repetition
13. Watching: synonym (looking out of it)
14. For: Conjunction
15. She: anaphoric reference

Section 4: Rewrite the following sentences to change the topics (theme) of these
sentences (20 points)

1. Her success went beyond her expectations.

=> Never had she expected she was so successful.
2. I must have my suit cleaned before the interview.
=> My suit needs to be cleaned before the interview
3. You wouldn't find any more affectionate animal anywhere in the world.
=> Nowhere in the world would you find an affectionate animal.
4. Liz said unforgivable things to her father at the dinner party.
=> What Liz said to her father at the dinner party was unforgivable.
5. Failing prompt payment, the goods must be returned by you
=> You must either pay the bill at once or return the goods.
6. We invited a pop star onto the chat show.
=> A pop star was invited onto the chat show.
7. They think the owner of the house is abroad.
=> The owner is thought to be abroad.
8. The children couldn't go swimming because the sea was very rough.
=> The sea was too rough for the children to swim.
9. Gary is the best guitarist in her class.
=> No one else can play guitar better than Gary.
10. The food in France is famous.
=> France is famous for the food.
Section 5: Identify theme and rheme in this text (Circle the theme and underline
the rheme in each sentence). Which pattern of theme and rheme sequence is
predominant in this extract? (20 points)

(The Alchemist _ by Paulo Coelho)

The jacket had a purpose, and so did the boy.

His purpose in life was to travel, and, after two years of walking the Andalusian
terrain, he knew all the cities of the region.
He was planning on this visit, to explain to the girl how it was that a simple shepherd
knew how to read.
That he had attended a seminary until he was sixteen.
His parents had wanted him to become a priest...
One afternoon, on a visit to his family, he had summoned up the courage to tell his
father that he didn’t want to become a priest.
That he wanted to travel. “People from all over the world have passed through this
village, son,” said his father.
“They come in search of new things, but when they leave, they are basically the same
people they were when they arrived.
They climb the mountain to see the castle, and they wind up thinking that the past
was better than what we have now.”
“The people who come here have a lot of money to spend, so they can afford to
travel,” his father said, “Amongst us, the only ones who travel are the shepherds.”
“Well, then I’ll be a shepherd!”
And he gave the boy his blessing. The boy could see in his father’s gaze a desire to be
able, himself, to travel the world—a desire that was still alive, despite his father’s
having had to bury it, over dozens of years, under the burden of struggling for water to
drink, food to eat, and the same place to sleep every night of his life.

Pattern: Simple Linear Progression………………..