Answer Key/notes: Midterm Examination (A Version)

Arab Open University
E303B (English Grammar in Context II)

Midterm Examination
(A version)
Second Semester 2014-2015
April 2015
Time Allowed: 2 Hours
Total Mark: 30
Answer Key/notes
Part One(10 marks)
Answer either Question 1 or Question 2, but not both. Each question carries 10 marks.
Question 1
Underline the themes in the following sentences and identify each theme as: E
(Experiential), I (Interpersonal), or T (Textual):
1. At the zoo, people were eager to see the lions.

2. Why did you tell him?
3. And this is a very reasonable solution.
4. Then all the students came in.
5. In the summer, everyone will take a vacation.
6. Don’t write on this line.
1
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7. Even if one dies.
8. Well, children, the story is about to continue.
9. Oh yes, the rest of them, the secretary gave away.
10. Dear, some of the comments, I’ve scrubbed out.
11. Ok, Mr. John, could I have your phone number?
Answer:
Underline the themes in the following sentences and identify each theme as: E
(Experiential), I (Interpersonal), or T (Textual):
(There are 40 correct items: the underlining of the themes and

the theme types. Each correct 4 = 1 mark)
1. At the zoo, people were eager to see the lions. E.
2. Why did you tell him? I+E
3. And this is a very reasonable solution. T, E.
4. Then all the students came in. T, E.
5. In the summer, everyone will take a vacation. E.
6. Don’t write on this line. E
7. Even if one dies. T, E.
8. Well, children, the story is about to continue. T, I, E.
9. Oh yes, the rest of them, the secretary gave away. T, E.
10. Dear, some of the comments, I’ve scrubbed out. I, E.
11. Ok, Mr. John, could I have your phone number? T, I, I,
2
Question 2:
Identify the semantic category of the lexical verb in bold type in each of the following
sentence as: action/material (A), mental (M), or relational (R):
1. This was definitely bad news.

2. I want results.
3. Chemicals are spread on the land.
4. Does this explanation convince anyone?
5. The transoms are carved from massive cypress blocks.
6. The patient experienced the usual side-effects.
7. Hormones can be injected into animals.
8. The exercise will include random stops by the police.
9. The castle was built in 1603.
10. Must we envisage the question in a purely intellectual sense?
11. They appeared happy and relaxed.
12. Sufficient water should be added.
13. Standing crops can be trampled by wild animals.
14. She will be represented by a good lawyer in court.
15. They were also noticed by the researcher.
16. They contained large quantities of nitrogen.
17. I eventually fascinated reporters.
18. Hunt became a special projects man.
19. They could be rotated independently.
20. I prefer the other option.
Answer:
Identify the semantic category of the lexical verb in bold type in each of the following
sentence as: action/material (A), mental (M), or relational (R):
(Correct identification of the main lexical verb = ¼ mark; its type

= ¼ mark)
3
1. This was definitely bad news. R
2. I want results. M
3. Chemicals are spread on the land. A
4. Does this explanation convince anyone? M
5. The transoms are carved from massive cypress blocks. A
6. The patient experienced the usual side-effects. M
7. Hormones can be injected into animals. A
8. The exercise will include random stops by the police. R
9. The castle was built in 1603. A
10. Must we envisage the question in a purely intellectual sense? M
11. They appeared happy and relaxed. R
12. Sufficient water should be added. A
13. Standing crops can be trampled by wild animals. A
14. She will be represented by a good lawyer in court. R
15. They were also noticed by the researcher. M
16. They contained large quantities of nitrogen. R
17. I eventually fascinated reporters. M
18. Hunt became a special projects man. R
19. They could be rotated independently. A
20. I prefer the other option. M
Part Two (20 marks)
Answer only 2 of the following questions. Write your answer for each question in a
paragraph (100-150 words maximum). Illustrate your answers with appropriate
examples. Your answers must be comprehensive, clear and focused. Use your own
words. (Each question carries 10 marks: 7 for content; 3 for grammar/form).
Q1. Discuss the following three ‘linguistic inequality’ features of spoken interactions as
interpersonal positioning that are related to relative social status (equality/inequality):
speech acts, topic choice and evaluation/assessment.
4
Answer notes:
(Outstanding students should mention the following major

points or other relevant ones well illustrated with appropriate
examples. 5 marks for content; 2 for illustration; 3 for
grammar/structure)
- ‘Linguistic inequality’ refers to disparities in the things which various speakers
can do with language. There are several different types of such disparity
observable in the interaction.
- Speech acts (or speech functions): this disparity operates at a very basic level – in
terms of a set of options or choices which apply every time we make an
utterance.
- All utterances involve a choice with respect to interpersonal positioning. There
are just a few basic possibilities with respect to this positioning, which depend
on options concerning (a) who is positioned as the communicative giver and who
the communicative receiver, and (b) whether the communicative exchange
involves information or some form of action or behavior.
- Examples of the basic speech acts are: offering, requesting, demanding, etc. In
this sense, every utterance is fundamentally interpersonal in that it necessarily
involves a particular relationship being established between speaker/writer and
the addressee which varies according to who is in the role of ‘giver’ and in the
role of ‘receiver’ of information/action or behavior.
- Under topic choice, we are concerned with who gets to determine the direction
of the interaction. Does one speaker decide the subject matter or do such
decisions seem to be more evenly shared?
- Offering evaluations and assessments is another type of linguistic disparity, this
time relating to the types of meanings which the different speakers seem
authorized to make. The more powerful figure here exercises a right to pass
various types of judgments and to make assessments, a right which, on this
evidence, may not be so readily available to the other speakers.
5
Q2. Discuss personalization/impersonalization as part of authorial persona in analyzing
tenor in non-interactive written texts.
Answer notes
 This refers to the degree the subjective presence of the author as the
originator of the text has been downplayed, obscured or suppressed.
In most analyses, texts might be placed along a scale/degree from most to
least personalized/impersonalized.
 The most obvious indicator of personal presence is the use of first-person
and second –person pronouns.
 The use of directives: the language by which the writer bids to control or
direct the actions or behaviors of others.
 The use of rhetorical questions and answers: pseudo-interactivity
 The use of informal, conversational chatty tone: extensive use of colloquial
words and phrases.
 The use of authorial assessment and evaluation.
 The use of anticipatory it structures is frequently felt to have an
impersonalizing effect.
Q3. Identify the hyper theme and themes (i.e. the theme of each sentence) in the two
texts below. Then discuss the thematic progression pattern in each text.
Text 1
Friction of rotary saws, flywheels, sanders, belts or pulleys can cause abrasions.
An abrasion is simply a loss of skin surface. Broken skin gives easy entry to
harmful substances and bacteria.
Text 2
The scheme has two key objectives. The first objective is to deter professional
misconduct by migration agents. The second is to provide a mechanism for
dealing with complaints against particular migration agents.
6
Answer:
Identify the hyper theme and themes (i.e. the theme of each sentence) in the two texts
below. Then discuss the thematic progression pattern in each text.
Text 1
Friction of rotary saws, flywheels, sanders, belts or pulleys can cause
abrasions. (hyper theme)
Friction of rotary saws, flywheels, sanders, belts or pulleys(theme)
An abrasion (theme) is simply a loss of skin surface. Broken skin (theme)
gives easy entry to harmful substances and bacteria.
Text 2
The scheme has two key objectives. (hyper theme)
The scheme (theme)
The first objective (theme) is to deter professional misconduct by
migration agents. The second (theme) is to provide a mechanism for
dealing with complaints against particular migration agents.
Text 1: Information placed in rheme position is often repackaged in a

subsequent theme. This is an important means of developing meaning,
particularly within written texts. Such a Zig Zag pattern (in Text 1) is
common in texts where there are sequences of information organized by
reference to time or causes and consequences. These temporal or causal
sequences are frequently found in academic and technical writing.
Text 2: Another thematic pattern which is drawn on to manage
information flow is referred to as the Fan pattern (in Text 2). This pattern
involves a clause typically in hyper-theme position) introducing a number
of different pieces of information, each of which is then picked up and
made theme in subsequent clauses. Such a pattern is often used to
organize sets of things such as objectives and reasons. In some
(particularly administrative) documents the pattern may be realized in
the form of numbered points.
End of Questions/Answers
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Arab Open University

E303B (English Grammar in Context II)

1. At the zoo, people were eager to see the lions.

(There are 40 correct items: the underlining of the themes and

1. This was definitely bad news.

(Correct identification of the main lexical verb = ¼ mark; its type

Part Two (20 marks)

(Outstanding students should mention the following major

Text 1: Information placed in rheme position is often repackaged in a

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