National 5 English

Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation

This booklet is designed to bring together some of the skills and
knowledge you will need to approach Reading for Understanding,
Analysis and Evaluation successfully.
Contents

Notes for teachers.......................................................................................................................................

Introduction..................................................................................................................................................
General RUAE Exam Advice.......................................................................................................................
Command Words........................................................................................................................................
In your own words questions.......................................................................................................................
In your own words practice..........................................................................................................................
Word choice questions................................................................................................................................
Word choice practice...................................................................................................................................
Imagery questions.....................................................................................................................................
Imagery practice........................................................................................................................................
Sentence structure questions....................................................................................................................
Sentence structure practice.......................................................................................................................
Language questions..................................................................................................................................
Language practice.....................................................................................................................................
Tone questions..........................................................................................................................................
Common tones..........................................................................................................................................
Link questions...........................................................................................................................................
Link practice..............................................................................................................................................
Contrast questions....................................................................................................................................
Effective opening questions......................................................................................................................
Effective conclusion questions..................................................................................................................
Effective conclusion practice.....................................................................................................................
Useful language........................................................................................................................................
Sentence structure checklist.....................................................................................................................
Active reading strategies...........................................................................................................................
Reflecting on your RUAE prelim................................................................................................................
Studying for National 5 RUAE...................................................................................................................

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Notes for teachers
A National 5 English course will enable and encourage candidates to develop their language
skills in reading, writing, talking and listening. Often the most effective and natural teaching and
learning approaches will allow for them to be integrated as work on one skill can aid the
development of another. However this resource has been developed to support learning and
teaching specifically in Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation (RUAE) at National
5 level.

Teaching and learning approaches should allow for personalisation and choice, where possible.
When planning teaching and learning programmes, the needs of the candidates, their interests
and motivations should be considered. There is freedom within the course to plan according to
the needs of candidates. This resource, therefore, contains suggested approaches to learning
and teaching of RUAE but is not exhaustive and should not be used to the exclusion of all else.

The examples in this booklet come from SQA National 5 English past papers; teachers can
access full passages and detailed marking instructions on the SQA website.

Acknowledgement
© Crown copyright 2018. You may re-use this information (excluding logos) free of charge in any format or
medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit
[Link] or email: psi@[Link].
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright
holders concerned.

Any enquiries regarding this document/publication should be sent to us at enquiries@[Link]

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Introduction

Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation

This paper is worth 30 marks and you will be given an hour to complete it.

You will be asked to read, understand and respond to one unseen non-fiction text.

You will demonstrate these skills:

• engage with, consider, and select the main ideas of a text

• identify and select detailed information from a text
• analyse and evaluate a writer’s choice and use of language
• evaluate the overall effects and impact of a text

Using this support booklet

This booklet is designed to bring together some of the skills and knowledge you will need to
approach Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation successfully.

As well as the short exercises in this booklet, your teacher will expect you to complete further
activities, past papers, independent study and home learning to practise your RUAE skills.

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General RUAE Exam Advice
• Read the passage so that you understand the main ideas before attempting the
questions.
• Try to read actively and be aware of topic sentences and techniques as you read.
• Read each question very carefully, making sure that you know exactly what you are
being asked to do.
• You can highlight or underline key words in questions and the passage if this helps.
• The question will tell you which part of the passage to look at for your answer – make
sure that you re-read it, even if you think you remember the answer. Also, make sure that
your answer comes from the right section of the passage or you will lose marks.
• Check whether you are expected to quote or write in your own words. The question will
always tell you what is expected.
• Before you answer, check how many examples the question asks you for.
• Write your answers in bullet points (one per mark).
• Read over your answer to check that it makes sense and that it has answered the
question.
• Do not get stuck for ages on one question. You can leave a space if you are stuck and
go back at the end.
• Do not let one tricky question put you off.
• Attempt all questions – do not give up.
• Use all of your time. If you finish early, check your answers again, ensuring that they
make sense and that you have made enough points to earn the marks.

Command Words
As you look at the extracts below and at past papers, you will notice that the same command
words appear in the questions. The following main command words appear in this question
paper:

 explain (why): used to assess understanding of a writer’s ideas (always followed by ‘in
your own words’)
 explain (how): used to assess the skills of analysis (identify word/technique + comment)
 identify: used to assess the skill of summarising (identify the main points or ideas and
put these into your own words)

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In your own words questions
Question wording:
 Identify, in your own words as far as possible…
 Explain in your own words…
 Summarise, in your own words as far as possible…

Method:
• Re-read the section of passage that the question directs you to
• Underline the possible answers
• Check how many points you need to make in your answer
• Bullet point your answer in your own words

Example:

When the organisers of the 2015 Super Bowl were looking for someone to follow in the
footsteps of Diana Ross and Whitney Houston and belt out The Star-Spangled Banner in front
of a global audience of 160 million, it’s not hard to see why they chose Idina Menzel.

As the voice of Elsa the ice queen in Frozen, the most successful animated film of all time,
who sang its ubiquitous Oscar-winning Let It Go (more than three million copies sold in
America alone), she has a more than passing acquaintance with anthems.

Question: Look at lines 1–6, and then explain in your own words why the organisers of the
Super Bowl chose Idina Menzel to perform there. (2)

Example answer:
• Her singing was already well known from the hit film ‘Frozen’ (1)
• One of her songs had already earned an award (1)

Extra Practice: Discuss how you might explain the other possible answers (underlined) in
your own words.

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In your own words practice
Mark never made it into the school team. He kept trying, kept going to the “trials”, both at
primary and senior school, but he was just off the pace. The disappointment was always
bitter. You could see it on his face. He yearned to play, to progress, to be able to read out a
match report at school assembly (one of the honours of making the team). But he never did.

Question: Look at lines 8–11, and explain in your own words why Mark was so
disappointed. You should make four key points in your answer. (4)

Frozen isn’t going away, either. She’s spoken in the past about the much-mooted sequel but
she has clearly been reprimanded by the Disney suits: “Apparently I spoke out of turn. I just
assumed that because it was so successful there’d be a sequel, but Disney doesn’t have
sequels, so it would be a first if there was one.”

How about the Frozen stage show, also much mooted? “I think they’re working on that but the
Disney people keep things close to their chests.” If it happens, would she like to be in it?
“Sure, I’d love to. But musicals take years and I’d have to play Elsa’s mother, probably!”

What’s definitely happening is a six-minute short, Frozen Fever, in which Elsa’s powers
threaten to scupper the birthday of her sister, Anna. “It’s fun, really clever,” Menzel says.
“There’s a new song. It’s pretty much a group number though.” She sounds slightly
disappointed.

Frozen Fever did delight both fans and Disney — it was shown in cinemas before Disney’s
live-action Cinderella, which doubtless enjoyed a mighty bump as a result. The studio may be
tight-lipped about Frozen sequels, but they’re certainly happy to milk the commercial
opportunities of their icy behemoth.

Question: Look at lines 11–25, and then identify, using your own words as far as possible,
five things we learn here about the Disney organisation. (5)

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Word choice questions
Question wording:
 Explain how two examples of the writer’s word choice make it clear…
 Explain how the writer’s word choice helps to show…

Method:
• Quote an example of the writer’s word choice (that answers the question!) (1)
• Comment on what the word suggests (1)
• Check that you have answered the question

Example:

My best friend, Mark, was a keen footballer. We played in my back garden every afternoon as
kids, often down the local park, sometimes other kids would join us, and in the summer we
never seemed to leave. I often think of those long, endlessly absorbing days, game after
game, sometimes until it got dark and we played by the dim glow of street lights. In the
summer holidays, my mum would make a two-litre bottle of orange squash and we would
pass it from player to player at half-time, none of us deterred by the fact it had got warm in the
sun. My, it tasted good.

Question: Look at lines 1–7, and explain how one example of the writer’s word choice makes
it clear that his memories of childhood football are positive. (2)

Example Answer:
 ‘absorbing’ (1)
 suggests that they found it fascinating (1)

Extra Practice: Discuss how you might explain the other possible answers (underlined) in
your own words.

(Note that in this example some of the possible answers are very short phrases rather than
single words.)
Word choice practice
One of the most creative sports psychologists has found that simply discussing the fight-flight-
freeze response has huge therapeutic benefit. It takes the edge off. It makes an otherwise
bewildering reaction (what on earth is going on inside me?) into a comprehensible one. To
put it another way, the first stage of liberation from the tyranny of pressure is echoing the
behaviour of our ancient selves.

Question: Look at lines 50—54, and then explain how two examples of the writer’s word
choice demonstrate the “benefit” of the response. (4)

We also live in a world where a manic mum calls herself a Tiger Mother and writes a
bestselling book by the same name about how to produce straight-A, violin-playing, tennis-
champ, superkids, and where pushy, anxious helicopter parents hover over every school. A
friend reports that when her son was due to visit the Brecon Beacons on a school camping
trip this summer, three mothers pulled out their sons because the weather forecast was
“rainy”.

University dons are also complaining of a traumatic level of parental over-involvement just at
the exact moment that mummies and daddies are supposed to be letting go.

Question: Look at lines 48 – 55. With reference to three examples of the writer’s word
choice from these lines, show fully how she makes clear her disapproval of what she calls
“wet parenting”. (6)

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Imagery questions
Imagery questions ask about simile, metaphor and personification.

Question wording:
 Explain fully why the simile is effective here…

Method:
 Identify the image (if this is not given in the question) (1)
 Use just as…(1) so too…(1) OR
 Explain in your own words what is suggested by the image (1 similarity per mark)

Example:

When we watch any Premier League match, we are witnessing players who have made it
through a filtering process of staggering dimensions. It is a process that does not merely
discard 98 per cent of those who aspire, but something closer to 99·9999 per cent. For every
first-team player, there are millions of others, like grains of sand on the beach, who have
tried, who have dreamt, but who have failed.

Question: Explain fully why the simile “like grains of sand on the beach” (line 29) is effective
here. (2)

Example answer:
• Just as there are many particles of sand on the seashore (1),
• so too there are huge numbers of people who do not succeed in reaching the top
teams (1)

OR

 The simile suggests that there are large numbers of people who do not succeed (1)
 It also suggests that these people are all alike; they are not recognised as individuals
in the selection process (1).

Imagery practice
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Using one of the methods above, explain fully why these examples of imagery are
effective. (2)

1. The television sprang to life as soon as the repairman had finished.

2. The sun played hide and seek between the clouds.

3. The classroom became a zoo which caged the pupils in.

4. The poor rat didn’t have a chance. Our old cat, a bolt of lightning, caught his prey.

5. The baby, like an angel, gazed up from her cot and smiled contentedly.

6. I demolished his argument.

7. She crossed the icy playground as if crossing a minefield.

8. The new housing developments swallowed up the countryside.

9. Our house became like a court in which my parents put me on trial.

10. The ice laid its smooth claws on the window sill.

11. Like an old rough mat the cat lay sleeping.

12. The fountain of birds rose into the air.

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Sentence structure questions
Question wording:
 Explain how one example of the writer’s sentence structure makes it clear that…
 Explain how one feature of the writer’s sentence structure is used to highlight an
important point.
 Choose one of the two rhetorical questions…and discuss its effect.
Method:
 Identify a feature of sentence structure (see the checklist at the back for some of the
most common ones) (1)
 Explain in your own words why the feature has been used (1)

Example:

Tens of thousands do not make it to Oxford or Cambridge. Hundreds of thousands of actors

never win an Oscar. Tens of millions fail to make it into Manchester United or Chelsea. But
this is not the end of life. It is merely the beginning. It is an opportunity to conceive a new
dream, a new hope, a new way of finding meaning in this curious journey called life.

Question: Look at lines 56–59, and explain how one feature of the writer’s sentence structure
is used to highlight an important point. (2)

Example answer:

 Repetition of ‘a new’ is used (1)

 To highlight the possibility of a fresh start (1)

Extra Practice: Identify the additional features of sentence structure underlined in this
example. How have they been used to highlight important points?

**Remember these questions are not asking about content but about the way a sentence is
built or constructed. Once you have identified a feature (technique) you must comment on
why it has been used.**

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Sentence structure practice
The majority, like Mark, never made it through the first lap. Others made it to the final straight,
before dropping out. But this is football. This is life. Failure is an inevitable aspect of any
competition worthy of the name. Without losers, there cannot be winners. Without pain, there
cannot be joy. Without natural selection, there cannot be evolution. Failure is not the opposite
of progress; failure is part and parcel of progress.

Question: Look at lines 31–35. By referring to two features of sentence structure, explain
how the writer makes clear his view about competition. (4)

Whether there is a Frozen 2 or not, Menzel is now a big star, there to be shot at. When she
performed Let It Go in Times Square in New York on New Year’s Eve she was criticised for
failing to hit a high note (to be fair, she was singing in sub-zero temperatures). And though
her powerful, stately turn at the Super Bowl received strong reviews, there were still some
who noticed the odd flat note.

The unnerving proximity of several dozen hulking American footballers may have had
something to do with that. Talking about the time that she sang at the All-Star baseball game,
Menzel says: “One thing I underestimated is what a strong presence these athletes have
when they’re standing on the line right in front of you. They’re huge, standing there, and
you’re this one woman, singing on her own. You forget about the world and the rest of the
stadium because they’re so . . . daunting.”

Question: Look at lines 26–36, and then explain fully how the writer’s use of sentence
structure makes it clear that coping with performing under these circumstances is not easy.
You should refer to two examples in your answer. (4)

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Language questions
Question wording:
 Explain how two examples of language make it clear that…
 By referring to two language features, explain how the writer makes clear his view
about…
 Show fully how examples of the writer’s use of such features of language as word choice
or sentence structure helps to convey her ideas effectively.
Method:
 Identify an example of word choice, imagery or a feature of sentence structure (the
question will guide you) (1)
 Analyse your example as in the guidance above (1)

Example:
The majority, like Mark, never made it through the first lap. Others made it to the final straight,
before dropping out. But this is football. This is life. Failure is an inevitable aspect of any
competition worthy of the name. Without losers, there cannot be winners. Without pain, there
cannot be joy. Without natural selection, there cannot be evolution. Failure is not the opposite
of progress; failure is part and parcel of progress.

Question: Look at lines 31–35. By referring to two language features, explain how the writer
makes clear his view about competition. You should refer to two different features such as
word choice, imagery or sentence structure. (4)

Example Answer:
 Word choice – ‘inevitable’ (1)
 Suggests that failure is unavoidable (1)
 Imagery – ‘first lap’ (1)
 Compares competition to a race with different stages (1)

Extra Practice: Discuss how you might explain the other possible answers (underlined) in
your own words. (You have already looked at the sentence structure examples.)

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Language practice
This, I think, is what top athletes mean when they repeat that otherwise paradoxical saying: “Pressure
is not a problem; it is a privilege”. Talk to David Beckham, Sebastian Coe or Sir Chris Hoy and they
will be perfectly open about their nerves and fear. But they also talk with great pride about facing up
to them. They didn’t see these human responses as signs of weakness but as opportunities to grow.
They created mechanisms (often highly personal ones) to help them through. They seized every
opportunity to face danger, and learnt from each experience.

Question: Look at lines 55—61. Explain what the attitude of top athletes is to pressure, and how two
examples of the language used make this attitude clear. (5)

I remember only once going to a restaurant in the UK. It was a motorway café on the A303. My father
told us, wincing as he looked at the laminated text, with its stomach churning pictograms, that we
could have the spag bol. From the children’s menu.

We had a TV, but as we lived in Belgium there was nothing to watch apart from two American sitcoms,
which came on only once a week.

My parents were so hard up that when we went to England for holidays on the family farm on Exmoor
— mainly spent “wooding” for winter fuel on rainswept hillsides — my father would invariably book
cheap overnight ferry crossings from the Continent. He would never shell out for a cabin, despite the
1am or 3am departure slots. Instead, he would tell us to go to sleep in the back of the car, parked in
the lower deck, where we would eventually pass out from suffocation or diesel fumes.

We never had friends round for “playdates”. Keeping children busy and happy was not a parental
priority. If we were bored, that was our own fault. In fact, there was nothing to do for weeks on end
except rake leaves (my father once made us spend a whole half-term raking leaves) and read on our
beds. Occasionally my mother would shout up the stairs: “Stop reading!” Imagine that now, when
children are on their laptops in their rooms, looking at . . . I don’t even want to imagine.

Question: Look at lines 24 – 40, where the writer develops the idea of her family being “hard up”.
Show fully how examples of the writer’s use of such features of language as word choice or
sentence structure helps to convey her ideas effectively. (4)

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Tone questions
Tone is not WHAT is being said but HOW something is being said. It helps to convey the
writer’s feelings or attitude and is created through choice of language.

Question wording:
 Explain with reference to the writer’s use of language how successful you think she has
been in achieving a ________ tone.

Method:
 Identify tone (if it is not given in the question) (1)
 Select an example of word choice, imagery or sentence structure. (1)
 Explain how this example helped to create the tone. (1)

Example:

The majority, like Mark, never made it through the first lap. Others made it to the final straight,
before dropping out. But this is football. This is life. Failure is an inevitable aspect of any
competition worthy of the name. Without losers, there cannot be winners. Without pain, there
cannot be joy. Without natural selection, there cannot be evolution. Failure is not the opposite
of progress; failure is part and parcel of progress.

Question: In the expression “straight-A, violin-playing, tennis-champ, superkids” the writer

tries to achieve a humorous, mocking tone.
Explain with reference to her use of language how successful you think she has been in
achieving this tone. (2)

Example answer:
 The writer uses a list of achievements (1)
 This effectively shows that she is mocking parents who expect their children to be good
at everything (1)

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Common tones
Below you will find common tones that may be found in RUAE passages. You should learn
what these mean and how to recognise them.

Tone Meaning How to recognise

Mocking

Humorous

Ironic

Sarcastic

Optimistic

Pessimistic

Critical

Sympathetic

Conversational

Angry

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Link questions
Question wording:
 By referring to the sentence in lines _____, explain how it helps to provide a link between
the writer’s ideas at this point in the passage.
 Explain any way in which the sentences in lines _____ help to provide a link between
ideas at this point in the passage.
Method:
 Quote a word or short phrase from the link sentence that you think links back/forward (1)
 Quote a word or phrase that your selection links back/forward to OR explain in your own
words the idea that your selection links back/forward to (1)
Example:
The unnerving proximity of several dozen hulking American footballers may have had something to do
with that. Talking about the time that she sang at the All-Star baseball game, Menzel says: “One thing
I underestimated is what a strong presence these athletes have when they’re standing on the line right
in front of you. They’re huge, standing there, and you’re this one woman, singing on her own. You
forget about the world and the rest of the stadium because they’re so . . . daunting.”

One woman opposite a squad of men: it’s a pertinent image given her associations with
Frozen, a film that has regularly been touted as a feminist breakthrough. The first Disney
animation to be directed (well, co-directed) by a woman, Jennifer Lee, it’s quietly revolutionary
because, as Menzel says, “the purest love that’s being celebrated is between two sisters and not
because some Prince Charming is saving the day”.

Question: By referring to the sentence in lines 37–38, explain how it helps to provide a link between
the writer’s ideas at this point in the passage. (2)

Example Answer:
 ‘one woman’ links back (1)
 To the idea that she was ‘on her own’ (1)
OR
 ‘one woman’ links back (1)
 To the idea of isolation in the previous paragraph (1)

Extra Practice: Discuss how the underlined words and phrases link back/forward. What do
you notice about the use of the colon in this example?

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Link practice
Sports psychology can be thought of as helping performers to manage a response (ie fight,
flight, freeze) that has outlived, to a large extent, its usefulness. The players standing in the
semi-circle holding hands are virtually motionless. It is a nice metaphor for the freeze
response. The walk to the penalty spot is curiously self-conscious. You can almost hear the
inner dialogue: “Get out of here, run away! ‘But I can’t run away. I have to take this thing!’ ”

How to deal with these responses? One way is with reflection. The next time you give a
speech or are doing a job interview, take note of how you feel. Gauge the curious feeling of
dread, the desire to run away, the way your heart is beating out of your chest. But do not let
this intimidate you; instead, reflect that these are normal reactions and everyone experiences
them: even Michael Jordan (a marvel from the free-throw line) and Roger Federer (who
always looks unnaturally calm on Centre Court).

Question: Explain why the sentence “How to deal with these responses?” (line 44) provides
an appropriate link at this point in the passage. (2)

So we are not here to examine our children. What we should do is try to find out where we
have gone so terribly wrong. Before we come to the wretchedly indulgent state of modern
parenting, though, I suppose I’d better set out my stall. Inevitably, when one becomes a
parent, one can’t help revisiting one’s own childhood to make comparisons.

When I was little, we were given no choices — about what we ate, what we wore, what we
did, where we went to school, when we went to bed etc. I could only choose what to read.

There was not so much stuff (many of my son’s 15-year-old friends have iPods, iPads,
MacBooks, unlimited access to their parents’ credit cards, Pay Pal, eBay and iTunes
accounts — and not just iPhones, but BlackBerrys too), so we made our own fun.

Question: Explain any way in which the sentences in lines 12 – 14 help to provide a link
between ideas at this point in the passage. (2)

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Contrast questions
In a contrast question, you are looking for opposites or two elements that are completely
different from each other. You must mention both sides of the contrast to gain full marks.

Question wording:
 By referring to two examples, explain fully how the writer makes effective use of contrast
in these paragraphs. You could refer to sentence structure, tone or word choice.
Method:
 Identify an example of word choice, imagery, tone or a feature of sentence structure (the
question will guide you) (1)
 Analyse your example as in the guidance above (1)
 Identify an opposing example of word choice, imagery, tone or a feature of sentence
structure (1)
 Analyse your example as in the guidance above (1)
Example:
She is certainly aware of the value of appearing in “several zeitgeist-y things across different
generations: from Rent to Wicked, Glee to Frozen”. There’s a ‘through line’ between those
four, she thinks: they all resonate with young people and “people who are trying to find
themselves. I’m proud of that. I’m not sure why that’s become the pattern for me — maybe it’s
because I have as much to learn myself”.

Our time is almost up. I’m allowed to ask one more (burning) question. Does she have her
own Elsa dress, the must-have wardrobe item for girls across the western world? “No I do
not!” she laughs.

Question: Look at lines 62–69, by referring to two examples, explain fully how the writer
makes effective use of contrast in these paragraphs. You could refer to sentence structure,
tone or word choice. (4)

Example Answer:
 ‘they all resonate with young people’ (1)
 A formal tone is used to discuss serious issues (1)
 This contrasts with ‘her own Elsa dress’ (1)
 The tone here is much lighter and more humorous (1)

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Effective opening questions
Question wording:
 Explain fully why the first paragraph is an effective opening to the passage as a whole.

Method:
 Say what has been introduced (e.g. idea / theme / focus / tone) (1)
 Specify what the idea / theme / focus / tone is (1)
 State the impact this has on the reader (1)

Example:
From SQA National 5 RUAE, 2015:

If you throw a rat into the middle of a room full of humans, it will instinctively freeze. By
becoming completely still, it is more likely to avoid detection. Then, it will dart into a corner of
the room, hoping to flee danger. If cornered, however, it will fight. Ferociously.

Question: Explain fully why the first paragraph (lines 1—4) is an effective opening to the
passage as a whole. (3)

Example Answer:
 It introduces (1) a rat (1)
 This interests the reader (1)

An effective introduction will do some of the following:

 Introduce main ideas / the focus of the text

 Introduce main themes
 Introduce the tone of the passage
 Introduce the writer’s opinion / stance on the topic
 Use imagery / features of sentence structure (say why this feature has been used)
 Involve the reader e.g. through use of second person ‘you’
 Create interest / shock / arouse sympathy / anger

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Effective conclusion questions
Question wording:
 Look at lines _____. Select any expression from these lines and explain how it
contributes to the passage’s effective conclusion.
 Pick an expression from the final paragraph, and show how it helps to contribute to an
effective conclusion to the passage.
Method:
 Quote a word or short phrase from the conclusion that you think links back to earlier in
the passage (1)
 Quote a word, phrase or idea that your selection links back to OR explain in your own
words the idea that your selection links back to. (1)

Example:
From SQA National 5 RUAE, 2017:

I often think about Mark. And I am thankful that his failures in football, so important, so trivial,
never deterred him. He created new dreams, new aspirations, and lived a life that inspired all
who knew him.

Life is too short, too precious, to be derailed by failure. We have to accept it. We have to
embrace it.

Question: Select any expression in lines 60–64, and explain how it contributes to the
passage’s effective conclusion. (2)

Example Answer 1:
 The expression ‘failures in football’ (1)
 revisits the important idea earlier in the passage that talks about him not making it onto
the team. (1)

Example Answer 2:
 The expression ‘new dreams’ (1)
 Repeats the earlier use of these words, emphasising the importance of hope (1)

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Effective conclusion practice
You will need a copy of the 2017 passage ‘Resilience’ to help complete this exercise.
The expressions below come from lines 60-64. For each one, explain how it contributes to the
effectiveness of the conclusion.

An effective conclusion will do some of the following:

 Revisit earlier important ideas (say what the idea is)

 Repeat earlier word choice (say why the word has been repeated)
 Repeat earlier images (say why the image has been repeated)
 Use features of sentence structure such as repetition (say why this feature has been
used)
 Refer back to title
 Repeat the tone used earlier (give an example of how the tone was created)

Expression / feature (1) How it contributes to the effectiveness of the

conclusion (1)
Reference to Mark

Use of first person narrator

‘so important, so trivial’

‘never deterred him’

‘accept’

‘embrace’

Repetition of ‘new’

Repetition of ‘too’

Short sentences

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Useful language
Word Meaning Example Effect

Alliteration A group of words which Peter picked a peck

begin with the same letter of pickled peppers

Anecdote A brief (personal) story

used to illustrate a point

Colloquial language Informal writing calling a potato a

‘spud’

Connotation The associations that a “gold” has

word brings to our mind connotations of
rather than the literal success, riches
meaning (see denotation)

Context The surrounding sentence

or paragraph in which a
word appears

Denotation The dictionary definition of “gold” is a yellow

a word or term precious metal …

Emotive language Words or phrases which ‘the poor

arouse an emotional defenceless
response such as animals’
sympathy or anger in the
reader

Hyperbole Exaggeration I’ve told you a

million times to do
your homework.

Imagery / images Descriptive language which The boy’s bedroom

creates a picture in your looked like a pigsty.
(simile, metaphor, head
personification)

Irony Saying the opposite of what The marriage

you really mean or of what counsellor was
you might expect to happen going through a
divorce.

Metaphor A comparison where one He is a wizard at

thing is said to be another maths.
that it cannot actually be.

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 Life is a
rollercoaster.

Onomatopoeia Words which copy the Sizzle, crash …

sound they describe

Oxymoron Placing two opposite words A deafening silence

side by side in order to
create impact. A bitter sweet
romance …

First person The story is told from the I…me…my…

narrative point of view of one
character

Third person The story is told by a He, she …

narrative narrator wo is not directly
involved

Personification Objects are given human The engine

characteristics coughed into life.

Simile A comparison using ‘like’ or His hands were as

‘as’ cold as ice.

Synonym Words with similar Happy, cheerful

meanings

Tone The way in which Tone is created

something is said. It tells us through word
how the writer feels about choice, emotive
the topic. language,
persuasive
language etc…

Sentence structure checklist

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Remember these questions are not asking about content but about the way a sentence is built or
constructed. Once you have identified a feature you must comment on why it has been used.

Feature Description Uses (this varies from one passage to another)

Repetition When single words, or groups of To place emphasis on a word for a specific
words, are repeated. reason. Think about why the author has drawn
your attention to that particular word.

Lists In lists of single items, items might Always say what it is a list of and why it has
be separated by commas. In lists been used.
of phrases, items might be
separated by semi-colons. If a list is present, look at the order in which the
points are listed. If they lead up to the most
Lists are usually introduced by a important item at the end, there is a build-up to a
colon (:). climax.

Conjunction Sometimes a writer might use ‘But’ This is usually done to introduce an opposing
s at the beginning of a sentence. idea or view.

Sentence Short sentences Sometimes build up tension.

length
Long sentences May be used for an explanation or to highlight
someone’s rambling thoughts.

Questions Identify these through use of the To show that someone is questioning
question mark (?). themselves; may highlight anxiety, concern or a
dilemma.

Rhetorical Often addressed to the reader. Encourage the reader to consider their own
questions views on the topic/their own actions/to involve
the reader.

Minor Do not contain a verb (doing

sentence word).

Contrast Opposite words or ideas being To place emphasis on the difference/ highlight
used alongside each other. extremes.

Parenthesis Where extra non-essential Sometimes contains the author’s opinion on a

information is included in a topic or an aside.
sentence, contained within
dashes, brackets or commas. Sometimes contains more detail on the topic.

Ellipsis Where three dots (...) are used To indicate something has been left out,
hesitation, a cliffhanger, continuation of a list…

Colon Punctuation mark (:) Can be used to introduce an idea, a list or an

explanation.

Semi-colon Punctuation mark (;) May separate items on a list of phrases; may
have contrasting ideas before and after it.

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Active reading strategies
You should read quality non-fiction articles regularly to prepare for RUAE. This is something
that can be done at home as well as in school. It will give you more confidence when reading
unseen passages and it will also develop your vocabulary. The following activities will help you
to read actively:

 Think about the intended audience and purpose of articles.

 Summarise the key ideas in articles using your own words.

 Explain what you have read to someone else (this will test how well you have understood
it).

 Look up new vocabulary.

 Think about how effective you find the introduction and the conclusion. What techniques
are used to make them effective?

 Look for examples of imagery. Why have they been used?

 Look at word choice. Think about the connotations of some of the words the writer has
chosen.

 Think about tone. What is the writer’s attitude towards the topic, and how do you know?

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Reflecting on your RUAE prelim
Name

My mark out of 30

Did I finish the paper?

How well did I understand the

passage?

Question types I did well in

Questions types I found difficult

Overall strengths

Next steps and how I can achieve

them

Signed (pupil) Signed (parent/carer)

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Studying for National 5 RUAE
You may have heard people say that you cannot study for this paper. However, there are
several ways that you can prepare. Why not try some of the ideas below?

Read regularly
Try to read quality non-fiction texts regularly. Use active reading techniques such
as those listed above to develop your skills. Create mind maps when actively
reading texts.

Past papers
Ensure that you complete as many of these as possible. They are available free on
the SQA website. This will help you to become familiar with the types of passage
used and with common question types. You will also be able to practise your time
management skills.

Flashcards
Write the name of a technique, a feature of sentence structure or punctuation on
one side and the definition on the other. Ask parents / carers / friends to test you
on these.

Flashcards can be made into a booklet to keep them together. You can then also
carry them around and read through them when you have a spare moment.

Colour coding
Use highlighters or coloured pens to colour code notes. This is more active than
simply reading through notes.

Mnemonics
For some people these are good memory aids. There is an example below.
Imagery =
Metaphor
Personification
Simile

Post-its and Posters

Put definitions or RUAE advice up on your bedroom wall and look at it regularly.

Find a Study Partner

 Ask someone to test you on learning techniques and their definitions.
 Read an article together and summarise the main ideas.
 Analyse texts with a partner, challenging each other to identify techniques
and comment on why they have been used.

Create a study timetable

Ensure that you plan your studying for all subjects and start early. Remember to
build your RUAE skills into your plan. Practising regularly is key. Good luck!

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Article - Article adapted from “Me, Boris Johnson and our brilliantly hands-off parents” by Rachel
Johnson, taken from The Times, 15 October 2012. Reproduced by permission of News Syndication. ©
The Times, October 2012.

Article - Article adapted from “Missing penalty not end of world but a chance to learn more about life” by
Matthew Syed, taken from The Times, 9 July 2014. Reproduced by permission of News Syndication. ©
The Times, July 2014.

Article – Article adapted from “Can the Frozen star Idina Menzel ever let go of Let it Go?” by Ed Potton,
taken from The Times, 6 February 2015. Reproduced by permission of News Syndication. © The
Times, February 2015.

Article – Article is adapted from “We must dare to dream but life is too precious to be derailed by failure”
by Matthew Syed, taken from The Times, 19th January 2015.

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30 | National 5 English RUAE © Education Scotland 2019