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As was pointed out in How to Write a Summary Part 1 ,    the summary question tests candidates on whether they have understood the passage or not. Summarising information indicates that the reader has a clear understanding of the key points raised by the writer. Candidates should take note of the following aspects as they write summaries. Distractors are a major stumbling block when it comes to identify relevant points. Distractors are pieces of information which have the potential to mislead the reader/candidate into thinking that they also have to be included in the summary. Candidates who fail to discern properly end up including such information resulting in scoring low marks or failing. To avoid this mistake, candidates should analyse the summary question carefully before they start compiling their points. Question analysis involves identifying key words and content words. Key words are instructional words or phrases. These words direct the candidate as to what ex...

The summary question tests candidates' ability to select relevant information from the passage at the same time presenting it concisely and precisely within the stipulated word limit.  In this part, I will focus on question analysis, key words, content words and responding to all the aspects of the question. It is very important for the candidates to carefully analyse the summary question in order to unpack all its demands. More often than not, candidates perform badly on this question as a result of failure to understand the demands of the question. Understanding the question entails several aspects including identifying the material to be summarised. The summary question always specifies the parameters of the material to be summarised and candidates must always stick to it otherwise they may spend precious time working on material which is irrelevant thus risking losing all the marks allocated for this question. Pay attention to the instruction, "...

Some of the characters in The Government Inspector engage in trivial micro quarrels. The significance of such interactions lies in the thematisation of negligence of duty and inefficiency of the government officials. In addition, these petty squabbles mirror the real life problems afflicting the residents of the town. Anna and Marya disagree on matters pertaining to apparel and physical appearance. Their different tastes and opinions on aesthetic issues reflect not only the disharmony between the two of them but also the conflict that exists between government officials or servants with the general public, especially the shop owners. Justice is non-existent in this town as the judge is involved in bribery and abdication. Instead of executing his duty as a judge, Lyapkin-Tyapkin pursues hunting. This creates dissatisfaction among the residents of the town as some cases are left unsettled. The sergeant's widow who is flogged unjustly illustrates the gross  misapplication  of law...

DANIEL The novel The Ties That Bind is rich in biblical allusions. This does not come as a surprise given the fact that the writer Chidavaenzi is a Christian and that the novel seeks to establish God or religion as a panacea for the perplexing challenges of, among other things, HIV and AIDS. The various experiences and circumstances surrounding some characters are aptly captured through a number of carefully chosen biblical references.  The book of Daniel chronicles the experiences of Daniel, a Jew in a foreign land, Babylon.  The most defining attribute of Daniel is his steadfastness regarding his faith in God. Although he was in a foreign land abound with many foes, he remained truthful to God. By referring to herself as Daniel, Jacqueline brings out the difficulties she faced as a child growing up in a family afflicted by dire poverty. Saying "it was a hard act playing Daniel in a den of lions" portrays Highfield neighbourhood as an unsafe place for a growing girl chil...

SO LONG A LETTER, CHAPTER ONE By Kosam The opening line, “Dear Aissatou,” is personal and confidential. It indicates that Ramatoulaye is just about to confide in her   childhood friend Aissatou, issues that affect her personally. The salutation also serves to engage readers by generating a feeling that they are the ones being addressed in the letter since the text is epistolatory in nature. This sense of reader involvement is further emphasised by the use of the first person pronoun “I” which puts the reader in the shoes of Ramatoulaye by evoking sympathy towards her. Readers can be both addressees and senders at the same time. Mariama Ba, thus manages to captivate the readers by preparing them to pursue the story of Ramatoulaye in a personal way. Ramatoulaye starts off by establishing her childhood acquaintance with Aissatou, tracing their childhood experiences and highlighting the ...

THE TIES THAT BIND CHAPTER 3  By Kosam Ndlovu The chapter opens with contrasting tones. There is tension between optimism and pessimism symbolised by “the solid black gate” that “reluctantly” opens. The gate that opens reluctantly indicates hope for a better future for characters particularly Lincoln and Chiedza.   The element of pessimism is brought out through symbolism conveyed by the “black” and “solid” nature of the gate. The black colour suggests bleakness while the solid states denotes difficulties. This reflects the emotional agony which Lincoln is going through as he contemplates the prospect of having a romantic relationship with Chiedza. He regards his health status as a stumbling block to this relationship which he desperately needs. The gate that opens, albeit reluctantly, parallels the bright future that lies ahead of Lincoln’s life. It heralds the era in his life, unclouded by his gory past wh...

THE TIES THAT BIND CHAPTER 2 By Kosam Ndlovu The second chapter of the text The Ties that Bind focuses on thematising mainly poverty, among other issues. Abject poverty affects many a youngster, making it impossible for them to reach their potential. through flashback, the difficult life Jackie experienced as a child is highlighted. The writer employs a Biblical allusion to illustrate the challenges youngsters encounter while growing up in poverty stricken families and communities. Reference is made to the story of Daniel who was thrown into the lion’s den following his adamant attitude of praying to God, contrary to the decree of king Darius the Medes. However, Daniel is miraculously saved from being eaten by the lions. This allusion demonstrates how difficult it is for the youths to find focus and direction within an environment that is not supportive as a result of poverty and orphanhood. The intervention of the Masosa family in the social and educational life of Jackie demonstra...