A Passage to Africa
1. How has the writer tried to hook the reader’s interest at the end of the
first paragraph? The writer gives us a little snippet of the story he’s
about to retell and leaves us with just enough information to want to
know more. - ‘ I will never forget’ demonstrates how this particular
event was very significant and perhaps one that we won’t forget
either.
2. How does Alagiah emphasise the remoteness and the isolation of the
town he’s visiting in lines 4-9? He uses the phrase ‘ back of beyond’
which emphasises the fact that it’s in the middle of nowhere. He
went on to list the directions to get there- ‘a few kilometers till...for
about 45 minutes... go another’. This makes it seem like no one
really knows where it is or how to get there because it is so isolated.
3. Which simile does Alagiah use in lines 13-14? What does it tell us about
the nature of his journalists and their audience? ‘The search for the
shocking is like the craving for a drug’. In a sense, they have to be a
little heartless; their job is to hunt for the worst, capture it and then
move on. To them it’s a job well done.
4. In paragraph 4, Alagiah describes a particular woman. Name two of the
techniques used in this paragraph (include examples) to bring out the
shocking nature of life in this village. Alagiah uses a great amount of
emotive language- ‘No rage, no whimpering, just a passing away-that
simple, frictionless, motionless...’ He also uses a short sentence- ‘H
abiba had died’
5. Which shocking words in the paragraph lines 28-36 suggest that these
people are diseased and dying? ‘The smell of decaying flesh’
6. What is surprising about Alagiah’s description of the lady’s damaged
leg in ‘the gentle v-shape of a boomerang’? The surprising thing is that
he could actually see the structure of the bone because of how
much her skin had rotted.
7. What does Alagiah consider ‘taboo’ in lines 37-46? The fact that the
journalists never really say just how bad the situation is and put on
a sort of front for the cameras. When the cameras are rolling only
certain parts of the situation is shown; enough to get an emotional
connection from the viewers back home, but not gruesome enough
to stop you from watching.
8. Why do you think Alagiah finds ‘that smile’ so memorable?
I think he finds it so memorable because it’s so rare. Journalists normally
see suffering and pain and death but amongst this, he spotted a smile; it
caught his attention. And this smile reminded him that all these people
suffering are human too and they have emotions and dignity.
1. How has the writer tried to hook the reader’s interest at the end of the
first paragraph? The writer gives us a little snippet of the story he’s
about to retell and leaves us with just enough information to want to
know more. - ‘ I will never forget’ demonstrates how this particular
event was very significant and perhaps one that we won’t forget
either.
2. How does Alagiah emphasise the remoteness and the isolation of the
town he’s visiting in lines 4-9? He uses the phrase ‘ back of beyond’
which emphasises the fact that it’s in the middle of nowhere. He
went on to list the directions to get there- ‘a few kilometers till...for
about 45 minutes... go another’. This makes it seem like no one
really knows where it is or how to get there because it is so isolated.
3. Which simile does Alagiah use in lines 13-14? What does it tell us about
the nature of his journalists and their audience? ‘The search for the
shocking is like the craving for a drug’. In a sense, they have to be a
little heartless; their job is to hunt for the worst, capture it and then
move on. To them it’s a job well done.
4. In paragraph 4, Alagiah describes a particular woman. Name two of the
techniques used in this paragraph (include examples) to bring out the
shocking nature of life in this village. Alagiah uses a great amount of
emotive language- ‘No rage, no whimpering, just a passing away-that
simple, frictionless, motionless...’ He also uses a short sentence- ‘H
abiba had died’
5. Which shocking words in the paragraph lines 28-36 suggest that these
people are diseased and dying? ‘The smell of decaying flesh’
6. What is surprising about Alagiah’s description of the lady’s damaged
leg in ‘the gentle v-shape of a boomerang’? The surprising thing is that
he could actually see the structure of the bone because of how
much her skin had rotted.
7. What does Alagiah consider ‘taboo’ in lines 37-46? The fact that the
journalists never really say just how bad the situation is and put on
a sort of front for the cameras. When the cameras are rolling only
certain parts of the situation is shown; enough to get an emotional
connection from the viewers back home, but not gruesome enough
to stop you from watching.
8. Why do you think Alagiah finds ‘that smile’ so memorable?
I think he finds it so memorable because it’s so rare. Journalists normally
see suffering and pain and death but amongst this, he spotted a smile; it
caught his attention. And this smile reminded him that all these people
suffering are human too and they have emotions and dignity.
