GP Essay Skills - Paper 2 - Inferential Question

1. INFERENTIAL

Purpose:

- Infer: To derive from reasoning

- To test if you can read between the lines and deduce what is not explicitly said

A. IMPLIED QUESTIONS

Task:

- Use prior knowledge

- Use context – theme of passage & position of author

- Integrate both to help you reach your answer

Examples:

i. What character traits are signified by the term ‘Caesar’ and why are these character traits usually kept ‘secret’? (SAJC Pre-Prelim 2008)

Ans. ‘Caesar’ signifies a keen desire for authority, power, and control, implying that one is tyrannical/despotic.

They are kept secret because these traits are usually seen as objectionable or are frowned upon by society. Displaying such traits will lead to self-disclosure and hinder chances to acquire power.

B. CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS

Task:

- Draw links between the scenario in the question and the context/theme in the passage.

Examples:

i. Using your own words as far as possible, explain how the writer uses the following phrases to show that ‘the millenials, are technologically precocious.’

a) ‘growing up with a rattle in one hand and a computer mouse in another’

Ans. The millenials are being exposed to/familiar with/weaned on/made very comfortable with technology from the time they were very young

ii. Explain how the three examples given in lines 35-39 are ‘situations where their choices are made for them.’ [3] (A Level 2004)

Lifts	Explanation
i. (i) ‘into an authoritarian religion which demands adherence to particular rules of behaviour and articles of belief’ (lines 35-36)	One is expected to follow prescribed codes of conduct for a religion, acting and thinking solely in accordance to its teachings. [1]
(ii) ‘into the discipline of military life where initial choice to obey their superiors largely lifts the weight of choosing off their shoulders’ (lines 36-37)	One would have to obey the commands of those who ranked above him, removing the possibility of choice.[1]
(iii) ‘into an unquestioning commitment to some political, humanitarian or environmental cause.’ (lines 37-39)	Giving total support to a particular cause takes away one’s ability to make other choices in terms of following . [1]