Below is a sample answer for Session #1 Question 2 (the cartoon with the Sinhalese sharks and the Tamil man perched on the tree). See if you can improve on the answer:
The source tells me that the Tamils are in a very precarious and helpless situation. This can be seen from face of the man who was on the tree. He looks very fearful as he hangs on for his dear life perched dangerously on a coconut tree.
The source also tells me that the Tamils were oppressed. I can see that the president is threatening the man with the help of a couple of fierce-looking dogs. The sea below the man is also filled with sharks. The government and the Sinhalese are depicted as predators waiting to pounce on the Tamils.
The cartoonist wrote the cartoon to convince the people that the Tamils have been badly treated.
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Do not scroll down to see the model answer until you have tried to improve the original answer as this will defeat the purpose of the exercise!
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Recommended changes:
The source tells me that the Tamils are in a very precarious and helpless situation due to the unfair/bad/cruel treatment by the government. This can be seen from face of the man who was on the tree. He looks very fearful as he hangs on for his dear life perched dangerously on a coconut tree.
The source also tells me that the Tamils were oppressed by the Sinhalese government. I can see that the president is threatening the man with the help of a couple of fierce-looking dogs. The sea below the man is also filled with sharks which represent the Sinhalese. The government and the Sinhalese are depicted as predators waiting to pounce on the Tamils.
The cartoonist wrote the cartoon to convince readers of the Indian newspaper that the Tamils have been badly treated.
Notice the main differences between the two answers:
1) The inferences are properly explained. Inferences should be explained using source content and not background information and contextual knowledge.
2) The purpose is specific. "People" is not good enough, "readers of the Indian newspaper" is more specific.
Monday, March 16, 2009
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