Download Year 10 | Unit 2

Learner Resource
School Name
Park Ridge SHS/ Shailer Park SHS
Subject
English
Description
Sample Pre-assessment Task Unit 2
Instructions
Complete each section (A-F) and respond appropriately
Task designed by
Deb Pillay and
Melanie King
Topic
Reading and
comprehending a
novel
Contact
Year
10
Janelle Dickman 0467777965
Learning Intention
To build an understanding of what students know before embarking on a novel study, that
explores issues relevant to Australian society.
Step to Success
As part of our unit of work we will focus on:
 persuading the reader about the value of a novel for young Australian readers
 explaining and evaluating the social, moral and ethical messages in the text
 explaining how the author positions audiences using narrative viewpoint, plot and
characterisation
 highlighting author’s message (implicit or explicit) using argument and evidence from the
text
Pre-test Intention
To gauge students’ prior knowledge of core concepts of the unit to be studied to individually
target student ability.
South East Region
Learner Resource template
V1 – Aug 2013
Learner Resource
Student Name
Class
Date
This unit will focus on a novel study. The purpose of this test is to determine what students
already know with regards to key concepts that will be studied this term.
SECTION A – Australian Identity
Read the question below and answer using complete sentences.
What does it mean to be Australian?
List three (3) aspects of Australian life that you are proud of.
1. _________________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________________
List three (3) aspects of Australian life that could be improved.
1. _________________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________________
SECTION B – Parts of the novel
1. When we study a novel we examine key aspects that assist us in making meaning. Identify
five (5) of these key aspects. An example is the narrative resolution.
1. _________________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________________
South East Region
Learner Resource template
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2. Every novel has an important message that the author would like to convey. Why is this
message important to the novel’s target audience?
SECTION C – Moral, Social and Ethical Messages
The table below provides a definition of social, moral and ethical messages.
Social Message
Moral Message
Ethical Message
Messages an author wishes to
communicate to the society, he or
she writes in. They are messages of
social value relevant to a particular
society or culture.
General messages about what is
‘right’ or ‘wrong’. Moral messages
tend to focus on human behaviour
and are often applied universally,
independently of social, cultural or
historical context.
Messages about what ought to
occur in a particular social, cultural
or historical context.
Using the definitions provided, identify the type of message that the author is conveying.
Example
Type of message (social,
moral or ethical)
‘Be environmentally aware in order to better society and preserve our
existence.’
‘Protecting the weak is the responsibility of the strong’
‘Dishonesty is bad’
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Learner Resource template
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SECTION D – Persuasive Language
Examine the extract below and identify five (5) persuasive language features that position the
audience. Justify your choices.
Literary analysis Exemplar
A walk on the Wilde side
Oscar Wilde’s ferocious wit and biting satire rattled relentlessly at the windows of social and
moral establishments across 19th Century Europe. Loved and loathed in equal amounts, Wilde
habitually demonstrated a tendency to air his opinions on matters of society and culture —
regardless of how well they were likely to be received. Despite this, the true genius of Wilde is
best seen in the eloquent, and at times, playful manner that his literature satirises nineteenth
century society. A lovely example of this tendency is found in Wilde’s short story The Model
Millionaire. In this delightful tale, Wilde delivers an overt moral message that emphasises the
importance of goodwill and benevolence. At the same time, however, Wilde provides a deeply
satirical social commentary that is scathing of the influence of wealth on society. At all levels —
explicit and implicit — Wilde’s commentary is of value to young adult readers.
1. __________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
South East Region
Learner Resource template
V1 – Aug 2013
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SECTION E – Narrative Viewpoint
Read the definitions of narrative viewpoint given below and provide an example to highlight your
understanding of each.
Your example:
First-person major: the main character tells
his/her story, from his/her perspective, from
within the world of the story.
Language: personal and possessive pronouns
such as ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘my’, ‘we’, ‘mine’
Your example:
Third-person omniscient narrator: (‘omni’ =
Latin prefix meaning ‘all’ or ‘everything’) the allknowing narrator includes the thoughts,
feelings, emotions and perspectives of all
characters. The narrator does not include
himself/herself in the telling of the story.
Language: Repetition of the central
characters’ names and noun groups
associated with the central characters. Third
person pronouns: ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘they’,
‘themselves’, ‘their’.
SECTION F – Extended Response
Consider the relevance of studying a novel that deals with social, moral or ethical messages in an
English classroom (themes, attitudes, values, audience position etc). Write your response in a
well-constructed paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
South East Region
Learner Resource template
V1 – Aug 2013