Confusion, Complications, or Uncertainties

Choose a play in which there is a scene dominated by confusion, complications or uncertainties. HSP1
Explain the cause(s) of the confusion, complications or uncertainties, and go on to discuss the importance of the scene to your appreciation of the play as a whole.

Choose a play in which a character keeps something hidden or pretends to be something she or he is not.
Explain the reasons(s) for the character’s behaviour and discuss how it affects your attitude to the character. HSP2

Choose a play whose main theme is made clear early in the action.
Show how the dramatist introduces the theme and discuss how successfully he or she goes on to develop it. HSP3

Choose a play in which one scene or moment determines the fate of a main character.
Explain fully why you think this is the key moment in the character’s fortunes. HSP4

Choose a novel which is influenced by the presence of a powerful or overbearing character. Show how the novelist creates this impression of the character and discuss to what extent you felt you could sympathise with him or her. HSP5

Choose a novel or short story in which a family disagreement plays an important part. Explain the circumstances of the disagreement and show how the writer uses it to develop theme and/or character. HSP6

Choose a writer whose short stories often make use of dramatic or shocking or surprise endings.
By referring to at least two of his/her stories, show how the writer exploits this feature to give added impact to the stories as a whole. HSP7

Choose a novel in which the novelist makes effective use of symbolism.
Show how the writer made use of this technique to enhance your appreciation of the text as a whole.HSP8

Choose a work of travel writing which introduced you to a new culture.
Show how the writer’s presentation made you aware of the new culture. HSP9

Choose a non-fiction text which has made you think about an environmental issue.
Explain briefly what the issue is and at greater length show how the writer’s treatment of the issue conveyed her or his point of view. HSP10

Choose a biography or autobiography which presented a person’s life in an effective way. Evaluate the techniques the author uses to make the presentation of the life story effective. HSP811

Choose a poem which is light-hearted or playful or not entirely serious.
Show how the poet makes you aware of the tone, and discuss how effective the use of this tone is in dealing with the subject matter of the poem. HSP812
Choose two poems on the subject of war or hostility.
Compare the way the two poems treat the subject, and explain to what extent you find one more effective than the other. HSP13

Choose a poem which depicts one of the following: the sea, the night, the countryside, sleep, a dream, travel.
Show how the poet brings the subject to life for you. HSP814

Choose a poem which explores loneliness or isolation.
Show how the poet explores the theme, and discuss to what extent your appreciation of the theme was deepened by the poet’s treatment. HSP815

Choose a play in which a character struggles with her or his conscience.
Outline briefly the reasons for the character’s dilemma and go on to discuss how successfully the dramatist engages your sympathy for her or him. H021

Choose from a play a scene in which the conflict between two characters is at its most intense.
Outline briefly the reasons for the conflict and then by examining the scene in detail, show how it gave you a deeper appreciation of the play as a whole. H022

Choose a play whose main theme concerns one of the following: power, corruption, disillusionment.
Explain how the dramatist introduces the theme and discuss to what extent you found the way it is explored in the play enhanced your understanding of the theme. H023

Choose a play in which the main character is at odds with one or more than one of the people around him or her.
Show how the dramatist makes you aware of the character’s situation and discuss to what extent this led to a greater understanding of the concerns of the play. H024

Choose a novel or short story n which the main character faces a dilemma.
Outline briefly what the dilemma is and go on to discuss how the character’s reaction to it gives you a deeper understanding of the text as a whole. H025

Choose a novel which explores in an effective way a theme which is important to you.
Explain how the novelist introduces and develops the theme and show to what extent she or he has effectively engaged your interest in it. H026

Chose a novel in which a main character is seen to grow or mature in the course of the story.
Show how the novelist engages your interest in the character and his or her development. H027

Choose a novel or short story which has a particularly effective or arresting opening.
Referring in detail to the opening, discuss to what extent it provides a successful introduction to the text as a whole. H028

Choose a work of non-fiction in which setting in time and/or place is significant.
Explain why you thin the setting is important to your appreciation of the text. H029

Choose a poem in which contrast is used in order to clarify a key idea.
Examine in detail the poet’s use of contrast and show how it was effective in clarifying this key idea. H0210

Choose a poet who reflects on the power, the beauty or the threat of the natural world.
Referring to one or more poems, show how effectively you think the poet explores her or his main idea(s). H0211

Choose a poem which explores one of the following: freedom, friendship, happiness.
Discuss to what extent the poem successfully engages your interest in this main idea. H0212

Choose a poem which presents a character who provokes you to contempt or anger or irritation.
Show how the poet arouses this response from you and discuss how important it is to the overall impact of the poem. H0213

Choose a play in which there is a scene dominated by confusion, complications or uncertainties.
Explain the cause(s) of the confusion, complications or uncertainties, and go on to discuss the importance of the scene to your appreciation of the play as a whole. H031

Choose a play in which a character keeps something hidden or pretends to be something she or he is not.
Explain the reason(s) for the character’s behaviour and discuss how it affects your attitude to the character. H032

Choose a play whose main theme is made clear early in the action.
Show how the dramatist introduces the theme and discuss how successfully he or she goes on to develop it. H033

Choose a play in which one scene or moment determines the fate of a main character.
Explain fully why you think this is the key moment in the character’s fortunes. H034

Choose a novel which is influenced by the presence of a powerful or overbearing character.
Show how the novelist creates this impression of the character and discuss to what extent you felt you could sympathise with him or her. H035

Choose a novel or short story in which a family disagreement plays an important part.
Explain the circumstances of the disagreement and show how the writer uses it to develop theme and/or character. H036

Choose a novel or short story with a dramatic or shocking ending.
Show how the writer creates the effect and discuss to what extent it added to your appreciation of the text as a whole. H037

Choose a novel in which the novelist makes effective use of symbolism.
Show how the writer made use of this technique to enhance your appreciation of the text as a whole. H038

Choose a non-fiction text which introduced you to a new culture.
Explain how well the writer achieved that introduction. H039

Choose a non-fiction text which made you think about an environmental issue.
Explain briefly what the issue is and at greater length show how the writer’s treatment of the issue conveyed his or her point of view. H0310

Choose a no-fiction text which presented the life story of a particular person
Evaluate the techniques the author use to make the biography enjoyable. H0311

Choose a poem which is light-hearted or playful or not entirely serious.
Show how the poet makes you aware of the tone, and discuss how effective the use of this tone is in dealing with the subject matter of the poem. H0312

Choose two poems on the subject of war or hostility.
Compare the way the two poems treat the subject, and explain to what extent you find one more effective than the other. H0313

Choose a poem which depicts one of the following: the sea, the night, the countryside, sleep, a dream, travel.
Show how the poet brings the subject to life for you. H0314

Choose a poem which explores loneliness or isolation.
Show how the poet explores the theme, and discuss to what extent your appreciation of the theme was deepened by the poet’s treatment. H0315

Choose a play in which your attitude to a central character varies at different stages of the action.
Show how the skill of the dramatist causes your attitude to change. H041

Choose a play in which the dramatist explores the idea of rebellion against authority.
Explain briefly the circumstances which give rise to the rebellion and discuss how successfully you think the dramatist explores the idea. H042

Choose a play in which there is a scene involving intense emotion.
Show how the dramatist makes you aware of the intensity of the emotion in the scene and discuss the importance of the scene to the drama as a whole. H043

Choose a play which you have read and watched in performance.
Compare your reading of a key scene with its presentation in performance. H044

Choose a novel in which your admiration for a particular character grows as the plot unfolds.
Explain briefly why your admiration increases and, in more detail, discuss how the writer achieves this. H045

Choose a novel or short story in which the writer’s use of setting in time and/or place has a significant part to play in your appreciation of the text as a whole.
Give the relevant details of the setting and then discuss fully why it has such significance. H046

Choose a novel which had such an impact on you that you still reflect upon its message.
Explain why the novel has had such an impact on you. H047

Choose a novel or short story which reaches a climax which you found dramatic or moving or disturbing.
Explain how the writer achieves the effect and discuss how it contributes to your appreciation of the text as a whole. H048

Choose a non-fiction text in which the writer puts forward an opinion which you found totally convincing.
Explain what the writer’s view is and, in more detail, discuss how this view was presented in a way that convinced you. H049

Choose a non-fiction text which increased your interest in a particular leisure activity.
Give a brief description of the activity and explain, in more detail, what it was about the writer’s presentation of it that captured your interest. H0410

Choose a non-fiction text in which the writer’s ability to evoke a sense of place is very important to the success of the text.
Show how the writer’s presentation of the location(s) enhanced your appreciation of the text. H0411

Choose a poem in which the poet explores the significance of the passage of time.
Explain why the passage of time is significant in this poem and discuss the means by which the poet explores its significance. H0412

Choose two love poems.
By comparing the treatment of the subject in each poem, discuss which you find more successful. H0413

Choose a poem in which a chance encounter or a seemingly unimportant incident acquires increased significance by the end of the poem.
Show how the poet’s development of the encounter or incident leads you to a deeper understanding of the poet’s theme. H0414

Choose a poem in which a chance encounter or a seemingly unimportant incident acquires increased significance by the end of the poem.
Show how the poet’s development of the encounter or incident leads you to a deeper understanding of the poem’s theme. H0415

Choose a poem in which the poet creates a picture of a heroic or corrupt figure.
Discuss the means by which the personality is clearly depicted. H0416

Choose a play in which a character is seeking the truth, avoiding the truth or hiding the truth.
Explain to what extent the character achieves this aim and discuss how the dramatist uses the situation to reveal important aspects of the character’s role in the play as a whole. H051

Choose a play which features one of the following themes: appearance versus reality; good versus evil; dreams versus reality; youth versus age.
Show how the dramatist develops one of these themes and discuss how the exploration of this theme enhances your appreciation of the play as a whole. H052

Choose a play in which the dramatist creates a sense of mystery at or near the beginning of the play.
Show how the dramatist creates the sense of mystery and then discuss to what extent the resolution of the mystery is important to the play as a whole. H053

Choose a play in which the mood is mainly dark or pessimistic.
Show how the dramatist creates this mood and discuss how appropriate it is to the ain idea(s) of the play. H054

Choose a novel in which an incident reveals a flaw in a central character.
Explain how the incident reveals this flaw and go on to discuss the importance of the flaw in your understanding of the character. H055

Choose a novel or short story in which the writer’s method of narration (such as first person narrative, diary form, journal…) plays a significant part.
Explain briefly the method of narration and then discuss its importance to your appreciation of the text. H056

Choose a novel in which the story’s emotional twists ensure that your interest is held until the end.
Briefly explain how these twists involve you in the story and then discuss how they lead to a deeper appreciation of the text as a whole. H057

Choose a novel or short story in which the fate of a main character is important in conveying the writer’s theme.
Explain what you consider the theme to be and discuss how effectively the fate of the main character conveys it. H058

Choose an example of biography or autobiography which gave you a detailed insight into a person’s life.
Explain how the writer’s presentation made you think deeply about the person and his or her life.

Choose a non-fiction text in which the writer’s presentation of an experience triggers and emotional response from you.
Give a brief description of the experience and, in more detail, explain how the writer’s presentation has this effect. H0510

Choose a non-fiction text in which the writer puts forward views on a social issue.
Explain the writer’s stance on the issue and then discuss in detail to what extent the writer’s presentation influenced your point of view. H0511

Choose a poem in which a specific setting is strongly evoked.
Show how the poet creates this sense of place and/or time, and then discuss the relative importance of the setting to the poem as a whole. H0512

Choose a poem which you feel is particularly relevant to a teenage audience.
Make clear why you think the poem is so relevant to this age group and show how the poetic techniques used in the poem help you to achieve this. H0513

Choose a poem in which humour (for example satire, wit or irony) plays a significant part.
Show how the poet makes the poem humorous and discuss how important the humour is to the underlying message of the poem. H0514

Choose a poet whose writing displays great beauty.
By referring to one or more than one poem, show how the writer creates this sense of beauty and go on to discuss whether or not the beauty of the writing is more important to you than the ideas explored in the poem(s). H0515

Choose a play in which the dramatist’s use of contrast between two characters is important to your understanding of one of them.
Discuss how your understanding of this character is strengthened by the contrast. H061

Choose a play in which the conclusion leaves you with mixed emotions but clearly conveys the dramatist’s message.
Briefly explain how the mixed emotions are aroused by the conclusion and then discuss how you area given a clear understanding of the message of the play as a whole. H062

Choose a play which underlines how one person’s flaw(s) can have a significant impact on other people as well on himself or herself.
Explain briefly the nature of the flaw(s) and then, in detail, assess how much the character and others are affected. H063

Choose a play in which an important theme is effectively highlighted by one specific scene or incident.
Explain how the theme is explores in the play as a whole and then show in detail how the chosen scene or incident effectively highlights it. H064

Choose a novel or short story in which a central character’s failure to understand the reality of his or her situation is an important feature of the text.
Explain how the writer makes you aware of this failure and show how it is important to your appreciation of the text as a whole. H065

Choose a novel, set in a time different from your own, with a theme relevant to the world today.
Show how you are led to an appreciation of the theme’s continuing relevance, despite its setting in time. H066

Choose a novel or short story which you feel has a particularly well -chosen title.
Explain why you think the title helps you to appreciate the central idea(s) of the text. H067

Choose a novel in which a key incident involves ejection or disappointment or loss.
Describe briefly the key incident and assess its significance to the text as a whole. H068

Choose an essay or a piece of journalism which has made an impact on you because of its effective style.
Discuss how the writer’s style adds to the impact of the content. H069

Choose a non-fiction text which provides insight into a country or a personality or a lifestyle.
Describe briefly the country or personality or lifestyle and discuss the means by which the writer leads you to this insight. H0610

Choose a non-fiction text which explores a significant aspect of political or cultural life.
Show how the writer’s presentation enhances your understanding of the chosen aspect of political or cultural life. H0611

Choose a poem in which there is a noticeable change of mood at one or more than one point in the poem.
Show how the poet conveys the change(s) of mood and discuss the importance of the change(s) of mood and discuss the importance of the change(s) to the central idea of the poem. H0612

Choose a poem which deals with a childhood experience.
Discuss to what extent the poet’s description of the experience leads you to a clear understanding of the poem’s theme. H0613

Choose two poems by the same poet which you consider similar in theme and style.
By referring to theme and style in both poems, discuss which poem you prefer. H0614

Choose a poem which explores one of the following subjects: bravery, compassion, tenderness.
Show how the poet’s exploration of the subject appeals to you emotionally and/or intellectually. H0615

Choose a play which has a theme of revenge or betrayal or sacrifice.
Show how the dramatist explores your chosen theme and discuss how this treatment enhances your appreciation of the play as a whole. H071

Choose from a play an important scene which you found particularly entertaining or particularly shocking.
Explain briefly why the scene is important to the play as a whole and discuss in detail how the dramatist makes the scene so entertaining or shocking. H072

Choose a play in which a character makes a crucial error.
Explain what the error is and discuss to what extent it is important to your understanding of the character’s situation in the play as a whole. H073

Choose a play in which the relationship between a male and a female character changes significantly.
Show how the relationship between the two characters changes and discuss to what extent this illuminates a central idea of the play. H074

Choose a novel in which a character reaches a crisis point.
Explain briefly how this point is reached and go on to discuss how the character’s response to the situation extends your understanding of him/her. H075

Choose two short stories in which aspects of style contribute significantly to the exploration of theme.
Compare the ways in which stylistic features are used to create and maintain your interest in the central ideas of the texts. H076

Choose a novel with an ending which you found unexpected.
Explain briefly in what way the ending is unexpected and go on to discuss to what extent it is a satisfactory conclusion to the novel. H077

Choose a novel or short story in which one of the main characters is not in harmony with her/his society.
Describe the character’s situation and go on to discuss how it adds to your understanding of a central concern of the text. H078

Choose a work of non-fiction which deals with travel or exploration or discovery.
Discuss to what extent the presentation of the text reveals as much about the writer’s personality and/or views as it does about the subject matter. H079

Choose a biography or autobiography in which the life of the subject is presented in an effective and engaging way.
Show how the writer uses techniques of non-fiction to achieve this. H0710
Choose an essay or piece of journalism which appeals to you because it is both informative and passionate.
Explain what you learned about the topic and discuss how the writer’s presentation conveys his/her passion. H0711

Choose a poem in which there is a sinister atmosphere or person or place.
Show how the poet evokes this sinister quality and discuss how it adds to your appreciation of the poem. H0712

Choose two poems on the same theme which impress you for different reasons.
Compare the treatment of the theme in the two poems and discuss to what extent you find one more impressive than the other. H0713

Choose a poem in which there is effective use of one or more of the following: verse form, rhythm, rhyme, repetition, sound.
Show how the poet effectively uses the feature(s) to enhance your appreciation of the poem as a whole. H0714

Choose a poem involving a journey which is both literal and metaphorical.
Discuss how effectively the poet describes the journey and makes you aware of its deeper significance. H0715

Choose a play in which a central character is heroic yet vulnerable.
Show how the dramatist makes you aware of both qualities and discuss how they affect your response to the character’s fate in the play as a whole. H081

Choose a play which explores the theme of love in difficult circumstances.
Explain how the dramatist introduces the theme and discuss how in the course of the play he/she prepares you for the resolution of the drama. H082

Choose from a play a scene in which an important truth is revealed.
Briefly explain what the important truth is and assess the significance of its revelation to your understanding of theme or character. H083

Choose a play in which a character has to exist in a hostile environment.
Briefly describe the environment and discuss the extent to which it influences your response to the character’s behaviour and to the outcome of the play. H084

Choose a novel which explores the cruelty of human nature.
Show how the writer explores this theme and discuss how its exploration enhances your appreciation of the novel as a whole. H085

Choose a novel in which a confrontation between two characters is of central importance in the text.
Explain the circumstances of the confrontation and discuss its importance to your understanding of the novel as a whole. H086

Choose two short stories which you appreciated because of the surprising nature of their endings.
Compare the techniques used in creating these surprising endings and discuss which ending you feel is more successful as a conclusion. H087

Choose a novel or short story which is set during a period of social or political change.
Discuss how important the writer’s evocation of the period is to your appreciation of the text as a whole. H088

Choose a non-fiction text which you consider inspiring or provocative.
Explain how the writer’s presentation of his/her subject has such an impact on you. H089

Choose a piece of travel writing which offers surprising or amusing insights into a particular country or culture.
Explain briefly what you learn about the country or culture and in greater detail discuss the techniques the writer uses to surprise or amuse you. H0810

Choose a non-fiction text in which you consider the writer’s stance on a particular issue to be ambiguous.
Show how the writer’s presentation of this issue illustrates the ambiguity of her/his stance. H0811

Choose a poem which deals with conflict or danger or death.
Show how the poet creates an appropriate mood for the subject matter and go on to discuss how effectively she/he uses this mood to enhance your understanding of the central idea of the poem. H0812

Choose a poem which is strongly linked to a specific location.
Show how the poet captures the essence of the location and exploits this to explore an important theme. H0813

Choose two poems which explore human relationships.
By referring to both poems, discuss which you consider to be the more convincing portrayal of a relationship. H0814

Choose a poem in which the speaker’s personality is gradually revealed.
Show how, through the content and language of the poem, aspects of the character gradually emerge. H0815