Gr 12-English Home Language-Study Guide Language 1 by Impaq

Í2,È-E-EHL-SG01NÎ

ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE STUDY GUIDE: LANGUAGE Grade 12

A member of the FUTURELEARN group

English Home Language Study guide: Language

1812-E-EHL-SG01

Í2,È-E-EHL-SG01NÎ

Grade 12

CAPS aligned

H de Villiers

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

CONTENTS

PREFACE............................................................................................................................ 3 IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES ............................................................ 3 LESSON ELEMENTS.......................................................................................................... 5 YEAR PLANNING ............................................................................................................... 6 STUDY TIPS AND METHODS ............................................................................................ 7 UNIT 1: World Cup fever.................................................................................................... 8 Lesson 1: Reading and viewing – comprehension (1) ...................................................... 9 ACTIVITY 1 ................................................................................................................ 11 Lesson 2: Listening and speaking .................................................................................. 12 Lesson 3: Writing and presenting ................................................................................... 13 Lesson 4: Language structures – Punctuation ............................................................... 14 ACTIVITY 4 ................................................................................................................ 20 Lesson 5: Language structures – The apostrophe ......................................................... 21 ACTIVITY 5 ................................................................................................................ 22 Lesson 6: Reading and viewing – Visual literacy: Cartoons (1)...................................... 22 ACTIVITY 6 ................................................................................................................ 23 Lesson 7: Listening and speaking – Oral: Prepared speech .......................................... 25 UNIT 2: Summarising, Visual Literacy and Language Structures ............................... 26 Lesson 8: Writing and presenting – Summaries ............................................................. 27 ACTIVITY 8 ................................................................................................................ 28 Lesson 9: Reading and viewing – Advertisements (1) ................................................... 30 ACTIVITY 9 ................................................................................................................ 31 Lesson 10: Writing and presenting: Transactional writing .............................................. 36 Lesson 11: Language structures – Dictionary skills ....................................................... 37 ACTIVITY 11 .............................................................................................................. 38 Lesson 12: Language structures – Textual editing (1) – Concord .................................. 38 ACTIVITY 12 .............................................................................................................. 40 UNIT 3: “I’d Rather Walk the Plank” ............................................................................... 41 Lesson 13: Reading and viewing – Comprehension (2) ................................................. 42 ACTIVITY 13 .............................................................................................................. 43 Lesson 14: Listening and speaking ................................................................................ 47 Lesson 15: Language structures – Direct and indirect (reported) speech ...................... 47 ACTIVITY 15.1 ........................................................................................................... 48 ACTIVITY 15.2 ........................................................................................................... 51

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

Lesson 16: Writing and presenting – Revision of transactional writing genres (1) ......... 51 ACTIVITY 16 .............................................................................................................. 54 Lesson 17: Reading and viewing – Advertisements (2).................................................. 54 ACTIVITY 17 .............................................................................................................. 55 Lesson 18: Language structures – Sentence analysis ................................................... 57 ACTIVITY 18 .............................................................................................................. 59 UNIT 4: Fine-tuning Your Reading, Writing and Language Skills ................................ 61 Lesson 19: Writing and presenting – Revision of transactional writing (2) ..................... 61 ACTIVITY 19 .............................................................................................................. 64 Lesson 20: Reading and viewing – More on cartoons (2) .............................................. 65 ACTIVITY 20 .............................................................................................................. 65 Lesson 21: Language structures – Active and passive voice ......................................... 67 ACTIVITY 21 .............................................................................................................. 68 Lesson 22: Textual editing (2): Testing all your grammatical knowledge! ...................... 70 ACTIVITY 22 .............................................................................................................. 71 REVISION.......................................................................................................................... 72 ADDENDUM A: RUBRICS FOR LISTENING AND SPEAKING ....................................... 73 ADDENDUM B: RUBRICS FOR CREATIVE WRITING – ESSAY .................................... 75 ADDENDUM C .................................................................................................................. 78 ADDENDUM D .................................................................................................................. 91 ADDENDUM E .................................................................................................................. 92 BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES ............................................................................. 95

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

YEAR PLAN The year plan for literature can be found on the literature guide. WEEK Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7

Week 8 Week 10 Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 – 12 Week 1

Week 6 – 10

DATE STARTED

LESSON TERM 1 Settling in – get books together, overview of year plan and assessment programme Unit 1: Lesson 1 – Comprehension Unit 1: Lesson 2 – Listening strategies Lesson 3 – Writing and presenting Unit 1: Lesson 4 – Punctuation Lesson 5: The apostrophe Unit 1: Lesson 6 – Visual literacy: Cartoons Unit 2: Lesson 8 – Summaries Unit 2: Lesson 9 – Visual literacy: Advertisements Discuss work to be learnt for the language test in week 8. Unit 2: Lesson 11 – Dictionary skills Unit 2: Lesson 12 – Textual editing TERM 2 Unit 3: Lesson 13 – Comprehension Unit 3: Lesson 15 – Direct and indirect speech Unit 3: Lesson 16 – Revision of letters, dialogues, diary entries, reviews Unit 3: Lesson 17 – Advertisements Unit 3: Lesson 18 – Simple, complex and compound sentences Unit 4: Lesson 19 – Revision of reports, minutes, written speeches, emails Lesson 20 – Cartoons Unit 4: Lesson 21 – Active and passive voice Unit 4: Lesson 22 – Textual editing Revision June examination TERM 3 Exam feedback Language revision Revision of language and creative genres Preliminary Examination

DATE COMPLETED

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

STUDY TIPS AND METHODS Many of the study tips are included in the lesson itself, and in the literature study guide. General tips  Carefully read the passages for comprehension and summary. o In a test or exam, it’s sometimes a good idea to read the questions first to get an idea of what is required – then, when you read the passages, you will already be attuned to this. o In the case of lessons, it is more important to read the passages first, two or three times – because you are, after all, practising your reading skills and not only being tested on them.  Read questions carefully and take note of mark allocation. You have to give your answer and justify it – explain your reasoning. This generally does not apply to grammar questions (e.g. “What is the purpose of the full stop in this sentence?”).  Take mark allocation into account. It is very important to make sure that you give a sufficiently detailed answer! However, do not ramble on, keep to the point.  If there are a number of facts to remember, think of a rhyme to help you: e.g. the coordinating conjunctions are and, but, or, yet: ABOY. Co-ordinating conjunctions make compound sentences, where the clauses are equally important. This is seen in the word co-ordinating – suggests balance, and the repeated “o” is found in the word compound.  Diagrams on your wall (a suitably sized whiteboard is a good idea because you can clean and replace the work on a regular basis): Mind maps, writing up something that you continually forget, or want to remember.  When writing the exam, you do not have to start at Question 1 and work your way through the questions. In the Language paper, for instance, you can start with Question 3 or 4 (the advert and cartoon questions) and leave Question 2 (summary) for last. As long as you keep the whole of each question together, i.e. don’t do 3.1 and then 3.5 and then later in the paper do 3.2. You may choose to answer the questions you find easier first and leave the difficult ones until the end.  Find out what type of learner you are – visual, auditory, or kinaesthetic – and adapt your learning methods accordingly. If you’re kinaesthetic, for instance, you might want to doodle while learning, or get up and walk around; an auditory learner needs to talk and hear, etc. There are several websites that provide a reasonable test of this such as faculty.mu.edu.sa/download.php?fid=24012. You can then adapt your learning methods to suit your style by following the links.

Unit

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

UNIT 1: World Cup fever LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Reading and Viewing: 1. Comprehension – types of texts, compare texts. 2. Work out the meanings of unfamiliar words. 3. Answer comprehension questions from low order to high order. 4. Identify features of the text. 5. Understand visual texts: Cartoons. Language Structures: Understand the meaning and use of punctuation marks in texts. Listening and Speaking: Complete an assessment task on a listening comprehension. Writing and Presenting: Write, edit and present an essay for an assessment task.

INTRODUCTION This unit is designed to practise reading and viewing skills, as well as understanding and being able to use language structures in context. By now, you should be familiar with all language structures, as well as verbal and visual texts; it is a matter of practising your skills. Vocabulary development is an important factor of being able to decode texts effectively; so reading the passages provided and discussing the texts (“World Cup Fever”, “Bookshelf” and the visual texts), forms an important part of (a) development of vocabulary in making meaning of texts and unfamiliar words; as well as (b) allowing you the opportunity to express your opinion and responses to texts. To understand the satire in cartoons, you need to have some knowledge of current affairs. This and the understanding of the verbal texts means that you must try to read as widely as possible not only the set works, but also newspapers, novels, short stories, and texts on the Internet.

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

Unit

IMPORTANT TERMINOLOGY Not new, but may need revising! All of these can be found in the glossary provided in Addendum C.    

Figures of speech: e.g. metaphor, rhetorical questions, pun, etc. Features of texts, e.g. style, diction, genre, satire, irony Advertising terms: slogan Features of visual literacy, e.g. font, caricature

LESSON 1: Reading and viewing – comprehension (1)

DEFINE Refer to Addendum D (Terms used in Comprehension and Literature Questions) and style and diction in the glossary (Addendum C).

Read and discuss the comprehension texts. Remember that you are practising your reading and viewing skills (if you are an auditory learner, it will really help if you read aloud). Note that TEXT TWO is a visual text – again, discuss the texts, and don’t simply use them to answer the questions. Answer the questions and have it checked against the memorandum. Discuss any answers with your facilitator if you’re unsure.

Unit

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

TEXT ONE

WORLD CUP FEVER How a schoolboy created rugby

The town of Rugby has put up a statue in his honour and erected a memorial stone with the inscription: “This stone is in honour of William Webb Ellis who, with fine disregard for the rules of football, picked up the ball and ran with it. AD 1823.” Opposite is an enormous field, flanked by trees on one side. According to legend it was here, on Rugby school’s playing field, where the game was born the day 14-yearold William’s naughtiness disrupted a soccer game. The 1999 Rugby World Cup tournament kicked off in Cardiff, Wales about two hours’ drive from Rugby. If William Webb Ellis were able to attend would he even have recognised the game? The soccer game he and his friends were playing that day in 1823 wasn’t soccer as we know it today. It didn’t have 11 players a side, a goal net and a goalie. It was far more primitive, played by 40 or 50 boys at a time. “Players could pick up the ball,” says amateur rugby historian Clive Jones, “but they could run only backwards with it, not forwards.” Clive, a former teacher who works part time for the Rugby tourism association, has been researching the origins of the game for years. He believes Webb Ellis was the first to run forward with the ball – the distinguishing characteristic of modern rugby.

7 Dr Danie Craven, who also researched the game’s history, believed the game developed from a primitive sport played in Roman times. 8 Doc visited Rugby for the first time in 1931. “Now I’ve seen the memorial to William Webb Ellis,” he wrote. 9 “But for me, picking up the ball isn’t the most important thing. People often picked up the ball in the game from which rugby, soccer and hockey developed.” 10 It took a long time before rugby authorities could be convinced a World Cup would be to the advantage of the game. 11 In 1985, the world’s seven largest rugby unions – England, Australia, France, Wales, New Zealand, Scotland and Ireland – decided to play the first World Cup in 1987. Because of apartheid, South Africa was banned from international rugby at the time. It was decided in 1985 to name the World Cup trophy after William Webb Ellis.

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

Unit

TEXT TWO: The Sportal Network advertisements

ACTIVITY 1: Comprehension Study TEXT ONE on the previous page: How a schoolboy created rugby 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

In your own words, explain how the game of rugby got its name. (2) Explain the metaphor in the title of the article, and comment on its effectiveness. (4) Suggest the purpose of the rhetorical question that ends paragraph 3. (2) Refer to paragraph 3: “The 1999 Rugby World Cup tournament kicked off in Cardiff, Wales.” Explain the wordplay (pun) in this sentence. (2) What does the word amateur (paragraph 5) contribute to your understanding of Clive Jones’s involvement in the history of rugby? (1) Refer to paragraph 6. According to Clive Jones’s research, what important word is missing from the inscription in paragraph 1? (1) Identify the style of this article by examining the diction and say how the use of the first person and contractions contribute to this style. (6)

Study TEXT TWO: The Sportal Network advertisements 8. In the headline for each advertisement, the advertiser makes use of wordplay. Explain how the slogan fits in with the wordplay in each case (e.g. in the first one, the word “Global” in the slogan echoes the “world” in the headline). (2) 9. Most advertisements make use of a picture to create impact. Comment on whether this has been applied in TEXT TWO. (3) 10. How does TEXT TWO link up with the title of TEXT ONE? (2)

Unit

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

LESSON 2: Listening and speaking Strategies for better listening during comprehension Listening is the one skill that you should use the most in everyday life. Listening comprehension is the basis for your speaking, writing and reading skills. To train your listening skills, it is important to listen actively, which means to actively pay attention to what you are listening to. You should know that there are different types of listening:  Listening for gist: you listen in order to understand the main idea of the text.  Listening for specific information: you want to find out specific details, for example key words.  Listening for detailed understanding: you want to understand all the information the text provides. Tips to improve your listening skills before you listen  Think about the topic of the text you are going to listen to.  Think about what type of text you are going to listen to.  Relax and make yourself ready to pay attention to the listening text. While you are listening  It is not necessary to understand every single word. Try to ignore those words that you think are less important.  If there are words or issues that you don’t understand, use your general knowledge as well as the context to determine the meaning.  Focus on key words and facts.  Take notes to support your memory.  Intonation and stress of the speakers can help you to understand what you hear.  Try to think ahead. What might happen next? What might the speaker say, which words might they use? After listening  Think about the text again. Have you understood the main points?  Review your notes.  Check whether you have completed your task correctly. Adapted from: www.learning-english-online.net/skills/listening-comprehension/listeningstrategies/

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

Unit

LESSON 3: Writing and presenting

TIPS Writing an essay Some notes adapted from the CAPS document to help you: Remember that essay writing is a process. During the writing process, candidates are expected to do the following:  Planning/Pre-writing o Decide on the purpose and audience o Determine the required format, style, point of view o Brainstorm ideas by means of mind maps/flow charts, etc.  Drafting o Use main and supporting ideas from the pre-writing o Produce a first draft, taking into account purpose, audience, topic, genre o Determine word choice – use appropriate, evocative words and expressions to make writing clear and vivid o Adapt language and tone to suit audience and purpose.  Editing  Proofreading o Define word choice, sentence and paragraph structure and add if necessary o Evaluate content, style and register o Use appropriate and accurate punctuation, spelling and grammar o Prepare the final draft.  Presenting

The following types of essays may be written. Please note that the question paper will no longer prescribe what type of essay you have to write for a given topic. Some topics lend themselves to one or two particular types of essays, but the interpretation is left entirely up to you. Narrative: Telling a story – it provides a sequence of events and reasons. How did it happen? When did it happen? Use a story line that is convincing. Descriptive: Details are given within a specific time and setting. Impressions become known to the reader, as they are experienced by the narrator. Rather like a snapshot, a descriptive essay allows the reader to experience the situation, usually by means of sensory imagery. This helps us to see, hear, smell, taste and feel it (whichever is appropriate). 13

Unit

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

Reflective: Tends to be personal. Presents the writer’s views, ideas, thoughts, and feelings or memories; usually something he/she feels strongly about. Argumentative: Present an argument for or against an issue. States the writer’s point of view, with reasons, to convince the reader in one way or another. Evidence is given for the truth of any statement. Discursive: Presents a more balanced view of a particular argument, presenting various sides. Tends to be objective and the argument is presented in a reasonable way. The conclusion should make the writer’s point of view clear. Response to a picture: In this essay, any type of essay can be written, but there must be a clear link between the picture and the topic (e.g. if the picture features a teenager holding a key, the essay cannot just focus on adolescence without taking into account the key (e.g. new opportunities, responsibilities) – and the connection must be evident in the essay somewhere.

LESSON 4: Language structures – Punctuation Punctuation affects meaning: It either makes meaning clear, or in the case of literature, creative work or speaking (use of pauses, emphasis, etc.), it enhances meaning. You need to know: a. how to use punctuation correctly and effectively; and b. how to appreciate nuances in texts by understanding the functions of punctuation marks.

Full stop  Also called period (in American English).  Use a full stop at the end of a statement.  Use it at the end of an abbreviated word: Jan. Feb. Mar. o But no full stop when it is pronounced as a word: FIFA, UNISA, UNESCO o Nor if the last letter of the abbreviation is also the last letter of the word: Mr, Mrs  Use only one full stop at the end of a sentence, even if the last word is an abbreviation that must have a full stop: I will bring your books, papers, notes, etc.  Use three full stops for words omitted in the middle of a quotation – called ellipses.

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

Unit

Comma  Indicates slight separation or pause between a list of adjectives, adverbs, or nouns in a sentence. o His sane, sensible remark was met with disgust, contempt and bad manners. o We shall have fruit, vegetables, grains and some poultry.  Separating phrases and subordinate clauses from main clauses. o Winking at me, he made a witty remark. (Participial phrases) o Although she is disappointed, she is smiling sweetly at her host. o Samantha sent her friend a text message, which was designed to cheer her up.  In pairs, they mark off words, clauses or phrases from the rest of a sentence (Additional information). o Her arrangement, original and interesting, attracted a lot of attention from the judges. (Parenthesis) o Phillip, for example, had to do the test a second time. (Sentence adverb) o Henry, will you please open the door? (After the name of the person who is addressed)  Separate introductory words from the sentence: o Henry, will you please open the door? o Well, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before!  Before some conjunctions (such as but, or, and), when they are separating main clauses: o Jack wanted to try out his new kite, but there was no wind. o Pierre had booked his flight online, and did not know that he should also make a visa application. Where commas should NOT be added  In pairs for a non-restrictive adjectival clause: o Medical professionals, who do not wash their hands, are a menace to all patients. (All medical professionals are accused of not washing their hands.) o Medical professionals who do not wash their hands, are a menace to all patients. (Correct)  When using a negative in the main clause, combined with conjunctions such as because, or as, in the subordinate clause. o I was not worried about the examinations, because I had been warned that they would be very difficult. (This would be an irresponsible, illogical thing to do.) o I was not worried about the examinations because I had been warned that they would be very difficult, but rather because I could not find my notes to study. (Correct)

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

Unit

Where commas MUST be used to prevent ambiguity  Participial phrases o Dorothy having mistaken me for the waiter called and waved at me. (Did the waiter call and wave at me?) o Dorothy, having mistaken me for the waiter, called and waved at me. (Correct)  Ambiguity o Helping at the annual fête was the spring queen who served tea and scones and her two princesses. o Helping at the annual fête was the spring queen, who served tea and scones, and her two princesses. (Correct)

Colon  Introducing direct speech. o John explicitly stated: “I will not be the victim again.”  Separation of two co-ordinate clauses when no conjunction has been used. o They prepare well: the journey is long. o The loyal will be honoured: the disloyal will be shamed.  Introducing a list. o Mary had quite a few animals: a little lamb, a chicken, a parrot and a boyfriend.  Introducing subsections in regulations, conditions, etc. o If a delivery cannot be made within three days:  the client will be notified telephonically  a ten percent discount will be given, and  there will be no handling charges

;

Semicolon  A stronger break than a comma, but not as final as a full stop. 

 



Where clauses in a sentence are not joined by a conjunction. o When holding the violin, the back must be straight; turn your head to the left and hold it by the weight of your head; never use the neck muscles. Antithetical clauses (the one is the antithesis of the other). o Our shoes are broken; our hearts mended. When using sentence adverbs such as however, therefore, in this way, for instance, thereupon. o She does not know the way; however, she will get there with her new GPS. When items are listed with special details for each item (a complicated list).

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

? !

Unit

Take in enough of the following: water, either filtered or from a spring; vitamin C, at least 1 000 mg per day; calcium citrate, sufficient for your personal needs.

Hyphen  Links words to form compounds. o Mother-in-law, mock-charge  When a word is broken to continue in a next line.  Indicating the new syllable when the previous one ends with the same letter as the opening letter of the next. o Co-operate, pre-eminent  To distinguish between different meanings of the same word when one uses a prefix. o Recreation is important for your health. The re-creation of this musical is an improvement on the previous one.  Certain prefixes are linked to nouns by a hyphen: anti-, pre-, ex-, deand pro-. o De-toxification agent, anti-war campaign  Avoiding ambiguity. o Pickled-asparagus salad (the asparagus is pickled, not the salad)  Linking certain phrases. o Delmas-Bapsfontein road, Anglo-Boer War Question mark  Questions always end with a question mark.  Sometimes expresses uncertainty, e.g. about an exact date, or year of birth. o You said it would snow tomorrow? Exclamation mark  Used after an individual exclamation or interjection. o What a performance!  Used to indicate emotion or tone o o  

The Sergeant yelled, “Attention!” “I was rooted to the spot!” whispered the terrified woman.

Use exclamation marks sparingly. Overuse is a sign of bad taste and makes it less effective. Never use exclamation marks in pairs. (!!)

Unit

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

“...”

Inverted commas  Indicate direct speech. o “Please check my emails in the morning?” he asked his new secretary.  Question marks and exclamation marks are included in the inverted commas. o “Would you like more tea?” she asked. 

Used to indicate disagreement with the chosen term: o She couldn’t come because she was too “busy”.



Used to excuse oneself when using slang. o



—…—

Dash 



(…)

[…]

It was a huge “schlepp” to get the garage clean on time!

Quotations from another author’s work. o The pain matrix is “a set of brain regions that become active when people experience pain …” Sunday Times Lifestyle – 14 May 2006

Single dash: For indicating abrupt changes in opinion or thought. o I saw my doctor yesterday — but I’ll tell you everything when we meet for lunch. Pairs of dashes: Used in the same way as commas or brackets for parenthesis

Brackets  In the same way as a pair of commas, for parenthesis

Square brackets  Indicating your own added words, that are not those of the author. o Salieri reports that Antonio has told Bassanio not to “slubber [Bassanio’s] business for [his] sake ...”  When something is not explicitly stated, but only implied, square brackets are used in the explanation. o [John] Hurry! We must catch him before he leaves.

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

’s

Unit

Apostrophe  Where letters are omitted in contractions. o Isn’t, wasn’t, one o’clock, a song of the ’eighties (nineteen eighties)  Possessive forms. o The parson’s book, Angus’s coat (singular). o A ladies’ size, the old boys’ club (plural).  NB An apostrophe is NOT used for possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns: o The cat cleaned its whiskers; Whose book is that? The decision is hers; This book is yours.  Apostrophes are NOT used in plurals (except for the exceptions mentioned below). o Grade 12s experience a lot of pressure; Shakespeare was born in the 1500s.  Only in certain plural forms of letters to avoid ambiguity. o Know your p’s and q’s NB The position of the apostrophe in possessive case  If the owner is singular, we add ’s: The family’s car; the boy’s school; EVEN IF the owner’s name ends in an “s”: Marcus’s pet hamster; Mr Jones’s farm.  If the owners are plural, we add only ’: The boys’ school (school of many boys); the bosses’ rules (rules of many bosses); the Joneses’ farm UNLESS the owners in the plural have no “s”: The people’s hero; the children’s playground. In the case of a biblical or classical name ending in “s”, we simply add ’: Moses’ laws, Hercules’ strength; Rameses’ temple

FOR THE CURIOUS See how punctuation changes the meaning completely for the following: A woman without her man is nothing A woman: without her, man is nothing!

Read and discuss the passage “Bookshelf” after you have carefully studied the function of punctuation marks. Then complete the activities.

Unit

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

ACTIVITY 4 Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.

Bookshelf If you’re into South African humour, you could do worse than to browse through Hau, my broer, old chum! edited by Khotso Kekana. This anthology is a monument to the new South Africa which has come to terms with the past and can laugh irreverently at the politically correct present (not recommended for the politically thinskinned, however).

The attendant arrogantly peeped over his dark glasses and said, “How much?”

Packed with entertaining – and yet pertinent – material, it is a light-hearted joyride through the troubled waters of our oh-soseparate past into the yet-to-be-charted territory of our Simunye future. A relaxing bedside read or a supper table talking point, it contains a variety of material: anecdotes of our not-so harmonious past which are retold with satirical relish; cartoons which cover the entire spectrum of our rainbow nation; and jokes which give the finger to prejudiced people of all hues.

Then the Boer smiled and broke out effusively: “English! No problem! Good day, sir. I am presently experiencing a profound desire to replenish the propellant of my chariot. Therefore, I cordially request you to transfer from your subterranean reservoir a sufficient supply of combustible liquid of the highest octane to fill the appropriate container in the said means of perambulation to the brim.”

Let me whet your appetite with one of its gems (an authentic story told by a passenger on a Pretoria-bound taxi): A Boer stopped at a well-known filling station in Gauteng, on his way to Vredefort in the Free State. He handed his keys to the petrol attendant with the words, “Goeiemiddag. Maak vol asseblief.” (Good afternoon. Fill up, please.)

“Vol asseblief,” repeated the Boer. “Sorry, I only speak English,” was the dismissive reply. Momentary silence.

Hau! Ek sê, my broer – hy’t hom gas gegee, maar ek weet nie of hy dit gekry het nie! (Untranslatable) Available in local bookstores from 8 February, the collection is a steal at R39.99 (VAT included). Alternatively, log on to salit@kalahari.com; they have a promotion on local literature until the end of February. Kate Devlin

Study Guide G12 ~ English Home Language: Language

Unit

State the function of the following punctuation marks as they appear in the passage: 1. The apostrophe in line 1. 2.1 The italics in line 3. 2.2 Suggest an alternative method of punctuation here. 3. The comma in line 9: (“… thin-skinned, however”). 4. The dashes in line 12 – 13. 5. The hyphens in lines 13–15. 6. The italics in line 16. 7. The colon in line 19 (“… contains a variety of material: …”). 8. The semicolons in lines 21 and 22. 9. The comma in line 34 (“… petrol attendant with the words, ‘Goeiemiddag,’ …”). 10. The brackets in lines 35: (“Good afternoon. Fill up, please.”). 11. The capital letters in VAT (line 66). 12. The semicolon in line 69 (“… kalahari.com; they have … “). 13. The full stop in line 69 (“kalahari.com”). More punctuation practise 14. Add inverted commas to this sentence: You must complete the course of antibiotics the doctor explained or you will not recover from the infection. 15. Punctuate the parenthesis in this sentence: Mrs Buthelezi the new Zulu teacher arrives at our school tomorrow. 16. State the function of the hyphen in the following sentence: A farmer stopped at a well-known filling station in Gauteng, on his way to Vredefort in the Free State.

LESSON 5: Language structures – The apostrophe The apostrophe is often used incorrectly and required special attention. The core content is found in the notes for Lesson 4 (Punctuation). Go over these again and then do the activity. Focus on the apostrophe in the punctuation notes and complete the activity.