Example Grade A question

What impression does Bryson create of Manchester as a city? For this question, show that you have understood what the non-fiction text is about and what the writer tells the reader.  Make note if there is a shift in tone or idea in the text.

Bill Bryson creates the impression that Manchester is ‘an attractive big city’ but that is can be ‘awfully empty.’ He describes the benches as being ‘old-fashioned’ and creates the impression that is an industrial city by including ‘warehouses’ and describing Manchester as a city in the ‘nineteenth-century.’ However, he also creates the impression that Manchester is a modern place with ‘a huddle of glassy modern office buildings’ and describes it as an ‘extraordinary place.’ Bryson makes Manchester seem a little like a ghost town by mentioning the ‘once-booming docks.’ He describes the streets as ‘dank’ implying that they are dirty and says that they were ‘strangely ill-lit’ which suggests that he feels that there is something odd about Manchester. Finally, Bryson uses the term ‘a vast urban nowhere’ to describe the setting of Manchester which makes it seem bleak and isolated.

What are M. Davidson’s thought and feelings about Old Trafford and Manchester United? For this question you need to INFER. Do not spend time copying out long quotations – focus on the words you wish you analyze and write about what this word/phrase suggests/reveals/etc about the question you are being asked.

Davidson’s feelings about the teams are that they are the ‘best’ things about Manchester.  The superlative ‘best’ suggests there is a good and then there is Manchester United and Old Trafford which suggests that he is very obsessed by the teams.  The noun ‘Dreams’ is capitalized which suggests that it’s more important than everything else.  Also a dream is something that you think about and wish to be and so he must feel that the place is very special to him.  The verb ‘admire’ creates the impression that he is looking in awe at the statue.  It could also be seen as looking to up a role model and admiring what they have achieved.  It’s almost as his ‘great memories’ are taking him back to his childhood, and he’s acting in a childish way.  He describes his smile as ‘pure pleasure.’ The alliteration suggests he wants the words to stick in your head suggesting they are exactly how he was feeling.  Capitalizing the adjective ‘Beautiful’ suggests the game is more than beautiful and so it needs a capital letter to show exactly how amazing the sport is.

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