A Passage To Africa

Question 1

How does the author use language and structure to show his reactions to the people he encounters in Somalia

Answer 1

1 lists to show human suffering
2 simile and metaphors to show people are isolated - comparisons to ghosts
3 cynical and bitter to see and contrast with comfort back home
4 death described without emotion- short sentence and triplet
5 strong vocabulary - smell of death and rotting
6 one sentence paragraph- highlights the significance
7 rhetorical questions
8 the smile - the effect on the reporter
9 plosive alliteration - power and purpose
10 concludes with gratitude and closeness

Question 2

Lists to show human suffering

Answer 2

“ hungry, lean, scared, betrayed”
Lists are a powerful and common way to emphasise an argument.
Shows the poverty and how bad life is.

Question 3

Similes and metaphors to show isolation and like a ghost

Answer 3

“Like a ghost village” - people have been forgotten or already dead
“Ghoulish manner” “ craving for the drug” - as if the reporter is a drug addict or a ghost chaser

Question 4

Cynical and bitter tone at the start
Alliteration to say what he does
Contrast with comforts of the watcher

Answer 4

“this sounds callous, it is just a fact of life”
“Search for the shocking”
Contrast with “ comfort of their sitting rooms back home”

Question 5

Death is without emotion

Answer 5

“Habiba has died”.
The short sentence is to make an impact
Death was everywhere

Question 6

Uses strong vocabulary

Answer 6

Decaying flesh
Putrid air
Revulsion
Revulsion

Disgusting vocabulary. Makes a strong impact and powerful detail to show the horror.

Question 7

One sentence paragraph

Answer 7

“And then there was a face I will never forget”
Shows significance of the face and the impact it had on the writer
How clearly he will always remember it

Question 8

The smile and it’s importance

Answer 8

Repeat of face and smile
Rhetorical questions “how could it be?””what was it about that smile?”
The smile shocks the writer and makes him think about what he is doing there.

Question 9

Plosive alliteration

Answer 9

“Power and purpose”
Also in a short paragraph
Shows the impact on the writer

Question 10

Gratitude and friendliness

Answer 10

“So my nameless friend I owe you one”
Shows how he was thankful and felt close to the man.
A tone of humility.