Game Of Polo With A Headless Goat

Question 1

“We drove off to find the best viewing spot”.
“I asked the lads if we could join in the Wacky races”.

Answer 1

• The use of a 1st person plural narrative voice provides a personal experience to the reader, showing that she is part of a group, making the reader feel as if they are part of the story.
• The use of colloquial language and slang creates a chatty tone, making the passage seem entertaining and friendly. Using the name “lads” makes them seem fun company and approachable and relatable for the reader.
• This alludes to the children’s cartoon ‘Wacky Races’ which is a hilarious race between a number of comic animated characters, introducing a sense of humour for the reader.

Question 2

“The two donkeys were almost dwarfed by their entourage”.
“Using their whips energetically although not cruelly”.

Answer 2

• The verb choice ‘dwarfed’ creates a really clear and somewhat comical picture in the readers mind of how small the donkeys are to the crowds following. Describing the crowd as an entourage shows how the donkeys are important in the story”.
• The adverb choice helps the writer communicate to the reader that the race is just fun and not cruel”.

Question 3

“But I don’t even have my licence yet because i am underage!”.
“A massive pile up in the high stakes donkey race could have caused problems”.

Answer 3

• The use of direct speech and the drivers confession is made to feel comical, keeping the lighthearted tone. Using direct speech helps to keep a chatty feel, as if the reader is part of the group and experience, keeping the reader engaged.
• The use of an understatement and slang ends the extract on a humorous note, understating the impact her illegal driver could have had. This keeps the reader engaged and entertained as the use of “pile up” is language which the reader will understand and be able to make associations with.