Reading

Detail, not just gist

Whilst reading for gist is quick and useful, studying for detail is essential when one word can completely change the interpretation of the message or direction of a project.

Detail comes from understanding how words connect, identifying which meaning is appropriate and then connecting everything together.

The Anderson shelter: Good for gardening, good for storing wine, and great for hiding from bombs

Damp, dimly lit and cramped they may have been, yet Anderson shelters were lifesavers during the Second World War.

Source

Article

Article date

Reference

R004B

[2-12] = [page number - line number]

11 November 2024

Line number

  • The Anderson shelters were [2-9] a last line of defence against the Luftwaffe’s deadly bombing raids.

  • A nice spot means a particular place or point: the gardens would not be big but the shelter raised the ground offering a small amount of more space.

  • Shelters were distributed to lower-come families because they were in areas likely to be targeted by German bombers — with the very first being installed in Islington, London, in February 1939 — they were later sold for £7 each (about £500 today). [2-28 to 2-30]

  • The shelters were commissioned in November 1938 in expectation of war and originally distributed to low-income households in areas likely to be targeted by German bomber [2-26 to 2-30]: the rich could afford to move outside populated areas.

  • The shelters were prone to flooding, especially in areas where the water table was high [2-43 to 2-45]

  • Run = be in charge of; manage.

  • Confine = restrict someone within the limits of the small space of the shelter

  • It’s cosy (giving a feeling comfort and safety), but could become claustrophobic because it’s a confined space.

  • Come along = arrive

  • Anderson Shelters became enshrined in the public consciousness, such was the respect it had, Anderson Shelter shaped Christmas cakes were made. [3-28 to 3-34]

  • The shelters have been studied for use in current conflict zones [3-66 to 3-71]

Task

  1. Read the article.

  2. Note new words and expressions, unfamiliar structures, and writing style.

  3. Answer questions before expanding to show answers.

Guidelines:

  • NOTE new words which you may have never seen [wholesome | upright | squeaky clean] or words having a different meaning to its primary one [‘clean’ to mean ‘(of a taste, sound, or smell) giving a clear and distinctive impression to the senses; sharp and fresh’].

  • NOTE phrases which can form part of the writing or be distinctive from the text [hot on the heels | before one’s eyes | there’s no smoke without a fire].

  • NOTE phrasal verbs, how they are used and in which context.

  • NOTE the writer’s style: word choice, simple or complex, short or long sentences, descriptive, persuasive, narrative or argumentative.

  • NOTE punctuation and why and where the writer uses it.