How to Analyze a Text

1. 
   Who is the story about?
   
2. 
   What do we know about the main character?
   
3. 
   Do you like him (her) or not? Why?
   
4. 
   Which character do you like more? Why?
   
5. 
   What pictures can you imagine while reading the story? What helps you to see them?
   
6. 
   Do you like the story? Why? Etc.
   

• 
  уровне значения (умения выделять в тексте основную мысль, деталь, иллюстрирующую основную мысль, факты, относящиеся к определенном теме, обобщать изложенные факты, устанавливать связи между событиями)
  
• 
  и уровне смысла (умения вывести суждение на основе фактов, сделать вывод, оценить изложенные факты, понять подтекст, идею текста, найти художественные средства выразительности и определить их роль, место в повествовании).
  

1. 
   Information about the author and the book from which the passage is taken. Examples:
   
   • 
     I would like to tell you a story ... written by ... . He/she was a well-known for ... . The book is about ... who ... .
     
   • 
     The story I would like to speak about is written by ... . We know that the author ... . The book is devoted to ... .
     
   • 
     We've read a very unusual (thrilling, exaggerated, exciting, etc.) story by ... . It touches upon (deals with) the problem of ... .
     
2. 
   General characteristics of the text (its slant, type of narration, etc.).
   
3. 
   Introduction of the main character (appearance, characteristic features, the way he/she is presented in the text) and opening events.
   
4. 
   Description of events as they appear in the extract. Pay attention to:
   
   • 
     the variety of expressive means, e.g.:
     
     • 
       a) the narration begins with ...;
       
     • 
       b) draw(s) the reader's attention to ...;
       
     • 
       c) ... making the reader believe...;
       
     • 
       d) serve(s) to stress ...;
       
     • 
       e) prepare(s) the ground for ...;
       
     • 
       f) the emotional state of the character is revealed...;
       
     • 
       g) the author's presentation of ...; etc.;
       
   • 
     the use of stylistic devices, e. g.:
     
     • 
       a) epithets;
       
     • 
       b) similes;
       
     • 
       c) metaphors;
       
     • 
       d) personifications;
       
     • 
       e) repetitions;
       
     • 
       their role in the narration (to create the atmosphere of ...;
       
     • 
       to convey the feelings and emotion of ...;
       
     • 
       to give an explanation ...;
       
     • 
       to express the idea ...;
       
     • 
       to underline ...; etc.).
       
5. 
   The main idea of the story.
   
6. 
   Your attitude towards the things described.
   

Из журнала "Иностранные языки в школе"