BSEH Secondary English flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Inference question

A question asking what the passage implies rather than states; the correct answer is a logical conclusion from textual clues, not a direct quotation.

Vocabulary in context

A question type where a word's meaning must be decided from its sentence; test each option by substitution, and only the option preserving the sentence's logic is correct.

Main idea

The central point covering the whole passage; an option true only of one paragraph is a supporting detail, not the main idea.

Tone word

An adjective describing the writer's attitude, such as critical, nostalgic, ironic or sympathetic; it is not a summary of the topic.

Notice format

A boxed announcement with the institution's name, the word NOTICE, date, heading, body covering what/when/where/whom, and the writer's name and designation.

Formal letter subject line

A single-line phrase placed after the salutation and before the body, stating the letter's purpose, e.g. 'Subject: Complaint about defective fans'.

Report headline

A short noun phrase summarising the event, printed above the byline; it is not a full sentence and carries no final full stop.

Article byline

The line naming the writer, usually 'By [Name]', placed directly under the article title and above the body text.

Paragraph topic sentence

The first sentence that states the paragraph's single controlling idea; every later sentence must support or illustrate it.

Present perfect with since

Use since with a point in time (since 2019) and for with a duration (for three years); the tense links a past action to the present.

Passive of imperative

Imperative passives begin with Let + object + be + past participle, as in 'Let the door be closed'.

Reported question

In indirect speech a question becomes a statement in normal word order, introduced by if/whether or the wh-word, with no question mark.

Article a or an

Choose a or an by the first sound, not the first letter: an hour, a university, an MLA, a European.

Few versus a few

Few means almost none and carries a negative sense; a few means some and is positive; both modify plural countable nouns.

Modal must

Must expresses strong obligation or a confident deduction, as in 'You must submit it today' or 'He must be ill.'

Prepositions of time

Use at for clock times, on for days and dates, and in for months, years, seasons and longer periods.

Lencho's letter

In 'A Letter to God', Lencho writes to God asking for 100 pesos after hail destroys his crop; the postmaster replies with 70.

Nelson Mandela inauguration

Mandela was sworn in on 10 May 1994 at the Union Buildings, Pretoria, with two national anthems sung: Nkosi Sikelel'iAfrika and Die Stem.

His First Flight

Liam O'Flaherty's story of a young seagull paralysed by fear who finally flies after his mother tempts him with fish.

Black Aeroplane

Frederick Forsyth's story in which a pilot flying a Dakota to Paris is guided through a storm by a mysterious black aeroplane.

Anne Frank's Kitty

Anne addresses her diary as 'Kitty' and writes that paper has more patience than people; Mr Keesing is her strict maths teacher.

Mijbil the Otter

Gavin Maxwell's account of an otter from Basra, scientifically Lutra perspicillata, transported to London and later named Mij.

Dust of Snow

Robert Frost's two-stanza poem in which a crow shaking snow from a hemlock tree changes the speaker's mood from regret to relief.

Fire and Ice

Robert Frost's nine-line poem suggesting desire (fire) and hate (ice) could each destroy the world.

A Tiger in the Zoo

Leslie Norris contrasts a caged tiger's 'quiet rage' with its natural life stalking deer and staring at stars.

The Ball Poem

John Berryman's poem about a boy who loses his ball and learns that money is external and loss is part of life.

Amanda

Robin Klein's poem in which a nagged girl escapes into fantasies of being a mermaid, an orphan and Rapunzel.

A Triumph of Surgery

James Herriot's story of Tricki, Mrs Pumphrey's overfed dog, restored to health by a strict diet at the vet's surgery.

The Thief's Story

Ruskin Bond's story of Hari Singh, a young thief who robs Anil but returns, tempted by the chance to learn and be trusted.

Ausable's balcony

In 'The Midnight Visitor', Ausable invents a balcony to trick the intruder Max, who falls to his death.

Griffin's invisibility

H.G. Wells's scientist Griffin becomes invisible and terrorises Iping; his footprints are the only visible trace.

Bholi's stammer

K.A. Abbas's story of Sulekha, a neglected girl who is mocked for stammering and gains confidence from her teacher.