How to answer the question (1)

Remember to KEYWORD the question by using a highlighter. Look exactly what it is asking you to do, and do it.

So, here, it is asking you:

What do you learn from Elisabeth Hyde’s article about where she has been and what

she has been doing? 

Example answer

One thing we learn about where she has been is that she has been 'on a boat' with her friends, but we learn that this is a potentially dangerous place to be as there is 'only one rule', to 'stay in the boa' which implies that they are not simply having a relaxed float down river.

We learn that the task they are undertaking is a massive and important one because it is in 'the grand canyon' which we know is a huge natural feature. We also learn that the task is one which they are quite apprehensive about as they 'blinked at the sight before' them, as if they can't believe what they are about to do.

We learn that this is something which you do with people who are into the same thing as you because 'they were a mixed group' which implies that they didn't really know each other very well.

We learn that it was a task which needed lots and lots of preparation as 'as much gear as they could possibly need was strapped into the boats', implying that they will need lots of specialist equipment to get through it.

SO there you can see the sort of thing you have to do. You're simply showing that you UNDERSTAND the text by picking out important bits, and backing them up with small quotations (always EXPLAINING why the quotation is important.)

The parts I've picked out aren't necessarily THE RIGHT ANSWERS, as there are TONS of RIGHT ANSWERS. It's not likely a maths or science test where you can just be plain WRONG. You have to pick out the bits that YOU think are most important.

Good luck,

NW