Command of literary evidence v2

Summary

The video script is an educational guide on tackling command of textual evidence questions, particularly in literature. It uses James Weldon Johnson's poem 'Ghosts of the Old Year' as an example. The instructor explains the need to identify the central claim and create a test phrase to find the best supporting evidence from the text. The guide walks through each choice, illustrating how to select the option that most effectively supports the claim of an ongoing cycle of anticipation followed by regretful reflection.

Takeaways

• 📚 The poem 'Ghosts of the Old Year' by James Weldon Johnson describes a cycle of anticipation followed by regret.
• 🧩 The question type is about providing textual evidence to support a claim made about a text.
• 🔍 Identify the central claim in the question and create a test phrase by restating it in your own words.
• 🚀 The claim in this example is the cycle of anticipation and regret, symbolized by 'smiley face' for looking forward and 'sad face' for looking back.
• 📝 The strategy involves scanning the choices to find the one that matches the test phrase.
• 🎯 Choice B 'And so the years go swiftly by...' was identified as the best match for the claim, illustrating both anticipation and regret.
• ❌ Choices that do not directly support the claim or introduce new ideas should be eliminated.
• 🔎 Be specific and strict in selecting the answer; it should directly and strongly support the claim without being vague or partial.
• 📈 The instructor emphasizes the importance of being able to restate the claim to gain control of the idea and apply it to the choices.
• 📝 The process of answering such questions is likened to writing an essay, where you pull a quote from the text to support your argument.
• 💡 The instructor provides top tips for these types of questions, including being specific and strict in choosing the correct evidence.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the question being discussed in the transcript?

The main focus is to identify a quotation from the poem 'Ghosts of the Old Year' that illustrates the ongoing cycle of anticipation followed by regretful reflection.

What is the poem 'Ghosts of the Old Year' about according to the transcript?

The poem is about experiencing an ongoing cycle of anticipation followed by regretful reflection.

Who is the author of 'Ghosts of the Old Year' mentioned in the transcript?

The author of 'Ghosts of the Old Year' is James Weldon Johnson.

What type of question is being discussed in the transcript?

The question is a command of textual evidence question, which requires backing up an argument with evidence from a text.

What strategy is suggested for answering questions that introduce a central claim or argument?

The strategy suggested is to identify the claim, create a test phrase by restating the claim in your own words, and then test it against the choices to find the best match.

Why is it important to create a test phrase when answering these types of questions?

Creating a test phrase gives control of the idea and allows you to see it restated differently, making it easier to identify the best supporting evidence among the choices.

What does the instructor mean by 'be specific' when answering questions about a text?

Being specific means looking for an answer choice that supports the claim in the question and nothing more or less, eliminating any choices that introduce new ideas.

What does the instructor mean by 'be strict' when selecting the correct answer choice?

Being strict means that any choice that feels like it's almost evidence for the claim is too weak to be the answer. The correct choice should directly and strongly support the claim.

Which choice did the instructor select as the answer in the example question?

The instructor selected Choice B as the answer because it supports both the anticipation and regret parts of the claim.

What is the importance of understanding the claim before looking at the choices?

Understanding the claim is crucial because it guides the search for the best evidence and helps in eliminating choices that do not align with the claim.

How does the instructor suggest approaching questions about literature passages?

The instructor suggests approaching literature passage questions by thinking like you're writing an essay, pulling a quote from the text to support your argument.