A Game of Polo with a Headless Goat - Emma Levine

A Game of Polo with a Headless Goat

Emma Levine

Revision

Emma Levine

• Wanted to spend 6 months in Asia after graduation

• Reality: 8 years > discovering cricket culture in Old Delhi; working/travelling in Pakistan, China, Iran, Syria; living in Istanbul

• Now based in London

• Her work: women's sports in Islamic societies in Pakistan, guidebooks to Hong Kong, Istanbul and Dublin

Let's remind ourselves of the text

Anthology p. 14 / Student Book p. 129

Multiple Choice

What type of text is this?

• Memoir

• Travelogue

• Novel

• Biography

Open Ended

What effect(s) do the narrative perspective and tense have?

Multiple Choice

"We drove off to find the best viewing spot"

What is the effect of the opening line?

• It gives the setting.

• It is high energy and builds tension.

• It tells us they are driving.

Multiple Select

Why are the races referred to as the 'wacky races'?

• To give the Western reader a point of understanding.

• To show Levine is judging the race to be strange.

• To differentiate Levine as a spectator.

• To illustrate the chaotic nature of the races.

Open Ended

What is the effect of the direct speech in the first paragraph?

Open Ended

What effect does this hyperbole have? ("We waited for eternity")

Multiple Select

What effect(s) does the following sentence have?

"Nearly one hour later I was beginning to feel rather silly when the only action was a villager on a wobbly bicycle, who nearly fell off as he cycled past and gazed around at us."

• It is humourous.

• It shows the clash of cultures.

• It breaks the tension.

• It lightens the tone.

Open Ended

What is the effect of the third paragrap? Quote to support your answer.

Multiple Choice

Which word in the first sentence of the fourth paragaph increases the tension?

• just

• approaching

• roaring

• cloud

Multiple Choice

Which line from earlier in the text is contrasted by "vehicles roaring in their wake"?

• "I asked the lads if we could join the 'Wacky Races'"

• "As the donkeys overtake us, we will join the cars."

• "Nearly one hour later I was beginning to feel rather silly"

Open Ended

"The two donkeys were almost dwarfed by their entourage"

What effect(s) does this line have?

Multiple Choice

What is the significance of the line : "using their whips energetically, but not cruelly"?

• To illustrate that Levine is not critical of the culture.

• To highlight the high levels of animal cruelty.

• To show admiration of the treatment of animals.

• To show severe dislike towards the culture.

Paragraph 5 (lines 21-25)

• Travel writing style

• Not personal

• Huge amount of activity

• Different types of vehicles > unity in common passion

• Very detailed and descriptive

• Imagery

Multiple Select

"This was Formula One without rules, or a city-centre rush hour gone anarchic"

What effects does this line have?

• It is humorous.

• It breaks the tension.

• It is relatable for the western audience.

• It shows Levine's admiration for the race.

Open Ended

Which two verbs in this sixth paragraph (lines 26-29) show the danger and recklessness of the situation?

Multiple Choice

What is the tone of the seventh paragraph? (lines 30-38)

• A tone of danger

• A tone of boredom

• A tone of excitement

• A tone of fear

Open Ended

In this paragraph, Levine mentions two races: the donkey race and the vehicle race. What other race is present in the text?

Multiple Select

"Ahead of the donkeys, oncoming traffic - for it was a main road - had to dive into the ditch and wait there until we had passed.

What are the effects of the highlighted phrase?

• It shows Levine's disbelief at the events.

• It gives the western audience information they need to understand the situation.

• The punctuation shows it is almost an afterthought.

Open Ended

"Yaqoob loved it."

What technique is used here, and what effect does it have?

Paragraph 8 (lines 39-42)

• Two long, complex sentences followed by a simple sentence.

• The road "levelled", as did the race

• Foreshadowing?

• The simple sentence indicates the action slows down.

Paragraph 9 (lines 43-50)

• Energy transferred to this paragraph

• Reader still anticipates something to happen

• Serious situation

Multiple Select

"I assumed the winner was the one who completed the race but it was not seen that way by everyone."

What effect(s) does this sentence have?

• It shows Levine was wrong in assuming this.

• It reflects the reader's assumption.

• It shows Levine should have known better.

Open Ended

"Voices were raised, fists were out and tempers rising."

What is the significance of the continuous form?

Multiple Choice

"Yaqoob and Iqbal were nervous of hanging around a volatile situation."

Effect?

• It shows Yaqoob and Iqbal were cowards.

• It shows Yaqoob and Iqbal were brave.

• It shows Yaqoob and Iqbal were done with the situation.

• It shows Yaqoob and Iqbal were sensible.

Open Ended

Why was Levine ordered to stay in the car by the boys?

Open Ended

What is the effect of the personification?

Open Ended

What is the purpose of the final paragraph?

Open Ended

What themes are present in this text?

Open Ended

Explain the title.

Open Ended

What questions do you have about this text?