Jan/Feb Supplementary PORTFOLIO 2026
Due Date: 16 January 2026
Detailed solutions, explanations, workings
and references.
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, SECTION A
QUESTION 1
Before reading a literary text in detail, it is important to prepare yourself so that
reading becomes meaningful. One useful pre reading exercise is researching the
author and background of the text. This involves finding out who the author is, when
the text was written, and what was happening in society at that time. Knowing the
historical and social background helps you understand why certain themes,
characters, or conflicts appear in the text. It also helps you see that a story does not
come from nowhere, but is shaped by the author’s experiences, beliefs, and the
issues of that period. This preparation allows you to read with greater awareness
and sensitivity to the ideas in the text.
Another important pre reading exercise is skimming or scanning the text. Skimming
means reading through the text quickly to get a general sense of what it is about,
while scanning means looking for key words, repeated ideas, or important names.
This helps you form an initial picture of the text before you start close reading. By
doing this, you are not overwhelmed by details when you read carefully later.
Instead, you already have a rough idea of the main focus, which helps guide your
understanding and makes it easier to identify important themes and ideas as you
read more deeply.
QUESTION 2
2.1
The poem is about a person who must make an important life choice and reflect on
how that decision may shape their future.
2.2
Before teaching this poem, I would start with a pre-reading activity where learners
reflect on personal choices they have made in their own lives. I would ask learners to
think about a time when they had to choose between two options, such as choosing
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