Question

TEXT D I was born in Soweto at the Shanty Clinic, the first-born to my parents Rose and Samuel Mabena. A year later my brother Jabulani was born. When I was two, my parents moved me and Jabulani to Charterston Location in Nigel to live with my father's family at our grandfather's house. My father's elder sister, Mani Maria, was the matriarch of the family; she looked after her own grown- up children and her siblings' offspring. Why we were all placed there and she was given the hard task of caring for all of us is a mystery to me! Mani had a little vegetable patch where she grew spinach, cabbage, carrots, potatoes... However, food was always very scarce... In spite of the days when we went hungry, I have found memories of the times when there was food.... Source: Sitole, D. (2020). Dorah Sitole: 40 years of Iconic food. Cape Town: Lindy Samery (pp 6,7 & 8).

TEXT E The leader of the 21st century must be an effective communicator. Communication can be spoken, written or technologic. As societies become more diverse, the 21st century leader must communicate across nations, cultures... South Africa is a complex nation with 11 official languages. However, the country is increasingly becoming an English dominated society. The 21st century leader must be able to speak in as many of these languages... One of the critical attributes of South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa is his ability to communicate in all 11 of South Africa's languages. An effective verbal communicator... who went on to win the Nobel Prize in Literature was Winston Churchill. Who can forget the "We Shall Fight on the Beaches speech? The speech invigorated the British during World War II and contributed to the defeat of Hitler. But spoken communication is no longer enough. Source: Marwala, (2021). Leading in the 21st century: The call for a new type of African leader, Braynston: Tracey McDonald Publishers. (p 212).

4.1 Based on your reading of the two texts, what title would you give to each of the texts? Support your answer by referring to each text. No marks will be awarded for using the title or sub-title of the original texts. (5 marks)
4.2 In your opinion, in what way does the tone in Text C differ from the tone in Text D? Support your answer by citing each of the texts. (5 marks)​

Answer 1

4.1 Title suggestions for each text:

Text D: "Early Life and Family Struggles in South Africa"

The title reflects the content of Text D, which revolves around the narrator's personal background, family dynamics, and the challenges they faced, particularly related to food scarcity and their living conditions.

Text E: "The Importance of Effective Communication in the 21st Century"

The title captures the central theme of Text E, which emphasizes the significance of effective communication skills for leaders in the modern era. It discusses the need for leaders to communicate across diverse societies, including in multilingual contexts like South Africa, and highlights notable examples of influential communicators from history.

4.2 The tone in Text C differs from the tone in Text D in the following ways:

Text C: The tone in Text C is informative and focused on conveying historical facts. It provides a chronological account of key events related to the Space Race, such as the successes and failures of space programs and the race between the Soviets and Americans. The tone is neutral and objective, aimed at presenting the information accurately.

Text D: The tone in Text D is more personal and reflective. The narrator shares their own experiences and memories from their early life, highlighting the challenges they faced and the scarcity of food. The tone is nostalgic, with the narrator expressing both difficult and fond memories of their past.

These differences in tone can be observed through phrases such as "food was always very scarce" and "In spite of the days when we went hungry, I have fond memories of the times when there was food" from Text D, which evoke personal emotions and memories. In contrast, Text C focuses on providing historical information without personal reflections or emotions.