8 Fair dinkum Literacy Literature Language Multimodal texts Managing information Understanding humour Layers of meaning Reading web pages Modality: shades of meaning
n Multimodal texts Modern technology allows writers to compose and publish multimodal texts that can be read around the world. Digital stories are stories told online or on CD and DVD, using words, audio, images and sometimes animation. Telling stories digitally The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) hosts exhibitions, film festivals and live events that aim to make Australians more aware and informed about films and the power of the moving image. ACMI conducts workshops for young people in digital storytelling. Here are three examples of young people s work presented on the ACMI website: l The Voices of Australia created by Sebastian Young This entertaining claymation features real voices and very unreal creatures talking about what Australia means to them. www.acmi.net.au/vid_si_voices_aus.htm l l Australian Identity created by Rory Young In this claymation, quirky music, sound effects and iconic Australian images work together to create a brief history of Australia. www.acmi.net.au/vid_australian_identity.htm My Granddad by Hesham A Hesham narrates this digital story, which features a range of still photographs. www.acmi.net.au/vid_edst_my_grandad.htm Exercise 8.1 Digital stories View these digital stories on the ACMI website and write a review about one of them. Your aim is to explain to Year 7 English teachers what the digital story is about and whether Year 7 students would be interested in seeing this digital story. Explain why or why not. Digital stories about Australians Stories of migration are part of our history. Some migrants to Australia have recorded their experiences in online digital stories. The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), based in Melbourne, helps people produce and enjoy works containing moving images; that is, works created for film, television and digital culture. ACMI conducts workshops in which people can create digital stories about their own lives. 100 Macmillan English 7 for the Australian Curriculum
Exercise 8.2 View the story Yehinat Fekir by Tigist Kebede, on The Age website at www.theage.com.au/ interactive/2008/national/migrants/shortstories.html 1 Who is the narrator? What does the sound of her voice suggest about her age? 2 Who is she talking to? How do you know? 3 What do the opening visuals show you about her homeland? 4 When did she migrate to Australia? Where did she land? Where did she go to live? 5 Watch the digital story again and then explain the narrator s message. Making modern Australia In 2010, the ABC launched an interactive website called The Making of Modern Australia: Your Story, Our History. Everyday Australians sent in their stories of life in Australia from 1945. The ABC then made a four-part documentary series based on these stories. Exercise 8.3 Exploring a digital story Creating a personal story Explore the website The Making of Modern Australia at www.abc.net.au/tv/makingaustralia, view and read some of the stories and make notes on how to create a digital story. 1 Select one of the themes of the series: childhood, love and relationships, home, or faith. Write a brief recount (about 200 words) about something that has happened in your life in Australia that relates to that theme. It can be about something dramatic or something simple and everyday. 2 Draft, edit and finish your recount. 3 Use your recount to create a digital story that shows people throughout the world what it is like to be young in Australia. Use photo editing software or PowerPoint, or create a book in a display folder. Narrate your story so that it is accurate and interesting, and use images that fit with your narration. Chapter 8 Fair dinkum 101
n Managing information Science constantly makes new knowledge, technology and information available to everyone. It is important to be able to understand and manage this information. Australian statistics Every four years, the Australian Government conducts a national census. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) then prepares data based on the census. The following table gives an accurate picture of who Australians are and how the Australian population is changing, by comparing the census results of 1996 and 2006. The data reveals the cultural mix of modern Australian society. ABS statistics on country of birth Although the proportion of people who were born overseas has remained unchanged at 22% since 1996, Australia s country of birth profile has changed over this time. England and New Zealand remain the two largest overseas-born groups but the size of the Europeanborn population has decreased. China is now the third largest birthplace group having increased by 96 000 since 1996, while the number of people born in India has increased by 70 000. 2006 Persons 000 Proportion of all overseas born % 1996 Persons 000 Proportion of all overseas born % 1 England 856.9 19.4 England 872.1 22.3 2 New Zealand 389.5 8.8 New Zealand 291.4 7.5 3 China (a) 206.6 4.7 Italy 238.2 6.1 4 Italy 199.1 4.5 Vietnam 151.1 3.9 5 Vietnam 159.8 3.6 Scotland 146.3 3.7 6 India 147.1 3.3 Greece 126.5 3.2 7 Scotland 130.2 2.9 China (b) 111.0 2.8 8 Philippines 120.5 2.7 Germany, Federal Republic of 110.3 2.8 9 Greece 110.0 2.5 Philippines 92.9 2.4 10 Germany 106.5 2.4 Netherlands 87.9 2.2 11 South Africa 104.1 2.4 India 77.6 2.0 12 Malaysia 92.3 2.1 Malaysia 76.3 2.0 13 Netherlands 78.9 1.8 Lebanon 70.2 1.8 14 Lebanon 74.9 1.7 Hong Kong 68.4 1.8 15 Hong Kong (c) 71.8 1.6 Poland 65.1 1.7 (a) Excludes Taiwan Province and Special Administrative Regions (SARs): Hong Kong (SAR of China) and Macau (SAR of China). (b) Excludes Taiwan Province. (c) SAR of China. Source: ABS 2006 Census data 102 Macmillan English 7 for the Australian Curriculum
Exercise 8.4 Reading statistics 1 In 1996, what proportion of all overseas-born Australians were from China? In 2006, had this proportion increased or decreased? By how much? 2 In 2006, how many people listed India as their country of birth? (Remember to multiply the numbers in this column by 1000 to get the actual numbers.) 3 How many more people said they were born in the Philippines in 2006 than in 1996? 4 Write a paragraph similar to the one above the table in which you interpret the statistics from Italy, China and Scotland. 5 How would you use the information in the table if you were a: a restaurant owner? b Qantas manager? c school principal? Australian values The Commonwealth Government provides new migrants with information about Australian society. This is part of what the Government says: Australian values Australian values include: respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual equality of men and women freedom of religion commitment to the rule of law parliamentary democracy a spirit of egalitarianism that embraces mutual respect, tolerance, fair play and compassion for those in need and pursuit of the public good equality of opportunity for individuals, regardless of their race, religion or ethnic background. from www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/07values.htm Exercise 8.5 Explaining values 1 Rewrite the dot points in plain English and add an example to each point. For example, respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual could be rewritten as: Australians believe that everyone should be free to speak their mind and live their life as they want to, and everyone should be respected. So, bullying or picking on people is wrong. 2 Write a short speech on the topic of Australian values. Explain the three values that are most important to you. Your audience is a group of teenagers who have just migrated to Australia. Include some stories from your own life. Chapter 8 Fair dinkum 103
n Understanding humour Humour serves many purposes. People enjoy humorous films and TV shows, and they go to see stand-up comics. And what better way for friends to connect than by sharing jokes? Humour can also help people deal with uncomfortable and painful experiences. Sometimes by laughing at yourself and inviting other people to laugh with you, you can feel better about yourself and your problems. And those who laugh kindly with you get to understand you better and sympathise with you. Exercise 8.6 Thai-riffic humour Thai-riffic! by Oliver Phommavanh is the story of Thai-Australian Albert Lengviriyakul ( Lengy ) who feels caught between two cultures. He is embarrassed by his family, and wants to be a true-blue Aussie. Oliver Phommavanh uses his skills as a standup comic and teacher to draw us into the life of a kid reluctantly coming to grips with his Thai heritage. Readers observe how Lengy and his parents learn to live in their new country. Readers are also reminded how some things that Australians understand and take for granted can be very confusing for newcomers. Puns 1 Explain the pun in Thai-riffic! 2 List five clues on the front cover that signal that this is a humorous novel. 3 The names of Thai restaurants are often puns. Say these names out loud and write down the original words that the puns are based on: Bow Thai Thai Tanic Thai Foon Appa Thai Zing En Thai Sing Thai Ranosaurus. 104 Macmillan English 7 for the Australian Curriculum
This extract describes Lengy s first day at high school. The office lady glances down at her book. What s your last name? Lengviriyakul. Huh? She flips a few pages. Um, Albert Leng... I sigh. Everyone always has trouble with my surname. We moved to Australia when I was two, so why don t we have an Aussie surname? I want something easy like Smith or Jones. But I m stuck with Lengviriyakul. It looks like someone ate alphabet soup and threw up the letters. Mum reckons my surname lets people know that I m Thai. Yeah right. Wong sounds Chinese. Nguyen sounds Vietnamese. Lengviriyakul sounds like I m from Mars. Either that or my parents are some species of dinosaur. I flick my tongue and roll off my surname. Leng-vi-ri-yak-ul. Just write it down. The office lady points to the page. Later in the novel, Lengy s family is investigating other Thai restaurants. They go into Thai Me Kangaroo Down, Sport. Lengy s father is wearing a T-shirt with Life s Thai-riffic! on it, advertising the family s business. Dad opens the door and we hear a Waltzing Matilda doorbell. A young Thai lady wearing a silk dress bows. G day, my name s Shazza. Bless you, Dad says. No, my name s Shazza. Mum takes out some tissues. I snatch them off her. No, her name is Shazza. Are you catching a cold, too? No worries. Shazza reads Dad s shirt. That s funny. Don t encourage him, I say, standing in front of his shirt. from Thai-riffic! by Oliver Phommavanh Exercise 8.7 Getting to know Lengy 1 Why is Lengy embarrassed by his surname? 2 The author s purpose is to have readers laughing with Lengy, not at him. Find an example in the extracts where the humour comes from: funny comparisons the unexpected misunderstandings. 3 Imagine that you have had trouble fitting into a new country or new social, school or sporting group. Tell Lengy about your experience in a humorous way. Chapter 8 Fair dinkum 105
n Layers of meaning Writing a play script is a special skill. The words often have more than one layer of meaning while actors may say only a few words, these words often reveal something of their characters, or they may speak and act in a way that reveals the themes of the play. Reading between and behind the lines In Manjari and the Mummy Mafia by Sue Murray, 21-year-old Manjari, an Indian Fijian Australian woman, looks back to the time when her family moved to a small Australian country town. As this scene opens, the younger Manjari and her mother, Poonam, are in the schoolyard before school. Manjari has recently told the children at school that her name means bud of the mango tree. Cheryl is one of the Mummy Mafia, a group of mothers of children at the school. Manjari and the Mummy Mafia POONAM kisses MANJARI on both cheeks and wipes her tears. MANJARI checks to see if anyone is watching. POONAM gently pushes her daughter away from her. SHERONA: [Offstage] Hey, Mango Tree! [MANJARI stops and watches POONAM dealing with the MUMMY MAFIA.] CHERYL: [Loudly, to POONAM] Hell-oo! POONAM: [Pleasantly] Hello. CHERYL: [Slowly] What is your name? POONAM: Poonam. And you are? CHERYL: [Screeching to the other women] Poo-nam! [Loudly and slowly to POONAM] Where are you from? POONAM: [Smiling harder] Brisbane. [CHERYL nudges the women either side of her. They all titter and giggle.] CHERYL: [Even louder, now also using exaggerated hand gestures] No, no, no. Where are you from? Where did you come from before here? POONAM: [Smiling, but now also speaking slowly] We came from Brisbane. CHERYL: [CHERYL indicates to the other women that she thinks POONAM is stupid. While this has been happening, SHERONA has been sneaking up on MANJARI. She is about to put a banana down the back of MANJARI s dress. CHERYL sees this.] [Yelling to SHERONA] Oi! Sherona! [SHERONA looks guilty.] 106 Macmillan English 7 for the Australian Curriculum
Exercise 8.8 Interpreting a play Don t waste good fruit! 1 Explain in a short paragraph what happens in this scene. [THE MUMMY MAFIA and SHERONA laugh. JUDE looks a little embarrassed.] Jude, don t be a prude! They know I m only kidding. So s Sherona, aren t you, sweetums? Good on you for making friends with Poobum s oops, Poonam s daughter. [To the MUMMY MAFIA] C mon girls, cupsa chinos are on me today. I m the new chairman chairmum of the P&C! [CHERYL and the MUMMY MAFIA exit, ignoring POONAM. POONAM gives her daughter a little wave, then exits. MANJARI exits, running, with SHERONA chasing her, waving the banana. Curtains close.] 2 Explain what the stage directions at the beginning tell you about the characters. 3 Research the meaning of the word mafia? Why does the playwright call these mothers the Mummy Mafia? What does this tell you about them? 4 Find the evidence that Cheryl is racist in her attitude to Poonam. List your evidence under the headings: What she says, How she speaks, and How she acts. 5 Has Cheryl passed on her racism to her daughter, Sherona? Why do you say this? from Manjari and the Mummy Mafia by Sue Murray 6 Imagine that you are the director of this scene. Explain how cast members should say each of these lines: SHERONA: Hey, Mango Tree! (aggressively? warmly? softly?) CHERYL: Jude, don t be a prude! They know I m only kidding. (angrily? jokingly? nervously?) 7 The line Don t waste good fruit! has several layers of meaning. On the surface it shows a mother giving her daughter good advice. At a deeper level, it is supporting Sherona s bullying behaviour towards Manjuri, turning the bullying into a joke. What layers of meaning can you read in each of these lines: CHERYL: [Loudly and slowly to POONAM] Where are you from? POONAM: [Smiling, but now also speaking slowly] We came from Brisbane. 8 Jude is one of the Mummy Mafia. Even though she doesn t speak, what does she contribute to the scene? How would the scene be different if a stage direction said Jude doesn t exit with Cheryl. She goes up to Poonam and shakes her hand. 9 Examine how the script of the play is printed and laid out. Which parts of the text are printed in small capitals? Which parts are printed in italics? Which parts are placed inside square brackets? How do the type styles and punctuation help actors and readers? 10 Act out this scene with some classmates. Remember that there are several characters on stage who do not speak, including Manjari and several of the Mummy Mafia. If you are playing one of these characters, decide how you should be acting. If your character has dialogue, look for the deeper layers of meaning in your lines and communicate these through your actions. Chapter 8 Fair dinkum 107
n Reading web pages This is an online magazine article about an Indigenous dancer, Bboy 2ezy. Features of the web page are labelled. Banner Logo Navigation bar Heading Breadcrumb trail Photograph Text Task shortcut buttons Advertisement Acknowledgment Hyperlink 108 Macmillan English 7 for the Australian Curriculum
Exercise 8.9 Examining a web page 1 Match the features of the web page with the function they serve. Feature Function 1 logo a gives click on links to other pages in the website 2 photograph b gives a summary of the page s location in the website 3 banner c gives credit to a financial supporter 4 navigation bar d provides the main body of the article 5 breadcrumb trail e provides interesting visual support for the written text 6 advertisement f gives click through link to another website 7 acknowledgment g is an eye-catching visual identifier for this web page 8 hyperlink h shows the title of the online article 9 text i enables reader to perform a function quickly 10 task shortcut buttons j represents the identity of a company or organisation as a graphic 11 heading k encourages reader to purchase a print magazine 2 What are three eye-catching elements of this web page? Why do they attract attention? 3 What visual elements (not the words themselves) show that this article is about an Indigenous Australian? Consider the artwork, photographs and colours. Write a short description of these elements. 4 How do you know that this is one page from a larger website? 5 The font size means how big or small the letters are. Rank from largest to smallest the font sizes used for these different parts of the web page: text of the article hyperlink logo heading breadcrumb trail navigation bar 6 Why have the designers used these different font sizes for different elements? 7 Do you think this is a well-designed web page? Write three or four paragraphs explaining your opinion. Remember that a good website should be eye-catching, simple to navigate and easy to read. Above all, the various elements of a web page have to work together effectively. 8 Design a web page for an article about an activity that you enjoy out of school, such as a sport, a computer game or a book you have read recently. Your web page will be included on a website called Get into..., aimed at your age group. You don t need to write the article just decide how many images to include, what they would be, where they would go, where the article would go, and what other important elements you would include on the web page. 9 Now, read the text of the article on the Deadly Vibe website. a What is a break dancing crew? b Why does Bboy 2ezy like being a member of the All Consciousness Crew? c Newspaper and magazine articles often contain many long sentences that are easy to read and that connect information in a clear way. Choose a long sentence from this article and write about what the sentence tells you and how the information is connected in it. d Why is the article more interesting because it includes actual quotes from Bboy 2ezy? Chapter 8 Fair dinkum 109
n Modality: shades of meaning Look at these two images. Observe how the image in sharp focus and high contrast is very easy to read, leaving no doubt about what it represents. The other image has a very soft focus and low contrast. It suggests a mood or a feeling more than the clearer image. Which is the better image? It depends on what the photographer is trying to achieve. When people express themselves in words, they decide whether they want to be clear and forceful, or open to other opinions, or to subtly colour and shade their meaning and appeal to their readers feelings. In order to achieve these different effects, they need to use modality effectively. Modality expresses how likely or important it is that something will or should happen. Compare these two sentences: All Australians must speak English. All Australians should speak English. In the first sentence, the word must indicates that the speaker insists that all Australians speak English. In the second sentence, the word should indicates that the speaker believes that it is a good idea that all Australians speak English, but this opinion is not expressed as forcefully as in the first sentence. Modal auxiliary verbs Verbs such as will, must, might, should and could are modal auxiliary verbs. They qualify or modify other verbs. In other words, they add information about degrees of: l possibility l She will arrive today. She should arrive today. She might arrive today. obligation. You must leave. You should leave. You could leave. 110 Macmillan English 7 for the Australian Curriculum
Modal auxiliary verbs can express high, medium or low possibility or obligation. High modality Medium modality Low modality Possibility will, shall should, is to, is supposed to might, may, could Obligation must, ought to, need, should, will, is to, might, may, could has to, had to is supposed to Exercise 8.10 Using modal auxiliary verbs Copy these sentences into your workbook: All Australians should learn a second language. There will be an Asian Australian Prime Minister. Australians need to understand that migrants have a lot to offer. As a country, we can do more to explore our cultural diversity. Now: underline the modal auxiliary verbs in the sentences write in brackets after each sentence the degree of modality of each auxiliary verb high, medium or low write down whether the auxiliary verb is stating the degree of possibility or the degree of obligation write each sentence again, using a different level of modality for the modal auxiliary verb identify the level of modality of the auxiliary verb you chose. Modal adjectives, adverbs and nouns Adjectives, adverbs and nouns can also express modality. Modal adjectives, adverbs and nouns can be used to express opinions, discuss ideas and explore possibilities. Here are some examples: High modality Medium modality Low modality Modal adjectives certain, definite, absolute probable, likely possible Modal adverbs certainly, definitely probably, usually possibly, sometimes Modal nouns certainty, necessity probability possibility Exercise 8.11 Expressing opinions Read the following statements about Australia today. Australia should realise that it is definitely not the lucky country. Probably the best thing about living in Australia today is the range of food available. In the twenty-first century, we definitely need to see ourselves as an Asian country. In some suburbs of Melbourne, the main language might not be English. Once, everyone in Australia usually got a fair go: that s certainly not true today. 1 Copy out the sentences, underline the words that express degrees of possibility or obligation, and write the degree of modality in brackets at the end of each sentence. 2 Select one of the sentences and write an opinion on the statement. You want to express your opinion forcefully and you are not interested in inviting other opinions on the topic, so use verbs, adjectives, adverbs and/or nouns of high modality. Chapter 8 Fair dinkum 111
Assessment tasks VIEWING AND WRITING View the web page on the Great Barrier Reef at www.nationalgeographic.com/ features/00/earthpulse/reef/reef1_flash.html and answer the following questions: 1 List all of the different features that appear on the web page (for example, logo, navigation bar). 2 Describe and comment on the colours that the designer has used on the web page. 3 Name two eye-catching elements on the web page. Why are these eye-catching and why are they important to the page? 4 What sort of information is provided on the web page? 5 What is the main purpose of this web page? How do you know? What else does the web page do? You will be assessed on your knowledge of features of a web page and how well you interpret the content and design of this web page. VIEWING AND WRITING View a digital story (not Yehinat Fekir ) from the collection at www.theage.com.au/ interactive/2008/national/migrants/shortstories.html. Watch the digital story a few times, then: write a paragraph that summarises the main points of the story describe an image that works well to help tell the story explain how audio is used to help tell the story. You will be assessed on how well you summarise the story and explain how written, visual and audio parts work together to tell the story. SPEAKING Construct the argument for a three-member debating team that either supports or opposes the statement Australia s national anthem should be changed. Then plan out each speaker s content points with examples to support each point. You will be assessed on the content of each speaker s argument and how well you plan and structure the argument and divide it up among the speakers. 112 Macmillan English 7 for the Australian Curriculum