Practice 2

PRACTICE 2
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS: COHESION 
I. Read the following and write your responses to the three tasks.
1. Imagine an appropriate context in which the discourse is embedded.
2. Analyze the text-forming cohesive devices in the discourse.
3. Draw the theme-rheme diagram to illustrate the thematic structure (Các em se trả lời câu này
sau khi học về Information Structure nhé).
Rose: (1) We decided to have a really good holiday - a 'dream holiday' in the Caribbean, (2) as we'd
always wanted to do. (3) So we saved our money up for months and months, and booked this
holiday. (4) It cost over a thousand pounds, (5) but we wanted to do something really special (6) so
we booked it for two weeks in May.
Mike: (7) We were flying from Gatwick airport. (8) An overnight flight, you see. (9) But when we
arrived at the airport, (10) they told us that because of bad weather in the Caribbean, (11) the flight
was delayed until the next morning. (12) So we had to spend the night at the airport (13) and we had
to sleep on the floor. (14) We finally got on the plane the next morning twelve hours late!
Rose: (15) But that was just the beginning.…
1. CONTEXT: Rose and Mike tell about their bad experiences on a holiday trip
2. COHESIVE DEVICES:
Conjunction: (2) as, (3) so, (5) but, (6) so, (13) and
Reference: (4)(6) It -> a dream holiday in the Caribbean
(15) that -> all the bad event happened before
Lexical cohesion: Repetition: ‘holiday’
Synonyms: flying, airport, flight, plane

 
II. Examine the following pieces of discourse. Is there anything wrong with the cohesion in
each case? If yes, what is it?
1. From a staff association notice board:

For those who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery.
“It” have no reference here so people don’t know which situation is this. Therefore, it’s hard for the
employees to know why “a nursery” is related to this.
“it” ở đây không chỉ cụ thể đến cái gì nên nhân viên không biết được tình huống cụ thể mà người
viết muốn nhắc đến. Do vậy, họ cũng không hiểu tại sao tại sao người viết lại nhắc đến “a nursery”
CONTEXT: Công ty thông báo với nhân viên rằng những ai có trẻ nhỏ có thể sử dụng dịch vụ trông
trẻ của công ty.
2. From a leaflet about migraine:

Migraines strike twice as many women as do men.

CONTEXT: Tờ rơi tuyên truyên về tỉ lệ gặp chứng đau nửa đầu ở phụ nữ là gấp đôi ở đàn ông.
Người đọc có thể hiểu nhầm chủ ngữ ở đây:
Migrane và women đều strike men và migrane ảnh hưởng so với đàn ông gấp đôi phụ nữ
Lỗi: Thứ tự sắp xếp chủ ngữ-vị ngữ trong câu
3. From The Independent newspaper, online edition, 15 August 2005:

The Muslim Council of Britain has set up an investigation into

mosques, women’s organizations and Islamic youth centres across the
country to root out extremism. (1)
Sir Iqbal Sacranie, secretary general of the council, told The
Independent that the council, which has more than 400 affiliates and
is the most powerful Muslim body in the country of Britain, has set up
the focus groups to locate and combat the terrorist threat (2). Its early
findings will be revealed in a national conference in September, he
said. (3)
The move comes amid allegations that the council is failing
mainstream Muslims and has its roots in extremist politics. (4)
(Sources: Flowerdew, 2013: 57 & Widdowson, 2007: 48)
Câu này liên quan đến Hồi giáo nên nói tiếng việt
Câu (2) không có sự kết nối với câu (1)
Cuộc điều tra về các nhờ thờ hồi giáo,... khác với “terrorist threat”.
“It” ở câu (3) không rõ reference ở đâu, ý chỉ “The council”, “terrorist threat” hay ‘an investigation” ?
Câu (4) từ “its” cũng không rõ reference, người đọc có thể hiểu nhầm là “the council has its roots in
extremist politics” trong khi ý của người nói có thể là “muslims’s roots in extremist politics”

III. Is the following a text? Why/Why not?

We spent our holidays in Romania. This is a country where grapes

are grown. They are a kind of fruit. So are bananas. Fruit contains
vitamins, and these are essential for a healthy life. So is regular
exercise. Jogging is good for you. We do it everyday…
NO vì không đáp ứng được tiêu chí (1) self-contained, (3) cohesive, (4) make sense, (5) clear communication
purpose
BÀI NÀY KHÔNG BIẾT CÁCH TRẢ LỜI
PRACTICE 3
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS: COHESION
Exercise 1:
1.1. What does it refer to in these short extracts: a noun phrase in the text, or a situation?
a. A pioneering ‘school-based management’ program in Miami-Dade County’s 260 schools has
also put some budget, salary and personnel decisions in the hands of local councils, composed
largely of teachers. ‘It’s a recognition that our voices and input are important,’ says junior
highschool teacher Ann Colman.
“It” refer to a situation mentioned before
b. Like the idea of deterring burglars with a big, ferocious hound – but can’t stand dogs? For
around $45 you can buy an automatic dog barking unit – Guard God, or the Boston Bulldog, both
available by mail order from catalogues like the ones you’re sent with credit card statements. You
plug it in near the front door and its built-in microphone detects sharp noises.
“It’ refers to a noun phrase in the text – An automatic dog barking unit
(McCarthy, 1991: 37)
1.2. Consider these opening lines of a news article. Who does She refer to?
She claims Leo Tolstoy as a distant cousin. Her grandfather was Alexei Tolstoy – the famous
‘Red Count’ who sided with Lenin’s revolutionaries. Now, Tatyana Tolstaya has put pen to
paper, in her case to demonstrate that someone from the family can write compactly. In her
stories of ten to twelve typewritten pages, ‘I somehow try to show the whole life of a person from
birth to eath,’ she says.
“She” refers to Tatyana Tolstaya
1.3. Identify the reference item and its referent in the text:
It has often been compared to New Orleans’s Mardi Gras as an outdoor celebration. Certainly
New York’s Mulberry Street and surrounding blocks have been as crowded over the last few
days as Royal and Bourbon Streets in the French Quarter are for the Mardi Gras. More then
three million people are estimated to have celebrated the 61st annual Feast of the San Gennaro
down in Greenwich Village since it began on Thursday.
“It” refers to “the 61st annual Feast of the San Gennaro”
(McCarthy, 1991: 42)
Exercise 2: Identify examples of ellipsis in these extracts:
2.1. Most students start each term with an award cheque. But by the time accommodation and
food are paid for, books are bought, trips taken home and a bit of social life lived, it usually
looks pretty emaciated.

2.2. ‘You like watching children…?’ her tone seemed to say: ‘You’re like a child yourself.’
‘Yes. Don’t you?’ His cheek was full of cheese sandwich. She didn’t answer;; only looked at
the swings with anxiety.
‘I sometimes wish,’ he said, trying hard to empty his mouth, ‘I could join in myself.’
‘But you wouldn’t?’
‘Why not?’
He saw the suddent challenge in her eyes. And was that a some somewhere in that held--
aloft face?
‘Well, if you feel that way…?’
‘_ _ why don’t you?’
‘Why don’t I?’
(McCarthy, 1991: 42-3)
Exercise 3: Identify the type of conjunction demonstrated by the word ‘and’ in these examples:
3.1. She’s intelligent. And she’s very reliable.

Pure addition
3.2. I’ve lived here ten years and I’ve never heard of that pub.
The second clause introduces a surprise in view of the content of the first
3.3. He fell in the river and caught a chill.
A consequence
3.4. I got up and make my breakfast.
Choronologically sequent to the first
(McCarthy, 1991: 48)
Exercise 4:
4.1. Trace all the subsequent lexical reiterations of the underlined words in the text below. Are
the reiterations in the form of near-synonyms, antonyms or hyponyms/superordinates?

(McCarthy, 1991: 68)

1) Reiteration
- Repetition … to breach a missile security cordon yesterday.
- synonymy
*Guards = Sentries = Soldiers = the Airmen
*Dozing = Slept
*Breach = Trespassing
*Walk = Tip-toed
- hyponymy
*Women protesters + Sarah Graham + Ten Women (Greenham
Common Campaigners)
*Guards / Sentries / Soldiers / the Airmen (Army)
- metonymm
*Greenham Commonn Campaigners : Women’s peace camp established
in Berkshire, England
* The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is the United Kingdom government
department responsible for implementation of government defence
policy and the headquarters of the British Armed Forces.
- antonymy
*Dozing / Slept >< Woke up
2) Collocation
*security cordon *
woody copse

4.2. The italicised words in the following texts represent either preceding
or subsequent segments of the discourse. Identify those segments by
underlying the appropriate words:
 (McCarthy, 1991: 77)

1. “these questions” represents questions that mentioned before “Where else....”

2. “the issues” represents some problem mentioned after – “accountability, relationships....”