Week 28 Apply Task

How to an answer an impression question.

Your task

• Complete the steps explained on slides 2-5, to

answer the below question:

a) What impression does the author give about

Truman’s attitude towards the Soviet Union?
a) What impression does the author give about Truman’s attitude towards the Soviet
Union?

Extract A: From International Relations 1919-1989, published in 2001

Truman was uncertain about Soviet intentions, and doubted that the USA and Soviet Union could
remain friendly after the war. In April 1945 Turman spoke angrily to the Soviet Foreign Ministry, Molotov.
Turman insisted that the Soviets must carry out the Yalta Agreement and allow free elections in Poland.
He would not listen to Molotov's explanations. This was a major step towards the start of the Cold War.
After only eleven days in power Truman had bossed around the USSR, an allied country which had
contributed more in blood and agony than the USA had during the war.

Step One:

• Read the question - what is it asking you about ? Shows the impression author give about Truman
attitude towards the Soviet Union
• Work out what impression/opinion the author gives about this event/person. He gives an impression
that Truman hates the Soviet Union very much and he wouldn’t hear any explanation from the Soviet.

• Think!
• Is the writer critical of a certain individual or event or are they complimenting them? Are they praising
someone or something or are they creating a negative impression of them? The author is critical
about Truman and creating a small negative impression towards Truman.
a) What impression does the author give about Truman’s attitude towards the Soviet Union?

Extract A: From International Relations 1919-1989, published in 2001

Truman was uncertain about Soviet intentions, and doubted that the USA and Soviet Union could remain
friendly after the war. In April 1945 Turman spoke angrily to the Soviet Foreign Ministry, Molotov. Turman
insisted that the Soviets must carry out the Yalta Agreement and allow free elections in Poland. He would not
listen to Molotov's explanations. This was a major step towards the start of the Cold War. After only eleven days
in power Truman had bossed around the USSR, an allied country which had contributed more in blood and
agony than the USA had during the war.
Task: Write a list of adjectives that could describe the impression that the writer has give about Truman’s attitude
towards the Soviet Union. (DO NOT use words from the extract!)
- Unease
- Worried
- Mad
- Stubborn

Now write two clear sentence to explaining the impression fully. Use at least 2 of your adjectives. Do NOT use
any words or phrases from the extract,
The writer shows that Truman was very unease and worried because he doesn’t what the Soviet Union target is
and he was uncertain about the relationship between US and Soviet union.

The writer shows that Truman was a very stubborn man when he didn’t listen to any explanation provided by the
Soviet Foreign ministry and also shows that Truman have a very bad impression about the Soviet Union by getting
mad at the Soviet Foreign Minister because Soviet didn’t follow the Yalta Agreement.
a) What impression does the author give about Truman’s attitude towards the Soviet Union?

Extract A: From International Relations 1919-1989, published in 2001

Truman was uncertain about Soviet intentions, and doubted that the USA and Soviet Union could remain
friendly after the war. In April 1945 Turman spoke angrily to the Soviet Foreign Ministry, Molotov. Turman
insisted that the Soviets must carry out the Yalta Agreement and allow free elections in Poland. He would
not listen to Molotov's explanations. This was a major step towards the start of the Cold War. After only
eleven days in power Truman had bossed around the USSR, an allied country which had contributed
more in blood and agony than the USA had during the war.
Step Two: you must recognise that the author deliberately chooses how he/she writes. He /she will make a
choice about what language to use and what tone to adopt in order to create a certain impression

Select 3 words/phrases from the extract that the writer has chosen to create this impression
-”Truman was uncertain about Soviet intentions”
-” doubted that the USA and Soviet Union could remain friendly after the war. “ – “ Turman spoke angrily to the
Soviet Foreign Ministry”
Write 1 to 3 sentences to explain how the author uses tone and language to convey the impression - give an
example of the words and phrases that the authors has chosen to use to create this impression.
The writer use this quote: “Truman was uncertain about Soviet intentions” delivers a bad impression about the
Soviet Union by showing that Truman is worried about what the Soviet Union is up to. The quote use a rather deep
and heavy tone in order to shows how serious the situation is. The quote also use the word “uncertain” to further
enhance the heavy atmosphere and important of the situation.
a) What impression does the author give about Truman’s attitude towards the Soviet Union?

Extract A: From International Relations 1919-1989, published in 2001

Truman was uncertain about Soviet intentions, and doubted that the USA and Soviet Union could
remain friendly after the war. In April 1945 Turman spoke angrily to the Soviet Foreign Ministry, Molotov.
Turman insisted that the Soviets must carry out the Yalta Agreement and allow free elections in Poland.
He would not listen to Molotov's explanations. This was a major step towards the start of the Cold War.
After only eleven days in power Truman had bossed around the USSR, an allied country which had
contributed more in blood and agony than the USA had during the war.

Step Three: look at the content. What has the author chosen to include OR not to include in order to
create this given impression

What has the author chosen NOT to include in the extract?

The writer chose not to include the Soviet Union reaction after April 1945 in order to make Truman is the one
who is aggressive here.