/ Learner Resource /
School Name / Helensvale State High School
Subject / English / Topic / Satire / Year / 10
Description / Unit 1 pre-assessment task
Instructions / ·  Read through each text and answer the corresponding questions
Task designed by / Samantha White / Contact / Janelle Dickman

Student Name / Class / Date
Activity One:
Study the following pictures, and using the table below label each of the pictures with the correct satirical technique. Then analyse and explain how the illustrator has used the technical to position the audience.
Satirical Technique / Definition
Understatement / where the author says less than they want to in order to underplay the importance or seriousness of what they are talking about.
Allusion / a brief reference, either direct or indirect, to a person, place, thing, event, work of art or literary text.
Metaphor / is a figure of speech that describes a subject by asserting that it is, on some point of comparison, the same as another otherwise unrelated object.
Symbolism / is the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense.
Caricature / a picture or description that ludicrously exaggerates the peculiarities or defects of people or things.

Activity ONE

/ Julia Gillard Pinocchio
Text: Under a Labor Government, there will be no carbon tax…
Satirical Technique: Allusion
How has this technique been used to position audiences? Allusion has been used by the illustrator to compare Julia Gillard, to the fairy tale character Pinocchio. As the illustrator is showing Gillard’s nose growing, the audience is positioned to believe that she is a liar.
/ The Australian Octopus
Text: Her Grasp on the Asian Century
Satirical Technique:
How has this technique been used to position audiences?
/ Tony Abbott is all ears
Satirical Technique:
How has this technique been used to position audiences?
/ Julia Gillard Models
Text: Does my nose look big in this?
Satirical Technique:
How has this technique been used to position audiences?
/ Labor Zombies
Text: The Living Dead. Julia Lives!
Satirical Technique:
How has this technique been used to position audiences?

Activity TWO: Refer to the following cartoon and answer the questions.

Level 1 An understanding of what is explicitly stated in the text.
What can you see?
Level 2 Going beyond an author’s literal statement to draw inferences.
Explain what is happening in this cartoon/ what is the story?
Level 3
Making some sort of judgement or interpretation of a text such as validity, or fact or opinion.
What is the message of the text? What satirical techniques have been used?

South East Region Learner Resource template V1 – Aug 2013