CLASS 12 · FLAMINGO · CHAPTER 7
Original student-friendly answers for The Interview and its reading, discussion, discourse, writing, and project activities.
21 worked answers · short steps first, explanations when you need them
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Question Think as You Read I
Notice what some people believe interviews can provide.
State the value they assign to the form.
Some people see interviews as a source of truth and a skilled art; they also bring information about public figures.
Question Think as You Read I
Consider privacy and the feeling of being examined.
Explain their fear of losing control over how they are presented.
They may feel interviews invade privacy, expose them, or diminish their identity.
Question Think as You Read I
Recall the comparison used to describe interviews.
Explain the belief in your own words.
Some cultures are described as believing a photograph can steal part of a person’s soul.
Question Think as You Read I
Recall the statement about one person asking another questions.
Identify the role.
The interviewer is an important source of information about personalities.
Question Think as You Read I
Think of the physical feeling the image creates.
Connect it to the pressure of being interviewed.
It suggests feeling pressured or silenced by an intrusive interview.
Question Think as You Read I
Recall his strong public criticism of interviews.
Compare it with his own behaviour as an interviewer.
Kipling condemned interviews but had interviewed Mark Twain himself.
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Question Understanding the Text
Notice his humour and willingness to explain his ideas.
Avoid assuming that every person enjoys every interview.
He seems comfortable: he answers openly, uses humour, and explains his ideas in detail.
Question Understanding the Text
Recall his idea of “interstices.”
Explain how he uses brief gaps in the day.
He writes in small gaps between other activities, which he calls interstices.
Question Understanding the Text
Recall how he described his dissertation.
Explain how telling the research story differs from a dry report.
He presents research as a story, including the process and discoveries, in a personal and engaging style.
Question Understanding the Text
Recall how he described his main professional identity.
Explain how he viewed his novels.
He saw himself first as an academic professor who also wrote novels.
Question Understanding the Text
Recall the interviewer’s suggestions and Eco’s response.
State what remains uncertain.
Eco cannot give one certain reason; he suggests its mix of ideas and timing may have helped, but says the success remains a mystery.
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Question Talking about the Text
Name the interview and its medium.
Give one insight about the guest and one about the interviewer.
Explain what it taught you about the guest’s field.
Describe a real interview and state what you learned about the guest, interviewer, and their field.
Question Talking about the Text
Choose one medium.
Explain what it lets you notice or do.
Acknowledge one limitation.
Television can show expressions and tone, though editing may remove context.
Question Talking about the Text
Separate relevant public information from private details.
Suggest fair practices for asking and publishing questions.
Ask relevant questions, respect personal boundaries, and provide context; public responsibility can justify scrutiny.
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Question Noticing Discourse Linkers
Look at what the next speaker is responding to.
Use a linker that refers back clearly.
More than one natural answer may work.
Use words such as “that,” “which,” and repeated phrases to show exactly what the next speaker is responding to.
Question Noticing Discourse Signallers
Notice that each phrase comes before a topic shift.
Explain how it helps a listener follow.
They warn listeners that the topic is about to shift and help the conversation flow smoothly.
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Question Writing
Select the main points rather than repeating every question.
Use reported speech and organise the ideas clearly.
Summarise Eco’s connected interests, use of short work periods, narrative academic style, academic identity, and uncertainty about the novel’s success.
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Question Things to Do
Choose a person and ask permission.
Prepare open, respectful questions.
Record the answers accurately and organise them into a written account.
Ask permission, prepare clear open questions, record answers accurately, and check details before sharing.
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Question Understanding the Text
Identify how interviews can share knowledge.
Identify why subjects may feel uncomfortable.
Interviews share information, but can pressure people or invade privacy; they require fairness and respect.
Question Understanding the Text
Identify a short wait or gap in your day.
Choose a small useful task that fits the time.
Use a short wait to review a few words or plan one small task.
Question Interview practice
Make it clear and focused.
Ask questions that invite explanation.
Avoid assumptions and unnecessary private details.
Ask clear, relevant, open questions and avoid assumptions or needless intrusion.