NBT NBT Academic Literacy: Tone, Register and Author's Attitude 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A health professional's letter reads: 'I wish to advise that the patient presents with symptoms consistent with early-stage hypertension and is advised to reduce dietary sodium intake.' The register is:
- Formal professional/medical (Correct answer)
- Casual friendly
- Academic argumentative
- Literary descriptive
Correct answer: Formal professional/medical
Medical terminology ('presents with', 'consistent with', 'hypertension', 'dietary sodium') in an advisory letter is formal professional/medical register.
Question 2: Read: 'The researchers found a modest but statistically significant improvement in reading comprehension scores.' The word 'modest' indicates that the author's attitude is:
- Measured — the improvement exists but is not overstated (Correct answer)
- Enthusiastically positive about the results
- Dismissive of the improvement
- Unsure whether the improvement is real
Correct answer: Measured — the improvement exists but is not overstated
'Modest' calibrates the extent of the improvement without dismissing or overstating it — a measured, objective stance.
Question 3: A social media post reads: 'CANNOT believe the govt raised fuel prices AGAIN 😤 this is literally insane'. The dominant register is:
- Informal emotive digital (Correct answer)
- Formal analytical
- Academic neutral
- Professional persuasive
Correct answer: Informal emotive digital
All-caps, emoji, 'literally', 'insane', and conversational syntax signal informal emotive digital register.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes the tone of the sentence: 'The committee's report, running to 342 pages, managed to say very little of substance'?
- Dry/wry — using length as ironic commentary on lack of content (Correct answer)
- Sincere and complimentary
- Neutral and factual
- Confused and uncertain
Correct answer: Dry/wry — using length as ironic commentary on lack of content
Juxtaposing the report's length (342 pages) against its lack of substance is classically dry, wry irony.
Question 5: An academic abstract states: 'This paper examines the extent to which socioeconomic factors influence educational outcomes in post-apartheid South Africa.' The author's attitude toward the topic is:
- Objective and inquiring — presenting a research focus without personal bias (Correct answer)
- Emotionally involved and partisan
- Dismissive of socioeconomic factors
- Enthusiastically advocating for change
Correct answer: Objective and inquiring — presenting a research focus without personal bias
Passive, neutral language ('examines', 'extent to which') signals an objective, inquiring academic stance without advocating a position.
Question 6: A travel blog reads: 'Cape Town is honestly one of the most jaw-dropping cities on earth — the mountain, the sea, the food — you've just gotta experience it.' The register is:
- Informal enthusiastic (Correct answer)
- Formal promotional
- Academic descriptive
- Technical geographical
Correct answer: Informal enthusiastic
'Honestly', 'jaw-dropping', 'gotta', and second-person address ('you') are hallmarks of informal, enthusiastic register.
Question 7: The phrase 'with all due respect' is often used in formal debate. In practice, it most commonly signals:
- Polite disagreement — a formal way of introducing a contrary point (Correct answer)
- Genuine deep respect for the speaker
- Agreement with the previous speaker
- A request for more information
Correct answer: Polite disagreement — a formal way of introducing a contrary point
'With all due respect' is a conventional phrase used to soften a disagreement; the register is formal but the function is adversarial.
NBT NBT Academic Literacy: Tone, Register and Author's Attitude 4
A health professional's letter reads: 'I wish to advise that the patient presents with symptoms consistent with early-stage hypertension and is advised to reduce dietary sodium intake.' The register is: