The language used in this extract is descriptive and engaging, using vivid imagery to paint a picture of the strange things witnessed by the ghost-hunter. The writer uses language to convey the sense of surprise and wonder at these events, with words like "startling" and "mysteriously" suggesting the mysterious and otherworldly nature of the phenomena.
In particular, the writer uses language to emphasise the physicality of the events, describing how the bowl of oranges "rose unaided" and "plummeted to the ground", with the resulting "smash" and "bouncing" of the oranges conveying a sense of chaos and disruption. This creates a vivid sense of the scene, drawing the reader in and making them feel as if they are witnessing the events themselves.
The writer also uses language to suggest a sense of the inexplicable and unpredictable nature of the events. For example, the clock "transporting" from one end of the mantelpiece to the other suggests a sudden and unexpected change, while the "type of energy we don’t yet understand" implies that these events are beyond our current scientific knowledge or understanding.
At the same time, the writer maintains a sceptical tone towards the ghost-hunter's claims. The use of phrases such as "he believes" and "convinced" suggests that the writer is not fully on board with the idea of supernatural explanations for these events, and is more interested in exploring the scientific possibilities.
Overall, the writer uses language to create a vivid and engaging account of the strange events witnessed by the ghost-hunter. They use descriptive language to convey a sense of surprise and wonder at the physicality of the events, while also suggesting a sense of the inexplicable and unpredictable nature of the phenomena. At the same time, the writer maintains a sceptical tone towards the supernatural explanations put forward by the ghost-hunter, suggesting an interest in exploring the scientific possibilities behind such events.
analyse the language in the extract below. how does the writer use language to describe the strange things witnessed by the ghost-hunter?
write 5 paragraphs
"The ghost-hunter claims that on one startling occasion, he actually watched a bowl of oranges
rise unaided off a sideboard, as if a clever magician had made his assistant float into the air.
The bowl then shattered into pieces as it plummeted to the ground and oranges bounced all
round the room. In another investigation, he and the family involved saw a heavy clock
mysteriously transport from one end of the mantelpiece to the other and back again. But he is
convinced that such occurrences have nothing to do with the spirits of the dead. He believes
they are caused by a type of energy we don’t yet understand which is generated by tense
human emotions."
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