• Close reading, micro vs macro: Think of close reading like being a detective 🕵️‍♂️, zooming in with a magnifying glass 🔍 to find the tiniest clues in a small piece of text. It's like your favorite episode of Sherlock or CSI but with words! On the flip side, macroscopic reading is like being a bird 🦅, flying high above and looking at the larger landscape, pulling together the big picture from all those tiny clues.

• The fear of the unknown: Think of Paper 1 like a blind date 💑. Yes, you might be meeting the text for the first time, but don't be scared. It's not about "getting" or "missing" it, but about enjoying the experience and being open to the text's personality. Like on a first date, be confident, be prepared, and remember that you've read and analyzed texts before.

• Time is on your side: Imagine you're a contestant on MasterChef 🍲. Like preparing a dish in a specific timeframe, your time in Paper 1 should be allocated wisely, balancing reading, thinking, planning, and writing.

• Read with an open mind: Don't judge a book by its cover, or a text by its first read. Try to read through once before interpreting anything. It's like watching a movie 🎥 without checking the reviews first.

• Structure is just a scaffold: It's not about ticking off a checklist but about building your own unique argument. Think of it like a Lego set 🧱. You start with the base structure, but how you build on it is entirely up to you.

• Note-taking: Like doodling in your notebook, this is about jotting down your thoughts as they come to you. These little reminders will come in handy later!

Don't treat your analysis like a "one-size-fits-all" equation. It's not about finding the 'correct' answer, but about exploring the layers of the text. Think of it like peeling an onion 🧅, where each layer might make you cry, but also adds to the flavor.

• Guiding question: Imagine you're lost in a forest 🌳. The guiding question is like your compass, pointing you in the right direction when you lose your way.

• Your reaction to the text: Listen to your gut. If something strikes you as funny, weird, or confusing, highlight it. It's like a reality show judge's buzzer - it indicates something important.

• Identifying the speaker and audience: This is like playing guess who 🃏. You have to make educated guesses based on what you know about the text.

• Finding the primary issue and text type: This is like sorting M&Ms 🍬 by color. You're categorizing elements based on certain distinguishing features.

• Changes, contradictions, and paratext: This is the plot twist of your textual analysis. Look for shifts, inconsistencies, or title clues that might change your understanding of the text.