Recount

 Recount Text 

A Recount Text  is a text which tells ‘what happened’. The purpose of the text is to document a series of events and evaluate their significance in some way. It focuses on a sequence of events, all of which relate to the occasion. It also has expressions of attitude and feeling, usually made by the writer about the events.

Read the following text carefully.

Last summer, the writer of a famous novel went to Italy. He visited museums. He sat in a public garden, and a friendly waiter taught him a few Italian words. He thought about postcards yesterday. His holiday passed quickly. On the last day, he got up early and bought 37 cards. He was in his room all day, but he did not write a single card.

(Modified from Alexander, 1990)

When you tell about what happened in the past, it means that you make a recount text. A recount text has the following text structure:

Orientation : provides the setting and introduces participants

-         The writer went to Italy.

Events : tell what happened, in what sequence

-         He visited museums.

-         He sat in a public garden.

-         He thought about postcards yesterday.

-         His holiday passed quickly.

-         He got up early and bought 37 cards.

Re-orientation : optional-closure of events

-         He was in his room all day, but he did not write a single card.

Read this text and then discuss with your friends the questions that follow.

One day Sandra Dewi fell sick in the middle of the English lesson. All the students did reading tasks. Suddenly Sandra Dewi vomited. All other students stopped writing. Mrs. Lidia helped her immediately. The chairman of the class sent for the school’s doctor. In five minutes the doctor came. He examined her carefully. He examined her eyes. He felt her stomach. He listened to her heart beat. He measured her blood pressure. Then he took her temperature. “I’m afraid she suffers from malaria. Her temperature is very high. That is why she vomited. She has a very bad cough, too. I’ll give her some pills for her malaria, some tablets for her fever, and syrup for her cough. She needs a week’s rest”, said the doctor.

Questions:

1. What is the text telling you about?

2. What did the students do? What happened?

3. What was the name of the teacher?

4. What did the doctor do?

5. What was Sandra Dewi suffering from?

6. What did the doctor recommend?

7. Identify the text structure by listing the happenings according to these categories of:    orientation, events, and re-orientation.