What is Biography Text?
A. Definition of Biography text
Biography text is a detailed description or account of a person’s life and written by someone else, it is non-fiction text.
B. Social Function of Biography
- To know a person’s story about his/her life outside of any accomplishments this person may be known for.
- To give many information easily and educate the readers.
C. Characteristics of Biography text
- Biography is not written by subject and always written in third person.
- Based on research.
- Describes the person’s surroundings (where, when and how the person lived).
- Use vivid language to narrate events.
1. Orientation (introduction)
It is the opening paragraph, gives the readers the background information of the person. Usually, it consists of a person's identity such as full name, address and date of birth.
2. Events
In events, should be chronological order.
3. Re-orientation (closing)
It consists of conclusion or a comment or the writer. Tell about the echievement or the contribution of the person.
E. Grammar and Language Features Biography text
Use of simple past tense.
e.g.:
- The family then moved to his stepfather’s home country.
- He was born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Temporal sequence and temporal conjunction
e.g.:
- His parents separated when he was two years old.
- Focus on Specific participants
Use of Action verbs.
e.g.:
- The family then moved to his stepfather’s home country.
F. Types of Biography Text
Short biography (focuses only on highlights of a person’s life)
Long biography (about life and times of someone in a lot more detail)
G. Question to Interview Life Story
Here are a variety of questions in interviewing someone's life story.
Early Childhood
1. When and where were you born?
2. Who was the most influential person to you as a child?
3. Did you have any pets as a child? What kind?
4. What was your favorite game?
5. Did you have any nicknames?
6. What were you most afraid of as a child?
High School
1. Who was your best friend? Are you still in touch with them?
2. What was your favorite subject to study?
3. What was your favorite sport?
4. Is there a teacher that you remember having been particularly influential?
5. How would you describe yourself as a student, both socially and academically?
6. What did you like most about school? Least?
7. What sort of extracurricular activities did you participate in as a teen?
8. Did you have a teen idol? If so, who was it and how did they spark your interest?
9. What was your favorit music/band/dance in high school?
College
1. Did you attend college? If so, which on? If not, why?
2. What are your most memorable college moments?
3. Who was your most memorable roommate?
4. Why did you decide to attend college?
5. What subject(s) did you study and why?
6. Did you get a degree? In what?
Career
1. What was your first job?
2. What was your best job?
3. What was your worst job?
4. Who was the biggest influence in your career?
Family
1. Do you have children? If so, how many and what age and gender are they?
2. What is your goal as a parent?
3. What does the word “family” mean to you?
4. How would your children describe you as a parent?
5. How do you describe yourself as a parent?
6. In what ways have your parents influenced you the most?
7. What is your relationship with your parents like today?
8. Do you have siblings? How many, are they older or younger?
9. Who are your closest to in your family?
10. Who do you admire most in your family and why?
11. Have you lost any family members to death?
Love
1. Who was your first love?
2. Have you had your hearth broken?
3. Have you broken any hearths?
4. Have you ever been married? To whom and for how long?
5. How did you and your spouse first meet?
6. Do you believe in love at the first sight?
7. What was the most special way you’ve shown someone that you loved them?
8. What was the most special way you’ve been shown you’re loved?
Politics/History
1. What do you consider to be the most significant political event that has occured during your life?
2. Which political figure do you most admire?
3. Other than the present, which historical era would you like to have lived in?
4. What do you consider to be the most important war fought during your lifetime? In all of history?
General 1. What is your definition of “happiness”?
2. What is the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you?
3. What is your happiest memory?
4. Who is your biggest fan?
5. What do you like to do in your spare time?
6. What is your most embarrassing moment?
7. If you could possess one super-human power, what would it be?
8. What is your greatest fear?
9. What is your greatest hope?
H. Examples of Biography Text
Example 1
B.J. Habibie Biography
B.J. Habibie, in full Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, (born June 25, 1936, Parepare, Indonesia—died September 11, 2019, Jakarta), Indonesian aircraft engineer and politician who was president of Indonesia (1998–99) and a leader in the country’s technological and economic development in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Brilliant in science and mathematics from childhood, Habibie received his postsecondary education at the Bandung Institute of Technology in Bandung, Indonesia, and furthered his studies at the Institute of Technology of North Rhine–Westphalia in Aachen, West Germany. After graduating in 1960, he remained in West Germany as an aeronautics researcher and production supervisor.
Suharto took power as Indonesia’s second president in 1966, and in 1974 he asked Habibie—whom he had known for 25 years—to return to the country to help build advanced industries. Suharto assured him that he could do whatever was needed to accomplish that goal. Initially assigned to the state oil company, Pertamina, Habibie became a government adviser and chief of a new aerospace company in 1976. Two years later he became research minister and head of the Agency for Technology Evaluation and Application. In these roles he oversaw a number of ventures involving the production and transportation of heavy machinery, steel, electronics and telecommunications equipment, and arms and ammunition.
Habibie believed his enterprises ultimately would spawn high-tech ventures in the private sector and allow the country to climb the technology ladder. In 1993 he unveiled the first Indonesian-developed plane, which he helped design, and in the following year he launched a plan to refurbish more than three dozen vessels bought from the former East German navy at his initiative. The Finance Ministry balked at the cost of the latter endeavour, while the armed forces thought that its turf had been violated. Nevertheless, Habibie got more than $400 million for refurbishing.
Meanwhile, in 1990 Habibie was appointed head of the Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals Association, and during the 1993 central-board elections of the country’s ruling party, Golkar, Habibie helped the children and allies of President Suharto rise to top positions, easing out long-standing military-backed power brokers. By the late 1990s Habibie was viewed as one of several possible successors to the aging Suharto.
In March 1998 Suharto appointed Habibie to the vice presidency, and two months later, in the wake of large-scale violence in Jakarta, Suharto announced his resignation. Thrust unexpectedly into the country’s top position, Habibie immediately began to implement major reforms. He appointed a new cabinet; fired Suharto’s eldest daughter as social affairs minister as well as his longtime friend as trade and industry minister; named a committee to draft less-restrictive political laws; allowed a free press; arranged for free parliamentary and presidential elections the following year; and agreed to presidential term limits (two five-year terms). He also granted amnesty to more than 100 political prisoners.
In 1999 Habibie announced that East Timor, a former Portuguese colony that had been invaded by Indonesia in 1975, could choose between special autonomy and independence; the territory chose independence. Indonesia held free general elections (the first since 1955) in June, as promised. Later that year Habibie ran for president, but he withdrew his candidacy shortly before the October election, which was won by Abdurrahman Wahid. After Wahid took office, Habibie essentially stepped out of politics, although in 2000 he established the Habibie Center, a political research institute.
Example 2
Abraham Lincoln Biography
Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809 in Kentucky (USA). He worked on the farm of his father. He attended school for less than a year, but taught himself to read and write. He did different types of jobs before he settled as a highly successful lawyer. He was gradually drawn to politics.
The country was having problems regarding the practice of slavery. The white men owned large farms in the southern states, Blacks were brought from Africa to work on these farms, They were kept as slaves. The people of northern states were against this practice of slavery and wanted to abolish it, The Constitution of America is based on the equality of man. Therefore, there was no place for slavery in that country,
At this difficult time, Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the USA in 1860. He wanted to solve the problem of slavery. The southern states were against the abolition of slavery. This brought the unity of the country in danger. The southern states were prepared even to form a new country. Abraham Lincoln wanted all the states to remain united.
He faced many problems. He wanted to preserve the unity of the country at any cost. Finally a civil war broke out between the northern and southern states. He fought the war bravely and declared, 'A Nation cannot exist half free and half slave.' He won the war and kept the country united.
Lincoln was elected president for a second term. He was not against anybody and wanted everybody to live in peace. He made sincere efforts to heal the people's wounds caused by the war. In 1862, Lincoln declared that from then onwards all slaves would be free. This made him very popular among the people. Lincoln was assassinated in 1865.
Sources:
http://englishwithsmiles.blogspot.com/
https://www.theschoolrun.com/
www.text.co.id
https://missluluenglish.wordpress.com/
