How should I approach the 8-mark essay questions, such as 'How does Cicero's language convey a sense of outrage in this passage'?
The important thing to remember for these questions is to be as focused as possible - the examiner doesn't want a thesis!
You need to provide 4 points from the passage, which comment on both the content and the style. Let's say, completely hypothetically (and leaving Cicero to one side), we wanted to comment on how a mother expresses her outrage at her child, when she says 'Your room. Now!' We can observe that her content, sending the child to his room, is a clear sign of her outrage, as any naughty child knows. Her style adds to this impression, due to the brevity of the phrase and the emphatic 'Now!' to finish - this is an order, plain and simple, and no attempt has been made to soften it.
Returning to Cicero, use the same approach as above, giving 4 points in the passage the examiner has given you where you can comment on Cicero's content and style. For each point, perhaps in as little as 2-3 sentences:
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quote a relevant part of the passage
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explain the content
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explain how the style adds to the effect
Simple!
