What is the "unseen" reading in the interview and how do I prepare for it?

"Unseen" reading is much friendlier than it sounds; it's simply a piece of writing which you are given around 15 minutes to read, make notes on, and think about. You're then asked questions based on this writing by your interviewers, and you'll be able to take the text into the interview room with you. This exercise aims to see how you adapt and learn during discussions - it definitely isn't a test of how many obscure literatary terms or ideas you already know. You can practice for this by annotating text under timed conditions, and perhaps asking a friend, teacher or parent to ask you about your annotations. In your interview, you'll need to discuss observations you have made, making sure you have used evidence from the text to defend your point. You should identify: the type of language being used; the form of the text (poetry, short story, essay...); the themes and how they can be seen; and different interpretations of the writing as a whole. Most importantly, listen to your interviewers! They are looking to get the best out of you, and their questions and comments are designed to inspire your thinking. A great Oxbridge candidate thinks on their feet, even when it's a bit nerve-wracking.