DESCRIPTIVE TEXT

A.            Pengertian

Descriptive TextDescriptive Text adalah sebuah teks bahasa Inggris untuk mengggmbarkan seperti apa benda atau mahluk hidup yang kita deskripsikan, baik secara kenampakan, bau, suara, atau tekstur dari benda atau makhluk hidup tersebut.

Menurut Wikipedia, yang dimaksud dengan Descriptive text adalah: “satu kaedah upaya pengolahan data menjadi sesuatu yang dapat diutarakan secara jelas dan tepat dengan tujuan agar dapat dimengerti oleh orang yang tidak langsung mengalaminya sendiri”.

Jadi yang dimaksud dengan descriptive text adalah sebuah tulisan atau teks yang menggambarkan sifat-sifat yang melekat pada sesuatu, baik itu manusia, hewan, tumbuhan, ataupun benda mati seperti rumah, mobil dan lain sebagainya.

B.            Tujuan Descriptive Text

Tujuannya tidak lain adalah untuk menggambarkan segala sesuatu baik itu manusia, hewan, tumbuhan atau benda mati dengan sifat yang melekat padanya seperti ukuran, jenis, warna, dan sebagainya sehingga pembaca atau reader dapat mengetahui seperti apa sesuatu itu dari gambaran yang kita sampaikan meskipun ia belum pernah melihatnya.

C.            Ciri-ciri Dexcriptive Text

Ø   Menggunakan Simple Present Tense.

Kenapa menggunakan simple present tense? hal ini karena kita akan menggambarkan sebuah fakta atau kebenaran yang melekat pada sesuatu atau orang. Dan salah satu fungsi dari simple present adalah untuk menggambarkan sebuah fakta atau kebenaran (contoh fakta: matahari itu panas). Oleh karena itu kamu harus selalu menggunakan kata kerja bentuk pertama (verb-1). Misal kamu akan menggambarkan sifat-sifat mobil baru kamu: The color of my car is black, it can run up to 500 km/hour.

Ø   Karena fungsinya adalah untuk menggambarkan sesuatu dengan menjelaskan sifat

sifatnya, maka dalam descriptive text akan banyak dijumpai kata sifat (adjective), seperti handsome, beautiful, tall, small, big, atau jika kata sifat tersebut berasal dari kata kerja, maka kamu akan mendapati tambahan -ve, -ing, -nt di belakangnya,

Contoh:

Create (membuat) > creative (orang yang pintar membuat sesuatu).

Interest (menarik) > interesting (sesuatu yang menarik)

Ø   Dalam descriptive text kita juga akan sering menjumpai relating verb (kata kerja

penghubung) yaitu is (seperti pada ciri nomor 1). Is dalam bahasa Indonesia sering diartikan dengan “adalah”. Karena tujuan atau fungsi descriptive text adalah untuk menggambarkan, maka pasti kita akan sering menjumpai kata adalah (is). His name is Andy (namanya adalah Andy), his height is 160 cm (tingginya adalah 160 cm).

D.            Generic Structure Descriptive Text

a)             Identification (identifikasi) adalah pendahuluan , berupa gambaran umum tentang suatu topik.

Contoh: kamu diminta untuk menggambarkan mobil barumu, maka isi identification-nya adalah: Ayahku baru saja membelikan mobil baru. Mobil ini sebenarnya sudah lama aku idam-idamkan, tapi baru sekarang ayahku membelikannya. (Berarti yang akan digambarkan adalah mobilku, bukan mobil orang lain).

b)             Description (deskripsi) adalah berisi ciri-ciri khusus yang dimiliki benda, tempat, atau orang yang dideskripsikan.

Misal (melanjutkan tentang mobil di atas): Mobil baruku ini merupakan mobil sport keluaran terbaru dari Toyota. Jumlah bangkunya hanya dua, satu untuk sopir dan satunya untuk penumpang, begitu juga dengan pintunya. Mobil ini bisa melesat hingga kecepatan 500 km/jam, hampir sama dengan kecepatan pesawat berjenis Foker.

E.            Contoh Descriptive Text

Example 1:

Borobudur Temple:

Borobudur is Hindu – Budhist temple. It was build in the nineth century under Sailendra dynasty of ancient Mataram kingdom. Borobudur is located in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia.

Borobudur is well-known all over the world. Its construction is influenced by the Gupta architecture of India. The temple is constructed on a hill 46 m high and consist of eight step like stone terrace. The first five terrace are square and surrounded by walls adorned with Budist sculpture in bas-relief. The upper three are circular. Each of them is with a circle of bell shape-stupa. The entire adifice is crowned by a large stupa at the centre at the centre of the top circle. The way to the summit extends through some 4.8 km of passage and starways. The design of borobudur which symbolizes the structure of universe influences temples at Angkor, Cambodia.

Penjelasan:

1)      Paragraf pertama: Identification, menggambarkan sepintas tentang Candi Borobudur yang akan dideskripsikan sehingga pembaca tidak akan salah paham tentang candi yang sedang dibicarakan. Bahwa candi yang dimaksud adalah candi yang bernama Borobudur, yang berlokasi di Magelang, Jawa Tengah.

2)      Paragraf kedua: Description, berisi tentang penjelasan atau deskripsi Candi Borobudur dengan memaparkan sifat-sifatnya seperti:

Ø  berada di bukit dengan ketinggian 46 meter dan terdiri dari 8 tingkat seperti teras.

Ø  5 tingkat pertama berbentuk kotak (square) dan dikelilingin tembok.

Ø  3 tingkat paling atas berbentuk bulat (circular).

Example 2:

My Beloved Mother:

(Identification)

Every people certainly have a mother. It is because people are born from her.  The existence of her among us is definitely important. That is why I love her so much. I owe great debt to what she has been doing to me until right now. And here is my mother.

(Description)

My mother's name is Khodijah. She was born 49 years ago. She is short, but not too short. She is little fat. And she is old. She has got short white straight hair. She has got brown skin. She is beautiful. Her hand is so soft, the hand that have taught me to be kind person.

She never stops to support me. She always tells me to not give up so easily. She always gives me some fine solutions when I have some problems. The importance of her is never denied. That is why I never reject her willing.

Example 3:

The Eiffel:

(Identification)

 The Eiffel Tower is an iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The tower is the tallest building in Paris and the most-visited paid monument in the world; millions of people ascend it every year. Named after its designer, engineer Gustave Eiffel, the tower was built as the entrance arch to the 1889 World’s Fair.

(Description)

The tower stands 324 meters (1,063 ft) tall, about the same height as an 81-story building. Upon its completion, it surpassed the Washington Monument to assume the title of tallest man-made structure in the world, a title it held for 41 years, until the Chrysler Building in New York City was built in 1930; however, due to the addition in 1957 of the antenna, the tower is now taller than the Chrysler Building. Not including broadcast antennas, it is the second-tallest structure in France after the 2004 Millau Viaduct.

The tower has three levels for visitors. Tickets can be purchased to ascend, by stairs or lift, to the first and second levels. The walk to the first level is over 300 steps, as is the walk from the first to the second level. The third and highest level is accessible only by elevator. Both the first and second levels feature restaurants. The tower has become the most prominent symbol of both Paris and France, often in the establishing shot of films set in the city.

Exercise:

Text 1

Natural Bridge National Park

Natural Bridge National Park is luscious tropical rainforest.

It is located 110 kilometers from south of Brisbane and is reached by following the Pacific Highway to Nerang and then by travelling through the Numinbah Valley. This scenic roadway lies in the shadow of Lamington National Park.

The phenomenon of the rock formed into a natural ‘arch’ and the cave through which a waterfall cascades is a short one-kilometer walk below a dense rainforest canopy from the main picnic area. Swimming is permitted in the rock pools. Night-time visitors to the cave will discover the unique feature of the glow worms. Picnic areas offers toilets, barbeque, shelter sheds, water and fireplaces; however, overnight camping is not permitted.

1. What is the function of paragraph 1?
a. as an identification
b. as an orientation
c. as a thesis
d. as a classification

2. The text above is in form of………….
a. hortatory exposition
b. narrative
c. description
d. report

3.What is the communicative purpose of the text?
a. to present two points of views about natural bridge national park
b. to explain the bridge national park
c. to describe the bridge national park
d. to retell the bridge national park

4. Where is the natural bridge national park located?
a. 110 kilometers from South of Brisbane
b. 110 kilometers from Pacific Highway
c. 110 kilometers from Numinbah Valley
d. 110 kilometers from Lamington National Park

Text 2

On the banks of the Chao Phraya, Bangkok’s “River of Kings”, lies a hotel that has already set new standards of hospitality for this celebrated city.

Set in magnificently lanscaped tropical gardens, the Shangri-La Bangkok provides guests with all the charm and warmth of the orient and, at the same time, unsurpassed range of facilities and leisure activities.

There is a choice of 12 superb settings in which to wine and dine, a large free-form swimming pool that overlooks the river, conventoin and meeting facilities for up to 2000 people, and a 24-hour business centre.

And, from every single guest room and suite, there is a breathtaking view of all the exotic hustle and bustle of the fabled “River of Kings”.

One might expect such a well-equipped and positioned hotel to be miles away from the city center but, at Shangri-La Bangkok the busness district and main shopping areas are mere minutes away.

From more than 200 years, Bangkok’s granduer has been reflected in the waters of the Chao Phraya. Today, the Shangri-La Bangkok towers beside this majestic river, offers its guests the golden promise of the East.

7. The text mainly focuses on…………..
a. Bangkok’s granduer
b. Shangri-La Bangkok
c. Bangkok’s ”River Kings”
d. the water of the Chao Praya

8. The type of text above is a/an……………
a. report
b. recount
c. narrative
d. descriptive

9. For how many people the meeting facilities are up to?
a. 6000 people
b. 4000 people
c. 2000 people
d. 5000 people

10. The communicative purpose of this text is………………
a. to describe Chao Praya
b. to retell events for entertainment
c. to present at least two points of view about an issue
d. to tell the luxury of Shangri-La Bangkok

Kunci Jawaban:

1.    A
2.    C
3.    C
4.    A
5.    B
6.    A
7.    B
8.    D
9.    C
10.  C