urgent :I need an answer (narrative or exposirory)

by Guest Sun Dec 09, 2012 5:50 pm

Hello everybody I need help ....Is the following text narrative or exposirory?

Numidia (202 BC - 25 BC) was an ancient Berber kingdom in North Africa and is no longer in existence today. It was located on the eastern border of modern day Algeria, bordered by the Roman province of Mauritania (western border of modern Algeria) to the west, the Roman province of Africa (modern day Tunisia) to the east , the Mediterranean sea to the North and the Sahara Desert to the south. Its earliest inhabitants, the Numidians were divided into tribes and clans, and were racially indistinguishable from the other Berber inhabitants of early North Africa. From the 6th century BC, points along the coast were occupied by the Carthaginians, who by the 3rd century BC had expanded into the interior as far as Thevesta (Tébessa).

The name of Numidia was first applied by Polybius and other historians during the 3rd century BC to indicate the territory west of Carthage, including the Entire Maghreb as far as the river Mulucha (Muluya), about 100 miles west of Oran. The Numidians were conceived of as two great tribal groups: the Massyli in eastern Numidia, and the Massaesyli in the west. The Numidians were semi-nomadic Berber tribes who lived in Numidia, in Algeria, east of Constantine and in part of Tunisia and Morocco. The Numidians were one of the earliest natives to trade with the settlers of Carthage.

The inhabitants remained semi-nomadic until the reign of Massinissa, the chief of the Massyli tribe living near Cirta (Constantine). During the second Punic War he was initially an ally of Carthage, but he went over to the Roman side in 206 BC and was given further territory extending as far as the Mulucha River. For nearly 50 years Massinissa retained the support of Rome as he tried to turn the Numidian pastoralists into peasant farmers. He also seized much Carthaginian territory and probably hoped to rule all North Africa.

Thanks in advance and if possible explanation ? It's really very important .....bye

by tanita Tue Dec 11, 2012 10:45 pm

First ,I would like to apologise for I didn't answer your urgent

request earlier,Mrs.englishteacher.

Second, according to my modest knowlege I would say without

hesitation that the above text is expository since the main

purpose of expository text is to inform or describe and we are

given here plenty of information about the numidians by

describing their lifestyle ( berbers,semi-nomadic -living in

tribes-..).

The most common expository text structures include:

description, enumerative or listing, sequence, comparison and

contrast, cause and effect and problem andsolution.

On the other hand ,the main purpose of narrative text is to tell a

story that has beginning, middle and end, characters, plot or

conflict, and setting.

If it's a topic in relation with Ancient civilizations ,I can suggest

a narrative text that talks about a legendary hero, a king's

story,... etc.

I hope you find my explanation helpful meanwhile another

colleague would either support or oppose my view.

Happy teaching!