The spoon with a hidden measure

Text: an original contemporary design-review-style practice extract.

On the kitchen shop's shelf, four measuring spoons looked like equipment and one looked like a souvenir. Its handle was broad, with a shallow groove running along it. I nearly chose the plainest spoon. Then the assistant filled the groove with water and tilted it over a bowl.

The water travelled in a thin, obedient line. It did not make the spoon more accurate, but it made the act of measuring visible. I found myself watching the path rather than the quantity. The handle, which had seemed unnecessarily wide, now gave my eyes somewhere to follow.

The design still asks to be held at an awkward angle, and its narrow groove is difficult to clean. I would not call it the best spoon for every kitchen. Yet when I put it back among the others, the plain models seemed less simple than before. Their silence was no longer proof that they had nothing to say.

Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to interest and engage the reader.

In your answer, consider:

• language features and techniques
• structural techniques
• the effect on the reader.

Support your views with detailed reference to the extract.