TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Level 5 exemplar 1

Level 5 exemplar 2

Level 4 exemplar 1

Level 4 exemplar 2

Level 3 exemplar 1

Level 3 exemplar 2

Level 2 exemplar 1

Level 2 exemplar 2

Level 1 exemplar 1

Level 1 exemplar 2

 INTRODUCTION

To enhance understanding of the standards of the HKDSE Examination, authentic samples of

candidates’ scripts in the 2013 examination are selected to form this set of exemplars which serve to
illustrate the typical performance standards at different levels.

There are four papers in this subject. This set of exemplars is selected from candidates’ scripts of
Paper 1 to illustrate the typical performance standards at different levels.

It is advisable to read this set of exemplars together with the question papers and the marking
schemes in order to understand the requirements of the questions and the marking criteria. The
question papers and the marking schemes are published in the Examination Report and Question
Papers for 2013 HKDSE Examination.

1
Level 5 exemplar 1

Part A

Level 5 exemplar 1

Part A

Level 5 exemplar 1

Part A

Level 5 exemplar 1

Part A

Level 5 exemplar 1

Part B2

Level 5 exemplar 1

Part B2

Level 5 exemplar 1

Part B2

Level 5 exemplar 1

Part B2

Level 5 exemplar 1

Comments

• Demonstrates an understanding of the main theme, e.g. dystopia, and subthemes, e.g. the
difference between young-adult and adult dystopian fiction
• Understands the purposes of the text(s), e.g. why teens like reading the Hunger Games
• Demonstrates an ability to follow a point of view/argument, e.g. why some parents may
disapprove of their children reading dystopian fiction
• Understands the meaning of figurative language, e.g. how ‘boiling an egg’ can be compared
to how quickly the colors/paint disintegrate
• Is able to identify the meaning of unfamiliar words in context, e.g. ‘apocalypse’ or the
meaning of phrases, e.g. ‘packed a lot into his earthly reign’
• Able to sequence the narrative plot for youth-dystopian fiction

10
Level 5 exemplar 2

Part A

11

Level 5 exemplar 2

Part A

12

Level 5 exemplar 2

Part A

13

Level 5 exemplar 2

Part A

14

Level 5 exemplar 2

Part B2

15

Level 5 exemplar 2

Part B2

16

evel 5 exemplar 2

Part B2

17

Level 5 exemplar 2

Part B2

18

Level 5 exemplar 2

Comments

• Demonstrates an understanding of the main theme, e.g. dystopia, and subthemes, e.g. the
difference between young-adult and adult dystopian fiction
• Understands the purposes of the text(s), e.g. why teens like reading the Hunger Games
• Demonstrates an ability to follow a point of view/argument, e.g. why some parents may
disapprove of their children reading dystopian fiction
• Understands the meaning of figurative language, e.g. how ‘boiling an egg’ can be compared
to how quickly the colors/paint disintegrate
• Is able to identify the meaning of unfamiliar words in context, e.g. ‘catastrophe’ or the
meaning of phrases, e.g. ‘packed a lot into his earthly reign’
• Able to make inferences in a wide range of texts, e.g. completing a cloze summary on the
different artifacts found in the emperor’s tomb or identifying the main ideas in a paragraph of
a more complex text (see question 48)

19
Level 4 exemplar 1

Part A

20

Level 4 exemplar 1

Part A

21

Level 4 exemplar 1

Part A

22

Level 4 exemplar 1

Part A

23

Level 4 exemplar 1

Part B2

24

Level 4 exemplar 1

Part B2

25

Level 4 exemplar 1

Part B2

26

Level 4 exemplar 1

Part B2

27

Level 4 exemplar 1

Comments

• Is able to identify the main theme, e.g. dystopia

• Is able to follows the development of an argument, e.g. what is the purpose of wrapping the
artifact in plastic
• Understands the meaning of unfamiliar words in context, e.g. monochrome
• Shows an awareness of genre, e.g. feature article
• Understands the meaning of figurative language, e.g. how ‘boiling an egg’ can be compared
to how quickly the colors/paint disintegrate
• Is able to make obvious inferences in fairly complex texts by completing a cloze summary,
e.g. different artifacts found in the emperor’s tomb
• Is able to identify the titles of books with their corresponding book blurbs

28
Level 4 exemplar 2

Part A

29

Level 4 exemplar 2

Part A

30

Level 4 exemplar 2

Part A

31

Level 4 exemplar 2

Part A

32

Level 4 exemplar 2

Part B2

33

Level 4 exemplar 2

Part B2

34

Level 4 exemplar 2

Part B2

35

Level 4 exemplar 2

Part B2

36

Level 4 exemplar 2

Comments

• Is able to identify the main theme, e.g. dystopia

• Is able to follow the development of an argument, e.g. what is the purpose of wrapping the
artifact in plastic
• Understands the meaning of unfamiliar words in context, e.g. monochrome
• Shows an awareness of genre, e.g. feature article
• Understands the meaning of figurative language, e.g. how ‘boiling an egg’ can be compared
to how quickly the colors/paint disintegrate
• Is able to match a series of headings with the ideas presented in the text, e.g. sub-headings to
paragraph numbers
• Able to identify the main ideas of a paragraph in a more complex text by completing a cloze
summary (see question 48)

37
Level 3 exemplar 1

Part A

38

Level 3 exemplar 1

Part A

39

Level 3 exemplar 1

Part A

40

Level 3 exemplar 1

Part A

41

Level 3 exemplar 1

Part B2

42

Level 3 exemplar 1

Part B2

43

Level 3 exemplar 1

Part B2

44

Level 3 exemplar 1

Part B2

45

Level 3 exemplar 1

Comments

• Identifies the main idea of a paragraph, e.g. that the ‘task’ refers to transforming a heap of
clay fragments into terra-cotta warriors, or the purpose of wrapping the artifact in plastic is to
keep the artifact in moisture
• Is able to identify obvious inferences in complex tests, e.g. identifying one piece of evidence
to show the success of the Hunger Games series
• Is able to make more sophisticated inferences of more simple texts, e.g. identifying from a
series of pictures which innovation is not mentioned
• Is able to sequence a series of simple steps, e.g. four steps used to preserve the colors of the
terra-cotta warriors

46
Level 3 exemplar 2

Part A

47

Level 3 exemplar 2

Part A

48

Level 3 exemplar 2

Part A

49

Level 3 exemplar 2

Part A

50

Level 3 exemplar 2

Part B2

51

Level 3 exemplar 2

Part B2

52

Level 3 exemplar 2

Part B2

53

Level 3 exemplar 2

Part B2

54

Level 3 exemplar 2

Comments

• Identifies the main idea of a paragraph, e.g. that the ‘task’ refers to transforming a heap of
clay fragments into terra-cotta warriors, or the purpose of wrapping the artifact in plastic is to
keep the artifact in moisture
• Is able to identify obvious inferences in complex tests, e.g. identifying one piece of evidence
to show the success of the Hunger Games series
• Is able to make more sophisticated inferences of more simple texts, e.g. identifying from a
series of pictures which innovation is not mentioned
• Is able to sequence a series of simple steps, e.g. four steps used to preserve the colors of the
terra-cotta warriors
• Is able to summarise the main ideas of a short paragraph by completing a simple cloze

55
Level 2 exemplar 1

Part A

56

Level 2 exemplar 1

Part A

57

Level 2 exemplar 1

Part A

58

Level 2 exemplar 1

Part A

59

Level 2 exemplar 1

Part B2

60

Level 2 exemplar 1

Part B2

61

Level 2 exemplar 1

Part B2

62

Level 2 exemplar 1

Part B2

63

Level 2 exemplar 1

Comments

• Identifies the main idea of a paragraph, e.g. that the ‘task’ refers to transforming a heap of
clay fragments into terra-cotta warriors, or the purpose of wrapping the artifact in plastic is to
keep the artifact in moisture
• Shows an awareness of genre, e.g. feature article
• Is able to sequence a series of simple steps, e.g. four steps used to preserve the colors of the
terra-cotta warriors
• Identifies the main idea of a simple paragraph when there is clear signalling, e.g. ‘When You
Reach Me’ signals the author ‘Rebecca Stead’, ‘higher’ signals, ‘crime rate’

64
Level 2 exemplar 2

Part A

65

Level 2 exemplar 2

Part A

66

Level 2 exemplar 2

Part A

67

Level 2 exemplar 2

Part A

68

Level 2 exemplar 2

Part B1

69

Level 2 exemplar 2

Part B1

70

Level 2 exemplar 2

Part B1

71

Level 2 exemplar 2

Part B1

72

Level 2 exemplar 2

Comments

• Identifies the main idea of a paragraph, e.g. that the ‘task’ refers to transforming a heap of
clay fragments into terra-cotta warriors, or the purpose of wrapping the artifact in plastic is to
keep the artifact in moisture
• Is able to identify how social networking sites can help people with low self-esteem but not
how they can be harmful
• Identifies the main idea of a simple paragraph when there is clear signalling, e.g. ‘When did
the guzheng become popular?’ or ‘What are some users are doing by accident?’
• Is able to identify explicitly stated information in simple texts, e.g. completing the
advertisement for a music academy by filling in key information

73
Level 1 exemplar 1

Part A

74

Level 1 exemplar 1

Part A

75

Level 1 exemplar 1

Part A

76

Level 1 exemplar 1

Part A

77

Level 1 exemplar 1

Part B1

78

Level 1 exemplar 1

Part B1

79

Level 1 exemplar 1

Part B1

80

Level 1 exemplar 1

Part B1

81

Level 1 exemplar 1

Comments

• Is able to identify factual information in simple texts containing familiar vocabulary, e.g.
different levels of classes offered, the cost of lessons and where the academy is located
• Is able to sequence a series of simple steps, e.g. four steps used to preserve the colors of the
terra-cotta warriors
• Seems to have misunderstood the main idea of the text with regards to the reactions of
Facebook users with low self-esteem and high self-esteem (see question 41)

82
Level 1 exemplar 2

Part A

83

Level 1 exemplar 2

Part A

84

Level 1 exemplar 2

Part A

85

Level 1 exemplar 2

Part A

86

Level 1 exemplar 2

Part B1

87

Level 1 exemplar 2

Part B1

88

Level 1 exemplar 2

Part B1

89

Level 1 exemplar 2

Part B1

90

Level 1 exemplar 2

Comments

• Is able to identify factual information in simple texts containing familiar vocabulary, e.g.
different levels of classes offered, the cost of lessons and where the academy is located
• Is able to sequence a series of simple steps, e.g. four steps used to preserve the colors of the
terra-cotta warriors
• Seems to have misunderstood the main idea of the text with regards to the reactions of
Facebook users with low self-esteem and high self-esteem (see question 41)

91