Assessment materials: translation practice

(Paper 3)
This resource supports GCSE Spanish (8698). Two full sets of sample assessment
materials for the new specification are also available to teachers (one on the
assessment resources page for each language, the other on e-AQA). Practising
teachers have written these additional translations to support teachers and students
with work on translation. There are two additional translations per tier (Spanish-
English).

1
© AQA 2020
Foundation Tier
Translation one
0 1 A friend has received an email from a Spanish boy, talking about his family
and his interests. Your friend asks you what this section means. Translate it
into English.

A mi hermana le gusta bailar, pero yo soy aficionado a la natación. El año pasado,

fuimos de vacaciones a Alemania y pasé mucho tiempo nadando en un lago que se
encontraba cerca de nuestra pensión.

[9 marks]

2
© AQA 2020
Mark scheme

Key idea Accept Reject Mark

A mi hermana le My sister likes brother 1

gusta
Wrong tense

bailar, dancing to dance 1

pero yo soy but I am fond of keen on/a fan of Wrong 1

aficionado person/tense

a la natación. swimming 1

El año pasado, Last year 1

fuimos de we went on holiday Wrong 1

vacaciones a to Germany person/tense
Alemania

y pasé mucho and I spent a lot of much time/a Wrong 1

tiempo time long time person/tense

nadando en un swimming in a lake 1

lago

que se encontraba which was B&B Wrong tense 1

cerca de nuestra (situated) near our
hostel
pensión. guesthouse.
boarding house

Total: 9 marks

3
© AQA 2020
Translation two
0 2 A friend asks you to translate this paragraph in a letter he has received from
a Mexican boy. Translate it into English.

Mi mejor amigo tiene dieciocho años. Es fuerte y alto. El año que viene, va a
estudiar comercio en la universidad, si aprueba sus exámenes. Durante las
vacaciones hizo experiencia laboral en las oficinas de una gran empresa.

[9 marks]

4
© AQA 2020
Mark scheme

Key idea Accept Reject Mark

Mi mejor amigo My best friend 1

tiene dieciocho is 18 (years old). Wrong tense 1

años.

Es fuerte y alto. He is strong and She… 1

tall.
Wrong
person/tense

El año que viene, Next year The coming 1

year

va a estudiar he is going to study will study Wrong 1

person/tense

comercio en la business (studies) at the university 1

universidad, at university

si aprueba sus If he passes his exams Wrong 1

exámenes. examinations. person/tense

Durante las During the holidays Wrong 1

vacaciones hizo he did work person/tense
experiencia laboral experience

en las oficinas de In the offices of a firm 1

una gran empresa. big company.

Total: 9 marks

5
© AQA 2020
Higher Tier
Translation one
0 1 A friend has seen this post on Facebook from a Colombian girl and asks you
to translate it. Translate it into English.

Vivo en una aldea situada al lado de un río. Mi hermano nunca hacía nada para proteger
el medio ambiente, pero hace un par de años hubo inundaciones muy graves – cosa que
no había pasado antes. Entonces se dio cuenta de que, si no intentamos combatir el
calentamiento global, terminaremos arruinando la Tierra.

[9 marks]

6
© AQA 2020
Mark scheme

Key idea Accept Reject Mark

Vivo en una aldea I live in a (small) I live in a near 1

situada al lado de village (which is) village/hamlet
Wrong tense/
un río. situated beside a which is
wrong
river. beside/next to…
person

Mi hermano nunca My brother never never did… sister 1

hacía nada used to do
was never
anything
doing…
Wrong tense/
wrong
person

para proteger el to protect the 1

medio ambiente, environment

pero hace un par de but a couple of two 1

años years ago

hubo inundaciones there were very there was a very Wrong tense 1
muy graves serious floods serious flood

– cosa que no – something that – a thing… Wrong tense 1

había pasado had not happened
antes. before.

Entonces se dio Then he realised Wrong tense/ 1

cuenta de que, that wrong
person

si no intentamos if we don’t try to if we don’t Wrong tense/ 1

combatir el combat global attempt to solve wrong
calentamiento warming, global warming, person
global,

terminaremos we shall end up by we will finish by Wrong tense/ 1

arruinando la destroying the ruining the wrong
Tierra. Earth. planet. person

Total: 9 marks

7
© AQA 2020
Translation two
0 2 A friend reads an interview with a Spanish girl on a website and asks you to
translate this paragraph. Translate the paragraph into English.

“El trimestre pasado trabajé como voluntaria en una tienda solidaria detrás del
ayuntamiento. Lo que vendimos producía dinero para ayudar a los “sin techo”. Me
parece increíble que hoy en día haya gente que aún vive en condiciones de tanta
pobreza. Cuando termine mis estudios, estoy pensando buscar un empleo en un
país del tercer mundo.”

[9 marks]

8
© AQA 2020
Mark scheme

Key idea Accept Reject Mark

El trimestre pasado Last term I worked I volunteered Wrong person/ 1

trabajé como as a volunteer at… wrong tense
voluntaria

en una tienda in a charity shop 1

solidaria detrás del behind the town
ayuntamiento. hall.

Lo que vendimos What we sold used to produce Wrong person/ 1

producía dinero produced money wrong tense
raised/use to
raise
made/used to
make

para ayudar a los to help the Homeless people 1

“sin techo”. homeless.

Me parece It seems I think it’s Wrong person/ 1

increíble que hoy incredible to me incredible wrong tense
en día that nowadays
unbelievable
in this day and
age

haya gente que there are people Wrong person/ 1

aún vive who still live wrong tense
omission of
‘still’ or
mistranslation
as ‘even’

en condiciones de in conditions of In such poor 1

tanta pobreza. such poverty. conditions
so much poverty

Cuando termine When I finish my When I finish Wrong person/ 1

mis estudios, studies studying wrong tense

estoy pensando I am thinking of I am Wrong person/ 1

buscar un empleo looking for a job in considering… wrong tense
en un país del a third world
a third world
tercer mundo. country.
country.

Total: 9 marks

9
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