UNIT TEST 2 ● ANSWER KEY

Writing

Sample answer
Can demonstrate understanding of structure and conventions of different written genres.
Can express themselves fluently in writing adopting the level of formality to the context.
Who needs a coursebook?
Modern approaches to education demand that more attention should be given to the individual. Our school, therefore, decided
to conduct a week-long experiment in which traditional coursebooks were abandoned in favour of alternative methods of
education. Did such a radical approach to teaching and learning prove successful? Or did it lead to further regurgitation of the
same old facts? Let’s look at the results.
Firstly, however, we need to outline how the experiment was conducted. Each teacher was asked to prepare lessons based on the
school syllabus but without using the standard materials. This ensured that students still covered the obligatory subject areas and
that lessons maintained an appropriate focus.
What were the benefits? Questionnaires which were carried out after the experiment showed that students were on the whole very
enthusiastic about the alternative approach and responded with renewed interest in tired subjects. It was notable that a number
of teachers were able to personalise lessons to a greater extent and engage students more in the learning process. What’s more,
students were able to participate in a range of new activities such as role plays and debates, which were not part of standard
classroom practice.
There is the saying, though, that you ‘can’t teach old dogs new tricks’ and it was an unfortunate finding that several teachers failed
to use this opportunity. Several students reported that they felt bored during lessons and that some subjects were presented in
an even more teacher-centred manner than when using coursebooks. Faced with such lessons, the traditional approach seemed
more favourable.
Clearly, the results of the experiment can only tell us so much. What was evident, however, was that those teachers that were able
to make the most of their freedom from regular materials were able to deliver substantially more motivating lessons and thus had
a beneficial effect on the teacher and students alike. While abandoning coursebooks completely would be rather irresponsible,
doing it once or twice during the academic year could prove invaluable in helping to keep everyone’s interest high and increase
the odds of getting positive end-of-year results.
(350 words)

Mark scheme

The task is worth 30 marks. Award up to 6 marks for each section of the mark scheme, according to the descriptions below.
Content:
• Content is wholly relevant and meets all the task requirements. The target reader is fully informed, the writer’s intention is
clear, content points are developed and dealt with in sufficient detail. (6)
• Content is mostly relevant and meets the task requirements despite some irrelevancies. The target reader is adequately informed
and the writer’s intention is clear. Task content points are developed to some extent though may be lacking in detail. (4-5)
• Content occasionally lacks relevance but does meet the task requirements. The target reader is informed about the relevant
points in the task despite digressions and the writer’s intention may involve some work on behalf of the target reader.
Content points are largely undeveloped or lacking in appropriate depth and detail although there is some evidence of this
being attempted. (2-3)
• Content may be irrelevant and fails to meet all the task requirements. The target reader is not fully informed about the
relevant points in the task and the writer’s intention involves some guesswork on behalf of the reader. Content points are not
developed or dealt with in appropriate depth or detail. (0-1)
Task achievement:
• Use of text conventions such as genre, format, register and function are all appropriate and accurate. The reader is fully
engaged with the text and all content is easy to follow and make sense of. The communicative purpose of the text is
transparent to the reader and both straightforward and complex ideas are expressed clearly. (6)
• Text conventions such as genre, format, register and function are mostly appropriate and accurate. The reader is engaged
with the text and the content is largely easy to follow and undemanding for the reader to understand. The communicative
purpose of the text is transparent, straightforward ideas are expressed clearly but more complex ones may lack clarity. (4-5)
• Genre features such as format, register and function are used inconsistently. Content may at times be hard to be fully
understood and the target reader may experience some difficulty following the text. The communicative purpose of the text is
clear on first reading but both straightforward and complex ideas are expressed in a manner leading to some ambiguity. (2-3)
• Text genre, format, register and function may lack appropriacy. Content is hard at times to comprehend and subsequently
the target reader is not fully engaged due to difficulty following the text. The communicative purpose of the text may be
unclear on first reading and ideas are expressed unclearly resulting in ambiguity. (0-1)

© Pearson 2020 PHOTOCOPIABLE Focus 5 SECOND EDITION (B2+/C1)

 UNIT TEST 2 ● ANSWER KEY
Writing

Organisation and structure:

• A variety of linking words, sequencers and cohesive devices (e.g. ellipsis, reference pronouns, substitution, etc.) are used
accurately for good text cohesion. Text organisation and structure are clear and logical at both sentence and paragraph
level. (6)
• Linking words, sequencers and cohesive devices are used for text cohesion though not always appropriately or lacking variety.
Text organisation and structure are mostly clear at both the sentence and paragraph level though might lack logic. (4-5)
• Text cohesion is adequate with some evidence of appropriate linking, sequencing and cohesive devices used. Text
organisation and structure are mostly clear at sentence level but at paragraph level may be lacking in logic. (2-3)
• Text cohesion is weak with a lack of sufficient and appropriate linking, sequencing and cohesive devices used. Text
organisation and structure are unclear at times at both sentence level and paragraph level. (0-1)
Range:
• A wide variety of advanced vocabulary (e.g. collocations, fixed expressions, idioms, etc.) and grammatical structures (e.g.
inversion, various passive voice forms, etc.) are employed with competence. These are used appropriately and naturally as
regards the context to convey intended meaning. (6)
• A variety of advanced vocabulary and grammatical forms are used. These might be handled inappropriately or unnaturally in
regards to the context and the intended meaning. (4-5)
• Some advanced vocabulary and grammatical forms are used throughout and there is evidence of some natural use of
collocations, fixed and idiomatic expressions, etc. or more complex grammatical structures such as mixed conditional
sentences, impersonal reporting, etc. to help convey meaning effectively and efficiently. (2-3)
• There is a lack of advanced vocabulary and grammatical forms throughout. Natural and appropriate use of collocations, fixed
and idiomatic expressions, etc. are lacking. Only the more simple ideas are conveyed effectively and efficiently through the
use of generally basic structures and lexis. (0-1)
Accuracy:
• There are no errors with simple grammatical structures and complex forms are used with consistently high accuracy and
appropriacy. Less common lexis is used appropriately and helps to express ideas concisely and with precision. There is no
impeding of meaning where occasional errors occur as meaning is fully and unambiguously conveyed. (6)
• Simple grammatical structures and lexis are used accurately but some errors occur with more complex forms. There is very
little impeding of meaning where errors occur as meaning is mostly unambiguous. (4-5)
• Simple grammatical structures and lexis are used mostly accurately and a number errors occur with the use of more complex
forms. There is some impeding of meaning where errors appear and meaning may at times be conveyed unclearly. (2-3)
• A number of errors occur with complex grammatical structures and slips may appear with simple grammatical forms. Less
common lexis is used inaccurately and fails to express ideas appropriately. Some impeding of meaning occurs. (0-1)

© Pearson 2020 PHOTOCOPIABLE Focus 5 SECOND EDITION (B2+/C1)