Revision Guidelines -0500

Paper 1 Reading Paper (80 marks and 50% weightage)

● Question 1: comprehension and summary task (30 marks)
● Question 2: short answer and language questions (25 marks) –Writer’s
effect
● Question 3: extended response to reading (25 marks)-Genre Transformation
About the comprehension questions,
 You will get a short and relatively simple text to read .Then you will have to
answer a series of short questions about what you have read.
The number of marks = the number of points you should make.
Top tips for Q1 comprehension questions
 Write in your own words -For the definition question and 1(e), you should
use your own words.
 Copy when you can -For 1(c), 1(d)(ii) and 1(d)(ii), it’s fine to copy directly
from the text .
 Check the number of marks .If it’s worth three marks, make three separate
points.
 You will be awarded marks even if you do not write in complete sentences.
Question 1(f) Summary writing
Top tips for Q1 summary writing
 Find the points-There could be approximately 12-15 points for both the
strands of the summary question.
 Paraphrase/rephrase your points using your own words.
 Do not change the meaning- Be careful not to change the original
meaning too much, especially nouns.
 Group similar ideas- Think about what ideas belong together in the same
sentence or paragraph.
 Sentence order- If you are not sure how to rephrase, keep the words the
same but change the sentence order.
 Avoid repeating- Be careful not to make the same point more than once.
 No introduction or conclusion is needed when you write the summary.
  Use transition words/phrases to bring cohesion.
 Use only formal register.
 DO NOT EXCEED THE WORD LIMIT.

LANGUAGE QUESTIONS- Question 2

Question 2(a-c): short answer and language questions (Writer’s Effect) (25
marks)
 About the language questions Based on Text C, the most complicated text,
you will have to answer some short language questions.
 The first section tests your ability to find synonyms and define words.
 The second section you will need to say the effect of two short paragraphs.
Top tips for Q2 short answer language questions
 Make sure you define all words- If there are two words you need to
define, give a synonym for both.
 Don’t define by reusing the same word- Don’t repeat the word when
trying to define it.
 Three marks means three points- For 2(c), give three individual points;
you get a mark for each point you make.
 Don’t forget to quote- For 2(c), pick one image only and don’t forget to
quote it ‘…’.
Question 2(d): Language analysis-Writer’s Effect Paragraph Answer

Top tips for answering Question 2(d).

Overall effect
What is the general effect and tone of the whole paragraph?
Quote
Pick out a very powerful and effective word/phrase and use speech marks “…”
Connotations
Pick out individual words and analyze what they make you think of
Effect
What is the effect of the language used in your quote?
Overall effect sentence: what is the overall effect of the paragraph?
Quote: should be a strong image and must match the quote given in the mark
scheme
Meaning: give a definition or a synonym of the meaning of your quote
Connotations: pick out a powerful word and state its connotations

Effect: state the effect of your quotation.

Sample:
The overall effect of paragraph 10 is to show a magical and romanticized view
of the underwater world. To begin with, the image of “shell-encrusted” means
that the doorstep was completely covered by shells. This has connotations of
being decorated by gems, showing how precious the location is and how the hotel
blends in with its natural surroundings. Furthermore, the image of clownfish
“darting” means that the fish are rapidly zigzagging all over. “Darting” has
connotations of being agile, light and free, and this might reflect Jenny’s own
excitement. Finally, the image of the anemone’s “swirling fingers” means that
they are twisting and wrapping around. “Swirling” has connotations of magic and
dancing, suggesting even the landscape is performing for Jenny.

How to write about connotations

Example: The noun “angel” has connotations of purity, innocence and heaven,
which shows the writer’s sympathetic view towards the girl.
The [word class] “word” has connotations of connotation, connotation and
connotation, which shows that… [effect].
●Has connotations of… (n)
●This word connotes… (v)

Example response for language analysis

The overall effect of the second paragraph is to contrast the caring richness of Al
and local culture with the insensitive and rude behaviour of Mr Head. Firstly, the
image of a “rainbow of produce” emphasizes the natural beauty of the market and
the rich variety of foods available. The noun “rainbow” has connotations of being
special, health, and abundance and rare, which emphasizes Mr Head’s crass
behaviour at not appreciating how rare this sight is. Secondly, the author then uses
Mr Head’s insensitive language to show is disgusting attitude; for example, the
image of “tatty trinkets” demonstrates how unappreciative he is of this experience.
The adjective “tatty” has connotations of trash, unimportance and insignificant,
showing Mr Head’s critical and dismissive tone. Finally, Mr Head also speaks of
“straggling market stalls”, with the word “straggling” having connotations chaotic,
disorganized and shabby. This contrasts the unique and special landscape with Mr
Head’s completely negative view of the exact same landscape, making the reader
feel uncomfortable with Mr Head’s inappropriate behaviour.

You can use these sentence starters for extra help if you are stuck.
 The overall effect of the first paragraph is to show...
 Primarily, the image “…” is used to show that, as the word “…” has
connotations of… The effect of this is to show that…
 Furthermore, the author uses the image of “…” to demonstrate that…
The word “…” has connotations of…, to imply that…
 Lastly, the author uses the image of “…” to show that… The word “…”
has the connotations of…, which has the effect of…

Question 3: extended response to reading (25 marks): Genre transformation

Extended Response
Question 3 is called the Extended Response
You will write about 250-350 words, responding to Text C in the format of one of
the following text types:
Letter
Report Writing -Newspaper Report /Formal
Speech
Interview
Magazine article
Journal
 Text C is your biggest question and so you should make sure you save
plenty of time for it!
 This question is worth 25 marks: 15 marks for reading and 10 marks for
writing
 Spend 40 minutes answering it: 10 minutes to re-read and plan. 30 minutes
to write your response.
 Writing Marks
 Voice –who are you writing as? Whose voice are you assuming?
 Audience –who are you writing to?
 Register –how formal or informal should your language be?
 Purpose –why are you writing? To discuss, persuade, argue, inform,
entertain, describe, narrate, analyse?
 Format –what type of text have you been asked to write? A letter, magazine
or a speech?
This is a method of helping you to decide on what writing style will work best for
the task you are given.
Reading Marks

 Content points –details summarized your own words

 Details–explicit information you could highlight in the text: who, what,
where, how
 Development–implicit information you need to infer: why, feelings,
reactions
Key Points: Question 3
Identify VARPF of your question.
You must sound like the character/voice you have been asked to assume.
Answer the three bullets equally
Aim to write at least 5 different things for each bullet point
One paragraph per bullet point
Do not copy from the text – should be your own words
Bullet 3 is often implicit.

Content point – Detail-explicit Development – inferred

information from the text information from the text information (how, why,
summarized in your own (who, what, where, feelings)
words when)

1. Letter writing: PAPER 1&PAPER 2

Salutation,
 Begin a letter with ‘Dear [name],’ and then begin a new line.

 If the text doesn’t give you a friend’s name, you can make one up.

Example: Dear Mr Robert, Dear Noel, Hi Noel, Respected Sir, Hi mum,

Use first person

  Write the letter in the first person using I, me and my.
 Letters will be written from the perspective of a character in the extract
you’ve read.
 Read the question carefully, because the character selected often isn’t the
main character but a smaller character in the passage.

Create a voice
 You need to carefully consider the character of the person you’re writing as:
are they serious? Chatty? Immature? Thoughtful? Intelligent?
 How will you show those characteristics through your writing?

Create an audience
 Even more important is you need to consider who you’re writing to and
what your character’s relationship is to that person.
 This will affect your language choice , tone and register
 Have your characters ever met before?
If you’re close friends or family, then you want to show a close relationship by
referring to things that person already knows about you or shared memories:
The following expressions can be used,
 You know I’ve always been passionate about…
 I wish you could have seen it yourself - I know you would’ve laughed
yourself silly!
 Remember when we went to Australia? Well, it was ten times hotter than
even then!
If you are writing to someone less close, like a boss or company director, you
can use phrases such as these:
 I am writing to you today concerning the matter of
 As a loyal team member, our business’ reputation is of the utmost
importance to me…
 I hope you will consider my thoughts above and we can work together to
find a resolution to this matter…

Sign off
You should always sign off your letter with your name/the character’s name

You can make up a forename/surname for your character

 Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully,

  Best wishes, Noel
 Lots of love, Noel
 With regards

2. INTERVIEW WRITING: Question 3, Extended Response-PAPER 1

Analyze the VARPT of your text from the question given.

Voice –Who are you and your point of view?
Audience- Who is listening to the radio show? Who is interviewing you?
Register - How formal or informal should your character be? Formal
Purpose - Why are you being interviewed? (PIES)-Inform and entertain
Task –Interview, Often radio interview.

Interview’s purpose
The interview’s purpose will depend on the text, but it is often to inform and
sometimes to entertain.
Some examples might be:
 A radio interview with a grandfather on a trip with his granddaughter
 A TV interview with a jungle guide about her unusual job
  A radio interview with a local mayor about local issues

Interview’s audience
Read the question carefully to know your audience as it always changes!
If it is a radio show about history, the audience is probably older, more serious,
intelligent and academic. This will give you a more formal tone.
If it is a TV interview about an unusual job, the audience may be looking to be
entertained more, and so the tone could be more fun and less serious.

Interview’s format

You should write in script format, which we will look at in closer detail later on.

Sarah: This is a script (laughs).

Jeremy: It sure is.

Example interview

Points to be noted,

Only use the three bullets

  Cambridge will give you the three questions your interviewer should ask.
You shouldn’t ‘ask’ more questions or you will lose focus.
 Your interviewee should do most of the talking.

Use spoken language

You can use filler words and thinking words such as:
 Well,
 I guess…
 Huh, I hadn’t thought about that before…
Do not overdo this as it would sound weird.
Punctuation
Use a variety of punctuation to make your writing sound more spoken:
 Use ellipses … for a pause
 Use a dash – to show the speaker has changed the direction of their sentence
 Use an exclamation mark! to place emphasis or show excitement(semi-
formal register)
Again, do not do this too much.

Use personal pronouns

Make it sound like a real conversation by using ‘you’.

Have your interviewee speak to the interviewer directly:
 You really can’t imagine
 Don’t look so surprised!

Give the presenter a name

Make up a name for the person interviewing you and use it a couple of times in
your interview.
Interviewer: Tell me about your experiences on that day.
Rachel: Sure, Jim. So the day started out like any other… a disaster (laughs).

MAGAZINE ARTICLE : Question 3, -PAPER 1 and Paper 2

Analyze the VARPT of your text from the question given.
Voice –Who are you and your point of view?
Audience- Who is the audience of the article? Would the readers be serious
people?
Register -Magazines are usually semi-formal and can use more casual language
Purpose - (PIES)-Inform or to entertain/to persuade
Task – Magazine article

Magazine article’s purpose

A magazine’s purpose is often twofold:
 To entertain; magazines are usually more chatty and less formal, telling less
serious stories than a newspaper.
 To inform; an article has to be about something, and so the writer usually
informs the reader about something that has happened.
Magazine article’s format
Example 1-Humorous magazine article

Night blooming Jazzmen are truly blooming marvelous!

This month’s featured concert knocked the socks and false teeth off its audience.
The Night blooming Jazzmen have been busy boys of late, following a twenty-year
career in the music industry and now rebranded from a big band to a jazz band…
and wow, did they deliver!

The members of the band are: Clyde (on clarinet), Hal (on trombone), Chet (on
flute), Wally (on tuba)… and now, introducing, Old Stanley, the drummer, too.
Previously a big band, this band now focuses on jazz music, playing old tunes from
forgotten days. Although Wally’s tuba playing sounds more like burping, everyone
still enjoyed his melodies…especially the old ladies in front row. These seniors
persist though several ex-members are sadly sashayed away to the grave. The
remaining members sport a unique look: bow ties, white belts and trousers cinched
up to their chests.

Example2: emotional magazine article

False alarm: teacher on the edge pulls fire alarm

Local geography teacher, Lucy Grey, is in hot water as it has transpired that she
pulled the fire alarm of Middleton High School, even though she knew there was
no fire.
It has been reported that Ms Grey (34) had been struggling with bad behaviour in
her classes and, keen to avoid more red-faced shame, pulled the alarm to avoid
teaching her worst behaved class that afternoon.
Her irresponsible actions cost the school over 2,000 pounds in fees from the local
firefighters’ office, who had to travel to the school only to discover there was no
fire to be fought.
Embarrassed and in tears, Zhang issued a public apology for her behaviour. The
question now is: can the community forgive her actions?

Beautification of your article can be done using,

Alliteration- Silly psychology, Amazing Amy
Emotive language- Innocent animals are being slaughtered every day.
Idioms- Metaphorical set phrases like: Once in a blue moon /Hot potato
Cultural references- Referring to popular TV shows, books, movies
Headline- Make sure you write a snappy title that can include humor or drama

SPEECH WRITING
Analyze the VARPT of your text from the question given.
Voice –Who are you and your point of view?
Audience- Who is the audience of your speech?
Register –speeches are usually semi-formal and can use more formal language at
times.
Purpose - To inform or to persuade.
Task – Speech Writing

Speech’s purpose
The speech’s purpose will depend on the text, but usually it is either:
● To persuade, e.g. a mayor giving a speech to his town about a new law

●To inform, e.g. an employee giving a speech at their company about that
improvements will be made
Speech’s audience
Read the question carefully – it always changes!
From past papers:
● A director to employees at their company
● Students to other students
● A safari guide giving instructions to tourists
Speech’s format
1. Welcome the audience
2. Introduce yourself and your purpose for delivering the speech.
3. Use appropriate register in language (depends on context / audience)
4. Involve the audience (personal pronouns / ask questions / interactive) use of
‘let’
5. Include pauses (use commas or ellipsis to pause)
6. Facts & statistics
7. Varied sentence length, varied length paragraphs
8. Personal Anecdotes
9. Strong opinions expressed – backed up with relevant and logical examples.
10.Metaphors
11.Rhetorical Questions
12.Repetition of key phrases, Lists
13.Proper nouns
14.Urgent references to time-Use of adverb of time like ,’Let’s think of it now ‘
 15.Emotive language / Sensationalism / Dramatics
16.Thank the audience at the end.

Address your audience

A speech is given in spoken form to a live audience… so talk to them!
You can open your speech with these phrases:
 Ladies and gentleman, thank you for gathering here today…
 Hello everyone and welcome to my talk about…
 I’m so pleased to see such bright and smiling faces here to learn more
about…
Pronouns
You should use collective and personal pronouns to speak directly to your
audience and be more persuasive.
 Collective pronouns – we, our, us
 Personal pronouns – you, your, yours

Rhetorical questions

A rhetorical question is a question that doesn’t require an answer

They are a persuasive technique to make the audience think or to suggest the
answer to your question is so obvious it doesn’t need a response
 Do you think it’s right to watch our children starve while the rich grow fatter
in their mansions?
 What will you do to help your community? What will you tell your children
in years to come?
Repetition
Repeat words or phrases for emphasis
●Remember a speech is meant to be read aloud; repetition sounds great!
 I have a dream that one day all people will be equal. I have a dream that one
day our society can heal itself. And my dream, our dream? We can only
achieve this dream if we dream together as one, strive together as one united
force.
Triples-Rule of three
Triples means repeating a word or a phrase three times.
 We must fight, we must strive, and we must march on.
 And what did we gain from these reckless, immoral, vain endeavors?
Nothing.
Emotive language
You should use emotional and powerful language
●Think about your vocabulary choices
 Do you think it is right to watch our children starve while the rich grow
fatter in their mansions? Should we watch as innocents wither and die, their
mouths empty, their souls abandoned by this very society that was charged
to protect them?

 Use style and language appropriate for a speech.

 Refer to the points you have collected to write the speech.
 Use complex sentences and varied sentence beginners to write the speech.
 Use alliteration, list of three, emotive words, facts /statistics and rhetorical
questions.
 Do not use boring words like ‘good, bad, nice, beautiful etc. (show off your
vocabulary).
 Consider the tenses, length of the paragraph and personal pronouns used while
writing a speech.
NEWSPAPER WRITING
Analyze the VARPT of your text from the question given.
Voice –Who are you and your point of view?
Audience- The audience of a newspaper tends to be more serious people who care
about local news.
Register – Newspapers are usually factual, informative and formal
Purpose - To inform.
Task – News report
Organization
o First paragraph 5 W’s
o Expert or witness comments included to give weight to the story
o Don’t use ‘I’, stay objective and unbiased. Just report the facts.
o Given the events in order (start to finish). Use time connectives (first,
later, finally) to link paragraphs/events.
o Most events will be described in the past tense ‘The man was stabbed
18 times’. However this may change in the headline (Man dies of
stabbing!) and the final paragraph, which looks to the future (Police
are investigating the incident and are appealing for any witnesses.
They will release the full coroner’s report tomorrow).
FORMAT
 A catchy headline that captures the main theme of the story. (THIS WILL
PROBABLY BE GIVEN BY THE EXAM – if it is – USE IT!)
 First paragraph should tell the reader the main events (who, when, what,
where).
 Then tell the events in order (from start to end).
 Be factual. Be unbiased.
 Include an eye witness “quote”.
 Paragraph each new point. Never leave a line to show paragraphing .Always
‘indent ‘
 Use time connectives (after, later that day, at the same time).
 End with a prediction of the future, e.g. ‘police are now investigating …’ / ‘
They hope that next year will be even more of a success’.
Newspaper language ideas
Example newspaper article
Tens of Penguins Dead After Oil Spill

Penguin Bay, located on the coast of Brighton, was the site of an oil spill last
Saturday evening, resulting in the death of up to 40 penguins. Local sources state
that the spill was caused by an unregulated oil company and is one of many such
incidents that have yet gone unreported.

The whistleblower, Tom Mitchell (34), has spoken out against the destruction to
ocean life and Britain’s last remaining penguins.

Sources have revealed that the cause of the oil spill may be due to BD Oil, whose
business premises are located just two miles up the coast from the site of the spill.
This raises questions as to what local authorities will do in the future to better
safeguard our local area and protect species from harm.

Local residents have confirmed that they have begun a petition to investigate BD
Oil, which already has over two hundred signatures.
 Commonly misspelt words

accommodate bruise appropriat environment reconciliation monotonous

e

access circumstantial beginning excessive relevant misdemeanor

brilliant commitment believe exaggerate recommend genuine

arrangement conceive dependent evidence routine grievance

accidental consciousness dilemma exhausted possession interrogate

appearance courteous disagreeable extremely priority irrelevant

assessment condemn courteous receive suspicious unanimous

business colleague capable receipt thief vacuum