©2012 Mesher Productions
THE KING JOHN SCHOOL
ENGLISH / ENGLISH
LANGUAGE Unit 1
REVISION GUIDE
Nov 2012
Wednesday 7th November 2012 PM
Higher Tier Edition
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Exam Times
English / English Language Unit 1 - 2 hours 15 min
Wednesday 7th November 2012 PM
Exam Overview
Section A - Reading
Time: 1 hour
Section B - Writing
Time: 1 hour
Three non-fiction sources
Questions:
Questions:
1) What do you learn from…?
5) Writing to inform or describe
(8 marks)
(16 marks)
2) Presentational features
6) Writing to argue or persuade
(8 marks)
(24 marks)
3) Writer’s thoughts and feelings
(8 marks)
4) Compare two writers’ use of
language
(16 marks)
Total: 40 marks
Total: 40 marks
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Section A – Reading
The Skills
You will have to practise the following skills to succeed in the exam:
 Close reading
 Getting to the point
 Skimming and scanning
 Making detailed comments
 Choosing quotations
 Evaluating your work
 Identifying key words
 Timing yourself
 Interpreting questions
You have learnt how to do these in lessons, so you need to practise as much as
you can.
Biggest tip
If you do nothing else, practise. You can find many examples of the sources used
in the exam, you can make up the questions easily and you can even just
practise individual skills from the list. Make up questions or challenges for each
other if it’s easier. Your teachers will always be happy to have a look at it and
give you advice.
IMPORTANT – Before you attempt to answer any of the questions in
this section you MUST read all three sources through at least once
– you’ve been given an extra 15 minutes to do this so you might as
well make the most of it. Before you answer Question 1, read Source
1 again; before you answer Question 2, read Source 2 again; before
you answer Question 3, read Source 3 again AND before you attempt
to compare two sources, you’ve guessed it, read them again!
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Question 1 (8 marks)
For this question you are being asked to retrieve and interpret information
from the source. You will need to read the source carefully and ensure that you
have identified and understood each line of argument in full. You can do this
by summarising the contents of each paragraph in the margin as you read, and
highlighting the key quotations. Remember to look for more than one
argument or issue in the source as writers very rarely just stick to one point.
The following format might help…
From the extract I have learned that…
I know this from the quotation ‘_________’ which is about…
Another thing that I have learned is…
This is shown in the phrase, ‘____________’ which reveals that …
Marking your answer:
Band Question 1 Checklist:
Marks
4
7–8
 You have fully understood the text and answered
the question perceptively
 You have fully engaged with the content and style of
the text by commenting on the arguments within it
 You have included the most appropriate quotations
3
5–6
 You have clearly understood the text and have
begun to interpret it
 You have engaged with the text by mentioning the
arguments within it
 You have included relevant quotations
2
3–4
 You have understood some of the text
 You have tried to engage with the text by explaining
what it’s about
 You have included some relevant quotations
1
1–2
 You have only just understood the point of the text
 You have mentioned a couple of the issues
discussed in the text
0
0
 You’ve either written nothing or you’ve written
something that has nothing to do with the question!
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Question 2) (8 marks)
For this question you are being asked to comment on features of layout and
presentation. The question will tell you exactly which ones but they could
include: headlines, pictures, charts and graphs or website conventions.
Anatomy
of Image
an Image – How to talk about pictures
Anatomy
of an
1. Literal
message: What
does the picture
contain?
Two men – one European and one Asian, they appear to
be in their 30s, they are smiling, laughing, they are
dressed casually with hats to protect them from the sun;
the background is mostly obscured.
Anatomy of an Image
2. Interpretive
message: What
do the items in
the picture
connote?
Anatomy of an Image
Older readers will recognise these men as Edmund
Hillary and Tenzing Norgay – they may have seen the
image before. Younger readers will realise the men are
happy and perhaps that they are famous.
3. Stylistic
message: What
is implied by the
style of the
picture?
The framing removes most of the background - the two
men share the frame almost equally. The image is a
black and white photo implying that it was taken quite
some time ago.
Anatomy of an Image
4. Linguistic
message: What words
are used?
This caption informs readers about who is in the picture
– the words ‘after their historic ascent’ imply that most
people will have heard of it. TIME LIFE are the owners of
the image.
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Presentational Devices
Term
Bold print
Broadsheet
Bullet points
Colours
Columns
Font styles
Frames and
borders
Graphs and charts
Headlines
Logo
Pictures
Pull-quotes
Short paragraphs
Slogans
Strapline
Subheadings
Text size
Topic sentence
Website features
Definition
Makes important writing stand out
Newspaper aiming to inform and report rather than entertain –
traditionally larger than a tabloid. For e.g. The Guardian, The
Telegraph, The Times etc.
Marked with a small symbol, they make short sentences stand
out
Sometimes used to add another layer of meaning to text. For
example, blue if often associated with cold or water, green is
often associated with environmental issues, red is often
associated with love and romance.
Used to break up the page and make it look more interesting –
actually fools the eye into thinking there’s less to read
Different styles used to make the text look more interesting
To form groups of information or make something seem
important
Used to back up information in the text, often in a dramatic way
In newspapers these are important to grab the reader’s attention
An image or word that is associated with a company or
newspaper for example.
They are used to back up a story and can be emotive and
dramatic – see ‘Anatomy of an Image’
A quotation taken directly from the main text but reprinted in a
larger font (and often bold text) to emphasise the importance of
the phrase
So as not to put readers off – they hold the reader’s attention
Catchphrases attached to a product, often using alliteration,
repetition, puns and questions
A secondary headline, usually found directly above or below the
main headline, adding detail or explanation. Written in smaller
font, sometimes in italics or bold
Signposts to important parts of the text
Important information is in large print. For e.g. Terms and
conditions are often smaller
The first sentence of the story, linked to the headline, saying
who, when, what, where the story is about – sometimes in bold
These include banner headings, menus, hyperlinks, advertising
etc. and show the multipurpose nature of a website.
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Marking your answer:
Band Question 2 Check list:
Marks
4
7-8
 You have analysed the presentational devices in
detail
 You have cleverly linked the presentational devices
to the content of the main text (if appropriate)
 You have included the most appropriate quotations
and references
3
5–6
 You have clearly understood the effects of the
presentational devices
 You have linked the presentational devices to the
content of the main text (if appropriate)
 You have included relevant and appropriate
quotations and references
2
3–4
 You seem to have understood the purpose of some
of the presentational devices
 You have tried to explain your ideas
 You have tried to link the presentational devices to
the content of the text (if appropriate)
1
1-2
 You have made a couple of simple comments about
the presentational devices such as ‘it’s colourful’ or ‘it
grabs the reader’s attention’
0
0
 You’ve either written nothing or you’ve written
marks
something that has nothing to do with the question!
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Question 3 (8 marks)
For this question you are being asked to comment on the writer’s thoughts
and feelings. The source will always be an example of literary non-fiction such
as: a memoir, biography, travel writing, and other types of non-fiction book. This
requires you to ‘read between the lines’, looking at how the writer goes about
revealing what they were really thinking or feeling at the time.
Marking your answer:
Band Question 3 Check list:
Marks
4
7–8
 You have perceptively interpreted the writer’s thoughts
and feelings from the text
 You have included the most appropriate quotations to
support your interpretation
3
5–6
 You have clearly understood and begun to interpret
the writer’s thoughts and feelings in the text
 You have included relevant quotations to support your
answer
2
3–4
 You have explained some of the writer’s thoughts and
feelings
 You have included some relevant quotations to
support your answer
1
1–2
 You have made simple comments about the writer’s
thoughts and feelings that do not show much
‘interpretation’
0
0
 You’ve either written nothing or you’ve written
marks
something that has nothing to do with the question!
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Question 4 (16 marks)
For this question you are being asked to compare two of the texts (including
source 3) and to explain how the writers have used language and why the
writers have used language in this way for these pieces of writing. You’ll
need to include quotations to show what you mean, you’ll need to mention
literary techniques that have been used and you’ll need to write in detail.
PQC – a reminder
All questions about language need to be written in point, quotation, comment
format. Here’s a reminder of what to do for each section:
POINT – make a statement that answers the question in some way. Each of
your points should contain a different idea. If you’re really stuck, try rephrasing
the question, but don’t do it all the time as it’s not a very sophisticated way of
writing.
QUOTATION – Choose the best quotation, not just the first one you come
across. Make sure the quotation is not too long. You must copy it exactly and
use quotation marks. (If you can remember, try to call them quotations, not
quotes – some examiners get a bit stroppy about it, and you want to keep on
their good side don’t you?)
COMMENT – Your comment should explain how the quotation answers the
point. You must make sure you refer to the quotation or your answer will be
vague. If it helps, you can start with ‘This shows…’, or ‘This suggests…’, but
don’t overdo it, as your answer can get very repetitive!
Try this way of structuring a comment to ensure it is focused:
1. Pick out key words (you don’t always need to do this if your quotation is
very short).
2. If relevant, refer to the technique used, e.g. ‘The simile “fell like rain”
suggests that…’
3. Explain the effect of the quotation or key words.
4. Suggest why the writer has used these words.
5. Try to integrate your P, Q and C so they flow smoothly. You can also do
PQCQC if you’re feeling confident and have more than one thing to say
about a point – your work will be less repetitive and the examiner will be
impressed!
Language Devices Task
Remind yourself of the ways in which a writer uses language to engage the
reader by completing the tables on pages 10, 11 and 12.
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Language Devices
Term
What is it?
A describing word.
Adjective
Adverb
Alliteration
Assonance
Connotation
Dialogue
A word or phrase that
gives information about
an action (or verb).
The repetition of words
beginning with the same
letter.
The repetition of similar
or identical vowel sounds
in words which follow
each other.
An idea or feeling that is
often associated with a
specific word or phrase.
Where a conversation is
included in the text.
What is it used for?
To help build up a picture of a person, a
place, a feeling or an event. ‘Bold’,
‘powerful’, ‘determined’, ‘successful’ and
‘driven’ are all adjectives but what type
of person do they make you imagine?
To help build up a full idea of what’s
happening. Adverbs tell you when,
where, how often and in what way the
action took place. There are three
adverbs in the following: ‘Michael ate
noisily at the table every evening.’
To draw attention to a particular sound
and/or movement, to intensify meaning,
or to bind words in a sentence together.
Like alliteration, to draw attention to a
particular sound and/or movement, to
intensify or emphasise something, or to
connect words in a sentence.
To hint to the readers that there is a
bigger theme or idea behind the words.
Example?
To develop characters or to make the
reader feel empathy (to share
someone’s feelings) with the people
involved.
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Term
Imagery
Metaphor
What is it?
Use of word-pictures
(images), figures of
speech (similes,
metaphors) and
description.
Comparing one thing with
another thing by saying
that one thing is another.
For example, ‘That girl is
a monkey’ is a metaphor.
A naming word.
Noun
Onomatopoeia
Oxymoron
Personal
Pronouns
Use of words which
sound like the things they
are describing.
A phrase combining two
terms that seem to be
opposites.
‘First person’ means
using ‘I’, ‘My’ (singular) or
‘we’, ‘us’ (plural). ‘Second
person’ means using
‘you’ or ‘your’.
What is it used for?
To create ideas feelings, objects,
actions, states of mind …
Example?
To allow people to create a clear picture
in their heads, by comparing the thing to
something else that is striking.
To tell the reader who or what the text is
about. Writers choose from a great many
nouns (e.g. man, adult, driver, fool,
monster and boss could all be names for
one person!) so you need to think why
they have gone for each particular noun.
To further describe the scene by
communicating to the reader/listener the
sounds that are heard.
The writer can use it to show confusion,
unpredictability or that things could
change at any moment.
Using ‘you’ makes the reader feel they
are being addressed personally. Using
‘we’ makes the reader included in the
text. Using ‘I’ gives the impression that
the writing is personal.
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Term
What is it?
Giving human qualities to
Personification
things that are not human.
A play on words, in which
two different meanings are
Pun
suggested either by the
same word or two similar
sounding words.
Repeating a word or phrase.
Repetition
Simile
Tone
Verb
Comparing one thing to
another thing using the
words ‘like’ or ‘as’.
The general mood or
atmosphere that is
communicated in the text,
often by the way in which
something is expressed.
A doing word.
What is it used for?
Connects us to that thing being
described; gives us more sympathy for it.
Sometimes for humorous effect,
sometimes to allow the writer to
communicate to us more than one
meaning in a headline.
Example?
Emphasises whatever is being repeated.
Like a metaphor, it allows us to build up a
clear picture of the thing being described.
Controls your emotional response to the
text.
To let the reader know what has
happened, what is happening or what is
going to happen in the future. Most
sentences have to contain at least one
verb.
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Comparing texts
Use some of these words to makes links between the two texts:
For things that are the same…
For things that are different…
Similarly
Contrastingly
In the same way
In a different way
Also
In comparison
Equally
Alternatively
Likewise
Whereas
Marking your answer:
Band
4
Question 4
Marks
13 – 16
Check list:



3
9 - 12



2
5–8



1
1–4
0
0
marks



A different examiner
marks each question, so
even if you think you’ve
already mentioned
something that’s relevant
in another question,
include it again!
You fully understand how and why the writers
have used language devices in both texts
You have compared the similarities and
differences between the ways the writers have
used language
You have chosen the most appropriate quotations
from both sources
You clearly understand how and why the writers
have used language devices
You have analysed the effect of words and
phrases from the extract
You have included relevant quotations to support
your response
You understand how and why the writers have
used some language devices
You have included some relevant quotations
You support your answer with some quite well
chosen quotations
You have only made a couple of very simple
comments about the language in the text.
You have only identified obvious comparisons
You’ve either written nothing or you’ve written
something that has nothing to do with the
question!
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Section A: Reading Practice Questions
Question 1
Allow yourself about 12 minutes for this question.
Source 1
US starts to fine people caught texting while walking
People in some parts of the US face fines for texting while walking.
Earlier this year, a woman from Pennsylvania became a YouTube hit after she was caught
on security cameras falling into a water feature inside a shopping mall. The reason for her
public humiliation was not so much that she got wet – she did (very) – but that her
accident was caused by her trying to send a text while walking. It was a slapstick gem
that would have tickled Stan Laurel or Harold Lloyd.
But it would now appear that Pennsylvania is determined to put an end to such
walking-texting (wexting?) accidents.
As part of a wider programme called "Give Respect, Get Respect", the good
burghers of Philadelphia are cracking down on "distracted drivers, cyclists and
pedestrians" by issuing more tickets. Mayor Nutter has denied reports this week that
anyone caught walking and texting will be fined $120 (£85), but admitted that violators
are now being "reminded to be more aware of their surroundings".
In Rexburg, Idaho, fines are already a reality. Since May, anyone found walking
across a street while texting is subject to a $50 fine. Students in the college town seemed
supportive of the law, when quizzed by journalists. One remarked: "I think it's a good
rule so we don't get hit by cars."
"That would be hard for me because I'm addicted to texting," said another. "But I
think it's a legit rule."
Luckily, there is an app for that. "Email'n'Walk" uses an iPhone's forward-facing
camera to show the user where they are going while typing. The app carries a warning,
though: "We can't take any responsibility for your stupidity, so please don't go walking
into traffic, off of cliffs, or into the middle of gunfights while emailing."
1. What do you learn from Leo Hickman’s article about the issues and
concerns regarding texting and safety?
(8 marks)
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Source 1
1. What do you learn from Mick Hume’s article about the issues and
concerns regarding public perception of ‘climate change’?
(8 marks)
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Source 1
1. What do you learn from the article about the issues and concerns regarding
food consumption?
(8 marks)
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June 2011 Question
2. What do you learn from Ben Leach’s article about the issues and concerns
regarding the building of wind farms?
(8 marks)
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Question 2
Allow yourself 12 minutes for this question.
Source 2
2. Explain how the headline and picture are effective and how they link to the
text.
(8 marks)
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Source 2
3. Explain how the headline and picture are effective and how they link to the
text.
(8 marks)
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Source 2
4. Explain how the picture and headline are effective and how they link to the
text.
(8 marks)
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June 2011 Question
2. Explain how the picture and headline are effective and how they link to the
text.
(8 marks)
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Question 3
Allow yourself about 12 minutes for this question.
Source 3
In this extract Todd McEwen describes a stop-over at an airport in Chicago, USA.
As a New-Yorker himself he finds that he is overwhelmed by the sheer size of
everything.
Airports like abattoirs are white. All this moving meat, these great bodies
laughing, phoning, making valuable contacts, astonished me. I was overwhelmed by the
size of everything and everybody, their huge bigness! I had to sit down. But where?
Everything I sat in dwarfed, engulfed me. I was a baby opossum, writhing in a tablespoon
in a Golden Nature Guide. I felt fear, tininess and hunger. I decided the only way to
become as big as the Big People was to begin eating.
In the infinite coffee shop, my eyes struggled to take in the polyptych menu and
its thousand offerings. Eggs with legs, friendly forks and spoons marched across it.
GOOD MORNING! Barnyard Suggestions … What! I thought. Wanna meet this chicken
in the hayloft in half an hour, fella? But these were not that kind of barnyard suggestion.
Here in Big People Land, land-o-lotsa wholesomeness, they were suggesting I eat the
following: (1) 3 strips of bacon, 2 pancakes, 2 eggs (any style), 2 sausages, juice, toast
and coffee; (2) 6 strips of bacon, 5 pancakes, 4 eggs (any style), 3 sausages, juice, toast
and coffee; or (3) 12 strips of bacon, 9 pancakes, 7 eggs (any style), 1 ½ gallons of juice,
3 lbs of toast and a ‘Bottomless Pit’ (which I took to be a typographical error for ‘Pot’) of
coffee. Thus emptying any barnyard I could imagine of all life. Again I was lost. I felt I
was visiting Karnak. I pleaded for half an order of toast, eight pieces.
Outside the window, far away, Chicago was dawning. Obsidian towers, an art
deco pipe-organ sprouting from the gold prairie, Lake Michigan still dark beyond. A
brachycephalic woman was seated opposite me, biting big things. Her teeth were the size
of horse teeth. She said we could see into the next state. She was eating such big things
and so quickly a wind was blowing at our table. I turned from this and peered out through
the clear air, into the next state. In the far distance I saw great shapes which I knew
weren’t mountains but my giant Mid-western relatives I am too small ever to visit.
Now I was filled with huge toast. I crawled, miniscule, back through the tubes to the gate.
I bought a newspaper and my money looked puny and foreign in the vendor’s big paw. In
the chairs of Big People Land, my feet never touched the floor. I began to open the SunTimes. But. It was big. Here it wasn’t even Sunday and I was suddenly engaged in a
desperate battle with what seemed to be a colossal duvet, a mural made of incredibly stiff
paper. It unfolded and unfolded. It was a whale passing by, it covered me and all my
possessions. It surged over the pillar ashtray and began to creep like fog over the
gentleman next to me. Help I said. Scuse me, watch your paper there he said. His tongue
was the size of my dog.
3. Explain some of the thoughts and feelings Todd McEwen has about the people
of Chicago.
(8 marks)
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Source 3
This extract from An Indian Summer recalls a visit to an Indian village by the
writer James Cameron.
In the days of my brash and impertinent inexperience I once went to a village in the South.
At that time when I was learning – and it is just as true today – if you took a circle about
three hundred miles in diameter including the contiguous corners of Madras and the States of
Hyderabad and Mysore, you had a place known in terse officialiese as a Scarcity Area. This was
where the monsoon failed. The rain that should have fallen did not fall, no one knew exactly why,
nor ever will. Without the rain the crops failed, when the crops failed people starved, and that was
that. I had seen a great deal of hunger and indeed starvation in post-war Europe; that could be
explained by human aberrations, or criminalities, like wars and nationalist fatuities of one kind or
another; hunger is different from famine. Here people were obliged to die simply by the
perversity of their environment, by the simple fact that nature had betrayed them. This was
something I knew nothing about then, just as nobody knows anything about it now, however
sincerely and angrily they protest from afar. A hundred thousand lives, more or less, do not drag
at the emotions when read about in long-range newspapers, the more so if they are Asian lives,
which are brief and uncountable and expendable anyway. Famine, for full bellies, is the biggest
bore in the world.
Thus I had my first experience of the countryside. The word somehow suggests
something altogether different from those endless horizons, those arid plains studded with sudden
outcrops of sculptured rock, the glaring skies. Miles from railways, even from roads, were
clusters of established life with intricate names like Hanumantharayanagudi and
Devaresgondanadoddi. For no reason at all, or so it seemed, a wilderness of stony plain would be
punctuated by a collection of huts built of mud and roofed with palm thatch, windowless, doors
guarded by the Hindu thread of mango-leaves, dark and secret boxes shared by family and cattle.
To such a place I came in an old car, with a haversack of sandwiches and soda-water bottles. It
was a strangely rash and ignorant and cruel thing to do, had I only known.
I arrived on ration-day, among the Foodgrains. For a long time I had supposed this to be a
pedantic word for rice. Here it was ragi, and jola, and haraka, and navana, and save, and saje;
seeds which in Europe one would never see except perhaps at the bottom of a birdcage. Mostly it
was ragi – we call it, I believe, black millet. Of this each person got twelve ounces a day. Never
more, occasionally less. On this they had to work. At full pressure it took three Indian peasants to
do in an hour what one English farmhand could have done in fifteen minutes.
I walked a mile or two up the track past the brilliant flame-trees and laburnum; somehow
the place was profligate with useless beauty. Then I came back to the hut that served as meetingplace for the panchayat, the ration-store, the general rendezvous, and they gave me some papaya
and a pan, as I was a guest. I sat alone on the floor while the village gathered around, observing
critically yet indulgently, peering in the door, dark shaven heads coloured with esoteric marks in
lime and yellow earth. Outside the solemn grey water-buffalo dreamed at their tethers, the
families of monkeys disputed overhead. A million insects moaned around on their trivial
occasions and the air was alive with gaudy birds. It was strange and bitter that this land could
support so much teeming life – almost everything, it seemed, except man.
3. Explain some of the thoughts and feelings James Cameron has about
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Source 3
Sir Ranulph Fiennes was the first man to reach both poles by surface travel; here
he writes about his journey towards the South Pole.
As each piece of equipment was loaded we ticked it off in our notebooks,
alongside its weight, down to the nearest ounce. The total was, as we had
feared, 485 pounds each, constituting far heavier loads than those of any
previous polar manhaul journey on record.
We finished loading the sledges and looked at their bulk. Then at each
other, and shrugged. The moment of truth had arrived. We adjusted the manhaul
harnesses about our stomachs and shoulders. I leaned against the traces with
my full bodyweight. The near half-ton sledge paid no attention. I looked back and
spotted an eight-inch ice rut across the front of the runners. I tugged again with
my left shoulder only, and the sledge, avoiding the rut, moved forward. I will
never forget that instant. I could pull a 485-pound sledge. Mike was also on the
move. The expedition was under way.
After a hundred yards I stopped, out of breath. I was pleased to see,
looking back, that Mike was also labouring hard. The thought of pulling my sledge
for an entire mile, never mind to the South Pole and beyond, was appalling. The
map, or strictly speaking chart (since the sea was beneath us), showed a rash of
blue lines, the crevasse symbol, running south along the foot of Berkner Island
for some eighty miles.
Should we fix a safety line between us before reaching the first crevasse?
I knew this was our agreed drill but the sheer weight of the sledge had already
biased me against any action beyond the sheer task of progress. Even though
we were descending a gentle incline, the sledge was totally inert. The very
instant I stopped pulling, it stopped moving. There was not the least glissade. I
conjured up a parallel. If I were to lash together three average-sized adults, each
weighing 160 pounds, dump them in a fibreglass bathtub with no legs and then
drag them through sand-dunes for 1,700 miles, the difficulties involved would be
similar.
My sledge-load soon grew to represent something animate and hostile. I
knew the pattern well. First my inner anger would be directed at the weather, the
equipment and the ice. Later at my companion. The same would hold good for
Mike. I determined never to allow myself to think unnecessarily far ahead.
Sufficient unto each day is the mileage thereof … providing daily progress tallies
with the schedule.
After two hours I felt certain we had reached the ice-shelf. About a mile
behind us and to our immediate north was the ice-front, a chaotic jumble of giant
ice fragments where shelf met true sea-ice. In every other direction there was
nothing but mirage shimmer and the great white glare of Antarctica.
Crevasse – a deep open crack especially in an ice glacier
Glissade – to glide or slide skilfully down a steep slope
3. Explain some of the thoughts and feelings Ranulph Fiennes has about the
expedition.
(8 marks)
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Source 3
In this extract, Robert Macfarlane discusses his brush with death whilst climbing
in the Alps.
Up above us two French climbers glanced between their legs. They watched as
the single rock which they had nudged off a ledge dislodged several other rocks,
and those some others, and suddenly a gang of rocks of different sizes was
leaping noisily off down the face. They couldn’t see properly whether there was
anyone below them but it seemed unlikely that anyone would be coming up
beneath them. They shouted anyway out of decorum; like calling ‘fore’ on an
empty golf course.
I continued to gaze up at the rocks as they fell and skipped towards me. A
boy who had been a few years above me at school had taught me never to look
up during a rockfall. ‘Why? Because a rock in your face is far less pleasant than a
rock on your helmet,’ he told us. ‘Face in, always face in.’ He had led us all day
on a horseshoe walk in Wales, and then when we returned, exhausted, to the car
park and the minibus, he had marched back off into the hills in the sludgy dusk
light with a rope over his shoulder, to climb until he could no longer see. A year
later he and a friend were killed by rockfall in the Alps.
I heard Toby, my partner on the mountain that day, shouting at me. I
looked across. He was safe beneath an overhanging canopy of rock I couldn’t
understand what he was saying. Then I felt a thump, and was tugged backwards
and round, as though somebody had clamped a heavy hand on my shoulder and
turned me to face them. No pain, but the blow had almost jerked me off my
stance. The rock, which had hit the lid of my rucksack, bounced off towards the
blue crevices far below.
Rocks were spinning past now maybe a dozen of them I looked up again.
A rock was heading down straight towards me. Instinctively, I leant backwards
and arched my back out from the rock to try to protect my chest. What about my
fingers, though, I thought; they will be crushed flat if it hits them and I will never
get down. Then I heard a crack directly in front of me, and a tug at my trousers,
and a yell from Toby.
‘Are you all right? That went straight through you.’
The rock had pitched in front of me, and passed through the hoop of my
body, between my legs, missing me but snatching at my clothing as it went.
I looked up again, and watched as the last, and biggest, of the boulders fell
towards me. I was directly in its line again. About forty feet above me it took a big
hop off a rock, and spun out into the air. As I watched it come it grew larger, and
darker, until it was the size of my head. With a sharp report it struck the rock face
once more, then took a lateral leap to my left, and whirred away past me.
3. Explain some of the thoughts and feelings Robert Macfarlane has during the
rockfall.
(8 marks)
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June 2011 Question
Read Source 3, Storm at sea, which is an extract from a non-fiction book.
3. Explain some of the thoughts and feelings Claire Francis has during the storm.
(8 marks)
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Question 4
Allow yourself about 20 - 25 minutes for this question.
How the question will look:
Now you need to refer to Source 3, (e.g. Storm at sea) and either Source 1 or
Source 2. You are going to compare the two texts, one of which you have
chosen.
4. Compare the different ways in which language is used for effect in the two
texts. Give some examples and analyse the effects.
(16 marks)
The three sources in the examination will usually be linked through a theme – the
June 2011 ones are linked because they are all to do with travel of some sort.
For the purpose of practising you will need to compare the following:
1. Page 22 with page 16
2. Page 22 with page 19
3. Page 23 with page 16
4. Page 23 with page 20
5. Page 24 with page 18
6. Page 24 with page 21
7. Page 25 with page 18
Examiners’ Tips:
 When you are comparing the texts remember that it’s not about content,
audience or purpose but about language, language, language
 You need to choose the most appropriate quotations to comment on so
highlight them as you read through your chosen sources one final time
 Remember that this question is worth the most marks in the reading
section so save plenty of time for it
FACT: In June, fewer than 40% of candidates achieved a mark higher than 10
out of 16! Make sure you practise this one please!
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Section B – Writing
The Skills
You will have to practise the following skills to succeed in the exam:
 identifying your purpose
 identifying your audience
 writing a letter, a speech or an article
 planning your answers
 stretching your vocabulary
 using paragraphs
 using a variety of punctuation
Biggest Tip
Spend 5 minutes planning before you start writing and 5 minutes checking your
work at the end. A third of the marks are awarded for spelling, punctuation,
grammar, ambitious vocabulary and for sentence variety.
You can use PASCOE when planning your answer to a writing question. It
will ensure you have considered all the elements the exam board requires.
Use it at the end of the exam to check your work – you need to ensure no
areas have been missed out!
Know how you’re going to conclude
your writing before you begin – that
way you will avoid getting ‘lost’ as
you write!
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Planning – PASCOE
Purpose - Why are you writing? To persuade? To inform? The exam question will
tell you. In fact, it’s a good idea to highlight this information on the question paper.
Once you know, you need to make sure you include features of that kind of writing,
e.g. rhetorical questions for writing to persuade.
Audience - Who are you writing for? An MP? Your peer group? Teachers?
Again, the question will tell you and you should highlight the information so that this
is very clear to you. It is up to you to choose an appropriate tone and register for
your work and to include devices that are intended to appeal to your target
audience.
Style - Different genres of writing require different writing styles – leaflets,
speeches, letters, essays, etc. Yes, the exam question will tell you what to do, but
you need to make sure you know how to write in these styles. Tip: collect examples
of different texts to act as style models.
Content - Although the exam question will give you a topic to write about, you must
think of specific ideas to, say, support an argument or make information clear. Lots
of students are weak at this. Tip: there are lots of ways you can improve your skills:
choose a topic and give yourself 3 minutes to come up with as many related ideas
as possible; get into the habit of asking questions – ‘But what if…?’, ‘What could be
the consequences of…?’, etc. Also, try revising with friends, each person
approaching the question from a different perspective; put all your ideas together
and you will see just how complex an issue can be.
Organisation - This is up to you. The beginning should introduce the idea in a
compelling way. The conclusion should be designed to have a big impact. The rest
of your writing should introduce ideas in a clear and logical way. Use connectives
and topic sentences to introduce new ideas and try to make the end of a paragraph
lead on to the following topic in some way. Remember TiPToP when paragraphing
– start a new paragraph for a new Time, Place, Topic or Person.
English - A third of the marks is allocated to spelling, punctuation, grammar,
vocabulary and sentence variety. Get used to checking your work and make
yourself aware of what things you often get wrong. Remember to use short
sentences for impact. You can include different types of sentences such as
statements, questions, instructions and exclamations. Use more ambitious
vocabulary – you can’t use a thesaurus in the exam, but you can now! Don’t use
words that you don’t understand. And remember, if you spell an ambitious word
incorrectly, the examiner will at least give you credit for using the word!
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Basic Spelling
Before you can start to show off your advanced vocabulary you need to get the
basics right.
Homophones
These are words that sound the same even though they are spelt differently.
They are easy to confuse but you have got to get them right if you want a Band 3
mark. In the shaded squares are words which shouldn’t sound the same but are
often confused anyway.
to (to be)
two (number)
too (also / too much)
there (over there / there
their (belonging to them)
they’re (they are)
are)
no (not yes!)
know (to have knowledge)
your (belonging to you)
you’re (you are)
where (in which place?)
wear (to wear a hat)
here (in this place)
hear (to hear a sound)
hole (in the ground)
whole (entire)
buy (to purchase)
by (walk by / written by)
break (to rest / break a bone)
brake (on a car)
peace (and quiet)
piece (of cake)
write (to write a story)
right (or wrong?)
allowed (gave permission to)
aloud (spoken out loud)
threw (the ball)
through (look through / walk through)
new (not old!)
knew (had knowledge of)
some (a portion of)
sum (addition)
great (excellent)
grate (some cheese)
wait (at the bus stop)
weight (in kilograms)
caught (the ball)
court (on trial)
father (dad)
farther (in distance)
are (to be)
our (belonging to us)
seems (appears)
seams (on your clothing)
bored (fed up)
board (for surfing or ironing)
sure (to be certain)
shore (where the sea meets the land)
which (which one?)
witch (black pointy hat, broomstick etc.)
whether (or not)
weather (rain, wind, snow, sunshine etc.)
feel (unwell)
fill (a gap)
fell (off a wall)
where (where is it?)
wear (clothes)
were (we were)
his (belonging to him)
he’s (he is)
loose (like a wobbly tooth)
lose (to have lost)
woman (one female)
women (a group of females)
off (opposite of on)
of (a preposition)
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Advanced vocabulary
You will be given credit for using ambitious vocabulary in your writing responses.
Here are some words that might be useful to learn, either because they are
words that are often misspelt, or because they may prove useful in constructing
an argument.
necessary
separate
association
argument
embarrassed
remember
believe
deceitful
definitely
beginning
business
interesting
different
favourite
sentence
recently
corruption
opportunity
realise
beautiful
awkward
vulnerable
circumstances
probably
feel
unfortunately
emphasise
ironic
exciting
inevitably
naïve
bewilderment
ostensibly
persuade
ambiguous
moral
outrageous
laughable
aggressive
desperate
disappointed
decision
safety
boredom
pursue
benefit
privilege
controversial
disappearance
experience
independence
threatened
repetition
conscience
competition
outrageous
immensely
politicians
downright
guarantee
appearance
responsible
immediately
extortionate
compromise
appalling
personally
government
exaggerate
views
inhabitants
repeatedly
undoubtedly
recently
absolutely
considerate
doesn’t
intelligence
positive
recommend
amount
misinterpreted
curious
average
unpredictable
receiving
unnecessary
convenience
schedule
supposed
barely
horrendous
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Basic Grammar Rules
The Rules of a Simple Sentence
1. There has to be a noun or a pronoun (called a subject)
2. There has to be a verb
3. You can add adjectives and adverbs to make the sentence more
interesting
4. Some nouns are introduced by determiners
5. Function words also include prepositions and conjunctions
6. Sentences begin with a capital and end with a full stop, question mark
or exclamation mark.
Tips!
-Names of people, places and titles (proper nouns) also need to have capitals.
-Don’t use too many exclamation marks; it makes it look like you’re shouting
everything.
The shortest sentences contain a subject and a verb:
He (S) sits (V).
Carrots (S) rock (V)!
She (S) dances (V).
Vampires (S) suck (V).
Germany (S) wins (V).
Check that something happens in each of your sentences…
What’s wrong with these?
 If you don’t vote for me.
 When the troops come home.
 There is a small minority of people.
Using Prepositions
A preposition lets you know how one thing in a sentence relates to another.
Unfortunately, for some reason probably to do with texting and messaging, far
too many students use the wrong prepositions in their writing. Here are just some
of the examples that I’ve been collecting (because I’m like that):
 ‘the same people to the
 ‘the same people as the
ones’
ones’
 ‘to have experience on…’
 ‘to have experience of’
 ‘capable to knowing’
 ‘capable of knowing’
 ‘a pet hate between the
 ‘a pet hate amongst the
British’
British’
 ‘security to our nation’
 ‘security of our nation’
 ‘Where they come for’
 ‘Where they come from’
 ‘to check of…’
 ‘to check on’
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Apostrophes
Some apostrophes mark omissions (when a letter or letters have been left out to
shorten a word):
 Can’t
(Cannot)
 Doesn’t
(Does not)
 Shouldn’t
(Should not)
 Let’s
(Let us)
 Don’t
(Do not)
 Didn’t
(Did not)
 Isn’t
(Is not)
A worried Mr.
Apostrophe
 It’s
(It is)
Other apostrophes mark possession (to show that something belongs to
someone or something):
 The cat’s whiskers.
 The boy’s bike.
 Jack’s dinner.
 The children’s party (the ‘children’ are treated as one thing because it’s
already a plural noun).
Remember – if the thing belongs to more than one person the apostrophe comes
after the ‘s’:
 The students’ choice.
 The politicians’ debate.
And another thing – its (as in belonging to it does not have an apostrophe)
Standard English
You must use standard English in your writing which means no slang.
 Think carefully about how you use the words ‘well’ or ‘like’
 Use ‘should have’, ‘could have’ or ‘must have’ not ‘should of’, ‘could of’ or
‘must of’
 Use determiners carefully:
‘Those girls’
not
‘Them girls’
‘Those flowers’
not
‘Them flowers’
 Make sure that your subject and verb go together:
‘Problems are’
not
‘Problems is’
‘You were’
not
‘You was’
‘We were’
not
‘We was’
 ‘He walked quickly’
not
‘He walked quick’
‘She reads slowly’
not
‘She reads slow’
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Advanced punctuation
You will also be rewarded for using advanced punctuation in your writing
responses. Here’s a reminder on how to use it:
apostrophe
'
:
,
()
colon
Used to introduce an
example or a list
comma
Used to separate items in
a list or clauses in a
sentence (extra
information)
dash or
brackets
Used to interrupt a
sentence with a phrase
that doesn’t fit
grammatically
full stop
.
!
?
;
Used to indicate
possession of something
Used to mark an omission
of one or more letters
exclamation
mark
question
mark
semi colon
Used at the end of all
sentences that are not
exclamations or questions
They can also be used for
abbreviations
Used when a word or
sentence has been
shouted out or said
suddenly
the boy’s book
Nicholas’ coat
he’s
we’ll
Please send the following
items: a passport, two
photographs and the correct
fee.
The British flag is red, white
and blue.
Zinedin Zidane, the best
footballer in the world, was
bought recently for 55
million pounds!
My son - he was here a
moment ago - would like to
meet you.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
(scary stuff!) was on TV last
light.
I went to the local shop to
buy some milk.
Jan. (January) a.m. p.m.
etc. H. G. Wells
Get lost!
Used after every question
Why is he here? Who
invited him?
Used to separate parts of a Homer Simpson is stupid;
sentence which require a
he thinks milk comes from
more distinct break than a trees.
comma but are too closely
connected to be broken by
a full stop
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Question 5 (16 marks)
This question requires you to write to inform or describe. Examples of
informative or descriptive writing include travel writing, sports reports and eyewitness accounts. Features of this type of writing include adjectives, adverbs,
comparisons and figurative language. The purpose of this type of writing is to
explain to people the way things are, these ‘things’ could be people, events,
places etc.
Refer to the list of language devices on pages 10, 11 & 12 – these can be used in
your own writing.
Marking your answer:
Band Question 5 Checklist:
Content
Marks
4
8 – 10
 You have written something that could pass as
‘real’
 You have written confidently for your specified
audience and purpose
 Your writing is structured carefully and
deliberately
 You have used a careful selection of language
devices to enhance your writing
 You have employed an extensive and ambitious
vocabulary
 Your paragraphs are seamlessly linked and
varied
 You have used dialogue and bullet points in an
effective way
3
5–7
 You have clearly understood the question and
have written for the right audience and purpose
 You have used paragraphs which would help
the reader to make sense of your writing
 You have linked the paragraphs using a variety
of connectives and markers, e.g.
‘Furthermore…’, ‘In addition…’
 You have used a selection of shorter and longer
paragraphs
 You have used plenty of language devices to
make your writing more interesting
2
3–4
 You have understood the question, including the
purpose and the audience
 You have used paragraphs which follow some
sort of order
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

1
1-2
0
0
Band
Question 5
Accuracy
Marks
5–6
3
Your paragraphs are mainly the same length
You have included some language devices to
try and make your writing interesting
 You have responded to the task, giving one or
two ideas which are connected to the subject
matter.
 You have not used paragraphs and have used
very little punctuation
 You either haven’t used language devices at all
or you have not used them well enough
You haven’t written anything???
Checklist:



2
3–4




1
0
1–2


0



You have used words which are difficult to spell
and spelt them correctly.
You have used a variety of short and long
sentences and have used some complex and
compound sentences.
You have used all punctuation correctly and
have attempted to use less common
punctuation such as colons, semi-colons,
exclamation marks etc.
You have used standard English correctly.
You have used long sentences and some of
them are split up into smaller sections using
commas.
You have used capital letters and full stops
correctly.
You have spelt most simple words correctly and
some more difficult words.
You have used mainly standard English.
Your sentences are very long and are not
broken up with commas.
You have spelt most simple words correctly.
You have used some slang in your writing.
You haven’t written anything???
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Question 6 (24 marks)
This question is asking you to write to persuade or argue. Examples of
persuasive writing include letters of complaint, brochures and political speeches.
Features of persuasive writing include imperatives (commands), slogans,
personal pronouns, lists of three, repetition, emotive words and rhetorical
questions. The purpose of persuasive writing is to promote a particular point of
view or argument with the intention of making people think or act in a certain way.
You have been studying persuasive writing techniques every year since year
7, so they should be pretty much imprinted on your brains, but just in case…
Emotive
words
Appeal to
guilt
Alliteration
Statistics
Slogans
Pictures
Commands /
Orders
Repetition
Sense of
Urgency
Threats
Short
sentences
Imagery
Appeal to
pride
Appeal to
sympathy
Rhyme
Reliable
sources
Appeal to
greed
Exaggeration
Informal style Shock tactics
Lists of three
Personal
Pronouns
Humour
Rhetorical
questions
How many can you spot in this passage?
It is nothing short of an outrage that slippers are to be banned.
They are vital for our warmth, hygiene and our very sense of who we are.
Our sense of who we are, I hear you ask. How many of us do not cherish a
personal memory about slippers?
Perhaps your memories are of lovingly choosing slippers for Grandfather
at Christmas time, or of bounding about the house in a pair made to resemble
your favourite Disney character, or even of something as simple and rewarding
as slipping your cold foot into a warm slipper after a hard day at school. And shall
we let them rob us of those memories? If we do, what further liberties will they
take, what further intrusions in our lives will we be forced to suffer?
Campaigners feel let down by the lack of support for their cause and
Marjorie Bennett of ‘Slip-on a Slipper UK’ warns, “We cannot save the slipper
without adequate funds and the lack of interest from the general public is
alarming, something has to change, quickly.”
It is indisputable that the greatest civilisations are those that wear slippers.
By taking away the human right of slipper wearing, they evidently want to turn us
back into the primitive bare-footed people we once were.
So join with me in resisting this invasion of our civil liberties! We can see
all too clearly how it would lead to the very collapse of the civilisation we have
worked so hard to build.
Slippers must stay!
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Structuring your argument
A really effective way of promoting one view is by recognizing and rejecting
opposing arguments.
You can use this easy to remember format to do just that.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Point…
I think…
I believe…
Counterpoint…
Some might argue…
Others disagree…
In my opinion…
The only way forward
is…
It has been said…
Opponents claim…
But…
However…
What they fail to
realise is…
Nevertheless…
But they are wrong…
5.
The sentence starters are just examples, try and think of alternatives yourself.
How does a paragraph sound? A simple example…
Point –
Counterpoint But… -
I think that in order to prevent the further deterioration of this,
our planet, we must begin to recycle all our rubbish.
You might argue that one person cannot hope to make a
difference.
Nevertheless, I say if we all ‘do our bit’ then we can quite
literally save the world!
Ending your argument (two ‘forceful’ options):
Machine gun: Bombard your reader with a complete list of all the points you have
made.
Embellishing your writing
Cannonball: Use your best argument to make a really strong point.
Try ending with a rhetorical question.
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TIP: It’s good to include a comment from a reliable source in this question
but there are certain things to remember when you do:



1. Make them sound real!
2. Punctuate properly!
3. Never say ‘Mr Smith (for e.g.) quotes’, this implies that they aren’t his own
words!
Example: Glenn Brooks, a representative of St. Peter’s College, agrees, “We are
constantly trying to urge our students to include quotations from reliable sources
in their persuasive writing. We are fully aware that including them increases the
chance of obtaining a C grade by 6.5%, the same can be said for statistics.”
Marking your answer:
Band Question 6 Checklist:
Content
Marks
4
13 - 16
 You have written something that could pass as
‘real’
 You have written confidently for your specified
audience and purpose
 Your writing is structured carefully and deliberately
 You have used a careful selection of language
devices to enhance your writing
 You have employed an extensive and ambitious
vocabulary
 Your paragraphs are seamlessly linked and varied
 You have used dialogue and bullet points in an
effective way
3
9 – 12
 You have clearly understood the question and
have written for the right audience and purpose
 You have used paragraphs which would help the
reader to make sense of your writing
 You have linked the paragraphs using a variety of
connectives and markers, e.g. ‘Furthermore…’, ‘In
addition…’
 You have used a selection of shorter and longer
paragraphs
 You have used plenty of persuasive devices to
make your writing more engaging
2
5–8
 You have understood the question, including the
purpose and the audience
 You have used paragraphs which follow some sort
of order
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

1
1–4



0
0
Band
Question 6
Accuracy
Marks
6–8
3

Checklist:



2
3-5




1
0
Your paragraphs are mainly the same length
You have included some persuasive devices to try
and make your writing engaging
You have responded to the task, giving one or two
ideas which are connected to the subject matter.
You have not used paragraphs and have used
very little punctuation
You either haven’t used persuasive devices at all
or you have not used them well enough
You haven’t written anything???
1-2


0



You have used words which are difficult to spell
and spelt them correctly.
You have used a variety of short and long
sentences and have used some complex and
compound sentences.
You have used all punctuation correctly and have
attempted to use less common punctuation such
as colons, semi-colons, exclamation marks etc.
You have used standard English correctly.
You have used long sentences and some of them
are split up into smaller sections using commas.
You have used capital letters and full stops
correctly.
You have spelt most simple words correctly and
some more difficult words.
You have used mainly standard English.
Your sentences are very long and are not broken
up with commas.
You have spelt most simple words correctly.
You have used some slang in your writing.
You haven’t written anything???
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Section B – Writing Practice Questions
If you want to practise the writing questions, choose a topic – maybe something
that’s been in the news – then decide on a purpose, audience and style. Try to
vary the purpose, audience and style elements each time you practise as it gets
you used to writing in different ways.
Question 5
June 2011 Question
Sometimes difficult decisions have to be made. Describe a decision that you, or
someone you know, had to make and explain the consequences.
Your piece will appear in the Real Lives section of your local newspaper.
(16 marks)
It is good set yourself challenges in life. Describe a situation where you have set
yourself a challenge and achieved it.
Your piece will be entered for a ‘Young Achiever’ competition in a local
newspaper.
(16 marks)
We often hear in the news that teenagers are causing trouble. Describe an
occasion where either you or someone you know has done something that goes
against the stereotype of a teenager.
You are writing for the school magazine.
(16 marks)
Some people and places hold great importance for us. Describe a place or a
person who is significant in your life.
You are writing a speech for your English class.
(16 marks)
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©2012 Mesher Productions
Question 6
June 2011 Question
Many people believe that it is our duty to cut back on our use of the world’s
resources, and that we must invest in greener forms of energy for the future –
whatever the cost.
Write an article for an environmental website which argues for or against this
idea.
(24 marks)
People are brought together in the face of adversity.
Write an article for your school newsletter where you argue either for or against
this idea.
(24 marks)
As a member of your school council, you are concerned about the amount of
traffic outside the school in the mornings and afternoons.
Write a speech, to be given to your year group, persuading students to cycle to
school rather than taking the bus or car.
(24 marks)
‘People need to think for themselves and do not need the Media to tell them
what’s what.’
Write an article for the school magazine in which you argue either for or against
this view.
(24 marks)
Sport brings communities together.
Write an article for your school newsletter where you argue either for or against
this idea.
(24 marks)
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©2012 Mesher Productions
Plan your answers:
Purpose
Audience
Style
Content
Organisation
English
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