GCE Advanced Level - StudyGuide.PK

Paper 9098/03Reading and WritingGeneral commentsThe paper provided a variety of tasks which allowed all candidates to demonstrate some comprehension, butalso differentiated at the higher levels where comprehension has to be linked to fluent and accurate writingskills.Comments on specific questionsSection AQuestion 1Candidates scored, in general 3 or 4 or 5, and the task provided an approachable start to the paper for allcandidates.Question 2This task provided a wide range of responses. Some candidates had no real problems relating the wordsgiven from the text to one of the definitions proposed; others found great difficulty and appeared to beguessing. Most candidates managed to relate credo to conviction très forte, but remettre en cause andrenchérit often proved impossible. This is a demanding style of exercise which puts to the test candidates’understanding of details in the text.Question 3This type of reformulation task is a strong test of grammatical knowledge and a number of candidates foundit difficult to score more than 1 or 2. Sentence (b) caused fewest problems, requiring only the use of aninfinitive after On doit (tenter…), but the agreement after preceding direct object in (e) proved problematic formany, as did the construction following chacun in (d).Question 4This was generally well done and the majority of candidates scored between 10 and 14 marks. A questionsuch as this, which requires transfer from French into English, necessarily demands some element oftranslation skills, even if translation is not the aim of the exercise. For example, care must be taken in findingan English equivalent for the French entreprises in answering (e). An answer such as “car-sharing must beencouraged by enterprises” cannot be rewarded, as this is too ambiguous and non-standard English.Question 5These questions in French usually prove to be more demanding than the questions in English, but in thiswinter session candidates scored high marks. Where more complex answers are required, candidatesshould pay attention to the rubric, which states Répondez… …sans copier mot à mot des phrases entières.They are encouraged to draw material from the text and to use key vocabulary, but advised to build inchanges to the structure to show that they understand the material and are not just regurgitating the text.For example, (c) directed candidates to the views of Dominique Voynet in II. 14 – 17. To quote this verbatimshows no necessary comprehension, e.g. Le moment est venu de concrétiser l’évolution culturelle en cours.Similarly, copying phrases form the text such as la hantise des vols, or en tête du peloton give absolutely noindication that the candidate has understood. Such direct quotes cannot be rewarded.Question 6Two general points should be made about this question, points which have been made in previous reportsbut which still need reiterating. Firstly, it is essential that candidates read the rubric with care and write oneach of the categories mentioned. An answer to this question would need to be structured around twoelements: les problèmes and les solutions. Secondly, keeping below the maximum word limit of 140 isregarded as part of this writing task. It would be wrong to allow candidates to make all necessary points in250 words when others have confined themselves to 140 words.11