GCSE English Literature Exam 23/5

The problem with paper 1 was that there wern't nay bullet points for the anthology part of the section..I was really disappointed..I think i won't get enough marks in that question..I just wrote how she shared her experiences...u know like using onomatopoeia...some real comedy "language growing more colourful" and the typical indian culture "fists were raised" and some more other stuff

Not Indian culture, its Pakistan culture. Karachi is in Pakistan...

damn...i wrote indian! wat about unknown girl?

For Unknown girl, it can be India or Pakistan because at the time the poem was set India and Pakistan were the same country; before they split.

Section C writing question:

Write a letter to your local newspaper giving your ideas on how the local area can be improved for young people. You may choose to write about the following or any other point you have:

1. Environmental concerns.
2. Transport.
3. Educational facilities.
4. Leisure and sporting opportunities.

According to me, "young people" means 15 -27 years old people. But, my classmates say that is wrong and they say "young people" mean children and small teenagers. Which theory over here is right? And if the later is right, does that mean I'll lose many marks because the whole answer was based on my wrong thinking? I wrote the following points:

1. Improving the assessment of driving schools so young people drive more properly.
2. Encouraging religious and moral values so the local area because more secure and young people stop stabbing each other!
3. Encouraging car pooling or giving young people a free bicycle so they can reach their school/college easily and on time.
4. Encouraging foreign sports bodies, for example FIFA, to develop sports collges in my local area so that "young people" become professional footballers.
5.Encouraging disco clubs and circus
6. I don't remember what I wrote.

Are these points okay? Will I get a good mark? Or will my interpration of young people spoil it? I think the mark scheme allows a wide range of interprations isn't it?

Section B questions.

Describe an event or special occassion that was important to you. You could write about a celebration or any other memorable occassion.
My approach:

Special occassion - IGCSE English exam on 25th May 2012; it gave me pride and made me a hero.
Format - Magazine article.
Length of answer: 2.5 pages.

Is my approach to this answer okay? Please tell me.


How does the writer try to share her experiences with us about the race?

My points: Shows Pakistan has no sense of urgency / lack of punctuality - "are they coming..."
Shows how Pakistan has no rules or order and doesn't adopt the western way of thinking "I assumed the winner was the one who completed the race..."
Shows how Pakistan is crazy,wild, exciting and choatic "wacky races.."
Shows how Pakistan is dirty but at the same time exciting " cloud of fumes and dust... fifty vehicles roaring up in their wake"
Appreciates Pakistani culture "using their whips energetically although not cruelly"
Shows her excitment and passion for the race "horns tooting, bells ringing.... men perched on lorries..."

Are these points valid and suitable for acheving a high mark? Please tell me.

The problem that I have with your Headless Goat answer is that your points seem to have been extrapolated rather than being closely referenced to the text. I mean; I myself only discussed those points very briefly as the question itself was on the narrator's way of conveying the whole scene, and how she did it without wholly confusing the reader.

As for my answer, I explained how the narrator is fundamentally an audience surrogate--how her initial feelings of boredom and anxiety as to why nothing was happening juxtapositions with the excitement and eagerness around her.

And of course I've put those obvious language techniques such as sound imagery and stuff like that. And no, I didn't put onomatopoeia >.>.

Another note is her brief manipulation with the tense. 'And then the trouble began' sorta serves as a--argh I forgot the word. Anyways, it presents the succeeding events after the race, which was already chaotic to begin with.



As for the personal essay question... I kinda did it like a short story. I didn't write any sort of conclusion :X. And of course not one bit was true at all. I wrote:

1. Being in a literary festival
2. Mom calls and announces that bro's dead.
3. She's a single mom.
4. Don't know what to feel--whether to be sad because a sibling died or be ecstatic because a bully just got killed (for you see, my character is gay, and his brother forces him to repress it).
5. Ranting about how his brother was a product of his late brother--who was filthy bad.
6. Literally ending with: "And I was fierce." Yes, I wrote 'and' in the beginning of the sentence. Cringe.


Ugh, I misunderstood the last question, which I answered as a mail/plea for help.

Okay, but other people have told me that my anthology answer was top notch while some have told me it was stupid, like you did so I'm really confused . Let's say I've lost the question and answered it improperly; however, the marking scheme states "candidates must be awarded for what they've shown rather than being penalized for what they've omitted" so as per your analysis, on a scale of 10, how many marks would you give me?

i wud give u at least a 7...given that ur punctuaion and spelling were top notch and how u wrote ur answer!

Okay, but other people have told me that my anthology answer was top notch while some have told me it was stupid, like you did so I'm really confused . Let's say I've lost the question and answered it improperly; however, the marking scheme states "candidates must be awarded for what they've shown rather than being penalized for what they've omitted" so as per your analysis, on a scale of 10, how many marks would you give me?

ALL IS WELL!

Don't copy quotes. I'll get you for plagiarism :P

that isnt copyrighted and did our physics sir in colombo 6 give notes on how to use a dc motor? i just cudnt undrstand it

As for the personal essay question... I kinda did it like a short story. I didn't write any sort of conclusion :X. And of course not one bit was true at all. I wrote:

1. Being in a literary festival
2. Mom calls and announces that bro's dead.
3. She's a single mom.
4. Don't know what to feel--whether to be sad because a sibling died or be ecstatic because a bully just got killed (for you see, my character is gay, and his brother forces him to repress it).
5. Ranting about how his brother was a product of his late brother--who was filthy bad.
6. Literally ending with: "And I was fierce." Yes, I wrote 'and' at the beginning of the sentence. Cringe.

that isnt copyrighted and did our physics sir in colombo 6 give notes on how to use a dc motor? i just cudnt undrstand it

Okay I didn't mention about the senses; however, thanks for the positive feedback .You know I was very worried when student igcse said I answered the wrong question. I thought I wouldn't get an A*

The problem that I have with your Headless Goat answer is that your points seem to have been extrapolated rather than being closely referenced to the text. I mean; I myself only discussed those points very briefly as the question itself was on the narrator's way of conveying the whole scene, and how she did it without wholly confusing the reader.

You'll get. I'm sorry - I just didn't want to give anyone false confidence. Just check with your teacher. I just thought that seeing the race through culture was not what the question asked. I thought that they were expecting us to say Emma uses analogies for us to understand the race.
You're trying to calculate your grade beforehand? That's a good idea. English is quite unpredictable. Do you think recorrection is a good idea if you do not get your desired marks?

Well StudentIGCSE and Shizzam I think you're absolutely right. It would be unfair if Gabriel did get more than 5 because his answer didn't answer the question. I don't think you could write about Emma's experiences of the race by reflecting it on the culture. The examiner who set the question takes care that at least the main point is mentioned in the IGCSE English textbook. I'm sure culture wasn't. it's just the theme of the book. Even this handbook Passage Anthology Handbook which even pinpointed the question that came didn't mention culture except as an extended writing part. So I'm sorry. I do hope Gabriel gets an A* but without making others feel bad about their section A anthology answer!!
Only a paragraph about the culture is needed, but as StudentIGCSE said check with the teacher who thought you this passage.

You'll get. I'm sorry - I just didn't want to give anyone false confidence. Just check with your teacher. I just thought that seeing the race through culture was not what the question asked. I thought that they were expecting us to say Emma uses analogies for us to understand the race.
You're trying to calculate your grade beforehand? That's a good idea. English is quite unpredictable. Do you think recorrection is a good idea if you do not get your desired marks?

i wud give u at least a 7...given that ur punctuaion and spelling were top notch and how u wrote ur answer!