Higher French 2013

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I've written a guide for language exams which may be helpful for those who haven't seen it already: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2320896#post42235942

Reply 21

kgorman5

If the short essay is health, I know a lot of people will be in an awful position, I didn't even consider that! Best look over that! Another one is women and work, but my teacher said thats mostly and AH topic now, however just incase! I think I have been a bit too confident for french haha :frown:

Reply 22

emma_1995

Original post by kgorman5

I didn't even know they were topics :redface:

. My teacher did school and relationships with us and that was it

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Reply 23

kgorman5

Original post by emma_1995

I didn't even know they were topics :redface:

. My teacher did school and relationships with us and that was it

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that's all :afraid:

? Oh wow!

Reply 24

kgorman5

Original post by emma_1995

I didn't even know they were topics :redface:

. My teacher did school and relationships with us and that was it

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I guess you are really prepared for the directed writing then yeah?

Reply 25

emma_1995

Original post by kgorman5

that's all :afraid:

? Oh wow!

Yeah..she decided to directed writing at the beginning of the year, then was off in january then we had prelims and then the speaking so we never really got much done.

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Reply 26

Quick-use

Just saw this thread - I swear I'm not spamming all language and literature related things :tongue:

This is a link of a guide I made for those doing languages if you need advice. http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2320896

There are some documents attached with useful Spanish/French essay phrases which you could use if you wanted. It could help make your writing a little bit more impressive. :smile:

If you use it, then I'd say to only memorise a handful of the phrases - you can apply them to almost any essay and you'll only use a few in the exam anyways. :smile:

I know that I use the same phrases I've been using since S5 at uni. I've added a few obviously, but I just use some to express myself.

Some are more complicated, so if you find them difficult or something, just ignore them, :smile:

Sometimes it's better to keep it simple and safe! Remember that these phrases were made mostly during my Advanced Higher and 1st year of uni (some in Higher) so don't think that you need them to get an A or a B or whatever. It's just there to support what you already have/know. :smile:

Reply 27

weejackie10

Any short essay predictions?

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Reply 28

xoJennyox

No idea what will come up to be honest... :s-smilie:

Reply 29

xoJennyox

Can someone please expand on this list of possible topics for DW:

Student Exchange

And the extended response:

Pocket money
Part time jobs
Holiday
School (subjects teachers etc)
Future plans
Family
Healthy Eating
Exercise
Where you live
Hobbies/ leisure/ Free time

Reply 30

ManTae

Original post by xoJennyox

gap year?

Reply 31

xoJennyox

Original post by ManTae

gap year?

I kind of included that in my "future" plans/ school short essay. But I said that I didn't want to take a gap year in one sentence. I don't think the SQA will ask about gap years in detail I hope. I might just do a few sentences on it to be safe :smile:

. Anything else?

Reply 32

xoJennyox

Anyone else sitting Higher French?

Reply 33

xoJennyox

Original post by ladymarshmallow

Didn't your teacher tell you your mark out of 25 after you did it?

Hey Marshmallow, since you are amazing at languages, can you help me out :smile:

?

I want a good translation of: I will need to save up my money.

Thank you tehehe :tongue:

Reply 34

ladymarshmallow

Original post by xoJennyox

Hey Marshmallow, since you are amazing at languages, can you help me out :smile:

?

I want a good translation of: I will need to save up my money.

Thank you tehehe :tongue:

I think it would be: J'aurai besoin de faire des economies
I think it's correct, but not too sure
:tongue:

How did English go for you, by the way?
I think I messed up my essays now, so there goes my hopes of an A. :s-smilie:

It's worrying because I didn't think modern went too well either...

Reply 35

xoJennyox

Original post by ladymarshmallow

I think it would be: J'aurai besoin de faire des economies
I think it's correct, but not too sure
:tongue:

How did English go for you, by the way?
I think I messed up my essays now, so there goes my hopes of an A. :s-smilie:

It's worrying because I didn't think modern went too well either...

Thanks so much, it looks about right to me but I will ask my French teacher tomorrow just to get it checked over. I don't want too many mistakes in my writings. It could really mean a difference between an A or a B for me because I only got 75% in my prelim because my listening is horrific hehe :tongue:

. I can practice in these next few days in an attempt to gain anything above 10/20 (yes I am THAT bad) but it may be a little too late. Nevermind!

I wish I was as fluent and as talented as you. You are going to find these two last exams a total breeze haha!

English went okay: nowhere near as bad as I was expecting. The close reading was on a great topic and I did actually enjoy reading the passages which was weird because I have loathed close reading this year. I think I have bagged around 30/50 with paper 1. And the essay questions this year for my texts were perfect. My teachers were all cheesing at how suitable they were for my prose and drama. I only had two texts prepared so I was ****ting it the night before in case nothing good came up. I hope I have achieved at least 65% because that is usually an A.

What about you? I don't think you could have done that and. You are most likely over-thinking it way too much! Relax and take your mind off it :biggrin:

.

What happened in your other essay O_o? It can't have been too bad!

And forget about Modern Studies- you probably did very well in that too. You may be pleasantly surprised when August comes around :smile:

. Are you aiming for 5A's too?

Reply 36

ladymarshmallow

Original post by xoJennyox

. Are you aiming for 5A's too?

Yeah, French and German are pretty much the only exams I'm feeling relaxed about, although this feeling is still countered by the fact that I'm stressing about my other exams. I think paper 1 went allright; I waffled a bit much and my expression was a bit lacking. I could have got 30-33/50 if I'm lucky.
As for my essays...I dunno, I just feel they were a bit weak and unsubstantial, y'know? I did my first essay on Romeo and Juliet and talked about how Juliet aptly portrays the nature of heroism, yet the scenes I chose to focus on weren't probably the best and most obvious ones. The quotes I picked weren't exactly "meaty" as well, and I felt that my analysis was tenuous at best. Not to mention my written expression was diabolical. My poetry essay was alright, although I mostly only focused on word choice and imagery, and only tagged on paragraph at the end (to be put after my introduction) about how it was constructed in the form of a dramatic monologue. :s-smilie:

To be honest, I would be absolutely ecstatic with AAAAB. Those grades would allow me to apply pretty much anywhere for modern languages - I wouldn't care at all if I got a B for one of either modern studies or English, but I would be devastated if I got 2 Bs. Not that AAABB is bad, but I'd probably have to rethink my uni plans. Cambridge and Durham would be out of the question as they ask for AAAAB at a minimum, UCL asks for a minimum of 3 As at higher and A, A1 at AH, so that could still be a possibility, although the best candidates will probably have like straight As. I
In Scotland St Andrew's asks for AABB, Glasgow for AAABB (still need to check Edin's requirements) as a minimum. Nevertheless, places like St A's (which is my ideal Scottish uni) are amazing for languages and, again, most applicants will probably have a much stronger academic record. I'd have to write a boss personal statement to get an offer.
It sucks even more because we've already booked open days for both Cambridge and durham, so it's not as if I can simply forget about it during the summer.
On the one hand, I am likely over-thinking. One user on this forum (hollieloh, is her name I think) said she thought she'd absolutely failed English yet got an A. Another person who I know (not on TSR) said she genuinely believed she'd failed 3 of her exams last year, yet got 5 As. She said, however, that she was so stressed during the summer, that she would start crying sometimes. I don't want that to happen to me.
I think it's just hit me that what I've done on these few days could go on to define my life forevermore. I feel a bit melancholy at the moment and am constantly brooding over my life. Perhaps an existential crisis is imminent. :tongue:

There's also the fact that a lot of people from my school are likely to get 5 As, etc. I'd like to aim for a very high score in German and French, but it wouldn't really do much to salvage anything. :s
I have a real tendency to over-think and I fear that I'll just end up driving myself crazy or into a pit of depression over the summer holidays. :s
As for French listening, I would just advise you to look over unfamiliar vocab from past listening transcripts, and listening to French radio/tv in addition to past papers as you'll get used to hearing it used naturally and spoken quickly. I'd just recommend trying to listen to as much French as possible, don't worry it's not too late. :smile:

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 37

Bromaldehyde

Make a promise ladymarshmallow. Promise to not even THINK about the exams you have sat. Don't write about them here , don't talk about them to your friends, forget them. You have sat them, nothing you can do can change your result so forget them until the 6th ! Please ?

Reply 38

ladymarshmallow

Original post by Bromaldehyde

I shall try to, although it's so hard not to. I realise that ultimately these exams don't define you and I can't do anything to change them now. :redface:

I've always been a worrywart, but I think I just need to distract myself more and focus on doing well on my last 2 exams.
I promise from now on not to discuss or even think about those particular exams. :smile:

Reply 39

Bromaldehyde