Reading: The Exam

Marks:

On average there will be 30 marks you can achieve.

Time:

The exam will last for a standard time of one hour.

More time may be allowed if necessary, according to official needs assessment documents.

This will be agreed with your exam organiser prior to your exam date.

There are many ways that your knowledge will be tested in the exam.

You maybe asked to find a word’s:

• definition
• examples of bias
• or even specific language features in the source text

However, you will always be told which source text the question is asking you about, so you know where to look.

You may know all of the content, but it’s just as important to know how to apply it in the exam.

Let’s break down how to understand what these questions need you to to do…

Your answer could be:

”The aim of text B is to persuade.” – Level 1

”The aim of text B is to persuade the reader to leave a positive review for restaurant ‘La Bamba’.” – Level 2

• In this answer, the student has correctly identified the aim of the text (to persuade), and identified the reason for the persuasion (to leave a positive review for restaurant ‘La Bamba’).

Your answer could be:

”Alliteration- emphasises and hyperbole exaggerates and persuades.” – Level 1

”Alliteration of the words ‘careless cooks‘ emphasises how the writer blames carelessness for the local food poisonings. The repetition of the ‘c‘ sound is harsh and angry, so creates this effect on the whole text.

The hyperbole of  ‘the worst thing to happen in Derry for years‘ exaggerates the seriousness of the incident. This helps to persuade the reader that action needs to be taken to stop this happening.” – Level 2

• In this answer, the student has correctly identified an example of both alliteration and hyperbole, and explained how they affect the text. They have provided some detail on the impact of the example and then how this affects the whole text.

Your answer could be:

”Fact- ‘6o% of visitors to ‘La Bamba’ became ill within 24 hours.‘ Opinion- ‘this is a result of careless cooks‘.” – Level 1

”The writer says that ‘6o% of visitors to ‘La Bamba’ became ill within 24 hours.‘ This is a fact because it relies upon provable statistics, and is not biased or based on personal judgements. This gives credibility to the text and makes it more persuasive. The text also includes opinions such as ‘this is a result of careless cooks‘. As this cannot be proven, and is based upon the writer’s opinion of the cooks as ‘careless‘, it makes the text more emotive.” – Level 2

• In this answer, the student has demonstrated knowledge of the difference between fact and opinion, and judged how they affect the text. They have provided some detail on the impact of the example and then how this affects the whole text.