Reading (Paper 2)-
50 marks
I hour 45 mins
These tips contain useful advice and highlight some common mistakes made by students.They are collected under exam question sub-headings to help you focus on what is expected for Reading paper.
Paper 2 Section 1- 25 marks
• Though this question is called Summary it is not a summary in the sense of being a general description of a situation but instead it is a focused list of the specific ideas or details contained in the passage, after anything irrelevant to the two questions has been removed.
i) read and underline relevant material; count that there are at least 15 points altogether, and preferably 20 (fewer for Paper 1)
ii) transfer the points into a plan, whilst changing them into your own words
iii) group the points logically (using arrows/brackets); put them in order (using numbers), and decide which ones can be combined into one sentence
iv) write the summary in two paragraphs (one for Paper 1), using complex sentences
v) check the summary for accurate expression; adapt the length and improve if necessary by adding material overlooked or by removing repetition.
Remember that summaries never include:
i) examples
ii) repetitions
iii) direct speech
iv) figurative language
v) minor details.
All these must be removed from the passage, and then you use only the facts, which are
what you have left.
• Find all the points you can for each part of the question; do not stop when you get to 15 as these may not be the same ones the examiner has on their list. The only way to be sure of getting all 15 Reading marks is to use everything relevant.
• To get all 5 Writing marks you need to show evidence of clear and concise summary style throughout, precise focus and the use of your own words.
• Do not give your summary in the wrong form as this is penalised i.e. do not offer bullet points or a list, or write in the first person, or comment on the content of the passages, or present a narrative, or use quotation.
• Though you must use your own words whenever possible, you do not have to find synonyms for technical objects e.g. solar heaters.
• Both halves of the question are equally important and should be done in the same way and given the same length of about half a page.
• Summaries much longer than half a page are no longer summaries and will be penalized in the Writing mark.
• To be concise enough for summary style and to get in all the points you should use complex sentences containing two or three points in each.
• Do not repeat points, or express them vaguely; (these will be given an R (repetition) or PNM (point not made) respectively in the margin, and discounted.
• There is no need to introduce or conclude a summary, and doing so wastes time and words. Start by using the wording of part of the question e.g. ‘The features of the desert were…’
• Notice exactly which part of the passage is to be summarised in the question and do not include information from other parts of the text.
Do not forget that 10 words for the summary are already given, therefore try to keep the summary upto or leass than 150 words
• Your summary must be in a paragraph of continuous writing, not as a list.
• Use the bullets points to help you structure your piece of writing.
• You are expected to develop the ideas contained in the passage, and add original details of your own, but your response should remain based on the passage and not stray too far from it. This is not a creative writing exercise.
• It will help you enormously to highlight the material you are going to use in the text, and then write a quick plan in order to organise it into a logical structure before you start writing your response. This will enable you to avoid repetition and to make sure you are fully answering the question.
• Use everything which is relevant, not just some of the material. On the other hand, there may be some parts which you should ignore because they are not covered by the question.
• You should not copy big chunks of text and you should use your own words when not actually giving details.
• You can either integrate the two, e.g. advantages and disadvantages, or deal with them separately. You can decide on your own structure for your answer, but what matters is that there should be a structure of some kind, and one which the reader can discern.
• If you are given bullet points to remind you what should be included, use them to check you have covered what is required, and they can also help you to structure your answer. The material from the passage should be put into the appropriate section and not repeated.
Paper 2 question 2- 25 marks
• Skim read the passage for gist before you look at the question. Then scan the passage to find the answer to each of the questions in turn.
• Be aware that the questions are graded in an increasing level of difficulty.
• The answers to the questions will be found in chronological order in the text.
• Responding precisely to the wording of the question is very important in this part of the exam.
• Notice how many marks there are for each question. This will help you to understand the length of the answer and the number of points required. Obviously the question with 2 marks is expecting more than the question with only 1 mark.
• There is no need to repeat the whole of the question before beginning of your answer. ‘He means that…’ or ‘It is because…’ are enough to provide a grammatical introduction to your sentence.
• Where you are asked to give a word or words you do not need to answer with a full sentence.
• When you are asked to find words they are separate not consecutive words unless you are told otherwise. Do not give several words if asked only for one, even if you think there are other correct answers.
• Notice which questions specifically ask you to use your own words and do not then repeat
in your answer any of the words contained in the phrase to be explained.
source: cambridgestudents
I hour 45 mins
These tips contain useful advice and highlight some common mistakes made by students.They are collected under exam question sub-headings to help you focus on what is expected for Reading paper.
Paper 2 Section 1- 25 marks
• Though this question is called Summary it is not a summary in the sense of being a general description of a situation but instead it is a focused list of the specific ideas or details contained in the passage, after anything irrelevant to the two questions has been removed.
i) read and underline relevant material; count that there are at least 15 points altogether, and preferably 20 (fewer for Paper 1)
ii) transfer the points into a plan, whilst changing them into your own words
iii) group the points logically (using arrows/brackets); put them in order (using numbers), and decide which ones can be combined into one sentence
iv) write the summary in two paragraphs (one for Paper 1), using complex sentences
v) check the summary for accurate expression; adapt the length and improve if necessary by adding material overlooked or by removing repetition.
Remember that summaries never include:
i) examples
ii) repetitions
iii) direct speech
iv) figurative language
v) minor details.
All these must be removed from the passage, and then you use only the facts, which are
what you have left.
• Find all the points you can for each part of the question; do not stop when you get to 15 as these may not be the same ones the examiner has on their list. The only way to be sure of getting all 15 Reading marks is to use everything relevant.
• To get all 5 Writing marks you need to show evidence of clear and concise summary style throughout, precise focus and the use of your own words.
• Do not give your summary in the wrong form as this is penalised i.e. do not offer bullet points or a list, or write in the first person, or comment on the content of the passages, or present a narrative, or use quotation.
• Though you must use your own words whenever possible, you do not have to find synonyms for technical objects e.g. solar heaters.
• Both halves of the question are equally important and should be done in the same way and given the same length of about half a page.
• Summaries much longer than half a page are no longer summaries and will be penalized in the Writing mark.
• To be concise enough for summary style and to get in all the points you should use complex sentences containing two or three points in each.
• Do not repeat points, or express them vaguely; (these will be given an R (repetition) or PNM (point not made) respectively in the margin, and discounted.
• There is no need to introduce or conclude a summary, and doing so wastes time and words. Start by using the wording of part of the question e.g. ‘The features of the desert were…’
• Notice exactly which part of the passage is to be summarised in the question and do not include information from other parts of the text.
Do not forget that 10 words for the summary are already given, therefore try to keep the summary upto or leass than 150 words
• Your summary must be in a paragraph of continuous writing, not as a list.
• Use the bullets points to help you structure your piece of writing.
• You are expected to develop the ideas contained in the passage, and add original details of your own, but your response should remain based on the passage and not stray too far from it. This is not a creative writing exercise.
• It will help you enormously to highlight the material you are going to use in the text, and then write a quick plan in order to organise it into a logical structure before you start writing your response. This will enable you to avoid repetition and to make sure you are fully answering the question.
• Use everything which is relevant, not just some of the material. On the other hand, there may be some parts which you should ignore because they are not covered by the question.
• You should not copy big chunks of text and you should use your own words when not actually giving details.
• You can either integrate the two, e.g. advantages and disadvantages, or deal with them separately. You can decide on your own structure for your answer, but what matters is that there should be a structure of some kind, and one which the reader can discern.
• If you are given bullet points to remind you what should be included, use them to check you have covered what is required, and they can also help you to structure your answer. The material from the passage should be put into the appropriate section and not repeated.
Paper 2 question 2- 25 marks
• Skim read the passage for gist before you look at the question. Then scan the passage to find the answer to each of the questions in turn.
• Be aware that the questions are graded in an increasing level of difficulty.
• The answers to the questions will be found in chronological order in the text.
• Responding precisely to the wording of the question is very important in this part of the exam.
• Notice how many marks there are for each question. This will help you to understand the length of the answer and the number of points required. Obviously the question with 2 marks is expecting more than the question with only 1 mark.
• There is no need to repeat the whole of the question before beginning of your answer. ‘He means that…’ or ‘It is because…’ are enough to provide a grammatical introduction to your sentence.
• Where you are asked to give a word or words you do not need to answer with a full sentence.
• When you are asked to find words they are separate not consecutive words unless you are told otherwise. Do not give several words if asked only for one, even if you think there are other correct answers.
• Notice which questions specifically ask you to use your own words and do not then repeat
in your answer any of the words contained in the phrase to be explained.
source: cambridgestudents
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