1 / 47

General Paper Refresher

General Paper Refresher. thirtieth october 2007. paper one. skills you need to remember: #1: the all-important word #2: decision-making #3: kinds of questions #4: planning and brainstorming #5: the essential parts of the essay. #1: the all-important word. A-N-A-L-Y-S-E.

aida
Download Presentation

General Paper Refresher

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. General PaperRefresher thirtieth october 2007

  2. paper one skills you need to remember: #1: the all-important word#2: decision-making#3: kinds of questions #4: planning and brainstorming #5: the essential parts of the essay

  3. #1: the all-important word A-N-A-L-Y-S-E

  4. #2: making the ‘best’ decision • Should you zoom into your favourite topic? • What are the key questions to ask yourself before deciding on the ‘best’ question for you?

  5. #2: making the ‘best’ decision • How familiar am I with the topic(s)? • How many topics are there involved? - E.g: The Arts has lost its footing in today’s scientific world. Comment

  6. #2: making the ‘best’ decision • Am I confident of all the words in the question?- E.g: Sport is human life in microcosm. To what extent is this true? • Are the keywords easy to define? - E.g: Simplicity is an underrated quality. Comment.

  7. #2: making the ‘best’ decision • Have I noticed all the keywords in the question? - E.g: Can the media ever be relied upon to convey the truth? • Is the question demanding or complicated? - E.g: To what extent are the young in Singapore favoured at the expense ofthe elderly?

  8. #2: making the ‘best’ decision Whatever you do, do not take risks

  9. #3: kinds of questions • Absolute Questions I: Singularonly, solely, sole, no value • Consider this: How many things in this world have only one purpose? With such questions, it’s probably the easiest to disagree. But don’t dismiss what is mentioned in the question. - E.g: Apart from entertainment value,films have no other value. Do you agree?

  10. #3: kinds of questions • Absolute Questions I: Extremealways, never, ever, everything, must • Can we be sure that something will always/never happen? A single success will contradict your stand. So always challenge such extreme statements. • But how optimistic should we be? Consider time-frame.E.g: Can Singapore ever attain international sporting success?E.g: Can poverty ever be eradicated?

  11. #3: kinds of questions • Absolute Questions I: Comparative most important, key, main • E.g: Is integrity the most essential quality of a good leader? • Take a look at the two stands you may take: • Agree: Compare with other qualities and show why this is the most essential quality. • Disagree: Explain when the quality is ofimportance, but show how other qualitieshave to work in tandem with thisparticular quality.

  12. #3: Kinds of questions • Listing questions E.g: What are the responsibilities of the media in your country? • Such questions are the most straightforward and possibly the easiest to tackle. • Remember you should not bother spendingtime disagreeing with the statement given. • The most basic requirement is to showwhat the responsibilities are..

  13. #3: kinds of questions • Extreme Relationship QuestionE.g: Is sport too closely linked to money these days?E.g: Far too much attention is paid to paper qualifications in today’s society. Discuss. • Compare with: Is sport closely linked to money these days? • These may look simple but they are not!If you agree with these statements,you may face an uphill task, having toprove difficult relationships.

  14. #3: kinds of questions • To what extent, How far? • You’ll either agree or disagree to a large extent. • No more ‘small extent’, please!

  15. #3: kinds of questions • Consider the importance/significance of … • Must a thesis statement be given? Yes, but a simple one will do.E.g: Water has a strong significance in all aspects of life.

  16. #2: kinds of questions • Tag questions: Do you agree? Discuss. Comment. • They’re all the same. • You need to engage with the question and make a clear thesis statement.

  17. #4: planning and brainstorming • Should I come up with a thesis statement first?Or brainstorm the points first?

  18. #4: Planning and brainstorming • BRAINSTORMING: THINK about - Past/present- Any difference between developed and developing natons- Impact on individual, community, country and international world- Characteristics of the world today- Various topics you’ve learnt- Causes/Reasons, Consequences, Implications, Solutions and WHY?

  19. #4: planning and brainstorming • PLANNING: - Look through your points: Will you be able to cover all?- Which are the most impactful points?- Organise in order of importance- Decide which will be your counter-arguments and main arguments- Finally, decide on thesisstatement

  20. #4: planning and brainstorming Now you can finally start writing.Do not fear if you find yourself spending more than 20-30mins on these steps.

  21. #5: the essential parts • General Structure of Essay:Intro, Body, Conclusion • Structure of counter-arguments and main arguments in Body: CACAMAMAMAMA CAMACAMACAMA CAMACAMAMAMA

  22. #5: the essential parts • INTRODUCTION: Background information (not all compulsory): - why is this question worth asking/answering?- what do the terms in the question mean? - who does the answer to the question affect? - how and when did th related phenomena come about? Other information (not all compulsory): - a brief introduction of the main points/arguments you will raise - startling information (with elaboration) - interesting quotes COMPULSORY: THESIS STATEMENT

  23. #5: the essential parts • BODY (Every paragraph in the body of the essay must be self-sufficient):- TOPIC SENTENCE(This should be specific to the question. It’s either clearly a counter/main argument)- ELABORATION- EVIDENCE/EXAMPLES (This is to support your topic sentenceand not become your topic sentence)- SUMMING UP SENTENCE(Link back to the question)

  24. #5: the essential parts How to word the counterargument: • Critics may argue/say… • It has been argued that… • Detractors may argue/say… How to word the transitory main argument: • To counter the above argument.. • On the contrary • It may seem true that ……, but…..

  25. #5: the essential parts CONCLUSION • Ways taken to solve the problem you have shown • Ways to maximise the gain from a beneficial phenomenon • Challenge your reader to consider what your arguments and project into the future, projecting what could happen should this trend continue • Point out the flaws in our humancondition and how this awareness willbe the key to the change in situations

  26. #5: the essential parts • If you have time, check your spelling and grammar. • Remember the common mistakes: - existence, definitely, argument, portray, athlete, advertisement, received- research, evidence, proof, equipment, aid - Science and technology, sports/sport,mass media • Grammar issues: - do/does/did/will/would/shall/should/can/could/may/might + take- is/was/are/were/has/have/had + taken- will/would/shall/should/can/could/may/might + be+ taken

  27. paper two skills you need to remember: #1: before you start#2: the all-important word#3: question types#4: summary #4: application question

  28. #1: Before you start… • Read the lead-in of AQ • Check the number of questions • Where’s the summary? • Control time,don’t let time control you

  29. #2: the all-important word A-N-A-L-Y-S-E

  30. #3: question types • What to do with these phrases: - “Use your own words as far as possible; - “in your own words” • If they do not appear, it is VERY LIKELY to be an inferential question. • But if they appear, they can be eithera PARAPHRASE or INFERENTIALquestion

  31. #3: question types • What to do with these phrases: - “Use your own words as far as possible; - “in your own words” • If they do not appear, it is VERY LIKELY to be an inferential question. • But if they appear, they can be eithera PARAPHRASE or INFERENTIALquestion

  32. #3: question types General rule:- Keep paraphrasing; Do not lift unless you see the word “identify”- E.g: From your reading of paragraph 3, identify the statement that contains a paradox.- E.g: Identify and explain two phraseswhich…..

  33. #3: question types WHEN TO PARAPHRASE OR INFER? • Look for clues in the question • E.g: Explain two distinct criticisms that the writer raised about the media. • E.g: Explain the author’s stand …..

  34. #3: question types WHEN TO PARAPHRASE OR INFER? • Explain what the author means by “full sentence from passage” E.g: Explain what the author means by “Enough is not a possibility for our species”. versus E.g: Explain what the author means by“the obesity epidemic is myopia inaction”.

  35. #3: question types WHEN TO PARAPHRASE OR INFER? • Explain what the author means by “phrase from passage” E.g: Explain what the author means by “a concerted effort”. versus E.g: Explain how the obesity epidemic is“myopia in action”. ’

  36. #3: question types INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS: • When a single word from the passage is highlighted: - E.g: What does the word “shock” imply about the population explosion? - E.g: What does the word ‘goosebumps’ suggest about our reaction ‘when we approach these grand questions’? • Focus on the meaning of the word and link it back to the question:E.g: It implies that the population explosion was unexpected/surprising.

  37. #3: question types INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS: • Metaphor questions - These may not always be identified as metaphors.- Use the “Just as” method OR give the literal meaning and the metaphorical meaning (2 parts). • Attitude questions: Critical • Tone questions: Sarcastic • Justify your answer E.g: The author’s tone is sarcastic as he says that the media is manipulative as he describes them as “……”

  38. #3: question types INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS: • Intention questions E.g: What is the writer’s intention in …… Answer: The writer’s intention is to emphasise/highlight/criticise/warn……*depending on what the question asks

  39. #3: question types INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS: • Irony/Paradox/Contradiction questions - Use the structure of“It is expected thatA but it is ironic that/the paradox is/the contradiction is B. - A: What you expect- B: What’s happening in the passage

  40. #3: question types INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS: • Parenthesis (brackets)E.g: What does the author intend you to understand by the use of parenthesis in the line “Politicians are not priests or moral guides: since they are now treated with (unjustified) contempt, they are unlikely to assume the mantle of the nation's happiness gurus”? • Answer: This is an aside whichreflects the author’s personal feelingsas opposed to what others think.He feels thatthere are no good/acceptablereasons for people to treat the politicianswithout respect.

  41. #3: question types INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS: • Inverted commas/quotation marksE.g: Why is the word “greater” in inverted commas? • Answer: The author is sarcastic as he does not agree with the original meaning of the word, “greater”.The word“greater”is usually used to implyA, but theauthor meansB. • A: how word/phrase is usually used • B: how word/phrase is used in passage

  42. #4: summary • Analyse ALL summary requirements carefully. • Time to take: About 20-25 minutes • Try not to leave this question too close to tne end. • Highlight your points • Make good decisions: - Which points are easierto paraphrase quickly? • Paraphrase; do not include your personal opinion

  43. #5: application question • Mark out the requirements • Identify the scope to discuss, if any- the world? or your country/society?

  44. #5: application question • Follow the structure for each requirement: • Give stand • Quote ONE argument • Rephrase the argument • Evaluate, using keywords • Give examples to support YOUR evaluation

  45. #5: application question • When evaluating, you could: • Point out if the passage is supported by evidence/statistics/examples • How reliable are these? • Use evaluative keywords like: ‘sweeping statements’, ‘flawed’,‘loopholes’, ‘generalisations’,‘credible’, ‘well-supported’.

  46. #5: application question • When evaluating measures/solutions, you should: • point out both strengths and limitations • Examples should come from your ‘own knowledge andexperience’ • Singapore examples –please explain

  47. Finally… • Remember the all-important word • Use dark-coloured pen • Keep calm and level-headed • Be logical • Have confidence • Sleep well

More Related