VJC 2018 Prelims GP (P2 Answers)

1 VJC 2018 Prelim GP Paper 2 Answers From Passage 1 1. In lines 5-6, what parallel does the author draw between the movie ‘A Quiet Place’ and certain fairy tales and fables? Use your own words as far as possible. [2] From the Text Possible paraphrase Like fairy tales and fables that dramatise cultural phobias or anxieties... Both blow up/ exaggerate [1] fears/ worries/ insecurities. [1] Note: ‘Show’, ‘portray’, ‘depict’ were not accepted as these words are too neutral. Students who mentioned that these worries were put into a ‘plot’, ‘narrative’ or ‘story’ were given the mark for the first point. 2. Using your own words as far as possible, explain why the author claims that the problem of noise ‘got exponentially worse’ (line 10). [2] From the Text Possible paraphrase and inference During the Industrial Revolution, people swarmed to cities… … roaring with factory furnaces and shrieking with train whistles The large influx of people into densely-packed cities/ people flocked to cities in droves. [1] Cities house transportation networks and industries which produce a lot of noise. [1] Note: Students who wrote that people ‘migrate’ or ‘move to cities’ were not given the mark as the quantity of people is important in this context. In the second part of the answer, students were not expected to paraphrase ‘factory’ and ‘train’. However, they should make some reference to these noise sources in their answer. 3. From lines 11-13, explain how and why people in the past thought noise affected ‘thinkers’ and ‘stupid people’ differently. Use your own words as far as possible. [2] From the Text Possible paraphrase and inference The cacophony was seen as a torture for intellectual people… …and thinkers argued that they needed quietness to do good work. Noise was unbearable to the ‘thinkers’ but did not bother ‘stupid people’ [1] because ‘thinkers’ needed silence to be able to concentrate and work effectively whereas ‘stupid people’ did not need this since they do not use their brains. [1] Note: Students need to capture the pair of ideas under the sections on ‘how’ and ‘why’ to get 1 mark. In the first

2 part of the answer, ‘negative effects’, ‘punished’ and ‘affected’ were not accepted as paraphrases for ‘torture’. Those who mentioned that stupid people did manual work in noisy industries were also not credited because they were reading too much into the author’s point. 4. Explain the author’s use of the word ‘cocoons’ in line 44. Use your own words as far as possible. [2] From the Text Possible inference Content as some may feel in their ready-made acoustic cocoons, the more people accustom themselves to life without unwanted sounds from others… Just like how a caterpillar uses a cocoon to protect itself while it morphs into a butterfly [1], these products help to protect/ shield us from /block out noise from our surroundings [1]. Note: ‘Isolated’ and ‘entrapped’ were not accepted and many missed out the reference to the caterpillar. Students should also not use other metaphors (e.g. bubbles or capsules) to unpack this one. 5. In what two ways is the final sentence an effective conclusion to the author’s argument? [2] From the Text Possible inference The author ties back to the example of the monster referenced at the start of the passage. [1] He conveys his disapproval of the people who are now overly sensitive towards noise. [1] He provides a neat summary of his stand that the fight against noise has gone too far OR the growing culture that only accepts silence should be antagonised and not noise itself. [1] Note: Any 2 out of 3 for 2 marks. Students should look at the whole sentence and not just the specific word ‘perhaps’. Some students misinterpreted ‘quietism’ as ‘quietness’.

3 6. Using material from paragraphs 3-5, summarise the efforts and measures taken to control noise and the challenges faced in doing so. Write your summary in no more than 120 words, not counting the opening words which are printed below. Use your own words as far as possible. [8] In the endless war on noisy people and things… From the text Possible paraphrase a Anti-noise organisations Anti-noise institutions/ associations b sprang up around the globe emerged worldwide/ across countries. Note: International organisations not accepted. c …used their political clout Politicians/ governors used their influence/ authority d to get ‘quiet zones’ established to create noise-free areas/ demarcations e around hospitals and schools. around educational and healthcare institutions. f Violating a quiet zone, was punishable by fine Violators faced a monetary/ financial penalty g imprisonment or both. or incarceration/ were jailed/ put behind bars h Cities all over the world targeted noise technologies Governments focussed/ zeroed-in on noise technologies i … which was banned outlawing them/ making them illegal/ prohibited/ disallowed. j launched a ‘noiseless nights’ campaign They also started a ‘noiseless nights’ drive/ movement k aided by sensitive noise-measuring devices assisted by precise noise-measuring gadgets/ technology l stationed throughout the city. placed everywhere/ across urban areas. m Planes were forced… …factories were required Planes had to comply with/ were made to/ mandated to n to fly higher and slower fly at greater altitudes and lower their speeds o around populated areas around crowded areas/ living settlements Note: ‘Cities’, ‘urban areas’ not accepted p while factories were required to mitigate the noise they produced. while industries had to reduce noise. Note: ‘Regulate’, ‘managed’ not accepted. q Yet, legislating against noisemakers However, punishing noisemakers according to the law r rarely satisfied hardly/ barely/ seldom appeased Note: ‘Never’, ‘could not’, ‘discontented’ not accepted. s people’s growing demand for quietness… OR …to meet the demand of increasingly noise-sensitive consumers. people’s expanding appetite/ need/ requirement for less noise OR their rising aversion to noise. t so products and technologies emerged… OR There are hundreds of digital apps and technologies created… So modern gadgets and software were created u In the early 20th century, sound-muffling curtains, softer floor materials, room dividers and ventilators on top of home furnishings that already existed to v kept the noise from coming in stop/ block noise from entering the house w while preventing sounds from bothering neighbours or the police. or going out/ disturbing others outside. x No matter how thoughtful the design Even with highly intuitive/ user-centric designs,

4 y unwanted sound continued to be part of everyday life. OR Unable to suppress noise… noise was still/ persistently present/ could not be eradicated/ snuffed out. z disquieted consumers started trying to mask it with wanted sound OR …noise cancellation products… rendering outside sounds inaudible. Unsettled consumers covered noise with pleasant/ desired sounds OR used products that mute external noise. Note: ‘Replace’, ‘substitute’ not accepted for ‘mask’ No. of points Marks allocated ≥ 15 8 13-14 7 11-12 6 9-10 5 7-8 4 5-6 3 3-4 2 1-2 1 From Passage 2 7. In what ways are cities ‘filthy’ (line 1)? Use your own words as far as possible. [1] From the Text Possible paraphrase Cities do not just get filthy in the visual sense - urban spaces can often be a raging mess of sound. They look/ appear untidy/ disorganised/ are filled with rubbish and are noisy. Note: Many students missed out the ‘visual’ aspect of filth. 8. What does the word ‘deluge’ (line 4) tell us about noise and what does the author think is its consequence? Use your own words as far as possible. [2] From the Text Possible paraphrase and inference …can be devastating to the human psyche. It te