Zenith O-Level Examination Revision Notes (Paper 2)

ZenithEducationStudio Name: _____________________________ Date: __________________ O-Level ExaminationRevisionNotes–Paper 2 Overview TheO-Level Paper 2isworthatotal of 50marksandcomprises3keysegments: SectionA: Visual Comprehension(5m)Thissectionrequiresyoutorespondtoquestionsbasedon2texts, oneof whichisavisual text. SectionB: NarrativeComprehension(20m)This section asks you to answer a range of questions relatedtoanarrativetext or recount. Youwill need to apply skills that enable you to extract both literal and inferential meanings,demonstrateyour vocabularyknowledge, andunderstandthewriter’scraft. SectionC: ExpositoryComprehension(25m)This section involves answering arangeof questionsrelatedtoanon-narrativetext, followedbycrafting an 80-word summary of thepassage’skeyinformation. Thequestionstypicallyevaluateyour literal and inferential comprehension of the text, vocabulary knowledge, understanding ofthewriter’spurposeandtone, aswell asyour awarenessof thetext’sstructure. Studentsaregiven1hr 50minstocompletetheentirepaper. General Tipsfor Paper 2 1. Previewthetext: Beginbyreadingthetext thoroughlybeforetacklingthequestions. Focuson the structure of the text and the writer’s main emphasis to develop a comprehensiveunderstanding. 2. Analyse each question: Take the time to read each question carefully, noting thefollowing:○ Commandwords○ Thespecificlocationof theanswer○ No. of marksthequestionisworth 3. Highlight Key Information: Clearly indicatewheretheanswer isfoundwithinthetext, andunderlineanycontextual cluesthat assist youinderivingyour response. 4. Review your work: After completing your answers, check your work meticulously toensurethat:○ Your responsesdirectlyaddressthequestion○ Youmaintainaccuracyingrammar andspelling○ Quotationmarksareusedappropriatelywhencitinginformationfromthetext 1

ZenithEducationStudio SectionA: Visual Comprehension In this section of the paper, read both Text 1 and Text 2, and try to derive the followinginformation: Purpose Refers to the reason behind creating the visual text, addressing thecreator’s intent. Common purposes include informing, persuading,entertaining or instructing. It answers: “Why is this message beingconveyed?” Tip: Look for the imperative (command) words in the visual text to helpyouderiveyour answer. Message The specific content or main idea conveyed by the visual text,answering:: “What isbeingsaid?” Tip: The message of the text should be reflected by both the words andtheimageryof thevisual text. Audience Thespecificgroupof peoplethevisual text isintendedtotarget. Tone Reflects the writer’s attitude towards the message. To derive the tone,evaluate:● Wordchoice○ Emotional and persuasive language creates a passionatetonewhiletechnical languagesuggestsseriousness.● Sentencestructure○ Short abrupt sentences may convey urgency, whereaslonger sentencesmayreflect arelaxedtone. Somecommontonesinclude:● Optimistic● Enthusiastic● Neutral● Indifferent● Critical● Serious● Casual● Emotional Howtheimagecomplementsthewords Consider how the image complements the words. Analyse the mainsubject of the image and the action involved, linking it to the overallmessageof thevisual text. 2

ZenithEducationStudio SectionB&C: Narrative&ExpositoryComprehension Whenreadingthetexts, annotatethemwhilepayingattentiontothefollowinginformation: NarrativeComprehension ExpositoryComprehension ● Plot structure● Characterisation(traits, feelingsandrelationships)● Setting● DescriptiveDetails ● Structureof text (causeandeffect,problemandsolution, compareandcontrast, descriptionsandtimeorder)● Themainideaof eachparagraph Tipsfor TacklingQuestionsinSectionBandC: 1. Readeachquestioncarefully, notingthefollowing:○ Commandwords○ Thespecificlocationof theanswer○ No. of marksthequestionisworth 2. Identifyrequiredskillsof thequestion:○ Derivingliteral meaning○ Inferringimpliedmeaning○ Demonstratingknowledgeof vocabularyincontext○ Understandingwriter’scraft, toneandintent○ Recognisingthestructureof thetext 3. Reviewyour work, ensuringthat:○ Your responsesdirectlyaddressthequestion○ Youmaintainaccuracyingrammar andspelling○ Quotationmarksareusedappropriatelywhencitinginformationfromthetext QuestiontypesinSectionsBandC: NarrativeComprehension ExpositoryComprehension ● Direct questions● Inferencequestions● Vocabularyquestions● Languagefor effect questions● Global question ● Direct questions● Inferencequestions● Vocabularyquestions● Languagefor effect questions● Summaryquestion 3

ZenithEducationStudio QuestionCommandWords:Give/ State/Provide/Identify/ Quote Thesequestionkeywordsusuallyindicatethat theanswer isstatedinthepassage.Notethat someminor rephrasingmaybenecessarytoanswerthequestion. Who ‘Who’ questionsrequireyoutoidentifyaperson/personsinyour answer. Where ‘Where’ questionsrequireyoutoidentifyaplaceinyour answer. When ‘When’ questionsrequireyoutoidentifyatimeinyour answer. What ‘What’ questionsrequireyoutoidentifyandstatethespecificinformationaskedfor inthequestion. Why ‘Why’ questionsrequireyoutoidentifyareasonor explanationinyouranswer. Usuallytheseareinferencequestions. How ‘How’ questionsrequireyoutoidentifyaway, methodor processinyouranswer. Usuallythesearewriter’scraft questions. Explain ‘Explain’ questionsmayrequireyoutoeither provideareason(eitherstatedor implied) or toparaphrasekeywords(especiallyif thequestionasksyoutoexplaininyour ownwords). Inyour ownwords Thisexpressionindicatesthat thequestionrequiresyoutoparaphrasespecificinformationinthepassage. Makeuseof appropriatewordorphrasesubstitutestoreplacekeywords. Suggest ‘Suggest’ questionsrequireyoutomakeaninferencebasedoncontextual clues. Effective ‘Effective’ questionsrequireyoutoconsider howthewriter emphasisesanidea/ evokesaparticular emotion. Unusual ‘Unusual’ questionsrequireyoutoexplainwhat isexpectedincontrast towhat isthereality. (irony) Evidence Questionsthat askyoutoprovide‘evidence’ tosupport aperspectiverequireyoutolookfor specificrelevant exampleswithinatext. Thesemayincludespecificfactsor statistics, datesor timeperiods, andresearchfindings. Personality ‘Personality’ referstothecharacter traitsof aperson. Usuallytheseareadjectives. Attitude ‘Attitude’ referstoone’sthoughtsandfeelingstowardssomeoneorsomething. Mood ‘Mood’ canrefer toone’sfeelingsat aparticular instanceor theatmosphereof aparticular setting. Feeling ‘Feelings’ refer totheemotionsfelt bythecharacters. 4

ZenithEducationStudio TipsandTechniquesfor AnsweringQuestions: 1. InferenceQuestions:○ Usebothcontextual cluesandyour prior knowledge. 2. ‘3details’ Questions:○ Identifytheinferenceof thequestionandconsider associatedwords/ phrases○ Locaterelevant detailsfromthetext○ Determinekeywordsineachdetail andparaphrasetheminyour answer○ Explaintherelevanceof thedetailstothequestioninyour answer (if necessary) 3. IYOWQuestions:○ Identify the keywords of each relevant detail of the text, and paraphrase them inyour answer makinguseof appropriatesubstitutes. 4. Global Questions:○ Locatespecificevidenceinthepassagetosupport your answer. 5. TalkingHeadsQuestions:○ Understandtheperspectivesimpliedbythequestion.○ Take note of whether thequestionrequiresyoutolocateanexplanationor evidencefromthepassage.○ Locate the relevant information in the passage, and rearrange the words (ifnecessary) suchthat youresponddirectlytothequestion. SectionC: SummaryWriting Tipsfor TacklingSummaryQuestion: 1. Payattentiontokeywords:○ Identify how many types of points the question requires, where to find theinformationandthestartingwordsfor your summary. 2. Readthepassageslowly:○ Highlight or underlinerelevant anduniquephrasesor sentences○ Number your points 3. Paraphraseyour points:○ Takenoteof thekeywordsof eachsummarypoint○ Paraphrase keywords using substitution, elaboration, condensation, antonyms orrearrangingthewordsof thesentence○ Includetechnical termswithout paraphrasing 4. Organiseyour ideas:○ Use connectors of addition, consequence and contrast when writing your summarytoensuregrammatical accuracy. 5