2023 JSS PRELIM P2 MS

1184/2/GE/23 EX JURONG SECONDARY SCHOOL2023 GRADUATION EXAMINATIONSECONDARY 4 EXPRESS CANDIDATE NAMECLASSINDEX NUMBERENGLISH LANGUAGE 1184/02PAPER 2 COMPREHENSION 15 August 20231 hour 50 minutesCandidates answer on the Question Booklet.Additional materials: Insert READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRSTWrite your name, index number and class on all the work you hand in.Write in dark blue or black ballpoint pen.Do not use staples, paper clips, highlighters, glue or correction fluid.Answer all questions.Write your answers in the spaces provided in the Question Booklet.The Insert contains the texts for all the sections.The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.For Examiner’s UseSection A/ 5Section B/ 20Section C/ 25Total/ 50This document consists of 9 printed pages including this page.

2 1184/2/GE/23 [Turn overSection A [5 marks]Refer to the online advertisement (Text 1) and the social media post (Text 2) on page 2 of the Insert for Questions 1 – 4.1Look at Text 1. Tick (✔) the most effective title for the advertisement.The fight against poverty. Empowering girls for a better future.✔Girls have the power to change the world.[1]2Identify the phrase in Text 2 that highlights how the aim in Text 1 of making ‘a difference today’ can be done. ‘(start to) shift the system now.’……………………………………………………..……………………....………….……... [1]3Look at Text 2. Why would helping girls make a significant difference?Women form 50 percent of the world’s population [1]4Look at Texts 1 and 2 and statements (a) and (b) below.Decide whether the statements refer to Text 1, Text 2, both texts, or neither text.Circle the answer you have chosen for each statement.(a)The text is addressing volunteers.Text 1 / Text 2 / Both / Neither (b)The tone suggests the writer and the reader are not of the same status. Text 1 / Text 2 / Both / Neither[2]

3 1184/2/GE/23 Section B [20 marks]Refer to Text 3 on page 3 – 4 of the Insert for Questions 5 – 12.5In Paragraph 1, (a) what did the writer find difficult about fulfilling the requirement of Scout Craft? (b) Identify a phrase from the paragraph to support your answer.(a)The writer would have to go on an overnight hike in the countryside.X he was afraid of hiking overnight(b)‘a thought I grappled with (for a long while)’[2]6In Paragraph 2, the writer describes the city that he lives in. Explain how the language used in this paragraph makes the city seem complex to him then. Support your answer with three details from Paragraph 2. MAIN PROBLEM: Students tend to describe the quote W/O explaining why it makes the situation or the city seem complex to the writer. QEL. While it is not compulsory to find synonyms for the word ‘complex’, failing to illustrate how the quote shows that the city is complex will not get you the needed marks. For example:“Discovering a new building or road was practically a daily affair” shows that the city always has new things so it is complex to him.”Therefore, it is advisable to look for synonyms of the word so as to show that you understand what the question requires. COMPLEX = confusing, complicated, intricate, sophisticated, disorientingQ: ‘endless maze of asphalt roads’ shows that there were many roads that were continuously intersecting in a confusing manner thus making the city appear complicated/intricate. “Endless” = continuous, no end, on and on (good to show this) “Maze” = roads that are interconnected, intersecting roads, a network of roads and routes, overlapping roads, crisscrossing roads (good to show this)X …shows that there were lots of roads such that it was hard to navigate the area

4 1184/2/GE/23 Q: ‘skies of towering buildings’ shows that the buildings are so big and tall, obstructing his vision of the sky thus making the city seem disorienting when all he sees are tall buildings.X …the city was full of big and tall buildings (so what? How does this show that it made the city appear complex to the writer?)Q: ‘Discovering a new building or road was practically a daily affair’ shows that the city always had something new made/ had so many buildings, making it difficult for him to remember everything about the city, thus making the city seemed confusing. ‘discovering a new building or road’ means. X …the city always has new things so it is complex to him how so? Need to make the link. Distractor: ‘my world was made of meticulously laid slate pavements’X does not show that the place is complex, merely organised or neat, well-planned 7With reference to Paragraph 3, how does the writer highlight the contrasting qualities of Mr Brenkman? → WRITER’S TECHNIQUE + EXAMPLEMAIN PROBLEM: Students tend to pick out quotes or merely explain what was mentioned in this paragraph. This is a writer’s technique question so students need to pick out the techniques used first before going on to explaining what was meant by the technique. Use of different colours or outfits because Mr Brenkman wears either church black or Scout khaki.Use of diction/word ‘fire’ to show the contrasting qualities of Mr Brenkman where it

5 1184/2/GE/23 is either to highlight a negative connotation (hellfire) or something constructive (fire for camping).Use of different content of speech where Mr Brenkman would either be preaching about hellfire or teaching others about how to create fires based on his role of either a pastor or scout master.X “When he wore black, he would warn us against hellfire. When he wore khaki, he would teach us how to build fires.” (Direct quoting, no mention of the technique used)[2m]8(a)In Paragraph 4, what was the writer thinking of doing when he asked, “How would they know I went?” (line 21)MAIN PROBLEM: Answers are either too general or missing the point of the story completely. At this point, it is well established that the writer only asked around about going camping because he needed to fulfil the Scouts Craft requirement. When he asked this question, the ‘they’ that he had in mind would most likely be the Scouts Masters and other scouts, because this would directly affect his chance of achieving the camp craft requirement. Hence, answers must reflect the reason why the writer even asked this question in Paragraph 4. He was thinking of lying about going on the camping trip to get the Scout Craftt requirement. [1]ORHe wanted to lie to the Scouts about going camping in the countryside.ORHe was thinking of not going camping. X He wanted to lie to his parents about going camping.X He was going to lie. (Not sufficient)(b)Referring to Paragraph 4, give two reasons why Mr Brenkman was caught by surprise at the writer’s query about having to prove that he did go camping. MAIN PROBLEM: Many students failed to link their answers back to evidence found in the text (lines 22 - 23). Students have to give reasons why Mr Brenkman might ask these two rhetorical questions. (i)Mr Brenkman did not expect the writer to even think about such questions because he himself enjoyed camping while he was a boy (as evident in his passionate response in line 18)(ii)Mr Brenkman expected the writer to uphold the Scouts Honour which is to be always honest. / He expected a scout to always be honest/ Mr. Brenkman did not expect the writer to have forgotten the Scouts Honour[2]

6 1184/2/GE/23 9In Paragraphs 5, the writer describes his best friends and how he feels that they “were rivals too” (line 32). In what ways does the writer feel that his best friends were better than him?MAIN PROBLEM: This is another ‘how’ question (refer to Qn 7). Some students merely copied the relevant quotes from the text to be written here and did not evaluate HOW the writer’s friends were deemed better than him. Students need to identify the aspects in which the friends are better than the writer e.g. in the aspect of being brave or being strong. Best friendHow the writer thinks his friend is better than him(In this case sufficient to highlight the areas in which the frie