2025 NJC SH2 GP Prelims 8881 P2 Suggested Answers

Suggested Answers for 2025, (SH2) NJC Prelim Paper 2 1) According to paragraph 1, why do human beings collect things? [2 m] (Literal) From the Passage Suggested Answer Remarks ‘sometimes for pleasure, sometimes for prestige, and often for reasons they may not even fully understand’ (lines 3-4) Human beings collect things for a) On occasion/partly/at times/occasionally for fun/enjoyment/happiness satisfaction/amusement b) for recognition/ status/ honour c) and many times / frequently / more often / quite often for purposes beyond their own / without complete comprehension/ cannot quite grasp / inexplicable. Any 2 points 2) Why does the author state that ‘it is no surprise...that collectors often repeat the process...to re-experience that moment of discovery’? [2m] (Literal) From the Passage Suggested Answer Remarks ‘The thrill of the hunt — the excitement of discovery — can be intensely rewarding.’ (lines 5- 6) ‘... process of finding and acquiring something meaningful provides a rush that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.’ (lines 8-9) ‘The moment of acquisition offers a fleeting sense of joy, but it is the act of searching that remains most emotionally resonant.’ (lines 9-11) a) The spark/ kick/ exhilaration/ delight/ adrenaline one gets from searching and finding / uncovering something new can bring a profound sense of satisfaction / lasting happiness. b) The journey / pursuit of looking and attaining something close to the heart / uncovering something of personal value that is tough / challenging to find anywhere else / unlike most other experiences / that few other things can match . c) Though the happiness / delight is momentous/ temporal, it is the journey of pursuit that lingers most deeply / leaves the strongest impression / what stays with us the longest. Any 2 points

3) What is the author suggesting by writing “not merely an accumulator but also a curator of knowledge” (lines 18-19)? [1m] (phrase) From the passage Suggested Answer Remarks The collector, in this sense, is not merely an accumulator but also a curator of knowledge. (lines 18- 19) The author is implying that a collector not only gathers information but carefully selects / filters what he wants from other things. 1m 4) In paragraph 4, provide three similarities the author makes between human and animals’ reasons for collecting. [3m] (Literal) From the Passage Suggested Answers Remarks ‘... crows collect shiny objects to attract mates [infer point]; chimpanzees have made specific choices in items of interest they keep around their dwellings; wolverines (not the Hugh Jackman variety!) practise ‘cache spacing’, strategically spreading food across a large area to prevent it from being