TJC 2026 Prelim P2

TEMASEK JUNIOR COLLEGE 2026 JC2 PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION Higher 1 GENERAL PAPER 8881/02 Paper 2 Insert 26 August 2026 1 hour 30 minutes READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST This Insert contains the passages for comprehension. This document consists of 4 printed pages. [Turn over

2 Passage 1. An author believes that it is better to have a positive outlook in life. 1 In 1952, The Power of Positive Thinking, a self -help book intended to help readers develop greater positivity, became widely popular. The book, light on science and heavy on unsubstantiated anecdotes and theories , was widely criticised by mental health experts at the time. 2 Despite the substantial criticism, it is not hard to spot the book’s continued influence today. It is on social media, in viral manifestation practices, in marketing for fitness tracking apps, in TedTalks , in multi-level marketing companies and in team -bonding mantras. The ‘just be positive!’ approach has become a modern -day religion: unquestioningly followed and propagated with great fervour. These positivity evangelists are not wrong however, because many studies have found that positivity is associated with many beneficial outcomes. So how do we understand positivity and stay positive? 5 10 3 What determines whether one has a positive outlook is complicated. It is partly due to a genetic lottery. It also depends on the myriad of early childhood interactions that span years with one’s caregivers – relationship dynamics that form the foundation for whether individuals expect good or bad things to happen. People may also respond radically differently to life experiences; their reactions could differ depending on their mood, the time of day or the season of life they are in. The result is an unpredictable cocktail of outcomes shaping whether an individual can be considered optimistic. 15 4 Positivity has been associated with many desirable health benefits, but this is due in part to how people with positive outlooks handle stress. For one, optimists are more likely to successfully overcome challenges because they are less likely than pessimists to engage in avoidant behavior. They are more likely to address problems directly rather than sweep them under the rug. And if a stressful situation is out of their control, optimists are more likely to accept it and either remove themselves from the situation or come to terms with it, thereby preventing cyclical spirals of negativity. 20 25 5 Positive reframing of what would otherwise be deflating situations or stages in life helps us thrive. Far from wallowing in the darkness, we can pick ourselves up , and work on managing and even overturning challenges that come our way. 6 Also, a generally positive outlook can make it easier to recover from difficult experiences, maintain a healthy perspective during periods of uncertainty, and avoid becoming trapped in patterns of worry, frustration, or hopelessness. This does not mean that positive people never experience stress or painful emotions, but rather that these emotions are less likely to become the lens through which they interpret everything that happens to them. A balanced approach makes space for negative emotions – a far more sustainable way to deal with the highs and lows of everyday life . We can acknowledge that something hurts while still believing that things can improve or feel disappointed about an outcome without allowing that disappointment to define everything else in our lives. 30 35 7 In this sense, positivity is less about maintaining a particular emotional state and more about developing the flexibility to move through different emotional states without becoming stuck in them. So, let us work towards a healthy degree of positivity, so that we will be able to hold space for reality, our fears, and our concerns. Truly, it is about time we turn the potential from theory into a reality to be actualised. 40

3 Passage 2. An author argues that optimism is not always beneficial. 1 Decades of research have found that positive thinking isn’t always so positive. In some cases, pessimists fare better than those with a sunnier disposition. Married couples who were extremely optimistic about their future, for example, were more likely to experience relationship deterioration. And in situations where danger is present, excessive optimism can have severe consequences. What is normally a strengt h of optimists – risk-taking, can become a dangerous weakness. Because we believe that things will work out even where there is little evidence to support this perspective, we tend to underestimate the costs and ignore warning signs. 5 2 Neglecting health precautions is one of the most consistently documented dangers of unrealistic optimism. Smokers who underestimated their cancer risk were less likely to quit and more likely to perceive cigarettes as less harmful than they really are. Such individuals believe themselves capable of preventing problems – even when their actual behaviour does not reflect those beliefs. This illusion of control creates a false sense of security. Critically, it is not just that people think bad things are unlikely to happen to them; they also fail to take the steps that would actually reduce their risk, because they feel the steps are unnecessary. 10 15 3 There are also consequences of excessive optimism in the realm of leadership. The tendency to be over-optimistic can cause a leader to be perceived as unapproachable by team members. The more optimistic leaders are, the less likely they are to integrate negative views. This can lead to decisions that result in faulty planning. Further more, workers are inclined to stop reporting bad news to their leaders as they assume their bosses do not want to hear it. Failing to acknowledge tough realities can leave some feeling that their struggles are not understood, while pushing for others to embrace optimistic views can leave them feeling frustrated. 20 4 Optimism can also beget disappointment. Anticipating perfection often results in a higher likelihood of being upset when the results come in lower than expected. Conversely, those who underestimate their abilities – the pessimists – often feel better afterward. When people are told to stay positive in the face of adversity, it can invalidate their real and painful emotions. This dismissal can make people feel isolated and reluctant to share their feelings in the future. For the eternal optimists, the ultimate question is how we can benefit from our tendency towards seeing the upside of life while minimising threats to ourselves or others. 25 30 [Turn over

4 Passage 3. An author shares his reflection on positive thinking. 1 Some days, it is hard to will myself to think positively when things seem to be going downhill. Then, my best friend slaps me out of this slump by persistently reminding me that my strengths will help me turn the situation around and in that moment, hearing this makes the world a shade brighter. I move a little more, eat a little better, and speak with a little more purpose. The belief that things can improve gives me the quiet confidence to make the choices that make improvement possible. 5 2 Then there are other days when that same insistence on brightness feels strangely heavy. I catch myself smoothing over frustrations, rehearsing reassuring phrases while a quieter, more honest voice asks awkward questions I would rather not hear. It is tempting to turn away from that voice, to keep pol