HCI 2026 Prelim P2

HWA CHONG INSTITUTION PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION Higher 1 Candidate Name CT Group Index Number INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES This 2-page Insert contains the reading passages for comprehension. Please detach it and fill in your particulars in the boxes above. Please retain this Insert at the end of the examination. Passage 1. An author argues for fewer rules to make society better. 1 In 2002, the town of Drachten in the Netherlands conducted a counter-intuitive experiment: the forest of traffic lights and speed -limit signs at the accident -prone Laweiplein intersection was removed , followed by the speed bumps, markings and divisions between road and pavement. To the disbelief of naysayers, road users adapted, relying on eye contact, gestures and common sense for navigation. Without traffic infrastructure to dictate their every move, drivers and pedestrians alike became attentive. As their judgement and consideration improved , traffic moved smoothly and accidents declined. The shared-space concept was adopted elsewhere in the Netherlands and beyond, and its success raises a provocative question: if people behave responsibly when rules are removed, do we need rules to make society better? 5 10 2 Governments may enforce laws that limit unfettered speech or criminalise substance abuse. Corporations may have to adopt specific hiring practices. Students face restrictions on attire and behaviour. Some countries are also policing social media access for minors and disallowing mobile phones in the classroom. While many rules and regulations may be well-meaning, an argument against them is that they erode everyone’s freedom just to constrain misbehaviour by a minority. Consequently, every new restriction elicits disbelief in its necessity. When space for decision-making keeps shrinking, people conclude that their judgement – and they – no longer matters . The ensuing learned helplessness is a worrying deficiency in our troubled world. 15 3 The call for freedom is further bolstered by the argument that limiting rules and regulations promotes imagination, enterprise and initiative . In societies where even children are encouraged to exercise liberty, scientists create new materials and entrepreneurs pursue audacious ventures. Anyone can be an activist, a whistleblower or a political candidate. By contrast, cultures that overstate the value of conformity set a course towards decline. Overprotected with Nos and Don’ts, t heir youth can discern problems but would only wait for answers. Not only do they balk at a push and pull of the status quo because “that’s not how things are done here”, but they also preface their responses to problems with “the government should”, evidence that blind compliance has taken root . The apathetic may not even bother to condemn that which is morally wrong and only ask whether it is legally permitted. 20 25 30 4 None of this suggests that society could function without rules altogether. For instance, when people who resent authority “telling us what to do” reject precautions such as lockdowns and social distancing during a pandemic , they endanger more than just themselves. However, when restrictions multiply, mankind is poorer for it . Think of censorship of outrageous artistic expression or strong opposing views for example. 35 5 A society that is constantly told to toe the line becomes less creative, less courageous and less responsible. The task at hand , therefore, is to return as much freedom to the people as possible so that they get to decide how to forge a better way forward.

Passage 2. Another author weighs the importance of rules. 1 Rules pervade daily life. They sustain civility, evident in the interlacing of “please”, “sorry” and “thank you” in conversations . They keep us from being a public nuisance when we are out and about . Rules govern language use too. Ignoring them makes you and me unintelligible. 2 In events such as sports championships , rules ensure that the medals belong to talent and effort. In financial markets where avarice must be reined in, regulations maintain trustworthiness. When missteps may trigger cross-border incidents, particularly in foreign relations, rules of engagement are key to good policy-making. In many other arenas, our resolve to stick to the rules protects the common good and ensures transgressors will be punished, thus saving the world from pandemonium. 5 10 3 Nevertheless, rules can become problematic. Just look at biomedical research, where efforts to uphold human rights bloat review processes . Despite calls to protect the environment, companies cling to familiar but outmoded technology. The installation of green infrastructure by government agencies may be impeded by requirements written for the last century too. 15 4 Worst of all, tyranny lurks within the very rules designed to order society. Like Procrustes who forced travellers to fit his iron bed by stretching or amputating their limbs, h umans tend to impose their opinions on dress, language or ritual on others with no regard for their distress. 5 Policy-makers and institutions must regularly review the rules and regulations they craft. Rather than merely tread ing carefully, stakeholders should do their part to ensure that expectations and restrictions are not just necessary, but also effective. 20 Passage 3. A teenager shares his views regarding rules. 1 I do not dislike rules completely. In fact, some of them make sense, such as when I am playing basketball or chess with my friends and everyone abides by the rules. 2 But I wonder whether teachers create rules simply because they enjoy making them. We are told how to cut our hair and where to sit during recess. We must not be foul-mouthed or uncouth. Our teachers insist good manners prepare us for adulthood and defiance has consequences. It is hard to be convinced when we see adults misbehaving freely all the time. So we learn to evade the Discipline Master instead. 5 3 I notice that the stricter the rule, the more tempted people are to break it. When our school banned mobile phones recently, we did not stop bringing them to school. Instead, we invented ways to hide them. The ban did not cure our addiction; it created another cat - and-mouse game. 10 4 I think it is simplistic to think about rules in a black -and-white way. Some rules, like the ones in games, keep things fair or ensure people cooperate. Others exist because adults worry, quite rightly, about what young people like me do when we are set free. But rules like wearing uniforms “properly” are pointless. 15 5 I think we should stick to the rules that make sense to us rather than accept them all.

HWA CHONG INSTITUTION PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION Higher 1 Candidate Name CT Group Centre Number S A Level Exam Index Number GENERAL PAPER Paper 2 Candidates answer on the Question Paper. 8881/02 26 August 2026 1 hour 30 minutes READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST Write your name, CT Group and A Level Exam index number on all the work you hand in. Write and shade your student ID in the box on the right using a 2B pencil. (Your student ID is the first part of your school email address: ******A@...) Write in dark blue or black pen in this Question Paper. Do not use staples, paper clips, glue, or correction fluid or tape. Answer ALL questions. The Insert contains the passages for comprehension. Note that up to 15 marks out of 50 will be awarded for your use of language. The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question. You are reminded of the importance of legible handwriting and good presentation. Please submit this Question Paper at the end of the Preliminary Exa