LCA English 2018 - Paper

2018. AP2

Coimisiún na Scrúduithe Stáit

State Examinations Commission

Leaving Certificate Applied 2018

English and Communication
(160 marks)
Wednesday, 6th June 2018 Morning 9.45am to 11.45am

General Directions

1. Write your EXAMINATION NUMBER in this space:

2. WRITE ALL ANSWERS INTO THIS ANSWER BOOK.
For the Superintendent only
THERE ARE TWO PARTS IN THIS EXAMINATION
Centre Stamp

Part One: Audio Visual
All questions must be answered.

Part Two: Written
Candidates must attempt four questions,
one from each of the four sections in Part Two.

SECTION MARK
For the Examiner only
Audio Visual
1. Total of end of page totals.
Section 1
2. Aggregate total of all disallowed questions.
Section 2
3. Total mark awarded (1 minus 2).
Section 3
Note: The mark in row 3 must equal the mark in
Section 4
the Total box on the script.
Total

Leaving Certificate Applied 2018 1

Part One – Audio Visual (30 minutes, 40 marks)
 You will have TWO minutes to read the NINE questions in Part 1.

 You will be shown an edited sequence from the documentary Pull Like a Dog*, by Wildfire
Films about the Olympic rowers, Gary and Paul O’Donovan.

 You will see the sequence THREE times.

 The first showing will be of the entire sequence.

 The DVD sequence will be shown in TWO clips. After each clip you will be given time to
write your answers in the answer booklet.

 The entire sequence will then be shown again.

This page may be used for notes.

(*This material has been adapted, for the purpose of assessment, without prior consent.)


ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS

When you have seen the first clip you will have time to answer questions 1 to 5.

1. In the opening of this documentary, we see Gary and Paul’s father at the airport awaiting
their return home from the 2016 Rio Olympics. Outline one thing that he is thinking at this
moment. (3 marks)

2. Describe the welcome that Gary and Paul get at Cork airport. (4 marks)

3. According to Gary, what was the most emotional part of the medal ceremony? (3 marks)

4. From watching this clip you get a strong sense of a close community. Would you agree with
this statement? Explain your answer. (4 marks)


5. In this clip Gary says, ‘we really landed ourselves in the deep end.’ What do you think he
means when he says this? Explain your answer. (4 marks)

When you have seen the second clip you will have time to answer questions 6 to 9.

6. Do you think Pull Like A Dog is a good title for this documentary? Explain your answer.
(4 marks)

7. According to the brothers in this clip, their father was an important influence on them from a
young age. Outline the two most important ways you think that he influenced them.
(6 marks)


8. Based on what you have seen in clip 2, what do you think is the biggest challenge faced by
successful Olympic athletes today? Explain your answer. (4 marks)

9. Based on what you have seen in both clips, do you think Gary and Paul O'Donovan are good
role models for young people today? Explain your answer. (8 marks)


Part Two – Written (90 minutes, 120 marks)

Candidates must attempt FOUR questions, ONE from each of the FOUR sections.

EACH QUESTION IN PART TWO CARRIES 30 MARKS.
Section 1 Communications and the Working World.

Answer question 1 or 2

1. Read the following piece on the Importance of Staying Connected Through Social Media,
based on an article from the website, www.businesstocommunity.com. Answer the
questions that follow.

Social media has become almost a necessity for us in today's world and social networking is
more accessible than ever before. We carry our social media with us throughout the day on
our smart phones, tablets, and iPods etc. Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus are all
different platforms that people use to stay connected with their online communities.

What are the benefits of using social media?
1. Social media allows you to connect with people all over

the world for free. This comes in handy if you have friends who
have travelled abroad. You can send them messages on
Facebook or Twitter, and they can respond quickly from
wherever they are.
Iconfinder.com

2. Social media platforms provide a cheap, easy way to do business in different countries.

They allow you to quickly communicate your point to your customers or clients across the
world. You can send a private message, publicly share something or video chat, for free.
Using social media for a company is very cost effective and time efficient. Staying connected
to these people is important to improve your business relationships.

3. Staying connected through social networks can be vital to your professional success.
Through social media sites, you can find jobs, be informed of business opportunities and

career openings and you can even manage your accounts. A good site to look at, if you're
trying to create a professional network, is Linkedin. This site is designed specifically to help
you advance in your career.

4. Being an active participant in social media is a great way to learn new things. News
outlets are constantly using social media to help keep people in the loop and it's the way that
news is spread. It's not only good for sharing and spreading news, it's a great place to find
out about people's opinions on various topics.


(a) Identify three social media sites that feature in the above text. (3 marks)

(b) (i) Based on your reading of the text above, outline two ways in which a business could

benefit from using social media. (6 marks)

(ii) Do you think that social media could have any negative effects in the workplace?
Explain your answer. (3 marks)

(c) How do you think the use of social media sites could benefit you in your personal life?


(d) As part of your work placement, you were expected to keep a work diary of your
experience. Write three diary entries based on one of your work experience placements.

 The first entry should deal with your first day on work placement.
 The second entry should describe one skill that you learned on work placement.
 The third entry should deal with your last day on work placement. (12 marks)

Diary entry 1: Your first day on work placement

Diary entry 2: One skill that you learned on work placement


Diary entry 3: Your last day on work placement

OR


2. Read the following piece on the importance of good writing skills, based on an article on the
website, www.mindtools.com. Answer the questions that follow.

Computerhope.com

A colleague has just sent you an email about a meeting you're having in one hour's time. The
email is supposed to contain key information that you need to present, for an important
project. But there's a problem: the email is so badly written that you can't find the information
you need. As a result, the meeting doesn't go as well as you want it to.

It's vital to communicate clearly in business today. The better your writing skills are, the better
the impression you'll make on the people around you – including your boss, your colleagues
and your clients. The following pieces of advice will help you to write well.

1. Choose an appropriate format. Do you need to send an informal email, write a detailed
report or write a formal letter?
2. Start by identifying who will read your message. Who is your target audience? Your
target audience, will define your "writing voice" – that is, how formal or relaxed the tone
should be. For instance, if you write an email to a client, should it have the same tone as
an email to a friend? Definitely not.

3. Your document should be as "reader friendly" as possible. Use headings, subheadings
and bullet points whenever possible to break up the text.
4. Adding graphs and charts is also a smart way to break up your text. These visual aids can
communicate important information much more quickly than text.
5. Avoid grammatical and spelling errors.

6. Be clear and to the point.
7. The enemy of good proofreading is speed. Be sure to proofread your document before

you send it or present it to your audience. Many people rush through their documents,
but this is how you miss mistakes.

(a) Why do you think it is important to communicate clearly in business today? (3 marks)


(b) (i) Which two pieces of advice about clear communication listed above do you think
would be most helpful when writing a business email? Explain your answer. (6 marks)

(ii) Apart from good writing skills, outline one other way you could make a good
impression in the workplace. (3 marks)

(c) Based on your study of Communications and the Working World, identify one writing task
you undertook as part of this module. Outline one change that you made when completing
this writing task that you think improved it as a piece of writing and explain how it improved
it. (6 marks)


(d) You have decided to apply for a summer job in your favourite Leaving Certificate Applied,
work placement. In order to be considered for the position, you must fill out an application
form that requires you to write a piece of text in response to the following:

 What position are you applying for?
 What two skills do you have that would make you the most suitable candidate for
the position?
 Outline what you enjoyed about this work while on work placement. (12 marks)

What position are you applying for?

What two skills do you have that would make you the most suitable candidate for the position?

Outline what you enjoyed about this work while on work placement.


Section 2 Communications and Enterprise

Begins on Page 14


Section 2 Communications and Enterprise
3. Read the following piece on how to grow your business, based on an article from the
website www.entrepreneur.com. Answer the questions that follow.
Steps for a strong start for your business
Eventbrite.com

1. Invest in talent – Your employees have direct contact with your customers, so you
need to build your staff with smart employees who are motivated
and inspired by your company's product or service. They must be good
communicators. Hiring positive, can‐do employees helps create a culture that
encourages teamwork.
2. Understand what makes you different from your competitors.
3. Offer what people want to buy, not just what you want to sell. Too often, people
develop a product or service they think will be successful before checking that there

will be a market for what they offer.
4. Develop a growth strategy for your business. If you don't have a plan, you're actually
losing business or you're increasing the chance of losing business to your competitors.
5. Focus on sales and marketing and identifying your ideal customer. In business,
nothing happens until a sale is made.
6. Look to your competition – Observe what your competition is excelling at but also
what they are struggling with and you can learn a lot.
7. Don't be afraid to ask for advice. A wealth of events, trade shows, and networking
groups exist to connect you with other professionals which can help grow your
business.
8. Focus on your strengths – rather than trying to improve your weaknesses. This can
help build and grow your business.

(a) Based on the information above, identfy two qualities employers should look for in
their employees. (2 marks)


(b) (i) Which two pieces of advice listed above do you think are most important to run a
successful business? Explain your answer. (6 marks)

(ii) Outline two ways an employer could successfully motivate his or her employees.

(c) Explain why your experience with your class mini‐company / enterprise would or would not
encourage you to run your own business in the future. (6 marks)


(d) Fifth year Leaving Certificate Applied students in your school are learning about the
importance of interview preparation as part of the enterprise section of their course. You
have been invited to speak to these students about your experience of interviews for the
Leaving Certificate Applied programme. Write out the talk you would give the students
using the following headings as guidance:
 Two factors to be considered when preparing for an interview
 Two interview skills or techniques you have learned, that you feel will be of benefit to
them
 One piece of advice you would give them if they felt an interview had gone badly.
(12 marks)
Two factors to be considered when preparing for an interview

Two interview skills or techniques you have learned, that you feel will be of benefit to them


One piece of advice you would give them if they felt an interview had gone badly

OR


4. Read the following piece on customer care, based on information from the website,
www.linkedin.com. Answer the questions that follow.

How to make sure your customer service team is skilled and engaged.

What is the most important thing you can do to

improve relationships with your customers?
Your customer service team is often the face of
your company, and customers' experiences will
be defined by the skill and quality of the support

they receive. Here are a few customer service
tips for identifying ways to better serve Jfgroup.com
customers.

1. Patience and consistency. Some customers will be difficult. Others will be full of
questions. And others will just be chatty. You must know how to handle all of them and
provide the same level of service every time.
2. Clear communication. Ensure you convey to customers exactly what you mean. Use
positive language, stay cheerful no matter what and never end a conversation without
confirming the customer is satisfied.
3. Work ethic. Customers appreciate a person who will see their problem through to the end.
At the same time, you must have good time‐management skills and not spend too much

time handling one customer while others are waiting.
4. Knowledge. Ultimately your customers rely on you for information about your product.
Stay informed enough to respond to most queries. But don't be afraid to say "I don't
know" either. Customers will appreciate the honesty and your efforts to find the right
answer.
5. Thick skin. The customer's always right...right? The ability to swallow one's pride and
accept blame or negative feedback is crucial. Whether your team works directly with
customers or looking for feedback on social media, they've got to keep the customer's
happiness in mind.

(a) Identify two things you learn about customers from reading this passage. (2 marks)


(b) (i) Which two pieces of advice listed above do you think would be of most benefit to a
person dealing with customers? Explain your answer. (6 marks)

(ii) Suggest one other piece of advice, not listed above, that would be helpful for a person
dealing with customers. (4 marks)

(c) What is your understanding of each of the following terms: Shareholder; Market Research;
Minutes? (6 marks)

Shareholder

Market Research


Minutes

(d) Organisational skills are very important to the successful running of any business. Write a
report based on your own experience of enterprise using the following headings:

 Name of your enterprise / mini‐company and a brief outline of what you did
 How you and your class used organisational skills when setting up your enterprise / mini‐
company
 One piece of advice you would give to other Leaving Certificate Applied students about
setting up their enterprise / mini‐company. (12 marks)

Name of your enterprise / mini‐company and a brief outline of what you did

How you and your class used organisational skills when setting up your enterprise / mini‐
company


One piece of advice you would give to other Leaving Certificate Applied students about setting
up their enterprise / mini‐company

Section 3 The Communications Media

Begins on Page 22


Section 3: The Communications Media

5. Examine the following poster advertising places on a Summer Radio Camp run by UCC
98.3FM. Answer the questions that follow.

Poster

ucc.ie

Summer 2018
Camp Programme

 Aimed at 14-19 year olds

 A practical and fun week
 Go on air each day on 98.3FM and online
 Produce over 15 hours of broadcasting
 Get advice from members of the station staff
 Receive a portfolio of your work and a
surprise gift to remember your week

For more information email: info@ucc983


(a) Identify two things listed above in the Camp Programme that would appeal to you. Explain
why they would appeal to you. (6 marks)

(b) Identify two techniques used by the advertisers in this poster to encourage young people to
attend this Radio Camp and explain whether or not these techniques are effective. (6 marks)

(c) (i) This summer radio camp gives you the opportunity to produce and present your own
radio programme. Name one type of radio programme you would be interested in
producing and presenting. (2 marks)


(ii) Outline two skills you think would be required when producing and/or presenting this
radio programme. (4 marks)

(d) The purpose of advertisements can vary but they all aim to grab your attention. Identify one
advertisement that you have seen, read or heard recently that grabbed your attention and
discuss it under the following headings: (You may not use the advertising poster printed
above.)
 Identify the product or service being advertised
 Suggest a suitable target audience for this advertisement and explain your choice
 Name and explain two techniques that were used by the advertisers to make it more
persuasive and grab your attention. (12 marks)

Identify the product or service being advertised

Suggest a suitable target audience for this advertisement and explain your choice


Name and explain two techniques that were used by the advertisers to make it more
persuasive and grab your attention.

OR


6. Read the following text based on an article by Tim Dowling that appeared on the website,
www.guardian.co.uk. Answer the questions that follow.

We Laugh, We Cry, We Cringe: Reality TV Turns Twenty

The BBC's original reality TV series Castaway was broadcast in 2000. Reality TV is probably one
of the most controversial TV genres ever devised, one for which audiences have a seemingly

limitless appetite. Castaway was followed by such enormously successful programmes as Big
Brother, Geordie Shore, Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Love Island.

It was so long ago now that it's hard to remember
how the general public was once treated by
television. While they were occasionally invited on to

the airwaves, their participation – in programmes
such as Antiques Roadshow or the old version of
Masterchef – was kept to a minimum because they
were, by and large, no good on TV.

Coyotechronicle.net

Why has reality TV been so successful? Some blame the arrival of digital editing, which made
it possible to quickly find 30 minutes of ordinary people being interesting, from hundreds of
hours of footage of them being boring. It was also not lost on producers and programmers
that reality TV could be made very cheaply. And there can be no doubt that it offers audiences
a direct connection to people like them: we laugh, we cry, we cringe. Reality TV engages us,
and asks almost nothing in return.

The reality TV format was an instant popular success. The first series of Big Brother was
broadcast before Castaway finished. New formats quickly spread across the globe. We were
presented with What Not to Wear, X‐Factor and others. There were shows that just followed
real people as they did their jobs, such as Airport and Ice‐Road Truckers. More recently we've
been introduced to "scripted reality" or "structured reality" shows – the likes of Made in
Chelsea – which are just soap operas performed by people who can't act. Over two decades

this all‐consuming genre has all but ruined telly and to a large extent, civilisation.

(a) Based on what you have read above, explain why you think reality TV has been so
successful. (6 marks)


(b) Do you agree or disagree with the idea expressed above, that reality TV has ‘ruined telly’?

(c) (i) The text above deals with reality TV programmes. Identify one other type of television
programme. (2 marks)

(ii) Explain two characteristics that you think are typical of this type of television
programme. (4 marks)


(d) You have been asked to write an article for your local newspaper about the television
viewing habits of young people today, outlining the pros (advantages) and the cons
(disadvantages) for young people of watching television. Include each of the following:
 Name of your local newspaper
 Give your article a suitable title
 Outline some of the pros for young people of watching television
 Outline some of the cons for young people of watching television (12 marks)

Name of your local newspaper

Give your article a suitable title
Outline some of the pros for young people of watching television


Outline some of the cons for young people of watching television

Section 4 Critical Literacy and Composition

Begins on Page 30


Section 4 Critical Literacy and Composition

7. Read the following texts about Will McIntosh's bestselling novel, Unbreakable.
‐ Text A. is a review of the novel taken from the website, www.goodreads.com.
‐ Text B. are three tweets about the novel that appeared on Twitter.

Text A ‐ Review of Unbreakable from www.goodreads.com
Celia has never set foot outside the towering walls of her town.
All she knows of the outside world is a mysterious audience that
files through the gates once a week to watch her and the other
residents attempt to break world records.
Celia's record‐breaking feats show her iron will more than any
special talent, and she will need every ounce of that will when

she escapes her town to help a dying friend, because outside
the walls lies a shocking truth.
Accompanied by a hostile clown whose brightly‐coloured face
makeup does not wash off, Celia confronts an enemy that will
Goodreads.com
test her limits and threaten the survival of everyone she loves.
Fans of The Maze Runner and The Hunger Games will love this action and adventure‐packed
terrifying thriller.

Text B ‐ Three tweets about Will McIntosh's novel, Unbreakable

1. Little Red Reviewer. #amreading UNBREAKABLE by @willMcIntoshSF. It grabbed me by
the throat, nearly drowned me, and then there was this....clown!

2. @WillMcIntosh. Just released! A twist you won't see coming! Plus clowns!

3. @hansmelius. Interesting take on the future. I had an "AHA...!" moment. Definitely
wasn't expecting what was revealed.

(a) (i) Identify three things you learn about Celia from Text A above. (3 marks)


(ii) Which one of the three Tweets in Text B made the biggest impression on you? Explain
your choice. (3 marks)

(b) Based on what you have read in Texts A and B, woud you like to read Will McIntosh’s novel
Unbreakable? Explain your answer. (6 marks)

(c) Using the format shown in Text B write a Tweet about an interesting character from a novel
or a short story you have studied. (A Tweet is an online comment with no more than 140
letters or symbols.) (6 marks)


(d) You have been asked by the editor of your school magazine to write a review of a film or a
drama that you have studied. Your review should include each of the following:

 Name of film or drama
 Briefly summarise the plot of this film or drama
 Describe the setting of this film or drama
 Explain whether you would or would not recommend this film or drama to others.
(12 marks)
Name of film or drama

Briefly summarise the plot of this film or drama

Describe the setting of this film or drama


Explain whether you would or would not recommend this film or drama to others

OR


8. Read the poem below written by Sonja Moore. Answer the questions that follow.

The Frame

A photograph, still upon a white window
Gathers the curls and the smile of a girl,
Strong and awakening in a plated frame.

She watches, at dawn, the shining east
And the sleeping form of her sister;
In summer, in winter, she stays all the same.

Through the starlit glass, I hear her laugh,
Gentle and calm, like mine;
She rides on the wind, calling my name.

I keep this shrine, still on a white window,

Still with a timeless expression, Soseafest.org
With her back to the west, a dying flame.
Sonja Moore

(a) (i) Explain briefly what you think the above poem is about. (3 marks)

(ii) Choose one image or line from the above poem and explain how it makes you feel.
(3 marks)


(b) Do you think The Frame is a good title for this poem? Explain your answer. (6 marks)

(c) You have been asked to make this poem into a short film or Youtube clip. Explain what your
film or clip would show. (6 marks)

(d) Your Leaving Certificate Applied class has decided to produce a collection of favourite songs
and poems to raise money for a local charity. You have been asked to recommend one poem
or song that you feel should be included. You may not use the poem printed above. In your
recommendation you should:

 Give the name of the poem or song you would chose
 Outline the theme of the poem or song
 Select two images from the poem or song and explain why they appeal to you
 Give one reason why you are recommending this poem or song. (12 marks)


Give the name of the poem or song you would chose

Outline the theme of the poem or song

Select two images from the poem or song and explain why they appeal to you


Give one reason why you are recommending this poem or song.

Additional space for extended answers is

available on pages 38 and 39.


This additional page may be used for extended answers.


This additional page may be used for extended answers.


Use the tick boxes to check that you have completed
ALL the required sections of the examination.

Part 1 Audio‐Visual All of the questions
1 – 9

Section 1 Question 1
Communications and the or
Working World Question 2

Communications and or
Enterprise Question 4

The Communications Media or
Question 6

Critical Literacy and or
Composition Question 8

Material may have been adapted for the purpose of assessment, without the authors‘ prior consent.

Copyright notice
This examination paper may contain text or images for which the State Examinations Commission is not the copyright owner. It has been prepared
in accordance with Section 53(5) of the Copyright and Related Rights Act, (2000). Any subsequent use for a purpose other than the intended
purpose is not authorised. The Commission does not accept liability for any infringement of third‐party rights arising from unauthorised distribution
or use of this examination paper.


LCA English 2018 - Paper

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

LCA English 2018 - Paper

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Coimisiún na Scrúduithe Stáit

Leaving Certificate Applied 2018

Section 1 Communications and the Working World.

(b) (i) Based on your reading of the text above, outline two ways in which a business could

Section 2 Communications and Enterprise

Section 3 The Communications Media

Section 4 Critical Literacy and Composition

You might also like