Cambridge International AS Level English General Paper

Answers to coursebook questions

Chapter 1.2 Core course knowledge
All answers were written by the author. In examination, the way marks would be awarded to answers
like these may be different.

Activity 1
1 patchy and mixed up: inconsistent, confusing, unclear
2 rain on your parade: criticise or spoil something
3 last shot: last opportunity or chance
4 glory days: popular and/or busy period in time
5 turning a blind eye: intentionally ignoring

Activity 2
1 Error: plural versus possessive confusion: country’s or countries’.
2 Error: pronoun–antecedent lacks agreement: someone … he/she.
3 Grammatically acceptable, though a style preference exists regarding the use of ‘you’ (2nd person,
often reserved for speech).
4 Error: includes fused sentence/run-on.
5 Error: includes a fragment/incomplete sentence.

Activity 3
For this think-aloud activity, answers will vary, but students should address a–d in the process.

Activity 4
1 Similarities:
•• introduce topic
•• connect with audience’s existing knowledge or experiences
•• use concrete ideas that are relevant to the topic
•• language is academic.
2–4
Unique Tone Writer’s intention
Introductory Begins with an attention Educated, informative, To explain or inform, to
paragraph 1 hook advocates for educate or enlighten
Introductory Begins by addressing the Convincing; advocates To argue, convince
paragraph 2 current system; uses an for
‘appearance vs. reality’
approach to getting the
audience’s interest
Introductory Begins with a general Objective, curious To explore, consider,
paragraph 3 statement about the observe
topic; considers both
sides of the issue

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Activity 5
Answers will vary, but should be anchored to the information provided in the ‘thesis statements’
part of the chapter.
Here are a few examples of potential thesis statements, which may be used as a guide:
Question 1: To what extent does modern communication bring us together?
Thesis Statement: To some degree, modern communication promotes a sense of unity, though it
can also be a tool that divides.
Question 2: Which do you prefer and why: the written or spoken word?
Thesis statement: As an avid reader, I’ve always had an affinity for the written word; but since the
true power of change comes from speech, I prefer the spoken word overall

Activity 6
Suggested responses include:
Opening line 1: Too broad, unengaging; the audience was not alive during this time and is not likely
to connect with its content (i.e. use of phrases such as ‘technology has existed since the Neolithic
Era’, ‘when metal tools became widespread’ feel outdated and thus, hard to connect to).
Opening line 2: Probably more familiar to the audience’s experiences, so this one is more likely to
engage them/connect them with the topic (i.e. the reference to ‘once companies like IBM and Apple
coined the term ‘smartphone’ in the early 1990s’ gives this introduction a fresher approach to context).

Activity 7
Answers will vary, but should be anchored to the information concerning introducing the topic in this
chapter. Here are a few examples of potential introductions which correspond in some way with the
sample thesis statements provided in Activity 5 – these can be used as a model or guide, but are
certainly not the only way to compose an introduction:
Question 1: To what extent does modern communication bring us together?
Sample introduction:
Once companies like IBM and Apple coined the term ‘smartphone’ in the early 1990s, it was clear
that communication would never be the same again. Today, we have the ability to use our phones in
a multitude of ways: to play video games, snap and edit photos, audio-record notes and even update
shopping lists. The vast majority of popular apps, however, are aimed at helping us stay connected
with the world around us. From social media platforms to Facetime, modern communication can
promote a sense of unity, though it can also be a source of division.
Question 2: Which do you prefer and why: the written or spoken word?
Sample introduction:
The written word has been around for a long time, yet Socrates himself feared that, with the advent
of writing, learners would suffer because they would no longer find value in memory. Similarly, with
every massive shift we’ve undergone to move from speech to text – from the printing press to the
typewriter, to the 140-character Tweet on social media – there’s been a level of pushback in light of
the unknown. While it is true that speech has the power to spawn entire movements, increasingly, so
does a single Tweet on social media, which is why in today’s modern era, I prefer the power behind
the written – as opposed to the spoken – word.

Activity 8
The coursebook offers suggestions to follow-up on this activity.

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Activity 9
Student A repeats the words ‘wordless’, ‘music’, and/or the phrase ‘wordless music’ in nearly
every sentence of the paragraph, which can be repetitive.
Student B attempts to use synonyms to his/her advantage so as to avoid overusing language from
the essay question, while still maintaining focus on the topic; this helps the audience stay connected
in a fresh way.

Activity 10
Observations may include:
•• 1st body paragraph (line 6): establishes the point moral theme, which is then used in the next
paragraph to move seamlessly from one to the next.
•• 2nd body paragraph (line 12): uses ‘not only … but also’ as a transition between points.
•• 3rd body paragraph (line 20): changes direction through the transition ‘yet’.
•• 4th body paragraph (line 27): uses a ‘not only … but also’ approach once again to transition
between ideas which are similar.
•• 5th body paragraph (line 34): uses transitions such as ‘meanwhile’ and ‘too’ to manoeuver
between ideas and show a relationship between them.
•• 6th body paragraph (line 40): uses a seamless transition which shows contrast ‘it may seem …
but’.

Activity 11
Answers will vary, but should be anchored to the information concerning body paragraph
development in this chapter. Here is an example of a potential support/body paragraph to
correspond with one of the prompts from Activities 5 and 7 (this can be used as a model or guide,
but is certainly not the only way to compose a support paragraph):
Question 1: To what extent does modern communication bring us together?
Sample support/body paragraphs:
Once companies like IBM and Apple coined the term ‘smartphone’ in the early 1990s, it was clear
that communication would never be the same again. Today, we have the ability to use our phones in
a multitude of ways: to play video games, snap and edit photos, audio-record notes and even update
shopping lists. The vast majority of popular apps, however, are aimed at helping us stay connected
with the world around us. From social media platforms to Facetime, modern communication can
promote a sense of unity, though it can also be a source of division.
If we consider this question from a political context, modern communication has done much to
unite society as we pursue change and improvement in our world. Beginning in the early 2010s in
the Middle East and Africa, for example, modern communication can be credited as being a primary
means of sharing and organising protests against politically corrupt regimes in countries like Tunisia
and Egypt. Around the same time in the United States, social media was being used to demand the
prosecution of the community watch member who fatally shot an unarmed youth. Many point to the
power of social media and hashtags to leverage demonstrations and organise protest against these
kinds of events.
In fact, hashtags, as a form of communication, have since helped citizens all over the
world communicate and organise in the name of political justice, from #oromoprotests to
#BringBackOurGirls, #NODAPL and beyond. In trying times of all sorts, modern communication,
particularly social media, can be credited for bringing us together in one voice to make change a
possibility … .

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Activity 12
Students will likely disagree with the statement that music without words is meaningless since all
but bullet points 3 and 5 support this, but do allow them to conclude otherwise provided their own
perspective bears logical weight!

Activity 13
Conclusion 1 is unique because it:
•• uses emotionally-charged language, such as clearly, critical, valued … expected, certainly, and a
series of counterpoints to strengthen the final message.
Conclusion 2 is unique because it:
•• addresses the various sides of the issue in a fair, matter-of-fact way
•• uses clear transitions to indicate a shift in the writer’s perspective toward a claim: though the
writer initially approaches the topic discursively, he/she picks a clear side in the end.
Conclusions 1 and 2 are similar in that they both:
•• are evaluative; in the end, a claim is made
•• use key words from the original question.

Activity 14
In order to distinguish the basic elements of the essay, encourage students to use the ‘Checklist’
found in the text feature just after Activity 14. The checklist provides a colour system students can use
to identify the various elements characteristic to the introduction, body, and conclusion paragraphs.
The colour-coded version of the following essay can be used as a guide for discussion.
How far do you agree that cartoons are for entertainment and nothing else?
When the average [American child turns on the television to watch afternoon cartoons], it probably
isn’t for the purpose of learning something new. Yet without even realising, the seemingly simple
adventures of our favourite characters are sometimes the source of our most memorable lessons,
from maths to music, even appropriate social behaviour. It is therefore worth arguing that cartoons
serve a serious purpose beyond mere entertainment.
Beyond their traditional duty to entertain, stories are usually built around a moral theme – or
a lesson learnt – and cartoon stories are certainly no exception to this rule. One of the most
classic examples of this occurs in Charlie Brown’s ‘Thanksgiving’ episode, where the moral value
of gratitude is taught. During the show, Peppermint Patty invites herself to Charlie Brown’s
Thanksgiving dinner; yet when she arrives, she complains about the food instead of being thankful
for it. Using a situation not uncommon to our everyday lives, a show like this can easily equip its
audience with a better understanding of how to treat others, which is a serious lesson to learn.

Not only are important moral messages conveyed through individual episodes, they can also be
central to entire characters. Since the behaviour of these figures tends to reflect our own cultural
values, children and adults of all ages fall in love with the characters of popular cartoons. In so
many instances, a two-dimensional cartoon becomes a 3-D role model we look up to. For example,
when the GI Joe cartoon was made in the 1980s, viewers admired this soldier’s patriotism and
commitment to ght against evil. Similarly, He-Man’s great strength made him an ideal role model for
children, as did She-Ra. Through the choices they make, these characters model traits we admire,
such as bravery and mental might, making it plausible that cartoons have a bigger purpose than just
leisurely enjoyment.

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Yet there are other characters whose outlandish behaviours might not seem like they are meant to
stretch beyond the realm of action. Characters of ‘chase’ cartoons like Tom and Jerry, for example,
probably don’t teach much in the way of cultural values, yet there is still something to be said
about what children can learn in terms of action and consequence. When Wile E. Coyote’s absurd
inventions to catch the speedy Road Runner fail, or when Pinky and the Brain’s grandiose plans to
take over the world back re, children are somehow absorbing Newton’s Third Law of Motion: for
every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this sense, even the most simple-minded
scenes can possess something of value when it comes to the way we behave.

Cartoons teach us many lessons about life, but they can also teach us academic lessons, too.
Most viewers, young and old, do not even realise that they are being educated when tuning in to
television, but the academic impact is sometimes undeniable. For younger children, consider the
1990s cartoon series, The Magic Schoolbus. The purpose of this show was to increase interest in
science for girls and minorities, two groups who were falling behind in the subject nationwide.
The show covered topics like gravity, the stars, honey bees and the wetlands, among others. The
producers wanted to encourage a more balanced interest in science, and their vision proved that
entertainment could be merged with serious educational purpose.
Meanwhile, high-school students can reap the academic benefits cartoons have to offer, too. For
struggling readers, it might be difficult to understand the message being expressed in a classic work
like Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, for instance; but the X-Men cartoon series, which deals with
the same issues of racism, segregation and isolation, makes these concepts much more accessible
through animation. The characters’ struggles with being different clearly demonstrate how serious
literary themes underpin modern cartoon entertainment.
It might sound like make-believe, but the foundation of many television cartoons is built on the story
of our own reality. As a culture, we use the art of storytelling to communicate how we experience
the world around us. No matter how outlandish, characters are a reflection of our culture, and their
actions therefore serve as both example and non-example for *how we should behave*. [Thus, while
television cartoon shows may traditionally be loved for their light-hearted humour, they should also
be recognised for the very real *wisdom* they impress upon us.]

Exam-style questions 1
1 Difficult to find speakers who live in remote areas; few speakers; lack of practice with minority
languages/displaced by socially, politically or economically dominant one; children no longer
learning minority languages.
2 marks: award 1 mark for each reason listed
2 Explanation may note that:
•• language is used to transmit culture
•• storytelling preserves tradition
•• without these, heritage disappears.
5 marks: award approximately 1 mark per 10 words;
3 Answers will vary.
4 marks: award 2 marks for identifying the reason why parents choose not to teach the language (i.e.
financial, professional) and 2 marks for explaining the rationale behind this (i.e. parents’ obligation
to ensure child’s future success, so if the language cannot be used in one’s career, time would be
better spent on dominant language).
4 Answers will vary.
8 marks: award 2 marks for identifying the most compelling reason; award 3 marks for the use of
text evidence to support, and award 3 marks for using present-day knowledge to support.

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5    i Suggested answers:

•• imperiled: threatened, endangered, vulnerable
•• degrade: deteriorate, decline, wither
•• teeter: falter, waver, stagger
3 marks: award 1 mark for each accurate definition.
ii Answers will vary.
3 marks: award 1 mark for each sentence that accurately uses the term in a new context.

Exam-style questions 2
Answers will vary, but should be anchored to core course knowledge regarding essay elements, as
it is presented in this chapter. Refer to the coursebook Chapter 1.1, section E Criteria for assessing
essays for more guidance on assessing essays.

Activity 15
Answers will vary, but students should be able to justify (using the criteria) their assessment of one
another’s work.

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