English Language 1123 Essential 2k17 comprehension

English Language 1123 Essential
2k17
Workshop by: Sir Abdul Majid Khan @ Language Guru
Reading Paper

English Language-Paper 2-Reading
Understanding Paper Pattern and Marking Scheme

Understanding Assessment Objectives

Understanding Sections
Section 1 Reading for Ideas,
where, for example, scanning for and
summarizing specific information is required
to achieve and convey a global
understanding of a text.
Section 2 Reading for Meaning,
where there is a greater demand for English
language skills in order to
demonstrate more in-depth understanding of
a text.
Note: Total ten questions are there; divided into two sections

Understanding Section 1 Reading for Ideas
“An insert of Non-fictional / Factual passage is given of around seven
hundred words, comprises of seven paragraphs.”
Question 1 (a) Notes [15 marks]
In order to attempt this question students have to skim and scan the required answer and
have lift from the passage and jot them in the relevant section. Here students are NOT
required to use their own words. the first point in each section of notes is done for you. You
will be awarded up to 15 marks for content points.
Question 1 (b) Summary [5 marks]
Now use your notes to write a summary in which you describe the content. This time, you
will be awarded up to 5 marks for using your own words wherever possible and for
accurate use of language.
Your summary, which must be in continuous writing (not note form), must be no longer than
160 words, including the 10 words given below.
Question 2 [3 marks]
Decide whether each of the following statements is true or false
and tick the boxes you have chosen.
Question 3 [2 marks]
Write opinion(s) / Fact(s) from the passage.
Note: Occasionally, Question 4 [1 mark] is also there; in that case question 3 carries [1
mark]

Fact versus Opinion
Fact: It is a statement proven to be true; verifiable by evidence in
majority.
Opinion: It is a stated preference or idea, which can vary from source to
source or person to person.
Signpost for opinion
Emotive words:
Like
Love
Hate
Judgmental words:
Beautiful
Wonderful
Favourite
Comparative and superlative words
Better or best or perfect

Fact versus Opinion
Fact: It is a statement proven to be true; verifiable by evidence in
majority. It can be some person’s statement too.
Opinion: It is a stated preference or idea, which can vary from source to
source or person to person.
1. Some people think that pandas are cute. F
2. All people think that pandas are cute. O
3. Pandas are undeniably cute. O
4. My cousin is very handsome. O
5. My brother thinks that he is cute. F
6. Television is invented in the twentieth century. F
7. Television is the most important invention of the twentieth century. O
8. Everyone likes rice. O

Understanding Section 2 Reading for Meaning
“An insert of fictional / Non-factual passage is given of around seven
hundred words, comprises of seven paragraphs.”
Section two comprises of number of six to seven different categorical
comprehension questions
Literal Comprehension Questions
Inferential Comprehension Questions

Categorical Comprehension Questions
The key to distinguishing between literal and inferential questions lies in
the difference between assessment Objectives R1 and R2.
Literal Comprehension: (5 to 7 marks)
In literal comprehension questions, the
answer lies on the surface of the text;
in other words, the answer is explicit
Inferential Comprehension: (5 to 7 marks)
In inferential comprehension questions,
you are required to deduce the answer,
based on the information given; in other
words, the answer is explicit
Example:
The sky was grey and full of heavy clouds. Rain ran little rivers down the roads
and traffic was travelling much more slowly than usual.
Question 1: What was the weather like that day?
Answer: It was raining.
Question 2: From the evidence given in the text, why do you think the traffic was travelling more
slowly than usual?
Answer: The traffic was travelling more slowly than usual because it was raining and there might
have been an accident if they had travelled at a normal speed.

Signposts
LITERAL- What is actually stated. INFERENTIAL - what is implied or
meant, rather than what is actually stated.
• Who…
• What…
• When…
• Where…
• why do you think…
• Suggest a reason
• Why might…
• What possible explanation
is there for…
• In what way could it be
thought that…
• How can you tell that…

The length of the answers
As you are almost certainly working against the clock, it is a good idea to
keep your answer to the shortest possible.
Now look at the answer again:
Example:
The sky was grey and full of heavy clouds. Rain ran little
rivers down the roads and traffic was travelling much more
slowly than usual.
Question 2: From the evidence given in the text, why do you think the traffic
was travelling more slowly than usual?
Answer: It was raining and there might have been an accident if they had
travelled at a normal speed.
Note: There is no need to copy out stem of the question when you write an
answer

Lifting Comprehension: (1 mark)
In lifting comprehension you may use
the words of the original text.
Own words Comprehension: (2 to 3 marks)
In own words comprehension you will have
to render key words from the text.
Example:
The appearance of land at the end of a long
sea voyage must be a welcome sight for any
ship’s captain. Yet he has to be particularly
alert at this stage, for in many parts of the
world there are often rocky islands close to
the shore
Question: At what stage of the sea journey must
a captain be ‘particularly alert’?
Answer 1: he must be alert at the end of the sea
voyage.
Answer 2: he must be alert when land appears.
Answer 3: The appearance of the land at the end
of a long sea voyage.
Answer 4: The appearance of land at the end of a
long sea voyage must be a welcome sight for any
ship’s captain.
Example:
The island’s isolated location and hostile weather
meant that the lighthouse took four years to
complete.
Question: What features of the island meant that it took
four years to build the lighthouse? Answer in your own
words.
Step 1: Identify that it is an own words question.
Step 2: Isolated and hostile are the key words.
Step 3: Possible synonyms for isolated are far
away/lonely/separated/cut off and for hostile are unkind/
inclement/nasty/bad.
Answer: The island was far away and the weather there
was bad.

Signposts
LIFTING- Select and write relevant
original text from the passage.
Own Words – Select and alter relevant
text in the passage given
• Answer in your own words• Usually question is
retrieval, based on the
details of the text.

Combining Information Comprehension: (2 to 3 marks)
Combining comprehension require you to combine two or more separated
information, you must follow the normal procedure for selection and retrieval of
information as you do in literal and lifting.
Example:
The sun beat down on the pavements of the town. It was home to three thousand or so inhabitants,
with its quaint little market stalls selling hot food, its winding streets and crowded shops. Outside
the town, boys played on the banks of the dried up river.
Question: How can you tell that the weather is hot? Give two reasons for your answer. [2 marks]
Answer:
1. I know it is hot because the sun beat down the on the pavements.
2. I know it is hot because the river had dried up.
Example: The Storm
Huge waves pounded the stone walls built to keep the sea at bay, smashing free huge blocks of
marble and flinging them aside like pebbles, until the walls cracked and then collapsed.
Question: ‘Huge waves” pounded the sea walls. Explain fully the comparison used to show the strength of
these waves. [2 marks]
Answer: They smashed free blocks of marble and flung them aside like pebbles.

Signposts
COMBINING- Select and write
relevant original text from the different
area of the passage.
• Give two reasons…
• Give three reasons…
• Explain Fully…

Quotation Comprehension: (1 - 2 marks)
In quotation comprehension, you are asked to find a word or expression in the text
which means the same as other word or expression which comes either from the
text or which is a synonym provided by the writer of the question.
Example: Amy
The next moment, though,, she saw something more reassuring. In the far corner of the cave a large
white cloth screen was erected, musicians were gathering and people were taking their places for some
sort of show.
An old man made his entrance by the side of the screen, dressed in a tattered, grimy cloak, but it was his
intense expression that startled Amy. Her feelings of uneasiness returned as she watched him gaze
round the audience.
Amy panicked wildly. She ran outside, stumbling down the steps, blundering past the crowd, desperate
from the ghastly presence of the cave.
Question 1: Amy saw something ‘reassuring’. What single word used later in the passage shows that
later she was no longer feeling reassured? [1 mark]
Answer 1: Uneasiness.
Question 2: Pick out and write down the single word which shows that the older man’s clothes were dirty.
[1 mark]
Answer 2: Grimy
Question 3: Amy ‘ran outside’. Write down two separate words which shows that she was frightened as
she ran. [2 marks]
Answer 3: Stumbling and blundering.

Signposts
Quotation- Select and write relevant
single word or expression from the
passage.
• Pick and write single word…
• Write two consecutive words…
• Pick out and write an expression…

Vocabulary Comprehension: (5 marks)
In vocabulary comprehension, you are asked to think about a word or phrase in the
fiction passage you have read and work out its meaning.
Example:
You may see the example in the last question of the section two paper reading.
Here, you are required to write the contextual meaning rather than literal (dictionary) meaning. In case,
you don’t know the meaning in single word, you may deduce it in a phrase not more than seven words as
per your best understanding.
Don’t leave it blank at any cost.

Writer’s Craft Comprehension: (1 - 2 marks)
In writer’s craft comprehension, you are asked to think about:
•Is the question asking only about the story or argument of the text?
•Is the question asking only about particular features of language, e.g. figures of
speech?
Question about writer’s craft go beyong literal and inferential comprehension. They
assume that the reader understands the meaning of what has been written but draw
the reader into responding to writing skills which are signs of a good piece of writing.
The answers to literal and inferential questions really answer the questions “What?”
or “Who?”, whereas answers to questions about the writer’s craft really answer the
questions “How?”
Example:
You may see the example in the last question of the section two paper reading.
Here, you are required to write the contextual meaning rather than literal (dictionary) meaning. In case,
you don’t know the meaning in single word, you may deduce it in a phrase not more than seven words as

Writer’s Craft Comprehension: (1-2 marks)
Example: The Market in Mumbai
Rohit meandered through the market in Mumbai. He was on holiday after all, and the day was
stretched out before him like a century.
Question 1: Explain fully what effect the writer gains by her use of the word ‘meandered’. [2 marks]
Answer: He wandered/had no fix aim/was relaxed (any two for 1 mark each)
Question 2 Rohit was on holidays for the day. Why, therefore, does the writer compare the day to a
century? [1 mark]
Answer: he was relaxed/ felt he had plenty of time.

English Language 1123 Essential 2k17 comprehension

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