This document provides guidance and examples for students creating their own exam questions and mark schemes based on a provided text extract. It includes: - Instructions for students to create their own questions 1 and 2 using their understanding of the text. - An example of question 1 on empathetic writing, including guidance to produce a mark scheme with expected content. - An analysis of language from the provided text extract as an example for answering question 2. - Further instructions and examples for completing the exam paper creation task, including finding a linked external text for question 3.

1. iGCSE English
Create-your-own-paper
All of you will be able to use an extract to create your own question one and two, using
your understanding of the question.
Most of you will be able to produce a mark scheme for the questions, to demonstrate
your understanding of what it required.
Some of you will be able to choose a linked extract from the bbc.co.uk foreign website
and create a linked question 3

2. Starter:
Domino your way to
excellence!
All of you should be able to complete the
dominoes using your previous notes
Most of you should be able to use a
partner and your brain to complete them.
Some of you should be able to add two
more pieces of advice essential to success
on the iGCSE extended paper.

3. Task:
Create your own Exam Paper
You have been given an extract from Lynne
Cox’s book Swimming to Antarctica.
It concerns the time she swum in the seas off
Alaska in preparation for swimming the
Bearing Straights.
Using your understanding of the paper, you
are going to create your own questions
(including bullet points!) and hopefully your
own mark schemes as well.

4. Question One:
Empathetic Writing in another form
 Look for a secondary character
 Focus on what they might think/feel/comment on
 Decide on a genre…
 Come up with your three bullet points.
 Include how you want them to start the question…

5. Question One:
Blue Level
Produce the mark scheme.
You are going to create the indicative mark
scheme (this means the kind of content you
would expect a student answering this question
to cover).
Under each bullet point, you should come up
with 6-8 things you think they may cover or
mention.
Remember: not all students will mention all
points!

6. Starter:
How can you tell the interesting words?
Think about those which create a picture! Can you identify the quote from the text using only the
pictures below? Each picture represents one image.

7. Recap on how to answer question 2
Here is a sample question… what would you pick out?
Re-read the descriptions of:
(a) the sea in paragraph 6 beginning ‘The monster had …’ and
(b) the vessel in paragraph 11 beginning ‘I hoisted myself…’
Select words and phrases from these descriptions, and explain how
the writer has created effects by using this language.
Write about 200-300 words
Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer. [10]
This question is marked for the ability to select
evocative or unusual words and for an
understanding of ways in which the language is
effective. Expect responses to provide words that
carry connotations additional to general
meaning.
What more can you tell me about what to
do in this question?

8. Have a look at this…
(a) the sea in paragraph 6 beginning ‘The
monster had …’
The monster had rammed us at 11 in the
evening. I therefore calculated on eight hours
of swimming until sunrise. The dense gloom
was broken only by the phosphorescent
flickers coming from our movements. I stared
at the luminous ripples breaking over my
hands, shimmering sheets spattered with
blotches of bluish grey. It seemed as if we had
plunged into a pool of quicksilver.
The general effect is one of another eerie strange
world, as if there is something about to happen .
This is supported by the phrase “dense gloom”
which implies that the setting is solid and is
impenetrable. The use of “gloom” also suggests
degree of darkness and possibly a sense of
foreboding. He also uses the image of “shimmering
sheets spattered” which makes them seem like a
shiny canvas, forming a kind of painting. In
addition, Shimmering also suggest some sort of
movement or vibration in the water and sheets
suggest a calm and vast ocean – alliteration could
be seen as reflecting the movement or sound of the
sea. Furthermore the use of “blotches of bluish
grey” uses alliteration to covey the gloom and dark
colours. The colours are all similar and therefore
might imply that there is some uncertainty about
what is coming next. Finally, the use of ‘quicksilver’
creates a sense of danger as quicksilver is mercury,
a shiny, liquid metal, and by using ‘quick’ it implies
they will not escape.
From a different paper, so you can’t cheat!

9. Question Two:
Language analysis
 Pick one of the paragraphs.
 Make sure they have interesting vocabulary
and/or phrases.
 Remember they will have to pick four!
 You may want to look for literary devices or
consider the connotations of the words or
devices (use the wall to help remind yourself
of these)

10. Question One:
Blue Level
Produce the mark scheme.
You are going to create the indicative mark
scheme (this means the kind of content you
would expect a student answering this question
to cover and what you would expect them to
say).
Under paragraph, you should come up with 6-8
things you think they may cover or mention and
note down what kind of effect the language
has)
Remember: not all students will mention all
points!

11. Plenary:
Exit Slip
Three things I am confident of:
Two new pieces of information or learning I picked up today:
One question or query I still have about the paper:

12. Extension:
Create a Brand New Question Three.
Using the world pages of the BBC News
website (except Canada & US) locate a text
which loosely links to the first text, and
produce your own question 3 on it.
Question 3:
Summarise at least 15 points on a specific
subject, having identified them in your own
words first (a bullet pointed list)