This is the second exemplar we have published analyzing a travel blog from the May 2022 time zone 2 Paper 1 examination.  The first response can be found here.  We encourage you and your students to compare and contrast the two model examples against each other.  Why is one better than the other?  What specific qualities in criterion A, B, and C in particular make the first exemplar better?

What is noticeable about this particular exam text is that this is a tough guiding question (in my opinion).  The guiding question (statement) says: “Examine how the narrative voice is used in this text to create a sense of immediacy whilst also attempting to involve the reader.”

There are essentially three parts to the question with “narrative voice” being the technique or device and the effect of this voice creating “a sense of immediacy” and “attempting to involve the reader.”

To keep this thread running throughout the response isn’t easy.  And this response shows the need to provide more than a general interpretation of the text: what does “involve the reader” actually mean?  How do you show that the narrative voice creates “a sense of immediacy” without just repeating immediacy?  Students need to parse out the key words in the question rather than just repeat it in their response. 

As well, deconstructing the guiding question in class, so students are prepared for anything that is thrown at them on the exam – and looking at the details of the question so they know what the question is asking and how to answer it – is always a good idea. 

The blog entry by the journalist is linked here.  Please note that the exam only uses the first 7 paragraphs of this blog entry and the images on the blog page are different from the images on the exam.  Unfortunately, we can’t reproduce the examination on the site due to copyright.  

Again, you can find the new Paper 1 exemplar here.

Best,

Tim and David