ACSI 2024 Year 5 Timed Practice 1 Review_Questions

2024 Year 5 SL LL Prepared by Mr Shawn Lim 2024 Year 5 Timed Practice 1 Review: Questions • These samples were inspired by real student essays. They each feature problems that require improvement and are hence not intended as model samples. • Read the samples and attempt to answer the questions on your own. Sample 1: The article uses common pop cultural references to draw in the reader. The ‘Fun with Language’ section opens with Taylor Swift and her song ‘Blank Space’. Taylor Swift is the biggest pop star of the 21st century and is even more famous now thanks to her ongoing Eras Tour. Additionally, her song ‘Blank Space’ is her greatest hit and its mondegreen of ‘Starbucks lovers’ is also very famous. Hence, the article appeals to her fans, and to young people who would likely have heard of her even if they are not fans. Since the magazine targets students who are interested in science and technology, they are likely to find language boring, so the pop cultural reference will help attract their attention. Further, by mentioning Taylor Swift instead of defining what a mondegreen is like most science textbooks would do, the article prompts the reader to think about who Taylor Swift is and whether her lyrics have been misheard, successfully engaging the reader. Questions: • A marker is likely to find large tracts of the sample unnecessary. Give some reasons why this is so. You should identify evidence to justify your answer. • How then should the writing be improved? • If a large part of the writing is deemed irrelevant or unnecessary, what other criterion, besides analysis, would be compromised?

2024 Year 5 SL LL Prepared by Mr Shawn Lim Sample 2: The article’s precise questions help to interest and inform the reader about mondegreens. In the ‘Fun with Language’ section, the question about ‘Starbuck Lovers’ is posed, with the use of hypophora when the answer is provided immediately in the next paragraph. The hypophora prompts the reader to think about the misheard lyrics, thus creating interest about what the actual lyrics are. Similarly, a question about what songs the reader and their friends have misheard is used to conclude the section. The question serves to engage the reader by asking them to consider real-life examples of mondegreen, even reaching out to others and so applying their knowledge of mondegreens to everyday life. The last section also features a quiz. This forces the reader to engage with the article as they need to use their knowledge of mondegreens to pick the correct answer to the question. Hence, the use of questioning helps engage and educate the reader. Questions: • How do you find the sample’s coverage of questions as a feature? Is it comprehensive, or can more be added? • Examine the sample’s reasoning for each example closely. Is it acceptable or lacking in some manner?

2024 Year 5 SL LL Prepared by Mr Shawn Lim Sample 3: The article’s layout and structure are effectiv