‘A’ Level resources

Check out these resources on Mr Lim’s blog.

[Topic spotting] If I were taking the ‘A’ levels this year, this is what I’d study.

[Update: 1/11/2011] 

Mr Foo has helpfully arranged the 2011 P1 Prelim Questions by topic, which gives you a sense of what other JCs are spotting.

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[Update: 30/10/2011]

Check out this post for a recap of what Cambridge says they’ll set questions on, and page 4 of this document, which details Mr Lim’s predictions for the 2011 paper.

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[The following compiled lists are courtesy of Mr Foo]

11/11

Science and Technology has come out every year for the past 11 years:

1. Does modern technology always improve the quality of people’s lives? (2006)
2. Should research into expensive medical treatments be allowed when only a few can afford them? (2007)
3. ‘The more science advances, the more religion will decline.’ To what extent do you agree? (2008)
4. Discuss the view that too much faith is placed in statistics. (2008)
5. Should every country have the right to carry out unlimited scientific research? (2009)
6. To what extent has technology had an impact on both privacy and security in your country? (2009)
7. Can mathematics be seen as anything more than a useful tool in everyday life? (2010)
8. The key to good health is lifestyle rather than medicine.’ How far do you agree? (2010)
9. To what extent has technology had a negative impact on the skill levels of people? (2010)

8/8
Singapore / Your Society has come out every year for the past eight years:

1. ‘The family has suffered at the expense of career in Singaporean society.’ Is this a fair comment? (2003)
2. To what extent are the young in Singapore favoured at the expense of the elderly? (2004)
3. How far can the needs of minorities be met in modern Singapore? (2004)
4. Have multi-national businesses had a positive or negative impact on your society? (2004)
5. Do the arts, such as music and literature, really play a significant part in Singaporean society? (2005)
6. ‘The tourist does not see the country the inhabitants know.’ How far is this true of Singapore? (2005)
7. How far do magazines or television programmes aimed at young people in Singapore have a positive effect? (2005)
8. Do myths and legends still have a role to play in Singapore? (2006)
9. To what extent do young people in your society take an interest in politics? (2006)
10. How important is a sense of history in shaping the future of Singapore’s society? (2007)
11. Many developed countries are paying increasing attention to the ends of the disadvantaged. How far is this true in Singapore? (2008)
12. To what extent is design important in your society? (2008)
13. Assess the impact of foreign films or foreign TV programmes on the culture of your society. (2009)
14. How important is it for people in your society to retain a sense of tradition? (2010)
15. Would it matter if all the performing arts venues in your society, such as concert halls and theatres, were closed down? (2010)

10/11
Arts and culture has come out every year (except 2005) for the past 11 years:

1. ‘Public money should not be wasted on the arts; they should support themselves.’ Discuss. (2000)
2.  ‘A film has one purpose – to entertain.’ Using examples, consider this view. (2001)
3. ‘A work of art can never be valued just in financial terms.’ Discuss. (2002)
4. Does the book still have a future? (2003)
5. Discuss the appeal and value of fantasy stories and films. (2004)
6. ‘A picture is always more powerful than mere words.’ What is your view? (2006)
7. ‘The pen is mightier than the sword.’ Can written language really be so powerful? (2007)
8. ‘The arts cannot change the world, but they can make it more beautiful.’ Discuss this view with reference to one of the following: painting, sculpture or music. (2007)
9. ‘Contemporary music has no artistic value.’ Is this a fair comment? (2008)
10. Nowadays, the pleasures of reading can never compete with the pleasures of visual entertainment. (2008)
11. Are certain types of writing superior to others? (2009)
12. The book has no place in modern society.’ Discuss. (2010)

5/5
Poverty and Global Development has come out every year for the past five years:

1. Is there still a place for charity in today’s world? (2006)
2. Should poorer countries develop their tourist industry when the basic needs of their own people are not being met? (2007)
3. Does the presence of a foreign power ever help a country with problems? (2008)
4. Is the elimination of global poverty a realistic aim? (2009)
5. How effective are international efforts to ease the problem of global hunger? (2010)

6/8
Politics and Governance has come out in six of the past eight years:

1. ‘A good leader must always look beyond the needs of his or her country.’ Do you agree? (2003)
2. ‘People, not the government, should decide how to organise their lives.’ Is this a fair comment? (2004)
3. To what extent should the State involve itself in the world of business? (2005)
4. ‘The view of the majority is always right.’ Do you agree? (2007)
5. How far should a state have a right to monitor the actions of people within its borders? (2007)
6. ‘Only educated people should have the right to vote in elections.’ What is your view? (2009)
7. As long as people in the public eye do their job well, does it matter what they do in private? (2009)
8. How far should religion influence political decisions? (2010)
9. ‘No politician’s reputation can survive the judgement of time.’ How true is this? (2010)

Other useful topics:

• Globalisation (content is easy to incorporate into a range of topics)
• Environment (content is easy to incorporate into a range of topics)
• Media / New media (content is easy to incorporate into a range of topics)
• Food issues? (appeared in 2009 (essay) and twice in 2010 (essay and comprehension papers), but not before that – is this the beginning of a trend?)

Topics that other JCs are spotting

[Refer to the 2011 Prelim papers, and take note of the topics that keep cropping up in various JC exams]

The TOP 10: Essay questions by skill [Analysis of 2000-2010 GCE 'A' Level questions]

Here is a page which compiles the Top 10 types of essay questions that Cambridge asks.

For each type of question, a complete list of GCE ‘A’ Level questions (from 2000 to 2010) that are associated with the question type (and corresponding skill) is included.

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A quick summary of what’s mentioned on the page linked above is given below:

Types of essay questions

1. The ABSOLUTE question

Recommended approach: Disagree with the absolute (argue the side which only requires you to prove one instance/exception; e.g. disagree with “never” but agree with “ever”)

2. The COMPARATIVE question

Recommended approach (for those who frequently fail to meet requirements): Avoid these questions

Recommended approach (for those who do not have a problem with meeting requirements): Consider avoiding these questions. If you choose to do them, use a yardstick

3. The TOO MUCH question

Recommended approach (for those who frequently fail to meet requirements): Avoid these questions

Recommended approach (for those who do not have a problem with meeting requirements): Disagree (argue “a lot but not too much”) and use a yardstick

4. The TWO CLAUSES question

Recommended approach: Disagree with either or both clauses

Recommended approach (for those who do not have a problem with meeting requirements): Disagree with either or both clauses

Recommended approach (for those who do not have a problem with meeting requirements and want to try to be clever): In the event that the two clauses are separated by “but”, consider whether you can link the two clauses with a “because” instead of a “but”. Note that you may have to reverse the order of the clauses for a “because” link to work.

5. The STILL question

Recommended approach (for those who frequently fail to meet requirements): Avoid these questions

Recommended approach (for those who do not have a problem with meeting requirements): Consider avoiding these questions. If you choose to do them, use a CA-R paragraph structure if you disagree, and an A-CA-R paragraph structure if you agree.

6. The EITHER/OR / (FALSE) DICHOTOMY question

Recommended approach (for those who frequently fail to meet requirements): Pick one of the either/or options as your stand. Consider whether you know how to reconcile your counter arguments – many students end up attempting to reconcile their counter-arguments by comparing the two ideas, which then turns it into a comparison question. When this happens, avoid these questions.

Recommended approach (for those who do not have a problem with meeting requirements): Consider avoiding these questions if your approach ends up turning it into a comparison question.

Recommended approach (for those who do not have a problem with meeting requirements and want to try to be clever): Consider whether a false dichotomy is presented. If so, choose an alternate stand (one that is neither choice).

7. The CONDITIONAL STATEMENT / EMBEDDED CONTEXT question

Recommended approach (for those who frequently fail to meet requirements): Avoid these questions

Recommended approach (for those who do not have a problem with meeting requirements): Consider avoiding these questions

8. The REALLY question

Recommended approach (for those who frequently fail to meet requirements): Avoid these questions

Recommended approach (for those who do not have a problem with meeting requirements): Consider avoiding these questions. If you choose to do them, use a CA-R approach if you disagree (stand: “not really”), and an A-CA-R paragraph structure if you agree (stand: “really”).

9. The SHOULD question

Recommended approach: Consider the status quo and address the key issues and debates behind the push to change the status quo.

10. The OTHER question

Recommended approach: -

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Question type (1) is the most common question type, (8) is the least common. (9) cuts across various question types covered in (1)-(8). (10) lists all the other questions.

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Important note: If I have personally given you advice that contradicts the general advice above, take the advice that I gave you personally and ignore what is given above.  

(10) The OTHER questions [Analysis of 2000-2010 GCE 'A' Level questions]

These “other” questions don’t fall into any general category, in terms of the requirements behind the question. Often, the requirements for such questions are specific to the question.

Most of these questions are “to what extent” or “how far” questions. Similar questions are “discuss” and “comment”. Most of these “other” questions are less challenging than comparative questions, “really”, “still”, embedded context and “too much” questions. The main thing you should pay attention to are the key words, and make sure you know what they mean and how to define them.

10.

Other

 

2000

• ‘I am a Millionaire. That is my religion.’ To what extent has the pursuit of wealth become the modern goal?
• To what extent should richer nations help the poorer ones?
• ‘Public money should not be wasted on supporting the Arts; they should support themselves.’ Discuss.
• How far do you agree that health is the responsibility of the State, not of the individual?
• Is it true that the old must now learn from the young?

 

2001

• Discuss the extent to which global and national interests can be balanced.
• In what ways does a country both benefit and suffer from where it is situated?
• Examine the implications of cloning for the human race.
• Discuss the appeal, and the dangers, of attempting to predict the future.

 

2002

• ‘If people become ill it is largely their own fault.’ How far do you agree?

 

2003

• How far can the needs of minorities be met in modernSingapore?
• ‘The family has suffered at the expense of career in Singaporean society.’ Is this a fair comment?

 

2004

• To what extent are the young inSingaporefavoured at the expense of the elderly?
• Are the poor an inevitable feature of any[A1]  society?
• ‘How inventions and discoveries are used is not the concern of the scientist.’ Do you agree?
• ‘People, not the government, should decide how to organise their lives.’ Is this a fair comment?
• How far is recycling the answer to the problem of waste?
• Can small countries have a significant voice in world affairs?
• Advertising encourages a desire for products which people do not actually need. Discuss.
• Have multi-national businesses had a positive or negative impact on your society?
• Discuss the appeal and value of fantasy stories and films.
• Discuss the importance of religion in society today.

 

2005

• ‘There is no such thing as luck. People determine their own lives.’ Do you agree?
• To what extent should the State involve itself in the world of business?
• ‘The tourist does not see the country the inhabitants know.’ How far is this true ofSingapore?
• How far do magazines or television programmes aimed at young people inSingaporehave a positive effect?

 

2006

• ‘National boundaries make little geographical or economic sense nowadays.’ Discuss.
• Should crimes that were committed many years ago simply be forgotten?
• How far is your country prepared for future crises?
• ‘The world would be a better place if everyone spoke the same language.’ Discuss.
• To what extent do young people in your society take an interest in politics?
• ‘Entrepreneurship is just another name for personal greed.’ How far do you agree with this statement?

 

2007

• Can a belief in the supernatural be sustained in our modern world?
• How far should a state have a right to monitor the actions of people within its borders?
• How important is a sense of history in shaping the future ofSingapore’s society?

 

2008

• How important are dreams?
• How far do physical features, such as size and location, determine a country’s progress?
• To what extent does the migration of people have a positive effect?
• Many developed countries are paying increasing attention to the needs of the disadvantaged.
• How far is this true inSingapore?
• How far is it possible to ensure that all producers of food and goods are fairly rewarded?
• To what extent is design important in your society?

 

2009

• Is the elimination of global poverty a realistic aim?
• To what extent has technology had an impact on both privacy and security in your country?
• ‘History records male acts, written by males, and holds little interest for females as a result.’ Is this a fair comment?
• How far should religion influence political decisions?
• Assess the impact of foreign films or foreign TV programmes on the culture of your society.
• Can the transport of food over vast distances be justified?

 

2010

• Consider the view that most work nowadays could, and should, be done from home.
• How far can an individual be held responsible for crimes against humanity?
• Would it matter if all[A2]  the performing arts venues in your society, such as concert halls and theatres, were closed down?
• ‘The person who dies rich dies disgraced.’ Discuss.
• To what extent has technology had a negative impact on the skill levels of people?
• Does sport merit the vast sums of money spent on it?
• How effective are international efforts to ease the problem of global hunger?
• How important is it for people in your society to retain a sense of tradition?

 

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 [A1]  [A2] NOTE: This is NOT an absolute question in the sense that the approach required is NOT the “absolute term” approach; the question requirements do not, involve you treating this as an absolute question. In fact, if you do, it would make for a really weird essay.

(9) The SHOULD question [Analysis of 2000-2010 GCE 'A' Level questions]

See this post.

(8) The REALLY question [Analysis of 2000-2010 GCE 'A' Level questions]

This key term has only appeared once in the past 11 years, but like the embedded context question, this one frequently goes horribly wrong – few people know how to deal with the term “really”. Best avoided, and if attempted, it is recommended that you disagree, and argue, “not really”. 

Recap the skill here and the recommended structure here.

(7) The EMBEDDED CONTEXT question [Analysis of 2000-2010 GCE 'A' Level questions]

The embedded context question is one that should be approached with caution. I’ve seen far too many such questions go horribly wrong. The general advice is to avoid these questions, unless you’ve done multiple such questions before and have always met requirements.

7.

Conditional statements /

embedded context

2009

• As long as people in the public eye do their job well, does it matter what they do in private? (2009)

2008

• ‘The more science advances, the more religion will decline.’ To what extent do you agree? (2008)

2007

• Should poorer countries develop their tourist industry when the basic needs of their own people are not being met? (2007)
• Is it possible to protect the environment when many countries require increasing amounts of energy to progress? (2007)
• Should research into expensive medical treatments be allowed when only a few can afford them? (2007)

(6) The EITHER/OR / (FALSE) DICHOTOMY question [Analysis of 2000-2010 GCE 'A' Level questions]

[Update: 6/11/2011]

Some either/or questions might end up becoming comparative questions, in which case, I would advise most students to avoid them. So before committing to an either/or question, consider whether you know how to reconcile your counter arguments – many students end up attempting to reconcile their counter-arguments by comparing the two ideas, which then turns it into a comparison question. When this happens, avoid these questions.

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6.

Either/or  /

(false) dichotomy

[NOTE: "Either/or" questions may present false dichotomies. Where false dichotomies are presented, identifying them and stating that a false dichotomy (also known as an either-or fallacy) is presented is, potentially, an excellent approach. However, the important thing to note is that you must still have a stand, so if you're presenting the idea of  a false dichotomy, you must state what your third option (your stand) is. See the first question below for an example.]

It is recommended that students who frequently fail their essays simply choose one of the “either/or” options in the question; those who are confident about expressing the “false dichotomy” idea may want to try the “false dichotomy” approach. 

2002

• Does a study of history make you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of the human race? (2002)

Here, you might argue that “optimistic or pessimistic” is a false dichotomy. However, if you do, you must define your alternate option – perhaps you are neither optimistic nor pessimistic; instead, you are indifferent because you ultimately view history as an interesting discipline, but of little practical use. Thus, you are not optimistic about the potential of studying history to apply lessons learnt form the past to the future, but neither do you see it as a foreshadowing of future events because you feel that the current context is very different from the past, and thus we can’t “extrapolate the line” into the future. 

2001

• ‘Computers and mobile phones have made us all worse at talking to one another, not better!’ What do you think? (2001) [Note: Also an absolute question]

2000

• A life of total luxury – dream or nightmare? (2000)

(5) The STILL question [Analysis of 2000-2010 GCE 'A' Level questions]

Recommended approach:

Avoid this question.

Unless you are absolutely sure you know the key (relevant) changes that have taken place between the past and the present (that provide the context for the key term “still”), you should avoid this sort of question. And judging by all the “still” essays I’ve read in the past two years, more often than not, those who attempted “still” questions didn’t know these key changes / issues. The only “still” question that I’ve read that was reasonably well done was the one on whether books still have a future – most people correctly identified the key change as the rise of the internet and the e-book, as well as the preference for alternative forms of entertainment.

5.

Still

 

2009

• Should a love of one’s country still be encouraged? (2009)

 

2006

• Is there still a place for charity in today’s world? (2006)
• Do myths and legends still have a role to play inSingapore? (2006)

 

2003

• Does the book still have a future? (2003)

 

2001

• Is the idea of having one partner for life still a realistic one? (2001)

(4) The TWO CLAUSES question [Analysis of 2000-2010 GCE 'A' Level questions]

Recommended approach:

STAND: Disagree with either one or both of the clauses.

This is because it typically takes a particularly good writer to be able to agree with both clauses, as agreeing with both clauses means that you must deal with both clauses simultaneously (in the same paragraph).  However, if you disagree with one or both clauses (meaning that your overall stand is a “disagree” stand*), you do not need to deal with both clauses simultaneously; instead, you can deal with them independently, in separate paragraphs. This is why disagreeing is much easier than agreeing. So if you frequently fail your essays, you are strongly advised not to attempt an “agree” stand. Always disagree. 

*There are two possible “disagree” stands. If you frequently fail your essays, please take note of the phrasing for both types of “disagree” stands, by considering the example, ‘Too much attention is given to criminals; not enough to their victims.’ Is this true?

Option 1: Disagree with both clauses

STAND: It is not true that too much attention is given to criminals, and neither is it true that not enough attention is given to their victims.

Para 1: Explain why it is not true that too much attention is given to criminals
Para 2: Explain why it is not true that not enough attention is given to their victims
Para 3 & 4: (repeat above structure)

Option 2: Disagree with one clause

a) STAND: While it is true that too much attention is given to criminals, it is not true that not enough attention is given to their victims. Thus, overall, the statement is not true. 

Para 1: Explain why it is true that too much attention is given to criminals
Para 2: Explain why it is not true that not enough attention is given to their victims
Para 3 & 4: (repeat above structure)

Note: As this is also a “too much” question, you should not take this stand as it is difficult to agree with “too much” (see blog post on “too much”). Thus, for this question, if you choose to disagree with only one clause, you should disagree with the “too much” clause, as follows:

b) STAND: While it is not true that too much attention is given to criminals, it is true that not enough attention is given to their victims. Thus, overall, the statement is not true. 

Para 1: Explain why it is not true that too much attention is given to criminals
Para 2: Explain why it is true that not enough attention is given to their victims
Para 3 & 4: (repeat above structure)

4a.

Two clauses,

(usually) separated by commas

2009

• ‘Air travel should be discouraged, not promoted.’ To what extent do you agree? (2009)

2005

• ‘Too much attention is given to criminals; not enough to their victims.’ Is this true? (2005) [Note: Also a “too much” question]
• ‘Instead of speeding up the pace of life, we should be slowing it down.’ What do you think? (2005)

2001

• ‘Idealism brings disillusionment; realism brings results.’ Discuss. (2001)

2000

• ‘Science never provides solutions – it only poses more questions.’ Is this a fair comment? (2000) [Note: Also an absolute question]

4b.

Two clauses,

separated by “but”

The “but” questions are more interesting because they often allow for more interesting approaches and stands. For those of you who usually do well in your essays, this is something for you to think about.

The “but” in the question usually suggests that the two concepts presented are either (1) mutually exclusive or (2) unlinked. However, these assumptions can be questioned, and this is what makes a potentially interesting angle, as illustrated in the points beneath some of the following questions.

2007

• ‘The arts cannot change the world, but they make it more beautiful.’ Discuss this view with reference to one of the following: painting, sculpture or music. (2007)

Perhaps it is precisely because it changes the world that it becomes more beautiful? That the ability to change the world is (one of the things) that makes the arts more beautiful.

• ‘Advertisements are often entertaining, but they rarely affect consumer choice.’ Is this your experience? (2007)

2005

• Consider the view that the study of mathematics is intellectually satisfying, but of little practical use. (2005)

Could the fact that it is intellectually satisfying make it useful in practical terms? That we derive some practical use from the very fact that it is intellectually satisfying (e.g. because it’s intellectually satisfying, we might pursue it more deeply, and this develops our ability to think logically, which we can put to practical use in our lives).

2003

• ‘Statistics measure everything but prove nothing.’ Discuss. (2003)

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This excerpt from Mr Lim’s post illustrates how you might challenge the “but”:

1. Challenge the relationship established in the question.

‘Movies are fun but useless.’ Comment.

Not only are movies enjoyable and meaningful, they are precisely meaningful because they are enjoyable. How can we discount the value of pulling ourselves away from our 14-hour work days to sit on a couch and laugh our hearts out at a Will Ferrell comedy? It is ridiculous to deem passive entertainment ‘useless’. Play is play because it is not work; we cannot judge movies by the amount of ‘work’ we do whilst watching them. We need our time to unwind, to relax, to recharge so that we can apply ourselves ‘usefully’ at work. That is the value of the time we spend at the cinema or in front of our television screens. It does not matter if we are watching The March of the Penguins or Mr Popper’s Penguins. Whether it is to satisfy our innate curiosities about the larger world or just about a good frivolous time, movies are always ‘fun’ and ‘useful’.