CORE English as a Second Language (Short Course) - 9285 OxfordAQA

Reading: Understand And Respond To Written Language

Overview

The Reading section is the one place in this qualification where your English is not being judged at all. The specification says it in a single sentence: the appropriate marks will be awarded if the student has satisfactorily communicated his or her understanding, even though the response may contain some errors in the quality of language used. Spelling, grammar and elegance earn nothing here and cost nothing. Forty-two marks are available for understanding four passages, and nothing else.

That should make it the easiest thirty-five per cent of the qualification, and for most candidates it is where the largest number of marks are left on the table. This lesson explains why. It sets out the four strands of AO1 and which of the four texts assesses which, names the six question families the specification's own descriptions imply, and then works the three types that decide the grade: the multi-select collation, the listing question, and the inference item.

Objectives

  1. In order to meet the requirements of AO1, students are expected to:
  2. read, understand and respond to a range of written texts varying in type, style, purpose and degree of complexity
  3. develop skills in scanning and skimming texts to identify specific and general points and identify overall message
  4. understand the significance of tense and recognise the relationship between past, present and future
  5. examine writers’ purpose through close consideration of content and use of language
  6. explore what is implied but not actually stated and make appropriate inference and deduction.

Lesson Note

Reading is Section B of Paper 2. The whole paper is a written exam of 1 hour 45 minutes carrying 78 marks and 65 per cent of the qualification, and it contains a Listening section worth 36 marks and this Reading section worth 42. Those 42 marks are 35 per cent of the qualification on their own, and they are all AO1 marks. There are four texts. They rise in length, in difficulty and in tariff, and the last one is worth nearly three times the first. Access to dictionaries is not permitted at any time during the test.

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Lesson Evaluation

Congratulations on completing the lesson on Reading: Understand And Respond To Written Language. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.

You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.

Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.

  1. Which strand of AO1 is NOT assessed by Text 4 of the Reading section? A. R1 B. R2 C. R3 D. R4 Answer: A
  2. How many marks does the Reading section carry, and what share of the qualification is that? A. 36 marks and 30 per cent B. 42 marks and 35 per cent C. 60 marks and 50 per cent D. 78 marks and 65 per cent Answer: B
  3. A multi-select statement reads 'The express always reaches the capital in five hours' when the passage says 'on a good day'. What kind of distractor is this? A. A false connection B. A near miss C. An overstatement D. A reversal Answer: C
  4. What is the usual fault of a wrong option on a main-purpose question? A. It is a true statement about part of the text B. It contradicts the text outright C. It quotes the text word for word D. It uses vocabulary from a different passage Answer: A
  5. Which two texts carry two thirds of the Reading section's marks? A. Texts 1 and 2 B. Texts 1 and 4 C. Texts 2 and 3 D. Texts 3 and 4 Answer: D

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