Writing (1 hour 30 minutes)

Part 1

Read the two texts below.

Write an essay summarising and evaluating the key points from both texts. Use your own words throughout as far as possible, and include your own ideas in your answers.

Wrife your answer in 240-280 words.

1.

Looking back

Memories are undoubtedly precious to all of us. We can get a huge amount of pleasure and reassurance from the simple act of sitting down with relatives or friends and reminiscing about past events, whether they are amusing incidents from our childhood, teenage adventures or turning points in our lives. Given this, it has to be said that we should be suspicious of any tendency in ourselves or others to fall into the trap of constantly comparing the present with the past. Surely it is better to be focused entirely on the here and now?

2.

Remembering how it was

Memories are more than merely a source of delight; on a more profound level they contribute to our sense of identity. All the experiences we have had make us the people we are today, and without our unique set of memories we would be utterly different. It should not be overlooked that memories can also be unreliable and inconsistent. After all, as the police are well aware, two or three witnesses will often remember the same event in ways that flatly contradict one another. Even close relatives such as siblings will usually have strikingly different memories of a shared family holiday.

Part 2

Write an answer to one of the questions 2 – 4 in this part. Write your answer in 220 – 260 words in an appropriate style.

2. An international newspaper has asked for articles from readers on the theme ‘Small World’. You decide to write an article. You should briefly describe some of the effects of global developments in communications, such as travel and social networking. You should also evaluate how the consequences of these developments may affect your own country's cultural

Write your article.

3. You are the leader of a local youth You have been asked to write a report for your local website on social activities available for young people in your area. In your report you should explain how two or three activities available locally help young people to interact socially. You should also assess the importance of social life in the personal development of young people.

Write your report.

 4. You recently attended a jobs fair organised for students in their final year at university by a number of major international companies. You decide to write a review of the event for your student newspaper. You should briefly describe one or two jobs which attracted you. Your review should also evaluate how well different companies marketed themselves at the jobs fair in order to attract potential employees.

Write your review.

5. Write an answer to one of the following two questions based on one of the titles below.

Write 5(a) or 5(b) at the beginning of your answer

• John Wyndham: The Day of the Triffids

In your literature class you have been discussing the ways in which writers portray characters in their novels. Your tutor has asked you to write an essay comparing the characters of Bill and Josella, and assessing how they come to terms with the difficulties they encounter.

Write your essay.

• P. Hartley: The Go-Between

A literary journal has published an article on ‘novels with the loss of innocence as a central theme’. It has invited readers to send in letters recommending examples of such novels. You decide to recommend The Go-Between. You should briefly describe the story and explain why you think the theme of lost innocence is central to the novel.

Write your letter.