Paper 2 Section A: Overview

SECTION A: READING – Assessment Objectives

In Section A you will answer four reading questions based on two sources (one 19th-century and one 20th/21st-century).

Each question links to specific Assessment Objectives (AOs):

AO	What it means in practice	Which question(s)?
AO1	• Find information (explicit = obvious, implicit = implied). • Pick out facts and ideas. • Use evidence from the text.	Q1 (true statements) Q2 (summary of differences/similarities)
AO2	• Explain how writers use language and structure. • Analyse word choices, imagery, and techniques. • Use subject terminology (e.g. metaphor, tone, sentence length).	Q3
AO3	• Compare writers' ideas and perspectives. • Show how their viewpoints are similar/different. • Use evidence from both texts.	Q4
AO4	• Judge how convincing or effective a text is. • Back up your opinion with quotes.	(AO4 is assessed in Paper 1, not Section A of Paper 2)

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The Four Questions on Paper 2 Section A

1. Q1 (4 marks) – Choose the 4 true statements about Source A. (AO1)
2. Q2 (8 marks) – Summarise the differences/similarities between the two sources. (AO1)
3. Q3 (12 marks) – Analyse how the writer of one source uses language. (AO2)
4. Q4 (16 marks) – Compare how the two writers present their perspectives/ideas. (AO3)

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