Strategies for General Paper

What is General Paper?

Aims to develop in students the ability to think critically, To construct cogent arguments To communicate their ideas using clear, accurate and effective language

Scheme of Assessment
Paper Paper 1 Essay Description Paper comprises 12 questions Topic Areas: 1. Issues drawn from across disciplines 2. Issues of local interest and global concern Answer any one of a total of 12 questions. 500-800 words Range of Marks Content:30 Language: 20 Total mark: 50

2010 Alevel Questions

Consider the view that most work these days could, and should, be done from home. How far can an individual be held responsible for crimes against humanity? Would it matter if all the performing arts venues in your society, such as concert halls and theatres were closed down? The person who dies rich dies disgraced. Discuss. The book has no place in modern society. Discuss To what extent has technology had a negative impact on the skill levels of people?

2010 Alevel Questions

How effective are international efforts to ease the problem of global hunger? No politicians reputation can survive the judgement of time. How true is this? How important is it for people in your society to retain a sense of tradition? The key to good health is lifestyle rather than medicine. How far do you agree? Can mathematics be seen as anything more than a useful tool in everyday life? Does sport merit the vast sums of money that are spent on it?

Scheme of Assessment
Paper Paper 2 Compre hension Description Text comprises 1 or 2 passages. Questions cover: 1. Understanding, including literal comprehension vocabulary and inference (19marks) 2. Summary (8 marks) 3. Application (8 marks) Answer all questions. Range of Marks Content:35 Language: 15 (A separate but holistic score based on the entire script) Total mark: 50

The length of text(s) will be about 1200 words in total.

Past Year Comprehension Topics

Choices (2004) Aggression (2005) Freedom (2006) Gender Revolution (2007) History (2008) Work & Play (2009) Food (2010)

2010 Alevel Application Question

In this article, Patricia OASullivan describes some current issues around the subject of food. How applicable do you find her observations to yourself and your own society?

Lecture/Tutorial System
Lectures: Skills and Content
Grammar, Question Analysis, Error Analysis Politics, Diversity vs. Inclusiveness, Tradition vs. Modernity, Meritocracy vs. Egalitarianism, Individualism vs. Collectivism, Religion vs. Secularism

Tutorials:
GP Packages according to the topics listed above Skills Packages: Paragraph development, Answering Inference Question, summary, AQ etc. Timed Assignments

JC 2 Programs
Compulsory weekly GP remedial for weak students Weekly GP Clinic for extremely weak students (group of 5-6 students) Accelerated Program for the Top Band students Film Review (once a term) Book Sharing (once a term) Weekly Skills lecture (in addition to timetabled lecture) in the 2nd half of the year conducted by HOD

Self-study
Read the newspapers (Straits Times) EVERYDAY Watch T.V programs/websites such as BBC, CNN, CNA, Discovery Channel etc. Read Time Magazine, Newsweek, The Economist Read Non-Fiction Books such as The End of Poverty and Commonwealth Economics for a crowded planet by Jeffrey Sachs, The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman, 50 facts that should change the world by Jessica Williams or Denialism by Michael Specter

Practice! Practice! Practice!

Students are advised to do additional comprehensions and write additional essays. Comprehension papers and essay questions are found in every GP Package.