General Paper
Refresher
thirtieth october 2007
paper one
skills you need to
remember:
#1: the all-important word
#2: decision-making
#3: kinds of questions
#4: planning and brainstorming
#5: the essential parts of the essay
#1: the all-important word
A-N-A-L-Y-S-E
#2: making the ‘best’ decision
 Should you zoom into your
favourite topic?
 What are the key questions to ask
yourself before deciding on the
‘best’ question for you?
#2: making the ‘best’ decision
 How familiar am I with the topic(s)?
 How many topics are there involved?
- E.g: The Arts has lost its footing in today’s
scientific world. Comment
#2: making the ‘best’
decision
 Am I confident of all the words in
the question?
- E.g: Sport is human life in microcosm.
To what extent is this true?
 Are the keywords easy to define?
- E.g: Simplicity is an underrated
quality. Comment.
#2: making the ‘best’
decision
 Have I noticed all the keywords in
the question?
- E.g: Can the media ever be relied upon to
convey the truth?
 Is the question demanding or
complicated?
- E.g: To what extent are the young in
Singapore favoured at the expense of
the elderly?
#2: making the ‘best’
decision
Whatever you do,
do not take risks
#3: kinds of questions
 Absolute Questions I: Singular
only, solely, sole, no value
 Consider this: How many things in this world
have only one purpose? With such questions, it’s
probably the easiest to disagree. But don’t
dismiss what is mentioned in the question.
- E.g: Apart from entertainment value,
films have no other value. Do you agree?
#3: kinds of questions
 Absolute Questions I: Extreme
always, never, ever, everything, must
 Can we be sure that something will always/never happen?
A single success will contradict your stand. So always
challenge such extreme statements.
 But how optimistic should we be? Consider time-frame.
E.g: Can Singapore ever attain international sporting
success?
E.g: Can poverty ever be eradicated?
#3: kinds of questions
 Absolute Questions I: Comparative
most important, key, main
 E.g: Is integrity the most essential quality of a good
leader?
 Take a look at the two stands you may take:
 Agree: Compare with other qualities and show why
this is the most essential quality.
 Disagree: Explain when the quality is of
importance, but show how other qualities
have to work in tandem with this
particular quality.
#3: Kinds of questions
 Listing questions
E.g: What are the responsibilities of the
media in your country?
 Such questions are the most straightforward and
possibly the easiest to tackle.
 Remember you should not bother spending
time disagreeing with the statement given.
 The most basic requirement is to show
what the responsibilities are..
#3: kinds of questions
 Extreme Relationship Question
E.g: Is sport too closely linked to money these
days?
E.g: Far too much attention is paid to paper
qualifications in today’s society. Discuss.
 Compare with: Is sport closely linked to money
these days?
 These may look simple but they are not!
If you agree with these statements,
you may face an uphill task, having to
prove difficult relationships.
#3: kinds of questions
 To what extent, How far?
 You’ll either agree or disagree to a large
extent.
 No more ‘small extent’, please!
#3: kinds of questions
 Consider the
importance/significance of …
 Must a thesis statement be given? Yes, but a
simple one will do.
E.g: Water has a strong significance in all
aspects of life.
#2: kinds of questions
 Tag questions: Do you agree?
Discuss. Comment.
 They’re all the same.
 You need to engage with the question and
make a clear thesis statement.
#4: planning and brainstorming
 Should I come up with a thesis
statement first?
Or brainstorm the points first?
#4: Planning and brainstorming
 BRAINSTORMING: THINK about
- Past/present
- Any difference between developed and
developing natons
- Impact on individual, community,
country and international world
- Characteristics of the world today
- Various topics you’ve learnt
- Causes/Reasons, Consequences,
Implications, Solutions and WHY?
#4: planning and brainstorming
 PLANNING:
- Look through your points: Will you be
able to cover all?
- Which are the most impactful points?
- Organise in order of importance
- Decide which will be your counterarguments and main arguments
- Finally, decide on thesis
statement
#4: planning and brainstorming
Now you can finally start
writing.
Do not fear if you find yourself
spending more than 20-30mins
on these steps.
#5: the essential parts
 General Structure of Essay:
Intro, Body, Conclusion
 Structure of counter-arguments
and main arguments in Body:
CA
CA
MA
MA
MA
MA
CA
MA
CA
MA
CA
MA
CA
MA
CA
MA
MA
MA
#5: the essential parts
 INTRODUCTION:
Background information (not all compulsory):
- why is this question worth asking/answering?
- what do the terms in the question mean?
- who does the answer to the question affect?
- how and when did th related phenomena come
about?
Other information (not all compulsory):
- a brief introduction of the main points/arguments
you will raise
- startling information (with elaboration)
- interesting quotes
COMPULSORY: THESIS STATEMENT
#5: the essential parts
 BODY (Every paragraph in the body of the
essay must be self-sufficient):
- TOPIC SENTENCE
(This should be specific to the question. It’s either
clearly a counter/main argument)
- ELABORATION
- EVIDENCE/EXAMPLES
(This is to support your topic sentence
and not become your topic sentence)
- SUMMING UP SENTENCE
(Link back to the question)
#5: the essential parts
How to word the counterargument:
 Critics may argue/say…
 It has been argued that…
 Detractors may argue/say…
How to word the transitory main
argument:
 To counter the above argument..
 On the contrary
 It may seem true that ……, but…..
#5: the essential parts
CONCLUSION
 Ways taken to solve the problem you have
shown
 Ways to maximise the gain from a beneficial
phenomenon
 Challenge your reader to consider what your
arguments and project into the future,
projecting what could happen should this
trend continue
 Point out the flaws in our human
condition and how this awareness will
be the key to the change in situations
#5: the essential parts
 If you have time, check your spelling and grammar.
 Remember the common mistakes:
- existence, definitely, argument, portray, athlete,
advertisement, received
- research, evidence, proof, equipment, aid
- Science and technology, sports/sport,
mass media
 Grammar issues:
- do/does/did/will/would/shall/should/can/
could/may/might + take
- is/was/are/were/has/have/had + taken
- will/would/shall/should/can/could/may/
might + be+ taken
paper two
skills you need to
remember:
#1: before you start
#2: the all-important word
#3: question types
#4: summary
#4: application question
#1: Before you start…
 Read the lead-in of AQ
 Check the number of questions
 Where’s the summary?
 Control time,
don’t let time control you
#2: the all-important word
A-N-A-L-Y-S-E
#3: question types
 What to do with these phrases:
- “Use your own words as far as possible;
- “in your own words”
 If they do not appear, it is VERY LIKELY to be
an inferential question.
 But if they appear, they can be either
a PARAPHRASE or INFERENTIAL
question
#3: question types
 What to do with these phrases:
- “Use your own words as far as possible;
- “in your own words”
 If they do not appear, it is VERY LIKELY to be
an inferential question.
 But if they appear, they can be either
a PARAPHRASE or INFERENTIAL
question
#3: question types
General rule:
- Keep paraphrasing; Do not lift
unless you see the word “identify”
- E.g: From your reading of paragraph 3,
identify the statement that contains a
paradox.
- E.g: Identify and explain two phrases
which…..
#3: question types
WHEN TO PARAPHRASE OR INFER?
 Look for clues in the question
 E.g: Explain two distinct criticisms that the writer
raised about the media.
 E.g: Explain the author’s stand …..
#3: question types
WHEN TO PARAPHRASE OR INFER?
 Explain what the author means by
“full sentence from passage”
E.g: Explain what the author means by “Enough is not a
possibility for our species”.
versus
E.g: Explain what the author means by
“the obesity epidemic is myopia in
action”.
#3: question types
WHEN TO PARAPHRASE OR INFER?
 Explain what the author means by
“phrase from passage”
E.g: Explain what the author means by “a concerted
effort”.
versus
E.g: Explain how the obesity epidemic is
“myopia in action”.
’
#3: question types
INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 When a single word from the passage is
highlighted:
- E.g: What does the word “shock” imply about the
population explosion?
- E.g: What does the word ‘goosebumps’ suggest about
our reaction ‘when we approach these grand questions’?
 Focus on the meaning of the word and link it
back to the question:
E.g: It implies that the population explosion was
unexpected/surprising.
#3: question types
INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 Metaphor questions
- These may not always be identified as metaphors.
- Use the “Just as” method OR give the literal meaning
and the metaphorical meaning (2 parts).
 Attitude questions: Critical
 Tone questions: Sarcastic
 Justify your answer
E.g: The author’s tone is sarcastic as he
says that the media is manipulative as he
describes them as “……”
#3: question types
INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 Intention questions
E.g: What is the writer’s intention in ……
Answer: The writer’s intention is to
emphasise/highlight/criticise/warn……
*depending on what the question asks
#3: question types
INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 Irony/Paradox/Contradiction
questions
- Use the structure of
“It is expected that A but it is ironic
that/the paradox is/the contradiction is
B.
- A: What you expect
- B: What’s happening in the passage
#3: question types
INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 Parenthesis (brackets)
E.g: What does the author intend you to understand by the
use of parenthesis in the line “Politicians are not priests or
moral guides: since they are now treated with (unjustified)
contempt, they are unlikely to assume the mantle of the
nation's happiness gurus”?
 Answer: This is an aside which
reflects the author’s personal feelings
as opposed to what others think.
He feels that there are no good/acceptable
reasons for people to treat the politicians
without respect.
#3: question types
INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS:
 Inverted commas/quotation marks
E.g: Why is the word “greater” in inverted
commas?
 Answer: The author is sarcastic as he does
not agree with the original meaning of the
word, “greater”. The word “greater”
is usually used to imply A, but the
author means B.
 A: how word/phrase is usually used
 B: how word/phrase is used in passage
#4: summary
 Analyse ALL summary requirements
carefully.
 Time to take: About 20-25 minutes
 Try not to leave this question too close
to tne end.
 Highlight your points
 Make good decisions:
- Which points are easier
to paraphrase quickly?
 Paraphrase; do not include
your personal opinion
#5: application question
 Mark out the requirements
 Identify the scope to discuss, if any
- the world? or your
country/society?
#5: application question
 Follow the structure for each
requirement:





Give stand
Quote ONE argument
Rephrase the argument
Evaluate, using keywords
Give examples to support YOUR
evaluation
#5: application question
 When evaluating, you could:
 Point out if the passage is supported
by evidence/statistics/examples
 How reliable are these?
 Use evaluative keywords like:
‘sweeping statements’, ‘flawed’,
‘loopholes’, ‘generalisations’,
‘credible’, ‘well-supported’.
#5: application question
 When evaluating
measures/solutions, you should:
 point out both strengths and
limitations
 Examples should come from your
‘own knowledge and
experience’
 Singapore examples –
please explain
Finally…
 Remember the all-important word
 Use dark-coloured pen
 Keep calm and level-headed
 Be logical
 Have confidence
 Sleep well