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FIRST LANGUAGE KOREAN
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Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education
0521 First Language Korean November 2011
Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
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Paper 0521/01
Reading
Key Messages
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To score full marks in Question 1, the answers should contain clear, precise and well-constructed
sentences. Candidates should pay attention to the marks available for each question as it gives clues
about the number of points they are expected to cover in their answer.
Candidates should keep in mind that Question 2 answers require comparison and contrast between text
1 and text 2. Candidates should be able to summarise, paraphrase and rephrase rather than copy from
the text in their answers.
To score full marks for language/style/organisation, candidates should present their answers in
syntactically correct, complex sentences, not in bullet points or as a list of notes.
General comments
Overall performance in the examination was good. Most candidates demonstrated their comprehension of
the texts and tasks. Many candidates showed their ability to scan, analyse and evaluate relevant information
from the text for each question with a clear and an appropriate style of language for their answers.
However, some candidates did not present their answers in full sentences. Candidates should be made
aware that answers presented in such a style (e.g bullet points, a list of notes or syntactically oversimplified
sentences) will have a negative impact on their marks available for language.
Candidates should should use appropriate and consistent style of language for their answers, rather than
mixing different styles and registers.
Comments on specific questions
Question 1
Generally, all of the sub-questions were answered adequately.
Questions requiring simple and
straightforward answers, such as 1(a), 1(c) and 1(g) were answered very well. However, some answers to
the more challenging questions such as 1(h) lacked adequate explanation or discussion. Question 1(h)
asked candidates to summarise and discuss, in their own words, the specific details of ‘the beauty of tension
and relaxation’ and ‘the harmony of yin and yang’ in 사물놀이. Accordingly, at least four points should be
discussed in the answer, as indicated by the marks available for this question. 사물놀이 repeats the process
of tightening / winding and unwinding to reach its climax. The beauty of tension and relaxation is achieved
by the percussion instruments by means of contrast between strong and weak, delicate and intense, and
slow and fast. The sharp sound produced by metal instruments, which are 징 and 꽹과리, contrast but also
harmonise with the soft sound produced by 북 and 장구, as in yin and yang. Another harmony of yin and
yang is that it starts with a slow rhythm and gets faster, but then the tempo changes again. It seems all
orderly and regular but it keeps changing. Many candidates failed to address the question fully and hence
did not score full marks.
Some candidates answered questions only partially: for example, Question 1(c) asks how the four
instruments in 사물 have changed and how the meaning of 사물 has changed. Some candidates did not
identify ‘범종, 법고, 운판, 목어’ as ‘사물’, which were used in Buddhist ceremony. These later change to ‘북,
징, 목탁, 태평소’, and then again change to ‘북, 장구, 징, 꽹과리’. 사물 meant the four percussion
instruments which were only used in Buddhist ceremony or service originally but they then became national
folk percussion instruments which could be enjoyed by ordinary people.
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© 2011
Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education
0521 First Language Korean November 2011
Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
Another example of a question that some candidates answered only in part was Question (1d). This
question asked to explain why 사물놀이, which appeared not so long ago, has developed so richly. Some
candidates offered the incomplete answer that the majority of people who lived in the cities were originally
from the countryside, so they had a certain nostalgia about their own music, and that 사물놀이 stimulated
this subconscious desire. The other point required for full marks to this question was that 사물놀이 has an
amazing power to capture people’s hearts with its melody.
Question 2
The majority of candidates successfully linked and explored the common themes of the two texts and
answered the question as instructed. Many candidates answered the question correctly, with good use of
their own words and complex syntax. However, some candidates did not pay attention to the main
instruction in Question 2, which required candidates to compare text 1 and text 2. Some candidates only
worked out their answers based on text 1. A few candidates did not use a good summary style with an
orderly grouping and good linkage of ideas. Candidates should be reminded that their responses are
assessed on the quality of the language as well as the content.
Question 2 asked candidates to summarise the differences between and similarities of 사물놀이 and
풍물놀이 (풍물굿). Various aspects of these two acts should be compared and contrasted. They differ from
each other in many aspects, such as their history. It would not be an exaggeration to say that 풍물놀이’s
history is as long as our nation, and there is a record of it in <동인전> and <삼국사기>. Whereas, 사물놀이
has a very short history – it only started to be performed in 1979 and became known in the 1980s. Among
many others, another aspect which can be contrasted between the two acts was their nature/type of
performance. 풍물놀이 is more group performance art which includes music and dance. Not only
percussion instruments were used in 풍물놀이 but also ’태평소’ was used. However, 사물놀이 developed as
an independent music genre, without acting or dance. 사물놀이 only uses four percussion instruments.
Some of the similarities are that they are both based on a very old traditional descant. They both
demonstrate the Korean people's unique spiritual life and their origin can be traced in the ritual ceremony
제천의식 which reveals the communication with gods and the harmony of heaven, earth and human beings.
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© 2011
Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education
0521 First Language Korean November 2011
Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
FIRST LANGUAGE KOREAN
Paper 0521/02
Writing
General comments
The writing overall was rather simple and average. Well-structured complex sentences score high for quality
of language and their use is recommended. For narration candidates need to think of exciting plots and
provide a good structure for the story. In the descriptive essays, candidates need to offer real depictions of
things or persons rather than narration.
Comments on specific questions
Section 1 Discussion and Argument
Candidates offered mostly simple structures and simple sentences in these essays and there was a generall
lack of supportive arguments and examples.
(a)
This was one of the most popular questions and it generated fairly well written essays, with
introduction, main body and conclusion and reasons for and against the argument.
(b)
A number of candidates chose this question. The argumentation was a bit weak in some answers.
(c)
This was also a popular question that produced fair quality essays.
(d)
This question was answered fairly well and it generated some interesting essays.
Section 2. Description and Narration
As usual, narration proved to be more popular than description.
(a)
The description of precious things were not very well done and most candidates have not
supported their assertions with arguments explaining why the described objects were previous to
them.
(b)
Candidates who chose to write about what the world will be like in 50 years tended to focus more
on narration than on description.
(c)
The essays produced in answer to this topic were generally satisfactory in their story-telling, but
sometimes lacked character-development and were often missing a climax.
(d)
This was the most popular topic and it gave rise to straightforward stories with good setting and
skillful creation of atmosphere. The plot was somewhat similar among candidates who went for the
‘daily routine’ type narration and did not venture into the more exciting / unusual.
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© 2011