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Cambridge International Advanced Level
9716 French November 2011
Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
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FRENCH
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Paper 9716/01
Speaking
Key messages
For candidates:
●
●
●
In the Presentation, it is important that candidates make reference to the contemporary society or
cultural heritage of a French speaking country.
Candidates should make every effort to express ideas and opinions in their presentation, as well as
facts.
Candidates should remember to ask questions of the Examiner in both the topic conversation and
the general conversation sections.
For examiners:
●
●
●
●
Examiners should try to keep to the timing recommended for each section of the examination.
They should mark the change from topic conversation to general conversation.
They should prompt candidates to ask questions in both the topic and the general conversation
sections, and should remember to keep their own answers brief.
Examiners should make sure they are familiar with the format of the examinations and the mark
scheme.
General comments
Recording and administration
For this session, many examinations were submitted on CD; these tended to be very clear, though in fact
there were few problems of audibility, whatever the format used. It would be very helpful to Moderators if
Centres made sure that their CDs and cassettes were labelled with the details of the Centre and the
syllabus, as well as listing the candidate details (names and numbers) in the order in which they are
recorded – this helps to locate the required recordings. There are still occasions when Moderators receive
unlabelled recordings and spend considerable time finding specific candidates on them .
When selecting the sample to be sent, please try to make sure that the range of marks is covered as evenly
as possible – where two candidates at the top, or at the bottom of the range, have the same mark, it is
preferable to send one of each of them, and choose others to represent what may be a large number of
candidates in the 60 to 70 range, for example.
The paperwork submitted by Centres is generally very good, but Examiners should make sure that the
addition of marks is carefully checked, together with the transfer of these marks to the final mark sheets
before these are submitted.
Conduct of the examination: timing and format
It is important that before beginning the examination Examiners make sure that they know the format and
timings of the various sections of the examination. For each candidate, the examination should last
approximately 20 minutes and should consist of
3 to 3½ minutes for the candidate to speak uninterrupted on the topic s/he has chosen for the
Presentation;
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© 2011
Cambridge International Advanced Level
9716 French November 2011
Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
7 to 8 minutes for the Topic Conversation, during which the Examiner and candidate discuss the
topic of the Presentation – the candidate’s questions to the Examiner should be included in this
time allowance;
8 to 9 minutes of General Conversation – the candidate’s questions to the Examiner should also be
included in the time allowed here.
Although there are clearly 3 sections to the examination, the recording should be started at the beginning of
each candidate’s examination and should continue without stopping to the end for that particular candidate –
the recording must not be stopped and restarted after each section.
Comments on specific questions
Presentation
Candidates chose a very wide range of topics, clearly reflecting their own interests. There were fewer
concerned with ecology and pollution than in previous years, and many which showed clear local
connections. When choosing their topic, candidates need to remember that they are expected to
demonstrate knowledge of the contemporary society or cultural heritage of a country where French is spoken
– this does not mean that they should embark on a very general topic, such as Les jeunes, or Le tourisme
and then briefly say ...et c’est la même chose en France... They should take care to make clear they are
using francophone sources, or make clear comparisons between circumstances in their own country and in
France, or Canada, or Senegal. Many candidates did this very successfully, dealing with, for example,
juvenile delinquency in Belgium, or French media, or sport, with particular reference to football in France, or
le tour de France. The most popular areas this session seemed to be those concerned with social issues the family, marriage, divorce - and technology, both in general, and with particular regard to the Internet and
French versions of social networking sites.
Many candidates chose very mature subject areas and developed them well, but it is important to think about
the relative “weight” of the subjects they are choosing - a number of candidates chose to deal with the topic
area of food and drink, but this is often rather limited as a topic of discussion, because it tends to be rather
descriptive. Candidates chose to describe the food and drink of a particular francophone area (the cheeses
of France, for example, or food in the Congo) but it is not easy to make opportunities to express ideas and
opinions - necessary, for a high mark for content/presentation - nor to develop any depth of conversation in
the next section.
The same thing might apply to a topic such Mes vacances en France, where the presentation could be
limited to a list of the places visited – but a candidate might go far beyond this, into a comparison of life
styles in France and his/her own country and could deal with a wide range of interesting aspects. Very
factual presentations are often less successful, purely because it is difficult to express ideas and opinions – it
is often difficult for a candidate to develop the history of the Louvre, for example, or Marie Antoinette, past
the actual dates and factual details, and it is equally difficult for Examiners to ask appropriate questions for
this level of examination, where we are less concerned about factual details, and more concerned with
discovering what candidates think, and whether they can express those thoughts in appropriate language.
Where candidates show signs of continuing with their presentation for longer than 3½ minutes, Examiners
should interrupt and begin asking questions.
Topic Conversation
Both this section and the next are intended to be spontaneous, unprepared conversation. The Topic
Conversation should continue on the same subject as that chosen by the candidate for the first section, and
should aim to develop it and discuss it, giving the candidate opportunities to give opinions and defend his or
her own point of view. Questions should not just ask for a repetition of the same material already offered in
the presentation – this has already been rewarded under the mark scheme criteria for the
content/presentation – but should be asking for additional information (not necessarily factual) and using
open questions rather than questions which allow a candidate to answer with yes/no.
Candidates generally had sufficient knowledge of vocabulary, given that this was conversation on a topic
area they had chosen and prepared for. Examiners should be prepared to interact with candidates and react
to what they say – in order for candidates to score 9 or 10 for comprehension and responsiveness,
candidates must show that they are able to respond to unexpected questions – where a candidate “relies
heavily on prepared responses”, the mark for comprehension and responsiveness is likely to fall in the
“satisfactory” band (5 – 6). Sometimes, examinations which have been practised too often can sound very
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© 2011
Cambridge International Advanced Level
9716 French November 2011
Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
stilted and unnatural – it is clear that candidates are well aware of the questions they will be asked, and
answers have a very rehearsed quality.
This section should last some 7 to 8 minutes, and should include opportunities for candidates to ask
questions of the Examiner. Examiners must prompt them to do so – there are 5 marks available in each
section for the questions they ask, and to be awarded 4 marks or more, they must show that they are able to
ask more than one question. Examiners must remember to keep their own answers to the candidate’s
questions short, in order to allow the candidate the maximum possible amount of time.
At the end of this section, Examiners should let the candidate know that they are now moving from the topic
conversation section to the general conversation.
General Conversation
The general conversation section should try to explore in some depth perhaps 3 or 4 of the topic areas of
interest to the candidate, though these should be different from that chosen for the presentation.
Conversation should move quickly beyond the basic level of “what do you do in your free time?” and
personal or individual family details – conversation which does not go beyond this sort of topic is not
appropriate to this level of examination, though clearly, candidates will not necessarily know all the
vocabulary and structures they need for this sort of spontaneous conversation. Where there are a number of
candidates in a Centre, Examiners should take care to vary the topics they use for general conversation, and
the order in which they ask questions – candidates should not all be asked the same predictable series of
questions – general conversation should depend to some extent on the interests of the candidates and their
ability to maintain a conversation at a sufficiently mature level for this examination. The aim is a
conversation about these topics, rather than a series of unconnected questions, where the candidate
provides an answer and the Examiner moves on to something different. The Examiner must engage with the
candidate and give him or her opportunities to expand and develop his/her ideas – the Examiner is not
looking here for right or wrong answers, more for the candidate’s ability and willingness to try to express
him/herself in another language.
Once again, there are 5 marks available for the questions the candidate asks of the Examiner, so Examiners
must be prepared to prompt for them and give candidates the chance to work for the marks.
Assessment
Assessment was often very close to the agreed standard and for many Centres there was either no change
to their marks, or a (small) adjustment across only part of the range: Examiners are to be congratulated for
the attention they pay to the mark scheme and the thoughtful way in which it is generally applied.
Overall, it is impressive how well Centres and candidates from all over the world have managed to carry out
the requirements of the examination.
3
© 2011
Cambridge International Advanced Level
9716 French November 2011
Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
FRENCH
Paper 9716/22
Reading and Writing
Key Messages
●
Question 1: seek a word (or words) that fit(s) perfectly in the place of the one from the text/question.
●
Question 2: start the sentence with the prompt provided and be careful with the grammatical changes in
the new sentence.
●
Questions 3 and 4: candidates should formulate the answers with their own words and refrain from
copying any part of the text.
●
Question 5: respect the word limit. In part b candidates should express their own ideas (instead of
copying ideas from the text).
●
Language: when preparing for the exam make sure to revise the basic agreements, tenses and verb
endings.
General Comments
This year’s paper on the theme of air pollution and the use of the horse as an environmentally friendly way of
transport was of a similar standard to that of previous years and included exercises of a broad scale of
difficulty to cater for the full range of candidate ability.
It was particularly pleasing to see that many candidates had time to write a plan or a rough draft for
Question 5. These candidates had been well prepared in the techniques and requirements of the
examination, as well as coached on how to manage effectively the time at their disposal. The word limit
recommendation in Question 5 was also respected better this year on the whole but some candidates still
ignored the specific brief thus losing some marks.
In Question 3 and 4, there was still a tendency for some candidates to write unnecessarily lengthy answers,
which did not always address the questions or rephrased the same points again and again. This added to
the incidence of language mistakes and sometimes led the candidates to actually forget to include the
correct answer. Please note that the best answers are the short, straight-to-the-point ones listing all
elements of the answer within one or two phrases.
For example: Question 3 (a): L’espérance de vie sera réduite (A) et le nombre de décès augmentera (B).
Le manque de respect des lois (C) et la réduction de l’argent accordé aux groupes de contrôle de l’air (D)
ont aggravé la situation actuelle.
Candidates must read the instructions given for each question carefully, paying particular attention to the
words in bold (specific details and examples are listed in the next section). The number of marks allocated
to each question serves as a clear indicator of how many separate ideas need to be included in the answer
in order to gain full marks. Candidates must also stay within the paragraph indicated in the question, even if
they feel another point can be made from further down the text.
The quality of language varied greatly from some almost entirely mistake-free papers to some phonetically
spelled answers with total disregard for any grammatical rules.
4
© 2011
Cambridge International Advanced Level
9716 French November 2011
Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
Comments on specific questions
Question 1
The purpose of this exercise was to find a word within the paragraph(s) indicated in the brief, which is
completely interchangeable with the words listed from (a) to (e). Consequently, nouns and adjectives will
have the same gender, and the verbs will be conjugated in the same form. The question asked for le mot,
therefore answers with a group of words lost their marks.
On the whole, this question well answered by candidates.
(a)
Préoccupe was found by most candidates.
(b)
This question was well answered by most candidates.
(c)
Attribuée was the correct answer. Some candidates selected respectée because they were
seeking a feminine past participle used as an adjective without focusing on the meaning of the
sentence.
(d)
Moyens was generally found with ease by many candidates. Some candidates left the question
blank.
(e)
Excessive was also a successful answer for most candidates.
Question 2
Candidates should remember that their answer must begin with the words in the bracket. They must also
include all the words from the original statement, whilst manipulating the sentence to fit its new beginning,
but retaining the same meaning. Some candidates “imported” some extra words (mostly without any
reason) and changed the meaning as well as the grammar.
(a)
The main mistake was the omission of the feminine plural agreement on accordées. Some
candidates avoided the passive voice and used the reflexive form of préoccuper, which was a
totally acceptable alternative, as long as it was followed by de cette situation, and not par cette
situation, which was needed in the passive phrase option.
(b)
The main errors resulted either from failing to see the need for a subjunctive verb or from using the
wrong word order and writing a sentence meaning ‘life expectancy reduces pollution’
(….l’espérance de vie réduise la pollution). It was possible to continue the sentence with
espérance de vie but a passive form had to be used to continue the sentence in order to respect
the meaning: …soit réduite de neuf mois. Many candidates kept réduirait as it was in the prompt.
(c)
The beginning of the sentence demanded the use of an infinitive, which most candidates managed
well. Some candidates kept être in the answer and a few placed the à in front of une forte
augmentation des décès thereby giving rise to a sentence meaning that pollution was due to a high
raise in the number of deaths!
(d)
Similarly to (a) the challenge here was to make the agreement between affectés and les jeunes
when the passive form was chosen by candidates. However, some candidates avoided the
passive by continuing the sentence with que la pollution affecte. Atmosphérique had to be
included to respect the original meaning of the question. Some candidates stated that young
people affect pollution which was not the meaning intended in the question.
(e)
In order to correspond to the sentence of the question, the answer had to include devraient, to
echo il faudrait. The most common mistakes were its omission or using devoir in the present
tense.
Note: some candidates added unnecessary complications in their sentences such as on peut dire que (c).
Candidates are advised to rephrase the sentences as closely as possible to the original given their new
beginning.
5
© 2011
Cambridge International Advanced Level
9716 French November 2011
Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
Question 3
To show clear evidence of understanding, it is expected that the candidates will rephrase the text to express
their answers in their own words as stipulated in the rubric of Question 3 and 4. Yet many candidates
(even when perfectly capable of producing such an answer) still copied the text word for word (called a lift),
thereby losing the mark. The easiest technique to achieve marks and avoid a lift is to ask oneself if the noun
has a corresponding verb or vice versa: examples will be quoted below. However, it is still essential to
formulate an answer that makes sense. Some candidates can go too far in changing the vocabulary and
end up with sentences that make no sense.
Where a paragraph is clearly stated, it is essential that the candidates confine their answers to it.
(a)
Four pieces of information were required for the full mark here. Most candidates managed at least
one correct answer, generally point A (the reduction of life expectancy) but many candidates
managed to explain all four points and avoid lifting from the text, with the use of réduction (from
réduirait), augmenter les décès (not augmentation), respecter les lois and diminue (not réduit) to
quote but a few. Occasionlly candidates seem to have read the text too quickly or misunderstood,
as they expressed that the state gave no money at all to the organisations, whereas the text clearly
states that financial support had been reduced.
(b)
Almost all candidates found ‘the use of diesel or too many car/lorries’, etc. easy to spot to gain a
mark for (A). However, many found expressing combustions industrielles quite challenging for
point (B). Some candidates managed it well with answers such as les fumées qui viennent de
l’industrie or la pollution de l’air causée quand les industries brûlents des trucs.(sic) To gain the
final point, candidates had to express that we use too many chemicals. Most candidates managed
to answer in their own words, but some missed the idea of excessive in the text and did not score
the point.
(c)
This question was well answered in the majority of cases, and candidates often added a phrase
concerning des problèmes respiratoires, which was another way to score (A).
(d)
Finding the answers in the text for (A) (the level of exposure / where people live: country vs town),
and (C) (the age of people), presented little difficulty for most candidates. Some candidates
unfortunately repeated the text unaltered and didn’t score the mark. A number of candidates found
the third reason (point B: vulnérabilité naturelle) difficult to understand. They either quoted the two
words unchanged or they attributed the changed simply to pollen. To gain the mark, candidates
had to state that people already suffering from an existing allergy or health problem would see their
problems increase. As one candidate wrote: si on a déjà une allergie, elle sera pire. A simple but
very effective answer.
(e)
This question was seemed to be quite challenging for many candidates. Many candidates lost
marks because they did not understand that there were two distinct points in the text: the more
general fact that their recommendations were not followed/considered, or that the measures that
followed their recommendations were too weak (A) and the more specific point that there was a
motive to protect the interest of industry or that the measures controlling gas and transport
emissions were not severe enough (B).
Point (C) was more successfully handled and lots of candidates used their own words to express
the idea clearly.
Questions 4
Candidates generally found this text slightly more challenging than the previous text and the incidence of lifts
was higher. Candidates who had received a solid preparation for this type of exercise and knew how to
distance their answers from the words used in the text did really well as opposed to candidates who just
copied entire phrases of the text.
(a)
This was a very straight forward question, mostly well understood. It was pleasing to see one
better candidate write les chevaux transportent les touristes en calèche pour visiter la ville (A).
Collecter became ramasser as a good indicator of understanding and the candidate who knew
tondre managed to say les chevaux aident de (sic) tondre l’herbe. Despite their physical
impossibilities, phrases like les chevaux collectent les déchets/ ramassent les ordurent or tirent les
6
© 2011
Cambridge International Advanced Level
9716 French November 2011
Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
tondeuses were awarded the points as they were seen as efforts to express the ideas in the
candidates’ own words.
(b)
To answer this question successfully candidates needed to understand that a study had to be
carried out to establish if the project could be technically possible. One excellent answer was: il
faut savoir si le projet est possible au niveau technique (A). The majority of candidates understood
the second point and explained that the level of risk for the children has to be defined. Again it was
a pity to see some candidates with strong linguistic ability copy the phrase from the text when they
could have written: on doit trouver les dangers potentiels pour les enfants (B). The third item was
the most challenging with circuit often misunderstood as a shift for the horse to work.
(c)
This question represented a high level of correct answers with more attempts to rephrase and the
two points clearly made. A common error was that the équibus had given people some transport
from village to village.
(d)
Candidates found points (A) and (D) most easily, although some expressed more carbon being
released rather than less. Points (B) and (C) were often lifted from the text, even though it could
have been avoided with two phrases such as les chevaux coûtent moins cher (B) and les chevaux
sont préservés (C).
(e)
This question was answered well by most candidates, a fair amount of lifting was also evident.
Using le transport (A) et le ramassage (B) were good choices to avoid a lift.
Question 5
(a)
The mark scheme lists 16 points which could score points (7 causes and advantages and 9
benefits of using a horse). The majority of candidates identified at least 5, with many finding 8, 9 or
10. Candidates are reminded that they need to state 10 clear points and that no extra marks are
gained for providing multiple details about the same idea or reformulating it in several ways.
(b)
Candidates had clearly studied the environmental issues in class and many interesting ideas were
expressed such as il faut planter plus d’arbres pour avoir meilleur oxygène or on doit construire les
industries quand il y a moins de densité de la population (sic). Many candidates would like to see
more taxes for the culprits of pollution and one candidate even wrote je veux interdire toutes les
industries!
Quality of language
Top candidates used excellent vocabulary, a wide range of verbs and tenses and impressive sentence
structures. At the lower end of the scale in some cases basic plural agreements were missing and often
sentences were unintelligible as candidates were struggling with limits of their French knowledge.
The most common mistakes were:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Negatives in one part only: la pollution affete pas
Misspelling of words issued form the text: les cheveux, les cheveaux
Incorrect or absent agreement: les lois ne sont pas repecté
Verb endings: on utilsent, ils souffres, les chevaux collects
Many « anglicismes »: dépend sur, transportation, les infants, l’ashma, un project, on doit save les
animaux
Wrong connective word: accepte à changer
Gender confusions: une problème, un solution
7
© 2011
Cambridge International Advanced Level
9716 French November 2011
Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
FRENCH
Paper 9716/23
Reading and Writing
Key Messages
●
Question 1: seek a word (or words) that fit(s) perfectly in the place of the one from the text/question.
●
Question 2: start the sentence with the prompt provided and be careful with the grammatical changes in
the new sentence.
●
Questions 3 and 4: candidates should formulate the answers with their own words and refrain from
copying any part of the text.
●
Question 5: respect the word limit. In part b candidates should express their own ideas (instead of
copying ideas from the text).
●
Language: when preparing for the exam make sure to revise the basic agreements, tenses and verb
endings.
General Comments
This year’s paper on the theme of air pollution and the use of the horse as an environmentally friendly way of
transport was of a similar standard to that of previous years and included exercises of a broad scale of
difficulty to cater for the full range of candidate ability.
It was particularly pleasing to see that many candidates had time to write a plan or a rough draft for
Question 5. These candidates had been well prepared in the techniques and requirements of the
examination, as well as coached on how to manage effectively the time at their disposal. The word limit
recommendation in Question 5 was also respected better this year on the whole but some candidates still
ignored the specific brief thus losing some marks.
In Question 3 and 4, there was still a tendency for some candidates to write unnecessarily lengthy answers,
which did not always address the questions or rephrased the same points again and again. This added to
the incidence of language mistakes and sometimes led the candidates to actually forget to include the
correct answer. Please note that the best answers are the short, straight-to-the-point ones listing all
elements of the answer within one or two phrases.
For example: Question 3 (a): L’espérance de vie sera réduite (A) et le nombre de décès augmentera (B).
Le manque de respect des lois (C) et la réduction de l’argent accordé aux groupes de contrôle de l’air (D)
ont aggravé la situation actuelle.
Candidates must read the instructions given for each question carefully, paying particular attention to the
words in bold (specific details and examples are listed in the next section). The number of marks allocated
to each question serves as a clear indicator of how many separate ideas need to be included in the answer
in order to gain full marks. Candidates must also stay within the paragraph indicated in the question, even if
they feel another point can be made from further down the text.
The quality of language varied greatly from some almost entirely mistake-free papers to some phonetically
spelled answers with total disregard for any grammatical rules.
8
© 2011
Cambridge International Advanced Level
9716 French November 2011
Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
Comments on specific questions
Question 1
The purpose of this exercise was to find a word within the paragraph(s) indicated in the brief, which is
completely interchangeable with the words listed from (a) to (e). Consequently, nouns and adjectives will
have the same gender, and the verbs will be conjugated in the same form. The question asked for le mot,
therefore answers with a group of words lost their marks.
On the whole, this question well answered by candidates.
(a)
Préoccupe was found by most candidates.
(b)
This question was well answered by most candidates.
(c)
Attribuée was the correct answer. Some candidates selected respectée because they were
seeking a feminine past participle used as an adjective without focusing on the meaning of the
sentence.
(d)
Moyens was generally found with ease by many candidates. Some candidates left the question
blank.
(e)
Excessive was also a successful answer for most candidates.
Question 2
Candidates should remember that their answer must begin with the words in the bracket. They must also
include all the words from the original statement, whilst manipulating the sentence to fit its new beginning,
but retaining the same meaning. Some candidates “imported” some extra words (mostly without any
reason) and changed the meaning as well as the grammar.
(a)
The main mistake was the omission of the feminine plural agreement on accordées. Some
candidates avoided the passive voice and used the reflexive form of préoccuper, which was a
totally acceptable alternative, as long as it was followed by de cette situation, and not par cette
situation, which was needed in the passive phrase option.
(b)
The main errors resulted either from failing to see the need for a subjunctive verb or from using the
wrong word order and writing a sentence meaning ‘life expectancy reduces pollution’
(….l’espérance de vie réduise la pollution). It was possible to continue the sentence with
espérance de vie but a passive form had to be used to continue the sentence in order to respect
the meaning: …soit réduite de neuf mois. Many candidates kept réduirait as it was in the prompt.
(c)
The beginning of the sentence demanded the use of an infinitive, which most candidates managed
well. Some candidates kept être in the answer and a few placed the à in front of une forte
augmentation des décès thereby giving rise to a sentence meaning that pollution was due to a high
raise in the number of deaths!
(d)
Similarly to (a) the challenge here was to make the agreement between affectés and les jeunes
when the passive form was chosen by candidates. However, some candidates avoided the
passive by continuing the sentence with que la pollution affecte. Atmosphérique had to be
included to respect the original meaning of the question. Some candidates stated that young
people affect pollution which was not the meaning intended in the question.
(e)
In order to correspond to the sentence of the question, the answer had to include devraient, to
echo il faudrait. The most common mistakes were its omission or using devoir in the present
tense.
Note: some candidates added unnecessary complications in their sentences such as on peut dire que (c).
Candidates are advised to rephrase the sentences as closely as possible to the original given their new
beginning.
9
© 2011
Cambridge International Advanced Level
9716 French November 2011
Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
Question 3
To show clear evidence of understanding, it is expected that the candidates will rephrase the text to express
their answers in their own words as stipulated in the rubric of Question 3 and 4. Yet many candidates
(even when perfectly capable of producing such an answer) still copied the text word for word (called a lift),
thereby losing the mark. The easiest technique to achieve marks and avoid a lift is to ask oneself if the noun
has a corresponding verb or vice versa: examples will be quoted below. However, it is still essential to
formulate an answer that makes sense. Some candidates can go too far in changing the vocabulary and
end up with sentences that make no sense.
Where a paragraph is clearly stated, it is essential that the candidates confine their answers to it.
(a)
Four pieces of information were required for the full mark here. Most candidates managed at least
one correct answer, generally point A (the reduction of life expectancy) but many candidates
managed to explain all four points and avoid lifting from the text, with the use of réduction (from
réduirait), augmenter les décès (not augmentation), respecter les lois and diminue (not réduit) to
quote but a few. Occasionlly candidates seem to have read the text too quickly or misunderstood,
as they expressed that the state gave no money at all to the organisations, whereas the text clearly
states that financial support had been reduced.
(b)
Almost all candidates found ‘the use of diesel or too many car/lorries’, etc. easy to spot to gain a
mark for (A). However, many found expressing combustions industrielles quite challenging for
point (B). Some candidates managed it well with answers such as les fumées qui viennent de
l’industrie or la pollution de l’air causée quand les industries brûlents des trucs.(sic) To gain the
final point, candidates had to express that we use too many chemicals. Most candidates managed
to answer in their own words, but some missed the idea of excessive in the text and did not score
the point.
(c)
This question was well answered in the majority of cases, and candidates often added a phrase
concerning des problèmes respiratoires, which was another way to score (A).
(d)
Finding the answers in the text for (A) (the level of exposure / where people live: country vs town),
and (C) (the age of people), presented little difficulty for most candidates. Some candidates
unfortunately repeated the text unaltered and didn’t score the mark. A number of candidates found
the third reason (point B: vulnérabilité naturelle) difficult to understand. They either quoted the two
words unchanged or they attributed the changed simply to pollen. To gain the mark, candidates
had to state that people already suffering from an existing allergy or health problem would see their
problems increase. As one candidate wrote: si on a déjà une allergie, elle sera pire. A simple but
very effective answer.
(e)
This question was seemed to be quite challenging for many candidates. Many candidates lost
marks because they did not understand that there were two distinct points in the text: the more
general fact that their recommendations were not followed/considered, or that the measures that
followed their recommendations were too weak (A) and the more specific point that there was a
motive to protect the interest of industry or that the measures controlling gas and transport
emissions were not severe enough (B).
Point (C) was more successfully handled and lots of candidates used their own words to express
the idea clearly.
Questions 4
Candidates generally found this text slightly more challenging than the previous text and the incidence of lifts
was higher. Candidates who had received a solid preparation for this type of exercise and knew how to
distance their answers from the words used in the text did really well as opposed to candidates who just
copied entire phrases of the text.
(a)
This was a very straight forward question, mostly well understood. It was pleasing to see one
better candidate write les chevaux transportent les touristes en calèche pour visiter la ville (A).
Collecter became ramasser as a good indicator of understanding and the candidate who knew
tondre managed to say les chevaux aident de (sic) tondre l’herbe. Despite their physical
impossibilities, phrases like les chevaux collectent les déchets/ ramassent les ordurent or tirent les
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tondeuses were awarded the points as they were seen as efforts to express the ideas in the
candidates’ own words.
(b)
To answer this question successfully candidates needed to understand that a study had to be
carried out to establish if the project could be technically possible. One excellent answer was: il
faut savoir si le projet est possible au niveau technique (A). The majority of candidates understood
the second point and explained that the level of risk for the children has to be defined. Again it was
a pity to see some candidates with strong linguistic ability copy the phrase from the text when they
could have written: on doit trouver les dangers potentiels pour les enfants (B). The third item was
the most challenging with circuit often misunderstood as a shift for the horse to work.
(c)
This question represented a high level of correct answers with more attempts to rephrase and the
two points clearly made. A common error was that the équibus had given people some transport
from village to village.
(d)
Candidates found points (A) and (D) most easily, although some expressed more carbon being
released rather than less. Points (B) and (C) were often lifted from the text, even though it could
have been avoided with two phrases such as les chevaux coûtent moins cher (B) and les chevaux
sont préservés (C).
(e)
This question was answered well by most candidates, a fair amount of lifting was also evident.
Using le transport (A) et le ramassage (B) were good choices to avoid a lift.
Question 5
(a)
The mark scheme lists 16 points which could score points (7 causes and advantages and 9
benefits of using a horse). The majority of candidates identified at least 5, with many finding 8, 9 or
10. Candidates are reminded that they need to state 10 clear points and that no extra marks are
gained for providing multiple details about the same idea or reformulating it in several ways.
(b)
Candidates had clearly studied the environmental issues in class and many interesting ideas were
expressed such as il faut planter plus d’arbres pour avoir meilleur oxygène or on doit construire les
industries quand il y a moins de densité de la population (sic). Many candidates would like to see
more taxes for the culprits of pollution and one candidate even wrote je veux interdire toutes les
industries!
Quality of language
Top candidates used excellent vocabulary, a wide range of verbs and tenses and impressive sentence
structures. At the lower end of the scale in some cases basic plural agreements were missing and often
sentences were unintelligible as candidates were struggling with limits of their French knowledge.
The most common mistakes were:
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Negatives in one part only: la pollution affete pas
Misspelling of words issued form the text: les cheveux, les cheveaux
Incorrect or absent agreement: les lois ne sont pas repecté
Verb endings: on utilsent, ils souffres, les chevaux collects
Many « anglicismes »: dépend sur, transportation, les infants, l’ashma, un project, on doit save les
animaux
Wrong connective word: accepte à changer
Gender confusions: une problème, un solution
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FRENCH
Paper 9716/32
Essay
Key Messages
In order to perform well on this paper, candidates need to select a title with which they feel comfortable and
write a response that is clearly relevant, well illustrated and coherently structured. The use of French should
be generally accurate and of a suitably advanced nature as well as showing a good use of idiom and
appropriate vocabulary. Sentence patterns should show some evidence of complexity and the style should
be easy to follow.
General Comments
The paper followed the usual pattern: candidates were given a choice of 5 titles, 24 of the 40 marks available
being awarded for quality of language and 16 for content. Though fewer in number than in previous years,
the best essays were well constructed and fluently argued, they put forward a balanced viewpoint with a
range of points in support of both sides of the argument, they were at pains to provide exemplification and
there was a conclusion commensurate with the material adduced in the body of the piece. In less good
work, there remains a tendency for opening paragraphs to reel through memorised generic definition-centred
material which adds little or nothing to the discussion. Candidates would be better advised, after due
analysis and planning, to plunge straight into the salient issue or issues highlighted in the title. Many
candidates seem to have difficulty in honing a satisfactory concluding paragraph that synthesises the various
strands of their essay. In a fair number of cases, concluding remarks are absent and the essay comes to an
abrupt halt, while in others the conclusion either fails to target the title set or the candidate simply repeats,
often using exactly the same words, what he/she has already said. Candidates would do well to give more
thought to the need to provide a succinct and well-targeted conclusion that avoids these pitfalls.
The best essays were characterised by a very sound grasp of grammar, a wide and precise vocabulary and
the use of complex sentence patterns. In spite of quite a few lapses, a significant proportion of the work
submitted read quite well and there was a conscious attempt to deploy a variety of vocabulary and structures
which was rewarded. Less good essays tended to be simple, awkward or laboured: in particular, there was a
tendency to use the same noun repeatedly in close proximity when it would have made for far better reading
to use pronouns and synonyms. Lack of care in the matter of concordances also proved costly in quite a lot
of essays, pointing to the importance of systematic checking. In weaker scripts, many of the linguistic errors
highlighted in recent reports were endemic. Other recurrent linguistic features noted included:
-
errors in sequence of tenses, especially with si clauses
the use of cela in place of a gender-specific pronoun
the overuse of personnes/individus where gens is more natural
faire used for rendre
use of the subjunctive instead of an infinitive when the subject is the same in both clauses, e.g. ils
travaillent afin qu’ils puissent gagner de l’argent
confusion between the past participle and the infinitive, especially in the case of –er verbs
confusion between words where a discriminating accent changes the meaning, e.g. ou/où, a/à
slips in register, e.g. pas mal de, plein de, mec, télé, truc, nul(= sans intérêt)
plusieurs used instead of nombreux/beaucoup de
use of auparavant for autrefois, quelque part for jusqu’à un certain point, sans doute for
certainement/sans aucun doute
use of à travers for au moyen de, e.g. se faire de l’argent à travers le sport
use of penser si/réfléchir si/s’interroger si for se demander si
overuse of avec to introduce a phrase before a main clause, e.g. Avec la technologie moderne, cela
encourage les gens à être paresseux.
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Comments on specific questions
Question 1
This proved to be a popular choice and, in terms of quality, the essays submitted spanned the whole range.
The need for perspective here was paramount. The more mediocre and weak scripts confined themselves to
a list of the various sorts of family and what often read like a pre-prepared section on the role of the family in
society, thus neglecting the prime focus of the title, namely the prospect of marrying, having children and
anticipating and shouldering the burden of new responsibilities. A certain number of scripts showed
misunderstanding of the word entreprise and consequently expanded on the problems of reconciling work
and family life. Vocabulary presented few problems, apart from the use of grandir un enfant for élever un
enfant. Additionally, le couple was frequently followed by a plural verb form. The best scripts outlined the
various pitfalls involved in setting up a family both in material and interpersonal terms and a whole raft of
points was made. The starting point for many was the impossibility of knowing one’s prospective partner so
well as to be able to predict with absolute certainty how he/she will behave once married: how many have
got married only to discover that they are living with an alcoholic, a drug addict, a philanderer or a person
with a predisposition to violence? Moreover, before taking the decision to get married and start a family, the
prospective husband and wife would do well to ponder on the ever-increasing divorce rate and the reasons
why that rate is so high. They need to understand and accept from the outset that marriage and family life
will not always be easy and that they will need to be able to draw on reserves of understanding, tolerance,
self-sacrifice and determination if the enterprise into which they are about to launch themselves is going to
succeed. Family life implies responsibilities which restrict the freedom of parents to do as they please. In
particular, they must refrain from the sorts of behaviour that would set a bad example to children, e.g.
smoking, taking drugs, excessive alcohol consumption. Parenthood carries with it too heavy financial
responsibilities: parents need to be able to supply the means to provide the family with somewhere to live, to
ensure that the home is properly heated, to provide food and clothing, to pay for their children’s educational
and recreational needs. This will often require a certain amount of self-sacrifice on their part, and they must
also bear in mind that there is no certainty that they will not fall victim to the sort of compulsory redundancies
that have become an increasingly common feature of the world of work. In deciding to have children,
parents must also be prepared to assume a vital educational role. The educational process begins in the
home and it is their job to inculcate moral and civic values in their offspring. Not least, we live in a world
where the dangers that lie in wait for young people – drugs, alcohol, tobacco, sexual predators, sexually
transmitted diseases – are such that parents need to exercise not only great vigilance but also tact and
circumspection in educating and arming their children against such scourges. Parents are faced too with the
very considerable problem of making themselves sufficiently available to their children. This is a particular
headache in the large proportion of families where it is necessary that both parents work in order to ensure
an income sufficient to provide for the family needs. The dangers implicit in inadequate parental attention
and guidance are plain for all to see: delinquency, psychological problems, failure at school, drug and
alcohol addiction. Nor should it be forgotten that family life generates conflict – brothers and sisters have
different tastes, one’s choice is not that of his/her sibling(s), one thinks that he/she is being unfairly treated
etc. etc. – and great patience and tact are needed on the part of parents to try to ensure that fair and
equitable decisions are arrived at and that harmony wins through. However, notwithstanding all of the sweat
and tears involved, many concluded that the satisfaction derived by parents when they see their offspring
succeed first at school, then at university and then in their working and their own family lives makes it all
worth it.
Question 2
Not many candidates opted for this title. A number had difficulty in distinguishing between the law and the
agents of law enforcement, l’ordre public being taken to mean the police or the army, whereas the concept of
individual freedom was more felicitously explained and illustrated with reference to current affairs.
Reconciling the two proved to be the major stumbling block but there were some successful attempts. Some
essays began by pointing out that if everyone had the right to act as they wish with no laws, then society
would descend into chaos and anarchy. Rules and laws enforced by the police and the judiciary keep
individuals and society in order. Civil liberties groups complain about Big Brother tactics – CCTV cameras,
ID checks, the application of stop and search restrictions during public demonstrations and marches.
However, the recent riots in the UK and those that shook France a few years ago illustrated what can
happen when public order breaks down and individuals come together into groups to indulge in violent and
criminal behaviour, demonstrating that if one wishes to live peacefully in an orderly society one must accept
some limitations of personal liberty. In a democratic society, the guiding principle of government and lawmakers legislating on matters of public order must always be the greater good of the majority which will
perforce mean the curtailment of the freedoms of some for the good of all. A number of candidates pointed
out that we do enjoy certain freedoms in democratic societies, e.g. freedom of speech, but that there must
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always be caveats designed to protect social harmony: homophobic, anti-semitic and racist remarks and
remarks calculated to inspire hatred are all outlawed. We can express our disapproval by marching or
demonstrating but the law will intervene if a certain line is crossed and the march or demonstration is in
danger of becoming a riot. Nor is it necessarily the maintenance of order itself that clashes with individual
freedom but more the methods used. It sometimes happens, for example, that individual freedom is curtailed
by the over-zealous maintenance of law and order or suppression of dissent, e.g. kettling and other tactics
employed by the riot police. Another pertinent observation made was that the balance between the
protection of individual liberties and the maintenance of order is especially difficult during times of crisis, e.g.
in the face of terrorist threats, war and even, as has been demonstrated in recent times in certain Eurozone
countries, national economic disaster. Fear of such threats and of crime and civil unrest sometimes leads
people readily to accept restrictions; the greater the fear, the greater the readiness to accept curtailments of
liberties. By way of a conclusion, a few essays stressed the need to strike a balance between individual
freedom on the one hand and a society that functions smoothly on the other. Such a balance is achieved
more or less well in a number of democratic countries (e.g. the Scandinavian countries, New Zealand, the
United Kingdom and Mauritius) where individual citizens feel, as they need to, that they enjoy some measure
of control. Hence the importance of such things as democratic elections, consultations on all matters of local
and national importance, laws allowing demonstrations and marches within reason and also freedom of the
press which enables people to put forward opposing and even anarchic viewpoints and to express antiestablishment sentiments without fear of prosecution.
Question 3
This was another very popular choice. Many candidates were able to make the distinction between sport in
its amateur manifestation and professional sport. Too many, however, were sidetracked into listing the
health benefits of sport to the detriment of a discussion of the arguably pernicious role of money in
professional sport. The best scripts presented a broad range of considerations and many reached reasoned
and measured conclusions. In many of the essays submitted, there was no lack of pertinent exemplification
and this often made for very good essays indeed. Vocabulary again presented few problems, though two
items that featured widely were fixer un match and pratiquer le sport. Many began with a rehearsal of the
time-honoured values of sport that have been held aloft by sportsmen of all creeds and colours down the
generations – fair play, self-discipline, mutual respect, loyalty and solidarity. These, it was posited, are being
increasingly eroded, and the principal culprit is money. For sport has become highly commercialised. For
commercial reasons, industrial and other corporate concerns provide sponsorship to clubs and individuals
alike, and this puts great pressure on the clubs and individuals concerned to perform at a level which will win
the approval and thereby the continued backing of their corporate partners, not infrequently resulting in the
use of tactics that go completely against the sporting ethos: cases of violence on the pitch and of the
detection of illicit substances in the blood of athletes are reported by the media with alarming frequency. The
lure of personal financial gain also engenders corruption in sport. Bribes are paid to people in high office in
the sporting world to ensure that a major sporting event is held in one country rather than in any of the other
postulant venues. Fuelled by the scourge of betting, cases of match fixing in sports ranging from football to
boxing to cricket to tennis occur with increasing regularity and, despite their condemnation and the
disciplinary measures taken when a scandal makes the headlines, the sporting regulatory bodies concerned
fail to take the concerted action necessary to eradicate the corrupt practices exposed. The intervention of
multi-millionaires and even billionaires, particularly as far as football is concerned, means that,
metaphorically speaking, the playing field is no longer level. Such individuals buy football clubs and then use
their money to enable the clubs in question to offer transfer fees and contracts which ensure that they have a
monopoly of the top players. Many of their rivals competing in the same league and who do not enjoy such
backing do not stand a chance against such competition: fair play has been ousted by the power of money.
However, the picture is not entirely negative. The very substantial influx of money into the domain of sport in
recent years has ensured a dramatic improvement in the standard of sporting infrastructures – cities and
towns all over the world can boast new stadiums, swimming pools, gymnasiums and other sporting facilities
thanks to this money – which in turn has led to a much greater level of spectator interest as well as greater
individual participation in the sports that have benefited. On another tack, in days prior to the advent of
sponsorship in the world of sport, most sportsmen had to support themselves and their families by taking
jobs in other domains. However, sponsorship means that they do not have to do this and, as a result, are
able to channel all their energies into improving their performance. Moreover, they have at their disposal all
manner of facilities that would have previously been unthinkable, witness expensive training apparatus and
equipment, physiotherapists and even specialised sporting psychologists. Money is a great motivating factor
for sportsmen to excel and thereby win the coveted prizes. It was suggested that it is the two factors
combined - the advent of sponsorship and the lure of the very substantial monetary prizes on offer – which
go a long way to explain the large number of new sporting prodigies who have emerged in recent times.
Commercialisation and the construction of new infrastructures have engendered much greater spectator
interest as well as individual participation in sport, which in turn have given a great boost to the economy at
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both local and national levels. The sporting industry has created new jobs and wealth: the construction
industry, manufacturing industry, the service sector and media concerns have all benefited. Major sporting
events are a great opportunity too for the local economy: the thousands of people who are attracted to such
events spend money on food and transportation and often on tourist and other recreational activities.
Money, moreover, may fuel such scourges as the use of illicit substances amongst sportsmen but it has also
been a major factor in efforts to eradicate that and other ills afflicting the world of sport. Scientists have, for
example, been given the resources to develop sophisticated technological devices that can detect even the
smallest traces of a drug present in an athlete’s body. Highly sophisticated camera systems have been
developed and installed at major sporting venues to help with the task of crowd control and give a boost to
the fight against hooliganism. Thanks to the means put at their disposal, they have also been able to
develop ways of ensuring fair play in cases where referees and umpires may have made errors of
judgement, witness the “Hawk Eye” system in place at Wimbledon and similar systems that are in the
process of being installed at major football venues to be used when, as in the famous incident during the
2010 World Cup, there is a dispute as to whether a goal has really been scored. The conclusion of many
was that we need to ensure that money is at the service of sport and that it is not allowed to become its
guiding principle since, when that does happen, the whole sporting ethos is seen to crumble.
Question 4
This title came in fourth place based on the number of candidates who opted for it. A good number of those
who did had a clear understanding of recent moves in many countries to raise the retirement age in the light
of increased life expectancy and the current financial crises. Equally, many showed a commendable ability
not only to consider the prospect from their own point of view but also to project themselves into the mind-set
of those some decades older than themselves. As a result, pertinent reference was made to a wide range of
considerations. The starting point for many was the fact that, thanks to a whole raft of factors, people live
longer and, as a corollary, want to be active for longer: continuing to work not only helps them stay fit and
mentally alert but it also makes them feel useful and wards off the sort of feelings of social exclusion that
induce depression and that, in some cases, might even contribute to propelling them to an early grave.
Moreover, many people who arrive at the age of 65 are still very fit and active and, in the absence of
adequate pension provision, need to continue to work to be able to fund the lifestyle that will enable them to
remain fit and active. Too many elderly people who have, for whatever reason, to stop working find that they
do not have sufficient means to eat as well as they did when they were earning, to provide themselves with
the level of heating and other comforts that they had previously enjoyed and to indulge in the leisure
activities that have hitherto been their passion and source of stimulation. Quite a serious blow is thereby
often dealt within a relatively short space of time to both their physical and mental state. It needs also to be
borne in mind that it helps the state and thereby hard-pressed taxpayers if large numbers of old people are
able to continue to work and support themselves rather than rely on state-funded pensions and other
benefits such as help with their heating bills and free transportation. Also beneficial to the state is the fact
that, by continuing to work and thereby remaining fit and mentally alert, elderly people will be less prone to
illnesses requiring medical treatment. Elderly people, moreover, have a mine of experience gleaned in the
course of their working lives, and their continued presence in the workplace will mean that they will be able to
share that experience with younger members of the workforce, making thereby for greater efficiency.
Notwithstanding, there are a significant number of factors which support the counter view, notably that
people should not work beyond the age of 60 or, at maximum, 65. Not least, many people have long looked
forward to the moment when they can stop working and start to enjoy all the benefits that retirement brings
with it, e.g. more time for leisure activities and less stress. Suddenly to force them to work longer will be a
serious blow to many which could have more or less serious consequences for their mental state and, as a
result, affect their performance in the workplace. It is also generally accepted that, notwithstanding many
people’s desire to continue working and thereby – as they see it – remain fit and mentally alert, the longer a
person works and is subject to the physical demands and/or the stress of the workplace, the shorter his/her
life expectancy. Equally pertinent is the fact that beyond a certain age, many people’s physical and mental
capacities begin to decline and they also tend to be less adaptable and less open to new ideas. This might
well pose problems in the workplace if they were still working and, what’s more, would mean that when they
did finally retire, they would not be in a position to derive as much enjoyment from many of the benefits
usually associated with retirement (e.g. travel, family outings, more time for leisure activities) as if they had
retired earlier. A consideration that was to the fore in many essays was the fact that the longer one allows
elderly people to continue working, the less openings for the younger generation. Unemployment among
young people is already at record highs in both developed and developing countries and delaying the
retirement age will only make matters worse, increasing the incidence of despondency and often despair that
prevails among cohorts of young people unable to find jobs and who feel that all their hard work at school
and university have been in vain. Many essays arrived at the conclusion that people should have choice and
that there should be no statutory retirement age. A pension should be available to anyone who has reached
the age of 60 and who wishes to retire but, equally, those who wish to carry on working should be free to do
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so, though subject to certain conditions designed to protect both employee and employer and, not least, the
young. Given the urgent need to provide a stimulus to youth employment, there needs to be a cap on the
number of hours they are allowed to work.
Question 5
This was the third most popular question. Unfortunately, many candidates saw it as an excuse to unveil
everything they knew or thought about either technology or indeed, specifically, the television, the car, the
mobile phone and the computer (listed in the title, incidentally, for the purpose of exemplification). Only the
better scripts showed an understanding of WHY a person might wish to adopt a lifestyle unfettered by
technology, and of the advantages AS WELL AS the disadvantages of so doing. Some introductions went
straight the heart of the matter: their authors took an objective stance, and pointed out that though not
tempted by the same extreme reaction, many people do feel a certain solidarity with and even possibly a
certain sneaking, tacit admiration for the lifestyle advocated and observed by the ever-increasing number of
environmental activists passionately concerned about the damage being wrought by man’s thoughtless and
selfish disregard for the ecological problems that beset the world. They eschew all the paraphernalia and
gadgets of modern technology, deeming quite correctly that their manufacture is a source of pollution, their
usage is a source of yet further pollution and their disposal, when they have reached the end of their life,
presents even more serious problems of pollution. Such a way of life, moreover, would have very tangible
economic advantages. Not only would there be no initial capital outlay to purchase a car, a television, a
computer, a mobile phone or whatever, but a further considerable saving would be made on fuel, insurance,
taxation and repair costs in the case of a car, on electricity and software costs in the case of a television and
a computer, and on call costs in the case of a mobile phone. There would also be obvious benefits for
health. Cycling or walking are far healthier options than the use of motorised transportation, likewise
engaging in less sedentary activities as opposed to watching television and sitting at a computer. Moreover,
someone doing without a mobile phone would be far less exposed to the dangerous rays that have been
repeatedly linked by experts with various types of cancer. Social advantages would also accrue. Not only
young people but also adults tend to spend excessive amounts of time watching television and sitting at their
computers. Doing away with such gadgets would make for more cohesive bonds within the family: there
would be more communication between parents and children who would be free to spend much more time
together and to engage in pursuits which bring them together rather than isolate them as computers do.
Equally, children would not fall into the snares laid by video games and social networking sites and would, as
a result, have the opportunity to develop social skills and self-confidence which are stifled in their computeraddicted counterparts. The risks run and, in an increasing number of cases, the actual harm done,
especially to children but also to adults, as a result of exposure to certain television programmes and certain
computer games and Internet sites, would be obviated. Children would not be exposed to the violence and
pornography that are a major scourge of the audio-visual media and they would not run the risk of
encountering sexual predators masquerading under a fictitious identity on social networking sites. Nor would
their parents risk being ensnared in one of the myriad of scams operating via the Internet. Notwithstanding,
however convincing such a plaidoyer may sound, the drawbacks are clear for all to see and, indeed, many
weaker candidates listed only the drawbacks. At the most basic level, to eschew the fruits of technology
would be to deprive oneself of the time and labour saving devices that are generally accepted as raising
living standards, not least by making it possible for an individual to spend more time pursuing passions and
activities that he/she finds stimulating and enriching. Similarly, to turn one’s back on all the various forms of
transportation that are responsible for atmospheric pollution has highly restrictive implications at several
levels. Not least, one’s choice of work is restricted to what is on offer within walking or cycling distance of
home and, moreover, the job must not involve any long-distance travel (or, presumably, for that matter,
working with computers). Moreover, overseas holidays or even holidays in not so far-flung destinations but
ones only accessible by car, train or bus are ruled out. Communication with the outside world and with
family members and friends who do not live locally will perforce be problematic without the use of mobile
phones and computers, to say nothing of emergency situations when the mobile phone really comes into its
own and so often saves the day. To banish computers and the television is to banish two invaluable
educational tools and means of cultural enrichment. When it came to the matter of a conclusion, many
candidates ignored the question posed by the title – Que pensez-vous de cette façon de vivre? However, a
succinct and pertinent conclusion quite often arrived at by those who had looked at both sides of the
question was that they could not envisage life without the benefits of modern technology but equally they
appreciated the dangers posed to both themselves and the environment of becoming a slave to it. A
consommer avec modération!
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FRENCH
Paper 9716/33
Essay
Key Messages
In order to perform well on this paper, candidates need to select a title with which they feel comfortable and
write a response that is clearly relevant, well illustrated and coherently structured. The use of French should
be generally accurate and of a suitably advanced nature as well as showing a good use of idiom and
appropriate vocabulary. Sentence patterns should show some evidence of complexity and the style should
be easy to follow.
General Comments
Though many essays contained a fair number of grammatical and lexical errors, there was a reasonable
degree of accuracy and also a certain attempt to deploy a variety of vocabulary and structures. At the lower
end of the spectrum, there was a significant proportion of work which was characterised by persistent errors,
limited vocabulary, anglicisms and invented forms, with the result that communication frequently proved
problematic. The better essays targeted the title set, introduced some exemplification and provided a
conclusion commensurate with the points made in the body of the piece. However, there were quite a few
which, for whatever reason, did not heed the parameters laid down by the title and sometimes lead to
sketchy and unspecific essays where lack of coherence was also a problem.
As far as language was concerned, particular problems were noted in the following areas:
- verb structures involving a following infinitive, e.g. peut-on devient, ils veulent d’être, essayons à, a décidé
de, arréter donner l’argent, vouloir à améliorer, peuvent travaillerai, peut existe, ils n’apprennaient pas de
partager, peut à fournir, est d’employerai, ne peut rien achete, on apprend un personne survivre, ça me
mene de croire, doit à fournir, aider trouver un emploi, choisir n’avoir pas, n’a pu agi, pouvoir à agir, on peut
essaie
- structures governed by common prepositions, e.g. sans d’avoir, par trouvant, avec gangant(sic), par les
donne, sans de partir la maison, comment les gagnent, sur trouvant, à travaille, par peser, de donnent le
soutien, pour entre dans, avec aider les autres, pour ne fait rien, pour nous nous l’attaquons
- the distinction between adjectives and adverbs, e.g. est élevé meillure, une vie bienne, ils sont plus vite, le
mieux éducation, un vraiment désaster, les mal choses, des mieux décisions, un futur plus bien, une place
mieux, ont un bien temps
- adjectival agreement, e.g. le nouvel secteur, les endroits touristique, la bonnee vie, cette choses, toute les
temps, elle est gratuit, ils sont pauvre, les methods sont excellente, une vie plein, notre actions, ils sont petit,
notre jeunes, les comportements seraient meilleure, ils sont seule, c’est effrayante, certain sportif, les
enfants heureuse, tous le monde, quel choses, votre parents, les même gens, leurs sports préféré, tout ces
aspects, un enfant pauvres, cette choses, notres attitudes, un grande role
- agreement between subject and verb, e.g. cela me font, les ordinateurs peut, le taux continuent, les enfants
n’as pas, l’ordinateur peuvent, le prix doivent, l’homme vivraient, l’enfant quittent, le chômage et le pauvreté
est, le gouvernement n’ont pas, le sport sont, la groupe ont, l’exercice ne doivent pas, les vacances serais,
nous n’auraient pas
- combined preposition and article forms, e.g. de les jeunes, à le chomage, de le progrès, de le sport, à les
autres, de les raisons, de le travail, à les jeunes, à les adultes, de les solutions, de les amis, à le fin, au l’
université, de le club, de les maladies
- temporal structures, e.g. ces values existaient avant quelques années, a exsisté pour nombre de annés,
pour un plus longtemps
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- pronouns, e.g. nous les donnons une l’éducation, le donner d’éducation, lui aident, les s’attendrent d’être,
nous en sommes exposés, pas paye-lui, nos donne, faire vous content
- expressions of quantity, e.g. de plus en plus personnes, beaucoup des gens, plus des emplois, moins des
chomeurs, plus qu’un enfant, trois millions des chômeurs, plus de l’argent, plus en plus temps, plusieurs de
gouvernements, aussi beaucoup d’argent, les grands quantités de l’argent, il y a beaucoup de l’école, un
grand nombre de chômage, le nombre des étudiants, les plus personnes, un moins pourcentage, plus des
competateurs, les beaucoup plus histoires, plus de temps, la plupart de temps, plus travail, assez l’argent,
plus que vingt, assez beaucoup de, plus des emplois, une quantité de l’argent
- confusion between the infinitive and the past participle, e.g. a commencer, ont changer, a bénéficier, on
devrrait(sic) occupé, est aller, qui est connecter, sont regarder par, a été utiliser, être éviter
- verb forms, e.g. a devenu, passeons, doivons, reçievent, il voudrais, j’aimirais, puvez, prendez, j’ai
apprenais, ils ont metté, il dois, ils faisent, on apprends, il crois, ils demand, il reduire, il ne veux pas, il n’y
irai pas plus d’emplois, voyer (for voir), puissons, battrent, vous faisez, ont réussit, réussient, nous soit, nous
obtenissons, on deviendront, apprendrent, ont enseignent, quand on vive, il ne viens pas, ils peut, ont venu,
apparit, craigner
- anglicised spelling, e.g. la music, le problem, les enterprises, le gouvernment, ces activities, environment,
example, le control, mechanisation, l’order public, effects, persons, resources, comparison, exercise,
success, domain, essential
- negative structures, e.g. rien des choses, ne sont pas parfait aussi, pas de personne ont, qui rien finir, n’a
que pu voyager, n’ont cet chance, n’avoir pas un emplois, un chose que l’argent ne peut rien achete, n’ont
connu pas, ils n’ont pas ni l’argent ni l’aide, la communication ne que facile, ils ont pas, il n’est rien le bonne
comportement, je n’ai vu pas, personne est parfait, les individus n’as pas auccune(sic)
- prepositions, e.g. dans cette façon, dans les jeunes, en les Etats-Unis, en les autres pays, ça dépend sur,
sur la rue, on peut penser de les solutions, dans l’avenir, au futur, dans un niveau, responsable pour, au
monde, une solution pour la problème, influencés avec le sport, une augmentation pour le désir, chercheront
pour les gens, un besoin pour, travailler à une ferme, bénéficier notre société, d’un certain mesure, des nos
jours, s’attaquer le chômage, l’amour par mon famille, il rompt contre le capitalisme, son attitude vers, en
une enquête, en rapport avec, en pauvreté, ont vers deux où trois maisons, sont contentes avec, un
dépendence sur, des effets au taux de chômage, Examiner à ce débat, associés avec les jeunes
- relative pronouns e.g. des citoyennes que n’est pas éduque, tout qu’il veut, ce que demeure, des faits que
ne aident pas, toute que nous avons besoin de, dont on peut utilisés, faire à quoi ils veulent, quel il fera, tout
il veut, la raison que nous allons, dont on peut reçevoir,
- genders of common words, e.g. – ce façon, mon solution, la problème, un méthode, la monde, une avenir,
le chose, le fin, un famille, une exemple, une manque, un maison, un personne, la prix, la nom, une besoin,
la pays, la sport, un guerre, la temps, une travail, une restaurant, la niveau
- confusion between common homonyms, e,g. se serait, cet question, ça forme es la plus populaire, la
technologie et incroyable, ce qui l’utilisent, avez changé
Comments on specific questions
Question 1
Most essays took as their starting point the obvious material advantages that accrue to an only child from a
wealthy family, notably that he will enjoy all the comforts that money can buy (technological gadgets, clothes,
holidays, food etc.) and that he will have automatic access to the best education available as well as to the
best medical treatment. However, a number of counter points were made. First and foremost, money is not
everything. Money cannot buy love and happiness which are infinitely more important than material
possessions. Some candidates argued that showering a child with everything he wants is used as a
substitute in certain families for parental love and attention. Moreover, a child who has everything and does
not have to share his toys or computer or whatever with his/her siblings will very likely grow up to be more
than a little selfish. Nor will he learn important life-skills such as understanding the value of money or
managing his own finances since everything will simply fall into his lap. It was suggested that a child brought
up in a less well-off family will be far more motivated and determined to succeed and that it is not
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infrequently the case that children who have been spoiled subsequently go off the rails and bring
disappointment and sometimes even tremendous heartache to their parents. Some essays focused more on
the fact of being an only child than on that of having wealthy parents, and a number of valid points were
made. Not only will loneliness be a problem but it was posited that such a child will be less adept at making
friends and forging relationships later on in life. It may even be that he will find it less easy to communicate
with others than a child who has benefited from the healthy interaction with siblings. In those essays which
did offer a conclusion, the majority view was that true luck consists in being brought up in a close-knit family
that is not poor but not necessarily wealthy either, but where at least two children and their parents enjoy
strong emotional bonds in a household where the watchwords are harmony and happiness.
Question 2
The starting point for some who chose to write on this title was a recognition that the behaviour of a minority
of young people is highly disruptive to the smooth running of society. The finger was pointed at the problem
of juvenile delinquency, often fuelled by the associated problems of drugs and alcohol, and at a general lack
of respect for authority prevalent among a certain number of young people often from poor backgrounds and
who have, for whatever reason, not fared well at school. However, most essays went on to adduce failings
on the part of parents and society and thereby to argue that the blame for the disruption in question cannot
be attached wholly to the young. A major problem is the abdication of parental responsibility: it is the job of
parents to inculcate moral and civic values in their children but an ever-increasing number of parents fail
their children in this regard. Excessive alcohol consumption, drug-taking, smoking, promiscuity and the use
of bad language were all cited as instances of the bad example many modern parents set their children and
which contributes to the derailment process that eventually results in the sort of behaviour under the
spotlight. Failing Schools where poor teaching and poor standards of discipline are the norm also stood
accused as did government policy which has not done nearly enough to alleviate the problem of
unemployment among young people. Prisons too were seen as failing young people in the sense that far
from helping them to reform, they expose them to a regime that results in their emerging from their
sentences far more hardened criminals than they were before they went in. The financial crisis gripping the
world – which is most certainly not of young people’s making! – and the concomitant unprecedented levels of
youth unemployment were seen as major threats to public order, witness the social unrest that has recently
manifested itself in the form of riots in the United Kingdom. Other threats that were mentioned as being far
more significant than the behaviour of the young were the scourge of terrorism, warfare and extreme rightwing movements such as the National Front none of which, it was argued, can be laid at the door of young
people.
Question 3
Perhaps not surprisingly, this was the most popular title. Several essays initiated their discussion by making
the well-worn but perfectly valid point that wherever there is money there is almost inevitably corruption, and
sport is no exception. The sporting world has become highly commercialised. For commercial reasons,
industrial and other corporate concerns provide sponsorship to clubs and individuals alike. This puts great
pressure on those concerned to perform at a level which will impress and thereby win the continued backing
of their sponsors, not infrequently resulting in the use of corrupt practices and, in particular, the use of illicit
substances calculated to boost performance. Such practices are fuelled too by intense media coverage:
many athletes crave for the fame and glory that victory brings with it and that propels them into the limelight,
conferring on them the status of heroes in the eyes of their fans. Moreover, such a status usually brings with
it lucrative opportunities in the form of advertising contracts and the like, and indeed the lure of personal
financial gain is also a major factor in the high level of corruption that prevails. Bribes are paid to people in
high office in the sporting world to ensure that a major sporting event is held in one country rather than in any
of the other postulant venues. Fuelled by the scourge of betting, cases of match fixing in sports ranging from
football to boxing to cricket to tennis occur with increasing regularity and despite their condemnation and the
disciplinary action taken when a scandal makes the headlines, the regulatory bodies concerned fail to take
the concerted action necessary to eradicate the corrupt practices exposed. As long as governments on
whom the regulatory bodies depend for their existence fail to exert more pressure, then such corruption will
perforce continue. Unfortunately, some candidates diverged from the essential focus specified in the title
and included sections on problems other than corruption that beset the sporting world, notably racism and
hooliganism. Basic topic-specific vocabulary proved problematic in some cases, witness les jouerers (=
players) and les joues (les joues d’Olympique), and, though it figures in the title, the noun corruption was
sometimes given as masculine.
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Question 4
Some candidates who chose this title put forward a number of ideas about how the problem of
unemployment might be tackled but others were very limited in their scope. A recurrent theme was the need
to reform the educational system in order to ensure greater emphasis on the skills required by the world of
work rather than on traditional academic subjects. A number of candidates zoomed in on the need to attach
much greater importance to the importance of learning foreign languages since, in order to be considered for
employment by the ever-increasing number of international organisations and foreign corporate concerns,
the ability to speak one or more languages is a sine qua non. In another respect too, education was
considered as having a key role to play: in a world in which large numbers of young people allow themselves
to be lured into activities which are not acceptable in the eyes of society (delinquancy, drug taking, excessive
alcohol consumption and the like) and which effectively mean that they will find it extremely hard if not
impossible to find a job, schools need to place more emphasis on civic values and to strive to educate young
people to act more responsibly. Schools and governments need to work hand in hand to change people’s
attitudes. Currently, many people think that it is quite acceptable to stay at home and live on benefits
provided by the state. They have to made aware that they they have a duty towards society and their fellow
citizens and that it is morally reprehensible to shirk their social duty and to expect others to support them.
On a different tack, it was argued that the cost of tertiary education needs to be curbed, thereby giving more
young people the opportunity to go on to college or university and to acquire the skills that employers look
for. A number of economic solutions were also suggested. Governments need to provide the finance to
enable firms to expand and thereby create more jobs. Industrial and other enterprises must be given more
tax breaks and other fiscal incentives to encourage them to stay in the country and hopefully expand their
activities rather than move their operations to countries where economic conditions are more favourable
and/or labour is cheaper. Tourism should be encouraged by improving the necessary infrastructures since
an increase in the number of tourists will permit the creation of many new jobs. Not least, it was posited that
we should not be talking about increasing the retirement age but rather about bringing retirement forward in
order to create more openings for young people among whom unemployment is particularly high. More
extreme measures that were considered were the putting in place of restrictions limiting the number of
children that parents can have and adopting a policy, such as that advocated by the Front National and other
extreme right-wing organisations, of sending all immigrants back to their home country. Among items of
topic-specific vocabulary that caused problems were le taux de chômage which was given variously as le/la
niveau de chômage and le/la taux du chômage and les emplois which figured as les travails/ les travaux.
Question 5
Some of those who chose to write on this topic paid scant heed to the specifics of the title and simply wrote
about the advantages and disadvantages of computers, focusing on such aspects as the value of the
Internet for candidates and social networking sites. A couple of those who did write relevantly outlined
nightmarish Big Brother scenarios in which there would be no such thing as privacy. Reference was made
by some to the lack of work that will be able available for humans since so much will be done by computers.
The consequences for people’s health were also adduced since computerisation engenders a sedentary
lifestyle which in turn engenders problems such as obesity and cardio-vascular disease. When everything is
controlled by computers, it only takes a computer crash to plunge whole sectors of society into chaos,
witness the complete shutdown of computer-controlled transport systems, the paralysis of international
telecommunication systems and world financial systems brought to a complete standstill. However,
computerisation also makes for a better and more efficient world. In the industrial domain, for example,
wholly computerised production lines enable a level of production that would be unimaginable if everything
was done manually. Thanks to computers the world is also a much safer place: the computerised automatic
pilot system used in aircraft, for example, has led to a very considerable reduction in the number of plane
crashes, and it is no longer necessary for men to risk their lives in such situations as bomb scares and
nuclear radiation leaks since the work can be done by robots. Not least, the technological advances made
possible by computerisation have facilitated breakthroughs which have had an enormous impact for the good
not only in the home but in such domains as medicine, transport and global communications.
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FRENCH
Paper 9716/42
Texts
Key Messages
●
Focus on the key words in the question. Candidates should think carefully about what the question
is asking of them before they start to write.
●
The Examiner already knows the author and text, so leave out biographical and historical details,
storytelling and narrative, and focus on the points to be made to answer the question, with brief
illustration as necessary. Writing a full paragraph about the author before addressing the question
adds nothing to the essay and should be avoided.
●
The question does not have to be ‘proven’ true. Some illustrations from the text will confirm
statements made in the questions and some will not support them. Discussion of all of these points
will form a good essay.
●
Points should be developed but not repeated. Careful planning should help to achieve this.
●
Do not try to argue that the question has summarised the ‘essence’ of the text. It is far more likely
that the question focuses on one aspect of the text, so candidates will have to leave out some of
what they know, and only use the most relevant material.
●
Ideally the first paragraph of the essay will introduce the topic in the question and the discussion will
close with a conclusion that sums up the arguments used and provides a final answer to the
question.
●
Follow the rubric: answer three questions, one or two from Section 1/Questions 1-4 (in (a), all three
parts (i), (ii) and (iii), but then not (b)), and one or two from Section 2/Questions 5-8, either (a) or
(b), but not both on the same text. Candidates should be told that ‘soit’ means ‘either’ and need not
be copied with the question number.
●
Divide the time equally between questions, allowing sufficient time to complete all three essays.
General Comments
The most popular texts were those of Molière, Maupassant, Colette and Lainé and the most frequently
selected questions were 1(a) and (b), 3(a), 6(b) and 7(a) and (b). On the whole, candidates had prepared
well, and some appeared to have practised the essays in past papers. Candidates should still pay careful
attention to the current question being asked.
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Comments on specific questions
Section 1
Question 1
Maupassant: Boule de Suif et autres contes de la guerre
(a)
The majority of candidates had a good general knowledge of the text and had clearly appreciated
the collection of stories. Most candidates understood the significance of la graine semée la veille in
(i) and could explain that it was a reference to the arguments put across to Boule de Suif to apply
pressure and persuade her to give in, although sometimes they thought that the Prussian officer
rather than the coach passengers were involved. The weakest answers failed to recognise the
context and thus were unable to provide the detail of the main conspirators’ various attempts to
‘brainwash’ Boule de Suif.
In (ii), some candidates merely paraphrased the comte’s intervention without giving a reaction to
his behaviour. Occasionally, weak answers showed no recognition of the irony, thus describing the
Count’s approach as ‘sincere, kind and fatherly’. Most were able to identify that Maupassant was
seeking a negative reaction from readers, identifying many words in the passage that were worthy
of comment. The quality of the response depended on the candidate’s ability to analyse the way in
which the Count sought to manipulate Boule de Suif, and the answer was fairly successful overall.
Part (iii) was usually understood and developed with greater or lesser detail, according to the
candidate’s knowledge of what happened to Boule de Suif afterwards in the coach and of her final
rejection and humiliation.
(b)
‘Désespoir’ proved easier to apply correctly than ‘farce’. For candidates who realised that ‘farce au
désespoir’ indicated the full gamut of character reactions to crisis situations, the task was a
straightforward one and some good marks were achieved. In the strongest responses seen,
candidates recalled that Saint Antoine is described as a farceur in the first few lines of the story of
that name, and reference was also made to Epivent in Le Lit 29 and to Mademoiselle Fifi. Weaker
candidates tried to find farce in all of the short stories, or neglected to mention farce at all, choosing
to focus exclusively on despair. Credit was given to candidates who tried to express their view of
the change of tone and mood in the stories and to deal with the use of humour. The Boule de Suif
story did not provide such good illustration.
Question 2
Anouilh: Antigone
(a)
Most candidates could cope successfully with aspects of Hémon’s disappointment in part (i). Not
enough was made of the significance of his disillusionment with his father in the first two lines of
the extract, and there was too much of Créon’s decision about Antigone. Few candidates were
able to provide a really convincing account of Hémon’s struggle to reconcile his image of his father
with Créon’s actions.
Again, (ii) was fairly well answered by many. Candidates needed to appreciate that Créon was
making a general statement that growing up is about coming to terms with the ugly nature of reality
and the isolation of the individual.
In (iii), quite a few candidates saw only that ‘we must all die one day’ rather than acknowledging
that Antigone’s death was going to have an impact on all the characters in the play. More could
have been made of Créon’s claim to be just as sorrowful as Hémon over the whole affair.
(b)
Many candidates could only see negative conclusions in the play, but there were a few perceptive
responses which recognised the positivity of Antigone, resolutely upholding her integrity to the end,
and also suggesting that Créon made the right decision, and that Antigone’s attempts to be
reconciled with Hémon and Ismène before her death could be seen in a positive light.
Development of the love theme was also popular. The most successful candidates made the point
that Antigone’s stand on moral principles could be seen as a noble resistance to political power.
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Question 3
Molière: Le Bourgeois gentilhomme
(a)
This was a very popular choice of text and most candidates showed that they had studied the text
and had appreciated it.
The general comedy of the situation was more frequently identified in (i) than Monsieur Jourdain’s
inappropriate request that Dorimène step back. Most were not able to identify that the situation
was amusing because Monsieur Jourdain spoke inappropriately to Dorimène in order to allow him
to complete his act of excessive deference.
Virtually all candidates could explain Dorante’s words at the end of the extract, and there were
some excellent analyses of his situation and motives. Some candidates probably understood the
diamond detail but a number got into difficulty when it came to explaining it clearly – imprecision
with il/elle/le/la/lui was often the cause of confusion.
In (iii), nearly all candidates felt that it was necessary to pity Monsieur Jourdain as well as to laugh
at him.
(b)
When well done, candidates were able to give reasons for which the comedy could stand alone
and be appreciated for its farce, burlesque and fast-paced witty dialogue. Few candidates
understood the universality of Molière’s characterisation and comedies, and that jokes, tricks,
obsessions and deceptions are always with us. The answers that tried to trace the benefits of
studying the society for understanding the play tended to focus on the aspirations of certain
bourgeois to become noble aristocrats and therefore to stray away from the comic elements. It
was interesting to see how much enjoyment seemed to be derived from the study of a
Seventeenth-Century text.
Question 4
Devi: Le Voile de Draupadi
(a)
There were some excellent pieces of work on this text. The novel had been enjoyed and usually
well understood by candidates.
Not all candidates explained the moment de heurt correctly in (i), that Dev had just confronted
Anjali, appealing to her, ‘de faire un sacrifice … la marche sur le feu’.
Part (ii) provided an opportunity to contrast the faith and happiness of Anjali’s childhood with her
situation of doubt and despair at this point in the text.
In (iii), candidates needed to comment on the importance of the trauma of Vasanti’s death for
Anjali’s situation at this point, and the guilt that Anjali felt. Many provided the correct information
but the difference lay in the amount of detail.
(b)
Responses to this question required some analysis of Fatmah’s nature and way of thinking. Most
answers to (b) were at least able to provide an adequate interpretation of Fatmah’s character and
influence on Anjali, but not all went on to explain the evolution of Anjali’s thinking. Too many
responses claimed that she persuaded Anjali to undertake the ordeal – which is, of course, not
altogether correct without the precise detail of the counsel she gave. Only able candidates
understood that Anjali was advised to become reconciled with herself in order to lose her constant
feelings of guilt and lack of self-worth, that she should go through the ordeal only to be able to
know that she had done all she possibly could for Wynn and that the hope was that she would find
inner strength, peace and serenity.
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Section 2
Question 5
Ionesco: Le Roi se meurt
(a)
There were fewer responses on this text than on some of the others. Some candidates who
tackled this question found it difficult to write relevantly about ways in which Bérenger represented
the human condition in general (such as in his fear of and struggle to come to terms with death,
and in that he wanted to be remembered after his death) or did not represent it (for example, in
carrying these sentiments to extremes with his words, ‘Que toutes les fenêtres éclairées aient la
couleur et la forme de mes yeux, que les fleuves dessinent dans les plaines le profil de mon
visage!’). Others produced competent analyses showing knowledge of the text.
(b)
For candidates who had studied this text, Question 5(b) was less frequently chosen. Many found
it difficult to analyse why Ionesco’s play should be taken seriously (such as the fact that it tackles,
albeit amusingly, the difficulty of coming to terms with death). Answers tended to consist simply of
a reiteration of comic aspects, with little analysis.
Question 6
Colette: Le Blé en herbe
(a)
Fewer candidates chose Question (a) than (b). Some appeared to have stopped reading the
question part way through and answered, ‘Les personnages masculins manquent, dans l’œuvre de
Colette…’, neglecting, ‘d’épaisseur et de vraie consistance’. Most relevant responses explored
Phil’s shortcomings demonstrated by his actions in the book and drew appropriate conclusions.
Able candidates were able to contrast the weakness and indecision of Phil, a teenager on the
threshold of manhood, with the later strength of Vinca and the command and virility of Camille.
(b)
Candidates found this question very accessible. It allowed nearly all candidates to demonstrate
appropriate knowledge of the text with good supporting detail and still enabled stronger candidates
to distinguish themselves by showing real insight and fully analysing Madame Dalleray’s impact on
the young couple. Material about her interaction with Phil was readily alluded to, and more
thoughtful answers also considered the older woman’s impact on Vinca and on the relationship
between the two young people, identifying her pivotal role as that of a catalyst. Candidates who
performed less well had paid no attention to her role, just writing a character analysis.
Question 7
Lainé: La Dentellière
(a)
This question was the more popular of the two. Some candidates answered it well, explaining
ways in which Pomme could be identified with La Dentellière: a humble girl who concentrated on
her work, seeing the modest task in hand well done and showing little emotion. A few concentrated
on the Vermeer painting rather than on what Pascal Lainé had written in the novel. A small
proportion of candidates did not understand the link between the title and Pomme or know about
the references to Pomme as La Dentellière in the book, just presenting a narrative of the text.
(b)
A popular choice which produced a number of good, sensitive answers. Many candidates did not
realise that it was only necessary to refer to the parts of the text that were relevant. Good, concise
answers began at the point of Aimery’s appearance. Very few candidates made the distinction
between narrator and author, pointed to his explanations of his motives, or mentioned the alteration
in the structure of the novel as it changed into first person narration at the beginning of chapter IV.
A number of answers did not refer to the final Pomme/Aimery scene, thus omitting the highly
significant detail of both characters which it revealed.
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Question 8
Camus: Caligula
(a)
Candidates showed knowledge of the text, but needed to refer to ‘intelligence’ as well as Caligula’s
cruel follies.
(b)
Few candidates tackled this question and those who did found it difficult. Credit was given, if the
judgements were justified by reference to the text, whether the candidate took the quotation to refer
to the incidents recounted in the play or to the qualities which mean that the play endures and
remains gripping.
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FRENCH
Paper 9716/43
Texts
Key Messages
●
Focus on the key words in the question. Candidates should think carefully about what the question
is asking of them before they start to write.
●
The Examiner already knows the author and text too, so leave out biographical and historical details,
storytelling and narrative, and focus on the points to be made that answer the question, with brief
illustration as necessary. Writing a full paragraph about the author before addressing the question
adds nothing to the essay and should be avoided.
●
The question does not have to be ‘proven’ true. Some illustrations from the text will confirm
statements made in the questions and some will not support them. Discussion of all of these points
will form a good essay.
●
Points should be developed but not repeated. Careful planning should help to achieve this.
●
Do not try to argue that the question has summarised the ‘essence’ of the text. It is far more likely
that the question focuses on one aspect of the text, so candidates will have to leave out some of
what they know, and only use the most relevant material.
●
Ideally the first paragraph of the essay will introduce the topic in the question and the discussion will
close with a conclusion that sums up the arguments used and provides a final answer to the
question.
●
Follow the rubric: answer three questions, one or two from Section 1/Questions 1-4 (in (a), all three
parts (i), (ii) and (iii), but then not (b)), and one or two from Section 2/Questions 5-8, but either (a) or
(b), not both on the same text. Candidates should be told that ‘soit’ means ‘either’ and need not be
copied with the question number.
●
Divide the time equally between questions, allowing sufficient time to complete all three essays.
General Comments
The most popular texts studied were by Anouilh, Colette, Camus, Maupassant and Molière, and the most
frequently selected questions were 2(a), 7(b) and 3(b), with 6(a) and (b) enjoying equal popularity and 1(b)
chosen marginally more often than 1(a). As usual, many candidates had prepared well for this paper.
There were not many answers on Lainé’s La Dentellière, although this often proves to be a popular choice
among Centres. Few candidates answered the questions on Devi and Ionesco.
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Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
Comments on specific questions
Section 1
Question 1
Maupassant: Boule de Suif et autres contes de la guerre
(a)
In (i), candidates were able to explain the chase which took place after ‘Mademoiselle Fifi’ shouted,
‘A nous…toutes les femmes de France!’ and raised his hand to slap Rachel’s face a second time.
But she picked up a small dessert knife from the table, plunged it into his neck, threw her chair at
lieutenant Otto’s legs, knocking him over, ran to open the window and fled into the night.
The Prussians are depicted by Maupassant as blundering, killing each other, and incompetent,
unable to find Rachel. The General acted on the basis of appearances and needing to have a
good example set, but the discipline that he ordered for the Commandant was passed on as
punishment for the Commandant’s own inferiors and in a resolution to take vengeance on the
country.
Candidates generally knew that after the Prussian troops left, Rachel married. It was more unusual
for them also to mention that she hid in the bell tower, ringing the bell sometimes, so that people
thought it was haunted, and no one dared go there, except for the curate and sacristan who took
her food in secret.
(b)
The strongest arguments in support of the statement that, ‘Les paysans n’ont guère les haines
patriotiques; cela n’appartient qu’aux classes supérieures’ (a quotation from the first half of La
Mère Sauvage) were illustrated with examples from that story and Le Père Milon. Saint-Antoine
provided a contrast with them. The question asked about ‘les contes’, requiring reference to at
least two of the short stories. On the whole, good material was selected, given that ‘paysans’ are
not prominent in all of the stories.
Question 2
Anouilh: Antigone
(a)
Candidates were able to identify the subject of the sisters’ conversation in part (i), opening with
Ismène’s assertion that they could not bury their brother, Polynice because ‘il’ (their uncle, Créon,
the king) would kill them. Antigone asked why, but had already buried Polynice in any case,
beginning to betray the fact with her words, ‘j’aurais bien voulu ne pas mourir’. Ismène went on to
express sympathy that the king must set an example, and Antigone averred her liberty not to set an
example or do what was right in the king’s eyes.
It was rare for candidates to ‘disapprove’ of Ismène’s viewpoint in (ii), although the opening of the
question, ‘Dans quelle mesure…’ left room to express greater approval of Antigone.
In (iii), most commented adequately on Antigone’s final words in the extract, ‘Je ne veux pas avoir
raison’, resolving to fulfil her moral duty to her brother and to uphold her personal integrity, rather
than doing what was considered right by others.
(b)
Responses to this question tended to be short and undeveloped, although there was evidence of
relevant material associated with: Créon’s offer of a compromise, sparing Antigone’s life if she
would agree to keep quiet about her attempt to bury her brother; Créon’s unmoved determination
when Hémon pleaded with him to spare Antigone’s life; and sympathy shown towards Antigone in
her opposition to Créon.
Question 3
Molière: Le Bourgeois gentilhomme
(a)
Not many answers to this question were seen, although candidates could respond well to the
invitation in (i) to side with Mme Jourdain and Nicole as they teased and ridiculed M. Jourdain for
employing his maîtres à danser, tireur d’armes and de philosophie when, they argued, he should
be turning his attention to giving his daughter in marriage, or with M. Jourdain who insisted, ‘Je
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Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
songerai à marier ma fille quand il se présentera un parti pour elle; mais je veux songer aussi à
apprendre les belles choses.’
The Jourdains’ dispute over their daughter’s marriage was renewed in the final scenes, when M.
Jourdain thought he had secured a noble Grand Turc for Lucile, but his wife opposed him until she
learned that the man was really her daughter’s beloved, Cléonte, in disguise. (iii) invited the
candidates’ personal response to M. Jourdain’s ambition, ‘je veux avoir de l’esprit, et savoir
raisonner des choses parmi les honnêtes gens’. M. Jourdain took himself seriously, but continued
to make the audience laugh.
(b)
The maîtres also took themselves seriously, but continued to make the audience laugh, although
candidates could argue that the joke was ultimately on M. Jourdain.
Question 4
Devi: Le Voile de Draupadi
(a)
Anjali had accepted the challenge of walking through the fire, in an attempt to save her son, Wynn,
who was seriously ill with meningitis, and was preparing herself for it. In the first paragraph of the
extract, she recalled that her name meant ‘prayer’ and acknowledged that she had become so
familiar with that fact that she had lost a sense of the deep meaning of it. Furthermore, she
realised that she had rarely been so reconciled with the deepest part of her being, and so far from
the demands of daily life.
Fatmah was a cousin of Faisal, and Anjali had met her in his home. Fatmah had been shunned by
her relatives, or rather by the matriarch, so lived in poverty-stricken isolation under their protection,
but without the matriarch’s knowledge. Anjali admired her hope, permanent smile, happy triumph
over her tears, tranquillity and serenity and wanted to replicate them at this difficult time of her
son’s illness and her need to overcome and walk in the flames.
During this period of intense pressure for Anjali, when she was coming to terms with her own fears
and needs, her disillusionment with her husband, Dev, was growing, and the distance between
them was increasing, from her point of view, at least. At this point in the text, Anjali reflected on
examples of women being ‘taken for granted’ by ‘man’, and ‘warned’ Dev here that nothing could
be taken which was not deserved, and that she did not believe that he had been worthy of their
marriage. After Anjali did the fire walk, he left their home, begging to stay, saying that he would
come back after a time, but she did not think that he would.
(b)
At the end of the novel, Anjali had walked on the fire in an attempt to save her son, but there was
by then no further mention of him, and she had asked her husband to leave. The phrase, ‘entre
deux valiums et deux whiskys’ came up more than once in chapter XXII, including, ‘entre deux
valiums et deux whiskys, j’ai eu une idée, qui s’est ancrée… Je sens que je réussirai à
m’accrocher à cette idée, moi qui ne m’accroche plus à rien. Parce qu’elle est bonne, et qu’elle me
donne le sentiment d’une trêve, d’un passage hors du temps, et, plus tard peut-être, d’un
recommencement’. The reference to a fresh start was hesitant, but after the traumatic events,
Anjali seemed to mention a new start because she had come through the worst and could
anticipate her recovery.
Section 2
Question 5
Lainé: La Dentellière
(a)
The end of chapter III described Aimery’s decision to write the story of Pomme, and the beginning
of chapter IV, marked the switch from an omniscient narrator to the first person – Aimery/Pascal
Lainé. At the end of chapter III, the ‘joie…à imaginer ce que les gens disaient de lui…l’apothéose’
was contrasted with the ‘vanité…l’autre face d’une grande timidité, qui le faisait douter de lui…’.
Pascal Lainé’s reasons for surprise at the success of his novel may have been diverse, but the
question asked the candidates whether or not, and for what reasons, they shared that surprise. It
was an invitation for them to give, with justifications, their personal response to the text.
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Principal Examiner Report for Teachers
(b)
This quotation from just a few pages before the end of the book was preceded by an
acknowledgement of Pomme’s profoundly changed physical appearance, there in hospital with an
eating disorder, and continued, ‘C’était toujours la même absence d’elle…elle était étrangère,
autre, prisonnière…de la région lointaine où elle n’avait jamais cessé d’être’. Candidates had to
avoid the pitfall of retelling the story, which was summarised in these lines, as they traced the ways
in which Pomme manifested the same ‘absence d’elle’ throughout the text.
Question 6
Camus: Caligula
(a)
The play opened with Caligula missing after the death of his sister/lover, Drusilla, which he was
finding difficult to accept. ‘Si j’exerce ce pouvoir, c’est par compensation’ refers, for example, to
the rapes, murders and humiliations that he ordered by his ‘power’, as though in payment for his
loss, and in ‘compensation’ for it. Candidates generally referred well to the violence for which
Caligula was responsible and the control that he did not have over events, but for which he
yearned.
(b)
Candidates pointed out that Caligula struggled to come to terms with his world, which had become
meaningless and devoid of hope for him. Even if he had given Hélicon a ray of hope, the latter
could then just be said to have become gratefully supportive of Caligula despite the emperor’s
murderous schemes. Time and patience were all very well, but Caligula’s unhappy end did not
ultimately offer a hopeful solution to problems such as those he posed. The lesson not to do as
Caligula did, but to get to grips with meaninglessness, is more lasting, in which case candidates
could agree with the statement in the question.
Question 7
Colette: Le Blé en herbe
(a)
This question was not as popular as (b), but candidates were sympathetic to Phil’s plight at the end
of the book, as he reflected that he had been neither one thing nor the other, and had not been the
man to Vinca that he would have wanted to be.
(b)
‘Les rapports intimes’ between Colette’s characters and nature were most adequately covered with
reference to Vinca (her name, eyes, mood in harmony with the weather, moments shared with Phil
by the sea, etc.). Candidates could have made clearer what they understood by ‘relations intimes’.
Efforts were made to link Madame Dalleray to darkness, night and the moon, although the
statement in the question could have been challenged with regard to her, given that she was
identified with artificiality in the novel.
Question 8
Ionesco: Le Roi se meurt
(a)
This play can be said to be an apprenticeship in dying, and its message, that one can learn to die
and help other people to die. Candidates could summarise the mix of comic and tragic aspects,
but focus on the extent to which they succeeded in communicating the play’s message.
(b)
The ‘Décor’ instruction before the play opened required ‘une musique dérisoirement royale’, a
juxtaposition that set an ironic tone for the action right at the outset. The props and actors on stage
usually increased in number in Ionesco’s plays, but in Le Roi se meurt, the opposite took place. As
Bérenger declined, the stage directions noted a breaking down, ‘Le sceptre du Roi tombe’, ‘C’est la
couronne du Roi qui tombe de nouveau à terre’ or later, ‘Les battements de cœur du Roi ébranlent
la maison. La fissure s’élargit au mur.’ Finally, ‘On aura vu, pendant cette dernière scène,
disparaître progressivement les portes, les fenêtres, les murs de la salle du trône. Ce jeu de décor
est très important.’ The characters receded, too, disappearing one by one until the King
disappeared into darkness as the play ended.
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