Unit 3.1
Believing
In God
GCSE
Religious Studies
Unit 3.2
Matters of
Life & Death
MODEL ANSWERS
Unit 3.3
Marriage &
The Family
Unit 3.4
Community
Cohesion
Answering the Part (a) Question
Know the key words
Part (a) questions give you up to 2 marks just for knowing the key words and their
meanings.
This means you must learn the key words because you can gain 10% of the marks if
you get the part (a) questions right.
Example
(a)
What is conversion?
(2)
When your life is changed by giving yourself to God.
2 marks for a correct definition
Answering the Part (b) Question
What do you think?
Part (b) questions give you up to 4 marks for giving your own opinion about one of
the issues, but you only gain marks if you give reasons for your opinion!
Answering the Part (b) Question
Giving developed reasons
You must decide what you think about the issues and ideas you study. The questions
are meant to be quite easy, and to get full marks you just need to give two developed
reasons.
The example on the next slide shows you what is meant by ‘developed reasons’.
Example
(b)
Do you think miracles prove that God exists?
Give two reasons for your point of view. (4 marks)
(4)
I do think that miracles prove God exists because a miracle is an event that breaks a law of
science and can only be explained by God (1 mark for a reason). If something happens that
can only be explained by God, then God must exist (2 marks because the reason is
developed).
A good example would be the resurrection of Jesus (1 mark for a second reason). The fact
that Jesus rose from the dead, proves that God raised him and so God must exist (2 marks
because the reason is developed).
4 marks for 2 well-developed reasons
Answering the Part (c) Question
Quality of Written Communication
Part (c) questions are where your Quality of Written Communication is tested, so
you should answer these questions in a formal style of English, be careful with your
spelling and try to use some specialist vocabulary.
You can gain 4 extra marks on the paper if your written English is good, which could
move an A grade to an A*, a B grade to an A etc.
Answering the Part (c) Question
Explain why
Most part (c) questions ask you to ‘explain why’.
For these questions:
You can gain 2 marks for giving a brief reason in basic English even if your spelling
and grammar is poor. You will also only get 2 marks if you describe the issue rather
than trying to explain it.
You can gain 4 marks by giving two brief reasons with a limited command of English
and little use of specialist vocabulary.
Answering the Part (c) Question
Explain why
You can gain 5 marks by giving three brief reasons, but this will rise to 6 marks if it is
written in a clear style of English with some use of specialist vocabulary.
You can gain 7 marks by using four brief reasons, but this will rise to 8 marks if you
write in a clear and correct style of English with a correct use of specialist vocabulary
where appropriate.
Example
(c)
Explain why marriage is important for Christians.
(8)
The Christian Church teaches that marriage was created by God as a sacrament to unite a
man and a woman and all sacraments are important for Christians.
Level 1: 2 marks for a reason for one attitude expressed in basic English.
Marriage is also important because it is the only way Christians can have lawful sex.
Level 2: by giving another reason for the attitude, the answer goes up to level 2 and because
the answer is written in clear English it would gain 4 marks.
Continued
(c)
Explain why marriage is important for Christians.
(8)
Christians also believe that marriage was given by God so that a couple can have a life-long
relationship of love and faithfulness with the support and comfort of each other. This clearly
makes it important.
Level 3: by adding another attitude with a reason, the answer moves up to level 3 and
because the answer is written in a clear style of English with some use of specialist
vocabulary (sacrament, unite, lawful sex, life-long relationship, love and faithfulness) it
would gain 6 marks.
Continued
(c)
Explain why marriage is important for Christians.
(8)
Finally, marriage is important for Christians because, according to the Catechism and the
marriage service, it is the only way a couple can have the gift of children and bring up a
Christian family.
Level 4: by adding a further reason, the answer moves up to level 4 and because it is written
in a clear and correct style of English with extra specialist vocabulary (Catechism, marriage
service, gift of children), it would receive 8 marks — full marks!!!
Answering the Part (c) Question
Explain how
Some part (c) questions will ask you to ‘explain how’.
For these questions:
You must state a relevant fact and explain how it achieves what the question is
asking. This is the same as giving a reason.
You need to give four of this type of reason to gain full marks.
Example
(c)
Explain how some Christians show vocation by taking
holy orders.
(8)
By taking holy orders Christian men copy the work of the Apostles [FACT] and show their
vocation by giving everything up to follow Jesus [REASON].
Level 1: 2 marks for a reason expressed in basic English.)
When men take holy orders, they promise to serve [FACT], so they show their vocation by
serving people just as Jesus served people [REASON].
Level 2: by developing the reason, the answer goes up to level 2 and because the answer is
written in clear English it would gain 4 marks.
Continued
(c)
Explain how some Christians show vocation by taking
holy orders.
(8)
By taking holy orders men show their vocation by witnessing their faith to other people and
showing God's love and care to those they meet [REASON].
Level 3: by adding another reason the answer moves up to level 3 and because the answer is
written in a clear style of English with some use of specialist vocabulary (Apostles, Jesus,
witness, faith, God's love) it would gain 6 marks.
Continued
(c)
Explain how some Christians show vocation by taking
holy orders.
(8)
By taking holy orders men run parish communities and celebrate the sacraments [FACT],
showing their vocation by trying to build the Kingdom of God [REASON].
Level 4: by adding a further reason, the answer moves up to level 4 and because it is written
in a clear and correct style of English with extra specialist vocabulary (parish communities,
celebrate, sacraments, Kingdom of God) it would gain 8 marks — full marks!!!
Answering the Part (c) Question
Explain why followers agree/disagree
Some part (c) questions will ask you to ‘explain why some followers agree with
something and some followers do not’. For these questions you must:
Give two reasons why some followers agree.
Give two reasons why some followers do not agree.
Example
(c)
Explain why some Christians expect priests to be celibate, and some do not. (8)
Catholic Christians expect priests to be celibate because Jesus was celibate and priests should
follow his example as they represent him when celebrating Mass.
Level 1: 2 marks for a reason for one attitude expressed in basic English.
Also being celibate allows priests to be completely devoted to God and be free to deal with
the needs of their parish without being distracted by family.
Level 2: by giving a second reason for the attitude, the answer goes up to level 2 and because
the answer is written in clear English it would gain 4 marks.
Continued
(c)
Explain why some Christians expect priests to be celibate, and some do not. (8)
Some Christians allow priests to marry because St Peter was married (Jesus healed Peter's
mother-in-law) and so priests cannot need to be celibate.
Level 3: by adding another attitude with a reason the answer moves up to level 3 and
because the answer is written in a clear style of English with some use of specialist
vocabulary (Jesus, celebrating, Mass, devoted, parish, distracted, St Peter) it would gain 6
marks.
Continued
(c)
Explain why some Christians expect priests to be celibate, and some do not. (8)
They also believe that married priests are better at recognising and dealing with married
people's problems; and they point out that married priests were allowed in the early Church
until celibacy became the norm.
Level 4: by adding a further reason for the second attitude, the answer moves up to level 4
and because it is written in a clear and correct style of English with more specialist vocabulary
(married priests, early church) it would gain 8 marks — full marks!!!
Answering the Part (d) Question
Evaluation
To answer part (d) questions, you need to decide what you
think about the quotation and then give three reasons for why you think that.
Then you need to give three reasons why some people
(for example, Christians if you are an atheist, or atheists if you are a Christian) would
disagree with you.
One of your points of view should always be religious so that you can give religious
reasons.
Example
(d)
‘Civil partnerships are a good idea.’
(i) Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion. (3)
(ii) Give reasons why some people may disagree with you. (3)
In your answer, you should refer to Catholic Christianity.
(i) I do not agree because the Church teaches that God gave marriage for a man and a
woman, not two people of the same sex.
1 mark for a personal opinion with a reason
The Catechism teaches that one of the purposes of Christian marriage is for the
procreation of children and as homosexuals cannot procreate, the cannot marry.
Another reason is given so it moves up to 2 marks
The Church also teaches that homosexuals should not be sexually active so Christians
cannot accept civil partnerships because they encourage homosexual sexual activity
The answer now gives another reason for their opinion, so it moves up to 3 marks
Continued
(ii) Some people might disagree with me because they think a civil partnership allows
homosexual couples to commit themselves to each other and encourages stable sexual
relationships
1 mark for a reason why some people might disagree
They might also think that civil partnerships allow homosexual couples to share their
belongings, pensions, etc. in just the same way as heterosexual couples
Another reason is given so it moves up to 2 marks
Continued
Finally, some Christians might think civil partnerships are a way of encouraging the
Christian virtues of love and faithfulness among homosexuals.
The answer now gives another reason for some people disagreeing, so it moves up to 3
marks
This answer to this question (d) can gain full marks because part (i) refers to Catholic
Christianity.