The Distance Delta

Revision Pack on Paper 1 Task 4

This Seminar Pack contains: Dec 2005 Exam Paper 1 Task 4a,b,c: rubric and text Suggested Seminar procedure Task 4b Guideline Answer Sample Answer Task 4c Guideline Answer Sample Answer (1) 11 15 7 9 2 4

Extracts form the Written Exam Report December 2005 are reproduced by kind permission of Cambridge ESOL. The tasks have been updated to incorporate changes to the examination since the introduction of modular Delta.

Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

The Distance Delta

Paper 1 Task 4 [modified] The text for this task is reproduced on the next page. It is an interview with a writer published in the Sunday Express on 21st September 2003.

a. Identify five features of the text that are characteristic of its genre (i.e. a celebrity newspaper interview). Give one example for each feature you identify.

b. The following extracts from the text all contain relative clauses. Comment on the form of each on and its meaning / use in this text. i) ii) iii) iv) the classic story of a woman who leaves her husband for a dashing young army officer. (line 2) You can learn everything you need to know about relationships (line 5) I like realistic films that arent about war or violence. (line 12) I recently saw the 1975 movie Nashville, which was directed by Robert Altman. (line 13)

c.

I) Comment on the form of the following words taken from the text, focusing on the form of the suffixes.

i) relationships ii) foolish iii) realistic iv) politicians v) astounding vi) actors

(line 6) (line 8) (line 12) (line 16) (line 18) (line 19)

II) Identify problems learners might have with the form, meaning/use and pronunciation of these words

Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

The Distance Delta

Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

The Distance Delta

Revision Tasks
Aims: To review key issues relating to Paper 1 Task 4 To give course participants further practice in answering the tasks Time: 1 2 hours. In Task 4, the first part focuses on candidates genre analysis skills. The remaining 3 parts focus on their language analysis skills and could cover any area of lexis or grammar or discourse, with one of the parts focusing on learner problems with the selected area. This, therefore, is largely a matter of individual revision and study, although this pack should help bring out gaps in knowledge, as well as serve as a useful reminder of the level of depth needed in the analysis. Please note that as this is an adapted version of an exam under the old DELTA syllabus, there are only two parts on language analysis, not the three candidates will have in the exam. However, it does contain two common language areas for this task and so is particularly useful.

Materials: DELTA Written Exam December 2005 ( adapted rubric and authentic text) Cambridge guideline answers Cambridge sample answers

Suggested Procedure:
It is a very good idea to do some of the work under timed pressure as this is a skill you need to develop for the exam

Preparation:
You need to familiarise yourself with the relevant advice in the Exam Training on Paper 1 Task 4 (Units 3 and 5) and have read the more general advice in Unit 8 both on the Exam Training and on Language Analysis. Focus on Task 4b You need the authentic text for the task together with the rubric for Task 4b only and the guideline answer and sample for Task 4b. Revise relative clauses* and then read the text and answer Task 4b under timed conditions (we suggest 8 minutes). You should then compare your answers with the guideline answer. Remember the guideline answer was written for the old marking scheme and the grading system is different under the new Modular Delta syllabus. *Possible references for revision (one is enough) Sections 317 & 539 Cambridge Grammar of English (McCarthy & Carter, CUP 2006) Chapter 26 Grammar for language Teachers (Parrott, M. CUP 2000) 473-477 Practical English Usage New Edition (Swan, M. OUP, 1995) Unit 9 Explaining English Grammar (Yule, G. OUP 1998)

Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

The Distance Delta

Areas to check afterwards: Did you start by underlining the key words in the rubric? (It is very important to get into the habit of doing this for each task part) Did you identify each relative clause correctly? Were any answers wrongly categorised? Did you comment on both form and meaning/use of each relative clause? Did you remember to include comments on punctuation? Consider how you can strengthen your language analysis skills before the exam. Areas which often come up in Paper 1 Task 4 are: modals, cohesive devices, compounds, -ing forms, lexical relationships, multi-word verbs, articles and relative clauses. However, there could equally well be work on verb phrases such as the perfect or continuous aspect and the passive voice

Focus on Task 4c Look at Task 4c rubric. This should provide some useful revision of lexical forms in particular and remind you of the range of language areas that can come up in the exam. Underline key words in the rubric. Write about the form in general and then specifically the suffixes for each lexical item As additional practice write each lexical item in phonemic script and mark the stress. If the transcription is inaccurate, this highlights a key area for revision. Although not relevant for all items in this task part, candidates must use phonemic script where relevant for analysing pronunciation and pronunciation problems or you wont gain any marks for pronunciation Spend 10 minutes making notes on problems of form, meaning and pronunciation for each item. Go through the problems and check whether you think they are realistic or not (see examiners' comments). Remember the marking system was different under the old syllabus, from which this task is adapted, and the task number references have also been changed Compare the answer with the guideline answer. Read the sample answer and grade it (see answer and Examiners' comments at the end of these seminar notes)

Focus on Task 4a Underline key words in the rubric. Please note the rubric for this task is largely standardised, although there is variation in the genre itself and sometimes particular features of the genre are specified. Brainstorm as many features characteristic of the genre as they can and an example for each It is important to get used to providing only one example for each feature to save time in the exam Post your ideas on the discussion forum and compare with postings from other CPs. You can review features of different genres in the Exam Training for Units 3 and 5 and in Units 4 and 6 (Written discourse and Reading)

Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

The Distance Delta

Further work
Refresh your memory about features associated with specific genres for (e.g. newspaper articles, leaflets, narratives, reports.). There is advice on final Exam preparation in Unit 8, Exam Training and Language Analysis. Look at a random selection of authentic texts in different genres Analyse the features characteristic of the genre of discourse for each with a supporting example / illustration. Then post your ideas on the forum for others to discuss and contribute to Take one genre and select a language area in it (grammar, lexis, discourse or phonology) to research e.g. in a language reference book or in the Distance Delta materials Share your language area and research results on the discussion forum and look at other postings

Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

The Distance Delta

Answers:
Task 4b

Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

The Distance Delta

NB with the Modular syllabus the marks across both papers are added up to determine the grade and individual tasks no longer receive pass or fail etc grades

Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

The Distance Delta

Task 4b Sample Answers

Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

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Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

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Task 4c

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The Distance Delta

Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

12

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Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

13

The Distance Delta

NB with the Modular syllabus the marks across both papers are added up to determine the grade and individual tasks no longer receive pass or fail etc grades

Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

14

The Distance Delta

Task 4c Sample Answers

Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

15

The Distance Delta

Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

16

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Revision Pack Paper 1 Task 4

17