Questions 1 and 2: Finding Information Flashcards
All 22 cards in this deck
What is explicit information?
Information the text states directly, so you can point to the words. In 'The kitchen was freezing', the cold is explicit.
What is implicit information?
Information the text suggests but doesn't state, which you work out from clues. In 'She kept her coat on while she washed up', the cold kitchen is implicit.
What is an inference, and how do you make a safe one?
A sensible conclusion you draw from evidence in the text. A safe inference can always be backed up by specific words in the passage.
What is over-inference?
A conclusion that goes further than the text supports. 'He checked his watch twice' supports "he is aware of the time", but not "he is late for a job interview".
How can you test whether an inference is safe?
Ask: which exact words prove this? If you can't point to them, or you have to invent part of a story to make it work, it is an over-inference.
What is the difference between a paraphrase and an inference?
A paraphrase says what the text states, in other words (still explicit). An inference works out something the text does not say. 'She sobbed' → "she cried" is a paraphrase; "she is upset" is an inference.
Can Paper 1 Questions 1 and 2 test implicit information as well as explicit?
Yes: AO1 covers both. Question 1 asks you to identify a word or phrase, and Question 2 to give two ways or things, in your own words or quotations. Either way your answer must be clearly supported by the given lines, so give a close paraphrase or a small, safe inference, never a guess.
In 'Mrs Okafor's hands, cracked and swollen at the knuckles, never stopped moving', is "her hands are swollen" explicit or implicit?
Explicit, because the text says 'swollen'. That she is a hard worker, or is restless, would be implicit: suggested by 'never stopped moving', not stated.
In 'The shop bell hadn't rung since Tuesday', what can you safely infer?
That the shop has had few or no customers for days. You can't safely infer that the shop is closing down: nothing in the sentence says so.
In 'Rain had found its way through the roof again; three buckets stood in the hall', which is stated and which is suggested?
Stated: rain came through the roof and there were three buckets in the hall. Suggested: the roof leaks often (the word 'again'). Over-inference: "the family can't afford repairs", which the text never hints at.
You don't know a word in the given lines. What should you do?
Check whether the paper has glossed it (Edexcel marks glossed words with an asterisk and explains them under the extract). Otherwise use the rest of the sentence to work out its meaning. In a 1- or 2-mark question you rarely need every word: find the phrase that answers the question.
What do Paper 1 Questions 1 and 2 ask you to do, and how many marks are they worth?
Both test AO1: finding explicit and implicit information. Question 1 (1 mark) asks you to identify a word or phrase from a few given lines. Question 2 (2 marks) reprints a short extract and asks you to give two ways or two things it shows.
How long should you spend on Paper 1 Questions 1 and 2?
Only a few minutes for both: they are worth 3 of Section A's 24 marks. Section A has about an hour, and Question 4 alone is worth more than Questions 1–3 added together, so bank these quickly and move on.
Where must your answer to Paper 1 Question 1 come from?
Only from the lines it names, such as lines 1–4. A detail from line 6 scores nothing, even if it's true. Draw a box round the given lines before you start.
How much should you write for Paper 1 Question 1 ('identify a word or phrase')?
A single word or a short phrase that answers the question. Copying out the whole of the given lines doesn't show you've selected anything, so it scores nothing.
In Paper 1 Question 2, can you use your own words?
Yes. The question says you may use your own words or quotations. A short quotation or a clear paraphrase both score, as long as each point answers the question's focus.
How do you get both marks in Paper 1 Question 2?
Give two different ways or things, one in each numbered space. Two quotations that make the same point only count once, so check that your second answer adds something new.
Why does Paper 1 Question 2 say 'Read this extract'?
The question paper now reprints the lines Question 2 is about, so you don't have to hunt for them in the insert. Your answer must come from that reprinted extract.
Why does the focus of the question matter in a 1- or 2-mark question?
The question asks what shows something specific (that a place is dangerous, how much the narrator loves someone). Choose evidence for that focus. An accurate detail about something else scores nothing.
How should you use the italic introduction above the extract?
Read it first: it tells you who the characters are, where you are and what has happened. Examiners report students getting relationships between characters wrong because they skipped it. It isn't part of the text, though, so don't quote it as an answer.
Do you need to analyse language in Paper 1 Questions 1 and 2?
No. They reward finding information, not explaining techniques. Save analysis for Question 3, where it earns marks.
The question says 'From lines 1–4, identify a word or phrase which shows that the night is cold.' A student writes out lines 1–4 in full. What will they score?
0. Copying the whole section shows no selection. The answer needs to pick out the word or phrase that shows the cold, such as 'frost on the glass'.