JC1 AP Paper 2 Review

1. JC1 AP Paper 2 Review Youth Culture

2. 1. When journalists and politicians accuse young people of being ‘irresponsible, materialistic, westernised’ (lines 3-4), what are they implying, in each case, about how young people should behave? Use your own words as far as possible. [2] • Question analysis • UYOWAFAP (ans from passage) • Paraphrase what? • Opposite of ‘irresponsible’, ‘materialistic’ and ‘westernised’ In the media, journalists and politicians attribute a long list of negative characteristics to young people: young people are said to be irresponsible, materialistic, ‘westernised’ and so on. Such attributions make you wonder whether these journalists and politicians ever experienced any kind of childhood or adolescence. They must have been little angels when they were young.

3. 1. When journalists and politicians accuse young people of being ‘irresponsible, materialistic, westernised’ (lines 3-4), what are they implying, in each case, about how young people should behave? Use your own words as far as possible. [2]

4. 2 (a)  In paragraph 2, what assumption is usually made of young people? Use your own words as far as possible. [2] • Question Analysis • UYOWAFAP • Paraphrase what? The assumption. • Where is the assumption? In any case, when adults speak about youth, it is usually done with a kind of moralising. Young people are said to be vulnerable, easily misled because they are thought to be intellectually underdeveloped. This assumption forms the basis of policies that exclude young people from certain adult privileges such as watching R(A) movies and reading certain kinds of ‘adult’ books. This assumption also forms the basis of the charge that young people are easily subjected to western influence.

5. 2 (a)  In paragraph 2, what assumption is usually made of young people? Use your own words as far as possible. [2] • Question Analysis • UYOWAFAP • Paraphrase what? The assumptions. In any case, when adults speak about youth, it is usually done with a kind of moralising. Young people are said to be [vulnerable, easily misled because they are thought to be intellectually underdeveloped]. This assumption forms the basis of policies that exclude young people from certain adult privileges such as watching R(A) movies and reading certain kinds of ‘adult’ books. This assumption also forms the basis of the charge that young people are easily subjected to western influence.

6. 2 (a)  In paragraph 2, what assumption is usually made of young people? Use your own words as far as possible. [2]

7. 2(b)  What reactions are justified using this assumption? Use your own words as far as possible. [2] • Question Analysis • UYOWAFAP • Paraphrase what? The reactions. • Where are the reactions? Look for signals. In any case, when adults speak about youth, it is usually done with a kind of moralising. Young people are said to be vulnerable, easily misled because they are thought to be intellectually underdeveloped. This assumption forms the basis of policies that exclude young people from certain adult privileges such as watching R(A) movies and reading certain kinds of ‘adult’ books. This assumption also forms the basis of the charge that young people are easily subjected to western influence.

8. 2(b)  What reactions are justified using this assumption? Use your own words as far as possible. [2] • Question Analysis • UYOWAFAP • Paraphrase what? The reactions In any case, when adults speak about youth, it is usually done with a kind of moralising. Young people are said to be vulnerable, easily misled because they are thought to be intellectually underdeveloped. This assumption forms the basis of[policies that exclude young people from certain adult privileges such as watching R(A) movies and reading certain kinds of ‘adult’ books]. This assumption also forms the basis of the [charge that young people are easily subjected to western influence].

9. 2(b)   What reactions are justified using this assumption? Use your own words as far as possible. [2]

10. 3. What is the underlying belief of ‘…a gerontocratic state that proposes to give more votes to persons of an older age…’ (lines 16-17). [1] • Question Analysis • Inference Qn • Infer the mindset/belief behind such a state that acts in such a way. • What way of thinking(about older people) makes this state treat older people this way?

11. 3. What is the underlying belief of ‘…a gerontocratic state that proposes to give more votes to persons of an older age…’ (lines 16-17). [1]

12. 4. According to the author, in line 19, how does ‘history repeat itself’? Use your own words as far as possible. [2] • Question Analysis • UYOWAFAP • ‘word choice’  history & repeat (must be brought out in the answer) • ‘How’ question  a way in which something happens • Which words/phrases bring out the idea of ‘repeat’? • What is ‘history’? But every adult generation of its time seems to condemn the young, and history repeats itself when [the grown-up youth, who was previouslychided, nownags at the new generationfor indulging in the sins of hedonistic pleasure]. Pop culture fashion, pop music, magazines, movies, fun and play are all part and parcel of youth.

13. 4. According to the author, in line 19, how does ‘history repeat itself’? Use your own words as far as possible. [2]

14. 5. Explain the metaphor of ‘the curry bowl’ (line 25) in the context of youth culture.  [1] • Question Analysis • Metaphor question • Identify the metaphor • ‘_______ is _________.’ • What is the metaphor? If money is the rice bowl for our survival, pop culture is the curry bowl that gives spice to youth.

15. 5. Explain the metaphor of ‘the curry bowl’ (line 25) in the context of youth culture.  [1] • Question Analysis • Identify the metaphor ‘_______ is _________.’ If money is the rice bowl for our survival, pop culture is the curry bowl that gives spice to youth. • To answer a metaphor question: Just as…., so…..

16. 5. Explain the metaphor of ‘the curry bowl’ (line 25) in the context of youth culture.  [1]

17. 6. Explain what the author means by 'your wisdom is one born of pain' (lines 31-32). [2] • Question Analysis • No UYOWAFAP, you need to infer to some degree • Just explain what it means! • What are the key words? • Wisdom, born, pain?

18. 6. Explain what the author means by 'your wisdom is one born of pain' (lines 31-32). [2]

19. 7. What point is the author making in each of the following examples in paragraph 6? Use your own words as far as possible.(a)  ‘If an American eats Chinese food, he or she will not dream about Mao Zedong or be inspired by Deng Xiaoping. Similarly, if an Asian drinks Coke and listens to Madonna, he or she is not necessarily westernised.’ (lines 33-35)  [1] • Question Analysis • UYOWAFAP • Find the answers to (a) and (b) in the passage! And the way human beings adopt elements of another culture is not a simple one. If an American eats Chinese food, he or she will not dream about Mao Zedong or be inspired by Deng Xiaoping. Similarly, if an Asian drinks Coke and listens to Madonna, he or she is not necessarily westernised. Cultures do influence individuals but not in a simplistic way. In fact, the influences are not uniform across all people. What you have today is a post-modern individual who partakes of the cultural elements of the global universe: he or she wears bangles and rings from Africa and Calvin Klein clothes made in Thailand, watches an American programme on a Japanese TV set, eats Hainanese chicken rice, while sitting on a chair made in Italy. This is an inevitable outcome of the processes of globalisation at work in the world.

20. 7. What point is the author making in each of the following examples in paragraph 6? Use your own words as far as possible.(a)  ‘If an American eats Chinese food, he or she will not dream about Mao Zedong or be inspired by Deng Xiaoping. Similarly, if an Asian drinks Coke and listens to Madonna, he or she is not necessarily westernised.’ (lines 33-35)  [1]

21. 7. What point is the author making in each of the following examples in paragraph 6? Use your own words as far as possible.(b)   ‘…what you have today is a post-modern individual who partakes of the cultural elements of the global universe: he or she wears bangles and rings from Africa and Calvin Klein clothes made in Thailand, watches an American programme on a Japanese TV set, eats Hainanese chicken rice, while sitting on a chair made in Italy.’ (lines 37-40) [1] • Question Analysis • UYOWAFAP Find the answers to (a) and (b) in the passage! …is not necessarily westernised. Cultures do influence individuals but not in a simplistic way. In fact, the influences are not uniform across all people. What you have today is a post-modern individual who partakes of the cultural elements of the global universe: he or she wears bangles and rings from Africa and Calvin Klein clothes made in Thailand, watches an American programme on a Japanese TV set, eats Hainanese chicken rice, while sitting on a chair made in Italy. This is an inevitable outcome of the processes of globalisation at work in the world.

22. 7. What point is the author making in each of the following examples in paragraph 6? Use your own words as far as possible.(b)   ‘…what you have today is a post-modern individual who partakes of the cultural elements of the global universe: he or she wears bangles and rings from Africa and Calvin Klein clothes made in Thailand, watches an American programme on a Japanese TV set, eats Hainanese chicken rice, while sitting on a chair made in Italy.’ (lines 37-40) [1]

23. 8. Explain what the author means by 'play is restorative, rejuvenating us for the next day of work' (lines 48-49). Use your own words as far as possible.  [1] • Question Analysis • UYOWAFAP answer is in the passage • ‘Explain…what…means’ • Key words to paraphrase?

24. 8. Explain what the author means by 'play is restorative, rejuvenating us for the next day of work' (lines 48-49). Use your own words as far as possible.  [1]

25. 9. Why does the author use the word ‘certainly’ in line 75? [1] • Question Analysis • Inference, author’s intention type • Word choice  ‘certainly’ • What point is the author making? …The truth of the matter is that youth consume popular goods because of the cheapness of mass products and not because they are slaves to whim. Mass-production makes goods cheap and affordable and young people do not have much disposable income to afford luxuries. So they eat at McDonald’s, wear Giordano jeans, and so on. Certainly and increasingly, there are youth who indulge in conspicuous consumption by purchasing expensive brand-name products. But the point here is that adults should not blame youth for being faddish and wasteful. Instead, we need more people to think ‘young’, to continue to have ideals and principles, to add colour and spice to an otherwise sterile society.

26. 9. Why does the author use the word ‘certainly’ in line 75? [1] • Question Analysis • Inference, author’s intention • point • Word choice  ‘certainly’ …The truth of the matter is that youth consume popular goods because of the cheapness of mass products and not because they are slaves to whim. Mass-production makes goods cheap and affordable and young people do not have much disposable income to afford luxuries. So they eat at McDonald’s, wear Giordano jeans, and so on. Certainlyand increasingly, there are youth who indulge in conspicuous consumption by purchasing expensive brand-name products. Butthe point here is that adults should not blame youth for being faddish and wasteful. Instead, we need more people to think ‘young’, to continue to have ideals and principles, to add colour and spice to an otherwise sterile society.

27. 9. Why does the author use the word ‘certainly’ in line 75? [1] • Possible answers: • To show that he is conceding/ acknowledging/ admitting [stylistic purpose] • OR • hasno doubt of / definite of/ sure of [‘certainly’] • the fact that there are young people who immerse themselves in extravagant spending/buying luxury items/spending unnecessarily.[point]

28. 10.  Why does the author use inverted commas around the word ‘young’ (line 77)?  [1] • Question Analysis • Inference, author’s intention + point • Punctuation (understand use of “ ”) • Word choice  ‘young’ Instead, we need more people to think ‘young’, to continue to have ideals and principles, to add colour and spice to an otherwise sterile society. (line 77)

29. 10.  Why does the author use inverted commas around the word ‘young’ (line 77)?  [1]

30. AQ In the passage, Leong WaiTeng provides a defence of youth culture in response to various criticisms by adults. To what extent do you agree with the views expressed in the passage? Support your answer with relevant examples and observations drawn from your own experience.

31. Structure of AQ paragraph S.Ex.Ev.Eg.L. • S/Ex: Paraphrase the author’s argument (explaining anything in the passage will only give you EX) • Ev: Give reasons why you agree/disagree (anything offered from out of the passage will give you EV) • Eg: Give examples from Singapore (and EValuate them) • L: Link back to your stand wrt the author’s point.

32. Types of Evaluation • Conceding/Balancing view • Examine implications for the future • Long-term/ short-term • optimistic/ pessimistic • Recommendations • 5W1H questions • w.r.t. political, economic, social, cultural dimensions (PESC)

33. The difference between description and Evaluation

34. S/EX: Leong defends youth’s perceived freedom from obligations and their overly fun way of life by suggesting that a balance of work and play is necessary. EV-wannabe: This might seem true because SGean youth like to hang out at Orchard road and spend a lot of money on frivolous things like make-up, clothes and food. But they actually stress up over their studies. EG: Some students in Singapore have committed suicide because they could not cope in school. EV: Singaporean adults should understand the youth. They have the same kind of stress in their workplace. EG: Parents recognise the value of play, encouraging their children to go for extra classes like those of ballet, music and track and field. L: Hence, I agree that work and play are both important in my society.

35. EV: It might seem true that youth are caught up with their own enjoyments and do not empathise with adult responsibilities like being a bread-winner, caring for aged parents or climbing the corporate ladder; but youth have a different set of ‘burdens’ to bear—that of academics. EV-wannabe: This might seem true because SGean youth like to hang out at Orchard road and spend a lot of money on frivolous things like make-up, clothes and food. But they actually feel very stressed over their studies. DESCRIPTIVE EVALUATIVE • Don’t just tell me what you see with your eyes (descriptive) • Evaluate with reasons.Tell me whythis is the case. (evaluative) • Use analytical language

36. EG: Academic achievement in SG is so heavily emphasisedthat students who lack knowledge on stress management have been known to commit suicide. EG: Some students in Singapore have committed suicide because they could not cope in school. DESCRIPTIVE EVALUATIVE These are the combined reasons that made it happen. This is what happened VS

37. EG: While the holistic value of encouraging play is recognised in SG through the enthusiastic enrolment of children in sports, cultural or artistic pursuits like ballet, music, and track and field classes, EV/EG: these pursuits have often become an added source of stress for students with many taking external examinations and some parents even using these to help their children gain entry into elite secondary schools through the Direct School Admission (DSA) exercise where students enter these schools with non-academic talents. EG: Parents recognise the value of play, encouraging their children to go for extra classes like those of ballet, music and track and field. DESCRIPTIVE EVALUATIVE Try to give a deeper, multi-layered answer, not just a simplistic one. Evaluate with future implications.

38. L: Hence, while I believe that we need a balance of work and play, Singaporeans need to consciously divorce play from work in order to reap its true benefits. L: Hence, I agree that work and play are both important in my society. Mere restatement EVALUATIVE Evaluate with suggestions.

39. S/EX: Leong defends youth’s perceived freedom from obligations and their overly fun way of life by suggesting that a balance of work and play is necessary. EV: It might seem true that youth do not empathise with adult responsibilities like being a bread-winner, caring for aged parents or climbing the corporate ladder; but youth have a different set of ‘burdens’ to bear—that of academics. EG: Academic achievement in SG is so heavily emphasisedthat students who lack knowledge on stress management have been known to commit suicide. EV: Being in the same society as us, adults should be more tolerant and understanding of Singaporean youth, encouraging them to have appropriate leisure in order to achieve greater productivity. EG: While this is recognised in SG through the enthusiastic enrolment of children in sports, cultural or artistic pursuits like ballet, music, and track and field classes, EV: these pursuits have often become an added source of stress for students with many taking external examinations and some parents even using these to help their children gain entry into elite secondary schools through the Direct School Admission (DSA) exercise where students enter these schools with non-academic talents. L: Hence, while I believe that we need a balance of work and play, Singaporeans need to consciously divorce play from work in order to reap its true benefits.

40. Thank you!