Question 3

1. Question 3

2. Q3: Now read Source 3, In Search of Olives, which is an extract from a non-fiction book.
Explain some of the thoughts and feelings the writer has during her journey.
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•
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3. Q3 skills
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• Candidates are being asked to select parts of a text which convey
some of the thoughts and feelings of a character (or characters).
These parts may include what is happening, what the character is
saying or what the character is doing.
• Candidates are being asked to identify the thoughts and feelings
of a character (or characters) from the parts of the text that they
select.
• Candidates are being asked to interpret the thoughts and feelings
of a character (or characters) from the parts of the text that they
select. This is the most important part of the candidate’s
explanation. To interpret something means to ‘read in between
the lines’. It’s what they can work out from the text without
actually being told.
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4. What qualities characterise a Band 4 response?
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6. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All
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• Candidate E commentary:
• This response demonstrates a detailed and
perceptive explanation and interpretation of
thoughts and feelings. Appropriate
quotations are employed throughout.
• It is awarded a mark of 8 in Band 4.
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7. Assessing weaker responses
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9. Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All
rights reserved.
• Candidate F commentary:
• This response mostly demonstrates a clear
understanding, and begins to interpret in
places, although the range of thoughts and
feelings is rather narrow.
• It is awarded a mark of 5 in Band 3.
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10. Raising performance
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rights reserved.
• To achieve Band 4, candidates need to explain a range of thoughts and
feelings in detail relating to the whole text.
• Candidates should not comment on the use of language or the effect on
the reader for this question. Comments on the use of language or the
effect on the reader do not gain them any marks in Q3.
• It is a good idea for candidates to work their way through the text in the
order in which things happen so that they can retrieve the important
information and ideas in a logical way.
• It is a good idea for candidates to include phrases such as ‘this suggests
that…’ or ‘this indicates…’ so that the examiner can see that they are
beginning to interpret.
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11. Raising performance
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rights reserved.
• It is a good idea for candidates to start their
response with an overview sentence to show
they have a grasp of the whole text before
then going into detail.
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