Cambridge IGCSE Chinese (Mandarin) - Foreign Language 0547 — 2021 May/June Paper 4 · Variant 3
0547/43/M/J/21 · 45 marks · ≈51 min
The question paper and its mark scheme, free to read here and free to download. This is Cambridge’s own paper, exactly as it was sat.
Question paper8 pages








Mark scheme18 pages
Answers below. Sit the paper first if you are practising.


















Paper as text
Question paper, page 1
This document has 8 pages. Any blank pages are indicated. NL 199935/1 © UCLES 2021 [Turn over * 6 2 3 5 6 1 8 3 5 0 * MANDARIN CHINESE 0547/43 Paper 4 Writing May/June 2021 1 hour 15 minutes You must answer on the question paper. No additional materials are needed. INSTRUCTIONS ● Answer three questions in total: Answer Question 1. Answer Question 2. Answer Question 3(a) or Question 3(b) or Question 3(c). ● Use a black or dark blue pen. ● Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page. ● Write your answer to each question in the space provided. ● Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid. ● Do not write on any bar codes. INFORMATION ● The total mark for this paper is 45. ● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ]. Cambridge IGCSE™
Question paper, page 2
2 0547/43/M/J/21 © UCLES 2021 BLANK PAGE
Question paper, page 3
3 [Turn over 0547/43/M/J/21 © UCLES 2021 第一部分 Section 1 问题一 Question 1 请用中文写出你可以带上飞机的五种东西。 Make a list in Chinese of 5 things you can take onto an aeroplane. 例: 报纸 … 1 … 2 … 3 … 4 … 5 … [Total: 5]
Question paper, page 4
4 0547/43/M/J/21 © UCLES 2021 问题二 Question 2 你常常买衣服。请写一写: Write about clothes shopping. Say: · 你常去哪儿买衣服; · 你一般和谁一起去; · 你喜欢买什么衣服; · 你最喜欢的颜色是什么; · 你打算什么时候再去买衣服。 用中文写80–100 个字。 Write 80–100 characters in Chinese. … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … [Total: 15]
Question paper, page 5
5 0547/43/M/J/21 © UCLES 2021 [Turn over BLANK PAGE
Question paper, page 6
6 0547/43/M/J/21 © UCLES 2021 第二部分 Section 2 问题三 Question 3 下列题目,选择其中一个(3(a) 或者3(b) 或者3(c))。写一百五十个字左右。 Choose one of the following topics (3(a) or 3(b) or 3(c)) and write about 150 Chinese characters. (a) 你最近参加了一个演出。请给笔友写一封电子邮件。邮件里说说: · 你哪天参加了演出; • 你参加了什么演出; • 你为什么参加这次演出; • 你觉得跟你一起演出的人怎么样; • 你将来想当演员吗;为什么。 or 或者 (b) 《中学生杂志》想了解一下学生对健康生活的看法。请给杂志写一篇文章, 说一说: • 你今天早饭吃了什么; • 你觉得什么样的饮食是健康的; • 你上次做运动是什么时候; • 你觉得中学生每周应该做多长时间的运动; • 为了让学生更健康,学校可以做些什么。 or 或者 (c) 你刚到火车站,发现今天没有火车了。请说说: • 你想坐几点的车; • 你本来打算去哪里; • 为什么今天没有火车了; • 你觉得你应该怎么做; • 后来发生了什么事。
Question paper, page 7
7 © UCLES 2021 请在下面写作文 Write your answer to Question 3 here. … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … [Total: 25] 0547/43/M/J/21
Question paper, page 8
8 0547/43/M/J/21 © UCLES 2021 BLANK PAGE Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity. To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer-related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge Assessment International Education Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download at www.cambridgeinternational.org after the live examination series. Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.
Mark scheme, page 1
This document consists of 18 printed pages. © UCLES 2021 [Turn over Cambridge IGCSE™ MANDARIN CHINESE 0547/43 Paper 4 Writing May/June 2021 MARK SCHEME Maximum Mark: 45 Published This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have considered the acceptability of alternative answers. Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for Teachers. Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes. Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the May/June 2021 series for most Cambridge IGCSE™, Cambridge International A and AS Level components and some Cambridge O Level components.
Mark scheme, page 2
0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 2 of 18 Generic Marking Principles These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers. They should be applied alongside the specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these marking principles. GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1: Marks must be awarded in line with: • the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question • the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question • the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts. GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2: Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions). GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3: Marks must be awarded positively: • marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit is given for valid answers which go beyond the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme, referring to your Team Leader as appropriate • marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do • marks are not deducted for errors • marks are not deducted for omissions • answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these features are specifically assessed by the question as indicated by the mark scheme. The meaning, however, should be unambiguous. GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4: Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed instructions or in the application of generic level descriptors.
Mark scheme, page 3
0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 3 of 18 GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5: Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question (however; the use of the full mark range may be limited according to the quality of the candidate responses seen). GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6: Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should not be awarded with grade thresholds or grade descriptors in mind. Both traditional and simplified characters are accepted and should be marked in the same way.
Mark scheme, page 4
0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 4 of 18 Question Answer Marks Guidance Question 1 Candidates are required to list 5 items in Chinese. Read all of the items that the candidate has listed and award marks as follows: • Select the most correct items up to a maximum of 5. • Award 1 mark for each correct item up to a maximum of 5. • Stop ticking once 5 items have been rewarded. • On Question 1, award marks for items wherever the candidate has written them. • If the candidate offers more than one word per line, award a mark for each acceptable item. • Put a tick next to the correct answer, and a cross next to the incorrect answer. Generic mark scheme for Question 1 • Mark for communication. Tolerate inaccuracies, provided the message is clear. • Do not award marks to words written in pinyin and English. • If you suspect a word is used in another region e.g. 手信,蔬果,please check with TLs or PE or award BOD • Miswritten characters: (a) Look-alike test: award the mark when the character the candidate has written looks like the correct answer e.g. strokes missing or added, but character still recognisable. However, when the miswritten character creates a new character with a different meaning, the mark cannot be awarded. (b) If a prefix or suffix is missing, or a modifier word is miswritten, award a mark if meaning is still communicated, e.g. 铅笔: if a candidate has only written “铅bi”, it does not mean a thing and a mark shouldn’t be awarded. If a candidate has written “qian笔”which contains the main meaning of the word “pen”, the mark should be awarded. (c) If the mis-formed characters create a different meaning, e.g. 米反、上饭,no mark will be awarded
Mark scheme, page 5
0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 5 of 18 Detailed Mark Scheme Section 1 Question 1 Question Answer Marks Guidance 请用中文写出你可以带上飞机的五种东西。 Make a list in Chinese of 5 things you can take onto an aeroplane. 1 Session specific instructions for Question 1: Anything you might see in a department store, • If there are five clearly acceptable items,e.g. food & drink, clothes, electronic products etc. award marks • If candidates list a single item with different descriptive word/adjectives, a maximum of 2 marks can be awarded, e.g. 书,大学的书,英文书,award 2 marks • If more than 5 words have been written, award the 5 correct ones even outside of the space provided • If words are directly copied from the question e.g. 东西,报纸,no mark will be awarded • If there are more than two characters in a word, and the meaning is clearly communicated, we can tolerant the wrong characters, e.g.可口可了(乐),巧 (功)克力 The following are examples. Accept anywhere a candidate might enjoy going to at the weekend. 5 ACCEPT Tolerant (BOD) REFUSE Any types of food, drinks, clothes or electronic products etc. such as: 鱼,书,饺 子,汽水,etc. 音乐,电影,花,植物 手,朋友,机漂,毛 机,表机,泳果
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0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 6 of 18 Question Answer Marks Guidance Section 1 Question 2 Question 2 Candidates are required to answer the question. Read the whole answer and award marks as follows: • Communication: award a mark out of 10, according to the instructions in 2.1. • Language: award a mark out of 5, according to the instructions in 2.2. 2.1: Award a mark out of 10 for Communication (i) Place the appropriate ‘numbered’ tick as close as possible to each relevant communication point. (ii) Award ticks flexibly across the tasks for each piece of relevant information conveyed, up to a maximum of 10 ticks. HOWEVER, each of the 5 tasks must be covered to get the 10 communication marks: (iii) If 1 of the tasks is missing, the maximum communication mark is 9. (iv) If 2 of the tasks are missing, the maximum communication mark is 8 (and so on). (v) Add up the ticks to give a mark out of 10 for Communication. (vi) For COMMUNICATION be tolerant of timeframes and minor character errors, provided the characters written are clear enough to be understood • for language, use ‘rules’ in Question 1: miswritten characters, etc. • incorrect word order will not usually compromise communication. (vii) LISTS = a maximum of 3 marks for communication. LISTS最多给三分。我最喜欢红色、黄色、蓝色和白色 (3 marks) (viii) Up to 5 further marks available for additional details (ix) Do not penalise factual errors. (xi) What the candidate writes may not follow the order of the tasks on the question paper – this is fine. (xii) Candidates are allowed to use English for proper nouns if they are not in the core minimum vocab list. Total marks for Communication: 10
Mark scheme, page 7
0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 7 of 18 Question Answer Marks Guidance 2 Use of pinyin If a candidate uses pinyin in their answer, you should read the work as if the pinyin words were not there – they do not count towards the Communication mark. If the Communication requirements are still fulfilled, discounting the pinyin, the mark can be awarded. See 2.2 page 10 for language marks. e.g. Question: 你常去哪儿买衣服? Answer 1: 我常去shang dian里买衣服。 (pinyin is used for the word ‘shang dian’. This is a key word to answer the question, therefore, no Communication mark can be awarded.) Answer 2: 我常去shang店里买衣服。 (pinyin is used for the word ‘shang’. Ignoring this word in the sentence would not affect comprehension – it is not a key word in the sentence. The Communication mark can be awarded here.) How to award marks for extra details: An extra detail is defined as any extra detail which is related in some way to any one of the five tasks. Example: 我很喜欢红色、黄色和白色的衣服,因为红、黄、白都没人喜欢。 4 Communication marks are awarded for this response. In the above example: • Award 3 ticks for我很喜欢红色、黄色和白色的衣服as this is a statement which addresses the requirements of task 4 • Award 1 ticks for因为红、黄、白都没人喜欢as this is an extra detail which is relevant to task 4
Mark scheme, page 8
0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 8 of 18 Question Answer Marks Guidance 2 你常常买衣服。请写一写: Write about clothes shopping. Say: 10 10 marks for communication, 5 marks for language Tick 1 Task: 你常去哪儿买衣服; Where you go to buy clothes; Present time-frame Tick 2 Task: 你一般和谁一起去; Who you normally go with; Present time-frame Tick 3 Task: 你喜欢买什么衣服; What clothes you like to buy; Present time-frame Tick 4 Task: 你最喜欢的颜色是什么; What your favourite colour is; Present time-frame Tick 5 Task: 你打算什么时候再去买衣服; When you plan to buy clothes again. Future time-frame
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0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 9 of 18 Question Answer Marks Guidance 2.2: Award a mark out of 5 for Language Generic mark scheme for Language (Question 2): If some characters are written incorrectly without hindering communication, candidates should not be penalised in the Language mark. • Award a mark out of 5 for Language according to the Grade descriptors in the table below (see Note on using mark schemes with Grade descriptors (last page of mark scheme)): Grade descriptors for Language (Question 2) 5 Highly accurate in the use of simpler structures, with occasional minor slips. 4 Accurate in the use of simpler structures, except for occasional more serious errors/more frequent slips. 3 Generally accurate, but with increased incidence of more serious errors. 2 Substantially inaccurate, despite several examples of accurate usage. 1 Substantially inaccurate, with only isolated examples of accurate usage. 0 No examples of accurate usage [Total marks for Language: 5] *Consider the whole answer when awarding mark for language [Total for Question 2: 15 marks]
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0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 10 of 18 Question Answer Marks Guidance Very short answers If a response is under 40 characters long, a maximum of 4 marks for Language can be awarded. Pinyin The volume of pinyin in the answer should be considered when awarding the Language mark. If pinyin is used extensively, it is no longer genuinely a piece of Chinese writing. Occasional use of pinyin will not affect marking for Language, but for essays written predominantly in pinyin (i.e. more pinyin than characters) this must be taken into account in the Language mark. Total for Communication: 10 marks Total for Language: 5 marks Total for Question 2: 15 marks
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0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 11 of 18 Section 2 Question 3 Candidates answer 1 question from a choice of 3. Read the whole answer and award marks as follows: • Communication: award a mark out of 5, according to the instructions in 3.1. • Language: – award a mark out of 5 for Accuracy of Characters, according to the instructions in 3.2. – award a mark out of 10 for Accuracy of Grammar and Structures, according to the instructions in 3.3. – award an Impressions mark out of 5 according to the instructions in 3.4 3.1: Award a mark out of 5 for Communication Generic mark scheme for Communication (Question 3): (i) There are 5 relevant communication points per question, each worth a maximum of 1 mark. (ii) For each relevant communication point, use the appropriate numbered tick and place 1 of these ticks as close as possible to each relevant communication point (iii) Add up the ticks to give a mark out of 5 for Communication Total marks for Communication: 5
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0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 12 of 18 Section 2 Question 3(a) Question Answer Marks Guidance 3(a) 你最近参加了一个演出。请给笔友写一封电子邮件。邮件里说说: You recently took part in a performance. Write an email to your penpal and say: 5 Tick 1 Task: 你哪天参加了演出; Which day you took part in the performance; 1 Past time-frame Tick 2 Task: 你参加了什么演出; What the performance was; 1 Past time-frame Tick 3 Task: 你为什么参加这次演出; Why you took part in the performance; 1 Justification Tick 4 Task: 你觉得跟你一起演出的人怎么样; What you think of the people who performed with you; 1 Opinion Tick 5 Task: 你将来想当演员吗;为什么。 Would you like to be an actor in the future; why. 1 Future time-frame, justification
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0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 13 of 18 Section 2 Question 3(b) Question Answer Marks Guidance 3(b) 《中学生杂志》想了解一下学生对健康生活的看法。请给杂志写一篇文章,说一说: “Middle School Magazine” wants to know students’ views about a healthy life-style. Please write an article for the magazine and say: 5 Tick 1 Task: 你今天早饭吃了什么; What you had for breakfast today; 1 Past time-frame Tick 2 Task: 你觉得什么样的饮食是健康的; What type of diet you think is healthy; 1 Opinion Tick 3 Task: 你上次做运动是什么时候; When you did some exercise last time; 1 Past time-frame Tick 4 Task: 你觉得中学生每周应该做多长时间的运动; How long you think middle school students should exercise for every week; 1 Opinion Tick 5 Task: 为了让学生更健康,学校可以做些什么。 What the school can do in order to make students healthier. 1 Present time-frame
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0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 14 of 18 Section 2 Question 3(c) Question Answer Marks Guidance 3(c) 你刚到火车站,发现今天没有火车了。请说说: You have just arrived at a train station and discover there are no more trains today. Please say: 5 Tick 1 Task: 你想坐几点的车; What time you wanted to take the train; 1 Past time-frame Tick 2 Task: 你本来打算去哪里; Where you originally planned to go; 1 Past time-frame Tick 3 Task: 为什么今天没有火车了; Why there are no more trains today; 1 Reason Tick 4 Task: 你觉得你应该怎么做; What you think you should do; 1 Justification Tick 5 Task: 后来发生了什么事。 What happened afterwards. 1 Past time-frame
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0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 15 of 18 Question Answer Marks Guidance 3.2 – award a mark out of 5 for Accuracy of Characters Generic mark scheme for Accuracy of Characters (Question 3): • Award a mark out of 5 for Accuracy of Characters according to the Grade descriptors in the table below: Grade descriptors for Accuracy of Characters (Question 3) 5 Highly accurate, with a wide range of characters including some more difficult or unusual ones correctly written, with occasional minor slips. 4 A good range of characters attempted with easy and moderately easy characters correctly written. 3 Limited range, but with most easy characters correctly written (or a wide range with a lot of errors). 2 A number of examples of easy characters correctly written. 1 Substantially inaccurate, with only isolated examples of correctly written characters. 0 No examples of correctly written characters. Total marks for Accuracy of Characters: 5
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0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 16 of 18 Question Answer Marks Guidance 3.3 – award a mark out of 10 for Accuracy of Grammar and Structures Generic mark scheme for Accuracy of Grammar and Structures (Question 3): • Award a mark out of 10 for Accuracy of Grammar and Structures according to the Grade descriptors in the table below: Grade descriptors for Accuracy of Grammar and Structures (Question 3) 10/9 Highly accurate including use of more complex structures, but with occasional minor slips. 8/7 A little more ambitious than the 5/6 band. Accurate in the use of simple structures, except for occasional more serious errors/more frequent slips. 6/5 Limited in range, but displays some control of simple structures. 4/3 Inconsistent, but a number of examples of accurate usage. 2/1 Substantially inaccurate, with only isolated examples of accurate usage. 0 No examples of accurate usage. Total marks for Accuracy of Grammar and Structures: 10 How to deal with short essays If the candidate has written less than half the suggested number of characters (75 or less), a maximum of 3 marks can be awarded for Accuracy of Characters and 5 marks for Grammar/Structures. An essay of 75–100 characters can be awarded a maximum of 4 marks for Accuracy of characters and 7 for Grammar/Structures. For a letter, the addressee and ending greeting are not included in the word count. Pinyin The volume of pinyin in the answer should be considered when awarding the Language mark. If pinyin is used extensively, it is no longer genuinely a piece of Chinese writing. Occasional use of pinyin will not affect marking for Language, but for essays written predominantly in pinyin (i.e. more pinyin than characters) this must be taken into account in the Language mark.
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0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 17 of 18 Question Answer Marks Guidance 3.4 – award a mark out of 5 for Impression Award a mark out of 5 for Impression according to the conversion table below. Conversion Table for Impression (Question 3) Mark out of 15 (for Accuracy of Language) Pro rata (General Impression) Max 5 15 5 14 5 13 4 12 4 11 4 10 3 9 3 8 2 7 2 6 2 5 1 4 1 3 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 Total mark for Impression: 5 Total for Question 3: 25 marks
Mark scheme, page 18
0547/43 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED May/June 2021 © UCLES 2021 Page 18 of 18 Note on using mark schemes with Grade descriptors It is important that you award marks positively. In order to ensure that you reward achievement rather than penalise failure or omissions, you should start at the bottom of the mark scheme and work upwards through the descriptors when awarding marks. You should adopt a ‘best fit’ approach. You must select the set of descriptors provided in the mark scheme that most closely describes the quality of the work being marked. As you work upwards through the mark scheme, you will eventually arrive at a set of descriptors that fits the candidate’s performance. When you reach this point, you should always then check the descriptors in the band above to confirm whether or not there is just enough evidence to award a mark in the higher band. For example, when marking Question 3 you may find that a candidate uses a variety of relevant vocabulary but has varied success with more complex structures. In such cases, you will need to award a mark that takes into account both the strengths and weaknesses of the piece of work. To select the most appropriate mark within each set of descriptors, use the following guidance: • If most of the descriptors fit the piece (and after you have considered the band above), award the top mark in the band. • If there is just enough evidence (and you had perhaps been considering the band below), award the lowest mark in the band. Note on irrelevant material in Question 3 In the case of a deliberately evasive answer which consists entirely of irrelevant material exploited in defiance of the rubric, a score of 0 is given. These are extremely rare. A genuine attempt to answer the question which fails due to a misunderstanding of the rubric will normally lose Communication marks but will score for Language. You should consult your Team Leader.
What you needed in this session
Cambridge’s own grade thresholds for 2021 May/June, Paper 4 · Variant 3. A higher threshold means an easier paper — the bar moves with how the cohort did.