Cambridge IGCSE English - First Language 0500 — 2017 Feb/March Paper 3 · Variant 2
0500/32/F/M/17 · 50 marks · ≈56 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 paper12 pages












Mark scheme8 pages
Answers below. Sit the paper first if you are practising.








Paper as text
Question paper, page 1
This document consists of 11 printed pages, 1 blank page and 1 Reading Booklet Insert. DC (CW) 127178/4 © UCLES 2017 [Turn over Cambridge International Examinations Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education * 8 4 1 9 5 5 1 0 4 5 * FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH 0500/32 Paper 3 Directed Writing and Composition February/March 2017 2 hours Candidates answer on the Question Paper. No Additional Materials are required. READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST Write your Centre number, candidate number and name in the spaces provided. Write in dark blue or black pen. Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid. DO NOT WRITE IN ANY BARCODES. Answer two questions in the space provided: Question 1 in Section 1 and one question from Section 2. If additional space is required, you should use the lined pages at the end of this booklet. The question number(s) must be clearly shown. Dictionaries are not permitted. The Reading Booklet Insert contains the reading passage for use with Question 1 in Section 1 on the Question Paper. The Reading Booklet Insert is not assessed by the Examiner. The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
Question paper, page 2
2 0500/32/F/M/17 © UCLES 2017 Read carefully the speech in the Reading Booklet Insert and then answer Section 1, Question 1 on this Question Paper. Section 1: Directed Writing Question 1 Imagine you are the parent of a student at the school. Write a letter to the headteacher of the school in which you should: • identify and evaluate the issues raised in the speech • explain your views on whether the headteacher’s proposals are the best way to benefit pupils at the school. Base your letter on what you have read in the speech, but be careful to use your own words. Address each of the bullet points. Begin your letter, ‘Dear Headteacher…’. Write about 250 to 350 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer, and up to 15 marks for the quality of your writing. … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Question paper, page 3
3 0500/32/F/M/17 © UCLES 2017 [Turn over … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Question paper, page 4
4 0500/32/F/M/17 © UCLES 2017 … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … [Total: 25]
Question paper, page 5
5 0500/32/F/M/17 © UCLES 2017 [Turn over [Turn to page 6 for Section 2]
Question paper, page 6
6 0500/32/F/M/17 © UCLES 2017 Section 2: Composition Questions 2, 3, 4 and 5 Write about 350 to 450 words on one of the following questions. Answer on this Question Paper. Up to 13 marks are available for the content and structure of your answer, and up to 12 marks for the style and accuracy of your writing. Descriptive Writing 2 Describe the scene before and as a theatrical production begins. OR 3 Imagine you have been away from home for a long time. Describe what you see and your thoughts and feelings during your journey home. OR Narrative Writing 4 Write a story that begins with the words, ‘It felt as if I had been waiting all my life for this moment…’. OR 5 Write a story with the title, ‘The Reunion’.
Question paper, page 7
7 0500/32/F/M/17 © UCLES 2017 [Turn over Please write your chosen question number here (2, 3, 4 or 5): … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Question paper, page 8
8 0500/32/F/M/17 © UCLES 2017 … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Question paper, page 9
9 0500/32/F/M/17 © UCLES 2017 … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … [Total: 25]
Question paper, page 10
10 0500/32/F/M/17 © UCLES 2017 Additional Page If you use the following lined page to complete the answer(s) to any question(s), the question number(s) must be clearly shown. … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Question paper, page 11
11 0500/32/F/M/17 © UCLES 2017 Additional Page If you use the following lined page to complete the answer(s) to any question(s), the question number(s) must be clearly shown. … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Question paper, page 12
12 0500/32/F/M/17 © UCLES 2017 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 International Examinations Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download at www.cie.org.uk after the live examination series. Cambridge International Examinations is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is itself a department of the University of Cambridge.
Mark scheme, page 1
® IGCSE is a registered trademark. This document consists of 8 printed pages. © UCLES 2017 [Turn over Cambridge International Examinations Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH 0500/32 Paper 3 Directed Writing and Composition March 2017 MARK SCHEME Maximum Mark: 50 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 will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes. Cambridge is publishing the mark schemes for the March 2017 series for most Cambridge IGCSE®, Cambridge International A and AS Level components and some Cambridge O Level components.
Mark scheme, page 2
0500/32 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED March 2017 © UCLES 2017 Page 2 of 8 Note: All Examiners are instructed that alternative correct answers and unexpected approaches in candidates’ scripts must be given marks that fairly reflect the relevant knowledge and skills demonstrated. Nonetheless, the content must be clearly related to and derived from the passage. Section 1: Directed Writing Question Answer Marks 1 This question tests writing assessment objectives W1 to W5 (15 marks) W1 articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined W2 sequence facts, ideas and opinions W3 use a range of appropriate vocabulary W4 use register appropriate to audience and context W5 make accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar and reading assessment objectives R1 to R3 (10 marks) R1 demonstrate understanding of explicit meanings R2 demonstrate understanding of implicit meanings and attitudes R3 analyse, evaluate and develop facts, ideas and opinions Imagine you are the parent of a student at the school. Write a letter to the headteacher of the school in which you should: • identify and evaluate the issues raised in the speech • explain your views on whether the headteacher’s proposals are the best way to benefit pupils at the school. Base your letter on what you have read in the speech, but be careful to use your own words. Address each of the bullet points. Begin your letter, ‘Dear Headteacher«’. Write about 250 to 350 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer, and up to 15 marks for the quality of your writing. 25
Mark scheme, page 3
0500/32 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED March 2017 © UCLES 2017 Page 3 of 8 Question Answer Marks Responses might use the following ideas: A1: Identify the issues raised in the speech • The physical health of pupils is a concern • Physical fitness is linked to academic performance • Parents can’t be bothered to engage in physical activity with their children • Parents allow their children to make unhealthy food choices • Young people don’t take responsibility for their own health and fitness • Young people prefer social media and gaming to physical activity • Most activities at school are sedentary • Many young people are obese • Medical benefits of exercise • Physical fitness will lead to better concentration and behaviour. A2: Evaluate the issues and explain your views on the proposal • Supporting or disagreeing with the compulsory nature of sessions • Effects of beginning the school day earlier – both negative and positive. Research has shown that students work better when school starts later AND some may write about the dangers of coming to school on dark mornings. • Whether circuit training will benefit all pupils • Suitability of using the school playground • The effect of ‘naming and shaming’ pupils • His tone is hectoring and insulting • He is autocratic • How long could he keep the pressure up, day after day? • Arrangements for those who aren’t physically able to participate? • Overall his solution to the problem is very limited • Whether the proposal will alleviate anxiety or improve confidence • Links between fitness levels and better concentration and behavior • Various forms of disruption to the start of the academic day • The head talks about 60 minutes of physical activity, but he doesn’t mention anything about the 30 minutes additional to his circuit training. The discriminator is the evaluation of the arguments, which requires candidates to draw inferences and make judgments about whether the proposal will benefit pupils. Perceptive responses may use the headteacher’s points to undermine the benefits of the proposal. Ideas and opinions must be derived from the passage, assessing their implications with clear and persuasive arguments.
Mark scheme, page 4
0500/32 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED March 2017 © UCLES 2017 Page 4 of 8 Marking criteria for Section 1, Question 1. Table A, Writing: Use the following table to give a mark out of 15 for Writing. Band 1 13–15 Consistent sense of audience; authoritative and appropriate style. Fluent, varied sentences; wide range of vocabulary. Strong sense of structure, paragraphing and sequence. Spelling, punctuation and grammar almost always accurate. Band 2 10–12 Sense of audience mostly secure; there is evidence of style and fluency; sentences and vocabulary are effective. Secure overall structure; mostly well- sequenced. Spelling, punctuation and grammar generally accurate. Band 3 7–9 Occasional sense of audience; mostly written in correctly structured sentences; vocabulary may be plain but adequate for the task; mostly quite well structured. Minor, but more frequent, errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Band 4 5–6 Inconsistent style; simple or faultily constructed sentences; vocabulary simple; basic structure. Frequent errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Band 5 3–4 Inappropriate expression; the response is not always well sequenced. Errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar impair communication. Band 6 1–2 Expression unclear; flawed sentence construction and order. Persistent errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar impede communication. Band 7 0 The response cannot be understood. Table B, Reading: Use the following table to give a mark out of 10 for Reading. Band 1 9–10 Gives a thorough, perceptive, convincing response. Reads effectively between the lines. Shows understanding by developing much of the reading material and assimilating it into a response to the task. Band 2 7–8 Some evidence of evaluation, engaging with a few of the main points with success. Uses reading material to support the argument. Occasionally effective development of ideas from the passages. Band 3 5–6 Reproduces a number of points to make a satisfactory response. The response covers the material adequately, but may miss opportunities to develop it relevantly or at length. Band 4 3–4 Selects points from the passages rather literally and/or uses the material thinly. Points should be connected. Band 5 1–2 Parts of the response are relevant, though the material may be repeated or used inappropriately. Band 6 0 There is very little or no relevance to the question or to the passages, or the response copies unselectively or directly from the passages.
Mark scheme, page 5
0500/32 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED March 2017 © UCLES 2017 Page 5 of 8 Section 2: Composition Question Answer Marks 2, 3, 4, 5 This question tests writing assessment objectives W1 to W5 (25 marks) W1 articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined W2 sequence facts, ideas and opinions W3 use a range of appropriate vocabulary W4 use register appropriate to audience and context W5 make accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar Write about 350 to 450 words on one of the following questions. Answer on this Question Paper. Up to 13 marks are available for the content and structure of your answer, and up to 12 marks for the style and accuracy of your writing. Descriptive Writing 2 Describe the scene before and as a theatrical production begins. OR 3 Imagine you have been away from home for a long time. Describe what you see and your thoughts and feelings during your journey home. OR Narrative Writing 4 Write a story that begins with the words, ‘It felt as if I had been waiting all my life for this moment«’. OR 5 Write a story with the title, ‘The Reunion’. 25 Marking criteria for Section 2, Questions 2, 3, 4 and 5 Use table A to give a mark out of 13 for content and structure, and table B to give a mark out of 12 for style and accuracy.
Mark scheme, page 6
0500/32 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED March 2017 © UCLES 2017 Page 6 of 8 Table A, Composition: Content and structure General criteria Specific criteria Descriptive Writing Narrative Writing Band 1 11–13 W1: Content is complex, sophisticated and realistic. W2: Overall structure is secure and the constituent parts well balanced and carefully managed. Many well-defined and developed ideas and images create a convincing, original, overall picture with varieties of focus. The plot is convincing with elements of fiction such as description, characterisation and climax, and with cogent detail. Band 2 9–10 W1: Content develops some interesting and realistic features in parts of the writing. W2: Writing is orderly, and beginnings and endings are satisfactorily managed. Frequent, well-chosen images and details give an impression of reality, although the overall picture is not consistent. The plot incorporates some interesting features, but not consistently so: the reader may be aware of the creation of suspense and a sense of climax. Band 3 7–8 W1: Content is straightforward with ideas, features and images that satisfactorily address the task; some opportunities for development are taken. W2: Overall structure is competent and some sentences are well sequenced. A selection of relevant ideas, images and details addresses the task, even where there is a tendency to write a narrative. The plot is straightforward and cohesive with some identification of features such as character and setting. Band 4 5–6 W1: Content consists of relevant ideas that are briefly developed. W2: Overall structure is easily followed, though some constituent parts are too long or too short to be effective. The task is addressed with a series of ordinary details, which may be more typical of a narrative. Recording of relevant but sometimes unrealistic events outweighs other desirable elements of narrative fiction. Band 5 3–4 W1: Content is simple, and the presentation of ideas and events may only be partially credible. W2: Overall structure is recognisable though paragraphing is inconsistent and sequences of sentences insecure. Where a narrative is written, the recording of events may preclude the use of sufficient descriptive detail. The plot is a simple narrative that may consist of events that are only partially credible or which are presented with partial clarity.
Mark scheme, page 7
0500/32 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED March 2017 © UCLES 2017 Page 7 of 8 General criteria Specific criteria Descriptive Writing Narrative Writing Band 6 1–2 W1: Content is inconsistent in relevance, interest and clarity. W2: Structure is frequently unclear, revealing a limited grasp of purpose. Some relevant facts are identified, but the overall picture is unclear and lacks development. The plot lacks coherence and narrates events indiscriminately. Band 7 0 W1: Content is rarely relevant and there is little material. W2: The structure is disorderly. Individual ideas are not properly communicated and the effect is one of incoherence. The plot is hard to follow and is only partially relevant.
Mark scheme, page 8
0500/32 Cambridge IGCSE – Mark Scheme PUBLISHED March 2017 © UCLES 2017 Page 8 of 8 Table B, Composition: Style and accuracy Band 1 11–12 Writing is consistent, stylistically fluent, linguistically strong and almost always accurate; has sense of audience. W3: Consistently wide range of appropriate vocabulary. W4: Subtle and effective sense of audience; appropriate use of varied sentence structures. W5: Spelling, punctuation and grammar almost always accurate. Band 2 9–10 Writing is mostly fluent, sometimes linguistically effective and generally accurate; may have some sense of audience. W3: Obvious attempt to use range of vocabulary to interest the reader. W4: Partial or inferred sense of audience, with appropriate sentence structures. W5: Spelling, punctuation and grammar mainly accurate. Band 3 7–8 Writing is clear, competent, if plain in vocabulary and grammatical structures; errors minor, but frequent. W3: Occasional precision and/or interest in choice of words. W4: Accurate if repetitive sentence structures W5: Minor but frequent errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Band 4 5–6 Writing is clear and accurate in places, and uses limited vocabulary and grammatical structures; errors occasionally serious. W3: Plain but mostly correct choice of words. W4: Correct use of simple sentence structures; some errors of sentence separation. W5: Frequent errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Band 5 3–4 Writing is simple in vocabulary and grammar; overall meaning can be followed, but errors are distracting and sometimes impair communication. W3: Words may sometimes communicate meaning satisfactorily. W4: Frequent weakness in sentence structures. W5: Errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar impair communication. Band 6 1–2 Writing is weak in vocabulary and grammar; persistent errors impede communication. W3: Insufficient language to carry intended meaning. W4: Faulty and/or rambling sentence structures. W5: Persistent errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar impede communication. Band 7 0 Writing is impossible to follow. Language proficiency is lacking; incorrect sentences; multiple errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar.
What you needed in this session
Cambridge’s own grade thresholds for 2017 Feb/March, Paper 3 · Variant 2. A higher threshold means an easier paper — the bar moves with how the cohort did.