How did it go today 2/12/09

Alexandra · Post by **Alexandra** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:57 pm

Has anyone got a list of the english texts used over the past 10 years?? I would be interested to know what the range is.

First-timer · Post by **First-timer** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:59 pm

Hard Times and Bleak House!!!

Someone has a twisted sense of humour!

Talk about rubbing their noses in it!

Could start a thread with suggestions for future texts. How about Misery?

Alexandra · Post by **Alexandra** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:00 pm

Can anyone confirm this?
I have been told that the bleak house comprehension had a lot more true/false questions than the hard times comprehension on the second sitting. Is this correct? Or would they have the same amount? My son said the second paper had a lot of interpretation questions. Anyone else's views??

Zeta · Post by **Zeta** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:05 pm

My son did say there were a lot of true and false on 2nd Dec English paper.

First-timer · Post by **First-timer** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:06 pm

There is a list elsewhere on the site. Try searching Silas Marner. There can't be many posts containing those words.

No idea about the questions. All DS said was there were 8 marks for punctuation.

They'll standardise the scores anyway, so I wouldn't worry.

Alexandra · Post by **Alexandra** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:08 pm

Thank you. I think my son was probably a bit dramatic. He said there were barely any.

I agree bleak house and hard times a bit of a joke. Do kids actually read this type of thing. I would of thought these novels would be best placed for A level students, not 10 and 11 year olds. I'm not sure why it is made so difficult

Zeta · Post by **Zeta** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:13 pm

I have to say, that trying to get accurate information from my son is very difficult. Although he found the 11+ hard, he said it was an OK experience, but couldn't actually get him to confirm what marks possible / format of questions etc. He just vaguely told his English teacher that lots of true and false (that could well mean a few). Sorry I can't be more specific.

First-timer · Post by **First-timer** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:16 pm

They make it so difficult because they can afford to. The demand for places is so high they need to be able to differentiate between candidates.

I also think (and it is just my personal opinion) that it is no accident that the nightmare paper is first. They are testing more than just ability in discrete subjects - they are also testing nerve. Quite horrible, when you think about it. We still put our DC through it, though.

Alexandra · Post by **Alexandra** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:16 pm

Son came out very positive yesterday. Said to me tonight that he thinks he did quite well on the english and thought he must of got about 20 out of 50. Of course I was mortified as that only equates to 40%!!!! I am now paniced!!!

Zeta · Post by **Zeta** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:20 pm

My son did his at KEGS and they were great taking him in, no fuss, no waiting. Though I hated the hanging around at the end waiting to pick him up, it over-ran by a good 20 minutes.

glad your son came out of it positive. Mine too, which at least is something we can be grateful for. Do not panic about his estimation on his scores, I don't know what to say, as it's just the sort of thing my son would say!