A-LEVEL POLISH. Unit 2 Reading and Writing Report on the Examination June Version: 1.0

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1 A-LEVEL POLISH Unit 2 Reading and Writing Report on the Examination 2685 June 2015 Version: 1.0

2 Further copies of this Report are available from aqa.org.uk Copyright 2015 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre.

3 General comments PLSH2 grade A* was set at 79, with 26.60% achieving this. As last year, the ability of the students was wide ranging. There were a number of well- prepared students with excellent Polish, who knew what was expected of them and who produced good quality papers. Most of them had attended Polish Saturday schools, or had had some form of tuition, or had studied the text thoroughly. Some of them had an excellent command of Polish and some did not, but both groups knew the requirements of the exam and were well prepared. There were many students (more than last year) who arrived in England some years ago and missed part of their schooling in Poland. They have subsequently neglected their Polish since being in England. Some believed what knowledge they had brought with them would be sufficient to succeed in the exam. This was not so. Many of them did not study for the exam or even familiarise themselves with the specification. They produced very weak papers, especially in the essay section. There were many untidy, badly written scripts which made scrutiny difficult. Some just did not attempt to answer section 3 (the essay section) and left blank pages. These students usually failed, or achieved grade E. It is of paramount importance that schools make sure that the students they have entered read the specification and know what the exam requirements are. The students should be reminded to read the instructions carefully and to study the past papers for practice. In this way, they will know what is expected of them and will fully understand how to answer the questions. Section 1 Comprehension The PLSH2 comprehension questions set to a text about the origins and early history of the London Underground, were mostly answered correctly by the majority of the students. Generally, incorrect answers were few in number and there was no clear underlying trend to indicate a possible cause for mistakes which were mostly of a careless nature, mainly not supplying enough information. Question 1 (a)(i) Dlaczego zaczęto budować metro? The most common mistakes were the answers: Było pierwsze, inowacyjne, miało być nowym środkiem transportu. Question 1 (a)(ii) Opisz w jakich warunkach odbywała się podróż pierwszą linią metra. Gazety pisały, że nikt nie będzie chciał siedzieć w ciemnym wagoniku żeby jechać przez miasto. Questions 1 (a)(iii), (v), (vi), (vii) and (viii) This question did not present any problems and were mostly answered correctly by the most of students. Question 1(a)(iv) This question presented some challenges with students giving speculative answers not based on the text. Examples of this are below: Żeby utworzyć publiczną sieć komunikacji, żeby upaństwowić, żeby razem z tramwajami i autobusami stworzyć sieć komunikacyjną. Ponieważ były kłótnie między właścicielam. 3 of 8

4 True and False There were no problems with this section. I would like to remind students to use the recommended letters T for True, F for False and? for Don t know. Section 2 - Translation The passage for translation into Polish was an extract from Angelina Jolie s Notes from My Travels. In general, students did very well and most students managed a high score. Where there were gaps in vocabulary, students often improvised. This is the right approach. Leaving a blank does not score any marks and by improvising or offering a cognate or synonym, there is always the chance of some success. There were some words that caused challenges and one of them was journals. Another was introduction, neither of which justified the challenge they presented. Below there is a list of the more common errors. There were also some colloquial words which were not appropriate in the translation of this kind of text. Students should be made aware and should recognise the register of language which should be used in different texts. So zajebisty in the introduction to a published piece of work is not acceptable. Asked was usually translated by zapytano but the word also has another meaning which is poproszono, which in this context is a much better option. Introduction introdukcja, wpis, początek. Journals wydawnictwo, rękopis, przewodnik,życiopis, przygoda. If we were all aware, we would all be compelled to act. In translations there are usually conditionals or the passive voice. It would be advisable to practise these constructions so students know the difference between jeśli i gdyby. Most of the answers were correct, however, and conveyed the meaning with some exceptionally good renderings. Szczerze wierzę,że gdybyśmy wszyscy byli świadomi, to byśmy wszyscy czuli się zmuszeni do działania/ odczuwali potrzebę działania/ to byśmy wszyscy chcieli coś zrobić. national and international graniczne, zagraniczne, nacjonalne. Awake pobudzona. Section 3 Students are required to write two essays of at least 200 words. There is no word limit as some thought. 200 is a required minimum which rarely produces a top mark. The questions are grouped according to four topics, literary and non-literary and any combination is acceptable, provided that no two questions from the same topic were attempted. This year the performance in the essays was generally not good and in some instances very poor. Many students, more than last year, took the exam without any preparation at all. To illustrate this point Niestey nie będę pisać o Polskiej książce ponieważ nie zostałam poinformowana, że do odpowiedzenia niektórych pytań będzie potrzebna wiedza o książce napisanej przez polskiego autora więc napiszę o książce, którą niedawno przeczytałam Geisha. Some students picked the wrong question for the wrong topic. Questions on drama apply only to drama as questions about films have to be from the topic relating to Wajda s films - Questions 6(a) and 6 (b). 4 of 8

5 The fight for independence as a theme in Polish literature. Kamienie na szaniec were the most popular choice but there were some on Wierna rzeka and poems. Normally there are good essays written about Kamienie na szaniec, sometimes even very good ones. Unfortunately that was not the case this year. A lot of verbosity, generalisation and not enough references to the text was the norm. One often doubted if the student had really read the book or only relied on a synopsis from the cover. This is regrettable as the book is usually enjoyed by the students who have read it. The book is short and easy to read, describing the fate of the boys during World War II who have just finished their schooling. There were many essays based on the film, with students citing people who are not in the book. If a criticism can be made of those who attempted Wierna rzeka, it is that these essays focused mainly on the human drama rather than being centered on the topic. Students mostly wrote about the doomed relationship between Salomea Brynicka and Józef Odrowąż. Hubert Olbromski. Salomea s father was rarely mentioned. Some did not know the authors of the prescribed text: Adam Mieczykowski napisał Redutę Ordona, W ksiązce Andrzeja Wajdy Kamienie na szaniec Moral issues as presented in Polish drama. Students who chose this topic mostly answered the question with reference to Moralnośc Pani Dulskiej, which continues to be the most popular play studied at A-level. There were fewer essays on Niemcy this year and there were some on Balladyna and Zemsta. There were some poor ones, fair ones and some good ones. It all depended on how much work the student had done. In the past we had a lot of good essays on Moralność Pani Dulskiej. Even where students had prepared themselves for the exam to a greater or lesser extent, I felt that most demonstrated no more than some knowledge of the topic, across all the topic areas, rather than a sound or thorough knowledge. This was true even in the case of Question 4(a), where the student had the relatively simple task of discussing the chosen character of the play. The analysis was not deep enough and there was little personal reaction and even less of a proper conclusion, especially in Question 4 (b) where students were asked to discuss the moral and social issues of the play. There were not sufficient references to the text to back up students opinion. For example, in case of Moralność Pani Dulskiej, many students thought it was sufficient to write that Dulska was a mean character whereas Zbyszko was a spendthrift. Beyond that observation, there was little further insight and little indication that student had engaged with the text and understood the author s intention. Some, rather than find fault with Dulska, defended her, portraying her as a caring mother who wanted to protect her children, completely missing the author s intention. Students do not seem to understand the words they are using, such as dulszczyzna, kołtun, fillister. Dulska często poniżała sprzątaczkę, to włsnie ją uważała Dulska za filistra Sztuka jest napisana w stylu tragifarsy kołtuńskiej. In addition, there were cases of the usage of language completely inappropriate for literary essays. To illustrate the above mentioned points, here are some examples: Brak w sztuce naturalizmu ponieważ dzieci Dulskiej nie wiedzą o najprostszych rzeczach takich jak skąd pochodzą dzieci. Następnie Dulska pozwala Zbyszkowi plątać się po ulicach z kokotami. 5 of 8

6 Zapolska chciała poruszyć nie tylko moralne, ale i społeczne problemy pisząc Moralność p.dulskiej by pokazać, że nie wszystko da sie zrobić lojalnie i przyzwoicie. Bohaterka, pani Dulska to bardzo ciężki przypadek do zrozumienia a bycie tak strasznie krytycznym ma we krwi. Problemy poruszane to rozwody, samotne matki i brak uświadomienia dzieci. Balladyna książę był postacią płytką patrzył ewidentnie tylko na wyglad, ponieważ zakochał się w dwóch kobietach. Balladyna zachowała sie krytycznie w stosunku do swojej siostry, gdyż zabiła ją. Pozwolił aby siostry walczyły o niego co czyni go zadufanym. Dulska nie ma żadnych morałów jest tylko całkowitą egoistką niezdolną do życia w normalnym świecie ze swobodą seksualną oraz wygodnym życiem, przez jej ograniczony umysł. Rodzina nie jest zbiorem osób kochanych lecz przymusowy zbiór krewnych! Polacy i Polska w okresie drugiej wojny światowej Essays written in response to Questions 5(a) or 5(b) have never been outstanding. There were some good essays and one or two excellent ones. Only a handful of students writing on the history topic, however, appeared to have studied Polish history. The rest relied heavily on narrative and general knowledge that is known to everybody. It was especially evident in Question 5(a). There were no dates, facts or names mentioned. Question 5(b) Students were asked to write about the most significant event in the War in which the Poles participated - most failed to focus in depth on any one event, but instead wrote about anything they knew on the subject. Mostly they mentioned the September campaign, the Battle of Britain, Monte Casino, or the Warsaw Uprising, but did not give any great level of detail. It would be better to write about one event in greater detail, but this requires some study and preparation. Czego nie rozumiem to są wydarzenia z Katynia ten przebieg wypadków dla mnie nie ma sensu. W czasie Powstania Warszawskiego Polska była pod wpływem komunistycznej Rosji W tym czasie, w rosji panował Lenin. Polska nigdy nie była wielkim krajem, ale przed wojną która się zaczęła w 1939 roku, byly nadzieje, że ten kraj będzie lepszy i bogatszy niż był w czasie drugiej wojny światowej. Józef Piłsudski też miał bardzo duży wpływ na polskę i jej sytuację podczas drugiej wojny światowej. Dzielni Polacy jak Józef Piłsucki i ijjózef Kozack i W. Anders walczyli dzień i noc z siłami Niemiec i Rosji. W bitwie o Mone Carlo. Polskie kino Andrzej Wajda Popiół i diament i człowiek z marmuru Many students who attempted these questions appeared not to have seen either film. Some appeared to be making up an answer, some may have only watched it once and had forgotten it or mixed the facts, names and events. Films should not be seen as an easy option. Man of Marble in particular is a very dense and, in some ways, subtle film. It is so easy to miss the detail. These films should be watched over a number of sessions and the history of post-war Poland should be explained. Without a thorough knowledge of historical background it is impossible to understand these films. That is why we had so many misconceptions, describing Maciek as a murderer, a terrorist or a bandit. 6 of 8

7 Question 6(a) This question was mainly answered wrongly as students were either not taught or did not understand the main problems raised by Wajda in both films. There were many misconceptions and it appeared that this topic was not discussed in great length at schools as some students seemed to have some knowledge but not enough to produce a good quality essay. It is evident that they had some tuition, but there was no thorough preparation. Below are some examples to illustrate this point: Andrzej Wajda pokazał, że niektóre decyzje takie jak Maciek wybrał mają wpływ na dalsze życie i moga się skończyć dobrze lub czasem tragicznie. Maciek byl kolumbem w wojsku podziemnym gdzie spędził parę miesięcy. Jako żołnierz to był w Armii gdzie brał udział w PPR dostał zadanie zabicia Szczuki, żeby je realizować został jeszcze na podziemnym patrolu ponieważ nie chciał żeby nikt go podejrzewał. Maciej jest wolną duszą mimo utraty sensu moralności spowodowanej prrzez wojnę. Maciej wybrał drogę, która pchnęła go do czynu zbrodni. Niesamowity przykład jak wojna wyzuła wszelkie mierniki moralne. Zabijajac człowieka Chełmicki swoją ucieczką pokazał wstyd i nienawiść do samego siebie. Maciej brał udział w wojnie, która trwała od 6-9 maja 1944 roku! Podobnie jak w przypadku Maćka, Birkut okazał się martwy na zakończenie filmu. To nas naucza, że smierć to jest cel do którego wszyscy dążymy, ale możemy wybrać czy do tego celu dojdziemy prędzej wtedy kiedy natura nasz ostatni wdech zakradnie. Maciej i Andrzej nie wykonali pracy danej przez Armię Ludową. Maciek w Popiele i diamencie walczył z Niemcami, odwaga była pokazana jak schowal się pod schodami i podsłuchał rozmowy Niemców. Maciek nie przełamał swego nałogu zabijania. Bohaterowie przezywają niedosłyszane losy. Agnieszka przeżywa konsekwencje życia w Polsce.... i kiedy ona idzie pieszo przez korytarz Profesor wchodzi do ubikacji aby umyć ręce. To biblijne bo Piłat też mył ręce. Agnieszka na końcu pieszo znów jest w tym korytarzu gdzie film się zaczął z synem Birkuta udaje jej się wystraszyć profesora aby się nie schował w ubikacji. Question 6(b) This question produced better responses and perhaps students who chose it were better prepared and understood the situation in Poland described in the films. Nevertheless there were many that did not grasp the concept of communism with its manipulation, oppression and censorship. Students wrote that Maciek could have broken with his Home Army past and lead a happy life with Krystyna, that Birkut could equally have toed the line or Agnieszka could have chosen a different subject for her film, and in this way, all three could have altered their fate. This was not the point of what Wajda was trying to present in these films. These responses showed a lack of understanding of the limitations imposed on the characters by the tragic or prohibitive circumstances of their lives. The following examples illustrate this point: Maciek miał mętlik w głowie. Podoba mi się, że Maciek był stanowczy i wie czego chce, Krystyna na początku się wahała, ale w końcu przyszła do niego i uprawiali miłość, ale nic nie było widać tylko głowy. Maciek w ciemnych okularach zakochał się w kelnerce na poczatku był arrogancki, ale ona też nie dała sobie w kasze dmuchać. 7 of 8

8 And the most shocking statement: film stworzony w 18 wieku w czasie akcji po drugiej wojnie światowej! Mark Ranges and Award of Grades Grade boundaries and cumulative percentage grades are available on the Results Statistics page of the AQA Website. Converting Marks into UMS marks Convert raw marks into Uniform Mark Scale (UMS) marks by using the link below. UMS conversion calculator 8 of 8