INTRODUCTION

To enhance understanding of the standards of the HKDSE Examination, authentic samples of candidates’ scripts in the 2014 examination are selected to form this set of exemplars which serve to illustrate the typical performance standards at different levels.

There are four papers in this subject. This set of exemplars is selected from candidates’ scripts of Paper 1 to illustrate the typical performance standards at different levels.

It is advisable to read this set of exemplars together with the question papers and the marking schemes in order to understand the requirements of the questions and the marking criteria. The question papers and the marking schemes are published in the Examination Report and Question Papers for 2014 HKDSE Examination.

Level 5 exemplar 1

Part A

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Level 5 exemplar 1

Part A

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Level 5 exemplar 1

Part A

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Level 5 exemplar 1

Part A

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Level 5 exemplar 1

Part B2

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Level 5 exemplar 1

Part B2

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Level 5 exemplar 1

Part B2

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Level 5 exemplar 1

Part B2

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Level 5 exemplar 1

Comments

• Applies appropriate reading strategies to a straightforward piece of fiction and complex non-fiction text

• Is able to reflect on the fictional text and provide a convincing response (Q.27, 28)

• Is able to interpret and make sophisticated inferences (Q. 21)

• Is able to interpret nuanced text expressing mood/tone (Q.12 ii)

• Demonstrates a strong understanding of the theme and the author’s main concern of the non-fiction text (Q.65, Q.71, Q.74)

• Understands the meaning of figurative language (Q.76)

• Is able to order most of the main ideas of a complex text (Q.84)

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Level 5 exemplar 2

Part A

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Level 5 exemplar 2

Part A

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Level 5 exemplar 2

Part A

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Level 5 exemplar 2

Part A

13

Level 5 exemplar 2

Part B2

14

Level 5 exemplar 2

Part B2

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Level 5 exemplar 2

Part B2

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Level 5 exemplar 2

Part B2

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Level 5 exemplar 2

Comments

• Applies appropriate reading strategies to a straightforward piece of fiction and complex non-fiction text

• Demonstrates an understanding of the main idea of the fictional text (Q.27) but has some difficulty communicating his/her response clearly and convincingly (Q.28, Q.74)

• Able to interpret and make sophisticated inferences (Q. 21)

• Is able to locate key pieces of information in a complex text (Q. 70)

• Is able to interpret nuanced text expressing mood/tone (Q.23, Q.79 i)

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Level 4 exemplar 1

Part A

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Level 4 exemplar 1

Part A

20

Level 4 exemplar 1

Part A

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Level 4 exemplar 1

Part A

22

Level 4 exemplar 1

Part B2

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Level 4 exemplar 1

Part B2

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Level 4 exemplar 1

Part B2

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Level 4 exemplar 1

Part B2

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Level 4 exemplar 1

Comments

• Applies appropriate reading strategies to a straightforward piece of fiction but has more difficulty understanding a piece of complex non-fiction

• Demonstrates a general understanding of the main ideas/theme of a fiction of text (Q.21, Q.28) but has some difficulty communicating his/her response clearly and convincingly

• Has difficulty interpreting nuanced text expressing mood/tone/character’s intentions in the narrative (Q.12 ii, Q.23)

• For the non-fiction text, is able to identify the overarching theme (Q.71) but struggles to complete a number of open-ended questions (Q.74 onwards)

• Has difficulty interpreting figurative language (Q.76)

• Is able to order most of the main ideas of a complex text (Q.84)

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Level 4 exemplar 2

Part A

28

Level 4 exemplar 2

Part A

29

Level 4 exemplar 2

Part A

30

Level 4 exemplar 2

Part A

31

Level 4 exemplar 2

Part B2

32

Level 4 exemplar 2

Part B2

33

Level 4 exemplar 2

Part B2

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Level 4 exemplar 2

Part B2

35

Level 4 exemplar 2

Comments

• Applies appropriate reading strategies to a straightforward piece of fiction but has more difficulty understanding a complex non-fiction text

• Is able to identify the thematic connection in the fiction (Q.28) but less so in the non-fiction text (Q.71)

• Is able to interpret nuanced text expressing mood/tone (Q.12 ii, Q.23)

• Has difficulty interpreting figurative language (Q.76)

• Is able to order most of the main ideas of a complex text (Q.84)

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Level 3 exemplar 1

Part A

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Level 3 exemplar 1

Part A

38

Level 3 exemplar 1

Part A

39

Level 3 exemplar 1

Part A

40

Level 3 exemplar 1

Part B1

41

Level 3 exemplar 1

Part B1

42

Level 3 exemplar 1

Part B1

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Level 3 exemplar 1

Part B1

44

Level 3 exemplar 1

Comments

• Is able to apply some appropriate reading strategies to a straightforward piece of fiction and non-fiction

• Is able to reflect on the fictional text and provide a convincing response (Q.27) but sometimes with some difficulty (Q.28)

• Is able to work out the ambiguous ending of the narrative (Q.29)

• For the non-fiction text, is able to understand meaning of explicitly stated information (Q.31, Q.32) but does not seem to comprehend one of the key ideas of the text (Q.33)

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Level 3 exemplar 2

Part A

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Level 3 exemplar 2

Part A

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Level 3 exemplar 2

Part A

48

Level 3 exemplar 2

Part A

49

Level 3 exemplar 2

Part B2

50

Level 3 exemplar 2

Part B2

51

Level 3 exemplar 2

Part B2

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Level 3 exemplar 2

Part B2

53

Level 3 exemplar 2

Comments

• Occasionally able to apply appropriate reading strategies to a straightforward piece of fiction and non-fiction text

• Is able to identify the thematic connection in the fiction (Q.28) but less so in the non-fiction text (Q.71)

• Has difficulty with referencing pronouns (Q.7, Q.16, Q.20, Q.69)

• Has difficulty understanding the main theme (Q.71) and subthemes (Q.65) of the complex text but able to understand some sophisticated vocabulary i.e. ‘false dichotomy’ (Q.74)

• Has difficulty interpreting figurative language (Q.76)

• Only able to match half of the main ideas with the corresponding paragraphs of a complex text (Q.84)

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Level 2 exemplar 1

Part A

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Level 2 exemplar 1

Part A

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Level 2 exemplar 1

Part A

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Level 2 exemplar 1

Part A

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Level 2 exemplar 1

Part B1

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Level 2 exemplar 1

Part B1

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Level 2 exemplar 1

Part B1

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Level 2 exemplar 1

Part B1

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Level 2 exemplar 1

Comments

• Occasionally able to apply appropriate reading strategies to a straightforward piece of fiction and non-fiction text

• Partially able to communicate his/her response by reflecting on the text (Q.12 ii, Q.28)

• Able to match main characters with imagined responses (Q.30) but had difficulty matching the correct verbs for each of the apologies given in the text (Q.24)

• For the non-fiction text, is able to understand the meaning of explicitly stated information (Q.31, Q.32) but does not seem to comprehend one of the key ideas of the text (Q.33)

• Has difficulty understanding supporting ideas (Q.38, Q.39, Q.54)

• Has difficulty with vocabulary e.g. ‘nationality’ (Q.45), ‘gesture’ (Q.55)

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Level 2 exemplar 2

Part A

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Level 2 exemplar 2

Part A

65

Level 2 exemplar 2

Part A

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Level 2 exemplar 2

Part A

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Level 2 exemplar 2

Part B1

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Level 2 exemplar 2

Part B1

69

Level 2 exemplar 2

Part B1

70

Level 2 exemplar 2

Part B1

71

Level 2 exemplar 2

Comments

• Has some difficulty applying reading strategies to a straightforward piece of fiction and non-fiction text

• Seems to understand the overarching theme of the fictional text (Q.28) but not some of the supporting details (Q.25, Q.29)

• Able to match main characters with imagined responses (Q.30) but had difficulty matching the correct verbs for each of the apologies given in the text (Q.24)

• For the non-fiction text, is able to understand meaning of explicitly stated information (Q.31, Q.32) but does not seem to comprehend one of the key ideas of the text (Q.33)

• Has difficulty understanding supporting ideas (Q.38, Q.54)

• Has difficulty with vocabulary/idioms e.g. ‘nationality’ (Q.45), ‘put a smile on my face’ (Q.46), ‘gesture’ (Q.55)

• Able to sequence simple order of events (Q.14, Q.43)

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Level 1 exemplar 1

Part A

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Level 1 exemplar 1

Part A

74

Level 1 exemplar 1

Part A

75

Level 1 exemplar 1

Part A

76

Level 1 exemplar 1

Part B1

77

Level 1 exemplar 1

Part B1

78

Level 1 exemplar 1

Part B1

79

Level 1 exemplar 1

Part B1

80

Level 1 exemplar 1

Comments

• Has much difficulty applying reading strategies to a straightforward piece of fiction and non-fiction text

• Has difficulty working out the speakers in the fictional text (Q.1, Q.12)

• Has difficulty with referencing pronouns (Q.15, Q.16, Q.20, Q.41)

• Mostly able to match main characters with imagined responses (Q.30) but unable to match the correct verbs for each of the apologies given in the text (Q.24)

• For the non-fiction text, is able to understand meaning of explicitly stated information (Q.31, Q.32) but does not seem to comprehend one of the key ideas of the text (Q.33)

• Has difficulty understanding supporting ideas (Q.38, Q.54)

• Has difficulty sequencing simple order of events (Q.43)

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Level 1 exemplar 2

Part A

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Level 1 exemplar 2

Part A

83

Level 1 exemplar 2

Part A

84

Level 1 exemplar 2

Part A

85

Level 1 exemplar 2

Part B1

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Level 1 exemplar 2

Part B1

87

Level 1 exemplar 2

Part B1

88

Level 1 exemplar 2

Part B1

89

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Level 1 exemplar 2

Comments

• Has great difficulty applying reading strategies to a straightforward piece of fiction and non-fiction text, especially for fiction

• Some difficulty matching main characters with imagined responses (Q.30) and matching the correct verbs for each of the apologies given in the text (Q.24)

• Difficulty communicating his/her response regarding the main theme and key ideas of the text (Q.27, Q.28)

• Does not seem to grasp meaning of supporting details (Q.25, Q.26)

• Has difficulty sequencing order of events (Q.14)

• For the non-fiction text, is able to understand meaning of explicitly stated information (Q.31, Q.32) but does not seem to comprehend one of the key ideas of the text (Q.33)

• Has difficulty extracting meaning of explicitly stated factual information (Q.53)