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IGCSE Past Exam Papers- Listening - November 2012

The Question Paper

Download IGCSE Listening - November 2012

The MP3 File

01 - Track 1

The Answer Key

Download IGCSE Listening - November 2012-Answer Key

Note
Slashes (/) are used to provide options accepted by the Examiner.

Posted on May 01, 2013 at 11:10 PM in Advanced, Answer Key, Downloads, ESL, Examinations, IGCSE, Listening, Past Exam Papers | Permalink | Comments (0)

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IGCSE Past Exam Papers - Reading and Writing - November 2012

The Question Paper

Download IGCSE Reading and Writing - November 2012

The Answer Key

Download IGCSE Reading and Writing - November 2012 - Answer Key

Notes:

The use of the slash (/) indicates alternative options suggested by the examiner.
Capital letters are underlined in Exercise 3 as capitalization is required for names and addresses to get your mark.
In Exercise 5, all the relevant points have been provided. Any six out of these will give you the six marks for content ...but if expression hinders understanding you will lose all 10 marks.
You will also be severely penalized for transferring chunks of text to your own summary or even worse for copying in extent. This is called plagiarism and you will lose all marks.
You are expected to include all six relevant points in a paragraph of your own, using your own words as far as this is possible and providing effective linkers. For more information take a look at IGCSE Summary Writing

Posted on May 01, 2013 at 01:30 PM in Advanced, Answer Key, Downloads, ESL, Examinations, IGCSE, Past Exam Papers, Reading Comprehension, Writing | Permalink | Comments (0)

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IGCSE ESL Extended - Listening Tips

The IGCSE listening test is on May 17th, 2013 so let's review some main points about the exam:

1. Pre-listening is important! Before you listen take advantage of the time allowed to read the introduction to each question. This will give you a clue on the topic of the recording. Highlight keywords as shown in the example below including question words so that you know what to listen for. Remember, part of the skill of listening is to predict what might be said next.

Example:

Listen to the following interview about a recent motoring expedition and answer the questions below:

"Man and Machine for Nature" is the motto of the challenge. What is the aim of the challenge?

Ideally, you should provide the exact spoken words and the correct spelling. Remember that you can use the blank area on the paper to make notes while you are listening. You are allowed to use your own words provided you communicate the point / idea clearly. Yet, the listening exam is a test mainly of your ability to write down what you have heard. In case you fail to get the point, take a guess and provide an answer. But this should be your last resort!

In the example above : Protect nature by organising a motoring expedition is much better than leaving it blank as you may eventually get your mark.

2. You can make spelling mistakes and still get your mark if the misspelt word is close to the correct word.

Examples:

chanse instead of chance / realy instead of really / carefull instead of careful / theater(correct in American English) instead of theatre

But even though you provide the correct answer, you won't get your mark if the misspelt word:

- is very different from the correct word

bioutifoul instead of beautiful / rialli instead of really / tsianse instead of chance

- forms another recognised English word

plane instead of plain / site instead of sight / heals instead of heels / who's instead of whose

3. Bear in mind that where two points / answers are required for one single mark you will get your mark only if you provide both points correctly.

4. Pay attention to plurals! Thousands is not the same as thousand!

5. Answers concerning the cost of an item should provide the original currency spoken not just the numerical amount. And remember that £ (pounds) is not the same as $ (dollars)!

Example:

-How much did Nuria pay for the CD?

- five (wrong)

- 5 (wrong)

- five paounts (wrong)

- $5 (wrong)

- £5 (correct)

- five pounds (correct)

6. Answers concerning the time should also specify whether it's in the morning / afternoon / evening.

Example:

- What time does the train leave the station?

- at 6:00 / at six (wrong)

- at 6:00 pm (correct)

- at six in the afternoon (correct)

- at 18:00 hours (correct)

7. Review and Practice. Many candidates wrongly believe that there is nothing to review for the IGCSE listening test. You should thoroughly review vocabulary and spelling paying close attention to the spelling of homophones or semi-homophones. Here are a few examples:

heard and herd

hare and hair

peace and piece

who's and whose

site and sight

brake and break

brash and brush

track and truck

mite and might

new and knew

tones and tonnes

fur instead of fair

And don't forget that practice makes perfect. In the remaining few days before the listening exam, take the good habit to listen to an English radio station for twenty minutes every day. Listen to interviews, talks, the news and make some notes while you are listening. In this way, you will train your ear to become more familiar with spoken English.

Good Luck to you all!

This post (edited) was originally published on May 16, 2010

Posted on April 16, 2013 at 09:36 PM in Advanced, ESL, Examinations, IGCSE, Listening, Review | Permalink | Comments (0)