The WJEC GCSE English Literature Unit 1 examination paper for the higher tier is scheduled for Tuesday, 22 May 2018 in the morning and will last 2 hours. The paper includes a section on poetry, with specific pages allocated for each literary work, including Of Mice and Men, Anita and Me, To Kill a Mockingbird, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, and Chanda's Secrets.
Examination Instructions
Candidates are required to use black ink or black ball-point pen and are not allowed to use pencil or correction fluid. They must answer both Section A and Section B in a WJEC pink 16-page answer booklet, using both sides of the paper and writing only within the white areas of the booklet. The question number should be written in the two boxes in the left-hand margin at the start of each answer.
The advised time allocation is about one hour for Section A and another hour for Section B. The accuracy and organization of the writing will be assessed, and it is essential for candidates to respond to the extract question in Section A.
Section A: Of Mice and Men
Candidates should answer part (a) and either part (b) or part (c) for Section A. Part (a) requires candidates to closely examine the way George speaks and behaves in an extract from Of Mice and Men and to reveal what it says about his character. Part (b) focuses on how John Steinbeck uses the character of Curley's wife to highlight aspects of American society in the 1930s. Part (c) addresses the extent to which 'Of Mice and Men' reflects Steinbeck's protest against the unfairness of American society in the 1930s.
Section B: Unseen Poetry
In Section B, candidates should spend about 1 hour to think carefully about two provided poems and write about them. The key advice for this section is 'Write a lot about a little,' and candidates may choose to follow one of two given approaches for analyzing the poems.
The response to the Unseen Poetry section is worth 20 marks, the same as the Of Mice and Men essay. Candidates are expected to write an introduction/overview linking the two poems, analyze each poem, make points of comparison and contrast, and conclude their response.
Preparation and understanding the literature is crucial for performance in the WJEC GCSE English Literature examination. Using resources such as past papers, example answers, and revision guides can greatly aid in the success of the candidates.
