VWO 4 - Examenteksten 1

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

VWO 4 - Examenteksten 1

Today

• What is the English exam?
• What should you know before this test?
• How to best prepare? 
• What kind of questions can you expect? 
  
  
• Practise some exam questions 

What do you know about the English exam? 

Your reading skills will be tested.

The English exam 
- general information

• 12 texts on average
• 40 questions on average 
• About 3/4 of these questions are multiple choice 
• 1/4 are 'open questions'; however, there are usually only 2 or 3 questions where you actually have to form your own answer
• The rest: 'wel/niet'-questions, questions where you have to quote or write down a paragraph number

The English exam 
- what is tested? 

• Reading skills 
  
  
• Indirectly, your vocabulary knowledge.
  Even though you will be allowed to use a dictionary. 
  
  

The English exam
- What do we do this year? 

• Partial HAVO exam
  The actual exam is 2,5 hours; we will have a test of 1,5 hours.
• Next year, a VWO exam with a different norm 
• In VWO 6, the actual exam.

The English exam 
- How to prepare? 

• Discussion of different kinds of questions
• Studying common vocabulary
• Practise, practise, practise!
  (partially as a group, partially individually) 

Types of questions

Multiple choice

• You will have a question about a specific part of the text.
• You will have 4 or 5 options to choose from (A, B, C, D, E)
• One of the answers is correct. 
• The information can always be directly found in the text.  

Gap questions

• There will a word, phrase or sentence missing from the text. 
• You will have 4 or 5 options to choose from.
• You have to decide which words/phrase/sentence should be on the gap.  

Statement-questions

• There will be a number of statements about the text.
• You will have to indicate whether these are or aren't in accordance with what you can read in the text.  

Open questions

• There is an open question about the text.
• Sometimes, you have to formulate your own answer (in Dutch!)
• Sometimes you have to quote from the text, or write down a paragraph number.  

Action plan

When you first see a text...

• ... don't start by reading the entire text! 
• ... first look at the title, possible sub headings, pictures, source.
• ... what will the text probably be about? What do you already know about the topic?
• ... next, read the first question.
• ... then, read the part of the text that has been indicated.
• ... follow these steps for every text/question.  

How to deal with multiple choice questions?

1. Read the question.  
2. What words don't you know? Are these necessary to translate in order for you to understand the question? Then, look these up. 
3. Read the indicated part of the text (no more, no less). Underline words that you cannot translate, and look these up if necessary. 
4. Form your own answer in your mind.
5. Check the possible answers; is your answer one of them? Again, look up words that are necessary to understand. If so, choose that option. 
6. If not, there are usually two options you can cross out right away. Follow the steps above to come to the correct answer. 

Practise multiple choice questions 

Text 7 - questions 25 -  28

Question 25

Step 1: read the question. 

What information can you get from this question? 

• You have to read paragraph 1.
• You have to look for what the author is saying.
• The paragraph is about fact-checking. 

Question 25

Step 2 - Read the indicated paragraph 

Underline all words you don't know

For instance:

• advent: komst
• rigorously: rigoreus/standvastig
  
• assertions: bewering
• unlamented: niet betreurd
• utilizing: gebruikmakend
• painstaking: zorgvuldig
• partisan: partijgenoot

Question 25

Step 3: Form your own answer to the question in your mind. 

For instance: 

Hij is hier positief over. Hij ziet het als een handig hulpmiddel om alles zo eerlijk mogelijk te laten verlopen. Het helpt in de discussie binnen de politiek. 

Question 25

Step 4: Look at the possible answers. 

What words don't you know? Look these up!
Is your answer there? 

A: Er wordt niks gezegd over het ontwikkelen van politieke campagnes.

B: transparency: transpirantie/openheid

C: De verkiezingen worden niet genoemd.

D: Er staat niet in de tekst dat politici elkaars werk controleren, maar dat er mensen zijn die dat doen. 

Practise multiple choice questions 

Let's do the same for the next questions! 

Step 1: read the question

Step 2: read the text

Step 3: form your own answer

Step 4: look at the given answer options

Preparing at home

What can you do at home to improve your reading skills? 

1. Study the vocabulary list 
   This won't be tested as such, but it will make your reading skills quicker and it will become easier to find the correct answers. 
2. Practise extra reading at home 
   - www.eindexamensite.nl --> you can practise old exams at home
   - read books, magazines, websites, news articles, etc. to improve your reading skills and your reading speed  

What do you think will be easy and/or difficult about this test? 

Next class

• The importance of 'signaalwoorden'
  
  
• Practise more multiple choice questions.