As students’ progress through their academic journeys in Junior College, they encounter various challenges in their studies, one of which is undoubtedly the A-Level General Paper (GP) examination. The A-Level General Paper 1 is known for its thought-provoking questions that challenge students’ critical thinking, analytical skills, and ability to articulate coherent arguments on a wide range of topics that span various disciplines and contemporary issues. Often, many students struggle with crafting well-structured essays with coherent arguments and persuasive writing. In this blog post, we will delve into the intricacies of the 2023 A-Level General Paper 1 questions.
2023 A-Level GP Paper 1 Questions
- How realistic is it for countries to implement a national minimum wage for all their workers?
- ‘Fossil fuels should no longer have a part to play in the production of energy.’ Discuss.
- Consider the view that spending money on space travel cannot be justified in today’s world.
- Consider the argument that there should be no censorship of the arts in modern society.
- ‘People who undertake voluntary work do so more for their own benefit than for the benefit of others.’ Discuss.
- Assess the extent to which all people in your society have the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
- ‘The quality of human interaction is diminished by modern communication devices.’ How far do you agree?
- To what extent are festivals and national holidays effective in promoting unity in your society?
- ‘Regret for past actions is vital for progress.’ What is your view?
- Evaluate the claim that sports personalities make good role models for young people.
- Assess the view that accurate translation between languages is always necessary.
- ‘Young people want to change the world because they do not know it is impossible.’ How far do you agree?
From the perspective of the Subject Head of GP at Indigo Education Group, Mr Ten Ting Kai thinks that the 2023 A-Level General Paper 1 was manageable. The examination presented questions that were accessible to 18-year-old JC2 students, allowing them to express their opinions and insights effectively. The variety of topics and question types provided students with opportunities to showcase their critical thinking skills across different domains. Now, let us look at 2 specific questions which Mr Ten thinks is the easiest to score well, and the easiest to screw up in the 2023 A-Level General Paper 1.
Easiest to score well
Question 4: Consider the argument that there should be no censorship of the arts in modern society.
While this question is the easiest to score well, Mr Ten thinks that this question can also fall under the “most boring question” category. This question invokes the classic tension between control and freedom, or more specifically that between censorship of the arts and artistic freedom. The tensions between abstract concerns and material ones, individual concerns and societal ones, are relevant in this question as well. We have arguments about democracy, inclusiveness, progress, etc. on one side and harmony, legitimacy, stability, etc. on the other – arguments that students should have no trouble coming up with.
It is important to note that there is the “in modern society” stipulation, which may be one of the tricky parts of this question, but it probably will not trip anybody up. This is because it is not difficult to explain how living in the polarised, post-materialist, pragmatic, etc. context of today impinges on the arguments for and against censorship. There is also the “no” in “no censorship” that adds a certain absolutism to one side of the essay, but again it is not difficult to address it. For example, any invocation of civil freedoms, liberties, and rights as exceptionless, inviolable, and universal will get across the idea that there should be absolutely no censorship in the arts.
Ultimately, Mr Ten believes that all students should have done well in this question, not just those who attended The 1975’s concert in Malaysia or who have illegally torrented To Singapore, With Love.
Easiest to screw up
Question 12: ‘Young people want to change the world because they do not know it is impossible.’ How far do you agree?
In Mr Ten’s opinion, this is an evil question. The first reason it is evil is how the question forces students to accept that it is possible to change the world. Whether the essay a student writes agrees or disagrees with the quote, it is a given that there is no way to change the world. The second reason is how tough it is to figure out what the question is really about. All students will know what it means to agree with the statement: young people want to change the world because they (wrongly) believe it is possible. But what does it mean to disagree? Do students argue that, no, young people do not want to change the world, despite knowing it is impossible?
How do we answer this essay question then? If you are interested to know the answer, you can come take a look at Indigo’s GP lessons. At Indigo, we focus on teaching students critical thinking skills instead of teaching students to memorise model essays. With Indigo, you will learn to apply Indigo’s trademarked critical thinking structures and develop the ability to see the link between your in-depth knowledge about the world and address your arguments effectively in the GP examinations.
Additionally, Indigo’s pedagogy actively encourages students to go beyond their comfort zone to try out more novel and unique topics and questions. Indigo GP students can also bring home excellent model essays that double up as revision notes and demonstrate ways to improve linguistic expression. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for a free GP trial lesson now and come experience the Indigo Advantage! Stayed tuned for Part 2!