2024 OC TEST (REAL) REVIEW

READING SKILLS

Narrative

  1. Text Overview
    * Source : “Hatchet” (Author : Gary Paulsen)
    * Summary : It is a survival novel about a thirteen-year-old boy named Brian Robeson who becomes stranded in the Canadian wilderness after a plane crash. Using only a hatchet his mother gave him, Brian learns to fend for himself, discovering how to find food, make fire, and build shelter. Throughout his ordeal, Brian gains resilience and self-reliance, ultimately finding the strength to survive and be rescued.

  2. Trends
    They require students to analyze the  character’s actions and thoughts, infer implicit meanings, and understand the contextual meanings of words.
    The questions also evaluate students’ abilities to identify opinions, attitudes, and feelings within the text, and understand the structure and purpose of the text.

  3. Exam  Questions

          1. Why was the boy confident the spear would work the night before?

          A. It was made of willow wood.
          B. It was six feet and straight.
          C. The end was tapered to a needle point.
          D. It was two-pronged.

[The skill required to answer this question is locating and understanding information within the text.]

 

Poem

  1. Text Overview
    * Source : “The old bull”( Author : Janet Frame)
    * Summary : It depicts the life of an aging bull who reflects on his past and the strength he once had. As he roams his familiar surroundings, he confronts his current weakness and the inevitability of death. The poem captures the bull’s sense of nostalgia and the natural cycle of life and aging.

  2. Trends
    Recent exam trends focus primarily on evaluating the ability to analyze linguistic features and visual imagery in poetry. Students are required to accurately identify and interpret specific elements of the poem, such as double meanings, emotions, and contrasts. Additionally, understanding the relationships and attitudes between characters is also emphasized.

  3. Exam  Questions

          1. In the first stanza, which of the following expressions do not contain a double meaning?

          A. with their coats shining, their horns honking
          B. their eyes intense, glaring
          C. brightly coloured herd roaming
          D. everywhere and anywhere at faster speed

[The skills required to answer this question are the ability to analyze linguistic devices and identify double meanings. Students must determine whether each expression has a straightforward literal meaning or if it implies more than one meaning.]

 

Information Report (Cloze)

  1. Text Overview
    * Source :“Morning Glory”
    * Summary : The passage focuses on the natural phenomenon known as the “Morning Glory,” a rare cloud formation that occurs in certain regions, likely in Australia, where it is celebrated and observed. It includes viewpoints from local residents, detailing their experiences and the cultural importance of the event..
  2. Trends

    The exam questions trend toward challenging students with technical or descriptive content related to natural phenomena.

    Additionally, there is a focus on including cultural and environmental references that may be unfamiliar to students, requiring them to understand local customs, significance, and scientific explanations.

Short Thematic Text​

  1. Text Overview
    * Source :“Football”
    * Summary :

    Each extract appeared to highlight different facets of football, such as player roles, cultural settings, and physical difficulties. The emphasis was on how these elements impact the sport and those who play it.

  2. Trends

    The exam trends indicate a focus on direct comprehension and matching content. Many questions require students to refer directly to the extracts to find specific information, such as identifying which extract discusses traditional sports or focuses on the physical toll of football.

    Additionally, some questions involve matching specific details or themes to the correct extract, such as the cultural and social aspects of football or its physical impacts on players.

    The difficulty varies, with some questions asking for straightforward details from the text, while others require a deeper understanding and interpretation of the physical or emotional challenges mentioned.