2023 OCR AS Level English Language and Literature (EMC) - H074 Practice Paper with Answers

### Analytical Essay Guide & Key Points

#### **1. Lexis and Semantics**
* **Poetic and Sensory Imagery:** Leo uses highly evocative metaphors and similes to reframe a potentially dirty/hazardous environment. The simile 'dust is... like velvet' and the metaphor 'heartbeat of the city' elevate the act of urban exploration from a transgressive hobby to an art form or historical preservation.
* **Semantic Fields:** There is a tension between the semantic field of urban decay/hazard ('creepy', 'dark', 'dangerous', 'dust') and that of history, life, and preservation ('freeze-frame of history', 'heartbeat', 'silence').
* **Colloquial and Spoken Lexis:** Use of hedges and fillers ('like', 'kind of', 'well') indicates the spontaneous nature of spoken discourse, balancing the prepared/rehearsed elements of podcasting with authentic conversation.

#### **2. Grammar and Syntax**
* **Use of the Second Person:** Leo's use of 'you' ('you walk down', 'you’re stepping') acts as a generic pronoun (referring to anyone/the general experience) but pragmatically functions to draw Maya and the podcast audience directly into his physical perspective.
* **Sentence Structures:** Spontaneous spoken grammar is evident in Leo’s minor sentences ('mostly', 'under the Thames') and non-standard syntax, which contrasts with Maya's more structured, syntactically complete interrogative frames ('what is it that draws you...', 'isn't it also incredibly dangerous...').
* **Deixis:** Spatial deixis ('down there', 'these old escalators') establishes the physical environments being discussed, helping the listener visualize inaccessible spaces.

#### **3. Phonology and Spoken Discourse Features**
* **Pauses and Micropauses:** Used by Maya for dramatic effect to frame the narrative introduction. Used by Leo as cognitive processing pauses ('or well (.) great to be above ground') or for rhetorical emphasis ('always (.) always tell someone').
* **Paralinguistic Features:** Shared laughter (`[laughs]`) builds rapport, establishing a warm, conversational alignment between the interlocutors.
* **Stressed Syllables:** Prosodic stress on words like 'deep' and 'always' signals key thematic messages (the thrill of depth, the absolute necessity of safety).

#### **4. Context and Pragmatics**
* **Genre and Audience:** A podcast blends features of planned media discourse (Maya's introduction) with spontaneous face-to-face dialogue. The audience is likely interested in counter-culture, history, or urban spaces, requiring a tone that is both informative and atmospheric.
* **Power and Interaction:** While Maya holds structural power as the interviewer who determines the topics ('so tell us', 'but isn't it...'), Leo holds informational power, which he delivers collaboratively, respecting the conversational turn-taking norms of public broadcast interviews.

### Marking Scheme
This question is assessed out of 24 marks, testing AO1 and AO3.

#### **AO1: Apply appropriate methods of language analysis, using associated terminology and coherent written expression (12 Marks)**
* **Level 5-6 (10–12 marks):** Excellent, highly systematic tool-use across multiple language levels (lexis, grammar, phonology, discourse). Precise use of linguistic terminology. Clear, fluent, and academic written style.
* **Level 3-4 (6–9 marks):** Good, coherent analysis. Uses appropriate terminology and identifies key features (e.g., metaphors, second-person pronouns, pauses). Some levels of language may be analysed more thoroughly than others.
* **Level 1-2 (1–5 marks):** Descriptive or limited analysis. Minimal use of linguistic terminology; focus may remain largely on content rather than language forms.

#### **AO3: Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which written and spoken texts are produced and received (12 Marks)**
* **Level 5-6 (10–12 marks):** Highly perceptive analysis of the podcast context, medium, and audience. Shows how language choices are shaped by the hybrid nature of podcast interviews (both spontaneous and performative).
* **Level 3-4 (6–9 marks):** Competent understanding of the context. Explains how the purpose (to inform and entertain) and the relationship between host and guest influence the tone and conversational structure.
* **Level 1-2 (1–5 marks):** Limited or superficial context references. Comments may be generalized (e.g., 'they are talking on a podcast') without connecting context to specific linguistic features.

### Analysis of Text B and Text C

#### 1. Mode, Genre, and Audience
* **Text B** is a written digital text (blog post) that blends personal narrative with descriptive travel writing. Its mode is planned, asynchronous, and highly crafted. The audience consists of digital readers, travel enthusiasts, and followers of Jenkins' blog who expect evocative descriptions and subjective personal experiences.
* **Text C** is a spoken, multimodal text (radio broadcast transcript) featuring spontaneous, dialogic speech between a professional presenter (Sandeep) and a local guest (Tashi). Its audience is double: the immediate interlocutor in the conversation and the wider, unseen listening public of BBC Radio 4 (typically educated, interested in global cultures and socio-environmental issues).

#### 2. Representation of Place and Culture
* **Text B** presents a highly romanticized, subjective, and aestheticized depiction of Ladakh. Jenkins uses sensory imagery ("sensory overload", "blinding... sun", "dusty, diesel-fumed chaos", "rich, earthy scent") to construct an exotic setting. She employs patronizing/exoticizing tropes typical of Western travelogues to describe the local inhabitant ("her face mapped with deep-set wrinkles that tell a thousand stories"), framing her as a timeless, scenic feature of the landscape rather than an active agent.
* **Text C** provides a more pragmatic, ecological, and socio-political representation of the same location. Instead of treating Ladakh purely as an exotic escape, it highlights the infrastructural and environmental strains of modernization and tourism ("concrete hotels", "high-altitude desert", "very little water"). The presence of Tashi as a local voice shifts the agency, allowing the insider perspective to directly challenge the romanticized "tourist gaze" described in Text B.

#### 3. Grammatical and Syntactical Features
* **Text B** utilizes a mix of active, descriptive clauses and poetic devices. Jenkins employs second-person address ("bites at your lungs") to draw the reader into the physical experience, alongside nominalization and compound adjectives ("high-altitude sun", "diesel-fumed chaos") to densely pack information and sensory detail. Metaphor and simile are prominent ("It tasted like warm, liquid wool").
* **Text C** exhibits features characteristic of spoken interaction: pauses `(1.0)`, fillers, self-repair, and overlapping speech `[overlapping]`. Sandeep uses framing questions ("how has this changed...?") and reformulations ("It's a delicate balance, then?") to guide the discourse. Tashi's speech features minor grammatical shifts typical of L2 English speakers ("how you say... consumerism?"), which adds to the authenticity and oral nature of the broadcast.

#### 4. Contextual Factors and Variations
* **Context of Production**: Text B is written in retrospect, allowing for careful lexical selection and syntactical styling to maximize reader engagement. Text C is recorded in situ, reflecting real-time constraints, ambient noise, and the co-construction of meaning through conversation.
* **Ideology and Purpose**: Text B serves to entertain, inspire wanderlust, and project the writer's persona as an intrepid explorer. Text C serves an educational, journalistic purpose, aiming to interrogate the ethical dimensions of tourism and elevate marginalized/local perspectives on global ecological crises.

### Marking Scheme (Total: 36 Marks)

This question is assessed against the following Assessment Objectives (AOs) for OCR AS Level English Language and Literature (EMC):
* **AO1 (10 Marks):** Apply concepts and methods to analyse and relate language and structure.
* **AO2 (10 Marks):** Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary and non-literary texts.
* **AO3 (10 Marks):** Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which texts are produced and received.
* **AO4 (6 Marks):** Explore connections across texts.
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#### Mark Band Descriptors

* **Level 6 (31–36 marks) - Assured and Discriminating:**
* **AO1:** Sharp, systematic, and highly precise application of linguistic/literary frameworks and terminology.
* **AO2:** Sophisticated, perceptive analysis of how language choices shape representations of place, culture, and identity in both texts.
* **AO3:** Deep, nuanced evaluation of how the modes of production (written digital blog vs. spoken radio broadcast) and reception shape meaning.
* **AO4:** Fluid, illuminating, and integrated comparison of the texts, highlighting subtle connections and shifts in perspective.

* **Level 5 (25–30 marks) - Consistent and Developed:**
* **AO1:** Clear, accurate, and consistent use of appropriate linguistic and literary terms.
* **AO2:** Detailed, analytical exploration of the language and structure, demonstrating clear understanding of how meanings are constructed.
* **AO3:** Clear understanding of how contextual factors (audience, purpose, genre) impact the production and reception of the texts.
* **AO4:** Well-structured comparison showing clear points of connection and contrast across the texts.

* **Level 4 (19–24 marks) - Competent and Clear:**
* **AO1:** Competent application of terminology, with occasional lapses in accuracy or depth.
* **AO2:** Good discussion of language features, though sometimes descriptive rather than analytical.
* **AO3:** Competent discussion of relevant contextual factors.
* **AO4:** Explicit comparative links made between the texts, though some sections may be treated in isolation.

* **Level 3 (13–18 marks) - Basic and Descriptive:**
* **AO1:** Uses basic terminology but may rely on general or non-linguistic descriptions.
* **AO2:** Identifies features of language but offers limited explanation of how they create meaning.
* **AO3:** Mentions general context (e.g., "this is a radio show") without linking it deeply to the text's features.
* **AO4:** Simple comparisons, often dealing with the texts consecutively rather than in an integrated fashion.

* **Level 1–2 (1–12 marks) - Limited or Minimal:**
* Struggles to identify relevant language features; minimal comparative focus; lack of awareness of genre/mode/context.

The candidate's response should demonstrate several key elements. First, it must establish a clear blog format, using an engaging heading, conversational but sophisticated introductory hook, and personal, direct address. Second, it must show deep critical engagement with the topical language issue. Excellent essays will argue either that: (1) Corporate language acts as an obfuscating force that devalues precise meaning, substituting authentic expression with pre-packaged buzzwords, thereby distancing speakers from genuine connection; or (2) Jargon is a natural, dynamic evolution of language that serves a cohesive group function within professional spaces, and that everyday speakers are linguistically savvy enough to code-switch without losing their capacity for critical thought. Stylistically, the blog should employ rhetorical features such as metaphors, triads, synthetic personalisation, and varied sentence lengths to maintain an authoritative yet accessible persona.

The total mark is 24, divided equally between AO5 (12 marks) and AO2 (12 marks). AO5 assesses writing expertise and creativity: Level 5 (10-12 marks) shows a highly sophisticated control of register, flawless technical accuracy, and a compelling, creative voice perfectly suited to a blog. Level 4 (8-9 marks) is secure and consistent. Level 3 (5-7 marks) is competent but may have minor inconsistencies in tone. Level 2 (3-4 marks) is basic. Level 1 (1-2 marks) is limited. AO2 assesses the analysis and shaping of meaning: Level 5 (10-12 marks) demonstrates sophisticated critical engagement with the topical issue, showing a deep understanding of linguistic concepts (such as semantic bleaching, prestige, or jargon as sociolect) woven seamlessly into the persuasive writing. Level 4 (8-9 marks) has clear, purposeful engagement. Level 3 (5-7 marks) offers descriptive or straightforward engagement with some relevant examples. Levels 1-2 show limited or minimal engagement.

The candidate's response should demonstrate several key elements. First, it must establish a clear blog format, using an engaging heading, conversational but sophisticated introductory hook, and personal, direct address. Second, it must show deep critical engagement with the topical language issue. Excellent essays will argue either that: (1) Corporate language acts as an obfuscating force that devalues precise meaning, substituting authentic expression with pre-packaged buzzwords, thereby distancing speakers from genuine connection; or (2) Jargon is a natural, dynamic evolution of language that serves a cohesive group function within professional spaces, and that everyday speakers are linguistically savvy enough to code-switch without losing their capacity for critical thought. Stylistically, the blog should employ rhetorical features such as metaphors, triads, synthetic personalisation, and varied sentence lengths to maintain an authoritative yet accessible persona.

The total mark is 24, divided equally between AO5 (12 marks) and AO2 (12 marks). AO5 assesses writing expertise and creativity: Level 5 (10-12 marks) shows a highly sophisticated control of register, flawless technical accuracy, and a compelling, creative voice perfectly suited to a blog. Level 4 (8-9 marks) is secure and consistent. Level 3 (5-7 marks) is competent but may have minor inconsistencies in tone. Level 2 (3-4 marks) is basic. Level 1 (1-2 marks) is limited. AO2 assesses the analysis and shaping of meaning: Level 5 (10-12 marks) demonstrates sophisticated critical engagement with the topical issue, showing a deep understanding of linguistic concepts (such as semantic bleaching, prestige, or jargon as sociolect) woven seamlessly into the persuasive writing. Level 4 (8-9 marks) has clear, purposeful engagement. Level 3 (5-7 marks) offers descriptive or straightforward engagement with some relevant examples. Levels 1-2 show limited or minimal engagement.

Exemplar Essay Plan & Key Analysis Points:

1. Introduction:
- Identify the text type (political broadcast interview transcript) and establish the central conflict: the struggle for institutional authority and agenda-setting between the interviewer (Pendelton) and the politician (Sterling).
- Introduce key linguistic frameworks: Conversational Analysis, Politeness/Face Theory (Brown and Levinson), and Framing/Metaphor.

2. Turn-Taking, Interruption, and Conversational Control (AO1/AO2):
- Analyze Pendelton's interruption (\"These are official Treasury figures...\") as a powerful face-threatening act designed to disrupt Sterling's attempted reframing. This acts as a challenge to her epistemic authority.
- Analyze Sterling's immediate counter-assertion (\"If you would allow me to finish, Arthur...\"). She uses metalinguistic commentary on the interaction itself to discipline the interviewer, reclaim her turn, and position herself as the victim of unfair conversational practice.

3. Lexical and Semantic Choices (AO1/AO2):
- Examine how Pendelton uses precise numerical evidence (\"twelve percent\", \"deficit\") to constrain Sterling within a factual, accountability-focused frame.
- Contrast this with Sterling's use of evaluative adjectives (\"highly selective figures\") and nominalizations (\"legacy\", \"commitments\") to distance her administration from responsibility, shifting the agency of fiscal failure onto her predecessors.

4. Address Terms and Facework (AO1/AO2/AO3):
- Look at the asymmetrical use of address terms: Pendelton addresses Sterling with her formal title (\"Senator\"), denoting respect but also framing her as an object of public accountability. Sterling uses Pendelton's first name (\"Arthur\") repeatedly, which acts to minimize his journalistic distance, perform conversational intimacy, and subtly patronize him to neutralize his threat.

5. Figurative Language and Analogy (AO1/AO2):
- Analyze Sterling's closing analogical metaphor (\"repairing a leaking roof\" during a \"hurricane\"). By mapping a complex economic situation onto a simple domestic crisis caused by a natural disaster, she reframes the economic deficit as an unavoidable act of nature rather than political policy, thus shielding herself from blame.

Assessment Objectives:
- AO1 (12 Marks): Apply appropriate linguistic and literary terminology with precision. Maintain a coherent, structured academic register.
- AO2 (12 Marks): Analyze how meanings are shaped. Detail how structural features (interruptions, framing, analogy) construct power dynamics.
- AO3 (12 Marks): Demonstrate understanding of the contexts of production and reception. Explain the pressures of live broadcast media, the expectations of the electorate, and the conventions of political interviews.

Band 5 (30–36 Marks):
- Consistently applies accurate and sophisticated terminology.
- Perceptive, detailed analysis of the subtle power structures and linguistic manoeuvres within the exchange.
- Excellent grasp of the media/political context and how it shapes the linguistic choices of both speakers.

Band 4 (23–29 Marks):
- Competent application of relevant terminology.
- Clear, structured discussion of how meaning is shaped, identifying key features of turn-taking and framing.
- Good understanding of the political interview context.

Band 3 (15–22 Marks):
- Some accurate use of terminology, though descriptive in places.
- Discusses language features but may focus more on general content than specific linguistic mechanisms.
- Basic awareness of the contextual demands of a broadcast interview.

Exemplar Essay Plan & Key Analysis Points:

1. Introduction:
- Identify the text type (contemporary lifestyle/wellness blog post) and its ideological goal: the redefinition of female empowerment and the 'alpha female' archetype.
- Introduce key frameworks: Gender lects, Difference vs. Dominance theories (e.g., Tannen, Gilligan), and Critical Discourse Analysis.

2. Rejection of the Masculine Standard (AO1/AO2):
- Analyze how the writer establishes a binary opposition between traditional masculine power and authentic feminine power.
- Look at the negative descriptors assigned to corporate masculinity: \"toxic, aggressive postures\", \"shouting down\", \"tired, masculine caricature\". The writer rejects these as a valid pathway to female success.

3. Semantic Fields and Positive Re-evaluation of Feminine Stereotypes (AO1/AO2):
- Analyze the semantic field of soft power and emotional intelligence: \"magnetic\", \"quiet\", \"strategic\", \"intuition\", \"empathy\", \"collaboration\".
- The text actively rehabilitates stereotypically 'weak' feminine traits (empathy, intuition) as modern corporate strengths, positioning them as superior to the cold 'rationality' of the male boardroom model.

4. Pronoun Choice and Synthetic Personalisation (AO1/AO2/AO3):
- Examine the transition from third-person critique (\"women have been told\") to the inclusive first-person plural pronouns (\"we\", \"our\"). This builds a strong, collective identity and invites the female reader into a shared, empowering subculture. It establishes a community of 'alpha females' standing in opposition to 'them' (represented by the possessive determiner \"their table\").

5. Spatial Metaphors and Structural Framing (AO1/AO2):
- Analyze the powerful ending metaphor of the \"table\". Moving from \"fighting for a seat at their table\" to \"building our own table\" represents a shift from assimilation (trying to fit into a masculine framework) to autonomy and separation (creating alternative spaces of power). This aligns with post-feminist, individualistic wellness discourses.

Assessment Objectives:
- AO1 (12 Marks): Apply appropriate linguistic and literary terminology with precision. Use coherent and fluently structured academic expression.
- AO2 (12 Marks): Analyze how meanings are shaped. Detail how binary oppositions, pronoun shifts, and spatial metaphors construct new gender paradigms.
- AO3 (12 Marks): Demonstrate understanding of the contexts of production and reception. Situate the text within contemporary post-feminist discourse, digital blog culture, and modern business/lifestyle advice paradigms.

Band 5 (30–36 Marks):
- Sophisticated and precise application of linguistic terminology (e.g., binary oppositions, nominalization, pronoun tracking, semantic fields).
- Insightful analysis of how gender roles are deconstructed and reassembled to form a new commercialized/wellness standard of femininity.
- Highly perceptive exploration of the digital lifestyle context, identifying ideological tensions in modern 'girlboss' and wellness philosophies.

Band 4 (23–29 Marks):
- Accurate application of linguistic terminology with a clear and structured argument.
- Effective analysis of how the text constructs contrast between masculine and feminine behaviors.
- Good understanding of contemporary gender debates and online media contexts.

Band 3 (15–22 Marks):
- General application of terminology, with some descriptive passages.
- Descriptive discussion of gender representation, focusing on theme and content over specific stylistic and grammar choices.
- Broad awareness of how blogs represent modern women.