CXC English A exam: Past paper type short story questions 1

Here are CXC CSEC English A past paper type short story questions.

These are the types of short story questions that have been on
CXC English A past papers

NB CXC suggests spending no more than 45 minutes to answer the short story question on Paper 2 of the English A exam. They also suggest 400 - 450 words as the short story length

1.

Write a story entitled,"The decision that saved my life."

Answer 1.

2.

"Jamila turned and walked away. I knew then that I had lost a friend." Write a story in which this sentence plays an important part.

Answer 1. Answer 2.

3.

Write either a story OR a description entitled, "The village where nobody lives anymore".

4.

Write a story which leads up to the following ending: "To this day, people passing through Coconut Grove still stop to ask for Waspie."

5.

Write a story entitled: "The Dream That Came True."

skrbl now

I want to see more sample CXC short story questions like these!

(You must login or create an account to access more CXC type short story questions in our library.)

Fivestar

guest (not verified) 17 December 2008 - 1:48pm

C.X.C needs to construct the exam to suite the society now. What I am saying is that the need to base the exam on general things of the world as one so that students can better to the exam and pass it. For example the family. I did the C.X.C exam and got all my subjects except that and didn't get into college. NOTE THAT

Kathy-ann Daniel 17 December 2008 - 5:13pm

In reply to by guest (not verified)

Hi, that is a very interesting point that you are bringing up. Is the CXC English A exam really relevant to Caribbean students' needs right now? If anyone wants to pick up this discussion, I would be more than happy to start the discussion thread.

For students who are sitting the CXC exams in January or June 2009 though, I know that this discussion doesn't mean much to them right now. They are concentrated on just getting through the exam so that they can get on with the rest of their lives. I may be wrong about that too though. Any comments?

Yes Kathy I got a comment...To some extent you are right about some students; they just want to go through the exam and get on with their lives (they don't care with what happens to them). But for others "like me", we have goals ahead of us and I take my favourite quote seriously: "There will come a day when you feel all is finished. That will be the beginning." This simply means that we can't just stop there after CXC has passed. In order to reach our goals, we must go back to school and continue with our studies. Also, with the kind of world we are living in right now...it surely is a must!

Oh thanks Toney! I'm happy you think like wise...do you have any other comments? I'm not sure if I gave enough on this topic.

toney (not verified) 17 December 2008 - 5:30pm

In reply to by guest (not verified)

Hi Friend! I am glad that you have shared your concern on this forum! Hey, this is what the forum for. By the way, you and I are on the same road! I got all my subjects but not English and likewise, didn't get into university. I can’t really comment on that in a general sense but what I know for sure is there has been a trend in the argumentative writing which alter to current world issues.

Kathy-ann Daniel 17 December 2008 - 7:06pm

In reply to by toney (not verified)

I agree with you there Toney. It seems that in order to do well on the persuasive/ argumentative essay, you need to know what is the latest news going on in the world. Not only do you have to know what is going in the world in some detail, but you also have to have an opinion about the issues and be able to defend/support your opinion well.

So a good way to prepare yourself for this question is simply to watch the news, know what is going on in the world, have an opinion, be able to say why you have that opinion and why it is a good opinion.

Anybody agree? Disagree? (smile) And able to say why they agree or disagree?

Hi Friend! I am glad that you have shared your concern on this forum! Hey, this is what the forum for. By the way, you and I are on the same road! I got all my subjects but not English and likewise, didn't get into university. I can’t really comment on that in a general sense but what I know for sure is there has been a trend in the argumentative writing which alter to current world issues.
greating

mary 19 December 2008 - 6:49pm

In reply to by toney (not verified)

Mary - Toney you are right. they do ask questions on current affairs. In January 2007, the questions on the persuasive section of the CXC English A exam were,

1) "Buy local" is a very misguided slogan in today's "global village". Write an essay giving your views on this statement.

2) Speaker A: "All children should participate in physical education in schools
to improve their health."

Speaker B: "It is my right to be whatever size I want to be. No one should insist
that I exercise".
Write your views in support of Speaker A or Speaker B.

In May 2007, the persuasive essay questions were,

1) Students should not be allowed to use cellular phones in school"
write an essay Either supporting or opposing this view.

the second question was,

2) Popular music and dance on display in the Caribbean today are corrupting the youth and making them irresponsible." Write an essay giving your views on this statement.

(whey yuh t'ink 'bout 'dutty wine' and 'dance hall wine'?;-))

And in January 2008, the persuasive essay questions were,

1) If some countries have weapons of mass distruction, then all countries should be
allowed to have them. Write an essay giving your views on this statement.

2) All students in all classes in all high schools should have at least one period
per week for Home Economics. Write an essay either supporting or opposing this
view.

I hope this helps all you guys sitting the CXC English exams out there! ;-)

So keeping up to date with current affairs is a good idea. Anybody have any suggestions about current affairs topics that might come this May?

Sweet! Thanks a lot for posting these questions Mary. I am going to add these to our CXC English A past paper question bank, if you don't mind. That way we won't have to go looking for your post to find the questions in the future. They will always be with the other CXC English A past paper (type) questions.

Anyone want to post more CXC past paper questions?

sheldon montaque (not verified) 29 January 2009 - 3:01pm

Deducation to our books brings passes and not just think you know or swat. No suject are easy as 123,abc but if we hold on together we will win.

kimmie (not verified) 21 March 2009 - 4:20pm

Hi folks Iwant to know that when doing a comprehension passage in english along with the questions like say Comment on the use of the words what does it means does it means to give a defintion 4 it or explain or what. Lookin forward 4 a reply soon.

Your CXC buddy
kimmie

ylseh (not verified) 8 December 2009 - 10:37am

In reply to by kimmie (not verified)

I interpret "comment" to mean talk alittle on the use of the particular word/s- that is :
1)suggest an answer as to why the writer choose that particular word/s eg. is it to suggest something
is it to emphasize something
is it to get our attention on something

2)identify if the word is used literally or metaphorically.

3) if it is used metaphorically identify the comparison made.

4) say how this comparison is effective eg. does it give a clearer meaning , does it effectively add to the theme that is mentioned. these are the questions to consider when you have to comment.

hope this is helpful to you.

Ann Clacken (not verified) 18 September 2009 - 2:47pm

You can go to youthlinkjamaica.com for guidance in English Language (paper 2) and in order to improve your abilities in writing and speaking you have to read a lot. Go back to basic if you have to, to learn subject-verb agreement. If you understand the basic then you will be on your way to succeeding.

G (not verified) 7 December 2009 - 6:12pm

Hi i have a major problem starting my story and descriptive writing. What methods could i used to mitigate such problem.

ylseh (not verified) 8 December 2009 - 10:39am

In reply to by G (not verified)

undermentioned are some suggested ways to start your story.

1. Dialogue
“ Hurry or you’ll be late!” called my mother from the bottom of the stairs. “Today of all days you want to be on time.” If I had only know what that day would bring, I would have stayed in bed.

2. A Question
Have you ever had a day when you wished you had stayed in bed? As I rushed to catch the bus on what seemed to be a perfectly normal day I had no idea what was ahead of me.

3. A Vivid Description
The sun was warm on my back as I raced toward the waiting yellow school bus. As I nestled into the worn leather seat I was greeted by the friendly voices of other excited children. The look on my face was one of confidence and contentment. With a jerk the bus rumbled down the road and I was on my way into one of the worst days of my life.

4. An Interesting Fact
Shock has been known to kill ten year olds. It can cause their brains to explode and their heart to stop dead still. These facts raced through my mind as I stood dumbfounded in front of my fourth grade classmates. I wish I had stayed in bed!

5. Sound Effects
“Buzzzzzz!” The sound of my alarm clock droned in my ears as I struggled to come awake. With a start I sat straight up in my bed. This was my big day and I had to be on time.

why is csec making the maths paper so hard you can study and practice maths but yet still you are not able to pass.. some questions are just too hard to reason . i think they are making it so hard so there can be more unemployed people in the caribbean so less money for the government to spend to look after the country.

guest (not verified) 10 January 2011 - 9:47pm

In reply to by G (not verified)

Just jump into the action instead of starting off by describing the setting. Start with dialogue like "Fire! Fire!" someone screamed. You can start with the character doing something like "Amari ducked under the barrier and hurled his large body over the fence." The point is just get into it with an opening that peaks interest.

Ashtea (not verified) 15 December 2009 - 10:18pm

am starting my pob sba am new to it am doing marketting i need some urgent help i dont understand the firt thing to do.

leeza (not verified) 10 July 2010 - 2:01pm

In reply to by Ashtea (not verified)

hey what u want help in?
i started my pob sba and i finish it
its quite easy to me!

lisat (not verified) 21 January 2010 - 12:16pm

Im really bad at shorty writing,persusavie writing and summary.i sit exams 2009 but i fail.Can someone help me pleaseeeeeeeeeeee.im really in need of major help.

guest (not verified) 14 February 2010 - 12:20pm

In reply to by lisat (not verified)

I understand that you may be disheartened at not reaching the standard for a pass but I think it is all in how you perceive the questions on the paper. In order to answer the paper you must first be sure that your response is what is required. What exactly are they asking you to do: describe, give your opinion, recall facts that sort of things. May I suggest that you read some more so as to aid you with ideas in your short story writing. Then when you are attempting to write might I suggest that you draft your ideas and then lets say you put them in order how you would want your story to flow. I will not mislead you and say this will work but it may. The last suggestion I have for you is you must practice.

youngchade38 (not verified) 30 January 2011 - 8:08pm

i really need to know how to write an excellent short story my problem is how to develop the character and how to make the story interestin

i wnt help too. an english teacher told us at a seminar dat if we dnt know how to tstart a story, start it frm the middle and start with 'once upon a time'......we shud always make the starting interesting. i attend JONATHAN GRANT HIGH

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