2007 GCE ‘A’ Level General Paper (Paper 2)
1 Give three ways in which paragraph 1 shows that the gender revolution is different from the ‘apocalyptic scenarios’ (line 2). Use your own words as far as possible. [3] Contextual cue:
“The gender revolution is unlike these.” (line 7)
LIFT ACCEPTED ANSWERS MARK
(a) “You do not have to read newspapers … It is all around you in your friends’ lives and in your own” (lines 7 – 10)
(a) It is a matter of personal experience – you do not need the media to inform you of it.
1
(b) “It is already in full flow”
(line 10) (b) It is already happening at a great rate. / It is wholly a reality. 1 (c) it is “not necessarily …
catastrophic” (line 11) (c) It may not be disastrous. 1 (d) “it is within the power of
every individual …
ameliorate its effects” (line 12)
(d) Everyone can reduce / modify /
make less harmful its effects. 1
Any 3 of the above will secure 3 marks.
2 ‘pandemics spread by superbugs…’ (line 5) Which phrase earlier in this first sentence explains the three dots at its conclusion? [1]
Cue:
The three dots punctuation mark is usually used to indicate that there is more to come.
Contextual cue:
“destruction and radical change of habitat, both human and animal, … pandemics spread by superbugs…” (lines 2 – 5)
INFERENCE ACCEPTED ANSWERS MARK
The author gave a long list of
possible disasters, so the three dots probably indicate more disasters to come.
Upon examining the first sentence, the only phrase that pertains to this is:
The phrase is “the seemingly endless
3 Why does the author refer to pre-human history in lines 16 – 17? [1] Contextual cue:
“Even before they came down from the trees … fulfilled these roles since time immemorial.” (lines 16 – 17)
INFERENCE ACCEPTED ANSWERS MAR
K The sentence is literally
about how these roles have been in place for a long time.
The author wants to emphasise how deeply embedded / innate traditional gender roles are in men and women.
N.B. For an inferential question, candidates should not be giving the literal meaning.
1
4 (a) ‘paternity was understood’ (line 20). What advance in understanding of gender relations does this refer to? [1]
Contextual cue:
“Before the link between sexual activity and fertility was understood” (line 17 – 18)
INFERENCE ACCEPTED ANSWERS MAR
K The wording of the given
phrase echoes the wording of an earlier phrase (see above). The situations described by both phrases also reflect a change, or “advance”, in understanding of gender relations.
People realised that men were equally
important in the creation of life / producing offspring / reproduction.
1
4 (b) How did this new understanding influence the status of women? Use your own words as far as possible. [1]
LIFT ACCEPTED ANSWERS MAR
K “She was relegated to a
drudge … He was indisputably the boss.” (lines 20 – 21)
Women’s status was reduced as they became subservient to men, and were regarded as merely bearers of their children.
5 Which references earlier in paragraph 2 justify the word ‘almost’ in line 25? [2] Cue:
The word ‘almost’ is used to indicate that there are exceptions. Hence, candidates should be looking for exceptions, i.e. times in history in which women were not living in a man’s world, or were perceived as being powerful in their own right.
LIFT ACCEPTED ANSWERS MAR
K “She was the
mysterious source of life … even worshipped as the Moon Goddess” (lines 18 – 19)
She was once prayed to as the enigmatic and divine Moon Goddess who gave life.
½ ½
“notions of Her as Isis, …
Osiris” (line 23) She was looked up to as Isis, who was the equal to the male god, Osiris. ½ “unapproachable object
of Romantic Love” (line 24)
She was considered the unobtainable object of Romantic Love.
½ All 3 references are required for the full 2 marks.
6 According to paragraph 3, why would women be more comfortable in the workplace nowadays than in the past? Use your own words as far as possible. [2] Contextual cue:
The question contrasts “nowadays” and the “past”, so candidates should be looking for phrases that signal changes. In this case:
“The revolution began…”
“It was less than a century ago that … women for the first time…”
LIFT ACCEPTED ANSWERS MAR
K “men started inventing ways
of doing things … less back-breaking” (line 26 – 27) “nature of the workplace … operated by fingertips” (lines 33 – 34)
Work no longer relies on physical
strength. ½
“birth-control techniques … limit their families and enter the world of work” (lines 31 – 33)
Contraception allows women to restrict the size of their families and frees them to join the labour force while still caring for smaller families.
½
“authoritarian, confrontational management … given way … co-operative enterprises in which women feel at home”
Management styles have radically
changed to favour women’s strengths and abilities.
½ ½
(lines 34 – 36)
7 What does the expression ‘brothers-in-arms’ (line 66) suggest about male behaviour? [1]
Cue:
“Brothers” suggests a very close bond, and “arms” suggests the use of weapons, which is a sign of aggression.
INFERENCE ACCEPTED ANSWERS MAR
K “He was silently stalking his prey, or
exchanging grunts with his brothers-in-arms.” (lines 65 – 66)
The act of stalking prey suggests that team work and aggression is required.
It suggests the aggressive
and bonding nature of males. ½ ½
8 Explain what the author means by ‘gender education needs to supplement mere sex education’ (line 74). [2]
Cue:
The phrase in the question indicates that the author thinks that there should be both gender education and sex education. Candidates have to explain what “gender education” and “sex education” entail.
LIFT ACCEPTED ANSWERS MARK
“gender education needs to supplement mere sex
education in schools” (lines 73 – 75)
The author believes that children should be taught about the relationship between the sexes / their
psychological and behavioural
differences / their different but equal capacities, as well as purely biological or anatomical facts.
1 1
9 Give the meaning of the following words as they are used in the passage. You may write your answer in one word or a short phrase.[5]
1 mark ½ mark
(a) daunting (line 6) “These disasters may or may not happen; but their scale is daunting and the individual
• Intimidating • Disheartening
feels powerless to influence them” (lines 6 – 7) (b) titillating (line 9) “failed relationships of celebrities and their sad or merely titillating
consequences” (lines 8 – 9)
•
Exciting and enjoyable / entertaining•
Interesting and enjoyable / entertaining• Exciting • Interesting
N.B. The element of enjoyment / entertainment must be present. As such, this word requires a phrase rather than a word to be sufficiently explained. (c) imperceptibly (line 26) “The revolution began, imperceptibly, about two hundred years ago” (line 26)
• Gradually • Subtly
• Not discernibly
• Very slightly / Slightly (wrong context)
(d) conditioned (line 43)
“The early feminists thought that if girls and boys behaved differently it was because they were conditioned to do so by societies and parents still clinging to old stereotypes.” (lines 42 – 44)
•
Trained / Taught to the extent that it becomesautomatic / second nature
• Trained • Taught
N.B. The element of it becoming automatic / second nature must be present. As such, this word requires a phrase rather than a word to be sufficiently
explained.
(e) mindset (line 78) “mindset of our grandparents” (line 78)
• A fixed way of thinking • Thinking • Ideas
N.B. The element of it being fixed must be present. As such, this word requires a phrase rather than a word to be sufficiently explained.
10 Using material from paragraphs 3 to 5 of the passage (lines 26 – 66), summarise the causes of the gender revolution, how it initially threatened conflict between the sexes, and what recent research has shown about how this conflict may be
addressed.
Write your summary in no more than 120 words, not counting the opening words which are printed below. Use your own words as far as possible. [8] The gender revolution began when …
NO LIFT ACCEPTED ANSWERS
“Causes of the gender revolution” 1 “men started inventing ways of doing
things which were less back-breaking and more productive” (lines 26 – 27)
people derived methods of working that were less strenuous [½] and more efficient [½].
2 “It was less … birth-control techniques … women were able to limit their
families and enter the world of work.” (lines 30 – 33)
Secondly, contraception [½] allowed women to control their family size [½].
3 “nature of the workplace …
authoritarian, confrontational management … given way to
co-operative enterprises … women feel at home” (lines 33 – 36)
Lastly, women were more at ease as aggressive management styles changed [½] to favour their pro-social tendencies [½].
“How it initially threatened conflict between the sexes” 4 “the generation that first experience these
changes was unable to understand or cope with them” (lines 37 – 38)
However, people were initially not able to comprehend [½] or manage [½] these shifts.
work, … in everything” (lines 38 – 40) same [½] as men in all aspects [½]. 6 “unfortunately, equality was too often
mistake for identity … They – biologically different, but in almost every other way the same … conditioned to do so … clinging to the old stereotypes” (lines 41 – 44)
Sadly, they subsequently had the flawed idea that the genders have identical profiles [½] but are drilled to automatically [½] adopt
dissimilar ones. 7 ‘When, despite equal opportunities,
women still failed to achieve equality … male conspiracy … great War of the Sexes seemed about to break out.” (lines 47 – 49)
When differential treatment
persisted [½], they accused men of ganging up on them [½],
threatening clashes between the genders.
“What recent research has shown about how this conflict may be addressed” 8 “Fortunately, the conflict can be averted
… knowledge! … computer brain-scans … statistical surveys and analyses of human behaviour … established beyond all doubt that … indeed, true.” (lines 50 – 54)
Luckily, scientific studies today have indisputably proven [½] that
9 “He and She are different. Profoundly so. She has developed … connecting nerve fibres … He has a brain which is more compartmentalised and
specialised.” (lines 54 – 56)
men and women are significantly dissimilar as they have evolved different mental attributes [½] due to the ancient division of labour.
10 “The hunter … developed bigger eyes with tunnel vision … His thick skin … comparatively insensitive to pain … calculating rapidly and accurately where the food was” (lines 56 – 61)
The men became tougher [½] and evolved the effective eyesight [½] and thought processes [½] that tune in to attack for food.
11 “caring for the kids, She developed a greater peripheral vision to monitor her immediate surroundings … learned to do a dozen things at the same time, her five sense became far more finely tuned … verbal and body language grew while He was silently stalking his prey … grunts with his brothers-in-arms” (lines 61 – 65)
In caring for people, women evolved the abilities to view wide sections of her environment [½], multi-task [½], be sensitive [½], and
communicate well [½].
Sample summary
The gender revolution began when people derived methods of working that were less strenuous and more efficient. Secondly, contraception allowed women to control their family size. Lastly, women were more at ease as aggressive management styles changed to favour their pro-social tendencies. However, people were initially not able to comprehend or manage these shifts. Women insisted on being treated the same as men in all aspects. Sadly, they subsequently had the flawed idea that the genders have identical profiles but are drilled to automatically adopt dissimilar ones. When differential treatment persisted, they accused men of ganging up on them, threatening clashes
between the genders. Luckily, scientific studies today have indisputably proven that men and women are significantly dissimilar as they have evolved different mental attributes.
(120 words) 11 In this article, Chan Wai Leong gives an account of what he calls the ‘gender
revolution’.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with his views? Support your answer with examples drawn from your society’s experience of the ‘gender revolution’.[8] R1 = To what extent do you agree or disagree with his views?
R2 = Support your answer with examples drawn from your society’s experience of the ‘gender revolution’
Author’s Views Agree Disagree
Comparing the ‘gender revolution’ to “apocalyptic scenarios” (line 2).
The ‘gender revolution’ is a fundamental and important change, as suggested by the apocalyptic scenarios. E.g.: Singapore society is still dealing with
fundamental shifts due to the effects of female emancipation, such as declining birth rates.
Chan is exaggerating. In fact, one can argue that women have always held considerable amounts of soft power. This is a key aspect that should not be ignored.
E.g.: The matriarch of a family. / The power of mothers to mould the next generation.
Claiming that women joined the work force as conditions became more favourable to them (paragraph 3).
To some extent, changes in work processes and the advent of contraception did give women more leeway to join a larger variety of occupations.
E.g.: More women are joining previously male-centred occupations like engineering, as these occupations become less physically demanding.
Chan has overlooked the fact that women were often not solely homemakers even in the past. Due to sheer economic necessity, a number were involved in cottage industries, and many helped out in family businesses or on family farms. Arguably, women have always contributed to the workforce, though their contributions are usually ignored by prevailing measurements.
E.g.: Coffee shops or hawker stores in Singapore, where the ‘Lady Boss’ is a familiar sight.
The idea that men and women behave differently as they are conditioned from the time they are young, does not hold (paragraphs 4 – 5).
Chan did cite scientific studies that proved that men and women have different ways of processing external stimuli. He also gave logical explanations for these findings.
E.g.: In Singapore, occupations that rely on spatial sense, such as driving, tend to be male-dominated, while
occupations that rely on emotional connections, such as service, tend to be
female-dominated.
However, we cannot completely ignore the
effects of conditioning. Even if men and women are biologically different, conditioning can serve to exacerbate or minimise these differences. In some cases, females may even show a preference for a typically ‘male’ way of processing external stimuli, and vice versa. Chan should not over-generalise.
E.g.: In Singapore, girls can actually score better at Mathematics and Science, which are usually perceived as being the boys’ strong suit.
Women accuse men of conspiring against them when they fail to get equal opportunity (lines 47 – 49).
In some cases, women point fingers at men without considering that their reasons for differential treatment may not be due to gender discrimination. E.g.: Some women cite gender discrimination when they are dismissed when they apply for maternity leave. However, small companies may genuinely be unable to spare a worker in this hostile economic climate.
However, there are
instances of institutionalised discrimination when men are paid more or given more opportunities to be
promoted.
E.g.: In Singapore, men are paid more due to their experience during National Service. However, some men had an extremely leisurely two years, leading people to question if such preferential treatment is justified.
Chan blames ignorance of gender differences for “high divorce rates” (line 67).
Communications break down is frequently cited as a reason for a failed
marriage. This can possibly be avoided if men and women understood their differences and could work around it.
E.g.: Marriage counselling often centres on getting couples to understand and appreciate differences.
Chan should not over-simplify the causes of divorce. The fact remains that divorces are often messy as many factors are involved, not just gender differences.
E.g.: Some couples are fundamentally incompatible due to different values or approaches to life, which may not be due to gender.
Chan suggests that “gender education needs to
supplement mere sex education in schools” (lines 74 – 75).
A greater understanding and appreciation of what makes the different genders tick may help individuals negotiate the twists and turns of human
relationships better. E.g.: Many courses on Emotional Intelligence in Singapore schools aim to help students understand different personality types and so, relate to others better. Gender education can possibly go along the same path.
What Chan refers to as “gender education” should actually come under the broader category of
character education, where people are taught to
appreciate and live with differences, and become an inclusive society. This does not apply solely to gender but to aspects like ethnic and religious harmony as well. Focusing on gender education alone is too narrow.
Besides, teaching theories alone is pointless. It is far more effective if people actually see it in action. E.g.: In many Singaporean schools, students are encouraged to take up key roles, whether they are male or female.
“we are still, in our gender relations, stuck in the mindset of our
grandparents” (lines 77 – 78)
Males are often still expected to play a
dominant role, be it in being a leader, speaking up, or even in courtships. Men who exhibit ‘feminine’ qualities, such as being emotional, are also mocked. Similarly, women are still expected to play a supportive, or even decorative, role.
E.g.: In an informal poll by The Straits Times, the most influential local newspaper, majority of Singaporean men cite appearance as being the most important quality they look for in a future spouse.
Our present mindsets have changed quite substantially from our grandparents’ era due to radical changes in our society.
E.g.: More women are becoming leaders in the economic and political fields, and often, parents are willing to support their daughters’ career
ambitions. Statistically, more Singaporean women are getting married later, or not at all.
