Comprehension(Culture)

Answer Key

1) What two words were used by the author to define culture? (1)

• The words are ‘values’ and ‘norms’. Advice: Students should present their answers in

complete sentences.

Quotation marks should be written to clearly identify the two words lifted from the passage. No penalty in SA1 for their failure to do so. However, marks can be deducted for SA2.

Not accepted: Students were not given a mark if they failed to spell the words correctly, e.g. ‘value’ instead of ‘values’ (no half mark)

Para 1

• Culture is such a broad term and when it comes to my mind, I think of values and norms people have which make them live in a particular way. A way of living in a particular community. In other words, the sum total of all things that refers to religion, roots of people, symbols, language, songs, stories, celebrations and all expressions of our way of life.

Common Errors – Why are these answers wrong?

Question Analysis: - 2 words that DEFINES culture

- ‘Broad term’ & ‘sum total’ (do these words define culture?)

2) Give one word in the paragraph that means ‘to include comprehensively and fully’. (1)

• The word is ‘encompasses’.

Not accepted:

- ‘encompass’ (this is NOT in the paragraph)- Quotation marks should be written to clearly identify

the two words lifted from the passage

3a) Identify one sentence which explains why culture is so varied (1)

• Each culture has its own personality. (line 8)

• Common Erroneous Answer

“The fact that we are all human does not mean that we are all the same.” Humans can be different

Every culture is different

Think about it:

Which translation explains why culture is varied?

3b) Explain fully how the author uses the rainbow to explain her view of culture (2)

• The rainbow consists of many colours, which is compared to cultural diversity (1)

• Ignoring the idea that each culture is unique or that cultures are different would be like destroying God’s beautiful rainbow (1)

Advice: To show understanding of ‘cultural diversity’ in explanations. Encouraged to explain the concept using their own words. May be penalised during SA.

Not accepted: Direct quotation from the passage, ‘many colours of cultural diversity’ as meaning is not made clear.

4) What idea is in opposition to ‘natural inheritance’? Answer in your own words (2) .

• Culture can come about/ happen through the gradual assimilation of values and practices learnt from interaction with other people (1)

• It can also be learnt from purposeful teaching/ training (1)

• Answer is paraphrased from lines 14-15: ‘it takes place by a process of absorption from the social environment or through deliberate instruction.’

Weak response:

- The use of ‘commands’ and ‘orders’ to substitute purposeful training.

5) Show how culture is compared to the cells in the body (1)

• Culture changes/ evolves just like the cells in the body, which are transformed, and always growing

In such questions, it is important to show balance in answers. Therefore, the answer must show that both culture and cells are transforming.

Not accepted: - If students only wrote, ‘Culture is compared to cells…’ It does not show students’ understanding of the comparison.

6) Using your own words, explain the effect globalization has had on culture (2).

• The effect is extensive/ boundless/ limitless/ massive/ very large/ enormous/ impactful (1)

• The changes are many and varied (1)Answer is paraphrased from lines 27-28: ‘The effect globalisation has had on culture is immense and diverse’. Students must use own words which are not found in the passage. Not accepted: The use of ‘different’ to replace ‘diverse’ because this is found in line 28, ‘It has affected people’s cultural behaviours in different ways’ / ‘immense’ / ‘diverse’

7) How does the example of the Coca-Cola drinks show the effect of globalization on cultural

behaviour? (2)

• People in different parts of the world/ even in the remote rural areas (1)

• know about this western drink (and its related western influences (1)

It is important to show that the drink is a western

drink/ an American product/ symbol of western

influence.

Passage B

8) What is the wrong conclusion that people might have about US products?

(1) • That they are creating a homogenized global

community of consumers

– leaving out either homogenized OR global – Incorrect spelling e.g. golbal (note: mistakes in

spelling, punctuation and grammar may be penalized in any part of the Paper)

Not accepted:

9a) What are the two contrasting emotions one would feel when eating a Big Mac in the US?

• Pleasant versus shameful OR• Pleasant versus disgusting OR• Sweet nostalgia versus low class and common

Weak answer but accepted: ‘pleasantly familiar’ or ‘shamefully plebian’. Need to be more precise in SA - only two emotions

– ‘pleasantly’ and ‘shamefully’

Not accepted: ‘ familiar’ or ‘plebian’ - the words are not about

emotions. ‘pleasantly’ or ‘plebian’ – there is no common basis

for comparison.

9b) Suggest one word that sums up the experience of the Chinese eating Big Mac.

• Excitement/ adventure/ modernity/ refreshing/ interesting/ curiosity/ intriguing/ new/ novelty/ discovery/ interesting / fascinating/ extraordinary

Seen in line 21: ‘…imagining you are on the brink of discovering what modernity tastes like’

Not accepted: Enjoyable (answer does not suggest a sense of discovery or modernity)

10) Why was Mickey Mouse used in Communist Party health campaigns to encourage the Chinese

citizens to eliminate their cities of rats? (2)

• The name ‘Mi Laoshu’ as Mickey is known is similar to ‘laoshu’ or rats in Chinese (1)

• It was because Disney cartoons featuring Mickey Mouse were widely screened/ famous/ well-known/ popular in China (1)

• Anti-rodent posters displaying Mickey Mouse would certainly catch the attention of the Chinese (1)

Accepted: Any two responses.

11a) Highlight two reactions towards the opening of Starbucks in Bloomington (2)

• Some locals welcomed its arrival • Others staged non-violent protests• or smashed its windows (violent protest)

• Note: The above answers indicate three different reactions. However, the question only demands for TWO reactions.

Not accepted: Some locals welcomed its arrival but others staged non-violent protests or smashed windows. (three different reactions are seen here)

Accepted: Some locals welcomed its arrival but others protested and smashed windows. (The idea of protest is linked to violence here)

Weak but accepted: ‘complain’, ‘oppose’ (words should convey the idea of action taken)

11b) How did the people in Shanghai show that they accepted the opening of Starbucks? (1)

• There were no demonstrations.

• Erroneous answer:– E.g. there was not much reaction (vague)

Vocabulary

1) Prerequisite (line 16) necessity/ condition/ requirement/ imperative/ need /

rule

Not accepted: Factor/ Issue

2) Static (line 18) unchanging/ stagnant/ stable/ constant/ rigid/ stopped

progressing

Not accepted: Motionless/ still/ not moving

3) Astray (line 32) amiss/ off course/ awry / sidetracked

Not accepted: failed / wrong/ off the right path

4) Triggered (line 42)

caused/ generated/ sparked off/ started / activated / stirred up/ set off

Not accepted: aroused/ initiated/ caused to happen suddenly

Vocabulary

5) Superficial (line 49) flimsy/ shallow/ surface

Not accepted: fake/ not real/ false/ not true

Vocabulary

Summary• Passage B shows a writer’s opinions about the effects of

globalization: that the same products are viewed differently in different parts of the world, by different groups of people.

• Using your own words as far as possible, summarize the findings of the writer to show how the Chinese and the Americans viewed the Big Mac, McDonald’s, and Mickey Mouse in the past.

• USE THE MATERIAL IN PASSAGE B FROM LINE 7 TO LINE 38.

Examine your summary and place a tick against the correctly identified points . Number them accordingly.

1 means different things depending on who is doing the wearing, singing, drinking or shopping.

2 Consider, first of all the Chinese meaning of Big Macs.

3 Nearly identical Big Macs may be sold in Boston and Beijing, but the experiences of eating them

4 and even the meaning of going

to MacDonald’s in these two locales

was very different

5 In Beijing, but not in Boston,

6 a Big Mac was classified as a snack, not a meal

7 and university students thought of MacDonald’s as a good place to go for a romantic night out.

8 To bite into a Big Mac thinking that you are

about to do something pleasantly familiar

9 or shamefully plebian

10 - two common American experiences

11 To bite into one imagining you are on the brink of discovering what modernity tastes like

12 - a common Chinese experience – is another thing altogether

13 sweatshirts for sale on the streets were emblazoned with the face of Disney’s most famous creation was

14 a wall poster showing a stake being driven through Mickey’s heart

15 Were these signs that a big American

corporation was extracting profits from a

new market

16 and that local people were angered by

cultural imperialism

17 Yes, Disney was trying to make money, offering Chinese state television free cartoons to show in the hope that viewers would rush out and buy authorized product

18 But the plan went astray: the sweatshirts…were knock-offs. The only people making money from them were Chinese entrepreneurs.

19 The wall poster was… part of a Communist Party health campaign

20 A call had gone out for all citizens to work

hard to rid their cities of rats,

21 which are called “laoshu,” the same term used

for mice.

22 Enterprising local residents put up posters showing various forms of violence being directed at “Mi Laoshu, …

23 not because they hated America but simply because he was the most famous rodent in China.