Short version: 45 minutes, 30 points. Monolingual dictionary allowed.
Text (invented, for practice): „Let's be honest: nobody reads the terms and conditions. We scroll, we tick, we surrender. Forty pages of legal prose stand between us and a game, a photo filter, a bus ticket — and we click „I agree" faster than we would sign for a parcel. The companies know this. They count on it. Every „we value your privacy" banner is a small masterpiece of theatre: the show of choice without the substance of it. I do not blame the users. Blaming a swimmer for the current is a fine way to keep the river as it is. I blame a system that has turned consent into a reflex. Until a click costs the company more than it costs us, nothing will change." (from an opinion column)
a)Name three rhetorical devices in the text and quote them.
b)Choose one device and explain its effect in two sentences.
c)Describe the tone of the text in two adjectives and give one piece of evidence.
3Comment (10 points).
Opinion, two reasons, conclusion.
a)Do you agree that users are not to blame? Write a short comment (100 to 120 words) with two reasons.
Short version: 45 minutes, 30 points. Monolingual dictionary allowed.
Text (invented, for practice): „Let's be honest: nobody reads the terms and conditions. We scroll, we tick, we surrender. Forty pages of legal prose stand between us and a game, a photo filter, a bus ticket — and we click „I agree" faster than we would sign for a parcel. The companies know this. They count on it. Every „we value your privacy" banner is a small masterpiece of theatre: the show of choice without the substance of it. I do not blame the users. Blaming a swimmer for the current is a fine way to keep the river as it is. I blame a system that has turned consent into a reflex. Until a click costs the company more than it costs us, nothing will change." (from an opinion column)
1Comprehension (8 points).
Own words. Outline = main points in order.
a)What does the author observe about users?(text)
b)Who does the author blame, and who not?Users agree to terms and conditions without reading them, automatically.
c)What does the author demand at the end?He blames the system / the companies, not the users.
a)Name three rhetorical devices in the text and quote them.(text)
b)Choose one device and explain its effect in two sentences.e.g. tricolon „We scroll, we tick, we surrender"; metaphor „masterpiece of theatre"; analogy „swimmer / current"; direct address „Let's be honest".
c)Describe the tone of the text in two adjectives and give one piece of evidence.e.g. The tricolon ends with the strongest word, „surrender", so agreeing sounds like a defeat; the short parallel clauses imitate the speed of clicking.
3Comment (10 points).
Opinion, two reasons, conclusion.
a)Do you agree that users are not to blame? Write a short comment (100 to 120 words) with two reasons.Own text. Points for a clear position, quality of arguments and examples, treatment of a counter-argument, structure and language (100 to 120 words).
Text (invented, for practice): „Let's be honest: nobody reads the terms and conditions. We scroll, we tick, we surrender. Forty pages of legal prose stand between us and a game, a photo filter, a bus ticket — and we click „I agree" faster than we would sign for a parcel. The companies know this. They count on it. Every „we value your privacy" banner is a small masterpiece of theatre: the show of choice without the substance of it. I do not blame the users. Blaming a swimmer for the current is a fine way to keep the river as it is. I blame a system that has turned consent into a reflex. Until a click costs the company more than it costs us, nothing will change." (from an opinion column)
1Comprehension (10 points).
Own words. Outline = main points in order.
a)Outline the author's line of argument in four steps.
b)Explain what the author means by „the show of choice without the substance of it".
a)Analyse how the author uses rhetorical and stylistic devices to convince the reader. Refer to at least three devices, their function and the tone of the text. (150 to 200 words)
3Comment (15 points).
Thesis, arguments with examples, counter-argument, conclusion.
a)Comment on the author's view that only a cost for companies will change anything. Refer to your own experience with digital services and to what you know about data protection. (200 to 250 words)
Text (invented, for practice): „Let's be honest: nobody reads the terms and conditions. We scroll, we tick, we surrender. Forty pages of legal prose stand between us and a game, a photo filter, a bus ticket — and we click „I agree" faster than we would sign for a parcel. The companies know this. They count on it. Every „we value your privacy" banner is a small masterpiece of theatre: the show of choice without the substance of it. I do not blame the users. Blaming a swimmer for the current is a fine way to keep the river as it is. I blame a system that has turned consent into a reflex. Until a click costs the company more than it costs us, nothing will change." (from an opinion column)
1Comprehension (10 points).
Own words. Outline = main points in order.
a)Outline the author's line of argument in four steps.(text)
b)Explain what the author means by „the show of choice without the substance of it".1 Nobody reads terms and conditions; agreeing is automatic. 2 Companies know this and design their privacy banners as a pretence of choice. 3 The author refuses to blame users — the system works against them like a current. 4 Only a cost for companies will change the system.
a)Analyse how the author uses rhetorical and stylistic devices to convince the reader. Refer to at least three devices, their function and the tone of the text. (150 to 200 words)Own analysis. Expected: introduction (opinion column, terms and conditions, thesis: the system, not the user, is to blame); inclusive „we" and „Let's be honest" create common ground; tricolon/climax „scroll, tick, surrender" makes consent a defeat; irony/metaphor „masterpiece of theatre" exposes banners as pretence; analogy swimmer/current shifts responsibility to the structure; short sentences („They count on it.") sound like verdicts; tone ironic, colloquial, confrontational; conclusion on effectiveness. 150 to 200 words.
3Comment (15 points).
Thesis, arguments with examples, counter-argument, conclusion.
a)Comment on the author's view that only a cost for companies will change anything. Refer to your own experience with digital services and to what you know about data protection. (200 to 250 words)Own text. Points for a clear position, quality of arguments and examples, treatment of a counter-argument, structure and language (200 to 250 words, academic register).
Long version: 135 minutes, 60 points. Monolingual dictionary allowed.
Text (invented, for practice): „Let's be honest: nobody reads the terms and conditions. We scroll, we tick, we surrender. Forty pages of legal prose stand between us and a game, a photo filter, a bus ticket — and we click „I agree" faster than we would sign for a parcel. The companies know this. They count on it. Every „we value your privacy" banner is a small masterpiece of theatre: the show of choice without the substance of it. I do not blame the users. Blaming a swimmer for the current is a fine way to keep the river as it is. I blame a system that has turned consent into a reflex. Until a click costs the company more than it costs us, nothing will change." (from an opinion column)
1Comprehension (12 points).
Own words. Outline = main points in order.
a)Outline the author's line of argument in four steps.
b)Explain what the author means by „the show of choice without the substance of it" and by „consent into a reflex".
a)Analyse how the author uses rhetorical and stylistic devices to convince the reader. Refer to at least four devices, their function and the tone of the text. (220 to 260 words)
b)Examine the author's argumentation: identify one strength and one weakness (e.g. the analogy of the swimmer) and explain.
3Comment (24 points).
Comment: full structure, academic register. Speech: address, structure, devices with purpose, call to action.
a)Choose one: a) Comment on the author's view that only a cost for companies will change anything. Refer to your own experience and to data-protection debates. (280 to 320 words) b) Write a speech (280 to 320 words) to your year group in which you persuade them to take control of their data. Use at least four rhetorical devices deliberately.
Long version: 135 minutes, 60 points. Monolingual dictionary allowed.
Text (invented, for practice): „Let's be honest: nobody reads the terms and conditions. We scroll, we tick, we surrender. Forty pages of legal prose stand between us and a game, a photo filter, a bus ticket — and we click „I agree" faster than we would sign for a parcel. The companies know this. They count on it. Every „we value your privacy" banner is a small masterpiece of theatre: the show of choice without the substance of it. I do not blame the users. Blaming a swimmer for the current is a fine way to keep the river as it is. I blame a system that has turned consent into a reflex. Until a click costs the company more than it costs us, nothing will change." (from an opinion column)
1Comprehension (12 points).
Own words. Outline = main points in order.
a)Outline the author's line of argument in four steps.(text)
b)Explain what the author means by „the show of choice without the substance of it" and by „consent into a reflex".1 Nobody reads terms and conditions; agreeing is automatic. 2 Companies know this and design their privacy banners as a pretence of choice. 3 The author refuses to blame users — the system works against them like a current. 4 Only a cost for companies will change the system.
c)Summarise the text in no more than 50 words.Show without substance: the banners simulate a decision that does not exist. Consent as a reflex: agreeing has become an automatic action without thought, so it is no longer real consent.
a)Analyse how the author uses rhetorical and stylistic devices to convince the reader. Refer to at least four devices, their function and the tone of the text. (220 to 260 words)Own analysis as for the standard version, four devices, 220 to 260 words.
b)Examine the author's argumentation: identify one strength and one weakness (e.g. the analogy of the swimmer) and explain.e.g. Strength: the analogy makes the structural argument intuitive and frees the reader from guilt, so anger can be directed at the system. Weakness: the analogy denies users any agency — some do read, use alternatives or adjust settings — and the text offers no evidence that a cost would work; „nothing will change" is a sweeping claim.
3Comment (24 points).
Comment: full structure, academic register. Speech: address, structure, devices with purpose, call to action.
a)Choose one: a) Comment on the author's view that only a cost for companies will change anything. Refer to your own experience and to data-protection debates. (280 to 320 words) b) Write a speech (280 to 320 words) to your year group in which you persuade them to take control of their data. Use at least four rhetorical devices deliberately.Own text. Points for a clear position, quality of arguments and examples, treatment of a counter-argument, structure and language (a) 280 to 320 words, academic register; b) speech with address, four labelled devices, call to action).
Time management
Roughly: a quarter for reading and comprehension, half for the analysis, a quarter for the comment plus five minutes for checking. Write the analysis first if it carries the most points.
Analysis
Introduction with text type, topic and thesis of the author. Then devices in the order of importance, each with quote and function. Tone and intention. Conclusion on effectiveness. Present tense.
Comment
Clear position, arguments with examples from your course, one counter-argument taken seriously, conclusion with an outlook. Academic register: no slang, full forms, precise nouns.