Junior Certificate Irish: The decision to base an entire Irish higher-level comprehension on Yoda of Star Wars and his outer-space friends C-3PO and R2-D2 drew mixed reactions among students and teachers alike yesterday.
Nine essay choices, including one on whether Ireland is in fact the best country in the world, proved more popular,according to Bernadette Nic Gearailt, a TUI subject representative. The option of writing to the head of Radio na Gaeltachta on the type of music young people would like to listen to was welcomed by teachers as an opportunity to broaden students' awareness of Irish-language programming.
Bláithín Ní Liathian, a teacher in Kylemore College in Ballyfermot, said while the paper offered a wide choice to students, the layout of the paper itself was "dreadful" and "old fashioned".
"It's been a problem for years now and really it's time that they did something about it. You only have to look at the English paper, which is full of visuals and graphs, to see what can be achieved," said Ms Ní Liathian.
The ordinary-level paper was described as a predictable and accessible exam that provided ample pictures to help students deduce the meaning of the Irish phrases used. The unseen poem, Teilifís by Gabriel Rosenstock, on which students were required to answer a selection of questions, would have been familiar to many students from previous primary school courses.
However, Ms Ní Liathian said the task of writing a letter to a friend, to inform them that you forgot to tell them of your departure for France, was "daft".
Try this at home: from the Junior Cert Irish paper
DEIREADH RÉ
1. Tá an róbat béasach sa tsraith scannán Star Wars, C-3PO, in ísle brí le tamall anuas. Chun na fírinne a insint tá cúis mhaith aige leis. Tá Máistir Anakin, an duine a chruthaigh é, tar éis dul trasna go dtí an Taobh Dorcha agus anuas air sin deir George Lucas gurb é The Revenge of the Sith an scannán deireanach sa tsraith.
2. Scanraithe ina chraiceann stáin atá C-3PO. Tá faitíos air go gcaithfear ar an gcarn athchúrsála é nó níos measa fós go ndéanfar smidiríní de. Tá taithí mhaith aige ar an drochíde. Uair amháin baineadh an cloigeann de; uair eile bhí sé gan aithne gan urlabhra nuair a tarraingíodh na sreanga as a phróiseálaí lárnach.
3. Dá mbeadh rogha aige bhronnfadh C-3PO a chuid páirteanna ar róbait eile. Thabharfadh sé cúpla sliseog cuimhne dá chara, R2-D2. Tá ocht milliún sórt teangacha ar eolas ag C-3PO agus níl ag R2-D2 ach an ráiméis 'Beep-boop - boop. beep.' Ní dócha go nglacfaidh R2-
Ceisteanna (iad ar cómharc)
(i) (a) Luaigh cúis amháin a bhfuil C-3PO in ísle brí.
(b) Tabhair sampla amháin den drochíde a tugadh do C-3PO.
(ii) (a) Cad a thabharfadh C-3PO do R2-D2 dá mbeadh an rogha aige?
(b) Cé mhéad sórt teangacha atá ar eolas ag C-3PO?
(iii) (a) Cén fáth ar fhreastail C-3PO ar chúrsa féinchabhrach ?
(b) Cathain a thuig Yoda go raibh Máistir Anakin ag dul ar strae?
