Question By Question

Paipear 1

Ceist 1 - Ceapadoireacht

120 marks

This question is divided into sections A, B, C and D and students will be required to answer from only two of these with an internal choice in each. All four require leathleathanach (1/2 page) or so. Allow 40 minutes for each ceapadoireacht.

A. Giota Leanunach

A choice of three - 60 marks

These are usually topical headings.

The topics will generally require that students use the present tense (An Aimsir Laithreach).

Ensure that you understand the title you are choosing.

Keep sentences short.

Watch verbs and tenses.

B. Sceal

A choice of two - 60 marks

A sentence is given as an opening and you are required to continue, mar shampla, "Chuala me torann thios staighre in am marfa na hoiche. Bhi a fhios agam nach raibh aon duine eile sa bhaile. . ."

Invariably students will be able to continue with this tense (An Aimsir Chaite).

The sceal offers more scope to use one's imagination than the Giota Leanunach above.

C. Litir

A choice of two - 60 marks

This section is undoubtedly the most popular as students will have prepared the address, date, opening and ending which will be common to all letters.

Use fictitious names and addresses.

If you are writing home from a Gaeltacht/hospital remember to use a Gaeltacht/hospital address.

If you are writing a formal letter you will also need to put the address, on the left hand side, of the person to whom you are writing.

Use the date of the examination itself, 7 Meitheamh 2001.

Ensure that you use the proper opening:

A Mhaire a chara/A Sheain a chara - when writing to your friend

A thuismitheoiri - to your parents

A chara/A Bhainisteoir/A dhuine uasail - formal

If you are addressing a letter to your parents, ensure that you conclude with: Bhur (your - plural) mac or Bhur (your - plural) ninion.

D. Comhra

A choice of two - 60 marks

This will be written in the style of a play or a drama. The main function of the ceapadoireacht section is to examine the student's proficiency in the language. Here's a list of some basic grammatical areas which you should know:

Briathra agus na hAimsiri

Reamhfhocail

Nathanna cainte

Stor focal

Sentences should be kept short in order to minimise careless mistakes.

Ensure that you fully understand the titles you have chosen.

Don't meander - keep to your chosen topic.

Ceist 2 - Leamhthuiscint

Always answer the leamhthuiscint first. Often you will see a word, spelling or phrase in those pieces that you can use in the ceapadoireacht section. Note: There are no choices in these questions. Allow 30 minutes for each leamhthuiscint.

Question 2 will be divided into two passages, A and B, worth 50 marks per passage. Each passage will have five questions worth 10 marks each.

First read the questions, as they will give you a good overall view of the subject matter of the piece.

Then read the passage itself two or three times. Each time you read over it you will understand more than the previous reading.

Ensure that you have studied the basic vocabulary to help you comprehend the questions. Here is a short list:

Luaigh (mention)

Taispean (show)

Cen chaoi (how)

Tabhair sampla (give an example)

Leirigh (explain)

Cen bhaint (what relationship)

Finally answer the questions. Where possible, answer some questions in your own words. Remember, these answers will be short - two or three lines per answer.

Paip ear 2

There are 2 sections in Paper 2:

Roinn A - Cursa Ainmnithe

110 marks;

Roinn B - Cursa Roghnach

Students will answer either Roinn A or Roinn B. They cannot answer half and half, i.e. one question on the poetry from Cursa Ainmnithe and one on the pros from the Cursa Roghnach. Equal timing should be allowed for both Pros and Filiocht questions and order of answering will be a personal choice.

A. Cursa Ainmnithe

110 marks

Ceist 1 - Pros Ainmnithe

55 marks.

Students will have studied the following five works: Fiosracht Mhna, An Lasair Choille, Gafa, Amuigh Liom Fein, Clann Lir Ceist 1 will then be subdivided into A and B - you will be required to answer one question from each section (A or B).

Section A

There will be a choice between two stories and two questions on each for 25 marks and 10 marks.

The 25-mark question will generally be based on a "summary" type answer, so students should have a good idea of the story itself.

The 10-mark question may be a note on one of the main characters in the story and two reasons why you liked or disliked that person.

Section B

Choose any one of the works not mentioned in Section A above.

Select one of the themes from a given list of six or seven and apply that theme to your chosen story and write a short account of that theme, i.e. half a page.

All students should be familiar with the following themes:

Greann gra - seanaois - dulra

Fuath - tuismitheoiri - bas - oige

Gaolta eile - ead - saoirse - draiocht

Fealltacht - fulaingt - diograis

Ceist 2 - Filiocht Ainmnith

Students will have studied the five prescribed poems for this section: Faoilean, Treall, Mac Eile ag Imeacht, Chlaon Me Mo Cheann, Brid Og Ni Mhaille. The question will be divided into A and B and the student must answer both.

Section A

There will be a choice between two poems and there will be four short questions on the chosen poem.

These questions will cover the following areas:

Mothuchain - feelings

An Priomh Theama - the main theme

Iomhanna - images

Meafair - metaphors

Priomhsmaointe - the main themes

Oiriunacht an teidil - suitability of the title

The poems will be printed in full on the exam paper, but it will be necessary to use your own words in expressing your answers.

A frequent question in this section is to explain two lines from the poem. Be sure you know what the lines mean and how to put them in your own words.

Section B

20 marks

You will have a choice of questions based on one poem. There are 20 marks for each question. The first question will require you to choose one feeling, out of a possible list of three or four, and apply it to the poem. Students should be familiar with the following list of feelings:

Bron - uaigneas - fearg - dochas - eadochas

Foighne - mi-fhoighne - frustrachas - dioma - saoirse

Deistin - eagla - gra

Write a short note on the main thoughts of that poem and on an image (or two) from the poem. Say why you like them or don't like them. The full text of the poem will be printed.

B. Cursa Roghnach

110 marks

Ceist 1 - Pros Roghnach

55 marks

This question will be divided into A and B, each section having an internal choice. Students must answer one question from A and one question from B.

The main difference with the Cursa Roghnach is that there are no questions on specific stories - you can tailor the question to suit whatever story you have studied. The only limitation you must watch for is the "type" of story about which you are asked - e.g. Sceal bealoidis/Ge arrsceal/Sliocht as Ursceal/Drama

Question A

You will be given two questions, of which one must be attempted for 35 marks.

Ensure that you clearly write the name of the story upon which your answers are based and its author.

You could be asked for a summary on the greatest incident/event in the story and why you liked it or did not like it.

(23 marks)

For a further 10 marks, you could be asked to write a short account of the character in the story whom you liked or disliked the most.

Question B

This will be divided into two. You may not use the text you selected in question A. Either select one of six possible themes and apply it to a story and give a summary of that theme. (Please see a list of popular themes in the Cursa Ainmnithe section) or write a short account on any two areas within that story that you liked e.g. plot, revenge, humorous incident, battle or fight.

Ceist 2 - Filiocht Roghnach

55 marks

There are two questions in this section - A and B - with an internal choice in each section. Students are free to choose their own poems but may be required to base answers on a poem "a chum fear" no "a chum bean".

Write clearly the name of the poem and the poet. You must use a different poem for each section.

Question A

YOU will have a choice between two questions here with four parts in each question. The following questions occur frequently:

An Priomh Theama

An bhfuil an teideal oiriunach?

Na Priomhsmaointe

Na Mothuchain is mo

Ar thaitin an dan seo leat?

Question B

This is divided into choice 1 or 2.

Choice 1 requires you to choose one feeling out of a list of three or four and apply it to a poem "a chum fear" no "a chum bean".

Choice 2 could be based on "na priomhsmaointe" and a short account of an image - iomha amhain - which you liked.