Cambridge International Advanced Level

9679 Afrikaans November 2014

Principal Examiner Report for Teachers

AFRIKAANS

Paper 9679/01

Speaking

The entry for this component was too small to validate the writing of a general report.

© 2014
 Cambridge International Advanced Level

9679 Afrikaans November 2014

Principal Examiner Report for Teachers

AFRIKAANS

Paper 9679/02

Reading and Writing

Key message

In order to do well in this examination, candidates should:

● focus on the instructions and required information for each question

● convey the required information in straightforward and unambiguous language

● carefully proofread their responses - checking their spelling, language structures and legibility

General comments

In Question 1, candidates were asked to find a word in the text with a similar meaning to the word given in

the question itself, with most candidates achieving full marks. In Question 2, candidates were required to

rewrite a given sentence to show the ability to manipulate syntax accurately. Only Question 2(c) and

Question 2(e) very occasionally caused problems.

In the two comprehension exercises, it was felt that candidates generally performed better in Question 3

than in Question 4. There was a small number of outstanding marks for both exercises, and most

candidates took advantage of the high-value questions to boost their scores.

Candidates who followed instructions scored well on Question 5(a), with a small group of candidates

achieving full marks. Some candidates who answered 5(b) lost marks by not referring directly to the South

African context or not proferring a personal opinion, as asked for in the question.

As in previous years, Examiners found that for Questions 3, 4, and 5, a small number of candidates often

“lifted” large parts of the original text in their answers. Candidates ought therefore to be reminded to use their

own words as much as possible and only to quote directly from the text when explicitly asked to do so in a

particular question. Lifting wastes valuable time, especially when quoting entire paragraphs for one-mark

questions, as a result of which candidates often do not finish the paper. It also affects the mark awarded for

language negatively. Candidates consistently achieve better marks when they attempt to answer questions

in their own words.

Apart from the small group of candidates who relied on lifting, most candidates achieved high marks.

Comments on specific questions

Question 1

Examiners were pleased to note that this year’s candidates read and carried out the instructions correctly.

(a) diegene was sometimes offered as an (incorrect) answer here.

(b) Most candidates answered this question correctly.

(c) Most candidates answered this question correctly.

(d) Most candidates answered this question correctly.

(e) Most candidates answered this question correctly.

© 2014
 Cambridge International Advanced Level

9679 Afrikaans November 2014

Principal Examiner Report for Teachers

Question 2

Most candidates successfully manipulated the given sentences. Occasionally, prepositions and verb-forms

caused problems. Centres are reminded that candidates need not provide synonyms in this question unless

the syntax of the new sentence requries it.

(a) Most candidates answered this question correctly using the negative format.

(b) Most candidates answered this question correctly in restructuring the sentence.

(c) Many candidates answered this question correctly while maintaining the correct meaning.

(d) Most candidates managed to answer this question correctly.

(e) Most candidates answered this question correctly.

Question 3

Overall, Question 3 was done better than Question 4.

(a) Most candidates answered this question correctly by identifying the weakness in using the same IQ

test for children and adults.

(b) Most candidates answered this question correctly, identifying the reasons for sport and beauty

being the new criteria for success.

(c) Most candidates scored full marks for this question based on the role of media influences.

(d) Many of the candidates answered this question correctly, identifying the basis of true beauty or

personality.

(e) A few of the candidates did not understand how certain school subjects could help in the future.

(f) Many candidates showed a clear understanding of the different concepts of slim and wys.

(g) A few candidates confused the meaning of ten gunste and daarteen but achieved some marks for

providing the correct supporting evidence.

Question 4

Question 4 was not quite as well done as Question 3, but most candidates nevertheless scored high marks.

(a) Most candidates answered this question correctly.

(b) A few of the candidates assumed the quotation marks indicated the metaphor thereby missing the

actual metaphor of skild or wapen.

(c) If candidates used their own words they achieved the three marks for this question.

(d) Most candidates answered this question well in connecting exercise and happiness.

(e) Most candidates answered this question correctly.

(f) (i) Most candidates quoted the simile correctly.

(ii) Some candidates only partially explained the “madness” within the simile.

(g) Most candidates achieved full marks for adequately explaining the use of wenresep.

© 2014
 Cambridge International Advanced Level

9679 Afrikaans November 2014

Principal Examiner Report for Teachers

Question 5

Most candidates achieved a fairly high score in this exercise, though some struggled to keep to the word

limits for both Question 5(a) and (b). Very few candidates relied on lifting their answers from the text, often

achieving good marks for Language, as well as for Content.

(a) Most candidates understood that they were asked to discuss the differences between the two texts

based on the theme of geluk. A small number of the responses did not focus on the theme and

generalised the differences.

(b) Most candidates scored at least four marks for their personal responses. A small number focused

on personal stress omitting any reference to South Africa or Namibia.

© 2014
 Cambridge International Advanced Level

9679 Afrikaans Language November 2014

Principal Examiner Report for Teachers

AFRIKAANS

Paper 9679/03

Essay

Key message

In order to do well in this examination, candidates should:

● choose a title on which they have something to say and for which they have command of appropriate

structures and lexis

● plan their essay to produce well-structured and persuasive arguments

● write complex sentences when appropriate, but without losing the thread of the argument.

General comments

The topics gave candidates ample opportunity to show their linguistic skills and to provide focused answers.

Most candidates opted for Questions 2 and 3, while some of the strongest scripts were produced in

response to Questions 4 and 5.

In general, candidates demonstrated good writing skills and most provided essays which were relevant to the

specific questions. It was clear that many candidates had planned their work effectively. There was an

increased number of well-structured and well-illustrated essays this year. Most candidates displayed a good

ability to argue their case persuasively and remembered to provide a suitable conclusion in which they

summarised the main points and ended with a personal assessment which was nearly always relevant to the

task set.

The majority of candidates wrote essays of appropriate length in which they developed their ideas fully and

sustained the interest of the reader. A few candidates appeared to have spent too long on planning and on

their introduction and rushed the remainder of their essay.

Comments on specific questions

Menslike verhoudings

Question 1

Wat beteken die begrip “kameraadskap” vir jou en hoe het jy dit al in jou lewe ervaar?

Candidates needed to read this question carefully and then plan their essays to be able to address both

aspects of the question (i.e. the meaning of the concept and their own experience of it).

Most candidates showed they were able to argue their point and some did very well. Others, however, only

presented a rather limited range of ideas, concentrating mainly on camaraderie and friendship in the

broadest sense, whilst omitting to discuss the concept in relation to their own lives.

Stedelike en plattelandse lewe

Question 2

“Mense trek na stede soos Johannesburg, Kaapstad en Windhoek met die vals hoop dat hul omstandighede

daar sal verbeter.” Stem jy saam, of is die lewe in groot stede beter as op die platteland?

© 2014
 Cambridge International Advanced Level

9679 Afrikaans Language November 2014

Principal Examiner Report for Teachers

There were a number of interesting essays on this topic. Most candidates used relevant facts and opinions to

support their arguments. Many also demonstrated that they had grasped what vals hoop meant in the

context of this question. Such candidates often wrote well-illustrated and well-structured essays in which they

used a variety of relevant vocabulary and appropriate idioms. The stronger candidates set the scene in their

introduction, before proceeding to compare and contrast life in the city and in the countryside in an engaging

and thought-provoking way. Most agreed with the statement and gave examples of the many ways in which

they felt life in rural areas was preferable to living in a city.

Vrye tyd

Question 3

‘Vrye tyd is ’n mors van tyd.’ Bespreek.

This topic appealed to a large number of candidates, many of whom argued that there was not enough

leisure time and that it is only wasted if not used or organised sensibly.

Many candidates gave good everyday examples to demonstrate that modern life does not allow people

enough time to wind down and that this has a negative impact at work as well as in the classroom.

Some candidates might have achieved higher marks had they checked their essays carefully and noticed

that words had been omitted from sentences, spelling and grammar mistakes had been made and some

sentences and/or paragraphs were repetitive. This observation applies, to a greater or lesser extent, to

responses on all the topics in this paper. Candidates are therefore reminded of the need to allow time at the

end to check and edit their essay before handing it in.

Oorlog en vrede

Question 4

‘Oorlog is nooit geregverdig nie.’ Wat is jou mening?

A variety of essays was produced in response to this topic. Some were cogently argued and contained a

wide range of advanced vocabulary and structures. The best responses provided a full set of facts and

opinions to argue their standpoint. Many felt that war is never justifiable and that innocent people suffer

because governments make overhasty decisions. Candidates often provided relevant quotes from writers

and statesmen to support their opinions to good effect.

Besoedeling

Question 5

‘Dit help nie om internasionale ooreenkomste oor die beperking van besoedeling in die wêreld te maak nie,

want sommige land ignoreer hierdie reёls.’ Stem jy saam, of glo jy ons moet nog steeds probeer om

besoedeling te bekamp?

This question received a number of excellent responses. Most candidates expressed strong opinions and

demonstrated a good degree of insight into the topic. Many took a stand against countries which ignored

pollution treaties and agreements in their essays. The ideas presented usually flowed logically and relevant

vocabulary and idiom was used to support opinions. Candidates often suggested what action should be

taken and what the consequences would be if their advice was ignored.

© 2014
 Cambridge International Advanced Level

9679 Afrikaans November 2014

Principal Examiner Report for Teachers

AFRIKAANS

Paper 9679/04

Texts

Key message

In order to do well in this examination, candidates should:

• read the question with care and think about what they are asked to do

• plan their answer and organise their material with close attention to the question

• take care to include analysis and argument, and avoid simply retelling the story.

General comments

Candidates generally displayed a good knowledge of the plot, characters and themes of the prescribed texts,

and most were able to contextualise their answers to some degree.

It should be noted that the length of answer required is in the range of 500 to 600 words per essay.

Candidates should read the instructions carefully to ensure that they answer the correct number of

questions. There were a few instances where candidates selected both the extract-based question and the

essay question on the same prescribed work, as two of their total of three answers. The instructions clearly

state that the candidates should answer three different questions on three different texts.

Comments on specific questions

Section 1

Question 1

Na Die Geliefde Land – Karel Schoeman

(a) (i) Most candidates who answered this sub-question of Question 1 (a) were able to distinguish

successfully and discuss shortly Kotie’s and George’s connections to the portraits. For Kotie, the

portraits are a link to her past, a past to which she still feels connected. George, on the other hand,

feels a sense of disconnection from the portraits and the past they represent, even though they

feature his mother and, therefore, a part of his own history.

(ii) There were some strong answers in this section, with candidates examining George’s relationship

with his mother in the light of his relationship, as an exile, to the country his parents left behind.

Other candidates found it challenging to move from discussing the details provided in the extract to

developing a more general argument about George and his mother. It is helpful to bear in mind that

the extract is merely a starting point for discussion, and that the candidates need to develop further

their own arguments using their knowledge of the prescribed work as a whole.

(b) The majority of candidates who selected this question were able to discuss the theme of longing

(‘verlange’) in the novel and apply it to the two groups of people: those who left the country, and

those who stayed behind, though some were able to do so in more detail than others. Some

answers were quite vague. Candidates should be encouraged to select and discuss specific

characters from the two different groups as examples to illustrate their answers and the points they

are making in their discussion.

Question 2

Toorberg – Etienne van Heerden

© 2014
 Cambridge International Advanced Level

9679 Afrikaans November 2014

Principal Examiner Report for Teachers

(a) (i) The candidates generally provided good answers for this sub-question by being able to identify that

the one incident (‘een insident’) mentioned is the death of Druppeltjie in the borehole.

(ii) There were a range of answers to this question, and most showed a solid level of insight. In some

instances there were elements of the candidate simply retelling the main plot of the prescribed

work without moulding the main narrative to suit the question. The intention with this particular

question was that the candidates relate the Moolman/Toorberg story to the idea of the family’s

collective responsibility and wrongdoing over time.

(b) Most of the candidates who chose to answer this question were able to engage confidently with

and discuss at least three characters in the novel who underwent a form of punishment for their

actions.

Question 3

Vatmaar – A.H.M. Scholtz

(a) (i) Most candidates were able to explain that Kenny was sitting by Kaaitjie’s grave, and that she was

the woman that he loved. Due to unfortunate circumstances, he could not be with her when she

gave birth to his child and died.

(ii) Most candidates were able to discuss confidently Kenny and Tant Wonnie’s characters and sense

of morality, using both the extract and the novel as a whole to contextualise their answers. Good

answers mentioned that Kenny and Tant Wonnie are two of the more upstanding characters in the

novel, and excellent answers were able to connect Kenny and Tant Wonnie to the values and

morality of the Vatmaar community as a whole.

(iii) The fact that, in the extract, the community accepts Kenny wholeheartedly as ‘Kaaitjie se man’ after

her death can be used as the start of a larger discussion about the value of being accepted into

such a community. Candidates provided a range of answers to this question, with some solid

discussions of the theme of empathy, and valid interpretations of what it meant to be a member of

the Vatmaar community. Excellent answers could point to the fact that not everyone in Vatmaar

had initially thought that Kenny and Kaaitjie would be a good match, since Kaaitjie was considered

to the ‘unschooled’ and thus not worthy of someone as educated as Kenny – the people of

Vatmaar therefore did not necessarily have uncomplicated reactions to Kaaitjie and Kenny’s

relationship.

(c) There was plenty of scope in this question for candidates to display their knowledge of the text and

female characters, and most answers did this well; some answers focused on women who had

suffered due to the generally inferior position of women in society at this time; other answers

examined the disparity in social situations for white women (particularly Afrikaans women) and the

black and coloured women of Vatmaar.

Section 2

Question 4

Die kwart-voor-sewe-lelie – Eleanor Baker

(a) Good answers to this question discussed and compared the relationships and marriages of Iris’

parents and her two sisters, Elsa and Kara. Elsa has an overly practical and unromantic approach

to her husband, marriage and children; Kara, on the other hand, falls in love and lives with the

Frenchman Claude, does not marry, and has multi-racial children. Candidates should be able to

discuss the fact that Iris recognises the complexities in her sisters’ relationships, as well as the

complexities inherent in her parents’ relationship, and that, as a daydreamer, the reality of such

complexities are not necessarily things she would wish to have herself, hence her uneasy attitude

towards marriage.

(b) A large number of candidates elected to answer this question, and there were some very strong

answers, with candidates able to discuss the role of the Angel in some depth. It should be noted

that the question asked candidates to relate the role of the Angel to Iris’ life; some answers focused

only on the Angel and did not relate him to Iris explicitly.

© 2014
 Cambridge International Advanced Level

9679 Afrikaans November 2014

Principal Examiner Report for Teachers

Question 5

Kringe in ’n Bos – Dalene Matthee

(a) There were excellent answers to this question. Strong answers successfully merged a discussion

of Saul and Kate’s relationship with an explanation of how and why the forest (‘die bos’) provided

such a potent backdrop for their story. Excellent answers were able to explain that the forest was

both the thing that Saul and Kate had in common, and that would tear them apart, but ultimately it

would bring them back together again.

(b) Candidates provided strong answers to this question, with most showing a good knowledge of the

prescribed text and its characters. Candidates should ensure that they follow the question’s

instructions and relate the moral/inner conflict of the three characters directly to the quotation

provided in the question.

Question 6

Raka – N. P. van Wyk Louw

(a) Most of the candidates who chose to answer this question provided well-argued answers that

discussed Koki’s status as both leader and outsider. Excellent answers were able to point to Koki’s

almost prophetic ability to foresee the downfall of the tribe if Raka were to come to power – the fact

that his clarity of vision means that he is the only one who has to potential to keep Raka from

taking over the tribe, and that this means Koki is very much on his own when standing up to Raka.

(b) Candidates who elected to answer this question related the character of Raka to the theme of

‘nature’ in the poem, and the character of Koki to the theme of ‘culture’, which enabled the

candidates to differentiate clearly between the two themes and discuss the clash between nature

and culture in detail.

© 2014