Question 6: Model Answer (Edexcel GCSE English Language)

In Text 2, the writer successfully attempts to show the importance of helping out, but it does depend on the circumstance, as the accepted procedure when filming wildlife is normally to let nature take its course. He therefore also explores wider attitudes towards helping out in the context of making natural history programmes. [Marking comment]

Initially, the writer suggests that intervening to help wildlife when making nature documentaries is something that is frowned upon. He says that the BBC’s Natural History unit were forced to defend the camera crew who “the broke the golden rule” of film-making. The use of the definite article “the” here suggests that the rule is incredibly important for film crews, and breaking it might be a concern. [Marking comment] Even the use of the first quote from Sir David Attenborough suggests that helping out is not the norm in these situations, as film crews are trained to be a “non-participant” which is “very important”. However, by showing that this is not normal behaviour, the writer highlights the importance of helping out on this occasion, as the camera crew’s actions stopped the penguins from “freezing to death with their chicks”. The placement of this point in the first paragraph skilfully emphasises the importance of helping out in this circumstance. [Marking comment]

The writer continues to focus on the idea that film crews should not help out, which is useful to help the reader understand why it is so significant and unusual when it does happen. [Marking comment] The writer contrasts the negative views of intervention with the unanimous agreement that saving the penguins was the right thing to do. Reader confidence in the merits of helping out is therefore increased through the use of expert views, such as Mike Gunton’s, who says that there are “always exceptions to the rule”. The triplet “you don’t interfere, you can’t interfere, you wouldn’t interfere” emphasises the idea that humans should not do anything to change the course of nature, but he also highlights that this is a “very unusual situation”. [Marking comment] He defends the film crew’s actions because in this “particular situation”, none of the reasons why helping out would be a bad idea applied. This is reinforced by returning to Sir David as a well-known authority on the subject, who said he “would have done the same thing” and “supported what we did”. Ultimately, both he and the Antarctic authorities “thought it was the right thing to do”.

The writer continues to encourage support for the importance of helping out in certain circumstances effectively through the use of emotive language, such as “moved to tears” and “starving to death” to convey the passion people have for the wildlife they observe. [Marking comment] According to the quote from another expert, Alastair Fothergill, those who make wildlife films “couldn’t help being emotionally attached”, but recognise the natural order of things, such as a hunt or starvation when food is scarce (in the case of the elephant). [Marking comment] However, the fact that the text ends on Fothergill’s support that the situation with the penguins was “pretty unique” and the “exception that proves the rule” successfully helps the reader to discriminate between a situation where it was acceptable to help out, such as with the penguins, and when people should just let nature take its course, such as with the cheetah and the hyenas. The writer therefore effectively explores the importance of circumstance when deciding whether or not to intervene, rather than just supporting the idea of helping out in any situation. [Marking comment]

Overall, the writer is successful in showing the importance of helping out when there is a genuine need and when that help does not interfere with the natural order of things. The use of experts and a household name like Sir David Attenborough reassures the reader that the “golden rule” can, and should, sometimes be broken, as it is the right thing to do when seen in the limited context of wildlife filming. [Marking comment]

• The response effectively evaluates ideas, events, themes or settings

• The evaluation is sustained over the whole of the text

• The response provides a critical overview and judgement about the text

• Each quote or textual reference is relevant and clarifies the points being made