Cambridge International A Level

CHINESE 9715/43
Paper 4 Texts October/November 2021
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 75

Published

This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.

Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for
Teachers.

Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.

Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the October/November 2021 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE™, Cambridge International A and AS Level components and some Cambridge O Level
components.

This document consists of 4 printed pages.

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9715/43 Cambridge International A Level – Mark Scheme October/November
PUBLISHED 2021

Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers.
They should be applied alongside the specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors
for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit
is given for valid answers which go beyond the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme,
referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
• marks are not deducted for errors
• marks are not deducted for omissions
• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these
features are specifically assessed by the question as indicated by the mark scheme. The
meaning, however, should be unambiguous.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed
instructions or in the application of generic level descriptors.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question
(however; the use of the full mark range may be limited according to the quality of the candidate
responses seen).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should
not be awarded with grade thresholds or grade descriptors in mind.

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Candidates will write their answers in the target language. Examiners will look for a candidate's ability
to communicate effectively and will ignore linguistic errors, which do not impede communication.

Passage based questions: Examiners should consider the extent to which candidates have been able
to identify the significant issues raised in the passage and, where appropriate, have applied these to
the text as a whole. The passage is a stimulus passage, to be used as a springboard to give
candidates a starting point for their answer. Examiners should allow candidates to use the passage as
they choose, and ask themselves how successfully the candidates have manipulated their material
and to what extent they have shown depth of awareness and knowledge of the workings of the text
under discussion. This is not an exercise in literary criticism: Examiners should reward candidates
whose answers show good understanding of how a text works and how an author has conveyed the
key issues.

Essay questions: a prime consideration is that candidates show detailed knowledge and
understanding of the text.

Extracts from Examiners' Notes

This paper is intended to test candidates' knowledge of a text and their ability to use this knowledge to
answer questions in a clear and focused manner. A sophisticated literary approach is not expected
(though at the highest levels it is sometimes seen), but great value is placed on evidence of a
firsthand response and thoughtful, personal evaluation of what candidates have read. Candidates
may have been encouraged to depend closely on prepared notes and quotations: quotation for its
own sake is not useful, though it will not be undervalued if used appropriately to illustrate a point in
the answer.

Candidates do not tend to show all the qualities or faults described in any one mark-band. Examiners
attempt to weigh all these up at every borderline, in order to see whether the work can be considered
for the category above. At the lower levels, the answer may mention a few 'facts' but these may be so
poorly understood, badly organised and irrelevant that it falls into category 10–11; or there may be
just enough sense of understanding and focus for the Examiner to consider the 12–13 band. Again, at
a higher level, an answer may be clear, solid and conscientious (perhaps 18–19), without showing
quite the control and attention to perceptively chosen detail which would justify 20 or more.

Examiners take a positive and flexible approach and, even when there are obvious flaws in an
answer, reward evidence of knowledge and especially any signs of understanding and careful
organisation.

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Candidates are expected to write 600–800 characters for each of their answers. Candidates who write
more than 800 characters cannot be placed higher than the 16–17 category in the mark scheme.

Marks Description

22–25 Exceptional work. Excellent ability to organise material, thorough knowledge,

considerable sensitivity to language and to author’s intentions, understanding of some
literary techniques. Really articulate and intelligent answers should be considered in this
band even if there are still flaws and omissions.

20–21 Very good. Close attention to detail of passages, controlled structure, perceptive use of
illustration, good insight when discussing characters. Ability to look beyond the
immediate material and to show some understanding of author’s intentions and of
underlying themes.

18–19 Thoroughly solid and relevant work. Candidate does not simply reproduce information:
can discuss and evaluate material and come to clear conclusion. Good focus on
passages. Some limitations of insight but coherent, detailed approach and aptly chosen
illustrations.

16–17 Painstaking. Sound knowledge of texts; mainly relevant. Some attempt to analyse and
compare, some sense of understanding. Possibly not in full control of material; solid but
indiscriminate. Many very conscientious candidates fall into this category: they tend to
write far too much as they are reluctant to leave out anything they have learnt. Focused,
coherent essays which lack really solid detail but convey a good understanding of the
text should also be considered for this band.

14–15 Fair relevance and knowledge. Better organised than work in the 12–13 band: the
candidate probably understands the demands of the question without being able to
develop a very thorough response. Still a fairly simple, black and white approach. Some
narrative and ‘learnt’ material but better control and focus than work in the 12–13 band.
Many candidates probably fall into this category.

12–13 Sound, if simple and superficial, knowledge of plot and characters. Makes assertions
without being able to illustrate or develop points. Probably still too dependent on
narrative and memorised oddments but there may be a visible attempt to relate these to
the question. Can extract one or two relevant points from a set passage.

10–11 Some very basic material but not much sense of understanding or ability to answer
question. The candidate rarely reads the set passage but uses it as a springboard for
storytelling and memorised bits and pieces about characters. Very general, unspecific
approach. Random, bitty structure. Signs of organisation and relevance should be looked
for in case the answer can be considered for a mark in the 12–13 band.

6–9 Marginally more knowledge here than in the 0–5 band. The candidate may have read the
text but is probably unable to see beyond the barest bones of the plot or half-
remembered notes. Insubstantial; very little relevance. The candidate may have
problems with the language and will be unable to express ideas comprehensibly.

0–5 No discernible material. Often very inadequate language. Marks in this section are
awarded almost on the basis of quantity: up to 3 for a sentence or two showing a glimpse
of knowledge, 4 or 5 where there is also a hint of relevance to the question. It is possible
for a candidate to write a whole page demonstrating no knowledge at all (have they read
the book?), or only misunderstood background facts or very vague general remarks
unrelated to either text or question.

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