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Berlin Abitur English (3rd subject / GK) study materials
Berlin Abitur English (3rd subject / GK) study resources

Berlin Abitur English (3rd subject / GK) practice questions

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Question 1Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

In the Berlin Abitur English exam, what does the task instruction 'Outline the author's line of argument' primarily require?

  1. Reproducing the author's main claims in the order they appear, showing how each supports the next Correct answer.
  2. Comparing the author's position with a second text on the same topic
  3. Evaluating whether the author's reasoning is logically valid and pointing out fallacies
  4. Expressing your own opinion on the issue with supporting examples

Explanation

'Outline' (darstellen) asks for a structured summary of content, and 'line of argument' means the sequence of claims and supporting steps. The candidate reconstructs the reasoning in the text's own logic rather than judging or comparing it. Evaluation, comparison and personal opinion belong to other operators such as 'assess', 'compare' or 'comment'.

Question 2Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A student writes: 'The author uses the metaphor of a wall to show the border between rich and poor.' Which level of analysis does this sentence represent?

  1. Describing the text's structure and paragraph order
  2. Summarising the text's central thesis
  3. Quoting evidence without commentary
  4. Identifying and interpreting a stylistic device in context Correct answer.

Explanation

The sentence names a rhetorical device (metaphor) and explains its function in the text's argument. That combination of naming and interpreting a stylistic means is the core of language analysis. A thesis summary or structural description would not mention the metaphor's meaning.

Question 3Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Which feature most clearly marks a text as an argumentative (non-fictional) article rather than a short story?

  1. A thesis supported by reasons and evidence addressed to a reading public Correct answer.
  2. A first-person narrator who comments on events
  3. A setting described in sensory detail at the opening
  4. Dialogue between named characters that advances a plot

Explanation

Argumentative non-fiction is organised around a claim that the writer defends with reasons and evidence for an audience. Narrative features such as a narrator, dialogue and setting belong to fictional storytelling. Recognising the thesis-and-support structure is therefore the decisive genre signal.

Question 4Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

In a non-fiction text, the function of a 'topic sentence' is best described as:

  1. Introducing the author's biography before the argument begins
  2. Signalling the end of the text and summarising all claims
  3. Stating the main point of a paragraph, which the following sentences develop Correct answer.
  4. Providing a direct quotation to support the previous paragraph

Explanation

A topic sentence announces the controlling idea of its paragraph and is then supported or explained by the sentences that follow. It is a structural device within the body of the text. It does not introduce biographical context or close the whole text.

Question 5Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Read this sentence from an article: 'Not everyone who praises the new policy has read it.' Which inference is best supported?

  1. Most people oppose the policy because they have read it
  2. Nobody who supports the policy understands it
  3. The author has read the policy and therefore supports it
  4. Some supporters of the policy may lack detailed knowledge of its content Correct answer.

Explanation

'Not everyone ... has read it' means at least some supporters have not read the policy, so their support may rest on limited knowledge. The sentence makes a partial claim, not a universal one. It says nothing about opponents or about the author's own position.

Question 6Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Which quotation from a review is evaluative rather than descriptive?

  1. 'The film's pacing is relentless, leaving the audience no room to reflect.' Correct answer.
  2. 'The cast includes three actors from the national theatre.'
  3. 'The director previously made two documentaries.'
  4. 'The film runs for 128 minutes and was shot in Lisbon.'

Explanation

An evaluative statement makes a judgement about quality or effect and usually carries an adjective with attitude ('relentless') plus a consequence. The other options report verifiable facts about length, location, career or cast. Factual reporting is descriptive, not evaluative.

Question 7Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

When a candidate is asked to 'analyse the language' of a non-fiction text, which approach fits the operator best?

  1. Summarise the content paragraph by paragraph
  2. List every adjective in the text without comment
  3. State whether you personally liked the style
  4. Cite specific words and images, name the devices, and explain their effect on the reader Correct answer.

Explanation

Language analysis combines evidence (quotation), terminology (device) and interpretation (effect or function). Simply listing words or summarising content does not analyse. Personal taste is irrelevant to textual analysis in the Abitur.

Question 8Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A text opens: 'We have been told for years that recycling solves our waste problem. The numbers tell a different story.' Which rhetorical strategy is used here?

  1. Conceding a point fully before abandoning the argument
  2. Setting up a common belief in order to challenge it Correct answer.
  3. Addressing the reader directly with a rhetorical question
  4. Citing a scientific study to support a claim

Explanation

The writer first names a widely held assumption ('we have been told') and then signals a contrast ('a different story'), preparing a challenge to that assumption. This contrast structure is a classic argumentative opening. No study is cited and no question is asked.

Question 9Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Which pair correctly matches a text type with its typical dominant function?

  1. Editorial - persuading readers to adopt a position Correct answer.
  2. Travel brochure - proving a scientific hypothesis
  3. Encyclopaedia entry - entertaining readers with anecdotes
  4. Instruction manual - expressing the author's feelings

Explanation

An editorial is opinion journalism whose purpose is to persuade the audience of a stance on an issue. Each other pairing mismatches genre and function. Encyclopaedia entries inform, brochures advertise, and manuals instruct.

Question 10Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

In the sentence 'The government's plan, which critics call reckless, will cost billions', the relative clause functions to:

  1. Provide the main information about the cost of the plan
  2. Embed a critical viewpoint without the writer stating it in the main clause Correct answer.
  3. Define which government is meant
  4. Contradict the claim that the plan will cost billions

Explanation

A non-defining relative clause set off by commas adds supplementary information and can carry an attributed opinion. Here the criticism is placed inside the clause, so the writer reports it while the main clause stays neutral. It does not identify the government or supply the cost figure.

Question 11Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A candidate must 'compare the attitudes of two authors towards social media'. Which structure best meets the operator?

  1. List all statistics from both texts in a table
  2. Present each author's attitude with evidence, then identify similarities and differences explicitly Correct answer.
  3. Summarise the first text fully, then the second, without linking them
  4. Argue that one author is right and the other wrong

Explanation

Comparison requires a common ground: attitudes on both sides are established with evidence and then related through explicit points of convergence and contrast. Sequential summaries without linking do not compare. Judging which author is right belongs to evaluation, not comparison.

Question 12Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Read: 'Cities that invested in cycling lanes saw accident rates fall by a fifth.' Which statement is a valid analytical comment on this sentence?

  1. The writer uses a rhetorical question to involve the reader
  2. The writer concedes that cycle lanes are unpopular
  3. The writer appeals to emotion by describing injured cyclists
  4. The writer uses a statistical comparison to lend authority to the argument for cycle lanes Correct answer.

Explanation

The sentence presents a quantified before-and-after comparison, which functions as evidence supporting a pro-cycling position. Naming the type of evidence and its persuasive purpose is a valid analytical comment. There is no question, no emotional description and no concession.

Question 13Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

What distinguishes 'skimming' from 'scanning' as reading strategies in the exam?

  1. Skimming means translating; scanning means summarising
  2. Skimming gives a rapid overview of gist; scanning searches for a specific detail Correct answer.
  3. Skimming is used only for fiction; scanning only for non-fiction
  4. Skimming reads every word closely; scanning reads only headings

Explanation

Skimming is fast reading for the general idea, while scanning moves the eyes quickly to locate a particular piece of information such as a date or name. Both are selective strategies and are not tied to a genre. Neither equals close reading or translation.

Question 14Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

An author writes: 'Of course, critics will say the reforms are too expensive.' What is the rhetorical effect of 'Of course' here?

  1. It marks the text's conclusion
  2. It introduces a statistical fact
  3. It presents the anticipated objection as predictable, weakening its force Correct answer.
  4. It signals genuine agreement with the critics

Explanation

By framing the objection as obvious or expected, the writer makes it sound familiar and therefore easier to dismiss. This is a common pre-emptive move in argumentative texts. The phrase does not concede agreement, cite data or close the text.

Question 15Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Which sentence uses a concessive structure to strengthen an argument?

  1. Although the scheme is costly, it will save money in the long term Correct answer.
  2. The scheme is costly; moreover, it is unpopular
  3. Because the scheme is costly, nobody supports it
  4. The scheme is costly and will therefore be rejected

Explanation

A concessive clause admits a drawback ('although costly') before the main clause asserts a counterbalancing benefit. Conceding a weakness and then overriding it makes the argument appear balanced and harder to attack. The other sentences simply add or assert negatives.

Question 16Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A text describes a character's 'carefully careless' handwriting. What is the effect of this oxymoron?

  1. It indicates the character's age
  2. It introduces a comic subplot
  3. It states plainly that the handwriting is illegible
  4. It suggests an effort to appear spontaneous, revealing contrivance Correct answer.

Explanation

An oxymoron yokes contradictory terms to create a compressed paradox. 'Carefully careless' implies deliberate cultivation of a casual impression, exposing artifice. It is an interpretive effect, not a literal statement about legibility, age or plot.

Question 17Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Which task wording asks the candidate to relate a text to their own knowledge and reach a judgement?

  1. 'Discuss whether the author's proposal is realistic.' Correct answer.
  2. 'Quote the sentences in which the proposal appears.'
  3. 'Describe the author's proposal.'
  4. 'Translate the proposal into German.'

Explanation

'Discuss whether ... is realistic' requires weighing the proposal against real-world conditions and arriving at a reasoned judgement. Description, quotation and translation remain tied to the text. The evaluative element is what marks discussion.

Question 18Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

An article states: 'The report, funded by the industry it examines, found no problems.' What does the writer imply?

  1. The report's conclusions may be compromised by its funding source Correct answer.
  2. The report is reliable because it was professionally funded
  3. The industry has solved all its problems
  4. The report examined funding rather than industry practice

Explanation

By juxtaposing the funding source with the convenient finding, the writer invites the reader to question the report's independence. The implication is carried by the contrast, not stated outright. Nothing suggests reliability, and the subject of the report is the industry's practice.

Question 19Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Which feature best distinguishes a 'broadsheet' editorial from a 'tabloid' news report in terms of register?

  1. A more formal, complex register with hedged argumentation Correct answer.
  2. A register that avoids all figurative language
  3. A register consisting only of direct speech
  4. A shorter register with no adjectives

Explanation

Editorials in quality papers typically use a formal, elaborate register and hedge claims to appear measured. Tabloid news often favours direct, emotive and simpler phrasing. Register involves lexical and syntactic choices, not the mere presence or absence of adjectives or figures.

Question 20Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Read: 'Silence. Then the murmur of the crowd, the shuffle of feet, a single cough.' Which effect does this sentence create?

  1. It summarises the preceding paragraph
  2. It builds tension through fragmented sensory detail Correct answer.
  3. It provides statistical evidence for the argument
  4. It states the author's opinion directly

Explanation

Short fragments and concrete auditory images slow the pace and create a sense of anticipation. The listing of small sounds after 'Silence' heightens attention, a narrative technique. No data, summary or explicit opinion is involved.

Question 21Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A candidate claims: 'The author is biased because he uses the word "obviously".' Which criticism of this reasoning is most valid?

  1. The word 'obviously' is never used in argumentative texts
  2. Bias can only be shown by false statistics
  3. The author cannot be biased if he cites any evidence
  4. One word alone rarely proves bias; the claim needs analysis of how the word functions in context Correct answer.

Explanation

Bias claims require contextual analysis of patterns and effects, not a single lexical item. 'Obviously' can signal an unsupported assumption, but the candidate must show how it works in the passage. The other objections are absolute and therefore unsound.

Question 22Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Two texts criticise consumerism. Text A uses irony, Text B uses statistics and moral appeal. Which statement best captures the analytical difference?

  1. Text A is fictional and Text B is non-fictional
  2. Text A relies on the reader inferring the critique, while Text B makes the critique explicit through evidence and values Correct answer.
  3. Text A addresses experts only, Text B the general public
  4. Text A has no argument while Text B does

Explanation

Irony conveys criticism indirectly, requiring the reader to infer the intended meaning, whereas statistics and moral appeal state the case openly. Both texts argue, so the contrast lies in mode of persuasion. Genre and audience are not established by the information given.

Question 23Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A text argues: 'Either we ban cars from the centre or our children will keep breathing toxic air.' Which logical weakness does this contain?

  1. An appeal to authority without evidence
  2. A false dilemma that excludes other possible measures Correct answer.
  3. A hasty generalisation from a single case
  4. A circular argument that repeats its premise

Explanation

The sentence presents two options as the only possibilities, although other policies (low-emission zones, public transport investment) exist. This is the false dilemma or either-or fallacy. The argument does not repeat itself, cite an authority or generalise from one instance.

Question 24Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

In analysing a political speech, why is attention to pronouns such as 'we' and 'they' analytically productive?

  1. They indicate the speech's length and structure
  2. They reveal the speaker's level of education
  3. They construct in-groups and out-groups, shaping how the audience identifies with the speaker's position Correct answer.
  4. They prove the factual accuracy of the claims

Explanation

Pronoun choice is a well-established resource for building alignment: inclusive 'we' invites solidarity, while 'they' can distance or blame a group. Analysing this construction shows how the audience is positioned. Pronouns say nothing about education, length or factual truth.

Question 25Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A candidate must analyse how a text's structure supports its argument. Which observation is the strongest?

  1. The text has five paragraphs of unequal length
  2. The text contains several quotations from experts
  3. The text uses British spelling throughout
  4. The text moves from a personal anecdote to general data to a call to action, drawing the reader from empathy to obligation Correct answer.

Explanation

Structural analysis must connect the arrangement of parts to rhetorical purpose. Tracing a movement from anecdote through data to appeal shows how the reader is led towards a conclusion. Paragraph counts, quotations or spelling are features without an argued function.

Question 26Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

In the Abitur task wording 'Erläutern Sie die Haltung der Autorin zur Digitalisierung', which reading step must come before you can state the attitude?

  1. Collecting the passages in which the author evaluates digital developments and marking their tone Correct answer.
  2. Memorising the biographical data given in the source line above the text
  3. Translating every sentence of the text into German before forming an opinion
  4. Counting how often the word 'digital' appears in the text to measure emphasis

Explanation

Attitude (Haltung) is only visible where the author evaluates, so the candidate must first locate evaluative passages and identify tone markers such as adjectives, irony or hedging. The operator 'erläutern' then requires explaining that attitude with textual evidence, not just naming it.

Question 27Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A non-fiction text contains the sentence: 'Investment in public transport has risen steadily since 2010.' How should this sentence best be classified in a text analysis?

  1. As an ironic remark whose real meaning is the opposite of what is written
  2. As an evaluative claim expressing the author's approval of the policy
  3. As a factual statement that can support an argument but carries no explicit stance Correct answer.
  4. As a rhetorical question inviting the reader to reflect on the figures

Explanation

The sentence reports a measurable development without evaluative adjectives, so it functions as a factual statement that may serve as evidence. A stance becomes explicit only when the author adds judgement words such as 'worryingly' or 'impressively'.

Question 28Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Which reading strategy is most appropriate when the task asks you to find the three arguments the author gives against a proposed law?

  1. Skimming for the overall gist and ignoring paragraph boundaries
  2. Reading the whole text slowly and translating each paragraph in writing
  3. Scanning for argumentative signal words such as 'first', 'moreover' and 'therefore' to locate the argument structure Correct answer.
  4. Reading only the first and last sentences of the text and inferring the rest

Explanation

Locating a defined set of arguments requires scanning for structural markers that announce argumentative steps, which is faster and more reliable than uniform slow reading. Skimming gives the gist but does not reliably isolate each argument.

Question 29Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A text begins: 'Every year, thousands of tonnes of food are thrown away while people go hungry.' Which function does this opening sentence primarily serve?

  1. It provides a balanced overview of competing research positions
  2. It defines a technical term that the rest of the text will explain
  3. It summarises the conclusion the author will defend in the final paragraph
  4. It establishes a striking contrast that frames the problem and appeals to the reader's sense of injustice Correct answer.

Explanation

The juxtaposition of waste and hunger creates a contrast that immediately frames the issue as a moral problem and engages the reader emotionally. Such openings typically set the agenda rather than summarise findings or define terms.

Question 30Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

In the sentence 'The minister, having promised transparency, refused to publish the report', what is the function of the participial phrase 'having promised transparency'?

  1. It marks the sentence as a conditional statement
  2. It supplies background information that highlights the minister's inconsistency Correct answer.
  3. It addresses the reader directly and asks for agreement
  4. It states the main action of the sentence

Explanation

The participle clause is subordinate and adds background about an earlier promise, which sharpens the contrast with the refusal in the main clause. The main action is carried by 'refused', so the phrase is circumstantial and evaluative in effect.

Question 31Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Which feature typically distinguishes a comment piece (Kommentar) from a neutral news report in an English-language newspaper?

  1. The comment piece uses first-person stance markers and evaluative adjectives Correct answer.
  2. The comment piece is always shorter than a news report
  3. The comment piece avoids all forms of evidence and quotation
  4. The comment piece uses only the present tense throughout

Explanation

Comment pieces are defined by explicit stance-taking, which surfaces in evaluative adjectives and first-person or collective pronouns. News reports aim at apparent neutrality and attribute opinions to sources rather than adopting them.

Question 32Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A candidate writes: 'The author uses many long sentences, which shows that the text is difficult.' Why is this analysis weak?

  1. It ignores the publication date of the article
  2. It relies on the author's biography instead of the text itself
  3. It confuses the length of the text with the length of its sentences
  4. It treats a stylistic observation as automatically producing a reader effect without evidence from the text Correct answer.

Explanation

Naming a feature is only the first step; analysis must show how that feature creates a specific effect in context. Claiming difficulty from sentence length alone substitutes an assumption for textual evidence.

Question 33Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

In an Abitur comprehension task, what does the operator 'summarise' (zusammenfassen) require you to do?

  1. Compare the text with a second text on the same topic
  2. Evaluate the author's argument and state whether you agree
  3. Quote the most important sentences verbatim in the order they appear
  4. Reproduce the text's key content in condensed form using your own words Correct answer.

Explanation

Summarising means reducing the content to its central points and rendering them in the candidate's own words, without evaluation. Evaluation and comparison belong to different operators such as 'assess' or 'compare'.

Question 34Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Read: 'The company says its new app will revolutionise learning. Teachers, however, remain sceptical.' What is the function of 'however' in this pair of sentences?

  1. It marks the second sentence as a direct quotation
  2. It introduces the cause of the company's decision
  3. It adds a further example supporting the company's claim
  4. It signals a contrast between the company's claim and the teachers' reaction Correct answer.

Explanation

The connective 'however' marks an adversative relation, setting the teachers' scepticism against the company's promotional claim. Recognising such connectives is central to tracing how a text positions different voices.

Question 35Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A text states: 'The study, commissioned by the airline industry, concludes that flying is greener than rail.' Which reading of this sentence is analytically sound?

  1. The sentence is a neutral report with no implied evaluation
  2. The sentence shows that the author supports the airline industry
  3. The mention of the funding source invites the reader to question the study's independence Correct answer.
  4. The sentence proves that the study's findings are false

Explanation

Naming the commissioning body creates an implicit scepticism about bias without the author asserting falsity. Skilled analysis distinguishes this implied criticism from an outright claim that the study is wrong.

Question 36Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Which sentence uses a rhetorical question to challenge a widely held assumption?

  1. Is the museum open on Sundays?
  2. What time does the conference begin?
  3. Can anyone seriously believe that banning plastic bags will save the oceans? Correct answer.
  4. Could you send me the report by Friday?

Explanation

A rhetorical question expects no answer and steers the reader towards the implied response, here scepticism about a common belief. Genuine information questions seek an answer and therefore serve a different function.

Question 37Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A candidate must analyse how a writer creates an ironic tone. Which observation would best support this analysis?

  1. The writer praises a policy in exaggerated terms while listing its obvious failures Correct answer.
  2. The writer addresses the reader as 'you' twice in the introduction
  3. The writer uses many numbers and statistics throughout the paragraph
  4. The writer writes in the passive voice in several sentences

Explanation

Irony arises when the literal meaning clashes with the implied one, typically through overstated praise set against evident failures. The other observations name features that do not in themselves produce irony.

Question 38Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

In the sentence 'Not only did the scheme cut costs, but it also reduced waiting times', which effect does the inverted 'Not only' construction achieve?

  1. It weakens the second clause by making it seem optional
  2. It turns the sentence into a conditional statement
  3. It foregrounds the first benefit and builds towards the second, adding emphasis Correct answer.
  4. It marks the sentence as reported speech

Explanation

Fronting 'not only' with inversion gives the first clause prominence and sets up the second as an additional, climactic benefit. The construction is emphatic and cumulative rather than conditional.

Question 39Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A text says: 'Young people today are glued to their screens.' Which analytical comment best describes this phrasing?

  1. The simile compares young people favourably with earlier generations
  2. The hyperbole is neutral and merely reports a statistical trend
  3. The metaphor presents screen use as an inability to disengage, carrying a critical undertone Correct answer.
  4. The euphemism softens a harsh criticism of technology companies

Explanation

'Glued to' is a metaphor implying that users cannot detach themselves, which frames the behaviour negatively. Identifying the device is only the start; the analysis must name the evaluative effect it produces.

Question 40Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

When a task asks you to 'analyse the structure' of an argumentative article, which aspect should you focus on?

  1. The sequence of moves, such as problem statement, evidence, counter-argument and conclusion, and how they build the case Correct answer.
  2. The author's use of British versus American spelling
  3. The font and layout of the printed text
  4. The number of paragraphs and their average length

Explanation

Structural analysis traces how the text is organised rhetorically, for example how a counter-argument is introduced and then rebutted. Counting paragraphs or noting spelling describes surface features without explaining argumentative function.

Question 41Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A text reads: 'The council has promised to plant a thousand trees. It has also approved the felling of an ancient woodland.' What is the effect of placing these sentences side by side without comment?

  1. It proves that the council's tree-planting policy is technically impossible
  2. It signals that the second sentence is less important than the first
  3. It shows that the author has no opinion on the matter
  4. It creates a contradiction that the reader is invited to notice, producing implicit criticism Correct answer.

Explanation

Juxtaposing contradictory actions without explicit comment invites the reader to draw the critical conclusion, a technique known as implicature. The absence of authorial comment is itself a rhetorical choice rather than neutrality.

Question 42Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Which sentence best demonstrates an appeal to the reader's emotions (pathos) rather than to logic?

  1. The policy has been evaluated in two independent reviews.
  2. The study surveyed 4,000 households across three regions.
  3. Think of the children who wake up each morning unable to breathe clean air. Correct answer.
  4. According to the WHO, air pollution causes seven million premature deaths annually.

Explanation

The imperative 'Think of' directs the reader to imagine suffering, which works through emotional identification rather than evidence. The other options cite data or research and therefore appeal primarily to reason.

Question 43Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A candidate must write a text-based composition (Textaufgabe) analysing how a newspaper article persuades its readers. Which opening is most appropriate?

  1. A brief statement identifying the text, its central claim and the persuasive strategies to be examined Correct answer.
  2. A personal anecdote about the candidate's own experience with the topic
  3. A list of every adjective used in the article
  4. A summary of the article's publication history

Explanation

An analytical composition should open by situating the text and announcing the analytical focus, which gives the reader a roadmap. Personal anecdotes and inventories of features do not establish an analytical thesis.

Question 44Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Read: 'The report was praised by ministers, welcomed by industry and, quietly, buried by the committee that commissioned it.' What does the final clause contribute?

  1. It repeats the first clause in different words
  2. It confirms that the report received broad support
  3. It introduces a critical twist by revealing that the commissioning body suppressed the report Correct answer.
  4. It explains the technical methodology of the report

Explanation

The adverb 'quietly' and the verb 'buried' reverse the positive framing of the first clauses, exposing hypocrisy. Such end-weighting is a common device for delivering an ironic sting.

Question 45Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A text argues: 'Either we invest in renewable energy now or our economy will collapse within a decade.' Which logical weakness does this argument display?

  1. It generalises from a single anecdotal example
  2. It circularly assumes what it sets out to prove
  3. It relies on an irrelevant personal attack on its opponents
  4. It presents only two options as if no middle course existed Correct answer.

Explanation

The 'either...or' construction is a false dilemma: it excludes other possible responses such as gradual transition or combined strategies. Naming this fallacy allows the candidate to evaluate the argument's persuasive force critically.

Question 46Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A text states: 'We must act now. The planet cannot wait.' Which feature most strongly creates a sense of urgency?

  1. Short sentences and the modal 'must' combined with personification of the planet Correct answer.
  2. The use of the passive voice
  3. The use of technical vocabulary from climate science
  4. The presence of a subordinate clause at the start

Explanation

The clipped sentences accelerate the rhythm, 'must' conveys obligation and the personified planet 'waiting' dramatises the stakes. Together these devices construct urgency more effectively than any single feature.

Question 47Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

Two texts discuss globalisation. Text A uses statistical evidence and a measured tone; Text B uses vivid imagery and direct address. Which statement best captures the difference in their persuasive strategies?

  1. Text A is objective and therefore unbiased, while Text B is biased and therefore unreliable
  2. Text B is more persuasive because emotional language always convinces readers more effectively
  3. Both texts use identical strategies but differ only in length
  4. Text A appeals mainly to reason through evidence, while Text B appeals mainly to emotion through identification with the reader Correct answer.

Explanation

The contrast lies in the dominant rhetorical mode: evidential reasoning versus emotional engagement. Neither mode is inherently more truthful; the analytical task is to describe how each seeks to persuade.

Question 48Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A candidate writes: 'The author uses the passive voice, which makes the text more formal.' Which revision turns this into genuine stylistic analysis?

  1. By writing 'mistakes were made', the author avoids naming those responsible, which protects the institution from blame. Correct answer.
  2. The passive voice is a grammatical construction found in many languages.
  3. The author uses the passive voice in three paragraphs.
  4. The author uses the passive voice because formal texts usually do.

Explanation

Genuine stylistic analysis links a specific linguistic choice to a specific effect in context, here the concealment of agency. Naming the feature or citing a general convention does not explain its function in this text.

Question 49Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

A text's final paragraph reads: 'Perhaps, then, the question is not whether we can afford to act, but whether we can afford not to.' What is the rhetorical function of this closing?

  1. It introduces new statistical evidence to support the thesis
  2. It reframes the debate by reversing the terms of the question, leaving the reader with a challenge Correct answer.
  3. It summarises the article's methodology in neutral terms
  4. It concedes that the author's opponents have won the argument

Explanation

The 'not whether... but whether' construction inverts the cost argument, turning the opponent's premise against them and ending on a provocative note. This is a reframing move typical of effective conclusions.

Question 50Reading and text comprehension (Leseverstehen / Textanalyse)

In a political speech, the speaker repeatedly shifts between 'we' and 'they'. Why is analysing this pronoun pattern analytically productive?

  1. It indicates that the speech was translated from another language
  2. It reveals how the speaker constructs in-group solidarity and out-group distance, shaping the audience's alignment Correct answer.
  3. It proves that the speaker is uncertain about the facts
  4. It shows which grammatical person the speaker prefers stylistically

Explanation

Pronoun choices are a primary means of constructing identity and opposition, binding the audience into 'we' while casting opponents as 'they'. This makes them a productive focus for analysing how a speech positions its listeners.