P2.A Section A — Reading Two Non-Fiction Sources
Paper 2 Section A gives you two linked non-fiction or literary non-fiction sources and four questions testing your reading skills across AO1, AO2 and AO3.
The two sources
- Source 1: A contemporary or modern non-fiction text (from 1900 onwards)
- Source 2: A 19th century non-fiction text (pre-1900)
Both sources are linked by a shared theme or subject (e.g. travel, poverty, adventure, social justice, animals, the environment).
Question by question breakdown
| Q | Marks | AO | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 4 | AO1 | List four things from Source A about [topic] |
| Q2 | 8 | AO2 | Analyse how the writer uses language in Source A |
| Q3 | 4 | AO1 | Find differences/similarities between the two sources |
| Q4 | 16 | AO3 | Compare how both writers convey their perspectives |
Approaching Q3 and Q4 with two sources
Q3 (4 marks): Identify and list differences and/or similarities. This is AO1 — retrieval and synthesis. Do NOT analyse — just identify and quote.
Q4 (16 marks): This is the most demanding reading question. You must:
- Compare the two writers' perspectives (their views, attitudes, feelings)
- Explain how they convey these perspectives (language and structural choices)
- Use evidence from both sources throughout
Structure for Q4: alternating paragraphs (Source A vs Source B) or point-by-point comparison. Each paragraph: state the perspective → quote → analyse how language conveys it → compare with the other source.
Reading strategies for non-fiction
- Identify the writer's purpose (to inform, argue, entertain, persuade, describe)
- Identify the audience (general reader, newspaper readers, academic, child)
- Note tone: formal/informal, angry, passionate, ironic, nostalgic, concerned
- Annotate for attitude markers: hyperbole, rhetorical questions, emotive vocabulary, modal verbs
19th century text tips
- Read for gist first — what is the overall argument?
- Note vocabulary that signals attitude: "degraded," "wretched," "sublime," "magnificent"
- Look for rhetorical devices: tricolon, anaphora, appeals to authority, classical allusion
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