Skip to main contentCambridge University Reporter

No 6403

Wednesday 11 November 2015

Vol cxlvi No 8

pp. 115–157

Form and conduct of examinations, 2016

Notices by Faculty Boards, or other bodies concerned, of changes to the form and conduct of certain examinations to be held in 2016, by comparison with those examinations in 2015, are published below. Complete details of the form and conduct of all examinations are available from the Faculties or Departments concerned.

Rules for the guidance of candidates and for the prevention of misconduct in examinations

The Board of Examinations give notice that they have amended the rules for the guidance of candidates and for the prevention of misconduct in examinations (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 123) as follows:

By amending rule 3:

3. A candidate may take a small bottle of non-carbonated drink to her or his desk for consumption during an examination session provided that no disturbance is thereby caused to other candidates. Except with the written consent of the Secretary of the Board of Examinations no food or other items of drink may be taken into an examination room; cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and the like are also prohibited from all examination venues. A Supervisor, Invigilator, or Examiner has authority to deprive a candidate of unauthorized items until the examination session is ended.

Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Tripos, Parts Ia, Ib, and II, 2016

The Faculty Board of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies give notice that, with effect from the examinations to be held in 2016, the form of examination for the following papers of the Asian and Middle Eastern Studies Tripos will be as specified below:

Part Ia

C.3 Literary Chinese 1

This paper is divided into three sections, all of which must be attempted. Section 1 contains passages in literary Chinese for translation into English. Section 2 contains sentences in literary Chinese for translation into English; candidates will also be asked to comment on the grammar of the sentences. Section 3 contains passages from cognate texts in English for comment.

J.2 Japanese grammar and translation

This paper will consist of two sections. In Section A candidates are required to answer questions that test their knowledge of Japanese grammar. In Section B candidates are required: (1) to answer in Japanese and/or in English questions on one unseen text in Japanese and translate part of the text into English; and (2) to produce a guided composition in Japanese.

MES.2 Elementary Arabic language B

This paper consists of two sections: a one-and-a-half-hour written examination (50 marks) and an oral examination (50 marks).

The written examination will contain one writing task in Arabic from a choice of tasks (30 marks) and a translation from English into Arabic (20 marks).

The oral examination will consist of three sections:

(a)listening comprehension (20 marks);

(b)a role play (15 marks);

(c)a discussion (15 marks).

Sections (b) and (c) together will last ten minutes. All timings are approximate and all oral examinations are recorded.

MES.3 Elementary Persian language

This paper will consist of two parts: an oral examination (30 marks) and a written paper (70 marks). The written paper will consist of three sections: Section A will contain passages of Persian for translation into English (20 marks), Section B will contain a choice of topics for a composition of approximately 100 words in Persian (20 marks), and Section C will contain questions on Persian grammar (30 marks).

The oral examination will consist of three sections:

(a)dictation (10 marks);

(b)a presentation (10 marks);

(c)a role play (10 marks).

Part Ib

C.6 Literary Chinese 2

This paper contains three sections, all of which must be attempted. Section 1 contains one or more passages from seen texts in literary Chinese for translation into English. Candidates may be asked to comment on the texts in question. Section 2 contains unseen texts for translation into English. Section 3 is a comprehensive reading exercise. Candidates are asked to answer questions, in English, on one or more unseen texts. Candidates will be allowed to use copies of the dictionaries provided.

J.8 Japanese literary modernity

This paper consists of ten essay questions of which candidates will be required to attempt three.

MES.16 Hebrew literature (special topics)

This paper will be divided into two sections. Section A will contain four questions on modern Hebrew texts and Section B will contain four questions on medieval Hebrew texts. Candidates will pick one section from which they must answer all four questions. The questions carry equal marks, which are divided equally between translation and comment.

MES.18 Topics in Hebrew studies

This paper will be divided into two sections. Section A will contain four questions on pre-modern Jewish literature and Section B will contain four questions on modern Hebrew culture. Candidates must answer two questions from Section A and two questions from Section B. All questions will carry equal marks.

Part II

C.13 Literary Chinese 3

This paper contains three sections, all of which must be attempted. Section 1 contains one or more passages from seen texts in literary Chinese for translation into English. Candidates may be asked to comment on the texts in question. Section 2 contains unseen texts for translation into English. Section 3 is a comprehensive reading exercise. Candidates are asked to answer questions, in English, on one or more unseen texts. Candidates will be allowed to use copies of Chinese–Chinese dictionaries provided.

J.11 Modern Japanese 3

The paper will consist of three questions: (1) a short unseen passage for translation from English into Japanese; (2) an unseen Japanese text to be summarized in Japanese; candidates will also be asked to answer in Japanese questions based on the text; and (3) a short composition in Japanese. Candidates will be required to attempt all three questions.

J.O Japanese oral

(a)Listening comprehension: candidates will listen to a selection of recorded passages of Japanese and answer questions in Japanese and/or in English;

(b)Oral précis: candidates will prepare a passage in English with the aid of dictionaries, the content of which will be summarized in Japanese before the examiners. A short conversation in Japanese on the topic may follow;

(c)Speech: candidates will be asked to give an oral presentation based on an essay in Japanese that the students have worked on over two terms. The speech itself should last no more than ten minutes; notes are allowed but the speech must not be read aloud from a pre-written text. A short conversation may follow.

MES.32 Advanced Persian language

The examination consists of two parts, a three-hour written examination (70 marks) and an oral examination which is taken at the end of the fourth year (30 marks). The written examination consists of three sections. Section A consists of one reading comprehension passage in Persian on which candidates will be required to answer questions in Persian (15 marks). Section B consists of two unseen passages of modern Persian for translation into English (15 marks each). Section C consists of three topics for an essay of about 400 words in Persian, of which one must be attempted (25 marks). All sections must be attempted.

The oral examination consists of three sections. All timings are approximate and all oral examinations are recorded.

(a)Liaison interpreting: Candidates act as an interpreter for two examiners, one speaking Persian and one English (10 marks: 10 minutes);

(b)Listening comprehension: Candidates listen to a short passage and answer oral questions about it (10 marks: 10 minutes);

(c)Discussion: Candidates discuss one topic selected at the time of the examination from a list of three, chosen and provided previously by themselves (10 marks: 20 minutes).

MES.33 Advanced Hebrew language

The paper will be divided into two sections, at least one of which must be answered. Section A (pre-modern Hebrew) will contain three questions on Hebrew language and two questions on specified texts. Section B (modern Hebrew) will contain two questions on Hebrew language, two questions on specified texts, and an oral. Candidates offering one section only must answer all questions. Candidates studying both pre-modern Hebrew and modern Hebrew must offer one language question and one specified text question from Section A and one language question, one specified text question from Section B, and an oral. Each question, including the oral, is worth 20 marks.

The oral will consist of:

(a)translation and interpretation test (5 marks);

(b)listening comprehension test (5 marks);

(c)general oral ability test (10 marks).

MES.36 Advanced literary Hebrew

This paper will be divided into two sections. Section A will contain eight questions on modern Hebrew literature and Section B will contain eight questions on ancient/medieval Jewish literature. Candidates must choose one section and answer four questions from the section of their choice. All questions will carry equal marks.

All other papers remain unchanged.

Linguistics Tripos, Parts IIa and IIb, 2016

The Faculty Board of Modern and Medieval Languages give notice that, with effect from the examination to be held in 2016, the form of the examination for the following papers for the Linguistics Tripos will be as specified below.

SECTION C

Paper 12. History of ideas on language (also serves as Paper O1 of Part II of the Classical Tripos and Paper Li.12 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos)

Candidates will be required to answer three questions, including at least one from each section. Candidates may not use substantially the same material in more than one answer.

Paper 13. History of the English language (also serves as Paper 15(b) of Part II of the Anglo Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos, Paper Li.13 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos, and as Paper 43B of Part II of the English Tripos)

Candidates at Part IIa will be required to answer any three questions. Candidates at Part IIb will be required to answer three questions, including at least one from each section. Candidates may not use substantially the same material in more than one answer.

All other papers remain unchanged.

Music Tripos, Parts Ib and II, 2016

The Faculty Board of Music give notice that, with effect from the examination to be held in 2016, the form of the examination for the following papers for Parts Ib and II of the Music Tripos will be as follows:

Part Ib

Paper 10: Elective topics I (ii): Popular music of the Black Atlantic

There will be a three-hour examination in which candidates will be required to answer two questions from a broader choice.

Paper 11: Elective topics II (ii): Introduction to Schenkerian analysis

The examination will be of three hours’ duration. Candidates will be required to answer two questions.

Part II

Paper 10: Constructing the ‘Cantata’, from Schütz to J. S. Bach

The examination will be of three hours’ duration. Candidates will be required to answer three questions, from a broader choice.

Paper 11: Beethoven: the late string quartets

The examination will be of three hours’ duration. Candidates will be required to answer three questions, from a broader choice.

Paper 16: The music industry in the digital age

The examination will consist of two elements: (i) the submission of a research essay (of c. 3,000 words) analysing current developments in the industry using the theoretical framework provided during the course; and (ii) a two-hour written examination that will consist of two answers from a broader selection of questions. Each element is worth 50% of the total mark.

Paper 17: Exploring music psychology

The examination will be of three hours’ duration. Candidates will be required to answer three questions from a broader choice, relating to the theoretical and practical components of the course.

All other papers remain unchanged.

Full details about examinations for the Tripos can be found here: http://www.mus.cam.ac.uk/internal/students/undergraduate/examinations/.

Philosophy Tripos, Part Ia, 2016

The Faculty Board of Philosophy give notice that, with effect from the examination to be held in 2016, the form of the examination for the following paper for Part Ia of the Philosophy Tripos has been amended as specified below.

Paper 5. General paper

The part of the rubric that reads: ‘your essay must not overlap substantially with the content of any other essay that you have submitted as part of this examination’ has been removed.

All other papers remain unchanged.

Theology and Religious Studies Tripos, Parts IIa and IIb, 2016

The Faculty Board of Divinity give notice that, with effect from the examination to be held in 2016, the form of the examination for the following papers for Parts IIa and IIb of the Theological and Religious Studies Tripos will be as specified below:

GROUP B

Paper B13. Religious themes in literature

The paper will be assessed by two long essays (not more than 5,000 words) on topics chosen by candidates from a list published by the Examiners. Guidelines for these and suggested topics for essays will be found on the Faculty’s website from the beginning of the Michaelmas Term in the year in which the paper is taught. Candidates should avoid overlap between the essays.

GROUP D

Paper D2. Interdisciplinary subjects, specified by the Faculty Board

(b) Religious experience: mesmerism, spiritualism, and psychical research

The assessment will consist of the submission of two essays, each of no more than 5,000 words in length, on topics chosen by candidates in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 19.

(e) Christianity and society in Africa and its diaspora, 1800–2000

The paper will be assessed by a three-hour examination comprised of two sections. Section A will comprise ten essay-style questions, from which candidates will be required to answer two. Section B will comprise three unseen historical texts, from which candidates will be required to write a commentary on one.

All other papers remain unchanged.

Bachelor of Theology for Ministry, 2016

The Faculty Board of Divinity give notice that, with effect from the examination to be held in 2016, the form of the examination for the following paper for the Bachelor of Theology for Ministry will be as specified below:

GROUP C

BTh 22. Intermediate Greek

The examination will consist of three questions, each of which will carry equal value. Question 1 will require students to translate and comment exegetically on four short gobbets from the prescribed texts in Greek (out of six). Question 2 will ask for translation and comment of one longer passage from the set text (out of two). Question 3 will ask for translation and comment of one longer passage from the other set text (out of two). Copies of the New Testament in Greek will be provided.

All other papers remain unchanged.