JC2 NYJC Prelim 2023 Answer Scheme

From Passage 1: Eva Wiseman writes about the benefits of kindness

Q1) How does the example of Gavyn Emery illustrate the idea of kindness? Use your own words as far as possible. [1]

From the Passage Suggested Answer

One cold morning in Bristol, a man named Gavyn Emery tied a scarf to a lamppost [context]
Gavyn Emery tied a scarf to a lamppost, and
on a cardboard tag wrote: “I am not lost.” It a) which illustrates kindness as he was donating / offering the use of his
was 2016, and rough sleeping in Bristol had risen scarf (act)
by more than 800% in seven years. As b) to the homeless / others who needed it to keep out the cold [purpose]
temperatures plummeted, more people were
inspired to do the wrapping trees in coats, a) + b) = 1m
sticking hats on bollards – essentially providing
warmth for anybody who needed it same

Q3) In lines 28-29, what similarity does the author see between the move towards kindness and the rise of happiness pursuits? Use
your own words as far as possible. [1]

From the Passage Suggested Answer

The move towards kindness mirrors the rise of Both movements were a result of a) the attention given to the value of
happiness pursuits earlier this decade, when a happiness by b1) the government and b2) scholarly work/ research.
political interest in the value of happiness
coincided with academic studies.
Q4) In paragraph 4, what are the two developments that illustrate ‘the rise of happiness pursuits’? Use your own words as far as
possible. [2]

From the Passage Suggested Answer

The move towards kindness mirrors the rise of a) a burgeoning self-help movement (quote)
happiness pursuits earlier this decade, when a political
interest in the value of happiness coincided with to show the growing trend where people take ownership to live blissfully
academic studies. Simultaneously, there is a (explanation) / growing trend of self care (1m)
burgeoning self-help movement focused on
embracing joy and constantly acknowledging one's b) an unprecedented number of corporations (quote) to show a never
blessings. In his book The Happiness Industry, William
before seen/ unparallel employment/ hiring of personnel to take
Davies reported that an unprecedented number of
corporations were employing chief happiness officers, charge of workers welfare by corporations/ businesses (explanation)
while Google had its own ‘jolly good fellow’. (1m)

Q5) What is ironic about the phrase ‘batter the children with kindness’ (line 36)? [2m]

From the passage Suggested answer

At Springwell, for instance, a special school in Barnsley, a) It is ironic because ‘batter’, a word that suggests violence / abuse
where many students have suffered abuse, neglect or (meaning)
poverty, teachers have vowed to ‘batter the children
with kindness’ and it seems to be working. b) contradicts the idea of kindness which is to show care / love for
the students who suffered abuse, neglect and poverty.
(explanation)

0 or 2 m
Q6) How does the author support her assertion that ‘kindness is difficult to quantify’ (lines 36-37)? Use your own words as far as
possible. [3m]

From the passage Suggested answer

Of course, kindness is difficult to quantify – we have (a) There is no means/methods to ascertain/ know/ determine/ measure
no way of knowing whether people are becoming whether people are becoming kinder (no way)[1m],
kinder, no apps to mine for data, few scarves to
photograph. Still, in the face of increasing
challenges, be kind we must. (b) no available technology to collect information on kindness /to detect the
level of interest in kindness (no apps) [1m]

(c) and limited tangible / hard evidence/ empirical evidence to prove that
people are becoming kinder (few photographs) [1m]

From Passage 2 : Roisin Lanigan questions the value of kindness.

Q7) By including the information in brackets (line 4), what is the author implying about TikTok? Use your own words as far as
possible. [2m]

From the passage Suggested answer

The entire internet wants to be TikTok. TikTok, it The author is implying that Tik Tok is:
seems, has the power to transform ordinary, a) manipulative/deceptive (implication)(1m)
garden-variety people into sex symbols, number
one musicians, TV presenters, visual essayists and b) by making us believe that the best/only way to get Internet famous is to
wholesome influencers, just by virtue of having a use their platform/ must/should/have to use TikTok though this not true
selfie stick. But the way to get internet famous the (context) (1m)
quickest (at least, as TikTok would have us
believe) is to be kind.
(a) = 1m
Only (b) = 0
(a) + (b) = 2m
Q8) Explain the elderly woman’s use of the words “patronising” and “dehumanising” (line 14) to describe her experience of being a
victim of a kindness prank. [2m]

From the Passage Suggested Answer

Shortly after Pawluk’s TikTok views went viral … She She was trying to highlight / emphasize that
called the entire thing “patronising” and
“dehumanising”. She said, “He interrupted my quiet a) Patronising (unequal status) (1m)
time, filmed and uploaded a video without my consent,
turning it into something it wasn’t … I feel he is
making quite a lot of money through it.” She added that It was patronising as he placed himself in a position of superiority by
she could not be bothered carrying the flowers home giving her a bouquet of flowers that she did not need/ask for (Giver’s
on the tram. “I feel like clickbait.” perspective)

Alternative: because the giver assumed that she is in need of someone

(implied) to give her a bouquet of flowers to make her happy even
though she did not request for them/did not need them. (Recipient’s
perspective)

b) Dehumanising (objectification) (1m)

It is dehumanising as she/ her reaction was used as a means / was

reduced to become an instrument to attract clicks /viewership.

Alternative: It was dehumanising as he took away / deprived her of her

dignity by filming her reaction to his act of kindness without her
knowledge or approval
Q9) How does the example of “couch guy” illustrate how ‘kindness’ videos may have ‘unintended consequences’? Use your own
words as far as possible [3]

From the Passage Suggested Answer

Last year, ‘couch guy’ became an internet hate figure What is the intended/ expected reaction?
for weeks on end when he was the subject of a
TikTok in which his long-distance girlfriend surprised a) The video of “couch guy” was meant to evoke heartwarming
him at college. The internet did not believe his feelings towards the event in the audience who viewed the video.
stunned reaction was romantic enough for a gesture (1m)
so kind, and subsequently speculated endlessly about
whether or not he was cheating on her. Thousands of
videos recreated the moment, turning what was What kind of reaction did the incident end up eliciting - reality
supposed to be a sweet surprise into a meme.
Whether the creator had invited this backlash, by b) However, the incident saw him being the object of disgust/anger as
posting what was essentially a private moment online they questioned his fidelity/faithfulness to his girlfriend
in the first place, did not make the netizens’ reaction (Consequence 1: initial reactions from watching the video) (1m)
seem any less disproportionately cruel

c) And the incident was parodied to mock the situation.

(Consequence 2: follow-up action - a meme) (1m)

Q10) What does the word ‘shame’ (line 49) suggest about the author’s attitude towards wholesomeness becoming ‘little more than a
performance too’? [1]
From the passage Suggested answer
now, the internet is constructed almost entirely a) The word ‘shame’ suggests that the author is regretful/lamentable
around the growingly meaningless tenets of ‘being (shame)
kind’. We are painfully aware of the very real effect
online abuse can have on our mental health. Insulting b) that being kind/wholesomeness has lost its value today / people
people online now has to take place via toxic are not sincere when they are kind / to gain fame / attention/
pseudonymous message board forums and popularity. (performance)
anonymous Question and Answer apps for the sake of
our own reputations. Reality shows are forced to
remind us on Twitter not to bully contestants (whilst a) + b) = 1m
simultaneously editing those contestants to be villains
crafted specifically for the timeline). It makes sense
that we have retreated into wholesomeness. It is
just a shame that now, wholesomeness has become
little more than a performance too.