6-1 Short answer questions

What does this type of question look like?

Questions 1 - 5
Answer the questions below. Choose ONE NUMBER ONLY from the text for each answer.
Write your own answers on lines 1 - 5 on your answer sheet.

1. When did Viking warriors raid an abbey on the coast of England?
2. When was Eric the Red convicted of a crime?
3. When did Vikings establish a fort in Ireland?
4. When was a Viking chief granted lands by a king of France?
5. When did Viking warriors defeat an English king?

Activity

What do I have to write in the answer sheet?

You must write your answers in words or numbers on the answer sheet. It is very important to write the answers using words from the text. The instructions will make it clear how many words/ numbers you should use in your answers, e.g. ‘NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage’, ‘ONE WORD ONLY’ or ‘NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS’. If you write more than the number of words asked for, you will lose the mark. Numbers can be written using figures or words. Contracted words are not tested. Hyphenated words count as single words.

What am I being tested on?

This type of question tests your ability to locate and understand precise information in the text. It is a test of reading for detail.

How should I approach this question?

• Read the instructions carefully, especially how many words/numbers are required for the answer.
• Quickly read through all the questions to get an idea of what information you have to find in the text. All the answers will come from a particular section, so this will help you to find that section quickly.
• Read the first question more carefully, identify the key words, and consider synonyms.
• Scan through the text to find the information you are looking for.
• Once you have found it, read more carefully to find the specific information which will answer the question.