Descriptive vs Narrative Essays
The IGCSE English First Language exam places a strong emphasis on creative writing, with writing descriptive and narrative essays being
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A good memory is often seen as something that comes naturally, and a bad memory as something that cannot be changed, but actually there is a lot that you can do to improve your memory. However, it does mean taking responsibility and making an effort. Here are the experts’ top tips.
We all remember the things we are interested in and forget the ones that bore us. This no doubt explains the reason why schoolboys remember football results effortlessly but struggle with dates from their history lessons! Take an active interest in what you want to remember, and focus on it consciously. One way to ‘make’ yourself more interested is to ask questions ? the more the better!
Repeating things is the best way to remember things for a short time, e.g. remembering a phone number for a few seconds. ‘Chunking’ or grouping numbers helps you to remember them, e.g. the following numbers would be impossible for most of us to remember: 1492178919318483. But look at them in ‘chunks’, and it becomes much easier: 1492 1789 1931 8483.
Another way to make something more memorable is to think about something visual associated with it. Form a mental picture, and the stranger the picture the better you will remember it! If an English-speaking person studying Spanish wanted to remember the Spanish word for duck, ‘pato’, he/she could associate it with the English verb ‘to pat’ and imagine a picture of someone patting a duck on the head.
To remember long lists, try inventing a story which includes all the items you want to remember. In experiments, people were asked to remember up to 120 words using this technique and when they were tested afterwards, on average they could remember ninety percent of them!
If we organise what we know in a logical way then when we learn more about that subject we understand that better, and so add to our knowledge more easily. Make well-organized notes. Be sure things are clear in your mind. If not, ask questions until you understand!
Many experts believe that listening to classical music, especially Mozart, helps people to organise their ideas more clearly and so improves their memory. Sadly, rock music does not have the same effect!
If you do not want to lose your memory as you get older, you need to keep your brain firt, just like your body: ‘use it or lose it‘ is the experts’ advice. Logic puzzles, crosswords and mental arithmetic are all good ‘mental aerobics’.
Physical exercise is also important for your memory, because it increases your heart rate and sends more oxygen to your brain, and that makes your memory work better. Exercise also reduces stress, which is very bad for the memory.
The old saying that ‘eating fish makes you brainy‘ may be true after all. Scientists have discovered that the fats found in fish like tuna, sardines and salmon – as well as in olive oil – help to improve the memory. Vitamins C and E (found in fruits like oranges, strawberries and red grapes) and vitamin B (found in lean meat and green vegetables) are all good ‘bran food’, too.
Caffeine may not be good for you, but like exercise, it increases your heart rate and sends more oxygen to your brain. A cup of coffee really does help you concentrate when you sit down to study. And if you don’t like coffee, don’t worry – experts believe that chewing gum has the same effect!
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Lanja Omer
United Arab Emirates
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41 responses
ig exams n 4 days!!!!!! still scoring prettybad in practice papers!!!!! what do i do!?!?!?!?!
It’s like I have 3 months in my hand to score good marks. What should I do. I have only 4 subject.
Please help me guys with your tips.
Thanks
Hi Prashik,
We hope you have chosen all required subjects, as the minimum subjects is 5.
Just sign up and follow us on weekly free tutorial, or sign up for our tutoring classes.
Hey i got my igs in two weeks and im panicking i havent completed revision for any subject and i really want to get a few As iv talked to students who already did their ig and everyone says its easy but i dont see it that way..help please
Hi Shirley,
In fact IGCSE is easy, provided that you have done all the necessary works and revisions. You can’t hope to get As when you haven’t fully equip or familiarise yourself to the exam.
I am going to give my igcse exams in 15 days from now.
I am done preparing for all the exams and solved previous 10 year past-papers, yet i still am not confident since i have a feeling that solving past-papers has indirectly made me mug up the answers so when i m solving a new paper, i become clueless!!
Help pls!
Thanks
Hi S.T
Just relax. If you have done all necessary preparations, you are good to go. You are experiencing temporary “mind blank” due to your tension.
In fact, you’re the first ever person we have seen here on IGCSE Centre that had done all 10 years past papers! Well done!
Trust yourself. You can do it.
Dear Sir/Madam ,
I am really worried my exams in ( May /June Sitting 2014). I Have No Confident In My Chemistry Physics paper. My friends is looking down on me really making depressed .Hope You Can Read This Serious Matter And Reply Me As Quick As Possible . Thank You .
Love,
Andrew
Hi Andrew,
First of all, we would like to tell you to ignore all the naysayers. Just brush them off, and bring back your mind to your books. You must know that, these “friends” negative attitude won’t be able to do any harm on you, if you don’t allow it.
For the subjects, you must concentrate on the topic that you are weak in. Find more exercises or past papers to drill on it. Until you understand the pattern of questions, and know exactly how to find the answer.
I’ll be giving my IGCSEs in 2 months time and I’m freaking out! I can’t seem to concentrate or get my heart into studies at all! Anyone got ways of self-motivations to share? :/
Hi Mickey,
The best way is, focus on which topic you’re weak in. Find someone to help you in that specific topic or you can always study and do the past year papers by yourself.
As we always tell students here, you have to trust yourself that you can do it.
hello im cyrus and im really too worry about my exam and I didnt study much and its just 2 months that I started to studying and I really need some help . How can I improve myself please answer me THANK YOU
Hi Cyrus,
Preparing for an exam needs to be well planned, you simply can’t do it in last minutes.
For now, you can just do your best. Study as much as you could for the moment.
The best part of IGCSE is, you can always re-take the paper if your grade is not good.
plz write how u helped jerry
as am not confident and not focusing at all too
Hi Saharose,
Focusing is a training. You need to train your mind to bring back your focus each time you “catch” your mind wandering else where.
Have trust in yourself that you can do it. Do not listen to naysayers that “scare” you. Brush them off, and put your mind to your books again.
i am looking forward to my IGCSE exams next month and i have no confidence in myself. please i need your help….
I’m really worried about what results i’ll get for my exams, for which i’ll be sitting in a months time ( May 2013, IGCSE ) I haven’t completed studying anything yet and i am not confident at all. My friends are all treating me bad, and since i’m a sensitive person i’m failing to concentrate on my studies. And I simply don’t understand why I have not got that mood to study. Please send me an immediate response about how I can focus on my work and score high grades for the examination I will be facing soon.
Thank you
Love,
Jerry
Hello Jerry,
We have replied to your request by email. ‘See you’ over the email! 🙂
Don’t worry, everything is solvable!
You’ll do just fine…. Have the hope friend, hope is always there just gotta go step forward and grab it tight in your arms. Best of wishes Jerry..:D