Spanish GCSE for the (Un)enthusiastic

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Spanish GCSE for the (Un)enthusiastic – What
is it and what do I need to know?
~~~~~~
OR
~~~~~~
How to Get at least a C Grade in Spanish
GCSE with the Minimum Effort
1
GCSE SPANISH LISTENING AND READING
REVISION CHECKLIST
Reading and listening exams are on 15th May in the morning
Lifestyle
Health
• Healthy and unhealthy lifestyles and their consequences
Relationships and Choices
• Relationships with family and friends
• Future plans regarding: marriage/partnership
• Social issues and equality
Leisure
Free Time and the Media
• Free time activities
• Shopping, money, fashion and trends
• Advantages and disadvantages of new technology
Holidays
• Plans, preferences, experiences
• What to see and getting around
Home and Environment
Home and Local Area
• Special occasions celebrated in the home
• Home, town, neighbourhood and region, where it is and what it is like
Environment
• Current problems facing the planet
• Being environmentally friendly within the home and local area
Work and Education
School/College and Future Plans
• What school/college is like
• Pressures and problems
Current and Future Jobs
• Looking for and getting a job
• Advantages and disadvantages of different jobs
2
Listening Exam
Your listening exam may last for around 25 mins to 45 minutes. You'll be asked to listen to a cassette or
CD in Spanish and you will have to answer questions in English or Spanish.
This is really important… In fact, let’s say that more loudly: This
is really important: If the
question is in English, answer in English; if it is in Spanish, answer in Spanish. If
you answer in the wrong language, you won’t get the mark. Did you get that? You
won’t get the mark.
You will be allowed to study the questions before the recording plays. You will hear each extract twice.
To answer some questions, you will be asked to:





tick to show you’ve got the correct answer
state whether an answer is true or false (Verdadero ou falso, in Spanish)
write a letter or number to indicate the correct answer
write a word or phrase in Spanish or English (see above)
complete a sentence
You don’t have to answer in full sentences, but make sure that you include all the details you have been
asked for. There will be a number by each question to show how many marks are available. Use this as a
guide to how much to answer.
Now there are certain things to remember about a Listening exam, which may seem obvious, but which are
ever so easy to forget.
1.
2.
It’s a Listening exam so it’s a good idea to listen. If you don’t, you’ll lose where you are
and it will all go horribly wrong. It’s not easy to lose where you are because the recording is very
clear, but if you start daydreaming about what you’re going to do with your mates at the
weekend, it is possible.
When you have your chance to read through the paper, try and think what you might expect to
hear. If you’re in a doctor’s surgery, for example, might it be about something wrong with
someone? What treatment would they receive? How long might they have had this ailment?
Logic can take you a long way.
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3.
Don’t leave any gaps! At all! Ever! Think about it. If you guess, you have a chance
of getting it right. Especially if you’ve done 1. and 2. A blank space never got a
mark.
Linked Vocabulary – Okay. This is really important for the
Listening and the Reading exam.
In the text you have to listen to or read there will be words which you will be expected to know. They
will not be the same words which crop up in the questions on the paper, but they will be linked in some way,
either they will be synonyms or they will be related in meaning.
Once you’ve got the hang of this, you will find it very, very, VERY helpful.
Instituto– colegio- escuela aprender (school, school, primary school, to learn)
La natación- nadar - piscina- traje de baño (swimming – to swim – swimming pool –
costume)
la equitación- el caballo
El ciclismo- hacer/practicar el ciclismo- ir en bici- la bici(cleta) (cycling, do/go cycling, go
by bike, bike/bicycle
El invierno- frío- diciembre- temperaturas bajo cero - Navidad (Winter,cold, December,
temperature below zero)
Interesante- mucho que hacer- emocionante (interesting, a lot to do, exciting)
Discutir - conversación- comunicacion- hablar (to discuss – conversation –
communication-to talk)
difícil - complicado (difficult, complicated)
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largo- dura mucho tiempo (long, it takes a long time)
El deporte- take your pick !!!
Los ordinadores- navegar por internet- juegos – informática (computers, search the
internet, games, I.T. – don’t forget the alternative word for the internet is “la red”)
La lectura- leer - libros - revistas- novelas (Reading, to read, books, magazines, novels)
conducir- ir en coche- el coche- automóvil - conductor- (to drive, go by car, the car, car,
driver)
lluvia- lluvioso – llover-llueve (rain, rainy, to rain, it’s raining)
hace buen tiempo – hace sol- brillar – brilla – está brillando (it’s good weather, it’s sunny, to
shine, it shines, it’s shining)
el desayuno- la mañana (breakfast – morning)
comer- to eat in general or eat lunch
cenar- to dine (evening only)
Comer - comida- platos (to eat , meal/food, dishes)
beber- bebida (to drink, a drink)
joyería- joyas- los pendientes- un collar- un anillo (jewellery, jewels, earrings, necklace,
ring)
verano- julio- agosto - las vacaciones – (summer, July, August, holidays)
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Invierno- diciembre- Navidad - frío
Televisor, Televisión- la pantalla- el programa (televisión, televisión, screen, programme)
Cine- una pelicula- (Cinema, film)
Los deberes- el trabajo- los estudios (homework, work, studies)
Playa- banarse - nadar- broncear- arena (beach, to swim, to swim, sunbathe, sand)
difícil = no es fácil ( Beware of negatives+ opposite !)
aburrido- no es interesante ( Beware of negatives+ opposite !)
Future tense time flags: el año próximo = el año que viene - En dos años (next year, next
year, in two years’ time
past tense time flags: el año pasado - hace dos anos (last year, two years ago)
Add any more examples which you come across here:
6
Reading Exam
Your reading exam may last for around 35 mins to 1 hour. You'll be asked to read information in Spanish
and you may have to answer questions in both English or Spanish.
And again – what we said about the Listening exam…This is really important… In fact, let’s say that more
loudly: This is really important: If the question is in English, answer in English; if
it is in Spanish, answer in Spanish. If you answer in the wrong language, you
won’t get the mark. Did you get that? You won’t get the mark.
To answer some questions, you will be asked to:





tick to show you’ve got the correct answer
state whether an answer is true or false (verdadero ou falso, in French)
write a letter or number to indicate the correct answer
write a word or phrase in Spanish or English (see above)
complete a sentence
You don’t have to answer in full sentences, but make sure that you include all the details you have been
asked for. There will be a number by each question to show how many marks are available. Use this as a
guide to how much to answer.
A couple of pointers:
1.
It’s a Reading exam so (and you know what we’re going to say here, don’t you?) it’s a good
idea to read the text. Yes, we know that you’re not going to understand every word, but we hope that
you’ll have learned in class to pick
out important words. Don’t look at a big block of text and go
Aaarghh! You might not need more than one or two words to be able to understand what you need to
understand in order to get the marks. If you don’t get it the first time, read it again. The important stuff is
there and you can find it. Honest, guv, you can.
2.
And again – the gap thing we mentioned about the listening exam. Don’t!
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8
Vocabulary
Or
All the Spanish Words You Learned… But Forgot
Everyone should be able to do the following. And I mean everyone; you, your
friends, your maths teacher, the postman... everyone.

give a greeting - Hola!

Ask for something – Me gustaría, quisiera…

Ask how much something costs Cuánto cuesta…..?

Say thank-you – Gracias! – and goodbye – A!
Questions : Yes, I know we’ve done these elsewhere, but just in
case... because you really, REALLY, REALLY need to know them.
¿Quién ?
¿Qué … ?
¿Cuándo …?
¿Dónde?
¿Por qué … ?
¿Cómo …?
¿Cuánto …?
¿Cuántos …?
Who ?
What ?
When ?
Where ?
Why ?
How?
How much?
How many?
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Top Ten vocabulary: The big hitters. Stuff you will need ALL THE
TIME, for ALL FOUR SKILLS:
Learn these, or else…
Me gustaría
I would like
Quiero
I want + infinitive
Puedo
I can + infinitive
Hay
There is/are
¿Tiene(s)?
Do you have?
¿Cuánto cuesta?
How much is that?
Hay que/No hay que
You have to/it’s necessary to /you don’t have to... + infinitive
Debe(s)/tiene(s) que
You have to + infinitive
Creo que
I think that
Los días de la semana
Days of the Week
lunes
martes
miércoles
jueves
viernes
sábado
domingo
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
And…
la semana pasada
hace cuatro días
ayer
hoy
Mañana
En cuatro días
La semana próxima/la semana que viene
Last week
Four days ago
Yesterday
Today
Tomorrow
In four days
Next week
Los meses
Months
enero
febrero
January
February
10
marzo
abríl
mayo
junio
julio
agosto
septiembre
octubre
noviembre
diciembre
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Las Estaciones
Seasons
primavera
verano
otono
invierno
spring
summer
autumn
winter
Las fiestas
Holidays
el ano nuevo
feliz año nuevo
La semana santa
Pascua
Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Las vacaciones
buenas vacaciones!
Cumpleaños
Feliz Cumpleaños
New Year
Happy New Year
Holy Week (Easter)
Easter
Christmas
Merry Christmas!
summer holidays
Happy Holidays!
birthday
Happy Birthday !
La hora
Time
Es la una
a la una
Son las dos
Son las once
Es mediodía
Son las dieziocho horas
Es medianoche
It’s one o’clock
at one o’clock
It’s two o’clock
It’s eleven o’clock
It’s midday
It’s six in the evening (24 hour clock)
It’s midnight
Son las cuatro y cuarto
Son las tres y media
Son las diez menos cuarto
Es la una y media
Son las cinco veinte
Son las seis menos diez
Son las siete menos veinticinco
It’s quarter past four
It’s half past three
It’s quarter to ten in the evening
It’s one thirty
It’s five twenty
It’s ten to six
It’s twenty-five to seven
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In order to say ‘at’ a particular time, write or say ‘a’ instead of ‘es/son.
Los Números
Numbers
uno
dos
tres
cuatro
cinco
seis
siete
ocho
nuevo
diez
once
doce
trece
catorce
quince
dieciséis
Diecisiete
dieciocho
diecinueve
veinte
veintiuno
veintidós
treinta
cuarenta
cincuenta
sesenta
setenta
setenta y uno
ochenta
noventa
cien
mil
mil novecientos ochenta y cuatro
dos mil catorce
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten
eleven
twelve
thirteen
fourteen
fifteen
sixteen
seventeen
eighteen
nineteen
twenty
twenty-one
twenty-two
thirty
forty
fifty
sixty
seventy
seventy-one
eighty
ninety
one hundred
thousand
1984
2014
Time Phrases
hoy
manana
ayer
anteayer
recientemente
pronto
usualmente
a menudo/frecuentemente
normalmentw
de vez en cuando
today
tomorrow
yesterday
the day before yesterday
recently
soon
usually
often
normally
from time to time
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siempre
always
Adjectives / adverbs
Here are some common adjectives:
Masculine
Feminine
Grande
grande
Meaning
big, large;
Pequeño
Pequeña
small, little
Despacio
Despacia
Slow
Rápido
Rápida
Fast
Hermoso
Hermosa
good-looking, beautiful
Guapo
Guapa
Pretty
Viejo
Vieja
Old
Anciano
Anciana
Elderly
Nuevo
Nueva
New
Peligroso
Peligrosa
dangerous
Fácil
Fácil
Simple
Complicado Complicada complicated
Inglés
Inglesa
English
Francés
Francesa
French
Aburrido
Aburrida
Boring
Favorito
Favorita
favo(u)rite
Contento
Contenta
Happy
Triste
Triste
Sad
Roto
Rota
Broken
Enfermo
Enferma
ill, poorly
Muerto
Muerta
Dead
Basic verbs
Compro
I buy
Ayudo
I help
Me gusta
I like
Aprendo
I learn, I'm learning
Empiezo/comienzo I start, begin
Entiendo
I understand
Continuo
I continue
Ceno
I have dinner
Doy
I give
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Duermo
I sleep
Espero
I hope
estudio
I'm studying
Escucho
I listen (to)
Vivo en
I live (in)
Como
I eat
Limpio
I clean
Hablo
I speak, talk
Pago
I pay (for), I'll pay (for)
Pienso (que)
I think (that)
Presento
I present, introduce
Tomo
I take; I'll have, eat, take
Miro
I watch
Termino/acabo
I finish
Trabajo
I work, am working
Encuentro
I find
Vendo
I sell
Veo
I see, can see
Viajo (en)
I travel (by)
Basic Vocab
Con mis amigos
with my friends
Dinero
money
En el banco
In the bank
Mantequilla
Butter
Una bebida
a drink
El brazo
the arm, my arm, his/her arm etc
La oficina
the office
Regalo
a present
un café
a coffee
la caja
the checkout, till
El menú
the menu; the map; the card
Una habitación
a bedroom / hotel room
El caballo
the horse
El pelo
the hair, my hair, his hair etc
Un perro
a dog
La llave
the key
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Mi amigo/novio
my/a (male) friend; my boyfriend
Mi amiga/novia
my/a (female) friend; my girlfriend
¿(de qué) color es?
(what) colo(u)r is it?
un cuchillo
a knife
una cuchara
a spoon
Me ducho/voy a ducharme
(I'm having/I'll have) a shower
Al colegio
(at) school
Un niño/una niña
a child
Gasolina
some petrol/"gas"
Dolor del estomago
stomach (ache)
Una hija
a daughter
Un hijo
a son
Un tenedor
a fork
en España
in Spain
Patatas fritas
some chips, fries
Queso
Cheese
En el hotel
In the hotel
(una buena ) idea
(a good) idea
El periódico
the newspaper
Leche
Milk
un libro
a book
Una cebolla
an onion
Una tienda
a shop
la casa; en casa
the house/home; at home
un médico
a doctor
El mar
the sea, seaside
Una nota
a schoolmark; a note
Comida
Food
Huevos
Eggs
Pan
Bread
Pantalones
a pair of trousers
Manzanas
Apples
Patatas
Potatoes
En la playa
At the beach/seaside
Mi profe(sor)/a
my teacher
la clase
Class
El cuarto de baño
the bathroom
El jabón
the soap
(Mi) hermana
(my) sister
15
Azúcar
some sugar
La televisión
the TV
Un sello
a stamp
El dolor de cabeza
head(ache)
(¿dónde están) los servicios ? (where are) the toilets, (where is) the toilet
(on) holiday, vacation
(de) vacaciones
La maleta
the suitcase
Carne
Meat
La ciudad
the town
Un coche
a car
Los vecinos
the neighbours
El vuelo
the flight
Los ojos
the eyes, my eyes, his/her eyes etc
Online resources:
 www.linguascope.com (highcliffe/valencia)
 www.hellomylo.com
 www.languagesonline.org.uk
 www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/spanish
 www.quizlet.com

Right! That’s it!
You now have two choices…
a) Ignore all this, don’t do any revision at all and get a rubbish grade in your GCSE.
b) Take it on board. Hit the revision for a while, or in short spurts, Make sure your assessments are as
good as they can be, be pleasantly surprised at what a doddle the listening and reading exams are
and blow everyone away with how completely brilliant you are!