Page 3 - Layout

CPE Model Compositions-p1-17-q8_Layout 1 5/9/2013 7:28 µµ Page 3

Part 2, Question 3 - Model Answer: Review

As historically-based games go, this has got to be my favourite – The Trial. The game takes a historical
event and puts the key historical figures into a trial setting. You usually need at least fifteen people to
play, and it involves role-play, so it helps to have confidence in talking and acting in front of other people.

Everyone taking part in the game is given a different character – either one of the historical figures, a
‘witness’, a member of the jury or the judge. If you are one of the key historical figures, then you are
given information about the event from the perspective of that person – how they would have experi-
enced it and their reasons for their actions. The ‘witnesses’ are not specific historical figures, but rep-
resent a variety of people who would have experienced the event. Then the judge and the jury are just
given a basic outline of the event and a who’s who for the historical characters – they are judging the
event from their own modern perspective.

The judge is responsible for organising proceedings: the key historical figures have to put forward their
version of events. Instead of having lawyers questioning the historical characters, the jury are the ones
who ask the questions. Once they have questioned the main characters, the jury are able to question the
witnesses about the event. Finally, when everyone has had their say, the jury debate the event – the
causes and consequences.
I really enjoy playing this game, although I prefer being a member of the jury and asking the questions
as I get too nervous being one of the main historical characters! Games in general – and this one in par-
ticular – are, for me, a great way to learn history. You get so much more involved in the historical events
when you look at them from this perspective and it stays with you longer. It also reminds you that, ulti-
mately, history is all about the actions of ordinary people.

Part 2, Question 4 - Model Answer: Letter

Hi,
I’m writing to tell you one of my most embarrassing stories – it happened at the beginning of the school year.
I had just started at a new school and I hadn’t met many people or made proper friends, so when we were
asked to prepare a short performance for a history lesson, I didn’t have anyone to talk to about it.

The subject of the performance was slavery. I have always been really interested in history so I quickly got
stuck in to preparing two monologues, one from the perspective of the slave and the other from the slave
owner’s point of view.
The day of the performance came, and I ended up going first. I stood up in front of the class, and performed
my two speeches with as much emotion as I could muster – there were even a few tears. When I finished,
there was a shocked silence. The teacher didn’t know what to say, and I heard a few of the other students
sniggering. I was really confused and sat down worrying that I hadn’t performed very well. Then the next
person got up and started doing their performance; and it was a simple, factual Powerpoint presentation!
I just wanted the ground to swallow me up! I barely knew these people and I had gone and made a complete
fool of myself. We were just supposed to be doing presentations and I must have looked like a melodramatic
show off with my monologues!
But actually, it ended up being quite a good ice-breaker. The teacher asked us to get into groups to discuss
our presentations and I decided that instead of just ignoring my embarrassing performance, I would make
a joke out of it. And it worked! I ended up making some new friends by laughing at myself.
Although it doesn’t feel great to embarrass yourself, I do think that it is important to learn to laugh at your-
self and not take life too seriously – so actually, embarrassing moments are quite helpful. They remind us
that we are all human and are all capable of doing and saying silly things from time to time!
Best wishes,

Abigail Anderson

3