Topical Spanish papers challenged Leaving Certificate students yesterday morning.
"Overall, the papers were a fair reflection of the syllabus," Ms Chantal Villa Mulcahy, a teacher in Mount Mercy, Cork, said. "The welcome surprise was that the long-awaited changes in the presentation of the paper were implemented this year."
In the aural section, both higher and ordinary-level students listen to the same tape but answer different questions. "The quality of the tape was excellent. Topics ranged from Celine Dion to Godzilla to a man using the Internet to trace his long-lost father," said Ms Villa Mulcahy, a member of the Spanish Teachers' Association.
At higher level, the first comprehension on the written paper addressed the macabre subject of a fisherman who faked his own death in order to claim the insurance money. The vocabulary was fine, with the exception of some colloquialisms. For instance, in question 3(b), Encontraban una comunidad cerrada a cal y canto may have caused some problems.
Unusually, the second comprehension, which dealt with buying fashionable clothes, and the problems of anorexia and bullemia, was easier than the first text. Unexpected but welcome changes in the questions included question 1 being asked in English rather than Spanish and question 3 asking students to answer in English.
The letter in section C, which dealt with technological developments such as nuclear power and television, was topical, while the diary entry clearly indicated the points to be included.
The alternative, the note, was difficult; students "had to use the dreaded subjunctive", Ms Villa Mulcahy said.
Ms Ann Harrow, president of the Spanish Teachers' Association, said students at St Michael's, Ballsbridge, Dublin, were very happy leaving the exam hall (see photograph!).
At higher level, she said the first comprehension was "very nice, reasonably demanding. Students found the fake death an interesting topic." The photo and drawing which accompanied the small comprehensions on page 6 were very helpful, she added.
The second comprehension, on eating disorders, was long but accessible although it contained some difficult vocabulary. Ms Harrow noted the distracting nature of the accompanying photo, which pictured a sultry young woman with an exposed midriff.
The boys liked it, she said wryly, but the girls weren't so enthusiastic.
She welcomed the changes in the format of the questions following this comprehension. ASTI subject representative Ms Maire Ni Chiarba said the higher-level paper was challenging but very fair while the standard at ordinary level was very suitable. The written section was "extremely demanding".
At ordinary level, Ms Harrow said the paper was "very fair, very manageable". Question (j) on the first comprehension Que dice del movimiento feminista? was a little tricky, while students would have been "well challenged" by the written section.
Ms Mulcahy said the ordinary-level paper was "excellent, well presented and with one welcome change in section A. Questions were asked in Spanish rather than English - this is the only section where students have to answer in Spanish so it should have been a help."