A2-E4 – Mini-Mock Examination of 45 minutes.

Answer either Q1 or Q2 from the below questions.

Use continuous prose – Do not use bullet points.

OCR Examination Board [2571]

• Plan an answer to the problem question (use sub-headings in your essay).
• Highlightor underline key words.
• Establish a structure to your answer (use sub-headings).
• Within each Sub-heading discuss and explain the issues. Give examples, make arguments and give opinions.
• Follow the outline of the problem question - Do not change any of the facts.
• Use cases and analyse the issues - Try to discuss all possibilities.
• Give a brief overriding conclusion - Try to give an overview.

Q1 - Peter and Alex, both aged 18, are in Peter’s house. Peter says that his father owns a revolver. They agree that it would be fun to get it and pretend to be gangsters by pointing the gun at each other. Peter knows that his father has both ‘dummy’ bullets and live bullets in the same box. He tells Alex that they are dummy bullets. They load the gun. They then take turns pointing the gun at each other and pulling the trigger. Unfortunately one of the bullets is live and when Peter squeezes the trigger for the third time he shoots Alex with a live bullet, severing an artery in his leg. Alex is rushed to hospital where he refuses a blood transfusion, which could have saved his life, because it is against his beliefs to accept medical treatment. Alex dies from loss of blood. Peter admits that he did not know the difference between the dummy bullets and the live ones but he hoped that they were all dummy bullets.

Q2 - Victoria is the wife and assistant of a knife-throwing expert, Carl, who both work for a circus. Carl is renowned for his hot temper and has recently been off work suffering from depression. Their act consists of Victoria being strapped to a board whilst Carl throws twenty knives all around her from a distance of five metres to within as little as fifteen centimetres of her body. They have been doing this for many years without a single mistake and Carl regards his technique as perfect. One evening, just before their act begins, Victoria tells Carl that she is having an affair with the lion tamer, Wayne. Carl is shocked and enraged but, at that moment, the fanfare strikes up for the start of their act and Carl and Victoria enter the ring to start their performance. The third knife Carl throws goes straight into Victoria’s heart, killing her instantly.