Cambridge International AS & A Level

THINKING SKILLS 9694/02

Paper 2 Critical Thinking For examination from 2020
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 50

Specimen

This document has 10 pages. Blank pages are indicated.

© UCLES 2017 [Turn over

9694/02 Cambridge International AS & A Level – Mark Scheme For examination
SPECIMEN from 2020

Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers.
They should be applied alongside the specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors
for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

•• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
•• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the
question
•• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation
scripts.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

•• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit
is given for valid answers which go beyond the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme,
referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
•• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
•• marks are not deducted for errors
•• marks are not deducted for omissions
•• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when
these features are specifically assessed by the question as indicated by the mark scheme. The
meaning, however, should be unambiguous.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

Rules must be applied consistently e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed
instructions or in the application of generic level descriptors.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the
question (however; the use of the full mark range may be limited according to the quality of the
candidate responses seen).
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should
not be awarded with grade thresholds or grade descriptors in mind.

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9694/02 Cambridge International AS & A Level – Mark Scheme For examination
SPECIMEN from 2020

Question Answer Marks

1(a) 3 marks 2 reasons, both of which are developed 3
2 marks 2 reasons, one of which is developed
1 mark 1 developed reason or 2 undeveloped reasons
0 marks 1 undeveloped reason or no credit-worthy material

•• The subjects were quite young (with an average age of 18); older adults
may be more or less resistant to infection.
•• The subjects were all competition swimmers; people who exercise less
strenuously or are less fit may be less susceptible to infection.
•• The subjects were all swimmers; being immersed in water may make
them more susceptible to infection than people who engage in other
forms of exercise.

0 marks for saying that the subjects were all British, unless a reason is given
as to why the results should not apply to other nationalities.

Do not credit that the swimmers were all aged 18.

1(b) 3 marks 2 reasons, at least one of which is developed 3
2 marks 2 undeveloped reasons or 1 developed reason
1 mark 1 undeveloped reason
0 marks No credit-worthy material

•• The research in Source A compared only two times of day, not an

intermediate time; they might have favoured the afternoon if they had
considered it.
•• The research projects were looking at the question from two different
angles; Source A focused on avoiding infection, whereas Source B
considers risk of injury and optimal performance.
•• The Source A is about swimmers only; the conclusions may not apply to
all exercise as dealt with in Source B.
Undeveloped only:
•• There is not much difference between ‘late afternoon’ (e.g. 4–5 pm) and
‘evening’ (6 pm).
•• The documents agree on exercising later/not in the morning.
1(c) 2 marks for a correct answer with accurate explanation 2
1 mark for a correct answer with vague, incomplete or generic explanation
0 marks for a correct answer without explanation
0 marks for an incorrect answer with or without explanation

2-mark answer
Source B is not an argument. It makes two claims based on evidence from
research, but does not draw a persuasive conclusion from them.

1-mark answers
Source B is not an argument, because it does not include a persuasive
conclusion.
Source B is not an argument. It makes claims based on evidence.

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9694/02 Cambridge International AS & A Level – Mark Scheme For examination
SPECIMEN from 2020

Question Answer Marks

1(d) For each of two answers: 4
2 marks for a developed answer
1 mark for an undeveloped or marginal answer

•• The research concerns weight gain, not weight loss; reducing weight gain
is not the same as losing weight.
•• Those who exercised after breakfast also consumed energy drinks while
exercising, which may be the main cause of their weight gain / The
control of the experiment is wrecked by altering more than one variable
at a time.
•• The conclusion ‘exercising before eating is better’ is too broad to be
inferred from research referring only to breakfast.
•• The participants were ‘healthy young men’. The results might have
been different for unhealthy/older/women, which is significant because
many people trying to lose weight are unhealthy / because it is harder to
lose weight when you are older / because women’s physiology may be
different from men’s.
1(e) The source of the report, Combat Fitness / the CEO of Combat Fitness, 2
has an obvious vested interest to exaggerate the claims / to manipulate the
selection of respondents to the survey [1] in order to emphasise the benefits
of the service which Combat Fitness offers [1].

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9694/02 Cambridge International AS & A Level – Mark Scheme For examination
SPECIMEN from 2020

Question Answer Marks

2 8
Use of sources 2 marks: accurate use of all or most of the
sources provided

1 mark: accurate use of some of the sources

provided

0 marks: no accurate use of sources

Evaluation of sources 1 mark for each piece of evaluation or
and/or inferential inferential reasoning, to maximum of 2
reasoning from sources
Supported conclusion 2 marks: nuanced (e.g. balanced or qualified)
supported conclusion

1 mark: simple supported conclusion

0 marks: conclusion unstated or unsupported

Argument elements up to 2 marks for use of intermediate
conclusion and/or other argument elements

up to 2 marks for personal thinking

These marks can be combined to a maximum

of 2

Indicative content

•• The sources (especially Source B) provide research-based advice on the

best time of day in which to exercise in various respects.
•• But the various pieces of advice are not compatible with each other.
•• For example, Source A advises people not to exercise before breakfast,
•• whereas Source C gives the opposite advice.
•• Probably the most important factor is that mentioned in the last sentence
of Source B, namely the importance of choosing a time when you will
‘stick to it’.
•• This is supported by the survey and claims in Source D,
•• even though both the survey and the claims are unreliable because of
the vested interest of the source.
•• So the claim is generally true. The benefits of choosing a time when
you will actually be able to exercise is more important than the specific
benefits of various times of day.
•• Another approach is that the best time to exercise depends on your
reasons for exercising,
•• e.g. to lose weight (Source C)
•• or to train for competitive sport (Sources A and B).

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9694/02 Cambridge International AS & A Level – Mark Scheme For examination
SPECIMEN from 2020

Question Answer Marks

3(a) 2 marks: the provision of museums is one of the most important functions of 2
government.
1 mark: paraphrase of the above.
3(b) For up to 3 of the following: 6
2 marks for an exact answer
1 mark for a paraphrase, or for one additional element or omission.

•• The survival of nations depends on museums.

•• (So) the preservation of cultures is even more necessary now than it was
in previous generations.
•• (But) the influence of museums spreads much more widely than this
[visiting and appreciating museums].
•• Museums are a vital resource for education.
•• The existence of museums is (therefore) a vital support in the defence of
democracy.
3(c) 2 marks for an exact expression of any of the following 2
1 mark for a paraphrase of any of the following, or for one additional
element or omission

•• (At times of economic hardship,) (it is understandable if) museums are

considered very low on a government’s list of priorities.
•• (Some people may argue that) individual cultures matter less in a time of
globalisation.
•• (It could be argued that) maintaining an interest in our past is an
indulgence for the benefit of the few who have the leisure to visit them
and the education to appreciate them.
3(d) 2 marks for an exact version of any of the following 2
1 mark for an incomplete or vague version of any of the following

•• That things that can be replaced are a lower priority than things which
cannot.
•• That if something is very low on a government’s list of priorities it is not
well taken care of.
•• That ancient artefacts and records can be preserved only by museums.
•• That things preserved in museums cannot be lost or stolen.

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9694/02 Cambridge International AS & A Level – Mark Scheme For examination
SPECIMEN from 2020

Question Answer Marks

4(a) The sentence beginning ‘But a world in which …’ is a straw man [1], as the 2
effects of globalisation are unlikely to be as extreme as this [1].

Accept a description of the flaw without the name ‘straw man’ for the first
mark.

‘True unity consists …’ begs the question / is a stipulative definition [1] – this
definition is questionable [1].
4(b) Significantly weakened (neither negligibly nor fatally) [1]. Both the options 2
mentioned are implausibly extreme [1]. The experience of students is much
more likely to lie between these extremes [1].

Award a mark for judgement only if supported.

4(c) Para 1 recognises the government as the custodian of museums, whereas 2
para 5 suggests that museums protect our heritage from misuse by the
government [1]. This inconsistency seriously weakens the support which this
part of the reasoning gives to the conclusion about the duty of governments to
maintain museums [1].
4(d) Being ‘kept safe’ is conflated with ‘being kept in a museum’ [1]. There are 2
other ways of keeping things safe [1].

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9694/02 Cambridge International AS & A Level – Mark Scheme For examination
SPECIMEN from 2020

Question Answer Marks

5 8
Supported 2 marks: precise, supported conclusion
conclusion
1 mark: imprecise, supported conclusion

0 marks: conclusion unstated, unsupported or different from

the requirement of the question
Reasons 2 marks: more than one reason supporting the conclusion

1 mark: one reason supporting the conclusion

0 marks: no reasons supporting the conclusion

Inferential 2 marks: more than one coherent strand of reasoning
reasoning
1 mark: single coherent strand of reasoning

0 marks: no inferential reasoning

Argument 2 marks: more than one use of intermediate conclusion
elements or other argument elements (example, evidence, analogy,
counter with response)

1 mark: one use of intermediate conclusion or other

argument element

0 marks: no use of intermediate conclusion or other

argument elements

Example 8 mark answers

Support (125 words)

It has been said that those who do not understand history are doomed to
repeat it. However, that saying sounds much wiser than it is. Historians do
not have time to engage in public life and people in positions of political or
commercial power cannot read widely or deeply enough to come to their
own opinions on matters of history. In practice, therefore, it is not realistic for
anyone to benefit from the lessons of history.

Furthermore, it is not true that history repeats itself. No two situations are
exactly the same, and anyone who predicts an outcome based on a case
from previous generations will almost certainly overlook significant factors and
come to a wrong judgement.

Therefore the study of history has no value.

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9694/02 Cambridge International AS & A Level – Mark Scheme For examination
SPECIMEN from 2020

Question Answer Marks

5 Challenge (118 words)

One reason for studying history is as a key to understanding one’s cultural

identity. Unless we know where we come from, we cannot know who we are.
For individuals and communities to live without a knowledge of political and
social history is like trying to drive without a roadmap or to build without a
blueprint.

Knowledge of history also has practical benefits. Although it is an

exaggeration to say that history repeats itself, certain scenarios and themes
do tend to recur. By studying the decisions which people made in the past,
together with the consequences of those decisions, it is possible to develop
wise policies and make the best decisions.

Therefore the study of history has great value.

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9694/02 Cambridge International AS & A Level – Mark Scheme For examination
SPECIMEN from 2020

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