Lesson P2-S2

P2-S2 20th or 21st-century non-fiction and literary non-fiction Quiz: AQA English Language, Unit 2

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson P2-S2, 20th or 21st-century non-fiction and literary non-fiction: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA GCSE English Language (8700), Unit 2: Paper 2: Writers' Viewpoints and Perspectives, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which period is the second text in Paper 2 Section A drawn from?

    • The 18th century, from roughly 1700 to 1800, which is paired with a 20th-century text
    • The 20th or 21st century, depending on the period assessed
    • The 16th century, from roughly 1500 to 1600, which is set alongside a 19th-century text
    • The 19th century only, from roughly 1800 to 1900, with no other period in the paper at all

  2. Which feature is typical of a 20th or 21st-century article?

    • A list of footnotes and references at the foot of each page, which record the sources used
    • A headline and a standfirst that set up the topic for the reader
    • A formal opening salutation and a closing sign-off, which mark the start and end of the piece
    • A stage direction indicating how the text should be performed by an actor in a theatre

  3. What is 'direct address' in a modern article?

    • Speaking to the reader as 'you' to create a personal connection
    • Writing in a formal letter form to a named official, with the address and date set out at the top
    • Quoting a speech given by a politician at a rally, with the crowd's reaction noted in brackets
    • Addressing the editor of the publication by name, in a letter printed in the correspondence column

  4. Why might a 21st-century writer use a colloquial tone?

    • To prove the text is a transcript of a formal meeting, recorded word for word by a secretary
    • To hide the author's view behind a neutral technical tone, so that the piece seems impartial
    • To show that the text is written in a legal, formal style, which is required for official documents
    • To connect with a general audience and sound conversational and relatable

  5. What is a statistic used for in persuasive non-fiction?

    • To replace the need for any argument or evidence at all, so the reader accepts the figures
    • To decorate the page with numbers that have no purpose, so that the layout looks more interesting
    • To show the author's age and experience in the field, which is printed beside the figures
    • To give apparent authority and evidence to support a point

  6. Which technique creates impact in a modern headline?

    • A question whose answer is given in the next line, so the reader is drawn down the page
    • A short, bold phrase that grabs attention and summarises the story
    • A long list of statistics that the reader must check against the original report before reading on
    • A quotation with no context or explanation at all, printed in large letters across the top

  7. What does 'hyperbole' add to a 21st-century opinion piece?

    • A formal request for a reply from the editor, placed at the foot of the column for readers
    • A neutral summary of both sides of the debate, given in a balanced paragraph at the close
    • An accurate count of figures taken from the report, presented in a neat table beside the text
    • Emphasis that exaggerates a point for dramatic effect

  8. Which feature of an online opinion piece shows its viewpoint?

    • A set of instructions for the reader to follow exactly, written as numbered steps with no comment
    • A first-person voice and evaluative language that signals the writer's stance
    • A table of data sources with no analysis attached, placed at the end of the article for reference
    • A neutral list of facts with no judgement or comment, set out in order so the reader can check each one

  9. A reviewer writes 'a tedious, overlong film'. Which feature is this?

    • A neutral statement that the film runs for two hours and that it was released in the spring
    • Evaluative language expressing the reviewer's judgement of the subject
    • A numbered statistic that counts the scenes in the film and gives the total running time in minutes
    • A list of the actors who appear in the cast, set out in the order of their names on the poster

  10. What is a 'pull quote' in a magazine article?

    • A summary of the article presented as a numbered list of the main points for quick reference
    • A list of the sources the writer consulted, set out in alphabetical order at the end of the piece
    • The writer's contact details, given so that readers can send feedback about the article
    • A striking line from the text, highlighted to attract the reader's eye

  11. Why might a writer open with a striking anecdote?

    • To show the writer has no interest in the topic, which the reader can see from the opening line
    • To replace the title with a personal memory, so the article begins with the writer's own story
    • To delay the main point until the very last paragraph, so that the reader keeps reading to the end
    • To draw the reader in, then connect the personal story to a wider issue

  12. What is 'bias' in a 21st-century article?

    • A tone that is always polite and formal throughout, so that the reader trusts the account at once
    • A neutral account that presents every view equally and fairly, giving the same space to each side
    • A clear list of sources that the writer checked carefully before publishing the article in print
    • A slant that favours one view by selecting or framing evidence to support it

  13. Which evidence shows that an article uses fact rather than opinion?

    • A statement that the writer finds the policy disappointing, given as a personal reaction to the news
    • A phrase such as 'in my view' or 'I believe', which signals that the writer is giving an opinion
    • A verifiable statement such as a dated figure from a named survey
    • A judgement that the result is shocking and unfair, which sums up how the writer feels about it

  14. Which feature of a 20th-century memoir is typical?

    • A formal legal contract setting out terms and conditions, signed by both parties at the end
    • A numbered list of instructions for a complex task, set out in order for the reader to follow
    • Reflective first-person recollection, looking back on past experiences
    • Dialogue-only scenes with no narrator or description, so that the characters speak for themselves

  15. What is the effect of a rhetorical question in a 21st-century article?

    • It shows the writer genuinely does not know the answer and is asking for help from the reader
    • It makes the reader think about the answer the writer wants to imply
    • It has no effect and simply fills the space in the column, as a decorative feature of the layout
    • It asks the reader to answer aloud in a public forum, so that the audience joins the discussion

  16. Which feature signals an online text's intended digital audience?

    • A numbered footnote citing a printed book, placed at the bottom of the page for reference
    • Hashtags, links or informal punctuation aimed at a digital readership
    • A typed signature at the foot of a formal letter, placed beneath the closing phrase in the layout
    • A stage direction telling a performer when to speak, written in brackets within the script

  17. Harder: Which judgement about an online article's credibility is the most developed?

    • It rejects every claim because online text is never reliable, whatever the source or author
    • It accepts every claim because the article is recent and online, so the reader need not check anything
    • It ignores the sources because the headline is the only important part, and the body is secondary
    • It weighs the sources and checks for bias, rather than accepting every claim at face value

  18. Harder: Which evaluation of a writer's use of a striking anecdote is the most balanced?

    • It is useful only in a formal letter and never in journalism, where it is considered unprofessional
    • It engages the reader powerfully, though it may distort the wider picture if unrepresentative
    • It is always the most reliable form of evidence in any article, because it is drawn from real life
    • It is never useful in an article because it is personal, and personal evidence cannot be checked

  19. What is 'editorialising' in journalism?

    • Dividing a text into numbered sections for an index, so that readers can find topics more quickly
    • Adding the writer's own opinion or judgement into a report or news piece
    • Quoting a speech word for word from an official transcript, to show exactly what was said at the event
    • Checking spelling and punctuation in a finished article before it is sent to the printers for printing

  20. Harder: Which claim about a 20th-century or 21st-century text is the most accurate?

    • Its audience has no effect on its tone or vocabulary, which are chosen only by the writer
    • Its viewpoint is always neutral because it is modern and written by a professional journalist today
    • Its time period is irrelevant to how the viewpoint is read, since all texts are judged in the same way
    • Its viewpoint is shaped by its time and audience, so the reader must weigh both alongside its argument

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