Exam Tasks and Analysis

This page outlines the specific tasks students are required to complete for this English Leistungskurs exam, along with some analysis of what these tasks are testing.

Task 1: Outline Charles M. Blow's reasons to be angry about police behaviour in the US. (Text A)

This task tests students' ability to:

• Comprehend and analyze a complex English text
• Identify and summarize key arguments
• Understand the context of racial issues and police violence in the US

Task 2: Mediation: Write a short text in English for the students' paper explaining how people of color are discriminated against every day, based on the interview with Alice Hasters. (Text B)

This task assesses:

• Language mediation skills (German to English)
• Understanding of everyday racism and discrimination
• Ability to explain complex social issues clearly

Task 3: Students must choose between two options:

a) Discuss the quote by Morgan Freeman: "How do we stop racism? Stop talking about it. I'm going to stop calling you a white man, and I'm going to ask you to stop calling me a black man."

OR

b) Discuss how racism is visible in Germany and what could be done against it, referencing a study showing 90% of Germans believe racism exists in the country.

These options test:

• Critical thinking and argumentation skills
• Ability to connect texts to broader societal issues
• Understanding of racism in different cultural contexts (US vs. Germany)

Example: A strong response to Task 3b might discuss visible forms of racism in Germany such as discrimination in housing or employment, while also addressing less visible forms like microaggressions or representation in media.

Highlight: These tasks align with the goals of Standardsicherung NRW, ensuring students can engage critically with complex social issues in English at a high academic level.

Continued Analysis of Text A

This page continues the analysis of Charles M. Blow's commentary, delving deeper into the author's critique of American society's response to police violence against Black individuals.

Blow argues that the brief period of widespread support for racial justice following George Floyd's death was fleeting. He describes it as a "cabin-fever racial consciousness" that dissipated once COVID-19 lockdowns eased and people returned to their normal routines. The author expresses disappointment that many people's commitment to the cause was "transitory and transactional."

The commentary highlights several troubling lessons learned from this experience:

1. For some, interest in Black safety was merely a passing trend.
2. Allyship can be temporary and conditional.
3. Many people engaged with the movement briefly before moving on when their interest waned.

Definition: Allyship - The practice of emphasizing social justice, inclusion, and human rights by members of an ingroup to advance the interests of an oppressed or marginalized outgroup.

Blow is particularly critical of liberal politicians who showed that their commitment to protecting Black lives from police violence was dependent on polling rather than moral conviction. He accuses these politicians of abandoning their principles when public opinion shifted, prioritizing political expediency over meaningful reform.

Quote: "When the winds shifted, these politicians spun like a weather vane."

The author condemns politicians for distancing themselves from terms like "woke" or "defund the police" instead of reframing these concepts in more politically palatable ways. This criticism reflects broader debates about political courage and the challenges of implementing systemic changes, topics often explored in Englisch LK Abitur exams.

Text A: Commentary on Tyre Nichols' Death

This page summarizes the key points from Charles M. Blow's commentary "Tyre Nichols's Death Is America's Shame" published in The New York Times on January 27, 2023. The author expresses deep anger and disappointment at the continued problem of police violence against Black Americans, using the tragic death of Tyre Nichols as a focal point.

Blow criticizes the media spectacle around the release of the video showing Nichols' beating, calling it a "damning indictment of American perversion." He places this incident in the context of a long history of videos depicting police brutality against Black individuals, expressing concern that the sheer volume of such incidents is desensitizing the public.

The author laments that despite the massive protests following George Floyd's death in 2020, meaningful police reform has not been achieved. He argues that public interest in the issue waned as other concerns like the economy and crime took precedence, and even support for the Black Lives Matter movement declined among Black Americans.

Quote: "America should be ashamed. It abandoned the issue of police reform."

Blow expresses frustration that it takes an extremely gruesome case like Nichols' death to reignite public attention, when federal legislation to prevent such killings should have already been in place. He criticizes politicians and temporary allies who backed away from the cause when it became less politically expedient.

Highlight: The commentary serves as a powerful indictment of America's failure to address systemic racism and police violence, topics often covered in Englisch Abitur exams focusing on current social issues in English-speaking countries.