How do I answer Question 2 in English Language Paper 2?

For this question we are asked to write a summary about a topic of both sources. For example, the June 2018 paper asked students to write a summary about different surfboards used in the extracts. You might be tempted to find out everything can about the surfboards and write a list, but this isn't what the examiners want. To score well we need to give them some JIPS. We need to find Judicious references, make Inferences, be Perceptive and Synthesize! Now let's run through what these words mean. 'Judicious references' is examiner lingo for a skilled selection of evidence. After you've read the question, highlight its key words then re-read the source and highlight any information relevant to this key information. This will be your evidence. Only pick what is relevant - key phrases are best. Once you've done that you can start with your inferences. Making an inference is drawing a conclusion about the evidence you've found. Think of the text as a pond. The words on the page are the surface, but there's treasure buried beneath. You need to use your treasure hunting skills to find the hidden meaning beneath it. The more insightful (or perceptive) your conclusions are, the better the mark you will achieve. To be perceptive, find out all you can about the authors. One of the ways you can make perceptive inferences is by using synthesis - which is combining. First, consider who wrote the source and why. Check the box at the beginning of each source and if you know you're forgetful in exams then you can turn this into a table. Look at the similarities and differences between the writers. Why might the information be different in each source? Think about the time they live in, or their reason for writing. Then, we can to look at the evidence you've selected from both sources and think about what they mean together - like pieces of a puzzle.So question 2 in the June 2018 paper isn't just asking you to write a list of what you found out about surfboards, it's asking you to write a summary about what you've learned about surfboards by reading both the sources which are from distinct times and places, written by two very different people. Instead of just thinking about how the surfboards are used in the texts, we must think about what both the texts tell us about surfboards in general when we read them in combination.