How am I meant to prepare for the Paper 1 if I don't know which text I will receive?

Unlike some of the other IB topics, the final examinations for English don't ask you to demonstrate a certain memorized knowledge, rather a skill that has been developed over the two years. While paper one can be daunting, if your studies in English have been successful, the poem or prose you are presented with will be far from alien- you will understand the basic structures and techniques used by an author to convey the intended message or emotion, and this is all you need to write about. The best way to prepare is with practice. Look at 1-2 unknown poems a week and write an impromptu commentary on them under exam conditions. Memorize certain sentence structures that roll off the pen easily and can be used for multiple poems or prose. Make sure you are well revised on literary devices and critical vocabulary- use of language and familiarity with literary devices make up almost half of the marking criteria. Practice writing paragraphs using "who, what, when, how, and why?" formula: Who is saying what, and when in the text are they saying it. How is this message conveyed? Zoom into the text and analyze specific words that support this message. Finally, why is the author doing this- how does it contribute to the greater meaning of the text? On the day of your exam, you should walk into the exam hall smiling. When you've received the text, read it three times over before you even begin to take note of what the author is trying to say. Bit by bit you will begin to tease out the subtleties of the poem.