GCSE Physical Education Short Paper B
Covers Training Methods and Fitness Testing Data, Classification of Skill and Guidance, Arousal, Goal Setting and Mental Preparation and 3 more.
Questions
Question 1 [3 marks]
Health, Fitness and Well-being
A student who exercises regularly says that being fit is the same as being healthy.
Explain why fitness and health are not always the same thing, using an example.
Question 2 [3 marks]
Arousal, Goal Setting and Mental Preparation
Before attempting a difficult vault, a gymnast repeats the phrase 'I have trained for this, I can do it' to herself.
Identify this mental preparation technique, define it, and explain how it could help her performance.
Question 3 [3 marks]
Socio-cultural Influences on Participation
A national governing body launches a free campaign encouraging more women to take part in grassroots sport, using relatable everyday role models.
State two barriers to participation this type of campaign is designed to address, and give a reason for one of them.
Question 4 [3 marks]
Health, Fitness and Well-being
A marathon runner has a naturally narrow, thin build with very little body fat or muscle bulk.
Identify her somatotype, and explain why this body type could be an advantage in marathon running.
Question 5 [4 marks]
Classification of Skill and Guidance
A trampolining coach uses a spotting belt attached to overhead ropes to support a beginner safely while she learns a new somersault.
Identify the type of guidance being used, and explain two reasons why it is well suited to this situation.
Question 6 [4 marks]
Diet, Nutrition and Hydration for Performance
A gymnast trains indoors for most of the year and gets very little exposure to sunlight.
Explain the role of vitamin D in supporting bone health, and explain why her limited sunlight exposure could increase her risk of a stress fracture.
Question 7 [4 marks]
Training Methods and Fitness Testing Data
A hockey squad completes the sit and reach test at the start of the season to measure flexibility at the hips and lower back.
Identify the component of fitness being tested by the sit and reach test, and describe how the test is carried out.
Question 8 [4 marks]
Health, Fitness and Well-being
A talented young athlete is offered recreational drugs at a party and is warned by his coach about the risks to both his performance and his health.
Explain one way recreational drug use could negatively affect his sporting performance, and one way it could negatively affect his long term health.
Question 9 [6 marks]
Arousal, Goal Setting and Mental Preparation
A talented young footballer plays well in training but often becomes overly nervous and makes mistakes in important matches.
Recommend and explain techniques the footballer could use to control his arousal levels, so that his match performance matches his training performance.
Question 10 [6 marks]
Training Methods and Fitness Testing Data
A PE department compares fartlek training and continuous training as options for a cross country squad preparing for a hilly race with varied terrain.
Compare fartlek training and continuous training as methods of preparing this squad, and recommend which is more appropriate for the demands of the race, with reasons.
Model solutions
| Question 1[3 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| fitness being the ability to meet the demands of the environment or perform physical tasks, while health is a state of complete well-being | B1 |
| a valid example of being fit but not fully healthy, e.g. a fit athlete may still have a mental health condition or an illness | B1 |
| a valid example of being healthy but not very fit, e.g. someone with no illness who does very little exercise and has low cardiovascular fitness | B1 |
| Final answer: Fitness is the ability to meet physical demands; health is complete well-being, so a person can be one without the other | |
| Question 2[3 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| positive self-talk | B1 |
| a correct definition, e.g. using positive, encouraging internal speech to influence thoughts and feelings | B1 |
| a correct explanation, e.g. it can increase her confidence and reduce negative or anxious thoughts just before a difficult skill | B1 |
| Final answer: Positive self-talk - using encouraging internal speech; it can raise confidence and reduce anxious thoughts before a difficult skill | |
| Question 3[3 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| a correct barrier, e.g. lack of confidence or fear of judgement about appearance/ability | B1 |
| a further correct barrier, e.g. a lack of awareness of opportunities available locally | B1 |
| a correct reason for one barrier, e.g. showing ordinary women taking part can reduce the fear of being judged, making participation feel more achievable | B1 |
| Final answer: Barriers such as lack of confidence and lack of awareness of local opportunities; showing relatable role models reduces the fear of judgement | |
| Question 4[3 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| ectomorph | B1 |
| a correct definition, e.g. a narrow body shape with a low proportion of both fat and muscle | B1 |
| a correct explanation, e.g. carrying less body weight means less mass to transport over the long distance, reducing energy cost | B1 |
| Final answer: Ectomorph - a narrow, thin build; carrying less body weight reduces the energy cost of running such a long distance | |
| Question 5[4 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| mechanical guidance | B1 |
| a correct reason, e.g. the belt physically supports and controls the beginner, reducing the risk of a serious fall while learning a dangerous new skill | B1 |
| a correct reason, e.g. it lets the beginner attempt the full skill safely at an earlier stage than she otherwise could without support | B1 |
| a correct additional detail, e.g. it differs from manual guidance because the support comes from equipment rather than directly from a person's hands | B1 |
| Final answer: Mechanical guidance - equipment such as a spotting belt supports the beginner safely and lets her attempt the full, dangerous skill earlier than she otherwise could | |
| Question 6[4 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| a correct role, e.g. vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium from the diet | B1 |
| a correct additional detail, e.g. calcium is needed to keep bones strong and dense | B1 |
| a correct explanation of the sunlight link, e.g. the body produces much of its vitamin D through exposure to sunlight on the skin | B1 |
| a correct overall link, e.g. limited sunlight could reduce her vitamin D levels, reducing calcium absorption and weakening her bones, raising the risk of a stress fracture | B1 |
| Final answer: Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium for strong bones; limited sunlight could lower her vitamin D, reducing calcium absorption and raising her stress fracture risk | |
| Question 7[4 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| flexibility | B1 |
| the performer sitting with legs straight, feet against a box, and reaching forward as far as possible along a scale | B1 |
| the performer holding the furthest reached position momentarily so a reading can be recorded | B1 |
| the score being the distance reached, in cm, either past or short of a fixed zero point | B1 |
| Final answer: Tests flexibility; the performer reaches forward with straight legs and the furthest distance held is recorded on the scale | |
| Question 8[4 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| a correct performance effect, e.g. many recreational drugs impair coordination, reaction time or judgement, all of which would harm his performance | B1 |
| a correct additional detail, e.g. some drugs also disrupt sleep or recovery, further reducing his ability to train and perform well | B1 |
| a correct long term health effect, e.g. recreational drug use can damage organs such as the heart, lungs or liver over time | B1 |
| a correct additional detail, e.g. it also carries a risk of addiction/dependency, which can affect both his health and his ability to keep training seriously | B1 |
| Final answer: Recreational drugs can impair coordination, reaction time and recovery, harming performance, and can cause long term organ damage and a risk of addiction, harming health | |
| Question 9[6 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| deep breathing/breathing control, used to help lower heart rate and physically calm the body before and during the match | B1 |
| a correct explanation of why this helps, e.g. slow, controlled breathing reduces physical symptoms of anxiety such as a racing heart | B1 |
| mental rehearsal/imagery, used to picture successful play before the match, building confidence and familiarity | B1 |
| a correct explanation of why this helps, e.g. it reduces the fear of the unknown and helps him focus on what he needs to do | B1 |
| setting process goals (focusing on his own performance/technique rather than only the match result) to reduce pressure | B1 |
| a correct overall evaluation, e.g. using a combination of these techniques regularly, not just before big matches, would help bring his arousal closer to his optimum level so his match performance matches training | B1 |
| Final answer: Breathing control, mental rehearsal/imagery and process goal setting, used together to bring arousal towards his optimum level | |
| Question 10[6 marks] | |
|---|---|
| Answer or working | Marks |
| continuous training involving working at a steady, moderate pace without rest for a sustained period | B1 |
| fartlek training involving varying the pace and/or terrain throughout the session (fast/slow, hills/flat) | B1 |
| a correct advantage of continuous training, e.g. it is simple to plan and directly builds aerobic (cardiovascular) endurance | B1 |
| a correct advantage of fartlek training, e.g. it better replicates the changing pace and terrain demands of the actual race | B1 |
| a recommendation made, e.g. fartlek training | B1 |
| correct justification for the recommendation, e.g. because varying the intensity and terrain in training matches the varied demands of a hilly cross country race more closely than a steady pace would | B1 |
| Final answer: Fartlek training is more appropriate, since its varied pace and terrain more closely match the demands of a hilly cross country race than steady continuous training | |