Cambridge International A Level Arabic 9680: Syllabus Overview
The syllabus develops understanding of Arabic in different registers, confident written communication, logical organisation of ideas, selection and presentation of information, cultural insight and literary response.
Core skill areas
| Skill area | What successful learners demonstrate |
|---|---|
| Comprehension | Accurate understanding of information, relationships, viewpoints and implications in Arabic texts. |
| Language control | Appropriate vocabulary, grammar, idiom, register and sentence structure. |
| Selection and synthesis | Relevant information chosen from sources and combined for a defined task. |
| Argument | Ideas organised logically and supported with relevant development. |
| Literary response | Detailed knowledge of prescribed texts and awareness of how writers convey meaning. |
| Translation | Meaning transferred faithfully into clear, accurate and natural Arabic. |
Contemporary topic areas
| Theme cluster | Examples |
|---|---|
| People and society | Family, generation gap, young people, equality, employment, law and order. |
| Daily and cultural life | Urban and rural life, media, food and drink, sport, leisure, travel, education and heritage. |
| Ideas and development | Philosophy and belief, war and peace, social and economic development. |
| Science and environment | Medical advances, technology, environment, conservation and pollution. |
| Arabic-speaking world | Contemporary political, regional, social and cultural issues. |
Paper 3 uses five set topics that change each examination year. Paper 4 uses a year-specific set-text list divided into two sections.
Completion check: You can describe the six skill areas, group the contemporary topics coherently and locate the correct Paper 3 topics and Paper 4 texts for your examination year.