GCSE Answers to Frequently asked Exam Revision Questions Part 3

What is circumduction and what joint allows this to happen?

Answer: Circumduction is a movement in which flexion, abduction, extension and adduction movements are combined in sequence. Therefore, any joint at which flexion, abduction, extension, and adduction may occur is a joint at which circumduction may occur. The most commonly used example is the shoulder joint (ball and socket joint).

In the BBC GCSE Bitesize PE programme it states that Golf is an open skill. My notes from class and from the "Lonsdale" Revision Books clearly state that golf is a closed skill. I would be grateful if you could help me out as skills are a major part in the exam.

Answer: Golf is most definitely a "Closed Skill". Closed skills are those which are performed in an environment, where the outcome will not be affected by external forces. Examples include putting a golf ball, performing a swimming dive, snooker and a tennis serve. These are skills where the environment is relatively stable so no opponent or external factor should affect the performance.

Open Skills can be affected by external forces. Examples include running in Rugby, dribbling a football in a game situation, and passing the ball to a team-mate in a hockey game.

Why is competition good for physical activity?

Answer: Competition can be great for encouraging physical activity. It can also be destructive and de-motivating. However, since your question refers to the positive side of competition, we can identify some clear ideas.

Competition can encourage and increase intensity of activity as competitors feel the need to increase the workload in order to beat an opponent. It can also be motivating and exciting. The feeling of winning a competition can push the performer on to try something again or to repeat a positive action. Competition can also help "Peak Performance". This is where levels of adrenalin rise to the point where a performer feels psychology ready to perform physical skills at their best. This also helps to sustain activity for longer periods of time. This is not only motivational but can also help to provide realistic fitness or performance bench-marks which can translate to an official competition.

Do you have to know the definitions from the glossary word for word?

Answer: Exam boards train their examiners to accept certain answers. In different text books there are slightly different variations in definitions, and therefore the markers will usually accept these variations. Where a question asks for a "Definition", it is important that you do not give a lengthy explanation but keep it to a concise sentence. Your wording could be a little different as long as you have all the necessary key words in the right order in a clear sentence.