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Checkpoint English Workbook Stage 9

The document is a Cambridge Checkpoint English Workbook for Lower Secondary students, designed to complement the corresponding student’s book. It contains various chapters focusing on reading, writing, and key skills, with exercises aimed at enhancing students' understanding and appreciation of English language and literature. The workbook encourages individual practice and offers opportunities for speaking and listening skills development, while also providing extension activities for advanced learners.

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100% found this document useful (6 votes)

506 views271 pages

Checkpoint English Workbook Stage 9

Uploaded by

Marta Martinelli

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

Available Formats

Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Colegio “Las Victorias”

Checkpoint
English

PREP GUIDE
Prof. Camila Dargains
Cambridge

checkp int

Lower Secondary

English
WORKBOOK

John Reynolds

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 1 25/05/2022 12:42

Contents
Introduction 4

Chapter 1: Capturing the experience 5

Reading5
Key skills 12
Writing15

Chapter 2: Remembering and informing 16

Reading16
Key skills 23
Speaking and listening 25
Writing25

Chapter 3: Writing to persuade 26

Reading26
Writing 32
Key skills 33
Writing35
Speaking and listening 36

Chapter 4: Painting pictures 37

Reading37
Key skills 45
Writing49

Chapter 5: Advertising 50
Reading50
Key skills 58
Writing60

Chapter 6: A good story 61

Reading61
Key skills 68
Writing70
Speaking and listening 70

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Chapter 7: Exploring complex themes 71

Reading71
Key skills 80
Writing, speaking and listening 81
Writing82

Chapter 8: Bringing it all together 83

Reading83
Key skills 89
Writing92

Introduction
Welcome to Cambridge Checkpoint English Workbook Stage 9. The chapters in this book
complement the corresponding student’s book and support the material contained in it. Each
chapter contains text extracts with questions to test your understanding of both the content of
the passages and your appreciation of the ways in which writers use language to create effects.
Each chapter also contains exercises to allow you to practise a range of key skills to become fully
competent in your ability to understand and write English.
There is no set way to approach using the workbook – you may wish to use it to supplement your
understanding as you work through each chapter of the student’s book or you may prefer to use it
to recap on particular topics at a later point. It is hoped that the organisation of the material in the
book is sufficiently flexible to allow whichever approach is best suited to your needs.
Please note: as the intention of this book is that it will be used by individual students to practise
English activities away from the classroom and other students, there are no activities in the
workbook that are aimed specifically at practising group work and discussion. Many of the reading
passages and writing activities, however, contain ideas and topics that can be used as a basis for
group discussions and talks to a small group, for students who wish to use the workbook for informal
practice sessions with peers. There are opportunities to practise your speaking and listening skills – if
you can perform your speaking tasks in front of an audience then you will get the most out of them.
There are also three extension activities – these are more demanding tasks or tasks that help you to
practise a wider range of skills.

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1 Capturing the experience

Reading
Different purposes … different audiences
The two extracts here are taken from first-hand accounts.
The following passage is taken from the book The Englishwoman in America by Isabella Lucy Bird,
published in 1856, and tells of the author’s experiences during a visit to America. Read the passage
carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

Extract: The Englishwoman in America

We packed ourselves into the stage again with great difficulty, and how the forty-eight limbs fared was
shown by the painful sensations experienced for several succeeding days. All the passengers, however,
were in perfectly good humour, and amused each other during the eleven hours spent in this painful way.
At an average speed of six miles an hour we travelled over roads of various descriptions, plank, corduroy,
and sand; up long heavy hills, and through swamps swarming with mosquitoes.
Everyone has heard of corduroy roads, but how few have experienced their miseries! They are generally
used for traversing swampy ground, and are formed of small pine-trees deprived of their branches,
which are laid across the track alongside each other. The wear and tear of travelling soon separates
these, leaving gaps between; and when, added to this, one trunk rots away, and another sinks down into
the swamp, and another tilts up, you may imagine such a jolting as only leather springs could bear. On
the very worst roads, filled with deep holes, or covered with small granite boulders, the stage only swings
on the straps. Ordinary springs, besides dislocating the joints of the passengers, would be wrenched and
broken after a few miles travelling.
Even as we were, faces sometimes came into rather close proximity to each other and to the side
railings, and heads sustained very unpleasant collisions. The amiable man who was so disappointed with
the American climate suffered very much from the journey. He said he had thought a French diligence
[a type of coach] the climax of discomfort, but a ‘stage was misery, oh torture!’ Each time that we had
rather a worse jolt than usual the poor man groaned, which always drew forth a chorus of laughter, to
which he submitted most good-humouredly. Occasionally he would ask the time, when someone would
point maliciously to his watch, remarking, ‘Twelve hours more’, or ‘Fifteen hours more’, when he would
look up with an expression of despair. The bridges wore a very un-English feature. Over the small streams
or brooks they consisted of three pines covered with planks, without any parapet – with sometimes a
plank out, and sometimes a hole in the middle. Over large streams they were wooden erections of a
most peculiar kind, with high parapets; their insecurity being evidenced by the notice, ‘Walk your horses,
according to law’, – a notice generally disregarded by our coachman, as he trotted his horses over the
shaking and rattling fabric.
In Nova Scotia the animals seemed to be more carefully lodged than the people. Wherever we changed
horses, we drove into a lofty shed, opening into a large stable with a boarded floor scrupulously clean,
generally containing twenty horses. The rigour of the climate in winter necessitates such careful
provision for the support of animal life. The coachman went into the stable and chose his team, which
was brought out, and then a scene of kicking, biting, and screaming ensued, ended by the most furious
kickers being put to the wheel; and after a certain amount of talking, and settling the mail-bags, the
ponderous vehicle moved off again, the leaders always rearing for the first few yards.

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Reading

For sixty miles we were passing through woods, the trees sometimes burned and charred for several
miles, and the ground all blackened round them. We saw very few clearings, and those there were
consisted merely of a few acres of land, separated from the forest by rude ‘snake-fences’. Stumps of
trees blackened by fire stood up among the oat-crops; but though they look extremely untidy, they are
an unavoidable evil for two or three years, till the large roots decay.
Isabella Lucy Bird

1 Explain what is meant by the following words and phrases as used in the passage:

a fared ��

b traversing ��

c close proximity ��

d amiable ��

e maliciously ��

f scrupulously clean ��

g rigour ��

h ponderous ��

2 How many people do you think were travelling in the coach? Explain your answer.

��

3 Explain in detail the impression the writer gives of corduroy roads. Use carefully chosen textual
references in your analysis.

��

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1 Capturing the experience

4 What does the writer tell you about the suspension of the coach on which she was travelling?

��

5 From paragraph 3, what do you learn about the bridges and what did the writer find surprising?
Use references to the text in your analysis.

��

6 What reason does the writer give for the way in which horses were lodged in Nova Scotia?

��

7 What appears to be the main criterion used by the coachman when choosing a new team
of horses?

��

8 What was the reason for the ground being ‘blackened’ (paragraph 5)?

��

9 Imagine you are the ‘amiable man who was so disappointed with the American climate’. On a
separate piece of paper, write a letter to a member of your family describing your experiences on
the journey and describing your fellow travellers in the coach.
10 By referring closely to paragraph 3, comment as fully as you can on the language, tone and
linguistic and literary features used by the writer and say how this helps to convey her attitude
towards the journey and towards the other travellers on the coach. How does this aid the
writer’s purpose? Write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

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Reading

The next passage is a blog written by Mark Moxon and is taken from his account of his experiences
of trekking the Annapurna Circuit in the Himalayas. Read it carefully and then answer the questions
that follow.

Extract: ‘Nepal – Annapurna Circuit’

Nepal freaked me out instantly, in much the same way the cool, silent night air does as you leave
the rock concert, ears still ringing. Compared to the hustle and bustle of India, Nepal feels like a quiet
backwater; the fact that I had to put my watch forward by exactly fifteen minutes at the border only
emphasises the difference between India and the mountain kingdom to the north.
Even the long bus ride from the Indian border at Sunauli to the mountain town of Pokhara is easy, and
the loud horns that are so ubiquitous in India are conspicuous by their absence. A fellow traveller told
me that after India, anywhere would appear mundane, but I’m not sure that’s such a bad thing; after
all, sitting in a comfy chair in front of the fire and flicking channels is pretty mundane, but after a long
day trekking through the fire and ice of the real world, it’s a dream.
Indeed, trekking is my main goal in Nepal, and that’s why I headed straight for Pokhara instead of
Kathmandu, the capital city. The Annapurna Conservation Area to the north of Pokhara, itself in the
western half of Nepal, contains some of the most dramatic trekking on the planet, and I had my sights
firmly fixed on the three-week Annapurna Circuit, a circular route that crosses a very high pass (Thorung
La, 5416 m above sea level), trundles down the deepest gorge in the world (the 5571 m-deep Kali
Gandaki Gorge), and provides mountain views to stifle breath that’s already short in the high altitude
of the Himalayas. After beaches, rainforests, deserts, volcanoes and glaciers, it’s time for the big cheese.
The Himalayas are, of course, huge, but reading about them is considerably different from experiencing
them first hand. On a trek like this there are not only the usual walkers’ concerns of blisters, twisted
ankles, upset stomachs and sunburn, but also Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), an ailment brought on
by high altitude that is fatal if unchecked, and which still claims trekkers’ lives today. On the surface, the
Annapurna Circuit sounds like the biggest challenge of them all.
It isn’t all challenge, though, and this is a major part of its appeal. Unlike most of the trekking I’ve
done up to this point, you don’t need to carry food because you stop in villages along the way,
staying in the local hotels. This also means you don’t need to carry a tent, cooker, fuel or any of the
other gear associated with self-sufficient wilderness walking, which leaves the pack pleasantly light
and the accommodation comfortable. On a three-week trek this is a godsend; the thought of a pack
laden with 21 days of survival gear is enough to make most people’s knees spring a leak in sympathy,
mine included.
It also means that I have to reappraise my attitude towards long-distance walking. I’ve been on so
many walks that require serious effort and long days to get anywhere – Taman Negara, Hollyford-Pyke
and Gunung Rinjani to name but three – that I’ve developed a bit of an attitude problem. I like to go
fast, to push myself, to get fit, to be first at the destination, and in Annapurna this isn’t just a waste of
the ambience of the village inns and the beauty of the mountain views, it’s foolhardy. The best way
to avoid AMS is to acclimatise slowly to the altitude, so zooming up the peaks is simply dumb. Altitude
requires a different attitude, there’s no doubt about it.
This type of trekking has its ups and downs in more than just the literal sense. The impact of tourism on
this erstwhile netherworld is plain to see: piles of bottles lie cracking in the searing sun, candy wrappers
litter a number of the paths and the local culture is hard to separate from the service industries of hotel
and restaurant. On the plus side, though, income is higher, ecological awareness is increasing, and the
litter problem is nothing compared to India or Indonesia, an impressive feat when you consider the sheer
number of people involved.
Mark Moxon

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1 Capturing the experience

1 Explain what is meant by the following words and phrases as used in the passage. (Be careful: this
passage is taken from a blog and some of the words are used in a colloquial way.)

a freaked me out ��

b ubiquitous ��

c conspicuous by their absence ��

d mundane ��

e mountain views to stifle breath ��

f the big cheese ��

g reappraise ��

h ambience ��

2 Look at paragraph 1 and explain in detail the writer’s feelings about the differences between
Nepal and India.

��

3 Why does the writer feel that being ‘mundane’ is not a bad thing (paragraph 2)?

��

4 Why does the writer decide not to go straight to Kathmandu but to Pokhara instead?

��

5 Why is the Annapurna Circuit considered to be ‘the biggest challenge of them all’?

��

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 9 25/05/2022 12:42

Reading

6 What makes the Annapurna Circuit different from other treks the writer has undertaken and why?

��

7 Explain the author’s ‘attitude problem’ and why he needs to reappraise it now that he is in Nepal.

��

8 What do you understand by ‘This type of trekking has its ups and downs in more than just the
literal sense’?

��

9 Look at how the author has organised his ideas in the blog post. In what ways has he linked his
ideas? To help you do this, you could write a brief summary of the main idea in each paragraph to
see how they flow.

��

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1 Capturing the experience

Extension activity: Comparing texts from different times

The passages in this chapter, by Isabella Bird and Mark Moxon, were written 150 years apart under
different social, cultural and historical contexts.
Think about the type of travel the writers experienced and the main points that concern them about
what they saw and did on their travels. They are both first-hand accounts but are their audiences
and purposes different?
Write a comparison of the two passages, discussing the language they use, the tone of their writing,
what features they use to enhance their intended meaning and how that overall intended meaning
might be shaped by the different preferences and opinions of their readers. In your final paragraph,
explain which text you find more effectively fulfils its purpose and intended audience and why.
Make notes in the space below, and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

.............................................................................................................................................................................................................

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 11 25/05/2022 12:42

Key skills

Key skills
Punctuation revision
1 In the table, write down what each punctuation mark means.
Punctuation mark Meaning
Exclamation mark (!)

Ellipsis (…)

Dash (–)

Hyphen (-)

Parentheses/brackets ( )

2 Now write a paragraph (about a topic of your choice!), using one of the punctuation marks in
each sentence.

��

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 12 25/05/2022 12:42

1 Capturing the experience

Literary techniques: euphemism, hyperbole and litotes

1 Read the sentences below and think about what they are suggesting to the reader. Write what
each one is implying.
a She was as light as a feather.

��

b It is not the best weather today.

��

c She is between jobs.

��

d That speech went on for ever.

��

e I can’t say that I’m not tempted by the dessert.

��

f There’s enough food in the cupboard to feed an entire army.

��

g Our pet was put to sleep.

��

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 13 25/05/2022 12:42

Key skills

h Your effort has not gone unnoticed.

��

i He died of embarrassment.

��

j That compliment is not unwelcome.

��

2 Write two of your own examples of euphemism, hyperbole and litotes.

��

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 14 25/05/2022 12:42

1 Capturing the experience

Writing
Evoking experiences
1 Imagine you are a travel agent and want to advertise a particular place you would like to
encourage travellers to visit. You are going to write a description for a newspaper or website.
You can choose somewhere you have visited yourself or research somewhere you would like to visit.
Use emotive and sensory language and a range of linguistic and literary techniques that will bring
the place to life as you want to persuade and encourage visitors. Think about your audience and
how you will use formal and informal language in your text – does it suit your purpose to use both
and how will you incorporate both?
Plan your work and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.
2 You are now going to write about the place where you live. Imagine you are writing for a younger
relative who lives in a different country and has never visited where you live. You could write an
email, letter or social media post: experiment with how you would like to structure your text using
your chosen form.
As you are writing for a younger relative, think about the style you will write in. Should it be formal
or informal? Think about your audience and purpose.
Try to get a balance between positive and negative aspects of living where you do. Explain the
reasons for your opinions.
Plan your work and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

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2 Remembering and informing

Reading
Presenting information
The two extracts that follow demonstrate how information can be presented in different ways. The
first extract is an autobiographical account and the second extract is from a website giving advice to
train travellers.
This brief autobiographical account is written by Matthew A. Henson, an African-American explorer
born in Maryland in 1866, one year after the end of the Civil War. Henson was a long-time companion
of Robert Peary, also an American explorer, and in their expedition in 1909, they claimed to have been
the first people to have reached the geographic North Pole – a block of ice 413 nautical miles off the
coast of Greenland. In Henson’s account, he is the first of their party to reach the pole, but he received
little acknowledgement of the feat in comparison to Peary, which was widely attributed to the racial
injustice of the time. Henson’s contributions in the expedition were finally acknowledged in 1937 when
The Explorers Club of New York made him an honorary member. He died in 1955.
Biographies and autobiographies both tell the reader about someone’s life. An autobiography is written
about the author’s own life; a biography is written about someone else. An autobiography is written
in the first person and a biography is written in the third person. The extract below from Henson’s
account of the expedition describes reaching Cape Sheridan, the starting point of their voyage.
Read the passage carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

Extract: Matthew A. Henson’s memoir

Preparing for Winter at Cape Sheridan
From Etah to Cape Sheridan, which was to be our last point north in the ship, consumed twenty-one days
of the hardest kind of work imaginable for a ship; actually fighting for every foot of the way against the
almost impassable ice. For another ship it would have been impassable, but the Roosevelt was built for
this kind of work, and her worth and ability had been proven on the voyage of 1905. The constant jolting,
bumping, and jarring against the ice-packs, forwards and backwards, the sudden stops and starts and
the frequent storms made work and comfort aboard ship all but impossible.
Had it been possible to be ashore at some point of vantage, to witness the struggles of our little ship
against her giant adversaries would have been an impressive sight.
I will not dwell on the trying hours and days of her successful battle, the six days of watching and waiting
for a chance to get out of our dangerous predicament in Lincoln Bay, the rounding of the different capes en
route, or the horrible jams in Lady Franklin Bay. The good ship kept at the fight and won by sheer bulldogged
tenacity and pluck. Life aboard her during those twenty-one days was not one sweet song, but we did not
suffer unusually, and a great deal of necessary work was done on our equipments. The Esquimo women sewed
diligently on the fur clothing we were to wear during the coming winter and I worked on the sledges that were
to be used. Provisions were packed in compact shape and every one was busy. Two caches of provisions were
made ashore in the event of an overland retreat, and the small boats were fully provisioned as a precaution
against the loss of the ship. We did not dwell on the thought of losing it, but we took no chances.

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2 Remembering and informing

Meeting with continual rebuffs, but persistently forging ahead and gaining deliberately day by day,
the Roosevelt pushed steadily northward through the ice-encumbered waters of Kane Basin, Kennedy
and Robeson Channels, and around the northeast corner of Grant Land to the shelter of Cape Sheridan,
which was reached early in the afternoon of September 5, 1908.
Now that we had reached Cape Sheridan in the ship, every one’s spirits seemed to soar. It was still
daylight, with the sun above the horizon, and although two parties had been landed for hunting, no one
seemed to be in any particular hurry. The weather was cold but calm, and even in the rush of unloading
the ship I often heard the hum of songs, and had it not been for the fur-jacketed men who were doing
the work, it would not have been difficult for me to imagine myself in a much warmer climate.
With the ship lightened, by being unloaded, to a large extent, of all of the stores, she did not very
appreciably rise, but the Commander and the Captain agreed that she could be safely worked
considerably closer to the shore, inside of the tide-crack possibly; and the Roosevelt was made fast
to the ice-foot of the land, with a very considerable distance between her and open water. Her head
was pointed due north, and affairs aboard her assumed regulation routine. The stores ashore were
contracted, and work on getting them into shape for building temporary houses was soon under way.
The boxes of provisions themselves formed the walls, and the roofing was made from makeshifts such as
sails, overturned whale-boats, and rocks; and had the ship got adrift and been lost, the houses on shore
would have proved ample and comfortable for housing the expedition.
A ship, and a good one like the Roosevelt, is the prime necessity in getting an expedition within striking
distance of the Pole, but once here the ship (and no other boat, but the Roosevelt could get here) is not
indispensable, and accordingly all precautions against her loss were taken.
Matthew A. Henson

1 Explain what is meant by the following words and phrases as used in the passage:
a impassable

��

b point of vantage

��

c giant adversaries

��

d predicament

��

e bulldogged tenacity and pluck

��

f fully provisioned

��

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 17 25/05/2022 12:42

Reading

g continual rebuffs

��

h indispensable

��

2 What impression do you get of life aboard the ship in the first paragraph?

��

3 Referring to the ship, why do you think Henson wrote in the third paragraph ‘I will not dwell on
the trying hours and days of her successful battle’?

��

4 The Roosevelt had three main sails and was a large ship. Why do you think Henson writes ‘the
struggles of our little ship against her giant adversaries’?

��

5 Using evidence from the text, what do you think Henson’s feelings are towards the ship the Roosevelt?

��

6 Using evidence from the text, how does the mood of the text change when the Roosevelt reaches
Cape Sheridan?

��

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 18 25/05/2022 12:42

2 Remembering and informing

7 Henson uses formal language in his account. Why do you think this is? What effect does it have
on the passage?

��

8 What do you learn about Henson as a person from this short account? Use evidence from the
text if you can.

��

9 Imagine you are one of the crew aboard the ship in the ‘trying hours and days’ of the voyage to
Cape Sheridan. Using standard English in a formal register like Henson’s, write a short description
of what you might see and how you might feel in that time.

��

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 19 25/05/2022 12:42

Reading

The next passage is from a website giving advice and information for people who are planning to
use railways to tour other countries, particularly for Americans visiting Europe.

Travel by Train
I’ve been the suit-and-tied, nine-to-five commuter and I’ve been the curious traveller. And I prefer
being the traveller in need of shampoo and hot water; sorry if I was in your seat.

Railway adventures
I’ll feature some of the great railway adventures in future articles, but this space is reserved to help you
plan your own departures.
Trains are a great way to travel. They’ll pick you up and drop you off in the middle of major cities, and
they travel through some of the best countryside on the planet. Slide up to the glass and look through
your moving lens to the world.
European trains are frequent, you can get a ticket for an immediate departure and they generally run on
time; although you shouldn’t take arrival times for granted in Italy, where major train stations even have
a ritardo [delayed] column for late train arrivals.
If a train is always late, why don’t they simply change the timetable?
Train travel in China and India can try your patience as you struggle to get a ticket for the next day, and
they can be extremely overcrowded.
Oh well, if you’re not travelling on business, what’s the rush? Sit back and enjoy the journey.
Car hire is all very well, but on the train you’ll meet more of the country’s people; some of the longer
train journeys can even turn into a party.

Making plans
Once you have your flight ticket, you’ll already know where you’ll start.
How much time do you have, how many countries or states do you want to visit and how much ground
do you wish to cover will be questions already half-answered.
More and more major airports have convenient train connections into the city, and there are numerous
train passes to help you get the most out of your time and money.
For the budget-minded, overnight trains are a great way to save on accommodation, and you’ll wake
up in a new city, or even a new country. The romantic can enjoy a lakeside breakfast on the move, with
views of snow-covered mountain peaks.
To get the best out of your journey, it always helps to have a rough idea of when the trains will be where.
There are some parts of the countryside that really must be seen in daylight, and you wouldn’t want to
arrive in a strange place at three in the morning.
Our featured sites will help you get the most out of rail travel, from choosing passes and finding out
more about countries, to getting information on train times.
Train times and special offers are subject to change, and you should always double check at the station.
Just because you have a train ticket or a rail pass, does not always mean that you’ll get a seat. If that’s
important, you’ll need to pay a supplement for seat reservations. On some trains these supplements are
compulsory, even if the train is half empty.

Eurail Global Pass

North Americans can travel around more than 20 European countries in 1st class for a fraction of the
cost of buying individual tickets.
Michel Guntern, [Link]/Travel/[Link]

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2 Remembering and informing

Now answer these questions. Try to use your own words in your answers as much as possible.
1 Explain what is meant by the following words and phrases as used in the passage:

a I’ve been the suit-and-tied, nine-to-five commuter ��

��

b Slide up to the glass and look through your moving lens to the world ��

��

c budget-minded ��

d The romantic ��

e pay a supplement ��

f compulsory ��

2 What point do you think is being made by the statement ‘sorry if I was in your seat’?

��

3 Look at the section ‘Railway adventures’ and explain the writer’s reason for saying that trains are
‘a great way to travel’.

��

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 21 25/05/2022 12:42

Reading

4 What is the writer’s view about train travel in Italy?

��

5 Why does the writer refer to buying a flight ticket at the start of the ‘Making plans’ section?

��

6 Why is overnight travel a good idea for the ‘budget-minded’?

��

7 What reasons does the writer give for travellers checking train timetables before they travel?

��

8 What does the writer suggest you should do to ensure you have a seat on a train?

��

9 Who do you think is the main audience of the article? Use evidence from the text to explain your
answer, looking in particular at language choices.

��

10 How effective do you think this article is in giving information to its readers? In your answer you
should consider the layout of the article, the examples given, the comments made by the writer and
the language he uses to convey his points. Refer closely to the passage to support your opinions.
Make notes and write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 22 25/05/2022 12:42

2 Remembering and informing

11 Did you enjoy reading the article? Discuss why this article may be helpful for some audiences but
not for others.
��

��

Key skills
Editing skills revision
Write a paragraph explaining the difference between a memoir, an autobiography and a biography.
Use the following editing skills to improve your writing.
l Use a mind map or notes to plan what you are going to write.
l Write a draft, then revise and improve your draft. Make sure you have used different sentence
types – simple, complex and compound – to good effect.
l Finally, write the text out neatly. Make sure your handwriting is legible.
l If your school allows you to word process your work, then doing so will help with the revision.

Plan your work in the space below and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 23 25/05/2022 12:42

Key skills

Oxymorons
1 Combine the words below to make oxymorons. The first has been completed as an example.
word word oxymoron
living baby
pretty confused
big choice
clearly together
seriously news
original dead living dead
alone secret
only copy
old funny
open ugly

2 Choose five oxymorons and write five sentences demonstrating how they can be used for effect.
You can use oxymorons from question 1 or some of your own.

��

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2 Remembering and informing

Speaking and listening

Memories
.

Prepare a funny memory to present to a family member/carer or friend. This can be something funny
that happened to you, something you observed or something that happened to someone else.
You will need to make it entertaining so think about what non-verbal techniques you could use to
enhance your performance, such as facial expression and body language. Think about what support
you need to deliver your memory; for example, do you need any cue cards or a transcript?
Make notes to guide you during your presentation. You will need to practise first and then present.
Afterwards, ask your audience what their impression was of the memory you described.

Writing
Autobiographical writing
1 You are going to write an extract from an autobiography of your life so far. Remember that
you do not have to include all the details of your life – you could choose a particular event, an
interesting period of your life or a broad overview of your life. You can review the conventions of
an autobiography on page 16 of this chapter.
Before you start to write, think about these questions: Where do you live? Who do you live with?
What kind of person are you? What information might be important to share? What is your
happiest/saddest memory?
Remember, you are writing to inform your audience about your life. This would be a description
of your life and how you see it. Try to include as much information about this part of your life
as you can so the reader can visualise the message you are aiming to convey. Think about what
grammatical features and literary techniques you could use to support your writing. If you do not
want to write about a past event or period, you could write your vision for the future.
On a separate piece of paper, use your planning and editing skills to write your autobiography
and then refine it.
2 Imagine you are Matthew A. Henson and you are writing an autobiography about your life. Use
the extract on pages 16–17 to help you, but remember that you will be writing in the first person
from your viewpoint. You can use some of the facts in the extract but the perceptions will be
different and you will also need to add your own opinions.
– Remember to use personal pronouns.
– Let your own voice come through by describing your thoughts, feelings and reactions to the
event or other person carefully.
– You can use direct speech.
Plan your work and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

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3 Writing to persuade

Reading
Informing and persuading
The following two extracts demonstrate persuasive writing.
In the article below, taken from the website of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), the
writer is trying to persuade the readers that keeping animals in zoos is wrong. Warning: Some readers may
find the contents of this article upsetting. Read it carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

Zoos: Pitiful Prisons

Zoos evolved at a time when travel for most people was impractical. Nowadays, wildlife watchers can
hop on a plane to Africa, Australia, or Costa Rica for photo safaris or even stay at home and catch
nature documentaries on television or view live internet video feeds, which can capture animals’ natural
behaviour that is rarely, if ever, seen in zoos.
There is no excuse for keeping intelligent social animals in cages for our fleeting distraction and
amusement. Habitat loss and other dangers of the wild are not prevented by confining animals to
cramped conditions and depriving them of everything that is natural and important to them.

Caged and crazed

Most zoo exhibits provide animals with few, if any, opportunities to express natural behaviour or make
choices in their daily lives. Animals are closely confined, lack privacy, and have extremely limited
possibilities for mental stimulation or physical exercise. These conditions often result in abnormal and
self-destructive behaviours, also known as ‘zoochosis’.
Wide-ranging animals, such as bears and big cats, pace incessantly. Primates and birds mutilate
themselves, and chimpanzees and gorillas become overly aggressive. Hooved animals lick and chew
on fences and make strange lip, neck, and tongue movements. Giraffes twist their necks, bending their
heads back and forth repeatedly. Elephants bob their heads and sway from side to side.

When cute little babies grow up

Baby animals in zoos are crowd pleasers, but breeding programmes – under the guise of species
preservation – inevitably result in a surplus of less ‘cute’ adult animals. Zoos routinely trade, loan, sell, or
barter adult animals they no longer want.
Unwanted animals may be sold to dealers, who then sell the animals to dilapidated roadside zoos or
travelling circuses. From 2006 to 2009, Missouri’s Dickerson Park Zoo handed over ‘surplus’ giraffes,
zebras, kangaroos, wallabies, and exotic antelopes to questionable entities, including a notorious
animal dealer who is known to have sold animals to hunting ranches, exotic-animal breeders, dealers,
and unaccredited zoos. New Jersey’s Cape May County Zoo sold two giraffes, Twiggs and Jeffrey, to an
animal broker who then sold them to a travelling circus.
The exotic-pet trade has become saturated with tigers and other big cats because of the zoo industry’s
reckless disposal of exotic animals. Other animals are simply sold for slaughter. Each year, when baby
animals who are exhibited in the Minnesota Zoo’s farm display grow up and lose their appeal, the zoo
sends them to livestock auctions, where many are ultimately sent to slaughter.

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3 Writing to persuade

Not a single U.S. zoo has a policy of providing lifetime care for the animals who are born at its facilities,
and many zoos breed species knowing in advance that the offspring – especially males – will be difficult
to place when they mature.

Danger behind bars

By their very nature, zoos leave animals vulnerable to a variety of dangers from which they have no
defence or opportunity to escape. Animals in zoos from coast to coast have been poisoned, left to starve,
deprived of veterinary care, and burned alive in fires. Many have died after eating coins, plastic bags,
and other items thrown into their cages. Animals have been beaten, bludgeoned, and stolen by people
who were able to gain access to their exhibits.

What you can do

Zoos will be forced to stop breeding and capturing more animals from the wild if their financial support
disappears, so the most important way to help animals who are imprisoned in zoos is simply to boycott
zoos and urge everyone you know to do the same.
With informative television programming, educational opportunities on the internet, and the relative
ease of international travel, learning about or viewing animals in their natural habitats can be as simple
as a flick of a switch or a hike up a mountain. The idea of keeping animals confined behind cage bars
is obsolete.

Now answer these questions in your own words.

1 Explain what is meant by the following words and phrases as used in the passage:

a evolved ��

b our fleeting distraction and amusement ��

��

c extremely limited possibilities for mental stimulation ��

��

d under the guise ��

e dilapidated ��

f questionable entities ��

g notorious ��

h reckless ��

i vulnerable ��

j boycott ��

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Reading

2 Why does the writer suggest zoos are no longer necessary?

��

3 What is ‘zoochosis’ and what are its symptoms?

��

4 Why do many zoos have a surplus of adult animals?

��

5 Explain in detail what happens to these ‘surplus’ adult animals.

��

6 What do you understand by the phrase ‘the exotic-pet trade’?

��

7 In what ways do visitors to zoos cause harm to the animals, intentionally or unintentionally?

��

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3 Writing to persuade

8 Pick out some words or phrases that you think support the writer’s intention to persuade the
reader that zoos are a bad idea and explain how you think these might affect the reader.

��

9 On a separate piece of paper, write a summary of why the writer of the passage is opposed to
zoos and how they would like people to support their campaign. You should write about
150–200 words.
Before you begin your response, think about the most effective way to extract information from
the text.
Remember, the main ideas are often found:
– at the beginning of paragraphs. The first sentence often explains the subject being discussed
in the passage.
– in the concluding sentences of a paragraph. The main idea might be a summary of the
information in the paragraph, as well as a link to the information in the next paragraph.
You could use different strategies to support yourself, such as highlighting, annotating in the
margin or using a table to briefly summarise the main idea in each paragraph.
10 Has the writer of the article persuaded you of their point of view? In your answer, refer to how
facts with opinions were presented and how language was used throughout the article.
Make notes below and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

��

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Reading

The following passage is a blog written by the musician and former Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney. In
it he is attempting to persuade his readers to share his concerns about the threats that are facing
the Arctic. (Note: ‘Come Together’ and ‘I am the Walrus’ are both titles of recordings made by The
Beatles.) Read the passage carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

Come Together, to Save the Arctic

1968. That was a hell of a year. The people were on the streets, revolution was in the air, we released the
White Album, and perhaps the most influential photograph of all time was taken by an astronaut called
William Anders.
It was Christmas Eve. Anders and his mission commander Frank Borman had just become the only
living beings since the dawn of time to orbit the moon. Then, through the tiny window of their Apollo 8
spacecraft their eyes fell upon something nobody had seen before, something so familiar and yet so
alien, something breathtaking in its beauty and fragility. ‘Oh my God!’ Borman cried. ‘Look at that
picture over there! Here’s the Earth coming up. Wow, is that pretty!’
‘Have you got a colour film there?’ Anders snapped back. ‘Hand me that roll of colour quick, will you
…’ For a minute or so, two human beings in a tin can nearly 400,000 kilometres from home scrambled
furiously to fix a roll of Kodak into their camera. Then Anders lifted it to the window and clicked the
shutter and captured our delicate home planet rising slowly over the horizon of the moon. Earthrise. That
single image made such an impact on the human psyche that it’s credited with sparking the birth of
the global environment movement – with changing the very way we think about ourselves.
That was more than 40 years ago, the blink of an eye in the grand sweep of time, but something quite
remarkable has happened since then. For at least 800,000 years the Arctic Ocean has been capped by a
sheet of sea ice the size of a continent. But in the decades since that photo was taken, satellites have been
measuring a steady melting of that white sheet. Much of it has now gone, and it seems likely that there’ll
be open water at the North Pole in the lifetimes of my kids. I might even see that moment for myself.
Think about it. Since Earthrise was taken we’ve been so busy warming our world that it now looks radically
different from space. By digging up fossil fuels and burning our ancient forests we’ve put so much carbon
into the atmosphere that today’s astronauts are looking at a different planet. And here’s something that
just baffles me. As the ice retreats, the oil giants are moving in. Instead of seeing the melting as a grave
warning to humanity, they’re eyeing the previously inaccessible oil beneath the seabed at the top of the
world. They’re exploiting the disappearance of the ice to drill for the very same fuel that caused the melting
in the first place. Fossil fuels have colonized every corner of our Earth, but at some time and in some place
we need to say, ‘No more.’ I believe that time is now and that place is the Arctic.
That’s why I’ve joined Greenpeace’s campaign to create a legally protected sanctuary around the North
Pole and a ban on oil drilling and industrial fishing in Arctic waters. My name will be among at least
2 million that Greenpeace is taking to the pole and planting on the seabed 4 kilometres beneath the ice.
We’re coming together to secure the Arctic for all life on Earth.
In just one month, more than a million of us have already signed up at [Link], but if
you’re not one of them there’s still a chance to ensure your name is planted at the bottom of the ocean
at the top of the world.
And if you, like me, are irresistibly drawn to the stunning Arctic wildlife, then you’ll want to join the Arctic
Rising online movement. You can choose to be one of five animals – a polar bear, a snowy owl, an Arctic
fox, a walrus or a narwhal. Once you’ve joined an animal clan you hunt in a pack for new supporters for
the campaign and compete against the other animals to get new people involved. It’s a kind of Earthrise,
where we try to spark the dawn of a new mass movement, one that draws a line in the ice and says to the
polluters, ‘You come no further.’ So now I’ve got to decide which animal I’m going to be.
Yeah, you’ve guessed it. I am the Walrus.
Sir Paul McCartney

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3 Writing to persuade

Now answer these questions in your own words.

1 Explain what is meant by the following words and phrases as used in the passage:

a breathtaking in its beauty and fragility ��

��

b made such an impact ��

c human psyche ��

d radically ��

e baffles ��

f sanctuary ��

g irresistibly drawn ��

2 Why does the writer consider the photograph taken by William Anders is ‘perhaps the most
influential photograph of all time’?

��

3 Why does the writer use his personal memories in the first three paragraphs? What effect might
this have on the reader?

��

4 Look at paragraph 4. What is the writer’s main concern about the Arctic?

��

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Writing

5 What does he say has caused this to happen?

��

6 In what ways are the actions of the oil companies making the situation worse?

��

7 Explain what Greenpeace wants to be done to protect the Arctic.

��

8 What is the main reason for Paul McCartney joining the Greenpeace campaign?

��

Writing
1 Write a comparison of this article and the passage ‘Zoos: Pitiful Prisons’. In particular, you should
consider the language and tone used in each article, their content and the opinions they present,
and the different ways in which they address their readers. Which article do you find more
effective? Give reasons for your answer and refer closely to the texts.
Plan your work and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.
2 Which article do you think is more effective at persuading its readers? In your answer you should
give reasons, including the expectations of the audience, and refer closely to the texts. In your
final paragraph, explain which article you prefer and why. If you can, give recommendations for
further sources of information related to each article.
Make notes and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

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3 Writing to persuade

Key skills
Verbs: participles and gerunds
Participles and infinitives are known as non-finite parts of the verb. However, there is one further
non-finite part of the verb to consider: the gerund or verbal noun. As the name ‘verbal noun’
suggests, the gerund functions grammatically as a noun.
The gerund takes the same form as the present participle, so the gerund of the verb ‘to sing’
is ‘singing’. It can be used in a sentence as either the subject or the object of another verb.
For example:
l Recycling is an important activity.
l I enjoy recycling.

As it functions as a noun, a gerund can be described by an adjective. For example:

l Frequent recycling is a good idea.

Although the gerund functions as a noun, it still retains its character as a verb. Here is an example:
l Recycling paper helps to protect forests.

Read the sentences below and state whether the words ending in -ing are participles, gerunds or
neither. For participles, identify the noun or pronoun that they relate to and for gerunds state their
function in the sentence (subject, object, etc.).
1 Running down the road, the thief was chased by the police officer.

��

2 Swimming is a very healthy activity.

��

3 Shouting with excitement, the crowd cheered on their favourite athlete.

��

4 The young child liked the swing better than other activities in the playground.

��

5 Trespassing is forbidden.

��

6 I particularly enjoy singing in the choir.

��

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Key skills

7 The crying child cheered up when her mother gave her an ice cream.

��

8 ‘Fling that book over to me; I’m sure that I’ll catch it.’

��

9 ‘I didn’t like the actor’s playing of the hero in that scene.’

��

10 I thought I saw my friend talking to himself but then saw that he had his mobile phone in his hand.

��

Pathetic fallacy
You are going to use pathetic fallacy in two brief descriptions of what you can see from your
window. One description should create a positive atmosphere and the other a negative atmosphere.
Describe the weather, animals or environment to create a particular mood. If you are focusing on
the environment, you might start by thinking about the following:
l What is the scenery like?
l What are the main buildings or locations?
l What are the main industries or activities in the area?
l Is it quiet or busy?

Positive atmosphere

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3 Writing to persuade

Negative atmosphere

Writing
A persuasive argument
An ex-student of your school who has become a successful business person wishes to repay the
school for the education that it provided by donating a large sum of money for a new school
building or educational facility. The school’s headteacher has asked all students for suggestions on
how to spend the money. You feel strongly about how the money should be used.
Write a letter to the headteacher describing how you think the money should be spent, why this is so
and persuading the headteacher to agree with your suggestion. Use a mixture of facts and emotive
writing, and try to vary the use of formal and informal tone to emphasise your point – but bear in
mind, this is your headteacher! Keep your intention for the money clear in your mind as you write, so
that your argument is clear and sustained throughout your letter. Remember, you can use linguistic
and literary techniques to enhance your point – for example, you might want to use alliteration or
euphemisms if suitable.
Make notes and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

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Speaking and listening

Using language to persuade
Imagine you have been asked to give a speech to your class about making learning a foreign
language at school compulsory. You are going to prepare two speeches:
a One speech will try to persuade your class members to support the compulsory learning of a
foreign language at school. It will focus on the benefits.
b The second speech will oppose the idea and focus on the drawbacks.

Practise and perform both speeches.

Ask someone at home to listen to them once you have worked on the delivery.
Did you change the way you presented your speeches depending on whether you supported the
idea of compulsory learning of a foreign language or opposed it?

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4 Painting pictures

Reading
Describing places
The extract and two poems in this chapter describe different places and through their use of
imagery create very different atmospheres.
The following passage is an extract from American Indian Stories by Zitkála-Šá. She was born in
1876 on the Yankton Indian Reservation where she spent her early childhood on the reservation with
her mother, who was of Sioux Dakota heritage.
Zitkála-Šá is a well-known writer and activist who often recalled oral traditions and legends from her
community to educate others and campaign for the rights of Native Americans.
Read the extract carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

Extract: ‘The Legends’

During the summer days my mother built her fire in the shadow of our wigwam.
In the early morning our simple breakfast was spread upon the grass west of our tepee. At the farthest
point of the shade my mother sat beside her fire, toasting a savoury piece of dried meat. Near her, I sat
upon my feet, eating my dried meat with unleavened bread, and drinking strong black coffee.
The morning meal was our quiet hour, when we two were entirely alone. At noon, several who chanced
to be passing by stopped to rest, and to share our luncheon with us, for they were sure of our hospitality.
My uncle, whose death my mother ever lamented, was one of our nation’s bravest warriors. His name
was on the lips of old men when talking of the proud feats of valour; and it was mentioned by younger
men, too, in connection with deeds of gallantry. Old women praised him for his kindness toward them;
young women held him up as an ideal to their sweethearts. Every one loved him, and my mother
worshiped his memory. Thus it happened that even strangers were sure of welcome in our lodge, if they
but asked a favour in my uncle’s name.
Though I heard many strange experiences related by these wayfarers, I loved best the evening meal, for
that was the time old legends were told. I was always glad when the sun hung low in the west, for then
my mother sent me to invite the neighbouring old men and women to eat supper with us. Running all the
way to the wigwams, I halted shyly at the entrances. Sometimes I stood long moments without saying a
word. It was not any fear that made me so dumb when out upon such a happy errand; nor was it that I
wished to withhold the invitation, for it was all I could do to observe this very proper silence. But it was a
sensing of the atmosphere, to assure myself that I should not hinder other plans. My mother used to say
to me, as I was almost bounding away for the old people: ‘Wait a moment before you invite any one. If
other plans are being discussed, do not interfere, but go elsewhere.’
The old folks knew the meaning of my pauses; and often they coaxed my confidence by asking, ‘What
do you seek, little granddaughter?’
‘My mother says you are to come to our tepee this evening,’ I instantly exploded, and breathed the
freer afterwards.
‘Yes, yes, gladly, gladly I shall come!’ each replied. Rising at once and carrying their blankets across one
shoulder, they flocked leisurely from their various wigwams toward our dwelling.

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Reading

My mission done, I ran back, skipping and jumping with delight. All out of breath, I told my mother
almost the exact words of the answers to my invitation. Frequently she asked, ‘What were they doing
when you entered their tepee?’ This taught me to remember all I saw at a single glance. Often I told my
mother my impressions without being questioned.
While in the neighboring wigwams sometimes an old Indian woman asked me, ‘What is your mother
doing?’ Unless my mother had cautioned me not to tell, I generally answered her questions without reserve.
At the arrival of our guests I sat close to my mother, and did not leave her side without first asking her
consent. I ate my supper in quiet, listening patiently to the talk of the old people, wishing all the time
that they would begin the stories I loved best. At last, when I could not wait any longer, I whispered in
my mother’s ear, ‘Ask them to tell an Iktomi story, mother.’
Soothing my impatience, my mother said aloud, ‘My little daughter is anxious to hear your legends.’ By
this time all were through eating, and the evening was fast deepening into twilight.
As each in turn began to tell a legend, I pillowed my head in my mother’s lap; and lying flat upon my
back, I watched the stars as they peeped down upon me, one by one. The increasing interest of the
tale aroused me, and I sat up eagerly listening to every word. The old women made funny remarks, and
laughed so heartily that I could not help joining them.
The distant howling of a pack of wolves or the hooting of an owl in the river bottom frightened me, and
I nestled into my mother’s lap. She added some dry sticks to the open fire, and the bright flames leaped
up into the faces of the old folks as they sat around in a great circle.
Zitkála-Šá

1 Explain what is meant by the following words and phrases as used in the passage:
a chanced to be passing by

��

b lamented

��

c deeds of gallantry

��

d withhold the invitation

��

e pillowed my head

��

2 Describe the early morning meal in your own words.

��

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4 Painting pictures

3 How does the description of the breakfast and the narrator’s uncle in the first four paragraphs
help create a setting and an atmosphere? Use evidence from the text if you can.

��

4 What does the narrator tell us was the purpose of her journey (paragraph beginning ‘Though I
heard many strange experiences …’)?

��

5 What impression do you get of the narrator as a child? Use evidence from the text.

��

6 When the narrator listens to the old legends in the final two paragraphs, she references animals and
nature many times. Why do you think she does this? How does it contribute to the atmosphere?

��

7 Choose three words or phrases from the extract that you think help to convey the relationship
between the narrator and her mother. Explain why you think they are effective.

��

8 Why do you think the narrator writes ‘I watched the stars as they peeped down upon me, one by one’?

��

9 Compare the first and last paragraph. Do you think the atmosphere and setting is consistent
through the extract? Use evidence from the text if you can.

��

10 Imagine you are in the tent when the legends are being told. Using standard English, describe
the scene around you. How do you feel? What can you see? What can you hear? Think about the
register you want to use and the atmosphere you are trying to create.

��

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Reading

The two poems that follow both create an atmosphere of mystery and uneasiness. The first is a
complete poem by Walter de la Mare and describes a fictional event. The second is an extract from
William Wordsworth’s autobiographical poem ‘The Prelude’, and describes an event in his childhood
when he became aware of the mysterious power of nature (which he refers to as ‘her’ in the first line).
Read the poem carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

‘The Listeners’
‘Is there anybody there?’ said the Traveller,
Knocking on the moonlit door;
And his horse in the silence champed the grass
Of the forest’s ferny floor;
And a bird flew up out of the turret,
Above the Traveller’s head:
And he smote upon the door again a second time;
‘Is there anybody there?’ he said.
But no one descended to the Traveller;
No head from the leaf-fringed sill
Leaned over and looked into his grey eyes,
Where he stood perplexed and still.
But only a host of phantom listeners
That dwelt in the lone house then
Stood listening in the quiet of the moonlight
To that voice from the world of men:
Stood thronging the faint moonbeams on the dark stair,
That goes down to the empty hall,
Hearkening in an air stirred and shaken
By the lonely Traveller’s call.
And he felt in his heart their strangeness,
Their stillness answering his cry,
While his horse moved, cropping the dark turf,
’Neath the starred and leafy sky;
For he suddenly smote on the door, even
Louder, and lifted his head: –
‘Tell them I came, and no one answered,
That I kept my word,’ he said.
Never the least stir made the listeners,
Though every word he spake
Fell echoing through the shadowiness of the still house
From the one man left awake:
Ay, they heard his foot upon the stirrup,
And the sound of iron on stone,
And how the silence surged softly backward,
When the plunging hoofs were gone.
Walter de la Mare

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4 Painting pictures

1 Explain what is meant by the following words and phrases as used in the poem:

a champed ��

b ferny ��

c smote ��

d perplexed ��

e thronging ��

f hearkening ��

2 The poem opens with a question. What effect does this have on the reader?

��

3 Comment on the Traveller’s state of mind.

��

4 What do you think the poet is suggesting by describing the Traveller as having a ‘voice from the
world of men’?

��

5 What kind of place do you think the traveller has come to? Describe the place, using examples
from the poem to support your answer. Continue on a separate piece of paper if you need to.

��

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Reading

Read the extract from a longer poem carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

Extract: ‘The Prelude’

One summer evening (led by her) I found
A little boat tied to a willow tree
Within a rocky cave, its usual home.
Straight I unloosed her chain, and stepping in
Pushed from the shore. It was an act of stealth
And troubled pleasure, nor without the voice
Of mountain-echoes did my boat move on;
Leaving behind her still, on either side,
Small circles glittering idly in the moon,
Until they melted all into one track
Of sparkling light. But now, like one who rows,
Proud of his skill, to reach a chosen point
With an unswerving line, I fixed my view
Upon the summit of a craggy ridge,
The horizon’s utmost boundary; far above
Was nothing but the stars and the grey sky.
She was an elfin pinnace; lustily
I dipped my oars into the silent lake,
And, as I rose upon the stroke, my boat
Went heaving through the water like a swan;
When, from behind that craggy steep till then
The horizon’s bound, a huge peak, black and huge,
As if with voluntary power instinct,
Upreared its head. I struck and struck again,
And growing still in stature the grim shape
Towered up between me and the stars, and still,
For so it seemed, with purpose of its own
And measured motion like a living thing,
Strode after me. With trembling oars I turned,
And through the silent water stole my way
Back to the covert of the willow tree;
There in her mooring-place I left my bark, –
And through the meadows homeward went, in grave
And serious mood; but after I had seen
That spectacle, for many days, my brain
Worked with a dim and undetermined sense
Of unknown modes of being; o’er my thoughts
There hung a darkness, call it solitude
Or blank desertion. No familiar shapes
Remained, no pleasant images of trees,
Of sea or sky, no colours of green fields;
But huge and mighty forms, that do not live
Like living men, moved slowly through the mind
By day, and were a trouble to my dreams.
William Wordsworth

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4 Painting pictures

Now answer these questions in your own words.

1 Explain what is meant by the following words and phrases as used in the poem:

a act of stealth ��

b The horizon’s utmost boundary ��

��

c As if with voluntary power instinct ��

��

d a dim and undetermined sense ��

��

e solitude ��

f blank desertion ��

2 Describe what the poet is doing at the start of this poem (‘One summer evening …
utmost boundary’).

��

3 What change does the poet become aware of in the surroundings as he makes his way across
the lake?

��

4 Describe the poet’s experience in the lines ‘I struck and struck again … covert of the willow tree’.

��

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Reading

5 Look at the end of the poem. What do you think was the lasting effect of the experience of this
place on the poet?

��

6 Both poems are atmospheric descriptions and make powerful use of figures of speech such as
alliteration, onomatopoeia, similes and metaphors to bring their descriptions alive for the readers.
Select three descriptive phrases from each poem and explain how each contributes to your
appreciation of the poem’s atmosphere. (Remember, do not simply identify the different figures
of speech used by the poets but try to explain how they affect the reader’s understanding of
the episodes.)
Make notes in the space below then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

��

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4 Painting pictures

Key skills
Literary devices
Writers and poets use different literary devices and word choices in their writing to create an
atmosphere, change the tone, create an impression or develop the imagery.
Alliteration
Describe each of the animals in the pictures using alliteration to help enhance the description.
1

��

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Key skills

��

Line and sentence openers

The beginning of a line or sentence can be written to create an impression. For example, ‘Towered
up between me and the stars, and still,’ from ‘The Prelude’ gives an impression of something very
tall and perhaps intimidating.
Choose five different examples from either of the poems or the extract in this chapter that you think
make a particular impression. Write them down below and explain why you think each one makes
an impression.
1 ��

��

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4 Painting pictures

2 ��

��

3 ��

��

4 ��

��

5 ��

��

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Key skills

Synonyms

1 Word choice is important when creating a powerful image or a detailed description. Some words
may have similar meanings but create a very different impression.
The following words all have similar meanings. Use each of them in a sentence to bring out the
particular shades of meaning:

a bite ��

��

b chew ��

��

c devour ��

��

d dine ��

��

e feed ��

��

f gorge ��

��

g graze ��

��

h masticate ��

��

i munch ��

��

j nibble ��

��

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4 Painting pictures

2 Choose an animal and write a brief description of it eating its dinner. Make your description
as detailed as you can and use the most appropriate words from question 1 to create the
right effect.

��

Writing
Descriptions
1 Describe a place that you know you can go to when you want peace and quiet. Concentrate on
creating the atmosphere of the place and its surroundings as well as describing its appearance.
When you are writing, consider:
– using punctuation for effect, for example, using a dash to add extra information
– using different types of sentences, for example, combinations of simple, compound, complex
and compound-complex sentences
– using grammatical features to shape meaning, for example, using phrases to emphasise
certain words or using antithesis or repetition to reiterate your intentions to the reader
– your word choice, for example, using emotive language
– which spelling techniques you can use to ensure you spell complex words correctly.
Make notes and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.
2 Imagine you work for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and have been studying a particular
animal. Write a description of the animal for the WWF website. You are hoping to attract visitors
to the website to encourage them to donate money to help these animals in the future. You
will need to use emotive language and a detailed description to ensure your post attracts lots of
attention from the public and has the desired effect. Think about how you want to organise and
structure your text, bearing in mind it will be on their website.
Plan your work then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

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5 Advertising

Reading
Different kinds of advertisements
The two extracts here are examples of different kinds of advertisements. The first is an advertisement
from the British Library about propaganda, which is information that is often biased or misleading in
promoting a viewpoint or political party. The second is an advert for a holiday village.
The passage below is taken from an advertisement issued by the British Library giving information
about an exhibition that was held there, featuring examples of propaganda posters. Read it carefully
and then answer the questions that follow.

Extract: British Library advertisement about propaganda

Propaganda posters
Posters can be powerful tools for persuasion, whether in advertising, state-led public information,
propaganda campaigns or in social or political movements. Posters are public and the format requires
that they get their message across quickly, simply and clearly. To attract and keep attention they must
also be innovative or skilled, or otherwise make use of a range of techniques including satire, shocking or
surprising their intended audience. In ‘Propaganda: Power and Persuasion’ [the name of the exhibition],
you will see examples of propaganda posters from around the world using many different styles,
reflecting these needs and demonstrating the power of posters.

[Translation: Subscribe for victory. Banque Nationale de Crédit]

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5 Advertising

The origins of propaganda posters

The use of posters in a form that we recognise today originated in France
during the mid 19th century, drawing on cultural and artistic styles
developed in mural paintings and also in advertisements for circuses.
The technological development of lithographic printing allowed for mass
production of printed sheets, also incorporating the use of colour. Initially
associated with art and advertising, from the First World War posters
increasingly came to be used also for political purposes. The recruitment
and war savings posters of the First World War made use of styles
developed for advertising. Although many war propaganda posters were
mainly text-based, the power of simple images became clear through
the success of UK and US recruitment posters featuring Kitchener and
Uncle Sam.

Artistry and innovation in visual communication

Following the First World War, the use of propaganda posters became
more sophisticated and incorporated new artistic styles. Poster art in
general had drawn on, and influenced, developments in art from the
later 19th century onwards. Equally important had been the influence
of folk art. Both could be used for propaganda purposes, to represent
innovation and dynamism or to present an image of the ‘ordinary
people’. Popular and folk art styles in particular could be effective in
communicating images of mass consent or contentment in a way that
appeared authentic. Examples of propaganda posters using these
styles could be seen across Europe, for example in the early Soviet
Union, Spain during the Civil War, Italy under Mussolini, and in Nazi
Germany. In Britain, the short-lived Empire Marketing Board (1926–
1933) used leading commercial artists to create posters promoting
trade with countries that were members of the British Empire, and
more generally maintaining British support for these countries.

World War Two propaganda posters

Throughout the Second World War, posters remained significant, and designs continued to show
innovation, particularly in the use of humour. However, the popularity of cinema, and especially radio,
meant that other media became seen as more important in the struggle to win support and maintain
morale. Posters remained important, but increasingly as part of a wider campaign that included radio
broadcasts, films, pamphlets and other ephemera.

Impact on modern society

Posters remain a powerful and artistically-vibrant form of communication. In advertising and state
communications, they form an important part of campaigns that also incorporate adverts in broadcast
and print media, online campaigning, increasingly using social media, and staged events. The relatively
simple technology needed to mass produce and circulate posters also means that they can be used
effectively in campaigns against authority, as could be seen in the recent Occupy protests across the
world [demonstrating opposition to social and economic inequality]. Finally, the impact of poster art can
be seen in the development of street art more generally, with artists such as Banksy and Shepard Fairey
using simple and powerful images that communicate clearly and directly with the public.
To find out more about propaganda posters and how they have played their part in history, visit the
British Library and explore our fascinating exhibition ‘Propaganda: Power and Persuasion’. Check out our
upcoming events and book your tickets now to avoid disappointment.

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Reading

Now answer these questions in your own words.

1 Explain what is meant by the following words and phrases as used in the passage:

a propaganda ��

b innovative ��

c satire ��

d mural paintings ��

e lithographic ��

f sophisticated ��

g commercial artists ��

h morale ��

i ephemera ��

2 Look at paragraph 1. Give two important requirements for public information posters to
be effective.

��

3 How do you think the use of satire can help to make a public information poster effective?

��

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5 Advertising

4 What two features of posters were improved by the technological developments of

lithographic printing?

��

5 What do you understand by a ‘war savings poster’?

��

6 How were nineteenth-century developments in art and folk art used for propaganda purposes?

��

7 In what way did the style of public information posters develop during the Second World War?

��

8 What other means of propaganda took their place beside posters during and after the Second
World War?

��

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Reading

9 Write a summary of how and why posters have developed since the mid-nineteenth century and
the purposes for which they have been used. You should write about 150–200 words. Remember
that the use of reading strategies, such as highlighting, annotating text and using tables to sum
up ideas, can help you identify key information.

��

10 Explain how the content and format make any two of the posters shown in the extract effective.
Then, discuss which poster is your favourite and explain why.
Make notes in the space below and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

��

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5 Advertising

The following is an online advertisement for a holiday resort near Biarritz in the southwest of France.
Read it carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

Extract: Xanadu Holiday Village, Pyrénées-Atlantiques,

France
Xanadu Holiday Village is a state-of-the-art,
purpose-built resort, in stunning countryside
surroundings within easy reach of the
exciting beach resort of Biarritz in the French
Basque Country.
Xanadu Holiday Village and the surrounding area
offer a wide range of activities and interests to
suit all tastes. Our convenient location, unique
atmosphere, friendly service and modern facilities
make Xanadu Holiday Village a family favourite.

Accommodation
Accommodation in Xanadu Holiday Village consists
of solidly built apartments ranging from romantic
retreats for couples to 3-bedroom apartments
suitable for the average family. Most of our
50 apartments open on to a private balcony,
overlooking our outdoor swimming complex
containing one Olympic size main pool, a children’s
pool and a fun pool with its own wave machine
suitable for all the family.
Xanadu Holiday Village is ideally situated only a 30-minute drive away from Biarritz with its fantastic
bathing and surfing beaches and range of attractions for holidaymakers such as the Museum of
Chocolate and Bayonne with its historical buildings, museums and shops providing all your needs.
All apartments in Xanadu Holiday Village are equipped with barbecue equipment for the warm summer
evenings and the on-site mini-market provides a range of food and drink and other essential products.
For younger members of the family the Xanadu Pleasure Dome is open daily 10a.m.–12 noon and
4–6p.m. and offers exciting activities, supervised by our specially-trained children’s playleaders.

Xanadu Holiday Village features

l Outdoor swimming complex
l Indoor heated pool, spa and sauna
l All swimming pools are permanently staffed
with fully qualified lifeguards to ensure your
and your family’s safety
l Children’s Pleasure Dome
l Tour desk
l BBQ/entertainment area
l Table tennis room
l Security parking
l Non-smoking rooms
l Onsite managers to ensure your safety and to
answer your questions

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Reading

Xanadu Apartment features

l 1-Bedroom Apartment: 1 King bed or twin beds
l 2-Bedroom Apartment: 1 Queen bed + 2 singles
l 3-Bedroom Apartment: 1 master bedroom with
1 King bed + 2 bedrooms with 2 single beds
l Most apartments open onto a private balcony
l Fully equipped kitchen/microwave
l Separate lounge and dining areas
l Television and cable TV
l Ceiling fans
l Internet access
l Direct dial phones
l Laundry – washing machine and dryer

The surrounding area

The area around Xanadu Holiday Village offers a
wide variety of activities and places of interest to
suit all tastes including:
l Stunning beaches for both swimmers and
surfers, patrolled throughout the season
l Theatres, restaurants and nightclubs
l Balloon rides and boat cruises
l Deep-sea fishing
l Golf at championship courses
l Sensational shopping/designer boutiques

Our knowledgeable staff will assist in arranging

any activity that you wish to try.

Getting here
If you’re driving from Europe, Xanadu Holiday Village is well served by France’s motorway system. It is
1000 km from Dieppe – a pleasant drive with one overnight stop. You can fly direct to Bordeaux where
you can hire a car or take the high-speed train from Paris. For guests without a car, the Village’s minibus
runs daily shuttle services to Bordeaux Airport and Railway Station.
For further details go to our website.

1 Explain what is meant by the following words and phrases as used in the advertisement:

a state-of-the-art ��

b purpose-built ��

c suit all tastes ��

d well served ��

2 Who is the main target audience for this advertisement?

��

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5 Advertising

3 What features of the apartments and the complex as a whole are likely to appeal to families with
young children?

��

4 How does the advertisement use language to make the apartments and their
surroundings appealing?

��

5 Apart from the sea and beaches, what other attractions in the surrounding area are mentioned in
this advertisement?

��

6 Which safety feature within the resort and at the beaches is referred to throughout
the advertisement?

��

7 Using only information contained in this advertisement, write one or two paragraphs (about
150–200 words) in which you give a factual account of the features of Xanadu Holiday Village
and the surrounding area. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper.
8 Imagine that you are staying in Xanadu Holiday Village with your family. Write a letter to one of
your school friends saying what you have found enjoyable about your holiday, what you have not
enjoyed and whether you would recommend it. You should base your letter on the content of the
advertisement and write about 200–250 words.
Make notes and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

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Key skills

Key skills
Figures of speech: euphemisms
1 A euphemism is a ‘polite’ way of saying something that might be considered sad, offensive or
shocking. Underline the euphemisms in the following sentences and then say what each one
really means.
a My aunt was an inexhaustible and energetic lady of uncertain years.

��

b She dresses in outfits bought from pre-owned clothes shops.

��

c She also tends to stretch the truth a little when talking about how much money she has.

��

d My uncle is at home most days as he is between jobs at the moment.

��

e He is sometimes economical with the truth when he writes letters of application.

��

f My brother is learning to drive; his instructor says that he still has room for improvement.

��

g His latest school report described him as being a lively and challenging member of the class.

��

h Sadly, my great-grandfather is no longer with us.

��

i The politician was very concerned about his image as he was becoming increasingly
follically challenged.

��

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5 Advertising

j The hotel hadn’t been decorated for a few years and was starting to look a little rough around
the edges.

��

2 Choose one of the products listed and write a brief description of an advert that uses euphemism
as an advertising ploy to sell the product. The idea is to make something that isn’t too exciting
more interesting!
– Washing-up liquid
– Shoe polish
– Hand-held vacuum cleaner
Make notes in the space below and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

��

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Writing

Writing
Creating your own advertisements

1 Imagine you have just got a job in charge of marketing in a car showroom. Your first task is to
create an advertisement for this car. Your brief is to design a one-page brochure. When writing
your advertisement, you should consider the following:
– target audience
– USP (unique selling point)
– branding
– lifestyle
– endorsement.
Think carefully about how you will lay out your text and images to create the biggest impact on
your audience.
Will you use any rhetorical devices in your advertisement? You could consider the following:
– rhetorical questions – sound patterns – anecdote
– emotive language – description – repetition
– parallel structures – imagery – hyperbole.
– contrast – tricolon
You need to make an impression and you want to sell this car as quickly as possible.
Make notes and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.
2 Describe an advertisement that you have seen on television or in a newspaper that you find
either very effective or very annoying. Explain the techniques used in the advertisement and say
what there is about it that makes it appeal to you or why you find it so irritating.
Make notes and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

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6 A good story

Reading
Detective stories
The following extract is from The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne (best known for his Winnie-
the-Pooh books). This is a detective story of the classic ‘locked room’ type (where a murder takes
place in what seem to be impossible circumstances) and is set in a country house in England in the
early twentieth century. In this passage, Antony (Tony) Gillingham and his friend Bill Beverley set
about investigating the murder of Robert Ablett. Mr Cayley is a guest at the house and he and Tony
had discovered the murder on the previous day. Read the passage carefully and then answer the
questions that follow.

Extract: The Red House Mystery

It was three o’clock, and at three o’clock yesterday Antony and Cayley had found the body. At a few
minutes after three, [Antony] had been looking out of the window of the adjoining room, and had been
surprised suddenly to find the door open and Cayley behind him. He had vaguely wondered at the time
why he had expected the door to be shut, but he had had no time then to worry the thing out, and he
had promised himself to look into it at his leisure afterwards. Possibly it meant nothing; possibly, if it
meant anything, he could have found out its meaning by a visit to the office that morning. But he had
felt that he would be more likely to recapture the impressions of yesterday if he chose as far as possible
the same conditions for his experiment. So he had decided that three o’clock that afternoon should find
him once more in the office.
As he went into the room, followed by Bill, he felt it almost as a shock that there was now no body of
Robert lying there between the two doors. But there was a dark stain which showed where the dead
man’s head had been, and Antony knelt down over it, as he had knelt twenty-four hours before.
‘I want to go through it again,’ he said. ‘You must be Cayley. Cayley said he would get some water. I
remember thinking that water wasn’t much good to a dead man, and that probably he was only too glad
to do anything rather than nothing. He came back with a wet sponge and a handkerchief. I suppose he
got the handkerchief from the chest of drawers. Wait a bit.’
He got up and went into the adjoining room; looked round it, pulled open a drawer or two, and, after
shutting all the doors, came back to the office.
‘The sponge is there, and there are handkerchiefs in the top right-hand drawer. Now then, Bill, just
pretend you’re Cayley. You’ve just said something about water, and you get up.’
Feeling that it was all a little uncanny, Bill, who had been kneeling beside his friend, got up and walked
out. Antony, as he had done on the previous day, looked up after him as he went. Bill turned into the
room on the right, opened the drawer and got the handkerchief, damped the sponge and came back.
‘Well?’ he said wonderingly.
Antony shook his head.
‘It’s all different,’ he said. ‘For one thing, you made a devil of a noise and Cayley didn’t.’

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Reading

‘Perhaps you weren’t listening when Cayley went in?’

‘I wasn’t. But I should have heard him if I could have heard him, and I should have remembered afterwards.’
‘Perhaps Cayley shut the door after him.’
‘Wait!’
He pressed his hand over his eyes and thought. It wasn’t anything which he had heard, but something
which he had seen. He tried desperately hard to see it again … He saw Cayley getting up, opening the
door from the office, leaving it open and walking into the passage, turning to the door on the right,
opening it, going in, and then – What did his eyes see after that? If they would only tell him again!
Suddenly he jumped up, his face alight. ‘Bill, I’ve got it!’ he cried.
‘What?’
‘The shadow on the wall! I was looking at the shadow on the wall. Oh, shoot!’
Bill looked uncomprehendingly at him. Antony took his arm and pointed to the wall of the passage.
‘Look at the sunlight on it,’ he said. ‘That’s because you’ve left the door of that room open. The sun
comes straight in through the windows. Now, I’m going to shut the door. Look! D’you see how the
shadow moves across? That’s what I saw – the shadow moving across as the door shut behind him. Bill,
go in and shut the door behind you – quite naturally. Quick!’
Bill went out and Antony knelt, watching eagerly.
‘I thought so!’ he cried. ‘I knew it couldn’t have been that.’
‘What happened?’ said Bill, coming back.
‘Just what you would expect. The sunlight came, and the shadow moved back again – all in one
movement.’
‘And what happened yesterday?’
‘The sunlight stayed there; and then the shadow came very slowly back, and there was no noise of the
door being shut.’
Bill looked at him with startled eyes.
‘By Jove! You mean that Cayley closed the door afterwards as an afterthought – and very quietly – so
that you couldn’t hear?’
Antony nodded.
A.A. Milne

Now answer these questions in your own words.

1 Explain what is meant by the following words and phrases as used in the passage:
a recapture the impressions ��

��

b all a little uncanny ��

��

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6 A good story

c uncomprehendingly ��

��

d afterthought ��

��

2 Look at paragraph 1. Why did Antony do nothing about his concerns over the open door on the
day before?

��

3 Why did Antony think that Cayley went to fetch some water?

��

4 How did the way Bill fetched the water differ from the way Cayley did it?

��

5 How did Bill at first try to explain this difference to Antony?

��

6 Explain what it was that Antony realised was worrying him.

��

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Reading

7 What did Antony work out about the shadow on the wall?

��

8 What did Bill think about why Cayley had closed the door?

��

9 On a separate piece of paper, write a summary of the actions of both Antony and Cayley on the
previous afternoon when they discovered the murder. You should write 200–250 words.
10 Imagine that you are Antony. It is later in the day and you have had time to put your thoughts in
order and are becoming suspicious of Cayley. Write an entry in your notebook, in which you give
reasons for and against the idea that he might be the murderer.
Make notes in the space below and continue on a separate piece of paper if necessary.

��

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6 A good story

Introducing characters
The next extract is from Annie John, written by Jamaica Kincaid, who was born in 1949 in Antigua, an
island in the West Indies. She has written a number of semi-autobiographical novels. When a novel has
a semi-autobiographical quality, it is often possible to judge that we are hearing the author’s thoughts
and perspectives through the narrator. Nowadays Kincaid lives mainly in Vermont, USA.
Annie John is set on the island of Antigua in the 1950s, when Antigua was a British colony. Annie and
her friends attend a British school, where the curriculum includes subjects such as English literature,
history and culture. Annie has to dress in British school clothes and is discouraged from engaging in
traditional Antiguan culture. This attracts her to the Red Girl, who resists rules and acts as she pleases.

Extract: Annie John

One day, I was throwing stones at a guava tree, trying to knock down a ripe guava, when the Red Girl
came along and said, ‘Which one do you want?’ After I pointed it out, she climbed up the tree, picked
the one I wanted off its branch, climbed down, and presented it to me. How my eyes did widen and
my mouth form an ‘o’ at this. I had never seen a girl do this before. All the boys climbed trees for the
fruit they wanted, and all the girls threw stones to knock the fruit off the trees. But look at the way she
climbed that tree: better than any boy.
Polishing off the delicious ripe-to-perfection guava in two bites, I took a good look at the Red Girl.
How right I had been to take some special notice of her the first time I had seen her. She was holding
on to her mother’s skirt and I was holding on to my mother’s skirt. Our mothers waved to each other
as they passed, calling out the usual greetings, making the usual inquiries. I noticed that the girl’s hair
was the color of a penny fresh from the mint, and that it was so unruly it had to be forcibly twisted into
corkscrews, the ends tied tightly with white thread. The corkscrews didn’t lie flat on her head, they stood
straight up, and when she walked they bounced up and down as if they were something amphibian and
alive. Right away to myself I called her the Red Girl. For as she passed, in my mind’s eye I could see
her surrounded by flames, the house she lived in on fire, and she could not escape. I rescued her, and
after that she followed me around worshipfully and took with great forbearance any and every abuse
I heaped on her. I would have gone on like that for a while, but my mother tugged at me, claiming my
attention; I heard her say, ‘Such a nice woman, to keep that girl so dirty.’
The Red Girl and I stood under the guava tree looking each other up and down. What a beautiful thing I saw
standing before me. Her face was big and round and red, like a moon – a red moon. She had big, broad, flat
feet, and they were naked to the bare ground; her dress was dirty, the skirt and blouse tearing away from
each other at one side; the red hair that I had first seen standing up on her head was matted and tangled;
her hands were big and fat, and her fingernails held at least ten anthills of dirt under them. And on top of
that, she had such an unbelievable, wonderful smell, as if she had never taken a bath in her whole life.
Jamaica Kincaid

Now answer these questions in your own words.

1 Explain what is meant by the following words and phrases as used in the passage:
a ripe-to-perfection

��

b unruly

��

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Reading

c in my mind’s eye

��

d worshipfully

��

e forbearance

��

f matted

��

2 Why is Annie impressed by the Red Girl?

��

3 What do you think the narrator is implying about the Red Girl when she says ‘better than any boy’?

��

4 Reread the description of the Red Girl’s hair. Use evidence from the text to explain why the
narrator seems fascinated by it.

��

5 The narrator calls the girl ‘the Red Girl’ because she pictures her surrounded by flames in a house
of fire. What does this image make you think about the Red Girl?

��

6 The narrator then goes on to say that she imagines she ‘rescues’ the Red Girl, who then follows
her around. What does this tell you about the narrator?

��

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6 A good story

7 Highlight different sentence types (simple, compound, complex) in the extract. What effect does
this have?

��

8 Write a summary of this passage in which you explain:

– who the narrator is and what the narrator saw and heard
– what the narrator’s thoughts and feelings were
– why the narrator admired the Red Girl.
Write about 200 words and use your own words as far as possible.
Annotate the text to help you write your summary. Consider how you might do this and how the
notes will help you to write your summary. The following strategies might be helpful:
– Think critically before you highlight. Use highlighting after you have read a section to note the
most important points, key terms and concepts. Do not highlight as you read because you do
not know the most important thing until you have read to the end of the section. You might
consider using different colours to relate to the three different points above.
– Annotate in the margin using a pencil. Use a symbol to mark an idea that is particularly
important. Be consistent with the symbols you use.
– Identify the main ideas and supporting details. You need to see what a main idea is and what
a supporting detail is. The main idea(s) show you the key points in the text. The supporting
details show you why the writer believes the main idea(s). Examples and reasons are usually
presented as supporting details.

��

9 If possible, in a group, discuss what has been lost by just concentrating on the facts contained in
the original text. One person in the group should make notes. You may want to assign other roles
to the group to facilitate the discussion. Ensure everybody has a chance to speak and take turns
to discuss your ideas. By the end of the discussion, agree on three things you think have most
been lost by just focusing on the facts.

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Key skills

10 Discuss, with close reference to the original passage, how the author’s description of the Red Girl
reveals what she feels, which seems both critical and admiring at the same time.

��

11 Imagine that, instead of Annie, Annie’s mother is the narrator when she sees the Red Girl climb
the tree and get a guava for Annie. How might she describe the scene? Aim to write at least
one paragraph.

��

Key skills
Synonyms and etymology
1 Study the following Latin words and their meanings.
– matr – mother; materno – motherly; maternus – maternal
– scientia – knowledge
– verus – truth; vere – truthfully
Using the Latin, guess what the following English words might mean. Use your knowledge of
prefixes and suffixes to help you. Check in a dictionary to see if you were right.
a maternal

��

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6 A good story

b conscientious

��

c verifiable

��

2 Write three synonyms for each word:

a maternal

��

b conscientious

��

c verifiable

��

3 Choose two words from each group in question 2 and write them into a sentence to illustrate
their shades of meaning.

��

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Writing

Writing
A short story
1 Choose one of the two passages in this chapter and write a further episode that follows on
from where the extract finished. Think about the atmosphere and how you can create mystery
and suspense. Try to develop details from the passage and to write in a style similar to that of
the original.
Plan your work and then write your final answer on a separate piece of paper.
2 Write a short mystery story with the title ‘The Tunnel’. Do not write more than three sides of A4
paper. Think carefully about how you will develop and describe your main character.
Consider:
– their character (Are they meticulous, analytical, shrewd, clever, inconspicuous, bossy, skilful,
eccentric, brilliant, unconventional, brave, tenacious, observant, quirky?)
– how they behave
– how they look
– how they interact with other characters in your story.
Once you have written your mystery story, read it through. Make sure you edit your work.
Have you developed enough suspense? Are there any ways in which you could improve your
characters? Then proofread your story, checking for errors in the wording and spelling. Ensure your
handwriting is legible and tidy up any letters or words that are hard to read. Once you are happy
with your story, share it with a friend or family member/carer and ask them for feedback.
Plan your work and then write your final answer on a separate piece paper.

Speaking and listening

Dialogue
Think about the main character in your story ‘The Tunnel’. On a separate piece of paper, write
a short dialogue from a scene in your story where your character is dealing with a problem or is
involved in some kind of action.
Perform the scene using expression in your voice and body language. When you have practised you
could show your piece to a family member/carer or friend and ask them to describe the character
that you are portraying. Does this match your intentions? Ask your audience for feedback and reflect
on whether your character has come across as you had imagined.

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7 Exploring complex themes

Reading
Exploring themes
The three poems in this chapter are interconnected. The first is about the anguished experience
of being a bird trapped in a cage; the second considers the nature of reality and the third poem
considers what is experienced through the senses in a single moment. Complex themes are explored
through the lens of human perception.
1 You are going to practise reading an unseen text aloud.
When reading unseen texts, sometimes you might not understand straight away what you are
reading. There are lots of strategies you can use to help you make connections as you read.
Before you read the poem below aloud, try these strategies:
– Think about why you are reading; for example, is it to find a piece of specific information? Are
you performing? Are you trying to bring a place or a character to life?
– Pause when reading and think about what is happening in the text and try to make
connections to new content. Make predictions and confirm previous predictions. You can
summarise, self-talk, paraphrase and re-tell the story.
– Read ahead then come back. Sometimes the author has not given the information yet. Note
the problem and read ahead to get additional information. You can then go back and see if
you have solved the problem.
– Look for:
• definition clues (where the word’s meaning is explained in the sentence)
• example clues (where an example of the word is given in the following sentence or within
the sentence)
• inference clues (where you need to look for clues before and after the sentence)
• synonym clues (where other words are used in the sentence that have similar meaning)
• antonym cues (where the word is clarified by giving the opposite meaning).
Here are some questions to help you as you read:
– What is the poem about and when is it set?
– How does it begin and what is the structure? Are there links between verses?
– How does the poem engage the reader?
– What is the tone and mood?
– Are there any descriptive sections? How effective are they?
Read the poem aloud to somebody nearby.
When you have finished reading aloud, ask the listener for feedback. Did the strategies above
help you?

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Reading

Born in 1872, Paul Laurence Dunbar was one of the first African-American poets and playwrights to
gain national recognition. He authored numerous collections of poetry and prose during his life. He
wrote much of his work in a dialect, as well as in conventional English.
The title of Maya Angelou’s famous novel I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is from his poem
‘Sympathy’, which you will read here. In the poem, the speaker uses the image of the locked-up bird
to give us a sense of what it feels like to live without freedom.

‘Sympathy’
I know what the caged bird feels, alas!
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;
When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,
And the river flows like a stream of glass;
When the first bird sings and the first bud opens,
And the faint perfume from its chalice steals—
I know what the caged bird feels!

I know why the caged bird beats his wing

Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;
For he must fly back to his perch and cling
When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;
And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars
And they pulse again with a keener sting—
I know why he beats his wing!

I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,

When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings—
I know why the caged bird sings!
Paul Laurence Dunbar

2 Reread the first verse. The images of the first bird singing in spring are contrasted with the image
of the bird in the cage. What effect does this have?

��

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7 Exploring complex themes

3 What poetic techniques are used in the first verse to affect the reader?

��

4 The descriptions of the natural world are contrasted sharply in the second stanza with the image
of the bird beating its wings. Using examples, explain how and why is this effective.

��

5 What do the lines ‘For he must fly back to his perch and cling / When he fain would be on the
bough a-swing; / And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars’ tell us about the bird?

��

6 Underline the uses of personification in the poem. What image does this create?

��

7 Why do you think the speaker repeats the phrase ‘I know why’?

��

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Reading

8 Dunbar is writing as an African-American poet at the end of the nineteenth century. What do you
think this metaphor of the caged bird might represent to him? Explain in your own words why the
caged bird sings and how this image affects you as a reader.

��

9 Write a summary of the key themes discussed in this poem. Write 150–200 words.

��

10 Did you like this poem? Give a personal response detailing how you felt when you read it and
whether you think it is effective – you can do this in any medium you choose.

��

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7 Exploring complex themes

11 Imagine you are the bird in the poem for a day. Try to put yourself in the cage and write how
you are feeling and what you are experiencing that night. Use your senses. What do you see,
hear, touch, taste and smell? You can use ideas from the poem, but you can also add your own
impressions of how it may have been. Write 450–500 words.
Make notes in the space below and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.
��

��

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Reading

The following poem questions whether life itself is an illusion. It questions what is real and expresses
frustration at the transience of life. Read the poem carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

‘A Dream Within a Dream’

Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow –
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand –
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep – while I weep!
O God! Can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
Edgar Allen Poe

Now answer these questions in your own words.

1 Explain what is meant by the following words and phrases as used in the poem:

a avow ��

b who deem ��

c surf-tormented ��

d pitiless ��

2 Look at the first two lines of the first verse. What has happened to the poet?

��

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7 Exploring complex themes

3 Why is the poet so upset about the grains of sand slipping through his fingers?

��

4 Why do you think Poe uses questions in his poem?

��

5 Consider the title of this poem. Is it possible to know if life is ‘a dream within a dream’? Write
your opinion as to whether the poet answers this question in his poem. Refer to the style, use of
language and how he sets out his ideas. You should write about 200–250 words.
Make notes in the space below and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

��

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Reading

The following simple poem is about a transient moment when the poet is focusing on what she can
hear. Read the poem carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

‘Listen’
Shhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Sit still, very still
And listen.
Listen to wings
Lighter than eyelashes
Stroking the air.
Know what the thin breeze
Whispers on high
To the coconut trees.
Listen and hear.
Telcine Turner

Now answer these questions in your own words.

1 How does the choice of vocabulary create an impression in the reader’s mind? Choose an
example to illustrate your answer.

��

2 What happens to the coconut trees?

��

3 From the image the poem creates, write a brief description of the place the poet is describing.
You can use your imagination to fill in all the other details.

��

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7 Exploring complex themes

��

Extension activity: Linking complex themes

1 Read all three poems again and review your answers to the questions.
You are now going to write a piece that discusses the complex themes that all three poems
explore. What links the three poems?
Write your response on a separate piece of paper. You should aim to write 250–300 words. If you
want to plan your response, think about which method would be the most effective way to plan.
As there are three poems to explore, think about how you would like to structure your response.
You could discuss each poem in turn, or you could pick a theme and discuss how the poems
compare and contrast in discussing that theme.
You may find that because these themes are very subjective you express more than one
viewpoint; for example, you may think that a theme such as ‘the perceptions of human nature’ is
explored in all three, but to varying degrees and in different ways. Expressing multiple viewpoints
is one way of showing that texts are open to different interpretations. As long as your thoughts
are clear, this can be an effective way of showing your depth of understanding.
Once you have written your response, remember to edit and proofread your work, and check your
handwriting is clear and legible. Does your language match the intended audience of your essay?
Have you structured it in a coherent way?
2 If possible, get into a group and briefly discuss all three poems.
Then, each of you should present the main ideas from your written piece and communicate what
you think the complex themes are and how you have linked them.
You may want to assign roles to people to help you facilitate this: for example, one person could
time each presentation to ensure you all have the same amount of time, and one person could
make notes.
After each presentation, give feedback to the speaker. Did they sum up their ideas well? Did you
agree with their ideas?
3 Imagine you have shown these three poems to a friend who has really enjoyed them. They are
interested in reading more texts and poems that explore the complex themes you have identified.
What authors, poets or texts would you recommend to them?

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Key skills

Key skills
Colloquialisms
Language takes many different forms in both poetry and prose, including both formal and informal
styles. The latter sometimes includes colloquialisms.
1 For each of the sentences below, underline the colloquialism and then rewrite the sentence
without the colloquialism.
a The teacher took my reason for not doing my assignment with a pinch of salt.

��

b I felt really cheesed off when he gave me a detention for not handing in my work.

��

c I was given a new games console for my birthday so I tried to flog my old one to my best friend.

��

d My young sister was full of beans when she came back from her friend’s birthday party.

��

e Although I disagreed strongly with the speaker’s point of view I thought it best not to make
waves at the meeting.

��

f I decided to take forty winks after I came home from school and before I went out to the
cinema with my friends.

��

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7 Exploring complex themes

g My mother was in a very good mood so I thought I would strike while the iron was hot and ask
for an increase in my pocket money.

��

h I watched the cook rolling out the pizza dough; he was a dab hand at it.

��

i ‘It was a piece of cake,’ said the winner of the marathon. ‘I had no one near me for the last
five miles.’

��

Writing, speaking and listening

Creating your own poem
Using colloquialisms is a good way to bring a distinctive voice, or your own voice, to a text. Poetry
can be a useful way of expressing complex themes in a subjective way – even poems written in the
first person may not necessarily be autobiographical, because the voice of the speaker takes on its
own identity.
Choose a complex theme and write a short poem to explore this theme. Try to create a distinctive
voice by using colloquialisms, or interesting and unusual ways of describing ordinary things.
Some complex themes you could explore include:
l Identity l Growing up l Nature
l Love l The environment l Family
l Self-expression l Happiness l Equality
Remember, your poem does not have to be autobiographical. You can make it autobiographical if
you wish, or you can create a speaker or a character and assume their identity as you write. This is a
good way of putting yourself in others’ shoes and practising empathy.
To start, make a note of words or phrases that spring to mind when you think about the theme to
help get you started. Think about whether you would like your poem to have a particular structure or
a set rhyme scheme, or whether you would like to use free verse.
Write your poem on a separate piece of paper.

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Writing

Performing
Rehearse and perform all three poems on pages 72, 76 and 78. Adjust your voice to give expression
and emphasis as appropriate in the poems.
Notice how you read them aloud and the differences in the language as you move from one poem
to the next.
Choose one to read to a friend or family member/carer.

Writing
Discussing a complex theme
Given the experiences that learners have had during the Covid-19 pandemic, do you think that
online teaching and learning have some advantages over teaching and learning in the classroom?
Write a discussion that sets out clearly the pros and cons of online teaching and learning. Use
examples and evidence from your own experience to support the discussion. You will need to plan
your discussion using an introduction, discussion and conclusion. Ensure the language you use is
clear and precise.
Plan your work in the space below and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

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8 Bringing it all together

Reading
Different places
The two extracts in this chapter are about places in different parts of the globe. The first is about
London, England in the 1800s and the second about Delhi, India in the present day.
This passage is taken from a historical article about life and conditions in the city of London during
Dickens’ lifetime. Read it carefully and then complete the tasks that follow.

Extract: Dickens’ London

Victorian London was the largest, most spectacular city in the world. While Britain was experiencing the
Industrial Revolution, its capital was both reaping the benefits and suffering the consequences. In 1800
the population of London was around a million souls. That number would swell to 4.5 million by 1880.
While fashionable areas like Regent and Oxford Streets were growing in the west, new docks supporting
the city’s place as the world’s trade centre were being built in the east. Perhaps the biggest impact
on the growth of London was the coming of the railroad in the 1830s which displaced thousands and
accelerated the expansion of the city.
The price of this explosive growth and domination of world trade was untold squalor and filth. The
homes of the upper and middle class existed in close proximity to areas of unbelievable poverty and filth.
Rich and poor alike were thrown together in the crowded city streets. Street sweepers attempted to keep
the streets clean of manure, the result of thousands of horse-drawn vehicles. The city’s thousands of
chimney pots belched coal smoke, resulting in soot which seemed to settle everywhere. In many parts of
the city raw sewage flowed in gutters that emptied into the Thames. Street vendors hawking their wares
added to the cacophony of street noises. Pick-pockets, beggars, and vagabonds of every description
added to the colourful multitude.
Personal cleanliness was not a big priority, nor was clean laundry. In close, crowded rooms the smell of
unwashed bodies was stifling. It was unbearably hot by the fire, numbingly cold away from it.
At night the major streets were lit with feeble gas lamps. Side and secondary streets might not be lit
at all and torch bearers were hired to guide the traveller to his destination. Inside, a candle or oil lamp
struggled against the darkness and blackened the ceilings.
Until the second half of the 19th century London residents were still drinking water from the very same
portions of the Thames that the open sewers were discharging into. Several outbreaks of cholera in the
mid 19th century, along with The Great Stink of 1858, when the stench of the Thames caused Parliament
to recess, brought a cry for action. Until 1854 it was widely thought that disease was spread through
foul air or miasma. It seemed obvious to the Victorians, even the learned ones, that if it stinks, it must be
causing disease.
When cholera broke out in the Soho area in 1854 Dr. John Snow teamed with Rev. Henry Whitehead to
prove that the disease was spread, not through foul odours and bad air, but by contaminated water.

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Reading

The Victorian answer to dealing with the poor and indigent was the New Poor Law, enacted in 1834.
Previously it had been the burden of the parishes to take care of the poor. The new law required parishes
to band together and create regional workhouses where aid could be applied for. The workhouse was
little more than a prison for the poor. Civil liberties were denied, families were separated, and human
dignity was destroyed. The true poor often went to great lengths to avoid this relief.
Dickens, because of the childhood trauma caused by his father’s imprisonment for debt and his
consignment to the blacking factory to help support his family, was a true champion to the poor. He
repeatedly pointed out the atrocities of the system through his novels.
With the turn of the century and Queen Victoria’s death in 1901 the Victorian period came to a close.
Many of the ills of the 19th century were remedied through education, technology and social reform.
David A. Perdue

Now answer these questions in your own words.

1 Choose five words or phrases from the extract that were unfamiliar to you and try to explain their
meaning in this context. Check the meanings in a dictionary afterwards to see if you were correct.

a ��

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b ��

��

c ��

��

d ��

��

e ��

��

2 What does the passage tell you about living conditions in the city of London in the nineteenth
century and the lives of the people who lived there?
On a separate piece of paper, write your answer using short notes. (You do not have to use your
own words.)

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8 Bringing it all together

This article is a view of Delhi written by a British expat living there currently. (‘Expat’ is short for
‘expatriate’ and refers to someone who is living in a country other than their native country.) Read
the article carefully and then complete the tasks that follow.

Extract: Living in Delhi: an expat guide

Overview
Six months later as good weather saw our first guests arrive, I was horribly aware that I had quietly
slipped into the bubble category. I was not at all ready to show my guests around the real Delhi. Apart
from the markets, I had only been to very specific, mostly expatriate pockets of the city in a sort of
diplomatic vacuum. I was embarrassed that my first trip to Old Delhi was as tourist not tour guide.
The day we chose was Eid Al-Addha so Old Delhi was enjoying a holiday. There was, if possible, more
than your average crush of humanity around the impressive mosque Jama Masjid. Inside the mosque,
clutching our shoes in an un-celebrity like way, we were tailed by the usual good-natured pack of
20 people of all ages, seemingly at a loose end and endlessly fascinated by westerners. We climbed the
pitch dark stairs of the minaret to reach a breathtaking view of The Red Fort.
Back through the throngs, dodging outstretched hands and goats which had minutes to live, we made
our way through Silver and Wedding streets. Here the colour, glitz, celebration and over-the-top naffness
of wedding shopping, one of the main commercial arteries pumping life into India, can be found in
full swing. Flagging a little, we took a cycle rickshaw to the spice market and enjoyed a random tour
by our self appointed, non-English speaking, rickshaw guide. Any lapses in our concentration resulted
in a firm ‘Hello, Hello, Hello’ until he had our reluctant attention again and he could continue with his
incomprehensible spiel.

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Reading

By lunch time we were ready to completely wimp out and retreated to 5 star luxury at The Imperial
Hotel. On the way I mourned the passing of the gung-ho explorer I was 20 years ago who had gallons
more patience and energy. Safely seated in the peaceful restaurant surrounded by Art Deco glory, I
thanked my lucky stars. Not just for being able to afford the peace and quiet of the moment but also for
the privilege of living in a bubble.
One of the first things to do when you arrive in Delhi as a resident, not a tourist, is get yourself to the
Hyatt Regency to the Delhi Network Office and buy the invaluable Delhi Network Handbook. This is an
organization run by volunteer expat spouses from all over the world. They produce a book full of all the
answers to many of those questions when you first arrive and I continue to use it for reference even now.

Useful information
Housing
Finding a place to live in Delhi is your first challenge. It can be a time consuming and frustrating
procedure or you may be lucky and have the place found for you through your organisation. There are
plenty of agents who know what the expats are looking for. Delhi is booming and the property market is
completely crazy. Every other house is being knocked down and rebuilt into glitzy builder flats. Landlords,
or more frequently the matriarchal landladies of Delhi, know they are sitting on a cash cow with
properties in the popular expat areas and you need to have your wits about you when negotiating.
There are several choices to be made to find your perfect pad. There are the fabulous farmhouses out in
Pushpanjali, Chattarpur and Mehrauli. Farmhouse is a misnomer. There is nothing remotely agricultural
about these homes. These are the mansions on the outskirts of Delhi. All have pools and large gardens.
Many have tennis courts and some even have mini golf courses.
Rents on these large properties are often the same as a four bedroom place further in. Go for it only if
you have a corporation looking after you, with a team of efficient maintenance chaps ready to deal with
the many and frequent water and power problems. Go for it only if you can deal with the unpredictable
and often very long journey to work and school. Go for it only if you have been able to speak to the
people who were in it before you to discover the pitfalls. Some live in them and love them. Others have
tried and abandoned them to move closer in.
The rest of Delhi has some great areas but all are in a state of change at the moment with the old
homes being knocked down to make way for the more profitable new apartments. Some areas where
expats live are Vasant Vihar, West End, Anand and Shanti Niketan, Defence Colony, Pansheel Park, Golf
Links and Jorbagh. These areas are by no means solely expat. All are mixed colonies (word used here for
neighbourhoods) with middle class Indians living alongside foreigners.
The older houses (built in 50s, 60s, 70s) offer a small garden, a terrace, garage and short driveway so
there is storage space and room for outdoor play for children. They usually have un-stylish bathrooms
and kitchens but good living and bedroom space with bathrooms off every bedroom. Staff quarters are
usually two small rooms, bathroom and some sort of kitchen.
The new builders’ apartments are modern, marble floored with smart new kitchens and bathrooms.
Ground floors may have a tiny garden or top floors may have a roof terrace. Staff quarters are almost
universally abysmal in these new places with one tiny room for each apartment and communal
bathroom and kitchen areas. This can be a source of much grief with unhappy staff, so be warned. There
has been little planning for the increase in demand for power and water with all this development and a
generator and water tank are essential. Some areas have better infrastructure than others.
[Link]/international/india/delhi/expat-guide

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8 Bringing it all together

Now answer these questions in your own words.

1 Choose five words or phrases from the extract that were unfamiliar to you and try to explain their
meaning in this context. Check the meanings in a dictionary afterwards to see if you were correct.

a ��

��

b ��

��

c ��

��

d ��

��

e ��

��

2 What does the passage tell you about being an expat living in Delhi today?
Write your answer using short notes. (You do not have to use your own words.)

l ��

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Reading

3 Write a detailed comparison of the two descriptions of London and Delhi. Include the impression
that you get of each place and your thoughts on how the extracts are written. Draw on the
different social, cultural and historical contexts in your response.
You must use continuous writing (not note form) and your own words as far as possible. Refer
back to the notes that you made in answer to question 2 on each description, and write
200–250 words.
Plan your work and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.
4 Would you like to have lived in London in the 1880s or to live in Delhi now? Give your opinion and
explain your reasons.
Make notes in the space below and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.

��

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8 Bringing it all together

Key skills
Simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences
1 Write a definition of each of the types of sentences below in your own words.
a Simple

��

b Compound

��

c Complex

��

d Compound-complex

��

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Key skills

2 Identify the type of sentence by putting a tick in the correct column.

Compound-
Sentence Simple Compound Complex complex
Although the weather has been dry recently, the
ground is still too wet to plough.
The girls sang and the boys danced.
Before Advika went to the shops, she cleaned the
kitchen and brushed out the fireplace.
I saw Rashir but he didn’t see me.
Do you like plantain?
Although Arun likes to bake bread, he hasn’t had time
to do it lately and doesn’t have anyone to share it with.
We drink mango juice every morning.
Fatima would like to see the Amazon but will never go
where it is that hot and wet.

3 Now write your own examples of a simple, a compound, a complex and a compound-complex
sentence.

��

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 90 25/05/2022 12:42

8 Bringing it all together

Correcting errors
Each of the sentences below contains an error of expression. Rewrite the sentences, correcting the
errors.
1 My grandmother was related with the President’s grandmother’s cousin.

��

2 This is a straight competition between you and I.

��

3 The acrobat had no difficulty to do it.

��

4 The leading runner was not giving way to nobody.

��

5 Lee asked me what I am eating.

��

6 My brother was sure that he would of won the race if he had not fallen over.

��

7 The teacher asked me if I was capable to do the question.

��

8 The Principal was sitting in his desk when I opened the door.

��

9 I have been at this school since five years.

��

10 Which is the oldest of the two sisters?

��

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 91 25/05/2022 12:42

Writing

Writing
Extension activities: An interview and an adventure story
1 Imagine you are interviewing a person from either London in the nineteenth century or an expat
living in Delhi today.
Write a dialogue for the interview. Start with a brief description of the person you are
interviewing. What age are they? What job do they have? Do they live with their family? Think
about the questions you would like to ask and how the person might respond.
Plan your interview then write the dialogue on a separate piece of paper.
2 Write a short adventure story set in either Delhi or London. Use all the skills you have learned.
When you are planning your story, think about:
– how you would like to structure your adventure story, for example using flashbacks or
beginning the narrative in the middle or at the end of the action
– who your audience is
– what kind of voice you will use and whether it will be in first-person or third-person
– what the conventions of an adventure story are and whether you would like to use these in
your own writing.
Plan your work and then write your answer on a separate piece of paper.
When you are writing, consider:
– using punctuation for effect, for example using dashes in speech to show urgency
– using different types of sentences, for example combinations of simple, compound, complex
and compound-complex sentences
– using grammatical features to shape meaning, for example using phrases to emphasise
certain words or using antithesis or repetition to reiterate your intentions to the reader
– your word choice, for example using emotive language, and varying word choice and language
for different characters to create distinctive voice
– which spelling techniques you can use to ensure you spell complex words correctly.
Once you have written your story, read it through. Edit and proofread your work until you have a
final answer. Check that your handwriting is clear and easy to read. If possible, share your story
with a friend or family member/carer and ask them for feedback

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 92 25/05/2022 12:42

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The Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English series consists of
a Student’s Book, Boost eBook, Workbook and Teacher’s Guide with Boost
Subscription for each stage.
Teacher’s Guide with
Student’s Book Boost eBook Workbook Boost subscription
Student’s Book 7 eBook 7 Workbook 7 Teacher’s Guide 7
9781398300163 9781398301832 9781398301337 9781398300668
Student’s Book 8 eBook 8 Workbook 8 Teacher’s Guide 8
9781398301849 9781398301887 9781398301344 9781398300675
Student’s Book 9 eBook 9 Workbook 9 Teacher’s Guide 9
9781398301368 9781398301931 9781398301368 9781398300682

To explore the entire series,

visit [Link]/cambridge-checkpoint-english

Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English

Teacher’s Guide with Boost subscription
Created with teachers and students in schools across the globe, Boost
is the next generation in digital learning for schools, bringing quality
content and new technology together in one interactive website.
The Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Teacher’s Guides
include a print handbook and a subscription to Boost, where you will find a range
of online resources to support your teaching.
● Confidently deliver the new curriculum framework: Expert guidance on
the learning models and approaches, including a section on developing higher
order thinking skills, plus a suggested Scheme of Work.
● Develop key concepts and skills: Suggested activities, quizzes and guidance
on assessment, as well as ideas for supporting and extending students working
at different levels.
● Support the use of ESL: Introductions and activities included that have been
developed by an ESL specialist to help facilitate the most effective teaching in
classrooms with mixed English abilities.
● Enrich learning: Audio versions of the texts to help aid understanding,
pronunciation and critical appreciation.

To purchase Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary

English Teacher’s Guide with Boost subscription, visit
[Link]/cambridge-checkpoint-english

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Cambridge

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English
WORKBOOK

9
Reinforce learning and deepen understanding of the key concepts
● Provide extra practice and self-assessment: Each Workbook is intended to be used by students for
practice and homework and once completed can be kept and used for revision.
● Develop understanding and build confidence ahead of assessment: Short write-in activities help
gauge the level of understanding and highlight any gaps in learning.

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Article Writing
Come Together, to Save the Arctic
1968. That was a hell of a year. The people were on the streets,
revolution was in the air, we released the White Album, and
perhaps the most influential photograph of all time was taken by
an astronaut called William Anders.

It was Christmas Eve. Anders and his mission commander Frank

Borman had just become the only living beings since the dawn of
time to orbit the moon. Then, through the tiny window of their
Apollo 8 spacecraft their eyes fell upon something nobody had seen
before, something so familiar and yet so alien, something
breathtaking in its beauty and fragility.” Oh my God!” Borman
cried. “Look at that picture over there! Here’s the Earth coming up.
Wow, is that pretty!”

“You got a color film, Jim?” Anders snapped back. “Hand me that
roll of color quick, will you…”. For a minute or so, two human
beings in a tin can nearly 400,000 kilometers from home scrambled
furiously to fix a roll of Kodak into their camera. Then Anders
lifted it to the window and clicked the shutter and captured our
delicate home planet rising slowly over the horizon of the moon.
Earthrise. That single image made such an impact on the human
psyche that it’s credited with sparking the birth of the global
environment movement – with changing the very way we think
about ourselves.

That was more than forty years ago, the blink of an eye in the
grand sweep of time, but something quite remarkable has
happened since then. For at least 800,000 years the Arctic Ocean
has been capped by a sheet of sea ice the size of a continent. But in
the decades since that photo was taken, satellites have been
measuring a steady melting of that white sheet.
Much of it has now gone, and it seems likely that there’ll be open
water at the North Pole in the lifetimes of my kids. I might even see
that moment for myself.

Think about it. Since Earthrise was taken, we’ve been so busy warming
our world that it now looks radically different from space. By digging
up fossil fuels and burning our ancient forests we’ve put so much
carbon into the atmosphere that today’s astronauts are looking at a
different planet. And here’s something that just baffles me. As the ice
retreats, the oil giants are moving in. Instead of seeing the melting as a
grave warning to humanity, they’re eyeing the previously inaccessible
oil beneath the seabed at the top of the world. They’re exploiting the
disappearance of the ice to drill for the very same fuel that caused the
melting in the first place. Fossil fuels have colonized every corner of
our Earth, but at some time and in some place, we need to say “No
more.” I believe that time is now and that place is the Arctic.

That’s why I’ve joined Greenpeace’s campaign to create a legally

protected sanctuary around the North Pole and a ban on oil drilling
and industrial fishing in Arctic waters. My name will be among at least
two million that Greenpeace is taking to the pole and planting on the
seabed 4km beneath the ice. We’re coming together to secure the Arctic
for all life on Earth.

And if you, like me, are irresistibly drawn to the stunning Arctic
wildlife then you’ll want to join the Arctic Rising online movement.
You can choose to be one of five animals – either a polar bear, a snowy
owl, an Arctic fox, a walrus or a narwhal. Once you’ve joined an animal
clan you hunt in a pack for new supporters for the campaign and
compete against the other animals to get new people involved. It’s a
kind of Earthrise, where we try to spark the dawn of a new mass
movement, one that draws a line in the ice and says to the polluters,
“You come no further”. So now I’ve got to decide which animal I’m
going to be.

Yeah, you’ve guessed it. I am the Walrus.

Article Writing
Structure
The structure of an article for a newspaper, magazine or
website, is usually in three parts:

• introduction – engaging the reader, or outlining the main

point of the article to follow
• middle – making clear and interesting points about the
topic
• end – a concluding paragraph that draws the points
together
If the aim of an article is to persuade the reader, then the
opening and closing paragraph will outline the writer’s
viewpoint and make it most memorable. Subheadings are
sometimes used to signpost the content of each.

Read and work on the following prompt:

Recount Writing
Review Writing
Read the following film review and highlight its features
Knives Out
Brian Tallerico November 25, 2019

Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” is one of the most purely entertaining

films in years. It is the work of a cinematic magician, one who keeps
you so focused on what the left hand is doing that you miss the right.
And, in this case, it’s not just a wildly fun mystery to unravel but a
scathing bit of social commentary about where America is in 2019.
Great mystery writers throughout history have dissected class in ways
that were palatable to audiences looking for escapism, and Johnson is
clearly doing that here too, using a wonderfully entertaining mystery
structure that would make Agatha Christie smile. Directing a wildly
charismatic cast who are all-in on what he’s doing, Johnson
confidently stays a step or two ahead of his audience, leaving them
breathless but satisfied at the end.
Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is a wildly successful
mystery writer and he’s dead. His housekeeper Fran (Edi Patterson)
finds him with a slit throat and the knife still in his hand. It looks like
suicide, but there are some questions. After all, who really slits their
own throat? A couple of cops (the wonderful pair of LaKeith
Stanfield and Noah Segan) come to the Thrombey estate do a small
investigation, just to make sure they’re not missing anything, and the
film opens with their conversations with each of the Thrombey family
members. Daughter Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis) is a successful
businesswoman with a shit husband named Richard (Don Johnson)
and an awful son named Ransom (Chris Evans). Son Walt (Michael
Shannon) runs the publishing side, but he’s been fighting a lot with
dear old dad. Daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Collette) is deep into self-help
but has been helping herself by ripping off the old man. Finally, there’s
Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas), the real heroine of “Knives Out” and
Harlan’s most trusted confidante. Can she help solve the case?
The case may have just been closed if not for the arrival of the
famous detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig, who spins a
southern drawl and oversized ego into something instantly
memorable. Blanc was delivered a news story about the suicide
and envelope of money. So someone thinks this is fishy. Why? And
who?.
So while Blanc feels like a Poirot riff, Johnson and Craig avoid
turning it into a caricature of something we’ve seen before.
Craig is delightful—I love the excitement in his voice when he
figures things out late in the film—but some of the cast gets lost. It’s
inevitable with one this big, but if you’re going to “Knives Out” for a
specific actor or actress, be aware that it’s a large ensemble piece
and your fave may get short shrift. Unless your favorite is Ana de
Armas, who is really the heart of the movie, allowing Johnson to
imbue “Knives Out” with some wonderful political commentary.
“Knives Out” crackles visually, although regular collaborator Steve
Yedlin never allows his cinematography to get too showy to distract
from the mystery or ensemble. It’s a film that works because of
Johnson’s palpable love for the genre, but never becomes too meta
or referential. A lot of talented directors have returned to genre
movies after making a fortune and brought too much self-
awareness with them, but that’s not the case here.
Ultimately, as in the films and books that inspired this one, it’s all
about the whodunit, which is revealed in such unexpected ways
that just when you think you have it all figured out, you realize
something doesn’t add up. When it’s actually over (and my God
does Johnson stick the landing with one of the best final shots of
the year) you’ll unpack its ingenuity like a detective yourself,
marveling at not just how the details of what happened that night
revealed themselves, but the social message embedded in all of it.
It’s tempting to say that it’s a mystery that Harlan Thrombey himself
would have loved, but he probably never wrote one this good.
Summary Writing
Reading Paper 1: Text A
Reading Paper 2: Text B
Reading Paper : Text B
Formal Letters

Address your letter to Dear + the name or job title of the person you have been asked to write to, then start a
new line for the opening paragraph.

Why are you writing? Give the general aim and minimum information only, e.g. to complain, apply, request,
disagree, and an indication of what you are responding to e.g. a recent holiday or a letter in last week’s
newspaper.

Give previous history of event or your background or experience. Say what happened exactly if you are making
a complaint, or focus directly on the text you are arguing with. This section should include specific data such as
names, dates, facts and details.

Give further support to your claim or request. Summarise the current situation and
why you should be given consideration e.g. other problems which occurred with your holiday accommodation,
how well you fulfil the job requirements

Say what you wish to happen next e.g. that you look forward to being called for interview or expect to receive
some compensation as soon as possible. Suggest, firmly but politely, what may happen if you do not receive a
response to a complaint.

Read the following letters: Which are the writers' purposes in each?
Irony
Opinion Writing
Argumentative Essay
Essay Correction Task

Read the essay below and…

1) Review the essay for spelling and grammar mistakes.
2) Identify any vague or weak arguments and provide stronger evidence or reasoning.
3) Rewrite any sentences or paragraphs that lack clarity or coherence.
4) Edit the essay for conciseness and readability.
5) Review the essay for any biased or controversial statements and make appropriate
revisions.

Read the quote: “You don't need much money to be happy." Well, let me tell
you, that is just plain silly! Money is absolutely necessary for happiness, no
doubt about it. First of all, let's think about when money is necessary. How
are you going to pay for food, shelter, and clothing without money? You
can't survive without those things, and they all require money. So, money is
definitely necessary for basic needs and therefore, for happiness.

Now, let's talk about having the latest things. Some people might say that
having the latest gadgets and designer clothes is not important for
happiness. But come on, who doesn't want to have the coolest phone or the
trendiest clothes? Having these things makes you feel good and makes you
fit in with your peers. And we all know how important it is to be accepted
and liked by others. So, having the latest things definitely contributes to
happiness.

In conclusion, it is clear that money is necessary for happiness. Without

money, you can't meet your basic needs or have the latest things that bring
joy. So, don't let anyone fool you with the idea that you don't need much
money to be happy. Money is essential, and having it will undoubtedly lead
to a happier life.
:
Play with your words
Syntax Practice
Imagery
We are going to read and analyse a short story by Ray
Bradbury about imagined life on Venus.
In this imagined world, the sun appears for only two hours
every seven years.
Read the opening and answer the questions:
1. What is the major feature of the setting? Which details
(words/vocabulary) let you know this?

2. What past event does Margot think the other children might be
remembering?
Answer in your notebook then color code the setting on your printed story.
You will have noticed there are lots of similes and
metaphors in this story…
❑ Highlight as many as you can find in the text.

❑ Answer the comprehension questions below.

1. What were the children hoping would happen

today?

2. What is the difference between Margot and the

other children? How do the other children feel
toward Margot?

3. How do the children react when the sun comes out?

4. How does the return of the rain affect the children’s

mood?

5. What do you think the children are thinking once

they realize that Margot missed the sun?
Figurative Language Analysis
For each of the following extracts from songs, identify and explain the
figurative language techniques
Contents
Preparing for the test 4

1 Mechanics of English 5

2 P
aragraphing, punctuation and
sentence structures14

3 Grammar 23

4 Spelling and vocabulary 27

5 Non-fiction 38

6 Poetry and fiction 44

7 The Cambridge Reading Test 55

8 Structures of writing 69
Practice test paper 1 Non-fiction 86
Practice test paper 2 Fiction 91
Glossary 95

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Preparing for the test
As you’ve almost certainly realised by now, English is different from nearly
every other subject that you study at school. One of the main differences
becomes apparent as soon as you start to think about examinations and
preparing for them.
How do you go about revising for your Cambridge Checkpoint English test?
l The Cambridge Checkpoint test consists of two question papers.
l Each question paper lasts for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
l Both question papers test how well you read and understand passages
that are printed on them.
l Both question papers ask you to plan and write something of your
own that is in some way connected to the subject matter of the
reading passage.
l The questions on the reading passages will not only test your
understanding of what you have read, but will also test some of your
knowledge of grammar, punctuation and how well you appreciate a
writer’s choice of words and control of structures.
l Your own writing will be assessed according to how well you adapt the
content of what you write for the suggested audience, how well you
structure your ideas by using paragraphs, the variety and range of
your sentence structures, your use of vocabulary suited to your subject
matter and the accuracy of your spelling and punctuation.
l It is a good idea to keep a list of interesting new words, and their
meanings, that you can use in your own writing. There are reminders to
add to this vocabulary list throughout this book.
l It is important to remember that Cambridge Checkpoint will test how
well you apply what you have learnt in English during your time at
school. It does not test your ability to remember and repeat facts that
you have acquired in, for example, the way that a science test may ask
you to write down the definition of photosynthesis.
This revision guide will, therefore, concentrate on helping you to prepare
for the types of question that will be set in the Cambridge Checkpoint test
papers and aim to help you to become fully familiar with the best ways
in which to approach the different types of reading and writing on which
you will be tested.
Usually, when people say that they don’t like examinations and find them
hard and scary, this is because they are worried about not being able to
remember all the relevant details about a particular topic on a question
paper. English is different from other subjects. English tests do not expect you
to remember and repeat facts but instead, they expect you to demonstrate
how well you can write down your own ideas and understand what someone
else has written.
If you are well prepared for the approaching test there is no need to fear
it; instead, all you need to do is enjoy the experience. It is hoped that this
revision guide will help you to get the most enjoyment that you can from
your English Cambridge Checkpoint tests!
4

[Link] 4 13/12/22 8:19 AM

Chapter 1 Mechanics of English
The English language is made up of many different components and this
section will revise some of these. For example, in order to write clearly
and effectively you will be using different types of sentence, made up of
different clauses and of varying lengths, to create particular effects. In
your sentences, you will use nouns, adjectives and adverbs to make your
writing both precise and enjoyable to read.

Parts of speech
Try this
In the table below are a number of terms you will have met before.
Complete the table by explaining the meaning of each term and giving
an example of it.

Term Meaning Example

Noun

Adjective

Adverb

Verb

Preposition

Proper noun

Indefinite article

Definite article

Conjunction

Connective

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CHAPTER 1 MECHANICS OF ENGLISH

Try this
It is often a good idea to think about extending your sentences by including adjectives, adverbs and
prepositions. Look at the table below that contains different parts of speech.

Article Adjective Noun Verb Adverb Preposition Article Noun

The purple walrus edged furtively before a riverbed
A miniature spider raced slowly through the beach
Each rumbling boy bowed hesitantly down that hilltop
An elegant dancer lumbered lazily beside this cottage
That cunning pixie prowled silently past another shop
This lively fox stalked hopefully above a school
The intelligent bear dawdled aggressively behind the valley
The smooth runner hid loudly beneath a trail

Make some sentences out of the words, choosing one from each column. Some of your sentences
may not make much sense!
Write down three of your best sentences.

Change some of the words to make sure your sentences make sense. For example:

The intelligent fox stalked silently beside the riverbed.

The cunning pixie prowled furtively through the valley.

Write five more sentences, using some of the words above, but also your own ideas. Make sure you
use all the parts of speech that appear in the table.

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Sentence variety

Sentence variety
Variety is important. If all your sentences begin in the same way, your
writing will sound predictable and boring. Sentence variety is the key to
becoming a successful writer.
There are many different ways in which you can begin a sentence.
For example, you could use some of the following:
1 Adverbs (describing a verb)
2 Pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they)
3 Prepositions (on, behind, between, over, etc.)
pronoun a word used 4 Participles (-ing words)
instead of a noun, such 5 Definite or indefinite articles (the, a, an)
as I, you, it 6 Adjectives (describing words)
participles -ing words 7 Connectives (linking words)
8 Verbs (action words)

paragraph a group of
Try this
sentences about the
same idea or topic The following paragraph uses all of the beginnings mentioned above.
Add numbers (from the list above) to the paragraph to indicate how each
sentence starts.

I screamed and ran. The window had been broken. Behind me I heard
heavy breathing. Peering over my shoulder nervously, I felt the presence
of someone nearby. Cold beads of sweat began to trickle down my
forehead. Slowly, fear gripped my body. Although I knew I was being
foolish, my hands began to tremble. To run was my only option.

opinion a view about

Improving your writing style
something, which Look at the following article written by a student giving an opinion about
may not be based on footballers’ wages.
fact

I think it is unfair that footballers earn so much money. It is unjust

and scandalous. I think there should be a law that puts a limit on how
much money they can earn. I think, for example, that top footballers
shouldn’t be allowed to earn more than one million pounds a year.
I believe that a limit like this would make the game more fair and
competitive and it could stop unfair competition with clubs trying
to lure players with higher wages. I think it will help teams in lower
leagues attract better footballers and as a result they will have a
better chance of winning matches against the top teams. I also think
that by doing this we would bring football back into the real world as
many ordinary people feel that players are out of touch with their
fans. I believe it is wrong that we seem to be valuing footballers more
than doctors and nurses by paying them so much money.

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CHAPTER 1 MECHANICS OF ENGLISH

Try this
What do you think the student could do to improve this piece of writing?
Rewrite it, thinking about how you can vary the way you start
each sentence.
When you have done this, pick out your favourite sentence and explain
your choice.
Now, using the skills you have been practising, write the rest of
the article.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

Try this
fiction writing about
imaginary events or
Here is another piece of student writing. This time, it is fiction.
people

A crash! A clatter! The sound of someone trying to keep their

voice low. Sounds of activity awoke me from my dark, silent
dreams. With my eyes wide open, my ears nailed to the floor of
my room, I listened patiently, waiting for a clue as to what was
going on. I had no idea what had caused the noise.

Does this paragraph sound boring and predictable? Explain your opinion.
Does the writer vary the beginning of the sentences? Explain how the
writer does this.
Now continue with this story by adding another four paragraphs of your
own, remembering what you have learnt so far.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

Different types of sentence

In order to be a good writer and achieve high marks in tests and exams,
you will need to show that you can write different types of sentence and
sentences that are of different lengths.
Here are some different types of sentence.

simple sentence a
Simple sentences
sentence that has a These sentences are exactly what you think they are – simple! A simple
subject and one verb sentence has a subject and one verb (an action word) and it gives one
subject the part of piece of information.
the sentence that
For example:
does the action
The girl chased the ball.

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Different types of sentence

Try this
Make up five simple sentences of your own.

compound sentence Compound sentences

a series of simple Don’t feel worried by this term! Compound sentences are just simple
sentences joined sentences joined together. They have two (or more) verbs and give two
together with a word (or more) pieces of information.
like and or but
For example:
The girl chased the ball and she scored a great goal.

Try this
Make up five compound sentences of your own.

HINT
It is sometimes a
good idea to use
connectives like ‘and’,
‘but’ and ‘then’ when
you write compound
sentences.

complex sentence
Complex sentences
a sentence with As the name suggests, these sentences are slightly more complicated –
two or more verbs they are a bit longer and contain more details. Often, a complex
and containing two sentence will have two (or more) verbs and contain two (or more) pieces
or more pieces of of information. A complex sentence is different from a compound
information
sentence because the second part of the sentence either depends on or
refers back to the first part.

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CHAPTER 1 MECHANICS OF ENGLISH

For example:
The girl chased the ball until she scored a goal.
You could also turn it round and write:
Until she scored a goal, the girl chased the ball.

HINT Try this

It is sometimes a
good idea to begin a Make up five complex sentences of your own.
complex sentence with
one of the following
words:
l As
l Although
l After
l While
l When
l Unless
l Before
l Because
l If
l Since

minor sentence a
Minor sentences
short, incomplete These are short, incomplete sentences because they do not have verbs. Writers
sentence that does often use minor sentences for emphasis or to create a particular effect.
not include a verb
For example:
Fog everywhere.

Try this
Make up five minor sentences of your own.

[Link] 10 13/12/22 8:19 AM

Different types of sentence

Try this
1 What types of sentence are these?
a The little dog barked because it couldn’t have any treats.

b It sat by its bowl.

c It whined like a baby.
d When it finally stopped barking, its owner was relieved.

e The owner took the dog outside and gave it its favourite treat.

f Peace at last!
2 How did you decide what types of sentence they are?

Using different types of sentence

Try this
Look at this piece of writing by a student.

Guilt. I never liked that feeling. The feeling that almost made
you sick to the stomach. I knew I was wrong and shouldn’t be
doing it, but I couldn’t face what was waiting for me. I just
couldn’t stay and let them do that to me. Although I had to run,
I wondered what would happen when they found me.

How many different types of sentence can you find in the piece?

Which sentence do you think has the greatest effect on the reader?
Explain your answer.

Now continue the story using a range of different types of sentence.

Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper. Write about a page.

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CHAPTER 1 MECHANICS OF ENGLISH

You should also use different types of sentence for effect when writing on
speech a piece
of persuasive text
the non-fiction paper.
delivered to an Here is an extract from a speech defending wolves.
audience
I am here tonight to change your mind about one of the most
misunderstood and maligned animals in the world. Like us, this
animal lives in close families and loves playing and having fun. Any
idea who this creature can be? Yes, the wolf.
Evil and vicious? Not so. The wolf is a clever and loving animal,
nothing like the way it is presented in ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and
‘The Three Little Pigs’. When we were little, we all enjoyed such
stories. Now we have grown up and we can understand the truth
behind the fiction.

TOP TIPS Try this

Minor sentences
can often be used to How many different types of sentence can you find in this piece of
emphasise a point.
persuasive writing?
Sometimes it is
effective to use a very Now write another two or three paragraphs to continue the speech.
short sentence or a
one-word ‘sentence’ Remember to include different types of sentence.
after a longer one to
create dramatic effect Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.
or to show contrast.
For example:
I think not. Check your understanding
A series of short 1 Which of these is a complex sentence? Tick (✓) one box.
sentences can also a Although he had a new phone, he was still unhappy.
add dramatic effect b He had a new phone.
and create tension or c He was still unhappy.
suspense. For example:
d How can you be unhappy with a new phone?
I came. I saw. I 2 Select the correct word to complete this complex sentence.
conquered.
Jack’s parents bought him a new car he had
passed his driving test.
– if
– because
– although
– however

[Link] 12 13/12/22 8:19 AM

Different types of sentence

3 Identify the main clause in this sentence. Remember that a main

main clause the part of clause is the part of the sentence that makes sense on its own.
a sentence that makes
sense on its own Although the test was difficult, Haleema hoped she would achieve
subordinate clause the
high marks.
part of a sentence that a the test was difficult
doesn’t make sense on b she would achieve high marks
its own and depends c Although the test was difficult
on the main clause d Haleema hoped she would achieve high marks
4 Identify the subordinate clause in this sentence. Remember that
a subordinate clause is the part of the sentence that doesn’t make
TOP TIPS sense on its own and depends on the main clause.
Remember that a Yusuf was disappointed when he found out the train had
main clause can form already left.
a complete sentence
a when he found out the train had already left
standing alone.
However, a
b Yusuf was disappointed
subordinate clause c already left
cannot stand alone. It d the train had already left
is often introduced by 5 Which of these is not a complex sentence?
a conjunction, and is a My favourite subjects are maths and physics.
dependent on a main b Although I am good at maths, I hate physics.
clause (for example, c I enjoy maths because I am good at it.
‘when it rang’ in ‘She d Maths is my favourite subject, even though I don’t always
answered the phone achieve high marks.
when it rang.’).

conjunction a joining
word (a type of
connective), such as
however, because,
and

[Link] 13 13/12/22 8:19 AM

Chapter 2 Paragraphing, punctuation
and sentence structures
Paragraphs
In order to communicate clearly and effectively, you will need to organise
your writing and ideas into sections or paragraphs.
A paragraph is a series of sentences about the same topic, or which follow
on from each other. You should use paragraphs to divide and organise
your ideas. Paragraphs help your readers to follow your train of thought.

Try this
Practise organising your ideas into paragraphs by describing what you
did at the weekend.
You may want to use some of these connectives (linking words) to help
connective a linking
join your ideas together. Add some connectives of your own to the table.
word, used to join
together words,
phrases or clauses, or also too however anyway
to show relationships besides first of all secondly then
between sentences, lastly so since to begin with
such as and, but, then
next in the end to sum up in a nutshell

Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

Try this
Read the extract from a travel brochure below and mark where each new
paragraph should start. Explain why you would begin a new paragraph in
each case.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

At first glance, Mauritius looks like it should be part of the

Caribbean, with its immaculate, idyllic beaches and crystal blue
sea. Tempted to take a plunge in these breathtaking, calm waters,
home to groups of elegant dolphins swimming playfully around
boats? Fancy a more active holiday? Then you’ll have the opportunity
to indulge your passion for water sports like snorkelling or, for the
more adventurous, there is wind- and kite-surfing. Mauritius has a
wealth of natural history.

[Link] 14 13/12/22 8:19 AM

Sequencing your ideas

TOP TIPS
Start a new paragraph Surrounded by high mountains and dense forest, the island is home to
when you: some of the most rare and exotic animals in the world. Mauritius was
discovered more than 600 years ago and since then, it has absorbed
l start a new point the influence from so many different cultures. You can enjoy Creole
or topic cooking and Grand Gaube is considered to be the culinary hot spot of
l write about a the island. Also dotted around the island you can enjoy the spectacle
different time of architectural splendour in the form of chateaux built during the time
l write about a of the French occupation of the island.
different place.

As you have read earlier, using connectives is a helpful way of joining your
audience the people
for whom a piece of
ideas together and connectives have many uses. Here are some
writing is intended connectives that may help you when you are writing for different
purposes and audiences.
purpose the reason
why something is When you want to Connectives
written
explain a point or idea so, because, therefore, as a result of,
consequently
add a point or idea also, moreover, in addition to, furthermore
prove a point or idea for example, for instance, such as
compare points or ideas in the same way, likewise, similarly
show differences/contrast ideas however, on the other hand, alternatively,
whereas

Sequencing your ideas

Using paragraphs helps you to organise your thoughts when you are
writing. This is important because, in order for your work to make sense,
your ideas need to be in a logical order so that they flow clearly from one
to the next.

Try this
Read the speech about the disadvantages of mobile phones on the
opposite page. The paragraphs are well written but they are a bit
jumbled, so the writer’s argument doesn’t sound well organised or fluent.
Decide the order in which the paragraphs should be written so that the
ideas flow smoothly and make sense.
Are there any clues in the use of connectives to help you make
your decisions?
Are there any paragraphs about similar topics that might be placed next
to each other?

[Link] 15 13/12/22 8:19 AM

CHAPTER 2 PARAGRAPHING, PUNCTUATION AND SENTENCE STRUCTURES

1 Only last week, a young boy was viciously attacked in broad

daylight when he used his mobile phone to call his mother.
Surely this sort of appalling crime cannot be allowed to
continue?
2 Furthermore, mobiles are causing chaos in schools. They
disturb lessons and have actually been used by dishonest
students to help them cheat in exams!
3 Teenagers are stealing and committing petty crimes more
than ever to pay their mobile phone bills. Even the President
admitted last week that he was very worried about how
much money his own children are wasting on ‘mindless
mobile chat ’.
4 In conclusion, I admit that mobile phones can be useful
in emergencies, but how often do these really happen?
Meanwhile, young people are causing serious damage to the
most important and delicate part of their bodies.
5 We have managed perfectly well without mobile phones
in the past, and I strongly believe that when the real facts
about them are known we will have to cope without them in
the future because they will be banned.
6 Text messaging is also causing serious problems in schools
because youngsters become so accustomed to writing in this
shorthand style that they forget how to write properly and
fail their exams. Do we really want a younger generation who
can only scrawl in meaningless slang?

Topic sentences
A topic sentence is sometimes used at the beginning of a paragraph to
topic sentence a
sentence that outlines
outline or summarise the topic or subject. It often answers the questions
or summarises the ‘who?’, ‘why?’ and ‘how?’. Usually, every word in the sentence is important
main idea or subject and it is followed by ideas supporting the point that has been made.
of a piece
Look at this example of a topic sentence and paragraph on the subject of
saving energy in school/college.

Langdale College is working hard to reduce energy consumption on

a daily basis. At the end of each day, all computer terminals are
closed down and switched off. Staff and students are encouraged
to turn classroom lights on only when needed and to make sure that
when the room is empty all lights are switched off.

The first sentence is the topic sentence and the following sentences
develop and add detail to the topic sentence.

[Link] 16 13/12/22 8:19 AM

Direct speech

Try this
Write a topic sentence and paragraph about each of the following
subjects:
l Music
l Television
l Space travel
l Pets
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

Direct speech
You need to use paragraphs correctly when you are writing direct speech,
direct speech the
actual words that are otherwise it is unclear who is speaking the words.
spoken Remember to begin a new paragraph whenever a different person begins
to speak.

Try this
1 Which of the following statements are false?
a Other punctuation marks are not needed when using speech
marks in a sentence.
quotation words or b Speech marks go around the quotation or words spoken.
phrases taken from c Punctuation marks usually go inside speech marks.
a text d Single and double speech marks have the same purpose.
2 Which of these statements are true?
a The first word inside speech marks usually begins with a
capital letter.
b Speech marks can be used instead of brackets.
c Speech marks are used to emphasise points.
3 In which of these sentences have speech marks been used
correctly?
a ‘Keep going’ and don’t give up, bellowed the trainer.
b ‘Keep going and don’t give up, bellowed the trainer.’
c ‘Keep going and don’t give up,’ bellowed the trainer.
d Keep going and ‘don’t give up,’ bellowed the trainer.

Try this
Look at the extract on page 18 and identify and mark the start of five
paragraphs. How did you make these decisions?
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

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CHAPTER 2 PARAGRAPHING, PUNCTUATION AND SENTENCE STRUCTURES

I recently found out that you are considering moving to Spain. That
would make a huge difference from the constant bad weather in
the UK. I think that moving abroad would be a great opportunity for
you and your family to make a fresh start in life. I hear the food in
Spain is much healthier than here. Although I’m sure that it would be
fantastic, there would be a lot of hard work finding jobs and learning
the new language. What Spanish phrases can you say? There is also
the difficulty in driving on the other side of the road but I’m sure Alex
won’t have any difficulty with that. I’m sure that you will make the right
decision. What are the children’s views on moving to Spain? I’ll bet
they are very excited about going to new schools and meeting new
friends. If you do decide to go, we will be very supportive and will
help you in any way we can, although we will miss you all very much.

Apostrophes
Using apostrophes in the right places will help to improve the accuracy of
apostrophe a
punctuation mark
your work and earn you higher marks. Remember that you only need to
(’) used to show use apostrophes for two reasons:
that letter(s) have l when something belongs to someone (possession)
been removed
(omission), or to
l when you shorten a word and leave letters out (omission).
show that something
belongs to someone Try this
(possession)
Here are some signs that you might come across in everyday life.
The apostrophes have not always been put in the right places, however,
so rewrite the signs as they should be written. Be careful – some may be
correct.
1 Farm fresh carrot’s and potato’s for sale

2 Mens’ department on second floor

3 Children’s Play Area at rear of restaurant

4 Slimmer’s Club. New Members’ are welcome!

5 Party Aces! Lets Plan All Your Party’s.

6 Holiday Cottage’s For Rent. Apply Within.

[Link] 18 13/12/22 8:19 AM

Apostrophes

Try this
Read this paragraph and put in any missing apostrophes.

Josefs future plans had been fully discussed by his parents

and teachers but his wishes hadn’t really been consulted. He
would’ve preferred to grab lifes challenges and take his chances
in the big, wide world rather than drift into his familys business
working in dreary offices. His fathers opinion was clear: hed
go to university, to the familys traditional colleges, and then
become his fathers assistant in the firms Madrid branch. That
was why, when he first spotted the advert in The Independents
back pages just after the womens section, his heart had missed
several beats …
Have you ever wondered whats really out there?

Did you find the 11 missing apostrophes?

In each case, indicate whether the apostrophe is to show possession
or omission. Label each apostrophe that you have added with ‘P’ (for
possession) or ‘O’ (for omission).

Try this
Read this letter about teenagers learning to drive. It was written by
a student in exam conditions and there are many errors in spelling,
punctuation, expression and paragraphing.
l Find as many of the mistakes as you can.
l Correct the mistakes.
l Rewrite and improve the letter.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

Dear editor, im wrighting you a letter abiut raising the age limit of
teenagers learning to drive because of all the acidents they have.
Teenagers 17 to 18 should still be abel to drive if they payed for
there insurance they are covered about. 45% of teenagers drive
fast and play loud music and the other 55% drive sensaball so that
not fare on the people who drive with cate around the sttreets.
Teenagers of that age start getting jobs and most of them may
need a car to get to work or mabe they need to be able to drive to
do there job. You should leave the age limit as they are and a long
as there paying their insurance theres no problem. Yours trully.

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CHAPTER 2 PARAGRAPHING, PUNCTUATION AND SENTENCE STRUCTURES

Other punctuation marks

There are many different punctuation marks and it is a good idea to show
the examiner that you can use more than just a full stop or comma.

Try this
Look at this list of different punctuation marks and complete the table to
show that you understand when to use each one.

Punctuation When to use it

Full stop

Comma

Colon

Semicolon

Ellipsis

Question mark

Exclamation mark

Brackets/parentheses

Hyphen

Colons and semicolons

A colon looks like this :
A semicolon looks like this ;
A colon can be used to introduce a list of things.
A semicolon can be used to break up lists of things, to join closely
connected ideas in a sentence or to separate two main clauses.

Try this
1 Which of these sentences has used a semicolon correctly?
a Usually I enjoy going to parties; however, sometimes I prefer
to stay at home.
b Usually I enjoy going to parties however; sometimes I prefer
to stay at home.
c Usually I enjoy going to parties however sometimes; I prefer
to stay at home.
2 Which of these statements is true?
a A semicolon is the same as a comma.
b A semicolon has the same purpose as a colon.
c The first word after a semicolon does not start with a
capital letter.
d The first word after a semicolon starts with a capital letter.

[Link] 20 13/12/22 8:19 AM

Other punctuation marks

3 Which of these sentences has used a semicolon incorrectly?

a I finished my homework early; therefore, I played on my
computer.
b There are many places to visit in my area; the park, which is
free, the shopping mall which is always busy.
c The recruitment process for university is hard; only the best
students are good enough.
d The sprinter wanted to get a good start; she moved before
the starter gun.
4 Which of these statements has used a colon correctly?
a There are many types of popular music: rap, disco, heavy
metal and rock.
b There are many types of popular music: rap: disco: heavy
metal and rock.
c There are: many types of popular music rap, disco, heavy
metal and rock.
5 Which of these sentences has used a colon incorrectly?
a There are many: consequences to an unhealthy diet heart
disease, cancer and obesity.
b There are many consequences to an unhealthy diet: heart
disease, cancer and obesity.
c I love eating foreign foods: Italian is my favourite.
d University life is very exciting: you will have the opportunity to
make new friends.

Brackets or parentheses
Using brackets or parentheses can be a useful way of adding extra
information, or including a personal observation, without disturbing the
flow of your sentence. Remember that the sentence must still make sense
if the bracketed part is removed.

brackets the symbols Try this

( ) put around an
extra/separate word(s) 1 Look at the following sentences and decide which one has used
in a sentence brackets correctly.
a The college (which was located near the train station) had an
excellent reputation.
b The college which was located (near the train station) had an
excellent reputation.
c The college which was located near the train station (had an
excellent reputation).
d (The college which was located near the train station) had an
excellent reputation.

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CHAPTER 2 PARAGRAPHING, PUNCTUATION AND SENTENCE STRUCTURES

TOP TIPS 2 Write five sentences of your own in which brackets are used to
When you write in include additional information.
timed conditions (like
an exam) you need to
leave enough time to
check your work very
carefully for mistakes
in your spelling,
punctuation and
grammar. You should:
l correct any
spelling mistakes
l correct any
mistakes in the
way you use
paragraphs and
punctuation marks
l make sure your
writing makes
sense.
This skill is called
proofreading.

Check your understanding

Read this extract from a letter about selecting students for an outdoor
excursion. It was written by a student in exam conditions. There are
many mistakes in spelling, punctuation and grammar.
l Circle all the spelling mistakes and then correct them.
l Underline all the errors in punctuation and correct them.
grammar how words l Highlight all the errors in expression and improve them.
work together to
make meaning
Im wrighting to you today to show my feelings and thoughts on
proofreading
checking your that all students should take part inn a camping and outdorr
work for spelling,
punctuation and activitys evry year. As I and fellow students’ has took a
grammar mistakes,
and sense query around and a very much big percentage of the school
agree. The feelings and thughts are vry positive because most
students’ think it would take the stress of school work to a
minimum. There has been some sugestions of the class that has
contributed to school life the most to be token on the activities
with such contributions as award stickers and behaviur.

[Link] 22 13/12/22 8:19 AM

Chapter 3 Grammar
The term grammar basically refers to how words work together to make
meaning. In order to write in a grammatically correct way, you need to
make sure that the subjects and verbs in your sentences agree and that
you use tenses accurately and consistently.

Tenses
The tense of a verb tells us when it takes place. The main tenses that we
use when writing narratives and more formal texts are the past tense and
the present tense.
It is important that you are consistent in your use of tenses in any piece
of writing. If you begin writing in the past tense, you need to continue
in that tense throughout the piece. Likewise, if you begin writing in the
present tense, you need to continue in that tense.

TOP TIPS Try this

Past tense means
you are writing about Which tenses are being used in the following sentences?
actions that have
1 I enjoy going to the cinema to watch sci-fi movies.
already taken place
and so are in the past.
Present tense means 2 I studied geography last year.
you are writing about
actions as they are 3 She threw the stone into the river.
currently happening.
4 She is throwing the stone into the river.
Usually, it is
easier and more
straightforward to
write a story using the Check your understanding
past tense.
1 Complete this sentence with the correct tense of the verb.
Yesterday I my Cambridge Checkpoint test
with high marks.
– pass
– passed
– will pass
– was passing
2 Which statement best explains why the sentence below is correct?
I had an argument with my best friend and as a result I felt
very guilty.
a Both verbs are written in the present tense.
b Both verbs are written in the past tense.
c The first verb is written in the past tense and the second
in the present tense.
d The first verb is written in the present tense and the second
in the past tense.

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CHAPTER 3 GRAMMAR

3 Complete this sentence with the correct tense of the verb.

The sprinter completed a personal best time for the season, but still
only in second place.
– finishes
– will finish
– finished
– is finishing
4 Choose the correct opening for this sentence.

my homework, I couldn’t wait to message my friend.

– After I am finishing
– After I was finishing
– After I finished
– After I shall finish

Subject/verb agreement
Writing grammatically means that there has to be agreement
between the subjects and verbs in your sentences. So, what does this
actually mean?
The subject (the thing or person performing the action of the verb) and
the verb must agree in number.
l A singular noun must have a singular verb
l A plural noun must have a plural verb.
plural a word showing
more than one of For example, decide which of the following sentences is correct:
something
l They was going to the cinema.
l They were going to the cinema.
The second sentence is correct because ‘they’ is a plural subject and
‘were’ is a plural noun.

Try this
1 Which statement explains why this sentence is correct?
Jamila and Chloe were both interested in learning about technology.
a The subject and verb are both singular.
b The subject and verb are both plural.
c The subject is plural and the verb is singular.
d The subject is singular and the verb is plural.
2 Which statement best describes why this statement is incorrect?
The politicians in the government was holding a vote late last night.
a The subject and verb are both plural.
b The subject and verb are both singular.
c The subject is plural and the verb is singular.
d The subject is singular and the verb is plural.

[Link] 24 13/12/22 8:19 AM

Subject/verb agreement

3 Complete the sentence with the most appropriate word.

When I leave school, I going to apply for a part-time job.
– is
– were
– am
– can
4 Which verb is the correct one to complete this sentence?
The passengers rushing to board the aeroplane.
– was
– am
– is
– were
5 Explain why this sentence is incorrect.
We was hoping for good weather for our camping trip.
a The subject is singular but the verb is plural.
b The subject and verb are both plural.
c The subject is plural but the verb is singular.
d The subject and verb are both singular.

Check your understanding

Choose the correct form of the verb in these sentences. Circle the
correct form.
1 Everyone in the class (was/were) shouting the answer at once.

2 The netball team (is/are) having an end of season celebration.

3 The government (is/are) going to pass a strict new law.

4 There (was/were) a large group of teenagers at the shopping mall.

TOP TIPS
Be careful with some nouns that are singular although they may sound
plural.
For example, nouns like ‘class’, ‘team’, ‘government’ and ‘group’ are singular
even though they refer to a number of people. You should therefore use a
singular verb with nouns like these.
For example, decide which of these sentences is correct:
l All of my class is going on a trip to the cathedral.
l All of my class are going on a trip to the cathedral.
The first sentence is correct because ‘class’ is a singular noun and it must
have a singular verb.
The same rule applies with the words ‘everyone’ and ‘everybody’.

[Link] 25 13/12/22 8:19 AM

CHAPTER 3 GRAMMAR

Definite and indefinite articles

An article is simply a word that comes before a noun: ‘a’, ‘an’ and ‘the’.
You probably use these articles without even thinking about it. However,
there are a few points to be aware of.
Both ‘a’ and ‘an’ are indefinite articles. You use ‘an’ in front of a noun
beginning with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) but use ‘a’ in front of other nouns
(those that start with consonants).
For example:
l a school
l an apple
definite article a So, what is the difference between using ‘a/an’ and ‘the’? The indefinite
word that comes article (a/an) refers to a noun that is non-specific, whereas the definite
before a specific article (the) refers to a specific or definite noun.
noun (the)
For example, look at this sentence:
indefinite article
a word that comes It looks like it is going to rain so I had better take an umbrella.
before a non-specific
noun (a or an) In this case the umbrella is any umbrella and not a particular one, and
since it begins with a vowel, the article ‘an’ is correct.

Check your understanding

Complete these sentences with the correct article (a, an or the).
1 bus I wanted to catch at 4.45 p.m. did not arrive.
2 I picked orange for my lunch from the canteen.
3 My textbook stated that First World War ended in 1918.

4 Winning first place in a race is wonderful achievement.

5 The Great Wall of China is one of Seven Wonders of
the World.
6 Students will need calculator to complete the maths exam.

[Link] 26 13/12/22 8:19 AM

Chapter 4 Spelling and vocabulary
Spelling
It is important that your written English is as accurate as possible – and
part of that is checking your spelling carefully.

Homophones
If you are struggling to spell a word in a test or exam, it is a good idea
to try to sound it out in your head. However, things become a bit trickier
when some words sound the same even though they are spelt differently
and mean different things. These words are called homophones.

homophones words Try this

that sound the same,
are spelt differently 1 Look at the grid below and circle the correct word to answer
and mean different each question.
things
a If I am listening to d If I am travelling on a g If I am writing about
something, which cruise ship, which one something owned
one is correct? is correct? by them, which one
here / hear see / sea is correct?
there / their / they’re
b If I am thinking about e If you want to slow h If I am asking if my
walking through a down your car or bike, answer is correct,
forest, which one is which one would you which one is it?
correct? use? right / write
would / wood break / brake
c If I am describing f If I am describing the i If I am describing
the way the wind is way someone eats the king and his
blowing, which one gum, which one is rule, which one is
is correct? correct? correct?
blew / blue choose / chews rain / rein / reign

2 To show that you understand the difference between the

homophones in question 1, write a sentence for each of the
homophones you didn’t choose.

a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h

[Link] 27 13/12/22 8:19 AM

CHAPTER 4 SPELLING AND VOCABULARY

i
j
k

Try this
Complete the table below. Write down the meaning of each word in
the first column. Then write down a homophone for the word and the
meaning or usage of the homophone.
The first one has been completed as an example.

Word Meaning/usage Homophone Meaning/usage

main Most important mane Hair belonging to a lion/horse
waste

plain

vein

two

bear

board

son

sight

cereal

one

poor

past

draw

band

caught

pear

week

steal

Now write sentences using each of the words and homophones from
the table on a separate piece of paper.

[Link] 28 13/12/22 8:19 AM

Spelling

HINT Try this

To help you revise the
differences between Think of another five words that are homophones and copy and
these homophones, it complete the table below in the same way.
can be useful to draw
a picture to represent Word Meaning/usage Homophone Meaning/usage
the distinction visually.

Try this
In this piece of writing, the student has become confused about which
homophones to use.
The queen, who reigns
over her people, is Find the 15 mistakes and correct them. Underline each mistake and then
holding the reins in the write the correct word above the mistake.
rain.
Dear Sir,

You asked me to right a letter to ewe for homework so I have.

You said I should chews what I should right. I could knot decide

what two do. So I decided too tell ewe about my holiday at the

seaside. I had a grate time and a lovely view of the clear blew

see from my hotel. It was a long weigh from hear. I hope ewe had

a good holiday to.

mnemonic a pattern
Mnemonics
of words or letters to Sometimes, you may want to learn the spelling of a longer word, or a
help you remember tricky-sounding one.
something
Making up a mnemonic or a silly rule can help you to remember words
like this.

9781398342873_Ch04.indd 29 13/12/22 9:19 AM

CHAPTER 4 SPELLING AND VOCABULARY

For example:
NECESSARY – Never Eat Cake Eat Salad Sandwiches And Remain Young
Another way to remember tricky words is by finding a smaller word inside
a longer word.
For example:
ENVIRONMENT – There is always ‘iron’ in our environment.
A technique like this might help you to remember that there is a silent ‘n’
in the middle of the word.

Try this
Try making up a mnemonic or rule of your own for the following words:
l definitely

l embarrass

l parliament

TOP TIPS Try this

Another way to
remember tricky Can you find a smaller word within these tricky words to help you
spellings is to write remember them?
the word down and
write the part you Write the small word next to the tricky spelling.
have difficulty with in 1 Secretary
a different colour or in
capital letters, so that 2 Separate
it stands out.
3 Soldier
For example:
4 Believe
receive recEIve
5 Business
Then try to think of a sentence or silly rule that might help you to
remember each word. Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.
For example:
Secretary – secret – a secretary will always keep a secret.

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Spelling

Try this
The table below contains some commonly misspelt words.
Write down the words and show how you would remember the
tricky parts.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

accidentally fortunately happened

annual government immediately
appearance independent restaurant
beginning knowledge sincerely
committed miscellaneous thoughtful
conscience opportunity thoroughly
courageous permanent vengeance
equipment privilege weird
experience recommend

Identifying misspellings
When you are having difficulty spelling a word, write the word down in
rough first. If it doesn’t look right, it probably isn’t, so try again.

Try this
Look at the words in the lists below and decide which ones have been
written correctly. Circle the correct words.
1 definite definate definit
2 dissappoint disappoint disapoint
3 terrifyed terrified terriffyed
4 disastrus disastrous disasterous
5 argument arguement arguemeant

Revision of spelling rules

‘I’ before ‘e’ except after ‘c’
For example:
l believe
l receive
l ceiling
Remember there are exceptions:
l ancient
l weird
l leisure
l neighbour

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CHAPTER 4 SPELLING AND VOCABULARY

Changing -y to -ies or adding -s

When the word ends in a vowel + y, just add ‘s’:
l key – keys
l delay – delays
l trolley – trolleys
If the word has a consonant before the ‘y’, take off the ‘y’ and add ‘ies’:
l story – stories
l company – companies
l difficulty – difficulties
Adding -es to words ending in -s, -ss, -ch, -sh, -x
l bus – buses
l business – businesses
l watch – watches
l bush – bushes
l box – boxes

Doubling up rule
When adding a vowel suffix (for example, -er, -ing, -ed, -ence) to a word
vowel suffix a suffix
that begins with a that has one syllable and ends with one vowel next to one consonant,
vowel, such as -ed, double up the final consonant:
-ing l swim – swimming
l put – putting
l tap – tapping
This happens in longer words when the stress is on the final syllable:
l begin (beGIN) – beginner, beginning
l refer (reFER) – referring, referred
l occur (ocCUR) – occurring, occurred, occurrence
Drop the ‘e’ rule
.

We usually drop the final silent ‘e’ when we add vowel suffix endings.
For example:
l write + ing = writing
l hope + ed = hoped
l excite + able = excitable
We keep the ‘e’ if the word ends in -ce or -ge to keep a soft sound, with
-able or -ous:
l courage + ous = courageous
l outrage + ous = outrageous
l notice + able = noticeable
l manage + able = manageable

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Spelling

Changing the ‘y’ to ‘i’ when adding suffix endings

If a word ends in a consonant + ‘y’, the ‘y’ changes to ‘i’, unless adding
endings that already begin with an ‘i’ (-ing, -ish):
l beauty + ful = beauti + ful = beautiful, beautify, beautician
l happy + ness = happiness, happily, happier, happiest
l angry + er = angrier, angriest, angrily
l pretty – prettier, prettiest but prettyish
l dry – dried but drying, dryish
l defy – defies, defied but defying
l apply – applies, applied but applying
Change -f to -ves or -s
Most words ending in -f or -fe change their plurals to -ves.
l calf – calves
l half – halves
l knife – knives
l leaf – leaves
l life – lives
l wife – wives
l shelf – shelves
l thief – thieves
l yourself – yourselves
Some words can have either a -ves or -s ending:
l scarf – scarfs/scarves
l dwarf – dwarfs/dwarves
l handkerchief – handkerchiefs/handkerchieves
Words that end in -ff just add -s to make the plural:
l cliff – cliffs
l sniff – sniffs
Some words that end in -f add -s. Nouns that end in two vowels plus -f
usually form plurals in the normal way, with just -s:
l chief – chiefs
l roof – roofs
There are exceptions:
l thief – thieves
l leaf – leaves
Words ending in -ful
The suffix -ful is always spelt with one ‘l’, for example:
l faith + ful = faithful
l hope + ful = hopeful
l careful
l helpful
l useful

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CHAPTER 4 SPELLING AND VOCABULARY

Adding -ly
When we add -ly to words ending in -ful then we have double letters:
l gratefully
l faithfully
l hopefully
We also add -ly to words ending in ‘e’:
l love + ly = lovely
l like + ly = likely
l live + ly = lively
l complete + ly = completely
l definite + ly = definitely
But note this common misspelt word:
l true + ly = truly
We change the end ‘e’ to ‘y’ in these -le words:
l gentle – gently
l idle – idly
l subtle – subtly

Vocabulary
Try this
Here are some tricky words that many people struggle to spell. Improve
vocabulary words your vocabulary by using these words, but be sure to spell them
that are used
correctly.
onomatopoeia the
Think of an easy way to remember each one:
use of words to
indicate the sound Onomatopoeia
they make, such as
buzz, crack paraphernalia

conscientious

acquiesce

mischievous

accommodation

ingenious

miniscule

Wednesday

nauseous

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Vocabulary

Synonyms and antonyms

Try this
Look up the meanings of each of the words in the table below and add
them to your vocabulary list.
Try to use some of them in your own writing.
Complete the table with a synonym and an antonym for each word.
synonym a word with
a similar meaning to Word Synonym Antonym
another word, such
gigantic
as ‘ancient’ being a
synonym for ‘old’
paraphernalia
antonym a word that
means the opposite
of another word conscientious

acquiesce

mischievous

ingenious

miniscule

Whenever you are asked to write something, it is important that the

words you choose are effective and suitable. To do this well, you need to
think about all the words you know and decide which word communicates
exactly what you want to say. It is often a good idea to use synonyms to
stop you from repeating the same words and to make your work sound
more interesting. You can use a thesaurus to help you find synonyms or
antonyms.

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CHAPTER 4 SPELLING AND VOCABULARY

Try this
Read this student’s letter of complaint about a disastrous experience at
a restaurant.

When we got to the restaurant we got a shock! There was no

‘ample car park’ so we realised we’d got to park our car on a
narrow road outside. After we got inside it took us more than
thirty minutes for the waiter to get us a table because other
people had booked theirs in advance. We finally got to our
table but after we’d ordered our meals the waiter didn’t even
get us the right food! The correct order took a further twenty
minutes to get to us and we didn’t even get an apology from the
staff for having to wait so long. Naturally we were getting really
annoyed but complaining to our waiter didn’t get us anywhere
as he simply ignored us! Our meal was so unsatisfactory we
were glad to get out of there but when we got back to our
car we were outraged: it had got a deep scratch all along one
wing. I therefore insist on getting a full refund for our very
disappointing meal or I will consider getting the police involved.

The extract sounds boring because the student has used the word ‘got’
too much. Rewrite the paragraph, replacing the word ‘got’ with more
appropriate and interesting words.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

Try this
Now write your own letter of complaint about poor service or a
faulty product.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

TOP TIPS Try this

Using emotive
language (words Here are some synonyms for the word ‘tragic’:
that affect the way
the reader feels) can l disastrous l devastating l horrendous
add impact to your l awful l catastrophic l terrible
writing and make it l dreadful l unfortunate l cataclysmic
more effective. Think Each of the words has a similar meaning but affects the reader in a
carefully about the
slightly different way.
effects of the words
you choose. Explain the difference in the meaning of each word.
Think of a situation in which you would use each word.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

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Vocabulary

Check your understanding

1 Which of these words is not a synonym for ‘respectful’?
a Polite
b Well-mannered
c Deferential
d Ancient
2 Which of these words is a synonym for ‘tired’?
a Devastated
b Weary
c Disrespectful
d Vapid
3 Which of these words is not a synonym for ‘cynical’?
a Disenchanted
b Disillusioned
c Optimistic
d Pessimistic
4 Which of these words is a synonym for ‘curious’?
a Eager
b Keen
c Inquisitive
d Intelligent

[Link] 37 13/12/22 8:19 AM

Chapter 5 Non-fiction
Non-fiction texts are pieces of writing about real people and real events.
In other words, they are based on facts and not made up. There are
different types, or genres, of non-fiction writing, many of which you will
come across in your everyday life. For example, you might use a reference
book or textbook in class, or you might enjoy reading about your favourite
hobby or interest in a magazine or on the internet.
Non-fiction can take many forms, including:
l biographies, autobiographies and memoirs
l academic textbooks and reference books
l reports in newspapers and online
l guides and manuals
l travelogues and travel literature
l essays that consider a particular viewpoint
l articles
l leaflets.
The following piece of non-fiction writing is from an internet article and is
non-fiction writing
about real people and about sharks.
real events
facts things that are Shark Attack
known or proven to Every year around one hundred shark attacks on humans are reported
be true worldwide. About one in six of these attacks is fatal, although this figure
genre a style or type varies depending where in the world the attack takes place. So, for
of writing (or art or example, if you are attacked by a shark off the coast of the United States of
music) America, you have a much greater chance of surviving than if you are
attacked off the coast of South Africa or Australia. Since records have
biography a piece been kept, the United States has recorded the highest number of shark
of writing about attacks, but the highest number of fatal shark attacks has been off the coast
someone else’s life of Australia. If you are swimming in an area where there may be sharks, it
autobiography a is sensible to swim at beaches where there are lifeguards, who are there
piece of writing about to check on your safety. You should avoid swimming alone because larger
your own life groups of people may discourage a shark from attacking. Don’t go in the
water at dawn or dusk. This is feeding time for sharks when they are most
report an account active and they are also harder to spot. Lifeguards look for signs of sharks
of something, often in the area. Stay close to the shore where sharks are less likely to be
formal, that gives swimming and, if necessary, you can be easily reached. Keep away from
information that has river mouths because sharks tend to collect in these areas. It is sensible
been collected also to avoid waters contaminated by sewage because sharks enjoy
travelogue a piece of swimming in these areas.
writing about travel It is important that you don’t go swimming if you have an open wound –
essay a piece of sharks are attracted by the smell and taste of blood and may attack you.
writing on a particular You should also take off any jewellery before getting in the water because
subject sharks can confuse it with fish scales and attack you.

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Non-fiction

When you are swimming where there may be sharks, try to avoid splashing
so as not to alert sharks to your presence. Move away if you see a large
group of dolphins and sea birds because they eat the same food as
sharks. If you spot a shark, do not act aggressively. Simply get out of the
water as calmly and as quickly as possible. Sometimes a shark may attack
people because it is simply curious. If you take these precautions, you can
greatly reduce your chances of being attacked.

Try this
1 Which country has had the most shark attacks since records began?

2 Which country has had the most fatal shark attacks since records began?

3 What is the purpose of the text? Tick (✓) two boxes.

a To describe a shark attack
b To give advice about how to protect yourself from sharks
c To make the readers feel sorry for victims of shark attacks
d To warn readers about the dangers of sharks
e To stop readers from visiting Australia
4 Which literary device is ‘highest’ an example of? Tick (✓) one box.
a Alliteration
b Euphemism
c Ellipsis
d Superlative
e Simile
5 Write a list of the things you can do to protect yourself from a
HINT
shark attack.
You do not need to
write in full sentences
when writing a list.

6 Summarise what you should do to avoid being attacked by a shark in

HINT
40 words.
Avoid repeating
yourself and make
sure every word is
relevant.

[Link] 39 13/12/22 8:19 AM

CHAPTER 5 NON-FICTION

Now read this newspaper report which describes an actual shark attack
on a surfer.

The man who took on a killer shark … and survived

Brave surfer Simon Smith yesterday plucked up courage to venture back
into the sea again.
It was the first time he had done so since his left leg was almost bitten
off by the great white shark – made famous in the Jaws films – off
Southern Australia.

Attacked
Doctors had feared that he might never walk again, let alone surf.
Simon, 25, was determined to prove them wrong.
But he chose less hazardous waters yesterday at Newquay, Cornwall. He
laughed, ‘I may catch my death of cold here but at least I won’t get attacked by
a shark. I thought I would never go back in the waters but surfing is my life.’
He recalled that he survived the attack because a wave swept him to safety
as the 15 ft man-eater relaxed his bite on his surfboard to get a better grip.
But then the creature turned and tore at his friend Patrick Edwards, a
22-year-old student, who died shortly afterwards.
Simon still has flashbacks about the ordeal and has taken nearly two years
to recover from his injuries.
Surgeons spent seven hours rebuilding his leg with surgery involving
hundreds of stitches. Now he has moved to England to recover from the
trauma and works in a Newquay surf shop. Reliving the shark attack, he
said, ‘It had my leg and board in its jaws and was trying to bite through.
Somehow it loosened its jaws and I slid away. I swam for the shore and
looked back as the shark was thrashing around and chomping my board.’

Victim
‘It chased me but couldn’t catch me so it went after Patrick and took his leg
off with one bite.’
A great white claimed its third victim in two weeks off Hong Kong yesterday.
The creature killed a 45-year-old woman swimmer.
Experts believe the shark could be responsible for other fatal attacks in
the area in recent years.

Try this
1 Write down three features of a newspaper report used in this text.
HINT
Make sure you write
down at least three
features. If you can
find four, it is worth
writing them down
in case one of your 2 Write down a word that means ‘dangerous’ from the section with the
answers is incorrect. heading ‘Attacked’.

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Non-fiction

HINT 3 Write down two facts about the shark from the report.
Make sure you
know the difference
between a fact and an
opinion.
4 What is the effect of the words ‘thrashing around’ in the section with
the heading ‘Attacked’?

Try this
The verb ‘laughed’ is used in the interview as it tells the reader more
interview when about the attitude of the speaker than the verb ‘said’.
a reporter asks
someone questions In the table below add ten more verbs you could use instead of ‘said’
about what happened that help to describe a person’s attitude or tone of voice. Two examples
for a newspaper are provided.
report
Bellowed Whispered

HINT
Look up the verb
‘say’ in a thesaurus.
Remember to turn
the verb into the past
tense form.

Remember to add these words to your vocabulary list.

Try this
The surfer faced an extremely dangerous situation and was lucky to
HINT
escape with his life.
Draw a mind map or
scatter diagram to Write a story about a character who is faced with a dangerous situation.
help you think of some
The story can be true or made up.
ideas.
It can be written in the first or third person.

third-person narrator Remember to use interesting word choices and descriptions.

this narrator does Vary your types of sentence and punctuation for effect.
not take part in the
events of the story Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

[Link] 41 13/12/22 8:19 AM

CHAPTER 5 NON-FICTION

Read this online news report.

Nik Wallenda: the man crossing the Grand Canyon

on a tightrope
Nik Wallenda is a man prepared to die. On Sunday, in front of a global
television audience of several million, the 34-year-old will step out on a
2-inch-thick metal wire and attempt to enter the record books as the first
person to walk across the Grand Canyon. Higher than the Empire State
Building, higher, certainly, than Wallenda himself has ever attempted
before, the wire will be suspended a stomach-lurching 1500 ft above the
Little Colorado River. Without a safety net or harness, the only equipment
Wallenda will use is a pole, which he will carry for balance.
‘We’ve tried to prepare for the possibility that I could die,’ he says, with an
admirable absence of drama. ‘My wife and kids would be looked after for
the rest of their lives.’
But there’s a difference between preparing to die and expecting to die. If
anyone can complete the 40-minute walk across the canyon, it’s Wallenda.
‘I’ve calculated it – it would take nine seconds for me to reach the bottom.
That’s a lot of time to think,’ he says. The daredevil already holds seven
world records including the longest walk over a waterfall, which he
achieved when he crossed Niagara Falls, and the highest bicycle tightrope
(235 ft), completed live on breakfast television. Wallenda’s closest call
was five years ago, during his bicycle tightrope, when his back wheel
began to slip. ‘At that point, you go back to everything you have learnt
in training; what happens when this happens? How do I sort it out? Your
mind reacts more quickly when you are up there, which is important,’ he
says. He pulled it back, to the relief of all those watching, and set a new
world record. ‘It really shook me up though,’ he admits. Does he ever get
scared? ‘I don’t call it fear, I call it respect,’ he asserts. ‘When I walk to the
edge of a 15-storey building, my heart races, just like anyone else’s. But I
turn that into respect and think “I had better train well, so that I am not just
prepared. I am over-prepared.”’

Try this
1 Find a word from the first paragraph that means ‘worldwide’.

2 Give two features of a news report used in the text.

3 What is the effect of the final short sentence, ‘I am over-prepared.’?

4 What is the word ‘higher’ an example of? Tick (✓) one box.
a Superlative
b Simile
c Comparative
d Alliteration
e Euphemism

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Non-fiction

5 What is the effect of the phrase ‘a stomach-lurching 1500 ft above the

Little Colorado River’?

6 What does the word ‘daredevil’ tell us about Wallenda?

7 Which of the following verbs would be the best synonym for ‘asserts’?
Tick (✓) one box.
a says
b contradicts
c declares
d repeats
e argues

LET’S TALK Try this

Nik Wallenda is a
brave daredevil who Match up these words from the extract with the correct synonyms.
likes challenges and
pushes himself to the Word from extract Synonym
limits. attempt admiration
With your partner, or suspended worked out
your group, research admirable reassurance
the meaning of the
phrase ‘extreme calculated deserving of praise
sports’. respect try
Then make a list of relief hung
the extreme sports
that you can think of.
Explain to your Try this
partner, or group,
whether you would Write an essay explaining the advantages of playing sport regularly.
like to try one of the
extreme sports. Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

Check your understanding

1 How many features of a newspaper can you remember?
2 Explain the difference between a first and third person narrator.
3 Write down 4 synonyms for the word ‘said’.
4 What does the instruction ‘summarise’ mean?

[Link] 43 13/12/22 8:19 AM

Chapter 6 Poetry and fiction
Poetry
Read the poem below: ‘Hurricane’ by James Berry. In the poem, the poet
describes the effects of a violent storm on a community in the Caribbean.

Hurricane
Under low black clouds
The wind was all
Speedy feet, all horns and breath,
All bangs, howls, rattles,
In every hen house,
Church hall and school.
Roaring, screaming, returning
It made forced entry, shoved walls,
Made rifts, brought roofs down,
Hitting rooms to sticks apart.
It wrung soft banana trees,
Broke tough trunks of palms.
It pounded vines of yams,
Left fields battered up.
Invisible with such ecstasy –
With no intervention of sun or man –
Everywhere kept changing branches.
Zinc sheets are kites.
Leaves are panic swarms.
Fowls are fixed with feathers turned.
Goats, dogs, pigs
All are people together.
Then growling it slunk away
From muddy, mossy trail and boats
In hedges: and cows, ratbats, tress,
Fish, all dead in the road.

Try this
Fill in this fact file based on the poem.

How the hurricane started

The sounds it made

How it affected property

How it affected nature

How it affected animals

How the hurricane ended

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Poetry

summary a shortened Try this

version of a text that
includes the important Using the information from your fact file, write a summary of what
details
happens in the poem in only 60 words. Write your summary by putting
one word in each box.

The wind

Try this
1 In the second verse, what does the line ‘It made forced entry, shoved
walls’ tell us about the hurricane?

2 Read the third verse again and pick out two verbs that show how
destructive the hurricane was.

3 In the fifth verse, what technique is used in the line ‘Zinc sheets
are kites’?
a Simile
b Personification
c Metaphor
d Alliteration
4 Find and write down another example of this technique in the
same verse.

5 Write down a short phrase from the final verse that shows the
hurricane had lost its strength.

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CHAPTER 6 POETRY AND FICTION

HINT Try this

You probably
remember that a Use a thesaurus to find synonyms for the following words from
synonym is a word the poem.
with a similar meaning
to another word. For 1 black
example, ‘ancient’
would be a synonym 2 hitting
for ‘old’. 3 broke
4 growling
Add the words to your vocabulary list so you can use them in your
writing in the future.

LET’S TALK
Imagine you are a news reporter who has been sent to cover the story of the
damage caused by the hurricane. With a partner, write down the questions
you would like to ask the residents. Remember to ask open questions –
questions that cannot be answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and therefore give
opportunities for longer answers.
With your partner, role-play the interview in front of your class.

TOP TIPS Try this

Make your account
more interesting by Write about a time when you were affected by bad weather.
using:
Think about the following:
l similes
l metaphors l where you were
l personification l who you were with
l interesting verbs l what happened
l different types of l what the weather was like
sentence l what happened in the end.
l different
punctuation marks. Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

Now read this poem called ‘Roller Skaters’ by Grace Nichols which
describes the skill and acrobatics of roller skaters.

Roller Skaters
Flying by
on the winged-wheels
of their heels
Two teenage earthbirds
zig-zagging
down the street
Rising
unfeathered –
in sudden air-leap –

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Poetry

Defying law
death and gravity
as they do a wheely
Landing back
in the smooth swoop
of youth
And faces gaping
gawking, impressed
and unimpressed
Only Mother watches – heartbeat in her mouth

Try this
1 Pick out two examples of alliteration in the poem.

2 In the second verse, why are the skaters called ‘teenage earthbirds’?

3 Look at the third verse. Give one phrase that shows the confidence of
the skaters.

4 Find one word in the fifth verse that means ‘to stare openly and
stupidly’.

5 Enjambment has been used in the poem to create what effect?

enjambment a run-on Tick (✓) one box.
line of poetry a To make the poem longer
b To suggest the speed of the skaters
c To show how quickly everything happened
d To suggest how scared the skaters felt
6 Look at the last line, ‘Only mother watches – heartbeat in her mouth’.
What does the line tell the reader about how the mother is feeling?

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CHAPTER 6 POETRY AND FICTION

7 The skaters are very skilful. Explain how the reader knows this. Give
two explanations in your own words and support each explanation
with a quotation from the poem.

Explanation in your own words Quotation from the poem

Try this
Use a thesaurus to find synonyms for the following words from
the poem.
1 flying
2 sudden
3 defying
4 smooth
Remember to add the words to your vocabulary list so you can use them
in your writing in the future.

Try this
The roller skaters clearly enjoy their hobby/sport.
persuade to
encourage someone Imagine that you want to persuade your classmates to take up a hobby
to do something or sport that you feel passionate about.
Write a speech to persuade them.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

tone the feeling or TOP TIPS

mood of a piece of
writing l Think about the tone you will use when addressing your classmates.
l Remember to sound enthusiastic and persuasive by using techniques
rhetorical question such as rhetorical questions, tripling, direct address and emotive
a question asked language.
in order to create a l Make your chosen hobby/sport sound exciting by using adjectives,
dramatic effect or to adverbs and verbs.
make a point rather l What arguments/points about the benefits of taking up a hobby or sport
than to get an answer could you include?
tripling using three
related words or
phrases for emphasis
direct address use
of the second person
(you/your/you’re) to
appeal to a reader

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Fiction

Fiction
Fiction texts are pieces of writing about imaginary events or people.
There are different types, or genres, of fiction writing and most people
have a favourite. For example, you might enjoy reading adventure
stories, or mysterious tales involving crimes and murders with a twist
at the end. Perhaps you prefer fantasy stories, such as The Lord of the
Rings trilogy or the Harry Potter series, or maybe horror stories involving
dystopia an ghosts and supernatural or unexplained events. Science fiction is another
imaginary world popular genre, and includes tales set in the future which might describe
or society in which
people suffer or are
dystopian worlds where robots and technology are dominant. There is
treated unjustly also historical fiction as well as realistic fiction which describe believable
characters and conflicts, or situations that you might face one day.
Fiction can take many forms, including:
l narratives l poems
l short stories l plays.
l diaries
This extract is from a novel called The Hunger Games which is about a
dystopian future. The novel is narrated by a teenage girl, Katniss
Everdeen, who has to compete with and fight to the death in an outdoor
narrator the person
who is telling the
arena against another chosen teenager from a neighbouring district. In
story this extract, Katniss, the narrator, has climbed a tree to escape from
those chasing after her.
Read the extract.

Rosy streaks are breaking through in the east. I can’t afford to wait any
longer. Compared to the agony of last night’s climb, this one is a cinch. At
the tree limb that holds the nest, I position the knife in the groove and I’m
about to draw the teeth across the wood when I see something moving.
There, on the nest. The bright gold gleam of a tracker jacker lazily making
tracker jacker a its way across the papery grey surface. No question, it’s acting a little
genetically mutated subdued, but the wasp is up and moving and that means the others will
wasp be out soon as well. Sweat breaks out on the palms of my hands, beading
up through the ointment, and I do my best to pat them dry on my shirt. If
I don’t get through this branch in a matter of seconds, the entire swarm
could emerge and attack me.
There’s no sense in putting it off. I take a deep breath, grip the knife handle
and bear down as hard as I can. Back, forth, back, forth! The tracker jackers
begin to buzz and I hear them coming out. Back, forth, back, forth! A stabbing
pain shoots through my knee and I know one has found me and the others
will be honing in. Back, forth, back, forth. And just as the knife cuts through,
I shove the end of the branch as far away from me as I can. It crashes down
through the lower branches, snagging temporarily on a few but then twisting
free until it smashes with a thud on the ground. The nest bursts open like an
egg, and a furious swarm of tracker jackers takes to the air.
I feel a second sting on the cheek, a third on my neck, and then their
venom almost immediately makes me woozy. I cling to the tree with one
arm while I rip the barbed stingers out of my flesh. Fortunately, only these
three tracker jackers had identified me before the nest went down. The
rest of the insects have targeted their enemies on the ground.

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CHAPTER 6 POETRY AND FICTION

HINT Try this

Remember to tick
only one box. If you 1 What time of day is it? Tick (✓) the correct box.
tick more than one a Early evening
box, even if you have
b Dawn
the correct answer,
c Mid-morning
you will not score any
marks in the exam. d Afternoon
2 Write down one phrase from the first paragraph that shows the
narrator is starting to panic.
HINT
Make sure you
write down a short
phrase and not a full 3 Find and write down a word from the first paragraph that
sentence. means ‘whole’.

HINT
4 Which of the following two techniques does the writer use in the
Make sure you choose
only one word. second paragraph? Tick (✓) two boxes.
a Repetition
b Metaphor
HINT c Simile
Even if you are unsure d Personification
of an answer in the 5 The narrator is feeling anxious and scared. Explain how the reader
exam, it is worth knows this.
ticking a box instead Give two explanations in your own words and support each
of not answering the explanation with a quotation from the text.
question, because
there is a chance you Explanation in your own words Quotation from the text
might be correct.

HINT
Make sure that your
explanations are in
your own words and
not copied from the
text.
6 What is the effect of the repetition of ‘Back, forth, back, forth’ in the text?

7 Look at the line, ‘I cling to the tree with one arm while I rip the barbed
stingers out of my flesh’ in the last paragraph.
What type of word are ‘cling’ and ‘rip’?

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Fiction

LET’S TALK Try this

People can be scared
of many things from The following groups of words are synonyms for words found in the first
insects to small paragraph. Identify the correct words and add them to your vocabulary list.
spaces. Katniss is in a
frightening situation 1 Suffering, anguish, pain, distress – are synonyms for
in the extract.
Explain to your
partner or group what 2 Casually, indolently, listlessly, sluggishly – are synonyms for
you are frightened
of and explain your
reasons for these 3 Come out, appear, materialise – are synonyms for
feelings.

4 Crowd, horde, throng, multitude – are synonyms for

Try this
In the extract, Katniss says, ‘There’s no sense in putting it off. I take a
deep breath …’.
Write about a time when someone has to be brave and face a
difficult situation.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

HINT
Make a quick mind Will the account be
Will you have a first-
map or scatter diagram or third-person
fictitious or based on
to help you decide narrator?
something that has
happened?
on and organise your
ideas.

A time when someone

has to be brave and face a
difficult situation

How does the account end?

Decide this before you start
writing.
Possible ideas:
Someone has been caught out in telling a lie,
cheating in a test, lying to parents/best friend
Having to report a friend for breaking the rules
Owning up to breaking the rules
A visit to the dentist
A ride on a roller coaster

A mind map template for a time when someone has to be brave and face a difficult situation

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CHAPTER 6 POETRY AND FICTION

This extract is from the novel War Horse by Michael Morpurgo. The novel
tells the story of the experiences of a horse, Joey, who is sold to the army
and is plunged into battle in France during the First World War.
This extract is written in the first person, from Joey’s viewpoint, and
first-person narrator
a narrator writing from describes a terrifying attack against the enemy. Joey’s rider is
his or her viewpoint Trooper Warren.
using I
All around me, men cried and fell to the ground, and horses reared and
screamed in an agony of fear and pain. The ground erupted on either side
of me, throwing horses and riders clear into the air. The shells whined and
roared overhead, and every explosion seemed like an earthquake to us.
But the squadron galloped on inexorably through it all towards the wire at
the top of the hill and I went with them.
On my back Trooper Warren held me in an iron grip with his knees. I
stumbled once and felt him lose a stirrup, and slowed so that he could
find it again. Topthorn was still ahead of me, his head up, his tail whisking
from side to side. I found more strength in my legs and charged after him.
Trooper Warren prayed aloud as he rode, but his prayers turned soon to
curses as he saw the carnage around him. Only a few horses reached the
wire and Topthorn and I were amongst them. There were indeed a few
holes blasted through the wire by our bombardment so that some of us
could find a way through; and we came at last upon the first line of enemy
trenches, but they were empty. The firing came now from higher up in
amongst the trees; and so the squadron, or what was left of it, regrouped
and galloped up into the wood, only to be met by a line of hidden wire
in amongst the trees. Some of the horses ran into the wire before they
could be stopped, and stuck there, their riders trying feverishly to extract
them. I saw one trooper dismount deliberately once he saw his horse
was caught. He pulled out his rifle and shot his mount before falling dead
himself on the wire. I could see at once that there was no way through,
that the only way was to jump the wire and when I saw Topthorn and
Captain Stewart leap over where the wire was lowest, I followed them
and we found ourselves at last in amongst the enemy. From behind every
tree, from trenches all around it seemed, they ran forward in their piked
piked helmets helmets helmets to counter-attack. They rushed past us, ignoring us until we
with a spike on top found ourselves surrounded by an entire company of soldiers, their rifles
pointing up at us.
The crump of the shelling and the spitting of rifle-fire had suddenly
stopped. I looked around me for the rest of the squadron, to discover that
we were alone. Behind us the riderless horses, all that was left of a proud
cavalry squadron, galloped back towards our trenches, and the hillside
was strewn with the dead and dying.

[Link] 52 13/12/22 8:20 AM

Fiction

Try this
1 What two techniques are used in the line ‘The shells whined and
HINT
roared overhead, and every explosion seemed like an earthquake to
Remember to tick two
us’? Tick (✓) two boxes.
boxes.
a Euphemism
b Simile
c Metaphor
d Alliteration
e Personification
HINT 2 Write down one word from the second paragraph that means ‘mass
Remember to choose destruction’.
only one word.

HINT 3 What type of word is ‘feverishly’?

Find the word in the
extract as it might give
you a clue.
4 The battle is terrifying and deadly. Explain how the reader knows this.
Give two explanations in your own words and support each
HINT explanation with a quotation from the text.
Make sure that your
explanations are in Explanation in your own words Quotation from the text
your own words and
not copied from the
text.

5 Joey (the narrator) has a close relationship with his rider

HINT
Trooper Warren.
Make sure you are
Give an example of how Joey tries to help Trooper Warren in the
looking at the correct
second paragraph.
section.

6 Give one word from the last paragraph that means ‘covered’.
HINT
Write down only one
word.
7 What technique is used in the line ‘On my back Trooper Warren held
me in an iron grip with his knees’?

8 Trooper Warren is scared during the attack.

Give an example of how the reader knows that Trooper Warren
is scared.

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CHAPTER 6 POETRY AND FICTION

Try this
Match up these words from the extract with the correct synonyms.

Word from the extract Synonym

screamed relentlessly
HINT erupted noble
Find each of the words inexorably shrieked
in the extract and try
blasted desperately
replacing them with
your chosen synonym feverishly broke out
to check whether the rushed shot
words fit and make proud raced
sense.

LET’S TALK
Some people love animals and think they are important to humans.
Some people are cruel to animals.
With your partner or group, discuss which you think is the larger group
of people.
Write down some examples of how humans treat animals to support
your argument.

HINT Try this

Make a quick mind
map or scatter diagram Write a speech to persuade your classmates that keeping animals in a
to help you to decide zoo or a safari park is cruel.
on and organise your
ideas. Remember to include the following:
l Persuasive language
l Direct address
l Dramatic punctuation (question marks, exclamation marks, ellipses)
l Facts and statistics to support your points
statistics facts, l A range of different sentence structures
figures and data
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

Check your understanding

1 What is a simile? Think of an example.
2 What is personification? Think of an example.
3 What is a rhetorical question? Think of an example.
4 What does the instruction ‘answer in your own words’ mean?

[Link] 54 13/12/22 8:20 AM

Chapter 7
The Cambridge Reading Test
Your Cambridge Reading Test is approaching and you are probably
wondering how to prepare for it. Don’t worry – you are not alone.
What can you do to prepare for the test?
1 The best thing to do is not to panic.
2 Look at examples of previous test papers.
3 Practise completing previous test papers.
4 Make sure you understand the types of question you might be asked.
5 Make sure you understand the wording used in the questions.
6 Take note of how long the test is so you can time yourself effectively.
7 Practise completing previous test papers in timed conditions.
Let’s have a look at some practice questions.

Retrieval questions
Try this
Read this extract and answer the question that follows.

There was still a light on in Mo’s room. He often stayed up late

reading late into the night. Meggie had inherited her love of books
from her father. When she took refuge from a bad dream with him,
nothing could lull her back to sleep better than Mo’s calm breathing
HINT beside her and the sound of the pages turning. Nothing chased away
Remember to check nightmares faster than the rustle of printed paper.
how many marks the
question is worth. A
1-mark question means What helps Meggie get to sleep after a bad dream? [1]
you need to make one
point.

Sometimes a question will instruct you about how many words you need
to write down for your answer.

Try this
HINT Look at this extract and answer the question below.
The question is asking
you to write down
‘Mira! Mira!’
one word. If you write
down more than one I suppose that must be Priya leaping up and down, hollering and
word (even if your waving. She looks nothing like she did last week on Skype.
answer includes the
correct information)
you will not be Give one word that tells the reader that Priya makes a lot of noise when
awarded the mark. she first sees Mira.

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CHAPTER 7 THE CAMBRIDGE READING TEST

HINT Which of the following answers would score a mark for this question?
Always make sure
you read the question a Hollering/waving
carefully and make b Hollering and waving
sure your responses c Hollering
are precise. [1]

Here is another question to practise.

Try this
Read these lines, continuing from the previous extract, and think about
the answer you would give.

As I draw nearer she vaults over the barrier and sprints towards me
with her arms opening into the widest and warmest of hugs. The tears
that have been threatening to spill over for the last half-hour suddenly
cascade down my face. To meet a whole side of your family in the
flesh, for the first time in your life, is the strangest feeling in the world,
sort of like coming home.

Give a two-word phrase that tells the reader that Mira loses
HINT control and starts crying freely.[1]
Follow the instructions
and make sure you The correct answer is ‘suddenly cascade’.
write down two words. Why would each of the answers below not score a mark?
a Threatening to spill over

b Cascade down my face

TOP TIPS
Spelling errors will
be ignored as long
as the sense is c Cascade
clear. For example,
‘personalisation’
would not be
awarded the mark,
but ‘persanification’ Technique questions
would.
You will often be asked to identify a specific technique from the passage.
Sometimes this will be in the form of a multiple-choice question and
sometimes you will be expected to write the answer without being given
HINT any choices.
If you are not sure
about the different We will look at both types of question here.
techniques that writers Look at this phrase: ‘windows so small you’d think they were holding
use, have a look for
their breath’.
the explanations in the
glossary at the back of What technique is this an example of? [1]
this book.
The correct answer here would be ‘personification’.

[Link] 56 13/12/22 8:20 AM

Multiple-choice questions

Multiple-choice questions
Here is a multiple-choice question.
Look at the sentence: ‘When the sun does come out, it does so
apologetically, like a ballerina who is unsure of her entrance on stage.’
Which literary techniques does the writer use in the sentence above?
Tick (✓) two boxes. [2]
a Metaphor
b Simile
c Alliteration
d Personification
e Hyperbole
TOP TIPS
l Even if you are
Think about the following things that students often do in the exam.
unsure of the l If you only ticked one correct box, would you score 2 marks?
correct answer, l If you ticked three boxes, including both correct answers, would you
it is worth ticking
a box(es) as you
score 2 marks?
might be correct. l If you left all the boxes blank, would you score 2 marks?
l Follow the
Hopefully, you won’t be too surprised to find out that you will
instructions
carefully. l only score 1 mark if you only tick one correct answer
l Check the number l not score any marks if you tick three boxes, including the two
of marks for the correct answers
question.
l Check how many
l not score any marks if you leave all the boxes blank.
boxes you need to
tick. Selecting quotations
You will often be asked to pick out quotations from the passage to prove
a statement. Here is an example.

Try this
Read the following lines:

There. I had to look where she pointed – the third floor, the paint
peeling, wooden bars Papa had nailed on the windows so we
wouldn’t fall out. You live there? The way she said it made me feel like
nothing. There. I lived there. I nodded.

The narrator is embarrassed about the house. Give one quotation

HINT that tells the reader this. [1]
Remember the The correct answer here is: ‘made me feel like nothing’.
question is asking
about the narrator’s Why do you think the quotation, ‘the paint peeling, wooden bars
embarrassment. Papa had nailed on the windows so we wouldn’t fall out’ would not
Does this quotation be acceptable?
suggest the narrator is
embarrassed?

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CHAPTER 7 THE CAMBRIDGE READING TEST

Finding examples
Some questions will ask you to find examples of specific techniques.
These may be straightforward where you need to find an example of just
one technique. Here is an example.

Try this
Read the extract and answer the question that follows.

‘Forget about presents! You are the present. Come on, you must be
exhausted. Let’s take you home. I’ll call about the bag later.’ Anjali
sighs, then walks towards the exit, gesturing for me and Priya
to follow.
‘What were you going to give me anyway?’ whispers Priya, breaking
into my thoughts.
Anjali overhears her and then turns and shoots her an ‘I’ll deal with
you later!’ look. I wonder if all mums, wherever you live, anywhere in
the world, have the same silent repertoire of reprimands.

Give an example of alliteration from the extract.[1]

alliteration repetition
of consonants at the In this extract, there are two examples of alliteration in the same
beginning of words sentence, so be careful how you write the answer. Which of the following
for effect answers would score the mark and why?
a Repertoire of reprimands
b Same silent repertoire of reprimands
c Same silent

HINT
Questions like this can sometimes be more demanding by asking you to
These questions will find examples of two or three different techniques.
be worth 2 or 3 marks,
so it is important that Try this
you answer all the
parts. Read the extract and answer the question that follows.

But my mother’s hair, my mother’s hair, like little rosettes, like little
candy circles all curly and pretty because she pinned it in pin curls
all day, sweet to put your nose into when she is holding you, holding
you and you feel safe, is the warm smell of bread before you bake it,
is the smell when she makes room for you on her side of the bed still
warm with her skin, and you sleep near her, the rain outside falling
and Papa snoring. The snoring, the rain, and Mama’s hair that smells
like bread.

[Link] 58 13/12/22 8:20 AM

Inference or deduction questions

Give one example of each of the following: [1 each]

a Metaphor
HINT
Do not confuse a
metaphor with a simile.
b Repetition

c Alliteration

HINT Inference or deduction questions

This simply means You will often be asked to make inferences or deductions from
that you read between
the lines to find
information you have read.
impressions that are
not explicitly stated. Try this
Read the same extract again but, this time, consider what the reader
HINT
learns about the mother’s character.
This question is
directing you to
consider her character But my mother’s hair, my mother’s hair, like little rosettes, like little
or qualities and not her candy circles all curly and pretty because she pinned it in pin curls all
appearance. day, sweet to put your nose into when she is holding you, holding you
and you feel safe, is the warm smell of bread before you bake it, is the
smell when she makes room for you on her side of the bed still warm
with her skin, and you sleep near her, the rain outside falling and Papa
snoring. The snoring, the rain, and Mama’s hair that smells like bread.

What impression does each of these quotations create of the mother?

a ‘when she is holding you’

b ‘is the smell when she makes room for you on her side of the bed still
warm with her skin’

c ‘you sleep near her’

d ‘Mama’s hair that smells like bread’

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CHAPTER 7 THE CAMBRIDGE READING TEST

Try this
Here is another inference-style question. Look at the following lines and
think about how you would answer the question.

It’s July, not that you can tell; every day dawns uniformly grey, and the
rain cycles from a spatter to a thundery relentlessness. I do not mind
the weather. The climate suits me.

Look at the sentence: ‘The climate suits me.’ What does the
HINT sentence tell the reader about how the narrator is feeling? [1]
Remember to read
between the lines Think about what is suggested by these quotations:
and think about what l ‘every day dawns uniformly grey’
is suggested, rather l ‘the rain cycles’
than what is explicitly
l ‘from a spatter to a thundery relentlessness’
stated.
Now, decide which of the following answers would score a mark, and why.
a Her mood is gloomy and miserable.
b She likes the climate.
c She feels depressed.
d She is feeling under the weather.

Explanation questions
Questions like this ask you to explain something from a quotation or an
idea in the text.

Try this
Consider this extract.

At present, I am staying with my Aunt Petra, who is not my aunt at all,

but a lifelong friend of [my mother’s]. The name ‘Petra’ means rock, but
there is nothing rocklike about my non-aunt, who is as curved and soft
as candyfloss. She runs a guesthouse here, in the Scottish Highlands,
with her husband Bill. People come to relax and meditate and heal.

What does the term ‘Aunt Petra’ tell the reader about Petra’s
HINT
relationship with the narrator and her mother?[1]
Read the lines
carefully and think Which of the following would not be an acceptable answer to the
about whether any of question and why?
the important words in
the question (the key a They are close friends.
words) give you a clue. b They are friends.
c She is an old family friend.

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‘Complete the table’ questions

Try this
Read the extract and think about the question that follows.

However, I do quite often agree to take her dog, Oscar, for a walk. Oscar
and I wander through fields thick with stubby nettles, beating pathways
down to the lake; or else we follow one of the narrow tracks that
crisscross through woodland to the top of the peninsula, passing isolated
farms and small rivers, until we reach one of the nearby villages.

What makes the location of Aunt Petra’s guesthouse especially

suitable for people on silent retreats? [1]
Two of the following answers are correct and two are incorrect.
Which ones are correct?
a It is on a peninsula.
b It is very remote.
c There are nearby villages.
d It is in a rural area.

‘Complete the table’ questions

These questions can be quite tricky and are often worth more marks
(typically 3–4 marks). You will be asked to find information, find evidence/
quotations and sometimes give an explanation in your own words.
Let’s look at a straightforward information question.

Try this
First of all, read this extract.

They always told us that one day we would move into a house – a real
house that would be ours for always so we wouldn’t have to move
each year. And our house would have running water and pipes that
worked. And inside it would have real stairs – not hallway stairs, but
stairs inside like the house on TV. And we’d have a basement and
at least three washrooms so when we took a bath we wouldn’t have
to tell everybody. Our house would be white with trees around it, a
great big yard and grass growing without a fence. This was the house
Papa talked about when he held a lottery ticket and this was the house
Mama dreamed up in the stories she told us before we went to bed.
But the house on Mango Street is not the way they told it at all. It’s
small and red with tight steps in front and windows so small you’d
think they were holding their breath. Bricks are crumbling in places,
and the front door is so swollen you have to push hard to get in.
There is no front yard – only four little elms the city planted by the
curb. Out back is a small garage for the car we don’t own yet and a
small yard that looks smaller between the two buildings on either
side. There are stairs in our house, but they’re ordinary hallway
stairs, and the house has only one washroom. Everybody has to
share a bedroom – Mama and Papa, Carlos and Kiki, me and Nenny.

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CHAPTER 7 THE CAMBRIDGE READING TEST

What are the differences between the houses described?

Complete the table below with information from the text.[3]
HINT
In the text, underline First paragraph Second paragraph
the information Rooms three washrooms
about the rooms, the
condition of the house Condition the bricks are crumbling
and the outside.
Outside a great big yard

Make sure you are looking at the correct paragraph. Your information
must be precise.
Explain why these answers would not be acceptable:
a Condition – there are four little elms
b Outside – there is no yard
c Outside – there is a small front yard

This ‘complete the table’ question requires explanations.

Try this
Read the extract and consider the question that follows.

My great-grandmother. I would’ve liked to have known her – a wild horse

of a woman, so wild she wouldn’t marry. Until my great-grandfather
threw a sack over her head and carried her off. Just like that, as if
she were a fancy chandelier. That’s the way he did it. And the story
goes she never forgave him. She looked out the window her whole
life, the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow. I wonder
if she made the best with what she got or was she sorry because she
couldn’t be all the things she wanted to be. Esperanza. I have inherited
her name, but I don’t want to inherit her place by the window.

What does this paragraph tell the reader about women’s lives in the past?
Complete the table below. [1 for each correct point]

HINT Quotation What it tells the reader

Read the question ‘… a wild horse of a woman, so wild
carefully. she wouldn’t marry’

‘… my great-grandfather threw a
sack over her head and carried her off’

‘She looked out the window her

whole life’

Remember, the focus must be on women’s lives rather than the grandmother
as an individual. You must use your own words in the explanation.

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Explaining the effect of techniques

You have already practised recognising different techniques in this
section, but for some questions you will be asked to explain the effect of
a particular technique in the text.
Questions like this are often phrased in the following way:
l What effect does the writer create by using …
l In the following extract, what is the effect of …
l Why does the writer use …

Try this
Read this short extract and think about the following question.

I loved this little room, 305 metres below the surface of the earth. It
had been my home for four days, and these last black seven or eight
hours would be my final chance to savour the wonder. Alone.

What effect does the writer create by using a single-word sentence? [1]
Which two of the following answers would be marked as correct? Think
HINT about why the other two answers would not be acceptable.
Make sure the
explanation is a It creates dramatic effect.
precise and relates b It creates suspense.
to the context of the c It provides a contrast to the long sentences before.
sentence. d It creates tension.

Try this
Now read these lines from the same passage and be ready to answer
this question:
Why does the writer use a colon (:)? [1]

I have been caving, on and off, for about ten years. Still, the
Lechuguilla cave had been a surprise. It was so big, so hot, so
intimidating, that it had taken me several days to come to something
close to full comprehension of its marvels: crystals the size of small
trees, huge-domed pits, rooms as high as a thirty-storey building.

Which one of the following answers would be incorrect and why?

a To separate things in a list
b To introduce a list
c To add information or examples

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CHAPTER 7 THE CAMBRIDGE READING TEST

Identifying features of newspaper articles

On Paper 1, the non-fiction paper, you may be asked to identify features
of newspaper writing. You could prepare for this by looking at newspapers
at home or in your school/college library and thinking about how the
stories are laid out on the page. You might then think about the features
the newspaper articles have in common.

Try this
Look at the newspaper articles below.

Playing video games could make you smarter –

and even improve your job prospects
A new study from the University of Florida has proven a link between
academic success and playing games like Minecraft

Benefits
Gaming has been shown to develop vital attributes needed
for success – such as communication skills, decision-making,
resourcefulness and quick thinking – according to a study carried out
by experts at Florida University.
Professor Egon Smith said, ‘Video games require players to adapt
to situations quickly and come up with many different ways of
completing or solving a task. Designers have created these games to
develop critical thinking skills and to force players to consider and
re-evaluate decisions they have made.

The Science
Whilst parents might not want to hear about the benefits of computer
games, there is no doubt that there is hard evidence to support the
study. It was found that video-playing children between the ages of
10-14 were more than 30% likely to have faster reflexes than those
children who do not play.

Teenager Breaks South Pole World Record

After a 48-day, 702-mile journey from the Antarctic Coast to the South
Pole, 16-year-old Lewis Clarke, from England, arrived at the South
Pole at 3 p.m. local time on Saturday 18 January 2014, setting a new
World Record for the youngest person ever to do it (the current world
record holder is an 18-year-old Canadian).

[Link] 64 13/12/22 8:20 AM

Identifying features of newspaper articles

TOP TIPS
In your Reading Test, The journey
if you are asked to Teenager Lewis set out on his epic expedition from Hercules Inlet
list the features of a on the Antarctic coast on 2 December 2013, just two weeks after his
newspaper article in a 16th birthday. After 48 gruelling days travelling across one of the
specific text, you can most inhospitable environments on earth, in temperatures as low as
include layout and minus 40 and gale force winds of up to 60 mph, Lewis has become
textual features. the youngest person in the world to ski the full 702 miles from coast to
Pole, on the well-established Hercules Inlet route.

Daily struggles
Lewis was guided by experienced polar guide Carl Alvey. They
travelled on skis, pulling their own supplies, but received three
resupplies during the expedition. There have been many ups and
downs, from white-outs and blizzards to Lewis breaking a ski. They had
only one full day off (on Christmas Day) during the 48-day expedition.
They usually skied around 8 or 9 hours a day, covering roughly 18 miles
daily. Their last day, Saturday 18 January, was a very tough one, with the
lowest temperatures of the whole trip (around −50°C including wind chill).

What layout features do these newspaper articles have in common? [3]

HINT
Think about what the Write a list of at least three things.
articles look like on
the page. How are
they organised?

What textual features do these newspaper articles have in common? [3]

HINT
Think about what Write a list of at least three things.
sort of tone is used.
What is the purpose
of the articles? What
techniques do the
articles use?

Now try this Reading Test question.

Try this
Read the following newspaper article.

When It’s Good To Fly

We all know flying is bad, right? Nobody who is concerned about global
warming should fly halfway round the world on holiday, needlessly
pouring carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Well, it depends. If we
were all to stop travelling to developing countries tomorrow, who would
suffer? Hundreds of thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on
tourism would suffer financially. This does not give us the right to whizz
around the world, but it should remind us that travel, when organised
with careful thought, can be beneficial and worthwhile.

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CHAPTER 7 THE CAMBRIDGE READING TEST

Porini Camp, Kenya

African national parks are a good thing. That’s a no-brainer, isn’t
it? But how do the local people feel about this? In Kenya, it turns out
that the local Masai people felt excluded and their feelings weren’t
considered about the busloads of tourists who were herded into
their villages. However, Jake Cook, a white Kenyan, had an idea.
Why not open a camp on Masai-owned land outside the national
park, employ local people to build and run it, and pay them rent?
Not only would the tribes reap a real benefit from tourism. Visitors,
in turn, would experience a genuinely warm welcome and get the
run of a vast area of wilderness. The result is Ambolesi Porini, a
small tented camp a few miles north of Ambolesi National Park. Jake
said, ‘Because only twelve visitors a day are allowed in, the animals
– elephants, cheetahs, lions and leopards – remain genuinely wild
and unaccustomed to the sight of vehicles. Tourists have a genuine
experience of Africa.’
TOP TIPS
Try to write down four Grootbos, South Africa
features, in case you On paper, the Grootbos private nature reserve looks as though
have one wrong. it might in fact be too perfect! This five-star eco-resort, is
environmentally friendly and teaches its guests about trees and
seaweed. Barely visible from the road, the hotel nestles in a
wooded hillside overlooking a protected wild beach. It’s stylish and
comfortable, with cosy cottages hidden among trees. The hotel’s
ethos is ‘luxury, conservation and social responsibility’. The owner
said, ‘We have also opened a gardening school and built four football
pitches for local schoolkids. The children can play only if they turn up
with a bag of rubbish to recycle.’ Trained guides – also recruited from
the local towns – walk guests through the grounds, pointing out the
wildlife and some of the 9,700 plant species.
So, as we can see from this, there are indeed many valid reasons why
we should continue to fly!
headline a heading at
the top of an article or Give three features of a newspaper article used in the text above. [3]
page in a newspaper
or magazine Now, look at these answers (A, B and C) and decide which one would
score 3 marks and why.
expert opinion
a comment on A A headline; a subheading; quotations
something given B A headline; points are explained; paragraphs
by someone who C A headline; expert opinions; facts and statistics
knows a lot about the
subject

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Summary questions

HINT Try this

Remember
‘advantages’ are Using information from the same newspaper article, complete the list
the positive things; below, giving advantages and disadvantages of flying. [3]
‘disadvantages’ are
the negative things.
Advantages Disadvantages

TOP TIPS
The examiner is
instructed to accept
only the first point
written on any line,
so make sure you
list your points
separately, one below
the other.

TOP TIPS
Summary questions
You will always be These questions can be tricky but don’t panic – the tips on the left will
given a specific focus help you succeed.
for the summary,
so make sure you First of all, what exactly is a summary? A summary is a shortened version
underline the key of a piece of writing that contains the main, relevant information.
words in the question
before you begin your
answer.
Try this
You will be given a Using the information from the article ‘The Big Dig’, summarise the
specific word limit. advantages of constructing a city with some facilities underground.
This means you
Use up to 40 words. [2]
cannot write more
than the number Write your answer in the space below.
of words stated in
the question. If you
exceed the word
limit, you will not be
awarded full marks,
even if you have
included the correct
information. The word
limit may be 30, 40 or
50 words. Read the
instructions carefully.

How many words have you used? .......................

HINT HINTS
If you have exceeded l What is the focus of the question? Underline the key words.
the word count, go l Remember, summarising means you are writing a brief, shorter version.
back and think about l Using your own words, instead of copying the text exactly, will help you
which words you can reduce your word count.
cut out or replace. l Avoid repeating the same words or ideas.

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CHAPTER 7 THE CAMBRIDGE READING TEST

TOP TIPS Check your understanding

It is important that
Now that you have practised some of the different types of questions
you make as many
points as possible you might be faced with on the Reading Test, answer these questions to
because the marks check what you have learnt.
are awarded as 1 Why is it important to check the number of marks available for a
follows: question?
l 3 marks for 6–8
correct facts
l 2 marks for 4–5
correct facts 2 If a question instructs you to look at a specific number of lines in
l 1 mark for 2–3 order to answer a question, why is it helpful to draw a box around the
correct facts relevant lines on your question paper insert?
l 0 marks for 0–1
correct facts
So don’t give up and 3 If a multiple-choice question is worth 2 marks, how many boxes
think that you have would you need to tick to score full marks?
written enough until
you have made eight
points.
4 What happens if a multiple-choice question is worth 2 marks and you
tick three or more boxes?

5 If a question instructs you to write an answer ‘using your own words’,

what does this mean?

6 If a question asks you to list three features about an article, why is it a

good idea to write down four features?

7 What does the term ‘summary’ mean?

8 What does ‘use up to 30 words’ mean?

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Chapter 8 Structures of writing
In the Cambridge Checkpoint tests, you will be asked to write in different
structure the way
a writer writes, the
formats, for different purposes, for different audiences and in different
words they use and styles. Read the questions carefully so that you understand exactly what
how they use them you are being asked to do and then use what you know about the
different types of writing. Also take the time to create a plan in the space
that is provided in the test.

Narrative writing
On Paper 2, the fiction paper, you might be asked to write a story or
narrative based on the main theme of the narrative in the reading insert,
or you might be asked to continue the narrative from the point at which
the material in the reading insert finished.

Try this
Let’s make sure you understand the features of narrative writing.
narrative a story or
an organised and Read the following list of statements about creative/narrative writing and
coherent account of decide which are true and which are false.
a series of connected
events Statement True or false?
The purpose of a narrative or story is to persuade the
reader to do something.
A narrative or story should be clearly and logically
organised in paragraphs.
The purpose of a narrative or story is to provide the
reader with information.
A narrative or story can be written in the first or third
person.
The purpose of a narrative or story is to entertain and
engage the interest of the reader.
A narrative or story uses subheadings.

A successful narrative or story should include some

direct speech.
Nothing actually happens in a narrative or story – it
only contains description.
A successful narrative or story needs a strong
opening and ending.
You do not need to plan your narrative or story before
you start writing it.

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CHAPTER 8 STRUCTURES OF WRITING

TOP TIPS Engaging the interest of your reader

When you introduce In order to engage the interest of your reader, it is a good idea to include
a character, create a some of the following techniques in your opening paragraph:
picture of what they
are like so that the l direct speech
reader wants to know l an exclamation or a question
more about them. You l a description of an interesting character
might include details
l an intriguing statement
of what the character
looks like, does, l an atmospheric scene setter
wears and so on. l a sound effect.

Try this
Read the following story openings and, using the list of techniques above,
decide whether you think they are successful narrative openings or not.

The day was bitterly cold. A chill wind swirled mercilessly through the
dry leaves and the skies were grey and blurred with the threat of snow.

1 Can you find any interesting descriptive words (adjectives) here? If so,
write them down.

2 What effect does the writer want to create by describing the weather
in this way?

Alexandra Smith. My enemy. Blonde and petite with a perfect button

nose and pearly white teeth which could turn on a wide smile that
never quite reached her icy blue eyes. There she stood, hands on
hips, in her brand new jacket and expensive boots, eyeing me coldly.

3 Can you find any interesting describing words (adjectives) here? If so,
write them down.

4 What impression of this character does the writer want to give

the reader?

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Narrative writing

5 What do the phrases ‘turn on a wide smile that never quite reached
her icy blue eyes’ and ‘she stood, hands on hips’ tell the reader about
this character?

I was walking along the street one day when Alonso asked me if I
would like to join his gang.

6 Can you find any interesting details in the opening? If so, write them down.

7 What would you do to improve this opening?

Why did I do it? Why didn’t I stay on the outside where I belonged?

8 What does this opening tell the reader about the character and
feelings of the narrator?

‘I hate you! I hate you!’

I can still hear her voice now, twenty years later, and the emotions of
guilt and regret still overpower me just as they did then …

9 What does this opening tell the reader about the character of the narrator?

10 Does this opening use any other effective techniques? If so, write
them down.

11 What sort of mood is created by this opening?

mood the feeling
that a writer is trying
to create by using
certain words

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CHAPTER 8 STRUCTURES OF WRITING

setting the place or Try this

location where an
event takes place Using the techniques you have been learning about in this section, write
a successful opening paragraph for a story about a time when you broke
the rules.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.
Now look back at what you have written.
Underline any interesting words that you have used.
What impression do you want to give the reader about the character/
setting you have created?

TOP TIPS Try this

Start a sentence with
an -ing or an -ed Now practise beginning sentences in different ways by rewriting the
clause. For example: following short paragraph. You may include more detail and description
to make it more interesting.
Glancing Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.
furtively behind,
he …
I went out and locked the door behind me. I ran down the street
Racing ahead of because I didn’t want to miss the bus. I caught the bus, luckily,
the others, she but I couldn’t find a seat. I stood for the whole journey and
… I gazed out of the window at the gloomy, grey pavement and
people trying to protect themselves against the rain. I felt glad
Numbed by the to be inside the bus!
recent tragic
news, she …

Creating an atmosphere

Try this
Look at this opening paragraph about a holiday.

One day I went to the beach with my family. I enjoyed myself

and I remember the sea was blue and the sand was golden.

HINT This story opening is clearly underdeveloped and does not grab the
Atmosphere means
reader’s attention.
the mood of a place or What three things do you think the writer could do to make the
situation e.g. exciting, paragraph more interesting to read?
sad

Write your own opening to a story with the title ‘A Memorable Holiday’.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

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Narrative writing

TOP TIPS
Use repetition for effect, for example:

The streets were full … the square was overcrowded … the city
was overflowing.
He inched forward nervously; he stood on the edge of the diving
board; he waited.

This will also create tension for the reader.

Also think about the punctuation you might use and its effect. What effect
do the ellipses (…) and semicolons (;) have here?

Try this
Read this story opening which tells of an embarrassing moment.

When I was eight I had the star role in the school concert but
my costume was too long and I fell over on stage in front of
everyone. A boy pointed to me and laughed. Then the audience
all stared at me and joined in, pointing and laughing at me. I
could tell the teacher was annoyed with me.

This piece of writing can be improved to make it more entertaining to read.

Rewrite the opening by using the skills you have learnt so far.
You could use direct speech, an exclamation, a sound effect or an
intriguing statement.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

TOP TIPS Try this

Read like a writer.
Be like a magpie; Look at the following prompts and write an opening for each one, using
when you are the techniques you have studied so far.
reading, collect good
examples of: l Write about a time when you felt proud of yourself.
l Write about a time when you helped someone.
l sentence
l Write about a time when you felt left out.
structures
l words and Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.
expressions
l special effects.
When you have finished, read over what you have written and think
about how you might improve your writing.
Adapt them for your
own stories. Remember that in the test, there is nothing wrong with crossing out
words to improve your writing and earn a higher mark.

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CHAPTER 8 STRUCTURES OF WRITING

TOP TIPS Consider the following points when you try to improve your work.
If you want to show
the passing of time in Why How
your story, it can be a To correct my mistakes Correct spelling, punctuation and grammar
good idea to use errors. Check for paragraphs.
flashbacks to explain
To create the best impression Add more detail where necessary.
past events quickly.
For example: To achieve a higher mark Use interesting vocabulary, similes, metaphors
and effective verbs.

It had all come

flooding back …
Structuring your story
It hadn’t always The fabulous five-part plan is the most commonly used structure in
been like this … storytelling. It is used in novels, plays, films and TV programmes.
1 Gripping opening
2 Introduction of a problem
flashback a scene 3 Complication
that goes back to
events in the past
4 Crisis or climax
5 Resolution
Use this simple but effective structure to help shape and organise your
structure the way
ideas are organised narrative plot.
narrative a story; It may help you to visualise the structure as a pyramid like this.
an organised and Crisis or climax
coherent account of
a series of connected
events
Complication
plot storyline

Introduction of a problem

Gripping opening Resolution

The five-part-plan pyramid

Try this
Produce a five-part plan for each of the following. You might want to
think ‘outside the box’ for some of these. Write down any ideas or first
thoughts you may have. Write about a time when you:
a volunteered for something
b felt you had let someone down
c had to overcome a challenge.
You can write your plan as a scatter diagram, a flow chart, a timeline or
a series of boxes or ideas linked by arrows. Use whatever method works
for you.
Now try writing one of these stories, using the information from your plan.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

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Narrative writing

Try this
Read this opening to a story about a time when the writer received some
unexpected news.

I turned my head and caught the velvet blackness of the night

sky staring at me through my window. The relentless rain spat
against the glass zigzagging as it wound a path down the window
pane. Outside, the street was empty. All I could hear was the
angry rain pounding off the concrete slabs and the fierce wind
bellowing an aggressive symphony in my ear.

l How do you think the story could develop?

l What could happen next?
Try planning and writing the whole story.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

Creating characters
Creating interesting and memorable characters is often the key to writing
a great story and achieving high marks. To do this, it is a good idea to
use some of the following: adjectives, effective verbs and adverbs, similes
and metaphors.
Remember that the words and actions you choose can give the reader
clues about a character’s personality and situation by suggesting it rather
than saying it.

Try this
Read this description of a character from The Hundred Thousand
Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin.

Face like the moon, pale and somehow wavering. I could get the gist
of his features, but none of it stuck in my mind beyond an impression
of astonishing beauty. His long, long hair wafted around him like black
smoke, its tendrils curling and moving of their own volition. His cloak
– or perhaps that was his hair too – shifted as if in an unfelt wind. […]
The madness still lurked in his face, but it was a quieter madness now,
not the rabid-animal savagery of before. Something else – I could not
bring myself to call it humanity – stirred underneath the gleam.

Pick out and write down the adjectives in this description and think
about what they tell the reader about the personality of the character.
Think about the verbs used. For example, what does the verb ‘lurked’
suggest about the character?
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

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CHAPTER 8 STRUCTURES OF WRITING

Remember that the way a character speaks also reveals their personality.
Instead of only writing ‘he said/she said’, make sure your use of verbs
is interesting and precise. For example, you could use ‘he bellowed’ or
‘she whispered’.

Try this
How many different words or synonyms can you think of for the word ‘said’?
Make a list of at least ten alternatives and decide what the words might
suggest about the way a character is feeling.
For example, the verb ‘grumbled’ might suggest the character is
depressed, fed up or unhappy, and the word ‘yelled’ might suggest the
character is feeling scared, excited or enthusiastic.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

Body language is also important when creating and describing a

character as the way a character moves and behaves can suggest how
that character is feeling.

Try this
Look at the table below. For each description of body language, decide
what you think are the most likely feelings. An example has been done
for you.

Description of body language Most likely feelings

Looking down and not making Embarrassed/shy/guilty
eye contact

Eyes wide open and staring

Folding arms and frowning

Growing redder in the face

Hands behind head with elbows

stretched out

Raising eyebrows and

shaking head

Shrugging shoulders

Tapping foot or fingers

Pointing at a person while talking

Winking

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Writing a specific type of text for a particular purpose and audience

HINT Writing a specific type of text for a particular

Remember to suggest
not tell in your writing. purpose and audience
On Paper 1, you will be asked to write a specific type of text (for example,
a letter, a speech or a report) and also for a specific purpose and
audience. To write effectively you need to identify the reason for writing
(purpose) and the people who will read it (audience). When you have
done this, you will be able to think about the appropriate tone (register)
and the type of words you will use (style).
TOP TIPS
Before you start a
piece of writing, ask
Try this
yourself ‘What am I
trying to do?’ It will Read this piece of writing by a student.
usually be one of the
following: Do you ever wonder why teachers hate mobile phones?
l Persuade Because they can’t use them? Or maybe they hate the way
l Give information we brandish them around? Well, I’m not going to keep you
l Entertain guessing. Teachers, like many of our elders, are not up to date
l Express an with twenty-first-century technology. So, when we can text,
opinion
l Ask someone to
phone, look up information on the internet and play games, they
take action become jealous. Great, isn’t it?
Sometimes you I must say that it ’s a huge blessing on our part to see people
will be doing a who are senior to us struggling to get to grips with these
combination of these
simple devices. I mean, what is so difficult about pressing a
things.
few buttons?
Mobile phones are the best thing ever invented. What is wrong
with them? They are perfect! All we need now is for them
to make you dinner and do your homework (just kidding, Mrs
Smith) and we won’t have to lift a finger ever again!
Now I would like you to decide whether mobile phones are a
blessing or a curse, but I hope that with my points you will say it is
a blessing.
Thank you for listening.

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CHAPTER 8 STRUCTURES OF WRITING

1 What type of writing do you think the student was asked to produce?
How can you tell?

2 What do you think the student was asked to do? (What is the purpose?)

3 Who do you think the student’s intended audience is? How can you tell?

4 What sort of register or tone has the student used? Find some
examples to prove this.

Writing a speech
The purpose of a speech is to persuade your audience to agree with your
point of view.
In order to do this, you will use persuasive techniques.

Try this
Read through the persuasive techniques in the table below. Fill in the
right-hand column to explain the effects of the techniques.

Persuasive technique Effect

Rhetorical questions

Persuasive/emotive/
dramatic language

Facts/information/statistics

Direct address

Expert opinion

Superlatives

Tripling/repetition

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Writing a speech

Try this
Look at this extract from Animal Farm by George Orwell. Identify and
explain the effects of any persuasive techniques used here.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

‘Now, comrades, what is the nature of this life of ours? Let us face it:
our lives are miserable, laborious, and short. We are born, we are
given just so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies, and those
of us who are capable of it are forced to work to the last atom of our
strength; and the very instant that our usefulness has come to an end,
we are slaughtered with hideous cruelty. No animal in England knows
the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old. No animal in
England is free. The life of an animal is misery and slavery: that is the
plain truth.
‘But is this simply part of the order of nature? Is it because this land
of ours is so poor that it cannot afford a decent life to those who dwell
upon it? No, comrades, a thousand times no!’

Try this
Your school or college wants to raise money for charity.
You have the chance to speak in assembly to persuade your school/
college to support a charity of your choice.
Write your speech.
Here are some ideas you might want to think about:
HINT l Information about the charity
In your opening l Why it is a good charity to support
paragraph, remember l Some ideas about how to raise the money
to introduce yourself l Why students should get involved
and state the purpose
of your speech. Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

Try this
Now you are going to practise your skills.
Read this question.
A lot of older people do not use social media or the internet, either
because they don’t see any value in them, or because they are afraid of
modern technology.
You have been asked to give a speech to a group of older people to
persuade them to use computers and the internet. Write your speech.
l Identify the important words in the question.
l Decide what your purpose, audience, register and style will be.
l Spend five minutes writing a plan to help you complete this task.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

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CHAPTER 8 STRUCTURES OF WRITING

Try this
Read this extract from a student response to the previous task.

I understand many old people don’t use computers or the

internet either because they don’t see any value in them or
because they are afraid of modern technology. However,
modern technology won’t bite or eat you up, so what ’s the
point in being frightened of them? On the other hand modern
technology like computers and the internet have numerous
amounts of benefits out there for people to discover. You can
go on Facebook for keeping in touch with distant relatives and
friends. No matter where you stand, you’ll find the distance
is not the problem. You will still be able to have a ‘hello’ from
them. Computer and the internet make everything closer.

What three pieces of advice would you give this student to help improve
this answer?

Try this
Look at these opening sentences to speeches on different topics.

Tonight I am going to talk to you about why keeping a pet is a

good thing.
This speech is about how you can improve your fitness levels and
why exercise is important.
I am going to talk to you today about why it is important that all
students study a science subject in school or college.

Rewrite each opening sentence so that it will have a greater impact on

the audience. You can add more details or information as well.
Then choose your best sentence and write the next three or four
paragraphs of the speech.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

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Writing a formal letter

formal letter a TOP TIPS
serious letter written Always remember to show that you understand the format of the task and
to someone in a that you know what you are doing by using the special features of the form
position of authority you have been asked to use.
Always aim to set your writing out correctly.

Here is the layout for a formal letter.

Your address in the top-
right-hand corner – use a 2 Happy Street,
capital letter for each word
Happy Town,
in the address
Happyville
HPY 123

Date written in full and

4 March 2022
not abbreviated
The Principal
The address of the person
who will read your letter, International School
lower down on the
left-hand side Singapore

Begin with ‘Dear Sir/

Dear Sir or Madam,
Madam’ and finish with
‘Yours faithfully’ – capital
Y but lower case f. If you
begin with the name of the
person (for example, ‘Dear
Mr Chen’), end with ‘Yours
sincerely’ – capital Y but
lower case s

Yours faithfully,
Sign your name and then
Lucy Langdon
print it underneath
Lucy Langdon

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CHAPTER 8 STRUCTURES OF WRITING

TOP TIPS
When you write a letter, you may find it helpful to plan your ideas using the
abbreviation RDA:
Reason for the letter – this should be made clear in your opening paragraph
where you introduce yourself and state why you are writing the letter.
Detail/development – this is the main part of the letter, in which you make all
of your points and arguments.
Action – this is your final paragraph in which you explain what you want your
letter to achieve.

The purpose of a formal letter is to give the reader information, and often
to persuade them to agree with your ideas or point of view as well. So,
you will need to use many of the same persuasive techniques that you
would use for a speech.

Try this
Consider this task.
The headteacher or principal of your school or college has decided to
remove the subject of music from the curriculum. Write a persuasive
letter to the headteacher/principal giving your views about this proposal.
Read the tips in the box below and then write your letter.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

TOP TIPS
Remember to plan your letter.
Decide what your viewpoint will be – are you in favour of the proposal or
against it? Be consistent throughout the letter.
Write down a list of points to include in the letter. Then number them in
order from the strongest point to the weakest point. Aim to have about four
or five points.
Start with your strongest point, so you can make an immediate impression
on your reader, and finish with your second strongest point. Your ending
must also have impact if you want your letter to have an effect – you don’t
want it to trail off weakly.

TOP TIPS
Use this as a checklist to improve your work:
l Have you set it out as a formal letter?
l Have you used the correct tone? The letter should be polite and you
should make your points clearly and persuasively.
l Do you think you have included enough information and details in the
middle paragraphs to make your argument convincing?
l Have you used connectives at the beginnings of the paragraphs to
connect your ideas?
l Does the final paragraph clearly state what action you would like taken
as a result of your letter?
l Are there any improvements you want to make to your use of persuasive
techniques or your vocabulary?

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Writing a report

Ending with impact

In the same way that your opening needs to make an impression,
the way you end your writing needs to have an impact as well.
Here are some possible techniques to make a final impact on
your reader.
l You could use a question to make the reader think about what they
have just read. For example, ‘Surely we can no longer ignore the
frightening reality of the situation?’
l You could end with a warning, suggesting what will happen if your
views are ignored. For example, ‘If we continue to feed our children
with calorie-loaded junk food, we run the risk of becoming the first
generation to outlive its children.’
l You could end on a positive, uplifting note, suggesting what will
happen if your views are acted upon. For example, ‘Our actions
could result in producing a future generation that is well motivated
and enthusiastic.’

Writing a report
When you write a report, it is important that you communicate clearly
and provide information. There is no need to write persuasively or include
persuasive techniques in a report. You need to be factual and polite, not
persuasive. Generally, you will be asked to write a report in relation to your
school/college or the wider community.

Try this
Read the following list of statements about report-writing and decide
whether each one is true or false.

Statement True or false?

Reports should be written in formal English.
A report should be clearly organised into logical
paragraphs.
The purpose of a report is to entertain the reader.
You need to end a report with ‘Yours sincerely’.
A report should be written in columns like a newspaper.
Subheadings should be used to make the different
sections clear.
A report should grab the attention of the reader.
The purpose of a report is to persuade the reader.

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CHAPTER 8 STRUCTURES OF WRITING

TOP TIPS Try this

Planning your answer
is essential. Consider this question.
To help you organise Write a report for your headteacher/principal on ways in which your
your ideas, jot down school/college could be improved for students approaching important
a heading for your examinations.
report.
It might help you to make a quick plan, like the one below, to help you
Write down three or
focus on what you need to do.
four subheadings you
will use in your report. l Who is your audience? – headteacher/principal, who is busy and well
Write down a topic educated and already knows the school/college well
sentence to begin l What is your purpose? – to make clear what is wrong with the current
each paragraph under situation and suggest improvements that can be made to help
the subheadings. students preparing for important exams
l What is your register? – formal, polite standard English – no slang
What other ideas
could you include in l What is the format? – an organised report with paragraphs under
each section? subheadings, such as ‘Revision time’ and ‘Extra lessons’
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

heading a line at the

top of an article or Try this
page in a newspaper
or magazine
Here are two different introductions to an answer to the question above.

format the way in

Example A
which something is From: Adil Pearson
arranged or laid out
on a page To: Mr Chen, Principal, Singapore International School
Purpose: to suggest ways in which the school can be improved for
students approaching examinations.
Introduction:
School Council members were asked by the principal to identify
the issues faced by students as they approach their Cambridge
International exams, and to suggest possible solutions. In my role
as a member of the Student Council, I have consulted other
students and these are my findings.

Example B
Here is my report to the Principal about what the school needs
to do to help students as they come up to their exams.

Which example do you think has the most appropriate introduction?

Explain why.

[Link] 84 13/12/22 8:20 AM

Writing a report

What three things could the student do to improve Example B?

Now, write your own answer to the question, remembering the following
features of writing an effective report.
l Begin with a clear title, stating for whom the report is written and
what it is about.
l Include a short introduction, making clear why you are writing the
report, the background to it, how you reached your conclusions and
where you found your information.
l Use separate subheadings for each topic as an effective way of
organising your material. Aim for about three or four subheadings.
l Include a conclusion in which you sum up your main points and
suggest what should happen next.
l Use a formal register with a respectful, calm tone.
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.

Check your understanding

1 Think of 2 things you should remember when writing a report.
2 Give 2 layout features of a formal letter.
3 Why does the opening of a speech need impact?
4 What are the 5 parts of a plan for a narrative?

[Link] 85 13/12/22 8:20 AM

Practice test paper 1 Non-fiction
Section A: reading
Read Text A and then answer questions 1–10.

Text A
Invasion of the Polar Bears!
Fifty-two hungry polar bears have occupied Guba, a remote area in
the Russian Arctic. The animals reportedly attacked locals, ransacked
garbage dumps and barged into residential areas.
The massive invasion of polar bears prompted the region to declare a
5 state of emergency.
‘People are scared, afraid to leave the house … afraid to let their
children go to school,’ a local resident stated. ‘There are between six
and ten polar bears constantly in the village.’
It’s not uncommon to see polar bears near the area’s southern coasts,
10 where they regularly converge in winter for seasonal seal hunts.
However, thinning sea ice caused by global warming is driving the
bears inland in search of more readily available meals.
However, scavenging in bins isn’t all the beasts are doing. Pictures
posted over the weekend show the bears traipsing through empty
15 schoolyards and even infiltrating the corridors of office buildings in
search of food.
To protect the town, locals have built extra fences around schools
and other sites, while special patrols try to scare off the bears with
cars and dogs. These measures have shown no tangible results in
20 frightening the bears and a special task force of ‘experts’ is on its way
to assess the worrying situation.
Polar bears are considered a vulnerable species around the world
as global warming continues to diminish their sea ice habitats. In the
Arctic, where the world’s estimated 22,000 to 33,000 polar bears live,
25 average temperatures are warming twice as fast as the rest of the
world, resulting in huge declines in sea ice every year, according to a
December 2018 report released by the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
As sea ice melts, polar bears have to travel farther and work harder to
30 catch seals, causing some to starve to death in the process. Others –
like those that invaded Guba – would rather eat garbage, it seems.

[Link] 86 13/12/22 8:20 AM

Section A: reading

1 Look at the first paragraph.

Give one adjective that describes where the polar bears live.
[1]
2 Look at the sentence in lines 1–2: ‘The animals reportedly attacked
locals, ransacked garbage dumps and barged into residential areas.’
Why does the writer use a long sentence here?
[1]
3 Read the second paragraph.
According to this paragraph, how have the residents been affected
by the presence of the polar bears?

[2]
4 What does the reader learn about how the habits of the polar
bears have changed in the fourth paragraph (‘It’s not uncommon to
see polar bears […] of more readily available meals’)?

[2]
5 Look at the sentence, ‘However, scavenging in bins isn’t all the
beasts are doing.’
Write down one word from the sentence that makes the polar
bears sound dangerous.
[1]
6 Look at the phrase ‘a special task force of “experts” is on its way
to assess the worrying situation’.
What does the use of quotation marks above tell the reader about
the writer’s opinion of the task force?
[1]
7 In the seventh paragraph, what does the word ‘vulnerable’ tell us
about the position of polar bears?
[1]
8 What is the purpose of the seventh paragraph?
[1]
9 What technique is used in the line ‘Others – like those that
invaded Guba – would rather eat garbage, it seems’?
Tick (✓) one box.
– simile
– parenthesis
– personification
– synonym [1]
10 Give two features of a newspaper article used in Text A.

[2]

[Link] 87 13/12/22 8:20 AM

PRACTICE TEST PAPERS

Read Text B and then answer questions 11–18.

Text B
Mountain Gorillas
Youngsters tumble, climb, and run playing follow the leader.
Another group plays a rowdy game of king of the mountain. Several
adults watch the action, relaxing nearby. Is this a playground scene
at school? No, guess again. It’s a lush mountain forest high in the
5 Virunga mountains of Africa, and the playmates are young mountain
gorillas under the watchful eyes of their mothers.
For a long time the image most people had of a gorilla encounter
included chest pounding, roaring, charging, and vicious, bared teeth.
But researchers studying gorillas reveal a very different picture of
10 mountain gorillas. The animals are peaceful, gentle, social, and
mainly vegetarian creatures. The occasional ferocious-looking,
impressive displays are generally from a male gorilla protecting his
family group from a threat.
A recent survey produced the excellent news that the mountain
15 gorilla population is now estimated at 1063 individuals, up from
fewer than 900 individuals in 2010. This increase is primarily due to
the co-operation from communities that live near mountain gorillas
and tourists, who pay high prices for the privilege of trekking to see
mountain gorillas.
20 The primary threat to mountain gorillas comes from forest clearance.
Conversion of land for agriculture and the need for natural resources
such as firewood lead to varying degrees of deforestation.
Gorillas are vulnerable to human diseases, and when coming into
contact with humans can pick up a variety of illnesses – even the
25 common cold can prove fatal. As gorillas have not developed the
necessary immunities, first time exposure to an illness or virus that is
relatively harmless to humans may devastate an entire population.
Mountain gorillas live for 35–40 years in the wild. They typically
move only about 500 metres per day, due to the mountainous terrain
30 and readily available food. Male mountain gorillas usually weigh
195 kg with an upright standing height of 168 cm. This compares to
females, at 100 kg and 140 cm. They live primarily on the ground but
will climb sturdy trees in order to find food.
Mountain gorillas live in family troops of up to 20 individuals, made
35 up of one adult male who is usually older than 12 years (often called a
‘silverback’ because of the silver fur on his back), a few adult females
and their offspring of various ages. Some troops will have more than
one mature male, but only one leader/alpha male. The subordinate
male (often called a ‘blackback’, and typically 8–12 years old) plays a
40 backup role and will assume the leadership role if the silverback dies.

11 What is the main purpose of Text B?

Tick (✓) one box.
– To encourage people to view mountain gorillas
– To give people information about mountain gorillas
– To warn people about the dangers of mountain gorillas
– To persuade people to help protect mountain gorillas [1]

[Link] 88 13/12/22 8:20 AM

Section A: reading

12 Pick out and write down one word from the first paragraph that
means ‘noisy’.
[1]
13 Look at the sentences ‘Is this playground scene at a school?
No, guess again.’
Why does the writer use the short question and answer here?
[1]
14 According to the second paragraph, why do gorillas pound their
chests and look angry?
[1]
15 In the third paragraph, why does the writer use the word ‘estimated’?
[1]
16 What, according to the fourth paragraph, is the main danger to
mountain gorillas?
[1]
17 A friend is interested in mountain gorillas and wants to find out
more information about them.
Complete the fact file about gorillas below using information
from Text B.
Life expectancy -

Height -
-

Weight -
-

Family troops -
-
-
-
-
- [3]
18 Summarise what you know about social groups of mountain
gorillas in no more than 30 words.

[3]

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PRACTICE TEST PAPERS

Section B: writing
19 Some people believe that it’s wrong to keep animals in captivity in
zoos or safari parks. Others think zoos do valuable conservation
work while allowing the public to see unusual or endangered animals.
What do you think, and why? Write a balanced argument, giving
your opinions.
You could include some of the following:
– Whether you think it’s better to see animals in the wild or in zoos
– Your own experience of seeing animals in different environments
– Your own ideas about animals [25]
Write your plan in this box and then write your answer on a separate
piece of paper.

[Link] 90 13/12/22 8:20 AM

Practice test paper 2 Fiction
Section A: reading
Read the extract below, and then answer the questions that follow.
The extract is taken from the opening of the novel Half of a Yellow Sun by
Chimamanda Adichie. It is set in Nigeria in 1960. Ugwu, a thirteen-year-
old boy, is starting work as a cleaner for a university professor in the city.

Master was a little crazy; he had spent too many years reading books
overseas, talked to himself in his office, did not always return greetings,
and had too much hair. Ugwu’s aunty said this in a low voice as they
walked on the path. ‘But he is a good man,’ she added. ‘And as long as
5 you work well, you will eat well. You will even eat meat every day.’
Ugwu did not believe that anybody, not even this master he was
going to live with, ate meat every day. He did not disagree with his
aunty, though, because he was too choked with expectation, too busy
imagining his new life away from the village. They had been walking
10 for a while now, since they got off the lorry at the motor park, and the
afternoon sun burned the back of his neck. But he did not mind. He
was prepared to walk hours more in even hotter sun. He had never
seen anything like the streets that appeared after they went past the
university gates, streets so smooth and tarred that he itched to lay his
15 cheek down on them. He would never be able to describe to his sister
Anulika how the bungalows here were painted the colour of the sky
and sat side by side like polite well-dressed men, how the hedges
separating them were trimmed so flat on top that they looked like
tables wrapped with leaves.
20 His aunty walked faster, her slippers making slap-slap sounds that
echoed in the silent street. Ugwu wondered if she, too, could feel
the coal tar getting hotter underneath, through her thin soles. They
went past a sign, ODIM STREET, and Ugwu mouthed street, as he did
whenever he saw an English word that was not too long.
25 He smelt something sweet, heady, as they walked into a compound,
and was sure it came from the white flowers clustered on the bushes
at the entrance. The bushes were shaped like slender hills. The lawn
glistened. Butterflies hovered overhead.
‘I told Master you will learn everything very fast,’ his aunty said.
30 Ugwu nodded attentively although she had already told him the
story of how his good fortune came about: while she was sweeping
the corridor in the Mathematics Department a week ago, she heard
Master say that he needed a houseboy to do his cleaning, and she
immediately said she could help, speaking before his typist or office
35 messenger could offer to bring someone.
‘I will learn fast, Aunty,’ Ugwu said. He was staring at the car in the
garage; a strip of metal ran around its blue body like a necklace.
‘Remember, what you will answer whenever he calls you is Yes, sah!’
‘Yes, sah!’ Ugwu repeated.

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PRACTICE TEST PAPERS

40 They were standing before the glass door. Ugwu held back from
reaching out to touch the cement wall, to see how different it would
feel from the mud walls of his mother’s hut that still bore the faint
patterns of moulding fingers. For a brief moment, he wished he were
back there now, in his mother’s hut, under the dim coolness of the
45 thatch roof; or in his aunty’s hut, the only one in the village with a
corrugated-iron roof.
His aunty tapped on the glass. Ugwu could see the white curtains
behind the door. A voice said, in English, ‘Yes? Come in.’
They took off their slippers before walking in. Ugwu had never seen a
50 room so wide. Despite the brown sofas arranged in a semi-circle, the
side tables between them, the shelves crammed with books, and the
centre table with a vase of red and white plastic flowers, the room still
seemed to have too much space. Master sat in an armchair, wearing a
vest and a pair of shorts. He was not sitting upright but slanted, a book
55 covering his face, as though oblivious that he had just asked people in.
‘Good afternoon, sah! This is the child,’ Ugwu’s aunty said.
Master looked up. He pulled off his glasses. ‘The child?’
‘The houseboy, sah. He will work hard,’ his aunty said. ‘He is a very
good boy. Thank, sah!’
60 Master grunted in response, watching Ugwu and his aunty with a
faintly distracted expression, as if their presence made it difficult for
him to remember something important. Ugwu’s aunty patted Ugwu’s
shoulder, whispered that he should do well, and turned to the door.
Ugwu stood by the door, waiting.

1 Look at the first paragraph.

Give one phrase that shows that Ugwu’s aunty is whispering.
[1]
2 Which of these words would best describe Master in the first
paragraph?
Tick (✓) one box.
– Rude
– Eccentric
– Humorous
– Respectful [1]
3 Write down 2 separate phrases from lines 5–7 that suggest
Ugwu’s anticipation of the city.

[2]
4 What technique does the writer use in the line ‘the bungalows
here were painted the colour of the sky and sat side by side like
polite well-dressed men’?
– Metaphor
– Alliteration
– Simile
– Hyperbole [1]

[Link] 92 13/12/22 8:20 AM

Section A: reading

5 Explain what the line in question 4 tells us about Ugwu’s impression

of the city.

[2]
6 Explain what the line ‘streets so smooth and tarred that he itched
to lay his cheek down on them’ tells us about Ugwu’s attitude.
[1]
7 Read the fourth paragraph. The writer makes the place seem
pleasant and friendly.
Explain two ways in which the writer does this. Support your
answers with examples from the text.

[4]
8 Read the fifth paragraph. What impression do we have of Ugwu’s
aunty here? Write down a quotation to support your impression.

[2]
9 Write down two differences between Ugwu’s living quarters back
home and this new environment.

[2]
10 Explain in your own words what the line ‘as though oblivious that
he had just asked people in’ means.
[1]
11 What impressions do we have of Master’s room from the eleventh
paragraph?
Make two different points and support each one with evidence or
a quotation.

[4]
12 Read the fifteenth paragraph. Give two phrases that create a
negative impression of Master.

[2]
13 What impression do we have of the relationship between Ugwu
and his aunty in the fifteenth paragraph? Support your point with
a quotation.

[2]

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PRACTICE TEST PAPERS

Section B: writing
Write a story about a time that someone visits an unfamiliar place
for the first time.
You should consider
l whether you are writing about yourself or a fictitious character
l the setting
l how the character feels. [25]
Write your plan in this box and then write your answer on a separate
piece of paper.

[Link] 94 13/12/22 8:20 AM

Glossary
ellipsis a set of dots (…) to show where words are
adjective a describing word
missing or to suggest that something more is to come
adverb a word that describes a verb/action
emotive language words that affect the
alliteration repetition of consonant sounds at the reader’s emotions
beginning of words for effect
enjambment a run-on line of poetry
antonym a word that means the opposite of
essay a piece of writing on a particular subject
another word
euphemism a word or phrase used instead of one that
apostrophe a punctuation mark (’) used to show that
might cause offence
letter(s) have been removed (omission), or to show that
something belongs to someone (possession) exclamation mark a punctuation mark (!) used to
indicate strong feelings
argument a piece of writing where different viewpoints
are considered expert opinion a comment on something given by
someone who knows a lot about the subject
atmosphere the tone or feeling of a piece of writing
explain to make (an idea or situation) clear to someone
audience the people for whom a piece of writing
by describing it in more detail or revealing relevant facts
is intended
facts things that are known or proven to be true
autobiography a piece of writing about your own life
flashback a scene that goes back to events in the past
biography a piece of writing about someone else’s life
fiction pieces of writing about imaginary events
brackets the symbols ( ) put around an extra/separate
or people
word(s) in a sentence, see parentheses
first-person narrator a narrator writing from his or her
climax the point of highest tension in a story
viewpoint using I
colon a colon is a punctuation mark (:) and often
formal letter a serious letter written to someone in a
precedes an explanation, a list or a quoted sentence
position of authority
comma a punctuation mark (,) indicating a pause
format the way in which something is arranged or laid
between parts of a sentence or separating items in a list
out on a page
comparative an adjective expressing a comparison
full stop a punctuation mark (.) to indicate the end of
between two things, recognised by the suffix -er or the
a sentence
word more, such as braver, more fiercely
genre a style or type of writing (or art or music)
complex sentence a sentence with two or more verbs
and containing two or more pieces of information grammar how words work together to make meaning
compound sentence a series of simple sentences headline a heading at the top of an article or page in
joined together with a word like and or but a newspaper or magazine
conjunction a joining word (a type of connective), heading a line at the top of an article or page in a
such as however, because, and newspaper or magazine
connective a linking word, used to join together words, homophones words that sound the same, are spelt
phrases or clauses, or to show relationships between differently and mean different things
sentences, such as and, but, then
hyperbole the use of exaggeration for effect
definite article a word that comes before a specific
hyphen a sign (-) used to join two words or two parts of
noun (the)
a word together
direct address use of the second person (you/your/
indefinite article a word that comes before a
you’re) to appeal to a reader
non-specific noun (a or an)
direct speech the actual words that are spoken
interview when a reporter asks someone questions
dystopia an imaginary world or society in which people about what happened for a newspaper report
suffer or are treated unjustly

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GLOSSARY

main clause the part of a sentence that makes sense quotation words or phrases taken from a text
on its own
register the formality and choice of vocabulary needed
metaphor a comparison between two things that does in certain situations
not use the words like or as
repetition the repeating of ideas or words
minor sentence a short, incomplete sentence that does
report an account of something, often formal, that
not include a verb
gives information that has been collected
mnemonic a pattern of words or letters to help you
rhetorical question a question asked in order to create
remember something
a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get
mood the feeling that a writer is trying to create by an answer
using certain words
semicolon a punctuation mark (;) indicating a pause,
narrative a story or an organised and coherent account typically between two main clauses, that is more
of a series of connected events pronounced than that indicated by a comma
narrator the person who is telling the story setting the place or location where an event takes place
non-fiction writing about real people and real events simile a comparison between two things using like or as
noun a naming word for a person, a place or a thing simple sentence a sentence that has a subject and
one verb
onomatopoeia the use of words to indicate the sound
they make, such as buzz, crack speech a piece of persuasive text delivered to an audience
opinion a view about something, which may not be statistics facts, figures and data
based on fact
structure the way ideas are organised
paragraph a group of sentences about the same idea
style the way a writer writes, the words they use and
or topic
how they use them
parentheses the symbols ( ) put around an extra/
subject the part of the sentence that does the action
separate word(s) in a sentence, see brackets
subordinate clause the part of the sentence that doesn’t
parenthesis a word or phrase inserted as an
make sense on its own and depends on the main clause
explanation or afterthought into a passage which is
grammatically complete without it; in writing, usually suffix a letter or group of letters added to the end of a
marked off by brackets, dashes, or commas word to create a new word or to change the meaning of
the original word
participles -ing words
summary a shortened version of a text that includes
past tense a tense that describes something that has
the important details
already happened in the past, such as he went
superlative an adjective expressing the highest or a
personification human characteristics given to
very high degree of a quality, recognised by the suffix
inanimate objects
-est or the word most, such as bravest, most fiercely
persuade to encourage someone to do something
synonym a word with a similar meaning to another
plot storyline word, such as ‘ancient’ being a synonym for ‘old’
plural a word showing more than one of something third-person narrator this narrator does not take part
in the events of the story
preposition a word that tells you where or when
something is in relation to something else, such as tone the feeling or mood of a piece of writing
on, under
topic sentence a sentence that outlines or summarises
present tense a tense that describes something that is the main idea or subject of a piece
happening in the present, such as she is going
travelogue a piece of writing about travel
pronoun a word used instead of a noun, such as I, you, it
tripling using three related words or phrases for emphasis
proofreading checking your work for spelling,
verb an action or ‘doing’ word
punctuation and grammar mistakes, and sense
vocabulary words that are used
proper noun the name of a particular person, thing
or place vowel suffix a suffix that begins with a vowel, such as -ed,
-ing
purpose the reason why something is written

9781398342873_BM.indd 96 13/12/22 9:37 AM

Papers

NON FICITON
Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoint

ENGLISH 0861/01
Paper 1 Non-fiction April 2023
INSERT 1 hour 10 minutes

INFORMATION


• This insert contains the reading passages.

• You may annotate this insert and use the blank spaces for planning. Do not write your answers on
the insert.

This document has 4 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

Text A

Park Güell

Antoni Gaudí is one of Spain’s most famous artists. The park he created, Park Güell, in
Barcelona is one of the most visited attractions in Spain. It is as whimsical1 as a park can get.
Initially, the park was meant to be a housing estate for the rich, commissioned by a wealthy 5
nobleman, Count Güell. He hired Gaudí to design the project, but it eventually folded due to the
land’s incompatible conditions for building. Despite this, Gaudí continued and the housing
estate became a garden park. Gaudí modelled these gardens on ones he had seen in England,
building around the natural elements of the land instead of destroying them.

Today’s park covers 170 000 square metres of space, full of everyday park features with a twist 10
that is characteristically Gaudí. For example, instead of numerous benches spread throughout
the park, visitors are greeted with one long, wavy stone bench adorned with vibrant mosaics
and magnificent views of the ocean. And instead of drab administrative buildings, the welcome
centres (which contain park souvenirs and learning materials on Gaudí and the park) look like
buildings you’d see in Dr Seuss’s children’s books. 15

You can also find plenty of picturesque pathways that weave along verdant vegetation, down
cascading tiled staircases and through jagged stone columns and tunnels. While you’re here,
don’t miss the chance to see the Sala Hipóstila. Located right at the entrance, the Sala Hipóstila
was originally intended to be a market hall. Today it serves to do nothing more than dazzle
visitors with its stately stone columns and beautiful mosaic works, which you’ll find dotted all 20
over the ceiling. Other popular attractions include Turó de les Tres Creus (Hill of the Three
Crosses), a lookout point, situated in the south-western part of the park with impressive views of
the city.

Park Güell is a lovely place to spend a day in Barcelona. Take time to explore the trails Park
Güell has to offer, but make sure you come prepared. Being built on a hill, trails feature steep 25
inclines and unpaved pathways. And keep in mind that since this is one of Barcelona’s most
popular attractions, there will always be crowds. In fact, only 2.4 per cent of Barcelona residents
visit the park. The vast majority of the visitors are national and international tourists.

Park Güell is open every day; hours vary depending on the season. Tickets are 7 euros (around
$8) online and 8 euros (about $9.50) at the park. To avoid the disappointment of not being able 30
to visit the park on the day you want to, make sure you book your ticket in advance online. For
more information, visit Park Güell’s website.

Glossary
1
whimsical: playful, light-hearted, quirky

Text B

Pocket parks

Pocket parks, also known as miniparks, are urban open spaces on a very small scale. Usually
only the size of a tennis court or smaller, pocket parks can be tucked into and scattered
throughout the urban fabric, where they serve the immediate local population. These diminutive 5
parks act as scaled-down neighbourhood parks, but still often try to meet a variety of needs.
Functions can include small community event space, play areas for children, spaces for meeting
friends or taking lunch breaks. However, because space is restricted and user needs are both
diverse and vary throughout the day, conflicts can sometimes arise between different groups.
Thus, in organising pocket parks, designers must often work out a delicate balancing act so that 10
all groups can use the space in peaceful co-existence.

One of the unique and exciting characteristics of pocket parks is that they may be created out of
waste ground or otherwise forgotten spaces. Many pocket parks are the result of community
groups or private entities reclaiming these spaces for the benefit of the local neighbourhood.
Unfortunately, they are sometimes easier to create than to maintain, because without 15
community support, use and maintenance, they may fall into disrepair.

Although the ecological functions of pocket parks are limited because of their size and location,
greenery within them can still help the environment. They regulate microclimates and present
opportunities for increasing the number of permeable surfaces. Pocket parks throughout the
urban environment also have the potential to benefit the ecology of cities. This is because 20
people who have parks within walking distance are less likely to drive far away for the same
facilities, thereby reducing traffic and pollution.

BLANK PAGE

Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the
publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.

To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer-related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge
Assessment International Education Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download
at [Link] after the live examination series.

Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of Cambridge Assessment. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge
Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is a department of the University of Cambridge.

Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoint


ENGLISH 0861/01
Paper 1 Non-fiction April 2023
1 hour 10 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

You will need: Insert (enclosed)

INSTRUCTIONS
• Answer all questions.
• Use a black or dark blue pen.
• Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
• Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
• Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
• Do not write on any bar codes.

INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 50.
• The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].
• The insert contains the reading passages.

This document has 12 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

Section A: Reading

Spend 30 minutes on this section.

Read Text A, an article from a cycling magazine, in the insert, and then answer Questions 1–6.

1 Look at the first paragraph (lines 3–9).

(a) Why is the park called Park Güell?

[1]

(b) The original plan for the park was very different from the park that Gaudí created.
Complete the table below to show the differences.

The original plan What Gaudí created

a housing estate

worked with natural elements

[2]

2 Look at the second paragraph (lines 10–15).

(a) Which phrase brings the reader’s attention back from the past to the present?

[1]

(b) What effect does the writer create by using the word adorned?

[1]

3 Look at the third paragraph (lines 16–23).

(a) The writer creates an image of the pathways being like water.
How? Support your answer with a quotation.

Explanation:

Quotation:
[2]

(b) The writer uses personal pronouns in the third paragraph.

What effect does this have on the reader?

[1]

(c) Look at the last sentence of the third paragraph (lines 21–23). Extra information is given in
two ways: with brackets and with commas.
Why is some extra information given in commas? Tick () one box.

The information given in commas

explains previous information.

repeats something previously mentioned.

separates independent clauses.

gives an example of something previously mentioned.

[1]

(d) Why is some extra information given in brackets?

[1]

4 Look at the fourth paragraph (lines 24–28).

(a) The writer refers to being prepared.

What do you need to do to be prepared to visit the park? Give one quotation from the text to
support your answer.

Explanation:

Quotation:
[2]

(b) Why does the writer use imperatives in this paragraph? Tick () one box.

to warn

to advise

to add impact

to explain details

[1]

5 The text is structured to make the information accessible to the reader.

Match the main topic to each paragraph. One has been done for you.

First paragraph Specific entrance details

Second paragraph Description of main attractions

Third paragraph Practical guidance for visitors

Fourth paragraph Overview of the park

Fifth paragraph History of the park

[3]

6 In the first paragraph of the text, the writer describes Park Güell as whimsical. Do you think the
park is whimsical? Tick () one box.

Yes

Explain your answer. Support your explanation with one quotation from the text.

Explanation:

Quotation:
[2]

Read Text B, in the insert, and answer Questions 7–9.

7 Look at the first paragraph (lines 3–11).

Find one two-word phrase that means ‘hidden’.

[1]

8 Look at the second paragraph (lines 12–16).

Find one three-word phrase that means ‘become in need of restoration’.

[1]

9 (a) You are part of a group planning to create a pocket park in your area. You have been asked
to make some notes about pocket parks. Use the text to complete the information in the table
below.

Notes about pocket parks

Which areas are

used for the •
parks?

Who creates the

parks? •

What are the

possible • somewhere to eat lunch
purposes of the
parks?
•

What are the

possible •
problems?

What are the

advantages to the •
environment?

[3]

(b) Write a summary of up to 40 words about what benefits a pocket park could bring to a local
area. Use four or five points from your notes.

[2]

Section B: Writing

Spend 30 minutes on this section.

10 Pocket parks are one way that local communities can improve the environment in towns and
cities.
What could improve the environment of your area? Write an article for your school’s magazine
explaining how this could be done.

You may want to think about:

• different types of pollution

• recreation facilities
• transportation.

Space for your plan:

Write your article on the next page. [25 marks]

Cambridge International Examinations
Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education

FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH 0500/11

Paper 1 Reading Passages (Core) October/November 2015
READING BOOKLET INSERT
1 hour 45 minutes
*4958481666-I*

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

This Reading Booklet Insert contains the reading passages for use with all the questions on the Question
Paper.

You may annotate this Reading Booklet Insert and use the blank spaces for planning.
This Reading Booklet Insert is not assessed by the Examiner.

This document consists of 3 printed pages and 1 blank page.

Part 1

Read Passage A carefully and then answer Questions 1 and 2 on the Question Paper.

Passage A: Heading for the Shore

In the following passage the narrator describes being in a small boat that is caught in rough
seas off the coast of Florida, and which is starting to sink.

‘She’s going to sink for sure!’ said the captain, ‘All we can do is to get as near to the beach as
possible, and when she sinks, pile out and scramble for the shore.’

The steersman took the oars, scanned the surf and swung the boat around as we stared at
the lonely and indifferent shore. The monstrous waves heaved the boat high and revealed the
white sheets of water surging up the slanted beach. 5

‘We won’t get very close,’ said the steersman. I watched the others and saw that they were
not afraid. There were no hurried words, no pale, terrified faces, no agitation. The men simply
looked at the shore. I was too tired to grapple with the reality of death, but it occurred to me
that if I should drown it would be a great shame.

‘Remember to get well clear of the boat when you jump,’ said the captain. 10

Seaward the crest of a wave suddenly fell with a thunderous crash and came roaring down
upon the boat.

‘Steady now,’ said the captain. Everyone was silent. We turned our eyes from the shore to the
wave and waited. The boat slid up the incline of the wave, leaped at the furious top, bounced
over it, and swung down the long back. Some water had come into the boat and the cook tried 15
to bale it out.

But then another tumbling, boiling, white wave caught the boat and whirled it almost
perpendicular. Water swarmed in from all sides. The little boat, unsteady with this weight of
water, reeled and snuggled deeper into the sea.

‘The next one will sink us, for sure,’ said the steersman. 20

‘Remember to jump clear of the boat,’ shouted the captain.

The third wave moved forward, huge, furious, implacable. It fairly swallowed the boat, and
almost simultaneously we tumbled into the sea. A piece of life-belt lay in the bottom of the
boat and as I went overboard I grabbed hold of it.

The January water was icy, and seemed colder than I expected to find it off the coast of 25
Florida. To my dazed mind the coldness of the water was sad; it was tragic. It seemed a
proper reason for tears.

When I surfaced I was conscious of little but the noisy water. I saw my companions struggling
in the sea. The steersman was ahead in the race. He was swimming strongly and rapidly. Off
to my left, the cook’s great white hat bulged out of the water, and behind him the captain was 30
hanging with his one good hand to the middle of the overturned boat.

There is a certain immovable quality to a shore; I wondered at it amid the confusion of the
sea. It seemed very attractive, but I knew that it was a long journey and paddled leisurely. I
was kept afloat by the piece of life-belt and sometimes whirled down the incline of a wave as if
I were on a surf board. But then I arrived at a place in the sea where I could move no further. 35
I tried to continue swimming but was unable to do so because of the current in which I was
caught, and my progress ceased.

Part 2

Read Passage B carefully, and then answer Question 3 on the Question Paper.

Passage B: Mysterious Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald

Controversy surrounds attempts by diver Frederick Shannon to recover the bell from the wreckage of
the sunken freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald.

The wreckage sits 160 metres below Lake Superior’s surface. There are two large, intact sections at
either end, but the middle was broken into pieces. The ship sank 27 kilometres from Whitefish Point in
November 1975, during a storm.

It’s one of thousands of shipwrecks that dot the Canadian Great Lakes, but it’s easily the most famous,
thanks in large part to singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot’s 1976 ballad, The Wreck of the Edmund
Fitzgerald.

The cause of its sinking is unclear. There are multiple theories, including giant waves, UFOs and
sabotage. The uncertainty even prompted Lightfoot to alter his lyrics. After watching a documentary on
the accident that suggested a rogue wave was to blame, he removed a reference to a hatchway failure
and any suggestion of human error.

One thing is clear: the storm that battered the Fitzgerald was a monster, whipping the freighter with
hurricane-force winds and massive waves. Frederick Shannon believes structural failure was the cause.
“It had a lengthy record of maintenance problems,” he says of the ship. “There’s a lot of doubt about its
seaworthiness.”

Shannon is one of the few divers who have seen the Fitzgerald wreckage. The number is likely to
remain small because authorities in Canada have placed strict protections over the site to limit access.
Although the official record lists the Fitzgerald’s resting place in Canadian waters, Shannon contends
part of the wreckage is in the USA. Some people believe that crewmembers knew the ship was in
trouble before it sank, raising doubts about claims that the ship sank suddenly. Shannon says he
believes the ship broke apart on the surface.

As another anniversary of the Fitzgerald’s sinking approaches, Shannon says he now has a better
appreciation of the pain felt by the crew’s relatives. “Removing the bell from the Fitzgerald will bring
solace to the families,” he says. “I think they need a physical object for closure, and what better than the
heart of the ship, which is the bell.”

BLANK PAGE

Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every reasonable
effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the publisher will
be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.

To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer-related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge International
Examinations Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download at [Link] after
the live examination series.

Cambridge International Examinations is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of University of Cambridge Local
Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is itself a department of the University of Cambridge.

Cambridge International Examinations
Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education
* 4 9 5 8 4 8 1 6 6 6 *

FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH 0500/11

Paper 1 Reading Passages (Core) October/November 2015
1 hour 45 minutes
Candidates answer on the Question Paper.

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

Write your Centre number, candidate number and name in the spaces provided.
Write in dark blue or black pen.
Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid.
DO NOT WRITE IN ANY BARCODES.

Answer all questions in the space provided. If additional space is required, you should use the lined pages at
the end of this booklet. The question number(s) must be clearly shown.

Dictionaries are not permitted.

The Reading Booklet Insert contains the reading passages, for use with all questions on this Question Paper.
The Insert is not assessed by the Examiner.

The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.

This document consists of 9 printed pages and 3 blank pages and 1 Reading Booklet Insert.

Read carefully Passage A, Heading for the Shore, in the Reading Booklet Insert and then answer
Questions 1 and 2 on this Question Paper.

Answer all questions using your own words as far as possible.

Question 1

(a) Which word in paragraph two suggests that the sea is dangerous (The steersman took the
oars…)?

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[1]

(b) How does the writer’s use of language in the following sentence help you to understand the
state of mind of the sailors: ‘There were no hurried words, no pale, terrified faces, no agitation.’
(line 7)?

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]

(d) Using your own words, explain the effect of the sentence, ‘Water swarmed in from all sides.’
(line 18).

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]

(e) State two ways in which the sailors try to survive in the water (paragraph twelve, ‘When I
surfaced…’).

• ...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

• ...........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[2]

(f) Using your own words, explain what the narrator finds ‘attractive’ about the shore as he
looks at it from the sea (paragraph thirteen, ‘There is a certain…’).

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]

(g) Re-read paragraphs seven and ten (‘But then another…into the sea,’ and ‘The third wave…
hold of it.’)

(i) Explain using your own words, what the writer means by the words in italics in three of
the following phrases:

1. ‘…another tumbling, boiling, white wave caught the boat…’ (line 17)
2. ‘…whirled it almost perpendicular…’ (lines 17–18)
3. ‘…reeled and snuggled deeper into the sea.’ (line 19)
4. ‘The third wave moved forward, huge, furious, implacable…’ (line 22)

Phrase selected: 1, 2, 3 or 4 .............

Meaning of the words in italics: ...................................................................................[1]

Phrase selected: 1, 2, 3 or 4 .............

Meaning of the words in italics: ...................................................................................[1]

Phrase selected: 1, 2, 3 or 4 .............

Meaning of the words in italics: ...................................................................................[1]

(ii) Explain how the words and language in each of the phrases you have chosen for
Question (g)(i) help to suggest the power of the sea.

Phrase selected: 1, 2, 3 or 4 .............

Explanation .......................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[2]

Phrase selected: 1, 2, 3 or 4 .............

Explanation .......................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[2]

Phrase selected: 1, 2, 3 or 4 .............

Explanation .......................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[2]

[Total: 20]

BLANK PAGE

Question 2

Imagine that you are the narrator from Passage A. After this incident you are interviewed by a
local radio station about your experiences. Write a script of the interview.

In the interview you should talk about:

• how you and the rest of the crew came to be in the water
• your thoughts and feelings when this happened
• how you managed to survive the experience.

Base your answers on what you have read in Passage A, but do not copy from it.
Be careful to use your own words. Address each of the three bullet points.

Begin the interview:

Interviewer: ‘Perhaps you could start by telling us how the boat got into trouble.’
Narrator: ‘Well, we were heading towards…’

Write about 200 to 300 words.

Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer, and up to 5 marks for the
quality of your writing.

..........................................................................................................................................................

Read carefully Passage B, Mysterious Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, in the Reading Booklet
Insert and then answer Question 3(a) and (b) on this Question Paper.

Question 3

Answer the questions in the order set.

(a) Notes

What do you learn about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald and what do people think
might have happened, according to Passage B?

Write your answers using short notes. Write one point per line.

You do not need to use your own words.

Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer.

Information about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald and what do people think
might have happened:

1 .........................................................................................................................................

2 .........................................................................................................................................

3 .........................................................................................................................................

4 .........................................................................................................................................

5 .........................................................................................................................................

6 .........................................................................................................................................

7 .........................................................................................................................................

8 .........................................................................................................................................

9 .........................................................................................................................................

10 .........................................................................................................................................
[10]

(b) Summary

Now use your notes to write a summary of what Passage B tells you about the sinking of the
Edmund Fitzgerald and what people think might have happened.

You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible.

Your summary should include all 10 of your points in Question 3(a) and must be 100 to 150
words.

Up to 5 marks are available for the quality of your writing.

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[5]

[Total: 15]

Additional Page

If you use the following lined page to complete the answer(s) to any question(s), the question number(s)
must be clearly shown.

..................................................................................................................................................................

Additional Page

If you use the following lined page to complete the answer(s) to any question(s), the question number(s)
must be clearly shown.

..................................................................................................................................................................

BLANK PAGE

Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every reasonable
effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the publisher will
be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.

Papers

FICITON
Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoint


ENGLISH 1111/02
Paper 2 Fiction October 2021
1 hour 10 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

You will need: Insert (enclosed)

INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 50.
• The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].
• The insert contains the reading passage.

This document has 8 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

Section A: Reading

Spend 40 minutes on this section.

Read the Text in the Insert, and then answer questions 1–11.

1 (a) Why is ‘Petra’ an unsuitable name for Aunt Petra?

Tick () one box.

‘Petra’ means rock, but Aunt Petra is …

pale

flexible

plump

delicate

[1]

(b) What does the term ‘Aunt Petra’ tell the reader about Petra’s relationship with Nora and
her mother?

[1]

2 Look at the first paragraph (lines 1–9).

Give one phrase that shows that Petra’s guests did not mix together socially.

[1]

3 Look at this sentence: ‘When the sun does come out, it does so apologetically, like a
ballerina who is unsure of her entrance on stage.’ (Lines 11–12)
What literary techniques does the writer use in the sentence above? Tick () two boxes.

a simile

an oxymoron

alliteration

a euphemism

personification

[2]

4 Look at this sentence: ‘The climate suits me.’ (Lines 12–13)

What does the sentence above tell the reader about how Nora is feeling?

[1]

5 Nora calls Petra’s classes her ‘Organised Wellness’. (Line 17)

What does the phrase above tell the reader about Nora’s attitude towards Petra’s classes
and workshops?

[1]

6 What makes the location of Aunt Petra’s guesthouse especially suitable for people on silent
retreats?

[1]

7 Look at lines 30–35. The writer uses two-word phrases to show that the equipment Bill gives
Nora to write on is old and worn out.
Give four of the phrases.
•

•
[4]

8 What evidence is there in the text that Nora is staying at Aunt Petra’s guesthouse as a patient
rather than a visitor? Complete the table below. Give two explanations in your own words
and support each explanation with a quotation from the text. An example has been given.

Explanation in your own words Quotation from the text

Petra is concerned about her and wants her Aunt Petra is keen for me to take part in
to join the classes. classes and workshops.

[4]

9 Look at lines 37–43.

(a) Give one word that means ‘walking slowly’.

[1]

(b) What contrast is Nora making in lines 39–40?

[1]

10 Look at this sentence: ‘Because this is no fairy tale.’ (Line 44)

(a) What techniques does the writer use to emphasise the sentence above? Give two ways.
•

•
[2]

(b) How does Nora view her life so far?

[1]

11 Nora feels bad about something that has happened in her life.
Explain how the reader knows this. Give two explanations in your own words, and support
each explanation with a quotation from the text.

Explanation in your own words Quotation from the text

[4]

Section B: Writing

Spend 30 minutes on this section.

12 Look at this quotation from the text: ‘I want to explain what I did, and with whom. And where, and
when and why. What happened, and what happened next.’

Write your own story about someone who is hiding a big secret.

You could continue Nora’s story, or write about yourself or about someone else.

Space for your plan:

Write your story on the next page. [25 marks]

BLANK PAGE

Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of
Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoint

ENGLISH 1111/02
Paper 2 Fiction October 2021
INSERT 1 hour 10 minutes

INFORMATION


• This insert contains the reading passage.

• You may annotate this insert and use the blank spaces for planning. Do not write your answers on
the insert.

This document has 4 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

Text for Section A, an extract from ‘Little Liar’ by Julia Gray

Nora is a young, teenage girl who has been sent to stay with a family friend who runs a special
guesthouse in a remote part of Scotland.

***

At present, I am staying with my Aunt Petra, who is not my aunt at all, but a lifelong friend of
mother’s. The name ‘Petra’, means rock, but there is nothing rocklike about my non-aunt, who is
as curved and soft as candyfloss. She runs a guesthouse here, in the Scottish Highlands, with
her husband Bill. People come to relax, and meditate and heal. They walk beside the lochs* that
lie on either side of the peninsula; they learn about Thai food and how to build walls. I’ve been 5
here a fortnight or so. There are six other guests, and mostly we keep ourselves to ourselves.
Two people are doing a silent retreat, which makes for minimal interaction. Another guest, with
whom I’m now on quite friendly terms, is recuperating after an accident. The rest are yoga
devotees.

It’s July, not that you can tell; every day dawns uniformly grey, and the rain cycles from a 10
spatter to a thundery relentlessness. When the sun does come out, it does so apologetically,
like a ballerina who is unsure of her entrance on stage. I do not mind the weather. The climate
suits me.

Aunt Petra is keen for me to take part in classes and workshops: T’ai Chi, for example, or
Spiritual Healing (this one, she feels, might be especially appropriate). Each morning, over 15
porridge resembling wet sand in colour and texture, she tries to sign me up. Each morning, I
decline. I came to Scotland for peace and silence, not to participate in her Organised Wellness.
However, I do quite often agree to take her dog, Oscar, for a walk. As long as it isn’t raining too
hard, Oscar and I wander through fields thick with stubby nettles, beating pathways down to the
loch; or else we follow one of the narrow tracks that crisscross through woodland to the top of 20
the peninsula, passing isolated farms and small rivers, until we reach one of the nearby villages.
And then it begins to rain harder, and we wait for a bus to take us back.

This morning, I made an announcement. I don’t know who was more surprised, Aunt Petra or
me.

‘I’m going to write,’ I said. 25

Aunt Petra paused at the breadboard. ‘To . . . to what, love? To light?’

‘Write,’ I said.

‘Poems? Fairy tales?’

‘Something like that.’

She couldn’t have been more pleased. Before I knew it, Bill was bringing in an old sewing table 30
with a missing foot, like a lame calf, and setting up a computer with a yellowed keyboard and
arthritic mouse.

‘What about your wounded arm?’ Petra said, looking down at the bandage that hid the savage
purple scar on which all her lotions and potions had had little effect. I said I’d go slowly, which
was very much my intention, and see how it felt. 35

So here I am, with time, as well as potions, on my hands.

I have never tried to write anything before. I’m more of a reader; I don’t like to commit myself to
the page. I’d rather judge others for what they have chosen to commit. There’s a daunting
finality to writing. Even though I am working on a computer, and hardly carving quill-ink letters
onto leathery parchment, even though I can delete and redo to my heart’s content, the words 40
still glower darkly from the screen. We are finished articles, they say. We are evidence. We can
be used against you. In their straight-line sentences, they form a solemn procession, like ants
plodding towards a cliff edge.

Because this is no fairy tale.

It is almost, for want of a better word, a confession. I’d say ‘memoir’, only that conjures 45
something more grown-up than this, something less messy. I quite like the word chronicle. What
I mean to set out is a series of events at which I was present.

I want to explain what I did, and with whom. And where, and when and why. What happened,
and what happened next. The Chronicles of Nora, if you like.

And it will be a true story. 50

What will become quickly apparent is that I have not always told the truth before. To put it
another way: I have told a number of lies. Some of them have been small, and some of them
have been significant.

I am growing familiar with these ancient keys, and it is appropriate that they are keys, I keep
thinking, because something is being unlocked. And although sometimes I think this will drive 55
me mad – the endless, oppressive silence, the rain, the view of the loch through my window – a
small part of me knows that what will really drive me mad is if I let this go unwritten.

DO NOT WRITE IN THIS SPACE

BLANK PAGE

Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoint


ENGLISH 1111/02
Paper 2 Fiction April 2021
1 hour 10 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

You will need: Insert (enclosed)

INFORMATION
• The total mark for this paper is 50.
• The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].
• The insert contains the reading passage.

This document has 8 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

Section A: Reading

Spend 30 minutes on this section.

Read the Text in the insert, and then answer Questions 1–12.

1 Who is the narrator in the story? Tick () one box.

Papa

Mama

Carlos

Esperanza

[1]

2 The family’s hopes of a better house seem unlikely to come true.

Give one quotation from lines 1–8 that tells the reader this.

[1]

3 Look at the first and second paragraphs (lines 1–15).

(a) What are the differences between the houses described in each paragraph?
Complete the table below with information from the text.

First paragraph Second paragraph

Rooms three washrooms

Condition The bricks are crumbling.

Outside a great big yard

[3]

(b) Why has the writer put these paragraphs next to each other? Use your own words.

[1]

4 Look at this phrase: ‘… windows so small you’d think they were holding their breath.’ (Line 10)
What technique is this an example of?

[1]

5 Give one quotation from lines 16–20 that tells the reader that Loomis is a dangerous area.

[1]

6 Look at lines 21–24.

(a) There is repeated four times in italics.

What does this tell the reader about the attitude of the nun? Tick () one box.

She feels

envy.

confusion.

amusement.

contempt.

[1]

(b) The narrator is embarrassed about the house.

Give one quotation that tells the reader this.

[1]

7 Look at this sentence: ‘But I know how those things go.’ (Lines 26–27)
What does the narrator mean in the sentence above?

[1]

8 Look at lines 33–38.

(a) Give one example of each of the following:

a metaphor

repetition

alliteration [3]

(b) What does the reader learn about the mother’s character?

[1]

9 Look at the section of the text under the heading My Name (lines 39–53).
Why does Esperanza want to change her name? Give two reasons, using your own words.
•

•
[2]

10 Look at lines 45–51.

What does this paragraph tell the reader about women’s lives in the past? Complete the table below.

Quotation What it tells the reader

‘… a wild horse of a woman, so wild she

wouldn’t marry.’

‘… my great-grandfather threw a sack over

her head and carried her off.’

‘She looked out the window her whole life,’

[3]

11 What genre of story is this text?

Tick () one box.

historical fiction

science fiction

comical fiction

realistic fiction

[1]

12 Look at the whole text.

Explain four ways that Esperanza wants her life to be different in the future.

[4]

Section B: Writing

Spend 30 minutes on this section.

13 Something unexpected happens to Esperanza and her family. Continue the story.

You could include some of the following in your story:

• what happens to Esperanza and her family

• how it changes their lives
• how they feel.

Space for your plan:

Write your story on the next page. [25 marks]

Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoint

ENGLISH 1111/02
Paper 2 Fiction April 2021
INSERT 1 hour 10 minutes

INFORMATION


• This insert contains the reading passage.

• You may annotate this insert and use the blank spaces for planning. Do not write your answers on
the insert.

This document has 4 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

Text for Section A, an extract from ‘The House on Mango Street’ by Sandra Cisneros

The house on Mango Street

They always told us that one day we would move into a house, a real house that would be ours
for always so we wouldn’t have to move each year. And our house would have running water
and pipes that worked. And inside it would have real stairs, not hallway stairs, but stairs inside
like the houses on T.V. And we’d have a basement and at least three washrooms so when we
took a bath we wouldn’t have to tell everybody. Our house would be white with trees around it, a 5
great big yard and grass growing without a fence. This was the house Papa talked about when
he held a lottery ticket and this was the house Mama dreamed up in the stories she told us
before we went to bed.

But the house on Mango Street is not the way they told it at all. It’s small and red with tight steps
in front and windows so small you’d think they were holding their breath. Bricks are crumbling in 10
places, and the front door is so swollen you have to push hard to get in. There is no front yard,
only four little elms the city planted by the curb. Out back is a small garage for the car we don’t
own yet and a small yard that looks smaller between the two buildings on either side. There are
stairs in our house, but they’re ordinary hallway stairs, and the house has only one washroom.
Everybody has to share a bedroom – Mama and Papa, Carlos and Kiki, me and Nenny. 15

Once when we were living on Loomis, a nun from my school passed by and saw me playing out
front. The laundromat downstairs had been boarded up because it had been robbed two days
before and the owner had painted on the wood YES WE’RE OPEN so as not to lose business.

‘Where do you live?’ she asked.

‘There,’ I said pointing up to the third floor. 20

‘You live there?’

There. I had to look to where she pointed – the third floor, the paint peeling, wooden bars Papa
had nailed on the windows so we wouldn’t fall out. You live there? The way she said it made me
feel like nothing. There. I lived there. I nodded.

I knew then I had to have a house. A real house. One I could point to. But this isn’t it. The house 25
on Mango Street isn’t it. For the time being, Mama says. Temporary, says Papa. But I know how
those things go.

Hairs
Everybody in our family has different hair. My Papa’s hair is like a broom, all up in the air. And
me, my hair is lazy. It never obeys barrettes or bands. Carlos’ hair is thick and straight. He 30
doesn’t need to comb it. Nenny’s hair is slippery – slides out of your hand. And Kiki, who is the
youngest, has hair like fur.

But my mother’s hair, my mother’s hair, like little rosettes, like little candy circles all curly and
pretty because she pinned it in pincurls all day, sweet to put your nose into when she is holding
you, holding you and you feel safe, is the warm smell of bread before you bake it, is the smell 35
when she makes room for you on her side of the bed still warm with her skin, and you sleep
near her, the rain outside falling and Papa snoring. The snoring, the rain, and Mama’s hair that
smells like bread.

My Name
In English my name means hope. In Spanish it means too many letters. It means sadness, it 40
means waiting. A muddy color. It is the Mexican records my father plays on Sunday mornings

when he is shaving, songs like sobbing.

It was my great-grandmother’s name and now it is mine. She was a horse woman too, born like
me in the Chinese year of the horse.

My great-grandmother. I would’ve liked to have known her, a wild horse of a woman, so wild 45
she wouldn’t marry. Until my great-grandfather threw a sack over her head and carried her off.
Just like that, as if she were a fancy chandelier. That’s the way he did it. And the story goes she
never forgave him. She looked out the window her whole life, the way so many women sit their
sadness on an elbow. I wonder if she made the best with what she got or was she sorry
because she couldn’t be all the things she wanted to be. Esperanza. I have inherited her name, 50
but I don’t want to inherit her place by the window.

I would like a new name, a name more like the real me, the one nobody sees. Esperanza as
Lisandra or Maritza or Zeze the X. Yes. Something like Zeze the X will do.

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Checkpoint English Workbook Stage 9

Uploaded by

Checkpoint English Workbook Stage 9

Uploaded by

Colegio “Las Victorias”

301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 1 25/05/2022 12:42

Chapter 1: Capturing the experience 5

Chapter 2: Remembering and informing 16

Chapter 3: Writing to persuade 26

Chapter 4: Painting pictures 37

Chapter 6: A good story 61

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Chapter 7: Exploring complex themes 71

Chapter 8: Bringing it all together 83

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Extract: The Englishwoman in America

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Extract: ‘Nepal – Annapurna Circuit’

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Extension activity: Comparing texts from different times

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Literary techniques: euphemism, hyperbole and litotes

b It is not the best weather today.

c She is between jobs.

d That speech went on for ever.

e I can’t say that I’m not tempted by the dessert.

f There’s enough food in the cupboard to feed an entire army.

g Our pet was put to sleep.

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h Your effort has not gone unnoticed.

j That compliment is not unwelcome.

2 Write two of your own examples of euphemism, hyperbole and litotes.

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Extract: Matthew A. Henson’s memoir

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e bulldogged tenacity and pluck

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Eurail Global Pass

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4 What is the writer’s view about train travel in Italy?

6 Why is overnight travel a good idea for the ‘budget-minded’?

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Speaking and listening

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Zoos: Pitiful Prisons

Caged and crazed

When cute little babies grow up

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Danger behind bars

What you can do

Now answer these questions in your own words.

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2 Why does the writer suggest zoos are no longer necessary?

3 What is ‘zoochosis’ and what are its symptoms?

4 Why do many zoos have a surplus of adult animals?

5 Explain in detail what happens to these ‘surplus’ adult animals.

6 What do you understand by the phrase ‘the exotic-pet trade’?

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301368_Checkpoint LS English [Link] 29 25/05/2022 12:42

Come Together, to Save the Arctic

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Now answer these questions in your own words.

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5 What does he say has caused this to happen?

7 Explain what Greenpeace wants to be done to protect the Arctic.

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As it functions as a noun, a gerund can be described by an adjective. For example:

2 Swimming is a very healthy activity.

3 Shouting with excitement, the crowd cheered on their favourite athlete.

Chapter 1: Capturing the experience 5

Chapter 2: Remembering and informing 16

Chapter 3: Writing to persuade 26

Chapter 4: Painting pictures 37

Chapter 6: A good story 61

Chapter 7: Exploring complex themes 71

Chapter 8: Bringing it all together 83