Name: ________________________________________ Class/ Sec: ____________________
Subject: English FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH
WORKSHEET
Text A
An extract from Adventures of a young naturalist by David Attenborough, set in the 1950s.
These days zoos don’t send out animal collectors on quests to ‘bring ’em back alive’. And quite
right too. The natural world is under more than enough pressure as it is, without being robbed of
its most beautiful, charismatic and rarest inhabitants. Now most of a zoo’s crowd-attracting
species – lions, tigers and rhinos – have been born in zoos and kept track of in registers, so
individual animals can be exchanged internationally without incurring problems of in-breeding1 .
Zoos can then play a valuable part in familiarising visitors with the splendours of the natural
world and in explaining the importance and complexities of conservation.
But it was not always so. London Zoo was founded in 1828 by scientists who were concerned
with compiling a catalogue of all the species of animals alive. Some were sent to it from distant
parts of the world as dead specimens. Others arrived alive and were put on display in the zoo’s
gardens. But both kinds ended up as well-studied anatomical specimens and were carefully
preserved. Needless to say, special attention was paid to finding species that no other zoo had
ever possessed, and that ambition still lingered on even in the 1950s when I visited one of the
zoo’s curators, Jack Lester, with an idea for a new kind of television programme.
My plan was simple – a joint animal-collecting expedition on which we should both go. I would
direct film sequences showing Jack searching for and finally capturing a creature of particular
interest. We agreed on a jungle location without any difficulty.
Jack had been to Sierra Leone. He knew the country and he knew the fauna. I was convinced,
however, that if the television programmes were to be a success, the expedition should have one
particular objective – a rare creature that had never been seen in any zoo anywhere else in the
world; an animal so romantic, rare and exciting that the quest for it would keep viewers watching
programme after programme. We could call the series Quest for… but what?
It was a difficult bill to fill. The only animal Jack could think of in Sierra Leone that might
remotely qualify was a bird called Picathartes gymnocephalus. It seemed to me that raising the
public into a frenzy of excited anticipation to see a creature with such a name might be difficult.
Had it not got another, more romantic one? ‘Yes, indeed,’ Jack said helpfully, ‘its English name
is bare-headed rock fowl’. I decided to call the series Zoo Quest.
Glossary 1
in-breeding: breeding between closely related animals, which might cause birth defects
Text B
Night Safari
Embark on an adventure after dark at the legendary Night Safari, an open-air zoo that goes
above and beyond the typical zoo experience. As dusk falls, the shutters open at the Night Safari,
welcoming you into a world of over 2500 creatures of the night and their mysterious habitats.
WS GRADE: VIII CIE ENGLISH Page 1 of 3
Name: ________________________________________ Class/ Sec: ____________________
Subject: English FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH
WORKSHEET
Home to over 100 animal species, this is the world’s first nocturnal wildlife park. 41% of these
species are threatened, including many indigenous to the region, such as the Malayan tapir and
Malayan tiger.
Start with the Creatures of the Night Show, a 20-minute overview of the animals in the park
(starts 7.30pm, 8.30pm and, on weekends and holidays, 9.30pm, 10.30pm).
• For those who prefer exploring the park on wheels, a Tram Safari ride with live
commentary will then take you across six geographical zones of the world, from the
rugged Himalayan foothills to the jungles of Southeast Asia.
• Exploring the park on one of the four walking trails lets you see even more animals not
visible from the tram. Among them is the Fishing Cat Trail that recreates a night time
trek through the jungles of Singapore. Be sure to catch the newest arrival – the Armadillo
– in action along the trail while you’re there.
• Or maximise the benefits of both – get on board a buggy for the Adventure Tour where
your personal safari guide will show you the best kept secrets of the Night Safari on the
popular Leopard Trail.
Complete your night with a delightful meal at Ulu Ulu Safari Restaurant (open 6:30pm to
11:00pm Fri & Sat). If you are a night owl, this 13-time Best Attraction Experience
winner is the place to be.
Open: Daily from 7.30pm to midnight (last admission at 11pm)
Phone: +65 6269 3411
Section A: Reading
Read Text A, an extract from an autobiography, in the insert, and then answer questions 1–5.
1 Look at the first paragraph (lines 3–9).
(a) Why are inverted commas ( ‘ ’ ) used? Tick () one box.
to show a quotation to give an explanation to emphasise information
to introduce a different opinion
(b) Why are dashes ( – ) used?
(c) Zoos make sure that captivity-born animals are not in-bred/related. Give two ways they do
this.
2 Look at the second paragraph (lines 10–16). (a) Give one word in the first sentence that refers
back to information in the first paragraph.
(b) Give one word or phrase that means ‘continued’.
3 Look at the first two paragraphs. Explain how the attitude of zoos towards animals has
changed since the 1950s.
In the 1950s ……………………………………………
Now …………………………………………………….
4. Look at the third and fourth paragraphs (lines 17–24).
(a) What is the writer’s main role when making the television programmes?
WS GRADE: VIII CIE ENGLISH Page 2 of 3
Name: ________________________________________ Class/ Sec: ____________________
Subject: English FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH
WORKSHEET
(b) Why was it easy for the curator and writer to choose the destination for their TV
programme?
Tick one box.
They were looking for a particular species. The area was familiar to one of them.
They were told to go there by the zoo. The area had many exotic species.
(c)Why are a dash ( – ) and a semi-colon ( ; ) used in the same sentence. Tick two boxes
to introduce an opposite idea to build up further detail
to connect two clauses on the same topic to add a list of examples
to introduce an element of humour
(d) Why is an ellipsis ( … ) used?
5 Look at the fifth paragraph (lines 25–29).
(a) What does it in It was a difficult bill to fill refer to?
(b) Explain why the writer finally settled on the name Zoo Quest for his new T.V. programme.
Read Text B, from a travel magazine, in the insert. Then answer questions 6–8.
6. Look at the first paragraph (lines 3–6). Give two words or phrases that persuade the reader
that the Night Safari is a special place to visit.
7. The text is structured so that information is easy to access. Give two ways the writer does this.
8 (a) Complete the fact file below about a visit to the Night Safari.
Contact Phone: +65 6269 3411
Admission times - ………………………………………………………
Where to eat- ……………………………………………………………..
Latest attraction - ……………………………………………………
Where to go by vehicle - 1 - ……………………………………………………….
2- ……………………………………………………….
Where to go on foot - ……………………………………………………..
Any other entertainment- ………………………………………………
(c) Write a summary of up to 50 words about the main attractions of the Night Safari. Include
four points from the fact file.
Section B: Writing
9 Your teacher has asked you to write about a recent visit you made to an interesting
place. It could be:
• a zoo • a museum • a holiday you went on • a sports event you attended.
(120-140 words)
WS GRADE: VIII CIE ENGLISH Page 3 of 3