Cambridge IGCSETM First Language English

Student Book Answers

The Student book answers are for guidance only. They contain points that students could select in
their answers; note that other answers may be acceptable.

Chapter 1 Travel and exploration

Unit 1 Active reading
Exercise 1 (page 5)
Possible answers to summaries of the paragraphs:
On the first leg of the journey on the Simpson-Orient-Express, from London to Paris, a sumptuous
four-course dinner is served in beautiful dining car.
At the Paris station, Gare de l’Est, passengers can compare their experience with the original 1883
travellers and most travellers of today.
As night falls the train travels through eastern France and into northern Switzerland and passengers
can wake to see a completely different landscape of lakes and mountains.
In the morning, the train passes through the mountains of Liechtenstein and Austria and, after a
strop in Innsbruck, heads south through the Brenner Pass to Italy while lunch is served.
As the train heads to Verona, it is clear that the landscape is now Mediterranean, not central
European.
After passing through the countryside around Vicenza and the city of Padua, the passengers can
take afternoon tea before they arrive in Venice where they can walk out of the station onto the bank
of the Grand Canal.
Possible questions to ask (these are examples only – teachers may either use these or set their
own questions depending on the level of their classes):
1 Where does the Simpson-Orient-Express start and finish?
Answer: London Victoria to Venice
2 Which countries does it go through?
Answer: England, France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria and Italy
3 What meals are served?
Answer: Dinner, breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea
4 What cities does it go through?
Answer: London, Paris, Innsbruck, Trento, Verona, Padua and Venice
5 On what date did the first Orient Express depart
Answer: 4 October 1883
Exercise 2 (page 7)
2 When the question says things like ‘give two facts’, ‘which word’, ‘referring closely to’,
‘quotations from the passage’, ‘select words or phrases’, the answer should contain information
or words used in the passage. If the question says ‘using your own words’ the answer should
not repeat the words used in the passage (although a grammatical / syntactical re-casting of the
language of the passage is acceptable if it conveys clear understanding).
Exercise 3 (page 10)
1 The behaviour of Southern Right whales:
• They come close inshore.

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• They feed by swimming near the surface with their mouths open so they take in small creatures
with the seawater.
• Their home is in the Antarctic but every three years they come to Australia to breed.
• They go back home in October.
• The females do not eat while they are in Australian waters.
Why Southern Right Whales are suitable for hunting:
• They could be hunted in small (land-based) boats.
• After being killed they floated.
• Their blubber was rich in valuable oil.
2 What the writer felt about her experience of visiting Australia and of watching whales:
• It was a long journey
• Sad that the whales were once endangered
• Pleased they were now safe
• Disappointed that at first they saw nothing then thrilled when they appeared
• Thrilled on the second day when they saw so many whales
• Could not understand why so many whales had been killed
• Impressed by everything they had seen in Australia but especially the whales
Exercise 4 (page 13)
1
• Of all living creatures, humans have the most well-developed ability to communicate with each
other.
• At the beginning, the electric telegraph was not seen as a serious form of communication / it
was not considered to be necessary as there were already other methods of communication.
• A huge network of wires allowing communication all around the world had been developed.
2 The signals carried by submarine cables were too slow to carry the vibrations from human
voices.
3 Although more cables had been laid, many more telephone calls were being made and the
system could not cope. The solution was the use of satellite transmission.
Exercise 5 (page 13)
1 A sailor had an accident, had to survive difficult circumstances but survived.
2 Tony Bullimore’s yacht had capsized but after four days he realised he was going to be
rescued. The accident happened a long way from land but because of his experience he
managed to stay calm and find a part of the yacht where there was air, he could be out of the
water and he could send a distress signal. The experience was terrible and he was not sure he
would survive but when he knew he would be rescued he was extremely happy.
Exercise 6 (page 15)
1 Tony Bullimore’s yacht capsized / he survived for four days before he was rescued / he was
trapped in darkness / he suffered from seasickness.
2 a At the end of one of the most difficult rescues at sea that has ever happened.
b An extraordinary example of survival.
c Saw very quickly what options he had that would allow him to survive.
3 Three from: he had to get out of the water that was filling the boat / make sure he was tied in
securely / find a pocket of air / send off the distress signal.

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4 Two from: hanging on in there / at his endurance limit / only just made it / deteriorating at a
reasonable rate.
5 Most people would have given up hope or left the yacht when it capsized but he was able to
remain calm and do all the things he needed to do to survive.
Unit 2 Active reading
Exercise 1 (page 19)
Questions and answers might include:
1 How far north of Kuala Lumpur are the Batu Caves?
Answer: 13 kilometres
2 How many visitors a day come to the caves?
Answer: About 5000
3 How many steps are there up to the caves?
Answer: 272
4 How much time does the procession for the festival of Thaipusam take?
Answer: Eight hours
5 When was the statue of Lord Murugan erected?
Answer: 2006
6 Which is the largest of the Batu Caves?
Answer: Temple cave
7 Which endangered animal lives in the Dark Cave?
Answer: The trapdoor spider
8 Apart from visiting the caves, what else might tourists do in this area?
Answer: Rock climbing
9 Which monkeys live in the area?
Answer: Macaque monkeys
10 In which district are the Batu Caves found?
Answer: Gombak district
Exercise 2 (page 20)
1 In the third paragraph we learn that Esteros del Iberá is in Argentina.
2 He is (a journalist) writing about the area to encourage tourists to visit. He is staying in the
town of Colonia Carlos Pellegrini.
3 Animal names might include: anaconda, yacaré, palometa, carpinchos, chaja.
4
• Retrieval of facts: questions 2, 5
• More than 1 mark: questions 1, 6, 7, 8
• In your own words: questions 3, 4, 6 b), 7
Exercise 3 (page 22)
Refer to the ‘Guidance on the questions’ in the textbook.
Exercise 4 (page 25)
1 To make them realise that they were somewhere very special and the reader then expects to
read about something that is amazing.

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2 Some people would use the plural Cock-of-the rocks but the author is emphasising that more
accurately grammatically it should be Cocks-of-the rocks.
3 It is shaped like an oval rugby ball but divided into three colours.
4 Just before the sun comes up. The first paragraph mentions dawn breaking.
5 The males sit on the branches calling out while the females move around choosing who to
select as their mate.
6 The eye seemed very small for an animal that lives in a dark place and the bill was almost
completely covered with feathers.
7 There are two different species, the family name means bright forest bird, it is the national bird
of Peru.
8 Watching the two males competing with each other by opening their wings and calling out
loudly was like something you might see in a theatre.
Exercise 5 (page 26)
1 There had been heavy rain in 1939 but there was much less rain after that time.
2 In 1942 in Coorain in Australia. Even if the reader does not know the place it is easy to imagine
what it felt like from the description.
3 The picture shows what a dust storm looks like.
4 We learn about her father’s and mother’s despair at seeing everything they have worked for
destroyed by the dust storm, and the memory it brought back to her father of his time in France
in the First World War.
5 It may be that as an adult the author has a better understanding of what happened than she did
at the time and a greater appreciation of her parents’ feelings.
Exercise 6 (page 27)
1 It rained heavily in 1939 but less in 1940 and in 1941 almost no rain apart from a damp cold
rain in May and June.
2 Drought
3 Without rain the grass could not grow so there would be nothing for the sheep to eat.
4 The cold rain and wind combined with their lack of food.
5 It was very hot. In the west, there was a huge cloud that seemed to be black and yellow in the
centre with red at the edges moving very quickly across the landscape. It was very quiet and all
the birds had taken shelter.
6 Points that might be included:
• Items such as buckets and rakes could be blown away or could break windows if blown against
them.
• The sand and grit can damage your eyes.
• The lack of visibility makes it difficult to know where you are.
• If animals become tired and lie down, they can be buried under the sand.
• The sand gets into food.
• It is difficult to sleep.
• Bushes and other plants are ripped from the ground and the branches of trees crash against the
buildings.
• Structures such as rainwater tanks can be blown over.
7 The crashing sound of the rainwater tank reminded her father of the terrible experiences he had
had during the First World War and gave him nightmares. The writer had to try to comfort her
father though it is more common for a father to comfort a child.

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8 Although the writer can see signs for hope, the father knows from experience that there will be
more storms so he cannot speak positively.
9
• ‘He would be silent’ – he was so worried about what was happening that he couldn’t talk in the
way he normally did.
• ‘His usual high spirits declined’ – he was unable to see anything positive in what was
happening.
• ‘Silenced by the dread’ – he was so afraid of what might happen that he could not speak.
10 a Accumulation
b Inexorable
c Writhing
d Elusive
11 a Very difficult to keep going for all that time
b Started the nightmares happening
c Sleep
12 For all of the three days everybody was so frightened, they didn’t think they could cope with it
for much longer. When her father did go to sleep, he did not sleep deeply, as the memories of
his time during the war would wake him up again.
Exercise 7 (page 28)
1 The story is set in 1919 in an industrial town in England and is about the girls who sold tickets
on the tram system. It also describes the excitement – as well as the dangers – for passengers
and staff using the trams.
2
• Paragraph 1 – The route taken by the tram
• Paragraph 2 – the excitement of riding on a tram
• Paragraph 3 – Why people would not get off the tram
• Paragraph 4 – The dangers of the tram
3 Some sentences are quite long and others much shorter, which might reflect the distances
between stops on the route (and also the undulating / roller-coaster nature of the ride).
Exercise 8 (page 29)
1 It is waiting for the outcoming tram because it is a single-line system.
2 a We slowly come to a halt at the place where the journey finishes.
b The country tramway feels it is not as smart as the more brightly-coloured city tramway.
3 There are many accidents on the tram but when this happens the passengers refuse to leave the
vehicle. They expect the tram to start going again.
4 a It is warmer inside the tram than outside. They might not get on the next tram as they are
usually so full.
b They spot when young people try to avoid paying their fare or when men try to travel
further than they have paid for and are not afraid to take on these people. They can deal
with everyone who travel on the trams, no matter how badly behaved they are.
5 They are confident, not afraid of anyone and will deal with any problem that arises.
6 The drivers are not very careful so the trams can come off the lines and end up in ditches.
7 a Precipitous

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b Jaunty
c Reluctance
d Derision
8
• Uncontrolled and slightly dangerous
• Sliding in an uncontrolled way
• Appears out of the poor light, takes shape
9 The tram was going very fast and it felt it was slightly out of control. There were times when
there was a sleep slope beside the tramline and everyone held their breath in case the tram fell
down the hill. After the long journey through the countryside, the sights of the city slowly
began to take shape.
Exercise 9 (page 30)
1 On the other hand, another factor to consider, remember that, another cost factor, it is also
worth bearing in mind.
2
• Facts: Islands like Mallorca and Ibiza are premium destinations. More than half of all Britons
are planning a seaside break. Hotel prices at home are often higher than abroad.
• Opinions: You are less likely to spend too much if you holiday in your own country. It is easier
to load luggage if you travel by car. Eating out in a foreign country is part of the attraction. We
spend more eating out abroad.
3 The student’s answer should include justification for what they have said.
Exercise 10 (page 32)
1 The time when you go, which country you go to, how many people are going and whether there
might be additional cost in a resort.
2 Certain islands in the Mediterranean are very popular so can charge more.
3 If you are in your own country you are more likely to know how to pay for travel or buy food
and drink so will spend less.
4 You don’t have the hidden cost of air travel, which can include things like paying for luggage
or choosing your seat.
5 Buy your rail tickets in advance and use railcards which give a discount.
6 Going somewhere that is unfamiliar, whether at home or abroad can make people feel better.
7 a Security
b Leisurely
c Priority
d Factor
8
• Surmise / conclude
• Pleasure
• Everyday, familiar
9 Being in a foreign country and eating different kinds of food is an important aspect of going to
a different country and that if you have a holiday in your own country you miss out on this
experience.

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Unit 3 Summary questions

Exercise 1 (page 35)
See answer to Exercise 2 in the textbook and the answer below for possible 10 points.
Exercise 2 (page 36)
1 Correct points: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9
2 Points that might be included. (If they are in Q1 they have *.)
Appearance and behaviour:
• body of a deer
• tail of an ox
• horse’s hooves
• (single horn*)
• white body, red head, blue eyes
• carry out executions
• (swift, untameable and impossible to capture*)
• lack of self-control
• (love of young women stopped its fear of humans*)
• sleeping in the laps of young women
Qualities:
• Recognise guilt
• magical properties (horn good-luck charm against scorpions*)
• demons removed by eating its meat
• (horn cured fever, plague, epilepsy, rabies, gout and other ailments*)
• (shoes made of its leather assures healthy feet and legs*)
• (belt made of its leather stopped plague and fever)
• (jewellery from horn was a protection from evil*)
Exercise 3 (page 38)
The summary should include the points above, be between 150 and 180 words and be in the
student’s own words for the majority or the text.
Exercise 4 (page 38)
See the Example response of the notes and Final written summary.
Exercise 5 (page 42)
1 Points omitted because they were not about what the writer saw nor his thoughts, for example:
the names, details and behaviour of the pilot and co-pilot.
2 Examples might include: towering above, far greater distance, visibility conditions were
perfect, appreciating, see the whole spread of the landscape, overview.
3 Examples might include: it is uncomfortably cold, he felt very cold, The rock forests have
given away to, view of the ground became less distinct.
Exercise 6 (page 43)
Points that might be included but written in continuous writing using the students’ own words
where possible (should be between 120 and 150 words):
Volcanoes
• Very powerful as many are active
• Only active for a certain amount of time
• Eruptions are random

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• Some eruptions are out at sea

Effects of volcanoes
• Islands have heights of 6100 meters
• Create new islands which may continue to grow
• Eruptions can completely cover towns
• Can cause tidal wave
(Paragraph 7)
• New lava is unstable and can collapse
• Hydrochloric acid gas can be emitted
• Steam comes out of the ground
• Falling onto the ground is very dangerous
Exercise 7 (page 44)
A summary of 50–70 words using the points above but not those from paragraph 7.
Exercise 8 (page 44)
Ancient Pompeii
• Part of the Roman Empire
• Destroyed on 24 August 79 CE by eruption of Mount Vesuvius
• Was a prosperous seaport
• City where people from different parts of the world lived
• Goods were sold in shops
• Homes had gardens
• People had spiritual beliefs
Work of archaeologists
• Have been working at the site since 1748
• Have found household goods and artwork
• Worked out what happened just before the eruption
• Poured plaster into cavities left by people and animals
• Had to work through 30 feet of volcanic ash
Display at National Museum of Singapore
• Shows daily life in Pompeii in 79 CE
• Contains over 250 artifacts including frescos, coins, jewels, statues as well as body casts of
people and animals and carbonised food items
• Artefacts not on display before 2007
• Recreates a Pompeii street with shops
• Includes sound
• Shows homes and gardens
Unit 4 Becoming a better writer
Exercise 1 (page 48)
It is suggested that teachers mark this exercise either according to their own departmental marking
policy, or use for guidance the advice about marking writing given in the Guide to marking your
students’ work section of this Cambridge IGCSETM English as a first language Teacher’s Guide,
or by referring to the criteria for assessing written coursework on pages 16–19 of the Cambridge
IGCSE First Language English 0500 Syllabus for examination from 2020, or pages 16–19 of the
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English (9–1) 0990 Syllabus for examination from 2020.

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Exercise 2 (page 49)

1 Two from:
• solve the question of the source of the Nile
• geographical mystery
• revealed its secrets
• most elusive secret
• dreamers of the impossible.
2 For example: They were unlike other people in the risks they were willing to take, and were
determined to complete the challenge they had set themselves, no matter what was involved.
3 For example: He had to dig the beetle out of his ear using a knife and he lost the hearing in that
ear. It also made his face and shoulder swell up.
4 The explorers did not go on these journeys to become well-known but because they loved
going to places that were unknown to people in their own country, and needed to have
excitement in their lives.
5 He was able to speak 29 languages and disguised himself as an Arab to travel to Mecca and
then described his adventure to audiences back home.
6 They had lost much of the equipment needed to measure the height and size of the lake which
would have proved the point.
7 It had been agreed that Speke and Burton would announce the results of their expedition
together when they returned to Britain. However, Speke got home before Burton and claimed to
have made the discovery about the source of the Nile. They argued about this so Speke went
back to check the source but died during the trip.
8 a Courageous and intrepid
b Forays
c Elusive
9 a Anger
b Keep going despite the difficult circumstances
c Wet, boggy land that is difficult to walk on
10 Some local people were afraid of the river and felt it had the divine power to show its anger.
The explorers felt they had no choice but to keep going despite the difficult circumstances. The
rainy season turned the firm land into a bog that was very dangerous.
Exercise 3 (page 51)
Points that might be included:
• Clearly stated viewpoint repeated at the end: women must have the right to vote
• Rhetorical questions: ‘I ask American men in this meeting …’
• Points clearly stated through the use of paragraphs.
• Use of persuasive phrases: ‘either women are to be killed …’
• Points are balanced between general and personal examples:
• Women are putting their lives at risk to fight for the right to vote, which would be the same if
American men were being asked to risk their lives to gain citizenship.
• American men had lost their lives in the battle to free slaves and that is what British women are
doing.
• She is willing to spend time in prison for her beliefs.
Exercise 4 (page 53)
1

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• Positive effects: It brings in money and creates jobs.

• Negative effects: it can cause damage to the environment and can use up resources needed by
people who live in the area.
2 If too many people visit certain areas, they could cause so much harm through damaging the
environment that it is not worth any benefits that might be gained.
3 Boats anchoring on the coral, people walking on coral, catching marine animals to take photos.
4 Emissions from road, rail and air travel increase photochemical pollution, acid rain and global
warming. Australia and New Zealand now have companies that have camper vans that are less
damaging to the environment.
5 The increased building of places for holiday-makers.
6 To clear land so it can be used for other purposes and to provide fuel.
7 By closing down the three islands to tourists, it stopped the income from the tourists in order to
save the environment – though not everyone would be happy about this.
8 a Degradation
b Conserve
c Blatantly
9 a A thing that we cannot do without
b Using too much of a resource
c The use by an individual person

Exercise 5 (page 55)

It is suggested that teachers mark this exercise either according to their own departmental marking
policy, or use for guidance the advice about marking writing given in the Guide to marking your
students’ work section of this Cambridge IGCSETM English as a first language Teacher’s Guide,
or by referring to the criteria for assessing written coursework on pages 16–19 of the Cambridge
IGCSE First Language English 0500 Syllabus for examination from 2020 or pages 16–19 of the
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English (9–1) 0990 Syllabus for examination from 2020.
Exercise 6 (page 57)
1 In a crater, on the surface of the Moon, surrounded by cliff-like walls.
2 a Uneven landscape, rising upwards like a steep hill
b Just a dark edge / fringe
c Unbearable brightness
3 The walls of the crater on the western side acted like a mirror and reflected light from the sky
into the crater.
4 As the sunlight moved down the wall of the crater it looked as if the cliff was moving and
shaking. As the sunlight moved across the crater floor, it turned the liquid that was there into a
thick, grey gas until the whole area looked like a wet rag drying in front of a fire, and slowly
hid the crater wall.
5 The atmospheric gases that surround the Earth block the light from this part of the Sun.
6 It creates the impression that when the Sun was finally visible it was such a spectacular sight
that the explorers just had to stop and stare at it.
7 The light was so strong that it hurt the narrator’s eyes and almost blinded him. There was also a
strange noise. In order to protect himself from both of these he covered his head with a blanket
but this was not enough to stop him becoming dizzy and falling over.
8 Points that might be included:

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• A blue light appeared in the black sky, making some stars appear bigger and hiding the smaller
ones.
• The highest peaks in the landscape caught the light, which created a fog around them.
• The thick bank of steam moved closer towards them.
• The cliffs in the distance became hidden by the fog.
• A thin line of light appeared above the horizon in the east.
• Then bright red light like flame appeared around this line.
• As the Sun itself appeared over the horizon it became more rounded before the full circular Sun
was visible.
• A brilliant light shone.
9 The combination of the bright light and strange sound made the Moon shudder. This made
them feel unsteady and they fell against each other and objects around them. To protect
themselves, they covered their heads with blankets but this was not enough to protect them
from a second movement of the Moon which made them spin round and fall to the ground.
10 Points that might be included:
a looming, scarce, strange, writhed, crown of fire, atmospheric veil, intolerable effulgence,
blazing sceptre, stormy trailing of the aerial garment
b stab my eyes, cried aloud, blinded, staggered, covered my head, clutched one another, spun
about
Exercise 7 (page 59)
Main audience:
• The Riddle of the Nile – readers who are interested in history, exploration, geography,
adventure.
• Emmeline Pankhurst speech – readers who are interested in political movements, women’s
liberation, historical changes.
• Negative impact of tourism on the environment – all who go abroad on holiday,
environmentalists.
• Sunrise on the moon – readers who like science fiction.
The answers should include expressions from the passages to support these statements.
Exercise 8 (page 61)
1 Examples might include: perfect for families, sit peacefully together, advantages in having a
teenager in tow, carry out tasks rather well, quieter than toddlers, have a peaceful outing on
your own, full mornings to yourselves, they like it, teenagers benefit from it. They all highlight
the benefits of having holidays with teenagers.
2 Expressions such as ‘glowering’, ‘bored’, ‘grumpy’, ‘shy’ imply that teenagers are difficult but
the writer clearly sees that there is also a good side to them.
3 The parents of teenage children are the target audience. The writer gives many examples of the
pleasures of going on holiday with them as mentioned in the answer to question one.
4 It is as if the writer was speaking to you. She addresses the reader as ‘you’, phrases such as ‘Oh
yes’, ‘Believe me’, ‘You can’t be silly about it’, ‘That hot potato’ add to the informal tone.
5 It is suggested that teachers mark this exercise either according to their own departmental
marking policy, or use for guidance the advice about marking writing given in the Guide to
marking your students’ work section of this Cambridge IGCSETM English as a first language
Teacher’s Guide, or by referring to the criteria for assessing written coursework on pages 16–
19 of the Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500 Syllabus for examination from 2020
or pages 16–19 of the Cambridge IGCSE First Language English (9–1) 0990 Syllabus for
examination from 2020.

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Student Book Answers

The Student book answers are for guidance only. They contain points that students could select in
their answers; note that other answers may be acceptable.

Chapter 2 Environments
Unit 5 More complex questions / how writers achieve effects
Exercise 1 (page 69)
1 Points that might be included:
The effects of the earthquake:
• Buildings on fire
• Large buildings collapsed or walls out of shape
• Parts of streets sunk down and other parts risen up
• Street car tracks twisted
• Electric wires had come down
• Buildings moved to different positions or shaking
• Water mains broken / no water for fire fighters
• Loud noise like gunfire
• Huge gaps / fissures in the street into which buildings fell
• Frightened animals rushing around
Suffering of the people:
• Many people killed by the falling buildings
• People crying, praying and asking for help
How you managed to escape:
• Running through the city
• Pushing and fighting with all the other people trying to escape on the ferry
2 Points that might be included:
a Words and phrases that reflect the physical damage: ‘Seething’, ‘crash’, ‘sunk’, ‘bent’,
‘twisted’, ‘collapsed’, ‘falling’, ‘blazing’, ‘burned’, ‘broken’, ‘blown to atoms’, ‘crushed to
death’, ‘shaking’, ‘waving’.
b Words and phrases that reflect feelings and experiences: ‘Never want to see again’,
‘crying’, ‘praying and calling’, ‘thought the end of the world had come’, ‘crazy with fear’,
‘horrible sights’, ‘bedlam, pandemonium and hell’, ‘fought like wildcats’, ‘it was awful’.
Exercise 2 (page 72)
Words or phrases that might be included:
a Behaviour of bears: ‘gorging themselves on salmon’, ‘nowhere near as aggressive as their
cousins’, ‘feed almost exclusively …’, ‘chase one another’, ‘mothers suckling their young’,
‘cubs wrestling with siblings’, ‘strolling along the perimeter’, ‘adult males barged their
way through pristine rivers’.

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b Remoteness of area: ‘spot where humans should never be’, ‘nothing separating us from
eternity’, ‘remote’, ‘nature in the raw’, ‘population density is less than …’, ‘primordial lost
world’.
Exercise 3 (page 74)
1 Points that might be included:
Description of the area:
Before
• Fertile land with pine and oak forests, fruits, vegetables and medicinal herbs growing wild
• Cherry and almond orchards and crops growing in fields
• Cattle eating the grass
• Well maintained towns with tree-lined streets, parks, children’s playgrounds, shops, schools,
hospitals
• Over 20,000 people living in the area
After
• Landscape still looks the same but vegetation contaminated
• No cattle
• Many buildings deserted
• Some buildings becoming overgrown
• Far fewer people
Suffering of people:
• Many have died or been evacuated
• Those still in the area are living with radiation and are unhealthy
• People made to move house several times
• Unable to grow crops, pick wild plants, keep cattle
• Shops and hospitals are deserted
Support from others
• Send medical and food aid, clothing, toys, educational material, household equipment, books.
• Send experts to support the clean-up and treating the sick.
• Provide areas for people to go so they can spend some time away from the contaminated area.
2 Words and phrases that could be referred to include:
a ‘tainted’, ‘no-one there’, ‘most polluted’, ‘chilling observations’, ‘whatever curse lies over
these villages’, ‘benign, smiling, deadly’, ‘deserted’, ‘submerged in undergrowth’.
b ‘unhealthy grey’, ‘bored’, ‘desperately’, ‘too old and ill’, ‘only inhabitants’, ‘doors that
will never be opened’.
Unit 6 More complex summary questions
Exercise 1 (page 76)
See sample answer.
Unit 7 Directed writing
Exercise 1 (page 83)
Points that might be included:
1 There are too many cars, cities are not planned to allow for all the cars, it is difficult for
pedestrians to cross roads, it would encourage people to use other forms of transport, driving in
cities is not a good experience.

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2 He acknowledges that most drivers would find a ban on cars difficult; he points out that driving
in cities is not a good experience; he highlights the benefits of a ban on cars; he suggests that
drivers might get more pleasure driving outside cities if they are driving in cities. Students may
consider that the writer has or has not been successful but they should support their conclusion
with arguments based on specific details in the passage.
Exercise 2 (page 86)
It is suggested that teachers mark this exercise either according to their own departmental marking
policy, or use for guidance the advice about marking writing given in the Guide to marking your
students’ work a section of this Cambridge IGCSETM English as a first language Teacher’s Guide,
or by referring to the criteria for assessing written coursework on pages 16–19 of the Cambridge
IGCSE First Language English 0500 Syllabus for examination from 2020 or pages 16–19 of the
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English (9–1) 0990 Syllabus for examination from 2020.
Exercise 3 (page 88)
Points that might be included in the report:
For raising the Titanic
• It had been a huge and important ship that deserves to be preserved.
• The steel beneath the rust was not badly damaged.
• The glass windows had not been damaged.
Against raising the Titanic
• It is buried in more than 60 feet of mud so difficult to move.
• It is very badly rusted, making fragile structures.
• Most of the wooden structures had been destroyed by molluscs.
Exercise 4 (page 89)
See sample answer and Teacher’s comments.
Exercise 5 (page 94)
It is suggested that teachers mark this exercise either according to their own departmental marking
policy, or use for guidance the advice about marking writing given in the Guide to marking your
students’ work section of this Cambridge IGCSETM English as a first language Teacher’s Guide,
or by referring to the criteria for assessing written coursework on pages 16–19 of the Cambridge
IGCSE First Language English 0500 Syllabus for examination from 2020 or pages 16–19 of the
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English (9–1) 0990 Syllabus for examination from 2020.
Exercise 6 (page 96)
1 People who live in Cornwall (in England) but also all property owners. The advice is
appropriate for anybody with kitchen equipment. The leaflet mentions the number of deaths
and serious injuries in Cornwall but all the other points are about keeping a kitchen safe in
many parts of the world.
2 The first paragraph highlights clearly why the information is important. Headings are used to
separate the different sections. Bullet points divide the text into short statements. Illustrations
with ticks or crosses highlight what to do or what not to do.
3 Students may consider that the writer has or has not been successful but they should support
their conclusion with arguments based on specific details in and quotations from the passage.
Exercise 7 (page 98)
Points that might be included:
What is the effect of climate change in the Arctic?
• Air temperature rising
• Sea ice melting

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• Exposed land absorbing heat, increasing the warming

• Rising sea levels
• Changes the Gulf Stream
Who is affected?
• People who live in coastal communities
• Wider populations affected by the Gulf stream
• Polar bears
• Marine wild life
• Coastal fisheries
• Plant life
• Herbivores such as musk oxen and reindeer
• Birds
• Seals and walruses
What can be done?
• Cut greenhouse gas emissions.
• Any other convincing ideas made by the student that relate to the content of the passage.

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Student Book Answers

The Student book answers are for guidance only. They contain points that students could select in
their answers; note that other answers may be acceptable.

Chapter 3 People and communities

Unit 8 Further summary practice
Exercise 1 (page 103)
See sample Student response.
Exercise 2 (page 105)
Women’s football UK 2012
• Third biggest team sport in UK
• Women’s Super League has 8 teams
• Second season in 2012
• Semi-professional
• Football Association spending £3m to promote the sport
• Attendance up 600%
• 450,000 TV viewers
• Working with schools to get more players
Women’s football vs men’s football
• Men’s game gets much more news coverage.
• Men’s game attracts more followers and sponsorship.
Social media and Women’s Super League
• A player from each of the top 8 teams has Twitter account name on her shirt
• 80,000 followers on Twitter and Facebook
• Interactive relationship with fans
• Allows them to bypass the newspapers to get information to fans
Exercise 3 (page 106)
Facts
• Women’s football is the third biggest participation sport in the UK.
• The start of the second season of the Football Association’s Women’s Super League starts on
Saturday.
• Eight of the team will have their Twitter account names on the sleeves of their clothes.
• The new semi-professional league was launched by the FA last year.
• The FA claims it will spend £3m on promotion in the first three years.
• Attendances have increased by 600%.
• Viewing figures for live broadcasts at 450,000 are the same as for men’s Scottish Premier
League matches.
• Social media channels attract more than 8,000 followers.
• The low profile of women’s football is encouraging the use of Twitter and Facebook.
• Fans of women’s football are seven times as interactive as the fans of men’s football.
• FIFA Women’s World Cup was the most tweeted-about event in the world in July 2011.

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• Men’s events receive many more headlines.

• Steph Houghton is the FA WLS digital ambassador for 2012.
Opinions
• Social media has increased the status of women’s football.
• Men’s game takes priority because it is bigger and involves more money.
• Digital media can help overcome the lack of newspaper coverage.
• Twitter and Facebook have helped to progress the women’s game.
• Girls are enjoying playing and it has become more acceptable for girls to play football.
Exercise 4 (page 107)
Points that might be included:
• What is taught in schools is not preparation for life.
• Schools only teach how to obey rules.
• Teachers and others who work in schools are good people but don’t realise they are not
preparing students for the world outside school.
• Children might learn more if not just with others of same age and social class.
• Children might learn more if able to concentrate on subjects that are of interest.
• Children should be able to learn to read and do arithmetic when they see the need to do so.
• In the USA, talking is seen as more important than reading and writing.
• In the past, children learnt to work together, help others, be affectionate.
• Now their lives are dominated by schools and television and these skills are being lost.
Exercise 5 (page 108)
It is suggested that teachers mark this exercise either according to their own departmental marking
policy, or use for guidance the advice about marking writing given in the Guide to marking your
students’ work section of this Cambridge IGCSETM English as a first language Teacher’s Guide,
or by referring to the criteria for assessing written coursework on pages 16–19 of the Cambridge
IGCSE First Language English 0500 Syllabus for examination from 2020 or pages 16–19 of the
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English (9–1) 0990 Syllabus for examination from 2020.
Exercise 6 (page 108)
Points that might be included:
The house and room
• Room at the back of the house on the first floor
• Many children in the house
• Hallway not well lit
• Room poorly furnished, untidy and dirty
• Cold, no fire in the grate
• Strong smell of candle tallow
• Room is untidy / floor covered in paper, and dirty
• Contained a large writing table
Mrs Jellyby
• Small, overweight, pretty
• Between 40 and 50
• Seemed to stare into the distance
• Nice voice
• Hair not brushed
• Clothes too small so not done up

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• Continuously dictating letters to public bodies

• Concerned with charitable projects for Borrioboola-Gha
Author’s criticism
• More concerned about people in Africa than her own surroundings (and the poor on her
doorstep), and the welfare of the girl who was helping her and her family in general.
Exercise 7 (page 109)
Words or phrases that might be selected:
• ‘Equanimity’ – she was very calm about the situation in her house.
• ‘Lame invalid of a sofa’ – the house was in a poor condition.
• ‘Too much occupied with her African duties’ – she was more interested in what was happening
in Africa than in the daily life of her own home.
• ‘Dress didn’t nearly meet up the back’ – she was not well dressed.
• ‘Litter’ – the house was untidy.
• ‘Jaded and unhealthy’ – the children in her care were not being well looked after.
• ‘Stifle’ – the children were stopped from complaining to avoid upsetting Mrs Jellyby.
Exercise 8 (page 109)
• Advertising started with development of newspapers in 17th century.
• Théophraste Renaudot created a noticeboard in his office in Paris for messages about jobs or
items for sale or needed.
• In 1631, he created the first newspaper, La Gazette, to make this information more widely
available.
• English advertisements started with information about the publication of books or new plays.
• After the Great Fire of London in 1666, people posted notices about lost and found objects of
new addresses.
• Early language used was purely descriptive, not trying to persuade.
• Coffee was an early example of a new product being promoted.
• This led to a change in social behaviour with people meeting in coffee houses.
• Mass production following the Industrial revolution increased the need for advertising, as
producers no longer knew their purchasers.
• Also led to competition between producers so brand names became important.
• As newspapers became cheaper to produce, larger, colourful advertisements became
affordable.
• Copy changed from straight description to information to persuade people to buy a particular
brand.
• An early success was Pears Soap which used a painting by Sir John Everett Millais to link the
name of the soap to an image of perfect children.
Exercise 9 (page 111)
It is suggested that teachers mark this exercise either according to their own departmental marking
policy, or use for guidance the advice about marking writing given in the Guide to marking your
students’ work section of this Cambridge IGCSETM English as a first language Teacher’s Guide,
or by referring to the criteria for assessing written coursework on pages 16–19 of the Cambridge
IGCSE First Language English 0500 Syllabus for examination from 2020 or pages 16–19 of the
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English (9–1) 0990 Syllabus for Examination from 2020.
Exercise 10 (page 111)
Points that might be selected:

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Efteling Theme Park:

• In Holland, near Kaastheuvel, close to Belgium border
• One of the oldest in the world (inspired Disney), started in 1952
• Rides and attractions based on fairy tales, folklores, myths and legends
• Covers 160 acres with pine forests, ponds and gardens
• Steam train goes round the site
• Divided into four regions, Fairy, Travel, Adventure, Other Realm
• Contains a hotel and many places to eat
• Canal
• Maze
• Rollercoasters
• Indoor skating rink
• Indoor winter wonderland playground
What you can do:
• Fairy Realm with fairy-tale characters and their houses
• Museum, with Diorama, Villa Volta, Raveleijn, miniature railway and Steam Carousel
• Trip on the canal through Arabian town called Fata Morgana with camels, crocodiles, market
place and dentist
• Cable car ride
• Maze
• Rollercoaster ride, Bird Rok
• Carnival Festival Ride
Exercise 11 (page 113)
Points that might be included:
Description:
• Forests and waterways
• Themes based around Fairy, Travel, Adventure and Other realms
• Tableaux with characters in costume
• Rides
What you did there:
• Answers should include visits to selected parts of the park mentioned in the two articles.
What you enjoyed:
• The attention to detail in the houses of fairly tale characters
• The Fairy Tale Tree which told stories
• The fakir on the flying carpet
• The use of waste bins called Holle Bolle Gijs to stop people dropping litter
• Efteling Museum
• Diorama of railways, houses and lives of fairy-tale characters
• Villa Volta
• Spacious room in the hotel and good play area for children
• Food stalls are not expensive
What you didn’t enjoy:
• Quite a lot of walking
• Information in the museum is only in Dutch
• Rollercoaster

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Unit 9 Improve your writing

Exercise 1 (page 116)
1 The argument about whether to add an extra ten minutes to the school day divided opinions,
with some people thinking it was a good idea and others saying it was a bad idea.
2 The detective spent a long time investigating the actions of the murder suspect but realised he
had been wasting his time once the suspect produced a watertight alibi.
3 ‘Stop wasting time talking about something that is not relevant,’ said the Principal. ‘Are you
going to tell me how the window was broken or not?’
4 I asked all my friends to help me with my geometry homework but I realised that I was
desperate for help that they were not able to give me, as they understood it no more than I did.
5 My parents treated me to a very enjoyable meal for my birthday but I’m sure it cost them a lot
of money.
6 ‘There is no point in crying about something that has happened and cannot be changed,’ said
my sister. ‘There is sure to be another opportunity in the future.’
7 After being caught out by a heavy rainstorm and spending the afternoon in my wet clothes, I
was not feeling very well when I went to bed.
8 ‘Thank you for that comment,’ said the teacher. ‘It made exactly the right important point in
relation to our discussion.’
9 ‘Don’t try to deceive me,’ said my father. ‘I was young once, remember.’
10 We had to decide whether we were in favour of a longer school day or not, but some of my
friends could not decide.
Exercise 2 (page 119)
Sample sentences
• Building the new road will affect how many cars come through our town. (‘Affect’ is a verb.)
• The effect of the new road is making our town less polluted. (‘Effect’ is a noun.)
• When the air is cold you can see my breath. (‘Breath’ is a noun.)
• When I breathe my lungs get larger and smaller. (‘Breathe’ is a verb.)
• Today, I will lead the school team for our parade.
• Last week, I led the school team for our parade. (‘Led’ is the past tense of ‘lead’ when ‘lead’ is
used as a verb. ‘Lead’ can also be a noun, a type of metal, which is pronounced in the same
way as ‘led’.)
• The traffic in the town centre was stationary for 20 minutes. Nothing moved.
• I went to the shop to buy stationery for the office. I bought paper, notebooks and envelopes.
• I am going to school in the next five minutes.
• There are too many good players in my class and they cannot all be in the team.
• I have two brothers and one sister.
• I can assure you that the work will be finished on time so you do not need to worry.
• We need to ensure that we have all the materials we need to complete the work because if we
do not we will not be able to finish it.
• I have insured my car so that if there is an accident I will get money to help pay for the repairs.
• My parents emigrated from Jamaica and immigrated to England twenty years ago. (To
immigrate is to settle in a new country or region. To emigrate is to leave a native country or
region to settle elsewhere. ‘Immigrate’ is usually followed by ‘to’, and ‘emigrate’ is usually
followed by ‘from’.
• My skirt is too loose so I am using a belt to wear it.
• My sister loses her phone the whole time. We are always having to look for it.

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• My grandparents have sold their old car as it kept breaking down. (The car that belonged to
them.)
• There are more girls in my class than boys.
• My cousins are visiting from the USA. They’re coming to stay with us tomorrow. (They are.)
• Whose book is this? I found it on the floor. (Who does it belong to?)
• Who’s the person that left the door unlocked? (Who is the person?)
Exercise 3 (page 120)
Differences between the sentence pairs:
• It upsets me that you cannot come with us.
• I know you would like to come with us but we cannot let you.

• The Democrats think the Republicans will lose the election.

• The Republicans think the Democrats will lose the election.

• You can call me a fool.

• I am calling you a fool but you can get in touch.

• Only the three passengers who were seriously injured were taken to hospital. The other
passengers did not go to hospital.
• There were only three passengers and they were all seriously injured so were taken to hospital.

• You will be given either some bread or a roll to eat and they should not be put in the soup.
• You have some bread which should not be torn into smaller pieces. You also have some soup
and you should not try to get into the bowl and turn around.

• A woman cannot exist without her man.

• A man cannot exist without a woman.

• It is the criminal who should be hanged.

• It is the judge who should be hanged.

• The man was eating the meat of a shark.

• The species of shark that I saw is known as a man-eating shark.

• The lion knows something else is master of the plains, and knows what this thing is.
• The lion knows that the lion is master of the plains.

• The butler gave the guests names which he made up as they arrived.
• The butler called out the correct names of the people who arrived.

• Dear John,

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You know what love is and you have many good qualities. Other people do not have these
qualities so I am not interested in them. I think about you the whole time and cannot feel
anything when we are not together. If we can be together I will always be happy.
• Dear John
You do not know what love is. Other people have good qualities which you do not have. You
need to accept that you are no good and have had a very bad effect on me. I am looking for
someone else to be with, as I have no affection for you. I am only happy when we are apart so
please stay away.
Exercise 4 (page 123)
Order of paragraphs:
1
7 Explains how hurricanes start with thunderstorms
5 Describes the movement of the thunderstorms westwards
3 Describes how the thunderstorm becomes a tropical storm as it moves across the water
2 Continuing the movement westward and mention of the eye of the storm
4 Further explanation of the eye
6 Describes the end of the hurricane as it reaches land
Exercise 5 (page 125)
1 Will be
2 Rang
3 Has grown
4 Would have been
5 Will
6 Was honoured
7 Had worked
8 Heard
9 Hoped
10 Had copied
Exercise 6 (page 126)
Sample sentences:
1 After being on holiday for three days, Maria was feeling bored as it had been raining all week
so she decided she had to get out of the house.
2 Maria picked up the phone and dialled the number of her friend Grace, who answered in a
sleepy and tired voice.
3 Grace was pleased when she heard Maria’s voice as she had been depressed by the bad weather
and now there might be a chance to do something interesting.
4 Maria’s brother was at home so she said she would ask him if he would drive them in to town
after collecting Grace in about 30 minutes.
5 Grace liked the suggestion and, after putting down the phone, she ran to her bedroom to get
ready as quickly as she could and eat some breakfast before Maria and her brother arrived.
Unit 10 Directed writing
Exercise 1 (page 130)
It is suggested that teachers mark this exercise either according to their own departmental marking
policy, or use for guidance the advice about marking writing given in the Guide to marking your
students’ work section of this Cambridge IGCSETM English as a first language Teacher’s Guide,

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or by referring to the criteria for assessing written coursework on pages 16–19 of the Cambridge
IGCSE First Language English 0500 Syllabus for examination from 2020 or pages 16–19 of the
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English (9–1) 0990 Syllabus for examination from 2020.
Exercise 2 (page 133)
Points that might be included:
• Do the children in the audience have younger brothers and sisters?
• Have any of the children in the audience had to look after young children?
Things you might do to keep them safe at swimming pools and bathrooms:
• Learn how to resuscitate a child that has fallen in the water.
• Stay with young children at all times if there is a pool nearby. Accidents can happen in
seconds.
• Don’t rely on floatation devices or the fact that the child can swim.
• Teach all children how to swim, even young ones.
• Put a fence round the pool.
• Make sure you shut and lock the gate to any barrier surrounding the pool.
• Install an alarm on the gate to the pool.
• Put a cover over a hot tub and remove the ladder used to get in when it is not in use.
• Keep toys such as balls and tricycles away from the pool.
• Stay with children when they are having a bath.
• Don’t leave buckets or other containers of water in places that a child might find them.
Round the house:
• Make sure hot items cannot be reached by small children.
• Stay beside them if they are going up or down stairs.
• Do not leave windows wide open.
• Keep matches out of reach.
• Close and lock cupboards that contain cleaning material or medicines.
• Stay with young children if they are playing outside.
Exercise 3 (page 135)
It is suggested that teachers mark this exercise either according to their own departmental marking
policy, or use for guidance the advice about marking writing given in the Guide to marking your
students’ work section of this Cambridge IGCSETM English as a first language Teacher’s Guide,
or by referring to the criteria for assessing written coursework on pages 16–19 of the Cambridge
IGCSE First Language English 0500 Syllabus for examination from 2020 or pages 16–19 of the
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English (9–1) 0990 Syllabus for examination from 2020.
Exercise 4 (page 139)
The letter should have the sender’s address, a date and start ‘Dear …’. The recipient’s address is
not needed as it is being sent to a friend.
Points that could be included in the letter:
School policies which may be different from his old school:
• No grades until students are 15
• No timetable
• Teachers don’t lecture to the students
• Students decide what they want to study and when they want to take an exam
• Only compulsory subjects are maths, German, English and social studies

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• Students as young as twelve to fourteen are given €150 ($118) to plan and go on trip or try an
adventure
Good things about Evangelical School Berlin Centre (ESBC):
• Helps students to take responsibility for their own decisions and gives them confidence
• Prepares them for adult working life
• Makes it easier to learn
• Gets the best results
Exercise 5 (page 142)
The letter should include the sender’s address, the recipient’s address since it is a formal letter, a
date and start ‘Dear …’.
Points that could be included in the letter:
What happened (the school will know about these but may need to be reminded):
• 30 boys came to school wearing skirts in the hot weather in June 1976.
• Even though the temperature was over 30° they were told they could not wear shorts.
• Girls were allowed to have bare legs and the school said the boys could wear skirts.
• They borrowed skirts from sisters or friends.
Feelings of students
• Some liked the experience of wearing skirts.
• Some didn’t like the fact it showed the hairs on their legs.
• They didn’t like girls being treated differently from boys.
Possible changes to school policy
• Make it less strict and allow shorts.
The letter should make a clear argument for why the school should change its policy and be written
using an appropriately formal tone.
Exercise 6 (page 142)
It is suggested that teachers mark this exercise either according to their own departmental marking
policy, or use for guidance the advice about marking writing given in the Guide to marking your
students’ work section of this Cambridge IGCSETM English as a first language Teacher’s Guide,
or by referring to the criteria for assessing written coursework on pages 16–19 of the Cambridge
IGCSE First Language English 0500 Syllabus for examination from 2020 or pages 16–19 of the
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English (9–1) 0990 Syllabus for examination from 2020.
Questions from the interviewer to her father might include:
• Why do you think she did not stay on at school? Or keep working at the Upright Small General
Dealer?
• Do you know what she wanted from life?
• Did you think marriage would make her happy?
Questions from the interviewer to the cousin might include:
• Was Precious good at her job at the bus company?
• How did her work there compare with the other people employed?
• How did she first show that she might become a good detective?
The answer should also include suitable replies to the questions.

Exercise 7 (page 144)

Possible answers might start with something like the following:
Neighbours: We don’t like to be a nuisance but could we ask you a few questions?

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Researcher: Please come in. I would be happy to help.

Neighbours: I remember from the last time we spoke that you were investigating the harmful
effects of noise and we wanted some advice.
Researcher: I will see what I can do for you. What is the problem?
Neighbours: It’s the children really, they play their music far too loud and we are worried about
the effects. It’s driving us crazy.
The answer should continue this conversation, using an appropriate register and incorporating
relevant details from the accompanying article.
Exercise 8 (page 146)
The dialogue might start with something like the following:
‘People have to understand how difficult it is for us to get to school,’ said Mohamad Muzzi.
‘Is it true that you fell off the pipe one day?’ asked Sivaraman.
‘Yes. My parents were always telling me that I should take the safer route to school but two
kilometres is a long way,’ he replied.
‘Did they know you were still using the pipe?’ enquired Intan Razuna.
‘I think so but we didn’t discuss it.’
‘So, tell us what happened on the day that you fell?’ demanded Nur Balkiesh.
The answer should include a continuation of the dialogue.

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Student Book Answers

The Student book answers are for guidance only. They contain points that students could select in
their answers; note that other answers may be acceptable.

Chapter 4 Writing compositions

Unit 11 Practical guidelines
Exercise 1 (page 153)
Sample sentences:
• I was delighted to accept the prize for best student. (I received the prize.)
• We had to except the answer Team B gave for question two in the quiz because it did not
correspond to the question. (We had to leave it out.)

• Altogether, the points made by Party X seemed better than those made by Party Z. (Taking
everything into consideration.)
• The group came from many parts of the country but all together we set up the camp. (We did it
as a whole group.)

• The pupil had a bad conscience when she knew she had lied to the teacher about what had
happened in the playground when another pupil was hurt.
• After the accident, the man remained conscious so he could tell the hospital staff what had
happened.

• The pirates kept the hoard of gold in a cave. (Hoard usually refers to a collection of objects of
value, hidden for future use.)
• A horde of insects made a nest in our roof. (Horde usually refers to an uncontrolled collection
of individuals.)

• I needed to use a lot of patience helping my cousin to do his homework as it took him a very
long time.
• When I went to the hospital, there were fifteen patients who needed to be seen before me.

• Mary alluded to Jane being with her when they had left school early but never actually said her
name.
• Our football team almost won the championship three times but the prize eluded them as they
lost each time.

• The clothes I wear are kept in drawers or hung up in a cupboard.

• We use different cloths for cleaning furniture and for cleaning ourselves.

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• The performer tried to elicit a round of applause from the audience by telling lots of funny
stories.
• J was arrested because he had illicit material in is home. (The material was illegal.)

• There was a flash of lightning a few seconds after we heard the thunder.
• My brother’s bedroom was very dark but he has been lightening it by painting the walls white.

• When I woke up early in the morning it was very quiet as there were no noises in the house.
• The show was quite good but I have been to other shows that I thought were better.

Exercise 2 (page 154)

Sample sentences:
1 My cousins have been staying with us and I was sad when they had to go home but we will see
them next month.
All the family were mournful after the death of my grandfather.
The abandoned house was a forlorn place and needed some people to take care of it.
As the light outside became darker the room became gloomy and started to make me feel
slightly afraid.
The man in the last house in the village was morose, hardly speaking to anybody and always in
a bad mood.
2 This exercise is difficult and I am having to work very hard to answer the questions.
He was a demanding teacher, always pushing us to try new things.
When we looked inside my grandfather’s old watch we saw it was an intricate system of tiny
parts and we were not sure if we could find someone who could repair it.
After tripping on the stairs, my knee was painful for several weeks.
George was a troublesome pupil and made it difficult for his classmates to concentrate.
3 I am learning to speak a foreign language but I am finding it difficult.
It is good to converse with a range of different people as you can discuss many different topics.
My sister was angry and muttered something but I could not make out what she was saying.
The President proclaimed that there would be a new National Holiday on 1 June each year.
We are not allowed to talk during the school assembly.
4 A new house has just been built beside the river but we don’t know who is going to live there.
The hut high in the mountains was a strange dwelling but the young man enjoyed living there.
Lakes and rivers are the normal habitat for most freshwater fish.
I enjoyed our holiday abroad but it was good to get back home.
The President lives in a huge mansion in the centre of the city.

Exercise 3 (page 162)

It is suggested that teachers mark this exercise either according to their own departmental marking
policy, or use for guidance the advice about marking writing given in the Guide to marking your
students’ work section of this Cambridge IGCSETM English as a first language Teacher’s Guide,
or by referring to the criteria for assessing written coursework on pages 16–19 of the Cambridge
IGCSE First Language English 0500 Syllabus for examination from 2020 or pages 16–19 of the
Cambridge IGCSE First Language English (9–1) 0990 Syllabus for examination from 2020.

Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 2

Hodder & Stoughton © John Reynolds 2018
 Cambridge IGCSE First Language English exam question answers

Unit 12 Written coursework

The passages and accompanying exercises in this chapter are intended to provide examples of the
sort of material that could be used as the basis for coursework tasks. Teachers can use and adapt
them as they wish to help their students prepare for writing their own Coursework assignments.
It is important to keep in mind, however, that all submitted Coursework should be entirely the
students’ own work. We have, therefore, NOT supplied suggested answers to any of the exercises
in this chapter. Teachers should mark their students’ coursework using the mark scheme and
marking guidance provided in the Cambridge IGCSE First Language English Syllabus.

Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 3

Hodder & Stoughton © John Reynolds 2018