Non-fiction

Chapter 5 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
Non-fiction texts are pieces of writing about real people and real events. sharks. If you spot a shark, do not act aggressively. Simply get out of the
In other words, they are based on facts and not made up. There are water as calmly and as quickly as possible. Sometimes a shark may attack
different types, or genres, of non-fiction writing, many of which you will people because it is simply curious. If you take these precautions, you can
come across in your everyday life. For example, you might use a reference greatly reduce your chances of being attacked.
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: Try this
l biographies, autobiographies and memoirs 1 Which country has had the most shark attacks since records began?
l academic textbooks and reference books
l reports in newspapers and online
l guides and manuals 2 Which country has had the most fatal shark attacks since records began?
l travelogues and travel literature
l essays that consider a particular viewpoint
l articles 3 What is the purpose of the text? Tick (✓) two boxes.
l leaflets. a To describe a shark attack
b To give advice about how to protect yourself from sharks
The following piece of non-fiction writing is from an internet article and is c To make the readers feel sorry for victims of shark attacks
non-fiction writing
about real people and about sharks. d To warn readers about the dangers of sharks
real events e To stop readers from visiting Australia
4 Which literary device is ‘highest’ an example of? Tick (✓) one box.
facts things that are Shark Attack
known or proven to a Alliteration
Every year around one hundred shark attacks on humans are reported
be true b Euphemism
worldwide. About one in six of these attacks is fatal, although this figure
c Ellipsis
genre a style or type varies depending where in the world the attack takes place. So, for
example, if you are attacked by a shark off the coast of the United States of d Superlative
of writing (or art or
America, you have a much greater chance of surviving than if you are e Simile
music)
attacked off the coast of South Africa or Australia. Since records have 5 Write a list of the things you can do to protect yourself from a
biography a piece HINT
been kept, the United States has recorded the highest number of shark shark attack.
of writing about You do not need to
attacks, but the highest number of fatal shark attacks has been off the coast
someone else’s life write in full sentences
of Australia. If you are swimming in an area where there may be sharks, it
when writing a list.
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 6 Summarise what you should do to avoid being attacked by a shark in
swimming and, if necessary, you can be easily reached. Keep away from HINT
information that has river mouths because sharks tend to collect in these areas. It is sensible 40 words.
Avoid repeating
been collected also to avoid waters contaminated by sewage because sharks enjoy yourself and make
travelogue a piece of swimming in these areas. sure every word is
writing about travel It is important that you don’t go swimming if you have an open wound – relevant.
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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 CHAPTER 5 NON-FICTION Non-fiction

Now read this newspaper report which describes an actual shark attack HINT 3 Write down two facts about the shark from the report.
on a surfer. Make sure you
know the difference
between a fact and an
The man who took on a killer shark … and survived opinion.
Brave surfer Simon Smith yesterday plucked up courage to venture back 4 What is the effect of the words ‘thrashing around’ in the section with
into the sea again. the heading ‘Attacked’?
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 Try this

Doctors had feared that he might never walk again, let alone surf.
Simon, 25, was determined to prove them wrong. 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’.
But he chose less hazardous waters yesterday at Newquay, Cornwall. He a reporter asks
laughed, ‘I may catch my death of cold here but at least I won’t get attacked by someone questions In the table below add ten more verbs you could use instead of ‘said’
a shark. I thought I would never go back in the waters but surfing is my life.’ about what happened that help to describe a person’s attitude or tone of voice. Two examples
for a newspaper are provided.
He recalled that he survived the attack because a wave swept him to safety
report
as the 15 ft man-eater relaxed his bite on his surfboard to get a better grip. Bellowed Whispered
But then the creature turned and tore at his friend Patrick Edwards, a
22-year-old student, who died shortly afterwards.
HINT
Simon still has flashbacks about the ordeal and has taken nearly two years Look up the verb
to recover from his injuries. ‘say’ in a thesaurus.
Surgeons spent seven hours rebuilding his leg with surgery involving Remember to turn
hundreds of stitches. Now he has moved to England to recover from the the verb into the past
trauma and works in a Newquay surf shop. Reliving the shark attack, he tense form.
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.’ Remember to add these words to your vocabulary list.
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 Try this
the area in recent years.
The surfer faced an extremely dangerous situation and was lucky to
HINT
escape with his life.
Draw a mind map or
Try this 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.
1 Write down three features of a newspaper report used in this text. ideas.
HINT It can be written in the first or third person.
Make sure you write
third-person narrator Remember to use interesting word choices and descriptions.
down at least three
features. If you can this narrator does Vary your types of sentence and punctuation for effect.
find four, it is worth not take part in the
writing them down events of the story Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.
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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 CHAPTER 5 NON-FICTION Non-fiction

Read this online news report.

5 What is the effect of the phrase ‘a stomach-lurching 1500 ft above the
Little Colorado River’?
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 6 What does the word ‘daredevil’ tell us about Wallenda?
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 7 Which of the following verbs would be the best synonym for ‘asserts’?
Building, higher, certainly, than Wallenda himself has ever attempted Tick (✓) one box.
before, the wire will be suspended a stomach-lurching 1500 ft above the
a says
Little Colorado River. Without a safety net or harness, the only equipment
b contradicts
Wallenda will use is a pole, which he will carry for balance.
c declares
‘We’ve tried to prepare for the possibility that I could die,’ he says, with an d repeats
admirable absence of drama. ‘My wife and kids would be looked after for e argues
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. LET’S TALK Try this
‘I’ve calculated it – it would take nine seconds for me to reach the bottom. Nik Wallenda is a
That’s a lot of time to think,’ he says. The daredevil already holds seven brave daredevil who Match up these words from the extract with the correct synonyms.
world records including the longest walk over a waterfall, which he likes challenges and
achieved when he crossed Niagara Falls, and the highest bicycle tightrope pushes himself to the Word from extract Synonym
(235 ft), completed live on breakfast television. Wallenda’s closest call limits. attempt admiration
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 With your partner, or suspended worked out
in training; what happens when this happens? How do I sort it out? Your your group, research admirable reassurance
mind reacts more quickly when you are up there, which is important,’ he the meaning of the
phrase ‘extreme calculated deserving of praise
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 sports’. respect try
scared? ‘I don’t call it fear, I call it respect,’ he asserts. ‘When I walk to the Then make a list of relief hung
edge of a 15-storey building, my heart races, just like anyone else’s. But I the extreme sports
turn that into respect and think “I had better train well, so that I am not just that you can think of.
prepared. I am over-prepared.”’
Explain to your Try this
partner, or group,
whether you would Write an essay explaining the advantages of playing sport regularly.
Try this like to try one of the
extreme sports. Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper.
1 Find a word from the first paragraph that means ‘worldwide’.

Check your understanding

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

Chapter 6 Poetry and fiction 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
Poetry details
happens in the poem in only 60 words. Write your summary by putting
Read the poem below: ‘Hurricane’ by James Berry. In the poem, the poet one word in each box.
describes the effects of a violent storm on a community in the Caribbean.
The wind

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. Try this
Goats, dogs, pigs
All are people together. 1 In the second verse, what does the line ‘It made forced entry, shoved
walls’ tell us about the hurricane?
Then growling it slunk away
From muddy, mossy trail and boats
In hedges: and cows, ratbats, tress,
Fish, all dead in the road. 2 Read the third verse again and pick out two verbs that show how
destructive the hurricane was.

Try this
3 In the fifth verse, what technique is used in the line ‘Zinc sheets
Fill in this fact file based on the poem. are kites’?
a Simile
How the hurricane started b Personification
c Metaphor
The sounds it made d Alliteration
4 Find and write down another example of this technique in the
How it affected property same verse.

How it affected nature

How it affected animals 5 Write down a short phrase from the final verse that shows the
hurricane had lost its strength.
How the hurricane ended

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 CHAPTER 6 POETRY AND FICTION Poetry

HINT Try this Defying law

You probably death and gravity
remember that a Use a thesaurus to find synonyms for the following words from as they do a wheely
synonym is a word the poem.
with a similar meaning Landing back
to another word. For 1 black in the smooth swoop
example, ‘ancient’ of youth
would be a synonym 2 hitting
And faces gaping
for ‘old’. 3 broke gawking, impressed
and unimpressed
4 growling
Only Mother watches – heartbeat in her mouth
Add the words to your vocabulary list so you can use them in your
writing in the future.

Try this
LET’S TALK
Imagine you are a news reporter who has been sent to cover the story of the 1 Pick out two examples of alliteration in the poem.
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. 2 In the second verse, why are the skaters called ‘teenage earthbirds’?

TOP TIPS Try this 3 Look at the third verse. Give one phrase that shows the confidence of
Make your account the skaters.
more interesting by Write about a time when you were affected by bad weather.
using:
Think about the following:
l similes 4 Find one word in the fifth verse that means ‘to stare openly and
l metaphors l where you were stupidly’.
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. 5 Enjambment has been used in the poem to create what effect?
enjambment a run-on Tick (✓) one box.
l different
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper. line of poetry a To make the poem longer
punctuation marks.
b To suggest the speed of the skaters
Now read this poem called ‘Roller Skaters’ by Grace Nichols which c To show how quickly everything happened
describes the skill and acrobatics of roller skaters. 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?
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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 CHAPTER 6 POETRY AND FICTION Fiction

7 The skaters are very skilful. Explain how the reader knows this. Give Fiction
two explanations in your own words and support each explanation Fiction texts are pieces of writing about imaginary events or people.
with a quotation from the poem. There are different types, or genres, of fiction writing and most people
Explanation in your own words Quotation from the poem
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
Try this characters and conflicts, or situations that you might face one day.

Use a thesaurus to find synonyms for the following words from

Fiction can take many forms, including:
the poem. l narratives l poems
1 flying l short stories l plays.
l diaries
2 sudden
This extract is from a novel called The Hunger Games which is about a
3 defying
dystopian future. The novel is narrated by a teenage girl, Katniss
4 smooth Everdeen, who has to compete with and fight to the death in an outdoor
narrator the person
Remember to add the words to your vocabulary list so you can use them who is telling the
arena against another chosen teenager from a neighbouring district. In
in your writing in the future. story this extract, Katniss, the narrator, has climbed a tree to escape from
those chasing after her.
Read the extract.
Try this
The roller skaters clearly enjoy their hobby/sport. Rosy streaks are breaking through in the east. I can’t afford to wait any
persuade to longer. Compared to the agony of last night’s climb, this one is a cinch. At
encourage someone Imagine that you want to persuade your classmates to take up a hobby the tree limb that holds the nest, I position the knife in the groove and I’m
to do something or sport that you feel passionate about. about to draw the teeth across the wood when I see something moving.
Write a speech to persuade them. 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
Complete this answer on a separate piece of paper. 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
tone the feeling or TOP TIPS I don’t get through this branch in a matter of seconds, the entire swarm
mood of a piece of could emerge and attack me.
writing l Think about the tone you will use when addressing your classmates.
There’s no sense in putting it off. I take a deep breath, grip the knife handle
l Remember to sound enthusiastic and persuasive by using techniques
rhetorical question and bear down as hard as I can. Back, forth, back, forth! The tracker jackers
such as rhetorical questions, tripling, direct address and emotive
a question asked begin to buzz and I hear them coming out. Back, forth, back, forth! A stabbing
language.
in order to create a pain shoots through my knee and I know one has found me and the others
l Make your chosen hobby/sport sound exciting by using adjectives,
dramatic effect or to will be honing in. Back, forth, back, forth. And just as the knife cuts through,
adverbs and verbs.
make a point rather I shove the end of the branch as far away from me as I can. It crashes down
l What arguments/points about the benefits of taking up a hobby or sport
than to get an answer through the lower branches, snagging temporarily on a few but then twisting
could you include?
free until it smashes with a thud on the ground. The nest bursts open like an
tripling using three egg, and a furious swarm of tracker jackers takes to the air.
related words or
phrases for emphasis 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
direct address use arm while I rip the barbed stingers out of my flesh. Fortunately, only these
of the second person three tracker jackers had identified me before the nest went down. The
(you/your/you’re) to rest of the insects have targeted their enemies on the ground.
appeal to a reader

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 CHAPTER 6 POETRY AND FICTION CHAPTER 6 POETRY AND FICTION

This extract is from the novel War Horse by Michael Morpurgo. The novel
HINT Try this tells the story of the experiences of a horse, Joey, who is sold to the army
Remember to tick
only one box. If you 1 What time of day is it? Tick (✓) the correct box.
and is plunged into battle in France during the First World War.
tick more than one a Early evening This extract is written in the first person, from Joey’s viewpoint, and
box, even if you have first-person narrator
b Dawn describes a terrifying attack against the enemy. Joey’s rider is
the correct answer, a narrator writing from
c Mid-morning Trooper Warren.
you will not score any his or her viewpoint
marks in the exam. d Afternoon using I
2 Write down one phrase from the first paragraph that shows the
All around me, men cried and fell to the ground, and horses reared and
narrator is starting to panic.
screamed in an agony of fear and pain. The ground erupted on either side
HINT
of me, throwing horses and riders clear into the air. The shells whined and
Make sure you
roared overhead, and every explosion seemed like an earthquake to us.
write down a short
3 Find and write down a word from the first paragraph that But the squadron galloped on inexorably through it all towards the wire at
phrase and not a full
means ‘whole’. the top of the hill and I went with them.
sentence.
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
HINT find it again. Topthorn was still ahead of me, his head up, his tail whisking
4 Which of the following two techniques does the writer use in the from side to side. I found more strength in my legs and charged after him.
Make sure you choose
only one word. second paragraph? Tick (✓) two boxes. Trooper Warren prayed aloud as he rode, but his prayers turned soon to
a Repetition curses as he saw the carnage around him. Only a few horses reached the
b Metaphor wire and Topthorn and I were amongst them. There were indeed a few
HINT c Simile holes blasted through the wire by our bombardment so that some of us
Even if you are unsure d Personification could find a way through; and we came at last upon the first line of enemy
5 The narrator is feeling anxious and scared. Explain how the reader trenches, but they were empty. The firing came now from higher up in
of an answer in the
knows this. amongst the trees; and so the squadron, or what was left of it, regrouped
exam, it is worth
Give two explanations in your own words and support each and galloped up into the wood, only to be met by a line of hidden wire
ticking a box instead
in amongst the trees. Some of the horses ran into the wire before they
of not answering the explanation with a quotation from the text.
could be stopped, and stuck there, their riders trying feverishly to extract
question, because
Explanation in your own words Quotation from the text them. I saw one trooper dismount deliberately once he saw his horse
there is a chance you
was caught. He pulled out his rifle and shot his mount before falling dead
might be correct.
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
HINT 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
Make sure that your
tree, from trenches all around it seemed, they ran forward in their piked
explanations are in piked helmets helmets helmets to counter-attack. They rushed past us, ignoring us until we
your own words and with a spike on top found ourselves surrounded by an entire company of soldiers, their rifles
not copied from the
pointing up at us.
text.
6 What is the effect of the repetition of ‘Back, forth, back, forth’ in the text? 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.
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 CHAPTER 6 POETRY AND FICTION

Try this Try this

1 What two techniques are used in the line ‘The shells whined and Match up these words from the extract with the correct synonyms.
HINT
roared overhead, and every explosion seemed like an earthquake to
Remember to tick two Word from the extract Synonym
us’? Tick (✓) two boxes.
boxes.
a Euphemism screamed relentlessly
b Simile HINT erupted noble
c Metaphor Find each of the words inexorably shrieked
d Alliteration in the extract and try
blasted desperately
e Personification replacing them with
HINT your chosen synonym feverishly broke out
2 Write down one word from the second paragraph that means ‘mass
Remember to choose destruction’. to check whether the rushed shot
only one word. words fit and make proud raced
sense.

HINT 3 What type of word is ‘feverishly’?

Find the word in the LET’S TALK
extract as it might give Some people love animals and think they are important to humans.
you a clue.
4 The battle is terrifying and deadly. Explain how the reader knows this. Some people are cruel to animals.
Give two explanations in your own words and support each With your partner or group, discuss which you think is the larger group
HINT explanation with a quotation from the text. of people.
Make sure that your
explanations are in Explanation in your own words Quotation from the text Write down some examples of how humans treat animals to support
your own words and your argument.
not copied from the
text.
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:
5 Joey (the narrator) has a close relationship with his rider
HINT l Persuasive language
Trooper Warren.
Make sure you are l Direct address
Give an example of how Joey tries to help Trooper Warren in the
looking at the correct l Dramatic punctuation (question marks, exclamation marks, ellipses)
second paragraph.
section. 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.
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 Check your understanding
me in an iron grip with his knees’? 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?
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 7 CHAPTER 7 THE CAMBRIDGE READING TEST

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
Your Cambridge Reading Test is approaching and you are probably carefully and make b Hollering and waving
wondering how to prepare for it. Don’t worry – you are not alone. sure your responses c Hollering
are precise. [1]
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. Here is another question to practise.
3 Practise completing previous test papers.
4 Make sure you understand the types of question you might be asked.
Try this
5 Make sure you understand the wording used in the questions. Read these lines, continuing from the previous extract, and think about
6 Take note of how long the test is so you can time yourself effectively. the answer you would give.
7 Practise completing previous test papers in timed conditions.
Let’s have a look at some practice questions. 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
Retrieval questions 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,
Try this sort of like coming home.

Read this extract and answer the question that follows.

Give a two-word phrase that tells the reader that Mira loses
HINT control and starts crying freely.[1]
There was still a light on in Mo’s room. He often stayed up late Follow the instructions
reading late into the night. Meggie had inherited her love of books and make sure you The correct answer is ‘suddenly cascade’.
from her father. When she took refuge from a bad dream with him, write down two words.
nothing could lull her back to sleep better than Mo’s calm breathing Why would each of the answers below not score a mark?
HINT beside her and the sound of the pages turning. Nothing chased away a Threatening to spill over
Remember to check nightmares faster than the rustle of printed paper.
how many marks the
question is worth. A
b Cascade down my face
1-mark question means What helps Meggie get to sleep after a bad dream? [1] TOP TIPS
you need to make one
Spelling errors will
point.
be ignored as long
as the sense is c Cascade
clear. For example,
Sometimes a question will instruct you about how many words you need ‘personalisation’
to write down for your answer. would not be
awarded the mark,
Try this but ‘persanification’ Technique questions
would.
HINT Look at this extract and answer the question below. You will often be asked to identify a specific technique from the passage.
The question is asking Sometimes this will be in the form of a multiple-choice question and
you to write down sometimes you will be expected to write the answer without being given
‘Mira! Mira!’
one word. If you write HINT any choices.
down more than one I suppose that must be Priya leaping up and down, hollering and If you are not sure
word (even if your waving. She looks nothing like she did last week on Skype. about the different We will look at both types of question here.
answer includes the techniques that writers Look at this phrase: ‘windows so small you’d think they were holding
correct information) use, have a look for
Give one word that tells the reader that Priya makes a lot of noise when their breath’.
you will not be the explanations in the
awarded the mark. she first sees Mira. glossary at the back of What technique is this an example of? [1]
this book.
The correct answer here would be ‘personification’.

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 Multiple-choice questions CHAPTER 7 THE CAMBRIDGE READING TEST

Multiple-choice questions Finding examples

Here is a multiple-choice question. Some questions will ask you to find examples of specific techniques.
Look at the sentence: ‘When the sun does come out, it does so These may be straightforward where you need to find an example of just
apologetically, like a ballerina who is unsure of her entrance on stage.’ one technique. Here is an example.

Which literary techniques does the writer use in the sentence above? Try this
Tick (✓) two boxes. [2]
a Metaphor Read the extract and answer the question that follows.
b Simile
c Alliteration ‘Forget about presents! You are the present. Come on, you must be
d Personification 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
e Hyperbole
TOP TIPS to follow.
l Even if you are
Think about the following things that students often do in the exam. ‘What were you going to give me anyway?’ whispers Priya, breaking
unsure of the l If you only ticked one correct box, would you score 2 marks? into my thoughts.
correct answer, If you ticked three boxes, including both correct answers, would you
l Anjali overhears her and then turns and shoots her an ‘I’ll deal with
it is worth ticking
a box(es) as you
score 2 marks? you later!’ look. I wonder if all mums, wherever you live, anywhere in
If you left all the boxes blank, would you score 2 marks? the world, have the same silent repertoire of reprimands.
might be correct. l
l Follow the
Hopefully, you won’t be too surprised to find out that you will
instructions
Give an example of alliteration from the extract.[1]
carefully. l only score 1 mark if you only tick one correct answer alliteration repetition
l Check the number l not score any marks if you tick three boxes, including the two of consonants at the In this extract, there are two examples of alliteration in the same
of marks for the correct answers beginning of words sentence, so be careful how you write the answer. Which of the following
question. for effect answers would score the mark and why?
l Check how many
l not score any marks if you leave all the boxes blank.
boxes you need to a Repertoire of reprimands
tick. Selecting quotations b Same silent repertoire of reprimands
c Same silent
You will often be asked to pick out quotations from the passage to prove
a statement. Here is an example.

Try this
HINT
Questions like this can sometimes be more demanding by asking you to
Read the following lines: These questions will find examples of two or three different techniques.
be worth 2 or 3 marks,
There. I had to look where she pointed – the third floor, the paint so it is important that Try this
peeling, wooden bars Papa had nailed on the windows so we you answer all the
wouldn’t fall out. You live there? The way she said it made me feel like parts. Read the extract and answer the question that follows.
nothing. There. I lived there. I nodded.
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
The narrator is embarrassed about the house. Give one quotation all day, sweet to put your nose into when she is holding you, holding
HINT that tells the reader this. [1] you and you feel safe, is the warm smell of bread before you bake it,
Remember the The correct answer here is: ‘made me feel like nothing’.
is the smell when she makes room for you on her side of the bed still
question is asking warm with her skin, and you sleep near her, the rain outside falling
about the narrator’s Why do you think the quotation, ‘the paint peeling, wooden bars and Papa snoring. The snoring, the rain, and Mama’s hair that smells
embarrassment. Papa had nailed on the windows so we wouldn’t fall out’ would not like bread.
Does this quotation be acceptable?
suggest the narrator is
embarrassed?

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 Inference or deduction questions CHAPTER 7 THE CAMBRIDGE READING TEST

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

a Metaphor
HINT Here is another inference-style question. Look at the following lines and
Do not confuse a think about how you would answer the question.
metaphor with a simile.
b Repetition 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.
c Alliteration
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:
HINT Inference or deduction questions and think about what
is suggested, rather
l ‘every day dawns uniformly grey’
This simply means l ‘the rain cycles’
You will often be asked to make inferences or deductions from than what is explicitly
that you read between l ‘from a spatter to a thundery relentlessness’
the lines to find
information you have read. stated.
Now, decide which of the following answers would score a mark, and why.
impressions that are
not explicitly stated. Try this a Her mood is gloomy and miserable.
b She likes the climate.
Read the same extract again but, this time, consider what the reader c She feels depressed.
HINT d She is feeling under the weather.
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 Explanation questions
with her skin, and you sleep near her, the rain outside falling and Papa Questions like this ask you to explain something from a quotation or an
snoring. The snoring, the rain, and Mama’s hair that smells like bread.
idea in the text.

What impression does each of these quotations create of the mother? Try this
a ‘when she is holding you’ 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
b ‘is the smell when she makes room for you on her side of the bed still as candyfloss. She runs a guesthouse here, in the Scottish Highlands,
warm with her skin’ 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
c ‘you sleep near her’ 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.
d ‘Mama’s hair that smells like bread’

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 ‘Complete the table’ questions CHAPTER 7 THE CAMBRIDGE READING TEST

Try this What are the differences between the houses described?
Complete the table below with information from the text.[3]
Read the extract and think about the question that follows.
HINT
In the text, underline First paragraph Second paragraph
However, I do quite often agree to take her dog, Oscar, for a walk. Oscar the information Rooms three washrooms
and I wander through fields thick with stubby nettles, beating pathways about the rooms, the
down to the lake; or else we follow one of the narrow tracks that condition of the house Condition the bricks are crumbling
crisscross through woodland to the top of the peninsula, passing isolated and the outside.
farms and small rivers, until we reach one of the nearby villages. Outside a great big yard

What makes the location of Aunt Petra’s guesthouse especially Make sure you are looking at the correct paragraph. Your information
suitable for people on silent retreats? [1] must be precise.

Two of the following answers are correct and two are incorrect. Explain why these answers would not be acceptable:
Which ones are correct? a Condition – there are four little elms
a It is on a peninsula. b Outside – there is no yard
b It is very remote. c Outside – there is a small front yard
c There are nearby villages.
d It is in a rural area.

‘Complete the table’ questions This ‘complete the table’ question requires explanations.
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/ Try this
quotations and sometimes give an explanation in your own words.
Read the extract and consider the question that follows.
Let’s look at a straightforward information question.
My great-grandmother. I would’ve liked to have known her – a wild horse
Try this 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
First of all, read this extract. 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
They always told us that one day we would move into a house – a real life, the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow. I wonder
house that would be ours for always so we wouldn’t have to move if she made the best with what she got or was she sorry because she
each year. And our house would have running water and pipes that couldn’t be all the things she wanted to be. Esperanza. I have inherited
worked. And inside it would have real stairs – not hallway stairs, but her name, but I don’t want to inherit her place by the window.
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
What does this paragraph tell the reader about women’s lives in the past?
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 Complete the table below. [1 for each correct point]
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. HINT Quotation What it tells the reader

But the house on Mango Street is not the way they told it at all. It’s Read the question ‘… a wild horse of a woman, so wild
small and red with tight steps in front and windows so small you’d carefully. she wouldn’t marry’
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. ‘… my great-grandfather threw a
There is no front yard – only four little elms the city planted by the sack over her head and carried her off’
curb. Out back is a small garage for the car we don’t own yet and a
‘She looked out the window her
small yard that looks smaller between the two buildings on either
whole life’
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. 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 CHAPTER 7 THE CAMBRIDGE READING TEST

Explaining the effect of techniques Identifying features of newspaper articles

You have already practised recognising different techniques in this On Paper 1, the non-fiction paper, you may be asked to identify features
section, but for some questions you will be asked to explain the effect of of newspaper writing. You could prepare for this by looking at newspapers
a particular technique in the text. at home or in your school/college library and thinking about how the
Questions like this are often phrased in the following way: stories are laid out on the page. You might then think about the features
the newspaper articles have in common.
l What effect does the writer create by using …
l In the following extract, what is the effect of … Try this
l Why does the writer use …
Look at the newspaper articles below.
Try this
Read this short extract and think about the following question. Playing video games could make you smarter –
and even improve your job prospects
I loved this little room, 305 metres below the surface of the earth. It A new study from the University of Florida has proven a link between
had been my home for four days, and these last black seven or eight academic success and playing games like Minecraft
hours would be my final chance to savour the wonder. Alone.
Benefits
Gaming has been shown to develop vital attributes needed
What effect does the writer create by using a single-word sentence? [1] for success – such as communication skills, decision-making,
resourcefulness and quick thinking – according to a study carried out
Which two of the following answers would be marked as correct? Think by experts at Florida University.
HINT about why the other two answers would not be acceptable.
Make sure the Professor Egon Smith said, ‘Video games require players to adapt
explanation is a It creates dramatic effect. to situations quickly and come up with many different ways of
precise and relates b It creates suspense. completing or solving a task. Designers have created these games to
to the context of the c It provides a contrast to the long sentences before. develop critical thinking skills and to force players to consider and
sentence. d It creates tension.  re-evaluate decisions they have made.

The Science
Whilst parents might not want to hear about the benefits of computer
Try this 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
Now read these lines from the same passage and be ready to answer 10-14 were more than 30% likely to have faster reflexes than those
this question: children who do not play.
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 Teenager Breaks South Pole World Record
intimidating, that it had taken me several days to come to something After a 48-day, 702-mile journey from the Antarctic Coast to the South
close to full comprehension of its marvels: crystals the size of small Pole, 16-year-old Lewis Clarke, from England, arrived at the South
trees, huge-domed pits, rooms as high as a thirty-storey building. 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).
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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 Identifying features of newspaper articles CHAPTER 7 THE CAMBRIDGE READING TEST

TOP TIPS
In your Reading Test, The journey Porini Camp, Kenya
if you are asked to Teenager Lewis set out on his epic expedition from Hercules Inlet African national parks are a good thing. That’s a no-brainer, isn’t
list the features of a on the Antarctic coast on 2 December 2013, just two weeks after his it? But how do the local people feel about this? In Kenya, it turns out
newspaper article in a 16th birthday. After 48 gruelling days travelling across one of the that the local Masai people felt excluded and their feelings weren’t
specific text, you can most inhospitable environments on earth, in temperatures as low as considered about the busloads of tourists who were herded into
include layout and minus 40 and gale force winds of up to 60 mph, Lewis has become their villages. However, Jake Cook, a white Kenyan, had an idea.
textual features. the youngest person in the world to ski the full 702 miles from coast to Why not open a camp on Masai-owned land outside the national
Pole, on the well-established Hercules Inlet route. 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,
Daily struggles in turn, would experience a genuinely warm welcome and get the
Lewis was guided by experienced polar guide Carl Alvey. They run of a vast area of wilderness. The result is Ambolesi Porini, a
travelled on skis, pulling their own supplies, but received three small tented camp a few miles north of Ambolesi National Park. Jake
resupplies during the expedition. There have been many ups and said, ‘Because only twelve visitors a day are allowed in, the animals
downs, from white-outs and blizzards to Lewis breaking a ski. They had – elephants, cheetahs, lions and leopards – remain genuinely wild
only one full day off (on Christmas Day) during the 48-day expedition. and unaccustomed to the sight of vehicles. Tourists have a genuine
They usually skied around 8 or 9 hours a day, covering roughly 18 miles experience of Africa.’
TOP TIPS
daily. Their last day, Saturday 18 January, was a very tough one, with the
Try to write down four Grootbos, South Africa
lowest temperatures of the whole trip (around −50°C including wind chill).
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
What layout features do these newspaper articles have in common? [3]
HINT seaweed. Barely visible from the road, the hotel nestles in a
Think about what the Write a list of at least three things. wooded hillside overlooking a protected wild beach. It’s stylish and
articles look like on comfortable, with cosy cottages hidden among trees. The hotel’s
the page. How are ethos is ‘luxury, conservation and social responsibility’. The owner
they organised? 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
What textual features do these newspaper articles have in common? [3] wildlife and some of the 9,700 plant species.
HINT
Think about what Write a list of at least three things. So, as we can see from this, there are indeed many valid reasons why
sort of tone is used. we should continue to fly!
What is the purpose
headline a heading at
of the articles? What
the top of an article or Give three features of a newspaper article used in the text above. [3]
techniques do the
page in a newspaper
articles use? Now, look at these answers (A, B and C) and decide which one would
or magazine
score 3 marks and why.
Now try this Reading Test question. expert opinion
a comment on A A headline; a subheading; quotations
something given B A headline; points are explained; paragraphs
Try this by someone who C A headline; expert opinions; facts and statistics
knows a lot about the
Read the following newspaper article. subject

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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 Summary questions

HINT Try this

Practice test paper 1 Non-fiction
Remember
‘advantages’ are Using information from the same newspaper article, complete the list
the positive things; below, giving advantages and disadvantages of flying. [3] Section A: reading
‘disadvantages’ are
the negative things. Read Text A and then answer questions 1–10.
Advantages Disadvantages

TOP TIPS Text A

The examiner is Invasion of the Polar Bears!
instructed to accept Fifty-two hungry polar bears have occupied Guba, a remote area in
only the first point the Russian Arctic. The animals reportedly attacked locals, ransacked
written on any line, garbage dumps and barged into residential areas.
so make sure you
list your points The massive invasion of polar bears prompted the region to declare a
separately, one below 5 state of emergency.
the other. ‘People are scared, afraid to leave the house … afraid to let their
children go to school,’ a local resident stated. ‘There are between six

TOP TIPS
Summary questions and ten polar bears constantly in the village.’
It’s not uncommon to see polar bears near the area’s southern coasts,
You will always be These questions can be tricky but don’t panic – the tips on the left will 10 where they regularly converge in winter for seasonal seal hunts.
given a specific focus help you succeed. However, thinning sea ice caused by global warming is driving the
for the summary, bears inland in search of more readily available meals.
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. However, scavenging in bins isn’t all the beasts are doing. Pictures
words in the question posted over the weekend show the bears traipsing through empty
before you begin your 15 schoolyards and even infiltrating the corridors of office buildings in
answer.
Try this search of food.

You will be given a To protect the town, locals have built extra fences around schools
Using the information from the article ‘The Big Dig’, summarise the
specific word limit. and other sites, while special patrols try to scare off the bears with
advantages of constructing a city with some facilities underground. cars and dogs. These measures have shown no tangible results in
This means you
Use up to 40 words. [2] 20 frightening the bears and a special task force of ‘experts’ is on its way
cannot write more
than the number Write your answer in the space below. to assess the worrying situation.
of words stated in Polar bears are considered a vulnerable species around the world
the question. If you as global warming continues to diminish their sea ice habitats. In the
exceed the word Arctic, where the world’s estimated 22,000 to 33,000 polar bears live,
limit, you will not be 25 average temperatures are warming twice as fast as the rest of the
awarded full marks, world, resulting in huge declines in sea ice every year, according to a
even if you have December 2018 report released by the National Oceanographic and
included the correct Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
information. The word
limit may be 30, 40 or As sea ice melts, polar bears have to travel farther and work harder to
50 words. Read the 30 catch seals, causing some to starve to death in the process. Others –
instructions carefully. like those that invaded Guba – would rather eat garbage, it seems.

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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 Section A: reading PRACTICE TEST PAPERS

1 Look at the first paragraph. Read Text B and then answer questions 11–18.
Give one adjective that describes where the polar bears live.
[1] Text B
2 Look at the sentence in lines 1–2: ‘The animals reportedly attacked Mountain Gorillas
locals, ransacked garbage dumps and barged into residential areas.’ Youngsters tumble, climb, and run playing follow the leader.
Another group plays a rowdy game of king of the mountain. Several
Why does the writer use a long sentence here?
adults watch the action, relaxing nearby. Is this a playground scene
 [1] 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
3 Read the second paragraph. gorillas under the watchful eyes of their mothers.
According to this paragraph, how have the residents been affected
For a long time the image most people had of a gorilla encounter
by the presence of the polar bears? 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
[2] mainly vegetarian creatures. The occasional ferocious-looking,
4 What does the reader learn about how the habits of the polar impressive displays are generally from a male gorilla protecting his
family group from a threat.
bears have changed in the fourth paragraph (‘It’s not uncommon to
see polar bears […] of more readily available meals’)? 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
 [2]
and tourists, who pay high prices for the privilege of trekking to see
5 Look at the sentence, ‘However, scavenging in bins isn’t all the mountain gorillas.
beasts are doing.’ 20 The primary threat to mountain gorillas comes from forest clearance.
Write down one word from the sentence that makes the polar Conversion of land for agriculture and the need for natural resources
bears sound dangerous. such as firewood lead to varying degrees of deforestation.

 [1] Gorillas are vulnerable to human diseases, and when coming into
contact with humans can pick up a variety of illnesses – even the
6 Look at the phrase ‘a special task force of “experts” is on its way 25 common cold can prove fatal. As gorillas have not developed the
to assess the worrying situation’. necessary immunities, first time exposure to an illness or virus that is
What does the use of quotation marks above tell the reader about relatively harmless to humans may devastate an entire population.
the writer’s opinion of the task force? Mountain gorillas live for 35–40 years in the wild. They typically
move only about 500 metres per day, due to the mountainous terrain
 [1]
30 and readily available food. Male mountain gorillas usually weigh
7 In the seventh paragraph, what does the word ‘vulnerable’ tell us 195 kg with an upright standing height of 168 cm. This compares to
about the position of polar bears? females, at 100 kg and 140 cm. They live primarily on the ground but
will climb sturdy trees in order to find food.
 [1]
Mountain gorillas live in family troops of up to 20 individuals, made
8 What is the purpose of the seventh paragraph? 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
 [1] and their offspring of various ages. Some troops will have more than
9 What technique is used in the line ‘Others – like those that one mature male, but only one leader/alpha male. The subordinate
male (often called a ‘blackback’, and typically 8–12 years old) plays a
invaded Guba – would rather eat garbage, it seems’?
40 backup role and will assume the leadership role if the silverback dies.
Tick (✓) one box.
– simile
– parenthesis 11 What is the main purpose of Text B?
– personification Tick (✓) one box.
– synonym  [1] – To encourage people to view mountain gorillas
10 Give two features of a newspaper article used in Text A. – 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]
 [2]

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 Section A: reading PRACTICE TEST PAPERS

12 Pick out and write down one word from the first paragraph that Section B: writing
means ‘noisy’.
[1] 19 Some people believe that it’s wrong to keep animals in captivity in
zoos or safari parks. Others think zoos do valuable conservation
13 Look at the sentences ‘Is this playground scene at a school? work while allowing the public to see unusual or endangered animals.
No, guess again.’ What do you think, and why? Write a balanced argument, giving
Why does the writer use the short question and answer here? your opinions.
[1] You could include some of the following:
14 According to the second paragraph, why do gorillas pound their – Whether you think it’s better to see animals in the wild or in zoos
chests and look angry? – Your own experience of seeing animals in different environments
– Your own ideas about animals [25]
[1]
Write your plan in this box and then write your answer on a separate
15 In the third paragraph, why does the writer use the word ‘estimated’?
piece of paper.
[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

Practice test paper 2 Fiction 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
Section A: reading 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
Read the extract below, and then answer the questions that follow.
45 thatch roof; or in his aunty’s hut, the only one in the village with a
The extract is taken from the opening of the novel Half of a Yellow Sun by corrugated-iron roof.
Chimamanda Adichie. It is set in Nigeria in 1960. Ugwu, a thirteen-year- His aunty tapped on the glass. Ugwu could see the white curtains
old boy, is starting work as a cleaner for a university professor in the city. behind the door. A voice said, in English, ‘Yes? Come in.’
They took off their slippers before walking in. Ugwu had never seen a
Master was a little crazy; he had spent too many years reading books 50 room so wide. Despite the brown sofas arranged in a semi-circle, the
overseas, talked to himself in his office, did not always return greetings, side tables between them, the shelves crammed with books, and the
and had too much hair. Ugwu’s aunty said this in a low voice as they centre table with a vase of red and white plastic flowers, the room still
walked on the path. ‘But he is a good man,’ she added. ‘And as long as seemed to have too much space. Master sat in an armchair, wearing a
5 you work well, you will eat well. You will even eat meat every day.’ 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.
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 ‘Good afternoon, sah! This is the child,’ Ugwu’s aunty said.
aunty, though, because he was too choked with expectation, too busy
Master looked up. He pulled off his glasses. ‘The child?’
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 ‘The houseboy, sah. He will work hard,’ his aunty said. ‘He is a very
afternoon sun burned the back of his neck. But he did not mind. He good boy. Thank, sah!’
was prepared to walk hours more in even hotter sun. He had never
60 Master grunted in response, watching Ugwu and his aunty with a
seen anything like the streets that appeared after they went past the
faintly distracted expression, as if their presence made it difficult for
university gates, streets so smooth and tarred that he itched to lay his
him to remember something important. Ugwu’s aunty patted Ugwu’s
15 cheek down on them. He would never be able to describe to his sister
shoulder, whispered that he should do well, and turned to the door.
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 Ugwu stood by the door, waiting.
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
1 Look at the first paragraph.
echoed in the silent street. Ugwu wondered if she, too, could feel Give one phrase that shows that Ugwu’s aunty is whispering.
the coal tar getting hotter underneath, through her thin soles. They [1]
went past a sign, ODIM STREET, and Ugwu mouthed street, as he did
whenever he saw an English word that was not too long. 2 Which of these words would best describe Master in the first
paragraph?
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 Tick (✓) one box.
at the entrance. The bushes were shaped like slender hills. The lawn – Rude
glistened. Butterflies hovered overhead. – Eccentric
‘I told Master you will learn everything very fast,’ his aunty said. – Humorous
30 Ugwu nodded attentively although she had already told him the – Respectful  [1]
story of how his good fortune came about: while she was sweeping
3 Write down 2 separate phrases from lines 5–7 that suggest
the corridor in the Mathematics Department a week ago, she heard
Master say that he needed a houseboy to do his cleaning, and she Ugwu’s anticipation of the city.
immediately said she could help, speaking before his typist or office
35 messenger could offer to bring someone.
 [2]
‘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. 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
‘Remember, what you will answer whenever he calls you is Yes, sah!’
polite well-dressed men’?
‘Yes, sah!’ Ugwu repeated. – Metaphor
– Alliteration
– Simile
– Hyperbole  [1]

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 Section A: reading PRACTICE TEST PAPERS

5 Explain what the line in question 4 tells us about Ugwu’s impression Section B: writing
of the city.
Write a story about a time that someone visits an unfamiliar place
[2] for the first time.

6 Explain what the line ‘streets so smooth and tarred that he itched You should consider
to lay his cheek down on them’ tells us about Ugwu’s attitude. l whether you are writing about yourself or a fictitious character
[1] l the setting
l how the character feels. [25]
7 Read the fourth paragraph. The writer makes the place seem
pleasant and friendly. Write your plan in this box and then write your answer on a separate
Explain two ways in which the writer does this. Support your piece of paper.
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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