Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition

Answers
Answers are given where applicable. Guidance on all activities is available in the Cambridge
Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Teacher's Guide 8 with Boost Subscription, ISBN
9781398300675.
https://www.hoddereducation.com/subjects/english/products/11‐14/cambridge‐checkpoint‐lower‐
secondary‐english‐t‐(1)

Chapter 1 Bring it to life!

Word attack skills: Student’s Book page 3
Answers:
– copious – abundant in quantity or supply
– restive – unable to remain still or silent
– hoarse – sounding rough and harsh
Activity 1.2: Student’s Book page 4
Answers:
1
– The title refers to the sparks that come off the grinding wheel as a knife is
sharpened on it.
– A group of children, and the poet and other people are on the street.
– The knife‐grinder bends over the stone, holding the knife against the grinding
stone. He uses his knee and foot to make the stone turn and grind against the
knife.
– He is described as ‘The sad, sharp‐chinn’d old man, with worn clothes, and broad
shoulder‐band of leather’.
– Those watching are interested by the golden sparks that come off the grinding
stone as the knife‐grinder works, the gentle noise of the grinding, and the
attention the knife‐grinder pays to his work.
– The crowd consists of children and people who were walking along the street.
They are attracted by the sparkles and perhaps the purring noise of the knife‐
grinding.
2 ‘now here absorb’d and arrested’ – here ‘arrested’ means ‘stopped’.
3 It means the edge of the pavement or paving. A flagstone is a flat stone or brick used for
paving.
4 ‘measur’d tread’ – here ‘measur’d’ means ‘regular’ and perhaps ‘rhythmic’.
Extension: Student’s Book page 4

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

Answers:
1 Learners’ own answers/personal response
2
– The poet provides close‐up views of himself and of the group of people in the street
who stop to watch.
– This tells us more about the poet and the crowd who seem to have been moving
around without much focus until they saw the knife‐grinder.
– This gives a better understanding of the effect that the knife‐grinder and the sparkles
have on the people around him. It also provides a contrast.
Exercise 1.1: Student’s Book page 5
Answers:
1 For example:
– Moments of description that come to life: The way in which the sparkles are
described:
– Diffusing, dropping, sideways‐darting, in tiny showers of gold
– Sounds: Purring sound of the grinder, the quietness of the crowd watching
– Sights: the busy street, the action of grinding, the old man, the sparks that fly off the
– grinding stone
– Part of the crowd: perhaps awed by an old‐style activity, fascinated
2 Verse 1: setting – poet on a crowded street
Verse 2: description of the knife‐grinder at work
Verse 3: how the action of the knife‐grinder affects the poet
Verse 4: how the action of the knife‐grinder affects the children and the crowd of people
who have stopped to watch
3 Responses will vary. Learners could comment on:
– Poetic effects: effect of alliteration to create rhythm in ‘city’s ceaseless crowd’,
‘diffusing, dropping, sideways‐darting’; symbolism: the grinding wheel could
symbolise the importance and power of everyday objects
– Strange words: The words’ usage helps to create the setting (America in the past)
and to reflect how people spoke at that time.
Let’s talk: Student’s Book page 5
Suggested answers:
– Which punctuation marks make the reader stop and think? – dashes, brackets,
commas
– Which punctuation marks are used to add information? – dashes, brackets
– Why does the poet use brackets ( ) instead of a dash in the following line: The group,

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

– (an unminded point, set in a vast surrounding;)? What more does this tell us about
the group? – It makes them more apart, less important perhaps.
Exercise 1.2: Student’s Book page 6
Suggested answer:
The punctuation helps to create the idea of the sparkles flying through the air in short
irregular bursts, with pauses. The rhythm relates to natural speech and thought that is
irregular, which reflects the poet’s thoughts as he watches the scene.
Let’s talk: Student’s Book page 6
Suggested answers:
– Poets make: poems, stories
– It is made from: words
– A poet’s wheel: observations, life
– Poet’s sparkles: the way in which the poet creates a poem; the structure and word
choice that resonates with the reader
– Crowd: the readers or listeners
Activity 1.3: Student’s Book page 7
Answers:
2 The poet describes a woman walking along a road in the countryside. The poem carries a
deeper meaning though as the poet is also describing the ‘road of life’. The woman has a
hard life but she still finds joy in what she does.
3 For example: words like ‘forbidding’, ‘narrow’, ‘hard’, ‘gothic’, ‘wild descent’ help to
suggest that the road is a bit scary and difficult, as is the woman’s life. The lines ‘yet through
this wild descent of dark / this woman dares to walk, and sing’ suggest that the poet
admires the woman, who is cheerful and resolute despite her hard life.
4 The enjambment makes the poem flow quickly, which mirrors the heavy rainfall and the
‘long, forbidding’ road which goes on and on. Vivid imagery, such as ‘garish flames of
lightning’, evokes the severity of the weather for the reader. The alliteration of ‘through this
wild descent of dark /this woman dares to walk’ is difficult to read aloud quickly, which
mimics the difficulty of the woman’s walk.
5 There is a regular ABC ABC rhyme scheme in each verse.
Word attack skills: Student’s Book page 9
Answers:

 diverged – separated and went in a different direction

 trodden – set foot down on top of
 hence – for this reason
Let’s talk: Student’s Book page 10

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

Answers:
Learners will have their own personal responses to the poem, but may cover some of these
points:
1 Learners should understand that the poem reads like a simple narrative, but also invites
the listener or reader to think about the deeper meaning of making choices in life. The poet
wishes he had been able to explore different ways in life. He chose the way chosen by few
others (not the mainstream).
2 The poem is an example of how simple language can be used to convey deep meaning.
Exercise 1.4: Student’s Book page 11
Example answers:
1 I found the performance moving because it was thoughtful and I understood every word
as it was read. It was also rhythmical/musical.
2 To improve, I think the reader/s should have looked at or interacted with the audience a
bit more as this would have held everyone’s attention.
Word attack skills: Student’s Book page 13
Answers:

 yonder – that (over there)

 stalked – having a stalk or main stem
 corrugated – wrinkled
 bosses – rounded parts sticking up from the back
 incrustation – hard coat
 palps – feelers for touching or tasting
 sombre – dark or gloomy
 darkling – in the dark
 eddying – moving in a circular way
 sable – black
Exercise 1.5: Student’s Book page 13
Answers:
1 Example answer: The crab was as large as a table. Its wrinkled shell was red with green
markings and it had rounded spine‐like features coming off it. It had many legs and two big
claws at the front. As well as its long antennae, it had feelers in its mouth for touching and
tasting.
2 ‘Frightful qualm’
3 By travelling through time for a month
4 Thirty million years

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

Exercise 1.6: Student’s Book page 13

Answers:
1 Abominable desolation – terrible emptiness
2 The sun is much larger but doesn’t shine so brightly, which means that it is very cold. Part
of the land is covered with snow and parts of the sea are frozen. The author uses words and
phrases such as ‘duller’, ‘the life of the old earth ebb away’, ‘darkling heavens’, ‘lifeless’,
‘bitter cold’ and ‘bloody’ to show this to the reader. The answer also uses evocative words
such as ‘dismal’, ‘shivered’, ‘monstrous’, ‘sinister apparition’, ‘sombre light’, ‘blackness’,
‘foul’, ‘poisonous‐looking’ and ‘appalling’ to create the strangeness of the atmosphere.
Activity 1.5: Student’s Book page 14
Answers:
Learners will give their own personal responses, but remind them that props can be very
simple and symbolic. Lighting and projections could be used to create the mood and
atmosphere of the scene.
Word attack skills: Student’s Book page 15
Answers:

 bents – events
 foliage – plant leaves
 landlocked – entirely surrounded by land
 dispute – a disagreement
 witnessed – seen happen
 incredulously – in disbelief
Let’s talk: Student’s Book page 15
Answers:
Answers will vary. For example: ‘a stand of eucalyptus trees with foliage of comforting dark
green which made a sound like the sea’, ‘she listened to the eucalyptus trees in the wind
and closed her eyes’, ‘the tables were out on an open verandah, and there was always
something to watch’.
Activity 1.7: Student’s Book page 16
Answers:
1 I tried to brush it away with my hand, / but in a moment it returned, / and almost
immediately came another by my ear. Complex sentence, clauses linked with connectives
‘but’ and ‘and’. This allows the author to create a detailed description of events in sequence,
with a bit of suspense.

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

2 The woman had stopped, / quickly inspected the damage, / and had then driven off.
Complex sentence, clauses linked with the comma and ‘and’. This also allows the author to
create a detailed description of events in sequence, with a bit of suspense.
3 She had never seen the ocean, /which was far away from landlocked Botswana; far away
across the deserts of Namibia, across the red sands and dry mountains. But she could
imagine it /when she listened to the eucalyptus trees in the wind /and closed her eyes.
Perhaps one day she would see it, /and would stand on the shore / and let the waves wash
over her feet. Compound and complex sentences. Clauses are linked by punctuation marks,
relative pronouns and connectives to provide additional details in the description.
Word attack skills: Student’s Book page 17
Answers:

 snowdrift – snow that has drifted to form a large pile

 sun‐dappled – covered in spots of sunlight
 smoky‐blue – a bluey‐grey colour
Exercise 1.8: Student’s Book page 18
Answers:
1 ‘And the forest led them on still farther along its intricate, tangled paths.’ ‘It seemed as if
the trees had respectfully stood aside to give their older brother room to display himself in
all his strength.’
2 The author has given the forest, particularly the trees, almost a life of their own, which
gives it a magical feel. The words ‘the trees had respectfully stood aside’ makes it sound as if
they have their own minds, and are in charge of their own actions. The words ‘the forest led
them on still farther’ makes it seem as though the forest is encouraging them on, coaxing
them along, suggesting a force bigger than nature.

Chapter 2 Express yourself

Word attack skills: Student’s Book page 28
Answers:

 tumultuous – eventful, confusing, overwhelming

 wound up – nervous, tense, annoyed, stressed
 faded – grew faint, gradually disappeared
Exercise 2.2: Student’s Book page 29
Answers:
1 The use of ‘emerged’ suggests that he came out from his hiding place slowly and
cautiously.

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

2 Responses may refer to how fog hides details and makes an environment seem sinister or
threatening. They may also note that fog is a natural phenomenon, which makes the
bombing seem out of human control.
3 ‘Clutching’ suggests taking great care as a result of nervousness or fear.
4 Responses may provide evidence for Anne’s powers of observation and also her bravery.
Word attack skills: Student’s Book page 30
Answers:
Answers may include:

 positive – peace, tranquillity

 negative – chaos, suffering, death, wilderness, thunder, destroy, cruelty
Exercise 2.4: Student’s Book page 30
Answers:
1 Learners may provide evidence of her sensitive feelings, her sympathy for others, but also
her courage and optimism.
2 Learners’ own responses but look for evidence of balance in their language.
Activity 2.4: Student’s Book page 32
Answers:
The passage includes old‐fashioned language. Effective responses should show an ability to
reason about the meaning of unknown phrases, words or passages by using clues from the
context. For example, the word ‘presently’ in ‘I made myself ready presently’ means quickly,
or soon, which may be judged from the context of the sentence.
Exercise 2.6: Student’s Book page 34
Answers:
1 The Lieutenant of the Tower told Pepys that the fire had started in the King’s baker’s
house in Pudding‐lane.
2 They were trying to remove their goods, throwing them into the river or bringing them
into lighters (boats). Poor people were staying in their houses as long as they could before
the fire reached them, and then running to the boats, or climbing across the stairs by the
water.
3 The two things making the fire worse were that people were saving their goods rather
than trying to put out the fire and there was a strong, high wind driving the fire into the City.
4 He told him to pull down the houses.
Word attack skills: Student’s Book page 34
Answers:

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

 lighters – flat‐bottomed boats, used for transport on rivers or in shallow water

 endeavour – to attempt, or to try
 combustible – capable of burning or catching fire
 loth – unwilling or unenthusiastic
Exercise 2.7: Student’s Book page 34
Answers:
Anne Frank’s writing focuses much more on her emotions and her personal reactions to
events. Her accounts evoke more empathy and compassion. Samuel Pepys’s account is
more factual, focusing closely on the way in which the events unfolded. His writing is less
dramatic but more useful in deciphering a timeline of events.
Exercise 2.9: Student’s Book page 38
Answers:
1 With commas before ‘who’ and after ‘school’, the main point of the sentence is that the
sister is a good friend of the speaker; without commas, it would mean that only the sister
who goes to the same school is a good friend, but her other sisters may not be.
2 Without a comma after ‘charities’, the sentence means that the funds raised will go only
to charities that raise money for sick children; with the comma, it means that the money is
raised for local charities which, incidentally, but not exclusively, help sick children.
3 With commas before ‘who’ and after ‘uniform’, the phrase is an additional piece of
information about these children but not the main point of the sentence; without the
commas, the sentence means that only Year 8 children are wearing school uniform and
others present are not.
4 With commas before ‘who’ and after ‘correctly’, the sentence means that only those who
answered correctly were let off homework; without the commas, the meaning is all the
students were let off homework, which was not necessarily the result of all the questions
being answered correctly.
5 With commas before ‘which’ and after ‘cream’, the main point of the sentence is that the
bedroom needs decorating. Without the commas, the writer is either suggesting that the
colour of the bedroom is a specific reason for the need to redecorate or that stating there
are two bedrooms but only the cream one needs redecorating.

Chapter 3 The making of myths and legends

Let’s talk: Student’s Book page 41
Suggested answers:

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

 Learners’ own ideas will depend on their context. Some suggestions include Loki, the
trickster from Norse mythology; Anansi, the spider from West African and Caribbean
folklore; and Achilles from Greece.
 Modern legends could include the Loch Ness Monster, the Bermuda Triangle and
Sasquatch in North America. Contemporary legends (sometimes called urban
legends or simply legends) are stories that spread primarily through informal
channels. Contemporary legends can travel by other means of individual
communication, such as social media postings, phone calls and messages. These
stories may receive some coverage in the mass media as well.
Activity 3.1: Student’s Book page 42
Answers:
The extract explains the terms ‘myth’, ‘legend’ and ‘mythologise’, with examples and
references to modern usage.
Word attack skills: Student’s Book page 42
Answers:

 embellish – make (a statement or story) more interesting by adding extra details that
are often untrue
 mythologising – creating or promoting an exaggerated or idealised image of
something or someone
 heroic – behaviour or talk that is bold or dramatic
Activity 3.2: Student’s Book page 43
Answers:
The point of view expressed is that people now prefer fantasy to science fiction. The reason
for this is that people are looking for heroes whom they can admire and also perhaps for an
escape from the real world. Advances in science have also made the science fiction genre
less interesting. Personal responses. Learners should give reasons for their answers. For
example: I disagree because I think science fiction also provides an escape from real life and
examples of heroes. Words used: People seem to have …, But why …?, I am of the opinion
that …
Exercise 3.1: Student’s Book page 43
Answers:
Learners’ personal responses. Here is an example: The Last Kingdom is a TV series based on
works of historical fiction called The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell. The series begins in
the late ninth century before the different parts of England were united into one kingdom.
The main characters in the series are Uhtred of Bebbaburg and Alfred, king of the Kingdom
of Wessex. Uhtred becomes a brave warrior who helps the king to fight against his enemies,
but he is also conflicted because he was raised by the Danish invaders, although he was

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

born a Saxon. King Alfred is a deeply religious, intelligent and ambitious leader who wants to
unite all the kingdoms in Britain under his rule. In the TV series, I think Uhtred meets the
requirements of a hero because he is brave and honest. His good looks also appeal. King
Alfred is convincing as the well‐educated and serious, but manipulative, king.
Activity 3.3: Student’s Book page 44
Answers:
1 Plot: a beautiful woman is accused of a crime she did not commit, a crime committed by
her jealous mother‐in‐law. Characters: Mahsuri, Pandak Mayah, Wan Mahora. Setting:
Kedah, Langkawi (Malaysia). Theme: jealousy, tragedy, injustice, innocence.
2 Learners describe the characters and plot in more detail.
Word attack skills: Student’s Book page 44
Answers:

 conspiracy – a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful

 troubadour – a poet who writes verse to music
 ceremonial – relating to or used for formal religious or public events
 generations – all the people born and living at about the same time, regarded
collectively
Exercise 3.2: Student’s Book page 45
Answers:
1 Reports suggested white blood could be seen flowing from her wound or that a white mist
covered her body.
2 It is said that Mahsuri laid a curse on the island as punishment, condemning it to seven
generations of bad luck. Langkawi was invaded by the army of Siam and all rice fields and
granaries were burnt and destroyed, hinting that this curse may have come true.
3 Learners’ own answers may include ideas such as the legend attracting people to discover
whether it could be true.
Activity 3.4: Student’s Book page 46
Answers:

 In the story, Rama, Sita and Hanuman represent goodness and light, and Ravana
represents darkness and evil. As Ravana is defeated by Rama and his army, the
message is that with persistence and dedication, good will defeat evil. This is
emphasised at the end by the lighting of the oil lamps, which symbolises and
celebrates the power of goodness.
 This is an ancient Hindu myth from Northern India. This story is closely linked with
the festival of Diwali, the Festival of Light. Millions of people across the world
celebrate the festival of Diwali, with candles, lights and fireworks.

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

 Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Newar Buddhists. Although it marks
different historical events and stories for each faith, the festival represents the same
symbolic victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over
evil.
Exercise 3.3: Student’s Book page 47
Answers:
1 Rama’s wicked stepmother tricked Rama’s father into sending him away to the forest. Sita
went with him because she loved him and did not want to live without him.
2 Sita dropped pieces of jewellery and a glittering scarf.
Exercise 3.4: Student’s Book page 48
Answers:
1 Hanuman was king of the monkeys and son of the wind god. He organised all the monkeys
and bears from all over the world to search for Sita. Hanuman found the island Sita was on
and used his powers to jump into the clouds and fly to the island. He then went to find
Rama with the army of monkeys and bears to tell him he had found Sita.
2 There were huge waves that stopped them getting to the island.
3 Learners’ answers should include: Rama followed Sita’s trail of jewellery, meeting
Hanuman (king of the monkeys) along the way, who helped him form a search party to find
Sita. Eventually Hanuman tracked her down on an isolated island surrounded by stormy
seas. All of the animals helped Rama to build a bridge to get to the island, where they
battled the evil demons. Rama came face to face with Ravana and used a specially built bow
and arrow to fire an arrow into his heart and defeat him.
Activity 3.5: Student’s Book page 48
Answers:
1 The moral is that good will triumph over evil.
2 It is a narrative because it tells a story about a series of events. It is a myth because it is
not based on historical figures.
3 The story is narrated in the third person, not by one of the main characters. The writer
wants us to believe this story, describing the victory of good over evil in detail. The vivid
imagery and convincing description sounds as if it is true.
Exercise 3.5: Student’s Book page 48
Answers:
1 It suggests he was fast, powerful and dangerous.
2 The words ‘ugliest’ and ‘winged’ are used to describe the monsters.

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

3 Learners’ personal answers. Possible answer: Looks can be deceiving, and evil comes in
many different forms so an attractive monster can be just as evil as an unattractive one.
4 The author states that the anklets and earrings are made of gold (and are therefore
valuable), and that the scarf is shiny (and may therefore have had gold/silver threads in it).
5 The author suggests that Sita is smart and does not panic easily.
Activity 3.6: Student’s Book page 49
Answers:

Exercise 3.6: Student’s Book page 52

Answers:
The plural nouns are shown in bold and the other changes to the sentence are underlined.
1 I have to make an appointment to see the dentist as my teeth ache.
2 The monkeys were very mischievous creatures.
3 The mystery bacteria caused an unpleasant illness.
4 The insect became disturbed and its antennae began to twitch.
5 These fish live and feed on the sea bed.
Activity 3.10: Student’s Book page 54

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

Suggested answers:

 Some large cat‐like creature on Bodmin Moor

 It is a bit scary. ‘Beast’ conjures up images of something wild and dangerous.
Word attack skills: Student’s Book page 54
Answers:

 livestock – farm animals regarded as an asset

 mutilation – the infliction of serious damage on something
 sanction – a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule
Exercise 3.8: Student’s Book page 55
Answers:
1 Bodmin Moor is in northern Cornwall in the UK. It is an area of natural beauty and history
and has many tourists visiting. The Beast is described as cat‐like with yellow eyes and sharp
teeth. It is dark and fast, like a jaguar.
2 A video clip of a young black jaguar on the moor at night was seen as evidence.
3 Learners’ personal responses. Suggested answer: the origins of the story involved livestock
being mutilated. Wildcats used to exist in the UK, and some think they have established
themselves again.
4 Learners’ personal responses
Let’s talk: Student’s Book page 55
Answers:
1 The style is mostly informal, although it does try to present ‘evidence’ in a formal way to
make it sound real. Questions are used to engage the reader. The writer’s point of view is
that it doesn’t matter whether the story is true, as the story will interest many people.
2 Learners’ personal responses. The tourist board would probably promote the myth to
attract tourists to the area.
Exercise 3.10: Student’s Book page 56
Answers:
1 Learners’ own responses, for example: The Bermuda Triangle is an area in the North
Atlantic Ocean where a number of ships and planes have vanished without trace. The first
instance was when the USS Cyclops disappeared in 1918; 30 years later, Flight 19
disappeared.
2 When the ideas in the legend really began to take shape and spread around the world.
3 Theories include giant sea monsters and creatures from space, which were dismissed with
no evidence. Credible theories centre on human error, because compass readings are

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

unreliable in the area, and physical reasons including the sea being very, very deep; strong
water currents and often treacherous weather in the area.
4 Lieutenant Russell means that people like to make up fantastical stories to explain things
but often there is a more mundane reason, usually human error and forces of nature.
5 Learners’ responses should include: compass readings are extremely difficult in the area;
the sea is very, very deep; strong water currents and dangerous reefs are present and the
weather is often treacherous with waves reaching 6–8 metres. Ensure learners have kept to
the word limit.
Activity 3.11: Student’s Book page 57
Answers:
1 Remove the ‐y and replace with ‐i. Plentiful, heavily, happiness, happily
2 Double the consonant, for example: swim, swimming; helpful helpfully
Remove the ‐e, for example: inflate, inflatable
3 Some examples:
– ‐acy: democracy, plutocracy (abstract nouns)
– ‐al: signal
– ‐ance, ‐ence: performance, independence
– ‐dom: fiefdom, dogdom (nouns concerning territory)
– ‐ate: celebrate, irrigate, educate
– ‐en: sharpen, lighten, darken (quantifiable descriptors)
– ‐able, ‐ible: valuable, visible
– ‐al, ‐ical: cultural, musical
Exercise 3.11: Student’s Book page 57
Answers:
1 abundance guidance nuisance existence
diligence assistance correspondence reverence
2 absence pretence intense expense
immense dispense recompense offence
3 advisable incorrigible indefensible visible
illegible responsible sensible forcible
contemptible credible indispensable inexhaustible

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

Chapter 4 This is vital

Activity 4.1: Student’s Book page 63
Answers:
Discussions will vary, but should recognise the following:

 Audience: parents of teenagers

 Purpose: provide information about how to get support with dealing with anger in
teens
 Form: leaflet
Exercise 4.1: Student’s Book page 63
Answers:
Learners’ own answers/personal response, but should acknowledge that it is mostly formal
(‘what is happening around you is not acceptable’; ‘resulting in arguments and conflicts’;
‘when calm is restored’) with some informal language (‘push you too far’; get their feelings
out’; ‘isn’t related to you’).
Activity 4.2: Student’s Book page 64
Answers:
Corrections needed:
4 He tries to tell them enough’s enough.
5 You try to tell them enough’s enough.
Activity 4.3: Student’s Book page 65
Answers:
Learners’ own responses.
In the rewritten statement, the tone should be softer, and the viewpoint more neutral and
suggestive, as opposed to a direct and forced opinion. For example, strong, direct language
such as ‘Children spend too much…’ could be replaced with ‘It could be argued that children
spend…’, and ‘This is a terrible thing…’ replaced with ‘It could be argued that this…’.
Exercise 4.6: Student’s Book page 66
Answers:

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

Activity 4.4: Student’s Book page 66

Answers:
The suffix ‐ion changes the pronunciation of ‘ss’ from /ss/ to /sh/.
Activity 4.5: Student’s Book page 67
Answers:

Activities 4.6–4.8: Student’s Book page 70

Answers:
Activity 4.6: Responses vary but could include ‘battery hell’, ‘barely able to move’, ‘barn
misery’, ‘dirty, overcrowded’, ‘not true!’, ‘the really healthy option’.
Activity 4.7: Answers are open and to be assessed based on the merits of the writing or
response.
Activity 4.8: Answers are open and to be assessed based on the merits of the writing or
response. Examples include:

 There are approximately 30 million egg‐laying hens in the UK. (fact)

 ‘Enriched cages’ will make little difference – because a cage is still a cage and the
extra space the hens will have is equivalent to the size of a postcard. (need more
evidence)
 Many people associate ‘free range’ with ‘cruelty‐free’ and assume the hens live a
natural life. (bias)
Exercise 4.12: Student’s Book page 70
Answers:
Learners’ own answers/personal response.
Expect to see some or all of the following included:

 ‘This little chick…’ is written to shock readers by revealing how chickens are treated
by the farming industry and to encourage them to change their dietary habits and

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turn to veganism – a message which is reserved to the end of the leaflet for greatest
effect.
 A lot of direct information is given in five paragraphs of text. It is emotive and
persuasive, for example they use eye‐catching headings such as ‘Battery hell/Barn
misery’, and language such as ‘they are barely able to … let alone…’ and ‘deliberately
to dupe the public’.
 The emotive language and tone of the leaflet is backed up with figures and statistics
such as ‘approximately 30 million day old chickens are gassed’.
 The front page of the leaflet suggests that it could be the start of a young child’s
picture book.
 The real message, however, is soon apparent on the inside of the leaflet because of
the subheadings and use of actual photographs (and not cartoon drawings).
 The name of the organisation promoting this message is in quite small letters at the
bottom of the final page along with the phone number.
 ‘Dealing with teen anger’ is less emotive than ‘This little chick …’. Its purpose is to
support and advise parents of teenagers by providing sources of information and
guidance, rather than preach or tell via substantial chunks of text and emotive
images.
 The images are simple and suggestive in terms of the conflicting emoji faces,
followed by amicable emoji faces. Although the leaflet is aimed at parents, by using
modern bold fonts and graphics, it is telling the audience that teenagers will relate to
what they have to offer.
 Overall, and in comparison to ‘This little chick…’, the purpose is to be succinct,
informative and reassuring without being emotive or persuasive.
Exercise 4.14: Student’s Book page 75
Answers:
Learners’ own responses. Look for evidence and examples of:

 vocabulary and standard English

 passive or active voice
 formal or informal tone
 use of sentence types: simple/complex/compound
 intended audience
 paragraph openers and text organisation.

Chapter 5 What’s the source?

Activity 5.2: Student’s Book page 81
Answers:
1 Up‐to‐date news about an important event that is happening/unfolding at the present.

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2 See table below.

3 Features of the headlines:

– Many of the headlines are full sentences as they have subjects and verbs, but the
sentences are short. For example: Inflation hits highest peak; Temperatures soar.
– In sentences like ‘Clashes on street’, the verb and other parts of speech such as articles,
demonstratives, adverbs and adjectives have been left out. This makes the noun ‘clashes’
the focus of the headline.
– [Which verb tense is used mainly?] Present simple tense.
– [Why are words like ‘shock’ and ‘bombshell’ often used in headlines?] To attract readers,
make them believe that there is something exciting to read.
– [What punctuation is used? Why? Does it add tension or drama (shock value) to the
headlines? Does it change the meaning of the headlines at all?] Speech marks (quotations)
which make the headlines seem more real / Dashes and exclamation marks for emphasis /
Capital letters for emphasis. The ellipsis and dash add drama and draw attention to certain
words to make the reader think the events are very important. This adds meaning/urgency
to the headlines.
Exercise 5.3: Student’s Book page 82
Answers:
1 Are you caught by Clickbait?: To advise/entertain.

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2 Book review: To inform, advise.

3 Why we need to take action on climate change now!: To analyse, inform.
Let’s talk: Student’s Book page 82
Answers:
1 The author provides some personal details about the witness and the victim.
2 Here are two examples:
a [A young athlete recently won an important race or match.] The 14‐year‐old athlete, who
had recently been injured, struggled on and won the race against all odds.
Or:
b [The supporters of an overseas team came to watch a match in your town.] The
enthusiastic crowd of supporters, all dressed in green and white and singing ‘We are the
best’ at the tops of their voices, turned out to support their heroes in a match in town.
Exercise 5.4: Student’s Book page 83
Answers:
Answers will vary. Here are examples:
a In 2018 the rising young Japanese tennis superstar Naomi Osaka caused a huge upset
when she defeated world champion Serena Williams, winning her first grand slam title in the
process. The first Japanese Grand Slam singles champion ever! The match was marred by an
unpleasant on‐court dispute between a frustrated Williams and the umpire which resulted
in Williams receiving a penalty. The crowd booed loudly. After the win, Osaka conceded, ‘It
was a little bittersweet – it wasn’t necessarily the happiest memory.’
b The giant panda was once one of the most endangered mammals on earth, but numbers
are slowly increasing thanks to successful conservation projects. Years ago, these wonderful
black and white creatures faced certain extinction caused by habitat loss. Human
developments were to blame. New protected reserves, created to provide the animals with
a safe habitat, have turned this once sad situation into a success story. Chinese scientists
explain that ‘This is proof that conservation methods can be successful!’

Exercise 5.5: Student’s Book page 85

Answers:
1 Xavier ‘Dag’ Samuels (previous coach) and Lennox Graham (present coach).
2 Although his coach had been killed by Hurricane Irma, his influence on McMaster was
long‐lasting and the athlete kept this in his mind while he was competing in the Games. He
has a tattoo on his arm with the word ‘guidance’ to remind him of his old coach.

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3 He had been disqualified for running out of his lane and so was unable to fulfil his
potential.
4 Shortly after he won an important race in Zurich, his home country was devastated by the
hurricane in which his coach was killed. This made him realise that life is unpredictable and
that you have to make the most of all your opportunities.
5 Three (including the 2018 gold) – the 2010, 2014, 2018 Commonwealth Games.
6 Suggested answer to include: Levern Spencer, a high jumper, has competed in
Commonwealth Games in 2010, 2014 and 2018, winning two bronze medals and one gold
medal. She also won a bronze medal in the Pan Am Games in 2007 and a gold in 2015.
Jeanelle Scheper came ninth in the women’s high jump and has also competed in the
Olympic Games. Albert Reynolds, a field event athlete, was the 2017 Sports Man of the Year
in St Lucia. (N.B. In case the question arises, Albert Reynolds is a javelin thrower.)
Let’s talk: Student’s Book page 86
Answers:
1 Both reports show keen support for the athletes and the countries involved.
2 Learners’ own answers/personal response.
Word attack skills: Student’s Book page 87
Answers:

 autonomous – self‐driving
 cavern – a huge cave, or chamber in a cave
 glacier – a large mass of ice that moves slowly over land
 ice shelf – a floating sheet of ice attached to land
 pristine – unspoilt, as if new
 retrieve – bring something back
Exercise 5.7: Student’s Book page 89
Answers:
1 Be careful to distinguish fact from opinion.

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2 Learners’ own answers/personal response, but may include: The main result is that sea
levels will rise throughout the world (at a very fast rate). If this happens, low‐lying coastal
areas in Greenland (where most people live), low‐lying countries such as Bangladesh, and
many major cities such as London, Sydney and New York will be under water. Landscapes
will be permanently changed.
Let’s talk: Student’s Book page 90
Suggested answers
1 Article 1 headline is factual and informative. Article 2 headline is more colloquial (‘kids
play’) and contains more forceful, emotive language relating to conflict (‘grips…frontline’).
2 Article 1 uses quotations from a scientist (director of science at the British Antarctic
Survey) which are focused on explaining details of the research being carried out by the use
of the submarine and an apparently objective prediction of what will happen if the ice
continues to melt. Article 2 uses quotations from the director of Science at WWF,
presumably another scientist. His comments are concerned only with the serious issues of
what will happen in the future although much of the factual detail that is included between
the two quotations from him may be derived (unacknowledged) from information he gave
the journalist.
3 Article 1 is not concerned about individuals (there are no indigenous inhabitants of the
Antarctic anyway) but does refer to the team of scientists studying the Thwaites Glacier.
Article 2 gives details of the lives of people and families living in Greenland and reinforces
the threat they are under by quoting directly from Joseph Manumina, a fisherman from the
area.

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4 The way each article makes references to individuals is very much in keeping with the
approach taken by the writers – one being factual and informative and the other being less
objective and more concerned with presenting a human story.
5 The first article is more factual and less emotive than the second, but the angle of both is
similar in raising awareness of melting sea ice and rising sea levels and the impact this could
have around the world. The second article is much more transparent in demanding action
be taken now, whereas the first article frames it as a problem for the future.
Word attack skills: Student’s Book page 91
Answers:
Pen: written word
Sword: physical force
A pen has no power over a sword, but this phrase means that the written word and the
sharing of ideas (the pen) is more powerful than fighting, or using physical force (the sword).
Exercise 5.8: Student’s Book page 92
Answers:
1 A sticky wicket is an expression that comes from the game of cricket. The pitch is the field
on which the game is played. If the pitch is damp or soft, play is difficult. So, a sticky wicket
is a metaphor used to describe a difficult circumstance.
2 A game changer is an event or idea that causes a significant shift in the current way of
doing or thinking about something. The metaphor comes from the world of sport in which
an event (like someone getting injured or a lucky goal) can change the outcome of a game.
3 This metaphor also comes from the world of sport. It is thought to come from sports such
as bowling and ice hockey, where players spin a ball or puck by moving their bodies or sticks
in a certain way, influencing the path of a ball or puck.
4 This metaphor comes from sports like soccer and rugby in which players tackle their
opponents in order to get a ball away from them. It means making an effort to change
something or to solve a problem.
Activity 5.8: Student’s Book page 92
Answers:
Learners’ own answers and personal responses.
They should mention:
a Personal pronouns (we) and the spin put on the explanation.
b The personal pronouns (we), metonymy (House), metaphor (struggle).
Exercise 5.9: Student’s Book page 92

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Answers:
Russell uses first person plural, and in paragraph 2 (‘Surely…’) addresses the reader directly
using a question. In doing this, Russell questions the wisdom of ordering the charge in the
first place (‘Surely that handful of men were not going to charge an army in position?’).
He uses vivid descriptive language (‘swept proudly past’ / ‘pride and splendour’ / ‘desperate
valour’ /‘knew no bounds’). He chooses this vocabulary to emphasise the heroism of the six
hundred and respect this in the way they took on impossible odds.

Exercise 5.10: Student’s Book page 93

Answers:
Focusing too heavily on the politician or on one of the teams would incur bias, so sentences
should be as factual and neutral as possible.

Chapter 6 Five‐star reviews

Exercise 6.1: Student’s Book page 96
Answers:
Learners’ own answers. Sentences should show awareness of the different meanings of
each word, for example:
Bear
1 Animal with claws and fur
2 To carry
Bow
1 To make a gesture of thanks or servitude
2 Part of a boat
Fair
1 Justified or correctly shared
2 An event with stalls, competitions and games
3 Fine and warm weather
Some example sentences are given below:
Lie
1 Do not tell a lie.
2 I will just lie down here because I am exhausted.
Train
1 I must catch the train at 5 pm.
2 We will train every day for two weeks.
Exercise 6.2: Student’s Book page 96
Answers:
Learners’ own answers. Sentences should show awareness of the different meanings of
each word, for example:
Allowed/aloud

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1 I am not allowed to kick a football inside my house.

2 I like to talk aloud when I am writing.
Higher/hire
1 The shelf is higher than I can reach.
2 I would like to hire a car for one week.
Learners could swap work with a partner to discuss ideas and peer assess.

Exercise 6.3: Student’s Book page 96

Answers:
Learners’ own answers. Sentences should show awareness of the different meanings of
each word, for example:
Minute
1 I cannot read your writing because it is minute.
2 I will be with you in one minute.
If there is time, learners should work with a partner and take turns to swap their sentences.

Exercise 6.4: Student’s Book page 97

Answers:
The words originally used by the author are: (1) scrutiny (2) rambling (3) intruder (4) glow
(5) draught (6) roam (7) gratifying (8) solitude (9) oppressive (10) adventurous.
Activity 6.2: Student’s Book page 100
Answers:
Learners’ own answers. Responses will vary but learners should recognise that:
Article 1 is a mixture of fact and opinion.
Article 2 is mainly opinion or biased language.
Article 3 is mainly factual.
Exercise 6.6: Student’s Book page 101
Answers:
Learners’ own responses. For example:
Dear parents
Bako National Park offers a wonderful opportunity to see a wide range of the plants and
animals found in Borneo and in May next year I am planning a two‐day visit for your child’s
class. We will start the journey by bus travelling to Kampung Bako where we will transfer to
a boat as this is the only way to reach the park. Wading through the shallow water at the
end of the boat ride always seems like the start of an adventure for the students.
There are several marked trails on the island and we will select ones that are suitable for
children and also take us to a crocodile free beach so they have a chance to swim. The
Lintang trail will take us through forests and mangroves and allows the children a chance to
see the delicate cliff vegetation. Another trail will give the students a chance to explore the
wonderful coastline with small bays, steep cliffs and sandy beaches and we will follow the
Telok Delima or Telok Paku trail to get a good view of the park. During the day we should see
monkeys such as proboscis monkeys, silver leaf monkeys and macaques as well as monitor
lizards and squirrels. There are also over 150 species of bird at Balko, some of which are
quite rare. As the park has been protected since 1957 the animals are not frightened by
humans so are easy to see. As well as the animals, there is plenty to see.

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By staying overnight in the park’s accommodation at Telok Assam, we will be able to go for a
walk after dark when we will try to find slow lorises and tarsiers. It will also mean that we
have more time to spend in the information centre which will help the students to learn
about the ecology of the area, and a chance for them to watch the entertaining video about
Borneo’s famous proboscis monkeys. Luckily there is a cafeteria by the cabins so we can have
our meals there. (343 words)

Activity 6.5: Student’s Book page 105

Answers:
Learners’ own responses. For example:
Learners should recognise that a utilitarian educational philosophy is practised in the school
(producing school leavers who will fit into society at an elite level), and that Dickens’s
criticism of this system is evident in the tone of, and humour in, his writing.
Pupils at the school are ironically given numbers not names [‘“Girl number twenty,” said Mr
Gradgrind’] to help expose the absurdity of the situation.
The underlying ironic situation – a girl who has been brought up with horses but is deemed
by the adults not to be able to describe a horse – is used to poke fun at the educated elite.
Mr Gradgrind is portrayed as dramatic, petty and dismissive [‘“Sissy is not a name,” said Mr
Gradgrind. “Don’t call yourself Sissy. Call yourself Cecilia.”’ / ‘Mr Gradgrind frowned, and
waved off the objectionable calling with his hand.’ / “Some boy’s definition of a horse.”].
Sissy speaks incoherently and uses language that indicates a poor background [‘“It’s father
as calls me Sissy, sir,” returned the young girl in a trembling voice…’], yet she seems to have
more integrity and a moral high ground as she is ridiculed by the adult who considers
himself to be of higher standing.

Exercise 6.7: Student’s Book page 107

Answers:
Learners’ own responses, but the point is, Henry James only needs to ask ‘My friend, please
can you tell us how to get to King’s Road from here?’

Activity 6.8: Student’s Book page 108

Answers:
Learners’ own responses, such as:

 Funny imagery: ‘This vibrated intensely when switched on, making twenty‐two little
men move around in a curiously stiff and frantic fashion.’
 Funny, relatable childhood circumstances: ‘… ended in bitter arguments, punctuated
by reaching across and knocking over your opponent’s favourite players, sometimes
repeatedly, with a flicked finger.’
 Exaggeration: ‘… players instantly fell over and lay twitching violently as if suffering
from some extreme gastric disorder.’
Activity 6.9: Student’s Book page 109
Answers:

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Learners’ own responses.

Example answer:
Electric football is a miniature electronic version of American football. Two players each
place their team of 11 figures in formation on a small metal tray painted with the markings
of a football pitch. The figures move when the electric current is turned on.
Bill Bryson hated the toy because the figures were so small they were difficult to set up and
there were no rules about where to place them. There was an advantage in being the person
who placed the last figure, which led to arguments. After the electricity was turned on, half
the figures fell over and others moved in unexpected directions before ending up in one
corner. The running back remained in the same place for several minutes before moving to
the wrong end of the tray. The person who had set up this figure would end up knocking it
over, which led to more arguments.
(N.B. Some learners may come to the conclusion that Bryson did really like the game
because he says they ‘painstakingly repeated the setting‐up process’. To play again!)
Activity 6.10: Student’s Book page 109
Answers:
Learners’ own responses.
Examples of hyperbole from the extract:

 ‘… worst toy of the decade …’

 ‘… all boys were compelled to accept …’
 ‘… argued continuously …’
 ‘… always ended in bitter arguments …’
 ‘… never went in the direction intended.’
Exercise 6.9: Student’s Book page 111
Answers:
1 The point the writer is making is that we can never be sure that any superlative such as
‘the steepest street in the world’ or ‘the tallest man in the world’ is unquestionably true
because there could well be something steeper or taller in existence somewhere that the
people who are making the claim do not know of. Credit an understanding of this point.
2 Learners’ own responses. Reward responses that show understanding of the way the
writer’s use of language and development of the point illustrate the absurdity of the
premise.

Chapter 7 Interesting characters

Activity 7.1: Student’s Book page 114

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Answers:
1 The stresses should be as follows:
There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, ‘It is just as I feared! –
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard.’
There was a Young Bard of Japan,
Whose limericks never would scan;
When told it was so,
He said: ‘Yes I know,
But I always try and get as many words into the last line as I possibly can.’

Limericks usually have three stressed syllables in lines 1, 2 and 5 and two stressed syllables
in lines 3 and 4.
Each stressed syllable is part of a metrical foot which has one or two short unstressed
syllables followed by a longer stressed syllable. This is a poetic device called ‘anapest’.
For example:
There /was an Old /Man with a /beard,
Who /said, ‘It is /just as I /feared! –
Two /Owls and a /Hen,
Four /Larks and a /Wren,
Have /all built their /nests in my /beard.’
This gives the limerick a regular rhythm, giving emphasis to the beard and the humour.
2 Learners’ own answers/personal response.
3 The characters are ‘nonsense characters’ created to entertain. The first character is an old
man with a beard so big that birds have made a nest in the beard. The character in the
second limerick is a poet who does not use or seem to understand the accepted way a
limerick scans.
4 Learners’ own answers/personal response.
Activity 7.2: Student’s Book page 115
Answers:
1 Learners should read aloud with confidence, recognising the rhyme and meter as they
recite the couplets.
2 Learners’ own answers/personal response.
Learners should mention that the Snitterjipe is hairy, has whiskers, long claws (talons), big
shiny eyes, a tail, jaws that jut out, long tapering teeth. They can also draw a picture to show
what they understand of the description in the poem.
The boys were afraid because they could see, hear and feel the Snitterjipe. They could feel
his breath and his whiskers, they could hear him bark and then munching apples and they
could see his big shining eyeballs, teeth, jaws, tongue, tail and long claws.
The poet uses literacy devices such as alliteration and assonance to create a vivid picture of
this creature. The description is sensory because it helps the reader to hear, see and feel
what the creature is like (or what the boys think he looks like). The rhyming creates
movement and rhythm in the poem. For example:
– They squeak and squeal till they let go.
– They hear his far‐from‐friendly bark;

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– They see his eyeballs in the dark

– Shining and shifting in their sockets
– As round and big as pears in pockets.
The poet also uses hyperbole to make the creature seem scarier and help the reader
understand the boys’ fear. For example:
– They see his nostril flaming wide
3 Learners’ own answers/personal response.
Activity 7.3: Student’s Book page 116
Answers:
1 Learners’ own answers. For example: The narrator is a third person, a person who is not a
character in the story. The narrator suggests that the character Alice feels confused and less
than confident (‘This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation …’) and later a bit
angry with the Caterpillar (‘Alice felt a little irritated at the Caterpillar’s making such very
short remarks …’). The narrator also suggests that the Caterpillar is rather arrogant. (‘“You!”
said the Caterpillar contemptuously. “Who are you?”’)
This did influence my feelings towards Alice in this scene as I felt sorry for her having to deal
with such a difficult creature.
2 Answers will vary. For example: The author uses direct speech (dialogue) to good effect in
this extract. He makes the Caterpillar ask short puzzling questions and give short puzzling
answers, which helps to create a picture of a very unusual character. This adds to the
confusion and becomes amusing as Alice becomes angry.
3 Answers will vary, depending on how much the learners know about this story. In this
extract, Alice is polite and courteous, calling the Caterpillar ‘sir’ and ‘swallowing her anger’.
Her loving and trustful nature is not demonstrated here. Alice is curious as she does try to
find out who the Caterpillar is.
4 Answers will vary. For example: Alice: curious, polite, a bit unsure (stutters a bit), well‐
mannered; Caterpillar: arrogant, condescending, speaks slowly and abruptly in order to
intimidate
5 Learners’ own answers/personal response (role‐play).
Exercise 7.1 : Student’s Book page 118
Answers:
1 Personal answers. Some learners may feel he is scary and creepy while others may think
he is a little crazy or funny.
2 Bilbo was feeling confused and defeated/disheartened. He did not know what to do next.
He was ‘… altogether flummoxed and at the end of his way and his wits’.
3 Gollum may have tried to play for time so wanted to appear friendly. He wanted to find
out more about Bilbo and perhaps he was not hungry.
4 The way Gollum speaks:
a He is talking to himself.
b iss (is), handses (hands), praps (perhaps), ye (you), bitsy (bit)
c To emphasise the way Gollum speaks; using extra ‘s’es, which sound like hissing, makes
him more sinister and menacing.
5 The role of the narrator:
a The use of ‘I’ suggests that the first paragraph may perhaps be narrated by Bilbo himself
or the person telling the story as it is in the first person.

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b The rest of the extract is narrated in the third person to give us more insight into the
characters and feelings of Bilbo and Gollum in this encounter. For example: ‘… whispered
Gollum (who always spoke to himself through never having anyone else to speak to).’; ‘…
said Gollum, looking at the sword, which he did not quite like.’

Let’s talk: Student’s Book page 119

Answers:
1 Third person narration, dialogue, varying answers and questions.
2 Personal answers.
3 Yes she does because she is smart, curious and not eccentric. Bilbo is also a foil for Gollum
because he is so different (solid, honest, dependable, brave) as opposed to the rather mean,
dishonest, cowardly and menacing Gollum.

Exercise 7.2: Student’s Book page 120

Answers:
1 The poem is about a girl/woman who is having her photograph taken. There is a fan
blowing her hair and we understand that the photograph will make her look like a work of
art (more beautiful than in real life?).
2 ‘Majestic’ (like a royal/important person); ‘ribbons of fire’ (hair the colour and energy of
strips of glowing red fire); ‘molten swirl’ (a mixture of moving colours as if melted together);
‘human artwork’ (an artwork that is created using a human).
3 The voice is that of a young person, narrated in the first person. The short sentences and
words emphasise how easily and quickly a photograph can change a person’s appearance.
The voice is positive and confident.
4 Personal answers. For example: Yes, I think the character has a positive image because
she/he thinks the photograph will make her/him more beautiful and that this will help
her/him in the future. She/he may be wanting to become an actor or a model for example.

Activity 7.5: Student’s Book page 121

Answers:
1 The poem describes the feelings of a person for their mother who has probably died as
she is referred to in the past tense. The poem praises the mother.
2 fathoming – working out, understanding (‘to fathom’ means to ‘work out’)
mantling – a ‘mantle’ is something like a coat that covers and protects, so this could mean
‘protecting’
streaming – flowing quickly in large amounts (as in ‘the sun streams down on us’)
replenishing – filling up something that is empty, renewing.
3 Form and literary devices used:
a The poem does not have a fixed structure, for example the same number of lines in
each verse, with the same meter.
b The voice is very personal, quiet, a bit sad, but honouring and respecting the mother.
c Answers may vary, but here are some suggestions:
Metaphors:
Verse 2: ‘moon’s eye’: Her mother was like the moon because like the moon she poured
light over her and saw everything about her and protected her. ‘Pull’ refers to the
gravitational pull that the moon has on the water in the oceans, so the mother pulled the
poet towards her.

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Verse 3: ‘sunrise’: Her mother was warm and comforting like the sunrise. Her feelings
and love covered her like rays of the sun every morning.
Verse 4: ‘the fishes red gill’, ‘the flame trees’, ‘the crab’s leg/the fried plantain smell’:
These are all images (of food and a tree) that played an important part in the poet’s
life/growing up/cultural background. Her mother provided food (fish, crabs, plantains)
and a beautiful environment in which to live (flame trees). This nourished the poet both
physically and mentally.
d The repetition of ‘You were’ and ‘… to me’ gives emphasis to the person who is being
praised and to the person who is giving the praise. The lack of punctuation allows the
ideas and images in the poem to flow freely, allowing the readers to pause wherever they
wish.
e It suggests that the mother is no longer there or no longer alive.
f The last line suggests perhaps the most important thing about the mother was that she
allowed her child (the poet) to explore and find herself, which is important to the poet.

Activity 7.6: Student’s Book page 122

Answers:
1 For example: This poem is about a mother telling her son about her own life, which has
not been easy.
2 She advises him never to give up, even when life is difficult.
3 The language is informal and not standard. (‘ain’t’, ‘I’se’, ‘reachin’’, etc.) It reflects spoken
American English, which is how the woman spoke, so it makes the monologue real.
4 The poet compares the mother’s life to a staircase: ‘tacks’, ‘boards’, ‘carpet’, ‘floor’,
‘landin’’, ‘climbin’’.
5 The sentences are like the steps on a staircase, which are short.
6 The staircase symbolises that way a person moves through life, taking steps that are not
always easy. [Note: This may have a religious significance to some people too who could see
this as moving upwards towards heaven.]

Activity 7.7: Student’s Book page 123

Answers:
1 ‘How Do I Love Thee?’ and Sonnet 130 are both about love. The theme of Browning’s
sonnet is to describe how big and deep her love is. Shakespeare’s, by contrast, seems to
paint his love in a negative light by describing how her eyes are not bright and her lips are
not very red, but in the end he loves her deeply in spite of all these things.
2 ABBAABBA CDCDCD (note the half rhymes)
ABABCDCDEFEFGG
Exercise 7.3: Student’s Book page 124
Answers:
1 The correct version of the poem is printed below.
Since there’s no help, come let us kiss and part.
Nay, I have done, you get no more of me;
And I am glad, yea glad with all my heart,
That thus so cleanly I myself can free.
Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows,

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

And when we meet at any time again,

Be it not seen in either of our brows
That we one jot of former love retain.
Now at the last gasp of Love’s latest breath,
When, his pulse failing, Passion speechless lies;
When Faith is kneeling by his bed of death,
And Innocence is closing up his eyes—
Now, if thou wouldst, when all have given him over,
From death to life thou might’st him yet recover!
2 The poet is agreeing to part from his lover and suggesting that, if they meet again, they
should forget they were together at all (‘Be it not seen in either of our brows / That we one
jot of former love retain’). But in the final two lines he appears to have a change of heart
and suggests his lover should change her mind.
3 The sonnet was written in the late sixteenth/early seventeenth century: Michael Drayton
lived 1563–1631.

Activity 7.8: Student’s Book page 125

Answers:
2 Characters: two neighbours, one of whom could be the poet himself as it is narrated in the
first person.
Setting: countryside, perhaps two farms next to each other, separated by a wall. One side
are apple orchards and one side pine trees. It is spring and the neighbours are walking along
the wall, repairing it. There are no animals.
Development: The poet sets the scene and then reveals that he doesn’t think they need a
wall or that they need to repair it. He doesn’t want to say this directly to the neighbour, he
would prefer the neighbour to come to this conclusion by himself. So, the poet is not a
confrontational character. But the neighbour feels differently and believes that walls/fences
are necessary. The poet uses direct speech to emphasise what the neighbour feels, namely
that ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’

Let’s talk: Student’s Book page 126

Answers:
Here are some ideas to discuss.

Exercise 7.5: Student’s Book page 128

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

Answers:
Learners should cover the following points in their analyses.
Introductory paragraph
 Names of poems, poets and when written (‘The Darkling Thrush’ by Thomas Hardy,
beginning of twentieth century; and ‘A Blackbird Singing’ by R. S. Thomas, later in
twentieth century).
 Both poems are about birds (a blackbird and a thrush) and show an appreciation of
the songs that birds sing and the poets’ reactions to the songs.
 ‘The Darkling Thrush’ is written in rhyming verse (couplets) whereas ‘A Blackbird
Singing’ has three verses with no rhyming.
Speaker
 ‘The Darkling Thrush’ seems to be written in the poet’s own voice (‘I’) and reflects
the poet’s personal feelings and reactions to the song. His feeling and mood change
as he listens to the thrush.
 ‘A Blackbird Singing’ seems to be written in the poet’s own voice as well, but by
introducing the pronoun ‘you’ he extends this to include other people in general.
Mood and tone
 The tone of ‘The Darkling Thrush’: the poet expresses feeling of sadness, despair,
hopelessness and melancholy which changes to a feeling of hopefulness at the end
of the poem.
 The tone of ‘A Blackbird Singing’: upliftment, admiration, appreciation.
 The mood of ‘The Darkling Thrush’: creates a feeling of despair in the reader at the
beginning by describing bleak surroundings (examples ‘spectre‐grey’, ‘Winter’s dregs
made desolate’). The strong imagery (alliteration, personification) intensifies this
feeling with phrases such as ‘The Century’s corpse outleant, / His crypt the cloudy
canopy, / The wind his death‐lament.’ This changes during the poem as the
atmosphere becomes more positive (examples ‘In a full‐hearted evensong / Of joy
illimited;’ ‘His happy good‐night air / Some blessed Hope,’).
 The mood of ‘A Blackbird Singing’: generally more uplifting and appreciative
throughout, simpler language.
Meaning/content of poems

 ‘The Darkling Thrush’ describes how the poet goes outside feeling sad and miserable
and then hears the thrush singing, which lifts his mood considerably. He feels that
perhaps the bird knows something hopeful that he doesn’t know. The poem is a
symbol of the world the poet lived in – sense of despair and hopelessness that he
(and many others) felt.
 ‘A Blackbird Singing’ describes how the poet feels about blackbirds and their songs
and how uplifting their songs can be for everyone.
Conclusion

 While different in construction, the poems have similar themes.

 ‘The Darkling Thrush’ and ‘A Blackbird Singing’ are both about the uplifting effect of
birds (nature) on humans and how this can make one feel better.

© John Reynolds 2021

Published by Hodder Education
 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

 ‘The Darkling Thrush’ focuses more closely on the poet’s own feelings while ‘A
Blackbird Singing’ is more inclusive of the reader and humanity.

Chapter 8 The future of English

Exercise 8.2: Student’s Book page 133
Answers:
1 Celts
2 They spoke Latin and the British inhabitants spoke Celtic.
3 the organisational and physical structures in society, such as buildings and roads
4 It adds humour to the sentence and is in brackets as it is not integral to the information,
just an aside to the reader.
5 About 2,000 years ago / About 1,500 years ago / Over time / During the eighth and ninth
centuries
Exercise 8.3: Student’s Book page 134
Answers:
1

2 a Shyly, he [subject] gave the present [object] to she and her smiled with a little
embarrassment.
Shyly, he gave the present to her and she smiled with a little embarrassment.
b Although his is normally calm, my father [subject] lost he temper [object] before
demanding that us stop arguing and help he with the cooking.
Although he is normally calm, my father lost his temper before demanding that we stop
arguing and help him with the cooking.
c I [subject] had been rather lonesome until them was the first people to be friends with I
when me arrived in this school.
I had been rather lonesome until they were the first people to be friends with me when I
arrived in this school.
d Although she brother didn’t like to be seen with she, nevertheless she [subject] was very
fond of he [object].
Although her brother didn’t like to be seen with her, nevertheless she was very fond of him.
3

4 a am b is c are d is e are f are g is

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

Exercise 8.4: Student’s Book page 135

Answers:
more – moor / under – under / godes – God / manna – human / naefre – never
Activity 8.5: Student’s Book page 138
Answers:
1 The correct order is c, f, b, a, i, d, g, h, e
2 Þe blod brayd fro þe body, þat blykked on þe grene;
3 Learners’ own answers
Exercise 8.5: Student’s Book page 139
Answers:
1 Grendel gongan, godes
mynte manscaða manna
2 Learners may point out alliteration with the ‘h’, ‘m’, ‘d’, ‘ch’ and ‘f’ sounds. Generally,
there about three or four examples of alliteration in each line [first line: hede in his honde he
haldez; last line: Forþi me for to fynde if þou fraystez, faylez]
3 Learners’ own answers/personal responses.

Let’s talk: Student’s Book page 141

Answers:
Suggested answers:
1 The Miller is described as loud, brash, silly, vulgar, big and strong.
2 He is extremely big and strong – a large person with a big presence. He tells jokes, plays
tricks and plays bagpipes really loudly.
3 Learners’ own answers/personal responses.
Activity 8.6: Student’s Book page 142
Answers:
Examples of rhyming couplets:
 His nose‐thirles blacke were and wide.
A sword and buckler bare he by his side.
 A baggepipe well could he blow and soun’,
And therewithal he brought us out of town.
Activity 8.8: Student’s Book page 144
Answers:

© John Reynolds 2021

Published by Hodder Education
 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

Exercise 8.9: Student’s Book page 144

Answers:

© John Reynolds 2021

Published by Hodder Education
 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

Chapter 9 What a performance!

Activity 9.1: Student’s Book pages 148–149
Answers:
1 Learners’ own answers/personal response.
2 Learners’ own answers/personal response.
3 The first praise poem is about a farmer. The poem praises the farmer for continuing to
work hard and turn milk into butter and cheese. It talks about the farmer’s dedication to her
work (‘As hardworking as a little bee’) and the fact that she works no matter what the
weather is like (‘in hot weather and in cold’). The poem articulates what is expected of a
farmer – to work hard in all conditions – but also how they are celebrated (‘You are a hero
in your village’) and revered for their qualities (‘fearless’, ‘caring’). The contrasting imagery
of the bee and the buffalo highlights the contrasting qualities the farmer combines to great
effect. The image of the buffalo might be seen as traditionally male, so it challenges this
stereotype. The second poem is a self‐praise poem in which a woman talks about herself (a
sister and daughter), who she is (a proud immigrant), how she feels (proud, courageous,
free) and what she wants to do in her life (explore life and the world). She uses an image of
a bird being able to fly freely to express this desire.

Activity 9.4: Student’s Book page 150

Answers:
1 The writer sang and played the guitar.
2 He was very nervous, at first just staring blankly around him, aware of his own heartbeat.
Then he felt cold and overwhelmed when he walked on to the stage.
3 He felt warm and energised by the music. Playing music helped him to change from being
nervous to enjoying what he was doing.

Exercise 9.2: Student’s Book page 151

Answers:
The writer starts with short simple sentences and phrases as well as a short question. This
helps to create the anxiety and adrenaline he feels in the countdown to starting to play. The
writer then moves on to complex sentences which highlight his actions coming together as
he performs. The sentences provide layers of detail that create a picture for the reader.

Exercise 9.3: Student’s Book page 151

Answers:
1 Sweating: ea instead of ee in some words
2 Intermittent: double consonant needed after short vowel
3 Guitar: u is often silent after g, so may be left out. (Also commonly left out in other
different sounding ‘gu’ words, example: bilingual, distinguish, extinguish, guacamole)
4 Filling: double consonant needed after short vowel
5 Cheering: ee instead of ea in some words
6 Electricity: ‘c’ often has an ‘s’ sound.

Activity 9.5: Student’s Book page 152

Answers:
1 Zwelibanzi Somdaka (Tata)

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 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

Nozizwe Somdaka (Mama)

Buntu Somdaka
Isis Somdaka
Sisi
2 The place is the home of Tata and Mama in Langa. The year is 2008.
3 They refer to the places on the stage where actors can walk onto and off the stage.

Activity 9.6: Student’s Book page 153

Answers:
3 a Sisi is a helper in the house.
b The writer makes use of ellipses particularly to emphasise the hesitancy and uncertainty
the characters are feeling – they pause as they are speaking. Some exclamation marks are
used to indicate excitement.
c They are old‐fashioned, traditional, but friendly. Mama is excited and a bit anxious too.
d She probably feels ill at ease, uncertain and uncomfortable in the unfamiliar surroundings,
which are very different to the place she comes from.

Activity 9.9: Student’s Book page 157

Answers:
Answers based on these points:
1 Lord Capulet thinks Juliet is not behaving in a sensible, grown‐up manner when he calls
her a ‘whining mammet’; the phrase suggests a young child who is always complaining.
When he says ‘Graze where you will’ he is saying that if she does not do what he says she
will no longer be able to eat the food in his house: she will have to leave home.
2 Lady Capulet is astonished that Juliet is not willing to go along with their plan and refuses
to speak to Juliet or have anything more to do with her at the end.
3 Juliet starts by saying she won’t marry Paris because she has never met him, then begs her
mother to delay the wedding to give her more time to find a way of stopping it happening.
She knows she must do something as she is already married to Romeo, whom she loves.

Exercise 9.5: Student’s Book page 157

Answers:
Learners’ own responses, based on the point that Juliet is expected to marry the person her
parents have chosen, and that they see no reason for her to be involved in the decision and
become angry when she doesn’t agree with their plan. It takes quite a lot of courage for
Juliet to argue with her parents but, being already married, she knows she cannot accept
their plan.

Exercise 9.7: Student’s Book page 159

Answers:
Points that could be included:
 In European societies, young women are expected to go out to work, can behave
independently and are free to travel about on their own. Once they are married the
couple will try to find somewhere to live together, rather than with the husband’s
family.

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Published by Hodder Education
 Cambridge Lower Secondary English 8 Third Edition Answers

 In India, women in families like Naraian’s do not go out to work and do not walk
outside the house on their own. It is not uncommon for a wife to live with her
husband in his family home.
 The husband’s mother has a strong role to play in deciding what behaviour is
acceptable and he would support her rather than his wife.

© John Reynolds 2021

Published by Hodder Education