Practice test 3: Non-fiction

English Stage 9
Name:

Section A: Reading
Spend 30 minutes on this section.
Read Text A and then answer the questions that follow.

Text A
The exploration of the moon in the 20th century
The moon has held our imaginations for millennia, yet it is only in modern times
that we have visited this body, first with robotic machines and then with astronauts.
Exploration of the moon has taught us much about the evolution of the solar system
5 and ourselves. We’ve known for centuries about the effects on tides and biological
cycles from a waxing and waning moon. But it took space-age exploration to show us
how the moon is connected to human existence on a very fundamental level.
The future and significance of lunar exploration
Now, in the 21st century, we are preparing for humanity’s return to the moon. Over the
10 next couple of years, at least four international robotic missions will orbit the moon,
making global maps of unsurpassed quality. We will soft land on the moon, particularly
the mysterious polar regions, to map the surface, examine the volatile deposits and
characterise the unusual environment there.
Ultimately, people will return to the moon. The goals of lunar return this time are not
15 to prove that we can do it (as Apollo did) but to learn how to use the moon to support
a new and growing spacefaring capability. On the moon, we will learn the skills and
develop the technologies needed to live and work on another world. We will use this
knowledge and technology to open the solar system for human exploration.

continued overleaf

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 The story of the moon’s history and processes is interesting in its own right, but it
20 has also subtly shifted perspectives on our own origins. One of the most significant
discoveries of the 1980s was the giant impact 65 million years ago in Mexico that led
to the extinction of the dinosaurs, allowing the subsequent rise of mammals. This
discovery (made possible by recognising and interpreting the tell-tale chemical and
physical signs of hypervelocity impact) came directly from the study of impact rocks
25 and landforms stimulated by Apollo. Scientists now think that impacts are responsible
for many, if not most, extinction events in the history of life on Earth. The moon retains
this record and we will read it in detail upon our return.
By going to the moon, we continue to obtain new insights into how the universe works
and our own origins. Lunar exploration revolutionised understanding of the collision of
30 solid bodies. This process, previously thought to be bizarre and unusual, is now viewed
as fundamental to planetary origin and evolution – an unexpected connection.
By returning to the moon, we anticipate learning even more about our past and, equally
importantly, obtaining a glimpse into our future.
Glossary
waxing and waning moon the moon’s monthly cycle during which the portion of its
surface lit by the sun increases (waxes) or decreases (wanes) in size.
Apollo The NASA programme that resulted in American astronauts making a total of 11
spaceflights and walking on the moon.

1. Look at Lines 1–6.

a) What effect does the writer create by using the word ‘millennia’?

……………………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………. [1]
b) What happened to make the writer say that we are connected to the moon
‘on a very fundamental level’?

………………………………………………………………………………………. [1]

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2. Provide a suitable antonym for ‘mysterious’ in line 12.

�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� [1]

3. In lines 14–18, find evidence to show the writer’s attitude towards the moon.

Evidence: ………………………………………………………………………………... [1]

Attitude: …………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………..………………………………………………………. [1]

4. In lines 26 and 27, what is meant by ‘the moon retains this record’? Tick one box.
The moon caused a giant impact in Mexico 65 million years ago. �
The moon is responsible for the extinction of dinosaurs. �
The moon can be used to learn more about life on Earth. �
The moon has rocks which are record-breaking examples. � [1]

5. In line 29, what is the writer trying to convey by using the word ‘revolutionised’?
Tick two boxes.
It made things bizarre. �
Scientists had to re-think. �
It made things violent. �
It made things change. �
Scientists had to re-train. �[2]

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6. a) In lines 32 and 33, why does the writer say we have to go back to the moon?
Give two details.

…………………………………..………………………………………………….

…………………………………..…………………………………………………. [1]
b) How do you think the writer would feel if future travel to the moon was
done only by robots and satellites?

…………………………………..………………………………………………….

…………………………………..…………………………………………………. [1]

7. What are the main purposes of Text A? Tick two boxes.

To argue for a return to expeditions to the moon by humans. �
To look more closely at large space body impact theory. �
To record the achievements of humans who have been to the moon. �
To inform about moon exploration before humans landed there. �
To promote using robots to explore the moon. � [2]

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Read Text B and then answer the questions that follow.

Text B: Fly me to the moon

This is an account of the first landing on the moon in 1969. It is by Neil Armstrong, one of
the astronauts who walked on the moon.
Of all the spectacular views we had, the most impressive to me was on the way to the
moon, when we flew through its shadow. We were still thousands of miles away, but
close enough, so that the moon almost filled our circular window. It was eclipsing the
sun, from our position, and the corona of the sun was visible around the limb of the
5 moon as a gigantic lens-shaped or saucer-shaped light, stretching out to several lunar
diameters. It was magnificent, but the moon was even more so. We were in its shadow,
so there was no part of it illuminated by the sun. It was illuminated only by earthshine.
It made the moon appear blue-grey and the entire scene looked decidedly three-
dimensional.
10 I was really aware, visually aware, that the moon was in fact a sphere, not a disc. It
seemed almost as if it was showing us its roundness, its similarity in shape to our Earth,
in a sort of welcome. I was sure that it would be a hospitable host. It had been awing its
first visitors for a long time...
The sky is black, you know. It’s a very dark sky. But it seemed more like daylight than
15 darkness as we looked out of the window. It’s a peculiar thing, but the surface looked
very warm and inviting. It was the sort of situation in which you felt like going out there
in nothing but a swimming suit to get a little sun. From the cockpit, the surface seemed
to be tan. It’s hard to account for that, because later, when I held this material in my
hand, it wasn’t tan at all. It was black, grey, and so on. It’s some kind of lighting effect,
20 but out the window the surface looks much more like desert sand than black sand.

8. In your own words, what is the viewpoint in Text B?

……………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………. [2]

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9. How do you think the writer feels about landing on the moon?
He feels nervous. �
He feels privileged. �
He feels curious. �
He feels disinterested. �[1]

10. This is a personal account. Why do you think Armstrong says these three things?
a) Lines 10–11: ‘It seemed almost as if it was showing us its roundness, its
similarity in shape to our Earth.’

……………………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………. [1]
b) Lines 12–13: ‘It had been awing its first visitors for a long time... ’

……………………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………. [1]
c) Lines 16–17: ‘It was the sort of situation in which you felt like going out there in
nothing but a swimming suit to get a little sun.’

……………………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………. [1]

11. How does the writer describe the surface of the moon from his cockpit? Tick one box.
Black and grey. �
Very dark and gloomy. �
A yellowish-brown colour. �
Like an oasis in the desert. �[1]

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12. a) 
Your friend wants to train as an astronaut to be part of the next mission to the
moon. Give some pros and cons to help your friend decide. Use information
from Text B.
  Pros

●● ………………………………………………………………………………...

●● ………………………………………………………………………………... [2]
  Cons

●● ………………………………………………………………………………...

●● ………………………………………………………………………………... [2]
b) Write a summary, outlining the attractions of being part of the next mission
to the moon. Use up to 40 words.

……………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………………………………….

………………………………………………………………………………………. [2]

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Section B: Writing
Spend 30 minutes on this section.
Imagine you have visited a space centre on a school trip.
Write a blog entry of your visit.
You could include some of the following:

●● the highlights of your day at the centre

●● the work of the space centre – what they do there

●● what people might be curious about regarding space travel in the future. [25]

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