Cambridge-English Workbook-Year 8-2021 Edition

We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.
Cambridge Lower Secondary
English
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WORKBOOK 8
Graham Elsdon
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Second edition
Original material © Cambridge University Press 2021. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.
9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 1 12/12/20 5:22 PM

FT
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Cambridge Lower Secondary
English
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WORKBOOK 8
Graham Elsdon
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D

University Printing House, Cambridge CB2 8BS, United Kingdom

One Liberty Plaza, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10006, USA
477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, VIC 3207, Australia
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NOTICE TO TEACHERS IN THE UK

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Contents
Contents
1 Nature and humans 5
2 ‘Grandmother’s Song’ 20
3 Strange islands 32
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4 This is the modern world 47
5 Heroes62
6 Monsters76
7 ‘The Plantation’ 89
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8 Choices and decisions 101
9 Endings114
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3

Continued
• morphology: looking at the shape of the word – that is, seeing if it has
a root word, a prefix or a suffix, and using your knowledge of those to
work out the whole word
We are working with Cambridge Assessment International
• etymology: Education towards
looking up the origins endorsement
of a word of this title.
to discover its possible
meaning.
How to use this book Sometimes a combination of methods will help you. For example, look at
this sentence:
He stared down the dark, lonely street in trepidation.
What does trepidation mean?
How to use this book

• context: you may notice that the street sounds scary, so you might
guess that trepidation means something like ‘a feeling of fear’.
• morphology: you may notice that trepidation uses the suffix ‘-ation’,
which you know refers to a state or quality. From this you could guess
that the word is a type of feeling.
• etymology: you might research the origins of the word and discover that
it comes from the Latin word trepido, meaning ‘to shake’.
This workbook provides questions for Focus

you to practise what you have learnt in 1 Look at the underlined word in these phrases. Identify the root
class. There is a unit to match each unit word and make a list of related words.
a it lasted for an unusually long time
in your Learner’s Book. Each session is
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
divided into three parts:
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
1 Nature and humans

b the sea rose immediately
Focus: these questions help you to Focus
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
master the basics
FT
1 Highlight the past tense verbs in this passage. Then, write a sentence
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
explaining how the writer uses these verbs to convey the action and
cbuildthe electricity has just cut out
detail.
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
I walked through the hills trying to find an ancient temple.
I came to a small river. On the other side stood a leopard,
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
quiet and proud. I, too, stood quietly. I was amazed. I had
never looked on such an animal before and never have since.
Our eyes locked for a second and then it vanished. I walked
on, desperate to tell my story to the next person I met.
17
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
A
Practice
2 Rewrite the extract using present tense verbs. For example, you could begin:
I walk through the hills trying to find an ancient temple…
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
Practice: these questions help you to 1 Nature and humans

……………………………………………………..………………………………...
become more confident in using what ……………………………………………………..………………………………...

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Practice
you have learnt ……………………………………………………..………………………………...
The verbs used to report speech help to show character and emotion.
Look at the present tense verbs used to report speech in the extract in the Focus
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
section – barks and yells. Both of these help create a sense of excitement in the story.
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
2 Look at this exchange between a teacher and a learner.
Add present tense verbs in the gaps to show how the characters speak.
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
‘Why haven’t you handed in your homework?’ ………………………
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
Mrs Smith.
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‘I just forgot,’ ……………………… Tim, quietly.

‘But you shouldn’t forget,’ ……………………… Mrs Smith. ‘You’re a
6 clever boy.’
‘Sorry, miss,’ ……………………… Tim. ‘I’ll hand it in first thing tomorrow.’
Challenge
3 Write some lines of dialogue. Use the rules of setting out dialogue identified in
Activity 2 and use past or present tense verbs to report speech. Choose one of
these ideas or use one of your own and write a short paragraph about:
Challenge: these questions will make • a conversation between two young people about seeing a wild animal
you think hard • a conversation between a parent and child about caring for an animal.
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
4
8
1 Nature and humans

1.1 The leopard
Language focus
When selected carefully, verbs can really bring a description to life. One
of the key decisions writers make is which verb tense to use. Past tense
FT
verbs describe events that have already happened. The difference in time
between when the story is narrated and when it occurred adds some
distance to the tale. This can make a story seem more natural – when we
recount experiences, we do so from a point after they have occurred.
Present tense verbs make the action seem more immediate, which can
create a sense of excitement, drawing the reader into the story. Look at
these examples.
• Amir blasted the football over the wall.
A
The past tense verb has the effect of looking back at a dramatic moment.
The action seems to ‘stand still’ as we observe Amir’s actions at a distance
from a point in the future.
• Amir blasts the football over the wall.
Here the actions seems immediate, almost as if we are
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there at the moment it takes place.
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5

1 Nature and humans
Focus
1 Highlight the past tense verbs in this passage. Then, write a sentence
explaining how the writer uses these verbs to convey the action and
build detail.
I walked through the hills trying to find an ancient temple.

I came to a small river. On the other side stood a leopard,
quiet and proud. I, too, stood quietly. I was amazed. I had
never looked on such an animal before and never have since.
Our eyes locked for a second and then it vanished. I walked
on, desperate to tell my story to the next person I met.
FT
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
A
Practice
2 Rewrite the extract using present tense verbs. For example, you could begin:
I walk through the hills trying to find an ancient temple…
R
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
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……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
6

1.2 The mysterious figure
Challenge
3 Sometimes writers deliberately switch between tenses, moving from the past
tense into the present to create different effects. Experiment with this approach
by writing an account of one of the following scenes or an idea of your own.
Write a paragraph in your notebook describing:
• a man being chased down a busy street
• the last minute of an exciting sports game
• being caught in a storm.
Think carefully about when to switch between tenses so that your account still
FT
feels natural.
1.2 The mysterious figure

Dialogue is an important structural device in telling a story. It helps the reader
understand relationships between characters and can also be used to reveal
important pieces of information.
A
Focus
1 What are the rules of setting out dialogue? Look at this example
from When the Mountains Roared by Jess Butterworth, then write
a list of rules. Consider speech marks, punctuation and layout.
R
‘What are you doing out here?’ Toad barks.
‘Who are you working for?’ yells Garjan, his gaze wild.
‘Are you taking pictures of me?’
D
‘We are taking pictures of animals,’ I say, quickly.

‘I’m practising to be a wildlife photographer.’
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
7

1 Nature and humans
Practice
The verbs used to report speech help to show character and emotion.
Look at the present tense verbs used to report speech in the extract in the Focus
section – barks and yells. Both of these help create a sense of excitement in the story.
2 Look at this exchange between a teacher and a learner.

Add present tense verbs in the gaps to show how the characters speak.
‘Why haven’t you handed in your homework?’ ………………………
Mrs Smith.
‘I just forgot,’ ……………………… Tim, quietly.
FT
‘But you shouldn’t forget,’ ……………………… Mrs Smith. ‘You’re a
clever boy.’
‘Sorry, miss,’ ……………………… Tim. ‘I’ll hand it in first thing tomorrow.’
Challenge
3 Write some lines of dialogue. Use the rules of setting out dialogue identified in
Activity 2 and use past or present tense verbs to report speech. Choose one of
A
these ideas or use one of your own and write a short paragraph about:
• a conversation between two young people about seeing a wild animal
• a conversation between a parent and child about caring for an animal.
R
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
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……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
8

1.3 The wildness of eagles
1.3 The wildness of eagles

In non-fiction texts, writers organise information carefully and
deliberately. They may reveal information gradually, and each
paragraph may have a different focus and purpose.
Focus
1 Reread the final three paragraphs of Higher into the Hills,
then answer the questions.
FT
I asked Arman how he tamed the bird. It was a skill he learnt
from his father. The process is fascinating. First of all, you need
to find a bird. This is done by locating a nest way up in the
mountains, then taking a young female from it. Female birds
are preferred because they are larger so they can catch larger prey. Once
the bird has been taken, a hood is put over its head and it is tied down.
This sounds a little cruel to me, but there are some tender aspects to
the training. ‘I treat my eagle like a treat my own baby,’ said Arman.
Keeping the eagle calm and happy is very important. Trainers sing
A
and talk to their birds. They communicate. Training an eagle to hunt
involves lots of repeated practice and rewards. The human voice is the
key. It can take two months before an eagle is ready for hunting.
‘Arman truly understands eagles,’ noted another family member – and
I could see the respect Arman had for this incredible bird. There was
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a bond that I assumed would last a lifetime. I was wrong. ‘We return
eagles to the wild after ten years. They are noble. They need freedom
eventually,’ he explained.
D
a Who taught Arman how to tame a bird?
…………………………………………………………………………………
b Why are female birds preferred?
…………………………………………………………………………………
c Give two ways that trainers communicate with their birds.
…………………………………………………………………………………
d Why are birds released after ten years?
…………………………………………………………………………………
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1 Nature and humans
Practice
2 Look at the way the information is ordered in the extract. Then scan the text
again and list the main points of each paragraph.
Paragraph 1
……………………………………………………..…………………………………
……………………………………………………..…………………………………
……………………………………………………..…………………………………
FT
Paragraph 2
……………………………………………………..…………………………………
……………………………………………………..…………………………………
……………………………………………………..…………………………………
Paragraph 3
A
……………………………………………………..…………………………………
……………………………………………………..…………………………………
R
……………………………………………………..…………………………………
Challenge
D
3 Here is one view of the structure of Higher into the Hills:
The writer organises the

information so the reader
gradually realises that trainers
care for the birds.
10

1.4 The poetry of Tu Fu
Write a paragraph explaining what you think the author means.

Use quotations and evidence from the text to back up your points.
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
FT
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...

A
Language focus
In poetry, different effects can be created by varying the length of lines and how they are
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punctuated.
• Some lines of poetry have a punctuation mark at the end – they are end-stopped or
use a comma.
• Sometimes a poet will use enjambment to create a sense of movement or to make
the poem sound like a monologue.
D
• Poets may also decide to use punctuation in the middle of a line (caesura) to signify
a pause.
Look at this example:
A hawk hovers in air. To drop and seize

Two white gulls float on the stream. Birds who foolishly drift with the current.
Soaring with the wind, it is easy
11

1 Nature and humans
Continued
The first and second lines are end-stopped. They make the reader pause and focus on the
two birds. A sense of stillness is created, as if the hawk and the gulls are waiting.
The next three lines are one sentence split over three lines. The comma after ‘wind’
creates a caesura. Then enjambment is used suggesting the movement of the birds as
they soar, drop and seize. Notice how the punctuation choices are tied to the ideas in
the poem.
Focus
FT
1 Read this poem. Add full stops and commas as you
feel appropriate. Make sure your choices keep the
meaning of the poem.
Flying
Through the air
The falcon moves gracefully riding the currents
A
Like a feather it glides
Coming to a rest high
Upon a cliff edge
Its journey is over
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Practice
D
2 Read ‘Visitors’ by Tu Fu. Look at the way the lines are either
end-stopped or use enjambment. Choose two lines and explain the effect of
these choices.
12

I have had asthma for a

Long time. It seems to improve
Here in this house by the river.
It is quiet too. No crowds
Bother me. I am brighter
And more rested. I am happy here.
When someone calls at my thatched hut
My son brings me my straw hat
And I go out and gather
FT
A handful of fresh vegetables.
It isn’t much to offer.
But it is given in friendship.
……………………………………………………..…………………………………
……………………………………………………..…………………………………
A
……………………………………………………..…………………………………
……………………………………………………..…………………………………
R
Challenge
3 Here are the lines of a poem written as a prose paragraph. Rewrite it as a
poem, arranging lines, using end-stopping, enjambment and caesura as you
feel appropriate.
D
The Fish
Swimming through the depths of the water is a
bright fish. Its colours glimmer in the sunlight,
bubbles rippling upwards. I sit for a moment,
taken by its beauty. It pauses, tail and fins
paddling. A sound beyond the water troubles
it, and with a dart, it’s gone. I’m left with my
thoughts again.
13

1 Nature and humans
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
FT
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
A
1.5 Destroying the planet
Language focus
R
The type of language a writer uses is linked to the audience and purpose
of a text. For example, a headteacher writing to parents about school rules
will use formal language to indicate their professional status, their respect
for their relationship with their audience, and also the importance and
seriousness of the topic. Formal language choices include the use of:
D
• complex words, such as specialist terms or more elevated synonyms

• punctuation such as colons and semi-colons
• complex sentence structures.
Writers sometimes use informal language to talk to their readers in a
friendly way, which establishes a relationship between writer and reader. For
example, a text encouraging children to start cycling will be written in way
a that is light-hearted and easy to read. Informal language choices include
the use of:
14

1.5 Destroying the planet
Continued
• simpler vocabulary and contractions

• punctuation, such as exclamation marks and dashes
• simple and compound sentences.
Consider the different levels of formality in these examples:

A When considering which phone to purchase, research is paramount.
This is aimed at older adults who are unfamiliar with technology. It
uses a complex sentence (with a comma to separate the subordinate
FT
clause) and the complex word paramount. The overall effect is of a
professional, trustworthy advice.
B So – a new phone?! Exciting. Want to compare the latest handsets?

Here goes…
This is written for teenagers and young adults who are familiar with
technology. Question marks, exclamations and ellipsis are used in a
A
playful way and the sentences are minor or simple. The overall effect
is light-hearted and friendly to engage the intended audience.
R
Focus
1 Read this text about climate change.
Highlight any words, phrases, sentence
structures and punctuation that make this text
D
seem relatively formal, then explain the effect

these features have on you as a reader.
Our planet is in a state of metamorphosis.

Although it’s probable that humans have
contributed to these changes, to claim that we are entirely
responsible is not valid: there are natural forces happening
that homo sapiens have no influence over, and it is entirely
governed by the way Earth moves.
15

1 Nature and humans
Practice
2 Rewrite the paragraph in Activity 1 using less formal language for a
younger audience.
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
FT
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
Challenge
A
3 In your notebook, write two informative accounts of the same topic – the first
account should use formal language and be intended for your teacher. The
second account should use less formal language and be intended for a friend.
R
You could choose your own topic or one of these ideas:
• two accounts of a favourite sport
• two accounts about your school day.
D
1.6 Tsunami
Language focus
There are several ways of working out the meaning of unfamiliar words.
You could use:
• context: looking at the words around it and the overall topic to make a
sensible guess at the meaning
16

1.6 Tsunami
Continued
• morphology: looking at the shape of the word – that is, seeing if it has
a root word, a prefix or a suffix, and using your knowledge of those to
work out the whole word
• etymology: looking up the origins of a word to discover its possible
meaning.
Sometimes a combination of methods will help you. For example, look at
this sentence:
He stared down the dark, lonely street in trepidation.
What does trepidation mean?
FT
• context: you may notice that the street sounds scary, so you might
guess that trepidation means something like ‘a feeling of fear’.
• morphology: you may notice that trepidation uses the suffix ‘-ation’,
which you know refers to a state or quality. From this you could guess
that the word is a type of feeling.
• etymology: you might research the origins of the word and discover that
it comes from the Latin word trepido, meaning ‘to shake’.
A
Focus
1 Look at the underlined word in these phrases. Identify the root
word and make a list of related words.
R
a it lasted for an unusually long time
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
D
b the sea rose immediately
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
c the electricity has just cut out
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
17

1 Nature and humans
Practice
2 Work out the meaning of the underlined words in this paragraph. Annotate
the text with the word meanings, then check your answers in a dictionary.
Being caught in a tsunami was the most disconcerting event I’ve ever
been involved in. As the water crashed in, I froze, immobile. My body
refused to move, but then – miraculously – instinct kicked in and I ran. I
found energy from somewhere and I found myself ascending the stairs of
FT
a large building, seeking refuge from the water.
Challenge
3 Now research the etymology of the underlined words. Which languages do these
words come from? What did the words mean in their original language?
tsunami
From Japanese, ‘tsu’ = harbour and n‘ami’ = wave
A
disconcerting
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
R
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
immobile
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
D
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
miraculously
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
……………………………………………………..………………………………...
18

1.6 Tsunami
ascending
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
refuge
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………
FT
A
R
D
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We are working with Cambridge Assessment International Education towards endorsement of this title.

Cambridge Lower Secondary

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 1 12/12/20 5:22 PM

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 2 12/12/20 5:22 PM

Cambridge Lower Secondary

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 1 12/12/20 5:22 PM

University Printing House, Cambridge CB2 8BS, United Kingdom

Cambridge University Press is part of the University of Cambridge.

NOTICE TO TEACHERS IN THE UK

photocopying and electronic storage) except under the following circumstances:

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 2 12/12/20 5:22 PM

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 3 12/12/20 5:22 PM

How to use this book

This workbook provides questions for Focus

1 Nature and humans

Practice: these questions help you to 1 Nature and humans

become more confident in using what ……………………………………………………..………………………………...

‘I just forgot,’ ……………………… Tim, quietly.

1 Nature and humans

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 5 12/12/20 5:23 PM

1 Nature and humans

I walked through the hills trying to find an ancient temple.

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 6 12/12/20 5:23 PM

1.2 The mysterious figure

1.2 The mysterious figure

‘We are taking pictures of animals,’ I say, quickly.

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 7 12/12/20 5:23 PM

1 Nature and humans

2 Look at this exchange between a teacher and a learner.

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 8 12/12/20 5:23 PM

1.3 The wildness of eagles

1.3 The wildness of eagles

a Who taught Arman how to tame a bird?

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 9 12/12/20 5:23 PM

1 Nature and humans

3 Here is one view of the structure of Higher into the Hills:

The writer organises the

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 10 12/12/20 5:23 PM

1.4 The poetry of Tu Fu

Write a paragraph explaining what you think the author means.

1.4 The poetry of Tu Fu

A hawk hovers in air. To drop and seize

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 11 12/12/20 5:23 PM

1 Nature and humans

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 12 12/12/20 5:23 PM

1.4 The poetry of Tu Fu

I have had asthma for a

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 13 12/12/20 5:23 PM

1 Nature and humans

• complex words, such as specialist terms or more elevated synonyms

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 14 12/12/20 5:23 PM

1.5 Destroying the planet

• simpler vocabulary and contractions

Consider the different levels of formality in these examples:

B So – a new phone?! Exciting. Want to compare the latest handsets?

seem relatively formal, then explain the effect

Our planet is in a state of metamorphosis.

9781108746656_1st_sample_print.indb 15 12/12/20 5:23 PM

1 Nature and humans