MT 47-DSE

ENG LANG

PAPER 1
PART A
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION
A
COMPULSORY
MOCK TEST 47
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1
PART A
Reading Passages
1 hour 30 minutes
(for both Parts A and B)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
(1) There are two parts (A and B) in this paper. All candidates should attempt Part A. In Part B, you
should attempt either Part B1 (easier section) OR Part B2 (more difficult section). Candidates
attempting Parts A and B2 will be able to attain the full range of levels, while Level 4 will be the
highest level attainable for candidates attempting Parts A and B1.
(2) After the announcement of the start of the examination, you should write your Candidate Number on
the appropriate pages of the Part A Question-Answer Book and the Part B Question-Answer Book
which you are going to attempt.
(3) Write your answers in the spaces provided in the Question-Answer Books. Answers written in the
margins will not be marked.
(4) For multiple-choice questions, you are advised to blacken the appropriate circle with a pencil so that
wrong marks can be completely erased with a clean rubber. Mark only ONE answer to each
question. Two or more answers will score NO MARKS.
(5) Supplementary answer sheets will be supplied on request. Write your Candidate Number and mark
the question number box on each sheet.
(6) No extra time will be given to candidates for filling in the question number boxes after the ‘Time is up’
announcement.
(7) The two Question-Answer Books you have attempted (one for Part A and one for Part B) will be
collected together at the end of the examination.
(8) The unused Question-Answer Book for Part B will be collected separately at the end of the
examination. This will not be marked. Do not write any answers in it.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PART A
(1) The Question-Answer Book for Part A is inserted after this Reading Passages booklet.
(2) Attempt ALL questions in Part A. Each question carries ONE mark unless otherwise stated.

Not to be taken away before the

end of the examination session
 PART A

Text 1

Astrology’s new popularity: a search for answers and excuses

1 [1] Astrology has been around forever—the original zodiac was created in Egypt in the 1st century BC.
Fast forward 2,000 years and we are blasé about horoscopes printed in magazines or newspapers. More
recently, the Internet and social media have breathed new life into astrology: take an online quiz to find
out how closely your characteristics match those of your star sign, sign up for daily horoscopes delivered
5 to your inbox, or download an app that allows you to check how compatible you are with friends and
colleagues based on your star sign.

[2] To describe astrology as scientific would be far-fetched. A person’s star sign is based on the position
of the sun at the time of his or her birth. If you want to delve further into this topic, you can also take into
account the position of the planets and the moon. However, there is no hard proof that a person’s
10 characteristics mimic those of their star sign, and it seems we are not ignorant of astrology’s shaky
credentials—as few as 17 per cent of people believe firmly in astrology. Yet many more enjoy astrology,
whether it’s reading a horoscope in a newspaper or spending a fortune to have a personalized life chart
drawn up by an expert astrologist. When asked, most people would probably describe it as ‘fun’.

[3] But fun alone surely cannot explain the recent surge in popularity of all things astrological. A new
15 generation of digital natives have taken astrology to their hearts, and apps, blogs and websites that deal
with astrology are seeing huge increases in traffic. According to Stella Bugbee, editor-in-chief of the
online magazine The Cut, the number of visitors to the site’s horoscope page jumped by 150 per cent
from 2016 to 2017.

[4] The American Psychological Association may have unearthed the root of this new fascination.
20 According to a recent survey, millennials are the most stressed generation in society. Today’s young
people live in a world that is complicated and unpredictable. They face uncertain futures and see no
obvious answers to the world’s big questions. Thus, they may feel that the old order has let them down,
and so they need to look elsewhere for answers. Uncertainty can lead to anxiety and stress, and astrology
can be a great coping mechanism. Even if they don’t wholly believe in it, it can act as a kind of balm.
25 And it’s easily accessible: astrology has no structures or hierarchies; you don’t need to believe in a
supreme being; all are welcome.

[5] Astrology is also attractive for those seeking explanations (and perhaps justifications) for their
behaviours: that friend who has never experienced self-doubt and whose self-promotion borders on
arrogance can blithely explain it away: ‘It’s because I’m a Leo. Most Leos are very confident.’ Such
30 statements offer instant gratification and self-expression: two themes popular with the millennial
generation. They allow you to gloss over your less-than-admirable character traits with a trite meme
about your star sign. It’s a kind of shorthand for talking about emotions, without having to get into any of
the heavy stuff. However, such shortcuts don’t really pay off in the long term, as psychologist Ruby
Leung explains: ‘If you use astrology to explain your behaviour, you don’t have to make a conscious
35 effort to change. It reinforces your behaviour. You don’t have to put in any hard work to make changes
for the better. Most people prefer to settle in this way, as the alternative runs the risk of losing your sense
of identity.’

[6] That’s not to say we are lazy and weak-willed for believing in astrology. Science has shown that we
are almost hardwired to lap up its promises. In a 1947 experiment, Ross Stagner gave some subjects
40 personality tests and then provided feedback for each participant. However, instead of using the results of
the tests as the basis for this feedback, he wrote vague analyses which would be applicable to many
people. The test subjects reported that they found the feedback to be accurate. Similar statements are
often used by astrologists and are known as Barnum statements. An example might be: ‘Sometimes you
 are the life and soul of the party. Other times you like to spend time alone, lost in quiet thought.’ Is that a
45 statement you feel accurately describes you?

[7] Just as astrology can allow you to explain away certain behaviours, it can be a comforting scapegoat
when you’re going through a rough patch—perhaps failing in your studies or underperforming at work:
‘This is a difficult time for me because the planets aren’t in alignment for my star sign.’ Accepting that
the universe is in control is an easy way of abrogating responsibility. The real reason for your
50 underperformance—you’ve been slacking or have been spending too much time on social media—is less
palatable. And if you acknowledged it, it would also require more personal sacrifice in order to reverse it.

[8] So have fun with astrology for sure, but don’t lean on it too heavily. You are the master of your
destiny, not the moon and planets circling above your head.

Comments:

55 Robbie 28 August 15.32

I’m a Gemini and I think the typical character traits of a Gemini apply to me. That said, I don’t pay much
attention to horoscopes. They’re not something I think about a lot, really.

Lisa 28 August 13.04

I actually went to a professional astrologist once, and she produced a whole chart for me, based on my
60 date and time of birth. It was amazing: when she talked about things I liked and was scared of, and my
hopes for the future, it was like she could read my mind!

Zara 27 August 21.45

What a load of rubbish! Horoscopes are just another way to waste more of your time online. Believe in
yourself, not in what some astrologist who has never met you has to say!

65 Richard 27 August 18.07

I read a book about my star sign (Capricorn) once that told me how to make the most of my natural
talents and character traits. Because of that book, I pushed myself to try things I would never have done
before. It changed my life. Astrology is a powerful force we can all use to improve our lives.

END OF READING PASSAGES

This is a blank page.
Candidate Number Please stick the barcode label here.

MOCK TEST 47
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1 PART A A
COMPULSORY
QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK

Text 1

1 Which two media are NOT mentioned in paragraph 1 as a source of astrological information? Write the
letters for the two media in the boxes below. (1 mark)

2 Select the option that best completes the sentence to show the meaning of ‘compatible’ (line 5).

   

3 Find a word or phrase in paragraphs 1–2 which has a similar meaning to each word given below.
(3 marks)

Go on to the next page

4 According to paragraphs 1–3, decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F) or Not
Given (NG). (5 marks)

  
  
  
  
  

5 Find the metaphor the writer uses to describe young people who are comfortable with technology in
paragraph 3.

6 Complete the following notes based on paragraph 4 by writing ONE word taken from paragraph 4 in
each blank below. Your answers must be grammatically correct. (4 marks)

7 What does ‘this new fascination’ (line 19) refer to?

8 What is ‘the heavy stuff’ (line 33)?

9 Explain why rejecting astrology ‘runs the risk of losing your sense of identity’ (lines 36–37).

10 Complete the summary of paragraph 5 by choosing the best answer that will complete the missing
information. Blacken ONE circle only for each question. (4 marks)

   

   

   

   

Go on to the next page

11 This flow chart shows the sequence of events described in paragraph 6 when Ross Stagner conducted a
scientific study. Fill in each blank with a word from paragraph 6. (3 marks)

12 When the writer says ‘we are almost hardwired to lap up its promises’ (lines 38–39), he/she means …

   

13 Why do you think the writer asks the reader ‘Is that a statement you feel accurately describes you?’ in
lines 44–45?

14 Find ONE word in paragraph 7 that means ‘someone or something you can blame’.

15 What does ‘it’ (line 51) refer to?

16 Find ONE word in paragraph 7 that means ‘acceptable’.

17 What does ‘don’t lean on it too heavily’ (line 52) mean?

   

18 Below are summary headings for each paragraph of Text 1. Match the most appropriate summary
heading with each paragraph by writing the letters (A–H) in the table below. Two have been done for
you as examples. Each letter can be used ONCE only. (6 marks)

19 Which of the following best summarizes the message of the text?

   

Go on to the next page

20 What is the most likely opinion of each of the four people towards the statement ‘Astrology is a positive
influence in my life’? (4 marks)

  

  

  

  

END OF PART A
MT 47-DSE

B1
ENG LANG
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION
PAPER 1
PART B1 EASY SECTION
MOCK TEST 47
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1
PART B1
Reading Passages
1 hour 30 minutes
(for both Parts A and B)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Refer to the General Instructions on Page 1 of the Reading Passages booklet for Part A.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PART B1

(1) The Question-Answer Book for Part B1 is inserted after this Reading Passages booklet.
(2) Candidates who choose Part B1 should attempt all questions in this part. Each question carries ONE
mark unless otherwise stated.
(3) Hand in only ONE Question-Answer Book for Part B, either B1 or B2.
 Part B1

Text 2

1 [1] It’s an exciting time for Chinese science fiction. Thanks to the work of talented translators such as
Ken Liu, the genre is finding an eager audience in the English-speaking world. The Three-Body Problem,
a trilogy by Liu Cixin, is a bestseller at home and abroad: it has sold eight million copies worldwide and
been translated into twenty languages. It also won the Hugo award for best novel, a first for a translated
5 work. Folding Beijing by Hao Jingfang won the Hugo award for best novelette, pipping Stephen King to
the prize.

[2] In the West, science fiction had its golden era at the end of the 19th century, a time when industry was
booming. Similarly, the genre is growing in scope and popularity in China after a period of intense
transformation. A single family may include grandparents who lived a poor, rural existence, but whose
10 offspring now work in city-centre skyscrapers with cutting-edge technology. There is a whole generation
of children being raised by their grandparents while their parents work thousands of miles away to pay
for food and to provide a roof over their heads. It’s a seismic shift that happened in just a couple of
decades.

[3] Literary expression is one way to make sense of it all. Some sci-fi authors, like Chen Qiufan and Ma
15 Boyong, have a negative view of this progress and write dystopian stories where people are little more
than cogs in a giant system, at the mercy of sudden changes. Others, like Xia Jia, have a much more
optimistic view, and suggest that despite progress, traditional Chinese values, such as respect for elders
and working for the benefit of the group, will persist.

[4] Some view The Three-Body Problem as a comment on the fierce competition in the modern corporate
20 world, others as the rise of China putting it on a collision course with the USA (fiction becoming reality,
perhaps, given the recent tariffs and trade wars between the two countries). When asked, the author
shrugs and says, ‘I’m just trying to tell a good story.’ And it’s a story that audiences around the world
have embraced. There’s a whole world out there, and Chinese science fiction looks set to conquer it.

Text 3

1 [1] Wordsmith magazine talks to award-winning literary translator Amy Zhao about bringing Chinese
science fiction to an English-speaking audience.

[2] Q: Science fiction hasn’t always been popular in China, but now we are seeing a new generation
of sci-fi authors like Gu Shi and Fei Dao breaking into the mass market. Why do you think this is?

5 [3] A: It’s an interesting and exciting time for Chinese science fiction. In China, I think people are
excited in general about technology. We’ve seen incredible progress over the last fifty years, and then
we’ve witnessed achievements like the Chinese rover landing on the moon. There’s a promise of where
technology could take us that seems irresistible. And it’s a rich source of material for writers. I think a lot
of these stories are trying to make sense of a world that is changing around us. The best science-fiction
10 stories make us feel empathy for our fellow humans, challenge us and make us see the world in a
different way.

[4] Q: As a Chinese woman living in the USA who is fluent in Mandarin and English, you have a
strong command of language. Is this enough? What other skills does a translator need?
 [5] A: Language is only one part of the puzzle. Of course, you have to be fluent in both the source and
15 target language, but I think you also need to have some creativity of your own. It’s no surprise that a lot
of translators—myself included—also dabble in writing. Some words and concepts in Chinese are not
directly translatable in English. So you need to find a suitable metaphor or symbolism to convey the same
idea. Sometimes this requires a lot of original thinking, akin to writing the text yourself from scratch,
with only the kernel of the idea to work with.

20 [6] Q: Is your own writing similar in theme to the works you translate?

[7] A: Actually no, it’s not. I don’t write science fiction and my own writing is very different from the
kind of translation I do. I think it’s good not to have this crossover: I don’t want my own literary voice to
leak into the work I translate. My job as a translator is to capture the voice of the original author.

[8] Q: How do you tackle the cultural differences between Chinese and English-speaking readers?

25 [9] A: I think the cultural differences are the most difficult thing to overcome, not the linguistic
challenges. For example, a lot of the titles I work on contain scientific jargon and terminology. That’s not
really a hurdle. These words are easy to translate because Chinese scientific terms and modern words for
technology are generally a Chinese rendering of the English original. But when you come across a
cultural word, you have to stop and think. For example, in Chinese, people rarely use first names when
30 they talk to each other. Instead, they might use a title, an honorific, a nickname. These are so much more
than just names: they also convey a plethora of information about the relationship between the two people
and their status in society. Different translators approach this in different ways but it’s fair to say that this
kind of nuance is mostly lost in English translations, because English speakers don’t have this same way
of addressing each other.

35 [10] Q: Do you feel your role is sometimes to educate the English-speaking audience, apart from
simply conveying the meaning of the original work?

[11] A: Yes, I do. That’s why you’ll see a lot of footnotes in the books I’ve translated, despite pushback
from the publishers. You can’t assume an Anglophone reader is familiar with Chinese politics, history
and culture, even if the reverse may be true. And without this subtext the main message may be lost on
40 them. At least if I provide a nugget in a footnote, the reader can go off to Google and find out more if
they want to.

[12] Q: What advice would you give to someone just starting out as a literary translator?

[13] A: Take the time to absorb the original work. Try to really understand it and what the writer is
saying. Get a feeling for the voice, because this is what you really need to capture: once you’ve nailed
45 that, everything else will fall into place.

END OF READING PASSAGES

This is a blank page.
Candidate Number Please stick the barcode label here.

MOCK TEST 47
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1 PART B1 B1
EASY SECTION
QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK

Text 2

21 Complete the following sentence using information from paragraph 1.

22 What does the writer mean when he/she says that the 19th century was a ‘golden era’ for science
fiction in the West (line 7)?

23 Select the option that best completes the sentence to show the meaning of ‘seismic’ (line 12).

   

24 What does ‘it all’ (line 14) refer to?

25 According to paragraphs 1–3, decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F) or Not
Given (NG). (5 marks)

  
  
  
  
  

Go on to the next page

26 With reference to paragraphs 3–4, indicate for which author each of the following statements is true.
Choose ONE option only. One statement does not apply for any author. Select None for that statement.
(4 marks)

   

   

   

   

27 Put a tick (√) next to each of the THREE statements that are correct. Tick THREE boxes only.

Text 3

28 What is the ‘mass market’ (line 4)?

29 Complete the following notes based on paragraph 3 by writing ONE word taken from paragraph 3 in
each blank below. Your answers must be grammatically correct. (2 marks)
30 What skills do you need to be a successful translator? Find ideas mentioned in paragraph 5 and match
them with examples given in the column on the right. (2 marks)

Idea mentioned in paragraph 5 Examples

(e.g.) You need to be fluent in both the source and target language. Amy Zhao can speak, read
and write both English and
Mandarin.
(i) Many translators are also
____________________________________________________ published authors.

(ii) Translators must be able to

____________________________________________________ invent new ideas.

31 Find a phrase in paragraph 5 which can be replaced by ‘experiment with’.

32 Which word in paragraph 7 highlight’s Amy Zhao’s rejection of the writer’s question?

33 Find a phrase in paragraph 9 which can be replaced by ‘a large amount of’.

34 Complete this summary of paragraph 9 by choosing a word/phrase from the eight options given below.
Write the correct word/phrase in the space provided. Each word/phrase can be used ONCE only.
(4 marks)

Go on to the next page

35 Why do you think Amy Zhao might have experienced ‘pushback from the publishers’ (lines 37–38)
about her idea of using footnotes?

36 What does ‘a nugget’ (line 40) refer to?

37 What can we assume about Chinese readers of English literature, based on paragraph 11?

38 What does Amy Zhao mean when she says ‘once you’ve nailed that, everything else will fall into place’
(lines 44–45)?
39 Two friends are discussing the interview with the translator (paragraphs 3–13). Use the information
from the text to match each statement in the speech bubbles with a paragraph that contains similar ideas.
Write the number of the paragraph next to the speech bubble. Each paragraph number can be used once
only. The first two have been done for you as examples. (5 marks)

I believe it is probably a good

idea to keep some areas of
your working life separate.
This also holds true for
literary translators, don’t you
agree?
I do, but on the other hand
people often have to draw from
personal experience when it
comes to explaining an idea to
readers, especially if that idea
is not part of their culture.

That’s true, and I think it’s

useful to provide some
background information so
that people can do further
research on their own.
It’s fine as long as it does not
distract too much from the real
message of the original text.
The author’s intentions still
need to come across.

Right, great science fiction

should be able to make us
think about our lives
differently, and achieving the
same effect in another It’s probably true that to be
language is no easy feat. really good at any job, you need
more than one skill.

Go on to the next page

40 Complete the flow chart showing the sequence of events described in paragraphs 9–13 when tackling
cultural differences in translations. Write a word or phrase from paragraphs 9–13 in each blank below.
Your answers must be grammatically correct. (4 marks)

Do not worry too Take time to consider If necessary, add

much about (ii) (iv)
(i) words. so that the reader can
or terminology. Remember that the do his/her own
most important thing to research.
convey is the author’s
(iii) .

41 Which of the following is the best alternative title for this article?

   

42 Look at Texts 2–3 and match them to the list of titles in the column below. Write the correct number (2,
3) in the box on the right. One title is NOT used and should be marked with an ‘X’. (2 marks)

END OF PART B1
MT 47-DSE

B2
ENG LANG
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION
PAPER 1
PART B2 DIFFICULT SECTION
MOCK TEST 47
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1
PART B2
Reading Passages
1 hour 30 minutes
(for both Parts A and B)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Refer to the General Instructions on Page 1 of the Reading Passages booklet for Part A.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PART B2

(1) The Question-Answer Book for Part B2 is inserted after this Reading Passages booklet.
(2) Candidates who choose Part B2 should attempt all questions in this part. Each question carries ONE
mark unless otherwise stated.
(3) Hand in only ONE Question-Answer Book for Part B, either B1 or B2.
 Part B2

Text 4

1 [1] China is a country with huge scientific ambitions. The Chang’e lunar exploration programme has
already succeeded in landing its Jade Rabbit lunar rover on the dark side of the Moon. Looking ahead,
China has plans to construct its own space station and space-based solar-powered array.

[2] In order to achieve these goals, China needs the brightest and best scientific brains in the world. Yet,
5 according to government officials, only 16.1 per cent of young people in China want to be scientists. The
government hopes to increase scientific literacy amongst the younger generation from 8.47 per cent in
2018 to 10 per cent by 2020, and is exploring various avenues in this regard. An engaging and high-
quality scientific curriculum is crucial, but so is inspiration. Luckily, China’s scientists, writers and film-
makers are producing the kind of work likely to ignite a passion in a whole new generation of scientists.

10 [3] China is currently leading the way in terms of space exploration. Effectively shut out of the
International Space Station and other international projects, it has decided to forge its own path. At a time
when the American space programme has all but shut up shop, China has aspirations of sending a mission
to Mars. The plans are set out years in advance, then methodically executed. The home-grown space
technology created is proof of the country’s growing scientific prowess and a source of great national
15 pride for many Chinese.

[4] And it is not only our closest planets that China wants to explore. The country also wants to be at the
forefront of the search for extra-terrestrial life. In the remote mountains of Guiyang, in the southwest of
the country, China has built the world’s largest and most sensitive radio dish. Large enough to hold two
bowls of rice for every human on the planet, it will scan the skies, searching for signs of life. Getting this
20 far was not a walk in the park. The Five-hundred-metre Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) was
first conceived by Nan Rendong in the 1990s, cost $180 million and took 20 years to construct. More
than 9,000 villagers nearby had to relocate so that it could be built. The location is perfect: nestled in a
natural bowl, surrounded by mountains and extreme silence. If there is a place where one can capture
radio waves beamed from a far-off planet, this is it.

25 [5] The engineers who designed the dish say they were inspired by the writing of Liu Cixin, China’s pre-
eminent science-fiction author. His most famous novel, The Three-Body Problem, the first in a trilogy,
has been translated into more than 80 languages and won the prestigious Hugo award for science fiction.
The engineers sent the author updates as the dish was being built and invited him to visit the site upon its
completion. It’s a somewhat strange source of inspiration, since much of Liu’s work discusses the
30 dangers of first contact. In The Three-Body Problem (a favourite of Barack Obama), he uses as a theme
the ‘dark forest theory’: that is, all species are hunters, hiding and waiting for another species to arrive.
When it does, there will be conflict until one species is triumphant and wipes out the other species. So, if
we reach out to an extra-terrestrial society that is more advanced than our own, won’t they see us as a
threat and seek to dominate or even annihilate us? Is Liu’s work a warning about what could happen to
35 humans if extra-terrestrials find us? As Liu writes, ‘Perhaps in ten thousand years, the starry sky that
humankind gazes upon will remain empty and silent. But perhaps tomorrow we’ll wake up and find an
alien spaceship the size of the Moon parked in orbit.’

[6] Despite the jeopardy, China is not alone in its quest to find life beyond our planet. Government
funding for the SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) programme may have dwindled in the
40 USA, but radio-wave listening devices are being built around the world in Australia, New Zealand and
South Africa. Humans, it seems, have a desire for connection, to not be alone in the universe.
 [7] And Liu himself, who paid a visit to the gleaming telescope, is unconcerned. He said he is not
convinced the dish will ever detect a transmission, unless it is a final message from a civilization in its
death throes, calling out for help.

45 [8] As the arts have inspired scientists, so the reverse is true. Just as the USA saw a boom in science-
based entertainment at the height of its space-exploration programme—think Star Trek and the moon
landings—so China’s achievements in space science are inspiring more books, films and TV programmes
on the subject. The USA’s space programme has been in decline in recent decades, and so has its science
fiction. Now it’s China’s turn.

50 [9] Science fiction in China is entering a golden age. In the first half of 2018, China’s market for science-
fiction literature was worth $125 million (900 million yuan), while science-fiction films brought in box
office receipts worth $1.3 billion (9.5 billion yuan). The Wandering Earth, a sci-fi film based on a short
story by Liu, was a box office smash earning $690 million, the second-highest grossing film ever in
China.

55 [10] Some say this recent interest in science fiction in China can be traced back to 1999, when an essay
question in China’s Gaokao exam, the national exam for college entrance, was ‘What if memories could
be transplanted?’ It was a question straight out of the pages of science fiction, and indeed, Science Fiction
World, the biggest science-fiction magazine in China, had covered the topic not long before. Suddenly,
parents saw that science fiction could be useful for their children. Circulation of the magazine soared, and
60 interest in science fiction became piqued.

[11] Others believe that the massive changes that have taken place in China have given a new generation
of writers rich pickings to explore. Chen Qiufan, a science-fiction writer and author of The Waste Tide,
notes that ‘When I was in high school, only a few people could use a PC. Even fewer could access the
internet. But now in China it’s a cash-free society, you can use your cell phone to book any service,
65 everything is going virtual. This process has happened within 20 years. Everyone can feel the anxiety,
and the risk, behind that fast move.’

[12] For some authors, like Liu, science and technology hold up a mirror to society’s flaws: should we
encounter an alien society, it may crush us, just as more advanced human tribes have crushed weaker
tribes throughout the Earth’s history. For others, technology and space exploration offers hope, a new
70 beginning, and endless opportunities. And this, China hopes, will plant the seeds of ambition in the next
generation of the country’s would-be scientists.

END OF READING PASSAGES

This is a blank page.
Candidate Number Please stick the barcode label here.

MOCK TEST 47
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1 PART B2
B2
DIFFICULT SECTION
QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK

Text 4

43 Complete the summary of paragraph 2 below by choosing the best answer that will complete the
missing information. Blacken ONE circle only for each question. (4 marks)

   

   

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44 Find a word in paragraph 3 which can be replaced by ‘carefully’.

45 Which word in paragraph 3 means ‘power’?

46 Which of the following does the writer imply in paragraph 3?

   

47 Why do you think the writer uses the analogy of the radio dish being ‘large enough to hold two bowls
of rice for every human on the planet’ (lines 19–20)?

48 What does the writer mean when he/she says something is ‘not a walk in the park’ (line 21)?

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49 According to paragraph 5, what are the TWO central ideas of dark forest theory? (2 marks)
50 Based on the information in paragraph 5, complete the summary by writing ONE word taken from
paragraph 5 in each blank below. Your answers must be grammatically correct. (3 marks)

51 What is ‘the jeopardy’ (line 39)?

52 Complete the following sentence using the information in paragraph 6.

53 Match the main points (A–G) with one of the corresponding paragraphs on the left. Write the correct
letter (A–G) on the line next to the paragraph number. ONE main point is not used. (6 marks)

54 Find a word in paragraph 7 that suggests the radio dish is new and impressive.

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55 According to paragraph 7, is it likely that Liu approves of the money and resources spent on FAST?
Give a reason for your answer from the text.

56 What does the writer mean by ‘Now it’s China’s turn’ (line 50)?

57 According to paragraphs 8 and 9, decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F) or
Not Given (NG). (5 marks)

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58 According to paragraph 10, is it likely that questions on a science-fiction topic regularly came up in the
Gaokao exam before 1999?

59 Find a word in paragraph 10 which can be replaced by ‘aroused’.

60 What does ‘rich pickings’ (line 63) mean?

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61 Which of the following is NOT given as an example of recent progress in China, according to
paragraph 11?

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62 What is ‘that fast move’ (line 67)?

63 Match the person on the left with the statement which best represents their thoughts listed on the right.
Write the letter (A–F) once on the line next to the person’s name. TWO of the statements are not used.
Each letter can be used ONCE only. (4 marks)

64 Do you agree that science and technology ‘hold up a mirror to society’s flaws’ (line 68), or do you
think they offer ‘hope, a new beginning, and endless opportunities’ (lines 70–71)? Explain your answer.

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65 Read the following comments by readers of the article. Which author are they referring to? Write the
name in the line next to each comment. (2 marks)

END OF PART B2