CAMBRIDGE IGCSE™ ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE: PRACTICE EXAM-STYLE PAPER: READING AND WRITING

Practice exam-style
paper: Reading and
writing
Maximum mark: 60

Task 1
Read the article about Phillip Island, and then answer the questions.

Phillip Island

Phillip Island lies off the southern Australian coast. It is 26 km long and 9 km wide,
and is about 125 km from the Australian city of Melbourne. It is much closer to the
town of San Remo, on mainland Australia, from where a 640-metre bridge provides a
route across the water to Newhaven, a town located on Phillip Island’s eastern side.
The population of Phillip Island is around 12 000, representing an increase of about
5000 in the island’s number of permanent residents over the past 20 years. Also,
three million visitors travel to the island annually to enjoy its scenery and explore
its wildlife parks. These areas are crucial, as some of the island’s original natural
environments no longer exist. However, staff have planted areas with native trees.
This means that visitors can get to see some ecosystems similar to the sort that
existed long ago.

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Phillip Island is the perfect place to see a wide range of wildlife. It’s home to various
birds, including Cape Barren geese. Numbers of these were at one time severely
reduced due to hunting, although the population has recovered over the last few
decades. Birds are regularly monitored by staff to help maintain their current
healthier numbers. There are also animals such as kangaroos and seals, but Phillip
Island is best known for being home to large numbers of penguins, known as ‘little
penguins’ as they are only 33 cm tall. Water-sports enthusiasts might head to Berry’s
Beach, with its stunning surroundings and big surfing waves, or Ventnor Beach with
calm waters perfect for young ones wanting to get in and enjoy the sea. Most
people, however, are on the island to visit Summerlands Beach. This is where
over 4000 little penguins come in from the sea after a day’s hunting on the water.
They make their way up the beach to their holes, or burrows, each night at sunset.
If you can’t make it in person, a webcam offers great views of the spectacle,
but if you visit, you’ll need to book a space on the special platforms
overlooking the beach. For those requiring it, a step-free slope gives access
from the Visitor Centre. Check the online timetable for timings for sunset
throughout the year, as you’re advised to be in position an hour before sunset,
ready for the little penguins’ arrival. The Visitor Centre is open from 4 p.m.,
and here you’ll learn about the daily lives of the penguins and the various
efforts made to reduce marine pollution. This is important, not just for the
little penguins, but also for other marine life found in the waters around
the island.
If you want to discover more about the valuable work of the Phillip Island staff,
both on and around the island, then it’s worth knowing that various environmental
education programmes are offered, giving information about what you can do
to support the vital work that safeguards this important natural environment for
the future.

1 What is the name of the town on the island that the bridge connects to?
_________________________________________________________________________________ [1]
2 How many people go to the island each year as tourists?
_________________________________________________________________________________ [1]
3 Which location is described as being a safe place to swim?
_________________________________________________________________________________ [1]
4 Where do visitors to the island need to stand to see little penguins?
_________________________________________________________________________________ [1]

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5 When should people arrive at the beach to see little penguins?

_________________________________________________________________________________ [1]
6 What conservation projects are there on the island?
Give three details.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

[3]

[Total: 8]

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Task 2
Read the article, in which four young people (A–D) write about motivation.
Then answer Question 7(a)–(i).

How I motivate myself

A Myra
Like most people my age, I really like seeing my friends and playing sports, so it’s
not always easy to make myself sit down and get on with things like homework.
I often have to force myself to do my chores too, and I’m sure I’m not too different
to most people there! But once I’m ready to start on a particular piece of work, I’m
pretty good at just getting on with it, especially if I give myself something to look
forward to once I’m done. I know a lot of my classmates like messaging each other
when they want a break, but I like to switch my phone off and get on with it. When
I find my concentration levels are falling, something as simple as moving to new
surroundings makes me focus again. That’s my personal top tip for anyone wanting
to get motivated!

B Kofi
There are all sorts of different methods of motivating yourself when you have a big
project to complete or something to study for, and some work while others aren’t
so good! Personally, I like to set reminders to go off on my phone every so often –
when it buzzes, it’s time to take a walk round the block, or just think about
something else for a few minutes – nothing too exciting that might stop me getting
back into my work though! I often make lists of things I still have to do, and I get a lot
of satisfaction from ticking off particularly challenging ones I’ve done. I try to keep
the list pretty short though, as it can take ages to get through a long one, and that’s
not good for motivation, is it? I think it would probably discourage me from even
starting, if I’m honest.

C Sofia
With me, the type of task I have to do really affects how easy I find it to get
motivated. I guess that makes sense though – we all think certain things are easier
than others, don’t we! Every morning I think about what tasks I need to complete,
and when I’ve decided which one I’m going to do, I set myself a time limit to finish it.
As long as I’ve planned enough time, I pretty much always get through what I need
to. It’s a technique I hadn’t heard about until I had a study-skills lesson at school, and
it’s certainly worked for me. Another rule I have is that once something’s on my list,
I make sure I do it within a day or two. Any longer and I start getting anxious, and
that’s no help at all! If I’m having problems with a task, rather than puzzle over it for
hours, I’ll call someone and we’ll talk it through. I mean, we all know how frustrating
it can be when you just want to get something finished but you can’t!

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D Antonio
I like to do the little things first. I know most people like to start with more difficult
tasks, because then they feel positive and encouraged once they’ve finished. But for
me, starting with something straightforward – so actually doing the opposite – is
more productive. Once I’ve started, I’m more likely to keep on going! It also helps
that I have a nice quiet place to study. A rule I have now is that rather than carefully
working out each task stage in advance, I just make a start. You see, before, I used to
tell myself that I would save time by carefully planning out everything, even including
what I would do at regular intervals through the day as a reward for my progress. But
what I was actually doing was using most of my day to avoid getting started! So now
I just get on with it, and adapt how I’m working as I go. It’s certainly helped, and my
motivation is generally much better.

For each statement, write the correct letter, A, B, C or D on the line.

7 Which person
(a) mentions some useful advice they were given? ………. [1]
(b) suggests that planning a reward helps them complete a task? ………. [1]
(c) mentions a negative feeling they have when putting off tasks? ………. [1]
(d) admits that they used to spend a long time on thinking how to do tasks? ………. [1]
(e) explains how changing to different locations can help with motivation? ………. [1]
(f) states the importance of having regular breaks? ………. [1]
(g) finds it helpful to work on tasks with other people? ………. [1]
(h) says a popular method of getting motivated doesn’t work for them? ………. [1]
(i) describes how they feel when they complete difficult tasks? ………. [1]

[Total: 9]

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Task 3
Read the article about an animal called the fennec fox, and then complete the notes.

Fennec foxes

Fennec foxes are animals that look a little like dogs. They are found in the desert
environments of North Africa and the Arabian and Sinai peninsulas. Reaching a
length of around 40 cm and weighing a maximum of around 1.5 kg, they are the
smallest type of fox found anywhere in the world. One of their most recognisable
features is their very large ears. These help the fennec foxes to keep cool, and also
to listen carefully for lizards and insects when they are out hunting. Small animals
such as these make up part of the fennec fox’s diet; they also eat grasses, roots and
berries. The search for food is, of course, a key part of most wild animals’ daily
routine. It is especially vital for fennec foxes, who live in hot, dry deserts and are able
to obtain sufficient water just from their food. Having a good diet is also important
because for creatures like this, a poor diet can often lead to heart and liver disease.
Fennec foxes live in holes underground, where the desert temperatures are much
cooler than on the surface. In order to make their holes, which are called burrows,
fennec foxes have long, sharp claws, which help them to dig down into the desert
sand quickly and easily. Fennec foxes tend to emerge from their burrows when it’s
dark, as they hunt at night. As well as the temperatures being lower at this time, an
additional benefit is that the darkness offers some protection – during the day, there
is a risk that large birds will swoop down and carry away a fennec fox. If the foxes do
have to leave their burrows during the day, they are able to survive the heat thanks
to their pale fur, which reflects the sunlight, keeping them cool. Their fur colour also
makes it difficult for predators to see them against the sand.

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The appearance and relatively small size of these foxes has made them desirable as
pets, so they are sometimes captured and sold. In many places, this practice is illegal,
but it continues in some parts of the world. Fennec foxes are not at all easy to look
after as pets, and are in fact highly social creatures – preferring to live in groups of
around ten. In the wild, although each fennec fox, or pair of foxes, will have their
own burrow, they will still live as part of a community, and once a fox has found a
mate, the pair will stay together for life. In the wild, this will generally be for around
ten years. While fennec foxes are not currently thought to be in any particular
danger – they are not on any endangered species list, for example – they are known
to experience habitat loss in certain regions. This can often occur in situations where
they are living close to towns or cities.

Imagine you are going to give a talk about fennec foxes to your classmates.
Use words from the article to help you plan your notes.
Make short notes under each heading.
8 Factors that help fennec foxes survive in the desert:
Example: large ears
• _________________________________________________________________________________
• _________________________________________________________________________________
• _________________________________________________________________________________
• _________________________________________________________________________________
[4]
9 Threats facing fennec foxes:
• _________________________________________________________________________________
• _________________________________________________________________________________
• _________________________________________________________________________________
[3]
[Total: 7]

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Task 4
Read the article about someone called Matt Garston, who takes photographs,
and then answer the questions.

Matt Garston: environmentalist and photographer

Matt Garston is a photographer whose most recent project has focused on the
plastic that is washed up on various beaches, not only in his home country of
England, but also around the world. He grew up near a beach and, like all kids,
enjoyed days out collecting shells and bits of seaweed. But as he got older, he
became aware of the increasing amount of rubbish that was washing up on these
shores, from small fragments of plastic, toys and footballs, to larger items such as
plastic parts of old cars and fridges – all lying around on the same stretch of sand he
and his friends had enjoyed playing on as children. And although the locals regularly
organised clean-ups, more waste was brought in with each new tide. Matt quickly
realised that, although this was a good temporary fix, it wasn’t really addressing
the problem in any meaningful way, because more rubbish simply arrived with
each new tide.
Matt thought that he could use his particular skill as a photographic artist to raise
awareness of the problem. Rather than taking shocking pictures of piles of plastic,
however, he arranges pieces of plastic to look like beautiful fish swimming in the
ocean. He explains that he was inspired by an exhibition he had seen a few years
previously: ‘There was this photograph of a stream that I’ve always remembered.
At first, it simply looked like a picture of a beautiful setting, using techniques that
captured the light and the movement of the water perfectly. But when you looked
more closely, you could see evidence of pollution in the water, and you gradually
realised that all was not as it seemed. This idea was powerful, and I liked the idea
of drawing people in with something beautiful in order to help them discover the
reality of the situation. By chance, I’ve recently had the opportunity to work with
the photographer who created that image, which has been really exciting. I’ve learnt
a lot from the experience.’
Matt goes on to explain his process. ‘Most of the pictures I take are from plastic
I’ve picked up while out on coastal walks with my family. They’re very used to me
checking the weather forecast for any big storms coming in, so I can be ready to
head out to the nearest beach to see what’s been washed up! This is how I get most
of my materials, although I’m also sent contributions from all over the world by
visitors to my webpage, or those who follow me on social media. I think one of my
favourite parts of the process is seeing what comes in and deciding how best to use
it – what message I want to put across. I’ve just completed a series of pictures using
tiny green pieces of plastic to make turtles swimming against a dark background.
When you look closer, you can see the green on the seabed towards the bottom of
the photographs consists of tiny pieces of green fishing net, although it appears to be
sea plants at first. I’ve used these as a direct reference to a common problem facing
many creatures, which I hope people will appreciate.

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‘I’m looking forward to finding out what people think of this project. Getting a
reaction is the reason behind everything I do. I want people to understand that while
it’s essential that we all recycle the plastics we use, until manufacturers stop using
these materials in their packaging, the problem won’t be solved. You can educate
yourself through environmental groups and websites of course, but my pictures help
people see that until the root of the problem is addressed, to a great extent, we’re
fighting an uphill battle.’

10 In the first paragraph, what do we learn about Matt’s feelings about rubbish on a local beach?

A He was astonished at the value of the things people had thrown out.

B He was frustrated because removing the rubbish was not a permanent solution.

C He was concerned that children might get injured playing on the beach.
[1]
11 Matt mentions a photo of a stream that was important because it

A showed him a method of getting people to take notice of an issue.

B encouraged him to learn more about the photographer who took it.

C taught him techniques for taking photos in the water.

[1]
12 How does Matt say people help him with his work?

A by informing him about places that have a lot of plastic to collect

B by sending him objects he can use in his pictures

C by suggesting interesting themes for him to base his photographs on

[1]

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13 In the final sentence of the third paragraph what does these refer to?

A pieces of fishing net

B green sea plants

C sea turtles
[1]
14 In the fourth paragraph, Matt says he hopes that people seeing his pictures will

A make a promise to recycle more of their plastics.

B consider starting an environmental protection group.

C understand the cause of the plastic pollution problem.

[1]
15 What was the reason for writing this article?

A to suggest an effective way of highlighting important issues

B to describe the impact of a scheme to protect the environment

C to give some background to a project with an important message

[1]
[Total: 6]

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Task 5

16 You recently met someone who taught you something useful.

Write an email to a friend telling them about what you learnt.
In your email you should:
• say how you met this person
• describe what they taught you
• explain how what you learnt will be useful.
Write about 120 to 160 words.
You will receive up to 6 marks for the content of your email and up to 9 marks for the
language used.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________________
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[15]
[Total: 15]

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Task 6
17 Your school drama club recently did a one-day drama course at a local theatre.
Your teacher has asked you to write a report about the course for your student magazine.
In your report, say what you enjoyed about the drama course, and suggest how
it could be improved.
Here are some comments from students in your drama club:

I enjoyed the technical

things like working with
theatre lights.

We spent a long time

listening to the actors
telling stories.

I learnt a lot about

different acting styles.

Not everyone had

the chance to perform
on stage.

Now write a report for the student magazine.

The comments above may give you some ideas, and you should also use some
ideas of your own.
Write about 120 to 160 words.
You will receive up to 6 marks for the content of your report and up to 9 marks
for the language used.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________________
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[15]
[Total: 15]

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