English

XII
Student Resource
Contents
Unit 1 .............................................................................................................................................. 2
RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS ............................................................................................................. 4
Section A Personal Details....................................................................................... 22
Section B Comments and Suggestions ......................................................... 23
Section C Referee Details ............................................................................... 23
SUMMARY WRITING................................................................................................................ 27
DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS .......................................................................................... 32
POSSIBLE ITEMS FOR ASSESSMENT .............................................................................................. 33
RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS ........................................................................................................... 48
Opinion Writing (Argumentative): .......................................................................................................... 60
RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS ........................................................................................................... 64
DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS .......................................................................................... 69
DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS .......................................................................................... 70
Unit 1
The Paradise of South East Asia

Preview
 Look at these pictures and identify any two of the above landmarks.
 Can you guess the country they belong to?
 Complete the following table. In the first column, write what you know about this
country. In the second column, write what you want to know about it. (Fill the last
column at the end of the lesson)

What I already Know What I Want to know What I Have Learned

 READING
Theme: Self, People and Places
Text Type: Account

1. The adventure began when I was in Penang, the Pearl of the Orient, Malaysia, along
with my family and stayed at Flamingo by the Beach Hotel. I admired the whole
landscape that was bathed in the warm glow of the rising sun; specifically, the 5
powder-white beach which sloped gently into the emerald tropical lagoon. The cool
fresh breeze from the beach touched my skin, awaking me after a long strenuous
drive from the airport to the hotel.

2. Soon afterwards, I was exhausted and needed some sleep; although, I knew I would
not sleep until night since I really wanted to survey the entire hotel. Our room was
like an apartment with two rooms and a living room, It also had a dining table where
most of the time we ended up eating. I loved to order the scrumptious recipe from 10
Malaysia, called NasiGoreng; whose tempting aroma used to fill the air. It had rice
with Chicken Satay accompanied by a peanut sauce.

3. Apart from all this, the most exhilarating was the dazzling view from the living room.
I was able to treat my eyes with a spectacular scene of lush green mountains and
from my temporary bedroom, I could see the never ending beach that went beyond 15
the range of my sight. Most amazingly, when the sunset began, the mighty sky
glowed with different colours such as yellow, brown, and red. It was simply breath-
taking!

4. Returning to the hotel I saw an attractive little shop inside the hotel that sold clothes,
accessories and some souvenirs like key chains, mugs, etc. I had ten Ringgits with 20
me in my pocket, so I decided to go in the shop to check out the objects it had. I
found adorable key chains marked with Penang's name and a drawing of the beach on
a tiny slipper made out of plastic. I bought three since I have always loved collecting
key chains from most of the places I have travelled around the world. 25
Once my first shopping trip was over, it was evening and darkness carried the faint
perfume of flowers and the scent of the dew-rinsed earth. Eventually, I returned to
my hotel. Moving on, a day or two passed discovering Penang. Close to the hotel,
there was only one air-conditioned mall.. I didn't shop much from there but just ate a
large thin crust pizza. Apart from this mall, there was a flea market situated up on the
hill where we could reach by a narrow road on a taxi. The market on the hilltop was a
suitable place to buy things at a bargain; yet, I only bought a patched medium-length
shirt.

Multicultural Malaysia celebrates a vast range of festivals, but the ones to look out
for nationwide are Islamic holidays, most notably the fasting month of Ramadan and
the two Eids. The Eidul-Fitr is known locally as Hari Raya Puasa or Aidilfitri and
 Eidul-Adha, known locally as Hari Raya Haji or Aidiladha. It is during this
festival that cows and lambs are donated in local mosques, and are sacrificed, after
which the meat is distributed to all. Family reunions are also celebrated during other
main festivals in the country. Locals usually put on traditional costumes and finery as
these festivals are an integral feature of the Malaysian society. Luckily, I had a
chance to see their zeal in celebrating Aidiladha on the second day of my visit. Some
uniquely Malaysian festivals of note include the Harvest Festival at the end of May
each year and the 'PestaGawai' in early June.

The last day of my visit is indelibly ingrained on my mind because the morning of
that day marked the ultimate adventure of my life. Early that morning I got ready for
a beach ride wearing my life saving gear, I sat on a sofa that could float on the water.
It was roped to a boat that took off, once I was settled on the sofa. At first, I was
excited and grinned happily, since the boatman took a slow start but within a few
seconds the boat sped at top speed to the open sea, . Behind the boat my sofa was
bumping through the sea , tossing me up and down. He rode the boat thrice in a
circumference and each time he had to take a turn, my heart thumped so fast that I
could feel it shaking my whole body. It was the most spinetingling hair-raising ride I
ever had.I laughed hysterically and screamed on the top of my lungs.

The trip to Penang was an unforgettable one. The sight, sound and smell of that
place are still vivid in my mind‘s eye.
Word Count: 890

By AaminaSuleman Adapted from Women‘s Own Magazine June 2013

RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS

Identify the topic sentences of all the paragraphs and the supporting details.
Single Parent Struggle
For many years, children growing up in a single parent family have been viewed as different.
Being raised by only one parent seems impossible to many yet over the decades it has become
more prevalent. In today‘s society many children have grown up to become emotionally stable
and successful whether they had one or two parents to show them the rocky path that life
bestows upon all human beings. The problem lies in the difference of children raised by single
parents versus children raised by both a mother and a father. Does a child need both parents?
Does a young boy need a father figure around? Does the government provide help for single
parents? What role do step-parents and step-siblings play? With much speculation, this topic has
become a very intriguing argument. What people must understand is that properly raising a child
does not rely on the structure of a family but should be more focused on the process or values
that are taught to these children as they learn to mature. Children of single parents can be just as
progressive with emotional, social and behavioural skills as those with two parents.
People claim that the only way for children to gain full emotional and behavioural skills is to be
raised by both a mother and a father. When a topic such as this one has a broad amount of
variables it is impossible to simply link these problems to only having one parent. In the article,
―Single-parent families cause juvenile crime‖, author Robert L. Maginnis states, ―Children from
single-parent families are more likely to have behaviour problems because they tend to lack
economic security and adequate time with parents‖.
The simple statement that raw criminals are products of single-parent adolescence is absurd.
What this writer must understand is that it can be extremely difficult for one parent to raise a
child by themselves for many reasons. A single-parent must work full time to be able to afford to
provide for themselves and their child. They must also be able to still have time to offer an
exuberant amount of emotional time for the well-being of their child. However, even though this
may seem impossible, it can be done.
As this subject continues to be looked down on people must realize that single parents are
becoming more common in today‘s world. Since 1995 the American family structure for children
ages fourteen to eighteen consists of forty-two percent living in a first marriage family with both
parents, twenty-two percent living in a second marriage step-family, twenty-one percent living in
a single parent, divorced or separated family, six percent living in a single parent never married
family and three percent living in a single parent widowed family. This is an extremely scary
statistic considering that fifty eight percent of children in America are living in a single parent
family. This is a chilling percentage because it shows how little faith is put into a relationship
before actually deciding to have children. Unfortunately not all single-parents take the time to
perform the vital tasks needed to raise their children. Parents who think they would never be able
to provide emotional stability for their children by themselves should have taken the time to
think this through before deciding to become parents. Accidents may happen once in a while but
in most cases adults know what is at stake when planning to have a child. Plain and simple, if
you‘re not ready, than don‘t do it. If you do decide to have this child and you love this child, then
you can be a good parent. There are many ways to enhance the well-being of your child if you
simply apply yourselves as parents. Magginnis later states that, ―Boys who do not have fathers as
male role models suffer especially‖. While it is extremely important for a male child to have his
father around, there are other ways of teaching a young boy the lessons he needs to become a
man. I know from personal experience that what the author of this article is trying to convey is
wrong. I never had my father around while growing up and I did in fact have many positive male
role models. My Grandfather was always there to help guide me as I slowly blossomed into a
young man. Anytime my mother had to work to support us, my grandparents, aunt‘s, uncles and
cousins would step up and provide the time and attention I needed. Therefore, I had the best
support group I could have had as a young man. Being a child with a single mother had its
benefits. Although I came to find how hard it really was for her to always meet the needs of her
child, she did the best job that she possibly could and gave me the knowledge that I needed to
become a successful man without the guidance of my father.
I did however have the experience of dealing with a step-parent. Today, twenty five percent of
all American children will spend at least some time of their growing-up years in a stepfamily.
This seems fine for single parents because they feel like they can start over in a new relationship
and receive help from their spouse both emotionally and financially. A step-parent can cause
confusion and emotional stress on the child since they have just had to adjust to only one parent
and now have to adjust to a new parental figure stepping into the family role. Another factor of
bringing a step-parent into a single family‘s life is new step-siblings to get along with. It might
not be justified for a step parent to punish their step-child like they would their own flesh and
blood. As long as both parents have an understanding that their family comes first and that it is
important to communicate between themselves and with the children, a step-family could
survive.
Children who are raised with both a mother and a father have more attention from both parents
therefore they get the emotional time they need to progress in life. This could be true but not in
all circumstances. It would not be beneficial at all to grow up in a two parent family who did
nothing but argue and put each-other down. Naturally, a child who sees this from a very young
age until they are ready to be out on their own would only follow in the footsteps of all that they
have ever known. Children who are raised by one parent who devotes their time and emotion
into their child would benefit much more than a child who has both parents showing them that
fighting and arguing is acceptable.
Not all families are lucky enough to have a healthy structure. It is important for society and
government aids to notice these structural differences and take action. There should be
government funded programs to help assist single-parent families with childcare and finances for
parents who must work and still have time for their children.
Whether it‘s a mother and a father, a single mother, or a single father, children need guidance.
They will only become a product of what they are taught from a young age and these children are
deeply affected emotionally by the amount of love and compassion that is put into raising them.
Whichever family structure is implied it must be one of respect and strong moral values that they
can someday pass on to their family.
Identify the types of texts and also state the order they follow (chronological or spatial).
Text # 1
There is a story - I cannot tell it - I have no words. The story is almost forgotten but sometimes I
remember.
The story concerns three men in a house in a street. If I could say the words I would sing the
story. I would whisper it into the ears of women, of mothers. I would run through the streets
saying it over and over. My tongue would be torn loose--it would rattle against my teeth.
The three men are in a room in the house. One is young and dandified. He continually laughs.
There is a second man who has a long white beard. He is consumed with doubt but occasionally
his doubt leaves him and he sleeps.
A third man there is who has wicked eyes and who moves nervously about the room rubbing his
hands together. The three men are waiting - waiting.
Upstairs in the house there is a woman standing with her back to a wall, in half darkness by a
window.
That is the foundation of my story and everything I will ever know is distilled in it.
I remember that a fourth man came to the house, a white silent man. Everything was as silent as
the sea at night. His feet on the stone floor of the room where the three men were made no sound.
The man with the wicked eyes became like a boiling liquid - he ran back and forth like a caged
animal. The old grey man was infected by his nervousness - he kept pulling at his beard.
The fourth man, the white one, went upstairs to the woman.
There she was - waiting.
How silent the house was - how loudly all the clocks in the neighbourhood ticked. The woman
upstairs craved love. That must have been the story. She hungered for love with her whole being.
She wanted to create in love. When the white silent man came into her presence she sprang
forward. Her lips were parted. There was a smile on her lips.
The white one said nothing. In his eyes there was no rebuke, no question. His eyes were as
impersonal as stars.
Down stairs the wicked one whined and ran back and forth like a little lost hungry dog. The grey
one tried to follow him about but presently grew tired and lay down on the floor to sleep. He
never awoke again.
The dandified fellow lay on the floor too. He laughed and played with his tiny black moustache.
I have no words to tell what happened in my story. I cannot tell the story.
The white silent one may have been Death.
The waiting eager woman may have been Life.
Both the old grey bearded man and the wicked one puzzle me. I think and think but cannot
understand them. Most of the time however I do not think of them at all. I keep thinking about
the dandified man who laughed all through my story.
If I could understand him I could understand everything. I could run through the world telling a
wonderful story. I would no longer be dumb.
Why was I not given words? Why am I dumb?
I have a wonderful story to tell, but know no way to tell it.
https://theshortstory.co.uk/devsitegkl/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Short-stories-Sherwood-
Anderson-The-Dumb-Man.pdf Accessed on 11-1-2020
Text # 2
Every individual is defined by his character and personality but it also cannot be denied that
people look into the nature and type of the home, which shows the other intricate details of a
person‘s being. In addition, with a house comes different classes of families from all over the
world depicting their own cultural heritage and tradition. Every house has a story of its own that
has to be told and shared. This essay focuses on the inside and outside beauty of my house and
how I have become attached to the essence and deeper meaning that it holds.
The view outside of my house is a mixture of colours and beautiful scenery. A spatial garden
filled with numerous plant types such as orchids and roses having that touch of professional
landscaping that has been developed throughout the years could be easily seen. As visitors walk
to the front porch, the walls and small fence attached to the house itself are painted with white
and light green, which makes the image strikingly attractive to the eye. The door has that vintage
light blue and white look with a quintessence type of golden doorknob. Upon entering my house,
simplicity and an equal balance of mesmerizing smell of lavender and woman‘s perfume fills the
living room. Elegance could be easily spotted as one looks towards the centrepiece table and the
rug underneath it evidencing class and a perfect match of golden brown and white carpet with a
marble vase from Canada is perfectly placed on the table. There is another room at the left side
leading to a library field with vintage, classic and odern books. The shelves are five stories high
made of pinewood and painted in black. A brown table is seen across the books with a calendar,
picture frame and pointed calligraphy pen. A tall lamp is also seen beside the work table sculpted
with flower stems and angelic figures from its feet to the head. A painting could also be seen
hovering on the wall behind the desk. A girl in a white gown has been painted underneath a tree
bursting with yellow flowers. Upon moving to the kitchen, a simple silver oven, microwave,
cupboards, wooden drawers, kitchen sink and a large refrigerator with drawings from kids are
placed on its doors through the help of magnets. The smell of a newly roasted turkey fills the
whole room and reminds us of a fresh farm and a field of grasses and flowers.
Going to the dining area, a circle dining table with eight pink and blue chairs are styled in such a
manner that shows how my family have studied, created, made and built every detail of the
dining room. The utensils and plates are shining white and glistening in the ray of the sun that
enters through the open windows. Most surprisingly are my two rooms inside the house, which is
quite different from the classical look of my house in the outside up until the dining area. My
master bedroom is filled with collectable toys and items where I have bought silver glass shelves
and cabinets for my collection. There is also a 32 inches flat television screen attached to the
wall opposite the king-sized bed. Posters of movies and cartoon characters are pasted on the
walls with glass frames making the room look like a museum for Hollywood films and stories.
The closet and cabinet for clothes and paraphernalia are all painted in white and blue with glossy
shine. There‘s also a shelf for the designer shoes, slippers and sandals that have been hauled over
the years. The other two rooms found in the hallway going to the living room are for laundry and
boxes of all things collected in the past years. My house is a mixture of both classical and
modern which signifies how I have forgotten my historical and cultural background based on a
long line of familial relations and at the same time how much I appreciate the new and present
designs. The variety of colours, pictures and displays inside my house will surprise and awaken
the curiosity of the visitors.
https://blog.essaybasics.com/my-house-descriptive-essay-sample/ Accessed on 11-1-2020
Text # 3
There was a great battle at sea. One could hear nothing but the roar of the big guns. The air was
filled with black smoke. The water was strewn with broken masts and pieces of timber which the
cannon balls had knocked from the ships. Many men had been killed, and many more had been
wounded.
The flag-ship had taken fire. The flames were breaking out from below. The deck was all ablaze.
The men who were left alive made haste to launch a small boat. They leaped into it, and rowed
swiftly away. Any other place was safer now than on board of that burning ship. There was
powder in the hold.
But the captain's son, young Casabianca, still stood upon the deck. The flames were almost all
around him now; but he would not stir from his post. His father had bidden him stand there, and
he had been taught always to obey. He trusted in his father's word, and believed that when the
right time came he would tell him to go.
He saw the men leap into the boat. He heard them call to him to come. He shook his head.
"When father bids me, I will go," he said.
And now the flames were leaping up the masts. The sails were all ablaze. The fire blew hot upon
his cheek. It scorched his hair. It was before him, behind him, all around him.
"O father!" he cried, "may I not go now? The men have all left the ship. Is it not time that we too
should leave it?"
He did not know that his father was lying in the burning cabin below, that a cannon ball had
struck him dead at the very beginning of the fight. He listened to hear his answer.
"Speak louder, father!" he cried. "I cannot hear what you say."Above the roaring of the flames,
above the crashing of the falling spars, above the booming of the guns, he fancied that his
father's voice came faintly to him through the scorching air.
"I am here, father! Speak once again!" he gasped.
But what is that?
A great flash of light fills the air; clouds of smoke shoot quickly upward to the sky; and--
"Boom!"
Oh, what a terrific sound! Louder than thunder, louder than the roar of all the guns! The air
quivers; the sea itself trembles; the sky is black.
The blazing ship is seen no more.
There was powder in the hold!
***
A long time ago a lady, whose name was Mrs. Hemans, wrote a poem about this brave boy
Casabianca. It is not a very well written poem, and yet everybody has read it, and thousands of
people have learned it by heart. I doubt not but that some day you too will read it. It begins in
this way:--
"The boy stood on the burning deck
Whence all but him had fled;
The flame that lit the battle's wreck
Shone round him o'er the dead.
"Yet beautiful and bright he stood,
As born to rule the storm--
A creature of heroic blood,
A proud though childlike form."
https://theshortstory.co.uk/devsitegkl/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Baldwin-James-Casabianca-
Short-Stories.pdf Accessed on 11-1-2020
Text # 4

1. First of all, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Then, grease and flour 24 muffin cups,

or use paper liners. After that, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set

aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one

at a time. Then, stir in the vanilla and buttermilk. Beat in the flour mixture, mixing just until

incorporated. Fold in the mashed bananas and shredded apples. Fill each muffin cup half full.

3. In the end, bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the

centre comes out clean. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

Adapted from: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/25552/apple-banana Accessed on 11-1-2020

Passages for Comprehension

Text # 1
What is it? The Rio de Janeiro carnival, held annually in the month of February, is a spectacular
celebration of life that attracts millions of people onto the streets of the Brazilian city. The whole
country stops to watch, either in the city itself or on the television. It is estimated that each year
700,000 visitors come to watch from all over the world.
―Samba‖ schools The music played throughout the carnival procession is called the ―samba‖.
Many participants belong to ―samba‖ schools where they learn to dance and play the music
which is so popular throughout Brazil. There are about 30 ―samba‖ schools with thousands of
members. They perform for four entire nights in a huge arena called the ―Sambadrome‖. The
schools take part in an official competition and the best of them is awarded a prize. Each school
is assessed on its costumes, the theme of its performance and the quality of the music. Some
―samba‖ schools hold street parties and perform in their local areas because many people cannot
afford to buy a ticket for the official competition.
From year to year... Because it is such a huge event, planning for the carnival begins many
months in advance. In fact, it is true to say that as soon as one carnival finishes, rehearsals and
preparations for the next one begin. Much of this work is done in ―Samba City‖, which consists
of enormous buildings where most of the equipment and costumes are prepared.
The stars of the show Each school is led by a queen followed by hundreds of drummers and
brightly decorated carnival vehicles. The Carnival Queens are the biggest stars and they are
chosen from amongst the most beautiful women in each community. As well as beauty, the
queen has to be very fit to lead her group of drummers on the slow procession through the streets
of Rio.
―Blocos‖ parades ―Blocos‖ parades have become an important feature of Rio‘s carnival in
addition to the ―samba‖ schools. These parades are less formal and include groups of musicians
from the same neighbourhood who just want to sing, dance and have a good time. Today, they
number more than 100 and the groups increase each year. They all dress in costumes or T-shirts
with special themes or logos. Before the show they gather in a square, then parade through
sections of the city, before performing near to the beach. Some of them have a particular place
such as a café where they play and dance to attract spectators.
(a) How often is the Rio carnival held?
(b) Apart from Brazil, where do the spectators come from?
(c) What is the ―Sambadrome‖?
(d) What is a ―samba‖ school judged on when it enters the competition? Give two details.
(e) What are the essential qualities for a Carnival Queen? Give two details.
(f) Where are you likely to see the ―blocos‖ perform? Give two details.
Text # 2
The donkey mobile library
It is a hot and bright morning in the Ethiopian countryside. YohannesGebregeorgis walks beside
a pair of donkeys that are pulling a two-wheeled cart. They arrive at the agricultural town of
Awassa where Yohannes unties the animals and opens the sides of the cart to display, not the
usual vegetables or tools, but children‘s books. This is the Donkey Mobile Library, the first of its
kind in Ethiopia and one of only a few in the world.
Yohannes was born in Ethiopia, North Africa, but trained to be a children‘s librarian in the USA.
He returned to his home country some years ago after more than two decades in America. The
yellow cart is full of picture books donated by American libraries, teachers and school children.
Yohannes arranges small painted benches in the shade of the trees, and suddenly Ethiopian
children, many of them barefoot, come shouting and racing down every road and path. It‘s
mobile library day! The children circle the bookshelves with great excitement. Until the Donkey
Mobile Library began its regular two-monthly visits, many of these children had never seen a
book. Now they wait for the library eagerly. Despite the heat, they all sit quietly and listen to
Yohannes as he reads aloud to them.
―Without books, education is very dull, like food without salt. You can survive but you can‘t
really come alive,‖ says Yohannes. ―The ability to read is the basis for greater productivity,
better health and longer life. It is equally important in reading instructions on how to apply the
correct amount of fertiliser to the crops in the fields and in how to vote in an election. Even
 though the children lack material goods, if they have the advantage of books they can imagine a
world of possibilities.‖
For his first job in America, Yohannes suddenly found himself working in the children‘s section
of the main library. He was surrounded by books he had never seen before, and, for the first time
in his life, he realised how joyful and imaginative children‘s literature is. He says, ―I always
thought of Ethiopia. But how could I bring children‘s books, with their fascinating characters, to
my home country when it had almost no libraries to keep the books in?‖
He contacted Jane Kurtz, a writer who was born in America but who had grown up in Ethiopia,
and together they founded the organisation, ―Ethiopia Reads‖. With gifts of books and money,
they created two children‘s libraries and reading centres and, soon after, the Donkey Mobile
Library. Since then, more school libraries have opened, some of them offering training for future
librarians.
Inside the Awassa Reading Centre, groups of children, dressed in a variety of different clothes,
study the bookshelves for their favourite story. Some of them read at tables or on old sofas. Most
of the children say that the library has given them ideas about what they might do in the future. A
child called Dareje wants to be a scientist and find a cure for life-threatening diseases. An eleven
year-old girl, Fikerte, wants to do research about the moon and discover new facts about outer
space. Tamrat, aged 10, lives with his parents and six brothers and sisters in a small house. He
doesn‘t know what he will do with his life, but he loves the library and comes seven days a
week.
―What brings you back here day after day?‖ the librarian asks him.
―The stories,‖ Tamrat replies instantly. ―It‘s the stories that bring me back.‖
various individual donations:
donations from charity groups:
3,000 Dollars
10,000 Dollars Ethiopia
Ethiopia

book sales and sponsored

activities: 2,000 Dollars
donations from other libraries:
15,000 books

(a) How does the mobile library move from place to place?
(b) How many mobile donkey libraries are there in the world?
(c) How long did Yohannes spend in America?
(d) How do the children behave while Yohannes is storytelling?
(e) Apart from health factors, what advantages are there for these children in being able to read?
Give two details.
 (f) According to the diagram, which organisations donated the most money to the mobile
library?
(g) What was the main problem about bringing books back to Ethiopia?
(h) Apart from books, what may be available at school libraries?
(i) Why does Tamrat visit the library every day?
Text # 3
Victory
1 Lore had it that my father once wrestled a bear, a claim he never denied. If the story had been about
anyone else, it would have been dismissed as exaggeration, which in my country was almost a national
affliction. But no-one ever doubted the veracity of any story about my father. He was a towering force of
nature; when all six foot of him thundered into the room, people behaved like sunflowers turning towards
the sun. With me, Amir, as the glaring exception, my father moulded the world around him to his liking.
He was also a man whose word was always respected.
2 My mother had died giving birth to me and the truth was that I always felt my father hated me a little.
And why not? Had I not killed his beloved wife? The least I could do was to turn out a little more like
him. Was having a son who preferred poetry to sport what my father had envisaged? I was a pathetic,
blundering liability to my football team, always unwittingly obstructing the other team members. When it
became abundantly clear that I hadn‘t inherited a shred of my father‘s athletic talents, he settled for trying
to turn me into a passionate spectator. I faked interest for as long as I could, but my father sensed my lack
of genuine interest and resigned himself to the bleak fact that his son was never going either to play or to
watch football.
3 Every winter, each district held a kite-fighting tournament, the winner of which was the child whose
kite was the last one flying. This tournament was undeniably the highlight of the cold season. During the
contest, participants tried to cut the strings of all their opponents‘ kites. On the day of any tournament, the
streets filled with kite fighters, jerking and pulling on their strings, squinting up at the sky, trying to gain
position to cut an opponent‘s string. I used to build my own kite from bamboo, glue and paper. Then
came the crucial part: I had to make my own string – a long, sharp, and colourful line. It was at one of
these tournaments that I sensed my opportunity to make my father love me.
4 Already streets and rooftops were jammed with spectators, including my father. I held my kite high over
my head, like an Olympic athlete showing off his gold medal, and tossed it into the air. Within a minute it
was rocketing into the sky, making a sound like a bird flapping its wings. At least two dozen kites already
hung in the sky, like roaming paper sharks. Within an hour the number doubled; soon the cutting started
and the first of the defeated kites whirled out of control and fell from the sky like a shooting star. Soon,
kites were coming down all over the place. I sliced a bright yellow kite, the string also cutting a gash on
my index finger. Within another hour, the number of kites flying dwindled from maybe fifty to a dozen.
By late afternoon, shadows started to lengthen. We were down to six kites and mine was still flying. With
each defeated kite, hope grew in my heart.
5 My eyes kept returning to a blue kite which had been wreaking havoc for the last hour. Then what had
seemed like a fantasy that morning had suddenly become feasible; there was just me and the owner of the
blue kite left. The tension in the air was as taut as the glass string I was tugging with my bloody hands.
People were stamping their feet, clapping, whistling, chanting. All I saw was the blue kite. All I smelled
was victory. A gust of wind enabled me to loop my kite on top of the blue one, the owner of which
desperately tried to manoeuvre it away. I loosened my grip on the string, and saw the blue kite falling
from the sky. Perhaps now I had achieved the redemption I had craved all my life.
6 It happened just the way I‘d hoped. My father had already returned to his study and I stepped tentatively
in. His head turned and a smile played on his lips. I put my kite down happily and walked into his thick
hairy arms. I buried my face in the warmth of his chest and wept. My father held me close to him, rocking
me back and forth.
Read the above Passage and answer all the questions below in the order set.
From paragraph 1
5 (a) What story was told about Amir‘s father?
(b) Give two reasons why people tended to believe the story about Amir‘s father.
From paragraph 2
6 (a) Give two reasons why, according to Amir, his father hated him.
(b) Explain in your own words why Amir was a ‗blundering liability‘ to his football team.
(c) Pick out and write down the single word which tells you that eventually Amir‘s father realised that his
son would never be interested in football.
From paragraph 3
7 (a) Explain fully how the winner of the kite-fighting competition was decided.
(b) What single feature of the kite‘s string was ‗crucial‘ in winning the competition?
From paragraph 4
8 (a) Why do you think Amir felt ‗like an Olympic athlete showing off his gold medal‘ even before the
tournament began?
(b) Explain fully why the writer describes the kites as ‗roaming paper sharks‘.
From paragraph 5
9 (a) Explain in your own words the contrast between the way Amir feels at the start of the tournament
and his feelings just before he won it.
(b) Why do you think Amir‘s hands were ‗bloody‘?
(c) What is the ‗redemption‘ Amir refers to?
From paragraph 6
10 Give two reasons why Amir was happy.
From the whole passage
11 Choose five of the following words. For each of them give one word or short phrase (of not more than
seven words) which has the same meaning that the word has in the passage.
(a) affliction (line 3) (e) undeniably (line 17)
(b) glaring (line 5) (f) highlight (line 17)
(c) moulded (line 6) (g) havoc (line 34)
(d) shred (line 12) (h) tentatively (line 43)
Five words chosen (from list above)

Text # 4
Trips to the Capital
Read the information below advertising trips to London and then answer questions 07 – 14.
www.capitaltrips.co.uk
Visiting London with Children
Is there a better place to spend family time than the bustling, beautiful city of London? It‘s a city
of history and a city of drama. It‘s a place where memories are made. From the swinging London
of the 1960s through to the inspiring 2012 Olympics, London is always awash with spectacle.
Since 1990, Capital Trips have been helping people get the most from this great city by
organising weekend breaks and trips to London. So if you‘re coming to London with your
family, we can help. Here are a couple of ideas to keep the little ones happy.
Tower Terror
If your kids like the horrible side of history, they will love The Tower of London. It‘s very
scary, so it‘s not for the faint-hearted! They will learn all about the nasty past and enjoy the dark
stories of long ago. The Crown Jewels are also on display. Queues tend to build up around 11am,
so you might wish to arrive early, or perhaps visit in the last hour before closing time. If you‘re
hungry, there‘s a café called ‗Henry‘s‘ where you can get a range of snacks. Once you leave the
Tower, there‘s also a fantastic cafe called ‗Boleyn‘s‘ which serves children‘s meals and gluten-
free options at reasonable prices. It‘s a firm favourite of the staff at Capital Trips.
The Tower opens at 10am, but group visits can enter from 9.30am. Closing times vary, so check
the details on the Tower website. The Tower is on the north bank of the River Thames.
Go for a Spin
Kids will love a trip on The London Eye, the capital‘s great spinning wheel. From the top of the
wheel you get great views of Big Ben, The Shard, Tate Modern and many more places. The Eye
is situated on the south bank of the River Thames. It was opened in December 1999 and has 32
capsules. It can carry up to 750 people at a time but gets busy at peak times. Make sure that your
children are ok with heights, because once the ride starts, it won‘t stop! Of all the attractions, this
is the one that kids visit and enjoy the most.
You can start riding The London Eye at 10am. It‘s open every day apart from 25th December.
Your children will love trying to spot the famous landmarks of London from the sky. There are
many places to eat around The Eye. Sacha‘s Café serves very tasty burgers, and the more
reasonably priced Gina‘s Gelateria sells lovely ice cream.
Travel and Tickets
London is served by several large national rail stations and the substantial bus and tube networks
make travel a breeze. As part of your break we can arrange travel to and from your home and
also around the city. We have also started offering amazing deals on tickets to sporting events
and concerts. Why not get in touch and see what we can do for you?
1. When did Capital Trips start arranging trips to London?
2. What is the name of the café in the Tower of London?
3. In the first paragraph, the writer says London is ‗awash with spectacle‘. What does this
mean?
4. In the second paragraph, the writer says the Tower is ‗not for the faint-hearted‘. What
does this mean?
5. Which of these statements best describes the main point of the first paragraph?

A London is a very busy place.

B London is an interesting place to visit.
C London hosted the 2012 Olympics.
6. What is the main purpose of the text?

A To inform children about two attractions.

B To describe the features of two attractions.
C To persuade parents to visit two attractions.
7. Tick the true statements and put a cross in front of false statements.

A Capital Trips arrange midweek breaks to London

B The Tower is less popular with children than The Eye
C 9am is a good time to visit The Tower
D The Tower closes at 5pm
E The Tower can be accessed from both sides of the river
F Capital Trips supply tickets to plays
G You can travel on the London Eye on Christmas Eve
H 600 people could travel on The Eye
I The writer gives an opinion about the food at Sacha‘s Café
Text # 5
Social Media
Read the article below then answer the questions given below.
Teenager Umar Hussain gives his views on what social media means to him.
Social Media: making the world a smaller place
Social media – everybody uses it. I check Twitter first thing in the morning. My mother is
always on Facebook. My little cousin uses Instagram, and even my grandmother can‘t stop
checking her phone.

Some people enjoy complaining about new technology, and it‘s true that there are some bad
aspects to social media. It takes up a lot of your time, and it stops you being physically active.
Some schools also say that it encourages bullying. This might be true, but I think the world is a
much better place with it than without it. There‘ll always be some people who like to complain.
Worse still are those people – like my grandmother - who simulate disinterest in Twitter,
Facebook and Instagram, but secretly love social media and can‘t stay off it!
It‘s so easy to share your photos with social media. My granddad keeps his photos in an old
album, and most of them have only been seen by his family. But on Facebook, I can share
pictures instantly with my family all around the world. I have made many new friends on social
media (most of them normal!) and they, through social media, have educated me. I‘ve discovered
recipes, found out about charities and learned about people.
It‘s true that one of the bad things is that you can just waste your time watching silly videos
about cats, but social media is about much more than just entertainment. I‘ve had discussions
about world poverty, read breaking news on Twitter and become a more informed person about
global events. My uncle‘s business gets lots of publicity on Facebook and many people hear
about jobs via Twitter.
Some people say that social media can be addictive in a negative way. I agree partly with this
and I know friends who struggle to sleep because of their fascination with the medium. It might
also be true that some people who can go for hours without actually speaking to another human,
but at its best, social media is a great force for communication. It‘s the sharing of things that
matter that is the point of social media. I‘m sure that my teachers think I spend my evenings
playing games (ok, that‘s partly true!), but my friends and I use chatrooms to help each other
with homework and essays. I wonder whether one of the reasons why my teacher hasn‘t marked
my book recently is that she‘s been too busy on Facebook herself?
Social media simply makes me happy. Seeing my friends‘ pictures and messaging each other
brightens my day. Life is too short to be miserable, and one way to keep smiling is to keep in
touch with other humans. Social media makes the world a smaller place - and a much happier
one.
1. Which family member is not mentioned in the article?

A Grandad B Cousin C Sister D Uncle E Grandmother F Mother

2. What is the main point of the first paragraph?

A To introduce the writer‘s family.

B To say that social media is very popular.
C To mention types of social media.
3. In the second paragraph, the writer says that some people like to ‗simulate disinterest‘ in
social media. What does this mean?
4. According to the article, there are good and bad points about social media.

List five good points and five bad points.

5. In the fifth paragraph, the writer says that ―I wonder if one of the reasons why my teacher
hasn‘t marked my book is that she‘s been too busy on Facebook herself‖.

Which statement below best describes what the writer means?

The writer‘s teacher has a very busy life and the writer knows this.
B The writer is making the point that both children and adults use social media.
C The writer is making the point that only older people use Facebook.
6. In the last paragraph, the writer says social media ‗brightens my day‘. What does this
mean?
7. Which statement best describes this article?

A An entirely serious article about social media

B An article with some humour in it
C An article which isn‘t to be taken seriously
Text # 6
The Kindness of Strangers
Read the text below and answer questions.
The following passage is taken from a collection of travel writing entitled: ‗The Kindness of
Strangers‘. In it, the writer finds herself lost at night in the Sahara Desert.
I remember one night in particular when a man with whom I could not speak saved me.
I was in the Sahara Desert, travelling with a group of people I neither knew nor liked especially
well. We were en route to a Tuareg* wedding, moving via jeep during the day and sleeping
under the stars at night. It was arduous travel. The daytime heat was stupefying and the drives
were long, with nothing to do but stare at the passing desert.
I was happier when the nights brought their beautiful cooling air, the gloom relieving the sun and
the moon hovering huge. And each evening, after my companions ate dinner and retired to their
mattresses, I would leave on a walk. That night I left camp at about nine, foolishly dressed only
in a thin cotton shirt and light trousers. The sky was inky and the moon was high, casting a meek
metallic light on the ground. But the desert seemed radiant and beckoning, and I was overjoyed
to be alone and moving. After an hour, I finally turned back towards camp. It was not until that
moment that I realised how far I had come and that I had no idea where I was. I looked for
footprints but beneath my feet was hardbaked earth – flat and stony. With horror I realised there
were no landmarks and I had left no trail.
Resisting panic, I looked to the sky as I imagined one is supposed to do in such situations – and
found I was, of course, utterly clueless about navigation by the stars. The extent of my stupidity
dawned on me. I was a city girl who fancied herself an adventurer and now I was lost with no
water, no food or warmth.
The cold had descended and I shook, Sahara nights being as brutally frigid as the days are
blistering hot. As I lurched over the featureless land, I knew my fellow travellers would be
sleeping and there would be no light coming from our encampment. I could stumble within ten
metres of them without knowing it.
I‘d been searching for a good hour when I turned and saw a smudge of fire glowing in the
distance. After an initial rush of relief, I froze, realising my predicament. Here I was, a
youngish small woman alone at night, lost and desperate. In the distance, I could hear strange,
mechanical sounds. Much as I feared, things were about to take a turn for the worse.
*Tuareg - a group of people who live mainly in the Sahara Desert.
1. Explain why the title, ‗The Kindness of Strangers‘ is suitable given the opening line of
the text.
2. What is the main point of the second paragraph?

A To tell the reader about the scene

B To tell the reader about the Tuaregs
C To tell the reader about the wedding
3. In the second paragraph, there are things the writer doesn‘t enjoy. List four of these.
4. In the third paragraph, the writer says, the nights brought ‗cooling air‘. How does she
feel about this?

A Disappointed B Glad C She doesn‘t say

5. In the third paragraph, the writer says the desert was ‗beckoning, and I was overjoyed to
be alone‘. What does this mean?
6. In the fourth and fifth paragraphs, the writer has problems when she is alone in the desert.
List five problems she has.
7. In the sixth paragraph, the writer describes the desert as ―featureless‖? What does this
mean?

A There were a few landmarks.

B There used to be things to see.
C There was nothing to see.
8. In the last paragraph, the writer feels relief for a short time. What does she see which
makes her feel briefly safe?
9. From the list below, choose five correct things that we find out from the last two
paragraphs of the text.

A The night is incredibly cold.

B There are strange lights in the desert.
C The temperature affects the writer.
D The writer is not old.
E The writer is armed.
F The writer can hear things.
G There is a jeep in the desert.
H The writer feels a mixture of emotions.
I The writer gets very close to the camp.
J We find out nothing about the writer‘s appearance.
K The writer finds safety.
10. Which statement best describes this text?

A It educates readers about the Tuaregs‘ way of living.

B It provides an insight into the danger of travel.
C It entertains readers with a dramatic story.
https://cf.oxfordaqaexams.org.uk/oaqaresources/english/assessment/9280-international-gcse-english-as-a-second-
language-reading-question-paper-v2.pdf Accessed on 11-12020

Text # 7
A new arts centre will soon open in Paris, the capital city of France. Jacques Pascaud, a 16-year-
old student at the International College of Montmartre, is very keen to become a member of the
centre.
He lives in Apartment 12C, Rue Lazare in Paris, which is about 10 kilometres away from the arts
centre. Public transport is very easy and convenient from his home to the centre, even in the
evening. He has therefore decided to apply for membership, but not including the weekends
because he has too much studying to do.
Jacques saw the advertisement for the new centre on the college noticeboard. The centre has
produced an application form specifically for student members. The form includes the
opportunity to offer suggestions as to what members would like to see on the artistic programme
in the future. Jacques thinks that it is an excellent idea to try and influence the choice of the
artistic directors. Firstly, he would like to see regular exhibitions of modern art in one of the
three galleries. Secondly, he loves rock music and would welcome the chance to see concerts by
world-famous performers at least twice a year. There is also an opera hall, a small theatre and a
cinema, but he is not so keen on these artistic forms.
Jacques has some experience of both oil and watercolour painting. He has been a member of the
college Art Society for the past five years and has had his paintings displayed on college open
days. He has also worked part-time in the local art gallery near to his home. The new arts centre
is very interested in inviting student members to become volunteer helpers. Jacques would very
much like to help out with the organisation of the art exhibitions at the new centre. His art
teacher, Claude Dubois, has agreed to be a referee for him and support his application. Claude
can be contacted on the college telephone 75763209.
The arts centre is eager to send out a weekly newsletter to all its members by email. Jacques is
very happy to receive as much information as possible about the centre on jacko123@mtmt.fr or
on his mobile/cell phone 274083617.
Imagine you are Jacques. Fill in the form on the opposite page, using the information above.

Arts centre – Student Membership form

Section A Personal Details

Full name: ...................................................................................................................................
Address: .......................................................................................................................................
Age group: 7 to 11 12 to 16 17 to 21 21+ (please circle as appropriate)
Email address: .................................................. Mobile / cell phone number: ...........................
Name of college: .........................................................................................................................
Membership of college club(s): ...................................................................................................
Type of membership required at the arts centre: (please tick one box)
Full-time membership (7 days a week) _____
Part-time membership (excluding weekends) _____
Section B Comments and Suggestions
Your particular artistic interests (please underline as many as required):
art cinema concerts opera theatre
Please give ONE suggestion for a future event:
............................................................................................

Section C Referee Details

Full name: ....................................................................... Position:
........................................................................
Contact telephone number:
................................................................................................................................
Finally, where did you find out about the new arts centre?
...............................................................................
Section D
In the space below, write one sentence about how you would like to help at the arts centre and one
sentence about any work experience you have in the arts.

Text # 8
Sven Magnusson is a student at Stockholm New World School, Sweden. One day, he was on his
way to a geography lesson when he noticed a poster on the school wall advertising a special offer
on new magazines. He had no time to stop and read the details but after the lesson he was able to
study the contents more carefully.
Sven found out that there was a choice of two magazines, both of them with a geographical
theme. One of them, International Nature, is about the wonders of the natural world and animal
survival. The other magazine, World Culture, concentrates more on the history of human
development. Both magazines are published every two months. Sven is very interested in
wildlife and conservation but prefers finding out about how different nationalities and societies
developed and the origins of their traditions. He has just joined a group which discusses these
issues and he communicates with fellow members by email svemag@stocknet.se. He also keeps
in touch by text message on his mobile/cell phone 074839276.
Sven knew that his grandmother, ElkeAndersson, was looking for something suitable to buy him
for his 17th birthday, which was a few weeks away. The price of the magazines was greatly
reduced if they were bought for a young person at school or college. In addition, Sven thought it
would be a good idea if he chose the present himself because, in the past, his grandmother had
bought him gifts which he didn't really want.
There were three possible ways to subscribe: online, by telephone or by completing a
subscription form. Sven thought that filling out the form was the best way to proceed, so he
collected a form from the school office and went to see his grandmother to discuss it with her.
His grandmother lives in a district called Norrmalm at 32 Kungsgatan. Sven often calls in to see
her after school because he lives in the same road at Apartment 4A. When he arrived he told her
about the magazine offer and she agreed immediately to pay for the subscription as a present for
his birthday.
Sven and his grandmother had to make a choice of subscription. It was possible to order either
6 issues for one year or 12 issues which would last for two years and would also qualify for an
extra 10 per cent discount. The subscription for one year would cost 180 Swedish Krona (SK)
and for two years the cost would be 324 SK. His grandmother was happy to pay a little more for
his birthday present and so they chose the subscription for a longer period.
The most suitable way for his grandmother to pay for the subscription was by cheque because
she disliked paying for anything on credit. So she signed the cheque and handed it to Sven to
post with the completed subscription form.
Imagine you are Sven. Fill in the form on the opposite page, using the information above.
Magazine Subscription form
Section A Magazine Details
Title of selected magazine (please circle): International Nature World Culture
YES! Please send me 6 issues _____
YES! Please send me 12 issues _____ (please tick one)
Where you saw the magazine off er advertised:
...........................................................................
Text # 9
Read the information below, then choose the best answer.
1. Television has been introduced to almost every country in the world, reaching a large
number of viewers on every continent. About 600 million people saw the first person walk on the
moon, and a billion people watched the twentieth Olympic Games. Television has in many ways
promoted understanding and cooperation among people. It does this by showing educational and
cultural programs.
From this passage, a reader can most reasonably conclude that the author believes that
A. people spend too much time watching television
B. not every country needs to have television
C. television can unify people from around the world
D. television is as important as schools
2. People have different ways of learning. Some are better at making mental pictures of new
ideas. Others are more comfortable with writing lists of things to memorize. Certain people can
learn best when listening to music, while others need silence to concentrate.

Which of the following is the main idea of the passage?

A. Mental pictures help many to learn.
B. Some people prefer lists to making mental pictures.
C. To learn well you need to be comfortable.
D. Different individuals have different ways of acquiring information.

3. If you hold a piece of copper wire over the flame of a wooden match, heat will be
conducted by the copper wire to your fingers, and you will be forced to drop the wire. You will,
however, still be able to hold the match because wood is a poor conductor of heat.

Which of the following is implied in the passage above?

A. Copper is a good conductor of heat.
B. Wood and copper conduct heat equally.
C. Wood is an excellent conductor of heat.
D. Matches should be made of copper.

4. Many people own different pets. Dogs, cats, birds, and fish are common household pets.
Others pets are considered to be exotic animals. These include snakes, lizards, and hedgehogs.

According to the passage, snakes are

A. uncommon pets
B. likely to be found in a household with dogs
C. found only in zoos
D. not allowed in people‘s homes

5. Cesar Chavez was an influential leader for farmworkers. He fought for their rights and
better working conditions. Chavez led many strikes that angered farm owners. Eventually he
succeeded in getting increased wages and better living situations for farmworkers.

The passage indicates that Chavez changed lives by

A. helping to end the farmworkers‘ strikes
B. fighting for the rights of farm owners
C. working on the farms every day
D. improving the conditions for farmworkers

6. When cartoonist Charles M. Schulz was a boy in elementary school, other boys teased
him for being small and not very good at sports, and his art teacher told him he had no talent for
drawing. He had few friends and was too shy to talk to a red-haired girl he admired. Later in life,
Schulz used his childhood experiences in his comic strip Peanuts: the strip‘s main character, the
sad and lonely Charlie Brown, represents Shulz as a little boy. Peanuts was unique at the time
because it contained no adult characters. Readers fell in love with Charlie Brown, and Peanuts
eventually became one of the most popular comic strips of all time.
What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Peanuts was the world‘s most widely read comic strip.
B. Schulz was a very famous cartoonist.
C. Schulz turned the pain of his youth into success as an adult.
D. The comic strip Peanuts featured children as its only characters.

7. Money has been used for thousands of years in nearly every culture as a means of
exchange. However, today, the use of cash is becoming less and less common in modern
societies all over the world. Every year, a higher percentage of purchases are made online, and
even in stores customers are now using credit cards more often than cash. Many people today do
all of their banking on the Internet rather than going to the bank in person.

The author of the passage probably assumes that

A. cash will become virtually obsolete in the near future
B. using cash will become popular again
C. paying with credit cards all the time is dangerous
D. societies that do business online will struggle

8. Before giving first aid to an accident victim, you should obtain his or her consent. Asking
for consent takes a simple question. Say to the victim, ―I know first aid, and I can help until an
ambulance arrives. Is that okay?‖

According to the passage, it is wrong to

A. use first aid on an accident victim without medical training
B. attempt to help an accident victim without permission
C. help a victim before an ambulance arrives
D. call for an ambulance instead of helping the victim

9. Dr. Ellen Ochoa is an inventor and is also the first female Hispanic astronaut. Her
inventions include technology to help robots inspect equipment in space to maintain safety and
quality control on spacecraft. Before retiring, she logged more than 1,000 hours in space across
several space missions.

According to the passage, Dr. Ochoa is the first

A. Hispanic person to travel into space
B. inventor to travel into space
C. woman to travel into space
D. Hispanic woman to travel into space

10. Dogs and cats make very different types of pets. Before deciding whether to buy or adopt
a dog or a cat, prospective owners need to carefully consider their own lifestyles and
personalities. Dogs may make more affectionate companions, but they require more care and
attention. They must be taken out several times a day and should not be left alone for more than a
few hours. Larger dogs require significant exercise to remain fit and healthy. Cats are usually
more independent in nature and interact less with their owners. Also, a cat can be left on its own
all day, or even for several days, as long as it has food and clean water to drink.
From this passage a reader can conclude that
A. owning a cat requires less work than owning a dog
B. people who are away from home during the day should not own a cat
C. people who like to play with their pets should own a cat
D. owning a cat is more responsibility than owning a dog
https://broward.edu/admissions/testing/Documents/LOEP%20Test%20Information%20and%20Sample%20Question
s.pdf Accessed on 12-1-2020

SUMMARY WRITING
Passengers... your car is ready for take-off
The flying car has been talked about for many years, but now it appears that the idea is about to
become a reality.
An international company has built a two-seater plane that, at the touch of a button, converts into
a car which is perfectly suitable for driving on public roads. It has been designed so that the
wings fold up automatically, and it takes just 15 seconds to switch between flying and driving.
With its wings fully open and the propeller spinning, the flying car can take off from any airfield.
The hope is that it will eventually take off from roads, but at the moment that is still illegal.
New technology means that the inside of the plane‘s cockpit is quite similar to the inside of a car.
Reaching your destination can be made easier by satellite navigation systems, and weather
patterns can be displayed on a simple colour screen. The lightweight engine means that it can fly
up to 500 miles without the need to refuel.
It would seem that cars which can fly make complete sense. They are quicker than conventional
cars for travelling from city to city, and they can run on ordinary unleaded fuel. They have
another big advantage. Flying cars are cool, like something you would see in an action film.
At the moment, however, the flying car‘s wheels have not left the ground. That is not because of
technical reasons or problems with the design. It is because the various road and aircraft
authorities simply cannot agree on whether it is a car or a plane.
―The Government and the authorities have never thought seriously about a flying car,‖ says Alan
Price, the president of the company that has developed it. ―I wanted a car that could fly and
drive, but it is difficult to find an organisation prepared to insure the vehicle against accidents.‖
Nevertheless, the company hopes to produce and deliver its first flying car soon. The company
already has orders for 40 of them. The majority of the potential customers are older and some are
retired. They have worked hard all their lives and now they can have a flying car... a form of
technology that they have been promised in films and on television since they were children.
There have even been orders from some people who have no pilot‘s licence, but are willing to
learn to fly because of the excitement of owning such a vehicle.
The flying car will cost around $200,000. ―For an airplane, that‘s a very reasonable price, but for
a car, it‘s quite expensive,‖ explains Alan Price. ―But it just is not possible to make a $10,000
flying car yet.‖
This latest means of transport will not become a mass-market item at any time in the near future.
But in the long term it has the potential to change the way you travel. It will become no more
expensive than driving your car on the motorway. Journey times could be reduced by more than
half.
So the next time you are told to fasten your seat belt, it may be to prepare for take-off.
You are going to give a presentation to your school’s Technology Club about the flying car.
Prepare some notes to use as the basis for your talk.
Make your notes under each heading.
Design features of the flying car
at the touch of a button plane converts into a car
• .............................................................................................................
• .............................................................................................................
• .............................................................................................................
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Problems faced by the potential buyer
• .............................................................................................................
• ..........................................................................................................
Exercise
Imagine that you have made your presentation to your school‘s Technology Club in Exercise
Now your teacher wants you to follow this up with a summary for the school magazine.
Look at your notes in Exercise above. Using the ideas in your notes, write a summary about the
flying car.
Your summary should be no more than 70 words. You should use your own words as far as
possible.
Text # 2 for Summary
Read the following article about elephants painting pictures. On the opposite page, write a
summary about the role and responsibilities of the keepers of the elephants.
Your summary should be about 100 words (and no more than 120). You should use your own
words as far as possible.
Elephants – real artists or not?
So is it true that elephants are artists? Can they really paint pictures of flowers, trees or even
other elephants?
It‘s hard to believe, but in Thailand there are at least six centres where elephants display their
talents as painters. In the past, these animals had always lived and worked closely with humans.
But when there was no longer work for them, elephant sanctuaries were established for their
protection because they had little chance of survival j sale. They are quickly bought by people
who have been amazed by what they have seen. To most members of the audience, what they
have witnessed appears to be truly miraculous; but what the spectators overlook are the actions
of the keepers as their animals are at work. This oversight is understandable because it is very
difficult to move your eyes away from the brushes that are making the lines and the spots.
However, if you do so, you will notice that with each mark, the keeper pulls at his elephant‘s ear.
He pulls the ear up and down to get the elephant to make a vertical line, or, alternatively, pulls it
sideways to get a horizontal one. To make spots, the keeper moves the ear forward towards the
painting. Throughout the performance, it is the keeper who controls the routine.
Further investigation also reveals that each of the three elephants always produces the same
image, time after time, day after day, week after week. Mook always paints a bunch of flowers,
Christmas always does a tree, and Pimtong a climbing plant. This makes it seem like a circus
trick... but it is, nevertheless, an amazingly clever trick! After all, no human hand touches the
elephant‘s trunk, and the brain of the animal has to translate the small touches on its ear into
attractive lines and spots.
Perhaps one day these elephants will be allowed to express themselves independently. If that
happens we will have to think seriously about an elephant art gallery.
CLOZE
Robert Hedin owns a shirt company (1) the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The island is famous
(2) its red earth. Kauai’s earth is red as a result of all the iron that it (3). When Robert was
a child, his mother used to get angry if he got the red earth on his clothes, (4) once the dirt
marks something, the colour is there forever. That’s the (5) why Hawaiians always take
their shoes off whenever they (6) anybody’s home.
One day, a strong wind damaged Robert‘s small factory and a cloud of dirt covered all his shirts
in red marks. It looked (7) his business was finished. But then a friend (8) him a rathe interesting
idea. Why not colour the shirts completely red, and call them Dit Shirts? And that‘s exactly (9)
Robert did. His wife (10) him he was crazy. But the Dirt Shirts soon became a (11) success, and
his business is worth 60 million dollars!
1 2 3 4 5
On, in, at, to By, for, from, of Mixes, consists, Because, Purpose, aim,
contains, involves although, unless, point, reason
therefore
6 7 8 9 10
Arrive, enter, As, how, like, so Made, gave, What, how, that, Said, called,
come, go advised, which replied, told
recommended
11
Large, high, long,
great

Email
Read the e-mail from Amir to his pen pal Hassan, and then answer questions 01 to 06.

1. On which date will Amir get the result of his maths exam?
2. What is the name of the college Amir wants to go to?
3. Who is also visiting the town with Amir?
4. Read the following statements. Which statement is true?
 A Amir‘s cousins like art and Italian food.
B Amir says he will visit in the middle of August.
C Amir enjoys sport and art.
5. What is the main point of the first paragraph?

A To say why Amir hasn‘t been in touch recently.

B To tell Hassan when the exam is.
C To tell Hassan which subject Amir is studying.
6. What is the main purpose of the email?

A To entertain B To persuade C To ask for advice

 DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
1. Text Organisation in Informational Texts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXdoPAakKqQ

2. Text Structure:

Part I: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmmOOxA-ig8

Part II: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsElFo4f9pM

Planning Non-fiction Texts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq7IDawqrTw

Using Organizational Patterns of Texts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6bmZ231M6k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSZ22G7_9D8

3. For better understanding of a paragraph:

https://www.grammarbank.com/paragraphs-health.html

https://www.grammarbank.com/reading-completion-exercise.html

https://www.grammarbank.com/food-hygiene-paragraphs.html

4. Reading Comprehension:
https://www.englishforeveryone.org/PDFs/11_Chronic_Traumatic_Encephalopathy_Free_Sampl
e.pdf

5. Critical Thinking:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PsLktb7HTA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0yEAE5owWw
https://www.skillsworkshop.org/resources/littergram_renamed_l12_functional_english_pack
https://www.skillsworkshop.org/index.php/resources/technology_in_rugby_functional_english_t
asks
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/criteria-identifying-tasks-tbl
 POSSIBLE ITEMS FOR ASSESSMENT
Task 1: Read the passage about the life style of ants and answer the questions. [Total:
20]
Mr Ahmed takes some photographs
In this passage, Mr Ahmed‘s traditional camera needs a roll of film inside it to take photographs. This
roll of film has to be sent away and developed into photographs.
Mr Ahmed‘s interest in photography came about suddenly. Waqar, a friend at the office, had mentioned
casually that he had a camera which he would like to sell. An idea caught Mr Ahmed‘s fancy, and soon
became a temptation. ‗Look at that sunset,‘ he exclaimed enthusiastically to his wife one evening, after
the idea had floated alluringly in his mind for a few days. ‗Wouldn‘t it be really nice to take a photograph
of it?‘
Mrs Ahmed was taken aback by the strangeness of this question. She glanced briefly at the sky and at her
husband. ‗You need to have a camera before you do a thing like that. Photographs don‘t just drop down
out of the sky,‘ she said. ‗Don‘t do anything foolish.‘
The following morning, Mr Ahmed offered twenty thousand for the camera. Waqar laughed loudly,
telling him the camera was an excellent one with flash bulbs and light meters. ‗Twenty thousand!‘ he
exclaimed. ‗I must remember to tell the boys that one.‘ The ‗boys‘ played a large and mysterious role in
Waqar‘s life. He referred constantly to them. Mr Ahmed regretted having asked him about the camera. He
was afraid of what the ‗boys‘ would say when they heard of his offer, but it was too late now to turn back.
‗The price is fifty thousand,‘ said Waqar. ‗That camera cost me one lac and is in perfect condition.‘
Against his better judgement, Mr Ahmed bought the camera.
That evening, Mr Ahmed turned the camera delicately in his hands and, glancing at the instruction
booklet, decided it contained only incomprehensible words and baffling drawings. The next day he
bought a large and impressively illustrated book on photography. In particular, one photograph of a sunset
delighted him and he cut it out and plastered it onto the sitting room wall, followed soon by others, all
equally dramatic, of skies being ripped apart by flurries of lightning and fields of flowers bending before
the wind.
At last Mr Ahmed felt ready to tackle what he described as a ‗subject‘. He bought his first roll of film and
drove out into the countryside. He sent his roll of film away to be developed, and awaited the return of his
photographs with mounting excitement. Eventually a little packet arrived, which Mr Ahmed ripped open.
‗The first one hasn‘t come out properly,‘ he murmured. When his wife came in an hour later, Mr Ahmed
was sitting at the table, his head buried in his hands and his spoiled photographs scattered around him.
‗Nobody is perfect right away,‘ Mrs Ahmed said consolingly. Mr Ahmed moaned softly, moving his head
from side to side in the palms of his hands. Mrs Ahmed warmed to her theme. ‗Maybe it was the fault of
the people who developed them. I would suggest you develop your own photographs.‘
With the next roll of film, Mr Ahmed was less ambitious, confining himself to photographs of his
children on the pavement in front of the house. A group of curious neighbours had gathered to watch as
Mr Ahmed arranged the children in a line. Strained expressions settled on their faces. ‗Grin! Grin!‘ he
howled at them. Mr Ahmed was beginning to lose his temper. The strained expressions continued.
When the roll of film was finished, it was time to develop the photographs with the equipment Mr Ahmed
had now bought. Explaining that photographs needed darkness to be developed properly, Mr Ahmed took
the roll of film to a bedroom, where he pulled shut the curtains. ‗It‘s not dark enough,‘ he told his wife
disconsolately. Mrs Ahmed suggested developing the photographs under the bed. She brought in the
developing equipment and several saucers and basins of water as instructed. Mr Ahmed could feel his
confidence ebbing away from him as he crawled under the bed. Mrs Ahmed handed him the items one by
one, finally draping a blanket over his head. She sprawled on the floor and peeped at the huddled mass.
Then she heard the first splash. The basins clanged against each other, followed by a steady muffled roar
of anger and distress. Water began flowing across the floor. Mrs Ahmed pulled the blanket away to reveal
the drenched body of her husband. After this episode Mr Ahmed neglected his camera. He did make one
or two passing references to it, but only when something else had gone wrong and he was feeling
depressed.
[Adapted from: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Images/525958-june-2017-insert-paper-21.pdf Accessed on 16 - 6 – 19]

1. ‗An idea caught Mr Ahmed‘s fancy, and soon became a temptation.‘ What was Mr Ahmed tempted
to do? (1)
2. Describe in your own words Mrs Ahmed‘s reaction to her husband‘s question. (2)
3. Mrs Ahmed says: ‗Don‘t do anything foolish.‘ What advice do you think she is giving her husband?
(1)
4. When Mr Ahmed offered a low price for the camera, Waqar ‗laughed loudly‘. What emotion do you
think Waqar wanted Mr Ahmed to feel? (1)
5. Pick out and write down the four-word phrase from the paragraph which shows that Mr Ahmed
realised that the price of the camera was too high. (1)
6. Explain in your own words why Mr Ahmed disliked the camera‘s instruction booklet. (2)
7. Explain fully how Mr Ahmed‘s use of the ‗large and impressively illustrated book‘ was different from
the way it was meant to be used. (2)
8. In what two ways does Mrs Ahmed try to comfort her husband over the failure of his photographs?
(2)
9. Give two reasons why the children had ‗strained expressions‘ on their faces while they were being
photographed. (2)
10. Mr Ahmed ‗could feel his confidence ebbing away‘. What effect does ‗ebbing away‘ have which
would not be achieved by, for example, ‗left him‘? (1)
11. Why was the roar of anger and distress ‗muffled‘? (1)
12. From the whole passage: Choose four of the following words. For each of them give one word or
short phrase (of not more than seven words) which has the same meaning that the word has in the
passage. (4)
(a) casually (line 2)
(b) confining (line 33)
(c) delicately (line 17)
(d) curious (line 34)
(e) tackle (line 23)
(f) disconsolately (line 41)
 (g) mounting (line 25)
(h) mass (line 46)

Task II
Read the following poem carefully and answer the questions [Total: 7]
TheLoner
By Julie Holder

He leans against the playground wall,

Smacks his hands against the bricks
And other boredom-beating tricks,
Traces patterns with his feet,
Scuffs to make the tarmac squeak,
Back against the wall he stays –
And never plays.

The playground's quick with life,

The beat is strong.
Though sharp as a knife
Strife doesn't last long.
There is shouting, laughter, song,
And a place at the wall
For who won't belong.

We pass him running, skipping, walking,

In slow huddled groups, low talking.
Each in our familiar clique
We pass him by and never speak,
His loneness is his shell and shield
And neither he nor we will yield.

He wasn't there at the wall today,

Someone said he moved away
To another school and place
And on the wall where he used to lean
Someone had chalked
'watch this space'.

Holder, J. 'The Loner' in Foster, J. [ed] (1982) A Third Poetry Book, Oxford University Press, London,
p.30.
1. In the second stanza, the poet points out that the playground is...
a) full of activity b) a violent place c) uninviting d) extensive
2. The poet used the word 'clique' in the third stanza. This means...
a) class b) group c) grade d) club
3. Which of the following is an example of a metaphor?
a) 'Traces patterns with his feet' b) 'His loneness is his shell and shield'
c) 'The beat is strong' d) 'Strife doesn't last long'
4. The poet uses the simile 'sharp as a knife' to describe...
a) the classroom b) the uniform c) short lived strife in the playground d) the loner
5. What is the main idea of the poem?
a) There will always be people who are excluded by others b) Friendships do not last forever.
c) In life it is important to be independent d) Playgrounds can be unpredictable places.
6. In the second stanza, the apostrophe in the word 'playground's' is used...
a) to show possession b) because the word ends in 's'
c) because there is more than one playground d) to show that a letter has been omitted.
7. Predict what would have occurred if the boy had not moved away.
a) He would have eventually made some friends.
b) He would have become the leader of a group.
c) He still would have been a loner.
d) He would have joined in with the others.

Task 3: Read the following passage and represent it using a suitable graphic organizer.
[Total: 8]
The Badshahi Mosque or "Emperor's Mosque" was built in 1673 by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in
Lahore, Pakistan. It is one of the city's best known landmarks and a major tourist attraction epitomising
the beauty and grandeur of the Mughal era.
Capable of accommodating over 55,000 worshippers, Badshahi is the second largest mosque in Pakistan,
after the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad. The design of the Badshahi Masjid is closely related to the Jama
Masjid in Delhi, India, which was built in 1648 by Aurangzeb's father, Emperor Shah Jahan.
The mosque was built under the patronage of the sixth Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb Alamgir. It was
completed in 1673 under the supervision of Aurangzeb's foster brother MuzaffarHussain (also known as
Fidaie Khan Koka) who was appointed governor of Lahore in May 1671 and held this post until 1675.
The construction of the mosque took about two years, from May 1671 to April 1673. The mosque was
built opposite the Lahore Fort, illustrating its stature in the Mughal Empire. In conjunction with the
building of the mosque, a new gate was built at the fort, named Alamgiri Gate after the Emperor.
Task 4 [Total: 10]
Fill in the blanks with suitable words.
Sara was standing in her Apple Farm. It was summer, and that ……………. it was apple season. Sara‘s
family were farmers and …………….. delicious fruits and vegetables. Sometimes Sara and her sisters
would ……………………. the best ones to show at the City Mela.

Sara surveyed the apples. They grew on …………….. rows of trees in their farm. The more sunshine they
got, the larger the ……………….. would grow. As Sara …………….., she suddenly stopped. Something
surprising stood out in front of her.

―Mahnoor! Sana!‖ she ……………….. for her sisters. ―Come see!‖

When they got closer, Sara ………………. her sisters the sight she saw. There, growing on a
…………………. green tree, was an apple the size of a pumpkin.

. ―I‘ve never seen an apple ……………….. size.‖ said Mahnoor.

Her sister Sana ………………… they submit the apple as their selection to the City Mela.
In a week, the apple had ………………… to be as big as a watermelon. After the second week, it was as
large as a ………………. tire. The siblings were excited at the ……………. of such a giant apple.
It was time to take their substantial apple to the …………………. Mela.
At the fair, the spectators went to the sisters‘ stall to see the …………………….. apple.

―Stupendous!‖ shouted a short shopkeeper.

―Sensational!‖ said a shoe salesman.

―Shocking!‖ ……………….. an old man, who then fainted.

―Superb!‖ said the city senator, who was the ……………….. of the competition. ―I‘ve never seen such a
……………….., superior apple! I …………….. it the Supreme Apple of the City Mela!‖
The sisters shrieked at their success. They were very happy.
Task 5: [Total: 12]
Read each passage and highlight or underline necessary information. Write your summary.
Johannes Gensfleischzur Laden zum Gutenberg, better known as Johannes Gutenberg, was born in the
German city of Mainz. Though most of Gutenberg‘s early life is a mystery, historians believe that he
studied at the University of Erfurt in 1418 and spent much of his young adult life practicing the
profession of his father: goldsmithing. Gutenberg borrowed money from investors in 1439 and found
himself in financial trouble.
In the year 1439 the city in which Gutenberg lived was planning to exhibit its large collection from
Emperor Charlemagne (a famous ruler who had united much of Western Europe around 800 AD). The
exhibit was expected to bring many visitors to the town, so Gutenberg took investments and created
polished metal mirrors which were to be sold to the visitors. The mirrors which Gutenberg produced
probably would have sold well, but due to severe flooding the event was delayed by one year. The
impatient investors demanded that Gutenberg return their investments, but he had already spent the
money on producing the unsold mirrors. He was trapped in a difficult situation. Gutenberg decided to
share his greatest secret with them.
This secret would forever change the world, all of history, and even the process of keeping history. It‘s
been argued that Gutenberg‘s idea was one of the greatest of all mankind. This one idea would lead to the
spread of countless others. It would play a key role in the development of the Renaissance, Reformation,
the Age of Enlightenment, and the Scientific Revolution. This idea would bring learning to the masses.
Gutenberg had created the mechanical printing press with movable type.
Before the spread of Gutenberg‘s idea, literature was handwritten. Because of the effort that went into
producing them, books were extremely rare and valuable. Because of the value of books, there was little
reason for common people to learn to read or write since it was unlikely that they would ever handle a
book in their lifetimes. Gutenberg‘s invention would change that. His printing press allowed literature to
be produced on a mass scale. His movable metal type could be arranged once to form a page, and he
could print the page again and again.
The first major text that Gutenberg produced was a 42 line copy of the bible. Scholars estimate that
Gutenberg produced between 165 and 185 of these bibles, which sold out almost immediately. Most
copies went to churches and universities, though one was sold to a private individual. Copies are known
to have sold for 30 florins (about three years of wages for a clerk at the time), which may seem expensive
but was much cheaper than a hand produced copy.
Gutenberg‘s brilliant idea would soon change the world, but in the short term he bungled a large and risky
investment. He found himself in financial trouble once again and was sued by one of his investors, who
accused Gutenberg of mismanaging money meant for the production of books. The courts ruled against
Gutenberg and he lost the shop that he had created. He was effectively bankrupt.
Though he had failed as a businessman, the technologies that he had created spread rapidly. As these
printing technologies spread, news and books began to travel much faster than previously possible. The
world has not been the same since. Though Gutenberg was financially unsuccessful in his own lifetime,
he made the world a much richer place.
[Adapted from: https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/summary-test.pdf Accessed on 16 - 6 – 19][Total:
12 (6 marks for the content of the summary and 6 marks for correct language, punctuation, vocabulary/spelling and
grammar]
Task 6
What type of order has the author used in the following paragraph? [2]
Ali locked the door and stood for a minute or two on the footpath and looked around. Across the
street from him was a brick wall of another building, stretching end to end. The red brick wall
had stood firm through the years, and looked quite strong. A grey stone footpath that ran along
the wall seemed weathered. On the sidewalk, on the left, was an old black streetlamp. This old
rusty lamp, like the wall and the footpath, had withstood many seasons. Today, the lamp wasn't
alone on the street. On the right, Ali could see an old bearded man immaculately dressed in
white shalwarkameez, reading a newspaper. He didn't even look up to see him on the other side
of the street. He was standing near a newsstand, whose owner was nowhere in sight. The
colourful magazines, newspapers, a stand, and a chair looked orphaned without their owner. Ali
decided to cross the road and ask the old man about the newsstand owner.
Task 7
Dolphins
1 Dolphins are very much in vogue these days. Along with rainbows, they have become a
symbol of a new age of love, peace and harmony. Although, like human beings, they are
mammals, they have adapted surprisingly well to an environment completely different from our
own. There is no doubt that people love these aquatic creatures, considering them to be both
intelligent and beautiful.
2 This fascination with dolphins is not a novelty; they have delighted people for centuries and
they occupy a special place in folklore around the world. For example, the ancient Mediterranean
cultures believed that the dolphin represented the vital power of the sea, and early Greek
mythology describes many encounters between their gods and dolphins. Dolphins graced many
forms of art in ancient societies. Killing a dolphin was punished by the death penalty. Around the
world, many cultures believed that any intentional harm done to a dolphin could cause ill-fortune
or mortal sickness.
3 Dolphins are able to make sounds in the form of little clicks, through which they communicate
with each other. Many dolphins are able to leap high out of the water, sometimes to indicate the
presence of fish to their companions, and sometimes simply out of exuberance. As well as
making clicking sounds, they make other sounds which damage the balance of their prey, making
it easier to capture. They are also able to work out where their prey is by listening to the echoes
of the sounds which their prey makes. This special ability is called echolocation, and it enables
dolphins to explore their environment over a wider distance than eyesight allows, and to find
their prey in a dark, watery world where sight is often of little use.
4 Modern, efficient methods have been introduced that allow fishermen to bring in record
catches. However, these methods make no distinction between fish and dolphins, so that the
latter then often become the victims of these environmentally destructive fishing methods. In
some parts of the world, fishermen have noticed that particularly large tuna fish swim underneath
dolphins. Realising, therefore, that financially rewarding catches of tuna fish await those willing
to take advantage of the tuna-dolphin bond, the fishermen deliberately net these dolphins in order
to catch the tuna swimming below them.
5 Modern fishing nets, unlike those in even the recent past, are made of very strong materials
which dolphins can neither detect nor break and, in some places, local fishermen use these nets
with the specific intention of catching dolphins for food. It is difficult not to have some
sympathy for these fishermen. In many fishing communities, fish stocks – on which people have
always depended – are dwindling. The sea provides their best food, but local people are unable to
compete with the huge fishing vessels which have recently been sent into their waters by large
international companies. As a result, they have to turn to whatever food sources remain, simply
in order to survive, and the only available food is often dolphins.
6 It is not only sea dolphins that are under threat; river dolphins are also in danger of extinction
because of human behaviour. They frequently become entangled in fishing nets used by local
people whose overriding concern is feeding their families. Other dolphins are accidentally caught
on large fishing hooks strung in lines along river beds. It is perfectly understandable that people
respond to the need to provide food for their families by fishing in local rivers, but their fishing
equipment is a major hazard for dolphins. Pesticides, which are used to boost crop production in
agricultural areas, pollute the nearby rivers, and the dolphins living there stand no chance against
these powerful poisons. When rivers flow through areas where there are a lot of factories, these
beautiful creatures can be poisoned by factory waste, which is often dumped in rivers; this waste
may be hidden, but it is still present and highly dangerous.
In many parts of the world, dams are constructed either to provide water to irrigate crops or to
produce hydro-electric power. However, the benefits brought about by these dams are offset by
the damage done to dolphins, which are prevented from swimming upstream to breed, as are the
small, migratory fish on which they feed. Thus an important food source for dolphins is seriously
depleted. In some countries, the construction of dams has led to the extinction of many species of
river dolphin. Dams restrict the flow of fresh water in nearby rivers, and the lack of fresh water
deprives dolphins of oxygen. In addition, dams separate dolphins into small, isolated groups that
cannot interbreed. The threat to river dolphins means that government organisations need to
consider holding workshops to deliberate on what can be done to save river dolphins.
8 In some countries, the meat of river dolphins is considered to have medicinal properties, and
consequently they are killed in large uncontrolled numbers. But, as with sea dolphins, the
majority of deaths are caused inadvertently. Many river dolphins have been found with appalling
injuries after collisions with boats and, as the volume of boat traffic in many parts of the world is
likely to grow, the probability of such encounters is bound to increase. The noise caused by boats
interferes with the dolphins‘ hearing, reducing their ability to locate food. Furthermore, there is
plenty of evidence to suggest that the turbulence caused by dense river traffic reduces the ability
of these sensitive creatures to navigate their territory.
9 However, there are signs of changing attitudes towards the plight of river dolphins. In China,
they have been officially recognised as a protected species, along with the giant panda and other
critically threatened creatures. The Chinese government has taken extensive and surprising
measures to educate local people through films, posters and even postage stamps. All of this has
been greeted with interest by local people. More importantly, associations have been set up, run
by local volunteers, to educate fishermen in fishing methods designed to stop the harm which is
often done to river dolphins, however unintentionally. These associations are often delighted at
how quickly ordinary people understand the importance of urgent action to conserve river
dolphins. One association has raised public awareness by persuading a nearby factory to use the
river dolphin as its trademark, and other companies have rushed to follow their example, with a
dolphin hotel, a dolphin department store, dolphin shoes… the public imagination has been
caught! Not surprisingly, the river dolphin is becoming a household name and its survival
problems are well known.
10 In one part of China, a nature reserve has been built to protect river dolphins. Funded by
government money and public donations, this reserve provides a protected breeding area for river
dolphins, which, it is hoped, will result in an increase in the dolphin population. Local support
for this project is considerable, since it is likely to provide new jobs and has a great potential as a
tourist attraction. A hospital has also been constructed where injured dolphins are treated until
they are well enough to be returned to the river.
11 We should be heartened by such conservation stories. Nevertheless, through our arrogance
and ignorance we have already managed to cause tremendous harm to our environment.
Dolphins are in the unfortunate position of acting as living indicators of the effects of this
damage. They are symbolic not only of love, peace and harmony, but of what we have done, and
are still doing, to our planet.
Read the passage and then answer all the questions which follow below.
Mistakes in spelling, punctuation and grammar may be penalised in any part of the Paper.
From paragraph 1:
1. Give one reason why, according to the writer, people love dolphins. [1]

From paragraph 2:
2. (a) How can we tell that in some cultures dolphins were considered to be as important as
human beings? [1]
(b) What did people in many cultures believe could be the result of intentionally harming a
dolphin? Answer in your own words. [2]
From paragraph 3:
3. (a) In what two ways do dolphins use their ability to make sounds? Number your answers (i)
and (ii). [2]
(b) Give two reasons to explain why dolphins ‗leap high out of the water‘. Answer in your own
words. [2]
(c) What single feature of the dolphins‘ environment means that their eyesight is ‗often of little
use‘ in catching their prey? [1]
From paragraph 4:
4. (a) According to the writer, what benefit do fishermen derive from the modern fishing
methods? [1]
(b) In what way are modern fishing methods ‗environmentally destructive‘? [1]
(c) Explain fully the benefits gained by fishermen who ‗take advantage of the tuna-dolphin
bond‘. [2]
From paragraph 5:
5. (a) Why, even in the recent past, were fishermen less likely to be able to catch dolphins than
fishermen today? [1]
(b) Explain fully why in the past local fishermen did not need to kill dolphins for food. [2]
From paragraph 8:
6. Why is it unlikely that there will be a reduction in the number of dolphins killed in collisions
with boats? [1]

From paragraph 9:
7. What does the writer suggest by adding the word ‗even‘ in line 67? [1]

From paragraph 11:

8. In your own words, explain why, according to the writer, we have caused ‗tremendous harm
to our environment‘. [2]
9. From the whole passage:

Choose five of the following words or phrases. For each of them give one word or short phrase
(of not more than seven words) which has the same meaning that the word or phrase has in the
passage.
1. in vogue (line 1) 5. deliberate (line 54) 2. delighted (line 6) 6. inadvertently (line 58) 3.
distinction (line 22) 7. appalling (line 59) 4. overriding (line 38) 8. heartened (line 83) [5]
10. The passage describes the ways in which both sea dolphins and river dolphins are under
threat in modern times.
Using your own words as far as possible, summarise the difficulties and dangers encountered by
river dolphins and the steps taken to protect them.
USE ONLY THE MATERIAL FROM LINE 36 TO LINE 82.
Your summary, which must be in continuous writing (not note form), must not be longer than
160 words, including the 10 words given below.
Begin your summary as follows:
River dolphins are under threat from many human activities because… [25]
Task 8

Read the following passage and answer the question below: (20)

The earth is losing its forests. Presently, trees cover about 30 percent of the earth's surface, but
they are being destroyed at an alarming rate, especially in the tropics. Timberharvesting is a
major reason for the destruction of the forests. Trees are used for building houses, making
furniture, and providing pulp for paper products, such as newspapers and magazines. At least 40
hectares of rainforest are being felled every minute, mostly in order to extract the valuable
timber.
Another way that man is destroying the world's forests is by burning them down. In the Amazon,
for example, rainforests are being burnt down at a rate of 20 hectares a minute. The main reason
for this is to clear the land for farming. Farmers in rainforest countries are often poor and cannot
afford to buy land. Instead, these farmers clear rainforest land to raise their animals or grow their
crops. Already more than 30 tropical countries have reached a critical level of forest destruction
and one-time exporters of timber such as Nigeria and Thailand now have to import timber for
their domestic needs.
Should we get all excited and worried about the loss of the forests? Yes, we should. Healthy
trees are a vital part of the environment, and keep the entire balance of the atmosphere agreeable
to all life forms. Forests are catchment areas for rainwater, holding the rainwater in the leaves of
the trees, so that it will not sink so quickly into the earth's crust. Furthermore, the forests help
maintain the water cycles in the area. The masses of cloud that provide the rain are formed over
the moist forests. Thus, the destruction of forests may also lead to a reduction in rainfall over the
area, resulting in drought.
Forests also protect and feed the earth's fragile mantle of soil. Trees curb soil erosion. Without
the tree cover, the land is totally exposed to the agents of erosion, such as strong winds and
heavy rainfall. The strong winds blow away the top layers of the soil and the flowing water
carries it away into the rivers, lakes or sea. Consequently, the once fertile land is converted into a
barren wasteland.
Apart from preventing soil erosion, forests, with their abundant supply of leaves, give compost
back to the land, thus helping it to remain fertile. The leaves of the trees and the droppings of the
birds, animals and insects which live in them, fall to the ground, where they decay and replenish
the soil with covering, minerals and fertilizer.
Forests are rich in flora and fauna. The rainforests are home to over half of the entire species of
the world, which are being destroyed with the rainforests; and some of those species that are
killed will never return again. Plants and creatures serve mankind, each in its own way. For
example, plants are the source of our clothes; and the rubber used for tires comes from trees.
Plants are also the source of sugar, coffee, tea, rice, wheat and many delicious and nutritious
fruit.
 In addition, most of the medicines that have been used by men are derived from plants and
animals. Most of the Chinese medicines, for example, such as ginseng and ginkgo, are herb-
based. An example from the kingdom of modern Western medicine is the drug 'vincristine'. This
drug, which is derived from a jungle plant, is used in the treatment of leukemia. Many of those
species that have not yet been discovered may very likely cure cancer and many of the other
diseases and virus-based illnesses of today.
Apart from all this, let us keep in mind the most basic function of trees, which is that they
provide oxygen. All living creatures need to breathe oxygen in order to stay alive. A treeless
planet will be an airless and, therefore, a dead one.

Answer the following Questions: (12)

i. How much of the earth‘s surface is covered with forests? (1)
ii. In which two ways are the forests being destroyed? (2)
iii. Why is soil erosion a greater problem in areas that have been cleared of forests? (1)
iv. What is ‗vincristine‘? (1)
v. Name two agents of erosion. (1)
vi. How does the forest land remain fertile? (1)
vii. What do we get from plants? (2)
viii. Forests should not be felled. Give three arguments in support of the statement.
(3)
Give reasons for the following statements. (5)
i. Forests are felled.
ii. Farmers burn forests.
iii. Nigeria and Thialand have to import timber.
iv. Felling trees may result in draught.
v. Land becomes barren when forest trees are felled.
Match the following words with the boldfaced words in the passage. One definition is extra.
(3)
a. a long period without rain b. gathering a crop c. wood prepared for use
d. to fill something up again e. a lot f. of the greatest importance

Vocabulary
Fill in the blanks with suitable words from the box. (5)

torture, lifetime, companions, conquest, declared, treaty, prevent, shed, early,

disturbed

HazratSaad (RA) was a maternal uncle of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW). He was born in
Makah and embraced Islam at the age of seventeen. He was one of the senior most (i) ________
of the Holy Prophet (SAW). In the (ii) _________ year of Islam, the Muslims used to offer Salah
outside Makah due to the(iii) __________ of Quraish. One day during prayers the unbelievers
 (iv) _________ them, which led to fight. Saad (RA) struck and wounded one of them, so he was
the first Muslim to have (v) _______ blood for the cause of Islam.

Saad (RA) was a great warrior and took part in all the battle fought during the (vi)____________
of the Holy Prophet (SAW). At the battle of Uhad, he was one of the defenders of the Prophet
(SAW) trying to (vii)___________ the attackers with his arrows. The Prophet (SAW), himself,
handed him the arrows and (viii)__________ him to be the best archer along-with some other
companions. He was present at the(ix)___________ of Hudaibiya and took part in the (x)
_________ of Makkah.

Guess and write the meanings of the underlined words in the following sentences.
(05)
i. Zafar asked the questions very rudely but Ahmed replied to all of them very patiently.
ii. The boy who came close to my car window at the signal was wearing shabby clothes.
iii. Ali was playing in the yard but I could hear the thumping of his football in my room.
iv. Sara kept explaining the physics formula and its application but Halima was so preoccupied
with her own troubles that she could not pay attention.
v. Looking at her wrinkled face and weathered hands, Babar gave him a ten rupee note from
his pocket money.
 RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
What Is Expository Writing?
The purpose of the expository essay is to explain a topic in a logical and straightforward manner.
Without bells and whistles, these essays present a fair and balanced analysis of a subject based
on facts—with no references to the writer‘s opinions or emotions.

A typical expository writing prompt will use the words ―explain‖ or ―define,‖ such as in, ―Write
an essay explaining how the computer has changed the lives of students.‖ Notice there is no
instruction to form an opinion or argument on whether or not computers have changed students‘
lives. The prompt asks the writer to ―explain,‖ plain and simple. However, that doesn‘t mean that
writing to explain is easy.

The Five-Step Process for Expository Writing

Expository writing is a life skill. More than any other type of writing, expository writing is a
daily requirement of most careers. Understanding and following the proven steps of the writing
process helps all writers.

Expository Essay Structure

Usually, your essay is composed of five paragraphs. The introductory paragraph contains the
thesis or main idea. The next three paragraphs, or body of the essay, provide details in support of
the thesis. The concluding paragraph restates the main idea and ties together the major points of
essay.

Here are tips for each part of the essay structure and writing process:

1. Prewriting
In the prewriting phase, students should take time to brainstorm about the topic and main idea.
Next, do research and take notes. Create an outline showing the information to be presented in
each paragraph, organized in a logical sequence.
2. Drafting
When creating the initial draft, consider the following suggestions:
 The most important sentence in the introductory paragraph is the topic sentence, which
states the thesis or main idea of the essay. The thesis should be clearly stated without
giving an opinion or taking a position. A good thesis is well defined, with a manageable
scope that can be adequately addressed within a five-paragraph essay.
 Each of the three body paragraphs should cover a separate point that develops the essay‘s
thesis. The sentences of each paragraph should offer facts and examples in support of the
paragraph‘s topic.
 The concluding paragraph should reinforce the thesis and the main supporting ideas. Do
not introduce new material in the conclusion.
 Since an expository composition discusses an event, situation, or the views of others, and
not a personal experience, students should write in the third person (―he,‖ ―she,‖ or ―it‖),
and avoid ―I‖ or ―you‖ sentences.
3. Revising
In the revision phase, students review, modify, and reorganize their work with the goal of
making it the best it can be. Keep these considerations in mind:
 Does the essay give an unbiased analysis that unfolds logically, using relevant facts and
examples?
 Has the information been clearly and effectively communicated to the reader?
 Watch out for ―paragraph sprawl,‖ which occurs when the writer loses focus and veers
from the topic by introducing unnecessary details.
 Is the sentence structure varied? Is the word choice precise?
 Do the transitions between sentences and paragraphs help the reader‘s understanding?
 Does the concluding paragraph communicate the value and meaning of the thesis and key
supporting ideas?
If the essay is still missing the mark, take another look at the topic sentence. A solid thesis
statement leads to a solid essay. Once the thesis works, the rest of the essay falls into place more
easily.
4. Editing
Next, proofread and correct errors in grammar and mechanics, and edit to improve style and
clarity. While your essay should be clear and concise, it can also be lively and engaging. Having
a friend read the essay helps writers edit with a fresh perspective.
5. Publishing
Sharing an essay with a teacher, parent, or other reader can be both exciting and intimidating.
Remember, there isn‘t a writer on earth who isn‘t sensitive about his or her own work. The
important thing is to learn from the experience and use the feedback to make the next essay
better.

Expository Essay Variations

Essay writing is a huge part of education today. Most students must learn to write various kinds
of essays during their academic careers, including different types of expository writing:
 Definition essays explain the meaning of a word, term, or concept. The topic can be a
concrete subject such as an animal or tree, or it can be an abstract term, such as freedom
or love. This type of essay should discuss the word‘s denotation (literal or dictionary
definition), as well as its connotation or the associations that a word usually brings to
mind.
  Classification essays break down a broad subject or idea into categories and groups. The
writer organizes the essay by starting with the most general category and then defines and
gives examples of each specific classification.
 Compare and contrast essays describe the similarities and differences between two or
more people, places, or things. Comparison tells how things are alike and contrast shows
how they are different.
 Cause and effect essays explain how things affect each other and depend on each other.
The writer identifies a clear relationship between two subjects, focusing on why things
happen (causes) and/or what happens as a result (effects).
 “How to” essays, sometimes called process essays, explain a procedure, step-by-step
process, or how to do something with the goal of instructing the reader.
https://www.time4writing.com/writing-resources/expository-essay/ Accessed on 11-1-2020

Describing a Place

Descriptions are "word pictures." You should be a sharp observer and notice minute details to
write a good word picture. For a vivid description, it is essential to use your senses so that you
can tell how something looks, smells, tastes, feels and sounds. There are two keys to writing
good descriptions:

 Use space order to organize your description.

You might start on the left side of the place and work your way around the place in a
clockwise direction on the right side.
You might start at the front of the place and go from front to back

 Use lots of sensory details- words and phrases that appeal to the five senses: sight,
hearing, touch, smell and taste.

For instance:
Sight: the sky was shrouded with dark and heavy
clouds…

Touch: the fresh breeze caressed my cheeks…

Smell: the old bus spewed out sickening black clouds

of exhaust...

Taste: the bitter taste of the medicine clung to the back

of my throat...
Hearing: the blaring siren of the ambulance compelled us to stop the car and wait till it passed...

Using Sensory Details

Find out and write the sensory
Sight
Touch
Smell
Taste
Hearing

details used by the author to

describe Penang.

Writing Task:

Imagine a place you are fond of. Once you have a place in mind, respond to the following
questions to write a descriptive essay. Try adhering to the aforementioned 9-steps of the writing
process.

 What is the name of that place?

 How do you go to this place?
 What is the first thing you see when you reach there?
 What do you see when you turn to the right?
 What do you see when you turn to the left?
 What does the air smell like?
 When you touch something, how does it feel?
 What colours do you see there?
 What sounds do you hear there?
 Are there any people around? What are they doing?
 What other objects are there?
 Can you taste anything around?
 Study the following letter carefully.

Your address
ABC House
The address of the
XYZ society
person you are
writing to
10th February 2014
The Editor Date
Famous Newspaper
Karachi
Greetings
Dear Sir,

I wish to draw the attention of the concerned authorities and general public through your
esteemed daily, towards the increasing incidents of road accidents.

Road accidents are on a constant rise in most big cities of Pakistan. The two main causes of
these accidents are reckless driving and violation of the traffic rules.

Drivers steering the buses, mini buses, rickshaws, vans and taxis are mostly uneducated
and do not have the basic road sense. They have no mercy on other drivers or their Main body of
passengers. They honk incessantly at all other vehicles, irritating them endlessly. They your letter
do not have any regard for the traffic rules. Over-speeding, jumping red lights,
overtaking from wrong side and driving wrong way are common violations. In most cases
they escape unpunished.

Every year, a large number of people succumb to death due to road accidents. It is one of
the biggest reasons of unnatural deaths in Pakistan. It is high time that the civic
authorities take a strict action against the rule breakers and plan to educate the drivers
to ensure the safety of innocent citizens.

Penning off: yours I hope civic authorities and civilized people will pay heed to my request.Hoping for a prompt
faithfully or yours action.
sincerely
Yours faithfully,

Rehmat Khan
Signature

Think of all the problems that your city is facing. Choose any one and a write a letter to the
editor. Use the above letter as a model.
Short Sample Texts
SAMPLE NARRATIVE
ENERIC The Drover’s Wife Grammatical
STAGES Features
(adapted from a short story by Henry Lawson)
The two-roomed house is built of round timber, slabs and
Orientation telling stringy-bark and floored with split slabs. Bush all round- Specific characters
when and where bush with no horizon, for the country is flat. The drover,
an ex-squatter, is away with sheep. His wife and children
are left here alone.

Four ragged, dried-up looking children are playing

Adjectives
Complication that about the house. Suddenly one of them yells ‗Snake! providing
triggers a series of Mother, here‘s a snake!‘ description
events

It is near sunset, and she knows the snake is there. She

makes up beds for the children and sits down beside them
to keep watch all night. Use of time
expression that give
sequence to events
She has an eye on the corner and a green sapling club and connectors
Sequence of ready by her side. Alligator, the dog, lies nearby.
events where
the It must be one or two o‘clock in the morning. The bush
characters woman watches and listens, thinking about her life alone
whilst her husband is gone.
react to the
complication
It must be near daylight now. The hairs on Alligator‘s
neck begin to bristle. Between a crack in the slabs an evil
pair of small, bead-like eyes glisten. The snake-a black Verbs showing
one-comes slowly out. action

Alligator springs. He has the snake now. Thud, thud as

the woman strikes at the snake. The dog shakes and
shakes the black snake. The snake‘s back is broken.
Resolution Thud, thud its head is crushed.
in which the
problem from She lifts the mangled reptile and throws it on the fire.
The eldest boy watches it burn and looks at his mother,
the
seeing tears in her eyes.
complication
is solved He throws his arms around her and exclaims, ‗Mother, I
won‘t never go droving; blast me if I do!‘

Coda that
gives the
moral to the
story

SAMPLE RECOUNT
Generic stages A Postcard Grammatical
(structure) Features

Dear Nan,

Introduction that
provides We are having a great holiday here on the Gold Coast.
orientation Yesterday we went to Movie World. Proper Nouns
When we got up in the morning, it looked like rain. After a
while the clouds disappeared and it became a sunny day. We
Sequence of then decided to go to Movie World.
events that The first ride I went on was Lethal Weapon. Next I saw the Words showing
Police Academy show. After that I had lunch as I was really the orders of
retells the hungry. Meanwhile, Mum and Kelly queued for the Batman events
ride.
events in the
About one o‘clock we got a light shower of rain but it cleared
order they
up soon after. We then went on all the other rides followed
occurred by the studio tour. Past Tense
It was a top day. See you when we get back.

Love

Conclusion Sam

SAMPLE FACTUAL DESCRIPTION

Generic Stages Deinonychus Grammatical
(Structure) Features
The model of Deinonychus, a dinosaur from the
Creataceous period, can be found in the Museum of
Opening statement Natural Science. Timeless
introducing the Present
subject
Deinonychus is small by dinosaur standards. It is
about 2.5 metres in length and stands about one metre
high at the shoulder.

Series of This reptile has a long tail, spindly legs and slender
paragraphs neck. The head is large and the jaws are lined with Adjectives
describing the sharp teeth.
subject
The tail, approximately 3 metres in length, has
vertebrae surrounded by bundles of bony rods so the
whole tail can be held stiff.

The toes of the Deinonychus are unusual. The first

toe is small and points backwards. The second toe has
a huge sickle-shaped claw and is raised. The third and Topic Sentences
fourth toes are in the normal position.

Deinonychus is an interesting example of a fast-

 Conclusion running dinosaur.

SAMPLE OF AN INFORMATION REPORT TEXT

Generic Stages Galaxies Grammatical
(Structure) Features
A galaxy is a collection of stars and other astronomical
bodies, including planets, comets and asteroids, held
Introduction with a Timeless Present
together by gravity.
brief description Tense

Galaxies come in different shapes and sizes. These

include the spiral, barrel-spiral and elliptical. Our
galaxy called the Milky Way, is approximately 100 000
light years in the width and contains over 100 billion stars.
Technical terms
related to the
Paragraphs about
subjects
the subject The centre of galaxies can contain many young, very hot
stars as well as older stars. Swirling clouds that have been
energised by magnetic forces also exist in the centre.

General Nouns
At this point in time, no one knows the exact number of
galaxies in the universe. Astronomers are, however,
learning more and more about them every day.
Conclusion
Tasks for practice:
Persuasive (Argumentative) Writing:
1) A person‘s worth nowadays seems to be judged on how well he can speak English.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? Give reasons for your answer and
include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

2) Your school is holding a special event to mark an important anniversary for the school.
Your class is helping to organise the event. The Principal asks you, as a senior student, to write
a letter to be sent to all local businesses asking for sponsorship or help.

Write your letter. You must include details of the following:

• what anniversary it is

• what sort of event is planned

• the date and time the event is to take place

• a request for sponsorship or help

• why the school needs the help of local businesses in this event.

You must cover all five points in detail. You should add further details if you wish and make
sure your letter is polite and persuasive.

You should begin ‗Dear Sir or Madam,‘ and end your letter appropriately.

3) Your Principal wants to make an award to a student who has done something special for
the school. You are asked to write a letter recommending a particular student to be given the
prize.

Write your letter. You must include the following:

 the name of the student you want to recommend
 the class the student is in
 what the student has done that is so special
 what the prize is to be
 why this would be a suitable reward for the student.
You must cover all five points in detail. You should add further details if you wish and make
your letter persuasive and helpful for the Principal. Start your letter ‗Dear Principal,‘ and
remember to provide a suitable ending.

4) Your Principal wants to make sure that your school is doing all it can to encourage a high
standard of education for the students. The Principal has asked you to write a report
suggesting the changes you think are needed in your school to make this possible.

Write your report. You must include the following:

• what is wrong at the moment, so that the Principal knows exactly what has to be changed

• what improvements you would like to see, both in the curriculum and the school facilities

• how you think students and the school would benefit from these changes.

Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your report informative and persuasive
for the Principal. Start your report ‗To the Principal,‘ and remember to add your signature and a
date.

5) The Principal wants more parents to be involved in the life of your school. You have
been asked to make a speech at a meeting for parents, inviting people to take part in all sorts
of school activities.

Write your speech. You must include the following:

 the request for parents to help

 some of the ways in which they could be involved

 how the students would benefit

 how the parents would benefit

 how the parents should let the school know they are interested.
You must cover all five points in detail. You should add further details if you wish and make
your speech informative, polite and persuasive. Start your speech ‗Ladies and Gentlemen,‘.

Descriptive Texts:
1) Describe your favourite time of the day and explain what makes it special. (Remember
that you are describing the characteristics of the time and not telling a story.)

2) Describe an event at school when you felt awkward and out of place.

3) Describe your favourite restaurant and write about some of the people who work there.

4) Describe the best and the worst weather conditions that you can remember.

5) Describe the scene during a busy road near your home.

6) Describe a marriage ceremony that you enjoyed a lot.

7) Describe the scene when you enjoyed a meal in the open air.

8) You recently attended the Pakistan Day celebrations. Unfortunately, your classmate
missed the occasion and she wants you to write her a letter to tell her about everything that
happened.

Write your letter. You must include the following:

a. the names of the people who presented

b. a description of the presentations

c. an account of the ceremony

d. what you thought was the most interesting moment

e. what else you think your classmate would have liked.

You must cover all five points in detail. You should add further details if you wish and make
your letter friendly and informative. Start your letter ‗Dear Friend,‘.

9) Describe the latest activity or game in which you have become interested. Why does it
give you so much pleasure?
Opinion Writing (Argumentative):

1) Should school pupils be taught how to pay back to the community in the future?

2) Have classroom teachers become less important with the increased use of the internet in
education?

3) Which two of your local customs are most important to you, and why do you value them?

4) Is too much knowledge a curse? Give reasons and examples to support your view.

5) ‗Young people are no longer interested in religion.‘ What is your view?

6) How is your life similar to that of your parents and how is it different?

7) ‗Many TV dramas are a bad influence on young people.‘ What is your view?

8) Is it better to have comfort or excitement in life? Give reasons and examples to support your
view.

9) How far do you think young people are influenced by what they see in movies?
10) What do yoy consider to be the biggest source of happines? Why do you think so?

Narrative:
1) Write a narrative based on the sentence:

As soon as the parcel reached my doorstep, I knew what I should do.

2) The day your neighbour requested you to baby sit her 3 year old young boy.

3) Write about an occasion when a child was very badly treated by an adult.

4) Write about an occasion when someone made a great sacrifice for others.

5) Write a story about someone who agreed to do a job for a friend, which went seriously
wrong.

6) Write about an occasion when your friend was right to cheat.

7) Write a story in which a meeting is important.

8) Write a story which includes a box which caused great disappointment or happiness.

9) Write a story which includes the words: ‗Together we made it.‘

10) Write a story which includes the words: ‗Enough is enough‘.

11) Write a story in which you include the sentence: ‗When they finally reached their destination,
they realised that they efforts had gone awry‘

12) Write a story which includes the words: ‗She was happy that she had not given up …‘.

13) Write a story which includes the words: ‗Was he worthy of this favour?‘

14) Write a story which includes the words: ‗He went across the road as quickly as he could.‘

15) Write a story which includes the sentence: ‗I could not believe how much the building had
changed since last year.‘

16) Write a story which includes the sentence: ‗I was surrounded by all my relatives except...‘

17) You were recently walking in a park when you witnessed a man have his wallet snatched.
The police need you to give an account of the incident.

Write your account. You must include details of the following:

a. where and when the incident took place

b. what the victim was doing before the attack

c. exactly how the wallet was stolen

d. a description of the attacker

e. what you did to help the victim.

You must cover all five points in detail. You should add further details if you wish and make
sure your account is polite and informative.

You should begin ‗To the Police: an account of...‘

18) Your father who lives abroad has written to you asking how you are getting on at college.
You reply, telling her about a recent incident which upset you very much.

Write your letter. You must include the following:

• what happened

• why you were so upset

• how the situation was resolved.

Cover all three points above in detail. You should make sure your father will understand your
feelings and sympathise with you. Start your letter ‗Dear Father …‘ and remember to provide a
suitable ending.
19) Write a story in which your first impressions of someone or something prove to be
misleading. (Remember that you should include full details of your first impressions, to show
how wrong you were.)

Creative (Open):
1) Certificates

2) Achievement

3) Friends

4) Noise

5) Respect

6) Sorrow

7) Equity

8) Reading

9) Schools

10) Problems

11) Gratitude

12) Stress

13) Mobile Phones

14) Family

Letters and Emails:

1. Write a letter to the editor on the topic "Street light problem" ?

2.Write a letter to the editor on the topic" Spreading garbage in and around locality"

3. Write a letter to the editor on the topic "Bad roads in your locality"

4.Write a letter to the editor on the topic "Girl child education"?

5. Write a letter to the editor on the topic " Use of junk food"?
6. Write a letter to the editor on the topic " Exam stress"?

7. Write a letter to the editor on the topic "Role of science and technology"?

8. Write a letter to the editor on the topic " Sports and Games "?

9. Write a letter to the editor on the topic "Dowry: A social evil"?

10. Write a letter to the editor on the topic " Books are the best companions"?
11.You like to watch television every day. At the beginning of the school holidays your
television suddenly broke down. It took two weeks to repair.

Write a letter to a friend, explaining:

• how you first reacted to the breakdown of the television;
• how you spent your time instead of watching television;
• what you learnt from the experience.
Any one of the pictures above may give you ideas, but you are free to use any ideas of your own.
Your letter should be between 100 and 150 words long. Do not write an address.
12.Some people say that there is too much pressure on young people to lead a healthy life
nowadays.
Here are some comments from your friends about the subject: There is too much publicity
about the need for exercise –
If we are fit and healthy, we I preferjust to laze around.
feel good and have more
energy for work and play.
I don’t want to be told what I
I think we all have a
should and shouldn’t eat for
responsibility to look after
every meal.
our own health.

Write an article for your school magazine giving your views about the issue.
Your article should be between 100 and 150 words long.
The comments above may give you some ideas but you are free to use any ideas of your own.
13.Write an application for the following position.

The ABCD Company specialises in formal suits and has an exciting opportunity for an
enthusiastic Marketing Executive to join our dynamic team. This permanent position is well
suited to an individual that is looking to advance their career in marketing and gain hands-on
experience in a thriving and supportive workplace.

RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS

Tips for giving an effective presentation
1. Show your Passion and Connect with your Audience

It’s hard to be relaxed and be yourself when you’re nervous.

But time and again, the great presenters say that the most important thing is to connect with your
audience, and the best way to do that is to let your passion for the subject shine through.

Be honest with the audience about what is important to you and why it matters.

Be enthusiastic and honest, and the audience will respond.

2. Focus on you audience‘s needs

Your presentation needs to be built around what your audience is going to get out of the
presentation.

As you prepare the presentation, you always need to bear in mind what the audience needs and
wants to know, not what you can tell them.

While you‘re giving the presentation, you also need to remain focused on your audience‘s
response, and react to that.

You need to make it easy for your audience to understand and respond.

3. Keep it simple: Concentrate on your core message

When planning your presentation, you should always keep in mind the question:

What is the key message (or three key points) for my audience to take away?
You should be able to communicate the key message very briefly.

Some experts recommend a 30-second ‗elevator summary‘, others that you can write it on a card,
or say it in no more than 15 words.
 Whichever rule you choose, the important thing is to keep your core message focused and brief.

And if what you are planning to say doesn’t contribute to that core message, don’t say it.

4. Smile and make eye contact with your audience

This sounds very easy, but a surprisingly large number of presenters fail to do it.

If you smile and make eye contact, you are building rapport, which helps the audience to
connect with you and your subject. It also helps you to feel less nervous, because you are talking
to individuals, not to a great mass of unknown people.

To help you with this, make sure that you don‘t turn down all the lights so that only the slide
screen is visible.

Your audience needs to see you as well as your slides.

5. Start Strongly

The beginning of your presentation is crucial. You need to grab your audience’s attention
and hold it.

They will give you a few minutes‘ grace in which to entertain them, before they start to switch
off if you‘re dull. So don‘t waste that on explaining who you are. Start by entertaining them.

Try a story, or an attention-grabbing (but useful) image on a slide.

6. Remember the 10-20-30 Rule for Slideshows

This is a tip from Guy Kawasaki of Apple. He suggests that slideshows should:

 Contain no more than 10 slides;

 Last no more than 20 minutes; and
 Use a font size of no less than 30 point.
This last is particularly important as it stops you trying to put too much information on any one
slide. This whole approach avoids the dreaded ‗Death by PowerPoint‘.

As a general rule, slides should be the sideshow to you, the presenter. A good set of slides should
be no use without the presenter, and they should definitely contain less, rather than more,
information, expressed simply.

If you need to provide more information, create a handout and give it out after your
presentation.

7. Tell Stories

Human beings are programmed to respond to stories.

Stories help us to pay attention, and also to remember things. If you can use stories in your presentation,
your audience is more likely to engage and to remember your points afterwards. It is a good idea to start
with a story, but there is a wider point too: you need your presentation to act like a story.

Think about what story you are trying to tell your audience, and create your presentation
to tell it.

https://www.skillsyouneed.com/present/presentation-tips.html Accessed on 5-1-2020

How to Improve Your Interview Skills?
You'll need to do more than simply show up to the interview to perform well during a job interview and
make a strong and positive impression. Taking the time to brush up your interview skills before you get
on the phone or head out to an in-person interview will help you nail the interview and secure a job offer.
Follow these strategies and tips to ace your interview.

Know the Facts

Review your work history before the interview — and make sure what you say matches what's on your
resume.
Plus, spend some time learning about the company and about the job you're applying for. The more
informed you are, the easier it will be to handle interview questions and pitch your qualifications to the
hiring manager.

Practice Beforehand
Practice answering some interview questions, so you're comfortable responding to the most common
questions employers ask. This type of rehearsing will help you feel confident on the day of the interview.

Sell Yourself
Think of yourself as the product, and be prepared to sell yourself. To do so effectively, you'll need to be
able to share why you're qualified for the job. Here's how to answer questions about your qualifications.
You'll also want to make it clear during the interview that you're interested in this specific job at this
specific company — not just any job that's available, at any company.
Your verbal communication is important. Don't use slang. Speak clearly and definitely. If you need to
think about a response to an interview question, it's fine to take a minute. It's better to think before you
talk than to stumble over your words. You'll want to appear calm and focused, not flustered, while
answering questions. This will help you make a good impression on your interviewer.
On the flip side, you can use non-verbal communication to impress the interviewer. What you don't say
during an interview is as important as what you do say. The goal during a job interview is to appear
professional and attentive throughout the interview process.

Dress for the Occasion

Appearances and how you conduct yourself during the interview are important as well. If you come to an
interview chewing gum or drinking coffee, you will already have one strike against you. Too much
perfume or not enough deodorant won't help either.
Not being dressed appropriately or having scuffed shoes will give you a second strike. Talking or texting
on your cell phone or listening to music while waiting to be called for the interview may be your final
strike, and you could be done with your candidacy before you even say a word.
Treat the interview seriously. Plan your interview outfit ahead of time, leave yourself plenty of travel time
so you aren't late, and show up prepared to engage in the conversation.

Remember to Focus on Listening

It can be easy to get distracted during a job interview. It's stressful, and you're in the hot seat when it
comes to having to respond to questions. That said, if you do your best to listen to what the interviewer is
asking, it will be easier to frame appropriate responses.
Listen carefully and take the time to frame a thoughtful response to each of the questions you're asked.

Have Questions Ready to Ask

Be prepared to respond when you're asked whether you have any questions. You can ask about the job,
the company, and about any details that you'd like to know more about.

Thank Your Interviewer

Before you leave the interview, be sure to thank the interviewer for their time, and for considering you for
the position. Then follow up with an email message or thank-you letter that reiterates your interest in the
position, and your thanks for being considered.

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-improve-your-interview-technique-2061322
Accessed on 5-1-2020
 DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
Giving Effective Presentations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXVoT7VMCpM Accessed on 6-1-2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXVoT7VMCpM Accessed on 6-1-2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8eLdbKXGzk Accessed on 6-1-2020

Poster Presentation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMSaFUrk-FA Accessed on 6-1-2020

Strong Opening and Closing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl_FJAOcFgQ Accessed on 6-1-2020

Improving Speaking Skills:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8_BIamLESg Accessed on 6-1-2020
 DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
For passive voice
https://www.test-english.com/grammar-points/b1-b2/passive-voice-all-tenses/ and
https://www.test-english.com/writing/b1-b2/formal-email-letter-asking-information/3/
Stress and Intonation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MedvTj3t-w Accessed on 10-1-2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIapQVNq3D4&list=PLfQSN9FlyB6T-lbREfi4sNi5MI2MmYGmc
Accessed on 10-1-2020
https://youtu.be/kksfqYcYkeg?list=PLfQSN9FlyB6T-lbREfi4sNi5MI2MmYGmc Accessed on 10-1-
2020
https://youtu.be/pT6aGkt4czQ?list=PLfQSN9FlyB6T-lbREfi4sNi5MI2MmYGmc Accessed on 10-1-
2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1Qh4ylT6M8&list=PLfQSN9FlyB6T-
lbREfi4sNi5MI2MmYGmc&index=4Accesesed on 10-1-2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDcCsH7uA3k&list=PLfQSN9FlyB6T-
lbREfi4sNi5MI2MmYGmc&index=5 Accessed on 10-1-2020
https://youtu.be/-9wgB9HI460?list=PLfQSN9FlyB6T-lbREfi4sNi5MI2MmYGmc Accessed on 10-1-
2020