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Gandhi School Ancol

Mock Test 2 May/June
Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/22

Paper 2 Reading

1 hour 45 minutes

You must answer on the question paper.

INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer all questions.
● Use a black or dark blue pen.

● Write your answer to each question in the space provided.

● Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
● Do not write on any bar codes.
● Dictionaries are not allowed.

INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 50.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].

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Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions

Passage 1 – Silver
1 Silver is a precious metal, more abundant and more beautiful even than gold. The mining
of silver began some 5 000 years ago in Anatolia and it was a valuable resource for many
flourishing civilisations. By the first century, Spain had become the capital of silver production;
Spanish silver mines provided the major supplies for the Roman Empire, and silver was an
essential trading component for Asian spices. But no single event in the history of silver rivals 5
Spain’s conquest of the so-called New World in the late fifteenth century, resulting in Bolivia,
Peru and Mexico accounting for a huge proportion of the world’s production.

2 Because it has a bright whiteness, silver was often used to make jewellery – rings, bracelets
and necklaces – by many ancient civilisations; modern silversmiths are linked to centuries of
craftsmen, and people with good taste still choose to adorn themselves with silver. There is 10
evidence that silver was being made into coins and used as money for everyday transactions
in Asia Minor almost 3 000 years ago, and many ancient societies in India, Persia and South
America used silver coins. For centuries, silver was used to facilitate international trade; in
the nineteenth century, for example, the Chinese asked for silver in exchange for tea, silk and
porcelain. In some ancient languages, such as Sanskrit and Hebrew, the same words are 15
used to describe both silver and money, thus underpinning its importance.

3 In the religious beliefs of many ancient cultures, silver became associated with various gods,
who kept it shiny and rust-free. Although the Romans had no knowledge of modern biology,
they stored wine in silver containers, realising that it remained drinkable for a longer period
of time, and their army generals discovered that silver coins dropped into water storage 20
containers meant that fewer soldiers would become sick during military campaigns. Other
ancient civilisations, such as Greece and Macedonia, used silver extensively for medicinal
purposes; the Greek physician Hippocrates, the so-called ‘Father of Medicine’, taught that
silver healed wounds and controlled diseases.

4 Mirrors were originally made of polished stone, and later of bronze, but by the fifth century the 25
Chinese were making much better quality mirrors by combining silver and mercury. Silverpoint,
a drawing technique which involves dragging a silver wire across a surface, has been used by
artists since ancient times and flourished in sixteenth century Europe as a fine-line drawing
technique used by many artists, including Leonardo da Vinci.

5 In modern times, silver is used to make solar panels, which provide electricity for commercial 30
and residential premises. As silver is very effective in the collection of solar power, the energy
which comes from the sun, it allows us to access this source of renewable energy. In the past,
aluminium was used to coat telescope mirrors, but silver is now seen as being more effective.
When used to insulate glass, silver is recognised as an extremely efficient method of reducing
heat loss, an important factor in the modern age when conservation of the world’s resources 35
is seen as a priority.

6 As Hippocrates realised all those years ago, silver can be beneficial to healthy living. The use
of silver in water purification systems prevents bacteria and algae from building up in filters,
and helps oxygen to sanitise the water, thus avoiding the need for chlorine in pools and spas.
Mixed with mercury, silver produces amalgams which harden within minutes and are used in 40
dentistry to fill cavities in teeth. It also has a role to play in modern medicine as it can be used
to make instruments to perform surgical procedures. Small electrical devices such as hearing
aids use silver oxide batteries due to their long life and high energy-to-weight ratio.

7 In the music industry, speaker wires are produced using silver cable because many experts
believe that silver improves sound quality. Silver plays an important role in the manufacture of 45
various high-quality wind instruments; for example, flutes are made with silver alloy because
of the fine sound it produces as well as for the beauty of its appearance, and some brass
instruments, such as trumpets, are plated with silver.

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1 (a) Notes [15 marks]

Identify and write down the uses and importance of silver in former times, and the uses and
the advantages of silver in modern times, as outlined in the passage.
USE THE MATERIAL FROM PARAGRAPH 2 TO PARAGRAPH 7 INCLUSIVE.
At this stage, you need NOT use your own words. To help you get started, the first point in
each section of notes is done for you. You will be awarded up to 15 marks for content points.

MAIN POINTS

The uses and importance of silver in former times

• Used to make jewellery (because of its bright whiteness)

The uses and the advantages of silver in modern times

• Used in solar panels, (which provide electricity for commercial and residential premises)

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(b) Summary [5 marks]

Now use your notes to write a summary in which you explain the uses and importance of
silver in former times, and the uses and the advantages of silver in modern times, as outlined
in the passage.

This time, you will be awarded up to 5 marks for using your own words wherever possible
and for accurate use of language.

Your summary, which must be in continuous writing (not note form), must be no longer than
160 words, including the 10 words given below. Begin your summary as follows:

In former times, silver was used to make jewellery because ....................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

No. of words

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2 From your reading of Paragraph 1, decide whether each of the following statements is true or
false, and tick the box you have chosen.

True False

All civilisations were engaged in the mining of silver.

Spices were traded for silver in Roman times.

Bolivia, Peru and Mexico were the only countries

producing silver in the late fifteenth century.
[3]

3 Select and write down two of the writer’s opinions, one from Paragraph 1 and one from
Paragraph 2. You may use the words of the text or your own words.

The writer’s opinion in Paragraph 1 is ..............................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................................

The writer’s opinion in Paragraph 2 is ..............................................................................................

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

Total for Section 1 [25]

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Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions.

Passage 2

Michele

1 The wheat was particularly high that summer when I was nine years old. In April it had
rained a lot, and by mid-June the stalks were taller and more luxuriant than ever. They grew
densely packed, ready to be harvested. In the distance, the low hills rolled away like the
waves of a golden ocean. Degrees centigrade didn’t mean much to me at that age. I had no
idea how hot it was but I knew it wasn’t normal. 5

2 That summer was one of the hottest of the century. The heat had got into the stones,
crumbled the earth and scorched the plants in previous years but it had never before killed
the cattle. However, this year was different. The sun took away your breath, your strength,
everything. And it was just as unbearable at night. The adults didn’t leave their houses until
six in the evening. They shut themselves up indoors with the blinds drawn. But the heat was 10
not enough to deter us children from venturing out into the fiery, deserted countryside.

3 One day my friends and I challenged each other to a bicycle race, straight up the nearest hill,
which rose like a huge round cake in front of us. The last one to reach the top would have to
pay a penalty, or a forfeit. I was at a disadvantage because I had to take my little sister with
me. In the lead was Antonio, then Salvatore, then me. I had been going well but suddenly I 15
was at a standstill. Further down the hill my sister had fallen off her bicycle and I could hear
my mother’s voice playing in my head – ‘Are you or are you not her older brother?’ – while I
tried to decide whether or not to go back to look after her.

4 There was my sister, small and unhappy, rubbing her ankle with one hand. As soon as she
saw me, she exploded into a wail, holding her glasses in the other hand. ‘My glasses! My 20
glasses are broken!’ I was angry. It was the third time she had broken her glasses since
school had finished for the holidays. And every time, who did my mother blame? I put the
glasses in my pocket, thinking of the others who must have reached the top of the hill ages
before. My sister was upset because her ankle was sore. I dug my hands into the hot earth.
I picked up a small amount, spat on it and spread it on her ankle. I knew my ruse wouldn’t 25
have any effect but thought my sister might be fooled by it.

5 We set off on foot up the slope towards the top of the hill. All I had in front of my eyes was
wheat, but when I saw a slice of sky I realised that we didn’t have far to go and soon we
were standing on the summit. We discovered that the hill wasn’t round at all; I was startled
to find it had lost its faultless perfection. On the other side we saw an abandoned house with 30
a ramshackle roof. That was where the other boys were waiting for us.

6 ‘What took you so long?’ asked Antonio. ‘You have to pay the forfeit.’ He pointed at me, and
then at the abandoned house. ‘You have to get up onto the balcony on the first floor, go in,
then go right across and jump out of the window at the other side.’ I was feigning a courage
I did not feel as I tried to work my way to the balcony by holding onto the branches of a tree, 35
and from there I found a path through the doorway leading from the balcony into the house.
There was a great fluttering of wings as a flock of pigeons took off. I was in a big room, at
the other end of which was a closed red door. I decided that was the way to go but I had to
struggle through a forest of wild plants which had sprung up through the tiled floor. But in the
second room the floor had completely collapsed and only a single beam connected me to 40
the door on the other side. I was paralysed in the doorway. I couldn’t turn back, as my friends
would guarantee I never forgot that day. Then I recalled reading that lizards can climb up
walls because they have perfect weight distribution as they spread their weight evenly over
legs, stomach and tail. I knelt down, lay flat and started to crawl along the beam. At every
move I made, bits of masonry and tiles fell down. I felt the beam quiver and the floor below 45
lurched towards me. It took me a full five minutes to manoeuvre my way to safety.

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From paragraph 1

3 (a) Why was the wheat ‘particularly high’ that year?

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

(b) Why do you think the writer had ‘no idea how hot’ it was?

...................................................................................................................................................

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

From paragraph 2

4 (a) What was the most surprising effect of the hot weather?

...................................................................................................................................................

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

(b) Why was the countryside ‘deserted’?

...................................................................................................................................................

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

From paragraph 3

5 Give two reasons why the writer was ‘at a standstill’.

(i) ...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

(ii) ...................................................................................................................................................

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

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From paragraph 4

6 (a) The writer says his sister ‘exploded into a wail’. Explain in your own words what his sister
did.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

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

(b) Give two reasons why the writer’s sister was unhappy.

(i) ...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

(ii) ...........................................................................................................................................

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

From paragraph 5

7 How did the writer know that he and his sister were approaching ‘the top of the hill’?

..........................................................................................................................................................

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

From paragraph 6

8 (a) The writer says ‘I was feigning a courage I did not feel’. Explain in your own words what he
was doing.

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

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

(b) The writer climbed into the first room in the house. Give two pieces of evidence which show
that the house was ‘abandoned’.

(i) ...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

(ii) ...........................................................................................................................................

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

(c) The writer says ‘I tried to work my way’ to the balcony. Give the single word used later in the
paragraph which conveys the same meaning.

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

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9 From the whole passage

For each of the words below, circle the letter (A, B, C or D) which has the same meaning that the
word has in the passage.

(a) densely (line 3)

A stupidly B quickly C heavily D thickly [1]

(b) fiery (line 11)

A burning B hot C angry D wild [1]

(c) ruse (line 25)

A game B trick C joke D plan [1]

(d) ramshackle (line 31)

A shaking B rough C broken D old [1]

(e) recalled (line 42)

A remembered B renamed C replaced D realised [1]

10 Re-read paragraphs 4 and 6, which contain sentences telling us about the writer.

Give:

• the meaning of each sentence as it is used in the passage

• the effect of each sentence as it is used in the passage.

(a) ‘And every time, who did my mother blame?’ (line 22)

Meaning: ...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

Effect: ........................................................................................................................................

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

(b) ‘I was paralysed in the doorway.’ (line 41)

Meaning: ...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

Effect: ........................................................................................................................................

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

[Total: 25]

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1 andhi School Ancol Second Mock Test May/June 2021