EXTRA SET 14 A

COMPULSORY
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION

PRACTICE PAPER
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1
PART A
Reading Passages
1½ hours
(for both Parts A and B)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

(1) There are two parts (A and B) in this paper. All candidates should attempt Part A. In Part B, you should
attempt either Part B1 (easier section) OR Part B2 (more difficult section). Candidates attempting Parts A
and B2 will be able to attain the full range of levels, while Level 4 will be the highest level attainable for
candidates attempting Parts A and B1.

(2) After the announcement of the start of the examination, you should first write your name, class and
Candidate Number in the space provided on the appropriate pages of the Part A Question-Answer Book
and the Part B Question-Answer Book which you are going to attempt.

(3) Write your answers in the spaces provided in the Question-Answer Books. Answers written in the margins
will not be marked.

(4) For multiple-choice questions, you are advised to blacken the appropriate circle with a pencil so that
wrong marks can be completely erased with a clean rubber. Mark only ONE answer to each question.
Two or more answers will score NO MARKS.

(5) Supplementary answer sheets will be supplied on request. Write your Candidate Number and question
number on each sheet.

(6) No extra time will be given to candidates for filling in the question number boxes after the ‘Time is up’
announcement.

(7) The two Question-Answer Books you have attempted (one for Part A and one for Part B) will be collected
together at the end of the examination.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PART A

Attempt ALL questions in Part A. Each question carries ONE mark unless otherwise stated.

Not to be taken away before the

PART A end of the examination session

CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (RP–A) -1- © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 Read Text 1 and answer questions 1–21 in the Question-Answer Book for Part A.
Text 1

The rise and rise of the Asian megacity

(and why ‘metacities’ are the next big thing)
By Vanessa Collingridge

[1] Looking out from any one of the skyscrapers that dominate Shenzhen’s central business district,
it seems as though the city never ends. As far as the eye can see, there’s a jumble of shiny tower
blocks, low-rise offices, warehouses, and arterial highways with their nose-to-tail vehicles. This urban
landscape represents one of the most remarkable changes in human history. The West has its share
5 of large cities, such as London and Paris, but Asia is home to the rise — and rise — of the megacity.

[2] Megacities are generally defined as those with more than ten million inhabitants. Back in the
early 1950s, there were only two — New York and Tokyo. By 2010, according to United Nations
figures, this number had shot up to twenty-four, and by 2025, the UN predicts that there will be
thirty-nine. The new urban areas aren’t growing fastest in the traditional powerhouses of Europe and
10 the United States, but in Asia. In 2010, just nine of the world’s megacities were in Asia; by 2025, this
figure is expected to rise to twenty-one.

[3] It isn’t just the rapid increase in numbers or their size that makes these megacities fascinating.
They also look, feel and behave differently. ‘The word I’d use is energy — both from a human and a
commercial angle,’ says Christopher Dent, a lecturer at the University of Leeds. ‘The physical features
15 of these megacities aren’t necessarily like the classic Manhattan-esque skyline. Hong Kong is high-
rise and so is Singapore, but some of the new cities don’t have many skyscrapers at all. However,
what they do all have are vibrant central business districts and vast amounts of human traffic that
give an energy to the place.’

[4] Asia’s mega growth has been swift. ‘Until relatively recently, you would have classed [China] as a
20 rural economy,’ says Dent. ‘Back in the 1960s, just nine percent of its population were urban and —
with the hukou system regulating where you lived and worked — it was hard for people to move
around. Now, with the loosening of those controls and a pro-urban policy, over fifty percent of the
population is classed as urban. That’s around half a billion people moving into cities in the last four
or so decades. China has transformed itself, and it’s the same in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines,
25 Malaysia ...’

[5] The explosion of Asia’s cities is being watched closely by Frank Chen, an executive director at the
multinational real estate firm CBRE. ‘While many countries across Asia are seeing a big move to the
city,’ Chen says, ‘for China the growth has been phenomenal, especially since the year 2000.’ Then,
the urban population there stood at thirty-six percent. By the end of 2016, that had risen to fifty-
30 seven percent. ‘This is the largest migration to the city in history,’ says Chen, ‘We’ve never seen this
before anywhere in the world.’

CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (RP–A) -2- © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 [6] A sign of just how quickly urbanisation is taking place is that the term mega is now too small to
describe the biggest urban giants. These cities have joined an elite club known as ‘metacities’. China
already has two of them: Beijing and Shanghai. ‘Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are all
35 megacities,’ says Chen, ‘but Beijing and Shanghai are in a league of their own, with populations well
over twenty million.’

[7] So what is drawing people to cities? ‘It’s jobs! Most of the best jobs are in the major cities,’ says
Chen. ‘Along with these jobs come business opportunities and greater availability of resources like
education and healthcare.’ He should know. ‘I moved from the countryside to the city [Guangzhou]
40 when I was young, as there were better job opportunities there, and like most young people, I was
aspirational for a better life. You do get more opportunities in the megacities — even with all the
problems of congestion and pollution.’

[8] Yin Jingjing, a twenty-seven-year-old university student in Shenzhen, has a story that is typical of
many new Asian urbanites. ‘My family moved to Shenzhen in 1995 in search of a better life. The
45 reform policy of Deng Xiaoping was a big part of that decision. Shenzhen had been designated the
first special economic zone [in 1980] and was growing fast, with lots of jobs in the new industries
locating there.’ Before they moved, Yin’s parents worked in an electricity plant in Jiangxi, one of the
least developed provinces of China. Her parents wanted a better future for her, so when they heard
about all the opportunities in Shenzhen, the family relocated there.

50 [9] Yin is fond of her adoptive home. ‘Although it doesn’t have much of a history, like Beijing or
Shanghai ... Shenzhen feels like a very vibrant and exciting city.’ She adds, ‘The lack of history here
has been turned to an advantage, and is now part of Shenzhen’s identity as a very creative place.’
Not even the pollution bothers her. ‘It’s really not that bad. In fact, the air quality here is among the
top twenty cities in China, as Shenzhen is now focusing on high-tech, so most of the heavy
55 industries have moved to Dongguan.’

[10] Just thirty-five years ago, this vast urban expanse was nothing more than a few small fishing
villages. Today it ranks as one of China’s fastest growing megacities, with an official population of
more than ten million. However, the figures can’t keep up with the human flood. A more realistic
figure is closer to fifteen million. Deng’s policies continue under Premier Li Keqiang, who describes
60 urbanisation as one of the key drivers for economic growth, ensuring that China’s future will
continue to be in the cities.

[11] However, mega-urbanisation has costs. For Dent, environmental challenges top the list: ‘Many
of these cities get electricity from power stations hundreds of miles away; yet urbanisation at this
scale is a very energy-intensive process, creating not just local problems in terms of supply and
65 pollution, but also related global issues.’ Dent notes that the Chinese government recently launched
a ‘war’ on air pollution, but he adds, ‘they’ve also pledged to bring “power to the people”, so it’s a
tricky balance. Pollution is now killing more people in China than smoking. Add to this the concerns
with corruption and the growing gap between rich and poor, and the social tensions of the megacity
suddenly become very real indeed.’

CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (RP–A) -3- © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
70 [12] Despite the challenges, for the young and educated, megacities promise the chance of a better
life, at least for now. ‘Actually, I love Shenzhen,’ says Yin. ‘I have a real sense of belonging here. It’s
so full of opportunities, and because of all the young people here, it’s also really good socially.’

Source: Article adapted from ‘The rise and rise of the Asian megacity (and why “metacities” are the next big thing)’,
South China Morning Post. http://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1530748/larger-life-rise-and-rise-
asian-megacity

END OF READING PASSAGE

CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (RP–A) -4- © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 EXTRA SET 14 B1
EASY SECTION
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION

PRACTICE PAPER
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1
PART B1
Reading Passages
1½ hours
(for both Parts A and B)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

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

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PART B1

(1) Candidates who choose Part B1 should attempt all questions in this part. Each question carries ONE mark
unless otherwise stated.

(2) Hand in only ONE Question-Answer Book for Part B, either B1 or B2.

Not to be taken away before the

end of the examination session

CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (RP–B1) -1- © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 PART B1
Read the following texts and answer questions 22–44 in the Question-Answer Book for Part B1.
Text 2
Are we ready for designer babies?
In recent years, the prospect of using genetic
engineering to customise babies has become
a matter of when, not if.
The phrase designer baby refers to a yet-to-
5 be-born baby whose DNA has been changed
by scientists in order to produce desirable
traits — e.g. increased intelligence,
enhanced size and physical attractiveness,
and protection against birth defects and
10 diseases passed down from parents.
Gene editing has already been used
successfully in mice, sparking a fierce
debate:  among scientists and non-scientists
alike  about the ethics of using it to make
15 ‘superhumans’
Slide 1
_________________________
The main plus to using gene editing to create
30 designer babies is that genes related to
inherited diseases can be removed.
Scientists could change the DNA code of an
unborn baby to significantly reduce the
likelihood of the child being born with genetic
35 disorders, e.g.
 Down’s syndrome, and
 Huntington’s disease.
They could also prevent the child from
developing certain medical issues later in life,
40 e.g.
 cancer,
 diabetes, and
 obesity.
Slide 3
CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (RP–B1)
_________________________
The debate has led governments to create
laws to regulate the practice.
In the United Kingdom, China and India, it
is illegal to tamper with human DNA to
20 create designer babies.
The United States has banned the genetic
engineering of humans. Yet some gene
editing — for serious medical conditions
only — may be allowed.
25 However, critics argue that many of these
laws exist only on paper, and that
governments need to do more to guard
against ‘black markets’ for designer babies.
Slide 2
_________________________
Gene editing would also give parents the
45 chance to select certain characteristics for
their child. For example, they could choose
their child’s:
 gender,
 eye colour, and
50  body type.
They could also request genetic change to
boost his or her intelligence and physical
attractiveness.
In addition, scientists believe that designer
55 babies could live up to thirty years longer
than normal babies. Gene editing also has
a significant gain for scientists: a better
understanding of genetics.
Slide 4
-2- © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 _________________________
However, critics argue that the downside to
60 creating designer babies far outweighs the
benefits.
In addition to creating ethical problems, the
practice is far from perfect. First and
foremost, it may result in the death of the
65 child.
Altering an unborn child’s DNA can also
cause serious genetic mistakes that might
not show up for years — or even generations
— which could have damaging effects on the
70 person’s future family members.
Slide 5
CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (RP–B1)
_________________________
The problems extend beyond the designer
babies and their family tree. Gene editing
may cause a divide in society, with
designer babies being viewed as superior
75 to normal ones, leading to inequality, social
conflict and even war.
Also, as many people share the same ideas
about beauty, gene editing — over
generations — could make humans look
80 too similar.
Most worryingly, changing human DNA
could accidentally create new, deadlier
diseases, which could bring an end to all
human life.
Slide 6
-3- © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
Text 3

Gene editing timeline

1869: Discovery of the DNA molecule by Swiss doctor and
scientist Friedrich Miescher

1941: Opening of the first genetics clinic

1953: Discovery of the shape of DNA (resembling a twisted

5 rope ladder) by University of Cambridge researchers Francis
Crick and James Watson (based on a 1951 photograph by
King’s College scientists Rosalind Franklin and Raymond
Gosling)

1961: Discovery of DNA’s ability to transmit messages to build

proteins and therefore create life itself by American scientist
10 Marshall Nirenberg

1977: Invention of a method for reading genetic code by

British scientist Frederick Sanger, which helped to make the
process a thousand times faster

1983: Development of a technique by US scientist Kary Mullis

15 that could produce 100 billion copies of DNA from a single
human hair, drop of blood, etc. in only a few hours

1990: Start of the Human Genome Project, a multinational

research effort to map out the complete genetic code for
building a human being

20 1996: First successful cloning of an animal: Dolly the sheep,

at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland

2003: Completion of the Human Genome Project

2008: Start of 1000 Genomes Project, a multinational

research project to make a detailed catalogue of the genetic
25 differences among human ethnic groups

2012: Development of a method for editing DNA by American

scientist Jennifer Doudna and French researcher Emmanuelle
Charpentier, allowing scientists to cut and replace human
genes

2014: First-ever use of gene editing to fix a genetic problem

30 in a mouse

END OF READING PASSAGES

CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (RP–B1) -4- © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 EXTRA SET 14 B2
DIFFICULT SECTION
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION

PRACTICE PAPER
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1
PART B2
Reading Passages
1½ hours
(for both Parts A and B)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

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

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PART B2

(1) Candidates who choose Part B2 should attempt all questions in this part. Each question carries ONE
mark unless otherwise stated.

(2) Hand in only ONE Question-Answer Book for Part B, either B1 or B2.

Not to be taken away before the

end of the examination session

CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (RP–B2) 1 © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 PART B2
Read Text 4 and answer questions 45–64 in the Question-Answer Book for Part B2.
Text 4
Do your genes determine your entire life?
Some scientists claim that new discoveries have proved that free will is an illusion.
Nonsense, says Julian Baggini.
[1] Whenever you read stories about identical
twins separated at birth, they tend to follow the
template set by the most remarkable of them all:
the ‘two Jims’. James Springer and James Lewis
5 were separated as one-month-olds, adopted by
different families and reunited at age thirty-nine.
When University of Minnesota psychologist
Thomas Bouchard met them in 1979, he found
(as a Washington Post article put it) both had
10 ‘married and divorced a woman named Linda and
remarried a Betty. They shared interests in
mechanical drawing and carpentry; their favourite
school subject had been Maths, their least
favourite, spelling. They smoked and drank the
15 same amount and got headaches at the same time
of day.’ The similarities were uncanny. A great
deal of who the twins turned out to be appears to
have been written in their genes.
[2] Other studies at the world-leading Minnesota
20 Center for Twin and Adoption Research suggest
that many of our traits are partially inherited from
our parents, including obedience to authority,
vulnerability to stress and the desire to take risks.
Researchers have even suggested that when it
25 comes to issues such as religion and politics, our
choices are much more determined by our genes
than we think.
[3] Many find this disturbing. The idea that
unconscious biological forces drive our beliefs and
30 actions poses a real threat to our free will. We like
to think that we make choices on the basis of our
own thinking. However, isn’t all that thinking
immaterial if our final decision was already written
in our genetic code? And doesn’t the whole
35 structure around personal responsibility collapse if
we accept the explanation that ‘my genes made me
do it’? To address these concerns, we first need to
look a bit more closely at what the experiences of
identical twins really show.
40 [4] Professor Tim Spector has been studying
identical twins at King’s College London for more
than twenty years. From the start of his research in
the early 1990s, it became evident to Spector that
CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (RP–B2) 2 © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
identical twins are always more similar to each
other than brothers or sisters or non-identical twins 45
are. At the time, however, ‘social scientists hated
the idea’ that genes are an important determinant
of who we are, ‘particularly in those rather
controversial areas like IQ, personality and
beliefs’. As ‘one of the many scientists who took 50
the gene-centric view of the universe for granted’,
Spector wanted ‘to prove them wrong, and to
prove that there’s nothing that’s not genetic to
some extent’. Today he looks back on this as part
of his ‘overzealous genetic phase’. 55
[5] It is perhaps understandable that Spector got
caught up in gene mania. The launch in 1990 of
the Human Genome Project, which aimed to map
the complete sequence of human DNA, came at
the beginning of a decade that would mark the 60
high point of optimism about how much our genes
could tell us. Daniel Koshland, then editor of the
prestigious journal Science, captured the mood
when he wrote: ‘The benefits to science of the
genome project are clear. Illnesses such as manic 65
depression, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia and heart
disease are probably all multigenic ... Yet these
diseases are at the root of many current societal
problems.’ Genes would help us uncover the
secrets of all kinds of ills, from the psychological 70
to the physical.
[6] Ten years later, US President Bill Clinton and
British Prime Minister Tony Blair were among the
guests gathered to ‘celebrate the revelation of the
first draft of the human book of life’, as Francis 75
Collins, the director of the Human Genome
Project, put it. ‘We try to be cautious on days like
this,’ said a newsreader, ‘but this map marks the
beginning of an era of discovery that will affect the
lives of every human being, with implications for 80
science, history, business, ethics, religion and, of
course, medicine.’
 [7] By that time, genes were no longer simply used
to find cures for illnesses. They had become the
85 skeleton key for unlocking almost all the mysteries
of human existence. For virtually every aspect of
life — criminality, fidelity, political persuasion,
religious belief — someone would claim to find a
gene for it. In 2005, in Hall County, Georgia,
90 Stephen Mobley tried to avoid execution by
claiming that his murder of a pizza store manager
was the result of an irregularity in one of his genes.
The judge turned down the appeal, saying that the
law was not ready to accept such evidence.
95 However, the basic idea that a minor change to a
specific gene can cause violence has become
widely accepted, and it is now commonly called
the ‘warrior gene’.
[8] However, in recent years, faith in the
100 explanatory power of genes has waned. Today few
scientists believe that there is a simple gene for
anything. Almost all inherited features or traits are
the products of complex interactions among
numerous genes — although this fact has not by
105 itself disputed the claim that many of our deepest
character traits, dispositions and even opinions are
genetically determined.
[9] An understanding of what genetic studies really
show might help to reduce our alarm. The key
110 concept here is ‘heritability’. We are often told that
many traits are highly heritable: happiness, for
instance, is around fifty percent heritable. Such
figures sound very high, but they do not mean
what they appear to mean. The common mistake
115 people make is to assume that if, for example,
autism is ninety percent heritable, then ninety
percent of autistic people got the condition from
their parents. However, heritability is not about
‘chance or risk of passing it on’, says Spector. ‘It
120 simply means how much of the variation within a
given population is down to genes. Crucially, this
will be different according to the environment of
that population.’
END OF READING PASSAGE
Source: Article adapted from ‘Do your genes determine your entire life?’ Julian Baggini, The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/mar/19/do-your-genes-determine-your-entire-life
CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (RP–B2) 3 © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
[10] Spector spells out what this means with
something such as IQ, which has a heritability of 125
seventy percent on average. ‘If you go to the US,
around Harvard [University], it’s above ninety
percent.’ Why? Because people selected to go
there tend to come from middle-class families who
have offered their children excellent educational 130
opportunities. Having all been given very similar
upbringings, almost all the remaining variation is
down to genes. In contrast, if you go to the Detroit
suburbs, where poverty and drug addiction are
common, the IQ heritability is ‘close to zero 135
percent’, because the environment is having such a
strong effect. In general, Spector believes that ‘any
change in environment has a much greater effect
on IQ than genes,’ as it does on almost every
human characteristic. That is why if you want to 140
predict whether someone believes in God, it is
more useful to know that they live in Texas than
what their genes are.
[11] There is another reason we tend to overlook
the importance of environmental factors. We get 145
mesmerised by the similarities between identical
twins and notice the differences much less. For
example, we look at their mannerisms, postures
and the way they laugh. It is as though we can’t
help thinking that such things reflect deeper 150
similarities even though they are actually the most
superficial features to compare. If you can stop
yourself staring at the similarities between twins,
literally and metaphorically, and listen properly to
their stories, you can see how their differences are 155
at least as telling as their similarities. Far from
proving that our genes determine our lives, these
stories show just the opposite.
This is a blank page.
Candidate Number Name:

EXTRA SET 14 Class:

HKDSE PRACTICE PAPER
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1 PART A
A
COMPULSORY
QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK

Write your name, class and Candidate Number in the space provided on this page.

Read Text 1 and answer questions 1–21. (41 marks)

Text 1

1. In line 2, what does ‘the city’ refer to?

2. Which of the following definitions of ‘rise’ are used in line 5? Tick () two boxes. (2 marks)

an increase in level an increase in number an upward movement

appearing in the sky the act of becoming more important

3. According to paragraph 1, why does the writer think megacities are important?

4. In paragraph 1, what word does the writer use to suggest that there is lots of traffic in the city?

5. According to paragraph 2, are the following statements True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG)?
(5 marks)
Statements T F NG
i) To be a megacity, a city must have at least ten million residents.   
ii) In the early 1950s, China became the first Asian country to have a megacity.   
iii) According to the UN, the number of megacities reached its peak in 2010.   
iv) At present, there are more megacities in Europe than in the United States.   
v) By 2025, it is expected that more than half of the world’s megacities will be   
located in Asia.

6. In paragraph 3, what two features are mentioned to support Dent’s use of the word ‘energy’ (line 13) to
describe megacities? (2 marks)

i)
ii)

7. According to paragraph 3, what does a ‘classic Manhattan-esque skyline’ (line 15) include?

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (QAB–A) 1 © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 8. Which of the following best summarises the main idea of paragraph 3?

A. Christopher Dent finds megacities fascinating.

B. Manhattan, Hong Kong and Singapore are typical examples of megacities.
C. Megacities are very different to traditional cities. A B C D
D. The number and size of megacities has increased very quickly.    

9. Find words in paragraphs 3 and 4 which could be replaced by the following: (4 marks)

Paragraph 3 Paragraph 4
fast i) ii)
very big iii) iv)

10. According to paragraph 4, why was it uncommon for China’s rural residents to move to cities in the
1960s?

11. Based on the information in paragraph 4, fill in the blanks. Write ONE word in each blank.
(2 marks)
Over the past (i) years, roughly 500 million Chinese citizens have moved from (ii) areas to cities.

12. Using the information given in paragraphs 4–5, complete the table with the missing percentages.
(3 marks)
Percentage of Chinese population living in cities:
i) in the 1960s ii) in 2000 iii) in 2016
__________ % __________ % __________ %

13. i) Which metaphor does the writer use in paragraph 5 to describe Asia’s urbanisation? (1 mark)

ii) Explain the meaning of this metaphor. (1 mark)

14. What example does the writer give in paragraph 6 to emphasise the speed at which urbanisation is
happening?

15. Why does Frank Chen think Beijing and Shanghai ‘are in a league of their own’ (line 35)?

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

16. According to Frank Chen, why are people moving to megacities? Give three reasons. (3 marks)

i)
ii)
iii)

CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (QAB–A) 2 © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 17. Do you think Frank Chen is glad he moved to a megacity? Explain your answer.

18. What is the main purpose of paragraph 8?

19. Complete the following summary using information given in paragraphs 8–9. Write ONE word for
each blank. Answers must be grammatically correct. (4 marks)

As with many other new city dwellers in (i) _____________________, Yin Jingjing moved there from
the countryside because her parents wanted to give her a better (ii) _____________________. She
admits that Shenzhen is not a (iii) _____________________ city, but she believes that this makes it a
more creative place to live. She insists that the city’s air is not too bad, as its focus has shifted from
heavy to (iv) _____________________ industries.

20. Using information from paragraphs 5–12, match each person with one of the quotes below. Choose from
A–D and write the letter in the box next to each person. One of the quotes will NOT be used. (3 marks)

Quotes
‘I love living in a place where it’s easy to
A C
make new friends, and there’s lots to do.’
‘It’s incredible how many people have
B D
moved to cities in China in recent years.’
Quotes
‘If urbanisation doesn’t slow down, China
will have major problems in the future.’
‘Megacities cause lots of problems,
especially to the environment.’

Frank Chen Christopher Dent Yin Jingjing

21. Choose the best alternative title for this article.

A. Asia’s ongoing urbanisation

B. From megacity to ‘metacity’
C. The first ‘metacities’ in Asia A B C D
D. Western megacities on the rise    

END OF PART A

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (QAB–A) 3 © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
This is a blank page.
Candidate Number Name:

EXTRA SET 14 Class:

HKDSE PRACTICE PAPER
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1 PART B1
B1
EASY SECTION
QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK
Write your name, class and Candidate Number in the space provided on this page.

Read Texts 2–3 and answer questions 22–44. (43 marks)

Text 2

22. If something is ‘a matter of when, not if’ (line 3), it ... happen.

A. is definitely going to
B. is not going to
C. may or may not A B C D
D. probably will not    

23. Which of the following animals has been used in a successful gene editing experiment?

A B C D
   
A. B. C. D.

JIANG HONGYAN. Shutterstock Tsekhmister. Shutterstock Eric Isselee. Shutterstock photomaster. Shutterstock

24. According to slide 1, what are some of the positive characteristics that can be produced through gene
editing? Tick () three boxes. (3 marks)

more attractive
healthier teeth higher intelligence
appearance

nicer personality stronger body to fight against illnesses

25. What does ‘the practice’ (line 17) refer to?

26. Which of the following can replace ‘tamper with’ (line 19)?

A. change
B. damage
C. improve A B C D
D. research    

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CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (QAB–B1) 1 © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 27. According to slide 2, where is it against the law to edit human genes?

28. If laws ‘exist only on paper’ (line 26), they are ...

A. hard to understand.
B. not often followed.
C. rarely broken. A B C D
D. unfamiliar to the public.    

29. According to slide 3, what are two possible positive effects of gene editing on a child? (2 marks)

i)
ii)

30. Who / What does ‘they’ (line 46) refer to?

31. Complete the sentence: According to scientists, babies who have been changed using gene editing
could have a ____________________ lifespan than normal babies.

32. How do scientists benefit from the practice of gene editing?

33. Based on the information given on slide 5, fill in the blanks. Write ONE word in each blank. Answers
must be grammatically correct. (4 marks)

Critics believe that the (i) ____________________ of designer babies has more downsides than
benefits. In a worst case scenario, changing an unborn baby’s DNA could cause the child to
(ii) ____________________. It could also create a mistake in the child’s (iii) __________________.
This could lead to serious medical issues for their children or children’s children far into the
(iv) ____________________.

34. According to slide 6, what are three possible negative effects of gene editing on society? (3 marks)

i)
ii)
iii)

35. According to slides 3–6, are the following statements True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG)?
(5 marks)
Statements T F NG
i) Gene editing can prevent people from developing diseases later in life.   
ii) Parents of designer babies can choose for their child to be a boy or a girl.   
iii) Scientists can use gene editing to change physical characteristics only.   
iv) There are more critics of gene editing than supporters of the practice.   
v) Altering babies’ DNA could have a very serious effect on the human race.   

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CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (QAB–B1) 2 © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 36. Match the following headings to each slide of Text 2. Write the slide number next to each heading. One
heading is NOT used and should be left blank. (5 marks)

Heading Slide number Heading Slide number

Are we ready for designer babies? 1 Origins of gene editing

Negative effects on the babies Making healthier babies

Controlling gene editing Serious drawbacks

Additional benefits of gene editing

Text 3

37. Complete the sentence. (2 marks)

The DNA molecule was (i) ____________________ by a doctor from (ii) ____________________.

38. What does DNA’s shape look like?

39. In which year was it discovered that a new living being could be created just from DNA?

40. What does ‘the process’ (line 12) refer to?

41. What is Kary Mullis famous for?

A. Developing a technique for reading genetic code in a few hours.

B. Discovering how to extract DNA from human hair or blood.
C. Finding a way to make many copies of DNA quickly. A B C D
D. Inventing a method of cloning animals using DNA from their cells.    
42. How do you think gene editing was used to fix a genetic problem in a mouse?

43. According to the timeline, are the following statements True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG)?
(4 marks)
Statements T F NG
i) The world’s first genetics clinic opened in Switzerland.   
ii) The Human Genome Project involved scientists from one country.   
iii) Scientists spent more than a decade to work out the complete genetic code of   
a human being.
iv) The first animal in history to be cloned successfully was a sheep.   

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CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (QAB–B1) 3 © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 44. Number the following events in chronological order. Write 1–4 on the lines provided.

Reading genetic code became much faster.

The first genetics clinic in the world opened for operation.
Scientists corrected a genetic issue in an animal.
The Human Genome Project was completed successfully.

END OF PART B1

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CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (QAB–B1) 4 © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
Candidate Number Name:

EXTRA SET 14 Class:

HKDSE PRACTICE PAPER
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1 PART B2
B2
DIFFICULT SECTION
QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK

Write your name, class and Candidate Number in the space provided on this page.

Read Text 4 and answer questions 45–64. (43 marks)

Text 4

45. Which word or phrase in the subtitle best summarises the writer’s opinion on the question in the title?

46. What does ‘template’ (line 3) mean?

47. Below is a summary of paragraph 1. In five of the lines, there is ONE mistake. If you find a mistake,
underline the mistake and replace the word with one that expresses the correct idea. Write the word in
the space on the right. If there is no mistake, put a tick () in the space. The first has been done for
you. (5 marks)

Summary Correction
e.g. The ‘two Jims’ were separated when they were one year old. At school, month
i) they were both strong in Maths and weak in reading. Both of them got

ii) married and divorced, then married women named Linda. They both

iii) enjoyed mechanical drawing and building things out of metal. Plus they

iv) had the same smoking and drinking habits. Finally, both of them suffered

v) from the same type of pain in their back at the same time every day.

48. Find a word in paragraph 1 with the same meaning as ‘very strange and difficult to explain’.

49. According to studies conducted by the Minnesota Center for Twin and Adoption Research, which
human characteristics may be affected by genes? Tick () all that apply.

how we choose a romantic partner

how we decide to make a living
how we feel about political issues
how we react to anxiety and tension
how we respond to those in power

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CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (QAB–B2) 1 © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 50. According to the writer, what do many people find ‘disturbing’ (line 28)?

51. i) What is ‘free will’ (line 30)? (1 mark)

ii) What does the writer think that goes against the idea of free will? (1 mark)

iii) Why does the writer think that this will make personal responsibility ‘collapse’ (line 35)? (1
mark)

52. Find a word in paragraph 3 with the same meaning as ‘irrelevant’.

53. Who / What does ‘them’ (line 52) refer to?

54. Based on the information given in paragraph 4, decide if the following statements are True ( T), False
(F) or the information is Not given (NG). Blacken ONE circle only for each statement. (5 marks)

Statements T F NG
i) Professor Spector attended King’s College London as a student.   
ii) Most social scientists opposed Professor Spector’s theories in the 1990s.   
iii) Identical twins tend to have a higher IQ than normal siblings.   
iv) Professor Spector was the only scientist to recognise the impact of genes.   
v) Professor Spector is not as passionate about his gene theories as he used to be.   

55. What does the phrase ‘gene mania’ (line 57) suggest about people at that time?

56. What was ‘clear’ (line 65) about the contribution of the Human Genome Project?

57. When was the first draft of the Human Genome Project completed?

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CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (QAB–B2) 2 © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 58. What two metaphors are used in paragraph 6 to describe the Human Genome Project? (3 marks)

i)
ii)

iii) Explain the meaning of these metaphors.

59. Complete the following summary using information given in paragraph 7. Write ONE word for each
blank. Answers must be grammatically correct. (4 marks)

By the time the first draft of the Human Genome Project was completed, scientists believed that
understanding human genes was necessary for discovering the (i) _____________________ of human
life. They raced to identify genes that could explain why some people are more likely than others to
commit (ii) _____________________; why some are prone to be unfaithful to their
(iii) _____________________; and why they hold their (iv) _____________________ in politics and
religion.

60. i) What reason did Stephen Mobley provide to support his claim that he was not responsible for the
store manager’s death?

ii) What reason did the judge provide to support his rejection of Mobley’s claim?

61. Do you think Stephen Mobley’s claim was an acceptable reason for committing an offence? Why?
(2 marks)

62. Complete the table below by identifying how the scientists differ in their views on genes using
information given in paragraphs 7 and 8. (2 marks)

Scientists in the early 2000s Scientists in recent years

View on genes They believed that genes held the They have (ii) _____________________
(i) _____________________ to all of faith in the idea that genes can control
life’s mysteries. everything.

63. According to paragraph 10, what does Spector think about the relationship between genes and human
characteristics? (2 marks)

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CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (QAB–B2) 3 © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018
 64. Match the correct subheadings (A–E) to the paragraphs in the article. Write the letter in the space next
to the paragraph numbers. (5 marks)

Subheadings Paragraph Nos. (A–E)

A. The early optimism surrounding genetic research 1–3

B. A closer look at the findings of genetic studies 4–7

C. The influence of genes on our traits and the questions this brings up 8

D. Today’s differing belief regarding the power of genes 9–10

E. The overlooked importance of contrasts in identical twins 11

END OF PART B2

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CEP Extra Set 14 — Paper 1 (QAB–B2) 4 © Pearson Education Asia Limited 2018