CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 7: DIAGNOSTIC CHECK

Name Date

Diagnostic check
Part 1: Non-fiction
Section A: Reading
Spend around 20 minutes on this section.
Read the following text (an extract from The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) website), then answer
questions 1–7.

Tiger
Endangered – Around 3900 Remain!
The beautiful, awe-inspiring tiger is one of our planet’s most iconic animals. But
here’s the shocking truth. Wild tiger numbers dropped by more than 95% from the
beginning of the 20th century. Now, for the first time in conservation history, their
numbers are on the increase.
5 We aim to help double the number of wild tigers to over 6000 by 2022 – the next
Chinese year of the tiger.
In recent years, conservation work and the commitment of various governments
has halted the decline in global tiger numbers. But there’s a lot more work to do.
We’re working closely with governments and community groups across
10 Asia – and your support is crucial, as always. Will you join us and help
protect this amazing wild cat?
Becci May, Tigers & Asian species regional manager, says:
‘I am proud to be engaged in supporting our work on tigers, at such an
unprecedented and exciting time in history where wild tiger numbers are
starting to increase globally. In my lifetime, tiger populations declined, but are
15 now on the up. That’s quite incredible. However, the threats remain, and we need
to do all we can to help achieve the very ambitious goal of doubling the number
of tigers in the wild by 2022 – a goal which was set in 2010 when the wild tiger
population was at an all-time low.’

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 CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 7: DIAGNOSTIC CHECK

1 What is the main purpose of the text?

Tick () one box.
to inform people about tigers

to persuade people to help conserve tigers

to show how beautiful tigers are

to explain how many tigers are left [1]

2 Give one piece of evidence from lines 1–4 that shows the WWF conservation efforts are
working.

[1]

3 Why is 2022 an appropriate year to choose as a target for increasing tiger numbers
to 6000 (lines 5–6)?
[1]

4 Give two things that have helped increase tiger numbers (lines 5–9)?

 [2]

5 Give one word from lines 5–9 that means the same as ‘stopped’?

[1]

6 How does the last paragraph differ from the rest of the text? What is the effect?

Difference:

Effect:

[2]

7 Give two layout features used in the article.

 [2]

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 CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 7: DIAGNOSTIC CHECK

Section B: Writing
Spend around 20 minutes on this section.

1 Now write an article for a school magazine about why animals are important.
You should write three paragraphs.
You could consider:
• animals in zoos or safari parks
• animals kept as pets
• why it is important for humans to look after animals. [10]

Space for your plan:

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 CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 7: DIAGNOSTIC CHECK

Write your article.

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 CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 7: DIAGNOSTIC CHECK

Part 2: Fiction
Section A: Reading
Spend around 20 minutes on this section.
Read the following text (an extract from The Runaways by Victor Canning), then
answer questions 1–6.

Within twenty minutes Smiler was back with the spade. He began to dig at the blocked
entrance to the cave, working hard and fast and expertly. Fortunately the collapsed roof of
the den opening was all loose soil and turf. There were no heavy stones among the debris.
After about ten minutes hard going he had worked his way through the top part of the
5 blockage, digging slightly downwards all the time.

Suddenly his spade went through the last of the block. A small hole about the size of a man’s
head opened up and the sunlight poured through it. He stopped digging and waited, listening.
Inside the cave, the two cubs had long heard the sound of Smiler working away with the
spade. When he finally broke through both of them were huddled together against the back
10 wall of the den. The sudden sunlight blinded them. The male cub arched his back and
snap-hissed, half in fear and half in defiance. The female crouched by him, more hungry than
frightened, and gave a series of small mews.

Outside, Smiler clicked his tongue and gave a few low encouraging cries. He reached back and
got his haversack. Inside, wrapped in grease paper for his lunch was a small, cold, roast
15 chicken. He broke off one of the legs and held it just outside the hole. He couldn’t see the
cubs, but he could hear them moving and crying now.

Inside the cave both cubs suddenly got the scent of the chicken. They ceased their noise.
The male cub, drawn first by the smell of food, moved slowly forward towards the patch of
daylight at the front of the cave. Two feet from it he stopped. He could see part of Smiler’s
20 face and the smell of chicken was now stronger. The hunger in him overcame his fear.
He climbed up over the loose soil to the opening.

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 CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 7: DIAGNOSTIC CHECK

1 Give one phrase that tells you Smiler’s digging was speedy and effective (lines 1–3).

[1]

2 Give two pieces of evidence that show Smiler’s task was reasonably easy (lines 1–5).

 [2]

3 What does ‘huddled together’ (line 9) suggest about the cubs’ reaction to Smiler
digging the hole?

[1]

4 Give one phrase that shows the cubs have spent a long time in the dark lines 9-12.

[1]

5 Explain, using your own words, how the cubs react differently to seeing the hole appear.

The male cub:

The female cub: [2]

6 Give three ways the writer uses language or structure to describe the cubs’
movement in the last paragraph.

[3]

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 CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 7: DIAGNOSTIC CHECK

Section B: Writing
Spend around 20 minutes on this section.

1 Now continue the story of Smiler and the cubs. You should write three paragraphs.
You should consider:
• what Smiler does next
• how the cubs react. [10]

Space for your plan:

Cambridge Lower Secondary English 7 – Creamer, Williams, Rees-Bidder & Elsdon © Cambridge University Press 2021 8
 CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 7: DIAGNOSTIC CHECK

Write your story.

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