O Level English Green Book - Answers

CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Exam-style questions and sample answers have been written by the authors. In examinations, the way marks are awarded
may be different. References to assessment and/or assessment preparation are the publisher’s interpretation of the
syllabus requirements and may not fully reflect the approach of Cambridge Assessment International Education.
nswers to the
A
coursebook
Chapter 1: Reading skills and strategies
1.1 An introduction to reading skills
1 Students’ own answers.
1.2 Reading strategies

2 a This is a travel article written with the main purpose of persuading potential tourists to visit Bali,
although it also provides readers with information about the attractive features of Bali and how
and when to travel. Intended readers are likely to be adults in countries outside Indonesia who
have an income high enough to make international travel affordable.
b Bali offers: golden beaches; spectacular scenery; surfing and trekking; diving and snorkelling
opportunities; spas; yoga and meditation retreats; markets and galleries; nightlife; cafés and
restaurants; picturesque beaches; rural charm of inland areas; views over mesmerising valleys.
c Paragraph 1: beautiful scenery makes Bali popular. Paragraph 2: there are water sports, relaxing
retreats, and shopping, dining and nightlife opportunities. Paragraph 3: there are quiet, unspoilt
places away from crowds. Paragraph 4: info on flights, weather, seasons, languages and currency.
Paragraph 5: imperative and exclamatory sentences tell readers to go to Bali.
d We can infer that the tourist industry has reduced the unique nature, beauty and charm of some
parts of Bali.
e Answers will vary but students may suggest the following:
• personification and alliteration make the sentence memorable and persuasive
• visual sense description and modifiers ‘stunning’ and ‘intricately’ help readers picture
Bali’s landscape.
f Pre-reading Text 1.1’s title ‘Explore Bali!’ indicates the purpose of the article. Questions a–e
contain important command words such as ‘scan’, ‘skim’, ‘closely read’, ‘what is inferred’, etc.
which students should pre-read before writing answers more fully.
1.3 Types of texts

1 a Non-fiction: A, C, F, G, I, J. Fiction: B, D, E, H
b In their discussions, students may note that the non-fiction texts refer to real people, places and
situations, including dates, facts and figures. The fiction texts refer to imagined characters and
places (e.g. robots and spaceships) and have more examples of descriptive and figurative language.
92 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

2 Text-type/genre and features:

C (non-fiction, factual article) formal tone, factual details and academic register used to support the
writer’s view
D (science fiction, narrative prose) direct speech from fictional robotic character, show not tell
technique to present action, third person narration, sense description and expressive vocabulary
E (fantasy fiction, narrative prose) narrative voice, third person reporting of character’s thoughts,
descriptive past tense account of action
F (non-fiction, biography) biographical subject and voice, factual places, repeated pronoun references
to same person
G (non-fiction, travel article) direct address to reader, reference to tourists’ interests, actual place
names used (proper nouns)
H (historical fiction, narrative prose) descriptive and figurative language, visual, tactile and
auditory imagery
I (non-fiction, news article) adverbial at beginning of sentence, focus on newsworthy current events,
figurative language, reporting of facts, formal tone
J (non-fiction, autobiography) first person account, reference to real people and places.
3 Students’ paragraphs should use the features they identified for each of their chosen texts.
Chapter 2: Reading for comprehension

2.1 Focusing on vocabulary
1
Word Meaning in Synonyms What the writer is conveying
context
stifling suffocating airless, sweltering, that the car journey is uncomfortably
choking hot
minor insignificant unimportant, slight that the destination will make the
uncomfortable journey worth it
provide relief give a break give help, offer support Yaseera feels she needs a break from
arguing with Faisal
endless cycle continual frequent arguments or Yaseera feels unhappy because of
of bickering arguing squabbles repeated arguments with Faisal
dwarfed tiny by overshadowed, from a distance the car looks small
comparison towered over next to the buildings, but also that
their marriage problems may need to
be viewed from a different perspective
rural country (not countryside, rustic Yaseera’s childhood dreams of life in a
city or town) city was not of crowded and cramped
conditions, but her current living
circumstances are
seamlessly traffic is effortlessly, easily, the journey is going well
moving freely smoothly
meandering the car is on twisting, bending, the car is moving side to side as it
winding roads weaving winds its way up the hills
luxuriating enjoying enjoying, basking, Yaseera is enjoying the idea of arriving
relishing
anticipation expectation looking forward to, Yaseera believes she is heading to a
awaiting beautiful and peaceful place and so is
enjoying the idea of arriving there

Word Meaning in Synonyms What the writer is conveying

context
ambience atmosphere setting, feeling, mood Yaseera imagines her destination as
peaceful
bitterly angrily fiercely, heatedly, even though Yaseera hoped their
furiously trip would give them a break from
arguing, it seems to have helped
create more arguments
dejectedly sadly disappointedly, Yaseera and Faisal feel like they have
unhappily, miserably failed in any attempt to avoid arguing
choked blocked congested, jammed, the place is very crowded
obstructed
milling crowding, loitering, lingering, crowds of people are moving around,
swarming, wandering with no single or specific purpose,
thronging and taking up a lot of space
paradise a blissful place heaven, Jannah, they imagined their destination would
Eden, utopia be different from their city life and be
peaceful, uncrowded and beautiful,
but too many tourists have spoilt
the place
2 Students compare their tables.

3 Students’ chosen words should be appropriately and accurately used in their sentences, making sense
in context.
2.2 Putting reading strategies into practice

1 a ‘there is a damp, sometimes musty smell which is common to all caves’
b ‘initially’
c ‘eerie shadows’ and ‘creatures such as mice scurrying across your path’
d a pain in the knees from walking with bent legs
e worrying whether you will ever get to the end and how you will find your way back
f there are jagged pieces of rock and deep, shallow-looking pools of stagnant water to avoid
2 Text 2.4 is a narrative account of two characters, Hector and Brendon, arriving at a hotel.
It describes the hotel and the relationship between the two characters through their dialogue.
3 Students analyse the questions.
4 a The men are feeling hungry and hot after a long journey.
b The name of the hotel suggest that it overlooks a lake.
c ‘ultimate’
d The shrubs have an old-fashioned, ‘vintage look’ and the drive had stones or rubble on it.
e It suggests Hector is a very thoughtful or contemplative person.
f Hector is making a joke, because no staff have arrived at the hotel’s reception to serve them.
g Positive details: it is large and open, with lots of daylight; it has a view of the lake.
Negative details: wobbly chair; out-of-date calendar.
h ‘Extra vigour’ suggests he rang the bell loudly, forcefully or impatiently.
5 Students choose their own ranking of how difficult the questions are.
6 Students should use the annotations in the coursebook to identify if any of their answers are fully
correct, incorrect or only partially correct, then improve their own answers.

2.3 Using your own words

1 Example answer: The hotel reception has lots of daylight and has a view of the lake.
However, there is a wobbly chair.
2 Students evaluate their answers in pairs.
3 a Sunny found the manager and waiter catching napkins and stopping sandwiches being blown
from the hotel’s dining tables in the wind.
b It suggests Brendon shouted, so his voice would be heard above any noise.
c The manager is pointing out he cannot control the wind.
d Brendan suggests that they should erect a screen to block the wind heading towards the tables,
but this would not work because the wind is too strong, as shown by the fact that it is not slowed
down by the hotel wall.
e The manager’s body is being pushed by the wind and he is waving his arms around to retain his balance.
4 Students review the sample answers and use the guidance to identify why some of the sample answers
are fully correct, incorrect or only partially correct. The answers are given as part of Activity 5.
5 Students assess their own response to Activity 4 using the information given.
2.4 Explicit and implicit meaning

1 a ‘scanned’
b monsoon rains
c He learns that his flight will not be taking off due to the weather, and he is sad and disheartened
that he will not be at a special family occasion.
d Shahnawaz’s worst fear is that he might not make it on time to his sister’s celebration.
e He did not follow his mother’s advice because he felt that work was more important than this
personal matter.
f The family occasion Shahnawaz is going to miss is probably his sister’s wedding, as it is described
as the ‘happiest and most important day’ of her life.
g In the future, Shahnawaz may prioritise his family relationships above his work; he may plan to
arrive a few days before important events, especially if extreme weather is likely to affect his
travel arrangements.
2 a The journey was long; they made the journey in a hot, stuffy car with no air conditioning.
b Two from: they wanted to escape the heat of the city; they wanted to be in an open, uncrowded
space; Yaseera hoped it would stop the couple arguing.
c Two from: the run-down look of the buildings (with ‘peeling paintwork’); the washing hanging
over the balconies; the crowded living conditions.
d Yaseera is surprised the traffic is moving freely and the journey is not as unpleasant as she was expecting.
e ‘meandering’ and ‘ribbon’
f There are ‘crowds of people’ filling up most spaces; there are children ‘running around screaming’;
there is a mess everywhere with the ‘debris of picnics’.
3 a The writer suggests that Yaseera’s relationship with Faisal is unhappy and quarrelsome.
b The writer shows Yaseera’s optimism by mentioning her secret hope that some time in the hills will
help them stop arguing.
c The writer gives the impression that Yaseera feels her life in the city is disappointing and
overcrowded. This is shown when she ‘sighed’ at the poor paintwork and many washing lines on
buildings as well as her reflections on ‘life piled up on top of hundreds of other families in a tiny
one-bedroomed box’.
d The writer builds up Yaseera’s anticipation by describing her contentment with the smooth
journey and her enjoyment at imagining the scenery and relaxing atmosphere at the national park.

e The writer suggests that too many visitors all at once and the rubbish they leave behind are two
ways in which mass tourism ruins places of natural beauty.
f At the end of this trip Yaseera is likely to feel sad and frustrated. This is hinted at by the
description of the couple walking up the hill ‘dejectedly’ and the suggestion that instead
of being ‘paradise’ the national park has become a place ‘ruined by mass tourism’.
2.5 Exploring implicit meanings

1 a The implication is that the woman is more interested in her book than the man she looks at.
The writer shows this through the character’s actions rather than stating it directly, and it makes
the reader wonder what has happened between the two characters to make the woman
disinterested in the man.
b The implication is that her father is unable to do any gardening, something he previously loved
doing. This suggests something sad, such as the father being very ill or having died, and makes the
reader engage with the woman and wonder what has happened.
c The implication is that no one has cleaned the kitchen for some time, and the woman is
disappointed to discover this. Her emotional response (‘her heart sank’) links to the visually
descriptive scene to make the reader feel sorry for the woman.
d The implication is that the yard is depressing and enclosed or confining – not a happy, uplifting
place to be. The writer implies this through connotations of the words ‘desolate’ and ‘surrounded’,
and gives the reader a sense of foreboding about what might happen in this dark place.
e The writer implies that the person may not be able to cope with the pressure of fame. Using the
phrase ‘yet to prove’ makes the reader understand that the writer is willing to be proved wrong
while at the same time suggesting that the outcome should be doubted.
f The writer implies that something dramatic has happened to make the woman dislike her ‘former
friend’ so much that she is glad to see her humiliated and possibly even slightly hurt. This has the
effect of making the reader interested in what has happened and about the relationship between
the two women.
2 Discussions should cover the following points and aspects of the text.
a Tali’s emotionally reactive and physically energetic character
b Tali’s initial anxiety and suspicion and then gratitude towards the driver suggest her shifting emotions
c Tali’s frantic and confused search in the ‘labyrinth’ of hospital corridors
d The woman was impatient when the lift was held up by Tali.
e As the mother ‘shifts awkwardly’ and avoids eye contact, we can infer she is not relaxed in Tali’s
company. There appears to be some resentment between them, relating to her mother’s different
feelings towards her eldest son and Tali.
f The writer does not state what the emergency is, but implies that it is serious because the mother
has been taken to the hospital emergency room, which is for urgent medical problems.
g The writer implies that Tali can’t be forgiven for choosing to lead an independent life.
3 a She feels ‘fear and mistrust’ because she is not sure why the taxi driver takes such a long, indirect
route and she is uncertain of his motives for doing this.
b Two emotions Tali feels could be confusion (‘lost in a labyrinth’) and anxiety (‘her heart racing
furiously’).
c The word ‘flung’ suggests that Tali’s physical movements are rapid and hasty.
d The woman in the lift is irritated that the lift is held for Tali – she seems to be in a hurry herself and
does not want to wait. Tali gives her an ‘icy glare’ to show her disapproval at the woman’s impatience.
e The phrases ‘shifted awkwardly’ and ‘avoiding direct eye contact’ suggest Tali’s mother is anxious
and uncomfortable about seeing Tali.
f Tali feels she is equal to her older brother, so she is angry that her mother sees him as having
higher status.

4 Students predict what happens next in the story.

5 a ‘Time had stopped’ suggests that there is no or very little activity around Jim as he waits –
that nothing really changes from one day to the next.
b The hedges and grass have a deeper colour as they grow more thickly together. The hedge may
also be getting taller, creating more shadows on the lawn.
c When Jim played these games before he was in happier circumstances, so the games were more
playful and joyful. Now he is in a troubled situation and this makes it harder to become absorbed
in the games.
d Jim is in an uncertain situation and everything around him has changed, so he clings to his old
routine to provide familiarity and stability and some sense of normality in this unusual situation.
e His parents probably told him not to keep playing with his model aircraft when it was time to
go to sleep; so now they are not here to forbid it he keeps it with him and it probably gives him
comfort to have it nearby.
f The writer is implying that the neglected state of the house is making it less and less familiar to
Jim, e.g. the garden is ‘overgrown’. The writer also implies that because his parents are not there
to run the house (e.g. turning off taps or reminding Jim to do so), this also makes the house seem
to withdraw from its former state.
g In the extract, Jim at first eagerly awaits the return of his parents and looks out for them by
climbing ‘on to the sloping roof’ every morning. During this early period, he also tries to pass the
time in enjoyable ways by plane-spotting or playing, but these activities do not cheer him up as
they seemed to have ‘lost their magic’. Jim follows his normal routines and takes a toy to bed with
him, probably to comfort himself in the strange circumstances. Over the four days Jim becomes
more aware of feeling separated from his parents and his former life as shown by the house
seeming to withdraw from him ‘in a series of small and unfriendly acts.’
6 Student responses will vary but should list and comment on points made in this section of the
coursebook. For example, students may comment on some or all of the following points.
The use of implied meanings makes the story more interesting for the reader because:
• readers may notice implied meanings and be curious about what is meant
• readers do not immediately understand implied meanings which causes them to wonder why
and how the writer used language implicitly
• readers think more deeply about what the story means as they reflect on implied meanings
and make inferences about what the writer is implying through their choice of language
• as readers notice implied meanings they try to understand them and this engages readers further
as they then try to draw conclusions about the story and its characters
2.6 Understanding a writer’s opinions and attitudes

1 Discussions should explore the fact that the writer does not really approve of gap-year projects and
does not have a high opinion of young people who volunteer overseas. The writer thinks such projects
do not really solve problems in the long-term and that the people who take part in them are more
interested in using them as an opportunity for travelling or a holiday than genuinely doing something
useful.
2 a Students should note the writer’s views on: the increased number of tourists; previously calm
places becoming ‘chaos’; more roads and amenities; more garbage; a new self-indulgent
atmosphere; how all of these seem to be ruining beauty spots (in the writer’s opinion).
b Students should note that the writer raises the question of whether tourism is sustainable,
but also suggests it is not because modern tourists are ‘self-indulgent’ and do not show care
or ‘restraint’ towards the beauty spots they visit.
3–5 Students carry out and evaluate role plays, following the instructions in the coursebook.

Exam-style question
1 aThey have made a game out of checking the weather and are shocked into amusement when they
feel how intensely cold it is outside. Both the game and their lack of experience of the intense cold
make them seem like children.
b The freezing temperature plus the chilling effect of the wind make it seem twice as cold and
uncomfortable.
c The northern location of Alaska means it can be daylight for 24 hours a day. This can make it
difficult to relax or sleep, which is unpleasant. The writer must accept or ‘submit’ to the reality of
this fact, because he cannot change it.
d Whale meat provides vitamins and nutrition that the Inupiat are not able to get from fresh fruit
and vegetables. Hunting whales is one of the Inupiat’s traditional rights, and their hunting does
not endanger the whales as a species because they do not kill more than 22 whales per year.
e ‘bouncy and boisterous’
f The writer is unenthusiastic and averse to whale hunting. He says he is ‘reluctant to watch the
slaughter of any whale’ and is ‘glad’ when they do not see any whales on the hunting trip.
g i) The whaler is a mile out because the sea water nearer the shore is frozen.
ii) Sea water is normally liquid so seeing it frozen solid is a strange but pleasant experience,
indicated by the writer describing it as ‘hauntingly lovely’. The writer is also astonished
by the ‘blueness’ of the ice as he says the colour comes as a ‘shock’ to him.
h It being ‘bright as day’ at night, the ‘double’ effect of cold temperatures and wind, as well as
a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables are all challenges of living in Barrow.
2 Students’ answers will vary, but should mention some or all of the following points:
• Whale meat provides vitamins and nutrition that the Inupiat are not able to get from fresh fruit
and vegetables.
• Hunting whales is one of the Inupiat’s traditional rights.
• The Inupiat’s hunting does not endanger the whales as a species because they do not kill more
than 22 whales per year.
Chapter 3: Analysing and explaining

writers’ effects
3.1 What is a ‘writer’s effect’?
1 Students should identify the most successful answer in each pair and explain why.
• Student B is more successful than Student A because they explain the metaphorical effect
conveyed by ‘the land below was a patchwork quilt’, in that it emphasises perceiving objects
as small when you are high up as well as the differently coloured fields.
• Student C is more successful than Student D because they explain the insecurity and tension
in the phrase ‘tottering precariously’.
• Student E is more successful that Student F because they explain how ‘dropped like a stone’
shows that she fell straight and fast as though a dead weight which creates tension for the reader.
• Student G is more successful than Student H because they explain ‘plummeting and hurtling
downwards’ as giving a sense of speed and a lack of control, making the situation sound
dangerous.
• Student J is more successful than Student I because they identify that the alliterative use of
‘spiralling and spinning’ has a dizzying effect on the reader and conveys a sense of twisting
and turning out of control at speed while falling.

• Student K is more successful than Student L because they identify the effect of the metaphor
‘floating on a sea of air’ as conveying relaxation for the character as though she is bobbing along
on waves of air in a carefree way.
• Student M is more successful than Student N because they explain the metaphor ‘the billowing
sails of the parachute’ makes it clear that the character feels saved by the parachute and that the
parachute fabric is flapping in the wind.
2 Students’ answers will vary, but may consider the following points:
a ‘Strong breeze buffeting her’ is alliterative and gives the impression of a fierce wind hitting her.
b ‘She felt woozy and light-headed’ – repetition of two words with the same meaning, i.e. being
faint, emphasises how she is feeling.
c ‘She felt a whoosh, and up she rose’ – the long vowel sound and onomatopoeic effect of ‘whoosh’
conveys the sound of wind rushing and ‘up she rose’ communicates the idea of being lifted up.
3.2 How language suggests meanings and ideas

1 Students should discuss how each verb shows characters walking in different ways to suggest what the
characters are like. The verb ‘walking’ does not suggest anything about the character (except the fact
that they are walking).
2 Positive adjectives: delightful, floral
Negative adjectives: cheap, sickly, revolting
Neutral adjectives: musky, powerful, familiar
For the neutral sentences, more context would be needed to know whether the attitude was positive or
negative. Floral could be interpreted as redundant or bland as many perfumes have a flowery fragrance,
so this adjective does not suggest as much as the other adjectives.
3 Students’ responses will vary, but should avoid figurative and descriptive language. Example response:
The excited crowd watched the ball move. It hit the post and the crowd was disappointed. They shouted as
Malik blocked the ball with his head then turned, kicked and scored a goal. The crowd shouted again, got
up from their seats and raised their arms. The shouting continued as Malik ran, jumped and then kneeled
on the well-mowed pitch.
4 Students should discuss that a lack of figurative and descriptive language does not engage readers’
interest.
6 Students discuss the connotations of the words in the table.
7 a and b
• The words ‘wreaked havoc’ and ‘tatters’ attempt to evoke the sense of devastation caused by the
storm in the reader.
• The words ‘aghast’ and ‘shock’ attempt to evoke the feeling of astonishment and disappointment
in the reader.
• The words ‘mountains’, ‘dumped’ and ‘absolute disgrace’ attempt to evoke a feeling of disgust
in the reader.
• The words ‘desperate’ and ‘escape’ convey to the reader the overwhelming desire or need for
the funding.
• The words ‘defenceless old lady’, ‘mercilessly mowed down’ and ‘gang of thugs’ attempt
to evoke the brutality of the attack for the reader.
8 a Word choices such as ‘softened into a drizzle’ and ‘spread its warmth across the valley’ attempt
to evoke a feeling of relief and calm as the storm passes and the sunshine returns.
b Word choices such as ‘cowering’, ‘terrible roar’ and ‘terrified’ evoke a feeling of fear at the bear.
c Word choices such as ‘her heart pounded furiously’, ‘faint scratching’ and ‘muffled’ attempt
to get the reader to share the character’s feeling of panic as she listens intently to quiet sounds
from a hiding place.

d Word choices such as ‘a small, lonely figure’, ‘silent street’, ‘silhouette fading into the gathering
darkness’ attempt to evoke the character’s sense that her mother looks isolated and is vanishing, which
could also have a further figurative meaning of the character fearing her mother will not return.
e Word choices such as ‘hurtled’, ‘looping and spiralling high’ and ‘their exhilarated screams and
shouts’ attempt to evoke a sense of frenetic movement and excitement.
3.3 Responding to writers’ effects

1 Students’ rankings will be subjective, but suggested rankings from least to most intense are:
Group 1: displeased, irritated, annoyed, aggravated, cross, vexed, angry, irate, bitter, furious, enraged,
fuming, apoplectic, raving
Group 2: content, cheerful, happy, gratified, jolly, merry, delighted, gleeful, glowing, blissful, ecstatic,
joyous, exhilarated, euphoric
Group 3: ready, committed, willing, enthusiastic, keen, excited, earnest, wholehearted, zealous,
exuberant, devoted, eager, fervent, fanatical
Group 4: group, bunch, assembly, class, pack, crowd, club, party, family, flock, troop, band, gang, clique
(Note that in Group 4, the words have a more varied mixture of neutral, positive and negative
connotations compared to the other three groups, e.g. ‘clique’ implies a negative exclusivity, ‘family’
implies positive emotional bonds, and ‘group’, ‘bunch’, ‘assembly’ are neutral, so this group of words
relies more on the context of their use and are not so easily ranked in isolation.)
2 a–c Students’ discuss their rankings in groups.
3 a metaphor and alliteration
b simile
c metaphor and hyperbole
d personification
e sensory description (auditory) of the boy’s actions
f alliteration (specifically sibilance)
g personification
h hyperbole
i simile
5 Personification of the house, windows, wind, flowers and path. A simile is also used in comparing
the path to an army, and a metaphor is used in comparing the movement of earth and leaves over
the path to a battle for territory between two armies.
6 a … like a person who feels sad and isolated.
b … that like someone with shut eyes you cannot see through the house’s windows.
c … alive like a person or animal.
d … failed hopes even at the new beginning represented by the personified spring flowers.
e … that the garden path is gradually being covered by the earth and leaves.
3.4 Figurative language to create atmosphere and settings

1 Text 3.5: The atmosphere is negative. ‘Froze’ describes the character’s fear and her quick, frantic
thoughts, as well as the questions, suggest her panicky feelings. Word choices such as ‘desolate’,
‘no refuge’ and ‘no escape’ create an atmosphere of hopelessness.
Text 3.6: The atmosphere is negative. Hostility is suggested by ‘swarmed’, and because Uzma is ‘small’
compared to the ‘giants’ that surround her this adds more threat to someone vulnerable. There is an
atmosphere of growing panic and fear especially in the description of Uzma’s breathing as ‘tight’
and ‘difficult’.

Text 3.7: The atmosphere is positive. ‘Sumptuous’ and ‘glorious’ describe the extravagance of the food
whereas feeling ‘like a king’ shows Tom’s feeling of importance on his birthday. Even his birthday
cake is described in a hyperbolic way as it ‘towered above the other dishes’, which again creates an
atmosphere of grandiosity around Tom’s birthday.
3 Text 3.8: rural, isolated, hot, hostile
a It suggests that there is a very large expanse of desert in front of them.
b hyperbole
c It creates a feeling of intense, painful brightness and heat.
d visual imagery
e Word choices such as ‘thick’, ‘parched’ and ‘making breathing painful’ show the physical effects
of the heat.
Text 3.9: poor, hostile
a The metaphor suggests that the home may not even be adequate for animals let alone people.
b The connotations of ‘shack’ are that the home is very simple and basic, like a wooden cabin
or shed.
c ‘Discoloured with age’, ‘stained and spotted’, ‘torn in a score of places’ and ‘rotten, worm-eaten
boards’ all suggest the house is in a poor state of repair.
d The beautiful image of the seagulls on the screen contrasts with the ugly appearance of the house
and reveals its ugliness and so seems like ‘an unkind comment.’
e The description of the home suggests the people who live there live in ‘drab poverty’, being poor,
unwilling or unable to improve their accommodation, but who may nevertheless appreciate or
hope for better things, as represented by the screen with the ‘seagulls soaring’.
Text 3.10: urban, crowded, hot
a It suggests a contrast between his rural village and the urban city as well as between nature’s
‘sand’, ‘mud’ and ‘fish’, and industrially developed cities’ ‘granite’, ‘cement’ and ‘rubbery mutton.’
b It suggests the city air is not as clean, fresh or cool as the air in his village.
c The descriptions of the lights make the city seem extremely bright and abundant with light and energy.
d ‘Rivers of asphalt’ is a metaphor comparing roads to rivers. This metaphor suggests Salaamat
is still attached to his village life as he uses a natural image to describe the busy roads.
e ‘An entire house could light up like a private galaxy’ is a simile. This simile suggests that there
are many very well-lit houses that use a lot of energy.
3.5 Language choices to describe characters and people

1 a The mother’s smile was unfriendly.
b He felt irritated, but he did not show this to other people.
c She empathises with the man.
d She feels emotionally fulfilled.
e His approach to resolving issues was clumsy, overly forceful, or insensitive.
f He believes she is lying or not telling him the whole truth.
2 a The writer creates a positive impression of Miriam by describing how well-dressed and beautiful
she looks, as well as her good level of education.
b Describing Miriam through Begum’s eyes shows the reader how Begum sees Miriam and allows
us to understand her feelings towards the young woman.
c no
d The text suggests that Begum adores – almost worships – Miriam.
3 Students’ own responses.

4 a Clement appears relaxed as he sits on the floor with ‘his plate of rice between his legs’ while
Evelina appears unhappy and sulky as she picks at her food with ‘adolescent discontent’.
b The phrase ‘grizzled, gangling labourer’ suggests that Dave Dovecot is tall and lanky and
worn out from hard, physical work.
c The phrase ‘a long thread of a woman whose bones want had picked like an eagle’ uses metaphor
and personification to suggest that Mrs Dovecot is very thin and has not had enough food to eat
because she is poor.
d The phrase ‘she scraped and pecked and foraged her food like a scratching hen’ gives the
impression that Mrs Dovecot eats like a hungry bird, scavenging for food on the ground.
e The words ‘picking’, ‘picked like an eagle’, ‘scraped’, ‘pecked’ and ‘scratching hen’ are all associated
with birds and give the impression that the Dovecot family are like sad, hungry, underfed birds.
5 a The phrase ‘acting Head’ tells us his position is temporary in a literal sense, and suggests he may
be playing a role in a metaphorical sense.
b Personification. The phrase ‘scuffling tumult’ gives the impression that people moved their feet a lot.
c The description of the acting Head as ‘a squat jug of a man, fierce-eyed and unsmiling’ gives the
impression of a short, fat, cruel man.
d The three phrases suggest the rest of the school is enjoying the Head’s actions. The effect of these
phrases presents the actions of the acting Head and the rest of the school as cruel and sadistic.
e The lines ‘The cruel laughter went up to the rafters. The schoolmaster permitted it free swell’
suggest that the acting Head is encouraging the school’s reactions.
8 a Personification. The effect dramatises the character’s anxiety about the envelope’s contents –
will she succeed or fail in becoming a doctor?
b The character feels her hopes, dreams and ambitions could easily be destroyed by something as
simple as words on paper.
c Fear is suggested by her physical reactions, such as ‘heat rising through her body’ and ‘her heart
started to beat faster’. It is also suggested by her stillness when ‘she just stared at the envelope’.
It is also suggested by her hesitation as she ‘Tentatively’ reaches for the envelope and by her panic
as she feels ‘terror’ and is ‘trembling’ when she touches it.
d This writer suggests that the mother would cope better with bad news than her father. This is conveyed
by stating the mother would ‘hide her disappointment’ while her father would ‘close in on himself’.
e The character’s happiness at the news is effectively conveyed by the imagery of ‘relief flowed
through her, extinguishing the flames of terror’. Happiness is also shown by ‘She felt tears of joy’
and the direct speech ‘I’ve done it; I’m a doctor.’
9 Students read the text and discuss their reactions to the narrator using the bullet-point prompts.
10
Example Literal meaning Effect
the August heat The weather in The word ‘engulfed’ shows how
engulfed Tokyo Tokyo was extremely oppressive and unbearable the heat in
hot in August. Tokyo was. They couldn’t escape it.
the metallic heat of The carriage is hot ‘Metallic heat’ is suggestive of being in
the carriage and stuffy. an oven.
its wooden gateposts The posts have been This expresses how nature, seasons
warped by the winds that bent by the weather. and time affect and change places
peeled off the Pacific. and people.
the stocky promontory a rocky hill or It suggests the home has a stable
cliff edge foundation.
gates, dark and encrusted dark-coloured gates, The visual image evokes a sense of
with salt covered with salt mystery or wonder.

Example Literal meaning Effect

Eagle’s nest a high-up place This conveys the idea that the house is
with good views high up the hill and with magnificent views.
people are piled up in People live in small The writer contrasts these kinds of
concrete boxes, cages apartments made urban apartments with the home near
from concrete. Washikura.
my grandfather fought to There was a financial Communicates how strongly the
keep it or legal struggle to grandfather wanted to keep his beloved
keep ownership. home.
Forest sweeps the hills Forests covered much ‘Sweeps’ suggests that thick forests form
above the house. of the hill. waving patterns across the hills when
viewed from a distance.
the tea fields as they The tea plants get It evokes a connection to nature and the
darkened before autumn darker as the seasons changing seasons.
progress.
rocky black soil Dark-coloured, It evokes an earthy feeling that the home
stony earth is built on solid ground and has stability.
breathed in the sharp The pines have a ‘Breathed in’ conveys the pleasure
resin of the pines strong smell. of breathing in the ‘sharp’ astringent
pine fragrance.
the call of a sea eagle as it A bird makes a noise Visual and auditory imagery shows how
circled overhead as it flies. the home is connected to the beauty and
wildness of nature.
we nestled among the They lay comfortably Conveys the sense that they feel cosy and
pines, giggling under the trees. happy in the pine forest near their home.
voice wavered and fell The sound of his It evokes a feeling of fondness and
voice went up and nostalgia at remembering her grandfather
down, then was quiet. calling to them.
feeling the soft and She felt her breath on Tactile imagery evokes the feeling of
steady puff of my mother’s her face. physical and emotional closeness with
breath against my face the mother.
dark lashes against her eyelashes against Visual imagery shows how strong this
cheeks her cheeks detailed memory is for her.
her pallor, her stillness her pale skin and Conveys the idea that her mother’s skin is
motionless body pale and that she may be a calm person
as well as not overly energetic or hectic in
her movements.
his voice thin and distant thin and far away It evokes the feeling that she fondly
remembers her grandfather calling
from far away while she snuggles with
her mother.
3.6 Sensory language

2 a Tactile imagery is used to create tension by conveying Uzma’s physical reactions.
b The italics emphasise Uzma’s intense dislike when she feels the insect crawling on her body.

c The tactile sense of ‘squashed’ suggests that the insect was crushed and Uzma’s feeling
of revulsion.
d Sensory language conveys fear in that Uzma reacts ‘quickly’, conveys tactile sensation in that
she kills the insect by squashing it, and conveys revulsion when she feels the ‘wet sticky pulp’ and
recoils with ‘horror and disgust.’
e The writer shows the passing of time with tactile imagery of the ‘sticky splodge’ of the insect body
gradually drying. The feeling of time passing in the dark is also expressed with visual imagery
evoked by ‘the silent darkness’ and auditory imagery evoked by ‘Her ears strained to hear noises
from above, but all remained silent.’
3 a The phrase ‘musty smell, like an underground tomb’ gives the impression that the cellar is like an
underground cave, crypt or mausoleum where dead bodies are kept.
b The cellar is contrasted with the kitchen through visual, olfactory and tactile imagery, e.g. the
cellar is ‘dark’, has a ‘musty smell’ and feels ‘spooky’, while the kitchen has a ‘delicious warm
smell’ and is where Uzma feels ‘joy.’
c A claustrophobic effect is created through word choices such as ‘impenetrable’ and ‘very low’
which suggest that Uzma feels trapped and physically constricted. The visual imagery of ‘darkness’
also creates a feeling of being not being able to move easily.
d Being somewhere ‘very low’ suggests Uzma has to crouch and that she feels she is in a confined space.
e The words ‘scuttling’ and ‘slithering’ appeal to the reader’s sense of hearing (auditory imagery).
5 Students’ answers will vary, but the overall impression of the sugar-cane harvest is that all stages of the
process are an assault on the sense of smell, with strong, heavy odours.
6 a Visual imagery is used to convey intense heat in ‘metal gleaming’ and in describing heatwaves
‘shimmering into the air.’
b ‘Buzzing’ has an onomatopoeic effect and evokes the humming sounds of insects while the sibilant,
alliterative effect of ‘softly rustling grasses stirred’ evokes the rustling sound of tall grass being
blown by the wind.
c The tactile imagery of perspiration ‘running down my face’ and it being ‘dabbed’ at ‘frantically’
with a handkerchief show the physical unpleasantness of the heat.
d A sense of how the train looks as it approaches from far away is evoked in the imagery of it as
‘a small black speck’ and the train’s dark colour and winding movement is also conveyed by the
visual simile comparing the train to ‘a long dark python slithering and meandering its way towards
the station.’
e The tactile imagery of ‘vibrations’ conveys the writer’s physical sensation while the loud sound
of the train is evoked by auditory imagery in ‘frightening crescendo’, ‘roared’ and ‘hurt my ears.’
Olfactory imagery is used to convey a sense of disgust when the writer describes ‘the acrid stench
of diesel’ filling his ‘mouth and nostrils’ making him ‘cough and splutter’.
Exam-style question
Example answers:
a An impression of the intense heat of the sun is conveyed as it is described by ‘blazed’ and ‘determined
to burn every living thing’ ‘to a crisp’.
b isolated
c The writer suggests that the setting is shadowy, extremely dry, with a cyclical wind blowing grass up
into the sky.
d The writer evokes sympathy for the father when he shows the physical hardship he is enduring.
Tactile imagery shows his pain as his feet are ‘blistered’ and ‘burning’. Tactile imagery also shows how
uncomfortable the changing temperature is as the cold ‘pierced his bones’ and the heat made him feel
his ‘head would break into pieces.’

e (i) The line ‘he was shocked almost senseless by the trembling cry of his boy’ effectively conveys
the father’s fear at his boy’s injury.
(ii) The word ‘shocked’ evokes the father’s physical and emotional upset at the snake bite. Feeling
‘senseless’ further emphasises the father’s shock and fear that his boy has been harmed and is in
danger. The phrase ‘trembling cry’ conveys the father’s recognition and concern that his boy is hurt
and frightened.
Chapter 4: Summary writing

4.1 Reading for ideas
1 a two strands
b one strand
c two strands
d two strands
e one strand
2 Text 4.1: a informative text; b to inform and educate; c readers who have an interest in the subject
Text 4.2: a travel article; b to persuade; c potential tourists
Text 4.3: a news article; b to inform and persuade; c residents and general readers
Text 4.4: a biographical text; b to inform and educate; c readers who have an interest in this person
4 Climate change is melting the sea ice.
5 Example answer:
Main point Details Examples

Climate change is melting Restricts hunting grounds. They hunt on shore in summer,
sea ice. causing increased conflict with
humans.
Development of oil and Toxins affect their biological Their ability to reproduce.
gas industries are posing functions.
problems.
Bears are being exposed They ingest toxins when they Their fur loses its protective
to harmful oil spills and eat their prey. qualities.
chemicals such as pesticides.
They suffer increased hunger They will not have enough Cannot produce enough milk
in the hunting season. body fat. for their young.
6 Students’ own summaries of Text 4.3. They should follow the same approach as above.
Main point Details Examples

New Orange Line • new airconditioned, light-rail trains Reena (mother) – save two
metro (train) service • should reduce traffic, pollution hours a day in travel time
for Lahore commuters
• offers cheaper, quicker travel
especially to women
Train project provided Many of these workers will use new Junaid (station manager) – happy
3700 new jobs metro/trains with safe and easy travel

7 Students’ own summaries of Text 4.4. They only need to list the main points before discussing with
a partner.
• Mary Eliza Mahoney (1845) was the first African American woman in the USA to graduate from
nursing school and be professional nurse
• Parents were formerly enslaved people who moved northwards to ensure Mary received a
proper education
• Interested in nursing as a child but opportunities for African Americans were severely limited
• Admitted to nursing training at the New England Hospital for Women and Children in 1878
(aged 33)
• Founder of the anti-racist National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses in 1908
• One of the first women to register to vote in 1920
• Died aged 80 in 1926
• Inducted into the American Nurses Association Hall of Fame in 1976
8 a more than 600 000 cycle rickshaws on the streets of Dhaka; sometimes the cycle rickshaw is the
fastest means of transport; cycle rickshaws can also be dangerous; financial hardship
b it is not always safe or comfortable when the passengers aren’t wearing any restraints; shorten
their journey times by going against the line of oncoming cars; they run the risk of being knocked
off their cycles; it is easy to dent a tyre
c risk being clipped by larger vehicles; scraping the wheel of a cycle can also occur in this way;
safer if they wore helmets; safer if they were strapped in; would be very expensive
9 Students’ own summaries. A suggested arrangement of main points is:
Dangers:
• Rickshaw cyclists sometimes go against oncoming cars.
• Rickshaws weave in front of other vehicles.
• Cycle rickshaws travel at fast speeds.
• Cyclists often do not wear helmets.
• Passengers do not wear restraints/safety belts.
• Rickshaws may be damaged and unsafe.
• The city streets are overcrowded.
How to make safer:
• safety belts for passengers and helmets for cyclists
• traffic rules for direction, overtaking and speed for rickshaws.
10 Students’ own responses. Suggested content (unrearranged):
Advantages:
• encourages a sense of belonging
• helps identify students as a member of a community
• rich and poor students look the same
• children can concentrate on their studies rather worry about fashion
• may reduce bullying about clothes
• outside school students are clearly identified as the school’s ambassadors, for good and bad.
Disadvantages:
• some students not keen on uniform as it suppresses their individuality and freedom
• parents must buy more clothes for their children – an extra burden on limited family finances
• students can use their uniform to rebel against the school rules
• some teachers argue that too much time is taken up with sorting out petty uniform issues
• many headteachers believe that it helps with equality and good behaviour.

11 Students’ own responses. Suggested human errors to include (unrearranged):

• not all reports of icebergs reached the ship’s control room
• captain and officers did not correctly assess the danger of encountering an iceberg
• the Titanic’s speed was not slowed
• the captain was too concerned with his reputation
• the lookouts were not properly focused on the danger of icebergs
• extra lookouts were not posted
• no special instructions were given to engineers for possible emergency manoeuvres
• young radio operator’s poor judgement about messages about icebergs from the ship Californian.
4.2 Remodelling the text

1 a water sports
b seafood
c fashion accessories
d traffic accidents
e many big cats
f relatives
2 To save on word count all the examples could be changed; however, all the changes are to general terms
and at times there will be a benefit in specifying which water sports, big cats, relatives, etc. are meant.
3 1 = A; 2 = B; 3 = C
4 Example feedback:
Student A: Formal register, neutral tone, avoids repetition, synthesised points, within word count
at 161 words.
Student B: Some informal expression and comments; within word count at 155 words.
Student C: Much too informal in expression and comments; exceeds word count at 195 words
5 Students’ answers will vary. Example rewritten summaries:
Student D:
Eating too much sugar is unhealthy. Medical experts warn that without cutting high sugar intake, we
may end up overweight with diabetes and heart disease. Unfortunately, some foods high in sugar are
hard to resist. Nevertheless, reducing the amount of sugar in our diet has many health benefits, such
as improved skin complexion, lower body fat and more energy. Gaining more energy from less sugar
may sound contradictory as sugar provides energy, but in fact sugar only gives a short-term boost and
reduces your overall energy level leaving you craving even more sugar. Reducing high sugar content
in our diets makes us healthier in many ways.
Student E:
Our oceans contain enormous amounts of plastic waste put there by human activity. Every time a
plastic bottle or packet is discarded this adds to the problem. It could be argued that recycling plastic
waste and rubbish helps, but while this plastic is being transported to landfill much of it is blown away
by the wind. Plastic waste is then deposited in streams, rivers and drains, finally ending up in the ocean.
There are also minute particles of plastic in many of the things that we flush away or put down our
sinks. Many of these plastic particles are then consumed by small marine creatures, eventually making
their way back into the human food chain.
Student F:
The oldest living animal is a giant tortoise called Jonathan. At 183 years of age, Jonathan has
significantly exceeded the typical 150-year life expectancy of a Seychelles giant tortoise. Jonathan lives
on the small Atlantic island of St Helena which has been his home since he was presented as a gift
to the island governor when Jonathan was a youthful 50 years old. At his advanced age, Jonathan’s
eyesight and sense of smell have failed, but fortunately he still has very sensitive hearing. He is fed

on a sumptuous diet of apples, bananas, carrots and guava which provide him with all the nutrients
he needs to stay in excellent health. Jonathan still resides in the grounds of the governor’s house, and
hopefully will remain there for the foreseeable future.
6 Example summaries:
Text 4.11: A trip to Islamabad offers something enjoyable for the whole family. Truck painting
workshops are usually a popular attraction for artistic relatives. Trucks are decorated in many styles
and learning about this traditional art can be fascinating. Islamabad’s monuments, hills, green spaces
and animals would also appeal to different members of the family, so there is something for everyone.
You can view the striking Pakistan Monument and enjoy clowns or camel rides when there. You can
go hiking among the Margalla Hills and watch monkeys, rare birds and sunsets. If your family prefers,
they can stroll along the city’s tree-lined avenues viewing modern architecture. Refreshments at the
monument are available and there are excellent restaurants in the Margalla Hills where scenic views
of the city can be enjoyed.
Text 4.12: Mobile phones have been shown to have mixed impacts. Always being contactable can be
an advantage for many people, making it safer and easier to keep in touch with friends and family, even
when far apart, all the time. Likewise, smartphones can help with finding useful information online and
interacting via social media wherever you are, even when you are not at home. However, mobile phones
can also reduce communication, for instance, by ignoring people in favour of obsessively checking our
phones for online information. This and similar related behaviours cause some people to believe that
mobile phones are resulting in bad manners, such as speaking or playing music loudly on trains or
using phones while being served in shops. A result of this is that people neglect basic courtesies such as
saying thank you. Mobiles may also encourage narcissism by overvaluing them as status symbols and
stimulating the compulsive taking of selfies.
4.3 Developing coherent writing

1 aBlue whales used to be abundant in all the Earth’s oceans, but they were hunted almost to the
point of extinction by whalers.
b Blue whales migrate in spring and summer because there is more food available in the cooler
northern waters.
c Blue whales were listed as endangered in 2018 when their numbers had dwindled seriously.
d Blue whales can ingest pollutants from oil and these can injure their respiratory or intestinal tracts.
2 a Abdul was an English teacher who worked in a high school in Bangladesh.
b Abdul taught English in a high school, which had almost 500 students.
c Abdul met one of his former students, whom he had taught for three years of high school.
d Abdul lived next door to Shahnawaz, whose son he had taught for two years of high school.
3 a Walking to school, Tabinda met an old friend from high school.
b Chatting together, they walked along the street.
c Hearing that her friend was a teacher, Tabinda told her friend that she was a teacher too.
d Smiling, her friend told Tabinda that she had heard from many colleagues that Tabinda was
a wonderful teacher.
4–5 Students’ own summaries and assessments.
6 Students’ own summaries and assessments.
4.4 Summary-writing practice

1 Example response: Malawi’s variety of wildlife, beaches and accommodation make it an attractive
tourist destination for many people. For those interested in Malawi’s lions, rhinos, elephants, zebras,
giraffes and blue monkeys, all these animals can be seen in the country’s wildlife parks and reserves.
Majete Wildlife Park and Nyika National Park both offer beautiful landscapes with great varieties of
wildlife and flowers as well as animals. Enthusiasts of rivers and lakes can canoe down Malawi’s Bua

River or view tropical fish when snorkelling in Lake Malawi. Surprisingly, as it is a landlocked country,
there is a lot of water activity available in Malawi. Tourists can water-ski on the lake or relax on a
cruise or do a yoga class on its beaches. Malawi also offers a wide range of tourist accommodation that
will suit many different budgets, from simple beach shacks to expensive hotels with magnificent views
of Lake Malawi and other luxury facilities such as spas and high-end restaurants.
2 Example response: Studies show that learning outdoors can be beneficial for students. Children who
have access to nature are shown to develop greater emotional and behavioural resilience in other areas
of life. Additionally, time in nature boosts attention, motivation and cooperation, while lowering cases
of stress and bad behaviour. Furthermore, studies show that students who have access to green spaces
and the chance to study in them have improved attention and higher exam achievement. Teachers
have several objections to prioritising learning outdoors, however. First, they point out that it is not
always possible, particularly in cities, as inner-city schools do not have the same access as schools in
the suburbs or the countryside, whose students tend to have a socio-economic advantage. Second,
socio-economic disadvantage plays another role if outdoor trips become an added expense as not every
family can afford these. Finally, teachers can feel that outdoor learning gives them less control than
within classrooms.
3 Students’ own peer evaluations.
Exam-style question
Example answer: Campaigners state that the building of the Ilisu dam in south-east Turkey will have
negative impacts on the local population, the environment, and archaeological and historical research.
Situated on the banks of the Tigris River, the ancient city of Hasankeyf will be flooded during construction
of the dam. The human cost of this will be the flooding of 199 settlements and displacement of almost
80 000 people. According to campaigners, displacement of this many people will not be mitigated by the
government’s building of ‘new Hansankeyf’, a settlement where residents of Hansankeyf are supposed to
be relocated. The new settlement may not be adequate for the many families that would have to move there.
Additionally, damage to the natural environment and its biodiversity, including negative impacts on many
vulnerable and endangered species, will also occur during construction. Furthermore, Hansankeyf, which
dates back 12 000 years, is archaeologically significant and could provide important answers to historical
research, which is jeopardised by the Ilisu dam project because numerous historical sites will be flooded.
Residents of Hansankeyf continue to voice their opposition to the dam.
Chapter 5: Reading practice

Comprehension and use of language
1 a ‘concrete buildings flashed by on either side’
b Sipho observes that the old lady expresses worry and regret at the idea of people fighting and
that she has many wrinkles on her face.
c The phrase ‘springing up ahead’ means that Sipho sees buildings in the distance that are getting
larger as the taxi gets nearer to them and as he watches through the taxi window.
d The writer shows how busy it is when Sipho gets out of the taxi by describing traffic ‘coming
from all directions’ and the pedestrian pushing Sipho out of the way because the pavements
are crowded.
e The word ‘savoured’ shows that Sipho enjoyed and relished eating the sweet.
f Sipho realises that his life in the township is a life of poverty when looking at the expensive goods
available in the shops. For example, he compares the prices of mattresses and other furniture. Sipho
also compares the way goods are displayed; for example, in the township ‘everything was stuffed
together in one small place’ whereas where he is now there is a unique shop for every type of product.

g
i Sipho is interested in the two boys because they are a similar age to him and because of how
they are working together to guide the car into a parking space.
ii The two boys are helping the driver manoeuvre the car into a parking space. They are
standing in different positions and so can see where the car needs to go and can signal
to each other and the driver.
h The writer shows Sipho’s childish naivety by presenting his unfamiliarity with the busy streets
such as when he is pushed out of the way because he is standing still on the pavement looking at
the traffic and taxis pulling up. The writer also shows Sipho’s naivety by describing his belief that
he will be able to get work and money easily and that the people he will meet in the city will be
‘friendly’ if he is ‘lucky’.
2 a The writer suggests that the city is bright and colourful and has more space between the road and
houses which have gardens. In contrast, the township has grimy roads and shacks. In the township,
there is also much less space between homes and the roads.
b The effect of the phrase ‘a mass of buildings reached upwards to the sky’ suggests to the reader
that Sipho is impressed by the many tall buildings in the city.
c The writer wants to convey the impression of confusing and busy activity in the city.
d i Simile and personification are used to make the camera lenses feel like eyes looking at Sipho.
ii This suggests Sipho is feeling like he is being watched covertly and that he feels the camera
lenses are powerful or fascinating and seem alive rather than inanimate.
e In the final paragraph, the writer effectively conveys Sipho’s fascination with the expensive cars in
the city. The writer does this by describing the cars using visual imagery such as ‘sleek and shiny’
and ‘shimmering’. These phrases are also alliterative. The imagery and alliteration help to convey
how Sipho is transfixed and impressed by the glossy and gleaming cars speeding by, dazzling and
capturing his attention.
Summary task
3 a Example response: Several problems are caused by heavy traffic in cities. Cars’ tailpipe emissions
create pollution and poor air quality. Additionally, a large volume of urban land is used for roads
and parking, and when more roads are built this encourages even more cars. Moreover, traffic
congestion damages the economy due to time wasted and lost productivity. There are various
measures that could reduce these problems. Switching to environmentally cleaner or electric cars
would help cut emissions by a quarter and more use of these types of cars could be encouraged
with favourable access to roads and parking given to owners. This would lead to fewer emissions.
Providing different types of transport and encouraging cycling, walking, car sharing and mass
transit methods of transport would also help. If different modes of transport are available, people
are more likely to use these instead of cars, which would help further. Likewise, introducing
driving and parking restrictions would decrease traffic congestion in city centres. Investment in
technology and transport solutions will help as well, as would government planning focused on
reducing car use and emissions.
b Example response: Although ownership of electric cars will reduce pollution, this will not reduce
congestion as this is related to the number of cars on our roads and not how the cars are powered.
To reduce congestion as well as pollution, we need to introduce measures that result in fewer cars
on the road. This could be by making it easy for people to cycle, walk or use mass transit modes
of transport, such as buses, trams or subway trains. Restricting cars driving into and parking in
city centres would also reduce traffic congestion in city centres. Overall, we need more government
planning focused on the goal of reducing the number of cars on our roads.

Chapter 6: Writing skills

6.1 An introduction to your writing studies
1–2 Students’ own answers.
6.2 Audience, purpose and voice

1 Type of writing Imagined audience Content, register and
language
A letter to your • someone with power and • plenty of detail – a series of
headteacher persuading status points in paragraphs
them to change the school • just one person • polite and respectful – a
uniform relatively formal register
• you are writing from a
subordinate position as • word and grammar choices
a student should be formal
A mystery story for young • teenagers and young adults • narrative text with
adults interested in mystery stories characters, plot, etc.
• standard English
• figurative language
An email to a friend to plan • one person • informal register
a day out • equal relationship • colloquial language and
abbreviations may be used
• friendly tone
A speech given to other • peers • relatively formal,
students about a topic you • some may already agree persuasive language
feel strongly about while others do not • use of rhetorical
techniques, e.g. three-part
lists, repeated phrases or
slogans, alliteration, etc.
2 a–b
• A letter to your headteacher: to convince them to change the school uniform, e.g. with clearly
developed persuasive arguments using a formal register and respectful tone.
• Mystery story for young adults: to entertain with an engaging narrative and appealing language,
e.g. interesting characters and events, figurative and expressive language.
• Email to a friend: to agree arrangements and express friendly emotions so informal, casual and
colloquial language likely to be used.
• Speech given to other students: to convince peers of a point of view so presentation and language
will be shaped to persuade, e.g. logical arguments, facts and figures, and rhetorical techniques may
be used.
3 Students’ answers will vary, but for part a they may mention the following:
• Version 1 uses some emotive language and questions and suggests the voice of a person who
is passionate about solving the issue.
• Version 2 has a more neutral, logical tone and suggests the voice of someone who is more
objective about solving the issue.
• Version 3 uses informal language and private references and suggests the voice of someone
who sees the solution issue in a simple, personal way.

4 Students’ answers will vary, but opening paragraphs of the speech should use a formal voice and
attempt to persuade through reasoned arguments or other techniques such as using rhetorical
questions or emotive language.
6.3 Vocabulary and grammar choices

1 a All the underlined words describe forms of ‘happiness’ but emphasise different degrees or types of
happiness. ‘Cheerful’ means an optimistic or positive mood. ‘Delighted’ means to be very pleased
with a situation or outcome. ‘Ecstatic’ means to be extremely happy or euphoric. ‘Glad’ means to
be pleased. ‘Contented’ means to be emotionally comfortable, satisfied or relaxed.
b Students’ answers will vary, but a sample order could be: contented, glad, cheerful, delighted, ecstatic.
2 a The following words and phrases seem misjudged: ‘honour’, ‘I politely’, ‘survey the contents
of this letter’, ‘deepest consideration’, ‘matter upon which I write’, ‘transformation’.
b Students’ own answers.
3 a–c Analysis of sentences, repeated structures and effects as follows:
• ‘The Market’ (1): Repeated positioning of prepositional phrases at start, e.g. ‘By the end . . .’,
‘In the distance’, later placement of grammatical subject, e.g. ‘the light’ and ‘lights’, and
coordination with ‘and’. Delaying the grammatical subject gives emphasis to description of
the setting and atmosphere, i.e. the fading light and activity in the evening.
• ‘The Market’ (2): Four simple sentences with almost identical structures. Identical phrases
repeated, e.g. ‘weary from the cold . . .’. A minor sentence finishes the paragraph. These structures
give even more emphasis to describing the setting than Version 1. When people are mentioned,
i.e. ‘local people’ and ‘market traders’, identical phrasing highlights their same tired, cold and
busy condition. The minor sentence emphasises the dark atmospheric qualities of winter nights
in northern locations, i.e. darkness and cold.
4 Students’ own description.
6.4 Structure and plans

1 Text type Features and sequence
Article • Heading/title
• Introductory paragraph
• Sequence of paragraphs that build and develop points in order
• Closing paragraph to conclude
• Subheadings if appropriate
Letter • Recipient’s address (only required in a formal letter)
• Sender’s address
• Date
• Greeting/salutation
• Reason for the letter may be explicit or implicit
• Formal or informal language used, depending on the relationship
between writer and recipient
• Conventional closing/ending
Email • Greeting/salutation
• Reason for the email may be explicit or implicit
• Formal or informal language used, depending on the relationship
between participants
• Conventional closing/ending

Text type Features and sequence

Speech • Statement about the topic, issue or reason for the speech
• Outline of and details about the issue
• Informative, discursive or persuasive emphasis
• If persuasive, rhetorical techniques may be used (e.g. emotive language,
three-part list, alliterative phrases or slogans)
Report • Title
• Introductory paragraph
• Sequence of paragraphs that explain and sumarise
• Conclusion, including recommendations or opinions
• Subheadings if appropriate
Descriptive writing • Language that appeals to reader’s senses (visual, auditory, tactile,
olfactory, gustatory)
• Figurative language
• Foregrounding of details about people, places, weather, etc.
Narrative writing • Plot structure and sequencing of story’s events to create tension or interest
• Engaging characters, settings and situations
• Figurative language
2 Students’ own plans, but they should mention: losing the ring, returning to the beach, searching
for the ring, other events in the middle of the story, and the ending.
3 a and b The chronological sequences of the plot plans differ in that Plan 1 starts after the ring has
been lost then a search follows and the ring is found, whereas Plan 2 starts with the ring having been
lost and the idea of finding something which is revealed in a flashback. This means that the reader of
a story written according to Plan 2 knows at the beginning that something will be found, so this may
provoke suspense or mystery about what will be found and also emphasise how Alesha’s character
might be changed by this experience. This can in fact be seen from the middle plot points of Plan 2,
which focus on the character’s emotional reactions and the personal change she undergoes in response
to the story’s events. In contrast, Plan 1’s middle plot points give more focus to the actions of searching
with character reactions shown alongside the search. A reader of a story written according to Plan 1
may be uncertain whether the ring will be found, and this could create some suspense or tension which
may be engaging. In a Plan 1 type story, the character’s reactions may appear to be driven by external
events, i.e., whether the search succeeds or fails, whereas in a Plan 2 type story the character’s responses
may appear to be driven by personal reflections and an ‘inner journey’ of emotional development.
4 and 5 Students’ own self- and peer-assessment.
Chapter 7: Directed writing

7.1 Key evaluation skills
7.2 Beginning to evaluate

1 a Mobile phone use has had negative effects on behaviour for two reasons: using phones instead of
communicating with people physically present; speaking or playing music loudly on public transport
b These are opinions presented as if they are facts by using anecdotal, subjective and
unreliable examples.

3 Fact: We now live in a world with lots of information and, often, information (although the emotive
word ‘swamped’ is used, the statement itself is fact).
Opinions: teenagers have stopped thinking for themselves; people just look things up online – they
don’t bother to learn things any more; anybody can build a website; you could always trust books;
you can’t trust computers for doing research; it is not a good thing if young people spend a lot
of time on computers; too much time on computers negatively affects schoolwork – it’s not possible
to succeed academically while being obsessed with computers.
4 These questions cannot be answered definitively, but the text suggests the following profile for the writer:
a over 40
b a parent
c some limited experience of more basic computing, but probably before widespread use
of the internet
d probably more based on learning from books and this is how education should be
e people of a similar age who may also be parents and who have similar views about young people,
education and computers
5 Students discuss the views and say which they agree with.
6 a Points and details: it is liberating to grow up with technology; computers perform basic tasks
quickly and save time for other things; computers can also be fun; computers are useful in
education; coding is a useful skill; some people like art produced with a computer; computers help
when communicating overseas.
b Facts: computers make doing the basic things much quicker; computers are beneficial in education;
technology allows people to communicate overseas.
Opinions: it’s great growing up with technology; computers are fun.
c Students’ own answers.
d How context may have affected her views: she is quite young, so has grown up during widespread
use of the internet; an interest in computer gaming has likely influenced her views.
7.3 Beginning to write discursively

1 Students’ evaluations will vary but they may include the following points and details:
• It is liberating to grow up with technology.
• Computers perform basic tasks quickly and save time for other things.
• Computers can be fun.
• Computers are useful in education.
• Coding is a useful skill.
• Some people like art produced with a computer.
• Computers help when communicating overseas.
2 a The title is bland and should be more specific; there are several inaccuracies in the opening sentence.
b The articles are referred to colloquially rather than by their titles.
c The evaluative comments are not well thought out or developed and are poorly expressed.
d It is not suitable due to lack of thought and inaccuracies in grammar, punctuation and spelling.
e There are many inaccuracies of spelling, punctuation and grammar.
3 a Suggested improvements: clearer expression, restructuring the order of points, formal register.
b The following underlined corrections in spelling, punctuation and grammar should be made:
I am writing about people’s views of computers and how young people use them. There is one person who
says, ‘don’t bother to learn things any more’ but I think that is not right because I have learnt lots of
things and do not always need a computer. The other person was saying that technology ‘brings people
together’ and that is a better idea because I and my friends usually talk online too so I agree with her.

4 Example answer:
Young people and computers: Problem or solution?
Do computers prevent young people from learning or do they enhance their learning and sharing
of ideas?
5 and 6 Students’ own answers and peer evaluation.
7.4 Giving a point of view

1 a and b Different parts of the student’s argument are listed below. Links with Texts 7.1 and 7.2 are
indicated in brackets.
• Computers are central to our everyday lives (Text 7.1: ‘We now live in a world swamped by
information’).
• Some people claim that computers stop us from learning (Text 7.1: ‘they don’t bother to learn
things any more’).
• The effect of technology is complex.
• Learning can be enhanced by using computers to find information quickly (Text 7.2:
‘Computers make doing the basic things much quicker’).
• Sifting information helps deal with large amounts of online information.
• This has made young people better readers, not worse ones.
• Technology has a liberating impact (Text 7.2: ‘But the greatest benefit of computers is in the
education of young people’).
• Young people use computers to create art, make music and help and connect with others (Text 7.2:
‘I wrote music using cutting-edge software that allowed me to produce a professional piece of
coursework. Best of all, in art I used a tablet to paint’; ‘they make the world a smaller place in a
good way and bring people together’).
• Using computers will be an important part of future society.
2 Students’ answers may vary, but are likely to include some of the following.
a Title: This is a declarative sentence (statement) and its phrasing is repeated at the end
of the article.
b References drawn from everyday life: ‘there is a digital network of young people sharing serious
and comic things, talking about world issues, playing games, supporting each other and learning
from friends around the globe’.
c Contrasts: b is contrasted with the opposite idea: ‘Contrary to parents’ stereotypical descriptions
of their phone addicted teens’. Another contrast is ‘Some people think computers have become
our masters; others believe they are incredibly helpful servants.’
d Metaphoric: ‘Some people think computers have become our masters’.
e Positive words: ‘that future is a bright one’.
f Listing: ‘sharing serious and comic things, talking about world issues, playing games, supporting
each other and learning from friends around the globe’.
g Conjunctions and conjunctive adverbs: ‘Furthermore’ (conjunctive adverb) and ‘Although’
(subordinating conjunction) are used in the first paragraph.
3 These are examples of persuasive language: ‘liberating humanity’ is a phrase with positive
connotations and ‘making the world a smaller place’ has emotional appeal in suggesting stronger
community-like connections between people all over the world.

7.5 Writing letters and emails

1 Faizan’s views:
• School can only teach you so much about the real world.
• My job helped me learn how to talk and cooperate with others.
• You learn practical skills in a job.
• A job seems like a more useful and rewarding prospect than school and exams.
• Having a job makes you feel part of the adult world.
• A job means you get paid and could own or rent your own home.
Haniya’s views:
• You can also practise job skills while in education.
• In school or college you communicate with lots of people.
• You learn more about specialist subjects.
• Studying for exams challenges you.
• It’s impossible to do some jobs (e.g. doctor) unless you have studied things in depth.
• Studying difficult subjects improves your ability to think.
• Gaining qualifications may help you to earn more money.
• While studying at university you can travel, meet more people, and maybe even settle overseas.
2 a–c Students’ own answers, but for part a they should note that Faizan has a job and Haniya is in
education, so these contexts and experience may have influenced their views.
4 Students’ own opening and ending sequences.
5 Students’ own peer evaluations.
7 Students’ own answers, but they may note some of the following:
• Use of praise: ‘As long as I have known you, I have admired your intelligence. Your record at
school and in exams is brilliant’; ‘look at what you have achieved: fantastic qualifications and
the admiration of your teachers.’
• Emotional language: ‘think very carefully before throwing away your educational opportunities’;
‘I know you could be a brilliant scientist. It’s been your passion for so long and there’s only one
way to that’.
• Positive language: ‘I know you could be a brilliant scientist. It’s been your passion for so long and
there’s only one way to that’.
• Rhetorical questions: ‘Do you really want to leave this world behind?’; ‘Yes, you could earn money
in a job, but is that the most important thing in life at the moment?’
• Anecdotal evidence: ‘Many people will tell you that getting a job is a good thing’; ‘Some people
probably view staying at school as the easy option’.
• Exploiting a personal link: ‘As long as I have known you . . .’; ‘With your abilities, you could
be a future star of the science world’.
7.6 Writing a speech

1 Students’ own discussions, but they may cover some of the following points:
a The speech opens with a direct address to the audience: ‘Good afternoon’. This is appropriate to
a speech as the speaker is talking directly to people present rather than someone reading an article
or letter.

b The writer has used techniques such as rhetorical questions and switching between first and second
person pronouns to give the speech the feeling of a conversation between two people.
c The writer has used metaphors such as a decision being ‘a fork in the road’ and a choice being a ‘route’.
d The writer opens by suggesting there is a choice of two options, i.e., education or job, and then
gives their view that for them the right choice was starting a career.
2 Students may discuss that the voice used suggests an adult – someone older than a teenager, and that
this might be persuasive as they can seem to be talking from their many years of experience, i.e. they
may seem wiser.
Exam-style question
1 This 350-word sample answer gives the view that staying in your home country is most beneficial;
however, a similar approach, structure, use of techniques, etc. could be used to argue that living
overseas is more beneficial.
Good afternoon. I’m pleased to be speaking with you today. Some people are born explorers, while
others choose to teach us how to build homes and communities in their place of birth. How are we
to know if we are explorers or homebuilders? How are we to know which choice is the right one for
ourselves? The world is a wondrous place, full of many different cultures and types of people. There is
much to enjoy in travelling and settling in new places and among new people. And with modern aviation
and a modest budget anyone now can travel around the globe consuming all that it has to offer. Just
as a child in a sweet shop would naturally want to taste all the different candy on offer, why should we
limit ourselves to always eating the same thing when we can find new favourites instead? There is no real
reason why you should have to travel to the other side of the world to find fulfilment and satisfaction.
If you look carefully close by, perhaps right by you or just outside your window, you will see friends,
family, parents and children in your local communities who need what you have to offer. The whole
world has a history, just as all families have their histories, but the most interesting and the easiest one to
miss is the one closest to home. The value of something right in front of you can be missed more easily
than something that is far away because we assume we know a lot about what is near and that something
that is far away is exotic and must be better. This wisdom is in many stories. Knowledge hidden directly
in plain sight. A traveller seeks wisdom and so embarks on a quest only to find all the answers back
at home at the end of the story. Home is not just where the heart is, it’s where wisdom lies too.
Chapter 8: Descriptive writing

8.1 Describing places
2 Students’ impressions of the text will vary; however, their discussion of the language used might
consider the writer’s focus on visual imagery and language that contrasts stillness with movement.
3 The repeated sentences emphasise stillness. The scene changes when the first rays of sunshine
‘penetrated the forest’ – a moment that brings movement and alertness to the scene, and has
the effect of shaking the reader out of a kind of reverie.
4 Students’ own plans.
5 a This simile suggests that the mountains are physically imposing, watching over the scene,
and are very still.
b Comparing the world to someone waking from sleep through personification evokes the feeling
that everything ‘wakes up’ and comes alive at sunrise.
6 Students’ own sentences.
7 Students’ own descriptions.
8 Students evaluate each other’s descriptions.

9 Students’ notes should include some of the following:

a the hotel looked smaller to the narrator, it seems set further back or ‘retreated’ into the landscape against
a background of purple flowers, there is a gravel path and attractive stone pillars as well as ivy growing on
the stone walls, the hotel and its lawns look run-down but it still appears attractive to the narrator
b dark with lots of wooden furniture, wide staircase, smoothed mahogany handrail, comfortable
room, large plasterwork decoration on the ceiling with beautiful and ornate decorative details
c The metaphorical use of ‘retreated’ emphasises how much smaller the hotel looks now compared
to its surroundings; the simile ‘like sentries at the entrance’ conveys the idea that the stone pillars
look or act like soldiers which might fight the ivy growing all over the outside walls of the hotel.
10 The narrator’s attitudes emerge throughout the entire text. She seems entranced by it, despite its
somewhat old-fashioned and slightly run-down appearance. She likes all these features because
they are unique and also somehow familiar to her.
11–12 Students’ own descriptions and evaluations.
8.2 Describing events

5 The writer starts the text with a long and highly descriptive sentence with lots of visual detail about
what they see on their bus journey.
Each paragraph refers to the narrator’s journey on the bus.
6 a Adjectives: main, narrow, few, palm-thatched, wide, next, bulbous, orange, Elderly, large, distant.
Adverbs: southwards, gently, slowly.
b Students’ own answers.
7 Chen uses visual sense description (‘the mountains loomed’, ‘an eagle swooped’ and ‘The driver
clutched the steering wheel’) as well as tactile sense description (‘the blisteringly hot air’, ‘the
temperature was unbearably high’, ‘his fingers burning.’)
Irani uses visual sense description (‘the bright lights attacked my eyes’, ‘The street was a riot of
colour’), tactile sense description (‘People swirled, jostled and pushed’, ‘Deeper into the crush’)
and olfactory sense description (‘The scent of hot food from a nearby shop hit my nostrils’).
10 Successful: the creation of tension by comparing the football match with the storm; use of interesting
words; use of personification, visual, aural and tactile description; accurate spelling and punctuation.
Could be improved: further description needed of how the student felt.
8.3 Describing people

1 Description B uses the ‘show, don’t tell’ technique, which is typically more effective in descriptive
or narrative writing.
2 Students’ notes should include some or all of the following:
• How the writer presents Glen’s movements: In the first paragraph, the writer presents Glen’s
movements as physically relaxed ‘swinging gently back and forth’ and gracefully energetic when
he ‘bounced onto his toes from the swing.’
• Details of Glen’s clothing: Glen is described as wearing ‘a pink polo shirt, knee-length checked
shorts and the kind of sports socks that are carefully designed to be only just visible above the top
of your trainers.’ This suggests Glen likes casual sportswear and that he may be fashion conscious.
• What Glen does in the second paragraph: Glen takes his laptop to the beach, but he also takes
in the beauty of the colourful sunset. This suggests he appreciates the beauty of nature.

3 Students’ own discussions.

4 Students’ own descriptive paragraphs.
6 Students’ impressions will vary, but the description of Lottie in the text emphasises her fondness
for pink clothing, hair and make-up, and her frantic clumsy movements.
7 a The verbs ‘galloped’, ‘thumped’, ‘trotting’ and ‘grimaced’ suggest Lottie moves about in a funny,
clumsy way.
b The descriptions of Lottie’s hair and clothing create an amusing image of a slightly scatty
female character.
c The situation is described in a comic way.
8–9 Students’ own character description and peer evaluation.
12 Students should recognise Mona’s response as high level.
Exam-style question
Students’ answers to the exam-style questions can be evaluated according to the following criteria and
questions:
• Appeal to the reader: Does the student’s description engage the reader?
• Organisation and structure: Do the student’s opening lines, paragraphing and ending lines build
atmosphere and/or leave a lasting impression?
• Word choice, imagery and sentence structure: Does the student’s use of verbs, nouns, adjectives,
adverbs, sensory and other imagery, and variation in sentence structures help the reader engage with,
imagine or picture what or who is described?
• Grammar, punctuation and spelling: Is the student’s use of grammar, punctuation and spelling accurate?
Chapter 9: Narrative writing

9.1 Generating and planning story ideas
5 Genre Central character(s) Setting(s) Typical events Ending
Comedy from a ‘normal’ recognisable, character faces a happy ending – the
background (rather ‘normal’ places series of problems character achieves
than privileged or such as family often the character their ambition or
powerful) homes or falls in love succeeds in some
amusing and workplaces way
funny situations
likeable and mistakes
resourceful
Tragedy a good or a country or main character rises due to some
admirable person organisation with a in power but then character flaw the
power structure has a downfall main character fails
or dies

Genre Central character(s) Setting(s) Typical events Ending

Mystery a detective or city, house, ship, villain commits detective is
sleuth and a villain train – often crime successful
somewhere detective follows villain is caught
enclosed, clues and tries to
labyrinthine or solve crime
maze-like
Fantasy heroes and villains medieval worlds, battles between either the good or
with special planets other than good and evil evil forces win
abilities Earth forces
6 Students’ own story ideas.

7 Students’ own stories.
9.2 Story openings

1 a The time and place is a cramped attic room at sunset in Kinshasa. The character is a writer who
has some power or influence and who has a desire to become very rich.
b Some readers may want to read on to find out how the character will succeed or fail in becoming
rich.
2 a–b ‘It’ and ‘they’ are used by the writer to create mystery, as the reader cannot identify what or who
is being referred to so must continue reading to find out. ‘She’ introduces a viewpoint character whose
perspective readers can adopt as they follow the story.
3 Students’ own responses to the text.
4 a The writer’s use of a child’s point of view helps the reader understand how the reservoir seemed
frightening but also mysterious and something attractive or adventurous to explore. Placing
the reservoir at ‘the end of the world’ evokes a time in history when some people believed the
world was flat and sailing ships might fall off the edge of the world if they sailed too far over the
horizon.
b The heat of summer adds a feeling of tension, as hot weather is physically difficult. It also means
that children spend a lot of time outdoors and are attracted to water for play and adventure.
c Descriptions of nature focus on dangerous places, animals and insects that may be predators
or prey, and the many hazards nature presents to living things – all of this adds tension as the
children go about their summer activities. They have been warned to stay away from the reservoir,
probably because of the danger of drowning.
d The children have a lot of freedom and time outdoors and are curious about the reservoir so the
reader is led to expect they will defy their parents and travel there.
5 Students’ own opening paragraphs.
6 Text 9.1 starts with a multi-clause sentence with a subordinate clause in the initial position (complex
sentence). This sentence establishes the time of sunset and describes details about the place. Both the
time of sunset and the visual imagery add detail and create atmosphere for the narrative setting.
Text 9.3 starts with a simple sentence, which is a statement about something collapsing. This establishes
the fact of a collapse as a past event which leads to a focus on exploring the reasons for the collapse
rather than dramatising the collapse itself.

9.3 Characters and situations

6 Students’ answers may vary, but may include the following:
• The physical description of Mrs Murdstone focuses on words that denote or connote hardness,
heaviness and darkness.
• Hardness has both a literal and figurative meaning in that a person may be literally hard because
they are physically robust, but they may also be figuratively hard in that they are emotionally
or psychologically tough or mean.
• A pattern of modifying adjectives such as ‘hard’, ‘heavy’ and ‘dark’ emphasises these qualities
in Mrs Murdstone’s character.
8 Students’ answers will vary depending on how they choose to set out the dialogue. The following
example answer indicates correct placement of punctuation marks for direct speech:
I ran all the way to school but still arrived a minute late, panting and soaked to the skin by the
downpour. Miss Derby stood at the gate.
‘Why are you late again?’ she asked. ‘This is yet another in your growing list of offences.’
‘It’s not my fault honestly. I did leave on time but . . .’
‘Don’t waste my time with your excuses.’
I groaned inwardly when she said, ‘Come to my room after school for detention.’
9.4 The art of storytelling

2 a Paragraph 1: The narrator walks down a hospital corridor with their parents to visit the
grandmother. The narrator reflects on their worries.
Paragraph 2: They meet a doctor who says he will speak with them and looks serious, so they fear
bad news.
Paragraph 3: The narrator sees the grandmother looking old and weak in bed.
Paragraph 4: The doctor says grandmother is well enough to go home.
Paragraph 5: Everyone is pleased, and they take the grandmother home.
b The narrator is central as a first-person viewpoint character. The reader understands the emotional
impact of the situation through the narrator’s reflections on the mother’s and father’s reactions.
The doctor is pivotal in anticipating bad news but then providing relief and a happy outcome.
c–d Students’ own answers.
3 The narrative can be broadly divided as follows:
• Exposition: up to end of paragraph 1
• Complication: up to end of paragraph 3
• Climax: paragraph 4
• Resolution: paragraph 5.
5 Students’ own answers, but they are likely to note some of the following:
• more descriptive and emotive language
• use of figurative language
• ‘show don’t tell’ approach for characterisation
• emotive language linking the narrator and her grandmother

• use of flashback/memory
• build-up of tension
• repetition of the idea of corridors going on forever, linking the start and the end of the response.
7–9 Students’ own planning, writing and evaluation.
9.5 More about narration

2–3 Students plan a story and present their plans to each other.
4 Paragraph What the reader finds out What is kept from the reader
1 The story is set in a dystopian, Why and how society has changed
authoritarian future. There are people exactly? What is a Sensor? Why have
called Sensors. Humans have forgotten human beings forgotten their history?
or are prevented from knowing their Where has the narrator’s brother gone?
history. They are kept behind walls. The
narrator’s brother (Ezra) has disappeared.
The narrator (Kai) believes one can
escape from the authority in this world.
2 Guards can sense people’s thoughts or How does this technology work?
feelings.
3 There is other new technology, What other new technology is there?
e.g. guard’s helmet. People are like Why are people forced to work like
prisoners in this society. Kai is in an prisoners? What has caused the
urban landscape and there has been an environmental disaster?
environmental disaster.
4 The air is dangerous. People work What has made the air dangerous?
underground. Kai is not going What work are people doing
underground today. underground? Why is Kai not going
underground today?
5 Kai has planned to escape today. What is outside the walls? What will Kai
find there?
6 Outside the wall nature is beautiful and Why is this world divided by a wall?
flourishing. Kai feels good there. Why keep people in a polluted zone
if there is a healthy environment
elsewhere?
7 Kai’s brother, Ezra, is outside. What has Ezra been doing all this
time? How did he know Kai was
coming today? Were they able to
communicate? Will other people be
able to escape just as easily? What is
the reason for this divided society?

6 There is a contrast between an urban environment inside the wall and a natural environment outside
the wall. Kai escapes a literal prison, but figuratively he also escapes mentally and emotionally by
getting away from the authority and mind control inside the walls. It is implied that outside the
walls people can live freely in families or communities with a sense of belonging and therefore be
emotionally fulfilled.

7 Ellipses indicate Kai’s pauses in thinking or indicate afterthoughts he is having. The asterisks indicate
different sections of the story and introduce new events after a gap in time – the events that have
happened in the gap are not narrated, e.g. Kai’s escape.
8–9 Students’ own writing and peer evaluation.
9.6 Endings
1 An uplifting feeling is intended in ‘The Corridors’ by the visual imagery of ‘crisp sunlight’ and the
tactile imagery of ‘Alongside me was my gran.’
An uplifting feeling is created in ‘Behind the Walls’ by the visual imagery of trees in blossom, aural
imagery of birdsong and a stream trickling, and tactile imagery of the warmth of the sun, which also
parallels the emotional warmth and sense of belonging the narrator is feeling.
2 Students’ discussions will vary, but they should note that the alternative ending is opposite to the
original ending, in that the original ending is happy whereas the alternative ending is a cliff-hanger
– the reader does not know what will happen to Kai and the situation looks desperate. The narrative
situation at the end of the story plus word choices such as ‘artificial’, ‘rasping’ and ‘menacingly’
suggest threat and danger.
3 Students’ responses will vary, but may include the following points.
A: Positive feeling or feeling of relief suggested by ‘kicked off her boots’ and ‘She was finally safe.’
The simple sentence at the end helps to create a sense of ease and completeness.
B: Sad feeling as the narrator is separated from a loved one. A series of simple sentences create a sense
of finality.
C: Positive feeling. Multi-clause sentence with positive and natural visual imagery creates a serene
feeling. The simple sentence at the end establishes a feeling of certainty about Irani’s future.
D: Using the coordinator ‘But’ in the initial position creates tension and curiosity about what is going
to happen next. The simple sentence creates a sense of finality at the end.
Exam-style question
Students’ responses to the exam-style questions can be evaluated according to the following criteria and
questions:
• Appeal to the reader: Does the student’s narrative engage the reader?
• Organisation and structure: Do the student’s opening lines, plot, characters and ending create tension
or resonate with the reader?
adverbs, sensory and other imagery, and variation in sentence structures help the reader engage with
a series of narrative events?
Chapter 10: Writing practice

Directed writing
Students’ may use some or all of the following ideas from the source texts in their article. (See Chapter 7
for a full example answer to an exam-style directed writing question.)

Text A
• ‘I was falling behind in my studies. So my mother gave up work and taught me.’ – parents, carers
or guardians may be good teachers.
• ‘. . . we also did other things. We went to museums, concerts and galleries . . . studied creatures in the
local woodland.’ – there will be opportunities for wider learning than in school.
• ‘. . . we both struggled a bit with maths, but in the end, my results were excellent.’ – problems can be
overcome.
• ‘You can decide what you learn, when, and for how long.’/‘You can’t have that flexibility in school.’
• ‘I missed some of my friends, but we stayed in touch and still played sport together.’/‘I also met new
friends’ – social development is important, but this is still possible with homeschooling.
Text B
• School can be enjoyable – ‘the best days of your life’. Also, ‘the social side of school’ is important
where you may make ‘best friends’ and ‘form strong bonds’.
• Learning from and with others in pairs and groups may be crucial – ‘I think it would be impossible
to learn some subjects on your own.’
• Teachers may be experts in specific subjects.
• Schools have a variety of teachers with different teaching styles.
• School is a dynamic, stimulating place to learn – this may be difficult to copy in homeschooling.
Students’ articles may evaluate the following ideas:

Text A
• whether the ‘best’ parts of school life are social rather than educational – therefore that different
approaches to learning may be superior for gaining knowledge
• does classroom-focused learning at school put limits on broader and deeper learning, e.g. arts, culture,
natural world?
• whether discovering knowledge along with parents or non-experts together increases learning when
compared to standard teaching approaches in school
• whether the formal, disciplined environment at school stifles the joy, fun and creativity of learning
when compared to a more flexible, spontaneous approach at home.
Text B
• whether it is irresponsible or unrealistic to expect every child to receive a good education with a formal
school system
• collaborative activities are easy to implement at school – this might be difficult in some home
environments, e.g. a child with no siblings or with no other young people to learn with
• teachers may have a passion for their subject and have studied it for decades – is it possible for parents
to have this in several subjects?
• whether missing out on the social experiences of school would be damaging or limiting for children.
A possible synthesis that students may develop in their response:

The voice in Text A is older and from someone who had a positive experience of homeschooling whereas
Text B is from the perspective of a younger person who is anticipating how much they will miss school
when they leave soon. Both texts agree that school can be a place for social development, but Text A argues
that if homeschooled you can keep in touch with former school friends and make new ones, whereas
Text B focuses on the advantages school offers in terms of collaborative learning and different teachers as
well as friends. Text A points out that broader and deeper learning may be available with homeschooling

whereas Text B does not address this point at all – students may express their own views on this point.
Text A sees many positives in homeschooling with some negative points about school whereas Text B sees
many positives in learning at school with some negative points about homeschooling. So, both texts largely
argue for their own side.
You can evaluate and comment on students’ responses using the following questions.
Reading
• How well has the student used ideas, opinions or facts from both texts? Could the student have used
a wider range of ideas, opinions or facts from both texts? If yes, comment on students’ work where
and how they could have done this.
• Has the student analysed, developed and evaluated ideas in a way that achieves what the question
asked them to do? Could the student have analysed, developed and evaluated ideas further to achieve
more closely what the question asked? If yes, comment on students’ work where and how they could
have done this.
Writing
• Are the student’s ideas clear, coherently expressed and engaging? Does their writing need greater clarity
or expression? If yes, comment on students’ work where and how they could have done this.
• Is the student’s writing structured so that ideas, arguments and points are easily followed by the reader?
If no, comment on students’ work where and how they could improve this.
• Has the student used a variety of sentence structures, including multi-clause sentences, and appropriate
and effective vocabulary? If no, suggest places in their work where this would have been beneficial.
• Does the student’s work have technical accuracy in grammar, punctuation and spelling? Correct any
inaccuracies on students’ work.
Composition
Students’ answers to composition questions can be evaluated according to the following criteria and
questions:
• Appeal to the reader: Does the student’s narrative engage the reader?
• Organisation and structure: Do the student’s opening lines, plot, characters and ending create tension
or resonate with the reader? If no, comment on students’ work where and how they could have
improved these parts of their narrative.
adverbs, sensory and other imagery, and variation in sentence structures help the reader engage
with a series of narrative events? If no, make suggestions on students’ work where different sentence
structures, vocabulary or imagery could have been engaging.
Correct any inaccuracies on students’ work.

O Level English Green Book - Answers

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CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE

1.2 Reading strategies

1.3 Types of texts

92 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

2 Text-type/genre and features:

Chapter 2: Reading for comprehension

93 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

Word Meaning in Synonyms What the writer is conveying

2 Students compare their tables.

2.2 Putting reading strategies into practice

94 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

2.3 Using your own words

2.4 Explicit and implicit meaning

95 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

2.5 Exploring implicit meanings

96 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

4 Students predict what happens next in the story.

2.6 Understanding a writer’s opinions and attitudes

97 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

Chapter 3: Analysing and explaining

98 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

3.2 How language suggests meanings and ideas

99 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

3.3 Responding to writers’ effects

3.4 Figurative language to create atmosphere and settings

100 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

3.5 Language choices to describe characters and people

101 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

102 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

Example Literal meaning Effect

3.6 Sensory language

103 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

104 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

Chapter 4: Summary writing

Main point Details Examples

Main point Details Examples

105 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

106 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

11 Students’ own responses. Suggested human errors to include (unrearranged):

4.2 Remodelling the text

107 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

4.3 Developing coherent writing

4.4 Summary-writing practice

108 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

Chapter 5: Reading practice

109 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

110 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

Chapter 6: Writing skills

6.2 Audience, purpose and voice

111 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

6.3 Vocabulary and grammar choices

6.4 Structure and plans

112 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

Text type Features and sequence

Chapter 7: Directed writing

7.2 Beginning to evaluate

113 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

7.3 Beginning to write discursively

114 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

7.4 Giving a point of view

115 CAMBRIDGE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE © Cambridge University Press 2022

7.5 Writing letters and emails

7.6 Writing a speech