English
Stage 3
Paper 1 Non-fiction
Cambridge Primary Progression Test
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3123_01_INS_3RP
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Text A
What is a desert?
A desert is a place where it almost never rains. Deserts are the driest places on
Earth. Nearly one quarter of the land on our planet is desert. However, the
animals and plants that live there have found clever ways to survive the harsh,
dry conditions.
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Some deserts are hot and sandy but some are very cold! Deserts in some cold
regions, like the Arctic, get less rain than Africa’s Sahara desert! Deserts can
also be pebbly, rocky, mountainous or even a mixture of these.
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Wild weather
Even in hot deserts, the weather is extreme. Clear blue skies mean that these
deserts are almost always sunny and hot during the day. But at night, it is very
different. Desert nights are very cold because there are no clouds to keep in the
day’s warmth so people who live in the desert light fires to keep warm after dark.
Although it may be freezing at midnight in the desert, by midday it is really hot so
animals have to hide from the sun. Desert squirrels use their bushy tails to help
them live with these extremes of weather. In the cold night, the tail is like a fluffy
blanket. But, during the hot day, it is an excellent shade from the sun.
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Gust of dust!
Sometimes, desert winds gather sand. This stays in the air in storms that can last
for days, which makes it hard to see and hard to breathe.
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Text B
Get Crafty!
Section One
You will need:
• a pencil
• card
• scissors
•
•
•
a large plate
a paintbrush
modelling clay
•
•
paint
a chopstick1
•
•
a small plate
a cup
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Section Two
Steps:
1. Make five discs. To make the large disc, put the large plate on the card and
draw a circle around it. To make the two medium-sized discs, use the small
plate and draw a circle around it. Do this again to make another circle. To
make the two small discs, use the cup and draw a circle around it. Carefully,
cut out each disc.
2. Paint the discs using orange or yellow paint – each circle can be a different
colour, if you like. Leave the discs until they are completely dry.
3. The designs on this spinning top are based on the artwork of the Aboriginal
peoples of the Australian desert. Look at the examples of Aboriginal symbols
on page 46. Paint one side of each disc with a different Aboriginal symbol.
When the paint is dry, turn the discs over and paint the same symbol on the
other side.
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4. Make a small hole in the middle of each disc.
5. Put the discs on the chopstick:
• First, put one of the small discs on the chopstick.
• Then, add one of the medium discs.
• Next, add the large disc.
• After that, add the second medium disc.
• Finally, add the other small disc.
6. When all five discs are on the chopstick, use the modelling clay to keep them
apart and in place. Stand the top upright and spin it around.
Glossary
1
chopstick – a short, thin stick for eating with
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