Answers to Workbook 7
Chapter 1 It’s a fact!
Pages 2–3
Textbook text
1 The text is from a textbook so the author is trying to convey factual information to
schoolchildren.
2 Steam trains (too much smoke); could be used for invasion
3 Three
4 a
b
The structure is chronological. Each topic sentence contains a date. The topic sentence for
paragraph 5 is at the end of paragraph 4.
Learner’s own answer
5 Any five of the following: Built by Channel Tunnel Company; construction began in 1988; runs
from Folkestone to Coquelles; two rail tunnels plus one service tunnel; cost £4650 million/about
$7 billion; involved 1500 workers; opened 6 May 1994; carries high-speed passenger trains and
shuttles for cars/lorries; locomotives powered by electricity; 23.5 miles/37.5 kilometres long;
world’s longest undersea tunnel
6 a
eighteenth
b
eightieth
c
eighth
Pages 4–5
Tourist guide text
1 a
cheap, tour, nightmare, unreliable, cowboy
b
The idea of travel can conjure up images of tour packages and hoteliers.
c
Learner’s own answer
2 You can easily compare accommodation prices to find the best deal; no extra booking fees.
3 The article is written for the Hostelbookers website and is partly an advert.
4 a
people who live in the area
b
other travellers
c
people who work in the hostel where you are staying
5 Places especially designed to attract tourists; prices are expensive and these places are not true
representations of the country or its culture.
6
Budget travel advice
Benefits
Plan in advance.
You can save money which can be spent while on
holiday and will allow you to spend longer on
holiday.
Research your holiday – especially travel
options and accommodation costs.
You can make other financial savings.
Book in advance with budget airlines, check
dates to find cheapest flight options and be
flexible with travel dates.
You can get the best deals.
Book early.
You will avoid any price increases by hotels.
If travelling out of season, wait.
Hotel prices may drop.
Ask locals for advice.
You can find the cheapest/best places to eat and
visit.
Avoid tourist traps.
You can have an authentic, more rewarding and
cheaper experience.
7 Points that might be included: ‘The Channel Tunnel’ is impersonal, written in third person; uses
passive verbs; textbook tone. ‘How to travel on a limited budget’ is addressed directly to the
reader, uses second person (‘you’); active verbs
Page 6
Parts of speech: nouns
Common nouns
day
school
classroom
lesson
recess
novel
detectives
book
city
country
bus
morning
adult
Proper nouns
Thursday
Rohan
Shivane
English
Emil
German
Berlin
Europe
Collective nouns
class
society
adult
Abstract nouns
suspense
excitement
ambition
life
society
time
Page 7
Bias
1 a
First passage: Pompeii Pompadours
b Second passage: Herculaneum Heroes
2 Learner’s own answer: answers should avoid use of biased vocabulary from the original pieces
such as ‘impressive’ and ‘lucky’. The facts should be presented in an unbiased way. An example
answer may look like this:
Pompeii Pompadours beat Herculaneum Heroes 4–0 to advance to the third round of the
Vesuvius Cup.
Pompadours scored their first goal through Claudia and capitalised with a second five minutes
later.
Herculaneum player Julius scored an own goal 7 minutes into the second half. Pompadours
striker Felix later scored a penalty to make the score line 4–0.
Pages 8–9
Paragraph structuring and linking
Answers for the table will vary slightly so use your discretion. An example table would look like this:
Paragraph 2
A
J
M
N
Paragraph 3
B
E
F
G
H
I
Paragraph 4
C+D
K
L+O+P
Page 10
Information leaflet
Points to check in learners’ answers:
• The leaflet is one page only.
• The audience it is written for are new students joining the school.
• It provides information to help them in the first week of school.
• It only includes facts, for example school day timetable – start and finish times, breaks,
lunch times, lessons (could be in a general timetable); map and/or directions on how to get
to the main school buildings; what to do at breaks and lunch times; main school rules; any
other important information, e.g. contact details of the school.
• Ask students to plan their work first. Check and provide brief feedback on their planning
before they write the final draft. Display the writing tasks.
• Check learners’ handwriting is fluent and legible, and point out any inconsistencies.
Answers to Workbook 7
Chapter 2 Growing up
Pages 12–13
Childhood memories
1 a
inherit her tastes: the things that my mother liked were naturally passed on to me
b
yearning: longing for
c
patroness: female supporter/sponsor
d
blandishments: affection/flattery
e
prevalent: most predominant
2 Kindness; comfortable childhood. She could have been overindulged and become spoilt/lazy.
3 her doll
4 Children play roles. Left alone, a child will turn anywhere into a role-play area and will use a doll
as a partner with which it can act out its feelings/scenes.
5 She started to treat the cats and dogs in the area.
6 Vocabulary used (‘blandishments’, etc.); sentence length; the overall (slightly sentimental) tone
Pages 15–16
Possible answers
1 a
If facts are wrong or uncertain, can this detract from the truth of the emotions being
described?
b
seeking knowledge in more personal (subjective) and intuitive ways, rather than only based
on scientific data and facts
c
the writer is confined by the need to be factually accurate
d
cannot be exhausted
e
keeping (truth) concealed
2 Fear as to whether the remembered details are factual and accurate or have been distorted by
feelings/memories/affections
3 Facts alone cannot convey the magic of the total experience of the place.
4 The article gave facts about the city, but did not bring the spirit of the place alive.
5 They were at different stages of development at any one time and saw things from different
perspectives.
6 a
b
What actually happened can never be described with absolute truth because the event is
filtered through the different memories/emotions of the different people involved.
The author may not want to give away too much of his/her private feelings and so produces
a fictional portrait of him/herself for public consumption.
7 Problems: Autobiographies are based on the writer’s personal memories and feelings, rather
than truth or facts. Everyone has their own version of events and remembers things in their own
way depending on how it made them feel. Authors usually cast themselves in a good light and
run the risk of being too perfect, dry and unreal.
In the extract by Mary Seacole, she casts herself as someone who wanted to be a doctor from a
very young age, and says she remembers learning this from her mother. Her account is based on
her memories and recollections – there is no way to verify whether it is true as she was the only
one present. However, she does not claim that it is an objective fact, but recognises that she is
telling her readers the story of her childhood as she remembers it.
8 Learner’s own answer
Pages 18–19
Tenses, literary effects and annotation
1
Verb
Subject
I remember the sea
telling lies in a shell held
to my ear for a whole
harmonious, hollow
minute.
the little boy tore and
devoured
I remember a man like an
alderman or a bailiff,
bowlered and collarless
I remember sharing the
last of my moist buns
with a boy and a lion.
and sandfleas hopped on
the picnic lettuce
and someone had
forgotten the salt
and the monkeynuts flew
through the air like salty
hail
2 a
I
Tense
(past/present/future/perfect)
present
the little boy
past
I
present
I
present
sandfleas
past
someone
past
the monkeynuts
past
present
b
past
c
Answers may include: speaking in the present is more effective at drawing the attention of
the reader, since the writer is speaking now, more urgently; the opening paragraph
describing the day in the present tense is easier for reader to imagine as it transports them
straight there; writing the events in the past adds a more nostalgic element and makes the
events seem a long time ago, as the writer is remembering events from childhood; the
combination of tenses adds to the autobiographical element as the writer is moving in and
out of memories – one moment he is speaking in the present as though he remembers it
like yesterday and other moments in the past as though it was a lifetime ago.
3 Answers may include: verbs allow the writer describe an action precisely; verb forms give more
energy and urgency to writing; adjectives can slow down writing and the writer wants to depict
a scene full of action, as he experienced it as a child.
4 Learner’s own answer
5 Learner’s own answer
6 Learner’s own answer
7 a
When a verb ends in ‘e’, drop the ‘e’ and add ‘-ing’.
b
Words of one syllable ending in one vowel + one consonant: double the last letter before a
vowel suffix – here add another ‘p’ before adding ‘ed’.
c
When the stress is not on the final syllable of a verb that ends in vowel + consonant, add
‘-ed’ only.
Page 20
Remembering a family day out
Use the following success criteria to assess the work. Learners can:
• plan their writing – generate, organise and shape ideas
• shape the overall structure and sequence of their writing to convey their ideas clearly and
accurately
• edit and redraft their own writing to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of language,
grammar and structure
• use the conventions of standard English consistently in writing.
Answers to Workbook 7
Chapter 3 Painting with words
Pages 22–23
Describing places and people
1 a with banisters
b
gloomy/dark
c
coarse laughter
d
intimidated/unnerved
e
sad
2 Long room; raised platform at the end with a step up to it
3 Quiet and restrained
4 They were overawed by the surroundings and the atmosphere.
5 The last impression he had of the scene outside reinforced his earlier feelings.
6 Candles, so pre-electricity but post-Regency period, probably mid/late-nineteenth century.
Harsh, threatening landscape; dining room is dark; shadows; haunting portraits; modern billiard
room.
Pages 24–25
1 The word ‘luckily’ sets up a funny surprise because most people would associate becoming ill
with bad luck, not good luck.
2 a
b
‘like a gay young bachelor’
‘as lonely here as in his jungle’; ‘as vain as a girl’
3 It took a painful amount of effort.
4 a
b
‘of the pleasure of this period of his existence with great enthusiasm’
On returning to India: Jos will go back to India
and ever after: Jos likes to talk about the same thing over and over again – he's very boring!
and give you to understand that he and Brummell were the leading bucks of the day: Jos
likes to tell impressive stories about himself
5 ‘But’ in the second sentence of the second paragraph: everything before this describes how Jos
wants to be seen by people. The information after 'But' tells us what he actually looks like. It
shows us the contrast between the two to make Jos seem funny to the reader.
6 Fat, vain, shy, lonely, easily embarrassed, lazy, bad tempered; Jos tries to be fashionable but too
old, the wrong shape and getting past it. Self-important – a sad and comic figure.
Points above are relevant but reward responses that find evidence that the writer also feels
some sympathy.
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
Page 26
Semi-colons and punctuating for clarity
1 The shop is closed so I will have to buy milk tomorrow. or The shop is closed therefore I will have
to buy milk tomorrow.
2 The shop is closed. I will have to buy milk tomorrow.
3 It shows you are linking the two clauses but they have equal weight.
4 a
In summer I play cricket; in winter I do athletics.
b
My friend likes history; I prefer maths.
c
One day I’m going to America; I want to see the Statue of Liberty.
d
She is really good at using semi-colons; her sister is less sure.
5 a
Adil is wearing a sky-blue jumper; Henry’s is sea green.
b
When I finish school, I’m going to my grandmother’s; my mum will still be at work.
c
“Let me see if I can find it,” the librarian said; I had asked if they had my favourite book.
Page 27
Returning to prepositions
1 About and on both mean similar things here but ‘talked about’ is a more common phrase than
‘talked on’ – you could say ‘we had a lecture about the importance of healthy eating’ but you
would not say ‘we talked on the concert we had been to’. You could say that about is used for
more general discussion while ‘on’ is used for something more specific or more serious.
2 Through indicates moving in the middle of something to the other side, while across indicates
getting to the other side but not necessarily inside the object – in this example the subject is
moving over the surface of the river, rather than entering the river and paddling through it.
3 Between is used specifically comparing two things while among indicates a large or
indeterminate group.
4 With compares two specific objects or people while about indicates one measurable thing.
Page 28
How writers build up detail
Answers may include: Dickens offers his opinion of Scrooge to help the reader build a picture of
Scrooge’s character; we trust his opinion because he is using anecdotes and offering examples of
Scrooge’s behaviour; he uses language that the reader can identify with, e.g. the simile ‘hard and
sharp as flint’ creates a vivid picture in the reader’s mind of Scrooge’s temperament; Dickens uses
alliteration such as ‘no warmth could warm, no wintry weather chill him’ which is hard to sound out
and mimics Scrooge’s abrasive character; he uses sibilance such as ‘secret, and self-contained, and
solitary as an oyster’ to mirror Scrooge’s secretive nature; he uses adjectives such as ‘covetous’,
‘tight-fisted’ and ‘grating’ to show the reader he has a low opinion of Scrooge; he uses many words
in relation to winter, such as ‘froze’, ‘frosty’, ‘chill’ and ‘blue’ to repeatedly show Scrooge’s cold
character.
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
Page 29
Choosing the right word
Accept any choice from the given options that produces a consistent and convincing description.
Page 30
Describing a shop
Points that might be included: description of the sights, sounds, smells and overall atmosphere of
the favourite local shop; description of characters who work there – what they look like; sound like;
how they move. Students should show evidence of having planned their writing. Ideally, students
should show they can use pronouns and connectives correctly to make their writing flow. Look also
for a range of sentence types (compound, complex and compound-complex).
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
Answers to Workbook 7
Chapter 4 Non-fiction
Page 32
Facts and opinions
1 Independently minded; strong willed; adventurous; brave; determined
2 They contain disturbing and exciting content but it is interlaced with humour.
3 He exaggerated wildly – events and characters were larger than life.
4 Their sarcasm and humour appeal to adults.
5 ‘a thrilling mixture of the grotesque and comic’; ‘Roald Dahl is perhaps the most popular and
best-selling children’s book author’; ‘one of the most widely read and influential writers of our
generation’
6 Learner’s own answer
Pages 34–35
1 a attracts the reader’s attention and tell us the topic
b
engages the reader and/or outlines the topic the article will cover
c
mini headlines to organise the paragraphs and keep the reader interested
d
an ending paragraph to draw everything together
2 Yes, it is quite balanced. It discusses both why food miles are important and also why other
things might matter too. It uses an official source for some of its information.
3 It persuades the reader to think about food miles and be more careful when buying food.
4 ‘often unnecessary stage to food production’, ‘an incredible number of food miles’, ‘responsible
shoppers’, ‘a good idea to visit these markets’, 'make better choices when visiting the shops’, ‘a
mighty 7,306 miles’; emotive language convinces the reader to question where food comes
from and the impact this has on the environment, and to shop locally and grow their own food.
5 Learner’s own answer
6 Changes might include changing the headline, changing/adding images, changing the opening,
adding colour.
7 Examples include important, imported, impact, incredible; learner’s own answer
8 a
incredible: unbelievable; credible: believable
b
unnecessary: not needed; necessary: needed
c
imported: brought in; exported: sent out
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
Pages 36–37
Connectives
The time required for this development largely depends upon the special gifts the learner may
possess, but to begin with, the understanding of strategy is important. (showing a difference)
Most beginners do not follow a particular plan in their study of chess, yet as soon as they have
learnt the moves, rush into playing games. (to show cause and effect)
It is obvious that their prospects therefore cannot be very bright. (to show cause and effect; to
show an example)
The play of a beginner is often planless, because they have too many plans (to show cause and
effect), let alone the ability to cut down all the combinations to one leading idea. (to compare; to
add information)
Still, it cannot be denied that a certain kind of method is to be found in the play of all beginners,
and seems to come to them quite naturally. (to add information)
First (to show order/sequence), the pawns are pushed forward frantically because there is no
appreciation of the power and value of the pieces (to show cause and effect).
The beginner is often concerned with attacking the opposing pieces with their pawns in the hope of
capturing them, even though it can be advantageous to use the greater power of the pieces. (to
contrast ideas)
The beginner’s aim is not to develop their own forces but to weaken those of their opponent. (to
show a difference; a contrast)
Moreover, beginners often don’t think too much about their opponent’s intentions. (to show an
example; to add information)
Many beginners also have a great liking for the Queen and the Knight (to add information) – the
Queen because of her tremendous mobility and the Knight because of his peculiar step, which
seems particularly suited to take the enemy by surprise as a result. (to show cause and effect)
Furthermore, when the other pieces join in, combinations of moves follow in bewildering sequence
and fantastic chaos. (to add information)
This unsteadiness in the first stages of development makes it very difficult for the beginner to get
a general view of the board, yet the surprises which each move brings give them great enjoyment.
(to show a contrast; different point of view)
They will start to see danger one or two moves ahead, consequently reaching the second stage in
their development. (to show cause and effect).
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
Pages 37–38
Apostrophes
1 a I bought these from the men’s clothes shop.
b
The children’s play area is out of bounds.
c
I’m afraid he’s busy on Wednesday.
d
The museum doesn’t open until eleven o’clock.
e
His friend wasn’t at home.
f
This potato’s mine, that’s yours, and those potatoes are hers.
g
‘It’s a beautiful day,’ thought the boy, as he watched the bird fly up to its nest.
2 a
Mia’s party was excellent.
b
June’s rainfall was unusually high.
c
The children’s section in the library closes at three.
d
Paris is France’s capital city.
3 Learner’s own answers
4 a
b
‘auntie’s house’ is the house of one auntie; ‘aunties’ house’ is the house of more than one
auntie
‘girl’s feet’ is the feet of one girl; ‘girls’ feet’ refers to the feet of more than one girl
c ‘men’s clothes shop’ is a shop for men in general; ‘man’s clothes shop’ is the shop of one
man in particular
d ‘the boy’s books’ are books belonging to one boy; ‘the boys’ books’ are books belonging to
more than one boy
Page 39
Fact or opinion?
1F
3O
5F
7F
9F
2F
4F
6O
8O
10 F
Pages 40–42
Building detail in sentences
1 a ‘must have eaten’ – introduces doubt
b
‘must be moving’ – the speaker is making an assumption
c
‘used to run’ – the tense has changed
2 a
Simple to compound sentence: the connective ‘but’ links and contrasts the two clauses.
b
Simple to compound-complex sentences: the connectives ‘because’ and ‘and’ have been
used to make it clear that one clause explains the others. The order has been changed so we
find out what the effect of doing sport is last.
c
Simple to compound sentence: the verb in the first clause is now an adjective, and the semicolon links the last clause to the description of the woods but it still has the effect of a short
sentence.
d
Simple to compound-complex sentence: we find out more information about the museum
in the new dependent clause, and the ‘so’ links Jason’s action to the first clause.
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
3 Learner’s own answers; for example:
a
The heavy door to the abandoned house had been left open.
b
The rickety ladder, which hadn’t been used for some time, was leaning invitingly against the
wall.
c
Brian didn’t want to go to school because he hated the lunch menu on Wednesdays.
4 Verb phrases are underlined:
Dodos have always been a famous symbol of an extinct species. The bird was sadly hunted to
extinction within a few decades of European settlement on the island of Mauritius. They were
unfortunately saddled with two difficulties that made them easy to catch and quick to die out
when humans (and vermin from the ships) arrived: they were completely flightless, and they are
now thought to have only laid clutches of one egg at a time. To the poor Dodo, flightlessness
would have obviously been a sensible adaptation for its surroundings, as it would surely have
had very few natural predators until the explorers made their sudden entrance in Mauritius.
Comments may include: the verb phrases have added extra meaning and detail; the verb
phrases have added tense to show the dodo is now extinct; some verb phrases have added
extra emphasis, for example ‘have always been’ and ‘made their sudden entrance’.
Page 43
Writing to influence and persuade
Answers should show a coherent structure with a clearly built argument and consistent point of
view. Literary techniques such as rhetorical questions and using emotive language should embellish
learners’ writing. The writing should also be aimed at a clear audience, i.e. their peers.
Page 44
Formal and informal letters
a The letter should be set out in an appropriate format, use a formal, polite tone and include
essential details such as the date of the lost item.
b The letter should be set out in an appropriate format, using an informal tone, explaining in their
own words what happened.
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
Answers to Workbook 7
Chapter 5 It’s tradition!
Pages 46–47
Fables
1 Learner’s own answers
2 That the father was lazy/selfish for making his son walk while he rode
3 Being cruel to the donkey by both riding on it
4 The father and son arrived carrying the donkey tied to a pole. The animal struggled free, fell into
the river and drowned because his feet were tied together.
5 Try to please all and you will please none.
Pages 48–49
1 a real embarrassment: feeling of great discomfort
b
resolve the problem: sort out the difficulty
c
braggart: someone who boasts a lot
d
strutted: walked with a swagger
e
mocking: making fun of
f
exclaimed: shouted out in surprise
2 ‘Piped’ suggests a small uncertain voice/character; ‘loud, crackling’ suggests a self-important,
domineering, unpleasant character.
3 He had been beneath Eagle’s wing and using it to support his flight.
4 Eagle – big, strong, boastful, arrogant, scornful of others, proud
Sparrow – small, apparently timid, well balanced, modest, clever
5 Accept any convincing comment based on the details of the story (for example, pride comes
before a fall; modesty and cleverness will win the day).
Pages 50–51
Hyphens – revision and practice
1 a ‘blue-collared shirt’ indicates the collar of the shirt is blue, while ‘blue collared shirt’
indicates the shirt is blue and has a collar
b
‘man eating shark’ indicates a man is eating a shark, while ‘man-eating shark’ indicates the
shark eats humans
c
‘small-business manager’ indicates a manager of a small business, or a team working for a
small business, while ‘small business manager’ indicates a business manager who is small
d
‘I resent the email’ is the verb ‘to resent’, meaning the subject feels bitter towards the
email, while ‘I re-sent the email’ indicates the subject sent the email again.
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
e
2 a
‘twenty-five-year-olds’ indicates the class is full of students aged 25; ‘twenty five-year-olds’
indicates there are 20 students who are aged 5; ‘twenty-five year-olds’ indicates there are
25 students aged one year old
We had a stop-off at the service station.
b
There was a break-in at the shop overnight.
c
He is a rock-climbing fan.
3 a
Mo had just moved into a new two-bedroomed house with his twenty-year-old sister.
b
Delilah needed to check out of the hotel before the official check-out time.
c
Justin read through his poorly worded essay and decided to make some carefully thoughtthrough changes.
d
I bought my new hiking boots in a hiking-boot sale.
Page 52
Punctuation: direct speech
“Excuse me,” asked the stranger. “Can you tell me where the library is?”
“I’m not entirely sure because I’m a visitor here myself,” replied Anna. “However, I went there with
my friend a few days ago and I think it’s very near the police station.”
“The police station!” exclaimed the stranger. “That’s good; I need to go there as well. Can you tell
me how I get there from here?”
“I think so,” said Anna. “It’s along the road after the railway station.” She pointed up the road. “You
turn left at the next junction and then it’s on your left.”
“Thanks,” said the stranger, looking confused, “but which place will I be at then”?
“Oh, sorry,” said Anna. “That’s the railway station. Go past there, cross the road and turn right and
the police station is opposite you. I’m sure the library is a bit further down the same road.”
“Thanks a lot,” said the man. “You’ve been very helpful.”
Page 53
A modern version of a folk tale
Learners should adhere to the morals of the original folk tale and show a clear plot in their own
story, that mirrors the original. Look for traditional folk tale characteristics, such as repetition (oral
tradition), detailed setting (in this case most likely a modern one) and a moral resolution (or lesson
learned). Since the folktale is being updated, students should assume they are writing for a
contemporary audience. In chapter 5 of the student’s book, students have looked more closely at
hyphens, direct speech and compound sentences – check students have used these correctly and
effectively in their writing.
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
Answers to Workbook 7
Chapter 6 Tell me a (short) story
Pages 55–56
Short story techniques
1 Because of the strength of the wind
2 Leaping, landing, jumping, chasing: all contribute to the lively action; the participles suggest a
continuous action.
3 He was absorbed in the movement of the leaves (‘watched in fascination’) and wanted to join
them (‘I would fly clear across the world’).
4 She is a bit of a worrier; wants to make sure Tommy does not come to harm.
5 Learner’s own answer
6 Answers may include: an interesting title; a recommendation from a friend; an interesting cover;
they have read things by the same author before; they have read a good review; they have seen
an advert.
Pages 58–59
1 a well defined veins: the veins of the leaf were very clear to see
b
brilliance: great splendour/brightness
c
ponder: think carefully about
d
spectacular: astounding/magnificent
2 The maple leaf is not worried about the future; the old leaf is more circumspect/cautious.
3 There’s a fire at the dump that is likely to burn the leaves – the old leaf has warned against not
thinking of possible dangers.
4 It is unlikely; it is a way of conveying the effects of Tommy’s imagination.
5 Learners will write their own personal responses but look for recognition that the maple leaf
and the old leaf have very different philosophies of life (‘life is short. Have fun’ compared to ‘the
end is the beginning’) and that the old leaf might come across as cynical (‘you will end up in the
city dump’). The old leaf tries to show Tommy and the maple leaf there are better sights to see
(‘you will fly high into the air and see things that no leaf has seen before’) and warns them of
the danger of smoke. At the end he seems almost mystical and when Tommy thinks ‘Perhaps
one day he would see what the old leaf had seen’ it shows he might not be as dismissive of old
leaves in the future.
6 Learners will write their own personal responses but look for recognition that we learn from the
maple leaf first, getting swept up in his enthusiasm and making the old leaf seem more cynical
and not as fun by contrast. The imagery of smoke signals danger – the fact that the old leaf sees
it might be a metaphor of how the old character is more cautious and sensible than his carefree,
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
younger counterpart. The sunlight shining through the maple leaf at the beginning of the extract
also conjures an image of the leaf as full of life and positivity, contrasted to the old leaf, whose
appearance isn’t really described in detail.
Page 60
Multiple meanings: combine your skills
1 a depressed (sad)
b
2 a
b
3 a
b
4 a
b
5 a
b
depress (press)
Desert
deserted (abandoned)
minutes
minute (miniscule)
refuse (rubbish)
refused (would not)
entranced (bewitched)
entrance
Page 61
Identifying figurative language
1 a ‘the wind had screamed’/ ‘those great elemental forces which shriek at mankind’/ ‘the wind
cried and sobbed like a child’
b
Alliteration: ‘that even here in the heart of great, hand-made London’
Sibilance: ‘into the long swash of the sea waves’
c
‘the splash of the rain’
d
‘like untamed beasts in a cage’/ ‘the wind cried and sobbed like a child in the chimney’
2 Learners should identify the setting as Sherlock’s home in Baker Street, London and the
narration as a first-person account. They should identify Sherlock Holmes as the protagonist and
the visitor as the likely antagonist. When discussing how the figurative language creates
suspense, students should touch on the vivid descriptions of the wind as a form of pathetic
fallacy (they may not use this phrase but may infer that terrible weather is often a precursor to
significant or bad events); the similes of the wind will evoke detailed pictures in the minds of the
reader making the scene easy for them to imagine and absorb themselves in; the use of
personification makes the wind more powerful and unpredictable – the use of ‘shriek’,
‘screamed’ and ‘sobbed’ in particular makes the wind sound very volatile and like anything
might happen; the use of sibilance and onomatopoeia emphasises how wet the outside world is.
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
Page 62
Narrative and informal writing
For part a, learners should convey a strong sense of setting. Mystery should be built through
sentence structure, use of adjectives and punctuation such as ellipses and hyphens. Learners may
have chosen to write for a genre such as science fiction or horror – this may show some awareness
of fiction types.
For part b, learners should again evoke a strong setting. Some learners may find it difficult to
conclude a story without having planned the rising action and the climax. Some may write more
conventional story endings that include character reflection or looking back on an event (perhaps
writing sometime in the future). Some elements may be difficult to achieve without having written
an opening, such as returning to an important element from early in the story or referring back to a
place or event that sparked the plot.
Learners have been asked to only write one character for each piece but learners may find this
more difficult in part b.
Both tasks are a good opportunity to check learners’ use of punctuation, such as ellipses, colons,
semi-colons, dashes, hyphens, exclamation marks and brackets.
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
Answers to Workbook 7
Chapter 7 All around the world
Pages 64–65
A traditional short story
1 Oksana was disliked by her stepmother; she did all the housework while Olena lived a life of
leisure and pleasure. Oksana was made to wear Olena’s old clothes. Her father was a weak man
who was intimidated by his new wife.
2 scrubbing (floors/clothes)
3 She had common sense. In the hut she collected wood for a fire and realised that she would
have to find food to last through the winter.
4 She ate the food that she had with her but also a stew she made from roots and berries she had
found and animals that she had snared. She got water from melted snow.
5 The demons and monsters rumoured to be in the woods might appear; she persuaded herself
that she was not afraid.
6 Oksana’s resourcefulness will help her survive; her stepmother and Olena will get their just
deserts.
Pages 68–69
1 a hollowly: with an empty sound
b
eerily: in a mysterious and scary way
c
the snow whipping about in the light of her small fire: the snow being blown fiercely by the
wind could be seen in the light given off by the fire’s flames
d
gulped down her horror: swallowed hard to calm her fear at the terrifying sight
2 They help to build up suspense.
3 That it was something unnatural; that it provoked fear; that it was not alive; that its voice
sounded far away and expressionless
4 She felt a mixture of anger and pity but pity proved the stronger; it tells us that she was a good
and humane person.
5 meagre
6 Cow’s Head had rewarded Oksana with treasure for her compassion towards it. Her father had
gone against his wife’s wishes and come to rescue Oksana. The now rich Oksana was popular in
her town and made a good marriage. Olena was jealous. She tried to repeat Oksana’s
experience but was too lazy to help Cow’s Head when it appeared and as a result all her wealthy
possessions were turned to dust. Oksana lived happily ever after.
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
7 Learner’s own answer
Page 70
Extended activity: identifying writing techniques; comparing two stories
Learner’s own answer, focusing on:
• the characters in the stories ‘High and Lifted Up’ and ‘Cow’s Head’
• the descriptions of the background and weather in both stories
• how the writers use language, figurative language and structure for effect
• who they think the audiences for the stories are
• the endings of each story and the lessons each one contains for the reader.
In the conclusion, learners should say clearly which of the stories they enjoyed most and give
reasons for their choice.
Page 71
Deconstructing words
Learners’ answers may vary but look for evidence they have combined both of the linked clues.
Meanings:
halitosis: bad breath
detract: take away (diminish) from something
matriarchy: a system of society or government ruled by a woman or women
monochrome: in black and white (one colour)
Page 71
A short story opening
This is a writing task to support literature from around the world, so the idea is for students to write
outside of their comfort zone and research a new place or national event. The culture and
traditions of the chosen setting should be conveyed clearly – this might include detailed
descriptions of the setting, use of dialogue or local speech and reasoning of character decisions.
Students should focus on vocabulary to convey their ideas a clearly as possible – look for evidence
students have used synonyms and verb phrases to include detail.
Students wrote the opening to a short story in the previous writing task. They should show clear
progression in being able to exhibit the characteristics of a story opening – detailed setting,
introducing characters (particularly the protagonist) and clearly choosing a style of narration.
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
Answers to Workbook 7
Chapter 8 Poems aplenty
Pages 74–75
Comparing poems
1 A representative (‘Mother Nature Managing Director’) of ‘World Wildlife Industries’ is speaking
and warning that stocks are getting low and the business may have to close as a rival company,
‘Human Beings International’ is threatening its livelihood. (Give credit to answers that show an
understanding of the way the metaphor of big business is being applied to concerns for the
environment.)
2 Many products (living creatures) are now extinct.
3 The cause is the selfish actions/greed of human beings. Readers are asked to get together with
parents and teachers to find ways of preserving wildlife species.
4 Learners will write a personal response but look for recognition of eight stanzas. Their varying
lengths could show the disorientation and impatience of the wolf – he is not thinking straight. In
stanzas four and five, dashes are used to speed up the poem and perhaps show a bad memory
flooding back, almost in fragments.
5 In a zoo. The wolf is referring to its memories of being in the wild.
6 The wolf still remembers the scent of its sister which did not fade from the earth of the
enclosure for a full month. The wolf still has residual memories of being in the wild and free, and
still retains the howl of wolves in the wild, but it is now captured and in a cage and cannot howl
freely to the moon as in the past – it is as if the moon is muzzled and cannot reply (although, in
fact, it is the wolf’s freedom that is restrained and it is no longer part of the natural world that
the moon represents).
7 Learner’s own answer
Page 76
Extension activity: writing to analyse, review, comment; comparing two poems
Key points are that both poems are drawing our attention to the need to preserve endangered
species and to be aware of what human beings are doing to the balance of nature. Points about the
words and imagery are covered in answers to earlier questions.
Pages 77–78
Dashes
1 Learners should show they understand the voice seems staccato, quick, erratic, theatrical.
2 Learners’ answers will vary but here is an example:
I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Are you (Nobody) too?
Then there's a pair of us!
Don't tell! they'd advertise, you know!
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
How dreary; to be, Somebody!
How public, like a Frog
To tell one's name (the livelong June)
To an admiring Bog!
3 Learners’ answers may include: the dashes make it harder to understand, as the voice seems
more erratic; the dashes offer the poem to be performed; the dashes leave the reader to infer
their own pauses; the dashes hint at interruption – as if the speaker is constantly interrupting
themselves with their own thoughts, or their thoughts are flowing quickly.
Page 78
Synonyms
Learners’ answers will vary but ensure they have a clear difference of meaning in their sentences. If
learners need support, a good dictionary and/or thesaurus will help them to distinguish the shades
of meaning between words.
Page 79
Rhyme and rhythm
1 Both poems have the same rhyming structure: a b c b
2 The Rosetti poem has a regular metre (owing a lot to the repetition of the first two lines of each
stanza). The Millay poem is very regular – it has a line of seven syllables followed by a line of
four syllables all the way through.
3 Learners’ own answer
4 Learners will write their own personal response but things they could pick up on are:
‘Who Has Seen the Wind?’ – rhetorical question; repetition of the ‘w’ sound mirrors the wind,
personification (‘when the leaves hang trembling’; ‘when the trees bow down their heads’);
repetition to show the strength and consistent nature of the wind
‘Afternoon on a Hill’ – repetition (‘I will’) shows the certainty and positivity of the speaker in
their joy of nature; assonance (‘bow down’; ‘show’, ‘town’, ‘down’); alliteration (‘cliffs and
clouds’; ‘mark which must be mine’); personification (‘quiet eyes’)
5 Learner’s own answer: effective answers may include direct quotes from the poems.
Page 80
A poem about the environment
Learners must write a dramatic poem about the environment, using ‘Important Notice’ as an
example.
Learners should use language appropriate to their topic and are likely to use emotive words and
phrases. There should be a clear structure to the poem, i.e. if learners have written in stanzas, these
should be of a coherent length. For learners trying to use rhyme, look for an obvious rhyming
pattern and clear metre. Learners are likely to find writing to a regular metre quite challenging so
some may not attempt this.
Check that punctuation is used correctly and not overlooked.
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
Answers to Workbook 7
Chapter 9 All the world’s a stage …
Page 82
Analysing a speech
1 The speech is celebrating victory; inspiring the country to work with Obama; promoting hope for
change.
2 The audience is the people in the room: his supporters in Chicago; plus anyone watching the
news! He is addressing all Americans: ‘America’, ‘we’, ‘our’.
3 Hope for change; equality and possibility; America has achieved great things and can do more.
4 Learner’s own answer
5 Learner’s own answer
Pages 85–86
How is a play performed?
1 ‘I take thee at thy word./Call me but love …’
2 Answers may vary slightly but look for recognition of Romeo and Juliet talking about how
difficult it is for them to be together because they are from feuding families, though they love
each other very much.
3 Answers will vary but look for recognition that the reference in the last lines to murder and
death may foreshadow a tragic end.
4 Romeo seems very earnest and romantic in his love, comparing Juliet to the sun. He is quite
bullish about his love for Juliet (‘Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptised’; ‘My life were better
ended by their hate/Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love’). Juliet seems more realistic
and cautious (‘The orchard walls are high and hard to climb/And the place death, considering
who thou art’; ‘If they do see thee, they will murder thee’) perhaps showing more maturity. She
also shows great understanding of her predicament, and is able to see Romeo beyond just a
family enemy (‘Thou art thyself, though not a Montague./What’s Montague? It is nor hand, nor
foot,/Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part/Belonging to a man.’).
5 Answers will vary a lot depending on what type of adaptation learners choose, but ensure their
answer covers most of the following: set, props, lights, sound effects, costume, make-up, stage
directions. In-depth responses will discuss how the choices they have made relate to the main
conflict of the plot (i.e. Romeo being from the Montagues and Juliet being from the Capulets
and unable to come together). Answers that show understanding of Romeo being down below
in the garden and Juliet being high up on the balcony, symbolising how difficult it is for them to
be together, will be very astute. Further, answers that set the time of day as night to show the
furtive and forbidden nature of their love will also be astute.
Look for evidence that learners have justified their choices. For example, if they have chosen to
add sound effects, why have they done this? This will show they have understood how all these
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
choices feed into how the audience responds to the play.
Learners may find this exercise easier to do in pairs or groups, where they can discuss ideas, and
with research into other adaptations of the same scene to spark ideas.
6 Learners’ own answers
7 Learners’ own answers
Page 86
A speech about an endangered animal
Learners must adapt an article into a speech and deliver it to different audiences, therefore
answers will vary.
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021
Answers to Workbook 7
Revision
These questions are designed to bring together key objectives from the Reading and Writing
framework for learners to demonstrate the skills they have learned across the previous nine units.
Learners will read a poem, an excerpt from an online travel blog and an excerpt from the science
fiction novel The Island of Dr Moreau by H. G. Wells.
Pages 91–92
1 Look for responses that show clear understanding of structure and language.
For the poem, learners should look to discuss the irregular structure, the lack of rhyme and the
irregular metre. Learners may discuss the voice of the poem and the nature of its personal
response. In terms of literary features, look for answers that include similes, metaphors,
repetition, rhetorical question.
For the blog, learners should comment on the logical structure of short paragraphs detailing
what to visit in Kyoto. They should discuss the conversational, informal language.
For the fiction extract, learners should discuss how the writer is trying to build tension
throughout the extract, which does not culminate until the end. They may pick out the
penultimate paragraph as the moment we finally see the narrator’s fear (‘At that I completely
lost my head with fear, and began running along the sand.’). They may recall the work they have
done on building detail through verb phrases and using a range of sentence types. In terms of
linguistic features, they may pick out alliteration, onomatopoeia, sibilance, similes and
metaphors.
2 Look for answers that include understanding of the intended audience and purpose of the texts.
Learners should discuss how these feed into why choices about features have been made.
Learners may find this easiest in relation to the travel blog, where they can pick out subheadings and links as being common blog features which are useful for readers to navigate their
way through the page.
For the fiction extract, they may touch on how the use of paragraphs and range of sentence
types are common in a suspense novel, but may offer an opinion on the effectiveness of this
particular extract in building suspense. Learners should look to mention the narrative
perspective and the protagonist and antagonist.
For the poem, learners may discuss how the irregular structure, the lack of rhyme and the
irregular metre mirror the unpredictability and chaos of a hurricane and cause the reader to
sympathise with the speaker.
Cambridge Checkpoint Lower Secondary English Stage 7 Workbook Third Edition: Answers
© John Reynolds and Barbara Hutton 2021