Cambridge Lower Secondary Progression Test
English question paper 1 insert
Stage 7
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Section A: Reading
Text A
A boat or a basket? It’s a coracle
I have always enjoyed making baskets as a hobby. One day, a friend saw my handmade
shopping basket and he said that it reminded him of a miniature version of the coracles his
uncle had once built in Ireland.
A coracle is a small, round, shallow boat that is woven out of willow sticks. It is covered with a
waterproof skin made of animal hide or cloth and powered using a single paddle.
People have made coracles for thousands of years in places as far apart as Britain, Iraq, India
and Tibet. There have only been a few changes to the ways coracles are made during their
history. One has involved replacing the animal skin with woollen or cotton cloth. Although the
cloth has to be made waterproof, the weight of the boat is reduced by about half. As a result,
it floats on the water like a cork. Nowadays, a coracle also usually has a simple seat. The size
of most coracles has always remained about the same, just big enough for one or two people.
The most popular use of coracles has always been for salmon fishing on rivers. This is because
they are ideal in the fast-flowing, rocky rivers where salmon live. However, they have also
been used for long journeys. For example, monks travelled from Ireland to America in coracles
hundreds of years ago, which must have been a challenging experience! Nowadays, coracle
enthusiasts get together to take part in races for fun.
Despite their small size and the fact that they float very well, it takes a long time to learn how
to paddle a coracle. You have to stand up at the front to paddle it. Paddling to the side, as you
would a canoe, sends it in circles. Because of their shape, they are also very easy to capsize if
you stand up suddenly or move around too quickly. This is very amusing for anyone watching,
but less so for the paddler, who can get very wet! So I think I will be sticking to basket weaving
for now.
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Text B
Enjoy a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ moment
Sea Kayak Adventures began in 1993 with the dream of sharing with other nature-lovers the
majesty of whale watching and sea kayaking with orcas. Kayaks are largely non-intrusive to
wildlife, which means you’ll have a rare view of birds and animals that normally scatter at
the approach of humans. In sturdy sea kayaks, you’ll be at eye level with playful dolphins,
inquisitive sea lions, and breathtaking whales and orcas. If you’re already an avid sea kayaker,
you’ll enjoy our emphasis on wildlife and natural history from local guides. But no prior
experience is necessary! Kayaking is easy to learn in the sheltered waters that we visit, and
we provide all the gear, kayak equipment and guidance needed.
We select the very best places to whale watch and sea kayak on Earth. Don’t just watch
whales. Join them. See blue whales and fin whales or view friendly grey whale babies at our
exclusive Baja whale watching basecamp in Magdalena Bay. Kayak with orcas and humpback
whales off Vancouver Island in Canada, or sea kayak with southern right whales in Patagonia
in their calving lagoon. We even offer tours by yacht to Alaska, or camping on the Galapagos
for a spectacular wilderness adventure. Since 1996, we have had a perfect safety record and
thousands upon thousands of happy guests.
We operate under strict ‘Leave-No-Trace’ ethics so that you can enjoy whales and orcas
without harming their habitat. Rest assured that on a Sea Kayak Adventures trip, you will leave
these special places as pristine as you found them.
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Copyright Acknowledgements:
Text B
© http://www.seakayakadventures.com/?gclid=CM7y8sadnscCFRDKtAodbDUPNQ; 10 August 2015.
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Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of University of
Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is itself a department of the University of Cambridge.
© UCLES 2017
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