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English 1123
Paper 1 Practice Worksheet
Read Text A and answer Question 1 and Question 2 on the question paper.
Text A: The Gift
This text has been adopted from a longer narrative that is set in the background of WW2. At this point in the
story, it is the night of Natalia’s sixteenth birthday. Her grandfather, a doctor, has arrived back at night from
visiting patients. He has woken Natalia and asked her to follow him quietly through the streets of their city.
As we continued down the empty street, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The stillness
was almost palpable, and it was as if the entire world Had been put on hold. I looked up at the
hazy moon, which seemed to be watching us intently and shivered. But then my grandfather
stopped and looked up and down the street, a smile spreading across his face. I couldn't help
but feel a little curious. What was he leading me to? What could be so important that it was
worth venturing out into this eerie silence?
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"I'm not going any further until you tell me,’ I said, out of breath and growing angrier by the
second. I drew myself up and stopped, glaring at him. "I deserve to know what's going on!”
My grandfather turned to look at me, his expression indignant. ‘Lower your voice, you fool,’ he
hissed.
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Then, suddenly, his arms went over his head in a wide arc. "Can't you feel it?’ he asked. ‘No one
in the world is awake but us."
I was taken aback by his words, and for a moment, I was speechless. But then I heard it-or rather,
the lack of it. There were no cars, no sirens, and no rats rustling in the bins that lined the street.
The silence was so complete that it was almost deafening. We continued down the 1 empty
street, passing darkened windows and abandoned buildings. I felt a growing sense of unease,
and my heart rate quickened as we approached an intersection. I half-expected to see the bustle
and noise of the tramway, but there was nothing. Not a single passing car, not even the distant
sound of footsteps. It was as if we were the only two people left in the world.
I peered out into the street. On the other side, there was a streetlamp with a dying bulb. I was
opening my mouth to say, "What?' and then I saw it. Half a block away, an enormous shadow
was moving along the street. At first, I thought it was a tram, but its shape was too organic, too
lumpy, and it was moving far too slowly for that. It was swaying back and forth in a rolling motion
that was drawing it away from us like a tide. Every time it rocked forward, something about it
made a soft dragging sound on the rails. As we watched, the thing sucked in the air and then let
out a deep groan. "That's an elephant!" I exclaimed, unable to believe my eyes.
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My grandfather said nothing. His glasses had fogged up during the walk, but he wasn't taking
them off to wipe them. Instead, he took my hand, and we watched the animal together. Its ears
were folded back against its domed head, and its big-lidded eyes seemed to take in everything
around it. The arched roll of its spine fell away into its hips, and dry folds of skin shook around
its shoulders and knees as it shifted its weight. It seemed to take up the whole street. It dragged
its curled trunk like a fist along the ground. Several meters in front of it, holding a bag of
something that must have been enormously tempting, a short young man was walking slowly
backward, drawing the elephant forward with whispers. It was a surreal sight, and I couldn't
believe what I was seeing.
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I saw them at the train station as I was coming home, my grandfather said, breaking the silence.
The elephant passed by us, slow and graceful, its attention completely focused on the young
man with the bag. And then it was gone, disappearing around a corner and leaving us standing
there in awe. How my grandfather had reacted to the sighting. He had seemed almost joyous,
as if the fact that we were the only ones awake to witness this incredible sight had some deeper
significance. I couldn't help but wonder if he saw the elephant as a sign of hope, a reminder that
even in the darkest of times, there were still glimpses of beauty and wonder to be found.
Later that year, I saw a picture while reading a news article about the elephant that my
grandfather and I had seen that night. It was a haunting image: the once majestic animal
reduced to skin and bones, standing in a barren enclosure. I couldn't help but feel a sense of
guilt and sadness, knowing that this magnificent creature had been captured and confined for
the amusement of humans. But as the article went on, its tone became optimistic. Despite the
dire conditions caused by the war, the zoo director had still seen it fit to bring the elephant in,
believing that eventually, children would come to see it. In many ways, the story of the elephant
was a miniature of the world we lived in. It was a world where beauty and tragedy often existed
side by side, where moments of wonder could be found even in the bleakest of circumstances.
And yet, even in the face of such darkness, there was still a flicker of hope, a belief that things
could get better.
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The memory of the elephant and my grandfather's reaction to it stayed with me for years, and as
I grew older, I found myself returning to it again and again. It had become a touchstone for me,
a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there was still a glimmer of hope and a reason to
keep moving forward.
Question1
a) How does the writer feel as she walks down the street with her grandfather?
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b) In what two ways did Natalia react to her grandfather’s mysterious behavior?
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__________________________________________________________________________________________(2)
c) Why does the grandfather seem indignant when the narrator demands to know what is going on?
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__________________________________________________________________________________________(1)
d) ‘Can’t you feel?’ he asked (line 11). What two things did her grandfather want her to notice?
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e) How did the narrator feel about seeing the elephant for the first time?
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f)
‘His glasses had fogged up during the walk, but he wasn’t taking them off to wipe them.’ (lines 2728) What might be the reason behind the grandfather’s decision to keep his glasses on?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
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g) ‘It dragged its curled trunk like a fist along the ground’ (lines 32). Identify the literary device used
here. Write one thing the writer suggests in these lines about the way the elephant moved.
1. Literary device
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(1)
2. How the elephant moved
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h) ‘It was a surreal sight’ (line 34). In your words, explain what the writer means by this.
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__________________________________________________________________________________________(2)
i)
Where did the grandfather first see the elephant?
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j)
‘Despite the dire conditions caused by the war…’ (line 50). Find another word from the same
paragraph that means the same thing as the word in bold.
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k) ‘…the story of the elephant was a miniature of the world we lived in’ (line 52). Explain what the
writer means by this.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________(2)
[Total:16]
Question 2
a) Explain the effect the writer creates by the use of the word in bold in the following line: ‘I peered
into the street on the other side; There was a street lamp with a dying bulb.’ (line 20)
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_________________________________________________________________________________________(1)
b) What? Impression. Does the writer want to convey to the reader about the city street?? Focus on
the words in bold.
‘There were no cars, no sirens and no rats rustling in the bins that lined the street. The silence was
so complete that it was almost deafening.’ (Lines 14-15)
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____________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________(2)
c) Identify one example from the text below of how the writer uses language effectively to describe the
movement of the elephant.:
Half a block away and enormous Shadow was moving along the street. At first I thought it was a
tram, but its shape was too organic, too lumpy, and it was moving far too slowly for that. It was
swaying back and forth. In a ruling motion that was drawing it away from us like a tide. Every time it
dropped for forward, something about it made us soft, dragging sound on the rails.
Explain the impression the writer creates in the example you have identified.
Example:________________________________________________________________________________
Explanation:_____________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________(3)
d) Identify one example from the text below of how the writer uses language effectively to draw a
contrast between the elephants past and current state to evoke a sense of guilt and sadness in the
reader.
It was a haunting image, the once majestic animal reduced to skins, to skin and bones. Standing in
barren enclosure. I couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt and sadness, knowing that this
magnificent creature had been captured and confined for the amusement of humans.
Explain the impression the writer creates in the example you have identified.
Example:________________________________________________________________________________
Explanation:____________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________(3)
[Total: 9]
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Read Text B and answer Question 3 on the question paper.
Text B: Waking the Baby Mammoth
This text is a review of a television documentary called 'Waking the Baby Mammoth’.
Lyuba, the one-month-old baby mammoth, has captivated the attention of the scientific world with her
perfectly preserved remains. Her discovery is a remarkable opportunity for researchers to study the woolly
mammoth and learn about their lives during the Ice Age. The television documentary, Waking the Baby
Mammoth, tells the story of Lyuba's discovery and the scientific process behind her exam highlighting the
Importance of preserving rare and valuable specimens like her.
Lyuba's discovery is an intricate tale of the relationship between humans and the natural world. The reindeer
herder who stumbled upon her remains was initially afraid of disturbing them because of an ancient
superstition that disturbing the remains of the dead can bring bad luck. This decision proved crucial in
preserving Lyuba's body, enabling scientists to study her in detail. This documentary provides an excellent
example of the importance of preserving rare and valuable specimens like Lyuba for future generations.
The documentary provides an in-depth overview of the scientific process of retrieving and examining Lyuba's
remains. Astonishingly, her internal organs were still intact, and scientists carefully extracted tissue
samples, performed dental examinations, and conducted high-tech bone scans to understand how Lyuba
died and what her life was like during the Pleistocene1 Era. Through these examinations, researchers have
discovered new information about the woolly mammoth's physiology, bone structure, diet, and behaviour.
Cutting-edge technology played a significant role in studying Lyuba's remains. Scientists used Computed
Tomography (CT) scans and X-rays to create detailed three-dimensional images of her bones and internal
organs. This information helped researchers better understand the anatomy of the woolly mammoth and
how it differs from modern-day elephants. Researchers have also used stable isotopes to analyse Lyuba's
hair and teeth, providing insight into her diet and the environmental conditions she experienced during her
brief life.
The documentary's visuals are stunning, featuring beautiful 3D animations of Lyuba and her mother. The
animations bring Lyuba to life, allowing us to see her as a furry, active baby mammoth. The director’s
attention to detail and use of innovative technology brings the viewer closer to Lyuba and allows us to
appreciate the magnificence of this extinct species.
Studying Lyuba and other specimens like her may have far-reaching implications for the future. The
programme raises questions about the possibility of bringing back extinct species, such as the woolly
mammoth, through cloning or genetic engineering. The study of Lyuba's DNA may provide valuable insights
into how to recreate the woolly mammoth's unique adaptations to the Ice Age environment. However,
bringing back extinct species is not without controversy. Critics argue that this approach could lead to
unintended ecological consequences or that it is simply not worth the investment when so many species
are threatened with extinction in the present day. The documentary encourages viewers to consider the
ethical implications of these issues and to think about how we can best protect the natural world for future
generations.
Lyuba's story sheds light on the wider scientific study of woolly mammoths. We learn about the role of these
creatures in the ecosystem and how they adapted to the harsh conditions of the Ice Age. This baby
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mammoth has helped us understand that the woolly mammoths were herbivores and played a critical role
in maintaining grasslands and tundra ecosystems. The documentary highlights the importance of
understanding the interdependence of species and the complex relationships that make up the ecosystems.
In conclusion, 'Waking the Baby Mammoth' is an engrossing and informative programme that tells the
fascinating story of Lyuba's discovery and the scientific process behind her examination. The programme’s
stunning visuals and attention to detail brings the viewer closer to this extinct species.
1.
Pleistocene: the Ice Age, which lasted over 2.5 million years and ended about 12,000 years ago.
Question 3
(a) Summarize What made Luba such a remarkable and precious scientific specimen, and
what scientists hoped to discover by studying her.
You must use continuous writing. Not note form.
Use your own words. Very appropriate.
Avoid copying long sections of the text.
You're somebody should be no more than 150 words.
Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer, and up to 10 marks for the quality
of your writing.
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(b) Imagine you are a paleontologist (a scientist who studies fossils) who is being interviewed
by the director of the documentary ‘Waking the Baby Mammoth’ before the filming
begins. He is interested in understanding how the study of extinct species like Lyuba can
help us understand the complex interdependence of the species and ecosystems.
Give your answer to the interviewer's question using information from the text. Interviewer’s
Question: Some people think mammoths are extinct, so there's no point of studying them in
today's world. What would you say to that?
Your answer:
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[Total: 25]