SUCCESS INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH SKILLS FOR CAMBRIDGE IGCSE™: SAMPLE ANSWERS
Unit 4: Reading and
writing: formal (article)
Exam-style question
You and your friends have been discussing whether people should buy fewer clothes. You want to
write an article for your local newspaper to make more people aware of the environmental issues.
In your article, explain what the problem is and suggest what people could do to improve the
situation.
Here are some comments from your friends:
The clothing industry
is terrible for the
environment.
People throw away lots
of clothes they haven’t
used much.
We should think
before we buy.
Second-hand
clothes are great.
Now write an article for the newspaper.
The comments above may give you some ideas, and you should also use some ideas of your own.
Write about 120 to 160 words.
[15]
[Total: 15]
Success International English Skills for Cambridge IGCSE™ – Hubbard © Cambridge University Press 2022
1
SUCCESS INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH SKILLS FOR CAMBRIDGE IGCSE™: SAMPLE ANSWERS
Sample answer 1
Feedback
The planet which we live is suffering because of the greed
of humans. For growing the materials we need to make
clothes take a lot of land. How many cotton bushes
make a blowse? How much water is needed to sustain
these bushes? How much fertiliser and pestiside wash
into our rivers and poison the soil? If we want a sweater
made from wool, how many hectares of grass could the
sheep have to eat? How much water will it have to take?
If we think about these problems before we go shopping
for clothes, perhaps we will mend the hole in our clothes
before we buy a new one. If we really need a sweater when
the weather goes cold, perhaps we can buy from a
second hand shop. A new garment not only cost money.
It costs the earth.
Content
141 words
Range and accuracy: There is a wide range of
common and less common vocabulary (e.g. the
greed of humans, A new garment). There is also a
range of structures (e.g. If we want a sweater
made from wool how many hectares of grass will
the sheep have to eat?). The language used is
generally accurate and the few errors made do
not impede understanding (e.g. The planet which
we live is suffering or growing the materials we
need take a lot of land).
Task fulfilment: The task is fulfilled and the
content is totally relevant throughout. The style
and register are consistently appropriate for an
article, and the reader is fully informed.
Development of ideas: The article is very well
developed, with a series of rhetorical questions
building up to an interesting conclusion. The
response is of appropriate length.
Assessment: Excellent
Language
Organisation: The text is effectively organised
and sequenced. Although there are not many
linking words, the article is effectively
constructed through the use of rhetorical
questions.
Assessment: Excellent
Overall assessment: Excellent. The article is
thoughtful and provocative, with very few errors.
Success International English Skills for Cambridge IGCSE™ – Hubbard © Cambridge University Press 2022
2
SUCCESS INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH SKILLS FOR CAMBRIDGE IGCSE™: SAMPLE ANSWERS
Sample answer 2
Feedback
Do everybody need all clothes that they are buying?
That is a more and more popular question. In my opinion
there is people buying every week new clothes and not
wearing or maybe wearing one time only then choosing a
new one. Therefore we must to remember that every new
clothes has a bad affect on the earth. In fact many
times people get to fat then cant wear the clothes but
another one can fit well so remember if you dont can
wear something don’t throw it take it to a special shop.
That saves another new clothes and the environment
also so always check this shops you maybe find a good
shirt nearly new and very cheap.
Content
135 words
Task fulfilment: The task is fulfilled and the
content is relevant. There is an attempt to use
the style and register necessary for an article,
which is generally successful. The reader is
informed.
Development of ideas: The content is reasonably
well developed and of appropriate length.
Assessment: Average
Language
Range and accuracy: There is a reasonable range
of common vocabulary, but structures are mostly
simple and mistakes tend to occur with more
ambitious forms (e.g. we must to remember that
every new clothes has a bad affect on the earth).
Errors of accuracy are frequent throughout the
text (e.g. Do everybody need all clothes that they
are buying?).
Organisation: Although overall, the text is quite
well organised, some sentences are too long and
need punctuation (e.g. That saves another new
clothes . . . and very cheap). There is, however,
some use of linking words (e.g. Therefore, In fact).
Assessment: Poor
Overall assessment: Poor. Work on subject/verb
agreement and word order would be useful, as
well as improved punctuation.
Success International English Skills for Cambridge IGCSE™ – Hubbard © Cambridge University Press 2022
3