Pre Public Exam Paper 2 – Extended
IGCSE Style Paper
First Language English
0522
Paper 2 Reading Passages Extended
May 2015
2 hours
MODEL ANSWERS
Name: Lindsay Skinner
Teacher/Teaching group: Miss PiXL
Class: 11.1
Pre Public Exam Paper 2 – Extended
Read carefully Passage A, The Indonesian Rainforest, in the Reading Booklet Insert and then
answer Questions 1 and 2 on this Question Paper.
Question 1
You are Pascal Sanches, the journalist. Write a magazine article for the conservation magazine
based on your visit to the Indonesian Rainforest, with the title ‘Palm Oil Threat to Indonesian
Rainforest’.
In your newspaper article you should comment on:



your own memories of the rainforest and your experience of seeing an orangutan
an explanation of the threat to the rainforest and the orangutans
your feelings about the rainforest and the orangutans and your predictions for their
future. Base your magazine article on what you have read in Passage A, but be careful to use your
own words. Address each of the three bullets. Begin the magazine article: ‘The Indonesian rainforest is truly a sight to behold…’ Write about 250-350 words. Up to 15 marks are available for the content of your answer, and up to 5 marks for the
quality of your writing.
[20 marks]
The Indonesian rainforest is truly a sight to behold. If the gargantuan trees are not enough to grip you
in absolute awe, surely the iridescent flora, shining under the sun’s rays will be enough to make you
feel that this is a place that should be held sacred.
In my time traversing the Indonesian rainforest, I was fortunate enough to witness not only the
immensity of the forest itself, but also the brilliance of one of its inhabitants: the orangutan. During
this chance encounter, I watched the creature, so much like myself, snacking on a piece of foliage. As I
looked up at him, I couldn’t help but consider our similarities; human and orangutan teeth, for
example, are almost identical – only theirs could do a little more damage! Despite the potential
damage the orangutans could cause, they seemed like docile creatures, simply content in their
surroundings.
Unfortunately, these surroundings are under great threat. The rainforest may seem far away but the
very products that threaten it are much closer than you think. Palm oil, used to make commodities
such as toothpaste, cakes and shampoo – to name but a few - is the cause of much deforestation.
Companies cut down the trees of the rainforest and burn the remains, destroying the orangutans’
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home, or worse – burning them to death. The companies then replace the forest with palm oil trees
that thrive in the climate. It is shocking to know that such a rare and precious place is being destroyed
to make products that are so common and insignificant and the cruelty the harmless and beautiful
orangutans face feels barbaric.
It seems, however, that the destruction of the rainforest is set to continue; even my guide, who has
spent his life navigating the forest, accepts that it is certain. Despite this, I cannot help but nurture a
small hope that if awareness of the palm oil problem grows, then the forest will be allowed to remain.
I myself did not understand the problem but now I do, I shall banish palm oil from my shopping list.
Certainly, if we do not act soon, the rainforest will disappear and the orangutans will simply be
creatures of story books.
Question 2
Re-read the descriptions of:
(a) the place Pascal met his guide in paragraph 1, beginning, “I met my guide...”
(b) the orangutan in paragraph 6, beginning “Only metres away...”.
Select four powerful words or phrases from each paragraph. Your choices should include
imagery. Explain how each word or phrase selected is used effectively in the context.
Write about 200-300 words.
Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer.
[10 marks]
(a)
The writer presents the edge of the forest where the trees have been cut down and burned as
an “abandoned graveyard”. “Abandoned” means that it has been left behind and is not cared
for, implying that the companies who destroyed the forest do not value the land or what it
once was. The image created by the writer indicates that he does not feel that humans have
taken responsibility for their actions which he, presumably, thinks are awful, as he likens the
destruction of the forest to the death of human beings, describing the tree stumps as
“gravestones”. The image indicates that the loss of the forest is something to be mourned and
that the forest was as valuable as the humans who destroyed it. The dark image of mourning is
extended with the phrase “blackened soil”. Black is often symbolic of death and mourning and
this juxtaposes with the soil which is symbolic of fertility and new life, emphasising the waste
of potential. Indeed, the writer even describes the place as a “wasteland”, indicating that
there is nothing valuable left there and, perhaps, that the process of deforestation was in fact
a “waste” of the forest. Even the path is “cracked and broken”, an image the writer explores to
indicate that everything, not just the trees, are damaged. The words imply that the area is
utterly destroyed as “broken” seems to be an end point. Certainly, the reader is left with the
sense that this “wasteland” could not be brought back from the “dead”.
(b)
The writer humanises the orangutan, highlighting the similarity between the narrator and the
primate. Its eyes are described as “almost human”, implying that there is very little difference
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between the primate and the reader. The effect is that the killing of the orangutans is made
worse by the implication that they are so close to being human; the link makes their death
almost murder. The human image is enhanced by the fact that the similarity is the “eyes” – a
place where the human soul and emotions are traditionally found. The writer builds upon the
image further by referring to the orangutan’s fur as “hair”, further humanising it before linking
it to a child to create empathy with the creature. The hair itself is described as “brilliant
auburn”, creating the image of a creature that is iridescent, beautiful and something that
should not be harmed. Indeed, the writer’s almost defense of the orangutan as something
that should not be harmed is strengthened by the fact that the creature itself is harmless, lazy
even. It “carelessly lolls” its arm, meaning that the arm simply hangs; there is no aggression
and the action itself seems gentle, making the reader feel a fondness towards the animal.
However, both the reader and the narrator are reminded of the fact that this is, regardless of
its appearance, a wild animal with teeth that are “larger, sharper” than our own. This
demonstrates that the orangutan is in fact dangerous. Ironically, despite having teeth that
resemble weapons, the orangutans are actually the ones killed by human beings.
Read carefully Passage B, From Luwak Dropping to Delicious Drink, in the Reading Booklet
Insert and then answer Question 3(a) and (b) on this Question Paper.
Question 3
Answer the questions in the order set.
(a) Notes
What do you learn about kopi luwak coffee from Passage B?
Write your answer using short notes. You do not need to use your own words.
Up to 15 marks are available for the content of your answer.
[15 marks]
What you learn about kopi luwak coffee:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Men collect the luwak droppings in woven bowls
The luwaks eat coffee berries
The coffee bean is not digested and is left in the dropping
The coffee bean is found and used to make the coffee
The coffee is also known as civet, wolf or cat coffee
The coffee is expensive
It is superior to other coffee
The digestion process removes the coffee’s bitter taste
It was developed in the 18th century
Wild luwak droppings are hard to find
Wild kopi luwak coffee farmers are rare
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12. Luwaks are now often kept in cages
13. Conditions for the luwaks are poor because they are force fed
14. Tourists visit the luwak farms to drink the coffee
15. The coffee is readily available because of the new farming methods
(b) Summary
Now use your notes to write a summary of what Passage B tells you about kopi luwak coffee.
You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible.
Your summary should include all 15 of your points in Question 3(a) and must be 200-250
words.
Up to 5 marks are available for the quality of your writing.
[5 marks]
Kopi luwak coffee (also known as civet, wolf and cat coffee) is a specialised form of coffee that is made
from beans that have been eaten by a luwak. The luwak eats coffee berries but does not digest the
coffee bean inside, which can then be found in the creature’s droppings. Even though the bean is
whole, the digestive process has impacted on the coffee bean itself, making it taste less bitter than
traditional coffee.
Traditional kopi luwak coffee farmers collect the luwak droppings in woven bowls and remove the
coffee bean before washing and roasting it to make the product which is deemed to be the best in the
world and has a very high cost (up to $10 per cup).
The farming method began in the 18th century when the local people were banned from picking and
using the coffee beans. However, famers of the wild version of the coffee are now uncommon because
it is difficult to find the droppings. Therefore, luwaks are now farmed in cages which has made the
coffee much more common and available. However, conditions can sometimes be poor. For example,
the animals are force-fed. Despite this, many tourists visit the farms so that they can drink the luwak
coffee where it was made.
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Additional Page
If you use the following lined page to complete the answer(s) to any question(s), the question
number(s) must be clearly shown.
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Additional Page
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