Name:

English Teacher:

English Language Papers

1 and 2

Paper 1: Fiction Reading and

Writing
Paper 1 mock exam date: Mon 5th Feb – AM
–Paper 2: Non-fiction Reading
1hr 45 mins
Paper 1 actual exam date: Thurs 23rd May –
1 hr 45 mins
Paper 2 mock date: Fri 9th Feb – AM 1hr 45
mins
Paper 2 actual exam date: Thurs 6th June – 1
hr 45 mins 1
 Booklet Contents
Language Paper 1

p.3 Language Paper 1 Guide

p.4-12 Language Paper 1 Section A Model Responses

p.13-17 Langauge Paper 1 Section B Model Responses

p.18-23 Practice Langauge Paper 1 Papers

Langauge Paper 2

p.24 Language Paper 2 Guide

p.25-34 Language Paper 2 Section A Model Responses

p.35-39 Language Paper 2 Section B Model Responses

p.40-48 Practice Language Paper 2 Papers

2
 English Language Paper 1
Section A: 1 hour
Q 4 List 4 things
1 marks
1. Read the part of the extract the question is asking about
2. Underline the most important 2 quotations that link to the question
3. Circle the most important word or phrase in the quotations
4. Annotate the most important words or phrases – write 3 things they makes you think
of
The writer…
Writer + quotation
Q For example… / When…

2 8 How does the

Here,…
More specifically… / In particular…
Zoom x 3 The use of… / The image of…
marks writer use sentences
By…, the writer…
It is almost as if… / It is as though…
language… Metaphorically… / Symbolically…
Maybe… / Perhaps… / It could be…

Effect on the Therefore the reader…

reader …because…

1. Read the whole extract

2. Mark the beginning, middle and end
3. Write in the source the focus of the beginning, middle and end
Focus of the
beginning / middle / end
beginning /
Q 8 middle / end
focus shift / linger

3 How does the

marks Effect on the
writer use …which makes the reader feel /
structure reader wonder / question / think…

Writer …because the writer…

1. Read the part of the extract the question is asking about

2. Underline the most important 4 quotations that link to the question
3. Circle the most important word or phrase in the quotation
4. Annotate the most important words or phrases – write 3 things they make you think of
Writer + quotation The writer…
For example… / When…
Q Here,…
4 To what extent More specifically… / In particular…
20 do you agree Zoom x 3 The use of… / The image of…
By…, the writer…
marks with the sentences It is almost as if… / It is as though…
Metaphorically… / Symbolically…
statement Maybe… / Perhaps… / It could be…

Effect on the Therefore the reader…

reader …because…

Section B: 45 minutes
1. Decide where ‘you’ are in the image
Q 2. Write the one thing you’re going to compare the sky to
3. Circle the tiny detail you’re going to write about
5 40 Write a S Describe the sky
[word]. Repeat the [word]. The sky
was…

3
 T Describe a tiny
detail
Below / beneath the…
On…

description A Describe the

atmosphere
It was a place / space / time…
Everything / everywhere…
marks inspired by the
image R Describe a reaction
And then, suddenly…
+repetition

T To… was to… To… was to…

Model: Paper 1 Section A -

November 2017

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5
1. Alice has a water bottle
2. Alice drinks water in great gulps
3. The sky is an endless blue
4. The tarmac on the road is dented

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 1. Read the part of the extract the question is asking about
2. Underline the most important 2 quotations that link to the question
3. Circle the most important word or phrase in the quotations
4. Annotate the most important words or phrases – write 3 things they makes you think
of
Writer + quotation The writer…

Q For example… / When…

2 8 How does the

Here,…
More specifically… / In particular…
Zoom x 3 The use of… / The image of…
marks writer use sentences
By…, the writer…
It is almost as if… / It is as though…
language… Metaphorically… / Symbolically…
Maybe… / Perhaps… / It could be…

Effect on the Therefore the reader…

reader …because…

The writer presents the mountains in spring as having a fragile beauty when she
describes the flowers as “delicate” and “peep[ing] out”. Here, “delicate” implies
that the flowers and, by proxy, the beauty of nature, is fragile, vulnerable and,
ultimately, susceptible to attack or damage. By describing the flowers as
“peep[ing] out from their hiding places”, the writer makes the flowers seem both
frightened and secretive. It is almost as if the flowers are like prey and the cruel
“rock”, “snow” and “sun” are the predators. Therefore the reader sees that the
mountainous area can be callous and cruel to the fragile flowers, symbols of the
transience of beauty.
The writer presents the mountains in summer as both difficult to live in and
lacking beauty when she describes how “the sun has flattened the land into
submission, turning the greens to brown”. Here, “flattened” implies that the sun is
a cruel and tyrannical force, suppressing and oppressing the beauty of “the land”.
Symbolically, “green” represents the potency of nature and so, by describing it
as “brown”, it is almost as if the writer is implying that the sun has corrupted

7
 1. Read the whole extract
2. Mark the beginning, middle and end
3. Write in the source the focus of the beginning, middle and end
Focus of the
beginning / middle / end
beginning /
Q 8 middle / end
focus shift / linger

3 How does the …which makes the reader

marks Effect on the
writer use feel / wonder / question /
structure reader
think…

Writer …because the writer…

The extract opens with a focus on Alice, who is surrounded by “shimmering”

“heat haze”, which makes the reader see Alice as vulnerable in these difficult
conditions and also alone and isolated because the writer chooses to conceal the
presence of her “colleagues” until line 12.
The focus then shifts to Alice’s colleagues in the “main camp”, which makes it
clear that she is part of a group, although the reader feels that Alice is somehow
separate from them because the writer has positioned Alice in a different space
and so we understand that she wants to be independent, separate and, ultimately,
special.
Finally, the writer ends the extract with Alice’s “discovery” and with her deciding
to dig alone and not “play by the rules”, which makes the reader concerned for
Alice because of the extreme conditions and her defiance and separation from the
group. Because the writer begins and ends the extract with a single character,
Alice, we see that she is not only powerful and independent but also perhaps

8
 1. Read the part of the extract the question is asking about
2. Underline the most important 4 quotations that link to the question
3. Circle the most important word or phrase in the quotation
4. Annotate the most important words or phrases – write 3 things they make you think of
Writer + quotation The writer…
For example… / When…
Q Here,…
4 To what extent More specifically… / In particular…
20 do you agree Zoom x 3 The use of… / The image of…
By…, the writer…
marks with the sentences It is almost as if… / It is as though…
Metaphorically… / Symbolically…
statement Maybe… / Perhaps… / It could be…

Effect on the Therefore the reader…

reader …because…

Model:
Clearly, Paper
the writer 1 Section
does present A - when it is described as
the object as mysterious
“something glittering” “neat and tidy”. By describing the object as “something”, the
June
writer 2018
keeps its identity ambiguous and so the reader becomes curious because the object
is mysterious. In particular, the word “glittering” is used to add to the mystery because
something that “glitter[s]” gives off light and, by proxy, perhaps hope. It is almost as if
this “glittering” object is valuable, enchanting or maybe even supernatural because
objects that “glitter” are often precious or magical. By juxtaposing “glittering” with “neat
and tidy”, the writer makes the object seem complex and mysterious. Here, “neat and
tidy” implies that the object has been positioned deliberately there, as if it is not natural
or normal but instead abnormally arranged. Therefore the reader sees the object as both
mysterious and completely unique because of its sparkling qualities and abnormal
position.
Additionally, the writer makes the object seem like it could be life-changing when she
describes it as having “placed there by a giant hand”. Here, “placed” suggests that the
object is precious and perhaps fragile because to “place” something is to put it down with
care and concern for its safety. By referring to a “giant hand”, the writer makes this
object seem life-changing because she links it to the “hand” of a “giant”, omnipotent deity
or god-like figure. It is almost as if the object is connected to a god and therefore is
powerful and should be both glorified and revered. Therefore the reader sees that the
object could be life-changing because it is connected to a superior force.
Finally, the writer ends the extract with the idea that the discovery was life-changing
when she describes how Alice wonders what would have happened “if she had played by
the rules.” Here, “if” is used to show Alice’s failure to conform to expectations. By
describing how Alice did not “play by the rules”, the writer presents Alice’s decision to
look for the object by herself as transgressive, subversive and, ultimately, defiant. It is
almost as if Alice ignored and abandoned “the rules”, destabilising the norms and the

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10
 1. He lived alone
2. He lived in a terraced house
3. He lived in the centre of town
4. He took some books and papers home at the weekend to mark

1. Read the part of the extract the question is asking about

2. Underline the most important 2 quotations that link to the question
3. Circle the most important word or phrase in the quotations
4. Annotate the most important words or phrases – write 3 things they makes you think
of
Writer + quotation The writer…

Q For example… / When…

2 8 How does the

Here,…
More specifically… / In particular…
Zoom x 3 The use of… / The image of…
marks writer use sentences
By…, the writer…
It is almost as if… / It is as though…
language… Metaphorically… / Symbolically…
Maybe… / Perhaps… / It could be…

Effect on the Therefore the reader…

reader …because…

The writer presents Mr Fisher as viewing books as both special and precious when she
describes a time “when books were golden”. Here, “golden” implies that in the past books
and, by proxy, art were valued. By describing books as “golden”, the writer reveals that,
just like “gold”, books were seen as not only something to respect and revere but also
something to cherish and take care of. It is almost as if the financial value of “gold” is
used to symbolise the spiritual, emotional and psychological value of books. Therefore
the reader sees that books used to be seen as superior, special objects with significant
value.
The writer also presents Mr Fisher as seeing books as liberating when she describes how
he remembers “heroes”, “dragons and dinosaurs” and “space adventures”. Here, the
writer lists these fictional characters and themes to emphasise the power of the fantasy
stories in books. By listing these characters, the writer emphasises the power of fiction to
overwhelm and inspire the mind. It is almost as if the writer wants us to understand the
11
 1. Read the whole extract
2. Mark the beginning, middle and end
3. Write in the source the focus of the beginning, middle and end
Focus of the
beginning / middle / end
beginning /
Q 8 middle / end
focus shift / linger

3 How does the …which makes the reader

marks Effect on the
writer use feel / wonder / question /
structure reader
think…

Writer …because the writer…

The extract opens with a focus on Mr Fisher, who “lived alone” and was “disappointed”
in his students, which makes the reader feel sympathy for Mr Fisher’s isolation and for the
poor quality of writing from his students because the writer has emphasised his
melancholy.
The focus then shifts Mr Fisher’s memories of the “golden” stories of the past,
juxtaposed with the dull “black and white” stories of the present, which makes the reader
wonder whether Mr Fisher’s “gloomy” attitude about his current class will be disrupted.
Finally, the writer ends the extract with Mr Fisher’s excitement about Tibbett’s “original”
story, which makes the reader, like Mr Fisher, feel both relieved and a sense of “hope”
because the joy of this story is contrasted with Mr Fisher’s isolation at the beginning and
his sadness and “gloom” in the middle of the extract. Because the writer has given us
this feel of “hope” at the end, the reader is interested in whether it will last and change Mr
Fisher’s “gloom” permanently or whether it will be transient and Mr Fisher will return to

12
 1. Read the part of the extract the question is asking about
2. Underline the most important 4 quotations that link to the question
3. Circle the most important word or phrase in the quotation
4. Annotate the most important words or phrases – write 3 things they make you think of
Writer + quotation The writer…
For example… / When…
Q Here,…
4 To what extent More specifically… / In particular…
20 do you agree Zoom x 3 The use of… / The image of…
By…, the writer…
marks with the sentences It is almost as if… / It is as though…
Metaphorically… / Symbolically…
statement Maybe… / Perhaps… / It could be…

Effect on the Therefore the reader…

reader …because…

Models: Paper 1
Section B
An online competition for story writing is being held and you have decided
to enter. Write a story set in a mountainous area as suggested by this
picture.

Describe [word]. Crumpled. Crumpled and creased. The sky We

wassee
a
S
Clearly, the writer presents Mr Fisher’s
the sky
reaction to Tibbett’s story as extreme.
Repeat the crumpled piece of paper, spread out above me. As I
this when she describes how his breathing “quickened, stopped, quickened again” and “he
began to sweat.” Here, “quickened, stopped,13quickened” is used to emphasise the
psychological chaos that Mr Fisher is in. By repeating “quickened”, the writer shows the
shock and amazement that Mr Fisher feels because the physical speed of his breathing is
used to reflect the psychological speed of his thoughts, which are racing with excitement.
 stood silently beneath it, I saw the sun struggling to
rip through. Ultimately, this was futile. The white
[word]. The clouds concealed everything beneath it and seemed
sky was… to almost consume the mountains below. But the
mountains were impervious.
Beneath the crumpled clouds, beneath my weary feet,
the wooden planks were scratched and scarred.
Below / Fragile and unstable, these boards were splintered
Describe a beneath
T tiny detail the…
and marked. On my left was a crisp packet, deflated
and defeated and abandoned by people who had once
On…
filled this place with laughter. Red and blue, the
plastic glinted and shone in the dull light.
It was a
place / It was a time of lost joy. It was a place that seemed to
Describe space / sigh sadly. It was a space that seemed to be defeated
the time…
A atmospher Everything
by darkness. As my watch slowly ticked, the
mountains looked on indifferently, superior and
e /
everywher
distant.
e…
And then, suddenly, rain. Rain that ripped through the
paper sky above. Rain that stormed down furiously.
And then,
Describe a
R reaction
suddenly… Rain that roared down angrily. Rain that filled the
+repetition crisp packet, making it burst and shatter. Cruel rain,
predatory rain, callous rain. I stood still, in awe of it.

To stand beneath the fragile clouds and watch them

To… was To… was
T to… to…
be ripped apart was to realise the true omnipotence
of nature
An online competition for story writing is being held and you have decided
to enter. Write a description of a fishing village, as suggested by this
picture

14
 Crumpled. Crumpled and creased. The sky was a
crumpled piece of paper, spread out above me. As I
[word].
Describe Repeat the stood silently beneath it, I saw the rainbow that had
S the sky [word]. The been scrawled onto the paper above. I saw the red
sky was… and yellow and blue scratched as if by a felt tip pen.
But it was fading.
Beneath the crumpled sky, below the smiling
houses, fish in the harbour flashed. On my right,
Below /
Describe a beneath bright and multicoloured, the fish shone in the
T tiny detail the… struggling light, they reflected the rainbow scrawled
On… above. On my left, dark and threatening, a group of
fish swarmed furiously.
It was a
place / It was a time of confusion. It was a place that had
Describe space / both brightness and darkness. It was a space that
the time…
A atmospher Everything
combined night and day. As my watch slowly
ticked, I wondered which would win: the darkness or
e /
everywher
the light.
e…
And then, suddenly, rain. Rain that ripped through
the paper sky above. Rain that stormed down
And then, furiously. Rain that roared down angrily. Rain that
Describe a
R reaction
suddenly… obscured my view of the fish, darkening the sea,
+repetition
darkening the sky. Cruel rain, predatory rain, callous
rain. I stood still, in awe of it. The darkness had won.
To stand beneath the hopeful rainbow scrawled above
To… was To… was
T to… to…
and watch it be ripped apart was to realise the true
omnipotence of nature

An online competition for story writing is being held and you have decided
to enter. Write a story of an unlikely friendship
Crumpled. Crumpled and creased. The sky was a
crumpled piece of paper, spread out above me,
[word]. concealing light. As I stood silently beneath it, I saw a
Describe Repeat the lonely grey bird on a lonely tree, singing hopefully,
S the sky [word]. The wishing for the sun. I saw its colour dulled by the
sky was…
crumpled paper clouds above, which obscured the
sun. But still, the bird sang.
Describe a Below / Beneath the crumpled sky, below struggling sun,
T tiny detail beneath the bird flew down from the tree, pecking at the grass
the…
by my feet. On my right, it stood, examining the
On…
grass. It hopped mournfully left and right, and
abandoned the grass. Instead, it stared intently up at
me, as if speaking silent words of friendship and
connection. Its grey feathers mirrored the dull sky
15
 above. It seemed to be hoping for the crumpled sky to
rip; hoping for the creased clouds above to break.
It was a
place / It was a time of darkness and dullness. It was a
Describe space / place felt lacking in any colour. It was a space that
the time…
A atmospher Everything
was without joy. As my watch slowly ticked, I
wondered when this small, hopeful bird would see its
e /
everywher
world in colour again.
e…
And then, suddenly, rain. Rain that ripped through
the paper sky above. Rain that stormed down
furiously. Rain that roared down angrily. Predatory
rain, callous rain. But just as suddenly as it had
begun, the cruel rain stopped. Above me, yellow and
And then,
Describe a
R reaction
suddenly… blue and red were emerging on the crumpled clouds.
+repetition The rainbow was drawn quickly, chaotically,
beautifully, onto the white paper above. The yellow
and blue and red was reflected in the bird’s damp
feathers. It looked at me and I was sure I could see joy
in its eyes. Colour had returned to this landscape.
To gaze at this bird bathed in the colours of the
To… was To… was
T to… to…
rainbow was to realise the true power of an unlikely
friendship.

An online competition for story writing is being held and you have decided
to enter. Write a story about a house, inspired by this image.

16
 Crumpled. Crumpled and creased. The sky was a
crumpled white sheet, spread out in front of me. The
shining purity of the white gave me hope for liberation. As
I looked through the window, my back to the bedroom, I
[word].
Describe Repeat the saw, faintly, the trees, as if they had been stitched onto
S the sky [word]. The the fabric with brown and green thread. The shadowy
sky was… clouds above were like folds in the white sheet. I knew that
behind me, the room stood, unchanged. I knew that behind
me, the door was closed. I knew that, behind me, was a
room I could never escape.

Beneath the crumpled sky, below the brown and green

trees, beneath my tired feet, the carpet was frayed. On
Below /
Describe a beneath one side, patches of once bright colour had faded, swirling
T tiny detail the… into a mess of black and brown. Scattered about the
On… carpet were splinters of wood, fragments of the door that I
had tried so hard to break through.

It was a time of callous entrapment. It was a place that

It was a
had imprisoned me for a long time. It was a space that
place /
was dominated by the locked door, which I tried and failed
Describe space /
the time… to ignore. Everything felt futile and, yet, as I looked at
A atmospher Everything those folded clouds above, I felt a fragment of hope. As
e / my watch slowly ticked, I wondered whether I would
everywher ever be freed, whether liberty was possible from this
e… prison.

And then, suddenly, a creaking sound. A creaking

sound that seemed to rip through the silence. A creaking
sound that seemed to make the white sheet of the sky,
And then,
Describe a
R reaction
suddenly…
+repetition
which I stared so hopefully at, ripple and sway. A creaking
sound that was a cry of freedom. I slowly turned around to
face the door. The door that had been shut for so long.
Finally, it was open.

To… was To… was To stand in awe before the open door was to stand before
T to… to… my one chance at liberation.

17
 A competition for story writing is being held and you have decided to
enter. Write a story about a beach, inspired by this image.

Comforting. Peaceful and comforting. The sky was a

hopeful, comforting blue blanket, spread out above me.
As I stared up at the sky, I saw seagulls, like a beautiful
pattern of white stitches, sewn onto the blanket above. I
[word].
Describe could not look away from the comforting sky. I felt
S the sky
Repeat the
[word]. The enchanted, transfixed, under a spell. I could not look down
sky was… at the tiny footprints, which slowly disappeared into the
sea. I could not look down at those tiny footprints because,
if I did, I knew that true chaos and turmoil would attack. I
continued to look up at the comforting sky.

Below the blanket above, beneath the soaring seagulls

stitched in a stunning pattern, I knew those footprints
faded, slowly, into nothingness. They faded, slowly, into
the roaring sea. On the sand, near my own bare feet,
Below /
Describe a which stood, frozen, the footprints were confident. They
T tiny detail
beneath
the… seemed almost permanent. As they stumbled towards the
On… sea, they seemed to be fading. Fading like my hope. The
sea screamed and roared, engulfing and consuming those
tiny, fragile prints. But I continued to stare at the
comforting blue above. I could not look down.
It was a
place / It was a place with roaring waves and roaring thoughts.
Describe
the
space / It was a space of hopelessness. It was a time of deep
A atmospher
time…
Everything /
fear. Everything was hopeless. The footprints had
e disappeared. She was lost.
everywhere
…

And then, suddenly, a scream. A scream that seemed to

And then,
Describe a
R reaction
suddenly…
+repetition
rip through the sky above. A scream that drowned out the
roaring sea. A scream of a child. Her scream.

18
 To… was To… was To hear that scream; to hear her scream was to hear,
T to… to… finally, the sound of hope.

19
Practice English Language Paper 1
- Nov 2018

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21
Practice English Language Paper 1
- Nov 2019

22
23
Practice English Language Paper 1
- Nov 2020

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 English Language Paper 2
Section A
Q 4 True or false
1 marks
1. Read the question
2. Read Source A and Source B
3. Underline two quotes in each source that link to the question
Q Point + quotation [Similarly / however] in Source A/B…
For example… / When…

2 8 Summarise the
…implies…
…because…
marks differences… Go beneath the …and so…
surface +society
+humans
+conflict
1. Read the part of the extract the question is asking about
2. Underline the most important 3 quotations that link to the question
3. Circle the most important word or phrase in the quotations
4. Annotate the most important words or phrases – write 3 things they make you think of
The writer…
Writer + quotation For example… / When…

Q Here,…

3 12
How does the Zoom x 3
More specifically… / In particular…
The use of… / The image of…
writer use sentences
By…, the writer…
marks It is almost as if… / It is as though…
language? Metaphorically… / Symbolically…
Maybe… / Perhaps… / It could be…

Effect on the Therefore the reader…

reader …because…

1. Read the question

2. Underline 2 quotations in each source that link to the question
3. Circle the most important word or phrase in the quotations
4. Annotate the most important words or phrases – write 3 things they make you think of
Writer + quotation [Similarly / however] The writer…
+ compare For example… / When…

Q Here,…
More specifically… / In particular…
4 16 Compare how Zoom x 3 The use of… / The image of…
By…, the writer…
marks writers… sentences It is almost as if… / It is as though…
Metaphorically… / Symbolically…
Maybe… / Perhaps… / It could be…

Effect on the Therefore the reader…

reader …because…

Section B
1. Circle which text type you are writing (a speech / leaflet / letter / essay / article)
2. Decide whether you are for or against the statement
3. Note down what the worst possible world would be like if people don’t listen to you
4. Note down what the best possible world would be like if people do listen to you
As you… there’s probably only one

E Establish the audience

question…: “…?”
To that I say: …

Q 40
Write a: It is…; it is…; it is… that…

5 marks
 speech P Picture this: Picture this: a dystopian world full of…

 leaflet Now imagine…

 letter I Now imagine Visualise…
This could…
 essay Experts…
 article I Information Statistics…
Interviews…

I I – personal anecdote
I can’t help but remember…
I am visited by a vivid image of…

27
 You may still be…
Counter-argument and
C conclusion
However,…
To… is to…

28
Model: Paper 2 Section A -
November 2022

29
30
 1. Read the question
2. Read Source A and Source B
3. Underline two quotes in each source that link to the question
Q Point + quotation [Similarly / however] in Source A/B…
For example… / When…

2 8 Summarise the
…implies…
…because…
marks differences… Go beneath the …and so…
surface +society
+humans
+conflict

The writer of Source A tries many “known cures”, for example giving up “coffee, sugar
and heavy dinners” to help her sleep, which implies that she relies on scientific research
and understanding because these are well-known barriers to sleep and so the failure of
these techniques could, by proxy, reveal a failure of science.
However, the writer of Source B follows her instincts rather than science, wrongly
assuming “You’re hungry! Yes – that must be it”, which implies that she listens to her
natural impulses rather than science because she is responding to her body and feelings.
Both Source A and Source B describe desperate and futile attempts to get to sleep,
demonstrating the potency of insomnia. For example, in Source A, the writer tries
“herbal remedies” and “baking”, which implies that she is willing to try anything
because these are not normal, scientific solutions. Similarly, the writer of Source B tries
repeating “poetry” or the “Multiplication table”, which also reveals her desperation
because these are “foolish” solutions.
31
 1. Read the part of the extract the question is asking about
2. Underline the most important 3 quotations that link to the question
3. Circle the most important word or phrase in the quotations
4. Annotate the most important words or phrases – write 3 things they make you think of
The writer…
Writer + quotation For example… / When…

Q Here,…

3 12
How does the Zoom x 3
More specifically… / In particular…
The use of… / The image of…
writer use sentences
By…, the writer…
marks It is almost as if… / It is as though…
language? Metaphorically… / Symbolically…
Maybe… / Perhaps… / It could be…

Effect on the Therefore the reader…

reader …because…

The writer of Source B presents the mosquitoes as a potent enemy when she describes
their “never-ceasing war-song”. Here, “never-ceasing” reveals the inescapable,
imprisoning and, ultimately, perpetual sound of the mosquitoes. It is almost as if she
feels that the sound surrounds her, denying her any liberty or freedom. By comparing
their sound to a “war-song”, the writer demonstrates that the mosquitoes are preparing to
damage, hurt, and, ultimately attack her. In particular, her reference to “war”
emphasises the perpetual conflict between her and the mosquitoes and, by proxy, the
conflict between humans and nature, which nature (and the mosquitoes) inevitably wins.
Metaphorically, it is as if the mosquitoes, like soldiers in a “war”, are a violent enemy.
Therefore the reader understands that, despite the small size of the mosquitoes, they
have a significant amount of power and can cause pain and suffering.

The writer of Source B emphasises her own vulnerability compared to the mosquitoes
when she describes feeling “as nervous as a cat”. Here, “nervous” emphasises her fear of
the mosquitoes. By comparing herself to a “cat”, the writer reveals that, because of the
mosquitoes, she feels, like a cat, on edge, easily spooked and, ultimately volatile. It is
almost as if the writer wants to emphasise the fact that she feels like prey.

The writer of Source B also exposes the discomfort caused by mosquitoes when she
describes “doubl[ing] fists up under… arm-pits” and how feet become “twisted” into “hard
knots”. Here, the writer uses these images of physical discomfort to symbolise the
emotional and psychological discomfort caused by the mosquitoes. In particular, “fists”,
“twisted” and “doubling” are used to emphasise the tension in the body, which
represents tension in the mind. It is almost as if the mosquitoes have destabilised
normal physical movements, transforming them into tense, uncomfortable and unsettling
movements. Therefore the reader understand both the physical and mental damage that
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 1. Read the question
2. Underline 2 quotations in each source that link to the question
3. Circle the most important word or phrase in the quotations
4. Annotate the most important words or phrases – write 3 things they make you think of
Writer + quotation [Similarly / however] The writer…
+ compare For example… / When…

Q Here,…
More specifically… / In particular…
4 16 Compare how Zoom x 3 The use of… / The image of…
By…, the writer…
marks writers… sentences It is almost as if… / It is as though…
Metaphorically… / Symbolically…
Maybe… / Perhaps… / It could be…

Effect on the Therefore the reader…

reader …because…

The writer of Source A opens her article with a positive story of her finally having solved her
insomnia when she describes how, after repeating a “well-rehearsed script”, her “thoughts
drop off into a dark velvety sleep”. Here, “velvety” is used to emphasise the comforting
qualities of sleep. In particular, “velvet” is a soft and luxurious fabric and so we see that, to
the writer, sleep is precious, valuable and, perhaps a luxury. It is almost as if she sees it as
something, like velvet, to be admired and treasured. Therefore the reader sees that sleep is
important, and perhaps even, like velvet, rare, for the writer.

However, the writer of Source B opens her article with a negative story of the horrors of
sleeplessness, emphasising the discomfort of insomnia rather than the comfort of sleep as in
Source B. For example, the writer of Source B describes the “perspiration”, “twitching
fingers” and “kicking toes”. Here, physical discomfort is used to reflect the psychological
discomfort of insomnia. In particular, “twitching” and “kicking” are physical actions that
require tension in the muscles and so we see that, during a night of no sleep, there is a feeling
of great tension. Therefore we see that the writer of Source A wants to focus at the start on
the comfort of sleep whereas the writer of Source B wants to focus on the discomfort of
sleeplessness.

Both writers describe how they feel the morning after a night of no sleep. The writer of
Source A feels perpetual physical and psychological pain in the morning because of her
insomnia. We see this when she describes her “sore eyes, itchy skin and a high-pitched sense
of mental hysteria”. Here, the list of issues emphasises her suffering. By describing “sore
eyes” and “itchy skin”, the writer almost compares insomnia to an infection, disease or allergy.
It is almost as if it is attacking her body, creating permanent marks. The use of the phrase
“mental hysteria” emphasises the psychological marks created by insomnia. It is as though
these intangible, “mental” marks are permanent too. Therefore the reader sees that, in
the morning, insomnia is traumatic for both the body and mind.

However, although the writer of Source B does experience a feeling of being “hysterical”,
“next thing” she knows “it is eight o’clock in the morning, and coffee and rolls are awaiting”
her “arrival”. Here, we see that despite her psychological “hysteria”, she is able to wake up
to some normality. By describing “coffee and rolls”, the writer emphasises the normality that
she is able to achieve in the mornings. In particular,
33 by describing them as “awaiting your
arrival”, the writer emphasises the privilege she has to have this breakfast waiting for her. It
Model: Paper 2 Section A -
November 2021

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 1. Read the question
2. Read Source A and Source B
3. Underline two quotes in each source that link to the question
Q Point + quotation [Similarly / however] in Source A/B…
For example… / When…

2 8 Summarise the …implies…

…because…
marks differences… Go beneath the …and so…
surface +society
+humans
+conflict

The children in Source A feel liberty, freedom and are, ultimately, unconstrained. For
example, they “raced up and down… or all three”, creating an “uproar”, which implies
that they have no real direction or purpose and so are completely free, without
boundaries imposed on them by adults.

However, the children in Source B are completely constrained and live without rights,
freedom or liberty. For example, they are “sitting silently”, which implies that, unlike the
unconstrained activity of the children in Source A, these children have their physical
movement and, by proxy, their freedom limited and so they are oppressed.

The children in Source A have enough money to buy sweets. For example, “everyone,
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without exception” bought a chocolate bar, which implies that all children had enough
money to satisfy their appetite for sweets because “everyone” was able to buy at least
one thing and so clearly these children benefit from some wealth and enough resources
to allow them to enjoy sweets.
 1. Read the part of the extract the question is asking about
2. Underline the most important 3 quotations that link to the question
3. Circle the most important word or phrase in the quotations
4. Annotate the most important words or phrases – write 3 things they make you think of
The writer…
Writer + quotation For example… / When…

Q Here,…

3 12
How does the Zoom x 3
More specifically… / In particular…
The use of… / The image of…
writer use sentences
By…, the writer…
marks It is almost as if… / It is as though…
language? Metaphorically… / Symbolically…
Maybe… / Perhaps… / It could be…

Effect on the Therefore the reader…

reader …because…

The writer of Source A presents Fantails as extremely tough when he describes how
“people had to have their mouths chipped open with a cold chisel”. Here, the writer
exaggerates, using the image of a “cold chisel” to emphasise how sticky the sweets were.
By juxtaposing the image of a “cold chisel”, which is associated with violence and
aggression, with the joy of these sweets, the writer reveals how exceptional they were. It
is almost as if this exaggerated language is used to make the reader, like the children,
remember the unique experience of eating these sweets. Therefore the reader sees that
Fantails are both exceptionally sticky and exceptionally unique.

The writer of Source A also presents Fantails as addictive when he describes how a
packet would last “an average human being forever” but “a group of six boys” “a single
afternoon”. Here, “forever” is juxtaposed with “a single afternoon” to emphasise the
speed with which the boys eat the sweets. By emphasising the fact that “six boys” can
finish a packet in “a single afternoon”, the writer makes Fantails seem impossible to resist
for children. It is almost as if they are perhaps unnaturally or maybe even
supernaturally addictive for children.

Finally, the writer of Source A emphasises the power of these Fantails when he describes
the sounds “strangled crying in the dark” while the children ate them. Here, “strangled”
is used to create a vivid image of children so determined to eat this sweet that they are
allowing its glue-like texture to constrict their airways. By using the word “strangled”,
which has connections with torture and death, to describe the innocent act of eating
sweets, the writer creates a darkly funny effect. It is almost as if this exaggeration is
used to represent the exaggerated and dramatic perspective that children often have.
Therefore the reader, like the writer, has a vivid image of this delicious yet destructive
sweet.
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 1. Read the question
2. Underline 2 quotations in each source that link to the question
3. Circle the most important word or phrase in the quotations
4. Annotate the most important words or phrases – write 3 things they make you think of
Writer + quotation [Similarly / however] The writer…
+ compare For example… / When…

Q Here,…
More specifically… / In particular…
4 16 Compare how Zoom x 3 The use of… / The image of…
By…, the writer…
marks writers… sentences It is almost as if… / It is as though…
Metaphorically… / Symbolically…
Maybe… / Perhaps… / It could be…

Effect on the Therefore the reader…

reader …because…

The writer of Source A is both enthusiastic and nostalgic about sweets in his childhood.
For example, he ends his article with a description of the “star lolly”, the Jaffa. Here,
“star” emphasises the superiority of this sweet. Metaphorically, “star” represents fame
and celebrity and so it is as if, like a celebrity, this sweet should be praised and perhaps
revered. Perhaps “star” could symbolise the fact that this sweet was almost a guiding
light in the writer’s childhood. It is almost as if, like a “star”, the Jaffa has provided
illumination for the writer, illuminating the memories of his childhood. Therefore the
reader understands the superiority and specialness of sweets for the writer of Source A.

However, unlike the writer of Source A, who celebrates the sweets of his childhood, the
writer of Source B investigates both the immorality of the sweet-making industry and the
dangers of eating sweets. For example, he describes sweets as “poison” and those who
make them as “villainous”. Here, “poison” reveals that sweets could cause harm, damage
and, ultimately, death, making them seem frightening and toxic. By describing those who
made sweets as “villainous”, the writer makes them seem like a predatory enemy. It is as
if, unlike the writer of Source A, the writer of Source B sees sweets as both damaging and
immoral.

Both writers look back at sweets of the past. The writer of Source A describes Jaffas as
“sublime, majestic” and “stunning”. Here, the writer emphasises the beautiful taste of
38
this sweet to reveal the wonders of these past sweets. By connecting this delicious sweet
to his childhood and writing in the past tense, the writer demonstrates the “stunning” joy
that he experienced in his childhood, perhaps hinting that modern day sweets are
inferior. Therefore the reader notices that the “sublime” tastes of the past are superior.
 Models: Paper 2 Section B
“People should be allowed to eat what they want. Junk food isn’t really
junk.”
Write an article for a newspaper in which you give your opinion on this
statement.
[40 marks]

Junk Food: The Silent Killer

As you sit in your comfortable armchair, reading through this article and idly snacking
on a bag of crisps, you probably have one significant question in your mind: “KFC or
McDonald’s for dinner?” To that, I say: put down the crisps and ignore KFC and
McDonald’s – it’s time to talk about the dangers of junk food.
Picture this: you are uncomfortable in a hospital bed in the middle of a critical care
ward. You are surrounded by sick and dying patients. You’re connected to drips and
tubes, with nurses coming to check on you every ten minutes, instead of spending
those precious minutes with your loved ones. You are so unwell you don’t even know
when you’re coming home. You feel as though you are in some sort of prison, some
sort of trap, all because of your insistence on eating and unhealthy, unbalanced and
undeniably poor diet. This dystopia is around the corner. This dystopia is inevitable.
This dystopia is one we have created with our incessant consumption of junk food.
Now imagine this: it is a couple of years from now and you are sitting in your cosy,
warm house with your loved ones. You are gathered around the dinner table, and you
and your significant other are serving food for the rest of the family, maybe even kids.
You are serving them a healthy, balanced meal, because that is what you always
choose to eat. You are all spending time together, happily and healthily. You are all
able to make plans to do the things you enjoy instead of spending time struggling to
complete the simplest of tasks due to your ill-health. This utopia is possible if we
abolish poisonous, dangerous, deadly junk food.
Scientists and nutritionists agree that the vast majority of children who eat junk food
regularly have lower school attendance as they are more commonly ill than students
who do not. This has also been shown to occur in workplaces. Plus, more
appointments to see doctors are booked by people who do not eat a healthy,
balanced diet. The facts are clear. Junk food is a danger to society.
I am reminded of when I was unable to come into school for a month as I kept eating
junk food which was making me feel lethargic and had damaged my immune system,
meaning that I kept getting ill and being unable to fight off the bugs. I was not getting
better but then the doctor realised my diet was to blame and advised me to change
what I was eating. Eating a balanced diet improved my wellbeing so much; the
following week, I was back in school!
You may still be thinking: “I’m healthy, how could this happen to me?” To that I say: it
is absurd to think that your body works differently to that of every other human. We
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are all susceptible to the addictive properties of junk food. Would you like to end up
ill? Next time you go to open the fridge, think about your health, and remember that it
will always be you who can control this.
To ignore the facts about junk food is to condemn yourself and future generations to a
life of ill health.

‘The monarchy is good for this country – it brings in money and tourism’
Write a speech to be given to your year group in which you argue your point
of view on this statement
[40 marks]

As you stand, sit or gaze passively at society, there’s probably only one question
capering through your mind: “why are some people seen as more important and what
makes them important?” To that I say: I don’t know, unquestionably our younger
generation’s lives are decided by an older, conservative and dogmatic generation that
will retire or pass away in the near couple of years; a future generation dictated by
older people’s decisions applying pressure to the younger minds. However, we never
look at the statistic of other countries with far better development than the UK ; a
place run by pointless monarchs with their so called ‘royal blood’.
Picture this: a dystopia run by tyrants, a dictatorship with a crumbling, putrefying, and
disintegrating society, a world run by ignorant, pathetic monarchs or higher powers
forcing these mind forged manacles upon the more vulnerable, weak mined and
innocent. Picture a fixated society where no one can have their own opinion, and
when spoken out about it, you could be punished for a small transgression of the so-
called higher powers.
Now imagine a world where everyone could have a free mind, you could judge a
higher power and a difference could be made. Visualise a world in which there is no
futile hierarchy condemning what you say or every step you make. Imaging bringing
down that mental barrier, preventing you from expressing your opinions a bit more,
without the fear of an ignorant higher power watching your moves anonymously. This
could be a reality, in world with free speech but it is not being expressed. Make a
change. Express your thoughts.
Information only represents her as a hollow, futile, meaningless symbol of the state.
Statistics show that we don’t completely fund the Queen’s income but between April
1st 2017 and March 31st 2018, a whopping £76.1 million was given to her out of tax
payer’s money. Money that could be spent towards a more fulfilling and satisfying
need. Money that could help the country. Money that could fund our hospitals, our
emergency services, our schools.
I am visited by many vivid images when the monarchy is spoken about. The futile love
that everyone shows to a royal person, a person that sits in luxuries as their so-called
country fights for that fruitless throne, as her own people struggle striving to be
40
someone but can’t. Where’s the queen when the NHS can’t afford basic medicine?
Where’s the queen when schools can’t afford basic supplies? Deluded people will still
venerate her, but she will not help you sitting on a throne of lies that confine and
entrap us. Where’s the queen? Sitting on throne of our supressed fear, a fear of her
own people, but still insisting on sitting on that fruitless throne. But where is the
mighty Britannia?
You still may be left with the thought that she’s a good ruler, a helpful figure but ask
yourself: has she ever knocked on your door in the most desperate situation, has she
sent any sort of hope, glorification and praise? Ask yourself: where is this futile
adoration going to, a futile monarchy?
To blindly venerate a monarch is to forcefully kneel down and kiss her unworthy feet.

‘Snow seems like it is picturesque, exciting and fun but in reality is causes
accidents, inconvenience and economic disruption’
Write an article for a broadsheet newspaper in which you explain your point of view
on this issue.
[40 marks]

Winter: it’s snow joke!

As you sit in your cosy living room, central heating cranked up and a mug of hot chocolate in
hand, gazing out at beautiful flurries of white snow falling gently on the street outside, there
is probably just one question meandering through your mind, “Could there be a scene more
idyllic than this one?” To that I say: appearances can be deceiving! Whilst that beautiful snow
fall may evoke memories of childhood Christmases and building snowmen, and it may even
excite you because it means you get a day where you can work from home (and stay in your
pyjamas), it really just means that the country grinds to a halt, hospital admissions sky rocket
and people are left freezing cold in their homes as there is a spike in central heating systems
breaking down.
Picture this: you awake to 3 inches of snowfall, covering cars, roads and pavements. You go to
turn on your heating, but the pilot light won’t start. You call to book an engineer to come to
your house, but you get told there is a two week wait. You dress, wrapping up warmly and
head to your shed to get out a spade to try and dig out your car. On your way up the garden
path, you slip on a patch of snow which has turned to deadly ice. The next thing you know,
you are awaking with an incredible pain throbbing in your head in a hospital waiting room,
lying on a stretcher. Like many other people, you have been injured as a result of this
malevolent weather and you are 2 hours into an 8 hour wait to be seen by the overworked
staff.
Now imagine that, instead of waking up to snowfall, you woke up to a cold crisp clear day.
Your heating clicked on without trouble and you headed in to work as you always do. On your
lunch break, you went out for a walk, enjoying the beautiful sunshine and feeling happy to be
alive as the cold air filled your lungs. You stopped for a hot chocolate as a treat and met with
a friend to talk and watch the world go by. Doesn’t this seem like a far more idyllic winter day
than the one of pain and anguish caused by snow?

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Experts agree that so-called ‘snow days’ are a major drain on the UK economy and cause
productivity to plummet as people are unable, or unwilling, to work. In addition to this, injuries
as a result of snowfall place an enormous amount of pressure on our already overstretched
health service and cause even more days of missed work and, therefore, lost earnings.
I can’t help but recall one December when I was 8 or 9. My dad had gone out to work as
normal but heavy snowfall had begun after he had left. He and his colleague were driving on
the motorway when it began and, despite taking every precaution, his colleague lost control
of the car, it span, and it slammed into the central reservation. I remember the terror on my
mum’s face when she got the phone call and the fear I felt as we sat in the hospital waiting
room. Luckily, both he and his colleague came away with only minor cuts and bruises but, we
all knew, it could have been so much worse. This is the reality of that ‘idyllic’ snow.
You may still be left with the belief that snow is the picture-perfect stuff of Christmas cards
and cheesy TV shows. However, it is absurd to discount the facts of the impact of snow on the
running of our country and the wellbeing of its people.
To blindly continue on, idealising snow days, when it is clear that a crisp clear winter day with
blue skies is endlessly preferable, is to glamorise one of Mother Nature’s most misanthropic
foot soldiers.

‘The decision to smoke should be left up to the individual – smoking should

not be banned’
Write the text for a leaflet in which you argue your point of view on this
statement
[40 marks]

As you lean against that old brick wall outside your house to have a casual smoke,
there is probably only one though occupying your mind: “once I’m finished with this
cigarette, I’ll head inside to watch TV.” To that I say: it is this very act of smoking that
plagues our society. It is unequivocally self-serving to subject others to the inhalation
of the fumes, undoubtedly a blunder to think that such a habit has no negative effects
on the environments and unquestionably imprudent to dispose of cigarettes by
throwing them on the ground, as so many smokers do.
Picture this: a world plunged into perpetual deterioration by the insidious smoke
clouds. The sheets of gas move through our streets, leaving indelible scars on the
lungs of both the smoker and innocent people passing by. The smoker does not care,
for they are fulfilling their stringent need for momentary pleasure. Meanwhile,
cigarettes litter pavements and footpaths, numbering into the hundreds. They float in
our ponds and rivers like armadas, laying siege to our parks.
Is this the world you wish to reside in? I think not.
Now imagine a world where the air we breathe has not been tainted by these
emissions. Consider the joy you would feel, at being able to walk down a street
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without an unforeseen billow of smoke accelerating towards your face. People would
be much more jubilant and healthier in an environment where they do not have to
contend with these smoke clouds daily.
Experts agree that simply inhaling the vapour can have irremediable impacts on one’s
health. Factually, those who inhale smoke regularly, also known as passive or second-
hand smokers, can be at up to a 30% greater risk of developing lung cancer than
those who have never encountered the substance. The exposure of non-smokers to
the fumes is something we should all wish to eliminate.
I cannot help but hark back to a conversation I had with a friend. This person had the
misfortune of having to share a house with multiple smokers and therefore feared for
his own wellbeing. I am visited by a vivid image of the look of consternation on his
face as he described what to him felt like an eternity of being incarcerated within the
house, having to unwillingly inbreathe the smoke, hoping that the damage does not
terminate his life one day.
You may still be left with doubts, perhaps thinking that it is too late to stop smoking.
You may even think that smoking has no notable harmful effects on the world around
you. However, this dogmatism must be eradicated.
To disregard the environment and the people around you is to subject us all to the
incessant damage which is inflicted every time you lean against that old brick wall
outside your house to have a casual smoke.

‘Climate change is the biggest threat to society today. Society should care
more about it’
Write a speech to be given to your year group in which you explain your
point of view on this statement.
[40 marks]
As you sit, fidgeting uncomfortably on your hard, plastic chair, there’s probably only
one question running through your mind: “Should I go to the chicken shop after
school?” To that, I say: our climate is in crisis; forget about your foolish desires. Now is
the time to stop focusing on ourselves and our short-term needs. Your next snack is
irrelevant. The climate needs our attention. It is unquestionably a disgrace; it is
undoubtedly an outrage; it is indisputably a scandal that so few see the urgent
attention that climate change requires.
Picture this: a dystopian world, full of perpetual misery for the very planet we claim to
value. Animals who were intended to populate our planet, extinct. Land that was once
fertile and flourishing, desolate. Oceans which house thousands of species, destroyed.
This dystopian world is now. This dystopian world is today. This dystopian world is one
we have all built with our misanthropy, malevolence and tyranny.

43
Now imagine a world where our land is fertile and flourishing. A world so green that
famine and poverty cease to exist. A world where humans care not only for
themselves, but also the world around them. Visualise an ecosystem which is
naturally flourishing, where animals are thriving in their natural environments, with
mental and physical health at an all time high. This could be a reality if each of us just
took small steps to save the planet. Is your takeaway in a plastic container really
more important than humanity’s future?
Experts, studying the future of the planet at Cardiff University, agree that there will be
a 35% increase in natural disasters such as forest fires, flooding and tsunamis if we
don’t act now. In an interview with the leading scientist in the field, it was revealed
that immediate intervention of damaging daily habits was necessary in order to avoid
irreversible damage over the next 30 years. Isn’t this enough to persuade you to start
taking action?
I am visited by a vivid image, unsettling and horrifying, of my cousin in Australia being
forced to flee her home earlier this year due to uncontrollable forest fires sweeping
her city. Her whole community leaving behind all they had worked for to save
themselves. These fires wiped out entire species who will never return to this land. I
can’t help but wonder whether if we as a society had given more thought, care, and
compassion to the pressing issues surrounding climate change, this devastation could
have been avoided.
You may still be left with the idea that nothing you do will make a difference to
climate change; you might even think that it’s not your responsibility. Perhaps you
believe that climate change won’t affect you personally, so therefore are questioning
why you are expected to change your lifestyle. However, it is absurd to blindly ignore
the impending dangers that climate change is causing at the hands of human
decisions.
To believe that climate change is not your responsibility is to blatantly ignore the
imminent and irreversible damage that our planet is facing.

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Practice English Language Paper 2 –
June 2017

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Practice English Language Paper 2 –
November 2017

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Practice English Language Paper 2 –
November 2020

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