Cambridge IGCSE™

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FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH 0500/01

Paper 1 Reading For examination from 2027

SPECIMEN PAPER 2 hours

You must answer on the question paper.

You will need: Insert (enclosed)

INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer all questions.
● Use a black or dark blue pen.
● Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
● Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
● Do not use an erasable pen. Do not use correction fluid or tape.
● Do not write on any bar codes.
● If additional space is needed, you should use the lined pages at the end of this booklet; the question
number or numbers must be clearly shown.
● Dictionaries are not allowed.

INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 80.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].
● The insert contains the reading texts.

This document has 14 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

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Read Text A, Horses, in the insert and then answer Question 1(a)–(f).

Question 1

(a) What is the other name for an Eohippus, according to paragraph 1?

if 2 answers given 1 right 1 wrong = 0 no half credit [1]

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(b) Use your own words to explain what the text means by:

(i) ‘forest dweller’ (lines 4–5)

synonym of forest= 1
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synonym of dweller= 1
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(ii) ‘only faintly resembled’ (line 5).

explaining faintly=1
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resembled =1
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(c) Reread paragraph 2 (‘These early prototype ... tame?’).

Give two of the main ways in which horses were used by humans in the past.

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[2]

(d) Reread paragraph 3 (‘Scientists identified ... proximity.’).

Identify two reasons why scientists researching horse domestication thought that Iberia
might have been the first place where horses were tamed.

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[2]

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(e) Reread paragraphs 4 and 5 (‘But the archaeological ... importance of horses.’).

(i) Explain why scientists first thought Botai was ‘the most likely place’ that horses were
first tamed by humans.
1 idea =1 mark
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2 ideas = 2 marks
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(ii) Explain why scientists now no longer believe that modern domestic horses originated
from Botai.

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new questions
(f) Reread paragraph 6 (‘Tantalisingly ... grass’).

(i) Why does the writer use the word ‘explosion’ (line 29) rather than the word ‘increase’ to
describe the development of horse-based transport?

2 ideas
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explosion= sudden increase+huge
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(ii) Explain what the writer suggests about horses in the phrase:

‘elegant, living machines, powered only by grass’ (line 31).

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3 ideas
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 line space is the guide for answer length [Total: 20]

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Read Text B, A very special foal, in the insert and then answer Question 2(a) and 2(b).

Question 2

(a) According to Text B, what are the arguments against cloning being the best way to protect
endangered species such as the Takhi horse?

Use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible.

Your summary should not be more than 120 words. same as before
Up to 10 marks are available for reading and up to 5 marks for writing.

10-11 points
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1 point explaining can take 10 words

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negative/critical/mocking/agressive
(b) Assess the writer’s attitude towards the cloning of endangered animals.

Use three details from Text B to support your answer.

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Assess= making informed judgement

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you can have one attitude with three short quoted details
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can have 2 attitudes with three detals

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teachers support hub / community/ ask examiner directly
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Read Text C, Riding across America, in the insert and then answer Question 3(a)–(d).

Question 3
same pattern
(a) Identify a word or phrase from the text which suggests the same idea as the words in bold:

(i) The two reporters did not ask what made Annie want to do the ride.

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(ii) Annie knew she was lucky that people were curious about her and her journey.

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(b) Use your own words to explain what the writer means by each of the words in bold:

‘Annie figured Redding to LA would take another two months. She took Green’s details,
promising to call when, if, she arrived in LA. Only small local newspapers had covered her
exploits to date; she knew national media would take over now.’

(i) figured

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(ii) covered

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(iii) exploits

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1 mark
(c) Use one example from the text below to explain how the writer uses language to suggest
the reactions of the people in Redding to Annie’s arrival. 1 mark
mark allocation changed
Use your own words in your explanation.

‘To her astonishment, jostling crowds lined the street. Had everyone really come out just to
watch her ride by? She grinned and waved back, coming to a halt as yet more well-wishers
swarmed and buzzed around her, demanding autographs.’
3 marks for explanation
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analyse every quoted keyword
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3 marks/ don't pick full sentence
(d) Choose three powerful words or phrases from the extract below to analyse how the writer
uses language to describe the vet’s visit.
1 mark
‘At one town, Annie had been unexpectedly ambushed and interrogated by a vet – hired
by an unscrupulous newspaper editor sniffing around for a juicy headline. Annie remained
courteous, explaining she’d averaged under 24 km daily, carried feed and drew water from
natural sources. Yes, she’d had to camp out occasionally, but Hero had invariably bedded
down under cover every night. The vet, frowning, regarded the horse solemnly, picking up
each hoof in turn and examining it minutely. The editor watched his performance.

“No problems,” the vet finally pronounced his verdict, and left.’

Write about 200 to 250 words.

Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer.

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keep marks for meaning and effect

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Examiner reports suggest: analyse individual word/s from your picked phrases
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Reread Text C, Riding across America, in the insert and then answer Question 4.
add these points somewhere in
Question 4
mostly used to build introduction answer
You are Annie. Two months later, you are in LA. You are interviewed by Marty Green on his
popular TV show. Marty asks the following three questions only:

A1 • Can you outline the daily challenges you faced on your journey?
A2 • How did you feel about the ways different people reacted to you?
A3 • What do you think you have achieved by completing your journey?

Use your own words to write Annie’s responses to each of the interviewer’s questions.

Write about 250 to 300 words.

Up to 10 marks are available for reading and up to 10 marks for writing.

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Ideas
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Development
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Details
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letters conventions of text types
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report page: 102
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journal
article
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interview
talk/speech
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Additional page

If you use the following lined page to complete the answer to any question, the question number must
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Additional page

If you use the following lined page to complete the answer to any question, the question number must
be clearly shown.

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© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2024 0500/01/SP/27