Cambridge IGCSE: English As A Second Language 0510/12
Cambridge IGCSE: English As A Second Language 0510/12
, ,
Cambridge IGCSE™
¬O. 4mHuOªE]y5W
¬FrR¢imd/ ¢
¥u55¥eEE5eUUU
* 6 7 2 3 8 1 2 0 5 9 *
2 hours
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 or correction fluid.
● Do not write on any bar codes.
● Dictionaries are not allowed.
INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 60.
● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].
DC (WW/FC) 343853/3
© UCLES 2025 [Turn over
* 0000800000002 *
Exercise 1
Read the article about butterflies, and then answer the questions.
Butterflies
Butterflies are probably the most easily recognisable of the million or so known species of insects,
mainly because of their often‑colourful wings. As well as being beautiful, some butterflies have large
spots on each wing, which look like the eyes of a bigger creature. These wing patterns can confuse
animals that feed on butterflies. Scientists who study butterflies have so far identified around 17 500
The Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing is the largest known butterfly, with wings that measure around
28 centimetres across. Although it faces few threats from other creatures due to its size, the
destruction of its rainforest home and its appeal to collectors of rare insects have led to a rapid
decline in numbers. It was once common, but currently appears as endangered on the Red List of
Threatened Species – an international list that monitors the numbers of plant and animal species
worldwide.
By contrast, numbers of the world’s smallest butterfly, the Western Pygmy Blue, have grown in recent
years. They are normally found in North and Central America, but populations have been discovered
recently in Hawaii and Saudi Arabia. Scientists suggest that the main reason these butterflies survive
Many butterflies fly from place to place in search of warmer weather and food, but the species called
Painted Lady travels the furthest of all. Every year it makes its way from Mexico to Canada, which is
a huge distance. Butterflies can fly quite fast – a useful skill when trying to avoid becoming food for
birds – but even so, the journey takes several months. You might assume, therefore, that Painted
Ladies have the longest life of any butterfly, but actually, many are born and die along the route.
Painted Ladies, together with several other species, store toxic chemicals in their bodies as another
defence. These make the butterflies taste unpleasant, so animals whose diet consists of insects
avoid them.
ĬÍĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊàû·þ×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆĎñÓĦĆôÒĄï¿ćïàÚĜĂ
ĥåąĕõÕåõåÕõąÅõÅĕõÕ
0510/12/M/J/25
* 0000800000003 *
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
3
, ,
Question 1
.................................................................................................................................................... [1]
Question 2
How are Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing butterflies described on the Red List of Threatened Species?
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
.................................................................................................................................................... [1]
Question 3
Why do scientists think Western Pygmy Blue butterflies are spreading to new locations?
.................................................................................................................................................... [1]
Question 4
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
What record does the Painted Lady hold among all the species of butterfly?
.................................................................................................................................................... [1]
Question 5
.................................................................................................................................................... [1]
Question 6
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
What features do different butterflies have that protect them from being eaten?
..........................................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................... [3]
[Total: 8]
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
ĬÏĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊàù·þ×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆčòÛĤĊĄçöĂĊÓćüÚĬĂ
ĥåõÕµµÅĕµååąÅĕåÕĥÕ
0510/12/M/J/25 [Turn over
* 0000800000004 *
Exercise 2
Read the article about four young people (A–D) who write their own songs. Then answer Questions
7(a)–(i).
I’ve written songs for about two years. I’m in a band with three other members, who write songs too,
B Dimitri
My songs are quite varied, with some being fast and loud and others quiet and slow. What they all
have in common, however, is that the idea for the song most probably formed while I was watching
C Marie‑Laure
I’ve been writing songs for a long time now. Musically, I’m into everything from jazz to rock to hip‑hop
– and what I find amusing is to re‑record a piece I’ve written in each of the styles I love. I wish I
could report that truly important things like the environment and nature are what give me the majority
D Hassan
My early attempts at writing songs were all produced using a special program on my parents’
computer. There was something unsatisfactory about that, though, so I decided to learn to play the
piano and soon became good enough to create music on it. I’m not the most confident songwriter, so
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
whenever some lyrics or a tune come into my head which I think might one day be used in a song,
I always ask a few friends whether they think it’s worth continuing with them. I hate giving up the
ones they don’t like, as experience has taught me that it might be several months before the next
inspiration comes. Many musicians record their own songs in several different ways – I can’t say
that’s ever been my thing, though, and I rarely get tired of hearing or playing my songs in the form
they were originally written.
ĬÍĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊÞû·Ā×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆčóÛĪüąÔüĉāñëÚÊĔĂ
ĥĕåÕõµÅµÕąÕąąĕąÕõÕ
0510/12/M/J/25
* 0000800000005 *
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
5
, ,
Question 7
Which person …
(b) has phases when ideas for songs disappear? .......... [1]
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
(c) has included writing songs in their regular routine? .......... [1]
(d) writes best when they’re with other people? .......... [1]
(e) usually writes the words before the music? .......... [1]
(f) makes several different versions of the same song? .......... [1]
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
(g) feels tired after spending time working on a song? .......... [1]
(h) shares their initial ideas before developing them? .......... [1]
[Total: 9]
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
ĬÏĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊÞù·Ā×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆĎôÓĠøõåþøÈåÓþÊĤĂ
ĥĕÕĕµÕåÕÅõąąąõĥĕĥÕ
0510/12/M/J/25 [Turn over
* 0000800000006 *
Exercise 3
Read the article about a type of bicycle called a recumbent bike, and then complete the notes.
Recumbent bikes
Traditional bicycles have changed little in their overall appearance for well over a hundred years;
So why is this the case? Well, that’s harder to answer than you might imagine, as recumbent bikes
have a lot to offer and there are only a handful of disadvantages associated with them. For example,
they require relatively little effort to ride, thanks to the sitting position of the rider. The large seat that
makes this possible, however, means that they weigh a lot, which does put some people off. Despite
this, when riders that are new to cycling on recumbent bikes have got used to their machines, they
find that they are very rapid, at least along flat roads. It’s a different story on slopes, though, because
one thing riders of recumbent bikes notice is that it’s tricky to cycle up hills on them. This is because
Experts have compared the physical effects on riders of using recumbent bikes and traditional
bicycles. Their conclusions were that the levels of fitness that can be achieved by the rider are
exactly the same for both. However, riding recumbent bikes puts less stress on the body, due to the
position of the rider.
Anyone considering purchasing a recumbent bike needs to bear a few things in mind. Firstly,
recumbent bikes are not a practical choice for cycling through busy city streets. So if that is your
aim, then it’s probably best to get a traditional model rather than a recumbent. The reason for this is
that although they can be stopped very quickly, which is often a requirement for staying safe in urban
environments, it’s difficult for motorists to spot recumbent bikes, even if they’re checking reasonably
carefully for other road users. Whichever kind of bicycle you finally decide to buy, be sure to get
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
plenty of advice, preferably from an experienced bicycle dealer, before making that final choice.
ĬÑĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊßù¶þ×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆčôÐĦĐïÝĉąÅëğĢĔĂ
ĥÅõĕµõåõąĕåąÅõÅÕµÕ
0510/12/M/J/25
* 0000800000007 *
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
7
, ,
Imagine you are going to give a talk to your classmates about recumbent bikes.
Use words from the article to help you write some notes.
Question 8
• .......................................................................................................................................................
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
• .......................................................................................................................................................
• .......................................................................................................................................................
• ................................................................................................................................................. [4]
Question 9
• .......................................................................................................................................................
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
• .......................................................................................................................................................
• ................................................................................................................................................. [3]
[Total: 7]
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
ĬÓĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊßû¶þ×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆĎóØĤĔÿÜïüüđÓ»ĢĤĂ
ĥÅąÕõĕÅĕĕĥõąÅĕåĕåÕ
0510/12/M/J/25 [Turn over
* 0000800000008 *
Exercise 4
Read the article about a photographer called Ahmed Ibrahim, who takes pictures of life under the sea,
and then answer the questions.
Underwater photography
by Ahmed Ibrahim
The first thing I became obsessed with was filmmaking, saving up for a whole year to buy a video
camera! I was always rather dissatisfied with each film I made, though, and it took me a while to
realise why. I’m the sort of person who likes everything to be perfect – if something isn’t absolutely
right, I never feel at peace. In a 20‑minute video, however expertly it’s filmed, I would be sure to find
What started as a hobby is now a full‑time profession, which I’ve been lucky enough to do worldwide.
Although it’s an incredibly difficult place to work, the region I return to most often is Antarctica. I’ve
finally learned how to prevent my cameras freezing when it’s –30°C, but the wind can unexpectedly
go from 10 to 100 kilometres per hour in just a few minutes, often accompanied by snow, something
I’ll never get used to. Antarctica is vast, so I can spend most of a three‑week project looking for the
whales I’ve come to photograph without seeing a single one. But a single high‑quality image of a
whale underwater makes it all worthwhile.
So what do I hope to achieve through my photography? Well, it’s my belief that a large proportion of
the world’s population is losing touch with nature, partly through increased numbers living in urban,
rather than rural, environments. If my photos help to restore those links for just one person, then
I’ve succeeded. After all, the more people there are who respect nature, the less damage they’ll do
to it. There are some extraordinary creatures living in our seas that deserve to be known about and
protected.
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
I’d therefore be delighted if anyone reading this decided to become an underwater photographer
too. I’ll save you some time looking for underwater photography courses by informing you that,
apart from a few very basic qualifications, there are none. Taking pictures underwater is, by its very
nature, far riskier than taking them on shore. So put your time initially into making sure you’re totally
comfortable operating in challenging underwater environments; it’s your ability to manage there
that’ll keep you out of danger and eventually allow you to take memorable photographs.
ĬÑĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊÝù¶Ā×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆĎòØĪĢĊßñóó³ïęòĜĂ
ĥõÕÕµĕŵõÅąąąĕąĕµÕ
0510/12/M/J/25
* 0000800000009 *
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
9
, ,
For each question, choose the correct answer, A, B or C, and put a tick (✓) in the appropriate
box.
Question 10
Question 11
Question 12
Question 13
Why did Ahmed and his family recently move from a city to a tropical island?
ĬÓĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊÝû¶Ā×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆčñÐĠĞúÚćþ¶ħć½òĬĂ
ĥõåĕõõåÕĥµÕąąõĥÕåÕ
0510/12/M/J/25 [Turn over
* 0000800000010 *
Question 14
Ahmed recommends that anyone wanting to become an underwater photographer should first
[Total: 6]
ĬÑĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊàù¸þ×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆďòÍĬĪĐáúüÙÏííÊĤĂ
ĥåµĕµĕĥµÕõąÅąµąĕąÕ
0510/12/M/J/25
* 0000800000011 *
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
11
, ,
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
ĬÓĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊàû¸þ×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆĐñÕĞĦĠØĀąĐċąéÊĔĂ
ĥåÅÕõõąÕÅąÕÅąÕĥÕĕÕ
0510/12/M/J/25 [Turn over
* 0000800000012 *
Exercise 5
Question 16
You will receive up to 6 marks for the content of your email and up to 9 marks for the language
used.
ĬÑĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊÞù¸Ā×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆĐôÕĨĘĩãĂþėééċÚĬĂ
ĥĕĕÕµõąõåååÅÅÕÅÕąÕ
0510/12/M/J/25
* 0000800000013 *
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
13
, ,
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
[Total: 15]
ĬÓĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊÞû¸Ā×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆďóÍĢĜęÖøóÒíÑÏÚĜĂ
ĥĕĥĕõĕĥĕµÕõÅŵåĕĕÕ
0510/12/M/J/25 [Turn over
* 0000800000014 *
Exercise 6
Question 17
A new transport museum has just opened near where you live. You recently visited it with some
friends and decide to post a review of your visit on the transport museum’s website.
The comments above may give you some ideas, and you should also use some ideas of your
own.
You will receive up to 6 marks for the content of your review and up to 9 marks for the language
used.
ĬÍĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊÝüµĂ×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆĐñÐĠħġèòøíÑČÛĪĔĂ
ĥµĥÕµõåµÕÅõąąõąÕÅÕ
0510/12/M/J/25
* 0000800000015 *
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
15
, ,
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
DO NOT WRITE IN THIS MARGIN
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................................
[Total: 15]
ĬÏĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊÝúµĂ×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆďòØĪīđÑĈĉ¼ąôÿĪĤĂ
ĥµĕĕõĕÅÕÅµåąąĕĥĕÕÕ
0510/12/M/J/25
* 0000800000016 *
BLANK PAGE
Permission to reproduce items where third‑party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the
publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.
To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer‑related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge
Assessment International Education Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download
at www.cambridgeinternational.org after the live examination series.
Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of Cambridge Assessment. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge
Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is a department of the University of Cambridge.
ĬÍĊ®Ġ´íÈõÏĪÅĊßüµĄ×
© UCLES 2025 ĬÆďóØĤęĘæĊĂ³çÐÝúĜĂ
ĥąÅĕµĕÅõåĕÕąÅĕÅĕÅÕ
0510/12/M/J/25