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INTERNATIONAL GCSE
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
Reading Paper

Wednesday 29 May 2019 07:00 GMT Time allowed: 1 hour 15 minutes

Materials
You will need no other materials. For Examiner’s Use

Question Mark
Instructions
1–6
• Answer all questions in English.
• Use black ink or black ball-point pen. 7–14
• Fill in the box at the top of this page. 15–24
• You must answer the questions in the spaces provided. Do not write outside 25–35
the box around each page or on blank pages.
• If you need extra space for your answer(s), use the lined pages at the end of TOTAL
this book. Write the question number against your answer(s).
• Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want to be
marked.

Information
• The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
• The maximum mark for this paper is 60.
• You must not use a dictionary.

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Text 1 Email box

Read the first part of this email from Tom to his friend David.

Answer questions 01 to 03.

Hi David

1 Hope you are well and that you, like me, are enjoying the time off from college. The
school year was great, but we seemed to have so much extra work in English. I found
geography less time-consuming but also difficult!

2 At the moment I am working part-time in a restaurant washing dishes. It’s a very busy
place but it’s good to get some experience of the world of work. There are a couple of
other people from college who are also working there and we all agree that it’s a
friendly place to work. I am only working two shifts a week so I have had time to relax
and spend time with my family too.

Tick () the box next to the correct answer for questions 01 to 03.

0 1 What subject did Tom think involved a lot more additional work during the school year?

A English

B Geography

C Maths

[1 mark]

0 2 How often is Tom working at the restaurant?

A Occasionally

B Part-time

C Weekends only

[1 mark]

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0 3 What is the main point of paragraph 2? box

A Tom is telling David about his job.

B Tom is giving David advice about what sort of job to get.

C Tom is telling David how busy the restaurant is.

[1 mark]

Turn over for the next question

Turn over ►

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Read the second part of the email. box

Answer questions 04 to 06.

3 I am also putting more time into the town’s library project this summer. I have been
volunteering at the local library to help out with its redevelopment. As you may know,
it was closed due to the damage from last year’s big storm. It has been great to
support with planning the reopening, which is going to take place later this month on
the 27th. Will you be able to come? The event starts at 11.00 am and the opening
ceremony takes place at 12.00 pm. If you can make it, we can meet in the new library
café at around 11.15 am. I think you would enjoy seeing how the library has
improved.

It would be great to see you there. Let me know what you think.

Speak soon,

Tom

Tick () the box next to the correct answer for questions 04 to 06.

0 4 Read the following statements.

Which statement is correct?

A It has not been possible to redevelop the library.

B Tom has had no time to volunteer at the library.

C The library was damaged in a storm.

[1 mark]

0 5 What time does Tom suggest that he and David meet at the library café?

A 11.00 am

B 11.15 am

C 12.00 pm

[1 mark]

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0 6 What is the main purpose of the email? box

A Tom is telling David about his plans for borrowing books from the library.

B Tom is asking David to join him at the library reopening.

C Tom is asking David to help out with his work at the library.
6
[1 mark]

Turn over for the next question

Turn over ►

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Text 2 The Old Trafford Museum and Tour Centre box

Read the information in the first part of the advertisement.

Answer questions 07 to 10.

Go Behind the Scenes and Walk in the Steps of

Greatness

Book your Stadium Tour Today

1 The Old Trafford Museum and Tour Centre has won the award for Manchester’s
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year. Get closer to the world of Manchester United
football team and share 130 years of football in the museum, in the dynamic city of
Manchester.

2 Go behind the scenes at Old Trafford – the home of Manchester United football team
– and see the stadium through the eyes of famous Manchester United players. The
stadium tour takes approximately 80 minutes and runs 7 days a week from 09:40 to
16:30 except on match days. Experience the dizzy heights of the Sir Alex Ferguson
Stand, dedicated to the team’s famous ex-manager. Visit the press room where the
manager makes his statement after every home game. Open the door of the players’
dressing room and experience the atmosphere. Every moment will seem to carry the
sound of 76,000 fans in your ears, especially when you step out of the players’ tunnel
and follow in the footsteps of so many legendary players.

3 Everyone who goes on the stadium tour can get a certificate. After your tour, don't
forget to collect your certificate from the customer service desk in the Megastore.

0 7 How long does the stadium tour take?

[1 mark]

0 8 Name two specific things you can do on the stadium tour.

[2 marks]

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0 9 Which of these statements best describes the main point of paragraph 2? box

Tick () the box next to the correct answer.

A To describe the stadium experience.

B To give visitors an understanding of where the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand is.

C To promote the dynamic city of Manchester.

[1 mark]

1 0 Where can visitors get their certificates from?

[1 mark]

Turn over for the next question

Turn over ►

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Read the information in the second part of the advertisement. box

Answer questions 11 to 14.

Red Café at Old Trafford

4 The Red Café is the perfect place to relax and have some refreshments after your
Museum and Tour experience. With a fantastic range of meals, from succulent
snacks to leisurely lunches, there's plenty to feast your eyes on, but be sure to keep
glancing at the door… you never know who might walk in! The Manchester United
Red Café is located on the third floor of the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand at Old Trafford.
It is open to the public every day, except on weekend match days. Booking not
required.

Café Opening Hours

5 Coffee bar open: 9:00–16:30 (9:00–14:00 on midweek match days)

Breakfast menu available: 9:00–11:00
Restaurant open: 11:00–16:00 (11:00–13:00 on midweek match days)

Children’s Parties

6 Manchester United’s Red Café offers a unique setting for a truly special birthday party
for children of all ages. What better way for kids to enjoy their day than surrounding
themselves with everything United? See the staff in the café for details of the birthday
packages and prices available. Please note that children’s birthday party packages
are not available on midweek match days.

1 1 In paragraph 4 the writer uses the phrase ‘there’s plenty to feast your eyes on’.

What does this phrase mean?

[2 marks]

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1 2 Below is a list of statements about the information given in paragraph 4. box

Two of the statements are correct.

Tick () the boxes next to the two correct answers.

A The café serves different types of meals.

B The café is situated near the Megastore.

C The café is open to the public but only serves lunches.

D The café is a good place to visit after the tour.

[2 marks]

1 3 Below is a list of information given in paragraph 6.

Two of the statements are correct.

Tick () the boxes next to the two correct answers.

A Birthday parties for 12-year-olds may not be arranged.

B Birthday parties for children can be arranged for all weekend dates.

C The promoters run other similar birthday events for Manchester United
fans at other locations.

D There are various rates for children’s birthday parties.

[2 marks]

Turn over ►

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1 4 What is the main purpose of the text? box

Tick () the box next to the correct answer.

A To advise people to buy something from the Old Trafford Megastore.

B To persuade people to go on the Old Trafford Stadium Tour.

C To explain how to book a children’s party at Old Trafford.

D To describe the meals in the Red Café at Old Trafford.

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[1 mark]

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Turn over for the next question box

DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAGE

ANSWER IN THE SPACES PROVIDED

Turn over ►

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Text 3 Children and Social Media box

Read the first part of the article.

Answer questions 15 to 19.

By Charles Hymas

1 Teenagers are spending up to 12 hours online a day, mindlessly swiping through

social media without looking at any single piece of content for more than a few
seconds, a unique study has found. For the first time researchers used technology to
record minute by minute what young people actually do on their smart phones – and
were shocked by the compulsive way they “wasted” hours scrolling through social
networking sites.

2 A 17-year-old girl called Olympia was typical in terms of her use of social media. In
one 24-hour period she spent 3.3 hours on Snapchat, 2.5 hours on Instagram, 2
hours on FaceTime, 2.4 hours on WhatsApp and 1.8 hours on Safari – a total of 12
hours.

3 Although children from lower-income households were potentially more likely to

engage in such relentless consumption of social media, Damon de Ionno, managing
director of research group Revealing Reality, said: “We are seeing more and more
relatively highly-educated girls from good backgrounds who are also spending this
sort of time on screen.”

4 Olympia, who was revising for her exams during the study, told the researchers the
only place she could relax was in the bath because she could not take in her phone –
although she added she would take it in if it was water-proof. Others admitted they
fell asleep at night while on their phones.

Tick () the box next to the correct answer for questions 15 and 16.

1 5 Below is a list of statements given in paragraph 1.

Which statement is correct?

A Research has concluded that teenagers are online for as much as 12 hours a
day.

B Teenagers look at content online for some minutes before moving on.

C Time spent online by teenagers is used productively.

[1 mark]

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1 6 What is the main point of paragraph 3? box

A To persuade the reader how damaging social media can be.

B To explain how only those with little or no education are consuming too much
social media.

C To inform the reader that some young people with a good education are also
spending a lot of time online.
[1 mark]

1 7 In paragraph 3 the writer uses the phrase ‘relentless consumption of social media’.

What does this mean?

[2 marks]

1 8 In paragraphs 2 and 4 what do we learn about how dependent Olympia is on her phone?

Give three examples which show how dependent she is.

[3 marks]

1 9 In paragraph 4 the writer says ‘others admitted they fell asleep’.

What does this mean?

[1 mark]

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box
Read the second part of the article.

Answer questions 20 to 24.

5 Among comments from the young people to the researchers were: “I use it all the time
because it is always there”; “I would feel lost without [my phone]”; “It’s pretty much
mindless”; “It is a waste of time” and “I am not really engaging with anyone or
anything.” The consequences were that they missed out on not only other activities –
whether sporting or educational – but also face-to-face communication by conducting
relationships almost entirely through instant messaging or emojis.

6 “It is a dumbed down way to communicate with someone but it is a function of the
smart phone because it’s hard to write prose that says what you mean on such a
device. It’s easier to press a like button or send an emoji,” said Mr de Ionno.

7 “People need to reassess their relationship with smart phones otherwise it can
become all-consuming where the world and all relationships are seen only through the
phone.”

8 As a result of the study, one of the research team’s youngest members, a school-
leaver, was so shocked by what he saw that he deleted all his social profiles apart
from two messaging apps.

2 0 In paragraph 5 the researchers mention other comments young people have made about
using their phones.

Which four things do they mention?

Tick () the boxes next to the correct answers.

A They mention how social media can be mindless.

B They mention how expensive their smart phone is.

C They talk about how they are not really communicating with anyone properly on
their smart phones.

D They talk about how their smart phones help them to find their way home.

E They mention how much time-wasting is involved.

F They use their phones continually due to their constant presence.

[4 marks]

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2 1 From paragraph 6, what makes communication quicker on a smart phone but less box

meaningful?
[2 marks]

2 2 In paragraph 7 Mr de Ionno says ‘People need to reassess their relationship with smart
phones’.

What does this mean?

[1 mark]

2 3 In the last paragraph the writer says about one of the young people: ‘he deleted all his
social profiles apart from two messaging apps.’

What does this mean?

[2 marks]

2 4 Which statement best describes this article?

Tick () the box next to the correct answer.

A An article which explains how young people are wasting time on social media.

B An article which explains how not to waste time on social media.

C An article which advises young people to give up all social media.

18
[1 mark]

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Text 4 Cherry Blossoms in Japan box

Read the first part of this article.

Answer questions 25 to 26.

By Danielle Demetriou

1 In Japan, cherry blossoms are celebrated during picnics. They are painted with great
care in many artworks. They are referred to as a sign of the short-lived nature of life.

2 Welcome to Japan’s pink and modern world of cherry blossoms. It is impossible to

think of springtime in Japan without an ideal image of a sea of cherry trees
overflowing with perfect pink blooms instantly coming to mind.

3 As spring approaches, the entire nation turns a shade of pink. Months before the
flowers arrive, retailers switch into sakura (cherry blossom) mode and start to acquire
the items available. Supermarkets are filled with plastic cherry flowers and new
cherry-flavoured products such as cherry-blossom-and-butter flavoured crisps and
cherry Pepsi. The countdown to excitement is heightened further by watching the
televised Cherry Blossom Forecast which offers a petal-by-petal analysis of the
advance of the blooms – known as the cherry blossom front – as the blossoms sweep
from the south to the north of the Japanese group of islands.

4 When the blooms actually arrive, it is time to enjoy one of the nation’s all-time
favourite pastimes – hanami, which literally translates as ‘looking at flowers’ and
refers to flower appreciation picnics under the blooms. Every year, different groups in
society – from office workers and students to housewives and grandparents – take
part in hanami picnics (some civilised, some noisy) in every corner of the country.

2 5 In paragraph 2 the writer uses the phrase ‘a sea of cherry trees overflowing with perfect
pink blooms’.

What does this mean?

[2 marks]

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2 6 In paragraph 3 what does the writer say happens in Japan before the cherry blossom box

season starts?

List four things which happen.

[4 marks]

Turn over for the next question

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Read the second part of the article. box

Answer questions 27 to 31.

Why are they so popular?

5 The flowers are deeply symbolic: their short-lived existence taps into a long-held
appreciation of the beauty of the brief nature of life, as echoed across the nation’s
cultural heritage. The blossoms also, quite literally, signify new beginnings, with
April 1 being the first day of both the financial and academic year in Japan. In a
nutshell? The cherry blossoms are not just pretty pink flowers: they are the floral
expression of Japan’s most fundamental cultural and philosophical beliefs.

When to visit

6 Unlike Japan’s famously reliable public transport system, the cherry blossoms are not
as punctual as tourists might like. Some years they arrive early following a spell of
warm weather; other years, chillier temperatures make them late or downpours bring
an early departure.

7 But the first blossoms generally appear in Okinawa in January and slowly move up
the islands, passing through Japan’s densely-populated central districts at the
beginning of April (including Tokyo and Kyoto), before progressing further north and
hitting Hokkaido in the north in early May.

2 7 In paragraph 5 the writer says ‘The cherry blossoms are not just pretty pink flowers: they
are the floral expression of Japan’s most fundamental cultural and philosophical beliefs’.

What does this mean?

[3 marks]

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2 8 What is the main point of paragraph 6? box

Tick () the box next to the correct answer.

A To tell the reader it is hard to predict the arrival of the blossoms.

B To give the reader an idea of what the weather is like.

C To give the reader information about buses and trains in Japan.

[1 mark]

2 9 In paragraphs 5 and 7 the writer mentions some reasons why early April is an important
time in Japan.

List three reasons.

[3 marks]

3 0 Read paragraph 7 and choose two correct statements.

Tick () the boxes next to the correct answers.

A The blossom appears last in Hokkaido.

B Hokkaido is chilly in early May.

C The blossom wave moves briskly through the country.

D The initial sightings of the flowers are in Okinawa.

[2 marks]

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3 1 In paragraph 6 the writer uses the phrase ‘famously reliable public transport system’. box

What does this mean?

Tick () the box next to the correct answer.

A That the way the trains and buses are run in Japan is well-renowned for its
efficiency.

B That the public transport system is famously ineffective.

C That the cost of taking buses and trains in Japan is cheaper than taking the car.

[1 mark]

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Turn over for the next question box

DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAGE

ANSWER IN THE SPACES PROVIDED

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Read the third part of the article. Answer questions 32 to 35. box

The best locations for cherry blossom viewings

Tokyo

8 The capital is a good starting point. There are numerous picnic-friendly locations – in
parks and alongside rivers – that have been planted in recent centuries with carefully
laid out clusters of cherry trees, to dramatic effect.

9 Highlights include Ueno Park, one of Japan’s oldest and most famous public spaces,
which attracts epic-sized crowds to admire its 1000-plus blooming cherry blossoms.
A more sedate alternative is Shinjuku Imperial Garden, a surprisingly serene and
beautifully maintained park a short walk from the neon blare of Shinjuku, with 1500
cherry trees and expanses of lawn.

Kyoto

10 The famed ancient capital of Japan provides a perfectly dreamy backdrop for cherry
blossom viewing. The best flower spots include Maruyama Park, a great place for
picnickers from day to night; the Kamo River, lined with large cherry trees; and the
bloom-filled Imperial Palace Park.

3 2 In paragraph 9 the writer describes how Ueno Park ‘attracts epic-sized crowds’.

What does this mean?

Tick () the box next to the correct answer.

A The park draws in a small number of people.

B Huge swarms of people can be lured into the park.

C Very large crowds are not allowed into the park.

[1 mark]

3 3 What two things make Shinjuku Imperial Garden attractive to cherry blossom viewers?
[2 marks]

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3 4 From paragraph 10 list four details which suggest that Kyoto is an attractive place to visit box

during cherry blossom season.

[4 marks]

3 5 Which statement best describes the article?

Tick () the box next to the correct answer.

A It educates the reader about what life is like in modern-day Japan.

B It describes the blossom viewings.

C It informs the reader what to expect from the cherry blossom season in Japan.

[1 mark] 24

END OF QUESTIONS

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ANSWER IN THE SPACES PROVIDED

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Question Additional page, if required.
number Write the question numbers in the left-hand margin.

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Question Additional page, if required.
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Question Additional page, if required.
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Question Additional page, if required.
number Write the question numbers in the left-hand margin.

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