Scribd
Upload
29 views6 pages

May June 2018 V3

Uploaded by

Myo Thuzar Win
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
29 views6 pages

May June 2018 V3

Uploaded by

Myo Thuzar Win
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

10

Exercise 5

Read the article about cutlery (knives, forks and spoons) which you can eat.

Write a summary about the advantages of edible cutlery compared to plastic cutlery, AND the
disadvantages.

Your summary should be about 100 words long (and no more than 120 words long). You should
use your own words as far as possible.

You will receive up to 6 marks for the content of your summary and up to 5 marks for the style and
accuracy of your language.

Cutlery you can eat


Plastic waste is everywhere, adding to the pollution on land and in the sea. Plastic cutlery – knives,
forks and spoons – contributes to this enormous problem. Recyclable paper plates and cups have
been available and widely used for several years, but as cutlery can’t be made out of paper, plastic
cutlery has remained in common use. Estimates suggest that the US alone uses 40 billion pieces of
plastic cutlery a year, the majority of which is thrown away. In the last few years, however, an Indian
company called Bakeys has come up with an idea which it hopes will mean that there will be less
plastic waste in future – cutlery that you can eat.

The company’s first product is a spoon, which is made of sorghum (an ancient grain), rice and wheat
flour. Company founder Narayana Peesapaty says he wanted to use natural materials to produce
the spoons rather than using chemicals, which are required to produce plastic. This does mean,
however, that the spoons are less strong, and can break easily when being used and transported.

“The spoons are dry, because we don’t put any fat in them. They can go with any food, because the
taste of the food gets into the spoon,” says Peesapaty. The spoons are made in a variety of sizes,
and so they can be used for serving as well as eating, just as plastic ones can. However, even
though most people tend not to reuse their plastic cutlery, there is no choice with edible spoons –
they can only be used once.

Although the spoons are designed to be eaten, even if people don’t want to eat their spoon at the
end of their meal, they have no need to feel guilty about throwing it away. This is because, unlike
plastic spoons, Bakeys’ spoons break down in a few days. This makes them more environmentally
friendly than plastic cutlery.

Bakeys has been making spoons at its factory in Hyderabad, India, for a few years. It currently
sells 1.5 million spoons per year, mainly to catering companies which serve food at weddings and
other events, but Peesapaty hopes that more food sellers will be interested in buying his products
in the near future. He hopes to develop the company in two directions. Firstly he would like to find a
following overseas, by marketing the product in other countries. He also hopes to expand its range
of cutlery to include edible chopsticks and forks. Edible knives are out of the question, however, as
exposure to liquid makes them less sharp and therefore useless for cutting solid food.

There are other challenges, in addition to the knife problem. The biggest of these is probably cost.
Although edible spoons are cheaper than their wooden equivalents, they currently cost twice as
much as plastic spoons. Peesapaty is aware of this, and he aims to get the cost down to the same
as that of the plastic version. He hopes to do this by sourcing more crops directly from farmers and
spreading costs by adding new production lines.

© UCLES 2018 0510/23/M/J/18


The advantages of edible cutlery in comparison to
plastic cutlery are numerous. Firstly, as the name
suggests, they are esculent. Moreover, they are
made using natural materials, so they decompose in
a short period of time, which makes them more eco-
friendly. Therefore, it is unnecessary to feel
remorseful about discarding them.

On the other hand, there are some drawbacks to


using edible cutlery, such as their fragile and one-
time use nature. Furthermore, the cost of edible
spoons is double that of their plastic equivalents,
and edible knives are ineffective for cutting food.
12

Exercise 6

Your family recently celebrated a special occasion. You helped to organise the celebration.

Write an email to a friend about it.

In your email, you should:

• say what your family was celebrating

• explain how you helped to organise the celebration

• describe what happened at the celebration.

The pictures above may give you some ideas, and you should try to use some ideas of your own.

Your email should be between 150 and 200 words long.

You will receive up to 10 marks for the content of your email, and up to 9 marks for the style and
accuracy of your language.

© UCLES 2018 0510/23/M/J/18


Dear Sara,
Before you start accusing me of being a bad friend, please
hear me out. I was busy as a bee with something you’d never
expect!
As you already know, my older brother took part in the
national swimming competition and was looking forward to the
results after putting in lots of effort for the past few months. The
results are finally out, and he got first place! I couldn’t believe it!
Can you? My parents wanted to throw him an extraordinary
surprise party and put me in charge of some of the preparations.
I don’t have to tell you how creative I am—that’s basically
the reason my parents assigned me this task. I thought it would
be a good idea to decorate the party space with swimming-
themed decorations such as blue and green balloons, streamers,
and posters of famous swimmers. I also made a fun photo booth
area with props like goggles, snorkels, and inflatable pool toys.
Everything was on point. Although it was tedious work, it was
well worth the effort.
Guess what! My little cousin surprised us all by singing a
heartfelt song celebrating my brother’s achievement! It was the
funniest and most adorable thing I’ve seen in a while; I’ll have to
send you the video! My grandparents also called my brother to
the stage and gave him a custom-made gold medal with intricate
details that stupefied everyone. I wish you were there!
Do you think we can catch up soon? Let me know!
Lots of love,
[your name]
14

Exercise 7

In your English class, you have been discussing whether it is better to go to university when you finish
school, or to get a job instead.

Here are two comments from other students:

I’d like to start earning my I want to be able to learn


own money. more about my favourite
subject.

Write an article for the school magazine, giving your views.

The comments above may give you some ideas, and you should try to use some ideas of your own.

Your article should be between 150 and 200 words long.

You will receive up to 10 marks for the content of your article, and up to 9 marks for the style and
accuracy of your language.

© UCLES 2018 0510/23/M/J/18


Every year, high school graduates face a dilemma: whether
to pursue higher education or enter the workforce and begin
earning a livelihood. In my opinion, students would be better off
gaining a college degree.
In our contemporary world, where every employer looks for
expertise, a college degree is indispensable, as it provides
comprehensive knowledge in a narrow field of study and
enhances students’ competence in the career they choose to
pursue. University graduates, therefore, are more likely to land a
prestigious job, earn a higher income, and have a better standard
of living.
Furthermore, having a university degree can confer a higher
social status. Therefore, you are less likely to experience social
discrimination. Not to mention, one makes lifelong friends and
unforgettable memories in university. As described by many
alumni, college was the time of their life: minimal
responsibilities, freedom from parents, trips, parties, networking,
and so much more. Why not make the most of it?
Some claim, however, that some of the wealthiest and most
successful people, like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, were college
dropouts. What this invalid argument misses is that these
individuals are the exceptions to the rule. Thousands of young
people follow in their footsteps every year and end up miserable,
regretting their decision.
To conclude, I wholeheartedly believe that pursuing higher
education is invaluable. Not only will it fast-track your career, but
it will also build your self-confidence and broaden your social
circle.

You might also like