Reading: Full Practice Paper

British & IGCSE › Oxford International GCSE English as a Second Language

This is a complete, original practice paper written in the style of the 9280 Reading paper: four texts of increasing difficulty, 60 marks, all linked to the three themes. Do it in one sitting under exam conditions, then mark it with the answers and read the 'why' notes.

Text 1: Email (6 marks)

Read the email from Salma to her cousin Nour. Then answer questions 01 to 06.

Hi Nour,

1 How are you? I'm sorry I haven't replied sooner. Since the new term started, I've hardly had a free minute. I joined the school robotics club, which meets every Tuesday and Thursday after lessons, and our team is building a small robot that can sort plastic bottles from cans.

2 Our teacher, Mr Fathy, says we can enter the national competition in Alexandria in March if the robot is ready. At first I found the programming really confusing, but my partner, Youssef, is patient and explains everything twice. Now I actually look forward to the sessions!

3 The other big news is that our family is moving at the end of January. Dad's company has opened a new office in New Cairo, so we're leaving our flat in Heliopolis. I'm sad to leave our lovely neighbours, but my new bedroom will be twice the size of my old one, and there is a park right opposite the building.

4 Would you like to come and stay with us during the mid-year holiday? We could visit the science museum together, and you could meet the robot, if it still works by then! Mum says you can have the spare room, and she has promised to cook your favourite molokhia. Write back soon and tell me all your news.

Love,

Salma

Text 1: Questions 01 to 06

1. 01 How often does the robotics club meet? Write the correct letter. A once a week · B twice a week · C every day [1 mark]

   Show answer

   B (twice a week). The club meets 'every Tuesday and Thursday'. You had to work out that two days = twice a week.

2. 02 What is the robot designed to do? [1 mark]

   Show answer

   Sort/separate plastic bottles from cans. Accept any answer with the idea of separating bottles and cans.

3. 03 What is the main point of paragraph 2? A To describe Salma's progress in the club and the help she gets · B To give information about Alexandria · C To complain that programming is too difficult [1 mark]

   Show answer

   A. The paragraph covers the competition, her early difficulty, Youssef's help and how she now enjoys the sessions. B is a single detail, and C is wrong because she now looks forward to the sessions.

4. 04 Why is Salma's family moving? [1 mark]

   Show answer

   Because her father's company has opened a new office in New Cairo / for her father's job. 'They are moving to New Cairo' alone does not give the reason.

5. 05 Read paragraph 3. Which statement is correct? A Salma is happy to leave her neighbours. · B Salma's new bedroom is bigger. · C The family is moving in March. [1 mark]

   Show answer

   B. 'Twice the size of my old one'. A is the opposite (she is sad). C mixes up March (the competition) with January (the move).

6. 06 What is the main purpose of the email? A To describe the robotics competition · B To tell Nour her news and invite her to stay · C To ask Nour for help with programming [1 mark]

   Show answer

   B. The email gives news (club, move) and ends with an invitation. A is only part of paragraph 2, and C is not in the email.

Text 2: Advert (12 marks)

Read this advert for holiday activities, 'Blue Horizon Adventures: A Summer on the Red Sea'. Then answer questions 07 to 14.

1 Looking for a summer break your teenagers will never forget? Since 2009, Blue Horizon Adventures has been helping young people aged 13 to 17 discover the wonders of Egypt's Red Sea coast. Based in the small town of El Quseir, our qualified instructors combine adventure with learning, so parents can relax while their children try something new, make friends and, for once, put their phones away. Every activity is led by staff who hold first-aid certificates, and all equipment is checked daily.

2 Snorkelling Discovery Day. Just a short boat ride from the harbour lies one of the healthiest coral reefs on the coast. Beneath the surface, a kaleidoscope of colour awaits: parrotfish, clownfish and, if you are lucky, a green turtle gliding past. Teenagers do not need to be strong swimmers, but they must be able to float comfortably. The price of 950 pounds includes the boat trip, all equipment and a picnic lunch on a quiet beach. Underwater cameras can be hired for an extra fee.

3 Desert Stargazing Night. When the sun goes down, the desert behind the town becomes a natural planetarium. Far from city lights, the sky fills with more stars than most city children have ever seen. Our guide, a trained astronomer, points out planets and constellations through a powerful telescope and tells the ancient stories that Bedouin travellers once used to find their way. Groups leave at 7 pm by four-wheel drive and are back by midnight. Warm clothes are essential, because desert nights can be surprisingly cold, even in July. A hot drink and a light snack are served under the stars.

4 Eco-Camp Week. For those who want more than a day out, our five-day eco-camp is the perfect choice. Campers sleep in tents a few metres from the shore, help marine scientists to count fish and collect data on the reef, and join a beach clean-up every morning. Meals are cooked over a gas stove by our camp chef. Numbers are limited to twenty, so book early. Our motto is simple: leave nothing behind but footprints.

5 Beginners' Sailing Course. Over three mornings, young sailors learn to prepare a small boat, steer and read the wind. By the final day, most are confident enough to sail short distances on their own, under an instructor's watchful eye. Participants must bring a hat, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle. Life jackets are provided. Lessons take place in the calm water of the bay, which is ideal for beginners.

6 To find out more or to book a place, visit our office on the harbour front. Families who book before 1st May receive a 10% discount on every activity. Places on the stargazing nights are especially popular in August, so do not leave it too late.

Text 2: Questions 07 to 14

1. 07 In paragraph 1, in which town is Blue Horizon Adventures based? [1 mark]

   Show answer

   El Quseir. (Do not write 'the Red Sea coast': that is a region, not the town.)

2. 08 From paragraph 2, list two things that are included in the price of the Snorkelling Discovery Day. [2 marks]

   Show answer

   Any two of: the boat trip · (all) equipment · a picnic lunch (on a quiet beach). One mark each. Underwater cameras are NOT included (they cost extra), so they score 0.

3. 09 In paragraph 2, the writer says 'a kaleidoscope of colour awaits'. Explain in your own words what 'a kaleidoscope of colour' means. [2 marks]

   Show answer

   A large, changing mixture/variety of many different (1) bright colours (1). Example: 'Many different bright colours that keep changing as the fish move.' Two ideas: 'kaleidoscope' (many different, changing patterns) + 'colour'.

4. 10 What is the main point of paragraph 3? A To describe an evening activity watching the stars in the desert · B To warn parents that the desert is cold · C To tell the history of Bedouin travellers [1 mark]

   Show answer

   A. B and C are true details, but each is only one sentence of the paragraph.

5. 11 Read paragraphs 3 and 4. Which two statements are correct? A Stargazing groups are back by midnight. · B Eco-campers sleep in a hotel. · C The eco-camp lasts seven days. · D Eco-campers help scientists collect information. [2 marks]

   Show answer

   A and D, in any order. B is wrong (tents). C is wrong (five days). D paraphrases 'collect data'.

6. 12 In paragraph 4, the motto is 'leave nothing behind but footprints'. Explain in your own words what this means. [2 marks]

   Show answer

   Do not leave any rubbish or damage in the place you visit (1). The only sign that you were there should be the marks of your feet / you should protect nature (1).

7. 13 From paragraph 5, give one thing participants must bring to the sailing course. [1 mark]

   Show answer

   Any one of: a hat · sunscreen · a refillable water bottle. Life jackets score 0: they are provided.

8. 14 What is the main purpose of the whole text? A To persuade teenagers to become sailors · B To inform parents about holiday activities on the Red Sea coast and encourage them to book · C To describe the sea life of the Red Sea [1 mark]

   Show answer

   B. The text describes four activities, speaks to parents ('so parents can relax') and ends with booking information and a discount. A and C are each only part of the text.

Text 3: Opinion article (18 marks)

Read this article, 'Switch Off to Switch On: The Case for a Phone-Free School Day', in which a 16-year-old student, Hana, explains her view of her school's new phone rule. Then answer questions 15 to 24.

1 When our head teacher announced last September that phones would be locked away from the first bell until the last, I was furious. Like most of my classmates, I felt the school was treating us like small children, and I even wrote a long complaint on the school's online forum. My phone was my calendar, my calculator, my music and, most importantly, my connection to my friends. Six months later, I have to admit something I never expected: I was wrong.

2 The first change I noticed was in the playground. Before the rule, break time was strangely silent. Groups of students sat together, but each one stared at a separate screen. Now the basketball court is crowded, the chess club has doubled in size and people actually talk to each other. I have made two new friends this year simply because we were bored enough to start a conversation. Even the library, which was once used mainly as a quiet place to charge phones, is now busy with students reading and playing board games.

3 Lessons have changed too. In the past, a single vibration in my pocket was enough to break my concentration for several minutes. Now I can read a whole chapter of my history book without stopping, something I could not do last year. Teachers say that students now finish tasks faster and ask more questions. Our science teacher told us that average test scores in our year rose by almost eight per cent in the first term. That may not all be because of the ban, but it is hard to believe it has nothing to do with it.

4 Of course, the rule is not perfect. Some parents worry that they cannot reach their children in an emergency, although the school office will always pass on urgent messages. Students who used their phones to organise homework or to read e-books have had to return to paper planners and printed books. Others point out that phones can be useful learning tools, for example for quick research in class. A few of my friends also say they feel anxious for the first hour of the day, wondering what they are missing online. These are real concerns, and the school should listen to them.

5 However, I believe the benefits clearly outweigh the drawbacks. We spend hours on our screens every evening anyway; seven hours without them is not a punishment but a rest. The rule has shown me that I can survive without checking my notifications every five minutes, and that boredom is not always a bad thing. Sometimes it is the beginning of something better.

6 My advice to other schools considering a ban is simple: explain the reasons clearly, give students a voice and offer more clubs at break time. Rules work best when students understand them, not when they simply obey them. Do that, and you might find, as I did, that switching off your phone is the best way to switch on your mind.

Text 3: Questions 15 to 24

1. 15 In paragraph 1, how did Hana feel when the rule was announced? A delighted · B very angry · C confused [1 mark]

   Show answer

   B. 'Furious' means very angry.

2. 16 According to paragraph 1, when are phones locked away? [1 mark]

   Show answer

   From the first bell until the last / for the whole school day.

3. 17 In paragraph 2, the writer says the chess club 'has doubled in size'. Explain in your own words what this means. [1 mark]

   Show answer

   It now has twice as many members/students as before.

4. 18 From paragraph 2, list three changes the writer describes since the rule began. [3 marks]

   Show answer

   Any three of: the basketball court is crowded · the chess club is bigger/has doubled · people talk to each other · the writer has made (two) new friends · the library is busy with students reading and playing board games. One mark each. 'Break time was silent' scores 0: that describes the time BEFORE the rule.

5. 19 In paragraph 3, the writer says a vibration could 'break my concentration'. Explain in your own words what this phrase means. [2 marks]

   Show answer

   Stop / interrupt / disturb (break) (1) my focus / attention on my work (concentration) (1).

6. 20 Read paragraphs 3 and 4. Which four statements are correct? A Teachers say students finish work more quickly. · B Test scores rose by eighty per cent. · C The writer is sure the ban is the only reason scores improved. · D The school office passes on urgent messages. · E Some students now use paper planners. · F All parents support the rule. · G Some students feel nervous at the start of the day. · H Students are now allowed to read e-books on their phones. [4 marks]

   Show answer

   A, D, E and G, in any order. B: almost eight per cent, not eighty. C: 'That may not all be because of the ban'. F: some parents worry. H: they have had to return to printed books.

7. 21 From paragraph 5, list two things the rule has taught the writer. [2 marks]

   Show answer

   She can survive without checking her notifications (every five minutes) (1) · boredom is not always a bad thing / boredom can lead to something better (1).

8. 22 In paragraph 5, the writer says 'the benefits clearly outweigh the drawbacks'. Explain in your own words what 'drawbacks' means. [1 mark]

   Show answer

   Disadvantages / problems / bad points.

9. 23 How has the writer's opinion of the phone rule changed from the beginning to the end of the article? [2 marks]

   Show answer

   At first she was against it / angry / thought students were treated like children (1). Now she supports it / thinks it is good for students (1). Both stages are needed for 2 marks.

10. 24 Which statement best describes the whole article? A It argues that phones should be banned everywhere. · B A student explains why she changed her mind and now supports a phone-free school day. · C It gives a balanced report without any opinion. [1 mark]

    Show answer

    B. The article is about her school day only (not A), and it clearly gives her opinion (not C), even though it mentions some concerns.

Text 4: Literary non-fiction (24 marks)

Read this extract from a travel memoir, 'A Night in the White Desert', in which the writer describes a night camping in Egypt's Western Desert. Then answer questions 25 to 35.

1 We reached the edge of the White Desert an hour before sunset, after five hours of bouncing along a road that seemed to have been designed by someone who hated cars. The jeep's air conditioning had given up somewhere around midday, and my shirt was stuck to my back. Our driver, Saeed, a quiet man with a sun-creased face, stopped the jeep, switched off the engine and said only one word: 'Look.'

2 I looked. Rising from the sand around us were hundreds of chalk rocks, blindingly white, carved by thousands of years of wind into impossible shapes. One resembled a giant mushroom balanced on a thin stalk; another looked like a chicken sitting beside a palm tree. Beyond them, the dunes rolled away towards the horizon, turning from gold to pink as the sun sank lower. Nothing moved. There was no birdsong, no traffic, not even a breeze.

3 I had expected to feel excited, but instead I felt very small. In Cairo my days are measured in alarms, deadlines and notifications. Here, time seemed to be measured in centuries. These rocks had been standing in this silence long before the pyramids were built, and they would still be standing long after I had gone home and forgotten my password.

4 Saeed built a fire from bundles of dry wood he had brought in the jeep and began to make dinner: chicken, rice and a thick vegetable stew cooked in a single blackened pot. As darkness fell, the temperature dropped so sharply that I put on every piece of clothing I had packed. My fingers, which had been burning on the metal door handle at midday, were now so stiff that I could hardly hold my spoon.

5 Then I looked up, and forgot about the cold completely. The sky was not black but silver, crowded with so many stars that the familiar constellations were lost among them. The Milky Way stretched from one side of the desert to the other like a river of spilt milk. Saeed, who had seen this view a thousand times, lay back on the sand beside me and smiled at my open mouth.

6 Some time after midnight, I heard a soft pattering near the tent. In the torchlight two bright eyes stared back at me: a fennec fox. For a moment I did not dare to breathe. It was no bigger than a cat, with enormous ears that seemed far too large for its tiny head. It sniffed at the remains of our dinner, considered me for a long moment, and then vanished into the darkness as silently as it had come.

7 I hardly slept that night, yet I woke feeling more rested than I had in months. As we drove away the next morning, I turned for a final look at the white rocks glowing in the early light. I took dozens of photographs, but I already knew that none of them would capture what I had felt there. When I tried to thank Saeed, he simply nodded, as if he understood.

Text 4: Questions 25 to 35

1. 25 In paragraph 2, the writer describes what they see when the jeep stops. List four things the writer sees. [4 marks]

   Show answer

   Any four of: (hundreds of) white chalk rocks (carved into strange shapes) · a rock like a (giant) mushroom · a rock like a chicken (beside a palm tree) · sand dunes (rolling towards the horizon) · the dunes turning from gold to pink / the sun setting. One mark each. Each point must be different, so 'white rocks' and 'rocks carved by the wind' count as one point.

2. 26 In paragraph 2, the writer says, 'the dunes rolled away towards the horizon'. Explain in your own words what this phrase means. [3 marks]

   Show answer

   The hills of sand (dunes) (1) continued/stretched in gentle waves (rolled away) (1) far into the distance, to where the land meets the sky (towards the horizon) (1).

3. 27 In paragraph 3, the writer says 'I felt very small'. Explain why the writer felt like this. [2 marks]

   Show answer

   The rocks/desert are extremely old / have existed for centuries, since before the pyramids (1), so the writer's busy modern life / one person seems unimportant in comparison (1).

4. 28 What is the main point of paragraph 3? A To compare the writer's busy city life with the ancient, timeless desert · B To describe the history of the pyramids · C To complain about technology [1 mark]

   Show answer

   A. The pyramids and the password are details used to make the comparison, and the writer is not complaining.

5. 29 From paragraph 4, give three details that show how cold the night became. [3 marks]

   Show answer

   1 the temperature dropped sharply (suddenly) · 2 the writer put on every piece of clothing (they had packed) · 3 the writer's fingers were (so) stiff (that they could hardly hold the spoon). One mark each. 'Stiff fingers' and 'could hardly hold the spoon' are the same point.

6. 30 In paragraph 4, the writer says the stew was cooked in a 'blackened pot'. Explain in your own words what 'blackened' means. [1 mark]

   Show answer

   Made dark/black (by fire, smoke or long use).

7. 31 In paragraph 5, the writer says the Milky Way was 'like a river of spilt milk'. What does this mean? A There was milk in the desert. · B The Milky Way looked like a long, pale band of light across the sky. · C There was a river near the camp. [1 mark]

   Show answer

   B. It is a simile: the stars formed a long, white, flowing shape, like milk running in a river. A and C are literal traps.

8. 32 Read paragraphs 5 and 6. Which two statements are correct? A Saeed was seeing the stars for the first time. · B The writer was amazed by the sky. · C The fox was larger than a cat. · D The fox left without making a sound. [2 marks]

   Show answer

   B and D, in any order. B: 'forgot about the cold completely' and 'my open mouth'. D: 'vanished ... as silently as it had come'. A: he had seen it 'a thousand times'. C: 'no bigger than a cat'.

9. 33 From paragraph 6, list four phrases which describe the fox or how it behaved. [4 marks]

   Show answer

   Any four of: 'two bright eyes' · 'no bigger than a cat' · 'enormous ears (that seemed far too large for its tiny head)' · 'sniffed at the remains of our dinner' · 'considered me for a long moment' · 'vanished into the darkness (as silently as it had come)'. One mark each. Write short phrases, one per line.

10. 34 In paragraph 7, how does the writer feel when leaving the desert? Give one feeling and one piece of evidence. [2 marks]

    Show answer

    Feeling (1): sad to leave / deeply moved / that the experience was special and impossible to repeat. Evidence (1): 'I turned for a final look' / 'none of them would capture what I had felt there'.

11. 35 Which statement best describes the whole text? A The writer gives advice on how to camp safely in the desert. · B The writer describes a night in the desert and how it made them feel. · C The writer informs readers about desert animals. [1 mark]

    Show answer

    B. This is literary non-fiction: a personal experience and feelings. There is no advice (A), and the fox is only one paragraph (C).

Mark yourself

Add up your marks for each text, then your total out of 60. Grade boundaries are set by OxfordAQA on the total of all four papers (out of 200) and change from series to series, so this table does not give grades. Use it to decide what to work on next.