6 minute read
Progress Test 3
You have been invited to enter a writing competition, with the winner published in a national newspaper. Write a description inspired by this image. [3]
b) What techniques of imagery can you include? [3]
c) What senses can you try to include? [5]
Opening ideas – sun and heat…
Seeing a mirage… [2]
Read the student response below.
Drifting awake I opened my eyes. A blinding light hit me like burning arrows and I quickly snaped my eyelids shut again. Gradually, I peaked through my lashes to see the bright sun overhead: a ball of fire hanging in a clear blue sky. It’s rays was fierce against my face and allready I could feel my skin becoming uncomfortable the heat seemed to prickle my flesh like red-hot needles. Raising my trembling hands to sheild my eyes from the sun I began to look around to work out where I am.
3
The content of the student response is good but the accuracy could be improved. Annotate the text with your corrections. Think about:
• punctuation • spelling • grammar.
4
Using your plan from question 2, add another paragraph to continue the student’s response. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper.
5
You have been invited to enter a school writing competition. Write a description based on the competition’s theme of ‘winter’. [30]
Read the two passages below and answer the questions that follow.
Source A
One of the top destinations of our diverse and exciting city is Oak Lane. Easily accessible by train or bus, this vibrant suburban street is full of delights for locals and tourists alike. In the day time you can enjoy a plethora of small shops, among them a bookshop, two galleries, a couple of places selling upmarket trinkets and several antique and/or vintage outlets. And there’s no shortage of places to enjoy a relaxing chat over a cup of coffee or glass of wine. At night, the lane is positively buzzing. You’ll be spoilt for choice. Whether you prefer an ornate Edwardian pub or a contemporary ‘shabby chic’ wine bar and whatever your preferred cuisine (Indian, Chinese, Thai, Turkish and Italian spring to mind) I can guarantee you’ll find something that suits your taste and pocket and brings you back to the lane again and again.
Source B
When we were young we were often sent on messages by our mum to Oak Lane. There were shops on the main road but she preferred Oak Lane. It was that little bit closer and safer for us children, with no busy road to cross, and she liked the fact that most of the shops were long-established. The shopkeepers knew us and we knew them. Also, Oak Lane had always been a bit ‘classier’ or, as we’d say now, more ‘upmarket’. You could get more or less anything you needed there. There were three greengrocers, two butchers, a fishmonger, a post office, a newsagent, a baker, a chemist, a chandler, a barber and two pubs (not that I ever went in them – there was a strict ‘no children’ rule back then). Most of them have gone now, as in most places, but I do miss them. Still, I’m as much to blame as the next shopper – I wouldn’t be without my regular deliveries from the supermarket.
Three of the following statements are about Source A and three are about Source B. For each statement write the correct source in the box. Source
a) The writer is keen to attract people to Oak Lane.
b) The writer is nostalgic about the lane.
d) The writer used to shop in Oak Lane as a child.
e) The writer takes some blame for the changes in Oak Lane.
f) The writer thinks Oak Lane will appeal to all sorts of people.
How does the writer use language to give a positive impression of Oak Lane? [8]
How does the writer use language to convey what Oak Lane was like in the past? [8]
Now refer to both sources. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper.
Summarise the differences between Oak Lane now and Oak Lane as described in Source B. [8]
‘Fast food should be banned from being sold.’ Write a speech to be given on a local radio’s mid-morning show, persuading listeners that fast food should be banned. [3]
b) What should you do if you disagree with the statement in the question? [1]
c) What persuasive techniques could you use in your response?
[8]
Unhealthy: high in salt, sugar, and saturated fat. Creates a lot of litter.
[2] 12 Read the student response below.
The main reason fast food should be banned is that it is unhealthy. It is full of things that are bad for the body. This can affect weight and increase the risk of different diseases. Even items that seem healthy can be worse than expected. For example, salads are often accompanied by dressings that are high in calories while some fruit juices contain a lot of sugar. It is imperative that fast food is banned in order to create a healthier nation.
The student’s response is accurately written but it isn’t very persuasive. Annotate the text to include at least three persuasive techniques. You could think about using:
• second person • rhetorical questions • triplets. [3]
Write your answer on a separate piece of paper.
‘Schools should teach students about relaxation and stress relief.’ Write a letter to the Education Minister, persuading them of this viewpoint. [30]
