June 2012
THAMES EXAMINATIONS
LEVEL SEVEN
SECTION A : READING
2 Parts (20 marks)
SECTION B : READING AND WRITING
2 Parts (30 marks)
SECTION C : WRITING
2 Parts (50 marks)
3 HOURS Please answer ALL the questions Please use CAPITAL LETTERS
Family name First name Date of birth Candidate number Town
DO NOT START UNTIL THE INVIGILATOR TELLS YOU TO
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
Page 1
SECTION A PART 1 (10 marks) Read the article below and answer the questions on the following pages. The number of marks is shown in brackets. SLAVE LETTER (1) A letter, written in 1865 by a freed slave to his former master, was published on an American history website in January of this year. It appeared on www.LettersOfNote.com and received over two million hits within the first week of publication. (2) Shaun Usher, who has published historical letters on his website since 2009, said the letter had generated record traffic after being picked up by Yahoo to coincide with American Black History Month. (3) The letter was written by a former slave, Jourdon Anderson, with the help of a lawyer in the town of Dayton, Ohio, which is a northern state of the USA. Jourdon wrote the letter in response to a request from his former owner, Colonel Patrick Hennessy Anderson, who lived in the southern state of Tennessee. In his letter, Colonel Anderson asked his former slave to go back to Big Spring, Tennessee and work for him again on his farm. (4) Jourdon Anderson was one of the ancestors of twelve million African slaves, who were taken from their homeland between the 16th and 19th centuries. Along with his wife, Mandy, he worked for Colonel Anderson for thirty-two years as a farm labourer. During this time, life was very hard for the couple as they were not paid and Jourdon was shot three times by his owner. (5) In his reply to the Colonel, Jourdon suggests that his former owner should pay him and his wife for the years that they had worked without any wages. He argues that they should be given more than $11,680 plus interest: “I served you faithfully for thirty-two years, as did Mandy for twenty. At twenty-five dollars a month for me and two dollars a week for Mandy, our earnings would amount to eleven thousand, six hundred and eighty dollars.” (6) Despite the cruelty of his former master, Jourdon is very polite to the Colonel: “I got your letter and was glad to find that you had not forgotten Jourdon, and that you wanted me to come back and live with you again, promising to do better for me than anybody else can.” He adds, “It was no disgrace to belong to Colonel Anderson. I was proud to once call you master.”
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
Page 2
(7) As well as suggesting that the Colonel pay him and his wife for the time they had worked on his farm, Jourdon also reminds the man that he is now free and no longer a slave. The Civil War in America, between the North and the South, was fought over slavery. The North won, meaning that slavery became illegal. In his letter to Jourdon Anderson, the Colonel offered him his freedom, but Jourdon writes: “As to my freedom, which you say I can have, there is nothing to be gained from this as I got my free papers in 1864 from the authorities in Nashville.” (8) Jourdon even shows kindness and sympathy to Colonel Anderson and his family. He writes, “I did not want to hear of your being hurt, and am glad you are still living. It would do me good to go back to the dear old home again and see Miss Mary, Miss Martha, Allen, Esther, Green and Lee. Give my love to them all and tell them I hope we will meet in the better world, if not in this one.” (9) Shaun Usher suggests that Jourdon Anderson was a brave and clever man: “Even though he had an awful life, he was certainly highly intelligent and seems like a very courageous individual.” 1). Why did Jourdon Anderson write a letter to his former master?
(1 mark)
2). Why did Jourdon Anderson work without pay for so many years?
(1 mark)
3). What does Jourdon Anderson want his former master to do?
(1 mark)
4). Who fought each other during the Civil War in America, and why?
(1 mark)
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
5). When and where did Jourdon Anderson gain his freedom?
Page 3 (1 mark)
6). What do the following words refer to in the text? Paragraph (i) It (ii) Who (iii) He
(1) (4) (7)
(i)
(1 mark)
(ii)
(1 mark)
(iii)
(1 mark)
7). Give another word or phrase for the following, as used in the text: Paragraph (i) response (ii) glad
(3) (6)
(i)
(1 mark)
(ii)
(1 mark)
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
Page 4
SECTION A PART 2 (10 marks) Read the article below and answer the questions on the following pages. The number of marks is shown in brackets. THE GHOSTWRITING BUSINESS (1) For many students in the People’s Republic of China, their hopes of studying abroad are often dashed by their performance in English language proficiency exams. While the majority of students accept that this is how the system works, some have avoided the disappointment of failure by paying others to sit an exam for them. This practice, known as ghostwriting, has become big business in East Asia. (2) The Chinese website ‘Xianfeng Daikao’, which translates into English as ‘Pioneering Ghostwriting’, is an agency providing ghostwriting services to millions of students in the People’s Republic of China, who want to study abroad but fear they will never make the English language entry requirements. On their website, Xianfeng Daikao claim that their agency is, “very experienced in ghostwriting and cheating in exams. Exams are crucial in a student’s life so you can’t be too serious when choosing a capable and reliable ghostwriter.” (3) A Chinese newspaper revealed that Xianfeng Daikao hired a ghostwriter to sit an IELTS test in Hong Kong for a high school student from the Chinese city of Guangzhou. The student, a girl with the online nickname of Baobao Tang, told the newspaper that she needed an IELTS score of 7.0 to study at a university in the UK. However, after twice obtaining a score of 6.0, she decided that the only way to achieve her goal was to hire a ghostwriter. (4) If a candidate is caught cheating in the People’s Republic of China, they face a lifetime ban from the IELTS test and will not be awarded a valid certificate. This may end a student’s chances of ever being accepted for study at a university in the UK, according to the British Council, one of the organising bodies of the IELTS test. (5) Hong Kong, which is separate from China, has therefore become the chosen location for many ghostwriters. Baobao Tang explains that, “if you’re caught cheating in Hong Kong, the record won’t reach the IELTS headquarters in Beijing, China’s capital city. This means there’s no risk if you want to take the test again in China. It’s just a matter of money.” Tang spent 70,000 Yuan (8,590 Euros) on a ghostwriter provided by Xianfeng Daikao, plus another 2,000 Yuan (245 Euros) on the trip to Hong Kong.
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
Page 5
(6) Xianfeng Daikao charges its clients 10,000 Yuan (1,230 Euros) for each point of an IELTS score, so if someone needs a 7.0, they will have to pay 70,000 Yuan to the agency, excluding travel and accommodation fees for both the candidate and the ghostwriter. A staff member noted that the ghostwriter is only paid 1,500 Yuan (185 Euros) per point. (7) However, the authorities in Hong Kong are now aware of what is happening. In 2011, a Chinese student was imprisoned for six months for pretending to be another candidate when taking the SAT test. The SAT test, known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, is the college entrance exam for American universities and is therefore very high stakes. (8) Chinese English language teacher, Jacky Chen, condemns the practice of ghostwriting: “If you’re going to study abroad, the English language is a must-have skill. Are you going to cheat every time you have homework or term papers to write at university? You’ll be expelled immediately if you’re caught. You may get away with the help of one of those agencies once, but you won’t get away with cheating at everything in life.”
1). What is ghostwriting?
(1 mark)
2). What is Xianfeng Daikao?
(1 mark)
3). Who is Baobao Tang?
(1 mark)
4). What happens if a candidate is caught cheating in the IELTS test in China? (1 mark)
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
5). Who was sent to a Hong Kong prison for six months in 2011?
Page 6 (1 mark)
6). What do the following words refer to in the text? Paragraph (i) they (ii) which (iii) you
(2) (5) (8)
(i)
(1 mark)
(ii)
(1 mark)
(iii)
(1 mark)
7). Give another word or phrase for the following, as used in the text: Paragraph (i) obtaining (ii) clients
(3) (6)
(i)
(1 mark)
(ii)
(1 mark)
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
Page 7
SECTION B PART 1 (10 marks) Read the article below and complete the summary on the following page. You should rephrase the words highlighted in the original article when possible and write your answers in the spaces provided below the summary. Use no more than one word for each answer. ONE MAN AND HIS CAT A common sight in the neighbourhood of Islington, North London, is ginger cat, Bob, and his owner, James Bowen. Mr Bowen, a former musician, found Bob, who was badly hurt, near to where he was staying. Unfortunately, James Bowen is homeless and lives in sheltered accommodation, which is a temporary place for homeless people to sleep. Mr Bowen helped Bob to recover from his injuries after he had been attacked by a dog. The two are now inseparable and travel everywhere on London’s buses and tube trains. London Transport has even presented Bob with his own travel card. However, when Bob becomes too tired to walk, he simply lies across his owner’s shoulders. In order to make money, James sells copies of a magazine called the Big Issue. Homeless people buy this magazine from a publishing company and then sell it on the streets at a higher price. Big Issue sellers are given an official badge and are told where they are allowed to sell. Everyday, the cat sits on James’ Big Issue bag in Islington and enjoys the attention of passing customers. Steve Robbins, who works in Islington, says that the sight of the pair always makes him smile: “That big, ginger cat is more like a dog. I always stop to say hello to them. I hope the guy finds a place to live so that they can get off the streets. He seems a nice person.” Mr Bowen has written a book about his and Bob’s life together, which is due to be published later this year. It is thought that the story may be bought by film makers in Hollywood. However, when James found the injured cat, he had no idea how much his life was about to change. He nursed the sick animal back to health, imagining that he would never see him again. Bob, though, had other ideas and adopted James as his owner. Bob’s story is similar to that of another famous London cat. In 1989, Humphrey, also a cat with no home, wandered into Number 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister. He was allowed to stay by the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair. Humphrey became a famous resident and went on to star in a film called A Day in the Life of Humphrey.
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
Page 8
SUMMARY A Big Issue seller, called James Bowen, found Bob, a large, ginger cat, after he had been injured. (2) , attacked by a dog in Islington. Bob was (1) James is homeless and lives in sheltered accommodation, but the man and his cat seem very happy together. They travel around London on buses and tube trains and Bob has even been (3) his own travel card by London Transport. However, when the cat becomes too tired to lies across his owner’s shoulders. walk, he (4) money, James sells the Big Issue magazine on the streets of Islington. To (5) of them, especially as James seems like a People like seeing the (6) person. (7) animal back to health, When James found Bob, he nursed the (8) that he would never see him again. However, they are still together. (9) Bob is not the only homeless cat in London to become famous. In 1989, another cat, into the official residence of the British Prime called Humphrey, (10) Minister and made it his home.
Answers: (1)
(6)
(2)
(7)
(3)
(8)
(4)
(9)
(5)
(10)
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
Page 9
SECTION B PART 2 (20 marks) Read the article below and complete the task on Page 11. LAUGHTER MEDICINE Recent studies have indicated that laughter can be very beneficial to us. It can make us feel happier and more relaxed and can improve our physical health. Researchers in Maryland, in the USA, demonstrated that laughing at a film can be very good for people. Participants were first shown the Second World War movie, Saving Private Ryan, and produced signs of high stress when their blood vessels contracted. However, when they watched the comedy, There’s Something About Mary, their blood vessels expanded. This research proved that laughter can be used to help those suffering from serious physical conditions such as heart disease. The effects of laughter are the same as those resulting from exercise. Fifteen minutes of laughing loudly can burn calories and also improve the functioning of the lungs. Laughter has also been found to help our mental health. It can fight depression by releasing chemicals called endorphins in our brains, which create a feeling of ‘well-being’. Laughter can also unite people in social situations. There is even an argument to suggest that it can make us more intelligent. Last year, researchers at Northwestern University in New York found that fifteen minutes spent watching something funny on television improved the brain’s ability to solve problems. Our own relationship with laughter starts when we are babies. It is something that we learn before we have even said our first word. We first laugh at around two months old, and we ‘catch it’ from our parents who, from the minute we are born, smile and laugh in front of us until we laugh back. We start to laugh at things that are actually amusing at around the age of six. It begins with the discovery that words can have two or more meanings. As a result of this, young children laugh over three hundred times a day due to simple jokes based on word play. Dr Paul McGhee, who has written a book on children’s laughter, says that, “children become consumed with small jokes and tell them endlessly. It’s the first time in a child’s life that they get to be the one who has the answer. They possess a bit of knowledge that parents and teachers don’t have.” Dr Liz Holt, who is a laughter expert at the University of Huddersfield in the UK, suggests that, “laughter is not only a sign that you’re amused. It’s a sign that you’re a friend. One of the best ways to bond with a group of people is to make them laugh. It has the ability to forge friendships like nothing else.”
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
Page 10
It is therefore not surprising that laughter is a very contagious form of human behaviour, second only to yawning. Studies have shown that we are thirty times more likely to laugh in the company of others. According to the comedian Sara Pascoe, one of the best places to observe this type of behaviour is at comedy clubs: “Sometimes, one or two people laughing can make the whole crowd start. Laughter feeds itself.” In conclusion, British scientists have revealed what they think is the world’s funniest joke: A woman gets on a bus with her baby. The driver says, “Wow, that’s the ugliest baby I’ve ever seen.” The woman goes to the back of the bus feeling very angry. She complains to the man in the next seat that the bus driver has just been very rude to her. The man suggests, “Why don’t you go and shout at him? Tell him how rude he is! Go ahead! I’ll hold your monkey for you.”
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
Page 11
Write a summary of the main points contained in the article (the physical, mental and social benefits of laughter; when and why humans start to laugh). You should write 100-125 words, using your own words as much as possible.
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
Page 12
SECTION C PART 1 (20 marks) You would like to take part in a TV song, music and dance competition. As part of the application process, you have been asked to write a formal letter to the organiser of the TV show following the guidelines below:
GUIDELINES FOR LETTERS OF APPLICATION 1) Explain why you have chosen to take part in this particular competition. 2) State which song you are going to sing / which musical instrument you are going to play / what type of dance you are going to perform, and give reasons for your choice. 3) Describe your previous experience of taking part in competitions. 4) Describe your experience of learning to sing /play a musical instrument / dance. 5) Outline your other hobbies and leisure interests. 6) Explain your future career plans. 7) Explain what you would do if you won the competition.
Write a letter of about 200 words on the following pages.
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
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SECTION C PART 2 (30 marks) In a recent English lesson you discussed the topic of visiting other countries. Some of the opinions expressed by the class are listed in the box below: Advantages of visiting other countries: � You can see and do things that you would never see or do in your own country. � You have the chance to learn about other cultures and ways of life. � It can challenge you and help you to develop by forcing you out of your ‘comfort zone’. � You may have the chance to learn or use another language. Disadvantages of visiting other countries: � It can be expensive, especially if you travel to the other side of the world. � You can sometimes have problems such as having your money or passport stolen or becoming ill. � Sometimes, the local people do not like foreigners or people from your country in particular. � Visitors sometimes suffer from culture shock, especially if they do not like the food or weather. Your English teacher has asked you to write an essay of about 250 words in which you discuss the advantages and disadvantages of visiting other countries and state your own opinion. You may use the ideas above as well as your own. Write your essay on the following pages.
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
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THAMES EXAMINATIONS
Level Seven 2012
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