O Level English O/n 2020 Marking Scheme 21

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/21
Paper 2 Reading October/November 2020
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 50
Published
This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.
Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for
Teachers.
Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.
Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the October/November 2020 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE™, Cambridge International A and AS Level and Cambridge Pre-U components, and some
Cambridge O Level components.
This document consists of 16 printed pages.
© UCLES 2020 [Turn over

1123/21 Cambridge O Level – Mark Scheme October/November
PUBLISHED 2020
rebrand.ly/COALImain
Generic Marking Principles rebrand.ly/COALIbackup
These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers.
They should be applied alongside the specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors
t.me/COALItelegram
for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these marking principles.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:
Marks must be awarded in line with:
• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.
Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).
Marks must be awarded positively:
• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit
is given for valid answers which go beyond the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme,
referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
• marks are not deducted for errors
• marks are not deducted for omissions
• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these
features are specifically assessed by the question as indicated by the mark scheme. The
meaning, however, should be unambiguous.
Rules must be applied consistently, e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed
instructions or in the application of generic level descriptors.
Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question
(however; the use of the full mark range may be limited according to the quality of the candidate
responses seen).
Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should
not be awarded with grade thresholds or grade descriptors in mind.
© UCLES 2020 Page 2 of 16

PUBLISHED 2020
Section 1: Reading for Ideas rebrand.ly/COALIbackup
Question Answer Marks rebrand.ly/COALIdiscord
Do not accept
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1(a) Identify and write down the ways in which 12
sport has developed since ancient times, and
the benefits of sport in the present day, as
outlined the passage.
1 mark for each correct point to a maximum of 12

marks
The ways in which sport has developed since

ancient times
1 people became interested in pushing the

human body to its limits (given)
2 (ancient art / rock paintings / cave paintings Lift of lines 2–3

show sport began to evolve from) the desire ‘Furthermore, there are
for competition beautiful rock paintings
in Libya … contests’
Lift of lines 4–5 ‘1500-

year-old cave paintings
in France …
competition’
3 formalised / organized / made into any further content

(recognisable) tournaments
Allow the lift of lines 6–7 ‘It was in

Greece…tournaments (held every four years…to
honour Zeus)’
4 best / fittest / strongest / most successful people / men for

sportsmen selected / chosen / picked for ‘sportsmen’
military (duties) / the army / battle
better / fitter / fit / strong
Allow the lift of lines 8–9 ‘(In ancient times,) the / good / successful
best…in battle’
Lift of lines 8–9 ‘the
fittest soldiers…in
battle’ (alone)
5 training areas were created / made
Allow the lift of lines 11–12 ‘(However, through

time) training areas…play sport’

PUBLISHED 2020
Question Answer Marks rebrand.ly/COALIbackup
Do not accept
1(a) 6 (By medieval times became) an inexpensive rebrand.ly/COALIdiscord
(became) more and
pastime // (became) available / accessible to moret.me/COALItelegram
accessible
all // (became) available / accessible to rich (alone)
and poor
(became) inexpensive
(alone)
‘non-aristocratic young
men’ for all / rich and
poor
7 (emergence of) professional sport / players // special equipment and

investment in players (who are trained to a clothing (alone)
very high level)
athletes / footballers for
‘players’
8 (technology means that sporting events have / (sport / sporting events)

sport has) gone global / worldwide / universal / can be televised and
international / viral // there are more / a larger viewed at home (alone)
number of spectators (than ever before)
there are many / a lot of
spectators
large number of
spectators (alone)
The benefits of sport in the present day
9 Playing sport leads to people growing in self-

confidence (given)
10 helps people to maintain a healthy weight // examples (cricket, golf,

helps people to lose / shed weight / kilos // walking) (alone)
(physical exercise / sport) burns (up) calories
11 (multiple / many / other) health benefits // prevents illness /

reduces / lowers the chance / risk of disease
(developing) illness / disease / health/medical
conditions makes / keeps us
healthy
Allow the lift of lines 30–32 ‘(multiple) health
benefits…including…heart disease (…body’s reference to heart
cholesterol)’ disease / stroke /
Note: the above lift must contain the word diabetes / cholesterol
‘including’ or similar expressions, e.g. ‘such as’, (examples alone)
‘for example’
12 (produces / creates / makes) endorphins // positive feeling (alone)

(produces / creates / makes) chemicals in the
brain which trigger / cause a positive feeling in chemicals in the brain
the body (alone)

PUBLISHED 2020
Do not accept
13 (sport / exercise / endorphins lead(s) to / rebrand.ly/COALIdiscord
create(s) a more) positive outlook (on life) / a t.me/COALItelegram
(long-term) boost in mood / lower rates of
depression
14 team sports / team work fosters selflessness // sport fosters

team sports / team work teaches how to make selflessness (alone)
sacrifices, (for the greater good of the team) /
be less selfish team sport fosters
selfishness
teaches you/how to
play as/in a team
(alone)
Lift of the lines 39-40

‘In team sports
sometimes…of the
team’
15 learn (how) to lose / to fail // learn to cope with the opportunity to lose /
failure / to cope with defeat // it teaches us fail (alone)
(how) to lose / to fail / defeat
experience failure
Allow run-on into lines 44–45 ‘This might (alone)
be…friendships’
16 learn to respect the decisions / opinions of

referees / umpires / coaches // instils / teaches
respect for (other legitimate) authority
17 (achieving / reaching one’s) personal best // sense of well-being

personal achievement // achieving one’s best (alone)
Allow the lift of lines 48–49 ‘(When someone…) a

sense of well-being may come from achieving
one’s personal best’

PUBLISHED 2020
Do not accept
1(b) Summary 10 rebrand.ly/COALIdiscord
Now use your notes from 1(a) to write a t.me/COALItelegram
summary of the ways in which sport has
developed since ancient times, and the
benefits of sport in the present day, as
outlined in the passage.
Candidates have now fleshed out their notes

into a piece of formal, continuous prose.
Candidates are advised to write between

150–180 words including the 10 words given.
Marks are awarded for producing a piece of writing

which is relevant and coherent.

PUBLISHED 2020
Do not accept
Summary – Task Fulfilment 10 marks t.me/COALItelegram
Band 9–10 Excellent understanding of the task demonstrated in an impressive
5 response:
• All content included is relevant, with no unnecessary details / repetitions

• Fluent and coherent presentation of the points, including possible
synthesising where appropriate, and a wide range of appropriate stylish
linking devices
Band 7–8 Good understanding of the task demonstrated in a skilful response:

4
• Almost all content included is relevant, with only occasional unnecessary
details / repetitions
• Generally fluent and coherent presentation of the points, with appropriate
linking devices
Band 5–6 Acceptable understanding of the task demonstrated in a competent

3 response:
• Some of the content included is relevant, with unnecessary details /

additions
• Satisfactory presentation of the points with limited fluency and coherence
and occasional misuse of linking devices
Band 3–4 Insecure understanding of the task demonstrated in a rather faltering

2 response:
• Content included is of limited relevance, with frequent unnecessary

• Presentation of the points breaks down, with little coherence and lacking
linking devices
Band 1–2 Very little understanding of the task demonstrated in an incoherent

1 response:
• Content included is of little relevance, with noticeably unnecessary

• Little attempt to present the points with no concept of linking devices
Band 0 No understanding of the task demonstrated in:

0
• A totally irrelevant response
• Insufficient material to reward

PUBLISHED 2020
Do not accept
2 Re-read paragraphs 1, 3, and 4, and give one 1 anyrebrand.ly/COALIdiscord
further content
opinion from each of these paragraphs. t.me/COALItelegram
From Paragraph 1: (Furthermore) there are
beautiful rock paintings in Libya (from 8000 years
ago depicting swimming and archery contests)
From Paragraph 3: we all love watching (spectator) 1 any further content

sports
From Paragraph 4: our greatest gift is our health 1 any further content

PUBLISHED 2020
Section 2: Reading for Meaning rebrand.ly/COALIbackup
Question Answer Marks rebrand.ly/COALIdiscord
Do not accept
t.me/COALItelegram
3(a) From paragraph 1 1 It had rained
Why was the wheat ‘particularly high’ that any further content
year?
(In April) it (had) rained a lot // there was heavy /

high rainfall
Allow
Lift of lines 1–2 ‘In April it had rained a lot, and by
mid-June the stalks were higher and more luxuriant
than ever’
3(b) Why do you think the writer had ‘no idea how 1 He was too young to
hot’ it was? know (that) it was hot
He was too young (to understand degrees He was too young to

centigrade / temperature) // understand why it was
degrees (centigrade) didn’t mean much because / hot
when he was nine / young / a boy / small / a child
// he was (only) nine (years old) // Lift of line 4
he was (just) a boy / small / a child ‘degrees…at that age’
Lift of lines 4–5 ‘I had

no idea how hot it was’
Question Answer Marks Do not accept
4(a) From paragraph 2 1 any mention of stones,

etc., plants, etc., earth,
What was the most surprising effect of the hot etc. even as additional
weather? information to an
otherwise correct
It (had never before) killed the cattle response
Allow The sun / heat took away your breath, your
strength // The sun / heat took away your breath // Lift of lines 6-7 ‘The
The sun / heat took away your strength heat had got into the
stones…cattle’
Note allow both correct answers, i.e. reference to
cattle and to sun/heat even though 4(a) asks for
one effect
(Allow their / people’s / his for ‘your’)

PUBLISHED 2020
Do not accept
4(b) Why was the countryside ‘deserted’? 1 Liftrebrand.ly/COALIdiscord
of line 10 ‘They shut
themselves up indoors
t.me/COALItelegram
The adults didn’t leave their houses / go out (until (with the blinds drawn)’
six / the evening) // adults shut themselves up
indoors / stayed indoors / were inside (with the Lift of lines 10–11 ‘(But)
blinds drawn) // It was too hot for adults to go out the heat was not
enough … deserted
countryside’
they / people /
everyone for adults
5(i) From paragraph 3 1 His sister had fallen (off

/ over) / fallen down the
Give two reasons why the writer was ‘at a hill
standstill’.
His sister had fallen / fell off her bicycle
Allow
Lift of line 16 ‘(Further down the hill) my sister had
fallen off her bicycle’
5(ii) He tried / had to decide whether (or not) to go 1 He had to / needed to

back // go back to help her
He tried / had to decide whether (or not) to help
her / his sister // He was uncertain / unsure Lift of lines 17–18 ‘I
whether (or not) to go back // He was uncertain / could hear my mother’s
unsure whether (or not) to help her / his sister voice playing in my
head – ‘Are you or are
Allow you not her older
Lift of lines 17–18 ‘(while) I tried to decide…to look brother?’
after her’
1 mark for each correct response
Accept in either order
Credit correct responses where they appear, even

if both are in one limb or if a correct response
straddles both limbs

PUBLISHED 2020
Do not accept
6(a) From paragraph 4 rebrand.ly/COALIdiscord
1 began / started / gave /
broket.me/COALItelegram
down / quickly
The writer says his sister ‘exploded into a (alone)
wail’. Explain in your own words what his
sister did.
She suddenly / all at once / instantly / immediately

/ abruptly / unexpectedly / without warning / burst /
erupted / could not hold it in / noisily / loudly
started to cry / weep / howl / whine / sob // was in 1 yell / shout / scream /
tears / tearful // ALLOW: singular ‘a cry (of pain)’ cry out / cry for help /
angry / having a
NOTE: For ‘exploded’ look for an idea of tantrum / complained /
suddenness or loud sound annoyed / upset (alone
6(b)(i) Give two reasons why the writer’s sister was 1 any further content
unhappy.
any further content
Her glasses were broken
Allow
Lift of lines 20–21 ‘(My glasses!) My glasses are
broken!’
Lift of lines 21–22 ‘It was the third time…holidays’
6(b)(ii) Her ankle was sore // she had hurt her ankle 1 She was rubbing her
ankle
Allow She hurt herself
Lift of line 24 ‘(My sister was upset because) her
ankle was sore’ any further comment
1 mark for each correct response
Accept in either order
Credit correct responses where they appear, even

if both are in one limb or if a correct response
straddles both limbs

PUBLISHED 2020
Do not accept
7 From paragraph 5 1 anyrebrand.ly/COALIdiscord
further comment
t.me/COALItelegram
How did the writer know that he and his sister
were approaching ‘the top of the hill’?
He / they saw (a slice of) sky
Allow
Lift of line 28 ‘(All I had in front of my eyes was
wheat, but) when I saw a slice…to go’
8(a) From paragraph 6 1 building up / finding /

boosting / trying to
The writer says ‘I was feigning a courage I did convince / motivate
not feel’. Explain in your own words what he himself
was doing.
He was pretending / acting / faking / making out /

bluffing // he was trying to show / seem / appear /
look // he was showing / portraying / seeming /
appearing / looking …but he wasn’t / but it wasn’t
true
to be brave / bold / fearless / unafraid / strong / 1 to be confident /

daring // to show guts / nerve / bravery / grit // he determined / motivated
was not scared / afraid / a coward
He was putting on a brave face = 2
8(b)(i) The writer climbed into the first room in the 1 the fluttering of
house. Give two pieces of evidence which pigeons’ wings
show that the house was ‘abandoned’. (alone)
pigeons / birds were living in it // pigeons / birds any further content

flew away/off (when the writer entered)
Allow
Lift of line 37 ‘(there was a great fluttering of wings
as) a flock of pigeons took off’

PUBLISHED 2020
Do not accept
8(b)(ii) (wild) plants grew through the (tiled) floor / tiles 1 anyrebrand.ly/COALIdiscord
further content
t.me/COALItelegram
Allow any mention of
Lift of lines 38–39 ‘(I had to struggle…) plants had collapsed floor even as
sprung (up) through the (tiled) floor’. additional information
to an otherwise correct
response in either limb
there were plants

growing in the house
(alone)
there was a forest of

wild plants (alone)
wild plants were on the

floor (alone)
8(c) The writer says ‘I tried to work my way’ to the 1

balcony. Give the single word used later in the
paragraph which conveys the same meaning.
manoeuvre
Allow the use of the correct word in a phrase or a

sentence provided that it is underlined or
otherwise highlighted, e.g. ‘the word is
‘manoeuvre’
9 From the whole passage
For each of the words below, circle the option

(A, B, C or D) which has the same meaning that
the word or phrase has in the passage.
9(a) D (thickly) 1
9(b) B (hot) 1
9(c) B (trick) 1
9(d) C (broken) 1
9(e) A (remembered) 1

PUBLISHED 2020
Do not accept
10 Re-read paragraphs 4 and 6, which contains rebrand.ly/COALIdiscord
sentences telling us about the writer. t.me/COALItelegram
Give:
• the meaning of each sentence as it is used
in the passage
• the effect of each sentence as it is used in

the passage
10(a) ‘And every time, who did my mother blame?’ (line 1 all the time / each time /
22) every occasion
Meaning: criticise / complain /

In order to score the mark, candidates have to punish
include reference to both ‘every time’ and ‘blame’.
Candidates can EITHER
(i) restructure the rhetorical question into a

statement and recast ‘every time’ or ‘blame’
Examples:
My mother always blamed me = 1
My mother accused me = 0 (no inclusion of
EVERY TIME)
Every time, my mother said it was my fault = 1
My mother blamed me every time = 0

PUBLISHED 2020
Do not accept
10(a) OR rebrand.ly/COALIdiscord
t.me/COALItelegram
(ii) repeat the rhetorical question structure and
recast both ‘every time’ and ‘blame’
Examples:
Without fail who did my mother hold responsible?
=1
Who did my mother always accuse? = 1
Every time, who did my mother accuse? = 0
Note: Accept any paraphrase which captures

these ideas, e.g.
EVERY TIME: always / without fail / inevitably /
constantly / no matter what
BLAME: accuse / hold responsible / his fault
Effect: 1 he is sad / bothered
(shows he feels) it isn’t fair / he isn’t fairly treated / he felt guilty /

it’s unjust // he feels / he is frustrated / annoyed / responsible
angry / irritated / fed up / unhappy / upsetting /
weary / exasperated // he has a lot of responsibility the reader feels
// his mother expects too much of him / favours his empathy (alone)
sister
the reader feels bad
Allow the effect on the reader: the reader / we (alone)
feel(s) sympathy / unfairness / injustice / bad for
him
Note Single-word answers cannot score here

PUBLISHED 2020
Do not accept
10(b) ‘I was paralysed in the doorway.’ (line 41) 1 he rebrand.ly/COALIdiscord
stopped walking
t.me/COALItelegram
Meaning: he was trapped / stuck
he couldn’t move (forward / back) / didn’t move //
he was unable to move / immobilised // he stood he couldn’t go on / turn
still / was still / at a standstill back
Note: allow other images he was too scared to

e.g. he froze / was frozen / was rooted to the spot go on / across
Note: Accept any paraphrase which captures he was numb /

these ideas dumbfounded
he didn’t know what to

do
Effect: 1 surprised / startled /

(to show) he was frightened / terrified / scared / alarmed / worried /
shocked / horrified / helpless / powerless / fearful / nervous / uncertain /
afraid / panic-stricken uneasy / stressed /
amazed / doesn’t know
Allow the effect on the reader: the reader / we what to do / confused /
feel(s) tension / suspense // it creates tension / it is dangerous
suspense
Accept single-word answers here: horror / fear /

suspense

O Level English O/n 2020 Marking Scheme 21

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This document consists of 16 printed pages.

© UCLES 2020 [Turn over

Marks must be awarded in line with:

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

© UCLES 2020 Page 2 of 16

1 mark for each correct point to a maximum of 12

The ways in which sport has developed since

1 people became interested in pushing the

2 (ancient art / rock paintings / cave paintings Lift of lines 2–3

Lift of lines 4–5 ‘1500-

3 formalised / organized / made into any further content

Allow the lift of lines 6–7 ‘It was in

4 best / fittest / strongest / most successful people / men for

5 training areas were created / made

Allow the lift of lines 11–12 ‘(However, through

© UCLES 2020 Page 3 of 16

7 (emergence of) professional sport / players // special equipment and

8 (technology means that sporting events have / (sport / sporting events)

The benefits of sport in the present day

9 Playing sport leads to people growing in self-

10 helps people to maintain a healthy weight // examples (cricket, golf,

11 (multiple / many / other) health benefits // prevents illness /

12 (produces / creates / makes) endorphins // positive feeling (alone)

© UCLES 2020 Page 4 of 16

14 team sports / team work fosters selflessness // sport fosters

Lift of the lines 39-40

16 learn to respect the decisions / opinions of

17 (achieving / reaching one’s) personal best // sense of well-being

Allow the lift of lines 48–49 ‘(When someone…) a

© UCLES 2020 Page 5 of 16

Candidates have now fleshed out their notes

Candidates are advised to write between

Marks are awarded for producing a piece of writing

© UCLES 2020 Page 6 of 16

• All content included is relevant, with no unnecessary details / repetitions

Band 7–8 Good understanding of the task demonstrated in a skilful response:

Band 5–6 Acceptable understanding of the task demonstrated in a competent

• Some of the content included is relevant, with unnecessary details /

Band 3–4 Insecure understanding of the task demonstrated in a rather faltering

• Content included is of limited relevance, with frequent unnecessary

Band 1–2 Very little understanding of the task demonstrated in an incoherent

• Content included is of little relevance, with noticeably unnecessary

Band 0 No understanding of the task demonstrated in:

© UCLES 2020 Page 7 of 16

From Paragraph 3: we all love watching (spectator) 1 any further content

© UCLES 2020 Page 8 of 16

(In April) it (had) rained a lot // there was heavy /

He was too young (to understand degrees He was too young to

Lift of lines 4–5 ‘I had

Question Answer Marks Do not accept

4(a) From paragraph 2 1 any mention of stones,

(Allow their / people’s / his for ‘your’)

© UCLES 2020 Page 9 of 16