IGCSE English Language 0500

End of Year Assessment Grade IX

Total Marks: 50

Passage A:
The Amazing Ocean

The Amazing Oceans When you paddle in the sea or throw stones into it as far as you
can, you probably do not stop to consider how amazing the oceans are. One incredible
fact is that the sea covers 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface. Most of us remember the
height of Mount Everest as 8,848 metres, but the deepest trench in the Pacific Ocean is
a remarkable 10,924 metres. Also, no one has ever reached the bottom of the waters in
which the Bermuda islands are formed. No wonder that, equipped with their awareness
of the vastness of the oceans, the so-called developed nations dump their waste, much
of it toxic, in our precious waters.
They are precious partly because of the amazing and as yet largely undiscovered
ecosystems that exist in these strange worlds. Scientists make new discoveries daily,
such as spiders as large as dinner plates, and creatures that create their own light in
dark waters or need no light at all. These are barely credible, but the mysteries of the
deep are such that sailors have always reported creatures that are the stuff of fiction:
huge whales, giant squids and sea dragons.
We all like to hear unusual facts. Did you know that the largest of all animals is the blue
whale, that weighs as much as 30 elephants, or that there is enough gold suspended in
the sea to give every inhabitant of the world four kilograms? Perhaps these facts are
difficult to believe, but they remind us of the immensity and the power of the sea that
surrounds us all.
It is because of the power of the sea that people have been astounded by its mythology,
for example the stories of the Bermuda Triangle. The coincidental disappearance of
planes and ships in an area of the Atlantic in the twentieth century led to media stories
that gripped the world, until statistics eventually proved them to be false. The
disappearance of the merchant ship, the Mary Celeste, is an event that borders on both
fact and fiction. However, the sea has such immense power that apparently stable
vessels can disappear without warning. In recent years monster waves caused by the
convergence of strong winds and fast currents have been frequently reported. Ships are
built to withstand waves of 15 metres, but waves of 25 metres and more have
commonly occurred, and tales have been told of waves the size of ten-storey buildings.
Equally strange is the suddenness with which the surface of the sea can change to one
of stillness. In olden days, sailing boats were becalmed when the wind dropped, and the
poet Coleridge describes the experience in the lines, ‘As idle as a painted ship / Upon a
painted ocean’.
The Beaufort Wind Force Scale, a description of ‘specifications and equivalent speeds
for use at sea’, describes a calm sea ‘like a mirror’, but its description of a storm is
something that would amaze even seasoned sailors. The Scale states that ‘the surface
of the sea takes on a white appearance. The tumbling of the sea becomes heavy and
shock-like’.
Every day the sea gives up remarkable secrets, and we must do more to prevent the
destruction of our aquatic environment. The unique beauty of coral reefs is a case in
point, but under the sea there also lie magnificent Roman cities that hold the key to our
understanding of the past. We must remember that the oceans hold the clues to our
lives on earth and to our history. They are our heritage, and our duty is to preserve and
maintain them for the generations still to come

Read Text A, The Amazing Ocean, in the insert and then answer Question 1(a) on
this question paper.
Question 1
(a) According to Text A, what are the facts about the sea, and its amazing features?
You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as
possible.
Your summary should not be more than 0 words.
Up to 15 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the
quality of your writing. [20]

Astonishingly, 70% of the Earth’s surface is seawater. In addition to that, the sea can go
as deep down as 10,924 meters! As well as geographical features, the sea is home to a
diverse and thriving ecosystem with scientists discovering new species every day. It is
also home to the colossal big whale, the biggest animal on Earth. Large gold deposits
are also in the sea. The sea also behaves bizarrely, it can be motionless and it is also
notorious for its awe-inspiring and terrifying waves which have been responsible for the
devastation of ships. The sea is also the hub of many concocted beasts and myths.
Coral reefs and the remains of ancient civilizations are also present in the sea, which
trace us back to early human life.

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Passage B
The following extract is from a diary written by Adam, the last person living in a doomed
fishing village located on a narrow strip of land.
29th October
As I start my diary it is with a heavy heart. This community used to be thriving, but
storms have destroyed almost everything I hold dear. My father told me that 80 years
ago this place was alive with fishermen, boat-builders and their families. Everyone met
in the hall to hear music and tales of the sea, and there was a little chapel and a fish
market. Since that time, the fishing trade gradually declined until few of us were left.
Living on this narrow spit of land was always dangerous, and many houses were made
only of wood and plaster. They went first, taken by those terrible storms. Then floods
came and people left, buildings were demolished and their remnants slipped beneath
the shingle.
You may ask why I still live here. My cottage has two storeys and is stronger than most.
Mind you, I have to keep both front and back doors open when the sea laps over the
quayside, and my walls never dry out. But I love it here. The view of the sea when I
wake is an addiction. When kind to me, the water lies like a flat pond as far as the eye
can see, and gives me the sensation of perfect peace.
There’s no one else here, you see. The feeling of solitude is immense, but it is also as
if I am the monarch of all I survey.
This afternoon, a heavy bank of cloud hangs out to sea. It has no anger yet, but is full
of menace as if it is waiting to roll steadily ashore. I have seen such a sight only once
before. I feel an atmosphere of tense stillness. No breeze, no sound. But my eye is fixed
on that terrible bowl of blackness, as the light around me begins to fail. In a way, I love
to watch this. It awakens my imagination as I experience the power of the elements and
realise how small I am on the great canvas of nature.
I also remember another storm that caught us unawares as we were hauling the boats
and the heavy, sodden nets up the shore. Fishing is no easy life, but even then we
could still make a living when the herrings were plentiful. A sudden, monstrous wave
smashed into our village on the spit and we had no defence. I was fortunate and
managed to grab hold of a jutting rock, but several of the boats, our livelihood, were
swept out to sea. That was 15 years ago.
I suppose I have stayed here through stubbornness. I love to feel that I shall conquer,
shall outlive these storms. I’ve sat here many times waiting for the ocean to wreak
havoc. Two years ago, the last two dwellings other than mine disappeared under the
water, and I was left to my solitary routine, going out each day in my boat, praying for a
good catch.

30th October
I predicted this storm and it is the most magnificent I have ever known. It has unleashed
a swirling mass of water that no person could withstand. I have attempted to confront
this tempest, but it beats me into a crouching apology of a man. The rain smashes itself
against my little house like a demented hail of shrapnel. I shout at the top of my voice in
defiance, but the elements drown me out. Behind the sheets of rain, I see the frenzied
waves rearing their heads against me. Although I am afraid, the sight of such a
monstrous sea always excites my very being.
How can I write this at such a chaotic moment? Inside my house, there is a raised
corner and a chair and table which belonged to my children. Oh yes, they are safe
enough; they moved to the sanctuary of the nearby town, at the end of what used to be
a road, but is today a narrow rocky track. By now the sea may have broken through,
making me a stranded sailor on my tiny piece of land, waiting to be swept into the
depths. It is a romantic idea that appeals to me.
 Tomorrow will I still be a survivor? The word satisfies my desire to be a hero, at least in
my own mind. When this storm is over, I will again hear my favourite music, the singing
of the sea and of the gulls, and I shall be at peace.

Re-read Text B and then answer Question 2 on this question paper.

2 Imagine you are a newspaper reporter working in the nearby town. Write a report
using this headline:
Lone fisherman survives storm of the century
In your report you should include the following:
• what happened to the fisherman and his surroundings
• why he refused to leave his home
• how this will affect his way of life in the future.

Base your report on what you have read in Passage A, but be careful to use your own
words. Address each of the three bullet points.
Write about 250-350 words. Up to 20 marks are available for the content of your
answer, and up to 10 marks for the quality of your writing.
[Total: 30]

……… Lone fisherman survives storm of the century

 On 30th October, there were reports of a colossal, monstrous and horrendous storm
which ripped the face of an isolated fishing village located on a narrow strip of land.
Many believed that the village was a ghost town with no sign of life but one valiant,
heroic living miracle of a man remains, who is making battling these storms a habit.
Previously, this fishing village was a bustling, busy and thriving area where the people
sold fish sang and earned a living. However and unfortunately, the village was turned
upside down by a series of chaotic storms which were responsible for the destruction of
nearly all the dwellings and most of the vessels.
Adding to the already chaotic situation, floods started happening leading to the
evacuation of people and the destruction of even the well-constructed homes. These
series of chaotic events lead to the downfall of the village’s fishing industry and
economy.
Although the village is desolate and ruined, it is still special thanks to one man, the
lone survivor. His name is Adam. Here is what he said about the storm. ‘On 29 th
October I noticed a large black cloud heading my way, the weather was still peaceful
but I sensed vehemence in the cloud. The next day it unleashed its true form,
uncontrollable waves rushed towards me, the rain poured down, literally punching my
window. The wind zipped through. Thankfully, after a while it stopped, although it was
terrifying I’ve never felt more adrenaline’’.
He was then asked why he never moved away from the village. Adam said, ‘‘why
should I ever move? This is my home; I love it and feel like a king here. The sea dazzles
my eyes and the peace and tranquillity here can’t be experienced anywhere else. The
sound of nature eases my mind. Nature can’t be any closer to me’’.
It is pretty clear that Adam intends to stay. Being the last man on an Island is a huge
thing for him. He has gone through so much, so he wouldn’t just give up. He will
probably carry on, build his house and boat and allow the sea to take him when it wants
to. He loves the solitude and will never go away from the island.

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