Cambridge IGCSE: 0500/11 Firstlanguageenglish
Cambridge IGCSE: 0500/11 Firstlanguageenglish
Cambridge IGCSE: 0500/11 Firstlanguageenglish
FIRSTLANGUAGEENGLISH 0500/11
*3726576954*
Paper1Reading May/June2020
2 hours
Youmustansweronthequestionpaper.
Youwillneed: Insert(enclosed)
INSTRUCTIONS
• Answer all questions.
• Use a black or dark blue pen.
• Write your name, centre number and candidate number in the boxes at the top of the page.
• Write your answer to each question in the space provided.
• Do not use an erasable pen or correction fluid.
• Do not write on any bar codes.
• If additional space is needed, you should use the lined pages at the end of this booklet; the question
number or numbers must be clearly shown.
INFORMATION
Read ,
06_0500_11_2020_1.13
© UCLES 2020 [Turn over
Text A The problem with plastics, in the insert and then answer Questions 1(a)–(e) on
this question paper.
Question 1
(a) Give three examples of man-made materials humans use more than plastic. [1]
1. Steel
2. Cement
3. Brick
(b) Using your own words, explain what the text means by:
Surprising quantity
(i) Identify two facts about how plastic items are dealt with, which lead to plastic waste
littering the environment. [2]
Plastic items are used for a very short period of time before being discarded
(ii) What changes are needed to improve the recycling of plastic? [3]
The poor design of current plastic bottles limits us from recycling them again. So a
better plastic bottle design could help. Also, recycling each and every product more
than once can help improve the recycling process.
Using your own words, explain the reasons why the problem of plastic waste is not being
dealt with quickly enough. [3]
Although there are many new biodegradable alternatives available for plastics, however, the
current manufacturing of plastic is low-priced and comfortable, which therefore creates a
lack of motivation for change. People also fail to understand that a radical shift is needed to
be able to deal with the plastic waste problem.
Read ,
Text B It’s great that Blue Planet II is pushing hard on plastic pollution, but , in the
insert and then answer Question 1(f) on this question paper.
Question 1
(f) According to Text B, what problems are associated with plastic waste and the way
documentary programme makers are presenting the issue?
You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as
Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the
quality of your writing. [15]
[Total: 30]
“More plastic than fish by 2050”. An unimaginable quantity of trash lies in the oceans
at this very moment. This not only pollutes the oceans but, is also capable of wiping
the marine life. It is time that we need to understand the urgency of the pollution
issue. As displayed by the documentary Blue Planet II, whales and fishes now have to
share the ocean with plastics. It claims that a newborn baby whale died due to the
mother’s milk being contaminated by plastic. However, little to no relation has been
made between the death of this whale and plastics. There is a lack of evidence
supporting this claim and in the process, the factual evidence is overshadowed. The
story could have been twisted to grab the media’s attention and the truth was watered
down.
Text C The penguin lessons, in the insert and then answer Questions 2(a)–(d) on this
question paper.
Question 2
(a) Identify a word or phrase from the text which suggests the same idea as the words
underlined:
(i) Boats used for recreational purposes were moored in the harbour as well as the
boats used by local fishermen.
(ii) The colours of the boats and houses by the harbour were bright and cheerful.
Vibrant [1]
(iii) At the time of the incident, rules about where oil tankers could wash out their tanks
were not as strict as they are now.
(iv) Oil tanks washing out their tanks left huge patches of sea covered with a film of
poisonous oil.
(b) Using your own words, explain what the writer means by each of the words underlined:
I turned and walked round the promontory to the eastern side. I had only been strolling
along the seashore for minutes, when I caught sight of the first of them: black, unmoving
shapes.
Read ,
(c) Use one example from the text below to explain how the writer suggests his feelings about
what he saw on the beach.
Initially, I was aware of only a few but, as I walked on, they grew in number, until the whole
beach appeared to be covered with black lumps in a black carpet. Hundreds of penguins lay
dead in the sand, covered in thick, cloying oil and tar. Each wave that broke piled another
grim batch of carcasses on top of those already there. The sight was dreadful, sickening and
depressing.
The writer expresses his feelings by mention that “the sight was dreadful”. The writer
describes the scene by using powerful words such as sickening and depressing which
develops upon the overall tone as monotonous and depressing. The sight of dead penguins
made him feel unpleasant and nauseous and disturbed him deep in his heart. [3]
• Paragraph 2 begins with ‘Swimming in unison ’ and is about the wildlife in the harbour.
• Paragraph 9 begins ‘Amid all the ’ and is about approaching and capturing the bird.
Explain how the writer uses language to convey meaning and to create effect in these
paragraphs. Choose three examples of words or phrases from each paragraph to support
your answer. Your choices should include the use of imagery.
Paragraph 2 overall talks about the wildlife in the harbour. The writer uses poetic devices to
describe the aquatic life in order to create a sense of imagery in the reader's mind. The writer
uses alliteration in the phrase “Shimmering shoals of sprat” which makes us visualise as if
the fishes were shining like golden glitter as the rays of sunlight fell on them. The rays were
creating a sort of mirage effect on the sprats. The sense of playfulness is developed as the
writer describes the movement of the fishes as “zigzagging, dividing and reuniting”. This
phrase portrays that the fishes are in a cheerful mood, pacing around, and playing with their
friends. It created an image in our minds of children playing with each other on the swings,
randomly running, falling down and getting back up. Enjoying to the fullest. This sense of
enjoyment is carried on but from the perspective of penguins. The writer's choice of words in
the phrase “snapping up sprats” shows us the excitement and greediness amongst the
penguins in feasting on the rich sprats. It was as if they were competing with each other
about who will catch more food.
Paragraph 9 describes how the writer tries to save a penguin. A tone of pure hatred is set for
the paragraph as the writer mentions that the penguin was “sparking with anger” as if he was
literally on fire with its eyes flaming red in colour. It is portrayed as if the penguin was tired
of living in that filth and all his grief was coming out as anger. This idea is further extended
as the writer mentions that the penguin's eyes shone with “pure loathing and venom”. It is
making us visualize that the penguin's emotional capacity is at its peak and his outburst of
anger has turned into cruelty as if at any moment he will come and inject his “venom” into
you, to take revenge on humans who made the area unhabitable. When the writer tries to
catch the penguin, he describes it as a “quarry” which creates a hunting scene in our minds
where the hunter needs to be as very clever and careful to grab the ‘prey’ in order to protect
himself from the “venom”.
[Total: 25]
8
Re-read Text C, The penguin lessons, in the insert and then answer Question 3 on this
question paper.
Question 3
Imagine you are a local journalist. Recent events have prompted you to write a magazine article
about the need to better safeguard the area.
Base your article on what you have read in Text C, but be careful to use your own words.
Address each of the three bullet points.
Up to 15 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 10 marks for the
quality of your writing.
People like to spend their holidays by the sea to relax their minds. They visit the small harbour,
go fishing and enjoy recreational activities. Many make plans with their friends and families to go
fishing there and appreciate the panoramic view of the sea. Whereas, others like to visit the sea
to watch and observe the wildlife. The sight of sprats swimming in random directions and
penguins trying to snap them is a blithe seaside comedy. Earlier, the harbour used to be flooded
with people, crowing everywhere. However, in the last few months, the tables have turned. When
visiting the sea, the feeling of cheerfulness has been replaced with terror.
The number of tourists is decreasing day by day. The seaside is now crowded with dead
penguins instead of humans. The wildlife ecosystem has been disturbed by the vested interests
of some self – indulgent people. These days, the oil tankers wash out their tanks at the sea
creating deadly floating oil slicks. The harmful chemicals in the oil are leading to the massacre of
penguins as they lay dead at the seashore covered in thick cloying oil and tar. Apart from that,
the seashore has been littered with plastic bottles, debris, fishing nets and whatnot. You can
barely see the sand now. The regulations need to be stern and harsh punishments should be
there to stop this bloodbath.
Recently, one of the tourists Tom Michell visited the harbour to enjoy his holiday. When was
talking a walk on the seashore he describes the sight of the dead penguins as dreadful and
sickening. On his way he spotted a penguin; infact spotted, the only living penguin, who was
covered with oil, fighting for his life. He decided to rescue him and take him back to his
apartment. He faced many struggles capturing the penguin but finally caught him using a fishing
net and brought him back to his apartment. The penguin was severely injured and in an attempt
to remove him from the net, he ended up making a total mess of the apartment.