Summary Banker

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Growing up with more than one languageWalk into almost any classroom in Lahore and you will hear children switching between Punjabi, Urdu and English without a second thought. Far from being confusing, this kind of daily practice appears to bring real advantages.Children who use two or more languages regularly often become skilled at switching attention. Because their brains must constantly choose which language to use and block out the other, they get plenty of practice at focusing on what matters and ignoring distractions. Some studies suggest they are also better at solving puzzles that require them to change rules halfway through.There are social rewards too. A child who speaks a grandparent's language can share stories, jokes and songs that would be lost in translation, keeping a family's history alive. Speaking the language of a neighbourhood or playground helps a newcomer make friends more quickly.Many bilingual children develop a keen awareness of how language works. They notice that the same idea can be expressed in different ways and that some words cannot be translated exactly. Teachers report that this curiosity can make learning a third or fourth language easier later in life.Later on, the practical benefits become obvious. Employers in tourism, trade, health care and international business value staff who can speak to customers in their own language. Travel, too, becomes richer when you can ask directions, read signs and chat to people rather than relying on gestures.Some researchers even believe that a lifetime of using several languages may help keep the brain active in old age, though they stress that more evidence is needed. What seems clear is that, for most children, an extra language is a gift rather than a burden.

1. (a) According to the text, what are the benefits of growing up using more than one language?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: My first summer jobWhen I was sixteen my uncle offered me work in his stationery shop for the summer holidays. I accepted mainly for the money, but by September I realised I had gained a great deal more than a little cash.Earning my own wages changed the way I thought about spending. When a new pair of trainers represented three days of standing behind a counter, I suddenly became very careful. I opened a savings account for the first time and learned to plan for things I wanted rather than asking my parents.The job also forced me to talk to strangers. At first I mumbled and avoided eye contact, but customers needed help finding the right pens, files and printer cartridges, and within a few weeks I could chat comfortably with anyone, from small children to impatient office managers. That confidence has stayed with me in class discussions and interviews.I learned practical skills I would never have picked up at school: using a till, counting change quickly, checking deliveries against invoices and arranging displays so that customers noticed new stock. My uncle explained how he decided what to order and how small the profit was on each item, which gave me a real respect for people who run businesses.Perhaps most importantly, the job taught me responsibility. If I arrived late, my uncle had to open the shop alone; if I made a mistake with the money, the accounts would not balance. I discovered that other people depended on me, and I worked harder because of it.Finally, the job helped me think about my future. I enjoyed the organising side so much that I am now considering a business course at college. And when I apply, I will have something real to write about.

1. (a) According to the text, what did the writer gain from the summer job?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Cities built for bicyclesIn a number of European cities, more people travel to work by bicycle than by car. Visitors from places dominated by traffic are often astonished by the streams of cyclists, young and old, gliding along wide, separate lanes. City planners elsewhere are now asking what these places have gained.The first answer is cleaner air. Bicycles produce no exhaust fumes, so streets with fewer cars have lower levels of pollution, which benefits everyone, including people with asthma and other breathing problems. Traffic noise falls too, making streets more pleasant places to live, work and talk.Cycling is also excellent exercise that fits easily into daily routines. Someone who cycles to work does not need to find extra time for the gym. Doctors point out that regular moderate activity lowers the risk of heart disease and helps people keep a healthy weight, which in turn reduces pressure on hospitals.There are economic advantages. A bicycle costs a tiny fraction of a car to buy and run, leaving families with more money for other things. Cities spend less on building and repairing roads, because bicycles cause almost no wear. Shops on cycle-friendly streets often find that cyclists stop more often than drivers, who tend to drive past to large shopping centres.Bicycles take up very little space. Ten bicycles can park where one car would, and a cycle lane can move many more people per hour than a lane of cars. Land once used for car parks can become parks, playgrounds or housing.Finally, cycling changes the feel of a city. Children can ride to school independently, neighbours greet one another, and journey times become more predictable because cyclists rarely sit in traffic jams.

1. (a) According to the text, what have cities gained by encouraging cycling?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: A garden between the flatsThree years ago the empty plot between two blocks of flats in a crowded part of Karachi was a dumping ground for broken furniture and plastic bags. Today it is a community garden, and residents say it has changed far more than the view.The most obvious gain is food. Families grow tomatoes, okra, mint and coriander in shared beds, and in summer the harvest is large enough to reduce weekly shopping bills noticeably. Because nothing has to be transported, the vegetables are eaten within hours of being picked, while they are at their most nutritious.The garden has also become the building's meeting place. Neighbours who once nodded on the stairs now spend evenings watering together, swapping seeds and recipes. Older residents, some of whom had grown up in villages, have found themselves in demand as experts, and several say they feel less lonely than before.For children, the plot is an outdoor classroom. They learn where food comes from, how long plants take to grow and why worms are good for soil. Teachers at a nearby school now bring classes to visit, and pupils who struggle indoors are often the most enthusiastic diggers.There are environmental improvements as well. The plants provide shade and noticeably cool the air around the ground-floor flats on hot afternoons. Kitchen scraps that used to go into the rubbish are turned into compost, so less waste leaves the building. Butterflies and birds have returned to an area where few were seen before.Residents also mention their health. Digging and carrying water provide gentle exercise, and many say that half an hour among the plants after a stressful day leaves them calmer. As one retired teacher puts it, "We planted vegetables, but we grew a community."

1. (a) According to the text, what are the benefits of the community garden for the residents and their area?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Libraries reinventedA generation ago, many people predicted that the internet would make public libraries unnecessary. Instead, libraries in many cities have reinvented themselves, and their visitor numbers in some places are rising.Books remain at the heart of the service, and borrowing them is free, which matters enormously to families who cannot afford to buy books. But a modern library offers much more. Free internet access and computers allow people without a connection at home to apply for jobs, fill in official forms and keep in touch with relatives abroad. Staff are often on hand to help those who lack confidence with technology, especially older people.Libraries are also among the few indoor public spaces where nobody expects you to spend money. Students use them as quiet places to revise, particularly when home is crowded or noisy. In hot weather, or during power cuts, a cool reading room can be a genuine refuge.Many libraries now run activities for every age group. Toddlers come with parents for story and rhyme sessions that build early language skills. Teenagers join coding clubs and homework groups. Adults attend talks, language classes and book clubs, where strangers with shared interests become friends.Some libraries have gone further, lending objects rather than books: tools, musical instruments, sewing machines and even gardening equipment. This saves people money and reduces waste, because a drill that would be used once a year in one home can be shared by dozens.Finally, libraries preserve local history. Old newspapers, photographs and maps kept in their collections allow residents to research their families and neighbourhoods. A good library, its supporters argue, is not a warehouse for books but the living room of a community.

1. (a) According to the text, what benefits do modern public libraries offer?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: A dog for GrandpaWhen my grandfather's wife died, he stopped going out. He ate badly, slept at odd hours and seemed to lose interest in everything. Then a neighbour asked him to look after her elderly spaniel, Basil, for a week. He kept Basil for three years.Stories like this are common, and research supports what many families have noticed: for older people, owning a dog can bring remarkable benefits.The most obvious is exercise. A dog needs walking at least twice a day, whatever the weather, so owners who might otherwise sit indoors find themselves covering several kilometres. Regular walking strengthens the heart and muscles and improves balance, which reduces the risk of falls.A dog also gives structure to the day. Meals, walks and grooming happen at fixed times, and many owners say that having a reason to get up in the morning was what they needed most after retirement or bereavement.Then there is company. Living alone can be deeply lonely, and a dog provides affection that is constant and uncomplicated. Owners talk to their pets, and simply stroking an animal has been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce stress.Dogs are also excellent at starting conversations. Other walkers stop to admire them, children ask to pat them, and owners who meet in the same park every day gradually become friends. For an older person whose social circle has shrunk, these daily encounters can be a lifeline.Some owners feel safer, too, because a dog barks at strangers and makes a house seem occupied. And caring for another creature brings a sense of purpose and responsibility that many retired people miss.Of course, dogs need money, energy and arrangements for when the owner is ill. But for my grandfather, Basil was worth every inconvenience.

1. (a) According to the text, what are the benefits for older people of owning a dog?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Light in the desertFor most of her life, Shazia's village in the Thar desert had no electricity. When the sun went down, families relied on kerosene lamps that smoked, smelled and cast only a dim circle of light. Two years ago a local organisation helped households install small solar panels on their roofs, each connected to a battery, a few lights and a socket for charging phones.The first change was in the evenings. Children can now do their homework after dark, and Shazia's daughter, who hopes to become a teacher, says her marks have improved since she no longer has to finish everything before sunset. Women who embroider cloth to sell can work for longer hours, increasing their income.The air inside homes is cleaner too. Kerosene lamps fill small rooms with fumes that irritate the eyes and lungs, and they are a fire risk where roofs are made of dry grass. Families also save the money they used to spend on fuel, which in some households was a significant part of their weekly budget.Mobile phones have become far more useful. Before, villagers had to walk to a market town to charge them, paying a fee each time. Now they can stay in touch with relatives working in cities, check prices before taking animals to market and call for help in an emergency.Some families have bought small fans, which make the fierce summer nights more bearable, and one shopkeeper now runs a fridge, so the village can buy cold drinks and keep medicines cool.Because sunshine is free and plentiful in the desert, the panels cost almost nothing to run once installed. A young man from the village has been trained to repair them, giving him a new skill and a small business of his own.

1. (a) According to the text, what are the benefits that solar power has brought to Shazia's village?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Why museums still matter on school tripsIn an age when almost any painting or fossil can be viewed on a screen, some parents question whether school trips to museums are worth the cost and the lost lesson time. Teachers who organise them are in little doubt.Seeing a real object is different from seeing a picture of it. Pupils who stand beneath the skeleton of a whale or examine a coin handled by traders two thousand years ago often describe a sudden sense that the past was real. That emotional jolt can spark an interest that no textbook manages, and some museum staff can name visitors who chose their careers after a single childhood visit.Museums also suit pupils who learn in different ways. A student who finds long reading difficult may understand a historical period far better by walking through a reconstructed street, handling replica tools or listening to a guide. Many galleries now provide activity sheets, sketching areas and hands-on workshops designed for young visitors.The trip itself teaches lessons beyond the subject. Pupils must plan their route, keep to a timetable, look after their belongings and behave appropriately in a public place. For some children, especially those from families who rarely travel, it may be their first visit to a city centre or a cultural building, and it shows them that such places are open to them.There are benefits back in the classroom too. A shared experience gives a class something to discuss, write about and refer back to for months. Teachers find that a quiet pupil who noticed a particular detail may suddenly have something to contribute. Relationships between staff and pupils often improve after a day spent together outside school.None of this means every trip is a success; a badly planned visit can be exhausting and shallow. But a well-prepared one, many teachers argue, can be remembered long after most lessons are forgotten.

1. (a) According to the text, what are the benefits of school trips to museums?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: The quiet power of a notebookKeeping a diary is often seen as an old-fashioned habit, something associated with teenagers in films or explorers in past centuries. Yet psychologists, teachers and writers increasingly recommend spending a few minutes each day writing down thoughts and experiences.One reason is emotional. Putting worries into words seems to make them more manageable; a problem that swirls around the mind at night often looks smaller once it is written on a page. Some studies have found that people who write regularly about difficult experiences report feeling less anxious and even visit the doctor less often, though researchers are careful not to claim that writing is a cure.A diary also helps people understand themselves. Reading back over entries from months earlier, writers notice patterns: the situations that always leave them stressed, the friends who lift their mood, the goals they keep promising to pursue. This kind of self-knowledge can guide better decisions.For students, the benefits include better writing. Writing every day, without worrying about marks, builds fluency and a personal voice. Many professional authors began with private journals, and some still use them to collect ideas, overheard phrases and descriptions of places.A record of daily life becomes more valuable with time. Small details that seem unimportant now, such as the price of bread, a conversation with a grandparent or the view from a classroom window, can bring the past back vividly years later. Historians treasure ordinary diaries for exactly this reason: they show how people really lived.Finally, a notebook offers a rare kind of privacy. Unlike social media, a diary has no audience to impress. Writers can be honest, change their minds and make mistakes without anyone judging them. In a noisy world, that freedom may be the greatest benefit of all.

1. (a) According to the text, what are the benefits of keeping a diary?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Counting birds from the back gardenEvery winter, thousands of volunteers across several countries spend one weekend counting the birds that visit their gardens, balconies and local parks. They record what they see for an hour and send the results to scientists. This kind of project, known as citizen science, is growing rapidly, and its supporters believe it benefits both research and the volunteers themselves.For scientists, the advantage is scale. No research team could watch millions of gardens at the same moment, but ordinary people can. The data reveal which species are increasing or declining, how birds respond to cold winters and how far some birds are shifting their range as temperatures change. Trends that would take professional researchers decades to detect can appear within a few years.Citizen science is also cheap. Volunteers give their time freely, so limited research budgets stretch much further. Smartphone apps now allow observations to be submitted with photographs and exact locations, which makes checking easier.For participants, the rewards are different. Many say they had never really looked at the birds outside their windows before. Learning to tell similar species apart sharpens observation skills, and children who take part often become fascinated by nature. Teachers use the counts as practical science lessons, showing pupils how real data are collected.There are wider benefits too. People who have watched a population of sparrows fall are more likely to care about protecting habitats, plant shrubs that provide food, or support conservation groups. Communities sometimes organise group counts in parks, bringing together people of all ages.Finally, participants often describe the hour of quiet watching as calming. In busy lives, being asked to sit still and simply notice what is happening outside can be a surprising pleasure.

1. (a) According to the text, what are the benefits of citizen science projects such as bird counts?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Before you set off: trekking in the northEvery summer, thousands of visitors head for the mountains of northern Pakistan to walk to glaciers, high meadows and lakes. Most return with wonderful memories, but each year some get into serious difficulty. Experienced guides say that a safe trek depends largely on what you do before you leave home.Start training weeks in advance. Walking uphill for six or seven hours a day at altitude is very different from strolling around a city, so practise with long walks, climbing stairs and carrying a loaded backpack. Break in new boots on these walks; blisters on the first day can ruin a trip.Choose your route honestly. Read about the distances, the height gained each day and the condition of paths, and pick a trek that matches the fitness and experience of the weakest person in your group, not the strongest.Plan to gain height slowly. Above about 2,500 metres, the air contains less oxygen, and climbing too fast can cause altitude sickness, which begins with headaches and nausea and can become dangerous. Build rest days into your itinerary and be prepared to turn back if symptoms get worse.Pack for every kind of weather. Mountain conditions change quickly, and a sunny morning can turn into a freezing, rainy afternoon. Layers of warm clothing, a waterproof jacket, a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses are all essential, along with a first-aid kit and water purification tablets.Hire a local guide or porter if you can. They know the paths, the weather signs and the safest places to camp, and employing them brings income to mountain villages.Finally, tell someone at home your route and expected return date, and respect the land: carry your rubbish out with you and ask permission before photographing local people.

1. (a) According to the text, how should trekkers prepare for a safe trek in the mountains?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Less waste in the kitchenEvery day, households around the world throw away huge amounts of food that was perfectly good when it was bought. Apart from the waste of money, food that rots in rubbish dumps releases gases that contribute to climate change. Yet reducing kitchen waste is surprisingly easy.The most effective step is to plan meals before shopping. Families who check what is already in the cupboard and fridge, decide what they will cook for the next few days and write a list buy far less on impulse. Shopping when hungry, experts warn, almost always leads to buying too much.Storing food correctly makes it last longer. Bread keeps better in a cool cupboard than in a warm kitchen corner, and many fruits and vegetables stay fresh for days longer in the fridge. Older items should be moved to the front so that they are used first, while new purchases go to the back.It helps to understand date labels. A "best before" date is about quality rather than safety, so many foods are still fine to eat a little after it, provided they look, smell and taste normal. "Use by" dates, on meat and dairy products, should be followed strictly.Leftovers are an opportunity rather than a problem. Cooked rice can become a fried rice dish the next day, stale bread makes good breadcrumbs or a pudding, and soft vegetables can go into soups and curries. Cooking slightly smaller portions also means less is scraped off plates.The freezer is a powerful ally. Bread, cooked meals, chopped herbs and even ripe bananas can be frozen and used weeks later.Finally, what truly cannot be eaten, such as peelings and eggshells, can be composted and returned to the soil rather than sent to landfill.

1. (a) According to the text, how can households reduce the amount of food they waste?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Keeping zoo animals busyA tiger pacing up and down the same few metres of its enclosure is a sad sight, and a sign that it is bored. Modern zoos take animals' mental health as seriously as their physical health, and keepers use a range of methods, known as enrichment, to keep their animals active and interested.Food is the most powerful tool. In the wild, most animals spend hours searching for or catching their meals, so keepers rarely just put food in a bowl. Fruit may be frozen into blocks of ice for monkeys to chip away at, insects hidden inside logs for meerkats to dig out, and meat hung high on ropes so that big cats must climb and pull.Feeding times are varied. If animals are fed at exactly the same time every day, they may become anxious as the hour approaches, so many zoos change the timing and the location of meals.Enclosures are designed to resemble natural habitats, with different levels, hiding places and surfaces such as sand, water, grass and rock. Furniture is moved regularly, and new objects such as boxes, balls and branches are added so that the space never becomes too familiar.Smells and sounds can also stimulate animals. Keepers may spread spices, perfume or the scent of other animals around an enclosure, which big cats in particular investigate with great interest.Some animals are trained using rewards to take part in simple exercises, such as presenting a paw or opening their mouths. This keeps their minds active and also allows vets to check their health without stress.Finally, keepers watch closely and record how each animal responds, because what fascinates one bear may bore another completely.

1. (a) According to the text, what methods do keepers use to keep zoo animals active and interested?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: How a small bakery wins customersWhen Farah opened a bakery in a busy Islamabad market, there were already four others within walking distance. Two years later, hers has a queue outside every morning. She is happy to explain how she did it.Her first decision was to specialise. Rather than trying to sell everything, she concentrated on a small range of breads and cakes that she could make extremely well, including a cardamom loaf that customers now travel across the city to buy. "People remember one brilliant thing," she says, "not twenty average ones."She also made sure everything was fresh. Bread is baked in small batches throughout the day, so customers arriving at five in the afternoon get loaves still warm from the oven. Anything left at closing time is given to a nearby shelter rather than sold cheaply the next morning.Farah pays close attention to the shop itself. Large windows let passers-by watch the bakers at work, and the smell of baking drifts into the street. Prices are clearly displayed, and the counter is kept spotless, because, she says, customers judge food by the cleanliness of the place that sells it.Staff are trained to learn regular customers' names and preferences. A pensioner who buys the same loaf every day finds it already wrapped when he walks in. Farah believes that small gestures like this create loyalty that no advertising can buy.She listens, too. A notebook by the till records suggestions, and several popular items, including a sugar-free biscuit, began as customer requests. She uses social media mainly to show what has just come out of the oven, posting photographs each morning.Finally, she has never cut corners on ingredients. Butter, flour and spices are of the best quality she can afford, even though it means slightly higher prices.

1. (a) According to the text, what methods has Farah used to make her bakery successful?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Keeping cool when cities overheatCities are often several degrees hotter than the countryside around them. Concrete, asphalt and brick absorb the sun's heat during the day and release it slowly at night, while traffic, factories and air-conditioners add warmth of their own. As heatwaves become more frequent, city authorities are searching for ways to lower the temperature.Trees are among the most effective tools. They shade streets and buildings, and they release water vapour through their leaves, which cools the air around them. Some cities now plant thousands of trees each year, choosing species that need little water and can survive in polluted streets.Colour makes a difference too. Dark roofs and roads absorb much more heat than pale ones, so painting roofs white or using light-coloured paving can significantly reduce the temperature inside buildings and on the street. In several hot countries, whitewashed houses have kept people cool for centuries.Water can be used to cool public spaces. Fountains, shallow pools and misting systems that spray a fine cloud of water droplets give relief in squares and markets, and restoring streams that had been buried under concrete brings cooler air along their banks.Buildings themselves can be designed differently. Traditional architecture in hot regions offers many lessons: thick walls that keep heat out, narrow shaded lanes, courtyards, and wind-catching towers that draw breezes down into rooms.Finally, cities need plans to protect people when heat becomes dangerous. Some open air-conditioned "cooling centres" in libraries and community halls, send text warnings before heatwaves and ask volunteers to check on elderly neighbours who live alone.

1. (a) According to the text, what methods can cities use to reduce heat and protect people?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Studying at home without losing the dayWhen her school moved some lessons online, sixteen-year-old Mahnoor discovered that studying at home was harder than it looked. The kitchen table was surrounded by distractions, and whole mornings disappeared without anything being finished. After some trial and error, and advice from her teachers, she developed a routine that works.First, she keeps school hours. She gets up at the same time as she did when she travelled to school, dresses properly and starts work at eight. Treating home study like a real school day, she says, tells her brain that it is time to concentrate.She has created a separate study space, even though it is only a corner of her bedroom with a small desk. Nothing unrelated to work is allowed there, and when she leaves it at the end of the day, she leaves schoolwork behind too.Each evening she writes a short list of tasks for the next day, putting the most difficult first, when her energy is highest. Large assignments are broken into smaller steps, so that progress feels possible.Her phone is the biggest challenge. During study periods it stays in another room, and she uses a simple timer: twenty-five minutes of focused work followed by a five-minute break. She checks messages only during longer breaks.Mahnoor also protects her health. She steps outside for fresh air at lunchtime, drinks water through the day and stops work at a fixed time in the evening rather than letting it stretch until midnight.Finally, she stays connected. When she is stuck, she messages a classmate or asks her teacher rather than wasting an hour, and she and two friends hold a short video call each Friday to check on each other's progress.

1. (a) According to the text, how does Mahnoor manage her time effectively when studying at home?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: What makes a great museum guideAnyone can memorise a list of dates, but the guides whose tours are fully booked weeks in advance offer something more. We asked visitors and senior staff at a large city museum what separates an outstanding guide from an ordinary one.Knowledge comes first, but it must be deep rather than wide. The best guides do not try to cover every object in a gallery; they choose a handful and know them thoroughly, including the surprising details that never appear on the labels. Visitors remember the story of the potter who left a thumbprint in the clay far longer than a list of dynasties.Storytelling is essential. A good guide turns facts into human stories, asking visitors to imagine who made an object, who used it and what their lives were like. Questions such as "What do you think this was for?" draw the group in and make them look closely before the answer is revealed.Great guides read their audience. They notice when children are fidgeting or an elderly visitor needs a seat, and they adjust their pace, their vocabulary and the length of each stop accordingly. A tour for schoolchildren and a tour for retired historians might visit the same gallery but feel completely different.Voice and movement matter more than many realise. Guides must be heard clearly without shouting, position the group so that everyone can see, and avoid standing with their backs to the objects they describe.Honesty is valued too. When a visitor asks something the guide cannot answer, the best simply admit it and offer to find out, rather than inventing an answer.Finally, visitors respond to enthusiasm. A guide who is clearly fascinated by the collection, even after describing it a thousand times, makes the subject feel fresh. As one supervisor put it, "Passion is the one thing we cannot train."

1. (a) According to the text, what makes an outstanding museum guide?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: What the judges wantEvery year hundreds of students enter a national science fair, but only a few take home the top prizes. We asked three experienced judges what they look for when they walk along the rows of posters and models.All three began with the question. A strong project starts with a clear, focused question that can actually be tested, such as how the amount of salt in water affects the growth of a particular seed, rather than a vague topic like "plants". Judges are particularly impressed when the question comes from the student's own curiosity or a local problem.Next comes method. The judges want to see a fair test, with only one thing changed at a time and everything else kept the same. Repeating measurements several times, and explaining why, shows that a student understands that single results can be misleading.Honesty about results matters more than success. One judge described a project in which the experiment had not worked as expected; the student explained clearly what had gone wrong and what she would change, and won a prize. Judges distrust results that look too perfect.Presentation should be clear rather than flashy. Graphs must be labelled and readable, and the poster should tell the story of the investigation in a logical order. Expensive materials earn no extra marks.The interview is often decisive. Judges ask students to explain their choices, and they quickly notice whether the work is truly the student's own. Those who can talk confidently about their mistakes and suggest further experiments stand out.Finally, the judges reward originality. A familiar experiment done carefully can do well, but a project that asks a new question or uses simple equipment in an inventive way is the one they remember.

1. (a) According to the text, what do the judges look for in a winning science fair project?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Saving the old havelisIn the narrow lanes of the old walled city of Lahore stand havelis, grand family houses built around courtyards, with carved wooden balconies and painted ceilings. Many have collapsed or been replaced by concrete blocks. A small team of restorers is trying to save those that remain, and their work requires patience as much as skill.The first stage is research. Before touching anything, the team studies old photographs, talks to elderly residents and records every room with measurements and drawings. Understanding how a building was originally made, and how it has changed, prevents mistakes that cannot be undone.The restorers then make the structure safe. Leaking roofs are repaired first, because water is the greatest enemy of old brick and timber. Cracked walls are supported with temporary props, and modern additions that place too much weight on the old walls are removed.Wherever possible, they use traditional materials. Modern cement is harder than old lime mortar and traps moisture, causing old bricks to crumble, so the team mixes lime in the old way. Small handmade bricks are ordered from a kiln that still produces the original size.Original features are repaired rather than replaced. A rotten section of a carved balcony is cut out and a new piece joined in, leaving as much of the old carving as possible. Painted ceilings are cleaned gently with soft brushes.The team trains local craftsmen, some of whom had stopped working because demand for their skills had disappeared. Their knowledge of carving and plasterwork is essential, and training young apprentices ensures that the skills survive.Finally, the restorers work closely with the families who live in the havelis, adding modern kitchens and bathrooms discreetly so that the buildings remain homes rather than museums.

1. (a) According to the text, what methods do the restorers use to save the old havelis?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Beneath the wavesCommercial divers repair oil platforms, inspect bridges and salvage sunken ships. It is well-paid work, but those who do it describe a job in which danger is never far away.Pressure is the most serious threat. The deeper a diver goes, the greater the weight of water pressing on the body. If divers come up too quickly, gases that dissolved in their blood at depth form bubbles, causing a painful and sometimes fatal condition known as "the bends". To avoid it, they must rise slowly and sometimes spend hours in special chambers on the surface.Visibility is often poor. Harbours and rivers can be so muddy that divers work entirely by touch, unable to see their own hands. In these conditions it is easy to become tangled in cables or ropes, or to lose all sense of direction.The water itself is hostile. Cold quickly drains strength and makes fingers clumsy, even inside thick suits. Strong currents can drag a diver away from the work site, and tides can change the depth within an hour.Divers depend completely on equipment. A fault in an air supply, a damaged hose or a failed radio link with the surface can turn a routine job into an emergency. Crews check every piece of gear before each dive, but failures still happen.The tools add their own risks. Underwater cutting and welding equipment can cause burns or electric shocks, and heavy objects moved by cranes may shift unexpectedly.Finally, there is the strain on mind and body. Long periods offshore, separated from families, combined with physical exhaustion and the constant awareness of danger, take a toll that many divers say is underestimated.

1. (a) According to the text, what are the dangers and difficulties faced by commercial divers?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Working in the heatFor millions of people, a heatwave is not a reason to stay indoors; it is simply another working day. Construction workers, farm labourers, traffic police, delivery riders and street vendors spend hours in direct sunlight, and as summers grow hotter, the dangers they face are increasing.The body cools itself mainly by sweating, but in extreme heat, especially when the air is humid, sweat cannot evaporate quickly enough. Body temperature then rises, causing heat exhaustion, with dizziness, headaches and nausea. If work continues, this can develop into heatstroke, a medical emergency that can damage the brain and other organs and can kill.Dehydration is a constant risk. Workers can lose litres of fluid in a single shift, yet many do not have easy access to clean drinking water, and some avoid drinking because there are no toilets nearby.Heat also makes accidents more likely. Tired, overheated workers concentrate less well, their hands become slippery with sweat and their reactions slow down. Metal tools and surfaces left in the sun can cause burns.Many outdoor workers are paid by the amount they produce or the number of deliveries they make, so stopping to rest means losing money. Others fear losing their jobs if they complain. As a result, people keep working long after their bodies are signalling danger.Older workers and those with health problems such as heart disease or diabetes are particularly vulnerable, as are newcomers who have not had time to adjust to the heat.The effects are not only physical. Sleep is disturbed during hot nights, so workers start the next day already exhausted, and productivity falls, which can lower earnings further.

1. (a) According to the text, what are the dangers and problems that outdoor workers face during heatwaves?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: The river that carries our rubbishRivers have always carried things to the sea: mud, leaves, branches. Today, many also carry an enormous quantity of plastic. Scientists estimate that a significant share of the plastic entering the oceans arrives by river, and the problems it causes begin long before it reaches the coast.In towns without proper waste collection, rubbish is often dumped on riverbanks or thrown directly into the water. During heavy rain, plastic bags and bottles block drains and channels, causing water to back up and flood streets and homes.Wildlife suffers badly. Fish, turtles and birds become entangled in fishing line and packaging, and many animals mistake small pieces of plastic for food. Their stomachs fill with material they cannot digest, and they may starve.Plastic does not disappear. Sunlight and movement break it into smaller and smaller fragments called microplastics, some too small to see. These have been found in fish caught for food and in drinking water, and scientists are still studying what effect they may have on human health.Rivers clogged with rubbish also damage livelihoods. Fishermen find their nets full of plastic rather than fish, and their catches fall. Farmers who use river water for irrigation may find plastic fragments spread across their fields. Tourist areas lose visitors when beaches and riverbanks are covered in litter.Cleaning up is difficult and expensive. Plastic is spread over thousands of kilometres of riverbank, and much of it sinks or becomes buried in mud. Volunteer clean-ups help, but they cannot keep pace with the amount being added each day.Finally, rubbish travels across borders. A bottle dropped in one country can end up on a beach in another, making it hard to decide who is responsible for solving the problem.

1. (a) According to the text, what problems does plastic in rivers cause?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Starting young, starting hardSocial media is full of stories about teenagers who turned a bedroom hobby into a thriving business. For every success, however, there are many young people who discover that starting a company before the age of twenty-five brings particular difficulties.Money is usually the first obstacle. Banks are reluctant to lend to people with no credit history and nothing to offer as security, so young founders often depend on savings, family loans or small grants. Without enough capital they may be unable to buy stock, equipment or advertising at the scale they need.Experience is another gap. Many young entrepreneurs have excellent ideas but little knowledge of accounting, contracts, tax or employment law. Mistakes in these areas can be expensive, and some businesses fail not because the product was poor but because the paperwork was ignored.Being taken seriously can be surprisingly hard. Suppliers, landlords and older customers may doubt that a nineteen-year-old can be trusted with a large order or a lease, and some founders say they have been asked to fetch "the owner" when they were the owner.Balancing a business with education causes great pressure. Students who run companies during school or university often find their studies suffering, and they may have to choose between a qualification and a business that might not survive.The emotional strain is considerable. Running a company means long hours, constant uncertainty and, often, isolation, as friends continue with more ordinary lives. Failure, when it comes, can feel very public in an age of social media.Finally, family expectations can be a barrier. In many households, parents would prefer the security of a steady job, and young founders may struggle without their support.

1. (a) According to the text, what problems and barriers do young entrepreneurs face?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: The long road to space tourismFor decades, people have dreamed of taking a holiday in space. A few wealthy passengers have already made short trips to the edge of space, floating weightless for a few minutes before returning to Earth. Yet experts warn that ordinary space tourism faces enormous obstacles.Cost is the most obvious barrier. A single seat on a short flight costs far more than most people earn in a lifetime, and longer stays in orbit cost many times more. Prices may fall as technology improves, but few expect space travel to become as affordable as an ordinary flight for a very long time.Safety remains a serious concern. Launching a rocket involves controlled explosions of huge amounts of fuel, and accidents, though rare, have been fatal. Re-entering the atmosphere subjects a spacecraft to intense heat. Unlike an aircraft, a rocket in trouble has few options for an emergency landing.The human body is not designed for space. Many travellers suffer from space sickness, with nausea and dizziness, during their first days of weightlessness. Longer stays weaken muscles and bones, and astronauts are exposed to higher levels of radiation than on Earth. Passengers must pass medical checks and complete training, which rules out some people altogether.There are environmental worries. Rocket launches burn large amounts of fuel and release substances high in the atmosphere, and critics question whether pleasure trips for the rich can be justified when the world is trying to reduce pollution.Finally, there are practical and legal problems. Few launch sites exist, and international rules about who is responsible if something goes wrong in space are still being worked out. Insurance for such flights is extremely expensive.

1. (a) According to the text, what problems and barriers stand in the way of space tourism becoming common?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Teaching at the top of the valleyThe school stands at the end of a rough track, three hours' walk from the nearest road. It has two classrooms, forty-six pupils and one full-time teacher, Mr Karim, who has worked there for eleven years. When asked about the difficulties of running a school in such a remote mountain village, he laughs and asks how long we have.Getting there is the first problem. Many children walk for over an hour each way along paths that become dangerous in rain and snow, and in the coldest weeks the school must close altogether. Some families keep older children at home to herd animals or help with the harvest, particularly girls, and attendance falls sharply in busy farming seasons.Recruiting teachers is extremely hard. Qualified graduates prefer jobs in towns, where salaries go further and there is electricity, internet and a social life. Several teachers sent to the school in the past left within a year, so Mr Karim teaches pupils of different ages and abilities in the same room.Resources are scarce. Textbooks arrive late, often months after the start of term, because they must be carried up by mule. There is no library, no laboratory and an unreliable solar panel that powers a single laptop. Science experiments are improvised with whatever is at hand.The building itself is a worry. Heavy snow has damaged the roof twice, and in winter the small wood stove cannot keep both rooms warm.Pupils who do well face a further barrier: the nearest secondary school is in a town two days' travel away. Families must pay for lodging and food there, which many cannot afford, and some parents are reluctant to send daughters so far.Despite everything, Mr Karim says he cannot imagine teaching anywhere else.

1. (a) According to the text, what problems does Mr Karim face in running his mountain school?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: A dangerous journey to the seaOn a few beaches near Karachi, on warm nights between late summer and winter, female green turtles haul themselves out of the sea, dig a pit with their flippers and lay around a hundred eggs. About two months later, the hatchlings break out and race for the waves. It is one of nature's great spectacles, but the turtles' journey is full of danger, and much of it now comes from people.Beaches are being lost. Hotels, huts and roads have been built close to the shore, leaving less sand above the high-tide line where eggs can develop safely. Sand taken for construction can destroy nesting sites altogether.Light is a serious threat. Hatchlings find the sea by heading towards the brightest horizon, which on a natural beach is the moonlit water. Bright lights from buildings and roads confuse them, and many crawl inland, where they die from exhaustion, are eaten or are crushed by vehicles.Visitors can cause harm without meaning to. Crowds with torches and phones disturb females as they come ashore, and some turn back to the sea without laying. People walking or driving on the beach may crush nests, and dogs dig up eggs.Rubbish is another problem. Plastic on the beach can trap hatchlings, and at sea, turtles often mistake floating bags for jellyfish, one of their foods.Fishing nets kill many adult turtles, which drown when they become entangled and cannot reach the surface to breathe.Even without human interference, the odds are poor: crabs, birds and fish eat many hatchlings, and only a tiny proportion survive to adulthood. Because turtles take many years to mature, every adult that dies is a serious loss to the population.

1. (a) According to the text, what dangers do green turtles face on and near the beaches where they nest?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Tourists in the valleyTen years ago, few outsiders visited the small mountain village at the head of the valley. A new road, and photographs shared online, have changed that. Each summer, thousands of visitors now arrive to see its waterfalls, orchards and snow-capped peaks, and residents have mixed feelings about the change.Many welcome the money. Families have opened guesthouses and small restaurants, young men work as drivers and guides, and women sell embroidered shawls and dried apricots to visitors. Some households earn more in a summer than they once did in a year, and fewer young people now have to leave for cities to find work.Tourism has also brought improvements that benefit everyone. The road means that doctors can reach the village and patients can be taken to hospital more quickly. Mobile phone coverage has arrived, and the village has a new water supply partly paid for with income from visitors.Some villagers say they are proud that people travel long distances to see their home, and that meeting visitors has broadened their children's outlook.But there are costs. Litter, especially plastic bottles and food wrappers, is left along paths and beside the river. In the busiest weeks, traffic jams block the single road, and noise from music and cars disturbs the peace that attracted visitors in the first place.Prices have risen, so that some local families now find food and land more expensive. Most of the work is seasonal, leaving people with little income in winter.Older residents worry about traditions. Some visitors ignore local customs about dress and photography, and a few villagers feel that their culture is being turned into a show for outsiders.

1. (a) According to the text, what are the advantages and disadvantages of tourism for the village?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Learning through a screenWhen schools in many countries were forced to close for long periods, millions of students suddenly found themselves learning online. Some schools have since kept part of their teaching on the internet, and opinions about it remain sharply divided.Supporters point to flexibility. Recorded lessons can be watched at any time and replayed as often as necessary, which helps students who need more time to understand a difficult topic or who missed school through illness. Students in remote areas, or those who cannot travel easily because of disability, can join courses that would otherwise be out of reach.Online learning can also save time and money. Families no longer pay for daily transport, and students avoid long journeys through traffic. Many courses offer a wider choice of subjects than a single small school could provide.Some students also develop independence, learning to organise their own time and to find information for themselves, skills that are valuable at university and work.Critics, however, highlight serious drawbacks. Not every family has a reliable internet connection, a suitable device or a quiet place to work, so the students who most need support may fall further behind. Power cuts can interrupt lessons without warning.Teachers find it harder to tell whether students understand, because they cannot see confused faces or check work over a shoulder. Many students admit that it is easy to switch off the camera and do something else.Perhaps most importantly, school is about more than lessons. Students learning alone miss the friendships, sport, clubs and everyday conversations that build social skills and confidence, and some report feeling isolated and anxious. Hours in front of a screen can also cause eye strain and reduce physical activity.

1. (a) According to the text, what are the advantages and disadvantages of learning online?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Scooting through the cityIn many cities, electric scooters have appeared almost overnight. Users unlock them with a phone app, ride them for a small fee and leave them on the pavement when they arrive. Some residents love them; others would like them banned.For riders, scooters are quick and convenient. They cover short distances faster than walking and often faster than a car in heavy traffic, and there is no need to look for a parking space. A journey that would mean waiting for a bus can be completed in minutes.They are also cheaper than taxis for short trips, and because they run on electricity, they produce no exhaust fumes on the street. If people use them instead of cars, city air could become cleaner and roads less congested.Supporters say scooters fill a gap in public transport, carrying people the last kilometre or two between a station and their home or office.Critics, however, point to safety. Riders, many of them inexperienced, travel at speed with little protection, and serious head injuries have increased in some cities. Pedestrians, especially elderly and blind people, have been hit or frightened by scooters on pavements.Scooters left lying across pavements block wheelchairs and pushchairs and can trip people up. Some are thrown into rivers or vandalised.Their environmental benefits may also be exaggerated. Many trips replace walking or cycling rather than car journeys, and the scooters themselves, along with the vans that collect and charge them, have an environmental cost. Early models often lasted only a few months before being scrapped.Finally, city authorities complain that companies launched scooters before rules were in place, leaving police and councils to deal with the problems.

1. (a) According to the text, what are the advantages and disadvantages of shared electric scooters in cities?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]

Read the text carefully, then answer the question.Text: Life on the twenty-third floorAcross the world's fast-growing cities, more and more families live in tall apartment towers. In Karachi, Dubai, Singapore and many other places, new blocks of thirty or forty storeys rise every year. For residents, life high above the street brings both rewards and frustrations.The views are often spectacular. Residents of upper floors describe watching storms roll in from the sea or the city lights spreading out below at night. Being far above the street also means less traffic noise and dust, and sometimes cooler breezes.Towers make efficient use of scarce land. Housing hundreds of families on a small plot allows people to live closer to the city centre, schools and workplaces, cutting commuting time. Many modern towers also include shared facilities that a single house could not offer, such as gyms, swimming pools, security guards and play areas.Security is a major attraction for many families, who feel safer behind a guarded entrance than in a house on an open street.Yet tall buildings bring problems. Everything depends on the lifts. When they break down or the power fails, elderly residents and parents with small children may be trapped upstairs, and carrying shopping up twenty flights of stairs is exhausting. Fire is a serious fear, because escape from upper floors is difficult and slow.Service charges for lifts, guards and maintenance can be high and keep rising. Some residents complain of feeling isolated: they rarely meet neighbours apart from brief encounters in the lift, and children have fewer chances to play outside freely.Finally, living above the ground can feel disconnected from street life. Parents say it is harder to let children pop out to a shop or a friend's house, and some residents miss having a garden of their own.

1. (a) According to the text, what are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a tall apartment tower?You must use continuous writing (not note form) and use your own words as far as possible. Your summary should be no more than 120 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 5 marks for the quality of your writing. [15]