Note-making Banker

You are going to give a talk to your class about rooftop gardens. Read the article. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Growing food above the cityIn Karachi, more and more families are turning the flat roofs of their houses into small vegetable gardens. Saima Qureshi, a retired teacher in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, started with three plastic buckets of tomatoes. Today her roof has twenty containers of chillies, spinach, mint and bitter gourd.Saima says the biggest benefit is the money she saves. 'Vegetable prices go up every month, but my spinach costs me almost nothing,' she explains. She also knows exactly what is in her food, because she uses no chemical sprays. The plants have another effect, too: the leaves shade the concrete, so the rooms below stay noticeably cooler in summer.Rooftop gardening is not always easy, however. Water is the main difficulty, because the city often has shortages and plants on a hot roof dry out quickly. Saima collects the water she uses for washing vegetables and pours it on her plants. Strong sea winds can also break young plants, so she ties them to wooden sticks. Pests are a further problem: pigeons and crows peck at ripe tomatoes, so she covers them with old fishing nets. Finally, soil is heavy, and some older roofs cannot carry the weight of many large pots. Saima advises beginners to ask a builder to check their roof before they start.

1. (a) Benefits of rooftop gardens•••(3 notes) [3]
2. (b) Difficulties of rooftop gardening••••(4 notes) [4]

You are preparing a leaflet for adults who want to learn to swim. Read the article. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.It's never too late to swimMany adults never learned to swim as children, and by the time they are grown up they feel too embarrassed to start. Instructors at a sports centre in Manchester say that fear of looking silly in front of others is the most common reason adults stay away from the pool. Others had a frightening experience in water when they were young, such as falling into a river. A third group simply believe that they are too old to learn a new physical skill.The instructors have several suggestions for nervous beginners. First, book private lessons or join a class only for adults, so that you are not surrounded by confident children. Second, begin in the shallow end, where you can always stand up, and practise putting your face in the water while holding the side. Third, learn to breathe out slowly through your nose underwater; this stops water going up your nose and helps you relax. Finally, go to the pool at least twice a week. 'Short, regular practice is much better than one long session a month,' says instructor Grace Obi.

1. (a) Reasons adults avoid learning to swim•••(3 notes) [3]
2. (b) Tips for nervous beginners••••(4 notes) [4]

Your school is running an e-waste campaign. Read the article about old mobile phones. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Don't keep that old phone in a drawerMost households have at least one old mobile phone hidden in a drawer. Recycling experts say these phones should be given a second life.First, phones contain small amounts of valuable metals such as gold, silver and copper, which can be recovered and used again. This means less mining, which damages forests and rivers. Second, phones thrown away with normal rubbish can leak harmful substances into the soil. Third, a working phone can be repaired and given to someone who cannot afford a new one.Before you hand over an old phone, a few simple steps are important. Back up your photos and contacts to another device. Then sign out of all your accounts and reset the phone to its factory settings, so that strangers cannot see your personal information. Remember to remove the SIM card and any memory card. Finally, take the phone to an official collection point rather than selling it to an unknown buyer.

1. (a) Reasons to recycle old phones•••(3 notes) [3]
2. (b) How to prepare a phone for recycling••••(4 notes) [4]

You want to volunteer at an animal shelter. Read this article from a local newspaper. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.A Saturday with the rescue dogsEvery Saturday morning, seventeen-year-old Zara Malik takes a bus to the Paws and Claws animal shelter on the edge of Islamabad. She is one of thirty young volunteers who help the shelter's two paid workers.Zara's first job is to clean the dogs' kennels and fill the water bowls. Then she takes the calmer dogs for a walk along the canal. In the afternoon, she brushes the cats and helps the vet by holding animals still during check-ups. She also photographs animals that are ready for a new home, and these photos are posted on the shelter's website.Zara says she gets a lot back from her work. 'I used to be very shy, but talking to visitors has made me much more confident,' she says. She has learned basic first aid for animals, and the experience has helped her decide to study veterinary science. Most of all, she has made close friends with other volunteers who share her love of animals.

1. (a) Tasks volunteers do••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) What Zara has gained•••(3 notes) [3]

You want to start a book club at your school. Read this advice from a school librarian. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.How to start a book clubStarting a book club is easier than many students think. The first step is to find a teacher who is willing to supervise and a room you can use, such as the library, at lunchtime or after school. Next, put up posters and speak in assembly to attract members; between six and twelve people is the ideal size. At the first meeting, agree together how often you will meet and choose the first book. Shorter books work best at the beginning.Members of book clubs say they get a great deal out of them. Many read books they would never have picked up on their own, such as poetry or science fiction. Discussing a story helps them express their opinions clearly and listen to other people's views. Some students also say their marks in English improved because they read more regularly. And, of course, a book club is a good way to make new friends.

1. (a) Steps to start a book club••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) Benefits of joining a book club•••(3 notes) [3]

Your school is deciding whether to offer more online lessons. Read this article. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Learning from home: good or bad?Since many schools moved lessons online for a period, students and teachers have had strong views about learning from home.Supporters point out several advantages. Students save time because they do not have to travel to school. Recorded lessons can be watched again, which helps when a topic is difficult. Online courses also give students in small towns the chance to study subjects their school does not offer.However, there are also disadvantages. Not every family has a fast internet connection or a computer for each child. Many students find it hard to concentrate at home, where there are noises and other distractions. Teachers say it is harder to see when a student is confused. Most importantly, students miss seeing their friends, and some say they feel lonely.

1. (a) Advantages of online learning•••(3 notes) [3]
2. (b) Disadvantages of online learning••••(4 notes) [4]

You want to join a chess club. Read this article from a youth magazine. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Checkmate! Why chess is good for youChess is one of the oldest board games in the world, and it is becoming popular again with young people.Playing chess develops many skills. Players learn to think several moves ahead, which is useful for planning in daily life. The game improves concentration, because one careless move can lose a match. Players also learn to stay calm under pressure and to accept defeat politely.Getting started is simple. You can learn the rules from a free app or a family member. Then find a club at your school or local library, where you can play against people of a similar level. Many clubs hold short tournaments every month, which are a fun way to improve. You can also solve chess puzzles online for ten minutes a day.

1. (a) Skills chess develops•••(3 notes) [3]
2. (b) How to get started••••(4 notes) [4]

Your cousin is training for a marathon. Read this advice from a running coach. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Your first marathonRunning 42 kilometres is a huge challenge, but with sensible training most healthy people can do it.Begin training at least four months before the race. Increase the distance of your longest weekly run slowly, by no more than one or two kilometres each week. Include at least one rest day every week so your muscles can recover. Buy proper running shoes from a specialist shop.On race day, eat a familiar breakfast about three hours before the start; this is not the time to try new foods. Start slowly, because many runners go too fast in the excitement of the first few kilometres. Drink water at the stations along the route, even if you do not feel thirsty.

1. (a) Training advice••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) Race-day advice•••(3 notes) [3]

Your class is making kites for the spring festival. Read this article. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Make your own kiteKite flying is a favourite spring activity for families across Pakistan and many other countries. Making your own kite is cheap and fun.You will need only a few materials. Thin bamboo sticks form the frame, and light tissue paper or plastic makes the sail. Use glue or tape to fix the paper to the frame, and strong cotton string for flying.However, kite flying must be done safely. Never use string coated with glass or metal, because it can cut people badly, especially motorcyclists. Fly kites in open parks, far away from electricity wires. Do not fly kites from rooftops without a wall around the edge, as people have been hurt falling while looking up at the sky.

1. (a) Materials needed••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) Safety advice•••(3 notes) [3]

Your school nurse has asked you to make a health poster. Read this article. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Are you drinking enough water?Our bodies are more than half water, and we lose some every day through sweat and breathing. In hot weather, or during sport, we lose much more.There are several signs that you may not be drinking enough. You may feel tired or get a headache. Your mouth and lips may feel dry, and dark yellow urine is another warning. Some people also find it harder to concentrate in lessons.Luckily, it is easy to drink more. Carry a refillable water bottle with you all day. Drink a glass of water with every meal. If you find plain water boring, add a slice of lemon or some mint leaves. Eating fruit such as watermelon and oranges also helps, as they contain a lot of water.

1. (a) Signs of not drinking enough••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) Ways to drink more water•••(3 notes) [3]

You are writing a report for a school project about farming technology. Read the article. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Sunlight that pumps waterFor generations, farmers in southern Punjab have used diesel engines to pump water from underground for their wheat and cotton fields. In the last few years, however, thousands have replaced their engines with solar-powered pumps.Farmer Allah Ditta explains why he changed. 'Diesel was eating my profits. Once the solar panels were paid for, the sunlight was free.' Solar pumps are also much quieter, and there is no smoke, so the air around the village is cleaner. Because the pumps have few moving parts, they rarely break down, and Allah Ditta no longer has to travel to the nearest town for spare parts.Yet the new technology has created problems. The panels are expensive to buy, and small farmers often have to borrow money to afford them. On cloudy days in the winter, the pumps produce much less water. A more serious concern is that, since pumping now costs nothing, some farmers leave their pumps running all day. Experts warn that the level of underground water is falling quickly in some districts. Theft is another worry: panels left in open fields have been stolen at night, so some farmers now pay guards.

1. (a) Advantages of solar pumps•••(3 notes) [3]
2. (b) Problems with solar pumps••••(4 notes) [4]

Your class is planning a trip to Taiwan. Read the article about night markets. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.After dark in TaipeiVisitors to Taipei often say that the city only truly wakes up when the sun goes down. Every evening, dozens of night markets fill narrow streets with stalls, lights and crowds.The main attraction is, of course, the food. Stallholders cook in front of you, and you can try dishes such as grilled squid, peanut ice-cream rolls and bubble tea in a single evening. Prices are low, so even students can afford a full meal. Many markets also have games, such as throwing balls at balloons to win small prizes, which are popular with families. For people who enjoy shopping, there are stalls selling cheap clothes, phone accessories and handmade souvenirs.Regular visitors offer some useful advice. Arrive before eight o'clock, as the busiest markets become very crowded later in the evening. Carry plenty of coins and small notes, because most stalls do not accept cards. Do not walk while eating in the most crowded lanes; it is considered more polite to stand next to the stall. Lastly, bring your own bag for shopping, since many stalls no longer give out plastic bags.

1. (a) Attractions of night markets•••(3 notes) [3]
2. (b) Advice for visitors••••(4 notes) [4]

You are planning a family day out. Read this article about a famous salt mine. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Inside the mountain of saltTwo hours' drive from Islamabad lies the Khewra Salt Mine, one of the oldest and largest salt mines in the world. Today it is still a working mine, but part of it is open to tourists.A small electric train carries visitors deep into the tunnels. Inside, the most famous sight is a tiny mosque built entirely from bricks of pink salt, which glows when lights are placed behind its walls. There is also a pool of very salty water in which visitors are not allowed to swim, and a model of a famous minaret, also made of salt. A short walk leads to a large hall where the guide explains how miners have cut salt here for centuries.There are a few practical points to remember. The temperature inside stays at around 18°C all year, so a light jacket is useful even in summer. Paths can be wet and slippery, so wear shoes with a good grip. Tours run every hour, but queues at weekends can be long, so arriving early is wise. People with breathing problems sometimes visit because the salty air is said to help them, but anyone with a heart condition should ask a doctor first, as the paths include steep stairs.

1. (a) What visitors can see in the mine•••(3 notes) [3]
2. (b) Practical advice for visitors••••(4 notes) [4]

You are writing about traditional arts for a school project. Read this article about truck art. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Moving galleries on the highwaysAnyone who has travelled on Pakistan's highways will have seen them: trucks covered from bumper to roof in brilliant colour. Truck art is one of the country's most recognisable folk traditions.The designs have several typical features. Bright paints such as orange, green and pink are combined with shiny reflective tape that sparkles in car headlights. The back of the truck often shows a painted scene, such as a mountain lake or a famous film star. Wooden doors are carved with flowers, and chains with small metal bells hang from the front bumper, so the truck jingles as it moves. Lines of poetry, or a short message from the driver, are frequently painted in large letters.The art form is changing. Because painting a whole truck by hand can take several weeks and cost a lot of money, some owners now choose printed stickers instead. On the other hand, truck artists have found new customers: their designs now appear on teacups, bags and even clothes sold to tourists and city shoppers. Several artists have been invited abroad to decorate trucks at international festivals, and young people are learning the skills at special workshops in Karachi.

1. (a) Typical features of truck art••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) How truck art is changing•••(3 notes) [3]

You are writing a report on transport for your geography teacher. Read this article. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.The cycling nationIn the Netherlands, around three-quarters of secondary school students cycle to school, often riding ten kilometres or more each way. Why is cycling so popular?The country is almost completely flat, so even long journeys need little effort. Children are taught to cycle safely from an early age, and most take a practical cycling test at primary school. Bicycles are also cheaper than buses or cars over time, and parents like the fact that their children get exercise every day. In many towns, cycling is simply faster than driving, because cyclists can use short cuts that cars cannot.Safety is a top priority. Most roads have separate cycle paths, divided from car lanes by kerbs or grass. At busy junctions, cyclists have their own traffic lights that turn green before the lights for cars. In residential streets, the speed limit for cars is often 30 kilometres an hour. Large, guarded bicycle parks at stations and schools mean students do not worry about their bikes being stolen.

1. (a) Reasons cycling is popular••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) Safety features for cyclists•••(3 notes) [3]

Your class is discussing ways to reduce waste. Read this article about weddings. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.The hidden cost of a wedding feastA wedding in South Asia is a celebration of generosity, and families often feel judged by the amount of food on the tables. But behind the celebrations lies a serious problem: enormous quantities of food are thrown away.Caterers say there are several causes. Families invite far more guests than will attend, and then order food for everyone on the list. Many hosts want to serve ten or more different dishes, so guests take a little of everything and leave much of it on their plates. Buffets also encourage people to pile up their plates in case the food runs out. Finally, events often start hours late, and by the time dinner is served, some guests have already gone home.Some families and organisations are finding solutions. Asking guests to reply to invitations helps hosts order the right amount. A smaller menu of four or five well-cooked dishes satisfies most guests. In several cities, charities now collect unused food straight after the event and deliver it to shelters the same night. A few caterers even serve food at the table in small portions instead of laying out a buffet.

1. (a) Causes of food waste at weddings••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) Solutions•••(3 notes) [3]

Your scout group is going camping. Read this guide from a mountain ranger. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Camping in the hills: a ranger's guideThe pine forests above Murree and Nathia Gali are a wonderful place to camp, but a little preparation makes all the difference.Before you go, check the weather forecast, because heavy rain can turn paths into rivers of mud. Pack warm clothes even in June, as night temperatures can fall below 10°C. Practise putting up your tent at home so that you are not struggling in the dark. Tell someone at home exactly where you are going and when you expect to return.Once you arrive, there are rules everyone must follow. Only light fires in the metal fire rings provided, and never leave a fire burning when you go to sleep. Take all your rubbish home with you, including fruit peel. Keep noise down after ten at night. Do not feed the monkeys, as they quickly become aggressive when they expect food. Finally, only camp in the official areas marked on the map.

1. (a) Preparation before the trip•••(3 notes) [3]
2. (b) Rules at the campsite••••(4 notes) [4]

You are writing about transport for your school website. Read this newspaper article. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.The quiet revolution on Lahore's roadsFor decades, the noisy two-stroke auto-rickshaw has been part of the soundtrack of Lahore. Now a quieter vehicle is appearing: the electric rickshaw.Drivers who have switched say the savings are significant. Charging the battery overnight costs far less than filling a tank with petrol, and with fewer moving parts there is less to repair. Passengers enjoy a smoother, quieter ride. City officials are enthusiastic because the vehicles produce no exhaust fumes, and the city's winter smog is a growing health concern.However, several obstacles slow the change. An electric rickshaw costs considerably more to buy than a petrol one, and most drivers rent rather than own their vehicles. There are very few public charging points, so drivers must charge at home, which is impossible for those living in flats. Frequent power cuts mean a battery may not be full in the morning. Some drivers also worry that a battery will need replacing after a few years, at great expense.

1. (a) Benefits of electric rickshaws•••(3 notes) [3]
2. (b) Obstacles to using electric rickshaws••••(4 notes) [4]

Your environmental club is planning a garden project. Read this article. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Where have all the bees gone?Bees pollinate around a third of the crops we eat, from apples to almonds. Yet in many parts of the world, bee numbers have fallen sharply in recent decades.Scientists believe several factors are to blame. Certain pesticides used on crops can confuse bees so that they cannot find their way back to the hive. As farms grow larger and plant just one crop, bees lose the variety of flowers they need through the year. Hedges and wild meadows, where bees once nested, have been cleared for building. A tiny parasite called the varroa mite also attacks honeybee colonies, and hotter, drier summers mean that some flowers bloom at the wrong time.Gardeners can make a real difference. Planting flowers that bloom in different seasons provides food for bees from spring to autumn. Avoiding chemical sprays protects bees from harm. Leaving a corner of the garden untidy, with long grass and dead wood, gives wild bees a place to nest. A shallow dish of water with stones in it allows bees to drink without drowning.

1. (a) Reasons for the decline in bees••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) What gardeners can do•••(3 notes) [3]

You are writing a report on animal welfare for your community newsletter. Read this article. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.A kinder way to manage street dogsMany towns in South Asia have large populations of street dogs. In the past, authorities tried to control them by poisoning, but this was cruel and did not work for long, because new dogs quickly moved into empty areas. Now a programme in several Pakistani cities is trying a different approach.The programme has three main aims. The first is to prevent rabies, a deadly disease that spreads to humans through dog bites. The second is to reduce the number of dogs gradually and humanely, without killing them. The third is to make residents feel safer in their streets.The methods are straightforward. Teams catch dogs gently using nets rather than wire loops. The dogs are vaccinated against rabies and given an operation so that they cannot have puppies. A small notch is cut in one ear so that everyone can see the dog has been treated. After a few days of recovery, the dogs are returned to the same street where they were caught, as they defend their area and keep untreated dogs away. Volunteers also visit schools to teach children how to behave safely around dogs.

1. (a) Aims of the programme•••(3 notes) [3]
2. (b) Methods used••••(4 notes) [4]

You are writing about young businesspeople for your school magazine. Read this article. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.From broken screens to a busy shopSix years ago, Usman Farooq was a sixteen-year-old student in Faisalabad who liked taking things apart. Today he runs one of the busiest phone repair shops in his neighbourhood.It started when his sister dropped her phone and cracked the screen. Usman watched online videos and fixed it using a cheap replacement part. Soon friends were bringing him their phones, and he began charging small amounts. He saved this money for two years and then rented a tiny stall in the local market. He also completed a three-month electronics course at a technical college to improve his skills.Usman has big plans for the future. He wants to open a second shop near the university, where students have many older phones. He hopes to train young people from poor families as repair technicians, giving them a skill for life. He is also building a website so that customers can book repairs online, and one day he would like to sell refurbished phones at low prices.

1. (a) How Usman started his business••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) Usman's plans for the future•••(3 notes) [3]

You are going to write an article for your school magazine about teenagers and sleep. Read this article written by a doctor. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Why teenagers are always tiredParents often complain that their teenage children stay up late and then cannot get out of bed in the morning. It is easy to call this laziness, but research tells a different story. During the teenage years, the body releases melatonin, the chemical that makes us sleepy, about two hours later than it does in childhood. A fifteen-year-old who goes to bed at ten o'clock may simply lie awake.Modern habits make the problem worse. The blue light from phone and laptop screens delays sleep even further, and messages arriving late at night keep the brain alert. Many students also drink tea, coffee or energy drinks in the afternoon to get through homework, not realising that caffeine stays in the body for up to six hours. Heavy homework loads, of course, also push bedtime later.What can be done? Although schools could help by starting later, there is a lot that teenagers can do themselves. Switching off screens an hour before bed is the single most effective step. Keeping the same wake-up time at weekends, rather than sleeping until noon, helps the body clock settle. A cool, dark bedroom also makes a difference. Finally, a short walk in daylight soon after waking tells the body that the day has begun.

1. (a) Causes of poor sleep in teenagers•••(3 notes) [3]
2. (b) What teenagers can do to sleep better••••(4 notes) [4]

You are preparing a presentation for your Biology class. Read this article about coral reefs. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Rainforests of the seaCoral reefs cover less than one per cent of the ocean floor, yet scientists estimate that around a quarter of all sea creatures depend on them at some point in their lives. Young fish shelter among the corals before moving out to open water, which means that reefs support fisheries far beyond their own boundaries.Reefs matter to people as well as to fish. They act like natural sea walls, breaking up powerful waves before they reach the shore and so protecting coastal villages from storms. Tourists travel across the world to dive and snorkel among the bright corals, bringing income to island nations. Medical researchers have also found substances in reef animals that are being tested as possible treatments for diseases.Sadly, reefs are in danger. When sea temperatures rise even slightly, corals push out the tiny algae that live inside them and give them their colour. This process, known as bleaching, leaves the coral white and, if the heat continues, it dies. Pollution from farms washes fertilisers into the sea, which encourages seaweed to grow over the coral. Overfishing removes the fish that would normally eat this seaweed. In some places, careless divers and boat anchors break off pieces of coral that may have taken hundreds of years to grow.

1. (a) Why coral reefs are important••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) Threats to coral reefs•••(3 notes) [3]

You are going to take part in a class debate about city planning. Read this article. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Why cities are hotter than the countrysideOn a summer evening, the centre of a large city such as Lahore or Delhi can be several degrees hotter than the farmland just outside it. Scientists call this the urban heat island effect.Several features of cities produce this extra heat. Dark surfaces such as asphalt roads and black roofs absorb sunlight during the day and release the heat slowly at night, so the city never cools down properly. Tall buildings close together trap warm air and block the breeze. Cities also have fewer trees and fields, and so there is less water evaporating from leaves to cool the air. On top of this, air conditioners, vehicles and factories all give off heat directly into the streets.Fortunately, there are practical solutions. Painting roofs white or light grey reflects much of the sunlight back into the sky; in some trials, this lowered the temperature inside top-floor rooms by several degrees. Planting trees along streets provides shade and cools the air, and small parks spread across a city are more effective than one large park on the edge. Some cities are replacing ordinary paving with materials that let rainwater soak through, which keeps the ground damp and cooler. Planners can also design wider streets that allow wind to flow through.

1. (a) Causes of the urban heat island effect••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) Ways to reduce city temperatures•••(3 notes) [3]

Your music club is producing a newsletter. Read this interview with a young sitar player. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Strings attachedHamza Siddiqui was nine when he first held a sitar. Now nineteen, he performs at concerts in Lahore and abroad. But he admits that the early years were hard.'The sitar is not a friendly instrument for beginners,' he laughs. 'You have to sit cross-legged on the floor with the instrument balanced at an angle, and after twenty minutes my legs went numb.' The metal strings cut into his fingertips until hard skin formed, which took months. Tuning was another challenge: a sitar has around twenty strings, and some of them are never played but vibrate on their own, so getting them all in tune could take half an hour. Hamza also found it difficult to learn without written music, because his teacher taught him by playing phrases for him to copy.Despite this, he believes every young person should learn an instrument. Daily practice taught him patience and the habit of working towards long-term goals. 'When I'm playing, I forget every worry, so it's the best way I know to relax,' he says. Performing in front of audiences has given him confidence that helps in job interviews and exams. And because music is a shared language, he has played with musicians from Spain, Japan and Brazil without needing to speak their languages.

1. (a) Difficulties of learning the sitar••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) Benefits of learning an instrument•••(3 notes) [3]

You are preparing notes for a science talk about insects and farming. Read the article. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.When grasshoppers become an armyMost of the time, the desert locust is a harmless, solitary insect, living quietly in the dry lands between West Africa and India. Yet in the right conditions it changes into one of the most destructive pests on Earth, forming swarms that can contain billions of insects and travel over a hundred kilometres in a day.The change begins with rain. Unusually heavy rainfall in the desert produces fresh plants, giving the locusts plenty of food and damp sand in which to lay eggs. Numbers rise rapidly. As the vegetation dries up again, the insects are forced together into the few green areas that remain. Being crowded causes a chemical change: their colour turns from green to yellow and black, and they start to seek each other out instead of avoiding each other. Winds then carry the young swarms towards farmland.Controlling swarms is difficult and expensive. The main method is spraying chemical pesticides from aircraft or vehicles, ideally before the young locusts can fly. Some countries now use a natural fungus that kills locusts but is harmless to other animals. Satellite images help scientists predict where rain has fallen and where outbreaks are likely, so teams can be sent early. In Pakistan in 2020, farmers were even paid to collect locusts at night, which were then sold as chicken feed.

1. (a) How locust swarms form••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) Methods of controlling locusts•••(3 notes) [3]

You are writing an article about coastal environments. Read this report about mangrove forests. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.Guardians of the deltaWhere the River Indus meets the Arabian Sea, the muddy coastline is fringed with mangrove forests. These unusual trees can survive in salty water, and their tangled roots rise above the mud like stilts.Mangroves bring many benefits. Their roots slow down waves, protecting coastal settlements from storms and cyclones and preventing the shoreline from being washed away. The calm water among the roots is a nursery for shrimps, crabs and young fish, on which local fishing families depend. Mangroves also absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide from the air and store it in the mud, which helps to limit climate change. Camels are grazed on their leaves, and the forests attract birdwatchers.For decades, the mangroves shrank because less fresh water reached the delta and people cut the trees for firewood. More recently, a major replanting effort has reversed some of this loss. Workers collect seeds from healthy trees and grow them in nurseries before planting the young trees in the mud at low tide. Local people are employed as forest guards to stop illegal cutting, and families are offered gas cookers so that they no longer need firewood. Schools organise planting days to teach children why mangroves matter.

1. (a) Benefits of mangrove forests••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) How mangroves are being restored•••(3 notes) [3]

You are preparing a presentation on natural hazards. Read this article about glacier lakes. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.The lakes that can burstHigh in the mountains of northern Pakistan, rising temperatures are causing glaciers to melt faster than ever. The meltwater collects in lakes held back by walls of loose rock and ice. When these natural walls give way, a glacial lake outburst flood can send millions of tonnes of water rushing down the valley in minutes.The dangers are severe. The floods carry boulders the size of cars, which destroy bridges and cut off villages from the outside world for weeks. Fields and orchards are buried under mud and stones, so families lose not only this year's harvest but their land for years to come. Water channels used for drinking water and irrigation are blocked. Because the floods happen so suddenly, people have very little time to escape.To reduce the risk, communities have been working with scientists on early warning systems. Sensors placed near dangerous lakes measure the water level and send an alarm by mobile network if it rises quickly. Weather stations record temperature and rainfall, helping experts predict when an outburst is most likely. Villagers have been trained to act as volunteers who check the lakes and sound sirens. Safe meeting places on higher ground have been marked, and schools hold regular practice evacuations.

1. (a) Dangers of glacial lake outburst floods•••(3 notes) [3]
2. (b) Features of early warning systems••••(4 notes) [4]

You are entering a science fair. Read this advice from a teacher who has judged many competitions. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.How to impress the science fair judgesEvery year I judge more than a hundred science fair projects, and the best ones are rarely the most expensive. What matters most is the thinking behind them.Choosing the right topic is half the battle. Start with a question that genuinely interests you, because you will spend weeks on it. Make sure it is something you can actually test with equipment available at school or home; 'Does salt water freeze more slowly than tap water?' is far better than 'How can we stop climate change?'. Check that the experiment can be repeated several times in the time you have, since a single result proves very little. Avoid projects that simply copy instructions from a kit, as judges recognise these immediately.Presentation is the other half. Your display board should be readable from two metres away, with large headings and clear graphs rather than long paragraphs. Be honest about results that did not go as expected; explaining why is a sign of a real scientist. Practise a two-minute summary of your project so that you can speak confidently when the judges arrive, and be ready to describe what you would do differently next time.

1. (a) Choosing a topic••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) Presenting the project•••(3 notes) [3]

You are writing an article about railways for a transport magazine. Read this text. Then complete the notes below. Write one short note on each bullet point. Your notes should be brief, and must come from the text.The trains that are never lateJapan's high-speed Shinkansen, often called the bullet train, began running in 1964. Since then it has carried billions of passengers, and the average delay is measured in seconds rather than minutes.The trains have several remarkable features. Their long, pointed noses reduce the loud bang that older trains made when they entered tunnels at speed. The trains run on their own tracks, separate from slower local and goods trains. Earthquake sensors along the line can cut the power automatically, bringing every train to a stop within seconds if a tremor is detected. Inside, the seats can be turned around so that passengers always face the direction of travel.Why are they so punctual? Part of the answer is careful planning: timetables are worked out to the quarter-minute, and drivers point at and call out every signal to avoid mistakes. Cleaning teams can clean an entire train in just seven minutes at the end of the line. Maintenance takes place every night after the last train, when the tracks are inspected inch by inch. Staff also see punctuality as a matter of personal pride, and a delay of even one minute is officially reported and investigated.

1. (a) Features of the bullet trains••••(4 notes) [4]
2. (b) Reasons for punctuality•••(3 notes) [3]