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10th grade (Year 11 in England) · 16 questions · Common Core: RI.9-10.5, RL.9-10.5 · England: SAT Reading and Writing (Text Structure and Purpose), GCSE English Language Paper 1 Q3

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Score/ 16

  1. Question 1

    Many people assume that deserts are lifeless. In fact, a single square metre of desert soil can contain thousands of tiny organisms. What is the function of the first sentence?

    • A. it summarises the text
    • B. it describes a specific desert
    • C. it gives the main evidence
    • D. it presents a common belief that the writer then corrects

  2. Question 2

    Is the proposed answer correct? The company advertises its trainers as 'built to last'. Our tests found that the soles of three out of five pairs had split within two months. Why does the writer quote the slogan 'built to last'? → to highlight the gap between the company's claim and the test results

    • A. yes, it is correct
    • B. no, it is not correct

Beavers Come Home

Four hundred years after they were hunted to extinction in Britain, beavers are back. Small populations now live wild in parts of Scotland and England, and several other European countries have reintroduced them too. Ecologists describe beavers as "ecosystem engineers". By building dams, they create ponds and wetlands that slow the flow of water, trap sediment and provide homes for insects, amphibians and birds. In one Devon study, the amount of water flowing downstream during heavy rain was noticeably lower below beaver dams than above them, suggesting that dams can help reduce flooding. Not everyone is delighted. Some farmers report flooded fields and felled trees, and they worry about the cost. Their concerns are real, and schemes in some areas now compensate landowners or move beavers whose dams cause serious damage. Supporters argue that the benefits outweigh the costs. Wetlands created by beavers can store water during droughts, improve water quality and attract visitors. Yet researchers caution that results vary from river to river, and long-term data are still limited. What is clear is that the return of beavers forces us to ask a broader question: how much room are we willing to make for wild animals in a crowded country?

  1. Question 3

    Read "Beavers Come Home". Why does the writer include the sentence 'Yet researchers caution that results vary from river to river'?

    • A. to introduce a new animal
    • B. to prove that beavers are harmful
    • C. to show that the evidence is not yet conclusive
    • D. to praise the farmers

  1. Question 4

    The company advertises its trainers as 'built to last'. Our tests found that the soles of three out of five pairs had split within two months. Why does the writer quote the slogan 'built to last'?

    • A. to agree with the company
    • B. to recommend the trainers
    • C. to highlight the gap between the company's claim and the test results
    • D. to describe the trainers' design

  2. Question 5

    Is the proposed answer correct? The match was tied with ten seconds left. In the stands, an elderly man who had not missed a home game in fifty years stood up for the first time all season. Why does the writer include the detail about the elderly man? → to explain the rules of the game

    • A. yes, it is correct
    • B. no, it is not correct

Beavers Come Home

Four hundred years after they were hunted to extinction in Britain, beavers are back. Small populations now live wild in parts of Scotland and England, and several other European countries have reintroduced them too. Ecologists describe beavers as "ecosystem engineers". By building dams, they create ponds and wetlands that slow the flow of water, trap sediment and provide homes for insects, amphibians and birds. In one Devon study, the amount of water flowing downstream during heavy rain was noticeably lower below beaver dams than above them, suggesting that dams can help reduce flooding. Not everyone is delighted. Some farmers report flooded fields and felled trees, and they worry about the cost. Their concerns are real, and schemes in some areas now compensate landowners or move beavers whose dams cause serious damage. Supporters argue that the benefits outweigh the costs. Wetlands created by beavers can store water during droughts, improve water quality and attract visitors. Yet researchers caution that results vary from river to river, and long-term data are still limited. What is clear is that the return of beavers forces us to ask a broader question: how much room are we willing to make for wild animals in a crowded country?

  1. Question 6

    Read "Beavers Come Home". Why does the writer include the sentence 'Yet researchers caution that results vary from river to river'?

    • A. to prove that beavers are harmful
    • B. to praise the farmers
    • C. to introduce a new animal
    • D. to show that the evidence is not yet conclusive

  1. Question 7

    The match was tied with ten seconds left. In the stands, an elderly man who had not missed a home game in fifty years stood up for the first time all season. Why does the writer include the detail about the elderly man?

    • A. to describe the stadium's seating
    • B. to show how tense and important the moment was
    • C. to introduce the main character
    • D. to explain the rules of the game

  2. Question 8

    Is the proposed answer correct? Scientists studying the Arctic fox noticed something odd: one fox had walked more than 3,500 kilometres in 76 days, from Norway to Canada. What is the main purpose of the specific figures? → to make the fox's journey vivid and impressive

    • A. yes, it is correct
    • B. no, it is not correct

Beavers Come Home

Four hundred years after they were hunted to extinction in Britain, beavers are back. Small populations now live wild in parts of Scotland and England, and several other European countries have reintroduced them too. Ecologists describe beavers as "ecosystem engineers". By building dams, they create ponds and wetlands that slow the flow of water, trap sediment and provide homes for insects, amphibians and birds. In one Devon study, the amount of water flowing downstream during heavy rain was noticeably lower below beaver dams than above them, suggesting that dams can help reduce flooding. Not everyone is delighted. Some farmers report flooded fields and felled trees, and they worry about the cost. Their concerns are real, and schemes in some areas now compensate landowners or move beavers whose dams cause serious damage. Supporters argue that the benefits outweigh the costs. Wetlands created by beavers can store water during droughts, improve water quality and attract visitors. Yet researchers caution that results vary from river to river, and long-term data are still limited. What is clear is that the return of beavers forces us to ask a broader question: how much room are we willing to make for wild animals in a crowded country?

  1. Question 9

    Read "Beavers Come Home". Why does the writer include the sentence 'Yet researchers caution that results vary from river to river'?

    • A. to introduce a new animal
    • B. to show that the evidence is not yet conclusive
    • C. to praise the farmers
    • D. to prove that beavers are harmful

  1. Question 10

    Many people assume that deserts are lifeless. In fact, a single square metre of desert soil can contain thousands of tiny organisms. What is the function of the first sentence?

    • A. it summarises the text
    • B. it presents a common belief that the writer then corrects
    • C. it gives the main evidence
    • D. it describes a specific desert

  2. Question 11

    Is the proposed answer correct? The company advertises its trainers as 'built to last'. Our tests found that the soles of three out of five pairs had split within two months. Why does the writer quote the slogan 'built to last'? → to highlight the gap between the company's claim and the test results

    • A. yes, it is correct
    • B. no, it is not correct

Beavers Come Home

Four hundred years after they were hunted to extinction in Britain, beavers are back. Small populations now live wild in parts of Scotland and England, and several other European countries have reintroduced them too. Ecologists describe beavers as "ecosystem engineers". By building dams, they create ponds and wetlands that slow the flow of water, trap sediment and provide homes for insects, amphibians and birds. In one Devon study, the amount of water flowing downstream during heavy rain was noticeably lower below beaver dams than above them, suggesting that dams can help reduce flooding. Not everyone is delighted. Some farmers report flooded fields and felled trees, and they worry about the cost. Their concerns are real, and schemes in some areas now compensate landowners or move beavers whose dams cause serious damage. Supporters argue that the benefits outweigh the costs. Wetlands created by beavers can store water during droughts, improve water quality and attract visitors. Yet researchers caution that results vary from river to river, and long-term data are still limited. What is clear is that the return of beavers forces us to ask a broader question: how much room are we willing to make for wild animals in a crowded country?

  1. Question 12

    Read "Beavers Come Home". Why does the writer include the sentence 'Yet researchers caution that results vary from river to river'?

    • A. to praise the farmers
    • B. to introduce a new animal
    • C. to prove that beavers are harmful
    • D. to show that the evidence is not yet conclusive

  1. Question 13

    Scientists studying the Arctic fox noticed something odd: one fox had walked more than 3,500 kilometres in 76 days, from Norway to Canada. What is the main purpose of the specific figures?

    • A. to make the fox's journey vivid and impressive
    • B. to compare Norway and Canada
    • C. to show the scientists made errors
    • D. to explain why foxes migrate

  2. Question 14

    Is the proposed answer correct? Mara's grandmother kept every letter she had ever received in a biscuit tin. When the tin was finally opened, it held sixty years of a friendship carried on across two continents. Why does the writer mention the biscuit tin? → to suggest the letters were unimportant

    • A. yes, it is correct
    • B. no, it is not correct

Beavers Come Home

Four hundred years after they were hunted to extinction in Britain, beavers are back. Small populations now live wild in parts of Scotland and England, and several other European countries have reintroduced them too. Ecologists describe beavers as "ecosystem engineers". By building dams, they create ponds and wetlands that slow the flow of water, trap sediment and provide homes for insects, amphibians and birds. In one Devon study, the amount of water flowing downstream during heavy rain was noticeably lower below beaver dams than above them, suggesting that dams can help reduce flooding. Not everyone is delighted. Some farmers report flooded fields and felled trees, and they worry about the cost. Their concerns are real, and schemes in some areas now compensate landowners or move beavers whose dams cause serious damage. Supporters argue that the benefits outweigh the costs. Wetlands created by beavers can store water during droughts, improve water quality and attract visitors. Yet researchers caution that results vary from river to river, and long-term data are still limited. What is clear is that the return of beavers forces us to ask a broader question: how much room are we willing to make for wild animals in a crowded country?

  1. Question 15

    Read "Beavers Come Home". Why does the writer include the sentence 'Yet researchers caution that results vary from river to river'?

    • A. to show that the evidence is not yet conclusive
    • B. to introduce a new animal
    • C. to prove that beavers are harmful
    • D. to praise the farmers

  1. Question 16

    The company advertises its trainers as 'built to last'. Our tests found that the soles of three out of five pairs had split within two months. Why does the writer quote the slogan 'built to last'?

    • A. to agree with the company
    • B. to describe the trainers' design
    • C. to highlight the gap between the company's claim and the test results
    • D. to recommend the trainers

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  1. it presents a common belief that the writer then corrects
  2. yes, it is correct
  3. to show that the evidence is not yet conclusive
  4. to highlight the gap between the company's claim and the test results
  5. no, it is not correct
  6. to show that the evidence is not yet conclusive
  7. to show how tense and important the moment was
  8. yes, it is correct
  9. to show that the evidence is not yet conclusive
  10. it presents a common belief that the writer then corrects
  11. yes, it is correct
  12. to show that the evidence is not yet conclusive
  13. to make the fox's journey vivid and impressive
  14. no, it is not correct
  15. to show that the evidence is not yet conclusive
  16. to highlight the gap between the company's claim and the test results