English B: Higher Level

1. 1.

   Read the text “The four-day week”. An original report summary: [1] Over six months, forty companies trialled a four-day working week with no reduction in pay. Most reported that productivity stayed the same or improved, and staff sickness fell. [2] The results were not uniform. Firms whose work could be measured in tasks completed adapted easily. Those offering round-the-clock services, such as care homes, found it far harder, because a shorter week required hiring additional staff. [3] Employees overwhelmingly wished to continue. However, some managers noted that the compressed week intensified pressure on the remaining days, and a minority of staff described feeling “always behind”. [4] The authors conclude that the four-day week is not a universal solution but a design choice that works best when the work itself is redesigned, not simply squeezed into fewer days. (a) What two positive results were reported? (b) Why did round-the-clock services find the change harder? (c) Find a word in paragraph 3 that means “made stronger or more extreme”. (d) What drawback is described in paragraph 3? (e) Explain the authors’ conclusion in your own words.

   [5 marks] · no calculator

   Syllabus placement evidence: Language B guide: Paper 2 receptive skills (reading). Social organization (HL): comprehension of an original theme-related text.

   Worked explanation

   1. Read each question, then scan the matching paragraph for the exact detail; keep answers short and use the text's words where a quotation is requested.
   2. Model answers: (a) Productivity stayed the same or improved; staff sickness fell. (b) A shorter week meant they had to hire additional staff to keep services running. (c) “intensified”. (d) The compressed week increased pressure on the remaining days; some staff felt constantly behind. (e) It only works if organisations change how the work is done, rather than fitting the same work into four days; it is not right for everyone.

   Common mistake: Copying a long section of the text or answering from general knowledge instead of giving the precise detail, word or short quotation the question targets.

   Marking points

   • (a) Productivity stayed the same or improved; staff sickness fell.
   • (b) A shorter week meant they had to hire additional staff to keep services running.
   • (c) “intensified”.
   • (d) The compressed week increased pressure on the remaining days; some staff felt constantly behind.
   • (e) It only works if organisations change how the work is done, rather than fitting the same work into four days; it is not right for everyone.

   Examiner tip: Reports often qualify their findings (“not uniform”, “a minority”); accurate answers keep these limits rather than overstating results.

2. 2.

   Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read the text “The four-day week”. An original report summary: [1] Over six months, forty companies trialled a four-day working week with no reduction in pay. Most reported that productivity stayed the same or improved, and staff sickness fell. [2] The results were not uniform. Firms whose work could be measured in tasks completed adapted easily. Those offering round-the-clock services, such as care homes, found it far harder, because a shorter week required hiring additional staff. [3] Employees overwhelmingly wished to continue. However, some managers noted that the compressed week intensified pressure on the remaining days, and a minority of staff described feeling “always behind”. [4] The authors conclude that the four-day week is not a universal solution but a design choice that works best when the work itself is redesigned, not simply squeezed into fewer days. (a) What two positive results were reported? (b) Why did round-the-clock services find the change harder? (c) Find a word in paragraph 3 that means “made stronger or more extreme”. (d) What drawback is described in paragraph 3? (e) Explain the authors’ conclusion in your own words.” Their response addresses only this point: “(a) Productivity stayed the same or improved; staff sickness fell.” Evaluate the response against the complete 5-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

   [5 marks] · no calculator

   Marking points

   • Recognises credit for the stated point: (a) Productivity stayed the same or improved; staff sickness fell.
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: (b) A shorter week meant they had to hire additional staff to keep services running.
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: (c) “intensified”.
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: (d) The compressed week increased pressure on the remaining days; some staff felt constantly behind.
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: (e) It only works if organisations change how the work is done, rather than fitting the same work into four days; it is not right for everyone.

   Examiner tip: Check each criterion, including equivalent work already shown. Do not demand an extra step merely to rewrite an equivalent answer. Do not award the same idea twice or infer work the learner did not show.

3. 3.

   Read the text “The rule”. An extract from an original short story: The rule at Hillcrest was simple: no one left the dining hall until the bell. Nobody remembered who had made it. Teachers enforced it because teachers before them had enforced it, and students obeyed because the alternative was detention. Then Priya, who was new and did not yet know which rules were sacred, stood up five minutes early, carried her tray to the hatch and walked out into the sunshine. The hall went silent. Mr Hale, on duty, opened his mouth and closed it again. He realised he could not think of a single reason to call her back. The next day, three students left early. By the end of the week, nobody could remember the bell ever mattering at all. (a) What does the narrator suggest about why the rule was followed? (b) Why is it significant that Priya “did not yet know which rules were sacred”? (c) Explain what Mr Hale’s reaction reveals. (d) What does the story suggest about rules in institutions? (e) Comment on the effect of the word “sacred”.

   [5 marks] · no calculator

   Syllabus placement evidence: Language B guide: Paper 2 receptive skills (reading). Social organization (HL): HL reading of an original literary text.

   Worked explanation

   1. For each part, find the exact words that support your interpretation, quote them briefly, and explain their effect rather than paraphrasing the plot.
   2. Model answers: (a) Out of habit and fear of punishment, not because anyone understood its purpose. (b) As an outsider she was not influenced by unspoken expectations, so she could act freely. (c) He realises the rule has no justification; his authority depends on reasons he cannot find. (d) Rules can survive through tradition rather than purpose, and they lose power once someone questions them. (e) It presents the rule as almost religious and untouchable, highlighting (ironically) how much unquestioned importance it had.

   Common mistake: Retelling what happens instead of naming the technique, quoting it briefly and explaining its effect on meaning.

   Marking points

   • (a) Out of habit and fear of punishment, not because anyone understood its purpose.
   • (b) As an outsider she was not influenced by unspoken expectations, so she could act freely.
   • (c) He realises the rule has no justification; his authority depends on reasons he cannot find.
   • (d) Rules can survive through tradition rather than purpose, and they lose power once someone questions them.
   • (e) It presents the rule as almost religious and untouchable, highlighting (ironically) how much unquestioned importance it had.

   Examiner tip: Questions about a single word (“comment on the effect of…”) need the word’s connotations and how they shape the reader’s view.

4. 4.

   Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read the text “The rule”. An extract from an original short story: The rule at Hillcrest was simple: no one left the dining hall until the bell. Nobody remembered who had made it. Teachers enforced it because teachers before them had enforced it, and students obeyed because the alternative was detention. Then Priya, who was new and did not yet know which rules were sacred, stood up five minutes early, carried her tray to the hatch and walked out into the sunshine. The hall went silent. Mr Hale, on duty, opened his mouth and closed it again. He realised he could not think of a single reason to call her back. The next day, three students left early. By the end of the week, nobody could remember the bell ever mattering at all. (a) What does the narrator suggest about why the rule was followed? (b) Why is it significant that Priya “did not yet know which rules were sacred”? (c) Explain what Mr Hale’s reaction reveals. (d) What does the story suggest about rules in institutions? (e) Comment on the effect of the word “sacred”.” Their response addresses only this point: “(a) Out of habit and fear of punishment, not because anyone understood its purpose.” Evaluate the response against the complete 5-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

   [5 marks] · no calculator

   Marking points

   • Recognises credit for the stated point: (a) Out of habit and fear of punishment, not because anyone understood its purpose.
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: (b) As an outsider she was not influenced by unspoken expectations, so she could act freely.
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: (c) He realises the rule has no justification; his authority depends on reasons he cannot find.
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: (d) Rules can survive through tradition rather than purpose, and they lose power once someone questions them.
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: (e) It presents the rule as almost religious and untouchable, highlighting (ironically) how much unquestioned importance it had.

   Examiner tip: Check each criterion, including equivalent work already shown. Do not demand an extra step merely to rewrite an equivalent answer. Do not award the same idea twice or infer work the learner did not show.

5. 5.

   Your local council plans to replace a public library with a shopping centre. Write a text to persuade the council and the community that the library still plays an essential role in society. Choose one of these text types: formal letter to the council, speech at a public meeting, opinion article for a local newspaper. Write 450–600 words.

   [6 marks] · no calculator

   Syllabus placement evidence: Language B guide: Paper 1 productive skills (writing), criteria A–C. Social organization (HL): HL writing task on a prescribed-theme context.

   Worked explanation

   1. Decide the text type first, then list what the task requires: the audience, the purpose and every content point. Plan one paragraph for each main idea and aim for 450–600 words. For this task: presents well-developed arguments for the library’s social role (e.g. access, education, community) with specific examples. anticipates and answers the council’s likely arguments (cost, demand, digital alternatives).
   2. Check each line of the self-check list against your draft: two content points (criterion B), clear linked paragraphs (B), the conventions of your chosen type and a consistent register (C), and accurate, varied language (A).

   Common mistake: Writing a generic essay that ignores the stated audience, purpose and text type, which limits criteria B and C however accurate the language is.

   Marking points

   • Content (criterion B): presents well-developed arguments for the library’s social role (e.g. access, education, community) with specific examples.
   • Content (criterion B): anticipates and answers the council’s likely arguments (cost, demand, digital alternatives).
   • Message (criterion B): ideas are developed with specific details or examples and organised in clear, logically linked paragraphs.
   • Conventions (criterion C): uses features of the chosen type, e.g. formal layout, purpose statement and request for action in a letter; audience address, rhetorical questions and a strong close in a speech; headline, byline and argued paragraphs in an article.
   • Register (criterion C): formal, persuasive and respectful; passionate without becoming aggressive.
   • Language (criterion A): varied vocabulary and a range of accurate simple and complex structures; any errors do not obstruct meaning.

   Examiner tip: Counter-arguments are the clearest way to show developed ideas at HL; answer them with evidence, not dismissal. This checklist is a self-review aid; the real paper is marked with criteria A (12), B (12) and C (6), and a response that ignores audience, context and purpose can score zero for B and C.

6. 6.

   Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Your local council plans to replace a public library with a shopping centre. Write a text to persuade the council and the community that the library still plays an essential role in society. Choose one of these text types: formal letter to the council, speech at a public meeting, opinion article for a local newspaper. Write 450–600 words.” Their response addresses only this point: “Content (criterion B): presents well-developed arguments for the library’s social role (e.g. access, education, community) with specific examples.” Evaluate the response against the complete 6-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

   [6 marks] · no calculator

   Marking points

   • Recognises credit for the stated point: Content (criterion B): presents well-developed arguments for the library’s social role (e.g. access, education, community) with specific examples.
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: Content (criterion B): anticipates and answers the council’s likely arguments (cost, demand, digital alternatives).
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: Message (criterion B): ideas are developed with specific details or examples and organised in clear, logically linked paragraphs.
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: Conventions (criterion C): uses features of the chosen type, e.g. formal layout, purpose statement and request for action in a letter; audience address, rhetorical questions and a strong close in a speech; headline, byline and argued paragraphs in an article.
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: Register (criterion C): formal, persuasive and respectful; passionate without becoming aggressive.
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: Language (criterion A): varied vocabulary and a range of accurate simple and complex structures; any errors do not obstruct meaning.

   Examiner tip: Check each criterion, including equivalent work already shown. Do not demand an extra step merely to rewrite an equivalent answer. Do not award the same idea twice or infer work the learner did not show.

7. 7.

   Report each statement in indirect speech, starting with the words given. (1) The principal said, “The new timetable will start next month.” → The principal said that… (2) “Have you finished the report?” my manager asked me. → My manager asked me… (3) “Don’t leave the building during the fire drill,” the teacher told us. → The teacher told us…

   [3 marks] · no calculator

   Syllabus placement evidence: Language B guide: Paper 2 receptive skills (reading). Social organization (HL): language use in a theme-related context.

   Worked explanation

   1. Backshift the tense (will → would; present perfect → past perfect) and change time words (next month → the following month).
   2. Yes/no questions use if or whether with normal word order; negative commands use not to + infinitive.

   Common mistake: Choosing an answer from the word next to the gap instead of the grammatical structure and meaning of the whole sentence.

   Marking points

   • (1) “…the new timetable would start the following month.”
   • (2) “…if (whether) I had finished the report.”
   • (3) “…not to leave the building during the fire drill.”

   Examiner tip: Reported speech is useful in news reports and articles; keep pronouns and time references consistent.

8. 8.

   Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Report each statement in indirect speech, starting with the words given. (1) The principal said, “The new timetable will start next month.” → The principal said that… (2) “Have you finished the report?” my manager asked me. → My manager asked me… (3) “Don’t leave the building during the fire drill,” the teacher told us. → The teacher told us…” Their response addresses only this point: “(1) “…the new timetable would start the following month.”” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

   [3 marks] · no calculator

   Marking points

   • Recognises credit for the stated point: (1) “…the new timetable would start the following month.”
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: (2) “…if (whether) I had finished the report.”
   • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: (3) “…not to leave the building during the fire drill.”

   Examiner tip: Check each criterion, including equivalent work already shown. Do not demand an extra step merely to rewrite an equivalent answer. Do not award the same idea twice or infer work the learner did not show.

9. 9.

   Read the short text “Interview extract”. “Q: You left a well-paid job in finance to train as a nurse. Why? A: Honestly, I was bored. Not by the work, which was demanding, but by not knowing whether any of it mattered. Q: Any regrets? A: My bank balance has some. I don’t.” (a) Identify the text type and one of its conventions. (b) What reason does the interviewee give for changing career, and how is it qualified? (c) Explain the effect of the final answer.

   [3 marks] · no calculator

   Syllabus placement evidence: Language B guide: text types and conceptual understanding (criterion C). Social organization (HL): identifies text type, audience and register in an original sample.

   Worked explanation

   1. Decide the text type, audience and purpose from the layout and wording, then quote the features that prove each point.
   2. Model answers: (a) An interview (published Q&A); convention: question-and-answer format with labels (Q/A). (b) Boredom from not knowing whether the work mattered; qualified by saying the work itself was demanding, not dull. (c) The humorous contrast (“My bank balance has some. I don’t.”) shows the interviewee has lost money but feels no regret, ending with a confident, memorable line.

   Common mistake: Naming a feature ("it is informal") without quoting it or linking it to the audience and purpose of the text.

   Marking points

   • (a) An interview (published Q&A); convention: question-and-answer format with labels (Q/A).
   • (b) Boredom from not knowing whether the work mattered; qualified by saying the work itself was demanding, not dull.
   • (c) The humorous contrast (“My bank balance has some. I don’t.”) shows the interviewee has lost money but feels no regret, ending with a confident, memorable line.

   Examiner tip: If you choose an interview in Paper 1, write an introduction for readers as well as the questions and answers.

10. 10.

    Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read the short text “Interview extract”. “Q: You left a well-paid job in finance to train as a nurse. Why? A: Honestly, I was bored. Not by the work, which was demanding, but by not knowing whether any of it mattered. Q: Any regrets? A: My bank balance has some. I don’t.” (a) Identify the text type and one of its conventions. (b) What reason does the interviewee give for changing career, and how is it qualified? (c) Explain the effect of the final answer.” Their response addresses only this point: “(a) An interview (published Q&A); convention: question-and-answer format with labels (Q/A).” Evaluate the response against the complete 3-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.

    [3 marks] · no calculator

    Marking points

    • Recognises credit for the stated point: (a) An interview (published Q&A); convention: question-and-answer format with labels (Q/A).
    • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: (b) Boredom from not knowing whether the work mattered; qualified by saying the work itself was demanding, not dull.
    • Checks this criterion, crediting equivalent work already shown or identifying what is missing: (c) The humorous contrast (“My bank balance has some. I don’t.”) shows the interviewee has lost money but feels no regret, ending with a confident, memorable line.

    Examiner tip: Check each criterion, including equivalent work already shown. Do not demand an extra step merely to rewrite an equivalent answer. Do not award the same idea twice or infer work the learner did not show.

Original, unofficial practice questions from SubjectScout — not official past-paper questions or complete syllabus coverage.