English B: Standard Level
Human ingenuity — Theme: Human ingenuity
- 1.
Read the text “The app that wants you to put it down”. [1] Most apps are designed to keep you scrolling. Pause, a free app built by two university students, does the opposite. [2] When you open a social-media app, Pause shows a breathing exercise for ten seconds and asks a simple question: “Why are you opening this?” [3] The founders say the idea came from their own exam revision, when they realised they were checking their phones more than a hundred times a day. [4] Early users report cutting their screen time by about a third, although the founders admit the app only works for people who already want to change. [5] “We can’t force anyone,” says co-founder Amira Haddad. “We just make the choice visible.” (a) In what way is Pause different from most apps? (b) What question does the app ask? (c) Where did the idea come from? (d) Which word in paragraph 4 shows the founders recognise a limitation? (e) Explain in your own words what Amira Haddad means by “We just make the choice visible.”
[5 marks] · no calculator - 2.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read the text “The app that wants you to put it down”. [1] Most apps are designed to keep you scrolling. Pause, a free app built by two university students, does the opposite. [2] When you open a social-media app, Pause shows a breathing exercise for ten seconds and asks a simple question: “Why are you opening this?” [3] The founders say the idea came from their own exam revision, when they realised they were checking their phones more than a hundred times a day. [4] Early users report cutting their screen time by about a third, although the founders admit the app only works for people who already want to change. [5] “We can’t force anyone,” says co-founder Amira Haddad. “We just make the choice visible.” (a) In what way is Pause different from most apps? (b) What question does the app ask? (c) Where did the idea come from? (d) Which word in paragraph 4 shows the founders recognise a limitation? (e) Explain in your own words what Amira Haddad means by “We just make the choice visible.”” Their response addresses only this point: “(a) It is designed to make you stop using your phone rather than keep scrolling.” 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 - 3.
Read the text “Murals on the bus station”. A news report: The grey walls of the central bus station have been transformed by twelve murals painted by local teenagers. The project, funded by the city council, asked young people to show “what this city means to me”. Paintings include a fisherman mending nets, a grandmother teaching a child to read, and a skyline made of school books. Passengers have reacted warmly; a survey by the bus company found that eight out of ten liked the new walls. Not everyone agrees, however. One shop owner complained that the bright colours “clash with the historic buildings nearby”. The council says the murals will stay for at least five years. (a) Who painted the murals? (b) What was the theme of the project? (c) Name two subjects shown in the paintings. (d) What did the bus company’s survey find? (e) What was the shop owner’s objection?
[5 marks] · no calculator - 4.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read the text “Murals on the bus station”. A news report: The grey walls of the central bus station have been transformed by twelve murals painted by local teenagers. The project, funded by the city council, asked young people to show “what this city means to me”. Paintings include a fisherman mending nets, a grandmother teaching a child to read, and a skyline made of school books. Passengers have reacted warmly; a survey by the bus company found that eight out of ten liked the new walls. Not everyone agrees, however. One shop owner complained that the bright colours “clash with the historic buildings nearby”. The council says the murals will stay for at least five years. (a) Who painted the murals? (b) What was the theme of the project? (c) Name two subjects shown in the paintings. (d) What did the bus company’s survey find? (e) What was the shop owner’s objection?” Their response addresses only this point: “(a) Local teenagers.” 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 - 5.
Your school wants to ban phones during the school day. Write a text for the school community giving your view on the proposal and suggesting a fair alternative or improvement. Choose one of these text types: article for the school magazine, formal letter to the principal, speech. Write 250–400 words.
[6 marks] · no calculator - 6.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Your school wants to ban phones during the school day. Write a text for the school community giving your view on the proposal and suggesting a fair alternative or improvement. Choose one of these text types: article for the school magazine, formal letter to the principal, speech. Write 250–400 words.” Their response addresses only this point: “Content (criterion B): states a clear position on the phone ban and supports it with reasons.” 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 - 7.
Match each word (1–4) with the meaning closest to how it is used about technology. Words: (1) innovative, (2) obsolete, (3) user-friendly, (4) breakthrough. Meanings: A no longer used because something better exists; B easy for ordinary people to use; C an important new discovery; D introducing new ideas or methods.
[4 marks] · no calculator - 8.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Match each word (1–4) with the meaning closest to how it is used about technology. Words: (1) innovative, (2) obsolete, (3) user-friendly, (4) breakthrough. Meanings: A no longer used because something better exists; B easy for ordinary people to use; C an important new discovery; D introducing new ideas or methods.” Their response addresses only this point: “(1) innovative – D.” Evaluate the response against the complete 4-mark task. Identify what earns credit and state every additional requirement needed for full marks.
[4 marks] · no calculator - 9.
Read the short text “Podcast introduction”. “Hello and welcome back to Small Inventions, the show about everyday objects that changed the world. I’m Theo. Last week we talked about the zip; today it’s the humble paperclip. Stay with us until the end, because we’ll be answering your questions from the comments.” (a) Identify the text type. (b) Give two conventions of spoken media that the text uses. (c) Why does the presenter mention “your questions from the comments”?
[3 marks] · no calculator - 10.
Marking analysis: A learner attempts the following task: “Read the short text “Podcast introduction”. “Hello and welcome back to Small Inventions, the show about everyday objects that changed the world. I’m Theo. Last week we talked about the zip; today it’s the humble paperclip. Stay with us until the end, because we’ll be answering your questions from the comments.” (a) Identify the text type. (b) Give two conventions of spoken media that the text uses. (c) Why does the presenter mention “your questions from the comments”?” Their response addresses only this point: “(a) The opening (script) of a podcast episode.” 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