Cambridge IGCSE · 0510

English as a Second Language

Reading for detail — Paper 1

Name: ____________________Date: October 4, 2026

1.
‘Maria kept checking her watch and glancing at the door. When her name was finally called, she took a deep breath before walking in.’ What can you infer about how Maria was feeling, and why?
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Infers that Maria was nervous or anxious.
- Supports this with evidence from the text, such as checking her watch, glancing at the door, or taking a deep breath.
Examiner tip: Inference answers must be supported by a specific detail from the text, not just a guess.
2.
In the sentence ‘The lecture was so tedious that several students struggled to stay awake,’ explain what the word ‘tedious’ most likely means.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Explains that ‘tedious’ means boring or uninteresting.
- Supports this using the context clue that students struggled to stay awake.
Examiner tip: Use the rest of the sentence as a clue: what result or reaction does the surrounding context describe?
3.
A passage states: ‘The city's new library opened last month. It has over 10,000 books and a reading room for students.’ Based only on this passage, decide whether this statement is True, False, or Not Given: ‘The library is the largest in the country.’
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- States that the answer is Not Given.
- Explains that the passage gives the number of books but never compares the library to others in the country.
Examiner tip: ‘Not Given’ means the information needed to decide True or False simply is not in the passage at all.
4.
A leaflet begins: ‘Are you spending too much on electricity? Here are five simple ways to cut your bill.’ Identify the writer's main purpose and the intended audience.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies the purpose as giving practical advice to reduce electricity costs.
- Identifies the audience as people who pay electricity bills and want to save money.
Examiner tip: An opening question in a leaflet is usually aimed directly at the reader's own situation, which signals both purpose and audience.
5.
A short guide has three paragraphs: one about packing light, one about arriving early at the airport, and one about keeping documents safe. Match each paragraph to the best heading: A ‘Travel Documents’; B ‘What to Pack’; C ‘Getting to the Airport’.
[3 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Matches the packing-light paragraph to ‘What to Pack’ (B).
- Matches the arriving-early paragraph to ‘Getting to the Airport’ (C).
- Matches the documents paragraph to ‘Travel Documents’ (A).
Examiner tip: Identify the single main topic of each paragraph first, then find the heading that matches that topic most closely.
6.
A weather forecast reads: ‘Tomorrow will start cloudy with a chance of rain in the morning, clearing up by early afternoon, with sunshine expected for the rest of the day.’ State what the weather will be like in the morning and in the afternoon.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- States that the morning will be cloudy with a chance of rain.
- States that the afternoon will clear up and become sunny.
Examiner tip: A forecast describing change over the day often uses time words (‘tomorrow’, ‘by early afternoon’) to signal which detail applies to which part of the day.
7.
‘Because the bridge was closed for repairs, traffic was redirected through the old town, and journey times doubled for commuters.’ Explain the cause and the effect described in this sentence.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- States the cause: the bridge being closed for repairs.
- States the effect: traffic was redirected and journey times doubled for commuters.
Examiner tip: Words like ‘because’ signal a cause; what follows in the rest of the sentence is usually the effect or result.
8.
A short article states: ‘The new bus route began running last week. In my view, it is a huge improvement for the whole neighbourhood.’ Distinguish the factual statement from the writer's opinion.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies that the bus route starting last week is a fact.
- Identifies that calling it ‘a huge improvement’ is the writer's personal opinion, signalled by the phrase ‘in my view’.
Examiner tip: Phrases like ‘in my view’ or ‘I think’ are a direct signal that an opinion, not a fact, is about to follow.
9.
‘Omar checked his phone for the fifth time in ten minutes, then finally put it face-down on the table and sighed.’ What can you infer about how Omar was feeling?
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Infers that Omar was anxious, impatient or frustrated while waiting for something.
- Supports this with evidence from the text, such as checking his phone repeatedly or sighing.
Examiner tip: Repeated small actions, like checking a phone again and again, are a common way writers show a character's inner feelings without stating them directly.
10.
In the sentence ‘The hikers were relieved to finally reach the summit after the gruelling climb,’ explain what the word ‘gruelling’ most likely means.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Explains that ‘gruelling’ most likely means very difficult or extremely tiring.
- Supports this using the context clue that the hikers felt relief after finishing, suggesting the climb was hard.
Examiner tip: The word ‘relieved’ is a strong clue here — people usually feel relief after something difficult or stressful ends.
11.
A passage states: ‘The new community centre opened in March. It includes a hall, a kitchen, and two meeting rooms.’ Based only on this passage, decide whether this statement is True, False, or Not Given: ‘The community centre is open every day of the week.’
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- States that the answer is Not Given.
- Explains that the passage describes the centre's facilities and opening month but never mentions its daily opening schedule.
Examiner tip: Do not assume extra details that feel likely — only use what the passage actually states to decide True, False, or Not Given.
12.
A leaflet begins: ‘Struggling to fit exercise into your busy week? Here are three simple tips that take less than ten minutes a day.’ Identify the writer's main purpose and the intended audience.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies the purpose as giving quick, practical exercise tips for busy people.
- Identifies the audience as people with busy schedules who find it hard to make time for exercise.
Examiner tip: An opening question that names a specific problem (‘busy week’) usually tells you exactly who the text is written for.
13.
A short guide has three paragraphs: one about choosing a strong password, one about recognising suspicious emails, and one about keeping software updated. Match each paragraph to the best heading: A ‘Email Safety’; B ‘Password Security’; C ‘Keeping Your Software Current’.
[3 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Matches the password paragraph to ‘Password Security’ (B).
- Matches the suspicious emails paragraph to ‘Email Safety’ (A).
- Matches the software paragraph to ‘Keeping Your Software Current’ (C).
Examiner tip: Identify the one clear topic of each paragraph before looking at the headings, then match by topic rather than by matching single words.
14.
A notice reads: ‘The museum is free to enter on the first Sunday of every month. On all other days, tickets cost $8 for adults and $4 for children.’ State the cost for an adult on a normal Tuesday, and the cost for anyone on the first Sunday of the month.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- States that an adult ticket on a normal Tuesday costs $8.
- States that entry is free for everyone on the first Sunday of the month.
Examiner tip: Notice how one special condition (the first Sunday) overrides the normal prices that apply on every other day.
15.
‘Because the main road was closed for repairs, deliveries were rerouted through the town centre, and local shop owners complained about the extra traffic.’ Explain the cause and the effect described in this sentence.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- States the cause: the main road being closed for repairs.
- States the effect: deliveries were rerouted and shop owners complained about extra traffic.
Examiner tip: ‘Because’ introduces the cause; the rest of the sentence describes what happened as a result.
16.
A weather forecast reads: ‘This morning will be foggy with poor visibility, improving by midday, with clear skies expected overnight.’ State what the weather will be like this morning and overnight.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- States that this morning will be foggy with poor visibility.
- States that overnight the skies are expected to be clear.
Examiner tip: When a forecast describes change throughout the day, match each weather detail to its correct time of day before answering.
17.
A short article states: ‘Attendance at the youth club has doubled this year. Frankly, I believe this is the best thing that has happened to this town in years.’ Distinguish the factual statement from the writer's opinion.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies that attendance doubling this year is presented as a fact.
- Identifies that calling it ‘the best thing... in years’ is the writer's opinion, signalled by ‘I believe’.
Examiner tip: A number or statistic is usually a fact; a judgement about how good or important something is, is usually an opinion.
18.
A short text has three paragraphs: one listing ingredients, one describing preparation steps, and one giving serving suggestions. Identify the overall type of text this most likely is.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies that this is most likely a recipe.
- Explains that the combination of ingredients, steps, and serving suggestions is a structure specific to recipes.
Examiner tip: The overall structure of a text (what sections it has, in what order) often reveals its type before you even read the details.
19.
‘Layla read the email twice, then closed her laptop quietly and stared out of the window for a long moment.’ What can you infer about the email's content?
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Infers that the email likely contained significant, possibly unexpected or emotional news.
- Supports this with evidence from the text, such as reading it twice or the long, quiet pause afterwards.
Examiner tip: A character's quiet, delayed reaction often suggests they are processing something significant, even if the text does not say what it was.
20.
In the sentence ‘The negotiations were tense, but both sides eventually reached an amicable agreement,’ explain what the word ‘amicable’ most likely means.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Explains that ‘amicable’ most likely means friendly or reached without conflict.
- Supports this using the contrast signalled by ‘but’, which suggests the outcome was different from (better than) the tense start.
Examiner tip: A contrast word like ‘but’ often signals that the second half of a sentence has the opposite quality to the first half.
21.
A passage states: ‘The company was founded in 2010. It now has offices in three countries.’ Based only on this passage, decide whether this statement is True, False, or Not Given: ‘The company's headquarters are in the capital city.’
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- States that the answer is Not Given.
- Explains that the passage gives the founding year and number of countries but says nothing about the location of the headquarters.
Examiner tip: Even plausible-sounding details must actually appear in the passage — otherwise the correct answer is Not Given.
22.
An email begins: ‘I am writing to express my disappointment with the service I received at your restaurant last Friday.’ Identify the writer's main purpose and likely tone.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies the purpose as making a complaint about poor service.
- Identifies the likely tone as formal and dissatisfied, but controlled rather than openly angry.
Examiner tip: Phrases like ‘I am writing to express my disappointment’ are a standard, recognisable opening for a formal complaint.
23.
‘Since the new manager introduced flexible working hours, staff satisfaction has risen noticeably, and fewer employees have left the company.’ Explain the cause and the effects described in this sentence.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- States the cause: the introduction of flexible working hours.
- States the two effects: higher staff satisfaction and fewer employees leaving.
Examiner tip: ‘Since’ can introduce a cause, similar to ‘because’ — look for what changed as a direct result.
24.
A short article states: ‘The number of visitors to the national park rose by 20% last year. Personally, I think the park's new website made booking a visit much easier.’ Distinguish the factual statement from the writer's opinion.
[2 marks] · no calculator
Marking points
- Identifies the 20% rise in visitors as a factual statement.
- Identifies the claim about the website making booking easier as the writer's personal opinion, signalled by ‘personally, I think’.
Examiner tip: A specific statistic like ‘20%’ is a fact that could be checked; a claim about why something improved is often the writer's own interpretation.