First Language English

Paper 1 Reading and writing (Core)

0500/11

2. Your class is planning a trip to Europe and will be staying near Efteling.You have written to your cousin  who lives in the area asking for details about the park and if it would be suitable place for your class to visit. Write the letter your cousin sends in reply. 

Dear Sarah,

I just checked your letter and you are wondering if Efteling is a suitable place for your class to visit, right? You should definitely consider visiting Efteling! As you know, I stay right next to Efteling and I have seen a lot of people going there, so it is certainly a tourist attraction.

I, myself have been to Efteling and it is an eccentric theme park! There are talking litter bins and a lot of creative creations which will catch your attention. It is not as artificial as other theme parks because of the wood and flowers surrounding it. The rides are not only for the kids but some of them are even thrilling for adults as well, so I guess children your age will enjoy riding them.

If you're planning to stay in Efteling for a night, I recommend hotel Golden Tulip Efteling as it provides its own entrance to the park which makes it more convenient and less time consuming. The rooms are also large and comfortable which are suitable for group trips.

If your trip is in winter, you can enjoy the huge ice rink which is safely designed and your friends who don't like skating can also spend their time cozily with hot drinks in 'apres-ski' bar. There is also an indoor winter wonderland which provides a lot of activities like snowball throwing stalls and snow slides.

At night, you will be amused by the spectacular sight of lightings and festivals by musicians and entertainers. It is opened until 8, so you can have fun without being chased by time. Rain is not a problem in Efteling as there are a lot to do under cover.

On the other side, the decorations and some rides might be a bit childish for you if you want an educational trip. It would be more to the fun side than learning something. But, I think its worth the time and you should relax and have some exciting memories with your friends, so I'm happy to recommend this theme park to you.

Anyway, take care and let's meet up anytime soon! I hope you can have the best trip with your friends!

Love,
Ye Un

English past paper

First Language English

Paper 1 Reading Passage (Core)

1. h) Parents would particularly like the fact that Efteling is less artificial than other theme parks, there are clever details like talking litter bins which keep children interested and also teach them that rubbish should go in the bin. There is also a comfortable hotel where they can stay with large playing area and because of its own entrance to the park, guests can get some priorities for some rides. It is also a place where they can take their children during winter time with huge, safe, indoor skating rink with bars where parents can have hot drinks while waiting for their children. Efteling also provides good value of money because it stays open until 8pm, which is enough time for enjoying the rides in the park. There is plenty to do under cover in case it rains, so rain wouldn't be a problem in enjoying the theme park.

First Language English for Cambridge IGCSE

pg. 76-79

What is the theme of the story?

It is about an old man not giving way to conservative ideas like leaving home, and taking responsibilities and young people enjoying themselves, not caring about the thoughts of older times.

What are developed and undeveloped characters in a story?

A developed character is a character whose background is told in the story and the readers can figure out the character's personality, feelings and the situation. Undeveloped character is a character whose background and personality are not told specifically, but maybe vaguely.

In this story, the old man and Alice are the developed characters and Steven and Lucy are undeveloped characters.

Who are the characters?
The old man, Alice, Steven and Lucy.

Describe the characters.

The old man is an old minded man who likes to keep things and people by his side, and doesn't want to let go of them. We can tell this by him not letting his pigeons get out of their cages and not being happy with Alice marrying a man. He is insecure about his 'possessions' leaving him. Pigeon symbolises peace and maybe his way to keep peace was by keeping them with him.

Alice, the granddaughter is very excited for her new life and wants to be with the man as long as she wants and she also wants to get married as soon as she wants. She is open minded and has totally different mind from her grandfather.

Alice's mother, Lucy is very opened as well and considers Alice's opinion than the old man's because it is Alice's choice and it's her life, so she lets Alice do what she wants to do.

Steve is also a modern, open minded person who knows what to give away and to impress the old man for the approval of the marriage.

This story shows the difference of thoughts of the young people and how people from the past thinks.

First Language English for Cambridge IGCSE

pg. 74

Before the Sun

 by Charles Mungoshi

Intense blue morning
promising early heat
and later in the afternoon,
heavy rain.


The bright chips
fly from the sharp axe
for some distance through the air,
arc,
and eternities later,
settle down in showers
on the dewy grass.


It is a big log:
but when you are fourteen
big logs
are what you want.


The wood gives off
a sweet nose-cleansing odour
which (unlike sawdust)
doesn't make one sneeze.


It sends up a thin spiral
of smoke which later straightens
and flutes out
to the distant sky: a signal
of some sort,
or a sacrificial prayer.


The wood hisses,
The sparks fly.


And when the sun
finally shows up
in the East like some
latecomer to a feast
I have got two cobs of maize
ready for it.


I tell the sun to come share
with me the roasted maize
and the sun just winks
like a grown-up.


So I go ahead, taking big
alternate bites:
one for the sun,
one for me.
This one for the sun,
this one for me:
till the cobs
are just two little skeletons
in the sun.

Analysis (my opinion) 

In the first stanza, the poet is referring blue morning to the young age and afternoon as the old age. As a young child, you dream about your future and you look forward for that, but as you grow older, you realise success is not easy to gain. You might think some experiences are useless and unimportant, but everything that you have experienced turns out to be a benefit later in the future and they help you settle down.

As a young fourteen year old,  you like to face challenges and adventure and look for difficulties instead of running away from them. After the hard challenge, you can feel the sweet sense of accomplishment and doesn't do harm to anybody unlike trying to finish a challenge the easy way or by cheating.

The achievement after sacrificing your free time and hobbies, can build up and even though it might be weak and not stable at first, later contributes to living triumphant life. It is very competitive and the latecomers don't get what they want.

The sun here might represent parents or other adult as it just watches the poet enjoy his maize instead of joining him so that he can have more. Parents try to do whatever the child wants and give them everything until nothing is left just like the two little skeletons left after finishing the maize. They give up their own time for the sake of their children. Children usually don't realise the sacrifice and just enjoy what they get just like the poet enjoying the maize which was meant for the sun.

First Language English for Cambridge IGCSE

pg. 70 -71

Writing a fictional first person account

Read the passage from 'Weep Not, Child' by Ngugi Wa Thing again and write the scene from Mwihaki's point of view. Try to write in the same style as the author, using short, simple sentences.

It was Njoroge's first day of school. He didn't know the way to his school. I had to take him there. I first met him when my brothers were bullying me. He was nice and kind to me. We went to the school. Some boys were laughing at Njoroge. I didn't like it. They made fun of him. They called him Njuka. Njoroge didn't like it. Other boys told him to carry their bags. Njoroge was kind. He carried their bags. I didn't know what Njuka meant. But I always heard people calling new comers Njuka. 

I wanted to help him. I shouted that he is my Njuka. They laughed at me. I was upset. They teased us. They said Njoroge was my husband. But he is not my husband. He is my friend. I could see Njoroge being embarrassed and I felt bad. I was very ashamed but I still stood up for my friend. After the boys left, Njoroge thanked me. The boys were scared of me because my sister Mijaka was a teacher in our school. Also, because i was the monitor of the class, I could report this to our teacher. So they feared me.

I could relate to Njoroge's feelings because the school seemed so scary when I first came.  The school was a strange place. A huge church was next to it. It looked like haunted house. It felt like the place that I should never go because it was so grand. But later I found out everyone can go there. Now, I go there every Sunday. I'm sure Njoroge found it scary at first. We don't have any church near our village. 

Teachers were really different from kindergarten teachers, so it was new to Njoroge. He said he liked the teacher. But, later when he saw her punishing a student by smacking him, he didn't like the teacher anymore. I know Njoroge hates people being hurt and he told me that she looked ugly when she was punishing that student. I really hope Njoroge will be okay with other students. I think they will stop calling Njoroge Njuka after a week. Hopefully, Njoroge will like the school and get used to the school by then. 

First Language English for Cambridge IGCSE

pg 69

Writing to inform and entertain

You have just finished your first day as a new teacher at Brook Street Ragged and Industrial School in London in 1853. Write a letter to your parents telling them about it.

Dear mom and dad,

I am just back from my first day of school as a new teacher at Brook Street Ragged and Industrial School in London! It was a confusing, exciting day and I thought it would be great to tell you my experience today!

I was revitalised by the fact that I am going to have a new jubilant experience the moment I woke up today. I tried to look benevolent, friendly and my concern was to not make any mistakes which might represent professional dearth. There were about 40 students of different ages in a class, so it was interminable to cultivate their talent. Inaugurating a class was unsettling because of insolent and boisterous children.Finally, with the help of adroit head teacher, they stopped cavorting and changed their demeanour, so I could finally start their class. I didn't want to get help from any other teacher, but I couldn't help it.

The first hour was a complete chaos because my wayward of teaching was totally different from what they used to learn. I prefer them learning from the nature, so I took them outside to draw the scenery. 

However, they didn't know how to use a pen, so I had to teach them. It is partially because it is a industrial school but the biggest reason I think is due to teachers just teaching them about the jobs, instead of letting them have their creativity. 

Some students knew more than the others did and were capable of going for a higher grade, but because the school was so small, they had no choice but to stay there. I felt truly sorry, so I decided to give them lessons after school apart from the normal lesson. Luckily, they were really co-operative and appreciated it. I am sincerely honoured to meet as kind students as my first badge and I will really work hard to guide them to a right path. 

Dad, mom, you don't have to worry about me as I'm having a great time here and enjoying the ecstatic moment. I hope my students can flourish in their learning and make me proud! I now realise how conceited and snide I was after teaching these children. I'm so sorry for what I did and I promise I will be an ardent daughter from now!!

Love,

Ye Un

First Language English for Cambridge IGCSE

pg 68

Schools in 1865 would be totally different from how we go to school now, in 2015. Almost all of the teachers would be women when for me, are mostly men. They also had a lot of students in a same room, learning different subjects and having different teachers about 5 to 6. In my class, there is only one teacher and about 20 students. They would have learnt more skills that were useful in life than actual studies. Subjects they had would be different from what I have now. They wouldn't have subjects such as drama, ict, business and cultural studies. They also wouldn't have had access to smart boards or even computers. When I imagine a school life without computers, my mind just goes blank which means everything we do involve computers and their presence makes our work easier. However, children those days wouldn't have had any problems, but just writing on their books and learning from the nature. Not many children would have attended school because back then, people needed help for work, especially for poor people.

Vocabularies for this week

Vocabularies for this week!

acrid - an acrid smell or taste is unpleasantly strong and bitter / pungent

(adj.)

puncture - making a small hole in something / pierce 

(v.) 

literally - if something is said to have literally happened, it actually happened the way it was described / exactly

(adv.)

demeanour - appearance or behaviour / manner

(n.)

cavort - leaping about in a playful and excited way / dance, skip

(v.)

emancipate - setting something free / independent

(v.)

fortuitous - something good happening just by a chance / lucky 

(adj.)

metaphorical - describing something by using images or symbols / figurative 

(adj.)

dappled - having a lot of spots on something / spotted

(adj.)

reconcile - accepting something as it is / accept

(v.)