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O Level English Practice Paper 1

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TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - English O-Level

TuitionGoWhere Exam Practice (AI) PRACTICE PAPER - VERSION 1

Subject: English Language (1184) Level: O-Level Paper: Paper 2 (Comprehension) - Practice Set Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes Total Marks: 50

Name: __________________________
Class: __________________________
Date: __________________________

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

Answer all questions.
Write your answers in the spaces provided.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
For Section C, Question 10, write your summary in continuous prose.

SECTION A (5 marks)

Read Text 1 and Text 2 and answer the questions that follow.

Text 1: The Rise of Vertical Farming

As urban populations swell, the demand for fresh produce increases, yet arable land decreases. Vertical farming offers a solution: growing crops in stacked layers, often in controlled environments like warehouses. Proponents argue that this method uses 95% less water than traditional farming and eliminates the need for pesticides. However, critics point to the high energy costs associated with artificial lighting and climate control. Despite these concerns, several major cities have already adopted vertical farms to reduce food miles and ensure year-round supply.

Text 2: Infographic Snapshot – "Green City Initiative"

Visual Description: A bar chart comparing "Water Usage" and "Carbon Footprint" between Traditional Farming and Vertical Farming.

Traditional Farming: Water Usage (High), Carbon Footprint (Medium - due to transport).

Vertical Farming: Water Usage (Very Low), Carbon Footprint (High - due to energy).

Caption: "Balancing Resources: The Trade-off of Modern Agriculture."

1. Identify one example from Text 1 that supporters of vertical farming use to justify its environmental benefits. [1]

2. Refer to Text 2. Which specific metric suggests that vertical farming might not be entirely eco-friendly? [1]

3. In Text 1, line 4, what does the phrase "food miles" suggest about the advantage of vertical farming? [1]

4. Based on both texts, identify one contradiction between the proponents' claims and the critics' concerns regarding energy. [1]

5. What is the main purpose of Text 2 in relation to Text 1? [1]

SECTION B (20 marks)

Read Text 3 and answer the questions that follow.

Text 3: The Last Watchmaker

The shop smelled of dust and old brass, a scent that Elias had breathed in for sixty years. It was a smell of patience, of time held in suspension. Outside, the city roared—a digital, frantic beast that devoured seconds and spat out minutes. But inside, time moved with the deliberate tick-tick-tick of a hundred mechanical hearts.

Elias adjusted his loupe, his eye magnified and watery behind the glass. The pocket watch before him was a stubborn thing, a 19th-century Breguet that had refused to beat for decades. "You’re not dead," he murmured to the gears, his voice a dry rustle. "You’re just holding your breath."

A young man entered, the bell above the door jangling violently against the silence. He wore smart clothes and held a smartphone like a shield. "Hey," the young man said, not looking at Elias but at the shelves. "Do you fix smartwatches? Mine’s glitching."

Elias didn’t look up. "I fix watches that have souls," he said. "Yours has a battery."

The young man laughed, a sharp, dismissive sound. "Souls don’t tell time, old timer. Precision does. And yours is... well, it’s obsolete." He gestured to the wall of ticking clocks. "Who needs this noise? My phone is silent. Perfect."

Elias finally looked up. His eyes were clouded, but his gaze was sharp. "Silence is easy," he said. "Precision is hard. Your phone tells you the time. These," he tapped the Breguet, "tell you that time is passing. That it costs something. That it is finite."

The young man frowned, checking his screen. "Whatever. Just fix it if you can. If not, I’ll go to the mall."

Elias returned to the Breguet. He picked up a tweezers, delicate as a surgeon’s instrument. He wasn’t fixing a machine; he was resuscitating a memory. He knew the young man would leave. He knew the shop would eventually close. But for now, the gear slipped into place, and the heart began to beat. Tick. Tick. Tick. A defiance against the silence.

6. In paragraph 1, how does the writer create a contrast between the shop and the city? [2]

7. Refer to paragraph 2. What does the phrase "holding your breath" suggest about Elias’s attitude towards the watch? [1]

8. In paragraph 4, explain the irony in Elias’s response to the young man. [2]

9. Refer to paragraph 6. What does the young man’s laughter suggest about his view of traditional craftsmanship? [1]

10. "Silence is easy... Precision is hard." (Paragraph 7). Explain what Elias means by this statement in the context of the story. [2]

11. Identify two words or phrases from paragraph 8 that show the young man’s impatience or lack of respect. [2]

(a) ___________________________________________________________________

(b) ___________________________________________________________________

12. In the final paragraph, why does the writer describe the tweezers as "delicate as a surgeon’s instrument"? [2]

13. What is the significance of the final sentence: "A defiance against the silence"? [2]

14. Overall, what does the character of Elias represent in this narrative? [2]

15. How does the writer use sensory imagery in the first paragraph to establish the mood of the shop? [2]

SECTION C (25 marks)

Read Text 4 and answer the questions that follow.

Text 4: The Psychology of "Doomscrolling"

In the digital age, a new habit has emerged: doomscrolling. This is the act of continuously scrolling through bad news on social media, even when the news is saddening, disheartening, or depressing. Psychologists suggest that this behaviour is driven by a negativity bias—an evolutionary trait that compelled our ancestors to pay more attention to threats than to opportunities. In the past, noticing a predator meant survival; today, noticing a global crisis means anxiety.

The algorithms of social media platforms exacerbate this tendency. They are designed to maximise engagement, and nothing engages users quite like outrage and fear. When a user lingers on a negative headline, the algorithm interprets this as interest and feeds them more of the same. This creates a feedback loop, trapping the user in a cycle of distress.

The consequences are significant. Studies link excessive doomscrolling to increased levels of stress, sleep disturbances, and a sense of helplessness. Users report feeling "paralysed" by the sheer volume of negative information, unable to distinguish between immediate threats and distant problems. This emotional exhaustion can lead to "compassion fatigue," where individuals become desensitised to suffering because they are overwhelmed by it.

However, awareness is the first step toward breaking the cycle. Experts recommend setting strict time limits for news consumption and curating feeds to include positive or neutral content. Additionally, engaging in offline activities—such as exercise, reading, or face-to-face social interaction—can help restore a sense of agency and perspective. By consciously choosing when to disconnect, individuals can protect their mental well-being without ignoring the world around them.

16. Refer to paragraph 1. What does the term "negativity bias" mean in this context? [1]

17. In paragraph 2, explain how social media algorithms contribute to doomscrolling. [2]

18. Refer to paragraph 3. What is "compassion fatigue" and what causes it? [2]

19. In paragraph 4, what does the phrase "restore a sense of agency" suggest about the effect of doomscrolling? [2]

20. Summary Writing

Using your own words as far as possible, summarise the causes and effects of doomscrolling, as well as the solutions suggested by experts.

You should write about 80 words. Your summary must be in continuous writing (not note form). Use only information from Text 4.

Marks:

Up to 15 marks for content (identifying relevant points).
Up to 5 marks for language (accuracy and own words).
Up to 5 marks for organisation and coherence.

Total: 25 marks

[END OF PAPER]

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Answers

TuitionGoWhere Practice Paper - English O-Level (Answer Key)

Subject: English Language (1184) Paper: Paper 2 (Comprehension) - Practice Set Version: 1