Week 7 · English Practice Paper

Reading Passage

The following passage takes place during the Second World War. Ellie and Sam are brother and sister who have been evacuated to Yorkshire to avoid the bombing in London, along with another boy, Wilf. In the passage, the children wait to be chosen by local residents who will take them into their homes.

The Waiting Hall

Sam clung to Ellie's sleeve as they went through the door into a long, chilly hall with high windows. It was crowded and loud. Someone said to Ellie, "Fancy a biscuit, love? And a mug of milk?" She was a thin, brisk woman with a clipped Yorkshire accent. Ellie shook her head: she felt too sick to manage anything. "Wait over there, then," the woman said. "By the stage with the others, and someone will pick you."

Ellie looked round, dazed, and spotted Wilf. She whispered, "What's going on?" and he said, "Bit like choosing teams for football, isn't it."

He said it flatly, without much interest. He handed Ellie his gas-mask box, then walked off to the far corner, sat down by himself, and pulled a comic out of his coat.

Ellie wished she could do that. Just sit and read as though none of it mattered. But she had already started to feel wretched with the fear that nobody would want her, the way she always felt when teams were picked in the playground. What if she was left till last! She pulled Sam into the row of waiting children and stood, staring at the floor, barely breathing. When someone called out, "A good strong lad for Mr Pemberton, then," she felt she might be sick. She looked up but let her eyes go blurry so the faces passing by smudged together.

Sam's fingers gripped hers tighter. She glanced at his pale face and the tear-tracks still drying on his cheeks. No one would take home a boy who looked like that, so small and worn out. They'd assume he'd be sickly and a nuisance. She said in a hard, quiet voice, "Why can't you just smile and look cheerful," and he flinched with surprise, looking so tiny and forlorn that she felt her chest ache. She said, "Oh — it's fine, I'm not cross with you, I won't let them split us up."

Option 1: Write an essay on: My hobby.

• Bring your hobby to life with specific, vivid details rather than general statements.
• Organise your essay into clear paragraphs.

Option 2: Write a story which begins with the words: 'I had been waiting such a long time for this to happen.'

• Plan your story before you begin writing.
• Make sure your story has a clear beginning, middle and end.

Option 3: A description of someone you admire. You may choose someone you actually know, or someone you have never met. Describe them and explain why you admire them.

• Use specific examples or incidents to show why you admire this person, not just general praise.
• Focus on vivid, precise description of their character or achievements.