Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/22

2 hours

You must answer on the enclosed answer booklet.

You will need: Answer booklet (enclosed)

INSTRUCTIONS
● Answer two questions in total:
Section A: answer Question 1.
Section B: answer one question.
● Follow the instructions on the front cover of the answer booklet. If you need additional answer paper,
ask the invigilator for a continuation booklet.

INFORMATION
● The total mark for this paper is 50.
● All questions are worth equal marks.

This document has 4 pages.

DC (DE) 325963/3
© UCLES 2024 [Turn over
 2

Section A: Directed Writing

Read both texts and answer Question 1.

Text A Text B
Hamza, student Rachna, student

I love my mobile phone and couldn’t give it up. Although I have a mobile phone, I choose not
It helps me to feel safe when I’m walking to to take it to school. I don’t want to be distracted
school because I know I can call my parents if in class – checking my messages and social
I need them. They are happier to let me go out media accounts, instead of focusing on the
on my own because they can contact me at lesson. This distraction isn’t just a problem in
any time. class; students trip on steps and walk into
doors while looking at their phones rather than
When I’m in school, it is easy to use my phone watching where they are going.
to do research, so I don’t have to waste time
going to the library or carrying around lots of Although mobile phones can be useful for
heavy books. I can also set reminders on my schoolwork, they limit creativity when students
phone for when homework is due, and I have a look for ideas on the internet rather than
picture of my timetable as my screensaver, so I thinking of their own. It is also difficult for
am always on time for class. teachers to know when a student has used
their phone to help them do the work and this
Photography is one of my hobbies and I like to makes it hard for them to know what help
use my phone to take photos and videos while students need.
I’m out and about. I can edit these quickly and
share them with my friends. I really enjoy being Mobile phones are expensive and when
able to look back on these memories. students lose them, this causes a lot of stress.
Having such expensive items in school
I also think that the fact that my phone is encourages envy, which can lead to friendship
expensive has made me more responsible. I issues.
know that my parents won’t pay for a new one,
so I am always careful not to lose it. My biggest concern is that it is easy to become
addicted to your mobile phone, which has a
I definitely couldn’t live without my phone! negative impact on learning and on
relationships with peers. Without mobile
phones, students are free to fulfil their
academic potential and to build long-lasting
friendships – the two most important aspects of
school life.

© UCLES 2024 1123/22/O/N/24

Question 1

Your school principal is considering banning mobile phones in school and has asked students for
their views. You have read the views of two students.

Write an email to your principal saying whether or not you think mobile phones should be banned.

In your email you should:

• evaluate the ideas and opinions in both texts

Base your email on what you have read in both texts but be careful to use your own words.

Address both of the bullet points.

Begin your email with ‘Dear Principal’ and supply a suitable ending.

Write about 250 to 350 words.

Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 15 marks for the
quality of your writing. [25]

© UCLES 2024 1123/22/O/N/24 [Turn over

Section B: Composition

Answer one question.

Write about 350 to 450 words on one of the following questions.

Up to 10 marks are available for the content and structure of your answer and up to 15 marks
for the style and accuracy of your writing.

EITHER

Descriptive writing

2 Describe the scene in your home when your family is preparing to go away somewhere together,
for example on holiday or on a day trip, and when they arrive home. [25]

OR

Descriptive writing

3 Describe two very different people, apart from your parents, who are important role models for
you. They could be relatives, friends or famous people. Say why they are important to you. [25]

OR

Narrative writing

4 Write a story in which someone receives an unexpected telephone call with some exciting news.
[25]

OR

Narrative writing

5 Write a story which includes the sentence: ‘What do you mean, you forgot it?’ [25]

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reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the
publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.

To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer-related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge
Assessment International Education Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download
at www.cambridgeinternational.org after the live examination series.

Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of Cambridge Assessment. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge
Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2024 1123/22/O/N/24