Cambridge Assessment International Education

Cambridge Ordinary Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/21

Paper 2 Reading May/June 2019
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1 hour 45 minutes
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Passage 1

Shops and shopping in modern times

1 In the past, people always shopped in their own towns or villages, but modern times have
seen the arrival of out-of-town shopping in retail parks. An attractive feature of out-of-town
shopping is that these retail parks have plenty of parking spaces, which are generally free
of charge. Drivers are not faced with as much congestion on the roads as they would be
if they were heading for the town centre, and so the travelling experience is pleasant, with 5
customers arriving at the shops in a relaxed frame of mind.

2 Because retail parks have many stores – perhaps a food store, a bookshop and clothes
shops in close proximity and all in one venue – it is possible to shop for a wide range of
goods in a single trip. Sometimes these out-of-town shopping opportunities are found in
large, bright modern malls, and so shopping can be done in comfortable temperatures 10
under one roof, with no need to keep the weather in mind when preparing for a shopping
trip – simply get into your car and go! Because of the space available, and because the
land tends to be cheaper than in town centres, retailers build bigger stores out of town than
in town, thus offering a greater variety of goods for sale. These big stores often have longer
opening hours than shops in towns; they will be open late into the evening, and every day, 15
while town shops often close early in the evening and possibly one day a week. There is
nothing more relaxing than late-night shopping after a busy day in school or at the office.

3 Because stores in retail parks and shopping malls are bigger than shops in town and have
capacity for more shoppers, they are sometimes able to offer lower prices to their customers.
This might be seen particularly in huge stores, sometimes known as hypermarkets, which 20
sell mainly foodstuffs but also household items, electrical goods and clothing. Sometimes
multi-national companies are attracted to build stores in out-of-town retail parks; these
might well be big, internationally recognised furniture or electronics stores, which pop up
across regions, entire countries and even entire continents. Because of the vast amount
of manufacturing carried out by these multi-national companies, goods for sale may be 25
considerably cheaper than the same sort of goods in smaller shops in town.

4 On the other hand, shops in town centres have many advantages over out-of-town retail
parks and shopping malls. If a town is of historical interest, the shops there will generate
income from tourists who arrive to explore its history. A town might achieve its own individual
character by its types of shops. The features of a university town, a seaside town or a town 30
in an agricultural area are all reflected in the distinctive range of shops to be found there.
However, most out-of-town retail parks are boring and soulless because they are identical
to each other. Sometimes income is derived for a town from occasional but planned events,
from a weekly market to an annual fair or festival. When the circus comes to town, it’s not
wedged in between the computer superstore and the country’s biggest furniture store! 35

5 It’s wonderful to be part of a happy, settled community; in affording their residents the
opportunity to take an interest in what goes on, lively town centres promote a sense of
civic pride. People coming into town to shop will often spend more than simply the price
of the items bought, as they may go for coffee or meet friends for lunch, thus increasing
local income. Furthermore, this social dimension of town centres is also important because 40
many people in our modern world with its fast-paced way of life need to take time out to
relax, and cafes and restaurants in town provide that opportunity, especially at weekends.
Small businesses – maybe belonging to a local jeweller, or dressmaker or lawyer – flourish
in town centres.

6 Town centres have the advantage over out-of-town retail parks, in that, as the name 45
suggests, they are central. This means that often local people can walk or cycle to do their
shopping, or there might be local public transport such as a tram or bus. By comparison,
getting to a retail park usually requires a car, with all the expense which that entails.
© UCLES 2019 1123/21/INSERT/M/J/19
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Passage 2

Aunt Joan

1 Aunt Joan was frequently confused. Because she lived alone and was, I thought, often
lonely, I regularly went to her small apartment to chat with her. Sometimes she was perfectly
rational, while sometimes it was as though she were seeing the world through a mist. But
she had enriched my life and I knew I would be greatly impoverished if her companionship
were suddenly withdrawn. 5

2 One day I heard a disturbing story about Aunt Joan, which reached me through a well-
intentioned friend. That morning she was in a local market and noticed my aunt examining
several items at a stall, while glancing nervously over her shoulder from time to time. My
friend then realised that the stallholder was also watching Aunt Joan, although he pretended
he wasn’t. So they both witnessed the moment when my aunt picked up a child’s bracelet 10
and stealthily dropped it into her pocket. Then, with a haughty expression, her head held
high, she attempted to walk away. When the stallholder stopped her and asked to see what
was in her pocket, she flung the bracelet across the stall with an arrogant gesture, crying:
‘What do I want with your tawdry trinkets?’

3 When I visited Aunt Joan that same evening, she was unusually quiet; she just looked out 15
of the window as though she had not even heard me. I went into the kitchen to make us
both tea, but when I opened the cupboard, I was dismayed to find an ill-assorted collection
of cheap objects, which were clearly unused: three egg cups, a great quantity of white
ribbon, four children’s colouring books and a necklace of gaudy beads, all with labels still
attached to them. It had clearly been going on for some time. 20

4 A week later, when I called in to see Aunt Joan, she was sitting at the table, busy with
notebooks and pencil. ‘Fetch me my spare pair of glasses, Mary,’ she said as I entered.
‘They’re in the second drawer in my bedside cabinet.’ What made me pull open the third
drawer? It was not intentional but the sight almost paralysed me; for several seconds I
thought I would choke. The open drawer revealed several gold bangles, six diamond rings 25
and a few pearl necklaces – a small fortune in jewellery. I was familiar enough with Aunt
Joan’s past life to know there were no riches like that in our family.

5 I had no concept of time passing until I became aware of Aunt Joan behind me in the
bedroom; she saw the open drawer. An ominous silence developed that was broken when
Aunt Joan hissed: ‘How dare you meddle in my affairs?’ It was so shocking I had to sit down 30
on the edge of the bed. Gradually her old face assumed a tired, almost pathetic quality. She
whimpered: ‘Don’t tell anyone. They’ll take all my pretty things away and then they’ll take me
away.’ Her eyes filled with tears, her lips trembled and the toll of ninety years descended on
her as she crumpled into a sobbing wreck. ‘Of course I won’t tell anyone,’ I said, unwisely.
‘It’s a secret, I promise.’ The awfulness of the dilemma hit me when I went home. What on 35
earth was I going to do? A promise is a promise, but theft is a crime – and that seemed to
me to be the only possible reason for Aunt Joan having these valuables in her possession.

6 Somewhat anxiously, I went to visit Aunt Joan again the next day. This time she made the
tea and, while she was in the kitchen, I took the opportunity to look in her bedside cabinet
once more, but now it was empty. As she made no reference to my discovery of the evening 40
before, I fondly imagined that she had forgotten about it. But now I knew that she had not
forgotten a thing and had taken the precaution of hiding the jewellery elsewhere. But where?
‘I wonder if it was there in the first place or did I dream the whole thing up?’ I said to myself.

7 Later, the tea things cleared away, I was chatting with Aunt Joan, albeit nervously, and she
was sewing. As she put her work away into her capacious sewing bag, she dropped the bag 45
and a shower of gold bangles, rings, and necklaces rolled across the floor. An embarrassed
silence followed. Neither of us knew what to say. What on earth would happen next?

© UCLES 2019 1123/21/INSERT/M/J/19

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Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
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 the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of
Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2019 1123/21/INSERT/M/J/19

 Cambridge Assessment International Education
Cambridge Ordinary Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/22

Paper 2 Reading May/June 2019
INSERT
1 hour 45 minutes
*6496896609-I*

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

This Insert contains the two reading passages.

This document consists of 3 printed pages and 1 blank page.

DC (LT) 163130/3
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 2

Passage 1

Online and in-store shopping

1 The internet has brought about a revolution in many aspects of our daily lives, with social
media, internet banking and changes to the way education is carried out in our classrooms.
Another area of change caused by the internet revolution is in the way people shop; they
now have a choice between online and in-store shopping.

2 One advantage of online shopping is that purchases are delivered directly to your door and 5
so you don’t have to carry goods, which might be heavy, through town or on a bus or train.
Conventional shops have to pay for things like shelving units and décor, and sometimes
elaborate displays, whereas online items are stored in basic out-of-town warehouses with
much lower overhead costs. This means that goods purchased online are often cheaper
than those bought in shops. Apart from the money saved on the actual goods, online 10
shoppers make further savings as they don’t have to pay to travel to shopping centres –
either for fuel or public transport – or for the coffee or lunch they might have once they get
there. Moreover, online shoppers are not at the mercy of the elements, and don’t get caught
in the rain or burned by the sun, which often happens to those who visit high street shops or
markets. 15

3 Because there is no need to leave your home to shop online, it is much quicker than in-store
shopping; the weekly groceries for an entire family can be bought in a matter of minutes.
This means that time is freed up for people to do more interesting things. After all, wandering
around a supermarket is a very boring activity. Instead of grocery shopping together, families
can spend their precious time at weekends or in the evenings going to a park, beach or 20
gallery.

4 There is nothing more disappointing than finding that a particular item in a store is out of
stock or unavailable in the correct size. However, online shoppers know immediately if the
desired article is available and can quickly make alternative arrangements if it isn’t. People
who shop in stores are restricted to particular opening hours, but the internet is always open 25
for business. If you want to order your groceries or that new jacket in the middle of the night
or on a public holiday, you are free to do so!

5 On the other hand, many people find that in-store shopping reduces stress and is therefore
relaxing, providing ‘retail therapy’, as it is called. It may add to the overall cost of shopping
to stop for coffee in town, but many people like to incorporate their coffee break at the shops 30
with catching up with friends, and so it can be seen that shopping in this way has a social
dimension. Many shoppers find that, although some reductions are made on items for sale
online, more discounts are available in shops. It is really satisfying and even thrilling to
search through discounted items looking for a bargain.

6 In-store shopping nowadays can be carried out in huge, bright malls buzzing with activity, with 35
everything under one roof. Although it can be argued that the internet also has everything
under one roof, the overall experience of a shopping mall is much more interactive than
sitting silently in front of a computer screen placing an order. In-store shopping allows us
to judge items for sale at close quarters: perfumes can be smelled, clothes can be tried on,
fabrics can be seen and felt. 40

7 Goods purchased in-store are instantly available, so that consumers don’t have to stay at
home waiting for deliveries, or rely on delivery companies which might let them down. Shops,
particularly when run by small or independent retailers, add character and local colour to
towns, and attract visitors, who in turn generate income for local areas by purchasing things.
Conversely, the closure of such shops because they can’t compete with online shopping 45
detracts from the appearance of towns and can turn them into unattractive wildernesses.
Moreover, people are needed to work in shops and so having a lively town full of busy
shoppers provides employment for local people and is yet another advantage of in-store
shopping.
© UCLES 2019 1123/22/INSERT/M/J/19
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Passage 2

Jennifer

1 As some last-minute paperwork had to be dealt with, Jennifer was late getting away from the
office, which upset her as this was the much-anticipated day when her daughter Anna was
coming home from university for the long vacation. Jennifer’s boss was apologetic, but he
was adamant that she should do the extra task, as the paperwork had to be completed that
evening in time for the next morning’s post. 5

2 At long last, the work done, Jennifer rushed to the office car park and jumped into her car.
The rain was pouring down and it was already dark; even worse, the high wind buffeted
Jennifer’s little car, almost as if it were trying to force her off the road. She headed anxiously
in the direction of the motorway which would take her to the airport. Her shoulders hunched
up to her ears with tension, she peered out through the gaps created by the windscreen 10
wipers as they swished quickly and rhythmically back and forth. Her heart raced with the
effort of driving in such difficult conditions, but also at the thought of seeing Anna after her
absence of almost a year. Jennifer thought yet again of her plans for Anna’s vacation: their
visits to family members; their invitations to friends to share dinner with them; their shopping
trips … Jennifer relaxed a little. 15

3 Suddenly the brake lights of the car in front glowed red as its driver slowed down, and
Jennifer had no alternative but to do the same. Signs by the side of the motorway depicting
matchstick-figure workmen warned of roadworks ahead. Jennifer sighed in exasperation,
while realising that endurance and good humour were her best options. ‘Maybe it won’t
take much longer,’ she thought, but after the car had crawled along for half a kilometre, and 20
flashing orange lights confirmed the need for caution, she switched on the car radio to listen
to some calming music. But, when the radio announcer gave his audience a time check, her
anxiety increased and she hastily chose silence again. The queue of traffic edged almost
imperceptibly forward.

4 Sooner than Jennifer had expected, a cluster of huge hotels, like shiny white teeth, rose 25
against the skyline, indicating that she was approaching the airport. She took the appropriate
exit from the motorway and headed for the airport car park. It appeared to be full, and driving
up and down each lane looking for a space shaved even more precious minutes off her
schedule, until, just as she was beginning to despair, her mission was accomplished.

5 The arrivals hall was busy. Jennifer made her way through a huddle of taxi-drivers who were 30
noisily trying to attract prospective passengers, and drivers of hotel cars holding up cards on
which were displayed the names of arriving guests. An extended family of at least 30 people,
all wearing traditional dress in a blaze of colours, was gathered under the electronic board
which displayed details of flight arrivals. Jennifer wove through this group, craning her neck
to study the board. She felt her heart miss a beat at the absence of a reference to Anna’s 35
flight, before realising she was looking at information about domestic and not international
flights. She half-walked, half-ran, in the direction of international arrivals. ‘How could I be so
stupid?’ she berated herself. To her relief, the new arrivals board told her that Anna’s plane,
having been delayed by an hour, had just landed.

6 Jennifer picked a spot which gave her an excellent view of the automatic doors through 40
which her daughter would emerge once she had cleared immigration and collected her
luggage. At first the doors hissed open only occasionally as an irregular trickle of people
came through. Airport meetings can be so emotional, thought Jennifer, as passengers
arrived, their eyes scrutinising the crowd, before lighting up with joy as they recognised their
loved ones. Children fell over themselves as they rushed towards grandparents; fathers 45
and sons shook hands; friends embraced. The doors were opening more frequently now,
releasing a steadier stream of people. And suddenly, at last, there she was – Anna herself!
‘Are you all right, Mum?’ she asked anxiously, noticing her mother’s flustered expression.
‘How was your journey?’

7 ‘Oh, absolutely fine,’ laughed Jennifer. ‘And look what I got at the end of it!’ 50
© UCLES 2019 1123/22/INSERT/M/J/19
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Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
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 the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of
Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2019 1123/22/INSERT/M/J/19

 Cambridge Assessment International Education
Cambridge Ordinary Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/21

Paper 2 Reading October/November 2019
INSERT
1 hour 45 minutes
*9711702579-I*

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

This Insert contains the two reading passages.

This document consists of 3 printed pages and 1 blank page.

DC (NF) 163129/3
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 2

Passage 1

Silk

1 Silk is an exceptionally beautiful material that silkworms produce when they are making
their cocoons. Legend gives credit for the discovery of silk to Leizu, a Chinese Empress
who, having seen a cocoon fall into her tea, watched it unravel and realised the cocoon was
made from a long thread, both soft and strong, that came to be known as silk. There soon
followed – perhaps by the same Empress – the invention of silk reels and the silk looms which 5
made the silk threads and enabled them to be spun into fabric. It would be fascinating to
know if the legend is true, but what is certainly known is that silk became a valued commodity
reserved for clothing for Emperors or as gifts to be given to his court guests. Obviously, all
visitors to the royal court who were given gifts of silk would be entranced by its exclusivity.
Through time sericulture – the manufacture of silk – spread, so that ordinary people were 10
allowed to wear it. The use of silk was not confined to clothing: it had many other diverse
uses in manufacturing processes, such as for paper, fishing lines and bows for musical
instruments. At one point it was considered so valuable that it was even used as money in
some Chinese dynasties.

2 The Chinese managed to keep silk-making methods a secret for about 1000 years; its 15
manufacture was shrouded in myths, and smuggling silkworms out of China was punishable
by death. However, some smugglers were successful, and the secret spread quickly to other
parts of the world, such as Korea, Egypt, India, the Middle East and, eventually, Europe. Early
evidence of long-distance silk trade was the discovery of silk in a 3000 year-old Egyptian
mummy, and an ancient religious text describes how silk was used in purification ceremonies 20
following an outbreak of disease such as leprosy. Although many other goods, such as gold
and jade, were also exchanged, through time the trade in silk became so extensive that the
major trade route between Asia and Europe actually became known as the Silk Road.

3 Silk continues to be a valued commodity in modern times. It takes dye well and can be made
in brilliant, luminous colours. Silk has a smooth, soft texture and, because it is neither stiff 25
nor limp, it hangs well, and is ideal for elegant clothing. This elegance is enhanced by the
attractive shimmering appearance of silk, caused by its structure, which allows it to reflect
light at different angles. It blends well with fibres such as wool, camel hair or cotton, and
can also be combined with other fibres to produce, for example, chiffon, crepe de chine and
taffeta. As it is absorbent, silk is comfortable to wear in hot climates; however, because it 30
does not easily conduct heat, it keeps warm air close to the skin during cold weather, making
it suitable for all temperatures. Silk is also excellent in the manufacturing of clothing to protect
wearers against bites from insects such as mosquitoes and horseflies.

4 Wool and cotton are made of short lengths of fibre woven together; by comparison, silk is
made from long, continuous fibres which can bend or stretch without breaking, making it 35
very strong. This strength is particularly valuable in the manufacture of equipment such as
parachutes, medical stitches and other life-saving devices used by emergency services. The
durability of silk was shown when a sunken ship was brought to the sea’s surface after being
submerged for many years; silk clothing on board was intact, whereas the crew’s uniforms,
made of wool and cotton, had disappeared without trace. Silk is sometimes worn today to 40
show status or professional standing; in the legal profession in many parts of the world, for
example, top-ranking lawyers wear silk gowns.

5 The manufacture of silk also has its critics who argue that, because harvesting silkworm
cocoons involves the killing of larvae, sericulture is cruel. Mahatma Gandhi was critical of
silk-making and advocated the production of other fabrics, notably cotton. Nevertheless, the 45
demand for silk continues. The rearing of silkworms and the reeling of silk are labour-intensive
processes which are reflected in the price, meaning that many people will always be anxious
to own silk as an exclusive symbol of wealth.
© UCLES 2019 1123/21/INSERT/O/N/19
 3

Passage 2

Albert the lion

1 I had recently achieved my dream of getting a job in a zoo, but was shocked to be told that I
had to start by looking after the lion. I was determined to show no outward sign of uneasiness
when I was given this assignment, but I did feel my boss might have let me start on less
dangerous animals. However, I plucked up my courage and displayed an indifference that I
did not truly feel and set off through the zoo in search of my work area. 5

2 On arrival there, I met my colleague, Joe, who took me along the narrow path which led to
the lion’s enclosure, which was spread over three acres and was surrounded by a tall barred
fence. Moving alongside the fence, Joe and I came to an area of long, lush grass bordering a
pool, where the lion, Albert, lay picturesquely under a tree. Joe rattled a stick along the fence.
Albert merely gave us a withering look. He did not look fierce and wild to me but Joe must 10
have read my thoughts because he fixed me with an intense stare. ‘Now you listen to me,
young man,’ he said. ‘He may look tame, but he’s not. Understand?’ He surveyed me to see if
I had absorbed this lesson.

3 My first few days were fully occupied with memorising the daily chores of feeding and
cleaning, but this work was fairly basic and, once I had mastered it, I had more time for trying 15
to learn something about lions. Joe was amused that I carried an enormous notebook in my
pocket and that I would – at the slightest provocation – write down something I had noticed
about Albert’s behaviour. There is probably no other animal in folklore that has been endowed
with as many imaginary virtues as the lion has; I discovered this when I decided to read all
I could and see how it matched my own observations. Ever since someone, in a moment of 20
un-zoological enthusiasm, called it the King of Beasts, writers have vied with each other to
produce evidence of the lion’s right to this title, although, notably, no scientist has ever done
so. Some writers have praised the lion for its kindness, wisdom and courage. I soon realised
these virtues certainly did not fit Albert; he did not have an ounce of pity in his character.
On that very first morning, I was walking past his enclosure. Albert had concealed himself 25
in a thick bed of grass; suddenly and mercilessly he jumped out against the bars with a
hair-raising roar at me. He did this again on the second day, after which he squatted on his
haunches and fixed me with eyes full of ferocious amusement at my panic.

4 Once a week we had to move Albert so that we could enter the enclosure and clean it. Built
into the side of the enclosure was a large, iron-barred cage accessed by two sliding doors, 30
one into the enclosure and one to the outside world. Looking radiantly innocent, we would
place a huge piece of meat inside the cage, where Albert could both see and smell it. Then,
closing the outer door, we would raise the inner door to the enclosure so that Albert could
get to the meat, while we stood chatting outside as if there was nothing further from our
minds than trapping a lion. In defence of Albert’s intelligence, he was not fooled by any of 35
this for one minute, but it had become a sort of ritual which had to be respected or the whole
procedure would become disorganised.

5 While Albert studied the meat from a distance, we would speak in childish voices to him,
saying: ‘Would you like some meat, Albert?’ We would repeat this endlessly, and the whole
performance was made doubly ridiculous by the fact that Albert understood none of it. The 40
theory was that Albert would obligingly go into the cage to eat the meat; while he feasted we
cleaned the enclosure in safety. If Albert wasn’t taken in by any of our tricks after ten minutes,
we tried another ruse: we would saunter off down the path. But occasionally Albert would
make a sudden dash into the cage, grab his trophy, and escape with it before we had time to
slam the door on him. When that happened we just had to wait till the next day when Albert 45
would be hungry again.

© UCLES 2019 1123/21/INSERT/O/N/19

 4

BLANK PAGE

Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
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 the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of
Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2019 1123/21/INSERT/O/N/19

 Cambridge Assessment International Education
Cambridge Ordinary Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/22

Paper 2 Reading October/November 2019
INSERT
1 hour 45 minutes
*7662071653-I*

READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

This Insert contains the two reading passages.

This document consists of 3 printed pages and 1 blank page.

DC (LT) 163132/3
© UCLES 2019 [Turn over
 2

Passage 1

Honey

1 The production of honey has a fascinating history, as shown by a cave painting in Spain of
humans foraging for honey at least 8000 years ago. Honey was a sweetening ingredient in
many dishes in Greek and Egyptian cuisine, and this use is mentioned in the works of many
Roman writers, such as Pliny the Elder and Virgil. Honey also features in the mythology of
many civilisations. For example, in Greek mythology, the infant god Zeus was fed on honey, 5
and the Roman goddess of the moon was often portrayed in the shape of a honey bee. The
texts of many world religions contain references to honey. In the Jewish Bible, milk and honey
flowed through the Promised Land, in Islam the Qur’an promotes honey as a healthy and
nutritious food, and Buddha spent time in the desert where a monkey brought him honey to eat.

2 In ancient times, honey was widely used for medicinal purposes by the Egyptians, Chinese, 10
Greeks and Romans to heal cuts and burns, for example, and to cure diseases of the intestine.
It was seen to be so valuable that it was sometimes given as a precious gift. In ancient Egypt,
people who worked closely with the Pharaoh were allotted daily portions of honey, and honey
was given as a present to the Pharaoh by people living in outlying territories.

3 In an ancient tomb in Georgia, in Western Asia, a clay vessel was discovered which contained 15
the oldest remains of honey ever found, revealing that honey was used there 5000 years
ago as an embalming agent for the dead; this practice was also employed by the Egyptians,
Babylonians and Persians. Additionally, there was an established custom among some
peoples – for example, in both North and Central America – to place jars of honey in tombs
as food for the afterlife. Apple slices dipped in honey during the traditional meal for Jewish 20
New Year symbolised a sweet year ahead, and in ancient Chinese wedding ceremonies the
couple sealed their wedding vows with a drink made with honey. Thus, it can be seen that
honey also had a symbolic value.

4 The popularity of honey continues nowadays. Because it contains antioxidants, it may

improve our bodies’ immunity to many illnesses, even potentially fatal ones. It is thought 25
that honey might be beneficial for patients recovering from illness, with one British hospital
in 2006 reporting that it planned to use honey to speed up the healing process of patients
after surgery. Such research may provide scientific evidence for unconfirmed beliefs, held
by honey-lovers all over the world, that honey possesses healing properties. Honey mixed
with lemon is a reliable cure for coughs and colds. In fact, the World Health Organisation 30
recommends honey as a treatment for coughs and sore throats, even for young children,
stating that there is no reason to believe it is less effective than any man-made remedy such
as pharmaceutical medicines.

5 Honey is a source of many vitamins and minerals, the most common ones being Vitamin C,
calcium and iron; other benefits depend on the type of flowers used by the bees to make their 35
honey. In contrast, if you check the content of any other sweetener, you will find it doesn’t
contain any vitamins and minerals, or only very few. Because eating honey is a good way to
maintain blood sugar levels and encourages muscle recuperation after a workout, it improves
athletic performance.

6 Mixed with milk, honey helps to create smooth skin; consuming this combination every day 40
is a common practice in many countries, and the best shower gels and shampoos are those
advertising that they contain milk and honey. It is thought by some dieticians that, because
honey contains a unique blend of natural sugars, it triggers changes in the body which ensure
we won’t crave other sweet foods. This claim has given rise to a weight loss programme
based on honey, which supposedly makes it possible to lose more than a kilo in a week. 45

7 And when we realise that, even when we are not trying to lose weight, honey can be a part
of our normal diet – for example by being added to tea or to various sauces and cakes – we
would all agree that honey is just delicious!
© UCLES 2019 1123/22/INSERT/O/N/19
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Passage 2

Hortense

1 From the age of two, the only thing I ever wanted to do was to study animals and become a
zoologist. I am an exceptionally lucky person; people say that a child whose ambition is to
have a particular job rarely grows up to fulfil that role. But my dream came true when I got the
job I’d always wanted.

2 Throughout my formative years, I drove my family mad by catching or buying, and bringing 5
into the house, every conceivable type of creature, ranging from monkeys to the common
garden snail. My family members comforted each other with the thought that my hobby was
just a phase I was passing through and that I would soon grow out of it, although they were
harassed by my vast assortment of wildlife. But with each fresh acquisition my interest in
animals deepened until, by my late teens, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I wanted to 10
be a collector of animals for zoos.

3 One day I received a phone call from a school friend who lived in the countryside and who
possessed a deer, called Hortense, which he had looked after since its birth and which he
described – wrongly, as I discovered later – as young. He explained that, as he was moving to
a town apartment, he was unable to keep his pet, even though it was tame and house-trained, 15
he said, and his father could deliver it to me within twenty-four hours, or even sooner. I should
have picked up on his desperation to be rid of it.

4 I was in a quandary. I should have asked my mother how she felt about the addition of a
deer to my already extensive animal collection, but she was not at home. However, the deer
owner was clamouring for an immediate reply, saying that, unless I took it, it would have 20
to be humanely destroyed. That clinched it. It was not a wise decision but I agreed to take
Hortense the following day, without even having seen him. By the time my mother returned,
I had rehearsed my story over and over again, a story that would have softened a heart of
stone, much less such a susceptible one as she had. She said that to allow it to be killed was
unthinkable when we could keep it in a tiny corner of the garage. 25

5 Hortense arrived the next day. Stepping from his truck, he delicately plucked one of my
mother’s prize roses, which he proceeded to chew slowly. He had a pair of horns with a forest
of lethal-looking spikes, and he was about four feet high. Hurriedly, before my mother could
recover from the shock of Hortense’s appearance, I thanked the boy and his father profusely,
attached a rope to Hortense’s collar, and took him into the garage. Before I could tie him up, 30
he spotted a wheelbarrow which he tried to toss into the air with his horns. ‘I do hope he isn’t
going to be fierce,’ said my mother worriedly. ‘You know how Larry feels about fierce things.’ I
knew only too well how my elder brother felt about any animal, fierce or otherwise, and I was
delighted that both he and my sister were out when Hortense arrived.

6 All that week I managed to keep Hortense away from my family, but my success was short- 35
lived. One bright sunny afternoon, when Hortense and I got back from our walk, with me
leading him by a rope attached to his collar, we were treated to the sight of the family seated
round the garden table laden with sandwiches, teacups, cakes and a large bowl of raspberries
and cream. Hortense decided that the table was a four-legged enemy, so he lowered his head
and charged, whipping his rope out of my fingers. He hit the table, getting his horns tangled 40
in the tablecloth and scattering food in all directions. My mother and sister were scalded with
tea and my brother Larry was covered with raspberries and cream.

7 ‘This is the last straw,’ roared Larry, ‘so get that animal out of here!’ He pointed a quivering
finger at Hortense, who, astonished by the havoc he had created, was standing there
demurely with the tablecloth hitched to his horns. So, in spite of my pleas, Hortense was 45
banished to a nearby farm, and with his departure vanished my only chance of experience
with large animals in the home.

© UCLES 2019 1123/22/INSERT/O/N/19

 4

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Assessment International Education Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download
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Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

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 Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/21

Paper 2 Reading May/June 2020

INSERT 1 hour 45 minutes

INFORMATION
*7225849473-I*

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 2

Passage 1

Coconuts

1 Coconut trees are grown in more than 90 countries in the world, with 61 million tonnes of
coconuts being produced every year. There is a long tradition in coconut-producing countries
of using them to make food. For example, coconut oil is used for frying and making margarine,
while desiccated coconut or coconut milk is added to curries and other savoury dishes, and
the fleshy part of the coconut is used in confectionery and desserts. Drink, as well as food, 5
is manufactured from coconuts; sap is taken from the tree’s flowers and made into a drink
called toddy, which can be either alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Coconut oil added to shower gels
and shampoos, as well as shells ground down and added to skin products, are only two ways
in which coconuts are used in the beauty industry.

2 The leaves of the coconut tree are woven together to thatch roofs and provide a cheap 10
alternative to other types of material. Additionally, timber from coconut trees is utilised to
make houses and boats, and whole tree trunks are used to build small bridges and huts,
being preferred to other wood because the coconut trunk is straighter and stronger than many
other trees. Moreover, coconut trees are ecologically sound alternatives to other wood which
may be endangered. A strong fibre called coir, which comes from coconut husks, is ideal 15
for manufacturing use; it also has the advantage of being waterproof and is one of the few
natural fibres resistant to damage by sea water. Brown coir, which comes from ripe coconuts,
is used in the manufacture of upholstery and sacking, while white coir, which comes from
unripe coconuts, is made into string, rope and fishing nets.

3 Coconuts have particular significance in some societies, where they are used in certain 20
religious ceremonies. In Hinduism they are sometimes decorated with symbols of good
fortune; in various places fishermen may offer coconuts to a sea god at the start of a fishing
season. Coconuts have cultural importance in some countries where they appear in coats of
arms or are displayed as national emblems, for example in The Maldives.

4 However, although demand for coconuts has reached an unprecedented level in some parts 25
of the world, there are problems associated with their production. In some countries, a new
kind of bacteria is wiping out coconut trees and, although this isn’t happening in the biggest
coconut-producing countries, it is an ominous sign for the rest of the world. Seeds of various
fruits can be stored in vaults in case of future disease or shortage, but seed vaults are less
successful with coconut seeds than with other fruits as their water content is much higher. 30
Coconut trees take around five years to mature, which means at least five years between
each generation of trees. This slows down coconut production compared to a crop like corn
which matures in just a few months. Coconut trees grow to over 25 metres high, which makes
harvesting them by hand very dangerous; in some plantations monkeys have been trained
to perform this task because of their speed and agility, although using animals in this way is 35
undoubtedly cruel.

5 Most coconut growers are small-time farmers, so they don’t have money to invest in seed
vaults. In other industries, for example palm oil production, big companies usually pay for this
and other research, but this is not the case with coconuts. Fairtrade programmes ensure a
fair wage for those engaged in the tea, coffee and chocolate industries. However, initiatives 40
designed to help workers in the coconut industry are slow to filter through. Obviously,
everyone hopes this situation will change in the near future.

6 Much is made of the health benefits of coconut products with advertisers claiming that they
are good sources of antioxidants. However, it is clear that some people are being taken in
by clever marketing because in fact coconut products contain lower levels of antioxidants 45
than vegetables and other fruit. Dieticians warn that coconut oil contains even higher levels
of saturated fats than butter, and this is likely to increase ‘bad’ cholesterol, the kind which
causes heart disease and stroke. One cup of unsweetened coconut contains many calories
which means that too much coconut consumption is likely to result in weight gain.
© UCLES 2020 1123/21/INSERT/M/J/20
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Passage 2

Leaving Home

1 As a little girl I used to run, scarper and dash off, whenever I had the chance. I hated to be
held by the hand or expected to walk in an orderly fashion. I wanted nothing more than to be
on the move, with the street or the garden or the field reeling past. I was perhaps four or five
years old when I first got lost, which was my mother’s constant prediction every time I ran off
or struggled to be free. We once visited a ruined castle on an uninhabited island, a boat ride 5
away from the coast near our home. I had lagged behind, running up and down in zigzag
formations, until I found myself alone, fearsomely but thrillingly alone, on a track in the middle
of a remote island.

2 I wandered, awestruck by this sudden turn of events, convinced that my family would have
got the ferry back to the mainland without me and I would have to look after myself on this 10
wind-battered slice of land. The world was suddenly still; I could stand in the quiet of my own
skin. I could hear only the crunch of my sandals on the grit and the whirring of the wind in the
trees at the side of the path. Where would I sleep? Who would tell me when to go to bed? Left
to my own devices, what would I eat? Then some ladies found me and took me back to the
quay where my family had been frantically looking for me. 15

3 Later in childhood, I ran away from home. It was a move to which I had given a great deal
of consideration, especially as to what I would take with me – a sandwich and the cat.
The cause of my departure was a meal I didn’t want and a disagreement about clothing. I
remember rushing to the cupboard, unhooking my coat from its peg, shoving my hands with
some difficulty into its unyielding woollen sleeves and fastening the brown buttons, one by 20
decisive one. This is it, I was thinking; I am leaving.

4 I yanked open the door, with its frosted glass, through which I had first seen my younger
sister approaching up the front path, held in my mother’s arms – a small, misty, white bundle
topped with fiery red, which turned out to be a baby with auburn hair the closer to the house
they got. I stepped through that door, letting it slam with a satisfying thud, and I was off, down 25
the path, through the rickety white gate and along the pavement, my legs racing under me,
my shoes scuffed – always scuffed no matter how often they were polished – clattering past
the neighbours’ gardens and slumbering kerb-side cats.

5 Ironically, I stopped at the crossroads, watching the cars go by; this was the limit of my solitary
world, and as far as I was permitted to go alone. My older sister and I would loiter here on 30
occasion, longing for my father to come home from work if we had important news to impart:
the death of a pet fish, the arrival of a visitor, my sister leaping off the sofa and hitting her
nose on the side of the bookcase. I was standing here, wondering whether my leaving home
would mean that I was now no longer bound by my family’s rules, when my mother caught
up with me. She had run from the house in her bare feet. For a moment, as I saw her bearing 35
down on me, I thought she was angry, that I was in terrible trouble. However, her face was
wet with tears. Unexpectedly, she caught me in a close, enveloping embrace, and murmured,
‘Don’t go, don’t go,’ into my hair.

6 I was reminded of this moment when, almost two decades later, I said goodbye to her as I
was leaving to work on the other side of the world. We were on the station platform and my 40
train was approaching. I was about to get on it, and I wouldn’t be back for a long, long time.
My mother didn’t tell me not to go, but her grip on my shoulder transmitted her awareness
that I was always going to leave, that we both knew that the urge had always been in me.

© UCLES 2020 1123/21/INSERT/M/J/20

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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.

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Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

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 Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/22

Paper 2 Reading May/June 2020

INSERT 1 hour 45 minutes

INFORMATION
*0316266751-I*

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 2

Passage 1

Olives

1 Olive trees have been cultivated for thousands of years, and today are still one of the
world’s most extensively grown fruit crops. In traditional herbal medicine, products made
from olives and olive leaves were often used in the treatment of inflammatory problems,
including allergy-related inflammation. Different parts of the tree featured in ancient sporting
events; for example, in the Olympic Games olive branches were used to crown the winning 5
athletes and competitors smeared their bodies in olive oil to strengthen themselves both
physically and mentally. The olive branch was seen in ancient times as a symbol of glory in
warfare, used to crown victors in battles. Additionally, in ancient Rome, defeated generals
used to hold an olive branch as a symbol of peace. The same peace symbol is used today
by the United Nations; this modern global organisation strives to bring together its member 10
countries in an enduring quest for a peaceful world and uses the olive branch as its logo.

2 The olive tree is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible: an olive branch was brought back to Noah
by a dove to demonstrate that the flood was over. But this is not the only link between the
olive tree and religion. The Mount of Olives is mentioned several times in the Christian New
Testament, and the olive is praised as a precious fruit in the Quran. Olive oil was considered 15
to have a ceremonial significance, reflected in the fact that it was used to anoint kings and
priests in many ancient civilisations.

3 There was much wealth to be derived from olive cultivation; for example, more than 5000
years ago, olives grown in Crete may have been the source of the wealth of the mighty
Minoan civilisation, which was renowned for its unique art and stunning architecture. Olives 20
are mentioned in ancient Greek literature, as well as in some Greek myths – for instance,
the goddess Athena won the patronage of an area of Greece by giving olives to the god
Poseidon. This shows that olives featured in ancient writings. They also appear in the factual
text written 2300 years ago by the father of botany, Theophrastus; he wrote a marvellous
account of how olive trees should be tended. Olive wood was used in ancient building to tie 25
together outer and inner walls, giving them lasting endurance as such strong wood did not
decay because of the weather.

4 Modern research has found that oleocanthal, a chemical found in olive oil, inhibits
inflammation in the same way that some drugs do, and acts as a natural painkiller. Like
other fruits and vegetables, olives are rich in antioxidants, which may protect people from 30
developing certain types of cancer. When it comes to antioxidant power, most of the positive
evidence is linked to food and not vitamin supplements. The consumption of olives, because
they are high in fibre, is also linked to a healthy digestive system and the avoidance of some
digestive-related diseases such as gastritis.

5 Vitamin A is crucial for eye health while vitamin E protects the skin from the sun’s ultraviolet 35
rays, thus helping to prevent some skin diseases and premature ageing. Research shows
that olives are rich in both vitamin A and vitamin E. Olives contain fat but, because it is
heart-healthy monounsaturated fat which helps lower levels of the ‘bad’ cholesterol that
increases risk of heart disease, olives are often described as a super-food. It must be borne
in mind, however, that although the fat found in olives is healthy, it contains a lot of calories; 40
eating too many calories, no matter their source, may lead to weight gain, and weight gain is
something we all want to avoid.

6 Olive trees have even more uses. Olives have a long association with fine cooking; they
make a particularly delicious addition to many meals and it is no coincidence that so many
restaurants use the word ‘olive’ in their title. Many people also use olive oil to enhance 45
their appearance by applying a few drops on vulnerable areas of the face and letting the oil
work for fifteen minutes before rinsing off. Similar treatment for hair is popular. Because of
the commercial importance of the fruit, and the slow growth and relatively small size of the
tree, olive wood, which is used to make products such as kitchen utensils, fine furniture and
decorative items, is relatively expensive. Nevertheless, it is much prized for its durability and 50
the interesting patterns in its grain.

© UCLES 2020 1123/22/INSERT/M/J/20

 3

Passage 2

The Garage

1 One day my mother told me about an accident I nearly had in my early childhood. We had
been shopping when I was only three years old, and when we came back she drove the
car into the garage, telling me to stay in my seat in the back of the car while she took the
shopping from the front seat. She did that and was just about to slam the door shut when
she saw that I had got out of the car. I was standing beside her with my hand holding on to 5
the inside edge of the door frame. ‘I very nearly squashed your fingers,’ she said. She held
up the thumb and first finger of her right hand, narrowly parted. There was a short silence. I
was thinking that perhaps I should apologise for being the kind of child who never did as she
was told, persistently putting herself in the way of danger.

2 Although I have no memory of that event, I do remember the garage. I thought it a fascinating 10
but slightly frightening place, with oil stains, thick and pungent, on the concrete floor which,
if looked at one way, could transform into rainbows, shiny and fleeting. It had dark red
doors and a window behind which a confused bird once became trapped, its wings flapping
incessantly. My father wrestled with the catch, which had been painted shut, while the bird
dived again and again into the glass, unable to comprehend that it would not yield. Finally, 15
the catch gave way and the bird flew out, swooping once over the flowerbed, then away
over the hedge. In my memory the garage was a cobwebby, dim place, filled with spades
and other gardening tools, an axe hanging on a high nail. One summer we set up a childish
museum in the garage, arranging our exhibits on the workbench. They included, among
other mismatched and valueless things, some old postage stamps, several dead insects 20
and some pieces of rock.

3 Our cat chose the garage as the place to give birth to her kittens. Awed and delighted, our
family visited her and her new family to worship at the side of the cardboard box which was
their temporary home. We watched the four squirming bodies as they burrowed into their
mother’s grey-striped fur. My mother instructed my sister and me not to touch the kittens, 25
not yet, and we nodded gravely. As soon as she had left the shrine and gone back to the
kitchen, however, I told my sister to keep watch at the garage door. I reasoned with her that
obviously there was no way I was going to leave those kittens untouched. No way at all.
The sheer joy of plunging my hands into the box and lifting up all four kittens in a mewing,
writhing mass and burying my face in their softness, their never-walked-on paws: how could 30
I pass up this opportunity?

4 The cat looked at me with eyes that were alert but which also seemed to me to be full of
forgiveness. She knew it wasn’t possible for me to follow my mother’s edict – there was no
way I could. She purred when I gently touched the kittens, stretching out an ecstatic paw to
touch me on the wrist. 35

5 That cat lived an astonishing twenty-one years. There are photographs in my parents’
house of me holding her when I was a self-conscious ten-year-old, with teeth too large and
numerous crowding my mouth, and photographs of me as an adult with the cat on my lap.
When I was living at the other side of the world, years after the birth of those kittens, my
sister, who was by then a veterinary surgeon, phoned me to say that the cat who, a lifetime 40
ago, gave birth to kittens in a cardboard box in our garage, had died of old age. She had
been sick and could not survive another operation. My sister and I clutched the ends of
our respective phones close to our ears, separated by mountains and countries and seas,
reluctant to end the call because we both knew what would happen next. We would be
transported back to that moment in childhood when we were separated by only the length of 45
the garage, as she stood, an anxious sentinel, keeping watch, her head turning between me
and the house, as I bent over the cardboard box and lifted the kittens out.

© UCLES 2020 1123/22/INSERT/M/J/20

 4

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Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
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 the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of
Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2020 1123/22/INSERT/M/J/20

 Cambridge Assessment International Education
Cambridge Ordinary Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/21

Paper 2 Reading October/November 2019
INSERT
1 hour 45 minutes
*9711702579-I*

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 2

Passage 1

Silk

1 Silk is an exceptionally beautiful material that silkworms produce when they are making
their cocoons. Legend gives credit for the discovery of silk to Leizu, a Chinese Empress
who, having seen a cocoon fall into her tea, watched it unravel and realised the cocoon was
made from a long thread, both soft and strong, that came to be known as silk. There soon
followed – perhaps by the same Empress – the invention of silk reels and the silk looms which 5
made the silk threads and enabled them to be spun into fabric. It would be fascinating to
know if the legend is true, but what is certainly known is that silk became a valued commodity
reserved for clothing for Emperors or as gifts to be given to his court guests. Obviously, all
visitors to the royal court who were given gifts of silk would be entranced by its exclusivity.
Through time sericulture – the manufacture of silk – spread, so that ordinary people were 10
allowed to wear it. The use of silk was not confined to clothing: it had many other diverse
uses in manufacturing processes, such as for paper, fishing lines and bows for musical
instruments. At one point it was considered so valuable that it was even used as money in
some Chinese dynasties.

2 The Chinese managed to keep silk-making methods a secret for about 1000 years; its 15
manufacture was shrouded in myths, and smuggling silkworms out of China was punishable
by death. However, some smugglers were successful, and the secret spread quickly to other
parts of the world, such as Korea, Egypt, India, the Middle East and, eventually, Europe. Early
evidence of long-distance silk trade was the discovery of silk in a 3000 year-old Egyptian
mummy, and an ancient religious text describes how silk was used in purification ceremonies 20
following an outbreak of disease such as leprosy. Although many other goods, such as gold
and jade, were also exchanged, through time the trade in silk became so extensive that the
major trade route between Asia and Europe actually became known as the Silk Road.

3 Silk continues to be a valued commodity in modern times. It takes dye well and can be made
in brilliant, luminous colours. Silk has a smooth, soft texture and, because it is neither stiff 25
nor limp, it hangs well, and is ideal for elegant clothing. This elegance is enhanced by the
attractive shimmering appearance of silk, caused by its structure, which allows it to reflect
light at different angles. It blends well with fibres such as wool, camel hair or cotton, and
can also be combined with other fibres to produce, for example, chiffon, crepe de chine and
taffeta. As it is absorbent, silk is comfortable to wear in hot climates; however, because it 30
does not easily conduct heat, it keeps warm air close to the skin during cold weather, making
it suitable for all temperatures. Silk is also excellent in the manufacturing of clothing to protect
wearers against bites from insects such as mosquitoes and horseflies.

4 Wool and cotton are made of short lengths of fibre woven together; by comparison, silk is
made from long, continuous fibres which can bend or stretch without breaking, making it 35
very strong. This strength is particularly valuable in the manufacture of equipment such as
parachutes, medical stitches and other life-saving devices used by emergency services. The
durability of silk was shown when a sunken ship was brought to the sea’s surface after being
submerged for many years; silk clothing on board was intact, whereas the crew’s uniforms,
made of wool and cotton, had disappeared without trace. Silk is sometimes worn today to 40
show status or professional standing; in the legal profession in many parts of the world, for
example, top-ranking lawyers wear silk gowns.

5 The manufacture of silk also has its critics who argue that, because harvesting silkworm
cocoons involves the killing of larvae, sericulture is cruel. Mahatma Gandhi was critical of
silk-making and advocated the production of other fabrics, notably cotton. Nevertheless, the 45
demand for silk continues. The rearing of silkworms and the reeling of silk are labour-intensive
processes which are reflected in the price, meaning that many people will always be anxious
to own silk as an exclusive symbol of wealth.
© UCLES 2019 1123/21/INSERT/O/N/19
 3

Passage 2

Albert the lion

1 I had recently achieved my dream of getting a job in a zoo, but was shocked to be told that I
had to start by looking after the lion. I was determined to show no outward sign of uneasiness
when I was given this assignment, but I did feel my boss might have let me start on less
dangerous animals. However, I plucked up my courage and displayed an indifference that I
did not truly feel and set off through the zoo in search of my work area. 5

2 On arrival there, I met my colleague, Joe, who took me along the narrow path which led to
the lion’s enclosure, which was spread over three acres and was surrounded by a tall barred
fence. Moving alongside the fence, Joe and I came to an area of long, lush grass bordering a
pool, where the lion, Albert, lay picturesquely under a tree. Joe rattled a stick along the fence.
Albert merely gave us a withering look. He did not look fierce and wild to me but Joe must 10
have read my thoughts because he fixed me with an intense stare. ‘Now you listen to me,
young man,’ he said. ‘He may look tame, but he’s not. Understand?’ He surveyed me to see if
I had absorbed this lesson.

3 My first few days were fully occupied with memorising the daily chores of feeding and
cleaning, but this work was fairly basic and, once I had mastered it, I had more time for trying 15
to learn something about lions. Joe was amused that I carried an enormous notebook in my
pocket and that I would – at the slightest provocation – write down something I had noticed
about Albert’s behaviour. There is probably no other animal in folklore that has been endowed
with as many imaginary virtues as the lion has; I discovered this when I decided to read all
I could and see how it matched my own observations. Ever since someone, in a moment of 20
un-zoological enthusiasm, called it the King of Beasts, writers have vied with each other to
produce evidence of the lion’s right to this title, although, notably, no scientist has ever done
so. Some writers have praised the lion for its kindness, wisdom and courage. I soon realised
these virtues certainly did not fit Albert; he did not have an ounce of pity in his character.
On that very first morning, I was walking past his enclosure. Albert had concealed himself 25
in a thick bed of grass; suddenly and mercilessly he jumped out against the bars with a
hair-raising roar at me. He did this again on the second day, after which he squatted on his
haunches and fixed me with eyes full of ferocious amusement at my panic.

4 Once a week we had to move Albert so that we could enter the enclosure and clean it. Built
into the side of the enclosure was a large, iron-barred cage accessed by two sliding doors, 30
one into the enclosure and one to the outside world. Looking radiantly innocent, we would
place a huge piece of meat inside the cage, where Albert could both see and smell it. Then,
closing the outer door, we would raise the inner door to the enclosure so that Albert could
get to the meat, while we stood chatting outside as if there was nothing further from our
minds than trapping a lion. In defence of Albert’s intelligence, he was not fooled by any of 35
this for one minute, but it had become a sort of ritual which had to be respected or the whole
procedure would become disorganised.

5 While Albert studied the meat from a distance, we would speak in childish voices to him,
saying: ‘Would you like some meat, Albert?’ We would repeat this endlessly, and the whole
performance was made doubly ridiculous by the fact that Albert understood none of it. The 40
theory was that Albert would obligingly go into the cage to eat the meat; while he feasted we
cleaned the enclosure in safety. If Albert wasn’t taken in by any of our tricks after ten minutes,
we tried another ruse: we would saunter off down the path. But occasionally Albert would
make a sudden dash into the cage, grab his trophy, and escape with it before we had time to
slam the door on him. When that happened we just had to wait till the next day when Albert 45
would be hungry again.

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Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

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 Cambridge Assessment International Education
Cambridge Ordinary Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/22

Paper 2 Reading October/November 2019
INSERT
1 hour 45 minutes
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 2

Passage 1

Honey

1 The production of honey has a fascinating history, as shown by a cave painting in Spain of
humans foraging for honey at least 8000 years ago. Honey was a sweetening ingredient in
many dishes in Greek and Egyptian cuisine, and this use is mentioned in the works of many
Roman writers, such as Pliny the Elder and Virgil. Honey also features in the mythology of
many civilisations. For example, in Greek mythology, the infant god Zeus was fed on honey, 5
and the Roman goddess of the moon was often portrayed in the shape of a honey bee. The
texts of many world religions contain references to honey. In the Jewish Bible, milk and honey
flowed through the Promised Land, in Islam the Qur’an promotes honey as a healthy and
nutritious food, and Buddha spent time in the desert where a monkey brought him honey to eat.

2 In ancient times, honey was widely used for medicinal purposes by the Egyptians, Chinese, 10
Greeks and Romans to heal cuts and burns, for example, and to cure diseases of the intestine.
It was seen to be so valuable that it was sometimes given as a precious gift. In ancient Egypt,
people who worked closely with the Pharaoh were allotted daily portions of honey, and honey
was given as a present to the Pharaoh by people living in outlying territories.

3 In an ancient tomb in Georgia, in Western Asia, a clay vessel was discovered which contained 15
the oldest remains of honey ever found, revealing that honey was used there 5000 years
ago as an embalming agent for the dead; this practice was also employed by the Egyptians,
Babylonians and Persians. Additionally, there was an established custom among some
peoples – for example, in both North and Central America – to place jars of honey in tombs
as food for the afterlife. Apple slices dipped in honey during the traditional meal for Jewish 20
New Year symbolised a sweet year ahead, and in ancient Chinese wedding ceremonies the
couple sealed their wedding vows with a drink made with honey. Thus, it can be seen that
honey also had a symbolic value.

4 The popularity of honey continues nowadays. Because it contains antioxidants, it may

improve our bodies’ immunity to many illnesses, even potentially fatal ones. It is thought 25
that honey might be beneficial for patients recovering from illness, with one British hospital
in 2006 reporting that it planned to use honey to speed up the healing process of patients
after surgery. Such research may provide scientific evidence for unconfirmed beliefs, held
by honey-lovers all over the world, that honey possesses healing properties. Honey mixed
with lemon is a reliable cure for coughs and colds. In fact, the World Health Organisation 30
recommends honey as a treatment for coughs and sore throats, even for young children,
stating that there is no reason to believe it is less effective than any man-made remedy such
as pharmaceutical medicines.

5 Honey is a source of many vitamins and minerals, the most common ones being Vitamin C,
calcium and iron; other benefits depend on the type of flowers used by the bees to make their 35
honey. In contrast, if you check the content of any other sweetener, you will find it doesn’t
contain any vitamins and minerals, or only very few. Because eating honey is a good way to
maintain blood sugar levels and encourages muscle recuperation after a workout, it improves
athletic performance.

6 Mixed with milk, honey helps to create smooth skin; consuming this combination every day 40
is a common practice in many countries, and the best shower gels and shampoos are those
advertising that they contain milk and honey. It is thought by some dieticians that, because
honey contains a unique blend of natural sugars, it triggers changes in the body which ensure
we won’t crave other sweet foods. This claim has given rise to a weight loss programme
based on honey, which supposedly makes it possible to lose more than a kilo in a week. 45

7 And when we realise that, even when we are not trying to lose weight, honey can be a part
of our normal diet – for example by being added to tea or to various sauces and cakes – we
would all agree that honey is just delicious!
© UCLES 2019 1123/22/INSERT/O/N/19
 3

Passage 2

Hortense

1 From the age of two, the only thing I ever wanted to do was to study animals and become a
zoologist. I am an exceptionally lucky person; people say that a child whose ambition is to
have a particular job rarely grows up to fulfil that role. But my dream came true when I got the
job I’d always wanted.

2 Throughout my formative years, I drove my family mad by catching or buying, and bringing 5
into the house, every conceivable type of creature, ranging from monkeys to the common
garden snail. My family members comforted each other with the thought that my hobby was
just a phase I was passing through and that I would soon grow out of it, although they were
harassed by my vast assortment of wildlife. But with each fresh acquisition my interest in
animals deepened until, by my late teens, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I wanted to 10
be a collector of animals for zoos.

3 One day I received a phone call from a school friend who lived in the countryside and who
possessed a deer, called Hortense, which he had looked after since its birth and which he
described – wrongly, as I discovered later – as young. He explained that, as he was moving to
a town apartment, he was unable to keep his pet, even though it was tame and house-trained, 15
he said, and his father could deliver it to me within twenty-four hours, or even sooner. I should
have picked up on his desperation to be rid of it.

4 I was in a quandary. I should have asked my mother how she felt about the addition of a
deer to my already extensive animal collection, but she was not at home. However, the deer
owner was clamouring for an immediate reply, saying that, unless I took it, it would have 20
to be humanely destroyed. That clinched it. It was not a wise decision but I agreed to take
Hortense the following day, without even having seen him. By the time my mother returned,
I had rehearsed my story over and over again, a story that would have softened a heart of
stone, much less such a susceptible one as she had. She said that to allow it to be killed was
unthinkable when we could keep it in a tiny corner of the garage. 25

5 Hortense arrived the next day. Stepping from his truck, he delicately plucked one of my
mother’s prize roses, which he proceeded to chew slowly. He had a pair of horns with a forest
of lethal-looking spikes, and he was about four feet high. Hurriedly, before my mother could
recover from the shock of Hortense’s appearance, I thanked the boy and his father profusely,
attached a rope to Hortense’s collar, and took him into the garage. Before I could tie him up, 30
he spotted a wheelbarrow which he tried to toss into the air with his horns. ‘I do hope he isn’t
going to be fierce,’ said my mother worriedly. ‘You know how Larry feels about fierce things.’ I
knew only too well how my elder brother felt about any animal, fierce or otherwise, and I was
delighted that both he and my sister were out when Hortense arrived.

6 All that week I managed to keep Hortense away from my family, but my success was short- 35
lived. One bright sunny afternoon, when Hortense and I got back from our walk, with me
leading him by a rope attached to his collar, we were treated to the sight of the family seated
round the garden table laden with sandwiches, teacups, cakes and a large bowl of raspberries
and cream. Hortense decided that the table was a four-legged enemy, so he lowered his head
and charged, whipping his rope out of my fingers. He hit the table, getting his horns tangled 40
in the tablecloth and scattering food in all directions. My mother and sister were scalded with
tea and my brother Larry was covered with raspberries and cream.

7 ‘This is the last straw,’ roared Larry, ‘so get that animal out of here!’ He pointed a quivering
finger at Hortense, who, astonished by the havoc he had created, was standing there
demurely with the tablecloth hitched to his horns. So, in spite of my pleas, Hortense was 45
banished to a nearby farm, and with his departure vanished my only chance of experience
with large animals in the home.

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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
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Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2019 1123/22/INSERT/O/N/19

 Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/21

Paper 2 Reading May/June 2021

INSERT 1 hour 45 minutes

INFORMATION
*3840857356-I*

● This insert contains the reading passages.

● You may annotate this insert and use the blank spaces for planning. Do not write your answers on the
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DC (CE) 198160/2
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 2

Passage 1

Nutmeg

1 The earliest known use of the spice called nutmeg was 3500 years ago on Pulau Ai, one of
the Banda Islands in Indonesia; we know this because traces of the spice were found there
on a fragment of pottery dating from that time. Until the middle of the nineteenth century,
the Banda Islands were the only places in the world where nutmeg was grown. Before that,
during the Middle Ages, Arab traders discovered nutmeg there and sold it to the Venetians. 5
The Arabs did not divulge the exact location of their Asian source; the Venetians were unable
to deduce it, and thus prices could be kept high.

2 In 1511, the Portuguese conquered Malacca, the hub of Asian trade. Portuguese sailors
found the source of nutmeg by recruiting sailors from Malacca who knew where that source
was. They spent about a month on the Banda Islands, buying and filling their ships with this 10
precious commodity which they took back to sell more widely in Europe, not just in Venice.
Demand for nutmeg spread because it became a prized spice in European societies; it was
seen as a symbol of wealth, being used in elaborate cuisine, and was considered a cure
for the plague. Later, Dutch ships arrived in the Banda Islands and took control of nutmeg
production following a war with the local people. The Dutch East India Company constructed 15
a comprehensive nutmeg trading system during the seventeenth century which included – as
well as plantations – forts to defend the stores of spice. Nutmeg was a convenient product to
trade because, as with other spices, it was small, easily transported and durable.

3 In time, the British were able to negotiate a monopoly of nutmeg on one of the Banda Islands
by agreeing, in exchange, to protect the islanders from the Dutch. They later took control 20
of all the Banda Islands and transported nutmeg trees, along with their soil, to Sri Lanka,
Penang and Singapore in order to increase production.

4 Nutmeg continues to be a valuable commodity in modern times. It is used in the cooking

of savoury dishes and crosses many cultural boundaries, being used in, for example,
Indonesian, Indian and European cuisine such as potato and pasta dishes. Similarly, it has 25
many uses in the cooking of sweet dishes and desserts in countries such as Malaysia and
Brunei; a pinch of nutmeg added to rice pudding is delicious. In the Caribbean, a Barbados
rum punch is sprinkled with nutmeg, which is also a traditional ingredient in mulled wine,
showing that nutmeg finds its way not only into food but also into many drinks.

5 The seed of the nutmeg tree gives us not only the nutmeg spice, but the seed covering 30
gives us mace, which has a more delicate flavour. Mace is preferable to nutmeg as it imparts
a saffron-like hue to enhance the appearance of the dish. Essential nutmeg oil, so-called
because it contains the essence of the plant’s fragrance, is sometimes preferred in cooking
because it leaves no particles in the food.

6 Nutmeg has a role in the industrial world. Nutmeg butter, a commodity produced by pressing 35
nutmeg seeds, can be used as an industrial lubricant to reduce friction between surfaces in
contact with one another. Our appearance and well-being can be enhanced through the use
of nutmeg. A paste made with nutmeg and honey applied to the face definitely produces a
clear and beautiful complexion and many cosmetics and perfumes are made with nutmeg
oil. Because nutmeg helps to remove toxins from the body, it is used in some toothpastes 40
to prevent bad breath. People might have been wrong to think that nutmeg could cure the
plague, but now many people see medicinal benefits in it. Adding a pinch of it to a glass of
warm milk is said to cure insomnia and grating nutmeg into soup may aid digestion; it has even
been linked to reducing depression and helping concentration. However, as research shows,
nutmeg should be taken in moderation as, when used in excess, it can cause hallucinations 45
and other mental health disorders.

© UCLES 2021 1123/21/INSERT/M/J/21

 3

Passage 2

Tending The Olive Trees

1 Summer was approaching at a galloping pace. Every plant was showing early signs of wilting
in the heat and for the next two months would need to be watered daily. My husband had a
long-standing arrangement to work overseas and I felt sadness at his departure. Then our
farm worker, Quashia, announced out of the blue that he had business to attend to elsewhere;
he assured me that, if I needed anything, I only had to contact Rene, a good friend of his. 5

2 Unfortunately, it soon became clear that a fungal infection was spreading wildly through the
olive trees. I phoned Rene, who told me that the sickness had to be treated with chemicals
as soon as possible. ‘Is there no other way?’ I begged. I sensed his impatience at what he
perceived as my naïve approach to farming; he knew spraying trees did not fit in with my idea
of running the farm organically. ‘Are you absolutely certain there is no natural cure we can 10
come up with?’ He shook his head solemnly and told me that there was another problem:
olive trees are prey to flies during seasons of extreme heat, and these flies were particularly
rife that year.

3 I stared at the trees in dismay; infected trees could jeopardise our status as olive farmers. I told
Rene I had read of another system being tried out to combat those flies, using traps attached 15
to the branches. ‘It’s not efficient,’ he replied. ‘Any farmer will back me up on this. Ninety per
cent of the olives are attacked anyway, fall too soon and rot. Still, it’s up to you if that is your
approach.’ Rene had an edge to his voice I had rarely heard before and I reluctantly agreed.
‘Trust my expertise,’ he said. ‘I can do this, although I can’t manage without assistance.’

4 This was reasonable; he was seventy-six years old, and there were almost eighty trees to 20
treat over many terraces. Rene suggested bringing someone with him, one of his friends who
would accept a reasonable daily rate, but nobody strong enough was available; they had all
committed themselves elsewhere. It was understandable that, if Quashia had been there,
he would have done most of the work. Rene reiterated that he could not accomplish the job
alone, and so I suggested I could be his assistant. His immediate response was to guffaw 25
and then, to cover this rather impolite reaction, he muttered incomprehensible misgivings
which I feared were no more than the fact that I was a woman. ‘Is 7am tomorrow morning too
early for you?’ he asked with a hint of sarcasm. I realised that, to Rene’s way of thinking, this
was no job for a female and it would be difficult to convince him otherwise.

5 The next morning, we filled a huge plastic container with water, before adding the chemicals. 30
Then we were ready to start spraying the trees from the spray-gun attached to a hosepipe.
While Rene did the spraying, my job was to keep the hosepipe flexible, ensuring it didn’t curl
and make the flow of the chemical solution restricted. As there were no accessible driving
routes in the terraced olive grove, it was necessary to walk, and haul the hosepipe. We also
needed hundreds of metres of it. Rene told me it had been necessary for him to drive ten 35
kilometres to borrow this hosepipe for us. We couldn’t just buy our own, he said, as this one
was very special. This sounded rather unlikely to me, as it looked like an ordinary hosepipe,
but I acquiesced, silently plotting that the next time I was in the ironmonger’s I would acquire
a few hundred yards of the stuff.

6 ‘Switch on the machine,’ Rene shouted bossily. He was some distance from me and staring 40
up into a tall, gnarled old olive tree. The machine started to make a rather disgusting slurping
sound. Beneath the tree, Rene stood no taller than a matchstick. The solution started to
feed through, which sent the hosepipe into dancing gyrations. The further we went, the more
hosepipe I had to lift, negotiate and release. I was sticky with perspiration but I didn’t care. I
felt sure that Rene must be just a little impressed with his female assistant. 45

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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.

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Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2021 1123/21/INSERT/M/J/21

 Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/22

Paper 2 Reading May/June 2021

INSERT 1 hour 45 minutes

INFORMATION
*9592555972-I*

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● You may annotate this insert and use the blank spaces for planning. Do not write your answers on the
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 2

Passage 1

Rice

1 It is astonishing that there is archaeological evidence of rice cultivation in China around

8000 years ago. Settlements in rice-growing areas became sophisticated cultures, often
with advanced social and political structures. Such was the importance of rice that it quickly
spread from China to many other parts of the world, for example the Philippines and Taiwan,
Borneo and the Malay Peninsula, and parts of Africa. By the first century, rice was so 5
widespread that grains dating from that time have been recovered from a grave in Iran and
also found in the Po valley in Italy.

2 In many cultures, rice was used to mark celebrations; even today, sometimes relatives and
friends scatter rice over the bride and groom during or after their wedding as a symbol of
good luck, and in the Philippines rice wine is drunk on special occasions such as harvest 10
celebrations. Rice is also mentioned in medieval Islamic texts and, in Indonesia, the rice
goddess Dewi Sri is associated with life and prosperity because rice is the staple food of the
country. Thailand has a similar rice goddess, thus showing the ancient links between rice
and religious belief.

3 Down through the ages, rice has been an important source of food, and today it provides 15
a fifth of the calories people consume globally, making its rate of cultivation the world’s
third highest, outstripped only by sugar and maize. Rice growers in some countries are
disadvantaged because poor infrastructure or inadequate storage facilities mean they
are unable to get their produce to markets or preserve it for long enough for it to be sold.
But many governments show their awareness of the importance of rice by legislating to 20
solve rice-production problems by, for example, building better roads in rice-growing areas.
Acknowledging that rice is the staple food of more than half the world’s population, the United
Nations declared 2004 to be the International Year of Rice, thus affirming the importance of
rice in alleviating global poverty and malnutrition.

4 Rice continues to be a popular crop for a variety of reasons. It comes in a choice of flavours, 25
which depend on the type of rice used or spices added to it; arborio, basmati, jasmine and
coconut rice are but a few of the options. It is impossible to become bored with eating rice.
It is popular because of its variety of food uses; it can be broadly divided into three main
cooking types, according to whether the grain is long, medium or short. Long grains remain
separate when cooked, medium grains become sticky and can be moulded into, for example, 30
sushi, while short grains are used to make rice pudding, which is a delicious combination
of rice, milk, sugar and spices such as cinnamon. Some people prefer brown rice to white
because brown rice is less processed. However, although brown rice is high in fibre and
nutrition, white rice is gentler on the digestive system and often has nutrients added anyway,
so, whatever choice is made, rice is a healthy option in our diets. 35

5 The traditional method of growing rice is to plant seedlings and then flood the fields in 5–10
centimetres of water. This method is labour-intensive but, because it reduces weeds and
deters vermin, it is an inexpensive way to obtain food, particularly in parts of the world where
labour costs are low. Another reason why rice is a popular crop to grow is that it can be
harvested for many seasons through a process called ratooning, where, after the harvest, 40
the roots are left in the ground to sprout again; the ratooning process can produce a crop
for up to thirty years. As long as the temperature is relatively high, rice can be grown almost
anywhere, even on a steep mountainside.

6 Rice straw, left behind after harvest, is used as feed for farm animals, and to make bedding,
mats and roof-hatching. Hulls – the protective covering of newly-harvested rice grains – can 45
be used as fuel, and rice bran oil, extracted from the hulls, is suitable for high-temperature
cooking methods. Thus the popularity of rice is also a result of its useful by-products. Rice
is also noted for its medicinal properties. In some countries, the green part of the plant is
boiled to produce an eye lotion or a cure for inflammation of internal organs, and powdered
rice has been known to cure some skin ailments. 50

© UCLES 2021 1123/22/INSERT/M/J/21

 3

Passage 2

Pedro

1 One afternoon we found a note left in our mailbox, written in a spidery hand. ‘Pedro: all
jobs done,’ it said. He was offering his services for tree-cutting, housework, gardening,
painting, decorating, rewiring and car maintenance, among other things. There was a
telephone number at the foot of the list of his advertised accomplishments. My husband was
impressed. ‘We should call him,’ he said. He admired people who went out to find work, who 5
showed signs of ambition.

2 Secretly I am always rather suspicious of those who claim the ability to turn their hand to
everything and I voiced my reluctance to employ Pedro. My reservation was swept aside
when my husband said, ‘I think I’ll ask him to cut back those overhanging cedar trees in the
driveway.’ I pointed out that there was really very little that needed to be done in the garden. 10
But my husband was determined, adding that we had two towering pine trees leaning
precariously over the terrace and stealing sunlight from four of our olive trees; these pine
trees needed to be cut back too.

3 And so, at my husband’s request, Pedro arrived; a gaunt man with a lined face and sunken
cheeks. He was friendly and certainly eager for a few days’ employment. The deal was struck. 15
On the appointed morning, four other men arrived, parking the oldest, most ramshackle
car I had ever seen; they were armed with chainsaws and an arsenal of useless, ageing
gardening tools, plus a stack of ominously heavy lunchboxes. I was thankful we hadn’t
asked Pedro to do car maintenance for us. ‘Pedro always arrives last,’ they announced
proudly. ‘Show us the trees, and we will get to work.’ 20

4 Having done that, I watched from the window as the men stared at the trees and then at one
another with mystified expressions which turned to anger. When Pedro arrived, parking his
own rusty car, the other men rushed as one, waving their tools like swords, down the drive
and attacked him. I was puzzled as to what was going on but, when Pedro yelled at them,
they hung their heads in shame, gathered up their assorted tools and said no more. 25

5 I sat at my desk, working in a world of my own. A wasp catapulted itself at the glass of the
closed windows, trying to find a way out. I unlocked a window and the insect flew free.
Outside, the day was hot and still. It was the silence from outside that drew my attention. I
hadn’t heard the whirr of a chainsaw since the men arrived. On the pretext of going to collect
the mail, I went into the garden, where I discovered the quintet at the foot of the sprawling 30
pine trees, pushing and punching one another, fists at the ready, without so much as a
single branch trimmed. ‘Is everything all right?’ I asked needlessly. They turned, waving and
smiling, as though at a picnic. I was thankful they were being paid by the contract and not
by the hour. Throughout the morning the men continued to fight and seemed to agree only
when they stopped for lunch. 35

6 The gist of their argument, it seemed, was not how best to tackle these gigantic trees but
who should be the one to shimmy up the trunks, and how they were being paid a pittance for
doing such hazardous work. But finally, in the late afternoon, I heard the welcome sound of
chainsaws. In the evening, Pedro banged on the door, sawdust stuck to his sweating face,
to say they were quitting work for the day but would be back early in the morning. 40

7 Later, when my husband came home from work, we went into the coolness of the evening
garden. I saw butterflies everywhere – rich golden wings tinged with yellow. It brought such
pleasure. And then I noticed the damaged olive tree. One of the branches Pedro and his men
had lopped had plummeted to the terrace below and torn away several boughs from one of
our olive trees. I walked over to take a closer look. Ripped from the main trunk, fresh creamy- 45
white wood exposed, the limbs were hanging in the evening light like severed silver wings.
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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 the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of
Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2021 1123/22/INSERT/M/J/21

 Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/21

Paper 2 Reading October/November 2021

INSERT 1 hour 45 minutes

INFORMATION
*4524094567-I*

● This insert contains the reading passages.

● You may annotate this insert and use the blank spaces for planning. Do not write your answers on the
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DC (PQ) 198162/2
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 2

Passage 1

Circuses

1 Circuses have their roots in former times and the features we might associate with them
nowadays have developed through the centuries. Juggling skills still attributed to circus
performers have their origins in Egypt and China. A tomb painting for an Egyptian prince
who lived 17 000 years ago depicts juggling, which was also a well-regarded Chinese art
form. Acrobatic traditions found in modern circuses – performances of extraordinary human 5
feats of balance, agility and coordination – were found in Ancient Greece and Rome, as well
as in medieval Europe.

2 In Rome a circus was a building used for entertainment involving sports and animals; people
flocked to circuses for horse-riding shows, chariot races and gladiatorial combat. The most
famous circus in Rome was the Circus Maximus, which had a capacity of around 200 000 10
spectators; and there were other popular circuses throughout the Roman Empire. Circuses
were also associated with spectacle, which meant that the organisers thought nothing
of flooding the circus with water in order to re-enact a famous sea battle, for example.
Circuses were social centres, a tradition which turned out to be a long one. For instance, the
Hippodrome of Constantinople, a kind of circus, operated from its opening in the year 203 15
until the end of the thirteenth century; it had an estimated capacity of 60 000 spectators who
enjoyed a day out and a chance to catch up with friends.

3 Ancient Greek and Roman theatre made use of comic characters, also associated with
circuses; these introduced humour through their hilarious behaviour. A development of the
comic character was the clown who, as well as being funny, exemplified a range of human 20
emotions, and what it means to be human.

4 What might be called the modern circus began when horse-riding shows were performed,
with the horses not in a straight line, as in the past, but in a circle or ring; it was the
Englishman Philip Astley who developed in 1768 the optimum ring circumference to ensure
both rider safety and the best view for the audience. The next development came two years 25
later with the addition by Astley of other traditional performance arts – acrobatics, juggling
and music – to entertain the audience between his own riding stunts and produce a whole
show, or circus, where a compere, or ringmaster, introduced the various acts. As styles
of performance developed in modern times, so too did the types of performance venues.
The first modern circuses took place in the open air, but later venues were custom-made 30
buildings, and then came the large tent, or Big Top, which is often thought of today as a
typical circus venue.

5 Soon, modern circuses spread to Europe. Astley established a circus called Amphitheatre
Anglais in Paris in 1782 and before long there were eighteen other permanent circuses
throughout Europe. The circus craze reached the USA, and it is amazing to realise that 35
the President, George Washington, himself attended a circus in Philadelphia. The American
Phinias Barnum brought about an important development by introducing the concept of a
travelling circus; he was the first businessman to use circus trains to transport his circus
from town to town and he became known as ‘The Greatest Showman’. The film of that
name, released in 2017, was sensational and won several awards. By the twentieth century, 40
there were travelling circuses in many other parts of the world, such as South Africa and
South East Asia, with the Moscow State Circus and the Chinese State Circus being among
the most famous modern touring acts.

6 Horses had always had a role in the modern circus, but at some point wild animals, such
as lions and elephants, were introduced, trained to perform tricks or sometimes shown as 45
a menagerie in tents separate from the Big Top. Sometimes they were paraded through the
street prior to the performance to advertise the circus’s arrival. Public opinion rightly started
to suggest that circus animals were being exploited; it was then that many circuses evolved
to provide entertainment based solely on human skills. They combined traditional circus with
modern theatrical skills to convey a story or theme using aesthetic impact created by lighting 50
and music. Perhaps the most famous of these is Canada’s ‘Cirque Du Soleil’, which is seen
by 90 million spectators in more than 200 countries each year.
© UCLES 2021 1123/21/INSERT/O/N/21
 3

Passage 2

The Otter
(The passage describes an incident which happened while Hetta and her brother, called Will, spent
some of their long summer holidays at their aunt’s house.)

1 It was a long train ride to my aunt’s house and Will read for most of the way. I amused
myself by staring out of the window and making up stories about Moonblossom, the fairy I
had invented as my companion. I was not quite seven and was used to being ignored by
Will, but I didn’t mind. It’s hard to convey quite how special he was to me but as a small child
I would have done anything for him. 5

2 I’ve never met anyone who cared quite as passionately as Will did about the people and
things dear to him. Will was protective of me and would have fought anyone who tried to
harm me. Besides being so valiant – or that’s how it seemed to me – Will had initiative. This
was shown when we had been at my aunt’s house less than a day and Will found a place
for us to swim. While the river near the house was good enough for catching fish, it was too 10
shallow for swimming. But, downriver, the water ran deeper. We would swim, said Will, near
a castle he had found that stood about five miles further down.

3 Will carried me on his back part of the long way to the castle. At a bend in the river, under
his direction, we constructed a dam out of some of the rocks which had made the track very
difficult to negotiate. After our swim we were sitting on the bank, enjoying the warmth of the 15
sun, when we heard the loud barking of dogs downstream. Will jumped up, pointing at the
small round head of a creature swimming for its life.

4 It was the first time I’d seen an otter, though I recognised what it was. Confused by the
barking dogs chasing it and by its own sense of peril, the otter began desperately scrambling
over our dam, its paws slipping. Will grabbed his towel and waded downstream. I saw him 20
wrap the towel round his hands, making a kind of sling, and lean down and lift something out
of the water. He hurried back, with a towelled bundle in his arms.

5 The otter lay quite docile, shuddering from time to time and rolling back its lips to expose
pink gums. A rank smell of fear was exuding from its damp pelt. The dogs, by now sensing
defeat, had run off. Will, who was kneeling under a tree nursing the otter, said its paw was 25
badly damaged. I began to cry. Will snapped at me. ‘Be quiet, Hetta. We don’t need cry-
babies,’ he said. I was indeed quiet because Will had a temper and I was scared of rousing
it. Swaddled in the towel, the poor creature occasionally made a high-pitched crying sound.
But the chase and the pain must have depleted its instinct to struggle and the creature
became calm and still. Moreover, Will had that touch with animals which made them sense 30
they were in safe hands, although from time to time the damp little body made frantic
twitches and jerks.

6 Will carried the otter back to the house and offered him mashed sardines from a tin, which
he spurned in disgust. When our uncle came home, he drove Will to the vet with the otter. I
stayed behind but all I wanted was to know what was happening at the vet’s; my kind aunt 35
played a card game with me, although games bored her. In fact, the game bored me too –
but our mother had raised us with a strict regard for manners and I knew to pretend I was
enjoying myself. After a while my aunt said, ‘Hetta, life is just too awful sometimes, don’t you
think?’ I’ve always remembered this because I was grateful to her for talking to me like that.
She never made any concession for children being children. 40

7 When the others came back, they reported that Will had held the poor creature in the towel
while the vet injected him with an antibiotic, cleaned the wound and put a splint and bandage
around the injured paw. His eyes had been open but glazed. When the vet opened the cage
he made no effort to escape. He was to stay there overnight, but the vet assured us that the
little creature was on the mend. 45
© UCLES 2021 1123/21/INSERT/O/N/21
 4

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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 the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of
Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2021 1123/21/INSERT/O/N/21

 Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/22

Paper 2 Reading October/November 2021

INSERT 1 hour 45 minutes

INFORMATION
*0348067618-I*

● This insert contains the reading passages.

● You may annotate this insert and use the blank spaces for planning. Do not write your answers on the
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DC (PQ) 198164/1
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 2

Passage 1

Plastic

1 Plastic was hailed as a wonder product when it was invented, but nowadays we realise there
are problems associated with it. Probably the main problem until recent years was the lack of
awareness about the threats it posed to our planet, threats which were unexplored because
of plastic’s low cost, convenience and durability. Furthermore, there was a lack of knowledge
of just how many products would be made of plastic; who would have thought that chewing 5
gum, paper clips, light bulbs and some so-called paper cups contained plastic?

2 Because most plastic is durable, it disappears, or degrades, very slowly as its chemical
ingredients make it resistant to many natural processes of degradation. In the sea, for
example, a plastic cup takes 50 years to degrade, and a disposable nappy takes 450, while a
plastic fishing line takes an amazing 600 years to degrade. Plastic is very difficult to get rid of: 10
burning it increases carbon emissions, as most burning plastic emits toxic fumes, and burying
it in landfill sites takes up space in an already overcrowded planet.

3 It was estimated in 2019 that, every year, so much plastic flows into the world’s oceans that by
2025 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish, in terms of weight. Plastic kills marine
life in many ways. Fish become entangled in plastic nets and are choked by plastic bags; 15
other sea creatures die because they mistake plastic for food and swallow it. Endangered
species like some types of turtles are particularly vulnerable and risk extinction because
of ocean plastic. Incredibly, such plastic has even been found lying on uninhabited Pacific
islands and trapped in Arctic ice. Furthermore, although there is currently no real evidence,
there is concern that plastic ingested by sea-life might make its way into the human food 20
chain and turn up on our own plates.

4 One solution to the problem of plastic is to recycle it, although recycling has its critics who
claim that the best solution is not to create waste in the first place; they say that recycling is
no more than an escape route for cowardly governments and lazy consumers. Increasingly,
various types of companies are tackling the problem by not using plastic packaging: more 25
and more supermarkets use paper wrappers for food products, and one large multinational
technology firm has switched from plastic to paper packaging of its smart phones and tablets.
Stores in some countries, for example Germany and the United Kingdom, charge customers
for plastic bags, with the money raised being donated to charity. This charging policy has led to
a drastic reduction in our use of plastic bags and in fact the number used in UK supermarkets 30
dropped by 80% in the four years after the charge was introduced. Some manufacturing firms
are switching from making their products entirely from plastic to using a combination of plastic
and other sustainable materials or avoiding plastic altogether.

5 International environmental agencies, for example Greenpeace, target businesses with a

poor record in plastic use, and call on governments to act. In turn, some governments – such 35
as those of Canada, the UK and Taiwan – have implemented laws to reduce plastic by, for
example, prohibiting the use of microbeads, which are tiny manufactured plastic particles
used in personal care products such as shower gels, skin creams and lotions. A single shower
can wash 100 000 microbeads down the drain, and these find their way into our oceans.
Because it attracts so many tourists, Indonesia, which is a beautiful country, has successfully 40
introduced a tourist tax; the money raised is used to clean up litter, much of it plastic.

6 The battle against plastic is also being fought by individual people, who consciously reduce
the amount of plastic coming into their homes. This might be through using soap instead
of shower gels in plastic bottles, or bamboo toothbrushes instead of plastic ones, carrying
re-usable cloth bags to the shops, or posting their views on social media platforms. In some 45
parts of the world, voluntary groups have sprung up; their aim is to remove plastic and other
rubbish which is littering beaches and countryside. Although they achieve little from a global
perspective, they make some small impact and, perhaps more importantly, draw attention to
the environmental dangers posed by plastic.
© UCLES 2021 1123/22/INSERT/O/N/21
 3

Passage 2

Sylvia

1 As an enthusiastic new college graduate, Sylvia spent a year working as a volunteer in the
local library. Then, as her first real job, she took up a post as an assistant librarian. She
introduced books by her favourite authors and was disappointed when many of these
remained on the shelves, their covers as pristine as on the day she had unpacked them.
‘I could have told you that would happen,’ said the senior librarian, who had worked there for 5
many years, something which he thought made him an expert in the recreational tastes of the
town.

2 Sylvia stuck it out for a year in that job before successfully applying for the post as children’s
librarian in another town. She moved to a cottage where the rent was justifiably low, but on
a librarian’s salary, she couldn’t have afforded anything else. The walls bore orange stains 10
of damp and the paint was flaking, but the kitchen window had a lovely view of distant hills;
to Sylvia, brought up in an inner city, the cottage seemed picturesque. Outside, the garden
was overrun with impenetrable clumps of weeds but the landlord hastily told Sylvia that it
would be fine with the minimum of effort. Sylvia’s possessions were easily accommodated
in the cottage’s limited space; there was no bookshelf on which to house her most prized 15
possessions, but after packing out the windowsills she stacked as many as she could on the
slanting shelves of the cupboard in the bedroom. For all its apparent inadequacies, her new
home offered promise.

3 Sylvia was an only child and long hours spent alone had encouraged in her the habit of
reading, often by torchlight under the bedclothes, far into the night. Every single Saturday 20
morning, while her father read the newspapers and her mother made a martyr of herself over
household chores, Sylvia walked down to the library. The librarian, Miss Jenkins, would set
aside books she thought young girls would enjoy, and it was a shared love of reading that
reinforced the special bond between Miss Jenkins and Sylvia. Practice in dealing with her
mother’s changing moods had made Sylvia easy-going, at least on the surface, and so she 25
was not without friends; but it was Miss Jenkins who introduced her to characters in fiction
who became her silent allies, her sometimes more-than-friends, her shaping influences.

4 Although Sylvia had a dreaminess that vexed her teachers, she did well enough to secure a
college place to study to be a librarian. ‘A job with a proper future,’ her mother said approvingly
when her daughter revealed her career plan. She was privately relieved that her daughter’s 30
unexpected success in the school play had not, as she had at the time feared, led to a request
to go to drama school.

5 Apart from reading, the only other passion in Sylvia’s family was her father’s love of chess.
He had been taught the game by a young soldier, Pavel, with whom he had spent time in
the army, and her father had revealed an unexpected flair for it. When they parted company 35
at the end of their army careers together, Pavel said, ‘You might as well have this,’ handing
Sylvia’s father the chess set with which he had learned the game. Perhaps out of respect
for his former companion, or perhaps in default of anything else to give her, her father had
attempted to pass this interest on to his only child. In the evenings, when Sylvia had finished
her homework, she and her father sat opposite each other at the kitchen table and played 40
with the inherited chess set. Although she had no real talent for chess, Sylvia guessed an
unmet desire in her father which went beyond just playing chess, and out of loyalty did her
best to master the game. It was a defining moment for them both, one Sylvia never forgot,
when she contrived one evening to beat him.

6 ‘You might as well have this,’ her father said, unconsciously repeating the words with which 45
he had been given the modest wooden box on which the scratched initials of his former
colleague were still visible. ‘With you gone, I won’t have anyone to play with.’

© UCLES 2021 1123/22/INSERT/O/N/21

 4

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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 the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of
Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge.

© UCLES 2021 1123/22/INSERT/O/N/21

 Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/21

Paper 2 Reading May/June 2022

INSERT 1 hour 45 minutes

INFORMATION
*2788184770-I*

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● You may annotate this insert and use the blank spaces for planning. Do not write your answers on the
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DC (PQ) 304481/2
© UCLES 2022 [Turn over
 2

Passage 1

Climate change: one person’s view on causes and consequences

1 While climate change is a reality familiar to all of us, those aged 35 or younger will have
experienced average global temperatures rising every year of their lives. These increases are
harmful to our planet and are almost always the result of human behaviour. So, what are the
possible causes and consequences of climate change?

2 One cause is that industrialised countries rely on fossil fuels – fuels formed from the remains 5
of dead animals and plants – notably, coal, oil and natural gas. This means that excessive
amounts of harmful gases are pumped skywards every day, dangerous substances pouring
out as plumes of smoke from factory chimneys. Individuals also contribute to climate change
in their own homes as they produce greenhouse gases in the domestic gas and oil boilers
that provide their hot water and keep their houses at the desired temperature. Homeowners 10
should be encouraged to switch to sustainable heat sources such as solar panels. Many
countries, for example Germany, are leading the way here.

3 Trees are our most effective weapon in combatting climate change and they do this in two ways:
they help to remove the harmful gas carbon dioxide from the air, and they also release beneficial
oxygen into it. However, trees are frequently cut down to make way for ever-increasing industrial 15
complexes and the sprawling cities that support them. Another possible factor in climate change
is animal farming because grazing animals emit the greenhouse gas methane from their
digestive systems. Of course, animals are an excellent source of food, but we all need to think
about reducing our meat consumption to help in the fight against climate change. In order to
ensure higher levels of output for less money, modern farming methods sometimes use toxic 20
pesticides which release vast quantities of greenhouse gases into the earth’s atmosphere.

4 Emissions from planes, released high into the atmosphere, stay there for a long time, triggering
chemical reactions that heat the planet and cause further climate change. Furthermore, in
recent times, there has been a sharp rise in the number of flights taken, linked to both the
increased affluence in some parts of the world, and the advent of budget airlines. Travellers 25
should choose airlines which have committed to reducing carbon emissions by, for example,
switching to electrification, although this is currently unsuitable for flights over 1500 kilometres.
Travelling in polluting vehicles such as petrol and diesel cars produces unacceptable levels of
dangerous emissions which contribute to climate change.

5 There are many serious consequences of climate change. One of these is that, as the earth 30
gets warmer, ice is melting on, for example, mountain glaciers and the ice sheets covering
Antarctica and Greenland. Since glaciers store around 75% of the earth’s fresh water, the
supply of drinking water for human and animal consumption is decreasing in many parts
of the world, including Peru, China and India. Ironically, it is just as the supplies of drinking
water in these countries are decreasing that the population is increasing. Flooding is another 35
serious effect of climate change: melted ice flows into our oceans and, when the ocean levels
rise, the excess water pours into coastal areas. As the Earth’s surface warms up, so too do
the depths of the oceans and, although this may sound attractive to holiday makers, there are
serious consequences. Seafood stocks dwindle, devastating for the millions of people who
rely on our oceans for their food or livelihood. 40

6 Other wildlife and their habitats are affected in an adverse way; for example, one species of
Antarctic penguin has suffered a population decrease of 90% and polar bears are in danger
of extinction. Conversely, some creatures, many of which carry dangerous or even fatal
diseases, thrive in higher global temperatures and their numbers multiply. Some species of
mosquito are increasing, and the booming population of bark beetles that feeds on spruce 45
and pine trees has devastated millions of forested acres in the USA. Extreme weather events
caused by climate change – such as fires, tornadoes and exceptional heatwaves which are
especially dangerous for babies, children and elderly people – are now on the increase. We
all looked on helplessly as bush fires raged through many parts of Australia in recent times.
© UCLES 2022 1123/21/INSERT/M/J/22
 3

Passage 2

An Important Person in My Childhood

Today I am a successful university lecturer and would describe myself as a confident person.

Content removed due to copyright restrictions.

Only at this point, do I begin my lecture.

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 4

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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 2022 1123/21/INSERT/M/J/22

 Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/22

Paper 2 Reading May/June 2022

INSERT 1 hour 45 minutes

INFORMATION
*2504360591-I*

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 2

Passage 1
Climate change: one person’s view on problems and solutions

1 It has long been my view that as the temperature of our planet rises this, accompanied
by other complicated alterations in the patterns of our weather, is causing many global
problems. These problems will become worse if we do not act now.

2 Storms and hurricanes are naturally occurring phenomena but, as global temperatures
increase, the result is more energy-intensive storms, which cause unprecedented 5
destruction. Another problem is the growing number of wildfires. Although wildfires have
always been common in some parts of the world, recent years have seen a rise in their
occurrence probably due to climate change, as seen in 2020 in Australia, where millions
of acres of forest and millions of animals were lost. Flooding is also an issue. As ice at the
North and South Poles melts into our oceans, sea levels rise, causing flooding in coastal 10
areas. When the oceans heat up, more water evaporates into clouds which falls as rain,
causing further flooding. Furthermore, as ocean temperatures rise, there is a loss of breeding
grounds for some marine creatures which threatens many ocean species with extinction.

3 Our climate emergency demonstrates itself in the increased number of devastating droughts
faced by many countries; these halt food production and create landscapes of withered trees. 15
The incidence of droughts has almost doubled since the early 1990s; one area of northern
Kenya used to experience drought every fifteen years or so, but that has now expanded
to every five years. As the earth warms up, the periods increase when some diseases, for
example malaria and dengue fever, can be transmitted. Record temperatures in Europe and
Australia in 2019 were symptoms of increased heatwaves resulting from climate change. 20
Everyone needs to take great care in high temperatures because heat stress can make
working conditions unbearable and heighten the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory
illness.

4 As if this were not bad enough, the damage brought about by extreme weather events caused
by climate change has huge financial implications for governments and local communities 25
as people struggle to rebuild homes and sometimes entire villages; these tasks can take
years to complete and often rely on monetary help from outside agencies.

5 One solution to the problem of climate change is that governments recognise that there
is an issue here. For too long there was a feeling, even among some world leaders, that
concerns over climate change were somehow exaggerated. But over the years, many 30
summit meetings of world leaders have taken place, which translate discussion into action,
with governments making various pledges and setting targets to bring them about. Ordinary
people should make their voices heard on this crucial topic.

6 In addressing the problems caused by climate change, people can opt for electric or hybrid
cars, which do not pollute the environment, and some countries offer financial incentives to 35
buy these rather than vehicles which run on polluting fuels such as diesel. The provision of
more buses and trams in some cities encourages passengers to leave their cars at home,
although this will work only if the service is efficient and cheap, as it is in some cities such
as Amsterdam and Edinburgh. Although air travel is often essential, people are being invited
to think of the damage flying can do to the environment – what is called our carbon footprint 40
– and to reduce the number of flights they take by using trains for example. Frequent flyers
should, wherever possible, make use of alternative means of travel. Still, governments
cannot advise against air travel if the country’s trains are overcrowded and don’t run on
time!

7 Another solution is to switch from fossil fuels, like coal, oil or natural gas, to other forms of 45
energy, such as wind, water and solar power, all of which are called renewables. Increasing
numbers of wind farms can be seen nowadays, more people opt for solar panels in their
homes and hydro-electric schemes make use of water to generate electricity. Some
companies and global corporations have promised zero carbon emissions – to be carbon
neutral – and have set targets for this to happen. Even better is the ambitious plan by one 50
global giant to be, by 2030, not just carbon neutral but carbon negative, which means it will
devise ways of removing carbon from the earth’s atmosphere.
© UCLES 2022 1123/22/INSERT/M/J/22
 3

Passage 2

A First Tooth

When I got home from work that evening, Mrs Jennings, the babysitter, reported that the
baby had been a little cross and shoving her fist into her mouth intermittently throughout
the day.

Content removed due to copyright restrictions.

Still, I was content

now that I was in the pharmacy that the baby would not suffer and that in the morning she
would smile charmingly at me with a perfect, white tooth gleaming just above the surface of
her little pink gum.

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 4

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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 2022 1123/22/INSERT/M/J/22

 Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/21

Paper 2 Reading October/November 2022

INSERT 1 hour 45 minutes

INFORMATION
*4282593176-I*

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DC (CJ) 304467/2
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 2

Passage 1

Paper

1 It is believed that the first production of paper occurred in China and was accidental; when
clothes were left too long in water after washing, a residue formed which could then be
pressed into a useful new material. There is archaeological evidence that paper made
from rags – a combination of plants and old clothes and fabrics – was being deliberately
manufactured for use by the Chinese military almost 3000 years ago. The first standardised 5
and systematic papermaking process took place in China in the first century and is attributed
to Cai Lun, an inventor who was responsible for standardising the composition of paper
by adding the pulped bark of the mulberry tree to the traditional rags. The development of
paper production continued in China as more and more uses for it were found; for example,
the Song Dynasty was the first government to use paper as money and the Tang Dynasty 10
invented teabags – folded paper sewn into squares which preserved the tea’s flavour.

2 By the sixth century, papermaking techniques had spread from China to other countries,
including Korea, Vietnam and Japan; the trip of a Korean Buddhist monk to Japan is often
cited as the official beginning of papermaking there. When paper reached Arab countries,
paper-making machines designed for bulk manufacturing were invented there and installed 15
in factories in many cities, for example Baghdad, Damascus and Tripoli. Later, following
the Arab invasion of the European continent, paper mills sprang up across Europe – the
first of which was built in Spain – and soon paper was being made all over the continent.
It was used for printing important books and contributed to the increase in learning in
Europe. Preservation of these historic books must be continued if future generations are to 20
appreciate them.

3 Before major industrialisation, paper was made mainly from rags. However, a further
development in papermaking came about in the nineteenth century when only wood was
used to make it. This method was favoured because wood was less expensive and more
abundant than cloth. Another improvement which occurred during industrialisation was the 25
development of a machine which could produce paper at high speed in large quantities,
using a continuous belt to churn it out.

4 However, there are problems associated with paper production in modern times, and we
are being urged to make and use less of it. The industry is heavily reliant on water; it is
estimated that it takes more than three gallons of water to produce a single sheet of paper 30
– although this water can be recycled. Because wood is used in modern paper production,
forests have been cut down, reducing their diversity, and thus the variety of animal and
plant life on earth. Education about wood conservation should take centre stage in all our
schools. Although reforestation is practised in many areas so that trees are a renewable
source, this is not happening everywhere. There is a preference for white paper, which is 35
produced through bleaching. The harmful chemicals used to bleach paper have become a
source of environmental concern so that, recently, paper manufacturers have been devising
alternative whitening methods by using other chemicals.

5 In the fight against plastic, manufacturers are using paper instead of plastic packaging,
paper cups and straws are replacing plastic ones, and we carry our groceries in paper 40
bags. Although paper does eventually degrade, or break down naturally, unlike plastic which
does not, there is still an environmental cost to filling our landfill sites with paper. We all
need to think carefully about how we can minimise our use of paper. Furthermore, when
paper degrades on a landfill site, it emits methane gas which is much more toxic than other
greenhouse gases. Paper can be recycled, but the process has its drawbacks because 45
de-inking – the industrial process of removing printing ink from the original paper – uses
chemicals which damage the environment.

6 Over time, the production of increasingly vast amounts of paper for business uses, whether
notes, files or reports, has led to massive problems in terms of the secure storage of
confidential data. Nowadays, technology enables business to be conducted electronically, 50
which in turn is reducing the demand for paper.

© UCLES 2022 1123/21/INSERT/O/N/22

 3

Passage 2

A Retirement Adventure

1 When my wife and I retired from our busy jobs, our son expected us to settle into a quiet,
uneventful life in the town where we had always lived.

Content removed due to copyright restrictions.

‘Our cooking isn’t up to restaurant standards,’ he said, ‘but we

would be really happy if you would join us for dinner at our house on Saturday.’

© UCLES 2022 1123/21/INSERT/O/N/22

 4

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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 2022 1123/21/INSERT/O/N/22

 Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/22

Paper 2 Reading October/November 2022

INSERT 1 hour 45 minutes

INFORMATION
*2645032471-I*

● This insert contains the reading passages.

● You may annotate this insert and use the blank spaces for planning. Do not write your answers on the
insert.

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DC (LK) 213063/2
© UCLES 2022 [Turn over
 2

Passage 1

Cinemas and Streaming

1 The advent of television more than seventy years ago was seen by many as a threat to
cinemas but cinemas fought back. Nowadays cinemas are under attack again, this time from
streaming services, which provide films on-demand through internet providers. So, which is
better: cinemas or streaming?

2 The cinema has many attractions. Huge screens make the film come alive in a way impossible 5
on a television; cinema screens are between 10 and 30 metres wide and up to 10 metres high,
and this contributes to the audience's enjoyment. A feature called ‘surround sound’ enriches
the depth of sound reproduction, whether dialogue, music or special effects; in particular,
speakers behind the listener create the sensation of sound coming from all directions.
Modern cinemas are sometimes furnished with reclining seats, pillows and blankets, making 10
the experience comfortable and even luxurious.

3 The shared experience of being part of an audience also enhances a trip to the cinema,
as everyone is not only individually but also collectively immersed in the film as the plot
unfolds, and themes and characters develop. Going to the cinema with family and friends
makes for a memorable evening or afternoon out – although avoid the temptation to buy too 15
many unhealthy snacks in the foyer! Watching films at home lends itself to interruptions – the
doorbell rings, dinner has to be served, the children squabble. But watching a film in a cinema
offers total escapism and relaxation as you leave everything behind and settle down to watch
the film.

4 The cinema offers audiences the opportunity to be part of a long tradition of more than a century, 20
one which they can trace from the first silent films through to today’s computer-generated
images and special effects. Both streamed and cinema films can attract much publicity before
the film is released. However, the pre-release hype of cinema films is often accompanied by
merchandise – clothing, stationery and gadgets, particularly for films targeted at children – and
this heightens the anticipation felt as people wait for the film to be released. 25

5 Streaming is a very different experience. One of its attractions is that several people can
access a single streaming account, so that maybe five separate people in one house are able
to watch films of their choice. Moreover, streaming is cheaper than going to the cinema. You
can pay your internet provider for a whole month of streaming for about the same price as
a single cinema ticket; the money saved can make a significant difference to large families 30
or those on a low income. As streaming is accessed through the internet, you can use your
account on any device such as a smart television, tablet or smart phone and thus your
options for watching films are multiplied. Because only an internet connection is required to
use streaming services, films can be watched in a variety of places, for example a cafe; by
simply logging on to your account, you can make a long train journey more fun by watching a 35
film on your tablet, but don’t forget to wear headphones to avoid disturbing other passengers.

6 Some people have work patterns which make cinema trips difficult to schedule; if you work
as, for example, a waiter in a restaurant or a nurse in a hospital, getting to the cinema might
be impossible except on days off. But watching a streamed film can be done at any time that
suits, even in the middle of the night. Busy people may not have time to go out to the cinema 40
and parents of young children are often unable to set aside three consecutive hours. For
people such as these, streaming gives the opportunity to serialise a film, perhaps by watching
it in half hour stages over a few evenings.

7 Sometimes streaming services make a film series and release each episode at the same
time, making it possible to 'binge' view by watching the whole series over a few days; many 45
people enjoy this form of entertainment. In fact, it is recommended to sign up to a streaming
account for this very reason. Cinema films are available for viewing for a limited period of
time. However, many of them eventually arrive in streaming services anyway and, for people
patient enough to wait, the possibility of catching up on something you’ve missed is a further
benefit. 50
© UCLES 2022 1123/22/INSERT/O/N/22
 3

Passage 2

A New Beginning

The ferry sounded its hooter as we approached land.

Content removed due to copyright restrictions.

Trundling our luggage behind us, we made our way through the line of
grandmothers and the clamouring crowd, wondering if this was a sign of things to come.

© UCLES 2022 1123/22/INSERT/O/N/22

 4

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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 2022 1123/22/INSERT/O/N/22

 Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/21

Paper 2 Reading May/June 2023

INSERT 1 hour 45 minutes

INFORMATION
*6026201325-I*

● This insert contains the reading passages.

● You may annotate this insert and use the blank spaces for planning. Do not write your answers on the
insert.

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DC (EF) 315302/2
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 2

Passage 1

Working from home

1 In recent times, advanced technologies available to us have allowed increasing numbers of

people to work from home, a development which has sparked an exciting revolution in the
world of work. People ought to consider carefully whether working from home is a change
for good.

2 One advantage of working from home is that no time is spent travelling to and from work, 5
which for some employees might have involved a long commute by public transport or a
tiring drive through congested city traffic. Employees are now able to choose the hours they
work. If they are given a target for the week, the expectation is that the target will be met –
whether the work is done within conventional office hours or outside of them. Workers can
take refreshing breaks when and as often as they like, rather than at specific times which 10
might be dictated by the cafeteria queue, for example.

3 There is often no need for childcare if parents work from home. One parent can work while
the other stops to collect the children from school and take them to the park or to cook the
evening meal, possibly returning to work after the children have gone to bed. Because you
don’t need to pay travel and transport costs, such as for bus or train journeys, or to fill up 15
the car with fuel, there are financial savings to be made in working from home. Moreover,
a typical car emits a huge amount of carbon dioxide every year, and buses obviously much
more. This means that working from home is eco‑friendly, and we should all commit to
reducing our collective carbon footprint.

4 Not being in the town or city centre during a break from work, as well as saving money, 20
removes the temptation to buy unhealthy or fattening snacks. Some of the coffee sold in
high street coffee shops is damaging to our health; for example, one popular hot drink
contains an astonishing 14 teaspoons of sugar and more than 500 calories! The money
saved when working from home can be used on other, more useful or interesting things,
such as holidays, clothes or treats for the family. 25

5 However, there are also disadvantages of working from home. One of these is that
computer technology might let you down. You need to know about technical issues such
as connectivity and bandwidth, whereas when working in the office you might have a whole
team of technological experts close by. Working alone without interruptions from colleagues
is an attractive idea, but for some people the lack of social contact leads to loneliness. You 30
might even start to miss those queues in the cafeteria – at least you had people to talk to!
For some, working from home might lead to more serious adverse effects on mental health,
including severe anxiety.

6 Running for the bus, or walking to the office from the car park, might not be an attractive
prospect on a rainy Monday morning, but at least you have moved. Some workers are 35
dismayed to find that, having sat in front of a screen all day at home, they have taken
absolutely no exercise; even light exercise reduces the risk of heart disease and helps to
control weight. Staring at a device like a laptop all day can also harm the eyes, causing,
for example, blurred vision, headaches or eye strain. Whereas in the office employees are
encouraged to take regular screen breaks, if you are working from home, it is important that 40
you remember to give your eyes a chance to rest. It is possible to have virtual meetings from
home with colleagues, but these tend to be formal and organised in advance. Helpful chats
across the desk or the office often help to solve problems or provide ideas; these impromptu
meetings don’t occur in the silence of your home.

7 When cities or town centres are deserted because so many people are working from home, 45
restaurants and coffee shops have fewer customers and sometimes are forced to shut
down, causing unemployment. When public transport is being under‑utilised, bus and train
companies have to reduce their services, meaning that those people who do need to use
them have less of a choice.
© UCLES 2023 1123/21/INSERT/M/J/23
 3

Passage 2

The new fountain pen

1 Farris was becoming increasingly unhappy in his job as junior architect. The senior architect,
Mr Arsalan, was extremely demanding and put too much pressure on him. Flicking through
the newspaper one morning, Farris read an advert for a shop specialising in fountain pens
which claimed that using one gives people a feeling of supreme confidence. The idea came
to him that changing his image might help him to shake off his discontent and he decided to 5
buy himself an expensive, top of the range fountain pen – a fountain pen was the answer.

2 At the next staff meeting, presided over by the company director, Mr Benjamin, there was
a lively discussion about the company’s objectives for the year. As usual, Farris was silent;
as usual, Mr Arsalan had plenty to say. ‘I don’t agree with you, Mr Arsalan,’ Farris suddenly
dared to say, shaking his head. He touched his new fountain pen, which he had placed 10
in front of him on the table. Mr Arsalan and his colleagues stared at him in amazement.
Farris allowed a few moments to pass before he attacked, point by point, the arguments
put forward by Mr Arsalan. With unprecedented eloquence, he watched himself outline the
complicated sections of his own argument. When he had finished, there was silence in the
room. One of his colleagues ventured to speak out, saying that Farris had conveyed the 15
staff’s misgivings perfectly. ‘Well done, Farris,’ announced Mr Arsalan coldly.

3 Back in his office, Farris sat at his desk and stroked his fountain pen. He closed his eyes
and sighed contentedly. He had got through the meeting without any of the anxiety that had
plagued him since early childhood. Just a few days ago, a confrontation with Mr Arsalan
would have caused his heart to race. He would have played back their conversation 20
repeatedly in his mind, blaming himself for some clumsy word, some weak point that would
have lost him the argument to Mr Arsalan. Eating lunch would have brought on an attack of
indigestion. Farris would have gone home miserable at the end of the day.

4 There was a knock on the door and the company director, Mr Benjamin, came into Farris’s
office, smiling. ‘Farris, I was very struck by your analysis of the company’s objectives,’ he 25
exclaimed. ‘I want to promote you to second senior architect.’ The fountain pen! It was the
pen that was responsible for this opportunity that would totally alter the course of his life.
Since purchasing it, it had shielded him from the terrors of life just by being there. Better still,
it improved his mind and encouraged him to take important decisions. Without it, he would
never have spoken to Mr Arsalan as he had at that meeting. 30

5 That evening Farris and his wife went out for dinner to celebrate, choosing the best restaurant
in town. The interior was stunning, with high ceilings and glittering chandeliers. Farris read
the menu. The prices were higher than his current salary stretched to; he hoped his wife did
not notice his gulp of surprise. The speciality dish was framed in the middle of the page in
elegant print and, to prove a point, both Farris and his wife ordered this dish. The food was 35
delicious and, when the bill arrived, Farris signed the cheque with a flourish of his fountain
pen and left a generous tip.

6 They jumped into a taxi to take them home. As it pulled away from the kerb, his wife turned
to him, frowning. ‘Did you remember your fountain pen?’ she asked. Time stood still for
Farris. He clearly pictured his pen lying on the table in the restaurant. Still unaccustomed to 40
using a fountain pen, he had left it behind. ‘Please turn round immediately!’ he yelled from
the back seat of the taxi. Doing an about‑turn, the taxi driver accelerated back towards the
restaurant. Farris leapt from the taxi and ran. But it was no good. No‑one had handed in the
fountain pen to a member of staff. Days, weeks, months went by. Farris called the restaurant
every day. Finally, when he sensed a note of irritation in the restaurant manager’s voice, he 45
realised that it was time to give up the search. He knew he would never see his fountain pen
again.
© UCLES 2023 1123/21/INSERT/M/J/23
 4

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Permission to reproduce items where third‑party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
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 2023 1123/21/INSERT/M/J/23

 Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/22

Paper 2 Reading May/June 2023

INSERT 1 hour 45 minutes

INFORMATION
*1016183916-I*

● This insert contains the reading passages.

● You may annotate this insert and use the blank spaces for planning. Do not write your answers on the
insert.

This document has 4 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

DC (EF) 315310/2
© UCLES 2023 [Turn over
 2

Passage 1

Online learning and classroom learning

1 Recent advances in technology have made it possible for students to learn at home, using
devices like laptops, tablets and smartphones, instead of going to school or university every
day. It would be wise to consider carefully the advantages of both types of learning.

2 One advantage of online learning is that students can study in a place that is convenient
for them; this might be at the kitchen table or in the living room or, for the lucky ones, their 5
own room or study. Students can work at a time that suits them and are not confined to the
set times of the school day. This is useful for students who work better in the early evening
or even late at night. Travel time is eliminated too; walking, taking public transport or being
driven to school takes time which can be used by students for pastimes or hobbies instead.
Students really ought to be encouraged to unwind after their studies. And they can do this 10
by playing sport, for example, or even by going to bed earlier to be fresh for the next day’s
learning!

3 Students can learn at their own pace as they progress through online work; there is no need
to stop work because a bell has rung, and there is no pressure to keep up with others. The
removal of time constraints is beneficial for many students who then have the chance to 15
revisit, at a later point, aspects of learning which they have not completely understood. With
online learning, they can do this as often as they like and in their own time.

4 Online learning provides opportunities for individual feedback at a time which is mutually
suitable for both student and teacher, and this feedback can be tailored to the needs of the
individual student. Good teachers always give feedback and opportunities for students to 20
ask questions in a classroom setting, but large classes can sometimes make this difficult.
Students who are shy about speaking out in class might feel empowered to engage in
dialogue with their teacher in the more private setting online. Furthermore, in science, for
instance, some experiments considered too dangerous for the school laboratory – such as
those involving noxious fumes or dangerous elements like phosphorus or mercury – can be 25
demonstrated more safely online. This shows the broader range of learning content which is
available in the online classroom.

5 Classroom learning also has many advantages. Because teachers are physically present,
they can identify immediately any problems students are facing. Classroom students can
work more easily in groups so that they help each other in their learning. This ability to 30
cooperate with others is a life skill that will have a beneficial impact on other aspects of
the students’ lives, for example in personal relationships and, later, in the world of work.
Teachers should never underestimate the advantages of group work. Valuable feedback
from other students, and not just the teacher, is easier to achieve in a classroom setting, and
this feedback from someone their own age may have greater impact. 35

6 Classroom learning provides an important opportunity for students to socialise, whether

during breaks or on the journey to and from school. No one can survive without friends, and
there are many instances of lifelong friendships being formed in school. Schools also offer
chances for extra‑curricular activities, ranging from drama groups and debating societies to
various sports clubs, all of which enhance the overall experience of school life. 40

7 The classroom environment comes with its own rules which are separate from those of the
home, and obeying school rules encourages personal discipline which builds character and
is useful in later life. After all, when they leave school, students will continue to encounter
rules throughout their lives. Moreover, classroom students gain access to facilities which
cannot be provided online, such as gyms and dance or yoga studios, and, of course, the 45
joy of ‘real’ books in a school library. The learning environment of the classroom is generally
more educationally stimulating than the kitchen, living room or study at home, with things
like wall displays of students’ work and study‑related pictures and photographs.
© UCLES 2023 1123/22/INSERT/M/J/23
 3

Passage 2

Laurent

When Laurent left university, a life devoted to reading was his plan, but it had not worked out
that way.

Content removed due to copyright restrictions.

he thought.
© UCLES 2023 1123/22/INSERT/M/J/23
 4

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Permission to reproduce items where third‑party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
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 2023 1123/22/INSERT/M/J/23

 Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/21

Paper 2 Reading October/November 2023

INSERT 1 hour 45 minutes

INFORMATION
*4373412350-I*

● This insert contains the reading passages.

● You may annotate this insert and use the blank spaces for planning. Do not write your answers on the
insert.

This document has 4 pages. Any blank pages are indicated.

DC (CJ) 319103
© UCLES 2023 [Turn over
 2

Passage 1

Farming

1 People in early times obtained food by hunting animals and collecting edible plants, giving
rise to the term ‘hunter-gatherer’. Through time, people started to live in settled communities
and grow their own food, and this was the beginning of farming.

2 To plant crops, early people used ploughs, which cut a series of long lines in the soil called
furrows, into which seed was then thrown. However, the seeds were not always planted 5
at the correct depth or distance from each other to ensure maximum growth; seeds were
also vulnerable to being eaten by birds or blown away by the wind. A major breakthrough
came with the invention of seed drills – devices which spaced the seeds evenly at the ideal
depth. This meant that seeds were not wasted and fewer grew into plants too early. A later
development involved a tool called a flail which separated the grain from the outer husk, 10
once the crops had been gathered. This was successful but very labour intensive.

3 Growing the same crop in the same place for many years gradually removes nutrients from
the soil. Crop rotation was practised by farmers in some countries 5000 years ago: this is
the practice of growing one type of crop in each field in one season, and then changing to
another the next. Although farmers may not have understood the chemistry, they understood 15
the results. Over time, the practice of leaving land empty, or fallow, evolved, which meant
letting it rest and recover every few years by not planting crops on it at all.

4 The Industrial Revolution advanced farming methods by introducing mechanical agriculture,

that is agriculture powered by machines, for example the tractor. These replaced many jobs
previously performed by manual labour and working animals such as horses and oxen. 20
Perhaps the most important development came with the invention of the combine harvester,
a versatile and ingenious vehicle which combines harvesting operations. It reaps the crops,
such as wheat and maize, separates the grain and combines the leftover straw into bales for
animal feed or ploughs it back into the soil as fertiliser.

5 Modern times have seen the development of intensive farming, which produces more 25
crops than traditional farming methods, but brings with it considerable disadvantages. We
really ought to become more informed about the many criticisms of intensive farming. To
improve crop yield, intensive farming uses chemical fertilisers which contaminate the water
of rivers and lakes. Toxins in the soil are produced by chemical pesticides used to kill weeds
and pests; these can affect animals adversely and then enter the human food chain. Crop 30
dusting involves spraying crops with fertilisers or pesticides from an agricultural aircraft.
This process of crop dusting can damage human health; the random nature of this spraying
can cause people living in surrounding areas to ingest harmful chemicals. Farmers should
therefore opt for more natural or organic products in the treatment of their crops.

6 Cutting down trees to create land for intensive farming threatens our planet’s eco-system; 35
it contributes to climate change, destroys natural habitats and, in some cases, causes the
extinction of entire species. Traditional farming methods relied on a high level of manual
labour; the machinery of intensive farming might be an attractive proposition for the farmers
who benefit from the lower, labour-saving costs, but there are, nevertheless, human costs
involved too: unemployment levels increase as machines replace people. The aim of 40
intensive farming is to provide maximum output at the lowest possible cost and indeed the
cheap food provided prevents starvation and future food shortages in some parts of the
world. We do need to balance this with an awareness of the origins of our food. Because
large numbers of animals are kept in confined spaces, often indoors, this can be cruel and
inhumane. The additional danger is that such spaces can lead to cramped and unhealthy 45
conditions which allow for diseases to spread easily from animals to human beings.

7 Farmers in early times appreciated the need for crop rotation, but in modern intensive
farming some farmers often specialise in growing only one crop in order to maximise their
profits. However, these monocultures, as they are called, can quickly reduce key nutrients
in the soil – as can harvesting crops more than once a year – and cause a lowering in 50
biodiversity.
© UCLES 2023 1123/21/INSERT/O/N/23
 3

Passage 2

The Novel

1 Towards the end of my course at university, I found it difficult to concentrate on my studies.

I quizzed myself on what to do – give up right at the end or try to get my degree? If I got
my degree, I would be considered an important person in my neighbourhood, as this rarely
happened to a child from a poor family. I lay in bed staring at the ceiling. I looked at the
pages of the books without taking in any of the words. 5

2 One morning, as a kind of remedy for my problems, I bought a new notebook and began to
write about events from my life. Then I wrote about the neighbourhood where I had lived as
a young girl, being careful to change names, places and situations. I spent 20 days entirely
absorbed in my writing; I found that I was calmer and I was able to study too. My parents
hadn’t gone beyond fifth grade in elementary school and none of my grandparents had 10
learned to read fluently, but I graduated that summer and was really pleased with myself.
Here I was, not yet 23, and I had obtained a literature degree with the highest grade. For me,
the first member of my family to go to university, even getting there had been an astonishing
achievement.

3 On graduation day, after the usual student rituals, some university friends and I went out 15
for dinner with our tutor. I had put the notebook with the story I had written into my bag.
‘I have a little present for you,’ I said. Timidly, I took out the notebook and gave it to him.
‘It’s a novel,’ I said, ‘one of a kind, my only copy, my only attempt.’ He looked puzzled. I
was immediately sorry, thinking I should never have embarrassed him with a little story that
wasn’t even typewritten. Then when we left the restaurant, he actually forgot to pick up the 20
notebook lying on the table and had to be reminded to run back and get it.

4 A few weeks later I received a phone call from a publisher. My tutor had sent my story to him
and he wanted to print it. I blurted out that I hadn’t even re-read it. ‘Don’t touch a comma,’
he told me. ‘It will need only slight revisions. There is a sincerity and naturalness about it
that only truly good books have.’ He hadn’t realised that it was the very first thing I’d ever 25
written. I wandered around the neighbourhood, overwhelmed with joy, my heart pounding.
The publisher had told me how good the novel was, but then my mood altered. In a few
days I’ll discover that they have changed their minds, I thought gloomily; the book won’t be
published. They’ll re-read it; those who had found it good will find it pointless, and those who
haven’t read it will be angry with those eager to publish it; they’ll all be angry with my tutor, 30
who will feel humiliated and blame me for disgracing him.

5 As I entered the familiar world of the old neighbourhood library, the aroma of the books
enveloped me warmly. I moved absent-mindedly along the shelves. I touched tattered books
without looking at title or author, just to feel them – old paper, letters of the alphabet, ink. In a
few months there might be printed pages all covered with my words, and whose name would 35
be on the cover? Mine! I focused on the fact that my book might end up on those shelves. It
would be catalogued and people would ask to borrow it to find out what I had written.

6 When the publisher sent me a considerable sum of money as advanced payment and an
invitation to the publishing house in the city, my mother was incredulous and my father began
to brag about me in the neighbourhood. At the publishing house, the editor suggested some 40
minor tweaks to the story I had put my whole heart into. On the train home, I worked on the
manuscript, including changes that the editor had recommended. I wanted the novel to be
good; I didn’t want anyone to dislike it. I doubted that I would ever be able to write another.

© UCLES 2023 1123/21/INSERT/O/N/23

 4

BLANK PAGE

Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
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 2023 1123/21/INSERT/O/N/23

 Cambridge O Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1123/22

Paper 2 Reading October/November 2023

INSERT 1 hour 45 minutes

INFORMATION
*1662649763-I*

● This insert contains the reading passages.

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Passage 1

Salt

1 Salt is obtained from salt mines or by the evaporation of sea water. It became an essential
commodity in former times as it could preserve food, in particular meat, meaning that people
did not need to depend on seasonal variations. Areas which produced salt became centres
of civilisation. For example, what is thought to be the first city in Europe, Solnitsata, meaning
‘salt works’, had a salt mine more than 7000 years ago. With the spread of civilisation, salt 5
became an important article of trade among peoples like the Ancient Egyptians, the Greeks
and Romans; it was transported across deserts by camel, across seas by boat, and along
specially built salt roads. In Ancient Egypt, salt was so important that salted birds and fish
were placed in tombs as food for the afterlife.

2 The need for salt, and its scarcity, meant that at various times and in various places it was 10
the cause of bitter warfare; for instance, the Venetians fought with the people of Genoa over
it. Salt was used in rituals in warfare; one particular ritual involved salt being scattered over
defeated cities as a symbolic gesture to prevent future plant growth. The Roman general
Scipio ploughed over the city of Carthage with salt after he conquered it. Centuries later,
during the American War of Independence, the British cut off the revolutionaries’ shipments 15
of salt to interfere with their ability to preserve food, and threatening them with starvation,
showing that salt has been used as a weapon of war too.

3 A significant development was the introduction of a salt tax. These taxes were unpopular and
sometimes the cause of civil unrest in countries such as China and India. In France, salt taxes
were thought to have played a role in starting the French Revolution. Salt was also used as 20
money; in the thirteenth century, Marco Polo reported that, in Tibet, salt cakes stamped with
images of the emperor were used as currency.

4 In modern times, salt continues to be important in our lives. Salt is a necessary requirement
in our diets. The human body cannot make salt, which our nerves and muscles need in order
to function properly, although health professionals urge us to keep our intake of salt to no 25
more than five grams a day. When shopping, it is good practice to look at packaging to check
the amount of salt the food contains. Salt is found in some skincare creams and can be a
thickening agent in shampoos, indicating that it is important for beauty and health too. Adding
special salts to our bathwater is often recommended as an effective way to relax, while
swimming in sea water is said to have health benefits. 30

5 By far the most extensive use of salt nowadays is in the production of chlorine in industry;
chlorine is a highly effective disinfectant and is an essential component in the manufacture
of thousands of products used every day, including plastic, textiles and paper. Salt is widely
used as a cleaning agent for, among other things, stained metal, glassware, carpets and
clothing, and it is softer and cheaper than chemical cleaners. And we should all be on the 35
lookout for non‑chemical, eco‑friendly products. In countries where temperatures can drop
below freezing in winter, people rely on salt to keep roads safe and free of ice. In Scandinavia,
approximately 500 000 tonnes of salt are used annually in de‑icing. When scattered over
frozen highways, it lowers the freezing temperature of ice and therefore melts it. However, we
need to listen to critics who say salt damages vehicles. These critics say that we should look 40
to alternatives to salt such as corn and sugar‑beet products to de‑ice our roads.

6 As in former times, salt is a huge source of income in many countries, with one of the largest
salt mining operations in the world being the Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan. The word ‘salt’
has made its way into many languages. For example, the city of Salzburg takes its name
from the German word for salt; the word ‘salary’ means ‘salt’, as it is sometimes thought that 45
Roman soldiers were paid in salt.

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Passage 2

A Summer Job

1 When the long school summer holidays came round, to satisfy my mother, I had to find a
summer job. Naturally I went to the doctor’s wife as I had worked for her the previous summer
looking after her three little girls. When I mentioned that I was looking for a job again, the
doctor’s wife asked if I would take her daughters to the beach every day, and if I could start
the next day so that they could spend more time with a good, intelligent girl like me. She 5
called her daughters and they embraced me affectionately, eager for me to play with them.
She informed me that she would give me a little more money than the previous year. I went
home keen to tell my mother my good news and my mood didn’t change even when she said,
as I knew she would, that I was lucky – swimming and sitting in the sun wasn’t a real job.

2 Every day, I took the little girls to the beach where the lazy sea shimmered under the scorching 10
sun. In a canvas bag I brought all the thousand things that the children might need, along
with the books that I would be reading in school the next year. They were small volumes that
examined the world as it was, the present day, and the world as it ought to become. I went
home exhausted every evening. The books resembled textbooks, but the writing was more
interesting, even though it was more difficult to understand. I wasn’t used to the intellectual 15
demands of that sort of reading. And, of course, the girls required a lot of attention.

3 One Sunday I felt someone putting a hand over my eyes and a voice asked: ‘Guess who?’
It was my friend Marisa. ‘You’re so good at looking after those children,’ she said. ‘But me, I
wasn’t born with that gift.’ Pointing to the doctor’s daughters who were playing a little distance
away, I tried to reassure her: ‘Sit with them for a while. Talk to them.’ Marisa laughed but then, 20
uneasily, she ventured to say a few words to the girls before beginning to talk to me again.
I urged her to take care of the youngest daughter, Linda. ‘Go on, let her play her favourite
game – drinking from the water fountain, or spraying the water by putting her thumb over it.’

4 Rather unwillingly, Marisa led Linda away, holding her hand. I watched as she lifted the child
over the jet of water, letting her drink it or spray it. Seeing the fun, the two other sisters 25
joined them as I sat on the beach in a place where I could keep an eye on all four and at the
same time do some reading. When I looked up, I saw that something was wrong. Marisa was
holding Linda who was crying. Maybe Linda had leaned over too far; maybe one of her sisters
had pushed her; certainly, she had escaped Marisa’s reluctant grasp and hurt her chin on
the edge of the basin. Her sisters were looking elsewhere with fake smiles, as if all this had 30
nothing to do with them.

5 Running over, I tore the child from Marisa’s arms and tilted her head towards the jet of water
to wash her face. There was a tiny, horizontal cut under her chin, which was in no way worthy
of the commotion she was making. I’ll lose the job with the doctor’s wife, I thought, and my
mother will be angry. Meanwhile I ran for the beach attendant, who somehow got Linda to 35
calm down by applying antiseptic lotion to the cut and then sticking a small plaster over it. To
put it simply, it was nothing serious. I bought ice cream for all three girls and went back to my
place on the beach. Marisa had left.

6 The doctor’s wife didn’t seem particularly upset by Linda’s injury. However, when I asked
if I should come the next day at the customary time to pick up the girls, she said that her 40
daughters had had too much swimming that summer and there was no need for me anymore.

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