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Section A: Reading
Spend 35 minutes on this section.
Read the text, an article about the history of aerial photography, in the insert, and answer
Questions 1–9.
1 Look at the first paragraph (lines 3–5).
(a) Give a phrase that means the same as ‘aerial photographs’.
Snapshots from the skies [1]
(b) The writer is surprised that aerial photography has been going on for so long. Give a phrase
that tells the reader this.
Early beginnings long before the first planes took off [1]
2 Look at the second and third paragraphs (lines 7–16).
(a) Why does the writer use inverted commas ( ‘ ’ ) in line 9?
That’s not his real name [1]
(b) What contrast does the writer make between the balloon used in 1879 and the one used in
1858? Tick () one box.
one succeeded in taking a photo but the other didn’t
one carried two men, while the other only carried one
one could travel about, the other stayed fixed in the same place
one had a larger darkroom for developing photos than the other
[1]
(c) The writer tells us photography was in its infancy. Explain what photography is being
compared to and why.
Photography is being compared to modern day where they don’t need more than a few seconds to
Be able to see their photograph [2]
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3 Look at the fourth and fifth paragraphs (lines 18–26).
What technological development was necessary before kites could be used to take aerial
photographs? Tick () one box.
a photographic plate large enough to capture the view
a system for controlling many kites to lift the camera
a mechanism to operate the camera automatically
a method of publishing photographs in books
[1]
4 Look at the sixth paragraph (lines 28–32).
How are the verbs in the second sentence of this paragraph different from the verbs in the first
and third sentences?
The second sentence uses past-perfect while the others use past [1]
5 Look at the seventh paragraph (lines 34–42).
Why does the writer use the word literal in this paragraph?
Unlike a photograph taken from the “birds view” it is actually a bird’s view by using an actual pigeon instead of a kite[1]
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6 Look at the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh paragraphs (lines 7–42).
(a) Complete the timeline with dates from the text.
Date Event
first aerial photograph taken from a balloon
1858
first aerial photograph taken from a solo kite
1888
1904 first aerial photograph taken using a rocket
kites used to take aerial photograph of a natural disaster
1906
1900–1910 camera invented that could be carried by birds
1914–1918 pigeons used by the military to take aerial photographs
[3]
(b) Using the information in the timeline, write a summary of the early history of aerial
photography. Use up to 50 words.
The first ever aerial photograph was taken from a ballon in 1858, not so long later in 1888
The first aerial photograph from a solo kite was taken, later in 1904 by a rocket right before WW1 pegions
were used to take an accurate bird view, they were also used later on in WW1. [2]
7 Look at the information about Sherman M. Fairchild (lines 44–60).
Draw a line to match each piece of information to the correct number from 1 (the earliest) to 5
(the latest). One example has been done for you.
1 In the post-war years, Sherman’s cameras are regarded as the best.
2 Sherman’s cameras take aerial photos used to inform the public about the war.
3 To take better aerial photographs, Sherman invents a new type of camera.
4 Sherman’s cameras are used to take photographs in lunar orbit.
5 Photographs of urban areas are taken using Sherman’s cameras.
[3]
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8 Look at the eleventh and twelfth paragraphs (lines 62–68).
The writer begins the last sentence with However. What contrast between the past and present
does this emphasise?
Tick () one box.
how the cost of taking aerial photos has changed
what different ways people use aerial photography
where a photographer can be to take aerial photos
why aerial photography has become more popular
[1]
9 Look at the whole text.
(a) The information in the text has been organised into paragraphs. Give two other ways that the
information is organised.
•
Headings
•
Chronological order
[2]
(b) The language in the first paragraph is more informal than the rest of the text. Give two
quotations from the first paragraph and explain how each one is informal.
Quotation: Have you wondered when aerial photography first started?
Explanation: Rhetorical questions
Quotation: If you’re a flying enthusiast and enjoy taking….
Explanation: The writer is trying to talk to the reader instead of giving facts
[4]
(c) Why has the writer chosen to write the first paragraph in an informal style?
To make the reader engaged [1]
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Section B: Writing
Spend 35 minutes on this section.
10 The writer describes inventions that changed aerial photography.
Write a magazine article about an invention or machine that you use in everyday life that is really
useful.
Think about:
• What is it and what does it do?
• Why is it helpful?
• How could this invention be improved in the future?
Space for your plan:
Write your article on the next page. [25 marks]
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