Cambridge Lower Secondary Sample Test
For use with curriculum published in
September 2020
English Paper 1
Insert
Stage 8
English_S8_01_INS/2RP
© UCLES 2020
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Text A
The world’s first ‘underground cinema’
In September 1940, four intrepid boys and their dog set out on an escapade near the town of
Montignac in France. The boys had always been intrigued by local folklore about a secret tunnel
running under the Vézère River, which would lead to hidden treasure buried deep in the woods.
As they walked through the forest, their dog, Robot, ran ahead towards a deep depression in
the ground, at the bottom of which was a small opening. When the boys saw this, they were 5
convinced that the hole was related to the legend. They removed stones from around the edges
with their penknives, then slid cautiously into a narrow, almost vertical shaft which was home to
a multitude of bats. The passage took the youngsters fifteen metres down to a dark,
underground chamber littered with stalagmites.
‘The descent was terrifying,’ recalled Jacques Marsal, who was just fourteen at the time, the 10
youngest of the boys.
Once inside the chamber, they used an oil lantern to look around them. To their surprise, the
walls and ceiling of the cave were covered with spectacular paintings. Marsal described them as
‘a procession of animals, larger than life, that seemed to be moving’. The images were brilliantly
multicoloured in reds, blacks, browns and ochres. Mesmerized by their discovery, they ventured 15
further into the cave. By then, the lantern light was fading and the boys realised they needed to
return quickly to the surface.
Determined to keep their discovery to themselves, the boys swore an oath of secrecy. They met
up the following morning. This time they used a rope, and one by one, they slid into the
darkness, plummeting to the lowest level of the cave. 20
By the third day, they could keep their secret no longer. Each of them took five friends to see
the cave, charging a mere forty-cent admission fee. Marsal defined this as ‘the first commercial
exploitation of the cave’. Once word was out, the news spread like wildfire, and soon the entire
village was lining up to peer at the astonishing pre-historic paintings of our Cro-Magnon
ancestors. To accommodate the crowds and to make access easier, the boys removed even 25
more stones.
The cave opened its doors officially in 1948. Almost immediately, thousands of tourists flocked
to visit to what is now known as the world-famous Lascaux Cave.
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Text B
Blind as a bat
We all know bats live in caves. However, for a number of reasons, bats sometimes get into
houses. If this happens to you, don’t panic! There are several ways of removing them, starting
with the simplest of all, which is opening all the windows and doors. Bats use echolocation or
sound waves to find their way around and identify where objects are. So a bat trapped indoors
may realise that a window or door is open, and simply fly out. You could try catching it with a 5
butterfly net, although this is pretty hard, especially if the bat is flying around. You might want to
wait for it to land, then net it.
Bats have a difficult time taking off from the ground, so use this to your advantage. If you can
gently knock the bat to the ground with a towel, it will be slower moving, and therefore easier to
remove. 10
A container such as a jar, bowl or bucket can be useful. Wait for the bat to land, then carefully
place the container over the bat. Slide a piece of paper under the container, and hey presto,
you've got the bat trapped! A good thing about doing it this way is that you can easily take the
bat to wherever you decide to release it.
Some people try to drape a blanket over the bat. If you do this, be careful. Remember, bats 15
have very fragile bones in their wings, so you don’t want to cause any injury. They are a
protected species, after all. It may even be a good idea to wear thick gloves.
If all else fails, and you can’t deal with it yourself, the best idea is to call in an expert to do the
job for you.
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BLANK PAGE
© Lascaux Cave; www.savelascaux.org/Legacy_Funding.php
© Caving; www.artofmanliness.com/2010/08/02/a-beginners-guide-to-caving
© Bat Conservation Trust; www.bats.org.uk/pages/bats_of_the_world
© Bat in the House; Professional Wildlife Removal; www.wildlife-removal.com/batinhouse.html
Copyright © UCLES, 2020
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