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KS3 · iLowerSecondary English · Practice papers · Paper 2: Journeys
A complete original achievement test modelled exactly on the format of LEH11/01. Theme: journeys. All three source texts are original works written by The English Hub - they are not taken from any past paper. Work through the paper first, then open the mark scheme to check your answers.
Total marks
70
Time allowed
1 hour 45 minutes
Section A: Reading
40 marks · 22 questions
Section B: Writing
30 marks · 1 task
Instructions
Read all three texts before you begin Section A. Paragraphs are numbered so you can refer to them in your answers.
Text 1 - non-fiction (magazine article (explanatory))
An explanatory article written for The English Hub · Purpose: inform / explain
Every autumn, billions of birds set out on one of the most extraordinary journeys in nature. Some travel only a few hundred miles; others cross whole oceans and continents. The Arctic tern makes perhaps the longest journey of any animal, flying from the far north to the far south and back again each year. What is truly remarkable is not the distance, but the fact that the birds almost never get lost.
A migrating bird has no map and no signpost, yet it carries several different navigation tools at once. The first is the sun. During the day many birds keep a steady direction by noting where the sun sits in the sky and how its position shifts hour by hour. They have, in effect, an internal clock that tells them how to read it.
At night the sun is gone, so birds switch to the stars. Young birds raised in a planetarium have been shown to learn the pattern of the night sky, fixing on the point around which the stars appear to turn. Once a bird knows where that fixed point is, it always knows which way is north, even on the darkest night.
Perhaps the strangest tool of all is the Earth itself. Our planet behaves like an enormous, weak magnet, and many birds can sense this magnetic field. It works rather like a compass that is always switched on, giving the bird a reliable sense of direction when the sky is hidden by cloud and neither sun nor stars can be seen.
Birds also remember the land beneath them. Coastlines, mountain ranges and great rivers act as landmarks, and an older bird that has made the journey before can recall these features and follow them like a familiar road. Smell, too, may play a part: some seabirds appear to recognise the particular scent of the patch of ocean where they were born.
No single tool would be enough on its own. The wonder of migration is that the bird weaves all of them together, checking one against another, correcting its course mile after mile. The journey is not luck. It is the result of millions of years in which only the birds that could find their way ever arrived to raise the next generation.
Text 2 - non-fiction (charity appeal (persuasive recount))
A fund-raising appeal by Priya Anand for the (fictional) Open Road Trust · Purpose: persuade / argue
My name is Priya Anand, and last spring I walked one thousand miles, alone, along an old mountain road. My feet blistered on the first day and never quite stopped hurting. But I was lucky: I had chosen my journey. The children I walked for did not choose theirs.
I made the walk for the Open Road Trust, the charity I helped to found six years ago. Across the valley I crossed, thousands of children walk for two or three hours every morning simply to reach a classroom - and the same distance home again in the dark. By the time they sit down to learn, they are already exhausted. Many give up. Their journey defeats them before their education has even begun.
Can you picture that walk? A nine-year-old with no shoes, a heavy bag, a road that floods in the rain? I met children who had never once been late, because being late meant being turned away. Their determination shamed every complaint I had ever made about a delayed train.
This is where you come in. Just fifteen pounds - less than many of us spend on a single takeaway - pays for a sturdy pair of walking boots that will last a child two years. Forty pounds funds a safe bicycle that turns a three-hour walk into a twenty-minute ride. Every penny travels straight to the road, never to an office desk.
I have finished my journey. Theirs continues every single morning, whether we help or not. I cannot walk it for them. But together we can make their road shorter, safer and kinder. Please give what you can today, and take one small step alongside them.
Text 3 - fiction (adventure narrative (third person))
An original short story written for The English Hub · Purpose: entertain / describe
The platform was already moving when Daniel reached it - not the train, but the crowd, a single nervous animal pressing towards the open doors. He gripped his sister’s hand so hard she gasped. Eight years old and barely past his elbow, Lena had been told only that they were going to stay with their aunt. She did not yet understand that they would not be coming back.
There were no seats. Daniel wedged Lena into a corner by the window and stood over her like a fence, his back to the carriage, taking the weight of every shove. The train did not move. Minutes stretched and folded. Somewhere down the line a whistle screamed and was answered by another, closer, until the floor beneath them shuddered and the station began, at last, to slide away.
For an hour the country unspooled past the glass: flooded fields, a burned barn, a road with no cars on it at all. Lena pressed her nose to the window and narrated what she saw in a small steady voice, as if naming things could keep them ordinary. Daniel let her. He was counting - stops, hours, the folded notes sewn into his collar - and trying not to think about the platform they had left, or the two faces that had not been able to come with them.
At the third halt the train sat in darkness for a long time. A man moved through the carriage asking quiet questions, and Daniel felt his heart climb into his throat; but the man looked at the sleeping child, at the boy standing guard with his jaw set, and moved on without a word. Daniel did not let his breath out until the wheels turned again.
When grey light finally edged the sky, Lena woke and asked if they were nearly there. Daniel had no idea. He did not know the name of the next town or how far the rails still ran. But he smoothed her hair, looked out at a horizon that was, for the first time, getting lighter instead of darker, and told her yes - almost. It was the first lie of the journey, and he told it gently, the way you carry something that might break.
All texts above are original works written by The English Hub for this practice paper. Factual content in Text 1 is well-known biology; the charity in Text 2 (the Open Road Trust) and its author are fictional.
Answer ALL questions. Read the three texts in the Source Booklet first. The texts are linked by the theme of journeys. Total for this section: 40 marks. Recommended time: 1 hour 10 minutes.
In Text 1, paragraph 1, the writer describes “one of the most extraordinary journeys in nature”. Circle ONE word below that is closest in meaning to “extraordinary” as it is used here.
Indicative answer: remarkable
Mark notes: Award 1 mark for “remarkable” only. Do not credit more than one circled word.
From Text 1, which bird is said to make perhaps the longest journey of any animal?
Indicative answer: The Arctic tern.
Mark notes: 1 mark for “the Arctic tern”. Do not credit a vague answer such as “a seabird”.
From Text 1, give TWO different tools a migrating bird uses to find its way.
Indicative answer: Any two of: the position of the sun; the pattern of the stars / the fixed point the stars turn around; the Earth’s magnetic field; landmarks such as coastlines, mountains and rivers; smell / the scent of the ocean where it was born.
Mark notes: 1 mark for each correct tool, up to 2 marks.
In Text 1 the writer says the Earth’s magnetic field works “rather like a compass that is always switched on”. Put a cross in ONE box to show what this comparison suggests.
Indicative answer: B - the bird always has a sense of direction, even without sun or stars
Mark notes: 1 mark for B only.
In Text 1, why does the writer say the journey of migrating birds “is not luck”?
Indicative answer: Because the ability to navigate is the result of evolution over millions of years - only birds that could find their way survived to breed - so success is built in, not accidental.
Mark notes: 1 mark for a clear inference.
In this sentence from Text 1, underline the VERB: “Every autumn, billions of birds set out on one of the most extraordinary journeys in nature.”
Indicative answer: “set out” (accept “set”)
Mark notes: 1 mark for clearly identifying “set out” or “set”. Any clear positive indication (underline, circle) is accepted.
In the final paragraph of Text 1 the writer says: “The wonder of migration is that the bird weaves all of them together.” What did the writer mean by this, and what is its effect on the reader?
Indicative answer: Meaning: the bird does not rely on one method but combines all its navigation tools, constantly checking one against another to stay on course. Effect: the verb “weaves” makes the process sound skilful and almost like craftsmanship, leaving the reader impressed and full of admiration for the bird.
Mark notes: 1 mark for explaining the meaning; 1 mark for the effect on the reader. Do not credit an unexplained lift of the quotation.
From Text 2, what does Priya Anand say fifteen pounds can pay for?
Indicative answer: A sturdy pair of walking boots that will last a child two years.
Mark notes: 1 mark for the precise detail.
In Text 2 the writer says she was “lucky” because she “had chosen” her journey. Why has the writer included this idea?
Indicative answer: To contrast her free choice with the children’s lack of choice, making the reader feel the children’s situation is unfair and deserving of help.
Mark notes: 1 mark for a clear inference about the persuasive contrast or emotional effect.
In Text 2, paragraph 3, the writer uses a question mark: “Can you picture that walk? A nine-year-old with no shoes, a heavy bag, a road that floods in the rain?” Explain the effect of these question marks.
Indicative answer: Effect: the rhetorical questions force the reader to imagine the child’s journey for themselves and feel personally involved. Linked explanation: the second question piles up vivid details, deepening sympathy and pushing the reader towards donating.
Mark notes: 1 mark for naming the effect of the question marks (e.g. they make the reader picture the scene / involve the reader). 1 mark for an explanation linked to the text content.
In Text 2 the writer states: “Every penny travels straight to the road, never to an office desk.” What is the writer’s purpose here, and how does this affect the reader?
Indicative answer: Purpose: to reassure the reader that donations are spent directly on the children, removing the common objection that charity money is wasted on administration. Effect: builds trust and makes the reader more willing to give.
Mark notes: 1 mark for the writer’s purpose; 1 mark for the effect on the reader.
In this sentence from Text 2, underline the IMPERATIVE verb: “Please give what you can today.”
Indicative answer: “give”
Mark notes: 1 mark for identifying “give”. Any clear positive indication is accepted.
Tick ONE box in each row to show which text uses each feature. (Text 1 is the migrating-birds article; Text 2 is the charity appeal.)
| Feature | Text 1 | Text 2 | Neither |
|---|---|---|---|
| A first-person account of the writer’s own experience | |||
| Subheadings or numbered lists | |||
| Rhetorical questions to involve the reader | |||
| Factual scientific explanation of how an animal behaves |
Indicative answer: Row 1 - Text 2; Row 2 - Neither; Row 3 - Text 2; Row 4 - Text 1.
Mark notes: 2 marks for all four rows correct; 1 mark for two or three rows correct; 0 marks for one or none correct.
How does the writer of Text 2 use language to persuade the reader to donate? Make TWO developed points, each supported with evidence from the text.
Indicative answer: Indicative content (any two developed points): (1) the personal recount - “My feet blistered on the first day and never quite stopped hurting” - builds the writer’s credibility and earns the reader’s respect; (2) the relatable cost comparison - “less than many of us spend on a single takeaway” - makes donating feel easy and almost selfish to refuse; (3) emotive contrast - “Their determination shamed every complaint I had ever made” - makes the reader feel grateful and guilty enough to act; (4) the closing call to “take one small step alongside them” turns donating into joining a shared journey, flattering the reader into helping.
Mark notes: Up to 2 marks per developed point: 1 mark for an appropriate point with evidence, 1 mark for explaining the effect on the reader. Maximum 4 marks.
Compare how the writer of Text 1 uses the quotation “The journey is not luck.” and how the writer of Text 2 uses the quotation “I cannot walk it for them.” to reflect each writer’s purpose. In your answer you should comment on the writers’ use of language and the effect on the reader.
Indicative answer: Indicative comparison: Text 1’s writer uses the short, certain statement “The journey is not luck” to dismiss chance and credit the bird’s inherited skill - the flat, factual tone reflects an explanatory purpose that leaves the reader admiring nature’s design. By contrast, Text 2’s writer uses the personal admission “I cannot walk it for them” to confess the limits of her own effort and hand responsibility to the reader; the honest, vulnerable tone reflects a persuasive purpose designed to make the reader feel they must act. Where Text 1 positions the reader as an impressed observer of a journey already mastered, Text 2 positions the reader as a necessary travelling companion in a journey not yet finished.
Mark notes: Mark using the levelled comparison grid (COMPARISON_LEVELS). Top level: a clear explanation of the contrast that infers beyond the literal words, comments on language at word level, and identifies each writer’s purpose and effect on the reader.
Levelled grid
| Level 1 | 1-2 | Response is a simple comment with implicit contrast, referring to either one or two of: deducing, inferring or interpreting information, events or ideas; the use of language at word level; writers’ purpose and viewpoint / overall effect on the reader. |
| Level 2 | 3-4 | Response is an explanation with explicit reference to the contrast, focused on two of: deducing, inferring or interpreting information, events or ideas; the use of language at word level; writers’ purpose and viewpoint / overall effect on the reader. |
| Level 3 | 5-6 | Response is a clear explanation of the contrast, focusing on: deducing, inferring or interpreting information, events or ideas; the use of language at word level; writers’ purpose and viewpoint / overall effect on the reader. |
Which of the two non-fiction texts (Text 1 or Text 2) do you find more appealing to read, and why? Support your answer with evidence from the text you choose.
Indicative answer: Accept either text. Reward a reasonable explanation of preference (e.g. Text 1 is appealing because it reveals surprising facts such as birds sensing the Earth’s magnetic field; Text 2 is appealing because its first-person voice and emotive details make the reader care about the children).
Mark notes: 1 mark for a reasonable explanation of preference; 1 mark for appropriate supporting evidence from the chosen text.
In Text 3, paragraph 1, the crowd is described as “a single nervous animal pressing towards the open doors”. Circle ONE word below that is closest in meaning to “pressing” as it is used here.
Indicative answer: surging
Mark notes: 1 mark for “surging” only.
From Text 3, what had Lena been told about the journey?
Indicative answer: Only that they were going to stay with their aunt. Accept any reference to staying with the aunt.
Mark notes: 1 mark for the precise detail.
In Text 3, why does the man who is “asking quiet questions” move on “without a word”?
Indicative answer: Because he is moved or persuaded by the sleeping child and the protective, determined boy, and chooses not to question or trouble them.
Mark notes: 1 mark for a clear inference.
In the final paragraph of Text 3 the writer says Daniel told the lie “gently, the way you carry something that might break.” What is the effect of this comparison?
Indicative answer: It compares the fragile lie to a delicate object, suggesting Daniel is protecting Lena’s hope and innocence with great care. Effect: it makes the reader feel tenderness and sympathy for both children and admire Daniel’s quiet courage.
Mark notes: 1 mark for explaining the meaning of the comparison; 1 mark for the effect on the reader.
How does the writer of Text 3 use language and structure to show that Daniel feels responsible for Lena? Make TWO developed points, each supported with evidence.
Indicative answer: Indicative content (any two developed points): (1) the protective image “stood over her like a fence, his back to the carriage, taking the weight of every shove” physically shows him shielding her; (2) the detail that he is “counting - stops, hours, the folded notes sewn into his collar” shows him carrying every burden of planning so she does not have to; (3) the structural contrast between Lena narrating the view in “a small steady voice” and Daniel “trying not to think” shows him hiding his fear to keep her calm; (4) the tender closing simile of carrying “something that might break” shows his care turning the lie into an act of love.
Mark notes: Up to 2 marks per developed point: 1 mark for a point with appropriate evidence, 1 mark for explaining the effect. Maximum 4 marks.
In Text 3, the writer says the horizon was “for the first time, getting lighter instead of darker”. What does the writer suggest about the journey through this idea?
Indicative answer: That the worst of the danger may be behind them and there is now hope - the lightening sky symbolises the possibility of safety and a better future.
Mark notes: 1 mark for a clear inference about hope / the worst being over.
Answer the ONE question in this section. You should spend about 35 minutes on it. Total for this section: 30 marks.
The texts in Section A all explore the theme of journeys - the navigated journey of migrating birds, a journey walked to help children whose own journey to school is hard, and one difficult journey by train away from home.
Write the opening of a story in which a character sets out on a journey that does not go as planned.
WAO1 indicative content (18 marks): Reward (against the WAO1 grid, 18 marks): a strong narrative form with an engaging hook; a vivid, controlled sense of the journey and its setting; a character whose situation creates tension and engages the reader; deliberate structural choices (e.g. a build of tension as the journey goes wrong, a turning point, a controlled ending or cliff-hanger); writing fully appropriate to the audience and purpose (entertain). Higher marks for sophisticated audience awareness and stylistic features that fully support purpose.
WAO2 indicative content (12 marks): Reward (against the WAO2 grid, 12 marks): a range of sentence structures and openings used for effect; accurate and increasingly sophisticated punctuation (including commas, dashes, speech marks where used); largely accurate spelling with ambitious vocabulary choices used appropriately and confidently. Penalise frequent errors that impede meaning.
WAO1 - Form, communication and purpose (18 marks)
| S1 | 1-4 |
|
| S2 | 5-9 |
|
| S3 | 10-14 |
|
| S4 | 15-18 |
|
WAO2 - Grammar, punctuation and spelling (12 marks)
| S1 | 1-3 |
|
| S2 | 4-6 |
|
| S3 | 7-9 |
|
| S4 | 10-12 |
|
This paper mirrors the real spread of question types. Use this table to see what each one demands.
| Question type | AO | How to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Circle / select the synonym | RAO4 | Read the word in context. Choose the option that could replace it without changing the meaning. Only one answer; do not circle more than one. |
| Short retrieval / "Why…?" | RAO1 | Locate the exact place in the text. Answer in your own words or with a precise short quotation. Mark schemes reward a clear, specific reference, not a vague gist. |
| Multiple choice (A/B/C/D) | RAO2/RAO4 | Re-read the quoted phrase, then test each option against the meaning in context. If you change your mind, put a line through the box and mark the new answer with a cross. |
| Effect of a punctuation mark | RAO3 | One mark for naming the effect of the mark (e.g. an exclamation mark adds emphasis / surprise / excitement). One mark for an explanation linked to the text content. |
| "What did the writer mean…?" / explain the impact | RAO5 | Explain the deeper meaning and the effect on the reader. Avoid lifting the words directly from the text without explanation - the mark scheme does not credit unexplained lifts. |
| Underline the word / verb class | RAO3/RAO4 | Apply grammatical terminology precisely (e.g. imperative, modal, auxiliary, irregular). Any clear positive indication is accepted. |
| Tick which text uses a feature | RAO3 | Scan each text for the named features (e.g. question marks, apostrophes for possession, dashes, brackets). Partial credit is usually available for most rows correct. |
| Compare how two quotations reflect each writer’s purpose | RAO2 + RAO4 + RAO5 | Make an explicit, developed comparison. Move beyond an implicit comment: explain the contrast, comment on language at word level, and state each writer’s purpose and the effect on the reader. |
| Which text is more appealing - with evidence | RAO4 + RAO5 | One mark for a reasonable explanation of preference and one mark for appropriate textual evidence that supports it. |
| Inference ("Why…?") | RAO2 | Read beyond the literal. State the implied reason clearly; a single accurate inference earns the mark. |
| How does the writer show…? (language / structure) | RAO4 + RAO5 | Make two developed points, each with appropriate evidence from the text and an explanation of the effect. Two marks per developed point with evidence. |
| Section B extended writing task | WAO1 + WAO2 | Plan briefly. Match form, audience and purpose. Organise with controlled paragraphs and linked sections. Vary sentences and openings; use accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling. Marked on WAO1 (18) + WAO2 (12). |