Section A Text 1 Study the infographic below and answer Questions 1-4 on the Question Paper. Shi: 5 el RE FOUR KEY STEPS TO TACKLE COVID-19 Cover your mouth ttyou are sek, with tissue paper AVOID when sneezing Wear amask it | crowded ‘or coughing. you are sick | places and and see a doctor | In a time of crisis, let's be socially responsible. Together, we will get through this! Get the latest on the novel coronavirus by signing up for the Gov.sg WhatsApp channel cE oe or at the MOH MINISTRY OF HEALTH SINGAPORE oy; [=] 20 not spread rumours. % Updated: 8 Feb 2020 (Taken from ‘https:/hwwnw.gov.sg/article/covid-19-resources') a S) Sec 4 Express/5 Normal (Academic) Preliminary Examination 2020 h Language Paper 2 Insert ocdiiiedSection B Text 2 The text below describes two men’s expenences through the savage Northland Wild. Read it carefully and answer Questions 5 e Que 4 The dark spruce forest frowned on either side of the frozen waterway. The trees had been stripped by a recent wind of their white covering of frost, and they seemed fo lean towards 1 another, black the fading light. Pindrop silence reigned over the colossal jand. The land itself was @ desolation, There was a hint of laughter that conveyed a sombre smile, @ la Jevoid of warmth as the frost, and a laughter that was emitted from a § ve lt was the masterful wisdom of etemity laughing at the emptiness of life. It 2 But the oad in the land and defiant, On top of the massive layer of frozen wolfish dogs which were shivering cease sly. Their breath » a distance in the frigid air. Leather harness was on the dogs, and 10 them to a sled which dragged along behind. The sled pulled by the very easily through the soft snow that surged like a wave before it. On was a long and narrow oblong box. the dogs, on wide snowshoes, tolled a man. At the rear of the sled tolled a On the sled, in the box, lay a third man whose toil was over, a man whom the 15 and beaten down until he would neither move nor struggle again. It is the Wild to like movement. Life is an offence to the Wild, and the Wild aims 0 destroy movement. It freezes the water to prevent it running to the sea; it drives the f the trees till they are frozen to their mighty hearts; and most ferociously and rribly, it crushes into submission, Man, who is the most restless of life and who is ever in 20 revolt against the dictum that all movement must in the end cease. 4 As night fell, the two men appeared valiant in the cold. They were covered with fur and soft- tanned leather. Their eyelashes, cheeks and lips were so coated with the crystals from theit frozen breath that their faces were not discernible, This gave them the seeming of undertakers in a spectral world at the funeral of some ghost. But under it all, they were men 25 bent on colossal adventure, pitting themselves against the freezing might of a world as soulless and pulseless as the abysses of space. 5 The two men travelled on without speech, as on every side, shuddering silence enveloped them with a tangible presence akin to divers experiencing the unending vastness of the immense ocean. Pandemonium! 30 6 — Standing in the middle of the the pitch black forest, long wailing cries after long wailing cries, from somewhere unknown, interrupted the two men. They stopped to listen to the cries, huddled together closely and backtracked from these alien sounds. There was no suggestion of form around them. Suddenly, three pairs of eyes gleamed like burning coals. Now and again, a pair of eyes moved, or disappeared to appear again a moment later. 35 (Adapted from ‘White Fang’, by Jack London, 1906) FMS(S) Sec 4 Express/ 5 Normal (Academic) Preliminary Examination 2020 English Language Paper 2 insert 3 OCAHNEU WILT UalNSceSection C Text 3 a ic - on th The text below is about seagrass meadows. Read it carefully and answer Questions 16-22 Question Paper. 4 The savannahs of the seas - our humble seagrass meadows - are in peril Seay Oe upon compared to coral reefs, mangroves or even kelp forests, the vast potent ee underwater grasslands that absorb carbon from our atmosphere and provide habitats eal charismatic marine Mfe is understated. In contrast to the constant yet futile blasting of the ‘4 fads on social media concerning the effects of plastic pollution on marine creatures, seagrass meadows are rarely the poster child of ocean conservation as they are ut and Given little media coverage. This lack of complete understanding of seagrasses has resulted in a state of emergency 2 From the shores of the United Kingdom to the uninhabited islands of the Indian Ocean, we can see the consequences of man's impact on seagrass meadows. Even though we do not know 10 exactly how much seagrass there is, best estimates suggest that we have lost much of our seagrass meadows globally, which equates to around a football field every hour since the 1980s. 3 While we are distracted by stories of deforestation and river pollution, the threat we present to Seagrasses remains largely invisible. In fact, the massive amounts of nutrient and sediment 15 rich water can cause opportunistic microscopic algae, called epiphytes, to smother Seagrasses, thereby preventing the plants from obtaining food through photosynthesis, 4 Similarly, sediment from coastal developments and land reclamation bury the sensitive grasses. The aftermaths are severe enough to induce a deserted wasteland. Contributing to this is the fact that the fish species that might help seagrasses in their fight are gone; exploited 20 beyond belief, and a result of seagrass meadows often being overlooked when creating Marine Protected Zones. 5 Fortunately, our understanding of the importance of seagrass meadows is increasing through. the purposeful use of the internet to promote these underwater grasslands, which are at the centre of a vast web of carbon and nutrient exchange spanning from the land all the way to 25 coral reefs and into deep ocean trenches. Although seagrass meadows are possibly the most under-appreciated fishing habitats on earth, they are important for biodiversity, people and the planet. 6 One of the primary functions of seagrasses is simply to provide a safe habitat for a huge number of species of fish and invertebrates to conceal themselves from predators. 30 Seagrasses also improve water clarity for marine creatures living there by trapping * sediments and particles that are suspended in the water column. Furthermore, work to filter nutrients that come from land-based industrial discharge before these Bu Ho eee ne SNARE OC EGLO Te i regions, the seagrass plants themselves take up nutrients release then the water through their leaves, thereby acting as a nutrient pump. e i ‘ocean's heroes. Not the hero our planet deserves, but the hero our pl Knight if you will. Scanned with CamSc«from currents and storms. The extensive root system in seagrasses, which extends both vertically and horizontally oot system in y the currents alo helps to stabilise the sea bottom such that it diminishes the force of capabilities of Ng the bottom. Species such as crabs and starfishes also use the buffering nan Of seagrasses to provide a refuge from strong currents. Moreover, seagrass Ss provide a place of anchor for seaweeds. They also produce seeds that float and can Orift all the way down into the deep ocean where they become an important source of food for other organisms Realising the paramount importance of seagrasses, more than 100 scientists from 28 countries called for global action to protect seagrass meadows. Seagrass research and conservation are growing, and new information points to people as part of the answer. Besides educating the public, Project Seagrass, an organisation dedicated to conserving seagrass meadows globally, also hopes to unite people to save seagrasses. While some governments are already looking to Project Seagrass to promote seagrass meadows as potential blue carbon heroes, the reality is most people are still naively unaware. For change to happen, seagrass meadows must no longer be regarded as the ugly duckling of the conservation world. Instead, they must be given the limelight they deserve. (Adapted from ‘What does the future hold for seagrass?’, by Benjamin Jones, 2018) ~ End of Insert ~ old 50 55 jeu wit GainSce2 Section A [5 marks] Refer to the infographic (Text 1) on page 2 of the Insert for Questions 1-4. Which sentence gives the main purpose of the webpage? ‘Together, we will get through this!’ What effect is the personal pronoun ‘we’ intended to have on the reader? With reference to the infographic, what two things should individuals do when they are issued with Home Quarantine Orders and Leaves of Absence? (i) .... (ii) .. (2) State one way in which live updates about the novel coronavirus situation will be automatically sent to individuals. Otaiiieu wii CainSceSection B [20 marks] Refer to Text 2 on page 3 of the Insert for Questions 5-15. 5 In paragraph 1, ‘Pindrop silence reigned over the colossal land.’ (lines 3-4) What does the writer mean by the above expression? ve 6 In paragraph 1, the writer describes the land as a ‘desolation’ (line 4). Identify another word which has the same meaning as ‘desolation’ that is used later in this paragraph. In paragraph 1, ‘There was a hint of laughter that conveyed a sombre smile’ (lines 4-5). What is unusual about the phrase ‘sombre smile’ (lines 4-5)? 8 In paragraph 2, the writer describes the weather conditions confronting the dogs. Explain how the language used from lines 8 to 10 emphasises the coldness of the weather on that day. ‘Support your ideas with three details from lines 8 to 10. Scanned with CamSc«(il) State one reason to account for the sled's movement (1 , aman whom the again.’ (lines over 10 In paragraph 3, ‘On the sied, in the box, lay a third man whose toil was Wild had conquered and beaten down until he would neither move nor struggle 15-16), (i) What does this expression suggest about the state of the third man? (ii) What do you think accounted for the state of this man? 11 In paragraph 4, “As night fell, the two men appeared valiant in the cold.’ (line 22). (i) In your own words, what does ‘valiant’ tell us about the two men? (ii) Why were these two men able to appear ‘valiant in the cold’ (line 22)? Scanned with CamSc«13° From paragra| silence envel vastness of tl ph 5, ‘The two men travelled on without speech, as on every side, shuddering oped them with a tangible presence akin to divers experiencing the unending he immense ocean. Pandemonium!’ (lines 28-30). Explain how the writer creates a contrast between these two sentences. 14 in paragraph 6, ‘huddled together closely and backtracked from these alien sounds.’ (line 33). What does this expression suggest about the feelings of the two men? Scanned with CamSczwhich the ’ 15 The structure of the text reflects the savage weather condition of the Northen Ne testi ime men experienced. Complete the flow chart by choosing one phrase fr phrases in the ‘summarise the main focus of each stage of the narrative. There are some ex! box that you do not need to use. Main focus Suspicious people residing together | paralysis reigns undaunted by the weather | an indifferent reaction very dark surroundings | @lifeless state thriving in unfamiliar terrain | @ moment of weakness sadness amidst dreadful conditions Flow chart Paragraph 1 Paragraph 3 Scanned with CamSc«Section C [25 marks] Refer to Text 3 on pages 4 and 5 of the Insert for Questions 16-22. 16 w hat tone is the writer creating in the phrase ‘constant yet futile blasting of the latest fads’ (lines 4 -5)7 1) 17 What does the writer mean by the underlined words in the phrase ‘seagrass meadows are Tarely the poster chilc of ocean conservation’ (lines 5-6)? Answer in your own words. ersten {2 18 (i) What does the phrase ‘From the shores of the United Kingdom to the uninhabited islands of the Indian Ocean’ (line 9) suggest about the impact on seagrass by human beings? i (ii) Give one piece of evidence from paragraph 2 to support your answer in 18(i). From paragraph 3, how do huge quantities of nutrient and sediment rich seagrasses? Scanned with CamSc«read 21 Here is a¢ James, who have the article f versation between two students, Anita and Nol It is a fact that Project Seagrass has not really been successful in saving our seagrass meadows. ( Project Seagrass can help to conserv the world’s seagras meadows. (i) Using your own words, identify two methods i i Ce, fy from Paragraph 8 that Anita can give to _ sone 1] (ii) \dentify 2 phrase of not more than six word Saeaiea. s from paragraph 8 which justifies James's M1) Ovaiiieu wit ValiSCeRefer to the infographic (Text 1) on page 2 of the Ins 1 Section A [5 marks] ert for Questions 1-4. Which sentence gives the main purpose of the webpage? ‘In a time of crisis, let’s be socially responsible.’ {1} ‘Together, we will get through this!’ What effect is the personal pronoun ‘we’ intended to have ‘on the reader? The pronoun ‘we’ is ye to make the eae the re: erto fe 1 TeaereY to a i hi ia ay in i t With reference to the infographic, what two things should individuals do when they are issued with Home Quarantine Orders and Leaves of Absence? . ()) Individuals should comply with Home Quarantine Orders and Leaves of Absence. a (ii) Individuals should stay at their designated locations. 2) State one way in which live updates about the novel coronavirus situation will be automatically ‘sent to individuals. By signing up for the Gov.sg Whatsapp channel.Section B [20 marks] Refer to Text 2 on page 3 of the Insert for Questions 5-15. |n paragraph 1, ‘Pindrop silence reigned over the colossal land.’ (lines 3-4) What does the writer mean by the above expression? The vast/enormous land was enveloped in. I i , 1) In paragraph 1, the writer describes the land as a ‘desolation’ (line 4). Identify another word which has the same meaning as ‘desolation’ that is used later in this paragraph. 10) ‘emptiness’ In paragraph 1, ‘There was a hint of laughter that conveyed a sombre smile’ (ines 4-5). What is unusual about the phrase ‘sombre smile’ (lines 4-5)? It is unusual because a smile is a happy expression (on the face) which is in contrast to sombre which conveys a feeling of 5S. m if sadness. In paragraph 2, the writer describes the weather conditions confronting the dogs. Explain how the language used from lines 8 to 10 emphasises the coldness of the weather on that day. ‘Support your ideas with three details from lines 8 to 10. «massive layer of frozen waterway’ suggests very thick icy canallwaterway (which was the product of the glacial weather.) [1] “trudged a string of wolfish dogs which were shivering ceaselessly’ suggests the dogs ind were ‘continually/incessantly (because of harsh wintry voathefconaicra ict | ‘Their breath was highly visible from a distance in the frigid air.’ suggests dogs’ exhaled air wee very sbviousinotceable from afar in the arctica. [1] giheteas In paragraph 2, ‘The sled pulled by the able to easily soft s fee Sipe Scanned with CamSc«it nose toil was over, a man whom the 10 In paragraph 3, ‘On the sled, in the box, lay a third man wh an \ Wie hae conquered and beaten down until he would neither move nor struggle again.’ (lines 15- 16). (i) What does this expression suggest about the state of the third man? The third man had died. 1) (li) What do you think accounted for the state of this man? The extremely cold temperature of the environment caused this man to die. | paragraph 4, ‘As night fel, the two men appeared valiant in the cold.’ (line 22). 1) " (@) In your own words, what does ‘valiant’ tell us about the two men? The two men were fearless/courageous. (i) Why were these two men able to appear ‘valiant in the cold’ (line 22)? It is because these two men were covered with fur and soft-tanned leather Protect ‘them from the cold weather). e M1) 12 (0) From paragraph 4, why were the two men's faces not recognisable? It is because the two men’s eyelashes, cheeks and lips were so coated with the crystals from their frozen breath. (1) (ii) What did these two men look like? These two men looked like undertakers in a spectral world (at the funeral of some ghost). [1] n 13 From paragraph 5, ‘The two men travelled on without speech, as on every side, shuddering silence enveloped them with a tangible presence akin to divers experiencing the unending vastness of the immense ocean. Pandemonium!’ (ines 28-30). Explain how the writer creates a contrast between these two sentences. Scanned with CamSc«15 The structure of the text reflects the savage weather condition of the Northland Wild which the two men experienced. Complete the flow chart by choosing one phrase from the box to summarise the Main focus of each stage of the narrative. There are some extra phrases in the box that you do not Need to use, Main focus ‘suspicious people paralysis reigns an indifferent reaction alifeless state a moment of weakness residing together undaunted by the weather very dark surroundings thriving in unfamiliar terrain sadness amidst dreadful conditions Paragraph 1 (i) a lifeless state Paragraph 3 Scanned with CamSc«Section © [25 marks] Refer to Text 3 on pages 4 and 5 of the Insert for Questions 16-22. 16 | What tone is the writer creating in the phrase ‘constant yet futile blasting of the latest fads’ | (ines 4 -5)? | ‘The writer takes on a critical/ disapproving/ mocking ton 17 | What does the writer mean by the underlined words in the phrase ‘seagrass meadows are farely the poster child of ocean conservation’ (lines 5-6)? Answor in your own words. Kemeans seagrass meadows are seldom/hardly ever [1] representative off the epitome 9f [1] ocean conservation, @ 18 | (i) What does the phrase From the shores of the United Kingdom to the uninhabited islands of the Indian Ocean’ (line 8) suggest about the impact on seagrass by human beings? The impact on seagrass is widespread/ extensive, i (il) Give one piece of evidence from paragraph 2 to support your answer in 18(I), Best estimates suggest that we've lost much of our seagrass lows | s we've lost much of our seagrass meadows globally, which equates to around a football field every hour since the 1980s. Oo) |_| (iil) identity a word in Paragraph 4 that has the same meaning as ‘consequences’ (line 10). |_| ‘aftermaths’ ty \ From paragraph 3, how do huge quantities of nuirient and sediment rich waler endanger ‘Seagrasses? The massive amounts of nutrient and sediment rich water can cause opportunistic microscopic algae (called Diphytes) to smother seagrasses, thereby preventing the Blants from obtaining food through photosynthesis. In paragraph 5, state the method employed to help people to better comprehend the significance of seagrass meadows. Scanned with CamSc«21 — is a part of a conversation between two students, Anita and James, who have read the | atticle, + sia Nol! It is @ fact that Project Seagrass has not really been successful in saving our seagrass meadows [_ Project Seagrass | can help to conserve the world’s seagrass meadows. ny | {0 Using your own words, identify two methods from Paragraph 6 that ‘Anita can give to ‘support her view. a | Besides educating the public, Project Seagrass, an organisation dedicated to conserving seagrass meadows globally, also hopes to unite people to save seagrasses. Qwn Words Besides teaching /enlightening people, Project Seagrass also wishes to bring "together everyone! the community to rescue seagrasses. io) | {i identily @ phrase of not more than six words from paragraph 8 which justifies James's | | ‘most people are still naively unaware’ ol "Using your own words as far as possible, summarise the ways in which seagrasses are beneficial. Use only information from paragraphs 6 and 7. Your summary must be in continuous writing (not note form). It must not be longer than words (not counting the words given to help you begin). One of the many benefits of having seagrasses is that ... Scanned with CamScz. Z a 2. [Seagrasses also improve water clarity for|31 enhance _water__transparency _for Marine creatures living there | aquaticseaanimals, | 3. |Furthermore, seagrasses work to filter/32-33 | and filtrate nutrients from land-based oe ~_. come from land-based factory emission. indust harae 4. fin nutrient-poor fegions, the seagrass|34-36 |In putrient-deprived areas, seagrass plants themselves take up nutrients from leaves absorb and discharge _soil ithe soil and release them into the water nutrients a nt through their leaves, thereby acting as a pumps. Nutrient pump. 5. |Seagrasses also protect our shores from|39 | Additionally, seagrasses safeguard erosion shores from erosion '6. and produce the oxyaen that we breathe in.|39 _| and emits oxygen. 7. |The extensive root system in seagrasses, |41-43 | Seagrasses’ vast roots weaken waves (which extends both vertically and to stabilise the seabed. ‘horizontally,) helps to stabilise the sea |bottom such that it diminishes the force of ithe currents along the bottom. 8. | Species such as crabs and starfishes also| 43-44 |Moreover, seagrasses cushion crabs, juse the cay reece ali of| and_starfishes from _powerful_water | ‘Seagrasses to provide a refuge from strong movements. Moreover, seagrass leaves provide a place | 44-45 | Its leaves secure seaweeds | ar heed 10. ‘also, that float and can Sasi eee vi all the way down into the deep ocean é animportantsourcecf} = | ek Scanned with CamSc«