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Section A1 Reading
Marilyn Bell and Her Historic SwimIt was just after 11 p.m. on September 8, 1954, when a 16-year-old from Toronto, Marilyn Bell, slipped into Lake Ontario. The water was dark and cold, lit only by the glow of lights from Youngstown, New York. From the beginning, Marilyn set a determined pace. Fifty-five times a minute, her arms churned through the water. Her goal, —a breakwater off Toronto, —was more than 50 kilometres away.
Through the early hours of the morning, her stroke remained strong. She eventually slowed her pace slightly to 50 strokes a minute. But all night, she never stopped to rest. Her coach, following alongside in a motorboat, wrote encouraging messages on a blackboard, and held them over the water for her to read as she rose for breath.
During the following day, a 30-kilometre-an-hour wind whipped the water into choppy waves and blew Marilyn off course, making her path to the opposite shore even longer.
In Ontario, radio stations had picked up the story, and news of Marilyn’s attempt was soon broadcast across the country. By evening, crowds began to gather at the lakeshore. Vacationers extended their stays to watch for the swimmer to arrive. Marilyn’s schoolmates crowded the shore. Bright pink flares shot into the air to help keep her on course as darkness fell.
For a moment, Marilyn stopped. She floated in the water and turned exhausted eyes toward the boat. Her coach waited, allowing her to make her own decision. Her parents, in a boat just behind her, struggled to stay silent. Then she turned back to the water and began her steady front crawl once more.
Twenty hours and 57 minutes after she began, Marilyn reached Canadian shores. To the cheers of thousands, she was lifted from the water and carried to a waiting ambulance. She was the first person in history to swim Lake Ontario.
As a marathon swimmer, she later crossed the Strait of Juan de Fuca in British Columbia and, at 17, became the youngest person ever to swim the English Channel. Her achievements changed the world’s ideas about women’s athletic abilities and endurance.
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1.: What made Marilyn’s path across Lake Ontario longer?
her coach.
the crowds.
the weather.
her exhaustion.
2.: What does the word, “pace”, mean as used in paragraph 2?
step.
goal.
path.
speed.
3.: Which paragraph mainly provides the story’s setting?
paragraph 1.
paragraph 3.
paragraph 4.
paragraph 5.
4.: According to the selection, what effect did Marilyn Bell’s achievements have on others?
She changed some people’s opinions.
She made people proud to be Canadian.
She encouraged other young swimmers.
She encouraged others to swim the English Channel.
5.: How do the details in paragraph 5 show Marilyn’s character? Use specific examples from the text to support your answer. (3 typed lines)
6.: Explain why Marilyn Bell could be considered a role model for young people. Use information from the text to support your answer. (3 typed lines)
Section A2 Reading
The King of the Forest
With a hint of pride and a little smile, I have to admitThat despite my 200 years, I’m still quite fit.Many are those who follow the twisting trailThat leads to the depths of the forest to take my picture.Once at my feet, with emotion they loudly exclaim:“This tall, amazing maple is so old, so handsome!”
Hesitant, they touch my rough, chapped bark.Then their eyes travel up my long, slender trunkTo the deep fissure, an old wound.And it’s there, high up, that they discover beneath the forkThe life that thrives in my leafy mane.My tenants love me; I have many branches.
During the summer, a mother robin builtWith mud and twigs, a little nest.On the floor above, her neighbours are busy;A squirrel family runs all dayAnd on the highest of the long branchesRoosts a black crow who loves to loudly call.
In the fall, some of my friends leave for new horizons.I say goodbye and wish them a pleasant journey.My roots run deep, so at home I stay;This beautiful time of year brings me great joy.Like a glowing sunset sky, for a brief timeI proudly display my cloak of many colours.
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But a heavy downpour and a violent windCarry my leaves away and tell me it’s timeTo conserve my strength, to keep warm.Ah! If only I could wear a hat!Then begins the season of snow squalls and endless nightsWhen I listen to the stories of my cousins, the poplar, the oak and the pine.
And at long last comes the thaw; I feel very lightheaded.The sap rises in my veins and revives me.I stretch my limbs, I bloom, I grow and I say to myself I am really fortunate, I love life so much.One of these days, no matter the season, come and visit me.You’ll always find me here in the woods, where I plan to stay.
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7.: What kind of tree is the “King of the Forest”?
oak.
pine.
maple.
poplar.
8.: Overall, what is the purpose of lines 7 to 12?
to highlight the tree’s age.
to provide the tree’s value.
to emphasize the tree’s location
to describe the tree’s appearance.
9.: The word, “fissure”, in line 9 indicates that the tree
has a split in it..
is tall and leafy..
is covered in sap..
has more than one branch..
10.: During the winter, who keeps the tree entertained?
the crow
its visitors
its cousins
the squirrel
11.: Explain why the tree is called, “King of the Forest.” Use specific details from the text to support your answer. (3 typed lines)
12.: Explain how the tree feels about the changing seasons. Use specific details from the text to support your answer. (3 typed lines)
Section A3 Writing13.: Would you rather live in a small town, a large city or the countryside?
Write a detailed paragraph explaining your choice.
This page will not be scored.
Ideas for My Paragraph
Write your answer on the next page.
Write your paragraph here. Remember to check your spelling, grammar and punctuation. (10 typed lines)
Section A4 Writing Multiple-Choice
14.: Choose the sentence that adds the best supporting details to the following paragraph.
Coral reefs are important habitats. , ,Blank space., . For example, algae grows on top of some reefs, and green sea turtles may come by to eat the algae. Also, reefs can be home to crabs, shrimps, sponges and urchins. This makes coral reefs one of the most biodiverse environments in the world.
They grow best in shallow, warm, moving water..
They support an enormous variety of plants and animals..
The fish living near coral reefs have unusual colour patterns..
The water pollution caused by humans is threatening many coral reefs..
15.: Choose the words that complete the following sentence correctly.
I, ,Blank space., . Sarah and Rajiv were late, they walked faster , ,Blank space., . they reached the front doors of the school.
Since, so.
Since, until.
Because, if.
Because, while.
16.: Choose the words that correctly complete the sentences.
“This shirt , ,Blank space., . a famous designer is a great, ,Blank space., . !” said the salesperson.
“Thanks, but not today, and I’d better be on my way; , ,Blank space., . for now,” said the customer.
by, buy, by.
bye, by, bye.
buy, by, bye.
by, buy, bye.
17.: Choose the best place to insert the following sentence into the paragraph below.
They used the beans to make a chocolate drink.
(1) Chocolate is a favourite treat for many people all over the world. (2) Historians believe that its earliest recorded use dates back to 1100 B ,C,E. (3) The Aztec people discovered how to collect, roast and remove the shell from the fruit of the cacao tree and use the beans to make chocolate. (4) That drink is now known as hot chocolate and is part of the reason for chocolate’s popularity.
after sentence 1
after sentence 2
after sentence 3
after sentence 4
Section B1 Reading
Rocket Man
Many adults enjoy the excitement of skydiving. They jump from an airplane, free-fall at a high speed and at just the right moment, pull the cord on the parachute to slow themselves and land safely on the ground.
Not surprisingly, skydivers have to train and practise to avoid injury and learn how to jump and land safely. Most skydiving jumps take place at lofty altitudes between 1000 and 4000 metres above the ground.
But even jumping from those heights would not have helped Felix Baumgartner reach his goal of setting a world record for the highest-altitude jump. Instead, “Fearless Felix” had to take the sport to new heights: space.
Well, near space, anyway.
On October 14, 2012, Baumgartner rode into the atmosphere 39,000 metres above the earth in a special balloon and then jumped.
What happens during a jump from that height?
You travel faster than the speed of sound , —343 .2 metres per second!
Travelling at speeds faster than sound creates shock waves so great that you require a special suit for protection.
The atmosphere at that height is so thin that it is very challenging to control where your body goes. A “flat spin”, could have rendered Baumgartner unconscious.
Any tayear in his suit would have exposed him to extreme temperatures (as low as minus−57 °Celsius) and a lack of oxygen.
There were a couple of glitches during Baumgartner’s feat. His visor fogged up, reducing visibility, and during the fall he started spinning. Thanks to his training and with help from the support crew on the ground, he landed safely.
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With his jump, Baumgartner broke three world records: for the highest human-occupied balloon ride, the fastest free fall and the highest-altitude jump. He became the only human to travel faster than sound outside an airplane.
NASA is using the information from Baumgartner’s jump to help perfect its spacesuits. It also collected data that may help future astronauts survive in space , —for instance, when something goes wrong and they have to bail out from a high altitude.
As for Baumgartner, with his goal accomplished, he is retiring from extreme jumping. He said he plans to fly rescue helicopters in the U.S. and Austria as his future career.
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1.: Why is, “Fearless Felix”, an appropriate nickname?
Baumgartner took risks.
Baumgartner encountered danger.
Baumgartner broke three world records.
Baumgartner jumped with little training.
2.: Why is the information in paragraphs 7 to 10 in a bulleted list?
to show character
to provide a timeline
to establish the mood
to emphasize each detail
3.: What does the word, “glitches”, (paragraph 11) refer to?
spins.
actions.
re-chords.
problems
4.: Choose an effective subheading for paragraph 13.
Mission Success.
Lessons Learned.
Faster Than Sound.
Training and Practice
.
5.: Explain the importance of the training and preparation for Baumgartner’s jump. Use information from the text to support your answer. (3 typed lines)
6.: Explain the value of Felix Baumgartner’s jump. Use details from the text to support your answer. (3 typed lines)
