Year 7 Reading NAPLAN*-style Literacy · Can you see the great potential for a circus show using UV...

Visit the Blake Education website or email [email protected] for more information about the Instant Lessons series and ordering advice.

lnstant LessonsAn imprint of Blake Education Pty Ltd ABN 50 074 266 023 108 Main Rd Clayton South VIC 3169 +61 3 9558 4433 www.blake.com.au

Year 7 ReadingThis series of four books includes annotated activity sheets that analyse and teach students the key skills and knowledge assessed in a typical NAPLAN* literacy test. The books also include a full-length test that can be photocopied and given to students.

Students are guided through the annotated work sheets with tips such as: ‘things to know’, ‘hints’, ‘traps’ and ‘tricks’ — helping them to fully understand the test format and what each question requires.

Types of texts in this book include: letter, biography, advertisement, newspaper advertorial, novel extract, short story extract, narrative, book review, investigative report, poem, play script, interview, and informative, procedural and instructional texts.

lnstant Lessons Quality ready-to-use resources

Each book in the Instant Lessons series is a collection of fresh and versatile work sheet activities that may be photocopied for student use. They are unique in providing the highest learning outcomes with instant usability.

Associated titles in the lnstant Lessons series

Versatile uses: 3 Helps students to familiarise themselves with the multiple-choice formats

3 Thorough revision of key spelling, grammar, punctuation and writing skills

3 For homework, revision, extension or to supplement a lesson

3 For when a regular teacher is absent from the classroom

Teaching benefits and features: 3 Great short-cut ideas and useful suggestions to help students answer questions

3 A quick way to target student weaknesses

3 Annotated pages include definitions and theory to reinforce key literacy skills

3 Answers are provided to assist with time-efficient preparation and marking

* This is not an officially endorsed publication of the NAPLAN program and is produced by Blake Education independently of Australian Governments.

Maximising Test Results: NAPLAN*-style Literacy

• Year 7 Language Conventions and Writing• Year 9 Language Conventions and Writing• Year 9 Reading

Maximising Test Results: NAPLAN*-style Numeracy

• Year 7 Calculator• Year 7 Non Calculator• Year 9 Calculator• Year 9 Non Calculator

Maximising Test Results: NAPLAN*-style LiteracyMAXIMISING TEST RESULTSNAPLAN*-style Literacy

TOP T IPS for avoiding

common errors

Ally ChumleyQuality ready-to-use resources


Year 7Reading

C_9781921403491.indd 1 10/03/2015 10:36 am

This book was commissioned by Jennifer Gough, project management and editing by Eliza Hope, text design and typesetting by Traffic Design Studios and cover design by Callisto Design Group.

NAPLAN Yr7 Reading 64pp Book FA.indd 1 22/9/09 4:05:12 PM

Ally Chumley writes educational resources for teachers and learners across a range of subjects. She’s been a teacher for over 15 years, and enjoys the challenge of making difficult concepts accessible and inspiring in the classroom. Her formal credentials include the degrees of Bachelor and Master of Education. Ally lives on the mid-north coast of New South Wales with her husband and two boys.


© Ally Chumley and Blake Education 2009Reprinted 2012

Copying of this book for educational purposes

The purchasing educational institution may only photocopy pages within this book in accordance with The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) and provided the educational institution (or body that administers it) has given a remuneration notice to the Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) under the Act. It is a breach of copyright to scan or in any other way make digital copies of the worksheets.

It is mandatory that ALL photocopies are recorded by the institution for CAL survey purposes.

Copyright Agency Limited Level 15, 233 Castlereagh Street Sydney NSW 2000 Telephone: (02) 9394 7600Facsimile: (02) 9394 7601E-mail: [email protected]

The Act does not permit the purchasing educational institution to store any part of this book in a retrieval system, or transmit any part of it in any form by any means without the prior written approval of the publisher. All enquiries should be made to the publisher at the address below.

Printed in Australia by Ligare Book Printer

Instant LessonsAn imprint of Blake Education Pty LtdABN 50 074 266 023 108 Main RoadClayton South VIC 3169Ph: +61 3 9558 [email protected]

ISBN 978 1 92202 058 4

NAPLAN Yr7 Reading 64pp Book FA.indd 2 2/03/12 12:49 PM

Ally Chumley writes educational resources for teachers and learners across a range of subjects. She’s been a teacher for over 15 years, and enjoys the challenge of making difficult concepts accessible and inspiring in the classroom. Her formal credentials include the degrees of Bachelor and Master of Education. Ally lives on the mid-north coast of New South Wales with her husband and two boys.


© Ally Chumley and Blake Education 2009Reprinted 2012

Copying of this book for educational purposes

The purchasing educational institution may only photocopy pages within this book in accordance with The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) and provided the educational institution (or body that administers it) has given a remuneration notice to the Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) under the Act. It is a breach of copyright to scan or in any other way make digital copies of the worksheets.

It is mandatory that ALL photocopies are recorded by the institution for CAL survey purposes.

Copyright Agency Limited Level 15, 233 Castlereagh Street Sydney NSW 2000 Telephone: (02) 9394 7600Facsimile: (02) 9394 7601E-mail: [email protected]

The Act does not permit the purchasing educational institution to store any part of this book in a retrieval system, or transmit any part of it in any form by any means without the prior written approval of the publisher. All enquiries should be made to the publisher at the address below.

Printed in Australia by Ligare Book Printer

Instant LessonsAn imprint of Blake Education Pty LtdABN 50 074 266 023 108 Main RoadClayton South VIC 3169Ph: +61 3 9558 [email protected]

ISBN 978 1 92202 058 4

NAPLAN Yr7 Reading 64pp Book FA.indd 2 2/03/12 12:49 PM

ISBN 978-1-76020-449-5

IntroductionThis book focuses on teaching and consolidating the skills required to complete the Reading component of the annual national literacy test program called NAPLAN*.

The activities are designed to help develop and refine skills in reading comprehension, general literacy, text analysis, logic and problem solving, and the higher order abstract reasoning that has become a feature of the official test papers. All answers are provided, along with expert advice and generous hints from specialist English teachers.

The annotated practice questions contain the following helpful teaching features:

HINTS – explain what the question is really asking students to do. TRICKS – offer shortcuts to use in determining the correct answer. TRAPS – highlight the red herrings among the answer options presented. THINGS TO KNOW – outline key facts, definitions and techniques students need to learn before sitting tests.

This book also includes one complete Test Paper. With eight original texts from a variety of genres and test questions for each one, this sample test paper will help prepare your students for the NAPLAN* tests.

ContentsSECTION 1 ANNOTATED SAMPLE QUESTIONS AND PRACTICE QUESTIONSLEVEL 1 (EASY) The Invisible Circus Informative text 4 Leftovers Procedural text 6 How to make a periscope Instructional text 8 Black Saturday Interview 10

LEVEL 2 (MODERATE) Power plant protest Letter 12 Salvador Dali Biography 14 Surfing competition Advertisements 16 Rocksalt Newspaper advertisement 18

LEVEL 3 (CHALLENGING) Fancy dress Novel extract 20 Next-door neighbours Short story extract 22 Sitting in the rain Narrative 25 Diamonds Informative text 28

LEVEL 4 (DIFFICULT) Double trouble Novel extract 31 The Pirate Queen Book review 34 The crash of Flight 123 Investigative text 37 Beached Poem 40

SECTION 2 PRACTICE TEST PAPER Aladdin and the wonderful lamp Play script extract 43 The world’s coolest T-shirt? Informative text 44 Meet Michelle Robinson Biography 45 Shampooing skills Procedural text 46 Basket makers Poem and informative text 47 Missing Narrative 48 Soccer grand final Report 49 Van Diemen’s Land Informative text 50

TEST QUESTIONS 51

ANSWERS 60


© Ally Chumley and Blake Education, 2009 Maximising Test Results Year 7 Reading 5

THE INVISIBLE CIRCUS, CONT.

Practice questions5 The word in the text that tells us there is a range of different acts in the Invisible Circus is

technology. effects. tricks. variety.

6 Which of these summary statements is accurate?

In the Invisible Circus, actors can do the impossible.

In the Invisible Circus, it is impossible to do the tricks.

In the Invisible Circus, fleas do the tricks.

In the Invisible Circus, the audience can’t see the actors.

7 What is the meaning of the term blacked out in the context of this passage?

fainted

covered in black or kept in darkness

affected by a power failure

invisible

8 Which term from the text has been abbreviated?

blacked out ultraviolet Invisible Circus special effects

9 The Invisible Circus will present feats performed by

fleas.

actors who can’t be seen.

actors who aren’t present on stage.

using fluorescent lights.

10 Punctuation that is used in the text includes

capitals and quotation marks.

colons and semicolons.

hyphens and exclamation marks.

commas and question marks.

11 In the statement A Flea Circus involves feats that are supposedly performed by tiny fleas, which are too small to be seen from a distance, which phrase reveals that the writer doesn’t believe fleas actually perform?

too small to be seen from a distance

too small to be seen

involves feats

supposedly performed by tiny fleas


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5

4 Maximising Test Results Year 7 Reading © Ally Chumley and Blake Education, 2009

SeCTION 1 SAMPLE QUESTIONS AND PRACTICE QUESTIONS

The InvIsIble CIrCusThe Invisible Circus is a stage show with a difference. It incorporates a variety of acts presented as a traditional-style circus with a big twist – all the actors are invisible to the audience. Now, that doesn’t mean they aren’t present on stage. It’s just that the audience can’t SEE them.

How? Well, the technology of ultraviolet (UV) light allows some parts of the actors to be seen while using black clothing to hide other parts. When the stage and the room are blacked out, the clothed parts simply disappear. White or fluorescent colours can be seen when the UV light is switched on, being brightly illuminated in the black environment.

Can you see the great potential for a circus show using UV effects? The Invisible Circus has similarities with the concept of a flea circus. A flea circus involves feats that are supposedly performed by tiny fleas, which are too small to be seen from a distance. Of course, there are no performing fleas. It’s all done through tricks with the props and the circus arena itself. In the same way, the Invisible Circus features special tricks and acts that appear to be impossible. But instead of nonexistent fleas, the actors work in the dark to perform the tricks and special effects.

By Mark Wing

Sample questions1 The Invisible Circus is

a musical concert.

a stage show.

an acting school.

a flea circus.

2 One fact presented in the text is

how actors can become invisible to an audience.

how to train actors.

how to perform tricks with props.

how to professionally light a stage.

3 According to the text, the audience can see

ultraviolet light.

anything coloured black.

tiny fleas doing tricks.

anything coloured white or fluorescent.

4 Two techniques used by the writer of this text are

description and dialogue.

contrast and dialogue.

statistics and questions.

description and questions.

HINTThis is another simple task of locating a fact in the text.

TRAP!Take note that the text focuses on what the audience can’t see, but this question is asking the opposite.

TRAP!One of each pair of techniques may be present in the text, but are both?

HINTThis question requires you simply to find a fact in the text.

HINTThis fact is expressed in different words in the text.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


THE INVISIBLE CIRCUS, CONT.

Practice questions5 The word in the text that tells us there is a range of different acts in the Invisible Circus is

technology. effects. tricks. variety.

6 Which of these summary statements is accurate?

In the Invisible Circus, actors can do the impossible.

In the Invisible Circus, it is impossible to do the tricks.

In the Invisible Circus, fleas do the tricks.

In the Invisible Circus, the audience can’t see the actors.

7 What is the meaning of the term blacked out in the context of this passage?

fainted

covered in black or kept in darkness

affected by a power failure

invisible

8 Which term from the text has been abbreviated?

blacked out ultraviolet Invisible Circus special effects

9 The Invisible Circus will present feats performed by

fleas.

actors who can’t be seen.

actors who aren’t present on stage.

using fluorescent lights.

10 Punctuation that is used in the text includes

capitals and quotation marks.

colons and semicolons.

hyphens and exclamation marks.

commas and question marks.

11 In the statement A Flea Circus involves feats that are supposedly performed by tiny fleas, which are too small to be seen from a distance, which phrase reveals that the writer doesn’t believe fleas actually perform?

too small to be seen from a distance

too small to be seen

involves feats

supposedly performed by tiny fleas


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



lefToversToo much of a good thing? Try these ideas to help use up leftover vegies.

CELERY: Cut into sticks, fill with peanut butter and wrap in cling film for kids’ lunchboxes. These snacks are great for fighting the after-school munchies as well.

CARROTS: Whack your leftover carrots into a juicer. Carrot juice is a great tonic and it makes a refreshing drink. Simply put the carrots through the juicer and then let the juice stand for half an hour so you can scoop off the layer of weird frothy stuff that rises to the top. Then chill it and serve.

PUMPKIN: Our pumpkin soup recipe will knock your woolly winter socks off:

Ingredients: Half a Jap pumpkin, 2 onions, 2 potatoes, garlic, butter, 3 cups milk, 250ml cream, salt, fresh chives or parsley, Chicken Supreme dry soup mix.

Method: Chop the onions and garlic and then fry them in a saucepan with some butter. Peel, chop and cook the pumpkin and potatoes in the microwave or on your stovetop, then mash them up well. Add the pumpkin, potato and milk to the sautéed onions. Stir in the Chicken Supreme soup mix. Add the cream – at this point, take care not to let the soup boil. Chop some fresh herbs and add them, along with salt (and pepper if desired) to taste. Serve with crusty bread rolls. Voila!

Sample questions1 According to the text, at what times of the day are kids likely to want snacks?

late afternoon

mornings

bed time

during and after school

2 For which season is pumpkin soup recommended?

summer

autumn

winter

spring

3 In what order should the pumpkin soup ingredients be used?

onions, garlic, butter, pumpkin, potatoes, milk, Chicken Supreme, cream, herbs and salt

onions, garlic, butter, Chicken Supreme, pumpkin, potatoes, milk, cream, herbs and salt

pumpkin, potatoes, milk, onions, garlic, butter, Chicken Supreme, cream, herbs and salt

herbs, salt, onions, garlic, butter, Chicken Supreme and cream

4 Why are the words Chicken Supreme shown in italics?

for emphasis

to show this is the most important ingredient

because they are the brand name of a product

because it is another name for pumpkin soup

TRICKThe word lunchboxes reveals the answer, as does the phrase late afternoon munchies.

THINGS TO KNOWProper nouns, including the brand names of products, should be shown in italics or quotation marks.

HINTThis is a straightforward question requiring you to locate a reference to a season.

TRAP!The ingredients are not listed in order of use so you need to understand the instructions (method).


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


LEFTOVERS, CONT.

Practice questions5 What is the phrase Too much of a good thing? referring to?

leftover meat

leftover vegetables

leftover carrots

peanut butter

6 The phrase Too much of a good thing? is what type of writing technique?

statement question exclamation symbolism

7 According to the text, what are two positive things about carrot juice?

It is refreshing and frothy.

It is refreshing and quick to make.

It is refreshing and makes a good tonic.

It is weird and frothy.

8 Which of these terms is not a colloquialism?

whack munchies knock your woolly winter socks off scoop off

9 Which dairy foods are used in the soup recipe?

potatoes and pumpkin

cream and chives

milk and butter

butter, milk and cream

10 Why might readers prefer the first two recipes over the third one?

They are quick and easy, and require fewer ingredients than the soup.

They need to be cooked, which makes them take longer to prepare.

They taste better than the soup.

They are more filling than the soup.

11 Which of the recipes requires the least ingredients?

carrot juice

celery sticks

pumpkin soup

carrot juice and celery sticks


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



how To Make a PerIsCoPeYou will need: • two small mirrors (5cm x 5cm) • plywood (three-ply) cut into the following pieces: - 2 pieces 45cm x 5cm - 2 pieces 40cm x 5cm - 2 end pieces 5cm x 5cm

• duct tape • saw • hammer • small tacks • adhesive

Sample questions1 According to the text, the mirrors must be

made of wood.

rectangular in shape.

circular in shape.

square in shape.

2 The number of rectangular pieces the plywood should be cut into is

two. four. six. eight.

3 A synonym for adhesive is

stamp. stick. diagram. glue.

Instructions: A periscope enables you to look at something from a position higher than eyeline. It works by using reflections from one mirror to another. Periscopes are mostly associated with submarines, and are used to spy on surface activities whilst the vessel remains submerged.

Make a rectangular prism using the four biggest pieces. Two sides will have 5cm windows through which to do your spying. Carefully glue the edges of the long pieces together as shown in Diagram A, then tack them into place. Finish the box by attaching the square end pieces. The trickiest part of this project is placing the mirrors into the top and bottom box at the right angles. You will need to experiment with this a little, using duct tape to temporarily fix them into place to test out their positions. When you’re happy with the placement of the mirrors, you could glue some thin strips of wood onto the box’s inner walls to act as runners. The mirrors can then be slid into place between these guides and locked into place against the box’s end pieces. But duct tape will work almost as well.

TRICKThis requires you to look at the measurements of the plywood pieces and separate them into two groups. There are six pieces required but not all are rectangular.

THINGS TO KNOWA synonym is a word that has the same meaning as another word.

HINTThis is indirectly referring to the measurement for the mirrors in the list of things needed.

DIAGRAM A

DIAGRAM B


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


HOW TO MAkE A PERISCOPE, CONT.

Practice questions4 The list of things needed to make the periscope could be divided under which two headings?

Materials and tools

Wood and glass

Adhesives and saws

Mirrors and wood

5 The word vessel refers to a

periscope. box. bowl. submarine.

6 Which of the following summarises the instructions in the correct order?

Join the sides of the box, add the end pieces and position the mirrors.

Position the end pieces of the box, add the mirrors and glue the box together.

Finish the box, glue the mirrors inside and then add the end pieces.

Join the ends of the box, tack thin strips into place and then position the mirrors.

7 The alternative to inserting thin strips of wood onto the box’s inner walls is to use

the end pieces. duct tape. glue. tacks.

8 The phrase to act as runners means to

run.

pretend to run.

function as a guide.

function as a messenger.

9 Which of the following contains a verb and two nouns?

periscope, mirror, look

submerged, carefully, tape

happy, through, windows

surface, mostly, reflections

10 How many commas should be inserted to separate the things mentioned in this list?

Duct tape saw hammer small tacks and adhesive.

two

three

four

five


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



blaCk saTurdayOn Saturday, February 7, 2009, fire crews in country Victoria were on alert for a potentially busy day. When temperatures soared above 40 degrees and conditions were at their most extreme, a fire was deliberately lit in bushland at Murrindindi. Volunteer fire fighter Casey Mills describes what confronted her when she arrived in the township of Marysville.

“The fire was travelling unbelievably fast. There were these massive fireballs crashing through the treetops and just leaping over the roads – it was just surreal. I couldn’t believe my eyes. And the heat was just indescribable. It sucked all the oxygen out of the air so you could hardly breathe. The randomness of the fire’s path was weird. I saw whole streets where everything was burned completely beyond recognition, then occasionally, an entire house that had escaped untouched.

At one point, I had to get out of the truck to move a fallen limb off the road. I couldn’t see any flames or burning material nearby. I cleared the road pretty quickly, but by the time I got back in the truck the bush on both sides of the road ahead was alight. The flames on either side were leaping so high that they joined up in mid-air. I turned the vehicle around and put the pedal to the metal. I was hoping to get back to the oval – it’s a clearing where I’d seen a lot of cars gathering. I made it back and took shelter under a fire blanket on the back floor of the truck. The fire was moving so quickly that it just sped right over the area in a great rush and kept going. So all the people on the oval survived. Had I delayed turning around by even a few minutes, I know I wouldn’t have made it out.”

Casey believes that people should be required by law to leave their properties and homes in the event of a fire emergency, or even a threat. The horrific bushfires that ravaged country Victoria tragically claimed 173 lives. Perhaps many of these people could have been saved if compulsory evacuation plans were put into practice on Black Saturday.

By Gwen RoseSample questions1 This text can be described as

descriptive. persuasive. humorous. entertaining.

2 Three characteristics of the fire, according to Casey Mills, were

speed, random path and heat.

noise, speed and force.

speed, heat and oxygen.

speed, fireballs and survival.

3 We can deduce that the reason cars were gathering on the oval was

so they could watch a local sporting event.

so they could protect the oval.

because it was a clearing that might escape being set alight.

because they had escaped the fire untouched.

4 Why did Casey need to turn the truck around after clearing the road?

The road had caught alight.

The truck had caught alight.

She couldn’t move the fallen limb off the road.

Both sides of the road ahead were alight.

TRAP!Some of these characteristics are in the text, but they are not characteristics of the fire itself.

HINTThe text is presenting an eyewitness’s description of a serious event.

HINTHere, the word bush means the trees on either side of the road.

HINTYou need to use your own knowledge and logic to decide why Casey and other people went to the oval.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


BLACk SATURDAY, CONT.

Practice questions5 Black Saturday was the name given to

February 9, 2007.

February 9, 2009.

February 7, 2007.

February 7, 2009.

6 Casey Mills is

a volunteer fire fighter. a professional fire fighter. a police officer. a lawyer.

7 A word from the second paragraph that means whole is

entire. massive. lots. beyond.

8 Two phrases from the second paragraph that show contrast are

whole streets and massive fireballs.

everything was burned and escaped untouched.

indescribable and weird.

unbelievably fast and over the roads.

9 The words that tell us that Casey drove as fast as she could to escape the fire are

put the petal to the metal.

put the pedal to the medal.

put the metal to the pedal.

put the pedal to the metal.

10 The phrase Had I delayed turning around means

I delayed turning around.

I had delayed turning around.

if I had delayed turning around.

I had not delayed turning around.

11 Casey believes that

people should be given the choice to evacuate by authorities if their homes are threatened by fire.

compulsory evacuation plans claimed 173 lives on Black Saturday.

people should be forced to evacuate by authorities if their homes are threatened by fire.

more houses could have been saved if people were kept away from their properties.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



Power PlanT ProTesTNevio Georgadis 2 Bonser Lane, TAYLOR’S FLAT WA

11th June

To the Minister for Energy and Resources,

I am writing to strongly protest against the proposed development of a coal-fired power station at Mitchell Lake. My sources tell me that this dirty development could produce eight million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. I can’t believe that your government is about to give the green light to this power plant. Do you realise the damage that will be done to the environment if this project goes ahead?

With all of Australia’s access to sunlight, the wind and the waves, why on earth are we still using coal to generate our power? In Germany, the government’s policy is to use only renewable resources for its energy needs. And the result? Germany’s energy needs are met by systems that are 100% environmentally friendly. And as a bonus, the renewable energy industry has created 250,000 new jobs in recent years – so everybody wins. If renewable, clean technologies have proven to work well overseas, why can’t Australia follow suit?

It is totally unacceptable that we still rely on the burning of fossil fuels in this day and age. With all the information about climate change, why aren’t we making changes now? You government leaders need to be held accountable. Stand up and do the right thing, and show the world what Aussies are really made of.

I urge you to vote to reject this proposal, for the sake of this country’s future.

Yours sincerely, Nevio Georgadis

Sample questions1 This text is best described as a

letter to a church minister.

letter to a power plant owner.

letter to the prime minister.

letter to a politician.

2 Why does the writer use questions throughout the text?

to imply that the minister doesn’t know anything

to create emphasis and add impact to his message

to present facts to support his argument

because he doesn’t know the answer to the problem of producing environmentally friendly power

3 According to Nevio Georgadis, what are three natural resources Australia could use instead of coal to generate power?

fossil fuels, sunlight and the sea

carbon dioxide, coal and green light

coal, carbon dioxide and Mitchell Lake

solar rays, wind and waves

THINGS TO KNOWQuestions can add emphasis to an argument.

TRAP!Solar rays is used instead of sunlight or solar power, but in this context it means the same thing.

HINTUse your vocabulary knowledge to work out that a minister is a politician in this text.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


POWER PLANT PROTEST, CONT.

Practice questions4 What is the first clue that shows this text is a letter?

its structure its length the subject matter the words yours sincerely

5 The statement your government is about to give the green light to this power plant contains an example of

metaphor. contrast. simile. dialogue.

6 The term renewable resources means

resources that are able to be replenished.

new resources.

coal and other fossil fuels.

resources that gradually regenerate.

7 Nevio Georgadis uses statistics to emphasise his points about

the effectiveness of Germany’s energy creation system.

Australia’s potential to use renewable resources.

the stupidity of burning fossil fuels in this day and age.

the damage the proposed power plant will do to the environment. 8 What does Nevio Georgadis want the minister to do next?

vote against the development of the power plant

stop building nuclear power plants

stand up

allow the power plant to be built at Mitchell Lake

9 Who does Nevio Georgadis believe should be held responsible for failing to protect the environment?

Aussies

the Minister for Energy and Resources

the German government

Australian government leaders

10 The main reason Nevio Georgadis’ letter is an effective persuasive text is because it

presents a strong argument supported by objective evidence and statistics.

explains the impact of the power plant on the environment.

presents lots of emotive language to convey the writer’s point of view.

contains criticism of the government’s energy-creation policies.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



salvador dalIEarly years Surrealist artist Salvador Dali was born in the small town of Figuera in Spain. He received his first drawing lessons when he was just a young boy. Dali studied at the Royal Academy of Art in Madrid. He was expelled twice and never took the final exams. He believed that he was more qualified than his teachers.

Becoming famous By 1929 Dali had found the unique style that would make him famous – the world of the unconscious that is recalled at night within our dreams. Surrealism was one of the many art movements influenced by the theories of the famous psychologist, Dr Sigmund Freud. Freud believed that a person’s subconscious thoughts were represented in their dreams, and therefore that dreams have symbolic meaning. Dali repeatedly used images of melting watches, burning giraffes, ants and crutches – symbols that he drew from his own dreams and private fears.

Falling in love Meeting Helena Diakonova, known as ‘Gala’, was the most important event in Dali’s life. She became Dali’s companion, his model for many paintings and his business manager. In 1934 Dali and Gala were married in a ceremony in France, a marriage that was to last 48 years, until Gala’s death in 1982.

Last years In 1980 Dali was forced to retire due to palsy, a neurological disease that caused trembling and weakness in his hands. He was not able to hold a brush any more. Towards the end of his life, Dali lived in the studio of his own museum. He died on January 23, 1989 from a heart attack.

Legacy Dali’s art works included oil paintings, watercolours, pencil drawings, sculptures, engravings, furniture, jewellery, holograms and photography. He also wrote stories and scripts for plays and ballets, and designed, built and painted a number of theatrical sets for stage shows. Before his success, Dali once famously prophesied about his impact as an artist, saying, “the world will admire me. Perhaps I’ll be despised and misunderstood, but I’ll be a great genius, I’m certain of it”.

Sample questions1 The word prophesied implies that Dali

worked as a fortune teller.

believed he would be successful.

could predict the future.

predicted his success before it happened.

2 Dali died of

a heart attack.

a broken heart.

palsy.

a disease that caused trembling and weakness.

3 The subheadings in the text are organised

from the most important facts to the least important.

alphabetically.

at random.

according to different stages in Dali’s life.

HINTThe text clearly states the answer to this question.

TRAP!The word believed would be acceptable, but because Dali’s statement proved true prophesied is more accurate.

TRICKThink about the timing of when the statement was made (before his success).

TRICKWork out the relative importance of each stage of Dali’s life to rule out the first answer.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


SALVADOR DALI, CONT.

Practice questions4 The countries mentioned in the text are part of

South America. Europe. Spain. France.

5 According to the text, Salvador Dali had many artistic pursuits, including

designing studios.

painting jewellery.

building scripts.

designing, building and painting theatre sets.

6 From the context of the passage, the most likely meaning of surrealist is

private. psychological. symbolic. dream-like.

7 The writer assumes that readers know

that Dali was a famous artist.

that Dali is now dead.

the theories of Dr Sigmund Freud.

that Dali was more qualified than his art teachers.

8 The purpose of this text is to

provide information about the life and work of Salvador Dali.

explain the meaning of Dali’s sculptures.

present the writer’s opinion of Dali.

criticise Dali for being arrogant.

9 Dr Sigmund Freud was a famous

surrealist artist.

psychedelic artist.

psychiatrist.

psychologist.

10 Freud’s theories gave Dali

inspiration for one of his paintings.

new ideas for his paintings.

inspiration to paint images from his dreams and fears.

permission to dream about his paintings.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



surfIng CoMPeTITIon

Sample questions1 What is the main purpose of Poster 1?

to advertise a trick surfing exhibition

to advertise a professional surfing competition

to advertise an amateur surfing competition

to advertise a professional surfing exhibition

2 How many different ways of getting more information are offered in Poster 1?

one two three four

HINTMake sure you read the poster titles carefully.

HINTLook for the abbreviation of information.

FREE ENTRY FOR SPECTATORS• Longboard classic demo • Grommet events• Surf lifesaving demos • Live bands and entertainment • BBQ • Chopper joy flights • Free parking

ReADY TO GeT WeT?Roundhouse Amateur Surf Comp

ROUNDHOUSe AMATeUR SURF COMPeTITION

Jan 19–20 Merewether Beach,

NewcastleTo register or get more info,

call (02) 49 614782 or email [email protected]

PRO SURFeRS WIll be SIGNING AUTOGRAPHSlIve SURF FM RADIO bROADCAST FROM THe beACH

entry open to amateur surfers aged 16 plus

NO ReGISTRATION Fee

surf’s uPTrick surfing exhibition

Featuring the world’s best trick surfers

Three action-packed daysFeb 9–11

@ burleigh Heads, Qld

General admission $12

Student concession $8

H2CU there

PosTer 1 PosTer 2


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


SURFING COMPETITION, CONT.

Practice questions4 Which of the following best describes the main message of Poster 2?

There’s a surfing competition that people can enter.

There’s a trick surfing competition that people can watch.

There’s a trick surfing exhibition that people can watch.

There’s an amateur surfing exhibition that people can enter.

5 Which of the following lists all the beach sports mentioned in Poster 1?

surf comp, longboard demo, grommet events, surf lifesaving demos and amateur surfers.

surf comp, longboard demo, grommet events and surf lifesaving demos.

surf comp, longboard demo, chopper joy flights and surf lifesaving demos.

pro surf comp, longboard demo and grommet events.

6 In Poster 2, what do you think H2CU there means?

Hate to see you there.

Have to see you there.

Hope to see you there too.

Hope to see you there.

7 Where is the surfing exhibition to be held?

a beach in New South Wales

Merewether Beach

Roundhouse

a beach in Queensland

8 Which of the following contains three examples of surfing jargon found in the posters?

longboard, grommet, surf’s up

beach, amateur, lifesaving

classic, demo, chopper

H2CU there, Burleigh Heads, pro surfers

9 For how many days will the trick surfing exhibition be running?

one two three four

3 How much does it cost students to watch the surfing competition?

eight dollars

twelve dollars

four dollars

nothing

TRAP!Ask yourself what the difference is between a competition and an exhibition. Also note that spectator is a synonym for a watcher of a sporting event.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



roCksalTA stunning waterside location and commitment to excellence allows Rocksalt to offer you the perfect dining experience, right on Newcastle Harbour. With Jo Minett at the helm, it’s no surprise that Rocksalt was awarded the prestigious title of ‘Most Outstanding Restaurant’ again this year. We pride ourselves on offering the freshest premium quality seafood available.

Rocksalt’s waterside setting presents diners with fabulous views of Newcastle’s Honeysuckle precinct. Located right on the marina’s edge, the vista stretches across the busy harbour of one of Australia’s largest bulk export ports. Luxury yachts and motor cruisers fill the foreground of the ever-changing seascape, peppered with majestic bulk carriers, graceful tugs, working fishing vessels and the occasional dolphin.

Our young, dynamic chef adds a contemporary flair to Rocksalt’s menu, offering diners a tempting array of dishes that represent the best in coastal cuisine. Complementing our fresh, local seafood is a carefully chosen wine list showcasing boutique vineyards across Australia and New Zealand. We also carry a selection of French wines for you to explore at your leisure.

As our regular patrons know, the unfailing sea breeze adds a zesty salt tang to your dining experience. Patrons using our waterside area by night can also enjoy the warmth of overhead gas heaters. If you prefer the weather protection of clear glass, we recommend that you book an indoor table.

With its unique décor, professional staff and delightful menu, Rocksalt offers something for every occasion. Whether you require a romantic setting for a quiet dinner or a cosmopolitan venue for lively functions, corporate events or intimate gatherings, we can cater to your needs. Our experienced event managers are available during the day to help coordinate special requests and group function. You’ll find their approachability and attention to detail very refreshing.

Call Rocksalt to reserve a table for breakfast, lunch or dinner and take advantage of this special offer: 10% discount on all main meals when you mention this advertisement.

Sample questions1 The writer uses the phrase at the helm to

link the restaurant with its setting.

show that the restaurant is a boat.

imply that the restaurant is decorated in a nautical style.

explain why Rocksalt was voted “Most Outstanding Restaurant”.

2 What is the main type of food served at Rocksalt?

seafood

fish and chips

French cuisine

something for every occasion

3 One recommendation made in the text is to

always book an indoor table.

call to book a table.

talk to the chef.

ask for French wines, rather than wines from Australia or New Zealand.

TRAP!The text does mention the other things, but these are not recommendations.

HINTIdentify the nautical terms in the text that describe the setting.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


ROCkSALT, CONT.

Practice questions4 We know that this text is designed to advertise the restaurant because

it says the staff are professional.

the word advertisement appears in the text.

it emphasises the quality of the food.

it says the restaurant has fabulous harbour views.

5 The restaurant is located in

Newcastle. France. New Zealand. Marina.

6 The word prestigious is used to support the idea that Rocksalt has a good

reputation. chef. decorator. location.

7 The writer mentions the zesty salt tang to inform readers that

there’s a lot of salt in the food.

there’s no need to add salt to your meal.

there is salt everywhere.

the sea air is refreshing.

8 According to the text, as well as dining out, Rocksalt patrons can also

see dolphins every night at the restaurant.

hold a special event at the restaurant.

take a motor cruiser ride.

get free wine with their meal.

9 The phrase complementing our fresh, local seafood refers to

the wines on offer at the restaurant.

the restaurant’s dessert menu.

the young, dynamic chef.

the patrons who make positive comments about the seafood.

10 In the fourth paragraph, clear glass implies that

the glassware and windows are very clean.

the windows are clean and they reflect the lovely water views.

the indoor tables have weather protection and the views are unobstructed.

patrons would be better off with an outside table.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



fanCy dressOn Sunday morning, everyone was up early at the McDonald’s house.

“Your father and I talked about your birthday party,” said Abby’s mother, coming into her room. “He wants to come as a caveman!” Her mother made a face.

“Yay! So I can have a fancy dress party?” squealed Abby excitedly. Her mother nodded, but held up a finger in warning.

“You can invite six friends, no more! The other four people coming are your father and me, and Aunty Kate and Uncle Rob. I’ve already asked them, actually. Dad and I don’t want to be the only adults there!”

“What can I go as?” asked Abby. Her mother suggested that they could go to Hampton Street and look in the costume hire shop for something to wear. Abby hugged her. She was delighted that her mother hadn’t expected her to wear the ancient clown suit that kept appearing at various local gatherings. Abby had worn that suit to Mrs Patrick’s fancy dress party (which had been called a ‘Masque Ball’ on the invitations), and everyone had called her Ronald McDonald.

Abby jumped out of bed and quickly got dressed. She surprised her father by having his boiled egg and toast ready for him when he finished his shower. “Well! Thank you very much, ma’am,” he said. “And may I ask what you are doing up so early this fine morning?”

“I want to start organising my party,” Abby explained. She poured more hot water from the kettle into her mug of tea.

“Great! I’ll help you, if you like,” he said, as he sliced the top off his egg and dug out the little white hat with a teaspoon.

“Aren’t you going to work today?” asked Abby.

“Oh yes, that’s right!” he joked, “I knew there was something I had to do today! Thanks for reminding me!” Abby’s father made no secret of the fact that he didn’t enjoy his job. He was a clerk in a small company that hired out forklifts.

“I’m coming as a caveman!” Abby’s father announced. “I’ll wear a couple of potato bags from the shed. Can you hang them out on the line today? Just spray the hose on them for me, in case there are any fleas!”

“Oh, that’s just great, Dad!” groaned Abby. “I’m glad to see you’re going to so much trouble with your outfit!”

By Charles Andrews

Sample questions1 Who is in Abby’s bedroom on Sunday morning?

Abby’s father and mother

Abby and both her parents

Abby and her father

Abby and her mother

2 The statement Thanks for reminding me! reveals that

Abby is speaking.

Mr McDonald is pretending that he’s forgotten to go to work.

Mr McDonald is grateful for the reminder Abby gives him.

Mr McDonald has forgotten to go to work.

HINT!The statement is ironic – he actually means the opposite.

TRICKAbby’s mother is only in her room for a short time and then Abby is in the kitchen with her father. Look for clues, such as Abby making tea.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


FANCY DRESS, CONT.

3 The word couple means

one. two. three. many.

Practice questions4 The fact that Abby is up early in the morning shows that

she is eager to make arrangements for the party.

she is eager to make breakfast for the family.

she doesn’t like sleeping late.

she is ill.

5 In the second sentence, the word that is an antonym for going is

coming. began. early. organising.

6 How many people will be at the party?

ten fifteen fourteen eleven

7 Which word is the odd one out?

people adults mother everyone

8 Which of the following things does Abby want to do?

get an outfit from the costume shop

have her father wear a costume made from potato bags

wear the clown suit

go to Mrs Patrick’s party

9 The use of quotation marks in the text is used to indicate

questions. exclamations. indirect speech. direct speech

10 Which of these adjectives is used to describe the clown suit?

white ancient bright funny

HINT!A couple means the same thing as a pair or a duo.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



nexT-door neIghboursAnna hadn’t wanted to spend the weekend at Shelley’s, but with her parents away there was nowhere else she could stay. She envied Shelley’s magnificent house and her attic bedroom with its sloping ceiling. Shelley’s bedroom windows overlooked the pool and spa, which were both lit from under the water by blue lights. But Shelley did not seem to appreciate her beautiful surroundings. She never seemed interested in using the pool or spa, so Anna couldn’t use them either, which was a bit annoying.

Shelley was a difficult person to be friends with. Anna’s mother thought she should try to stay friends with Shelley since neither of them had brothers or sisters. And she also said that it was Anna’s responsibility to forgive Shelley when she was nasty, because Anna was the more mature one. But Anna found it hard going, because Shelley was very competitive. Anna began to learn to play the piano, so Shelley took up the violin. When Anna developed an interest in horses, Shelley got her father to buy her one. They still owned it, but it lived on a property owned by her father’s friends. Shelley rarely visited the horse. When Anna adopted a stray tabby she had found wandering the streets, Shelley suddenly decided that cats were her new favourite animals. Anna remembered Shelley holding up her new Siamese kitten to the mirror next to her face, asking, “Do you think he suits me?” But within a few weeks, she’d lost interest in her new pet and was tired of looking after it. So, after announcing that she’d suddenly developed ‘an allergy to cats’, she gave the kitten away and bought a rabbit from the pet shop. That too became a bore to Shelley, so she returned it to the store a week later.

“I brought my swimmers!” said Anna hopefully. She pulled them out of the bag she’d packed.

“It’s too cold to go swimming,” said Shelley, “We haven’t been in for weeks now. The chlorine absolutely ruins my hair colour.” Anna knew there was no point in suggesting a spa. Shelley tired of such luxuries very easy, and always seemed bored with her life, no matter what new extravagance was bestowed upon their household.

Anna and Shelley entered the greenhouse, which was Mr Patrick’s pride and joy. He grew orchids and had spent what Anna’s father called ‘a scandalous amount’ of money on the watering system and self-regulating temperature control. They walked through to the little shade-cloth enclosure at the rear of the greenhouse. Shelley opened the door and Abby saw a large wooden crate covered with wire-mesh. Inside it were six yellow chickens.

“Chickens!” said Anna.

“Aren’t they just dahhhrling?” gushed Shelley. “Dad brought them home for me to hand raise. But he won’t let me take them out of here until the new garden shed is delivered. It’s supposed to be coming tomorrow. We can move them into their new home together, after we redecorate the interior!”

Anna stared at her friend blankly. Shelley took her expression to mean that she was overcome with excitement. The chickens were cute. The girls noticed that one chicken had its foot caught between two boards in the floor of the crate. Immediately, Anna reached down to free the little bird, but Shelley stopped her.

“Oh, you can’t touch them without gloves!” she squealed, “They might have lice.” Anna sighed. This was going to be a very long weekend.

By Joanne Hodges


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


NExT-DOOR NEIGHBOURS, CONT.

Sample questions1 The writer mentions Shelley’s pets and hobbies to show that

she is fickle and competitive.

she has lots of different interests.

she is a real animal lover.

she is similar to Anna in personality.

2 The reason Shelley gave away her Siamese cat was because

she was allergic to cats.

she got a horse instead.

her father didn’t like the cat.

she quickly lost interest in the cat.

3 Why does the writer spell the word dahhhrling incorrectly?

to imitate the way Shelley says the word

to show that Shelley has a French accent

to reveal that the writer really likes Shelley

because it helps us understand the word better

Practice questions4 Why does Anna’s mother believe that Anna should be friends with Shelley?

because Shelley is more mature

because both of the girls are bored

because neither of the girls has siblings

because of their brothers and sisters

5 The word in the first paragraph that means envious is

sloping. jealous. envied. either.

6 The phrase a scandalous amount means

a lot of money.

hardly any money.

a moderate amount of money.

no money.

THINGS TO KNOWSometimes words are deliberately misspelt to indicate an unusual pronunciation, or a particular way of speaking.

TRAP!The third option tests your understanding of irony (using words that mean the opposite to their literal interpretation).

HINTThis is asking you to consider what the writer wants you to think about Shelley.

HINTThis asks you to see the difference between excuses and actual reasons.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


NExT-DOOR NEIGHBOURS, CONT.

7 Which is the order in which Shelley adopted her pets?

kitten, rabbit, horse, chickens

rabbit, kitten, horse, chickens

horse, chickens, rabbit, kitten

horse, kitten, rabbit, chickens

8 Mr Patrick is

Anna’s father. Shelley’s father. Shelley’s neighbour. Anna’s uncle.

9 The writer appears to feel sorry for

Anna. Shelley. Patrick. the kitten.

10 The first time Anna saw the chickens they were

in the house. in the new garden shed. in a wooden crate. in the pet shop.

11 We suspect that Shelley won’t be interested in the chickens for long because

of her past history with pets.

chickens are boring pets.

Anna thinks so.

her father bought them for her.

12 In the sentence The chickens were cute, the word were is shown in

capital letters. italics. quotation marks. bold.

13 Why does Anna think that it is going to be a very long weekend?

There is a public holiday on Monday.

There are many activities to fit into the weekend.

The weekend is going to be boring.

The weekend is going to be difficult for Anna.

14 The two girls react differently to the chickens. This helps the writer emphasise

their love for nature. their fear of lice. their different personalities. their concern for the chickens.

15 The main contrast presented in this text shows

that Shelley and Anna have very different lifestyles and attitudes.

that Shelley doesn’t like Anna’s attitude toward life.

that Anna has a boring lifestyle and is not a very good friend to Shelley.

that Shelley is not very smart and Anna is from a wealthy family.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



sITTIng In The raInAfter his long walk, the cool rain was a welcome relief, so the boy didn’t move straight away. He noticed that a man seated on a bench in the park hadn’t bothered to move either. Shaking drips from his head, Sanjeev looked around until he spotted a good tree to climb. He swung himself up and sat on a lower branch, well hidden from sight and sheltered from the rain by the waxy leaves. Through the leaves, Sanjeev saw that the grey sky threatened to open up and produce more than a drizzle. The park was too far away from the mall to risk running for it. He’d just have to wait it out.

Sanjeev could hear the rain becoming heavier. He leaned a little closer against the trunk and settled himself. He looked over toward the man on the bench, and was surprised to find that he was still sitting there. The gentleman was smartly dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, charcoal grey. His curly hair gave an impression of nobility and was cut close, almost as if it were sculpted. The hair disappeared into a grey shirt collar, the colour identical to the suit, permitting no glimpse of his neck. From his vantage point Sanjeev could see the man’s steel-grey hair, but his head was turned at such an angle that he couldn’t make out his face.

The steadily increasing rain still seemed to be having no impact on the stranger at all. He hadn’t moved an inch. Perhaps he was asleep, although his head was still upright. There was something about the man’s bearing that intrigued Sanjeev – distinguished and refined, yet content to sit in the drizzling rain with not a care for the damage to his expensive-looking suit.

Sanjeev climbed down from his branch and was just about to head for the seat to get a closer look when the heavens opened in a torrential downpour. People everywhere scurried for cover, running to their cars and toward the shelter of the trees. Water flowed freely onto Sanjeev’s head and shoulders and coursed down his back, drenching him through. He shook it off vigorously as he leapt back under the tree to take shelter. He peered through the leaves and the rain, shaking his wet head in disbelief. The man was still sitting there! He must have been soaked to the skin! As Sanjeev stood waiting under the tree, trapped by the grey sheet of rain, it suddenly dawned on him that the man he was looking at was an iron statue.

By T.G. Danda

Sample questions1 At the beginning, why didn’t the boy mind that it was raining?

He was hot from his long walk.

He wasn’t getting wet.

He loved the rain.

He enjoyed getting soaked to the skin.

2 The phrase that means adjusted his sitting position is

settled himself.

sheltered from the rain.

sitting there.

a welcome relief.

3 What was the first thing that Sanjeev noticed about the man on the bench?

He had a grey suit on.

He was getting wet.

He hadn’t moved.

He had grey hair.

TRICKUse the context (the words immediately before and after) to determine the meaning of the phrase.

HINTThis is just a straightforward plot question.

HINTThis is simply asking you to determine the order of events.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


SITTING IN THE RAIN, CONT.

Practice questions4 In the sentence He’d just have to wait it out in the first paragraph, what is it referring to?

the mall the park the rain the tree

5 How do we know that Sanjeev climbed the tree easily?

the use of the word swung implies that he did

because he was a good climber

because it doesn’t say he struggled to climb the tree

because the text says he took a long time to climb the tree

6 What quality of the tree’s leaves made it a good place to take shelter from the rain?

They were waxy and kept Sanjeev well hidden.

They were strong and thick.

They were thin and sparse.

They were low down.

7 When it first began to rain, it was described as

heavy. a drizzle. a torrential downpour. a drenching.

8 How did Sanjeev first know the rain was becoming heavier?

He could see it.

He could feel it.

He could see people running for cover.

He could hear it.

9 The phrase almost as if it were sculpted is a clue that the man is a statue. This is an example of

a question. personification. a comparison. onomatopoeia.

10 Some words in the text that describe positive attributes of the man are

nobility, smartly and permitting.

distinguished, refined and nobility.

content, smart and bearing.

intrigued, gentleman and tailored.

11 Another word for heavens is

gosh. gush. clouds. sky.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


SITTING IN THE RAIN, CONT.

12 Why did Sanjeev shake his head?

to say ‘No’

to force the tree’s leaves apart

to express humour

to express disbelief

13 Which of these words is not a verb?

scurried climbed shaking vigorously

14 Which of the following is not a synonym for a colour?

charcoal grey iron steel-grey

15 Which three words describe Sanjeev’s actions?

dressed, sculpted, see

stood, leapt, shaking

moved, sit, scurried

drenching, shook, moved

16 This text is written in which storytelling mode?

first-person narrative and past tense

third-person narrative and past tense

third-person narrative and present tense

second-person narrative and future tense

THINGS TO KNOW

A text written in the first person is told from the point of view of one person who refers to him or herself using I.

A text written in the second person is told from the point of view of one person, but also identifies others, using you.

A text written in the third person is told from the point of view of someone other than the character(s), (using she, he or they).

Past tense describes events that have already occurred.

Present tense describes events that are happening at the time of writing.

Future tense predicts events that may happen in the future (using will or shall).


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



dIaMondsRare treasures Diamonds have been universally treasured, coveted, hidden, stolen and sought after by all kinds of people throughout history. These wonderful gifts of nature are associated with eternity because of their enduring properties. Diamonds are the hardest of all naturally occurring gemstones, and retain their original splendour regardless of their age, giving rise to the saying ‘Diamonds are forever’. They are popularly believed to be indestructible, but in fact they can break and chip, particularly when stored with other diamonds.

Some of the world’s most fabulous and famous diamonds include the Great Star of Africa, the Mountain of Light, the Excelsior, the Idol’s Eye, the Regent and the Blue Hope. The first two of these fabulous stones belong with the British monarchy’s Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. The Excelsior originally weighed 995 carats, but has now been cut down into ten pieces. The Idol’s Eye is the size of a small egg, and has a blue tinge. It was once stolen from its setting in the eye of an idol. The Regent is considered to be the world’s most beautiful diamond due to its perfect cut. Napoleon Bonaparte once set it into the hilt of a sword. It is kept in the Louvre museum of Paris. The Blue Hope diamond is reputed to be cursed. Several of its owners have suffered a series of catastrophes, resulting in the deaths of their families and loss of their fortunes. The diamond is on display in Washington’s Smithsonian Institute.

Know your diamonds When buying diamonds, there are some specific qualities to consider. Diamond merchants call these the ‘Four Cs’.

• Cut: The finished shape of a diamond is achieved by cutting and polishing it to create a series of flat planes on the surface. Diamonds can be cut in a variety of shapes, including pear, emerald, princess, radiant, heart, oval and marquise.

• Clarity: A cut diamond sparkles because its cut facets reflect the light. If the stone is flawless, it will appear particularly brilliant.

• Carat: Diamonds are weighed in carats – one carat equals about 200 milligrams.

• Colour: Diamonds occur in nature in a range of colours, from clear (or ‘Icy White’) to blue, red, yellow, green, pink, violet and black.

Five ways to spot a fake Some jewellers and unscrupulous dealers try to pass off fake diamonds as the real thing. But there are some foolproof ways of telling whether or not a diamond is genuine.

• Because diamonds are highly refractive, they bend light sharply. So, if you look through an unmounted stone directly from the top, you should not be able to see the bottom.

• If you place the stone upside down on a piece of newspaper, you will not be able to see the newsprint due to refraction. If you can see the black ink, even as grey smudges, it’s probably not a real diamond.

• Rainbow reflections within the diamond are a sign that it’s either a fake or a low-grade stone. Real diamonds create grey coloured reflections inside the stone.

• If you’re still not sure, have the diamond X-rayed. Real diamonds do not appear on X-rays. Glass, cubic zirconias, quartz crystals and other substitute materials show up as opaque when X-rayed.

• Perhaps the simplest test is to put it in a glass of water. Real diamonds sink in water, whereas fakes float.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


DIAMONDS, CONT.

Sample questions1 The phrase enduring properties refers to

how expensive diamonds are.

how resilient diamonds are.

how rare diamonds are.

how attractive diamonds are.

2 Which statement is correct?

The Great Star of Africa and the Mountain of Light are among the British Crown Jewels.

The Great Star of Africa and the Excelsior are among the British Crown Jewels.

The Blue Hope is on display in the Louvre.

The Blue Hope is in the Tower of London.

3 Which diamond has now been cut into ten pieces?

The Excelsior

The Idol’s Eye

The Mountain of Light

The Regent

Practice questions4 Which famous diamond was once set into a sword’s handle?

Napoleon Bonaparte The Great Star of Africa The Regent The Louvre

5 The information presented as the Four Cs can be summarised as

shape, sparkle, weight and colour.

value, clarity, carrots and colour.

rarity, brilliance, flaws and colour.

shape, cut, weight and colour.

6 The word flawless is

a noun. a verb. an adjective. an adverb.

7 According to the text, diamonds can be

changed into pears.

turned into emeralds.

melted into hearts.

cut into a variety of shapes.

HINTCarefully re-read the opening sentences of the second paragraph.

HINTWith questions that do not provide a paragraph number you need to skim read to find the answer.

THINGS TO KNOWThe word enduring means long lasting or resilient.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


DIAMONDS, CONT.

8 We can deduce from the text that a one-carat diamond weighs

the same as a car. the same as a carrot. a gram. one-fifth of a gram.

9 A dealer who is unscrupulous may

try to cut up your diamond.

tell you how to spot a fake diamond.

try to sell you a fake diamond.

try to sell you a genuine diamond.

10 Substitutes for real diamonds that are often used in jewellery include

glass and crystals.

glass and quarts.

cubic zirconias and quartz crystals.

diamonds and cubic zirconias.

11 The cheapest, easiest and most reliable way to tell if a diamond is fake is to

put it in water.

have it X-rayed.

have it cut.

ask an unscrupulous dealer.

12 People reading this text can find out information about

famous diamonds, places to dig for diamonds and how to clean your diamonds.

diamond mining, diamond shopping and diamond cutting.

famous diamonds, qualities of diamonds and how to recognise fake diamonds.

famous diamonds, making jewellery and how to keep your diamonds secure.

13 The purpose of this text is to

review. inform. argue. debate.

14 The style of this text is

formal. informal. imaginative. academic.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



double TroubleMilo ate slowly as usual, and as he was munching away he heard a thump, signalling that Mrs Chester had shut the back door. It wasn’t until he’d heard the latch click into place that, once again, Milo remembered his resolution to venture outside during the night to have a real adventure. His owners locked him in at night for his own safety, so they said. Well, it seemed that tonight there would be no opportunity to get out. Mrs Chester already had on her mauve slippers, so she wouldn’t be going outside again. Whenever she wore those slippers, she intended to stay indoors. Sometimes the mauve slippers stayed on all day – often accompanied by the hair curlers. There was no going outside with slippers in the Chester household.

Milo looked around the house to see what Mr Chester was doing, and to reconnoitre the twins’ location, so he could establish himself somewhere he would be left alone. He trotted down the hallway and peered in through the doorway. There they were – the little monsters – both sitting quietly for once. But when Milo saw what they were doing, he realised why they seemed so calm. The horrible little boys were busy cutting apart their soft toys, Tristan using Mr Chester’s fishing knife and Crispin with Mrs Chester’s good sewing scissors. There they sat, on the floor surrounded by furry limbs, foam stuffing and dismembered toys, like a pair of crazed taxidermists.

The ginger shape of Milo crept silently past the door, hoping not to attract the twins’ attention. He looked in to the living room to check on Mr Chester, who was doing a crossword in the newspaper and had the television on. Mrs Chester was folding linen in the dining room and sighing loudly each time she passed the doorway to the living room, as if she wanted to alert her husband to the fact that she was still doing housework at this hour.

Milo felt his eyelids starting to grow sluggish. His belly was full of food, making him feel warm all over. It was amazing that no matter how much time he spent sleeping, he was always tired again at night. He could quite easily have settled in by the fire for a good long nap. Without warning, Milo suddenly felt himself being lifted up from above, and his head being twisted to come face to face with Tristan.

“No Tristy. Leave Milo alone. He’s just had his dinner.” By the sound of Mrs Chester’s voice, it seemed she’d been expecting this. Milo resisted and struggled to break free of Tristan’s grip. The boy couldn’t maintain his hold and the cat easily escaped. But Tristan was not to be deterred.

“I need a TAIL!” he howled, coming after Milo wielding the fishing knife.

“Oh dear! What are you doing with that knife? Now Tristy darling, don’t make Mummy sad!” Mrs Chester scurried to chase him down the hall, her shrill voice echoing in the confined space. The commotion attracted the attention of Crispin, whose eyes lit up madly as he joined in the chase.

“Crispy – be a good boy. Don’t make Mummy sad! Give me those scissors please.” But Crispy put them behind his back defiantly, and stood his ground, daring his mother to snatch them. She soon gave up that game, and Tristy and Crispy launched themselves at a flying pace after Milo again.

“Boys! Stop running in the house! Don’t make Mummy sad! Please!” Mrs Chester called helplessly. As Tristan flashed past her, she caught hold of her son’s blade-wielding arm, which was flailing dangerously close to his mother.

“Mummy said NO, Tristan!” Using the boy’s full name momentarily got his attention, but the word “no” presented a problem. This was clearly a word that had not yet found a peg on which to hang in the young boy’s brain.

“You’re scaring him!” Mrs Chester pleaded. She hesitated, half-believing that her sons might actually attempt to sever the cat’s tail. Then, to put a stop to the antics and any potential anatomical experimentation, she scooped up a bewildered Milo and put him outside. Latching the back door, she removed the silver key and slipped it into her pocket. And that is how it came to be that on a certain evening not so long ago, Milo the Housebound suddenly found himself outside at night.

By Ally Chumley


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


DOUBLE TROUBLE, CONT.

Sample questions1 Which is the odd one out of this group of nouns?

blade sewing scissors fishing knife knife

2 One example of irony in the text is

the way that the twins are using safety scissors.

the cat is kept in for his own safety, then put outside for his own safety.

that Mrs Chester is being ignored by the twins.

that it is a cold night.

Practice questions3 What do the mauve slippers represent?

Mrs Chester’s favourite colour

Mrs Chester’s patterns of behaviour

Mrs Chester’s liking for comfortable footwear

Mrs Chester’s disregard for fashion

4 Which desire of Milo’s is implied, rather than literally mentioned, by the writer?

to go outside for an adventure

to be left alone

to go to sleep

to get away from the twins

5 The phrase anatomical experimentation means

stabbing and cutting things.

cutting up body parts and putting them back together.

playing with scissors and other sharp implements.

playing with soft toys.

6 The word that is an antonym for suddenly is

sluggish. easily. gradually. busy.

TRAP!All but one are used as synonyms for fishing knife in the text.

HINTThis is a test of your grasp of irony.Irony is using words that convey the opposite to their usual meaning. It can also describe unexpected humour, often occurring by chance.


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DOUBLE TROUBLE, CONT.

7 The statement she was still doing housework at this hour is in italics to

indicate that Mrs Chester is speaking these words to her husband.

imply that Mrs Chester hates doing housework.

show that Mrs Chester has an accent.

show that Mrs Chester frequently says the same thing aloud. 8 The word NO is capitalised to show

that it is the most important word in the sentence.

that it is being spoken by Mrs Chester.

that Tristan ignores instructions.

that it is being shouted. 9 The phrase a peg on which to hang is used to symbolise

a place in Tristan’s brain.

what the boys try to do to the cat.

Mrs Chester’s laundry.

Mrs Chester’s kitchen.

10 The tone of the text indicates that the writer is

impressed by the good behaviour of the twins.

critical of Mrs Chester’s inability to control her sons.

approving of Mrs Chester.

sympathetic toward Mrs Chester.

11 The repetition of the phrase Don’t make Mummy sad! reveals that Mrs Chester

will do anything to avoid feeling sad.

has well-behaved children.

is routinely defied by her children.

is a strong-willed woman. 12 The direct speech of Mrs Chester is full of

instructions. invitations. jokes. descriptions.

13 Milo tries to move quietly in order to

be able to sneak outside.

creep up on Mr Chester.

remain inconspicuous to the twins.

amuse himself.


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The PIraTe QueenAuthor Barbara Sjoholm has thoroughly researched this wonderful new book, which I’ve fallen for hook, line and sinker. Sjoholm spent months voyaging around the North Atlantic, following in the wake of the notorious Grace O’Malley, now immortalised as the Pirate Queen. O’Malley was a bona fide female pirate who raided numerous trading ships off the Irish coast during the 16th century. At the height of her maritime career, Grace O’Malley had 200 men under her command and owned a large amount of property, including farmland and a castle.

The author has skilfully untangled the threads of truth and legend to bring to her readers some truly captivating tales about O’Malley’s exploits in centuries past. One story that seems to epitomise the Pirate Queen’s unquenchable spirit tells of a young Grace who wished to accompany her father on a voyage to Spain. Predictably, he refused permission with the excuse that her long hair would become caught in the ship’s ropes. Undaunted, Grace promptly took up the scissors and cut off all her hair, donned a pair of men’s trousers, then haughtily boarded the ship. Sjoholm presents us with a treasure chest of such tales, which we like to hope are true.

O’Malley was reputed to be attractive, highly intelligent and well educated. In the book, Sjoholm relates an occasion when O’Malley met and conversed with Queen Elizabeth I in 1593, regaling her with wild tales of her extensive travels and keeping the monarch completely entranced. This swashbuckling story has all the mythic elements of shipboard life – from mermaids to sea monsters, and some not so mythic as well – blood, greed and revenge. It’s a whale of a tale that readers are certain to enjoy.

By Jake Hunter

Sample questions1 According to the text, Barbara Sjoholm

was a bona fide female pirate.

is the author of a new book.

was born in the 16th century.

once met Queen Elizabeth I.

2 From the context of the text, the most likely meaning of maritime is

piracy. seafaring. Spanish. Irish.

3 The reviewer’s response to the book is

positive and enthusiastic.

negative and critical.

bored and indifferent.

sarcastic and bitter.

4 The word entranced in the last paragraph means

having entered a room.

having boarded a ship.

held prisoner.

held in a trance.

HINTConsider the reviewer’s tone and his attitude towards the book. Look for emotive words, for example, wonderful and skilfully.

THINGS TO KNOWUse the context to help you work out the meaning of unfamiliar words.

THINGS TO KNOWAlways look out for words that are used in a non-literal (or figurative) sense.

HINTYou need to make the distinction between the author and the subject.

TRAP!This question is asking you to use the context to find different senses and meanings of the word.


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THE PIRATE QUEEN, CONT.

Practice questions5 The reviewer praises Barbara Sjoholm because she

is now immortalised as the Pirate Queen.

is one of only a few female pirates in history.

is intelligent and well-educated.

has done thorough research.

6 The phrase hook, line and sinker in the first sentence is

an example of a simile.

an example of personification.

a reference to piracy.

a common idiom related to fishing.

7 The correct spelling of the word that means “more than one month” is

months. month’s. moths. months’.

8 How many employees did Grace O’Malley have at one point in her career?

200 16 1600 1593

9 In the second paragraph, what is one thing Grace O’Malley did that was unusual for women of her time?

found a treasure chest

grew her hair long

wore men’s trousers

disobeyed her father

10 Which phrase is not a reference to sea travel?

voyaging around the North Atlantic

following in the wake

seafaring

it’s a whale of a tale

11 According to the reviewer, Barbara Sjoholm has untangled

fishing knots. ship’s ropes. truth and legend. mythic elements.


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THE PIRATE QUEEN, CONT.

12 Which of the following terms from the text refers to a real person?

mermaid sea monster legend monarch

13 This text is

a feature article. a news article. an advertisement. a book review.

14 One piece of information not included in the text is the

price of the book.

reviewer’s reaction to the book.

author’s name.

subject matter of the book.

15 The book The Pirate Queen appears to be presenting information that is

technical. fictional. hysterical. historical.

16 The phrase a whale of a tale in the last sentence contains

rhyme. alliteration. personification. emotive language.

17 Jake Hunter believes

readers will enjoy the book.

readers should become seafarers.

readers should admire pirates.

female readers will enjoy the book more than males.

18 The three women mentioned in this text are

O’Malley, Sjoholm and Grace.

O’Malley, Sjoholm and Queen Elizabeth I.

O’Malley, Queen Elizabeth I and a female pirate.

O’Malley, Sjoholm and Barbara.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



The Crash of flIghT 123The last minutes of Japan Airlines Flight 123 from Tokyo have been the subject of intense debate since the Boeing 747 crashed on August 12, 1985. It remains to date the worst single plane air crash in history with 520 souls lost.

Twelve minutes into a domestic run from Haneda Airport, Tokyo to Osaka, Flight 123 experienced every pilot and passenger’s nightmare – a total loss of hydraulic pressure, which rendered the piloting controls useless. The plane was out of control for the next 27 minutes, having lost the stabilising section of its tail after a rear bulkhead blew. The vertical fin was ejected and the four sets of hydraulic-control lines which enable the pilot’s controls were blasted away. The crew desperately tried to stabilise the plane using only engine thrust and the flaps. Despite these efforts, the jet Dutch-rolled downward at an incomprehensible speed of 18,000 feet per minute, a pace that only fighter jets can handle. Captain Takahama tried to regain control of the plane, right up until 18:56, the moment of impact. The 747 crashed into the lower slopes of Mount Osutaka, located 113 kilometres northwest of Tokyo, where it exploded into flames. Miraculously, four people escaped alive from the wreckage of Flight 123.

Upon investigation, it was discovered that the structural failure of the aircraft’s fuselage bulkhead could be traced to a poor repair job seven years prior to the tragedy. Back in 1978, defective repairs had been made in Osaka by Boeing engineers. The plane’s tail section had touched the tarmac in a heavy landing, causing damage to the tail. The fuselage plate did not extend across the full site of the damage, leaving a single line of rivets to carry the load of three lines. Boeing’s fuselage repair specifications reveal that a single row of rivets is insufficient to hold the panel in place, and that three rows are required. Questions have been raised as to the reasons for the failure of Boeing’s repair-work inspection procedures – a failure in the quality control of engineering, which ultimately cost hundreds of families dearly.

Sample questions1 Mount Osutaka is located

113 miles northwest of Toyko.

113 kilometres northwest of Tokyo.

in Osaka.

18,000 feet from Haneda Airport.

2 Which term is not referring to an aeroplane?

aircraft

747

jet

engine

3 Who does the author imply are the most to blame for the tragedy?

the passengers and their families

the pilot and flight crew

repair workers and safety inspectors

Captain Takahama and the air traffic controllers

HINTThis is asking you to recount information from the text.

HINTThis requires you to infer meaning by summarising the details in the text.

TRAP!Check the units of measurement in the text.

HINTThis is a vocabulary question.

TRAP!Sometimes synonyms can be confused by their context. For example, aeroplanes have engines, but the two words are not synonymous.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


THE CRASH OF FLIGHT 123, CONT.

Practice questions4 The first sentence of the text suggests that

people agree about who is to blame for the crash.

people disagree about who is to blame for the crash.

people agree about what happened in the minutes immediately before the crash.

people disagree about what happened in the minutes immediately before the crash.

5 The first sentence of the text has the effect of

briefly summarising the text.

influencing the reader to believe the story.

giving detailed information about who was to blame for the crash.

presenting supporting information to build an argument.

6 Flight JAL123 was bound for

Tokyo. Haneda Airport. Boeing. Osaka.

7 The phrase a domestic run reveals that

Flight 123’s passengers worked as cleaners.

Flight 123 was scheduled to make an international trip.

Flight 123’s passengers were all Japanese citizens.

Flight 123 was making a trip within Japan.

8 In the second paragraph, the phrase the next 27 minutes refers to

the period of time it took to get to the crash’s survivors.

the period of time that the plane had been airborne before problems developed.

the period of time that it took for the flight crew to regain control of the aircraft.

the period of time in which the pilot tried to stabilise the plane.

9 According to the text, the total period of time that the flight stayed airborne was

exactly 12 minutes. exactly 15 minutes. at least 39 minutes. less than 27 minutes.

10 Why does the author use miraculously in the second paragraph?

because it was a miracle that so many people were killed in the crash

because it was a miracle that so few people were killed in the crash

because it was a miracle that anyone survived the crash

because it was a miracle that so few people were on the plane that day


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


THE CRASH OF FLIGHT 123, CONT.

11 The investigators found that the plane had crashed

because of a poor repair job that lead to structural failure.

because it ran out of fuel.

because the pilot had flown at speeds that only a fighter jet could handle.

because the plane’s tail section had touched the runway at take-off.

12 Investigators concluded that the crash occurred due to events that happened

in 1985.

in the cockpit.

in the atmosphere.

seven years earlier.

13 How many rows of rivets should have been used in replacing the fuselage plate?

four three two one

14 Which line of the passage does not contain emotive language?

The crew desperately tried to stabilise the plane

Miraculously, four people escaped alive from the wreckage of Flight 123

Flight 123 experienced every pilot and passenger’s nightmare

Captain Takahama tried to regain control of the plane

15 Which word is the odd one out?

blasted exploded blew flames

16 Which of these words cannot be used as a verb?

leaving structural handle escaped

17 Why does the reporter state that the accident cost hundreds of families dearly?

because the crash ruined people’s travel plans

because the crash forced the price of airfares to increase

because it was expensive to mount a rescue mission

because it resulted in the deaths of their loved ones


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



beaChedOh – the strength of him! The power and size of him. Majestic in a cumbersome form, covered in great grey sleekness.

Where is his family? Has he been alone in his sorrow? Was his hugeness racked with pain? Was he aware of hurting, helping hands?

Or, unlike his human co-habitants on this vast planet, did he accept the fate of all creatures great and small – Death – undignified and alone?

by Colleen Minett

Sample questions1 Which stanza implies that the creature being described in the poem is a whale?

first stanza

second stanza

third stanza

stanzas two and three

2 What technique has been used repeatedly throughout the second stanza?

answers

questions

exclamations

quotations

3 Which word in the poem is an antonym for big?

size

majestic

hugeness

small

4 What is one word that describes the whale’s appearance?

cumbersome

grey

vast

strength

HINTAn antonym is a word that has an opposite meaning.

TRAP!The words cumbersome and strength are characteristics, but they do not describe the whale’s appearance.

TRAP!The word vast doesn’t refer to the whale.

THINGS TO KNOWStanza is another name for verse. Look for visual descriptions (designed to appeal to the sense of sight).

TRICKLook for punctuation marks to provide the clues.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


BEACHED, CONT.

Practice questions5 What does the phrase great grey sleekness specifically describe?

the whale

the whale’s skin

the surface of the water

the whale’s tail

6 What is being described as this vast planet?

the whale the Earth the sun the beach

7 What description tells us that people tried to help the whale but did more harm than good?

helping, hurting hands

hurting, helping hands

where is his family?

unlike his human co-habitants

8 How many lines are taken up by the longest question in the poem?

one two three four

9 What punctuation mark is not used in the poem?

colon question mark comma dash

10 The past tense used in the second and third stanzas tells us that

the incident happened a long time ago.

the whale must have died.

the whale must have survived.

the whale accepted his fate.

11 Which of the following is an example of alliteration?

power and size

grey sleekness

hugeness

hurting, helping hands


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SeCTION 2 PRACTICE TEST PAPER YEAR 7 READING

INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS

Use a 2B pencil to show your answers.

For the multiple choice questions, show your answers by shading the matching bubble. If you make a mistake, erase the shading and shade the correct bubble.

Read each text carefully, and then answer the Test Questions that begin on page 51.

You may refer back to the texts at any time during the test.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


Meet Michelle RobinsonMichelle LaVaughn Robinson was born in Chicago, USA, on January 17, 1964, the daughter of Frasier and Marian Robinson. Frasier worked for the public water company that supplies the city, and Marian was a full-time mum to Michelle and her older brother Craig. The family endured some difficult times when Frasier was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Unable to afford to own a house, the Robinsons lived in a rented bungalow. They spent their leisure time playing board games, reading books and enjoying modest family holidays when they could afford them.

Because of her strong academic achievements in school, Michelle was offered a place at Princeton University, where she studied sociology. Her main area of research was the racial attitudes of other students to African-Americans like herself at the university. Because of the prejudices of some students, she felt like she didn’t really belong at the university and worried that she would become a fringe-dweller rather than a fully accepted figure in mainstream American society.

After her graduation, Michelle studied law at Harvard before she joined a corporate law firm in Chicago. In 1989, Michelle was assigned as a mentor to a Harvard law student, a young African-American man completing a work experience program. She helped the newcomer gain confidence in his role with the firm, and found him to be friendly and fun to be around. After about a month of turning him down, Michelle eventually agreed to go out on a date with the persistent young man. The pair continued dating, eventually marrying in October 1992.

The pair worked together on many projects during their early years of married life together. In 1998 Michelle and her husband, Barack, welcomed a daughter, Malia, into their lives, and another, Natasha – known as Sasha – in 2001. Today, Michelle lives in the White House in Washington DC with her husband, the President of the United States of America. By Bennie Bowen


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


PreparationPrior to starting the shampoo, greet your client and try to put them at ease. Place a towel around the client’s neck, ensuring that it is tucked firmly into the collar at the back. Ask them to sit back in the chair. Make sure you adjust the basin to ensure that no water will leak down their back.

ShampooOnce the client is comfortable, you can then start the shampoo. Ensure that the water temperature is warm. Wet a small part of the client’s head and ask if the temperature is right for them. If the client is happy you can then go ahead and wet down all of the hair. Squeeze a small amount of cleanser onto your hand and rub your hands together to form a lather before applying it to the hair. This helps to distribute the proteins for an even application. Repeat the process.

ConditioningAdd a small amount of conditioning milk to the hair, ensuring that the milk is evenly distributed throughout. This milk is a leave-in product, and does not require rinsing. Lightly towel-dry the hair to remove the excess water so the conditioning milk can properly coat the hair.

MassageMassage the scalp using a slow, rhythmic and continuous pressure. During the scalp massage you should not talk to the client – this is their time to relax. After the massage, rinse the client’s hair thoroughly with warm water.

DryingTowel-dry the client’s hair, taking care to dry inside and around the ears. Ensure you are not too vigorous in drying the hair, as some clients have more sensitive scalps than others. Remove the towel from the client’s neck.

Follow-upEnsure that you comb out the client’s hair before you take them to the workstation. This makes them feel a little more presentable before they are seated in front of the mirror. It also saves the stylist from needing to do it when it comes time to cut, style or treat the hair.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


The basketRolls of wicker fall about, hands weaving in and out shaping such a pretty thing a basket for flowers, bread or string.

Working the cane on a sundrenched morn, hands gnarled, nails chipped and torn. Time today for just one more. Old brown back is bent and sore.

Given now as a token of love, forgotten are the hands that wove, forming the shape over work-worn knee on that island far across the sea.

By Colleen Minett

Basket weaving in the Cook IslandsThe Cook Islands (or Kuki Airani) is a South Pacific nation comprising fifteen small islands. The total population is 15,000, half of whom live in the capital, Raratonga. The people of the Cook Islands lead simple lives. The main industries are fishing, black pearl farming, plant cultivation, hunting and handicrafts, including basket weaving.

Basket weavers use materials gathered from coconut palms to complete their work. The large palm fronds are cut from the trees and used while they remain green and flexible. The centre strands are removed, and the whole frond is folded. Then the leaves of each side are plaited together. This type of basket is simple and easy to make. Most islanders can create one in a matter of minutes.

More difficult is the task of weaving baskets from a material the islanders call ta’a. This fibre comes from the unopened leaf shoots found at the tops of coconut palms. It requires special preparation including boiling, stripping and drying processes before it is usable for the weavers. A weaver typically spends several days turning the fibres into thin white strips ready for weaving.

The art of basket weaving and other forms of craft is under threat from the growing trend of migration among the young people of the Cook Islands. Because of the country’s geographical isolation, its poor infrastructure and exposure to frequent natural disasters, its potential for economic growth is small. Education and health services are limited, causing parents to send their children to schools in Australia and New Zealand. This has led to the breakdown of the learning cycle that once ensured that skills like basket weaving were passed down to future generations. Today, Cook Islanders are struggling to find new markets for their traditional craft products, which are being replaced by mass-produced, cheap plastic substitutes.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


Della was lost in her thoughts when her mother came to the door of her room. She entered, hands outstretched, with tears pouring down her face. Della’s heart constricted inside her. She feared that what her mother had to say next would shatter her. She could hardly breathe.

“They’ve found him!” Her mother sobbed. “They’ve found him, Della. He’s alive! He’s in the hospital.”

Della saw and heard the relief of her mother, but strangely she didn’t feel it herself. All she could say was, “Oh!”.

Della had heard various families talk of the waiting, and the horror of not knowing what had happened to their missing loved one, but it hadn’t affected her until now. She realised that she and her mother had been living in a state of suspension from normal life. There were no plans from day to day beyond continuing the search. Eating was a necessity, sleeping a difficulty. Both Della and her mother felt nothing but the need to wait, wait, wait until the resolution came. Della simply dreaded the thought that each day would close with nothing – no news, no call. And so on this day, the eighteenth day since her father’s disappearance, the temporariness ended and life began again.

In the hospital bed closest to the door was a familiar figure, looking a little paler than usual.

“Marco!” shrieked Della’s mother. She threw her arms around his neck and said something that came out muffled.

“Laura! Dell-dell!” her father breathed, tears welling up in his eyes. He clung to his wife tightly, his eyes squeezed shut over the escaping tears.

Della waited for her mother to disentangle herself from her father and then hugged him herself.

“Are you alright? What happened? We thought we’d lost you!”

Della’s father shook his head, smiling at the flood of questions.

“I – I – – I don’t remember. I can’t.” her father paused. ‘I know it isn’t an answer, but it’s just a total blank. I just woke up here in hospital with all these people around me asking me questions – police, nurses, doctors. I’ve had to tell them all the same thing. I just don’t remember anything.’

“It will all come in time,” Laura soothed, stroking her husband’s forehead. “Just give it time, and rest. Questions can wait. What’s most important now is that we have you back.”

By Ally Chumley


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


Two sides, evenly balanced, yet with totally different styles of playing – the Adelaide Falcons, equipped with speed and tenacity versus the Hobart Hawks relying on skill and experience. This turned out to be a fiercely fought game with both sides desperate to dominate from the opening whistle. In their last three encounters, Adelaide has beaten Hobart twice and drawn in the third game. The Falcons came into this game with a good deal of confidence from those wins.Things began evenly and the game remained scoreless for some time. The deadlock was broken 25 minutes in when some excellent work down the left flank created a corner for Hobart. Danielle D’Andrea curled the kick in for Charlotte Mitchell to beat the keeper with a firmly directed header.Hobart quickly doubled their lead when an excellent through-ball by Jade Chang found Angela Waite on the edge of the penalty box. Waite brought the ball down with her thigh and drilled it past a despairing keeper. Hobart went in two goals to the good at half time and deservedly so on the balance of play. Adelaide’s speed and youth were no match for the intelligent thinking of the older Hobart players.Not a lot separated the teams through the early stages of the second half. The Hawks relaxed and took their foot off the pedal. But Adelaide is a very strong side and they were not going to lie down without a fight. Midway through the second half, the Falcons earned a throw-in. As the throw entered the danger zone, goalie Jo Durrheim came to catch the ball at the near post. The low sun caught her off guard and she mistimed her reaction, allowing the ball to slip through her hands and into the net.With the score at 2:1, the Falcons had a sniff of a comeback and began to apply pressure on the Hawks’ goal. It seemed that Hobart panicked and lost their way for almost 20 minutes as the pressure built. The vibe was that the Hawks couldn’t hold on any longer, but things were about to change.Some good work in clearing their lines found Parvati Sharma on the right wing challenging for the ball. She beat two defenders, ran to the goal line and then pulled back a pass that found Angela Waite in space. Waite hit the ball first time and slotted it into the left hand side of the goal. The supporters went a little crazy with excitement and their coach ran onto the pitch and had to be ordered off by the fourth official. With only seconds to spare, the pressure was off and the Hawks began to celebrate early. It was a great climax to a brilliant year that saw them lose only one game all season – ironically, to Adelaide. Hobart received two trophies today – one for winning the Minor Premiership and one for becoming Major Premiers as Grand Final champs. So the Hawks achieved the double this year after being wooden spooners this time last season. Congratulations girls! It was a well-deserved win.

By Catherine Joye


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The period of Australian history from 1788 to the 1820s was fraught with unanticipated difficulties, forcing both the original and the new inhabitants to struggle for their very survival. The problems that emerged in Van Diemen’s Land (now called Tasmania) concerned very basic matters such as insufficient food supplies and the keeping of general law and order. Other areas in which they struggled included the development of a workforce, the establishment of a safe, family-friendly society, and the Anglo-European settlers’ gross mistreatment of the Indigenous people of Australia. At times, some Indigenous groups resisted the invading forces, and the newcomers responded by mercilessly slaughtering them. The effects of this large scale genocide are still being felt by Australia’s Indigenous people today. The lengthy fight for survival in this harsh land created environments and events in the colonies that were far from civilised.

During the years that Britain began transporting felons to Australia, food was in short supply. The governors failed miserably in their attempts to inspire the convicts to work the land, and this led to dire shortages and subsequent food rations. All work had to be done by hand, as few farming implements were transported from England. Despite being cheap workers, the convicts were mostly an unskilled and unwilling labour force. Fish and kangaroo meat were relied upon when other provisions failed. During this period, to be caught stealing food was punishable by execution.

In New South Wales, Governor Arthur Phillip relied on imported foodstuffs from Norfolk Island. But in Van Diemen’s Land, there was no such supply available, although the fertility of the soil eased the food crisis in time. By the early 1800s, the starvation problem had eased somewhat, due to developments in agriculture. The wheat supply gradually increased, allowing the colony to become self-sufficient.

In 1822 a new penal station was formed at Macquarie Harbour in Van Diemen’s Land. It was separated by dense and mountainous bushland from the Hobart settlement. It was developed in accordance with Britain’s policy of establishing places of secondary punishment for convicts who committed further crimes once in Australia, and was designed to discourage escape attempts. But the remoteness of these various outposts also cut the inhabitants off from vital supplies.

The governors of Van Diemen’s Land battled in vain to establish law and order. The largely uneducated status of the newcomers, their criminal persuasion, and their disregard for law and order led to a good deal of petty crime, violent brawls and generally uncivilised behaviour. But the isolation of the island colony was by far the most alarming threat to law and order.

The grave imbalance between the sexes created a male-dominated society that was no place for children, and which moulded a certain crudeness into the characters of many of its inhabitants. The lack of law in Van Diemen’s Land, and its remoteness, made it a fearful environment in which to raise a family. It was some time before free settlers arrived to bring a more balanced influence to this colony.

By Andrew Waite


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5

YEAR 7 - LITERACY - Reading


Read Aladdin and the wonderful lamp on page 43 and answer Questions 1 to 6.

1 In the first line, the word ascended means

went up.

went down.

slid on.

built.

2 The text indicates that

the Dervish is Aladdin’s father.

Aladdin calls the Dervish Uncle.

Aladdin is the Dervish’s uncle.

the Dervish’s first name is Aladdin.

3 We can see that the text is a drama script because of

what Aladdin says.

the words in capital letters.

the layout of the text.

what happens in the story.

4 The Narrator is

one of the characters in the play.

the storyteller in the play.

the writer of the play.

Aladdin’s uncle.

5 What event is simulated using special sound and light effects?

a fire

a magical disappearance

an earthquake

a genie’s appearance

6 Who ends up with the lamp at the end of this scene?

Aladdin

the Dervish

the Narrator

no one


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



Read The world’s coolest T-shirt? on page 44 and answer Questions 7 to 12.

7 The text makes it clear that

playing air guitar takes great skill.

playing air guitar is an imaginary skill.

air guitars are of real benefit to society.

air guitar players have similar skills to researchers.

8 The writer of this text is

Dr Peter Helmer.

Dr Richard Helmer

a CSIRO researcher.

not mentioned by name.

9 The Wearable Instrument Shirt is called the WIS. The shortening of the name to these three letters is an example of

an abbreviation.

an acronym.

a nickname.

a scientific name.

10 Researchers say we could be seeing more intelligent clothing like the WIS in years to come. In this statement, the word we is referring to

researchers.

society.

Dr Helmer and his associates.

the CSIRO.

11 The title The World’s Coolest T-shirt? implies

that T-shirts are cool garments.

that playing the air guitar is cool.

that wearing hi-tech clothing is cool.

all of the above.

12 In the line we suspect that Dr Helmer has played a bit too much air guitar in his spare time, the writer is using humour to emphasise the contrast between

a serious research scientist and the silliness of air guitar playing.

air guitar sounds and real musical notes.

the ordinary functions of clothing and the use of hi-tech equipment.

human arm movements and the creation of electronic musical sounds.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



Read Meet Michelle Robinson on page 45 and answer Questions 13 to 18.

13 This text is a biography. It has been organised

in order of the importance of certain events in Michelle’s life.

in chronological order.

in alphabetical order.

at random.

14 Michelle’s parents are

LaVaughn and Robinson.

Fraser and Marian.

Frasier and Maria.

Frasier and Marian.

15 The second paragraph reveals that Michelle felt like an outsider because

of the prejudices of some students.

of her strong academic achievements.

she was studying sociology.

Princeton was a long way from home.

16 Michelle was married for how many years before having the couple’s first child?

three

four

five

six

17 The young man who completed work experience at Michelle’s corporate law firm was

Craig Robinson.

George W. Bush.

Barack Obama.

Frasier Robinson.

18 From the text, we learn that Michelle and her husband

both studied law at Harvard.

are African-Americans.

live at the White House.

share all of the above in common.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



Read Shampooing skills on page 46 and answer Questions 19 to 22.

19 Which sentence shows the correct order of activities described in the text?

Shampoo the hair, adjust the basin, then blow-dry.

Shampoo the hair, massage the scalp, then add conditioner.

Put the client at ease, shampoo the hair, then massage the scalp.

Put a towel around the client’s neck, cut the hair, then comb out the hair.

20 In the second paragraph, the phrase if the client is happy is specifically referring to

the client’s good mood.

the client’s satisfaction with the water temperature.

the client’s enjoyment of getting their hair washed.

things to do if the client is sad.

21 A synonym for vigorous is

rough.

thoughtless.

careless.

delicate.

22 Why is it recommended to comb out the client’s hair after the shampoo?

it is always knotty after a shampoo

it helps the client feel more presentable and saves the stylist some time

it gets rid of excess shampoo

it feels nice on the client’s scalp


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



Read Basket makers on page 47 and answer Questions 23 to 29.

23 Which of the following groups of words gives the most information about the basket weaver?

rolls of wicker, a pretty thing, time today

hands gnarled, nails chipped and torn, old brown back bent and sore, work-worn knee

weaving in and out, a basket for flowers, sundrenched morn, just one more, far across the sea

a token of love, the hands that wove, forming the shape, on that island

24 What punctuation marks appear at the end of the first line in each stanza?

full stops question marks commas dashes

25 The main idea in the poem is that

weaving baskets is easy and good fun.

baskets can be used to hold all sorts of things.

the people who buy and use the baskets don’t think about the worker who made them.

the baskets are quickly forgotten by the people who make them.

26 According to the text, the capital of the Cook Islands is

Cook. Kuki Airani. Raratonga. not mentioned.

27 What two main materials are used for basket weaving?

Kuki Airani and ta’a

coconut palm fronds and ta’a

green ferns and plastic

grass and wicker

28 Why is the skill of basket weaving not being passed down to new generations in the Cook Islands?

the Islanders are struggling to find new markets for their products

frequent natural disasters

cheap plastic substitutes are being made

parents are sending their children to schools in other countries

29 Which of the following best describes these two texts?

The poem provides more factual information than the article.

The article provides more detailed information than the poem.

Both texts provide fictional information.

Both texts provide exactly the same information.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



Read Missing on page 48 and answer Questions 30 to 35.

30 Which words indicate that Della’s mother was crying?

tears and shatter

feared and sobbed

could hardly breathe

tears and sobbed

31 According to the text, Della’s father was missing for

seventeen full days.

eighteen full days.

three weeks.

hours.

32 In the hospital, who says I’ve had to tell them all the same thing?

the nurse

Della

Della’s father

Laura

33 According to the text, what thought did Della especially dread?

that her father was dead

that her father had gone missing

that each day would end with no news

that they would receive bad news

34 Who is described as a familiar figure in the third paragraph?

Della’s mother

Marco

Laura

Della

35 What is the most important thing according to Laura?

that Marco is no longer missing

that Marco gets some rest

that Marco is healthy

that Della is happy again


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



Read Soccer grand final on page 49 and answer Questions 36 to 41.

36 The two teams mentioned in the report are

the Hobart Falcons and the Adelaide Hawks.

the Adelaide Falcons and the Hobart Hawks.

the Hawthorn Hawks and the Hobart Falcons.

the Falcon Hawks and the Adelaide Hawks.

37 According to the text, the Hawks players are

better players.

more experienced.

faster.

fierce.

38 The goalie for the Hawks is

Angela Waite.

Parvati Sharma.

Charlotte Mitchell.

Jo Durrheim.

39 In the sixth paragraph what incident required the intervention of an official?

the Hawks’ coach ran onto the field

the Falcons’ coach ran onto the field

Angela Waite went into space

Parvati Sharma beat two defenders

40 In the last paragraph, the phrase After being wooden spooners this time last season means

the Hawks were given a wooden spoon last year.

the Hawks earned a wooden spoon this year.

the Hawks finished last in this year’s competition.

the Hawks finished last in the previous year’s competition.

41 The language of this text is best described as

formal.

full of soccer jargon.

inappropriate.

poetic.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



Read Van Diemen’s Land on page 50 and answer Questions 42 to 50.

42 By what name do we know Van Diemen’s Land today?

Hobart

Britain

Norfolk Island

Tasmania

43 Many of the Indigenous people of Van Diemen’s Land were

grossly mistreated.

mercilessly slaughtered.

the victims of genocide.

all of the above.

44 In the second paragraph, felons refers to the

convicts. farmers. Englishmen. labourers.

45 What food was available in greater quantities in the early 1800s due to developments in agriculture?

kangaroo meat fish wheat rice

46 The author says that the soil in Van Diemen’s Land was

uncivilised. infertile. dry. fertile.

47 What was the biggest threat to law and order in Van Diemen’s Land?

the convicts’ lack of education

the region’s isolation

too many newcomers

uncivilised behaviour

48 Why would free settlers bring a more balanced influence to the society?

because they were farmers

because they knew more about agriculture

because there would be more males

because they weren’t convicted criminals


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5



49 According to the text, Macquarie Harbour was

a place of secondary punishment.

in New South Wales.

made into a penal station in 1811.

in the desert.

50 Which statement would the writer of this text agree with?

Serious problems threatened the survival of the people living in Van Diemen’s Land in the early 1900s.

There were minor problems obtaining food and other supplies for the people living in Van Diemen’s Land.

There were major problems encountered in establishing new settlements in Van Diemen’s Land.

Food was in plentiful supply in Van Diemen’s Land in the early 1800s.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


The invisible circus1 a stage show.

2 how actors can become invisible to an audience.

3 anything coloured white or fluorescent.

4 description and questions.

5 variety.

6 In the Invisible Circus, the audience can’t see the actors.

7 covered in black or kept in darkness

8 ultraviolet

9 actors who can’t be seen.

10 commas and question marks.

11 supposedly performed by tiny fleas

Leftovers1 during and after school

2 winter

3 onions, garlic, butter, pumpkin, potatoes, milk, Chicken Supreme, cream, herbs and salt

4 because they are the brand name of a product

5 leftover vegetables

6 question

7 It is refreshing and makes a good tonic.

8 scoop off

9 butter, milk and cream

10 They are quick and easy, and require fewer ingredients than the soup.

11 carrot juice

How to make a periscope1 square in shape.

2 four.

3 glue.

4 Materials and tools

5 submarine.

6 Join the sides of the box, add the end pieces and position the mirrors.

7 duct tape.

8 function as a guide.

9 periscope, mirror, look

10 three

Black Saturday1 descriptive.

2 speed, random path and heat.

3 because it was a clearing that might escape being set alight.

4 Both sides of the road ahead were alight.

5 February 7, 2009.

6 a volunteer fire fighter.

7 entire.

8 everything was burned and escaped untouched.

9 put the pedal to the metal.

10 if I had delayed turning around.

11 people should be forced to evacuate by authorities if their homes are threatened by fire.

Power plant protest1 letter to a politician.

2 to create emphasis and add impact to his message

3 solar rays, wind and waves

4 its structure

5 metaphor.

6 resources that are able to be replenished.

7 the effectiveness of Germany’s energy creation system.

8 vote against the development of the power plant

9 Australian government leaders

10 presents a strong argument supported by objective evidence and statistics.

Salvador Dali1 predicted his success before it happened.

2 a heart attack.

3 according to different stages in Dali’s life.

4 Europe.

5 designing, building and painting theatre sets.

6 dream-like.

7 that Dali was a famous artist.

8 provide information about the life and work of Salvador Dali.

9 psychologist.

10 inspiration to paint images from his dreams and fears.

Surfing competition1 to advertise an amateur surfing competition

2 two

3 nothing

4 There’s a trick surfing exhibition that people can watch.

5 surf comp, longboard demo, grommet events and surf lifesaving demos.

6 Hope to see you there.

7 a beach in Queensland

8 longboard, grommet, surf ’s up

9 three

ANSWeRS TO SeCTION 1ANSWeRS TO SeCTION 1


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


Rocksalt 1 link the restaurant with its setting.

2 seafood

3 call to book a table.

4 the word advertisement appears in the text.

5 Newcastle.

6 reputation.

7 the sea air is refreshing.

8 hold a special event at the restaurant.

9 the wines on offer at the restaurant.

10 the indoor tables have weather protection and the views are unobstructed.

Fancy dress1 Abby and her mother

2 Mr McDonald is pretending that he’s forgotten to go to work.

3 two.

4 she is eager to make arrangements for the party.

5 coming.

6 eleven

7 mother

8 get an outfit from the costume shop

9 direct speech.

10 ancient

Next-door neighbours1 she is fickle and competitive.

2 she quickly lost interest in the cat.

3 To imitate the way Shelley says the word.

4 because neither of the girls has siblings

5 jealous.

6 a lot of money.

7 horse, kitten, rabbit, chickens

8 Shelley’s father.

9 Anna.

10 in a wooden crate.

11 of her past history with pets.

12 italics.

13 The weekend is going to be difficult for Anna.

14 their different personalities.

15 that Shelley and Anna have very different lifestyles and attitudes.

Sitting in the rain1 He was hot from his long walk.

2 settled himself.

3 He hadn’t moved.

4 the rain

5 The use of the word swung implies that he did.

6 They were waxy and kept Sanjeev well hidden.

7 a drizzle.

8 He could hear it.

9 a comparison.

10 distinguished, refined and nobility.

11 sky.

12 to express disbelief

13 vigorously

14 iron

15 stood, leapt, shaking

16 third-person narrative and past tense

Diamonds1 how resilient diamonds are.

2 The Great Star of Africa and the Mountain of Light are among the British Crown Jewels.

3 The Excelsior

4 The Regent

5 shape, sparkle, weight and colour.

6 an adjective.

7 cut into a variety of shapes.

8 one-fifth of a gram.

9 try to sell you a fake diamond.

10 cubic zirconias and quartz crystals.

11 put it in water.

12 famous diamonds, qualities of diamonds and how to recognise fake diamonds.

13 inform.

14 informal.

Double trouble 1 sewing scissors

2 the cat is kept in for his own safety, then put outside for his own safety.

3 Mrs Chester’s patterns of behaviour

4 to get away from the twins

5 cutting up body parts and putting them back together.

6 gradually.

7 show that Mrs Chester frequently says the same thing aloud.

8 that it is being shouted.

9 a place in Tristan’s brain.

ANSWERS TO SECTION 1, CONT.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


ANSWERS TO SECTION 1, CONT.

10 critical of Mrs Chester’s inability to control her sons.

11 is routinely defied by her children.

12 instructions.

13 remain inconspicuous to the twins.

The Pirate Queen1 is the author of a new book.

2 seafaring.

3 positive and enthusiastic.

4 held in a trance.

5 has done thorough research.

6 a common idiom related to fishing.

7 months.

8 200

9 wore men’s trousers

10 it’s a whale of a tale

11 truth and legend.

12 monarch

13 a book review.

14 price of the book.

15 historical.

16 rhyme.

17 readers will enjoy the book.

18 O’Malley, Sjoholm and Queen Elizabeth I.

The crash of Flight 123 1 113 kilometres northwest of Tokyo.

2 engine

3 repair workers and safety inspectors

4 people disagree about what happened in the minutes immediately before the crash.

5 briefly summarising the text.

6 Osaka.

7 Flight 123 was making a trip within Japan.

8 the period of time in which the pilot tried to stabilize the plane.

9 at least 39 minutes.

10 because it was a miracle that anyone survived the crash

11 because of a poor repair job that led to structural failure.

12 seven years earlier.

13 three

14 Captain Takahama fought to regain control of the plane

15 flames

16 structural

17 because it resulted in the deaths of their loved ones

Beached1 first stanza

2 questions

3 small

4 grey

5 the whale’s skin

6 the Earth

7 hurting, helping hands

8 four

9 colon

10 the whale must have died.

11 hurting, helping hands


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


Aladdin and the wonderful lamp 1 went up.

2 Aladdin calls the Dervish Uncle.

3 the layout of the text.

4 the storyteller in the play.

5 an earthquake

6 Aladdin

The world’s coolest t-shirt?7 playing air guitar is an imaginary skill.

8 not mentioned by name.

9 an acronym.

10 society.

11 all of the above.

12 a serious research scientist and the silliness of air guitar playing.

Meet Michelle Robinson13 in chronological order.

14 Frasier and Marian.

15 of the prejudices of some students.

16 six

17 Barack Obama.

18 share all of the above in common.

Shampooing skills19 Put the client at ease, shampoo the hair, then massage

the scalp.

20 the client’s satisfaction with the water temperature.

21 rough.

22 it helps the client feel more presentable and saves the stylist some time

Basket makers23 hands gnarled, nails chipped and torn, old brown back

bent and sore, work-worn knee

24 commas

25 the people who buy and use the baskets don’t think about the worker who made them.

26 Raratonga.

27 coconut palm fronds and ta’a

28 parents are sending their children to schools in other countries

29 The article provides more detailed information than the poem.

Missing30 tears and sobbed

31 seventeen full days.

32 Della’s father

33 that each day would end with no news

34 Marco

35 that Marco is no longer missing

Grand final report36 the Adelaide Falcons and the Hobart Hawks.

37 more experienced.

38 Jo Durrheim.

39 the Hawks’ coach ran onto the field

40 the Hawks finished last in the previous year’s competition.

41 full of soccer jargon.

Van Diemen’s Land42 Tasmania

43 all of the above.

44 convicts.

45 wheat

46 fertile.

47 the region’s isolation

48 because they weren’t convicted criminals

49 a place of secondary punishment.

50 There were major problems encountered in establishing new settlements in Van Diemen’s Land.

ANSWeRS TO SeCTION 2


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


Like the official test papers, these Year 7 and 9 practice tests are composed of three sections, testing reading, writing and knowledge of language conventions. Practice tests like these offer teachers and parents an opportunity to help students improve their performance in the NAPLAN* tests.

The NAPLAN* tests are designed to reveal the comparative literacy abilities of students each year. These practice tests include texts and questions ranging from very basic to highly complex, to ensure both ends of the scale are represented.

Other test preparation materials from Blake Education

ISBN 9781921403637 ISBN 781921403668

Complete answer sheets for the tests are available for free by emailing [email protected] or contacting Blake customer service on 03 9558 4433.


*This is not an officially endorsed publication of the NAPLAN program and is produced by Blake Education independently of Australian Governments.

Ask us about discounts for purchasing multiple copies.


ISBN 978 1 76020 449 5


lnstant LessonsAn imprint of Blake Education Pty Ltd ABN 50 074 266 023 108 Main Rd Clayton South VIC 3169 +61 3 9558 4433 www.blake.com.au

Year 7 ReadingThis series of four books includes annotated activity sheets that analyse and teach students the key skills and knowledge assessed in a typical NAPLAN* literacy test. The books also include a full-length test that can be photocopied and given to students.

Students are guided through the annotated work sheets with tips such as: ‘things to know’, ‘hints’, ‘traps’ and ‘tricks’ — helping them to fully understand the test format and what each question requires.

Types of texts in this book include: letter, biography, advertisement, newspaper advertorial, novel extract, short story extract, narrative, book review, investigative report, poem, play script, interview, and informative, procedural and instructional texts.

lnstant Lessons Quality ready-to-use resources

Each book in the Instant Lessons series is a collection of fresh and versatile work sheet activities that may be photocopied for student use. They are unique in providing the highest learning outcomes with instant usability.

Associated titles in the lnstant Lessons series

Versatile uses: 3 Helps students to familiarise themselves with the multiple-choice formats

3 Thorough revision of key spelling, grammar, punctuation and writing skills

3 For homework, revision, extension or to supplement a lesson

3 For when a regular teacher is absent from the classroom

Teaching benefits and features: 3 Great short-cut ideas and useful suggestions to help students answer questions

3 A quick way to target student weaknesses

3 Annotated pages include definitions and theory to reinforce key literacy skills

3 Answers are provided to assist with time-efficient preparation and marking


Maximising Test Results: NAPLAN*-style Literacy

• Year 7 Language Conventions and Writing• Year 9 Language Conventions and Writing• Year 9 Reading

Maximising Test Results: NAPLAN*-style Numeracy

• Year 7 Calculator• Year 7 Non Calculator• Year 9 Calculator• Year 9 Non Calculator

Maximising Test Results: NAPLAN*-style LiteracyMAXIMISING TEST RESULTSNAPLAN*-style Literacy

TOP T IPS for avoiding

common errors

Ally ChumleyQuality ready-to-use resources


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