PART A COMPULSORY MOCK TEST 13 ENGLISH LANGUAGE …

(S6) MT 13-DSE-ENG LANG 1-A-RP–1 1 © Oxford University Press Written by Magnus Norberg (6.1/2017-18) This mock test may be adapted by teachers. OUP accepts no responsibility for changes made to original materials.

MT 13-DSE ENG LANG

HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION PAPER 1 PART A

MOCK TEST 13 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1

PART A

Reading Passages 1 hour 30 minutes

(for both Parts A and B) GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

(1) There are two parts (A and B) in this paper. All candidates should attempt Part A. In Part B, you should attempt either Part B1 (easier section) OR Part B2 (more difficult section). Candidates attempting Parts A and B2 will be able to attain the full range of levels, while Level 4 will be the highest level attainable for candidates attempting Parts A and B1.

(2) After the announcement of the start of the examination, you should write your Candidate Number on the appropriate pages of the Part A Question-Answer Book and the Part B Question-Answer Book which you are going to attempt.

(3) Write your answers in the spaces provided in the Question-Answer Books. Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

(4) For multiple-choice questions, you are advised to blacken the appropriate circle with a pencil so that wrong marks can be completely erased with a clean rubber. Mark only ONE answer to each question. Two or more answers will score NO MARKS.

(5) Supplementary answer sheets will be supplied on request. Write your Candidate Number and mark the question number box on each sheet.

(6) No extra time will be given to candidates for filling in the question number boxes after the ‘Time is up’ announcement.

(7) The two Question-Answer Books you have attempted (one for Part A and one for Part B) will be collected together at the end of the examination.

(8) The unused Question-Answer Book for Part B will be collected separately at the end of the examination. This will not be marked. Do not write any answers in it.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PART A

(1) The Question-Answer Book for Part A is inserted after this Reading Passages booklet.

(2) Attempt ALL questions in Part A. Each question carries ONE mark unless otherwise stated.

Not to be taken away before the end of the examination session

A COMPULSORY

(S6) MT 13-DSE-ENG LANG 1-A-RP–2 2 © Oxford University Press This mock test may be adapted by teachers. OUP accepts no responsibility for changes made to original materials.

PART A

Read the following text and answer questions 1–24 in the Question-Answer Book for Part A.

Text 1 The truth about electric cars

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[1] As in other forward-thinking and technologically savvy cities, electric cars cruising silently and odourlessly down the street are an increasingly common sight in Hong Kong. Next to their petrol-guzzling, fume-spewing counterparts, these engineering marvels are a sight for sore eyes—or rather, to coin a phrase, a welcome lack of stench for sore noses. If only this fleet would grow larger, completely replacing conventional cars on our roads, then our city’s environment—and the world’s—would surely be saved. Or would it? Are electric cars really the solution to our pollution woes, or is there perhaps more to the story? [2] The answer, as it turns out, is not entirely straightforward. How beneficial any given electric car is depends on several factors, the first of which is where exactly it is being used. Electric cars, none too surprisingly, rely on electricity for their power. Consequently, driving an electric car is only as environmentally sound as the source of this electric power. [3] If that source is sustainable and ecologically harmless, relatively speaking, then the argument for the adoption of electric cars is an easy one. If, on the other hand, that source is a coal-driven powerplant—as is still predominantly the case in Hong Kong and Mainland China—then the carbon footprint of operating an electric car may not be much smaller than that of a petrol-powered one. [4] Another factor that needs to be taken into account when assessing the environmental impact of electric cars is the production of the cars themselves. One of the most important design considerations for an electric car is its weight. The lighter it is, the less electricity it will consume when operating. This is all well and good, but in order for a car to be as light as possible, the manufacturer needs to make use of special, high-performing metals, such as aluminium. The production and processing of these metals is generally more energy-intensive than the production of steel, which is what most conventional cars are primarily made of. [5] Electric cars also make use of a lot of so-called rare earth metals, like the lithium that goes into their batteries. As the name suggests, these metals are very hard to come by. They exist in small quantities in the earth’s crust, mostly in inconvenient locations. To obtain just a tiny amount of such a metal, an enormous amount of earth has to be shifted. This mining is often done in ways that are highly destructive to the surrounding environment. [6] For example, in China, which has relatively large deposits of rare earth metals, one method used is to pour toxic chemicals into the ground in order to dissolve the earth. The resulting mud is then hauled out, passed through several acid baths and finally baked in a kiln to isolate the precious metals. These may make up as little as 0.2 per cent of what was initially taken out of the ground. The remainder, now made dangerously toxic by the mining process, is just dumped back in. [7] The ecological damage this is causing is hard to quantify, as is the damage it may cause to the people working at the mining sites or residing nearby. However, it is bound to be considerable. [8] Adding to the environmental costs of the rare earth metal mining industry are the energy requirements of the mining process itself. Massively powerful—and power-hungry—rock-crushing equipment is often needed to gain access to the metals, and the kilns that are used for the final baking stage are typically coal-fired.

(S6) MT 13-DSE-ENG LANG 1-A-RP–3 3 © Oxford University Press This mock test may be adapted by teachers. OUP accepts no responsibility for changes made to original materials.

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[9] All this combined means that the production of an electric car results in a larger carbon footprint than the production of a petrol-powered one, according to a study by the Union of Concerned Scientists in the US. [10] The final consideration concerns the final stage in a car’s life cycle: disposal. Disposing of the body of an electric car is no less environmentally damaging than doing the same for a petrol-powered one. And with an electric car, there is the added headache of what to do with the massive lithium battery, which in a Tesla Model S weighs as much as half a ton. Until very recently, lithium and other rare earth metals have existed in such minute quantities in products that recycling them has not been worthwhile. Therefore, the infrastructure for rare earth metal recycling is currently woefully underdeveloped. [11] So yes, the operation, production and disposal of electric cars have adverse effects on the environment. But so, of course, do the operation, production and disposal of conventional, petrol-powered vehicles. For a comparison between electric and conventional cars to be perfectly fair, all factors need to be taken into consideration. The overall conclusion of the study done by the Union of Concerned Scientists was that, in the US at least, electric cars are in fact significantly greener than their petrol-powered counterparts, producing only half as much global warming pollution over their lifetime. [12] Whether or not this is true in Hong Kong, it most likely is in most other developed countries. And it will only become more so as the sustainability of our electricity generation increases, making the future of electric vehicles a bright one indeed. [13] Still, it is important to remember that we are not yet at the stage where you can enjoy a completely guilt-free ride in a private car, no matter its power source. The electric variety may be better—mostly—for the environment than the petrol-powered one, but that does not necessarily make it ‘green’ in any meaningful sense. [14] What is clear beyond the shadow of a doubt is that, in a city like Hong Kong, driving an electric car is drastically more harmful to the environment than travelling the same distance by public transport. Hong Kong’s number one travel choice, the MTR, is also the most environmentally friendly, making us a city of unwitting eco-warriors much worthier of ecological praise than even the most self-righteous of Tesla drivers. [15] In other words, if you are in the market for an electric car, you may want to consider putting those hundreds of thousands of dollars on your Octopus card instead. You would then be doing the world a favour.

END OF READING PASSAGES

(S6) MT 13-DSE-ENG LANG 1-A–1 1 © Oxford University Press This mock test may be adapted by teachers. OUP accepts no responsibility for changes made to original materials.

Candidate Number

MOCK TEST 13 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 PART A QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK Write your Candidate Number in the space provided on this page. Read Text 1 and answer questions 1–24. (43 marks) 1 Find a word in paragraph 1 that could be replaced by ‘aware’.

savvy

2 What does ‘this fleet’ (line 4) refer to? electric cars

3 Why do you think the writer felt the need to ‘coin a phrase’ (line 4)?

the new phrase ‘a welcome lack of stench for sore noses’ is more appropriate for

describing electric cars, as they are odourless

4 Why does the location matter to the environmental soundness of an electric car?

different places have different sources of electric power / electricity

5 Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 3?

A Hong Kong and China have larger carbon footprints than most other countries. B Electricity generation in Hong Kong and China is not as environmental friendly as it could be. C Most of the power sources for electric cars are sustainable. A B C D D Many people make the decision to buy an electric car too easily.

6 According to paragraph 4, why are light-weight cars bad for the environment?

the production and processing of the light-weight metals needed for these cars use up a

lot of energy / is generally more energy-intensive

7 What does the writer mean by ‘As the name suggests’ (line 25)?

the metals have the word ‘rare’ in their name, which suggests they are hard to find

8 Why are rare earth metals so hard to find? Give two reasons. (2 marks)

i) they exist in small quantities (in the earth’s crust)

ii) they exist mostly in inconvenient locations

Please stick the barcode label here.

A COMPULSORY

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

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9 Based on the example given in paragraph 6, what percentage of the initial haul was dumped back into the ground?

99.8 per cent/%

10 Which word best describes the writer’s tone in paragraph 7?

A hostile B accusatory C concerned A B C D D judgemental

11 Complete the following summary using ideas given in paragraphs 5–7. Write ONE word for each blank. Answers must be grammatically correct. (7 marks)

Electric cars make use of metals that are hard (i) to find ,

e.g. (ii) lithium . Mining for these metals often causes significant

(iii) destruction //damage to the surrounding environment.

One place where these metals are relatively plentiful is (iv)

China .

There, (v) toxic chemicals that poison the ground

are used in the mining process. This is likely to have negative impacts both on the

(vi) environment // ecology and the (vii) people of nearby areas.

12 What two types of mining equipment are mentioned in paragraph 8 (2 marks)

i) rock-crushing (equipment)

ii) kilns

13 i) Which word in paragraph 10 suggests that disposing of an electric car is problematic?

headache // damaging

ii) What is the cause of this problem?

(disposing of) the massive lithium battery

14 Why is the infrastructure for rare earth metal recycling ‘woefully underdeveloped’ (line 50)?

until very recently, these metals have existed in such minute quantities in products that

recycling them has not been worthwhile


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15 Complete the table below using information given in paragraphs 4–10. (6 marks)

A conventional car An electric car

Constructed mostly from … (i) steel (ii) aluminium

and also includes a lot of

(iii) rare earth metals

Runs on … (iv) petrol (v) electricity

stored on a (vi) lithium battery

16 What is the main idea in paragraph 11?

A When all aspects are taken into account, it seems that in some parts of the world electric cars are better for the environment than conventional cars.

B It is not yet possible to make a perfectly fair comparison between the environmental impact of electric cars and that of conventional cars.

C Many studies do not sufficiently take into account the operation, production and disposal of conventional cars.

D The operation, production and disposal of electric cars and conventional A B C D cars have equally adverse effects on the environment.

17 According to paragraphs 10–11, are the following statements True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG)? (6 marks)

Statements T F NG

i) It takes longer to dispose of an electric car than a conventional one.

ii) A Tesla Model S car weighs more than 500 kilos.

iii) Rare earth metals are more common in products nowadays.

iv) Both electric and conventional cars are bad for the environment.

v) The Union of Concerned Scientists’ results were inconclusive.

vi) The lifetime of an electric car is the same as that of a conventional car.

18 What does ‘this’ refer to in line 58?

electric cars being significantly greener than / producing only half as much global warming pollution as petrol-powered cars

19 Why is ‘the future of electric vehicles a bright one indeed’ (line 60)?

they will become greener as the sustainability of our energy generation increases


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20 What would be required for a ride in a private car to be ‘guilt-free’ (line 62)?

it would need to be much less damaging to the environment

21 Why is Hong Kong described as ‘a city of unwitting eco-warriors’ (line 68)?

by using the MTR, people in Hong Kong are doing a good thing for the environment,

even though they may not be aware of it

22 What does the word ‘self-righteous’ (line 69) suggest about the writer’s attitude towards Tesla drivers?

A that he/she feels they are misguided about how green their cars are B that he/she feels they need to do more to earn our praise C that he/she would like them to be more aware of their own shortcomings A B C D D that he/she feels they believe they are better than other people

23 Is the writer in favour of the use of electric cars in Hong Kong? Provide evidence from the text to

support your answer.

No. He/She says that ‘driving an electric car is drastically more harmful to the environment than

travelling the same distance by public transport’ / ‘if you are in the market for an electric car, you

may want to consider putting those hundreds of thousands of dollars on your Octopus card instead’.

24 Choose the best alternative title for this article.

A MTR is the only way to go. B Electric cars are still a product of the future for Hong Kong. C Electric cars need further study. A B C D D Electric cars will never be the solution to our environmental problems.

END OF PART A


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(S6) MT 13-DSE-ENG LANG 1-B1-RP–1 1 © Oxford University Press This mock test may be adapted by teachers. OUP accepts no responsibility for changes made to original materials.

MT 13-DSE ENG LANG

HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION PAPER 1 PART B1


PART B1



(1) Refer to the General Instructions on Page 1 of the Reading Passages booklet for Part A.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PART B1

(1) The Question-Answer Book for Part B1 is inserted after this Reading Passages booklet.

(2) Candidates who choose Part B1 should attempt all questions in this part. Each question carries ONE mark unless otherwise stated.

(3) Hand in only ONE Question-Answer Book for Part B, either B1 or B2.

B1 EASY SECTION


Part B1

Read the following texts and answer questions 25–48 in the Question-Answer Book for Part B1.

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Text 2

slacktivism NOUN [informal]

[1] Actions performed via the Internet in support of a political or social cause but regarded as requiring little time or effort, e.g. signing an online petition.

Origin

1990s: blend of slacker and activism.

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Text 3

‘Slacktivism’—what is it good for?

[2] When it was coined in the mid-1990s, ‘slacktivism’ was intended to be a positive term. At the time, it denoted small-scale, low-key activities done mostly by young people to make the world a better place, such as planting trees.

[3] Over the years, however, ‘slacktivism’ and ‘slacktivist’ instead became terms of abuse. Now, the words typically refer to people who voice their social and political opinions online to feel better about themselves, seemingly with no hope of effecting any actual change in the ‘real’ world.

[4] Signing online petitions, liking and reposting political comments on social media—these are all must-dos for slacktivists. What these activities have in common is that they require very little effort. This is the source of a lot of the criticism of slacktivism.

[5] The main concern critics have is that slacktivism may result in a drop in the number of people who take ‘proper’ real-world action against societal problems or in support of worthy causes. The argument goes that once a person has contributed online in some way, they will feel they have done enough.

[6] Proponents of slacktivism instead point to the sheer number of people getting involved. Through the online efforts of slacktivists, a cause can be brought to the attention of millions of people. And with so much awareness about a problem, they suggest, something is bound to get done.

[7] In other words, the debate as to whether slacktivism is beneficial, or useless—or even harmful—has not yet been settled. One thing is certain, however: it is a form of activism that is here to stay.

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Text 4

LETTER TO THE EDITOR | 27 September 2017

[8] I was quite frustrated to read your recent article on ‘slacktivism’. I, for one, would say that the debate about the benefits of online activism has been settled. And so, I’m sure, would anyone who’s ever posted a political comment on social media.

[9] Speaking just from personal experience, I’ve posted hundreds of comments on Facebook promoting different political and social causes. In every single case, I’ve received responses from my friends and followers thanking me for bringing the issue to their attention. And I know for a fact that many of them then posted their own comments as a result of mine.

[10] I just don’t see how spreading the word about causes that might otherwise go unnoticed can be anything but beneficial.

Chris Wong


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Text 5

LETTER TO THE EDITOR | 29 September 2017

[11] I refer to the letter by Chris Wong, dated 27 September. I have no doubt that Mr Wong has had positive feedback from friends to comments he has posted online. That, after all, is what friends are for.

[12] However, to those of us who take a more scientific approach to truth, personal experience is of little importance. What Mr Wong describes is no more than anecdotal evidence—evidence based on what has happened to you or to your friends.

[13] I think your reporter’s assessment was correct. The debate about the merits of slacktivism continues. When it is eventually settled, I would be astonished if the verdict came out in favour of this lazy brand of political engagement.

Richard Tse

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Text 6

LETTER TO THE EDITOR | 2 October 2017

[14] I have just one question for Richard Tse: have you heard of the Ice Bucket Challenge? You have, right? I mean, just the fact that you know about it shows that so-called ‘slacktivism’ is actually really effective in getting a message out. And of course, this challenge also raised millions of dollars in donations.

Mike Wang

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Text 7

LETTER TO THE EDITOR | 4 October 2017

[15] In reference to Mr Wang’s letter of 2 October, I am glad he brought up the Ice Bucket Challenge. First, for those who may not know, the Ice Bucket Challenge was a 2014 fundraising drive to help fight the disease ASL. The ‘challenge’ was to make a video of yourself pouring a bucket of ice-cold water over your head. Also—importantly—those who accepted the challenge were supposed to make a financial donation to the cause.

[16] And it is true that this drive received a lot of attention. Thousands of people, including many celebrities, posted highly amusing videos of themselves taking the challenge. What many of them failed to do, however, was donate money. In fact, in the UK, only about 10% of those who accepted the challenge donated to the cause. Worse, many of them appeared not even to know what cause they were supposedly supporting.

[17] The drive still raised a lot of money; that is true. However, when they attempted to repeat it the following year, they managed to raise less than 1 per cent of the 2014 funds.

[18] So, to summarize, the people who performed this particular act of slacktivism clearly felt it was sufficient in itself. It appears they then immediately forgot about the cause they were supposed to be championing. In other words, this drive is a better illustration of the problems with slacktivism than of its merits.

Richard Tse


(S6) MT 13-DSE-ENG LANG 1-B1–1 1 © Oxford University Press This mock test may be adapted by teachers. OUP accepts no responsibility for changes made to original materials.

Candidate Number

MOCK TEST 13 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 PART B1 QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK Write your Candidate Number in the space provided on this page. Read Texts 2–7 and answer questions 25–48. (42 marks) Text 2 25 Complete the sentence: Text 2 is most likely taken from a dictionary.

26 What part of speech is the word ‘slacktivism’?

noun Text 3 27 When was the word ‘slacktivism’ invented?

in the mid-1990s

28 In what way has the use of the terms ‘slacktivism’ and ‘slacktivist’ changed since they were introduced?

they were intended to be positive but now they are terms of abuse

29 According to paragraph 4, what are three activities a slacktivist should engage in? (3 marks)

i) signing online petitions

ii) liking political comments on social media

iii) reposting political comments (on social media)

30 According to paragraph 4, why are people critical of slacktivism?

slacktivist / slacktivism activities require very little effort

31 Which of the following would be considered taking ‘“proper” real-world action’ (line 19)? Tick () two boxes.

□ joining a demonstration □ changing your Facebook photo □ contacting a politician

□ forwarding a friend’s tweet □ joining a discussion forum

B1 EASY SECTION


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32 How do the critics and proponents of slacktivism differ in their opinions? Complete the table below using information given in paragraphs 5–6. (4 marks)

Critics Proponents

People will … feel that by making an

(i) online contribution ,

they have done enough.

be made (ii) aware

of different causes.

Because of this … they will not (iii) take (proper)

real-world action.

something will (iv) get done.

33 Which word can replace ‘bound’ (line 24)?

A guaranteed B considered C expected A B C D D intended Text 4 34 Which of the following best describes how Chris Wong felt when he read the article?

A settled B surprised C motivated A B C D D annoyed

35 Why does Chris Wong think his slacktivism has been successful? Give two reasons. (2 marks)

i) he has received responses from his friends and followers thanking him for bringing the issue to their attention ii) many of his friends have posted their own comments (as a result of his) Text 5 36 Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 11?

A Richard Tse is a regular reader of the newspaper. B Some of Chris Wong’s friends may not have been completely honest. C Chris Wong has a lot of online friends. A B C D D All of Chris Wong’s friends appreciate his online comments. 37 Who or what does ‘your reporter’ (line 47) refer to?

the writer of Text 3 / ‘“Slacktivism”—what is it good for’

38 Find a word in Text 5 that could be replaced by ‘value’.

merits


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39 According to Richard Tse, what is the most likely outcome of the slacktivism debate?

the verdict will come out against slacktivism // it will show that slacktivism has no merits Text 6 40 The question Mike Wang asks in line 53 is meant to be …

A rude. B easy to answer. C rhetorical. A B C D D ignored.

41 According to Mike Wong, in what two ways was the Ice Bucket Challenge a success? (2 marks)

i) it got a message out

ii) it raised millions of dollars (in donations) Text 7 42 Why was the ASL fundraising drive referred to as a ‘challenge’?

If something is a challenge it means it’s hard to do, and the fundraising drive involved pouring a

bucket of ice-cold water over your head, which is not easy.

43 What does ‘the cause’ (line 64) refer to? (fighting the disease) ASL

44 According to paragraph 16, out of every ten people who accepted the challenge, how many donated money?

1 // one

45 Based on the information given in paragraphs 15–16, fill in the blanks. Write ONE word in each blank. (6 marks)

The Ice Bucket Challenge was conducted in order to (i) raise funds / money

for the fight against (ii) ASL . In addition to doing the challenge,

participants had to (iii) make // give donations // money .

Thousands of people (iv) accepted // took the challenge, but unfortunately only a

small (v) percentage // number of them gave money. Some of them even seemed to be

completely unfamiliar with the (vi) cause .


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46 Why does Richard Tse say that ‘the people who performed this particular act of slacktivism clearly felt it was sufficient in itself’ (lines 72–73)?

They were supposed to give money but didn’t, so it seems they felt that simply taking the

challenge / pouring the bucket of ice-cold water over their head was enough.

47 According to Text 7, are the following statements True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG)? (4 marks)

Statements T F NG

i) Richard Tse was unaware of the Ice Bucket Challenge.

ii) All of the people who participated were celebrities.

iii) The Ice Bucket Challenge was a complete failure.

iv) There was another Ice Bucket Challenge in 2016.

48 Look at Texts 4–7 and match them to the list of titles in the column below. Write the correct number

(4, 5, 6, 7) in the box on the right. One title is NOT used and should be marked with an ‘X’. (4 marks) Titles Text 4 / 5 / 6 / 7

i) Stories are not evidence 5

ii) Proving my point 7

iii) The debate is over 4

iv) A better form of activism X

v) Successful slacktivism 6

END OF PART B1


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MT 13-DSE ENG LANG

HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION PAPER 1 PART B2


PART B2



(1) Refer to the General Instructions on Page 1 of the Reading Passages booklet for Part A.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PART B2

(1) The Question-Answer Book for Part B2 is inserted after this Reading Passages booklet.

(2) Candidates who choose Part B2 should attempt all questions in this part. Each question carries ONE mark unless otherwise stated.

(3) Hand in only ONE Question-Answer Book for Part B, either B1 or B2.

B2 DIFFICULT SECTION


Part B2

Read Text 5 and answer questions 49–72 in the Question-Answer Book for Part B2.

Text 5

The rise of the Internet trolls

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[1] Despite the horror stories regularly featured in tabloids and other questionable news outlets, the consensus view among objective observers is that, in its first few decades of existence, the Internet has largely been a force for good. Not only has it brought entirely unprecedented volumes of information to people who would otherwise not have had access to it, it has also given those same people a means to share their own stories, opinions and beliefs with the rest of the world. It may sound trite, but it is nonetheless very much the case that the Internet has brought the world together. [2] Recently, however, a new breed of bogeyman has appeared online and forced us to rethink our view of the Internet as a primarily benign presence in society. Not to make light of the hurt caused by the more established categories of Internet villain, but it is hard to resist the conclusion that these recent arrivals constitute an altogether more sinister threat. Rather than targeting individuals, they have their sights on the collective worldviews of entire populations, and on the democratic institutions we take for granted. What I am referring to are the professional trolls and other paid purveyors of ‘fake news’. [3] For those of you not completely à jour with the jargon, an ‘Internet troll’ is essentially a person who posts controversial comments online simply to provoke and anger their audience, or to harass specific people. And of course, Internet trolls are not a new phenomenon. Over the years, it has become apparent that the anonymity and invisibility bestowed by the Internet tend to cause some users to check their humanity at the login screen. To these people, avenues of behaviour that would be intolerable in any other social context suddenly open up when they go online. Racist and misogynistic slurs, vicious bullying of complete strangers, even threats of violence—it seems there is literally no line they are not willing—indeed, eager—to cross. [4] Psychologists refer to this stripping away of the constraints of normal discourse as the ‘online disinhibition effect’, and have dedicated many column inches to discussing the motivations of the people who seemingly thrive on it. Still, whatever twisted reasons these conventional Internet trolls have for engaging in their sociopathic pastime, at least they are entirely their own. They generally do not do what they do in service of some overarching agenda, and consequently the impact they are likely to have—though in no way inconsiderable—is limited. [5] The professional trolls, on the other hand, do serve a particular agenda, namely that of the people—or, in many cases, the governments—that hire them. This is what makes them such an insidious threat. If the unconscionable actions of a lone Internet troll can cause so much misery on an individual level, then it should chill us to the bones to consider the potential of a mercenary army of professional trolls channelling their efforts in one particular direction. [6] And this insidious potential is not lost on the power brokers of the world. Professional trolls have been around for a while, but they rose to international prominence during the US presidential election of 2016, when it appears an effort was made by the Russian government to help get Donald Trump, the extravagant businessman and reality TV personality—and something of an Internet troll himself—elected to the world’s highest public office. To accomplish this, thousands of trolls-for-hire were set the task of spreading lies, misinformation and fake news about Trump’s political rivals, primarily about his main opponent, Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton.


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[7] How large a part this effort played in securing the eventual victory of Mr Trump is hard to say, but it certainly cannot have hurt. As a result, other heavy-duty actors, both at the state and non-state level, are likely picking over every little detail of the Russian effort to work out how they can emulate its success for their own, varyingly nefarious, objectives. Whether in the service of a country, corporation or terrorist group, the inherent power of a professional troll army is as clear as day, as is the threat this poses to the concept of open and free debate. [8] So how do we mitigate this threat? Well, before we attempt to answer that question, we must first examine the field of battle. For the regrettable truth is that the Internet of today is uniquely set up to cater to trolls. Social media platforms rely on ad revenue generated by traffic to the sites. And nothing boosts social media traffic better than controversy and hostility—the very lifeblood, in other words, of the troll. By reining in the lies and abusive behaviour of the trolls, social media companies would also be reining in their own profits. The technology already exists to devise algorithms that automatically regulate negative online behaviour. What is currently missing is the incentive for the social media platforms to employ it. [9] Besides, filtering out comments—no matter how vile or disingenuous—also represents a violation of free speech. More ominously, once the mechanisms for regulating the discourse are in place, there is no saying how they will be applied. Though we are perfectly justified in feeling ill at ease at the thought of for-hire troll armies enabling the powers-that-be to contribute disproportionately and malevolently to the debate, we should be absolutely petrified when considering what those same authorities might achieve if they were handed the means to monitor, suppress and delete the contributions of others. [10] For similar reasons, it would be ill-advised to advocate for the removal of online anonymity. True, if people always had to put their names to their comments, they might tone down their rhetoric somewhat and behave more civilly. On the other hand, it would also unquestionably lead to people watching their words for reasons that have nothing to do with decorum. [11] Internet experts are generally in agreement that some level of filtering will eventually be put in place on many social media platforms to ensure that hateful speech is removed and the debate kept civil. Though this may sound laudable, it does pose very real freedom of speech concerns, as outlined above. It will also likely result in a more divided Internet, with allocated ‘safe zones’ kept habitable by means of algorithms and computer ‘bots’, occasionally assisted by human moderators. [12] Meanwhile, the trolls will be free to roam the wastes of the ‘dark web’, and other unmoderated online locales, and shout their hatred into the emptiness. Whether we will be able to keep them there, and whether it is a good idea even to try, will remain open questions. What is certain is that the trolls have spelt the end of the Internet as we used to know it.



Candidate Number

MOCK TEST 13 ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1 PART B2 QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK Write your Candidate Number in the space provided on this page.

Read Text 5 and answer questions 49–72. (42 marks) 49 How does the view of the Internet presented by the tabloids differ from that of objective observers?

The tabloids present it as a dangerous place whereas the objective observers agree that it has

largely been a force for good (in its first few decades of existence).

50 What does ‘a new breed of Internet bogeyman’ (line 8) refer to?

professional trolls (and other paid purveyors of ‘fake news’)

51 According to paragraph 2, why are professional trolls more dangerous than other Internet villains?

rather than targeting individuals, they have their sights on the collective worldviews of

entire populations, and on the democratic institutions we take for granted

52 When the writer says some users ‘check their humanity at the login screen’ (line 19), this means …

A they tick a box to show they are not computer bots. B they use technology to make themselves anonymous. C they don’t behave like decent human beings online. A B C D

D they don’t tolerate social behaviour.

53 Find a word or phrase in paragraph 3 that can be replaced by ‘up to date’.

à jour

54 What is the ‘online disinhibition effect’ (lines 23–24)? Explain in your own words.

The anonymous nature of the Internet causes people to say things they would never say

in real life.

55 What does ‘This’ refer to in line 30?

the fact that the professional trolls serve a particular agenda / the agenda of those who hire them

B2 DIFFICULT SECTION


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56 Complete the table below by identifying how professional trolls differ from ‘conventional’ trolls using information given in paragraphs 3–6. (4 marks)

Professional trolls Conventional trolls

They do what they do …

to serve (i) the agenda

of those who pay them.

for (ii) their own

reasons.

Their online activities include …

(iii) spreading lies,

misinformation and fake news

(iv) posting controversial comments

to provoke / anger / harass // racist

57 Complete the following summary using ideas found in paragraph 6. Write ONE word for each blank. Answers must be grammatically correct (7 marks)

Those who decide who should hold political (i) power // office in a given area

are fully aware of the potential of the (ii) professional trolls .

This latter group of people became more (iii) prominent // important during the US

election of 2016, when they were (iv) hired // used to help elect Donald

Trump (v) president . Mr Trump’s only prior experience was in

(vi) business and (vii) reality TV .

58 i) What simile does the writer use in paragraph 7 to describe the threat posed by professional trolls? (1 mark)

as clear as day

ii) Explain the meaning of this simile. (1 mark)

it means it is easy to see or understand, just like on a clear day

59 According to paragraph 7, are the following statements True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG)?

(4 marks)

Statements T F NG

i) The writer is certain the trolls had a massive impact on the election.

ii) The Russian effort is of interest to other governments.

iii) All those trying to emulate the Russians are doing so for immoral purposes.

iv) The writer thinks a troll army in the service of a terrorist organization is the greatest threat to the concept of free and open debate.


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and misogynistic slurs, bullying and threats of violence


60 What does the writer mean by ‘we must first examine the field of battle’ (lines 48–49)?

A We must look at the context of the problem. B We should address the problem using military tactics. C We mustn’t rush to judgement. A B C D D We must change the way the modern Internet is set up.

61 In what way is ‘the Internet of today uniquely set up to cater to trolls’ (lines 49–50)?

Social media platforms rely on ad revenue generated by traffic to the sites, and since the lies and

abusive behaviour of the trolls increase the traffic, they are not being reined in.

62 Based on paragraph 8, what might give the social media platforms the incentive to employ

technology to regulate negative online behaviour?

If people got so tired of the trolls’ behaviour that they stopped visiting the sites, then it would be

in their financial interest to do something, as their profit is based on the number of visits they get.

63 Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 9?

A The writer has an unconventional view of free speech. B The writer does not trust the authorities to use filtering technology responsibly. C The disproportionate impact of the trolls is the single greatest threat. A B C D D The writer feels people are insufficiently worried about the trolls.

64 Which word best describes the writer’s tone in paragraph 9?

A angry B pessimistic C cautionary A B C D D spiteful

65 Find a word or phrase in paragraph 9 that can be replaced by ‘despicable’.

vile

66 What does the writer imply when he/she writes, ‘it would also unquestionably lead to people watching their words for reasons that have nothing to do with decorum’ (lines 65–66)?

A These people would refuse to tone down their rhetoric. B These people would no longer have the motivation to comment online. C Polite manners would become less important to these people. A B C D D These people would be worried about reprisals from the authorities.

67 What does the word ‘habitable’ suggest about the parts of the Internet described in paragraph 11?

it will be possible for regular people to visit them comfortably and without risk


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68 Which word can replace ‘laudable’ (line 69)?

A praiseworthy B promising C pragmatic A B C D

D achievable

69 According to paragraph 11, what two problems does the author foresee related to the filtering of social media platforms? (2 marks)

i) it poses freedom of speech concerns

ii) it will result in a more divided Internet

70 Why might it not be a good idea to try to keep the trolls in ‘unmoderated online locales’ (line 74)?

If they are left alone, without moderation, we have no way of knowing what they are doing. At

least if they are a part of the open debate, we can keep an eye on them. // If they are kept in a

special place, they only get to talk to other trolls and that might make them even more angry and dangerous. If they are part of the open debate, someone might be able to change their minds.

71 The main purpose of this article is to …

A promote free and open debate. B express concerns. C bring about regulation of the Internet. A B C D

D change the discussion about the topic.

72 Look at paragraphs 8–12 and match them to the list of subheadings in the column below. Write the correct number (8, 9, 10, 11, 12) in the box on the right. One subheading is NOT used and should be marked with an ‘X’. (5 marks)

Subheadings Paragraph 8 / 9 /10 / 11 / 12

i) Out of the frying pan and into the fire 9

ii) Left in the dark 12

iii) Big brother is watching 10

iv) Taking stock of the modern Internet 8

v) Professional troublemakers X

vi) Internet of the future 11

END OF PART B2


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Documents

PART A COMPULSORY MOCK TEST 13 ENGLISH LANGUAGE …