MT 67-DSE

ENG LANG

PAPER 1
PART A
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION
A
COMPULSORY
MOCK TEST 67
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

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Written by Magnus Norberg (5.2/2022-23)
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 PART A

Read Text 1 and answer questions 1–20 in the Question-Answer Book for Part A.

Text 1

1 [1] Have you heard the great news? If one—or better yet, two or three—of the roughly two billion cups of
coffee that are drunk around the world each day belongs to you, you might well be running a significantly
Q1i, ii
lower risk of cardiovascular disease and adding years to your lifespan.

[2] These findings come from a recent study published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology.
5 The study involved 449,563 participants, aged between 40 and 69, who were split into groups drinking
varying amounts of different types of coffee. There was also a control group that shunned the black stuff Q1iii
entirely.

[3] The participants who drank two to three cups of ground coffee (such as cappuccino or filtered) per day
were found to have had their risk of cardiovascular disease reduced by 20 per cent compared with the
10 control group, and their likelihood of early death lowered by a staggering 27. For drinkers of instant and Q2
decaffeinated coffee, their health risks were lowered by 9 and 6 per cent as well as early death rates by 11
and 14 per cent respectively.

[4] Other studies over the last few years have identified several other potential benefits of habitual coffee Q4, Q6i
drinking, including reductions in the incidence of type 2 diabetes, liver disease, colorectal cancer, Q6ii
15 Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. With the latter condition, coffee consumption has also been Q3
found to help those already afflicted better control their movements.

[5] So all this clearly suggests that coffee is some kind of miracle elixir, right, and that you’d be a fool not
to gulp down as much of it as you can stomach, all day and every day?

[6] Well, not so fast. Because while your coffee may be black or white, unfortunately the same cannot be
20 said for the research. If you’re not a fan of coffee, or merely a coffee drinker of a more pessimistic nature,
there is no shortage of studies that will confirm your suspicions that drinking the stuff will do you more Q6iv
harm than good.

[7] In early 2021, researchers at the University of South Australia concluded that coffee consumption may Q7i
instead radically increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Then, just a few months later, these very
25 same killjoys published research that showed a link between coffee drinking and higher incidences of
dementia and stroke. Q6v

[8] It’s not like this staggering ambivalence towards the merits of coffee is a recent thing, either.
Throughout its entire history, the beverage has been a cause of controversy for a whole host of reasons,
even if many of them had nothing whatsoever to do with its health effects.

30 [9] It’s widely accepted that coffee has its origins in Ethiopia. One popular origin myth, however, perfectly
illustrates the strangely contentious nature of these magical beans. Legend has it that in the 9th century, an
Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi noticed the invigorating effects on his charges when they nibbled on a Q8
certain berry bush. Intrigued, he decided to give the berries a try for himself, and when he did, so the story Q9
goes, ‘poetry and song spilled out of him’.

35 [10] Things quickly took a turn, however, when Kaldi brought the berries to a Muslim monastery, where
the monks promptly declared them wicked and threw them on the fire. It didn’t take long for a miraculous Q9
conversion to occur, though, as the delightful aroma of the roasting berries prompted the monks to get them
out of the fire and douse them with water, thus creating the world’s first cup of coffee.

[11] Even if the veracity of this account is extremely dubious, the story is nevertheless representative of
40 the dizzying shifts in fortune that coffee—and the drinkers thereof—have experienced over the last few
hundred years.

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 [12] By the 16th century, coffee had gained popularity in the Muslim world, especially among Sufi mystics, Q13i
who appreciated the beverage for its ability to keep them alert during lengthy evening prayers. Coffee Q12i
houses were also sprouting up all over the place and becoming the hangouts of choice for men who had
45 nowhere else to go for social interactions and conversations about politics and philosophy.

[13] This, rather predictably, did not sit well with the powers that be. The result was several bans across Q13iv
the region, including a brutal crackdown in the Ottoman Empire which was initiated in 1533 and lasted for Q13vi
approximately a century. At its height, coffee drinking was punishable by a beating on a first offence; on Q13v
the second, offenders would be sewn into a bag and unceremoniously tossed into the river to drown.

50 [14] This general trend—sans the drownings—continued in many parts of Europe when coffee started Q14i
making its way west. The drink quickly found favour with the populace and was even used medicinally to Q16i
treat a wide range of maladies, from gout to kidney stones. Those in positions of authority, however, were Q14ii
less enthusiastic about this new beverage, and the communal conversations it fuelled among the Q16iv, Q14iii,
commoners. Q16i

55 [15] Bans were introduced in Britain, Sweden and Prussia (now Germany and Poland), among other places. Q16ii
In Italy, Catholic priests wasted no time in declaring coffee satanic and instituting a ban, but this was lifted
by Pope Clement VIII after he tasted this supposed devil’s drink and found it to be delicious. All throughout
this anti-coffee period, however, there were still plenty of people who found the beverage so beneficial that Q16iii
they kept on drinking it in secret, even on pain of death. Q16v, Q15

60 [16] Science entered the frothy fray in the 17th century, which saw the first controlled studies of the
biological effects of coffee. As can be expected, their findings varied wildly, thereby putting into motion
the academic see-saw we’ve been on ever since. And now, more than three million research articles later,
well, here we are.

[17] If there’s a conclusion to draw from all of this, it’s probably that we humans will likely never see eye Q18
65 to eye on the merits of coffee, regardless of what the science tells us. So, what to do? Well, if you don’t
like coffee, then don’t drink it. And if you’re an avid consumer, then, by all means, keep it up. Whatever
the health effects may be, these days you can at least rest assured that your coffee habit isn’t going to get Q19
you thrown into a river.

END OF READING PASSAGE

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 Candidate Number Please stick the barcode label here.

A
MOCK TEST 67
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1 PART A
QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK COMPULSORY

Write your Candidate Number in the space provided on this page.

Read Text 1 and answer questions 1–20. (42 marks)

Text 1

1 Complete the summary of paragraphs 1 and 2 by selecting the best option from the choices below.
(3 marks)
According to a recent study, drinking coffee may improve your (i) and also your (ii) . The
participants who were in the control group saw no improvements because they (iii) .
(i) A risk of disease
B stamina
C heart health A B C D
D immune system    

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

(ii) A longevity
B lifestyle
C running A B C D
D maths skills    
(iii) A were too old
B drank a different type of coffee
C did not drink enough coffee A B C D
D drank no coffee    

2 Using the information given in paragraph 3, complete the table with the missing percentages. (4 marks)

(i) Reduction in risk of early death for (iii) Reduction in risk of early death for instant
decaffeinated coffee drinkers coffee drinkers

14 % 11 %

(ii) Reduction in risk of cardiovascular (iv) Reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease

disease for decaffeinated coffee drinkers for instant coffee drinkers

6 % 9 %

3 What does ‘the latter condition’ (line 15) refer to?

Parkinson’s disease

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

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 4 What does ‘all this’ (line 17) refer to?

the research / studies that show(s) that coffee drinking is beneficial / good for you / has benefits

5 When the writer says ‘the same cannot be said for the research’ (lines 19–20), it implies that the
research into coffee is …
A extensive.
B flawed.
C inconclusive. A B C D
D unnecessary.    

6 Below is a summary of paragraphs 4 to 7. In four of the lines there is ONE mistake. If you find a
mistake, underline it and replace the word with one that expresses the correct idea in the Correction
column. Both grammar and spelling must be correct. In one of the lines there is no mistake; put a tick
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

() in the Correction column. (5 marks)
Summary Correction
(i) Scientists have discovered benefits to drinking coffee occasionally, habitually

(ii) such as higher incidence rates of type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s lower

(iii) disease. This doesn’t necessarily mean that coffee doesn’t have any 

(iv) positive health effects, however, as other scientists have found that negative

(v) drinking coffee might give you a consumption, for example. stroke

7 (i) Who or what are ‘these very same killjoys’ (lines 24–25)? (1 mark)

the researchers at the University of South Australia

(ii) What does this phrase imply about the writer’s personal opinion of coffee? (1 mark)

(that) the writer likes / enjoys (drinking) coffee

8 According to paragraph 9, why did Kaldi decide to try the berries?

(because) Kaldi / he was intrigued by the invigorating effects the berries had on his charges / goats

9 Based on the information in paragraphs 9 and 10, in what way does the origin myth illustrate ‘the
strangely contentious nature of these magical beans’ (line 31)?

(because) Kaldi and the monks had different opinions about them // Kaldi enjoyed them, while the

monks first declared them wicked and were then converted (by their delightful aroma)

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

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 10 What was the ‘miraculous conversion’ (lines 36–37)?

The monks changed their minds / opinion / attitude (about the berries) .

11 Suggest ONE word to replace ‘veracity’ (line 39).

truth // accuracy // authenticity

12 (i) What does ‘This’ (line 46) refer to? (1 mark)

the fact that coffee houses becoming (the) hangouts (of choice) for men who had nowhere

else to go for social interactions and conversations about politics and philosophy

(ii) Why do you think it did not ‘sit well with the powers that be’ (line 46)? (1 mark)

(because) those in authority were worried that the conversations were critical of them / would
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Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

lead to social unrest (Accept any reasonable answer)

13 According to paragraphs 12 and 13, decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F)
or Not Given (NG). (6 marks)
Statements T F NG
(i) Coffee was popular in the Muslim world in the 1500s.   
(ii) Sufi mystics often fell asleep during evening prayers.   
(iii) Only men were allowed to discuss politics in public in the 16th century.   
(iv) The Ottoman Empire was the only place that cracked down on coffee.   
(v) People found drinking coffee during the ban were immediately executed.   
(vi) The Ottoman coffee ban was lifted in the early to mid-17th century.   

14 For each word given below, find a word which has a similar meaning in paragraph 14. (3 marks)
(i) ‘without’ sans

(ii) ‘ailments’ maladies

(iii) ‘stimulated’ fuelled

15 Find the phrase the writer uses in paragraph 15 to highlight that coffee drinkers faced severe
punishment.
on pain of death

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 16 Complete the summary of paragraphs 14 and 15 by writing a word or phrase taken from these
paragraphs in each blank below. Your answers must be grammatically correct. (5 marks)

Even though (i) the populace / commoners of Europe enjoyed drinking coffee, there

were (ii) bans on the beverage in several countries. While the regular

people thought coffee was (iii) beneficial to their health, the authorities did

not appreciate the (iv) (communal) conversations that it generated. Therefore, people were

forced to enjoy their coffee (v) in secret .

17 When the writer says that we are on an ‘academic see-saw’ (line 62), it means that …
A the research keeps going back and forth.
B the research is increasing.
C we are getting closer to a consensus. A B C D
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

D researchers are not taking the effects of coffee seriously.    

18 Find an expression in paragraph 17 which has a similar meaning to ‘agree’.

see eye to eye

19 According to paragraph 17, in what way has the situation improved for modern coffee drinkers?
their coffee habits are not going to get them / they do not risk getting thrown into a river

20 The text is taken from …

A an academic journal.
B a report.
C a promotional leaflet. A B C D
D a magazine.    

END OF PART A

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 B1
MT 67-DSE
ENG LANG
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION
PAPER 1
PART B1 EASY SECTION
MOCK TEST 67
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1
PART B1
Reading Passages
1 hour 30 minutes
(for both Parts A and B)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
(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.

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 Part B1

Read Texts 2–3 and answer questions 21–41 in the Question-Answer Book for Part B1.

Text 2

Which pet should you get?

PET 1: DOG PET 3: HAMSTER
Man’s best friend remains Hong Kong’s most Hamsters may not hold a great deal of appeal to
popular pet, for good reason. adults but are great ‘entry-level’ pets for kids.
Pros Pros
• Dogs are incredibly loyal. When you get a • Hamsters are quite cheap, both to buy and to
Q22 dog, it’ll be your companion through thick keep. They’re also rather easy to take care of, Q24, Q29iv
and thin—even when you’d rather it left you to the point where children can do it almost
alone. entirely by themselves.
Q28iv
• Dogs get us out and about. Taking your dog • Hamsters are very clean and make almost no
for regular walks won’t just provide you with noise. If you want a pet but worry about it
physical exercise, but also opportunities for being a nuisance, this could be the solution.
social interaction. Cons
Cons • Some may find hamsters a bit … boring. Q28i
Q29ii • Keeping a dog can be very costly. Even small They are fairly delicate creatures so not Q26iii
Q26i dogs need plenty of chow, and those trips to necessarily the best suited to cuddling, and
the vet certainly don’t come cheap. you can’t really teach them any tricks.
Q29i • Getting a dog is a serious commitment. • Hamsters are quite short-lived, with a life
You’ll have to be prepared to look after it expectancy of not much more than two years.
even when something more exciting comes The death of a beloved pet hamster can be
up and you’d rather not. traumatic for a young child.

PET 2: CAT PET 4: TARANTULA

While infamously hostile towards dogs, cats If you think handbag poodles and kittens are just
seem to find us humans tolerable enough. too unbearably cutesy, why not get a pet spider?
Pros Pros
• Cats are wonderfully affectionate and cuddly— • While tarantulas are large for a spider
Q28ii when they’re in the mood, that is. Their (freakishly so, some might say), they
seemingly mad antics can also be hilarious to nevertheless take up very little space by the
watch. standards of most other pets.
• Cats are relatively low-maintenance pets, at • Well, come on, having a pet spider is just
least compared with dogs. They are highly cool, isn’t it? While some of your friends Q29vi
independent and don’t require much in the way might run screaming, others will think you’re
of supervision. the most awesome person who ever lived.
Cons Cons
Q26ii • That litter box can get rather whiffy pretty • Of course, there’s the possibility of bites to
quickly, if you don’t clean it out regularly. And consider. And a tarantula’s abdominal hairs Q27
Q23 don’t bother buying any fancy furniture— can also cause irritation when you try to
chances are it’ll get destroyed in no time. handle it.
Q29iii • Keep in mind that many people are allergic to • Tarantulas have a diet that will strike most Q28iii
cats. If you enjoy having people over, you people as seriously unappetizing. If you don’t Q26iv
wouldn’t want your little fuzzball to scare them want to feed your pet live insects—or even
off. mice—then look elsewhere.

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 Text 3

How to make Hong Kong more pet-friendly

1 [1] There are countless benefits—both personal and societal—to pet ownership. It promotes physical
exercise and social connectedness and has even been shown to reduce stress and blood pressure levels. For Q31
those living alone, particularly among the elderly, having a pet also helps to prevent loneliness.

[2] Any pet owners in Hong Kong will know the joy a pet can bring into a person’s or a family’s life. Sadly, Q32
5 they will also be all too familiar with the hardships that inevitably go along with caring for an animal in
this city. To give those of you who don’t have personal experience of owning a pet a taste of what it’s like,
just consider what I go through every day with my Yorkshire terrier, Barnaby.

[3] For a start, I must point out that I’m lucky even to have Barnaby in my life. My landlord has no objection Q35
to my owning a pet, which is far from a given in a city where entire housing estates, including all the public
10 ones, have blanket bans. Q34

[4] One area in which I’m less lucky is my … well, area. While I live near a large park, it happens to be Q37ii, i
one of the many such green spaces that remain off-limits to animal companions. There’s a rather lovely so- Q37iii
called ‘inclusive park for pets’ about a 20-minute stroll away, but that makes for quite a lengthy round trip Q37iv
for twice-daily dog walking. Q36

15 [5] ‘So why don’t you simply go by public transport?’ I hear you ask. Well, I would, if it weren’t for the Q38i
fact that the MTR is—you guessed it—off-limits to pets, as are the public buses. And though I might Q38ii
eventually find a taxi driver who’d agree to take Barnaby if I tried hard enough, I don’t have the financial Q38iii
resources to make that a habit.

[6] Since there are such well-documented advantages to owning a pet, shouldn’t we be promoting this
20 practice rather than discouraging it by making the lives of pet owners so unnecessarily difficult? It really Q39i
wouldn’t take much to make life easier for Barnaby, me and the thousands of other pets and pet owners in
Hong Kong. I would merely recommend making the following changes.

[7] First, the government should lift the 2003 ban on pets in public housing, or at least allow them in some Q39iii
estates. Second, all parks and green spaces should be made ‘pet-inclusive’. Granted, there has been some Q39iv
25 positive development in this area in recent years, with more parks being opened up, but there is still a long
way to go. Finally, while large dogs on public buses might be impractical, I don’t see why the MTR couldn’t
allow pets at least in a few designated cars. Q39v

[8] I assure you, if we took these seemingly rather easy steps, more people would get to experience the joys
of owning a pet, and Hong Kong would be a much healthier and happier place for it. Q39ii

END OF READING PASSAGES

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B1
MOCK TEST 67
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1 PART B1
QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK EASY SECTION

Write your Candidate Number in the space provided on this page.

Read Texts 2–3 and answer questions 21–41. (42 marks)
Text 2

21 The main purpose of the text is …

A to present opinions.
B to report events.
C to complain. A B C D
D to give advice.    

22 Find an expression in PET 1 which can be replaced by ‘during good and bad times’.

through thick and thin

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

23 Complete the following sentence using ONE word from PET 2.

One problem with cats is that they might damage your furniture .

24 In PET 3, what does ‘it’ refer to in the phrase ‘children can do it almost entirely by themselves’?

take care of hamsters / a hamster

25 In PET 4, what is meant when the writer says you should ‘look elsewhere’?

It means that you should not buy / get a tarantula .

26 For each word given below, find a word which has a similar meaning in the specified part of the text.
(4 marks)
(i) ‘food’ (PET 1): chow

(ii) ‘smelly’ (PET 2): whiffy

(iii) ‘fragile’ (PET 3): delicate

(iv) ‘very’ (PET 4): seriously

27 Which pet is the least bonding and unpleasant to cuddle? Support your answer with evidence from
Text 2.

PET 4

Evidence: a tarantula’s abdominal hairs can cause irritation when people try to handle it

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 28 Read the following questions and choose the appropriate pet based on the information in Text 2.
(4 marks)
PET 1 PET 2 PET 3 PET 4
(i) Which pet is not very exciting?    
(ii) Which pet is highly entertaining?    
(iii) Which pet eats unpleasant food?    
(iv) Which pet makes you healthier?    

29 Below is a table summarizing the information about the four types of pets. Complete all the boxes in
the table by writing ‘Y’ for yes or ‘N’ for no. If the information is not given in the text, write ‘NG’.
Some have been done for you as examples. (6 marks)

Type of pet Easy to look after Inexpensive May cause problems

with your friends

Dog (i) N (ii) N NG

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Cat Y NG (iii) Y

Hamster (iv) Y Y NG

Tarantula NG (v) NG (vi) Y

30 According to the text …

A keeping a pet is not appropriate for some people.
B some of the pets are clearly better than others.
C there are good and bad things about all the pets. A B C D
D the advantages of owning a pet outweigh the disadvantages.    

Text 3

31 Complete the following sentence using a phrase taken from paragraph 1.

If you keep a pet, it may lower your stress and blood pressure (levels) .

32 Who or what does ‘they’ (line 5) refer to?

(any) pet owners (in Hong Kong)

33 Based on the information in paragraph 2, what species of animal is Barnaby?

dog ( Yorkshire terrier)

34 Find a word or phrase in paragraph 3 which can be replaced by ‘total’.

blanket ( entire)

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 35 Complete the following sentence using the information in paragraph 3. Your answer must be
grammatically correct.

The writer’s landlord is in favour of owning pets.

36 According to paragraph 4, how often does the writer take Barnaby for a walk?

twice / two times a day

37 In paragraph 4, what are the reasons why the writer is ‘less lucky’ (line 11)? Write a word or phrase
taken from the paragraph in each blank below. (4 marks)

● The (i) (large) park in the (ii) area in which

the writer lives is (iii) off-limits to Barnaby.

● The nearest (iv) (so-called) inclusive park for pets is too far away.

38 According to paragraphs 5 and 6, decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F) or
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Not Given (NG). (4 marks)
Statements T F NG
(i) The writer does not want to use public transport.   
(ii) It is impossible to find taxi drivers who will accept pets.   
(iii) The writer is not a rich person.   
(iv) Many pet owners complain about the difficulty of keeping a pet.   

39 Complete the summary of paragraphs 6–8 by writing a word or phrase taken from these paragraphs in
each blank below. Your answers must be grammatically correct. (5 marks)

If it were less (i) difficult to own a pet in Hong Kong, it would make the

people in the city (ii) healthier and happier . This could be achieved by allowing pets

in (iii) public housing and in (iv) all parks and green spaces , as well as in

certain (v) (designated) cars of MTR trains.

40 Do you agree that the writer’s recommendations would be ‘rather easy steps’ (line 28)? Explain your
answer.

Yes, because they only require changing the laws / do not require any investments. // No, because

they would cause inconvenience to people who do not own pets. (Accept any reasonable answer)

41 This text is …
A a news report.
B a letter to the editor.
C an argumentative essay. A B C D
D a diary entry.    

END OF PART B1
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MT 67-DSE

B2
ENG LANG
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION
PAPER 1
PART B2 DIFFICULT SECTION
MOCK TEST 67
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1
PART B2
Reading Passages
1 hour 30 minutes
(for both Parts A and B)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
(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.

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 Part B2

Read Text 4 and answer questions 42–62 in the Question-Answer Book for Part B2.

Text 4
1 [1] In this digital age, with its myriad modern means of deception and disinformation—from online trolls Q42i, ii
to deepfakes to Artificial Intelligence—it is almost refreshing that the US dictionary publisher Merriam-
Webster should present as their Word of the Year something which denotes a decidedly more analogue
form of duplicity and whose literal meaning is also quaintly archaic and low-tech. Q42iii

5 [2] Additionally, unlike previous words of the year, which have tended to be either ‘new’ or hitherto largely
unfamiliar or underused lexical items that were thrown into the collective consciousness because of a
particular event or situation, it was a steady stream of lookups throughout 2022 that resulted in the
astonishing 1,740 per cent year-on-year increase in interest that ended up giving the nod to the relatively Q43
well-established ‘gaslighting’. Q42iv

10 [3] It is rather a chilling exercise to consider why this might be the case, given that the publisher’s top
definition of the word is the following: ‘psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended
period of time that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or
memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one’s
emotional or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator’. Q45

15 [4] This figurative usage of the word is not in fact that old, at least not by English lexical standards. Its
origins go back to the 1938 play Gas Light by Patrick Hamilton and, perhaps more famously, to the 1944 Q61v, Q48ii
film version, Gaslight, starring Hollywood icon Ingrid Bergman. The plots of both works revolve around Q48i
a young, recently married woman whose husband slowly manipulates her into thinking she is descending Q46
into madness and no longer able to trust her own perceptions of reality. One way he achieves this is by
20 telling her she is merely imagining the gaslights in their London townhouse dimming repeatedly, when this
is in fact precisely what’s happening—due, no less, to certain nefarious activities in which he himself is
engaged.
[5] While this obviously tracks quite closely with the behaviour outlined in Merriam-Webster’s definition,
‘gaslighting’ has also taken on a broader, somewhat watered-down meaning over the years, as reflected in
25 the publisher’s secondary definition: ‘the act or practice of grossly misleading someone especially for one’s
own advantage’. Editor-at-large Peter Sokolowski seems to consider this somewhat inadequate, however, Q61vi
stating in an interview: ‘There is this implication of an intentional deception. And once one is aware of that Q61vi, Q50
deception, it’s not just a straightforward lie, as in, you know, I didn’t eat the cookies in the cookie jar. It’s Q61vi, Q50
something that has a bit more devious quality to it. It has possibly an idea of strategy or a long-term plan.’
30 [6] In any case, with gaslighting—both in its original and its recent, more generalized sense—seemingly
more commonplace than ever before, it is commensurately important that we all be on vigilant guard against
this insidious practice in our own lives. And where are we most at risk? Well, while there are certainly Q53, Q52
plenty of culprits within the political sphere and the media, here there is at least strength in numbers,
meaning the most hideous excesses will eventually get called out. Rather, we are at our most vulnerable Q51
35 when the gaslighting occurs within a close interpersonal relationship, such as between romantic partners,
or between a parent and a child.
[7] What almost all instances of gaslighting tend to have in common is that there is a skewed power dynamic Q54ii
at play, and century upon century of near-universal gender inequality have none too surprisingly seen to it Q54i
that women are the most common victims and men the most common perpetrators. And the most common Q54iii
40 context in which gaslighting occurs is within the confines of a heterosexual relationship. Q55i
[8] ‘I think of gaslighting as trying to associate someone with the label “crazy,”’ says Paige Sweet, assistant Q61iii
professor of sociology at the University of Michigan and author of The Politics of Surviving: How Women Q61iii
Navigate Domestic Violence and Its Aftermath. ‘It’s making someone feel unstable, irrational and not
credible, making them feel like what they’re seeing or experiencing isn’t real, that they’re making it up,
45 that no one else will believe them.’

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 [9] Among the examples of everyday gaslighting that Sweet has come across in her research are Ebony,
whose partner would steal her money and then tell her she was ‘careless’ about finances and had lost it
herself, and Adriana, whose boyfriend hid her phone and then told her she had lost it, in a dual effort to
confuse her and prevent her from communicating with others.
50 [10] Gaslighting is by no means isolated to the home, however. It may rear its ugly head in the workplace Q56
as well, primarily with a person in a position of authority being the perpetrator and a subordinate the victim,
in line with the imbalanced power dynamic referred to above. There’s also increasing attention given to Q55ii
medical gaslighting, which typically involves male doctors dismissing the legitimate symptoms
experienced by women—and women of colour in particular—because of the stereotypical bias that women Q55iii
55 are inherently irrational and hysterical.
[11] Wherever gaslighting may appear, it is crucial that you know how to recognize it. Robin Stern, Q61ii
psychotherapist and author of The Gaslight Effect: How to Spot and Survive the Hidden Manipulation
Others Use to Control Your Life, suggests keeping your eyes open for the following red flags: Q57i
● You are constantly second-guessing yourself.
60 ● You ask yourself, ‘Am I too sensitive?’ a dozen times a day.
● You know something is terribly wrong, but you can never quite express what it is, even to yourself.
● You have trouble making simple decisions.
● You have the sense that you used to be a very different person—more confident, more fun-loving, Q61ii
more relaxed.
65 ● You feel as though you can’t do anything right.
● You wonder whether you are good enough.
[12] If you have reason to believe you’re being gaslighted by someone, make sure you tell as many people
as possible what is happening. ‘Don’t just tell one person, “I think I’m experiencing this,”’ says Sweet. Q61i
‘Tell multiple people in your social network so they can back you up and verify your experience of reality.’
70 You should also consider keeping a journal, so that you can use your own contemporaneous accounts of
events to confirm that they happened the way you remember them, even if your abuser tells you differently.
[13] As previously mentioned, if you should have the misfortune to be victimized by a gaslighter, this Q59
person will invariably be someone who has inherent authority over you, or someone to whom you have
ceded authority, at least in a particular context or situation. Once you have caught this person red-handed—
75 or red-mouthed, as it were—the best thing to do is naturally to rescind that authority, as decisively as
possible, and never take this person’s word over your own recollections ever again.
[14] Admittedly, that is of course easier said than done, and it may even require professional assistance.
Just remember that there are always people out there who are willing to help, should you need them.

END OF READING PASSAGE

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 Candidate Number Please stick the barcode label here.

MOCK TEST 67
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1 PART B2
B2
DIFFICULT SECTION
QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK

Write your Candidate Number in the space provided on this page.

Read Text 4 and answer questions 42–62. (42 marks)

Text 4

42 Find FOUR words in paragraphs 1 and 2 which have similar meanings to ‘lying’. (4 marks)

(i) deception

(ii) disinformation

(iii) duplicity

(iv) gaslighting
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43 According to paragraph 2, why was ‘gaslighting’ named Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year?

(because of the astonishing) 1,740 per cent year-on-year increase in interest

44 In line 6, ‘thrown into the collective consciousness’ suggests the lexical items …
A were forcefully introduced into the everyday language.
B quickly became widely known.
C became popular within certain circles. A B C D
D were commonly used for a limited time only.    

45 According to paragraph 3, which of the following is NOT an effect of gaslighting? Victims …

A think they cannot trust their own minds.
B start to think less of themselves.
C stop relying on the person doing the gaslighting. A B C D
D find themselves feeling bewildered.    

46 Who is ‘the perpetrator’ (line 14) in the plots mentioned in paragraph 4?

the husband // the (young) married woman’s husband

47 What is the purpose of the phrase ‘no less’ (line 21)?

A to suggest that something is noteworthy
B to stress that something is not a problem
C to introduce a reason A B C D
D to suggest that something will not last long    

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 48 According to paragraph 4, decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F) or Not
Given (NG). (4 marks)
Statements T F NG
(i) The 1938 play and the 1944 film have similar plots.   
(ii) The writer believes Gas Light is better known than Gaslight.   
(iii) The wife has a history of mental illness.   
(iv) The husband is trying to cause his wife physical harm.   

49 What does ‘this’ (line 23) refer to?

the husband’s behaviour (in the play / film)

50 According to paragraph 5, what are some of Peter Sokolowski’s criteria for gaslighting? Tick () the
appropriate box(es). You may tick () more than one box.
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Scheme 
Simplicity
Deceitfulness 
Persistence 
Inadequacy

51 What is the answer to the writer’s question in line 32?

(when the gaslighting occurs) within a close interpersonal relationship (such as between romantic

partners or between a parent and a child)

52 What does the writer mean by ‘here there is at least strength in numbers’ (line 33)?

(that when politicians or the media are the culprits) there are more people who are the victims of

the gaslighting, which makes them stronger / safer together (Accept any reasonable answer)

53 Which word in paragraph 6 suggests that the writer thinks gaslighting is harmful and yet difficult to
spot?

insidious

54 Based on the information in paragraph 7, complete the following sentence by writing a word or phrase
taken from paragraph 7 in each blank below. Your answers must be grammatically correct. (3 marks)

Due to longstanding (i) (near-universal) gender inequality , men have more

(ii) power than women, and therefore they tend

to be the (iii) perpetrators of gaslighting.

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 55 Complete the following table using a phrase taken in paragraphs 7, 9 and 10 in each blank below. Your
answers must be grammatically correct. (3 marks)

Example(s) Main point

The thoughts of Ebony and Adriana are being Gaslighting happens within (i) (the confines of)
manipulated by their partners. a heterosexual relationship .

An employee is being victimized by his/her (ii) Imbalanced power dynamic

boss. is seen in the workplace.

Male doctors dismiss the symptoms experienced Medical gaslighting is shown by

by female patients. (iii) stereotypical bias
against women.

56 Find an expression in paragraph 10 which can be replaced by ‘occur’.

rear its ugly head

57 (i) Find the metaphor the writer uses in paragraph 11. (1 mark)

red flags

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

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warning signs

58 Based on the information in the text, why would ‘your abuser [tell] you differently’ (line 71)?

because the way a gaslighter controls his victim is by telling lies about things that have happened

so that the victim starts to doubt their own memories / experiences (Accept any reasonable answer)

59 Based on the information in paragraph 13, does the writer believe that people who are gaslighted have
themselves to blame? Provide evidence from the text to support your answer.

No, because the writer says, ‘if you should have the misfortune to be victimized by a gasligher’,

which suggests that these people are just unlucky. (Accept any reasonable answer)

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 60 Below are subheadings for the paragraphs of Text 4. Match the most appropriate subheading (A–G)
with the paragraph(s). Write the letter of the subheading next to the paragraph number(s) given. Use
each letter ONCE only. One of the subheadings is not used.

(6 marks)

Subheading Paragraph(s) Subheading

A. High hazard areas
1–3 (i) C
B. The reasoning of a gaslighter
4–5 (ii) F
C. Interesting yet concerning selection
D. Likely indicators 6–7 (iii) A

E. Taking back control 8–10 (iv) G

F. The meaning evolves 11 (v) D

G. The mechanics of gaslighting 12–14 (vi) E

61 Use the information in Text 4 to match each of the following comments with a person (A–D) mentioned
in the text. A person may be used more than once. Write the letter of the person on the line next to the
comments. One comment is NOT mentioned by any of the four people and you should choose ‘E. Not
stated’. (6 marks)

A. Patrick Hamilton B. Peter Sokolowski C. Robin Stern D. Paige Sweet E. Not stated

Comment Person
Communication is key to combating gaslighting once you know that it’s happening. (i) D
If you experience changes in your personality, it could mean you’re a gaslighting victim. (ii) C
Fortunately, these women eventually managed to get out of their toxic relationships. (iii) D
These days, I see gaslighting in the workplace as an area of particular concern. (iv) E
I could never have imagined the impact it would have in the real world. (v) A
It’s a form of lying that is both highly calculating and extremely harmful. (vi) B Answers written in the margins will not be marked.
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62 Which of the following is the best title for Text 4?

A Gaslighting: is it here to stay?
B Gaslighting: what is it and how can it be combated?
C Gaslighting: controversial choice for Word of the Year A B C D
D Gaslighting: what is causing the rise of this insidious form of lying?    

END OF PART B2

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