What you'll be able to do by the end
- Retrieve explicit and implicit information from a non-fiction text
- Summarise differences between two texts, using inference
- Analyse language and explain its effect, using accurate terminology
- Compare writers' viewpoints and the methods they use
- Write to present a viewpoint in a specified form for a specified audience
- Manage your time across a paper worth 80 marks in 1 hour 45 minutes
Part 1 — How the paper works
You get two non-fiction texts on the same theme, usually one modern and one from the 19th century, then five questions.
| Question | Skill | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Find true statements | 4 | 5 min |
| 2 | Summarise differences | 8 | 10 min |
| 3 | Language analysis (one text) | 12 | 15 min |
| 4 | Compare viewpoints & methods | 16 | 20 min |
| 5 | Write to present a viewpoint | 40 | 45 min |
Total: 80 marks in 105 minutes.
Question 5 is worth half the paper. Students who overrun on Question 4 and write two paragraphs for Question 5 lose more than they could ever gain. Set an alarm at 60 minutes. Whatever you're doing, stop and start Question 5.
The source texts
Read both carefully before attempting the questions.
"They are not ornaments": what forty years with reptiles has taught me
The first thing people say when they meet Marvin is how big he is. The second thing, almost without exception, is that they'd like one.
Marvin is an Aldabra giant tortoise. He is ninety-one kilograms and will outlive me, my children, and in all likelihood my grandchildren. He eats a wheelbarrow of greens a week. He requires a heated indoor space in winter that is larger than most people's living rooms. In the summer he wanders the paddock and, if he decides he would prefer to be somewhere else, there is very little any of us can do about it — you cannot pick up a ninety-one kilogram tortoise, and Marvin is entirely aware of this.
I say all of this cheerfully, and people laugh, and some of them still ask where they could get one.
I understand the impulse. There is something about a reptile that fascinates us in a way a hamster does not. They are ancient. They are strange. They look at you with an expression that gives away nothing at all, and it is very hard not to read something into that stare. I have spent forty years around these animals and I still find them extraordinary.
But I have also spent forty years watching people acquire them for the wrong reasons, and I have collected the consequences. The bearded dragon bought as a Christmas present, surrendered by February because nobody had costed the electricity. The corn snake advertised as "low maintenance" — which is true, in the sense that it eats once a fortnight, and false in every other sense. The chameleon, that most delicate and specific of animals, bought by someone who had watched a video of one changing colour and assumed this was a party trick performed on request.
The internet has made this worse, not better. A photograph of a hoglet fits neatly into a phone screen. What does not fit is the ceramic heat emitter, the pulse thermostat, the exotic vet forty minutes away who charges ninety pounds to look at it, or the fact that the animal will be awake and running at two in the morning for the next five years.
None of this is an argument against keeping reptiles. I keep dozens. It is an argument against keeping them casually.
If you want one, I will tell you everything I know, and I will tell you the difficult parts first. Ask me what it costs. Ask me what happens when you go on holiday. Ask me what happens when it gets ill at eleven o'clock on a Sunday night. If the answers put you off, then the animal has been spared, and you have been spared, and I have done my job.
And if the answers don't put you off — well. Come and meet Marvin properly. He'll be in the paddock. He won't come when you call, but he's worth the walk.
From a letter published in a London natural history magazine, 1873
Sir,
I write to inform your readers of a most agreeable addition to my household, and to recommend the practice to any gentleman of moderate means who desires an ornament for his garden which is at once curious, economical, and entirely without trouble.
Some three months since, I purchased at the docks a specimen of the giant tortoise, lately arrived from the Indian Ocean, for the sum of two guineas. The creature was in a lamentable condition upon arrival, having been some weeks in the hold, but a little bread and milk has restored him admirably, and he now takes his exercise upon my lawn to the great entertainment of my daughters.
I am told by the seaman who sold him to me that these animals may live a hundred years or more, and I confess I find this a considerable recommendation. A dog must be replaced every decade at some expense of feeling; a tortoise, once purchased, is purchased for ever. My grandchildren shall inherit him along with the silver.
He requires, so far as I can determine, nothing whatever. He eats what he finds. He is never ill. In the colder months he retires beneath the laurels and troubles nobody until the spring. I have known him to go a fortnight without food and appear none the worse, which is more than may be said for any of my household.
There are those who say that these creatures ought not to be removed from their native islands, and that the trade is a cruel one. To such objections I would answer that the animal is manifestly content — he shows no distress, he does not attempt to escape, and he is fed better here than ever he was among the rocks. Nor can it be said that he is scarce; I am told the ships bring hundreds, and there are said to be many thousands remaining.
I would encourage any of your readers with a lawn and a shilling to spare to procure one. He is a most restful companion, and asks nothing of a man but that he be left alone.
I remain, sir, your obedient servant,
H. W. Ashcroft
Part 2 — Question 1: finding true statements
Question 1. Read again lines 1–14 of Source A, from "The first thing people say" to "still find them extraordinary." Choose four statements below which are TRUE. (4 marks)
- A Marvin weighs ninety-one kilograms.
- B Marvin will die before the writer.
- C Marvin eats a wheelbarrow of greens a week.
- D The writer finds reptiles boring after forty years.
- E People often say they would like a tortoise of their own.
- F Marvin can be picked up easily.
- G The writer has kept reptiles for forty years.
- H Marvin stays in the paddock all year round.
Only look in the stated lines. Statements are often true of the text as a whole but false within the given section — that counts as wrong. Shade exactly four — shading five gets you zero, however many are right. The wrong ones are usually reversals — "will die before the writer" reverses "will outlive me." Look for the flip.
Part 3 — Question 2: summarising differences
Question 2. Refer to Source A and Source B. Write a summary of the differences between the two writers' tortoises and how they are kept. (8 marks)
Not "what does each text say" — you must find differences and infer from them. Structure: Point → Evidence A → Evidence B → Inference.
What earns the marks: a clear difference stated · evidence from both texts · inference — what the difference tells us, beyond the words.
Writing about Source A for three paragraphs, then Source B for three. That is not a comparison. Every paragraph must contain both texts — if a paragraph mentions only one source, it isn't answering the question.
| Difference | Source A | Source B |
|---|---|---|
| Level of care | Heated space, specialist vet, costed properly | "Nothing whatever," bread and milk |
| Attitude to lifespan | A responsibility outlasting the owner | An economic advantage — "purchased for ever" |
| View of the animal | An individual with preferences and agency | An "ornament for his garden" |
| Knowledge | Forty years' experience, informed | Relies on what "the seaman who sold him" said |
| Attitude to the trade | Concerned about casual acquisition | Dismisses objections; "many thousands remaining" |
Part 4 — Question 3: language analysis
Question 3. Refer only to Source B, the letter from 1873. How does the writer use language to try to persuade readers to buy a tortoise? (12 marks)
"Language" means words and phrases, techniques, and sentence forms — not structure, presentation, or viewpoint alone. Every paragraph: Method → Quotation → Effect → Zoom (pick one word and analyse it specifically).
Notice the zoom — the paragraph picks economical and explains why that specific word does the work.
Grade 4: "The writer uses a list of three which makes it sound good." Grade 7: "The word 'economical' frames a living animal as a financial proposition, which is exactly the framing that allows the writer to ignore its needs." Same quotation — the second one says what the word does.
| Technique | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Triplet | "curious, economical, and entirely without trouble" | Makes the claim feel complete and authoritative |
| Direct address | "any gentleman of moderate means" | Flatters the reader, makes them the intended owner |
| Comparison | "A dog must be replaced every decade… a tortoise is purchased for ever" | Reframes a lifespan as value for money |
| Understatement | "a most agreeable addition" | Makes a serious decision sound trivial |
| Anticipating objections | "There are those who say…" | Appears reasonable while dismissing the counter-argument |
| Euphemism | "some weeks in the hold" | Conceals what that journey actually involved |
| Formal register | "I remain, sir, your obedient servant" | Establishes respectability and authority |
"he is fed better here than ever he was among the rocks" — the writer has never seen the rocks and has no evidence at all. He asserts knowledge he cannot possess in order to justify what he has already done. A strong answer notices this: it's the moment persuasion becomes self-persuasion.
Part 5 — Question 4: comparing viewpoints
Question 4. Refer to the whole of Source A together with the whole of Source B. Compare how the two writers convey their different attitudes to keeping tortoises. (16 marks)
The hardest question on the paper — it asks for two things at once: what they think, and how they show it. Answers that only do the first can't reach the top band. Paragraph pattern: state the difference in attitude → Source A method + quotation + effect → Source B method + quotation + effect → compare the methods explicitly.
Why this reaches the top band: both texts in one paragraph · a named method for each ("verbs of agency", "nouns of possession") · comparison of the methods · a final sentence linking technique to meaning.
Whereas · In contrast · Similarly · However · While · Conversely. They force you to put both texts in one sentence — exactly what the question wants.
| Source A | Source B | |
|---|---|---|
| What the animal is | An individual with agency | An ornament, an inheritance |
| The owner's role | Responsibility, honest disclosure | Ownership, entitlement |
| Knowledge | Earned over forty years | Second-hand from a seller |
| The trade | Concerned about casual acquisition | Actively encouraging it |
| Tone | Warm but blunt | Genial and complacent |
| Purpose | To discourage the wrong buyers | To recruit more buyers |
Part 6 — Question 5: writing to present a viewpoint
Question 5. "Exotic animals should not be kept as pets. However fond of them their owners are, wild animals belong in the wild." Write an article for a newspaper in which you explain your point of view on this statement. (24 marks content & organisation + 16 marks technical accuracy = 40)
Three things are specified, and all three are marked: Form (article) · Audience (newspaper readers — adults, mixed views) · Purpose (explain your point of view). An answer well written but in the form of a letter loses marks. Match the form.
| Section | Content |
|---|---|
| Headline | Short, arresting — not a summary of the whole argument |
| Opening | An anecdote, a striking fact, or a question — make the reader continue |
| Your position | Stated clearly and early — don't keep the reader guessing |
| Argument 1 | Your strongest point, developed with evidence |
| Argument 2 | Second point, developed |
| Counter-argument | What the other side says — and why you still disagree |
| Conclusion | Return to your opening image; give the reader something to hold |
There are no marks for agreeing and none for disagreeing — only for arguing well. Pick the side you can write more convincingly, not the side you believe. Twenty minutes of confident writing beats forty of sincere floundering.
Most students argue one side for four paragraphs. An answer that seriously engages with the opposing view and then defeats it reads as far more intelligent, and examiners reward it heavily. One paragraph: "Supporters of the trade argue… and there is something in this. But…"
Technical accuracy — 16 marks, and the easiest to lose
Sentence demarcation (full stops, not commas) · paragraphing (new paragraph per idea) · spelling (if unsure, use a word you're sure of) · vocabulary range · punctuation variety (semicolons, colons, dashes, used correctly). Leave five minutes to proofread for missing full stops and capitals — that alone typically recovers two or three marks.
Mark scheme
Question 1 — 4 marks
Correct: A, C, E, G.
A ✅ "ninety-one kilograms" · B ❌ reversed — he "will outlive me" · C ✅ "a wheelbarrow of greens a week" · D ❌ reversed — "I still find them extraordinary" · E ✅ "the second thing… is that they'd like one" · F ❌ reversed — "you cannot pick up a ninety-one kilogram tortoise" · G ✅ "I have spent forty years around these animals" · H ❌ not in the stated lines, and contradicted later.
One mark per correct statement. If more than four are shaded, award 0.
Question 2 — 8 marks (levels)
L4 (7–8): perceptive, detailed summary; well-developed inferences; judicious references to both texts. L3 (5–6): clear understanding of differences; relevant references. L2 (3–4): some understanding; attempts inference. L1 (1–2): simple, limited comment.
Indicative: Marvin has specialist provision vs bread-and-milk left under the laurels; costs known precisely vs a seaman's word; agency and preferences vs "asks nothing… but that he be left alone"; discouraging casual buyers vs recruiting them; responsible-for vs owner-and-beneficiary. A response summarising each text separately without comparing cannot exceed Level 2.
Question 3 — 12 marks (levels)
L4 (10–12): analyses effects of language choices; judicious quotations; sophisticated, accurate terminology. L3 (7–9): explains effects clearly; range of quotations; accurate terminology. L2 (4–6): attempts to comment; some quotations. L1 (1–3): simple comment.
Indicative: the triplet of adjectives; "economical" framing the animal financially; direct address to "any gentleman of moderate means"; the dog comparison converting lifespan into value; the euphemism "some weeks in the hold"; the unfounded "fed better here than ever he was among the rocks"; the formal closing establishing respectability. Terminology alone gains nothing — "this is a triplet" without effect stays at Level 2.
Question 4 — 16 marks (levels)
L4 (13–16): perceptive comparison of ideas/perspectives; analyses how methods convey ideas; judicious references. L3 (9–12): clear, relevant comparison; explains methods clearly. L2 (5–8): attempts comparison; some comment on methods. L1 (1–4): simple cross-reference.
Indicative — attitudes: individual vs ornament; responsibility vs entitlement; earned vs assumed knowledge; discouraging vs encouraging ownership. Methods — A: verbs of agency ("decides"); anecdotal list of failed acquisitions; direct address inviting difficult questions; humour to disarm; short final paragraph returning to Marvin. B: nouns of possession ("ornament," "inherit"); triplets; formal Victorian register; anticipating and dismissing objections; unsupported assertion as fact. Attitudes without methods cannot exceed Level 2, however perceptive.
Question 5 — 40 marks
Content & organisation (24): L4 (19–24) convincing and compelling, assured tone/register, ambitious vocabulary and structural craft; L3 (13–18) consistently clear, sophisticated vocabulary chosen for effect, effective structure; L2 (7–12) mostly successful, conscious vocabulary, some structure; L1 (1–6) simple and limited, random paragraphing.
Technical accuracy (16): L4 (13–16) consistently secure demarcation, wide accurate punctuation, full range of sentence forms, secure complex grammar, ambitious spelling; L3 (9–12) mostly secure; L2 (5–8) sometimes accurate, some control; L1 (1–4) occasional demarcation, basic spelling.
Common mistakes on this paper
Answering Q2 as two separate summaries. Every paragraph needs both texts, or it caps at Level 2.
Naming techniques without explaining effect. "The writer uses a triplet" scores nothing on its own — what does it do?
Answering Q4 on attitudes only. The question asks for attitudes and methods — half an answer, half the marks.
Quoting too long. Embed a few words inside your sentence; a three-line quotation wastes time and shows less selection skill.
Running out of time for Q5. It's half the paper — guard the 45 minutes ruthlessly.
Ignoring the specified form in Q5. Article, letter, speech, essay each look different on the page. Write the one you're asked for.
Forgetting the counter-argument. One paragraph engaging with the other side lifts the whole piece.
No proofreading. Sixteen marks are for technical accuracy — five minutes checking full stops is the best-value time on the paper.
Teaching notes
Teach the questions in reverse order of difficulty, not paper order. Q1 and Q5 first — most accessible and highest value. Q4 last, once students can already analyse language.
Q4 needs the most teaching time by a distance. Comparing attitudes and methods is genuinely hard; teach the paragraph structure explicitly and drill it.
The "zoom" technique transforms Q3 answers. Teach students to select one word and stay with it for two sentences — the single biggest lift on that question.
Source B rewards discussion. Ashcroft is genial, well-mannered and completely wrong. "He is fed better here than ever he was among the rocks" — an assertion he cannot support — usually gets a reaction, and it's the moment students understand that persuasive writing can persuade the writer too.
Time management is a skill in its own right. Run a full paper under timed conditions early, before students are ready, so they feel running out of time when it doesn't matter.
For post-16 resit learners: Q5 needs no source material or memorised content. A student short of time should secure Q1, Q2 and Q5 first — that's 52 of the 80 marks, and it's a pass.