O-LevelEnglish LanguageReading for Ideas1123/11 · Oct/Nov 2024 · Q325 Marks

Read Text B, Volunteering to work with animals, in the insert and answer Question 3.

(a)Summarise the arguments against volunteering to work with animals, according to Text B. You must use continuous writing (not note form). Use your own words as far as possible. Avoid copying long sections of the text. Your summary should be no more than 150 words. Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 10 marks for the quality of your writing.[20]
(b)Imagine you are conservationist Rita Ni. You are interviewed by a journalist about your work with animals. Give your answer to the journalist's question, using information from the text. Journalist's question: Some people think that sanctuaries like yours are irresponsible and exploit animals and volunteers. What is your opinion and why? Rita Ni's answer:[5]

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2024). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[1] (Content Point 1) money / donations / fundraising could do more / be put to better use
[1] (Content Point 2) (volunteers) want the cute / popular animals / big cats / elephants / primates // (sanctuaries) promote / encourage cute / cuddly experiences
[1] (Content Point 3) (volunteers / they) aren't helping // (volunteers / they) don't make a difference
[1] (Content Point 4) saving / focusing on individual animals is not a priority / worthwhile
[1] (Content Point 5) saving species is (more) worthwhile / useful
[1] (Content Point 6) protecting / managing habitats is (more) worthwhile / useful
[1] (Content Point 7) volunteers are not offered / do not want to do less glamorous / horrible conservation strategies / extermination
[1] (Content Point 8) sanctuaries exploit / use volunteers (to keep them in business)
[1] (Content Point 9) sanctuaries / they don't try to solve (the cause of) the problem // few sanctuaries try to solve the problem
[1] (Content Point 10) the environmental impact of flying / using non eco-friendly transport (to go to a sanctuary)
[1] (Content Point 11) hands off approach / less direct contact is required // volunteers want to handle the animals
[1] (Content Point 12) volunteers are not being educated // they should be educating / explaining to volunteers
[1] (Content Point 13) volunteers work for a short time
[1] (Relevant perspective) Rita Ni believes that sanctuaries like hers are responsible / do not exploit animals and volunteers.
[1] (Supporting detail 1) Rita Ni's fantastic / gold standard projects // captive breeding and reintroduction programme
[1] (Development for 1) priority is increasing animal numbers rather than volunteer experience / helps ensure species do not become at risk / focus is on a species rather than an individual animal
[1] (Supporting detail 2) has a hands-off approach / less direct contact
[1] (Development for 2) may not be what volunteers want but this makes reintroduction easier / animal welfare more important than satisfying volunteers' desire for contact
[1] (Supporting detail 3) dispiriting to see volunteers not really helping (at other sanctuaries)
[1] (Supporting detail 4) responsible sanctuaries have long term plans
[1] (Supporting detail 5) there is a need for funds/harder for her to raise funds
[1] (Supporting detail 6) responsible sanctuaries educate volunteers
[1] (Development for 6) makes sure volunteers are used effectively / volunteers are educated about the bigger picture such as saving species / volunteers are not to be seen as profit-making
[1] (Additional development) reintroduction programme takes a long time / don't recruit volunteers for a short time only
[1] (Additional development) cannot afford bad publicity around other sanctuaries (because keeping animals in captivity is expensive)/ Rita Ni would not risk damaging reputation
[1] (Additional development) will not be giving in to the demand for stereotypical, cute and cuddly experiences / will teach volunteers about what engangers wildlife