O-LevelEnglish LanguageDirected Writing1123/11 · Oct/Nov 2025 · Q325 Marks

Read Text B, Climbing Mount Everest, in the insert and answer Question 3.

(a)Summarise the arguments against climbing Mount Everest nowadays, 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 a local business person living near Mount Everest. You are asked a question by a journalist who is writing an article on adventure tourism. Give your answer to the journalist's question, using information from the text. The journalist's question: Some people want to ban foreign tourists from climbing Everest due to the negative impact they have on the area. What is your opinion and why? Local business person's answer:[5]

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2025). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[1] numbers have skyrocketed / shot up // (over) 800 / hundreds / lots climb it (a year) // over 9000 // queue / line up (to climb)
[1] (climbing it is) not notable / impressive / no recognition
[1] (just) for social media / to post online // showing off
[1] not doing it first // do not have to figure out how to do it
[1] any (reasonably) fit person can do it
[1] can pay / hire / people / Sherpas to help
[1] Sherpas make it easy / carry (heavy) loads / do the work // climbers travel light // hi-tech / ultra-modern equipment / ropes / ladders
[1] (can do) other (more) affordable / mentally beneficial activities / trekking / rafting / kayaking // (can) climb other peaks for less money // expensive (to climb)
[1] risk to life / dangerous // other activities pose a low(er) risk / are safe(r) // (melting) ice is unstable
[1] many (climbers) are not professional / seasoned / experienced
[1] not the only way to see it // trekking routes provide views
[1] (technically) not the tallest mountain
[1] microplastic / waste / belongings (found / left) // an environmental impact
[1] (Supporting detail: tourism businesses) (Development: other businesses would shut down // locals would lose income // tourists improve / raise living standards)
[1] (Supporting detail: contribute to local economy) (Development: ban would impact negatively on local and national economy // fewer tourists mean less money // alternatives to a ban – establish a tourist quota, restrict number of climbers, increase permit fee)
[1] (Supporting detail: harsh conditions) (Development: the climate and geography offer few alternatives to make a living)
[1] (Supporting detail: service industry around mountaineering) (Development: lose a valuable source of revenue // locals depend on climbers for employment // part of Sherpa history, identity // people might have to move elsewhere for this kind of work)
[1] (Supporting detail: climbers can raise awareness of climate change, melting glaciers) (Development: important for people see for themselves the effects of climate change and act on it // spread information via social media)
[1] (Supporting detail: climbers travel through Nepal) (Development: climbers do not just come to Nepal to climb Everest // taking away the attraction of climbing Everest will impact on other businesses elsewhere in Nepal)
[1] (Supporting detail: government, Sherpas are trying to clean the mountain) (Development: action is already being taken // must educate tourist climbers (rather than ban them))