Cambridge & Pearson Edexcel Past Paper Questions
Browse 35,704 questions from Cambridge O-Level & A-Level and Pearson Edexcel IGCSE & IAL exams. Click any question to practice.
From paragraph 2 Before she ‘extricated her fingers from Elspeth's', in what two ways was Alice misbehaving? (i) (ii)
From paragraph 3 Inside the antiques shop, Alice saw a table with a ‘polished' surface. What did the surface of the table remind her of?
From paragraph 4 What effect is created by the word 'looming' that would not be created by, for example, the word 'appearing'?
From paragraph 5 Explain precisely the two methods, according to the shop owner, for deciding whether pearls are real pearls or fake. (i) (ii)
From paragraph 8 'Don't be ridiculous.... Are you running a business or what?' Explain fully what Elspeth means by this.
From the whole passage Choose five of the following words. For each of them give one word or short phrase (of not more than seven words) which has ...
Read Passage 1 in the insert and answer all the questions below.
From your reading of paragraph 1, decide whether each of the following statements is true, false, or not stated in the passage, and tick the boxes ...
From paragraph 3, select and write down two opinions.
From paragraph 1 Why is the ship described as 'groaning'?
From paragraph 2 'The ship began to sway ... and then to roll from side to side.' What is causing this to happen?
From paragraph 3 As Kitty lay 'crumpled on the bed', what are the two indications that she might be 'desperately ill'?
From paragraph 4 What did the girls' mother disapprove of?
From paragraph 5 When the girls' grandmother decided she would take them shopping, what evidence suggests they were 'like beggars'?
From paragraph 6 Why do you think 'Kitty felt for Esme's hand and squeezed it'?
Topics 2–6 What do you most admire about visitors to your country and what do you least admire? Give examples and reasons to support your view.
Topics 2–6 Write a story which includes the sentence: 'When I thought about it, I couldn't ignore the fact that we had been dishonest.'
Topics 2–6 Leisure.
Topics 2–6 Write about a brother and sister who are always trying to be better than each other.
'almost every established culture has used gold to symbolise power, beauty and happiness' (paragraph 1). From your own knowledge or experience, giv...
From your reading of paragraph 2, decide which one of the following statements is true and tick the box you have chosen.
From paragraph 4, select and write down two of the writer's opinions. You may use the words of the text or your own words.
From paragraph 2 The woman's curls were ‘like a swarm of bees'. What impression of her curls is given by this comparison? [1]
From paragraph 3 The man spoke his wife's name ‘as though he held honey in his mouth'. What does the writer wish to convey about the man's feelings...
From paragraph 4 Griet's mother was ‘hunching her shoulders as if against a winter chill'. Explain fully why she was doing that. [2]
From paragraph 5 Without using the words of the passage, explain the two reasons why the neighbours 'would not gloat'. [2]
Paragraph 2 gives two examples of 'down time'. From your own knowledge or experience give two examples of 'down time' as defined in lines 13–14. Do...
From your reading of the whole passage, decide which one of the following statements is true and tick the box you have chosen. The writer thinks th...
From paragraph 1 What was the 'obvious' explanation for Monica's 'odd behaviour'?
From paragraph 2 In what two ways was Monica's way of crossing the road 'eccentric'? (i) (ii)
From paragraph 3 Explain fully what Cynthia and the writer learned ‘with the wisdom of hindsight'.
From paragraph 4 Explain fully why the pianist was 'offended and embarrassed' by Monica's comment.
From paragraph 5 Which one feature of ‘the atmosphere in the room' made the occasion different from other occasions when Monica did her knitting?
From paragraph 6 Why do you think the writer tells us that Monica wasn't deaf?
Your school has built a new sports centre. A former pupil of your school, now a famous sports star, has been invited to open the new centre. Your P...
Describe a long journey by car or public transport that passes through different kinds of scenery. (Remember that you can describe your fellow trav...
Do you think countries should spend money on saving wild animals from extinction? Give reasons and examples to support your view.
Write a story which includes the sentence: 'You change places with me; no-one will ever know.'
Laughter.
Write a story in which an argument in a queue plays an important part.
'This partnership between horses and humans...brought about a major advance for society' (paragraph 5). From your own knowledge or experience, give...
From paragraph 1 Why was Jean Louise 'miserable'?
From paragraph 2 Explain in no more than fifteen words why the children were 'not impressed' by Miss Caroline's story.
From paragraph 3 'I had never deliberately learned to read' (lines 20–21). Explain fully how Jean Louise did in fact learn to read.
From paragraph 4 Which two pieces of evidence show that Jem cares for his sister? (i)
From paragraph 5 Explain exactly why the ceiling danced ‘with metallic light'.
From the whole passage Choose five of the following words or phrases. For each of them give one word or short phrase (of not more than seven words)...
'Cycling is environmentally friendly, partly solving the problem of polluting vehicles' (paragraph 5). From your own knowledge or experience, give ...
From paragraph 1 What was happening that meant that Jean Louise 'nearly died of fright'?
From paragraph 2 What two things did Jem and Jean Louise do to make sure that they did not waste the snow? (i) (ii)