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 3 What was the first of the 'two agonies' felt by the writer?
From paragraph 4 'Any child would be tempted, but at the same time terrified, by the thought of forcing the door'. Explain in your own words how th...
From paragraph 5 Why were the objects in the cellar 'unidentifiable'?
From paragraph 6 What was the 'disobedient act' carried out by Lila and the writer?
From paragraph 7 'Lila was speaking to him like that'. Apart from her confidence, what does this tell you about Lila's behaviour?
From paragraph 8 Explain why the girls are surprised by Achille's reaction to their visit.
From paragraphs 2–7 inclusive For each of the words or phrases below, circle the letter (A, B, C or D) which has the same meaning that the word or ...
Re-read paragraph 5, which contains phrases about the behaviour or feelings of the writer. Explain: • the meaning of the phrases as they are used i...
Read Passage 1, Sugar, in the Insert and answer all the questions below.
Re-read paragraph 1. Identify and write down three opinions from this paragraph.
Read Passage 2, A Disappointing Day, in the Insert and answer all the questions below. From paragraph 1
From paragraph 2 The girls were ‘intrigued by the invisible'. Explain in your own words what this tells us about the girls.
From paragraph 3 As an adult, the writer thinks of 'the pleasures of childhood'. What two particular 'pleasures of childhood' did she experience th...
From paragraph 4 'People we passed seemed indifferent to our escapade.' Explain in your own words what the writer thought about the people they pas...
From paragraph 5 Why was the writer surprised that Lila wanted to turn back?
From paragraph 7 What unexpected thing happened?
From paragraph 8 Explain what Lila did to betray the writer. Why did she do this?
From paragraphs 1–6 For each of the words below, circle the letter (A, B, C or D) which has the same meaning that the word has in the passage.
Re-read paragraphs 3 and 5 which contain phrases about the relationship between Lila and the writer. Explain: • the meaning of the phrases as they ...
Read Passage 1, Silk, in the Insert and answer all the questions below.
Re-read paragraph 1, and give three opinions from the paragraph.
From paragraph 1 The writer 'had to start by looking after the lion' (line 2). What kind of animals did he expect to start with?
From paragraph 2 Why do you think Joe 'rattled a stick along the fence' (line 9)?
From paragraph 3 Why did the writer soon have more time to try to 'learn something about' (line 16) lions?
From paragraph 4 Why did Joe and the writer place 'a huge piece of meat' (line 32) inside the cage?
From paragraph 5 In what two ways was the performance to trap the lion 'doubly ridiculous' (line 40)?
From the whole passage For each of the words or phrases below, circle the letter (A, B, C or D) which has the same meaning that the word or phrase ...
Re-read paragraphs 2 and 5, which contain sentences telling us about (a) what Joe did and (b) what Joe and the writer did. Give: • the meaning of e...
Read Passage 1, Honey, in the Insert and answer all the questions below.
Re-read paragraphs 1, 6 and 7 and give one opinion from each of these paragraphs.
From paragraph 1 As a child, what did the writer want to do when he became an adult?
From paragraph 2 The writer brought into the house 'every conceivable type of creature' (line 6). Give the phrase used later in the paragraph which...
From paragraph 3 Why could the writer's school friend no longer look after Hortense?
From paragraph 4 In what two ways was the writer's decision to take Hortense not wise? (i) (ii)
From paragraph 5 Hortense had 'a pair of horns with a forest of lethal-looking spikes, and he was about four feet high' (lines 27–28). Give one wor...
From paragraph 7 Explain in your own words what the writer means when he describes Hortense as 'astonished by the havoc he had created' (line 44).
From paragraphs 2-7 For each of the words below, circle the letter (A, B, C or D) which has the same meaning that the word has in the passage.
Re-read paragraphs 2 and 7, which contain sentences telling us about (a) the personality of the writer and (b) the personality of the writer's brot...
Your cousin, a successful former student at your school, has just returned from living in another country. Your Principal asks you to write an arti...
Describe the neighbourhood around your school. Include what you like most about it and what you like least. (Remember you are describing the atmosp...
Do you think it is better to be the only child in a family or is it better to have brothers and sisters? Give reasons and examples to support your ...
'Going to university is the best way to get a good job.' Do you agree? Give reasons and examples to support your view.
Write a story which includes the sentence: 'When he answered my question, I knew what I had to do next.'
Write a story in which running plays an important part.
Description Describe what the place where you live is like in the early morning and in the early evening. (Remember you are describing the atmosphe...
Argument 'In the future, schools will not exist and all education will be done online at home.' Would this be a good thing? Give reasons and exampl...
Argument 'People are influenced more by their friends than by their families.' Do you think this is true? Give reasons and examples to support your...
Narrative Write a story which includes the sentence: ‘It was easy to see why everyone wanted to meet him.'
Narrative Write a story about a person with a hidden talent.
Read Passage 1, Sport, in the Insert and answer all the questions below.