AQA GCSE English Language

Practice Paper Questions

Practice Paper 2A

14 marks

Read again the first part of Source A:

The car turns into the driveway of the large Edwardian house and I can’t hide my look of surprise. I expected barbed wire and reinforced concrete, not architecture and period features. I am immediately greeted with the impression that I’ve been brought to a luxury spa, somewhere I would be willing to pay copious amounts of money to stay. However, the car ignores the front door and sweeps on to the low, new brick-built extension hidden behind the house. My expectations suddenly become realised – the windows there are of reflective glass. Outsiders can’t see in. But the occupants can see out. In the control room, where staff survey two banks of CCTV, the staff press the button to close the shutter. Only when it has clanged back into place are the car doors opened. Two men get out of the back. So does the small, mousey boy who has been sitting between them.

Choose four statements below which are true:

  • Paul Vallely can’t hide his look of horror upon sight of the Edwardian house where the prison is located.
  • He is surprised at the sight of period features.
  • He thinks that the prison, from the outside, looks like a spa.
  • From its appearance, he wouldn’t pay much to stay here.
  • The car ignores the new-built brick extension and sweeps onto the front door.
  • The reflective windows live up to his expectations.
  • Two staff survey a bank of CCTV.
  • The car doors open only when the shutter is closed.

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28 marks

You need to refer to Source A and Source B for this question.Young prisoners at the secure children’s home and at Reading Prison are treated differently.Use details from both sources to write a summary of the differences.

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312 marks

Look again at this part of Source B:

The terror of a child in prison is quite limitless. I remember once, in Reading prison, as I was going out to exercise, seeing in the dimly-lit cell right opposite my own, a frail boy – minute in stature. Two warders were talking sternly to him. In my heart, I longed to believe that perhaps they were giving him some useful advice about his behavior but I know the likelihood of this was beyond hope. One was in the cell with him, the other was standing outside. The child’s gaunt face was grey and yellowish, sickly to behold. There was in his eyes the terror of a hunted animal, vulnerable and prone to attack; upon sight of this, my heart could not help but break, overwhelmed with pity and sympathy.

How does the writer use language to describe child prisoners?

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416 marks

For this question, you need to refer to the whole of Source A, together with the whole of Source B:

The terror of a child in prison is quite limitless. I remember once, in Reading prison, as I was going out to exercise, seeing in the dimly-lit cell right opposite my own, a frail boy – minute in stature. Two warders were talking sternly to him. In my heart, I longed to believe that perhaps they were giving him some useful advice about his behavior but I know the likelihood of this was beyond hope. One was in the cell with him, the other was standing outside. The child’s gaunt face was grey and yellowish, sickly to behold. There was in his eyes the terror of a hunted animal, vulnerable and prone to attack; upon sight of this, my heart could not help but break, overwhelmed with pity and sympathy.

Compare how the writers convey their different perspectives on child prisoners.In your answer, you could:

  • compare their different ideas and perspectives
  • compare the methods the writers use to convey their ideas and perspectives
  • support your response with references to both texts.

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540 marks

‘Students have no freedom to study anything that isn’t in the exam. Schools are a form of prison, that limit students’ learning and education.’Write an article for your school magazine in which you explain your point of view on this statement.

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