AQA GCSE English Language

Practice Paper Questions

Practice Paper 2B

14 marks

Read again the first part of Source A:

Soon after breakfast mother sometimes began her beadwork.

On a bright, clear day, she pulled out the wooden pegs that pinned the skirt of our wigwam to the ground, and rolled the canvas part way up on its frame of slender poles. Then the cool morning breezes swept freely through our dwelling, now and then wafting the perfume of sweet grasses from newly burnt prairie.

Untying the long tasselled strings that bound a small brown buckskin1 bag, my mother spread upon a mat beside her bunches of coloured beads, just as an artist arranges the paints upon his palette. On a lapboard she smoothed out a double sheet of soft white buckskin; and drawing from a beaded case that hung on the left of her wide belt a long, narrow blade, she trimmed the buckskin into shape. Often she worked upon small moccasins for her small daughter.

Choose four statements below which are true:

  • Her mother was wearing a skirt.
  • They lived in a wigwam.
  • Her mother always did her beadwork after breakfast.
  • Her mother cut the leather into shape.
  • It was a cold morning.
  • They lived on a prairie.
  • Her mother was a painter.
  • Her mother made shoes.

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28 marks

You need to refer to Source A and Source B for this question.Both sources describe life as an American Indian.Use details from both sources to write a summary of the differences between the daily routines of the American Indian people.

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312 marks

Look again at this part of Source B:

One of my old friends thought he was safe. His corn-field was on a small island of Rock river. He planted his corn; it came up well – but the white man saw it! – he wanted the island, and took his team over, ploughed up the corn, and replanted it for himself! The old man shed tears; not for himself, but the distress his family would be in if they raised no corn.

The white people brought whiskey into our village, made our people drunk, and cheated them out of their horses, guns and traps! This fraudulent system was carried to such an extent that I apprehended serious difficulties might take place, unless a stop was put to it. Consequently, I visited all the whites and begged them not to sell whisky to my people. One of them continued the practice openly.

How does the writer use language to describe how his tribe was treated by the white settlers?

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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:Compare how the writers convey their  similar perspectives on Native American values.In your answer, you could:

  • compare their similar perspectives on Native American values
  • 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

‘The way native and indigenous people have been treated throughout history is appalling. We cannot change the past, but we should do more to learn about these people and their cultures, and make sure we respect indigenous ways of life in the future.’Write a speech to be given at your school assembly arguing your point of view on this statement.

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