MT 66-DSE

ENG LANG

PAPER 1
PART A
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION
A
COMPULSORY
MOCK TEST 66
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1
PART A
Reading Passages
1 hour 30 minutes
(for both Parts A and B)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
(1) There are two parts (A and B) in this paper. All candidates should attempt Part A. In Part B, you
should attempt either Part B1 (easier section) OR Part B2 (more difficult section). Candidates
attempting Parts A and B2 will be able to attain the full range of levels, while Level 4 will be the
highest level attainable for candidates attempting Parts A and B1.
(2) After the announcement of the start of the examination, you should write your Candidate Number
on the appropriate pages of the Part A Question-Answer Book and the Part B Question-Answer
Book which you are going to attempt.
(3) Write your answers in the spaces provided in the Question-Answer Books. Answers written in the
margins will not be marked.
(4) For multiple-choice questions, you are advised to blacken the appropriate circle with a pencil so
that wrong marks can be completely erased with a clean rubber. Mark only ONE answer to each
question. Two or more answers will score NO MARKS.
(5) Supplementary answer sheets will be supplied on request. Write your Candidate Number and mark
the question number box on each sheet.
(6) No extra time will be given to candidates for filling in the question number boxes after the ‘Time is
up’ announcement.
(7) The two Question-Answer Books you have attempted (one for Part A and one for Part B) will be
collected together at the end of the examination.
(8) The unused Question-Answer Book for Part B will be collected separately at the end of the
examination. This will not be marked. Do not write any answers in it.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PART A
(1) The Question-Answer Book for Part A is inserted after this Reading Passages booklet.
(2) Attempt ALL questions in Part A. Each question carries ONE mark unless otherwise stated.

Not to be taken away before the

end of the examination session

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Written by Magnus Norberg (4.2/2022-23)
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 PART A

Read Text 1 and answer questions 1–17 in the Question-Answer Book for Part A.

Text 1

1 [1] The FIFA World Cup has seen its fair share of controversies over its almost 100-year history. Zinedine Q1i
Zidane headbutting Marco Materazzi at Germany 2006 spring to mind, for example, as does Diego Q1ii
Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal at Mexico 1986. In terms of the near-universal bewilderment
generated, however, few can compete with the announcement in 2010 that the tiny Middle Eastern nation Q1iii
5 of Qatar would be the host of the 2022 tournament.

[2] Politically, Qatar was a decidedly unsavoury option, with a severely flawed human rights record and
laws on the books that discriminate against women and persecute members of the LGBTQ community. But
this in itself doesn’t explain the shocking reactions, as FIFA has made it quite clear over the years that it Q2i, Q2ii
has no misgivings whatsoever about awarding hosting rights to autocratic regimes, such as Mussolini’s
10 Italy in 1934, the military junta of Argentina in 1978 and Vladimir Putin’s Russia in 2018.

[3] Rather, what made FIFA’s decision so astonishing was that, to any objective observer, Qatar seemed
Q2iii
uniquely unqualified for the job for a whole host of reasons quite apart from the political and ethical.

[4] For a start, due to the nation’s small size and the fact that it has just one proper city, Qatar lacked the Q3i
infrastructure required for a sporting event on the scale of the World Cup. Making matters worse, Qatar is Q3ii
15 one of the hottest countries on the planet, with temperatures occasionally reaching 50 degrees Celsius in Q3iii
summer, making it almost comically ill-suited to play host to an outdoor summertime sporting event.

[5] Why, then, was Qatar chosen? Well, the simple answer is almost certainly money. And while Qatar
itself has not been directly linked to any illegal dealings in its pursuit of the World Cup hosting rights, it Q6iv
would be reasonable to assume that a fair amount of that money might be dirty, given that FIFA has been Q6i
20 shown to be an organization with a long-standing and truly monumental corruption problem, according to Q4
some reports in the papers.

[6] Since the 2010 announcement, there’s been a seemingly endless series of high-profile scandals Q5
surrounding FIFA and its officials, many of them centred specifically on the Qatar World Cup bid. For
instance, there were reports suggesting that the 22 FIFA Executive Committee members who were present Q6ii
25 for the vote which gave Qatar the 2022 World Cup and Russia the one in 2018, an astonishing 16 have
since been accused of or charged with corruption in one form or another.

[7] In the wake of each of these scandals, the calls for the 2018 vote and—in particular—the 2022 vote to Q8, Q7
be redone grew increasingly loud, but ultimately, they still went unheeded. Thus, the reputation of Russia Q9
and Qatar were improved by their successful hosting of the World Cup, resulted in their deservedly poor
30 national images being at least temporarily burnished in the eyes of the international community.

[8] In the specific case of Qatar, though, there was an additional, and much more serious, consequence of
allowing the organizing of the tournament to proceed, namely the human suffering caused by the Q10
construction of the World Cup facilities.

[9] Qatar spent at least US$220 billion—more than ten times the amount spent by the three previous World Q11i
35 Cup hosts combined—building the stadiums and hotels, etc. needed for the tournament. And the work was
done almost exclusively by migrant labourers, primarily from India, Bangladesh and Nepal, toiling away Q11iii
under inhumane conditions and in stifling heat. By one estimate, as many as 6,750 of these workers died
in the decade following the 2010 announcement.

[10] It should really go without saying that no sporting event, even one as beloved—and as profitable—as
40 the World Cup, is worth the literal lives of thousands of human beings.

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 [11] Football is known as ‘the beautiful game’, which may very well be warranted. In the awarding of the Q15
World Cup to Qatar, however, it’s clear that the games being played off the pitch were of a much uglier
nature, and that there were several instances along the way where the players should have been given red Q14i
cards.

45 [12] FIFA insists that it has cleaned up its act over the last half decade, and Qatar similarly claims that it
has made reforms to better protect migrant workers, so perhaps something good may actually come out of
this mess. We’d be wise, however, not to believe it until we see it.

END OF READING PASSAGE

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 Candidate Number Please stick the barcode label here.

A
MOCK TEST 66
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1 PART A
QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK COMPULSORY

Write your Candidate Number in the space provided on this page.

Read Text 1 and answer questions 1–17. (30 marks)

Text 1

1 According to paragraph 1, what are THREE controversies involving the World Cup? (3 marks)

(i) Zinedine Zidane headbutting Marco Materazzi at Germany 2006

(ii) Diego Maradona’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal at Mexico 1986

(iii) the announcement (in 2010) that Qatar would be the host of the 2022 World Cup/tournament

2 Complete the summary of paragraphs 2 and 3 by selecting the best option from the choices below.
(3 marks)
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Because of the (i) FIFA has made in the past, it is clear that the organization is not overly
concerned about (ii) . The 2010 announcement was surprising because there were (iii)
reasons why Qatar would be a bad host for the World Cup.
(i) A choices
B regulations
C comments A B C D
D promises    
(ii) A laws
B human rights
C hosting rights A B C D
D reactions    
(iii) A unique
B political
C ethical A B C D
D several    

3 In paragraph 4, what are the reasons that Qatar would not be a suitable host? Write ONE word in
each blank below. Make sure your answers are grammatically correct. (3 marks)
(i) Qatar is too small to host the World Cup.

(ii) It doesn’t have the necessary infrastructure .

(iii) It is also far too hot .

4 Find a word or phrase in paragraph 5 which has a similar meaning to ‘enormous’.

monumental

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Go on to the next page

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 5 Who or what does ‘them’ (line 23) refer to?

(the high-profile) scandals surrounding FIFA and its officials

6 Below is a summary of paragraphs 5 and 6. In three of the lines there is ONE mistake. If you find a
mistake, underline it and replace the word with one that expresses the correct idea in the Correction
column. Both grammar and spelling must be correct. In one of the lines there is no mistake; put a tick
() in the Correction column. (4 marks)
Summary Correction
(i) It seems likely that there was dirty right involved in the decision to make money

(ii) Qatar the host of the World Cup. The minority of the people who took majority

(iii) part in the vote have since faced such accusations. However, there has 

(iv) been no evidence that Qatar itself did anything that was unreasonable. illegal
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

7 Who or what does ‘they’ (line 28) refer to?

the calls for the 2018 and 2022 votes to be redone

8 Find a word or phrase in paragraph 7 which has a similar meaning to ‘following’.

In / in the wake of

9 According to paragraph 7, how had Russia and Qatar benefitted from hosting the World Cup?

their (international) reputation / national image had temporarily improved / burnished

10 Complete the following sentence using a word or phrase taken from paragraphs 8 and 9. Your answer
must be grammatically correct.
The awarding of the World Cup to Qatar contributed to human suffering .

11 According to paragraph 9, decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F) or Not
Given (NG). (3 marks)
Statements T F NG
(i) Between them, the three previous World Cup hosts spent less than US$22   
billion on construction.
(ii) The Qatar World Cup was the most expensive in history.   
(iii) Most of the workers who died were Qatari.   

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

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 12 Which word best describes the writer’s tone in paragraph 10?
A forceful
B sad
C mocking A B C D
D offended    

13 (i) Based on the information in the text, what were ‘the games being played off the pitch’ (line
42)? (1 mark)

the corruption // the deals / decisions about the World Cup

(ii) Who were ‘the players’ (line 43)? (1 mark)

the officials (from FIFA and Qatar)

14 (i) Find the metaphor the writer uses in paragraph 11. (1 mark)
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

the players should have been given red cards

(ii) Explain the meaning of this metaphor. (1 mark)

they should have been fired / arrested

15 Does the writer agree that football is a ‘beautiful game’ (line 41)? Explain your answer.

Yes, because the game by itself is very well being warranted / justified as beautiful.

16 What does the writer imply when he/she says ‘We’d be wise, however, not to believe it until we see
it’ in line 47?

It implies that the writer has doubts to believe that FIFA has cleaned up its act and Qatar has made
reforms to protect its migrant workers. (Accept any reasonable answer.)

17 What is the purpose of the writer? He or she is writing ______ the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
A to promote
B to explain
C to complain about A B C D
D to caution against    

END OF PART A

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 Do not write on this page.
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MT 66-DSE

B1
ENG LANG
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION
PAPER 1
PART B1 EASY SECTION
MOCK TEST 66
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1
PART B1
Reading Passages
1 hour 30 minutes
(for both Parts A and B)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Refer to the General Instructions on Page 1 of the Reading Passages booklet for Part A.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PART B1

(1) The Question-Answer Book for Part B1 is inserted after this Reading Passages booklet.
(2) Candidates who choose Part B1 should attempt all questions in this part. Each question carries
ONE mark unless otherwise stated.
(3) Hand in only ONE Question-Answer Book for Part B, either B1 or B2.

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 Part B1

Read Texts 2–3 and answer questions 18–34 in the Question-Answer Book for Part B1.

Text 2

Health Secretary confirms plans for ‘smoke-free generation’

1 [1] At an event to mark the 40th anniversary of tobacco control in Hong Kong, Secretary for Health Lo Q20i, Q26iii
Chung-mau confirmed that the government is considering a lifetime tobacco ban for people born in or after Q19
2009.

[2] This came just days after Henry Tong Sau-chai, the chairperson of the Hong Kong Council on Smoking
Q20ii
5 and Health, told the media that such a ban was on the table.

[3] The new ban would make it illegal for this ‘smoke-free generation’ to buy tobacco products even after
they turn 18, the current minimum age for purchases, in 2027 or later. It is modelled on a bill that was voted Q20iii
through by the New Zealand parliament in July of this year.

[4] The New Zealand bill left vaping untouched, however, whereas in Hong Kong, e-cigarettes and all other Q21
10 alternative smoking products were recently made illegal.

[5] While Hong Kong’s smoking rate is one of the lowest in the world, at 9.5 per cent of all people aged
15 or over, Chief Executive John Lee set a target in his maiden policy address to reduce it to 7.8 per cent Q26iv, Q22
by 2025.

[6] To achieve this, Tong has also proposed doubling Hong Kong’s tobacco tax to HK$76 per packet by Q26i, Q23
15 2023–24, and then raising it even further by 2025–26. As a result, a packet of cigarettes currently priced at
HK$60 would first go up to around HK$100 and then to a rather exorbitant HK$200.

[7] A recent University of Hong Kong survey found resounding public support for such a measure, with
more than three quarters of respondents saying that they would welcome a tobacco tax increase. Q25i

[8] A majority of the smokers surveyed also said they would quit the habit if the price of cigarettes were Q25ii
20 increased.

Text 3

Lifetime tobacco ban is not the way to go

1 [1] First of all, I am absolutely, unequivocally, most definitely NOT a smoker. I don’t understand why Q27
anyone would ever do something like that to themselves, considering the well-documented adverse health
effects (including death, for goodness sake!) and the high cost to boot. Q28ii

[2] Having said that, though, I can’t say I’m in favour of the lifetime tobacco ban that has been proposed Q28iii
5 for Hong Kong. For a start, it really doesn’t seem fair to penalize people simply because they were born
after a certain year. I mean, it’s obviously sensible to prohibit people under the age of 18 from buying
cigarettes. But you can’t keep that prohibition in place after they reach 18—or 36, or 72—at least not while
cigarettes remain legal to others.

[3] More importantly, however, I’m a firm believer in personal responsibility and freedom. In this day and
10 age, everyone who smokes obviously knows it isn’t good for them. If they still insist on keeping—or
picking—up the habit, then that’s their business, isn’t it? Yes, you may well think they’re being stupid. But Q29i
if we don’t have the freedom to make stupid decisions about our own lives, then we aren’t truly free, are Q29iii, Q29ii
we?

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 [4] There’s also the danger that a ban such as this would put us on a slippery slope. Burgers, bubble tea and
mountain climbing are all potentially harmful to our health. Should there be a ban on them as well, then,
along with the thousands of other things that people enjoy even though they’d be better off without them?

[5] Lastly, does anyone seriously believe that the post-2009ers will have any difficulty getting cigarettes if
5 they want them? It seems to me that if people are going to keep smoking anyway, they might as well buy Q31
their cigarettes through the proper, legal channels.

[6] That way, the sale of tobacco products will keep bringing in money to the government, which should Q33
go quite a way towards covering the healthcare costs associated with smoking. This is especially true, of Q32
course, if the tax is increased, as has been suggested.

10 COMMENTS

dannie_p — 21 January 17.31

So smoking is about personal freedom? Then what about my freedom not to breathe in harmful second-
hand smoke? If I eat a burger or climb a mountain, the only person at risk is me. Clearly the same can’t be Q34i
said for smoking.

15 sofi08 — 21 January 18.46

Why not let younger people use e-cigarettes and stuff like that? Those are meant to be safer, right? Q34ii

END OF READING PASSAGES

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 Candidate Number Please stick the barcode label here.

B1
MOCK TEST 66
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1 PART B1
QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK EASY SECTION

Write your Candidate Number in the space provided on this page.

Read Texts 2–3 and answer questions 18–34. (30 marks)
Text 2

18 The text is taken from …

A a newspaper.
B a blog.
C a proposal. A B C D
D an email.    

19 According to paragraph 1, who would be the target of the tobacco ban?

people born in or after 2009

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

20 For each word or phrase given below, find a word or phrase which has a similar meaning in the
specified paragraph. (3 marks)
(i) ‘celebrate’ (paragraph 1) mark

(ii) ‘being considered’ (paragraph 2) on the table

(iii) ‘passed’ (paragraph 3) voted through

21 What is the difference between the smoking laws in New Zealand and Hong Kong?

vaping is legal / untouched in New Zealand (but illegal in Hong Kong) // e-cigarettes and all other

alternative smoking products are illegal in Hong Kong (but legal / untouched in New Zealand)

22 What ‘target’ (line 12) did Chief Executive John Lee set?

(to) reduce the smoking rate (from 9.5 per cent) to 7.8 per cent / % by 2025

23 Based on the information in paragraph 6, what is the current tobacco tax per packet in Hong Kong?

HK$38

24 The mention of ‘a rather exorbitant HK$200’ (line 16) suggests the writer thinks this is …
A not enough.
B just right.
C an improvement. A B C D
D too much.    
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Go on to the next page

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 25 Complete the following sentence based on the information in paragraphs 7 and 8. (2 marks)

More than (i) 75 // seventy-five per cent of the people surveyed were in favour of increasing the tax,
and a large number of smokers said they would (ii) quit // stop smoking if the price went up.

26 Use the information in Text 2 to match the people (A–C) mentioned in the text with one of the
following comments. Write the letter of the person in the blank below the comment. Each letter can
be used ONCE only. One comment does NOT match with any person in the text and you should
choose ‘D Not stated’. (4 marks)

A Lo Chung-mau C Henry Tong Sau-chai

B John Lee D Not stated

The high cost Yes, that report I still think we

I can’t see how it
will defer people was entirely can cut it down
could be done.
from smoking. correct. further.
Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

(i) C (ii) D (iii) A (iv) B

Text 3

27 What does ‘that’ (line 2) refer to?

smoke // being a smoker

28 According to paragraphs 1 and 2, decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F) or
Not Given (NG). (3 marks)
Statements T F NG
(i) The writer has never smoked a cigarette.   
(ii) The writer thinks cigarettes are expensive.   
(iii) The writer thinks the lifetime tobacco ban is sensible.   

29 Based on the information in paragraph 3, complete the following summary by writing a word or phrase
taken from paragraph 3 in each blank below. Your answers must be grammatically correct. (3 marks)

Even if others think it is (i) stupid to smoke, people should nevertheless be

(ii) free to do so if they want. Everyone should have the right to make

(iii) (stupid) decisions for themselves.

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 30 Based on the information in paragraph 4, ‘a slippery slope’ (line 14) is a situation or course of action
which …
A can result in things getting worse and worse.
B will likely solve an existing problem.
C is unpleasant but correct. A B C D
D will affect many other people.    

31 What does ‘That way’ (line 20) refer to?

buying cigarettes through the proper, legal channels

32 Complete the following sentence using a word or phrase taken from paragraph 6.

When people smoke, it results in higher healthcare costs for society as a whole.

33 What is the one benefit of smoking that the writer mentions?

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

it brings in money to the government

34 Based on the information in the Comments section (lines 23–29), decide whether each of the two
people agrees or disagrees with the statement ‘I support a ban on smoking’ by blackening the
appropriate circle. Complete the main points made by the people in the Comments section by writing
a word or phrase taken from lines 24–29 in the blanks below. (4 marks)

Opinion towards the

statement: ‘I support Main Point
a ban on smoking’

Agrees Disagrees

dannie_p   Smoking puts other people (i) at risk .

Some smoking products are (ii) safer

sofi08   than others.

END OF PART B1

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 Do not write on this page.
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MT 66-DSE

B2
ENG LANG
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION
PAPER 1
PART B2 DIFFICULT SECTION
MOCK TEST 66
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1
PART B2
Reading Passages
1 hour 30 minutes
(for both Parts A and B)

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
(1) Refer to the General Instructions on Page 1 of the Reading Passages booklet for Part A.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PART B2

(1) The Question-Answer Book for Part B2 is inserted after this Reading Passages booklet.
(2) Candidates who choose Part B2 should attempt all questions in this part. Each question carries
ONE mark unless otherwise stated.
(3) Hand in only ONE Question-Answer Book for Part B, either B1 or B2.

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 Part B2

Read Text 4 and answer questions 35–51 in the Question-Answer Book for Part B2.

Text 4

The year of the goblins

1 [1] At the start of the Covid pandemic, as people were finding themselves locked in their houses for weeks
at a time, a certain breed of holier-than-thou go-getter appeared who took their physical isolation as an
opportunity to very publicly ‘better’ themselves in all manner of ways. They would take up yoga, for
example, or sourdough baking, or gardening, or embroidery—all while gleefully rubbing their Q36
5 achievements in everyone else’s face on social media.

[2] Due to the relentless compulsion within modern society to pigeonhole and bestow catchy terms onto
every mundane aspect of human behaviour, these nauseating displays of in-your-face domesticity very Q37, Q38ii
quickly started to be categorized as examples of ‘that girl’ or ‘cottagecore’ aesthetics (this latter term also Q38i
appeasing the equally unyielding compulsion these days to give every little change in fashion or lifestyle
10 trends the name whatever-core). Q38i

[3] After almost three years of Covid, however, it appears that some of this egregious pep has abated. For
evidence, look no further than the announcement this week that the Oxford University Press Word of the Q39
Year for 2022 is ‘goblin mode’. The venerable publishing house defines the word (well, the words, really, Q40
or perhaps the phrase—but who am I to quibble) as ‘a type of behaviour which is unapologetically self-
15 indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations’. Q41

[4] Oh, dear. ‘Self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy’? That sounds like perfectly dreadful behaviour,
doesn’t it? Digging a little deeper, though, we find this example from Dave McNamee, whose tweets on
goblin mode helped to popularize the concept in early 2022:

[5] ‘Goblin mode is like when you wake up at 2 a.m. and shuffle into the kitchen wearing nothing but a Q42ii, Q42iii
20 long T-shirt to make a weird snack, like melted cheese on saltines. It’s about a complete lack of aesthetic.
Because why would a goblin care what they look like? Why would a goblin care about presentation?’

[6] Ah, I see. When we get right down to it, then, ‘going goblin mode’ simply means ‘occasionally being
a bit of a slob in the privacy of your own home’. It’s not hard to see why that would be an appealing concept Q42iv
at this juncture in history. Nor is there any question that the term itself has found considerable popularity.

25 [7] OUP made an important change to the selection process for this year’s word, in that they opened it up
to the public. ‘Goblin mode’ very appropriately went goblin mode on the opposition, soundly beating the
other two contenders, ‘metaverse’ and ‘#IStandWith’, into proverbial pulps by garnering a whopping 93 Q43
per cent of the more than 300,000 total votes cast.

[8] ‘Given the year we’ve just experienced, “goblin mode” resonates with all of us who are feeling a little
30 overwhelmed at this point,’ explained Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages. ‘It’s a relief to Q44
acknowledge that we’re not always the idealized, curated selves that we’re encouraged to present on our
Instagram and TikTok feeds. […] People are embracing their inner goblin, and voters choosing ‘goblin
mode’ as the Word of the Year tells us the concept is likely here to stay.’

[9] Well, that’s excellent news, Casper my boy. Because unlike ‘that girl’ and ‘cottagecore’, ‘goblin mode’ Q46i
35 is one stupidly named fad I can get behind. Indeed, I seem to have perfected the artform already, without Q46ii
even realizing that what I was doing was so on trend. Not ten minutes before I sat down to write this piece, Q46ii
I resorted—without a second thought—to putting my dirty dishes in the bathroom because I’d run out of
space in the sink. And trust me, you don’t even want to know what subconsciously goblin-inspired attire I
was (and still am) wearing.

40 [10] Not all people are as inherently and effortlessly with it as I am, however. There is a powerfully Q46iii, Q45
stubborn nature to those ‘social norms’ and ‘expectations’ referenced in the OUP definition, and people Q46iv
(S4) MT 66-DSE-ENG LANG 1-B2-RP–2 18 © Oxford University Press
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 are understandably loath to break them. This, I’ll grant you, is not an altogether bad thing. I’m quite happy, Q46v
for example, that my doctor isn’t so unburdened by societal conventions that he feels comfortable showing
up to his clinic dressed only in his underwear. But there is something borderline pathological about our
45 having become so socialized that we don’t even feel free to ‘misbehave’ when we’re completely alone and Q46v
nobody is watching.

[11] Hopefully, with the ‘word’ ‘goblin mode’ having been officially sanctioned and promoted by no less Q48
an authority than Oxford University Press, the behaviour it denotes will become more widely accepted by
extension, and we’ll see the normalization of something that should really have been considered normal to
50 begin with: the urge to set those annoying social norms and expectations aside every once in a while and Q47
embrace your worse nature.

[12] The way I see it, that urge should be encouraged whenever possible, whether the result is some former Q49
‘that girl’ followers tweeting about going goblin mode after workout or a middle-aged writer stepping over
grease-encrusted plates while wearing only an ancient dressing-gown with holes in all the wrong places.
55 Because no matter how hideous they may be, the world certainly needs more goblins—at least on a part-
time basis.

END OF READING PASSAGE

(S4) MT 66-DSE-ENG LANG 1-B2-RP–3 19 © Oxford University Press

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 This is a blank page.

(S4) MT 66-DSE-ENG LANG 1-B2-RP–4 20 © Oxford University Press

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 Candidate Number Please stick the barcode label here.

MOCK TEST 66
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PAPER 1 PART B2
B2
DIFFICULT SECTION
QUESTION-ANSWER BOOK

Write your Candidate Number in the space provided on this page.

Read Text 4 and answer questions 35–51. (30 marks)

Text 4

35 A ‘holier-than-thou go-getter’ (line 2) is someone who is …

A religious and self-assured.
B self-righteous and ambitious.
C reliable and helpful. A B C D
D confident and assertive.    

36 Find an expression in paragraph 1 which has a similar meaning to ‘boasting’.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

rubbing their achievements in everyone else’s face

37 Which word or phrase in paragraph 2 can be replaced by ‘ordinary’?

mundane

38 Complete the following sentence based on the information in paragraph 2. (2 marks)

‘That girl’ and ‘cottagecire’ are (i) terms // names used to describe certain trending
(ii) behaviour .

39 What does ‘The venerable publishing house’ refer to in line 13?

Oxford University Press

40 According to paragraph 3, what one problem does the writer have with the Oxford University Press
Word of the Year?

it’s two words / a phrase / not a single / just one word

41 Based on the information in paragraph 3, what is ‘globin mode’ (line 13)?

Goblin mode is an act of living that rejects social norms or expectations .

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Go on to the next page

(S4) MT 66-DSE-ENG LANG 1-B2–1 21 © Oxford University Press

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 42 According to paragraphs 4 to 6, decide whether the following statements are True (T), False (F) or Not
Given (NG). (4 marks)
Statements T F NG
(i) Dave McNamee came up with the term ‘goblin mode’.   
(ii) Among other things, goblin mode can encompass clothing and food.   
(iii) There is a particular fashion that is associated with goblin mode.   
(iv) The writer finds the popularity of goblin mode surprising.   

43 What evidence does the writer provide for the claim that ‘the term itself has found considerable
popularity’ (line 24)?

It got 93 per cent of the votes when OUP opened up the selection process for the Word of the Year

to the public.

44 Does Casper Grathwohl have a favourable view of goblin mode as a concept? Provide evidence from
paragraph 8 to support your answer.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

Yes, because he says it’s a relief (to acknowledge) that we’re not always the idealized, curated

selves (that we’re encouraged to present on our Instagram and TikTok feeds).

45 What does ‘This’ (line 43) refer to?

(the fact that) people are loath to break (the) social norms and expectations (referenced in the OUP

definition)

46 Based on the information in paragraphs 9 and 10, complete the summary by writing a word or phrase
taken from these paragraphs in each blank below. Your answers must be grammatically correct.
(5 marks)

The writer thinks it is (i) excellent (news) that the concept of goblin mode is

here to stay, because he or she has already taken to this (ii) trend // fad ,

and done so (iii) inherently // effortlessly , without even realizing it. However, because of

the (iv) stubborn nature to conform to social norms and expectations, many other

people are unwilling to (v) break them // misbehave .

47 According to the writer, what ‘should really have been considered normal’ (line 50)?

occasionally setting the annoying social norms and expectations aside and embracing our worst

nature

Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

(S4) MT 66-DSE-ENG LANG 1-B2–2 22 © Oxford University Press

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 48 According to paragraph 11, why might going goblin mode become more acceptable?

(because) the word has been officially sanctioned and promoted (by no less an authority than

Oxford University Press)

49 Why does the writer use some former ‘that girl’ followers and a middle-aged writer as examples in
paragraph 12?

to show that the trend of going goblin mode should be encouraged whenever possible / regardless of
backgrounds

50 Below are subheadings for the paragraphs of Text 4. Match the most appropriate subheading (A–G) with
the paragraph(s). Write the letter of the subheading next to the paragraph number(s) given. Use each
letter ONCE only. One of the subheadings is not used. (6 marks)

Subheading Paragraph(s) Subheading

A. Both a benefit and a pain
1–2 (i) D
B. Permission to go goblin

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Answers written in the margins will not be marked.

3–5 (ii) C
C. A shift towards imperfection
D. Annoying terminology for annoying people 6–8 (iii) G

E. Reconsidering the decision 9 (iv) F

F. A natural goblin 10 (v) A

G. Undeniable public support 11–12 (vi) B

51 This text is …
A a feature article.
B an essay.
C a column. A B C D
D a letter to the editor.    

END OF PART B2

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(S4) MT 66-DSE-ENG LANG 1-B2–3 23 © Oxford University Press

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 Do not write on this page.
Answers written on this page will not be marked.

(S4) MT 66-DSE-ENG LANG 1-B2–4 24 © Oxford University Press

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