2023 FMSS PRELIM P2 (Insert)

NAME: _______________________________ ( ) CLASS: _______ FAIRFIELD METHODIST SCHOOL (SECONDARY) PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION 2023 SECONDARY 4 EXPRESS ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1184/02 Paper 2 Comprehension Date: 21 August 2023 Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes INSERT ______________________________________________________________________ READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST This Insert contains Text 1, Text 2, Text 3 and Text 4. Setters: Mr Joseph Guo and Ms Felicia Lai This insert consists of 6 printed pages including the cover page. [Turn over

NAME: _______________________________ ( ) CLASS: _______ FMS(S) Secondary 4 Express Preliminary Examination 2023 2 English Language Paper 2 Insert Section A Study the online advertisement (Text 1) and the social media post (Text 2) and answer Questions 1-4 in the Question Paper. Text 1 is taken from an online advertisement for Celebrating Dads 2022. Join us on 18 June from 8:30am to 5pm and have fun with your family in the Dad’s Day Out Challenge @ Sentosa! What's more, complete the challenges and redeem an attractive goodie bag! Text 2 is taken from a social media post on celebrating Father’s Day. The importance of a father cannot be neglected, ignored, overlooked or underestimated. The father- child relationship serves as a foundation of emotional support, guidance, and love. To honour fathers' efforts and contributions in society, a special day is observed every year as Father's Day. Rekindle the bond.

NAME: _______________________________ ( ) CLASS: _______ FMS(S) Secondary 4 Express Preliminary Examination 2023 English Language Paper 2 Insert 3 Section B Text 3 The text below describes Tuk's and the writer's experiences in the Amazon rainforest. Read the text carefully and answer Questions 5-13 in the Question Paper. 1 Amidst the echoing calls in the heart of the sultry Amazon rainforest, Tuk and I encountered grave peril. We forced our way through branches that protruded like swords to assault us. The damp leaves threatened to send us plummeting to our demise. Even the towering trunks were poised to ensnare us in their treacherous grip. However, we were determined and not put off by the jungle’s rough greeting. 5 2 3 For days, each step took us deeper into unexplored territory that was filled with unseen mysteries and the constant hum of life teeming all around us. Fortunately, my guide, Tuk, was a seasoned native. From the engulfing greens of the leaves and musky aroma of jungle flowers to the earthy scent of the soil beneath our feet, Tuk moved with the grace and ease of a jaguar. As I followed closely behind, my eyes meticulously scanned the entire terrain for any signs of impending danger, while he skillfully wielded his sharp machete to slice through the dense foliage as easily as a hot knife through butter. As the sun began to dip below the horizon, we finally arrived at a clearing. In the heart of this vast expanse, a colossal stone temple arose splendidly, while its pyramids exuded an aura of awe. However, their edges bore the marks of centuries of exposure to the elements. The faded carvings on the stones, ancient glyphs and symbols, were all that remained. These were woven together like a tapestry of the past, narrating the story of a civilisation long lost to the sands of time. The air around it seemed to puls ate with a palpable sense of history and myster y, as if the temple held secrets and knowledge that had long been forgotten. 10 15 4 Moving forward with caution, Tuk firmly gripped the hilt of his machete. I followed closely, my heart pounding with excitement and fear. We climbed the steep and narrow steps of the pyramid, which were covered in a layer of moss and vines. After overcoming this treacherous ascent, we finally reached the top! Our senses were awakened with the thrill of discovery as we gazed upon an endless expanse of green stretching as far as the eye could see. The trees and vines below us seemed to stretch out into infinity, while the tangled and impenetrable mass of vegetation could swallow up a man in moments. 20 25 5 Suddenly, a deafening rumbling filled the air, and the ground began to shake. Tuk shouted urgently in his native tongue. With fear etched on his face, he scanned the horizon for any sign of what was to come. My blood froze as an immense wave of water surged towards me. Tuk grabbed my arm, pulling me towards the edge of the pyramid, his grip tight and unyielding. We looked out across the water, watching as the wave grew closer and closer. Its relentless force was akin to stampeding elephants, threatening to burst from the sheer intensity of the moment. My mind raced as I tried to process what was happening. As the wave hit us, I was thrown from my feet, tumbling down the steep steps of the pyramid and crashing into the foliage below. The final impact was brutal for me. My body slammed into the hard earth with a sickening thud, and I could feel a wave of immense pain lancing through my leg like a white-hot poker. 30 35 6 As the water receded, a trail of destruction was left in its wake. I struggled to my feet, my body aching and bruised. Tuk descended the pyramid with a determined expression, scanning the clearing for any sign of danger. I followed him, my heart still racing from the adrenaline of the moment. It was already evening. We had to navigate our way efficiently through the jungle and quickly start a fire at the campsite, as we did not want the darkness to envelope the jungle like a 40

NAME: _______________________________ ( ) CLASS: _______ FMS(S) Secondary 4 Express Preliminary Examination 2023 English Language Paper 2 Insert 4 thick blanket. Eventually, dancing flames emerged, casting eerie shadows across the jungle. We sat in silence, our minds still reeling from the day's events. Finally, Tuk spoke in a sombre tone, "This is a sacred place. We must be careful, for the jungle is a wild and dangerous place. It does not forgive those who do not respect it." I nodded, understanding the gravity of his intonation in this matter. 45 (Adapted from ‘The Lost Symbol’ by Dan Brown, 2009)

NAME: _______________________________ ( ) CLASS: _______ FMS(S) Secondary 4 Express Preliminary Examination 2023 English Language Paper 2 Insert 5 Section C Text 4 The text below is about sneaker culture. Read the text carefully and answer Questions 14-21 in the Question Paper. 1 In the millennial-driven online luxury market, streetwear, athleisure and sports lifestyle brands are in the ascendant. Premium sneakers are ubiquitous on the feet of star athletes, musicians, and celebrities around the world . Such h igh-profile collaborations fuel a multi -billion-dollar global sneaker resale market that is expected to grow exponentially over the coming decade. 2 First invented in the 1860s in England for the upper -class playing racket games, sneakers were long associated with function over fashion and did not achieve widespread recognition u