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This is your second SET 11+ Stage 1 English practice paper. Remember, the real exam is 45 minutes and entirely multiple choice. Time yourself and work through all questions before checking answers.
Read the following passage carefully.
Dr Amara Osei had spent three winters in the Arctic, but nothing had prepared her for what she found that morning. The ice shelf, which had seemed so permanent and solid, had cracked overnight. A jagged line ran across the frozen landscape like a wound in the earth's skin.
She knelt beside the fracture and lowered a sensor into the dark water below. The readings confirmed her fears — the temperature was rising faster than any model had predicted. She recorded the data in her notebook with numb fingers, knowing that these numbers would matter to scientists around the world.
Her colleague, Dr Petersen, called from the base camp. "Amara, the helicopter is coming in two hours. We need to pack up." She nodded but did not move. The Arctic had a way of holding you — its vast silence, its impossible beauty. Even as it crumbled, she found it magnificent.
Back at camp, she uploaded her findings to the research network. Within hours, her data would be analysed by teams in London, Tokyo, and New York. One small set of numbers from one remote corner of the planet, yet it could change the way governments thought about the future.
Q1. How many winters had Dr Osei spent in the Arctic?
(a) One (b) Two (c) Three (d) Four
Q2. What happened to the ice shelf overnight?
(a) It melted completely (b) It cracked (c) It grew thicker (d) It turned blue
Q3. "A jagged line ran across the frozen landscape like a wound in the earth's skin." This contains:
(a) A metaphor only (b) A simile only (c) Both simile and personification (d) Alliteration only
Q4. Why were Dr Osei's fingers numb?
(a) She was nervous (b) She had injured her hands (c) It was extremely cold (d) She had been writing for hours
Q5. What did the sensor readings confirm?
(a) The ice was getting thicker (b) The temperature was rising faster than predicted (c) The water was frozen solid (d) There were fish below the ice
Q6. The word "fracture" is closest in meaning to:
(a) Surface (b) Break (c) Edge (d) Layer
Q7. Why did Dr Osei not move when told about the helicopter?
(a) She was injured (b) She was captivated by the Arctic (c) She could not hear Dr Petersen (d) She was frightened
Q8. "Even as it crumbled, she found it magnificent." What does this suggest?
(a) She enjoyed destruction (b) She appreciated its beauty despite the damage (c) She wanted to rebuild it (d) She was confused
Q9. Where would Dr Osei's data be analysed?
(a) Only in London (b) At the Arctic base camp (c) In London, Tokyo, and New York (d) At a local university
Q10. What is the main theme of this passage?
(a) Adventure and excitement (b) Climate change and scientific research (c) Friendship between colleagues (d) Travel and tourism
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