Look at the following list of people A-E and the list of statements (Questions 1-7).
Match each statement with one of the people listed.
A | Wendy Cooling |
B | David Almond |
C | Julia Eccleshare |
D | Jacqueline Wilson |
E | Anne Fine |
Write the appropriate letters A-E in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.
1 Children take pleasure in giving books to each other.
2 Reading in public is an activity that children have not always felt comfortable about doing.
3 Some well-known writers of adult literature regret that they earn less than popular children’s writers.
4 Children are quick to decide whether they like or dislike a book.
5 Children will read many books by an author that they like.
6 The public do not realise how much children read today.
7 We are experiencing a rise in the popularity of children’s literature.
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q1. Children take pleasure in giving books to each other. | Author Jacqueline Wilson says that children spread news of her books like a bushfire They’re sociable and acquisitive. They collect; they have parties - where books are a good present. |
After reading paragraph G, “Pleasure” and “social and acquisitive” have the same meaning in this context. “Giving books to each other” and “spread books” & “books are a good present” have the same meaning in this context. This statement refers to Jacqueline Wilson. Thus, the correct answer for Q1 should be “D” |
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Q2. Reading in public is an activity that children have not always felt comfortable about doing. | So influential has J. K. Rowling’s series of books been that they have helped to make reading fashionable for pre-teens. ‘Harry made it OK to be seen on a bus reading a book,’ says Cooling. ‘To a child, that is important.’ |
After reading paragraph C, “In public” and “on a bus” have the same meaning in this context. “Have not always felt comfortable” and “fashionable for pre-teens”, “to a child, that is important” have the same meaning in this context. This statement refers to Wendy Cooling. Thus, the correct answer for Q2 should be “A” |
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Q3. Some well-known writers of adult literature regret that they earn less than popular children’s writers. | 'Some feted adult writers would kill for the sales,’ says Almond |
After reading paragraph F, “Well-known writers” and “feted adult writers” have the same meaning in this context. “Kill for the sales” means “desperately want to be successful in selling product”, refers to “regret that they earn less popular than popular children’s writers. This statement refers to Jacqueline Wilson. Thus, the correct answer for Q3 should be “B” |
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Q4. Children are quick to decide whether they like or dislike a book. | Children are demanding readers,’ she says. ‘If they don’t get it in two pages, they’ll drop it.’ |
After reading paragraph E, “Quick to decide like or dislike a book” and “don’t get it in two pages, they’ll drop it” refer to the same meaning in this context. This statement refers to Julia Eccleshare. Thus, the correct answer for Q4 should be “C” |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q5. Children will read many books by an author that they like.
| It helps that once smitten; children are loyal and even fanatical consumers. Author Jacqueline Wilson says |
After reading paragraph G, “Read many books by an author that they like and “loyal” “fanatical consumers” have the same meaning in this context. It means that “children are loyal to follow and read many books by the author that they like”, This statement refers to Jacqueline Wilson. Thus, the correct answer for Q5 should be “D” |
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Q6. The public do not realise how much children read today.
| People still tell me, “Children don’t read nowadays”,’ says David Almond , the award-winning author of children’s books such as Skellig. The truth is that they are skilled, creative readers. |
After reading paragraph D, we can see that while “people tell that children don’t read nowadays”, “The truth is that they (children) are skilled, creative readers”, it means that people (public) do not realize the truth of children’s reading. This statement refers to David Almond. Thus, the correct answer for Q6 should be “B” |
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Q7. We are experiencing a rise in the popularity of children’s literature. | ‘Children’s books are going through an incredibly fertile period,’ says Wendy Cooling, a children’s literature consultant. |
After reading paragraph G, “Children’s books are going through an incredibly fertile period”, it means that “children’s books had an increase in popularity in this period” “A rise in the popularity” and “incredibly fertile period” have the same meaning in this context. This statement refers to Wendy Cooling Thus, the correct answer for Q7 should be “A” |
Using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the reading passage, answer the following questions.
Write your answers in boxes 8-10 on your answer sheet.
For which age group have sales of books risen the most?
8
Which company has just invested heavily in an unpublished children’s book?
9
Who is currently the best-selling children’s writer?
10
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Q8. For which age group have sales of books risen the most? | The main growth area has been the market for eight to fourteen-year-olds. |
After reading paragraph C, we can see that “Risen the most” and “main growth area” have the same meaning in this context. Thus, the correct answer for Q8 should be “eight to fourteen” |
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Q9. Which company has just invested heavily in an unpublished children’s book? | UK publishing outfit Orion recently negotiated a six-figure sum from US company Scholastic for The Seeing Stone, a children's novel by Kevin Crossley-Holland, the majority of which will go to the author. |
After reading paragraph F, “Just invested” and “recently negotiated” have the same meaning in this context. “Majority of which will go to the author” refers to “heavily in an unpublished book” The company is mentioned here is Orion. Thus, the correct answer for Q9 should be “Orion” |
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Q10. Who is currently the best-selling children’s writer? | After Rowling, Wilson is currently the best-selling children’s writer. |
After reading paragraph G, “After Rowling, Wilson is currently the best-selling children’s writer”, so the currently best-selling children’s writer is J.K Rowling. Thus, the correct answer for Q10 should be “J.K Rowling” |
Reading Passage 1 has ten paragraphs A-J.
Which paragraph mentions the following (Questions 11-14)?
Write the appropriate letters (A-J) in boxes 11-14 on your answer sheet.
11 the fact that children are able to identify and discuss the important elements of fiction
12 the undervaluing of children’s society
13 the impact of a particular fictional character on the sales of children’s books
14 an inaccurate forecast regarding the reading habits of children
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q11. the fact that children are able to identify and discuss the important elements of fiction | They ask me very sophisticated questions about use of language, story structure, chapters and dialogue.’ No one is denying that books are competing with other forms of entertainment for children’s attention but it seems as though children find a special kind of mental nourishment within the printed page. |
After reading paragraph D, “Ask sophisticated questions” and “identify and discuss” refer to the same meaning in this case. “Important elements of fiction” and “language, story structure, chapters and dialogue” have the same meaning in this context. Thus, the correct answer for Q11 should be “D” |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q12. the undervaluing of children’s society | But Anne Fine, author of many award winning children’s books is concerned that the British literati still ignore children’s culture. ‘It’s considered worthy but boring,’ she says. |
After reading paragraph G, “Undervaluing of children’s society” and “ignore children’s culture” have the same meaning in this context. Thus, the correct answer for Q12 should be “H” |
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Q13. the impact of a particular fictional character on the sales of children’s books | …there is little doubt that the boom has been fuelled by the bespectacled apprentice, Harry Potter. So influential has J. K. Rowling ’s series of books been that they have helped to make reading fashionable for pre-teens |
After reading paragraph G, “A Particular fictional character” refers to “bespectacled Potter” in this context. “Impact” and “influential” & “boom” have the same meaning in this context. Paragraph C mentioned the influence of a particular character (Harry Potter). Thus, the correct answer for Q13 should be “C” |
Keywords in Questions | Similar words in Passage |
Q14. an inaccurate forecast regarding the reading habits of children | Less than three years ago, doom merchants were predicting that the growth in video games and the rise of the Internet would sound the death knell for children’s literature. But contrary to popular myth, children are reading more books than ever |
After reading paragraph A, “Forecast” and “predict” have the same meaning in this context. “Inaccurate” refers to “contrary to popular myth” in this context. “But contrary to popular myth, children are reading more books than ever” showed the contradicted prediction as mentioned in the beginning “doom merchants were predicting that the growth in video games and the rise of the Internet”, refers to “an inaccurate forecast regarding the reading habits of children” Thus, the correct answer for Q14 should be “A” |
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13. which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.
Fears that television and computers would kill children’s desire to read couldn’t have been more wrong. With sales roaring, a new generation of authors are publishing’s newest and unlikeliest literary stars
A Less than three years ago, doom merchants were predicting that the growth in video games and the rise of the Internet would sound the death knell for children’s literature. But contrary to popular myth, children are reading more books than ever. A recent survey by Books Marketing found that children up to the age of 11 read on average for four hours a week, particularly girls.
B Moreover, the children’s book market, which traditionally was seen as a poor cousin to the more lucrative and successful adult market, has come into its own. Publishing houses are now making considerable profits on the back of new children’s books and children’s authors can now command significant advances. ‘Children’s books are going through an incredibly fertile period,’ says Wendy Cooling, a children’s literature consultant. ‘There’s a real buzz around them. Book clubs are happening, sales are good, and people are much more willing to listen to children’s authors.’
C The main growth area has been the market for eight to fourteen-year-olds, and there is little doubt that the boom has been fuelled by the bespectacled apprentice, Harry Potter. So influential has J. K. Rowling’s series of books been that they have helped to make reading fashionable for pre-teens. ‘Harry made it OK to be seen on a bus reading a book,’ says Cooling. ‘To a child, that is important.’ The current buzz around the publication of the fourth Harry Potter beats anything in the world of adult literature.
D ‘People still tell me, “Children don’t read nowadays”,’ says David Almond, the award-winning author of children’s books such as Skellig. The truth is that they are skilled, creative readers. When I do classroom visits, they ask me very sophisticated questions about use of language, story structure, chapters and dialogue.’ No one is denying that books are competing with other forms of entertainment for children’s attention but it seems as though children find a special kind of mental nourishment within the printed page.
E ‘A few years ago, publishers lost confidence and wanted to make books more like television, the medium that frightened them most,’ says children’s book critic Julia Eccleshare. ‘But books aren’t TV, and you will find that children always say that the good thing about books is that you can see them in your head. Children are demanding readers,’ she says. ‘If they don’t get it in two pages, they’ll drop it.’
F No more are children’s authors considered mere sentimentalists or failed adult writers. 'Some feted adult writers would kill for the sales,’ says Almond, who sold 42,392 copies of Skellig in 1999 alone. And advances seem to be growing too: UK publishing outfit Orion recently negotiated a six-figure sum from US company Scholastic for The Seeing Stone, a children's novel by Kevin Crossley-Holland, the majority of which will go to the author.
G It helps that once smitten, children are loyal and even fanatical consumers. Author Jacqueline Wilson says that children spread news of her books like a bushfire. 'My average reader is a girl of ten,’ she explains. ‘They’re sociable and acquisitive. They collect, they have parties - where books are a good present. If they like something, they have to pass it on.’ After Rowling, Wilson is currently the best-selling children’s writer, and her sales have boomed over the past three years. She has sold more than three million books, but remains virtually invisible to adults, although most ten- year-old girls know about her.
H Children’s books are surprisingly relevant to contemporary life. Provided they are handled with care, few topics are considered off-limits for children. One senses that children’s writers relish the chance to discuss the whole area of topics and language. But Anne Fine, author of many awardwinning children’s books is concerned that the British literati still ignore children’s culture. ‘It’s considered worthy but boring,’ she says.
I T think there’s still a way to go,’ says Almond, who wishes that children’s books were taken more seriously as literature. Nonetheless, he derives great satisfaction from his child readers. ‘They have a powerful literary culture,’ he says. ‘It feels as if you’re able to step into the store of mythology and ancient stories that run through all societies and encounter the great themes: love and loss and death and redemption.’
J At the moment, the race is on to find the next Harry Potter. The bidding for new books at Bologna this year - the children’s equivalent of the Frankfurt Book Fair - was as fierce as anything anyone has ever seen. All of which bodes well for the long-term future of the market - and for children’s authors, who have traditionally suffered the lowest profile in literature, despite the responsibility of their role.
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