Advanced English Tawjihi questions: answers & practice

Q: Name the four identity areas in the opening article and give one example for each.

A: The four areas are interests, values, possessions, and circle. Examples: interests include reading or football; values include spontaneity or commitment; possessions include books, photos, or items with sentimental value; circle means the people we spend time with.

Q: Use three personality adjectives from page 5 to describe a speaker or classmate politely.

A: Example: She is dedicated because she keeps practising, compassionate because she cares about others, and resilient because she does not give up after problems.

Q: Form five compound adjectives from the boxes on page 5 and explain their meanings.

A: Examples: absent-minded = forgetful; kind-hearted = caring; strong-willed = determined; thin-skinned = easily offended; laid-back = relaxed; forward-looking = interested in the future.

Q: Explain the difference between a social butterfly and someone who keeps themself to themself.

A: A social butterfly is very sociable and enjoys meeting or talking to people. Someone who keeps themself to themself is more private and does not share much with others.

Q: Define five idioms from page 6 and use two in original sentences.

A: Examples: a cold fish = unemotional or unfriendly; a dark horse = someone with hidden ability; a go-getter = ambitious and active; a mover and shaker = influential and energetic; a smart alec = annoyingly clever; a smart cookie = clever person; a soft touch = easily persuaded. Example sentences: She is a go-getter who enters every competition. He seemed quiet, but he was a dark horse and won the prize.

Q: Give one argument for and one argument against psychometric testing in job interviews.

A: For: a nervous candidate may not perform well in an interview, so a test can give extra information. Against: tests can be expensive to administer and mark, and some people may perform badly in tests.

Q: Match each vocabulary item on page 7 with its definition.

A: Key matches: disposition = character or personality; moulded = influenced or changed; proponents = people who publicly support an idea; vulnerability = quality of being easily hurt; trait = particular characteristic or way of behaving; nurture = helping somebody develop; hereditary = passed from parent to child; offspring = children; oversimplification = making something so easy it is no longer true; destiny = what will happen in the future; imply = suggest.

Q: Mark the main stressed syllable in five vocabulary words.

A: Examples: DES-ti-ny, dis-po-SI-tion, he-RED-i-ta-ry, im-PLY, MOULD-ed, NUR-ture, OFF-spring, pro-PO-nents, vul-ner-a-BIL-i-ty. Trait has one syllable.

Q: Name three ways speakers highlight main points in complex talks.

A: Speakers may use a phrase that indicates something important, ask a rhetorical question, repeat key words, paraphrase to emphasise a point, or slow down the pace.

Q: Explain why I have read and I have been reading do not mean exactly the same thing.

A: I have read focuses on completion, so the book is finished. I have been reading focuses on the activity and may mean the speaker is still reading or wants to stress duration.

Q: Give one example each of present perfect simple and present perfect continuous.

A: Present perfect simple: I have read six books this month. Present perfect continuous: I have been reading for two hours.

Q: Explain the difference between future continuous and future perfect continuous.

A: Future continuous describes an action in progress at a future time: I will be working at six. Future perfect continuous looks back from a future point and stresses duration: By six, I will have been working for eight hours.

Q: Define linguistic relativity in your own words.

A: The idea that language may influence how speakers perceive or think about the world.

Q: Name two examples from the article that show languages categorising the world differently.

A: Two examples are Guugu Yimithirr speakers using compass directions such as north, south, east, and west for position, and some Amazon languages distinguishing smaller and larger amounts rather than using exact numbers.

Q: Explain why the Inuit snow example is treated carefully rather than accepted simply.

A: The article says the simple claim that “the Inuit have hundreds of words for snow” is partly a myth because there is not one single Inuit language. However, it also says recent research gives some support to the idea that these dialects distinguish types of snow more than many other languages.

Q: List the five paragraph functions used to organise the model blog post.

A: 1. Introduce the memory by explaining why you are talking about it. 2. Give the background. 3. Describe the main events. 4. Relate the past events to the present day. 5. Explain why the memory is still significant.

Q: Explain why Oscar is important in the model text.

A: Oscar is important because he is the object that brings the writer’s childhood memories flooding back. He represents comfort, attachment, and the writer’s past, so finding him again connects childhood to the present.

Q: Use failed to, had no choice, much to my delight, and keep an eye on in sentences.

A: Examples: I failed to realise how important the photo was. I had no choice but to apologise. Much to my delight, my cousin found the missing toy. I promised to keep an eye on the old box of memories.

Q: Give three verbs of movement from page 14 and explain how their meanings differ.

A: Possible answers: hobble = walk painfully; surge = move suddenly and powerfully as a group; stagger = move unsteadily; shuffle = move slowly with small steps; stride = walk confidently; wobble = move unsteadily side to side; lurch = move suddenly and awkwardly. Any three with differences are enough.

Q: Explain why hobbled is better than strode for an injured footballer.

A: Hobbled shows painful or difficult walking after an injury. Strode suggests confident walking with long steps, so it does not fit the injured-footballer context.

Q: What does plain sailing mean in a travel or project context?

A: Plain sailing means easy progress without serious problems.

Q: List four types of reference devices from the Active Reading box.

A: Examples include pronouns and possessive pronouns, indefinite pronouns, relative pronouns, demonstratives, determiners such as another or other, and one/ones.

Q: Explain why reference devices help avoid repetition.

A: Reference devices let a writer refer back or forward without repeating the full noun or idea. For example, it can refer to a train, and those can refer to people already mentioned.

Q: Rewrite “I had never experienced such intense heat before” using Never before.

A: Never before had I experienced such intense heat.

Q: Name three differences between Email A and Email B.

A: Email A is informal, written to a friend, and uses dramatic conversational language. Email B is formal, written to the company, organised in paragraphs, gives precise evidence, and requests compensation. Any three differences are enough.

Q: Find one passive construction in the formal complaint model.

A: One passive construction is: At no time were we offered an apology of any kind.

Q: Why does a concession clause help a complaint sound balanced?

A: It acknowledges another point before making the complaint, so the writer sounds fair and controlled rather than aggressive.

Q: Give three phrases for considering alternatives.

A: Three phrases are: There's a lot to be said for..., But on the other hand..., and There are a lot of points in favour of.... Other options include Alternatively, we could put forward the idea of... and You could argue that....

Q: Give three phrases for stating a preference.

A: Three page phrases are: I'd go for... anytime; On balance, I'd say...; and No two ways about it, my choice would be.... Other options include I'm split between... and I'm in two minds here.

Q: Use “on the other hand” in a sentence about travel.

A: Travelling in a large group can be fun and social; on the other hand, travelling in a small group may be quieter and more flexible.

Q: Which country does Sultan visit, and what clues identify it?

A: He visits Chile. The clues include the Atacama Desert, the edge of Antarctica, colonial towns, Santiago skyscrapers, and the later direct reference to Chile.

Q: Give two problems caused by travelling with Adnan.

A: Two possible problems are that Adnan pushed for an expensive skiing trip that could blow Sultan’s budget, and he posted photos online without asking Sultan’s permission. Another valid problem is that Adnan stayed in the hotel room in Valparaiso when Sultan wanted to explore.

Q: Why did the skiing plan create a budget problem?

A: The skiing plan was expensive and could blow Sultan’s budget, so he felt pressured into a trip that did not match what he could afford.

Q: Why is a cost-benefit analysis stronger than a simple pros-and-cons list?

A: A cost-benefit analysis is stronger because it weighs the importance of each cost and benefit instead of merely counting points on two sides.

Q: Give one cost of travel that is not just the ticket price.

A: Decide whether to travel by train or aeroplane based on more than just the ticket price. Identify all costs: Ticket price (financial), travel time (time cost), tiredness upon arrival (physical cost), and carbon footprint (environmental cost).

Q: Explain present bias using the money-now-or-money-later example.

A: Present bias means the immediate reward feels more attractive than a larger future reward, so a person may choose money now even when waiting would bring more value.

Q: Name the three business ideas on page 26.

A: Launch: The act of making a new product or business available to the public. USP (Unique Selling Point): This is the core competitive advantage of a business.

Q: What does USP mean in the goat-rental text?

A: What is the USP of the goat rental service? USP (Unique Selling Point): This is the core competitive advantage of a business.

Q: Explain the difference between quote and price tag.

A: A quote is an estimated or agreed price for a service or piece of work; a price tag is the displayed price attached to a product in a shop.

Q: What is the essay question about buying local?

A: The essay question asks whether buying from local shops is better or worse than shopping at large supermarkets.

Q: Give two reasons the model essay supports buying local.

A: The model supports buying local because it can help the local economy and give shoppers more personal service or fresher local products.

Q: Give two drawbacks of buying local from the model essay.

A: Two drawbacks are that local shops may be more expensive and may offer a smaller range of goods than large supermarkets.

Q: What does Active Listening say an inference is?

A: An idea or conclusion reached based on evidence, speaker words, and tone rather than explicit statements.

Q: Name two persuasion techniques from page 28.

A: Two persuasion techniques are using social proof and creating a sense of scarcity or urgency.

Q: Which persuasion verbs suggest strong pressure?

A: Verbs like *coerce* and *pressure* imply strong, forced persuasion, while *coax* and *cajole* imply being 'extra nice' or gentle.

Q: What do passive forms have in common grammatically?

A: Identify a common mistake students make in Grammar: The Passive, then correct it. This lesson covers the formation of the passive voice using 'be + past participle', its various tense forms, and the specific reasons why writers choose passive over active.

Q: Why is the passive used when the agent is unknown or irrelevant?

A: Passive is used to focus on the action, maintain objectivity, or when the agent is unknown.

Q: Give one passive sentence with a modal verb.

A: In a passive sentence, the main verb always remains in the past participle form.

Q: What should a strong introduction do in a for-and-against essay?

A: A strong introduction should introduce the issue clearly in fresh words without copying the prompt or giving all the arguments too early.

Q: Why should body paragraphs group arguments clearly?

A: Clear grouping helps the reader follow the balance of the essay: one paragraph can develop benefits, and another can develop drawbacks.

Q: Give one synonym for disadvantage from the Active Writing task.

A: Paragraph 1 (Arguments For): Focus on the benefits. Active to Passive: Changing the voice of the sentence.

Q: Give five food adjectives from page 36 and mark them positive or negative.

A: Examples: tender (positive), succulent (positive), velvety (positive), tempting (positive), scalding (negative in the customer comment), soggy (negative), mouldy (negative), greasy (negative), stodgy (negative).

Q: What is a partitive, and why is it useful with food vocabulary?

A: A partitive is an expression such as a slice of, a scoop of, or a spoonful of. It is useful because many food nouns are uncountable or need a natural measure.

Q: Give three correct food partitive collocations from page 37.

A: Three correct examples are a pinch of salt, two scoops of vanilla ice cream, and a sprinkle of grated chocolate. Other valid examples include a dusting of icing sugar, a dab of chocolate sauce, and five portions of fruit and vegetables.

Q: What facts do the two reviewers agree about?

A: They agree that The Big Combo is a new fusion restaurant and that the decor is good. Review A calls it stunning, and Review B says the decor is good.

Q: Which review is more informative, and why?

A: Review A is more informative because it gives background, describes the decor, food, service, atmosphere, value, and explains its recommendation with evidence.

Q: Name three correct pieces of advice about writing a review.

A: Correct advice includes offer a recommendation, summarise your opinion in the conclusion, give brief background details, describe the restaurant in detail, give your personal impression, and engage the reader from the beginning. Any three are enough.

Q: Why can “no artificial flavours or colouring” be misleading?

A: It can be misleading because the product may still contain a lot of sugar. The article gives breakfast cereal as an example: the packet may highlight no artificial flavours or colouring while each serving has nine teaspoons of sugar.

Q: What should you check if sugar appears in the top three ingredients?

A: You should treat it as a warning that the product probably contains a lot of sugar, because ingredients are listed in weight order from biggest to smallest.

Q: Why is per 100 grams more reliable than per portion?

A: Per 100 grams is more reliable because portion sizes can be unrealistically small. Comparing per 100 grams lets students compare like-for-like.

Q: Name two causes of food waste from page 42.

A: Possible answers include supermarket appearance standards, bulk-size packaging, large restaurant portions, and households buying too much food. Any two are enough.

Q: Give three phrases for proposing options.

A: Possible answers include Another way forward could be..., we should also be looking at..., We need to tackle this problem head on, and Given the difficulty or urgency of the problem, we need to....

Q: Use “The reasoning behind that is...” in a food-waste sentence.

A: Example: Shops should reduce bulk-size packaging. The reasoning behind that is that people often buy more food than they need and then waste it.

Q: What is nominalisation? Use the blue-shades example from the lesson.

A: Nominalisation changes an action into a noun phrase to avoid wordiness. The lesson changes The designers have cleverly used various shades of blue into Clever use of various shades of blue has created a relaxing eating area.

Q: Match the informal phrases a letdown, hype, and give it a wide berth with their more formal meanings.

A: A letdown means a disappointment. Hype means advertising and previews. Give it a wide berth means avoid.

Q: Why is Review A more informative than Review B?

A: Review A gives background, detailed description, personal impression, specific food evidence, service and atmosphere comments, and a clear recommendation. Review B gives strong complaints but very little balanced explanation.

Q: Why can “no artificial flavours or colouring” be misleading?

A: It can be misleading because the product may still contain a lot of sugar. The article gives breakfast cereal as an example: the packet may highlight no artificial flavours or colouring while each serving has nine teaspoons of sugar.

Q: What should you check if sugar appears in the top three ingredients?

A: You should treat it as a warning that the product probably contains a lot of sugar, because ingredients are listed in weight order from biggest to smallest.

Q: Why is per 100 grams more reliable than per portion?

A: Per 100 grams is more reliable because portion sizes can be unrealistically small. Comparing per 100 grams lets students compare like-for-like.

Q: Give three study idioms from page 48 and explain each one.

A: Possible answers: run on empty = have little energy left; go blank = suddenly remember nothing; get your head down = concentrate and work hard; keep someone on track = help someone stay focused; get the hang of something = understand how to do it. Any three with meanings are enough.

Q: What is the difference between a half-hearted attempt and a sustained effort?

A: A half-hearted attempt is a try made with little enthusiasm. A sustained effort is determined work that continues for a long time.

Q: Give four dependent-preposition patterns from page 49.

A: Possible answers include backfire on, cram into, apply yourself to, sort into, cram for, associate with, stare at, distract from, and snack on. Any four are enough.

Q: Name three qualities from page 52 that may contribute to sporting success.

A: Possible answers include being a self-starter, boundless energy, natural aptitude, perseverance, raw talent, rivalry, self-conviction, a stubborn streak, tenacity, and willingness to make sacrifices. Any three are enough.

Q: What does a sports psychologist do for players under pressure?

A: A sports psychologist helps players stay mentally prepared, focus on aims, use visualisation, cope with anxiety and stress, remain calm, and perform with confidence.

Q: How can visualisation and goal-setting help performance?

A: They help players focus on their aims, improve concentration, stay positive, and perform more effectively under pressure.

Q: What two ideas does the model essay discuss?

A: The model essay discusses the idea that memorisation time could be used for critical thinking and the idea that memorising key facts is still valuable for mental arithmetic, basic knowledge, and independence from technology.

Q: Which idea does the student consider most important?

A: The student considers continued memorisation most important. The conclusion says it is ultimately vital that we continue to memorise and retain the ability to function without relying on technology.

Q: What is the topic of each paragraph in the model essay?

A: Paragraph 1 introduces the debate and thesis. Paragraph 2 explains the argument for spending more time on critical thinking. Paragraph 3 explains why memorisation still matters. Paragraph 4 gives the final judgement.

Q: What are the callers in the motivation phone-in trying to do?

A: They are trying to motivate themselves to make progress with personal goals. A complete listening answer should identify each caller's goal first, then the method they use to keep going.

Q: Name two personality barriers from page 54.

A: Two possible barriers are being easily distracted and having little self-belief. Other page 54 options include being disorganised, being unable to maintain motivation, being overambitious, and being overly self-critical.

Q: What does “run out of steam” mean?

A: Run out of steam means lose energy, enthusiasm, or motivation after doing something for a while.

Q: What two ideas does the model essay discuss?

A: The model essay discusses the idea that memorisation time could be used for critical thinking and the idea that memorising key facts is still valuable for mental arithmetic, basic knowledge, and independence from technology.

Q: Which idea does the student consider most important?

A: The student considers continued memorisation most important. The conclusion says it is ultimately vital that we continue to memorise and retain the ability to function without relying on technology.

Q: What is the topic of each paragraph in the model essay?

A: Paragraph 1 introduces the debate and thesis. Paragraph 2 explains the argument for spending more time on critical thinking. Paragraph 3 explains why memorisation still matters. Paragraph 4 gives the final judgement.

Q: What is a collocation? Give two body-language examples.

A: A collocation is a natural word partnership. Examples include tilt your head, purse your lips, shrug your shoulders, and clear your throat.

Q: What is the difference between a strong collocation and a weak collocation?

A: A strong collocation is fixed or nearly fixed, such as purse your lips. A weak collocation uses a word that can combine with many other words, such as tilt with head, chin, mouth, boat, chair, or plane.

Q: Give five gestures from the survey and the emotion each may show.

A: Possible answers include fold your arms when defensive, purse your lips when irritated, furrow your brow when concentrating, drum your fingers when impatient, rub your hands together when excited, tilt your head when attentive, cross your ankles when nervous, tent your fingers when in control, wrinkle your nose when something is distasteful, and stroke your chin when indecisive.

Q: What clues help identify the purpose of a text?

A: Useful clues include who will read it, the type of text, how it affects the reader, the title, visuals, style, tone, and vocabulary.

Q: Match awe, serenity, rage, and remorse with their close meanings.

A: Awe means admiration, serenity means calmness, rage means anger, and remorse means regret.

Q: What is emotional labour in the article?

A: Emotional labour is the requirement for certain workers, such as flight attendants and shop assistants, to present a happy face to clients even when they do not feel happy.

Q: Give four reporting verbs from page 8 and their patterns.

A: Examples include congratulated Callum on having won (object + preposition + gerund), regretted not doing (gerund), explained that it was (that-clause), advised people to surround (object + to infinitive), promised to do (to infinitive), and reminded listeners that the book was available (object + that-clause).

Q: Which reporting verb pattern uses object + preposition + gerund?

A: Congratulate/compliment someone on doing something uses object + preposition + gerund, as in congratulated Callum on having won or complimenting the writer on having received the award.

Q: Why does word order change after “asked if”?

A: After asked if, the question becomes an embedded/reported question, so it uses statement word order: asked if laughter was really good for us, not asked if was laughter really good for us.

Q: Name three qualities or actions linked to resilient people in the listening task.

A: Possible answers: resilient people can choose a response after a challenge, know that deep feelings are temporary, find solutions to problems, build a circle of support, care for themselves, and are honest about their needs.

Q: What challenges did Maha Al-Bargouthi face?

A: Maha had polio at birth, developed paraplegia, used a wheelchair, faced discrimination, and had to deal with sports facilities that did not cater to her needs.

Q: How did Maha’s parents affect her confidence?

A: Her parents gave her invaluable support, were her biggest fans, and treated her in a way that made her feel no different from her classmates. This fuelled her confidence and self-reliance.

Q: Give three clothing adjectives for colour, material, and shape.

A: Colour: burgundy, navy, neon, pastel, or scarlet. Material: cashmere, corduroy, satin, suede, or velvet. Shape: flared, pleated, wide-leg, or polo neck.

Q: When do speakers use vague language?

A: Speakers use vague language when they are unsure or have forgotten the precise word, when they are giving examples, or when they are approximating a number or quality.

Q: What is the difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses?

A: A defining relative clause gives essential information that identifies the noun. A non-defining relative clause adds extra information and is separated by commas.

Q: Why might people dislike words such as slurp or pulp?

A: They may dislike them because the meaning and sound both feel unpleasant. The text suggests that the uh/oh vowel sounds plus final p can make words such as slurp and pulp sound unattractive.

Q: What does the poet compare words to in “Pretty Words”?

A: The poet compares words to creatures and beautiful things, including fish, birds, deer, kittens, cattle, moths, and bees. These comparisons make words seem alive and sensory.

Q: Find one simile and one example of personification in the poem.

A: A simile is smooth words compared to gold-enamelled fish using like. Personification appears when words are described as coming to the poet's hand or singing, as if they were living beings.

Q: What is concession, and why is it useful in this lesson?

A: Concession means acknowledging part of the original author's argument before explaining why you still disagree. It is useful because it makes the response sound fair and formal.

Q: What argument does the newspaper extract in Exercise 2 make about private spending on the arts?

A: It argues that individuals and businesses spend around GBP 900 million a year on the arts and that this money could be better spent on healthcare, educational charities, infrastructure, and people who need help.

Q: How does the model letter respond to the GBP 900 million figure?

A: It does not deny the figure. It concedes it, then argues that it represents no more than about GBP 14 per head, so the original article's implication is misleading.

Q: What is a phrasal verb? Give two examples from the lesson.

A: A phrasal verb is a verb plus a particle that works as one meaning unit. Examples include come up with, hold back, set up, set out, and take in.

Q: What is the difference between influence, creation, and development?

A: Influence means affecting people, ideas, or later work. Creation means making or producing something new. Development means forming, improving, or extending something over time.

Q: Name the three pioneers in the text and state one contribution for each.

A: Al-Khwarizmi is linked to algebra, astronomy, and the origin of algorithm. Marie Curie discovered Polonium and worked on radium, which helped cancer treatments. Grace Hopper helped construct programming languages and contributed to COBOL.

Q: Give two reasons people wear different clothes.

A: People wear different clothes for protection, status or wealth, self-expression, cultural meaning, weather, and practical needs. Any two are enough.

Q: What does the phrase lucrative industry mean?

A: It means a business field that makes a lot of money or high profits.

Q: Define hyperbole and give one example.

A: Hyperbole is deliberate exaggeration for effect, such as weighs a ton, a million years, tons of times, or a small fortune.

Q: Name five uses of the definite article from the textbook rule list.

A: The definite article can be used when the noun has been mentioned before, is unique, is a superlative, is an ordinal number, is a period of time, is a certain geographical name, or refers to a group, class or species.

Q: Explain the difference between "The orang-utan" and "An orang-utan" in the lesson example.

A: "The orang-utan" can refer to the species as a whole, while "an orang-utan" introduces one individual animal.

Q: Explain why "I saw a sand cat" can become "The sand cat came close to me".

A: The first sentence introduces one sand cat, so it uses "a". The second sentence refers back to the same animal, so it uses "the" because the noun is now known.

Q: What was the practical reason for choosing pilaf instead of desserts?

A: Noura's practical point changes the plan: pilaf would help more people because it is filling and can be made in a large pan.

Q: How did the art exhibition project use students' strengths?

A: The art project uses students' artistic skills to create an exhibition and raise money for a children's charity.

Q: Name three habits of a good team member.

A: The Life Skills box gives six habits: listen and respect viewpoints, be clear about a suitable role, be reliable and responsible, communicate so everyone is on the same page, stay flexible, and remember the success of the team.

Q: Give three adjectives that describe something hard to believe.

A: Baffling, mind-boggling, and mystifying all describe something that is hard to explain or believe.

Q: What does blew me away mean in this unit context?

A: Blew me away means that the illusion, trick, or performance amazed or impressed the speaker very strongly.

Q: Why are word families useful for vocabulary study?

A: Word families help students connect related nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, so they can recognise meaning and use the right form in context.

Q: What is aphantasia?

A: Aphantasia is a condition where some people cannot voluntarily visualise images.

Q: What is hyperphantasia?

A: Hyperphantasia is a condition where people experience extreme mental imagery, such as visualising images, smells, sounds, and other sensory details.

Q: Give two phrases for making speculations.

A: Possible phrases include It might involve, She must be, It could have been, My gut feeling is that, I presume that, and It is highly likely that.

Q: What is the purpose of a proposal?

A: A proposal explains a current situation, recommends practical action, and gives reasons or benefits so the reader can decide.

Q: Name the main sections used in the photography-club model proposal.

A: The model uses Introduction, Current situation, Needs and benefits, Recommendations, and Conclusion.

Q: Why should recommendations include benefits?

A: Benefits show why a recommendation is worth accepting. They connect the suggested action to the problem it solves or the improvement it creates.

Q: What does register mean?

A: The level of formality used in speaking or writing.

Q: Give two work-life balance collocations.

A: Possible answers include constant connectivity, draw a line, juggle unremitting demands, strike the right balance, maintain a healthy work-life balance, strive for something, grasp the significance, and pay dividends. Any two are enough.

Q: What does learn the ropes mean?

A: It means to learn how to do a job or activity, especially the basic practical details.

Q: How do preschoolers often imagine future careers?

A: They often copy familiar roles, such as their parents' jobs, or imagine storybook-style careers.

Q: Why are some primary-school ambitions described as unrealistic?

A: Because they are often based on fame, wealth, sport, space travel, or fantasy, and the chance of achieving some of them is very slim.

Q: Name two factors that influence secondary-school career choices.

A: Personality traits, interests, and talents influence secondary-school career choices. Any two are enough.

Q: What does it mean to tone down language?

A: To make language less strong, blunt, or negative.

Q: Why can brutal honesty be unhelpful?

A: Brutal honesty can put people's backs up, sound rude, and stop you getting the response you want. Tactful language can keep the point but make it easier to accept.

Q: Give one negative adjective and a softer alternative.

A: Possible pairs include controlling to confident, loudmouthed to vocal, gullible to trusting, abrasive to straightforward, adamant to resolute, and aloof to shy or reserved.

Q: Name two signs of a reluctant leader.

A: Possible signs include feeling embarrassed in the limelight, being surprised when people ask for advice, thinking others would be better leaders, avoiding people who like leading, and making excuses to avoid leadership roles.

Q: Why was Lily asked to take responsibility on the Berlin trip?

A: Lily was asked to take responsibility because the teachers did not speak German, while she was fluent because her father is German and she grew up speaking both languages at home.

Q: What idea did Dylan suggest for the charity?

A: Dylan suggested an app that could pair people with spare time with older people in the community who needed help in their homes.