OPTION A — PLASTIC SCHOOL

Every morning, students go to Akshar School (Assam, India) with a bag of plastic waste, and in exchange they get their day's lessons.

I.- Answer 4 out of the following 6 questions according to the information given in the text. WRITE COMPLETE SENTENCES USING YOUR OWN WORDS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. DO NOT COPY FROM THE TEXT. (Choose 4 out of the 6 questions) (4 marks)

1. Why do students take a bag of plastic waste to school every morning?
2. Why did Mukhtar and Sarma decide to start collecting plastic?
3. What was happening to plastic waste before the school started collecting it?
4. Why did parents change their minds about burning their used plastic at home?
5. What happens to the plastic collected by the school?
6. How does the school ensure that older teenagers are able to stay in school?

II.- Are these statements True or False? Justify your answers based on information from the text, rewriting the original sentences in your own words or quoting properly. (Choose 2 out of the 3 statements) (2 marks).

1. Akshar School was established by the Indian authorities.
2. Parents can only pay Akshar School's fees in cash.
3. Smoke pollution has decreased thanks to the school's actions.

III.- Find the words or expressions in the text that mean: (Choose 4 out of the 6 questions) (1 mark)

1. the act of giving something to someone and them giving you something else in return
2. forcing air out suddenly and noisily through your throat, for example when you have a cold
3. amounts of money paid for work or services
4. to get money for doing work
5. fury, bad temper, rage
6. feeling sure about your own ability to do things and be successful

IV.- Write a composition of about 130 words on one of these topics. Specify your option. (3 marks)

1. "The only possible reasons not to recycle are laziness or ignorance. People who don't recycle should have to pay more taxes." Write an opinion essay about this topic.
2. Is it easy to reduce the amount of plastic we use every day? Explain how it can be done.

OPTION B — THE MANY WAYS THAT DOGS HELP PEOPLE

Dogs not only make great companions, but also improve the quality of life of their owners and can promote psychological and physical health benefits.

I.- Answer 4 out of the following 6 questions according to the information given in the text. WRITE COMPLETE SENTENCES USING YOUR OWN WORDS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. DO NOT COPY FROM THE TEXT. (Choose 4 out of the 6 questions) (4 marks)

1. Why does having a dog encourage social interactions?
2. What is one of the reasons why dog owners have lower blood pressure and cholesterol?
3. How can dogs help people with diabetes?
4. Apart from guide and hearing dogs, how can other assistance dogs help their owners?
5. What characteristics do dogs have that make them important in helping children with special needs?
6. What do people need to know when they choose to get a dog?

II.- Are these statements True or False? Justify your answers based on information from the text, rewriting the original sentences in your own words or quoting properly. (Choose 2 out of the 3 statements) (2 marks).

1. There is no evidence that having a dog makes people feel less lonely or less hopeless.
2. Dogs can help the recovery of patients who have had surgery.
3. Studies show that dogs can smell some diseases.

III.- Find the words or expressions in the text that mean: (Choose 4 out of the 6 questions) (1 mark)

1. make something better
2. to talk to someone in a friendly informal way
3. fighting, struggling with
4. unable to see
5. able to stay calm and accept delays or difficulties without complaining
6. modify, alter, adjust

IV.- Write a composition of about 130 words on one of these topics. Specify your option. (3 marks)

1. "Pet abandonment is a huge problem world-wide. There are millions of friendly, adoptable pets put to death every year because nobody gives them a home." Write an opinion essay on this topic.
2. If you could choose a pet, which one would you like to have? Give reasons for your choice.