AQA 8700 · Paper 1
Paper 1 practice: reading an unseen extract
Reading skills from Questions 1–4 in exam order, using original extracts written for practice.
Every question is written for practice and tied to a real specification point. Marking updates progress for those spec points, not for KS3 objectives.
Exam-style paper
Paper 1 practice: reading an unseen extract
8 questions, 144 marks. Answer everything, then mark the paper to see the mark scheme. There is no timer — the 45 minutes is only a guide.
1. Extract: 'The lift doors closed on the last of the daylight. Below, the mine breathed out cold air that smelled of iron.' Which statement is supported by the extract?
4 marksPaper 1 Q1 · Identify and interpret explicit information
2. 'the mine breathed out cold air' — which comment analyses language most precisely?
8 marksPaper 1 Q2 · Language analysis
3. A story opens on a wide view of a valley, narrows to one house, then to a hand on a door. What is the structural effect?
8 marksPaper 1 Q3 · Structural analysis
4. A student says: 'The final paragraph makes the narrator seem powerless.' What is the strongest evaluative response?
20 marksPaper 1 Q4 · Evaluate a statement critically
5. You must describe a storm as suggested by a picture. Which opening best meets the assessment objectives?
40 marksPaper 1 Q5 · Descriptive and narrative writing
6. Source A (1850) calls rail travel 'a marvel of the age'; Source B (today) calls it 'the daily grind'. Which sentence best summarises the difference with inference?
8 marksPaper 2 Q2 · Synthesis and summary
7. In a comparison of two writers' attitudes to city life, which is the best comparative sentence?
16 marksPaper 2 Q4 · Compare viewpoints and methods
8. You write a speech arguing against banning phones in schools. Which choice best matches form and audience?
40 marksPaper 2 Q5 · Writing to present a viewpoint