Sample A-Level questions

Questions from 2007 papers

English

Shakespeare

Antony and Cleopatra

How far and in what ways do you see politics as a central concern in 'Antony and Cleopatra'?

In the course of your answer:

• explain clearly how the play presents ideas and effects related to politics;

• comment on what the play suggests about conflict between public and personal life.

The Tempest

(b) How far and in what ways do you see family relationships as a central concern of The Tempest?

In the course of your answer:

• explain clearly how the play presents family relationships;

• comment on what the play suggests about family conflicts.

History - 1 hour

Study the sources on Alfred’s Wars with the Vikings, and then answer both sub-questions.

Source A:

King Alfred’s contemporary biographer, born in Wales but settled in Wessex and rewarded by the King, records the King’s success in rallying support in 878.

"After Easter, King Alfred, with a few men, made a fortress at a place called Athelney, and from it with the thegns of Somerset he struck out relentlessly and tirelessly against the Vikings. After Easter he rode to Egbert’s Stone, and there all the inhabitants of Somerset and Wiltshire and all the inhabitants of Hampshire – those who had not sailed overseas for fear of the Vikings – joined him. When they saw the King, receiving him as if he was restored to life after such great suffering, they were filled with immense joy. They made camp and the next day moved to Edington, to fight the Viking army."

Asser, Life of King Alfred, written in 893

Source B:

A contemporary English chronicler gives an account of events in 896.

"The Viking armies from East Anglia and Northumbria greatly harassed Wessex all along the south coast with raiding bands, and most of all with their warships. Then King Alfred ordered ‘long-ships’ to be built to oppose the Viking warships. On a certain occasion, six Viking ships did considerable damage, both in Devon and all along the sea-coast. Then the King ordered his men to set out in some of the new ships against those Vikings. The English captured two of the Viking ships and killed all the men. Another one escaped because the English ships ran aground. The Danes then beached their three ships and attacked the stranded English ships."

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, written in 896

1a. Study Sources B and D

Compare these Sources as evidence for Alfred’s methods in dealing with the Viking threat. [20]

(b) Using these Sources and your own knowledge, assess the view that Alfred’s successful leadership against the Vikings owed as much to careful planning as to military strength. [40][Total: 60 marks]

Biology

Use the most appropriate terms to complete the paragraph below about the transport of gases in the blood

Respiring tissues in the body produce carbon dioxide which diffuses into the blood. Most of it then enters red blood cells where an enzyme named .................................................

................................................. catalyses a reaction to produce ................................................. . This dissociates rapidly into hydrogen ions and ........................................................ ions.

The hydrogen ions combine very readily with haemoglobin to form a compound known as........................................................ .

There are two effects of this reaction.

1. Hydrogen ions are removed from the blood making it less acidic.

2. As haemoglobin picks up the hydrogen ions it releases ................................................... . [5]

Physics

1. In this question, two marks are available for the quality of written communication. A skydiver jumps from an aircraft that is flying horizontally at a height of 5000 m with a constant speed.

(a) Describe and explain the motion of the skydiver as she descends towards the ground from the moment she jumps until she opens her parachute. In your description of her motion use the terms speed, acceleration and force.

Maths

1. It is given that on average one car in forty is yellow. Using a suitable approximation, find the probability that, in a random sample of 130 cars, exactly 4 are yellow. [5]

9 (a) The random variable G has the distribution B(n, 0.75). Find the set of values of n for which the distribution of G can be well approximated by a normal distribution. [3]

(b) The random variable H has the distribution B (n, p). It is given that, using a normal approximation, P(H ? 71) = 0.0401 and P(H ? 46) = 0.0122.

(i) Find the mean and standard deviation of the approximating normal distribution. [6]

(ii) Hence find the values of n and p. [4]