1. Back in the 1970s, Holly Collins was studying for her A-levels in Sussex. While her friends sent off their university applications, she wrote to the Royal Agricultural College asking for an entry form, hoping to follow her dream of becoming a farmer. They wrote back with the following answer: “Dear Miss Collins, we do not admit women.” Disappointed but undeterred, she worked on a farm the following summer. “I was paid much less than the male students I worked with because I was female. The farmer's father told his son to pay me the same as them, but he didn't,” she said.
2. Things, says the 64-year-old who now has her own farm, Hollin Bank, have improved a lot for women in agriculture since then. More women than ever are choosing a career in agriculture and moving into leadership roles. For an industry that relies on father-to-son succession to pass on land, farming has come a long way. Farmers' wives and daughters were always important but used to operate below the radar. Historically, local meetings were in the pub or village hall and women often weren't invited. Even if they did go, it was intimidating walking into a room full of men. Now more women are happily getting involved.
3. Collins brought in two women to manage the farm alongside her. “I am learning from the young women who work with me that you don't have to instill fear in others to succeed in this very male world,” said Collins. None of the three at Hollin Bank grew up in agricultural families. While Collins had an ambition to farm, her colleagues originally worked in conservation and nature restoration. Collins's farm has a sideline in education, teaching farming skills. It's currently host to two Masters students researching finance and birdlife.
4. According to recent figures from the Statistics Agency, 64% of agricultural students are women. The reason so many women have moved into farming is best explained when Meghan Jones, one of Collins's co-workers, talks about what she enjoys most about her work. “What I like most about working on a farm is the daily rhythms. Each day, you adapt and respond to the environment. For someone who spent little time doing farm work, I find working with my hands very rewarding, especially as a woman,” she said.
The Guardian, March 17, 2024
(Adapted)
I- READING COMPREHENSION
(15 marks)The text is mainly about a woman who
▸ More details: why this answer?
The whole text follows Holly Collins. A college told her “we do not admit women,” and she was paid less just for being female. That is prejudice (unfair treatment).
But she did not give up. She was “disappointed but undeterred,” worked on farms, and finally got her own farm. So she defied prejudice to pursue her dream. The answer is b.
a is wrong: she never walked away from her ambition, she kept it. c is wrong: the text is about women in farming, not about her getting an award or recognition for leading.
“I was paid much less than the male students I worked with because I was female.”
“Even if they did go, it was intimidating walking into a room full of men.”
“None of the three at Hollin Bank grew up in agricultural families.”
“… 64% of agricultural students are women.”
▸ More details: why these details?
You must copy one detail from the text that proves the sentence wrong. Do not just write “No” or change the words.
a. The reason was not low productivity. She was paid less because she was female.
b. Women were not comfortable. Going to the meetings was intimidating (and they often weren't even invited).
c. They did not grow up on farms. None of the three came from farming families.
d. Colleges are not male-dominated now. Most students (64%) are women.
1 mark for each correct detail.
▸ More details: why these words?
All three words come straight from paragraphs 3 and 4.
① succeed: paragraph 3 says you don't have to instill fear in others “to succeed in this very male world.” Here we “succeed in overturning traditions.”
② ambition: paragraph 3 says “Collins had an ambition to farm.” An ambition is a dearest wish.
③ rewarding: paragraph 4 says “I find working with my hands very rewarding.” It means satisfying and worthwhile.
One word per blank. 1 mark for each correct word.
▸ More details: why these steps?
You follow the story in order and fill the two empty boxes.
a. From paragraph 1, after she asked for an entry form the college replied: “Dear Miss Collins, we do not admit women.” So they refused her because she was a woman.
b. From paragraph 3: “Collins brought in two women to manage the farm alongside her.” These are the “they” who then helped her with the farm work.
1 mark for each box.
▸ More details: why these references?
a. the 64-year-old = Holly Collins. Paragraph 2 says “the 64-year-old who now has her own farm, Hollin Bank,” and that farm is Collins's farm.
b. her = Meghan Jones. The sentence is about Meghan Jones and what “she enjoys most about her work,” so the work is Meghan's.
1 mark each. Write the name, not a pronoun.
▸ More details: why these words?
a. undeterred: paragraph 1 says “Disappointed but undeterred.” It means she stayed determined and did not give up.
b. below the radar: paragraph 2 says the women “used to operate below the radar,” which means they worked quietly, without attracting attention.
1 mark each. Copy the exact word or phrase from the text.
If you were Collins, would you take up a career in farming? Why / Why not?
If I were Collins, I would take up a career in farming because I love working outdoors and close to nature, and doing rewarding work with my own hands makes me feel proud and free.
▸ More details: what makes a safe answer?
This is your own idea, so there is no single right answer. Just pick a side and give a reason that makes sense.
Safe pattern: “If I were Collins, I would / would not take up a career in farming because + reason.”
II- WRITING
(15 marks)According to the World Economic Forum (2022), people leave their previous jobs for several reasons. The most common reason is limited opportunities for advancement, which pushes 41% of workers to quit. Little pay comes next, with 36%, showing that money still matters a lot. About 31% leave because their work lacks meaning, while 26% quit due to insufficient support for their well-being. Clearly, growth, fair pay, purpose and care all shape the decision to leave a job.
▸ More details: how to build it from the graph
Read the bars from highest to lowest and turn each one into a short sentence.
41% → limited opportunities for advancement (the top reason).
36% → little pay. 31% → lack of meaningful work. 26% → insufficient support for well-being.
Start with the source and the highest figure, then go down. Do not invent numbers that are not on the graph.
When the Best Minds Leave: A Loss We Cannot Afford
I strongly agree that developing countries face serious barriers to progress when their most talented people move abroad. This problem, known as brain drain, slows down their growth in many ways.
First, these countries spend a lot of money educating doctors, engineers and scientists, yet they lose this investment the moment these graduates leave. Richer nations enjoy the benefits instead. Second, brain drain creates a dangerous shortage of skilled workers in vital sectors like health and technology, so hospitals and industries struggle and ordinary citizens suffer. Third, the loss of bright minds weakens innovation, and without talented thinkers local economies cannot compete or grow, so the gap with rich countries widens.
Some people argue that workers abroad send money home and gain useful experience. While this is partly true, it rarely replaces the long-term value of keeping talent at home. Therefore, governments should offer fair salaries and real opportunities to keep their brightest minds.
▸ More details: the safe plan
Use a simple plan you can repeat in any opinion post:
Title, then Intro (state if you agree or disagree), then three arguments (one idea each: lost money, skill shortage, weaker innovation), then a short Conclusion (repeat your opinion and give a solution).
You may also disagree (for example: workers send money home, gain skills, and can return later). Both sides can get full marks if the arguments are clear and well written.
III- LANGUAGE
(10 marks)Green = used · crossed out = the two extra words you do not need.
▸ More details: why each word?
① powerful: after “an extremely” we need an adjective to describe the movement.
② while: it links two contrasting ideas, “minimizing … while maximizing.”
③ for: fixed phrase “account for” = to make up a part of something.
④ becoming: “with travel becoming more accessible” = travel is getting easier.
⑤ trend: a noun, “a passing trend” = a fashion that does not last.
⑥ intensify: a verb, “as concerns intensify” = get stronger.
⑦ roughly: it means “about,” so roughly 60%.
Two words are extra: at and selfishly.
▸ More details: why each form?
(disappear) → disappearance: after “the” we need a noun.
(remove) → removed: past simple; “in 2010” is a finished past time.
(use) → useless: after “would be” we need an adjective; the claim is handwriting would be useless.
(stimulate) → stimulates: present simple, third person (a skill that stimulates the brain).
(bare) → barely: an adverb; “can barely hold a pencil” = can almost not hold it.
(practise) → to practise: after “require them” we use to + verb.
(reveal) → have revealed: present perfect, to match “and have indicated” later in the sentence.
▸ More details: why each option?
on: we say “on social media.”
depressed: after “feel” we use the -ed adjective for a feeling; people feel depressed.
underwent: past simple, to match “the research involved” (a finished study).
poorest: a superlative is needed with “of all” → the poorest scores.
Although: it shows contrast (they could see browser history but could not see protected sites).
obsession: smartphone obsession (being unable to stop) is what harms health.