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of 12 Functional Skills Reading Level 2 – AA - Sample

Functional Skills English - Reading Level 2 – Sample

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Paper Ref:

FSRL2AA/P

Time: 1 hour

Total Marks: 30 Marks Achieved:

/30

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Instruction

• Read the texts and answer each question carefully.

• Dictionaries and bi-lingual dictionaries are allowed.

• Answer all questions.

Information • The total mark for this paper is 30.

• The marks for each question are shown in brackets – use this as a guide to

how much time to spend on each question.

Task A Mark Task B Mark Total Marks


Context You are concerned that you and your family are not getting enough sleep. You decide to do some research on the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. Read Text A, Text B and Text C and answer the questions. You do not need to write any of your answers in complete sentences, but you must communicate the required information in a way that can be clearly understood.


Text A – WEBPAGE Adapted from

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/insomnia/Pages/insomniatips.aspx

1. Keep regular hours and routines Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time every day will programme your body to sleep better. It’s especially important for young children to establish good sleeping habits. They should wind down properly (bath, book, time with parent, soft music) Good bedtime expectations are crucial ("We expect you to stay in your bed, and if you do we may even reward you!").

2. ___________________________ Your bedroom should be for rest and sleep. If you work shifts and have to sleep during daylight hours, keep it as quiet and dark as possible. It should be neither too hot nor too cold. Temperature, lighting and noise should be controlled so that the environment helps you to fall (and stay) asleep.

3. A comfortable bed It’s difficult to get restful sleep on a mattress that’s too soft or too hard, or a bed that's too small or old. If you or your children have a pet that sleeps in the room with you, move it somewhere else if it makes noise in the night.

4. Exercise regularly Regular moderate exercise, such as swimming or walking, can help relieve tension built up over the day. Don’t do vigorous exercise too close to bedtime. It may keep you awake.

5. Avoid caffeine and other stimulants Don’t let kids have fizzy drinks or energy drinks after teatime. Cut down on stimulants such as caffeine in tea or coffee, especially in the evening. They interfere with the process of falling asleep, and prevent deep sleep. The effects of caffeine can last 24 hours, so the chances of it affecting sleep are significant. Instead, have a warm, milky drink or herbal tea.

6. Don’t over-indulge Too much food or alcohol, especially late at night, can interrupt your sleep patterns. Alcohol may help you to fall asleep initially, but will disrupt your sleep later on in the night.

7. Don’t smoke It’s bad for sleep. Research shows smokers take longer to fall asleep, wake up more frequently, and often have more disturbed sleep.

8. Relax before going to bed Have a warm bath, listen to quiet music or do some gentle yoga or meditation to relax the mind and body. Your doctor may be able to recommend a helpful CD.

9. Write away your worries Deal with worries or a heavy workload by making lists of things to be tackled. If you tend to lie in bed thinking about tomorrow's tasks, set aside time before bedtime to review the day and make plans for tomorrow. The goal is to avoid doing these things when you're in bed, trying to sleep.

10. Don't worry in bed If you can’t sleep, don’t lie there worrying. Get up, do something relaxing until you feel sleepy again, then return to bed.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/insomnia/Pages/insomniatips.aspx


Text B - ONLINE COMMENTS THREAD IN RESPONSE TO TEXT A

Comments (75) ▼ Sort by: Oldest▼ Newest▼ Most Likes▼ Least Likes▼

Comments posted are personal views.

Key: = Likes = Dislikes

Scorpio3589

16-Oct-2014

16 2

It's all well and good to say keep regular hours but if shiftworking doesn't allow it, what do you do? My doctor said to find a new job! What world does she live in? I have a mortgage and dependants who rely on my stupid job without which: no mortgage, no home, no life, no food.

Sick and tired of NHS, who don't seem to live in the real world…

Rhiannah

25-Oct-2015

5 5

To Scorpio3589 and all shift-workers: If you work nights, you really need to re-set your biological clock. I work nights and these are things that have helped me: your bedroom needs to be really dark if you want to sleep in the daytime so invest in some blackout blinds. Sometimes, I want TOTAL quiet so I use earplugs. Other times, I have soft music playing so I can drift off. I’ve also tried meditation when I get home from work You don't need joss sticks and candles, just a quiet area where you can sit for a while and let your mind go blank. Probably best to try this after the kids have left for school though! Good luck :-)

Davidcolquhoun

01-Nov-2015

0 35

"Herbal tea"? Oh really! I thought NHS Choices was supposed to tell us about evidence, not silly myths. Coffee doesn't have the slightest effect on your ability to sleep.

If you think otherwise, please supply references.

Jaine12

05-Nov-2015

30 2

@Davidcolquhoun - There is plenty of evidence linking caffeine to insomnia. Go on Google Scholar and put in caffeine and insomnia and you will find plenty of material. Where’s your evidence that you sleep well even though you drink lots of coffee? Have you ever tried giving up caffeine for long enough to see if your sleep improves?

Given the tone of your comment I would say that irritability is something you have a problem with.

Plus: the article isn’t suggesting herbal teas will help you sleep; they’re suggested as an alternative to caffeinated drinks.

Dreamryder19

28-Nov-2015

23 4

This NHS advice is so out-of-date. My advice? Important for everyone, but especially teenage children - just banish all blue light - TVs, computers, tablets, games consoles and mobile phones - from the bedroom.

If younger children demand a nightlight, it should be dim or red. It is blue light that disrupts sleep. The brain isn’t so sensitive to red light. If babies and toddlers are crying simply because they can’t sleep - this is harsh but effective - if you're strong enough, simply leave your child to cry.

MattFleming

12-Oct-2015

10 2

I’ve just read the insomnia article. Now I’m wondering if my problems are linked to the fact I don’t get much sleep. If there’s a virus going round you can guarantee I’ll catch it. When I was younger, bugs lasted 24 hours but now they wipe me out and I have to take several days off work every time. I’m also starting to worry about all the weight I’ve been piling on. What do people think?

Load more comments


TEXT C – INFORMATION LEAFLET – EFFECTS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION

We surveyed 6000 people aged 13-65 (schoolchildren, students and workers) and found the average Briton is getting just 6 hours and 21 minutes sleep per night – well below the

recommended 8 hours.

.

BRAIN AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM Sleep deprivation leaves the brain exhausted, so it can’t perform well. Obvious effects are excessive sleepiness, yawning, and sluggishness. Lack of sleep weakens your ability to concentrate and learn new things. In our survey, 54% blame a lack of sleep for their inability to concentrate at work, school or college and 47% admitted to taking longer to complete their work. It can negatively affect both short- and long-term memory. It gets in the way of decision-making and stifles creativity. Your emotions are also affected, making you more likely to be short-tempered, irritable and moody. 70% said they are a 'horrible person' when they have not had enough sleep and difficult to work with. Other risks include impulsive behaviour, depression, paranoia, and suicidal thoughts.

A side effect of sleep deprivation is micro- sleep. That’s when you’re asleep for a few seconds/minutes, but don’t realise. If you’re sleep deprived, micro- sleep is out of your control and can be extremely dangerous if you’re driving. You’re also more prone to injury due to trips and falls.

IMMUNE SYSTEM Sleep deprivation compromises this system so you’re more prone to respiratory problems like the common cold and flu. It can take longer to recover from illness. Long-term sleep deprivation raises your risk of developing chronic illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

SICK DAYS Estimated UK sleep shortfall results in 8 million sick days per year at a cost of £1 billion to employers

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM Sleep is vital for your body’s ability to heal and repair your blood vessels and heart. Sleep deprivation can lead to higher risk of problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. Along with eating too much and not exercising, sleep deprivation is one of the risk factors for obesity. Sleep deprivation prompts your body to release higher levels of insulin after you eat, promoting fat storage and increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes.


THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK


Questions 1. Tick 2 correct boxes. The main purposes of Text A are to a) advise d) persuade

b) justify e) entertain

c) inform f) review

2 marks 2. A subheading is missing from item number 2 in Text A. Suggest a suitable

subheading.

1 mark 3. Your friend is convinced that a pizza, a couple of beers and a few cigarettes late

in the evening help him to get a better night’s sleep. What two pieces of information from Text A would you give him to challenge this view?

2 marks 4. What three tips from Text A and Text B do you think would be most useful to

pass on to friends or family with young children?

3 marks 5. Give one reason why you think David Colquhoun’s post in Text B has the most

dislikes ().

1 mark

Marker Use Only


6. According to Text B how could you find out more about the effect of coffee on sleep?

1 mark 7. Some of the people posting comments in Text B are critical of the NHS. Name

two people who have made negative comments and summarise two of the reasons for their negative criticism.

4 marks 8. Text C uses different features of layout to convey information clearly and

effectively. Identify two of these features and for each, state how the feature helps the reader make sense of the text.

Feature:

How it helps the reader:

Feature:

How it helps the reader:

4 marks 9. You are a car driver and haven’t slept well for several nights. According to Text

C, why should you be particularly concerned?

1 mark

Marker Use Only


10. In Text B, identify one language technique which Scorpio3589 uses to make

his/her point. Give one example of the technique from the text and state what the writer intends to achieve by using the technique.

Technique:

Example:

Intended effect on the reader:

3 marks 11. From your reading of Texts B and C, what would you say to MattFleming to

explain how poor sleep could be causing the health problems that he is experiencing?

2 marks

Marker Use Only


12. Your workplace is organising a ‘Healthy Workforce Day’. You have been asked

to prepare a presentation (using information from all 3 texts) on the value of getting sufficient sleep. Your brief is to include information that is relevant to both individual nightshift employees and to the efficient working of the company. From your reading of texts A, B and C, identify:

Two health risks associated with lack of sleep:

Two tips that are especially relevant to help nightshift workers to sleep

Two ways in which employees’ lack of sleep can adversely affect a business’s efficiency:

6 marks

Total: 30 marks

Marker Use Only


These texts and illustrations have been incorporated into this test paper solely for the purposes of the examination in accordance with Section 32 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended by the Copyright and Rights in Performance (Research, Education, Libraries and Archives) Regulations 2014. No copyright or clearance for any other use has been obtained or sought.


END OF ASSESSMENT

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