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Refer to BOTH Text One and Text Two to answer the following question.

7 Compare how the writers of Text One (‘A Moment That Changed Me’) and Text Two (‘Urban Wildlife: How Animals Are Taking Over Our Cities’) present their ideas and perspectives about how humans interact with and respond to animals in urban environments.
Support your answer with examples from both texts.

Responses may include the following points:

Text One
 uses a personal narrative to engage readers: ‘I had no idea what to do with the injured bird I named Belinda’
 describes events in chronological order, which helps the reader follow the experience
 includes descriptive language to evoke empathy: ‘spatchcocked, and twitching’, ‘arms ramrod straight’
 shows how individuals can take action and make a difference: ‘I had become the ambulance for this pigeon’
 includes examples of community action and goodwill: ‘Over 3,000-strong, the group has an anarchic model’, ‘runs entirely on goodwill’
 uses reflection to highlight learning and personal growth: ‘I began to feel much better about being back in my home town’
 creates a sense of hope and resilience: ‘Each contented coo … feels like a lesson in adaptability and resilience’

General points candidates may make on the whole of Text One
 uses first-person narrative and direct experience
 highlights human responsibility and empathy toward animals
 has a positive and hopeful tone

Text Two
 presents factual information and research about urban wildlife: ‘“Urban wildlife” is a term used to describe animals that have adapted their lifestyle to living in the cities’
 uses examples of species adapting to urban environments: ‘white-footed mice in New York have genetically evolved to better digest human diets’
 explains scientific concepts clearly: ‘HIREC – or human-induced rapid evolutionary change’
 shows both benefits and challenges of urban wildlife: ‘city provides an ideal …’, ‘incidents of human-wildlife conflict may happen more frequently’
 uses formal, informative language to convey authority: ‘Much research is still needed to better understand the behaviour and demography of urban wildlife’
 encourages awareness and careful action: ‘people can be better connected with nature and hopefully more tolerant when they encounter wild animals’

General points candidates may make on the whole of Text Two
 uses an informative and analytical approach
 identifies both opportunities and problems for wildlife and humans
 has a balanced tone: generally informative but occasionally cautionary

Points of comparison
 Text One is a personal narrative/Text Two is a factual article
 Text One is positive and hopeful/Text Two is informative and cautionary
 Text One focuses on individual action/Text Two focuses on broader ecological understanding
 Both texts show human interaction with animals
 Both highlight the importance of awareness and responsibility toward wildlife
 Both texts use examples to illustrate points (Text One: Belinda the pigeon; Text Two: urban-adapted species)
 Both aim to engage the reader and convey the writer’s perspective on humans and animals

Question 8
Write an article for a magazine aimed at young adults entitled ‘Time to explore urban wildlife?’
You should include:
• different ways people can engage with or learn about wildlife in the city
• advice about how to observe or help urban wildlife safely
• reasons why interacting with wildlife in cities might be challenging   

Question 8 – Speech
You are going to give a speech to your school’s environmental club entitled ‘Discovering Wildlife in Our Cities’.
You should include:
• different types of urban wildlife that people might see
• advice on how to safely observe and help animals in the city
• reasons why interacting with wildlife might sometimes be challenging

Article – ‘Time to Learn Something New?’

Different types of things that might be learnt
 practical skills: swimming, gardening, cooking, coding, cycling
 creative skills: painting, music, photography, writing
 academic/knowledge-based skills: languages, science experiments, new software

Advice about how to learn something new
 plan and manage your time effectively
 practice regularly, even in short bursts
 seek advice from experts, friends, or online resources
 use online communities or clubs to get support
 be patient and persistent, learning takes time
 start with simple steps before moving to more difficult tasks

Reasons why learning something new might be difficult
 lack of time or busy schedules
 fear of failure or embarrassment
 difficulty understanding instructions or techniques
 lack of access to resources or guidance
 motivation may fluctuate; it can be hard to stay consistent

General points for style and tone
 adopt a friendly, informal tone suitable for young adult readers
 use inclusive language: ‘you’, ‘we’
 use examples and anecdotes to engage readers
 offer encouragement and reassurance: ‘anyone can learn if they try’
 structure the article with sub-headings to organize ideas clearly

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Speech – ‘Discovering Wildlife in Our Cities’

Different types of urban wildlife
 common city animals: pigeons, sparrows, rats, squirrels
 less common or unusual: wild boars (Hong Kong), pigeons in rehab (Manchester)
 insects and small mammals that adapt well to urban life

Advice on how to safely observe and help animals
 observe wildlife without disturbing them
 avoid feeding or handling unless trained or guided
 learn about their habits to prevent conflict
 participate in community wildlife projects or volunteering
 create wildlife-friendly spaces: plant trees, establish small gardens

Reasons why interacting with wildlife might be challenging
 risk of injury or disease from some animals
 human-wildlife conflict in urban areas
 destruction of natural habitats reduces sightings
 climate change forces migration, creating new challenges
 lack of knowledge about local species may limit safe interaction

General points for style and tone
 adopt an engaging, enthusiastic tone
 use questions to involve the audience: ‘Have you seen pigeons acting strangely in your city?’
 use inclusive pronouns: ‘we’, ‘our’
 use short examples and anecdotes to illustrate points
 end with a motivating conclusion: ‘Even the busiest city streets are home to wildlife—let’s learn to protect them!’

EITHER
9 ‘Sometimes the smallest actions can lead to the biggest discoveries.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement?
(Total for Question 9 = 30 marks)

OR
10 Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘A Chance Encounter’.
(Total for Question 10 = 30 marks)

OR
11 Describe a person, place, or experience that changed the way you see the world.
(Total for Question 11 = 30 marks)

10 Write a story (true or imaginary) entitled ‘An Unexpected Journey’.As no specific audience is stated, the examiner is assumed to be the audience.

Candidates may agree, disagree, or give a balanced view about the statement.

Content may include:

• Examples of small actions leading to big results, e.g., helping someone, observing nature, trying a skill, taking a small risk, asking a question.

• Benefits of small actions, e.g., discovering opportunities, learning new skills, personal growth, making connections.

• Limitations, e.g., not all small actions succeed, results may take time, impact may be indirect.

• Examples from personal experience, observation, literature, history, or current events.

• Ways to nurture small actions, e.g., curiosity, persistence, observation, openness to learning.

Candidates may approach the topic practically, philosophically, or imaginatively. Examiners should accept a wide range of interpretations and examples.https://earth.org/urban-wildlife/

Candidates may choose a person, place, or experience that influenced them, which may be real or imaginary.

• Places could include homes, schools, streets, parks, markets, cities, natural landscapes, or unusual locations.

• People could be family, friends, teachers, strangers, or historical/famous figures.

• Experiences could include travel, challenges, achievements, acts of kindness, cultural events, or moments of discovery.

Candidates should be rewarded for their ability to evoke the impact of the person, place, or experience, using descriptive language, imagery, and reflection.

Examiners should be open to a wide range of interpretations and personal perspectives.

Urban wildlife refers to animals that live and thrive in human-dominated areas. With climate change and expanding cities, their presence in urban spaces is becoming inevitable. To support them, we need more research on their populations and interactions, with input from urban biologists and scientists.

full Below is a carefully shortened version of your article.

I have kept the original wording, tone, figurative language, and writer’s craft as much as possible, while removing repetition and compressing examples so it comfortably fits within ~60 lines for an Edexcel source booklet. No analytical features have been removed.

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Urban Wildlife: How Animals Are Taking Over Our Cities (Edited)

When talking about urban wildlife, we refer to animals that live and thrive in human-dominated ecosystems. With a growing number of species being affected by climate change amid an ever-expanding urban landscape, the movement of wildlife into cities is becoming inevitable. To better accommodate animals in an anthropogenic environment, we need to further study the demography and interactions of urban wildlife with the help of scientists and urban biologists alike.

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Walking around the streets of Hong Kong, it is not uncommon to find wild animals sharing the same urban space with people: pigeons bobbing their heads outside MTR stations, a sparrow leaping around outdoor restaurant tables in search of fallen food, rats silently darting through dark alleys, or even wild boar families wandering through bushes between a mother and her children.

The fact that animals navigate cities almost as easily as people — for whom these spaces are built — may feel like either a threat or a blessing. Yet the integration of wildlife into human spaces has been inevitable since urban expansion over the last two centuries. Why do animals move from natural habitats into concrete jungles, and how do they adapt so quickly to such unfamiliar environments?

Defining Urban Wildlife

“Urban wildlife” describes animals that have adapted to life in cities and suburbs. Despite early attempts to remove wild animals from cities, they returned and blended into urban life almost seamlessly. This was partly due to humans planting trees, creating parks, and improving hygiene for their own benefit — changes that also created ideal environments for animals. At the same time, industrialisation and deforestation forced many species to abandon natural habitats in order to survive.

Darwin’s theory of evolution suggests adaptation is slow, often taking generations. So how can we explain the rapid adaptations of animals in cities, sometimes within a single human lifetime?

How Do Animals Thrive in Urban Settings?

Some animals, especially smaller species, are more flexible than we expect. Their behavioural and biological changes are often triggered by human-made environments. Scientists refer to this as human-induced rapid evolutionary change (HIREC). Smaller animals are more likely to thrive in cities because they need less space and food, and their shorter lifespans allow faster genetic change.

As natural habitats shrink, wildlife increasingly turns to cities for survival.

Examples of rapid adaptation can be seen worldwide. Crested anoles in Puerto Rico have developed larger toe pads to grip smooth urban surfaces like glass and concrete. White-footed mice in New York have evolved to digest human foods such as pizza. In some cases, entirely new species have emerged, such as culex pipiens molestus, a mosquito adapted to underground urban spaces and feeding on human blood.

Can Urban Wildlife Prevent Extinction?

While some species adapt quickly, many others cannot evolve fast enough and still face extinction. Urban wildlife also increases human-animal conflict. Wildfires in California have pushed coyotes into suburbs, while monkeys in Hong Kong have been known to steal food or attack people near country parks.

Monitoring urban ecosystems is therefore urgent, not optional. Climate change, rising sea levels, wildfires, and deforestation are forcing animals into cities. A 2015 study found more threatened species per square kilometre in cities than in rural areas, suggesting cities can provide food and shelter from predators.

To preserve biodiversity, cities must become more wildlife-friendly while protecting natural habitats. Governments should work with urban biologists to design parks and open spaces that allow animals to navigate urban environments. These efforts can reduce conflict and help secure a future for wildlife in our shared, fragile world.