Cambridge IGCSE Global Perspectives (0457): Topic: Values and beliefs — Practice Questions

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs – examination boards hold copyright in their own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers from your board or school.

This practice set is for Cambridge IGCSE Global Perspectives (0457), using the Cambridge IGCSE Global Perspectives (0457) syllabus for examination in 2025, 2026 and 2027, Version 2 (published April 2025). “Values and beliefs” is one of the topics in section 3, and the topic list is used for Component 1 Written Exam, Component 2 Individual Report and Component 3 Team Project. Knowledge of content is not assessed. These questions use the topic to practise the assessed skills. Questions 1 to 9 are source-based, in the spirit of Component 1. Questions 10 and 11 are planning tasks for the Individual Report and Team Project.

See also the study guide, revision notes, Global Perspectives hub and 0457 checklist.

Questions

1. Read Source A.

Source A – original text written for Marlbridge (all places, people, organisations and figures in Sources A to E are fictional)

From an article in the Calvera Herald, a newspaper in the fictional country of Calvera

Since 1962, large shops in Calvera have had to close on Restday, the national day of rest. The government now plans to let them open. Mira Tolan, chair of the Calvera Retail Federation, says the change “will create 4,000 new jobs and give families the freedom to shop when it suits them”. Ilan Brode, a faith leader in the city of Port Ellis, disagrees: “Restday is the best thing about life in Calvera. If the shops open, family life will collapse within a generation.” The Shopworkers’ Union says most of its members do not want to work on Restday.

Identify one value held by Ilan Brode and the vested interest in Source A. [2]

2. Identify one fact, one opinion and one prediction in Source A. [3]

3. Study Source B.

Source B – original text written for Marlbridge

The Dunmere Traders’ Group, which represents large shops in the town of Dunmere, telephoned 500 adults using landline numbers from a local directory. Dunmere has about 40,000 adults. The question was: “Should shops be free to open on Restday so families can shop when it suits them?”

Age group	Respondents	Answered yes	Percentage yes
16-29	80	52	65%
30-59	220	110	50%
60 and over	200	58	29%
Total	500	220	?

(a) Identify the age group most likely to answer yes. [1]

(b) Calculate the percentage of all respondents who answered yes. Show your working. [2]

(c) Explain two reasons why Source B may not be reliable evidence of the views of all adults in Dunmere. [4]

4. The Shopworkers’ Union claims: “Younger people care less about Restday than older people.” Suggest how the claim could be researched more effectively than in Source B. [6]

5. Using Source A, explain two different perspectives on whether large shops should open on Restday, giving a reason why each is held. [4]

6. Read Source C.

Source C – original text written for Marlbridge

Letter from a parent to the head teacher of Tarnmouth Academy

Our school should teach only the values of our country’s main tradition. Shared values hold a country together. Every country that has taught many belief systems has lost its identity. My grandparents learned one set of values and never argued with their neighbours. Teaching children about other beliefs will only confuse them.

Analyse two weaknesses in the reasoning of Source C. [4]

7. Explain what is meant by a generalisation and identify one in Source C. [3]

8. Read Source D.

Source D – original text written for Marlbridge

Two speakers in the country of Norvia debate a proposed law banning the public destruction of religious texts.

Sela Arkin, Minister for Communities: Last year, three public burnings of holy books in Norvia led to street clashes in which 40 people were injured, according to police figures. Our neighbouring countries have laws like this and they live in peace. Freedom of speech does not include the right to humiliate millions of believers. This law protects public order and shows respect.

Tomas Reyk, director of the campaign group Free Voice Norvia: Burning a book is a form of protest, and protest is speech. Today it is holy books; tomorrow it will be cartoons, then jokes, then any criticism of religion. Every great writer in history offended someone. The injuries were caused by the people who attacked the protesters, so the law should punish attackers, not speakers.

Evaluate the arguments of the two speakers. Which argument is better supported? Give reasons for your judgement. [12]

9. The government of Calvera is considering three courses of action:

• allow large shops to open all day on Restday
• allow large shops to open for six hours on Restday, and give shop workers the right to refuse Restday work
• let each town decide by a local vote

Evaluate which course of action would be most effective. Use evidence from Sources A and B and your own reasoning. [16]

10. A student plans an Individual Report titled “What do different religions teach about food?”

(a) Explain why this title is not suitable for the Individual Report. [2]

(b) Suggest an improved global research question on this topic and explain how it allows the student to research different perspectives. [4]

11. A Team Project team at the fictional Westbrook School chooses this local issue: “The canteen does not offer enough food that meets students’ belief-based diets.” Read Source E.

Source E – original text written for Marlbridge

The team emailed an online survey to all 900 students. 300 replied. Of these, 189 (63%) said they wanted more vegetarian or other belief-based options.

(a) Suggest an action the team could carry out. [2]

(b) Explain how the team could measure the success of its action. [3]

(c) Explain one strength and one limitation of Source E as evidence for the team’s plan. [3]

Answers

Questions 8 and 9 are extended responses: the real exam marks these with levels of response, not point by point. The points below are indicative.

1. Value: family life, or rest (Brode believes a shared day of rest protects families). [1] Vested interest: Mira Tolan chairs the Retail Federation, whose members would gain sales if shops opened. [1] [2] Examiner insight: A value is what the person thinks matters, so name the idea (family, rest), not the action they want.

2. Fact: “Since 1962, large shops in Calvera have had to close on Restday.” [1] Opinion: “Restday is the best thing about life in Calvera.” [1] Prediction: “family life will collapse within a generation” (or “will create 4,000 new jobs”). [1] [3] Examiner insight: Quote the exact words; a prediction is about the future, so check the tense before you choose.

3. (a) 16-29 (65%). [1] (b) 220 ÷ 500 × 100 [1] = 44%. [1] (c) Landline numbers from a directory are likely to under-represent younger adults [1]: only 80 of the 500 respondents (16%) were aged 16-29, while 200 (40%) were 60 and over, so older views may be over-weighted. [1] The survey was run by a group representing large shops, which has a vested interest in opening [1], and its question wording (“free to … when it suits them”) leads people towards yes, which suits that interest. [1] Examiner insight: Reliability marks come from the method printed in the source (who ran it, how people were reached, how the question was worded); a bare “the sample is small” earns little.

4. Use a random sample from the whole adult population, such as an electoral register [1], so that every age group has a fair chance of being chosen. [1] Contact people by several methods, such as online and by phone, so younger adults are reached. [1] Use neutral wording, for example “How important is Restday to you?” [1] Ask how people use Restday, because caring about the day is not the same as wanting shops closed. [1] Have an independent body carry out the survey, so no group with a vested interest designs it. [1] [6] Examiner insight: “Suggest” rewards specific steps; tie each improvement to a weakness in the original method to make it creditworthy.

5. The Retail Federation supports opening [1] because it values economic freedom and jobs, and its members would gain sales. [1] Ilan Brode opposes opening [1] because he values a shared day of rest and believes it protects family life. [1] [4] Examiner insight: A perspective earns full credit only with its reason; naming who holds it scores half.

6. “Every country that has taught many belief systems has lost its identity” is a sweeping claim [1] with no evidence or examples to support it. [1] The grandparents’ story is one family’s experience [1], and not arguing with neighbours does not prove that one set of values was the cause. [1] [4] Examiner insight: “Analyse” needs the weakness named and then explained, and you judge the reasoning, not the parent’s view; naming “anecdote” alone earns one mark.

7. A generalisation is a claim about a whole group or category [1] based on limited cases or evidence. [1] Example: “Every country that has taught many belief systems has lost its identity.” [1] [3] Examiner insight: The definition must include the idea of limited evidence; “a general statement” is too vague to credit.

8. Indicative points:

• Arkin uses specific evidence: three burnings and 40 injured. [1]
• The figures are attributed to the police, a fairly credible source. [1]
• But the source does not show who caused the injuries, so the evidence does not prove the burnings themselves were the problem. [1]
• “Neighbouring countries … live in peace” assumes the law caused the peace, with no evidence. [1]
• “Humiliate millions of believers” is emotive language rather than evidence. [1]
• The speakers rest on different values: respect and public order for Arkin, freedom of expression for Reyk. [1]
• As a minister proposing the law, Arkin wants it to pass, so the argument may be one-sided. [1]
• Reyk makes a reasoned point: the attackers, not the speakers, caused the injuries. [1]
• “Today … tomorrow … any criticism” is a slippery-slope prediction with no evidence. [1]
• “Every great writer offended someone” is a generalisation and does not address public order. [1]
• Reyk gives no data and leads a campaign group, so the argument may also be one-sided. [1]
• Judgement, for example: Arkin offers more evidence, but it does not show that the burnings caused the injuries; Reyk offers less evidence, but a stronger point about cause, weakened by his prediction. Either judgement is credited if it is justified. [1] [12] Examiner insight: Top answers judge both arguments on evidence and reasoning, then reach a clear judgement; judging which side is morally right earns nothing.

9. Indicative points:

• Option 1 meets the Retail Federation’s aim of jobs and choice (Source A). [1]
• But the 4,000 jobs figure comes from a group with a vested interest, so the benefit is uncertain. [1]
• It ignores the Shopworkers’ Union, whose members do not want Restday work. [1]
• Source B shows only 29% of over-60s answered yes, so full opening would be unpopular with many older people. [1]
• Even with leading wording, only 44% answered yes overall, which suggests weak support for full opening. [1]
• Option 2 is a compromise that meets some of each side’s values: some shopping, some rest. [1]
• The right to refuse protects workers who value the day for faith or family. [1]
• But workers may still feel pressured to accept, so the right needs enforcing. [1]
• Six hours may satisfy neither retailers nor faith groups fully. [1]
• Option 3 respects local differences, since views may vary between towns. [1]
• But it could create unequal rules, and shoppers might travel to towns that open. [1]
• Local votes cost money and may be decided by low turnout. [1]
• Source B suggests younger people are more in favour, so towns with younger or older populations may vote differently. [1]
• Success could be measured by surveys of workers and residents after one year. [1]
• Judgement: Option 2 is likely most effective because it balances competing values and protects workers. [1]
• The judgement is conditional: it works only if the right to refuse is enforced and reviewed. [1] [16] Examiner insight: Use figures from the sources to support each judgement; an evaluation of actions with no source evidence stays in the lower levels.

10. (a) It is descriptive and tests knowledge of religious teachings. [1] It does not divide opinion, so there are no clearly different perspectives or courses of action to explore. [1] (b) “Should schools be required to provide meals that meet students’ belief-based diets?” [1] It divides opinion. [1] It allows a global perspective, such as international guidance on freedom of religion or belief [1], and a national or local perspective, such as a school’s budget or a group of parents. [1] Examiner insight: A question framed with “should” or “to what extent” invites a justified judgement; a “what is” question only asks for description.

11. (a) Present the survey findings to the catering manager and run a two-week trial menu with clearly labelled belief-based options. [1] This is realistic because it needs no new kitchen equipment. [1] (b) Count how many of the new meals are chosen each day. [1] Compare this with the number chosen before the trial. [1] Repeat a short survey of the students who wanted more options to see if their views changed. [1] (c) Strength: 300 replies is a reasonable number for one school, and 63% shows clear demand. [1] Limitation: only a third of students replied (300 of 900). [1] Students who wanted change were probably more likely to reply, so the 63% may overstate demand. [1] Examiner insight: Measurement must be planned before the action begins; “we will see if it worked” earns no credit.

Where marks are usually lost

• Explaining what religions teach instead of analysing the sources.
• Naming a value or perspective without explaining the reason behind it.
• Calling a source biased because of the writer’s faith, rather than showing what is left out.
• Missing a vested interest that is printed in the source, such as who ran a survey.
• Repeating figures from a table without using them to make a point.
• Treating a slippery-slope prediction as evidence.
• Judging which belief is right instead of which argument is better supported.
• Evaluating actions without a final judgement, or without saying under what conditions it holds.

Next steps

Check your answers against the study guide, then try more source questions in Written Exam practice and planning tasks in Individual Report practice and Team Project practice. Find your weak skills with our diagnostics. Book a free trial class to work through extended answers with a teacher.

Official syllabus

Cambridge IGCSE Global Perspectives (0457) syllabus for examination in 2025, 2026 and 2027, Version 2 (published April 2025). Section 4 describes the Written Exam, Individual Report and Team Project. Your teacher will confirm which topics your class uses.