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Learner’s Book
answers
1
Going underground
1.1
Relic
1
Discussions should be based on the idea of
Darkparis being in the mystery genre. Learners
might consider the following:
•
The title – what does the word ‘dark’
suggest literally and metaphorically? Link
to the darkness in the extract but also
other connotations of darkness.
•
The literal meaning of the word ‘Relic’
and what this could suggest about the
character. Link to the content of the
extract particularly (as if she belonged
to another time). ‘Louis’ is a normal,
everyday name (in contrast to the other
characters), signifying a recognisable, realworld character common to protagonists
in some fantasy texts. He is the reader’s
identifiable, sympathetic character.
•
•
•
2
•
3
The setting, and how it builds atmosphere,
linking ideas to the extract: ancient
catacombs, narrow tunnels, back streets of
Paris. Learners may contrast this with the
mundane nature of local supermarket and
small apartment.
The unanswered questions readers may
have about the events so far: Who is Relic?
How did she know Louis’s name? Who is
The Doorkeeper? What does she mean by
the one? Why does she want him to come
back to the catacombs the next day? They
all point to the mystery genre.
4
The explicit information revealed about
Louis: he is 17 (young), lives in a small
apartment (sense of confinement), has a
job in a local supermarket (unfulfilling
5
Who is The Doorkeeper and what does
you’re the one mean? What will Louis be
asked to do? What will happen at nine
o’clock the following evening?
Discussions may include consideration of
the following:
•
Phrases such as the shadows . . . dance on
the walls, it felt unnatural, narrow tunnels
provoke an uneasy response.
•
The use of a short paragraph that asks a
question – How did he end up here – and
why? – allows the writer to add in explicit
details about Louis and explain the
situation he is in. The stress on how dull
and uneventful his life is suggests he may
be looking for adventure.
•
The mention of The Doorkeeper adds
intrigue, mystery and uncertainty. What
is beyond the door? Why does Relic refer
to Louis as the one? What has he been
selected for?
Discussions should include:
•
personal responses to the text, supported
by reasons
•
the way that the backstory is incorporated
to provide information about Louis and his
situation, whereas Relic remains a mystery
•
how the story is narrated through Louis’s
eyes so we know more about him than
Relic – how does that affect reader
interest?
Responses to the picture will vary.
Paragraphs should include some of the
following:
•
1
with narrow prospects), he is bored
(looking for excitement), open to being
manipulated, which may make him an
easy target.
Learners write structured summaries of their
discussions in Activity 4.
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1.2
1
2
Example answer:
b
c
Effect
Focusing on the setting in the first three
paragraphs
It builds up an eerie atmosphere, thus
creating suspense.
Making The Doorkeeper more central
It develops the narrative by introducing
another key character. The Doorkeeper also
holds power, so increases conflict and tension. He sets a challenge for Louis to accept
or reject, which is gripping for the reader.
Using dialogue to show the interaction
between Louis and The Doorkeeper
The dialogue allows variation in the narrative, but also establishes The Doorkeeper as
a character who is stern and unbending. It
allows us to see Louis’s fears and uncertainty.
It is good at showing how contrasting the
characters are.
Ending on a cliffhanger
The cliffhanger shows us the choice that
Louis has to make. It’s a difficult choice, so
the reader is left in suspense wondering what
choice he will make.
The way that the writing appeals to or
affects the senses: the phrase rebounded
off the walls makes the space seem small
as the sound has nowhere to go so there
is a sense of an echo. Scurrying is a word
that evokes fear as it sounds as though
the passages are full of rodents. The mist
makes everything sound damp and cold,
linking to the foul-smelling passageways.
Flaming torches gives the impression of
glare, movement and heat.
The symbol of the fork in the tunnel
is used to show the decision that Louis
has to make. Whichever path he takes
will decide his fate. The mist symbolises
Louis’s weakness. It is referred to as the
mist of indecision.
Opposites are used to make a point about
courage: fearful/ fearless; weak/strong.
The test is used as a way of Louis proving
which of these opposites applies to him.
Discussions will vary but should consider:
a
2
Structural choice
b
Discussions should include:
a
3
The Doorkeeper
The Doorkeeper uses questions as part
of his challenge to Louis. He constantly
tests him and makes him question himself
as a result. He also uses questions as a
warning: You do know there is no going
back to your old life, don’t you, Louis?
4
The Doorkeeper almost comes across
as a game-show host when he says,
Welcome to . . . The Test! The ellipsis is
used in a dramatic way, as though it is
entertainment.
Example answer:
Breathing in deeply, Louis made a decision.
He dashed to the middle tunnel and ran
at a lightning pace until he could see The
Doorkeeper ahead of him. The tunnel
was dark but surprisingly straight. He was
running so furiously that he failed to notice
that The Doorkeeper was blocking the tunnel
ahead of him. He suddenly loomed out of
the darkness and watched sternly as Louis
stopped in his tracks.
‘Louis, you disappoint me. I thought you
had more courage,’ The Doorkeeper said,
while shaking his head slowly. ‘You need to
find your own way; there is little merit in
following the paths of others. That way leads
to blindness and misery rather than foresight
and fulfilment. Go back! Think about what
you want; face your innermost fears.’
Louis sobbed and stumbled, feeling
overwhelmed; when he looked up The
Doorkeeper had vanished. Had he imagined
him? He turned and made his way back to the
Fork, wondering whether he should just give
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up. He wasn’t a hero. What was he thinking?
Without Relic, the tunnels had lost their magic
and he just felt alone.
As he stood at the entrance to the third tunnel,
he felt something brush past him. But he could
see nothing. It seemed to be a breeze that was
light but full of energy which started to flow
into him. Before he knew it, his feet started to
move and he stepped into the dark entrance of
the tunnel. There were strange beams of light
crossing one another from the walls; they were
dim but bright at the same time and flickered
enticingly as he crossed them before snapping
out. Ahead of him was magical light; behind
him was cold darkness. The tunnel began to
twist and turn, moving uphill and downhill,
at times narrowing to tiny fissures that he had
to squeeze himself through. Finally, it opened
up and he found himself looking down into a
huge underground cave in the middle of which
was a maze of stone walls forming an intricate
symmetrical pattern inside a perfect circle.
1.3
3
Reviewing Darkparis
1
Learners’ answers will vary.
2
a
3
4
Ayesha prefers the mystery genre, which
offers settings and characters that are
unlike normal life. This means she
likes Darkparis because the mysterious
characters such as Relic and The
Doorkeeper appeal to her.
b
Vanessa’s slightly negative reaction is due
to the fact that she prefers books with
strong female characters. As Louis is the
most central character in this novel, she
isn’t as keen on it.
c
Alexei is 18 and feels he has outgrown this
genre of novels. However, he does identify
with the character of Louis and likes the
setting of the catacombs as he has visited
them during a trip to Paris.
•
Why she chose the setting: Her choice of
setting was influenced by a visit to Paris as
a teenager. Her knowledge that Paris has
two sides: it’s a beautiful city but has also
been the setting of some terrible conflicts
throughout history. She also liked the idea
of a story set underground in a different
world, and the catacombs offered a
perfect setting.
5
•
Why she chose Louis as a central
character: She wanted a young adult as
the central character to reflect the target
readership. Instead of a child, she wanted
to portray a young adult who finds life
dull and is thrust into a world where he
feels more like a child again as he has to
discover new things.
•
What she says about the message of her
book: She says the message of her book
is about having self-belief and learning to
be confident. Sometimes the message of
the book doesn’t become clear until the
end but she wanted to write a story about
becoming more confident and overcoming
challenges even if they seem difficult.
Discussion should include the following points:
•
Some readers may find Louis a dull
character.
•
Some readers may prefer a central
character who is female.
•
Some people may identify with Louis due
to their age or because they have similar
life experiences.
Example answer:
A story set in the delightful city of Paris but
instead of bustling cafes and busy boulevards,
we are taken into the dark and gloomy world
of the catacombs. Our protagonist, Louis,
whose life in northern Paris is dull and
uneventful, finds himself being led into the
tunnels by a mysterious young woman called
Relic, who leaves him to face the challenges
given to him by the equally mysterious
Doorkeeper.
This book will appeal to readers who like
mysteries and intrigue. It poses questions
but doesn’t offer easy answers. Who is The
Doorkeeper and why has Relic chosen
Louis to take The Test? What secrets do the
catacombs hold and how dangerous will
Louis’s quest be?
The novel is aimed at young adult readers who
should identify with the character of Louis
as he faces the realities and monotony of
navigating life in an adult world. His desire for
uncertainty and excitement is likely to appeal
to those who yearn for the adventures and
discoveries of childhood but in a more mature
and dark setting.
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1.4
1
Groups read the scene aloud.
2
Discussions will vary, but groups should
start by discussing and annotating the script
to explore ideas about tone, gesture and
movement.
3
4
5
•
Whether Relic was acting or not. If not,
how did she get into that situation?
•
Is the Old Man an inner voice for Louis?
Does he force him to confront difficult
issues from his past?
•
What could a new character add at this
point? Suggestions may consider whether
a new character is helpful when the
Old Man and Relic are still relatively
undeveloped.
•
Whether using a cliffhanger for two
consecutive scenes could lack variation.
What are the other possibilities for ending
the next scene dramatically?
In their discussions, learners should consider:
•
How Relic’s power is presented and how it
changes in this scene from Extracts 1 and 2.
•
How and why Louis’s power increases
through the extracts: how does it change
at the end of Scene 4: The Second Test?
Where can the reader detect a shift in
hi power?
•
The power of The Doorkeeper – does it
vary or is it constant?
1.5
1
Answers may include:
•
At first the two people cannot be seen
so they had mystery and suspense. The
sound of rushing water hints at danger
which adds tension.
•
The old man seems to be looking at
Louis’s past and present in a crystal ball,
which adds mystery and intrigue. He hints
at something significant in his school life,
which adds information for the audience.
He confirms what we already know about
the lack of excitement and fulfilment in
Louis’s life presently. He acts as a tempter
for Louis, enticing him to choose a new
and better life.
•
The ending of the extract is unexpected,
as Louis refuses to save Relic by agreeing
to enter the river. It uses a rather silly and
stereotypical helpless female scenario so
it may be that Louis doesn’t trust them.
Relic was very in control at the beginning
of the text so why would she be so useless
now? As a reader I agree with Louis
that the whole set up looks staged and
unconvincing. They may be testing how
easily duped he is.
2
Perhaps another test by The Doorkeeper
and Louis has to pass or fail. If the latter,
how will The Doorkeeper react?
Visiting Coober Pedy
Discussions will vary but should consider:
a
The writer implies that the area is very
basic and undeveloped. In many ways,
it is an area which lacks modernisation
and the facilities expected in a civilised
society. It does not look real but more
like something from a science-fiction film.
As a result, it is quite discomforting. The
writer also implies that the weather makes
the area really hostile and unpleasant
and that people only live there to try to
make money.
b
The writer’s voice is quite negative, using
expressions such as effectively a hole in the
ground to describe the sleeping conditions.
There is a sense of disbelief in her tone,
as though she has never seen anything
like this area before. She also sounds
uncomfortable in the area, as though she
finds it really creepy. She says she was the
unwilling heroine which shows that she
doesn’t really want to be there. It sounds
as though she didn’t enjoy her trip there.
Discussions will vary, but should consider
the following:
•
The fact that it took the writer three days
to get there shows how remote the area
is and how far from her normal life. She
stresses it is 1,800 miles from Canberra
and likens it to Mars.
•
Saying people live in dugouts makes their
lives seem incredibly hard, which makes
them seem desperate. It seems to be full
Learners may consider the following in their
script scene:
•
4
The second test
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of people who are only there temporarily
to try to get rich rather than a settled
community who have tried to establish a
proper town.
3
•
otherworldly images: makes the landscape
sound alien and strange
•
long stretches of dusty red landscape: links
to Mars as the ‘red planet’
•
strange hills of white soil: colour contrasts
with the red
•
randomly scattered mining holes: makes
the place sound chaotic and messy, as
though humans visit, mine, then leave
•
winters are colder than Mars: very hostile
and brutal
•
this place of extremes: stresses how hostile
it is and how difficult it is to live there
•
•
1.6
5
3
like a deserted film set for a Martian movie:
makes it sound empty and abandoned.
•
The writer did not seem to like Coober
Pedy or feel comfortable there. Even after
talking to Alinta, she is still quite negative
about their lives.
•
The writer notices the noises of the city
and the pinging of her phone when she
returns home and wonders if a more
peaceful environment like Coober Pedy is
a good thing.
•
She is more reflective when she returns
home and seems to wonder if her initial
judgements were too harsh. She did
seem rather closed-minded when she
visited – perhaps irritated by the lack of
modern technology. It seems as though
she was not willing to give it a chance,
but changed her mind a bit when she was
back in her own environment.
Discussions might include the following
points:
•
why the writer doubted Alinta’s
reassurances
•
why she softened her attitude after
returning home
•
Appropriate quotations are used to
identify key points.
why the writer found being without her
phone and other modern comforts so
challenging
•
It interprets the writer’s feelings and
intentions from the words.
why the writer was so dismissive of the
area and the people who live there
•
what Alinta says about her life there
•
what the writer says in the final
paragraph.
Discussions may include consideration of the
following:
•
1
Discussions may include the following points:
Learners’ answers will vary, but may consider:
•
4
2
The response identifies explicit information
but looks at deeper meanings behind the
details (‘The implication is . . . ’).
Living under the ground
Alinta is introduced to add more depth to the
article, as she is a resident of Coober Pedy
so can offer a true perspective on the town
rather than one based on first impressions.
She is also only 17 so adds a young adult’s
views. She shows that life there is harsh but
not as strange or impossible as the writer
has implied. The fact that she is going
to Melbourne to study shows that she is
educated and a normal teenager. She also
mentions her parents having a business and
that they have electricity, which shows that
their lives are not as difficult as the reader
has been led to expect. Her frustration with
people’s assumptions that they are considered
backward also adds a new perspective.
4
Learners’ answers will vary.
5
Learners’ answers will vary.
Check your progress
1
Writers can use structure in many ways to
make stories interesting. They may start with
a description of a setting to build atmosphere
and create strong visual images. They may
also deliberately withhold information to add
suspense, tension or intrigue. Use of dialogue
varies the narrative style and allows the reader
to hear the characters’ voices. Flashbacks can
add details at appropriate points or answer
questions.
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2
Various forms of punctuation can create
effects such as tension or excitement. Use
of ellipses can indicate a pause in speech or
where words have been left out. Questions
may add tension or intrigue.
3
The quotation means that people will be more
or less interested in texts according to their
own personal experiences and preferences.
So, someone interested in travelling to remote
areas may respond differently to a travel
article than someone who has no interest in or
experience of such places.
4
6
Tone of voice and gestures can be used to
indicate a character’s tone or attitude in a
drama script. The voice can be raised or
lowered for dramatic effect. Gestures can vary
to reflect what the character is saying.
5
Travel writing aims to entertain readers by
informing them about places that they have
never visited. It also aims to make people
think more deeply about different cultures
and ways of living. It aims to expand people’s
horizons without them having to travel
themselves.
6
Travel writing is most effective when it gives
information about a place but is also reflective
and thoughtful. Using interesting language
to offer good descriptions, as well as some
background information, is effective too. It
is also interesting for the reader to hear the
voices of local people, so including interviews
and other evidence is a good idea.
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2
Law and order
2.1
Right and wrong
1
2
Learners should scan the text to identify the
following information to identify that the
statement refers to a conscience, which is an
emotional reaction inside our head to guide
us into doing the right thing or to make us
feel bad when we do the wrong thing. Links to
the article:
•
It links to the idea that humans are
sociable and prefer cooperating as this
leads to an easier life.
•
The idea that we are happier when we do
the right thing.
•
People remember those who act well
and are helpful, so it also involves our
reputation with others.
•
The article explores how our brains are
wired to listen to our conscience and
behave accordingly.
•
7
Humans are very good at remembering who
has helped us, and who hasn’t. We like those
who help. We don’t like selfish people. In
this example, the writer uses a compound
sentence to present us with opposite types
of people. Two simple sentences then
illustrate the emotional responses to each
of the opposites. This makes the point
clear and easy to follow.
Structure: the blog entry starts with a
series of questions then lists advice to
answer them. It uses bullets but starts
each bullet point with a capital letter to
make them more emphatic instructions. It
uses imperatives so is quite authoritative.
However, the ending sentence makes it
more light-hearted.
•
Appeal to the audience: the structure
makes it easy to follow and achieves a
light-hearted tone, so it will probably
appeal to the audience as they don’t take
themselves too seriously.
Example answer:
The simple and minor sentences make the blog
entry punchier and less formal. The sentences
that open the text are reflective and explain
what the blog is about in a very concise way.
It is chatty, so quite fragmented, like flitting
thoughts. The minor sentence at the end is
jokey and makes it clear that they do not take
themselves too seriously. This is likely to make
the reader identify more strongly with the text
as it is light-hearted and friendly.
Learners may include the following examples:
•
3
4
•
5
Learners’ discussions may include:
•
Humans are social beings. We live in
groups and work together to get things
done. In this example, the writer uses a
simple sentence to make a statement of
fact followed by a compound sentence to
extend and develop the point by adding
details.
The second text uses less formal sentence
types as it reflects the way that the writer
thinks so is more fragmented. They use
questions more and minor sentences. It
is also arranged using bullet points. The
text is much shorter and easier to read as
it does not really deal with complex ideas
or information.
Learners’ discussions may include:
•
Purpose: to reflect and share reflections
with others; also to entertain.
•
Audience: friends, contacts and online
followers.
•
Reason for reading: the audience may
be regular readers of the blog or just
browsing for things to read.
The first text is written in a formal style
using a variety of sentence types to add
emphasis and develop the ideas fully. The
sentence types help the reader to move
through the text smoothly and access the
information contained in it.
•
The writer of the first text has a serious
attitude towards the subject and focuses
on including information that has been
supported by theoretical Science and
definitions that can be accessed easily. It
explains things fully as they want the reader
to understand and extend their learning.
The second writer has a much more
light-hearted attitude and is not claiming
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to be an expert, as they make it clear that
they probably will not be able to follow
their own instructions anyway. There is a
sense of togetherness with the reader in
the second text whereas in the first text
the writer is clearly the expert teaching
the reader.
2.2
1
3
View A: The persuasive nature of the text and
how this is supported by the structure. The
convincing nature of the text – what would
appeal to them? Does this view consider the
intended reader and the purpose of the text.
View B: What information does the text miss
out? Why might this information be unsuitable
for the text’s purpose? Does this view consider
the intended reader and purpose?
Join the police
Learners should discuss the following:
The purpose is to inform the reader about
being a police officer and persuade them to
apply for the role.
The intended audience is people interested in
joining the police force, or those looking for
a job.
View C: Does this view generalise? How? Does
the sense of serving a community dominate
the text? What other attractions are outlined
and how do they compare? Does this view
consider the intended reader and purpose?
4
The reader may choose this text if they are
looking for a career and think the police force
could be suitable for them, but they require
further information about what the job entails.
2
8
Learners should scan the text using the
subheadings and looking for key phrases.
Their notes may include the following:
•
it will change your life
•
it will help the community you serve
•
you have the power to help and protect
people through solving crime
•
you will learn new skills for life such as
problem solving
•
no two days are the same
•
you will receive a competitive salary and
private healthcare
•
you will receive excellent training.
Example answer on View 2:
I do not agree that the article is misleading.
I agree that it highlights the more positive
aspects of being a police officer, but this is
entirely appropriate for an article trying to
attract applicants for the role. The text does
mention that training is offered for handling
dangerous events and solving crimes, so it
does make it clear that the role does have
some less pleasant aspects, however it also
stresses the job satisfaction too. It also says it
is a physical, mental and emotional challenge
so it does warn people that it won’t always be
easy. Therefore I disagree with this view and
would argue that the balance in the article
is appropriate.
The text is highly structured, using bullet
points to clearly separate the material
logically. It also begins with a question
heading: Why should you become a police
officer?
The structure would appeal to readers as it
makes the information clear and easy to learn/
remember. The questions used as subheadings
means that the reader can skip to the sections
which are more relevant to them. The sections
are linked logically so that if you didn’t think
the job was right for you, you could stop
reading before it gets too specific.
Learners should discuss the following:
2.3
The art detective
1
Learners read the text aloud in pairs. Listen
for evidence of reading ahead and for
confidence and expression in their reading.
2
Discussions will vary, but may consider the
following based on the bullet points:
•
Is driven by a love of art: He says the
paintings can end up being kept in
unsuitable conditions. He says he does not
earn money from recovering the paintings.
•
Enjoys the glamour of his job: He enjoyed
hanging the Picasso on his own wall for
one night.
•
Does a useful and helpful job: The
paintings are works of art, so although he
is finding priceless works of art, he seems
to work for private owners so the paintings
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aren’t seen by many people. This does not
see very helpful or useful. But returning a
painting that was on a private boat is not
really serving the public in any way.
•
•
3
Seems to live a very privileged life: There
is not much evidence of this. Presumably
he makes money from it, although he says
not. If he does not need to earn money,
he may be wealthy already. It is not clear
whether this is a rich man’s hobby or
whether he gets generous rewards for
returning the paintings.
4
2.4
Has a job that many people would like
to do: Some people probably would not
think the job was worth the risks but
others may think being an art detective
was quite exciting and challenging.
•
Is not a proper detective: Some may argue
that he is not solving serious crimes, he is
just trying to hunt down missing pictures.
Others may argue that this is a specialist
crime, so he is a real detective.
Learners perform the extract. Check that they
use voice and movement to bring out the ideas
and personalities in the piece.
2
Learners’ notes will vary but should include
the following:
3
In our group we all agreed that in some ways
he does a useful job as he restores valuable
works of art to their rightful owners and
therefore acts as a deterrent to art thieves who
may fear getting caught. We all agreed that he
seems to enjoy the risks involved and perhaps
likes the glamour.
9
•
Dan’s concern is serious; the plaster on
Sir Jasper’s forehead shows that there
was some violence which could have been
serious; the reconstruction adds some
humour because it might look silly; it then
becomes more serious again when we are
reminded that Sir Jasper was injured.
•
The story may appeal to the audience
because it is intriguing, as we do not
know who stole the painting. The fact
that the detectives are young and lack
confidence makes them endearing. Sir
Jasper seems a very good sport so adds to
the entertainment.
Example answer:
Dan is the leader of the group and the others
make that clear when they call him ‘Sherlock’.
He seems to lack confidence at the beginning
and is very nervous when Sir Jasper comes in.
However, when Sir Jasper is pleased with the
idea of them investigating the stolen painting,
his confidence begins to develop. His idea of
the reconstruction gives some shape to the
investigation and allows Dan to take some
control of the situation and get more evidence
from Sir Jasper, who comes across as fairly
eccentric. Despite being injured, he seems
quite relaxed and very happy to help. His
character is very likeable.
Example summary:
Our views were more mixed on whether it is
a job that many people would enjoy, as most
of us thought that was unlikely. Some of the
group admired him but others thought he was
probably just doing it for large rewards in spite
of him claiming he doesn’t do it for money.
We were divided on whether he must be very
wealthy to have the time to do this, or whether
he does the job for less materialistic reasons.
Some of us thought that finding a painting
that was kept on a private boat was pointless
as the public cannot see it anyway. This made
us think he does it for money.
Young detectives
1
Is someone to admire: He comes across
as quite brave because he is dealing with
dangerous criminals so puts himself at
risk for his job. However, if he recovers
paintings owned by private collectors, is it
really a useful role? He could be doing it
for the money.
•
Learners’ answers will vary.
4
Example answer:
The thieves entered the gallery (it is unclear
how they got in) and found the painting. The
taller one shone a torch while the smaller one
cut the painting canvas away from the frame,
working very slowly and carefully which
might imply he knows something about art.
Sir Jasper suddenly burst through the door
from his study and said something to them.
The impression is that the smaller man is the
specialist art thief while the taller one acted as
a guard. Their behaviour definitely makes the
story less humorous.
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2.5
1
2
3
4
5
•
The larger man seems quite calm. This
leads Dan to think he is not experienced
at it.
•
The smaller thief did not want to show
his hair, which suggests it was an unusual
colour. His hands were very white, which
indicates pale skin so leads Dan to think
he had red hair.
Learners may note that Dan has several
skills. He is creative, spontaneously coming
up with the idea of using a reconstruction
to bring back Sir Jasper’s memories of the
event. He is also good at using clues to make
logical deductions and inferences and to fill
in gaps. This suggests that to solve mysteries
you need to be able to piece things together to
form a bigger picture. You need to listen very
carefully and be very observant.
Learners’ answers will vary. They may agree
that the process of deduction allows the reader
to see how others are impressed by Dan’s
powers of deduction – for example, reading
into the hat fiddling and asking about whether
his hands smelt strange. He also probes for
details: ‘Anything else? His voice? His hands?’
They may not agree that it makes him a hero
as we do not know yet whether he is right.
Example answer:
Dan comes across as a likeable character. He
is young, so seems genuinely interested in
solving crimes as a hobby in his spare time.
His nerves at the beginning of the first extract
make him endearing as he isn’t really sure
about how to solve the mystery and seems
quite clueless at first. However, he is a creative
person so has the idea of a reconstruction to
spark Sir Jasper’s memories. This works really
well so he is able to get a good description of
the robbers and their actions. This then allows
him to use his intelligence to make deductions
about the robbers that can help solve the crime
by tracking them down.
Learners may identify the following clues:
Dan is an appealing character because he
has no element of self-interest at all. He is
very focused and achieves his goals while still
coming across as modest and pleasant. His
friends are very supportive of him so he is
clearly a popular person who can also motivate
others. The fact that solving the mystery could
save Old Park House seems to motivate him
even more, showing that he is interested in
doing good for others rather than himself.
2.6
Detective fiction
1
Conventions of detective fiction include:
a
• riddles and puzzles that a detective
works out
Learners’ notes should consider the following:
• a neat ending/loose ends tied up
•
• a detective with a great mind
•
10
Making deductions
Dan is a student who is passionate
about solving mysteries as an amateur
detective whereas Arthur Brand is an
adult who only specialises in art thefts
where the police have given up looking
for a painting. Dan seems motivated by
curiosity and wanting to do good, whereas
Arthur seems motivated by the thrill of the
chase. Arthur seems more motivated by
money than Dan, although he denies this.
It suggests that Dan has better values
than Arthur. Arthur found a painting that
was owned privately and kept on a luxury
boat. It is difficult to see how this would
motivate him in terms of the good done
by solving the mystery. Dan discovering
the painting would save Old Park House.
•
clues to solve
•
villains driven by greed
•
villains being caught in the end
•
memorable settings
•
unusual characters.
b
Examples from The Case of the Missing
Masterpiece:
• a detective with a great mind
•
clues to solve
•
villains driven by greed
•
memorable settings
•
unusual characters.
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2
•
•
3
4
5
It appears on the homepage of an online
bookstore that specialises in detective fiction
so the audience will be people who already
like this genre. The purpose is to write an
informative/persuasive text encouraging
people to try out some of the new detective
books the shop has on offer. The author is
the person who runs the online shop.
6
•
Themes: The extended metaphor of dark
and light suggests that in detective novels
there are themes of mystery and shadowy
characters, which the detective tries to
overcome.
•
Morals: The metaphor of dark and
light suggests that the detective is always
morally good and the villains always
morally bad – two ends of a spectrum. It
suggests ideas of good and evil, in which
good triumphs.
Learners should note that the writer uses
‘we’ and ‘us’ to establish a common passion
for detective fiction with the readers. As this
article appears on an online bookshop, the
writer wants people to buy the books. So,
establishing the idea that they are all fans of
this genre by addressing the reader directly
and counting himself as one of them is more
likely to get them to feel part of a group with
a common interest.
1
An article can be written with a very particular
reader in mind in terms of its purpose. So
some articles are published as research for
people to learn more about a topic, whereas
some are published less formally (e.g. blogs)
and are there to offer friendly advice and share
experiences with like-minded people. Others
are written to entertain people.
2
Colons and semi-colons help the writer to
organise information. Using a colon or a semicolon closely links information in the sentence.
A colon can be used where the second part of
the sentence directly explains the first, and a
semi-colon can be used where the two parts of
the sentence are very close in terms of ideas so
do not need a ‘pause’ between them.
3
When reading aloud, you can use your voice
to make the text more interesting. Varying
volume and putting emphasis on certain words
makes the text come to life and allows a tone
to be established. You can also vary the pace
of your voice, speeding up to show excitement,
for example. Pauses are good for adding
tension or showing that you are thinking.
4
You can use gesture and movement to show
how a character is feeling at a certain point,
such as wringing your hands if you are worried.
Movement around the stage can show urgency
or evasion if you turn your back to someone.
5
Detectives are often shown as being slightly
odd or eccentric. They are intelligent and
resourceful. They may ask a lot of questions
then think before offering their deductions
from the clues they have gathered.
6
In crime fiction, there may be villains and
good characters (usually the detectives) who
solve the mystery or crime. At the end, the
mystery is solved or the villain caught. To do
this, the detectives have to pick up clues and
make deductions to work out how the crime
was carried out. Detective stories often involve
remote settings such as huge old houses.
Answers may include some of the following:
Jake likes realistic detective stories that
focus on how a mystery or crime is solved
by the police working alongside scientists.
His interest stems from a desire to be a
policeman when he was a child.
•
Abebi prefers stories that explore
corruption in politics in Nigeria, her
home country, where power is a significant
factor. She also prefers writing with
female lead characters.
•
Vanessa is more interested in old-fashioned
detective fiction with interesting settings
Learners discuss and recommend detective
fiction they have enjoyed.
Check your progress
The text shows bias because it assumes
that the reader enjoys reading detective
fiction, so it is aimed at those who already
read it. It only points out positive things
about the genre.
Learners’ answers may include:
•
11
and dramatic tension. This interest is
explored further in her course on detective
fiction, part of her university course.
Discussions on the purpose of the text should
include the following:
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3
‘The Red-Headed League’
3.1
The red-headed visitor
1
Discussions and methods of working out
meanings will vary. Suggested glossary below:
poses more questions for the reader than
it answers.
4
Notes will vary but may consider:
a
blazing: flaming / fiery / bright
beyond: excepting / outside
considerable: great / large / substantial
Sir Jasper is clearly a victim of crime. He
did not know the robbers. Jabez Wilson
is supposedly the victim of a joke rather
than a crime. Sir Jasper seems generally
unfazed by his experiences and is eager to
help catch the robbers. Jabez Wilson also
seems fairly unfazed as he laughs heavily.
deduce: conclude / infer / reason
indicated: suggested / signified / signalled
entitles: qualifies / permits / allows
nominal: token / small / minimal
eligible: qualified / appropriate / acceptable /
suitable
b
chuckled: snickered / chortled / sniggered
2
3
Notes will vary, but may include:
•
he notices his increased muscle mass on
his right side so deduces he does physical
labour
•
he notices his shiny right cuff so deduces
that he has been writing a lot
•
he notices his fish tattoo so knows he has
been in China
3.2
1
Both victims are reasonably sympathetic
characters. Sir Jasper is very likeable but
does not seem vulnerable; similarly, Jabez
Wilson does not seem vulnerable either.
Sir Jasper almost treats the reconstruction
as a game which indicates he is not
traumatised and Jabez Wilson laughs. He
seems more perplexed than upset.
The assistant
Discussions should include:
•
It is strange that he could earn more
money but chooses to stay as an assistant
to Jabez Wilson.
•
this implies that Holmes is observant and
good at using clues to make deductions
•
he is quick-thinking and intelligent
Taking photographs and going to the
cellar to develop them is strange.
•
he is articulate and able to explain his
reasoning effectively
The fact that he knows so much about the
Red-Headed League is strange.
•
he is knowledgeable.
a
The language used suggests that Jabez
Wilson has very distinctive appearance
with his fiery red hair. It also suggests he is
middle-aged and perhaps overweight and
unfit, as he is stout and florid-faced.
He brings the advertisement to Jabez
Wilson’s attention, which is helpful.
It creates a sense of mystery because
the reader is given very little detail. The
advertisement is very odd as it appears
to be offering a salary for doing nothing
except having red hair. We do not know
why Jabez Wilson is seeking help, but
assume that he has been the victim of
a crime due to the advertisement. It
He offers to look after Jabez Wilson’s
business when he works for the League.
b
12
In the first story, Sir Jasper is the victim.
He is a wealthy older man. In the second
story, Jabez Wilson appears to be the
victim, but of what is not clear yet.
•
He is very intelligent so a good assistant.
He has a lot of information about the
League so can answer questions helpfully.
•
At this point in the story, the reader is
probably a bit suspicious of Vincent
Spaulding as it feels as though he is part
of a plot to set up Jabez Wilson. Things
seem too convenient and it is unlikely that
he would receive money for doing so little.
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2
Example answer:
The introduction of Vincent Spaulding at this
point in the story adds to the mystery because
his motives are very unclear. He could be a
helpful assistant who sees an opportunity for
his boss and points it out, or he could be part
of an elaborate plot to trap Jabez Wilson. There
are a number of unanswered questions about
him, such as why he chooses to do a menial and
badly paid job when he is clever enough to do
something better. Also, how does he know so
much about the League and why is he so keen to
get Jabez Wilson involved. We also do not know
why he takes photographs and develops them
in the cellar. It makes us think that he is hiding
something and may be a spy.
3
Learners improvise the conversation.
4
a
b
c
d
3.3
1
2
3
Discussions will vary but may include:
•
His motive for taking the job was money.
•
He trusted people when there were
clearly clues that he was being duped or
manipulated.
•
He may have been taken advantage of by
his employee who he trusted.
•
He seems to be the victim of something
but it is not clear what.
Answers will vary, but learners may note some
of the following:
a
Spaulding tries to persuade Wilson to
take the job by flattering him, saying he
has beautiful, blazing red hair. He also
tells him that he deserves to be lucky and
appeals to his greed by pointing out how
rich he will be if he takes it.
Wilson agrees to do the job because of
the amount of money he will receive. This
implies that he is greedy and a bit lazy, as
he wants to earn a lot for doing very little.
b
It is likely to make listeners less sympathetic
because he comes across as greedy.
However, we do feel a little sorry for him,
because he seems to be part of a trick or
con and is being manipulated. He clearly
trusts Vincent so is possibly a victim.
The apparent history and actions of
the League:
•
it was founded by an American
millionaire with red hair
•
he put in his fortune for men with
red hair
•
it pays well but asks little
•
men have to fill in an encyclopaedia
•
the hours are between 10 a.m.
and 2 p.m
•
they get paid on a Saturday.
Key details about Vincent Spaulding and
Duncan Ross:
•
The tone of voice is flattering/smarmy. It
gets a bit more desperate when Wilson says
he is being tricked. He sounds quite false.
The end of the League
•
Methods of working out meanings will vary.
Suggested glossary below:
Vincent Spaulding
•
he is about 30
•
he has no facial hair
•
he is short and stout
•
he is clever
•
he is persuasive
•
he takes and develops
photographs
Duncan Ross
•
he is small with very red hair
•
he issues instructions about the
work
•
he gets the work going then leaves
•
he pays for the work.
dissolved: liquidated / disbanded / broken up
staggered: amazed / dumbfounded / startled
wisely: prudently / intelligently / sensibly
object: aim / goal / motive
handy: useful / helpful
pierced: pricked though
c
Any clues you have noted or suspicions
you have:
•
Vincent definitely seems suspicious –
what is he taking photographs of ?
frankly: honestly / candidly / plainly
13
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the League is very odd – why do they
want Jabez to be in the office between
10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
•
why has it suddenly dissolved?
•
what is the significance of red hair?
•
is Vincent a woman as he has no
facial hair and is small?
4
•
Mr Merryweather may have been warned
that there is a plan to rob his bank.
•
The ending is likely to include Holmes
foiling an attempt to rob the bank by
tunnelling into it from Wilson’s cellar.
Learners’ answers will vary.
4
Learners’ discussions will vary.
3.5
5
Learners’ answers will vary.
1
3.4
Investigating the street
1
Learners read the extract aloud.
2
Holmes:
•
3
thumps his stick on the pavement
(he could be trying to find a cellar or
basement)
•
knocks on the door (he could be trying to
observe the man who answers it)
•
looks at how the row of buildings is
ordered (he could be trying to see where
the bank is in the row)
•
calls a meeting with a police agent and the
bank director (he could be plotting how
to crack the case with their help).
The job may be a way of removing Wilson
from his office so his assistant can get up
to something. They are trying to keep
him occupied for four hours a day to
distract him.
•
Spaulding seems to be working for/
with the League. The cellar seems to be
important.
•
Spaulding is happy to work for little pay
because he wanted to get the job badly.
He is likely to be a criminal with a motive
for this.
•
Spaulding may be digging a tunnel in
the cellar to get into the bank vaults
next door.
•
Holmes may have been checking the
pavement to see where the cellar meets the
bank’s cellar.
2
The dark cellar
Discussions may consider the following:
•
The night-time setting adds a sense of
danger and mystery as they cannot see
properly and know that the criminals
could be dangerous. The fact that the
scene takes place underground reflects
the murkiness of the crime. It also adds a
feeling that they could be trapped.
•
The darkness adds to the sense of
danger so increases tension. The silence
makes time go slowly so also increases
the tension.
•
John Clay is a known criminal so adds
to the sense of danger as he could be
dangerous and has presumably evaded the
police before.
•
The uncertain timing of Clay’s arrival
makes things very tense and adds
suspense as it is all so uncertain. This bit
is beyond Holmes’s control.
Learners’ discussions may include
consideration of the following:
•
14
•
Words and phrases include:
•
lantern – makes it sound shadowy
and dim
•
dark passage – adds the sense of
unknowing and danger ahead
•
pitch darkness . . . absolute darkness –
emphasises the intensity of the darkness
to create tension
•
depressing – emphasises the gloominess
•
sudden gloom – makes it sound unpleasant
and dark
•
the cold dank air of the vault – makes it
sound like a grave / as if they are buried
alive / gives an eerie atmosphere
•
highest pitch of tension – shows how the
tension is building to a climax.
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3
Answers will vary. See example in
Learner’s Book.
4
Discussions will vary.
3.6
1
15
Check your progress
1
The solution
Answers will vary, but may consider:
•
the clues given throughout the story
•
the way that Holmes uses the clues to
work out the mystery
•
the way that Jabez Wilson was
manipulated by the gang
•
the identity of John Clay and whether it is
clear that he is the same person as Vincent
Spaulding
•
who the ‘pal’ was (Duncan Ross)
•
whether the ending tied up all the reader’s
questions.
2
Learners’ answers will vary.
3
Discussions should consider:
•
whether Holmes is solely motivated by
a desire to do good, or if he might have
some selfish motivations
•
whether Homes allows any unnecessary
risks to other characters to find out
the truth
•
whether Holmes seeks out cases or
whether people just bring them to him.
You can work out the meaning of unfamiliar
words by considering:
•
the context of the word within the text
and trying to deduce its meaning
•
the prefix of the word
•
similar words.
2
Introducing a suspicious character into a
mystery story is effective because it gives the
reader a focus and makes them wonder what
he is up to. It is a good way of distracting the
reader from other things too.
3
When writing a report, you should follow the
conventions of reports, using subheadings to
organise the information as well as devices
such as bullet points or numbered lists. You
should use clear, direct language and write in
formal, standard English. The tone should
be formal.
4
Mystery stories usually end with a resolution
of the story which ties up all the loose ends
and answers the readers’ questions. The
criminals should be caught and punished so
that good triumphs over evil. There may be a
twist or surprise to keep the reader interested.
5
The narrative structure of a typical
mystery story:
•
introduction of the detective/s and
victim/s
4
Discussions will vary.
•
details of the crime committed
5
Example answer:
•
the introduction of the criminal/s
I liked this story as it follows the usual
conventions of a Sherlock Holmes mystery.
It was a bit predictable as Vincent Spaulding
was obviously up to no good, but it was not
clear why he was working for Jabez Wilson so
it kept me interested. The scene in the cellar
was effective as it built up the tension well.
It was satisfying when the villain was caught
at the end. The Red-Headed League added
intrigue but wasn’t really explained at the end
so was left a bit open. I assumed that it was
completely fictious but think it would have
been good if Holmes had explained that too.
•
the setting of the crime – usually remote
•
the climax of the story where the criminal
is caught
•
the denouement where the detective
explains how the crime was solved.
6
People’s own personal circumstances
and experiences will make them respond
individually to the same text. So, a female may
prefer texts with female characters, or a young
person may prefer something where the plot is
less predictable.
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4
Time
4.1
Moments in time
1
Learners read the poem aloud. Listen for
accuracy in pronunciation, especially with
unfamiliar words.
2
Learners may note the following:
3
•
the flowers dying / colours fading / the
effect of the cold on the flowers / colours
changing
•
the last two lines are ambiguous /
connotations of winter – positive or
negative? / connotations of orange turning
to gold may be positive / connotation of
citrons turning green – unripe but promise
of future? / cyclical pattern of nature and
acceptance of that.
Images connected to the natural world: In
‘Autumn’ images are mostly connected to
disappearance, such as They are no more
which makes the dying of the lily flowers
more dramatic. There is also a description
of the chrysanthemums fading and white
with frost to show how the colour ebbs
away. In ‘The Turning Year’ the winter
night is seen as pure which makes it
sound perfect and positive. The clouds
scatter and vanish as though making way
for the perfection of a winter night with
clear skies.
d
Use of the present tense alongside
speculation about the future in the last
two lines: In ‘Autumn’ the last two lines
seem to look forward to the winter with
orange turning to gold and citrons green.
This appears to be more positive, as
although gold and green are less warm,
they indicate that nature is cyclical and
new life is ready to come again. Whereas
in ‘The Turning Year’ the focus of the
final two lines looking at the future is the
poet considering his own existence and
whether he will be there the following
year. The message here seems to be to
treat each day as though it is your last
because you do not know what the future
may bring.
Discussions should include considering of
the following:
a
b
16
c
The narrator’s feelings about time
passing: In ‘Autumn’ there may be some
sadness about winter approaching and
the flowers dying, shown by the phrase
a solemn memory but also an acceptance
of nature’s cyclical pattern, whereas in
‘The Turning Year’ seasons are viewed
as time passing so the narrator thinks we
should live in the present. The second
poem is more about time passing in
terms of the narrator’s life whereas the
first poem is about the change of seasons
and its impact on nature. In ‘Autumn’
the narrator’s feelings are less relevant
or obvious.
Words connected with disappearance
and cold: In both poems the cold is
described using positive language, such
as white with frost in ‘Autumn’ and pure
and cold in ‘The Turning Year’. ‘Autumn’
describes the water lilies as gone and the
chrysanthemums as fading to show the
impact of autumn as winter approaches.
The phrase They are no more has a ring
of sadness or mourning to it. In ‘The
Turning Year’ it talks about clouds which
scatter and vanish on a cold night but
the emphasis seems to be more on the
narrator’s fear that he might vanish (die).
4
Learners’ answers will vary.
5
Discussions may include consideration of
the following:
a
Is this an optimistic poem or not?
•The poem is not strongly optimistic
but neither is it strongly pessimistic.
• There is an acceptance that time
passes and the past flows behind us
and we can’t get it back.
• It says that we leave the past
without regret, which is reasonably
positive, but then it says will we
leave so carelessly the years to come
recognising there are no guarantees,
which is more pessimistic.
• The last three lines seem to convey an
acceptance but also a recognition that
we weaken as we get older.
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b
c
What similarities does this poem have
with ‘Autumn’ and ‘The Turning Year’?
• The acceptance of time passing and
our helplessness to do anything about
it is similar to ‘Autumn’.
• It is less similar to ‘The Turning
Years’, as it does not consider the
future as a time when we may not
exist – instead it focuses on old age
and growing weaker.
2
• It does, however, raise the subject of
regret, which touches on the same
theme as ‘The Turning Years’ in terms
of the idea of living without regrets,
as we only get one life.
c
Learners’ answers will vary. Example
metaphors could include:
•
a cake: mix the ingredients, bake it, the
fresh sponge is delicious but starts to dry
out and go mouldy
•
an oak tree: starts as a tiny acorn, is fed
and watered, grows into its prime until
it grows old and gnarled and the rotten
boughs begin to fall
•
a toy: new in its box, adored and played
with; then as it grows older, other new
and exciting toys replace it until it gets
discarded, trodden on and is eventually
thrown out with the rubbish.
a
The narrator suggests that we should
make the most of our youth because life
gets harder and lonelier as we get older.
b
The title links to the advice in the
last stanza to use your time to make
relationships when you are young, as it is
about ‘making much’ of your time.
c
The final line is saying that if you wait
for things, you may wait forever. This
reinforces the message that you should
seize opportunities while you can.
d
The title summarises the message
effectively – use your time wisely and take
every opportunity while you can.
What have you learnt about the themes
and voice of this poet from the three
poems?
• This poet often looks at the theme of
time passing and its impact on nature
and humans.
3
• The poems look at the past and
future.
• The poet is mostly accepting that we
can’t do anything to change the past
and have to look to the future.
• The poet has quite a gentle reflective
tone.
6
Learners’ answers will vary.
4.2
1
Discussions should include the following:
a
b
17
Making the most of time
The narrator is telling the reader to get as
much out of life as they can right now, as
nothing stands still and things may change.
It may be related to youth and age – telling
the reader to take advantage of their youth
before it is too late. This could mean seizing
opportunities for happiness when they
present themselves, as they may not always
be there. Act today before it is too late.
Old Time is still a-flying sounds like a
warning that time passes very quickly.
The sun is personified as being in a race
to set, which also emphasises the speed of
time passing.
4
The flower dies as time passes, so is
a measurement of time. The sun’s
movement in the sky to setting is also a
symbol of time passing. So they are both
used to show how time never stands still.
Notes will vary, but should consider the
following ideas:
a
The regular rhyme and rhythm links to
the theme of time, as time is regular and
broken down into equal units of seconds,
minutes, hours, etc.
b
The writer gives the positive advice to
use time wisely followed by a negative
reminder of why in each stanza. This
balanced approach makes the poem more
convincing. It means that each stanza is
mirrored in design so it creates a regular
pattern like time itself.
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5
•
•
•
6
18
The ‘glass half full’ and ‘glass half-empty’
metaphor shows that different people can
look at the same situation in different ways.
It connotes how our attitudes (whether
optimistic or pessimistic) can affect our
approach to life. Someone with a positive
attitude is more likely to tackle challenges
and look for long-term solutions, whereas
someone with a pessimistic attitude may
give up too easily and accept less than they
deserve. It is likely to have a significant
impact on a person’s well-being.
Reactions to ‘To Make Much of Time’
will vary: some may think it focuses too
much on how quickly life passes by; others
may think it has a powerful message
to live each day with meaning and not
waste a second of life. Young people may
respond less positively as for them there
is so much life left to live and time seems
to pass more slowly; older people may
find the message more meaningful, as they
have less time left and are likely to think it
is important to make the most of it.
For the final bullet point, learners discuss
their own experiences/attitudes.
2
The tribe that time forgot
Notes will vary, but may include reactions to
the following information:
•
the Baduy are secluded from the outside
world despite living near a large capital city
•
they follow strict customs – some of
them must make life hard, such as not
wearing shoes
•
they do not believe in formal education
•
they live in two zones – the inner zone is
stricter and people can be expelled to the
outer zone for breaking rules
•
the outer zone has some contact with the
wider world; outsiders can stay there for a
short time
•
some elements of the modern world are
creeping in, despite leaders’ attempts to
stop them
there is an awareness of money and
commercialism.
Learners should consider the following in
their discussions:
•
The writer mainly seems to focus on what
the Baduy cannot do, such as forbidden
customs, lack of education and punishing
people for breaking rules. There is little
written about the positive aspects of
their isolation and freedom from the
expectations of modern society.
•
The Baduy do not have a voice in the
article. The writer quotes a university
lecturer who has studied them, but there
is no evidence that he has interviewed
any members of the tribe to ask for their
opinions on their way of life.
•
The final paragraph makes it sound
as though the Baduy are quite halfhearted about their traditions as they are
eager to watch TV if they are given the
opportunity. It seems quite dismissive of
their tribe and way of life, and suggests it
is all a sham.
3
Learners’ answers will vary, but they may
come up with ideas such as: cars, planes,
mobile phones, Barbie dolls/Action Man, high
heels, bottled water, money, the Kindle, the
internet, schools, open-plan offices.
4
Learners’ answers will vary.
5
Learners deliver their speeches, using
appropriate gesture and voice techniques to
engage the audience.
Learners’ answers will vary.
4.3
1
•
Learners should consider the following in
their discussions:
4.4
1
The time tornado
Genre features mentioned in the audio:
•
strange or magical events that are not
scientifically possible
•
set in faraway but recognisable worlds
•
strange creatures
•
end with a strong moral
•
may have a superhero
•
may be high fantasy (entirely new world/
creatures) or low fantasy (real world with
ordinary people, but also magic)
•
a journey – literal and metaphorical
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3
•
playing with time
•
conflict in opening central character
challenge
•
power struggle between good and evil
•
good usually triumphs.
• everything vanishes – sudden anticlimax adds mystery and makes
reader question what has happened
• police finding the book with
hieroglyphics – adds to the mystery
and makes the reader intrigued
• bus and passengers never found –
invites reader to want to find out
more and solve the mystery.
Genre features learners may note in the
extract include:
•
strange or magical events that are not
scientifically possible
•
strange creatures
•
low fantasy (real world with ordinary
people, but also magic)
•
a journey – literal and metaphorical
•
playing with time
a
b
c
4
Learners’ answers will vary, but paragraphs
may mention the following verb choices:
•
At the beginning the verbs are calm
(sitting, copying and looked).
•
The verbs become stronger, as the children
notice the strange events (elbowed,
pointing and glowing).
A ‘Time Tornado’ may take people from
one time in history to a different time.
•
As time slows down, it is shown in verbs
such as hovering.
The chapter starts off quite calmly,
describing children copying one another’s
homework on a bus. Then it adds a
sense of mystery and intrigue when they
start to see strange things from the bus,
around Cleopatra’s Needle. There is then
a moment where everything seems to
slow down before a sudden terrible crack
where everything suddenly becomes very
dramatic, and the bus is taken up by
the tornado before vanishing. The final
paragraph is back in the real world, where
everything is calm again. There are hints
about what happened but the mystery
remains. The structure builds excitement
in the reader then replaces it with intrigue
about what has happened.
•
The sudden dramatic action is shown
in violent verbs such as breaking, hit,
knocking, shattering, crashed, whirled,
swelled, battering, torn, slammed and spun.
•
The verb vanished has a dramatic impact
as it implies suddenness.
•
In the final paragraph, gentle verbs are
used such as floating.
5
Learners’ own story opening.
4.5
1
References to time and their effects include:
•
The extract starts with the time and
the word precisely makes it clear it is
important – the reader wonders why.
•
There is an emphasis on punctuality and
the watch being correct.
•
The theme of time is introduced in a
mysterious way when the reader is told
Abel Darkwater had all the time in the
world – we do not really understand how
he can have nearly all of it.
• the slowing down of time – adds
tension and intrigue
•
There is further emphasis on punctuality
when he drives up.
• the crack and the bus being lifted by a
tidal wave – adds fear and excitement
and a sense of danger
•
The year 1588 when Tanglewreck was
built – far in the past – adds intrigue.
Mysterious events and characters:
• the tip of Cleopatra’s needle is
glowing red – mysterious
• chariots and horsemen riding down
the river – adds drama and excitement
• the Pharaoh appears – builds the
drama more as he is powerful
19
The visitor
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3
20
•
The Age-Gauge is mysterious but suggests
time travelling to the reader.
•
The notion of echoes of time and the
idea that time is . . . buried layer by layer
adds suspense and is an interesting
if implausible idea, typical of a
fantasy story.
•
Now was Then and Then was Now
continues the theme of time travelling.
•
Looking at the pocket watch – builds
suspense as we are expecting something
will happen at a certain time.
•
the fourth hand, in red, like a warning,
pointed towards eleven o’ clock and what
this means. A face then appears at the
window.
•
4
The writer tells the reader very little about
Abel Darkwater. The name builds a sense
of mystery, as it implies there is a great
deal hidden under the surface.
•
He is only late when he intends to be, but
we do not know why time is so key to
his existence.
•
He can talk to people from the past but
we do not know how.
•
He is meeting someone at Tanglewreck,
but we do not know who or why.
•
We know that Tanglewreck is a great
house with a long driveway.
•
It was built in 1588.
•
The house is going to tell Abel about its
beginnings, but the reader knows nothing
about them.
•
There is someone in the house but we do
not know who.
•
He has business at Tanglewreck.
Discussions will vary but may include the
following:
•
Repetition of never is emphatic.
•
Repetition of unless he . . . deliberately
contradicts the emphatic never. This adds
mystery to the character, as it seems odd.
•
The use of a dash in each part of the
sentence mirrors and adds balance.
Learners’ answers will vary. Example answer:
The name Abel Darkwater makes him sound
like an enigma – as if there is much more
below the surface that you have to dig deep to
find. He clearly has special powers to go back
in time and the implication is that he uses
them for good, although that is not entirely
certain yet. The Age-Gauge and the pocket
watch appear to contradict one another, as the
former is not a real machine but something
imaginary that is linked to time travelling.
However, the pocket watch is an old watch
from the past that still keeps perfect time. It
shows how he travels through time and has
belongings from different eras.
Learners may note the following:
•
The whole balanced sentence makes him
seem like an interesting character who is
an enigma. He seems very confident and
as though you can trust him.
The writer uses language to add mystery, as
he hints at things like time travel but is quite
vague: today lies on top of yesterday, and
yesterday lies on top of the day before. This
challenges the reader, as it creates an image
of time where it is vertical rather than the
horizontal line most timelines use. The idea
of the past having voices that are muffled is
interesting as it makes it sound as though it is
always there rather than gone for ever. There
is a lot of repetition in the text, with some
deliberate contradictions to create intrigue,
such as Now was Then and Then was Now. The
capitalisation of Then and Now makes notions
of past and present seem significant. In the
final paragraph, the short sentences counting
down time build suspense. The phrase Sure
enough in the final sentence shows that Abel
knew what was going to happen the whole
time, as he is in the past.
5
Learners’ discussions should consider
the following:
•
There is a clue in it was the nearly that was
the problem, and the reason why he had
come to Tanglewreck. The house seems
to hold some knowledge that he needs to
have all the time in the world rather than
nearly all of it.
To visit, he has gone back to 1588 – this
is when the house was built so obviously
holds some importance.
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•
second transcript, he just summarises what
they think so it is less personal. It is possible
that the first transcript sounds more sincere
because his own views are more obvious
but the second one sounds more serious.
The interior of the house would look like
something built in 1588.
We are told it is a great house so it is
likely to be an Elizabethan manor house –
possibly timber framed.
c
There are gates and a long drive so the
house is set in its own grounds.
The house has windows high up, as the
watch hand is pointing to 11 o’clock in
the direction of the face at the window.
•
•
Learners will have their own ideas about
the face at the window and that person’s
relationship to Abel.
Learners’ answers will vary.
7
Learners’ answers will vary.
4.6
Into the future
1
Learners may note the following
differences:
•
• He uses informal language such as
yeah in the first transcript but he says
yes in the second transcript. This
is because he has to adopt a more
formal tone when speaking to his
teacher and the class.
• The ideas are ordered quite randomly
in the first transcript, as he is
thinking, but in the second transcript,
his ideas are organised logically.
• In the first transcript, he gives
personal thoughts but in the second,
he makes them more general rather
than personal.
21
In the first transcript, he expresses
preferences so it is more personal. In the
The main benefit of not having to go on
holiday in order to remember one is that it
would be much easier with no risky travel.
You could go to amazing places like Mars.
The main disadvantage is that it is not real
and you would know that.
The advantage of not going to school is
that you can stay in bed all day. The main
disadvantage is that you might get lonely
and unhealthy.
The main advantage of having no more
diseases is that you could live forever. The
main disadvantage is that you could live
forever. That’s a ‘double-edged sword’.
• Use of ellipsis and dashes show
that Ahmed pauses more in the
first transcript. This is because he is
thinking as he speaks. The second
transcript is more fluent and he speaks
in whole sentences because he is
addressing the class and has had time
to organise his thoughts and ideas.
b
Learners may consider the following in their
discussions:
There are no obvious indications of
conflict, as Abel clearly needs to learn
something and that is why he is there. The
meeting seems planned.
6
a
2
The impact on the audiences is different.
In the first transcript, he sounds as though
he is joking around a bit so the audience
may not take what he says as seriously as
in the second transcript, where he sounds
serious and intelligent.
•
It is unlikely that these changes would
make the world a better place as it looks
as though humans would live forever so
population size would become a huge
issue. It also looks as though people
would barely leave their homes, instead
living inside their heads filled with fake
memories. If children do not go to school,
humans would never learn to socialise
and work together so the world could be a
very lonely unpleasant place.
3
Learners’ answers will vary.
4
Analyses should consider:
•
use of contractions, question marks,
exclamation marks, ellipsis
•
the personal nature of the article, its
chatty/informal tone
•
use of questions, exclamations, statements
as sentences, short sentences, one-word
sentence
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•
5
4
Check the glossary so you understand all the
words fully. Make sure you pronounce them
correctly.
Writers can create mystery through a strong
setting – possibly in a remote place. They can
also leave things unexplained so a character
may not be fully drawn. Leaving questions
unanswered is a good way of creating mystery
but also giving enough information to spark
the reader’s interest.
5
Carpe diem poetry is about seizing the day and
making the most of the present as the future
is uncertain, because time moves quickly and
everything can change in an instant. Some
people find this kind of poetry depressing
because it focuses on death and decay, but
others find it uplifting and motivating because
it reminds you to live life to its fullest.
This means that the reader should not always
understand things fully in order to create
intrigue and mystery. Things may be hinted at
or left half explained so the reader has to keep
reading to get the full picture.
6
The factors that influence the way people
speak are the audience they are addressing as
well as the purpose of the speaking. With a
friend, a person is likely to be less formal than
when they are addressing someone or a crowd
in a formal situation.
repetition of you and you’ve, starting each
numbered section with No more . . .
Learners’ answers will vary.
Check your progress
1
2
3
22
Tips could include establishing a relationship
with the audience through using pronouns,
using rhetorical questions to draw listeners in
and exclamations for effect.
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5
That’s entertainment
5.1
Leaving Jamaica
1
Learners read the play extract. Listen for
confident and accurate readings.
2
Learners may note the following genre
features:
•
people say or do something odd –
Hortense offering him the loan and telling
him to marry her
•
the journey from unhappiness to
happiness – they both think they will be
better off and happier in England
•
characters become successful – they both
think they can be more successful in
England
•
they are not kings and queens – they are
both ordinary people who have faced
hardship
•
characters are likeable – both characters
here come across as likeable, perhaps
Gilbert more so than Hortense in this
extract
•
difficult situations – it is likely that life in
England will not be as easy or as good as
they think it will
•
•
they are creative – both have big dreams
and a plan to achieve them.
3
Learners’ answers will vary.
4
Learners’ analyses should include:
•
23
the audience is on their side – they
both come across as characters who the
audience would support
Gilbert’s aside shows that he is concerned
that Hortense does not really like him or
understand him. He is worried that she is
a snob. But England is still very tempting
for him so he may forget his concerns.
He thinks he has nothing in Jamaica
and a much better chance of becoming
educated in England. Hortense’s aside
shows that she worries about her future in
Jamaica. She thinks that speaking good
English and having pale skin will mean
she will be accepted easily in England. She
thinks that her life will be much better in
England and has very high expectations.
She has the ambition to be a teacher and
be respected.
•
Gilbert thinks that Hortense looks down
on him and does not like him or his jokes
very much. It is quite amusing, as she
has just asked him to marry her and his
raw honesty is funny. The way he says
Man, this woman don’t even like me . . . is
comical as it is unexpected.
•
The effects of the asides are different
because with Gilbert it confirms his
personality so far, but with Hortense it
adds a lot of information about how she
perceives herself and how she wants to be
treated by others. Their high expectations
make you feel as though they are bound
to be disappointed, but particularly
Hortense as she is very sensitive in terms
of how she is treated by others.
•
Placing them later allows the audience
to have preconceived ideas about the
characters and their relationship before
challenging them and changing them as
the asides reveal more information.
5.2
Arriving in England
1
Learners perform the scene to bring out their
characters’ personality and emotions.
2
Example answer:
Gilbert is fully dressed but has been asleep
on the bed, so is probably a bit dishevelled.
His shoelaces are also undone. In contrast
Hortense is wearing a pristine white coat, hat
and gloves and therefore looking remarkably
smart and composed for someone who has
just disembarked from a long voyage. She
is clearly unimpressed by the room as she
was expecting better living accommodation
with more than one room. The fact that she
swallows before asking him to show me the rest
suggests that she had very low expectations
but when he tells her that is it she is visibly
appalled: I beg your pardon? and has to sit
down. Gilbert in contrast seems to think living
in one room is acceptable. Their dialogue
shows that Hortense is the stronger character
and is dominant as she constantly has Gilbert
on the back foot. He has overslept and didn’t
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turn up to meet her so she is firmly in control.
Gilbert just repeats this is it as though he
hasn’t got the strength to argue but also
knows that Hortense needs to accept how they
will live in England. In contrast, Hortense is
clearly horrified and disappointed, which is
shown as she says so little: Just this?
3
Discussions may consider:
•
Gilbert oversleeping and therefore not
meeting Hortense from the ship; his
unbuttoned shirt and undone shoelaces;
the panicked way that he runs down the
stairs off-stage.
•
Hortense wearing a pristine white coat
despite having been on a long voyage; her
wearing a hat and white gloves from her
wedding outfit; the way she stands in the
doorway of the room.
•
The way that she stands in the doorway to
take it in; her nervousness; her complete
shock which means she has to sit down
when she realises that this is their only
living space.
•
4
Learners’ answers will vary.
•
An ordinary setting: The setting is
William’s village, which sounds like an
ordinary and humble place in a valley. It is
a rural setting where presumably modern
machinery and facilities are limited.
•
A heroic character who succeeds by
using his own abilities: William is clearly
nervous about whether his invention
will work, which makes him sound full
of humility. However, he is also very
determined and has put a great deal of
thought and effort into his wind machine.
He has confidence that it will work. The
fact that he has been laughed at for his
efforts but has not given up shows that
he is resilient. The fact that he has used
all sorts of discarded rubbish such as
bottle-cap washers, rusted tractor parts,
and the old bicycle frame makes his
machine even more impressive, as it has
been created with things other people have
thrown away.
•
The admiration of the hero by the
community at the end: The crowd
gasping and describing William as the
boy who made electric wind shows that
his achievements have been recognised
as something remarkable. This is more
effective because earlier in the story, we
were told that he had been teased and
laughed at by the local traders when he
was building it.
3
Learners should discuss the following effects
of the structural features:
•
The fact that this prologue is a
flashforward means we know how the
story ends from the start. It becomes a
tale not about if William succeeds, but
how he does – what journey does he go on
to get to that point?
•
The presence of the crowd adds tension as
they clearly think William has tried to do
something impossible and is crazy. They
have all come to watch and seem to be
impressed with the machine he has built,
looking in wonder, but as they have teased
him throughout the process, they seem to
be there to watch him fail (shown by the
crowd cackled like hens). This contrasts
with William’s pride in his machine, which
Learners should consider the following in
their discussions:
•
24
Summaries should include the following:
The scene has amusing moments such as
Gilbert oversleeping then running down
flights of stairs with his shoelaces undone
– this is all quite slapstick. The contrast
between his dishevelled appearance
and Hortense being so overdressed is
quite amusing. However, her shock and
disappointment is more sombre so brings
the scene to a more serious point.
5.3
The Boy Who Harnessed
the Wind
1
2
the word boy stresses his youth so makes
his achievement more impressive
•
the word harnessed has connotations of
controlling something to make it work
for you
•
the title makes William sound heroic
and innovative
•
the reader is led to expect a story about
a boy who does something remarkable
through his own ingenuity.
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he describes as an invention. His quiet
confidence is evident when he says, It was
time, but he is also nervous about whether
it will work when he starts it up.
•
4
5
The gathering crowd builds a sense of
tension and expectation. The climb up
the tower also builds tension, as well
as William’s knees turned to jelly. This
continues due to the pause between the
wind turning the wheel and the light bulb
finally glowing. It is released on The crowd
gasped, as their admiration is obvious.
a
The idea of rebirth and new life indicates
that each part of this machine had been
discarded and was useless on its own.
However, when put together to form a
whole, each piece will start a new life
of usefulness. It also reflects how the
machine will dramatically change the lives
of the people.
b
Using the word miracle shows how
inexplicable the electricity seems to
everyone. That a machine made of
discarded rubbish can produce electricity
is completely unbelievable. It shows how
great William’s achievement was.
5.4
1
When I got there, there was a big crowd, all
jostling to get a look at the pile of rubbish.
I have to say it look pretty impressive with
its chain and steps and blade. It was mighty
fine lookin’ but that didn’t mean nothing if it
didn’t work! We all watched as the kid climbed
up the steps which didn’t look too strong to
me. It shook as he moved and I thought the
whole lot was gonna come crashing down
like a pile o’ cards. Then this mighty gust of
wind come out of nowhere and pushed the
kid further in. At that point I reckoned he’d
failed. The tower was swaying as he grabbed
K-pop
Learners’ notes may include:
•
The personal qualities of the two young
men: Both young men have a dream and
show they are willing to work hard to
achieve it, but their dreams are radically
different. William wants to invent a
machine to harness the power of the wind
to provide electricity to his local area,
whereas Jeon wants to be a K-pop star
and achieve fame. William is alone in his
aspirations so has to be very self-sufficient
whereas Jeon is one of more than a
million young people in South Korea who
want the same thing. William pursues his
dream despite having no support from
others who just mock him whereas Jeon
has the support of his parents and their
financial backing. Jeon’s dream costs a
lot of money for classes, whereas William
relies on using discarded items to build his
machine. Jeon says he will pay his parents
back so he does not take it for granted,
but that depends on him being successful
which is unlikely. So, William is more
resolute, determined and individual than
Jeon who is following a well-trodden path
with little hope of success and may be
more shallow as a result.
•
The attitude of others towards their
work: both young men face obstacles
from others. William is mocked for being
ambitious, but when he succeeds people
are full of admiration and celebrate his
success. Jeon’s parents do not want him
to pursue his dreams, but they help him
financially when he persuades them to. So,
Jeon has more support than William.
•
The differences in their success: William
is successful and proves everyone wrong
when his machine is shown to work.
Jeon has not found success yet, despite
practising for 50 hours a week and
spending a great deal of his parents’
money on training classes. It is highly
unlikely that he will be successful.
Example answer:
So finally the crazy kid told us his machine
was ready! This was too good to miss so I shut
up my shop for the day and walked across the
valley to the village where he lived. Every time
I saw this kid putting his bits of ol’ rubbish in
a heap, I laughed and asked him if he’d like
my vegetable peelings too. I give him a couple
of ol’ rusty hooks I didn’t need; as though
they’d be any use to anyone! That kid was
sure deluded if he thought he could do the
stuff that the city folks do with their fancy
educations and buckets of money.
25
something and the spinning wheel started
turning and it seemed to take forever but then,
suddenly I saw it! The light bulb was glowing
bright like a beacon. He’d done it! The crazy
kid had done it!
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2
3
•
The headline and bullets help by
summarising the story and orienting the
reader in the way that the first paragraphs
of newspapers do.
•
The pull quote aids the visual appeal – it
sets up the second part of the story in a
quick way and breaks the text up to make
it more manageable for the reader.
•
The quotation from Jeon Sung-won
makes the article more plausible as it adds
an example of a young person desperate
for success. It illustrates the naive hope of
such young people in this business.
•
The introduction of Noh at the half-way
point acts as pivot, introducing another
view posited against the initial optimism.
It helps the reader see another perspective
and therefore invites them to judge/evaluate
Jeon’s chances. A good structural link
between Noh and Jeon’s parents is implied.
Learners may discuss the following:
a
The article does not explicitly state that
Jeon is foolish, but does make it clear
that his dreams are highly unlikely to
succeed and that he is probably wasting
his parents’ money. The article uses him
as an example of a hopeful who is setting
themself up for failure. He could come
across as rather shallow and silly.
b
Noh is presented as someone who is
honest about the low chance of success.
He seems fair as he offers advice about
what will help but still says it is difficult.
He does, however, work in the industry so
could be considered a part of an industry
that exploits young people and takes
money from them knowing their chances
of success are very slim.
c
4
The article is not directly critical, but it
does suggest that over a million young
people are wasting their time and money.
It definitely does not recommend K-pop
as a viable career path.
Example answer:
I feel a bit sorry for Jeon, as he seems to have
been sucked into an unattainable dream built
around the phenomenon of K-pop. There
26
is no evidence in the article to suggest that
he is particularly talented, yet he is spending
50 hours a week practising for a career as a pop
star with little hope of ever being successful
in auditions. He seems quite indulged, as
his parents were persuaded to support him
financially despite not wanting to. Although
he says he wants to pay my parents back when
he is a successful singer, he also knows that it is
extremely unlikely to happen so that isn’t really
very convincing. I think he knows what he is
doing but has been seduced by the industry
without really thinking carefully about it. The
industry has been accused of treating young
people like products that are churned out yet
Jeon seems to accept this as a potential career.
He does seem a bit shallow and silly.
Learners may note the following:
5
Learners’ answers will vary.
5.5
1
Animals and entertainment
Learners’ reactions will vary, but their discussion
may include consideration of the following.
a
The views presented align with the feelings
of many animal rights’ campaigners who
object to any animals in captivity, or
animals kept simply to entertain humans.
Many people will agree with this in terms
of animal cruelty, as well as many animals
being kept in cages or pens that are
unsuitable for their needs. Some people
would disagree, arguing that they enjoy
visiting zoos and seeing animals that they
otherwise would not experience. People
who keep pets may feel that as long as the
animal is happy and cared for, if it is not
in its wild habitat is not important.
b
Counter-arguments might include the
importance of breeding programmes
in zoos to help save endangered species
(China’s panda breeding programme is a
good example). Many zoos and wildlife
parks only keep animals born in captivity
so they have never experienced a different
way of life. Strict regulations about
animal enclosures are applied and there is
strong action when they are not adhered
to. There is a big difference between
keeping animals in captivity and using
animals for entertainment. Circuses rarely
use animals now due to public pressure
and many sea-life parks are coming
under pressure to stop using animals for
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entertainment. It could be argued that
keeping domestic pets is exactly the same
but many people conveniently forget that.
2
3
‘Isolation is terrible’
How would you like to be separated from other
humans? If you’ve ever spent a long time on
your own, you will know how lonely it is. So
why take animals away from their own species?
Separating family groups is unnatural. Think
about being taken away from your family by
force and locked in a tiny cage with hostile
captors. That’s exactly how an animal feels
when it’s captured and put in a zoo or a
wildlife park. It’s terrifying for them. If you
wouldn’t like it, why would they?
Features in the text include:
•
Emotive language: weilding their power,
mistreat, restrain, steal, spirit is crushed,
cruel form of imprisonment, isolation is
terrible . . . how lonely it is.
•
Presenting contrasting things as strongly
positive or negative: cage . . . natural
habitat, sea park . . . ocean, isolation . . .
family groups, film set . . . natural place.
•
Assertion: Humans enjoy wielding power
over animals, animals are mistreated,
animals cannot play in zoos, animals cannot
interact in zoos, zoos are a cruel form of
punishment, zoos are interested in money
not conservation, cages are designed for
entertainment rather than animal welfare,
animals are harmed or killed on film sets,
animals are not cared for on film sets.
•
Example answer:
4
Presenting a biased rather than a balanced
view: The whole article presents a biased
point of view because it does not offer
an alternative viewpoint. It makes many
assumptions about what makes animals
happy and assumes that all zoos or
conservation programmes are bad.
Learners may consider the following points:
•
The article was intended to be read by
people interested in vegetarianism, so
they are likely to have strong views about
animal cruelty already.
•
The article has no writer’s name attached
to it so they cannot be challenged in terms
of the lack of evidence offered to support
some of the assertions. This also gives
the sense that the opinions expressed are
everyone’s not just those of one individual.
•
If the article has been shared on social
media, many people will have read it.
•
It was written when zoos were popular
and very few people were vegetarians so
it was designed to persuade people to
support animal rights campaigns.
Example summary:
This article uses political language to persuade
the reader that all forms of animal captivity
are negative and only concerned with profit or
power. It uses emotive language deliberately
to make the reader feel guilty about whether
they have ever visited a zoo or watched
a film featuring animals. Phrases such as
wielding their power or mistreat, cage, restrain
are powerful in making anyone involved in
animal conservation sound evil and cruel. The
article presents all zoos or animal captivity
as negative without acknowledging the
breeding programmes that have keep whole
species from becoming extinct; it is therefore
biased and only offers a narrow perspective.
It also makes a number of unsupported
assertions such as in captivity their spirit is
crushed and animals are harmed physically and
mentally. The writer claims that zoos exist for
entertainment only and ignores the educational
aspect. It appeals to the reader by asking them
to consider their own experiences of isolation,
which is not entirely relevant or convincing.
27
5
Discussions may consider the following:
a
Jen is likely to agree wholeheartedly with
the article and not challenge any of the
assertions or notice the lack of evidence
offered. This is because it reinforces
her views.
b
Indra may find the article less convincing
because the fact that he is a vegetarian
may not be linked solely to animal
welfare. If he has visited zoos and not
seen evidence of cruelty himself, he may
not be fully convinced. He may be open
to some of its points about the balance of
power between humans and animals.
c
Helmut may find the article unconvincing
because he thinks zoos are a valuable
resource for teaching children about
animals and allowing them to view
wild animals.
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6
5.6
1
2
The benefits of zoos
Learners may consider the following:
•
The fact that this article is published in an
established newspaper means that it will
have been fact-checked and should offer
robust evidence for any assertions. It also
means that the article is believed to be of
interest to a wide range of readers.
•
The writer has made his support for zoos
clear so it is likely to be a biased article.
However, he also has wide experience of
working in zoos as a volunteer so does have
relevant experience and knowledge. This
makes him trustworthy and the fact that he
volunteered means that he does not have
any personal financial interest in zoos.
Comparisons may include the following:
•
•
3
The first article is less convincing
because there is a lack of evidence cited
to support the assertions. For example,
cruelty towards animals is asserted with
no examples given. Whereas the second
article backs up its claims, for example,
citing the fact that there are a number
of species which only exist in captivity
to support the argument that zoos are
essential for conservation.
Both articles are biased but the second
article is more evidenced. In the first
article, there is no evidence of any
experience of working in zoos or wildlife
centres so much of the article is just
opinions which aren’t very informed.
In the second article, the writer has
volunteered in zoos so it is based on more
informed opinions.
Example answer:
The use of parentheses in the first paragraph
allows the writer to pre-empt the opposing
arguments and address them. For example, For
many species (but no, not all) puts the emphasis
on the word many while acknowledging that
for some animals zoos will not be suitable. This
makes the writer sound reasonable and fully
aware that there are some limitations to zoos.
The writer also uses positive language when
discussing zoos such as greater appreciation,
real changes, real difference which stresses the
good that zoos do. There is very little negative
28
language other than that used in the argument
to support zoos (habitat destruction and global
threats). The final line is powerful, as the writer
claims the world would be a poorer place
without zoos. The writer uses the pronouns I
and we to build a relationship with the reader
as a shared vision. Phrases such as Quite simply
. . . are useful for reinforcing the logic of the
argument and make the writer’s voice more
persuasive. In the final paragraph the writing
gets much more personal as the writer confirms
his support for zoos and the work that they do.
Learners’ answers will vary.
A few serious objections to good zoos is an
example of an adverb of degree.
4
Learners’ answers will vary.
5
Learners’ answers will vary.
Check your progress
1
Comedy genre features include: stereotypical
characters, dialogue to show characters
interacting, asides to show what a character
is thinking, dramatic irony, funny events, a
happy ending.
2
Contrast is used in comedy to show different
characters interacting. The contrast can be
between their physical appearance such as
height, size, neatness, etc., or it can be in their
attitudes, mannerisms and opinions.
3
Autobiographies are about real people and
events but they are still shaped carefully to
maintain the interest of the reader. They will
use similar techniques to narrative writing
such as flashbacks or flashforwards, as well as
building and releasing tension.
4
Newspaper articles use headlines and bullets
to organise material helpfully. They often use
a pull quote and direct quotes from an expert
to support the argument.
5
Political language is about power – either
challenging it or trying to maintain it. It is
persuasive language that could be emotive or
assertive.
6
A discursive response gives an objective
account of several views on a topic. It usually
follows the structure of opening with an
overview of the topic and summarising the
different viewpoints. It then considers the
benefits and disadvantages of all the differing
views. The conclusion usually sums up the
writers own views of the topic.
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6
A sense of place
6.1
The city sings
1
Learners read the extract and perform the
sound effects.
2
Effects include:
3
•
the long sentences make the writing flow
like a song; it gives a musical rhythm
reflecting the theme of the text
•
it bombards the reader with olfactory,
aural and visual images
•
the shorter sentences focus on the
importance of listening and command the
reader.
Example answer:
5
6.2 A love letter to the Grand
Canyon
1
2
Learners should note that by contrasting his
earlier visit to his later one, the writer shows
that he has matured and can appreciate the
extraordinary qualities and power of the
Grand Canyon. When he was 19, he could not
see beyond the obvious and thought it was
frozen in time, but when he returns years later
he is far more observant and concludes that
the Grand Canyon is not a static place. In the
first visit, he is in a hurry to get to Las Vegas
so just snapped a few shots but the later visit
stretches for months and he watches the way
the Grand Canyon changed hour-to-hour, dayto-day, season-to-season. This shows that he
appreciates the beauty of the place much more
when he is older and the place has a much
more profound impact on him.
3
Discussions may cover the following points:
Learners’ answers will vary, but may consider
the following:
•
The city is described at night as a busy,
vibrant place that never stops.
•
The city has its own distinct smell: fanning
out the heat and the smells of shops and
cafes and offices . . . long breaths layered
upon each other.
•
•
29
The city is noisy: the rush of traffic . . .
a constant crush of sound, rupturing the
cold night air with drills . . . fizzing hiss
of floodlights . . . rock bands calling out
rhythms, alarms, calling for help . . . crying
their needs to the night, sung sirens.
The writer uses the extended metaphor of
the city as a song. There are also similes,
onomatopoeia, alliteration, lists and
contrasts used to heighten the effects and
create sounds.
First visit: I tried to comprehend the scenery,
there was only one thing I could compare it to,
Grand Canyon seemed frozen in time, snapped a
few shots, and headed to Las Vegas.
Second visit: I spent months exploring . . .
seeking out stunning viewpoints . . . observing
how the light changed hour-to-hour, day-to-day,
season-to-season, I watched the sun rise after a
winter snowstorm, Grand Canyon, I realised, is
not a static place.
The simile loose drains clack-clacking like
castanets continues the musical theme by
comparing the drain lids tapping to the
instrument castanets. This gives the impression
of a sharp rhythmic tap as the loose drain lids
are lifted and lowered by the wind. The simile,
And all the alarms . . . crying their needs to the
night like babies waawaa-ing is more comic,
as the comparison makes the unpleasant and
shrill sound of electronic alarms as persistent
and annoying as a baby’s consistent crying.
The use of waawaa-ing adds a sing-song tone
to the writing.
4
Learners’ answers will vary.
4
•
learning lessons from travelling – the
importance of observation and taking
time to absorb things
•
the beauty and power of the natural world
and the relative insignificance of humans
•
the way we learn to appreciate things as
we get older and less egotistic.
a
Lines from the text that show the writer’s
feelings about nature:
•
All that space, all those natural
patterns.
•
Some things—the best things—require
more than an afternoon to fully
appreciate.
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b
5
2
a
The more I learned, the more I wanted
to explore the depths of Grand Canyon.
•
Humbling—a rare glimpse into our
planet’s distant past.
The writer ‘learns’ from nature that it
cannot be captured in a few snapshots
taken on a quick visit on the way to Las
Vegas. He realises that to truly appreciate
such a magnificent and incredible
place, he needs to observe it over a long
period of time. He learns that humans
are insignificant when compared to the
vastness and durability of this place and
that nature is a force to be reckoned with.
Chasm
The dialogue suggests that Janice is easily
irritated by her father and that he knows
that so is nervous about what he says to
her. Despite this, he still says the wrong
thing. The dialogue also suggests that
Janice thinks more deeply about things
than Adrian, so they are not always on
the same wave-length. Adrian is spoiling
the visit for her because he doesn’t
appreciate the power of nature like she
does. Adrian seems eager to please Janice
but she doesn’t seem to consider his
feelings at all and clearly blames him for
their poor relationship in the past. Janice
seems unforgiving whereas Adrian seems
to want to make amends.
Learners perform the dialogue to bring
out the emotion.
Discussions may include consideration of the
following:
•
30
•
that he is concerned about upsetting
Janice, his daughter, and is thinking
carefully about how he can please her.
When he still says the wrong thing, it
makes us feel as though he can’t please her
whatever he does.
4
•
Because we do not know what Janice is
thinking, it is harder to understand her
reactions to the chasm and to her father.
She is quite difficult to read so the reader is
more distanced from her.
•
The characters seem to have lots of issues
in the past which the reader doesn’t know
about. Janice seems spiritual (but also
impatient and judgemental) whereas
Adrian seems out of touch with his
feelings. Neither of them is very direct,
which the reader could find irritating.
Learners’ analyses may include the following:
•
Learners may speculate that the story
will be about two people who have fallen
out or grown apart a lot. It could suggest
that they have grown apart so far that it
will be impossible for them to mend their
relationship, or that they will find a way to
bridge the chasm and start to mend things
between them.
b
3
Viewed over millions of years, towering
rock formations melt away like ice
sculptures. Cliffs crumble like dice.
Learners’ answers will vary.
6.3
1
•
•
Their feelings and attitudes to the chasm:
•
The chasm doesn’t have much of
an effect on Howard as he seems
more concerned about the tension
between him and his daughter. He
is underwhelmed by it and thinks it
wasn’t worth the long drive.
•
Janice reacts more profoundly to
the chasm. It seems to have a more
positive effect on her, but she also
uses it as an excuse not to have to talk
to her father. It seems to remind her
of their emotional distance so makes
her feel sad.
•
Adrian can’t really see the point of it.
•
Janice thinks it is ‘peaceful’ and
‘profound’.
The spatial metaphor and what it implies
about their relationship:
•
The chasm symbolises the emotional
gap between the two characters. They
are so estranged they may never heal
their father/daughter relationship.
•
It also symbolises their inability to
communicate. Adrian says the wrong
thing but Janice is defensive and
judgemental so doesn’t help
mend things.
Adrian does come across as a more
sympathetic character because we know
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6.4
1
2
In the desert
•
One stanza containing 14 lines – yes.
Learners may consider the following:
•
Lines written in iambic pentameter – yes.
•
•
A regular rhyme scheme – no, the rhyme
scheme is not completely regular. There
is some half rhyme and some lines which
do not rhyme at all. This creates a slightly
jarring effect which fits well with the irony
of the poem.
•
The inclusion of a volta – yes, the volta
starts with the inscription And on the
pedestal, which shows how arrogant and
powerful he was after describing the rather
pathetic sight of the destroyed statue.
•
A couplet in the final lines – no, there is
no rhyming couplet in the final lines. This
seems to be because the final three lines
describing the barren and deserted setting
need to follow together.
The statue has been affected by the
passing of time. The legs have no body
attached, and the head lies half sunk into
the sand with a broken face. This shows
that with the passing of time the statue
has decayed or been destroyed, and has
only partially survived.
•
The sculptor carved the ruler’s face to
appear cruel and mocking. It says that
he is frowning with a wrinkled lip, i.e.
sneering.
•
The words show he is very conceited and
thinks he is the most powerful king: King
of Kings. He thinks he is above everyone
else and that nothing can stop him. Look
on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
Example answer:
The statue of Ozymandias lies in pieces in a
barren desert, the head half sunken in sand and
the legs standing on the pedestal with no body.
It therefore looks sad and decayed. This is ironic
because the inscription says he was a cruel and
powerful ruler, the King of Kings who wanted
people to despair, and the statue was clearly
meant to reflect that. However, because it has
been destroyed and is a colossal wreck and the
grand surroundings have disappeared into the
lone and level sands, his power has now gone
and it looks meaningless and rather pathetic.
3
Discussions will vary, but may consider the
following:
•
•
4
31
Quotes to support interpretation A
are: trunkless legs of stone, half sunk,
a shattered visage lies, sneer of cold
command, the hand that mocked them,
Nothing beside remains, the decay of that
colossal wreck, boundless and bare.
Quotes to support interpretation B are:
sneer of cold command, the hand that
mocked them, King of Kings, Look on my
works, ye mighty, and despair!, Round the
decay / Of that colossal wreck, boundless
and bare, / The lone and level sands stretch
far away.
Learners may identify/comment on the
features as follows:
5
Example answer:
I agree with B. The ironic tone of the poem is
mirrored in its unconventional structure. The
description of the setting over the last three
lines is really important to hammer home the
message that no human can be that powerful
because we are mortal. The endlessness of the
desert shows us that nature and the elements
will always win.
6
Example answer:
‘Ozymandias’ shows the limitations of human
power despite huge arrogance. The ancient
statue of the great Ozymandias lies in pieces
with trunkless legs of stone and half sunk, a
shattered visage in a vast desert where the lone
and level sands stretch away. It is a strongly
drawn setting that creates the notion that he
has made very little imprint on time.
On the head of the statue the marks of a cruel
leader are still apparent in the frown and sneer
of cold command. These have been captured
by the sculpture and immortalised. The
rather pathetic sight of the destroyed statue is
deliberately contrasted with the inscription on
the pedestal that reads: My name is Ozymandias,
King of Kings: / Look on my works, ye mighty,
and despair!. These words indicate huge
arrogance and a belief that he was invincible.
Any grand structures surrounding the statue
have long since disappeared, destroyed by the
natural world, so the inscription is completely
incongruent with the state of the statue and
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ironically reminds us that human power is
limited and can never compete with nature
and the lone and level sands which stretch far
away. The tiny grains of sand have over the
years destroyed the memorial of a man who
considered himself greater than any other ruler.
The poem is a sonnet and is written in iambic
pentameter but the rhyme scheme is deliberately
less formally structured than a traditional
sonnet. This allows the poet to explore the irony
of a civilisation that is gone and turned to dust.
6.5
1
2
3
The first leaf stirs, loosens its grip as it
Falls. Autumn’s arrived and summer is gone.
A red fiery ball slides down towards the
Horizon. It says goodbye and is gone.
4
Learners’ notes should include:
The poem is a sonnet with 14 lines,
written in iambic pentameter (ten syllables
per line). It has an ABAB CDCD EFEF
GG rhyme scheme. The last two lines are
a rhyming couplet.
b
The poem describes Vermont in the
autumn, giving the impression that it is
very beautiful. The colours are stressed
as red and flame and the poet explores the
stonewall pattern of the landscape. The
chill of autumn is contrasted positively to
the heavy summer as it brings freshness.
The red colours are reflected in the
windows, which have fire inside as well.
A single white wooden house on a slope
is described where people keep another
autumn, still which reminds us that the
seasons are a cycle.
Evidence of pastoral features in the sonnet
include:
A white wood house: sounds clean and pretty
Example answer:
These poems are very different in both
tone and subject matter, so their endings
are very different. The couplet at the end
of ‘Ozymandias’ stresses the vastness and
barrenness of the desert and powerfully
reminds us that nature is stronger than man
when the statue is described as a colossal
wreck. It reflects the theme of the poem well
as it contrasts the wrecked statue with the
powerful landscape. It doesn’t rhyme because
the poem is not a fully conventional sonnet in
subject matter. The timelessness of the theme
is reflected in the openness of the final two
lines. A rhyming couplet would have been too
neat for this poem. ‘Vermont’, in contrast, is
a much more conventional sonnet celebrating
something positive and straightforward.
Here the last two lines are a rhyming couplet
because they reflect the reliability and
predictability of the changing season. Autumn
is inevitable and the landscape looks the
same for another year. This is comforting and
positive. The white wood house is simple and
good and protects the people as does the slope.
In this poem everything is as it should be.
Pastoral poetry
a
Example answer:
6.6
1
Learners’ notes may include the following:
•
trees have gone to red and flame: sounds
beautiful
Martika has very sad memories of leaving
the farm and losing touch with her twin
sister
•
stonewall pattern: sounds intricate and
deliberate
something bad happened when she was
young in Germany
•
free beneath Octobers sun: the joy of late
summer sun is emphasised
she needed courage to return to Germany
and she was clearly fearful
•
farmhouse windows have their fire: sounds
dramatic
she felt emotional when seeing her old
school
•
she was shocked by how the farm had
changed
•
she was upset when she found out her
sister had died a long time ago.
the slope: sounds like an idyllic rural setting
glaze themselves with dreams: sounds romantic
32
Returning home
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2
The quotation The leaves on the silver birch trees
are beginning to turn yellow indicates that it is
autumn, but could also represent his fear that
his father is growing older, as the leaves turn
yellow before they die and fall. This could reflect
his guilt about not seeing his father as he grows
older and has limited time left. The quotation
there were green leaves on the silver birches
means that it is spring but could also represent
his return from his travels ready for a new start.
They reflect his hope for new beginnings and
positive feelings about coming home.
3
•
The natural light of the sky called me
home: the light reflects his risen spirits
and happiness as he feels welcomed by his
home. His nerves and feelings of unease
have gone.
The green valley below spread its arms in
open welcome: the valley seems to greet
him like an old relative (personification)
and shows how right it feels to him to be
there.
The reference to the leaves on the silver
birch tree show that this line of the
letter had great significance for him and
represents a turning point. It may signify
the passing of time and that his father is
getting older thus initiating his desire to
return to his home.
Learners’ answers will vary.
Check your progress
1
When describing settings, use figurative
language that contains lots of aural and visual
images. Draw contrasts and comparisons to
make it interesting. Experiment with sentence
lengths using both short sentences and much
longer ones with lists to bombard the reader
with imagery. Choosing effective adjectives is
essential.
2
The sublime is a piece of writing in which the
descriptions of nature cause the reader to feel
a sense of awe and wonderment or even fear.
3
A focal character is one where the events of a
novel are viewed from their perspective. The
reader shares their thoughts rather than those
of other characters.
•
Walking up the narrow path to my father’s
cottage: the narrow path may symbolise
the simplicity of life there compared to
the breadth of his travels overseas.
4
A sonnet has 14 lines written in iambic
pentameter, with ten syllables per line. It
usually has a regular rhyme scheme and ends
with a rhyming couplet.
•
The swallows . . . their nest building:
the swallows are content to make this
their home and are excited about its
possibilities reflected in their darting and
swooping. This mirrors his excitement
about being home.
5
Pastoral literature paints an idyllic portrait of
a rural setting which romanticises it as a place
of beauty and peace. It is sentimental in tone.
6
Pathetic fallacy is a literary technique
where nature or inanimate objects are
credited with human feelings. It is often
used when describing weather to show a
character’s mood.
•
There were green leaves on the silver
birches: symbol of new beginnings and
hope.
Answers may consider the following:
•
33
5
Learners’ analyses should include some of the
following ideas:
•
4
•
Example answer:
The reference to a harrowing journey
through Sudan shows that there were times
during his travelling when he did not feel
safe and secure. The letter from his father
helped him.
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7
‘The Journey Within’
7.1
The Tree
1
Learners’ notes and paragraphs may include
the following:
•
2
Aveleen’s journey is to find out who the
Chosen One (their next leader) is by going
to the top of the Brown Mountain.
•
Aveleen is full of anguish as she is worried
about her father and that she may not find
the answer in time – before all the leaves
on the Tree turn silver. She is also tired, as
the journey is long.
•
Celegorn is Aveleen’s father and the
current leader. He is 150 and had been
given the sign that he will die soon and go
to the Other Worlds.
•
The setting is similar to our world in that
there are features such as trees, rocks
and mountains. However, there are also
elements of fantasy, such as the leaves on
the tree turning silver, the two suns in the
sky and the plants swaying despite there
being no breeze. The landscape is rocky
and barren. It sounds quite hostile and
desolate. It seems to be a foreign setting
to Aveleen as she describes it as a very
strange place.
Learners may consider the following in their
discussions:
•
•
•
34
and intrigue as it is clear that she will have
to be brave and overcome difficulties in
her quest. It adds a dramatic element as
it is clear deliberate challenges will be put
before her. It makes the reader wonder if
she is being tested to be the next leader.
Magical elements: the devious, false trails,
the Other Worlds, living to 150, a speaking
tree that has warned Celegorn that he will
die soon, the Tree rejecting new leaders,
the Tree turning silver, two suns, plants
swaying with no breeze.
‘Real’ elements: Aveleen is tired and
thirsty – real human frailties/needs,
she is anguished and loves her father
– real human emotions, men putting
themselves forward to be leader – gender
stereotyping, normal clothing/accessories
– boots, bag etc., elements of landscape
such as rocks, trees, mountains.
The effect of combining magical and real
elements – the reader can identify with
Aveleen and her urgency to get back to
her father before he dies. It adds mystery
3
4
Learners may consider the following in their
discussions:
•
The Tree is powerful and in control. It
has a capital letter to show that it is not
just any tree. The Tree has indicated that
Celegorn will soon die and it has the
power to reject those who put themselves
up to be the new leader. The Tree is timing
the events as it is turning silver. The Tree
is never wrong.
•
The Tree is turning silver to mirror
Celegorn’s ageing and dying, so they seem
inextricably linked.
•
Trees are usually associated with life
cycles and wisdom. They have deep roots
and live for many years longer than
humans.
Learners’ answers will vary.
7.2
The farmers
1
Learners read the extract aloud.
2
Learners should consider the following in
their analyses:
•
The dialogue between Celegorn and
Aveleen is quite formal due to the serious
nature of their conversation. There is a
sense of urgency as he commands her. She
realises how urgent it is, so although she
initially questions him, she then stops. She
clearly has great respect for him and is a
dutiful daughter.
•
The dialogue between Aveleen and the
two farmers is very different as they are
quite uneducated and are impressed
by her intelligence. Their argument is
quite comic because of their bickering
relationship, and her suggestion is clever,
so they are impressed. Their dialogue is
informal, with contractions, as it is quite a
casual conversation and also shows their
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lack of education. The fact that they talk
in harmony at the end makes them seem a
bit odd, but their warning is very helpful.
3
Learners should include the following in their
paragraphs:
•
•
4
The argument the farmers are having is
about whether they should use the wheat
to feed themselves or to make money
by selling produce. It shows that they
think in quite a limited way and do not
plan carefully. Using it for either of these
things will only help them in the short
term.
7.3
1
Avaleen’s suggestion that they use it to
grow more wheat so they can have both
food and money shows foresight and
the ability to think of a strategy to make
the future more secure rather than living
day to day. It shows that Aveleen has
leadership qualities because she is able to
solve the problem in the long term and
improve their lives by giving them security.
•
•
The story seems to suggest that power is
dangerous if it is put in the wrong hands,
so the Tree rejects those who seek power
without proving themselves. Aveleen does
not have any real power, but through her
quest she faces challenges that will prove
whether or not she has the ability to use
power wisely. She is unaware that she is
being tested, so it makes it more credible.
At the moment, the Tree has the power
but has to make the right decision about
who will take over the leadership from
Celegorn.
The fantasy elements in the story make
it more exciting as it is less predictable in
terms of what will happen next. Anything
could present a danger to Avaleen so it
keeps the reader in suspense. It also allows
things to be revealed carefully and slowly
so the reader is sometimes kept in the
dark. For example, we do not know what
she will find at the Brown Mountain.
Aveleen will probably have to overcome
many challenges on her journey to
show her bravery and her intelligence.
Then when she gets to the lake, she will
probably see a reflection of herself in the
2
The bronze door
Learners may note the following in their
discussions:
•
The brief flashback is effective because
it reminds Aveleen of her duty to her
father and her people. She feels guilty
for forgetting them and the emotion is
powerful enough to stir her.
•
The new city inside the mountain is like
paradise. It is beguiling, but although it
seems perfect, perhaps it is trying to stop
her quest by making her lose track of
time. The fact that it is full of pleasure
means that she is being tempted. She
seems to be falling for the temptation, but
the memory of her father is so powerful
that it pulls her out of her dreamlike state
and makes her determined to move on
and do her duty.
Discussions will vary, but may consider the
following:
•
35
water which will reveal her as the new
leader. She will probably be shocked. She
will get back just in time to say goodbye
to her father before taking on his role
endorsed by the Tree.
Ideas of time are explored in the following
ways:
•
There are significant changes in both
Celegorn’s and Aveleen’s lives. Celegorn is
told that he will soon die despite feeling
no signs of his age of 150. This means
that life must also change for his daughter,
especially as her father sends her on a
quest to find the identity of his successor
as leader. For Celegorn, the change is
negative, as he has come to the end of his
life and will enter the Other Worlds, but
for Aveleen, the change is both negative
(because she will lose her father) and also
positive (because she will learn and grow
through her quest).
•
The text explores the passing of time and
also how things can happen suddenly to
disrupt us. Celegorn is very old but has
had no signs of his impending death.
Aveleen is young and does not see herself
as a leader despite having obvious
leadership qualities. The implication is
that time passes quickly and easily when
life is easy (as it is inside the mountain)
but can seem arduous when we face
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hardship (as on Aveleen’s journey along
the path to the summit). Time is a major
theme because Aveleen must discover the
new leader before the Tree turns silver.
This means we are conscious of the
dangers of any delays such as the time she
wastes inside the mountain.
•
3
•
4
1
•
•
Emotions: she marvelled, she found it hard
to breathe, she had been struck, the feeling
overwhelmed her all show the intensity
of her reaction to the city inside the
mountain. Garments whose colours did
not exist in her land, desserts that were
somehow both piping-hot and icy-cold,
texture and flavour shifted with every bite
show the unpredictability of her new life
and the way she is being exposed to new
things that amaze her. Time seemed to
stand still shows how easy it is for her to
pause and forget about what has gone
before as though she is being hypnotised.
Visual imagery: slender woman with
shimmering eyes, she marvelled at
the space, the light, the sky, exquisite
perfection around her, garments whose
colours did not exist in her land, the woman
with the crystalline eyes. Tactile language:
piping-hot and icy-cold, texture and flavour
shifted with every bite, dense as a storm
cloud, the next as light as sea foam. Aural
imagery: cradled by the woman’s words, the
tone of her voice was so enchanting. The
images and language make it sound as
though the place is enchanted and magic
is at work to bombard Aveleen’s senses
and hypnotise her.
Figurative language: shimmering eyes,
as dense as a storm cloud, the next as
light as sea foam, time seemed to stand
still, the woman with the crystalline eyes,
cradled by the woman’s words. The shift
from shimmering eyes to crystalline eyes
2
Aveleen is tempted to stay inside the
mountain because it is a paradise where
life is perfect and no one suffers. Aveleen
knows that she cannot stay there when she
remembers her responsibility to her father
and knows she must continue her quest to
find a new leader. She puts her duty above
her pleasure and security.
Learners’ answers will vary.
7.4
Learners should note:
•
36
Aveleen seems to forget the past
temporarily when she is inside the
mountain but something in the woman’s
face reminds her of her father and
the past comes back with a jolt. In the
mountain, people seem to live for the
present in a dreamlike state. As soon as
she is reminded of the past, she knows she
must return to her quest.
suggests a hardening which could be
threatening.
The crow
Learners’ notes may include the following:
•
The external challenges she faces are
mostly due to the physical suffering she
has to endure. She has had to climb
mountains and cross deserts, which has
left her with no boots and has also left
her thirsty and exhausted. She has faced
internal challenges as she is alone and has
no idea whether she will discover anything
valuable or gain anything from her quest.
It takes a toll on her psychologically.
•
Her knowledge helps her as she recognises
plants that will provide water. She is
mentally strong, so remains resolute
despite all the challenges she faces. She
keeps focused on the leaves on the Tree to
keep herself going.
•
The crow seems to mock her, suggesting
that her journey has been wasted. She
immediately dislikes the crow and is
suspicious of it. It again seems to be
something that is trying to tempt her
away from her quest and is probably
another trap. The mood changes as she is
distracted from her problems.
In this extract, Aveleen comes across as a
strong character who is brave but also very
human in terms of her emotional responses.
She can be tempted, as she was in the city
inside the mountain, but tends to remember
her priorities and has a strong sense of duty.
This extract reveals that she is becoming
increasingly frustrated, especially as she is so
close to finding the lake. However, when the
crow appears and mocks her, it makes us think
that she will respond defiantly rather than
giving up, as she is a determined character.
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3
The crater opening up symbolises that what
she is looking for may be physically near
but it is just as far away as ever because it is
impossible to reach. It makes her goal seem
unattainable and suggests that she may have
to be incredibly creative to continue her
journey. Like the chasm in the earlier extract,
it represents a divide or obstacle between the
character and their goals.
4
Discussions will vary, but may consider:
•
•
•
5
a
b
37
The characters she meets all have different
attitudes. The farmers are quarrelling
and cannot make a decision, but are
grateful to her when she helps them; the
woman in the mountain looks after her
and tempts her to take the easy life with
no sorrow or worries; but the crow mocks
her suggesting that her journey has been
wasted and she will return a failure.
Their interactions with Aveleen bring out
her strengths. With the farmers, she uses
a long-term strategy to help them make
the most of their wheat. With the woman,
she realises that her duty to her father and
people is more important than her own
happiness and comfort. With the crow, it
is likely to make her more determined to
continue and succeed.
going to find at the end of her quest. They
may like that she is female as all the people
who put themselves forward for leader
were male. They may like that temptations
and distractions are put in her way and she
has to overcome them to achieve her goal,
and the fact that she is not perfect and does
have moments of weakness and doubt as it
makes her more real.
c
6
Learners may like the mystery of the story
– that we are not really sure what Aveleen is
Nothing
incredulous: amazed
precipice: cliff edge
zigzagging: moving from side to side
void: empty space
oblivious: totally unaware
engulf: completely cover
2
The characters and interactions all
form part of the challenges put in front
of Aveleen during her quest. They are
important because they allow us to see
how she learns and develops as the story
progresses. It makes her a stronger and
more admirable heroine.
Talking animals are a feature of fantasy
stories, so the crow is probably only
annoying to readers who do not like the
genre. Aveleen is a good central character
because she is strong and makes good
decisions but she has human weaknesses,
which makes her more endearing. The
other characters add to the mystery,
as they all seem to be there to help her
despite being the ones who put challenges
in her way. Perhaps they are all her father
guiding her and pushing her to overcome
adversity, as she says there is something
familiar about them all.
Learners’ answers will vary.
7.5
1
Learners’ answers will vary.
3
Learners’ analyses should note the following:
•
The reader is willing Aveleen to go on
because although this is an anti-climax
and she is disappointed, it is clear that she
has missed something.
•
The character is disappointed and
exhausted so falls into a deep sleep which
will hopefully give her the energy she
needs to complete her quest.
•
It leads the reader to think that Aveleen
will discover that she is the chosen leader
and travel back to her people. She will get
there just in time to see her father again
before he dies.
Discussions will vary, but may consider:
•
Guided by chance: Aveleen’s journey
seems laid out and planned for her, but
her reactions to the challenges she faces
are based on her own free will. So, it is
more than good or bad luck. She has to
use judgement and have courage to make
the decisions she does. It all seems to be a
test of her character.
•
Guided by an unseen power: She does
seem to be guided by an unseen power,
but she also has to work things out for
herself.
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4
•
•
•
5
•
•
3
It is a positive depiction of the
relationship between animals and humans
because even when a creature appears to
hinder Aveleen, they seem to be playing
their role in a greater decision: who
should be the leader. In order to prove
herself, she needs to pass these challenges,
so the creatures could all be a force for
good really.
Chosen One
It was unexpected when she just appeared
at home and was not sure whether it had
all really happened; it was unexpected
when her father revealed that he had
planned it all to give her the courage to go
to the Tree; it was expected that she would
learn that she was the leader.
•
The title shows that it is Aveleen herself
who needed to recognise her abilities to
become a leader. It is a journey of
self-discovery.
a
The minor characters represent Aveleen’s
weaknesses. She must overcome these
weaknesses to prove herself. They are
there to test her and an important part of
the quest.
b
The power is shifting from old to young
and from male to female, which makes
the story modern. The older man is
helping instigate this change so there is no
conflict – it is part of a natural process to
recognise equality.
c
The relationship between man and nature
is presented as a strong one. Nature is
presented as mysterious and powerful
and something that humans must respect.
Nature helps Aveleen on her quest.
d
Celegorn may be a minor character but he
is integral as he is controlling the whole
quest to help his daughter find herself.
That shows how caring and responsible
he is as he wants his kingdom left in good
hands.
The ending suggests that the Tree can
only choose the new leader when they
put themselves forward. So Aveleen had
to realise that she had the right qualities
herself.
4
Learners’ answers will vary.
5
Learners’ answers will vary.
Check your progress
1
A motif is a repeated idea or image in a text.
It can be a phrase, an action or a symbol that
reappears throughout the story.
2
Formal English is the language that we use in
formal situations where we need to impress
or follow social guidelines. It means not using
slang or contractions, and using full sentences.
Informal English is the language that we use
when in relaxed situations – when we are with
people we know well. It includes slang words,
contractions and abbreviated sentences.
3
Time can be used as a structural device
through the use of flashbacks where a
character remembers something important
from the past and it influences the present.
This can also happen as flashforwards where
This is a happy ending because Aveleen
becomes the leader and everyone accepts
her. As she is the first female leader, that
is good. However, it is also tinged with
sadness because her father will die soon.
Learners may note:
•
38
Nature both hinders and helps Aveleen:
the Tree sets a challenge but is a positive
force, the mountain city is perfect but
is used as a temptation to take the easy
path, the chasm is an obstacle but she has
to show determination, the crow hinders
but the ladybird helps.
Discussions will vary, but may include the
following:
•
2
Aspects of nature may include: the
Tree, the wheat, the mountain and the
land within it, the crow, the chasm, the
ladybird, the grass, the lake.
Learners’ answers will vary.
7.6
1
story, she has proved herself and realised
that she is a natural leader so the book
does fit into the Bildungsroman category.
Groups may discuss the following:
Aveleen learns a great deal about herself
during her journey. She has to be brave
and resolute and has no one she can rely
on to help her make the right decisions.
She does not give up. By the end of the
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the future is imagined. Writers also explore the
passing of time and the importance of past
events.
4
39
The statement means that in fantasy stories,
real-life situations and concerns can be
explored, such as losing loved ones or facing
challenges, but they will be presented with
elements of magic that are not possible in the
real world.
5
A climax is the high point of a narrative where
a satisfactory conclusion is reached, which
makes the reader feel fulfilled. An anti-climax
is where a resolution was expected but does
not materialise at that point.
6
A Bildungsroman is a text in which the
protagonist goes through a process of growing
up by accepting adult challenges and maturing
through completing them.
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40
8
Different lives
8.1
The aeroplane
1
a
Learners read the extract aloud.
b
The set design splits the stage into two,
showing poor housing and wealthy
housing. This reflects the divide between
people due to poverty and wealth where
the amount of money you have changes
everything about your life. They are
different worlds but exist alongside one
another.
2
Learners act out the scene.
3
a
4
Yinka is young and naïve, so she is full
of hope which is reflected in her open
movements such as flying like a bird.
She has a dream and still believes that
dreams can come true. She looks over
at the wealthy setting believing that it is
attainable for her too. She is stubborn and
refuses to accept her mother’s negativity.
She fiercely protects her dream when
her mother throws her aeroplane away
and she rushes to get it. Her mother,
Mankwinji, is more cynical. She walks
with a limp as though the hardships of
her life have literally broken her. She
shakes her head because she is negative
and doesn’t believe that dreams can
ever come true. Her pacing shows her
frustration and anxiety because she
cannot get her daughter to understand
that she cannot have dreams without
being disappointed. Their relationship is
very strained because of their different
attitudes to life.
b
The writer suggests that life in Zimbabwe
is unfair. The divide between rich and
poor is very great as symbolised in the
stage settings. It also implies that they live
side by side yet separately.
c
Flight is symbolising escaping from
poverty and the limitations it places on
those born into it. Yinka wants to fly
literally but also metaphorically, as she
wants to escape from the world that she
has been born into and achieve great
things. The I want to . . . is representative
of her determination.
Analyses might include an exploration of the
following:
•
Lifestyles implied by the set design: In
‘the poor area’ the materials described are
basic such as a reed mat and a torn blanket
implying that there are no luxuries in their
lives. The huts are made of mud and we
are told the poor rural folks build their
homes themselves. In contrast the wealthy
homes have furniture and are described as
modern indicating that they are built using
proper materials.
•
Yinka’s ambitions and the world she
lives in: Yinka lives in poverty which her
mother describes as a trap that is already
laid. This shows that her mother believes
that you cannot escape from poverty
whatever you do. She says she is destined
to remain in this village as though any
other life is completely unattainable for
Yinka. Yinka is ambitious and believes
that she can ‘fly’ both literally and
metaphorically. She wants to escape
poverty and achieve her dreams. She
believes that passion is necessary to do
this.
•
Yinka and Mankwinji: The daughter and
mother are in conflict because the mother
is trying to force her daughter to accept
the limitations of her life: her trap and to
plough back your fruits to this village and
not to any other. This means she believes
that Yinka should physically work all her
life to support the community she lives
in and forego any personal ambitions for
a better life. Yinka wants to ‘fly’, which
is in direct contrast to ‘plough’. She
doesn’t want to be rooted to one area and
poverty: she wants to explore and see the
world.
8.2
Mrs Manzi
1
Learners read the extract aloud. Readings will
vary.
2
a
The dialogue is very formal. Yinka
addresses her teacher as Ma’am, which
is a formal mode of address for a
professional woman. She clearly has a
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great deal of respect for her. Mrs Manzi
addresses Yinka as My dear, which is less
formal as she is the superior one in the
relationship. It is a form of address that
shows warmth as she cares about Yinka
and values her as a good student who
does well academically. Both speak in full
sentences and use formal vocabulary.
b
3
b
c
Both Mrs Manzi and Mankwinji want
the best for Yinka but have different
ideas about her future based on their
own life experiences. Mrs Manzi knows
that education can lift her out of poverty,
but her mother does not believe that it
is possible to achieve anything because
life will hold you back. She does not
want Yinka to waste her time on useless
dreams, whereas Mrs Manzi knows that
they can come true with the correct
guidance. Mrs Manzi is more educated
than Mrs Mankwinji so is more open
to the idea of change and things being
possible. Mrs Mankwinji has had a much
harder life so is cynical and negative.
These characters show how unfair life is
because being born into poverty makes it
harder to find opportunities. It is a trap
that makes people lack ambition for their
children because they are so worn down
that they no longer believe that things
can ever get better. Mrs Manzi shows the
audience that Yinka’s mother is wrong,
but we can understand why she thinks
as she does because she is a victim of an
unfair society.
Learners’ answers will vary.
Learners may consider the following:
•
41
Mrs Manzi can be seen as a good
role model because she is an educated
woman who knows that hard work
and intelligence will be rewarded. She
understands the value of education in
opening doorways, such as suggesting the
STEM bursary. It is clear that she wants
to help Yinka fulfil her potential and
escape poverty.
•
It is suggested that Aunt Sihle has better
values than Shumba because she is kind
hearted and tries to help Yinka’s father.
The fact that she has to do it in secret
makes Shimba seem worse as she may be
scared of his reaction.
•
Storylines such as Aunt Sihle being
caught helping their poor relatives and
getting admonished by Shumba are
possible. Also, Aunt Sihle may decide to
help Yinka realise her dreams and get into
trouble with her mother too because she
doesn’t want them encouraged.
Discussions will vary but may consider:
a
4
that he is not very helpful to Yinka and
her mother as clearly he has not helped
them in their poverty. This may suggest
that all wealthy people are like this but
that is not completely clear.
The description of Shumba seems to
imply that he is greedy and materialistic.
It also says directly that he is a hypocrite
but does not say why. It may be inferred
5
Learners’ answers will vary.
8.3
A different voice
1
a
Alisha says her main challenges are having
to accept her limitations such as not being
able to do some physical activities with
her friends and the emotional impact of
that. She also finds moving around her
school building challenging as she cannot
access the top floors.
b
Larry thinks the media present disabled
people as extremes – helpless victims or
admirable heroes with no middle ground –
which misrepresents most of them.
c
Hamid’s account of his life is shocking as
he talks about being mistreated by people
all his life, including by adults. The fact
that he isn’t bitter makes us admire him.
2
Notes should include the following:
•
Challenges: Due to her physical
disabilities as her legs are deformed and
she has no arms. She has been like that
since birth so has adapted to overcome
her disabilities and leads a normal family
and working life. As a child, she faced her
challenges with the support of her mother
and was always taken everywhere with
her rather than hidden away. She went to
a school for disabled children and had a
good education. As an adult, she faces
challenges head on rather than avoiding
them. A good example of this is her going
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in to speak to her son’s school friends so
they could ask her questions rather than
not understand and tease him.
•
•
3
a
b
c
42
Emotions: These are mostly happy ones.
She describes herself as totally content
and only focuses on positive things. As a
child, she talks about her bond with her
mother. She is proud of her achievements
in education and work and clearly has a
very happy family life. When discussing
her lack of children, she immediately
moves on to the moment where she found
out she was pregnant and how ecstatic she
and her husband were. Even when her son
was being questioned about his mother’s
disabilities at school, she stresses what a
wonderful occasion it was when she went
in to talk to the children for an afternoon.
d
4
Impressions: Learners’ own ideas, but they
may note that she comes across as a very
determined and positive person. She has
not let her disabilities hold her back or deny
her the right to a happy and fulfilling life.
She is also very practical and always looks
for solutions to problems rather than giving
in to them. She is a very loving and caring
person who likes to be part of a family unit,
where they look after one another.
The writer’s voice is powerful. She is
positive and proud of her achievements.
She comes across as someone who wants
to tell her own story in her own words. She
tends to pass over the negatives and stress
the positives so the article is optimistic and
uplifting. It is a very personal account.
The first-person narrative makes it a
raw and honest account of disability,
which makes it more powerful. It allows
a disabled person to tell the reader about
their experiences on their own terms.
The opening sentence sets a positive tone
because it stresses how great her life is
and how happy and fulfilled she is by
both her work and home life. There is no
mention of disability at all in the opening
paragraph, so the reader forms an image
of her as someone who is able-bodied
before she tells you about her legs and
arms. The chronological account works
well, as you can see how her whole life has
been influenced by the determination to
do everything as normally as possible.
5
The article is very uplifting and shows
disability in a positive light. It shows that
there is no reason for disabilities to hold
you back and that disabled people have
the right to expect the same things from
life as anyone else.
Discussions will vary, but may include the
following observations:
•
Changing the perspective would allow the
reader to see things from another person’s
viewpoint.
•
If this article had been written by
Rosaleen’s husband or son, they may
have stressed her difficulties more so that
they could show how amazing she is to
overcome them.
•
They may also have experiences of being
related to someone disabled that she does
not have (except for her husband) so
could focus on describing some of those
experiences.
•
Her husband is also ‘Thalidomide
impaired’ so they they might have some
shared experiences if written by her
husband.
•
They would not know much about her
childhood so the article would probably
focus on her life as a wife and mother
more.
•
Either one of them would probably be full
of pride at how successful she is despite
all the challenges of being disabled.
Learners’ answers will vary.
8.4
He for she
1
a
Boys and men need to campaign for
gender equality, not just girls and women;
males are also victims of inequality
related to parenting and emotional
health; both genders should be free to be
who they want; unless we do something,
gender inequality will be around for a
long time to come.
b
Learners’ answers will vary.
c
Learners’ answers will vary. They may feel
that men might react to this by denying
they have a role to play as they think it
is a women’s issue. Some men may not
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admit that they have emotional problems
that they cannot face up to. Older people
are likely to be less responsive as they
are more set in their ways and may think
society has gone too far.
2
Discussions will vary, but may include the
following:
Learners’ analyses should include the
following ideas:
•
The use of the personal pronoun ‘I’ makes
the speech very personal, as it is clearly a
subject she feels passionately about.
•
It also allows her to include personal
experiences such as her father’s role
as a parent being less valued than her
mother’s.
•
She also uses the pronoun ‘we’ to set
a tone of togetherness and unity with
the audience. Initially the ‘we’ seems to
refer to women and is suggesting that the
invitation being extended to men is from
women as a collective powerful group: we
want to try and galvanise as many men and
boys as possible.
•
Using an actress from the Harry Potter
movies is likely to appeal to a younger
audience.
•
She denigrates herself and makes it clear
that people are powerful. That is a good
persuasive technique as it makes people
feel that they can make a real difference.
•
She is polite so will not alienate the
audience or make them angry. She does
not try to blame men, as she says that they
are victims too.
•
She gives examples of unfairness that
affect both men and women. The women’s
issues are more serious ones though.
The we in if we do nothing stands for
everyone – men and women together and
suggests positive unity through action.
•
The use of ‘you’ is a call to action where
she directly appeals to each audience
member individually.
•
•
•
•
43
3
She does not say much in detail about the
benefits of change – mostly that if things
change for men they will also change
for women. I find this less convincing
as it the speech seems to focus more on
the benefits of gender equality for men
saying that when they change, things will
automatically get better for women. It
seems to imply that they need to lead (once
again) when women face the worst issues.
4
Learners’ answers will vary.
5
Learners’ speeches will vary.
8.5
The transporter
1
Unusual aspects: A young person owning
a ‘transporter’ – it is not entirely clear
what it is but it seems to carry luggage;
the fact that she is leaving her planet; the
thin metal rings around her ankles.
a
She does not use metaphorical language
in this speech. It is written in quite plain
language. She is not trying to be a great
orator, just a normal person making a
simple appeal.
Normal aspects: A young person being
secretive and defying their parents by
being the first sibling to do something
they disapprove of; gossiping family
members.
There is some use of emotive language,
such as prejudice, vulnerable, imprisoned.
She deliberately talks about the
importance of her father in order to raise
men’s status in parenting.
•
She applauds those who believe in equality
already and is appealing to them to
change things.
•
The last paragraph invites the audience
to make a change and seeks to empower
them. She also challenges them so they
have to face up to it now.
b
2
The situation seems quite familiar but the
setting seems very unusual and sparks
our interest. Why is she doing this despite
their disapproval, and why are they so
disapproving that they would banish her
from the family? It makes us wonder
about the future world being depicted.
Notes may include:
•
Yinka and Binti are similar in that they
both want to escape from their present
lives: Yinka wants to fly literally and Binti
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is planning to fly across the galaxy to a
different planet; both of them want to
educate themselves (though with Binti we
only know this from the introduction);
Yinka lives in poverty in an unfair society
where there is a big divide between the
poor and the wealthy – it is not clear
whether this is the case for Binti although
her transporter is cheap so she may come
from a poor background.
•
•
3
In both stories, the family disapproves of
their dreams. Yinka’s mother tells her to
accept her fate and work on the land to
support her village. Binti’s family clearly
disapprove of her leaving as she is running
away secretly in the middle of the night.
In both stories, their extended family seem
destined to get involved but Yinka’s aunt
may help her whereas Binti’s aunts will
just stir up the situation by gossiping.
At the moment Yinka comes across as a
more sympathetic character than Binti.
Binti seems close to realising her dream
of leaving but Yinka still has battles to
face. Binti has a transporter and a ticket
for the shuttle whereas at the moment
Yinka has nothing but a supportive
teacher and a sympathetic aunt. However,
Binti seems to have to go very far away,
to a different planet, to realise her dream
whereas Yinka may be able to do so
closer to home.
teacher and possibly her wealthy aunt so may
be able to get to her flying training without
her mother’s approval. In ‘I Want to Fly’ we
see the friction and tension between Yinka
and her mother, but in ‘Binti’ we never see
her interact with her parents. Yinka’s mother
limps and has clearly had a hard life. She
seems too worn down to accept that things
could be different for her daughter. She seems
to have given up but Yinka hasn’t.
4
This person likes the fact that despite being set
in the future, Binti involves a normal teenager
with the same issues as teenagers today. They
like the futuristic settings and gadgets. They
are probably a teenager who likes technology.
Learners will express their own ideas in
response to the second bullet point.
5
Learners’ answers will vary.
8.6
1
Both children seem set to defy their parents.
Binti is running away in the middle of the
night and knows that the outcome will
probably be her parents disowning her for
shaming the family line. She clearly thinks
it is worth it. Yinka has the support of her
44
Learners may consider the following:
•
Binti’s interaction with the security guard
is quite mysterious as it is not clear to
the reader whether she is allowed on to
the ship or not. The edan is an object
of mystery too as we do not know what
it is or why the guard is interested in it.
It seems as though Binti is lying about
something here but it is not clear what or
why. We are told that Binit is a harmoniser
who builds astrolabes so it seems strange
that she is poor and needs to go to
university as she sounds very educated
already.
•
The technology sounds very advanced
and is quite challenging for the reader to
understand. The edan is mysterious as it
is not clear what it is or what it does. The
ship is living but we do not know what this
means.
•
There is a lot of language linked to madeup, futuristic technology, which creates
mystery. Binti seems afraid of the guard
and we learn that she is a poor Himba
girl so presumably there is some sort of
hierarchy of planets in this future world.
Example answer:
In both stories, young people are presented
as having dreams and ambitions that their
parents disapprove of. In ‘Binti’, the main
character is a girl who is going to leave her
planet to attend a university across the galaxy.
Her family disapprove as she is the first one
of ten children to leave, but she is determined
to leave anyway in the middle of the night.
In ‘I Want to Fly’ Yinka is desperate to get a
good education and become a pilot but her
mother thinks that it is impossible to escape
the poverty they live in and doesn’t want her
to waste her time on impossible dreams.
2
A strange ship
Binti seems more science fiction than fantasy
because it is heavily focused on technology as
opposed to magic. Although things happen
that are impossible in real life, the writer
attempts to explain them through technology
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and science. The fact that it is set in space and
is about a strange journey also suggests it is
science fiction.
3
Retelling an account from a different
perspective allows the reader to see an
alternative viewpoint where the person
giving the account may have more or less
information than the previous person. This
widens the reader’s perspective and creates
more drama.
4
Pronouns can be used to signify a strong
personal opinion or passion for a topic with
the use of ‘I’. Using ‘we’ and ‘us’ allows the
speaker/writer to form a common bond with
the audience and gives the impression that
they are united.
5
There are various ways to make notes – for
example a spider diagram, a table or a bulletpoint list. ‘Choose the best form . . . to suit
the purpose’ means that different types of
note taking are suitable depending on what
you are doing. For example, a table might be
more useful than a spider diagram if you are
making notes under various headings.
6
Science-fiction plots are usually set in the
future on strange planets with advanced
and new technology. They often include a
journey and conflict between different people,
including aliens.
Learners’ paragraphs should mention the
following:
•
•
4
3
We learn that Binti is poor and part of a
people who are considered inferior. She
is also very clever and accomplished and
capable of lying to get what she wants.
The guard is presented as quite
threatening. This suggests that people
are not very free in this world and that he
could get Binti into trouble if he discovers
things about her. This increases sympathy
for her as she is clearly desperate to get on
to the ship so needs to get past him.
Learners’ answers will vary.
Check your progress
45
1
Physical actions and symbols are effective
ways of revealing an aspect of a character or
to develop a theme in drama.
2
Contrasting characters are likely to cause
conflict so can be used to create dramatic
moments of tension or comedy as they are
likely to clash.
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9
Strange and unusual
9.1
Stranger in a strange land
1
a
Learners’ answers will vary.
b
being a stranger, only the earth permits an
attachment I see but do not touch, England
for me / Is an exhibit within a glass case,
the country . . . has a rope across it, I may
not sit, only pace its frontiers.
c
I swam along the silver beaches . . . pulled
coconuts from the sky . . . tramped red
horizons with the swagger, the impudence
of a native tongue, Born to this continent,
all was mine, stones were there to kick.
d
It sounds as though he left India due to
violence and problems with civil liberties:
Bound by the rope and consumed by their
own fire. He didn’t feel as though he
belonged there as he didn’t agree with
how things were: Born here, among these
people, I was a stranger.
2
3
The figurative language is very effective.
There is an extended metaphor of
England being his secret lover and he
describes himself sitting by the pond and
thinking about India. The pond seems
to represent his deepest thoughts which
run to India and fuse the two cultures
within him.
•
The poet idealises the rural nature of
England with the pond and the willow
and flowers. This is then contrasted with
the oceans between London and Bombay.
It seems to signify that he is content and
can live in his two worlds at the same time.
Effects of the structural features:
•
In the first stanza he feels disconnected
as he is stepping over twigs and stones and
says I see but do not touch whereas in the
final stanza he is by the pond and stir[s]
the water with a finger and connects
Putney Hill to Bombay. This signifies that
he is more at peace and content with his
situation.
•
In the middle of the poem the poet
remembers his life in India through using
rich imagery to conjure up an exotic
atmosphere that completely contrasts with
England. The fruits such as pomegranates
sound exotic and the colour purple is rich
and opulent. The chillies to burn my mouth
makes India sound full of fire and more
interesting than England.
•
The rhyming couplets end each stanza
neatly but at times they are half rhyme so
jar slightly. They signify that much of his
inner conflict is being resolved.
•
The final couplet shows that he has found
contentment by accepting that whether he
feels like a stranger sometimes does not
change the fact that England is now his
home. He can accept his feeling because
he cannot change who he is and would
not want to. India still runs deep in him
but he can fuse the two worlds through
his thoughts. Come and home do not quite
rhyme which shows that these things can
be different and do not have to be the
same to be harmonised.
Learners’ analyses should mention the
following:
•
The simile of England being like an
antique chair with a rope across it shows
that he feels shut out from the traditions
and culture of the country that he lives
in and as though he is not permitted full
entry. Possibly because England has very
long-standing traditions and ways of
doing things, it takes a long time before
someone from another continent feels at
home, if ever.
•
The fruits such as pomegranates sound
exotic and the colour purple is rich and
opulent. The chillies to burn my mouth
makes India sound full of fire and more
interesting than England.
Learners’ analyses should mention the
following:
•
46
4
•
The poet has lived in England for eight
years but clearly does not feel completely
at home there. He feels as though his
relationship with England is secretive
and furtive. England is now his home
but he still does not feel as though he
truly belongs. He seems to accept that he
will always feel like a stranger but that
England is still his home.
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9.2
A strange meeting
1
The men are presented as more powerful
when approaching with horses and
wearing armour. The weird sisters look
unusual as their skin is green and they are
adorned with bones and skulls. One has
red eyes which make her look eerie. They
are also wrinkled.
a
b
Learners read the text aloud.
c
Example translation:
them really. The tale metaphor implies that
life is not really real or tangible. It is just like
a story which is pointless and just ends. All
of them show that he thinks life is a pointless
waste of time.
5
a
MacbethWhat creatures are you.
Are you able to speak?
Second witchGreetings to the Thane
of Cawdor!
Third witchGreetings to Macbeth
who is our future King!
2
A = ii; B = v; C = iv; D = i; E = iii
3
Learners should include the following
information in their summaries:
•
Macbeth has met three witches who tell
him that he will become the king. He
immediately thinks that to make this come
true he should murder the present king,
Duncan. He admits that Duncan has
been a gentle and virtuous king so knows
that he should not do it due to loyalty
as a subject. However, his ambition is
overwhelming him.
•
He uses metaphors to explore how bad
deeds may come back to torment those
who commit them – karma. He also sees
his ambition as a spur that urges him on,
as though he has less control.
•
4
47
First witchGreetings to the Thane
of Glamis!
Macbeth is a mixed character. He is
having evil thoughts about killing the king
for his selfish ambition. However, he has
been seduced by witchcraft and he also
knows that his thoughts are wrong and is
wrestling with his conscience. So he has
evil tendencies but is not completely evil.
The candle metaphor shows how easily life
can be snuffed out and that we will all run out
of time eventually. The actor metaphor shows
that our lives are just like a play where we play
a part, as though we do not have control over
b
6
Notes should include:
•
tragedy has its roots in Ancient Greek
theatre over 2000 years ago
•
it is about important people of high
status and power
•
tragedies chart the fall of great men
•
the men usually have bad luck or
make bad errors
•
evil deeds often cause their downfall
•
usually they are good people deep
down but they make the wrong
choices or trust the wrong people
•
there are terrible outcomes such as
madness
•
the central character usually dies to
put the wrongs right.
So far in Macbeth, we have seen a
generally good character led astray
by some witches who have unlocked
Macbeth’s ambition by telling him he will
become king. He is a thane so someone
of high status. He seems to be about to
make an error by killing the king, which is
also an evil deed. He is wrong to trust the
witches as they are evil.
Discussions will vary, but may include the
following:
•
The narrative structures are different,
as someone comes to Holmes for help
in ‘The Red-Headed League’ to solve a
mystery, whereas we see everything from
the beginning in Macbeth. The audience
knows what is happening as it happens in
the play, whereas the reader follows the
clues at the same time as Holmes does in
‘The Red-headed League’.
•
In both stories the moral seems to be
about greed and hurting others to get
what you want. Both seem to imply that
it does not pay and that bad deeds will be
punished in the end.
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9.3
1
a modern commentary on the events. It is
unlikely to offer a strong moral but seems
to be more about entertainment.
Notes should include:
•
The new setting is in India in a beautiful
coastal village.
•
Madhava’s and Sugandi’s motivations
seem to be ambition and greed due to a
desire to get out of poverty.
4
The fish could symbolise helplessness and
an inability to change your situation. It
could also symbolise not having the basic
needs to stay alive due to poverty.
1
•
2
Fun with Macbeth
a
•
Answers will vary.
9.4
•
Experiences: studying engineering and
physics, chosen to train as an astronaut,
spacewalk training, aircraft commander
of a T-6.
•
Views: heroic behaviour is admirable,
challenges are good for you, grit and
dedication are important personal
qualities, being adaptable is important,
spreading a love of science is important.
•
Feelings: inspired by heroic stories,
excited by being challenged, proud of her
determination in training, excited about
going into space, gratitude to her parents,
love for her husband, love for her job.
It looked as if whoever drew it had been
trying to rub it out ever since: The heath
looked blurred and windblown.
The youngest of them, and she wouldn’t see
ninety-five again: Even the youngest was
really old.
Who’d passed her sell-by date a couple of
centuries ago: The second witch looked
more than 200 years old.
2
No one gets to be king unless he’s got royal
blood in his veins. Or unless he drains a
bucketful of the stuff out of its rightful
owners: No one gets to be a king unless
they are born royal or they murder the
rightful king.
3
Comparisons should include the following
ideas:
•
48
The narrator’s tone makes the story comic
and quite absurd because serious events
are very exaggerated in a mocking way.
The first story is serious and likely to have
a strong moral. You can tell it is likely
to end in tragedy. The characters seem
essentially good but able to be corrupted
due to their poverty and being tempted
to make their lives better. The second
story just takes the story of Macbeth and
makes it seem totally absurd by offering
Example answer:
Christina Koch, a trainee astronaut with
NASA, was inspired by heroic stories of
leadership into applying to be an astronaut. She
studied degrees in engineering and physics and
is determined to spread her love of sciences to
others. She has completed gruelling training
including spacewalking and being the aircraft
commander of a high-performance military
plane, the T-6. She thrives on the physical and
mental challenges of the training and is looking
forward to being in orbit. Christine gives credit
to her parents for making this possible, and to
her husband for his love and friendship.
The third, who made the other two look like
winners in a beautiful baby contest: The
third witch was even older and uglier than
the other two.
b
An unusual job
Learners’ notes should include:
Underlined phrases:
It was the kind of day when you can do
your washing without taking your clothes
off: It was a rainy day.
Sample answer: I prefer the second story
because its use of Macbeth is very clever
and it’s funny.
3
Discussions will vary, but may include the
following:
•
The question-and-answer format is very
easy for readers to dip in and out of, as
if a question does not interest them they
can move on to the next one. This means
a reader can focus just on the astronaut
training, or on her personal views and
aspirations.
•
An interview also ensures that there is
no bias and no authorial viewpoints in
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the article. It allows an honest and frank
account of a person’s experiences, views
and feelings.
4
Learners should note the following in their
discussions:
a
b
c
5
Christina comes across as very
professional but also very proud and
excited about her NASA training. She
clearly does not take her achievement for
granted and is very grateful to her family
who have supported her. She comes across
as someone who likes to challenge and
push herself forward in many ways. Her
love of science is very apparent. She is
courageous and hard-working but also
very pleasant and down-to-earth.
The questions range from serious
questions about her training to trivial
questions about food in space. This allows
the reader to see a more light-hearted side
of her. It also gives her the opportunity to
talk about the people who mean a lot to
her, which makes her seem very warm.
The magazine is for female readers rather
than people just interested in science or
space programmes. This means that she
is being interviewed as an interesting
and inspirational female role model so
depicting her as a rounded person is very
important. It is designed to show that
even women who break boundaries in
traditionally male fields are just normal
people too. If it was too focused on
science, the target reader wouldn’t be as
interested.
Example answer:
Reaching for the stars!
Christina Koch is going to go far – in more ways
than one!
Have you ever wondered how astronauts really
feel when they’re up on that space station, far
away from the planet where all their family
and friends are? Well, now is your chance
to find out. Christina Koch is one of only a
handful of women to be selected for NASA’s
astronaut training programme and we went to
meet her to find out what it takes to become a
female astronaut.
Childhood dreams coming true . . .
49
As a child, Christina always loved science –
especially physics. ‘I love building and fixing
things’, she told us. And that led to a long
stint at university where she studied for two
degrees in engineering and . . . yes, you’ve
guessed it . . . physics! She was one of a
handful of women on her courses but hopes
that she can prove an inspiring role model and
encourage more girls to consider degrees in
STEM subjects.
But what led Christina to NASA? ‘Really,
it was my mum and dad’, says Christina.
‘They gave me everything I needed to chase
my dreams. They never told me things were
impossible, they always told me to aim high.
Even they didn’t realise how high that would
turn out to be!’ she laughs. ‘I remember my
dad reading me stories about famous explorers
and thinking how much fun it sounded to
travel to new places and discover things that
have never been seen before. I guess it all went
from there.’
Easier for girls?
In 2015 Christina applied for a place on
NASA’s training programme for astronauts.
Out of 6000 hopefuls, she was one of
the chosen ones. But . . . does she think
being female may have given her an unfair
advantage? Christina vehemently denies
this, pointing out that in space only the best
engineers and scientists can cope with the
startling array of tasks and challenges that
astronauts face. ‘They want the best and your
gender is irrelevant’, she argues. ‘Besides,
many of our assessments were completed and
marked anonymously, so favouritism wasn’t
even possible. I truly believe I earned my place
on the training programme through my hard
work and thirst for challenges.’
What’s ahead . . .
And there are definitely challenges ahead
. . . Christina has already trained to do a
spacewalk which meant hours and hours
in the gym to ensure she was at her peak of
physical condition. She has also commanded
a high-grade military aircraft and says ‘it took
every bit of grit and dedication’ she had to get
through the experience.
So, is she scared? Just a little bit . . .? Christina
laughs when asked this. ‘No, I’m not scared.
I’m excited! I can’t wait to put all my training
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CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 9: TEACHER’S RESOURCE
into practice. I can’t wait to see what eating
in zero gravity is like either! More seriously
though, I will miss my husband enormously.
He’s my rock, and I know it will be harder for
him waiting for me to come home than it will
for me doing the job I love.’
Learners’ answers will vary.
4
Learners may note the following:
Christina has a message to all those young
women out there who think science is a
subject for boys: it’s not! Women have made
important contributions to the fields of
science and technology for centuries and will
continue to do so in the future. She hopes that
her success will inspire many young women to
follow her footsteps into outer space.
The ending is satisfying because it tells
us that her mother answers. She thought
her family would disown her so that is a
hopeful sign.
•
The implication is that Binti has matured
and listens to Okwu when he tells her that
family is important. She has learnt about
the importance of living in harmony and
is practising what she preached to the
Meduse.
•
The conventional ending is more
satisfying because Binti continues to
be a heroine and use her education and
intelligence for good rather than bad.
Unusual endings
Learners may note the following:
•
Adiola’s brother may get his revenge and
come back to remove Abiola. A civil
war may start and Abiola loses. In The
Night Raids Jack Keys solves the crime
by finding corruption at the highest
levels of the police force. In Darkparis,
Louis discovers that he has been tested to
become the rightful ruler of Darkparis.
Each ending would show that crime does
not pay and that in the end, good will
overcome. Also, that to succeed, you have
to face and overcome challenges.
9.6
•
Summary A, turns Binti into a victim
rather than a heroine and makes her
brother the hero. This brings in a twist
but makes the story less powerful for
women. In Summary B, Binti becomes
less admirable so may have to face defeat
at the end. Summary C, becomes more of
a personal story of lost opportunities so
would be a bit disappointing.
Summary A seems rather gender
stereotyped as her brother becomes the
stronger character rescuing his sister.
Summary B is a bit dubious because Binti
doesn’t use her knowledge and education
for good but turns into a remorseless
leader. Summary C shows Binti giving up
and turning bitter so doesn’t make her a
very strong role model.
A twist in the tail
1
The story has elements of science fiction as it
involves alien creatures visiting Earth, however
it is funny because it focuses on their hideous
appearance. They do not seem threatening so
there is very little of the thriller genre at the
moment.
2
The title implies that the Kanamit want to
serve the human race and improve the lives
of humans. Their actions support this as
they invest heavily in the Earth and make
unemployment and wars things of the past.
Life on Earth seems much better and they plan
to make humans physically fitter and stronger.
Discussions will vary, but may include the
following:
•
50
3
•
•
2
None of these endings has a very strong
moral message. In Summary A, the bad
people are defeated.
Follow in her footsteps . . .
9.5
1
•
The surprise ending may be their plans to use
humans as food – to literally serve them up as
a dish.
3
Learners’ analyses should cover the following:
•
The pun on ‘serve’ means that they could be
serving man in terms of being subjugated
and doing things for humans, or they could
be serving humans up for dinner.
•
It is a funny ending as there was a hint
in the description of the Kanamit as fat
creatures and they were planning to make
humans physically bigger – like fattening
up a bird for a special dinner. Saying it’s
a cookbook is a good way of revealing
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CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 9: TEACHER’S RESOURCE
it as the reader pauses for a moment to
work it out. It’s funny because humans are
safely at the top of the foodchain so it is
unexpected. It is repulsive but in a comic
way.
4
51
4
When writing an article, a writer can use a
direct interview transcript, or they can write
an article which includes their own opinion
and bias.
5
Conventional endings mean that the outcome
is as the reader expects, such as the villain
getting caught and good triumphing. This
happens in ‘The Red-Headed League’.
Unconventional endings mean that things are
not as easily resolved and the reader may not
know exactly how things conclude. This can
be called a cliffhanger. There are also twists
where the ending is unexpected.
6
Writing a story with a surprise ending means
that there needs to be a twist that the reader
was not expecting. Using a pun on words
can be helpful such as in ‘To Serve Man’.
Including clues is helpful and makes the text
more interesting.
Answers will vary.
Check your progress
1
This means that sometimes endings are
powerful when a question is left unanswered
or it is ambiguous. For example, at the end of
Binti, we know her mother replies but we don’t
know what she says.
2
Tragedy usually explores a powerful person
falling from a high status position. Usually
this is due to their own weakness and poor
decisions but also the influence or meddling
of others. There is usually a conflict and the
central character dies at the end.
3
fish for money and become greedy, forgetting
their roots. Modernising it can change the
settings and the characters.
One modern version of Macbeth is a story
about two fishermen in India. Both decide to
Cambridge Lower Secondary English 9 – Creamer, Clare & Rees-Bidder © Cambridge University Press 2021