English Language Paper 1 - Grade 9

Alternative transcript:

imagery. The ship lets out a "monstrous metallic burp". This effective use of personification and onomatopoeia conveys the unnatural sounds the ship is making which is frightening the narrator. Moreover, the adjective of "monstrous" gives the impression to the reader that that these sounds are from a dangerous origin, further supporting the idea that the ship and surroundings are frightening. The tone, accompanied by the "monstrous" sounds, can be argued to be suspenseful and eerie, creating a similar atmosphere in this extract, as the origin or the "monstrous" noise is not yet revealed to the reader. This could link to the idea of nature to which was connoted by the "illusion crafted by rain and shadow", as the "burp" could suggest that it comes from a creature or living form. This demonstrates how the narrator is frightened and confused by the events that are occurring. Q3. How has the writer structured the text to interest you as a reader? At the beginning, the writer focuses our attention on the character of Pi on the sinking ship. He is in a dangerous and frightening aquatic setting, The reader, together with the characters, has travelled to the sinking ship's environment. Initially, the ship seems slightly mysterious due to the "groans" but this changes with the short sentence of "lots of water" which freezes the reader and indicates that that things are about to change for the worse, It is followed by the declarative sentence of "it was blocking my way" which draws the reader's focus and therefore emphasises the enormity of the water and the danger it will cause to Pi and the others on the ship. The cause of the water is ambiguous but then the writer reveals that there "was a noticeable incline from bow to stern". Overall, this engages the reader as the use of declarative sentences draw our attention to key parts of the narrative and therefore foreshadows the inevitable danger to which Pi will be placed in. Furthermore, the writer continues to engage our interest in the extract as we approach the middle of the source's narrative. The writer employs the use of declarative sentences once again, noticed as a pattern throughout this extract, to communicate an atmosphere of fear to the reader. Pi enlists how he "looked overboard again. The sea was rising. The waves were getting closer. We were sinking fast." The use of simplistic, short sentences helps the reader communicate the danger of the situation as we are forced to focus on each sentence, that vividly describes the environment of the sinking ship. The short sentences add a sense of urgency and tension to the extract, making the readers feel all the more scared for Pi. As a result, the writer occupies the reader's interest by patterned use of declarative sentence, which continuously creates tension and haste throughout the extract. Finally, at the end of the extract, the writer focuses our attention onto the introduction of the other characters on the ship. The writer changes the tone of the extract, by employing extended sentences but this could be used to suggest a change in the focus of the story, creating a calmer atmosphere due to the irregularities of the sentence structure. The long sentences detract from the pace, and therefore tension, as Pi "was so full of trust in them that [he] felt grateful as they carried [him] in the air." This could suggest that the narrative is about to change, and that Pi will be saved from the dangers of the sinking ship. However, the writer quickly changes our focus once again from the possibility of a positive and safe outcome for Pi as "they threw [him] overboard". The writer effectively engages the reader by changing our focus multiple times throughout the extract and causing us to have mixed feelings for Pi's outcome, from recognising the inevitable danger of Pi's situation to the possibility of Pi's escape. Overall, this encourages us to read in as the writer creates a sense of suspense over what has happened to Pi at the end of this chapter. Q4. Focus this part of your answer on the second part of the Source from line 19 to the end. A student, having read this section of the text, said: 'The writer makes the reader feel sympathetic for the narrator.' To what extent do you agree? The writer makes the reader feel sympathetic for the narrator through the close relationship to which the writer creates with the reader, enabling us to feel how the narrator does in this very difficult predicament. As soon as "the ship shook", we witness his physical actions and emotional though which reveal to us his terrified state. As a result, we feel enormous sympathy for the narrator. For instance, as the narrator hears an unknown "sound" he rapidly questions "What was it?" Was it the collective scream of humans and animals protesting their oncoming death?..." The repetitive use of rhetorical questions highlights his fear and panic, which could be a technique of the writer to induce the reader to feel in the same state in which the character is finding himself. By using rhetorical questions, the confusion and anxiousness of the character increases through his stream of consciousness that is quickly developing into a state of panic in his challenging situation. As a reader, we feel as if the writer has transported us to this same feeling of panic to which the character is experiencing, making us feel wholly sympathetic for the narrator. Furthermore, the writer makes the reader feel sympathetic for the narrator through the first-person narrative bringing the character vividly to life, to feel as if we are on the ground with him as he "fell over. I got to my feet. I looked overboard again." Whilst these sentences are highly simplistic, it allows the writer to create a sequence of action, as we can experience the different movements of the narrator. The repetitive use of "I" as a first-person narrative allows the reader to focus only on the narrator, which causes us to feel sympathy for him as his character is the main focus. Additionally, this is further emphasised in line 30 with a similar pattern of action as "I fell. I got up. They were looking overboard." The repeated action of the narrator falling over causes the readers to feel sympathy for him as we do not want the protagonist to be hurt. Possibly, by having these similar sentences even shorter than those on line 21, it engages our focus even more by placing emphasis on every action of the narrator. This engages the reader as we feel as if we are on the sinking ship with him, causing the reader to feel scared and therefore, sympathetic for the narrator. Moreover, the writer makes the reader feel sympathetic for the narrator by creating frightening and ever-increasing pace and tension throughout the extract. However, the narrator, though scared, does not seem to fully understand the seriousness of the situation. From the way he speaks, the narrator comes across as a highly honest person who is genuinely worried and scared in this shipwreck: "We were sinking fast". This impression is further developed when he speaks to the crew members, saying "Thank God I've found you. What is happening?... I am worried about my family." The simplicity of his language presents him to be naïve and innocent, enabling the reader to feel sympathy. Someone who is as innocent and kind-hearted as the narrator doesn't deserve to be in such a terrifying situation and his worry for his family is highly admirable, making the reader feel all the more sympathetic for him. The reader may have already come to the conclusion that his family could be dead, as water filled the lower levels of the ship, but the narrator simply asks, "is this normal?" showing how little life experience he has. He also doesn't understand when the crew talk to him as they "shouted something in Chinese." As it appears that these men aren't communicating clearly with the narrator, the readers get an ominous feeling that something even worse will take place, especially when they "interrupted" his question. This could imply that these men did not care for his concerns for the family and so as readers, we feel concerned for the narrator and sympathetic, as the student said. Overall, through a combination of methods, the writer has built up a very sympathetic picture for the reader of the narrator through his naivety and the dreadful things that happen to him. Section B: Writing Write a description suggested by the picture. OR Write the opening part of a story which is set in a forest or mountain location. It was a solemn and murky day. The winds flexed their muscles as they bellowed in the skies, whipping the clouds into shape, marching them across the sky. They loomed over the sun, obscuring any positivity it provided. Their once soft edges were painted silver by the thunder heads casting down shivers of light with a ghostly glow. Beneath the chaos, the black jackboots of rain tramped across the horizon, stamping cold into the world, as though some long dead tyrant had returned, armed with winter's fury. A young girl sat beside a window, gently resting her head, feeling the droplets mimics the rhythm of a heartbeat on the cracked glass. The bleak, granite coloured storm clouds silently screamed as her eyes fluttered every now and then, feeling a single drop on rain land on her head. Shortly after, the teacher yelled at this young girl, pestering her to pay attention to the events of Weimar Germany displayed on the board. The teacher's nasal voice rippled through her eardrums, and you could almost see the veins on her forehead pulsate in a justified rage. She wasn't very interested in Weimar Germany though; she just wanted to leave. Needed to leave, rather. Ignoring her teacher, she leant her head on the wooden desk, feeling the winding grooves and sticky remains of glue on her fingers. In her mind, she was entirely somewhere else. The sun shone brightly down on the mountain range, illuminating the lush green foliage and the small stream of water sparkled across the craggy, grey rocks. Besides, the towering trees stood in rows like soldiers, guarding the small creatures who crawled their way among the rocks and pebbles which seemed like giants to the innocent ladybugs. All around was the tranquility of nature; the birds which chirped and twittered to their kin. I lifted my face, letting the light and shadow dance across my skin. Beautiful. A turquoise-blue stream wound its merry way through the forest below the mountain scape. Babbling and burbling, it sprung over the limestone rocks in its way. Pebbles whisked about in the under wash like pieces of glitter. Streams are the liquid soil of the forest, and this one was glowing. Chords of soft light speared down from above, bathing its surface in gold. It was glinting with little sparkles, like a thousand diamonds blessed with inner fire. A galaxy of dragonflies fizzed through the beams of light, wings a-glitter in the sun, with the nectar sweet smell of the spring flowers perking up anyone's spirit for miles around. None of it was real though. Merely a fantasy. The day had only gotten increasingly worse as the girl lifted her head off the desk to see that the sky above was full of tumultuous, dark, ragged clouds that drifted over the sky and released a sudden shower. The sky put on its black cape: the closest clouds armoured in battleship grey; those coming behind streaked with the black of coal smoke; those on the horizon dark as slate. Beneath, a pedestrian walking by might shut their eyes and pray for liberation, dreaming of the cavalry of sunlight.