English Mock revision exam Read source 1, lifesaving with class, by Rory Stamp, from the RNLI magazine, the lifeboat. Question 1:- What do you learn about the beach article about the beach to city programme run by the RNLI? From the article we learn that that the beach to city programme is run by the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute) and also that they do good work as a charity which very little I known about them in some places. Their aim is to ‘educate children about the dangers of the seaside and how to stay away from trouble. They teach these skills to primary school children because it is said that they are highlighted as a ‘higher risk group’ who are most likely to be unaware of what the RNLI are about. The RNLI teach kids about keeping safe in the sun. They advise to ‘slap on a sun hat, slop on sun cream’ and ‘slip on a T-shirt’ to protect themselves from the sun. Furthermore the RNLI aim to make all their lessons memorable as well as enjoyable, they do these things by getting the kids to take part in play-acting and getting grips with equipment.
Their sessions also focus on the use of public equipment (PRE), they do this by respecting and using life rings, throwing lines and emergency communication are very important to them in particular. The advice the PRE give is also aimed towards school children in London. They managed to visit 30 schools there. In the Future the RNLI education team aim to add a fourth city to the beach tour and plan to continue their work as well as adding more for the coming years.
Now read source 2, the article and the picture which goes with it is called, Trapped Chilean miners: rescue drill reaches their refuge at last by David Batty. Question 2:- Explain how the headline and picture are effective and how they link to the text. Straight away we see the image of the clown because of its amazing range of colours in its outfit the affectivity of the bright coloured clown in the image is because it draws the readers in because most people look at the image before actually reading the article.
The connotations of bright colours often put forward positivity and success this may suggest that the writer is happy about something and as we read on and look at the heading it is clear to us why the writer is overjoyed, because the Chilean miners have eventually been rescued also underneath the image it explains that the purpose of the clown in the image is to celebrate with the TV reporters after a drill reaches the miners.
If we look closer into the picture we also see some people behind the clown, the reader is immediately intrigued because the reader wants to know why they are there so therefore would want to read the article; which tells us that the people behind the clown were in fact “the miners relatives who have camped there”. The fact they have camped out shows their support, encouragement and they have not given up or lost hope in rescuing their loved ones. In the heading it reads that the “trapped Chilean miners; rescue drill reaches their refuge at last”.
From this we can tell that the miners have gone through a lot of struggle to get out of the mine as we read on we realise that 33 Chilean have broken through into a underground chamber and were unfortunately trapped “since august”. Furthermore in the image alongside the clown is a news reporter celebrating with the clown, this shows us that this was a relevant and important issue that had happened and it was necessary for the news to report the story to the nation so that it makes people aware and interested also.
Now read Source 3, saved, which is an extract from the non-fiction book. Question 3:- Explain some of the thoughts and feelings Parrado and Canessa have whilst searching for rescue. Straight away we can tell that Parrado is a positive man who is determined and is “spurred on by curiosity” and is eager to move forward and see what I at the end of valley whereas his companion Canessa has given up and lost all hope when Parrado encourages him to struggle on with him but he replies that he is “tired and could not go on”.
As we continue to read we know learn that there is a “roaring noise which grew louder and louder” as they continued on moving. Both of these men were struck with shear fear as “panic entered the hearts of both of them” however for Parrado the panic soon turned into curiosity as he was “impatient” to find out what lay ahead. Unfortunately for Canessa he could not keep up and the panic that he had felt increased as he saw the only other being run faster and faster away from him into what he thought was danger when he said “You’ll get yourself killed! this may be perhaps he feels less optimistic and tired so has given up in being rescued and saved. When Parrado reaches the end of the valley his face was “wet with tears of joy” because he obviously felt relieved and pleased because he may have discovered a way out. After describing the sight of the “blessed valley” as “beautiful” their whole outlook on the situation changes. Their feelings change positively and a relieved by vision they are seeing. The boys feel tired of the stress and tension that was relieved as they are exhausted and rest by the river that is there.
The two men feel as if they are in paradise and feel confident that they will be saved but are aware that they still have further to go and that the road that lay before them will be rough with “boulders the size of armchairs” to overcome in their fight for survival but they are both now feeling strong and confident enough to cross the river, even if though it is carrying huge boulders down with it. Now you need to refer to source 3, saved and either source 1 or 2. You are going to compare the two texts Question 4:- You are going to compare two texts, one of which you have chosen.
Compare the ways in which language is used for effect in the two texts. Give some examples and analyse what the effects are. In source 3 Parrado and Cannesa were in an exhausted state as they were searching for rescue to come along and save them. They were both in pain and misery because they had run out of hope and thought that they were the only people left on the mountain. However to their surprise they heard a “roaring noise which grew louder and louder” the use of the repetition suggest that it was an unexpected menacing sound as if it was creeping up behind them.
The fact that it was a “roaring sound” just adds to the effect of the mysteriousness that it creates for the reader, a sense of anticipation to see what the sound actually was. On the other hand in source 2 the reporter creates engagement with the audience and using evocative words such as “broken through”, “underground chamber” and “stranded” at the beginning of the article to set a tone of excitement as well as sympathy and concern. The effect this has on the reader is that it makes the reader want to continue reading.
In this case both sources make the audience want to continue reading by creating using enticing techniques to grab the reader’s attention. After describing the sight of the “blessed valley” as “beautiful” their whole outlook on the situation changes. Their feelings change positively and a relieved by vision they are seeing. The boys feel tired of the stress and tension that was relieved as they are exhausted and rest by the river that is there Question 5:- write an entry for your online blog which describes a time when you felt uncertain or unsure about a situation you were in and explain how you overcame it.
Blog: A regular online piece of writing. There was a time in which I was unsure about a question that was asked to me when I was in primary school. Although some people may find it funny that I have decided to talk about this. It brings up a range of emotions I felt when I was at a young age, which to be honest, I was not quite sure of myself. I felt baffled that I was all of a sudden the centre of attention. I was never use to being the person everyone watched. It felt uneasy and out of place. As if suddenly everyone’s eyes turned in menacing eagle eyes, ready to feast on their prey if I got the answer wrong.
I chose to look towards the ground to avoid any eye contact as I stood up from my position to answer. Answer? Answer what? At that moment I felt completely clueless, and lost my train of thought. At that moment I wished the ground would have opened up and taken me some place I felt safe and away from the lingering looks. “Susan? ” the voice said. Snapping out of my thoughts I realised I was still in that same position I was longingly hoping to get out of. The professionally dressed woman repeated her question, this time with a little more annoyance in her voice then last time. Okay Susan, time to get serious, you’ve done this before. You know what to do” I encouraged myself. A quick and silent sign escaped from my mouth as I was about to speak. “3 multiplied by 2 is 6, miss. ” As soon as the words made their way out of my mouth I wanted to grab a shield and protect myself from what was about to come. “Well done” she said finally. Are my ears deceiving me? Did I really answer the question correctly? Although my face was calm and composed. Inside I felt as if a whole load of weight had just disappeared of my shoulders. As if I had be awarded with a million pounds. Sheer relief took over my body.
I felt great. Question 6:- it has been said that “people who save lives or help improve lives of others are a true role models of today”. Write an article for a news paper for a newspaper in which you argue your view about what makes a good role model. As good role model is some who can teach you to do go things and tell you what is right and wrong. What is a role model if they cannot teach? They come in all types of backgrounds, whether it’s through music, dance or religion. I would agree that a good role model is someone who saves lives and improves lives of others. That is a great factor of a role model.
Who wouldn’t want people like that living in their community, like local heroes saving people from the negativity life offers? In addition it is those people who are able to bring happiness and joy to families as well as give them hope. Some role models inspire people do great things like themselves, like brilliant dancers inspire people to get into dancing, as they hope to achieve what their role models have achieved. On the other hand others would argue that people who have done wrong don’t deserve to be role models and no longer have the right to teach and be taught valuable lessons.
They do not deserve a second chance to change and prove that they are worthy of being role models. They do not have a say in what society does. What about the people who haven’t necessarily been the holiest and most pleasant people to be around in the past. Once they have done badly they are forbidden to be heroes. What are they classed as then? Villains? Is this not prejudicing? You cannot judge someone on their past. Although it may be true that they may have had some ‘dirt’ in their past but their future is still ‘spotless’.
If they were to give money to charity or save a child from a burning building, would it not be appreciated? In conclusion I believe role models are people who are able to do great things and expect nothing back. They do great acts because it makes them feel better about themselves as people. A sense of achievement goes through their minds, they were able to inspire people especially people at a young age because they are the future of modern society. These role models are like modern day angles sent from heaven to protect the feeble and weak.
We need more role models to teach people about what to avoid in life and what to hope to achieve. We thank you and are grateful for having people like you sent to earth. English Mock revision exam paper 2 Read source 1, the online travel article called rafting on the grand canyon by Elisabeth Hyde. Question 1:- What do you learn from Elisabeth Hyde’s article about where she has been and what she has been doing? From the article we learn that Elisabeth Hyde along with her husband, 3 teenage kids and 22 other people went on a trip to the Grand Canyon in early July.
She mentions that there was only two rules the guide had shouted which were “stay in the boat” and the second to “stay in the boat! ” At the beginning she doesn’t seem to keen and quite scared about the trip as she says “blinking at the sign before us…” almost as if she isn’t looking forward to her trip. She continues to talk about what the space of the boats which she says was “the tightest packing system” she had ever seen this gives us the image that it was uncomfortable and a cramped, overcrowded space because of all the amount of gear and number of people in the “6m rafts”.
She also describes the prime seats as having “great views”. Elisabeth describes the trip as a “Disneyland-like experience” which states that it was a great encounter. Although it had people “plunging down… into a tough wave” and a moment after the boats shooting back up and over the crest. She describes it as a “rollercoaster ride that had people screaming with the thrill of it. ” This proves that she had gotten a sense of adrenaline throughout the experience, like fear and excitement placed in a box and ready to explode at any moment.
By the end of the trip Elisabeth was drenched head to toe but she could not have cared-less because although she wouldn’t have minded a shower at that moment she had a desire to “run away and become a river guide”. This shows us that she would have gladly gone through the rollercoaster over and over just because of how great the experience left her. Now read source 2, the article and the picture which goes with it called fearsome tyrannosaurs Rex sue may have died of a sore throat.
Question 2:- Explain how the headline and picture are effective and how they link to the text. The headline and image of this article introduces the main idea of the text: that this specie of dinosaur may have potentially died from “a sore throat” In some way this is considered comical because it doesn’t seem logical that a dinosaur of that size could have potentially died from “a parasite that infects pigeons” also nicknaming this massive dinosaur “sue” makes it mocking as if comparing it to a feeble human being.
Furthermore straight away from the heading it reads “Fearsome” which implies that it was quite a superior and scary which makes the reader want to continue reading the article to know in full detail what happened to this dinosaur. As we read on in the article it claims that they have an accurate and complete example of this “prehistoric predator” in a field museum in Chicago. The use of the alliteration emphasises the point of it being such a phenomenal creature.
As we continue on Ian explains to us that this giant “65 million-year-old” dinosaur had gone through a number of things which had left her with “broken ribs”, “torn tendons” and a “damaged shoulder” and the fact that the cause of “Sue’s” death was “far more ordinary” somehow suggests disappointment because of the largeness of this creature. In the image the dinosaur looks so huge compared to the people admiring the fossil, as if comparing an elephant to an ant. Now read source 3, Everest the hard way, which is an extract from a non-fiction book.
Question 3:- Explain which parts of Pete Boardman’s story of the return to camp 6 your find tense and exciting. Straight away the reader feels tension and hints of fear because “a decision was needed” on what their plan of action was to get back to camp 6. This draws in the reader and makes the reader want to continue reading and find out what their decision was. As we read on it tells us that the he and his fellow camp mates were going the wrong direction, as time went on they felt that their “success was turning into tragedy. The use of the superlative and comparing it to the best and worst suggest that they are feeling pessimistic and are running out of hope. As we continue reading on Pete described the avalanche that was coming “channelled, straight towards” him. The use of the adjective gives sympathy for the reader because they feel as if it is inevitable for him to free himself from the danger that is about to happen. The reader is intrigued to find out more about what happens next. He overcame this as he “smashed” his axe into the ice and hung on.
The powerful and emotive language makes the reader feel obligated to read on and is putting a clear image in the readers mine. “Then it stopped. ” The use of this short and snappy sentence makes tension and suspension rise to see if Pete had finally reached safety. It also creates a sense of relief for the reader because they know that he is still one piece and is excited to find out more. In the finally paragraph Pete uses captivating alliteration like ”flicking it free, I tumbled over a fifteen foot rock” the continuous use of the “f” sounds like exhaustion which puts emphasis on the agony and the pain they felt at the time.
Now you need to refer to source 3, Everest the hard way and either source 1 or 2. You are going to compare the two texts Question 4:- Compare the different ways in which language is used for effect in the two texts. Give some examples and analyse what the effects are. In source 3 the writer makes use of some short and snappy sentence at the very beginning of the article when he says “a decision was needed. ” which creates suspension and you are able to know what he feels which makes the reader want to continue and find out what they decide to do.
Whereas in Source 1 at the very beginning she mentions that there were only two rules the guide had shouted which were “stay in the boat” and the second which was to “stay in the boat! ”Although it may seem comical and ironic that the guide had repeated himself. The seriousness of the repetition may have been a warning because it is dangerous and to make sure that they follow the rules. Source 1 uses a metaphor when Elisabeth says “the grand canyon s a Disneyland-like experience” The use of the metaphor makes the description really effective because it helps the readers emphasise with her.
This gives a sense of the thrills, excitement and the ups and downs she felt on the trip. In source 3 he tells us that the he and his fellow camp mates were going the wrong direction, as time went on they felt that their “success was turning into tragedy. ” The use of the superlative and comparing it to the best and worst suggest that they are feeling pessimistic and are running out of hope. In source 1 the writer uses rhetorical question in which she says “was I scared? A little. Exhilarated? More than I have ever been. The use of this makes it seem like she is interacting with the reader as though she is answering the question that they may have for her which makes the article in itself more interesting. Source 3 does this also when he uses captivating alliteration like ”flicking it free, I tumbled over a fifteen foot rock” the continuous use of the “f” sounds like exhaustion which puts emphasis on the agony and the pain they felt at the time, which makes the reader have sympathy for him. Question 5:- Write a brief article a website of your choice telling your readers about an interesting or unusual journey or travel experience you’ve had.
Explain why it was memorable. “Take a deep breath and walk up” I whispered to myself as I was about walk up to the aircraft. I didn’t understand why I was getting so stressed over something I had done a million times over, it just didn’t seem logical. But I knew. I knew there was something wrong but I didn’t know what it was. I guess that’s just me being myself. The pilot’s voice ordering us to do as we were told as he explained to us what to do and how to behave on the plane. The beautifully tall air hostesses directing us to the nearest exits and what to do in the case of an emergency with their hands as guides.
It all seemed straight forward really, everything that I had heard before so many times it was glued to my brain. I looked out the window when the engine started running to ease my thoughts. I was so nervous; meeting my family in what seemed like centuries was going to be a shock for them and for me. With all the changes that have happened, how are they going to react? All I know is for certain things are definitely not going to be the way they were before, not after my uncle’s car accident.
He was sent to intensive physiotherapy because of a car crash that he was unfortunately apart of, It is the first time the family have been shaken up so badly. Time to get off. A sigh left my mouth as if I hadn’t noticed it. My mother calling me from the top of the stairs encouraging me to come on. At the top of the stairs looking down to the ground, petrified of what I was going to see. But why? He was not dead so why was I making such a fuss? It’s just the thought of change which threatened me. Standing at the bottom of he air craft looking for familiar faces like a lost child looking for its mother was what we’re doing. All we see is a group of our family members just shout our names from across the road, excitement and exhilaration rushed through my body. A tear dared to leave my eye when I saw my uncle in his crutches, because although he wasn’t in the best form he had the largest smile of his face that I had ever seen him do. From that moment I knew that all those fears I felt were empty and meaningless now and this would be one of the greatest holiday I went through.
