May/June 2010

Music
1. Music is a universal form of communication, cutting across all periods of history and all regions of the planet.
Human beings were probably inspired to produce music by the sounds they heard in the world of nature, like
birdsong and animal cries, which formed the background of their daily existence. Even in primitive times, music
played an important part in the social life of the community – events like birth, marriage and death had their
own individual and appropriate music. The earliest written representations of musical sound are found in India,
providing a beginning for a study of the history of music, and instruments such as flutes and various types of
stringed instruments have been recovered from archaeological sites there. Because it has the power to touch
individuals according to the moods and situations in which they find themselves, people have also always found
music to be useful on a personal level.
2. Aparticularly poignant story which demonstrates the power of music is told about the 24th of December 1914.
Many European countries had been engaged for four months in a war which was to continue for almost another
four years, but the soldiers in one part of the battlefield, remembering that this was the night before Christmas,
turned their thoughts away from war towards a celebration of this important Christian festival. Imagine the
astonishment of the British soldiers when the sound of Christmas songs being sung by enemy German soldiers
drifted towards them on the clear night air. Moved by the music, although fearful at first, men who had earlier
in the day been fighting against each other stepped from their hiding places. The language barrier was somehow
broken down, enabling limited conversations to take place. The soldiers spontaneously put down their weapons,
exchanging food gifts and even playing football together. The Christmas Truce, as it came to be called, has come
to represent the endurance of human beings in the face of adversity, and music played an important role.
3. Perhaps the most important turning point in the history of music was the invention of recorded sound. In 1877
Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, and this was the beginning of the recording industry as we know it
today. The phonograph – a machine which played back sounds – was hailed as a great scientific breakthrough
and there was a chaotic rush to invent other recording devices. These inventions often overlapped. It is hard to
imagine the interest which was aroused in improving the recording of sound, and Edison was seen as one of the
great scientific figures of the century. Inventors were frequently involved in angry disputes to be acknowledged
as the official inventor of some improvement or other. Nowadays, a mere one hundred and fifty years or so
after its invention, recorded music affects millions of people and involves vast amounts of money per year. It
employs thousands of people, including musicians, sound engineers and salespeople. Thomas Edison began a
technology boom which he could not even have begun to imagine.
4. Recorded sound brings a wide range of music to ordinary people who, in the past, would have been confined to
the one or two sorts of music which characterised their tribe or their region. Recorded music crosses boundaries
and cultures – if you want to investigate the music of, say, Sri Lanka or Kenya, it is easy to do so by a trip to your
music shop or even by surfing the internet. Moreover, air travel has become more frequent and its
inexpensiveness means that people can attend cultural shows in far-flung holiday destinations and buy
recordings of the music of the countries they visit. Before the invention of recorded music, people might have
played or listened to live music in their own homes, but in families without either musical instruments or the
skill to play them, this would clearly not have been possible. However, access to recordings enables ordinary
people nowadays to hear music as often as they like, without needing to own or be able to play an instrument.
The fact that buying recorded music is generally cheaper than attending live performances is another attraction
Read the passage in the insert and then answer all the questions which follow below.

You are recommended to answer the questions in the order set.

Mistakes in spelling, punctuation and grammar may be penalised in any part of the Paper.

From paragraph 1:

1 (a) Why, according to the writer, is music a ‘universal’ form of communication? [1]

(b) According to the writer, what probably inspired human beings to produce music? [1]

(c) What feature of early Indian music provides ‘a beginning for a study of the history of music’? [1]

(d) A part from the role that music has played in the ‘social life of the community’, what is the other important
function of music? [1]

From paragraph 2:

2 (a) Why would the soldiers be ‘fearful’ at first? [1]

(b) Why would the conversations between the soldiers be ‘limited’? [1]

(c) Pick out and write down the single word which shows that the Christmas Truce was not planned. [1]

(d) What, according to the writer, has the Christmas truce ‘come to represent’? Answer in your own words. [2]

From paragraph 3:

3 (a) Why did the phonograph mark the beginning of the recording industry? [1]

(b) I n what two ways was the rush to invent other recording devices ‘chaotic’? Number your answers (i) and (ii). [2]

(c) R ecorded music affects millions of people ‘a mere one hundred and fifty years or so’ after its invention. What does
the use of the word ‘mere’ suggest about the writer’s attitude to the effects of recorded music? [1]

From paragraph 4:

4 Why are ordinary people able to visit ‘far-flung holiday destinations’? [1]

From paragraph 6:

5 What, according to the writer, is the result when young people are discouraged from playing musical instruments? [1]

From paragraph 7:

6 (a) Explain in your own words why pop stars ‘are not necessarily the best musicians’. [2]

(b) What, according to the writer, do editors hope to gain by publishing information about pop stars? [1]

From paragraph 8:

7 Explain in your own words the ways in which the internet has ‘transformed our experience of music’. [2]

8 From the whole passage:

Choose five of the following words or phrases. For each of them give one word or short phrase (of not more than seven
words) which has the same meaning that the word has in the passage.

1. individual (line 5) 5. aimed at (line 69) 2. moods (line 9) 6. outrageously (line 70) 3. hailed (line 26) 7. negative (line
79) 4. investigate (line 37) 8. advent (line 83) [5]

9 Using your own words as far as possible, write a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of recorded music, as
identified by the writer of the passage.

USE ONLY THE MATERIAL FROM LINE 35 TO LINE 81.

Your summary, which must be in continuous writing (not note form), must not be longer than 160 words, including the
10 words given below.

Recorded music means that people can choose to listen to… [25]

From paragraph 7:

6 (a) Explain in your own words why pop stars ‘are not necessarily the best musicians’. [2]

(b) W hat, according to the writer, do editors hope to gain by publishing information about pop stars? [1]

From paragraph 8:

7 Explain in your own words the ways in which the internet has ‘transformed our experience of music’. [2]

8 From the whole passage:

Choose five of the following words or phrases. For each of them give one word or short phrase (of not more than seven
words) which has the same meaning that the word has in the passage.

1. individual (line 5) 5. aimed at (line 69) 2. moods (line 9) 6. outrageously (line 70) 3. hailed (line 26) 7. negative (line
79) 4. investigate (line 37) 8. advent (line 83) [5]

9 Using your own words as far as possible, write a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of recorded music, as
identified by the writer of the passage.

USE ONLY THE MATERIAL FROM LINE 35 TO LINE 81.

Your summary, which must be in continuous writing (not note form), must not be longer than 160 words, including the
10 words given below.

Recorded music means that people can choose to listen to… [25]
May/June 2010 Varient

A Nightmare Journey

1. ‘Come on, Rose, relax!’ laughed Jameela to her room-mate. ‘I’m only going out for two hours. You can’t study all
the time!’ But Rose was not to be dissuaded; with only one week until the university examinations, the proposed
cinema trip, like all Jameela’s recent diversions, was out of the question. In any case, although Rose’s parents
never referred to the sacrifices they were making to allow her to attend university, how could they ever be far
from her mind? Jameela’s typically unrealistic attitude towards time was demonstrated by her return four hours
later, just as Rose was packing up her books and preparing for bed.
2. As the girls went to their classes the next morning, Jameela took Rose’s arm affectionately. ‘It’s great that our
parents are paying for us to have a trip home after the exams,’ she said. ‘I’ve been thinking about plane and
train timetables and I suggest you leave the arrangements to me. It’s too difficult for you.’ Rose fought against
her annoyance at Jameela’s insult and decided to ignore it. ‘She’s probably right,’ she mused, ‘and, anyway, why
should I make work for myself?’
3. That evening Rose’s head was buried in her notes as the door of the room was thrown open and Jameela made
her usual dramatic entrance. She was carrying a large shopping basket, from which peeped the provisions she
had earlier promised to buy for their evening meal. From the doorway she kicked her sandals across the room in
a flamboyant gesture. ‘Well, that’s that!’ she exclaimed happily, brandishing a fistful of tickets, before flopping
into the room’s only armchair. ‘There’s nothing left to do except pass the exams, and we’re off!’
4. The ensuing fortnight passed in a whirlwind of studying and examinations. Jameela’s friend, Nizam, arrived to
take the girls to the airport in his car, which spluttered and wheezed, as if it were not even certain itself that it
was capable of such a task. ‘Please, climb in, ladies,’ he said, untying the piece of string which held the car’s back
door in place. ‘Cool luggage,’ he continued, nodding towards Jameela’s decrepit and battered orange rucksack;
its straps were so frayed that they were held together with tape, and several sweaters bulged from its top. At
the same time he cast a disparaging eye over Rose’s little suitcase, bought especially for this journey home. After
a bumpy ride to the airport, the girls had a smooth flight, and were set to begin the next stage of their journey,
which was to make their way to Central Station in the city centre to catch the express train to their home town.
5. As soon as the girls got off the plane at Terminal One, Rose pointed to a sign indicating that buses for Central
Station left, not from this part of the airport, but from Terminal Two; they began to move as quickly as they
could, a brisk walk at first and then a comfortable jog. A notice at the bus stop informed them that buses
departed only every thirty minutes. A glance at their watches told them that a bus had just left – in fact, they
could see its brake lights as it negotiated the corner. ‘Not to worry,’ said Jameela cheerfully. ‘The local train
station is just downstairs and we can travel from there to Central Station. I much prefer trains to buses.’ ‘At least
there wasn’t a queue for the automatic ticket machine,’ thought Rose, as she and Jameela unzipped their bags
to find money for the fare, before discovering that the machine accepted only credit cards and not cash. Smiling
in order to conceal their embarrassment, the girls turned away. A long queue of people snaked in front of them,
and they realised that this was the queue for the ticket office.
6. Eventually, clutching their tickets, the girls hurled themselves onto the elderly little train which would take them
to Central Station. Sitting beside the door, her luggage at her side, Rose felt some of her tension leave her. ‘Why
not look on the journey as an adventure? Why couldn’t she be more like Jameela?’ These soothing thoughts
were interrupted by disturbing ones that the train had already made several stops; in fact, it seemed to be
stopping every kilometre or so. She had to remind herself that this was no express train; this was a train merely
to serve the local community. Furthermore, the train was becoming increasingly busy; crowds got on, but
nobody left; the girls’ faces were pressed into the backs of standing passengers as the train crawled along the
track. Apprehensively, the girls held onto their luggage; they had heard stories of pickpockets and thieves on
busy local transport. Hunger pangs made Rose’s stomach rumble; despite Jameela’s confidence in her own
 organisational skills, she had forgotten to include a lunch break in their travel plans. ‘Rose,’ said Jameela
awkwardly, ‘I’m beginning to think we might miss the connecting train home. The train leaves Central Station at
7.07pm. I completely underestimated how long it would take us to transfer from the airport ….’ Her voice tailed
off into embarrassment.
7. Rose surprised them both by taking the initiative. ‘The next stop is North Station. If we stay until Central, we’ll
definitely miss the train, and it’s the last one home today. Let’s get off at North and take a taxi.’ Jameela stared
at her in amazement; they both knew that poor students could not afford taxis. But Jameela was in no position
to argue; her credibility lay in tatters. Carried by the crowd surging up the station steps, the girls followed the
exit signs. It was 6.45pm. But their chosen exit brought them out at the back of the station, where there was no
taxi rank. It was then that the frayed straps of Jameela’s ‘cool’ rucksack snapped. Pedestrians jostled past, as the
rucksack’s contents spread all over the ground. ‘Quickly!’ shouted Rose, removing a plastic bag from her
suitcase. ‘Shove everything in here!’ They then had to dash to the front of the station. It was 6.49pm. ‘Can you
get us to Central Station in fifteen minutes?’ gasped Jameela. The driver indicated by an arrogant toss of his
head that such a task would be no problem to a city gent like him. Who were these provincial girls anyway, with
their outof-town accents?
8. He accelerated violently away from the kerb. The girls closed their eyes as he recklessly wove through traffic,
narrowly avoiding parked vehicles and pedestrians; he occasionally glanced at the girls to see if they were
impressed by his driving prowess. When his mobile phone rang, he conducted an animated conversation with
the caller, laughing uproariously at his own jokes and arranging a meeting for the following evening. ‘That’s if he
lives until tomorrow,’ thought Rose grimly.
9. At 7.02pm, the taxi stopped at Central Station, the driver smug that they had arrived with two minutes to spare.
Luckily, the girls’ train was leaving from Platform 3, which was near the main entrance. They ran at great speed
down the platform. Rose followed some metres behind Jameela, aware that they were attracting a lot of
attention, not only from passengers on the train but also from those on other platforms. But why was Jameela
suddenly running back down the platform towards her? At that point, with sickening clarity, Rose realised that
access to the train was on the other side; the carriage doors on this side were locked! A further frantic sprint
down the correct side of the platform followed, but they made it with seconds to spare.
10. At the start of the train journey, Rose showed her exasperation with her friend by being uncommunicative.
Furthermore, when Jameela spoke to her she avoided eye contact, but then she began to see the funny side.
Little flashbacks from the nightmare journey replayed in her memory – the train packed to capacity, the jaunty
rucksack no longer fit for purpose, Jameela’s fists thumping on the wrong side of the carriage…. And suddenly
she was doubled up with laughter. She read fear in Jameela’s eyes. What would Rose tell Nizam about the
rucksack? What would she tell Jameela’s parents about her work rate that year?
‘Don’t worry, Jameela. We’ve been friends for so long. Let’s keep it that way,’ Rose smiled.

Read the passage in the insert and then answer all the questions which follow below.

You are recommended to answer the questions in the order set.

Mistakes in spelling, punctuation and grammar may be penalised in any part of the Paper.

From paragraph 1:

1 (a) Where was Jameela going that evening? [1]

(b) What was Rose going to do that evening? [1]

(c) Give two reasons why Rose ‘was not to be dissuaded’. Number your answers (i) and (ii). [2]
(d) Jameela returned ‘four hours later’. In what way did that show her ‘unrealistic attitude towards time’? [1]

From paragraph 2:

2 (a) Explain what ‘Jameela’s insult’ was. [1]

(b) Rose thought that Jameela was ‘probably right’. Why else did she decide to ignore the insult? [1]

From paragraph 3:

3 Why was Jameela happy? [1]

From paragraph 4:

4 (a) Give two reasons why it seemed as if Nizam’s car might not be capable of taking the girls to the airport. Number
your reasons (i) and (ii). [2]

(b) Pick out and write down the single word in the paragraph which shows that Nizam disapproved of Rose’s luggage.
[1]

From paragraph 5:

5 Before they looked for the ticket office, the girls were ‘smiling’. Explain in your own words why they were smiling. [2]

From paragraph 6:

6 The girls ‘hurled themselves’ onto the waiting train. What effect does the writer create here that would not have been
created by the word ‘boarded’? [1]

From paragraph 8:

7 Explain fully what Rose thought might happen to the taxi driver, and why. [2]

From paragraph 10:

8 (a) Explain in your own words how Rose ‘showed her exasperation with her friend’. [2]

(b) Rose ‘read fear in Jameela’s eyes’. Explain exactly what two things Jameela was afraid Rose would do. Number your
answers (i) and (ii). [2]

From the whole passage:

9 Choose five of the following words or phrases. For each of them give one word or short phrase (of not more than
seven words) which has the same meaning that the word has in the passage.

1. diversions (line 3) 5. tailed off (line 56) 2. mused (line 12) 6. initiative (line 57) 3. tension (line 44) 7. narrowly (line
71) 4. soothing (line 45) 8. smug (line 76) [5]

10 The girls had a nightmare journey from the airport to the express train.

Using your own words as far as possible, write a summary of the difficulties and anxieties the girls encountered from
the time they reached the airport until the time they got onto the express train at Central Station in the city centre.

USE ONLY THE MATERIAL FROM LINE 30 TO LINE 83.

Your summary, which must be in continuous writing (not note form), must not be longer than 160 words, including the
10 words given below.

When the girls reached Terminal One they soon realised that... [25]

May/June 2011

Passage 1 – Pirates

Piracy has been around for as long as people have used the oceans as trade routes, and there is a probably universal
stereotype of the pirate as a ruthless villain, brandishing a sword. He is in possession of a large fortune, some of it buried
on a desert island, to be unearthed in his old age. In the popular imagination, pirates were rebellious and clever,
operating outside the restrictive bureaucracy of the law. In reality, few became fabulously wealthy and many died
young.

There are many reasons why piracy flourished in former times. Pirates sometimes captured the inhabitants of other
lands, particularly children, and sold them as slaves. Taking hostage a powerful leader or public figure was a lucrative
business, as huge sums of money could then be demanded as ransom. The famous Roman leader Julius Caesar was
captured by pirates and a certain sum of ransom money was demanded; Caesar thought he was worth more and
persuaded his captors to increase their demands! Pirate raids were often used to capture foreign territory; the Vikings
were particularly successful in this regard.

When sailors were marooned because they were on the losing side in a war, they set up small gangs near river estuaries,
initially to protect themselves. Soon they realised that they could plunder ships carrying expensive cargo, like silks and
spices. In some parts of the world, continuous war demanded frequent supplies of fresh horses, imported on sea routes
from Africa; this trade was subjected to frequent raids by thriving bands of pirates based in coastal cities. In other areas,
it was not uncommon for people to consider piracy a legitimate response to the fact that they could make no money
from their poor land, and that piracy was therefore their main source of income.

Not all piracy was illegal. Sometimes privately owned ships – called privateers – were authorised by a country’s
government to attack and rob foreign vessels during wartime. Privateering was a form of state-sponsored piracy, where
the ship, and not just the cargo, could be stolen. Privateering was encouraged by governments; it saved them money
that they might otherwise have had to spend on building battleships. Because privateers were often thugs who
exploited every opportunity to steal, they sometimes continued to plunder ships in peacetime.

However, piracy is not confined to history books; it continues to be a problem in modern times. Some modern pirates
are content to make relatively limited amounts of money by boarding small ships and taking cash belonging to the crew;
they also steal inexpensive goods which might be on board. Other pirates, working in organised syndicates, attack with
more sophistication and planning, driven by the possibility of large cargoes, for example oil. The skill and planning of
these syndicates mean that they are often able to make vast sums of money by capturing members of the crew and
demanding ransom money for their release. There have been several recent high profile cases of pirates whose
intention is not monetary, but rather the desire to achieve publicity for a political point of view. The worldwide media
coverage which such cases provoke suggests that this type of piracy is effective.

Modern piracy is a growing and successful phenomenon because more and more international trade takes place via
shipping, particularly as the cost of air travel increases. This means that often ships have to decrease their speed in order
to avoid collision in busy shipping lanes, thus increasing the chances of pirate attack. Modern ships tend to have smaller
crews as technology replaces manpower, thus making it easier for pirates to overpower what crew members there are.
Modern technology also works in pirates’ favour because they are able to utilise it to discover the location of ships
suitable for attack. In former times, what popular pirate areas, such as the Strait of Malacca, had in common was that
they were narrow bodies of water; modern shipping routes also take ships through narrow passages which are more
susceptible to having pirates lying in wait ready to attack them.

Pirates have been around for a long, long time, both in real life and in our personal and cultural imaginations, and it
seems that the situation is unlikely to change.

Section 1: Reading for Ideas

Read Passage 1 in the insert and answer all the questions below in the order set.

1 (a) Notes [15 marks]

Identify and write down the reasons for piracy, and the actions of pirates, in former times and in the present day.
USE ONLY THE MATERIAL FROM PARAGRAPH 2 TO PARAGRAPH 6 INCLUSIVE. At this stage, you need NOT use your
own words. To help you get started, the first point in each section of notes is done for you. You will be awarded up to
15 marks for content points.

Main Points
Reasons for piracy, and the actions of pirates, in former times
• They captured people to sell as slaves

Reasons for piracy, and the actions of pirates, in the present day
• Modern pirates are content to make relatively little money from small ships

(b) Summary [5 marks]

Now use your notes to write a summary of the reasons for piracy, and the actions of pirates, both in former times
and in modern times.

This time, you will be awarded up to 5 marks for using your own words wherever possible and for accurate use of
language. Your summary, which must be in continuous writing (not note form), must be no longer than 160 words,
including the 10 words given below. Begin your summary as follows:

Many years ago, pirates could make a living when …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

No. of words …………………………..

2 From paragraph 1, select and write down one fact about pirates and one opinion about pirates.

One
factis.........................................................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................ [1]

One opinion
is................................................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................... [1]

3 Based on your reading of paragraph 2, what do you think is the writer’s attitude towards the famous Roman leader,
Julius Caesar?

The writer thinks.................................................................................................................. …………………………………………….[1]

4 ‘Pirates have been around for a long, long time, both in real life and in our personal and cultural imaginations.’

From your own knowledge or experience, give two examples of piracy. You may take your examples from ‘personal or
cultural imagination’, or from ‘real life’, or from both. Do not refer to specific examples from the passage in your answer.

One example is.........................................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................................................................. [1]

Another example
is................................................................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………..[1]

Total for Section 1 [25]

Passage 2 – Victory

1. Lore had it that my father once wrestled a bear, a claim he never denied. If the story had been about anyone
else, it would have been dismissed as exaggeration, which in my country was almost a national affliction. But no-
one ever doubted the veracity of any story about my father. He was a towering force of nature; when all six foot
of him thundered into the room, people behaved like sunflowers turning towards the sun. With me, Amir, as the
glaring exception, my father moulded the world around him to his liking. He was also a man whose word was
always respected.
2. My mother had died giving birth to me and the truth was that I always felt my father hated me a little. And why
not? Had I not killed his beloved wife? The least I could do was to turn out a little more like him. Was having a
son who preferred poetry to sport what my father had envisaged? I was a pathetic, blundering liability to my
football team, always unwittingly obstructing the other team members. When it became abundantly clear that I
hadn’t inherited a shred of my father’s athletic talents, he settled for trying to turn me into a passionate
spectator. I faked interest for as long as I could, but my father sensed my lack of genuine interest and resigned
himself to the bleak fact that his son was never going either to play or to watch football.
3. Every winter, each district held a kite-fighting tournament, the winner of which was the child whose kite was the
last one flying. This tournament was undeniably the highlight of the cold season. During the contest, participants
tried to cut the strings of all their opponents’ kites. On the day of any tournament, the streets filled with kite
fighters, jerking and pulling on their strings, squinting up at the sky, trying to gain position to cut an opponent’s
string. I used to build my own kite from bamboo, glue and paper. Then came the crucial part: I had to make my
own string – a long, sharp, and colourful line. It was at one of these tournaments that I sensed my opportunity
to make my father love me.
4. Already streets and rooftops were jammed with spectators, including my father. I held my kite high over my
head, like an Olympic athlete showing off his gold medal, and tossed it into the air. Within a minute it was
rocketing into the sky, making a sound like a bird flapping its wings. At least two dozen kites already hung in the
sky, like roaming paper sharks. Within an hour the number doubled; soon the cutting started and the first of the
defeated kites whirled out of control and fell from the sky like a shooting star. Soon, kites were coming down all
over the place. I sliced a bright yellow kite, the string also cutting a gash on my index finger. Within another
hour, the number of kites flying dwindled from maybe fifty to a dozen. By late afternoon, shadows started to
lengthen. We were down to six kites and mine was still flying. With each defeated kite, hope grew in my heart.
5. My eyes kept returning to a blue kite which had been wreaking havoc for the last hour. Then what had seemed
like a fantasy that morning had suddenly become feasible; there was just me and the owner of the blue kite left.
The tension in the air was as taut as the glass string I was tugging with my bloody hands. People were stamping
their feet, clapping, whistling, chanting. All I saw was the blue kite. All I smelled was victory. A gust of wind
enabled me to loop my kite on top of the blue one, the owner of which desperately tried to manoeuvre it away.
I loosened my grip on the string, and saw the blue kite falling from the sky. Perhaps now I had achieved the
redemption I had craved all my life.
6. It happened just the way I’d hoped. My father had already returned to his study and I stepped tentatively in. His
head turned and a smile played on his lips. I put my kite down happily and walked into his thick hairy arms. I
buried my face in the warmth of his chest and wept. My father held me close to him, rocking me back and forth.

Read Passage 2 in the insert and answer all the questions below in the order set.

From paragraph 1

5 (a) What story was told about Amir’s father?

.......................................................................................................................................................................[1]
(b) Give two reasons why people tended to believe the story about Amir’s father.

(i)...............................................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................................................

(ii)..............................................................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................................................................ [2]

From paragraph 2

6 (a) Give two reasons why, according to Amir, his father hated him.

(i)...............................................................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................................................................

(ii)..............................................................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................................................................ [2]

(b) Explain in your own words why Amir was a ‘blundering liability’ to his football team.

...............................................................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................................................... [2]

(c) Pick out and write down the single word which tells you that eventually Amir’s father realised that his son would
never be interested in football.

..................................................................................................................................................................... [1]

From paragraph 3

7 (a) Explain fully how the winner of the kite-fighting competition was decided.

.................................................................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................................................................ [2]

(b) What single feature of the kite’s string was ‘crucial’ in winning the competition?

............................................................................................................................................................................................ [1]

From paragraph 4

8 (a) Why do you think Amir felt ‘like an Olympic athlete showing off his gold medal’ even before the tournament
began?

..................................................................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................................. [1]

(b) Explain fully why the writer describes the kites as ‘roaming paper sharks’.

..........................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................... [2]

From paragraph 5

9 (a) Explain in your own words the contrast between the way Amir feels at the start of the tournament and his feelings
just before he won it.

.................................................................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................................................................ [2]

(b) Why do you think Amir’s hands were ‘bloody’?

.................................................................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................................................................ [1]

(c) What is the ‘redemption’ Amir refers to?

.................................................................................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................................................................ [1]

From paragraph 6

10 Give two reasons why Amir was happy.

(a) .........................................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................................

(b) .........................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................... [2]

From the whole passage

11 Choose five of the following words. For each of them give one word or short phrase (of not more than seven words)
which has the same meaning that the word has in the passage.

(a) affliction (line 3) (b) glaring (line 5) (c) moulded (line 6)(d) shred (line 12) (e) undeniably (line 17) (f) highlight (line
17) (g) havoc (line 34) (h) tentatively (line 43)