Insert
The source that follows is:
- Source A: 19th-century prose fiction
- The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
An extract from a work first published in 1892.
This extract is from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. Holmes, Watson and Inspector Jones wait in a bank vault to catch burglars tunnelling from below; the vigil ends when a lantern-lit opening appears and an intruder climbs through.
Source A
1 I placed my revolver, cocked, upon the top of the wooden case behind which I crouched. Holmes shot the slide across the front of his lantern and left us in pitch darkness—such an absolute darkness as I have never before experienced. The smell of hot metal remained to assure us that the light was still there, ready to flash out at a moment’s notice. To me, with my nerves worked up to a
6 pitch of expectancy, there was something depressing and subduing in the sudden gloom, and in the cold dank air of the vault. “They have but one retreat,” whispered Holmes. “That is back through the house into Saxe-Coburg Square. I hope that you have done what I asked you, Jones?”
11 “I have an inspector and two officers waiting at the front door.” “Then we have stopped all the holes. And now we must be silent and wait.”
16 What a time it seemed! From comparing notes afterwards it was but an hour and a quarter, yet it appeared to me that the night must have almost gone, and the dawn be breaking above us. My limbs were weary and stiff, for I feared to change my position; yet my nerves were worked up to the highest pitch of tension, and my hearing was so acute that I could not only hear the gentle
21 breathing of my companions, but I could distinguish the deeper, heavier in- breath of the bulky Jones from the thin, sighing note of the bank director. From my position I could look over the case in the direction of the floor. Suddenly my eyes caught the glint of a light.
26 At first it was but a lurid spark upon the stone pavement. Then it lengthened out until it became a yellow line, and then, without any warning or sound, a gash seemed to open and a hand appeared, a white, almost womanly hand, which felt about in the centre of the little area of light. For a minute or more the hand, with its writhing fingers, protruded out of the floor. Then it was
31 withdrawn as suddenly as it appeared, and all was dark again save the single lurid spark which marked a chink between the stones. Its disappearance, however, was but momentary. With a rending, tearing sound, one of the broad, white stones turned over upon its side and left a square,
36 gaping hole, through which streamed the light of a lantern. Over the edge there peeped a clean-cut, boyish face, which looked keenly about it, and then, with a hand on either side of the aperture, drew itself shoulder-high and waist-high, until one knee rested upon the edge. In another instant he stood at the side of the hole and was hauling after him a companion, lithe and small
41 like himself, with a pale face and a shock of very red hair. “It’s all clear,” he whispered. “Have you the chisel and the bags? Great Scott! Jump, Archie, jump, and I’ll swing for it!”
46 Sherlock Holmes had sprung out and seized the intruder by the collar. The other dived down the hole, and I heard the sound of rending cloth as Jones clutched at his skirts. The light flashed upon the barrel of a revolver, but Holmes’ hunting crop came down on the man’s wrist, and the pistol clinked upon the stone floor.
51 “It’s no use, John Clay,” said Holmes blandly. “You have no chance at all.” “So I see,” the other answered with the utmost coolness. “I fancy that my pal is all right, though I see you have got his coat-tails.”
56 “There are three men waiting for him at the door,” said Holmes. “Oh, indeed! You seem to have done the thing very completely. I must compliment you.”
61 “And I you,” Holmes answered. “Your red-headed idea was very new and effective.” “You’ll see your pal again presently,” said Jones. “He’s quicker at climbing
66 down holes than I am. Just hold out while I fix the derbies.” “I beg that you will not touch me with your filthy hands,” remarked our prisoner as the handcuffs clattered upon his wrists. “You may not be aware that I have royal blood in my veins. Have the goodness, also, when you address
71 me always to say ‘sir’ and ‘please.’” “All right,” said Jones with a stare and a snigger. “Well, would you please, sir, march upstairs, where we can get a cab to carry your Highness to the police-station?”
76 “That is better,” said John Clay serenely. He made a sweeping bow to the three of us and walked quietly off in the custody of the detective.
Questions
Instructions
- Answer all questions.
- Use black ink or black ball point pen.
- Fill in the boxes on this page.
- You must answer the questions in the spaces provided.
- Do not write outside the box around each page or on blank pages.
- Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
- You must refer to the insert booklet provided.
- You must not use a dictionary.
Information
- The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
- Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes
- The maximum mark for this paper is 80.
- There are 40 marks for Section A and 40 marks for Section B.
- You are reminded of the need for good English and clear presentation in your answers.
- You will be assessed on the quality of your reading in Section A.
- You will be assessed on the quality of your writing in Section B.
Advice
- You are advised to spend about 15 minutes reading through the source and all five questions you have to answer.
- You should make sure you leave sufficient time to check your answers.
Section A: Reading
Answer all questions in this section. You are advised to spend about 45 minutes on this section.
Question 1
Read again the first part of the source, from lines 1 to 5.
Answer all parts of this question.
Choose one answer for each question.
1.1 What did the narrator place upon the top of the wooden case?
- his lantern
- the slide
- the narrator's revolver
[1 mark]
1.2 After Holmes closed the lantern, what reassured the narrator that the light was still present?
- A thin gleam escaping around the edges of the lantern
- The smell of hot metal
- Warmth from the lantern's casing
[1 mark]
1.3 After Holmes shuts the lantern's slide, what indicates to the narrator that the light has not been extinguished?
- The narrator notices the smell from the hot metal, showing the lantern is still alight.
- A faint beam leaks past the slide and lights the surroundings.
- Holmes tells the narrator that he will relight the lantern when needed.
[1 mark]
1.4 What sensory clue assured the narrator that Holmes's lantern was still ready despite the darkness?
- A metallic smell lingering in the air
- A faint warmth from the lantern's casing
- A quiet ticking coming from the lantern
[1 mark]
Question 2
Look in detail at this extract, from lines 26 to 35 of the source:
26 At first it was but a lurid spark upon the stone pavement. Then it lengthened out until it became a yellow line, and then, without any warning or sound, a gash seemed to open and a hand appeared, a white, almost womanly hand, which felt about in the centre of the little area of light. For a minute or more the hand, with its writhing fingers, protruded out of the floor. Then it was
31 withdrawn as suddenly as it appeared, and all was dark again save the single lurid spark which marked a chink between the stones. Its disappearance, however, was but momentary. With a rending, tearing sound, one of the broad, white stones turned over upon its side and left a square,
How does the writer use language here to build suspense and show the intruders’ arrival? You could include the writer’s choice of:
- words and phrases
- language features and techniques
- sentence forms.
[8 marks]
Question 3
You now need to think about the structure of the source as a whole. This text is from the end of a story.
How has the writer structured the text to create a sense of climax?
You could write about:
- how climax builds by the end of the source
- how the writer uses structure to create an effect
- the writer's use of any other structural features, such as changes in mood, tone or perspective.
[8 marks]
Question 4
For this question focus on the second part of the source, from line 16 to the end.
In this part of the source, where John Clay reacts calmly to being caught, it could be seen that he is not a typical dangerous criminal. The writer suggests that Clay sees the crime as an intellectual game against Holmes which he has simply lost.
To what extent do you agree and/or disagree with this statement?
In your response, you could:
- consider your impressions of the criminal John Clay
- comment on the methods the writer uses to portray his calm reaction to capture
- support your response with references to the text.
[20 marks]
Question 5
At lunchtime, the school canteen unveils new dishes and you decide to capture the bustle in writing.
Choose one of the options below for your entry.
-
Option A: Describe a school canteen at lunchtime from your imagination. You may choose to use the picture provided for ideas:
-
Option B: Write the opening of a story about a split-second decision.
(24 marks for content and organisation, 16 marks for technical accuracy)
[40 marks]