Question 4 (AQA GCSE English Language): Exam Questions

Focus this part of your answer on the second part of the source, from line 25 to the end (as found on the June 2018 exam paper insert). 

A student said, ‘This part of the story, where Mr Fisher is marking homework, shows Tibbet’s story is better than Mr Fisher expected, and his reaction is extreme.’ 

To what extent do you agree? 

In your response, you could:

• consider your own impressions of what Mr Fisher expected Tibbet’s homework to be like

• evaluate how the writer conveys Mr Fisher’s reaction to what he discovers

• support your response with references to the text.

[20 marks]

Focus this part of your answer on the second part of the source, from line 28 to the end (as found on the November 2019 exam paper insert). 

A student said, ‘In this part of the story, where Zoe and Jake are caught in the avalanche, I can’t believe Zoe is so slow to react to the warning signs because, in the end, the situation sounds really dangerous.’

To what extent do you agree?

 In your response, you could:

• consider Zoe’s reactions in this part of the story

• evaluate how the writer makes the situation sound dangerous

• support your response with references to the text. 

[20 marks]

Focus this part of your answer on the second part of the source, from line 24 to the end (as found on the June 2020 exam paper insert).

A student said, ‘I wasn’t at all surprised by the disappearance of the stranger child at the end of the extract. The writer has left us in no doubt that she is just part of Rosie’s imagination.’ 

To what extent do you agree? 

In your response, you could:

• consider the disappearance of the stranger child

• evaluate how the writer presents the stranger child

• support your response with references to the text.

[20 marks]

Focus this part of your answer on the second part of the source, from line 20 to the end (as found on the June 2021 exam paper insert). 

A student said, ‘From the moment he arrives at Master’s compound, the writer portrays Ugwu’s feelings of pure excitement, but by the end it seems that he may be very disappointed.’ 

To what extent do you agree? 

In your response, you could:

• consider your own impressions of Ugwu’s feelings

• evaluate how the writer describes Ugwu’s feelings by the end

• support your response with references to the text.

[20 marks]

Focus this part of your answer on the second part of the source, from line 20 to the end (as found on the June 2023 exam paper insert).  

A student said, “This part of the story, where the hyena behaves wildly, is funny rather than frightening. The writer suggests that the hyena is actually no serious threat to Pi.” 

To what extent do you agree? 

In your response, you could:

• consider your impressions of how the hyena behaves

• evaluate how the writer presents the threat of the hyena to Pi

• support your response with references to the text.

[20 marks]