Explorers or boys messing about? Either way, taxpayer gets rescue bill (Edexcel IGCSE English Language A)
Revision Note
Written by: Deb Orrock
Reviewed by: Kate Lee
Explorers or boys messing about? Either way, taxpayer gets rescue bill Analysis
Students studying the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English Language A qualification must study all ten of the non-fiction texts in Part 1 of the Edexcel IGCSE English Language Anthology in preparation for Paper 1. You will be given one of the ten texts in your exam, along with another unseen text, which are thematically linked. Section A, Question 4 will specifically be about the anthology text, and Question 5 will ask you to compare the anthology text with the unseen text.
The following guide to Explorers or boys messing about? by Steven Morris contains:
Explorers or boys messing about overview
Explorers or boys messing about summary
Themes, ideas and perspectives in Explorers or boys messing about
How does Morris present his ideas and perspectives?
Explorers or boys messing about overview
This text is adapted from a 2003 article in The Guardian by Steven Morris, a Guardian news reporter. It is about two British explorers, Steve Brooks and Quentin Smith, who had to be rescued when their helicopter plunged into the sea off Antarctica. Morris conveys his bias against the two men and the cost to the taxpayer in having them rescued.
Explorers or boys messing about summary
The article begins with a reference to the two men’s last expedition, which also ended badly. It then establishes the writer’s position by introducing the idea that there was resentment about the cost of rescuing them and confusion about what they were trying to achieve.
Morris then reports the events leading up to the rescue, starting at around 1 am British time when their helicopter ditched into the sea 100 miles off the coast of Antarctica, and Mr Brooks’ distress call via a satellite phone. He details which British and Chilean naval vessels were scrambled to assist them and how the men were rescued. He then explores the idea that the two men should not have been attempting this expedition in the first place.
Themes, ideas and perspectives in Explorers or boys messing about
Paper 1, Question 4 will ask you to explore how the writer has used language and structure to present a theme or idea in their text. Paper 1, Question 5 will ask you to compare how the writer presents their ideas and perspectives with the unseen text.
What are the key themes in Explorers or boys messing about?
Theme | Analysis |
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Immaturity versus maturity |
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Social responsibility |
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How does Morris present his ideas and perspectives?
Morris uses a variety of language and structural techniques to present his ideas and perspectives.
Technique | Analysis |
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Title |
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Tone |
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Facts and figures |
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Bias |
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Opinion presented as fact |
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Use of experts |
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Rule of three |
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For more guidance on how to get top marks in your exam, check out our comprehensive revision notes on Paper 1, Question 4:
Question 4 Skills: Language and Structure Analysis
See our guides for the other IGCSE English Language Anthology texts here:
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