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
Immaturity versus maturity	The writer strongly suggests that the two men are both immature and foolish with references to a “farce” and describing the men repeatedly as “boys”: The fact that both of their wives had to bail them out, implying they are incapable This is reinforced by the fact that Ms Vestey comments that the would “probably have their bottoms kicked”, like naughty children
	This contrasts with the more mature aim of Mr Brooks’ failed expedition, motivated by a desire to demonstrate good relations between east and west
	Both men are also described as “experienced” adventurers, qualified pilots and mechanical engineers

Social responsibility	The issue of social responsibility is raised through Morris questioning the wisdom of their adventure
	The issue of the cost of their rescue is highlighted several times, implying that the pair acted without due diligence, having failed to consider the consequences if they ran into difficulties: “The taxpayer would pick up the bill” Even Brooks’ wife “claimed she did not know what the pair were up to”
	Rescuing the two men took considerable international effort, and involved the RAF, the Royal Navy and the Chilean navy

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
Title	The title poses a rhetorical question, with the use of the idiomatic phrase “boys messing about” creating the impression that the men were naive and childlike: The title reveals the author’s negative bias towards the men
Tone	Morris adopts a critical tone in the article by informing the reader that the two men have been in similar predicaments before His criticism is also implied through the use of words such as “farce” and “drama”, which are associated with theatre, implying that the expedition was not a serious venture
Facts and figures	Morris adheres to a journalist style in the article by employing facts and statistics: “The four-seater Robinson R44 has a single engine” “100 miles off Antarctica, about 36 miles north of Smith Island” “Nine-hour rescue” This lends credibility to the writer’s underlying criticism of the expedition
Bias	The writer’s bias against the men’s adventure is implied throughout the article: He casts doubt on the men’s credentials, reporting that Mr Smith “claims to have been flying since the age of five” He starts the article with a statement, underpinning his criticism of their actions: “Their last expedition ended in farce”
Opinion presented as fact	The opinions of experts and the implied opinion of the writer are presented as truths: Morris reports that the “men’s adventure had cost…tens of thousands of pounds”
Use of experts	Morris uses “expert” quotations to support his message that the men were foolish and socially irresponsible: “Experts questions the wisdom of taking a small helicopter” The fundamental criticism of the article, that the cost of rescuing the men would ultimately fall to the taxpayer, is reinforced by referencing The Ministry of Defence spokesperson, who said it was “highly unlikely” it would recover any of the money
Rule of three	The rule of three is employed when listing the organisations involved in the rescue, emphasising its scale and cost: “Royal Navy, the RAF and British coastguards”