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]

Focus this part of your answer on the second part of the source (as found in the Paper 1A source document) from the line "‘Her Grace!' he announced", to the end.

A student said, ‘This part of the story, where Oliver Bacon greets the Duchess, shows that Oliver doesn’t like his wealthy customers. I think they’re as bad as each other.’

To what extent do you agree?

In your response, you could:

• consider your own impressions of the Duchess

• evaluate how the writer conveys Oliver Bacon’s reactions to the Duchess

• support your response with references to the text.

[20 marks]

Focus this part of your answer on the second part of the source (as found in the Paper 1B insert) from the line "Ove does something with his eyebrows", to the end.

A student said, "This part of the story, where Ove gets frustrated with the sales assistants, shows his difficulty communicating with young people. It’s funny how the modern world is so alien to him, and even though he’s rude, it’s easy to feel sorry for him.”

To what extent do you agree?

In your response, you could:

• consider your own impressions of Ove’s treatment of the sales assistants

• evaluate how the writer conveys Ove’s frustration and misunderstanding

• support your response with references to the text.

[20 marks]

Focus this part of your answer on the second part of the source (as found in the Paper 1C insert), from the line "Followed by the driver and her luggage", to the end.

A student said, "This part of the story, where Mrs Palfrey assess her room and her new circumstances, shows she is more optimistic and good humoured than she might first appear".

To what extent do you agree?

In your response, you could:

• consider your own impressions of how others view Mrs Palfrey

• evaluate how the writer conveys Mrs Palfrey’s reactions to her new home

• support your response with references to the text.

[20 marks]

Focus this part of your answer on the second part of the source (as found in the Paper 1D insert), from the line "Then, in a loud, clear voice he made a sudden announcement", to the end.

A student said, "This part of the story, where the chief announces that the old women are going to be left behind, shows he is a coward; I think he should have been brave enough to talk to the women directly and explain how badly he felt for them.”

To what extent do you agree?

In your response, you could:

• consider your own impressions of how the Chief announced the news

• evaluate how the writer conveys the Chief’s feelings and the tribe’s reaction to the news

• support your response with references to the text.

[20 marks]

Focus this part of your answer on the second part of the source (as found in the Paper 1E insert), from the line "The little girls who lived up in the attic were sisters", to the end.

A student remarked: "I felt really sorry for the Owens girls. After their parents’ tragic death, it must have been really upsetting to have to live with their neglectful aunts".

To what extent do you agree?

In your response, you could:

• consider your own impressions of the Owens girls and how much Hoffman reveals about their relationship with their aunts

• evaluate how much the writer creates sympathy for the girls

• support your response with references to the text

[20 marks]