PRACTICE 01 WEEK 03:
PAPER 02: SECTION A “DIRECTED WRITING”
Maria Ethan
Maria had always been self-conscious about Ethan had always felt insecure about his nose,
the scar that stretched across her cheek—a convinced it was too prominent for his face.
reminder of a childhood accident. Though her After years of hesitation, he decided to
family and friends reassured her that she was undergo plastic surgery, believing it would
beautiful as she was, Maria couldn't shake the solve his self-esteem issues. However, the
feeling that her reflection didn't align with her journey wasn’t as smooth as he anticipated.
inner confidence. After years of deliberation,
The surgery left Ethan with unforeseen
she decided to explore plastic surgery.
complications—a lingering infection and nerve
Meeting with a compassionate surgeon, Maria damage that numbed parts of his face. While
learned how modern procedures had his nose now matched societal ideals, he
advanced to ensure safety and precision. Her realized that his deeper insecurities remained
decision wasn’t about vanity; it was about untouched. The procedure, which he thought
reclaiming her self-esteem. After the surgery, would bring him happiness, became a source
the scar was minimized, and Maria found of regret.
herself smiling in mirrors she once avoided.
Plastic surgery, despite its benefits, comes with
Plastic surgery often gets misunderstood as significant risks. Complications such as
purely cosmetic, but it can profoundly impact scarring, infections, and anaesthesia reactions
mental health. From correcting congenital can arise. Furthermore, results may not always
issues like cleft palates to helping burn victims meet expectations, leaving patients
heal emotionally, these procedures empower disheartened. Beyond physical risks, there’s
individuals to feel more comfortable in their the emotional toll—some people develop body
skin. dysmorphia or an unhealthy dependency on
additional procedures in pursuit of
For Maria, the benefits extended beyond
"perfection."
appearance. Her newfound confidence spilled
into other areas of her life. She finally pursued The financial burden is another disadvantage.
a career in public speaking, a dream she'd These surgeries can be prohibitively expensive,
previously avoided. She felt liberated, as often requiring follow-up procedures, adding
though a weight she’d carried for years was to the cost.
lifted.
Ethan’s experience taught him a valuable
Plastic surgery isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s lesson: external changes don’t always lead to
about giving people the chance to align their internal healing. Plastic surgery, while
outer selves with their inner spirit and embrace transformative for some, carries risks that
life fully. should be carefully weighed. True confidence,
he discovered, often comes from self-
acceptance rather than chasing an ideal image.
Question 01:
People nowadays are so keen to make changes in their physical appearances. You thought to write an
article to highlight your point of view.
In your article you should:
• evaluate the ideas and opinions in both the texts
• give your own views about what you think about plastic surgery.
Base your article on what you have read in both texts but be careful to use your own words.
Address both of the bullet points.
Write about 250 to 350 words.
Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer, and up to 15 marks for the
quality of your writing.
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PAPER 02: SECTION B “COMPOSITION”
Descriptive Writing:
1. Describe the soundscape of a dense forest during a rainy afternoon and a sunny
midday.
Narrative Writing:
1. Write a story in which a character discovers a hidden journal that reveals a long-lost
family secret.
2. Write a story that begins with the line: "If only I had taken the other path, everything
would have been different."
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PAPER 01: SECTION A “COMPREHENSION”
Text A: The House in the Mist
In this extract from a mystery story, the narrator describes what happens when he comes across a
lonely house in a remote part of the countryside.
1 My path to the house was by no means an easy one. After confused wanderings through tangled
hedges, struggling with obstacles that looked strange to me in the surrounding gloom, I arrived in front
of a long, low building. There, to my astonishment, I found doors and windows open to the pervading
mist, except for one square window through which a light shone from a row of candles on a long
mahogany table.
2 The quiet and apparent emptiness of this odd and picturesque building made me pause. I am not
much affected by the appearance of things, but this silent room, with its sinister atmosphere, made
me feel uneasy. I was about to reconsider and go back to the road, when a second look at the
comfortable interior I was leaving, convinced me that I was being foolish and sent me straight back to
the door which stood open so invitingly.
3 But half-way up the path, my progress was halted by the sight of a man coming out of the house that
I had wrongly assumed to be empty. He seemed to be in a hurry and, at the moment when I first saw
him, was busy putting his watch back in his pocket. He did not shut the door behind him, which I
thought odd, especially as he had been looking behind him. He seemed to take in all the details of the
place he was so hurriedly leaving.
4 As we met, he raised his hat. This also struck me as unusual, for he displayed more respect than that
usually shown to strangers. I was further puzzled that he showed little surprise at bumping into
another person in these remote, misty surroundings. Indeed, he was so little impressed by my being
there that he nearly passed me without a word or any other hint of greeting, except the raising of his
hat. But this did not satisfy me. I was hungry, cold, and eager for creature comforts, and the house
before me offered not only warmth, but gave out an inviting smell of food being cooked which was
difficult to ignore. I therefore spoke to the man.
5 ‘Will a bed and supper be available for me here?’ I asked. ‘I am tired out after a long hike over the
hills, and hungry enough to pay anything within reason—.’
6 I stopped, for the man had disappeared. He had not paused when I spoke and the mist had swallowed
him. However, when I paused, his voice came back in a friendly tone and I heard:
7 ‘Supper will be ready at nine, and there are beds for all. Please enter; you are the first to arrive, but
the others cannot be far behind.’
8 A peculiar greeting, certainly, but when I tried to ask him to explain, his voice returned to me from
so far away that I doubted if my words had reached him with any more clarity than his answer reached
me.
9 I thought to myself, ‘Well, it isn’t as if a place to stay has been denied me. He invited me to enter,
and enter I will.’
10 The house, which I now scrutinised more carefully, was no ordinary farm building, but a rambling
old mansion. It had been made even larger by extensions that jutted out here and there and several
out-buildings. Although it was furnished and lit by candles, it had about it an air of disuse which made
me feel like an intruder, despite the welcome I had received. But I could not wait any longer. I quickly
entered the great room and stood before the blazing logs; their glow lit up the doorway and made the
room seem even more inviting.
Question 1:
(a) In paragraph 1, what challenges did the narrator face while approaching the house? (1)
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(b) Using your own words, explain what the narrator meant by "I arrived in front of a long, low
building." (line 2-3). (2)
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(c) In paragraph 2, what made the narrator uneasy about entering the house? Provide two details
from the text to support your answer. (3)
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(d) How did the narrator feel when he saw the man leave the house? (1)
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(e) In paragraph 3, the narrator realized the man was in a hurry. Give two details from the text. (2)
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(f) What was peculiar about the man’s behaviour in paragraph 4, and how did it affect the narrator’s
feelings? (2)
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(g) “I thought to myself, ‘Well, it isn’t as if a place to stay has been denied me. He invited me to
enter, and enter I will.”
(i) What was the narrator’s reaction to the man’s distant response?
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(ii) How does the narrator justify his decision to enter the house despite the strangeness? (2)
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(h) Find three feelings the narrator experiences in the passage. Provide three details to support your
answer. (3)
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Question 2:
(a) Read this sentence from the text:
“He did not shut the door behind him, which I thought odd, especially as he had been looking
behind him.” (paragraph 3)
What effect does the phrase “looking behind him” have in creating suspense? (2)
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(b) Read this extract from the text:
“The quiet and apparent emptiness of this odd and picturesque building made me pause.”
(paragraph 2) What does the writer suggest about the narrator’s initial perception of the house? (1)
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(c) Explain why the narrator described the man’s greeting as “peculiar.” (paragraph 8) (1)
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(d) What two impressions does the writer want to convey to the reader in the sentence:
“As we met, he raised his hat. This also struck me as unusual, for he displayed more respect than
that usually shown to strangers. I was further puzzled that he showed little surprise at bumping
into another person in these remote, misty surroundings.” (Paragraph 4).
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(e) Identify one example of how the writer effectively conveys the narrator’s apprehension:
“Well, it isn’t as if a place to stay has been denied me. He invited me to enter, and enter I will.”
Explain the impression the writer creates in the example you identified. (3)
Example: .......................................................................................................................................
Explanation: ..................................................................................................................................
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PAPER 01: SECTION B “SUMMARY WRITING”
Text B: The Ascent of Shadowspeak
The crisp morning air bit at their cheeks as Maya, Liam, and Ethan tightened their backpacks at the
base of Shadowspeak Mountain. The towering peak loomed ahead, shrouded in a misty veil that
promised adventure but whispered danger. They had dreamed of this hike for years, but none of them
could foresee the perils that awaited them on the unforgiving trail.
The first challenge emerged early—a loose trail littered with crumbling rocks. Liam, leading the group,
slipped and barely caught himself on a jagged boulder. "Careful!" Maya shouted, her voice echoing
through the valley below. They realized how precarious the path was, the unstable ground threatening
to collapse underfoot.
As they climbed higher, the mist thickened into a choking fog, obscuring the trail entirely. Ethan
squinted at their map, struggling to match it with the invisible landscape. They wandered off-course,
each step into the unknown terrain making them more disoriented. The looming fear of getting lost in
the wilderness tightened its grip on their nerves.
By midday, the wind howled through the mountains, growing stronger with every step. The gusts tore
at their jackets and made balancing on the narrow ridges nearly impossible. At one point, a particularly
fierce blast sent Maya stumbling perilously close to the edge of a sheer cliff. Her heart pounded as
Ethan grabbed her arm just in time.
As the sun began to dip, they faced their fourth danger—an unsteady rope bridge stretched over a
deep chasm. Its weathered planks creaked ominously with each step. "One at a time," Liam instructed,
his voice trembling. When it was Ethan's turn, a plank snapped beneath him, forcing him to dangle by
the rope until he managed to swing himself to safety.
The next hazard came in the form of falling rocks. High above, loose stones dislodged by the wind came
tumbling down. One narrowly missed Liam, crashing into the trail ahead with a deafening thud. "We
need helmets next time," he muttered, shaken but determined to push forward.
As darkness crept in, the temperature plummeted. None of them had anticipated how quickly the
mountain would freeze. Their breath turned to frost, and Maya's fingers grew numb, struggling to grip
her hiking poles. They huddled together for warmth, each step slower than the last as the bitter cold
sapped their strength.
Near the summit, the group encountered their eighth challenge—an unexpected storm. Lightning
forked across the sky, illuminating the jagged peaks in sharp flashes. Thunder roared, and rain began
to pelt down, turning the rocky trail into a slick, treacherous slope. Ethan slipped and bruised his knee
but waved off their concern. "We’re so close," he said, gritting his teeth.
The ninth peril arrived in the form of wildlife. While taking a brief rest, they spotted movement in the
trees—an ominous silhouette of a bear. They froze, adrenaline surging as they debated whether to run
or remain still. Fortunately, the bear seemed uninterested and lumbered away, leaving them shaken
but unscathed.
Finally, as they reached the summit, exhaustion threatened to overwhelm them. Their muscles ached,
and their water supplies had dwindled alarmingly. The thin mountain air made it hard to breathe, and
every step felt like a monumental effort. But when they stood at the peak, gazing at the sprawling
landscape bathed in moonlight, the dangers melted away, replaced by awe.
The descent was another story, filled with its own set of challenges. But as they climbed back into the
safety of their car the next morning, they carried with them not only memories of the mountain’s
beauty but also the scars and lessons from its many dangers. Shadowspeak had tested their limits, but
it had also shown them the depths of their resilience.
QUESTION 03:
(a) (a) Summarise the dangers and challenges at the Shadowspeak Mountain.
You must use continuous writing (not note form).
Use your own words as far as possible.
Avoid copying long sections of the text.
Your summary should be no more than 150 words.
Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer and up to 10 marks for the
quality of your writing.
(b) Imagine you are a hiker: (5)
Survey Question: Some people believe that the sense of adventure and overcoming challenges in
outdoor activities, like hiking, is essential for personal growth and lasting memories.
What is your opinion and why?
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