Text 1

The Butcher’s Blunder

In the bustling heart of Lahore, where the narrow streets of Mozang kissed the edge of
Chauburji, lived a butcher named Bashir. He was known far and wide for his skill with
the cleaver and his knack for choosing the juiciest cuts. His shop, Bashir Qasai,
nestled beside a chai dhaba, was always abuzz with customers. But one humid
Thursday morning, Bashir made a mistake that would haunt him like a shadow at
dusk.
The day began like any other. Bashir wiped down his chopping board, sharpened his
knife till it gleamed like a crescent moon, and opened shop with his usual loud
“Bismillah!” The first customers trickled in, haggling as always, but Bashir kept his
cool. Business was booming, and he felt on top of the world.
Around noon, a well-dressed man in a black shalwar kameez arrived in a Corolla,
double-parked right outside the shop. With a mysterious air, he whispered to Bashir, “I
need special meat. No questions asked. Double the price.” Bashir, tempted by the
offer, nodded without thinking. He didn't bother asking what kind of meat it was — a
decision that would turn his life upside down.
The man handed Bashir a sealed bag and asked him to store it in his freezer till sunset.
Curiosity itched at Bashir like a mosquito bite, but he obeyed. “What harm could there
be?” he told himself. Little did he know, he had just let the cat out of the bag.
Later that evening, word spread like wildfire — a pet goat belonging to the daughter
of the Chauburji SHO had been stolen. The goat wasn’t just any goat — it was a gift
from the Deputy Commissioner and had a golden tag on its ear. Bashir felt a chill run
down his spine. He raced to the freezer, opened the suspicious bag, and nearly fainted.
The golden tag was still on the ear.
Panic gripped him like a vice. He had unintentionally become an accomplice to theft
— a theft involving the police! Bashir knew he had to act fast. He thought of dumping
the evidence in the Ravi River, but fear froze his feet. He was truly caught between the
devil and the deep blue sea.
Desperate, he turned to his old friend, Shafi, a tandoor-wala in Mozang. “You’ve
cooked tougher meat than this,” Bashir joked weakly, trying to lighten the mood. But
Shafi wasn’t amused. “You’ve bitten off more than you can chew, Bashira. Go
confess.”
Torn between guilt and fear, Bashir trudged to the police station. His heart pounded
like a tabla. When he entered, the SHO’s daughter was crying in the corner, clutching
the golden tag. Bashir stammered his confession. Silence followed. Then came the
SHO’s furious voice: “You fool! That goat was worth more than your entire shop!”
But then something unexpected happened. The daughter stopped crying. “He didn’t
know,” she said. “He looks sorry.” The SHO, though red-faced, sighed deeply and
muttered, “You’re lucky my daughter has a soft spot for idiots.”
Bashir was let off with a warning and a fine heavy enough to make his wallet weep.
The mysterious man in the Corolla, however, vanished into thin air. No trace, no name
— like smoke in the wind.
From that day, Bashir vowed never to take shortcuts. He put up a sign outside his
shop: “No shady business. Only Shariah meat.” People laughed, but they respected
his honesty. He’d learned his lesson the hard way — what’s done in the dark always
comes to light.
And in the lively lanes between Mozang and Chauburji, Bashir the butcher became
more than just a meat seller. He became a man with a story — a tale that reminded
everyone that greed can lead even the sharpest butcher to the slaughterhouse.

Question 1
(a) In paragraph 1, what made Bashir’s shop stand out in the Mozang and Chauburji
area?
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(b) Using your own words, explain what the text means by ‘he felt on top of the
world.’
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(c) In paragraph 3, how did Bashir respond to the man’s unusual request?
Give two details from the text to support your answer.
Bashir’s
response: ...............................................................................................................
details:
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[3]
(d) Explain what Bashir realised when he opened the suspicious bag in his freezer.
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(e) From paragraph 6, identify two ways Bashir reacted when he discovered the
golden tag.
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• ........................................................................................................................................
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[2]
(f) Give two reasons why Bashir didn’t immediately go to the police after discovering
the truth.
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(g) In paragraph 9, Shafi gives Bashir advice.
(i) What does Shafi call Bashir’s situation?
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(ii) What does this show about Shafi’s attitude?
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(h) Explain using your own words the different feelings and lessons Bashir
experienced after the incident.
Give three details from anywhere in the text to support your answer.
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[Total: 16]

Question 2
(a) Read this sentence from the text:
“He was truly caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.”
What effect does the writer want to create by using this expression?
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(b) Read this extract from the text:
“His heart pounded like a tabla.”
What does the writer want to suggest to the reader at this point in the story?
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(c) Explain why the writer uses the phrase “greed can lead even the sharpest butcher
to the slaughterhouse”.
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(d) What two impressions does the writer want to convey in the sentence:
“He had just let the cat out of the bag.”
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... [2]

(e) Identify one example of how the writer uses language effectively to describe
Bashir’s transformation. Use this extract from the text:
“From that day, Bashir vowed never to take shortcuts. He put up a sign outside his
shop: ‘No shady business. Only Shariah meat.’ People laughed, but they respected his
honesty.”
Explain the impression the writer creates in the example you have identified.
example: ...........................................................................................................................
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explanation: ......................................................................................................................
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[3]