Reading Comprehension
According to 'Grandmother's Song' (Extract 1), what are the three crops the grandmother and granddaughter plant in the spring?
Corn, tomatoes, and sunflowers.
Identify one example of alliteration in the first paragraph of 'Grandmother's Song' (Extract 1).
Hawks high / swoop slopes / sun spots
In the The Secret Life of my Grandfather extract, the grandfather looks 'great' in his Polish army uniform. Which word is used to describe the appearance of his wife, the grandmother, in the same sentence?
New (referring to "new wife").
What type of text is the Test extract ('The Secret Life of my Grandfather')?
A biography.
What is the central conflict in the Chinese folk tale 'Princess Kwan-Yin'?
The conflict is between the King's desire (for Kwan-Yin to be queen and marry) and the Princess's desire (to study and help the poor)
What is the main impression of the grandfather created by the phrase 'he sits hunched' (line 1 of the Secret Life of my Grandfather)?
That he is old and frail (physically weak or stooped from age).
The description of Grandmother in Extract 1 states: 'Powerful legs and sturdy feet rooted her to the earth, like an ancient tree.' What literary device is the bolded phrase?
Simile
In Extract 1 of 'Grandmother's Song,' what does the adjective 'glistening' (applied to rocks) suggest about their appearance?
They are shining or sparkling, perhaps due to moisture or the hot sun
What is the main structural element that differentiates the three final extracts ('Princess Kwan-Yin,' 'The Orphan Boy,' 'The Gold-Giving Snake') from The Secret Life of my Grandfather extract?
They are all explicitly labeled as folk tales, which are fictional narratives, whereas The Secret Life of my Grandfather extract is a biography (a non-fiction life story).
Identify the theme that is explicitly 'stroked' into the granddaughter in 'Grandmother's Song' (Extract 6) after she defends the accused child in the market (Extract 5).
The theme of dignity (in addition to the earlier themes of trust and courage ).
In 'Princess Kwan-Yin' (Folk Tales), what are the two things Kwan-Yin wishes to spend her life doing instead of being queen?
Studying and helping poor people.
What is the effect of the sensory imagery in 'Granddaughter's... tiny, bow lips looked as if she ate strawberries all day long' ('Grandmother's Song', Extract 2)?
It suggests the granddaughter's lips are red and plump, creating a sweet and innocent image of her.
In Extract 1 of 'Grandmother's Song,' what does the verb 'chatter' suggest about the way the toucans and ring-tailed cats communicate?
It suggests they are making quick, light, repetitive noises, implying a lively or constant conversation.
The poem 'Jessie Emily Schofield' uses the line: 'Wedding dress silk on a widow'. Why is this a feature more likely to be found in a poem than in a biography?
This is a metaphorical, emotional comparison, which is characteristic of a poem's poetic language, whereas a biography focuses on factual reporting.
Based on the folk tale 'The Gold-Giving Snake,' what is the likely moral or lesson the story intends to teach the reader?
The story likely teaches the value of kindness/respect for nature (as the farmer is rewarded for giving milk ), and conversely, that greed is punished (as the son decides to kill the snake for the gold ).
What single piece of evidence from lines 2-4 of the Secret Life of my Grandfather extract tells us that the grandfather is over 85 years old?
It says that 75 years ago, he was a young man.
When the granddaughter mourns the grandmother's death in Extract 7, her feelings are described with the simile: "Grief struck as quickly and precisely as lightning." What does this suggest about her grief?
It suggests her grief was sudden and overwhelmingly powerful.
Explain the meaning of the word 'frail' as applied to the grandmother in 'Grandmother's Song' (Extract 7),
It means she has become physically weak or delicate, often due to old age
Why is 'The Orphan Boy and the Mysterious Stone' an effective example of a folk tale?
It contains classic folk tale elements like a simple, young protagonist (Ayong Kita) , a quest (to find treasure) , and a magical/supernatural element (the dream/stone/old woman)
Compare the role of the Grandfather in The Secret Life of my Grandfather extract with the role of the Grandmother in 'Grandmother's Song' (Extract 1-4).
The Grandfather is a protector who makes active, dangerous decisions for his family's survival. The Grandmother is a nurturer who teaches the granddaughter emotional strength, trust, and courage.
What information does the grandfather's decision to stay in Poland for an extra week alone (lines 10-11) suggest about his character?
It suggests he is selfless or brave, prioritizing the safety of his family over his own immediate escape from a "dangerous place."
'Sometimes he caught trains, sometimes he got lifts in cars, but most of the time he walked.' (lines 12-13 of the Test extract) What structural technique is this an example of? Explain its effect.
Parallelism (or Rule of three/list). Effect: It shows how difficult his journey was, creating a rhythmic emphasis that highlights the final, hardest method: walking.
In the 'Jessie Emily Schofield' poem, the old grandmother's wet head is described as feeling 'delicate as a birdskull'. What is the impact of this unusual simile?
It creates a poignant image of her extreme fragility and vulnerability due to age, suggesting her head feels very thin, light, and easily broken.
Compare the purpose of a biography (like the The Secret Life of my Grandfather) with the purpose of a folk tale (like 'The Gold-Giving Snake').
A biography aims to inform the reader about a real person's life and achievements. A folk tale aims to entertain and often to teach a moral lesson or explain a cultural value.
The grandfather in The Secret Life of my Grandfather extract and the granddaughter in 'Grandmother's Song' both face a 'frightening' world. How does their response to fear change as a result of their central relationship?
The Grandfather responds by making a dramatic, physical escape to safety. The granddaughter learns to manage her fear and act with courage/kindness in the face of fear, internalizing the strength from her grandmother.