Insert
The source that follows is:
- Source A: 20th-century prose fiction
- The Last Leaf by O. Henry
An extract from a work first published in 1907.
This extract is from O. Henry’s The Last Leaf. It follows Nancy as her ideas about money and love change when Lou disappears, then returns in expensive clothes; Nancy announces her engagement to Dan, leading to an emotional reunion watched by a policeman.
Source A
1 But, another lesson she learned, perhaps unconsciously. Her standard of values began to shift and change. Sometimes the dollar-mark grew blurred in her mind’s eye, and shaped itself into letters that spelled such words as “truth” and “honor” and now and then just “kindness.” Let us make a likeness of one who hunts the moose or elk in some mighty wood. He sees a little dell, mossy
6 and embowered, where a rill trickles, babbling to him of rest and comfort. At these times the spear of Nimrod himself grows blunt. So, Nancy wondered sometimes if Persian lamb was always quoted at its market value by the hearts that it covered.
11 One Thursday evening Nancy left the store and turned across Sixth Avenue westward to the laundry. She was expected to go with Lou and Dan to a musical comedy.
16 Dan was just coming out of the laundry when she arrived. There was a queer, strained look on his face. “I thought I would drop around to see if they had heard from her,” he said.
21 “Heard from who?” asked Nancy. “Isn’t Lou there?” “I thought you knew,” said Dan. “She hasn’t been here or at the house where she lived since Monday. She moved all her things from there. She told one of the girls in the laundry she might be going to Europe.”
26 “Hasn’t anybody seen her anywhere?” asked Nancy. Dan looked at her with his jaws set grimly, and a steely gleam in his steady gray eyes.
31 “They told me in the laundry,” he said, harshly, “that they saw her pass yesterday—in an automobile. With one of the millionaires, I suppose, that you and Lou were forever busying your brains about.”
36 For the first time Nancy quailed before a man. She laid her hand that trembled slightly on Dan’s sleeve. “You’ve no right to say such a thing to me, Dan—as if I had anything to do with it!”
41 “I didn’t mean it that way,” said Dan, softening. He fumbled in his vest pocket. “I’ve got the tickets for the show to-night,” he said, with a gallant show of
46 lightness. “If you—” Nancy admired pluck whenever she saw it. “I’ll go with you, Dan,” she said.
51 Three months went by before Nancy saw Lou again. At twilight one evening the shop-girl was hurrying home along the border of a little quiet park. She heard her name called, and wheeled about in time to
56 catch Lou rushing into her arms. After the first embrace they drew their heads back as serpents do, ready to attack or to charm, with a thousand questions trembling on their swift tongues. And then Nancy noticed that prosperity had descended upon Lou,
61 manifesting itself in costly furs, flashing gems, and creations of the tailors’ art. “You little fool!” cried Lou, loudly and affectionately. “I see you are still working in that store, and as shabby as ever. And how about that big catch you
66 were going to make—nothing doing yet, I suppose?” And then Lou looked, and saw that something better than prosperity had descended upon Nancy—something that shone brighter than gems in her eyes and redder than a rose in her cheeks, and that danced like electricity anxious to
71 be loosed from the tip of her tongue. “Yes, I’m still in the store,” said Nancy, “but I’m going to leave it next week. I’ve made my catch—the biggest catch in the world. You won’t mind now Lou, will you?—I’m going to be married to Dan—to Dan!—he’s my Dan now—why,
76 Lou!” Around the corner of the park strolled one of those new-crop, smooth-faced young policemen that are making the force more endurable—at least to the eye. He saw a woman with an expensive fur coat, and diamond-ringed hands crouching
81 down against the iron fence of the park sobbing turbulently, while a slender, plainly-dressed working girl leaned close, trying to console her. But the Gibsonian cop, being of the new order, passed on, pretending not to notice, for he was wise enough to know that these matters are beyond help so far as the power he represents is concerned, though he rap the pavement with his
86 nightstick till the sound goes up to the furthermost stars.
Questions
Instructions
- Answer all questions.
- Use black ink or black ball point pen.
- Fill in the boxes on this page.
- You must answer the questions in the spaces provided.
- Do not write outside the box around each page or on blank pages.
- Do all rough work in this book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked.
- You must refer to the insert booklet provided.
- You must not use a dictionary.
Information
- The marks for questions are shown in brackets.
- Time allowed: 1 hour 45 minutes
- The maximum mark for this paper is 80.
- There are 40 marks for Section A and 40 marks for Section B.
- You are reminded of the need for good English and clear presentation in your answers.
- You will be assessed on the quality of your reading in Section A.
- You will be assessed on the quality of your writing in Section B.
Advice
- You are advised to spend about 15 minutes reading through the source and all five questions you have to answer.
- You should make sure you leave sufficient time to check your answers.
Section A: Reading
Answer all questions in this section. You are advised to spend about 45 minutes on this section.
Answer all questions using Source A, the extract printed above.
Question 1
Read again the first part of the source, from lines 1 to 5.
Answer all parts of this question.
Choose one answer for each question.
1.1 According to the narrator, what happens to determination in moments of rest and comfort, as illustrated by the hunter image?
- Determination weakens, like a spear losing its sharpness.
- Determination strengthens, like a weapon being honed.
- Determination is unaffected, remaining as sharp as before.
[1 mark]
1.2 In the mind’s eye, what grew blurred?
- The spear of Nimrod
- The likeness
- The dollar-mark
[1 mark]
1.3 The narrator uses an image of a hunter pausing in the woods. What does this image help to explain about Nancy?
- Nancy's drive for money sometimes gives way to valuing truth, honour, and kindness.
- Nancy becomes more focused on wealth because thoughts of rest and comfort spur greater effort.
- Nancy treats ideals like truth and kindness as pleasant words with no bearing on real choices about money.
[1 mark]
1.4 The rill is said to babble of what?
- Truth and honor
- Moose and elk
- Rest and comfort
[1 mark]
Question 2
Look in detail at this extract, from lines 11 to 20 of the source:
11 One Thursday evening Nancy left the store and turned across Sixth Avenue westward to the laundry. She was expected to go with Lou and Dan to a musical comedy.
16 Dan was just coming out of the laundry when she arrived. There was a queer, strained look on his face. “I thought I would drop around to see if they had heard from her,” he said.
How does the writer use language here to create tension and show Nancy’s concern when she meets Dan?
You could include the writer’s choice of:
- words and phrases
- language features and techniques
- sentence forms.
[8 marks]
Question 3
You now need to think about the structure of the source as a whole. This text is from the end of a story.
How has the writer structured the text to create a sense of irony?
You could write about:
- how irony intensifies from beginning to end
- how the writer uses structure to create an effect
- the writer's use of any other structural features, such as changes in mood, tone or perspective.
[8 marks]
Question 4
For this question focus on the second part of the source, from line 16 to the end.
In this part of the source, Lou is crying uncontrollably despite wearing an expensive fur coat and jewels. The writer suggests that her new wealth has failed to bring her happiness.
To what extent do you agree and/or disagree with this statement?
In your response, you could:
- consider your impressions of Lou's wealth and sadness
- comment on the methods the writer uses to portray Lou's wealth and misery
- support your response with references to the text.
[20 marks]
Question 5
Your youth club’s Saturday bulletin will feature short creative writing about the moments before sport begins.
Choose one of the options below for your entry.
-
Option A: Describe the touchline just before kick-off from your imagination. You may choose to use the picture provided for ideas:
-
Option B: Write the opening of a story about turning nerves into focus.
(24 marks for content and organisation, 16 marks for technical accuracy)
[40 marks]