Insert
The source that follows is:
- Source A: 19th-century prose fiction
- A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
An extract from a work first published in 1887.
This extract is from A Study in Scarlet, where Dr Watson scoffs at a magazine essay on deduction, then learns Sherlock Holmes wrote it and hears him outline his practical methods and unusual profession as a consulting detective in London.
Source A
1 Its somewhat ambitious title was “The Book of Life,” and it attempted to show how much an observant man might learn by an accurate and systematic examination of all that came in his way. It struck me as being a remarkable mixture of shrewness and of absurdity. The reasoning was close and intense, but the deductions appeared to me to be far-fetched and exaggerated. The
6 writer claimed by a momentary expression, a twitch of a muscle or a glance of an eye, to fathom a man’s inmost thoughts. Deceit, according to him, was an impossibility in the case of one trained to observation and analysis. His conclusions were as infallible as so many propositions of Euclid. So startling would his results appear to the uninitiated that until they learned the
11 processes by which he had arrived at them they might well consider him as a necromancer. “From a drop of water,” said the writer, “a logician could infer the possibility of an Atlantic or a Niagara without having seen or heard of one or
16 the other. So all life is a great chain, the nature of which is known whenever we are shown a single link of it. Like all other arts, the Science of Deduction and Analysis is one which can only be acquired by long and patient study nor, is life long enough to allow any mortal to attain the highest possible perfection in it. Before turning to those moral and mental aspects of
21 the matter which present the greatest difficulties, let the enquirer begin by mastering more elementary problems. Let him, on meeting a fellow-mortal, learn at a glance to distinguish the history of the man, and the trade or profession to which he belongs. Puerile as such an exercise may seem, it sharpens the faculties of observation, and teaches one where to look and what to look for.
26 By a man’s finger nails, by his coat-sleeve, by his boot, by his trouser knees, by the callosities of his forefinger and thumb, by his expression, by his shirt cuffs—by each of these things a man’s calling is plainly revealed. That all united should fail to enlighten the competent enquirer in any case is almost inconceivable.”
31 “What ineffable twaddle!” I cried, slapping the magazine down on the table, “I never read such rubbish in my life.” “What is it?” asked Sherlock Holmes.
36 “Why, this article,” I said, pointing at it with my egg spoon as I sat down to my breakfast. “I see that you have read it since you have marked it. I don’t deny that it is smartly written. It irritates me though. It is evidently the theory of some arm-chair lounger who evolves all these neat little paradoxes
41 in the seclusion of his own study. It is not practical. I should like to see him clapped down in a third class carriage on the Underground, and asked to give the trades of all his fellow-travellers. I would lay a thousand to one against him.”
46 “You would lose your money,” Sherlock Holmes remarked calmly. “As for the article I wrote it myself.” “You!”
51 “Yes, I have a turn both for observation and for deduction. The theories which I have expressed there, and which appear to you to be so chimerical are really extremely practical—so practical that I depend upon them for my bread and cheese.”
56 “And how?” I asked involuntarily. “Well, I have a trade of my own. I suppose I am the only one in the world. I’m a consulting detective, if you can understand what that is. Here in London we have lots of Government detectives and lots of private ones. When these
61 fellows are at fault they come to me, and I manage to put them on the right scent. They lay all the evidence before me, and I am generally able, by the help of my knowledge of the history of crime, to set them straight. There is a strong family resemblance about misdeeds, and if you have all the details of a thousand at your finger ends, it is odd if you can’t unravel the thousand and
66 first. Lestrade is a well-known detective. He got himself into a fog recently over a forgery case, and that was what brought him here.”
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.
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 Which statement best describes the narrator's judgement of the piece's method and results?
- The narrator respects the careful method but thinks the results go too far.
- The narrator finds both the method and the results unsound.
- The narrator accepts the results but criticises the method as disorganised.
[1 mark]
1.2 How does the narrator evaluate the piece's reasoning and its conclusions?
- The narrator respects the careful logic but doubts the outcomes, seeing them as overstated.
- The narrator dismisses both the method and the results as nonsensical.
- The narrator fully endorses the reasoning and accepts the conclusions as reliable.
[1 mark]
1.3 Which statement best summarises the narrator's view of the work's approach and conclusions?
- The narrator judges the work's approach to be rigorous, but considers the work's conclusions overstated.
- The narrator judges the work's approach to be careless, yet regards the work's conclusions as reliable.
- The narrator judges both the work's approach and the work's conclusions to be worthless.
[1 mark]
1.4 What judgement does the narrator make about the essay’s reasoning and the conclusions drawn?
- The narrator judges the reasoning to be careful, but thinks the conclusions go too far.
- The narrator thinks the reasoning is disorganised, yet considers the conclusions sound.
- The narrator finds both the reasoning and the conclusions equally convincing.
[1 mark]
Question 2
Look in detail at this extract, from lines 1 to 15 of the source:
1 Its somewhat ambitious title was “The Book of Life,” and it attempted to show how much an observant man might learn by an accurate and systematic examination of all that came in his way. It struck me as being a remarkable mixture of shrewness and of absurdity. The reasoning was close and intense, but the deductions appeared to me to be far-fetched and exaggerated. The
6 writer claimed by a momentary expression, a twitch of a muscle or a glance of an eye, to fathom a man’s inmost thoughts. Deceit, according to him, was an impossibility in the case of one trained to observation and analysis. His conclusions were as infallible as so many propositions of Euclid. So startling would his results appear to the uninitiated that until they learned the
11 processes by which he had arrived at them they might well consider him as a necromancer. “From a drop of water,” said the writer, “a logician could infer the possibility of an Atlantic or a Niagara without having seen or heard of one or
How does the writer use language here to present the claims in the article and the impression they make on others? 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 start of a story.
How has the writer structured the text to create a sense of calm?
You could write about:
- how calm emerges by the end of the source
- 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 31 to the end.
In this part of the source, where Holmes calmly reveals he wrote the article, it's a surprising moment that makes Watson look foolish. The writer suggests that Holmes is not just clever, but also enjoys proving other people wrong.
To what extent do you agree and/or disagree with this statement?
In your response, you could:
- consider your impressions of Holmes's calm revelation of his authorship
- comment on the methods the writer uses to portray Holmes's intellectual superiority
- support your response with references to the text.
[20 marks]
Question 5
During History Week at your school, the English department invites entries for a creative writing page about travel in another era.
Choose one of the options below for your entry.
-
Option A: Describe an overnight train compartment from your imagination. You may choose to use the picture provided for ideas:
-
Option B: Write the opening of a story about a decision made on a long journey.
(24 marks for content and organisation, 16 marks for technical accuracy)
[40 marks]