Insert
The source that follows is:
- Source A: 19th-century prose fiction
- The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
An extract from a work first published in 1837.
This extract is taken from Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid and describes an allegorical episode where a personified flax is turned into linen and paper, thinking about hardship, usefulness and joy. It highlights themes of resilience, transformation, and finding meaning through serving others.
Source A
1 Well, one day some people came, who took hold of the flax and pulled it up by the roots, which was very painful. Then it was laid in water, as if it were to be drowned, and after that placed near a fire, as if it were to be roasted. All this was very shocking.
6 "We cannot expect to be happy always," said the flax. "By experiencing evil as well as good we become wise." And certainly there was plenty of evil in store for the flax. It was steeped, and roasted, and broken, and combed; indeed, it scarcely knew what was done to it. At last it was put on the spinning wheel. "Whir, whir," went the wheel, so quickly that the flax could not collect its
11 thoughts. "Well, I have been very happy," it thought in the midst of its pain, "and must be contented with the past." And contented it remained, till it was put on the loom and became a beautiful piece of white linen. All the flax, even to the
16 last stalk, was used in making this one piece. "Well, this is quite wonderful," said the flax. "I could not have believed that I should be so favored by fortune. The fern was not wrong when it sang,
21 'Snip, snap, snurre, Basse lurre.' But the song is not ended yet, I am sure; it is only just beginning. How wonderful it is that, after all I have suffered, I am made something of at
26 last! I am the luckiest person in the world--so strong and fine. And how white and long I am! This is far better than being a mere plant and bearing flowers. Then I had no attention, nor any water unless it rained; now I am watched and cared for. Every morning the maid turns me over, and I have a shower bath from the watering-pot every evening. Yes, and the clergyman's wife noticed me and
31 said I was the best piece of linen in the whole parish. I cannot be happier than I am now." After some time the linen was taken into the house, and there cut with the scissors and torn into pieces and then pricked with needles. This certainly
36 was not pleasant, but at last it was made into twelve garments of the kind that everybody wears. "See now, then," said the flax, "I have become something of importance. This was my destiny; it is quite a blessing. Now I shall be of some use in the world, as every one ought to be; it is the only way to be happy. I am now divided into twelve pieces, and yet the whole dozen is all one
41 and the same. It is most extraordinary good fortune." Years passed away, and at last the linen was so worn it could scarcely hold together. "It must end very soon," said the pieces to each other. "We would gladly have held together a little longer, but it is useless to expect
46 impossibilities." And at length they fell into rags and tatters and thought it was all over with them, for they were torn to shreds and steeped in water and made into a pulp and dried, and they knew not what besides, till all at once they found themselves beautiful white paper. "Well, now, this is a surprise--a glorious surprise too," said the paper. "Now I am finer than ever, and who can
51 tell what fine things I may have written upon me? This is wonderful luck!" And so it was, for the most beautiful stories and poetry were written upon it, and only once was there a blot, which was remarkable good fortune. Then people heard the stories and poetry read, and it made them wiser and better; for all that was written had a good and sensible meaning, and a great blessing was
56 contained in it. "I never imagined anything like this when I was only a little blue flower growing in the fields," said the paper. "How could I know that I should ever be the means of bringing knowledge and joy to men? I cannot understand it
61 myself, and yet it is really so. Heaven knows that I have done nothing myself but what I was obliged to do with my weak powers for my own preservation; and yet I have been promoted from one joy and honor to another. Each time I think that the song is ended, and then something higher and better begins for me. I suppose now I shall be sent out to journey about the world, so that people may
66 read me. It cannot be otherwise, for I have more splendid thoughts written upon me than I had pretty flowers in olden times. I am happier than ever."
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 What happens immediately after the flax is pulled up by the roots?
- The flax is immersed in water.
- The flax is exposed to heat.
- The flax is left to dry in the sun.
[1 mark]
1.2 After some people pulled the flax up by the roots, what happened next?
- The flax is laid in water
- The flax is hung up to dry
- The flax is carried away in a cart
[1 mark]
1.3 Which action is described as "very painful"?
- being laid in water
- being placed near a fire
- being pulled up by the roots
[1 mark]
1.4 After the people pull the flax up by the roots, what happens to the flax next?
- The flax is put in water
- The flax is woven into cloth
- The flax is left on the ground
[1 mark]
Question 2
Look in detail at this extract, from lines 6 to 15 of the source:
6 "We cannot expect to be happy always," said the flax. "By experiencing evil as well as good we become wise." And certainly there was plenty of evil in store for the flax. It was steeped, and roasted, and broken, and combed; indeed, it scarcely knew what was done to it. At last it was put on the spinning wheel. "Whir, whir," went the wheel, so quickly that the flax could not collect its
11 thoughts. "Well, I have been very happy," it thought in the midst of its pain, "and must be contented with the past." And contented it remained, till it was put on the loom and became a beautiful piece of white linen. All the flax, even to the
How does the writer use language here to present the flax’s painful treatment and its attitude towards it? 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 wonder?
You could write about:
- how wonder develops 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, where the flax is put through painful processes like being roasted, it always tries to find a positive outlook. The writer suggests that going through hard times is necessary to become something better.
To what extent do you agree and/or disagree with this statement?
In your response, you could:
- consider your impressions of the flax and its positive outlook
- comment on the methods the writer uses to portray its painful transformation
- support your response with references to the text.
[20 marks]
Question 5
For a special edition on local mysteries, your community newsletter is looking for creative submissions.
Choose one of the options below for your entry.
-
Option A: Write a description of an empty playground after dark from your imagination. You may choose to use the picture provided for ideas:
-
Option B: Write the opening of a story about something that seems out of place.
(24 marks for content and organisation, 16 marks for technical accuracy)
[40 marks]