Part 1

Read Passage A carefully, and then answer Questions 1 and 2 on the Question Paper.

Passage A: The Mountain Pass

In the following passage the narrator describes a dangerous journey by car along a mountain road to
help a friend who is in danger.

For a little time I drove cautiously, for the road had many twists and the snow was confusing to
the eyes. Then there was a sharp drop and I speeded up. It grew colder, and I shivered a little.
The snow became a wet white fog around the glowing arc of the headlights; always the road fell,
now in long curves, now in steep short dips, until I was aware of a valley opening towards the
south. As I had lived in this remote area for many years I had some sense of the landscape and 5
knew where the ravine narrowed or widened, though it was black darkness.

In spite of my restlessness I had to go slowly, for after the first rush downhill I realised that,
unless I was careful, I might wreck the car and spoil everything. The surface of the road on the
southern slope of the mountains was far worse than that on the other. I skidded and side-slipped,
and once grazed the edge of the gorge. It was far more exasperating than the climb up. That had 10
been a straightforward grind with the car trying its best to reach the top, whereas going down, I
had to hold it back because of my own lack of skill. I consider that time crawling down from the
summit as some of the weariest hours I ever spent.

Quite suddenly I came out of the bad weather into a different climate. The sky was clear above
me, and I saw that dawn was very near. The first pinewoods were beginning, and at last came a 15
straight slope where I could let the car accelerate. I began to feel more positive and to estimate
the distance I had still to travel. Then, without warning, a new world sprang up around me. Out
of the blue dusk, indistinct white shapes appeared, peaks and needles and domes of ice, their
bases fading mistily into shadow, but their tops glowing like jewels. I had never seen such a
sight, and the wonder of it for a moment made me feel less anxious. Moreover, it gave me a 20
sense of victory. I was in full daylight, and surely, in this clear air, my fears that had arisen during
the night would be defeated.

And then I saw, a short distance ahead, the little square red-roofed house that was the home of
my friend, Geoffrey.

I had grown careless and looked at the house instead of the road. At one point the hillside had 25
slipped down onto the road and I did not notice the landslide until it was right in front of me.
I swerved too far to the right and, before I knew it, the car went over the edge. I slammed on
the brakes, but too late. The car slithered down the steep bank into a meadow and ran into a
fallen tree trunk with a jolt that shook me out of my seat and nearly broke my arm. Even before
examining the car, I knew what the damage would be. The front axle was bent, and the front 30
wheels badly buckled. I had no time to curse my stupidity. I clambered back to the road and
started running down it towards the house.

There was a man at the door who, catching sight of my approach, rushed to meet me. I saw that
it was Geoffrey, but his face was pale and terrified. He looked gaunt and haggard like one who
had not slept for several nights, and his eyes were hot coals. 35

‘Richard!’ he cried. ‘Help me, please!’

 2

Read carefully Passage A, The Mountain Pass, in the Reading Booklet Insert and then answer
Questions 1 and 2 on this Question Paper.

Answer all questions using your own words as far as possible.

Question 1

(a) Using your own words, give two reasons why the narrator decides to drive carefully
(paragraph one, ‘For a little time…’).

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]

(b) Which one word in line 7 suggests the narrator wants to drive more quickly?

...............................................................................................................................................[1]

(c) (i) Using your own words, give two details that make driving easier for the narrator
(lines 14–16).

• ........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

• ........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[2]

(ii) State two ways in which the narrator’s feelings change (lines 16–22).

• ........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

• ........................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................[2]

(d) Using your own words, explain what the narrator means by: ‘…and surely, in this clear air,
my fears that had arisen during the night would be defeated’ (lines 21–22).

...................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]
 3

(e) Give two details that the narrator suggests led to his crash (paragraph five, ‘I had grown…’).

• ................................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................................

• ................................................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................................[2]
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(f) Complete parts (i) and (ii) to answer Question 1(f).

(i) Re-read paragraph two (‘In spite of my … I ever spent’).

Using your own words, explain what the writer means by the word underlined in three
of the following phrases:

(a) ‘skidded and side-slipped’ (line 9)

(b) ‘grazed the edge of the gorge’ (line 10)
(c) ‘It was far more exasperating’ (line 10)
(d) ‘the weariest hours I ever spent.’ (line 13)

Phrase selected: (a), (b), (c) or (d) ...........

Meaning of the word underlined: .......................................................................................

Phrase selected: (a), (b), (c) or (d) ...........

Meaning of the word underlined: .......................................................................................

Phrase selected: (a), (b), (c) or (d) ...........

Meaning of the word underlined: .......................................................................................

[3]

(ii) Explain how the writer conveys the difficulty of driving down the mountain road through
the use of language in each of the phrases you have chosen in Question 1(f)(i).

You should refer to the whole phrase in your answer.

Phrase selected: (a), (b), (c) or (d) ...........

Explanation: .......................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

Phrase selected: (a), (b), (c) or (d) ...........

Explanation: .......................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

Phrase selected: (a), (b), (c) or (d) ...........

Explanation: .......................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................
[6]

[Total: 20]