GCSE English Exam Questions by Topic

Read this short extract: 'The lift doors had jammed half-open for as long as anyone could remember, so residents squeezed through the gap sideways, the way you might slip past a stranger on a crowded train. Priya did it without thinking now, though the first time, aged seven, she had cried.' How does the writer use language here to suggest that Priya has grown used to a difficult situation?

1. Identify the key phrase: 'did it without thinking now' shows the action has become automatic through repetition.
2. Note the simile: comparing squeezing through the gap to slipping past a stranger on a crowded train normalises an awkward action as ordinary.
3. Compare present and past: contrasting 'now' with 'the first time, aged seven, she had cried' measures how far her reaction has changed over time.
4. Consider connotation: 'jammed' and 'squeezed' suggest an ongoing minor hardship that has simply been absorbed into daily life rather than fixed.
5. Final answer: The writer suggests Priya has grown used to the difficult situation through the contrast between her automatic, unthinking present action and her tearful childhood reaction, reinforced by a simile that makes the awkward squeeze sound routine.