Give three details from paragraph [1] that suggest the boatyard has not been well looked after.
(Total for Question 1 is 3 marks)
2
Which word in paragraph [1] describes the smell of the low tide?
A) tar
B) briny
C) varnish
D) rust
(Total for Question 2 is 1 mark)
3
According to paragraph [2], how long had it been since anyone had worked on the Curlew?
(Total for Question 3 is 1 mark)
4
Look again at paragraph [1]. Explain what the word 'briny' suggests about the air at the boatyard.
(Total for Question 4 is 2 marks)
5
Look at paragraph [2]: 'His voice crackled with pride, the way the shortwave radio in his shed crackled before it found a station.' Explain what this simile suggests about Grandad Reg.
(Total for Question 5 is 2 marks)
6
Explain why Amara 'secretly thought' that eleven years of neglect 'looked more like a punishment than a rest' (paragraph [2]).
(Total for Question 6 is 2 marks)
7
In paragraph [3], the tin box's corners are described as 'furred with rust'. What does this phrase suggest?
A) The box is brand new
B) The box has been hidden for a long time
C) The box is made of fur
D) The box is very small
(Total for Question 7 is 1 mark)
8
According to paragraph [3], where exactly was the tin box wedged?
(Total for Question 8 is 2 marks)
9
Explain the effect of the simile 'curls of blue paint gathering at their feet like confetti' (paragraph [3]).
(Total for Question 9 is 2 marks)
10
Explain why the detail that the floorboard 'sat proud of the rest, as though it had been lifted and replaced many times' (paragraph [3]) is significant to the story.
(Total for Question 10 is 2 marks)
11
Explain what the personification 'the hinges shrieked in protest' (paragraph [4]) suggests.
(Total for Question 11 is 2 marks)
12
According to paragraph [4], to whom was the envelope addressed, and where?
(Total for Question 12 is 2 marks)
13
Which word best describes Reg's feelings as he reads the opening lines of the letter in paragraph [5]?
A) angry
B) indifferent
C) nostalgic and regretful
D) frightened
(Total for Question 13 is 1 mark)
14
Explain what Reg's actions in paragraph [5] (turning the letter over twice, and not opening it straight away) suggest about his feelings.
(Total for Question 14 is 3 marks)
15
Explain the effect of the metaphor 'something in his face folded too, like a sail coming down' (paragraph [5]).
(Total for Question 15 is 3 marks)
16
Using evidence from paragraph [5], explain in your own words what happened between Reg and his brother Michael.
(Total for Question 16 is 3 marks)
17
Explain how the writer creates a sense of mystery and anticipation in paragraphs [3] and [4]. Support your answer with reference to the language and details the writer uses.
(Total for Question 17 is 6 marks)
18
Explain how the writer structures the passage as a whole to build towards the discovery of the letter. Refer to at least two points in the story in your answer.
(Total for Question 18 is 5 marks)
19
Using your own words as far as possible, summarise what Amara discovers at the boatyard and how her grandfather reacts. Write no more than 60 words.
(Total for Question 19 is 5 marks)
20
In your opinion, how does the writer make the ending of the passage (paragraph [6]) effective? You should refer to the whole passage in your answer.
(Total for Question 20 is 8 marks)
Mark scheme · CE.E1 Reading and Comprehension (Prose)
Question 1
B1 One relevant detail, e.g. paint 'blistered and peeling' (oe)
B1 A second relevant detail, e.g. hulls 'upturned... like stranded whales' or a chain rattling (oe)
B1 A third relevant detail, e.g. reference to rust or general disrepair of the yard (oe)
Answer: Any three of: blistered and peeling paint on the hulls; rows of rusted, upturned hulls; a chain rattling out of sight; the general sense of decay in the yard.
Question 2
B1 B only, cao
Answer: B) briny
Question 3
B1 Eleven years, cao
Answer: Eleven years.
Question 4
B1 Identifies a salty or sea-related quality (oe)
B1 Developed comment, e.g. suggests a strong, sharp or overpowering smell (oe)
Answer: 'Briny' suggests the air was strongly salty, with a sharp, almost overpowering smell of the sea, emphasising how close the tide was to the yard.
Question 5
B1 Identifies that his voice was uneven, unclear or breaking with emotion (oe)
B1 Links this to strong feelings, e.g. pride, nostalgia or emotion about the boat and family history (oe)
Answer: The simile suggests Reg's voice is momentarily unsteady, like a radio signal that has not yet tuned in, showing that his pride and emotion about the boat and his family's history are strong enough to briefly affect his speech.
Question 6
B1 Recognises the boat has been abandoned or left to decay rather than genuinely cared for (oe)
B1 Links this to the earlier mention of the grandmother's death, suggesting grief or avoidance rather than a genuine rest (oe)
Answer: She thinks this because the boat has clearly been left to rot rather than looked after, and this coincides with the grandmother's death eleven years earlier, suggesting Reg has been avoiding the boat out of grief rather than giving it a genuine rest.
Question 7
B1 B only, cao
Answer: B) The box has been hidden for a long time.
Question 8
B1 Beneath the raised/loose floorboard, near the middle thwart (oe)
B1 Wedged between two ribs of the hull (oe)
Answer: The tin box was found beneath the raised floorboard near the middle thwart, wedged between two of the ribs of the hull.
Question 9
B1 Identifies the visual comparison, e.g. the paint looks light, scattered or celebratory (oe)
B1 Comments on the effect or contrast, e.g. creates an unexpectedly cheerful image amid hard work, or contrasts with the neglected setting (oe)
Answer: The simile compares the curls of paint to confetti, creating a light, almost celebratory image that contrasts with the hard, repetitive work of scraping and with the generally neglected state of the boatyard.
Question 10
B1 Recognises this detail suggests something has deliberately been hidden or accessed before (oe)
B1 Links this to how it foreshadows or leads to the discovery of the tin box and letter (oe)
Answer: It is significant because it hints that someone has deliberately hidden something under the floorboard and returned to it more than once, which foreshadows the discovery of the tin box and letter that follows.
Question 11
B1 Identifies the hinges are personified as reluctant or resistant (oe)
B1 Links this to the idea that the box has been undisturbed for a long time, or that it adds drama and tension to the moment (oe)
Answer: By describing the hinges as shrieking 'in protest', the writer personifies the box as reluctant to give up its secret, suggesting it has lain undisturbed for a long time and adding tension and drama to the moment of discovery.
Question 12
B1 R. Whitlock (oe: Reg)
B1 Curlew, Wells Harbour (oe)
Answer: The envelope was addressed to 'R. Whitlock, Curlew, Wells Harbour.'
Question 13
B1 C only, cao
Answer: C) nostalgic and regretful.
Question 14
B1 Identifies hesitation or reluctance (oe)
B1 Links this to fear of, or reluctance to face, old memories or an unresolved conflict (oe)
B1 Comments on the weight or significance he attaches to the letter, e.g. handling it carefully or with respect (oe)
Answer: Reg's hesitation, shown by turning the letter over twice and delaying opening it, suggests he is anxious about confronting old, unresolved feelings from his falling-out with his brother, and that he recognises the letter carries real emotional weight.
Question 15
B1 Identifies the image of collapse or deflation in his expression (oe)
B1 Links the nautical image to the setting or theme of boats and sailing (oe)
B1 Comments on the emotional effect, e.g. suggests sudden sadness, loss of composure or vulnerability (oe)
Answer: The metaphor compares Reg's expression collapsing to a sail being lowered, suggesting a sudden loss of composure and an unguarded sadness; the nautical image also fits the maritime setting, linking his emotional deflation to the world of boats and sailing that runs through the passage.
Question 16
B1 They argued or fell out over the boat (oe)
B1 This happened the summer before Michael emigrated (oe: before he left/moved away)
B1 They never spoke to each other again afterwards (oe)
Answer: Reg and Michael argued over the Curlew the summer before Michael emigrated to Australia, and the two brothers never spoke to each other again after that.
Question 17
Level 1 (1-2): Identifies language or details with little or no explanation of their effect; may rely on narrative retelling with minimal reference to the text.
Level 2 (3-4): Explains, with some development, how specific words or details (for example the raised floorboard, the rusted box, the shrieking hinges) build mystery or anticipation, supported by relevant quotation.
Level 3 (5-6): Gives a clear, well-developed explanation of how the writer's precise choices of language and detail work together to build mystery and anticipation, integrating apt quotations fluently and showing secure understanding of the effect on the reader.
Indicative content:
'sat proud of the rest, as though it had been lifted and replaced many times' hints at a hidden secret before it is revealed
the slow, deliberate physical actions ('worked her fingers into the gap and pulled') delay the reveal and build tension
personification of the board coming away 'with a sigh' suggests release, adding anticipation
the box's corners 'furred with rust' hint at age and long concealment
Reg's reaction ('scraper stopped mid-stroke', crossing the yard 'slowly, almost reluctantly') signals to the reader that something important is happening
personification of the hinges that 'shrieked in protest' dramatises the moment of opening
sensory detail (the smell of 'old paper and engine oil') makes the discovery vivid and immediate
withholding the letter's contents until paragraph [5] sustains suspense
Question 18
Level 1 (1): Identifies a single structural feature (for example the opening description or the ending) with little explanation.
Level 2 (2-3): Explains, with some development, one or two ways the passage is structured to build towards the discovery, with reference to the text.
Level 3 (4-5): Gives a clear, well-supported explanation referring to at least two points across the passage (for example, the narrowing focus from the neglected boatyard to a single loose floorboard, the delay before the letter's contents are revealed, and the reflective ending that connects past and present), showing secure understanding of how structure shapes the reader's experience.
Indicative content:
opens with a wide, scene-setting description of the neglected boatyard, grounding the reader before narrowing the focus
narrative focus narrows from the whole yard, to the boat, to a single raised floorboard, guiding the reader's attention towards the discovery
the contents of the letter are deliberately withheld until paragraph [5], after the box and envelope have already been described, building suspense
paragraph [6] shifts from action to reflection, linking the discovery back to the tide table and the passage of time, giving the ending a sense of resolution
the family history introduced early on (the great-grandfather, the grandmother's death) is echoed and deepened by the letter's revelation about Reg's brother
Question 19
B1 Amara finds a loose or raised floorboard while helping to scrape the boat (oe)
B1 Underneath it she finds an old, rusted tin box (oe)
B1 Inside the box is a damp or salt-stained envelope/letter (oe)
B1 The letter is addressed to her grandfather, Reg (oe)
B1 It turns out to be from Reg's estranged brother, Michael, whom he fell out with years before (oe)
B1 Reg is hesitant to open it, and reading it brings back regret about losing contact with his brother (oe)
Answer: While helping to strip old paint from the boat, Amara finds a loose floorboard hiding a rusted tin box. Inside is a damp, decades-old letter addressed to her grandfather, Reg, from his estranged brother Michael. Reg is hesitant to open it, and reading it stirs quiet regret over an old argument that ended their contact.
Question 20
Level 1 (1-2): Simple or surface-level response with little reference to the passage; limited personal engagement with the question.
Level 2 (3-4): Some relevant explanation with limited textual reference; makes a straightforward personal comment on why the ending is, or is not, effective.
Level 3 (5-6): Clear, developed response with relevant textual reference and some apt quotation; explains effectively how particular techniques (for example the tide table image, or the link between physical and emotional repair) contribute to an effective ending.
Level 4 (7-8): Perceptive, well-evaluated response with sustained and precise reference to the passage as a whole; explores subtlety in the writer's choices (for example the ambiguity about whether the brothers reconcile, or the symbolic link between mending the boat and mending the family) and their effect on the reader.
Indicative content:
the tide table is used symbolically to represent the passage of time and the connections between generations
the ending is deliberately open or ambiguous: readers do not learn the full contents of the letter or whether the brothers reconcile, which invites reflection
the final paragraph draws together the physical repair of the boat (scrapers, varnish) with the emotional repair suggested by 'patience' and 'courage', reinforcing the passage's central theme
the calm, reflective tone of the final paragraph contrasts with the earlier tension of the discovery, providing a sense of closure
Amara's silent observation ('Amara said nothing, only watched...') positions her, and the reader, as a witness to a private, significant moment
candidates may reasonably disagree about how satisfying the ending is; credit any well-supported, thoughtful personal response, whether positive or qualified