IGCSE (First Language) Writer’s Effects Practice 2, November 2018

                                                 Passage : Mikaela and Jane

 

In this passage, Mikaela waits for Jane who is shopping at the market.

 

Mikaela watched the world pass by the window. She nodded and smiled at each and every one of these liberated pedestrians, drawn into a current in the direction of the market. Their wheeled shopping bags bounced and bounded behind them in enthusiastic obedience. The road was a sea of movement, and no one looked up at the imprisoned figure in the window.

 

Mikaela sighed, allowing small breaths of warm air to escape and form cloudy shapes on the glass, into which she drew stick-people jumping, skipping and running. After a while, words replaced the sighs: ‘I hope she won’t take too long.’ Her chest felt a little tight again and she screwed up her face. She knew she just had to be patient. She pressed the control under her right hand. It whirred a little, but nothing moved.

 

***

 

Jane consulted her list: quite a lot of groceries this week, but she knew where she would find them. She enjoyed shopping in the large market, the buzz, the colour, the unpredictability. She held her purse closely inside her pocket. You did have to be careful in these places. There were desperate people everywhere. She thought about Mikaela. Yes, she would be quick. No loitering around those soap stalls, where pink, amber and fiery red, pebble-shaped bars lured and distracted you with scents of unexpected and delicious promise.

 

Ahead, the market was beginning to wake up. Jane enjoyed watching it at this time of the day. It was like a large beast, groaning in dismay at being prodded into life, its elongated body undulating and rippling, as the stall-holders pinned and adjusted fluttering awnings and canvas covers to their correct positions. Metal trolleys squealed in angry protest as their wheels careered crazily over the tarmac to be eventually butted up against the stalls. Here they disgorged their contents, their items of sale, slipping and sliding across shiny surfaces.

 

Jane consulted her list again. She moved quickly through the sea of busy vendors, avoiding stacked boxes of cheerful nick-nacks and rails of colourful clothing, until she came to the back of the market. She avoided looking at the soap stall nearby, trying not to sniff its heavenly aromas, and waited patiently for Niki, the fruit and vegetable vendor.

 

Niki was busy at his stall. Labels needed fastening to large crates of white cabbage and sweet potatoes. Jane quickly helped him to pile up stacks of melons and mangoes. ‘Yesterday’s stock on the counter, please, Jane. We have to sell that first. Today’s underneath. There.’ Niki pointed under a flapping red cover.

 

‘How is Mikaela?’ Niki now stood with his hands on his hips, surveying Jane. He smiled.

 

He has such a kind smile, Jane thought. He has always been a good friend. ‘She is still weak. She has this cough. We hoped the doctor would come today, but it will be tomorrow now. One of the wheels on her chair jammed this morning. I can move it if I tilt the chair slightly onto its back wheels, but she can’t move it herself.’

 

Niki looked concerned. ‘That’s no good. It’s too heavy for you. I will pop by tonight, and fix it. Here – let’s see that list. Just the freshest ingredients for Mikaela.’ He lifted the red cover and began to move boxes around.

 

Soon a heap of the freshest fruit and vegetables filled Jane’s basket. ‘Thank you, Niki.’ Jane paid the vendor and began to walk quickly away. Niki watched the urgency with which she weaved her way through crowds. His eye fell on the small, brightly coloured piles of soap on the stall next door. She deserved a bit of a treat, too, he thought.

 

***

 

Jane let herself into the house. ‘Grandma, I will make the potato and onion soup now. Do you want to come and watch?’ She grabbed the handles, carefully tilted the wheelchair backwards and slowly edged it into the small kitchen.

 

Mikaela sighed happily. ‘You are such a good girl. I was worried you might take a long time. I know a lot of those stalls are so tempting. After this, we can play cards and you can tell me about the market this morning. How is Niki?’

 

 

Question

 

Re-read the descriptions of:

 

(a)    the world outside Mikaela’s window in paragraph 1, beginning ‘Mikaela watched the world pass by … ’

 

(b)    the scene at the market in paragraph 4, beginning ‘Ahead, the market was beginning to wake up … ’

 

Select four powerful words or phrases from each paragraph. Your choices should include imagery.

 

Explain how each word or phrase selected is used effectively in the context.

 

Write about 200 to 300 words.

 

 

Format:

 

a)

 

First paragraph (short):    Opening Thesis

 

Mainbody:            May be one or two paragraphs to explain the effects of three selected  words or phrases.

 

b)

 

First paragraph (short):    Opening Thesis

 

Mainbody:            May be one or two paragraphs to explain the effects of three selected  words or phrases.

 

 

.

Suggested  answers (You must use paragraphs):

 

2      (a)  The world outside Mikaela’s window
Opening Thesis:	The general effect is to emphasise Mikaela’s feelings of loneliness and exclusion.

 

 

 

watched the world pass by the window (image): observes people outside, as if excluded from everyone else on the planet; cinematic panorama, spectator

 

 

liberated pedestrians: free to walk, Mikaela’s desire to be like them/free of current restrictions

 

 

drawn into a current (image): pulled in one direction together, swept along like a body of water, irresistible force

 

bags bounced and bounded behind them: bumping along the uneven ground, leaping up and down, childlike exuberance, excited, animated, carefree

 

 

(in) enthusiastic obedience (image): wheeled shopping bags follow like pets on a leash, Mikaela’s own wish that she wasn’t restricted.

 

a sea of movement (image): a large body of people walking purposefully in the same direction, force, tide, overwhelming numbers that belong to the world she can’t join and which have left her behind.

 

 

imprisoned figure (in the window) (image): no-one raised their

eyes /moved their heads in her direction, do not think about her, abandoned, captive, character in a fairy-tale

 

 

2      (b) The scene at the market
Opening thesis:	The general effect is to emphasise Mikaela’s feelings of loneliness and exclusion.

 

 

 

the market was beginning to wake up (image): starting the day, signs of activity, gaining consciousness

 

like a large beast (image): huge creature, impressive size of market, monstrous, dangerous, dragon, mythical

 

groaning in dismay at being prodded into life (image): mix of low, deep sounds of the stalls and awnings being erected, hard work, effort, difficulty

 

elongated body undulating and rippling (image): line of awnings stretching into the distance, billowing motion, wavelike

 

 

fluttering (awnings and canvas covers): quick light movements, winged creature

(metal trollies)

 

squealed in angry protest (image): high pitched noise of grinding metal wheels, rebelling, apparent hostility, resistance to work

 

careered crazily: uncoordinated, fast headlong dash, out of control, chaotic

 

butted up against the stalls: reached a dead end, come to a final halt

 

disgorged their contents (image): poured out goods inside, vomiting

 

slipping and sliding across shiny surfaces: skidding, uncontrolled movement