Sample exam question – WJECPlanning your response

The question

Higher tier

Read the extract then answer the following question. With close reference to the extract, show how Robert Cormier creates mood and atmosphere here.

Foundation tier

Read the extract then answer the following question. What thoughts and feelings do you have as you read this extract? Give reasons for what you say, and remember to support your answer with words and phrases from the extract.

Make sure that you only refer to the extract, and look for evidence to support your points about mood and atmosphere, which would affect the reader’s enjoyment of the text.

Read the extract again and look in particular at the highlighted points. How do they allow Cormier to create mood and atmosphere for the reader?

The extract

(1) The game began.

My serve:

Paddle met ball. I didn’t try for speed or spin, merely wanted to place the ball in proper position,without risk, and then play my defensive game. (2) My heartbeat was steady, my body poised for action. The ball came back to me. I returned. Came again and again I returned. Larry LaSalle’s return was placed perfectly, at the edge of the table, (3) almost impossible for me to reach but somehow I reached it, returned it, throwing him off balance. (4) My point. Next point his, then mine again. Then his.

We were half-way through the game, the score standing at 13–12, my serve, when I realized that he was letting me win, was guiding the game with such skill that no one but me realized what he was doing. He cleverly missed my returns by what seemed like a thousandth of an inch, feigning frustration, and placed his returns in (5) seemingly impossible spots, but within my reach.

The noise of the crowd receded, diminished to a hush, broken only by (6) the plopping of the ball on the table, the soft clunk of the ball on the rubber dimples of our paddles. (7) A giant sigh rose from the crowd when an impressive point was made. I dared not take my eyes away from the game to look at Nicole.

Two games were being played at the same time, the sharp, take-no-prisoners game the hushed audience was observing and the subtle tender game in which Larry LaSalle was letting me win.

Finally, the score stood at 20–19. My favour. (8) One point away from victory. I resisted meeting Larry LaSalle’s eyes. It was still his serve. Crouching, waiting, I finally looked at him, saw his narrowed eyes. They were suddenly inscrutable, mysterious. A shudder made me tremble, as I realized that he could easily win the next two points and take the championship away from me. He could win it so easily and so humiliatingly that the crowd – Nicole – would know instantly that he had been toying with me all along.

The perfect serve came my way but my return was perfect. We entered a see-saw cycle, hit and return, repeating endlessly, near-misses and lunging stabs, until finally the ball came to my side, a breath-taking shot that veered to the table’s edge, (9) causing the crowd to gasp, although he and I knew that it was within my reach. His final gift to me. Lunging, I returned the ball to the only place it could go, (10) impossible for him to return.

1. The opening phrases The game began. My serve: are deliberately short and sharp. This sounds business-like, as if Francis and Larry have no time to waste. The crowd has to sit up and take notice of what is going on in front of their eyes. In addition, the short phrases echo the sound of bat on ball.
2. When Francis says My heartbeat was steady, it is clear that he is ready for this game – he has practised endlessly and is prepared to take on the great Larry LaSalle, his teacher and mentor. Even though Nicole is in the audience, Francis feels confident, which shows how much he has changed.
3. When Francis says that Larry’s shot was almost impossible for me to reach but somehow I reached it, Cormier is being skilful with language. The word impossible is an absolute, and in the reader’s mind this is most effective as, with the word somehow, Francis seems to achieve the impossible, making his victory seem even more amazing.
4. The phrases My point. Next point his, then mine again. The phrases reflect the to-ing and fro-ing of the ball across the table. Cormier is recreating with language the mood among spectators at a tennis match, when all the heads turn in unison to follow the ball. This adds to the tension and excitement of the scene.
5. By saying seemingly impossible spots but within my reach, Cormier is again making Francis sound almost super-human. It implies that nobody else could achieve this impossible feat, but also that Larry must be even more extraordinary because Francis is his pupil. This then sets up the scene for when Francis reveals that Larry is letting him win.
6. The description of the sounds in the hall – the plopping of the ball on the table, the soft clunk of the ball on the rubber dimples of our paddles – has created an almost dream-like atmosphere, as all the noises are muted and softened. The game seems to enter a different phase, where time is not important and Francis and Larry are equally matched. This lull in the atmosphere makes the reader forget about the excitement for a brief time, which is effective in a minute when everything comes back to life.
7. As Francis tells the reader that a giant sigh rose from the crowd, the wording is very effective as it does two things. Firstly, the word giant implies that this is much more than a simple table tennis match; it is a struggle about character, personality and pride. Secondly, the word sigh is still a quiet kind of sound, even if it is giant. Therefore the atmosphere is still hushed in preparation for what is about to come.
8. The phrase one point away from victory is short and effective. It shows that Francis has come so far and is on the brink of something enormous. The suspense is great at this moment, because the whole crowd knows that it is a big deal for anyone to be able to beat Larry LaSalle.
9. Francis allows the reader to share his knowledge that Larry is letting him win when he says causing the crowd to gasp, although he and I knew that it was within my reach. There is a slight feeling of disappointment for the reader here, as it becomes evident that Francis is not in charge of his own destiny; he is being controlled by Larry. However, the crowd is still being fooled. Therefore, Cormier allows the reader to join in the secret understanding between Larry and Francis.
10. The final phrase in this extract, the words impossible for him to return, show Francis’ victory over Larry LaSalle. It is a bittersweet moment for Francis as the entire crowd believe that he has beaten Larry fairly – only Francis, Larry and the reader know the truth. The use of the word impossible is really effective here, because it has been used twice before in this passage, and both times it has been used after a word which does make it possible – almost and seemingly. Therefore the reader understands that this third time is just the same. Larry could have returned Francis’ serve but he chose not to.