new spec - gce winter 2010 - question paper - KCSE Online

GCE AS/A level
1151/01
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
LG1: Introduction to the Language of Texts
A.M. MONDAY, 11 January 2010
2 1 ⁄ 2 hours
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
In addition to this examination paper, you will need a 12 page answer book.
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Answer both Section A and Section B.
Write your answers in the separate answer book provided.
INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES
Section A carries 40 marks, and Section B carries 20 marks. You should divide your time
accordingly.
In this unit you will be assessed on your ability to:
• select and apply a range of linguistic methods, to communicate relevant knowledge using
appropriate terminology and coherent, accurate written expression (AO1);
• demonstrate understanding of a range of concepts and issues related to the construction and
analysis of meanings in spoken and written language, using knowledge of linguistic approaches
(AO2);
• analyse and evaluate the influence of contextual factors on the production and reception of spoken
and written language, showing knowledge of the key constituents of language (AO3).
You are reminded that assessment will take into account the quality of written communication used in
your answers.
LH*(W10-1151-01)

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SECTION A
The Language of Texts
This Section counts for 40 marks, and you should devote an appropriate proportion of your
time to it.
The following two texts are about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, America’s 16 th President.
Text A is from the front page of The New York Tribune, published on Saturday, 15 th April, 1865. It
reports news of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln as it was received by the
newspaper, in a series of dispatches.
Text B is from an eye-witness account of President Lincoln’s final hours. It was given by Gideon
Welles, Lincoln’s Secretary of the Navy.
Analyse the use of language in these texts.
In your answer you should:
• analyse and explore the use of language to convey information about the shooting and death
of President Abraham Lincoln;
• consider in what ways the writers use language to reveal their attitudes and thoughts about
the assassination of Lincoln;
• include some consideration of similarities and/or differences between the texts.
(40 Marks)
(1151-01)

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TEXT A: (from The New York Tribune)
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HIGHLY IMPORTANT!
The President Shot!
Secretary Seward attacked.
SIXTH DISPATCH.
Special Dispatch to The N.Y. Tribune
Washington, Friday, April 14, 1865
Like a clap of thunder out of clear sky spread the
announcement that President Lincoln was shot
while sitting in his box at Ford’s Theatre. The
city is wild with excitement. A gentleman who
was present thus describes the event: At about 10
o’clock, in the midst of one of the acts, a pistol
shot was heard, and at the same instant a man
leaped upon the stage from the same box
occupied by the President, brandished a long
knife, and shouted, “Sic semper tyrannis!”[“Thus
always to tyrants”] then rushed to the rear of the
scenes and out of the back door of the theatre. So
sudden was the whole thing that most persons in
the theatre supposed it a part of the play, and it
was some minutes before the fearful tragedy was
comprehended. The man was pursued, however,
by someone connected to the theatre to the outer
door and seen to mount a horse and ride rapidly
away. A regiment of cavalry have started in all
directions, with orders to arrest every man found
on horseback. Scarce had the news of this horror
been detailed, when couriers came from
Secretary Seward’s, announcing that he also had
been assassinated. The following are the
authentic particulars:
SEVENTH DISPATCH
Special Dispatch to The N.Y. Tribune
Washington, Friday, April 14, 1865
The President attended Ford’s Theatre to-night,
and about 10 o’clock an assassin entered his
private box and shot him in the back of the head.
The ball lodged in his head, and he is now lying
insensible in a house opposite the theatre. No
hopes are entertained of his recovery. Laura
Keene claims to have recognised the assassin as
the actor, J. Wilkes Booth. A feeling of gloom
like a pall has settled on the city.
EIGHTH DISPATCH
Special Dispatch to The N.Y. Tribune
Washington, Friday, April 14, 1865
The assassin is said to have gained entrance to
the President’s box by sending in his card
requesting an interview. The box was occupied
by Mrs Lincoln and Col. Parker of Gen. Grant’s
staff. The villain drew his pistol across Mrs
Lincoln’s shoulder and fired. Col. Parker sprang
up and seized the assassin, but he wrested
himself from his grip and sprang down on the
stage as described. His spur caught the American
flag as he descended, and threw him at length.
He unloosed the spur and dashed to the rear,
brandishing his knife and revolver.
.....................................
ELEVENTH DISPATCH.
Special Dispatch to The N.Y. Tribune
Washington, Friday, April 14, 1865 1.15 a.m.
The President is slowly dying. The brain is
slowly oozing through the ball hole in his
forehead. He is of course insensible. There is an
occasional lifting of his hand, and heavy
stentorous breathing; that’s all.
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Reproduced from www.historybuff.com
(1151-01)
Turn over.

TEXT B: (from "The Death of President Lincoln, 1865," EyeWitness to History,
www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (1999).)
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"The President had been carried across the street from the theater to the house of a Mr. Peterson.
We entered by ascending a flight of steps above the basement and passing through a long hall to the
rear, where the President lay extended on a bed, breathing heavily. Several surgeons were present,
at least six, I should think more. Among them I was glad to observe Doctor Hall, who, however,
soon left. I inquired of Doctor Hall, as I entered, the true condition of the President. He replied the
President was dead to all intents, although he might live three hours or perhaps longer.
The giant sufferer lay extended diagonally across the bed, which was not long enough for him. He
had been stripped of his clothes. His large arms, which were occasionally exposed, were of a size
which one would scarce have expected from his spare appearance. His slow, full respiration lifted
the clothes with each breath that he took. His features were calm and striking. I had never seen
them appear to better advantage than for the first hour, perhaps, that I was there. After that his right
eye began to swell and that part of his face became discoloured.
Senator Sumner was there, I think, when I entered. If not he came in soon after, as did Speaker
Colfax, Mr. Secretary McCulloch, and the other members of the cabinet, with the exception of Mr.
Seward. A double guard was stationed at the door and on the sidewalk to repress the crowd, which
was of course highly excited and anxious. The room was small and overcrowded. The surgeons and
members of the cabinet were as many as should have been in the room, but there were many more,
and the hall and other rooms in the front or main house were full. One of these rooms was occupied
by Mrs. Lincoln and her attendants, with Miss Harris. Mrs. Dixon and Mrs. Kinney came to her
about twelve o'clock. About once an hour Mrs. Lincoln would repair to the bedside of her dying
husband and with lamentation and tears remain until overcome by emotion.
A door which opened upon a porch or gallery, and also the windows, were kept open for fresh air.
The night was dark, cloudy, and damp, and about six it began to rain. I remained in the room until
then without sitting or leaving it, when, there being a vacant chair which some one left at the foot
of the bed, I occupied it for nearly two hours, listening to the heavy groans and witnessing the
wasting life of the good and great man who was expiring before me.
About 6 A.M. I experienced a feeling of faintness, and for the first time after entering the room a
little past eleven I left it and the house and took a short walk in the open air. It was a dark and
gloomy morning, and rain set in before I returned to the house some fifteen minutes later. Large
groups of people were gathered every few rods¹, all anxious and solicitous. Some one or more from
each group stepped forward as I passed to inquire into the condition of the President and to ask if
there was no hope. Intense grief was on every countenance when I replied that the President could
survive but a short time. The coloured people especially - and there were at this time more of them,
perhaps, than of whites - were overwhelmed with grief.
A little before seven, I went into the room where the dying President was rapidly drawing near the
closing moments. His wife soon after made her last visit to him. The death struggle had begun.
Robert, his son, stood with several others at the head of the bed. He bore himself well but on two
occasions gave way to overpowering grief and sobbed aloud, turning his head and leaning on the
shoulder of Senator Sumner. The respiration of the President became suspended at intervals and at
last entirely ceased at twenty-two minutes past seven".
¹rods: a term of measurement (approximately 5 metres)
(1151-01)
Reproduced by permission of www.eyewitnesstohistory.com

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BLANK PAGE
(1151-01)
Turn over.

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SECTION B
Language Focus
This Section counts for 20 marks, and you should devote an appropriate proportion of your
time to it.
The following text is from a book entitled Just Can’t Get Enough: Toys, Games and Other Stuff
from the '80s That Rocked, published in 2007.
The text is about a popular toy from the 1980s, The Ewok Village.
Task:
Analyse and discuss the use of language in this text to convey the attitude of the writer towards the
Ewok Village.
You should consider in your answer:
• how the language choices convey the enthusiasm of the writer;
• how the language is used to fondly remember this popular toy from the 1980s.
(20 Marks)
(1151-01)

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Ewok Village - Nyub-Nyub City!
If you were a boy and didn’t have the Ewok Village in the ‘80s, you were a loser.
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Why Because the Ewok Village was rad. It was a well-designed, well-crafted oversized play set
that could easily accommodate action figures from all walks of life, making it one of the central
hubs of any self-respecting kid’s toy collection.
The Ewok Village play set was a world of limitless possibilities for the creative (or not so creative)
playtime enthusiast: you could roast Han Solo over a painted flame, parade C3PO around like a
god on the shoulders of Ewoks, swoop up a few storm troopers in the mesh net or even invite
Hachiman from Thundercats and a few of the M.U.S.C.L.E. men over for tea and then send them
flying down the Ewok escape chute at your slightest whim.
What is it A Star Wars action-figure play set based on the Ewok Village from the movie Star
Wars: The Return of the Jedi.
When was it out First released in 1983.
Who made it Kenner
Who was it for Boys and girls ages five and up, and nerds of all ages.
Is it still around today Nope, but you’ll run into one occasionally on eBay or at a local garage
sale.
The Product
What exactly made the Ewok Village so desirable Was it the high price Not really. The Ewok
Village wasn’t anywhere near the house-mortgaging prices of the G.I. Joe Aircraft Carrier or the
Nintendo Entertainment system with R.O.B. In its day, the Ewok Village cost around $19.95,
which is probably equivalent to somewhere in the $50 price range today.
Was it simply the fact that it was affiliated with the Star Wars universe that made the Ewok Village
so desirable Not really. Most kids weren’t able to purchase every single Star Wars toy available
and yet almost every kid had the Ewok Village. Sure, we all had a few Luke Skywalkers or Darth
Vaders lying around, maybe a toy light sabre here or there, or the occasional figure carrying case in
the shape of C3PO’s head. But the sheer size of the Star Wars toy line made it nearly impossible for
every kid to own every Star Wars toy; yet, everyone owned the Ewok Village.
So what made the Ewok Village such a must have toy in the ‘80s Two things: its size and its
design. The size of a toy plays a huge part in its toy-store-attention-grabbing potential. Well, the
Ewok Village was the Trump Tower of toy-shelf real estate. It was massive and stood out like a
sore thumb among the rest of the Star Wars toys. Seeing that massive toy box on the shelves and
that parent-friendly price tag made it a nearly impossible deal to pass up. And why would you want
to The thing came with a plastic boulder, for crying out loud.
Regardless of the size of the Ewok Village, the toy itself was simply a well-designed product. The
Ewok Village stood about a foot off the ground, making for a sturdy, level surface on which to
stand up your action figures. For kids like myself who had carpeted bedrooms, a play set that acted
like a tabletop was extremely helpful if you wanted to get a figure standing up on its own.
Reproduced from ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ by Matthew Robinson and Jenson Karp, 2007 (HNA Books)
(1151-01)