Practice Paper 1 Questions

Hello all,

I've got some questions for the novel openings I gave you today. I haven't included all four questions for all four texts, but have focused on the ones that work best. Here they are:

'Fahrenheit 451' - Ray Bradbury
This extract is the opening to Ray Bradbury's dystopian classic, in which a 'fireman' (whose job is to burn books, which are now illegal) called Guy Montag starts to question the laws that he is employed to enforce.

2) In paragraph 2, how does the writer use language to describe the burning of the books and house?

3) How has the writer structured the text to interest you as a reader? (whole source)

4) Now refer to the first half of the extract, up to 'the concrete floor downstairs.'

A student, having read this section of the text, said: 'Montag seems too confident and too good at his job at the start of the novel. You can tell that the writer doesn't approve and is going to teach him a lesson.'

 To what extent do you agree? 


'Slaughterhouse Five' - Kurt Vonnegut
This extract is from the start of Vonnegut's anti-war novel, Slaughterhouse Five. At the start, Vonnegut addresses the reader directly, telling us about what inspired him to write the book. Later, the novel develops into a surreal story of Billy Pilgrim, a man who leaps around at random to different moments in his own lifetime.

1) List four things from paragraphs 1-3 which are real incidents from the author's life.

3) How has the writer structured the text to interest you as a reader? (whole source)

4) Now refer to the second half of the extract, from  'But not many words...'

A student, having read this section of the text, said: 'Although this is obviously an anti-war novel, you can tell that this is going to be an unusual one, a surreal one, an one with a dark sense of humour.'

 To what extent do you agree? 


'I am Legend' - Richard Matheson
This extract is from the opening to Matheson's 1954 science-fiction horror novel (about a world infested with vampires) I am Legend.

1) Look at the first three paragraphs on the right hand side of the page.
    List four things that Robert Neville keeps in his bedroom.

3) How has the writer structured the text to interest you as a reader? (whole source)

4) Now refer to the first half of the extract (all of the left-hand side of the page).

A student, having read this section of the text, said: 'Without mentioning a particular enemy, never mind vampires, Matheson has successfully established a gothic tone within the first page of the book.'

 To what extent do you agree? 


Feel free to have a go at creating your own questions for the final text.


Mr M