RI H2 Literature 9509 P1 Prelim 2022

2022 H2 P1 RI LIT PRELIM 9509/01/22 [Turn over RAFFLES INSTITUTION 2022 YEAR 6 PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION HIGHER 2 LITERATURE IN ENGLISH 9509/01 Paper 1 Reading Literature Tuesday 13 September 2022 3 hours 1330-1630 No Additional Materials are required. Set texts may be taken into the examination room. They may bear underlining or highlighting. Any kind of folding or flagging of papers in texts (e.g. use of post-its, tape flags or paper clips) is not permitted. READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST Writing paper will be provided. If you need additional paper ask the invigilator. Write your name and CT group on all the work you hand in. Answer three questions: one question from Section A, one question from Section B, and one question from Section C. You are reminded of the need for good English and clear presentation in your answers. At the end of the examination tie your answer sheets to each section securely. Hand in your answers separately. All questions in this paper carry equal marks. This document consists of 9 printed pages and 1 blank page.

2 ©RI 2022 H2 P1 RI LIT PRELIM 9509/01/22 Section A 1 Either (a) Write a critical comparison of the following poems, considering in detail ways in which language, style and form contribute to each poet’s portrayal of the parent-child relationship. A FOR A FIVE-YEAR-OLD A snail is climbing up the window-sill into your room, after a night of rain. You call me in to see and I explain that it would be unkind to leave it there: it might crawl to the floor; we must take care that no one squashes it. You understand, and carry it outside, with careful hand, to eat a daffodil. I see, then, that a kind of faith prevails: your gentleness is moulded still by words from me, who have trapped mice and shot wild birds, from me, who drowned your kittens, who betrayed your closest relatives and who purveyed the harshest kind of truth to many another. But that is how things are: I am your mother, And we are kind to snails. 5 10 15 Fleur Adcock (born 1934) B LITTLE BOY CRYING Your mouth contorting in brief spite and hurt, your laughter metamorphosed into howls, your frame so recently relaxed now tight with three year old frustration, your bright eyes swimming tears, splashing your bare feet, you stand there angling for a moment’s hint of guilt or sorrow for the quick slap struck. The ogre towers above you, that grim giant, empty of feeling, a colossal cruel, soon victim of the tale’s conclusion, dead at last. You hate him, you imagine chopping clean the tree he’s scrambling down or plotting deeper pits to trap him in. You cannot understand, not yet, the hurt your easy tears can scald him with, nor guess the wavering hidden behind that mask. This fierce man longs to lift you, curb your sadness with piggy-back or bull fight, anything, but dare not ruin the lessons you should learn. You must not make a plaything of the rain. 5 10 15 20 Mervyn Morris (born 1937)

3 ©RI 2022 H2 P1 RI LIT PRELIM 9509/01/22 Or (b) Write a critical comparison of the following poems, considering in detail ways in which language, style and form contribute to each poet’s portrayal of interpersonal tensions. A A POISON TREE I was angry with my friend I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow. And I watered it in fears, Night and morning with my tears: And I sunned it with smiles, And with soft deceitful wiles. And it grew both day and night. Till it bore an apple bright. And my foe beheld it shine, And he knew that it was mine. And into my garden stole, When the night had veiled the pole; In the morning glad I see; My foe outstretched beneath the tree. 5 10 15 William Blake (1757–1827) B OFFERINGS I came to you at sunrise With silvery dew on sleeping lotus Sparkling in my gay hands; You put my flowers in the sun. I danced to you at midday With bright raintree blooms Flaming in my arms; You dropped my blossoms in the pond. I crept to you at sunset With pale lilac orchids Trembling on my uncertain lips; You shredded my petals in the sand. I strode to you at midnight With gravel hard and cold Clenched in my bitter fists; You offered me your hybrid orchids, And I crushed them in my despair. 5 10 15 Hilary Tham (1946–2005) [Turn over

4 ©RI 2022 H2 P1 RI LIT PRELIM 9509/01/22 JANE AUSTEN: Pride and Prejudice 2 Either (a) ‘The importance of money in Pride and Prejudice often renders women to be seen as little more than commodities.’ Discuss Jane Austen’s portrayal of marriage in the light of this quotation.… Or (b) Write a critical appreciation of the following passage, relating it to the portrayal of Lydia, here and elsewhere in the novel. Their visitors were not to remain above ten days with them. Mr. Wickham had received his commission before he left London, and he was to join his regiment at the end of a fortnight. No one but Mrs. Bennet, regretted that their stay would be so short; and she made the most of the time, by visiting about with her daughter, and having very frequent parties at home. These parties were acceptable to all; to avoid a family circle was even more desirable to such as did think, than such as did not. Wickham’s affection for Lydia, was just what Elizabeth had expected to find it; not equal to Lydia’s for him. She had scarcely needed her present observation to be satisfied, from the reason of things, that their elopement had been brought on by the strength of her love, rather than by his; and she would have wondered why, without violently caring for her, he chose to elope with her at all had she not felt certain that his flight was rendered necessary by distress of circumstances; and if that were the case, he was not the young man to resist an opportunity of having a companion. Lydia was exceedingly fond of him. He was her dear Wickham on every occasion; no one was to be put in competition with him. He did every thing best in the world; and she was sure he would kill more birds on the first of September, than any body else in the country. One morning, soon after their arrival, as she was sitting with her two elder sisters, she said to Elizabeth, “Lizzy, I never gave you an account of my wedding, I believe. You were not by, when I told mamma, and the others, all about it. Are not you curious to hear how it was managed?” “No really,” replied Elizabeth; “I think there cannot be too little said on the subject.” “La! You are so strange! But I must tell you how it went off. We were married you know, at St. Clement’s, because Wickham’s lodgings were in that parish. And it was settled that we should all be there by eleven o’clock. My uncle and aunt and I were to go together; and the others were to meet us at the church. Well, Monday morning came, and I was in such a fuss! I was so afraid you know that something would happen to put it off, and then I should have gone quite distracted. And there was my aunt, all the time I was dressing, preaching and talking away just as if she was reading a sermon. However, I did not hear above one word in ten, for I was thinking, you may suppose, of my dear Wickham. I longed to know whether he would be married in his blue coat. “Well,