English Literature Higher Paper Unit 1 Exploring Modern Texts – Questions
(updated March 2016)
An Inspector Calls
June 2011
An Inspector Calls has been called ‘a play of contrasts’.
Write about how Priestley presents some of the contrasts in the play
Or
How does Priestley present the change in Sheila during the course of the play An Inspector
Calls? How do you think this change reflects some of Priestley’s ideas?
January 2012
Arthur Birling says, ‘If we were all responsible for everything that happened to everybody
we’d had anything to do with, it would be very awkward, wouldn’t it?’
How does Priestley present ideas about responsibility in An Inspector Calls?
Or
How do you respond to Gerald in An Inspector Calls? How does Priestley make you respond
as you do by the way he writes?
June 2012
What do you think is the importance of Inspector Goole and how does Priestley present
him?
Or
You are given an extract on stage directions
In the rest of the play, how does Priestley present and develop some of the ideas here?
January 2013
In Act 2 of An Inspector Calls, Sheila says to her mother, Mrs. Birling, ‘But we really must
stop these pretences’
How does Priestley show, in his presentation of Mrs. Birling, that she often pretends to be
something she is not?
Or
How important do you think social class is in An Inspector Calls and how does Priestley
present ideas about social class?
June 2013
Remind yourself of the ending of the play from ‘The telephone rings sharply……’ to ‘……..the
curtain falls’.
How do you respond to this as an ending to An Inspector Calls and how does Priestley make
you respond as you do by the way he write?
Or
In the opening stage directions, Priestley refers to Eric as ‘not quite at ease, half shy, half
assertive.’
How does Priestley present these and other ideas about Eric in An Inspector Calls?
June 2014
How does Priestley present ideas about gender in An Inspector Calls?
Or
What do you think is the importance of Eva Smith in An Inspector Calls and how does
Priestley present her?
June 2015
Arthur Birling describes himself as ‘a hard-headed, practical man of business’. How does
Priestley present this and other views of Arthur Birling in An Inspector Calls?
Or
How does Priestley present ideas about inequality in An Inspector Call?
Advice on ‘An Inspector Calls’
Predicting theme or character questions is a dangerous game but knowing what has been
asked about previously and what hasn’t, it does allow for a focussing of revision.
None of the themes/characters in 2014 will be covered again in June 2015, however you
may need to refer to them in reference to another theme or character.
Characters Covered by Questions so far:
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Arthur Birling – June 2015 (Exceptionally unlikely)
Eva Smith – June 2014 (Very unlikely)
Eric Birling – June 2013 (Unlikely)
Mrs Birling – January 2013 (Maybe but more likely Unlikely)
Inspector Goole June 2012 (Maybe)
Gerald Croft – January 2012 (Definitely Maybe)
Sheila Birling – June 2011 (Definite Maybe)
Has been some time since Sheila and Gerald were asked about so might be worth a closer
look for 2016
Themes Covered by Questions so far:
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Inequality – June 2015 (Exceptionally unlikely)
Gender – June 2014 (Very unlikely)
Play Ending – June 2013 (Very Unlikely)
Social Class – January 2013 (Maybe but in a different way)
Stage Directions – June 2012 (Possible but looking at different ones in the play)
Responsibility – January 2012 (more likely but not using the same word)
Contrasts – June 2011 ( Think differences and attitudes and there is a strong potential)
More problematic to predict a focus but attitudes between young and old is a possibility for
a theme. The beginning of the play as an opening is a potential as are any other lengthy
stage directions.
This is a useful site to refer to: http://www.litcharts.com/lit/an-inspectorcalls/quotes#theme-wealth-power-and-influence follow the link and then download the
PDF, you have to insert an email address but 12 pages of themes, characters and quotes on
each theme!
Also the PDF is on the School Website revision website.
Of Mice and Men
June 11
Answer A and B - You are given an extract
Part A - How do the details in this passage add to your understanding of George and his
relationship with Lennie?
and
Part B - How does Steinbeck use their relationship in the novel as a whole to convey ideas
about America in the 1930s?
January 2012
Answer A and B - You are given an extract
Part A - How does Steinbeck use details in this passage to present the bunkhouse and its
inhabitants?
and
Part B – In the rest of the novel, how does Steinbeck present the lives of ranch workers at
that time?
June 2012
Answer A and B - You are given an extract
Part A - In this passage, what methods does Steinbeck use to present Curley’s wife and the
attitudes of others to her? Refer closely to the passage in your answer.
and
How does Steinbeck present attitudes to women in the society in which the novel is set?
January 2013
Answer A and B – you are given an extract
Part A – in this passage, how does Steinbeck present Crooks? Refer closely to the passage in
your answer.
and
In the rest of the novel how does Steinbeck use Crooks to present attitudes to black people
at the time the novel is set?
June 2013
Answer A and B – You are given an extract
Part A – In this passage, how does Steinbeck present Slim? Refer closely to the passage in
your answer
and
Part B – In the rest of the novel, how does Steinbeck show that some people on the ranch
are considered more important than others? How does this reflect the society in which the
novel is set?
June 2014
Answer A and B – You are given an extract
Part A – In this passage, how does Steinbeck introduce the relationship between George
and Lennie? Refer closely to details from the passage in your response.
and
In the rest of the novel, how does Steinbeck present ideas about relationships on a ranch at
the time the novel is set?
June 2015
Answer A and B – You are given an extract from “Lennie’s big fingers fell to stroking her hair
………to ………..He pawed up the hay until partly covered her”
Part A - In this passage, how does Steinbeck present the death of Curly’s wife? Refer closely
to the passage in your answer.
and
In the rest of the novel, how does Steinbeck present the brutality of life on a ranch at the
time the novel is set?
Advice
Remember you have to answer Parts A AND B!!!!
Predicting theme or character questions is a dangerous game but knowing what has been
asked about previously and what hasn’t, it does allow for a focussing of revision.
None of the themes/characters in 2014 will be covered again in June 2015, however you
may need to refer to them in reference to another theme or character.
Characters Covered by Questions so far:

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
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No single character – June 2015
No single character – June 2014
Slim – June 2013 (Very Unlikely)
Crooks – January 2013 (Unlikely)
Curly’s Wife - June 2012 (Maybe but more likely Unlikely)
No specific character – January 2012
No single character – June 2011
In 2014, a question was asked about George and Lennie’s relationship but not about their
individual characters so each one might be worth an individual focus for revision. Candy
and Curly have not been asked about at all so far. There are minor characters such as
Carlson and Whit but they would only ever be included in a general thematic question.
Themes Covered by Questions so far:
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
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Brutality of ranch life (B) – June 2015 (exceptionally unlikely)
Relationships on the ranch (B)– June 2014 (Very unlikely)
Importance of some people on ranch over others (B) – June 2013 ( Unlikely)
Attitudes to black people (B) – January 2013 (unlikely)
Attitudes to women (B) – June 2012 (maybe)
Presentation of bunkhouse and inhabitants (A) and lives of ranchers (B) – January 2012
Relationship between George and Lennie (A) and relationship use to convey ideas about
America in 1930s (B) – June 2011
The odds are against any question on George and Lennie’s relationship as it has been asked
twice (2011 and 2014). The issue of the American Dream has not been asked directly
(reference in 2011) so Dreams and what they mean to the main characters has potential.
Prejudice as a general theme has yet to appear and would include racism (crooks), sexism
(Curly’s Wife) and Ageism (Candy). Strong and Weak characters again has potential. An old
favourite is the description of the glade at the beginning and end of the book as is the
description of Crooks’ room. The killing of Lennie and/or Candy’s dog and the symbolism
throughout the novel has been done on different syllabus.
2015 covered Curly’s wife’s death and obviously there are links elsewhere on this question
in terms of the dead mouse at the beginning of the novel. This will not come again in 2016
but the reverse could with the dead mouse section but the odds are against.
This is a useful site to refer to: http://www.litcharts.com/lit/of-mice-and-men follow the
link and then download the PDF, you have to insert an email address but 7 pages of themes,
characters and quotes on each theme!
Also the PDF is on the School Website revision website.