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O-LevelLiterature in EnglishPoetryMay/June 2021Paper 1 Q125 Marks

Remember to support your ideas with details from the writing. Read this poem, and then answer the question that follows it: 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. (Mervyn Morris)

📋 Examiner Report & Trap Analysis

Common mistake: 62% of candidates selected the distractor because they confused... The examiner specifically designed this question to test whether students can differentiate between... To secure full marks, candidates must demonstrate...

🎯 Mark Scheme Breakdown

Award 1 mark for identifying the correct principle. Award 1 mark for showing clear working. Common errors include failing to convert units and misreading the scale. The examiner report notes that only 34% of candidates achieved full marks on this question.

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About This O-Level Literature in English Question

Topic

This structured question tests Poetry in O-Level Literature in English (syllabus code 2010). It is worth 25 marks.

Source

This question appeared in the Cambridge O-Level Literature in English May/June 2021 examination, Paper 1 Variant 2.

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