Question 4 • Focus this part of your answer from line 1 - 28. • A student, having read this section of the text said: “Watson is clearly impressed by Mary Morstan’s character which in turn leads us into feeling the same way about her.” To what extent

Miss Morstan entered the room with a firm step and an outward composure of manner. She was a blonde young lady, small, dainty, well gloved, and dressed in the most perfect taste. There was, however, a plainness and simplicity about her costume which bore with it a suggestion of limited means. The dress was a sombre grayish beige, untrimmed and unbraided, and she wore a small turban of the same dull hue, relieved only by a suspicion of white feather in the side. Her face had neither regularity of feature nor beauty of complexion, but her expression was sweet and amiable, and her large blue eyes were singularly spiritual and sympathetic. In an experience of women which extends over many nations and three separate continents, I have never looked upon a face which gave a clearer promise of a refined and sensitive nature. I could not but observe that as she took the seat which Sherlock Holmes placed for her, her lip trembled, her hand quivered, and she showed every sign of intense inward agitation. (12)

  "I have come to you, Mr. Holmes," she said, "because you once enabled my employer, Mrs. Cecil Forrester, to unravel a little domestic complication. She was much impressed by your kindness and skill."

  "Mrs. Cecil Forrester," he repeated thoughtfully. "I believe that I was of some slight service to her. The case, however, as I remember it, was a very simple one."

  "She did not think so. But at least you cannot say the same of mine. I can hardly imagine anything more strange, more utterly inexplicable, than the situation in which I find myself."    

 Holmes rubbed his hands, and his eyes glistened. He leaned forward in his chair with an expression of extraordinary concentration upon his clear-cut, hawk like features. "State your case," said he, in brisk, business tones.

  I felt that my position was an embarrassing one. "You will, I am sure, excuse me," I said, rising from my chair. (24)

  To my surprise, the young lady held up her gloved hand to detain me. "If your friend," she said, "would be good enough to stop, he might be of inestimable service to me."

I relapsed into my chair.

  "Briefly," she continued, "the facts are these. My father was an officer in an Indian regiment who sent me home when I was quite a child. My mother was dead, and I had no relative in England. I was placed, however, in a comfortable boarding establishment at Edinburgh, and there I remained until I was seventeen years of age. In the year 1878 my father, who was senior captain of his regiment, obtained twelve months' leave and came home. He telegraphed to me from London that he had arrived all safe, and directed me to come down at once, giving the Langham Hotel as his address. His message, as I remember, was full of kindness and love. On reaching London I drove to the Langham, and was

Question 1

· Read again the first part of the extract from lines 1 to 12.

· List four things from this part of the text about Miss Morstan.

Use quotes, paraphrase or infer ideas [4 marks]

Question 2

How does the writer use language here to describe Sherlock?

You could include the writer’s choice of:

· words and phrases

· language features and techniques

· sentence forms.

Write at least three paragraphs [8 marks]

Hints and tips for question 2

· comment on powerful words that create an impression of Sherlock Holmes.

· Label the word class, for example:

· Leaping – verb

· Love – abstract noun

· Gracefully – adverb

Question 3

· You now need to think about the whole of the extract.

· This text is from the Chapter two of the novel.

How has the writer structured the text to interest you as a reader?

You could write about:

· What the writer focuses your attention on at the beginning

· How and why the writer changes this focus as the Source develops

· Any other structural features that interest you.

Write three paragraphs [8 marks]

Question 4

· Focus this part of your answer from line 1 - 28.

· A student, having read this section of the text said: “Watson is clearly impressed by Mary Morstan’s character which in turn leads us into feeling the same way about her.”

To what extent do you agree?

In your response, you could:

· write about your own impressions of this female character.

· Evaluate how the writer has created these impressions.

· support your opinions with references to the text.

[20 marks]