ExpertAQA GCSE · Question 04 · Writers' Viewpoints and Perspectives
SOURCE TEXT:
Source A: An extract from a fictional 19th-century memoir, 'Descent into the Void' by Joseph Simpson.
The glacier stretched below us, a vast, frozen river descending into the cloud-choked valley. We had been on this unforgiving peak for what felt like an eternity, but was in fact our fifth day. The relief of finally heading down was tangible, a stark contrast to the despair that had gripped us on the ice cliff yesterday. Base camp was a daunting 3,500 feet below, a distance that seemed to mock our slow, painful progress.
Simon moved ahead, his silhouette a dark, determined shape against the blinding white. He was a machine, methodical and silent, his focus absolute. He never spoke of the cold that gnawed at our bones, nor the exhaustion that screamed in every muscle. His silence was a fortress, one I could shelter behind but never truly enter. He was not a companion in the conventional sense; he was a lifeline, a grim guarantor of survival.
Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over me. The white expanse spun, the jagged peaks tilting at an insane angle. A blackness crept at the edge of my vision, a creeping void threatening to swallow me whole. I felt an overwhelming, primal urge to simply lie down, to surrender to the cold, peaceful oblivion. It was a siren’s call, seductive and deadly.
Source B: An extract from a modern travel blog, 'Not Quite Conquering Snowdon, But The Pub Was Nice!' by Chloe Green.
So, Marius, my ever-optimistic partner-in-crime, had declared that we were “conquering Snowdon.” I had visions of epic vistas and a triumphant selfie at the summit. The reality involved more rain than I thought was possible outside of a car wash, and a wind that seemed personally offended by my new waterproof jacket.
“Isn’t this amazing?” Marius yelled over the gale, his face beaming. He looked like a ridiculously happy Labrador that had just discovered mud. I, on the other hand, felt more like a grumpy cat that had been unexpectedly dunked in a bath. He bounded from rock to rock, pointing out things he’d read in the guidebook. His relentless cheerfulness was, I have to admit, infectious.
Later, huddled in a mountain café halfway up, nursing a hot chocolate that felt like the elixir of life, I had to laugh. My hair was a mess, my boots were squelching, and we were nowhere near the summit. But Marius was recounting his sheep-serenading adventure to a group of bemused German hikers, and his laughter echoed around the little room. It wasn’t the epic conquest I’d imagined, but it was our adventure. And honestly, it was better.
QUESTIONS:
For this question, you need to refer to the whole of Source A, together with the whole of Source B.
Compare how the writers convey their different feelings and perspectives on their adventures in the mountains.
In your answer, you could:
• compare their different feelings and perspectives on their adventures
• compare the methods the writers use to convey their feelings and perspectives
• support your response with references to both texts.
SOURCE TEXT:
Source A: An extract from a fictional 19th-century memoir, 'Descent into the Void' by Joseph Simpson.
The glacier stretched below us, a vast, frozen river descending into the cloud-choked valley. We had been on this unforgiving peak for what felt like an eternity, but was in fact our fifth day. The relief of finally heading down was tangible, a stark contrast to the despair that had gripped us on the ice cliff yesterday. Base camp was a daunting 3,500 feet below, a distance that seemed to mock our slow, painful progress.
Simon moved ahead, his silhouette a dark, determined shape against the blinding white. He was a machine, methodical and silent, his focus absolute. He never spoke of the cold that gnawed at our bones, nor the exhaustion that screamed in every muscle. His silence was a fortress, one I could shelter behind but never truly enter. He was not a companion in the conventional sense; he was a lifeline, a grim guarantor of survival.
Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over me. The white expanse spun, the jagged peaks tilting at an insane angle. A blackness crept at the edge of my vision, a creeping void threatening to swallow me whole. I felt an overwhelming, primal urge to simply lie down, to surrender to the cold, peaceful oblivion. It was a siren’s call, seductive and deadly.
Source B: An extract from a modern travel blog, 'Not Quite Conquering Snowdon, But The Pub Was Nice!' by Chloe Green.
So, Marius, my ever-optimistic partner-in-crime, had declared that we were “conquering Snowdon.” I had visions of epic vistas and a triumphant selfie at the summit. The reality involved more rain than I thought was possible outside of a car wash, and a wind that seemed personally offended by my new waterproof jacket.
“Isn’t this amazing?” Marius yelled over the gale, his face beaming. He looked like a ridiculously happy Labrador that had just discovered mud. I, on the other hand, felt more like a grumpy cat that had been unexpectedly dunked in a bath. He bounded from rock to rock, pointing out things he’d read in the guidebook. His relentless cheerfulness was, I have to admit, infectious.
Later, huddled in a mountain café halfway up, nursing a hot chocolate that felt like the elixir of life, I had to laugh. My hair was a mess, my boots were squelching, and we were nowhere near the summit. But Marius was recounting his sheep-serenading adventure to a group of bemused German hikers, and his laughter echoed around the little room. It wasn’t the epic conquest I’d imagined, but it was our adventure. And honestly, it was better.
QUESTIONS:
For this question, you need to refer to the whole of Source A, together with the whole of Source B.
Compare how the writers convey their different feelings and perspectives on their adventures in the mountains.
In your answer, you could:
• compare their different feelings and perspectives on their adventures
• compare the methods the writers use to convey their feelings and perspectives
• support your response with references to both texts.
How to approach this question
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