Question 25
IGCSE_MODEL_QUESTIONS_VOL1
•
2017
•
ENGLISH_LANGUAGE
•
objective
Read the following excerpt and answer the question that follows.
"The wind howled through the cracked windows, rattling the old shutters as if they were desperate to escape. Inside, the candle flame flickered, casting trembling shadows on the walls. Each creak of the floorboards sounded like a warning, and the ticking clock seemed to count down the seconds of an unseen threat."
Identify two language techniques the writer uses to create tension and explain how each technique contributes to the overall feeling of unease.
Answer Options
A.
1. Simile - The shutters are described as "as desperate as a trapped bird", which heightens the sense of panic.\n2. Irony - The calm candle flame contrasts sharply with the chaotic sounds, creating a bitter irony that unsettles the reader.
B.
1. Alliteration - The repeated "c" sounds in "cracked", "candle", and "creak" create a rhythmic pattern that builds suspense.\n2. Hyperbole - Phrases such as "the ticking clock seemed to count down the seconds of an unseen threat" exaggerate the danger, heightening the feeling of unease.
C.
1. Metaphor - The wind is called a "howling beast", suggesting a looming danger. By comparing the wind to a creature, the writer intensifies the threat.\n2. Symbolism - The cracked windows are presented as symbols of broken safety, implying that the setting itself is unstable and adding to the tension.
Correct Answer
D.
1. Personification - The wind is described as "howling" and the shutters as "desperate to escape". By giving the wind and shutters human emotions, the writer makes the environment feel alive and hostile, suggesting that even inanimate objects are reacting to danger, which heightens the sense of impending threat.\n2. Auditory imagery (onomatopoeia and sound description) - Phrases such as "rattling", "creak" and "ticking" draw the reader's attention to unsettling sounds. The repetitive, sharp noises mimic a heartbeat that quickens under stress, and the ticking clock implies a countdown, both of which amplify the feeling of unease and anticipation.
Correct Answer
D
Correct Option:
1. Personification - The wind is described as "howling" and the shutters as "desperate to escape". By giving the wind and shutters human emotions, the writer makes the environment feel alive and hostile, suggesting that even inanimate objects are reacting to danger, which heightens the sense of impending threat.\n2. Auditory imagery (onomatopoeia and sound description) - Phrases such as "rattling", "creak" and "ticking" draw the reader's attention to unsettling sounds. The repetitive, sharp noises mimic a heartbeat that quickens under stress, and the ticking clock implies a countdown, both of which amplify the feeling of unease and anticipation.
About This Question
This is
Igcse Model Questions Vol1
2017
English Language
Question 25.
It is one of the
objective
questions from the
2017
Igcse Model Questions Vol1
English Language
examination.
Difficulty level:
Hard
.