The borrowed microphone
“He only wants everyone looking at him,” Mina whispered when Leo volunteered to speak at the meeting. He did straighten his jacket before taking the microphone, and he smiled when the front row applauded. But his first words were about the caretaker whose hours had been cut. He read three names from a folded sheet and asked each person to explain what the change meant. When the caretaker struggled to speak, Leo moved the microphone closer and stepped back. The chair thanked Leo for his contribution. He pointed towards the people beside him before returning to his seat.
Evaluate how far Leo’s behaviour supports Mina’s claim that he only wants attention. Use evidence from the passage.
40 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE English Language 3.1 Critical reading and comprehension, covering 3.1.1 Identify and interpret themes, ideas and information, 3.1.2 Read in different ways for different purposes, 3.1.3 Draw inferences and justify with evidence, 3.1.4 Support a point of view using textual evidence, 3.1.5 Identify bias and misuse of evidence, 3.1.6 Reflect critically and evaluatively using context, 3.1.7 Recognise different responses to a text, 3.1.8 Identify the main theme or themes, 3.1.9 Summarise ideas and information from a single text, 3.1.10 Synthesise from more than one text, 3.1.11 Explain how vocabulary and grammar create impact, 3.1.12 Analyse and evaluate form and structure, and 3.1.13 Compare texts critically. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.