The race
At the final bend, Niamh could see three runners ahead. She had saved enough energy to catch at least one. Then the runner nearest her stumbled and stayed on the track, clutching an ankle. The crowd continued to shout the names of the leaders. Niamh slowed. A whole season of early mornings seemed to move past her as the fourth runner overtook her. She crouched beside the fallen athlete. When the cheering rose again, she could no longer tell whom it was for.
How many runners were ahead initially, and what did the fallen runner clutch?
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.