The new sign
An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.
The new sign gleamed above the doorway. Mr Mason had painted each letter himself, working after supper until the oil in the lamp ran low. At nine, he turned the key and folded the shutters back. Sunlight touched the empty counter. He arranged the biscuits again, though they already stood in a perfect row.
By noon, seven people had passed the window and none had entered. He began counting only those who slowed their steps, then only those who looked at the sign. At one, a child came in to ask the way to the church. Mr Mason gave careful directions. When the door closed, he left the biscuits exactly where they were and sat behind the counter.
Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to present Mr Mason’s disappointment with his shop opening. Support your answer with references to the passage.
120 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE English Language 1.3 Content: prose fiction study requirements, covering 1.3.1 Read challenging prose fiction for the unseen 19th-century extract. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.