Text A: an original contemporary personal account.
Our choir was halfway through a lunchtime rehearsal when the fire alarm sounded. We stopped singing and followed our teacher to the playground, leaving our music folders open on the chairs. The cold made some pupils impatient, but our teacher checked the register carefully before anyone was allowed to return.
Once the all-clear was given, we went back into the hall and collected the folders that had fallen onto the floor. The rehearsal continued, although there was no longer enough time to practise the final song.
Text B: an original contemporary report-style extract.
A Saturday pottery class was interrupted when the community centre's fire alarm began ringing. The tutor asked everyone to leave their brushes and unfinished bowls on the tables and walk to the car park. A member of staff used the class booking list to check that the whole group had left the building.
After the alarm had been investigated, the class returned to the studio and the tutor helped people find their work. Painting continued, but the planned demonstration of glazing techniques was postponed until the following week.
In what ways do the fire alarms have similar effects in these extracts? Support each point by referring to both texts.
834 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE English Language 2.3 Content: non-fiction study and transactional text types, covering 2.3.9 Write an article, 2.3.10 Write a letter, 2.3.11 Write a review, 2.3.12 Write a text for a speech, and 2.3.13 Write a section for a guide, textbook, leaflet or booklet. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.