Text A: an original contemporary rehearsal-account practice extract.

During the first rehearsals for a school play, numbered cards marked the actors’ positions on the stage. Each actor also carried a small card showing the opening words of the next line. These aids helped the cast remember the order of the scene while they were still learning it.

At the fourth rehearsal, the director covered the numbers and asked the actors to put their cue cards aside. They found their positions, remembered when to speak and completed the scene without stopping. The director removed the aids from later rehearsals but kept them in a folder for any understudy joining the production.

Text B: an original contemporary cookery-course practice extract.

At the beginning of a cookery course, the tutor placed the ingredients in numbered bowls and presented each instruction on a separate card. This helped the learners follow the correct sequence before they were confident about measuring ingredients or organising the task themselves.

After several sessions, the tutor gave the group one complete recipe and asked them to collect and weigh what they needed. They divided the jobs, followed the method and finished the dish on time. Numbered bowls were no longer prepared for the regular group, although the tutor continued to use them during the first session attended by new learners.