Text 1: A morning at Greyford Lock, by Nia Morgan
An original contemporary online feature.
The first boat reaches Greyford Lock just after eight. Volunteer lock keeper Tom Rees closes the gate behind it, then opens the sluice slowly. As the water rises, he keeps one hand on the rail and watches the boat’s ropes so they do not snag.
Tom has been helping at the canal for three summers. He shows new volunteers how to check that the paddles are fully lowered before a gate is moved, and where to find the tools kept beside the lock.
Between boats, there is plenty to do. Tom removes twigs caught near the gates, checks the path for loose stones and notes the water level in a small record book. When the boat is level with the next stretch, he opens the far gates and waits for it to pass through before closing them again.
‘You need patience,’ he says. ‘Rushing the water or the boat doesn’t help anyone.’
Text 2: The canal lock and its keeper, by A Correspondent
An original newspaper report written in a nineteenth-century voice; a period simulation, not an archival document.
In this newspaper report from 1884, a journalist describes the duties of a lock keeper on a busy canal.
At the arrival of a laden barge, the keeper first secures the gates at the lower end of the lock. He then raises the paddles to admit the water, taking care that the vessel lies clear of the masonry and that its ropes remain in hand.
When the water has reached the level of the upper canal, the keeper lowers the paddles and draws open the great gates. The barge proceeds, and the gates are shut again without delay so that the water may be saved for the next passage.
The keeper is also charged with maintaining the banks and the approaches to the lock. He removes branches that obstruct the channel, examines the gates for damage and reports any defect to the canal office. In the evening he enters the day’s passages in his book.
Much depends upon his care: a careless opening may put a vessel in danger, while a sound gate keeps the canal’s water where it is needed.
Explain briefly, drawing on both accounts and identifying each text, the duties performed by the lock keepers.
123 exam-style questions on Eduqas GCSE English Language 2.3 Summary and synthesis, covering 2.3.3 Synthesising from more than one text. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.