A ferry used in different ways
Both texts are newly written practice sources about invented people, places or projects.
Text One: An original report on an invented ferry passenger questionnaire.
The operator asked twenty passengers why they were making their crossing. Each could choose more than one reason, since enjoying the view did not prevent a journey from having a practical purpose.
| Reason selected | Number of respondents selecting it |
|---|---|
| Connecting with work, shops or another service | 11 |
| Seeing the harbour from the water | 7 |
| Meeting someone at the other landing | 5 |
The three figures were not separate groups to be added into a larger passenger total. Some people had selected two reasons. The questionnaire recorded twenty people, not twenty-three different journeys.
Comments also identified different expectations. A passenger with an onward appointment wanted changes to departure times made clear; someone planning a waterside visit asked about the final return. Several valued sheltered seats, including people who also liked the open-deck view. The report kept these overlapping needs visible rather than assigning each person one permanent type. It described the twenty responses as a small part of the service's use, not a count of every passenger that week.
Text Two: An original report about a different invented harbour ferry.
The ferry's survey asked passengers the purpose of their journey as well as their destination. Some were making a waterside visit; others were connecting with shops, work or another form of transport. The same landing therefore served different plans.
Passengers' comments showed why timetable information mattered beyond the crossing itself. An unfamiliar visitor needed a clear last-return time, while a regular traveller wanted to know how a changed departure would affect an onward connection. The operator began displaying changes at both landings rather than only at the main ticket office.
The survey also distinguished enjoyment of a view from the whole service. Sheltered seating mattered to people who did not want to remain outside. The report did not rank sightseeing above ordinary journeys. It described a boat that was both an experience and a link between places, sometimes for the same person on different parts of a day.
Synthesise what you learn from both texts about passengers' different uses and expectations of a harbour ferry.
382 exam-style questions on WJEC GCSE English Language 3.1.3 Short and extended response question types. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.