The inspector pressed a finger against the mortar between the stones of the old boundary wall. It crumbled readily, leaving grit on her glove, and looked pale and powdery in the morning light. She marked the weakest section for repair. The wall had stood for decades, but its joints were no longer holding the stones firmly together.
From the passage, select two words or phrases that show the mortar in the wall has weakened.
129 exam-style questions on Edexcel A IGCSE English Language 1.2.2 Reading challenging non-fiction in preparation for the unseen text. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.