I had copied the operating sequence on to a card and tested myself on it each evening. From the platform, the signal cabin looked too small to contain anything complicated. Inside, a close row of tall levers filled one side of the room, and some of their labels had been rubbed pale by years of use. ‘The next arrival is yours,’ the instructor said.
At once, the card seemed to hold instructions written for someone more experienced. When the train appeared as a speck beyond the bridge, I read the first line three times and still could not make it settle in my mind. The instructor did not repeat the sequence. She moved away from the controls and waited beside me.
I followed the numbers on the card to the labels, speaking each step quietly. Then I folded the card, set my hand on the first lever and looked towards the instructor. Only when she returned my look and nodded did I begin.
In your own words, explain how the writer's thoughts and feelings change as the next train approaches.
Explain what the writer's final actions suggest about how they are likely to respond if they become uncertain during the task.
103 exam-style questions on Edexcel A IGCSE English Language 1.2.4 Skills of interpretation and analysis. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.