PAPER 1 • READING
2 hours • 50 marks. Build comprehension, inference, language analysis, summary and short-response skills.
Explicit information is directly stated. Implicit meaning must be inferred from clues, tone, behaviour or context.
Mini practice: “Maya checked the clock for the fourth time and drummed her fingers on the desk.” What is implied?
Ask three things: what word or image is used, what it suggests, and what effect that creates for the reader. Avoid merely repeating the quotation.
Example: “The wind clawed at the shutters.” The verb “clawed” personifies the wind as aggressive and threatening, making the setting feel unsafe.
Select only points relevant to the task, remove examples and repetition, combine related ideas, and write continuous prose. In the syllabus, the summary response is no more than 150 words.
Use evidence from the passage to explain implicit meaning and attitude. Focus on what the text suggests rather than inventing information outside it.