A Walking Holiday In Costa Rica By Mary
A Walking Holiday in Costa Rica by Mary Novakovich – Answer Sheet
(a) Why were the writer and her companions visiting Costa Rica? [1]
The writer and her companions were visiting Costa Rica in order to write about their experiences of Costa Rica.
(b) What two reasons does the writer give for the sense of panic she refers to in paragraph one? [2]
The writer refers to the sense of panic by saying: “Scores of taxi drivers swarmed round us, making it difficult to find our gide who was to look after us during our walking holiday” and “but the lateness of the hour and the unfamiliar warmth of the night were having an unsettling effect.
(c) What do we learn about the writer’s feelings towards the spider from the phrase
‘deliciously creepy’? (line 23) [2]
The writer feels that the spider felt ‘deliciously creepy’. The use of an oxymoron is effective here as she us saying that it was creepy, but perhaps a good creepy.
(d) Which word in paragraph six tells you that the roads in Costa Rica were not in good condition?. [1]
‘potholed’
(e) Give three things from paragraph eight which the writer enjoyed about the Eco Termales Hot Springs resort. [3]
Soothing their aching muscles in the Hot Springs resort
Watching the bats swoop madly at dusk
A restaurant that served an extremely good version of the Costa Rican national dish – casado
(f) Explain, using your own words, how the scenery changed as they approached
Nicaragua. [2]
The scenery changed from being a chilled yet humid environment to a lifeless and scorched stretch of savannah with more volcanic mountains cascading in the distance.
(g) Explain, using your own words, what the writer means by:
(i) ‘my limited vocabulary’ (line 10) [2]
The reader says this because she doesn’t know much Spanish.
(ii) ‘our heads literally in the clouds’ (line 40) [2]
Shows the scene that the writer is in – high up.
(iii) ‘determined to stay hidden’ (line 50) [2]
(h) Re-read paragraphs three to seven. Choose three short
(a) Why were the writer and her companions visiting Costa Rica? [1]
The writer and her companions were visiting Costa Rica in order to write about their experiences of Costa Rica.
(b) What two reasons does the writer give for the sense of panic she refers to in paragraph one? [2]
The writer refers to the sense of panic by saying: “Scores of taxi drivers swarmed round us, making it difficult to find our gide who was to look after us during our walking holiday” and “but the lateness of the hour and the unfamiliar warmth of the night were having an unsettling effect.
(c) What do we learn about the writer’s feelings towards the spider from the phrase
‘deliciously creepy’? (line 23) [2]
The writer feels that the spider felt ‘deliciously creepy’. The use of an oxymoron is effective here as she us saying that it was creepy, but perhaps a good creepy.
(d) Which word in paragraph six tells you that the roads in Costa Rica were not in good condition?. [1]
‘potholed’
(e) Give three things from paragraph eight which the writer enjoyed about the Eco Termales Hot Springs resort. [3]
Soothing their aching muscles in the Hot Springs resort
Watching the bats swoop madly at dusk
A restaurant that served an extremely good version of the Costa Rican national dish – casado
(f) Explain, using your own words, how the scenery changed as they approached
Nicaragua. [2]
The scenery changed from being a chilled yet humid environment to a lifeless and scorched stretch of savannah with more volcanic mountains cascading in the distance.
(g) Explain, using your own words, what the writer means by:
(i) ‘my limited vocabulary’ (line 10) [2]
The reader says this because she doesn’t know much Spanish.
(ii) ‘our heads literally in the clouds’ (line 40) [2]
Shows the scene that the writer is in – high up.
(iii) ‘determined to stay hidden’ (line 50) [2]
(h) Re-read paragraphs three to seven. Choose three short