The Crossing
The ferry lurched violently as the waves crashed against its sides.
Passengers clung to the rails, their faces pale with fear. Among them was
Daniel, who had never travelled by sea before. He tried to act calm, but
his trembling hands betrayed him. Outside, the sky darkened, and the
wind howled through the gaps in the deck. Suddenly, a loud crack echoed
as a rope snapped, sending a sail whipping loose. A crew member rushed
to secure it, shouting orders that were almost drowned out by the roar of
the storm.
Daniel closed his eyes, wondering if he had made a mistake in choosing
the quicker sea route instead of the long train journey. Yet, deep down, he
also felt a strange thrill—an excitement that came from facing nature’s
raw power so directly.
1. The writer describes Daniel’s “trembling hands” even though he
“tried to act calm.” What does this suggest about the difference
between appearance and reality in stressful situations?
2. Analyse how the storm is personified in the passage. What effect
does this have on the reader’s sense of danger?
3. Why might the writer have chosen to describe Daniel’s conflicting
emotions (fear and thrill) rather than just focusing on one? What
does this reveal about human responses to danger?
4. Compare the behaviour of the passengers with that of the crew
member. What can we infer about courage and responsibility in
moments of crisis?
5. If the storm represents more than just bad weather, what could it
symbolise about Daniel’s personal journey or development?
Word Forms in Context
Rewrite each sentence so that you use a different form of the word in
bold. Pay attention to how the meaning, tone, or grammar changes when
you switch forms.
1. Daniel began to decide whether courage meant hiding fear or
showing it.
➝ Rewrite using the noun form.
2. The fear on the passengers’ faces reflected the storm’s growing
strength.
➝ Rewrite using the verb form.
3. Only the rope’s strength prevented the mast from collapsing.
➝ Rewrite using the adjective form.
4. Daniel found the moment strangely exciting despite the danger.
➝ Rewrite using the adverb form.
5. Challenge: Transform this whole sentence into a new one that uses
two different forms of the same word:
o “The crew member secured the rope quickly.”
(Use secure as both an adjective and a noun.)
Paraphrasing for Interpretation
Paraphrase the following sentence in two different ways, each
highlighting a different interpretation:
“Daniel felt a strange thrill—an excitement that came from facing nature’s
raw power so directly.”
(One version should emphasise Daniel’s admiration of nature; the other
should emphasise his inner conflict.)
Proofreading with Evaluation
Here’s a short rewritten extract. Correct any errors in spelling,
grammar, or tense, but also explain how at least two of your
corrections improve the overall meaning or tone:
The crew was shouting orders, but no-one seem to listen. Daniel clinged to
the rail, he was sure the ferry would sink. The wind blowed harder and
harder, and the sky was darker then night.
Tense Transformation with Interpretation
Rewrite each sentence in the required tense, and then explain how the
change in tense alters the meaning or reader’s perception:
1. Daniel wonders if he had made a mistake. → (Past perfect
continuous)
2. The crew member secures the rope. → (Future perfect)
3. The wind howled through the deck. → (Present continuous)
