Passage One

The following passage is an extract from a short story by Sheila Markowitz.

In many countries in the world, Ice skating is a form of sport or hobby. A ‘skater’ is someone who
uses special shoes – called ‘skates’ – which have narrow blades attached to them, to move over the
ice. In some places there are ice ‘rinks’, where the ice is permanently frozen. People use these rinks
to enjoy their interests, such as (in this case) ice dancing.

Lady of the Ice

Maria’s mother used to tell her that she had been born with skates on her feet. She often called
Maria the ‘Lady of the Ice’. Maria had skated for as long as she could remember. While young, she
had mastered the difficult moves: figure-eights, reverse turns, spins and glides. In her teens she
could perform pirouettes with grace, and, later, could match the finest dancers, executing elaborate
5 movements with ease.

The year that her mother died, Maria joined a travelling skating company. And it was here, in the
same month, that she met Pierre. He taught her to relax in the swing when she would float away
from his body at arm's length; he showed her how to breathe naturally as she sped inches from the
ground in a breathtaking whirl. In his arms she felt as secure as any dancing partner could be.

10 Her exquisite dancing won acclaim and soon she became a star. She drew capacity audiences and
rave notices from the press. As a pair, she and Pierre were praised wherever they went.

About this time, a boy called Andrei had been hired to design the company's costumes. Not being a
skater himself, he would sit watching as Maria and Pierre perfected their movements. He grew to
love Maria's slender body that seemed to manipulate the very air itself. Gradually, Andrei fell in love
15 with her.

One day, in her dressing-room, Maria found a parcel with her name on it. On opening it, she drew
forth the most beautiful dress she had ever seen: a scarlet bodice ringed with shimmering diamonds.
There was no indication as to the sender, but it didn't take long to discover his identity. She had
begun to notice her silent admirer sitting, day after day, by the rink side, spending every free
20 moment watching her. Flattered by Andrei's affections, she had secretly began to reciprocate his
love, though no word had actually passed between them.

On the following day, she approached him in between practice sessions.

'You shouldn't have been so kind,’ she said, delighted at the pleasure it gave him to receive her
thanks.

25 They met frequently after that, and often referred to the dress as his gift of love. He lavished every
attention on her and she responded warmly as it was her nature to do.

Some months later they were married. As part of her wedding gift, he designed another dazzling
dress with cloak to match, and on the label wrote: 'To my Lady of the Ice'.

For a time, they were happy, finding joy in each other's closeness. But a few months after they were
30 married, when he had spent a day watching her and Pierre preparing for a gala performance, he
suggested that perhaps she should take a rest from dancing for a while.

'Oh no!' she said, 'Skating is my life! Why should I need a rest from it?'
 A few weeks later, after a particularly successful performance, he renewed his request. Wouldn't she
take a break from her work and enjoy a sightseeing tour with him? Yes, she replied, she would love a
35 holiday, but of course they must wait until the skating season had ended. Then, seeing his face
twisted in annoyance, she cried:

'Why, Andrei, whatever is the matter? You used to love to see me dance!'

‘I like to see you dance, but I would prefer it to be with someone else,' he answered abruptly.

‘But Pierre is a wonderful dancer!' she exclaimed, and then, seeing his expression, realized her
35 mistake. He was insanely jealous. Since he had first seen her dance so serenely, he had had to watch
her for hours in the arms of another man.

‘But I don't love Pierre!' she cried. 'Andrei, you know I think only of you!' Her protestations were in
vain. Even the mention of her skating partner's name disgusted him and would bring on a fit of angry
depression. He left the room without a word·

Note :
pirouettes (line 4) an act of spinning on one foot, typically with the raised foot touching the knee of
the supporting leg.
reciprocate (line 20) respond to (a gesture or action) by making a corresponding one.
whirl (line 9) rotate
insanely (line 35 in a foolish, wild, or uncontrolled manner.
rave (line 11) an extremely enthusiastic recommendation or appraisal.
serenely (line 35) in a calm, peaceful, and untroubled manner. flattered

Your task :
Summarise the text using P-E-E. While making the summary, consider the following questions that
will help you make a one paragraph summary on the text ‘Lady of the Ice’:

➢ What is the main theme of the text?

➢ What meaning is the writer trying to convey in the text?
➢ How does the opening set the scene for the text as a whole?
➢ Are there any characters/any ideas in the text and, if so, how are they portrayed/conveyed?

Section B
You should spend about one hour on this section.
Use information and ideas from Passage One and Passage Two in this answer.

Imagine that your best friend is jealous because his or her younger brother or sister has been
offered an excellent job. Your friend, however, who really wants a job, has not managed to get one.
Referring to Passage One and Passage Two, write a letter to your friend in which you :

• explain what jealousy is/give examples of it

• talk about the dangers of jealousy, and
• give advice about what he or she should do to feel better.

Use your own words as far as possible. You will lose marks for direct copying.

explain what jealousy is/give examples of it
Research Work
(finding out content points)
give advice about what he or she should do to
talk about the dangers of jealousy
feel better