Question 1
(a) What did the writer enjoy most about moving the ice blocks the first time?
The writer's favorite part was aiming the ice blocks at the kitchen wall and seeing them shatter
into small, jewel-like pieces.
(b) Explain the meaning of ‘I neglected my other duties’ in your own words.
It means the writer ignored or failed to complete his other tasks.
(c) How did the writer feel at first about being in the ice house? Give two details.
The writer felt satisfaction or relief about being in the ice house.
o It was a pleasant escape from the stifling heat outside.
o He felt pleased that he avoided the task of cleaning up.
(d) What was the writer thinking when the door ‘surprisingly swung open’?
The writer was surprised because he didn’t expect the door to move so easily and thought he
might be locked in.
(e) Identify two techniques used by the palace kitchen cooks that the writer thought could
improve the flavor of the ices.
Pureeing fruits to intensify the flavors.
Extracting perfumes of flowers to flavor creams and liqueurs.
(f) Give two reasons why the secrets of ice had remained ‘known to few.’
The secrets were passed down within just two families.
Most of the secrets were not written down; they were in Ahmad’s head.
(g)(i) What reason did the writer give Ahmad for asking about the taste of the ices?
He told Ahmad he wanted to understand better how to make them by knowing how they should
taste.
(g)(ii) What was the real reason the writer was asking about the taste of the ices?
The writer was curious and tempted to taste the ice, especially the sweet orange syrup.
(h) Explain the writer’s different feelings and opinions about Ahmad while working for him,
using three details.
Initially, the writer felt surprised, expecting Ahmad to be displeased with him.
Later, he found Ahmad strict and felt nervous or scared of him, particularly after being locked in.
Eventually, he viewed Ahmad as dismissive and unkind, treating him like a ‘workhorse.’
Question 2
(a) What effect does the writer suggest about the sensation of the crystals dissolving on his
tongue by using the word ‘sparkling’?
The word ‘sparkling’ conveys that the sensation was pleasurable, magical, and had a fizzy or
tingling feel.
(b) What does the writer want to suggest to the reader at this point in the story?
The writer suggests that he has reached a turning point, becoming bold and more willing to take
risks by tasting the ice secretly.
(c) Why does the writer use the word ‘creature’ instead of ‘boy’ in ‘a creature incapable of
reason’?
The word ‘creature’ suggests the writer felt he was being treated as something inferior, almost
inhuman, and incapable of rational thought.
(d) What two impressions does the writer want to convey about making water ices in this
sentence?
Making water ices was a hard and complex skill, requiring expertise.
It was also a process that involved magic and beauty, as the ices were transformed into
sparkling, enchanting forms.
(e) Identify an example from the text showing how the writer felt when he began his double life
and explain its effect.
Example: ‘By night I was a kind of alchemist.’
This suggests that the writer saw himself as a magical or creative experimenter, excited and
passionate about his secret work
