Maria’s Home and Family - The Perse Upper School 11+
Source passage
The bus came to a standstill and all the passengers spilled out as soon as they could. It was Friday, end of the week, end of the month, end of the year, and the trip from WindHoek to the north was hot and unending. Unlike previous times, I remained in my seat until the bus was empty. Then I gathered my belongings and moved to the door. Through the window I could see Maria scrambling to claim my two suitcases.
The heat of the late afternoon sun hit me as I alighted from the bus. The warmth outside was different from the human heat that I felt inside the bus. Now the smell of sweat and over-spiced fast food seemed like a distant memory. The welcome smell of meat that had been in the sun too long filled my nostrils. I could even hear the buzzing of the metallic-green-coloured flies as they circled and landed on the meat hanging from the trees and the makeshift stalls. Circled and landed, circled and landed...sellers and buyers were busy closing the last deals of the day. The air was filled with expectancy.
Writing instruction
As well as the sense of "expectancy", the passage suggests a lot about the area they live in. Write a description of what Maria's home and family life might be like in an area like this.
Things you could include might be:
- Describe the setting of the inside of the house
- Explore the behaviour of family members when they arrive home
- Describe the greeting the narrator receives
💡 Writing Tips
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- Imagine a household that fits the passage’s area and atmosphere.
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- Describe the interior with realistic, specific details.
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- Show family relationships through actions and dialogue.
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- Include the narrator’s arrival and greeting.
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- Avoid treating assumptions about the family as stated facts.
📝 Sample Answer
Maria's home stood at the end of a narrow path beyond the market. The door was painted a cheerful blue, although the afternoon sun had faded the colour in places. Through an open window came the smell of onions cooking in a pan and the lively chatter of several voices.
Inside, the main room was small but carefully arranged. Woven mats covered part of the floor, and a wooden table stood beneath a shelf crowded with cups and neatly folded cloths. A breeze moved the curtain, offering brief relief from the heat.
Maria put down the suitcases. At once, a younger child hurried forward to investigate them, while an older woman rose from a chair near the window.
“You've brought our traveller back,” the woman said, smiling as she opened her arms.
I stepped into her embrace. I had forgotten how gently she spoke and how firmly she held me. For the first time since the exhausting bus journey, I felt completely at ease.
The family gathered around us with questions. Had the road been crowded? Was I hungry? Had I brought news? Their voices overlapped, and Maria laughingly demanded that they let me sit down before interrogating me.
At the table, someone poured cool water into a cup. Outside, the last calls of the market traders drifted through the window. Inside, the evening seemed only just to be beginning.
Did You Know?
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