Cie Igcse English November 2005

CIE IGCSE English November 2005

1. Imagine that you live near to Gatsby’s house where the parties take place. You object to the parties for several reasons including the lavish display of wealth. Write a letter to the owner of the house, setting out your various objections and justifying each one by developing ideas and details from the passage.

Dear Mr. Gatsby,

I am writing to inform you that I, along with numerous other residents in West Egg, find your conduct unbearable. As a loving mother of three young children, I feel that your lavish display of wealth and extravagant parties are damaging to the growth of my children and also pose a threat to the safety of our community.

First of all, let me start off with one of the many issues – the lights. My children find it extremely disruptive when your blaring colored lights beam into their windows while they are trying to do their homework. How are they, as young children, supposed to concentrate when there are swirling lights in bright reds and yellows in the garden right across the road? Every weekend is the same old business, and everyone in the neighborhood is getting tired of it. If you haven’t realized, Mr. Gatsby, it is currently June and Christmas is not happening any time soon!

Also, my children need to be in bed at exactly nine o’clock to get enough sleep for school the next day. But how on earth, Mr. Gatsby, do you expect them to go to bed at a reasonable time when there is a full-sized Romantic orchestra blasting music from across the road? I would immensely appreciate it if you could ask your band and singers to stop creating such horrifying noises every night! I would like to add that the loud chatter by your attendees could sometimes be heard in our house. I do not want my children to be exposed to sexual innuendos at such a young age!

        The standard of moral behavior displayed at the parties is absolutely disgusting. Every night, I see numerous drunk and intoxicated young men and women strewn over the staircases and lawns of your mansion, I see many young girls dressed in skimpy outfits dancing passionately around fervent men, and I worry about my children. What if they grow up to become the discourteous young men and women like those who attend your parties?

Likewise, I would like to say that the mess in our neighborhood after each of your extravagant parties is completely dreadful. Many a time have I opened my door to find vomit spewed all over my doorstep! On multiple occasions, I have also found broken wine bottles and leftover food scattered across my front lawn. Little Charlie almost stepped on a piece of broken glass yesterday when playing in the lawn, and I can tell you that this is not the first time. Let me warn you now – expect legal action if my children get hurt from the mess left over from your parties.