ENG1501 – Assignment 1 (Semester 1, 2025) with
answers
Module Title: Foundations in English Literary Studies
Total Marks: 100
Submission Deadline: [20th APRIL]
📘 Instructions:
Answer all questions.
Write in full sentences unless otherwise instructed.
Type your answers clearly.
Include proper referencing where required.
Use the Harvard referencing style.
🔹 QUESTION 1: Comprehension and Textual
Analysis (25 marks)
Read the following excerpt from the fictional short story "The Road to
Makhanda" and answer the questions that follow:
“The midday sun beat down on Sipho as he walked alone along the dusty gravel
road. The distant mountains shimmered like a mirage, and the silence was broken
only by the soft crunch of his shoes on the dry earth. He had left the village without
telling anyone—without looking back.”
1.1 What can we infer about Sipho’s emotional state from the description in the
paragraph? (5)
1.2 Identify and explain one example of imagery used in the excerpt. (5)
1.3 What might be the symbolic meaning of “the distant mountains” in this
context? (5)
, 1.4 How does the author use setting to reflect the character’s inner feelings?
Provide two examples. (10)
✅ Model Answers:
1.1
Sipho seems to feel isolated, determined, and possibly burdened. Walking alone
and leaving “without looking back” suggests he is leaving something painful
behind.
1.2
The phrase “the distant mountains shimmered like a mirage” is an example of
visual imagery. It creates a vivid picture and suggests Sipho’s goal is far away and
possibly unreachable.
1.3
The mountains may symbolise a hopeful future or a difficult journey ahead.
Their distance highlights the challenges Sipho might face.
1.4
The heat and dust of the gravel road reflect Sipho’s discomfort and
emotional heaviness.
The silence, broken only by his footsteps, emphasises his loneliness and the
seriousness of his journey.
🔹 QUESTION 2: Grammar and Sentence
Construction (20 marks)
Rewrite the following sentences, correcting any grammatical errors:
2.1 Sipho have went to Makhanda yesterday. (2)
2.2 Neither the teacher or the students was aware of the fire drill. (2)
2.3 He don’t know nothing about the incident. (2)
2.4 Rewrite this sentence in the passive voice: "The author wrote the novel in
1995." (2)
answers
Module Title: Foundations in English Literary Studies
Total Marks: 100
Submission Deadline: [20th APRIL]
📘 Instructions:
Answer all questions.
Write in full sentences unless otherwise instructed.
Type your answers clearly.
Include proper referencing where required.
Use the Harvard referencing style.
🔹 QUESTION 1: Comprehension and Textual
Analysis (25 marks)
Read the following excerpt from the fictional short story "The Road to
Makhanda" and answer the questions that follow:
“The midday sun beat down on Sipho as he walked alone along the dusty gravel
road. The distant mountains shimmered like a mirage, and the silence was broken
only by the soft crunch of his shoes on the dry earth. He had left the village without
telling anyone—without looking back.”
1.1 What can we infer about Sipho’s emotional state from the description in the
paragraph? (5)
1.2 Identify and explain one example of imagery used in the excerpt. (5)
1.3 What might be the symbolic meaning of “the distant mountains” in this
context? (5)
, 1.4 How does the author use setting to reflect the character’s inner feelings?
Provide two examples. (10)
✅ Model Answers:
1.1
Sipho seems to feel isolated, determined, and possibly burdened. Walking alone
and leaving “without looking back” suggests he is leaving something painful
behind.
1.2
The phrase “the distant mountains shimmered like a mirage” is an example of
visual imagery. It creates a vivid picture and suggests Sipho’s goal is far away and
possibly unreachable.
1.3
The mountains may symbolise a hopeful future or a difficult journey ahead.
Their distance highlights the challenges Sipho might face.
1.4
The heat and dust of the gravel road reflect Sipho’s discomfort and
emotional heaviness.
The silence, broken only by his footsteps, emphasises his loneliness and the
seriousness of his journey.
🔹 QUESTION 2: Grammar and Sentence
Construction (20 marks)
Rewrite the following sentences, correcting any grammatical errors:
2.1 Sipho have went to Makhanda yesterday. (2)
2.2 Neither the teacher or the students was aware of the fire drill. (2)
2.3 He don’t know nothing about the incident. (2)
2.4 Rewrite this sentence in the passive voice: "The author wrote the novel in
1995." (2)
