CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY ENGLISH 9: UNIT 7 EXTRACT SHEETS

Unit 7 extract sheets

‘The Journey Within’ by Annelise Heurtier
Extract 1
Aveleen kicked off her boots and let out a long sigh.
She had been walking for two days solid. How could it be that the
Brown Mountain still seemed so far away? Had she taken a wrong
turn and set off down one of those devious, false trails that send devious:
you round and round in circles? deceptive,
Her body was slumped against the rock where she had stopped underhand
to rest. Her stomach churned with distress. Would she be back waterskin: a
in time? Would she reward the trust that Celegorn had placed in container for
her? Aveleen grabbed her waterskin and took three anguished carrying water
gulps. anguished:
No matter how clear the signs, she still refused to accept that her experiencing pain
father would soon be joining the Other Worlds. He may have been or suffering
well past his 150th season, but he still seemed so . . . youthful. fatigue: extreme
Not once had his body shown any sign of fatigue. Not once had tiredness
his mind flagged. flagged: become
Yet the Tree had spoken. And the Tree was never wrong. A less energetic
handful of its leaves had started to turn silver, a clear sign that nigh: near
for Celegorn the end was nigh. The time had come to find a new
Chosen One to lead the people for the next cycle.
Many hopefuls had appeared in turn before the Tree. Like Lothar,
the engraver’s eldest son, who was said to have battled a Giant.
Or Amæthon and Govannon, both born leaders of men. And
others still, all spurred on by their determination to rule.
Yet for the first time in her people’s history, the Tree had rejected
each and every candidate.
Who was the unwitting Chosen One? Her friend Olirin, who had
departed six moons ago to explore the kingdoms of the North?
But he was just a child, too young to deem himself a leader.
Would she find the answer at the top of the Brown Mountain,
as her father had assured her?
Deep in thought, Aveleen pulled on her dust-covered boots and
returned the waterskin to her pack. If she was going to daydream,
she may as well do it on the move, otherwise she would stand no

(continued)

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Extract 1 from ‘The Journey Within’ continued

chance of being back before the last leaf on the Tree turned stiff
with silver.
She was in a very strange place: a vast plain dotted with rocks,
ash trees and sea buckthorn. It resembled her own land, but at
the same time it was different. Two suns shone in the white sky.
The plants swayed despite the lack of any breeze. Where was
she, exactly? She was not even sure if the region had a name.

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‘The Journey Within’ by Annelise Heurtier

Extract 2
Celegorn had not given her many details. After spending a night
beneath the Tree, he had simply announced:
‘The Tree has spoken. The identity of the Chosen One is hidden in
the lake at the crater of the Brown Mountain. I want you to make crater: a large
a journey.’ hollow in the
ground
‘In a lake?’ Aveleen had asked. ‘And why me?’
‘It must be you, for I cannot trust the others not to bring back
their own name.’
‘Where is this lake? There is no such mountain in our land.’
‘This is not a typical journey. The starting point is in the centre of
the Tree. Go, get yourself ready!’
The sound of voices banished the image of Celegorn from
her mind.
A few feet in front of Aveleen, the path was blocked by a pair
of farmers arguing over a bundle of wheat, which was at risk of
being ripped to shreds before the matter was settled.
Where could these two have come from? Were they even real?
The young girl brushed these questions aside and welcomed the
chance to ask about her route. They did not seem in the least
surprised at seeing the traveller.
‘This is the last bundle,’ he said, ignoring Aveleen’s query entirely.
‘I need it to bake bread. There’s nothing sweeter than the sound
of a loaf crisping up in the oven—’
‘No, we need it to make cake, you stupid toad,’ the woman
protested. ‘Then we can sell ’em, and for a good price!’
Aveleen looked at the couple for a moment. Standing side by side
with their hands on their hips, tight-lipped and frowning heavily,
they looked almost identical, like a mirror image of each other.
They reminded her of someone, but she could not think who.
‘Why don’t you sow your grains of wheat?’ Aveleen suggested
after a moment’s thought. ‘With a bit of patience, you’ll be able to
make bread and cake!’
The man and the woman looked the girl up and down, as if seeing
her in a fresh light.
‘That’s not a bad idea, you know. Wise words, young lady—’

(continued)

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Extract 2 from ‘The Journey Within’ continued

‘You should’ve thought of that!’ the woman yelled at her husband.
‘Same for you!’
As a fresh barrage of insults thundered from the odd couple, barrage: an
Aveleen decided to continue on her way, having lost all hope overwhelming
that they might come to her aid. But after only a few steps, the number of things
farmers caught up with her.
‘Wait!’ they shouted in perfect harmony. ‘You’re on a false trail.
If you want to reach the Brown Mountain, you must not set foot
on it. You have to walk alongside it, otherwise you’ll never leave
the valley.’

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‘The Journey Within’ by Annelise Heurtier

Extract 3
Aveleen managed to abandon the path she had been stuck on for
two days. But it was not too long before she became thoroughly
frustrated. The slope was slippery, and the summit was still so
far off . . . Would she be able to make it the whole way? She was
not even sure how many days the journey was meant to last. ‘It
will take as much time as is necessary,’ Celegorn had assured
her. How could he say such a thing when the smallest delay might
prevent her from bidding him farewell? bidding him
Aveleen hitched herself onto a small ledge as one of the suns was farewell: saying
goodbye to him
setting. Carved into the cliff face was a bronze door, so high that it
would have loomed over the heads of the Giants from her own land.
Aveleen ran her hands over the bronze before recoiling sharply.
The door was opening in the middle.
‘Welcome.’
A slender woman with big, shimmering eyes beckoned her inside.
Aveleen let her bag slide to the ground and started forward,
unable to offer any resistance.
Her first few paces left her stunned. She marvelled at the space,
the light, the sky – how could all this exist inside a mountain?
There was so much to admire that she found it hard to breathe.
Trees, flowers, animals, buildings and people . . . wherever she
laid her eyes, she was struck by the exquisite perfection around exquisite:
her. The feeling overwhelmed her, as though her five senses had delicate and
finally realised their true purpose. beautiful
The woman gave her garments whose colours did not exist in her garments: clothes
land. She then presented her with all manner of unfamiliar dishes, crystalline: clear,
like desserts that were somehow both piping-hot and icy-cold, or like a crystal
biscuits whose texture and flavour shifted with every bite, one
second as dense as a storm cloud, the next as light as sea foam.
Aveleen felt she could spend an entire lifetime exploring the
wonders of this place and still not skim the surface. Time seemed
to stand still. She stayed there for several days, maybe months,
until the woman with the crystalline eyes returned to her side.

(continued)

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Extract 3 from ‘The Journey Within’ continued

‘Tomorrow, you are to become one of us. If you live with us for
ever more, you will not know pain or suffering, you . . . ’
Aveleen let herself be cradled by the woman’s words. Her face
was so reassuring, the tone of her voice so enchanting. Again
there was a certain familiarity. Her face evoked a vague memory evoked: brought
of Celegorn, which stirred Aveleen. How could she have forgotten to mind
her mission? They were relying on her.
She decided to leave the City.

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‘The Journey Within’ by Annelise Heurtier

Extract 4
Aveleen had gone for several days without any boots. The
mountain had rallied in its efforts to frustrate her progress, and rallied: renewed
now her soles had given way to the rocks and deserts that she its strength
had crossed. Deserts halfway up a mountain? Aveleen had lost resolute:
count of how many times she thought she might die of thirst, determined
only to stumble on a drop of water in a plant she knew from her
own land. More than once she had considered turning back to
the City.
What if she found nothing at the end?
But Aveleen remained resolute. She reached the crater of the
Brown Mountain one cold day at dawn. She had walked through
the night, unable to focus on anything except putting one foot in
front of the other.
The plain below was gleaming in the setting light of the twin
suns. It seemed so very distant. How many months had passed
since she had left? How many green leaves could there still be on
the Tree?
Just ahead, the lake in the mountain’s crater sparkled like a
patch of sky that had fallen from the heavens. She felt her heart
pounding as she scrambled down the last of the gentle slope,
her eyes never leaving the lake. A few steps away there was a
fearsome rumble, and the earth began to shake beneath her feet,
causing her to sink to her knees. When she opened her eyes, she
saw before her a vast chasm blocking her way to the lake. After
a moment’s stunned silence, a mighty wave of anger tore through
the young girl. Why this final obstacle when she was just feet
away from completing her quest? Aveleen flung back her head
and let out a howl of rage and bewilderment. bewilderment:
the feeling of
A swoosh of wings cut short her cries. Aveleen turned to
being confused
see a crow staring at her, its feathers lustrous in the evening
light. Straight away the bird inspired an intense dislike in her. lustrous: shining
Something in its eyes made her deeply suspicious.
Yet again, however, the crow reminded her of someone . . . Why
was she so utterly incapable of establishing who?
‘Why don’t you just pick the name of the Chosen One yourself,
you idiot?’ the crow cawed. ‘You would have spared yourself
the journey. Look at you, all covered in muck. I don’t know if
the villagers will laugh or cry when you tell them about your
miserable failure.’

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‘The Journey Within’ by Annelise Heurtier

Extract 5
The crow still stared at Aveleen with mocking eyes.
‘Unless . . . unless I go on your behalf? Here, give me your gold
necklace and I’ll take care of it.’
Aveleen was so incredulous she wanted to burst out laughing.
A large golden ladybird chose that very moment to land on
Aveleen’s hand. The girl watched as it took off again and settled
a few inches from the precipice. Then something happened.
Instead of making a turn, the ladybird carried on straight ahead,
before zigzagging across the void. At first, Aveleen thought her
weary body was making her see things. But as clear as day, the
ladybird was standing in the middle of the chasm.
Aveleen approached the gap and, still on her knees, started
tapping it.
It was quite incredible . . . she could see the chasm, but in
several places, she felt firm ground too.
The Tree had protected her people since time immemorial. It was since time
unthinkable that she had been led to a dead end. There had to immemorial: for a
be a way to reach the lake. There had to be. very long time –
beyond memory
Aveleen started ripping handfuls of wild grass from the ground. It
was only when she saw the two piles that had formed either side
of her that she had the idea.
She stood up slowly and threw the first lot onto the precipice.
The grass marked out a path.
Aveleen shoved the rest of it into her leather pack. Her heart
racing, she placed a foot on the green walkway as the crow
flew off.
There it was.
The Lake sparkled like a silver fish. Aveleen caught sight of her
reflection in the water. She brought a hand to her cheek. She
seemed different.
As Aveleen entered the cold water, her clothes drifted around
her like broken wings. She emerged from the depths hours later
with a sense of emptiness. There was nothing at the bottom of
the lake.

(continued)

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Extract 5 from ‘The Journey Within’ continued

Nothing.
Beneath the algae algae: a green
water plant
there was nothing but
fine sand.
On the bank, Aveleen curled up to regain some warmth. She fell
into a deep sleep, oblivious to the rolling sky over her head that
was about to engulf her.

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‘The Journey Within’ by Annelise Heurtier

Extract 6
Aveleen woke with a jolt and immediately made herself
remember. The Lake. She must have missed a clue, some stone,
or a piece of wood that had gone unnoticed with the name
engraved on it.
She opened her eyes abruptly, but the scream she wanted to
unleash stayed in her throat. unleash: to let out
What was she doing in her house? dilapidated: run
down, looking
Celegorn was facing her, hunched over more than ever. Old age very old or
had suddenly caught up with him; his body seemed completely neglected
dilapidated. Aveleen felt tears in her eyes. She was not sure
if it was sorrow at seeing her father in that state, joy at being
reunited with him or fury that she had come home without a
name.
‘Tell me what you saw up there’, Celegorn said.
Aveleen disappeared into the depths of her memory. The crow,
the chasm, the bottom of the lake, the cold, the weeds.
‘So you did not see a single face?’ Celegorn asked.
Aveleen shook her head vigorously. Apart from her reflection in vigorously: with
the surface, there had been nothing. energy
Her father was now giving her an unusual look.
Aveleen felt as if the blood was draining from her body. Yes, she
had seen a face in the lake.
Her own.
She was numb. Could she be the Chosen One?
‘I have always believed in you,’ Celegorn continued. ‘But when
it became clear that you would not offer yourself to the Tree, I
knew I had to help you realise who you are, who you have been
since you were young. I watched you throughout your journey.
You showed wisdom, loyalty and great courage. You were able to
make difficult decisions. Do you remember?’
‘So this quest was your idea? The Tree never said that the name
was at the summit? But if that’s the case, how can you be sure
that I am the Chosen One?’
‘There is not much time,’ Celegorn said in his quiet voice. ‘You
have been gone seven days, and only a few leaves remain on the
Tree. If you feel it within you, then come.’

(continued)

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Extract 6 from ‘The Journey Within’ continued

Aveleen passed through the whispering crowd. No woman had
ever put herself forward.
But when the Tree, their protector, embraced the girl in its
branches, illuminating her with a silver halo, no one could illuminating:
question the identity of their new guide. lighting up
Aveleen looked up at them and smiled. halo: a circle of
light above the
Now she knew that it was her. head
And she was ready.

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