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University of Technology, Jamaica

School of Humanities and Social Sciences
The Language, Technology and Research Centre
Academic Writing II Semester 2 2018-2019
The Case Study Test, 1A - 30% Time: 1hr. 30mins.
Name: ___________________________ Tutor: ____________________________
ID#: ___________________________ Tutorial day/time: _______________________
SECTION A – 22 marks

Instructions: Read the following scenario and answer ALL the questions which follow.

“…days may be long”

1. The Young Man walked briskly up the hill, periodically pausing to look behind at the Old
Man who followed several paces behind stumbling as he hauled the bag he carried. It was
not that the bag was heavy, no. It was that the old man was weak and feeble. He seemed
to be marking time as he made slow progress up the hill.
“Dada, you want me to carry that one for you too?” The young man stopped in the
bridle pass still holding the suitcase and waiting impatiently for the Old Man to catch up.
“No mi son. With God help me wi manage… Mi not so young and strong anymore.”
“Dada, we have to hurry. You see how the east darkening up? We are going to have a
storm soon.”
“That’s evening rain”, the Old Man remarked knowingly, pausing to gaze at the
darkening eastern skies. “Good for the dasheen and potato…”
“Dada, we don’t have time to idle. I don’t want to get caught on my way back.”

2. Now they reached the brow of the hill and Old Man pause to catch his breath. “Son,” he
continued, between heavy breaths, “I know me sickness is causing problem between you
and you wife. That’s why I accept me condition and I don’t feel no way.”
“But Dada, you have been withdrawn for the past two weeks and the tension in the house
is too much. If I am not careful this could destroy my family.”
“Son, is not that I don’t accept the decision. Is because of me sickness. I not blaming you
wife.”
“You can’t blame Merva for anything. She has her standards plus she is not used to all
the problem with you.”
“I not blaming anybody, I blame me sickness.”
“Really Dada, so why you stop eating? You hardly touch any of the food she give you all
this week.”
“Is not she son, is the sickness. I accept you decision.”
“Dada…Dada look at me. You’re not facing reality and you’re only making it harder on
yourself.”
“Yes son, is the sickness, the bad sickness,” he muttered as if speaking to someone far,
far away.

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3. The pair travelled slowly up the road, the elder trudging after the younger. When they got
to the big tree, the younger man paused and pointed to the flat rock.
“Dada, you need to rest a little and catch back your strength. We still have Louden Hill
before we reach.” The Old Man eased himself heavily down on the flat rock which
offered a natural bench to passing travelers. He reached into his bag for a small flask
bottle and with trembling hands took a deep draught. Now his thoughts were far away
and his countenance was downcast. His breath came in short deep heaves and he turned
his head aside, avoiding his son’s gaze.
“Dada, you’re alright?.... Dada, what is wrong now?”

4. The Old Man now began to wail. He waved his hand ineffectually as if waving away his
son who now drew nearer to ascertain the source of the Old Man’s discomfort. “Dada,
you feeling pain?” The Old Man did not answer, he only shook his head and the low
groan of a wounded animal escaped his lips. “Dada, you just making this harder on
yourself…on all of us. You keep saying that you accept the decision but see there now,
you really not telling the truth.”
5. “No son, no…”, he eventually managed to say.
“Dada, it’s too late to change that now. Look, is not so bad. Is not like years ago when
they call it the poor house. It’s the infirmary now and they fix it up nice so everything is
to your comfort…You won’t be lonely…Even Maas Ivan is there now”
“Ivan? O God, Ivan?” The Old Man repeated in distress.
“Yes, his children took him there just before they went back to England. Larkie say is
only out here people think is a sin for old people to go to the infirmary. They do it in
England everyday.” After a brief pause, he continued, “Come Dada, we have to hurry.”
But the Old Man would not budge. His head was bowed to his chest and a low groan
oozed out of him.
“Dada….DADA… why you have to make everything look so complicated. You can’t just
cooperate and make everybody happy. Is a simple matter, just accept it nuh!”

6. “Son, is not that.” He spoke softly and his breathing was labored. “Is because…Is
because…”
“Because you don’t want to go…because you are selfish..”
“No son…” Now tears streamed down his face. “Is because we stopped here too, years
ago.”
“What? We never stopped here before! What you talking about?”
“My father…I stop here with him that day when me and Ivan take him to the poor
house… when you small. Now is my turn son….is my turn now.”
“You mean…”
“Yes son, I take me father to the poor house because your mother say she could not help
take care of him and the baby…. I couldn’t do better because I had to travel. Ah never
forgive miself a day since, because him never have it easy there at all. But such is life.”
The Young Man fell silent and his thoughts were far away. He only muttered, “I always
wondered what happened to Grandpa.”

7. Now the Young Man gathered up the bag, which had lain idle beside the Old Man and
turned towards home. “Come Dada”, he said after a brief silence.

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“What you doing son?” the Old Man queried.

“We’re going home. As you always tell me, same knife stick sheep, stick goat. I don’t
want the same thing to catch you too.” And so both men turned east and started for home,
each lost in his own silent contemplation as they each prepared to face the gathering
storm.

Adapted from Stories My Father Told Me and Other Tales © 2019

SECTION A - 22 MARKS
ANSWER ALL THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

1. State the issue that is evident in the exchange between the Old Man and his son.
[2 Marks]
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2. Re-read Sections 4 and 5 and explain in what way the son DOES NOT demonstrate the
characteristics of a critical thinker? [1 Mark]

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3. In what way does the son demonstrate a characteristic of a critical thinker later in the
passage? [1 Mark]

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4. Based on the son’s comment about his wife Merva in section 2, state ONE possible
assumption that could be made about his wife. [2 Marks]

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5. Based on all that the son says in the passage, identify and construct the main argument
that he could use to prove that the Old Man should go to the infirmary [3.5 Marks]

Type of argument:____________________________________

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6. List TWO facts which are evident in the passage. [1 Mark]

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7. List TWO opinions which are evident in the passage. [1 Mark]

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8. Identify and construct the argument that is suggested in the son’s statement in Section 7
of the passage. [3.5 Marks]

Type of Argument:

_________________________________________________________________

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9. Identify any TWO characteristics which proves that a person has good ethos appeal
[2 Marks]

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10. Identify, with TWO pieces of evidence, a speaker from the passage who has strong
pathos appeal. [2 Marks]

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11. Construct a deductive argument that will support the idea that the Old Man should not
be sent to the infirmary. [3 Marks]

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SECTION B – 8 marks

Examine the image below and answer the following questions:

(a) Clearly state the claim being presented in the image. [2 Marks]
(b) Comment on the effectiveness of the image in making the claim in (a). [2 Marks]
(c) Identify the target audience. [1 Mark]
(d) State TWO (2) assumptions that the creator of the image makes about the target audience. [3 Marks]

Bullying

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a. ______________________________________________________________________________

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b. ______________________________________________________________________________

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c. ______________________________________________________________________________

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d. ______________________________________________________________________________

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Prepared by Harold McDermott & Daidrah Smith