CATCH US IF YOU CAN- GUIDELINE TO ANSWER + SAMPLE ANSWERS

1) Characters Close relationship

Using details from the novel you have studied,
describe a close relationship between two characters
explain why you would consider them to be very close Support your answer with
close reference to the text.
GUIDELINES
Name the novel and the author that you have chosen
Choose and write the names of two characters from the story Describe their
close relationship
Explain why you would consider them to be very close
SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail, Rory McIntosh and his
grandfather share an inseparable bond.
According to Rory, they are like a double act. His father abandoned his mother
and him, so when his mother died, he was taken care of by his grandparents. The
death of his grandmother had left him with his grandfather. He called him
Granda and Granda had looked after him all his life and now it was his turn to
look after Granda. However both of

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them were incapable of looking after themselves because Granda was too old and
sick while his grandson was too young to shoulder the responsibility of looking
after himself and his forgetful and sometimes disorientated grandfather.
Whatever the difficulties, Rory and Granda refused to be separated. Rory argued
that sending Granda to a home would kill his grandfather and forcing him to stay in
a childrens home would be unbearable. That showed how close they were and how
emotionally dependent they were on each other.
Rory loved Granda so much that he was prepared to make a lot of sacrifices for
the old man. He let go the chance to be in the school football team because he
needed to look after Granda. He had to run home from school during lunch break to
bring Granda lunch. On several occasions, Granda had unwittingly lost or
misplaced Rorys homework and that had earned him the wrath of his teacher,
Mrs Foley. Besides all these, he had to think of the little precautions to take to
keep Granda out of harm. Still, he did not want to part with his Granda who would
have been better off in an old folks home. Granda felt the same also. The bond
between the two was a special one. However, events took a decisive turn when
Granda accidentally caused a fire in the kitchen of their flat. Granda was taken to
hospital and then to Rachnadar, a home for the elderly. Rory ended up in Castle
Street where he met the troubled Tess and fought with her.
He was miserable there. Granda fared no better at the home. Rory felt that they
had been cheated by his social worker, Val Jessup. He plotted on the run while the
police launched a hunt for them. The news of the runway pair was everywhere on
television but they managed to evade the police with the help from sympathizers
along the way. They suffered a lot of discomfort while on the run and the old
mans condition worsened but they seemed happy. Being together has become a

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source of strength to them. They were finally persuaded to go and see Rorys longlost father, Jeff McIntosh, who had been traced to Liverpool as a result of the
publicity. But before they could do this, Jeff came for them. They ended up
together again, and this time in a flat near where Jeff and his new family lived.
Jeff was finally ready to assume responsibility for his father and his son.
Rory and Granda were inseparable. It looked as if only death could separate them.
Nothing mattered as long as they were together.
2) Theme - Happiness
Using details from the novel you have studied, write on the theme of happiness.
Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
GUIDELINES
Name the novel and the author that you have chosen
Choose evidence from the novel which relate to the theme of happiness State
the characters
Explain what the characters do to be happy
SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us If You Can, Rory McIntosh has been living with his
grandfather since he was a young boy. On the surface, this arrangement such as
theirs cannot be a happy one because Granda is old and sick while he is too young to
be able to look after himself, let alone his forgetful and sometimes disorientated
grandfather. Granda would have been better off at Rachnadar, a home for the

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aged where his needs will be taken care of by professionals and Rory would have
been able to lead a more normal life at Castle Street Childrens Home. But they
refuse to be separated. Despite the difficulties, they are happy together. In their
own obstinate way, they are guarding their right to be together and be happy.
However, when Granda causes a fire in their flat, the social worker assigned to
them takes Granda to Rachnadar while Rory goes to the Castle Street home. Rory
is upset and so is Granda. Rory believes the home is killing his Granda. Then, Rory
decides to run away from the home, rescue his Granda from Rachnadar and they
would run away from all these meddling people. They are on the run for several
weeks and the television is full of news about them. A
massive search is launched for them. Ironically, while on the run, they experience
some of the happiest moments of their lives, with the help of sympathizers like
Darren, his best friend who steals his mothers caravan key to let them hide
temporarily, Sammy and Ruby who shelter them when the police close in on them.
Then, there are the sympathetic petrol station operator, Rab and his girlfriend,
Annie. Their run comes to an end when Granda becomes ill
and causes concern to Norma, Annies cousin who is helping them to get to
Liverpool to find Rorys father. She calls the police. Alls well that ends well when
McIntoshs long-lost son, Jeff, who is also Rorys father comes for them. He is
ready to assume his responsibility as a son and father.
Rory and Granda are basically searching for happiness whether as a stubborn pair
fiercely defending their rights to stay together in the flat in the face of
insurmountable problems or whether as runaways, oblivious to the frenzy they are
causing through their actions. They sincerely believe that they are looking for

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happiness. After all, nothing matters as long as they are happy because life is a
quest for happiness.

3) Title of the story

The title suits the story perfectly
Using details from the novel you have studied, discuss whether you agree with the
statement above. Give reasons for your answer. Use evidence from the text to
support your answer.
GUIDELINES
Read and understand the statement given
Name the novel and the author that you have chosen
Explain how the title suits the story
Use evidence from the novel to support your answer

SAMPLE ANSWER
The title of the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail is simple and
catchy that suits the novel perfectly because it captures the actions of a
grandfather and a grandson who cause a frenzy when the police launch a massive
search for them. The grandfather has run away from an old folks home he hates
and the grandson has escaped from a horrible childrens home.
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The title has the semblance of a challenge to the people tracking down the pair. It
sounds cheeky, insolent and child-like and it reflects the character of the runaway
pair. The grandfather, suffering from age-related ailments can be childish and
does not realize the implications of what he has done. In his pursuit, he has caused
bodily harm to a youngster who recognizes his grandson, Rory, from the news on
television and wants to turn them in. Then, he steals a car to get away. All these
can be considered criminal but he is happily nonchalant or ignorant of all the legal
implications. His grandson and accomplice, Rory, is a child who knows no better. The
expression If You Can is not only tongue-in-cheek, but also suggests that
tracking them down can be difficult. One would think it would be easy to catch
them but it is not. Although what they are doing is unbelievably crazy, they have
earned the sympathy of
many people along the way and this has helped them to evade the police for so long.
First, Darren, Rorys best friend, plans the first lap for them when he steals his
mothers caravan key for them to hide out while they think of a better plan after
they leave the homes.
Then, they meet Sammy and Ruby who offer them help as the police are closing in
on them. Next, there is Rab at the petrol station who gives them a respite and
convinces them that they should go and find Jeff McIntosh, Rorys father, in
Liverpool because it is time for him to do something in his whole useless life.
After that, there is Annie, Rabs girlfriend, who hands them over to her cousin,
Norma. Norma finally brings the whole saga to an end when she decides to call the
police because she can see that the old man really needs medical help.
The title suits the story perfectly because it is a story about a grandfather and a
grandson on the run. It is also a reflection of what the story is the police are not

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looking for regular criminals but just two ordinary people whom the police do not
want to apprehend but to protect and keep out of harm.
4) Character Decision made
Using the details of the novel you have studied.
describe a decision made by any one character in the novel
do you think the decision was a wise one?
Support your answer with evidence from the novel.
GUIDELINES
Name the novel and the author that you have chosen
Choose a character from the story
State the decision made by the character you have chosen
Give your opinion whether the decision made by the character you have chosen
wasa wise one
Use evidence from the novel to support your answer

SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail, I would choose the
decision made by Rory, when he decided to get Granda out of Rachnadar and run
away.

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After the death of his mother, Rory lived with his grandparents. When his
grandmother died, his grandfather, whom he called Granda, looked after him. Rory
and Granda were very close to each other that they had become inseparable. When
Granda became sick and his memory began to fail, it was Rorys turn to look after
Granda. One day, Granda accidentally set fire to their flat. This brought the
authorities to step in. Finding Granda and Rory incapable of taking care of each
other, they sent Granda to an old folks home, while Rory was sent to a childrens
home in Castle Street. The authorities had no choice but to do this for the safety
of both Granda and Rory. Granda might pose a danger not only to himself and Rory
but to those around him.
Rory felt he was wrongly torn away from his Granda. Furthermore, Rory knew that
Granda hated being in Rachnadar, the old folks home, and Rory himself hated it in
Castle Street. So he made the decision to run away with Granda so they could be
together.
I can understand Rorys position but I do not see it as a wise decision. In the first
place, he was too young to make a huge decision like this. At his age, he should have
thought about school. He should realize that he was incapable of taking care of his
old and sick grandfather. Granda was too old and frail to go on such a challenging
and demanding journey. Moreover, Granda needed his pills to sustain him. Besides,
Rory did not know where he was going to. Where could they go when they had no
place and no one to care for them? Rory, too, asked himself the question whether
it was a wise decision. People may say that those who love each other must stay
together but this is based only on emotion. I think Rory made the decision because
he had no one else in his life. It was not only because he loved Granda so much, but

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also because he did not know how to live without his Granda because all this while,
Granda was always there for him.
To make decisions, we must be objective. We must think rationally. Seeing the
unpredictability of things and the health condition of Granda, and Rorys
immaturity, I strongly feel that Rory made an unwise decision in running away.
5) Theme Forgiveness/Reconciliation
Using details from the novel you have studied, write on the theme of forgiveness
OR reconciliation.
Support your answer with close reference to the text.
GUIDELINES
Name the novel and the author that you have chosen
State the characters
Choose the events from the novel which highlight the theme of forgiveness or
reconciliation
Explain what the characters do to show forgiveness
Support your answer with evidence from the novel

SAMPLE ANSWER
In Catherine MacPhails Catch Us If You Can, Rory has been cared for by his
grandfather whom he calls Granda for as long as he remembers. According to

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Granda, his own father was a spoilt brat of a boy; just mentioning him would make
Granda angry. He grew up to be someone who did not appreciate what he got and
left Rorys mother who later died of heartbreak. And that was when the senior
McIntosh decided to cut all ties with his son. He is adamant that the only son he
had is Rory and he can very well take care of the boy.
The irony of the situation is, Rory has been looking after his Granda who is not well
and needs medications for all sorts of ailments. As a result, Rory has to look after
him, take him to the doctor, prepare his lunch and make sure he takes his
medicines all too big a responsibility for a young boy like him. Despite the
difficulties, both Rory and Granda refuse to be separated, as any solution would
entail sending the old man to a nursing home and the boy, a childrens home.
However, after Granda accidentally sets fire in their flat, he is sent to Rachnadar,
an old folks home and Rory to the childrens home in Castle Street. They cannot
bear being separated. Rory takes Granda out from the home and both go on a run.
Soon, the police is looking for them. News about them appears on the media. Rory
and Granda manage to
evade the police because they get help from people who sympathize with them
along their journey.
Investigations reveal that Rorys father, Jeff Mcintosh is in Liverpool and they
are advised to go and see him. While on their way to Liverpool, Granda becomes too
sick. The police is informed by one of the people who helps them, Norma, who feels
that the old man needs immediate help. Jeff, with the help of the authorities,
arrives to take his father and his son with him. Both father and son are reconciled

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and Rory finds his long-lost father. Jeff is ready to take on his responsibilities as
a son to his father, Granda, and as a father to his son, Rory.
The story ends with a reconciliation between the ageing and ailing father and the
son he has vowed to disown, Jeff. As for Rory, it is a happy reunion with the father
he has never known.
6) Important Lesson/Lesson learnt/Moral Values
From the novel you have studied, what is the most important lesson you have
learnt? Support your answer with close reference to the text.
GUIDELINES
Name the novel and the author that you have chosen
Think of a lesson you have learnt after reading the novel
State the characters and the hardships they go through that have an impact on
you
Explain how the story affects you
Use evidence from the novel to support your answer
SAMPLE ANSWER
From the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail, an important lesson I
learnt is to be persistent and determined when facing challenges. Often,
persistence leads to better results than losing hope easily. Two characters in the
novel, Rory and Granda, handled challenges with determination. Rory knew that he

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must be strong and determined in order to withstand the rigours of the escape.
There was never a time he felt like giving up and turning in to the police. It was the
strong sense of perseverance that helped him bear all the hardships. It was the
same with Granda. When things got difficult, he was even more persevering even
though it was hard for a man his age to be on the run. He knew he needed to be
strong so that he could be together with Rory.
The escape got very arduous and tough at times. The police were always after Rory
and Granda. There was a wide TV coverage on them. But Rory and Granda were
determined to pull through. They knew they would be together and not be
separated as long as they continued to run. From the way they went through their
escape, I learn that challenges should be dealt with determination. One must not
easily give up hope and accept defeat. As long as one has the chance, one must keep
on going till success is met.
7) Characters Problems in characters
The characters in novels often face problems. Some solve their problems but some
do not. Using information from the novel you have studied, show how
one character solves his/ her problems
one who does not solve his/ her problems
Support your answer with close reference to the text.
GUIDELINES
Name the novel and the author that you have chosen

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 Choose a character, state his/her problems

Explain how the character solves his/ her problems
Choose another character and state his/ her problems
Explain why the character fails to solve his/her problems
Suggest what the character should do to solve his/ her problems
Use evidence from the novel to support your answer

SAMPLE ANSWER
It is true that characters in novels often face problems. Some manage to solve
their problems but some do not.
In Catherine MacPhails Catch Us If You Can, a character who manages to solve
his problem is Rory. His apartment is burnt down due to Grandas carelessness. He
is then forced to part with his Granda. He is sent to stay at the childrens home in
Castle Street, and Granda is sent to the old folks home in Rachnadar. Being very
close to Granda, Rory can see that Granda is miserable at the home. Rory can sense
that Granda has lost interest in everything and it breaks Rorys heart to see
Granda like that.
So, Rory comes up with a plan to run away with Granda. He knows, by doing so, he
can always be together with Granda. As long as they are on the run, they will be
together. It can only be for a few days or a couple of weeks, but to Rory and
Granda, their time together is precious.

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On the other hand, Tess, a girl whom Rory meets at the childrens home, fails to
solve her problems. She has a sad life. Her mother is in prison and all her relatives
reject her. Being homeless and unwanted, she is sent to Castle Street. Instead of
making the best of her life there, she worsens it by becoming a bitter, angry and
violent person.
Her violent outbursts become so bad that she loses control of herself and her
actions. She injures others, making them keep away from her. She fails to make
friends and so, remains lonely and friendless. She cannot overcome her loneliness
and sense of rejection. If she had chosen to be more positive, she would probably
have made some friends who can help her instead of feeling rejected and unloved.
8) Moral Values/Lesson learnt
From the novel you have studied, write about an important moral value you have
learnt. Support your answer with close reference to the text.
GUIDELINES
Name the novel and the author that you have chosen
State an important moral value you have learnt after reading the novel
State the characters and the events where the moral value you have learnt is
emphasized
Use evidence from the novel to support your answer

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SAMPLE ANSWER
From the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail, an important moral
value I have learnt is that family relationships should be nurtured and not taken
for granted. Granda looked after Rory after Rorys father walked out on them.
Since Granda was old and forgetful, Rory took it upon himself to look after Granda.
Nobody forced or told him to do it but Rory felt it was the right thing to do. He
was willing to forego things that teenage boys should be doing. He did all the
household chores, made sure Granda took his medication and had his meals. He
even kept Grandas pipe to make sure there wasnt any untoward incidents. Granda
and Rory did not take their relationship for granted. Granda, on several occasions,
had expressed appreciation to Rory for always being there for him while Rory felt
proud to have Granda as his grandfather. Rory was protective and defensive of
Granda.
They nurtured their relationship right up to the end even when they had a family,
Jeff and Karen.
Sammy, Ruby and Tyrone also showed a strong family relationship. Sammy and Ruby
were free and easy but respectful with each other. Ruby would tease Sammy and
vice versa. But, when it came to making decisions, Ruby left it to Sammy, showing
him respect as the head of the family. Tyrone was respectful and obedient to his
parents, Sammy and Ruby.
All in all, I have learnt from the novel that family relationship should be nurtured
and not taken for granted as family happiness and stability depend on this positive
attitude.

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9) Plot Personal Response

From the novel you have studied, write about the plot of the story and state what
you think of the plot.
Support your answer with close reference to the text.
GUIDELINES
Name the novel and the author that you have chosen
State the main characters and the important events in the story Give a brief
summary of the story
Give your opinion of the plot of the story

SAMPLE ANSWER
Catherine MacPhails novel Catch Us If You Can revolves around a teenager,
Rory, and his grandfather whom he calls Granda. Rory and Granda are on an escape
adventure from their hometown to Liverpool because they do not want to be
separated from each other. They have cared for and looked after each other for a
long time and with Granda getting on
in years and becoming forgetful, Rory takes over the responsibility of looking after
Granda on his own initiatives.
One day, when their flat caught fire due to Grandas carelessness, both Rory and
Granda are placed in a childrens home and an old folks home respectively. Granda
is badly affected as he becomes withdrawn and lost. Rory knows that Granda is
slowly dying in Rachnadar, so he decides to run away with Granda. Rory and Granda
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make the great escape but with no destination in mind. They only want to be free
and to be together. They spend a few happy carefree days at the caravan site.
When the police catch up with them, Rory and Granda are helped by Sammy who
gives them shelter.
Their journey is a struggle to stay free. Strangers help them all the way, giving
them shelter and making safe plans for them. Rory has doubts about whether he is
doing the right thing. All doubts are dispelled as Granda looks happy even when he
is exhausted.
Eventually, Rory decides they would travel south to Liverpool and look for his
father, Jeff McIntosh. Granda objects and rages about this when he realizes what
Rorys plans are. The climax of the story is when Granda almost loses his life in
the cold bus shelter. After that, they end up in Liverpool. It is a happy ending as
they meet up with Jeff and become a family again. The plot runs in chronological
order. The reader can follow Rory and Grandas interesting and sometimes
heartbreaking journey from their hometown to their final destination. Rory as the
narrator projects a solid account of their thoughts, feelings and gives good
descriptions of the setting. The approach makes it easy for the reader to
understand and appreciate the story. I think the plot is simple and relevant to our
society where young people tend to forget their obligations to the old.
10) Characters Interesting Character
Who is the most interesting character in the novel that you have studied? Give
reasons to support your answer.
GUIDELINES

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 Name the novel and the author that you have chosen. Name the character that
you consider interesting.
Explain the role of the character in the novel.
Give evidence from the novel to support your comments. State your opinion
again.

SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, I think Granda is the
most interesting character in the book.
Reading through the novel, I found out that he was a caring and kind grandfather
to Rory. The fact that Rory was to return the favours implies that Granda must
have been a good man and good grandfather. His love for Rory is absolute. Also,
Granda finds it hard to bear that Rory has to be in a home and wants to get out of
hospital to take Rory home. This shows how much he cares for Rory.
Granda is also a charmer. It is because he easily compliments others especially
women not only for the looks but also for their talents as he praises Ruby for her
cooking. All the times he remains the perfect gentleman, like opening the door for
the young mother at the clinic.
Other than that, he is quite a fascinating character. He knows a lot about films and
film stars. His love for movie stars makes him even name his son and grandson
after some film heroes of his time. Also, he loves singing and has no inhibitions
about singing some old songs, however badly, in front of others.

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With all the above, I believe that Granda must be an interesting and remarkable
man.

11) Incident Changes The life Of A Character

Based on the novel that you have read, write about an incident that changes the
life of a character in the story. Give evidence from the novel that you have
studied.
GUIDELINES
Name of the novel and the author you have chosen. State the incident you have
chosen.
Give reasons why you think this incident changes the life of the character.
State your opinion again on the importance of the incident to the life of the
character.

SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, an incident that changes
the life of the character is the great escape that Rory and Granda undertake. Rory
decided to run away from the town he lived in after taking his Granda out of the

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local old folks home. The escape took them to many places and they met many
different people who
helped them on their journey. Rory learnt valuable life lessons from meeting all the
different people. From the travelers, he learnt about compassion and kindness.
From Rab, Annie and Norma, he learnt about people who offered help sincerely and
treated them kindly. Also, Rorys life would never be the same again. It was
because, his father turned up to help him and Granda. Finally he had a father, a
stepmother and two adorable stepsisters. He had a family and that was a lifechanging moment from him.
Rory was worried about his Granda earlier but then he didnt have to. It was
because things started to fall into places for him. Certain services provided for
the elderly made life better for him and Granda. The escape exposed some of the
problems that the elderly and their caretakers faced in the course of their daily
life.
With all the above, I believe that all those changes would not have taken place if
not for the great escape.
12) Moral Values/Lesson learnt Impressed Most
Using the details of the novel you have studied,
Write about the moral value that has impressed you the most. Give evidence
from the text to support your answer.
GUIDELINES

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 Name the novel and the author that you have chosen. Name the moral value that
you have learnt.
Give examples from the novel to support your answer. State your opinion again

SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, I learn about compassion
for fellow human beings. Many characters exhibit compassion for each other and
act in a kind manner because of their compassionate nature.
Rory and Granda care for each other and there is compassion in their actions. For
example, Rory cares for his grandfathers well-being. For instance, he makes sure
his Granda takes his medicine. Moreover, he always rushes home from school to
ensure Granda takes his lunch. Moreover, Rory protects his Granda from anything
he considers bad,
offensive or dangerous. Rory even keeps Grandas pipe to make sure there isnt
any untoward incidents. Granda tries his best to help Rory and unfortunately makes
mistakes, but there is still compassion. He strongly says that no grandson of his is
going to a home for as long as he is around.
In addition, Dr Nicol insists that Granda and Rory get a home help. This is because
he believes that Granda and Rory are not capable of taking care of each other. Val
Jessup, the social worker, also shows compassion. She shows enthusiasm to help
Rory and Granda. When they are on the run, Val Jessup pleads on television for
Rory and Granda to come home. The police and the nurse also act compassionately
towards Granda and Rory. They are affected by the dilemma of an ageing man who
is so dependent on a young boy and therefore do what they think is the best.

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Besides, Darren, Rorys close friend offers his mums caravan to them because he
cares for Rory and Granda. He warns them about the arrival of the police.
With all the above, I believe that we must be compassionate to people. This quality
keeps us humane and make the world appear kinder and the troubles bearable.
13) Personal Response Decision made by character
In the novel you have studied
Pick any one decision in the novel made by someone or some party that you
disagree Explain why you disagree.
Support your answer with evidence from the novel.
GUIDELINES
Name the novel and the author that you have chosen. State the decision.
Give reasons why you disagree with the decision. State your opinion again.

SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, there is one decision in
the novel that I disagree with. It is the one taken by the government to separate
both Rory and his grandfather.
Rory and Granda are very close and each depends on the other for love and
comfort. They are family, a double act and one cannot survive without the other.
When Granda accidently starts a fire in the flat, the State makes a decision to put

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him in a home because he may endanger himself and others. I was so mad with the
State.
I can understand that the State has the interest of Rory and Granda at heart
when it makes this decision. But, what makes me disagree is that it regards them
as only a case on which it needs to act, not as people with feelings. It is because
each citizen has a right to run his or her life the way he or she wants to without
outside interference. Unfortunately, it did not happen that way.
In addition, no discussion has been held with Rory and Granda how best to solve
the problem. When the two run away, however, the police go after them as if they
are criminals. As a person interviewed on a television rightly said, the police are
wasting their time hunting down an old man and a young boy instead of chasing
criminals and fighting the gun culture. The way the State tackled the situation
pissed me off.
As a conclusion, people should be treated with greater respect and compassion and
not like cases to be solved.
14) Theme Faith in God
Faith in the God is essential.
Using the evidence from the novel, explain how this is shown in the novel you have
studied. Support your answer with close reference to the text.
GUIDELINES
Name the novel and the author that you have chosen.

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 State the character who conveys this message.

Give examples from the story to support your answer.

SAMPLE ANSWER
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, Faith in God is
Essential is one of the messages in the story.
Rorys prayers are in the form of warm and friendly conversations with God, which
he addresses as The Big Man. Rory is a character who has faith in God. Rory
promises to be good and do good things if The Big Man would make Granda wake
up when he sees his grandfathers face pale, his mouth open and he is hardly
breathing. In addition, Rory believes that The Big Man wanted him to escape as
things go smoothly. Rory promises to collect money for the Salvation Army if The
Big Man keeps Granda safe. Rory tells The Big Man that they both are having
great time and Granda is no trouble at all.
The other evidence that resembles Rory as a person who has faith in God is when
he and his grandfather did not crash since Granda cannot drive well. Due to that,
he believes that The Big Man is looking after him.
As a conclusion, prayers play a vital role in keeping Rorys spirit up and prove that
faith is essential in life.
15) Theme - Love, Compassion and Family Relationship
Love, compassion and family relationship are important in ones life.

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Using the evidence from the text, explain how this is true. Support your answer
with close reference from the text.
GUIDELINES
Name the novel and the author that you have chosen. Discuss the different
aspects of love.
Give your views with examples from the text.

SAMPLE ANSWER
Catherine MacPhail put the elements of love, compassion and family relationship in
her novel, Catch Us if You Can. From the beginning to the end of the story, those
three elements hold the story together.
The love between generations shows that love is continuous and never ending. For
example, Rorys love for his Granda is unconditional and vice versa. He is ready to
sacrifice anything so that he remains united with his grandfather. The
grandfather, in turn, has devoted his life to bring up the child from birth and his
whole life revolves around him.
Love in a family and the power of love among family members are also portrayed in
this story. For example, Sammy, his wife, Ruby and son Tyrone portray a warm and
loving family. Besides that, Bernie, his wife and daughter are equally warm-hearted
and helpful. Rab and Annie are loving and caring too.
Love and respect among Rorys friends also keep him from troubles. They look upon
Granda with great affection. Darren, the one who is the weakest in the class,
shows much compassion for Rory and helps him as much as he can. Mrs. Foley also

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shows sincere, love and care for Rory. She shows her concern towards Rory when
Granda is admitted into the hospital. She realizes that Rory should not be in the
childrens home.
As a conclusion, the concept of the elements of love, compassion and family
relationship bring beauty to the story.

Compiled by: SIrizal for English Panel SMKSG