Compare the condition of Tricki when he first arrives at the surgery with his condition when Mrs Pumphrey com…

Question

Compare the condition of Tricki when he first arrives at the surgery with his condition when Mrs Pumphrey comes to collect him. What specific details does the author use to highlight the transformation?

Accepted Answer

## Model Answer **When Tricki arrives:** He is hugely fat, described as "a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner." His eyes are bloodshot and rheumy, his tongue lolls from his jaws, and he is totally listless — refusing food, vomiting, and spending all his time lying panting on a rug. The narrator calls him a "pathetic little animal gasping." **After a fortnight:** Tricki is completely transformed into "a lithe, hard-muscled animal," running with the pack, stretching out in great bounds, ears flapping and tail waving. He leaps powerfully from the narrator's arms straight into Mrs Pumphrey's lap, barking and licking her face — full of energy and vitality. Source: *A Triumph of Surgery*, Footprints without Feet --- ## Explanation The examiner expects a **contrast structure** — one side for arrival, one for recovery — with **specific textual details** (e.g., "bloated sausage," "lithe, hard-muscled"). Avoid vague phrases like "he got better." Quoting or closely paraphrasing the author…

English Language & Literature — AI-generated practice question