Luistertoets Engels Vwo: 2009

“A girl named Chloe. Fifteen. Lovely poem about a cat.”

Mark stopped writing. “So the real winner was Sam. But he quit because of stage fright. And Chloe won by default?”

This year, he was running late. His car wouldn’t start, his phone was dead, and the prize ceremony was already twenty minutes in. He burst through the door of Chapter & Verse bookshop, expecting to see a proud parent handing a trophy to a shy girl.

Mark Davis, a 47-year-old journalist for the local Weekly Herald , had always hated the annual "Young Voices" writing competition. Every year, he had to interview the winner—usually a teenager who wrote about feelings and ponies. luistertoets engels vwo 2009

A quiet bookshop in a small English town, late afternoon.

“Fifty pounds and a gold bookmark.”

For a moment, Mark just stared. Then he shook his head, smiled, and said: “Right. Then the headline tomorrow will be: ‘Reluctant Poet Wins After Robot-Boy Backs Out.’ ” “A girl named Chloe

Mrs. Higgins looked up. “Gone home. The winner was announced at 4 PM.”

“Who won?”

Mrs. Higgins shrugged. “You were late.” “So the real winner was Sam

Instead, he saw an empty stage. The only person there was Mrs. Higgins, the elderly owner, dusting a shelf.

Mrs. Higgins smiled. “She said, and I quote: ‘I only entered because my mum made me. I’d rather be at home watching telly.’”