2020 DSE English Writing Question 8 (Sample)

Sci-Fi magazine is organising a First Chapter Competition. The competition involves writing the first chapter of a story based on the following scenario. A Journalist is sent to investigate a research station in the Arctic after staff begin to mysteriously disappear one by one.

• You would like to enter the competition.
• Write the first chapter ONLY of your story.

Mysterious Disappearance

To explore the global climate change issues and conduct respective scientific research, the U.S. has set up a research station in the Arctic region. The research station has run smoothly over the years until recently that researchers are reported to disappear mysteriously one by one without trace. There are many rumours about the disappearance.  The real reason has yet to be found out.

As a New York Times journalist, I have been sent by the Post to investigate the reason behind the disappearance of the researchers in the Arctic. Talking to the indigenous people in the Arctic, I was told that the U.S. researchers are probably assaulted and captured by the Russian military forces hidden inside the Russian submarine. They believe that Russia always suspects that the U.S. attempts to establish a surveillance system in the Arctic to steal sensitive information and intelligence which affects the national security of Russia. Although it is highly believable, the Russian Government has publicly denied the accusation and the U.S. Government has not yet found any evidence to prove the act.

A few indigenous people also reported that they have seen some strange species like aliens appearing in the near far end of the Arctic. They said that these aliens might come from space and find their settlement in the Arctic. They are seen to wear armours and have weapons in their hands. Therefore, no one dares to come near these aliens. It is believed that the U.S. researchers might be arrested by these aliens who attempt to colonize the Arctic region and take captive of those who threaten their rule. However, it has yet to prove the existence of aliens as they have never left any trace for tracking. Likewise, scientists believe that some invasive alien species have developed and found their home in the Arctic region due to climate change. These species are thought to be dangerous in the way that they are lethal in nature. If the researchers try to come near these species and catch them for research, they will become dead immediately. However, there is only little scientific data about these invasive alien species which fail to give a sound conclusion about their deadliness. Even though the species are deadly, the dead bodies of the researchers should have been found. Therefore, this saying seems unfounded.

Some local people made a guess that the U.S. researchers might be swallowed and drowned by the vortex in the middle of the Arctic ocean. The whirl in the sea is powerful and unpredictable. A few years ago, a European tourist who went on an expedition in the Arctic ocean was engulfed by the vortex waters.   Therefore, it is probable that the U.S. researchers are lost in the whirl of the sea. 

There are many predictions about the disappearance of the U.S. researchers. But which one is more convincing? You will find out my further investigation in the following chapters. Let’s see!