Answer any four of the following questions in 30 – 40 words each :

(a) How does the author of ‘A Shady Plot’ earn his living?

(b) What was Gogon Pakrashi’s advice to Patol Babu on how to become a successful actor?

(c) Why was Michael surprised to see Sebastian Shultz’ photograph in the newspaper?

(d) What is the setting of the poem, ‘Ozymandias’?

(e) Why did the poet wait for the snake to quench its thirst first?

(a) The author of ‘A Shady Plot’ earned his living as a book-keeper in a lumbar company and writing ghost stories for Jenkins.

(b) In order to become a successful actor Gogon Pakrashi, Patol Babu’s mentor advised him that however small a part he is offered never consider it below his dignity to accept it. As an actor, his aim should be to make the most of the opportunity and squeeze the last drop of meaning out of the lines. Each word spoken is like a fruit. The actor must know how to pluck it, get at its essence and serve it up to the audience for their edification.

(c) Michael was surprised to see Sebastian Shultz’ photograph in the newspaper because he had got to know the body very well recently. It was Sebastian Shultz who was his companion in the psycho-drive games. After many attempts, Michael was finally successful in saving Sebastian. Michael was nervous and shivery thinking that the body in the hospital and that in the game were, in reality, one and the same.

(d) The poem ‘Ozymandias’ has two settings. It is both non-descript and vivid. The place is a desert in an antique land, stretching “boundless and bare.” In the vast expanse of the desert are the remains of a dilapidated statue which is described in detail. The statue is at the site of the ancient Egyptian Capital, Thebes.

(e) The poet went to his water-trough to fill his pitcher with drinking water as he was thirsty. At the trough, the poet found a golden brown snake and was fascinated by its beauty. He stopped partly out of fear and partly out of a sense of honor that the snake had chosen to be his guest. He felt that the snake to be harmless which just wanted to quench its thirst. So as a second thought the poet decided to wait for the snake to quench its thirst first