Q8 of 12 Page 1

Read the extract and answer the following questions briefly:

And these does she apply for warnings, and portents, And evils imminent; and on her knee Hath begg’d that I will stay at home today.


(a) Which word in the above passage means ‘forthcoming’?


(b) Who speaks these lines and to whom?


(c) Why should the speaker stay at home?


OR


And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;


(a)What do wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command tell?


(b) Whose hand mocked them?


(c) How do these passions still survive?

a. The word ‘imminent’ means the same as ‘forthcoming’. Imminent means something which is about to happen.

b. These lines are spoken by Caeser to Decius Brutus when Brutus along with the other conspirators stabs him. Caeser was stabbed in the Senate House and he had not expected Brutus to behave in such a treacherous manner.


c. The speaker Caeser was warned to stay at home by his wife Calpurnia as she had seen nightmares the previous night. Her dreams implied bad omens and the environment expressed the same with thunders all night.


OR


a. The ‘frown’ wrinkled lip of the statue had an expression of mockery and cold command. A ‘sneer’ is usually deemed a disrespectful expression or attitude which is dismissive of others. It is an expression of scorn or contempt. The sculptor almost perfectly captured Ozymandias’ sneer and conveyed his uncaring attitude towards whomever he came in contact with.


b. The ‘mocking hand’ is that of the sculptor who had the artistic ability to imitate and deride the passions of the King. The fact is that even an empire is a human creation that will one day pass away. The only things that live on are those passions of pride and cruelty which the sculptor had mocked and which had been encouraged by the King.


c. Ozymandias was so steeped in his own self-importance that he even challenged others to cringe at the greatness of his works and be overcome with despair. He can be described as a signature of a remarkably inflated ego. However, it has all come to naught, for all that remains of his superciliousness is a broken statue in an empty, vast desert. The passions still survived because the sculptor well read the emotions of the King.


More from this chapter

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6

In the passage given below, one word has been omitted in each line. Write the missing word along with the word that comes before and the word that comes after it in your answer sheet. Ensure that the word that forms your answer is underlined. The first one has been done as an example for you:

 7

Rearrange the following words / phrases to form meaningful sentences: (3)

1. is its / remarkable feature / preciousness / the most / of time


2. opportunities /of golden / every moment / thousands / brings with it


3. slip away / not allow / we must / time to / such precious

 9

Answer any four of the following questions in about 30-40 words: (8)

(a) Who was Gogon Pakrashi? What did he preach Patol Babu?


(b) What prophecy does Antony make by the side of Caesar’s body?


(c) What did Jenkins want Hallock to do?


(d) Why do you think Patol Babu went away without taking any payment for his role?


(e) What message is conveyed through the poem Ozymandias?

 10

Answer any one of the following questions in about 80-100 words.

The voices of education inside the poet D.H.Lawrence tell him that it was the fear for the snake that made him refrain from killing him. However, the poet feels that though he was quite afraid of the snake, he did actually feel honoured that a snake had come to seek his hospitality from the deep recesses of the earth. The poet uses repetition to emphasize the fact that the snake may not be as harmful as humans believe. How does the poet demonstrate respect for other creatures also? (about 80-100 words)


OR


“You’d never guess in the world. It’s the duckiest, darlingest’ Ouija board and so cheap! I got it at a bargain sale. Why, what’s the matter, John?”


After reading these lines you feel that people are crazy for novel and unusual things. Express your opinion in about 80-100 words on the intrinsic value of fads (fashion) in life.