46 - Appreciation of English Literary Texts

Paper I
Instructions
• Answer all the questions in Section A.
• Select either (1), (2) or (3) from Section B and answer all the questions given below it.
• Answers to Paper I should be written in the space provided on the question paper
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets.
• The total mark for Paper I is 40.

SECTION A: POETRY. PROSE, AND DRAMA

Read the following extracts and answer all the questions given below them.

I. Poetry

(i) “He stirred his velvet head

Like one in danger, cautious"
(a) Name the poem from which these lines are taken. Name the poet
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(b) Who is referred to as "He" in these lines?
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(c) Name a literary device used in these lines?
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(d) Why does the speaker assume that “He" is cautious?
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(ii) “From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen.

Now there’s a way and I know that I have to go away”.

(a) From which poem are the above lines taken? name the poet
_____________________________________________________________________________________

(b) Who is referred to as “I” in the lines?

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(c) Who has given orders to the speaker?
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(d) What is the main theme reflected in these lines
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II. Prose

(i) “They didn’t say a word. Our feet were loud, though. I could hear them,
slamming the ground”

(a) From which work are these lines taken? Who is the author?
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(b) Who is referred to as “They” in these lines?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
(c) Why didn’t “They” speak?
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(d) Briefly describe the narrator’s emotions as presented in these lines.
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(ii) “...but for some days past he had practised with the key of the schoolroom
door; he did not believe in trusting too much Io luck and accident"
(a) From which work are these lines taken? Who is the author?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
(b) Who is referred to as “he” in these lines?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
(c) What characteristics arc expressed about “he” in these lines?
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(d) Briefly explain the significance of these lines to the prose from which they are taken.
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 III. Drama
(i) “Won’t you please enjoy a life of peace and happiness with me. together and
forever?"

(a) Name the play from which this line is taken. Who wrote the play?
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(b) Who is referred to as “you" in this line?
____________________________________________________________________________________
(c) When does the speaker say this line?
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(d) What theme of the drama is highlighted in this line?
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(ii) "I’ve locked myself in. and will be true to you till the grave, and you... aren’t you
ashamed, you bad child?"

(a) Name the play from which this line is taken. Who wrote the play?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
(b) To whom does the speaker say these lines?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
(c) What is meant by “I've locked myself in”?
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(d) Briefly describe the speaker’s character as presented in these lines?
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 SECTION B: NOVELS
Select EITHER (1), (2) OR (3), and answer all the questions given below it
1. Read the following extract from The Prince and the Pauper and then answer all the
questions given below it

"The mock King's cheeks were flushed with excitement, his eyes were flashing, his senses swam
in a delirium of pleasure. At this point, just as he was raising his hand to fling another rich
largess, he caught sight of a pale, astounded face, which was strained forward out of the second
rank of the crowd, its intense eyes riveted upon him. A sickening consternation struck through
him. he recognised his mother! and up flew his hand, palm outward, before his eyes—that old
involuntary gesture, born of a forgotten episode, and perpetuated by habit. In an instant more she
had tom her way out of the press, and past the guards, and was at his side. She embraced his leg.
she covered it with kisses, she cried. “O my child, my darling!” lifting toward him a lace that
was transfigured with joy and love. I he same instant an officer of the King's Guard snatched her
away with a curse, and sent her reeling back whence she came with a vigorous impulse from his
strong aim. The words “I do not know you. woman!” were falling from Tom Canty’s lips when
this piteous thing occurred; but it smote him to the heart to see her treated so; and as she turned
for a last glimpse of him. whilst the crowd was swallowing her from his sight, she seemed so
wounded, so broken-hearted, that a shame fell upon him which consumed his pride Io ashes, and
withered his stolen royalty. His grandeurs were stricken valueless: they seemed lo fall away
from him like rotten rags.”
(i) When and where does the incident described above take place?
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(ii) Briefly describe the mock king’s emotions as presented in this passage.
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(iii) Explain the meaning of the following phrases as presented in the passage.

(a) a delirium of pleasure

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(b) A sickening consternation
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(iv) Comment briefly on the significant theme/s presented in the passage.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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2. Read the following extract from Bringing Tony Home and then answer all the questions given below it

The train came straight at me and then went over as if I was in a pit under the wheels and it rumbled like
thunder and there was a red light which glowed like a monstrous eye and became bigger and burst in a
flash of white and everything became still and dark and silent; the tram came again and the whole
sequence repeated itself, over and over again like a looped movie… and I became larger and larger like a
balloon being inflated; hands bloated like dead fish and I tell my head expanding, pressurized from
within; through it all there was the sound of water PP ng. rain falling on the tiled roof, rain leaking
through and falling drip into something; rain rain go away come again another day and Rita was trying to
get me to say it properly, it’s not Jo but go. say it go and wasn't getting the hard ‘G’ sound and kept saying
'rain rain jo away' and I was seated on Rita’s lap and she smelled of Yardley's Lavender
Talcum from the nice jar with the golden lid with a silver coloured label with a woman in a
frilly dress... and then came the train again screaming hissing puffing with the red monster's
eye and it rolled over me again and something exploded in a deep boom and now I was feeling
cold and my legs were shivering knees knocking against each other..."
(i) When and where docs the incident described above take place?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
(ii) Briefly describe the speaker’s emotions presented in the passage.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
(iii) Explain the meaning of the following phrases as used in the extract.

(a) rumbled like thunder

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(b) pressurized from within
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(iv) Comment briefly on the significant themes represented in the passage.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
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3. Read the following extract from The Vendor of Sweets and then answer all the questions given below it
“Jagan’s mind was in a turmoil; at the same time, he had a feeling that his identity was undergoing a
change. If that was so, why should he bother or change his idea? Committed to various things until
yesterday, to the shop and the family, he was a different man at this moment. An internal transformation
had taken place; although he still cared for the shop and the house, this latest contact had affected him
profoundly. The Gods must have taken pity on his isolated, floundering condition and sent his white-
bearded saviour. As he turned the spinning wheel, sitting there in the courtyard, with the sky-reaching
coconut trees of the neighbourhood waving amidst the stars, his mind analysed everything with the
utmost clarity. He wondered if the bearded man might not be a visitation from another planet – otherwise,
why did he come to his shop exactly when he needed him? Who really needed help and from whom? The
man had said that he needed help for installing the image of the Goddess, while he himself thought that he
was being helped. He could not solve the puzzle easily, and so left it alone. Anyway, it was a reposeful
memory:” englishliteraturesrilanka.com

(i) When and where does the incident described above take place?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
(ii) Briefly describe the speaker’s emotions presented in the passage.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
(iii) Explain the meaning of the following phrases as used in the extract.

(a) in a turmoil
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(b) isolated floundering condition
_________________________________________________________________________________
(iv) Comment briefly on the significant theme/s represented in the passage.
_____________________________________________________________________________________