ENGLISH PPER II (Reading and Literature) Three hours and a quarter (The first fifteen minutes of the examination are for reading the paper only. andidates must NOT start writing during this time.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Instructions: 1. This paper has four sections: Section for Short Stories, Section for Essay Section for Poetry and Section for rama. ll the four sections are compulsory. 2. Each section has two sets of questions: Set I and Set II. You can choose either Set I or Set II. 3. You must attempt four sets of questions in total. You must not choose all the four Set I questions. Your choice must include at least one Set I questions or at least one Set II questions. 4. The choices offered are between the sets and not among the questions within the sets. 5. The intended mark for each question is given in brackets. 6. You are reminded to mention the section, the set number and question numbers before writing your response. 7. No marks will be awarded for any extra questions attempted. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Section : Short Stories irection: From the TWO SETS of questions under this genre, choose ONE SET and write your responses in your answer sheet. nswer the questions from the HOSEN SET in this section with reference to the short story luffing by Gail Helgason. Set I Question 1a. irection: Each question below is followed by four possible responses. hoose the correct response and write it in your answer sheet against its question number. [1x5] The grizzly bear in the story is a male cub. a female cub. an adult male. an adult female. Gabriella used the home made cleaning solution for one week. two weeks. three weeks. four weeks. HSE/01II/2014 Page 1 of 8 This booklet comprises 8 pages.
(v) She hears live s accusing voice ll the following are possible explanations for this statement, EXEPT Gabriella suspects that Liam is jealous of live. live and Liam s plan was foiled because of Gabriella. Gabriella imagines live accusing her of Liam s bear attack. live feels that Gabriella didn t protect Liam but only herself. the nurse announces that they are ready to begin. This means that they are ready to operate on Liam. dress Liam s wounds. airlift Liam to a better hospital. remove Liam s facial bandages. The figure of speech used in the line, every cell in Gabriella s body yearned to turn and flee, is a simile. metaphor. metonymy. personification. Question 1b. [20] ring out the theme of commitment in a relationship in the story. (5) With reference to the story, explain any two advantages of using the flashback technique. (5) Identify two internal conflicts from the story and explain them briefly in your own words. (5) Evaluate your attitude towards Gabriella at the end of the story. (5) Set II Question 2. [25] escribe any four situations in the story where characters are found bluffing. (10) o you agree that the bear attack turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Gabriella? Justify. (15) HSE/01II/2014 Page 2 of 8
Section : Essay irection: Read the essay given below carefully. From the TWO SETS of questions on this text, choose ONE SET and write your answers in your answer sheet. The Underestimated Importance of Reading For thousands of years, reading has been considered a worthy activity and books are highly valued. ooks are carriers of ideas. This is the reason why, thousands of years ago, some books were praised while others were subject to being burned often together with their authors. However, nowadays in an ever-accelerating pace of life, people experience a lack of time for such a thoughtful activity as reading books though it still valued, even if unconsciously. The general populous are content with the raw, cursory stories provided by the television and other mass media. In its turn, reading books has been an activity which contributes to personality development and is difficult to overestimate. I remember one conversation with an acquaintance of mine. This conversation totally convinced me of the importance of reading, especially for modern youth. s we spoke, he only retold the content of popular TV shows, but he could not keep the conversation on other topics that I tried to start. Suddenly, it turned out that he was completely unfamiliar with the works of even the most famous authors in world literature. When I expressed my astonishment about this fact, he answered that he never read books at all. He said it was a boring and obsolete occupation. He seemed to be sincerely surprised why someone would want to read a book, when there were other ways to receive information such as from the Internet or television. This case is extreme, but to my mind, it is not too rare among modern young people. When perceiving information that is already processed and digested, one cannot develop crucial traits that reading induces, such as critical thinking, erudition and imagination. ritical thinking is perhaps the most essential faculty of the mind, since it implies the ability to decide what to believe and what to ignore. This skill is especially useful in the modern world where a surplus of information exists. Without critical thinking, a person is more likely to take what they are exposed to for granted. When reading, people start interpersonal communication, constantly analyzing and reflecting on the material, applying it to themselves, and finally forming an opinion towards the comprehended data. t the same time, media often transmits information in a predetermined way, thus impeding individuals from interpreting it. Erudition is another key trait that a person can develop with the help of reading books. Erudition means extensive knowledge. It is one of the major factors that make people interesting. Erudition helps to establish communication, since an erudite person can keep a conversation on a wide range of topics. eing a polymath also means knowing how to act in unusual situations, or at least implies general familiarity with them. For example, a person fond of reading adventure novels may put on a bold face if lost in the woods, and from the literature that they read, they can learn basic knowledge on how to survive in the woods. Reading also develops and boosts imagination, which is one of those traits needed in all spheres of life. Imagination is a capability to form sensations even when they are not perceived through the senses. It is a factor of creativity that is closely linked to the ability HSE/01II/2014 Page 3 of 8
to prognosticate the consequences of making decisions, developing inventions or creating art work. Reading enhances imagination, since a reader has to imagine characters, places and events depicted in the book. Obviously, television cannot contribute to this skill, since it transmits images that were prepared in advance hence, depriving one s mind from mental development. ased on the above-mentioned arguments, the benefits of reading can be easily seen. Its role in the development of an individual can hardly be overestimated. People who have a solid intellectual ability are more intriguing to communicate with, more creative and they experience little or no difficulties when forming and expressing their own opinions. s for me, I prefer reading to perceiving already processed information. I do not mean that watching TV or browsing the Internet are worthless occupations. On the contrary, valuable and useful information can be found by the means of modern media. It is just a matter of balance. Watching only TV can make you dull and reading too much can make you overintellectual. Personally, I would recommend that everyone read at least one new book per month and then, after a period of time, evaluate any changes that have occurred in their world outlook. I am sure that these shifts will definitely occur and that they will be positive. [Hobbes, urtis. Reading is Not Just Reading. risbane: Skylark ools, 2009.] Set I Question 1a. irection: Each question below is followed by four possible responses. hoose the correct response and write it in your answer sheet against its question number. [1x5] The reason for books being praised or burned in the past was, they carried ideas. were entertaining. were monotonous. were extensively read. ll the following are associated with reading, EXEPT creativity. superiority. knowledge. imagination. The second paragraph talks mainly about the meeting of two people. significance of reading. how to keep a conversation going. difference between reading and television. What has been mentioned as the main drawback of watching TV excessively? It leads to obesity. It causes visual impairment. It is a worthless occupation. It results in lack of creative thinking. HSE/01II/2014 Page 4 of 8
(v) The synonym of obsolete [second paragraph] is hectic. lengthy. difficult. outdated. Question1b. [20] How does reading help in personality development? (5) escribe how imagination has helped you in writing. (5) ooks are carriers of ideas. Explain. (5) Explain how reading helps a person to be erudite. (5) Set II Question 2. [25] iscuss the appropriateness of the essay s title. Provide an alternative title and explain it in around 100 words. (10) How does reading induce critical thinking, erudition and imagination? Explain using your own examples. (15) Section : Poetry irection: Read the poem given below carefully. From the TWO SETS of questions on this poem, choose ONE SET and write your answers in your answer sheet. The Writer Richard Wilbur The candle burns down long into the night Its life waning in a flickering flame s I etch these ink stains of black on white On pages that will never be the same For I will fill this empty space with gold Treasures - my soul now feels the need to share efore the embers in this fire grow cold I give to you these precious gems so rare nd when this candle dies and darkness falls My pen will finally rest without regret Left with the knowledge that I gave it all My life in words until my dying breath nd in death I will live forevermore For the pen is mightier than the sword [ourtesy:www.poets.org] HSE/01II/2014 Page 5 of 8
Set I Question 1a irection: Each question below is followed by four possible responses. hoose the correct response and write it in your answer sheet against its question number. [1x5] (v) There are syllables in each line of the first stanza. 8 9 10 11 The last two lines of the poem is an example of sestet. octave. couplet. quatrain. nd when the candle dies and darkness falls. The phrase darkness falls means the approach of sleep. night. death. dreams. The line, my pen will finally rest without regret, contains an idiom. an oxymoron. a personification. an onomatopoeia. The poem is an example of a modern sonnet. Petrarchan sonnet. Spenserian sonnet. Shakespearean sonnet. Question 1b [20] Explain the given extract in your own words: (5) s I etch these ink stains of black on white On pages that will never be the same. Identify two examples of metaphor from the poem and explain them. (5) Why do you think the speaker says that he/she will live forever in death? (5) o you agree that, the pen is mightier than the sword? Justify. (5) HSE/01II/2014 Page 6 of 8
Set II Question 2. [25] How have the images of light and darkness been used in the poem? Support your answer with examples from the text. (10) Imagine that you are asked to write an inspirational speech as a writing assignment by your teacher. Use the message conveyed by the poem to create your speech. (15) Section : rama irection: From the TWO SETS of questions under this genre, choose ONE SET and write your answers in your answer sheet. Set I Question 1. irections: Each question below is followed by four possible responses. hoose the correct response and write it in your answer sheet against its question number. [1x5] The author s mother comes to his house to meet him. ask him to find her a flat. inform him about her lawsuit. find out whether rdele left him. The speaker of the line, Is life supposed to be a picnic? is Jacques. Gustave. La Surette. Madame essarabo. Following are the symbolic interpretations of the falling picture, EXEPT author s patience. rdele s temperament. rdele s slamming of the door. author s and rdele s marital problem. Which one of the following sentences is incorrect about La Surette? La Surette was in army with the author. La Surette comes to get money for the gas. La Surette helped author to get court martialled. La Surette was paid seven thousand francs for potatoes. HSE/01II/2014 Page 7 of 8
(v) Episode in the Life of an uthor is a farce. tragedy. comedy. romantic tragedy. Question 1b. [20] If I want to kill her off, who s going to stop me? fter all I m the author. What can you conclude from the above extract? (5) How can we conclude that the author and rdele share a problematic marital relationship? (5) Using a third person s point of view, retell the love story of Gontran and Lucienne ending happily. (5) Imagine that you were the author s maid who had a heated argument with him and out of anger and frustration, you disclosed the secrets to his wife. Narrate in about 100 words the secrets you revealed. (5) Set II Question 2. [25] irection: nswer LL the following questions: escribe any four ironical situations in the play. (10) ritically analyze the interview between the author and Madame essarabo. (You can touch upon their professional ethics and the outcome of the interview.) (15) HSE/01II/2014 Page 8 of 8