Solving ICSE Class 10 English Literature Previous Year Question Papers ICSE Class 10 English Literature Question Paper 2020 is the best way to boost your preparation for the board exams.
ICSE Class 10 English Literature Question Paper 2020 Solved
**Answer is not provided due to change in the present syllabus.
Section – A(Drama)
Answer one or more questions from only ONE of the following plays :
The Merchant of Venice
or
The Mousetrap
The Merchant of Venice: Shakespeare
Question 1.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Launcelot : But, I pray you, ergo, old man, ergo,
I beseech you, talk you of young Master Launcelot ?
Gobbo : Of Launcelot, an ’ t please your mastership.
Launcelot : Egro, Master Launcelot. Talk not of Master Launcelot, father; for the young gentleman, according to Fates and Destines, and such odd sayings, the Sisters Three and such branches of leaning.
is indeed, deceased; or, as you would say in plain terms, gone to heaven.
(i) What information does Gobbo seekfrom Launcelot at the beginning of this scene ? [3]
What does Launcelot say has happened to Gobbo s son ? Who are the ‘Sisters Three ’? [3]
(ii) Who are the ‘Sister’s Three’
What role were they thought to play in the lives of humans?
(iii) Who was Launcelot s master ? [3]
What gift had Gobbo brought him ?
What does Launcelot want him to do with it ?
(iv) What reasons does Launcelot give for wanting to leave his present master’s service ? [3]
Whom does he wish to serve instead ?
(v) Why does Gobbo have trouble recognising Launcelot ? [4]
What purpose does this scene serve in the context of the play ?
Answers :
(i) Gobbo wants to know from Launcelot the way to the house of the big Jew i.e. Shylock.
Trying to deal with the old Gobbo, Launcelot tells him that his son master Launcelot is dead.
(ii) The three sisters are Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. They are also called the Fates and Destinies. They are symbolic classic conception of fate and destiny.
They were supposed to control the happenings in the likes of humans.
(iii) Shylock was Launcelot’s master. Gobbo had brought a dish of doves for Shylock, Launcelot’s master. Launcelot wanted old Gobbo to give this present to his new master i.e. Bassanio whose service he was going to join.
(iv) Launcelot tells his father that he wants to leave his master’s job because he has been so much starved in the service that he has grown thin and weak. Instead of Shylock he wants to serve Bassanio who looks after his servants well and gives them five uniforms.
(v) Gobbo could not recognise his son Launcelot because his eye sight was very weak due to old age. This scene brings Launcelot in the service of Bassanio who is engaging a large retinue of servants to accompany him to Belmont. Launcelot’s inclusion in the retinue will release the tension in the play at Belmont.
Question 2.
Read the extract given below and answer tthe questions that follow:
Shylock : To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies – and what s his reason ? Iam a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes ? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions ? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed?
(i) Who is ‘He’? [3]
What does Shylock want from him ?
What does Shylock mean by ‘to bait fish withal’?
(ii) Explain in your own words any three ways in which ‘he ’ had wronged Shylock. [3]
(iii) According to Shylock, in what other ways did Jews resemble Christians ? [3]
(iv) How does Shylock use Christian example to justify his desire for revenge? [3]
(v) The given extract reveals two distinct emotions that Shylock experiences. [4]
What are they ?
Give one reason to justify each of these emotions.
Answers:
(i) ‘He’ referred to in the second line is Antonio. Shylock wants to take revenge from him. Antonio had often insulted Shylock and scorned his nation. For this he wanted to take revenge from him.
Salarino has said that if Antonio failed to return the money within the stipulated period, he would not take a pound of flesh from his body according to the bond, because it was of no use to him. In reply to him Shylock says that the pound of Antonio’s flesh can be used as bait to catch fish: He adds that if it does nothing good, it will gratify his revenge.
(ii) ‘He’ had insulted Shylock many times and had caused him losses. Secondly he had poured scorn on his nation. Thirdly he had interfered with his business deals and encouraged his enemies.
(iii) According to Shylock Jews resemble Christians in many other ways also. If they are tickled they laugh and if they are poisoned they die. Moreover if they are wronged they too, like the Christians take revenge.
(iv) Shylock says that if a Jew wrongs a Christian, the Christian takes revenge. That is his natural reaction. He does not forgive the Jew. In the same way if a Christian wrongs a Jew, his reaction will also be similar to the reaction of the Christian i.e. he will also take revenge.
(v) The given extract reveals two distinct emotions that Shylock experiences. The first is of hatred and the other is of love for his nation.
He wants to take revenge from Antonio because he has insulted him and scorned his nation. Shylock loves his country. He is prined because Antonio has not only disgraced him but has also hated his nation by spitting at his Jewesh gaberdine.
Question 3.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Portia : The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath : it is twice blessed;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes :
”Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown :
(i) Where does this scene take place ? [3]
Why is Portia here ?
Why does Bassanio not recognise her ?
(ii) To what is mercy compared in these lines ’?
Why is mercy said to be Twice blessed ?
(iii) Explain the lines : [3]
Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:
(iv) Later in her speech Portia mentions a sceptre. What is a sceptre ? [3]
How, according to Portia, is mercy above the ‘sceptred sway ’ ? [3]
(v) To whom are these words addressed ? [4]
What does the person say in response to Portia s words? Portia is seen as the dramatic heroine of the play. Using references from the text mention any two aspects of her character that appeal to you most.
Answers:
(i) This scene takes place in Venice, in a court of justice. Portia, dressed like a doctor of laws, is here to represent. Dr. Bellario whose opinion the Duke had sought in this strange caze. Dr. Bellario had not been able to come due to illness, so he had sent in his place Portia dressed as a lawyer.
Bassanio does not recognise her because she is in male attire dressed as a doctor of laws. .
(ii) Mercy is compared to gentle rain which falls freely from the sky upon the earth beneath.
It is twice-blessed. It is a blessing to a person who shows mercy and it is a blessing to him who benefits by it.
(iii) The quality of mercy is the greatest quality even in the most powerful men. In a royal king it is nobler than the crown which he wears and the sceptre which he weilds. It is for above the earthly power.
(iv) A sceptre is the rod of authority weilded by the king. It symbolises the temporal power, the worldly rule. According to Portia mercy is above the worldly power. It is a noble quality coming from the very heart of a king. It is a tribute to Almighty God. The power of kings is most divine in its working when justice is mingled with mercy.
(v) These words are addressed to Shylock who is adament on taking apound of flesh from Antonio’s body. In response to Portia’s words Shylock says, “My deeds upon my head! ” It means that he takes responsibility for his act. Portia is very intelligent. The way she turns the tables on Shylock in the trial scene is highly commendable. It shows her exceptional intelligence.
Secondly she is very witty. Even in serious situations she does not give up her wit. In the trial scene when Bassanio says that he is ready to sacrifice everything even his dear wife for Antonio’s sake, she calmly says, “your wife would give you little thanks for that.”
The Mousetrap: Agatha Christie
Question 4.**
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Giles : (Calling) Mollie ? Mollie ? Mollie ? Where are you ?
(Mollie enters from the arch Left.)
Mollie : (Cheerfully) Doing all the work you brute. (She crosses to Giles).
Giles : Oh, there you are – leave it all to me. Shall I stoke the Aga ?
Mollie : Done.
(i) Where does the opening scene of the play take place ? [3 ]
What song is played at the beginning of Act I?
Who is the first character to appear on the scene? –
(ii) What is the ‘partnership ’ that Mollie speaks of later in this scene ? [3]
Whose idea was it?
(iii) Who is Mrs. Barlow ? Why is Giles annoyed with her ? [3]
(iv) Who is the first guest to arrive at Monkswell Manor ?
Describe this person. [3]
(v) What were this person s expectations when he arrived at the Manor ? [4]
To what extent were they fulfilled ?
Question 5.**
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Mrs Boyle : I am Mrs Boyle. (She puts down the suitcase)
Giles : I’m Giles Ralston. Come in to the fire. Mrs Boyle, and get warm. (Mrs Boyle moves down to the fire.)
Mrs Boyle : A Major Metcalf is it ? Is carrying it ?
Giles : I’ll leave the door open for him.
(i) Who is Mrs Boyle ? Why is she in a bad mood? [3]
(ii) Describe Major Metcalf. Mention any one action of his which indicates that he is a polite and courteous man. [3]
(iii) How does Major Metcalf describe the weather outside? [3]
(iv) What comments does Mrs Boyle make when she first encounters Mollie ? [3]
(v) Mention three reasons that Mrs Boyle gives for being unhappy with Monkswell Manor. [4]
What is your impression of Mrs Boyle ?
Question 6.**
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Trotter : It s true, isn’t it, that Jimmy, the child who died, managed to get a letter posted to you ? (He sits at the Right end of the sofa). The letter begged for help – help from this kind young teacher. You never answered that letter.
Mollie : I couldn’t. I never got it.
Trotter : You just-didn’t bother.
(i) Explain what Mollie means by, ‘I couldn ‘t. I never got it. ‘ [3]
(ii) What was Troner real name? [3]
How was he related to Jimmy?
How did he gain entty into the Manor?
(iii) What did Trotter accuse Mollie of doing? [3]
How did he in tend to punish her for it?
(iv) Who had come to England in search of Trotter? [3]
How was this person related to Trotter?
What clues from their past did this person use to remind
Trotter of their childhood days?
(v) Who had guessed Trotter c identity correctly? [4}
Why was this person ¡n the Manor?
Mention two ways in which the setting of the play serves to heighten the air of mystery and suspense.
Section – B
Answer one or more questions from this Section.
A Collection of Poems
Question 7.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Bangle sellers are we who bear
Our shining loads to the temple fair…
— The Bangle Sellers, Sarojini Naidu
(i) Why does the poet use the word ‘delicate ’ to describe the bangles ? [3]
How is ‘rainbow-tinted circles of light’ an appropriate description of bangles ?
(ii) Explain thefollowing phrasesfrom the poem in your own words: [3]
• Shining loads
• Lustrous tokens of radiant lives
• For happy daughters and happy wives.
(iii) The poet uses several images ofsight and sound to create a musical effect in the poem. Mention any three examples of these images. [3]
(iv) What are the emotions that the poet associates with a bride on her wedding day ? What colours are the bangles on her wrist that reflect these emotions ? [3]
(v) What colours does the poet associate with : [4]
(a) a maiden
(b) a middle aged woman ?
How does the poet describe the thoughts and concerns of women in both these stages of life?
Answers:
(i) The poet uses the word ‘delicate’ to describe bangles because bangles are easily damaged and broken.
Bangles are circular and multi-coloured. They radiate light. So they are described as ‘rainbow-tinted circles of light’.
(ii) ‘Shining loads’describe the load of shining bangles.
• ‘Lustrous tokens of radiant lives’ refer to shining bangles which are tokens of happy longings of those who are to wear them.
• Bangles are worn by unmarried daughters to express their happy longings. They are worn by wives to show their happiness and contentment in their married life.
(iii) The poet has used these images of sight and sound to create musical effect.
(a) The image of bangles of misty silver and blue colour, worn by unmarried girls.
(b) The image of the bangles of golden yellow and red colour, worn by the bride, is visual.
The ‘tinkling’ of these bangles (an auditory image) reveals the happy, nervous longings of the bride.
(c) The image of the ‘bridal laughter’ and ‘bridal tear’ is both visual and auditory.
(iv) The poet associates the feelings of happiness and nervousness with a bride on her wedding day. The golden yellow and fiery red colours of bangles worn by the bride reflect these emotions.
(v) The poet associates silver and blue colours with a maiden. The poet associates purple and gold-flacked grey colours with a middle aged woman.
The maiden remains lost in happy dreams of her married life, while the middle aged woman feels self-satisfied and proud in her happy married life.
Question 8.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.
-I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelo
(i) In the context of the poem who is a free bird’and who is a ‘caged bird’ ? [3]
What mood do the above lines convey ?
(ii) How does a free bird live his life ? [3] What are the things he thinks of and dreams about ?
(iii) What does the caged bird sing about ? [3]
What are the restrictions that a caged bird has to deal with ?
(iv) What do you understand from the title of the poem ? [3] What do you like about the poem ?
(v) Explain what you understand by the following lines : [4]
- ‘…a bird that stalks down his narrow cage ’
- ‘he names the sky his own ’
Answers :
(i) The ‘free bird’ is the white’ American while the ‘encaged bird’ is the black American.
The lines convey the mood of agonised take helplessness and protest.
(ii) A free bird flies in the sky at his sweet will. He can go wherever he likes. He can think of another flight in another breeze and can dream of his food (‘fat worms’).
(iii) The caged bird sings about freedom. He sings of unknown things which he can only dream about. The restrictions that a caged bird has to deal with are those of prejudice, racial discrimination and inequality.
(iv) The title of the poem reveals that the poet is concerned with the suppressed longings of the ‘caged bird’ representative of the oppressed black American.
The poem greatly appeals to me for its use of beautiful, contrastive metaphors of a ‘caged’ and a ‘free’ bird.
(v)
- The caged bird moves slowly in his narrow cage. It shows the plight of the black American who feels oppressed due to many restrictions on his free movement.
- The free bird has claim on the whole sky. He is free to fly anywhere. Likewise, the white American feels totally free to move about anywhere he likes.
Question 9.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase !)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace.
— Abou Ben Adhem, Leigh Hunt O’)
(i) What did Abou Ben Adhem see when woke from a deep sleep one night ? [3]
(ii) What did Abou Ben Adhem ask the angel ? [3]
What was the angel’s response ?
(iii) What did Abou request the angel to do when he learnt that his name did not appear among the names of those who loved the Lord ? [3]
What does this reveal to us of Abou Ben Adhem’s character?
(iv) When and how did the angel appear to Abou Ben Adhem again ? [3]
What did the angel show Abou this time ?
(v) What does the poet mean by ‘May his tribe increase ! ’ ? [4]
Why do you think he says this ?
What is the central message of the poem ?
Answers :
(i) Abou Ben Adhem saw an angel in the moonlight when he woke from a sleep one night.
(ii) Abou Ben Adhem asked the angel what he was writing. The angel’s response was that he was writing the names of those persons who love God.
(iii) Abou requested the angel to include his name in the list of those who love their fellow men.
(iv) The next night the angel appeared again with more dazzling light. This time he show Abou the list of those who are blessed by God. Abou’s name topped the list.
(v) The poet means that the number of noble people like Abou should increase.
He says so because the number of noble persons in the world is less.
The central idea of the poem is that real and true worship of God is to love mankind created by God. God loves and rewards those who love their fellow human beings.
Section – C
Answer one or more questions from this only ONE of the following books that you have studied:
A Collection of Short Stories
or
Animal Farm
or
The Call of the Wild
A Collection of Short Stories
Question 10.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
“Well, Mr. Easton, if you will make me speak first, I suppose I must. Don ‘tyou ever recognize old friends when you meet them in the West ? ”
The younger man roused himself sharply at the sound of her voice, seemed to struggle with a slight embarrassment . which he threw off instantly, and then clasped her fingers
with his left hand.
“It’s Miss Fairchild, “he said, with a smile. “I’ll ask you to excuse the other hand; “it s otherwise engagedjust at present. ”
(i) Describe Miss Fairchild and Mr. Easton. [3]
(ii) Where does the above conversation occur? [3]
Why was Mr. Easton embarrassed when Miss Fairchild addressed him ?
(iii) How was Mr. Easton’s other hand ‘otherwise engaged’? [3]
How does Miss Fairchild react when he raises his right hand to show her what he meant ?
(iv) How does Miss Fairchild feel about Mr. Easton? [3] How does she try to convey these feelings to him ?
(v) The story has a surprise ending. How is the surprise revealed to the reader. [4]
Answers:
(i) Miss Fairchild is a charming woman. She is a pretty young woman and is elegantly dressed. She is travelling in a train to Denver. She is rich, materialistic and self-centred.
Mr Easton is a handsome person with frank countenance and manner. He is handcuffed to the other man seated beside him. Easton knows Miss Fairchild and greets her.
(ii) The above conversation takes place in a train coach to Denver. Miss Fairchild is acquainted to Mr. Easton who feels embarrassed and uncomfortable when greeted by Miss Fairchild because Easton is at present handcuffed.
(iii) Mr Easton’s other hand was ‘engaged’ that is, it was handcuffed at the wrist by the shining bracelet to the left of his companion when Miss Fairchild saw this, the glad look in her eyes changed to bewildered horror.
(iv) All her excitement and joy disappears on seeing Mr Easton handcuffed. The glow of her face fades away. Her lips part
in a vague distress. She understands that the young man has been arrested by the marshal sitting by his side and is probably being taken to some prison.
(v) The story ‘Hearts and Hands’ has a surprise ending. The actual offender is taken as a marshal and vice versa. This surprise is revealed at the end by the other two passengers who have been observing and listening to the conversation. One of these passengers remarks that Mr. Easton seems too young to be a marshal. The other passenger asks: “Did you ever know an officer to handcuff a prisoner to his right hand ?“ This is enough to clear the mystery about the identity of Mr. Easton and his companion.
Question 11.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
So the little girl walked about the streets on her naked feet, which were red and blue with cold. In her old apron she carried a great many matches, and she had a packet of them in her hand as well.
(i) Who was ‘she’? [3]
What can you conclude about her condition from the above description ?
(ii) What time of the year was it ? Why did she not want to go home ? [3]
(iii) What did she use the matches for ? What happened when she lit the first match ? [3]
(iv) Whom did she love dearly ? What did she say when this person appeared before her? [3]
(v) What happened to the little girl at the end of the story ? [4]
Would you consider this a happy ending or a sad one ? Give one reason for your answer.
Answers :
(i) ‘ She ’ was a little match girl. She was poor and she walked bareheaded and barefoot in the cold weather through the streets. She was shivering in the cold and was hungry. Her naked feet had become red and blue with cold.
(ii) It was bitterly cold, snow was falling and darkness was gathering, for it was the last evening of the old year. It was New Year’s Eve. She was out to sell matches but failed to do so. She was afraid to go home because she had lost her matches and she was afraid of confronting her strict father who would beat her for not earning even a penny.
(iii) She used her matches to warm herself as she was numb with cold. She drew out one and struck it. It blazed and burnt and gave out a warm, bright flame like a little candle as she held her hands over. It was a wonderful light.
(iv) She loved her old grandmother, the only one who had ever been good to her but who was now dead. As she lit another match against the wall, her grandmother appeared before her, in its brightness, bearing love and kindness. She cried out, “Granny ! Oh, take me with you”.
(v) The little match girl was found frozen the next morning. There was a smile on her face. She had died on the last evening of the old year. This is probably one of the saddest of Andersen’s fairy tales, describing the unfortunate tale of a poor girl who dies of cold and hunger. Death comes to her as a deliverance from cold, hunger and misery.
Question 12.
Answer the following questions with reference to Norah Burke’s short story “The Blue Bead”.
(i) Describe Sibia s experience at the Bazaar. [4]
What were the things that filled her with wonder ?
(ii) Who were the Gujars ? Give a brief description of their lifestyle. [4]
(iii) Describe how Sibia rescued the Gujar woman from the crocodile. [8]
What did Sibia regard as the highlight of that fateful day? What does this tell us about Sibia ?
Answers:
(i) The bazaar near Sibia’s village is always full of hustle and bustle. The colourful wares in the stalls are quite eye-catching. The blown glassbeads piled up in a stall look like stars. There is a bangle-seller who keeps the multi-coloured bangles on a stick to attract the eyes of the passing women. There is a big crowd of people in the bazaar along with stray dogs, monkeys full of fleas and sacred bulls with clonking bells. Apart from this there is a sweatment stall displaying brilliant honey confections smelling wonderfully. And then, there is a cloth-stall stacked with great rolls of new cotton cloth. Tin trays from Birmingham, embroidered saris and silks added to the charm of this little bazaar. All these things attracted Sibia’s attention. Though she was fascinated by all things displayed and sold in the bazaar, Sibia turned her mind to her work as she felt she was marked for work.
(ii) The Gujar women made their living by cutting paper-grass from the cliffs above the river. When they had cut enough grass, they would take it down by the bullockcart to be delivered to the agent. The agent’s job was to arrange for the dispatch of this grass to the paper-mills. The Gujar women toiled all through the day while the agent sat on silk-cushions, smoking a hookah. Besides cutting grass, the Gujar women also grazed their buffaloes and other cattle. They had to carry heavy loads on their buffaloes and other cattle. They had to carry heavy loads on their heads and cross the river to go to the other side. Not only this. They had to fetch drinking water from the river in earthen or brass pitchers for their domestic consumption. The Gujar women seemed to be fond of adornments. They wore trousers, tight and wrinkled at the ankles. In their ears they wore large silver rings made out of melted silver rupees.
(iii) The Gujar woman came down with two gurrahs to the river to get clean water from the river bed. She wanted to fill both the gurrahs to the top without sand. So she walked down the stepping stone. She was within a yard of the crocodile when he lunged at her. He closed his jaws round her leg. The Gujar woman screamed, dropped both her pitchers with a clatter on the boulder. Sibia, who was present nearly, observed this. She at once made up her mind to rescue the helpless woman. She sprang from boulder to boulder like a mountain-goat.
In a minute, she was beside the shrieking woman. The crocodile was tugging to and fro when he noticed Sibia and struck at her. But Sibia did not hesitate and aimed straight at the crocodiles eyes. With all the force of her little body. She drove the hayfork into his eyes. The crocodile reared up in convulsion and then disappeared. Sibia dragged the injured woman from the water with a heroic effort. She stopped her wounds with sand and bound them with a rag. She was also able to help her home to the Gujar encampment for further medical care.
This shows that Sibia is a girl with a heroic streak. But the best thing about her is that she does not boast of her great victory over a giant reptile. She is happy with the blue bead she gets near the river bank after the great fight against the monster of the river.
Question 13.**
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
How they toiled and sweated to get the hay in! But their efforts were rewarded, for the harvest was an even bigger success than they had planned. Sometimes the work was hard;…
(i) What hardships did the animals face when they began the harvest ? [3]
(ii) How long did they take to complete the harvest? What was the result ? [3]
(iii) What other hardships did they face later that year ? [3]
(iv) Describe the Sunday routine on Animal Farm. [3]
(v) What contribution did Boxer make to the farm work which earned him the admiration of his fellow creatures ? [4]
Question 14.**
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
These two disagreed on every point where disagreement was possible. If one of them suggested sowing a bigger acreage with barley, the other was certain to demand a bigger acreage of oats, and if one of them said that such and such field was just right for cabbages, the other would declare that it was useless for anything except roots.
(i) Who were the two who disagreed on every point? [3]
What special skills did each of them possess ?
(ii) What was Snowball s dream project ? [3]
How, in his opinion, would it transform life on Animal Farm ?
(iii) How did Snowball work out the details of this project ? Where did he do the planning? [3]
(iv) How did the farm animals view Snowball s effort ? [3]
(v) Later on, at a Sunday meeting of the farm animals, Snowball is expelled and Napoleon assumes charge. [4] What immediate changes does he announce regarding the running of Animal Farm.
Question 15.**
With reference to George Orwell s ‘The Animal Farm ’, answer the following questions:
(i) What decisions were made regarding the retiring age of the animals at the beginning when the laws of Animal Farm were being formulated ? [4]
(ii) What ‘improvements ’ in their lifestyle compared to the days of Jones did Squealer point out to the animals when a reduction in their rations was announced to the animals during the next winter on Animal Farm ? [4]
(iii) What stories did Moses the raven tell the farm animals? [8]
What effect did these stories have on the animals ?
What does this tell us about their living conditions ?
The Call of the Wild: Jack London
Question 16.**
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
During thefour years since his piippyhood he (B.uck) had lived the life of a sated aristocrat; he had a fine pride in himself, was ever a trifle egotistical, as country gentlemen sometimes become because of their insular situation.
(i) Where did Buck spend his puppyhood ? Describe the place. [3]
(ii) Who were Buck’s parents ? Who do you know about them? [3]
(iii) What do you understand from the term, ‘sated aristocrat’? [3]
In what way did Buck’s life resemble that of a ‘sated aristocrat ’ ?
(iv) What did Buck do to prevent himself from becoming a pampered house-dog ? [3]
(v) What historical event changed Buck’s life of ease forever? [4]
Which member of the household was responsible for bringjng about this change ?
Why do you think person acted in this manner?
Question 17.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
On the other hand, possibly because he divined in Buck a dangerous rival, Spitz never lost an opportunity of showing his teeth. He even went out of his way to bully Buck, striving constantly to start the fight which could end only in the death of one or the other. (3.2)
(i) Who was Spitz ? Why did he consider Buck ‘a dangerous rival’? [3]
(ii) How did the ‘dominant primordial beast ’ which grew in Buck shape his behaviour in his new environment ? [3]
(iii) Earlier in the trip, Buck and Spitz were engaged in a violent fight. [3]
What led to the fight ? Why did it end abruptly?
(iv) Later in the story, Buck intervened when Spitz was about to punish Pike. [3]
Why did he do this ? How did Francois reward Buck for this ?
(v) In what ways are Buck and Spitz similar ?
How are they different from each other ? [4]
Question 18.
Answer the following with reference to Jack London s, ‘The Call of the Wild’.
(i) Why is Buck regarded as the protagonist (the hero) of Jack London’s book ‘The Call of the Wild ’ ? [4]
(ii) After Spitz s death Buck was made leader of the dog team.
In what ways did Buck prove to be better than Spitz in his role as leader of the team ? [4]
(iii) Explore the themes of love and loyalty as revealed in the relationship between Buck and Thornton in Jack London s novel, ‘The Call of the Wild’. [8]