Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Extract:
It was dark by the time we finally left again and after 10.30 p.m. we drew up outside a guest house in Darchen for what turned out to be another troubled night. Kicking around in the open-air rubbish dump that passed for the town of Hor had set off my cold once more, though if truth be told it had never quite disappeared with my herbal tea. One of my nostrils was blocked again and as I lay down to sleep, I wasn’t convinced that the other would provide me with sufficient oxygen. My watch told me I was at 4,760 metres. It wasn’t much higher than Ravu, and there I’d been gasping for oxygen several times every night. I’d grown accustomed to these nocturnal disturbances by now, but they still scared me.
(Silk Road)
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Question (i)
Complete the sentence appropriately.
The narrator had a cold that was triggered by ___________.
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
The narrator had a cold that was triggered by kicking around in the open-air rubbish dump that passed for the town of Hor.
Step-by-step explanation of the answer: 🤧
- To answer this question, we need to use our knowledge of the story and the context of the extract.
- The story tells us that the narrator is a writer who is on a journey to Mount Kailash, a sacred mountain in Tibet. He is accompanied by Daniel, a photographer, Tsetan, a Tibetan driver and guide, and Norbu, a Buddhist monk. They are travelling by jeep, which is a four-wheel drive vehicle that can handle rough terrain and weather conditions.
- The context of the extract tells us that they had stopped at Hor, which was a small and dirty town near Lake Manasarovar. They had spent some time there kicking around in the open-air rubbish dump that passed for the town. They had then left again and reached Darchen, which was another town near Mount Kailash. The narrator had a cold that had started earlier in his journey and had been cured by herbal tea. However, his cold had returned after his visit to Hor and had caused him breathing problems at night.
- Therefore, we can infer that the narrator had a cold that was triggered by kicking around in the open-air rubbish dump that passed for the town of Hor.
Question (ii)
In the given extract, what emotion was the narrator feeling when he said "I wasn’t convinced that the other would provide me with sufficient oxygen"?
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
The emotion that the narrator was feeling when he said "I wasn’t convinced that the other would provide me with sufficient oxygen" was anxiety.
Step-by-step explanation of the answer: 😟
- To answer this question, we need to use our knowledge of vocabulary and emotions.
- Vocabulary tells us that anxiety is a feeling or state of nervousness or worry about something uncertain or unknown. It can be expressed by words or phrases such as "not convinced", "not sure", "doubtful", etc.
- Emotions are feelings or states of mind that affect one's mood or behaviour. They can be expressed by words or phrases such as "happy", "sad", "angry", etc.
- The context of the extract tells us that the narrator was suffering from altitude sickness, which is a condition caused by low oxygen levels at high altitudes. He had one of his nostrils blocked due to his cold and he was not sure if his other nostril would provide him with enough oxygen to breathe. He said that he wasn't convinced that the other would provide him with sufficient oxygen. This shows that he was feeling nervous or worried about his situation and his health. He was afraid or uncertain of what would happen to him if he didn't get enough oxygen.
- Therefore, we can infer that the emotion that the narrator was feeling when he said "I wasn’t convinced that the other would provide me with sufficient oxygen" was anxiety.
Question (iii)
Which word or phrase can replace "nocturnal disturbances" without changing the meaning of the sentence?
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
A word or phrase that can replace "nocturnal disturbances" without changing the meaning of the sentence is "night-time interruptions".
Step-by-step explanation of the answer: 🌙
- To answer this question, we need to use our knowledge of synonyms and word choice.
- Synonyms are words that have similar meanings to other words. For example, big and large are synonyms. We can use synonyms to replace words in a sentence without changing its meaning.
- Word choice is the selection of words that best suit the purpose or tone of a sentence. For example, we can choose formal or informal words depending on the situation or audience.
- The context of the extract tells us that the narrator had grown accustomed to these nocturnal disturbances by now, but they still scared him. This means that he had become used to these night-time interruptions by now, but they still frightened him. He had been gasping for oxygen several times every night due to his altitude sickness and his cold. Therefore, he used the word "nocturnal disturbances" to mean night-time interruptions in this sentence.
- We can check if this meaning is correct by replacing "nocturnal disturbances" with a synonym such as "night-time interruptions". The sentence would still make sense and convey the same idea.
Question (iv)
How is the line, "It wasn’t much higher than Ravu, and there I’d been gasping for oxygen several times every night", an example of comparison?
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
The line, "It wasn’t much higher than Ravu, and there I’d been gasping for oxygen several times every night", is an example of comparison because it shows how two places are similar or different in terms of altitude and oxygen level.
Step-by-step explanation of the answer: 📊
- To answer this question, we need to understand what comparison is and how it is used in the story.
- Comparison is a literary device that shows how two or more things are similar or different. It can be used to highlight similarities or differences in characters, settings, themes, or moods. It can also be used to create a sense of contrast or connection in the story.
- The line, "It wasn’t much higher than Ravu, and there I’d been gasping for oxygen several times every night" , is an example of comparison because it shows how two places are similar or different in terms of altitude and oxygen level. It is said by the narrator when he was at Darchen, which was a town near Mount Kailash. He compared Darchen with Ravu, which was another town where he had stayed earlier in his journey. He said that Darchen wasn't much higher than Ravu, which means that they had similar altitudes. He also said that he had been gasping for oxygen several times every night at Ravu, which means that they had low oxygen levels. He used this comparison to show that he was expecting to have breathing problems at Darchen as well, since it was similar to Ravu in terms of altitude and oxygen level. He used this comparison to create a sense of contrast or connection between the two places and his experiences there.
