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Read the extract and answer the following questions
Extract:
Kisa Gotami had an only son, and he died. In her grief she carried the dead child to all her neighbours, asking them for medicine, and the people said, “She has lost her senses. The boy is dead.” At length, Kisa Gotami met a man who replied to her request, “I cannot give thee medicine for thy child, but I know a physician who can.” And the girl said, “Pray tell me, sir; who is it?” And the man replied, "Go to Sakyamuni, the Buddha.” Kisa Gotami repaired to the Buddha and cried, “Lord and Master, give me the medicine that will cure my boy.” The Buddha answered, “I want a handful of mustardseed.” And when the girl in her joy promised to procure it, the Buddha added, “The mustard-seed must be taken from a house where no one has lost a child, husband, parent or friend.” Poor Kisa Gotami now went from house to house, and the people pitied her and said, “Here is mustardseed; take it!” But when she asked, “Did a son or daughter, a father or mother, die in your family?” they answered her, “Alas! the living are few, but the dead are many. Do not remind us of our deepest grief.” And there was no house but some beloved one had died in it.
(The Sermons at Benares)
Question (i)
Which of the following is NOT a reason why Kisa Gotami carried the dead child to all her neighbours?
- (a) She was in denial of her son's death.
- (b) She was hoping to find a cure for her son.
- (c) She was seeking sympathy and comfort from others.
- (d) She was following a religious ritual for the dead.
Answer:
As written by the student:
(d) She was following a religious ritual for the dead.
Step-by-step explanation:
- The question asks us to identify the option that is not true or false according to the extract.
- We can eliminate option A because it is true that Kisa Gotami was in denial of her son's death, as the people said, "She has lost her senses."
- We can eliminate option B because it is true that Kisa Gotami was hoping to find a cure for her son, as she asked them for medicine.
- We can eliminate option C because it is true that Kisa Gotami was seeking sympathy and comfort from others, as the people pitied her and offered her mustard-seed.
- We can choose option D because it is false that Kisa Gotami was following a religious ritual for the dead. There is no mention of this in the extract or the chapter.
- Therefore, the correct answer is D.👍
Question (ii)
Why is it fair to say that Kisa Gotami's tone, when she said "Pray tell me, sir; who is it?" was desperate and hopeful? Answer in about 40 words.
Answer:
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As written by the student:
Kisa Gotami's tone, when she said "Pray tell me, sir; who is it?" was desperate and hopeful because she had been rejected by all her neighbours and had found a man who claimed to know a physician who could help her. She used the word "pray" to show her urgency and eagerness.
Step-by-step explanation:
- The question asks us to analyze Kisa Gotami's tone in a given sentence from the extract.
- We can use clues from the extract to infer Kisa Gotami's tone, such as her words, punctuation, and situation.
- We can see that Kisa Gotami used the word "pray" to show her urgency and eagerness. She wanted to know who the physician was as soon as possible.
- We can also see that Kisa Gotam i used a semicolon and a question mark to show her desperation and hopefulness. She was desperate to find a cure for her son and hopeful that the man would tell her who could help her.
- We can also see that Kisa Gotami was in a difficult situation, as she had been rejected by all her neighbours and had no one else to turn to. This shows her despair and hope.
- Therefore, it is fair to say that Kisa Gotami's tone was desperate and hopeful.😔😊
Question (iii)
Read the following descriptions (a)-(c) and identify which one correctly corresponds to the extract.
- (a) A parable is a short story that illustrates a moral or spiritual lesson.
- (b) A fable is a short story that features animals or inanimate objects as characters and teaches a moral lesson.
- (c) A legend is a traditional story that is based on historical events or figures and often has supernatural elements.
Answer:
As written by the student:
(a) A parable is a short story that illustrates a moral or spiritual lesson.
Step-by-step explanation:
- The question asks us to match the correct description to the extract.
- We can eliminate option B because t here is no fable in the extract. The extract does not feature animals or inanimate objects as characters and does not teach a moral lesson.
- We can eliminate option C because there is no legend in the extract. The extract is not based on historical events or figures and does not have supernatural elements.
- We can choose option A because there is a parable in the extract. The extract is a short story that illustrates a moral or spiritual lesson about death and grief from the Buddhist perspective.
- Therefore, the correct answer is A.👏
Question (iv)
How would an actor use his/her voice to convey Kisa Gotami's feelings and thoughts while enacting this extract? Answer in about 40 words.
Answer:
As written by the student:
An actor would use his/her voice to convey Kisa Gotami's feelings and thoughts by varying the tone, volume, and pitch according to the situation. He/she would use a loud and frantic tone for Kisa Gotami's denial and desperation, a low and pleading tone for Kisa Gotami's request and gratitude, a high and excited tone for Kisa Gotami's hope and joy, and a soft and calm tone for Kisa Gotami's realization and acceptance.
Step-by-step explanation:
- The question asks us to suggest how an actor would use his/her voice to enact this extract.
- We can use clues from the extract to identify Kisa Gotami's feelings and thoughts, such as her words, punctuation, and actions.
- We can see that Kisa Gotami was in denial and desperation when she carried the dead child to all her neighbours and asked them for medicine . This shows her refusal to accept reality and her urgency to find a solution.
- We can see that Kisa Gotami was grateful and pleading when she met the man who replied to her request. This shows her appreciation and eagerness to know more.
- We can see that Kisa Gotami was hopeful and joyful when she repaired to the Buddha and cried for help . This shows her faith and happiness to find a possible cure.
- We can see that Kisa Gotami was accepting and realizing when she learned the lesson from the Buddha's request. This shows her understanding and peace with the truth.
- Therefore, an actor would use his/her voice to convey these feelings and thoughts by varying the tone, volume, and pitch accordingly.😊
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