Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Extract:
When my parents were comfortably settled in the city, they sent for us. That was a turning-point in our friendship. Although we shared the same room, my grandmother no longer came to school with me. I used to go to an English school in a motor bus. There were no dogs in the streets and she took to feeding sparrows in the courtyard of our city house.
(The Portrait of a Lady)
---teachoo.png)
Question (i)
What was the turning-point in the narrator’s friendship with his grandmother?
Answer:
Answer by the student:
The turning-point in the narrator’s friendship with his grandmother was when he moved to the city with his parents and went to an English school.
Step-by-step explanation:
- To answer this question, we need to identify the words and phrases that the narrator uses to describe the turning-point in his friendship with his grandmother in the extract. We can use bullet points to list them:
sent for us
no longer came to school with me
an English school in a motor bus
- We can then use these points to write a complete sentence that summarizes the turning-point in the narrator’s friendship with his grandmother. We can use simple words and connect them with conjunctions like “and” or “when”. We can also use bold formatting to highlight the key words. For example:
- The turning-point in the narrator’s friendship with his grandmother was when he moved to the city with his parents and went to an English school .😊
Question (ii)
How did the narrator’s grandmother cope with the change of environment in the city?
- (a) She became lonely and depressed
- (b) She made new friends and hobbies
- (c) She took to feeding sparrows in the courtyard
- (d) She went back to the village
Answer:
Answer by the student:
(c) She took to feeding sparrows in the courtyard
Step-by-step explanation:
- To answer this question, we need to recall what the narrator says about his grandmother’s behavior in the city in the extract. We can use quotation marks to indicate the exact words that he says. For example:
- He says that she “took to feeding sparrows in the courtyard of our city house”.
- We then need to compare this statement with the four given options and choose the one that matches it best. We can use a process of elimination to rule out the options that are different from what he says. For example:
- Option A is different because he does not mention anything about his grandmother being lonely or depressed.
- Option B is different because he does not mention anything about his grandmother making new friends or hobbies.
- Option D is different because he does not mention anything about his grandmother going back to the village.
- We can then conclude that option C is the correct answer because it is the same as what he says about his grandmother’s behavior in the city. We can use bold formatting to indicate our choice. For example:
- The correct answer is C. She took to feeding sparrows in the courtyard .👍
Question (iii)
What does the word “sparrows” mean in the extract?
Answer:
Answer by the student:
Sparrows are small brown birds that are common in many parts of the world.
Step-by-step explanation:
- To answer this question, we need to define the word “sparrows” using simple words and examples. We can use a dictionary or an encyclopedia to help us find the meaning and description of sparrows. For example:
- Sparrows are small brown birds that are common in many parts of the world.
- They have short tails and pointed wings and often live near human settlements.
- They eat seeds, insects, and crumbs and make nests in trees, bushes, or buildings.
- We can then use these information to write a complete sentence that defines the word “sparrows” in simple words. We can also use bold formatting to highlight the key words. For example:
- Sparrows are small brown birds that are common in many parts of the world .😊
Question (iv)
How does the extract show that the narrator’s life changed drastically after moving to the city?
Answer:
Answer by the student:
The extract shows that the narrator’s life changed drastically after moving to the city by contrasting his old and new routines, environments, and companions.
Step-by-step explanation:
- To answer this question, we need to infer how the extract shows that the narrator’s life changed drastically after moving to the city from his actions and words in the extract. We can use clues such as verbs, adverbs, or expressions to help us. For example:
- The narrator says that he used to go to school with his grandmother in the village but no longer did so in the city.
- The narrator says that he used to go to school on a wooden slate but now went on a motor bus.
- The narrator says that there were no dogs in the streets of the city but there were sparrows in the courtyard.
- We can then use these clues to write a complete sentence that explains how the extract shows that the narrator’s life changed drastically after moving to the city. We can use simple words and connect them with conjunctions like “and” or “by”. We can also use bold formatting to highlight the key words. For example:
- The extract shows that the narrator’s life changed drastically after moving to the city by contrasting his old and new routines , environments , and companions .😊
