Read the extract and answer the following questions.
Extract:
After months of knowing him, I ask him his name. “SahebeAlam,” he announces. He does not know what it means. If he knew its meaning — lord of the universe — he would have a hard time believing it. Unaware of what his name represents, he roams the streets with his friends, an army of barefoot boys who appear like the morning birds and disappear at noon.
(Lost Spring)
Question (i)
What does the writer mean by "he would have a hard time believing it"?
- He would be surprised by the meaning of his name
- He would be doubtful of the authenticity of his name
- He would be proud of the significance of his name
- He would be confused by the contrast of his name and his situation
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
(d) He would be confused by the contrast of his name and his situation.
Step-by-step explanation:
- The writer reveals that Saheb's name means "lord of the universe", which is a very grand and noble name.
- However, Saheb's reality is very different from his name. He is a poor street child who roams around barefoot with his friends, without any education or opportunities.
- Therefore, if Saheb knew the meaning of his name, he would have a hard time believing it, because it does not match his situation at all.
- He would be confused by the irony and the injustice of having such a name when he has nothing else in life.
- This shows the writer's sympathy and sadness for Saheb and his friends, who are deprived of their basic rights and dignity.
Question (ii)
Why does the writer use the metaphor of "an army of barefoot boys" to describe Saheb and his friends?
- To show their strength and courage
- To show their discipline and order
- To show their large number and uniformity
- To show their loyalty and camaraderie
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
(c) To show their large number and uniformity.
Step-by-step explanation:
- A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two things that are not alike, but have something in common.
- The writer compares Saheb and his friends to an army of barefoot boys, which means that they are like soldiers who do not wear shoes.
- The writer uses this metaphor to show how many of them there are on the streets, and how they all look the same without any footwear or proper clothes.
- The writer also implies that they have no choice but to be barefoot, as if they are following a strict rule or a tradition that they cannot break.
- This shows the writer's awareness and concern for the plight of these children, who are deprived of their basic needs and comforts.
Question (iii)
Identify the word from the extract that means the same as "wander".
- Know
- Roam
- Appear
- Recognise
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
(b) Roam.
Step-by-step explanation:
- To wander means to move around without a fixed direction or purpose, often aimlessly or casually.
- To roam means to move about or travel without any definite plan or destination, often over a large area.
- Both words have similar meanings, but roam can also imply more freedom or enjoyment than wander.
- The writer uses the word roam to describe how Saheb and his friends move around the streets with their friends, without any fixed schedule or goal.
- This shows the writer's curiosity and interest in their lives, as well as their lack of guidance and direction.
Question (iv)
Complete the sentence with ONE word.
The phrase "he does not know what it means", suggests that Saheb is ___________ of his own identity.
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
unaware.
Step-by-step explanation:
- To be unaware means to not know or realize something, or to not pay attention to something.
- The writer says that Saheb does not know what his name means, which is "lord of the universe".
- This suggests that Saheb is unaware of his own identity, or who he really is and where he comes from.
- This shows the writer's surprise and pity for Saheb, who does not have any sense of his own history or culture.
Question (v)
What is the writer's purpose in revealing Saheb's name only after months of knowing him?
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
The writer's purpose in revealing Saheb's name only after months of knowing him is to create a contrast between his name and his reality, and to show how his name does not reflect his situation.
Step-by-step explanation:
- The writer introduces Saheb as a barefoot boy who roams the streets with his friends, without any education or opportunities.
- The writer does not mention his name until after months of knowing him, which creates a suspense and a curiosity for the reader.
- The writer then reveals his name as SahebeAlam, which means "lord of the universe", which is a very grand and noble name.
- The writer also says that he does not know what it means, which adds to the irony and the contrast of his name and his reality.
- The writer's purpose in doing this is to show how Saheb's name does not reflect his situation at all, and how he is deprived of his basic rights and dignity.
Question (vi)
Which of the following headlines best captures the central idea of the extract?
- The Irony of a Noble Name
- The Friendship of Street Children
- The Mystery of a Barefoot Boy
- The Reality of Urban Poverty
Answer:
Answer as written by the student:
(a) The Irony of a Noble Name .
Step-by-step explanation:
- The central idea of the extract is the main message or theme that the writer wants to convey to the reader.
- The central idea of this extract is the contrast between Saheb's name and his reality, and how his name does not match his situation at all.
- The headline that best captures this central idea is "The Irony of a Noble Name", which summarizes the main point of the extract in a concise and catchy way.
- The other headlines do not capture the central idea as well, as they focus on other aspects of the extract, such as the friendship of street children, the mystery of a barefoot boy, or the reality of urban poverty.
