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Extract from the Play
RAM DATT
:
I have discovered something peculiar about this camel.
SHIV DATT
:
So have I.
HAR DATT
:
I, too, have noticed a strange detail.
DEV DATT
:
(Smiling)
It seems each of us has learnt something unique, yet I believe my discovery is unlike any of yours.
HAR DATT
:
Let us rest beneath a large tree and share our findings. But wait—someone approaches
in haste
!
SHIV DATT
:
(Peering ahead)
It appears to be a merchant, running as if
pursued
by trouble.
RAM DATT
:
A merchant indeed, and judging by his
countenance
, he has lost something of great value—perhaps his camel.
The Merchant, panting and
distressed
, reaches the group.
Summary in Bullet Points
- Each of the four friends has noticed something different about the camel from the tracks and the road around them.
- They decide to sit under a tree and compare what they have found.
- Before they can do that, a Merchant comes running towards them. He looks worried and upset.
- Ram Datt looks at the Merchant’s face and guesses that he has lost something valuable—possibly his camel.
-
The extract uses:
peculiar
= unusual
in haste = in a hurry
pursued = chased
countenance = facial expression
distressed = worried
Board Pattern
Questions Mapped to Exam Format
Short Answer
2 marks
Why does each young man say that he has noticed something different?
2 Marks
How to answer:
Explain what this suggests about their observation.
View Answer
Answer: Each man has focused on a different clue in the tracks and surroundings. This shows that they observe independently and bring different strengths to the group.
Longer Short Answer
3 marks
How does the approaching Merchant change the situation in Scene I?
3 Marks
How to answer:
Explain the shift from private discovery to a possible problem.
View Answer
Answer: Before the Merchant arrives, the men are simply studying tracks and planning to share their findings. His distressed arrival connects their discoveries to a real missing camel. It also creates the possibility that their unusual knowledge may be misunderstood.
