JULIUS CAESAR EXTRACT 1 (Act IV, Scene 1) Read the extract and answer the questions that follow: "These many, then, shall die; their names are prick'd." (i) Who speaks these words? To whom are they spoken? What is meant by "prick'd"? Answer (3 marks): ● The words are spoken by Octavius Caesar. ● They are spoken to Mark Antony and Lepidus. ● "Prick'd" means marked down or selected for execution. (ii) Why are the speakers making such a list? Answer (3 marks): ● They are preparing a list of enemies. ● These people are to be executed. ● The triumvirs wish to eliminate all opposition and strengthen their political power. (iii) What does this scene reveal about Antony's character? Answer (3 marks): ● Antony appears ruthless and practical. ● He is willing to sacrifice lives for political advantage. ● He places power above personal feelings. (iv) Why is Lepidus asked to go to Caesar's house? Answer (3 marks): ● Antony wants him to fetch Caesar's will. ● The triumvirs wish to review the bequests made to the Roman citizens. ● They plan to reduce some of the gifts mentioned in the will.
(v) How does this scene contrast with Antony's funeral speech in Act III? Answer (4 marks): ● In Act III Antony appeared as Caesar's loyal friend. ● He praised Caesar and aroused public sympathy. ● In this scene he behaves like a calculating politician. ● The contrast highlights his ability to manipulate situations for power. EXTRACT 2 (Act IV, Scene 1) Read the extract and answer the questions that follow: "This is a slight unmeritable man, Meet to be sent on errands." (i) Who says these words? About whom are they spoken? Answer (3 marks): ● The words are spoken by Antony. ● They are spoken about Lepidus. ● Antony expresses contempt for him. (ii) Why does Antony consider Lepidus unimportant? Answer (3 marks): ● Antony thinks Lepidus lacks independent judgment. ● He sees him as useful only for carrying out orders. ● He does not regard him as an equal partner. (iii) How does Octavius respond to Antony's opinion? Answer (3 marks): ● Octavius defends Lepidus. ● He says Lepidus is a brave and experienced soldier. ● He disagrees with Antony's harsh assessment. (iv) What comparison does Antony make to describe Lepidus? Answer (3 marks): ● Antony compares him to a horse.
● He says Lepidus can be trained and directed. ● The comparison shows Antony's disrespect. (v) What does this exchange reveal about political relationships in Rome? Answer (4 marks): ● Alliances are based on convenience rather than trust. ● Political leaders use one another for personal gain. ● Mutual suspicion exists even among allies. ● The scene reflects the corruption and instability of Roman politics. EXTRACT 3 (Act IV, Scene 1) Read the extract and answer the questions that follow: "Upon condition Publius shall not live, Who is your sister's son, Mark Antony." (i) Who speaks these words and in what context? Answer (3 marks): ● Octavius speaks these words. ● The triumvirs are discussing those who must die. ● He mentions Antony's nephew Publius. (ii) What condition does Octavius impose? Answer (3 marks): ● Publius must also be executed. ● Octavius insists on equal sacrifice. ● No relative should be spared. (iii) How does Antony react to this proposal? Answer (3 marks): ● Antony agrees immediately. ● He places political necessity above family ties. ● He does not attempt to save his nephew.
(iv) What does Antony's response suggest about him? Answer (3 marks): ● He is cold and pragmatic. ● He is determined to secure power. ● Personal relationships do not influence his decisions. (v) Explain the significance of this incident in the play. Answer (4 marks): ● It shows the cruelty of the triumvirs. ● Political ambition outweighs family loyalty. ● Rome has descended into violence after Caesar's death. ● The scene foreshadows further bloodshed. EXTRACT 4 (Act IV, Scene 2) Read the extract and answer the questions that follow: "Stand, ho!" (i) Who speaks these words and to whom? Answer (3 marks): ● The words are spoken by Lucilius. ● They are addressed to a poet approaching the camp. ● Lucilius wishes to stop him. (ii) Why does the poet come to the camp? Answer (3 marks): ● He wishes to meet Brutus and Cassius. ● He is concerned about their quarrel. ● He hopes to promote harmony between them. (iii) How does Titinius describe the relationship between Brutus and Cassius? Answer (3 marks): ● He says they have had a misunderstanding.
● Their friendship has become strained. ● Tension exists between the two leaders. (iv) What mood is created at the beginning of Scene 2? Answer (3 marks): ● The mood is tense and uncertain. ● There is anxiety among the soldiers. ● The possibility of conflict worries everyone. (v) Why is Scene 2 important in the structure of the play? Answer (4 marks): ● It introduces the conflict between Brutus and Cassius. ● It creates suspense before their confrontation. ● It shows cracks in the conspirators' unity. ● It prepares the audience for the events of Scene 3. EXTRACT 5 (Act IV, Scene 2) Read the extract and answer the questions that follow: "Welcome, good Messala." (i) Who speaks these words? Who is Messala? Answer (3 marks): ● The words are spoken by Brutus. ● Messala is a supporter and friend of Brutus. ● He brings important information. (ii) Why has Messala come to Brutus' camp? Answer (3 marks): ● He arrives with military and political news. ● He joins Brutus before the coming battle. ● He supports the republican cause.
(iii) What concern occupies Brutus at this time? Answer (3 marks): ● He is worried about his disagreement with Cassius. ● He fears disunity among their forces. ● He wants to resolve the conflict. (iv) What does this scene reveal about Brutus as a leader? Answer (3 marks): ● He remains courteous and disciplined. ● He values order and cooperation. ● He behaves with dignity despite difficulties. (v) How does Shakespeare build anticipation in this scene? Answer (4 marks): ● References are made to tension between Brutus and Cassius. ● Other characters notice their disagreement. ● The audience expects a confrontation. ● This creates dramatic suspense. EXTRACT 6 (Act IV, Scene 2) Read the extract and answer the questions that follow: "They stand, and would have parley." (i) Who says these words? About whom are they spoken? Answer (3 marks): ● The words are spoken by Lucilius. ● They refer to Brutus and Cassius. ● The two leaders are preparing to talk. (ii) What is meant by "parley"? Answer (3 marks): ● "Parley" means a discussion or conference.
● It is intended to settle differences. ● It often occurs before conflict. (iii) Why is the meeting necessary? Answer (3 marks): ● Serious disagreements have arisen. ● Their unity is threatened. ● They need cooperation against Antony and Octavius. (iv) How do the soldiers react to the situation? Answer (3 marks): ● They are concerned and watch carefully. ● They sense tension between the leaders. ● They hope the dispute will be resolved. (v) What themes are highlighted through the conflict between Brutus and Cassius? Answer (4 marks): ● Friendship and loyalty are tested. ● Political ambition creates divisions. ● Leadership brings personal and moral challenges. ● The weakening of unity contributes to tragedy. THE GIRL WHO CAN Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow. Passage 1 They all say that when all of Africa is not choking under a drought, Hasodzi lives in a very fertile low land in a district known for its good soil. May be that is why anytime I don’t finish eating my food. Nana says, ‘You Adjoa, you don’t know what life is about …………… you don’t know what problems there are in this life ………………………..’ .
(i) What contrast is made in the first sentence? Ans. The contrast is between drought and fertile. When Africa is gripped by a drought, Hasodzi remains fertile. (ii) What do you learn about the speaker from this extract? Ans. She is carefree and likes her village. (iii) What information is given by the narrator about Nana? Ans. Nana scolds the girl for not finishing her food. (iv) What does the narrator think about her Nana telling about problems of life? Ans. At every stage of life, one faces a different set of problems. A young girl cannot identify the problems faced by the adults. (v) Which part of Africa is this story about? What is peculiar about it? Ans. Hasodzi is a low lying fertile patch of land in central Ghana. It remains fertile and green even when the entire Africa is suffering from a drought. Passage 2 And that, I think, is a very serious problem. Because it is always difficult to decide whether to keep quite and not say any of the things that come into my head, or say them and get laughed at. (i) Which serious problem is the narrator talking about? Ans. She is unable to speak her mind. (ii) What is the narrator’s dilemma? Ans. Her dilemma is whether to speak or to remain quiet. (iii) What is the general attitude of the elders to the problems of the youngsters? Ans. They laugh at the ideas of the youngsters. (iv) Has it been easy for Adjoa to deal with Nana? Ans. No (v) Which weakness of Adjoa is pointed out by Nana? Ans. Adjoa had very thin and long legs. Passage 3 I find something quite confusing in all this. That is, no one ever explains to me, why sometimes I shouldn’t repeat somethings I say; while at other times, some
other things I say would not only be all right, but would be considered so funny, they would be repeated so many times for so many people’s enjoyment. You see how neither way of hearing me out can encourage me to express my thoughts too often? (i) What is confusing to the narrator? Ans. The two different reactions to her thoughts confuse her. She cannot identify the difference in her words which either makes them reprimand her or makes them laugh at her. (ii) What is the narrator forbidden to do? Ans. She is forbidden from repeating the words that she had spoken. (iii) What surprising thing or habit of the elders is referred to here? Ans. They laugh till tears flow from their eyes. They laugh at Adjoa’s ideas. (iv) How do the elders behave about the follies or foibles of the youngsters? Ans. They laugh at them or they reprimand them not to repeat such words. (v) What does the narrator think about the grown ups? Ans. They are strange. Passage 4 That it did not have to be an issue for my two favourite people to fight over. But I didn’t want either to be told not to repeat that or it to be considered so funny that anyone would laught at me until they cried. (i) Which issue does the narrator refer to here? Ans. The issue is the narrator’s legs. (ii) Who are the two favourite people of the narrator mentioned here? Do they have the same views? Ans. They are her mother and grandmother. No, they do not have the same views. (iii) What does the narrator expect of them regarding her issue? Ans. She wants them not to worry about her legs. It was not an issue to fight over. (iv) What opinion does Nana hold about women’s ability to rear a child? Ans. Women must have fleshy legs with strong calves that can support solid hips which are required to bear babies. (v) How is outer world of a child as compared to the world before birth? Ans. The world before birth is sweet and has soft silence. The outer world is full of noise and one has to understand many things.
Passage 5 And you know, such things are not for talking about everyday. But if any female child decides to come into this world with legs, then they might as well be legs. (i) Whose opinion is talked about here? How sound is it? Ans. Nana’s opinion. It is not valid because she has limited knowledge about a woman’s career prospects. (ii) Which such things are not meant to be talked about on a daily basis? Ans. Things about deformed babies being born. (iii) What kind of legs are not liked? And by whom? Ans. Nana does not like a woman with thin and long legs. (iv) What is expected of a female child to come into the world with? Ans. Such legs which are fleshy with strong calves which can support solid hips. (v) Does the narrator get any complex due to her so-called imperfection? Ans. No Passage 6 How, ‘After one’s only daughter had insisted on marrying a man like that, you still have to thank your God that the biggest problem you got later was having a grand daughter with spindly legs that are too long for a woman, and too thin to be of any use. (i) What is Nana lamenting about? Ans. Her daughter’s decision to marry the man whom she had liked. (ii) What kind of man did Maami marry? Was it a happy marriage? Ans. It is not clear but perhaps Maami married a man who had spindly legs. It wasn’t a happy marriage because they do not live with him any longer. (iii) What evil of the society does the passage refer to? Ans. Taunting (iv) Why is Nana not happy with Adjoa’s legs? Ans. They are too thin and long. (v) What is Nana’s ideal of a perfect woman? Ans. A perfect woman should have ideal legs. They must be fleshy, have strong calves that can support solid hips. Passage 7
School is another thing. Nana and my mother discussed often and appeared to have different ideas abut. Nana thought it would be waste of time. I never understood what she meant. My mother seemed to know — and disagreed. She kept telling Nana that she, that is my mother, felt she was locked into some kind of darkness because she didn’t go to school. So that if I, her daughter, could learn to write and read my own name and a little besides – perhaps be able to calculate some things on paper that would be good. I could always marry later and maybe…. (i) What did Nana think about the education of girls? Ans. It is a waste of time. (ii) What opinion do you form of Nana? Ans. She was primitive and old school. (iii) Did Adjoa’s mother hold the same views about the education of women as her grandmother Nana? Ans. No (iv) Was Adjoa’s mother educated? What was her regret? Ans. No. She regretted not going to school. She could not read, write or calculate. She felt locked in darkness. (v) Why did Nana not wish the girls to go to school? Ans. It was a waste of time. Passage 8 Yes, I have won every race I ran in for my school, and I have won the cup for the best all-round junior athlete. Yes, Nana said that she didn’t care if such things are not done. She would do it. You know what she did? She carried the gleaming cup on her back. Like they do with babies, and other very precious things. And this time, not taking the trouble to walk by herself. When we arrived in our village, she entered our compound to show the cup to my mother before going to give it back to the Headmaster. (i) What moment of pride does the passage refer to? Ans. Adjoa’s victory in the junior level district games. (ii) How does Nana react at Adjoa’s Achievement? Ans. She is extremely happy and carries the cup on her back, the way they carry babies and other precious things.
(iii) What change of heart and mind is seen in Nana’s personality? How does it seem different from her earlier attitude? Ans. Nana realizes that thin legs can also be of use. She realizes that a woman’s legs can be of uses other than to support hips to bear babies. This realization opens her mind to infinite possibilities which calms her disturbed mind. (iv) What does Nana begin to think about the role of women in society? Ans. She realizes that a woman’s role is not restricted to that of being a mother. (v) How does Adjoa show the mettle of a woman? Ans. Adjoa wins the district games and gives a practical example to Nana that her thin legs are useful. CONSIDERABLE SPECK PASSAGE-1 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: A speck that would have been beneath my sight On any but a paper sheet so white Set off across what I had written there. And I had idly poised my pen in air To stop it with a period of ink (i) What is a speck? What did it turn out to be? Ans. A speck is a tiny dust particle. It turned out to be a tiny insect. (ii) What had the poet been doing? What does the last line here tell you in this context? Ans. He is waiting for the particle to move away from the sheet. He was waiting to put a full stop to his writing. (iii) What do you mean by ‘Idly poised my pen’? Ans. sat idle, kept the pen in the air, waiting for the speck to move away. (iv) What did the poet observe about the mite later in the context? Ans. He observed that the speck of dust was a tiny mite. (v) Why did the poet spare the mite? Ans. He spared the mite because it was harmless.
PASSAGE-2 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: When something strange about it made me think, This was no dust speck by my breathing blown, But unmistakably a living mite With inclinations it could call its own. (i) What was ‘something strange’ about the speck? Ans. It did not fly off in a direction but it ran here and there. (ii) What was the first thing about the speck that struck the poet’s mind? Ans. It had its own ability to think. (iii) The mite had its own ‘inclinations’. Explain in the context. Ans. The mite could think and smelled danger. It used its intelligence to save itself. (iv) In what way did the mite reach the inked portion of the sheet of paper? Ans. It reached the ink, perhaps to smell it or to drink it. (v) What was it that refrained the poet from killing the mite? Ans. The mite was very tiny, called microscopic. The poet considered it to be harmless. PASSAGE-3 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: It paused as with suspicion of my pen, And then came racing wildly on again To where my manuscript was not yet dry; Then paused again and either drank or smelt- With loathing, for again it turned to fly. (i) When did the poet notice the reality of the speck on his page? Ans. When he saw that the movement was not continuous, it ran and paused. (ii) What is the significance of the word ‘suspicion’ in Line 1 here? Ans. To be in fear that the pen would hit it. (iii) How did the mite seem to drink or smell the ink? Ans. The mite reached the inked portion, the ink being wet. It paused there, perhaps it drank or smelled it.
(iv) What is a manuscript? How would it be dry? Ans. A manuscript is a piece of written material. When the ink with which it was written would dry, it would dry. (v) What did it do in terror? Ans. It paused then went racing and then tried to fly. PASSAGE-4 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: Plainly with an intelligence I dealt. It seemed too tiny to have room for feet, You must have had a set of them complete To express how much it didn’t want to die. It ran with terror and with cunning crept. It faltered : I could see it hesitate; (i) What do you mean by ‘an intelligence’ in Line 1? Why does the poet assert this? Ans. ‘An intelligence’ means the ability to decide what is good and bad. The poet asserts this because he saw that the tiny mite was also intelligent and tried to save itself from death. (ii) What was it that refuted the poet’s thinking that the mite had ‘no room for feet’? Ans. The small, microscopic size of the mite. (iii) ‘It ran with terror and with cunning crept’. Explain. Ans. It ran here and there and paused in between. This shows it was terrorized and was trying to be clever to save itself. (iv) What is it that the poet satirizes later in the context? Why? Ans. He satirizes those people who do not show their intelligence. He disapproves indiscriminate acceptance of all human beings irrespective of their mental calibre. (v) What does the poet appreciate in others? Ans. He appreciates individuality. PASSAGE-5 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: Then in the middle of the open sheet Cower down in desperation to accept
Whatever I accorded it of fate. I have none of the tenderer-than-thou Collectivistic regimenting love With which the modern world is being swept. But this poor microscopic item now ! Since it was nothing I knew evil of I let it lie there till I hope it slept. (i) What position did the mite take eventually? In what state was it? Ans. He reached the centre of the sheet, bent down and crawled backward to indicate fear and surrender. (ii) Explain ‘Collectivistic regimenting love’? Ans. A collective idea among a group of people which loves all human beings irrespective of their mental calibre. (iii) Which ideology is implicitly criticised here? Ans. Collectivistic regimenting love (iv) What made the poet let the mite ‘lie there till …. it slept’? Ans. It was a very tiny, harmless thing (v) Why does the poet choose a ‘Considerable speck’ to express his appreciation of the mind, its imagination and creativity? Ans. To show that even the tiniest of all beings had intelligence and displayed it on the sheet of paper. This display of mind made it considerable. PASSAGE-6 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: I have a mind myself and recognize Mind when I meet with it in any guise No one can know how glad I am to find On any sheet the least display of mind. (i) What does the poet appreciate and why? Ans. The display of intelligence by the mite. He is against indiscriminate acceptance of all human beings irrespective of their mental calibre. (ii) What quality in a writing appeals to the poet? Ans. Display of intelligence. (iii) Do you think the idea contained in this last stanza has relevance in the context? What is it?
Ans. Yes. The poet can identify intelligence irrespective of the type of creature which shows it. (iv) In what way did the poet identify with the mite? Ans. Both had a mind that could think and they displayed their intelligence. (v) What does the poet mean by “display of mind”? Ans. To use one’s ability to think for one’s betterment.