Question

He looked at me very blankly and tired, then said, having to share his worry with
someone, “The cat will be alright, I am sure. There is no need to be unquiet about the cat.
But the others. Now what do you think about the others?”
i) Describe the old man’s appearance. With whom is the old man sharing his worries? (3)
ii) Where are the old man and the listener at the moment and why are they present there?
Which are the other animals the old man is referring to? (3)
iii) What is the reason for the old man’s worry and guilt? How does the narrator try to
relieve the old man of his worries? (3)
iv) What did the narrator see on the bridge when he returned? What made the old man
smile? (3)
v) How has Hemmingway depicted the destructive aspects of war, through the symbolism
in the story, ‘Old Man at The Bridge’?

Answer 1

Answer:

Who was sitting by the side of the road?

Answer:

An old man wearing steel rimmed glasses and very dusty clothes was sitting by the side of the road.

What does the term “pontoon bridge” mean?

Answer:

A pontoon bridge also known as a floating bridge, uses floats or shallow-draft boats to support a continuous deck for pedestrian and vehicle travel. The buoyancy of the supports limits the maximum load they can carry. Most pontoon bridges are temporary, used in wartime and civil emergencies.

Why were the soldiers “helping to push against the spokes of the wheels”?

Answer:

The soldiers were “helping to push against the spokes of the wheels” because there was a steep elevation.