Question

Read the following passage and answer the questions:
At the time when the city of Venice in Italy was rich and famous, one of her
chief citizens was a merchant named Antonio. He was well known for his
kindness. He had many friends and among them was a young Venetian
nobleman named Bassanio. Although he came from a noble family,
Bassanio was poor lived beyond his means in order to live the kind of life he
liked. But Antonio loved him and gave him money whenever he needed it
for the Merchant of Venice was a prosperous man, who owned many
valuable ships which traded with foreign countries.
Bassanio loved a rich and noble young lady named Portia, whose father had
recently died. Thus she came into her inheritance. So rich, beautiful and
clever was she that princes and noblemen were continually offering to marry
her. These visitors, because they were rich and noble, knew how to make a
fine show before the lady, by arriving at her house with expensive presents
and finely-dressed servants. Bassanio could not afford to buy fine presents,
and he was afraid that the lady would not like him because he was poor, and
so would refuse to marry him.
Bassanio went to Antonio and told him of his difficulty. He asked Antonio to
lend him three thousand ducats. But Antonio had no money to spare as all
his ships were at sea. He decided to borrow the money from Shylock, the
money-lender.
Shylock was a miser but the best-known money-lender in Venice. He was
not liked by people because he was a cruel man who demanded a high rate of
interest and showed no mercy to those who could not pay back the money
borrowed from him. Shylock hated Antonio, partly because Antonio
expressed his dislike for Shylock’s cruelty, but chiefly because Antonio
himself often lent money without asking for any interest on it, and this
spoiled Shylock’s business. Unaware of this, Antonio went to him with his
friend Bassanio to ask for three thousand ducats.
(Prose adaptation, FROM THE MERCHANT OF VENICE BY WILLIAM
SHAKESPEARE)
A. Bassanio did not feel confident as a suitor. Would you agree? Justify your
answer by referring to the passage. (3)
B. Antonio spoiled Shylock’s business. How and why do you think this was
possible? Answer by referring closely to the passage. (2)
C. Choose the correct option: (1x3=3)
i. Bassanio lived beyond his means. This implies that Bassanio
a. kept begging for money.
b. lent money to others in need.
c. spent more money than he could afford.
ii. Portia’s suitors knew how to make a fine show before the lady. This implies
that they
a. wanted to impress Portia.
b. wanted to deceive Portia.
c. were professional actors.
iii. Portia was a wealthy noblewoman. She had
a. worked hard to become wealthy.
b. been given her wealth as inheritance.
c. neither a nor b.
D. State whether the following statements are True or False and QUOTE an
ENTIRE SENTENCE from the passage in support of your answer. (1.5x2=3)
i. Antonio could afford to help his friend Bassanio financially.
ii. Only her wealth made Portia attractive to the young men who wished to
marry her.
E. From the words underlined in the passage select the one which has the same
meaning as the word given below: (1)
aristocratic .

Answer 1

Explanation: Bassanio lived beyond his means

• Bassanio was a young Venetian  nobleman.
• He was a poor person though he belonged to a noble family.
• He had a very kind, rich and famous merchant friend of Venice, Italy named Antonio.
• He spent more money than he could afford.

Portia’s suitors knew how to make a fine show before the lady. This implies  that they wanted to impress Portia

• Bassanio was in love with a rich and noble lady, Portia.
• She was very beautiful, clever and rich.
• After her father`s death there were many princes and noblemen who wanted to marry her.
• Since these visitors were both rich and noble they knew how to impress the lady and they did by bringing in expensive presents  and finely-dressed servants.
• They wanted to impress her.

Portia was a wealthy noblewoman. She had been given her wealth as inheritance.

• Portia was the daughter of rich and noble person.
• Her father after his death had left wealth for her which she went on to inherit.

Hope this helps.

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