Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: He would have gone on worrying and worrying in this way if an unexpected distraction had not arrived in the form of a heavily loaded car bumping over the grassy bank, dodging between the coconut trees and raising a cloud of dust in the narrow path before it came to a standstill in front of Mon Repos, the white bungalow that stood empty most of the year. It was the de Silvas, the family that came from Bombay to spend an occasional holiday in it and bring it suddenly to life for a few days. They had bought Mon Repos a year ago from the Vakils who had been one of the first Bombay families to build holiday cottages on the Thul beach. But they had grown too old and frail to come often and, after the house has stood empty for several years, sold it to the de Silvas who were young and energetic and seemed heartily to enjoy life on the beach. Whenever they came, life changed for the family and the little hut, too. Immediately there was a hubbub, all kinds of excitement and expectations, and of course work to be done, employment to be had and wages. Hari, Bela and Kamal stood by their door under the frangipani tree, tense with excitement watching and holding Pinto back as he barked at the unfamiliar sight of a car and stranger till his voice was quite hoarse. There was a commotion in the marshy creek that separated the hut from the house, too – herons, egrets, kingfishers and moorhens all flapping into the dense greenery of the pandanus, the casuarina and the bhindi trees for shelter. ‘Do you think they have come here for good?’ Bela whispered. ‘Hunh – who would live here if he had a house in Bombay?’ Hari scoffed. ‘But look how much luggage they’ve brought – it can't be just for a few days,’ Bella said, and it was true that an unbelievable number of boxes and bags and baskets were being taken out of the car, out of the boot and off the luggage carrier so that anyone would have thought they had come to stay forever. (a) Give the meaning of each of the following words as used in the passage. One word answers or short phrases will be accepted. (i) distraction (line 2) (ii) frail (line 10) (iii) commotion (line 19) [3] (b) Answer the following questions briefly, in your own words. (i) Who were the Vakils? (ii) Why was the house more suited to the De Silvas? (iii) Who was Pinto? (iv) What effect did the noise have on the natural surroundings? (v) From Hari’s answer to Bela’s question what opinion does Hari have of Bombay?
Answers
"(a) (i) a diversion that prevents a person from focussing on something.
(ii) weak
(iii) disturbance marked by noise and confusion
(b) (i) The Vakils were one of the first families to build holiday cottages on the Thul beach. They are now old and the house is useless to them.
(ii) The house was more suited to the De Silvas are they were young and energetic and would come to the Thul Beach for an occasional holiday.
(iii) Pinto was a dog at the cottage.
(iv) The noise created a commotion as all herons, egrets, kingfishers and moorhens flapped into the dense greenery of the pandanus, the casuarina and the bhindi trees for shelter.
(v) Hari has a high opinion of the Bombay city and apparently has a dream to live there. He is flabbergasted by the fact that someone who has a house in Bombay would come to live at the Thul Beach.
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Answer:
"(a) (i) a diversion that prevents a person from focussing on something.
(ii) weak
(iii) disturbance marked by noise and confusion
(b) (i) The Vakils were one of the first families to build holiday cottages on the Thul beach. They are now old and the house is useless to them.
(ii) The house was more suited to the De Silvas are they were young and energetic and would come to the Thul Beach for an occasional holiday.
(iii) Pinto was a dog at the cottage.
(iv) The noise created a commotion as all herons, egrets, kingfishers and moorhens flapped into the dense greenery of the pandanus, the casuarina and the bhindi trees for shelter.
(v) Hari has a high opinion of the Bombay city and apparently has a dream to live there. He is flabbergasted by the fact that someone who has a house in Bombay would come to live at the Thul Beach.