Read this passage from The Boy who was Afraid by Armstrong Sperry and then answer the questions in the question paper. It was the sea that Mafatu feared. He had been surrounded by it ever since he was born. The thunder of it filled his ears; the crash of it upon the reef, the mutter of it at sunset, the threat and fury of its storms - on every hand, wherever he turned - the sea. He could not remember when the fear of it had first taken hold of him. Perhaps it was in the great hurricane which swept Hikueru when he was a child of three. Even now, twelve years later, Mafatu could remember that terrible morning. His mother had taken him out to the barrier-reef to search for sea urchins in the reef pools. There were other canoes scattered at wide intervals along the reef. With late afternoon the other fishermen began to turn back. They shouted warnings to Mafatu's mother. It was the season of hurricane and the people of Hikueru were ill at ease, charged, it seemed, with an almost animal awareness of the impending storm. But when at last Mafatu's mother turned back toward shore, a swift current had set in around the shoulder of the reef passage: a meeting of tides that swept like a millrace out into the open sea. It seized the frail craft in its swift race. Despite all the woman's skill, the canoe was carried on the crest of the churning tide, through the reef passage, into the wider ocean. Mafatu would never forget the sound of his mother's despairing cry. He didn't know then what it meant; but he felt that something was terribly wrong, and he set up a loud wailing. Night closed down upon them, darkening the known world. The wind of the open ocean rushed at them screaming. Waves lifted and struck at one another, their crests hissing with spray. The woman sprang forward to seize her child as the canoe capsized. The little boy gasped when the cold water struck him. He clung to his mother's neck. Off the tip of Hikueru, the isle of Tekoto lay shrouded in darkness. It was scarcely more than a shelf of coral, almost awash. The swift current bore down upon the isle. Dawn found the little boy with his arms locked about his mother's neck. Little Mafatu buried his head against his mother's cold neck. He was filled with terror. He even forgot the thirst that burned his throat. But the paims of Tekoto beckoned with their promise of life, and the woman fought on. When at last they were cast up on the pinnacle of coral, Mafatu's mother crawled ashore with scarcely enough strength left to pull her child beyond reach of the sea's hungry fingers. The little boy was too weak to even cry. At hand lay a cracked coconut; the woman managed to press the cool, sustaining meat to her child's lips. Sometimes now, in the hush of night, when the moon was full and its light lay in silver bands across the mats and all the village was sleeping, Mafatu awoke and sat upright. The sea muttered its eternal threat to the reef. The sea... and a terrible trembling seized the boy's limbs, while a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Mafatu seemed to see again the faces of the fishermen who had found the mother and her whimpering child. These pictures still coloured his dreams. He shuddered when the mighty seas, gathering far out, hurled themselves at the barrier-reef of Hikueru and the whole island quivered under the assault. Perhaps that was the beginning of it. Mafatu, the boy who had been christened Stout Heart by his proud father, was afraid of the sea. What manner of fisherman would he grow up to be?
On the basis of your understanding of the above text, answer the following questions briefly.
1. Which words from lines 1-3 show Mafatu has always lived by the sea?
2. Look at lines 1-3.
Give one thing that Mafatu does not like about the sea.
3. Look at lines 4-10.
Give one phrase that suggests the boats are far apart from each other.
4. What language feature is it seized the frail craft' (line 13) an example of?
5. Look at lines 15-20.
Give two ways that the writer builds up a sense of danger in these lines. Support each
answer with examples from the text.
6. Look at lines 23-26.
Give two examples of Mafatu's behaviour which show his fear.
7. Look at lines 18-30.
What impression does the writer give of Mafatu's mother?
Identify two characteristics and support each one with examples from the text. Characteristic:
Example:
Characteristic:
Example:
8. How does the mood in the text change in lines 31-32?
9. Look at lines 35-38.
Identify one quotation about the sea in these lines and explain its effect.
Quotation:
Effect:
10. Look at lines 38-39.
What effects does the writer create by using the following?
Perhaps that was the beginning of it.
Introducing Mafatu's other name, 'Stout Heart'
Ending with a question
Effect
Answers
Answered by
5
Answer:
All the answers to the questions are given below
Explanation:
Ans1. "since he was born" helps us understand from the given passage that, Mafatu has always lived by the sea.
Ans2. Mafatu does not like the sound of Thunder that filled his ears.
Ans3. "when the fisherman began to turn back"
Ans4. "call it courage"
Ans5. when the Mafatu hear the sound of his mother's "despairing crying" and when the woman sprang forward to seize her child as the "canoe capsized".
Ans6. when Mafatu buried his head against his mother's cold neck and when he forgot the thirst that burned his throat.
Ans7. characteristics Courageous women
example: a woman came out alive with his son from a massive hurricane
2. characteristics: a loving mother
For example: despite everything she always holds her son and brings her out alive
Ans8. mood changes from fear to hope and courage.
Ans9. Quotation: shuddered when the mighty sea, gathered far out.
The effect: the effect was fear of Mafatu toward the sea.
Ans10 Perhaps that was the beginning of it: it refers to the beginning of the Mafatu sea fear.
Introducing Mafatus other names Stout Hearts: means Courageous
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