Question 4 - Chapter 4 - The Rattrap - Flamingo - Chapters (Literature) - English Class 12

Read the extract and answer the following questions.

Extract:

During one of the long dark evenings just before Christmas, the master smith and his helper sat in the dark forge near the furnace waiting for the pig iron, which had been put in the fire, to be ready to put on the anvil. Every now and then one of them got up to stir the glowing mass with a long iron bar, returning in a few moments, dripping with perspiration, though, as was the custom, he wore nothing but a long shirt and a pair of wooden shoes

(The Rattrap)

Question (i)

What was the occupation of the two men in this extract?

1. They were blacksmiths
2. They were carpenters
3. They were farmers
4. They were miners

    Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

(a) They were blacksmiths

Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to identify the occupation or profession of the two men in this extract.
• Occupation or profession is the type of work or activity that a person does to earn money or to produce something.
• To identify the occupation, we need to pay attention to the words and phrases that describe their work or activity in the extract.
• Some of the words and phrases that indicate that they were blacksmiths are: forge, furnace, pig iron, anvil, iron bar.
• These words and phrases show that they were blacksmiths, which are people who make or repair things with iron by heating and hammering it into shape.
• Therefore, the correct answer is A. They were blacksmiths.😊

Question (ii)

When did this scene take place according to the extract?

1. During one of the long dark evenings just before Christmas
2. During one of the bright sunny mornings just after Easter
3. During one of the short cloudy afternoons just before Halloween
4. During one of the warm breezy nights just after Valentine's Day

    Answer:

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Answer as written by the student:

(a) During one of the long dark evenings just before Christmas

Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to read the first sentence of the extract carefully.
• The sentence says, "During one of the long dark evenings just before Christmas, the master smith and his helper sat in the dark forge near the furnace waiting for the pig iron, which had been put in the fire, to be ready to put on the anvil."
• This means that this scene took place during one of the long dark evenings just before Christmas, which is option A.
• Therefore, the correct answer is A. During one of the long dark evenings just before Christmas.😊

Question (iii)

Complete the sentence appropriately. 

The phrase "waiting for the pig iron" suggests that ____________.

    Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

The phrase "waiting for the pig iron" suggests that the two men were waiting for the iron to melt or soften in the fire so that they could shape it on the anvil.

Step-by-step explanation:

• To complete this sentence, we need to understand what the phrase "waiting for the pig iron" means.
• The phrase means that the two men were waiting for the pig iron, which is a type of crude or unrefined iron, to be ready or suitable for their work or activity.
• To be ready or suitable, the pig iron had to be heated in the fire until it melted or softened enough to be hammered or bent into shape on the anvil, which is a heavy iron block used as a base for blacksmithing.
• Therefore, the sentence can be completed as: The phrase "waiting for the pig iron" suggests that the two men were waiting for the iron to melt or soften in the fire so that they could shape it on the anvil.😊

Question (iv)

 Pick evidence from the extract that helps one infer that the two men were working in a hot and uncomfortable environment.

    Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

The evidence from the extract that helps one infer that the two men were working in a hot and uncomfortable environment is that they sat in the dark forge near the furnace, and that they returned dripping with perspiration, and that they wore nothing but a long shirt and a pair of wooden shoes.

Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to find a part of the extract that shows that the two men were working in a hot and uncomfortable environment.
• The part of the extract that shows this is: " the master smith and his helper sat in the dark forge near the furnace waiting for the pig iron, which had been put in the fire, to be ready to put on the anvil. Every now and then one of them got up to stir the glowing mass with a long iron bar, returning in a few moments, dripping with perspiration, though, as was the custom, he wore nothing but a long shirt and a pair of wooden shoes."
• This shows that the two men were working in a hot and uncomfortable environment, because they sat in a dark and enclosed space near a source of heat, and they had to handle a hot and heavy material with a metal tool. They also sweated a lot because of the heat, and they wore minimal clothing to cope with it.
• Therefore, the evidence is that they sat in the dark forge near the furnace, and that they returned dripping with perspiration, and that they wore nothing but a long shirt and a pair of wooden shoes.😕

Question (v)

Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract?

1. Two Men's Conversation in a Forge
2. Two Men's Preparation for Christmas
3. Two Men's Work in a Forge
4. Two Men's Escape from a Fire

    Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

(c) Two Men's Work in a Forge

Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to identify the main point or message of the extract.
• The extract tells us about how the master smith and his helper sat in the dark forge near the furnace waiting for the pig iron, which had been put in the fire, to be ready to put on the anvil. It also tells us about how they stirred the glowing mass with a long iron bar, and how they sweated and wore minimal clothing because of the heat.
• The extract does not focus on how the two men conversed, or how they prepared for Christmas, or how they escaped from a fire. It focuses on how they worked in a forge, and how they dealt with the hot and uncomfortable environment.
• Therefore, the headline that best suggests the central idea of the extract is C. Two Men's Work in a Forge.😊

Question (vi)

Complete the sentence with ONE word.

 The phrase "as was the custom" suggests that the two men were _______________.

    Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

 The phrase "as was the custom" suggests that the two men were following or obeying a tradition or rule.

Step-by-step explanation:

• To complete this sentence, we need to find a word that describes the two men's state or condition when they wore nothing but a long shirt and a pair of wooden shoes.
• The phrase "as was the custom" suggests that the two men were not doing something unusual or strange, but rather something normal or expected. They were doing something that was common or usual for their occupation or situation.
• Therefore, the word that fits this description is following or obeying, which means acting in accordance or compliance with something.
• Therefore, the sentence can be completed as: The phrase "as was the custom" suggests that the two men were following or obeying a tradition or rule.😐

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