Read the extract and answer the following questions.

Extract:

A swathe of the white stuff lay across the track in front of us, stretching for maybe fifteen metres before it petered out and the dirt trail reappeared. The snow continued on either side of us, smoothing the abrupt bank on the upslope side. The bank was too steep for our vehicle to scale, so there was no way round the snow patch. I joined Daniel as Tsetan stepped on to the encrusted snow and began to slither and slide forward, stamping his foot from time to time to ascertain how sturdy it was. I looked at my wristwatch. We were at 5,210 metres above sea level.

(Silk Road)

Silk Road - Extract Based Question (3) - Teachoo.png

 

Question (i)

What is the name of the vehicle that the narrator and his companions are travelling in?

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

The name of the vehicle that the narrator and his companions are travelling in is a jeep.

 Step-by-step explanation of the answer: 🚙

  •    To answer this question, we need to use our knowledge of the story and the context of the extract.
  •    The story tells us that the narrator is a writer who is on a journey to Mount Kailash, a sacred mountain in Tibet. He is accompanied by Daniel, a photographer, Tsetan, a Tibetan driver and guide, and Norbu, a Buddhist monk. They are travelling by jeep, which is a four-wheel drive vehicle that can handle rough terrain and weather conditions.
  •    The context of the extract tells us that they are on a dirt trail that is covered with snow in some parts. They are at a high altitude where the air is thin and cold. They have to cross a snow patch that is blocking their way. They are not sure if the snow is sturdy enough to support their vehicle or if they will get stuck or slide off the trail.
  •    Therefore, we can infer that the name of the vehicle that the narrator and his companions are travelling in is a jeep, which is the most suitable vehicle for their journey.

Question (ii)

What does the word "swathe" mean in the context of the extract?

Answer:

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Maninder Singh

CA Maninder Singh is a Chartered Accountant for the past 14 years and a teacher from the past 18 years. He teaches Science, Economics, Accounting and English at Teachoo