Question 2 - Chapter 1 - The Third Level - Vistas - Chapters (Literature) - English Class 12

Read the extract and answer the following questions.

Extract:

I turned into Grand Central from Vanderbilt Avenue, and went down the steps to the first level, where you take trains like the Twentieth Century. Then I walked down another flight to the second level, where the suburban trains leave from, ducked into an arched doorway heading for the subway — and got lost. That’s easy to do. I’ve been in and out of Grand Central hundreds of times, but I’m always bumping into new doorways and stairs and corridors. Once I got into a tunnel about a mile long and came out in the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel.

(The Third Level)

Question (i)

What is the difference between the trains on the first level and the second level of Grand Central in the extract?

1. The trains on the first level are faster and more expensive than the trains on the second level.
2. The trains on the first level are older and more crowded than the trains on the second level.
3. The trains on the first level are for long-distance and intercity travel, while the trains on the second level are for short-distance and suburban travel.
4. The trains on the first level are for underground and subway travel, while the trains on the second level are for aboveground and railway travel.

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

(c) The trains on the first level are for long-distance and intercity travel, while the trains on the second level are for short-distance and suburban travel.

Step-by-step explanation: 🚆

•  To answer this question, we need to understand what the text tells us about the types of trains on each level of Grand Central.
•  The second sentence of the extract tells us about the trains on the first level: "where you take trains like the Twentieth Century". This implies that these trains are for long-distance and intercity travel, as the Twentieth Century was a famous express train that ran between New York and Chicago. 🌃
•  The third sentence of the extract tells us about the trains on the second level: "where the suburban trains leave from". This implies that these trains are for short-distance and suburban travel, as they connect Grand Central with nearby towns and neighborhoods. 🏘️
•  Therefore, we can infer that the difference between the trains on the first level and the second level of Grand Central in the extract is that the trains on the first level are for long-distance and intercity travel, while the trains on the second level are for short-distance and suburban travel. 🚉

Question (ii)

How does the narrator feel about getting lost in Grand Central in the extract?

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

The narrator feels curious and amused about getting lost in Grand Central in the extract.

Step-by-step explanation: 😄

• To answer this question, we need to look for clues in the text that show how the narrator feels or expresses his emotions about getting lost in Grand Central.
•  One clue that shows his feeling is his use of words like "always" and "once". These words suggest that he is used to getting lost in Grand Central and that he finds it interesting or surprising. 🤔
•  Another clue that shows his feeling is his use of punctuation marks like "." and "!". T hese marks indicate that he is not scared or angry about getting lost in Grand Central, but rather excited or amused. 😮
•  Therefore, we can infer that he feels curious and amused about getting lost in Grand Central in the extract. 😊

Question (iii)

True/False Question:

The narrator found a letter from his grandfather in the third level of Grand Central Station. 

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

True

Step-by-step explanation: 💌

• To answer this question, we need to recall or find the detail in the text that confirms or contradicts the statement.
• The detail that confirms the statement is in the last paragraph of the story: "And there was a letter for me from my grandfather. He’d died before I was born." This shows that the narrator found a letter from his grandfather in the third level of Grand Central Station. 📜
•  Therefore, the answer to this question is true. ✅

Question (iv)

Why does the narrator think that the third level is a “waking-dream wish fulfillment” in the extract?

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

The narrator thinks that the third level is a “waking-dream wish fulfillment” because it represents his subconscious desire to escape from his reality and find a better place or time.

Step-by-step explanation: 🧠

• To answer this question, we need to understand what the narrator means by “waking-dream wish fulfillment” and how it relates to his experience of the third level.
• A “waking-dream wish fulfillment” is a psychological term that refers to a conscious fantasy that comes true in one’s waking state. It is based on one’s subconscious desires or wishes that are usually repressed or unfulfilled. 💭
• The narrator thinks that the third level is a “waking-dream wish fulfillment” because it represents his subconscious desire to escape from his reality and find a better place or time. He is unhappy with his modern world and its problems, and he wants to go back to a simpler and happier time. 😔
• Therefore, he thinks that the third level is a “waking-dream wish fulfillment” because it satisfies his subconscious desire to escape from his reality and find a better place or time. 😊