Focus on Comprehension

Summary of Blaine drenches press in ‘blood’: Unit 6

According to Reuters England correspondent, David Blaine amputated his ear part in a news
conference to advertise his new future feat. He did that when he was demanded to exhibit any
new magic trick. He then posed the amputation by at first shrieking with pain and then ran away
covering his ear with a handkerchief and blood smeared shirt. His next stunt featured him to be
shut in a glass box hung from a crane near Tower Bridge by River Thames, London on
September 5 for 44 days without food with two tubes for water and urinating respectively. His
previous stunts were also appalling and dangerous however unlike this one. He was allowed a
few essentials and he expected to lose weight during the feat. (125 words)

Summary of The Beggar’s Baby: Unit 6

The writer expressed extreme displeasure for the practice of drugging the babies and using them
to earn money. The babies were hardly awake during the day and this seemed improper. The
foreigners reported seeing different beggar mothers with same baby but the beggar woman
outside the hotel Royale had same baby girl of 18 months. The writer never gave any alms to her.
Once, however, after lunch, he observed that a crowd had gathered around her. She was weeping
and gesturing towards her unresponsive baby whose face was covered in her vomit. The people
were trying to resuscitate her; someone also made a futile attempt to transport her to hospital in a
taxi. The writer ran to the hotel receptionist and pleaded her to call a doctor however she
disagreed stating that doctors at hospital would kill the baby. The writer tried to convince her by
showing her the ugly scene where all the beggars tried to rejuvenate the baby by pricking her
toenails with pins but she was stubborn as she believed her grandmother died because of doctors
at hospital. After her uncompromising insistence, the baby was massaged with eucalyptus oil and
pin- pricked but it was ineffective. They agreed for the hospital on the condition that the writer
would pay all medical expenses with that for taxi. The taxi was in a deplorable condition. The
journey towards hospital was rife with obstacles and the writer seemed to be more concerned
about the baby rather than the taxi driver and mother. The writer took sometime to realize that he
had been fooled and the taxi was not directed towards the hospital. He kept reiterating and asking
the driver about the hospital and when the taxi stopped by a row of shops, the writer was
extremely furious at the driver. After yelling and shouting at him, the writer gave in and he had
no option but to follow the woman to the doctor’s place. It was located amongst the shops of
tailors and merchants. The front room of the place was ill- lit and a middle-aged woman was
treating another woman in the hindquarters. They were disinterested in the visitors and were
completely composed. The doctor lady attended to the baby after she had massaged the other
lady. She treated the baby with some ointments and the baby was better instantly. The writer was
aghast when the lady did not charge any fee. The writer accompanied the woman to her slum
dwelling. He gave her some money and advice for baby’s safety and left with the taxi driver. The
taxi driver told him that he was the best when the writer paid him some money. (445 words)

Summary of Diary of a newly qualified teacher: Unit 7

The writer was unable to sleep the night before her first day as new teacher at school. She was
enthusiastic and unnerved at the same time. She felt answerable for 126 new pupils and also felt
liable to perform her duties as science teacher. She reiterated her inability to sleep. She
recapitulated the preparations that she had made in her classroom and timeline for the lessons
that she will be teaching for the entire year. She mentioned her motivation for the third time. She
expressed a determination to apply all her knowledge and wisdom on teaching science to her
students. She acknowledged that this was a breakthrough for her career. (110)

Summary of Diary of Howard Carter: Unit 7

The writer and his team vigilantly made a hole in the sealed doorway of the tomb after clearing
the debris from excavation. They made notes and estimations about the tomb with the help of
darkness and iron rod. He widened the hole after obtaining the candles and took a peek inside the
tomb while the others waited. The tomb was stocked with incredible and alluring objects. His
teammate also peeked inside the chamber through the hole. The tomb had: sculptures of a King
with gold sandals, stick and baton; chair ornated with Egyptian goddess’ head; decorated coffins;
gypsum vases; black temple with ornated snake sculpture; egg-shaped boxes and lotus like cups;
stools of all kinds, and invalidated chariot parts with sparkling gold and a dummy. The writer
and his team were emotionally overwhelmed. The tomb seemed like an inaccessible store to
them. The guard statues at the sealed door and the rolled scroll about Tutankhamen hinted at the
presence of Pharaoh’s grave. The writer and his team returned after closing the hole and wooden
grill. (175 words)