Appreciation of English Literary Texts

Model Paper for 2021 (6)

Part I - Section A - Answer all questions. (Attempt to answer all questions in this section within 50
minutes)
(i) Somehow, no one’s going in.
Another guy, fat, bald, is leaving, though.
(a) From which work are these lines taken? Who has written them?
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(b) From where is the fat guy leaving? What is going to happen in the place he is leaving now?
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(c) What is the next action of the fat guy? Whose view point is expressed here?
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(ii) Not a dull moment, No one can complain
of boredom, that’s for sure. Up all night keeping watch,

(a) From which work are these lines taken? Who has written them?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………......
(b) Why is the speaker keeping watch all night? What does he really mean by saying ‘not a dull moment’.?
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(c) Name an auditory imagery. What is the effect created by that?
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(iii) I flung Vikram into the back, and he landed face down on the green corrugated metal floor.
Steve jumped in and picked him up. We were all inside now.

(a) From which work are these lines taken? Who is the author of them?
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(b) What is the situation referred to here? Inside what were they?
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(c) Who are Vikram and Steve? What happens in the end?
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(iv) “Still it must be admitted that she has some beautiful notes in her voice. What a pity it is
that they do not mean anything, or do any practical good!
(a) From which work is this extract taken? Who wrote them?
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(d) Who is the speaker of these lines? Who is referred to as ‘she’ here?
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(e) Name a literary technique available here. What is the practical good done by the songs?
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(i) Over there we’ll take you to many interesting places as I told you. Or- say, Yohyo, don’t you want to
see Kyoto?

(a) From where are these lines taken? Who wrote them?
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(b) Who is the speaker? To whom are these words addressed?
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(c) Why does the speaker try to persuade the other to go to Kyoto? Who are referred to as ‘we’?
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(ii) “How happy I am that you don’t pay me.... Ah, pardon. I have disturbed you! Such lovely weather to-
day! And how well you look in mourning!”

(a) From where are these lines taken? Who wrote them?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………...
(b) Who is the speaker? Who is referred to as ‘you’ by the speaker?
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(c) Is the speaker really happy at this point? If not, why is he speaking like this?

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Section B

Mali proved unusually communicative from across the seas, and although at times he sounded brusque,
disconnected or impersonal, he generalized a good deal about the civilization in which he found himself.
The blue air mail letters grew into a file. If only Mali had taken the precaution of leaving a proper margin to
his epistles, Jagan would have bound them into a neat little volume at the Truth Printing; surely Nataraj
would have realized its importance and obliged him with speedy execution. Jagan stuffed his jibba pocket
with the letters, and pulled them out for choice reading of passages to all and sundry, mostly to his cousin
who, as ever, remained an uncomplaining listener.

Gradually his reading of the Bhagavad Gita was replaced by the blue air mail letters. From their study he
formed a picture of America and was able to speak with authority on the subject of American landscape,
culture and civilization. He hardly noticed to whom he spoke, anyone on the road seemed good enough,
his acquaintances feared that he was inflicted with the Taking Disease.

1) Mali’s letters to Jagan were impersonal and disconnected. Give reasons for that. (2 Marks)
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2) What is suggested by Jagan’s reading of these letters with such enthusiasm? (1 Marks)
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3) How does Jagan’s obsession with Mali’s letters affect his day-to-day life? (2 Marks)
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4) Write what is meant by the expressions in bold print. (2 Marks)
a) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
5) Using grim humour and pathos here, what is the main idea that is conveyed in this extract? Explain.
(3 Marks)
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Prepared by Prasad Rathnasekara B.A.(Eng), M.A.(Linguistics), Music Visharad

Contact on:-0773433440 email: prasad.freelancewriter@gmail.com