Available Answers

1. 1.

   Mark the underlined verbs in these sentences as finite verbs (F), infinitives (I) or gerunds (G).

   1. The baby elephant loves to play in the mud.
   2. we play hopscotch with the children  next door.
   3. The baby loves playing with the blue rattle.
   4. Cooking is my brother's latest hobby.
   5. The chef cooks curries and kebabs every day.
   6. I love to cook new dishes for my dad.
2. 2.

   Explain each of these metaphors briefly.

   1. The camel is the ship of the desert.
   2. The film actor's wedding was a fairy tale.
   3. She is the apple of her father's eyes.
   4. A book is a magic box.
   5. the bangles are rainbow-tinted circles of light.
3. 3.

   Read this passage carefully and answer the questions.

   In the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist is a poor orphan whose childhood is spent in a workhouse. The workhouse is meant to support the poor and homeless; yet, the boys who live there are overworked and underfed.

   The room in which the boys were fed was a large stone hall, with a big copper vessel at one end. Out of the vessel, the master served the gruel−a kind of thin, liquid food−at mealtimes. Each boy had one portion, and no more. On special occasions, he got two portions with a bit of bread.

   The bowls never wanted washing. The boys polished them with their spoons till they shone again; and after that, they would sit staring at the vessel with eager eyes, wishing they had some more. Oliver Twist and his companions suffered this slow starvation for  three months. At last, they grew so wild with hunger that one boy said that unless he had another bowl of gruel a day, he would do something dreadful.

   A meeting was held and lots were cast to decide who should walk up to the master after supper that evening,and ask for more. It fell to Oliver Twist.

   When the supper ended that day,he rose from the table, miserable and hungry. Walking up to the master, he said in a low voice, "Please,Sir, I want some more."

   The master stared at him in surprise while the other  boys froze in fear. "What!" the master replied after some time. 

   "Please, Sir," replied Oliver, "I want some more."

   The master aimed a blow at Oliver's head with the ladle; held him tightly, and shrieked aloud for the officer of the workhouse.

   1. Give the meanings of these words as used  in the passage. One word answers or short phrases will be accepted.
      1. starvation: ________________________
      2. lots were cast: _______________________
      3. ladle: ________________________
   2. Answer these questions briefly in your own words.
      1. Describe the meals and their setting for the  boys at the workhouse.
      2. Why did the boys hold a meeting?
      3. What happened when Oliver Twist asked for more?
   3. With close reference to the last paragraph, and in not more than 50 words, describe the master's attitude towards the boys.
   4. Give a title to the passage and give a reason to justify your choice.