Question

Read the given extract and answer the questions.

Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street, the opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison, very loud, with our hands over our ears to understand better, and the teacher’s great ruler rapping on the table. But now it was all so still! I had counted on the commotion to get to my desk without being seen; but, of course, that day everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning. Through the window I saw my classmates, already in their places, and M. Hamel walking up and down with his terrible iron ruler under his arm. I had to open the door and go in before everybody. You can imagine how I blushed and how frightened I was.

1. List any two sensory details present in this extract.     (1)
2. Why does the protagonist feel anxious about entering the classroom on this particular day?      (1)
   1. The classmates have started the lesson
   2. The teacher is in a bad mood
   3. The classroom is too quiet
   4. The protagonist is running late
3. Complete the sentence appropriately.      (1)
   The phrase "as quiet as Sunday morning" suggests that ______.
4. Pick evidence from the extract that helps one infer that this was not the protagonist’s first time being late to school.       (1)
5. What does the term 'terrible iron ruler' indicate about M. Hamel?      (1)
6. Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract?     (1)
   1. The Fears of a Latecomer
   2. The Importance of Punctuality
   3. The Rigidity of the School System
   4. The Anxiety of a Young Student

Answer 1

1. 
   
   • the sounds of the opening and closing of desks.
   • the loud lessons repeated in unison.
   • the teacher's ruler rapping on the table.
2. The classmates have started the lesson.
3. The phrase "as quiet as Sunday morning" suggests that the school was unusually quiet and still, as if it were a day of rest/holiday/school off, rather than a bustling school day.
4. The protagonist seems to have a plan for how to sneak into class without being noticed, suggesting that they may have been in similar situations before.
5. The strictness and severity of M. Hamel's discipline
6. The Importance of Punctuality.