Question

Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.

She was wearing an old green coat that ballooned around her. As she maddled into the elevator, Martin was sure he felt it sink under her weight. She was so big that her coat brushed against him, and he had to squeeze himself into a corner.

1. What made Martin fearful about the lady? (Analysis)
2. What is Martin’s tone while describing the lady’s stature? (Understanding and Analysis)
3. What was Martin’s state of mind when he confronted the lady? (Analysis)
4. On which floor did the lady step into the elevator? On which floor did she actually live? (Understanding)
5. How did the lady look at the boy in the elevator? What could be her intention? (Analysis)

Answer 1

1. Martin was frightened by the lady’s unusually large appearance and strange behaviour. Her size, her silent presence, and the way she stared at him made him feel uncomfortable and threatened. His existing fear of the elevator made the encounter even more disturbing.
2. Martin's tone is uneasy and apprehensive. He focuses on the lady’s enormous size and describes how her coat brushed against him and forced him into a corner. His description reflects his fear and discomfort.
3. Martin was extremely nervous and frightened. He felt trapped because the lady occupied much of the small elevator, leaving him little space. Her strange appearance and behaviour intensified his anxiety.
4. The lady stepped into the elevator on the fourteenth floor. She actually lived on the fourth floor.
5. The lady looked at Martin in a strange, fixed, and threatening manner. Her stare made Martin believe that she might be watching him with some harmful intention. However, her actual intention remains mysterious, which adds to the suspense of the story.