Question

Read the following passage.

A	Dirshti was young woman who had always been fascinated by the supernatural. She had read countless books and watched numerous documentaries about ghosts and otherworldly beings. So, when she heard about an abandoned hotel on the outskirts of town that was said to be haunted, she knew she had to investigate.
B	One night, Dirshti decided to sneak into the dilapidated hotel with a few of her friends. As they made their way through the dark, eerie corridors, they heard strange noises and felt cold spots. They were convinced that they were not alone.
C	Suddenly, they came across a room that was different from the rest. It was filled with old cooking equipment and strange symbols etched into the walls. Drishti felt a chill run down her spine as she entered the room. She knew that this was where the most paranormal activity occurred. As they were examining the room, they heard a loud bang coming from the hallway. They froze in fear, not knowing what was coming their way. They could hear footsteps approaching, and they knew they had to hide.
D	They quickly ducked behind some old shelves as the footsteps grew louder. The sound of breathing was getting closer and closer until finally, they saw a figure appear in the doorway. It was a man wearing a chef’s hat, with a face that was twisted in a sinister smile. Drishti and her friends felt their blood run cold as the man approached them. They could feel his cold breath on their faces as he leaned in, whispering in a deep voice, "You shouldn't be here."
E	Dirshti and her friends were frozen with fear as they stared into the chef's eyes. But suddenly, the lights flickered on and the figure disappeared. They looked around the room, and everything seemed normal. They had been so scared that they hadn't realized they were in a room with faulty wiring
F	Disappointed, they realized that their ghost hunt had been a bust. They left the hotel feeling deflated and let down. They had hoped for an exciting, spine-tingling adventure, but all they got was a scary moment caused by faulty wiring. As they drove home, they couldn't help but feel foolish for getting so worked up over nothing. They had been so convinced that they would find evidence of the paranormal that they had overlooked the simple explanation for the noises they had heard.
G	Dirshti learned an important lesson that night. Sometimes, the scariest things are the ones that we create in our own minds. She realized that she didn't need to chase after the supernatural to experience thrills and excitement. The world around her was full of mystery and wonder, and she was content to experience it without the need for ghosts and ghouls.

Answer the following questions, based on the passage above.

(i) How does the setting contribute to the overall mood and atmosphere of the story?    (1)

1. 1. It creates a sense of nostalgia.
   2. It provides a sense of false security.
   3. It adds to the suspense in the story.
   4. It presents a contrast with the real world.

(ii) List two ways, how the disappointment that Drishti and her friends felt after their ghost hunt is analogous to the feeling of waking up from a dream. Answer in 30 -40 words.    (2)

(iii) What is the main flaw in Drishti's approach to investigating the haunted hotel?   (1)

1. She was too focused on finding evidence of the paranormal.
2. She was too skeptical and refused to believe in the possibility of ghosts.
3. She relied too heavily on other people's accounts of the supernatural.
4. She didn't take enough precautions to ensure her safety.

(iv) After which paragraph of the story, would the following paragraph most likely be placed?   (1)
They commenced walking through the hotel, Drishti’s torchlight barely illuminating the darkness around her. Suddenly, they heard a loud creaking noise behind them. Drishti whipped around, pointing her flashlight in the direction of the noise. Nothing. Shaken, they all quickened their pace.

(v) Briefly explain (in 30-40 words) any two elements that classify the story as scary  (2)

(vi) Substitute the underlined word in the following sentence with a word/ phrase from paragraphs 4- 6, that means the same.     (1)

The sound of the footsteps outside the door left her petrified and the rasping breathing added to her horror.

(vii) What is the most significant lesson that Drishti learns from her experience in the haunted hotel?   (1)

1. The importance of avoiding risk-taking.
2. The need to be more sceptical of the supernatural.
3. The value of evaluating your weaknesses
4. The power of imagination to create suspense.

(viii) Complete the following appropriately.   (1)

Based on the use of the word "dilapidated" to describe the hotel in Paragraph 2, we can infer that its condition was ______.

(ix) Complete the sentence appropriately.   (1)

If the title, The Hotel Haunting is given to this passage, it would be an inappropriate title, as compared to The Unsettling Encounter at the Abandoned Hotel because ______.

(x) State whether the given assertion is TRUE or FALSE.   (1)

The reason Drishti and her friends visited the abandoned hotel was to prove the existence of ghosts.

Answer 1

(i) It adds to the suspense in the story.

(ii) Ways the disappointment that Drishti and her friends felt after their ghost hunt is analogous to the feeling of waking up from a dream

1. Both involve a sense of disappointment that reality didn't live up to their expectations.
2. In both cases, they may have had high hopes for what they would experience, only to find that it was not as exciting or satisfying as they had hoped.
3. Just as waking up from a dream can be jarring and leave us feeling let down, Drishti’s realization that the haunted hotel was not as spooky as she had imagined was a letdown for her and her friends.

(iii) She was too focused on finding evidence of the paranormal.

(iv) After paragraph B.

(v) Elements that classify the story as scary:

1.  Suspense: The story creates a sense of unease and tension through its use of foreshadowing, eerie descriptions, and unexplained phenomena.
2. Eerie atmosphere: The hotel setting contributes to the overall sense of fear and dread, with its dilapidated and abandoned state.
3. Supernatural elements: The story includes unexplained noises, movements, and apparitions that suggest the presence of supernatural forces or entities.
4. Isolation: Drishti and her friends are all alone in the hotel, adding to the sense of vulnerability and fear.
5. Psychological fear: The story plays on the psychological fears of the reader, such as the fear of the unknown, the fear of being watched or followed, and the fear of the dark.

(vi) Petrified - frozen with fear (Paragraph 5)

(vii) The need to be more sceptical of the supernatural.

(viii) Based on the use of the word "dilapidated" to describe the hotel, in Paragraph 2, we can infer that its condition was in a state of disrepair and neglect.

(ix) If the title, The Hotel Haunting is given to this passage, it would be an inappropriate title, as compared to The Unsettling Encounter at the Abandoned Hotel because it makes assumptions about the presence or absence of ghosts unlike the appropriate title ‘The Unsettling Encounter at the Abandoned Hotel’, which accurately reflects the events of the story, indicating a spooky and unsettling experience at an abandoned hotel.

(x) This statement is False.