Question

Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow.

“Jim!” There’s something wrong with the air! That’s why Claribel’s passed out. I’ve just remembered that miners used to carry canaries down to warn them of gas.” “Nonsense!” said Jim. “The alarms would have gone off. We’ve got duplicate circuits, operating independently.” “Er—the second alarm circuit isn’t connected up yet,” his assistant reminded him. That shook Jim; he left without a word, while we stood arguing and passing the oxygen bottle around like a pipe of peace.

(i) Fill in the blank by selecting the correct option from those given in the brackets.

The narrator references canaries and miners in order to ______. (highlight the historical use of canaries as warning systems/explain the reason that caused Claribel to faint suddenly)

(ii) Complete the following sentence with a suitable reason.

Jim initially dismisses the warning about the air because ______.

(iii) What does the phrase ‘shook Jim’ mean in the context of the information in the extract?

Jim was ______.

1. physically pushed by someone
2. startled by unexpected information
3. cold and needed to warm up
4. trying to shake off sleepiness

(iv) What does the crew’s action of passing the oxygen bottle around ‘like a pipe of peace’ suggest about their response to the situation?

Answer 1

(i) The narrator references canaries and miners in order to highlight the historical use of canaries as warning systems.

(ii) Jim initially dismisses the warning about the air because he believes the alarm systems would have detected any problem with the air.

(iii) Jim was startled by unexpected information.

(iv) The crew’s action suggests that they remained calm and shared the oxygen with one another while discussing the problem. It also shows cooperation and a sense of unity during the emergency.