Question

Read the following extract and do the given activities:

May he sit still, they said May the sins of your previous birth be burned away tonight, they said. May your suffering decrease the misfortunes of your next birth, they said. May the sum of all evil balanced in this unreal world against the sum of good become diminished by your pain. May the poison purify your flesh of desire, and your spirit of ambition, they said, and they sat around on the floor with my mother in the centre, the peace of understanding on each face. More candles, more lanterns, more neighbours, more insects, and the endless rain. My mother twisted through and through, groaning on a mat. My father, sceptic, rationalist, trying every curse and blessings, powder, mixture, herb and hybrid. He even poured a little paraffin upon the bitten toe and put a match to it. I watched the flame feeding on my mother. I watched the holy man perform his rites to tame the poison with an incantation. After twenty hours it lost its sting. My mother only said Thank God the scorpion picked on me. And spared my children.

A1. Complete the sentences with words from the extract:     [2]

1. The villagers prayed that the misfortunes of mother’s ______ should decrease.
2. Mother twisted through and through ______ on a mat.
3. My father was sceptic and a ______.
4. The poet watched the ______ feeding on his mother.

A2. Why do you think mother thanked God that the scorpion picked her, not her children?     [2]

АЗ. Роetic device:     [1]

Name and explain the figure of speech in the following line:

My mother twisted through and through, groaning on the mat.

Answer 1

A1.

1. The villagers prayed that the misfortunes of mother’s next birth should decrease.
2. Mother twisted through and through groaning on a mat.
3. My father was sceptic and a rationalist.
4. The poet watched the flame feeding on his mother.

A2.

The bite caused the mother a great deal of suffering. She also had to go through excruciating therapy. She was a devoted mother who wished for her kids to never endure such suffering. She thanked God that the scorpion had chosen her rather than her children, since she knew they would not be able to handle it.

A3.

Onomatopoeia: the word ‘groaning’ indicates sound.