Question

Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

That evening, the king approached the queen with a softened expression. “Thirumalambal”, he began, his voice gentle, “I have been foolish. I see now that I overreacted. I let my pride blind me. I’m so sorry.” The queen, who had longed for this moment, smiled and replied, “If you like, we can leave this quarrel behind us. I would very much like to listen to your poem.”

(i) Complete the following with a suitable explanation.

When the king said, “I let my pride blind me”, he means that ______.

(ii) Why does the queen say, “If you like, we can leave this quarrel behind us”?

(iii) Fill in the blank by choosing the correct option from those given in the brackets.

The king acknowledges that his pride clouded his judgement, which shows ______. (intelligence and courage/maturity and self-awareness)

(iv) State any one characteristic that the queen’s response to the king’s apology shows about her.

Answer 1

(i) When the king said, “I let my pride blind me”, he means that his pride prevented him from thinking clearly and understanding the queen’s true intention.

(ii) The queen says this because she wants to end the quarrel, forgive the king and restore peace between them.

(iii) The king acknowledges that his pride clouded his judgement, which shows maturity and self-awareness.

(iv) Forgiving: The queen readily accepts the king’s apology and is willing to leave the quarrel behind.