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Question
Read the poem again and complete the summary using the words given in box.
Stanzas 1–3
‘The Castle’ by Edwin Muir is a moving poem on the (1)______ of a well guarded (2)______ The soldiers of the castle were totally stress-free and relaxed. They were (3)______ of their castle’s physical strength. Through the turrets they were able to watch the mowers and no enemy was found up to the distance of (4)______ and so they seemed no threat to the castle. They had (5)______ of weapons to protect them and a large quantity of (6)______ in stock to take care of the well-being of the soldiers inside the castle. The soldiers stood one above the other on the towering battlements (7)______ to shoot the enemy at sight. They believed that the castle was absolutely safe because their captain was (8)______ and the soldiers were loyal.
| half-a-mile | watching |
| castle | brave |
| ration | capture |
| plenty | confident |
Stanzas 4–6
Even by a trick no one but the birds could enter. The enemy could not use a (9)______ for their entry inside the castle. But there was a wicket gate guarded by a (10) ______ He (11)______ in the enemies inside the famous citadel that had been known for its secret gallery and intricate path. The strong castle became(12)______ and thin because of the greedy disloyal warder. The (13)______ was captured by the enemies for (14)______ The narrator (15)______ over the (16)______ of the useless warder and also decided not to disclose this (17)______ story to anyone. He was (18)______ and wondered how he would keep this truth to himself. He regretted not finding any (19)______ to fight with the (20)______ called ‘gold’.
| lamented | shameful |
| wicked guard | bait |
| let | gold |
| weapon | citadel |
| weak | disloyalty |
| helpless | enemy |
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Solution
Stanzas 1–3
‘The Castle’ by Edwin Muir is a moving poem on the (1) capture of a well guarded (2) castle The soldiers of the castle were totally stress-free and relaxed. They were (3) confident of their castle’s physical strength. Through the turrets, they were able to watch the mowers and no enemy was found up to the distance of (4) half-a-kilometer and so they seemed no threat to the castle. They had (5) plenty of weapons to protect them and a large quantity of (6) ration in stock to take care of the well-being of the soldiers inside the castle. The soldiers stood one above the other on the towering battlements (7) watching to shoot the enemy at sight. They believed that the castle was absolutely safe because their captain was (8) brave and the soldiers were loyal.
Stanzas 4–6
Even by a trick no one but the birds could enter. The enemy could not use a (9) weapon for their entry inside the castle. But there was a wicket gate guarded by a (10) wicked guard He (11) let in the enemies inside the famous citadel that had been known for its secret gallery and intricate path. The strong castle became(12) weak and thin because of the greedy disloyal warder. The (13) citadel was captured by the enemies for (14) gold The narrator (15) lamented over the (16) disloyalty of the useless warder and also decided not to disclose this (17) shameful story to anyone. He was (18) helpless and wondered how he would keep this truth to himself. He regretted not finding any (19) enemy to fight with the (20) bait called ‘gold’.
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