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Eng I Literary elements Blizzard Bag 2014 -2015
1. Directions: Select the correct text in the passage.
Read the statement below.
In "The Soul of Man under Socialism," Oscar Wilde argues that society needs a combination of
socialism and individualism.
Which statement best conveys the author's instructive tone?
from "The Soul of Man under Socialism"
by Oscar Wilde
Socialism, Communism, or whatever one chooses to call it, by converting private property
into public wealth, and substituting co-operation for competition, will restore society to its
proper condition of a thoroughly healthy organism, and insure the material well-being of each
member of the community. It will, in fact, give Life its proper basis and its proper
environment. But for the full development of Life to its highest mode of perfection, something
more is needed. What is needed is Individualism. If the Socialism is Authoritarian; if there are
Governments armed with economic power as they are now with political power; if, in a word,
we are to have Industrial Tyrannies, then the last state of man will be worse than the first.
At present, in consequence of the existence of private property, a great many people are
enabled to develop a certain very limited amount of Individualism. They are either under no
necessity to work for their living, or are enabled to choose the sphere of activity that is really
congenial to them, and gives them pleasure. These are the poets, the philosophers, the men of
science, the men of culture—in a word, the real men, the men who have realised themselves,
and in whom all Humanity gains a partial realisation.
2. Directions: Select the correct text in the passage.
Read the statement below.
At times, the narrator appears compassionate when describing the plight of Mathilde's
condition.
Which sentence is the passage best supports this statement?
from "The Diamond Necklace"
by Guy de Maupassant
The girl was one of those pretty and charming young creatures who sometimes are born, as
if by a slip of fate, into a family of clerks. She had no dowry, no expectations, no way of being
known, understood, loved, married by any rich and distinguished man; so she let herself be
married to a little clerk of the Ministry of Public Instruction.
She dressed plainly because she could not dress well, but she was unhappy as if she had
really fallen from a higher station; since with women there is neither caste nor rank, for beauty,
grace and charm take the place of family and birth. Natural ingenuity, instinct for what is
elegant, a supple mind are their sole hierarchy, and often make of women of the people the
equals of the very greatest ladies.
Mathilde suffered ceaselessly, feeling herself born to enjoy all delicacies and all luxuries. She
was distressed at the poverty of her dwelling, at the bareness of the walls, at the shabby chairs,
the ugliness of the curtains. All those things, of which another woman of her rank would never
even have been conscious, tortured her and made her angry. The sight of the little Breton
peasant who did her humble housework aroused in her despairing regrets and bewildering
dreams. She thought of silent antechambers hung with Oriental tapestry, illumined by tall
bronze candelabra, and of two great footmen in knee breeches who sleep in the big armchairs,
made drowsy by the oppressive heat of the stove. She thought of long reception halls hung
with ancient silk, of the dainty cabinets containing priceless curiosities and of the little
coquettish perfumed reception rooms made for chatting at five o'clock with intimate friends,
with men famous and sought after, whom all women envy and whose attention they all desire.
When she sat down to dinner, before the round table covered with a tablecloth in use three
days, opposite her husband, who uncovered the soup tureen and declared with a delighted air,
"Ah, the good soup! I don't know anything better than that," she thought of dainty dinners, of
shining silverware, of tapestry that peopled the walls with ancient personages and with strange
birds flying in the midst of a fairy forest; and she thought of delicious dishes served on
marvellous plates and of the whispered gallantries to which you listen with a sphinxlike smile
while you are eating the pink meat of a trout or the wings of a quail.
She had no gowns, no jewels, nothing. And she loved nothing but that. She felt made for
that. She would have liked so much to please, to be envied, to be charming, to be sought after.
She had a friend, a former schoolmate at the convent, who was rich, and whom she did not
like to go to see any more because she felt so sad when she came home.
But one evening her husband reached home with a triumphant air and holding a large
envelope in his hand.
"There," said he, "there is something for you."
She tore the paper quickly and drew out a printed card which bore these words:
The Minister of Public Instruction and Madame Georges Ramponneau
request the honor of M. and Madame Loisel's company at the palace of
the Ministry on Monday evening, January 18th.
Instead of being delighted, as her husband had hoped, she threw the invitation on the table
crossly, muttering: "What do you wish me to do with that?
"Why, my dear, I thought you would be glad. You never go out, and this is such a fine
opportunity. I had great trouble to get it. Every one wants to go; it is very select, and they are
not giving many invitations to clerks. The whole official world will be there."
She looked at him with an irritated glance and said impatiently: "And what do you wish me
to put on my back?"
He had not thought of that. He stammered: "Why, the gown you go to the theatre in. It looks
very well to me." He stopped, distracted, seeing that his wife was weeping. Two great tears ran
slowly from the corners of her eyes toward the corners of her mouth.
"What's the matter? What's the matter?" he answered.
By a violent effort she conquered her grief and replied in a calm voice, while she wiped her
wet cheeks: "Nothing. Only I have no gown, and, therefore, I can't go to this ball. Give your card
to some colleague whose wife is better equipped than I am."
Scramble for Africa
Captain John Gaines peered out across the Mediterranean Sea as his crew hurried around
him. They were drawing near quickly the coast of a land that few from Britain would ever
approach. Those who have had the chance to explore it told of its dark-skinned people and
their vast, untouched resources. Gaines didn’t know what to expect in this new land. All he
knew was that he had to get there before French and German ships got to the land.
When the ship docked in the harbor, Gaines also saw a foreign landscape, and as he went
further inland, he found the land to be a dismal one, for sure. The resources of the land would
be sent back to Britain. The natives worked the land to create cash crops that could be sold to
other countries for a profit. Sadly, the natives were forced to labor for profits that they would
never see.
3. Based on this passage, the African natives were
A. exploited for the natural resources found on their lands.
B. found only in the interior parts of the African continent.
C. knowledgeable about growing different crops on the land.
D. controlled by European countries for the natives' benefit.
4. Based this passage, which of these is true about the Scramble for Africa?
A. European countries raced to colonize Africa.
B. Africa had money that Europe did not have.
C. Europe wanted to help the natives of Africa.
D. Africa needed to be exposed to civilization.
Alessandro’s: A Review
After visiting Alessandro's, an exclusive new restaurant, I was reminded that first impressions
can be very deceiving. Alessandro’s is decorated in the type of quirky, funky artwork that I love
to look at. One work in particular caught my eye—a stark black and white photograph of a dog
eating with a knife and fork. I enjoyed looking around the restaurant so much that I didn’t
notice that it took the hostess 15 minutes to bring me a menu. After I finally had the
opportunity to browse the menu, I noticed something strange. There were no prices listed on
the menu. I looked around for a waiter or waitress to ask about this unusual practice, but I
could not find any waitstaff in sight. In fact, it was another half an hour before my waiter
arrived to bring me a much-needed glass of water.
When my meal arrived, I was impressed by the pleasing visual arrangement of the food. This
warm and fuzzy feeling was soon replaced by shock and disgust, however. My food must have
taken so long to arrive because the chef was busy draining the ocean for enough salt to make
the soup inedible. He or she must have then spent another few hours overcooking the chicken,
while skillfully managing to leave the bread raw and doughy in the middle. The fact that my
waiter never returned to my table prevented me from being able to return the meal to the
kitchen. When I finally grew tired of pushing the inedible food around on my plate, I searched
until I found the restaurant manager. She was coldly polite as I explained the mysteries of the
disappearing waiter and the beautiful but horrific food. Without offering to provide another
meal or locate my waiter, the manager handed me my bill and told me that I should find
another restaurant on the block to meet my high standards.
I left the exact amount of the bill (fortunately paid for by this newspaper and not out of my
pocket) and took the manager’s advice. I ate a delicious steak and baked potato at Joe’s Grill
down the street. Unlike their over-priced and unfriendly neighbor, Joe’s Grill earned my
unqualified approval.
5. Why does the author most likely use an informal tone throughout this review?
A. to mock readers who like to eat at Alessandro's
B. to show that the overall experience was pleasant
C. to let the reader know not to take him/her seriously
D. to develop a personal connection with the reader
Understanding My Father
by A. Gautam
My father was not an emotional person. He didn't talk much either. On those rare occasions
when he did, he never used more words than what was needed. As a result, I did not benefit
from a first-hand account of the Cultural Revolution. Instead, I was forced to gather information
from other sources. But that wasn't good enough for me. I wanted to hear it from him. We left
our country for America when I was just a child.
I never knew if my father had worked in the revolution as a peasant, solider, or a
revolutionary intellectual. I tried to picture him writing big-character posters and holding great
debates with his fellow revolutionaries. Did he use big words? Did he sometimes skip classes to
meet with the comrades across China? These were questions I often asked myself. I wanted to
ask him if he believed that the right to air one's views fully really existed in his youth. As an only
child, who was brought up to think that education was my only key to prosperity, I didn't know
why my father did not finish his degree.
My father's friends behaved just like him—quiet, laborious, and mysterious. They all looked
at me with eyes full of love and hope. Only once, did I hear one of them speak about the past.
Uncle Chen recounted something about "not being a Communist," "arrest," and "freedom." It
was then that I realized my parents and their friends had always talked to each other in
Mandarin, the language I could no longer grasp, when they spoke about their lives back home.
At that moment, I regretted my dwindling Chinese vocabulary and the opportunities I had
already missed.
6. Which of these statement best reflects the author's opinion of the Cultural Revolution in
China?
A. The revolution did not give the people the freedom of speech.
B. Ordinary people had no influence in the success of the revolution.
C. The revolution did not change China in any significant way.
D. As a result of the revolution, people did not believe in education.
7. Based on this excerpt, the Cultural Revolution in China
A. demanded that the revolutionaries move to other countries.
B. provided safety for people who didn't support communism.
C. encouraged all citizens to be involved in changing the nation.
D. discouraged the citizens from holding meetings and debates.
The neighborhood streets were flooded with people as they heard the news that the war
was finally over. Some people gathered together and created an improvised band. Others
danced, laughed, sang, and hugged as the music played in the background. Faces were no
longer hardened; they now only showed relief.
I only watched outside my window as people celebrated in the streets on that November
day. It was a great day for my neighbors; however, for me, it was just an ordinary day. The end
of The Great War, although thankfully over, didn’t bring my brother back.
As I looked outside my window, I saw a sight that I would have never thought would happen.
I saw my father and my mother dancing along with everyone else who also had sons fighting in
the war. The majority of their sons never came back, like my brother. For weeks, my parents
had been the saddest people I knew. Now, my parents were celebrating along with the
neighbors. I watched in awe as my thin father smiled and twirled my mother around in her
threadbare, blue dress.
I didn’t know what to feel about my parents, but I knew my brother wouldn’t want them to
act in any other way. He would have been down there dancing along with them. With just one
more glance outside, I flew downstairs and joined my parents out in the street.
8. Based on this passage, World War I
A. brought siblings back to their homes.
B. caused confusion among many families.
C. caused people to remember their sons.
D. came at a great cost of soldiers' lives.
Passage 1
Safe
by A. Gautam
Bina Kapoor was finally going to see the Disney World. The bags were packed and the tickets
were at hand. An old woman disposed to the care of her son's family, Bina had insisted on
accompanying her grandchildren despite her advanced age. She wanted to relive and reinvent
her childhood. Vinnie Kapoor knew that his Mom had never slept well while traveling—not
since the independence of India and Pakistan. He had seen her twitch and scream at night
decades after her horrific journey by train. Vinnie knew that in the arms of the night, his mother
was still a child. The terror of 1947 was fresh in her nightmares.
Vinnie had finally told his mother that the kids were now old enough to understand their
heritage. This meant that Bina could tell them about the Partition, the tragic journey from
Karachi to Delhi, and the story of her survival. As the Kapoor family waited to board the plane,
Vinnie told her story with animation and nostalgia.
"The train was supposed to be fast," Bina whispered to her three grandchildren cuddled
together in the airport lobby. "But it was not fast enough to stop the people from climbing. I
had only packed my favorite clothes, kids. There wasn't enough room in the train for all my
pretty toys. And the people were climbing on the windows, hanging on to the door, and even
holding on to other people's hands."
"Time to board, Ma," Vinnie cut the story short and handed his mother some sleeping aids.
"You can tell the rest in the rental car. You have to get some sleep."
Bina held on to her carry on, took a significantly long breath, and agreed to board the plane.
Passage 2
The Quit India Movement
During the British rule in the Indian subcontinent for nearly a century (1858-1947), many
nationalist freedom movements had taken place in India. The most successful and decisive one
was the Quit India Movement. The Quit India Movement was a civil disobedience movement
launched in 1942. It was a response to Gandhi's call for immediate independence of India and a
protest against the British Empire's request to send Indians to World War II. The movement was
aimed to bring the British Government to the negotiating table.
The Quit India Movement also helped shape the partitioning of the British Indian Empire into
a secular India and a Muslim Pakistan. The border between India and Pakistan was determined
by a British Government-commissioned report. Pakistan was declared a separate nation from
India on 14 August 1947. On midnight 15 August 1947, India became an independent nation.
However, the independence came at a price of a painful separation process of the new-formed
nations.
9. Which historical period do both passages reflect?
A. the first and the second World Wars
B. Civil War in the Indian subcontinent
C. the mass migration of Indians to the U.S.
D. the time following India's independence
The band
by A. Gautam
The band sipped ice-cold water from Styrofoam cups,
Stared at the audience with the most confused eyes.
They sought a promise—applaud in advance.
The lead singer, cleared his throat seriously,
The lyrics—once more—escaping his mind.
And the drummer danced with his hands—in the air.
The boy holding the bass guitar, thought himself a superstar,
Throwing smiles and kisses to those who did not care.
Only the girl with long fingers stood quiet, stroking the keys.
Her pony tail flowing without her permission. . .
The stage light was bright; it was time to rock on.
10. Which line contributes to the mood of nervousness in the poem?
A. "Throwing smiles and kisses to those who did not care"
B. "Her pony tail flowing without her permission. . ."
C. "The lyrics—once more—escaping his mind"
D. "The boy holding the bass guitar, thought himself a superstar"
11. What effect does the descriptive language of this poem provide?
A. The mood of the poem changes from despair to sarcasm.
B. Readers are inspired to create a band of their own.
C. Readers can imagine the scene and the characters vividly.
D. The descriptive language helps create internal rhymes.
from The Rocking Horse Winner
by D.H. Lawrence
It came whispering from the springs of the still-swaying rocking-horse, and even the horse,
bending his wooden, champing head, heard it. The big doll, sitting so pink and smirking in her
new pram, could hear it quite plainly, and seemed to be smirking all the more self-consciously
because of it. The foolish puppy, too, that took the place of the teddy-bear, he was looking so
extraordinarily foolish for no other reason but that he heard the secret whisper all over the
house: "There must be more money!"
Yet nobody ever said it aloud. The whisper was everywhere, and therefore no one spoke it.
Just as no one ever says: "We are breathing!" in spite of the fact that breath is coming and
going all the time.
"Mother," said the boy Paul one day, "why don't we keep a car of our own? Why do we always
use uncle's or else a taxi?"
"Because we're the poor members of the family," said the mother.
"But why are we, mother?"
"Well—I suppose," she said slowly and bitterly, "it's because your father has no luck."
The boy was silent for some time.
"Is luck money, mother?" he asked, rather timidly.
"No, Paul. Not quite. It's what causes you to have money."
"Oh!" said Paul vaguely. "I thought when Uncle Oscar said filthy lucker, it meant money."
"Filthy lucre does mean money," said the mother, "But it's lucre, not luck."
"Oh!" said the boy. "Then what is luck, mother?"
"It's what causes you to have money. If you're lucky you have money. That's why it's better to
be born lucky than rich. If you're rich, you may lose your money. But if you're lucky, you will
always get more money."
"Oh! Will you? And is father not lucky?"
12. The author uses question/answer technique in the dialogue
A. to show that kids learn about life from their parents.
B. to foreshadow Paul's future as a lucky, rich man.
C. to move the plot of the story forward to the climax.
D. to describe the mother's feelings of sorrow and pain.