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Odisha BSE HSC English SLE study materials
Odisha BSE HSC English SLE study resources

Odisha BSE HSC English SLE practice questions

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Question 1Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

In an unseen prose passage for the Odisha HSC English paper, the opening line reads: 'The old fisherman pulled his net from the grey water and found it heavier than on any morning he could remember.' Which detail mainly creates a sense of suspense in this line?

  1. The mention of the morning hour
  2. The identification of the man as a fisherman
  3. The description of the water as grey
  4. The comparison of the net's weight with past mornings Correct answer.

Explanation

Suspense arises when the reader is given a hint that something unusual is about to happen. Comparing the net's weight with every morning he can remember signals an unexpected discovery, which makes the reader want to read on. The other details are setting and character information only.

Question 2Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

A comprehension passage states: 'Although the village had piped water, most families still walked to the river at dawn.' In the context of the passage, the word 'Although' signals that the second part of the sentence:

  1. contrasts with the expectation set by the first part Correct answer.
  2. lists examples of the first part
  3. gives a result of the first part
  4. repeats the idea of the first part

Explanation

'Although' is a subordinating conjunction of concession: it introduces information that goes against what the first clause leads us to expect. Piped water at home should remove the need to walk to the river, so the second clause is a contrast. Recognising this helps the reader interpret the passage's attitude to village habits.

Question 3Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

While reading an unseen poem, a candidate notices the line 'the moon walked slowly across the sleeping hills'. Which figure of speech is used in this line?

  1. Simile
  2. Onomatopoeia
  3. Personification Correct answer.
  4. Hyperbole

Explanation

Personification gives human qualities to non-human things; here the moon 'walked', an action belonging to people. No comparison word such as 'like' or 'as' appears, so it is not a simile, and there is no exaggeration or sound-imitation. Identifying the device helps the reader explain the poem's mood.

Question 4Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen passage ends with the sentence: 'She closed the shop, counted the coins twice, and left the key under the mat as she had done for thirty years.' Which inference about the character is best supported by this sentence?

  1. She dislikes her customers.
  2. She is careless about money.
  3. She follows a long-established routine. Correct answer.
  4. She is planning to sell the shop soon.

Explanation

A valid inference must be supported by details in the text. Counting the coins twice and leaving the key in the same place for thirty years both point to settled, repeated habit. The sentence gives no evidence about selling the shop, carelessness or feelings towards customers.

Question 5Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

In an unseen prose passage, the narrator writes: 'My brother, always the brave one, refused to open the letter.' Which word in this sentence reveals the narrator's attitude towards the brother?

  1. always
  2. brave Correct answer.
  3. letter
  4. refused

Explanation

The narrator's attitude is conveyed through evaluative words that carry judgement. Calling the brother 'brave' is an appraisal, and the ironic contrast with his refusal to open the letter shows the narrator's view. The other words are neutral and descriptive.

Question 6Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

A comprehension question asks for the 'central idea' of an unseen prose passage. Which answer best describes what the candidate must identify?

  1. The number of characters in the passage
  2. The first sentence of the passage
  3. The main point the writer develops throughout the passage Correct answer.
  4. The longest paragraph in the passage

Explanation

The central idea is the controlling point that the whole passage develops, supported by details from beginning to end. It is not tied to a single sentence or paragraph, nor to a count of characters. Candidates should check that the chosen idea is supported across the passage.

Question 7Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

Read this line from an unseen poem: 'Old roads remember the feet that have gone.' Which statement best explains the effect of this line?

  1. It states that the roads are physically damaged.
  2. It suggests that the past survives in familiar places. Correct answer.
  3. It compares roads to feet using 'like'.
  4. It shows that the speaker is walking quickly.

Explanation

The roads are said to 'remember', which gives them memory and links them to people who have left. The effect is to suggest that places carry the traces of past lives. There is no explicit comparison, no mention of damage, and no indication of speed.

Question 8Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

In an unseen prose passage, a character says: 'I have never asked anyone for help, and I am not going to start now.' Which quality does this statement most clearly reveal?

  1. Pride Correct answer.
  2. Curiosity
  3. Timidity
  4. Generosity

Explanation

The character's refusal to ask for help, based on a lifelong habit, shows a strong sense of self-sufficiency that resists dependence on others. This is best described as pride. Generosity, curiosity and timidity are not supported by the statement.

Question 9Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen prose passage contains the sentence: 'The market was a sea of voices, and the boy stood still, listening for one he knew.' Which reading of 'a sea of voices' is most appropriate in context?

  1. The voices were quiet and distant.
  2. The market was full of many overlapping sounds. Correct answer.
  3. The boy was unable to hear anything.
  4. The market was flooded with water.

Explanation

The metaphor 'a sea of voices' transfers the idea of a vast, surrounding mass of water to sound. In context it conveys a crowded market filled with many voices blending together. It is figurative, so the market is not literally flooded.

Question 10Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

A candidate must answer a question beginning 'According to the passage...'. Which approach is most reliable?

  1. Select the longest option because it is usually complete.
  2. Choose the option that repeats words from the question.
  3. Choose the option that matches the candidate's own experience.
  4. Base the answer only on information stated or implied in the passage. Correct answer.

Explanation

Questions phrased 'According to the passage' test close reading, so the answer must be grounded in the text itself. Personal experience, option length and word-matching are unreliable shortcuts. Candidates should locate the relevant lines and check each option against them.

Question 11Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

In an unseen poem, the speaker describes a deserted house where 'the clock has stopped, the kettle is cold, and the chair still faces the door'. Which mood is most strongly created by these details?

  1. Cheerful anticipation
  2. Angry protest
  3. Desolation and waiting Correct answer.
  4. Comic confusion

Explanation

The stopped clock, the cold kettle and the chair turned towards the door all suggest abandonment and a long wait that has not ended. Together they build a mood of desolation. None of the details suggests cheerfulness, anger or comedy.

Question 12Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen prose passage describes a festival: 'For three days the town forgot its quarrels; on the fourth, the old arguments returned like unpaid debts.' The comparison with 'unpaid debts' mainly suggests that the arguments were:

  1. avoidable if people tried harder
  2. bound to return and still unresolved Correct answer.
  3. settled permanently during the festival
  4. financial matters between merchants

Explanation

A debt that is unpaid remains outstanding and must eventually be faced. Comparing the returning arguments to unpaid debts therefore implies that the quarrels were only suspended, never resolved. The festival provided a pause, not a solution.

Question 13Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

Read this stanza from an unseen poem: 'The seed does not ask / why it must break / before the green blade rises.' Which theme is developed here?

  1. Patience is unnecessary in farming
  2. Seeds are difficult to plant
  3. Nature is indifferent to human needs
  4. Growth requires sacrifice or struggle Correct answer.

Explanation

The image of the seed breaking before the blade rises links new growth with a necessary loss or struggle. The stanza's quiet acceptance of this process develops the theme that growth comes through sacrifice. The other options misread the image or add ideas not present.

Question 14Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen passage contains the sentence: 'The teacher's words were few, but the class sat in silence long after the bell.' What does the reaction of the class suggest about the teacher's words?

  1. They were about the school bell.
  2. They were confusing and unclear.
  3. They were too quiet to be heard.
  4. They had a strong and lasting effect. Correct answer.

Explanation

The contrast between 'few' words and prolonged silence shows that the words carried weight beyond their number. The class's stillness after the bell indicates a deep impression. Nothing suggests confusion, inaudibility or the topic of the words.

Question 15Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

In an unseen prose passage, the writer shifts from past tense to present tense in the final paragraph while describing the same village. What is the most likely purpose of this shift?

  1. To indicate that the events are happening in the future
  2. To introduce a completely new set of characters
  3. To show that the writer has made a grammatical error
  4. To bring the scene closer and make it feel immediate Correct answer.

Explanation

A shift from past to present tense in descriptive writing often creates immediacy, drawing the reader into the scene as though it is unfolding now. It is a deliberate stylistic choice, not an error, and it does not necessarily signal future events or new characters. Candidates should link such shifts to effect.

Question 16Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen poem repeats the phrase 'come home' at the end of each stanza. What is the most likely effect of this repetition?

  1. It proves that the poem is about a house.
  2. It shows that the speaker has forgotten the earlier stanzas.
  3. It emphasises the speaker's longing and gives the poem a refrain. Correct answer.
  4. It makes each stanza shorter than the last.

Explanation

Repetition of a phrase at regular intervals creates a refrain, which reinforces an emotional idea. Here 'come home' stresses the speaker's yearning. It does not indicate forgetfulness, prove a literal subject, or change stanza length.

Question 17Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

A passage states: 'The river, once the town's highway, is now a shallow channel of sand.' Which change does the sentence describe?

  1. The river now carries more boats than before.
  2. The river has lost its former importance and volume. Correct answer.
  3. The river has become wider and deeper.
  4. The town has built a new road beside the river.

Explanation

Calling the river 'once the town's highway' shows its past role in transport and trade. Describing it now as a 'shallow channel of sand' shows both reduced water and lost importance. The sentence records decline, not growth or new construction.

Question 18Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

In an unseen prose passage, the writer describes a character as follows: 'Ramesh laughed at every joke, lent money he never expected back, and forgot his own birthday.' Which impression of Ramesh is best supported?

  1. He is generous and light-hearted. Correct answer.
  2. He is unhappy and withdrawn.
  3. He is careful and calculating.
  4. He is strict and demanding.

Explanation

Each detail points in the same direction: laughing readily, lending without expecting return, and forgetting his own birthday. Together they build an impression of a cheerful, open-handed person. The details do not support calculation, withdrawal or strictness.

Question 19Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen passage says: 'The letter lay unopened for a week.' Later it adds: 'On the seventh day she finally broke the seal.' Which technique is the writer using across these two sentences?

  1. Describing the setting in fine detail
  2. Introducing a new character abruptly
  3. Delaying the outcome to build tension Correct answer.
  4. Repeating the same information for clarity

Explanation

By telling the reader about the unopened letter and then waiting until the seventh day, the writer withholds the outcome and creates curiosity. This deliberate delay builds tension. The two sentences add new information rather than repeating it, and no setting detail or new character is introduced.

Question 20Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

A poem in the examination describes a traveller who 'carried his home in a bundle on his back'. Which interpretation of this image is most reasonable?

  1. He was returning from a market.
  2. He had lost his memory of home.
  3. He was a builder carrying bricks.
  4. He kept few possessions and carried his sense of home with him. Correct answer.

Explanation

The image of a home carried in a bundle is figurative: it suggests that the traveller owns little and that his feeling of home travels with him. This reading fits the idea of displacement or wandering. It does not imply building work, lost memory or a market trip.

Question 21Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

A comprehension passage contains the phrase 'a deafening silence fell over the hall'. Why is this phrase effective?

  1. It shows that the audience could not hear the speaker.
  2. It uses a contradiction to convey how intense the quiet was. Correct answer.
  3. It compares the hall to a musical instrument.
  4. It states a literal fact about noise levels in the hall.

Explanation

'Deafening silence' is an oxymoron: silence cannot literally deafen anyone. The contradiction conveys that the quiet was so complete and tense that it felt overwhelming. This is a figurative effect, not a factual report about sound or hearing.

Question 22Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

In an unseen passage, a narrator says of a neighbour: 'He was a man of few words, yet the whole street came to him when trouble arrived.' What does this contrast reveal about the neighbour?

  1. His quiet manner hid a lack of concern.
  2. He talked too much in times of trouble.
  3. He was unpopular but wealthy.
  4. He was trusted despite speaking little. Correct answer.

Explanation

The word 'yet' sets up a contrast between speaking little and being sought out in difficulty. The second half shows that the street relied on him, which indicates trust. The passage does not suggest unpopularity, indifference or excessive talk.

Question 23Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen poem ends: 'And the field, which had waited all winter, / opened one green eye.' Which comment best explains the effect of the final image?

  1. It shows that the field has been abandoned.
  2. It proves that winter has returned.
  3. It suggests the field is frightened of spring.
  4. It presents the field as a living being awakening. Correct answer.

Explanation

Giving the field an 'eye' that opens personifies it and links the arrival of green shoots to waking. The image presents the field as alive and stirring after winter. It does not imply fear, abandonment or a return of winter.

Question 24Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen passage includes the sentence: 'Not once did the old woman mention the money.' Which emphasis does the inverted word order give to this sentence?

  1. It stresses the old woman's silence on the subject. Correct answer.
  2. It suggests that money was never important to anyone.
  3. It shows that the old woman had forgotten the money.
  4. It indicates that the sentence is a question.

Explanation

Fronting the negative adverbial 'not once' and inverting the subject and verb places strong emphasis on the negative. The effect is to stress that she never spoke of the money, which invites the reader to wonder why. It is a statement, not a question, and it does not show forgetfulness.

Question 25Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

Two students discuss an unseen prose passage. Student A says the writer is sympathetic to the main character; Student B says the writer is critical. Which evidence would best settle the question?

  1. The number of pages the character appears on
  2. The setting in which the character lives
  3. The length of the sentences describing the character
  4. The writer's choice of evaluative words and details about the character Correct answer.

Explanation

A writer's attitude is revealed through diction and selection of detail: approving or disapproving adjectives, sympathetic or ironic incidents. Counting pages or measuring sentence length does not show attitude, and setting alone is not decisive. Candidates should quote evaluative language to support a judgement.

Question 26Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

In an unseen prose passage, the writer says of a village well: 'It had served three generations, and no one had ever thought to thank it.' Which quality of the villagers does the sentence most directly suggest?

  1. Their habit of thanking only living people
  2. Their careless indifference to something long useful to them Correct answer.
  3. Their fear of the well's unknown depth
  4. Their pride in the village's old architecture

Explanation

The clause 'no one had ever thought to thank it' points to thoughtlessness, not fear or pride; the well is a familiar, taken-for-granted part of life. The reader infers neglect of a silent benefactor, which is a comment on the people's attitude.

Question 27Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen passage begins: 'The bus was late again. Sita checked her watch, then the road, then her watch.' What does the repeated checking mainly convey about Sita?

  1. She has forgotten the bus route
  2. She has lost her watch strap
  3. She enjoys watching traffic
  4. She is growing impatient while waiting Correct answer.

Explanation

Repetition of the same small action in quick succession signals restlessness and mounting impatience. The detail is a behavioural clue, not a statement about the watch or the road.

Question 28Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

Read these lines from an unseen poem: 'My father's hands were maps / of every field he never left.' Which figure of speech is used in 'hands were maps'?

  1. Alliteration
  2. Metaphor Correct answer.
  3. Simile
  4. Onomatopoeia

Explanation

A metaphor states that one thing is another without using 'like' or 'as', and here the hands are directly called maps. The comparison implies that the hands carry a record of a lifetime's labour in one place.

Question 29Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen prose passage ends: 'The train pulled out. He stood on the platform until the last coach was a black dot, and then a little longer.' What does 'and then a little longer' add to the description?

  1. It deepens the sense of unwillingness to let go Correct answer.
  2. It proves the platform was crowded
  3. It shows that another train was coming
  4. It suggests he had missed his luggage

Explanation

The extra moment beyond the point where nothing can be seen suggests an emotional reluctance to end the parting. The phrase works by understatement, adding feeling rather than new information.

Question 30Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

In an unseen passage a boy is described as 'the first to laugh and the last to be chosen'. What does this contrast suggest about him?

  1. He is cheerful but not valued by his companions Correct answer.
  2. He is disliked for being too serious
  3. He is the leader of the other children
  4. He is the strongest player in the group

Explanation

The two halves of the description pull in opposite directions: he is quick to enjoy himself, yet others do not pick him. The contrast creates a sympathetic picture of a likeable but overlooked child.

Question 31Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen poem has four stanzas of four lines each, with lines 2 and 4 rhyming. What is this stanza form called?

  1. Blank verse
  2. Couplet
  3. Sonnet
  4. Quatrain Correct answer.

Explanation

A stanza of four lines is a quatrain, and rhyme in the second and fourth lines is a common quatrain pattern. Recognising the term helps a candidate describe structure accurately in answers.

Question 32Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen prose passage contains: 'The shopkeeper weighed the rice, weighed it again, and slid the scale back with a sigh.' What mood does the sigh create?

  1. A quiet sense of weariness or resignation Correct answer.
  2. Relief that the day had ended
  3. Excitement about a bargain
  4. Sudden anger at the customer

Explanation

A sigh after a repeated, mechanical action suggests tiredness rather than strong emotion such as anger or joy. The small gesture colours the scene with a subdued, everyday weariness.

Question 33Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

In an unseen prose passage, the writer uses the word 'crawled' for traffic, 'crept' for the queue and 'inched' for the crowd. What is the effect of these verbs?

  1. They suggest the road was empty
  2. They show that everyone was running
  3. They stress slow, laborious movement Correct answer.
  4. They indicate the weather was cold

Explanation

All three verbs describe movement that is painfully slow, and their repetition reinforces a scene of delay and effort. Choosing verbs from the same semantic field is a deliberate stylistic choice.

Question 34Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen prose passage says: 'The village had no doctor, so the midwife's bicycle was the nearest thing to an ambulance.' Which inference is best supported?

  1. Medical help was scarce and the midwife's role was vital Correct answer.
  2. The bicycle belonged to the doctor
  3. The midwife refused to travel at night
  4. The village had several ambulances

Explanation

The sentence explicitly states there was no doctor and uses the bicycle as a substitute for an ambulance, so both scarcity and the midwife's importance follow. The other options contradict the words of the passage.

Question 35Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

In an unseen poem, the speaker addresses a dead friend directly: 'You would have laughed to see the mango tree / we planted the year you left.' What is the effect of addressing someone who cannot reply?

  1. It proves the friend is secretly alive
  2. It changes the poem into a comic song
  3. It shows the speaker dislikes the friend
  4. It creates intimacy while making the loss feel present Correct answer.

Explanation

Direct address, or apostrophe, lets the speaker speak as if the friend were still there, which makes the absence more poignant. The imagined laughter keeps the friend vivid even while the loss is acknowledged.

Question 36Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen prose passage reads: 'The letter lay on the table. Each day she dusted around it, never under it.' What does the detail 'never under it' most strongly imply?

  1. She wants to sell the table
  2. She avoids touching the letter because it troubles her Correct answer.
  3. She has forgotten the letter exists
  4. She is too lazy to clean properly

Explanation

A small, deliberate exception to a routine action shows avoidance, and avoidance signals emotional discomfort. The detail works by implication rather than direct statement.

Question 37Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

In an unseen passage a writer describes a town as 'a place where the loudest voice was the temple bell and the bus horn'. What does this description suggest about the town?

  1. It is a busy industrial city
  2. It is deserted and abandoned
  3. It has no places of worship
  4. It is small and quiet, with only simple sounds breaking the calm Correct answer.

Explanation

Naming a temple bell and a bus horn as the loudest sounds implies a limited soundscape typical of a small, quiet town. The reader infers scale and atmosphere from the choice of examples.

Question 38Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen poem repeats the word 'again' at the start of three consecutive lines. What is the most likely purpose of this repetition?

  1. To emphasise the weary recurrence of an action Correct answer.
  2. To introduce three new characters
  3. To make the poem rhyme internally
  4. To show the speaker has forgotten a word

Explanation

Repetition at the beginning of successive lines, or anaphora, builds rhythm and stresses recurrence. Here the repeated 'again' conveys a sense of routine or monotony.

Question 39Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen prose passage describes a character: 'He spoke of his travels in a voice so low that listeners leaned forward, and having made them lean, he stopped.' What does the ending reveal about him?

  1. He is shy of large groups
  2. He enjoys controlling his audience Correct answer.
  3. He is anxious to finish quickly
  4. He has forgotten what he was saying

Explanation

Stopping exactly when the listeners have been drawn in shows a deliberate grasp of audience attention. The phrasing 'having made them lean' suggests intention rather than shyness or forgetfulness.

Question 40Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen passage says: 'The school had one room, one teacher, one blackboard, and forty children of six different ages.' Which point is the writer making?

  1. The school was unusually well equipped
  2. The children were all the same age
  3. The teacher preferred older children
  4. Resources were stretched to teach a wide range of pupils Correct answer.

Explanation

The contrast between a single room and teacher and forty pupils of six ages highlights the strain on resources. The list of 'one' items is deliberately set against the large number of children.

Question 41Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen poem describes a lamp as 'a small stubborn star in the window'. Which comment best explains the effect of 'stubborn'?

  1. It proves the house is empty
  2. It suggests the light persists against the surrounding darkness Correct answer.
  3. It tells us the star is moving
  4. It shows the lamp is faulty and flickering

Explanation

Calling a lamp 'stubborn' personifies it as refusing to give in, so the light seems to hold its ground against the dark. The word also carries a hint of comfort and endurance.

Question 42Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen prose passage begins in the middle of an argument and later explains how the quarrel started. What is the effect of this structure?

  1. It turns the passage into a poem
  2. It creates suspense and then supplies the background Correct answer.
  3. It removes all interest from the quarrel
  4. It confuses the reader with unrelated events

Explanation

Starting in medias res throws the reader into action and raises questions that the later explanation answers. This ordering builds curiosity before giving context.

Question 43Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen passage contains: 'The old man fed the sparrows first, himself second, and the cat whenever it chose to appear.' What does the order of feeding reveal?

  1. He eats only in the morning
  2. He dislikes the cat intensely
  3. He puts the needs of others before his own Correct answer.
  4. He has plenty of money

Explanation

Placing himself second in the order shows selflessness, while the casual arrangement for the cat suggests easy-going kindness. The sequence of details is the evidence for the inference.

Question 44Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen poem opens: 'Do not tell me the road is long.' What tone does this opening line establish?

  1. Playful and joking
  2. Formal and official
  3. Gentle and apologetic
  4. Impatient and determined Correct answer.

Explanation

A direct negative command at the very start creates a forceful, impatient tone, as if the speaker rejects discouragement. The imperative form gives the line energy and resolve.

Question 45Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen prose passage says of a river: 'It gave the town its fish, its silt and its floods, and the town loved it for two of the three.' Which reading is best supported?

  1. The town's affection for the river is selective and humanly partial Correct answer.
  2. The town had no experience of floods
  3. The town hated the river completely
  4. The river gave the town nothing useful

Explanation

Loving the river 'for two of the three' shows that people welcome its benefits while resenting its damage. The wry phrasing makes a general point about how people value nature unevenly.

Question 46Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

Two students disagree about an unseen poem. One says the speaker is the poet; the other says the speaker is a created voice. Which approach should a candidate take in the examination?

  1. Assume the speaker is always the poet's exact self
  2. Ignore the speaker and discuss only the rhyme scheme
  3. Treat the speaker as the voice created for the poem unless the text clearly invites identification Correct answer.
  4. Decide by counting the number of stanzas

Explanation

In poetry the speaker is a constructed voice, and examiners reward candidates who distinguish it from the poet. Identification with the poet is assumed only when the text strongly signals it.

Question 47Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen passage presents the same event twice: first as a newspaper report, then as a grandmother's account. Why might a writer use this double presentation?

  1. To fill space because the story is short
  2. To contrast an official version with a personal, emotional one Correct answer.
  3. To show that the event never happened
  4. To prove newspapers are always wrong

Explanation

Setting an official report beside a personal memory invites the reader to compare tone, detail and bias. The device highlights how the same facts carry different meanings for different tellers.

Question 48Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen poem ends with a question rather than a statement. What is the most likely effect of closing on a question?

  1. It proves the poet did not know the answer and gave up
  2. It shows the poem has no theme
  3. It leaves the reader to weigh the possibilities the poem has raised Correct answer.
  4. It signals that the poem is unfinished

Explanation

A closing question can turn the poem's uncertainty back on the reader, inviting reflection rather than closing the meaning. It is a deliberate rhetorical choice, not evidence of carelessness.

Question 49Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen prose passage uses long, flowing sentences for a description of a market and short, clipped sentences for the journey home. What does this change in sentence length achieve?

  1. It makes the pace of the prose mirror the change in the scene Correct answer.
  2. It proves the market was unimportant
  3. It indicates a change of narrator
  4. It shows the writer ran out of ideas

Explanation

Long sentences slow the reader down and build a crowded, bustling effect, while short sentences quicken the pace for the quieter return. Syntax thus reinforces content, a technique examiners expect candidates to name.

Question 50Reading Comprehension (unseen prose/poetry passages)

An unseen passage describes a man who 'kept his father's broken watch in a drawer and wound it every Sunday'. Which interpretation is best supported?

  1. He winds the watch to tell the time
  2. The ritual shows attachment to a memory even though the watch cannot work Correct answer.
  3. He intends to repair the watch and sell it
  4. He has forgotten that the watch is broken

Explanation

Winding a broken watch has no practical use, so the action must be symbolic, expressing loyalty to the father's memory. The regular ritual deepens the sense of quiet devotion.