|
Read the passage carefully. Then choose the
correct answer. |
|
|
|
The bus was packed with bodies. Some women
occupied seats carrying large baskets on their
laps while the men kept their cloth bags under
their seats and carried sleeping children on
their shoulders. Chandru's mother had him on her
lap and their big worn-out suitcase squeezed
between the seats. The woman snoring beside them
kept nodding off onto his mother's shoulder as
Chandru fought hard not to fall asleep. This
was the Town Special, the bus that would take
them to the city through the night. Chandru
and his mother had been camping at the village
bus stop since four in the afternoon. The
bus schedule was usually erratic. After six
hours of waiting, they were now finally on their
way to the city where Chandru's mother hoped
life would be better.
The bus jerked and jolted on the rough roads.
The conductor who sat behind in a single seat
was immersed in one of the film magazines that
carried gossip about stars and politics. Chandru
tried not to put his entire weight on his mother
and stood up for a while so she could stretch
her aching limbs. His mother's haggard face and
disheveled hair made Chandru sigh sadly. He was
starving as they had had nothing to eat since
noon.The child sleeping in front of them cried
while his mother brought out a paper parcel from
one of her bags. When opened, the strong smell
of curry and mint leaves made Chandru's mouth
water. He turned around and hugged his mother,
burying his face in her sari. The aroma wafted
in his direction again as he lifted his face
after what seemed like hours of torture.
The child laughed and clapped as grains of
rice splattered all around him. His mother
had to tell him a story to coax him to eat more.
The parcel still had some rice and curry but the
lady was going to throw the remainder out the
window of the moving bus. Chandru's mother
immediately stopped her and begged her to pass
the unfinished food to her son.
The lady smiled and took a fresh packet from
her bag. She gave it to them and passed them a
bottle of water. Chandru thanked her and grinned
at his mother sleepishly. Never had any food
tasted that good, confirmed Chandru as he
swallowed balls of rice whole without even
chewing. He continued to eat, choking and
coughing, as his mother watched him. She
wondered about his next meal. The bus fare
had cost them most of their savings. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
1. |
'Chandru and his mother had been camping at the village bus stop since
four in the afternoon' ( paragraph 2 ) because ______. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
the bus always arrived late |
| |
|
(B) |
the bus always arrived early |
| |
|
(C) |
the bus had no fixed timing for arrival |
| |
|
(D) |
they wanted to make sure they could get seats in the bus |
| |
|
|
|
| |
2. |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is true ? |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
Chandru and his mother sat next to a lady and her child. |
| |
|
(B) |
Chandru and his mother sat in front of a lady and her child. |
| |
|
(C) |
Chandru and his mother shared a seat next to the conductor. |
| |
|
(D) |
Chandru and his mother shared a seat behind a lady and her child. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
3. |
According to paragraph 4, Chandru 'hugged his mother' because he ______. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
was very hungry |
| |
|
(B) |
was tired and sleepy |
| |
|
(C) |
wanted his mother to ask the lady for food |
| |
|
(D) |
wanted to block the smell of curry and mint leaves from getting to him |
| |
|
|
|
| |
4. |
Which of the following best explains
why 'grains of rice splattered' ( paragraph 5 ) from the child's mouth ? |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
He was trying to vomit the food out. |
| |
|
(B) |
There was too much food in his mouth. |
| |
|
(C) |
He was choking while his mother forced him to eat. |
| |
|
(D) |
He was laughing as his mother was telling a funny story. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
5. |
Which of the following is the most
suitable explanation why Chandru's mother 'wondered about his next meal'
( paragraph 6 ) ? |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
(A) |
She did not know where she could buy it. |
| |
|
(B) |
She did not have enough money for food. |
| |
|
(C) |
She did not know what he would like to eat next. |
| |
|
(D) |
She did not know if the woman would pity them again and give them more
food. |
| |
|
|
|
|
Sponsored Links
|
| |
|
