A Window on the Universe Summary 03

A Window on the Universe Summary 03

Human Is by Ray Bradbury

 

No. Page Question Answer
STORY ONE – Zero Hour
1 10 At the beginning of the novel we are introduced to a group of children who are playing a game. What is this game called? The game is called ‘Invasion’.  
2 10 The fury and bustle of the game was occurring only among the younger children. From what age upwards constituted the ‘older children’? 10 years old or more
3 11 Why doesn’t Mink want Joseph Connors to play the game? She thinks that Joseph will make fun of them; that he will laugh and spoil the invasion.
4 11 ‘The adults really did not long to join in with the game and were happy without the fierce energy of the wild tots.’ True or False? This is false. The adults longed to join in the game and were jealous of the fierce energy of the wild tots. 
5 12 In what tone did Mink speak to an imaginary person near the rose bush?  In an earnest tone
6 12 Mink dictates to Anna two answers that the imaginary person near the rosebush gives her. What are these two nouns? ‘Triangle’ and ‘beam’
7 13

Who or what is drill?

  1. A new boy in the neighbourhood
  2. Another word given by the imaginary person near the rose bush
  3. Mink’s brother
 The answer is a. 
8 14 Which planets could Drill potentially be from? He could from Jupiter or Saturn or Venus.
9 14 Mink tells her mother the story of how the Martians are going to invade earth. She gets confused when talking about ‘dim-dims’. What is mink trying to say when she says that there is ‘something about dim-dims’? Mink is trying to say that Drill told her that there are four dimensions.
10 15 Mink is upset because guys like Pete Britz and Dale Jerrick are making fun of her. They do not believe that Drill exists. Why does Mink think that they have these opinions? She thinks that they have these opinions because they are growing up.
11 15 Mink’s mother is unhappy that Drill told Mink that she can do things she isn’t supposed to. What two things did Drill tell Mink she can do? Mink told Drill that she can stay up until ten o’clock and that she can watch two television shows on Saturday instead of one. 
12 16 Mrs Morris asks Helen whether they were as bad as her kids in 1948. Helen says that they were worse. What game does she say they were playing that was so bad?  The game was called ‘Japs and Nazis’ (Terms used for the Japanese and German enemy during the Second World War)
13 16

Through what technology do Mrs.Morris and Helen speak to each other?

  1. The telephone
  2. The audi-visor
  3. The computer
 B) The audio-visor

14

17

What does Mink do with the Yoyo that makes Mrs.Morris so confused?

She makes the Yo-Yo vanish and then she makes it reappear.

15

17

What complicated word does Mrs.Morris use towards Helen that Mink had just previously learned from Drill? What had Mrs.Morris previously said on page 16 that this word meant?

Mrs.Morris uses the word impressionable , a word that Mink had just learned from Drill.  Mrs.Morris had previously said that impressionable means ‘to be a child’.

16

18

What time is ‘zero hour’?

Five o’clock.

17

19

Mrs.Morris calls Mr.Morris ‘Henry’. Do we yet know Mrs.Morris’ first name, and if not, what is she called by Mr.Morris?

We do not yet know Mrs.Morris’ first name. She is called ‘darling’ by Mr.Morris.

18

19

The children have almost nothing with them except two important objects, of which they have many in a square-shaped arrangement. What are these objects?

Pipes and Hammers

19

20

There is an explosion soon after zero hour that comes from the area that Mink is playing in. What does Mrs.Morris realise after the explosion, and from where in her mind does her suspicion arise?

Her suspicion arises from her subconscious, and she realises that Mink may have been telling the truth all along.

20

20

21

21

If the aliens had a skin colour, what colour would this most likely be? 

  1. Pink
  2. Orange
  3. Green
  4. Blue

The most likely colour is blue. This is because the author described Mink as having ‘tall blue shadows’ behind her when she comes in to the room with the adults.

22

21

Henry Morris and Mrs.Morris hide in the attic of their house and throw away the key. Why is Mrs.Morris suddenly so afraid of Mink entering the room, and at what point does Henry Morris start to share the fear of Mrs.Morris?

Mrs.Morris is afraid because she thinks that the invaders will kill her and her husband. Henry starts to share inher fear when he hears the alien sound of eagerness in Mink’s voice.

 

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A Window on the Universe Summary 02

A Window on the Universe Summary 02

The Star Ducks by Bill Brown

 

No.

Page

Question

Answer

STORY TWO – The Star Ducks

1

25

The story opens with a description of Ward Rafferty. What is his profession, and how do we know this?

He is a journalist/reporter. We know this because he leaves The Times press car and because of the description of his ‘newshawk’s nose’.

2

25

How does Rafferty know that Mr Alsop is not a Times reader?

He knows this because most people have heard of his by-line ‘I’m Rafferty of The Times.’ Given that Mr.Alsop enquire as to who Rafferty is, he cannot, according to Rafferty, have been a Times reader.

3

26

Rafferty finds the Alsops rather strange. What in particular makes the Alsops so bizarre?

 

a)      Their idea that planes do not have wings

b)      Their sheer dumbness

c)      Their lack of energy

The answer is b, their sheer dumbness. Rafferty cannot believe that two people could be so stupid.

4

27

Rafferty is shocked to find a strange piece of technology that looked like a giant plastic balloon only half inflated. What is another word that the author uses that could substitute the term ‘piece of technology’? 

 

a)Bodoni

b) Stock

c) Contraption

The answer is c, contraption. The author uses this term twice to  describe the strange object.

5

27

After Rafferty has seen the strange object, the first thing that he thinks of is related to his profession. What is it that he thinks of?  

Rafferty thinks of a possible headline for a newspaper.  This is: ‘Local Farmer Builds Rocket Ship For Moon Voyage’

6

28

Mr.Alsop leads Rafferty over to meet the creators of the strange spaceship. Where does Rafferty think they might be from?

Russia. Rafferty asks whether they are Russians after Mr.Asop tells him that they are pretty hard to talk to.

7

28

Mr.Alsop takes Rafferty into the living room, where Rafferty tries to ‘play along’ when meeting the invaders. What three bodily features of the aliens does Rafferty notice, and how does he describe those features?

1)      Their long, flexible antennae

2)      Their lavender faces as expressionless as glass

3)      The round eyes that  seemed to be painted on

8

29

Rafferty is very shocked to see the aliens and he tells himself that he must be crazy, drunk or dreaming. He asks Mrs.Alsop what their names are casually. How does Mrs.Alsop explain that you can work out their names?

The aliens point their horns at you and you can think what they think. By seeing what they are thinking, you can work out their names.

9

29

Rafferty throws his match into the coal bucket. Soon after, he doesn’t know what term to use to describe the aliens. Which two terms does he use?

He calls them both ‘things’ and ‘people’.

10

30

‘Rafferty’s brain turns into rubber when the alien points her horn at him’. True or false? If true, how do you know? If false, why is it false?

False. Rafferty’s brain felt as though it were made of rubber when the alien points her horn at him. It does not, however, turn to rubber in reality.

11

30

Rafferty shouts to Mr and Mrs Alsop that the arrival of the creatures is the most important thing that has ever happened in the history of the world. What makes Rafferty realise that these creatures are not fake but are in fact from another planet?

Rafferty realises this after he is transported through space when the female alien points her horns at him.

12

31

How would you describe the personality of the creatures?  Give one example to prove this.

a)      Rude

b)      Polite

c)      Invasive

d)      Bored

The answer is b). The creatures are very polite, taking care not to eavesdrop on other people’s minds. Brown (the author) also describes the aliens as polite when they meet Rafferty.

 

13

31

What are the aliens on earth for?

They are here to get eggs.

14

32

Rafferty wants to take a photo of the creatures, but before Mr.Alsop can find a film, the creatures disappear in their ship. Rafferty then thinks about the story he could write, and he realises what their last names actually were. What was their last name, and how does Rafferty realise this?

Their last name was Smith. Rafferty realises this because they said that their last name was ‘man-who-bends-iron’. A man who bends an iron is a ‘blacksmith’ and this is where the word ‘smith’ comes from

15

32

After the creatures leave, Rafferty does not give up but continues to ask the Alsop’s questions. Why is Rafferty so desperate to get more information from Mr and Mrs.Alsop after the creatures leave?

Rafferty desperately wants a good story for his newspaper. He, therefore, wants as much information as he can get from the Alsop’s.

16

33

The Alsop’s tell Raffery that they were given star duck eggs from the creatures. What does Mr.Alsop mean when he says that  ‘The star points bothered the old hen something awful’

Mr.Alsop gave the star duck eggs to his hen to look after, but the points on the egg were very uncomfortable for the hen!

17

33

Describe in as much detail as possible what a star duck looks like when it is fully grown.

Star ducks look something like a mix between a hippopotamus and a swallow. They have six legs.

 

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The Lake by Roger McGough Essay 04

The Lake by Roger McGough Essay 04

The Lake by Roger McGough

The Lake Essay 4

Do you think that the poet cares about the environment in ‘The Lake’? Give reasons.

My opinion is that the poet is very concerned about the environment. He seems unhappy that a once-beautiful lake is now something that people go out of their way to avoid. The cause that is hinted at for its degradation is pollution. In the water there are no longer fish but instead plastic bags and other litter that passers-by have dumped there. I think that the invention of the underwater pigs, who are now ready to eat human beings, is a warning to readers of the poem that our wasteful habits will have serious consequences. It is important that the first stanza of the poem alludes to the assumptions of Romantic poetry. The line ‘the sedge of course has withered’ refers to a line in a famous poem by the early nineteenth-century poet John Keats, ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’: ‘The sedge has withered from the lake’. Romantic poetry typically celebrated the beauty of nature, or its magical, enchanting properties. Even its ugliness was redeemable, as in Keats’s poem. In McGough’s poem, the natural environment is completely beyond saving and the poet feels distressed by its bleakness.

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The Lake by Roger McGough Essay 03

The Lake by Roger McGough Essay 03

The Lake by Roger McGough

The Lake Essay 3

What do the underwater pigs make you feel when you read ‘The Lake’? Support your arguments with evidence from the poem.

The pigs make me feel frightened because they are unnatural and repellent.  They are dirty, living in muddy sties, and they feed on horrible things like dead pets and rubbish (and worse!). The way in which they suck out the contents of a can is particularly disgusting. I also find it worrying how towards the end of the poem the pigs surface, look at human houses and lick their lips: they seem to be preparing to attack and eat us, too. In a sense, however, it is hard to visualize the pigs as predators. Pigs are conventionally harmless and lazy. The poet employs child-like language to describe them, mentioning their ‘piggy’ eyes. At the same time, they are horrifying because they oddly resemble human beings: they sleep on our mattresses and eat out discarded cans. The most frightening element of the poem is the idea that we have created these pigs.

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The Lake by Roger McGough Essay 02

The Lake by Roger McGough Essay 02

The Lake by Roger McGough

The Lake Essay 2

In your opinion, is the poet looking to blame anyone in ‘The Lake’?

I think that the poem casts blame generally at the public – at us, indeed – for not taking proper care of the environment. It is clearly our fault that the evil, unnatural pigs have been created and thrived at the bottom of the lake. They live off the various rubbish that, rather than disposing of properly, we have thrown into the lake: they make homes out of mattresses and plastic bags and eat rotten food. It is strongly implied that it was exactly this kind of habit of wasteful that destroyed the lake in the first place, killing all its natural inhabitants, like fish. Now people hurry past the lake, trying to ignore the problem. The poem ends by enacting a punishment on human beings. Not only are they kept imprisoned in their houses with their replica version of nature (such as plastic ducks), unable to enjoy the natural world they have ruined, but also the pigs are massing to attack them.

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Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Summary Part 1

Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Summary Part 1

Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (Summary comprehension)

Part One 

No. Page Question Answer
PART ONE
1. 2 Why did Santiago lay planks across the ruined gate? To stop his sheep from wandering away. 
2. 3 What did Santiago realise, after thinking for a moment? That rather than the sheep being accustomed to his schedule, he was becoming adjusted to the schedule of his sheep. 
3. 4 In the girl’s village, every day was very different. True or false? False: each day was like the others. 
4. 5 What feeling had Santiago never experienced before meeting the girl with the raven hair? The desire to live forever in one place. 
5. 6 Why does Santiago feel that his sheep have forgotten to rely on their own instincts? Because he leads them to nourishment. 
6. 7 How did Santiago learn how to read? His parents wanted him to become a priest, so he attended a seminary until the age of 16. 
7. 9 Why does Santiago’s father discourage him from travelling? Because the countryside of Andalucia is the bestl in the world, and its women are the most beautiful. 
8. 10 Why don’t Santiago’s sheep realise that they are on a new road every day? Because all they think about is food and water. 
9. 11 What is it that Santiago thinks makes life interesting? The possibility of having a dream come true. 
10. 12 Why did Santiago go to visit the old gypsy woman? He wanted her to interpret his dream. 
11. 12 What does the narrator think makes a shepherd’s life exciting?  Taking chances, with wolves and with drought. 
12. 13 Why did Santiago pause while explaining to the woman his dream? To see if the woman knew what Egyptian pyramids were. 
13. 14 What is it about the dream that allows the woman to interpret it? The dream is in the language of the world. 
14. 15 What happens, according to the narrator, when somebody sees the same people everyday? They become a part of the person’s life and they want the person to change. 
15. 16 What is Santiago reading about in his new book, while sitting on the bench? A burial scene on a snowy day. 
16. 18 The old man really likes the book Santiago is reading. True or false? False: the old man thinks that the book says the same thing as almost all books in the world say. 
17. 19 What does the old man answer that he does in Salem? The old man says that he is the king of Salem. 
18. 20 Why was Santiago momentarily blinded? Because something bright reflected from the old man’s chest. 
19. 21 How did the old man awe Santiago? He wrote the names of his parents, the name of his seminary, the name of the merchant’s daughter, and things he had never told anybody, in the sand of the plaza. 
20. 12 What does the old man say is the one great truth on this planet? That whenever you want to do something, that desire originated in the soul of the universe. 

21.

23

When does the old man usually appear to people?

When people are about to give up their Personal Legends. 

22. 

24

What does the old man want in return for teaching Santiago about his treasure?

One tenth of his flock of sheep. 

23.

26

What does Santiago resist telling the baker about?

That he should not give up on his Personal Legend. 

24.

27

What made Santiago resist going to Africa while standing at the ticket window?

He remembered his flock of sheep. 

25.

29

Why is it unimportant that one of the sheep is lame?

Because the lame sheep is the most intelligent, and it produces the most wool. 

26.

30

How does the old man tell Santiago to find the treasure?

He must follow the omens that God prepared for him. 

27.

31

In the story told by the old man, the lad, on entering the castle, saw a ‘hive of activity’ instead of a saintly man. Explain the metaphor here.  

The author is comparing the business of the castle with the business of a bee hive. 

28.

33

What does the wise man tell the boy is the secret of happiness in the story told by the old man, and what does this mean?

That the secret of happiness is to see the wonders of the world without dropping the oil on the spoon. This means that to be happy is to travel and see the world but to never forget what remains important and doesn’t change. A shepherd ‘may like to travel, but he should never forget about his sheep’.

29.

34

Why should the gods not have desires, according to the narrator?

Because they do not have Personal Legends. 

30.

35

What is the name of the city Santiago has arrived at in Africa?

Tangier.

31.

36

The narrator describes that Santiago’s tea tasted less bitter. Why do you think he chose to do that at this point?

Because Santiago was beginning to gain courage and confidence for his journey. 

32

37

Why is it impossible to order a glass of wine in this African country?

Because alcohol is against the country’s religion. 

33

38

Why is Tangier not like the rest of Africa?

Because it is a port city, and every port has its thieves. 

34

38

The narrator writes that Santiago ‘knew nothing about the customs of the strange land he was in’. What does this mean?

Santiago does not know the correct ways to behave in this foreign country. 

35

39

Why do you think Santiago might regret having looked at the beautiful sword for a few moments?

Because looking at the sword made Santiago distracted, which allowed his companion to disappear with his money. 

36

40

The narrator tells us that Santiago’s life completely changed in one day. Name two things that changed in Santiago’s life in that day. 

He was in a different country. He couldn’t speak the language. He was no longer a shepherd. He had no money. 

37

42

What does Santiago realise about the owner of the bar who was shouting at him? 

That he was warning him not to trust the man who stole Santiago’s money. 

38

43

What happens when Santiago asks the stones if he will find his treasure?

They fall onto the ground through a hole in his pouch. 

39

44

The narrator writes that Santiago ‘had not a cent in his pocket, but he had faith’. What does this mean?

Although he had no money, Santiago believed in himself in and his journey, which gave him confidence and strength. 

40

46

Why was the crystal merchant’s business worse than before?

Because the nearby city of Ceuta had grown faster than Tangier: the neighbours moved away and his shop was on the top of a hill that nobody wanted to walk up. 

41

48

Why did the crystal merchant laugh when Santiago said he needed enough money to get to Egypt?

Because it costs a lot of money to get to Egypt, more than one day’s pay. 

42

49

How does the reader know that Santiago has decided to return to his normal life at the end of Part One?

Because he tells the merchant that he needs money to buy some sheep.  

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