A Window on the Universe short stories 01

A Window on the Universe short stories 01

A Window on the Universe Essay Question and Sample Answer

A Window on the Universe Essay 1

Does this collection of stories offer a positive or a negative view of the future? Give examples from the stories to support your answer.

In A Window on the Universe, the portrayal of the future is mainly negative. Most stories involve some kind of threat: global disasters, the negative impact of new technologies, or alien invasions.

Global disasters are suggested to be a major threat to humanity in the future. In ‘The Hammer of God’, the main characters are attempting to save the Earth from an asteroid which could destroy it. It is also implied that Earth has suffered devastating natural disasters, as California has been destroyed by an earthquake. Human activity is also suggested to be a factor in the potential destruction of humanity: in ‘Who Can Replace a Man?’, humanity is in danger because the soil was over-used and could no longer grow sufficient food to support Earth’s increasing population.

It is not just humanity that could cause problems in the future, according to these stories: alien invasion could be a source of danger. The very eerie story, ‘Zero Hour’, terrifyingly suggests that aliens could use the impressionability and innocence of children to attack Earth. In ‘Human Is’, although the aliens do not seem hostile, their disturbing methods of coming to Earth – by taking over the bodies of humans – is certainly threatening. ‘The Machine That Won the War’ claims that the Earth has been involved in a protracted inter-galactic war. Although Earth wins the war in the end, the idea of battling aliens certainly offers a negative view of the future.

Developed technologies are described as having both potentially positive and negative impacts in the future. Several stories have helpful machines operating in the background to the main stories, such as the domestic helpers in ‘Human Is’ and the manual labouring machines in ‘Who Can Replace a Man?’. However, high-tech equipment is also suggested to be a threat. In ‘Stitch in Time’, a woman’s truly human story of love is tragically interrupted by time-travel technology. ‘The Sound Machine’ also implies that developed technology could provide us with knowledge that could drive humans mad: Klausner is terribly affected by his ability to hear sounds made by plants.

In conclusion, this collection of stories highlights potential dangers and difficulties that could be experienced by humanity in the future. The future is largely portrayed as a dangerous place, with humans having to deal with new threats from Earth and beyond.

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Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens summary

Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens summary

Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

(Abridged Version) Chapter 1 Summary

 

No.

Page

Question

Answer

Chapter 1: SCROOGE OF ‘SCROOGE AND MARLEY’

1

1

Ebenezer Scrooge owns a business called ‘Scrooge and Marley’, but Marley has been dead for seven years. Dickens gives a description of Scrooge’s character. What do we learn about Scrooge here?

Scrooge is stingy – he never gives money to anyone. He is very secretive, and has an unpleasant appearance. He has no friends, and nobody ever asks him for anything, because everyone knows he is horrible, and some are scared of him.

2

2

How does Scrooge feel about the fact that no-one speaks to him?

He is pleased that no-one bothers him.

3

2

At what time of year is the story set?

The story is set at Christmas time. At this moment, it is the day before Christmas. It is wintery and dark, and very cold. Furthermore, Scrooge keeps the office very cold with a meagre fire, so his clerk has to wear a scarf inside.

4

3

Scrooge’s nephew comes in to welcome his uncle a merry Christmas. Scrooge replies, “Bah! Humbug!”, which is his normal reaction to something he thinks is stupid. He asks his nephew how he can be so happy when he is so poor; his nephew jokingly asks how he can be so unhappy when he is so rich. What is it that Scrooge dislikes about Christmas?

He thinks that the festival is foolish, particularly because people buy things that they cannot afford. This means that they are older but not richer. It is clear that Scrooge places great importance on having lots of money.

5

4

Scrooge’s nephew has a very different opinion of Christmas. What is it?

The nephew places far less emphasis on the monetary aspects of Christmas, and more on the human element. He describes it as a time to love, forgive and be kind to one another. It is a time when people treat each other as friends rather than strangers. Although Christmas has never made him rich, he believes it has done him good.

6

4

Scrooge’s clerk, Bob Cratchit, states that he too loves Christmas, and Scrooge threatens to sack him if he talks again. Scrooge’s nephew asks Scrooge to join him and his wife for Christmas dinner, but Scrooge refuses. What is Scrooge’s opinion of love?

Scrooge says that love is the only thing more foolish than Christmas.

7

5

Scrooge tells his nephew to go away. His nephew remains very friendly, saying that he will always invite him to join them at Christmas. What does Dickens mean when he says, “Though the clerk was cold, his heart was warmer than Scrooge’s.”

Dickens means that although the clerk is physically cold – a result of Scrooge’s meanness in only making a very small fire – he is kinder and happier than Scrooge. To have a ‘warm heart’ is to be a kind and loving person.

8

5

Why can’t Scrooge believe that the clerk will have a Happy Christmas?

The clerk is very poor, because Scrooge pays him very little and he has a wife and children to care for. He believes that because the clerk has little money, he can’t be happy.

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02 George Orwell 1984 Summary (Part One – Thoughtcrime: Chapter Two – The Spies)

02 George Orwell 1984 Summary (Part One – Thoughtcrime: Chapter Two – The Spies)

George Orwell 1984 Summary

Part One – Thoughtcrime

1984 Chapter Two – The Spies

 

12.

Part One – Thoughtcrime: Chapter Two – The Spies

Why does Mrs Parsons ask Winston to repair her kitchen sink for her?

Mrs Parsons asks Winston to repair her kitchen sink for her because otherwise she would have to get the Party to agree to the repairs, which would take much longer.

13.

What details are given about the character of Tom Parsons?

Tom Parsons, a co-worker of Winston’s at the Ministry of Truth, is described as fat but active and stupid but enthusiastic. He is also described as ‘a follower with no mind of his own’ and as having been keen a member of the Young People’s League and the Spies.

14.

What is an unexpected form of children’s entertainment in the world in which ‘1984’ is set?

Surprisingly watching the execution by hanging of Eurasian prisoners is a popular form of entertainment for children in the world in which ‘1984’ is set, 

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The Lake by Roger McGough Essay 01

The Lake by Roger McGough Essay 01

The Lake by Roger McGough

The Lake Essay 1

Do you find ‘The Lake’ a funny or a frightening poem?

I find ‘The Lake’ funny and frightening at the same time. It is a comic poem that is also satirical, and voices a serious message about the consequences that our wasteful attitude to the environment will have. From the beginning of the poem the tone is disturbing. The final line of the first stanza is rich with menace, trailing off eerily: ‘But there is life there. There is life…’. Yet the language of the poem is also at time child-like and innocent. The pigs are said to have ‘piggy eyes’, and the poet also presents the pigs as strangely sweet and tame with expressions like ‘They love it here’ and ‘Rusty cans they like the best’. Nevertheless, the poem builds to a worrying climax. The pigs are terrifying omnivorous: they eat rubbish but also, horribly, ‘drowned pets’. (We are never told how these pets drowned, increasing the poem’s air of mystery). By the end of the poem they are getting ready to taste human flesh.

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01 George Orwell 1984 Summary (Part One – Thoughtcrime: Chapter One – Big Brother Is Watching You)

01 George Orwell 1984 Summary (Part One – Thoughtcrime: Chapter One – Big Brother Is Watching You)

George Orwell 1984 Summary

Part One – Thoughtcrime

1984 Chapter One – Big Brother Is Watching You

 

Number

Chapter

Question

Answer

1.

Part One – Thoughtcrime: Chapter One – Big Brother Is Watching You

With what unusual detail does Orwell capture the reader’s attention in the opening sentence?

Orwell’s inclusion of the unusual detail that ‘the clocks were striking thirteen’ captures the reader’s attention by emphasising how different the world in which ‘1984’ is set is to our own.

2.

Why does Winston take the stairs rather than the lift?

Winston takes the stairs because ‘the electricity was switched off during the day to save money for Hate Week’.

3.

What is different about the televisions in our world to those the world in which ‘1984’ is set?

The televisions in the world in which ‘1984’ is set cannot be switched off completely, unlike those in our world.

4.

What effect does the presence of the Thought Police have on the behaviour of the citizens of Oceania?

The fact that the Thought Police can listen to or watch the citizens of Oceania at any time without them noticing ensures that they behave ‘correctly’ all of the time.

5.

“The Ministry of Truth is described as a small building.” True or false?

This statement is false: the Ministry of Truth ‘was an enormous white building, three hundred metres high’ and you could see it towering above the buildings surrounding it from up to a kilometre away.

6.

What is unexpected about the Ministry of Love, given its name?

The fact that Ministry of Love ‘was responsible for Law and Order’ and surrounded by armed guards is surprising given its name.

7. 

How does Orwell imply that the smile Winston gives to the telescreen in his bedroom was not genuine?

Orwell implies that the smile Winston gives to the telescreen in his bedroom was not genuine by following his description of it with the comment that ‘it was a good idea to look happy when you were facing the telescreen’.

8.

Which details of Goldstein’s life are depicted as uncertain?

The uncertainty surrounding the life of Goldstein focuses on three details: how long ago he was an important member of the Party, how he escaped with his life and from where he commits his crimes against the Party.

9.

What reasons are given for Winston’ dislike of young women?

Winston’s dislike of young women is ascribed to his view of them as ‘always most loyal to the Party’ and ‘happiest to spy on others’.

10.

Why is Winston interested in O’Brien?

Winston is interested in O’Brien because he thinks that his intelligent appearance suggests that he might question the beliefs of the Party.

11.

What definition of thoughtcrime in given?

Thoughtcrime, in Newspeak, is described as having an idea or opinion which the Party viewed as criminal.

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Tuesdays with Morrie By Mitch Albom Chapter 23

Tuesdays with Morrie By Mitch Albom Chapter 23

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom Summary (Question and Answer)

Chapter Twenty-Three (Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE – The Thirteenth Tuesday We Talk About the perfect day.
112 171 After some deliberation, Morrie and Charlotte decided that cremation would be the best option. Who did they decide should conduct the funeral service? Charlotte and Morrie decided that Al Axelrad, the rabbi from Brandeis and a lifelong friend, should conduct the funeral service.
113 172 During their thirteenth Tuesday together, Morrie found himself heavily fatigued. Why was this? Morrie was not sleeping very well and consequentially found himself fatigued during the day. He would only be able to get a couple of hours sleep before he would wake up in a severe coughing fit and would require assistance from one of his carers before trying to get back to sleep.
114 174 There had been a development in the treatment of ALS however this new treatment would not be available to Morrie. Why was this? The new treatment would not be available for Morrie because he was ‘too far gone’ and the medication wouldn’t even be ready for some time.
115 175 With his condition rapidly worsening, Albom asked Morrie what he would do if, miraculously, he was granted twenty-four hours respite. How did Morrie answer this question? Morrie told Albom that he would have what might appear like a rather ‘normal’ day. He simply wished to wake up, have breakfast do a little exercise before entertaining friends and family. After a walk in the afternoon, Morrie would spend his evening dining and dancing with his friends and family.
116 176-178 Before Albom left the house, Morrie asked if he could bring up a delicate topic. What was this? Morrie brought up the subject of Peter, Albom’s brother, who was still refusing to see him. He suggested that it may be because Peter didn’t want Albom to make any sacrifice.
117 180 Morrie told Albom a story about two waves in the ocean, one of whom was concerned that he, like all other waves, would soon crash and from then on be nothing. How did the second wave in Morrie’s story comfort the first. The second wave in Morrie’s story comforted the first by telling it that it was confused. ‘You’re not a wave; you are part of the ocean’.

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