Macbeth – A tragedy by William Shakespeare (1564-1660)
Question Courtesy – Xavier Pinto
Extract 3
Macbeth: Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more:
By Sinel’s death I know I am Thane of Glamis;
But how of Cawdor? The Thane of Cawdor lives;
A prosperous gentleman; and to be king
Stands not within the prospect of belief,
No more than to be Cawdor. Say from whence
You owe this strange intelligence? Or why
Upon this blasted heath you stop our way
With such prophetic greeting? Speak, I charge you.
(i) Who are the ‘imperfect speakers’? Why are they termed ‘imperfect’?
The ‘imperfect speakers’ are the three witches.
They are termed ‘imperfect’ because what they say are unintelligible. Macbeth wonders how he can be the Thane of Cawdor because he does not yet know of the Thane’s treachery. As for kingship, that is simply incredible and hence, this reaction.
(ii) What have those speakers spoken to Macbeth earlier?
Having greeted Macbeth, the first witch has addressed him as Thane of Glamis; the second witch has greeted him as Thane of Cawdor; the third witch predicts that Macbeth shall be the king.
(iii) Which two doubts does Macbeth have now? Give reasons.
It seems to Macbeth that he should become king is as incredible as that he is Thane of Cawdor because Macbeth does not yet know that the previous Thane has already been stripped of his title.
(iv) Which two questions does he ask at the end of his speech? Write in your words.
Macbeth demands of the witches from where they have the extraordinary news that they are prophesying and why they have bidden them (Macbeth and Banquo) to stop at this god-forsaken place and what are the true meanings of their strange prophesy.
(v) What happens after this speech? How do Macbeth and Banquo react on that happening?
The witches simply vanish into thin air.
Macbeth seems to be seriously thinking about the witches’ prophesies while Banquo is not; on the other hand, Banquo says that the witches are like bubbles of water, and the strange creatures might have been merely fantasies.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
The Sniper-A Short Story by Liam O’Flaherty ICSE Literature Paper - INDIA
The Sniper A Short Story by Liam O’Flaherty
ICSE Literature Paper - INDIA
Courtesy FrankSons Workbook
Glossary
Sniper – a hidden shooter; gleam – flickering brightness; parapet – low protective wall along a roof; turret – the rotating dome of an armourd car containing the gun; recoil – sudden or swallow;
Context Q. no. 2
“His face was the face of a student, thin and serious, but his eyes had the cold gleam of the fanatic. They were deep and thoughtful, the eyes of a man who is used to looking at death.”
(i) Who is being described here? Which party does he belong to and where is he?
The sniper, the protagonist of the story, is being described here.
He belongs to the Republican Party. He is on a rooftop near O’Connell Bridge in the city of Dublin in Ireland.
(ii) Explain ‘the eyes of a man who is used to looking at death.’
The sniper being actively engaged in a fierce civil war, has caused and seen death from close quarters. Besides he is a fanatic, fighting for his cause without questions and this explains why his eyes have that strange gleam even when he is shooting at the Free Staters who were but his own country-men.
(iii) What is the professional equipment he is carrying? What else does he have with him?
The sniper’s professional equipment includes his rifle, revolver, a pair of field-glasses, a first-aid box and a couple of sandwiches.
He has also a flask of whisky and a pack of cigarettes to steady his nerves when the going is particularly trying.
(iv) Why does he hesitate before smoking? What happens as soon as he lights a cigarette?
He does so lest the flash of the match-stick striking the match-box should be seen by a hidden enemy.
No sooner does he light up a cigarette than a bullet shot by an enemy secretly watching, flattens itself against the parapet of the roof on which the sniper has positioned himself.
(v) What happens as he carefully looks over the parapet from where he is hiding?
As soon as he looks over the parapet of the roof, there is a flash and a bullet whizzes over his head. The bullet is shot from the opposite side of the street from a rooftop.
N.B. Some of these free ICSE and ISC stories, poems and dramas contextual questions and answers authored by me can also be found at
http://groups.google.co.in/group/write-better-speak-better?hl=en-GB
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