Directions: Read the passage and answer the questions given below it No one can look back on his schooldays and say with truth that they were altogether unhappy. I have good memories of St Cyprian's, among a horde of bad ones. Sometimes on summer afternoons there were wonderful expeditions across the Downs to a village called Birling Gap, or to Beachy Head, where one bathed dangerously among the boulders and came home covered with cuts. And there were still more wonderful mid-summer evenings when, as a special treat, we were not driven off to bed as usual but allowed to wander about the grounds in the long twilight, ending up with a plunge into the swimming bathe at about nine o'clock. There was the joy of waking early on summer mornings and getting in an hour's undisturbed reading (Ian Hay, Thackeray, Kipling and H. G. Wells were the favourite authors of my boyhood) in the sunlit, sleeping dormitory. There was also cricket, which I was no good at but with which I conducted a sort of hopeless love affair up to the age of about eighteen. And there was the pleasure of keeping caterpillars — the silky green and purple puss-moth, the ghostly green poplar-hawk, the privet-hawk, large as one's third finger, specimens of which could be illicitly purchased for sixpence at a shop in the town — and, when one could escape long enough from the master who was ‘taking the walk’, there was the excitement of dredging the dew-ponds on the Downs for enormous newts with orange-coloured bellies. This business of being out for a walk, coming across something of fascinating interest and then being dragged away from it by a yell from the master, like a dog jerked onwards by the leash, is an important feature of school life, and helps to build up the conviction, so strong in many children, that the things you most want to do are always unattainable.
We can infer that the writer was a
mischievous boy
Inferring the Writer's Nature from School Memories
The passage provides insights into the writer's experiences and feelings during his schooldays at St. Cyprian's. By examining his recollections, we can infer certain aspects of his personality or typical behaviour as a student.
Analysing Key Experiences from the Passage
Let's look at some of the activities and events the writer describes:
- He mentions "wonderful expeditions across the Downs" and bathing "dangerously among the boulders", resulting in cuts.
- He talks about special treat evenings allowing wandering the grounds and plunging into the swimming bath late.
- He found joy in waking early for "undisturbed reading" in the dormitory.
- He had a "hopeless love affair" with cricket despite not being good at it.
- He enjoyed keeping caterpillars.
- He notes that specimens could be "illicitly purchased" from a shop.
- He describes the excitement of "dredging the dew-ponds... when one could escape long enough from the master".
- He reflects on being dragged away from interesting things by the master.
Evaluating the Options
Let's consider how each option aligns with the evidence:
- Disobedient student: There are instances of bending rules ("illicitly purchased") and avoiding supervision ("escape long enough from the master"), which could suggest disobedience. However, the term "disobedient student" might imply more deliberate defiance or persistent rule-breaking.
- Lonely child: The passage mentions shared activities like expeditions and playing cricket, and the reflection on school life is generally about experiences within the school structure, not isolation. There is no strong indication of loneliness.
- Mischievous boy: The acts of "illicitly purchasing" caterpillars and "escaping" from the master to dredge for newts strongly suggest a tendency towards minor, playful misbehaviour or bending rules for excitement and personal interest. These actions are characteristic of being mischievous.
- Studious boy: He enjoyed reading ("getting in an hour's undisturbed reading"), which points towards being studious. However, this is only one aspect mentioned, and the passage also highlights other activities, including those suggesting mischief. The label "studious boy" doesn't fully capture the blend of activities described.
Conclusion Based on Evidence
While the writer might have exhibited aspects of being studious (reading) or occasionally disobedient (escaping the master), the specific descriptions like "illicitly purchased" and "escape long enough from the master" to pursue personal interests point most directly towards a spirit of playful rule-bending and seeking excitement, which aligns well with the description of a mischievous boy. His actions were often aimed at achieving something he wanted (caterpillars, newts, undisturbed reading time) even if it involved circumventing school rules or supervision in minor ways.
Revision Table: School Memories and Inferences
| Memory/Action from Passage | Possible Inference |
|---|---|
| Bathing dangerously, getting cuts | Adventurous, not overly cautious |
| Illicitly purchasing caterpillars | Willing to break minor rules for interest |
| Escaping master to dredge ponds | Resourceful in seeking own fun, avoids supervision |
| Enjoying reading | Studious interest |
| Enjoying expeditions, swimming bath | Enjoys group activities/special treats |
Additional Information: Understanding Character Inference in Passages
When reading a passage and asked to infer a character's nature, it's important to look for descriptive words, actions, thoughts, and interactions. The writer's choice of words to describe their own experiences (e.g., "wonderful expeditions," "dangerously," "excitement," "illicitly purchased," "escape") provides crucial clues. Inference means drawing a conclusion based on the evidence provided, even if it's not stated directly. In this passage, the actions described, particularly those involving slight rule-breaking for the sake of interest and excitement, strongly suggest the writer had a mischievous streak during his schooldays.
Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
Why, according to the writer can't people be motivated to use a resource prudently?
1. They feel that others may overuse the resource
2. It is possible to substitute the resource
3. Abundance of the resource availability
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
When do people use resources exhaustively?
The self-interest of people affects the use of renewable resources
People rooted in a locality
Which among the following is closest in meaning with the word 'deplete'?
