As soon as I sufficiently recovered my senses to comprehend the terrific predicament in which I stood or rather hung, I exerted all the power of my lungs to make that predicament known to the æronaut overhead. But for a long time I exerted myself in vain. Either the fool could not, or the villain would not perceive me. Meantime the machine rapidly soared, while my strength even more rapidly failed. I was soon upon the point of resigning myself to my fate, and dropping quietly into the sea, when my spirits were suddenly revived by hearing a hollow voice from above, which seemed to be lazily humming an opera air. Looking up, I perceived the Angel of the Odd. He was leaning with his arms folded, over the rim of the car ; and with a pipe in his mouth, at which he puffed leisurely, seemed to be upon excellent terms with himself and the universe. I was too much exhausted to speak, so I merely regarded him with an imploring air

Nothing can describe the confusion of thought which I felt when I sank into the water. Though I swam very well, I could not deliver myself from the waves so as to draw breath, till that wave having driven me, or rather carried me, a vast way on towards the shore, and having spent itself, went back, and left me upon the land almost dry, but half dead with the water I took in. I had so much presence of mind, as well as breath left, that seeing myself nearer the mainland than I expected, I got upon my feet, and endeavored to make on towards the land as fast as I could before another wave should return and take me up again. However, I soon found it was impossible to avoid it; for I saw the sea come after me as high as a great hill, and as furious as an enemy, which I had no means or strength to contend with: my business was to hold my breath, and raise myself upon the water if I could. By swimming, I could preserve my breathing, and pilot myself towards the shore, if possible. My greatest concern now being that the sea, as it would carry me a great way towards the shore when it came on, might not carry me back again with it when it gave back towards the sea.     The wave that came upon me again buried me at once twenty or thirty feet deep in its own body. I could feel myself carried with a mighty force and swiftness towards the shore a very great way, but I held my breath, and assisted myself to swim still forward with all my might. I was ready to burst with holding my breath, when, as I felt myself rising up, so, to my immediate relief, I found my head and hands shoot out above the surface of the water. Though it was not two seconds of time that I could keep myself so, yet it relieved me greatly, gave me breath, and new courage. I was covered again with water a good while, but not so long but I held it out; and finding the water had spent itself, and began to return, I struck forward against the return of the waves, and felt ground again with my feet. I stood still a few moments to recover breath, and till the waters went from me, and then took to my heels and ran with what strength I had further towards the shore. But neither would this deliver me from the fury of the sea, which came pouring in after me again; and twice more I was lifted up by the waves and carried forward as before, the shore being very flat.     The last time of these two had well-nigh been fatal to me, for the sea having hurried me along as before, landed me, or rather dashed me, against a piece of rock, and that with such force, that it left me senseless, and indeed helpless, as to my own deliverance. The blow taking my side and breast, beat the breath as it were quite out of my body; and had it returned again immediately, I must have been strangled in the water; but I recovered a little before the return of the waves. Seeing I should be covered again with the water, I resolved to hold fast by a piece of the rock, and so to hold my breath, if possible, till the wave went back. Now, as the waves were not so high as at first, being nearer land, I held my hold till the wave abated, and then fetched another run, which brought me so near the shore that the next wave, though it went over me, did not so swallow me up as to carry me away. The next run I took, I got to the mainland, where, to my great comfort, I clambered up the cliffs of the shore and sat me down upon the grass, free from danger and quite out of the reach of the water.3Select ALL the correct answers.Which two statements should be included in a summary of the passage? Because of rough and powerful waves, Crusoe struggles to get to shore. Crusoe is afraid he will be pulled further out to sea by the strong current When a wave crashes him against a rock, Crusoe fears the worst. Crusoe scales a grassy cliff and watches the waves at a safe distance. The sea repeatedly batters Crusoe, but he does not give up hope for survival.

from Robinson Crusoeby Daniel Defoe     Nothing can describe the confusion of thought which I felt when I sank into the water. Though I swam very well, I could not deliver myself from the waves so as to draw breath, till that wave having driven me, or rather carried me, a vast way on towards the shore, and having spent itself, went back, and left me upon the land almost dry, but half dead with the water I took in. I had so much presence of mind, as well as breath left, that seeing myself nearer the mainland than I expected, I got upon my feet, and endeavored to make on towards the land as fast as I could before another wave should return and take me up again. However, I soon found it was impossible to avoid it; for I saw the sea come after me as high as a great hill, and as furious as an enemy, which I had no means or strength to contend with: my business was to hold my breath, and raise myself upon the water if I could. By swimming, I could preserve my breathing, and pilot myself towards the shore, if possible. My greatest concern now being that the sea, as it would carry me a great way towards the shore when it came on, might not carry me back again with it when it gave back towards the sea.     The wave that came upon me again buried me at once twenty or thirty feet deep in its own body. I could feel myself carried with a mighty force and swiftness towards the shore a very great way, but I held my breath, and assisted myself to swim still forward with all my might. I was ready to burst with holding my breath, when, as I felt myself rising up, so, to my immediate relief, I found my head and hands shoot out above the surface of the water. Though it was not two seconds of time that I could keep myself so, yet it relieved me greatly, gave me breath, and new courage. I was covered again with water a good while, but not so long but I held it out; and finding the water had spent itself, and began to return, I struck forward against the return of the waves, and felt ground again with my feet. I stood still a few moments to recover breath, and till the waters went from me, and then took to my heels and ran with what strength I had further towards the shore. But neither would this deliver me from the fury of the sea, which came pouring in after me again; and twice more I was lifted up by the waves and carried forward as before, the shore being very flat.     The last time of these two had well-nigh been fatal to me, for the sea having hurried me along as before, landed me, or rather dashed me, against a piece of rock, and that with such force, that it left me senseless, and indeed helpless, as to my own deliverance. The blow taking my side and breast, beat the breath as it were quite out of my body; and had it returned again immediately, I must have been strangled in the water; but I recovered a little before the return of the waves. Seeing I should be covered again with the water, I resolved to hold fast by a piece of the rock, and so to hold my breath, if possible, till the wave went back. Now, as the waves were not so high as at first, being nearer land, I held my hold till the wave abated, and then fetched another run, which brought me so near the shore that the next wave, though it went over me, did not so swallow me up as to carry me away. The next run I took, I got to the mainland, where, to my great comfort, I clambered up the cliffs of the shore and sat me down upon the grass, free from danger and quite out of the reach of the water.5Select ALL the correct answers.Which two statements should be included in a summary of the passage? Crusoe is afraid he will be pulled further out to sea by the strong current Crusoe scales a grassy cliff and watches the waves at a safe distance. Because of rough and powerful waves, Crusoe struggles to get to shore. When a wave crashes him against a rock, Crusoe fears the worst. The sea repeatedly batters Crusoe, but he does not give up hope for survival.

It seemed that out of battle I escapedDown some profound dull tunnel, long since scoopedThrough granites which titanic wars had groined.Yet also there encumbered sleepers groaned,Too fast in thought or death to be bestirred.Then, as I probed them, one sprang up, and staredWith piteous recognition in fixed eyes,Lifting distressful hands, as if to bless.And by his smile, I knew that sullen hall,— By his dead smile I knew we stood in Hell.With a thousand fears that vision's face was grained;Yet no blood reached there from the upper ground,And no guns thumped, or down the flues made moan.“Strange friend,” I said, “here is no cause to mourn.” “None,” said that other, “save the undone years,The hopelessness. Whatever hope is yours,Was my life also; I went hunting wildAfter the wildest beauty in the world,Which lies not calm in eyes, or braided hair,But mocks the steady running of the hour,And if it grieves, grieves richlier than here.For by my glee might many men have laughed,And of my weeping something had been left,Which must die now. I mean the truth untold,The pity of war, the pity war distilled.Now men will go content with what we spoiled.Or, discontent, boil bloody, and be spilled.They will be swift with swiftness of the tigress. None will break ranks, though nations trek from progress.Courage was mine, and I had mystery;Wisdom was mine, and I had mastery: To miss the march of this retreating worldInto vain citadels that are not walled.Then, when much blood had clogged their chariot-wheels, I would go up and wash them from sweet wells,Even with truths that lie too deep for taint.I would have poured my spirit without stintBut not through wounds; not on the cess of war.Foreheads of men have bled where no wounds were.“I am the enemy you killed, my friend.I knew you in this dark: for so you frownedYesterday through me as you jabbed and killed.I parried; but my hands were loath and cold.Let us sleep now. . . .”

Then all effort ceased. I relaxed. Even my legs felt limp; and a blackness swept over my brain.It wiped out fear; it wiped out terror. There was no more panic. It was quiet and peaceful.Nothing to be afraid of. This is nice... to be drowsy... to go to sleep... no need to jump... tootired to jump... it’s nice to be carried gently... to float along in space... tender arms aroundme... tender arms like Mother’s... now I must go to sleep... I crossed to oblivion, and thecurtain of life fell.i) Choose the best option with reference to the two statements given below:Statement 1: The author tried his best to jump out of the water.Statement 2: After a while, the author was not anxious in the water.A. If statement 1 is the cause, statement 2 is the effect.B. If statement 1 is the effect, statement 2 is the cause.C. Both statements are the effects of a common cause.D. Both statements are the effects of independent causes.ii)The ‘curtain (of life) fell’ corresponds to an aspect ofA. geometryB. historyC. sportsD. dramaiii) The purpose of using ‘...’ (ellipsis) in the above passage is toA. show omissionB. indicate pauseC. shorten a dialogueD. replace an ideaiv) Which of the following options indicate that the poet lost consciousness?A. ‘It was quiet and peaceful’B. ‘Tender arms like Mother’s’.C. ‘I crossed to oblivion.’D. ‘It wiped out fear’v) Why do you think Douglas stopped attempting to come to the pool?vi) Do you think Douglas accepted his death by drowning

Read this passage from "The Tell-Tale Heart":I thought the heart must burst. And now a new anxiety seized me the sound would be heard by a neighbour! The old man's hour had come! With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. He shrieked once once only. In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done. But, for many minutes, the heart beat on with a muffled sound. This, however, did not vex me; it would not be heard through the wall. At length it ceased. The old man was dead.What structural element is affected by Poe's use of both long and short sentences in the passage?A.PacingB.ParallelismC.ClimaxD.MoodSUBMITarrow_backPREVIOUS