Reading- Heart of Darkness

From “The Heart of Darkness”, by Joseph Conrad.

Between us there was, as I have already said somewhere, the bond of the sea. Besides

holding our hearts together through long periods of separation, it had the effect of making us

tolerant of each other's yarns-and even convictions. The Lawyer-the best of old fellows-had,

because of his many years and many virtues, the only cushion on deck, and was lying on the only

rug. The Accountant had brought out already a box of dominoes, and was toying architecturally

with the bones. Marlow sat cross-legged right aft, leaning against the mizzen-mast. He had

sunken cheeks, a yellow complexion, a straight back, an ascetic aspect, and, with his arms

dropped, the palms of hands outwards, resembled an idol. The Director satisfied the anchor had

good hold, made his way aft and sat down amongst us. We exchanged a few words lazily.

Afterward there was silence on board the yacht. For some reason or other we did not begin

that game of dominoes. We felt meditative, and fit for nothing but placid staring. The day was

ending in a serenity of still and exquisite brilliance. The water shone pacifically; the sky, without

a speck, was a benign immensity of unstained light; the very mist on the Essex marshes was like

a gauzy and radiant fabric, hung from the wooded rises inland, and draping the low shores in

diaphanous folds. Only the gloom to the west, brooding over the upper reaches, became more

somber every minute, as if angered by the approach of the sun. And at last, in its curved and

imperceptible fall, the sun sank low, and from glowing white changed to a dull red without rays

and without heat, as if about to go out suddenly, stricken to death by the touch of that gloom

brooding over a crowd of men.

1) The narrator of this passage is telling his story from ____.

• a) a ship

• b) a cave

• c) a mountain

• d) a forest

From “The Heart of Darkness”, by Joseph Conrad.

Between us there was, as I have already said somewhere, the bond of the sea. Besides

holding our hearts together through long periods of separation, it had the effect of making us

tolerant of each other's yarns-and even convictions. The Lawyer-the best of old fellows-had,

because of his many years and many virtues, the only cushion on deck, and was lying on the only

rug. The Accountant had brought out already a box of dominoes, and was toying architecturally

with the bones. Marlow sat cross-legged right aft, leaning against the mizzen-mast. He had

sunken cheeks, a yellow complexion, a straight back, an ascetic aspect, and, with his arms

dropped, the palms of hands outwards, resembled an idol. The Director, satisfied the anchor had

good hold, made his way aft and sat down amongst us. We exchanged a few words lazily.

Afterwards there was silence on board the yacht. For some reason or other we did not begin

that game of dominoes. We felt meditative, and fit for nothing but placid staring. The day was

ending in a serenity of still and exquisite brilliance. The water shone pacifically; the sky, without

a speck, was a benign immensity of unstained light; the very mist on the Essex marshes was like

a gauzy and radiant fabric, hung from the wooded rises inland, and draping the low shores in

diaphanous folds. Only the gloom to the west, brooding over the upper reaches, became more

somber every minute, as if angered by the approach of the sun. And at last, in its curved and

imperceptible fall, the sun sank low, and from glowing white changed to a dull red without rays

and without heat, as if about to go out suddenly, stricken to death by the touch of that gloom

brooding over a crowd of men.

2) The mood of men in this passage is best described as ___.

• a) surly

• b) resigned

• c) contemplative

• d) restless

From “The Heart of Darkness”, by Joseph Conrad.

Between us there was, as I have already said somewhere, the bond of the sea. Besides

holding our hearts together through long periods of separation, it had the effect of making us

tolerant of each other's yarns-and even convictions. The Lawyer-the best of old fellows-had,

because of his many years and many virtues, the only cushion on deck, and was lying on the only

rug. The Accountant had brought out already a box of dominoes, and was toying architecturally

with the bones. Marlow sat cross-legged right aft, leaning against the mizzen-mast. He had

sunken cheeks, a yellow complexion, a straight back, an ascetic aspect, and, with his arms

dropped, the palms of hands outwards, resembled an idol. The Director, satisfied the anchor had

good hold, made his way aft and sat down amongst us. We exchanged a few words lazily.

Afterwards there was silence on board the yacht. For some reason or other we did not begin

that game of dominoes. We felt meditative, and fit for nothing but placid staring. The day was

ending in a serenity of still and exquisite brilliance. The water shone pacifically; the sky, without

a speck, was a benign immensity of unstained light; the very mist on the Essex marshes was like

a gauzy and radiant fabric, hung from the wooded rises inland, and draping the low shores in

diaphanous folds. Only the gloom to the west, brooding over the upper reaches, became more

somber every minute, as if angered by the approach of the sun. And at last, in its curved and

imperceptible fall, the sun sank low, and from glowing white changed to a dull red without rays

and without heat, as if about to go out suddenly, stricken to death by the touch of that gloom

brooding over a crowd of men.

3) From the passage, it is clear that the men ____.

• a) do not get along

• b) show a quiet understanding

• c) can’t be bothered with one another

• d) have just had a quarrel.

From “The Heart of Darkness”, by Joseph Conrad.

Between us there was, as I have already said somewhere, the bond of the sea. Besides

holding our hearts together through long periods of separation, it had the effect of making us

tolerant of each other's yarns-and even convictions. The Lawyer-the best of old fellows-had,

because of his many years and many virtues, the only cushion on deck, and was lying on the only

rug. The Accountant had brought out already a box of dominoes, and was toying architecturally

with the bones. Marlow sat cross-legged right aft, leaning against the mizzen-mast. He had

sunken cheeks, a yellow complexion, a straight back, an ascetic aspect, and, with his arms

dropped, the palms of hands outwards, resembled an idol. The Director, satisfied the anchor had

good hold, made his way aft and sat down amongst us. We exchanged a few words lazily.

Afterwards there was silence on board the yacht. For some reason or other we did not begin

that game of dominoes. We felt meditative, and fit for nothing but placid staring. The day was

ending in a serenity of still and exquisite brilliance. The water shone pacifically; the sky, without

a speck, was a benign immensity of unstained light; the very mist on the Essex marshes was like

a gauzy and radiant fabric, hung from the wooded rises inland, and draping the low shores in

diaphanous folds. Only the gloom to the west, brooding over the upper reaches, became more

somber every minute, as if angered by the approach of the sun. And at last, in its curved and

imperceptible fall, the sun sank low, and from glowing white changed to a dull red without rays

and without heat, as if about to go out suddenly, stricken to death by the touch of that gloom

brooding over a crowd of men.

4) The word “diaphanous”, used to describe the mist, means ____.

• a) transparent

• b) fragile

• c) suffocating

• d) silent

From “The Heart of Darkness”, by Joseph Conrad.

Between us there was, as I have already said somewhere, the bond of the sea. Besides

holding our hearts together through long periods of separation, it had the effect of making us

tolerant of each other's yarns-and even convictions. The Lawyer-the best of old fellows-had,

because of his many years and many virtues, the only cushion on deck, and was lying on the only

rug. The Accountant had brought out already a box of dominoes, and was toying architecturally

with the bones. Marlow sat cross-legged right aft, leaning against the mizzen-mast. He had

sunken cheeks, a yellow complexion, a straight back, an ascetic aspect, and, with his arms

dropped, the palms of hands outwards, resembled an idol. The Director, satisfied the anchor had

good hold, made his way aft and sat down amongst us. We exchanged a few words lazily.

Afterwards there was silence on board the yacht. For some reason or other we did not begin

that game of dominoes. We felt meditative, and fit for nothing but placid staring. The day was

ending in a serenity of still and exquisite brilliance. The water shone pacifically; the sky, without

a speck, was a benign immensity of unstained light; the very mist on the Essex marshes was like

a gauzy and radiant fabric, hung from the wooded rises inland, and draping the low shores in

diaphanous folds. Only the gloom to the west, brooding over the upper reaches, became more

somber every minute, as if angered by the approach of the sun. And at last, in its curved and

imperceptible fall, the sun sank low, and from glowing white changed to a dull red without rays

and without heat, as if about to go out suddenly, stricken to death by the touch of that gloom

brooding over a crowd of men.

5) What is the method of narration of the story?

• a) first-person method

• b) second-person method

• c) third-person method

• d) None of the above