Writer's Effect Short Questions - The Blind Man by Kate Chopin

Q2 a) Identify a word or a phrase from the text which suggests the same idea as the words underlined:

i) The blind man was trying hard to get through the gates

• hesitating
• striving
• struggling
• failing

ii) His wandering led him to the street with tramcars.

• drifted

• endeavoring

• mesmerized

• aimless rambling

iii) The tramcar moved with great force.

• dashing up

• thundering

• impetus

• hastening

iv) The accident caused a disturbance.

• calamity
• incident
• difficulty

• commotion

2b) Using your own words, explain what the writer means by each of the words underlined:

And the horror grew when the mesmerised multitude recognized in the dead and mangled figure one of the wealthiest, most useful and most influential men of the town, a man noted for his prudence and foresight.

i) multitude:

• a small gathering of friends

• a specific location in town
• a type of animal
• a large crowd

And the horror grew when the mesmerised multitude recognized in the dead and mangled figure one of the wealthiest, most useful and most influential men of the town, a man noted for his prudence and foresight.

ii) mangled:

• slightly damaged or altered
• completely intact and unharmed
• crushed and mutilated

• changed

And the horror grew when the mesmerised multitude recognized in the dead and mangled figure one of the wealthiest, most useful and most influential men of the town, a man noted for his prudence and foresight.

iii) prudence

• indifference and negligence
• recklessness and impulsiveness
• naivety and inexperience
• caution and good judgment

2c) Use one example from the text below to explain how the writer conveys the shocking nature of sight.

Use your own words in your explanation

And the horror grew when the mesmerised multitude recognized in the dead and mangled figure one of the wealthiest, most useful and most influential men of the town, a man noted for his prudence and foresight. Explain for horror grew.

• Already stunned by the accident, the onlookers now find out something which makes the situation even more shocking.

• The onlookers are horrified because they realize the accident could have happened to anyone in the crowd.

• The writer describes the onlookers as mesmerized because they cannot look away from the gruesome scene.

• The shocking nature of the sight is conveyed through the graphic description of the accident itself.

Use your own words in your explanation

And the horror grew when the mesmerised multitude recognized in the dead and mangled figure one of the wealthiest, most useful and most influential men of the town, a man noted for his prudence and foresight. Explain for mesmerised multitude.

• The crowd became mesmerised because they couldn’t believe the sight of a wealthy and respected man being reduced to such a state. The use of exaggeration conveys their disbelief.

• The crowd was screaming and crying in panic, shocked by the sudden tragedy. The phrase highlights the chaos caused by the incident.

• The crowd was reduced to silence, enthralled like a spellbound audience watching a magician. The alliteration has an emphatic effect.

• The crowd is described as horrified and unable to react. The phrase suggests their confusion and inability to process what had happened.

Use your own words in your explanation

And the horror grew when the mesmerised multitude recognized in the dead and mangled figure one of the wealthiest, most useful and most influential men of the town, a man noted for his prudence and foresight. Explain for mangled figure.

• The figure was slightly bruised but otherwise unharmed, which confused the crowd.

• The victim was severely and grotesquely injured; worse than dead.

• The figure was slightly bruised but otherwise unharmed, which confused the crowd.

• The victim was perfectly intact, but the crowd reacted strongly due to its identity.