Q1-2. Read the poem and answer the TWO questions that follow.
The slow person you left behind when, finally,
you mastered the world, and scaled the heights you now command,
where is he while you
walked around the shaved lawn in your plus fours,
organizing with an electric clipboard
your big push to tomorrow?
Oh, I have come across him, yes, I have, more than once,
coaxing his battered grocery cart down the freeway meridian,
Others see in you sundry mythic types distinguished
not just in themselves but by the stories
we put in with beginnings, ends, surprises:
the baby Oedipus on the hillside with his broken feet
or the dog whose barking saves the grandmother
flailing in the millpond beyond the weir,
dragged down by her woolen skirt.
He doesn’t see you as a story, though.
He feels you as his atmosphere. When your sun shines,
he chorteles. When your barometric pressure drops
and the thunder heads gather,
he huddles under the overpass and writes me long letters with
the study little pencil he steals from the public library.
He asks me to look out for you.
1. Which of the following BEST captures the theme of the poem?
A The poem is exploring the lives of the rich and the poor
B The poem is examining a loss of trust between old friends
C The poem is meaninglessly brooding over the past
D The poem is analysing a person’s past and present
E The poem is celebrating success and moaning losses
EXPLANATION
D
Option D is the correct answer because the poem primarily focuses on analyzing the past and present of a person who has achieved success. The narrative explores the contrast between the current state of success, as depicted by images of walking around a shaved lawn and organizing with an electric clipboard, and the past where the person left someone less fortunate behind. The poem reflects on the consequences of success, the disparity between the two individuals, and the emotional impact on both. It doesn’t merely celebrate success or moan losses but provides a thoughtful analysis of the dynamics between the successful person and the one left behind, making Option D the most fitting choice.
2. Which of the following statements BEST interprets the lines “He doesn’t see you as a story, though/He feels you as his atmosphere”?
A You are haunted by your past
B You are larger than life
C You are not a narrative of the past
D Your present subsumes your past
E You are an extension of the past
EXPLANATION
D
The lines “He doesn’t see you as a story, though/He feels you as his atmosphere” suggest that the person in question is not perceived as a narrative or story but is rather felt as a pervasive and ever-present influence akin to an atmosphere. This implies that the present experience and impact of the person are more significant than a retrospective narrative, aligning with the idea that the present subsumes the past. Therefore, Option D is the correct answer.
Option A:The lines don’t imply a sense of haunting; instead, they emphasize the person’s present influence.
Option B:While the person may have achieved success, the lines focus on their immediate impact, not necessarily portraying them as larger than life.
Option C:This options oversimplifies the message the author is trying to convey.
Option E:The lines emphasize the person’s present impact, suggesting a more immediate and encompassing influence rather than being merely an extension of the past.
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