CHAPTER 5 THE SNAKE AND THE MIRROR
Thinking about Language
QUESTION-1
I. Here are some sentences from the text. Say which of them tell you that
the author: (a) was afraid of the snake, (b) was proud of his appearance,
(c) had a sense of humour, (d) was no longer afraid of the snake.
1. I was turned to stone.
2. I was no mere image cut in granite.
3. The arm was beginning to be drained of strength.
4. I tried in my imagination to write in bright letters outside my little heart
the words, ‘O God’.
5. I didn’t tremble. I didn’t cry out.
6. I looked into the mirror and smiled. It was an attractive smile.
7. I was suddenly a man of flesh and blood.
8. I was after all a bachelor, and a doctor too on top of it!
9. The fellow had such a sense of cleanliness…! The rascal could have taken
it and used it after washing it with soap and water.
10. Was it trying to make an important decision about growing a
moustache or using eye shadow and mascara or wearing a vermilion spot
on its forehead.
ANSWER:
(a) Was afraid of the snake: Sentences 1, 3, 4, 5.
(b) Was proud of his appearance: Sentences 6, 8.(c) Had a sense of humour: Sentences 9, 10.
(d) Was no longer afraid of the snake: Sentence 2, 7.