“I wondered, Your Excellency,” Sadao murmured.
“It was certainly very careless of me,” the General said. “But you understand it was not lack of patriotism or dereliction of duty.” He looked anxiously at his doctor. “If the matter should come out you would understand that, wouldn’t you?”
“Certainly, Your Excellency,” Sadao said. He suddenly comprehended that the General was in the palm of his hand and that as a consequence he himself was perfectly safe. “I swear to your loyalty. Excellency,” he said to the old General, “and to your zeal against the enemy.”
i. Pick the option that best describes the word ‘dereliction’ as used in the passage.
1. evasion
2. deterioration
3. negligence
4. carelessness
5. dilapidation
6. management
a) 2, 3 and 6
b) 1, 4 and 5
c) 2, 4 and 6
d) 1, 3 and 4
ii. At the end of the conversation with the General, Sadao felt
a) rejuvenated and guilt-free.
b) conceited and egotistic.
c) refreshed and self-conscious.
d) relieved and guilt-free.
iii. Read the analysis of the General based on the given extract.
Choose the option that fills in the given blanks most appropriately: The General (i) _______ power but is (ii) _______ of the obligations of his job. He is so (iii) ________ with his health that he forgets to send the assassins to kill the prisoner. Due to his
(iv) _______ interests, he doesn’t want to expose Sadao and agrees to keep the prisoner’s escape a secret.
a) (i) fantasizes; (ii) lonely ; (iii) consumed ; (iv) vested
b) (i) relishes; (ii) weary; (iii) self-absorbed ; (iv) selfish
c) (i) fancies; (ii) apathetic ; (iii) negligent ; (iv) worthless
d) (i) desires; (ii) concerned ; (iii) indisposed ; (iv) narrow
iv. Pick the option that best matches the idioms with ‘hand’ with their meanings.
| Idioms |
Meanings |
| 1. hand in glove |
A) in the care of somebody good and knowledgeable |
| 2. in good hands |
B) to reveal a secret about one's plans |
| 3. tip one's hand |
C) do harm to someone who has been kind to you |
| 4. bit the hand that feeds you |
D) tow or more people who are in collusion |
a) 1-A; 2-D; 3-C; 4-B
b) 1-B; 2-C; 3-D; 4-A
c) 1-D; 2-A; 3-B; 4-C
d) 1-C; 2-A; 3-D; 4-B
