Tone Based Questions - 5 | English for CLAT PDF Download

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
The cart nearly tips. We find out that Marya has made some purchases in town. (These purchases are now an element of the story. What use, we wonder, will be made of them?) Hanov repeats the dumb joke he made on the previous page, Semyon turns on him ("But who tells you to go driving in such weather," he says, in a "surly" voice), and Hanov's gentle response to this insult from someone beneath him in status (Semyon is a peasant, Hanov a wealthy landowner) tracks satisfyingly with what Marya has told us about Hanov: he's a pushover, spineless, an easy grader. Marya thinks she smells liquor in the woods. She pities Hanov, who is 'going to pieces without rhyme or reason," and thinks that, if she were his wife or sister, she'd devote "her whole life" to his rescue. But that's impossible. "Fundamentally, life was so arranged and human relations were complicated so utterly beyond all understanding that when you thought about it you were terrified and your heart sank." Then, as if he's just heard Marya ruling out their marriage, Hanov rides right out of the story. Marya barely seems to notice, confirming our sense that she doesn't really consider him a romantic possibility. (She doesn't think, "Oh no, he's gone, I failed to interest him!") Her mind returns to the school (she thinks of "her pupils, of the examination, of the janitor, of the School Board"). This is now the third time she's done this—withdrawn from the real world into worry about the school. It's a habit with her (her default rumination, a measure of how she's been trained and reduced by this life of toil). One of the accomplishments of this story is Chekhov's representation of the way a lonely mind works. Marya's just musing here, doing the sort of light fantasizing we do when we imagine winning the lottery or becoming a senator or telling off someone who hurt our feelings back in high school. Although the story sets us up to feel that Marya might (might) be open to Hanov, it also gives us plenty of reasons to understand this as both impossible and not to be desired. He's a drunk, an idler, past the age for reformation. He doesn't seem interested in Marya, or in anybody—he's likely had plenty of chances to marry before but never has. And Marya is, actually, kind of prideful; even as she's assessing him, we feel her thinking that, if they did get together, he'd prove a handful and a disappointment. And yet... Chekhov has her do something lovely: she hears "the sound of the receding carriage" and suddenly wants to think of "beautiful eyes, of love, of the happiness that would never be.. .." She thinks, again, of being his wife (not his sister this time).
Q1: In the context of the paragraph, how does the tone of Marya's thoughts towards Hanov shift as the narrative progresses?
(a) From indifference to deep concern.
(b) From pity and potential devotion to a realization of impossibility.
(c) From romantic longing to professional preoccupation.
(d) From admiration to disdain.
Ans: (b)
Sol: Initially, Marya pities Hanov and contemplates devoting her life to his rescue, reflecting a tone of compassion and potential dedication. However, as she acknowledges the complexities and impossibilities of human relations, her tone shifts to one of resignation and acceptance of the impracticality of such a devotion.

Q2: The tone used to describe Marya's default rumination about the school signifies what aspect of her character?
(a) Her escapism and disinterest in real-world affairs.
(b) Her professional dedication overshadowing personal life.
(c) Her lack of ambition and contentment with current status.
(d) Her dissatisfaction with her career choice.
Ans: (b)
Sol: The tone indicates Marya's habitual withdrawal into concerns about the school, suggesting a dominance of professional worries over personal or romantic thoughts, which underscores her character trait of letting her professional responsibilities take precedence over her personal life.

Q3: The tone reflecting Marya's perception of Hanov's character is primarily one of:
(a) Admiration and respect.
(b) Pity and disillusionment.
(c) Indifference and neutrality.
(d) Contempt and superiority.
Ans: (b)
Sol: Marya's view of Hanov is tinged with pity as she observes his descent into aimlessness, and there's a sense of disillusionment as she considers his flaws, like being a drunk and an idler, indicating her realization that any potential relationship with him is not desirable.

Q4: The tone used to describe Marya's contemplation of her hypothetical relationship with Hanov is most accurately characterized as:
(a) Optimistic and hopeful.
(b) Realistic and pragmatic.
(c) Dreamy and fanciful.
(d) Critical and judgmental.
Ans: (b)
Sol: Despite briefly fantasizing about being with Hanov, Marya's tone is predominantly realistic and pragmatic. She acknowledges his shortcomings and the impracticality of their union, indicating a grounded and sensible perspective rather than a fanciful or overly critical one.

Q5: The tone used to describe Marya's reaction to Hanov's departure from the story suggests which of the following about her feelings towards him?
(b) Profound sadness and a sense of loss.
(b) Indifference and lack of genuine emotional connection.
(c) Anger and a sense of betrayal.
(d) Confusion and uncertainty.
Ans: (b)
Sol: Marya's minimal reaction to Hanov's departure, as she quickly returns to thinking about her school, indicates a tone of indifference towards him. This suggests that she does not have a deep emotional connection with Hanov, as her thoughts do not linger on his absence or reflect any significant emotional impact.