Comprehension
Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, and he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he claims dominion over all animals. He sets us to work, returns only the bare minimum to keep us from starving, and keeps the rest for himself. Our labour tills the soil, our dung fertilizes it, and still, not one of us owns more than our bare skin. You cows, look at yourselves—how many thousands of gallons of milk have you produced this past year? And what has become of it, milk that should have nurtured strong calves? Every drop has gone down the throats of our enemies. And you hens, how many eggs have you laid, and how many of those ever hatched into chicks? The rest have gone to have you laid. And you, Clover, where are the four foals you bore, who should have supported and comforted you in your old age? Each was sold at just a year old—you will never see them again. For all your labour in the fields and your four confinements, what have you gained except bare rations and a stall?
Even the lives we do live are cut short, denied their natural span. I do not grumble, for I am among the fortunate. I am twelve years old and have borne over four hundred children. Such is the natural life of a pig. But no animal escapes the cruel knife in the end. You young porkers sitting before me, each of you will scream your lives out at the block within a year. This is the fate that awaits all of us—cows, pigs, hens, sheep, everyone. Even horses and dogs share no better end. Boxer, the very day your great muscles fail you, Jones will sell you to the knacker, who will slit your throat and boil you down for the foxhounds. And the dogs, when old and toothless, are tied with a brick and drowned in the nearest pond. (356 words)
[Extracted with edits from George Orwell’s “Animal Farm”]
Question: 1

Which of the following best describes the tone of the passage?

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Strong emotional language signals a critical and somber tone.
Updated On: Dec 8, 2025
  • Detached and neutral
  • Critical, somber, and resentful, evoking both awareness and outrage
  • Humorous and light-hearted
  • Admiring and celebratory
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

The passage is emotionally charged, condemning human exploitation of animals. Words such as “cruel knife,” “denied their natural span,” “bare rations,” “scream your lives out,” all express pain, resentment, and injustice, not neutrality or humor.
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Question: 2

The speaker frequently contrasts animals’ work with human gain. This literary technique is best classified as:

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When exploitation is described symbolically, it points to allegory, not irony or biology.
Updated On: Dec 8, 2025
  • Allegory of class exploitation
  • Hyperbole for comic effect
  • Irony about farm management
  • Metaphor for animal biology
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

The entire passage (from Animal Farm) symbolizes how the working class is exploited by those in power. The contrast between laboring animals and benefiting humans is a classic allegory of class oppression.
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Question: 3

Who is a “knacker”?

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A slaughterer kills animals for meat; a knacker disposes of animals not fit for meat.
Updated On: Dec 8, 2025
  • A slaughterer
  • A trader whose business is disposal of dead and unwanted animals
  • A person whose business is disposal of dead or unwanted animals especially those whose flesh is not fit for human consumption
  • Harness-maker
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

A knacker is someone who disposes of old, useless, or dying animals—typically those whose meat cannot be used for humans.
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Question: 4

The repeated reference to slaughter, drowning, and the knacker in the passage primarily implies to

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When a passage uses strong imagery involving violence or suffering, the purpose is usually emotional impact and moral criticism.
Updated On: Dec 8, 2025
  • Provide a detailed account of animal husbandry
  • Evoke emotional outrage and highlight the brutality of exploitation
  • Suggest that animals are naturally subservient
  • Indicate that humans value animals
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

These vivid, harsh images are meant to shock the reader, revealing the cruelty and exploitation faced by the animals. They reinforce the moral and emotional argument of injustice.
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