Read the extract and complete the activities given below: At length Soapy reached one of the avenues to the east where the glitter and turmoil was but faint. He dragged himself toward Madison Square, for the homing instinct survives even when the home is a park bench. But, on an unusually quiet corner, Soapy came to a standstill. Here was an old church, quaint and rambling and gabled. Through one violet-stained window a soft light glowed, where, no doubt, the organist loitered over the keys, making sure of his mastery of the coming Sabbath Anthem. For there drifted out to Soapy’s ears sweet music that caught and held him transfixed against the convolutions of the iron fence. The moon was above, full and radiant; vehicles and pedestrians were few; sparrows twittered sleepily in the eaves or a little while the scene might have been a country churchyard. And the anthem that the organist played cemented Soapy to the iron fence, for he had known it well in the days when his life contained such things as mothers and roses and ambitions and friends and immaculate thoughts and collars. The conjunction of Soapy’s receptive state of mind and the influences about the old church brought a sudden and wonderful change in his soul. He viewed with rising horror the pit into which he had tumbled, the degraded days, unworthy desires, dead hopes, wrecked faculties and base motives that made up his existence. And also in a moment his heart responded thrillingly to this strange mood. A strong impulse moved him to battle with his desperate fate. He would pull himself out of the mire and would make a man of himself again; he would conquer the evil that had enslaved him. There was time; he was young yet; he would resurrect his old eager ambitions and pursue them without faltering. Those solemn but sweet organ notes had set up a revolution in him. Tomorrow he would go into the roaring downtown district and find work. A fur importer had once offered him a place as driver. He would be somebody in the world. He would ..... Soapy felt a hand laid on his arm. He looked quickly around into the impassive face of a policeman. “What are you doin’ here?” asked the officer. “Nothin’,” said Soapy. “Then come along,” said the policeman. “Three months on the island,” said the Magistrate in the Police Court the next morning.
Question: 1
Complete the given diagram expressing Soapy’s journey:
Show Hint
In "The Cop and the Anthem", the turning point of the story occurs when Soapy listens to the church anthem, which inspires him to reform his life.
Step 1: Understanding the Context.
The question refers to the story "The Cop and the Anthem" by O. Henry.
In the story, Soapy is a homeless man who wants to get arrested so that he can spend the winter in jail. Step 2: Key Incident in the Story.
At the end of the story, Soapy hears a Sabbath Anthem coming from a church.
The music deeply moves him and reminds him of his past life, childhood, and lost dreams. Step 3: Transformation After Listening.
After listening to the anthem, Soapy undergoes a moral transformation.
He decides to change his life, find work, and become a respectable citizen again.
He resolves to rebuild his future with determination and honesty. Step 4: Completed Diagram.
Listens to Sabbath Anthem Feels inspired and remembers his past
Transformation after listening Resolves to reform himself Decides to lead a new respectable life
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Question: 2
Soapy’s earlier life was much different from his present life. Highlight the difference in the given table:
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While comparing a character’s past and present life, focus on changes in status, emotions, ambitions, and social condition.
Step 1: Understanding Soapy’s Character.
Soapy is the main character in O. Henry’s story “The Cop and the Anthem.” His past life was decent and respectable. He once had ambition, self-respect, and a proper place in society. Step 2: Analyzing His Present Condition.
In contrast, his present life is miserable and degraded. He is homeless, living on the streets, and tries to get arrested to spend winter in jail. His dignity and ambition have faded, and he is leading a hopeless life. Step 3: Drawing the Comparison.
Thus, earlier Soapy lived a respectable and ambitious life, whereas now he is living degraded days, feeling hopeless and desperate.
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Question: 3
Complete the given web highlighting the change in Soapy after listening to the sweet and solemn organ notes:
Show Hint
In “The Cop and the Anthem”, the church music acts as a turning point in the story and leads to Soapy’s moral transformation.
Step 1: Understanding the Context.
In the story, Soapy is a homeless man who initially plans to get arrested so that he can spend the winter in jailHe behaves carelessly and irresponsibly throughout the day, trying to commit minor crimes to achieve this goal Step 2: Effect of the Organ Notes.
When Soapy hears the sweet and solemn notes of the church organ, a sudden transformation takes place in himThe music reminds him of his past life, his lost dignity, and the better person he once wasThe organ notes awaken his conscience and inspire hope within him Step 3: Changes in Soapy.
After listening to the organ music, Soapy:
• Feels ashamed of his present condition
• Decides to reform his life
• Resolves to find work and become respectable again
• Regains self-respect and hope for the future Step 4: Conclusion.
Thus, the sweet and solemn organ notes bring about a moral awakening in Soapy and change his mindset from seeking imprisonment to seeking self-improvement
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Question: 4
Write about any of your decisions which made you repent later.
Show Hint
When writing about regret, clearly mention the decision, its consequences, what you learned from it, and how it changed you for the better.
One decision that made me repent later was neglecting my studies during an important academic year. At that time, I believed that I had enough time to prepare for my examinations, so I spent most of my time on entertainment and outings with friends instead of focusing on my studies.
Initially, everything seemed fine, and I did not realize the seriousness of my mistake. However, as the examination dates approached, I began to feel anxious because I had not completed my syllabus. The pressure increased, and I struggled to understand concepts that required regular practice and revision.
As a result, my performance in the examinations was not satisfactory. I realized that my overconfidence and poor time management were the main reasons behind my failure to achieve good marks. This experience taught me the importance of discipline, consistency, and proper planning.
Though I regretted my decision, it became a valuable lesson for me. Since then, I have tried to manage my time wisely and prioritize my responsibilities. This incident helped me grow more responsible and focused in my academic and personal life.
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Question: 5
A fur importer had offered him a place as driver.
(Choose the correct alternative to get past continuous tense as the answer of the given sentence.)
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Past Continuous tense always follows the structure: was/were + verb + ing.
Be careful not to confuse it with Perfect Continuous forms.
A fur importer had been offering him a place as driver.
A fur importer will be offering him a place as driver.
A fur importer was offering him a place as driver.
A fur importer has been offering him a place as driver.
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The Correct Option isC
Solution and Explanation
The given sentence “A fur importer had offered him a place as driver.” is in the Past Perfect Tense. Step 1: Identify the tense of the given sentence.
The structure had + past participle (offered) shows that the sentence is in the Past Perfect tense. Step 2: Understand the requirement.
The question asks to convert the sentence into the Past Continuous Tense.
The structure of Past Continuous tense is:
\[
\text{was/were + verb + ing}
\] Step 3: Analyze the options.
(a) had been offering → This is Past Perfect Continuous tense, not Past Continuous.
(b) will be offering → This is Future Continuous tense.
(c) was offering → This follows the structure was + verb + ing, which is Past Continuous tense.
(d) has been offering → This is Present Perfect Continuous tense. Step 4: Conclusion.
The correct Past Continuous form of the sentence is:
\[
A fur importer was offering him a place as driver.
\]
% Correct Answer
Correct Answer: (c) A fur importer was offering him a place as driver.
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Question: 6
He would be somebody in the world.
(Choose the correct alternative from the given sentences showing ‘certainty’.)
(a) He must be somebody in the world.
(b) He will be somebody in the world.
(c) He should be somebody in the world.
(d) He might be somebody in the world.
Show Hint
In modal verbs, \textbf{must} shows strong certainty, \textbf{might} shows weak possibility, and \textbf{should} shows expectation or advice.
The given sentence “He would be somebody in the world.” expresses a possibility or condition, not certainty.
The question asks us to choose the alternative that shows certainty. Step 1: Understand the meaning of modal verbs.
Modal verbs express different degrees of possibility, probability, obligation, or certainty. Step 2: Analyze each option carefully.
(a) He must be somebody in the world.
The modal verb must expresses strong certainty or logical conclusion. It indicates a high level of confidence.
(b) He will be somebody in the world.
The modal will expresses future action, not necessarily certainty about a present fact.
(c) He should be somebody in the world.
The modal should expresses expectation or advice, not certainty.
(d) He might be somebody in the world.
The modal might expresses weak possibility, not certainty. Step 3: Conclusion.
Among all the options, must expresses the strongest sense of certainty.
Therefore, the correct answer is:
\[
He must be somebody in the world.
\]
% Correct Answer
Correct Answer: (a) He must be somebody in the world.
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Question: 7
Vocabulary: Find the antonym of the following words from the extract:
(i) defeat
(ii) moving
Show Hint
While finding antonyms from an extract, look for words used in contrast within the same passage.
Step 1: Understanding the Word “defeat”.
The word defeat means failure or loss.
In the extract from "The Cop and the Anthem", Soapy finally decides to rebuild his life, which suggests success instead of failure.
The antonym of defeat found in the extract is success. Step 2: Understanding the Word “moving”.
The word moving means changing position or not fixed.
In the extract, the church building is described as immovable and steady.
Thus, the antonym of moving found in the extract is still (or motionless/immovable). Step 3: Final Answers.
(i) defeat — success
(ii) moving — still
