XII 1ST TERM EXAM PG 3

3. Bluntschli (laughing) I assure you, I did........Petkoff : And has Nicola taken to drinking ?
    (a) : Explain what Bluntschli means when he says "I assure you, I did" (2)
            The passage quoted refers to the point in the play when Raina enters and unexpectedly seeing Blunstschli she she exclaims "Oh ! The chocolate cream soldier !". Seeing that her father and Sergius are also present and reminded by her mother, she realises that she has nearly confirmed that she knew Bluntschli (the man whom she had saved). Raina had thus made up an excuse and then had remarked to Bluntschli that she hoped he did not think that she had called him a chocolate cream soldier. Bluntschli honestly replies that he did think that that she had called him by that name.

     (b) : What "explanation" and by whom, is Bluntschli referring to ? (2)
             Bluntschli is referring to the explanation given by Raina that she was not calling Bluntschli a chocolate cream soldier, rather she was referring to a beautiful ornament she had made for a rice pudding that unfortunately Nicola had spoiled by putting down a pile of plates on it.

    (c) : Why and of what is Petkoff suspicious ? (2)
            Petkoff, Raina's father is not so easily taken in by Raina's explanation to her remark. He doubts the truth of the explanation as he knows his daughter well and knows that she is used to being cared for and that she does not cook for the meals.

    (d) : Why do you think that Catherine and not Raina answers Petkoff's question to Raina ? What does it tell you about Catherine's personality ? (2)
            I think that Catherine and not Raina answers Petkoff's question to Raina as Catherine is very concerned that the role of Raina and herself in saving Bluntschli when he was an enemy soldier is not discovered by her husband and Sergius. Catherine is already annoyed that Raina has so carelessly spoken and nearly revealed their acquaintance with Bluntschli. She does not trust her daughter to answer well and thus answers the question to her husband.
            From the beginning of the lay we have been told by the dramatist that Catherine is "imperiously energetic", that is she moves into action immediately and does not wait for others to rectify situations. This is proved in this  circumstance also.

    (e) : Explain : testily. Why is petkoff in that mood ? (2)
            "Testily" means irritably.
            Petkoff is in irritable mood because firstly Nicola had shown Bluntschli, who he wrongly assumes has come to visit him, to the garden instead of bringing him to the library where Petkoff was. Secondly he was upset that Nicola should have destroyed the beautiful ornament created by his daughter Raina, especially as that would have been the first experiment of her cooking that he would have experienced.

XI 1ST TERM EXAM PG 3

3. Raina : It proves that our ideas were real after all ..... Our patriotism. Our heroic ideas.
    (a) : Explain what Raina means by "heroic ideas" (2)
            When she uses the term "heroic ideas" Raina refers to the idealistic, romantic ideas that she has been brought up with. It refers to the fabled stories of perfect love in the romance stories of the middle ages of chivalrous knights and princesses and their perfect love. These heroic ideas refer to the perfect love and chivalrous behaviour of the knight and the beauty and faithfulness of the lady love.

    (b) : How had Raina and Catherine developed those ideas "heroic ideas" ? (2)
            Raina had been taught these "heroic ideas" by her mother. She and her mother had further developed these dieas by reading such romantic poets like Byron and Pushkin and from viewing operas at Bucharest.

    (c) : Why is Catherine "indignant" with Raina ? (2)
            Catherine is probably "indignant" with Raina because she takes offence with Raina using the word "our" by which Raina includes both her mother and herself. Catherine feels that Raina has been very slow to trust her judgement in choosing Sergius as Raina's future husband (Raina had kept Sergius waiting for a year before agreeing to be engaged to him). Catherine still believes that Raina needs more schooling in the "heroic ideas".

    (d) : Quote from the text to prove that Raina did not believe in those "heroic ideas" (4)
            In the conversation with her mother regarding her faith in Sergius, Raina reveals that she has grave doubts about the heroic ideas. Raina says "I sometimes used to doubt if they were anything but dreams". A little later Raina says "Real life is so seldom like that (meaning "heroic ideas") Indeed never, as far as I knew it then"

XII 1ST TERM EXAM PG 2

2. Sergius : Ah ! that's reasonable. ..... would you spy out of the windows on me ?
    (a) : What had Louka just said that Sergius found "reasonable" ? (1)
            Sergius had been flirting with Louka in the garden outside the Petkoff house - a space which could be seen from the window in the library of the house. Sergius was holding Louka tightly around her waist and since he refused to let go of her, she suggested that that Sergius show more "common sense" and do his flirting in a place where the two of them could not be seen by the people in the house.

    (b) : Explain : Plaintively. Why does Louka assume that tone of voice ? (1)
            Plaintively means sadly or mournfully.
            Louka assumes this plaintive tone as she wishes to evoke pity from Sergius when he realises that Louka cannot openly express her affection to Sergius nor let herself be loved by him and that she has to fear her mistresses daughter Raina who is betrothed to Sergius and who would be angry and might cause her to be removed from her position if she saw Louka receiving favours from Sergius.

   (c) : What, in what Louka had just said, had "stung" Sergius ? (1)
           Louka hadjust said that Raina would be sure to be spying on Sergius. Sergius is upset that Louka would think that Raina would spy on him. He is also probably "stung" because he is surprised to hear that Raina would so doubt him to spy on him.

    (d) : What did Sergius mean by "higher love" ? (2)
            In the episode which just preceded Segius' present interaction with Louka, Sergius and Raina had been together. During that interaction, Raina had remarked "I think we two have found the higher love". Higher love would refer to an ideal love associated with the romance stories during the middles ages where dashing knights chivalrously rescued damsels in distress and never failed in love to their beloved.

    (e) : Explain : demurely. Explain why Louka assumes this manner of speaking. (1)
            Demurely means shyly or reservedly. Louka assumes this manner of speaking, as Sergius has just taken up for Raina and Louka wishes to show her displeasure at Sergius merely flirting with her while professing love for Raina.

    (f) : Has Louka been a "provoking little witch" ? How ? (1)
           Yes, I think that Louka has been a "provoking little witch", though Sergius uses these words in an affectionate manner. Louka's demure manner made her very attractive to Sergiusand drew him again to her.Thus in assuming a demure manner Louka showed that she could win the affections of the man she loved.

     (g) : What answer does Louka give to Sergius' last question ? (2)
             The answer which Louka gives to Sergius' last question is that since Sergius himself says that he is half a dozen different gentlemen all at once ("half a dozen Sergiues who keep popping in and out of this handsome figure of mine"), she would spy on him, if she were in love with him, to "look after" their relationship.

    (h) : What does this interaction tell you about Sergius' personality ? (1)
            This interaction tells me that Sergius is very confused as to his his emotions. While he professes love to Raina, he is attracted to Louka. He is also not very sensitive to Louka's feelings.
           
            

CLASS XI 1ST TERM EXAM PG 2

2. Raina : I had an uneasy feeling.......Catherine : Shame on you
    (a) : Who is Raina speaking about when she uses the word "he" ? (2)
            When she uses the word "he" Raina is speaking about Sergius Saranoff, an officer in the Bulgarian army and leader of a cavalry regiment, to whom she is betrothed to. We have just heard a report of his having led the Bulgarians to victory against the Serbs in the battle at Slivnitza.

    (b) : Raina had noted two occasions when she had felt this "uneasy feeling" regarding the person referred to. Which were those two occasions ? (4)
            The first occasion narrated by Raina of the time when she doubted Sergius was when she "buckled on Sergius' sword". Whether she was helping him dress in his uniform or whether she swooned when she saw him - "he looked so noble" we don't know. But at that moment when he looked so right as a soldier she thought of "disillusion or humiliation or failure". She doubted whether "heroic ideals" or "patriotism" were "anything but dreams".
            The second occasion was when he was holding her in his arms and looking into her eyes. At that moment when she should have been totally overcome by love for him - she doubted doubted whether all Sergius' qualities and soldiership may stand up when he went into a real battle. She had an u"uneasy fear" that "he might cut a poor figure" when compared with the Russian officers.

   (c) : Explain : "cut a poor figure" (1)
           "cut a poor figure" means to be disgraced; to be less in comparison with others. In the context Raina says that she felt that when compared to the Rusian officers, Sergius may not seem such a good soldier.

    (d) : Who is the Tsar ? Which officers is Raina referring to ? From the part of the drama you have studied thus far, what opinion do you have of "those officers" ? Why ? (3)
            The Tsar is the title which was given to the Russian emperor.
            Raina is referring to the Russian officers who, as the allies to the Bulgarians, seem to have been their senior partners and held the top commanders posts even in the Bulgarian army.
            From Catherine's description of the battle at Slivnitza, I have a very poor opinion of the Russian officers when I compare them with the courage and decisiveness shown by Sergius. The Russian officers were the more practical - knowing that a cavalry regiment would be annihilated by enemy cannon, and probably had decided not to engage with the enemy. However, since thus far in the play, we have not been given more information regarding that battle, Sergius action seemed to have taken the enemy totally by surprise and his action won the battle. I would expect that Sergius would have known the danger he was leading himself and his men into and had decided to do the daring deed as a patriotic Bulgarian. 

XII 1ST TERM EXAM PG 1

1. Petkoff (with conviction) That comes from washing your neck every day............its not natural
    (a) : Where and at what moment in the plot are Catherine and Paul having this conversation ? (2)
            Paul Petkoff has returned unexpectedly to the Petkoff home fairly early on the morning of the 6th of March 1886 (at the commencement of Act 2), a little more than three months after Catherine and Raina had got the news of the defeat of the Serbs at the battle at Slivnitza. He had come just after his wife and daughter had had their breakfast. Catherine had had to hurry, having made only a "very perfunctory toilet" and joined her husband. During their conversation, Paul had been trying to placate his wife who was upset that he had a part of play in making a peace treaty with the Serbians. To try and change the conversation Paul had asked Catherine how she had been in his absence.

    (b) : What is Paul referring to when he says ""That comes" ? (1)
            When he says "That comes", Paul is referring to Catherine's complaint that she has been suffering from her "usual sore throats".

    (c) : What proof does Paul give to prove that "all this washing can't be good" ? What justification does he provide for not following Catherine's example ? (2)
            To prove that "all this washing can't be good" Paul gives Catherine the example of his father, whom he said, never had a bath in his life and lived to be ninety-eight and the healthiest man in Bulgaria.
            Paul justifies his not following Catherine's example by stating that he does not believe in "going too far with all these modern customs". He says that he does not mind having a good wash once a week to keep up his position. He protests that washing daily was taking the practice of washing too far.

     (d) : What other "modern customs" has Catherine introduced ? Why has she done so ? (1)
             The other one of the "modern customs" which Catherine has introduced is having an electric bell placed in their library.
             She has had the electric bell installed as she has learnt during Paul's absence that "Civilised people never shout for their servants". She also explains that it is so easy to get in contact with Nicola whenever they want something - one has only to "touch a button" and "something tinkles in the kitchen" and "then Nicola comes up".

     (e) : What suggestion does Paul give to Catherine regarding being more civilised ? (1)
             The suggestion which Paul gives Catherine regarding being more civilised is that because "Civilised people don't hang out their washing to dry where visitors can see it", she had better put the clothes which had been spread on the bushes around the garden put up for drying in some other more private place.

      (f) : What is Catherine's reaction to Paul's suggestion ? (1)
             Catherine does not take Paul's suggestion. She feels that the suggestion is "absurd". She says that she doesn't believe that really refined people notice such things."

      (g) : What does this exchange tell you about the personalities of Paul and Catherine ? (2)
              This exchange tells me that both Paul and Catherine are really not "refined" enough to be taken as persons to that higher class of people to which they aspire to belong.
              Paul's standard of hygiene leaves much to be desired. While he knows that he it is expected of him to wash daily he only does so once a week !
              Catherine's finesse is only partial. She is not humble enough to accept the reasonable suggestion of Paul regarding putting out the washed clothes for drying in a place where they are in their guests view.

XI 1ST TERM EXAM PG 1

1. Raina (dreamily) : I sent her away ....... Raina (her eyes dilating) Ah !
    (a) : What had Raina been dreaming about ? (2)
            Raina had been absorbing "the romantic beauty of the night" visible from the balcony of her room. As she viewed that scene, she was "intensively conscious" of how her own youth and beauty seemed to match the scene she was viewing. That was what Raina was dreaming about.

    (b) : What description had the dramatist given of the scene which had caused Raina to so dream ?                                                                                                                                                                 (2)
            The dramatist, Bernard Shaw, had described the view Raina had been gazing at from the balcony outside her room. He had noted that a peak of the Balkans was visible from there. That peak looked exquisitely beautiful. The white snow on it gleamed in the star light. Because of the clear sky and night the view seemed almost within grasp while actually it was quite far away.

    (c) : What news had Catherine brought regarding the battle ? (5)
            The news that Catherine had brought about the battle was that there had been a battle at Slivnitza. The Bulgarians had been victorious. The victory had been won by Sergius - he was "the hero of the hour; the idol of the regiment". The Bulgarians had found themselves at a disadvantage at Slivnitza. The Bulgarian cavalry faced Serbian artillery. Possibly sensing the hesitancy of the Russian commanders of the Bulgarian, Sergius with courage and patriotism, led his own regiment on a charge of the Serbian artillery position. Sergius regiment was as courageous and patriotic as he was. Sergius' regiment bore down on the Serbs and their Austrian officers  like an avalanche and scattered them like a strong wind to chaff.

     (d) : What does Raina's "dilating" eyes express ? (1)
             The word dilating means widening. Raina's "dilating" eyes probably means that she was eager to hear about the battle - its expresses her sense of expectancy.