Junior Cycle English UNSEEN - Fiction: Read this extract adapted from "

Question

Read this extract adapted from "4 Taste for Quiet and Other Disquieting Tales" by Judith Gorog, and answer the questions which follow.

The surprising thing about Melinda Alice was her power: no one trusted her, but no one avoided her either. She was always included, always in the middle. If you had seen her, pretty and in the center of a group of students walking past your house, you’d have thought ... "there goes a natural leader."

Melinda Alice had left for school early. She wanted to study alone in a quiet spot because there was going to be a big maths test, and Melinda was not prepared. That "A" she wanted really mattered to her, so Melinda Alice walked to school alone, planning her studies. She didn’t socially initiate Nature much, so she merely stepped on a beautiful snail that was making its way across the sidewalk.

"Ugh, yucky thing!" thought Melinda Alice, then stopped. Not wanting to stop the snail accidentally, she bent down, but then she lifted her shoe to crush it. "Please!" said the snail.
"Why not?" retorted Melinda Alice.
"I’ll give you, like, complete freedom," replied the snail evenly.
"Agreed," said Melinda Alice. "My first wish is that my next ..." she paused a split second, "... my next thousand wishes come true!"
She smiled triumphantly and opened her bag to take out a small notebook and pencil.

Melinda Alice was sure she heard the snail say, "What a clever girl," as it made it to the safety of an ivy bed beside the sidewalk.

During the rest of the walk to school, Melinda was occupied with wonderful ideas. She would have beautiful clothes. "Wish number three ... I wish for perfect hair and small gold earrings." Her father had not allowed Melinda to have pierced ears, but now she was free. She felt her hair exclaim and shook her beautiful hair in delight. "I can have anything: iPod, CDs, Plasma TV, DVDs, etc., anything!" all in her bag.

By the time she reached school Melinda was almost an altruist. She felt the child wish for peace. Then she wondered, "Is that even possible?" She felt the urge to borrow the silver purse to sit back, eat lunch and figure that out. She had all sorts of ideas in her little notebook.

And I forgot to say ... I’ll build a school in Africa! She thought generously, "It’s the least I can do."
"Oh, no!" grimaced Melinda Alice. "Here I go again!" That damned snail made me late, Melinda Alice groaned about ... "I wish I were dead!"

(*an altruist is a person who wants to do good for everybody.*)

Read this extract adapted from "4 Taste for Quiet and Other Disquieting Tales" by Judith Gorog, and answer the questions which follow - Junior Cycle English - Question 7 - 2007

Worked Solution & Example Answer:Read this extract adapted from "4 Taste for Quiet and Other Disquieting Tales" by Judith Gorog, and answer the questions which follow - Junior Cycle English - Question 7 - 2007

Like Melinda Alice as a friend? Explain why or why not, basing your answer on the short story above.

What you think the snail really thought of Melinda Alice.

Does the ending of this story surprise you? Why? Why not?

What do you think the author’s message is in this story?

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