NSC English HL The Life of Pi: Read the extracts below and then

Question

Read the extracts below and then answer the questions that follow.

EXTRACT C

[Mr Patel said] 'Ravi, Piscine, I have a very important lesson for you today.'
'Oh really, is this necessary?' interrupted Mother. Her face was flushed.
I swallowed. If Mother, normally so unruffled, so calm, was worried, even upset, it meant we were in serious trouble. I exchanged glances with Ravi.

'Yes, it is,' said Father, annoyed. 'It may very well save their lives.'

'But Piscine? He's only eight,' Mother insisted.
'He's the one who worries me the most.'

'I'm innocent!' I burst out. 'It's Ravi's fault, whatever it is. He did it!'

'What?' said Ravi. 'I haven't done anything wrong.' He gave me the evil eye.

'Shush!' said Father, raising his hand. He was looking at Mother. 'Gita, you’ve seen Piscine. He's at that age when boys run around and poke their noses everywhere.'

'Come with me,' said Father.

We set out like prisoners off to their execution.

[Chapter 8]

EXTRACT D

Mr Okamoto: 'Yes, that's it. Let's go. Well, Mr Patel, I think we have all we need. We thank you very much for your cooperation. You've been very, very helpful.'

'You're welcome. But before you go, I'd like to ask you something.'

'Yes?'

'And I arrived on the coast of Mexico, the sole human survivor of the Tsimsutnum, on February 14th, 1978.'

'That's right.'

'You told me two stories that account for the 227 days in between.'

'Yes, you did.'

'Neither explains the sinking of the Tsimsutnum.'

'That's right.'

'Neither makes a factual difference to you.'

'That's true.'

'So tell me, since it makes no factual difference to you and you can't prove the question either way, which story do you prefer? Which is the better story, the story with animals or the story without animals?'

Mr Okamoto: 'That's an interesting question ...'

Mr Chiba: 'The story with animals.'

Mr Okamoto: 'Yes. The story with animals is the better story.'

Pi Patel: 'Thank you. And so it goes with God.'

[Silence]

Questions:

9.1 Account for Mr Patel's insistence on teaching Pi 'a very important lesson' (line 1).

9.2 Refer to line 13: 'We set out like prisoners off to their execution.'

9.3 Refer to lines 18-20: 'Tigers are very ... to a cage.'

9.4 Discuss the significance of Mother's role in Pi's second version of the story.

9.5 Account for the interview with Pi conducted by the Japanese officials.

9.6 Refer to lines 33-34: 'We'll be careful ... into Richard Parker.'

9.7 Refer to line 35: 'Don't worry, you won't. He's hiding somewhere you'll never find.'

9.8 Based on your knowledge of the novel as a whole, discuss the significance of Pi's statement.

9.9 Critically discuss the validity of Pi's belief in the context of the novel as a whole.

Read the extracts below and then answer the questions that follow - NSC English HL - Question 9 - 2019 - Paper 2

Worked Solution & Example Answer:Read the extracts below and then answer the questions that follow - NSC English HL - Question 9 - 2019 - Paper 2

Account for Mr Patel's insistence on teaching Pi 'a very important lesson' (line 1).

Refer to line 13: 'We set out like prisoners off to their execution.'

Refer to lines 18-20: 'Tigers are very ... to a cage.'

Discuss the significance of Mother's role in Pi's second version of the story.

Account for the interview with Pi conducted by the Japanese officials.

Refer to lines 33-34: 'We'll be careful ... into Richard Parker.'

Refer to line 35: 'Don't worry, you won't. He's hiding somewhere you'll never find.'

Based on your knowledge of the novel as a whole, discuss the significance of Pi's statement.

Critically discuss the validity of Pi's belief in the context of the novel as a whole.

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