The Lament Extract Questions | English Class 11

Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 1

Reading Set

Extract 1

Passage

Iona shifts about on his seat as if he were on needles, moves his elbows as if he were trying to keep his equilibrium, and gasps about like someone suffocating, who does not understand why and wherefore he is there. 'What scoundrels they all are!' jokes the officer...

The phrase 'as if he were on needles' suggests that Iona is feeling extremely ________.

restless and uneasy

The officer refers to the people on the street as ________ because they keep getting in the way.

scoundrels

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Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 2

Reading Set

Extract 2

Passage

Iona looks to see what effect his words have, but sees none—the young man has hidden his face and is fast asleep again. The old man sighs and scratches his head. Just as much as the young one wants to drink, the old man wants to talk.

Iona is trying to talk to a ________ in the stables.

young cabdriver

The young man's immediate return to sleep shows his total ________ to Iona's pain.

indifference

What comparison does the author make between the young man and Iona?

The author compares the young man’s physical thirst for water to Iona’s emotional 'thirst' for conversation. Just as the body naturally needs water to survive, Iona’s soul naturally needs to speak to process his grief and maintain his sanity.

Why does Iona look to see the 'effect' of his words?

Iona is searching for a sign of empathy, such as a gasp or a sigh. He needs validation that his grief is real and that another human being can feel even a fraction of the sorrow that is consuming him.

What does this interaction reveal about the community of cabdrivers?

It reveals that even among those in the same profession and social class, there is no sense of community or support. Everyone is so exhausted and beaten down by their own lives that they cannot offer any comfort to one another.

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Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 3

Reading Set

Extract 3

Passage

Should his heart break and the grief pour out, it would flow over the whole earth, so it seems, and yet no one sees it. It has managed to conceal itself in such an insignificant shell...

The 'insignificant shell' mentioned in the extract refers to ________.

Iona Potapov

The author uses the image of grief 'flowing over the whole earth' to show its ________.

immensity

Explain the contrast between the size of the grief and its visibility.

Chekhov creates a powerful contrast between the 'illimitable' nature of Iona’s grief, which feels large enough to cover the world, and its complete invisibility to others. Because Iona is socially unimportant, his massive internal suffering remains hidden from the public.

What does the word 'conceal' suggest about the nature of sorrow in the city?

It suggests that in a busy, indifferent city, deep sorrow is forced to hide within the individual. There is no outlet for it in public life, so it remains trapped inside people who are treated as insignificant by society.

What is the 'takeaway' from this description of Iona's heart?

The takeaway is that we often ignore the profound suffering of those around us because we judge them by their outward appearance or social status. A humble person can carry a tragedy as large as the entire world.

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Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 4

Reading Set

Extract 4

Passage

Iona is silent for a moment, then continues: 'That's how it is, my old horse. There's no more Kuzma Ionitch. He has left us to live, and he went off pop... It would be sad, wouldn't it?' The little horse munches, listens...

Kuzma Ionitch was the name of Iona’s ________.

son

Iona uses the example of a ________ losing its mother to explain his pain to the horse.

foal

Why does Iona choose to talk to his horse instead of a person?

Iona has tried and failed to talk to many people throughout the night. He turns to his horse because it is the only creature that does not walk away, insult him, or fall asleep while he is speaking his heart.

What is the significance of the horse 'munching' and 'listening'?

The horse’s simple, rhythmic actions provide a sense of calm and presence. Unlike the hurried people in the city, the horse is 'available' to Iona. This silent companionship is enough to satisfy Iona's desperate need for a witness to his grief.

How does this scene resolve the conflict of the story?

The conflict of Iona's 'suffocating' need to speak is resolved when he finally tells the 'whole story' to the horse. By finding an outlet for his grief, he is no longer alone, even if his listener is an animal.

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Chapter sections

Chapter the-lament: The Lament | Extract Questions

Extract 1

The phrase 'as if he were on needles' suggests that Iona is feeling extremely ________.

The officer refers to the people on the street as ________ because they keep getting in the way.

Why is Iona gasping 'like someone suffocating' in this scene?

What does Iona's struggle with his 'equilibrium' symbolize?

How does the officer's joking tone contrast with Iona's state?

Extract 2

Iona is trying to talk to a ________ in the stables.

The young man's immediate return to sleep shows his total ________ to Iona's pain.

What comparison does the author make between the young man and Iona?

Why does Iona look to see the 'effect' of his words?

What does this interaction reveal about the community of cabdrivers?

Extract 3

The 'insignificant shell' mentioned in the extract refers to ________.

The author uses the image of grief 'flowing over the whole earth' to show its ________.

Explain the contrast between the size of the grief and its visibility.

What does the word 'conceal' suggest about the nature of sorrow in the city?

What is the 'takeaway' from this description of Iona's heart?

Extract 4

Kuzma Ionitch was the name of Iona’s ________.

Iona uses the example of a ________ losing its mother to explain his pain to the horse.

Why does Iona choose to talk to his horse instead of a person?

What is the significance of the horse 'munching' and 'listening'?

How does this scene resolve the conflict of the story?