The Interview Extract Questions | English Class 12

Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 1

Reading Set

Extract 1

Passage

Some might make quite extravagant claims for it as being, in its highest form, a source of truth, and, in its practice, an art. Others, usually celebrities who see themselves as its victims, might despise the interview as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives, or feel that it somehow diminishes them, just as in some primitive cultures it is believed that if one takes a photographic portrait of somebody then one is stealing that person's soul.

According to the extract, celebrities often see themselves as __________ of the interview process.

victims

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Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 2

Reading Set

Extract 2

Passage

His wife, Caroline, writes in her diary for 14 October 1892 that their day was 'wrecked by two reporters from Boston'. She reports her husband as saying to the reporters, "Why do I refuse to be interviewed? Because it is immoral! It is a crime, just as much of a crime as an offence against my person, as an assault, and just as much merits punishment. It is cowardly and vile."

Caroline noted in her diary that their day was __________ by two reporters from Boston.

wrecked

Rudyard Kipling angrily described the act of interviewing as a crime that merits __________.

punishment

How did Rudyard Kipling react to the reporters from Boston?

Rudyard Kipling reacted with intense anger and hostility towards the reporters from Boston. He blatantly refused to be interviewed, harshly labeling their profession as immoral, cowardly, vile, and equivalent to a physical assault that deserved strict punishment.

What does the phrase 'wrecked by two reporters' suggest about the Kiplings' day?

The phrase "wrecked by two reporters" suggests that the sudden, uninvited arrival of the journalists completely ruined the Kiplings' peaceful day. It highlights the immense frustration and disruption that celebrities often experience due to aggressive media intrusion.

What is ironic about Kipling's strong condemnation of interviews?

The deep irony in Kipling’s strong condemnation is that he harshly called interviews a vile crime and an assault, yet just a few years earlier, he had perpetrated the exact same "assault" by conducting an interview with Mark Twain.

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Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 3

Reading Set

Extract 3

Passage

Similarly, we have a lot of empty spaces in our lives. I call them interstices. Say you are coming over to my place. You are in an elevator and while you are coming up, I am waiting for you. This is an interstice, an empty space. I work in empty spaces. While waiting for your elevator to come up from the first to the third floor, I have already written an article! (Laughs).

Umberto Eco refers to the empty spaces in people's lives as __________.

interstices

Eco claims that he can write an entire __________ while waiting for an elevator to reach the third floor.

article

What does Umberto Eco mean by the term 'interstices'?

By the term "interstices," Umberto Eco is referring to the brief, unoccupied gaps or empty spaces of time in our daily routines. These are fleeting moments, like waiting for an elevator, which most people usually waste by doing absolutely nothing.

How does Eco utilize these empty spaces in his life?

Eco utilizes these empty spaces with extreme efficiency to maximize his productivity. Instead of sitting idle during brief pauses, he actively works in them, managing to write entire articles and complete tasks, which explains his staggeringly large written output.

What does this extract reveal about Umberto Eco's personality and work ethic?

The extract reveals that Umberto Eco is a highly disciplined, efficient, and deeply passionate worker. His humorous remark about writing an article while waiting for an elevator shows his playful nature and extraordinary dedication to utilizing every second productively.

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Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 4

Reading Set

Extract 4

Passage

I consider myself a university professor who writes novels on Sundays. It's not a joke. I participate in academic conferences and not meetings of Pen Clubs and writers. I identify myself with the academic community. But okay, if they [most people] have read only the novels... (laughs and shrugs). I know that by writing novels, I reach a larger audience. I cannot expect to have one million readers with stuff on semiotics.

Umberto Eco states that he is a university professor who writes novels on __________.

Sundays

Eco knows that he cannot expect to have a million readers for his academic work on __________.

semiotics

Why does Umberto Eco attend academic conferences instead of writers' meetings?

Umberto Eco attends academic conferences instead of writers' meetings because he fundamentally identifies himself as a scholar and a university professor. He considers his academic research to be his primary profession, viewing novel writing merely as a weekend hobby.

What does writing novels on Sundays signify about Eco's approach to fiction?

Writing novels on Sundays signifies that Eco views fiction writing as a secondary, leisurely activity compared to his rigorous academic duties. It shows he does not take himself too seriously as a novelist, treating it as an enjoyable, part-time creative outlet.

Why does Eco accept the fact that most people only know him as a novelist?

Eco accepts this fact gracefully because he realistically understands the reach of different mediums. He knows that his complex scholarly texts on semiotics have a limited audience, whereas his novels have the power to engage millions of regular readers globally.

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Chapter sections

Chapter the-interview: The Interview | Extract Questions

Extract 1

According to the extract, celebrities often see themselves as __________ of the interview process.

Some primitive cultures believe that taking a photographic portrait is equivalent to stealing a person's __________.

Why do some people consider the interview to be an art form?

How do celebrities generally perceive interviews according to the author?

Explain the comparison made between interviews and primitive cultural beliefs.

Extract 2

Caroline noted in her diary that their day was __________ by two reporters from Boston.

Rudyard Kipling angrily described the act of interviewing as a crime that merits __________.

How did Rudyard Kipling react to the reporters from Boston?

What does the phrase 'wrecked by two reporters' suggest about the Kiplings' day?

What is ironic about Kipling's strong condemnation of interviews?

Extract 3

Umberto Eco refers to the empty spaces in people's lives as __________.

Eco claims that he can write an entire __________ while waiting for an elevator to reach the third floor.

What does Umberto Eco mean by the term 'interstices'?

How does Eco utilize these empty spaces in his life?

What does this extract reveal about Umberto Eco's personality and work ethic?

Extract 4

Umberto Eco states that he is a university professor who writes novels on __________.

Eco knows that he cannot expect to have a million readers for his academic work on __________.

Why does Umberto Eco attend academic conferences instead of writers' meetings?

What does writing novels on Sundays signify about Eco's approach to fiction?

Why does Eco accept the fact that most people only know him as a novelist?