The Rattrap Extract Questions | English Class 12

Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 1

Reading Set

Extract 1

Passage

One dark evening as he was trudging along the road he caught sight of a little gray cottage by the roadside, and he knocked on the door to ask shelter for the night. Instead of the sour faces which ordinarily met him, the owner, who was an old man without wife or child, was happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness.

The peddler was looking for shelter because it was a ______ evening.

dark

The owner of the cottage was an old man who lived ______.

alone

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Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 2

Reading Set

Extract 2

Passage

It was a big and confusing forest which he had gotten into. He tried, to be sure, to walk in a definite direction, but the paths twisted back and forth so strangely. He walked and walked without coming to the end of the wood, and finally he realized that he had only been walking around in the same part of the forest.

The peddler realized he was walking in ______ in the forest.

circles

The paths in the forest were described as ______ back and forth.

twisting

Why did the peddler choose to go through the forest instead of the highway?

After stealing the thirty kronor from the crofter, the peddler was afraid of being caught by the police. He felt it was safer to leave the public highway and take a path through the woods where he could remain hidden and avoid detection.

How does the forest symbolize the 'rattrap' for the peddler?

The forest becomes a physical trap that mirrors his mental state. Just as he believed the world traps people with 'bait,' the stolen money was the bait that led him into this 'impenetrable prison' of trees, where he lost his way and hope.

What was the peddler's emotional state in this extract?

The peddler felt frustrated and increasingly desperate. The realization that he was walking in circles made him feel foolish and doomed. He felt that his turn to be caught in the world's rattrap had finally come, leading to a sense of defeat.

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Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 3

Reading Set

Extract 3

Passage

“I am so sorry, Captain, that you are having such a hard time.” She looked at him compassionately, with her heavy eyes, and then she noticed that the man was afraid. “Either he has stolen something or else he has escaped from, jail,” she thought, and added quickly, “You may be sure, Captain, that you will be allowed to leave us just as freely as you came.”

Edla noticed that the peddler looked ______ when she first met him.

afraid

Edla addressed the peddler as ______ to show him respect.

Captain

What does Edla’s suspicion about the peddler tell us about her character?

It shows that Edla is highly observant and realistic. Unlike her father, who was blinded by his own assumptions, she quickly realizes that the man is likely a criminal. Despite this suspicion, she chooses to offer him kindness and security, showing her empathy.

Why did Edla assure the peddler he could leave 'freely'?

Edla noticed the peddler's intense fear and realized he felt cornered. By assuring him that he could leave whenever he wished, she aimed to remove his fear and build a sense of trust, making it easier for him to accept the invitation.

How does Edla's approach differ from the Ironmaster’s approach?

While the Ironmaster was loud and commanding, Edla was gentle and compassionate. She used emotional intelligence to read the peddler’s feelings and addressed his fears directly. Her kindness was not based on his status, but on his obvious need for a peaceful Christmas.

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Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 4

Reading Set

Extract 4

Passage

The rattrap is a Christmas present from a rat who would have been caught in this world’s rattrap if he had not been raised to captain, because in that way he got power to clear himself. Written with friendship and high regard, Captain von Stahle.

The peddler referred to himself as a ______ in the letter.

rat

The peddler signed the letter as ______.

Captain von Stahle

What is the significance of the phrase 'raised to captain'?

Being 'raised to captain' means Edla’s respect gave the peddler the dignity and strength to change. It suggests that when people are treated with high regard, they often find the power to overcome their flaws and act with honesty and integrity.

What did the peddler mean by 'power to clear himself'?

He meant that the kindness he received allowed him to wash away his guilt and return the stolen money. By acting like a captain, he 'cleared' his conscience and freed himself from the cycle of thievery and cynicism that had trapped him.

Why did the peddler leave a rattrap as a Christmas present?

The rattrap was a symbolic gift. It represented the cynical philosophy he lived by and the trap he almost fell into. By giving it away, he was showing Edla that he was no longer a 'rat' caught in the world's traps.

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Chapter sections

Chapter the-rattrap: The Rattrap | Extract Questions

Extract 1

The peddler was looking for shelter because it was a ______ evening.

The owner of the cottage was an old man who lived ______.

How did the crofter's reaction differ from the people the peddler usually met?

What does this extract tell us about the crofter’s character?

Why was the 'dark evening' setting significant in this context?

Extract 2

The peddler realized he was walking in ______ in the forest.

The paths in the forest were described as ______ back and forth.

Why did the peddler choose to go through the forest instead of the highway?

How does the forest symbolize the 'rattrap' for the peddler?

What was the peddler's emotional state in this extract?

Extract 3

Edla noticed that the peddler looked ______ when she first met him.

Edla addressed the peddler as ______ to show him respect.

What does Edla’s suspicion about the peddler tell us about her character?

Why did Edla assure the peddler he could leave 'freely'?

How does Edla's approach differ from the Ironmaster’s approach?

Extract 4

The peddler referred to himself as a ______ in the letter.

The peddler signed the letter as ______.

What is the significance of the phrase 'raised to captain'?

What did the peddler mean by 'power to clear himself'?

Why did the peddler leave a rattrap as a Christmas present?