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Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow. Vera did not want to be held, and the big ?ashing eyes on her...

      

Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow.
Vera did not want to be held, and the big flashing eyes on her skinny face were restless and tempestuous. Even adults were a little afraid of her. She however had one saving grace; her capacity for love. Hers was and would remain a passionate nature. She took nothing for granted. She was completely loyal and from an early age her sister was the object of love and protection. It was her business to see to it that Becky was happy and had everything she needed. She was willing and ready to do battle with anyone who crossed Becky’s path and she was a fearless fighter although tears were ready to fall at the slightest provocation. Once when she was about five, she almost tore a playmate apart before anyone realized what was happening because she was screaming at the top of her lungs while pummeling him. The boy remained mute and shocked and did not or could not utter a sound. He only remembered to snivel a little when they pulled the screaming Vera off him.
When the girls were two, Mark got his long awaited promotion and moved to a slightly bigger house which had an extra bedroom. It was just in the nick of time for Elizabeth was pregnant again and sleeping arrangements were becoming tricky. Their joy was however tempered by the fact that owing to the state of emergency, the country was becoming more and more dangerous even for ordinary people between the White Johnies on one side and the Mau Mau freedom fighters on the other, death could arrive without warning. It was therefore decided that as soon as the baby was born, Elizabeth would move back to her old teaching job at Aluor where it was much safer, being far from the central region which was the enclave of the freedom fighters.
Aoro, a bouncing boy and the apple of his father’s eye was born in the middle of a long dry season-thus his name. When he was two weeks old he was whisked off to Aluor with his sister. When she heard about it, their paternal grandmother was furious.
“How can you allow that woman to take off with my grandchildren? Is this why they refused to take a bride price for her? So that they could treat us like dirt?”
“Mother nobody is trying to treat anyone else like dirt. It is just that there is no suitable school for her to teach in around here. She can bring the children over during the holidays.”
“Huff!” snorted his mother. Mark was almost sorry he had stopped by to see his mother on his way back to Nakuru. Things became very bad and lorries carrying the dead, purportedly Mau Mau were a common sight. There was suspicion everywhere - white against black and black against white. The Kikuyu especially suffered greatly-and could be shot, maimed, killed or translocated at a moment’s notice. They returned atrocity for atrocity and blood flowed- both black and white. Mark was very lonely without his wife and children. He particularly missed little Vera’s constant chatter which he had found so irritating before. She had been tireless and irrepressible, but now he would have given anything to hear her say: “Father why is mother’s stomach so big?”

(a) Place the extract in its immediate context.

(b) Characterize Vera according to the extract.


(c) Identify and illustrate two features of style employed in the extract.

(d) What are some of the themes brought out in the extract?

(e) In a paragraph of not more than 20 words write a summary of the effects of war as seen in the extract.
(f) Mark is said to have been lonely. This loneliness leads to something. Briefly say what happens.

  

Answers

Peter
a) Place the extract in its immediate context
Before
The twins had been born. The writer takes the reader though their differences, Becky all soft, cuddly and pretty and just plain irresistible, People wanted to touch her, to hold her and she was quite
accommodating unlike Vera.
After
The father would tell her he didn’t know but she should ask herself. She would go something like-mother, father wants to know why your stomach is so big.

b) Characterize Vera according to the extract.
- Protective /loyal /loving - .............. and from an early age her sister was the object of her love and protection.
- Brave /fearless —she was a fearless ?ghter.
- Emotional - her tears were ready to fall at the slightest protection.
- Talkative - Vera constant chatter’

c) Identify and illustrate two features of style employed in the extract.
- Humour - was screaming at the top of her lungs ............. the boy remained mute and Shocked…. He only remembered to snivel a little when they pulled ..............
- Dialogue -“How can you allow ................”

d) What are some of the themes brought out in the extract‘?
- Moved to a bigger house.
- Traditions - naming of the boy Aoro according to season.
- Family conflict- mother in law quarrelling.
- Fight for independence/effects of Mau Mau ?ghters.
- Education - her old teaching job ................
- Insecurity - it was much safer .....................

e) In a paragraph of not more than 20 words give the effects of war as seen in the extract
- Death
- Maiming
- Families separate.
- Translocation of people/creation of refugee camps
- Animosity.
- Suffering -people get shot.

f) Mark is said to have been lonely. This loneliness leads to something. Brie?y say what that happens.
- He began to spend a lot of time drinking with his friends.
- He got involved with a girl.
- She declared herself pregnant.
- That brought him to senses. He chased her away and decided to go see his family.
Musyoxx answered the question on March 1, 2018 at 18:07

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