Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
The crowd was massive. Men, women, boys and girls from every nook and cranny of the village had gathered under the big iroko tree. Also in the crowd was an American couple, tourists, who were enjoying their holiday. At the centre of the large circle of people was the magician who had the reputation of performing unbelievable feats. Everybody was impressed with the feats which went along with the hilarious drumming.
Then came the next item. The magician's three aides each took out a local gun while the magician danced even wilder. The gun-totting aides took up position in three different corners. The drumming became more frenzied and the magician performed more acrobatics. The people were not to wonder for long what the guns had to do with the whole show. One after the other, the aides aimed at the magician while he steadied himself to receive the shots. Each gun boomed with a loud report and the magician jumped up in celebration of his survival. The three shots seemingly got to him but he simply laughed to scorn the shooters.
The American tourist was more than mystified. He could not explain it. How could a man receive bullet shots in his chest and still remain unscathed? In disbelief he shouted " This is amazing can't be explained But wait a minute. I II join the show myself." There and then, he went to his car took out his riffle and returned to the crowd "I'm gonna get this guy!" he proclaimed.
He took aim. The magician saw him out of the corner of his eye. He surveyed the scenario and decided that he was not prepared for this. Quickly, he showed a clean pair of heels. Tearing through the crowd he ran for dear life. Some thought this was still part of the show. but when the man would not return it was clear that he had bidden the audience a hasty farewell.
What the American and most others did not realise all the time was that the local guns had no bullets whatsoever only the gunpowder.
(a) What suggests that the show was free?
(b) What evidence is there that the performance was not a one-man show?
(c) Why was the magician confident to receive the shots from his aides?
(d) What did the American tourist set out to prove?
(e) What might have happened if the American had completed his contemplated action?
(f) ....he showed a clean pair of heels. What does this expression mean?
(g) ... which went along with the hilarious drumming.
(i) What is the grammatical name given to this expression as it is used in the passage?
(ii) What is its function?
(h) For each of the following words, find another word or phrase which means the same and which can replace it as it is used in the passage. (i) feats (ii) aides 1 (iii) steadied (iv) mystified (v) unscathed (vi) hasty
(a) What suggests that the show was free:
The show was staged openly in the village square, under the big iroko tree, where a massive crowd of men, women, boys and girls from every nook and cranny, as well as passing tourists, simply gathered round to watch, with no mention of any gate or payment.
(b) Evidence that the performance was not a one-man show:
The magician was assisted by three aides, who each took out a local gun and took up positions, and the feats were accompanied by drummers whose hilarious drumming urged him on; others clearly took part.
(c) Why the magician was confident to receive the shots:
Because the local guns held by his aides had no bullets in them whatsoever, only gunpowder, so he knew that the shots could do him no harm.
(d) What the American tourist set out to prove:
He set out to prove that the magician could not really survive a genuine gunshot, intending to expose the trick by firing his own rifle, which contained real bullets, at the performer.
(e) What might have happened if the American had completed his contemplated action:
He would have shot the magician with a real bullet from his rifle, and the magician would have been killed or seriously wounded, since the trick only worked with the aides' bulletless guns.
(f) Meaning of "he showed a clean pair of heels":
It means that he ran away swiftly; he took to his heels and fled.
(g) "...which went along with the hilarious drumming."
- Grammatical name: An adjectival (relative) clause.
- Function: It modifies or qualifies the noun "feats," describing the feats that were performed.
(h) Words that can replace the following as used in the passage:
- feats - exploits / stunts / accomplishments
- aides - assistants / helpers
- steadied - braced / balanced / composed
- mystified - puzzled / baffled / bewildered
- unscathed - unhurt / unharmed / uninjured
- hasty - hurried / quick / swift
(a) What suggests that the show was free:
The show was staged openly in the village square, under the big iroko tree, where a massive crowd of men, women, boys and girls from every nook and cranny, as well as passing tourists, simply gathered round to watch, with no mention of any gate or payment.
(b) Evidence that the performance was not a one-man show:
The magician was assisted by three aides, who each took out a local gun and took up positions, and the feats were accompanied by drummers whose hilarious drumming urged him on; others clearly took part.
(c) Why the magician was confident to receive the shots:
Because the local guns held by his aides had no bullets in them whatsoever, only gunpowder, so he knew that the shots could do him no harm.
(d) What the American tourist set out to prove:
He set out to prove that the magician could not really survive a genuine gunshot, intending to expose the trick by firing his own rifle, which contained real bullets, at the performer.
(e) What might have happened if the American had completed his contemplated action:
He would have shot the magician with a real bullet from his rifle, and the magician would have been killed or seriously wounded, since the trick only worked with the aides' bulletless guns.
(f) Meaning of "he showed a clean pair of heels":
It means that he ran away swiftly; he took to his heels and fled.
(g) "...which went along with the hilarious drumming."
- Grammatical name: An adjectival (relative) clause.
- Function: It modifies or qualifies the noun "feats," describing the feats that were performed.
(h) Words that can replace the following as used in the passage:
- feats - exploits / stunts / accomplishments
- aides - assistants / helpers
- steadied - braced / balanced / composed
- mystified - puzzled / baffled / bewildered
- unscathed - unhurt / unharmed / uninjured
- hasty - hurried / quick / swift
