Using details from the novel you have studied,

describe a close relationship between two characters

In the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail, Rory McIntosh and his grandfather share an
inseparable bond.
According to Rory, they are like a double act. His father abandoned his mother and him, so when his
mother died, he was taken care of by his grandparents. The death of his grandmother had left him with his
grandfather. He called him Granda and Granda had looked after him all his life and now it was his turn
to look after Granda. However both of them were incapable of looking after themselves because Granda
was too old and sick while his grandson was too young to shoulder the responsibility of looking after
himself and his forgetful and sometimes disorientated grandfather. Whatever the difficulties, Rory and
Granda refused to be separated. Rory argued that sending Granda to a home would kill his grandfather
and forcing him to stay in a childrens home would be unbearable. That showed how close they were and
how emotionally dependent they were on each other.
Rory loved Granda so much that he was prepared to make a lot of sacrifices for the old man. He let go the
chance to be in the school football team because he needed to look after Granda. He had to run home
from school during lunch break to bring Granda lunch. On several occasions, Granda had unwittingly
lost or misplaced Rorys homework and that had earned him the wrath of his teacher, Mrs Foley.
Besides all these, he had to think of the little precautions to take to keep Granda out of harm. Still, he did
not want to part with his Granda who would have been better off in an old folks home. Granda felt the
same also. The bond between the two was a special one. However, events took a decisive turn when
Granda accidentally caused a fire in the kitchen of their flat. Granda was taken to hospital and then to
Rachnadar, a home for the elderly. Rory ended up in Castle Street where he met the troubled Tess and
fought with her.
He was miserable there. Granda fared no better at the home. Rory felt that they had been cheated by his
social worker, Val Jessup. He plotted on the run while the police launched a hunt for them. The news of
the runway pair was everywhere on television but they managed to evade the police with the help from
sympathizers along the way. They suffered a lot of discomfort while on the run and the old man s
condition worsened but they seemed happy. Being together has become a source of strength to them. They
were finally persuaded to go and see Rorys long-lost father, Jeff McIntosh, who had been traced to
Liverpool as a result of the publicity. But before they could do this, Jeff came for them. They ended up
together again, and this time in a flat near where Jeff and his new family lived. Jeff was finally ready to
assume responsibility for his father and his son.
Rory and Granda were inseparable. It looked as if only death could separate them. Nothing mattered as
long as they were together.

Using details from the novel you have studied, write on the theme of happiness. Use evidence from
the text to support your answer.
In the novel Catch Us If You Can, Rory McIntosh has been living with his grandfather since he was a
young boy. On the surface, this arrangement such as theirs cannot be a happy one because Granda is old
and sick while he is too young to be able to look after himself, let alone his forgetful and sometimes
disorientated grandfather. Granda would have been better off at Rachnadar, a home for the aged where his
needs will be taken care of by professionals and Rory would have been able to lead a more normal life at
Castle Street Childrens Home. But they refuse to be separated. Despite the difficulties, they are happy
together. In their own obstinate way, they are guarding their right to be together and be happy.
However, when Granda causes a fire in their flat, the social worker assigned to them takes Granda to
Rachnadar while Rory goes to the Castle Street home. Rory is upset and so is Granda. Rory believes the
home is killing his Granda. Then, Rory decides to run away from the home, rescue his Granda from
Rachnadar and they would run away from all these meddling people. They are on the run for several
weeks and the television is full of news about them. A massive search is launched for them. Ironically,
while on the run, they experience some of the happiest moments of their lives, with the help of
sympathizers like Darren, his best friend who steals his mother s caravan key to let them hide
temporarily, Sammy and Ruby who shelter them when the police close in on them. Then, there are the
sympathetic petrol station operator, Rab and his girlfriend, Annie. Their run comes to an end when
Granda becomes ill and causes concern to Norma, Annie s cousin who is helping them to get to Liverpool
to find Rorys father. She calls the police. Alls well that ends well when McIntosh s long-lost son, Jeff,
who is also Rorys father comes for them. He is ready to assume his responsibility as a son and father.
Rory and Granda are basically searching for happiness whether as a stubborn pair fiercely defending their
rights to stay together in the flat in the face of insurmountable problems or whether as runaways,
oblivious to the frenzy they are causing through their actions. They sincerely believe that they are looking
for happiness. After all, nothing matters as long as they are happy because life is a quest for happiness.

The title suits the story perfectly

Using details from the novel you have studied, discuss whether you agree with the statement above.
Give reasons for your answer. Use evidence from the text to support your answer.
The title of the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail is simple and catchy that suits the
novel perfectly because it captures the actions of a grandfather and a grandson who cause a frenzy when
the police launch a massive search for them. The grandfather has run away from an old folks home he
hates and the grandson has escaped from a horrible children s home.
The title has the semblance of a challenge to the people tracking down the pair. It sounds cheeky, insolent
and child-like and it reflects the character of the runaway pair. The grandfather, suffering from age-related
ailments can be childish and does not realize the implications of what he has done. In his pursuit, he has
caused bodily harm to a youngster who recognizes his grandson, Rory, from the news on television and
wants to turn them in. Then, he steals a car to get away. All these can be considered criminal but he is
happily nonchalant or ignorant of all the legal implications. His grandson and accomplice, Rory, is a child
who knows no better. The expression If You Can is not only tongue-in-cheek, but also suggests that
tracking them down can be difficult. One would think it would be easy to catch them but it is not.
Although what they are doing is unbelievably crazy, they have earned the sympathy of many people along
the way and this has helped them to evade the police for so long. First, Darren, Rorys best friend, plans
the first lap for them when he steals his mother s caravan key for them to hide out while they think of a
better plan after they leave the homes.
Then, they meet Sammy and Ruby who offer them help as the police are closing in on them. Next, there is
Rab at the petrol station who gives them a respite and convinces them that they should go and find Jeff
McIntosh, Rorys father, in Liverpool because it is time for him to do something in his whole useless
life. After that, there is Annie, Rabs girlfriend, who hands them over to her cousin, Norma. Norma
finally brings the whole saga to an end when she decides to call the police because she can see that the old
man really needs medical help.
The title suits the story perfectly because it is a story about a grandfather and a grandson on the run. It is
also a reflection of what the story is the police are not looking for regular criminals but just two
ordinary people whom the police do not want to apprehend but to protect and keep out of harm.

 describe a decision made by any one character in the novel

do you think the decision was a wise one?
In the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail, I would choose the decision made by Rory,
when he decided to get Granda out of Rachnadar and run away.
After the death of his mother, Rory lived with his grandparents. When his grandmother died, his
grandfather, whom he called Granda, looked after him. Rory and Granda were very close to each other
that they had become inseparable. When Granda became sick and his memory began to fail, it was Rorys
turn to look after Granda. One day, Granda accidentally set fire to their flat. This brought the authorities
to step in. Finding Granda and Rory incapable of taking care of each other, they sent Granda to an old
folks home, while Rory was sent to a childrens home in Castle Street. The authorities had no choice but
to do this for the safety of both Granda and Rory. Granda might pose a danger not only to himself and
Rory but to those around him.
Rory felt he was wrongly torn away from his Granda. Furthermore, Rory knew that Granda hated being in
Rachnadar, the old folks home, and Rory himself hated it in Castle Street. So he made the decision to run
away with Granda so they could be together.
I can understand Rorys position but I do not see it as a wise decision. In the first place, he was too young
to make a huge decision like this. At his age, he should have thought about school. He should realize that
he was incapable of taking care of his old and sick grandfather. Granda was too old and frail to go on such
a challenging and demanding journey. Moreover, Granda needed his pills to sustain him. Besides, Rory
did not know where he was going to. Where could they go when they had no place and no one to care for
them? Rory, too, asked himself the question whether it was a wise decision. People may say that those
who love each other must stay together but this is based only on emotion. I think Rory made the decision
because he had no one else in his life. It was not only because he loved Granda so much, but also because
he did not know how to live without his Granda because all this while, Granda was always there for him.
To make decisions, we must be objective. We must think rationally. Seeing the unpredictability of things
and the health condition of Granda, and Rorys immaturity, I strongly feel that Rory made an unwise
decision in running away.

Using details from the novel you have studied, write on the theme of forgiveness OR reconciliation.
In Catherine MacPhails Catch Us If You Can, Rory has been cared for by his grandfather whom he
calls Granda for as long as he remembers. According to Granda, his own father was a spoilt brat of a boy;
just mentioning him would make Granda angry. He grew up to be someone who did not appreciate what
he got and left Rorys mother who later died of heartbreak. And that was when the senior McIntosh
decided to cut all ties with his son. He is adamant that the only son he had is Rory and he can very well
take care of the boy.
The irony of the situation is, Rory has been looking after his Granda who is not well and needs
medications for all sorts of ailments. As a result, Rory has to look after him, take him to the doctor,
prepare his lunch and make sure he takes his medicines all too big a responsibility for a young boy like
him. Despite the difficulties, both Rory and Granda refuse to be separated, as any solution would entail
sending the old man to a nursing home and the boy, a childrens home.
However, after Granda accidentally sets fire in their flat, he is sent to Rachnadar, an old folks home and
Rory to the childrens home in Castle Street. They cannot bear being separated. Rory takes Granda out
from the home and both go on a run. Soon, the police is looking for them. News about them appears on
the media. Rory and Granda manage to evade the police because they get help from people who
sympathize with them along their journey.
Investigations reveal that Rorys father, Jeff Mcintosh is in Liverpool and they are advised to go and see
him. While on their way to Liverpool, Granda becomes too sick. The police is informed by one of the
people who helps them, Norma, who feels that the old man needs immediate help. Jeff, with the help of
the authorities, arrives to take his father and his son with him. Both father and son are reconciled and
Rory finds his long-lost father. Jeff is ready to take on his responsibilities as a son to his father, Granda,
and as a father to his son, Rory.

The story ends with a reconciliation between the ageing and ailing father and the son he has vowed to
disown, Jeff. As for Rory, it is a happy reunion with the father he has never known.

From the novel you have studied, what is the most important lesson you have learnt? Support your
answer with close reference to the text.
From the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail, an important lesson I learnt is to be
persistent and determined when facing challenges. Often, persistence leads to better results than losing
hope easily. Two characters in the novel, Rory and Granda, handled challenges with determination. Rory
knew that he must be strong and determined in order to withstand the rigours of the escape. There was
never a time he felt like giving up and turning in to the police. It was the strong sense of perseverance that
helped him bear all the hardships. It was the same with Granda. When things got difficult, he was even
more persevering even though it was hard for a man his age to be on the run. He knew he needed to be
strong so that he could be together with Rory.
The escape got very arduous and tough at times. The police were always after Rory and Granda. There
was a wide TV coverage on them. But Rory and Granda were determined to pull through. They knew they
would be together and not be separated as long as they continued to run. From the way they went through
their escape, I learn that challenges should be dealt with determination. One must not easily give up hope
and accept defeat. As long as one has the chance, one must keep on going till success is met.

The characters in novels often face problems. Some solve their problems but some do not. Using
information from the novel you have studied, show how
one character solves his/ her problems

one who does not solve his/ her problems

It is true that characters in novels often face problems. Some manage to solve their problems but
some do not.
In Catherine MacPhails Catch Us If You Can, a character who manages to solve his problem is Rory.
His apartment is burnt down due to Grandas carelessness. He is then forced to part with his Granda. He
is sent to stay at the childrens home in Castle Street, and Granda is sent to the old folks home in
Rachnadar. Being very close to Granda, Rory can see that Granda is miserable at the home. Rory can
sense that Granda has lost interest in everything and it breaks Rorys heart to see Granda like that.
So, Rory comes up with a plan to run away with Granda. He knows, by doing so, he can always be
together with Granda. As long as they are on the run, they will be together. It can only be for a few days
or a couple of weeks, but to Rory and Granda, their time together is precious.
On the other hand, Tess, a girl whom Rory meets at the children s home, fails to solve her problems. She
has a sad life. Her mother is in prison and all her relatives reject her. Being homeless and unwanted, she is
sent to Castle Street. Instead of making the best of her life there, she worsens it by becoming a bitter,
angry and violent person.
Her violent outbursts become so bad that she loses control of herself and her actions. She injures others,
making them keep away from her. She fails to make friends and so, remains lonely and friendless. She

cannot overcome her loneliness and sense of rejection. If she had chosen to be more positive, she would
probably have made some friends who can help her instead of feeling rejected and unloved.

From the novel you have studied, write about an important moral value you have learnt. Support
your answer with close reference to the text.
From the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail, an important moral value I have learnt is
that family relationships should be nurtured and not taken for granted. Granda looked after Rory after
Rorys father walked out on them. Since Granda was old and forgetful, Rory took it upon himself to look
after Granda. Nobody forced or told him to do it but Rory felt it was the right thing to do. He was willing
to forego things that teenage boys should be doing. He did all the household chores, made sure Granda
took his medication and had his meals. He even kept Grandas pipe to make sure there wasn t any
untoward incidents. Granda and Rory did not take their relationship for granted. Granda, on several
occasions, had expressed appreciation to Rory for always being there for him while Rory felt proud to
have Granda as his grandfather. Rory was protective and defensive of Granda. They nurtured their
relationship right up to the end even when they had a family, Jeff and Karen.
Sammy, Ruby and Tyrone also showed a strong family relationship. Sammy and Ruby were free and easy
but respectful with each other. Ruby would tease Sammy and vice versa. But, when it came to making
decisions, Ruby left it to Sammy, showing him respect as the head of the family. Tyrone was respectful
and obedient to his parents, Sammy and Ruby. All in all, I have learnt from the novel that family
relationship should be nurtured and not taken for granted as family happiness and stability depend on this
positive attitude.

From the novel you have studied, write about the plot of the story and state what you think of the
plot.
Support your answer with close reference to the text.
Catherine MacPhails novel Catch Us If You Can revolves around a teenager, Rory, and his grandfather
whom he calls Granda. Rory and Granda are on an escape adventure from their hometown to Liverpool
because they do not want to be separated from each other. They have cared for and looked after each other
for a long time and with Granda getting on in years and becoming forgetful, Rory takes over the
responsibility of looking after Granda on his own initiatives.
One day, when their flat caught fire due to Grandas carelessness, both Rory and Granda are placed in a
childrens home and an old folks home respectively. Granda is badly affected as he becomes withdrawn
and lost. Rory knows that Granda is slowly dying in Rachnadar, so he decides to run away with Granda.
Rory and Granda make the great escape but with no destination in mind. They only want to be free and to
be together. They spend a few happy carefree days at the caravan site. When the police catch up with
them, Rory and Granda are helped by Sammy who gives them shelter.

Their journey is a struggle to stay free. Strangers help them all the way, giving them shelter and making
safe plans for them. Rory has doubts about whether he is doing the right thing. All doubts are dispelled as
Granda looks happy even when he is exhausted.
Eventually, Rory decides they would travel south to Liverpool and look for his father, Jeff McIntosh.
Granda objects and rages about this when he realizes what Rorys plans are. The climax of the story is
when Granda almost loses his life in the cold bus shelter. After that, they end up in Liverpool. It is a
happy ending as they meet up with Jeff and become a family again. The plot runs in chronological order.
The reader can follow Rory and Grandas interesting and sometimes heartbreaking journey from their
hometown to their final destination. Rory as the narrator projects a solid account of their thoughts,
feelings and gives good descriptions of the setting. The approach makes it easy for the reader to
understand and appreciate the story. I think the plot is simple and relevant to our society where young
people tend to forget their obligations to the old.

Who is the most interesting character in the novel that you have studied? Give reasons to support
your answer.
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, I think Granda is the most interesting
character in the book.
Reading through the novel, I found out that he was a caring and kind grandfather to Rory. The fact that
Rory was to return the favours implies that Granda must have been a good man and good grandfather. His
love for Rory is absolute. Also, Granda finds it hard to bear that Rory has to be in a home and wants to get
out of hospital to take Rory home. This shows how much he cares for Rory.
Granda is also a charmer. It is because he easily compliments others especially women not only for the
looks but also for their talents as he praises Ruby for her cooking. All the times he remains the perfect
gentleman, like opening the door for the young mother at the clinic.

Other than that, he is quite a fascinating character. He knows a lot about films and film stars. His love for
movie stars makes him even name his son and grandson after some film heroes of his time. Also, he loves
singing and has no inhibitions about singing some old songs, however badly, in front of others.
With all the above, I believe that Granda must be an interesting and remarkable man.

Based on the novel that you have read, write about an incident that changes the life of a character
in the story. Give evidence from the novel that you have studied.
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, an incident that changes the life of the
character is the great escape that Rory and Granda undertake. Rory decided to run away from the town he
lived in after taking his Granda out of the local old folks home. The escape took them to many places
and they met many different people who helped them on their journey. Rory learnt valuable life lessons
from meeting all the different people. From the travelers, he learnt about compassion and kindness. From
Rab, Annie and Norma, he learnt about people who offered help sincerely and treated them kindly. Also,
Rorys life would never be the same again. It was because, his father turned up to help him and Granda.
Finally he had a father, a stepmother and two adorable stepsisters. He had a family and that was a lifechanging moment from him.
Rory was worried about his Granda earlier but then he didn t have to. It was because things started to fall
into places for him. Certain services provided for the elderly made life better for him and Granda. The

escape exposed some of the problems that the elderly and their caretakers faced in the course of their
daily life.
With all the above, I believe that all those changes would not have taken place if not for the great escape.

Write about the moral value that has impressed you the most. Give evidence from the text to
support your answer.
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, I learn about compassion for fellow human
beings. Many characters exhibit compassion for each other and act in a kind manner because of their
compassionate nature.
Rory and Granda care for each other and there is compassion in their actions. For example, Rory cares for
his grandfathers well-being. For instance, he makes sure his Granda takes his medicine. Moreover, he
always rushes home from school to ensure Granda takes his lunch. Moreover, Rory protects his Granda
from anything he considers bad, offensive or dangerous. Rory even keeps Granda s pipe to make sure
there isnt any untoward incidents. Granda tries his best to help Rory and unfortunately makes mistakes,
but there is still compassion. He strongly says that no grandson of his is going to a home for as long as he
is around.

In addition, Dr Nicol insists that Granda and Rory get a home help. This is because he believes that
Granda and Rory are not capable of taking care of each other. Val Jessup, the social worker, also shows
compassion. She shows enthusiasm to help Rory and Granda. When they are on the run, Val Jessup pleads
on television for Rory and Granda to come home. The police and the nurse also act compassionately
towards Granda and Rory. They are affected by the dilemma of an ageing man who is so dependent on a
young boy and therefore do what they think is the best.
Besides, Darren, Rorys close friend offers his mums caravan to them because he cares for Rory and
Granda. He warns them about the arrival of the police.
With all the above, I believe that we must be compassionate to people. This quality keeps us humane and
make the world appear kinder and the troubles bearable.

Pick any one decision in the novel made by someone or some party that you disagree Explain why
you disagree.
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, there is one decision in the novel that I
disagree with. It is the one taken by the government to separate both Rory and his grandfather.
Rory and Granda are very close and each depends on the other for love and comfort. They are family, a
double act and one cannot survive without the other. When Granda accidently starts a fire in the flat, the
State makes a decision to put him in a home because he may endanger himself and others. I was so mad
with the State.
I can understand that the State has the interest of Rory and Granda at heart when it makes this decision.
But, what makes me disagree is that it regards them as only a case on which it needs to act, not as

people with feelings. It is because each citizen has a right to run his or her life the way he or she wants to
without outside interference. Unfortunately, it did not happen that way.
In addition, no discussion has been held with Rory and Granda how best to solve the problem. When the
two run away, however, the police go after them as if they are criminals. As a person interviewed on a
television rightly said, the police are wasting their time hunting down an old man and a young boy instead
of chasing criminals and fighting the gun culture. The way the State tackled the situation pissed me off.
As a conclusion, people should be treated with greater respect and compassion and not like cases to be

Faith in the God is essential.

Using the evidence from the novel, explain how this is shown in the novel you have studied. Support
your answer with close reference to the text.
In the novel Catch Us if You Can by Catherine MacPhail, Faith in God is Essential is one of the
messages in the story.

Rorys prayers are in the form of warm and friendly conversations with God, which he addresses as The
Big Man. Rory is a character who has faith in God. Rory promises to be good and do good things if The
Big Man would make Granda wake up when he sees his grandfather s face pale, his mouth open and he
is hardly breathing. In addition, Rory believes that The Big Man wanted him to escape as things go
smoothly. Rory promises to collect money for the Salvation Army if The Big Man keeps Granda safe.
Rory tells The Big Man that they both are having great time and Granda is no trouble at all.
The other evidence that resembles Rory as a person who has faith in God is when he and his grandfather
did not crash since Granda cannot drive well. Due to that, he believes that The Big Man is looking after
him.
As a conclusion, prayers play a vital role in keeping Rorys spirit up and prove that faith is essential in
life.

Love, compassion and family relationship are important in ones life.

Using the evidence from the text, explain how this is true. Support your answer with close reference
from the text.
Catherine MacPhail put the elements of love, compassion and family relationship in her novel, Catch Us
if You Can. From the beginning to the end of the story, those three elements hold the story together.
The love between generations shows that love is continuous and never ending. For example, Rorys love
for his Granda is unconditional and vice versa. He is ready to sacrifice anything so that he remains united
with his grandfather. The grandfather, in turn, has devoted his life to bring up the child from birth and his
whole life revolves around him.
Love in a family and the power of love among family members are also portrayed in this story. For
example, Sammy, his wife, Ruby and son Tyrone portray a warm and loving family. Besides that, Bernie,
his wife and daughter are equally warm-hearted and helpful. Rab and Annie are loving and caring too.
Love and respect among Rorys friends also keep him from troubles. They look upon Granda with great
affection. Darren, the one who is the weakest in the class, shows much compassion for Rory and helps
him as much as he can. Mrs. Foley also shows sincere, love and care for Rory. She shows her concern
towards Rory when Granda is admitted into the hospital. She realizes that Rory should not be in the
childrens home.
As a conclusion, the concept of the elements of love, compassion and family relationship bring beauty to
the story.

ARE YOU STILL PLAYING YOUR FLUTE?

1.
2.

In Stanza 1, why is the persona feeling uneasy?

Which line in stanza 1, indicates that the flute player is more interested in playing the flute
than building their love?
3. Which line in stanza 1 tells us that the persona is deeply affected by the melody of the song?
4. In stanza 1, what feeling does the persona express?
5. Where does the melody originate?
6. How does she feel when she longs for the song in stanza 1?
7. Do you feel that the persona is deeply affected by the melody of the song in stanza 1? How do
you know?
8. What does the sick rice field in stanza 2, line 3 indicate?
9. In stanza 2, what is the persona comparing her village to?
10. What are the evening rays referred to in stanza 2?
11. Name one luxury that they used to enjoy in the village.
12. Why is her conscience disturbed in stanza 3?
13. Why is the persona feeling guilty in the first stanza?
14. What is the meaning of when there is hardly time for our love
15. Another meaning for the word hazard in the third stanza means
16. Where is the personas beloved now?
17. What are the things the persona enjoys doing in the village?
18. What is the atmosphere in the village?
19. What is the poet trying to tell us about the changes in her life?
20. What is the poem about?
21. What type of musical instrument is the flute?
22. What does the lady want of the man?
23. What does the persona hear in the depth of her heart?

ANSWER
1.
She yearns to hear the song again.
2.
line 2
3.
Line 9
4.
feeling of guilt
5.
It is hidden in the slim hollow of a bamboo
6.
She feels guilty
7.
Yes. She writes that the melody is blown by the wind to the depth of my heart.
8.
The rice field is barren and infertile. It does not produce a healthy crop.
9.
She is comparing it to where she is living now, possibly in an urban area.
10. They refer to the sunset.
11. It is to spend time watching the rain.
12. One of the reasons is that her younger brothers are unemployed and desperate.
13. She yearns to listen to her beloveds song
14. The beloved is more interested in playing the flute than to love
15. wonder
16. He is in a place where he can spend all his time playing the flute without a care in the world.
17. She likes to watch the rain and also the sunset. She loves to collect the dew drops and enjoys
the smell of fragrant flowers.
18. It is desolate, quiet and deserted. The paddy fields are empty and almost abandoned.
19. The persona is now staying in a place where it is difficult to enjoy the simple pleasures of
nature as time is very precious. She says it is a luxury because people in the city do not have
time to watch the sunset or smell the flowers. Moreover, in an urban area, it may be difficult to
get a glimpse of nature in the concrete jungle.
20. A lady is pining for her partner who is more interested in his flute.
21. A wind instrument
22. She wants him to spend time with her.
23. The song played by her life partner

ARE YOU STILL PLAYING YOUR FLUTE?

24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.

What has happened to the rice field?

What can the persona do in the early morning?
Which words tell us that the air has a lovely smell?
What has happened to the personas younger brother?
What is the personas life partner doing most of the time?
What does line 2 stanza 1 tell us about the relationship between the persona and the flutist?
What is the persona guilty about
What words are used to indicate where the melody is? Do you think they are suitable?
What does the persona long for?
Write the two words that relate to how a flute is played.
Why do you think the persona says she feels guilty about longing for the mans song? In your
own words, give a reason to support your answer.
35. Where is the man playing his flute?
36. How do we know that the rice fields are not looking good?
37. What does the line while here it has become a luxury mean in context?
38. What words has the poet used to describe how she enjoys things of nature?
39. Do you think they are suitable?
40. Explain the phrase disturbs my conscience as used in context.
41. Write two words that relate to the feeling helpless when watching something happening.
42. Why do you think the persona feels unhappy about her relatives and friend? In your own words,
give a reason to support your answer.
43. How does the persona feel about the man playing his flute?
44. Write two words that relate to things of nature.
45. Why do you think the persona mean by the phrase this world? In your words, give a reason to
support your answer.

ANSWER
24. They have become dry and cracked or sick
25. Collect dew drops
26. Fragrance of flowers
27. They are unemployed and desperate
28. Playing his flute
29. They are a couple and she feels neglected
30. She feels guilty about wanting him to spend time with her.
31. Concealed in the slim hollow of the bamboo. Yes, because the flute can be made from
bamboo and the sound of a song comes from within the hollow in the bamboo.
32. She longs for her love to play the melody for her personally rather than hear it in her heart.
33. breath and fingers
34. She feels guilty about longing for his song because he seems so engrossed in playing his flute
and she does not want to impose on him.
35. in the village
36. They are described as sick rice fields.
37. It means that the persona cannot do the simple things she used to enjoy doing.
38. The words are watching, gazing, collecting and smelling
39. Yes, they are suitable because they are the actions we carry out when we watch the elements of
nature like rain, sunset, dew and smell the fragrance of flowers
40. The phrase means to feel guilty or uneasy about disturbing the man while he is playing the
flute.
41. mercilessly and bleeding
42. She feels unhappy because her brothers have no jobs and are feeling desperate and she has lost
her friend who was murdered.
43. She feels that he is spending too much time on his flute and is not paying enough attention to
her, his relatives and friends.
44. rain/dew drops and evening rays / flowers (any two)
45. I think she means the circumstances she is in, that is, her daily life which she is facing on her
own while the man is in another world of his own, playing his flute.