Summary

In this passage, the narrator is describing their experience of moving to a new high school and feeling isolated, as well as the traumatic event of their house catching on fire and losing their cat. They were encouraged by their old teachers to get involved in school activities, but the fire occurred before they had the chance to adjust to their new school. The narrator’s mother and house were saved but their cat was missing. They broke down in tears and cried, not only because of the loss of their house but also because of the loss of their cat. The narrator, along with their mother, spent the night at their grandparents’ house and had to go to school the next day with the clothes they were wearing during the fire.

Summary in 300 words

The narrator is describing their experience of moving to a new high school as a freshman and feeling isolated, as they were separated from their closest friends and missed their old teachers. They were encouraged by their old teachers to get involved in school activities to meet new people and adjust to their new school. However, before they had the chance to adjust, a traumatic event occurred where their house caught on fire and they lost their beloved cat. The narrator’s mother and house were saved but their cat was missing, causing the narrator to break down in tears and cry. The next day, the narrator had to go to school with the clothes they were wearing during the fire and spent the night at their grandparents’ house. The passage describes the struggles of starting over in a new environment and the trauma of losing one’s home and a beloved pet. It also highlights the importance of the support of loved ones and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Prose Passage-01

It was a cold and windy fall day when my house caught on fire. I was sitting at the dining room table, doing my homework, with my red tabby cat lying on top of my papers, purring loudly. My mother was stoking the fire in the fireplace to keep the house warm. Suddenly, I smelled something strange and noticed smoke pouring in through the seams of the ceiling. The smoke began to fill the room quickly and we had to grope our way to the front door to run outside. By the time we made it outside, the whole roof was engulfed in flames and it was spreading quickly. I ran to the neighbors to call the fire department while my mother ran back into the house. She emerged with a small metal box full of important documents and dropped it on the lawn before running back in again. I knew she was after my father’s pictures and letters, the only things she had to remember him by. A fireman held me back as other firefighters went in to rescue her. They were able to get her out and she was ok, but my house was almost completely burned down. I was devastated, not only for the loss of my house, but also for the fact that I couldn’t find my cat.

Multichoice Question And Answers;

Q1. What was the narrator’s cat doing while they were doing homework?

a) Laying on top of the papers, purring

b) Playing with a toy

c) Sitting on the windowsill

d) Sleeping on the couch

Ans. a) Laying on top of the papers, purring

Q2.What did the narrator’s mother do when she ran back into the house?

a) Tried to put out the fire

b) Grabbed important documents

c) Searched for the cat

d) Both B and C

d) Both B and C

Q3. What did the narrator’s mother run back into the house for the second time?

a) To grab more documents

b) To look for the cat

c) To try and save her father’s pictures and letters

d) To try and put out the fire

Ans. c) To try and save her father’s pictures and letters

Q4. Why did the narrator’s mother run back into the house?

a) To grab the cat

b) To try and save her father’s pictures and letters

c) To try and put out the fire

d) To grab more important documents

Ans. b) To try and save her father’s pictures and letters

Q5. What was the narrator’s reaction when the house caught on fire?

a) He felt relieved

b) He was happy

c) He was devastated

d) He was confused

Ans. c) He was devastated

Prose passage-02

The fire was a turning point for me. I had just started high school and was feeling isolated, as I had left my old school as the head of my class and my closest friends were at a different high school. My old teachers encouraged me to get involved in school activities to meet new people and adjust to my new school. However, before I had the chance to adjust, my house caught on fire and I lost my beloved cat. I was devastated by the loss of my home and my pet. It was a difficult experience, but it made me realize the importance of family and the support of loved ones

Q1. How did the narrator feel about starting high school?

a) Excited

b) Isolated

c) Confused

d) Happy

Ans. b) Isolated

Q2. Why did the narrator’s old teachers encourage him to get involved in school activities?

a) To improve his grades

b) To meet new people

c) To make friends

d) To become the head of the class again

Ans. b) To meet new people

Q3. What was the narrator’s reaction when he lost his cat?

a) He was relieved

b) He was devastated

c) He was happy

d) He was confused

Ans. b) He was devastated

Q4. What did the narrator learn from the fire?

a) The importance of family

b) The importance of material possessions

c) The importance of friends

d) The importance of school activities

Ans. a) The importance of family

Q5. What did the narrator lose in the fire?

a) His house and cat

b) His cat and important documents

c) His house and important documents

d) His cat and school books

Ans. a) His house and cat

Questions And Answers;

Q1.What does the author notice one Sunday afternoon? What is his mother’s reaction? What does she do? 

Ans; The author’s mother’s reaction is not described in detail, but it is mentioned that she runs into the house to save important documents and is later rescued by firefighters. She is also given an oxygen mask and is said to be okay after inhaling smoke.

Q2. Why does he break down in tears after the fire? 

Ans; The author breaks down in tears after the fire because they realize that their cat is missing and they fear for its safety. They also express sadness and loss over the destruction of their home and the potential loss of their beloved pet.

Q3. Why is the author deeply embarrassed the next day in school? Which words show his fear and insecurity? 

Ans; The author is deeply embarrassed the next day in school because they are wearing the same clothes as the day before, as they lost all their belongings in the fire. The words “ashamed” and “embarrassed” show their fear and insecurity about their appearance and how they may be perceived by their peers.

Q4. The cat and the author are very fond of each other. How has this been shown in the story? Where was the cat after the fire? Who brings it back and how? 

Ans; The author and the cat are very fond of each other and this is shown in the story through the author’s description of the cat’s presence and affection towards the author, and how the author rescued the cat and gave it a good life. The cat’s fate after the fire is not described in the text and it is not specified if the cat is found or not.

Q5. What actions of the schoolmates change the author’s understanding of life and people, and comfort him

Ans; The actions of the author’s schoolmates that change the author’s understanding of life and people, and comfort him, are not described in the text.

Difficult Words

1. Seniority – the state of being older or having more experience
2. Isolated – separated or detached from others
3. Psychology – the scientific study of the mind and behavior
4. Homework – schoolwork that is done at home
5. Fireplace – a structure in a home or building used for burning wood or coal to provide warmth
6. Tabby – a type of domestic cat with a distinctive coat pattern
7. Purring – a low, vibrating sound made by a cat or other animal to express contentment
8. Swatting – a quick, light blow or hit
9. Rescued – saved or freed from danger or harm
10. Inhaled – breathed in through the nose or mouth
11. Oxygen mask – a device that covers the nose and mouth to deliver oxygen to a person
12. Dazed – confused or disoriented
13. Loss – the state of not having something or someone
14. Trauma – a deeply distressing or disturbing experience
15. Groping – moving around with difficulty or uncertainty
16. Seams – the line formed by joining two pieces of material together
17. Engulfed – completely covered or surrounded
18. Inhaled – breathed in through the nose or mouth
19. Crazed – behaving in a wild or irrational way
20. Argued – disagreed or had a dispute with someone
21. Vanished – disappeared or ceased to exist
22. Smoked – breathed in the smoke of something burning
23. Blanket – a piece of thick fabric used to keep warm
24. Insecure – lacking confidence or self-assurance
25. Rescued – saved or freed from danger or harm
26. Fond – having a strong liking or affection for someone or something
27. Fate – the events or circumstances that will happen to someone or something in the future
28. Destruction – the act of damaging or destroying something
29. Overwhelming – very strong and difficult to cope with
30. Helplessness – the state of being unable to do anything to change a situation.