Comprehension (A)
Last year was different. With mother just recovering from that operation it was natural that he should expect Minta to stay home; she had even wanted to stay. But now going to Mary Hill was something special. She would live in a dormitory and be part of all the campus fun. It wasn't as if Mary Hill were clear across the country, either, she'd probably be getting home every month or so... and there were the Christmas holidays... and then spring vacation.
Minta's chin was lifted in a stubborn line as her father parked the car and went around to get the shovels and pail from the trunk. It wasn't like him to be so stubborn; usually he was jolly and easy going and inclined to leave such matters entirely up to Minta's mother. She followed him down to the beach, her boots squishing in the wet sand. The tide was far out and farther up the beach she could see bent figures busily digging along the water's edge.
A scattered beach fire smoldered near the bank and Minta poked it into place and revived it with splinters of driftwood until she had coaxed back a steady warming blaze. When she sat back on her heels to smile up at her father, she felt her throat constrict with a smothering fear. His eyes looked the way they had when... When? Suddenly she remembered. He was looking at her and trying to smile, just the way he had looked at her the time her appendix burst and they were taking her to the hospital. She could almost hear the wail of the ambulance siren and feel the way he had held her hands tightly, trying to make it easier. His eyes had told her then, as they told her now, that he would a thousand times rather bear the pain than watch her suffer.
Questions:
i. What titles could be given to each paragraph in the passage, also summarize the passage.
ii. Explain the meaning of the expressions "her boots squishing in the wet sand" and "her chin lifted in a stubborn line" in the context of the passage.
iii. Analyze the change in the father's behavior and demeanor, comparing his usual disposition with his current state.
iv. How does Minta's perspective on going to Mary Hill shift throughout the passage, and what does it reveal about her character?
v. What theme or message about the father-daughter relationship and sacrifice can be inferred from the passage?
vi. How can the father's actions and expressions in the passage be applied to real-life situations where individuals make sacrifices for the well-being of their loved ones?
