Answers to Selected Questions: Reading Comprehension (Diagnostic Test)

Diagnostic Test: Reading Comprehension

Answers to Selected Questions

Below answers to two of the questions for each of the levels from the earlier post are given.

Question	Contextual Clues	Answer
1 (Level 1)	From the passage: "... birthmark... which was laid upon me before I came into the world"	A birthmark is a spot or blot that a person has from birth.
2 (Level 1)	References made to it include "fatal birthmark" and " it may be the stain"	The word is `stain'. (`Fatal' is not as suitable a word since it refers to the grave consequence of having the birthmark rather than a description of what it means to the bearer.)
1 (Level 2)	She fears that "perhaps its removal may cause cureless deformity; or it may be the stain goes as deep as life itself."	The two possible dangers are that the removal may lead to a permanent defect or it could even lead to death.
2 (Level 2)	Georgiana refers to him having "deep science" and Aylmer himself speaks of going "deeper than ever into the heart of science."	Aylmer is a scientist. (If you speculate that he is an aesthetic or cosmetic surgeon, you can't be faulted.)
1 (Level 3)	Aylmer: ". I have already given this matter the deepest thought... what will be my triumph when I shall have corrected what Nature left imperfect in her fairest work!" Georgiana: " Danger is nothing to me... while this hateful mark makes me the object of your horror and disgust" "Is this beyond your power, for the sake of your own peace, and to save your poor wife from madness?" (From the conversation that both Aylmer and Georgiana has, one can see that the birthmark bothers Aylmer and the only reason Georgiana is troubled by it is because of Aylmer's reaction to it. Georgiana is willing to even face death if it will rid the birthmark which Aylmer finds so offensive. Aylmer is also very confident of his capabilities and he also sees himself as someone who makes perfect what Nature left imperfect.)	Aylmer is selfish since he is willing to subject Georgiana to possible dangers from the procedure to rid her of the birthmark that he finds offensive. He is also a perfectionist for he seems the birthmark as an imperfection and wants to remove it. Georgiana is selfless since, for her husband's sake, she is willing to go through a procedure that she knows may be dangerous. She is loving person since she is more concerned about her husband's adverse reaction toward the birthmark and wants to make him happy even at the expense of losing her life in the process.
2 (Level 3)	It shows that he is avoided the blemished cheek and from Georgiana's early remark we know that it causes him "horror and disgust" and has taken away his "peace".	The author wants to highlight Aylmer's revulsion for the birthmark.

The remaining answers can be found in The Pear Tree website on 26/5/2015.