THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY SHORT STORY
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADE 12
THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY BY JAMES THURBER
Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.
Extract A
[Walter waits for his wife.]
He found a big leather chair in the lobby, facing a window, and he put the overshoes and the puppy biscuit on the floor beside it. He picked up an old copy of Liberty and sank down into the chair. ‘Can Germany Conquer the World Through the Air?’ Walter Mitty looked at the pictures of bombing planes and of ruined streets. 5
… “The cannonading has got the wind up in young Raleigh, sir,” said the sergeant. Captain Mitty looked up at him through tousled hair. “Get him, to bed”, he said wearily.” With the others. I’ll fly alone.” |
- Where is Walter Mitty and why is he there? (2)
- What is he doing? (1)
- Explain the meaning and significance of “Can Germany Conquer the World Through the Air?” (2)
- What grammatical signs do we have to show that he begins to fantasise? (2)
- What is the challenge or problem facing Mitty in this fantasy?
Give a reason for your answer. (2) - Which THREE words could be used to describe Mitty as he is in his secret world. Choose the correct words from the list below.
Sick, Heroic, Anxious, Brave, Respected, Fearful. (3) - Briefly explain why Mitty has this fantasy. (4) [16]
Answers - He is in a hotel waiting for his wife. ✓✓ (2)
- He is reading a newspaper or a magazine. ✓ (1)
- It is the headline of the article he is reading. ✓ The articles is about whether the German army can beat the Allies with its air-force. ✓ (2)
- The ellipsis and inverted commas. ✓ (2)
- He has to fight on his own because Raleigh is ill. ✓ (2)
- Heroic, ✓ Brave, ✓ Respected. ✓ (3)
- He wants to escape from his boring real life world where he is nagged by his wife and where he never achieves anything. ✓ (4) [16]
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QUESTIONS 2
Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.
Extract B
[Walter and his wife drive in to town.]
“I don’t need overshoes,” said Mitty. She put her mirror back into her bag. “We’ve been all through that,” she said, getting out of the car. “You’re not a young man any longer.” He raced the engine a little. “Why don’t you wear your gloves? Have you lost your gloves?” Walter Mitty reached in a pocket and brought out the gloves. He 5 put them on, but after she had turned and gone into the building and he had driven on to a red light, he took them off again. “Pick it up, brother!” snapped a cop as the light changed, and Mitty hastily pulled on his gloves and lurched ahead. He drove around the streets aimlessly for a time, and then he drove past the hospital on his way to the parking lot. |
- What evidence does this passage give that Mrs Mitty is a nagging wife? (2)
- What evidence does this passage give to show that Mitty tries to do things his way. (2)
- What else does he usually do to escape his wife? (2)
- What does driving past the hospital make him think of? Describe his thoughts in detail. (4)
- What word in the passage tells us that he is bored? (1)
- Answer TRUE or FALSE and give a reason for your answer. Do you agree that Walter Mitty is a good driver? (2) [13]
Answers - She tells him he should use overshoes and that he should put on his gloves. ✓✓ (2)
- He takes the gloves off as soon as she has gone. ✓✓ (2)
- He goes into his secret life which means that he imagines he is is a different situation. ✓✓ (2)
- He thinks or fantasises that he is a famous surgeon who will operate well and help the other doctors. ✓✓ He will fix the machine and take over because the other doctors are not as good as he is. ✓✓ (4)
- aimlessly ✓ (1)
- False, because he races the engine and does not move fast enough when the lights change. ✓✓ (2) [13]
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