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Difficulty: MediumDrawing Inferences and Deductions from Unseen Passages

Read the unseen poem extract below carefully:

"The musician tuned his lute with trembling hands,
Beneath the shadowed arches of the court;
He glanced toward the throne where silence fell,
And tucked a folded parchment in his sleeve.
No hymn of flattery would cross his lips tonight,
Though golden coins lay stacked beside his seat."

Based on the extract above, what can be inferred about the musician's intentions?

  1. He plans to deliver a message of defiance or truth rather than praise the ruler.Answer
  2. B
    He is trembling because he fears losing the royal payment for his performance.
  3. C
    He has been bribed by the court to sing a song honoring the monarch.
  4. D
    He is waiting for the silence in the hall to end before beginning his praise song.

Answer

The musician plans to deliver a message of defiance or truth rather than praise the ruler.
The extract establishes a clear contrast between the reward offered (stacked golden coins for flattery) and the musician's secret preparations (tucking a hidden parchment into his sleeve and refusing to sing praise). From these clues, one can logically deduce that he intends to deliver an unscripted, critical, or defiant piece instead of pleasing the monarch.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the implicit details and actions in the verse.
The musician hides a parchment in his sleeve, turns away from the offered golden coins, and resolves not to sing flattery.
Inference requires combining subtle actions (concealing parchment) with explicit statements (refusing flattery) to uncover hidden motives.
2
Evaluate the relationship between the musician and the monarch's reward.
The golden coins indicate a reward for compliance/flattery, which the musician deliberately disregards.
Deducting motive involves contrasting the expected behavior (singing praise for money) with the character's chosen action.
3
Synthesize the evidence to determine the main deduction.
The secret parchment and rejection of reward signify a covert act of truth-telling or rebellion.
The correct deduction must be logically supported by the passage's atmosphere and character actions.

Key Concept

Drawing Inferences and Deductions from Unseen Poetry
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Topics

Drawing Inferences and Deductions from Unseen Passages

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