Into the Snake Pit

 

Answers for the homework given: MCB Page 99 and 100

Reading 1

1. a. III b. iii. c. iv. d. iii

2. Answer the following questions.

a. Mac Tootle’s fears about Africa were mitigated by two things the narrator told him. What did he tell him?

The two things told by the narrator to Mac Tootle to mitigate his fears about Africa were:

1. Even though he had spent several months in Africa, he could see only five snakes.

2. The majority of snakes are easy to catch.

b. Why did the writer not have the heart to refuse the Irishman’s offer?

The writer did not have the heart to refuse the Irishman’s offer because the Irishman was very happy about the specimens of snakes he had found for the writer’s collection. Moreover, he told highly about the snake catching skills of the writer to his friends.

c. ‘Eventually eight of us walked our way through the banana plantation and seven were laughing and chattering excitedly…’ Who was the eighth one? Why was he not excited?

The eighth one was none other than the narrator. He was not happy or excited as he was the person who had to enter into the snake pit in the middle of the night. So, the narrator was anxious.

d. The narrator tries twice to escape his dreadful situation. What are the two reasons or excuses he tries to offer?

The first reason he tried was about lighting. As there was no torchlight, he wanted to back off from going into the snake pit. The second reason was the lack of proper clothing and shoes. He said that they could not offer proper protection to him against snakes.

e. After the pit ordeal, the writer concludes that animal collecting is as dangerous an occupation as one’s stupidity allows it to be. What do you think, he means by this?

After the pit ordeal, the writer concludes that an animal collector should not take stupid risks without proper preparation and equipment. It was not necessary for him to accept Mac Tootle’s offer and attempt to catch snakes at midnight. That too without proper lighting, clothes , and shoes. The writer was criticizing himself for being such a fool.

f. Bring out the humor in the last part of the account, relating to Mac Tootle and his brother.

They had waited for the brother and sister-in-law of Mac Tootle before they began the ordeal. Mac Tootle didn’t want his brother to miss the once in a lifetime opportunity to watch wild snakes being caught. The narrator had taken a great risk and entered into the snake pit. After all the trouble taken by the narrator to catch the snakes, Mac Tootle said that his brother hadn’t the courage to watch the ordeal. During the entire ordeal, they were not aware of the narrator’s misery or the difficult situation he faced.

Reading 2:

Give reasons for the following statements.

1. Going into the pit at night made the writer’s task more difficult for two reasons. What were these two reasons?

Going into the pit at night made the writer’s task more difficult for two reasons. They are: 1. Poor lighting. There was no sufficient light at the bottom of the pit. 2. There were Gaboon vipers in the pit. These deadly snakes are very quick and active at nights.

2. Do you think that the writer was relieved when Mac Tootle offered his clothes? Give a reason for your answer.

No. The narrator was not relieved when Mac Tootle offered him clothes. The narrator had hoped that he could back off from going into the snake pit by telling them that he was not having proper protective clothes.

3. The fact there were Gaboon vipers in the pit the narrator’s task ever more perilous. Why? Give two reasons.

Here are the two reasons that made the narrator’s task more perilous. 1. Gaboon vipers are among the deadliest snakes in the world. They hunt for food during night times. So, they are very active and quick at night. 2. The vipers have brown, silver-pink, and cream colored blotches on their skins. It is very difficult to find them as they are invisible in the background of leaf mould.