Excerpt from Don Quixote
by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
translated from the Spanish by John Ormsby
1. At this point they came in sight of thirty or forty windmills that were on the plain, and as soon as Don Quixote saw them he said ta his squire, "Fortune is arranging matters for us better than we could have shaped our desiress ourselves, for look there, friend Sancho Panza, when thirty or more monstrous giants present themselves, all of whom I mean to engage in battle and stay, and with whose spoils we shall begin to make our fortunes; for this is righteous warfare, and it is God's good service to sweep so evil a breed from off the face of the earth."
2. "What giants?" said Sancho Panza.
3. "Those thou seest there." answered his master; "with the long arms, and some nave them nearly two leagues long.'
4. "Lock, your warship," said Sancho, "what we see there are not giants but windmills, and what seem to be their arms are the sails that turned by the wind make the millstone go."
5. "It is easy to see," replied Don Quixote, "that thou art not used to this business of adventures those are giants; and it thou art afraid, away with thee out of this and betake thyself to prayer while I engage them in fierce and unequal combat.
6. So saying, he gave the spur to his steed Rocinante, heedless of the cries his squire Sancho sent after him, warning him that most certainty they were windmills and not giants he was going to attack. He, however, was so positive they were giants that he neither heard the cries of Sancho, nor perceived, near as he was, what they were, but made at them shouting, "Fly not, cowards and vile beings, for a single knight. attacks you."
7. A slight breeze at this moment sprang up, and the great sails began to move, seeing which
Don Quixote exclaimed, “Though ye flourish more arms than the giant Briareus, ye have to
reckon with me.â€
8. So saying, and commending himself with all his heart to his lady Dulcinea, imploring her to support him in such a pert, with lance in rest, and covered by his buckler, he charged at Rocinante's fullest gallop and fell upon the first mill that stood in front of him, but as he drove his lance point into the sail the wind whirled it round with such force that it shivered the lance to pieces, sweeping win it horse and rider, who went rolling over on the plan, in a sorry condition. Sancho hastened to his assistance as fast as his donkey could go, and when he came up found Don Quixote unable to move, with such a shock had Rocinante fallen with him
9. “God bless me!" said Sancho. "Did I not tell your worship to mind what you were about, for they were only windmills? And no one could have made any mistake about it but one who had something of the same kind in his head."
10. “Hush, friend Sancho," replied Don Quixote, "the fortunes of war more than any other are liable to frequent fluctuations; and moreover I think, and it is the truth, that that same sage Friston who carried off my study and books, has turned these giants into mills in order to rob me of the glory of vanquishing them, such is the enmity he bears me; but in the and his wicked
Which summary best describes the events found in paragraphs 1-4 of the excerpt?
- A. Don Quixote and Sancho seek to make their fortunes, and Don Quixote sees their opportunity when they discover a field of windmills. The field has thirty or forty windmills.
- B. Don Quixote and Sancho came to a field of windmills, which Don Quixote says are giants that he will destroy. Sancho tries to convince Don Quixote these are really windmills.
- C. Don Quixote and Sancho find a field of windmills. Sancho explains to Don Quixote that the wind blows the sails and turns the millstone.
- D. Don Quixote and Sancho discover a field of giants disguised as windmills. Don Quixote vows to defeat the giants, but Sancho is afraid and tries to convince Don Quixote not to fight.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B
Option B accurately captures the essence of the events in the first four paragraphs, highlighting Don Quixote's misinterpretation of the windmills as giants and Sancho's attempt to reason with him. This dynamic illustrates the central conflict between reality and illusion. Option A misrepresents the characters' motivations; they are not primarily seeking fortune but rather engaging in a fantastical quest. Option C focuses too much on the mechanics of the windmills, neglecting the dramatic tension between Don Quixote and Sancho. Option D inaccurately frames the windmills as giants rather than emphasizing Don Quixote's delusion, which is critical to understanding the narrative.
Option B accurately captures the essence of the events in the first four paragraphs, highlighting Don Quixote's misinterpretation of the windmills as giants and Sancho's attempt to reason with him. This dynamic illustrates the central conflict between reality and illusion. Option A misrepresents the characters' motivations; they are not primarily seeking fortune but rather engaging in a fantastical quest. Option C focuses too much on the mechanics of the windmills, neglecting the dramatic tension between Don Quixote and Sancho. Option D inaccurately frames the windmills as giants rather than emphasizing Don Quixote's delusion, which is critical to understanding the narrative.
Other Related Questions
At last she cut her thread and suddenly put her darning down, saying emphatically: 'William, I don't think it would hurt you to let the boys go to the circus in town tomorrow.' How would replacing the word 'emphatically' with the word 'contentiously' affect the meaning of the sentences?
- A. It would emphasize the previous descriptions of Hester as quick to provide unsolicited advice
- B. It would imply that Hester knows she is losing the argument and has run out of options other than shouting
- C. It would clarify that being direct and forceful are the main ways Hester persuades people to listen to her ideas
- D. It would suggest that Hester is trying to start an argument rather than simply being opinionated
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D
Replacing "emphatically" with "contentiously" shifts the tone of Hester's statement. While "emphatically" conveys strong conviction, "contentiously" implies a confrontational attitude, suggesting Hester is provoking disagreement rather than merely expressing her opinion. Option A is incorrect because it misinterprets Hester's intention; the focus is on argument rather than unsolicited advice. Option B inaccurately suggests Hester is losing the argument and resorting to shouting, which is not supported by the context. Option C misrepresents her persuasive style; being direct does not necessarily equate to being contentious.
Replacing "emphatically" with "contentiously" shifts the tone of Hester's statement. While "emphatically" conveys strong conviction, "contentiously" implies a confrontational attitude, suggesting Hester is provoking disagreement rather than merely expressing her opinion. Option A is incorrect because it misinterprets Hester's intention; the focus is on argument rather than unsolicited advice. Option B inaccurately suggests Hester is losing the argument and resorting to shouting, which is not supported by the context. Option C misrepresents her persuasive style; being direct does not necessarily equate to being contentious.
In her blog, Rodriguez writes from the perspective of a student who is
- A. campaigning in a student election.
- B. commenting on a famous suffragist.
- C. advocating for women's rights.
- D. documenting an event.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
Rodriguez’s blog focuses on the experiences and challenges faced by women, highlighting the importance of advocating for women's rights. This perspective aligns with option C, as it emphasizes activism and social justice. Option A, campaigning in a student election, is too narrow and does not capture the broader theme of women's rights. Option B, commenting on a famous suffragist, suggests a historical analysis rather than a personal advocacy stance. Option D, documenting an event, implies a neutral observation rather than an active promotion of women's rights. Thus, option C best reflects the intent and perspective of Rodriguez's writing.
Rodriguez’s blog focuses on the experiences and challenges faced by women, highlighting the importance of advocating for women's rights. This perspective aligns with option C, as it emphasizes activism and social justice. Option A, campaigning in a student election, is too narrow and does not capture the broader theme of women's rights. Option B, commenting on a famous suffragist, suggests a historical analysis rather than a personal advocacy stance. Option D, documenting an event, implies a neutral observation rather than an active promotion of women's rights. Thus, option C best reflects the intent and perspective of Rodriguez's writing.
Nobody was ever hurt by goin' to a circus. Why, law me! I remember I went to one myself once, when I was little.' Based on the excerpt, which key inference about Hester do the sentences support?
- A. She has a sarcastic perspective when thinking about her past
- B. She is frustrated with her husband and sons
- C. She is worried about the overwork of her sons.
- D. She has a permissive side that contrasts with her typical sternness
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: D
The excerpt reveals Hester's nostalgic recollection of attending a circus, suggesting a lighter, more permissive side to her character, contrasting with her usual stern demeanor. This indicates that she values joyful experiences, especially in her past. Option A misinterprets her tone; there's no sarcasm present. Option B lacks support from the text, as it focuses on her past experience rather than frustration. Option C also does not align with the excerpt, which doesn’t mention her sons' workload or express concern about it. Thus, the focus on a joyful memory highlights her more lenient nature.
The excerpt reveals Hester's nostalgic recollection of attending a circus, suggesting a lighter, more permissive side to her character, contrasting with her usual stern demeanor. This indicates that she values joyful experiences, especially in her past. Option A misinterprets her tone; there's no sarcasm present. Option B lacks support from the text, as it focuses on her past experience rather than frustration. Option C also does not align with the excerpt, which doesn’t mention her sons' workload or express concern about it. Thus, the focus on a joyful memory highlights her more lenient nature.
Based on details in the article, what generalizations can be made about landfills?
- A. Communities accept landfill companies that are receptive to concerns.
- B. Landfill businesses in some communities are following the Gregory brothers' model.
- C. Legal restraints will eventually force communities to close their landfills.
- D. Recycling will eventually replace the need for landfills in all communities.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Option A highlights the importance of communication between landfill companies and communities, emphasizing that successful operations often depend on addressing local concerns. This reflects a collaborative approach that can lead to better acceptance of landfills. Option B inaccurately suggests that all landfill businesses adopt a specific model, which may not be universally applicable across different communities. Option C presents an overly deterministic view, implying that legal constraints will inevitably lead to landfill closures, which may not be true for all regions. Option D assumes that recycling will completely eliminate the need for landfills, disregarding the reality that some waste will always require disposal.
Option A highlights the importance of communication between landfill companies and communities, emphasizing that successful operations often depend on addressing local concerns. This reflects a collaborative approach that can lead to better acceptance of landfills. Option B inaccurately suggests that all landfill businesses adopt a specific model, which may not be universally applicable across different communities. Option C presents an overly deterministic view, implying that legal constraints will inevitably lead to landfill closures, which may not be true for all regions. Option D assumes that recycling will completely eliminate the need for landfills, disregarding the reality that some waste will always require disposal.