29. Reading Skills Comprehension: Merchant

MERCHANT

Read the Passage carefully and answers the following Questions:-

 Once upon a time, there was a rich merchant who had four wives. He loved the fourth wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best. He also loved the third wife very much. He was very proud of her and always wanted to show her off to his friends. However, the merchant was always in great fear that she might run away with some other men. He loved his second wife too. She was a very considerate person, always patient and in fact was the merchant’s confidante. \Niemeyer the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his second wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult Hines. Now, the merchant’s first wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, lie knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, ” Now I have four wives with me. But when I die, I’ll be alone. How lonely I’ll be!” Thus, he asked the fourth wife, “I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now, that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No way !” replied the fourth wife and she walked away without another word. The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant’s heart. The sad merchant then asked the third wife. “‘I’ have loved you so much for all my life. Now, that Fm dying, will you follow me and keep me company ?” “No !” replied the third wife. “Life is so good over here! I’m going to remarry when you die !” The merchant’s heart sank and turned cold. He then asked the second wife, “I always turned to you for help and you’ve always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When 1 die, Will, you follow me and keep me company? ” I’m sorry, I can’t help you out this time !” replied the second wife. “At the very most, l can only send you to your grave.” The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated. ‘Then a voice called out, “You leave with you. I’ll follow you no dieter where you go.” The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, “I should have taken much better care of you while I could have !”

Actually, we all have four wives in our lives. The fourth wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it’ll leave us when we die. Our third wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others. The second wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been to us when we’re alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave. The first wife is, in fact, our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure. It is actually the only thing that follows us where ever we go. Perhaps it’s a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we’re in our deathbed to lament.

 1. What did the merchant want to do with his third wife?

(a) To buy good clothes for her

 (b) To give her away to his friends

(c) To show her off to his friends

(d) To share his problems with her

2. What was the second wife’s quality?

 (a) She helped the merchant during tough times

 (b) She helped the merchant in his business

(c) She made the merchant feel proud

(d) She contributed to the merchant’s wealth

3. What does the phrase ‘cut like a sharp knife’ as used in the passage mean?

(a) Injure                     (b) Bleed

(c) Dangerous              (d) Hurt

4. Which of the following is possible not the characteristics of the first wife as given in the passage?

 (a) Caring                   (b) Beautiful

(c) Thin                        (d) Loyal

5. What fear did the merchant have about his third wife?

 (a) That she would kill him

(b) That she would not accompany him when he died

(c) That she would run away with all his money

(d) None of the above

6. What explanation did the fourth wife give for not accompanying the merchant when he was dying?

(a) She wanted more money

 (b) She did not give any explanation

(c) She wanted to marry someone else after the merchant’s death

(d) She was afraid to go with him

 7. Why did the first wife offer to go with the merchant when he died?

(a) Because she loved him

(b) Because she was afraid to stay alone

(c) Because she hated the other wives

(d) Because she was undernourished and was going to die anyway

 8. The author has compared the merchant’s fourth wife to our

 (a) soul                       (b) wealth

(c) friends                    (d) All of the above

 9. What does the author have to say about our soul?

(a) That it is well taken care of

(b) That it can give us company only till our death

(c) That it has been ignored in the chase for worldly pleasures

(d) None of the above

ANSWERS:-

1.(c)                2. (a)

3. (d)               4. (b)

5. (d)               6. (b)

7. (a)               8. (d)

9. (c)

Download the above Passage in PDF (Printable)

Need our help or have some question