Question
Adapted from The Goblin and the Sneeze
There lived an old Goblin in an isolated house on the outskirts of the city. As he lived there all alone, the goblin would lie down perched on the big black beam that ran across from one side to the other. As a reward for serving the King of the Goblins faithfully, the goblin was rewarded this isolated house and was given the permission to gobble any living creature who sneezed inside that house. But if, when a man sneezes and someone else says, "God bless you!" or "May you live a hundred years!" then the man who said it will be free. And if the other person replies, "The same to you!" then the other individual would also be set free. Otherwise, the Goblin would gobble up any individual for a single sneeze.
On one fateful day a father, along with his son, was travelling towards the outskirts of the city. As they reached the city gates, the duo wanted to cross the gates, but they weren't permitted. Earlier, due to the fear of thieves and dacoits,1 who would create havoc in the city, the city gates were shut after sunset.
"Now, do we look like robbers?" asked the father irritably.
The pair was aware that they were dusty and grimy with their trudge, and with a bag of tools over the shoulder, they certainly knew that they did not look like thieves.
"Robbers or no robbers, orders are orders," said the guard, "and this gate doesn't open for the King himself."
Seeing the weary expression on his son's face, the father helplessly said, "Well, what are we to do?"
"Oh, there's an empty house outside; there it is among the trees. It is haunted, they say; but I daresay the Goblin won't hurt you."
"Goblin!—well, we must take our chance, I suppose," said the little boy excitedly. As they had no option left, the father and son decided to spend a night in the haunted house. After they entered the isolated old house where the Goblin lived, though they were terribly scared of being attacked, both continued doing their chores. After cooking a sumptuous meal for themselves on a fire of sticks, they were preparing to go to bed.
The Goblin, however, was not going to let them off so easily as he wanted his dinner too. After waiting a long time, with never a sneeze from one or the other, he raised a cloud of fine dust which made the father nearly sneeze his head off. Though the goblin was aware of his own malicious act, he couldn't stop himself from doing so as he was starving.
Hearing the father sneeze, the Goblin chuckled, and was ready to pounce from his perch and devour the pair. But the little boy happened to see the goblin and being a sharp lad, he guessed the truth. He immediately said "God bless you, father!" He also added "may you live a hundred years!"
How the Goblin gnashed his teeth at his loss! However, the goblin thought, if his pudding was lost, he still had his meat left! So he stretched out his claws to clutch the father and tear him to pieces.
Just then the father cried, "Thank you, my son, and the same to you!"
The father muttered these words just on time as the goblin's claws were within an inch of his throat. On hearing these words the Goblin, baffled, flew up to his perch again, and sat mouthing and mumbling there.
While the Goblin sat upon the perch, the little boy, who wasn't even slightly affected by the Goblin's formidable appearance, began to talk to him and tried to point out his errors.
Select all the correct answers.
Read the sentence from the passage.
While the Goblin sat upon the perch, the little boy, who wasn't even slightly affected by the Goblin's formidable appearance, began to talk to him and tried to point out his errors.
Which two connotations does the word formidable have in this line from the text?
shocking
respectful
intimidating
rugged
familiar
There lived an old Goblin in an isolated house on the outskirts of the city. As he lived there all alone, the goblin would lie down perched on the big black beam that ran across from one side to the other. As a reward for serving the King of the Goblins faithfully, the goblin was rewarded this isolated house and was given the permission to gobble any living creature who sneezed inside that house. But if, when a man sneezes and someone else says, "God bless you!" or "May you live a hundred years!" then the man who said it will be free. And if the other person replies, "The same to you!" then the other individual would also be set free. Otherwise, the Goblin would gobble up any individual for a single sneeze.
On one fateful day a father, along with his son, was travelling towards the outskirts of the city. As they reached the city gates, the duo wanted to cross the gates, but they weren't permitted. Earlier, due to the fear of thieves and dacoits,1 who would create havoc in the city, the city gates were shut after sunset.
"Now, do we look like robbers?" asked the father irritably.
The pair was aware that they were dusty and grimy with their trudge, and with a bag of tools over the shoulder, they certainly knew that they did not look like thieves.
"Robbers or no robbers, orders are orders," said the guard, "and this gate doesn't open for the King himself."
Seeing the weary expression on his son's face, the father helplessly said, "Well, what are we to do?"
"Oh, there's an empty house outside; there it is among the trees. It is haunted, they say; but I daresay the Goblin won't hurt you."
"Goblin!—well, we must take our chance, I suppose," said the little boy excitedly. As they had no option left, the father and son decided to spend a night in the haunted house. After they entered the isolated old house where the Goblin lived, though they were terribly scared of being attacked, both continued doing their chores. After cooking a sumptuous meal for themselves on a fire of sticks, they were preparing to go to bed.
The Goblin, however, was not going to let them off so easily as he wanted his dinner too. After waiting a long time, with never a sneeze from one or the other, he raised a cloud of fine dust which made the father nearly sneeze his head off. Though the goblin was aware of his own malicious act, he couldn't stop himself from doing so as he was starving.
Hearing the father sneeze, the Goblin chuckled, and was ready to pounce from his perch and devour the pair. But the little boy happened to see the goblin and being a sharp lad, he guessed the truth. He immediately said "God bless you, father!" He also added "may you live a hundred years!"
How the Goblin gnashed his teeth at his loss! However, the goblin thought, if his pudding was lost, he still had his meat left! So he stretched out his claws to clutch the father and tear him to pieces.
Just then the father cried, "Thank you, my son, and the same to you!"
The father muttered these words just on time as the goblin's claws were within an inch of his throat. On hearing these words the Goblin, baffled, flew up to his perch again, and sat mouthing and mumbling there.
While the Goblin sat upon the perch, the little boy, who wasn't even slightly affected by the Goblin's formidable appearance, began to talk to him and tried to point out his errors.
Select all the correct answers.
Read the sentence from the passage.
While the Goblin sat upon the perch, the little boy, who wasn't even slightly affected by the Goblin's formidable appearance, began to talk to him and tried to point out his errors.
Which two connotations does the word formidable have in this line from the text?
shocking
respectful
intimidating
rugged
familiar
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The two correct connotations of the word "formidable" in the context of the line from the text are:
1. intimidating
2. shocking
"Formidable" generally describes something that inspires fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable, which aligns with "intimidating" and "shocking."
1. intimidating
2. shocking
"Formidable" generally describes something that inspires fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or capable, which aligns with "intimidating" and "shocking."