Question
The passage: So Gortsby’s imagination pictured things as he sat on his bench in the almost deserted walk. He was in the mood to count himself among the defeated. Money troubles did not press on him; had he so wished he could have strolled into the thoroughfares of light and noise, and taken his place among the jostling ranks of those who enjoyed prosperity or struggled for it. He had failed in a more subtle ambition, and for the moment he was heartsore and disillusionised, and not disinclined to take a certain cynical pleasure in observing and labelling his fellow wanderers as they went their ways in the dark stretches between the lamp-lights.
On the bench by his side sat an elderly gentleman with a drooping air of defiance that was probably the remaining vestige of self-respect in an individual who had ceased to defy successfully anybody or anything. His clothes could scarcely be called shabby, at least they passed muster in the half-light, but one’s imagination could not have pictured the wearer embarking on the purchase of a half-crown box of chocolates or laying out ninepence on a carnation buttonhole. He belonged unmistakably to that forlorn orchestra to whose piping no one dances; he was one of the world’s lamenters who induce no responsive weeping. As he rose to go Gortsby imagined him returning to a home circle where he was snubbed and of no account, or to some bleak lodging where his ability to pay a weekly bill was the beginning and end of the interest he inspired. His retreating figure vanished slowly into the shadows, and his place on the bench was taken almost immediately by a young man, fairly well dressed but scarcely more cheerful of mien than his predecessor. As if to emphasise the fact that the world went badly with him the new-corner unburdened himself of an angry and very audible expletive as he flung himself into the seat.
Task: Use the passage below to answer the question. You can use the modern or original passage to answer the question, although the test will only include the original version.
Question: In 3-5 sentences using specific evidence, explain how the passage supports the theme of the importance of first impressions by explaining:
- what you think of Gortsby based on this description
- what Gortsby thinks of the old man
- what Gortsby thinks of the young man
Use this information to help you write your answer:
Topic Sentence - Restate the writing prompt to become the topic sentence. Use the bold words from the question.
Use transition words to introduce and answer each of the bulleted items above
Include specific evidence from the passage to defend your answer
This includes retelling events in your own words and
Including direct quotes from the passage
On the bench by his side sat an elderly gentleman with a drooping air of defiance that was probably the remaining vestige of self-respect in an individual who had ceased to defy successfully anybody or anything. His clothes could scarcely be called shabby, at least they passed muster in the half-light, but one’s imagination could not have pictured the wearer embarking on the purchase of a half-crown box of chocolates or laying out ninepence on a carnation buttonhole. He belonged unmistakably to that forlorn orchestra to whose piping no one dances; he was one of the world’s lamenters who induce no responsive weeping. As he rose to go Gortsby imagined him returning to a home circle where he was snubbed and of no account, or to some bleak lodging where his ability to pay a weekly bill was the beginning and end of the interest he inspired. His retreating figure vanished slowly into the shadows, and his place on the bench was taken almost immediately by a young man, fairly well dressed but scarcely more cheerful of mien than his predecessor. As if to emphasise the fact that the world went badly with him the new-corner unburdened himself of an angry and very audible expletive as he flung himself into the seat.
Task: Use the passage below to answer the question. You can use the modern or original passage to answer the question, although the test will only include the original version.
Question: In 3-5 sentences using specific evidence, explain how the passage supports the theme of the importance of first impressions by explaining:
- what you think of Gortsby based on this description
- what Gortsby thinks of the old man
- what Gortsby thinks of the young man
Use this information to help you write your answer:
Topic Sentence - Restate the writing prompt to become the topic sentence. Use the bold words from the question.
Use transition words to introduce and answer each of the bulleted items above
Include specific evidence from the passage to defend your answer
This includes retelling events in your own words and
Including direct quotes from the passage
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
The passage illustrates the theme of the importance of first impressions through the character Gortsby as he assesses those around him. First, Gortsby emerges as an observant and somewhat cynical character; he perceives himself as among the defeated, feeling "heartsore and disillusionised," which sets a critical tone for his evaluations of others. In regard to the old man, Gortsby imagines him as someone defeated by life, picturing him returning to a "home circle where he was snubbed and of no account," indicating Gortsby’s view of the old man's despair and social insignificance. Similarly, Gortsby's impression of the young man is negative; he notes that the newcomer, "fairly well dressed but scarcely more cheerful," adds an expletive to express his anger, suggesting that Gortsby perceives this young man as frustrated and similarly disillusioned, aligning him with the theme of failure in the modern world. Thus, the impressions Gortsby forms reflect his own inner turmoil and skepticism about society as a whole.