EduFarming
Your list · 0हिं — This page is in English only

Type at least two letters. Press Esc to close.

↑↓ navigate↵ openTAB cycle filter

Literary passages · Question 118 of 305

Nicholas says the system is "very useful" with special emphasis.

Question 118

MediumOriginal question

‘This is the first class in English spelling and philosophy, Nickleby,’ said Squeers, beckoning Nicholas to stand beside him. ‘We’ll get up a Latin one, and hand that over to you. Now, then, where’s the first boy?’

‘Please, sir, he’s cleaning the back-parlour window,’ said the temporary head of the philosophical class.

‘So he is, to be sure,’ rejoined Squeers. ‘We go upon the mode of teaching, Nickleby; the regular education system. C-l-e-a-n, clean, verb active, to make bright, to scour. W-i-n, win, d-e-r, der, winder, a casement. When the boy knows this out of book, he goes and does it. It’s just the same principle as the use of the globes. Where’s the second boy?’

‘Please, sir, he’s weeding the garden,’ replied a small voice.

‘To be sure,’ said Squeers, by no means . ‘So he is. B-o-t, bot, t-i-n, tin, bottin, n-e-y, ney, bottinney, noun substantive, a knowledge of plants. When he has learned that bottinney means a knowledge of plants, he goes and knows ‘em. That’s our system, Nickleby: what do you think of it?’

‘It’s very useful one, at any rate,’ answered Nicholas.

‘I believe you,’ rejoined Squeers, not remarking the of his usher. ‘Third boy, what’s horse?’

‘A beast, sir,’ replied the boy.

‘So it is,’ said Squeers. ‘Ain’t it, Nickleby?’

‘I believe there is no doubt of that, sir,’ answered Nicholas.

‘Of course there isn’t,’ said Squeers. ‘A horse is a , and quadruped’s Latin for beast, as everybody that’s gone through the grammar knows, or else where’s the use of having grammars at all?’

‘Where, indeed!’ said Nicholas .

‘As you’re perfect in that,’ resumed Squeers, turning to the boy, ‘go and look after MY horse, and rub him down well, or I’ll rub you down.’

Nicholas says the system is "very useful" with special emphasis. What does he mean?

Options for question 118

Show the answer and explanation
CorrectNot quiteAnswer D

Correct answer: D

Explanation

  1. Nicholas stresses the word, hinting at the real use: the boys are unpaid servants.

  2. The narrator adds that Squeers did "not remark the emphasis", so Squeers misses the hidden criticism.

Worth noting

Nicholas is not praising the lessons; his tone carries the opposite meaning.

Concept
Understanding sarcasm from emphasis
Typical time
50 s
Your time
—
The rule this testsWhat the passage suggests
Practise this chapter →

Ten questions from Literary passages, at your own pace.

Practise this chapter →

Ten questions from Literary passages, at your own pace.