Read this extract from Anne of Gabriel Greens by Lucy Maud Montgomery and answer the questions that follow.
The child put out her hand and broke off a branch of wild plum that brushed against the side of the buggy.
“Isn’t that beautiful? What did that tree, leaning out from the bank, all white and lacy, make you think of?” she asked. “Well now, I dunno,” said Matthew. “Why, a bride, of course–a bride all in white with a lovely misty veil.
I’ve never seen one, but I can imagine what she would look like. I don’t ever expect to be a bride myself. I’m so homely nobody will ever want to marry me-unless it might be a foreign missionary. I suppose a foreign missionary mightn’t be very particular. But I do hope that someday I shall have a white dress.
That is my highest ideal of earthly bliss. I just love pretty clothes. And I’ve never had a pretty dress in my life that I can remember-but of course it’s all the more to look forward to., isn’t it? And then I can imagine that l’m dressed gorgeously.
This morning when I left the asylum I felt so ashamed because I had to wear this horrid old wincey dress. All the orphans had to wear them, you know. A merchant in Hopeton last winter donated three hundred yards of wincey to the asylum.
Some people said it was because he couldn’t sell it, but l’d rather believe that it was out of the kindness of his heart. wouldn’t you? When we got on the train I felt as if everybody must be looking at me and pitying me.
But I just went to work and imagined that I had on the most beautiful pale blue silk dress-because when you are imagining you might as well imagine something worthwhile-and a big hat all flowers and nodding plumes, and a gold watch, and kid gloves and boots.
I felt cheered up right away and I enjoyed my trip to the Island with all my might. I wasn’t a bit sick coming over in the boat. Neither was Mrs. Spencer although she generally is. She said she hadn’t time to get sick, watching to see that I didn’t fall overboard. She said she never saw the beat of me for prowling about.
But if it kept her from being seasick, it’s a mercy I did prowl, isn’t it? And I wanted to see everything that was to be seen on that boat, because I didn’t know whether I’d ever have another opportunity. Oh, there are a lot more cherry-trees all in bloom! This Island is the bloomiest place.
I just love it already, and l’m so glad l’m going to live here. I’ve always heard that Prince Edward Island was the prettiest place in the world, and I used to imagine I was living here, but I never really expected I would. It’s delightful when your imaginations come true, isn’t it? But those red roads are so funny.
When we got into the train at Charlottetown and the red roads began to flash past I asked Mrs. Spencer what made them red and she said she didn’t know and for pity’s sake not to ask her any more questions. She said I must have asked her a thousand already. I suppose I had, too, but how you going to find out about things if you don’t ask questions? And what does make the roads red?” “Well now, I dunno,” said Matthew. “Well, that is one of the things to find out sometime.
Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive-it’s such an interesting world. It wouldn’t be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There’d be no scope for imagination then, would there? But am I talking too much? People are always telling me I do. Would you rather I didn’t talk? If you say so lI’ll stop.
I can stop when I make up my mind to it, although it’s difficult.” Matthew, much to his own surprise, was enjoying himself. Like most quiet folks he liked talkative people when they were willing to do the talking themselves and did not expect him to keep up his end of it. But he had never expected to enjoy the society of a little girl.
A. Answer these questions.
- What did the ‘white and lacy’ tree leaning out from the bank make the little girl think of?
- Why was the little girl ashamed when she left the asylum?
- In what way did the little girl think differently about the merchant who donated yards of wincey?
- How did the little girl feel when she got onto the train and how did she cheer herself up?
- Why did the little girl feel living on the Island was like her imagination coming true?
- What made the child think the world is an interesting place?
B. Write words from the passage that mean the same as the following.
- the best possible
- complete happiness
- gave to those who need help
- walking around an area as if hunting something