1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: (10) Once upon a time in a village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a moneylender who was old and ugly. However, the moneylender fancied the farmer’s daughter. So he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the farmer’s debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. The cunning moneylender suggested they let Providence decide the matter. He said he would put two pebbles into the money bag–one black and one white. If she picked the white one her father’s debt would be forgiven and she need not marry the moneylender. If she picked the black pebble her father’s debt would still be forgiven, but she would have to marry the moneylender. And if she refused to pick any pebble her father would be thrown into prison. The three of them were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer’s field when the money lender bent down to pick up the pebbles. The sharp eyed girl noticed that the money lender had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick up a pebble. The girl drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall on to the pebble strewn path where it got mixed up among the other pebbles. “Oh! How clumsy of me,” she said, “but never mind if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to find which pebble I picked”. Since the remaining pebble was black, it was assumed that the girl had picked the white one and since the moneylender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed an impossible situation to an extremely advantageous one! 1.1 On the basis of your reading of the passage, complete the following statements: (8) (a) The moneylender proposed a bargain that he would forgo the farmer’s debt if _____________. (1) (b) Farmer and his daughter were horrified by the moneylender’s proposal because he was __________. (1) (c) If the farmer’s daughter picked up the white pebble her father’s _______________. (1) (d) In case the farmer’s daughter refused to pick any pebble her _________________. (1) (e) The farmer’s daughter noticed that ______________. (1) (f) It was assumed that the girl had picked the white pebble because _______________. (1) (g) Mention any two qualities the farmer’s daughter displayed. (2) (i) _________________ (ii) _________________ 1.2 Find words from the passage which mean the same as the following (a) bad luck (para 1) _______________ (b) small stones (para 2) _______________ (c) sum of money owed (para 2) _______________ (d) lacking skill (para 4) _______________​