The alarm clock buzzed into life. Benjamin resisted the temptation to switch it off and snuggle back into the pleasant dream he had been enjoying. He experienced the familiar nagging feeling of anxiety as he thought of another day’s teaching ahead of him. Still, it was nearly the end of the working week, he remembered, as he reluctantly got out of bed.
It had seemed only logical that Benjamin should become a teacher of literature, as his grandmother had been. She had filled his boyhood imagination with tales of wonderful students, and sacrifices had been made by his parents to ensure his education. He had a passion for literature, nurtured by a series of excellent teachers.
However, thinking of the senior class in general and of Ahmed in particular, Benjamin realised that his preconceptions of the job were different from its reality. He admitted to himself that yesterday’s poetry lesson had been a disaster. How confident he had been, remembering the hours of preparation that had produced the worksheets. His own love of poetry could not fail to win over the students; he had been sure of that.
But Benjamin had scarcely finished reading the poem to the class when Ahmed’s hand shot up. ‘Sir, I don’t understand this.’ This was accompanied by a smirk to the rest of the class, who giggled obediently. Ahmed was the entertainer and the classroom was his theatre. Benjamin continued the lesson with dogged determination, but more unnecessary questions from Ahmed were followed by his exaggerated coughing fit. Gone was Benjamin’s aim of inspiring these young people with an appreciation of great literature. Instead, Ahmed had stolen the show. Benjamin was unwilling to involve the school principal in disciplining Ahmed because, in his mind, it would be an admission of failure. It was apparent that a sensible strategy in dealing with Ahmed was crucial. Clearly, he was the class’s role model and, if they took a lead from him in poor behaviour, then they might do likewise if he behaved well.
Still recollecting the events of yesterday, Benjamin began the short walk to school. Then there was another problem, he thought. Just because he had happy memories of his former teachers did not mean it was a good idea to accept a teaching post in his former school. He thought of Mr Tullen, the physical education teacher, who had appointed young Benjamin as the school cricket team captain, and of old Mr Hemu, the science teacher, who had astonished young Benjamin with his bunsen flames and test tubes. Now, however, these men were just some of the teachers who treated Benjamin as an over-grown student rather than as a colleague.
And what about Miss Siti, the school librarian? She had reminded Benjamin of his days as a student at the school and, although there was no doubting her fondness for Benjamin, her action had the opposite effect to the one intended. Certainly, she remembered him as the backbone of the school debating club, but her list tailed off into unfortunate anecdotes, like the school award ceremony when he tripped as he went forward to shake hands with the school principal. What else could Benjamin do but respond to Miss Siti’s cues and manage some hollow laughter? Miss Siti continued to reminisce, clearly oblivious to Benjamin’s true feelings.
After Benjamin’s first lesson that morning, with the junior class, he made his way to the
As Benjamin went over to the bin to sharpen his pencil, he was surprised to see a movement among the papers inside. At first it was an almost imperceptible twitch, so that Benjamin wondered if he was deluding himself. Suddenly, the paper lifted gently upwards. Benjamin glanced at the class to gauge their reaction, but they were all busy writing. Then Benjamin froze – there was no mistaking the hissing sound which was coming from the bin. Rooted to the spot, his heart racing, Benjamin watched in fascinated horror as two small eyes, like tiny black beads, stared back at him from under the paper. The class continued to write; from somewhere in the distance came the high-pitched whining sound of a grass-cutting machine; more closely could be heard the unmistakeable voice of Mr Tullen on the cricket pitch.
Suddenly, a head darted from the paper, with a quick, graceful movement from side to side, as if its owner were looking for something specific. This was enough for Benjamin to confirm what he had suspected for several long seconds – there was a snake in the classroom! As if to offer further proof to Benjamin of its presence, the snake’s tongue shot out, a thin ominous black dart, causing Benjamin’s heart to race even faster.
By now, Benjamin was not the only person in the classroom aware of the unexpected guest. Ahmed was pointing at the bin. Here was a transformed boy; there was no smirking now. ‘Sir, sir... there’s a snake in there!’ he stammered. At that point, chaos ensued. Even those students who attempted at first to appear nonchalant picked up Ahmed’s mood and rose to their feet in alarm. Amidst all the confusion, the fact that Ahmed’s entire body was shaking in terror was not lost on Benjamin.
‘Right, class!’ said Benjamin sharply. ‘Sit down and be silent.’ All the students, including Ahmed, complied with his request. ‘It is crucial that we do not infuriate our guest,’ Benjamin continued, hoping to maintain a dignified but assertive demeanour. Wide-eyed and solemn, the students nodded, a model of a well-disciplined class. ‘He is warm and comfortable where he is, but we must avoid disturbing him by loud noises or sudden movements.’ Benjamin realised that he was enjoying exactly the sort of relationship with his students that he had read about in his teacher-training textbooks.
In a flash, Benjamin noticed on the classroom shelf the box containing the worksheets which had been used in yesterday’s disastrous lesson. Aware of the necessity for prompt action, he removed the worksheets from the box, remembering yesterday’s attempts by Ahmed to thwart his plans. Pushing that thought from his mind, he crept over to the bin with the empty cardboard box. There was neither sound nor sight of the snake now – it was almost as if it had never been in the classroom at all. Benjamin hesitated – would the box be broad and deep enough for the job he planned for it? With a quick flick of his wrist, he covered the bin with the box. Relief flooded over him as he realised that the box was, fortunately, large enough to cover the top of the bin completely. He picked up the bin with his right hand, fervently hoping that his plan would work. Holding the lid in place with his left hand, he nodded to Ahmed to open the classroom door. With uncharacteristic meekness, Ahmed followed the instruction, and watched as Benjamin strode purposefully along the corridor to the school exit, carrying the class visitor and his new found home. Leaving his burden in the empty playground, Benjamin made his way to the school caretaker’s office to report the matter and have the snake removed.
Wondering what mischief Ahmed might have planned for his return, Benjamin hurried back along the corridor. The class sat in total silence, exactly as he had left them. Ahmed was still standing at the door. ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘you were brilliant just now. You’re our hero. And I’m sorry about everything... you know....’ Benjamin reflected that this was what teaching was all about. ‘Tomorrow will be the first day of the rest of my life,’ he thought happily.
From CIE GCE ‘O’ Level Paper
18 comments:
Using your own words as far as possible, write a summary in which you explain how it became increasingly clear to Benjamin that there was a snake in the classroom, how the students reacted to the snake, and the actions that Benjamin took to solve the problem.
There was a rattling among the papers in the bin which forced Benjamin to take notice. By this time he focused his attention to the ret of the class to see if they noticed what happened, but everyone was too busy writing. It was then he heard a hiss, followed by the snake making its appearance and eliminating all doubts from Benjamins mind. As soon as it shot out of the dustbin, Ahmed noticed it and spread panic amongst the remainder of the class. The only person ho appeared remotely calm in the situation was Benjamin.
He notices a box of worksheets, and uses it to confine the snake within the dustbin. With the asistance of Ahmed, he transfers the dustbin away from the classroom and disposes of it in the school playground.
Benjamin mind was frayewd with anxiety and frustration. His last poetry class had been spoilt by Ahmed, the joker of jokers among the senior student body.
But the class was unusually quiet today. They began at the task assigned by Benjamin without much protest and he was somewhat relieved. Benjamin had gone towards the bin to sharpen his pencil when he first noticed a slight swirl in the plastic box of trash. Gradually, it became clear that there was a snake in the bin, as the reptile slithered making rustling noises and hissing constantly. As if to make its presence final, the snake ducked its head out and stared at the class. Panic began engulfing the room with Ahmed trying to inform Benjamin about the snake. Benjamin tried his hand at controlling the students and was successful. He felt overjoyed as he sensed that the time had finally come when he could reach out to the students and connect with them. He asked them to maintain their silence and let him handle the situation.
His expert mind helped him cover the dustbin with a worksheet tray which was fortunately big enough for it. He motioned for Ahmed to open the door, and kept the bin outside in the empty playground. After dutifully informing the caretaker about the incident, Benjamin returned to his class expecting chaos. But he was in for a surprise, as the classroom was still quiet and Ahmed standing where he had left him, congratulated him on being so brilliant about the incident. He even apologised, leaving Benjamin feeling proud and glad to start life afresh with a felicitous beginning.
Benjamin first reacted to a sound, a sort of rattling amongst the paper submerged in the bin. He looked at the class to see if they have realised the sound, but, they hadn't, so he excluded it for a while. Then the sound came again, and the rattling increased and vibrations started to occur from within the bin. He realised there that something was in the bin, as the class had also diverted their attention to it, as if to confirm Benjamin's suspicions. The rattling sound emerged from the bin to be a snake, with its tongue sticking out and hissing.
Chaos erupted in the classroom, and Benjamin was the first to divert his shock. He then realises that the class is comprimised to a lethal creature, and so he figures a plan. He manages to calm the class by explaining the snake's intentions. Benjamin then attempts to carry out his plan. He covers the bin with the worksheet tray from last lesson's work, and he finds that it fits perfectly, covering the entire lid.
With the snake controllable, he, with the assistance of Ahmed, transfers the bin outside o the playground, where he then informs the caretaker, and returns to class. He observes that the class was quiet, and that Ahmed apologised for his previous behaviour towards him. Benjamin comments that its no problem.
When Benjamin went to sharpen his pencil, he noticed a rattling paper noise, and looked back at the class to find them still silently working. Then he realized the rattling had come from the garbage bin below him. As he continued to stare down at the rattling waste basket, he noticed some beady little eyes staring back at him. Unsure what to think he kept staring, and apparently the beady-eyed figure took that as an invitation to come introduce his serpent self.
During the introduction, Ahmed notices the new "student" and his tough cool guy image quickly fades away turning him to a scared child. Then Benjamin decides to take a box and makes a sandwhich, the snake being the meat, makes Ahmed get the door. Thus benjamin returned from the playground a hero.
Benjamin wasn't in the best of moods as he had had a very bad poetry class the other day. Therefore he was surprised to see his class writing in intense concentration. He first begins to notice a movement among the papers in the bin. At first he doesn't take much notice, as there was no response from the class. But the next time he sees the paper gently moving upwards and realization begins to hit him. The class is still unaware of what is going on. But soon he see's the snake's head rising out of the dustbin, and by this time the attention of the whole class is diverted to the dustbin. Ahmed announces the presece of the snake, and chaos ensues as the class tries to scramble to safety. But Benjamin is able to keep his head, and asks the class to settle down. He soon sees the box which contained the worksheets of the last class. He uses the box to cover the top of the dustbin.
With the snake under control, he transfers the dustbin to the playground and informs the caretaker. Ahmed then apologizes for his previous behavior and Benjamin accepts this apology.
Benjamin was surprised to see his students so engrossed with the task he had given them for this lesson. The unsuccessful poetry class from the day before and Ahmed’s everyday antics still disturbed him as he walked towards the bin to sharpen his pencil. He was uncertain about the movement he realized in the bin… but the sudden twitch that rattled the papers reassured him that there was a foreign being interrupting his usual routine. Noticing that he was the only one aware of this intrusion, Benjamin froze at the sight and sound of what he had feared to be possible… a slithering, intimidating snake.
Sounds from outside drifted through Benjamin’s mind, but the stealthy movement of the intruder brought his attention back to the un-mistakable. To prove its existence at that moment, the snake threatened him with its dark, thin tongue and Benjamin realized that he wasn’t the only person whose attention was focused on the creature.
Ahmed, the usual class jock, was unexpectedly most terrified at the sight of the reptile… and to Benjamin’s surprise the class listened fearfully to his given instructions and obeyed his orders not to make any sudden noises or movements.
Content that his students were controlled, Benjamin appreciated the box of left-over worksheets from the failed poetry class the day before. Removing the sheets from the container, he over-looked his strategy. The snake seemed to be gone, but he still made his way to the bin, hoping the size of the empty box wouldn’t fail him. With a quick movement, Benjamin covered the box and was relieved at the perfect fit. Ahmed helped him make his way towards and out of the classroom and corridor with the animal secure in self-made of entrapment.
Sir, you didn't give us a word count!
Mine is 290... okay?
After setting the class' task for the lesson, Benjamin went over to the bin to sharpen his pencil. A brisk movement intrigued him, though for just a second as he thought to himself he was imagining things. But then, another stronger movement accompanied with a strange hissing noise was enough for Benjamin to realise he wasn't exactly deluded. And as if on cue, the class had noticed the peculiar creature in the dustbin. The deadly snake whipped its tongue out as if to challenge Benjamin. This made him snap back to reality, with urgence he calmed the class down, explaining the danger. Benjamin then remembered the tray he had used for yesterday's disastrous lesson, and decided to take action. Hoping his plan would succeed, Benjamin, with the tray in his hand, swiftly placed it on top of the lid, which had fitted perfectly. Even the class star, Ahmed, had lost his usual cool and stood, mesmerized by what he was seeing. Benjamin then quickly carried the dustbin out of the class, in the direction of the school caretaker, hoping to resolve matters.
Sir, as Myra has also mentioned, you didn't set a word limit. I apologize if mine is too long! :)
As Benjamin was sharpening his pencil in the bin, a sudden movement amid his papers staggered him. While the class busily wrote, he watched the paper being lifted in the bin slowly as an unexpected hiss came. A panicked look appeared on his face as he saw a creature come out ever so slowly from under the paper. With a quick flash, a snake’s head appeared which made Benjamin’s heart race as fast a horse. Soon the whole class gradually became aware of the fact and all became alarmed and panic stricken. Benjamin brusquely told everyone to be seated as it was important to not alarm the snake, who still remained in the bin. Benjamin soon realized that there was a box which could be used to trap the slimy creature; however there was no sight of it. He quickly covered the bin with the box and held up the bin tightly towards the door carrying the snake to a new home.
As Benjamin walked over to sharpen his pencil, he was startled to see a slight movement in the bin among the litter paper. In slight confusion, Benjamin looked back at the class who still hadn't noticed the snake. Suddenly, the paper started to rise slowly. Benjamin froze in fright. After hearing the hissing sound, he was now certain that there was a snake in the class.
With his heart now thumping in fear, Benjamin had to make quick plans and decisions.
At this point, the class was fully aware that there was a snake in the room, and all jumped onto their feet in alarm. Benjamin gave instructions to the class to remain seated and not put the snake in panic.
Benjamin spotted a box containing paper. He used this box to secure the dustbin with the snake still inside. With the help oh Ahmed, Benjamin briskly walked out with the snake and it's new habitat and placed it in the school playground.
Having had quite an unsuccessful poetry lesson the day before, hindered by Ahemed's usual classroom antics, Benjamin is quite surprised at how silent and cooperative the lesson is proceeding that day. As he takes his pencil near the bin to get it sharpened, he notices a disturbance among the papers in the bin. After a while it becomes clear to him that it was, as he was dreading, a snake. At first, the boys who are busy writing do not notice anything. However, as the reptile puts its head out of the bin, it becomes obvious and chaos reigns in the classroom.
Benjamin, the only one who remains calm in the whole situation, tries to control the class, and to his very surprise, finds out that he is successful. He explains to the class to remain and quiet, as the snake will only react when angered. Noticing the box of worksheets of the previous day, he silently takes the cardboard box and places it on top of the bin. With Ahmed helping him, Benjamin takes the dustbin away from the classroom and disposes it in the school playground, also informing the principal to having the dustbin taken away. When he returns to his classroom, Ahmed apologizes to him and Benjamin becomes the hero of the class.
As Benjamin stands over the bin, sharpening his pencil, he notices something moving in the wastebin. Although at first he dismisses it as some kind of delusion, he gradually realizes it is in fact a snake that is making the hissing noise and causing the papers in the bin to shift. He gets further confirmation when he actually sees the snake peak its head from under the papers.
Ahmed also makes the same discovery and soon the whole class is in panic. Benjamin acts level headed and directs his pupils what to do, while he thinks of how to act in this situation. Altho not sure whether his plan would work, the teacher empties a box full of some worksheets from the previous day and throws the box on top of the bin, successfully trapping the snake inside. He then proceeds to take the dustbin out on the empty playground and informing the school’s caretaker of the current situation.
There was a sudden movement which ruffled the papers in the bin. Benjamin's fears were confirmed when there was a hiss sound and a few moments later the head of a serpent peeped from the brim.
The unaware students in time perceived the snake and alarmed. There was chaos and Benjamin calmed them and took authority. He picked up a cardboard box and clamped it shut on the bin.
Benjamin was relieved and took the bin to the playground and gave commands to get rid of the reptile.
Benjamin entered the ever noisy and troublesome but now surprisingly silent and well-behaved senior classroom that was obediently completing the task he had given to them.
Benjamin went over to the dust bin to cure the bluntness of his pencil as he saw some unnoticeable movement in the trash of papers beneath. Slowly two shimmering black eyes emerged from the layers of papers as Benjamin stared into them in horror and soon the creature’s scaly head rose from the sea of paper and danced its head from side to side. Benjamin realized a little late that there was a slithering snake in class. The sharp hiss from the uninvited guest’s tongue attracted Ahmed’s attention to the dangerous reptile and in less than a second the class was in complete confusion state. The students became very anxious at the sight of the snake and Ahmed began to tremble with fear. Benjamin calmed the class down even though he was a bit terrified from the inside and informed them to not to make abrupt movements or loud noises and the mischievous class obediently obeyed the instructions he gave.
A quick idea sparked in Benjamin’s head and he emptied a huge box full of worksheets on his table and he quickly covered the bin with the cardboard box like a lid and carefully carried the bin containing the cold blooded creature towards the school caretaker’s office to inform about the snake situation and to resolve it immediately.
Staring at the dustbin, sharpening his pencil, Benjamin’s eye caught a slight movement amongst the papers in the bin. Such a minor movement, that Benjamin was unsure whether he was the only one to notice the movement or was it the rest of the class too. He took a look at the boys to get a confirmation but his fright returned empty handed. Upon hearing the hissing sound, Benjamin congealed. Staring at the bin, he spotted two eyes under the paper, which took off on a head from the bin, making assuring him of a snake in the class. Adding proof to its existence, a thin wire hissed out of its mouth, worrying Benjamin more than before.
Everyone in the class now was aware of the presence of the snake. All the giggling and grinning had faded away now. The students were frightened and stood up fear as everyone was panicked. Ahmed in particular was very scared and was shivering of fear. All of them were shocked and even the naughtiest of them followed all instructions given.
As his first reaction, Benjamin instructed everyone to stay calm and be seated. He emphasized on the point, not to annoy their class guest by sharp sounds or movements. Benjamin quickly covered the bin with a big cardboard box and held the bin in his hands, ensuring that it was totally covered. He kept the bin in an open area and rushed off to report the incident to the authorities.
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