Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:
To an outsider looking in, my life probably looked pretty great. I had what appeared to be a loving family. I lived in a specious home in a safe neighborhood and I attended a great school. But what an outsider couldn't see was the cold atmosphere that permeated my house. My parents and my endless fights included the shouting of hurtful words bitter stares, and at times, unbearable silence. Misunderstandings inevitably led to fights.
This particular ***** started just like the others. I packed my bag preparing to leave for an overnight retreat for my confirmation class. I crept down the stairs into our kitchen, only to find my parents glaring at me. "What time should I pick you up tomorrow?" my mom demanded impatiently. I told her that I wasn't certain, but that I thought she should pick me up at approximately 8 pm. I quickly gathered that my reply was not the answer she wanted to hear. "So you don't know what time?" Her face wrinkled with disapproval.
I tried my best not to explode and release years of repressed feelings of anger, resentment and sorrow. These feelings were trapped inside my confused body. Whenever my parents and I fought, usually about small insignificant misunderstandings, we seemed to convey more. The ***** was not just about the topic of that particular quarrel, but the unspoken emotions that hovered over the sixteen years of my life. My parents and I had issues and we did not know how to voice them.
I left my house for the retreat on bitter terms with my parents. I did not want to participate or involve myself in anything that night. I sat by myself, drowning in self pity and refusing to answer any queries. The next morning my instructor approached me and asked if I had received my letter. "What letter?" I wondered, puzzled. Another leader at the retreat handed me an envelope with my name written on it in my mom'* handwriting. I stared at the letter with perplexed eyes and strode to the conference room to open it in privacy.
"Make rainbows with in yourself. Many beautiful things will happen in your life. Your shine brightens our lives." As I read these statements, I tried to choke back the river of tears swelling in my eyes. I , and the tears trickled down my cheeks. As I made my way towards the other end of the room, three supportive friends hugged me. But wishing to be alone and to finish reading the letter I broke free from their embrace and rushed out. I sat in my room attempting to gather my thoughts and emotions. My instructor came and explained to me that she had asked everyone' parents to write a letter to their son or daughter before we went on the retreat. She then left me alone to sort out my feelings.
After rereading those initial statements, I continued reading the rest of the letter. My mom and dad wrote that they loved me, although it didn't always seem like it and they needed me in their lives. Their honesty made me think about our relationship, and I began to realize the role I played in instigating the arguments and our lack of communication. In reality, everyone contributed. And now it was time for all of us to work towards a better relationship.
My family was more calm when I returned home from the retreat, and my parents and I had a new found respect for each other. We still have the occasional run-ins, but they are not like they used to be. There are no more cold stares or hurtful shouting matches. Even though my parents and I cannot change the past and the sixteen years lost to incessant bickering, each day we slowly learnt how to communicate as a family, ensuring that another sixteen years won't be lost as well.
On the basis of your understanding of the passage, answer the following questions:
(a) How did the narrator’* family appear to any outsider?
(b) What would an outsider fail to see?
(c) The narrator felt bitter when she left for the retreat. Why?
(d) What caused the strain in the relationship between the narrator and her parents?
(e) What were her emotions when she read her parent’* letter at the retreat?
(f) How did the retreat help the narrator and her parents?
Choose the meaning of the words given below from the options that follow:
(a) permeate
(i) penetrate
(ii) repressed
(iii) perplexed
(iv) entered
(b) resentment
(i) misunderstanding
(ii) confused
(iii) unbearable
(iv) indignation
(c) instigating
(i) trapping
(ii) inciting
(iii) inviting
(iv) debating
(d) incessant
(i) ensuring
(ii) continuous
(iii) bickering
(iv) increasing
