Question

select the correct text in the passage.
read the adapted excerpt from \the monkeys paw\ by w.w. jacobs. which two lines reflect the theme that men must never go against fate?

he took something out of his pocket and proffered it. mrs. white drew back with a grimace, but her son, taking it, examined it curiously.
\and what is there special about it?\ inquired mr. white as he took it from his son, and having examined it, placed it upon the table.
\it had something put on it by an old fakir,\ said the sargeant-major, \a very respected man. he wanted to show that fate ruled peoples lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow. he put a spell on it so that three separate men could each have three wishes from it.\
\and did you really have the three wishes granted?\ asked mrs. white.
\i did,\ said the seargent-major, and his glass tapped against his strong teeth.
\and has anybody else wished?\ persisted the old lady.
\the first man had his three wishes. yes,\ was the reply, \i dont know what the first two were, but the third was for demise. thats how i got the paw.\
his tones were so grave that a hush fell upon the group.

Explanation:

To find the lines reflecting the theme that men must never go against fate, we analyze each line:

• "It had something put on it by an old Fakir," said the Sargeant - Major, "a very respected man. He wanted to show that fate ruled people's lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow." This line directly states that fate rules lives and interfering with it brings sorrow, which relates to the theme.
• "The first man had his three wishes. Yes," was the reply, "I don't know what the first two were, but the third was for demise. That's how I got the paw." The first man's wish for demise (death) as a result of using the paw to go against fate (since the paw is for interfering with fate) also reflects the theme, as it shows the consequence of going against fate.

Answer:

1. "It had something put on it by an old Fakir," said the Sargeant - Major, "a very respected man. He wanted to show that fate ruled people's lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow."
2. "The first man had his three wishes. Yes," was the reply, "I don't know what the first two were, but the third was for demise. That's how I got the paw."