Reading Comprehension from Robinson Crusoe

Frank

  “Suchimpression did this make upon me, that after the storm was over, I laid asideall my works, my building and fortifying, and applied myself to make bags andboxes to separate the powder, and to keep it a little and a little in a parcel,in hope, that whatever might come, it might not all take fire at once and tokeep it so apart that it should not be possible to make one part fire another:I finished this in about a fortnight, and I think my powder, which in all wasabout 240 1b, weight, was divided in not less than a hundred parcels; as to thebarrel that had been wet, I did not apprehend any danger from that, so I placedit in my new cave, which in my fancy I called mt kitchen, and the rest I hid upand down holes among the rocks, so that no wet might come to it, marking verycarefully where I laid it.”

Question:

A.    Identifythe author and the work

B.    Whatdoes the quotation mean?

C.    Whydoes the author use such great details in his description?

A.   Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe

B.   Having undergone a thunderstorm, Robinsonbecome aware that his gunpowder might catch fire in another thunderstorm. Soimmediately after the storm was over, he laid aside all his work and beganmaking small bags and boxes to separate the powder and he divided in “not lessthan a hundred parcels” and his them in a safe place.

C.   This great detail shows that Robinson is aprudent man of quick action, with a clear logical mind. Such qualities areimportant to a man surviving in a lonely island. By writing about such details,Defoe makes his character more believable. This is also an example of Defoe’sstyle, that is, a care for persistent record of the details of daily life,which was to become one of the most distinguishing characteristics of the novelform.