This question is based on Wole Soyinka's The Lion and the Jewel.
'...But there have been
No new reads cut by his servants
No new cots woven..'
It can be inferred from the above lines that
there has been no harvest in the village
the Bale's sevants are lazy
no children have been born recently
the Bale's servants are revolting
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Interpretation:
"No new reeds cut" and "No new cots woven" suggest a lack of preparation for newborns.
Cots (small beds) and reeds (often used to make cradles or mats for infants) are traditional symbols of childbirth and early child care in rural settings.
The absence of these implies that no babies have been born recently—because there’s no need for new cradles or baby bedding.
Correct Answer:
C. no children have been born recently
The inferred meaning from the lines is:
B. The Bale's servants are lazy
Here's why:
The excerpt mentions "No new reeds cut" and "No new cots woven." These are tasks traditionally done by servants and are related to maintaining the household and its surroundings.
The lack of these completed tasks suggests a neglect of duties, possibly due to laziness on the part of the servants.
The other options are less likely based on the given excerpt:
A. There's no mention of harvest directly.
C. The lack of new cots doesn't necessarily imply no children are being born.
D. Revolt is a strong word and wouldn't be implied just by unfinished tasks.
While the excerpt doesn't explicitly state the servants are lazy, it strongly suggests a lack of work ethic on their part.
Baroka's supposed impotency is the subject of discussion in that percept. Following that lead, anything said in the percept should be in relation to Baroka's supposed impotency. They say that no new reeds cut and no new cots woven to prove the fact that surely, Baroka's impotency might be true. It only makes sense that they say no children born yet as a result of Baroka's impotency which further proves the point that Baroka is already impotent
