Read the following passage carefully and then answer the questions which follow. Though Hitler is dead, many mysteries about him remain unravelled. especially the mystery of how he was able to rise to supreme power. The source of his strength, the nature of his ultimate beliefs, and the workings of his fatal weaknesses, all these would be debated for many years to come. No final assessment could be made at the time, nor can we reasonably expect to reach a final assessment in our generation. Hitler's verdict on himself was given in the testament he drew up the day before his suicide. It is an astonishing and revealing document. Having sacrificed millions of Germans to his own glory, he claimed that all his actions had proceeded out of love and loyalty to his people. With perfect detachment and single-mindedness, he claimed that he had shown the German people the way which destiny had pointed out to them, and it was not his fault that they had proved unworthy of the task. He urged the Germans to continue the struggle. While he was dictating these words. the Russians had encircled Berlin and the Chancellery was being bombarded by Russian guns at close range. Hitler wrote that he chose to die by his own hand rather than submit to cowardly abdication or capitulation. But the most revealing paragraph of his testament referred to his possessions, which he bequeathed to the party, or if the party was no longer in existence to the state. 'Should the state too be destroyed, no further decision on my part is necessary'. (a) From the passage. what type of ruler was Hitler during his life? (b) (i) How did Hitler die? (ii) Why? (c) What was the last thing Hitler did before his death? (d) At the time of his death, how was Germany performing in the war? (e) What two options did Hitler give for disposing of his possessions? (f) For each of the following words, find another word or phrase that means the same and which can replace it in the passage: (i) mystery; (ii) verdict; (iii) astonishing, (iv) detachment; (v) submit; (vi) bequeathed. (g) 'While he was dictating these words (i) What is the grammatical term used to describe the above expression, as used in the passage? (ii) What is the function of the expression in the sentence?
Explanation
(a) Hitler was a nationalist, dictator and politician who ruled the minds of his people. (b) (i) He died by committing suicide (ii) He did not want to be captured alive by the Russian army Or He preferred to take his own life than to be subjected to humiliation (c) He wrote his will in which he gave out his possessions to the party or state (d) Germany was already losing the battle (e) (i) His property should be given out to his party (ii) The property should be given to the state if the party was no longer in existence. (f) (i) Mystery - secret (ii) Verdict - pronouncement, judgement (iii) astonishing - amazing, surprising (iv) detachment - indifference, aloofness (v) Submit - surrender, give in (vi) bequeathed gave, willed, handed down (g)(i)Adverbial clause of time (ii) It is modifying the verb "had encircled."
