Question

king lear
by william shakespeare

act 4, scene 7

shakespeares play king lear focuses on family relationships: between a father and his daughters and between a father and his son. the play is also about poor judgement as seen particularly in the main character of lear. in this scene, civil war has broken out. lear is asleep in a tent. a nobleman, kent, and a doctor keep close watch on him. lears youngest daughter, cordelia, whom he disowned earlier in the play comes to see him. she is concerned for his welfare.

select the correct text in the passage.

which two highlighted sections best support the inference that the once-powerful king lear has weakened and become ill?

cordelia: then bet so, my good lord.

(to the doctor)

how does the king?

doctor: madam, sleeps still.

cordelia: o you kind gods,
(5) cure this great breach in his abused nature!
the untuned and jarring senses, o, wind up
of this child-changed father!

doctor: so please your majesty
that we may wake the king: he hath slept long.

(10) cordelia: be governd by your knowledge, and proceed i the sway of your own will. is he arrayd?

Explanation:

Identify the target inference

The task is to find two highlighted sections supporting the inference that King Lear has weakened and become ill.

Analyze the highlighted options

• "Cure this great breach in his abused nature!" refers directly to restoring his damaged physical/mental state, indicating illness and vulnerability.
• "The untuned and jarring senses, O, wind up" uses a musical metaphor (untuned, jarring senses) to describe his shattered mental and physical faculties, indicating he has weakened and become ill.
• "Be govern'd by your knowledge, and proceed i' the sway of your own will." is Cordelia addressing the Doctor, which does not directly describe Lear's physical or mental decline.

Select the two best supporting sections

The two sections that best support the inference of Lear's weakened and ill state are:

1. "Cure this great breach in his abused nature!"
2. "The untuned and jarring senses, O, wind up"

Answer:

Select the correct text in the passage.

Which two highlighted sections best support the inference that the once-powerful King Lear has weakened and become ill?

CORDELIA: Then be't so, my good lord.

(To the Doctor)

How does the king?

DOCTOR: Madam, sleeps still.

CORDELIA: O you kind gods,
(5) <blank>Cure this great breach in his abused nature!</blank>
<blank>The untuned and jarring senses, O, wind up</blank>
Of this child-changed father!

DOCTOR: So please your majesty
That we may wake the king: he hath slept long.

(10) CORDELIA: Be govern'd by your knowledge, and proceed i' the sway of your own will. is he array'd?