HSC English First Paper English For Today Unit 3 Lesson 2

Icarus

On the island of Crete, the fearsome Minotaur, a creature that was half-man and half-bull, terrorized the inhabitants. To contain the beast, King Minos enlisted the help of Daedalus, a masterful architect and inventor. Daedalus constructed an intricate labyrinth so complex that escape was nearly impossible. Once the Minotaur was imprisoned within the maze, King Minos believed he had the perfect trap for his enemies, who would be sent into the labyrinth to meet a gruesome end.

However, King Minos, no longer needing Daedalus, cruelly imprisoned the inventor and his gon, Icarus, within the same labyrinth. Yet, Daedalus, familiar with the labyrinth’s design, managed to escape with Icarus, After fleeing, they found themselves stranded on the island with no means of escape by sea. 

Observing the birds flying above, Daedalus was inspired to craft wings from feathers and wax for himself and his son. He warned Icarus to fly at a moderate height-too close to the sea, and the wings would become heavy with moisture; too close to the sun, and the wax would melt. Initially, Icarus heeded his father's advice, but soon, overwhelmed by the excitement of the flight, he soared higher and higher, forgetting the warning. As he ascended, the sun's heat melted the wax binding his wings. Helplessly, Icarus plummeted into the sea and drowned, leaving Daedalus to fly on alone, devastated by his son's tragic fate. He eventually reached Sicily, where he mourned Icarus and named the sea where his son fell the Icarian Sea in his memory.

Read the passage again answer the questions

(1) Who was the Minotaur, and what was his role on the island of Crete? 

Answer. The Minotaur was a fearsome creature that was half-man and half-bull. He terrorized the inhabitants of Crete and was trapped in a labyrinth.  

(2) What did Daedalus create to trap the Minotaur, and why was it difficult to escape from it?

Answer. Daedalus created a complex labyrinth to trap the Minotaur. It was difficult to escape because the maze was so intricate and confusing.  

(3) Why did King Minos Imprison Daedalus and Icarus? 

Answer. King Minos Imprisoned Daedalus and Icarus because he no longer needed them. He left them trapped within the labyrinth without a means of escape.  

(4) How did Daedalus and Icarus plan to escape the Island? 

Answer. Daedalus and Icarus planned to escape by making wings from feathers and wax after observing the birds flying overhead.  

(5) What warning did Daedalus give to lcarus about flying? 

Answer. Daedalus warned Icarus to fly at a moderate height. He warned that flying too close to the sea would make the wings heavy with moisture, and flying too close to the sun would melt the wax.  

(6) What inspired Dandalus to craft wings for himself and Icarus?  

Answer. Daedalus was inspired to craft wings after observing the birds flying above him. He realized that he could use their ability to fly to escape the island.  

(7) How did Icarus feel when he first flew with the wings, and what changed his behavior? 

Answer. Icarus felt excited and free when he first flew with the wings. But the thrill of flying higher overwhelmed him, leading him to ignore his father's warning.  

(8) What was the outcome of Icarus flying too close to the sun?  

Answer. The outcome of Icarus flying too close to the sun was that the wax in his wings melted. It caused him to plummet into the sea and drown.  

(9) How did Daedalus demonstrate his resourcefulness in planning their escape?

Answer. Daedalus demonstrated his resourcefulness by using available materials- feathers and wax-to create wings. It allowed him and Icarus to escape the labyrinth and the island.    

(10) What did Daedalus name the sea where Icarus fell, and why did he choose this name? 

Answer. Daedalus named the sea the "Icarian Sea" in memory of his son Icarus. He chose this name to honor him after his tragic fate.  

(11) What did Daedalus think about the labyrinth after he created it?  

Answer. Daedalus believed the labyrinth was a perfect trap for the Minotaur. It was designed to ensure that no one could find their way out.  

(12) How did King Minos plan to use the labyrinth after trapping the Minotaur?

Answer. King Minos planned to use the labyrinth to send his enemies to their doom. He believed It would be an ideal prison for anyone who entered.  

(13) What was the danger of flying too low that Daedalus warned Icarus about? 

Answer. Daedalus warned Icarus that flying too low could make the wings heavy with moisture. It could prevent them from functioning properly. 

(14) Why was Daedalus heartbroken after Icarus fall?  

Answer. Daedalus was heartbroken after Icarus' fall because he had lost his son. The tragedy deeply affected him as he flew on alone.

(15) What does the story suggest about Daedalus skill as an inventor and architect?

Answer. The story suggests that Daedalus was an exceptionally skilled inventor and architect. He was capable of designing both the intricate labyrinth and the Ingenious wings for their escape.

ইকারুস

ক্রিট দ্বীপে এক ভয়ঙ্কর মাইনোটর (অর্ধমানব) বাস করত, যে ছিল অর্ধেক মানুষ ও অর্ধেক ষাঁড়। এই মিশ্র প্রাণীটি দ্বীপের লোকদের আতঙ্কিত করে তুলেছিল। এই জন্তুটিকে আটকে রাখতে রাজা মিনোস দক্ষ স্থপতি ও উদ্ভাবক ডেডালাসের সাহায্য নেন। ডেডালাস একটি জটিল গোলকধাঁধা তৈরি করেন, যেটা এতটাই জটিল ছিল যে সেখান থেকে বের হওয়া প্রায় অসম্ভব ছিল।মাইনোটরকে এই গোলকধাঁধার মধ্যে বন্দী করার পর, রাজা মিনোস মনে করলেন যে তার শত্রুদের জন্য এটি দারুণ একটি ফাঁদ হবে, যাদেরকে এই গোলক ধাঁধায় পাঠিয়ে ভয়ানক মৃত্যুর মুখে ঠেলে দেওয়া যাবে। 

যাহোক, রাজা মিনোসের কাছে যখন ডেডালাসের প্রয়োজন ফুরিয়ে গেল, তখন নিষ্ঠুরভাবে তিনি ডেডালাস এবং তার ছেলে ইকারুসকেও সেই গোলক ধাঁধায় বন্দী করে ফেললেন। কিন্তু, ডেডালাস যেহেতু এই গোলক ধাঁধার নকশা সম্পর্কে জানতেন, তাই তিনি ইকারুসকে নিয়ে সেখান থেকে পালিয়ে যেতে সক্ষম হন। পালিয়ে যাওয়ার পর তারা দ্বীপে আটকা পড়েন, যেখান থেকে সমুদ্রপথে পালানোর মতো কোনো সুযোগই ছিল না।

ডেডালাস আকাশে পাখিদের উড়তে দেখে উদ্বুদ্ধ হন এবং পালক ও মোম দিয়ে নিজের এবং তার ছেলের জন্য ডানা তৈরি করেন।তিনি ইকারুসকে সতর্ক করে দেন যে মাঝারি উচ্চতায় উড়তে হবে খুব নিচুতে উড়লে ডানা ভিজে ভারী হয়ে যাবে, আবার বেশি উঁচুতে উড়লে সূর্যের তাপে মোম গলে যাবে। শুরুতে, ইকারুস তার বাবার কথা মেনে চলে, কিন্তু কিছুক্ষণ পর উড়তে থাকার উত্তেজনায় সে উঁচু থেকে আরো উঁচুতে উঠতে থাকে এবং সতর্কবাণী ভুলে যায়। তার উপরে ওঠার এক পর্যায়ে সূর্যের তাপে ডানার মোম গলে যায়। ইকারুস অসহায়ভাবে সমুদ্রে পড়ে যায় এবং ডুবে যায়, যার ফলে ছেলের মর্মান্তিক পরিণতি দেখে বিধ্বস্ত হয়েও ডেডালাসকে একাই উড়ে চলতে হয়। পরবর্তীতে তিনি সিসিলি দ্বীপে পৌঁছান এবং ইকারুসের জন্য শোক করেন, এবং যেখানে ইকারুস পড়ে গিয়েছিল সেই সাগরের নাম দেন ইকারিয়ান সাগর।