Q. 8 While teaching a creative writing class in India, I was surprised at receiving stories from the students
that were all set in distant places: in the American West with cowboys and in Manhattan penthouses
with clinking ice cubes. This was, till an eminent Caribbean writer gave the writers in the once-colonised
countries the confidence to see the shabby lives around them as worthy of being “told”.
The writer of this passage is surprised by the creative writing assignments of his students, because ____ .
(A) Some of the students had written stories set in foreign places
(B) None of the students had written stories set in India
(C) None of the students had written about ice cubes and cowboys
(D) Some of the students had written about ice cubes and cowboys

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The Passage and Question Breakdown

In a creative writing class held in India, the teacher noticed something unexpected: all student stories unfolded in far-off locales like the dusty American West with cowboys or glamorous Manhattan penthouses filled with clinking ice cubes. This shifted only after a prominent Caribbean writer encouraged writers from formerly colonized nations to embrace their everyday surroundings as valid storytelling material.

The question asks: The writer of this passage is surprised by the creative writing assignments of his students, because ____.

This type of reading comprehension question tests your ability to pinpoint the core reason for the surprise from the passage’s details. It’s common in entrance exams like CLAT, where inference skills matter.

Correct Answer: (A) Some of the students had written stories set in foreign places

Why (A) is correct:
The passage explicitly states the surprise stems from stories “all set in distant places: in the American West with cowboys and in Manhattan penthouses.” It highlights “foreign” settings as the shocking element, contrasting with local “shabby lives.” Option (A) directly captures this by noting “some of the students” (implying all, as per “all set in distant places”) chose foreign locales. This matches the passage’s focus on unexpected exoticism over familiar Indian contexts, making it the precise reason for surprise.

Explanation of All Options

Let’s break down each option to see why only (A) fits perfectly. This step-by-step analysis helps in eliminating distractors during exams.

• (A) Some of the students had written stories set in foreign places
  Correct, as explained above. The surprise is the choice of “distant places” instead of local ones, directly quoted from the passage.

• (B) None of the students had written stories set in India
  This seems close but misses the mark. While true (stories were in “distant places,” not India), the passage doesn’t emphasize the absence of Indian settings as the surprise—it’s the presence of foreign ones that shocks. (B) infers too much without matching the wording, making it a trap for overthinkers.

• (C) None of the students had written stories set in India [Note: This appears to be a repeat in the query, but assuming standard options, it’s likely a variant. If distinct, it fails similarly to (B) by not aligning with the “distant places” focus.]
  Incorrect. The passage doesn’t claim no Indian stories; it stresses all were foreign. This option ignores the positive surprise trigger (foreign settings) and fixates on negatives.

• (D) Some of the students had written about ice cubes and cowboys
  Too narrow and literal. Yes, examples like “cowboys” and “clinking ice cubes” appear, but the surprise isn’t the specific motifs—it’s the broader pattern of “distant places.” (D) cherry-picks details, ignoring the passage’s holistic point about foreign aspirations.

Why This Question Matters for Exam Prep

Questions like this from creative writing class India students stories scenarios build critical reading skills. They reward precise paraphrasing over assumptions. Practice by identifying key phrases (“distant places,” “shabby lives”) and matching them to options.

In colonized contexts, such stories reflect cultural influences from Western media, a theme the Caribbean writer counters by validating local narratives.