Brightstorm - Session 4 - Reading Comprehension suggested answers

In the fourth chapter of "Brightstorm", Arthur's most lamentable aspect of residing with the Begginses is the absence of books, a stark contrast to his previous life filled with literature. The Polaris Challenge tantalises competitors with a prize of a million sovereigns, a fortune that could change lives. Mrs. Beggins, in a display of callousness, threatens to withhold supper and breakfast from Arthur and Maudie, branding them ungrateful, despite their precarious situation that would otherwise have them on the streets. The siblings find solace on the rooftops of Lontown, where they can gaze upon the expansive cityscape and their old home, basking in a sense of liberty that eludes them in their current abode.

Parthena's dishevelled state indicates a lengthy deprivation of food and an exhaustive journey, signalling to Arthur and Maudie the severity of her plight. Arthur is particularly perplexed by the locket, unable to fathom how their father could have secured it to Parthena amidst an onslaught by monstrous entities, as recounted by Eudora Vane. The chapter also introduces a mysterious, slim figure shadowing the siblings, with potential identities ranging from Mr. Beggins to an agent of the Geographical Board. The chapter encapsulates themes of deprivation, yearning for freedom, and the enigma surrounding their father's last moments.