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1. Describe what happens to Yura during and after his mother's funeral.

Yura, also known as Yuri, was ten years old when his mother died. Yura takes her death very hard. His father had already left the family, so Yura is taken away from the funeral by his uncle Nikolai. Yura then stays with his uncle at a monastery where he had once been a priest.

2. Why does Yura faint in the garden?

Yura has been through a time of great emotional stress and difficulty. He has lost both his father and mother. The grief he has felt in his young life finally catches up with him and he faints because he is overwhelmed with emotion.

3. Why does Lara enter a relationship with a much older man?

At sixteen, Lara enjoys getting a lot of attention from Komarovsky. He has more money than boys her age and can take her to operas and other places that make her feel more like a grown-up. He probably makes her feel loved since her father is not a part of her life.

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