German composition

Section 2 What Is Eternity?

The following question was⁠1 put in writing⁠2 to a boy⁠3 in the deaf-and-dumb school⁠4 at Paris: “What is eternity?” “It is the life-time of the Almighty,” was the answer.—Rev. R. K. Arvine.

Notes

1 Here the verb is in the Passive Voice. Remember that the German Passive Voice is formed by the auxiliary werden. The verb is in the Passive Voice whenever the subject is suffering the action expressed by the verb; as—
The castle was built in the year 1609. Das Schloß wurde im Jahre 1609 erbaut.
To put a question to a person, einem eine Frage vor´legen.

2 in writing, schriftlich, which place before the p. p. (App. § 1).

3 boy = pupil.

4 Taubstummenanstalt, f.; render ‘in the’ by the gen. of the def. art.; at = in.