khushikhanera

Read the following extracts and answer the questions given thereafter.

Q1. You are incorrigible. You will sell your candlesticks next. [CBSE 2011 (Term III)]

(a) Who speaks these words and to whom?

Ans. These words have been spoken by Bishop’s sister to Bishop.

(b) Why does the speaker consider the person incorrigible?

Ans. She considers him incorrigible because he had sold off his estate, furniture, and other valuables to help the poor and needy.

(c) What is special about the candlesticks?

Ans. Candlesticks were very special because they were a gift from his dying mother, whom he loved a lot.

Q2. Sold! Sold! Are you mad? Who sold them? Why were they sold? [CBSE 2011 (Term II)]

(a) Who is the speaker and who is he/she talking to?

Ans. The speaker is Bishop’s sister, Persome. She is talking to the Bishop.

(b) What has been sold?

Ans. The salt cellers, made of silver, have been sold.

(c) Who has sold them and why?

Ans. Bishop has sold the salt cellers to help an ailing lady by paying the rent of her house.

Q3. Tell you about it? Look here, I was a man once. I’m a beast now, and they made me what I am. They chained me up like a wild animal. [CBSE 2011 (Term II)]

(a) Who speaks these lines and to whom?

Ans. These lines have been spoken by the convict to the Bishop.

(b) Who made him a beast? How?

Ans. The police in the prison made him a beast by beating him and keeping him in unhealthy conditions.

(c) Which figure of speech has been used in the last line of the above extract?

Ans. The figure of speech used here is ‘similie’.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q1. The convict says, “I am too old a bird to be caught with a chaff”. What does he mean by this remark?

Ans. He speaks this line when the Bishop wishes to go out to bring the keys of the cupboard to get him food. The convict is a hard-core criminal, and so he thinks that the
Bishop would go out and raise an alarm to get the police to arrest him. The convict has spent ten years in jail and is well aware of all the tricks and excuses that people make
to trap others. That is why he doesn’t believe the Bishop when he tries to go out to bring the cupboard keys.

Q2. Who was Jeanette? What was the cause of her death?

Ans. Jeanette was the wife of the convict. It was ten years back that a tragedy took place in his life. It was a bad year and he could not get any work. Jeanette was ill and there was no food in the house. So the convict stole to buy her food. But he was caught and given ten years imprisonment. The night he was sentenced, she died. It was the convict’s poverty that had led to her death.

Q3. “…..now I’m a number 15729 ——— I’ve lived in hell for ten years.” What was the background of this remark made by the convict?

Ans. By saying that he is not a man now but number 15729, the convict reveals the tragic life he had in the prison for the last ten years. The prison was like a hell where he was chained up like a wild animal and lashed like a hound. He was fed on filth, covered with vermin, slept on boards, and if he complained, he was lashed again. This torture had taken away his soul-changing him into a beast, so much so that he himself forgot that he was a human being and just remembered himself by the number given to him in the prison, i.e., 15729

Q4. The Bishop was God’s representative on earth in every sense of the term. Explain. [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]

OR

Why was Bishop loved and revered by everyone in the Parish? [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]

Ans. The Bishop is God’s representative on the earth as he has love, compassion, forgiveness, etc. for others to such an extent as is not possible for any normal human being. He feels deeply pained at others’ problems and irrespective of any inconvenience he may have to face, he goes ahead to bring relief to the person concerned. Serving humanity is the only concern in his life with no consideration to the status, material benefits, etc. No doubt he is loved by everyone in the parish.

Q5. “There is so much suffering in the world and I can do so little.” Bring out the character of the Bishop in the light of this statement, giving examples from the text. [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]

Ans. The Bishop is an extremely compassionate person. His heart pains to see so much suffering in the world. He wants to do everything possible to help such people, and feels bad at how little he is able to do for them. He sells his silver salt-cellars to help Mere Gringoire who is bedridden. He gives his muffler to Marie, the maid, so that she can keep herself warm. The love and affection, and forgiveness that he shows to the convict reforms him completely. He even sacrifices his most precious candlesticks to help the convict settle in his life.

Q6. Why is the Bishop in the habit of leaving his doors and windows unshuttered?

Ans. The Bishop has dedicated his entire life to charity and benevolence. He is always prepared to welcome any needy and deprived person. He is a true Christian and wishes to extend all kinds of help to the ailing and the sick. To remain accessible to all, he does not lock his doors or close any windows. Moreover, he is not afraid of any evil or crime and has immense faith in God.

QQ7. Who is Mere Gringoire? What help does she receive from the Bishop?

Ans. Mere Gringoire is an old sick woman, who has been bedridden for a long time. She lives at the top of the hill and she has not been able to pay her rent. The Bailiff has threatened to throw her out of the house, unless she pays the rent. The Bishop sells the silver salt-cellars to Monseigneur Gervais, who had often admired them so that he could get the money to pay the rent for Mere Gringoire.

Q8. Why does Persome feel that the people pretend to be sick?

Ans. Persome feels that the people take undue advantage of the Bishop’s generosity and exploit his goodness and charitable nature. She shouts at Marie, when she learns that the Bishop has gone to see her ailing mother in the extreme cold. She is also disgusted at Mere Gringoire who is bedridden. Persome believes that her brother is a simpleton who cannot see through the people who feign to be sick.

Q9. Why was Bishop attached to the candlesticks and what did he do with them in the end. [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]

Ans : The silver candlesticks were a prized possession for both the Bishop and his sister. The candlesticks were a parting gift from the Bishop’s mother, when she was on her
deathbed. The Bishop could never think of parting with this memento in his lifetime. In fact, the candlesticks were the only thing he was emotionally attached to. He assures Persome that he would always take care of them despite all odds. But in the end, he gave the candlesticks to a convict to restart an honourable life.

Read the following extracts and answer the questions.

1. “That was a month ago and now I have only one thought, that is to get the wretched place off my hands.”

(a) Who is speaking this line and to whom?

Ans. This line has been spoken by Julliette who desperately wants to sell her villa. She is talking to her maid.

(b) What is the thought dominating the speaker’s mind?

Ans. The thought of selling the villa at any cost is dominating her mind.

(c) Why does the speaker call her house a ‘wretched place’?

Ans. She called it so because even after a month of putting up ‘for Sale’ sign, she could not get any prospective buyer.

Q2. “A maid, Madam. They prefer the real article. They say maids are born, maids are not maids. They are giving me a hundred francs a morning for doing it”.

(a) Who is the speaker here?

Ans. The speaker here is Juliette’s maid.

(b) Who is ‘they’ referred to?

Ans. ‘They’ here is referred to the people from the film industry.

(c) What is meant by ‘real article’?

Ans. Here, it is meant ‘a real-life actor’.

Q3. “I tell you what I will do. I will be philanthropic and let you have it for two hundred thousand.”

(a) Who is the speaker here?

Ans. The speaker here is Julliette.

(b) What is meant by ‘philanthropic’?

Ans. It means a person who freely gives money or other help to people who need it.

(c) What is the speaker telling about selling?

Ans. The speaker is telling him that she is selling the villa for a paltry amount.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q1. Why is Juliette fed up of the house? What was the reaction of the people when the villa was put up for sale?

Ans. When Juliette put up the ‘Villa for Sale’ sign, she had thought that the next day the entire world would be fighting to purchase it. But it so happened that nobody turned up to buy it. It has already been one month since she put up the sign for sale. In the past two weeks, there were four people who wanted to buy it but did not. Juliette was also fed up because after putting up the sign, she felt as if the villa did not belong to her. The neighbours looked at her in such a strange way that she began to think that they were mocking at her and that the whole thing was going to lead to a great disappointment.

Q2. “They say maids are born; maids not made maids.” Explain the context of the above statement.

Ans. This line is spoken by Juliette’s maid. She has got a role to play in a film at the Joinville Studio. She has got the role of a maid. While telling Juliette about her role, she tells her that the film-makers prefer people from the same profession as the role assigned to them. She says that maids are born as they are; nobody can pretend to be one. She implies that only a maid will be able to most successfully play the role of a maid in a film, so she is most suitable for it.

Q3. How was the French Hollywood proving to be a great attraction for the people?

Ans. Everybody around the French Hollywood was vying for a role in the films because of the huge financial benefit. Everybody looked up to getting just any role they could manage. People gave up their jobs temporarily to act in the films. Whether it was the butcher who didn’t open his shop or the policemen who were missing from their duty, shooting a fight scene — all were doing some or the other role; nobody thought about anything else round there the manager was offering a thousand francs for a real beggar who had nothing to eat for two days. The films were paying everybody so well that they were bound to be attracted towards them.

Q4. What advantages of the villa are presented by Juliette?

Ans. Juliette describes the villa as ‘a most delightful place.’ She says that although it appears modest but it has a charm of its own. She says that the house possesses a great many advantages — electricity, gas, water, telephone, and drainage. She also says that the bathroom is beautifully fitted and the roof was entirely repaired the previous year only. She says that she is ready to sell it with all the furniture and fixtures, except the little picture signed by Corot.

Q5. Why does Juliette find both Gaston and Jeanne to be perfectly suited to buy the villa? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Ans. Juliette had put up a ‘Villa for Sale’ sign a month ago, and there had not been much response from the customers. She was fed up with waiting for the buyers. Now when Gaston and Jeanne came as customers, and when she saw so much of eagerness on Jeanne’s part to buy the villa, she felt that they were perfectly suited to buy it. She could clearly see that Jeanne was highly impressed and so tried to flatter her so that the deal could be finalised.

Q6. Why is Gaston not tempted to buy the villa even after Juliette decreases the rate?

Ans. Gaston was not ready to buy the villa even after Juliette had decreased the rate because he did not come with the intention of buying it. In the conversation between himself and Jeanne, when they were waiting for Juliette in the villa, he had told Jeanne clearly, “I told you before we crossed the road that I didn’t want it.” The reason he gave for his disinterest in it was that he knew very well that the villa would be used by Jeanne’s parents and her sister’s children throughout the year. There was no use investing in it when they (Jeanne and Gaston) would be staying there only for one month..

Q7. What is the case of mistaken identity between Mrs. Al Smith and Gaston? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Ans. When the maid brings Mrs. Al Smith inside the house, only Gaston is there. After this, the maid goes out. There was no introduction between Gaston and Mrs. Al Smith. She was in such a hurry that she took Gaston as the owner of the house. Since money was not an issue or anything else, she talked with Gaston without a break —  all she wanted was to finalise the deal assuming Gaston to be the owner of the house, she gave him a cheque of three hundred thousand francs demanded by him. Gaston had understood Mrs. Smith’s ‘mistaken identity’ and cleverly remained quiet about it and made one hundred thousand francs in the deal with her.

Q8. Why does Gaston insist on taking the picture as a souvenir? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Ans. The picture on the wall of the villa was a precious one as it was signed by Corot — a well-known painter, and thus had a lot of value. Gaston has already made a lot of money in the deal he had with Mrs. Smith. Now, he knows that Mrs. Smith was going to get the whole house knocked down which will destroy this painting also. He wanted to be a proud owner of it, and maybe, decided to make a lot of money by selling it as it was an antique painting.

Q9. In the play “Villa for sale,” who do you think is a better businessman and why? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Ans. In the play, Gaston is a better businessman than Julliette. Julliette has no idea about real estate. She lacks the business acumen to take advantage of the fact that her villa was near French Hollywood. But Gaston was a shrewd businessman. He poses himself to be the owner of the villa to the American actor and makes a deal of thirty thousand francs. He pays Julliette twenty thousand francs for the villa and makes a net profit of one thousand francs.

Q10. Why is Gaston not interested in buying the villa in the beginning? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Ans. In the beginning, Gaston was not interested in buying the villa because he knew very well that the villa would be used by Jeanne’s parents and her sister’s children throughout the year. He considered it useless in investing in it when he and Jeanne would be staying there for one month only. But in the end when he got a chance to earn one thousand francs, he at once bought the villa.

Q11. What was the suggestion given by maid to Juliette to end her financial hard up? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Ans. In order to meet her financial hard up, Juliette wanted to sell her villa but was unable to get any prospective buyer. Her maid was greatly concerned with her crisis. She suggested Julliette that she should take up the role of a cook in the movie that way she would be able to earn one hundred francs a day.

Q12. Why did Ms. Al Smith want to buy the Villa? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Ans. Al Smith was a big American actress. Money was not an issue for her in possessing the villa. Neither she was interested in knowing about its features. Even after buying the villa she wanted to knock it down and build a bungalow so that she was near the French Hollywood area where she was supposed to shoot for a film.

Q13. What are Jeanne and Gaston arguing about before Juliette enters the room? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Ans. There is no uniformity between Jeanne and Gaston in the decision of buying the villa because Gaston is not ready to support Jeanne’s idea of buying the villa at any cost. He has come to see it with Jeanne just because she had persuaded him to see it. The reason he gives for not being interested in buying the villa is that Jeanne didn’t want it for herself and Gaston, but for her parents. Gaston was not fond of Jeanne’s parents and said that her parents would stay in the villa from April to September every year, whereas they themselves would be staying there only for one month. Moreover, he also knew that Jeanne’s parents would also bring along the ‘whole tribe’ of her sister’s children to stay there.

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow :

Q1. I am beautiful pearls plucked from the crown of Ishter by the daughter of Dawn to embellish the gardens

(a) Who does ‘I’ refer to in these lines?

Ans. ‘I’ is referred to as the rain.

(b) What does ‘I’ compare itself to?

Ans. I (the rain) compares itself to the beautiful pearls plucked from the crown of Ishter (goddess of fertility)

(a) What is meant by the phrase ‘to embellish the garden’?

Ans. It means to decorate the garden.

Q2. The field and the cloud are lovers and between them I am a messenger of mercy
 I quench the thirst of the one
 I cure the ailment of the other
 (a) Why are the field and the cloud called lovers ?

Ans. They are called lovers as they are far away from each other and desperately want to meet.

(b) How does the rain help the field and the cloud ?

Ans. The rain helps them by acting as a messenger of mercy. It quenches the thirst of one and cures the ailment of the other.

(c) In these lines ‘messenger of mercy’ refers to whom?

Ans. It refers to ‘the rain’.

Q3. The voice of thunder
 declares my arrival;
 The rainbow announces my departure
 I am like earthly life
 which begins at
 The feet of the mad elements and ends
 under the upraised wings of death.

(a) What declares the arrival of the rain?

Ans. The thunder announces the arrival of rain.

(b) How is the departure of the rain announced?

Ans. The departure of the rain is announced by the rainbow.

(c) How does the poet compare the rain to the earthly life?

Ans. Just like everything on the earth takes birth and dies, so does the rain. It has a beginning and comes to an end.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q1. What are the various comparisons that have been made for rain? Discuss

Ans. The comparison made for rain is — dotted silver threads — beautiful pearls — earthly life — sigh of the sea — laughter of the field, the tears of heaven.

Q2. Discuss the theme of the poem ‘Song of the Rain’.

Ans. It is a song of rain. The poet has described in various beautiful ways calling it silver threads, a messenger of mercy, beautiful pearl drops, a sigh of the sea, laughter of the fields. The voice of thunder announces its arrival and the rainbow announces its departure. It satisfies the thirst of the field, it decorates the gardens. It makes the hills happy. It is a divine gift of God.

Q3. Describe the cyclic nature of rain as described by the poet. How does it differ from its scientific version?

Ans. The poet describes the cyclic nature of rain through — ‘Sigh of the sea’ refers to the process of evaporation of seawater-forming clouds, ‘a tear of rain’ refers to falling of raindrops from the sky, Thunder is the cry of the sky. The poet endows the rain with divine attributes, earthly beauty, human emotions. The scientific version is simply of evaporation, condensation and precipitation.

Q4. Why does the rain call itself ‘a messenger of mercy’?

Ans.  The poet says that rain is a messenger of mercy for the fields and the clouds which are lovers. The fields are thirsty, the rain quenches their thirst the clouds are overburdened and it relieves them of the excess water.

Q5. How is the arrival and the departure of rain announced?     [CBSE 2011 (Term II)]

Ans. The rain is a divine gift of God and it proves very blessed for the parched fields. It beautifies, adorns and rejuvenates fields, trees, flowers and spreads vitality everywhere. Since it spreads joy and freshness all around the thunder announces its arrival and the rainbow in the sky announces the departure of the rain.

Q6. What does the poet say about the field and the cloud in the poem?
 Or
 In the poem ‘Song of the Rain,’ how does rain help in establishing a bond between the field and the cloud?    [CBSE 2011 (Term II)]

Ans. The poet says that fields and the clouds are lovers. The fields are needy and the clouds are bursting with moisture, the rain acts as a messenger of mercy for them. It quenches the thirst of the fields and cures the ailment of the clouds by relieving them of the moisture.

Q7. How is the falling of rain like a ‘welcome song’? [CBSE 2011 (Term II)]

Ans. Falling of rain is like a welcome song. It proves very blessed for the parched and needy earth. It spreads joy and freshness all around. It beautifies, adorns and rejuvenates fields, trees and flowers, and spreads vitality everywhere. It cements relationship of love between fields and the clouds. It ties the earth and the heaven in a spiritual bond.

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow :

1. I wish I’d been more willin’
 When I had more teeth there than fillin’
 To pass up gobstoppers.
 From respect to me choppers,
 And to buy something else with my shillin’.
 [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]

(a) Name the poem and the poet :

Ans. These lines have been taken from the poem ‘Oh, I Wish I’d Looked After My Teeth’ composed by Pam Ayres.

(b) What is the poet’s wish?

Ans. The poetess wishes that she should have looked after her teeth in her childhood.

(c) What is the rhyme scheme of these lines?

Ans. The rhyming scheme is aa bb.

2. So I lay in the old dentist’s chair,
 And I gaze up his nose in despair,
 And his drill it do whine
 In these molars of mine
 “Two amalgum”, hell say “for in there”.
 [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]

(a) What made the poet feel upset?

Ans. She was upset because she was sitting in a dentist’s chair and had to undergo the drilling of her teeth.

(b) What did the dentist do to the poet’s teeth?

Ans. The dentist drilled the poet’s teeth and filled her cavities with a mixture of mercury and silver.

(c) What does ‘two amalgam’ mean?

Ans. It means the mixture of mercury and silver.

3. “When I had more tooth there than fillin’
 To pass the gobstoppers”

(a) Explain the first line :

Ans. The first line refers to the time when the poet had teeth and no cavities to be filled or otherwise. These were strong good teeth.

(b) What does ‘gobstopper’ mean?

Ans.Gobstopper means a large, hard sweet.

(c) Why did the poet eat it?

Ans. The poet in her youth had been very fond of sweets. She was not far-sighted or strong-willed to forego the temptation of eating them. She did not visualise the dangers of cavities and painful teeth and gums.

1. “When I had more tooth there than fillin’
 To pass the gobstoppers”
 (i) Explain the first line.
 (ii) What does ‘gobstopper’ mean?
 (iii) Why did the poet eat it?

Ans. (i) The first line refers to the time when the poet had teeth and no cavities to be filled or otherwise. These were strong good teeth.
(ii) Gobstopper means a large, hard sweet.
(iii) The poet in her youth had been very fond of sweets. She was not far-sighted or strong-willed to forego the temptation of eating them: She did not visualise the dangers of cavities and painful teeth and gums.

Q2. “All that hard peanut brittle My conscience gets horribly pricked.”
 (i) Why did the poet feel guilty?
 (ii) What damage was caused by hard peanut?

Ans. “The poet feels guilty when she thinks of all the sweets she had sucked and enjoyed specially peanut brittle which is a hard sweet made from nuts and sugar, which did a lot of damage to her teeth. The hard peanut brittle damaged her teeth. Constant eating of this hard brittle sweet was not good for her teeth which became weak with time.

Q3. Why did the poet laugh at her mother’s teeth?

Ans. The poet laughed at her mother’s false teeth which used to be kept in water. She was young irresponsible and quite ignorant of the importance of a good denture in one’s life. To her, it looked funny. But now finding herself in the same situation she realises their importance.

Q4. What is ‘reckoning’ time for the poet? Can it be helped now?

Ans. Reckoning means making amends for one’s mistakes. The poet neglected her teeth. Now when she faced with the danger of losing them and a number of painful cavities to deal with, she feels as if the time to give accountability for her negligence had come.

Q5. Give an appropriate proverb that conveys the message that this poem gives. Relate the proverbs to the poem.
 Or
‘Prevention is better than cure’. Explain with reference to the poem, ‘Oh, I wish I’d looked after my teeth’. [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]

Ans. No use crying over spilt milk — means you can achieve nothing by lamenting over the loss of something which cannot be retrieved. The poet is now lamenting that she should have taken good care of her teeth at the right time and not succumbed to the temptation of eating too many sticky sweets. She is forgetting that she cannot get her beautiful strong teeth back by regretting her mistakes. The message is that when the opportunity is there, we must take it; once it is lost it cannot be retrieved. This holds good in all situations.

Q6. What caused cavities in the teeth of the poetess? [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]
 Or
 How is the poetess responsible for spoiling her teeth ? [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]

Ans. The poet was very stubborn and negligent of dental hygiene during childhood. She was careless and never listened to the instructions of her mother. She was too tempted by lollies, candies, sherbets and other sticky sweets. Her mother cautioned her time and again that a tooth is like a friend, and it should be looked after well. But the poet could not resist sweets and thus spoiled her teeth.

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow :

1. All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players:
 They have exits and entrances;
 And one man in his time plays many parts,
 [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]

(a) What does the poet mean by the terms ‘exits and entrances?
Ans. In this line ‘exits and entrances’ symbolise death and life respectively.

(b) What parallelism has the poet drawn between the stage and the world?
Ans. Stage is a platform in a theatre where actors perform their act. Similarly, life is an also a theatre where men and women play their part and die.

(c) Which figure of speech has been used in the second line?
Ans. A figure of speech used in the second line is ‘Simile’.

Q2. Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon’s mouth : [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]
(a) Who is the person being described in the above lines?
Ans. The person described in the above lines is a soldier.
(b) What traits characterise this stage?
Ans. A man in this stage is fierce and can be easily provoked. He is prone to jealousy and a desire to safeguard his reputation.
(c) Explain: ‘the bubble reputation’.
Ans. Eagerness to seek reputation.

Q3. At first, the infant Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail.
(a) How is the life of a person like an infant?
Ans. As an infant a man is totally dependent. Crying and vomiting milk in the nurse’s arms.
(b) How does a schoolboy appear?
Ans. A schoolboy appears to be sulking and unwillingly carrying his school bag to school.
(c) The schoolboy is depicted as ‘shining’ and ‘whining’? Why?
Ans. Since he is a small boy, his face is shining and whining depicts his unwillingness to go to school.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q1. What is the theme of the poem ‘The Seven Ages’?
Ans. According to Shakespeare human life is transitory. There is nothing permanent in it. This poem is based on a speech given by a character Jacques who is a cynic in the well-known play ‘As You Like It. For Jacques there is nothing noble or praiseworthy in a man’s life. He makes fun of all the seven ages of man and calls birth as ‘entry’ and death as ‘exit’.

Q2. Why does the poet say that the schoolboy creeps like a snail to school?
Ans. The schoolboy is not very willing to go to school. He is disinterested and just walks slowly like a snail carrying his school bag. He is always whining and complaining.

Q3. Describe the fourth and fifth stages of man.
OR
What characteristics does the poet associate with fourth and fifth stages of man. [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]
Ans. The fourth stage is of a soldier. He is fierce like – a leopard full of vigour and can easily be provoked. He is jealous and always defensive to save his honour. In the fifth stage, he is fat and huge. There is somberness in his eyes and his beard gives him a formal look. He is always full of advice for others and performs the role of justice.

Q4. All the world’s a stage And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.

(a) Why does the poet call the world a ‘stage’?
(b) What does the poet mean by ‘exits’ and ‘entrances’?
(c) How can one-man play many parts?
Ans. (a) Stage is a platform in a theatre where actors perform their parts. Similarly, life is also a performance in which men and women play different parts. These roles are preordained and are in God’s power.
(b) The exits are deaths and entrances are births
(c) The various parts are the various stages in his life: Childhood, adolescence, youth, middle age and finally death.

5. At first the infant
 Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms
 Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
 And shining morning face, creeping like snail.
 (a) How is the life of a person like an infant?
 (b) How does a schoolboy appear?
 (c) The schoolboy is depicted as ‘shining’ and ‘whining’ Why?
Ans. The first stage of man is of childhood an infant who cries and vomits in his nurse’s arms. He is helpless and depends on others for his every need. The next stage is of a schoolboy who carries his school bag, goes to school unwillingly and slowly like a snail. At this time his face is always scrubbed and shining. But he is not a very willing student, he keeps whining and complaining.

Q6. Explain ‘All the world’s a stage’ with reference to the poem. (CBSE 2010)
Ans. In this poem, life is compared to a play. First, as a man plays different roles in a play so also does he in a real life. As on a stage, there is a particular entry and a particular exit of actors; in the same way in life man comes when he is born and departs when he dies. Just as a part is assigned to an actor, in the same God decides man’s role in life, what he has to do at various stages. Noting is in man’s hand.

Q7. What is the theme of the poem ‘The Seven Ages’.
Or
What do you think has the poet referred to as ‘an eventful history’ in the poem, The Seven Ages and why? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]
Ans. Shakespeare said that human life is transitory. There is nothing permanent in it. This poem is based on a speech given by a character Jacques, who is a cynic, in the
well-known play ‘As You Like It. For Jacques, there is nothing noble or praiseworthy in a man’s life. He makes fun of all the seven ages of man and calls birth as ‘entry’ and death as ‘exit’.

Q8. Write two characteristics of infant state mentioned in the poem ‘The Seven Ages’. (CBSE 2010)
 Or
 How does Shakespeare describe a man in the first stage of life? [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]
Ans. The two characteristics of an infant stage are crying and vomiting out his milk. Whenever he needs anything he cries, whether he is hungry, sick, or wet. The only language he knows is of crying which attracts the attention of those who care for him. The only reaction he gives regarding his behaviour is by vomiting out his milk. These two traits characterise an infant.

Q9. Why has been the last stage of a man’s life referred to as second childishness’? [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]
Ans. An infant has to depend on others for everything. Similarly, an old man is weak and ignorant of everything around him. He has no teeth, no sense of taste and is
absolutely helpless.

Q10. What are the problems faced by a person in ‘Soldier’ stage? [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]
 Or
How does man as a soldier behave? (The Seven Ages) [CBSE 2010 (Term II)]
Ans. The fourth stage of a man is of a soldier. He is heroic, seeking reputation, willing to face total annihilation. He is fierce like a leopard, full of vigour and is easily provoked. He is jealous and defensive. He risks his life to become immortal.

Read the following extracts and answer the questions given below :

1. Will none tell me what she sings?
 Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
 For old, unhappy, far-off things,
 And battles long ago.

(a) Explain the use of ‘perhaps’ in the second line.

Ans. ‘Perhaps’ is used to show that the poet is not sure about the theme of solitary reaper’s song.

(b) ‘Flow’, – what quality of the solitary reaper song is expressed here?

Ans. The word ‘flow’ expresses the spontaneity of solitary reaper’s song.

(c) What is the poet’s guess?

Ans. He guesses that she might be singing about some unhappy things of the past or the battles fought long ago.

2. Or is it some more humble lay,
 Familiar matter of today?
 Some natural sorrow, loss or pain,
 That has been, maybe again.

(a) ‘It’ in the first line refers to :

Ans. ‘It’ in the first line refers to solitary reaper’s song.

(b) Explain ‘humble lay’.

Ans. It means that solitary reaper’s song may be about some ordinary people.

(c) What does the poet wish to convey by saying ‘that has been and maybe again’ ?

Ans. He wishes to convey that the song may be about some natural sorrow which can occur again.

3. Whatever the theme, the maiden sang
 As if her song could have no ending;
 I saw her singing at her work
 And o’er the sickle bending

(a) What other activities is the maiden doing besides singing?

Ans. Besides singing, the maiden is cutting and binding the grain.

(b) What makes the maiden’s song extraordinary?

Ans. Maiden’s voice makes her song extraordinary.

(c) What effect does the song have over the poet?

Ans. The song left an indelible mark on the poet’s heart.

4. I listened, motionless and still
 And, as I mounted up the hill,
 The music in my heart I bore,
 Long after it was heard no more.

(a) Where does the poet go?

Ans. The poet is climbing up the mountain.

(b) How did the song affect the poet?

Ans. The song left a permanent mark on the poet’s heart.

(c) What does the poet want to convey by ‘‘long after it was heard no more’’?

Ans. The poet wants to say that the music is eternal and can give pleasure even when you do not hear it.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q1. Discuss the significance of the title of the poem.

Ans. The poem’s title and theme are based on the fact that once in the course of his walking tours of Scotland William Wordsworth, the poet, and his sister came across a solitary reaper, a young highland lass, who was reaping and binding corn as it was the harvest time. As she was working peacefully all by herself, she was singing. Her song had a touch of sadness. The memory of this lone girl and the melancholy notes of her song remained with the poet for all time. Wordsworth’s poem “The Solitary Reaper” somehow immortalises her.

Q2. ‘Solitary Reaper’ is a poem that depicts a simple peasant girl gifted with an extraordinary voice. What qualities make the girl unforgettable?

Ans. The melodious voice of the Solitary Reaper is unforgettable. It has tender melancholic strains, the sweetest human voice ever heard that haunted the poet for all time. He could not understand the dialect, nor the theme of her song. Her musical notes ran like water and surpassed the beauty of the songs of the nightingale and the cuckoo. The intensity and the enchanting quality of her song left an everlasting impression on the poet’s mind.

Q3. Give two examples of hyperbole and alliteration from the poem.

Ans. ‘Silence of the seas,’ and ‘sings a melancholy strain’ ‘perhaps the plaintive numbers flow,’ this poetic repetition of the ‘S’ sound and ‘P’ sound is a device used by poets called alliteration. Hyperbole in also a poetic device in which something written or described is made to sound more exciting, better or dangerous. “O’ listen! for the vale profound is overflowing with the sound”. The sound of the reaper’s song is so powerful that it fills the deep valleys, it is an exaggeration.

Q4. Why is the song of the solitary reaper compared to the nightingale’s song?

Ans. The nightingale is acclaimed as a songbird endowed with a sweet voice who is supposed to sing in a melodious and soothing way. The solitary reaper’s voice is also sweet and melodious. Her song is so sweetly melancholy that it leaves an indelible mark in the poet’s mind. Shady haunt is a cool resting place in an oasis in the Arabian desert where weary travellers are resting.

Q5. What arrested the attention of the poet out for a walk in the countryside? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Ans. While walking in the countryside, the poet heard the solitary reaper’s song. He was struck by the fact that the girl was cutting the harvest alone and on a happy occasion singing a melancholy song. It was so melodious that it once caught poet’s attention. He finds her song sweeter than a nightingale and more thrilling than a cuckoo bird.

Q6. How could the poet hear the song of the Solitary Reaper, when it could be heard no more? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Ans. One day, while climbing up a hill, the poet hears solitary reaper’s song. The song reminds him of a nightingale and a cuckoo. He finds the song so enchanting that it leaves an indelible mark on the poet’s mind and he believes that the memory of the song will remain with him forever. This also shows that music has a universal appeal.

Q7. How do we know that the highland girl was engrossed in her work? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Ans. Once the poet comes across a highland girl while climbing up a hill. The young girl was reaping and binding the corn as it was harvest time. As she was working
peacefully all by herself, she was singing. The whole valley resounds with her melodious voice but she is ignorant of all this and is totally engrossed in her work.

Q8. What guesses does the poet make about the theme of the Solitary Reaper’s song? [CBSE 2010 (TermI)]

Ans. The solitary reaper was singing the song in a dialect. The poet was unable to comprehend its meaning but was able to gauge from its sad note that it probably relates to some unhappy memories, some battles fought long ago. The poet also guesses that the song may be about the commonplace things like joys and sorrows.

Read the following extract and answer the questions given below.

1. And both that morning equally lay
 In leaves, no step had trodden black
 Oh, I kept the first for another day!
 Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
 I doubted if I should ever come back.

(a) What decision does the speaker take of the ‘first’ road?

Ans. When the poet sees two roads diverging in a forest, he decides to take the second one and leave the first one for some other day.

(b) Explain: ‘‘In leaves, no step had trodden black.’’

Ans. It means that the leaves on the other road were intact. There were no marks that anyone had trodden on them.

(c) What doubt crops up in the speaker’s mind?

Ans. The poet was in a dilemma as to which road, out of the two, he should follow.

2. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
 And sorry I could not travel both
 And be one traveller long I stood
 And looked down one as far as I could
 To where it bent in the undergrowth

(a) Why did the poet feel like travelling both the roads?

Ans. He wanted to do so because both the roads looked equally fair and promising.

(b) Why did the poet choose the other road?

Ans. He chose the other road because it was grassy, less travelled and wanted wear.

(c) What was the doubt in the poet’s mind?

Ans. The poet doubted if he would ever be able to come back to travel the first road.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q1. Discuss the significance of the title ‘The Road Not Taken’.

Ans. It depicts the feeling of regret. After making a choice, he was plagued with the idea of not making the other choice. He regrets not adopting the other cause, the other road, the other choice. Even when we do well often making a choice we keep thinking of the games and success which could have been ours if we had taken the other choice.

Q2. Describe the two roads that the author finds. Which road does he choose? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

One day the poet comes to a bifurcation in the road and needs to decide which road he should take to continue his journey. One road was a beaten track. Many people had
walked on it. It was lost in the small shrubs. The other road was grassy and seemed less trodden. Being adventurous in nature, the poet chooses the second road which was grassy and less walked on and left the first one for some other day.

Q3. What was the poet’s dilemma in the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

The poet faces a dilemma that every man faces in his life, i.e. making the right decision. One day during the walk the poet reached bifurcation in the road. Out of the two roads, he had to take only one. He decides to take the second road which was less frequented. Hence the road is a symbol of the choice. It is just not possible to make more than one choice and to take both the roads. So the poet decides to take the road less travelled.

Q4. Why did the poet keep the first road for another day? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Once the poet had to make a decision as to which road he should travel out of two in front of him. He examines both the roads and finds the other road less travelled. He
didn’t want to follow a beaten track and decides to take the other road and keep the first road for some other day. But somewhere in his mind, he is troubled with the thought
that he may not be able to do so.

Q5. “I took the one less travelled by.” What do we come to know about the poet from this line ? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Or

What does the choice made by the poet indicate about his personality in the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’?

This line reveals the adventurous nature of the poet because when he had to take a decision of making a choice, he did not take the beaten track. He chooses the path which is not frequented. He decides to leave the first road for some other day knowing fully well that he will not get a chance to go back to it.

Q6. Write a brief note on the theme of Robert Frost’s poem ‘The Road Not Taken.’ [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

Robert Frost is known for writing poetry which had philosophical streaks. The poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ is based on the theme of making a difficult choice which has a universal appeal. It concerns making the right choice, the right decision. The road is a symbolic word which stands for a choice. It is just not possible to make more than one choice and to take both the roads. We have to make one choice, we have to take one road. While making our choice we do consider all the factors it is not still foolproof. So the element of regret remains which takes away our contentment. This is the great tragedy of life.

Q7. Why did the poet doubt his coming back on the same intersection in life? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]

This poem is about choices, decisions and their consequences. It is a fact that once the choice has been made, there is no going back. The traveller standing on the road
of life, is confronted with a dilemma when both the paths or choices look equally promising. Once a road is chosen, the traveller has to move on. There is no rewinding. There
would never be a befitting time or opportunity for coming back and exercising the choice again. Time has changed, so has the psychology of the traveller. It will never be the same again. So one stick to the road one has taken and makes it lead to the destination already decided.

Read the extracts and answer the following questions.

1. By thirty hills I hurry down,
 Or slip between the ridges,
 By twenty thorpes, a little town,
 And half a hundred bridges.

(a) How does the brook flows through the hills?
Ans. The brook flows through the hills by navigating various terrains, which can influence its smooth journey. It encounters different obstacles that may affect its flow, yet it continues to move gracefully.

(b) What are the things which come in its way?
Ans. The things that obstruct its path include flowers, fish, willows, and weeds.

(c) What is the brook’s destination?
Ans. The brook’s final destination is a brimming river.

2. I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance,
 Among my skimming swallows,
 I make the netted sunbeam dance
 Against my sandy shallows.

(a) Why does the poet repeatedly use ‘I’ in the above stanza? What poetic purpose does it serve?
Ans. By using ‘I’ repeatedly, the poet personifies the brook, allowing it to share the struggles it encounters during its journey. This technique helps to create a more intimate connection between the reader and the brook, making its experiences feel more relatable and alive.

(b) What are the various quick movements that the brook makes?
Ans. The brook exhibits a variety of movements during its journey. At times, it flows gently, while at other moments, it moves forcefully. Additionally, it creates a zigzag pattern, resembling the movement of a snake.

(c) Give the rhyme scheme of the above stanza.
Ans. The rhyming scheme of the stanza is abab.

3. I murmur under moon and stars
 In brambly wildernesses;
 I linger by my shingly bars;
 I loiter round my cresses;

(a) The movement of the brook appears to have undergone a change. How?
Ans. It is depicted in the lines above that the brook has slowed down. The poet has used the words ‘linger and loiter’ to show slow movement.

(b) What effect do ‘moon and stars’ have over the movement of the brook?
Ans. The moon and stars have a calming effect on the brook, causing it to slow down and murmur as it flows.

(c) What are ‘cresses’?
Ans. Cresses are peppery leaves from a plant related to cabbage. They are commonly used in salads for their distinctive flavour.

4. And out again I curve and flow
 To join the brimming river,
 For men may come and men may go,
 But I go on forever.

(a) What is the final destination of the brook?
Ans. The final destination of the brook is the brimming river.

(b) Explain ‘brimming river’.
Ans. The term brimming river refers to a river that is overflowing with water. It conveys a sense of fullness and vitality, suggesting that the river is at its peak capacity.

(c) What is the message of the poet?
Ans. The poet compares the journey of the brook with human life with the only difference that human life is mortal, whereas the brook is immortal.

Short Answer Questions

Q1. Give examples of alliteration and the beautiful images that form the texture of the poem ‘The Brook.’
Ans. Examples of alliteration in the poem include phrases like sudden sally, bubble babble, twenty thorpes, and field and fallow. These phrases create a rhythmic quality that enhances the poem’s musicality. The poem also paints many beautiful images. One striking image appears in stanza two: “By thirty hills — a hundred bridges”. This line vividly illustrates the brook flowing through hills and valleys, crossing bridges, and passing by villages. Another captivating image is of the brook moving in a serpent-like manner, slipping and sliding among meadows, grassy plots, forget-me-nots, and floating fish.

Q2. How is the journey of the brook similar to the journey of life and yet different?
Ans. There are various similarities between the brook and the journey of life, e.g., both have a beginning, a middle-age and an end. There are struggles in the lives of both — the human life continues in spite of struggles and ups and downs and the brook continues to flow against all odds. But one thing is different — man is mortal, whereas the brook is eternal, a man may come and man may go but the brook goes on forever.

Q3. ‘The Brook’ proceeds like a travelogue. Discuss the importance of the various places that the brook encounters on its journey.
Ans. The brook travels through hills and vales, between ridges and underbridges, beside Philip’s farm, fallow land, and foreland, making its way through, with a blossom here and a trout there and many a grayling through obstructions of sand and gravel until it falls into the big river. It passes thirty hills and fifty bridges. It chatters and babbles and creates music as it flows.

Q4. Describe four movements that the brook makes during its journey. [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]
Ans: The brook exhibits several movements during its journey, as described by the poet Lord Tennyson. It makes a sudden sally as it emerges among the plants, sparkling in the sunshine. The brook hurries downhill, slipping between ridges and stealing by lawns. It glides and glances smoothly, moving gently and unobserved before finally emerging into the open. This journey is marked by its ability to flow and linger in various landscapes, showcasing its dynamic nature.

Q5. What is the symbolic meaning conveyed by “For men may come and men may go, but I go on forever”? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]
Ans: The brook is a small stream that originates in the mountains and grows larger as it flows. It produces various sounds as it moves over pebbles, slipping and sliding, winding around curves, and creating both musical and harsh noises. The brook’s journey, from its birth to its growth, mirrors the stages of human life. Both begin, develop, and eventually end, facing challenges along the way while striving towards their goals. Ultimately, the brook embodies life itself. The phrase “For men may come and men may go, but I go on forever” signifies that while people may enter and exit our lives, the essence of life continues uninterrupted, much like the brook that flows eternally.

Q6. What does the poet want to convey through the poem, ‘The Brook’? [CBSE 2011 (Term I)]
Ans: The brook represents the journey of life. The poet conveys that, like the brook, which continues to flow despite obstacles, people should also face their challenges and sorrows with resilience. The brook’s unwavering path serves as a reminder that life’s ups and downs should not hinder our progress.

Q7. Name the different things that can be found floating in the brook. [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]
Ans: The brook flows through various landscapes, including hills, gardens, and valleys. As it moves, it carries with it a variety of items such as flowers, ferns, pebbles, and weeds. You may also spot colourful fish like trout and grayling swimming in its waters. When the current is strong, it creates foam on the surface. The brook joyfully embraces everything it encounters on its journey.

Q8. What is the message given by the brook? [CBSE 2010 (Term I)]
Ans: The poet conveys a message through the personification of the brook. Just as the brook bravely overcomes various hurdles and obstacles on its journey to reach its final destination, human beings should also remain undeterred. They must accept both the joys and sorrows of life and face all challenges that arise in pursuit of their goals with courage.

Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Q1.“The next morning at eleven sharp, I rang the doorbell of that World’s Fair main building.”

(a) Who had Pescud come to meet?

Ans. Pescud had come to meet Jessie’s father.

(b) What was the purpose of his visit?

Ans. He had come there to talk to Jessie’s father and to disclose his liking for her.

(c) Why was he surprised to see the inside of the big building?

Ans. He was surprised because the inside of the building was impoverished and had very old furniture.

Q2.“For about nine seconds, he had me rattled, and I came mighty near getting cold feet and trying to sell him some plate-glass.”

(a) The speaker is talking about

Ans. He is talking about his meeting with Colonel Allyn, Jessie’s father.

(b) What does the word ‘rattle’ mean here?

Ans. It means shaking vigorously, confused and nervous.

(c) What did the speaker do after these ‘nine seconds’?

Ans. After these nine seconds, he got over his nervousness, gained confidence and talked about his liking for Jessie.

Q3.“Good-luck to you, Trevelyan,” “And may you get the petunias for your princess!” [CBSE 2011 (Term II)]

(a) By whom have these words been spoken?

Ans. These words have been spoken by the narrator to Pescud.

(b) ‘Trevelyan’ was the hero of _________.

Ans. Trevelyan was the hero of the best seller ‘The Rose Lady and Trevelyan’.

(c) Who is the ‘princess’ mentioned here?

Ans. Princess here refers to Jessie, Pescud’s wife.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Answer the following briefly.

Q1. “This fellow chases the royal chair-warmer home as I said, and finds out who she is”
 (i) Who is the ‘fellow’? Who is the ‘royal chair warmer’?
 (ii) Discuss the context of the above remark.

Ans. (i) The ‘fellow’ refers to the hero of the Bestseller. He is an American who belongs to the upper class and is fashionably dressed.
The ‘royal chair-warmer’ refers to the royal princess from Europe with whom he has fallen in love, and so chases her to find out who she is.

(ii) The above remark is made in the context of the Bestseller which was thrown on the floor of the chair-car by John A. Pescud. The narrator who was also sitting in the same chair-car recognized Pescud and they had a conversation on issues like life, romance, literature, and ethics. During that conversation only, Pescud talks to the narrator about the story of the bestseller he had thrown on the floor. The above-mentioned remark is made by him for the hero of the novel and the royal princess whom he had chased to marry her.

Q2.“You don’t see or hear of any such capers in real life”
(i) Who is the speaker and who is the listener?
 (ii) What is the purpose of the above comparison?

Ans. (i) The speaker is John A. Pescud and the listener is the Narrator.

(ii) The purpose of the above comparison by Pescud is to draw the attention of the narrator to his own (Pescud’s) real-life story. By speaking so negatively about the romance in the Bestseller between an American and the royal princess from Europe, Pescud is successful in having the narrator asks him if he had met his ‘affinity’. Perhaps, ordinarily, he would not have been able to tell the narrator (or anybody else) that his romance was also of a very ‘special’ kind – something different from the normal course. He had a broad grin on his face when he got the chance to tell the narrator about his romantic story. So, his purpose of making the above comparison was fulfilled.

Q3. Pescud was obsessed with his plate-glass business but he let this business go to smash for a while. Why?
 Ans. Once when Pescud was going to Cincinnati, he happened to see in his chair car a girl who he felt was the finest looking girl he had ever laid his eyes on. He was so impressed by her beauty that he started thinking of marrying her. At that moment, he forgot completely about his plate-glass business, of which he used to be so obsessed, and let it go to smash for a while. All the places that she went to — from Cincinnati to Louisville, to Shelbyville, Frankford and Lexington — he followed her. He got down from the train at the last station that she got down at, ie., Virginia, but throughout he tried to keep himself out of her sight. After meeting her father and making a few more efforts, he was able to marry the girl. All this while, the thought of his plate-glass business did not even occur once to his mind.

Q4. How did Jessie know that Pescud was following her?
Ans. During their conversation, when Jessie came to know that Pescud was from Pittsburg, she told him that he was quite far from his home. At this, Pescud replied that he could easily go a thousand miles farther. Jessie then said, “Not if you hadn’t woken up when the train started in Shelbyville”, and then she started blushing. Later, she also reminded him that he was about to miss his train at Powahatan Junction also. This shows that she knew very well that Pescud was following her. When Pescud asked her how she knew that, she replied that she knew that he was present on every train which she was travelling in.

Q5. “I thought you were going to speak to me and I am glad you didn’t.” Why does Jessie say so?
Ans. Jessie says she is glad that he didn’t talk to her in the train because she knows that she would not have taken any interest in talking to him there. Perhaps if Pescud had expressed his liking for her in the train, she would have rejected him. It seems that now when Pescud is talking to her, after having made all the efforts to be near her, she has also started developing some sort of liking for him. Moreover, now she is also in a position to clearly show the status that her family has, and let Pescud decide upon his next step.

Q6. Give two reasons to show that Jessie was very proud of her family.
Ans. While talking to Pescud and telling him about her family, she referred to her family as ‘The Allyns’. She also said that hers was a proud family and that her father was a lineal descendant of ‘belted earls’ — those who were invested with a sword by the king himself. She gave the amazing details of the big mansion that the Allyn family had lived in for the last hundred years. All these things show that she was proud of her family.

Q7. Point out the significance of the last statement of the writer, “And may you get the petunias for your princess.”
Ans. The writer and Pescud had started their discussion in the beginning on the bestseller, “The Rose Lady and Trevelyan”. Pescud had apparently projected that he was a critic of such marriages where the status of the boy and girl were wide apart. Gradually when Pescud told his own story, it was no different from the story of the bestseller. So when Pescud gets down at Coketown to get Petunias for his wife, the writer speaks out this statement with an element of sarcasm, meaning that Pescud himself had married a princess, while he was condemning the marriage between Trevelyan and the princess.

Q8. What was John Pescud’s opinion about bestsellers? Why ? [CBSE 2011 (Term II)]
 Ans. Once, while travelling in a train, the writer chanced to meet Pescud, an old associate, who was reading a bestseller ‘Rose Lady and Trevelyan’. Pointing towards the book Pescud said that the novel revolves round the romance of an American Hero with a royal Princess from Europe. He believed that such type of romances only happened in novels because in real life any sensible person will pick out a girl from the same kind of status and family. He criticises and mocks the stories of best sellers calling them melodramatic and unrealistic.

Q9. In the lesson ‘Bestseller’ what did Pescud inform the speaker about his prosperity ? [CBSE 2011 (Term II)]
 Ans. While travelling in a train, the writer met with an old friend John A Pescud who was a travelling salesman for a plate-glass company. During the conversation, Pescud told the writer that he was quite satisfied with his work. He told that he was doing well and believed that plate-glass was the most important business in the world. He informed the writer that professionally he was prospering and he had also invested in real estate.

Read the extract and answers the questions that follow.

Q1. “A slight frown marred the smoothness of Harold Bramble’s brow.”

(a) What made Harold ‘frown’?
Ans. His mother’s habit of treating him like a little baby made Harold frown.

(b) What kind of student was Harold?

Ans. Harold was an excellent student. His mother was very proud to have given birth to a genius.

(c) What type of prizes had he won in the last term ?

Ans. In the last term, he had won many prizes in spelling and dictation competitions.

Q2. “The fight’s over ….. And Bill’s won, with me seconding him”.
(i) What is the context of the above statement?
(ii) Who makes the above statement?
(iii)Why does he make such a statement?

Ans. (i) The above statement is about the boxing fight which Bill was going to have with Murphy on the coming Monday.
(ii) This statement is made by Major Percy to his sister, Mrs. Bramble about Bill’s boxing contest.
(iii) He refers to Bill’s step of withdrawing from the contest as his (Bill’s) victory.

Q3. “You were such a pleasure to train as a rule? It all comes of getting with bad companions”.

(i) Who is the speaker and who is the listener?
(ii) Who is being accused of being in a bad company? Why?
 (iii)Why is he being accused?

Ans. (i) The speaker here is Mr. Jerry Fisher, Bill’s trainer and the listener is Mr. Bramble.
(ii) Mr. Bramble is being accused of being in a bad company of Major Percy.
(iii) Fisher is charging Percy with having played an evil role in provoking Mr. Bramble and forcing him to withdraw from the boxing fight.

Q4. ‘There’s a fellow at our school who goes about swanking in the most rotten way because he once got Phil Scott’s autograph.’

(i) Who is the speaker and what is the reason for the above statement?
(ii) Explain ‘swanking’.
(iii) Do you feel the speaker is hurt at being deprived of something?

Ans. (i) The speaker is Harold. He tells everyone that he is proud of being the son of ‘Young Porky’.
(ii) “Swanking” means “Showing off”.
(iii) The speaker, Harold, is hurt at having been deprived of the truth of his father’s real profession.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q1. Give two reasons to prove that Bill was a ‘domestic creature’.
 Ans. At one place, when Major Percy was persuading Mr. Bramble to hide his career from his son, he agreed to it without any objection. In private life, he was the mildest and most obliging of men and always yielded to everybody. At another place, he tells Jerry that he was sorry for withdrawing from the boxing fight as it was important for Harold. So, both instances show how his decisions were focussed on the well-being of his family.

Q2. Why was Mrs. Bramble amazed by bringing forth such a prodigy like Harold?
 Ans. Mrs. Bramble was amazed at having brought forth such a prodigy like Harold because he was so much different from ordinary children, was devoted to his books, was a model of good behaviour, and was highly admirable. He was, in fact, almost a symbol of perfectionism.

Q3. Give two character traits of Major Percy Stokes.
Ans. (i) Major Percy Stokes is persuasive by nature. He is successful in persuading Mr. Bramble to give up his boxing fight with Murphy, stating the reason that this profession was below his dignity as it involved a lot of anger; thus Bill should not only give it up but also hide his profession from his son Harold.

(ii) He is very scornful and loves to trouble others. He enjoys the argument between Mr. and Mrs. Bramble over the issue of going for a boxing fight on Monday. He likes to be in a dominant position, for which he doesn’t even mind harming his own sister’s (Mrs. Bramble’s) family needs and interests.

Q4. How did the birth of Harold change the Bramble household?
 Ans. Before the birth of Harold, Mr. Bramble had been proud of being a professional boxer. He was delighted to be the possessor of a left hook which had won the approval of the newspapers. Now since Harold had come into his life, he was afraid of his name in the newspaper and kept his profession secret from his son. Actually, Harold was a prodigy child and both Mr. and Mrs. Bramble thought that the profession of boxing was too disgraceful for their son, and so they hid Bramble’s profession from him.