Text Book Solutions All Class

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.

Read the extract and answer the questions that follow.

Q1.“The squad listened in a cowed, horrified kind of silence.”

(a) To whom was the squad listening?

Ans. The squad was listening to the lecture being given by Professor who was asked by Corporal to replace him.

(b) What was the person giving lecture on?

Ans. The person was giving a lecture on the hand grenade.

(c) Why was the squad ‘horrified’?

Ans. The squad was horrified because they were shocked at the impertinence of the Professor and were apprehensive about its outcome.

Q2. “Through the open door, we could see the three cooks standing against the wall as if at bay.”

(a) Who is ‘we’ referred to?

Ans. We here is referred to the writer and his friend, Trower.

(b) What is meant by ‘at bay’?

Ans. ‘At bay’ here means trapped and cornered.

(c) Who was sermonising the three cooks?

Ans. It was the Professor who was sermonising the three cooks.

Q3. “Whenever one of us shone, the Professor outshone him.” [CBSE 2011 (Term 2)]

(a) Which quality of the Professor is spoken about?

Ans. The Professor was highly conceited. He needlessly tried to show his knowledge and humiliate others.

(b) How did the speaker benefit from the Professor as a co-trainee?

Ans. They were impressed by the hard work he used to put in pursuit of his ambition, and the amount of knowledge he possessed.

(c) Why couldn’t the Professor please his friends despite his excellent intelligence?

Ans. He could not please them because he always tried to show off his knowledge and tried to belittle and humiliate others.

Q4. “Forty Four”. “What is that?” The Corporal looked over his shoulders. “Forty four segments,” the Professor beamed at him. [CBSE 2011 (Term 2)]

(a) What is the occasion of the above talk?

Ans. It was when Corporal Turnball was delivering a lecture on hand grenade.

(b) Why did the Corporal look back?

 Ans. He did so because the professor had dared to interrupt him while he was delivering a lecture on hand grenade.

(c) What are forty four segments?

Ans. Forty-four segments here refer to the segments outside a hand grenade.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q1. Did the writer’s pride in aircraft recognition last long? Why/Why not?

Ans. The writer and his friends used to pride themselves for their capability of recognising an aircraft by its sound. Once, when they went out for a walk, they heard the drone of a plane flying high overhead. Before they could say anything, without even looking up, the professor announced the name of the plane. This was a humbling experience for the writer and his friends.

Q2. “There was an expression of self-conscious innocence.” Explain the context of the above remark.

Ans. This remark indicates that the Professor was always pretending to be innocent, whereas the real motive somewhere at the back of his mind was to show that he was perfect. When the Corporal said, “the platoon officer has asked me to nominate someone for________” everyone thought that some important work was going to be handed down to Quelch. Quelch was also sure in his mind that it was he who would be appointed, and stood straight, with an expression of self-conscious innocence.

Q3. Why were the writer and his batch-mates ‘thunder-struck’ when Quelch tried to correct Corporal Turnbull?

Ans. Corporal Turnbull was not a man with whom one could play the fool or talk or act frivolously. He was a hero for the squad, and they used to tell each other that nobody could easily take him for granted. As usual, Quelch tried to correct the Corporal when he was delivering a lecture on a grenade. The writer and his batchmates were thunderstruck seeing the foolish and daring act of Quelch, and the consequences he would have to face for it.

Q4. What do Trower and the writer happen to overhear in the cookhouse?

Ans. While returning from the canteen to their hut, the writer and Trower saw through an open door that the three cooks were standing against the wall as if at bay. They overheard the monotonous voice of Quelch who was giving a lecture to the cooks and protesting against the unscientific and unhygienic methods of peeling potatoes, leading to the waste of vitamins.

Q5. Why did the writer’s practical jokes and sarcasm prove ineffective against Quelch?

Ans. Day in and day out, Quelch lectured the people in his droning, remorseless voice on every aspect of human knowledge. The practical jokes and sarcasm of the writer and his friends proved to be ineffective towards Quelch because the professor never noticed them as he was too busy working for his stripe.

Q6. How did Quelch march to the canteen?

Ans. The salute of Professor Quelch at the pay table was a model to behold for everyone. When officers were in sight, he would swing his skinny arms and march to the canteen like a Guard.

Q7. What was the first impression that Quelch left on the writer and his friends?

Ans. Quelch was lanky, stooping and frowning through horn-rimmed spectacles. The first impression he gave to others was that he was very serious and studious kind of a person. Due to this reason, he came to be known as the professor. Those who had any doubts on the subject lost them after five minutes’ conversation with him.

Q8. How does Private Quelch show his knowledge as the Sergeant’s classes went on? [CBSE 2011 (Term 2)]

Ans. Private Ouelch was highly conceited who could not handle his own knowledge. Knowledge, if used to overshadow and belittle others, can never bring significant gains. The same happened the other day when Sergeant was delivering lecture on hand grenade. Private Ouelch interrupted him again and again by giving additional information on the same subject. After the lecture was over, the sergeant assigned him the job of cook house duties to deflate his bloated ego.

Q9. Why did Private Quelch work so hard to gather knowledge ? [CBSE 2011 (Term 2)]

Ans. Private Quelch was very ambitious. He was very competitive and wanted a quick promotion. In pursuit of his ambition, he worked very hard. He read a lot, attacked his instructors and on every occasion tried to belittle and overshadow others. He would try to appear exceptional before his seniors. He was dilligent, enthusiastic and gifted with excellent memory but his modus operandi was wrong.

Q10. Private Quelch was incorrigible. How far do you agree with the statement ? Give reasons in support of your answer. [CBSE 2011 (Term 2)]

Ans.
Yes, I agree with the statement that Private Quelch was incorrigible. Although he was brainy, dilligent, enthusiastic and gifted with excellent memory his modus operandi was wrong. He was highly conceited and was very fond of showing off his knowledge. After he offended the corporal and was sent to do cookhouse duties as a punishment, his sermonising continued even within the four walls of the kitchen.

Read the extracts and answer the questions that follow.

Ques 1. “About six weeks after the accident, the hospital put him in a wheelchair.”

(a) Who does ‘him’ refer to?

Ans: ‘Him’ refers to Chuck Hooper who has been admitted in the hospital after he met with an accident.

(b) How had ‘he’ met with an accident?

Ans: One day, while driving home from work, Hooper encountered a car that suddenly pulled out in front of him, resulting in a head-on collision. He was rushed to the hospital

(c) How did the accident affect Hooper?

Ans: Hooper had a subdural haemorrhage in the motor section of his brain which completely paralyzed his left side.

Ques 2. ‘Finally they decided to bring Duke home.’

(a) Who is ‘Duke’?
Ans: Duke is the pet dog of Charles Hooper. After Hooper had an accident, Duke was sent to a kennel for his safety.

(b) Where had Duke been sent?
 Ans: Duke had been sent to a kennel after Hooper met with an accident.

(c) Why was Duke being brought home?
 Ans: Duke was being brought home to give company to Hooper who was bedridden and was all alone at home after his wife left for work.

Ques 3. “On January 4, Hooper made a big move.”

(a) Who was Hooper ?
Ans: Hooper was working as a Zonal Sales Manager in a chemical company.

(b) What was the ‘big move’ he made ?
Ans: After his accident, Hooper’s big move was his first attempt to walk 200 metres without the help of his dog. This marked a significant step in his recovery journey.

(c) Who had been instrumental in helping Hooper to make this ‘big move’ ?
Ans: It was his dog ‘Duke’ who awakened Hooper’s will, which was lying dormant in his mind, to fight back and emerge victorious.

Ques 4. Several people jumped to lift the dog. “No please,” she said.

(a) Why did people want to lift the dog?
Ans: The dog had suffered an accident and was severely injured. It was essential to take him to the hospital for treatment.

(b) Why did Marcy say “No please”?
Ans: Marcy said “No please” because she felt a deep sense of gratitude for the dog. She wanted to do everything possible for it, reflecting her strong emotional connection.

(c) What had happened to the dog?
Ans: The dog had been struck by a vehicle outside their home, resulting in severe injuries.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Ques 1. ‘‘It was like lighting a fuse.’’ Explain the context of the above statement.
Ans: One evening, Chuck’s good hand hooked into Duke’s lead of the collar to hold him still. It was like ‘lighting a fuse’ because, on the spur of the moment, an idea struck the dog’s mind as to how to help Chuck move about and walk.

Ques 2. Why did Chuck feel more lonely at home?
Ans: When Chuck was in the hospital for treatment of paralysis, he was surrounded by other injured people, which made him feel less lonely. However, at home, each morning when his wife, Marcy, left for work, he found himself alone with his thoughts, leading to a deep sense of isolation.

Ques 3. How did Chuck Hooper happen to take his first step?

Ans: Chuck’s first step occurred when his good hand hooked the leash onto Duke’s collar. As Duke moved forward in a U-shape, Chuck struggled to maintain his balance. He then transferred the leash to his left, paralysed hand, and with Marcy’s support, he extended his right leg. This action caused his left foot to drag forward, resulting in what could be considered his first step, aided by Duke.

Ques 4. What was the reaction of the neighbours as they watched Chuck’s progress everyday?

Ans: The neighbours observed with great interest the daily efforts outside Marcy’s house. They saw the dog, Duke, tugging on his leash, waiting patiently for Hooper to catch up. Each small step Hooper took was met with keen attention from the onlookers. On June 1, when Hooper and Duke reached a distant intersection, the news spread quickly, highlighting the remarkable progress of the pair.

Ques 5. What objectives were set up by Chuck Hooper in his pattern of progress?
Ans: Chuck Hooper and his dog, Duke, set clear objectives as they progressed in their journey. Initially, they aimed for two trips a day, focusing on one driveway at a time. As they advanced, Duke no longer paused at each step. On January 4, Chuck made a significant move by walking 200 metres to his office without Duke, expressing his intention to work for an hour each day at first. This marked the beginning of his gradual return to work.

Ques 6. What was the problem presented by Chuck in his company? 
Ans: When Chuck arrived at the office seeking work, the staff were taken aback. His situation posed a significant challenge because no one had the courage to inform him that, given his condition, he would struggle to perform the job. They were unsure how to manage a salesman who could not move around and was only able to work for an hour each day.

Ques 7. What did the people wonder about Chuck Hooper after the death of Duke?
Ans: After Duke’s death, people noticed how Duke had previously helped Chuck Hooper walk. They found it remarkable. Now, as Hooper walked alone each day, they began to wonder how long he would continue this routine. They were curious about the distance he would cover and whether he could manage to walk by himself without Duke’s support.

Ques 8. Discuss the significance of the promotion given by the company headquarters to honor Duke?
Ans: Hooper’s promotion to Assistant National Sales Manager was a significant tribute to Duke. This advancement was not just a career milestone; it symbolised the profound impact Duke had on Hooper’s life. Thanks to Duke’s unwavering support, Hooper was able to regain his health, return to work, and rebuild his confidence. This promotion represented a remarkable transformation, turning what seemed impossible into a reality, highlighting the extraordinary bond between them.

Ques 9. How did January 4, the day, become significant in the life of Hooper? [CBSE 2010 (Term 1)]
Ans: Hooper had been working as a Zonal Sales Manager in a chemical company. After suffering an accident that left him paralysed and bedridden, he had lost hope for recovery. However, his dog, Duke, played a crucial role in reviving his will to fight back. Duke encouraged Hooper to take small steps each day, leading to a significant moment on January 4 when he walked 200 metres to his office without any assistance. This day marked a turning point in his journey towards recovery and independence.

Ques 10. Which incident transformed Chuck Hooper from a favoured young man to an  unfortunate young man ? [CBSE 2010 (Term 1)]
Ans: Chuck Hooper was once a favoured young man, tall and healthy, thriving as a Zonal Sales Manager in a chemical company. However, his luck changed dramatically one autumn evening when a car collided head-on with his. This accident resulted in a brain injury that left him completely paralysed on his left side, forcing him into a bedridden state. Thus, he transformed from a successful young man into an unfortunate individual.

Ques 11. Who do you think was responsible for Chuck’s progress in getting back on his feet? [CBSE 2010 (Term 1)]
 Ans: Duke played a crucial role in helping Chuck Hooper regain his strength after his accident. Following his paralysis, Chuck felt hopeless and struggled to get up. It was Duke, his loyal dog, who motivated him to overcome his challenges. Duke’s unwavering presence and determination sparked a will to fight within Chuck, encouraging him to push through his limitations. With Duke by his side, Chuck gradually improved, demonstrating that even small acts of perseverance can lead to significant achievements. Duke not only provided companionship but also reminded Chuck of his potential to recover and thrive.

Ques 12. What was the reaction of the staff when Chuck visited his district office? What did he say to the manager Gorden Doule? [CBSE 2010 (Term 1)]
 Ans: When Chuck visited his district office, the staff was amazed by his presence. They were further surprised when he informed his manager, Gorden Doule, that he wanted to continue work, starting with just one hour. Chuck’s determination posed a challenge for the team; they were inspired by his courage but hesitant to tell him he might not be able to handle his old role. Additionally, they were uncertain about how to accommodate his request for a desk job, given that his position as a salesman required constant movement.