FOOT PRINTS WITHOUT FEET

LESSON 1 A TRIUMPH OF SURGERY

by James Herriot

GIST
The story ‗A Triumph of Surgery‘ revolves around an ill dog named Tricki and his mistress, Mrs Pumphrey.
The pet dog Tricki is overfed with copious amounts of energy food by its owner. She provides all kinds of
luxury and comforts to her dog. This makes him very obese and his overweight body finds difficulty even to
walk and move around.
One day Tricki stops eating . On seeing his pathetic condition , Mrs Pumphrey takes her pet dog to a
veterinary doctor who treats the dog without using a single medicine . Tricki is hospitalised and the doctor
gives Tricki nothing to eat for the first two days except water.
Moreover Tricki is left with all other dogs to play and get the much-needed physical exercise. This helps him
to lose all his excess fat.
On the third day , signs of improvement are seen in Tricki . He starts taking food properly . Tricki starts
running around and playing with the other dogs cheerfully . Soon, he recovers completely . Mrs. Pumphrey
continues enquiring about Tricki over phone and feels gratitude towards the doctor for her pet‘s cure. She is
overjoyed and eyes are filled with tears of happiness when she comes to discharge Tricki from the hospital.
She calls this the magical recovery as ‗A Triumph of Surgery‘.

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SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30 - 40 words)
1. What made Mrs. Pumphrey call the vet?
Ans. Tricki had become fat and lazy. He used to lie on his rug and pant. He also refused to eat his favourite
dishes. His bouts of vomiting added to Mrs. Pumphrey‘s worry and hence she decided to call Dr. James
Herriot, the vet.

2.What was the cause of Tricki‘s ailment?

Ans.Tricky was overfed by Mrs Humphrey. He became hugely fat and inactive. He was pampered with a lot
of cream cakes, chocolates and Hotlinks. This was the main cause of his illness.

3. How does Dr Herriot treat Tricky?

Ans. Dr Herriot cut down Tricki‘s food and made him exercise. For the first three days he was not given
any food but was kept only on fluid, that is, water. He did not receive any medical treatment but was kept in
the company of other dogs. Tricki discovered the joy of being bowled over and tramped on. Finally he
recovered from obesity and was overjoyed.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100-150 Words)

1. Write the character-sketch of Mrs. Pumphrey.
Ans. Mrs Pumphrey was a very wealthy lady. She was very loving to her dog. She pampered and overfed
him. She gave him lots of nutritious food. Tricki was very greedy. He nevererfused food. This made him
hugely fat and lazy. Mrs Pumphrey was worried about him. She thought that he was suffering from
malnutrition and so she eventually gave him more energy food. She almost swooned when Herriot told her
that Tricki must be hospitalized for a fortnight. She thought that Tricki would pine and die if he did not see
his even for a single day.
Mrs Pumphrey is impractical but very compassionate and caring. She and her staff members arranged and
provided all possible comforts such as beds, cushions and toys to Tricki. She regularly enquired about his
health from Dr Herriot. She gratefully thanked Dr Herriot for saving Tricki‘s life and called it ―A triumph
of Surgery.‖

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2. Write the character-sketch of Tricki.
Ans. Tricki was a small dog. He was pampered and overfed by his mistress. He was fed with excessive
nutritious food. He was greedy enough to refuse food at any time. He liked eating cream cakes and
chocolates. This made him hugely fat. He looked like a bloated sausage. He had bloodshot and rheumy eyes.
He became dull, flabby, lazy and listless. He was seriously sick. He had bouts of vomiting. He was taken to
Herriot‘s surgery. There he was given no food for two days. He was made to do a lot of exercises. This
changed him and he became fit. He loved his mistress very much. His mistress remarked that Tricki would
pine and die if he did not see her even for a single day.
3. Write the character-sketch of Dr. James Herriot.
Ans: Dr James Herriot is a competent veterinary surgeon. He is really worried about Tricki. He understands
that the real fault of the dog is his greed for food. Dr Herriot instructs Mrs Pumphrey to keep Tricki on a very
strict diet.
Dr James Herriot is practical and pragmatic. He doesn‘t give any medical treatment to the dog. He feeds the
dog with only water. His method works. The grateful mistress thanks Dr Herriot and calls his feat ―A
triumph of Surgery!‖ Dr James is clever enough to enjoy the best of both the worlds. He is tempted to keep
Tricki as a permanent guest. It was a happy period for Dr Herriot and his friends. He used to enjoy eggs for
breakfast and wine and brandy for lunch.

UNSOLVED QUESTIONS:
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30 - 40 words)
1. How did Mrs Pumphrey show her concern for Tricki when he was at the surgery?
2. Do you think Tricki was enjoying his stay at the hospital?
3. What was the main cause of `Tricki‘s ill-health‘?
4. Why did Mr Herriot ask Mrs Humphrey to admit Tricky in a hospital?
5. Why is Mr. Herriot tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest?
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100-150 Words)
1. Excess of everything is bad. Comment in the wake of Mrs Pumphrey‗s love for Tricki.
2. What kind of a person do you think the narrator, a veterinary surgeon is? Would you say he is
tactful as well as full of common-sense?
3. The chapter shows the silly and negligent behaviour of rich people like Mrs. Pumphrey who may
harm their near and dear ones by their extra caring nature. Trick‘s declined health was the outcome of
Mrs. Pumphrey‘s over-caring nature. Do you think such people‘s actions can prove to be fatal for the

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 health of their kinds? What values would you suggest to such people to emulate in themselves and
why?
4. ―He had never been known to refuse food; he would tackle a meal at any hour of the day or night.‖
Herriot believed that Trick‘s problem was his greed. Did he lack tolerance? What values would you
like Tricky to imbibe? Elucidate

Lesson 2: The Thief‟s Story

Introduction
Ruskin Bond‘s ‗The Thief‘s Story‘ is more than a thief‘s story. The story deals with basic human values and
relationships. It is easier for a thief to rob a greedy man. It is difficult even for a thief to rob a careless and
honest person. Hari Singh did steal Anil‘s money but he couldn‘t run away with it. He had no friends because
he regarded them to be trouble than help. The only person he really knew was the man he had robbed.
Moreover, Anil was ready to educate Hari Singh. The thief‘s conscience pricked him. He came back to Anil
and crept to his bed. He slipped the money under the mattress from where he had stolen it a few hours ago.

GIST
Hari Singh was a young boy of fifteen. But he was a thief and a cheat. At a wrestling match, he came across
Anil. He won Anil‘s confidence and came to his house as a servant. Anil was a writer and did not earn much.
So, Hari Singh agreed to work for him only for food. Hari Singh did not know how to cook. The first meal
which he cooked for Anil was so bad nthilathArew it to the dogs. But Hari‘s appealing smile made Anil give
up his decision to turn him out.
Hari Singh did odd jobs for Anil. In the morning he made tea and then brought the day‘s supplies from the
market. Often, he made a profit of a rupee a day out of these purchases. Anil had no regular income. He
earned something by writing articles and stories for magazines. But one day Anil came home with a bundle
of notes. He told Hari that he had earned six hundred rupees by selling one of his books. Hari‘s mouth
watered at the sight of money. He decided to steal that money. Anil kept the bundle under his mattress and
went to sleep.
Now Hari Singh went into the room and silently took the money under the mattress. He went to the railway
station to catch the train to Lucknow. But he missed the train and walked in the bazaars. Soon it started
raining and Hari was drenched completely.
Then Hari Singh remembered Anil. He imagined how sad Anil would be on finding the money stolen. Hari
remembered that Anil used to teach him. He thought that withouthte education he would remain a thief.
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But education might make him a big Mtn. So, he decided to return and replace the money. He reached home
and silently put the money back under the mattress.
Main Points of the Story
 The narrator was a thief.
 Although only 15, he was experienced and successful in his work.
 Luck was against him and he thought of targeting Anil, a young man of 25 years.
 The narrator introduced himself to Anil as Hari Singh.
 He changed his name every month to escape arrest.
 Hari Singh wanted to work for Anil but Anil had no money to pay him regularly.
 Anil had no regular income and used to write for magazines.
 Anil asked if he could cook, and Hari Singh lied that he knew how to cook.
 Hari Singh cooked the food so terribly that it had to be thrown away to the stray dogs.
 Anil asked him to go away but the narrator didn‘t leave his company.
 Later on, Anil softened and told him that he would teach Hari Singh how to cook.
 He also taught Hari Singh to write his name and promised to teach him to write whole sentences and to
add numbers.
 It was quite pleasant for Had Singh to work for Anil, and he made a rupee a day from buying the day‘s
supplies.
 One evening, Anil came home with a small bundle of notes as he had just sold a booaok t publisher.
 Hari Singh saw Anil tuck the money under the mattress.
 Hari crept up to the bed, slid his hand under the mattress and took the money out.
 Anil sighed in sleep and Hari Singh startled and quickly left the room.
 When the narrator (the thief) was on the road, he counted the notes: 600 rupees in fifties.
 With that money, he could live like a rich Arab for a week or two.
 He could easily jump into the Lucknow Express but hesitated and remained standing at the platform.
 He had no friends to go and the only person he knew was Anil whom he had robbed a few hours ago.
 It was a chilly night and a light drizzle added to his problem.
 Hari Singh had forgotten about his education in the excitement of theft and realised that education could
bring him Character Sketch more money than a few hundred rupees.
 Had Singh went back to the room and put the wet notes under the mattress from where he had stolen it?
 Next morning, Anil stretched out his hand towards the narrator (Hari Singh) holdingifaty-f rupee
note.
 Anil told that he had made some money and he would pay Had Singh regularly.

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  Actually, Anil knew everything about the theft but neither his lips nor his eyes showed anything.

Short Answer Questions (30-40 Words)

1. Why did Hari Singh approach Anil?
Ans. Hari Singh was a thief who had not much luck in his work recently. So, he approached Anil with the
intention of robbing him, as he seemed to be an easygoing and simple man. According to Hari, winning
Anil‘s confidence was an easy task.

2. Anil walked away. I followed casually‘. Why do you think the narrator followed Anil?
Ans. The narrator‘s purpose of robbing Anil had not yet been served. He followed Anil to gain his trust and
look for an opportunity that may help him give shape to his plans.

3. Was Hari Singh successful in robbing Anil? Was Anil the only one who was robbed or did Hari also
rob himself of something?
Ans. Yes, Hari Singh was successful in robbing Anil. But Anil was not the only one who was robbed at that
time. Hari had robbed himself as well. He had lost the chance of receiving education and being literate. He
had robbed Anil monetarily but he had robbed himself of the chance for a better and brighter future, which
was much more valuable.

4. What did Anil and Hari agree upon to be the mode of payment?
Ans. When Anil stated his inability to pay Hari, Anil questioned Hari if he could feed Hari. Hari realised that
he had misjudged his target and moulded the situation for his benefit. Anil then agreed to feed him if he
knew how to cook.

Long Answer Questions (100-150 Words)

1. Money can‘t make a man as much as education can. Elucidate the statement.
Ans: The statement stands true in almost all the aspects of life. Money may buy us all the luxuries and fulfill
our needs but it cannot buy us knowledge, civilized thinking, skills and abilities to achieve our dreams.
Education lays the platform for all to act upon our goals according to our abilities. Education enables us to
keep up with the fast moving world. It opens the door to opportunities we do not know even exist. Money, on
the other hand, can assist us to a certain level. It can buy us a plan but education gives us the knowledge of
its execution. Just as in the story ‗A Thief s Story‘, Hari Singh prioritized the chance of being literate over a
few hundred rupees; we must understand that education can help us to achieve whatever we desire.

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2. Hari Singh didn‘t board the express and returned to Amil. Why did he return? On what values does
this incidence put light on?
Ans. Hari Singh was a thief and he had stolen Anil‘s money. After the theft, he realised that he had robbed
not only Anil but also himself of the chance of being literate and having a bright future. His conscience
pricked him to think what all he could have got had he not done this. It was difficult for him to rob Anil but it
was tougher for him not to back. He realised that he could not make tea, buy daily supplies and learn how to
read and write then. His inner self did not agree to bypass this and forced him to return. Hari‘s return to Anil
shows that despite indulging in criminal acts, he still had a practical and positive attitude towards life. It is
the awakening of Hari‘s conscience and Anil‘s love and care that reformed Hari‘s character. It teaches us that
love alone can change a person. Anil‘s understanding nature and care changed Hari‘s thinking to mend his
ways for good.

Short Answer Questions [Unsolved]

1. What made Hari Singh go back to Anil‘s house?
2. Did Hari like working for Anil? Give reasons in support of your answer.
3. Why was it difficult for Hari to rob Anil?
4. State the events that took place on the night of the theft.

Long Answer Questions [Unsolved]

1. How was the morning after the night of the theft?
2. How do you think Anil may have come to know about the theft?

Lesson 3. The Midnight Visitor

GIST
The story revolves around three characters, two rival spies named Ausable and Max and one mystery writer
Fowler. Ausable is a chubby, lethargic, messy and clumsy man while Max is slender and rugged. The story is
a short but intriguing insight into the life of a spy which may not be as glamorous as in the movies but still
full of danger and suspense. Ausable meets Fowler, a writer fascinated by spies and secrets. Ausable was
expecting a sensitive document to arrive that night and so asks Fowler to follow him through the night.
Disappointed at Ausable‘s appearance and mannerisms, Fowler agrees to do the same. Suddenly, Ausable
gets a phone call regarding someone who had entered his hotel room. Alarmed but not overly worried he
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beckons Fowler to follow him to his room. The room was in the 6th floor. As they enter the room, they are
startled by a pistol-toting individual staring at them. It is Max, the rival spy of Ausable. He asks them to enter
and lock the room. He threatens Ausable and warns him to hand over the documents to him as soon as they
arrive at his room later that night. Playing rather composed Ausable sits down and complains about the
balcony window that he thought Max used to break into his room. Max claims that he used the master key to
get inside and had he known about the balcony he would have used that instead. Ausable reiterates that he
had complained to the management about the balcony window several times and has had previous break-ins.
Fowler was listening to the conversation intently. Suddenly there is loud clamor at the door. Ausable
suggests that it must be the police that he had arranged to safe keep the documents. Max is gets anxious and
asks Ausable to turn them away while he hides in the balcony.

He threatens to shoot if he smells any trickery. As soon as Max leaps outside the window he yells out of
horror as he crashes to the road below. The room had no balcony after all. Next, the door opens and Fowler
sees a waiter holding Ausable‘s drinks rather any policeman. Fowler is relieved and impressed by Ausable‘s
presence of mind. He realizes that looks can truly be deceiving.

Short Answer Questions (30-40 words):

1. What made the story of the balcony so convincing?
Ans. Ausable showed his annoyance for the nuisance created by the balcony. He said that this was the
second time that someone had got into his room through it. He also said that the balcony was not his but
belongs to the next apartment and earlier his room used to be a part of a large unit.

2. How did Max go out of Ausable‘s room to save himself from the police?
Ans. Max was very nervous to find the police at the door. He went out of the window saying that he would
wait in the balcony. He warned Ausable to send them away or he would shoot him. Max did not confirm the
balcony and stepped out of the window and died.

3. How did Ausable kill Max without using a weapon?

Ans. Ausable was an intelligent spy. When he found Max waiting for him in his room, he made a story of a
balcony under his window. He convinced Max about the balcony. And thus, when someone knocked at the
door, Max fearing it to be the police, jumped out of the window and died.

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Long Answer Questions (100 -150 words)
Q1. With reference to `The Midnight Visitor‘, do you think the presence of mind should be developed and to
what advantage? Elaborate highlighting the values possessed by Ausable.
Ans. Max was a spy who was overconfident and too proud. His pride blinded him, and he thought that
wielding a gun would give a further edge over the seemingly slow Ausable. Max lay in wait for Ausable to
steal the important paper from him. As Fowler observed, apart from the pointed gun he didn‘t look very
menacing. Even this proved useless for him as Ausable outwitted him with his presence of mind and
intelligence. Ausable cleverly found out how Max had entered the room and created an extremely believable
story about a non-existent balcony. He kept calm, and, hearing the waiter knock, declared it to be the police.
Max, in an attempt to hide, fell to his death. Thus, Ausable got rid of Max without moving a muscle.

Q2. Describe the incident leading to the death of Max.

Ans. Ausable was a secret agent. He was living in a French hotel. His room was on the sixth and top floor of
the hotel. One evening a young writer named Fowler came to meet him. When they entered the room and
switched on the light, they found a man standing in the center of the room. He had a pistol in his hand. His
name was Max. He came there to grab the important report from Ausable. Seeing Max, Ausable remained
cool and silent. But he seemed to be angry with the management of the hotel. He said that because of the
balcony just below his window anyone could enter the writ. When there was a sudden knock at the door,
Ausable said that it might be the police. He said that he himself had called the police. Max jumped through
the window to the balcony. But in reality, there was no balcony. So, Max fell down to the ground from the
sixth floor and was killed.

Q3. Write a character sketch of the secret Agent Ausable.

Ans. Ausable was a secret agent. He was fat and sloppy fellow. In his appearance, he did not seem to be a
romantic figure. He came to Paris from Boston twenty years ago. He could speak French and German
passably. He had not lost the American accent. Ausable was a very intelligent person. He had a great
presence of mind. He did not lose heart in a difficult situation when he faced a man with a pistol in his hand.
He remained cool. He cocked-up a story about the balcony. He made Max nervous by telling him about the
police. He got Max killed without any fighting and shooting. Fowler who was disappointed to meet him at
the beginning of the story was very much impressed with his intelligence and presence of mind at the end of
the story.

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UNSOLVED QUESTIONS:
Short Answer Questions (30-40 words):
1. What story did Ausable cook up regarding the arrival of the police? How did it affect Max?
2. How did clever Ausable outwit and get rid of his rival or enemy secret agent Max?
3. How do you judge Ausable as a secret agent?
4. What happened to Max after he jumped out of the window?
5. How did Fowler have his first authentic thrill of the day?

Long Answer Questions (100 -150 words)

Q1.Ausable was a successful secret agent. What qualities can be attributed to him? Give some examples.
Q2.Presence of mind and intelligence are more powerful than a gun. How far is it true in the case of
Ausable, the secret agent?
Q3.What makes you think Max was a careless and foolish fellow?

LESSON 4: A QUESTION OF TRUST

GIST
This story is about a thief who gets a taste of his own medicine. Horace Danby can be termed as a thief with
a difference. He steals only once in a year. He is fond of books and spends most of his booty on buying
books. He plans meticulously before attempting a burglary. During his burglary attempt at a big house, he
gathers all the necessary information and enters the house for stealing from the safe. He is cheated by a lady
thief, who claims herself to be the owner of the house. Finally, Horace ends up in prison only to repent at the
way he was deceived by a person from his own profession.

Main Characters of the Story- A Question of Trust Character Sketch

1. Horace Danby: Horace Danby was about fifty years old and unmarried. Everyone thought him a good and
honest citizen. He was otherwise very well and happy except for attacks of hay fever in summer. He made
locks and was fairly successful at his business. Horace Danby was good and respectable but not completely
honest. He used to rob a safe every year. He used to do so because he needed money to buy books. He had a
passion for buying rare and costly books. He would rob only the rich person. He never hurt anyone and
carried no weapon with him. He was not very aggressive and didn‘t want to go to prison.

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2. The Lady in Red: The lady in red is gifted with a rare personality. She is full of confidence. She acts like a
perfect actress presenting herself as the lady of the house. Even the dog was rubbing against her in a friendly
manner. In a very subtle way, she told Horace that she wanted to wear the jewels in the safe to a party that
night. She made him open the safe without gloves. Horace willingly hands over the jewels and she decamps
with them.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30-40 Words):

Q1. What do you think is the meaning of the phrase ‗honour among thieves‘?
Ans. The phrase ‗honour among thieves‘ means that thieves have their code of conduct. One thief is honest
to the other thief. They never betray one another.

Q2. Why is Horace Danby described as good and respectable but not completely honest?
Ans. Horace Danby was a good person. He made locks. He was very successful in his business. He had
engaged two helpers in his business. But he was not completely honest because he robbed a safe every
year.

Q3. Describe how Horace Danby planned his work?

Ans. Horace Danby studied the house ai Shotover Grange for two weeks. He studied its rooms, its electric
wiring, its paths and its garden. He was sure that the family was in London. The two servants had gone to
the movies and they would not come back before four hours. He came out from behind the garden wall and
entered the house.

Q4. Who is the real culprit in the story, the young lady in red or Horace Danby? Comment.
Ans. Law of any land works on evidence. Horace Danby opened the safe without wearing his gloves. He
didn‘t think it necessary to wear them as he thought he was working for ‗the lady of the house‘. So the police
matched his fingerprints and he was arrested. The lady in the red was actually the real culprit. She made
Horace open the safe for her. She was also a thief and decamped with the jewels. But in the eyes of the law,
Horace was the real culprit because the evidence was against him.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100-150 Words)

1. Horace Danby represents such people who adopt the wrong ways to fulfill their wishes. What values
would you like such people to imbibe to reform themselves?

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Ans. Horace Danby was a successful businessman. He was about fifty year‘s respectable citizen but had a
habit that led him to do robberies. Danby loved rare, expensive books and to get them he used to rob a safe
every year. Every year he planned carefully just to get what he wanted. Danby adopted wrong ways to fulfill
his wishes and hence, later got trapped in a plot by a thief like him. People should imbibe good values. They
should learn that hard work is the only key to success One should work hard to fulfill his desires. I think such
people should imbibe the values of honesty, responsibility, hard work, dedication, self-confidence in order to
reform themselves.

2. Horace Danby was a respectable man but he could not be called loyal. What do you think could be the
reasons for leading a respectable man like him on the path of thievery? Did he feel lack of sense of
freedom? Was it not in his nature to accept the differences among people regarding their social status?
Discuss the values he should have possessed.
Ans. Horace Danby‘s habits were not typical of a thief. He was fond of books was a respectable man but his
passion for books lead him to thievery. He used to steal only once. In a year so, he was never stealing more
than his needs. He stole only to buy rare books; he loved rare and expensive books. Moreover, Danby used to
rob only rich people. It was his nature. To accept the differences among people regarding their social status.
He was aware that people with high socio-background can help him to fulfill his desire. He found such
people easy to rob.

3. Horace promised the young lady that he would follow the path of honesty if she would not hand him over
to the police but he could not keep his promise for more than days. Did he lack reconciliation? Was it not in
his nature to keep his promise? Did he lack the courage to fulfill his needs through an honest living? Discuss
the values he needed to imbibe.
Ans. The lady manipulated the whole situation as well as Horace and very skillfully got the jewels without
even touching anything. She talked high things like protecting the society from culprits like Horace. Horace
promised her that he would follow the path of honesty. He helped her in getting the jewels by breaking the
safe without wearing gloves. But after two days, police caught him for stealing the jewels. He could not
convince them that he had not taken the jewels and had helped the owner‘s wife. The condition provoked
him to break his promise. Although he honestly felt that he would not rob any more he could not do so as he
had no other choice left.

4. Horace stated that he robbed only those who had a lot of money. Was he really a threat to the society? Did
he lack the qualities of a good citizen? Discuss the values he needs to imbibe to lead a path of righteousness.

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Ans. I don‘t think Horace was a threat to the society. He never threatened anyone and rather stole for a very
good reason. He used to rob a safe every year to pursue his hobby of getting rare and expensive books to
read. He was not a professional thief. Moreover, he never harmed anyone. He was considered a good and
honest citizen by everyone. He was about fifty years old and unmarried. He had all the qualities of a good
citizen. He was not a criminal or a typical thief. He did so only to fulfill his need. He was an honest and
good man. He believed in the lady‘s story and gave away all the jewels to her. If he had been a criminal, he
would have killed the lady or would have never handed the jewels to her.

UNSOLVED QUESTIONS:
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30-40 Words):
1. What advice did the lady give Horace regarding his hay fever? Was she really interested in his
health?
2. Did the young lady expect Horace to be caught after the theft?
3. What precautions did Horace make before reaching the safe? Name three of them.
4. Describe Horace Danby‘s encounter with the young lady.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (100-150 Words)

Q1. How did the lady in red turn out to be much smarter and cleverer than Horace Danby? How did one thief
outwit and outmaneuver the other?

Q2. Horace Danby requested the lady to forget what she saw. Was Horace afraid of being caught? Did he
lack the courage to accept his crime publicly? Explain the values one must imbibe to accept one‘s mistake.

Q3.‖ Horace had some hope because she seemed to be amused at meeting him.‖ Why did Horace feel so?
Did he consider the young lady compassionate towards him? Did he find her free from biases?
Discuss the values Horace should have imbibe understanding of the person. What were Horace Danby‘s
plans for his latest robbery?

Lesson 5: FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET BY H. G. WELLS

GIST:
The story is about a scientist named Griffin. He had been discovering ways which could make a man
invisible and finally swallowed certain rare drugs that made him invisible. He was first noticed by two boys

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in staircase of a house where they could just see his footsteps and started following it. They follow it until the
footsteps are fainter and cannot be seen. First as he is feeling cold he enters a mall for some warmth. After
the stores shutdown he decides to wear some warm clothes and eat something. He first unboxed a few clothes
and wore them. Then from the kitchen of a restaurant he eats cold meat and some coffee. Later he goes to a
grocery store and eats sweets and drinks wine. He then falls asleep on a pile of quilts. He then wakes up in
the morning when some of the store assistants had seen him and started chasing him. He quickly threw away
all the clothes he was wearing and became invisible again. Then he started roaming around again without any
clothes in the cold winters of London. He then decides to steal clothes from a theatre company as he knew he
would get something there to cover his face as well. He then steals bandages for his face, dark glasses, false
nose and a hat for covering himself. He then hits the shopkeeper and steals all his money. Soon he realizes
that London is too crowded to live like this and decides that he would go to a remote village. He books two
rooms at an inn at the Iping village. He reaches there and it is strange for the people of Iping that a stranger
with such a weird appearance has come to stay at an inn during the winter season. Once his money is over, he
steals from people and also hits the landlord and his wife when they try to check his room in his absence.
Then the village constable is asked for help but before that Mrs. Hall, the wife of the landlord asks him
questions regarding who he is and what he did to her furniture. This makes him really furious and he decides
to show her who he really is. The people then see a headless man and Mr. Jaffers, the constable also finds out
that he would have to arrest a man who does not have a head. They are unable to catch Griffin as he removes
all his clothes and becomes invisible. He even knocks out Jaffers as he tries to catch him.

Short Answer Questions: - (30-40 words)

1. ―Griffin was rather a lawless person‖. Comment.
Answer: Griffin never thought twice before harming anybody. He put his landlord‘s house on fire. Then his
stealing acts at shops and later in the village indicate towards this. When he was encountered by the landlady
of the inn, he threw chair at her and her husband. Lawless persons never think about safety and well-being of
others. They are always preoccupied by their benefits only.

2. How would you assess Griffin as a Scientist?

Answer: Griffin is a brilliant scientist which is evident from his drug of invisibility. But he seems to enjoy
the feeling of power which he got out of his invisibility. The power to hurt anybody without getting noticed
can give sadistic pleasure to somebody. A true scientist makes discovery for the larger benefit of the society.

3. What did Halls see in the scientist‘s room?

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Answer: As the door was open and nobody appeared to be inside, Halls entered the scientist‘s room. They
saw that the bedclothes were cold, showing that the scientist must have been up for some time and stranger
still, the clothes and bandages that he always wore were lying about the room.

4. What was the explanation of ‗mystery‘?

Answer: The two boys followed muddy footprints, being made fresh without seeing anybody making the
prints, which was a ‗mystery‘ for them. The explanation was that the bewildered boys had been following a
scientist who had just discovered how to make the human body transparent and thus invisible, by swallowing
certain drugs.

Long Answer Questions: - (100-150 words)

Q1. Would you like to become invisible? What advantages and disadvantages do you foresee, if you did?
Ans. It can be an exciting idea for most of the people. Like two facets of coin; invisibility can have many
advantages and disadvantages. For a child, invisibility may mean a license to do all kinds of pranks without
getting caught. Like a Hindi movie, invisibility can help you beat all the villains black and blue and get rid of
them.
Once you become invisible, nobody would notice you. Within no time, the sadness of isolation will take over
the excitement of being invisible. You will have no friend. You will tend to behave like the eccentric
scientist in this story.

Q2. What extraordinary things happen at the inn?

Ans. The landlord of the inn and his wife were surprised to see the doors of Griffin‘s room open. They
looked inside and found that nobody was inside the room and decided to investigate. They found it strange
that his room‘s door was open as he never liked anyone even trying to enter his room. All of a sudden, while
investigating,
Mrs. Hall heard a sniff next to her ear and was hit by Griffin‘s hat on the face. Then the chair in the room
charged towards Mrs. Hall and hit her in her legs. As they both turned in terror, the chair pushed both of
them out of the room and the door was slammed and suddenly a locking sound was heard. Mrs. Hall was
scared and felt that the furniture was haunted by spirits and it was the stranger‘s work. The nearby people
started talking that the work was that of witchcraft.

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UNSOLVED QUESTIONS:
Short Answer Questions: - [30-40 words]
Q1. What experiments did Griffin carry out? What was the final result of those experiments?
Q2. What did the London boys follow and why were they fascinated?
Q3. What happened to Jaffers when he tried to catch the invisible scientist?

Lesson 6. THE MAKING OF A SCIENTIST

INTRODUCTION
Richard H. Ebright has contributed significantly to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. When Ebright was
a little child, he used to collect butterflies, rocks, fossils and coins. He was an eager star-gazer also. But he
was mainly interested in butterflies. During his school as well as college days, he did many experiments for
which he was awarded many prizes. Most of his experiments were on butterflies. These experiments were a
milestone in the world of science.

DETAILED SUMMARY

Richard H. Ebright is one of the leading scientists. He has contributed significantly to Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology. He had been interested in science since his boyhood years. At the age of twenty two, he
excited the scientific world with a new theory. It was concerned with the working of cells. Ebright and his
college room-mate explained the theory in an article. It was published in the journal entitled ‗Proceedings of
the National Academy of Science‘. It was first of his many achievements in the field of science. It started
with his studies on ‗butterflies‘.

Ebright was the only child of his parents. They lived in the north of Reading, Pennsylvania. There was
nothing for Ebright to do there. He had no companions. He was not a good player. But his hobby was
collecting things. Ebright was fascinated by butterflies. He started collecting butterflies in kindergarten. He
also collected rocks, fossils and coins. He also became a star-gazer and an eager astronomer.

Ebright‘s mother recognized his curiosity and encouraged him. She took him on trips. She also bought him
telescopes, microscopes, cameras and other equipment so that he could follow his hobbies. Ebright‘s mother

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was his friend until he started school. She would bring home friends to him. He was her whole life after her
husband‘s death.
Ebright‘s mother would find work for Richie if he had nothing to do. She found learning tasks for him. He
had a great hunger for learning. He earned top grades in school. By the time he was in second grade. He had
collected 25 species of butterflies. These were found around in hometown. One day his mother gave him a
children‘s book. It opened the world of science to Ebright.
That book was ‗The Travels of Monarch X‘. It described how monarch butterflies migrate to Central
America. This book fascinated him. At the end of the book, readers were invited to help study butterfly
migrations. They were asked to tag butterflies for research by Dr Frederick A. Urquhart of Toronto
University. Canada. Anyone who found a tagged butterfly was asked to send the tag to Dr Urquhart. Ebright
started tagging monarch butterflies. The butterfly collecting season around Reading lasts only six weeks in
late summer. He realized that chasing the butterflies one by one won‘t enable him to catch many. So he
decided to raise a flock of butterflies. He would catch a female monarch and take her eggs. He would raise
them in his basement from egg to caterpillar to pupa to adult butterfly. Then he would tag the butterflies‘
wings and let them go.
However, soon Ebright began to lose interest in tagging butterflies. The reason was that there was no
feedback. He was a little disappointed as only two butterflies had been recaptured. And they had been found
not more than seventy-five miles from where he lived. By the time, Ebright reached the seventh grade. He
got busy with other scientific experiments. He entered a county science fair. His entries were slides of frog
tissues. But he did not win any prize He realised that the winners had tried to do real experiments. So he
decided to do further research in his favourite field, that is, insects on which he had already been doing work.

Ebright wrote to Dr Urquhart for ideas. In reply, the famous scientist gave him many suggestions for
experiments. These experiments kept Ebright busy all through high school. He also won many prizes in the
county and international science fairs. For his eighth grade project, Ebright tried to find the cause of a viral
disease that killed all monarch caterpillars. He thought the disease might be carried by a beetle. He tried
raising caterpillars in the presence of beetles. But he didn‘t get any real results. But he showed his
experiment in the science fair and won. The next year his science fair project was testing the theory that
viceroy butterflies imitate monarchs. He said that viceroys look like monarchs because birds do not find
monarchs tasty. By copying monarchs, the viceroys escape being eaten by birds. His project was to see if
birds would eat monarchs. This project was placed first in the zoology division and third overall in the
county science fair.

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In his second year in high school, Ebright‘s research led to his discovery of an unknown insect hormone.
Indirectly, it led to his new theory on the life of cells. He tried to answer a very simple question: What is the
purpose of the twelve tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa? To find the answer Ebright and another student
built a device that showed that the spots were producing a hormone. It was necessary for the butterfly‘s full
development. This project won Ebright first place in the county fair and entry into the International Science
and Engineering Fair. There he won third place for zoology. He also got a chance to work in Walter Reed
Army Institute of Research.
Ebright‘s interest in butterflies never abated. As a high school junior, he continued his advanced experiments
on the monarch pupa. His project won first place at the International Science Fair. In his senior year, he grew
cells from a monarch‘s wing in a culture. He showed that the cells would divide and develop into normal
butterfly wing scales only if they were fed the hormone from the gold spots. That project won first place for
zoology at the International Fair. He also worked at the army laboratory and at the U.S. Dept. of
Agriculture‘s laboratory. The following summer Ebright went back to the Dept. of Agriculture‘s lab and
worked on the hormone theory. Finally, he was able to identify the hormone‘s chemical structure.
A year-and-a-half later, one day, Ebright was seeing the X-ray photos of the chemical structure of cells. He
got the idea for his new theory about cell life. Those photos provided him with the answer to one of biology‘s
puzzles: how the cell can ‗read‘ the blueprint of its DNA. DNA is the substance in the nucleus of a cell that
controls heredity. It is the blueprint for life. Ebright and his college room-mate James R. Wong drew pictures
and constructed plastic models of molecules to show how it could happen.
No one was surprised when Richard Ebright graduated from Harvard with highest honours. He also became a
graduate student researcher at Harvard Medical School. There he began experimenting to test his theory if
the theory proves correct it will be a big step towards understanding the life processes. It might also lead to
new ideas for preventing some types of cancer and other diseases.
Ebright has many other interests also. He also became a champion debater and public speaker, a good
canoeist and an all-around outdoor-Person. He was also an expert photographer of nature and scientific
exhibits.
Ebright‘s social studies teacher, Richard Weiherer had high praise for him. Ebright said about his teacher that
he opened his mind to new ideas. Richard A. Weiherer also spoke highly of Ebright about his interests. He
won because he wanted to do the best job. He said that Ebright was competitive, but not in a bad sense. In the
end, the writer says Ebright possessed those traits which are necessary for the making of a scientist. These
are: Start with a first-rate mind, add curiosity and mix in the will to win for the right reasons. Ebright had
these qualities.

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Main Characters
1.Richard H Ebright
 A multifaceted genius; a great scientist, debater, canoeist, etc.
 Collected butterflies since childhood
 Worked on monarch butterflies, the cell and its DNA
 Inspired by his mother, Dr Urquhart and his teacher RA Weiherer

2. Richard H Ebright‘s Mother

 Encouraged and inspired Ebright‘s interest in learning
 Bought him instruments, cameras; his only companions
 Got him the book The Travels of Monarch X that changed Richard Ebright‘s life

3. Dr Urquhart
 Famous for work on monarch butterflies
 Taught at University of Toronto, Canada
 Helped Ebright with new ideas and suggestions

4. Richard A Weiherer

 Social Studies teacher of Ebright

 Respected and admired by Ebright
 Turned Ebright‘s energy towards the Debating and Model United Nations clubs.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30-40 Words)

Q1. Which project of Ebright won first prize in the county science fair?
Ans. Ebright didn‘t win anything at his first science fair, thereby realizing that actual experiments alone
worked. Later, he started winning prizes. Ebright with his scientist friend first built a device that showed that
the tiny gold spots on a monarch pupa were producing a hormone necessary for the butterfly‘s full
development. This project won the first prize in the county science fair and third prize in zoology in the
International science fair.

Q2. What were the factors which contributed to making Ebright a scientist?

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 Or
What are the essential qualities for becoming a scientist, according to Albright‘s teacher?
Ans. Sharp brain, d y observant, anal tic mind, driving curiosity, the keen interest in the subject and strong
will for the right cause are some of the essentials for the making of a scientist. He should not run after
prizes, have a competitive spirit but not in a bad sense.

Q3. What idea did Ebright get when he was looking at the X-ray photos of cells?
Ans. One day, Ebright was seeing the X-ray photos of the chemical structure of cells. He got the idea for his
new theory about cell life. Those photos provided him with the answer to one of biology‘s puzzles: how the
cell can ‗read‘ the blueprint of its DNA.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS: (100-150 words)

1. ‘Success is failure turned inside out‘. Prove the above statement with instances from the journey
taken by Richard Albright from losing at the science fair to winning at the international fair.
Ans. Success is the fruit of failure. It never comes straight but through failure. This can be seen in the life of
Richard Albright. Although he earned top grades in school, on everyday things he was just like every other
kid. He faced many failures in his life but every failure strengthened his will to succeed. When he was in
seventh grade he participated in County Science Fair with his slides of frog tissues. But he could not win a
prize. This made him determined to win the prize and in his eighth grade, he again participated in the science
fair with the experiment of viral disease in monarch caterpillars and won the prize. The very next Year he
participated with his experiment of whether viceroy butterflies copy the monarch butterflies in order to save
their life from the birds and this project won Albright, third prize in overall county science fair.

His experiment regarding gold spots of monarch liar which he built a device that showed. That the spots
produced hormones necessary for the full development of butterflies won third prize in international science
and engineering fair.
Next year his advanced experiments on the monarch pupa won him first place at the international science
fair. Thus, for Richard Albright, we can say that success is failure turned inside out.

Q2. Which book proved to be a turning point in Ebright‘s life?

Ans. One day, Ebright‘s mother gave him a book. That book was ‗The Travels of Monarch X‘. It described
how monarch butterflies migrate to Central America. This book fascinated him. At the end of the book

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readers were invited to help study butterfly migrations. They were asked to tag butterflies for research by Dr
Frederick of Toronto University, Canada. Anyone who found a tagged butterfly was asked to send the tag to
Dr Frederick. Ebright started tagging monarch, butterflies. The butterfly collecting season lasts only six
weeks in late summer. He realized that chasing the butterflies one by one won‘t enable him to catch many.
So he decided to raise a flock of butterflies.

Q3. What other interests, besides science did Richard Ebright pursue? Why did Ebright respect and praise
his Social Studies teacher so much?
Ans. No doubt, first and foremost, Richard Ebright was a scientist. He was interested in science; he first
began to collect butterflies. But this scientist found time for other interests too. He was a man of many parts
— a multifaceted genius. Not only did he collect butterflies but also took a deep interest in other activities.
He collected rocks, fossils, and coins. He became an eager astronomer. He would indulge in star-gazing
sometimes all night. Ebright also became a champion debater and public speaker. In this field, his Social
Studies teacher turned Ebright‘s tremendous energy towards the Debating and Model United Nations Clubs.
He was a good canoeist and all-around outdoors-person. He was also an expert photographer. He excelled in
nature and scientific exhibits. In brief, besides being a remarkable scientist, Richard Ebright enjoyed all
pleasures, adventures, hobbies and entertainments that a happy and civilised living provided to him.

Unsolved Questions: Short Answer Questions:

a) Mention any two of Ebright‘s contributions to the world of Science.
b) What are the qualities that go into the making of a scientist?
c) How did Ebright‘s mother help him in becoming a scientist?
d) What lesson does Ebright learn when he does not win anything at a science fair?

Long Answer Questions:

a) Richard‘s mother had a great influence on him. Discuss.
b) Ebright‘s study of monarch pupas had a far reaching impact. Elaborate

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Lesson 7: THE NECKLACE

INTRODUCTION

The Necklace‘ is one of the well-known stories of Guy De Maupassant. The story centers round Matilda
Loisel, who is a beautiful woman. She suffers greatly because of her desire to appear rich and fashionable.
She is married to a clerk and leads an ordinary life. But she wants to be rich and famous. Her husband gets an
invitation to attend a dance party given by the Minister of Public Instruction. Matilda borrows a diamond
necklace from her rich friend Madame Forestier to wear it at the party. She looks charming and everybody
praises her. But when she returns home, she finds that she has lost the necklace. She and her husband borrow
a big amount of money to replace the necklace. Both of the world hard for ten years to pay off their debt.
Their life becomes miserable. One day, after the debt, is paid off. Matilda comes across Madame Forestier.
Matilda is shocked to learn from her that the necklace was made of artificial diamonds and its price was not
more than 500 francs.

GIST
‗The Necklace‘ is a mild satire but with a strong message. It is ridiculous for people of ordinary means to
copy the rich. One should live within one‘s means. Otherwise, he or she invites unnecessary problems,
anxieties and confusion in his or her life.
The main message of the story is that we should be what we are. False pride is the cause of our sufferings.
The loss of a false necklace by Mrs. Loisel was not a big loss. Things could have been settled right if she had
confessed the loss of the necklace to the owner, Madame Forestier. This small lapse or mistake of Mrs.
Loisel makes her whole life miserable and dark. And the irony was that the cause of all these sufferings was
a false necklace.

Main Characters

1. Matilda:
Matilda is a pretty, young lady. She wanted to lead a rich and luxurious life. But she was born into a humble
family and had to marry an ordinary man. She felt sad about her petty economic and social status. When
Matilda got an invitation to a ball, she wanted to pretend as a rich woman. She gave in to vanity. She
disregarded the advice of her good husband. She is a woman who sought the praise and admiration of others.
She feels very happy when men appreciated her beauty and grace at the dance ball. Matilda is a woman

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lacking wisdom and prudence. Just to show off a day at the ball, she loses her borrowed necklace. This leads
to enormous suffering for her and her husband for a number of years. She does not understand the
importance of living within one‘s means.

2.Mr. Loisel:
Mr. Loisel is a simple man working as a clerk. He loves his wife and does everything to make her happy. He
gets an invitation to a ball with his wife. When his wife wants a costly necklace, he suggests she should
borrow a necklace from her rich friend, Madame Forestier. When Matilda loses her necklace, he uses his
hard-earned savings to buy a new necklace. He starts working very hard to repay the debt they had incurred.
Mr. Loisel is ready to make an enormous sacrifice to maintain his family. He is a man who believes in living
a life within one‘s means. Unfortunately, because he is lenient towards his wife, he has to undergo much
suffering.

Answer the following questions in 30-40 words:

Q1. What do you think were the feelings of Madam Forester when she came to know that Matilda returned
her a diamond necklace in place of an artificial one?
Ans. Matilda borrowed a necklace from Madam Frostier to wear at a party. She lost it somewhere and in that
place returned a diamond necklace to her. She was unaware of the fact that it was an artificial one. Madam
Forester was shocked to know the whole story. Madam Frostier thought that situation could be avoided if
Matilda had the dare to accept the truth and share it with Madam Forester.

Q2. Why did Madam Loisel leave the ball in a hurry? What does it show about her character?
Ans. Madam Loisel left the ball in a hurry because her husband threw the modest wraps around her
shoulders, whose poverty clashed with the elegance of the ball costume. She did not want to be noticed by
the other woman who was wrapping themselves in rich furs. It shows the hypocrisy and show off life of
Madam Loisel. It shows her dissatisfaction, anger and frustration with life.

Q3. What kind of a husband was M. Loisel? Discuss with reference to the chapter ‗The Necklace‘.
Or
Why do you think that M. Loisel was a loving husband?
Ans. Mr. Loisel was a simple and poor clerk. He made every effort and sacrifice to make his wife happy. He
sacrificed his 400 francs that he had saved to buy a gun for himself in order to buy a new party dress for his
wife. It proves that he was a loving husband.

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Q4. How was Mrs. Loisel ‗a mistake of destiny‘?
Ans. Mrs. Matilda Loisel was very charming and pretty. She appeared to be a lady of a high family. But she
was born in a family of clerks. As her parents did not have much money, she was married to a clerk. But her
thoughts were high. She wanted to enjoy the luxuries of life. So, the writer says that she was ‗a mistake of
destiny.‘

Long Answer questions (100-150 words)

Q1. Loisel wished to keep his wife in good humour. Which values of Matilda impress him?
Ans. Loisel wished to keep his wife in good humour. Mrs. Loisel was a beautiful and delicate woman. She
was fond of all riches and luxuries. She thought she deserves all these and thought that it is an error of
destiny that she is born in a poor family and married to a mere clerk in the office of the Board of Education.
Matilda‘s beauty and style impressed Lisle. He tried his best to keep her happy. She was fond of parties and
balls. That‘s an 8 W y when Lisle got an invitation of Ball of minister‘s residence. He was happy for his
wife. He bought her a new dress for the ball, with the money he had saved to buy a hunting gun. He loved
her so much that he bought the new diamond necklace to replace the lost one for thirty-six thousand francs
which lost all his savings and compelled him to do extra jobs after office time. He did all this because he
loved his beautiful wife very much and wanted to keep her happy.

Q2. ―Oh! My poor Matilda! Mine was false.‖ Confession saves you from a lot of trouble and the sense of
guilt. Justify the statement.
Ans. Matilda‘s friend Mme Forester meets her after a long time, nearly a gap of ten years. Perhaps it was
destined to. She does not recognize Matilda — old, hard and crude with dishevelled hair and skirts awry. She
is astonished to see Matilda in this pathetic condition. Matilda tells her the reason for this — the loss of the
original necklace and the misery that followed after replacing the necklace. Mme Forester could only
sympathies with Matilda, for the necklace she had lent to Matilda was not of original diamonds. She could
have told this clearly to Matilda while giving it to her. Perhaps Mme forester thought she should not dampen
Matilda‘s spirits by revealing the truth. But what the loss of it, brought to Matilda was irreversible. Matilda
on her part should have revealed the loss of the necklace to her friend. If it had been of real diamonds, then
she could have asked for some time to replace it. Matilda could have thus taken her friend into confidence,
but the silent suffering had really taken its toll on her life. If Matilda had only taken courage and been honest
to her friend, she would still have been living comfortably, thus justifying the statement given above. Her
own senseless attitude led to her ruin.

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UNSOLVED QUESTIONS SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS:
Q1. How did Mr and Mrs Loisel replace the lost necklace and gave that to Madam Forestier?
Q2. . What made Matilda a grand success at the ball?
Q3. Why did Matilda throw the invitation card spitefully upon the table?

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS:

Q1. Matilda realized that one little act of negligence can lead to total ruin. How would you prefer to be
guided to move on in life?
Q2.‘Matilda‘s craving for a bubble reputation was the cause of her ruin.‘ Draw a conclusion as to how she
could have avoided the misfortune that dawned upon her.

Lesson 8: THE HACK DRIVER

GIST
In this lesson, a young lawyer is made to serve summons instead of practicing law. He hates his job as
sometimes he is beaten up while serving summons in the shadowy corners of the city. Once he is directed by
the law firm to serve summons on a man called Bill. Bill, the hack driver, drives him in his horse-carriage
around the village. He takes him to the people who know Lutkins, one by one in a quest of finding him. But
no results to avail. He returns empty handed to the city. There, he is reprimanded by the chief of his firm and
is sent back to New Mullion along with a person who has worked with Lutkins. After reaching at the New
Mullion station, the lawyer came to know that the person, who drove him along the village, himself, was the
Lutkins. Mr. Oliver Lutkins, who lived in a village called New Mullion. The young lawyer goes to the
village with some expectations of village life but he is disappointed. He meets a hack driver who is a very
helpful man according to him.

CHARACTER SKETCH
1. Oliver Lutkins:
Oliver Lutkins is a crook who lives in the country town of New Mullion. Though he lives in a small town, he
easily cheats the lawyer who comes to serve a summons on him. He pretends to be Bill Magnuson, the hack
driver and manages to cheat the narrator of his money. He manages to convey the lawyer that it is very
difficult to trace Lutkins. He takes the lawyer too many shops but does not allow the lawyer to directly talk

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succeeded in befooling the lawyer easily. When he came to know that the lawyer did not identify Lutkins, he
introduced himself as Bill. He was neither honest nor helpful. He was very clever. But he was creative,
humorous and witty. He presented the people of New Mullion in an entertaining and humorous manner,
reflecting his cheerful wisdom. He exhibited a nice hospitality.

UNSOLVED
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30-40 Words)
Q1. What information did the delivery man give about Lutkins?
Q2. How did Lutkins‘ mother treat the lawyer?
Q3. Why didn‘t the narrator like his work?
Q.4 How could the lawyer have avoided being taken for a ride?

LONGANSWER QUESTIONS (100-150 Words)

1. The narrator strikes us as a romantic idealist. Do you agree? Support your answer from the text.
2. Describe ‗Bill‘ as seen through the eyes of the narrator.
3. ‗Appearances are often deceptive‘. Comment on the statement in the light of your reading of the
BHOLI
story.
4. Do you think Lutkins was right in befooling the lawyer and earning money by using unfair means?
What precautions should one take to avoid a situation like the one in which the lawyer was placed?

8
Lesson 9: BHOLI
GIST
From a very young age, Bholi was neglected at home. She had remained a backward child and had contacted
small-pox at the age of two which left her permanently disfigured by deep black pock-marks. She was late to
start speaking and she stammered which made the other children make fun of her. This resulted in her
speaking very little, until she went to school and learned to read and write with the help of a dedicated
teacher.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. Why was Ramlal worried about his daughter Bholi and not about his other children?
2. Why did the Tehsildar come to Ramlal‘s village? What did he ask Ramlal to do? Answers
1. Ramlal was worried about Bholi because she had neither good looks nor intelligence. She stammered
and had pock-marks on her face. He was worried, that nobody would marry her.

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2. The Tehsildar came to the village to perform the opening ceremony of the new primary school for
girls that was being opened there. He asked Ramlal to set an example to villagers as he was a
representative of the government, and send his daughters to school.

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. Why did Bholi agree at first to an unequal match and then why did she reject the marriage soon after?
What does this tell us about her?

HINTS
Bholi a simpleton, not so good looking but educated --- Parents‘ decided to get her married --- Found an old,
lame, widow but a wealthy shopkeeper, Bishamber --- Parents persuaded her to marry – though it is an
unequal match --- Somehow she agrees--- The day of the marriage arrives - when the marriage was about to
take place --- The priest ask herto garland Bishamber ---Bishamber glanced at her pock marked face and
refused to garland Bholi --- He demanded five thousands rupees as a dowry --- Bholi‘s father was ready to
pay two thousand --- But Bholi rejected this demand and refused to marry him --- Bholi asked her father not
to request him --- She said that she would teach in the school and live with her parents --- It shows that the
education she has got has made her independent, confident and able to take decision in her life ---She was
not the same Bholi but totally changed Bholi --- as School education turned Bholi

2. The chapter ‗Bholi‘ highlights the discrimination against the girl child. Analyze this statement.
‗Nature does not discriminate, but society does‘.
From time immemorial the world has discriminated against the girl child. The chapter, ‗Bholi‘ throws, up
many instances. Ramlal‘s sons go to school and college. His daughters are not educated because it would be
difficult to marry them off.
Her mother does not think it necessary to take Bholi‘s consent for her marriage. The groom is an old and
lame widower. Still he demands dowry. Her father is ready to pay him. It is the girl herself who realizes that
she is being demeaned and hence opposes the marriage. She raises her voice against the man‘s undue
demand and refuses to marry him. She is criticized and humiliated for standing up for her dignity. But she is
firm and decides the course of her life. From the dumb cow and stammering fool, she transforms herself into
a bold girl who is ready to speak her mind.

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UNSOLVED QUESTIONS SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. Why did Bholi‘s mother favour Bishamber as a suitable husband for Bholi?
2. Who is the artist in the story? What is masterpiece? How did she become a masterpiece?
3. Why were all the relatives amazed to hear Bholi speak up and reject the proposal of Bishamber?

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. How did Bholi‘s teacher play an important role in changing the course of her life?
2. How significant is the education that Bholi received, to her life and decisions?

HINTS
Bholi‘s teacher changed the direction of Bholi‘s life through her love and affection --- she filled her mind
with hope and faith --- She told Bholi to cast out all fear from her mind --- It was because of her guidance
that Bholi developed her personality now she could face all the problems of life with great courage and
confidence.

HINTS
This is very significant because Bholi is now no more Bholi (Simpleton) --- She had grown wiser and more
self-confidence due to her education and her teacher‘s training --- She proves that education is like a
philosopher‘s stone which can turn a base metal into gold.

9
Lesson 10 THE BOOK THAT SAVED THE EARTH

GIST
The Book, That Saved the Earth is a drama set in 25th century. A historian in the museum is telling the story
about 20th century; the century of the books. He tells how an old book of rhymes, Mother Goose, saved the
earth from Martian invasion. The invaders from Mars consider themselves too intelligent for the earthlings.
They think they are superior race than the inhabitants of the earth. Think- Tank is the Commander-in-Chief
and ruler of Mars. He is praised and flattered as the most intelligent and powerful creature in the whole
universe. Various members from the invaders‘ team enter a library. They are unable to identify what a book
is. They make several wild guesses. Think-Tank gives ridiculous and fantastic interpretations of books. He
calls them sandwiches and finally arrives at the conclusion that it must be a communication device for the
earthlings. They try to decode what is written in the book. The book is full of nursery rhymes. Their

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encoding tells them that earthlings must have been on a mission to attack the Mars. Fearing that, they
immediately leave the earth and fly away to the distant Alpha Centauri.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (30-40 Words)

1. What difficulty does the crew of the space probe face on Earth?
2. How does Think-Tank explain the books to his probe crew?
3. Why does the space probe crew take vitamins?
4. Think-Tank thinks that Earthlings are after him. What is the reason?

ANSWERS:
1. The space probe lands in a public library. The crew is shocked because the place looked very strange
as they had no idea of books. They think the library to be some kind of storage barn.
2. Think-Tank told his crew that the books were sandwiches. He even ordered his crew to eat them.
Then, he called them communication devices and later he said that they were meant for watching.
3. Think-Tank wanted the probe crew to find out what was in the books. So, the probe crew takes
vitamins to increase their intelligence. They are able to read the books after taking those vitamins.
4. The crew of Think-Tank read about Humpty-Dumpty‘s fall in the rhyme and showed the picture to
Think-Tank. Think-Tank‘s head resembled that of Humpty-Dumpty. This makes Think-Tank feel that
earthlings were planning to invade Mars and capture him.

Long Answer Question [100-150words each.]

1. How did one old book of nursery rhymes save the Earth from a Martian invasion?
2. Compare and contrast the characters of Noodle and Think-Tank

ANSWERS
1. The invaders from Mars considered themselves too intelligent for the earthlings. They thought they
were a superior race than the inhabitants of the earth. As ordered by Think-Tank, the Commander-in- Chief
and ruler of Mars who was praised and flattered as the most intelligent and powerful creature in the whole
universe, various members from the invaders‘ team entered a library. They were unable to identify what a
book is. They made several wild guesses. Think-Tank gave ridiculous and fantastic interpretations of books.
He called them sandwiches and finally arrived at the conclusion that it must be a communication device for
the earthlings. They tried to decode what was written in the book. The book was full of nursery rhymes.

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This book was totally misunderstood by the Martians. Think-Tank misunderstood the Phrases like ‗shell‘,
‗silver ‗and ‗garden‘. They gave him a false idea that earthlings grew silver and weapons. He started thinking
that earthlings were very advanced technologically. The crew of Think-Tank read about Humpty-Dumpty‘s
fall in the rhyme and showed the picture to Think-Tank. Think-Tank‘s head resembled that of Humpty-
Dumpty. This made Think-Tank feels that earthlings were planning to invade Mars and capture him. So, he
ordered them to cancel the invasion and they cancelled their invasion of Earth and went back. Thus one old
book of nursery rhymes saved the Earth from a Martian invasion.

2. Noodle and Think-Tank have contrasting characters. Think-Tank likes to be called the ‗Great and the
Mighty‘. He orders and commands. He is the ruler of Mars, but has no intelligence. He thinks
books to be sandwiches. He is wrong about everything. He demands that the crew obey him. He likes to pass
on other‘s idea as his own. He is a coward who simply boasts about his power.
Noodle, his apprentice, is very clever and wise. He corrects the mistakes of the ruler (Think-Tank) very
gently. He never takes credit for his ideas. But he offers them to the ruler very gently. Think-Tank makes
them as his own.

Unsolved Questions Short Answer Questions

1 Why did Think-Tank wish to contact the space probe?
2. What is Think-Tank‘s interpretation of words like ‗shells‘, ‗silver bells‘ and ‗garden‘ from the
nursery rhyme? What is its impact?
3. Mention any two striking qualities of Noodle.
4. Why does Think- Tank declare that the sandwiches are not for ear communication but for eye
communication?
5. What happened when Think-Tank was replaced by Noodle?
Long Answer Questions
1. Compare and contrast the characters of Think-Tank and Noodle.
2. How did Mars and Earth become friends?

REFERENCES:
1. https://ncert.nic.in/textbook.php
2. https://www.cbse.gov.in/cbsenew/question-paper.html
3. https://www.educationobserver.com

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