Section (C) Literature
(3) Supplementary Reader
(i) One out of two long-answer-type questions based on the S. Reader.
7 Marks
(ii) Four short answer questions
2x4 = 8 Marks
Lesson .1. The Third Level
Author: Jack Finney
Long-answer-type questions:
Q.1. “The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and stress.” What are
the ways in which we attempt to overcome them?
Ans: We are all living in the modern world. It is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and
stress. We have lost all our peace of mind. The time ha been changed now. We do not have
safety now. The crimes are increasing day by day. There is utter chaos, confusion, fear,
trouble and unemployment in the society. The modern time and competitions have human
being put in a vicious circle and there is no escape from it. The present world has become a
rat race and everybody is after power, money, fame and success. So his mind and life have
become unsafe and insecure. In order to overcome them, he starts day dreaming and adopts
an escapist theory like Charley.
Charley is the product of the modern consumerist world. He starts imagining that he has
gone in the Third Level of Grand Central Station, New York. There he finds everything old
of 1894. He wants to go to Galesburg through the Third Level where people are free all
worries. He imagines that his grandfather came from a village Galesburg. He finds proof of
his experience and realities that from Grand Central Station, trains go to Galesburg as well.
He thinks that this has been the point where meets the present, past and future. Though it is
imagination to combat the stress of the modern consumerist world. We can adopt different
hobbies and busy schedules to combat the painful realities of the modern world.
Q.2.Describe some of the unusual things that the narrator noticed at the Third Level
of the Grand Central Station, New York.
Ans: There does not exist any Third Level at the Grand Central Station, New York. It is
Charley’s own imagination and fantasy that he is involved in. In reality it is Charley’s into
the past and the Third Level might have existed a century ago. He noticed that something
was different there as the people were dressed differently and the area was lit not with the
electric lights of the modern times but with open gas fires. There the room was smaller.
There were fewer ticket windows and train gates. There was an old-looking wooden booth
in the centre. A man was sitting there wore a green eye-shade and a long black sleeve
protectors. The lights were dim and they were flickering like open flame gas-lights. There
were brass spittoons on the floor. He saw a man glancing at his watch. He wore a derby hat,
a black for button suit with small lapels. He had a big black handlebar moustache. Other
people had worn dresses like eighteen nineties. They had beards, side –burns and fancy
mustaches. He glanced at a very small Currier and Ives Locomotive with a funnel-shaped
stack. He saw a news-boy having ‘The World’ and the same was published on June, 11,
1894. Charley had bumped into the past.
Q.3. Why do you think that the Third Level was a medium of escape for Charley?
Ans: Jack Finney’s story ‘The Third Level’ interweaves between fantasy and reality. The
Third Level is medium of escape for Charley from the present harsh realities of modern life
which is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and tension. It is a safe route for Charley to go
to Galesburg in order to escape from trouble. So he tries to purchase two tickets for
Galesburg, Illinois from the Third Level at Grand Central. The Third Level is merely a
fantasy that exists in Charley’s mind only. His psychiatrist friend, Sam calls it a wakingdream-wish-fulfillment. In reality Charley fails to cope up with the modern world which is
full of fears and worries. He just wants to escape. He takes it for a reality and plans to go to
Galesburg. He even exchanges his new bills of three hundred dollars for old style bills. But
he is never able to find the Third Level. It is because the Third Level has existed in his
fantasy only. Thus it can be said that the Third-Level is a medium of escape for Charley.
Short-answer questions:
Q.1. What does the Third level refer to?
Ans: For Charley, Grand Central Station has three levels. Actually there are two levels.
The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war and worries. He just wants to escape. So,
he wanders into the fanciful world of 1894 which is much away from the harsh realities of
life. The author used the Third level on Grand Central Station as a medium of escape. His
psychiatrist friend, Sam calls it just a waking dream wish fulfillment.
Q.2. Why does Charley say that the Grand Central Station is growing like a tree in
the story?
Ans: Whenever he enters the Grand Central Station, he finds new corridors, stairs case and
tunnels. He finds the station like a huge tree, which keeps on spreading roots and branches
all over.
Q.3. How did Charley happen to reach the Third Level of Grand Central Station?
Ans: After becoming late in his office, Charley went to Grand Central to reach home early.
There he entered a tunnel that ended in a corridor. The corridor turned left and started
downward. He went on walking and reached a flight of stairs that took him to another level
of the station.
Q.4. What is a “first day cover” and what a specific about it?
Ans: When a new stamp is issued, the stamp collector buys that stamp and uses them to the
envelope on the very first day of the sale. The new stamp gets the post mark and the date.
This is called the ‘first day cover’. The receiver never opens it because he knows that he
has himself just put a blank paper in it. Charley found this type of cover in his stamp
collection.
Lesson .2. The Tiger King
Author: Kalki
Long-answer-type questions:
Q.1. What prediction was made by the astrologers about the Tiger King? How did it
come true?
Ans: The Maharaja of Pratibandpuram was hero of this story. He was a firm ruler of his
state. When he was born, the astrologers had predicted his death with a tiger. They told that
he was born in the hour of bull. Since the bull and the Tiger are both core enemies, the
King would be certainly killed by a tiger. When the king came of the age, the prediction
was also heard by his ears. He killed a tiger and sent for the astrologers who in turn
advocated that the killing of one tiger was not enough. It did not mean that king was safe.
Then, the King decided to kill one hundred tigers. In ten years he killed all the seventy
tigers of his forests. Thus the forests became extinct of the tigers. He married a royal girl
whose father’s state had a large tiger population. The king continued his campaign.
Whenever he visited his father-in-law, he would kill five or six tigers each time. Finally he
had killed ninety nine tigers and the king was perturbed for the hundredth tiger. His dewan
somehow arranged for the hundredth tiger. The King shot at it and it collapsed but did not
die. The King did not know the reality. Thinking himself safe, he was happy and he
presented a wooden tiger to his son on his birthday. The wooden tiger was not carved
properly. It had small slivers of wood on its surface. One such sliver entered his right hand.
It tuned up into infection and the infection flared in his complete hand and he died. In this
way the hundredth tiger was the wooden one that killed the King. Thus the prediction
proved to be true.
Q.2. The story is a satire on the conceit of those in power. How does the author
employ the literary device of dramatic irony in the story?
Ans: The author has used the device of irony in order to highlight the satire on the conceit
of those who are in power. An irony is a literary device used by the authors to show the fact
that provides the result which is quite opposite in nature. The King tries his best to falsify
the prediction of the astrologers, since his state astrologers has foretold the King death by a
tiger. Consequently, the King banned the hunting of all the tigers on his state. With in a
span of ten years, the King was able to kill seventy tigers. His aim was to kill the hundred
tigers. Even he married a royal daughter whose father’s state had a large tiger population.
Thus he could kill only ninety-nine tigers and his father-in-law’s state too became extinct
with tigers. His dewan somehow arranged for the hundredth tiger. The King shot at it and it
collapsed with the bullet. It survived but later on it was killed by the guards. The irony lies
in the point that the tiger which caused the death of the Tiger King was a wooden tiger. The
wooden tiger was not carved properly. It had small slivers of wood on its surface. One such
sliver entered his right hand. It tuned up into infection and the infection flared in his
complete hand and he died. Thus the hundredth tiger of wood took its revenge upon the
Tiger King.
Short-answer questions:
Q.1. In what way was the Prince Jun Jung Bahadur brought up?
Ans: The crown Prince Jung Jung bahadur was brought up with a silver spoon in his
mouth. He drank milk of an English cow. An English nurse was engaged to look after the
baby. He was tutored by an English teacher and he watched English films. When he came
at the age of twenty, he became the Maharaja of hi state.
Q.2. What predictions did the astrologers make at the birth of the tiger king?
Ans: They predicted that the newly born prince will grow up to become the hero of heroes,
brave of the bravest and a great warrior. He also predicted that the baby was born in the
hour of the bull. The bull and tiger were enemies. Therefore, he would die because of the
tiger.
Q.3. How was the hundredth tiger arrange by dewan for the King’s hunting?
Ans: feeling the harsh consequence, the dewan arranged a tiger from People’s park in
madras. He brought it secretly direct to forest where the King was hunting. Next day the
same old tiger wandered into the King’s presence and stood amicably for aiming at by the
king.
Q.4. How did the hundredth tiger take its revenge upon the Tiger King?
Ans: The King got a wooden gift of a tiger from a shop which was made by an unskilled
carpenter. It had small slivers of wood on its surfaces. While playing with his son with the
tiger, a sliver got pricked in his right hand. He pulled it out but infection spread all over the
arm. After the operation, the doctor said, “The operation is successful but the Maharaja is
dead.” Thus, a small toy tiger caused the death of the Tiger King and took its revenge upon
the King.
Lesson .3. Journey to the End of the Earth
Author: Tishani Doshi
Long-answer-type questions:
Q.1. Why is Antarctica the place to go to understand the earth’s present, past and
future?
Ans: At present we all are worried about the global warming and climatic changes. A visit
to Antarctica makes it quite clear and there one can see the ice shelves melting. ‘Students
on Ice’ is a programme headed by Canadian Geoff Green. The author tells a detailed
account of his experience about his visit to Antarctica. It has helped him in studying as well
as understanding about the present, past and future of the earth. About 650 million years
ago, there was a southern super-continent named Gondwana. India and the Antarctica were
the parts of the same landmass. There was no life except huge variety of flora and fauna.
According to him Antarctica is the only place on the earth that has never sustained human
life and therefore, it is pure. It holds in it ice-core, half million year old carbon record and
thus provides clues of our past, present and future. On the Antarctica, he got an opportunity
to walk on the frozen sea and he saw ice-berg, seals and miles of snow all round. The study
suggested our future possibilities. He felt the need of making changes in our present life
style and practices. There is an urgent need to check on the rising of global temperature.
We must feel the need of maintaining the world future world.
Q.2. What are Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school students on Ice
Expedition?
Ans: A visit to Antarctica makes it quite clear and there one can see the ice shelves
melting. ‘Students on Ice’ is a programme headed by Canadian Geoff Green. His aims at
organizing this programme by taking high school students to the ends of the world. He
thins it most essential to provide the students with inspiring educational opportunities to
know more about the Antarctica. Through this they will generate a new understanding and
respect for our planet. Earlier Geoff Green had organized programme with celebrities and
rich people which gave him back only in a limited way. Since the students are young minds
and full of adventurous activities they can learn, act and absorb much by visiting the
Antarctica. They can see through their own eyes glaciers retreating and ice-shelves
collapsing. They can realize the future dangers, catastrophic effect of climatic changes and
the global warming. The Antarctica provides the young students a perfect place to study the
varied changes occurring in the environment. These little changes can have significant
consequences. The students can see those grasses of the sea that flourish, nourish and
sustain the entire Southern Ocean’s food chain. Thus the programme provides a lively
study of changes and the realities going on the Antarctica.
Short-answer questions:
Q.1. What is Gondwana? What happened to it?
Ans: It is the huge landmass-a super continent, the undivided Earth, which existed millions
of years ago. Gondwana was centered roughly present day Antarctica. It had no human life
but only flora and fauna. It existed for 500 million years ago and then started drifting away
slowly, giving rise to different land masses called continents and different water bodies
called oceans etc.
Q.2. How is our survival in danger?
Or
What are the reasons for increasing the global temperature?
Ans: People have dominated over nature with villages, towns, cities etc. Human population
has increased and there is the depletion of natural resources. The burning of fossil-fuels has
created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world and the global temperature is on
increase. The atmosphere is becoming polluted day by day. Thus our survival is in danger.
Q.3. How can a visit to the Antarctica be an enlightening experience?
Ans: It is the most appropriate place to understand and study the earth’s present, past and
future. In the beginning it was a giant super continent that forced to form different
countries. It had no human population except ice-caves half million years old carbon
records. Thus Antarctica tells us of the present state. It can tell us the Earth’s past. The
receding glaciers and falling ice-shelves can give us an indication of the future.
Q.4. How does the global warming affect Antarctica?
Or
What do you know about Phytoplankton’s?
Ans: Phytoplanktons are the grasses of the sea of the southern Ocean. These are single
celled plants use the Sun’s energy. With the process of Photosynthesis, they supply food
and oxygen for all the marine life of the sea. But the global warming can affect the
activities of these plants and life of all the creatures depending on them. Global warming
also causes the melting of the ice-bergs and collapsing of ice-shelves in this region.
Lesson .4. The Enemy
Author: Pearl S. Buck
Q.1. How did Dr. Sadao overcome the difficulty that came in his way to save the
wounded soldier? How did Hana help her husband?
Ans: Dr. Sadao was an expert surgeon. He was living on a beach with his family. He was
very generous and loyal to his country. His wife was also a sympathetic, kind obedient and
faithful wife. While standing outside of their house, they saw something crawled on the
beach. They rushed and found that he was a wounded and an escaped prisoner of war. At
one time they thought to throw him back in the sea. On the other hand, they thought that
the fellow would die if handed over to the police. As a doctor he was trained to save a life
if he could do. Seeing him badly wounded, the doctor and his wife brought him home and
risked himself for the enemy’s treatment. But the servants were against them. Dr. Sadao
performed the operation and his wife stood by him and helped hem every moment. There
was a great risk of Dr. Sadao being arrested for harbouring a prisoner of war. Being a loyal
to his nation, he declared everything to the General and was ready to face the
consequences. The General assured him to help him but he forgot to send his men. At last
Dr. Sadao arranged for a boat, food and clothing to send the enemy back to the nearby
island. The man took the Korean Boat and escaped to freedom.
Q.2. Individuals who belong to enemy countries tend to hate each other even if they do
not know each other personally. At times it is seen that some of them rise above such
prejudices. What makes a human being do so?
Ans: It is quite natural as well as acceptable beyond doubt that individuals who belong to
enemy countries tend to despise and show jealousy towards each other even if they are
quite unknown and ignorant about each other. Among them only the few people behave
above narrow mindedness and petty prejudices. Rather the milk of sympathy , kindness,
humanity and solace flows in their pure veins and they fail to realize that after all the
affected person is a man like them. He too possesses the same personality, feelings, traits
and exceptions like others. In the story ‘The Enemy’, Dr. Sadao and his wife provide a fine
example of this kind who rises above narrow mindedness and petty prejudices. Their inner
urge overpowers them and they save the life of a fatally wounded soldier duly flung away
through the sea waves near the house of Dr. Sadao. They bring home and find him to be an
enemy but Dr. Sadao has got sufficient mastery in his training to save the dying humanity.
The milk of human kindness flows both in Dr. Sadao and his wife Hana though there is
every chance of being called him as a traitor. The domestic servants too object and leave
the house till the stay of the soldier. In the end Dr. Sadao helps his safe return as well. Thus
we can see some people rise above petty prejudices and narrow mindedness.
Short-answer questions:
Q.1. Who was Dr. Sadao? What did his father expect from him?
Ans: He was a Japanese person. His house was built on a sea beach. His father had great
expectations from his only son. He never played or joked with his son. Sadao’s education
was the main concern of his father. His father sent him to America to study medicine and
surgery. He was very ambitious about Sadao’s future as well as Japan’s future. By the time
Sadao’s father died, he had established himself as a famous surgeon and scientist.
Q.2. Why was Sadao not sent with the troops?
Ans: He was a famous surgeon and scientist. He had mastered the art of healing wounds.
The old General of Japan had full faith in his abilities as a surgeon. He did not believe any
other doctor. He was not keeping good heath and could require a surgery any time, so
Sadao was not sent with the troops abroad.
Q.3. What suggestions did the General give to Sadao to get rid of the America?
Ans: The General told Sadao that the best thing would be killed the soldier quietly. The
General volunteered to help Sadao in it. He told Sadao that he would send his personal
assassins to kill the soldier to Sadao’s house. They were experts in killing a person, without
even making a noise or even not a drop of blood flowing.
Q.4. why did the servants leave Dr. Sadao’s house?
Ans: When Dr. Sadao told his servants about the enemy soldier. They were frightened.
They thought that the enemy must die. In case Sadao saved him, they would avenge. But
Sadao did not change his decision. They showed their resentment and threatened to leave.
Ultimately, they left Dr. Sadao’s house.
Lesson .5. Should Wizard Hit Mommy?
Author: John Updike
Q.1. What is the moral issue that the story ‘Should Wizard Hit Mommy’ raises?
Or
What difference do you find in the thinking of both Jo and Jack on moral
issues?
Ans: Jo is a little daughter of four years. She is engaged with her father in a story session.
When she was two years old Jack used to tell her an imaginary story every evening. Every
new story had little alteration of a basic story. The story was always about an animal. A
small creature, named Roger, used to be the central character of the story and the same
could be Roger Fish, roger Squirrel etc. It had always the same problem. Roger Skunk
smells very bad so other animals hate him and do not like to accompany him for playing
together. They will run away from him and thereby Roger Skunk feels unhappy. On the
advice of an owl, he meets the wizard. With the help of his magic spell, the wizard fills
Roger with the smell of roses. This has a healthy effect on other animals. They collect
round him and play happily. Roger skunk is also happy with this. In the evening, Roger
Skunk goes back to the house but his mother shows her displeasure. Roger Skunk tells
everything. She takes him to the Wizard and without saying any word she hits the Wizard
on the head with her umbrella. At this point the story raises a moral question “Should
Wizard Hit Mommy”? Jo feels that he must. But according to Jack, Mommy is always
right. She should be loved and respected. Thus we can note two different views. Jo cannot
think beyond her age. Jack is a mature and seasoned person. He had higher level of
intelligence than his daughter.
Q.2. An adult’s perspective is different from that of a child? Answer with reference to
the story “Should Wizard Hit Mommy”?
Ans: The author, John Updike has presented a very fine world-view of a little child as well
as that of the adult’s view. It is an acceptable fact that adults are more mature, sensible,
considerate and wise than that of child. They are better judge of good or bad events so they
form a very judicious opinion on every matter. They give a well thought, analyze and form
opinion. On the other hand, children are ignorant, innocent and inexperienced. Their whims
and aspirations roam in the romantic world of their own. Thus, a child symbolizes
innocence and spontaneity while an adult has a practical approach. In the story “Should
Wizard Hit Mommy”? a four year girl, Jo, represents innocence and immaturity. She
wants Wizard to hit mommy as he has forced the Wizard to transit the offensive smell in
Skunk rather than the rose smell. The girl does not think appropriate that the mommy
should hit the Wizard. From her perspective, it has been worthy if the wizard hits mommy
since Skunk too needs company to play. On the other hand, Jack tries to justify that what he
does, has been the sanctified view. Thus in the world of children, ugliness and hatred have
no place.
Short-answer questions:
Q.1.What type of stories did Jack usually tell his daughter? “Each new story was a
slight variation of a basic one.” What used to be the common features of Jack’s
stories?
Ans: His stories used to be the product of his own mind. The basic line was the same but
there was a little variation. Each story described a creature named Roger. It could be Roger
Fish, Roger Squirrel, Roger Chipmunk or Roger Skunk. It had a wise owl and Wizard as
the chief characters.
Q.2. How did the Wizard help Roger Skunk?
Ans: Roger Skunk went to meet the Wizard to get rid of his bad smell. The Wizard also got
annoyed with his dirty smell and told him not to close to him. Roger requested him to
change his smell. The Wizard took a magic wand and chanted a spell. All of a sudden, the
inside of the Wizard’s house was filled with the smell of roses. Roger Skunk too started
smelling like roses.
Q.3.Why did the ‘mommy’ go to the Wizard and with what result?
Ans: Roger Skunk’s mommy was very annoyed at the changes made in the smell of Skunk.
She resented it sternly. She took an umbrella in her hand and went o see the Wizard. She
hit the Wizard right over his head. He changed Roger into its foul smell. Now he began to
smell very bad again.
Q.4.How does Jo want to end the story like and why?
Ans: Jo had a keen desire that mommy should not take Roger Skunk back to the Wizard for
changing his smell. She must realize his problems of playing and having the company of
other animals. She was unhappy at the end of the story. She wanted that the Wizard should
hit the mommy.
Lesson .6. On the Face of it
Author: Susan Hill
Q.1. How did Mr. Lamb’s meeting with Derry become a turning point in Derry’s
Life?
Ans: Mr. Lamb is an old man with a big house having a decent garden full of flowers,
weeds and crab apples. His one leg is blown off in the war and has a tin leg. The gate of his
garden is always open and there are no curtains in the windows. When Derry enters his
garden over a wall, Mr. Lamb does not become angry. He rather points out that the door is
open and everyone is welcome there. There goes further discussion but Derry feels that Mr.
Lamb is a peculiar man with decency as well as miraculous things. So he is irresistibly
drawn towards him. He realizes that Mr. Lamb is quite happy with so much impairment of
his body. There is neither any irritation nor any shrinkage over his face. He also notices
that children call him ‘Lamey-Lamb’ when he goes down the streets. He does not show any
kind of bitterness towards them. They have got no fear and they come to him for apples and
pears. All this inspires great confidence in Derry. Side by side Mr. Lamb tells Derry the
way to overcome his physical deformity. He points out that he should consider himself
blessed, because he has got two arms, two legs, ears, eyes, a brain and a tongue etc.except
the burnt face. In case he chooses and makes his mind, he can got on better than all the rest.
He tells the story of the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and so many other points. Then he tells
Derry how to get on in this world in spite of physical disability. All this draws Derry
towards Mr. Lamb and this meeting becomes a turning point.
Q.2.Explain: “Derry is a victim of his own complex.” How does there come a change
in his thinking?
Ans:Derry is a young boy of fourteen years. One side of his face is badly burnt due to
falling of the acid. He thinks it ‘the ugliest thing’ in the world. When he sees his face in the
mirror, he gets afraid of himself. He has heard ladies saying ‘What a terrible face!’ None
will like him. He becomes dejected, withdrawn and defiant. He is unable to face the world.
He avoids the general public. All these facts turn Derry a victim of his own inferiority
complex and negative attitude. By chance he sneaks into the garden of Mr. lamb thinking it
to be a secluded place. But Mr. Lamb interrupts him and tells that his door is always open.
People can come and he has got so many friends. Consequently a surge of relief starts
flowing in the mind of Derry. He is drawn towards him. Mr. Lamb tells that children tease
and call him ‘Lamey Lamb’ but he never minds. He plays with them and gives them
toffees. His viewpoint brings a great change in Derry. He becomes free from inferiority
complex and decides to face the realities of life.
Short-answer questions:
Q.1.How does Mr. Lamb react on seeing Derry in his garden?
Ans: Mr. Lamb sees Derry entering the garden by climbing over a wall. He immediately
questions Derry’s arrival. Derry replies that he has entered thinking it a lonely place. He
has no desire to steal but Mr. Lamb tries to comfort him. He asks him not to afraid of any
thing. His gate is always open for all.
Q.2. How does the conversation with Mr. Lamb affect Derry’s views about his life and
the world?
Ans: Derry’s conversation with Mr. Lamb has a great effect on Derry. He realizes that he
should not confine himself. Rather he should come out in the world. He should see the
world, face it and emerge as a winner. Now he wants to live, he wants to forget about his
ugly face, and makes his own wishes and his priorities.
Q.3.Why does Derry tell Mr. lamb that he is afraid of seeing himself in the mirror in
story ‘On the Face of It’.
Ans: Derry is a boy of fourteen years of age. He got a burnt and cut on his face due to fall
of acid. His face has turned scarred and disfigured. He feels low. He is even scared of
looking himself in the mirror. He has got a strong hatred for himself.
Q.4. “You will get on the way you want , like all the rest”. How does Mr. Lamb
encourage Derry?
Ans: Mr. Lamb was a wise man but he had one physical deformity of leg. Still he always
led a happy life and was satisfied with what was left. He told Derry that he had two arms,
two legs, eyes, ears, tongue and brain. He could get on the way he wanted like all the rest.
If he set his mind to it, he could excel others.
Lesson .7. Evans Tries an O-Level
Author: Colin Dexter
Q.1How did Evans and his friends carry out the escape of Evans very successfully and
meticulously?
Ans:Evans was a boy of deep intelligence, planning , resourcefulness, wit and wisdom. He
starts learning German and is permitted to appear for O Level test in a separate and well
guarded cell. The prisoner Evans long hair so he had to clip it short for carrying out his
plan of impersonating Mclerry. But the prison officials took away his nail-scissors and nailfile. It took him a long time to get his hair short with a blade. So he wore a bobble hat to
hide his short hair under it. Mr. Jackson asked to remove the hat but Evans requested that
he had to hide his short hair. The police officer adopted a soft view and allowed the hat.
The friends of Evans overpowered McLerry and one of them impersonated him and worked
as an invigilator. He brought with him extra clerical paraphernalia for Evans. There was a
semi-inflated rubber ring with a pig blood and he pretended to use it for sitting due to pile’s
pain. The correction-slip in the examination helped Evan to know the exact time of paper
and it gave a clue for the name of the hotel. The prison van was also made available giving
a hoax call and it was needed by a magistrate office. Through a hoax call, Stephens was
removed from the cell for a few minutes before the end of the examination. Evans took the
prison officials in by pretending to be injured McLeery . Evans acted too swiftly to get into
the police van. Thus the plan was very successfully carried out to escape.
Q.2.Reflecting on the story, what did you feel about Evans having the last laugh?
Ans:Having the last laugh means to be successful and making the opponent stupid. Here
the phrase finds a suitable place in the story. We can see that the Governor initiates all
precautionary measures for the smooth conduct of the examination and ensure that Evans
won’t escape. He arranges for a microphone in the cell of Evans and appoints two Senior
Police Officers for his vigil. And in spite of all his toil, Evans has the last laugh. His cell is
thoroughly searched and it is reported that nothing is hidden there. Still Evans is able to
hide a false beard, a pair of spectacles, a dog collar and some sort of weapon that has hurt
McLerry. Further McLeery is found securely bound and gagged in his study. It becomes
clear that Evans has been impersonating McLerry who had stayed in. Even after his arrest
at a hotel The Golden Lion, the Governor could not bring him back to the cell. He had
some good friends who helped his escape. In examination and police department he had
close friends who arranged things for him. With his intelligence and the help of his friends,
Evans was able to have the last laugh in the story.
Short-answer questions:
Q.1.Who was Evans and what was his desire about his education?
Ans: Evans was a jolly good fellow. Being a prisoner, he had escaped three times from the
jail. He had a keen desire to acquire some academic qualification and started taking night
classes in the prison. He was preparing in an ‘O’ Level in German and arrangements for his
examinations were done in his cell.
Q.2. Why does people doubt Evans sincerity towards taking the ‘O’ Level
examination?
Ans: Evans was a very cunning, experienced and intelligent and a careful run away
prisoner. He had escaped from the prison many times so he was called “Evans the Break”.
Now he was preparing and appearing for ‘O’ Level examination in the jail premises. So
people were doubtful about Evans’ sincerity for taking the examination.
Q.3. How did Evans manage to get blood in the cell?
Ans: McLeery was the close friend of Evans. He had come for invigilating Evans. He had a
rubber ring for getting rest against piles. The ring was semi-inflated. It had a pig’s blood
that was kept by the person in his suitcase. It has some chemicals and some real blood to
prevent it from clotting. It was filled in the rubber-ring so it was looking semi-inflated.
Q.4. How did Evans mange his final escape?
Ans: He was almost rearrested by the Governor in the hotel. He was handcuffed and made
to sit in a prison van. But the people sitting inside the van were the close friends of Evans.
They opened his handcuff on Evans’ instructions. They took the van towards Dewsbury
and Evans had his final escape. Thus Evans outwitted the Governor by dodging him at
every step.
Lesson .8. Memories of Childhood
Author: Zitkala-Sa and Bama
Q.1. what oppression and discrimination did Zitkala Sa and Bama experience during
their childhood? How did they respond to their respective situations?
Ans: The lesson presents a good account of two different girls living at distant places. Both
the women belong to the marginalized communities.Zitkala-Sa is a Native American. She
is taken away from her mother forcibly because the white people want the native Indians to
adopt their culture. Zitkala revolts the way the Indian girls were forced to wear dresses in
an immodest way. She was much perturbed that the brave shingled hair. But she could do
nothing when they took her bravely, tied in a chair and cut off her hair. But her spirit could
not be suppressed.
On the other hand, Bama was a low –caste girl. She saw the upper caste people showing
discrimination against the low caste people. They could not touch food and other items of
the upper caste people. They had to work for them and bow their heads. Her spirit too
revolted against this injustice. She could not understand this human treatment since all are
human beings. She wanted honour for all. Her brother Annan told her that she could do
away with these indignities if she worked hard. Bama studied hard and stood first in her
class. Many people became her friends.
Q.2. Write down the picture of the streets and the bazaar as stated by Bama in ‘We
Too are Human Beings’.
Ans: The house of Bama was not at a far off place from her school and it was hardly a ten
minutes walk. But Bama took a long time to reach home from school. Many things
attracted her on the way to school and she stopped to watch them. She could stop to see the
monkeys performing, snake charmer and a cyclist. She would watch the huge bell banging
at the temple and Pongal offerings at the temple attracted her much. Different things gave
her many attractions. She liked some entertainment going on in the way-like a street play, a
puppet and a magic show. She much fascinated to see a man carrying a package of vadais.
He held it by the strings. She thought it strange when the man still acted in a funnier
manner. He bowed to the landlord and extended the package towards him. Instead he
cupped his hand holding the strings with his other hand; the landlord took the package and
began to eat it. Bama felt like laughing at the silly actions of the man. She went home and
narrated the incident to her elder brother Annan.
Short-answer questions:
Q.1. Who was ‘Zitkala –Sa’? Where was she born?
Ans: She was an American –Indian woman. She was an extraordinarily talented and
educated Native American Indian woman. She suffered discrimination on the basis of her
sex and nationality. She struggled against all this. She wrote criticizing the dogma and evils
of oppression. She belonged to a marginalised community.
Q.2. Why was the girl, Zitkala tied to a chair in ‘Memories of Childhood’?
Ans: Zitkala Sa tells about her first day in school. She had long hair. According to the
culture of the whites they wanted to cut her long hair. But she refused to obey their
decision. She was dragged out and tied fast with a chair for cutting her hair. She resisted
but all in vain.
Q.3.What did Bama watch while going back from school to her house?
Ans: Bama took thirty minutes to reach her home from school though she could be there in
ten minutes. In the way she used to see dancing monkeys, snake charmers, vegetable
sellers, shops, political processions, pedaling the cyclists and so on.
Q.4. What advice did Annan give to Bama to get honour and dignity for her people?
Ans: He advised Bama to study hard and learn all she could since education was the only
thing to do away with all inequalities. Through education she would be able to throw away
the indignities. He inspired her to study hard and stand first in her class. She did the same
and attained repute. Many people became her friends.