THE BOY WHO BROKE THE BANK

SECTION A: MCQS ANSWERS –

1.       A) by rousing dust while brooming

2.       B) Mrs. Srivastava

3.       B) Mrs. Srivastava

4.       A) he was able to help both his friend and his customer

5.       D) bankruptcy

6.       B) the bank was about to go bankrupt

7.       C) a barber

8.       D) Rushed to contact Govind Ram on telephone

9.       A) was holidaying in Kashmir

10.   C) he was miraculously cured

11.   D) all of the above

12.   C) immediate release of their money

13.   B) rumours are destructive

SECTION B: CONTEXTUAL QUESTION

1.Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows:

Nathu grumbled ----------------------------------pipalnagar

Bank, owned ----------------------------------------hurriedly

And carelessly -------------------------------------his head

Settled -----------------------------------------------pan against

A dustbin -----------------------------------------------passed by

Sitaram was -------------------------------------------pressed

Clothes ---------------------------------------------------his head.

Don’t raise -----------------------------------------------because

They are --------------------------------------------------a month?’

i)Who was Nathu? Briefly describe what he was doing?

Ans: Nathu was a sweeper boy. He was annoyed and frustrated so raised dust while sweeping the steps of the bank.

ii)Why was he doing his duty hurriedly and carelessly?

Ans: He was annoyed, since he was not paid wages nor a two rupees a month he had asked for. So he was frustrated. Thus, he was doing his duty hurriedly and carelessly.

iii)Why did Nathu bang his pan against the dustbin? What does this action tell us about Nathu’s state of mind?

Ans: Nathu banged his pan against the dustbin because he wanted to show his annoyance. He could not more than that. So he just shows his anger by raising dust and banging his pan against the dustbin. His action tells about him is that he was pragmatic boy.

iv)Who was Sitaram? What did he ask Nathu? How did he try to help Nathu?

Ans: Sitaram, the washerman’s son was Nathu’s friend and well-wisher. Sitaram, being from the same social strata, understood Nathu and tried his best to get a job for him. It was in this attempt he told Mrs. Srivastava about Nathu and that he was looking for a job.

v)Why was the incident of not paying the salary introduced in the beginning of the story? What were its consequences?

Ans: The story starts with the discontentment of Nathu, the sweeper boy regarding the non-receipt of his salary despite it being the twentieth of the month. He complains of the same to Sitaram, the washer man’s boy who in an attempt to get job for Nathu. So this fact is told to Mrs. Srivastava by Sitaram and then to Mrs. Bhushan and finally it spread everywhere. The consequences were – the crashing of the bank excited all its residents. Those who had money rush to withdraw it. Those who did not have money in the bank were happy. Everyone came to know the luxurious life style of the bank owner. Many stories also came up for the reason for the collapse of the bank.

2.Mrs Srivasatava------------------------------------------to the

Ayah about -----------------------------------------------late with

The mid-day meal ----------------------------------------place, to

Make her -------------------------------------------------cloth shops

A large shady ---------------------------------------------and it was

Here that ---------------------------------------------------from the heat.

i)Who was Mrs. Srivasatava? How can you say that she cares for her family?

Ans: Mrs. Srivastava was a well to do resident of pipalnagar. She has an ayah and a cook. she gave instructions for caring about the baby. She ensures that her family get meals on time. So she was caring for her family that all must get meals on time.

ii)What did she do at the market? Do you think it was a regular practice? Why?

Ans: She went to the market to purchase cloth after a customary tour. Her regular practice was to find out her friends and chat with them after shopping. She knew where her friends so regularly she used to go there in the market and killed time gossiping with them.

iii)What did Mrs. Bhushan and Mrs Srivastava talk about?

Ans: Mrs. Bhushan and Mrs. Srivastava first discussed the summer heat. Mrs. Srivatava also had purchased clothe. So they talked about its shade, texture and design. Finally, talked about Seth Govind Ram’s bank. They talked that the bank is not able to play salary to its employees.

iv)What apparently had happened to the pipalnagar bank? How did the news spread?

Ans: The pipalnagar bank was unable to pay its employees. The sweeper boy had not received his wages for a month. Therefore, he was grumbled to Sitaram who tried to get him a job told Mrs. Srivastava who told Mrs. Bhushan who told to her husband and the rumour spread everywhere.

v)Briefly describe the conversation between Mrs Bhushan and her husband. What does this say about them?

Ans: Mrs Bhushan knew her husband would be chatting with some shop owner or customer. So, she used to go around claiming that she was looking for her husband who used to be busy flittering from one shop to another. Both of them are middle aged. They are comfortable with one another. They have lot of free time. So they just kill time chatting with people.

HOME COMING

SECTION A: MCQS ANSWERS

1.      B) ringleader

2.      B) his mother would believe Makhan’s version of the incident

3.      A) compassionate

4.      C) being extremely angry

5.      A) irony

6.      D) all the above

7.      C) in a state of suspense

8.      B) had the holidays come

9.      D) both b and c

SECTION B: CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS

1.Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:

But just as ---------------------------------------younger

Brother ----------------------------------------of them all

Without a -------------------------------------was pushed

Rather ----------------------------------------he remained

Quite -------------------------------------------meditating

On the ---------------------------------------- if you

Don’t get down this minute I will thrush you!’

i)Who was Makhan? Where was he? What is meant by ‘sauntered up’?

Ans: Makhan was Phatik’s younger brother.  He was by the river side.  Sauntered up means walking slowly and silently. So here Makhan came up slowly and silently, caught them playing his brother and his friends unexpectedly.

ii)What was the fun that was about to begin? What did Makhan do to spoil the fun?

Ans; The fun was that Phatik and his companions planned to shift the log away from mud flat so that the owner would be shocked and angry. But Makhan spoiled their fun by sitting on the log at the right moment and they could not move it.

iii)What did one of the boys do and why? How did Makhan react to it?

Ans: One of the boys pushed Makhan from the log because they wanted to push that log into the river; but they didn’t push it since on it Makhan was sitting. So he pushed him thinking he might get up from the log. But Makhan did not react. He continued sitting on the log.

iv)Why was Phattik furious? What did he ask his band of companion to do after this extract?

Ans: Phatik was furious because Makhan was sitting on the log and foiled their plan of having fun. He asked his companions to push the log together with Makhan.

v)Did Phatik hit Makhan? Why? Which two characteristic traits of Phatik are revealed in this extract?

Ans: No, Phatik did not hit Makhan. He knew Makhan would run to their mother and Phatik would get into trouble. Makhan was good in the eye of mother. So mother used to support him more than Phatik. It is revealed that he is quick to anger and foresight.

2.It was just at------------------------------stranger arrived.

He asked what the---------------------------and ashamed.

i)What was the critical juncture? What had happened before this critical juncture?

Ans: The critical juncture was that Phatik had just pushed aside his mother to stop her from hitting him and she was furious. Before this critical juncture was that Makhan had accused Phatik of hitting him.

ii)Who was the grey haired stranger? Why did he come there?

Ans: The grey haired stranger was his mother maternal uncle Bishamber. He had lost touch with his sister as he had gone to Bombay. But later when he returned to Calcutta and found out about his sister’s widowhood and his fatherless nephews.

iii)Why did Phatik feel ashamed on seeing the stranger?

Ans: Phatik felt ashamed on seeing the stranger because the stranger had enquired of him where the Chakravortis lived and Phatik had been vague to him. When the stranger repeated his question to him but he was very rude to the stranger.

iv)How did Phatik react to the stranger’s offer when he reached home? Which characteristic trait of Phatik is revealed by his reaction?

Ans: Phatik was elated to the stranger’s offer. He was optimistic that he would be better in his uncle’s house.  When Phatik went to his uncle’s house, he felt he would get a home where his uncle and aunt would bring him up with parental love and care.

v)State any two traits of the stranger’s personality in the story.

Ans: The two traits of the stranger’s personality in the story are- the stranger is the brother of Phatiks’s mother Bishamber. He is a grey haired middle aged man who lives with his family in Calcutta. He is a considerate man devoted to his family. As soon as he comes to know about her sister’s condition, he rushes to meet her. He offers to take Phatik off his sister’s hands. He goes against his family to help his sister. This shows that he is a loving brother and a kind and compassionate man, who is concerned about the welfare of his nephew.

THE MODEL MILLEONAIRE

SECTION A: MCQS ANSWERS

1.      C) Hughie’s spirits and kindness

2.      D) his piteous expression

3.      C) he gave a sovereign to the beggar

4.      C) he gave money to a model thinking him as a beggar

5.      C) he felt that he had made a mistake by giving him a sovereign

6.      B) Alan Trevor for Hughie

7.      C) model who are millionaires are hardly found

8.      A) irony

9.      B) Hughie did not fit in at the stock exchange

10.  C) Hyperbole

11.  D) all of the above

12.  A) Hughie’s

13.  b) Baron, Trevor’s

14.  d) in his mind

SECTION B: CONTEXTUAL QUESTION:

1.Read the extract given below and answer the question that follows:

Unless one is ---------------------------------romance

Is the privilege ---------------------------------unemployed. The

Poor should------------------------------------------------permanent

Income than ---------------------------------------------modern life

Which ---------------------------------------------------------we

Must admit-----------------------------------------------a brilliant

Or even --------------------------------------------------wonderfully

Good looking -------------------------------------------grey eyes.

i)What is said about wealth in the extract? Give the meaning of the poor should be prosaic’.

Ans: It is said that only those who possess wealth can be romantic. The poor should be practical and have their hopes and aspirations grounded in reality.

ii)Give two positive qualities of Hughie. What was his drawback?

Ans: Hughie was very good looking with brown hair grey eyes and chiseled face. His nature was very good. He never said an ill-natured thing to anyone. He was kind. He was not intellectually gifted and he had no permanent income. He used to live with the income of his aunt.

iii)What did his father bequeath him? What did he do with his inheritance?

Ans: His father bequeathed him a cavalry sword, kept it on huge over his looking glass, and history of peninsular that was fifteen volumes kept it on self between Ruff’s guide and Bailey’s nicaraven.

iv)How did Hughie make a living? What was his experience in his stock exchange?

Ans: Hughie made his living by his aunt’s allowances of two hundred pounds. He worked for six months but felt out of place in the stock exchange. He also tried in tea merchant but there also he was unsuccessful at and even failed in selling dry sherry,

v)Give the meaning of the following – untimely he became nothing, a delightful ineffectual young man with a perfect profile and no profession.’

Ans: It means that the ultimately Hughie had no achievements nor a permanent income. Despite his good looks and king nature he did not have a profession or occupation.

2.To make matter-----------------------------------was Laura

Merton the -------------------------------------------temper and

His -------------------------------------------------------again. Laura

Adored him --------------------------------------------shoes strings.

i)Who is he referred in the extract? What troubles he had earlier in his life?

Ans: it is referred to Hughie. He was simply unable to make money. He survived on an allowance of two hundred pounds a year given by an old aunt. His father had left him with an inheritance of a cavalry sword and history of the peninsular war in fifteen volumes. In order to earn money he had tried the stock exchange, worked under a tea merchant and sold dry sherry.

ii)Give the meaning of ‘who had lost his temper and digestion in India.’ With reference to India, what theme is referred to?

Ans: Colonel had served in the army and had been posted in India. He has a nasty disposition as he had lost his temper and his digestion in India. He suffered from digestive issues rendering him perpetually cranking. He was not rich either. Here, the theme of wealth is referred.

iii)Name and explain the figure of speech used in the following ‘and he was ready to kiss her shoes-strings.’

Ans; The figure of speech used in ‘and he was ready to kiss her shoes-strings’ is hyperbole. It’s the exaggeration used for Hughie that he was ready to do anything for Laura.

Iv)They were the handsomest couple in London’ but what was lacking in their lives? How did they obtain it?

Ans: They were the handsomest couple in London but were unable to get married as Hughie did not have ten thousand pounds of his own as per Laura’s father’s condition. He felt sorry for a poor beggar and gave him a sovereign. The beggar was a very wealthy man who rewarded Hughie with ten thousand pounds as a wedding’s gift.

v)What was the colonel’s attitude towards Hughie? What does that say about Hughie? Which characteristic trait of the colonel is reflected in his attitude towards Hughie?

Ans: The colonel was fond of Hughie. He liked him but he was practical as he knew that Hughie was kind hearted and good looking but he lacked financial stability and security. Colonel has a nasty disposition as he had lost his temper and his digestion in India. He was not rich either but wanted a better life for his daughter. So he gave more important to the financial stability which was the determining factor for the relationship.

BONKU BABU'S FRIEND

SECTION A: MCQS ANSWERS-

1.      C) Bonku Babu

2.      A) the boys teased Bonku Babu

3.      B) he was a storyteller

4.      A) to scare Bonku Babu with a spook

5.      B) his new kurta was torn and black stains all over

6.      C) he felt that it was not a congenial environment for him

7.      C) Saturday is auspicious for ghosts and spooks

8.      A) there was absolute silence

9.      C) the strange creature was examining Bonku Babu’s arms and legs

10.  A) Ang’s people like object had made him immobile.

SECTION B: CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS

1.Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows:

For the last----------------------------------------geography and

Bengali at the-----------------------------------------------a new

Batch of -------------------------------------------------------tradition of

Teasing poor--------------------------------------------------students.

i)What in the extract shows that the students were teasing BonkuBabu for a long time?

Ans: Bonku Babu has been a teacher for twenty-two years. Every year there has been a tradition of teasing him. Tradition is the transmission of practices over generations. Here batches of students used to tease him either new or old from long period of time in the school.

ii)What form of teasing was used by his students?

Ans: His students teased him by drawing his caricature on the blackboard. They used to put glue on his chair. on the night of Kali puja set off a rocket behind him. So different ways his students used to bully and harassed him.

iii)How did Bonkubabu react to the teasing by the students?

Ans: Bonku Babu ignored the teasing done by the students. He used to chide them gently saying ‘shame on you, boys.’ He never lost his temper.

iv)According to Bonkubabu what made his life as a teacher worth living?

Ans: There were always a few good students in every class who loved their teacher. Similarly, Bonku too had some good students to whom he used to invite to his house for the study. He used to regale them with stories and plied them with homemade goodies. So those handful of students were so rewarding to him and that made his life as a teacher worth living.

v)Why did Bonkubabu put up with the teasing?

Ans: Bonkubabu was practical person. He knew that if he let the teasing affect him then he would lose the job. He again may not get the another job because he was too old and he was middle aged. So he did not lose his temper and never protested against. He had a few good students whom he loved to teach them in spite of being teased by the other naughty students.

2.Only the other -----------------------------------talking about

Ghosts -------------------------------------------------------for some

Unknown reason ----------------------------------------afraid of

Ghosts that -----------------------------------------------opportunity to

The others. On his -----------------------------------Bonkubabu was

Attacked by a spook.

i)What made his associates arrange an attack on Bonkubabu by a spook? How is it shown in the story that the attack was arranged by his associates?

Ans: Bonkubabu never had a contrary opinion to his associates but when he declared he did not believe in ghosts it gave the latter a fresh opportunity to have fun so they arranged for the spook attack. Thus, a tall thin person painted in black ink jumped on Bonkubabu when he was passing under a tamarind tree.

ii)Describe in your own words the attack by the spook.

Ans: On his way back home later that night, Bonkubabu was attacked by a spook. As he was passing under a tamarind tree, a tall, thin figure leapt down and landed on his back. As it happened, this apparition had smeared black ink all over itself, as suggested by someone at the meeting.

iii)What happened to Bonkubabu as a result of the attack?

Ans: Bokubabu was not frightened to the attack; but he was injured badly. For three days, his neck ached. His new kurta was torn and the black stains were all over.

iv)What was the favourable condition for the spook to attack?

Ans: Bonkubabu was a creature of routine. He used to take the same path always. He had declared that he was not afraid of ghosts too. It was night and the darkness of the night was the favourable condition for the spook to attack.

v)Why did Bonkubau attend the meeting despite the attack by the spook? If he were not to attend the meeting, what would happen? What does it show about the rural life in his area?

Ans: Bonkubabu attended the meeting despite the attack by the spook because he did not want to displeased Sripati Majumdar who was the important person in the school committee and in the village. He would lose the patronage and goodwill of Sripati. In the story, the middle class men of the village happily reconciled to their ordinary prosaic lives in a world rooted in their typical middle class ethos and traditions. They enjoyed bullying and making fun of Bonkubabu.

OLIVER ASKS FOR MORE

SECTION A: MCQS ANSWERS –

1.      D) all the above

2.      B) went home to have dinner

3.      D) all the above

4.      A) she did not have a ring on her finger on her left hand

5.      B) Mr. Bumble

6.      A) drank up all the soup and cleaned them with their spoons

7.      C) Oliver asked him for more food

8.      D) he Oliver was shut up for a week in solitary confinement

9.      B) five pounds

10.  B) a coffin maker for the workhouse

SECTION B: CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS

1.Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

Oliver --------------------------------------------ill in bed.

Head from the pillow.

Let me -----------------------------------------------she said

Oh, you ---------------------------------------------the doctor.

i)What is a work house? What does it say about the setting of the story?

Ans: A workhouse is a place where poor are housed. In the story neither the name of the town or city is given nor a date when the action took place. The only fact that is in focus is that events occur in a workhouse, an institution where poor people are ill-treated and ill fed. As such, Dickens wants to portray a common social issue and leaving its immediate setting quite vague.

ii)Who were present in the room where Oliver was born? Why?

Ans: There were three people present in the room where Oliver was born. They were – his mother, a doctor and the old woman. The Oliver mother was lying in the street. So brought to the workhouse where she gave birth to a child and died.

iii)What was the Oliver’s mother’s wish? How did she try to fulfil her wish? What happened to the young woman soon after that?

Ans: The Oliver’s mother’s wish was to see her newborn baby face and die. So she tried to fulfill her wish by holding the child before she died. The young woman died soon after giving birth to Oliver.

iv)What did the old woman tell her about her wish? What did the old woman say about her to the doctor?

Ans: The young woman was too young to die so she must not talk of it.  She was brought to the workhouse as she had collapsed and was lying on the street. The old woman said to the doctor that the girl had been brought here the previous night and nobody knew from where she came.

v)What evidence is given in the story to say the young woman was poor and not married?

Ans: The young woman was lying on the street. Her shoes torn out and had holes in it. She had no wedding ring. Nobody knew her or where she came from. Her physical appearances and dressing sense were the evidences in the story that the young woman was poor and not married.

2. The doctor raised the dead------------------------------hand.

The usual--------------------------------------------------finger. She

Was not---------------------------------------------good night

He went -----------------------------------------------in front

Of the fire ------------------------------------------------very old

Clothes ----------------------------------------------the child was

An orphan, born into ------------------------------------pity for him.

i)When the doctor raised the young woman’s hand, what did he notice? What does this indicate about the young woman?

Ans; When the doctor raised the young woman’s hand, he noticed that she did not have a ring on her finger. According to the custom, the married persons to have a wedding band- a ring on the ring finger of the left hand. This indicates that the young woman was not married.

ii)What did the old woman do after the doctor went home? What does this say about life in a workhouse?

Ans: After the doctor went home, the old woman sat down on a chair in front of fire and dressed the baby in very old clothes that were handed down from one baby to the next the babies who were born in the workhouse. The harsh living conditions and lack of compassion towards the less fortunate people in a workhouse.

iii)Who gave the name to the new baby? What logic did he follow while naming the babies?

Ans: Mr. Bumble, an important officer in the town gave the name of the new baby. He followed alphabetic order from A to Z. he named the last one swubble and chose the name Oliver Twist. He also explained that the new baby next would be named unwin.

iv)Oliver was an orphan born into a world which had no love or pity for him. Give example from the extract that Oliver experienced lack of love.

Ans: Oliver wan an orphan born into a world which had no love or pity for him. Babies were dressed up in the very old clothes. They never had enough warm clothes to wear and food to eat. Every day they got only three meals of thin soup. On Sunday they used to get a small piece of bread. So these indicate that Oliver experienced lack of love and care in the workhouse.

v)What was the condition of children in England as shown in the story?

Ans: The conditions for poor children in Victorian England were dangerous and bleak. Babies were wrapped in old clothes. Children were always cold as they never had enough warm clothes. They were grossly under-fed with three meals of soup every day and on Sunday they got a small piece of bread. The story depicts the miserable conditions of children in England. Children those who were born into poverty and had no families to support. They were ill-treated, fed very little and not taken care properly.