SKIMBLESHANKS: THE RAILWAY CAT
SECTION
A: MCQS ANSWERS–
1.
D) skimble was nowhere to be found.
2.
A) quick
3.
B) the train begins its journey
4.
B) by a regular patrol
5.
A) no one could play pranks
6.
D) all the above
7.
A) the passengers’ choice of morning tea
8.
A) bright and energetic
9.
C) 11:39 pm, 11:42 pm
10.
B) in the luggage van
11.
D) the police
12.
B) by weaving his tail
SECTION
B: CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS
I.
Read
the extract given below and answer the question that follow:
There’s
a whisper down the line at 11:39
When---------------------------------------depart,
Saying---------------------------------------------thimble?
We
must find him or train can’t start.
i)What’s
the whisper down the line? Who all are whispering?
Ans:
The whisper down the line refers to a message being passed along the train
staff at 11:39pm when the Night mail is ready to depart. All are whispering –
‘where is skimbleshanks?’ where are the railway staff, the guards, porters and
even the station master’s daughter? All are searching about them.
ii)Who
is Skimble? What work does he do?
Ans:
Skimble is ‘the railway cat’ in the poem skimbleshanks. He is a cat who works
on the night mail train and is responsible for supervising the train’s crew,
including the driver, guards and bagmen. He is the in charge of the sleeping
car express and he ensures the smooth functioning of the night mail and
comfortable journey for all passengers.
iii)What
does hunt the thimble’ mean? What was skimble doing at this time?
Ans:
Hunt the thimble is a playful phases used to describe a party game where one
person hides a small object in a room and the others look for it. He was busy
organizing the luggage van.
iv)Why
can’t the train start without skimbleshanks? How did the train finally start?
Ans:The
train can’t start without skimbleshanks because he is the in-charge of the
train. The train finally started at the arrival of skimble who flashed his eyes
towards the signal and then the signal turned green in response and train
started to move.
v)Did
it depart on time? How did the scene at the train change after skimble
appeared?
Ans:
Yes, the train departed on time after the confusion and chaos. The passengers
were at great relief and calm. They were no longer frantic once skimble
appeared and even people stopped searching him.
II.
All
the guards--------------------------------------daughters
They
----------------------------------------------------- and low
Saying
----------------------------------------------------------nimble
Then
the night mail just can’t go.’
i)Identify
and name two figures of speech used in this extract?
Ans:
Hyperbole –‘searching high and low’
Alliteration – saying skimble where
is skimble.’
Imagery – ‘all the guards …high and
low.
ii)Why
is it important for skimblshanks to be on the train?
Ans:
Skimbleshanks is important to be on the train because he is the in-charge of
the train and makes sure its smooth operation of the train- keeping check on
the train staff. Seeing to the comfort of passenger and solving problems before
they occur.
iii)Why
would skimble need to be very nimble?
Ans:
Skimble need to be quick because he is the in charge of the train and without
him train won’t move. So he would need to be quick enough to supervise
everything and to signal the night train to depart on time.
iv)Who
are they’ in the second line? Why are they frantic? Did they calm down? How?
Ans:
In the second line ‘they’ refers to the railway staff, guards, porters,
stationmaster and his family. They are frantic because they are not able to
find skimbleshanks the railway cat in charge of the train, where he was. Yes,
they calmed down once he appeared at the nick of time.
v)Imagine
you are onboard this train, describe the manhunt for skimble.
Ans: I could see all the staff members in uniforms running up and down the
length of the train searching for skimble. Some people were looking up the
racks and down under the seat. All are frantic and confused. All are searching
and whispering as if something were gravely wrong.
III.
You
may say------------------------change
Of
the------------------------------------express.
From
the --------------------------------------cards
He
will --------------------------------------------less.
Down
the --------------------------------------------faces
He
-------------------------------------------------------patrol
And
he ----------------------------------------------------occurred.
i)Who
will supervise them all (the staff)? Who are they who need the supervision?
Ans:
Skimbleshanks, the railway cat will supervise them all – the drive, the guards,
and the bagmen. All the staff on board the train need the supervision.
ii)Whose
faces does the supervisor examine? What can he gauge from their faces?
Ans:
The supervisor examines all the passengers of all the classes- the first class
as well as the third class compartments of the train. He can gauge from their
faces the comfort level whether they would cause trouble or there was something
amiss.
iii)Briefly
describe how the establishes control. Why does he pace the corridor?
Ans:
He supervises the staff by seeing that they perform their duties properly. He patriots
the train and comes to know immediately of an untoward incidence. He paces the
corridor to study the faces of the passengers.
iv)Do
you think the supervisor can do the same in other modes of transport- plane,
bus, metro? State how.
Ans:
The supervisor can do the same in other mode especially in bus because it is open
and allows for free movement of the cat for supervision. But in plane and metro
may not possible because it is closed not connected as one compartment so the
free movement is not possible for the supervision.
v)Why
do you think the train is called sleeping car express’? how does the supervisor
ensure that the name holds true?
Ans:
The train is called sleeping car express because it is fast train with few/limited
stops where passengers can sleep during the night during their journey. The supervisor
ensures that the name holds true by regularly patrolling the train corridors and
checking on the passengers to make sure they are comfortable and secure during
their journey.
IV.
Oh,
its -----------------------------------------------den
With
your --------------------------------------------door.
And
the ------------------------------------------------sheet
And
there’s -----------------------------------------------floor,
There
is every ------------------------------------------------bright;
There’s
a ------------------------------------------------------breeze.
There’s
a funny ---------------------------------------------------face in
And
a crank --------------------------------------------------------sneeze.
i)Why
is the cabin called your little den’? what kind of security does it offer the
passengers?
Ans:
The cabin called ‘your little den’ because it provides a personal and private
space for the passengers to rest during the journey. It has also name written
on the door. Cabin is clean and allows passengers to unwind and rest. It was
secure from all side so no dusty floor. So it provided security from all pests.
ii)Describe
the little den as mentioned in the extract.
Ans:
The little den refers to the cabin on the train where the passengers sleep and
relax. It was very neat and clean with name written on the door, folded sheet,
no dust and with adjustable lights. It has window which can be opened and
shutdown. There are wash basins to wash faces.
iii)Were
the passengers scared of skimbleshanks? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans:
No, the passengers were not scared of skimbleshanks. They respected him. He was
said to be very friendly and helpful. Therefore, all the passengers kept very
quiet. Passengers felt tension free at the presence of skimbleshanks in the
train during their journey.
iv)What
were the arrangements made for the comfortable journey of the passenger?
Ans:
Skimbleshanks ensures that the berth is comfortable with clean sheets and
operative lights, fans, washbasins and handles on windows. The cabin is dust
free. The authority figure takes care of the safety of the passengers by
ensuring that there are no mice and fleas in the train.
v)Compare
the facilities of the train cabin with facilities of a cabin in today’s train. Would
you find a skimbleshanks today? Why?
Ans:
yes, we do find the train cabin with similar facilities in today’s train. We find
even more and better facilities like air conditioned train but have no
facilities for the cat to move around as he did it at that time. we don’t find
railway cat skimbleshanks because the time has passed and we have other similar
type of persons as skimbleshanks, who supervise the passengers.
V.
But
you------------------------------------------------police
If
there--------------------------------------------------about
When
you get-----------------------------------------------wait
For
-------------------------------------------------------------out
He
gives----------------------------------------------------------tail
Which
says-------------------------------------------------------again!
You---------------------------------------------------------------------mail
The
cat--------------------------------------------------------------------train.
i)What
does skimble do at Dumfries station? Why?
Ans:
At Dumfries station skimble speaks to the police if there is anything report
mishaps. He does it as he is the supervisor of the train. He makes aware of
everything that happens on the train during the journey. He is responsible for
the smooth running of the train.
ii)When
do you think that the train reaches its destination? Name the first and the
last stations of the Midnight mail.
Ans:
The train reaches its destination in the next morning. The name of the first
station is London and the last station name is Gallowgate station of the
midnight mail.
iii)Why
do the passengers do not have to wait to get down at gallowgate?
Ans:
The passengers do not have to wait to get down at gallowgate because the
railway cat helps them to get out quickly and efficiently. He is responsible
for ensuring that the train runs smoothly and everything is in order, including
the arrival and departure of the passengers.
iv)How
does skimble bid goodbye to the passengers? What does the wave of his long
brown tail mean?
Ans: Skimble bids goodbye
to the passengers by waving his long brown tail. The wave signifies that he
will see them again and they will meet without fail on the midnight mail again.
The gesture of skimble throws his friendliness good will and comfortable
journey with the passengers.
v)Once
the passengers fall asleep, what does the railway cat do?
Ans:
Once the passengers fall asleep, the railway cat ensures everyone on board is
quiet and all wake up to the perfect cup of tea. He does his work sincerely and
keeps on constant watch over them and inspect the station Crewe, exchange news
with station master at Carlisle and exchange report with the police too.
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