QUESTION BANK

The Thief's story

Section-A ( Extract based questions)

No1: “You look a bit of wrestler yourself. “ I said. A little flattery helps in making friends.

Questions:-

a) Who was the speaker? Who was he trying to flatter?

b) Why did the speaker want to be friend with the listener?
c) Find the antonym of ‘criticised in the extract.
d) What is the opposite of 'friend'?

Answers:-

a) Hari Singh trying to flatter Anil

b) Wanted to robe
c) ‘flattery'
d) 'Enemy'

No2: Well, it's time I did some real work, I told myself; I’m out of practice.

Questions:-

a) What 'real work' is the speaker talking about?

b) Why does the speaker say ‘ I’m out of practice’?
c) Give a synonym of ‘ practice'.
d) What part of speech is ‘read in the extract?

Answers:-

a) Stealing
b) He hasn’t robe anyone recently
c) Habit
d) Adjective

No3: When the train had gone, I found myself standing alone on the deserted platform. I had no
idea where to spend the night. I had no friends.

Questions:-

a) Why was the speaker standing alone on the platform?

b) Why did he not have any friends?
c) Which word in the extract is an antonym of the word 'crowded'?
d) What does ‘deserted' mean?

Answers:-

a) A train had just left

b) He thought that friends we’re more trouble than help
c) Deserted
d) Empty

No4: He knew. But neither his lips nor his eyes showed anything.
Questions:-

a) Who is ‘he’s in the extract? What did he know?

b) Why did he not show anything?
c) Which in the extract means the same as ‘repeal?
d) What is the antonym of ‘shower?

Answers:

a) Anil/ knew about the theft of his money

b) Hari's return gave him the hope of a change in him
c) Showed
d) Hide

No5: I hurried back to the room feeling very nervous, for it is much easier to steal something than
to return undected.

Questions:-

a) Who is the speaker in this extract?

b) Why was the speaker feeling nervous?
c) Which word in the extract means the opposite of ‘confident'?
d) What is the view of Hari regarding theft?

Answers:-

a) Hari
b) Keeping back the stolen money and afraid of getting caught
c) Nervous
d) Easier to steal than return undected

No6:- I could come and go as I pleased. He was the most trusting person I had ever met.

Questions:

a) Who is the speaker in this extract?

b) Who trusted whom in this extract?
c) Give an antonym of ‘most’?
d) Who is the speaker speaking about?

Answers:-

a) Hari
b) Anil trusted Hari
c) Least
d) Anil

No7:When I found them I drew them out without a sound.

Questions:-

a) What does ‘them' refer to in the extract?

b) Why didn’t the speaker want to make sound?
 c) Who is the speaker here?
d) What is the antonym of 'pushed' in the extract?

Answers:-

a) Notes
b) He was stealing
c) Hari
d) Drew

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS ( 30-40 WORDS)

Q1: Who is ‘I’ in the story? Why did he change his name every month?

Ans: Hari/15 years old boy/ experienced thief/ hide his identity

Q2: What was Anil's job? What did he do with the money he earned?

Ans: writer/write articles for magazines/spendthrift/ spend money on friends/doesn’t save

Q3: What did the thief say about the reactions of different types of people when they were
robbed? How did he think Anil would react when he discovered the theft?

Ans: thief robbed all kinds of people/greedy men scared/rich men showed anger/ poor men
accepted their fate/Anil would show sadness/ loss of trust

Q4: Why did Hari Singh approach Anil?

Ans: Hari had not much luck recently/approached Anil with intention of robbing/Anil was simple
man/ easy for Hari to rob simple man

Q5:Was Hari Singh successful in robbing Anil? Was Anil the only one who was robbed or did Hari
also himself of something?

Ans: Yes/Hari robbed himself as well/lost the chance of receiving education/ robbed Anil monetarily/
lost the chance of better future

Q6: What did Anil and Hari agree upon to be the mode of payment?

Ans: Anil was unable to pay/ asked Hari to feed him/ moulded the situation for benefit/ asked to
feed Anil

Q7: what made Hari Singh go back to Anil's house?

Ans: Anil was unable to pay Hari/ Hari misjudged his target/ moulded the situation for benefit/Anil
agreed to feed him

Q8: Did Hari like working for Anil? Give reasons in support of your answer.

Ans: Yes/ happy to carry on the chores/ grateful for education/ used to make profit

Q9: Why was it difficult for Hari to rob Anil?

Ans: The most trusting person/ simple and kind/ loss of money will not affect Anil/ loss of trust will
make him sad

Q10: How did Hari Singh know that Anil had forgiven him?
Ans: Felt that Anil knew the theft case/found some notes still wet/gave a fifty- rupee-note/ didn’t
mention anything/felt forgiven him

Q11: What was the thief's immediate reaction when he stole Anil money?

Ans: Stole six hundred rupees/ crawled out of the room/on the road started running/ kept the notes
in waist/ felt as an oil rich Arab

Q12:Why did the thief realise that Anil knew that his money had been stolen?

Ans: Notes were taken out in the rain/ found some notes still wet/ gave a fifty rupee note to the
thief/ promised to give more money though didn’t have any contract for giving any money

Q13: How did Hari steal the money?

Ans: In moonlight Anil stepped over the balcony/ fell on the bed and slept/ Hari's hand slid under the
mattress/ drew the notes without a sound/ Anil's sigh startled him/ quickly crawled out of the room

SECTION-C

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (100-150 WORDS)

Q1: Give a brief character sketch of Hari.

Ans:

• 15 years old
• Experienced and successful thief
• Clever and intelligent
• Planned meticulously everything before choosing the victims
• Win the confidence of the victims
• Used to run away after stealing
• Used to change his name to befool police and former employers
• Cruel enough to steal simple and trusting men
• Transformation in the end

Q2: Love is a basic human attribute that can transform evil into goodness. How did this attribute
of Anil change Hari?

Ans:

• Love is a positive quality

• Love of Anil transformed Hari
• Treated Hari kindly, reposed his faith
• Once tempted
• Recalled the faith, love, compassion and kindness
• Heart changed
• Decided to come back and return the money
• Gave up stealing

Q3: Give a character sketch of Anil highlighting his qualities.

Ans:

• Young man of 25
• Tall, lean and thin
• Easy-going, kind and simple
• Author and contributed magazines
• No regular income
• Extravagant man
• Sympathetic towards Hari
• Didn’t throw Hari out though he didn’t cook well
• Forgave Hari even after the theft case