649646861

1
A Triumph of Surgery
The Thief’s Story
The midnight visitor
A question of trust
Footprints without Feet
The Making of a Scientist
The Necklace
Bholi
The book that saved the earth
2
A triumph of surgery
TENSES
1. The Doctor Worried: The doctor, James Herriot, is really worried. Tricki
had become very fat. He looks like a bloated sausage. His eyes are red and
rheumy. Mrs Pumphrey is the mistress of the dog. She has given him malt
and cod-liver oil and a bowl of Horlicks every night. But nothing works.
2. James Herriot Advises Mrs Pumphrey: James Herriot realises that Tricki’s
only fault was greed for food. Dr James Herriot advises Mrs Pumphrey that
she must cut Tricki’s food right down. She must give the dog some exercise.
She must keep him on a very strict diet. Otherwise, he will fall ill.
4
TENSES
3. Tricki Falls Ill: Within a few days, Dr Herriot receives a call from Mrs
Pumphrey. She tells him that Tricki doesn’t eat and has bouts of vomiting. He
only lies down on the rug panting. The doctor advises her that Tricki needs to
be hospitalized for a fortnight. He is to be kept under observation.
4. Tricki at Hospital: At the Surgery, the household dogs surge around Tricki.
He sees them lying motionless. A bed for Tricki is made in a warm loose box.
For two days, no food is given to him but plenty of water. On the second day,
he starts taking some interest in his surroundings. On the third day, he begins
to whimper when he hears the dog in the yard. Tricki starts taking a walk
around the bowls licking casually inside one or two of them.
5
TENSES
5. Rapid Progress: Tricki’s progress is rapid. He has no medical
treatment of any kind. He runs about the dogs joining their friend-ly
barkings. He starts fighting for his share of food and hunts rats at
night. Dr Herriot tells Mrs Pumphrey that Tricki is not in danger and
recovering rapidly. Mrs Pumphrey starts bringing eggs, two dozen at a
time to build up his strength. Wine and brandy are given to improve
Tricki’s constitution. The doctor informs that Tricki has recovered and
Mrs Pumphrey can collect him.
6
6. Grateful Mrs Pumphrey: Within two weeks, Tricki has been
transformed into a flexible, hard-muscled animal. He is
stretching out in great bounds. When Tricki sees his mistress, he
leaps and sails into her lap. As the car moves away, Mrs
Pumphrey leans out of the window. Her lips tremble and tears
shine in her eyes. She says, “Oh, Mr Herriot, how can I ever
thank you? This is a triumph of surgery!”
7
Who is Hodgkin?
A) dog owner
B) gardener
C) Veterinary surgeon
D) Dog
How did the staff benefit from Mrs Pumphrey’s
overdoing?
(a) breakfast with eggs
(b) lunch with wine
The image part with relationship ID rId18 was not fo
(c) dinner with brandy

The image part with relationship ID rId2 was not found in the file.
(d) all of the above The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not
found in the file.
What was Tricki’s main fault?
(a) fatness
(b) inactivity
(c) laziness
(d) greed
The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not

found in the file.
Was the narrator waiting for a
call from Mrs Pumphrey?
A) no
B) yes
C) maybe
D) maybe not
Why did the other dogs ignore
Tricki?
A) he was an uninteresting object
B) he was ill
C) he was furious
D) all of the above
How did the staff benefit from Mrs
Pumphrey’s overdoing?
A) breakfast with eggs
B) lunch with wine
C) dinner with brandy
D) all of the above
Who do you blame for Tricki’s
illness?
A) Mrs. Pumphrey
B) Tricki
C) Herriot
D) Vet
How would you decribe Mrs. Pumphrey?
A) loving
B) over-doing
C) intelligent
D) rational
What is the meaning of the word
“scrimmage”?
A) fight
B) play
C) run
D) none of the above
TENSES
Q. How did Mr. Pumphrey and her servant behave when

Tricki was being sent to the surgery?
Ans. The entire staff was roused, maids rushed in and out
bringing his day bed, night bed, cushion, toys. Everybody
was in tears. Mrs. Pumphrey gave a desperate cry, when
Tricki was sent to surgery.
17
TENSES
Q. Why did Mrs. Pumphrey make a frantic call to Mr. Herriot?

OR
What was Tricki’s ailment? How did it worry Mrs. Pumphrey?
Ans. Mrs. Pumphrey had a dog named Tricki. Indirectly, she was
responsible for the dog’s illness. She gave him little extra between
meals i.e., malt, cod-liver oil, etc. He was not given any physical
exercise. So, the dog fell ill and started vomiting also. It made Mrs.
Pumphrey so much worried that she had to call the veterinary
surgeon, Dr. Harriot for his treatment.
18
TENSES
Q. Why was Dr. Herriot confident that Tricki will be in

hospital soon?
Ans. Dr. Herriot was shocked to see Tricki’s condition. He
knew that the latter would soon be hospitalised as he was
unable to move. He had become hugely fat, like a bloated
sausage and his tongue lolled from his jaws.
19
TENSES
Q. How would you describe the behaviour of the rich

woman Mrs. Pumphrey’s, pampering and overfeeding
Tricky?
Ans. Mrs. Pumphrey behaved in a very silly and
thoughtless manner by over pampering Tricky. Indirectly,
she was responsible for his ill health. It was totally a waste
of money. But this behaviour is very common among rich
people. It is a general problem of those who live alone.
20
TENSES
Q. Why was Mr. Herriot tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest?

Ans. Mrs. Pumphrey used to send lots of things like eggs, wine, brandy etc., for Tricki. But nothing
was given to Tricki. All the things were consumed by the doctor and the other members of the
hospital. Hence, Mr. Herriot was tempted to keep Tricky as his permanent guest.
Q. How did the vet cure Tricki of his ailment?
Ans. Tricki was kept in a warm box. He was given plenty of water. He was made to walk freely
from the third day onwards. He was served food but he had to jostle with the bigger dogs for his
food. It gave him the needed exercise. He started running, playing and fighting with other dogs.
Soon he transformed into a healthy, golden, silky, muscular and flexible dog.
21
TENSES
Q. In the end of the lesson, Mrs. Pumphery says “This is a triumph of
surgery.” Why.
Ans. Mrs. Pumphrey’s dog, Tricki had fallen ill and had to be admitted for
treatment to Dr. Herriot’s hospital. Dr. Herriot gave him a lot of water and
exercise which helped Tricki to recover. When Mrs. Pumphrey went to collect
him, Tricki jumped into her lap and started licking her face. Seeing him fully
recovered, Mrs. Pumphrey called it a triumph in surgery.
22
TENSES
Q. What suggestions were given by Dr. Herriot to Mrs.

Pumphrey at the initial stage?
Ans. Dr. Herriot suggested Mrs. Pumphrey to cut down on
the sweet things and not to give extra food to him. He also
suggested her to give him more exercises and keep him on
a very strict diet.
23
The Thief’s Story
1. Meeting with Anil: The narrator of The Thief’s Story’ is a thief.
He was just 15 years old when he met Anil, a writer of about 25
years. Anil was a tall, lean and thin fellow. He looked easy going,
kind and simple enough for the purpose of a thief like a narrator.
The thief hadn’t much luck of late. He wanted to win Anil’s
confidence. The narrator took a new name every month. He did
so to avoid arrest from the police and his former employees.
Recently, he introduced himself as Hari Singh.
25
2. Wanted to Work for Anil: The narrator wanted to work for Anil.
But Anil was not a rich man. He couldn’t pay him. The narrator
thought for a moment that he has misjudged his target. Anil asked
Hari Singh, the thief if he could cook. Hari Singh lied that he could.
The food he cooked on that day, was just terrible. Anil had to give it
to a stray dog. Anil asked him to go away but the narrator didn’t
budge from there. At last, Anil agreed to teach him cooking. Anil also
taught Hari sigh, the thief, to write his name and to write whole
sentences and to add numbers.
26
3. Hari Singh Grateful for Getting Education: Hari Singh wanted to be
educated. He was grateful that, at least, Anil had given him the basic
education. He knew that once he could write like an educated man, there
would be no limit to what he could achieve. Hari Singh found it quite pleasant
to work with Anil? He made tea in the morning. He made a profit of one
rupee from buying the day’s supplies. Anil knew everything about Hari Singh’s
stealings but didn’t seem to mind them.
4. No Regular Income of Anil: Anil had no regular income. He made money by
fits and starts. He seemed to write for magazines. The day he got the money
he would go out and celebrate. Then, he would wait and worry about his next
cheque. 27
5. Anil Robbed of his Money: One evening, Anil came home with a small bundle of notes.
He had just sold a book to a publisher. At night, Hari Singh saw him tuck the money under
the mattress. Anil had given him a key to the door and he could come and go as he
pleased. Anil was the most trusting person he had ever met. It was very difficult to rob
him. Sometimes, he didn’t notice that he had been robbed. It took all the pleasure out of
Hari Singh’s work. Once, Anil was asleep. Hari Singh thought over the situation. If he stole
the money, he could catch the 10:30 Express to Lucknow. He crept up to the bed and slid
his hand under the mattress. He found the notes and drew them out. Anil sighed in his
sleep. He turned his side towards Hari Singh. The thief (Hari Singh) was startled and
quickly came out of the room. On the road, he counted them. They were 600 rupees in
fifties. With that money, he could live like a rich Arab for a week or two.
28
6. Hari Singh’s Dilemma: The narrator (the thief) reached the station and dashed straight
to the platform. The Lucknow Express was Just moving. He could jump in but hesitate.
When the train had gone, he had no idea where to spend the night. He had no friends and
didn’t want to stay at one of the hotels. The only person he knew was Anil whom he had
robbed. He came to the `maidan’ and sat on a bench. The night was chilly and it had a
light drizzle. The notes were damp from the rain.
29
7. Hari Singh back to Anil with his Money: Hari Singh remembered that he had forgotten
about his education in the excitement of the theft. He knew that education could one day
bring him more than a few hundred rupees. To be a really big man, a clever and respected
man, he was to learn reading and writing. He was to be educated. He hurried back to
Anil’s room very nervous. He crept to the head of the bed. He held the notes in one hand
and slipped them quietly under the mattress. Next morning, Anil stretched out his hand
towards the narrator. There was a fifty rupee note between his fingers. Hari Singh’s heart
sank. He thought that he had been discovered. Anil made an announcement. He told Hari
Singh that he made some money and Hari would be paid regularly. He also told that he
would teach Hari Singh how to write sentences. Anil knew everything about the theft. But
neither his lips nor his eyes showed anything.
30
What is he a “fairly successful hand” at?
A) wrestling
B) stealing
C) deceiving
D) working hard
How has the narrator described Anil?
A) simple
B) kind
C) easy-going
D) all of the above
What was Anil doing when the boy met him?
A) cooking
B) watching a match
C) playing
D) writing an article
He changed his name in order to stay ahead of
_____
A) police
B) employers
C) none of them
D) both of them
How was the meal he cooked first night?
A) delicious
B) mouth-watering
C) finger-licking good
D) terrible
What did Anil promise him to teach?
A) write his name
B) cook
C) write full sentences
D) all of the above
Did he get away on the Lucknow Express?
A) yes
B) no
C) maybe
TENSES
Q. What did Hari Singh say about the different reactions of

people when they are robbed?
Ans. Hari Singh said that when robbed, the greedy man
showed fear; the rich showed anger; the poor showed
acceptance while a careless man would not even notice.
But a man like Anil would be sad when discovered that he
was stolen; not because of his loss of money but because
of loss of trust.
38
TENSES
Q. In which queer way did Anil make a living?

Ans. Anil made a queer way by borrowing money but
repaid the loan whenever he earned money through his
writings for magazines. He lived life according to the flow
of money. When he got money, he enjoyed out with his
friends. When he was having less money, he used to
reduce his expenses.
39
TENSES
Q. What conditions did Anil put forward before appointing Hari Singh
as a servant?
Ans. Before appointing Hari Singh as a servant, Anil told him that he
would not give Hari a regular salary. He had to cook food for both
and Anil could only feed him, to this Hari agreed willingly.
Q. How did Hari Singh make money though he was not paid by Anil?
Ans. Hari Singh did all the market chores for Anil. He saved money
from the things he purchased as Anil never asked him to give the
accounts. But Anil was very much aware of this.
40
TENSES
Q. Hari Singh did not catch the train deliberately while he could catch it easily? Why?
Ans. Hari Singh did not catch the train deliberately because his inner conscience held
him back. He thought that Anil would feel sad not for loss of money but for the loss of
trust he had reposed in him. Moreover, he did not want to lose the chance of learning.
His inner self was transformed.
Q. How did Anil come to know that Hari Singh had run away with his money?
Ans. Perhaps Anil might have woken up at night and discovered that Hari was not
present in the house. Moreover, he found the wet notes under his mattress. Out of that,
he gave a fifty rupee note to Hari and reacted normally.
41
TENSES
Q. Why does Anil not hand the thief over to police?

Ans. Anil was a large-hearted person. He forgave Hari Singh as he wanted to reform him.
He knew that Hari Singh was sorry for his act. So, he did not think it right to hand him
over to the police. Anil gave another chance to Hari to improve his habits.
Or
Anil knew everything but he did not hand over the thief to the police because he knew
that Hari Singh had returned to him to become a better human being. He wanted to give
him another chance to improve. Moreover he thought Hari’s return was the proof of his
improvement.
42
TENSES
Q. Describe Anil’s qualities as a man and as an employer.
Ans. The narrator met Anil when he was watching a wrestling match. During this match, the
narrator started talking to him to make him his friend. Anil was a very kind-hearted fellow.
Although he didn’t need to have a servant because he was not in a position to pay him, yet
he became ready to have him in his room on his request. He told him that he would have to
cook. But the narrator did not know how to cook food. He taught him the art of cooking.
He also started to teach him how to read and write. Many times Anil himself made tea and
cooked food and served it to Hari Singh. He knew that Hari Singh saved rupees from the
daily purchasing, but he didn’t say anything. Thus Hari Singh found Anil very kind-hearted
and generous as an employer.
43
The midnight visitor
TENSES
 Fowler was a young and romantic writer.
 He wanted to meet Ausable because he wanted to write a book on detectives.
 Ausable was a detective in Paris who was fat and sloppy and hardly looked like a
secret agent.
 When Ausable switched on the light, he found Max standing with a pistol in his
hand in the room.
 Max had come to take a particularly important report concerning missiles forcibly
from Ausable.
 Ausable cooked up a false story to entrap crafty Max.
 He told Max that the balcony below his window had become a big nuisance..
45
TENSES
46
TENSES
 It was the second time in a month that somebody got into his room through
the balcony.
 He also made Max panicky by telling him that the knockings at the door
were of the police, whom he had already informed.
 When Max become panicky, he came to the window and jumped out of it.
 A loud cry was heard and in this way, Ausable got rid of his crafty enemy.
 Later on, it was found that the knockings at the door were made by the
waiter, who entered the room with a bottle and two glasses as ordered by
Ausable.
47
TENSES
48
TENSES
 1.Ausable: He is a different kind of secret agent. Generally, secret agents

that are described in detective books and shown in films, are very smart
and gun-friendly. Wine and dark-eyed beauties are associated with them.
However, Ausable doesn’t present such a romantic picture. He is very fat
and sloppy. Physically, he may be fat but mentally he is very agile and
quick-witted. He knows all the tricks of his trade. He is very quick to react
and can cook up stories that may fit in all kinds of situations. He convinces
even the crafty Max that there is a balcony below the window of his room.
49
“_____ did not fit any description of a secret
agent.”
A) Fowler
B) Ausable
C) Max
D) None of the above
Where was Ausable staying?
A) Fowler’s home
B) French hotel
C) Max’s home
D) French Inn
Who is Fowler?
A) secret agent
B) spy
C) personal investigator
D) writer
How did Fowler feel after meeting Ausable?
A) excited
B) overwhelmed
C) disappointed
D) None of the above
What is different about Ausable?
A) doesn’t look like an agent
B) doesn’t get messages slipped by dark-eyed
beauties
C) gets only a phone call for appointments inhis room
D) all of the above
• Q. What great qualities made Ausable a successful secret agent?
• Ans. Ausable was a secret agent in an organization. He was alert and

resourceful. He was a cool-headed person and had a lot of presence of mind.
He was an American and could also speak German and French.
• Q. Why was Fowler disappointed on seeing Ausable?
• Ans. Fowler was disappointed on seeing Ausable who was unlike other secret
agents. He was fat and sloppy with heavy American accent. He was not at all
flashy or romantic like other agents.
• Q. Who was Max? How did Ausable get rid of him?
• Ans. Max was a secret agent who came for secret papers on
missiles. Ausable outwitted him by making a false story that the
police might have come to provide him security for the important
paper and also a story about the balcony. Max tried to escape
through it and died.
• Q. Why did Max Jump out of the window of Ausable’s room? Why did he
scream loudly?
• Ans. Max was frightened of police. Besides he was convinced about the
balcony outside the window. So to escape from the person, he jumped out of
the window as there was no balcony there, he fell down suddenly to the
ground. That’s why he screamed loudly.
• Q. How did Max try to escape? What happened to him?
• Ans. Max wanted to hide himself on the balcony. He put his leg over the
window and jumped on to the balcony. He dropped to the balcony, screamed
loudly and died, because in reality there was no balcony.
• Q. What was Fowler’s perception about a secret agent?
• Ans. Fowler had a romantic perception about a secret agent. He

used to think that a secret agent should be tall and handsome. He
should deal with a dangerous situation. His life should be full of
thrill and action. He should receive messages from mysterious
beautiful woman and be surrounded by mysterious figures.
• Q. The balcony plays a significant role in the story ‘The Midnight
Visitor’, How?
• or
• How did the role of the balcony become significant in the story,
“The Midnight Visitor”?
• Ans. The significance of the balcony is quite clear in the story.
Actually, there is no balcony. It is just a clever strategy used by
Ausable to outwit Max. Ausable created the balcony which did
not exist so as to dupe Max and the police. Max thought balcony
as a means to escape from the police.
• Q. Presence of mind and intelligence is more powerful than a gun.’ How far is
it true in case of Ausable, the secret agent?
• Ans. A good spy need not be handsome, attractive and smart. Physical
strength can be additional advantage but certainly not the essential one.
Secret agents have to face critical situations at every step. One night, Ausable
found Max in his room. There was an automatic pistol in his hand. He had
come there to take the report from Ausable. Max was also a secret agent of
another organisation. Ausable was not the least afraid of Max’s presence. He
thought of a clever trick. He convinced Max about a balcony outside the
window. Just then there was a loud knock at the door. Ausable told Max that
it was police to provide him security. Max had no time to think. Max rushed
towards the window and dropped to the non-existent balcony and met his
tragic end. Ausable did not use physical strength. He won over the critical
situation by his sheer presence of mind.
A question of trust
TENSES
 Horace Danby was fifty years old and unmarried.

 He was usually very well except for attacks of hay fever in summer.
 He made locks and was successful in his business.
 He robbed a safe every year.
 With that money, he bought rare and costly books.
 Horace Danby always made a lot of preparations before committing a theft.
 He made detailed preparations before committing his latest theft in a
house at Shotover Grange.
62
TENSES
 He studied the house, rooms, electric wiring, paths and gardens carefully.
 He noted that the two servants were out to movies and saw the housekeeper
hang the key to the kitchen door.
 He was caught red-handed when a young lady in red appeared on the scene.
 The lady in red played the role of the lady of the house in a very confident and
convincing way.
 The lady acted with so much ease, confidence and authority that Horace mistook
her as the lady of the house.
 The lady threatened to call the police if he tried to run away from there.
 The lady in red allowed Horace to go out on one condition.
 She made Horace open the safe.
63
TENSES
64
TENSES
 Horace thought he was opening the safe for the owner and forgot to wear his
gloves.
 Horace handed over all the jewels to her and went away happily.
 After two days, Horace was arrested by the police for committing a theft in a
house at Shotover Grange, on the basis of the fingerprints found on the safe.
 Horace pleaded that the wife of the owner of the house had asked him to open
the safe for her.
 The real lady of the house, a grey-haired sixty-year-old woman stated that the
story of Horace was nonsense.
 Only, in the end, it became clear that the real culprit was the lady in red, who was
a thief and burglar like Horace.
65
What did he study about the house?
A) rooms and garden
B) electric wiring
C) paths
D) all of the above
What was Horace fond of?
A) books
B) robbing
C) locks
Was he able to frighten her?
A) yes
B) no
C) he didn’t try to
What happened on the third morning?
A) he prepared a new plan
B) he ran away
C) he got arrested by the police
• Q. ‘Horace Danby was good and respectable but not completely
honest.’ Is this an apt description of Horace? If yes, why?
• Ans. Yes, Horace was good but not completely honest. He loved
expensive books. So, he stole once a year. He was not aggressive
by nature but only submissive as seen in the case of the lady thief
in red.
• Q. What was Horace Danby’s hobby? How did he manage to fulfil
it?
• Ans. Horace Danby was not an ordinary thief. He loved rare and
expensive books. So, he robbed a safe every year and through an
agent secretly bought the books he loved. Each year, he planned
carefully just what he would do.
• Q. How did Danby prepare for the robbery at Shotover Grange?
• Ans. Danby studied the complete situation of the house, i.e., electric wiring,
paths and garden. He collected information about the family. He knew all the
movements of the servants. He always kept his tools ready.
• Q. Who robbed Shotover Grange? Whom did the police arrest and why?
• Ans. Actually it was the lady-in-red who robbed the Shotover Grange. The
police arrested Horace Danby because his finger prints were found all over
the room and on the safe. Nobody believed him when he said that the owner
lady asked him to do so.
• Q. Horace Danby was interested in the books, not in the painting. Why?
• Ans. Horace Danby was fond of reading the rare type of books. For a
moment, he thought to collect paintings from the small house but he could
not, as the books were better in that small house.
• Q. Horace sneezed. Why did he do it?
• Ans. Horace did not sneeze deliberately, rather he suffered from an attack of
hay fever. There was a big bowl of flowers kept in the drawing room that
caused him to sneeze. He buried his face in his handkerchief.
• Q. What went wrong when Horace Danby robbed at Shotover Grange?
• Ans. While Horace Danby was inside the house, the lady in red came and
announced that she was the owner of the house. Her appearance was such
that he was fooled. She asked him to open the safe for her. Horace left his
finger prints all over there. Hence, he was arrested.
• Q. Describe the lady in red.
• Ans. She was a young and smart thief. She was very graceful, resourceful and
impressive. She spoke to Horace in an authoritative voice as if she was the
mistress of the house. She was very intelligent. She was able to outsmart
Danby easily. She not only robbed at Shotover Grange but also Danby
Horace.
• Q. Why was Horace arrested when he had not stolen anything?
• Ans. Horace was arrested because his finger prints were all
around the safe since he had opened the safe bare-handed. He
told that the landlady had asked him to open the safe. No one
believed his story. The real lady of the house was an old lady of
sixty. The young lady was another thief.
1.Muddy Imprints: Two boys were highly

surprised. They saw muddy impressions on the
steps of a house in London. They were the fresh
footmarks of a barefooted man. The boys
followed them. The impressions got fainter and
finally disappeared.
76
2. The mystery of Footmarks: The mystery

of footmarks was quite simple. The boys
were following a scientist. He had just
discovered how to make the human body
transparent.
77
3. Griffin—Great but Eccentric Scientist: Griffin
was a great scientist. He carried out many
experiments to prove that the human body could
become invisible. In the end, he swallowed some
rare drugs and his body became transparent. He
was a lawless person. His landlord disliked him
and tried to eject him. In revenge, Griffin set his
house on fire.
78
4. Unseen when Naked: Griffin had
to remove all his clothes if, wanted
to be unseen by the people.
• Homeless wanderer without
clothes. He had no money.
79
5. In a Big London store:
• The air was bitterly cold. Griffin was naked. Instead of
walking about the streets, he entered a London store
for warmth.
• He enjoyed the pleasure of clothes and food freely. He
fitted himself out with warm clothes there. He became
fully dressed up with shoes, an overcoat and a hat.
• After putting on clothes, he became visible. He had
cold meat and coffee, sweets and wine from the
grocery store. He slept on a pile of quilts.
80
• He didn’t wake up until the assistants arrived the next

morning. When they came near, he panicked and
began to run. But he could become invisible only he
was totally naked. So he took off his newly found
clothes. Once more he became naked in the chill
January air.
81
6. In Drury Lane: He hurried to Drury Lane,
the centre of the theatre world. He found a
shop . He came out wearing bandages
around his forehead, glasses, false nose,
side-whiskers and a large hat. Then, he
attacked a shopkeeper and robbed him of
all the money he could find.
82
7. Arrival in Iping Village:
• Griffin wanted to get away from the crowded London.
• He came to the village of Iping.
• Booked two rooms in a local inn.
• The arrival of a stranger of such strange appearance became the talk of the people.
• Mrs Hall tried to be friendly with her guest Griffin. He told that he didn’t want to be disturbed.
• She thought that her guest was an eccentric scientist. She didn’t mind his strange habits and
irritable temper.
• Griffin’s cash finished.
• He told a lie that he was expecting a cheque at any moment.
83
8. Clergyman Burglary: A strange episode occurred.
• Clergyman and his wife were awakened by the noises in the study very early in
the morning.
• They came downstairs and heard the chink of money being taken from the
desk. With poker in his hand, the clergyman flung open the door. He shouted,
“surrender!” He was surprised to see the room empty.
• They looked under the desk, behind the curtains and even up the chimney. No
one was there. They found the desk open and the money was missing.
• They were highly surprised, couldn’t understand anything.
84
9. Mrs Hall’s Furniture Shows Strange Behaviour:
• The landlord and his wife (Mrs Hall) woke up very early. They found Griffin’s
door wide open. Usually, it was shut and locked.
• They peeped around but found nobody. They found Griffin’s clothes and
bandages were lying about.
• All of a sudden Mrs Hall heard a sniff close to her ear. A hat leapt up and
dashed itself into her face. Then the chair became alive. They turned away in
fear. Then the chair pushed them both out of the room. Then the door was
slammed and locked after them.
85
• Mrs Hall almost fell down the stairs and started crying.
The was sure that the room was haunted by spirits. The
villagers suspected that the trouble was caused by
witchcraft.
• When the news of burglary at the clergyman’s home
became known, everyone doubted Griffin’s hand in it.
This suspicion grew stronger when Griffin suddenly
showed some ready cash. He had no cash before a few
days.
86
10. Invisible Man Shows Himself:
• Mrs Hall went to Griffin’s room. He was there. She
asked what he was doing to her chairs upstairs.
• She also asked how he entered a locked room. The
scientist lost his temper.
• He became furious and cried “I’ll show you.” Suddenly
he threw away all bandages, whiskers, spectacles and
even nose. The horrified men in the bar were staring at
a headless man!
87
11. Encounter with Constable Jeffers:
• The police constable who had been informed,
arrived now. He was totally surprised to find
that he was to arrest a man without a head.
There followed a wonderful scene.
• The scientist (Griffin) started throwing his
clothes one by one. He was becoming more
and more invisible as he threw off one garment
after another.
88
• Finally, the man became invisible. Some people who

tried to hold him were beaten by the unseen blows
that came from nowhere. In the end, Jailers was
knocked unconscious. Nervous and excited people
were crying “Hold him!” Griffin was invisible and
free now. No one knew where to lay hands on him.
89
What is being referred to as the “strange incident”
that happened in the study?
A) Griffin stealing money while being invisible
B) Griffin arriving at the inn during off season
C) Griffin pretending to be waiting for a cheque
Who called the incident “an extraordinary affair”?
A) clergyman
B) clergyman’s wife
C) Mrs Hall
D) all of the above
What caused the villagers to suspect the
scientist?
A) the robery
B) the furniture incident
C) unexpected availability of cash on him
D) all of the above
Why was Mrs Hall prepared and ready to tolerate strange
habits and irritable temper?
A) he had paid in advance
B) he was a scientist
C) both 1 and 2
Question 1.
“Griffin was rather a lawless person.” Comment.
Answer:
Griffin was not bothered if he had harmed anybody in the fulfilment of what
he wanted. He set his landlord’s house on fire because the landlord tried to
make him leave.
95
Then his robberies at shops and later in the village indicate that he was a
lawless person. When he encountered the landlady of the inn, he threw
a chair at her and her husband. Lawless persons like Griffin never think
about the safety and well-being of others. They are only concerned
about themselves.
96
Question 2.
How would you assess Griffin as a scientist?
Answer:
Griffin is a brilliant scientist, as he discovers how to make himself
invisible. But he seems to enjoy the feeling of power which he
gets out of his invisibility. The power to hurt anybody without
getting noticed can give sadistic pleasure to some people. A true
scientist should make discoveries for the larger benefit of society,
not just for his own benefit.
97
 Previous Year Question Answer - Comprehension
Question 1.
As they gazed, a remarkable sight met their eyes. A fresh footmark
appeared from nowhere! Further footprints followed, one after
another, descending the steps and progressing down the street.
(a) Who are ‘they’ in the above extract?
(b) Who is making these footprints?
(c) Find the word from the extract that means the same as
‘continuing’.
(d) What is the opposite of ‘remarkable’?
98
Answer:
(a) ‘They’ in the above extract are two boys on a street in
London.
(b) The scientist Griffin, who has become invisible, is making
these footprints.
(c) The word is ‘progressing’.
(d) Its opposite is ‘ordinary’.
99
Question 2.
The air was bitterly cold and he could not do without clothes.
Instead of walking about the streets he decided to slip into a big
London store for warmth.
(a) Who is ‘he’ in the above extract?
(b) Why was the air bitterly cold?
(c) Find a word from the extract that means the same as ‘quietly
enter’
(d) What is the opposite of ‘warmth’?
100
Answer:
(a) ‘He’ in the above extract is Griffin, the invisible scientist.
(b) The air was bitterly cold because the season was mid-winter.
(c) The word is ‘slip’.
(d) Its opposite is ‘chill’.
101
 Previous Year Question Answer
Question .
What did Griffin do in the shop of a theatrical company? [2012]
Answer:
The second time Griffin tried the stock of a theatrical company in the
hope of finding not only clothes but also something like side whiskers,
glasses, false nose, bandages, hat etc that would hide the empty space
above his shoulders.
102
Question .
How did Griffin find himself invisible but naked in the chill January air for
the second time?
Answer:
As he had overslept in the big London store, when the store opened in the
morning the store assistants came in. Griffin panicked and ran, chased by
the assistants. He had to take off his newly found clothes to become
invisible and escape, so that he found himself invisible but naked in the
chill January air for the second time.
103
Question.
What did the Halls see in the scientist’s room? [2013]
Answer:
As the door of the room was open and nobody appeared to be
inside, the 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.
104
Question .
How did the visible man become invisible? What did he do then? [2014]
Answer:
The invisible man got angry with Mrs Hall for asking an explanation for
the mysterious happenings and threw off all he was wearing on his head
so that he became a man without a head. Soon the constable Jaffers
arrived to arrest him, but the invisible man threw off all his clothes to
become invisible and, in the ensuing scuffle, knocked Jaffers unconscious
and escaped.
105
The making of a scientist
Theory on How Cells Work: At the age of twenty-two,

Ebright excited the scientific world with a new theory on
how cells work. Richard H Ebright and his college room-mate
explained the theory in the ‘Proceedings of the National
Academy of Science’. It was the first time that this important
scientific journal had ever published the work of college
students. For Richard Ebright, his first achievement in
science started with butterflies.
Fond of Collecting Butterflies: Richard Ebright started
collecting butterflies when he was just in kindergarten. He
was also fond of collecting rocks, fossils and coins. He
became an eager astronomer too. He sometimes gazed at
stars all night.
Mother Encouraged Interest in Learning: Richard Ebright’s

mother encouraged his interest in learning. She took him on
trips, bought him telescopes, microscopes, cameras and
other equipment. She helped him in many ways. Richard
was just in third grade when his father died. Richard was her
Mother’s whole life. They spent almost every evening at the
dining table. Richard wanted to learn. He earned top grades
in schools. By the time he was in the second grade, Ebright
had collected all twenty-five species of the butterflies found
around his hometown. Then, his mother bought him a
children’s book called The Travels of Monarch X. The book
told how monarch butterflies migrated to Central America. It
opened the world of science to the eager collector.
Tagging Butterflies: The book invited readers to help

study butterfly migrations. Readers were asked to
tag butterflies for research by Dr Frederick A
Urquhart of the University of Toronto, Canada.
Ebright started raising a flock of butterflies. He
would catch a female monarch, take her eggs, and
raise them in his basement through their life cycle.
County Science Fair: In the seventh grade, he

entered the County Science Fair and lost. It was a sad
feeling for him. But it aroused the competitive spirit
in Ebright. For his eighth grade project, Ebright tried
to find the cause of a viral disease that killed all
monarch caterpillars every few years. This time he
won. The next year, his science fair project was to
test the theory that viceroy butterflies copy
monarchs because monarchs don’t taste good to
birds. Ebright proved that viceroy butterflies do taste
good to birds.
This project was placed first in the zoology division

and third overall in the County Science Fair. In his
second year in high school, Ebright showed that the
gold spots on a monarch pupa produced a hormone
necessary for the butterfly’s full development. This
project won him first place in the County Fair and an
entry into the International Science and Engineering
Fair.
Theory about Cell Life: Ebright got the idea for his
new theory about cell life. He found out that the cell
can ‘read’ the blueprint of its DNA. DNA is the
substance in the nucleus of a cell that controls
heredity. Thus, DNA is the blueprint of life.
Other Interests: Richard Ebright had time for other
interests too. He became a champion debater and
public speaker. He became a good canoeist. He also
became an expert photographer, particularly of
nature and scientific exhibits. He praised his social
studies teacher, Mr Weiherer. He had opened
Ebright’s mind to new ideas.
Competitive—To be the Best: Richard Ebright was

competitive but not in a bad sense. He was not
interested in winning for winning’s sake or winning
to get a prize. He wanted to be the best. The making
of a good scientist was present in Ebright. He had a
first-rate mind. He had curiosity. He had the will to
win for the right reasons. The book The Travels of
Monarch X opened the world of science to him. He
had never lost his scientific curiosity.
“It was his fascination for _____ that
opened the world of science to him.”
A) cats
B) dogs
C) birds
D) butterflies
What was he fond of in his childhood?
A) basketball
B) collecting things
C) baseball
How did his mother help him?
A) took him on trips
B) bought him telescopes and microscopes
C) encouraged him to learn
D) all of the above
Which butterlies were not eaten by birds?
A) viceroy
B) monarch
C) all of the above
Question .
“It was really a sad feeling to sit there and not get anything while
everybody else had won something.”
(a) Who is the speaker of the above lines?
(b) Where was he competing at?
(c) Find a word from the extract which is the opposite of ‘nobody’.
(d) Write a synonym of ‘sad’.
118
Answer:
(a) Richard Ebright is the speaker of the above lines.
(b) He was competing at a county science fair.
(c) ‘Everybody’ is the opposite of ‘nobody’ from the extract.
(d) Its synonym is ‘Gloomy’.
119
Question 1.
Why did viceroy butterflies copy monarchs?
Answer:
Viceroy butterflies copied monarchs because monarchs do not taste good to

birds. Viceroy butterflies on the other hand taste good to birds. So, the more
they look similar to monarchs, the less likely they are to become a bird’s
prey. Thus they protect themselves.
120
Question 2.
Why did Richard Ebright give up tagging butterflies?
Answer:
Richard Ebright lost interest in tagging butterflies as it was tedious

and there was not much feedback. He could recapture only two
butterflies in all the time he did it and they were not more than
seventy five miles away from where he lived.
121
Question 3.
What are the ingredients in the making of a scientist?
Answer:
The author gave examples from Richard Ebright’s life to show the
ingredients to make a scientist. Start with a first rate mind, add curiosity,
and mix in the will to win for the right reasons.
122
Question 4.
What was the common belief about the twelve tiny gold spots on a
monarch pupa? What is the actual purpose of these tiny gold spots?
Answer:
These twelve tiny gold spots were believed to be ornamental only.

The actual purpose of these tiny gold spots is to produce a hormone
necessary for the butterfly’s full development.
123
Question 5.
What lesson did Ebright learn when he did not win anything at the
science fair?
Answer:
When Ebright did not win anything at the science fair, he learnt a lesson
that he needed to do real experiments, not simply make a neat display.
His entry was slides of frog tissues which he showed under a
microscope.
124
Question 6.
Mention any two Ebright contributions to the world of science.
Answer:
Ebright made valuable contributions to the world of science. He

discovered an unknown insect hormone and also determined how
the cell could read the blueprint of its DNA.
125
The Necklace
THE NECKLACE
 The story revolves around a selfish lady named Matilda.

 She is unsatisfied with her life as she wants a rich husband
but because she belongs to a family of clerks and her
family is unable to give dowry she is married to a clerk.
 One day, both the husband and wife are invited to a party
at the minister’s house. But Matilda does not have good
clothes and jewels to wear at such a party.
127
THE NECKLACE
 Her husband suggests her to buy a dress and ask

an old friend for jewelry. She then borrows a
necklace from her friend and goes to the party.
What happens next proves to be a lesson for the
unhappy lady.
128
THE NECKLACE
 Mme. Matilda Loisel lived in an apartment with her

husband M. Loisel and was very unhappy and unsatisfied
with what life had given her.
 She was unhappy with the apartment’s shabby walls and
the worn-out furniture.
 They were neither rich nor poor. She had to marry a clerk
in the office of the board of education just because her
family couldn’t afford to give her dowry.
 She also hated visiting her old friend Mme. Jeanne
Forestier as she was a rich lady and Matilda envied her.
129
THE NECKLACE
 Whenever she visited her, she became sad and cried for
days together. One day when her husband returned home
from work, he got an invitation to a party at the house of
minister of public instruction.
 Contrary to his expectation, Matilda was irritated and
angry and threw the card away. She was upset because she
didn’t have anything to wear at such an extravagant party.
 Her husband gave her 400 francs to buy a new dress, that
he had been saving to buy a gun so that he could go
hunting with his friends
130
THE NECKLACE
 Whenever she visited her, she became sad and cried for
days together. One day when her husband returned home
from work, he got an invitation to a party at the house of
minister of public instruction.
 Contrary to his expectation, Matilda was irritated and
angry and threw the card away. She was upset because she
didn’t have anything to wear at such an extravagant party.
 Her husband gave her 400 francs to buy a new dress, that
he had been saving to buy a gun so that he could go
hunting with his friends.
131
THE NECKLACE
 After buying the dress she was sad because she did not
have jewellery to make herself look more appealing and
attractive. Her husband suggested that she could borrow
jewellery from her friend Mme. Forestier.
 When Mme. Loisel went to her friend’s house and
described the situation, she showed her the cupboard and
asked her to choose whatever she liked. Matilda chose a
precious diamond necklace which was kept in a black satin
box.
132
THE NECKLACE
 They went to the minister’s party and all the men admired
her as she was looking gorgeous in her new dress and jewelry.
They returned at 4 in the morning. By that time M. Loisel had
already dozed off in one of the rooms with three other men.
 They decided to leave and couldn’t find a carriage. Finally,
after walking for a while, they got a carriage which dropped
them right outside their door. Matilda realized that she did
not have the necklace. M.Loisel went out to search the
railway tracks for the necklace.
133
THE NECKLACE
 M. Loisel went to the police station, cab offices and also gave an
advertisement for reward to the person who returned the
necklace. Meanwhile, he told his wife to tell her friend that the
clasp of the necklace had broken and had given it for repair.
 After a week, when the necklace could not be found, they decided
to replace it with a similar one. They found a similar necklace
priced at 36000 francs. Fortunately M. Loisel had inherited 18000
francs from his father and the rest he borrowed.
134
THE NECKLACE
 It took them ten years to repay all the loans and in these
years their lives changed drastically. They moved to a smaller
apartment and removed the maid. Matilda cooked the food
and washed the clothes herself. Even M. Loisel worked
multiple jobs to repay the borrowed money.
 In these years, Mme. Loisel started looking much older, her
hair badly dressed, her voice became loud and she became a
normal person who would carry a basket to the grocery store,
and the fruit store to buy their daily supplies.
135
THE NECKLACE
 One day she met her friend Jeanne with a child and decided
to tell her the truth and explained how she was indirectly
responsible for her aged looks and her living conditions.
 She explained how she lost the borrowed necklace and had to
take a loan for replacing it. On hearing this, Jeanne told
Matilda that the necklace that she had borrowed was a fake
one and was not worth more than 500 francs.
136
What did they do to buy themselves time?
(a) stopped answering the friend’s calls
(b) wrote to her that the jewel needs repair
(c) distracted her from the necklace
(d) none of the above

found in the file.
How did the husband expect her to react on
handing her the letter?
(a) happy
(b) sad
(c) jealous
(d) none of the above The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not
found in the file.
What does she think she deserves?
(a) suffering
(b) luxury
(c) delicacies The image part with relationship ID rId18 was not fo
(d) both 2 and 3 The image part with relationship ID rId2 was not found in the file.

found in the file.
The Necklace
Mme Forestier was touched and took both her hands as she replied,
“Oh! My poor Matilda! Mine were false. They were not worth over
five hundred francs.” [CBSE2015]
(a) Why was Mme Forestier touched?
(b) “Mine were false.” What does ‘mine’ refer to in these words?
(c) Find the word from the extract that means same as ‘agitated’.
(d) What is the opposite of ‘poor’?
140
The Necklace
Answer:
(a) Mme Forestier was touched by Matilda’s plight which could have
been avoided if only Matilda had told the truth.
(b) ‘Mine’ refers to the diamond necklace that Mme Forestier had lent
to Matilda.
(c) ‘Touched’ means the same as ‘agitated’ from the extract.
(d) Its opposite is ‘rich’.
141
The Necklace
Describe Mme Loisel’s success at the ball.

Or
Do you think M Loisel had an enjoyable evening at the ball? Give
reasons for your answer. [CBSE 2014]
Answer:
Mme Loisel was the centre of attention at the ball. Her beauty,
her grace, her joy and the gorgeous smile captivated all. Men
sought to be presented to her. She danced happily at her
conquest of all.
142
The Necklace
How did Mme Loisel now know the life of necessity? [CBSE
2016]
Answer:
To pay the debt, Loisels let go of their decent living. They lived in
impoverished neighbourhood. Matilda had to cook, clean, wash,
mend, bring water and bargain with the butcher and grocer. Her
husband worked day and night to save every sou.
143
The Necklace
Why was Matilda’s friend astonished to see her at the end of

the story? [CBSE 2012]
or
Why did Jeanne not recognise her friend, Matilda?
Answer:
Jeanne, Matilda’s friend, could not recognise her as she seemed
an old and worn out poor woman. Matilda was no longer her
former beautiful and Joyous self.
144
The Necklace
Mme Forestier proved to be a true friend. Elucidate. [CBSE2015]
Answer:
Mme Forestier turns out to be an interesting character. She plays a very vital role in
the story. As a friend to Matilda, we find her to be really genuine as she helps
Matilda in the hour of her need. When Mme Loisel needs to borrow jewels, she
turns to Mme Forestier. Mme Forestier does not refuse. Displaying her generosity,
she opens up the entire array of her jewels for Matilda to choose from. Also, she is
considerate when Loisels delay the return of the necklace. Surprisingly, at the end
of the story, she concludes the entire narrative.
145
The Necklace
Without even a moment’s hesitation, she reveals to Matilda that

her necklace was just a fake. She is not at all worried in the light of
the fact that she may have to return the necklace. It shows her
honesty. Rather, she, like a true friend, feels bad for Matilda at her
unnecessary suffering. We find her sympathising with Mme Loisel.
She is indeed a gem of a friend.
146
Bholi
BHOLI
Summary
The story opens up with the introduction of a little girl

named Sulekha. She was called ‘Bholi’ for being a
simpleton. This was so because some part of her brain
had got damaged due to an injury during her childhood.
She stammered and had pockmarks on her face which
she got when she had contracted smallpox at the age of
two. She was a laughing stock for everyone. Her father
Ramlal was a Numberdar.
BHOLI
Summary
 He had three sons and four daughters, Bholi

being the youngest of all. Ramlal was always
worried about her as it seemed impossible to
marry her with her having an ugly face and a
dumb mind. One day, the Tehsildar visited
their village to inaugurate a girl’s primary
school.
BHOLI
SUMMARY
He persuaded Ramlal to send his daughters to

school. Ramlal’s wife suggested to send Bholi to
school, although she was against sending girls to
school because no boy would marry such a girl.
She reasoned that as Bholi had no chance of
getting married, so she could go to school.
BHOLI
SUMMARY
In the beginning, Bholi was frightened to leave

her house but when for the first time in her life,
she was dressed up and her hair was washed
and oiled, she felt that she was to visit a better
place. In the school, she met a teacher who was
very kind and polite to her.
BHOLI
SUMMARY
She encouraged her to study and speak with

confidence. This filled hope in Bholi and she
began to go to school every day. Years passed
and her village upgraded into a small town with
some facilities like a cotton mill, a cinema and
the primary school being converted into a
secondary school. One day Bholi’s parents
decided to marry her to a lame old man who was
a widower but was rich and had not demanded
any dowry.
BHOLI
SUMMARY
They thought it to be the best marriage proposal

for their dumb daughter and fixed up her
marriage. On the wedding day, the bridegroom
arrived with great pomp and show which filled
Ramlal with joy. The groom discovered that Bholi
had pock marks and demanded dowry in return
for marrying her. He demanded a sum of five
thousand rupees. Ramlal begged for mercy and
even placed his turban in Bishamber’s feet but
Bishamber Nath did not agree.
BHOLI
SUMMARY
Ramlal had to give the money in order to save

both his family’s honour and his daughter’s
marriage. Bholi could not bear all this and
refused to marry a greedy old man. People
accused her of being shameless. The wedding
party returned. The marriage ceremony ended
without Bholi getting married. Her father was
surrounded by grief and said that now no one
would marry her and what would she do in
future.
BHOLI
SUMMARY
To this, she replied that she would

take care of her parents when they
grew old and would teach in her
school. Her teacher who was quietly
watching all this felt proud of her
decision.
What do you mean by the word “simpleton”?
A) simple
B) foolish
C) basic

found in the file.
What was Bholi’s real name?
A) Sulekha
B) Sudekha
C) Champa
D) Chamla

found in the file.
Who was her father?
A) Village Numberdar
B) Village Sarpanch
C) Village Tehsildar

found in the file.
What damaged some part of her brain?
A) falling off a cot
B) falling off the stairs
C) falling off a verandah
D) small-pox

found in the file.
What did it take for Bholi to believe she was
being taken to a place better than home?
A) clean dress
B) hair oiling
C) a bath
D) all of the above

found in the file.
Who comforted Bholi?
A) her friends
B) her father
C) her mother
D) her teacher

found in the file.
Bholi
 Previous Year Question Answer –Comprehension Questions
Question 1.
Little Sulekha could not speak till she was five, and when at last she
learnt to speak, she stammered. The other children often made fun
of her and mimicked her.
(a) What did Sulekha later on come to be known as?
(b) Why did children make fun of her?
(c) What does the word ‘mimicked1 mean?
(d) What part of speech is ‘often’?
162
Bholi
Answer:
(a) Sulekha later on came to be known as Bholi.
(b) Children made fun of her because she stammered while speaking.
(c) The word ‘mimicked’ means to copy the speech of others.
(d) It is an adverb
163
Bholi
Question 2.
She remembered how a few days ago their old cow, Lakshmi, had
been turned out of the house and sold. “N-n-n-n No, no-no-no,” she
shouted in terror and pulled her hand away from her father’s grip.
(a) Why did Bholi shout in terror?
(b) Why did she remember ‘Lakshmi’ ?
(c) What is the antonym of ‘forgotten’ in the extract?
(d) The present tense of ‘sold’ is
164
Bholi
Answer:
(a) Bholi shouted in terror as she thought that her father was
turning her out of her house.
(b) She remembered her cow ‘Lakshmi’ because ‘Lakshmi’ had
also been turned out of the house a few days ago.
(c) ‘‘remembered’ is the antonym of ‘forgotten’ in the extract.
(d) Its present tense is ‘sell’.
165
Bholi
Question .
He said to Ramlal, “As a revenue official you are the representative of
the government in the village and so you must set an example to the
villagers. You must send your daughters to school.”
(a) Who is ‘he’?
(b) What example does ‘he’ want Ramlal to set?
(c) What does the word ‘revenue’ mean?
(d) What part of speech is the word ‘an’ in the extract?
166
Bholi
Answer:
(a) ‘He’ is the Tehsildar.
(b) The Tehsildar wanted Ramlal to send his daughters to the
village school so that other villagers will follow his example by
sending their daughters to the school too.
(c) It means ‘tax’.
(d) It is an article.
167
Bholi
 Previous Year Question Answer –Text Based Questions
Question .
Bholi found her teacher to be different from others. How?
Answer:
Others had always neglected Bholi. They made fun of her all the
time. But, she found her teacher to be different. Her voice was
calm, her manner comforting and touch was full of affection.
168
Bholi
Question .
What filled Bholi’, a dumb cow, with a new hope in her?
Answer:
Bholi’s first day of school brought a hope of a new life. She had
found a loving and kind teacher. The teacher had inspired her and
given her a book and had made Bholi feel confident about herself.
169
Bholi
Question .
What objections does Ramlal have to Bishamber’s proposal?
Answer:
Ramlal was not very happy with the proposal. He did not like
the fact that Bishamber was of his age. He had a limp and
children were quite grown up. It was not a very satisfactory
proposition.
170
The Book that saved the earth
 The Book that saved the earth
The book that saved the earth is a story that revolves around a book of nursery
rhyme titled ‘the Mother Goose’ that has been picturised as the book that
saved the earth from an alien attack. The story begins with a historian that
describes to the audience that how one day in the twentieth century Martians
planned to attack the earth. A crew of their lands in a library on earth; they try
to find out the meaning of the content of the books which they mistook as a
sandwich. There they come across a rhyme on Humpty dumpty which
resembles their master Think tank. They all get terrified with the idea of their
master’s losing control over Mars because of humans and cancel their plan of
invading earth.
172
• The story begins with a stage show of twenty fifth century in which a historian is
sitting in the museum and she explains the truth about the Martian invasion that
happened in twentieth century.
• To prove her statement she asks the audience to look into the historiscope, a device
that can show things happened in the history.
• In the next scene two characters are shown one of them which has a balloon brain
is shown as the master. His name is Think Tank and another one is his assistant
Noodle. Both of them are discussing about their plan to invade earth.
• They think that earth is a ridiculous plan and they should invade earth so as to
establish their kind rule over the planet.
173
• So, the master think tank sends one of his crew to inspect earth. The crew lands
into a library and look confuse as they know nothing about the items (books) of the
library.
• So, they consult it with their master Think Tank that they think is very intelligent. He
asks them to show the item and tells them that they are sandwiches which is a
staple diet of the earthlings.
• He commands his crew to eat it, which they then consider as a tasteless eatable.
His assistant Noodle corrects him and tells him that they are the communication
devices. He on hearing this, asks his crew to listen to the information from the
devices.
174
• They try to hear it but they get nothing to hear from them. Once again Noodle
corrects his master Think Tank that they are to be read and not hear. So with the
help of the vitamins provided by the chemical department of Mars, the crew tries
to read the book. It was a book of rhymes.
175
Who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Mars
Space Control?
A) Oop
B) Omega
C) Iota
D) Think Tank

found in the file.
Which “ridiculous little planet” is
being talked about?
A) Mars
B) Earth
C) Jupiter The image part with relationship ID rId18 was not fo
D) Saturn

found in the file.
What was a sandwich according to the Think
Tank?
A) hat
B) book
C) sandwich

found in the file.
The Book That Saved the Earth
 Previous Year Question Answer- Comprehension Questions
Question 1.
Noodle : (bowing) O Great and Mighty Think-Tank, most powerful and
intelligent creature in the whole universe, what are your orders?
Think-Tank : (peevishly) You left out part of my salutation, Apprentice Noodle.
Go over the whole thing again.
(a) Who is Noodle?
(b) What does the extract reveal about Think-Tank?
(c) Find a word from the extract which means ‘feeling or showing nutation’.
(d) What is the opposite of ‘powerful’?
179
Answer:
(a) Noodle is the apprentice to Think-Tank, the ruler of Mars.
(b) The extract reveals Think-Tank to be a vain and egoistic creature.
(c) ‘Peevishly’ from the extract means ‘feeling or showing invitation’.
(d) It opposite is ‘weak’.
180
Question 2.
Iota : I can’t figure it out, Captain. (holding up a book) I’ve counted
two thousand of these peculiar items.
This place must be some sort of storage barn.
(a) What could Iota not figure out?
(b) Where was Iota?
(c) Find the antonym of the word ‘ordinary’ in the extract.
(d) What part of speech is ‘peculiar’ as used in the extract?
181
Answer:
(a) Iota could not figure out what the book were because he
had never seen a book before.
(b) Iota was at Centerville Public Library on Earth.
(c) The antonym of ordinary is peculiar.
(d) It is an adjective.
182
Question 1.
Why did Think-Tank wish to contact the space probe?
Answer:
Think-Tank wanted to contact the probe to find out what the crew
of the probe had observed about Earth.
183
Question 2.
What difficulty do the crew of the space probe face on Earth?
Answer:
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.
184
Question 3.
How does Think-Tank explain the books to his probe crew?
Answer:
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.
185
Question 4.
Why do the space probe crew take vitamins?
Answer:
Think-Tank wanted the probe crew to find out what was in the books. So, the probe crew
take vitamins to increase their intelligence. They are able to read the books after taking
those vitamins.
186
Question 5.
Think-Tank thinks that Earthlings are after him. What is the reason?
Answer:
Think-Tank crew 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.
187
Question 6.
Mention any two striking qualities of Noodle.
Answer:
The apprentice of Think-Tank, Noodle, comes out as an interesting figure in the story. He is
very polite and smart. He corrects the mistakes of his ruler very humbly by giving indirect
suggestions. Also, he is very wise and well informed.
188

649646861

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

649646861

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

1

(c) dinner with brandy

The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not

Q. How did Mr. Pumphrey and her servant behave when

Q. Why did Mrs. Pumphrey make a frantic call to Mr. Herriot?

Q. Why was Dr. Herriot confident that Tricki will be in

Q. How would you describe the behaviour of the rich

Q. Why was Mr. Herriot tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest?

Q. What suggestions were given by Dr. Herriot to Mrs.

Q. What did Hari Singh say about the different reactions of

Q. In which queer way did Anil make a living?

Q. Why does Anil not hand the thief over to police?

 1.Ausable: He is a different kind of secret agent. Generally, secret agents

• Ans. Ausable was a secret agent in an organization. He was alert and

• Q. Why was Fowler disappointed on seeing Ausable?

• Q. How did Max try to escape? What happened to him?

• Ans. Fowler had a romantic perception about a secret agent. He

 Horace Danby was fifty years old and unmarried.

1.Muddy Imprints: Two boys were highly

2. The mystery of Footmarks: The mystery

• He didn’t wake up until the assistants arrived the next

• Finally, the man became invisible. Some people who

Theory on How Cells Work: At the age of twenty-two,

Mother Encouraged Interest in Learning: Richard Ebright’s

Tagging Butterflies: The book invited readers to help

County Science Fair: In the seventh grade, he

This project was placed first in the zoology division

Competitive—To be the Best: Richard Ebright was

Viceroy butterflies copied monarchs because monarchs do not taste good to

Richard Ebright lost interest in tagging butterflies as it was tedious

These twelve tiny gold spots were believed to be ornamental only.

Ebright made valuable contributions to the world of science. He

 The story revolves around a selfish lady named Matilda.

 Her husband suggests her to buy a dress and ask

 Mme. Matilda Loisel lived in an apartment with her

The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not

The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not

Describe Mme Loisel’s success at the ball.

Why was Matilda’s friend astonished to see her at the end of

Without even a moment’s hesitation, she reveals to Matilda that

The story opens up with the introduction of a little girl

 He had three sons and four daughters, Bholi

He persuaded Ramlal to send his daughters to

In the beginning, Bholi was frightened to leave

She encouraged her to study and speak with

They thought it to be the best marriage proposal

Ramlal had to give the money in order to save

To this, she replied that she would

The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not

The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not

The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not

The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not

The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not

The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not

The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not

The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not

The image part with relationship ID rId10 was not

 Previous Year Question Answer- Comprehension Questions

 Previous Year Question Answer

 Previous Year Question Answer

 Previous Year Question Answer

You might also like