NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English
Snapshot
Chapter 2 – The
Address (Margo Minco)
Short Question Answers
Question
1:
What
were the two reasons the narrator provided to explain her potential mistake?
Answer:
The
narrator speculated that the woman might not be Mrs. Dorling, considering she
had seen her only once, briefly, many years ago. Additionally, she considered
the possibility of having rung the wrong bell.
Question
2:
How
did the narrator reach the conclusion that she was correct?
Answer:
The
woman was wearing the green knitted cardigan belonging to the narrator's
mother, with the wooden buttons appearing faded from washing. When the narrator
observed the woman's reaction to her scrutiny of the cardigan, particularly her
attempt to conceal herself behind the door, she became convinced of her
correctness.
Question
3:
What
was the outcome of the interaction between Mrs. Dorling and the narrator?
Answer:
The
interview proved unsuccessful for the narrator, as Mrs. Dorling consistently
refused to see or engage in conversation despite the narrator's repeated
requests.
Question
4:
Who
provided the narrator with the address, when, and under what circumstances?
Answer:
The
narrator's mother disclosed the address during the first half of the war, years
ago. This revelation occurred when the narrator, visiting home for a few days,
noticed changes in the rooms and inquired about missing items. Her mother then
informed her about Mrs. Dorling and shared the address.
Question
5:
What
information did the narrator learn about Mrs. Dorling from her mother?
Answer:
Mrs.
Dorling was an old acquaintance of the narrator's mother, with several years
having passed since their last meeting. She had unexpectedly reappeared and
resumed their connection. The narrator's mother mentioned that every time Mrs.
Dorling left their place, she took something with her, including table silver
and antique plates.
Question
6:
What
reason did Mrs. Dorling provide for taking away the precious belongings of the
narrator's mother?
Answer:
Mrs.
Dorling suggested to the narrator's mother that she should store her belongings
in a safer place to prevent the loss of these valuable items in case they had
to leave their current residence.
Question
7:
What
impression do you form of the narrator's mother based on her conversations with
(i) Mrs. Dorling and (ii) the narrator?
Answer:
The
narrator's mother appears kind-hearted, generous, and liberal. In her conversation
with Mrs. Dorling, she expresses concern for Mrs. Dorling's physical
well-being, emphasizing that it would be an insult to ask her friends to keep
the belongings forever. This indicates her compassionate nature. The narrator's
questions suggest that she may not fully agree with her mother's perspective.
Question
8:
Did
the narrator feel convinced about her mother's views regarding Mrs. Dorling?
How do you know?
Answer:
The
narrator did not feel entirely convinced about her mother's views on Mrs.
Dorling. This is evident from Mrs. Dorling's keen interest in moving the
precious possessions to her house, which the narrator seems to disapprove of.
The questions posed by the narrator indicate her skepticism about her mother's
stance.
Question
9:
What
does the narrator remember about Mrs. Dorling from their first meeting?
Answer:
During
their first encounter, the narrator observed that Mrs. Dorling was a woman with
a broad back, wearing a brown coat and a shapeless hat. Mrs. Dorling picked up
a heavy suitcase from under the coat rack and left their house. The narrator
also learned that Mrs. Dorling lived at number 46, Marconi Street.
Question
10:
Why
did the narrator wait a long time before going to the address, number 46,
Marconi Street?
Answer:
Initially,
after the liberation, the narrator had no interest in her mother's belongings
stored at number 46, Marconi Street. She was also hesitant, fearing a
confrontation with items that once belonged to her now-deceased mother.
Question
11:
When
did the narrator become curious about her mother's possessions?
Answer:
The
narrator became curious about her mother's possessions as life returned to
normalcy in the post-liberation period. Realizing that those belongings must
still be at the address her mother had given her, she wanted to see, touch, and
remember them.
Question
12:
"I
was in a room I knew and did not know," says the narrator in the story
'The Address.' What prompted her to make this observation?
Answer:
The
narrator found herself surrounded by familiar things that she desired to see
again. However, the arrangement of these items in a tasteless manner, coupled
with the presence of ugly furniture and a muggy smell, created an atmosphere
that seemed unfamiliar, prompting the observation.
Question
13:
"I
just looked at the still life over the tea table," says the narrator in
the story 'The Address.' What does she mean by 'the still life'? What prompted
her to make this remark?
Answer:
By
'the still life,' the narrator refers to the items arranged over the tea table,
such as the tablecloth, tea pot, cups, and spoons. The presence of an antique
box and silver spoons prompted her to make this remark.
Question
14:
How
was the narrator able to recognize her own familiar woollen tablecloth?
Answer:
The
narrator recognized her own familiar woollen tablecloth by staring at it and
following the lines of the pattern. She remembered that there was a burn mark
somewhere on the tablecloth that had not been repaired. Eventually, she located
the burn mark, aiding her in identifying her own article.
Question
15:
"You
only notice when something is missing." What does the speaker exactly
mean? What examples does she give?
Answer:
The
speaker means that people become accustomed to the presence of their lovely things
in the house and tend not to pay much attention to them. It is only when
something is missing, either needing repair or lent to someone, that its
absence becomes noticeable. The examples provided include instances when the
narrator's mother asked her to help polish the silver cutlery, and when the
narrator noticed missing items during her brief stay at home.
Question
16:
How
did the narrator come to know that the cutlery they ate off every day was
silver?
Answer:
The
narrator learned that the cutlery they ate off every day was silver when her
mother asked her to help polish the silver. The narrator, unaware of which
silver her mother was referring to, asked for clarification. Her mother then
specified that it included the spoons, forks, and knives—the everyday cutlery.
Question
17:
Why
did the narrator suddenly decide to leave?
Answer:
The
narrator decided to leave abruptly as she realized that the objects, once
meaningful and belonging to her mother, had lost their value in the strange
surroundings of Mrs. Dorling's house. The disconnect from their original
context made the possessions irrelevant to her present life.
Question
18:
How
did the narrator reconcile herself to the loss of her mother's precious
belongings?
Answer:
The
narrator reconciled herself to the loss by considering that her mother had only
lent those belongings for safekeeping, and Mrs. Dorling was not meant to keep
everything permanently. Although memories of her former life were stirred upon
seeing the objects, she found no place for them in her current life and
accepted her fate.
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