10th class-cbse english (NCERT BOOK-Footprints without feet)( Long Answers) chapter-8 (The Hack Driver)(Sinclair Lewis)

 The Hack Driver

Important questions for board examination.

Answer the following questions in about 100 to 150 words.

Q) How did the narrator’s experience at new Mullion change his attitude towards Country Life?

Ans) Narrator was a assistant clerk in a big law firm. He was sent to serve summons to the persons needed in different cases. He did not like his job. So when he was sent to new Mullion, he was very happy. There he met a friendly hack driver, Bill, who helped him in searching Oliver Lutkins. Narrator enjoyed Bill's company very much. He was impressed by the wisdom of the Bill. He loved his opinion about different people. He  appreciated the outlook of Bill towards the life. The simple and easy going life of country Influenced him so much that he started planning to settle in the new Mullion

Q) Why was the narrator sent to new Mullions? How did Bill help him?

Ans) Narrator worked for a law firm which needed a person, Lutkins, for a case. Lutkins had neglected many communications by the firm. Therefore firm decided to send narrator to new Mullions to serve the summons personally.

Narrator did not know anybody in the town. He met a hack driver, Bill, at the railway station. He offered to help him. He knew everyone there. He took narrator to many places. He enquired about Lutkins himself and asked the narrator to stay behind. They went to many places and missed the Lutkins by few minutes every time. They took lunch which was prepared by Bill’s wife. Narrator was impressed by the wisdom and wit of the Bill. Finally they went to the farmhouse of Lutkins' mother. In spite of all efforts, they could not find the Lutkins. In the end Bill dropped the narrator at the station.

More questions for practice.

Q) Describe the narrator's search for Lutkins in new Mullion with the hack driver.

Q) Describe the narrators encounter with Lutkin's mother.

10th class-cbse english (NCERT BOOK-Footprints without feet)( Short Answers) chapter-8 (The Hack Driver)(Sinclair Lewis)

 

The hack driver

Important questions for board examination.

Q) What was the impression the hack driver made on the narrator when he first met him?

Ans) Narrator was disappointed when he saw the muddy streets and wooden shops in New Mullions. The only agreeable sight was the hack driver. He was very friendly with a smiling face. It appeared that he was a man who loved people.

Q) Who was Oliver Lutkins? Why were summons issued on his name?

Ans) Oliver Lutkins was a countryman. He was needed as a witness in a case by  narrator's law firm. His witness can easily solve the case.  Firm issued many summons on his name but he refused all of them.

Q) What was the deal between the hack driver and the narrator?

Ans) Hack driver promised the narrator that he would help him in searching the Oliver lutkins because it was very difficult for a city man to catch a parson like Lutkins.And narrator would pay two dollar per hour for using his cart.

Q) The narrator knew that the hack driver wanted business yet he accepted his services. Why?

Ans) The narrator knew very well that hack driver wanted business. He hired him at very high rate. Hack driver even charged him for the lunch. Yet narrator accepted his services because he was impressed by the helping nature, simple philosophy, wisdom and pleasing personality of the Bill. Narrator was happy that the money went to a good man.

Q) How did the hack driver describe lutkins?

Ans) The hack driver described Lutkins  in very good light. He told that he never stay at one place. He was always busy. He was very clever. He was very good in deceiving others. He never returned money. Hack driver appreciated him for his dishonesty.

Q) Who was the hack driver? How was he recognised? What really hurt the narrator's feelings?

Ans) Hack driver was Oliver Lutkins himself. When narrator was sent to new million again, he was accompanied by a colleague who was familiar with the Oliver Lutkins. He identified the Lutkins immediately at the railway station.

Narrator’s feelings were hurt when he saw that Lutkins was laughing at him and treated him as a boy of seven year.

More questions for practice.

Q) What job did the narrator get after graduation? Did he like his work?

Q) Why did the narrator not like his job?

Q) Why was the narrator happy with Bill?

Q) Where did the narrator have his lunch at new Mullion? What was special about the lunch?

Q) Why did the hack driver and the narrator go to Gustaff's shop? Did they succeed in their mission?

Q) Who was Oliver lutkins ? Who was Bill and who was William magnuson?

Q) How was the summons finally served on lutkins?

10th class-cbse english (NCERT BOOK-Footprints without feet)( Long answers) chapter- 10 (The Book That Saved the Earth)(Claire Boiko)

 The book that saved the Earth

Important questions for board examination.

Answer the following questions in about 100 to 150 words.

Q) Attempt character sketch of Great and mighty Think Tank?

Ans) The think tank was the commander-in-chief of Mars Control Center. He had a big balloon brain. He was proud of that. He considered himself the mightiest and wisest creature in the universe. He consulted nobody but the mirror. But when he interpreted the poem he looked very funny. He was very arrogant. He never allowed noodle to take credit for his thoughts and ideas. Probe crew members were also afraid of him. His opinion about earthlings was low. he thought that they were primitive creatures who knew no technology and kept eating something or other all the time. In the end his coward personality came forth and he ran away from the Mars to protect himself.

Q) How is the historian indebted the existence of books for saving the earth?

Ans) In the 20^th century Mars control centre’s commander-in-chief Think Tank decided to attack Earth. he thought that Earth was inhabited by primitives who were very weak. He could easily capture Earth that he called a mud ball. He sent a space probe with three crew members on the earth to gather information. They landed on earth in a library. They knew nothing about the books. So they contacted the Think Tank to know about them. Think Tank was also ignorant but he pretended to know everything. He considered them firstly sandwiches then ear communication devices and finally eye communication devices. He ordered crew members to decipher the code in the book - the Mother goose. He interpreted the nursery rhyme in a very funny way and concluded that earthlings were very advanced and planning to capture him. He became frightented and ran away. Thus a nursery rhyme book saved the earth.

10th class-cbse english (NCERT BOOK-Footprints without feet)( Long answers) chapter- 7 (The Necklace)(Guy de Maupassant)

 

The Necklace.

Important questions for board examination.

Answer the following questions in about 100 to 150 words.

Q) Give the character sketch of Matilda.

Ans) Matilda was a beautiful young girl. She was born in a middle class family. She was very unhappy and unsatisfied. She thought that she was born for delicacies and luxuries. She loved sophisticated things like jewels, exquisite dinner, a high class living but in a real life she had nothing like these things.

With no hope in her sight she agreed herself to marry a clerk in Board of Education. She suffered from the shabby walls and worn furniture of her apartment. She remained unsatisfied and then an incident took place that turned her life.

For a party in the office of her husband she borrowed a diamond necklace from her rich friend Madam Forestier and she lost it. She had to replace it by purchasing a new diamond necklace for thirty six thousand francs. To repay this debt she and her husband worked day and night. They lived a miserable and hard life. It took them long ten years to repay the debt. At the the end of this period Matilda turned into a hard woman of a poor household but now she was satisfied as they have removed a big burden from their head.

Alternate answer

Matilda was a pretty young girl. She was born in a middle class family. She was not happy in her life. She thought that she was born for the delicacies of life and God had sent her in a poor family. It might be a mistake of destiny. Since she had no hope she allowed herself to marry a clerk. She suffered from the poverty.

She was tactful and convinced her husband to buy a party dress for her. She had a showy nature. She was very desperate to look good in party. She even borrowed a diamond necklace from her friend. When she lost the necklace a new hue of her character came forth. She determined to repay her loan. She supported her husband. She sacrificed very much and was satisfied in the end.

Q) What changes came in the lifestyle of Matilda and her husband after she lost the necklace?

Ans)  For the ball in the office of her husband Matilda needed some jewels. So she borrowed a diamond necklace from her rich friend Madam forestier. In the party she lost the necklace. They had to purchase the new diamond necklace for 36000 francs. Mr Loisel had only 18 thousand francs and he had to borrow remaining money from money lenders at very high interest rate.

It was a big amount for them. To repay it they lived a horrible life of necessity. First of all they left their apartment and rented some rooms in the attic. Mr Loisel worked overtime. In the evening he managed book of a merchant. He also did translation at 5 sous a page. Matilda also started doing all house chore by herself. She cooked food, washed dishes and clothes, clean floor, did marketing and bargained for every single sou of her miserable money. They lived this hard life for 10 years to finish their debt. At the end of this period Matilda turn from a pretty girl to a hard woman but now she was more satisfied.

More questions for practice.

Q) Write the character sketch of Mr Loisel.

Q) What would happen if Matilda had spoken the truth to her friend?

10th class-cbse english (NCERT BOOK-Footprints without feet)( Short answers) chapter- 7 (The Necklace)(Guy de Maupassant)

 

The necklace

Important questions for board examination.

Q) Why does the writer say that Matilda was born as if through an error of destiny into a family of clerk?

Ans) Matilda was a pretty young lady. She felt that she was born for delicacies and luxuries. But she belonged to a middle class family where she always suffered from the poverty and deficiency. That’s why the writer said that she was born as if through an error of destiny into the family of clerk.

Q) What was the financial position of Matilda's husband?

Ans) Matilda’s husband was a clerk in the Board of Education. His apartment had the shabby walls and the worn furniture.  Like any other middle class man he could fulfill all necessities but no luxury.

Q) Why did Matilda not like to visit her rich friend?

Ans) Matilda was very disappointed and unhappy in her life. She loved delicate and luxurious things like silver plates, exquisite food, jewels etc. But she had none of them. When she visited  her rich friend who had all these things, she suffered. After returning she wept for whole day in despair and disappointment.

Q) What happened at the ball? Was her dream fulfilled?

Ans) At ball Matilda was a great success. She was the prettiest of all – elegant, gracious, smiling and full of joy. All man noticed her, asked her name and wanted to be presented. She danced with enthusiasm till the early morning. All these things were too sweet to her heart.

Yes, her dream was fulfilled.

Q) How did Mr Loisel manage to buy another necklace?

Ans) Mr Loisel found a substitute for the lost necklace in the market. It cost forty thousand francs. They could get it for thirty six thousand. He possessed eighteen thousand francs which his father had left for him. He borrowed the rest from usurers and the lenders at very high interest rates.

Q) Why did Jeanne not recognise her friend Matilda?

Ans) Matilda had lived a very difficult life for ten years. To repay the debt, she worked hard with her husband. The hardship of life changed her into a crude woman of the poor household. Therefore her friend could not recognise her.

 Q) Was Madam Forestier responsible for their sufferings? Why did Matilda say so?

Ans) Madam Forestier was not responsible for the sufferings of Matilda. In fact she helped Matilda by giving her a diamond necklace for the ball. It was Matilda who lost it carelessly. But Matilda had gone through a very challenging time due to this necklace. And necklace belonged to the Madam Forestier. So in despair Matilda blamed her.

More questions for practice.

Q) Why was Matilda not happy when her husband showed invitation for the ball?

Q)Why did Matilda refused to go to the ball even when her dress was about to complete?

Q) What spoiled the pleasure of Matilda and her husband?

Q) How did Mr Loisel work to repay the borrowed money?

Q) Mention the instances from the text that  show Loisel was a simple man and loved his wife?

10th class-cbse english (NCERT BOOK-Footprints without feet)( Long answers) chapter- 5 (Footprints without feet)(H. G. Wells)

 Footprints without feet

Answer the following questions in about 100 to 150 words.

Q) Griffin was not a true scientist because he misused a scientific discovery. Discuss.

OR

Q) Write the character sketch of Griffin.

Ans) Griffin was a brilliant scientist. He discovered some rare drugs and swallowed them to become invisible.

But he was a lawless person. He had the least regard for the laws and society norms. In revenge he set the landlords house on fire. In the departmental store in London he used things without payment. He stole materials and clothes from a theoretical company and attacked the shopkeeper and robbed him.

In the village iping he continued his lawless activities. He stole the clergyman’s money. He attacked Mrs Hall. He knocked the constable jaffer  conscious and hit other people who tried to catch him.

He had irritable temper. He was not a true scientist.

Q) Why did griffin entered in the big london store? How did he behaved there?

Ans) Griffin had chosen a wrong time to become invisible. To escape from his landlord’s house he took off his clothes and became invisible naked wanderer  in the London streets. It was middle of the winter. Air was bitterly cold. To get some warmth he entered in a big departmental store.

He waited for the store to be closed. Then he open the boxes, tore the wrappers and found clothes for himself. He wore shoes, overcoat and a large brimmed hat. Then he went in the kitchen and ate cold meat and coffee. He enjoyed sweets and wine after the food. He used things without the regard for payment. Finally he slept over the pile of quilts.

In the morning he got up late. Employees of the store reached and approached him. To got rid of them Griffin had to remove all his clothes. He escaped but reached in the  same condition again - invisible without clothes.

Q) What was the curious episode that took place in the clergyman’s study?

Ans) One early morning clergymen and his wife heard some sound from their study. They came downstairs quietly with a poker in clergyman’s hand. They reached near the door silently and heard the chink of the coins. Clergymen flung open the door and shouted “surrender”. To their surprise there was nobody inside the study. They searched everywhere beneath the table, behind the curtain, even in the chimney but in vain.  But the drawer was open and housekeeping money was missing. Actually Griffin had entered in their study invisibly and had stolen their money.

Q) What happened to the landlord and his wife in Griffin’s bedroom?

Ans) One morning Mr and Mrs hall found that door of Griffin's room was open. Usually he kept his room closed and locked. So they thought it is a good chance to go inside. They peeped through the door. There was no one inside. The bed was cold. it seemed that Griffin had got up much early. His bandages, false nose, hat and other clothes were lying on the bed. But suddenly Mrs hall heard a sniff close to her ear. Furnitures of the room became alive. A chair rose in the air and attacked directly at her leg. Then her mother’s chair pushed them out of the room. Mrs hall was about to fell in the stairs in hysteria. They thought that it was the act of some spirits . Griffin had done some wirchcraft.

More questions for practice.

Q) Describe the adventures of Griffin in London.

Q) Describe the adventures of Griffin in village of  Iping.

Q) Describe Mr jaffer's fight with the Invisible man in the bar.

Q) What will you do if you become invisible?

10th class-cbse english (NCERT BOOK-Footprints without feet)( Short answers) chapter- 5 (Footprints without feet)(H. G. Wells)

 

Footprints without feet

Q) Why were the two boys in London surprised?

Ans) Two boy were surprised because they saw muddy footprints in the street of London which were appearing from nowhere. They chased them but to no help. They were clueless about the origin of footprints.

 Q) Why was the scientist angry with the landlord and what did he do?

Ans) Landlord of Griffin was unhappy with him because of his weird behaviour and short tempered nature. He wanted to eject Griffin from his house. That’s why Griffin was angry with his landlord.

When he became invisible, he set the house on fire and escaped.

Q) Why did Griffin become a homeless wanderer without clothes?

Ans) Griffin was a scientist. He had discovered some rare drugs. He swallowed them and became invisible. He was angry with his landlord. In revenge he set his house on fire. To escape without being seen he removed his clothes and became a homeless wanderer.

Q) Why did Griffin enter the theatrical company?

Ans) Invisible Griffin was finding it difficult to wander in London streets in winters without clothes. Moreover he wanted something to cover his face. In a theatrical company he could find both clothes as well as materials for his face.

Q) Why was the arrival of Griffin in the village inn an unusual event?

Ans) Griffins arrival in the village inn was an unusual event because of two reasons. Firstly his weird appearance and his short tempered nature. Secondly it was a mid winter time and nobody came in the village at this time.

Q) What reason does Griffin give to Mrs hall for coming to lping?

Ans) Griffin told Mrs hall that he had come to the village in the search of solitude. He didn’t like if anybody disturb him. Moreover His face was damaged in an accident.

Q) Why were the people in bar horrified?

Ans) When Griffin was in the bar, Mrs Hall came and inquired about the peculiar incident that happened in his room today morning. Griffin became furious. He wanted to teach her a lesson. He removed his bandages, whiskers, false nose and wide brimmed hat. He became a headless person. Thus the people in the bar were horrified.

Q) How did griffin escaped from the bar?

Ans) Griffin removed his clothes one by one and became invisible. He knocked the constable jaffer unconscious. He hit the people in the bar who tried to catch him. Nobody could see him. So, he escaped easily.

Q) The scientist was a man of “irritable temper”? give some examples to prove this.

Ans) There are incidents in the story which proves that Griffin was a man of irritable temper. He set the house of his landlord on fire only because he wanted revenge. He hit the shopkeeper in theatrical store from behind and robbed him. He attacked Mrs Hall by her furniture. When she questioned him in the bar, he removed his bandages etc and became a headless man. He also knocked constable Jaffer unconscious.

More questions for practice.

Q) Why did Griffin entered the departmental store in London?

Q) How did griffin manage to get away from the crowded London?

Q) Why did people suspect that Griffin had some hand in burglary at clergyman’s study?

Q) Who hit the people at bar and why?

10th class-cbse english (NCERT BOOK-Footprints without feet)( Long answers) chapter- 4 (A Question of Trust)(Victor Canning)

 A Question of Trust

Q) Write the charactersketch of Horace Danby.

OR

Q) Why is Horace Danby described as good and respectable, but not completely honest?

Ans) Horace Danby was a  successful business man. He dealt in locks and safes. He was unmarried and a servant looked after him. He was suffering from hay fever. During summers it disturbed him.

 He was fond of expensive and rare books. He had a good collection of them. He was a good and respectable person but not completely honest. Every year he committed one robbery. From the robbed money he purchased books through an agent. He planned  and executed the robbery very carefully. Opening safes was not a big deal for him, he had spent his life with locks and safes. But at Shotover Grange he was oversmarted by a lady. He was arrested and sentenced.

Q) How did the lady in red turn out to be the smarter and cleverer then Horace Danby?

Ans) Every year Horace Danby planned a robbery for purchasing expensive and rare books. As usual this year also he planned a robbery very carefully. He studied the layout of  Shotover Grange in a magazine. He obtained the minutest detail. During a summer day when family was in London and servants were out for a movie he decided to execute his plan.

Every thing was going as planned. But a young lady who pretended to be the owner’s wife befooled him. She convinced him that she was the real owner and persuaded him to open the safe for her. He broke the safe carelessly and removed his gloves. His fingerprints were everywhere which helped police to arrest him. Only after his arrest he realised that lady in red was also a thief.

 

More questions for practice.

Q) Why did Horace get very angry when anyone talk about “honour among thieves”?

10th class-cbse english (NCERT BOOK-Footprints without feet)( Short answers) chapter- 4 (A Question of Trust)(Victor Canning)

 A Question of Trust

Q) What was Horace Danby's passion? How did he satisfy it?

Ans) Horace Danby's passion was to collect and read expensive and rare books. To buy these books he used to rob a safe every year. He purchased these books through an agent.

Q) What was his plan about his next robbery at Shotover Grange?

Ans) Horace Danby collected information about Shotover Grange from a magazine. He studied the detailed layout of the house. There was a safe in the drawing room behind the painting. He came to know that the family would be in London in the summer. So he planned to rob Shotover Grange when servants were not at home.

Q) How did Horace Danby's hay fever cause his failure in his robbery?

Ans) Horace Danby was suffering from hay fever. He had allergy to some flowers. When he entered the drawing room of Shotover Grange he felt some sensation in his nose. There were some flowers in the drawing room. He started sneezing and alerted the lady in red dress.

Q) How was the women treating Horace and why did she not inform the police?

Ans) The women talk very softly but firmly to the Horace Danby. Firstly she convinced him that she was the wife of house owner. Then she gained his trust and persuaded him to open the safe for her. She did not inform the police because she was in the same profession as the Horace was. She had used him for her purpose.

Q) Why did Horace Danby remove his gloves and to what effects?

Ans) Horace Denby was convinced that the lady in red dress was the wife of the owner. When he agreed to open the safe for her there was no fear of being caught. So he became careless and removed his gloves. Later police searched him easily because  his fingerprints were everywhere in the room.

Q) When did Horace Danby realise that the lady in red had befooled him?

Ans) After the Shotover Grange episode, Horace Danby stay at home for two days. In the afternoon of third day he was arrested by the police. In the police station he saw the wife of the house owner. She was a sixty year old lady. Then he realised that the lady in red had befooled him.

More questions for practice.

Q) Why was it not difficult for Horace to open the safe?

Q) What did Horace Danby know about the shortover Grange house?

Q) Why did Horace mistake the young lady for the mistress of the house?

Q) Do you think that the young lady was smarter than Horace Danby?

10th class-cbse english (NCERT BOOK-Footprints without feet)( Long answers) chapter- 3 (The Midnight Visitor)(Robert Arthur)

Answer the following questions in 100 to 150 words.

Q) What impression do you form of Ausable as a secret agent after reading the story “the midnight visitor” ?

OR

Q) Write the character sketch of Ausable.

OR

Q) Who was smarter – Max or Abusable?

Ans) Ausableb was a short and fat person who did not fit any description of a spy. But he was a clever secret agent. He outsmarted the Max. In a french hotel he was waiting for a very secret and important documents related to the missile technology. When he entered in his room with writer Fowler he found Max was waiting for him in the room. Max had a pistol in his hand. Ausable had no weapon. Even then he got rid of Max easily. He cooked a story instantly and convinced the Max, and also the Fowler, that there was a balcony beneath the window. He had ordered wine and was expecting waiter Henry anytime. When waiter knocked at the door he told the Max that it must be police. To hide himself Max jump from the window.

 

More questions for practice.

Answers the following questions in about 100 to 150 words.

Q) How did Max attempt but failed to acquire the secret paper from  Ausable?

Q) In difficult times we can always find the solutions if we keep our cool. Taking the example of the secret agent Ausable, Elaborate.