Category: English

SOME IMPORTANT  QUESTIONS

1.  Why does the frog persist in singing though no one  in  the  bog  wishes  to  hear him?

 

Ans. The frog is too conceited and has an exaggerated opinion of himself as a singer. He thinks that his voice is a ‘splendid baritone’. He wishes to remain the unrivalled singer of the bog. The frog is loud and most unmusical. All the creatures of the bog tried all the tricks

to drive him away. But the frog is too thick-skinned and continues to sing his ‘crass cacophony’ from the sumac tree. The frog was so passionate about his singing that he would sing incessantly from evening till morning light. This was his way of expressing his heart-felt joy, he claimed. The frog is a hypocrite, who only lives for himself. He is least concerned for the discomfort he is causing to others.

2.  Do you think the nightingale was responsible for her  own  exploitation?  Why/Why not?

[C.B.S.E.  2012  (T-2)]

Ans. The nightingale is a singing ‘genius’ but she is not worldly-wise. Her serenade in the bingle bog leaves the creatures mesmerised but she does not have the foresight  or the cleverness to cash upon her asset. She knows that she is a great sensation for the bog music lovers but gets exploited by the manipulative frog. The frog makes her practise again and again, exhausts her and she loses her  star status. The nightingale is too vulnerable and becomes susceptible to fan following. She is a poor judge of psychology and does not see through the frog’s clever plans. So she ends up paying with her life. Her end is a great tragedy, a sad culmination of an unfulfilled artist,  who dies prematurely.

3.  What does the poet wish to convey in the poem ‘The  Frog  and  the Nightingale’?

Ans. This is an allegorical poem by Vikram Seth and reveals a deeper meaning beneath the emotional story line. The  frog  is  a  living  symbol  of  cunning  and  conniving people, while the nightingale represents innocence and vulnerability to the extreme. Artists like the frog are shams without substance and thrive on the misfortune of others. They are loathed, hated and have little worth themselves, so they derive sadistic pleasure in tormenting and exploiting others. Naturally talented singers are sometimes not worldly-wise, so they fall prey to scheming ‘touts’.

The poet ridicules such music organisers who mint money by cheating and exploiting others. There is a hint of satire evident, when the poet talks about money making people, who make false promises and destroy natural talent.

The poet also highlights the significance of public adulation in the life of an artist like the nightingale. She is innocent to praise and admiration but gradually, she also becomes addicted to it. So it can be said that even modest artists wish to perform before power-packed audience and the jingle of cash-counters gives   them an emotional  high.

The poet concludes that success is a game like tug- of-war, in which the clever survive and the innocent and vulnerable succumb to bitter   defeat.

TEXTBOOK  QUESTIONS (SOLVED)

Ans. 1. Listed below are a few character traits of people. Some are positive qualities, while others are not. Tick  mark the ones you feel are desirable qualities in a person.

 

Characteristic	Tick Mark	Characteristic	Tick Mark	Characteristic	Tick Mark
Insensitive		High-headed		Manipulative
Humorous	3	Egoistic		Patronising
Naive		Humble	3	Submissive	3
Opportunistic		Foolish		Arrogant
Creative	3	Original	3	Conniving
Disapproving		Helpful	3	Innocent	3
Commanding		Calculative		Condescending
Benevolent	3	Crafty		Scheming
Simple	3	Wise	3	Rude
Overbearing		Generous	3	Boastful
Sly		Gentle	3	Proud
Territorial	3	Aggressive		Servile

 

6. Complete the table given below. You can use the words in the box given below.

 

Character	Extract	Personality traits
Nightingale	Sorry – was that you who   spoke?	polite, timorous
Frog	Yes,  …  you see, I’m the frog who owns this tree   In this bog I’ve long been known For my splendid  baritone.	boastful conceited
Nightingale	Did you … did you like my   song?	submissive, meek, innocent, naive
Frog	Not  too  bad  –  but  far  too  long The technique was fine, of course, But it lacked a certain   force.	arrogant conniving crafty
Frog	Without proper training such as I And a few  others  can  supply You’ll remain a mere beginner, But with me you’ll be a    winner.	manipulative clever scheming dominating
Nightingale	But I can’t sing in this   weather.	meek, submissive timid, nervous
Nightingale	… This  is  a  fairy tale- And you’re Mozart in disguise Come to earth before my   eyes.	innocent naive humble foolish
Frog	Come, my dear – we’ll sing   together.	manipulative patronising
Frog	We  must aim for better  billing   You  still owe me sixty  shillings.	mercenary manipulative opportunistic
Frog	Brainless bird – you’re on the    stage   Use  your  wits  and  follow  fashion. Puff your lungs out with your    passion.	dominating superior insensitive patronising rude
Frog	… I tried to teach   her,   But she a was stupid   creature.	arrogant crafty insensitive

 

Dismissive	Nervous	Timid	Presumptuous
Superior	Fawning	Shy	Polite
Meek	Possessive	Dominating	Mercenary

 

8. On the basis of your understanding of the poem, complete the sentences given below by choosing the appropriate
   1. The frog’s  aim  was to
      • make the  nightingale  a sensation
      • make the nightingale as good a singer as him
      • maintain his  supremacy  in  the bog
      • make a  lot  of money

2.       The animals reacted to the nightingale’s song with

• hatred
• admiration
• indifference
• suggestions for improvement

3.       The nightingale accepted the frog’s tutelage  as she

• was not  confident  of  herself
• wanted to become as good a singer as the frog
• wanted to  become  a  professional  singer
• was not  a  resident  of  Bingle  Bog

4.       The nightingale was sorrowful and pale because

• she had  been  practising  in  the  rain
• she had  been  performing  all  night
• she was  losing  confidence  in  herself
• she was  falling  ill

5.       The  audience  was  tired  of  her song because

• they had  heard  it  many times
• it had  become mechanical
• she sounded  tired
• she had  added  trills  to  her  song

6.       She  no  longer  enjoyed  singing  alone as

• she wanted to sing only for the titled crowd
• she was now used to the appreciation she got
• the frog  was  no  longer  with  her

 

• she had  become  proud  of  herself

Answers  : 1.     (c)       2.     (b)       3.      (a)  

4. (b)       5.     (b)       6.     (b)  

 

10.  Answer the  following  questions briefly.

• How did the creatures of Bingle Bog react to the nightingale’s singing ?

Ans. The creature of Bingle bog were  surprised  to hear the melodious and soothing voice of the Nightingale. Her singing created a sensation and won tremendous praise.

• Which are the different ways is which the frog asserts his  importance ?

Ans. The frog pretended to be a great singer and he also said that he was the reporter of Bog ‘Trumpet’. He boasted that he was a music critic and a musician like Mozart and was ready to train    her.

• Why is frog’s joy both sweet and bitter    ?

[C.B.S.E. 2011  (T-1)]

Ans. Frog was happy to charge money for Nightingale’s song but was unhappy at the popularity of the nightingale in the bog. Financially he was happy to make profit but he did not like the competition and the applause that the nightingale was giving    him.

• Why was the frog angry  ?

Ans. The nightingale’s songs became  dull,  listless and routine due to exertion and stress. The crowds dwindled and stopped coming for the nightingale’s songs. He was not making money so he was very unhappy.

• How did the frog become the unrivalled king of the bog again? [C.B.S.E. 2011  (T-1)]

Ans. The frog insulted and humiliated the nightingale. He made her practice continuously in rain and thunder. He instructed her to sing at very high notes. So  out of sheer fatigue and stress, nightingale’s vein burst and she died. So the bog had to tolerate the frog’s singing once again.

EXPLANATION OF SOME EXPRESSIONS

1. Croaked away in Bingle Bog……… (line  2)

Explanation …

Bog is a wet and marshy land. The poet has deliberately used ‘Bingle’ for  alliteration.

2. He croaked awn and awn and awn……… (line  4)

Explanation …

It means ‘on and on’. These words are phonetically selected and also rhyme with    dawn.

3. And the crass cacophony………  (line 7)

Explanation …

‘Crass’ means meaningless and cacophony is a very loud and unpleasant noise. Here it is used to refer to the unpleasant voice of the   frog.

 

4. To display his heart’s  elation……… (line  14)

Explanation …

Elation means happiness. In this context, it means that the frog sang to express the happiness of his heart.

5. Stared toward the sumac, rapt……… (line  21)

Explanation …

Sumac is a tree with cane-shaped fruits. When the nightingale sat on a sumac tree and sang her melodious song, all the creatures of the bog were mesmerised and were curious to know who the singer    was.

6. For my splendid baritone……… (line  44)

Explanation …

The frog gets a complex after hearing the nightingale and the praise she has got. But he is very boastful and calls his unpleasant voice as ‘baritone’, which is good for male  singers.

7. The technique was  fine  of course.

But it lacked a certain force……… (line    50)

Explanation …

The frog is jealous so he gives a negative complement in a very tactful manner. He cannot find any fault, so admits that the ‘technique’ is flawless but the  song is not full of   passion.

8. I don’t think the song’s   divine

But -oh-well-at least it’s  mine……… (lines   55-56)

Explanation …

The nightingale is trying to be very modest since the creatures of the bog had already declared her song to  be ‘too divine’. She is overawed by a great critic like frog, so she says in a timid manner that she is proud of the originality of her song. Ironically, she is chastised in the end for not being   original.

9. Breathed: “This is a fairy tale   –

And you’re Mozart in disguise” (lines   64-65)

Explanation …

The nightingale cannot believe her luck, since dreams only materialise in fairytales. Moreover, she is too impressed and overawed by the frog’s offer to train her. So she compares him to the famous German musician Mozart.

10. Flushed with confidence, and  fired

with both art and adoration (lines    70-71)

Explanation …

The nightingale is greatly inspired. She has already received praise and appreciation from the creatures of the bog, so she is full of confidence and is ready to create ripples in the world of    art.

11. Journeyed up and down the scale ……… (line    84)

Explanation …

The frog persuades the nightingale to sing in rainy weather, which is not suitable to her. He makes her practise at various pitch-levels, tries many musical notes, and as a result the nightingale is too tired.

12. Owl of Sandwich, Duck of Kent…….. Mallard and  Milady Trent

Martin Cardinal Mephisto

And the Coot of Monte  Cristo………  (lines  90-94)

Explanation …

The poet wishes to create humour so this refers to the titled crowd, which are authentic royal    titles.

Earl  of  Sandwich,  Duke  of  Kent My  lord  and  Milady  of Trent Martin and Cardinal from Mephisto Count of Monte  Cristo.

 

13. “We must aim for better  billings

You  still owe me sixty shillings”……… (line   109-110)

Explanation …

The frog’s greed is insatiable. He coaxes the nightingale to sing more passionately, so that more creatures come to hear her and he can mint more money. Moreover, he exploits her further by charging her for giving music training.

14. And, my dear, “lay on more   trills,

Audiences enjoy such frills………” (lines   105-106)

Explanation …

The frog wants to tire the nightingale, so he asks her to sing very fast-paced musical notes, repetitively, which will prove to be very exhausting. He gives the logic that the audience prefer very fast, sensational embellishments in a  song.

15. Night on night her tired  song

Zipped and trilled and bounced along……… (lines 113-114)

Explanation …

The nightingale is thoroughly exhausted; her voice has lost its freshness and magic. The melody of her voice has been replaced by musical notes that are repetitive but not pleasant to hear. The songs just appear to drag on. So the creatures of the bog lose    interest.

16. “Use your wits and follow  fashion

Puff your lungs out with passion”…….. (lines 125-126)

Explanation …

This piece of advice from the frog proves to be the nightingale’s undoing. She tries to perform as instructed by the callous frog and tries to infuse more energy and force in her song. Unfortunately, this results in bursting a vein and the nightingale succumbs to her death under   pressure.

17. But she was a stupid creature  –

…..Far too prone to influence……… (lines   132-134)

Explanation …

These lines reveal how malicious and hard-hearted the frog is. He starts criticising the nightingale the moment she dies. Instead of a worthy tribute, he calls her stupid, vulnerable and too nervous. Basically he wants to be rid of any blame that may be heaped on him, for her death. He    is right in calling the nightingale ‘too prone to influence’ because it was her vulnerability that led to her death.

18. “That your song must be your own that’s why I sing with  panache”

Explanation …

Nightingale was proud of her originality and the frog had earlier also criticised her that it was not enough reason to boast about. He continues in his conceited manner, telling everyone that no one could imitate his confident and elegant  style.

 

 

WORD–MEANINGS

l dusk : late evenings l blared : loud & irritable sound l stilled : reduced l dumbstruck : as if under a spell l waded : came through water l twitched : moved, shook l wield : use l Mozart : a great musician from Austria l twittering : talking with great excitement l mid-flight : In the middle of changing notes l frills : embellished musical compositions l precision : accuracy l bounced : just went on l addicted : used to, become habitual l prone : used to

 

LITERARY DEVICES

SYMBOLS

• The Frog :symbolises opportunistic and cunning people who exploit others for their own benefits
• The Nightingale : represents naturally talented artists who fail to achieve fame due to their

 

METAPHORS

• a solitary loon Ÿ Mozart in disguise Ÿ Foghorn

ALLITERATION

• Bingle Bog Ÿ dawn, awn

सारांश
¯बगल नामक एक दलदल में एक मेढक रहता था जिसे गाने का उन्माद था वह सायंकाल से उषाकाल तक गाता ही रहता था। सभी जीव- जंतुओं को जो उस दलदल में रहते थे, उसका गाना अप्रिय लगता था। वे उसे पीटने और उसका अपमान करने का प्रयत्न करते परंतु मेढक बहुत ही संवेदनहीन और बड़बोला था। वह भावावेश में गाता ही रहता।

क्त ठल टपातंउ ैमजी
दिल वेफ उद्गार और उल्लास व्यक्त करने का उसवेफ पास यही एक विकल्प था।
एक दिन दलदल वासियों ने एक मध्ुर और सुरीला गीत सुना जो
एक कोयल गा रही थी। गीत सुनकर मेढक को गहरे सदमे और द्वेष का अनुभव हुआ। वह दलदल का अवेफला और अविवादित गायक बना रहना चाहता था। बुलबुल वेफ गीत ने एक हलचल मचा दी थी। दल-दल वेफ सभी प्राणी बढ़-चढ़कर उसकी प्रशंसा कर रहे थे।
मेढक बहुत चालाक था। उसने कोयल को अपना परिचय उस वृक्ष वेफ मालिक वेफ रूप में दिया, जिस वृक्ष पर बैठकर बुलबुल गाती थी। उसने शेखी बघारी कि वह एक संगीत आलोचक है जो ‘‘दलदल तुरही’’ वेफ लिए गीत लिखता है।
बुलबुल अत्यंत प्रभावित हुई कि मोजार्ट जैसा प्रतिभाशाली संगीतज्ञ इसमे रूचि ले रहा है। जब मेढक ने बहुत ही साधरण पफीस वेफ बदले उसे संगीत प्रशिक्षण देने का प्रस्ताव रखा तो बुलबुल को लगा उसवेफ सपने साकार होने जा रहे हैं और बुलबुल का शोषण शुरू हो गया। मेढक ने संगीत समारोह आयोजित करने शुरू कर दिए। खराब मौसम में भी वह बुलबुल को गाने वेफ लिए बाध्य करता। वह उसे भावमग्न होकर गाने को कहता क्योंकि जनता को यही पसन्द था। आरम्भ में वुफछ जीव-जंतु सुनने को जमा हुए परन्तु ध्ीरे-ध्ीरे भीड़ कम होती गई क्योंकि बुलबुल का गीत नित्यक्रम बन कर रह गया था जिसमें कोई रस न था और उसकी आवाश भी थकी सी हो गई थी। मेढक उसे डाँटता और अपमानित करता। एक दिन अत्यंत दबाव व तनाव में बुलबुल की नस पफट गई और उसकी मृत्यु हो गई।
मेढक ने बुलबुल को मूर्ख और उत्तेजना का शिकार बताया और कहा उसवेफ पास मौलिकता नहीं थी। उसका अहंभाव शांत हो गया था और वह दोबारा दलदल का बेजोड़ गायक बन गया था।

In Image

 

SUMMARY

In a bog, which was called Bingle Bog, there lived a frog, who was crazy about his singing and incessantly sang from the evening to the morning light. All the creatures living in the bog found his songs to be most unpleasant and they tried to beat and insult him, but the frog was very insensitive and boastful. The frog kept singing with extreme passion because this was his way of expressing his heart-felt elation.
One day the creatures of the bog were pleasantly surprised to hear a very melodious and soothing song sung by a nightingale. The frog was shocked and felt jealous. He wanted to be the undisputed singer of the bog. The nightingale’s song created a sensation and all the creatures praised it tremendously.
The frog was very cunning and he introduced himself as the owner of the tree, on which the nightingale sang. He also boasted that he was a music critic, who wrote for ‘Bog Trumpet’. The nightingale was impressed that a musician like Mozart was taking interest in her. When the frog offered to train her for a modest fee, the nightingale felt that her dream had come true. The exploitation of the nightingale began. The frog would organise musical concerts and mint money. He would make the nightingale practise even in adverse weather. He instructed her to sing passionately and with full force, since that was what the public wanted. Initially a number of creatures flocked to listen to her, but later the crowd dwindled because the nightingale’s songs became routine, lustreless and her voice was tired. The frog would scold and humiliate her for no reason. One day, out of sheer stress and fatigue, the nightingale’s vein burst and she died.
The frog called the nightingale ‘stupid’, ‘nervous’ and ‘without originality’. His ego was satisfied and he again became the ‘unrivalled singer’ of the bog.

BEFORE YOU READ
What exactly is a OUIJA BOARD?
It is pronounced as wee-ja, wee-je. It is known as spirit board or a talking board. It is a eat board marked with letters, numbers and other symbols supposedly used to communicate with spirits. It uses a movable indicator to indicate the spirits’ message by spelling it out on the board. It is a very popular game among some sections because it gives an imaginary thrill of communicating with spirits.

Content’s

• Summary of A Shady Plot.
• Hindi Summary of A Shady Plot Class 10th English Chapter 4.
• Word Meanings of A Shady Plot Class 10th English Chapter 4.
• Textbook Question of A Shady Plot Class 10th English Chapter 4.
• Multiple Choice Questions of A Shady Plot Class 10th English Chapter 4.
• Non-Multiple Choice Questions of A Shady Plot Class 10th English Chapter 4.
• Short Answer Questions of A Shady Plot Class 10th English Chapter 4.
• Long Answer Questions of A Shady Plot Class 10th English Chapter 4.

1.  John had become a nervous wreck. It had been a hard journey back to normalcy and marital bliss. He writes a diary entry expressing these feelings. Write  this  for him.

Ans  :    Dear Diary,

What a harrowing and emotional nightmare I have gone through! On God! These days will always remain permanently etched in my memory. Imagine a ghost helping you with the stories and thus causing your marriage to break. How I was saved at the last minute, is a marvel. Those days, when Helen had threatened me and then Lavinia refused to give up the Ouija board; I was accused of infidelity, I could neither sleep nor walk out. I wish I had confided in my wife before. Thank God! Everything  is now as normal as before. But this traumatic period of time, I  will  never  forget.  All  is  well  that  ends well.

John  Hallock.

2.  John’s new ghost story is a hit and proves to be a best seller. Jenkins throws a party in his honour and John is asked to give a speech re- garding the success of his work and the inspira- tion behind it. Prepare the speech of    him.

Ans  :    Dear friends,

I am deeply obliged for your best wishes and support for my success. Believe me friends, I am not an expert      in ghost stories but somehow a good plot occurs out of    the blue and becomes the solid ground of my stories. I know,  you find my stories very fascinating and thrilling  as most ghost stories are. Well, stories can only work if there is someone to inspire or guide you. Even I have       an angel sitting on my shoulders to steer the course of     my  stories.  I  hope  it  continues  this way.

Thanks.

3.  Helen, the ghost had close encounters with hu- man beings like John. She goes back to her world and mulls over this experience she had  on earth. She writes a diary entry regarding the behaviour of human beings and the fickleness  of their relationships. Write this diary entry for her.

Ans  :    Dear Diary,

This was my first opportunity to have close encounters with human beings for a long stretch of time. Basically we stay out of bounds but now I was forced        to materialise in person and threaten John, as there was    no other option. I know John is basically a good guy, vulnerable and kind but his wife is too dominating. He      is so scared of her and she started doubting her husband    at the mention of a mere word ‘Helen’. John was trying     to hide me, not to distress her but, look how she behaved. These human beings have fickle relationships, despite all.   I think we are better off for we keep our relationships  intact

Helen

 

4.  Do you believe ‘A Shady Plot’ qualifies as a good  ghost story?

Ans : Yes, this is a very good story with the most interesting storyline and plot. The plot has been inspired from a real life experience which makes it authentic. It has suspense, it is scary with ghosts walking in and out, but the best part is the humour. The story is not the stereotype one, it is funny and hilarious. It is very interesting to know that even ghosts get fed up of haunting and they are dragged  out of their beds at all hours. This story is full of surprises and that is t

1.  Why was the writer getting over confident about his ability of writing ghost   stories?

Ans : Mr Hallock, the writer had always managed to write good ghost stories, though he was not a specialist in these kind of stories. Such stories were greatly in public demand. He was confident that somehow or the other, a good plot always appeared from somewhere and he was able to write a good   story.

2.  Watching the ghost taking shape was ‘Like watching of the moving picture cartoons put together.’ how?

Ans : Helen, the ghost, appeared in parts. First, a hand took shape, then some other body part, so on and so forth. The process in which the final apparition appeared in the end, was a matter of surprise. The ghost always took shape in bits and pieces like a cartoon in a moving picture.

3.  What surprising revelation is made by the ghost? Why did the writer not  believe   her?

Ans : The writer was greatly surprised to discover that all the good plots of ghost stories had been supplied to him by the ghost Helen. The writer disbelieved her because he had never really seen her before. But the ghost said that she had sat on his shoulders and suggested the plots for his stories.

4.  Why is the ghost fed up of the Ouija Board fanatics?

Ans : The ghosts are now fed up of being called again and again for answers and queries. They were pulled out  of beds at odd times, so they were very tired. The Ouija Board crazy fans would keep asking questions, so this irritated the ghosts and proved to be tiresome and troublesome.

5.  What reasons are given by Lavinia for not getting rid of the Ouija   Board?

Ans : Lavinia felt that the Ouija board was procured at bargain price. Moreover, she felt that it would help her husband in writing ghost stories. It would also provide an interesting activity for her book-club   meetings.

6.  Why was the narrator shocked to see the activities of his wife’s Book   Club?

Ans : The narrator was in for a great shock to see that  all the ladies of his wife’s book-club were sitting near a Ouija Board. Helen, the ghost, had threatened the narrator that he must exert all his force to dissuade people from using the Ouija Board and keep calling ghosts now and then for their problems. So to see so many ladies using the board was a painful sight for    him.

7.  What controversy or furore was caused in the parlour by the name of   ‘Helen’?

Ans : The narrator was forced to be a partner in the Ouija board game and to his horror he discovered that he was called a ‘traitor’ by the ghost. When Miss Hinkle wished to know the details, it was revealed on the Ouija Board that the person, who had called the narrator, a trai- tor, was someone with the name ‘Helen.’ This name cre- ated controversy since the narrator’s wife did not know anyone with that  name.

8.  Helen the ghost says, ‘‘I’m too tired to materialise.’’ What does she imply by the above statement?

Ans : Helen was too tired because she had to work overtime the earlier night answering all the questions of Lavinia’s friends. She took longer than before to appear  in

her full shape because she couldn’t be expected to retain  all her faculties after answering all the Ouija Board fanat- ics of Lavinia’s  book-club, all the  night.

9.  Why did Helen pay a visit to the narrator again?

Ans :  Helen paid a visit to the narrator because she   had been sent to ensure that the narrator’s wife should get rid of the Ouija Board. She had come to threaten the writer and if he did not pay any heed then she would not help the narrator and suggest new plots for his    stories.

10.   Lavinia entered the narrator’s room with a solid finality. What was her   purpose?

Ans : Lavinia had become suspicious of the narrator  that he was involved with some woman called ‘Helen’. So she had come to tell her husband that she was leaving him and moving out. She could not tolerate the infidelity of her husband.

11.   Why was the narrator unable to conceal Helen behind his back before  his  wife?

Ans : Lavinia refused to stand on one side, she jumped quickly to see who was standing behind her husband. She was already suspicious and noticed that her husband was trying to conceal someone behind his back. Even Helen  did not disappear so both the women confronted  each  other for first  time.

12.   How did  Lavinia  react  after facing Helen?

Ans : The writer had always thought that Lavinia was weak-hearted and she might faint at the sight of the ghost. But nothing like this happened. The interaction proved positive and Lavinia stood boldly and confidently before the ghost.

13.   Why did the narrator have a strong urge to pen down his new  story?

Ans :  The narrator had undergone a great experience.  It was scary, interesting, revealing and an excellent plot for any ghost story. A ghost story based on this kind of story was going to be a sure    hit.

14.   How did narrator react to the appearance of  the ghost?  [C.B.S.E. 2012 (T-2)]

Ans : One day the narrator was asked by his employer  to write a horrifying ghost story with supernatural ele- ments because the public liked such stories. As he  sat down to pen down the story, he started muttering questions to himself and surprisingly someone in the room answered them. The writer was greatly surprised to see a figure tak- ing shape gradually. It was a woman, tall and angular, with

fishy eyes, wearing spectacles. The writer was dumbstruck on seeing a ghost standing before his    eyes.

15.   Why did Lavinia decide to leave her husband and what made her change her   mind?

[C.B.S.E. 2012 (T-2)]

Ans  :  The  narrator  had  become  suspicious  of  her husband, and believed he was involved with some woman, called Helen. Unable to tolerate the infidelity of her husband, she decided to leave him. But when she confronted Helen and came to know that she was only a ghost, Lavinia felt miserable to have created such a ruckus accusing her husband of infidelity. All this made Lavinia change her mind.

Read the following extracts and answer the questions.Read the following extracts and answer the questions.
1. ‘‘It was like watching one of these moving picture cartoons being put together. ”
(a) Explain ‘It’.
Ans. The apparition taking shape is referred to as ‘It’.
(b) What is like watching a cartoon movie? Ans. The figure of the ghost taking full shape.
(c) What effect does it have on the ‘narrator’? Ans. The narrator is shocked and surprised.
2. ‘‘We’re been called out of beds a little too often in recent years and now we’re through.”
(a) Who have been called constantly?
Ans. The ghosts like Helen.
(b) What is unnatural about their being called? Ans. People generally do not summon ghosts, so it is
unnatural.
(c) What is the person’s complaint?
Ans. The ghost is fed up of being troubled at all odd hours.
3. “It’s …. so cheap! I got it at a bargain sale.”
(a) What has been bought cheap?
Ans. The Ouija board.
(b) Do you think the narrator would be happy with this news? Why/Why not?
Ans. He was shocked and got worried at the news.
(c) Who had asked the narrator to avoid its use? Ans. The ghost Helen had threatened the narrrator not
to use the Ouija board.
4. ‘‘Someone has been trying to communicate with
John through……….. Ouija……… someone with the name
of Helen.”
(a) Who is Helen? What was her relation withJohn?
Ans. Helen is the ghost and she had helped John with good plots for his stories.
(b) What is Ouija Board? What is its purpose? Ans. A Ouija Board is a talking board in which the
ghosts answer the questions asked by people.
(c) How can one communicate through the Ouija? Ans. The people ask questions and the ghosts answer
them.
5. “John, there is not a bit of use trying to deceive me. What is it you are trying to conceal from me?”
(a) Why was John trying to deceive the speaker? Ans. John did not wish to frighten his wife by letting
her see the ghost.
(b) Whom was he trying to conceal?
Ans. He was trying to hide Helen, the ghost.
(c) What was John afraid of?
Ans. John thought that his wife would faint at the sight of the ghost.
6. “I sat staring at it and presently noticed something just taking shape. It was exactly like watching one of these moving picture cartoons being put together. ”
[C.B.S.E. 2012 (T-2)]
(a) What was the narrator staring it?
Ans. The narrator was staring at the woman standing before him.
(b) How was the figure talking shape?
Ans. The figure was taking shape gradually.
(c) Who was gradually taking a definite shape part by part?
Ans. A ghost, called Helen, was gradually taking a definite shape.