Class Test: 01- Class 10-solution

1. The most important quality of Lencho is faith in God and hopefulness.

2. ‘Draped’ means covered.

3. The word ‘ox’ suggests that Lencho is strongly built.

4. The National Anthem sung by the blacks is Die Stem.

5. ‘Profound hurt’ in Nelson Mandela means wound caused by apartheid.

6. ‘The Black Aeroplane’is was written by Frederick Forsyth.

7. The pilot of the Dakota was instructed by Paris Control Room to turn 12 degrees.

8. Mrs. Kuperus was Anne’s teacher when she was in the sixth.

9. 'Ingenuity’ means skill.

10. The ‘Crow’ and the ‘Hemlock Tree’ represents sorrow and evil.

11. ‘Snow’ in the “Dust of Snow” is symbolically used for a change of mood.

12. ‘Ice’ in the “Fire and Ice” is symbolically used for destruction.

13. The tiger walks in the cage stalking.

14. ‘The world of Possession’ means world of materialism.

15. Rapunzel was kept in a high tower by a witch.

16. Tricki is a dog.

17. ‘Lumbago’ is muscular pain.

18. “The Lucknow Express” is mentioned in The Thief’s Story.

19. Ausable knew German, French, and American.

20. The poetic device in the lines “He stalks in the vivid stripes” and “but he locked in a concrete cell” is alliteration.

It is because in the first line the letter s (consonant sound) is repeated. In the second line, the letter c  (consonant sound) is repeated.

A Question of Trust: ncert solution Class - 10

Read and find out.

What does Horace Danby like to collect?

Ans: As Horace Danby is fond of reading rare and expensive books, so he likes to collect the same.

Why does he steal every year?

Ans:  He steals every year to meet his expenses to purchase expensive and rare books.

Who is speaking to Horace Danby?

And: A lady posing as an actual mistress of the house is speaking to Horace Danby.

Who is the real culprit in the story?

Ans: The lady who poses as landlady before Horace Danby is the real culprit in the story.

Think about it: page- 25

1. Did you begin to suspect, before the end of the story, that the lady was not the person Horace Danby took her to be?

Ans: Yes, I begin to suspect that the lady was not the person that Horace Danby took her to be. It is because she said, “I have always liked the wrong kind of person”. She also added that she would let him go if he was ready to do something for her in the absence of her husband.

2. What are the subtle ways in which the lady manages to deceive Horace Danby into thinking she is the lady of the house? Why doesn’t Horace suspect that something is wrong?

Ans: The subtle ways in which the lady manages to deceive Horace Danby are as follows:

(i)She spoke to him with full confidence.

(ii)She smiles while she was speaking to Horace Danby.

(iii)She threatened him by reminding about ‘prison’.

(iv)Her posing as landlady is extraordinary.

In short, these are the reasons why Horace Danby does not suspect that something is wrong.

3. “Horace Danby was good and respectful – but not completely honest”. Why do you think this description is apt for Horace? Why can’t he be categorized as a typical thief?

Ans: Horace Danby was a good and respectful person by his profession, but it is true that he was not completely honest. It is because he used to steal at least once a year which is never considered to be a deed of an honest man. He cannot be categorized as a thief because he was not a professional one. He was a thief for the time being.

4. Horace Danby was a meticulous planner but still he faltered. Where did he go wrong and why?

Ans: Horace Danby was a meticulous planner, but he faltered because of the following reasons:

(i)He was trapped by the sweet and smiling voice of the lady present in the house.

(ii)He thought that the house was empty, but he found a lady introducing boldly herself as landlady.

(iii) She threatens Horace boldly by reminding him about the prison.

(iv) Danby was in hurry to leave the house, so he did not study the lady carefully.

(v) Had he studies the lady properly he would have been successful in his mission.

Talk about it: Page -25

1. Do you think Horace Danby was unfairly punished, or that he deserved what he got?

Ans: I don’t think Horace Danby was unfairly punished. I think, he deserved what he got. It is because stealing is in any way illegal work. Illegal activities lead to punishment, and so he got it. He would not have been tricked by an unknown thief if he did not go to the house to commit theft.

2. Do intention justify actions? Would you, like Horace Danby, do something wrong if you thought your ends justified the means? Do you think that there are situations in which it is excusable to act less than honesty?

Ans: I do believe that intention justify actions in almost all the cases. Sometimes it happens that the speaker speaks just opposite of what he/she is going to do. It means the intention of the speaker remains a mystery. In the story it is seen that the lady said every thing opposite of what she was going to do. Now at this point one cannot make out the intention of the speaker because it is completely hidden. One can make up an intention with the help of the statement made by an honest man. But still, I believe that there are situations concerned with safety and security of someone’s life and property, in which it is excusable to act less than honesty.

The Midnight Visitor: ncert solution Class 10

Think about It: Page- 18

Read and find out.

How is Ausable different from other secret agents?

Ans: Ausable is completely different from other secret agents. It is because he lives like an ordinary man. Fowler expected Ausable to be an extraordinary secret agent, but when he met him in a dark French hotel with an ordinary telephone, he does not believe his eyes. Ausable looks like an ordinary fat man who speaks French and German with a slight American accent. He does not have a cap and costumes which can differ him from the general folks.

Who is Fowler and what is his first authentic thrill of the day?

Ans: Of course, Fowler is a writer. He wanted to get some pieces of information about the smart espionage of Ausable to write for his publication. Fowler during the conversation, witnessed Ausable outwitting a criminal in a very simple way. So he got what he wanted to get for his writing. The very that was his first thrill of the day.

1.“Ausable did not fit any description for a secret agent Fowler had ever read.” What do secret agents in books and films look like, in your opinion? Discuss in groups or in class some stories or film featuring spies, detectives, and secret agents, and compare their appearance with that of Ausable in this story.(You may mention characters from fiction in languages other than English. In English fiction, you may have come across Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, or Miss Marple. Have you watched any film featuring James Bond?

Ans: In my opinion, secret agents in books and film are costumed differently which differs them from ordinary people. But in real life, the secret agents try to be secret. This is the reason why they want to look like ordinary people. They sometimes change their uniform according to the situation that suits them to detect something. In this way, they don’t let their work be affected.

I know one of the stories concerned with a CID officer. He was informed that a girl was driving to Nepal with 4 kg of gold. She was stopped on the Gandhi Setu near Hazipur. The CID officer searched for the gold but got nothing. Again, he was informed that she had 4 kg of gold with her. On the way to Jogbani, near Nepal, she was stopped by the police. The Police Inspector of that area took the Name Plate of her Ambassador Car and burnt it on fire. Now the gold was detected. It really weighed four kg.

2. How does Ausable manage to make Max believe that there is a balcony attached to his room? Look back at his detailed description of it. What makes it a convincing story?

Ans: As Ausable sees Max with an automatic pistol, he crafts an idea to outwit him. He says that he will complain to the management about the misuse of the balcony attached to his room. He wants to blame Max for entering through the balcony.

In the meantime when the waiter started knocking on the door, Ausable crafted another idea by saying said that he had informed the police to verify the important paper which some important people wanted to get. Max is afraid of the police and wants to take shelter on the balcony (which was not made at all). In this way, Ausable manages to make Max believe that there is a balcony attached to his room.

3. Looking back at the story, when do you think Ausable thought up his plan for getting rid of Max? Do you think he had worked out his plan in detail right from the beginning? Or did he make up a plan taking advantage of events as they happened?

Ans: When Ausable saw Max with an automatic pistol in his hand, he thought up his plan for getting rid of him. I think he had not worked out his plan in detail right from the beginning. It was just his presence of mind. He planned then and there taking advantage of the events as they happened.

Talk about It:

1. In this story, Ausable shows great ‘presence of mind’, or the ability to think quickly and act calmly and wisely, in a situation of danger and surprise. Give examples from your own experience, or narrate a story, which shows someone’s presence of mind.

Ans:  I have experience of using the presence of mind. There was a mad man. He used to stay the whole day with a large bamboo stick in his hand, at the temple situated in my village. He used to say that he was on police duty and forgot that he was a retired teacher of a Primary School. One day, I along with my cousins was playing at the campus of the temple. All of a sudden he came to me and told me that I was under custody. Everybody ran away from the campus, but I was caught by the mad man. I was afraid of his bamboo stick. Forcefully by holding my hand he brought me to my grandfather complaining that I was playing at the campus of the temple which is not made for playing. During his useless conversation, I fled from there and got rid of the man.

2. Discuss what would you do in the situations described below. Remember that presence of mind comes out of a state of mental preparedness. If you have thought about possible problems or dangers, and about how to act in such situations, you have a better chance of dealing with such situations if they do arise.

(i)  A small fire starts in your kitchen.

Ans: If a small fire starts in my kitchen I must try to use the extinguisher.

(ii)  A child starts to chock on a piece of food.

Ans: If a child starts to chock on a piece of food, his back should slowly be thumped so that the food should be thrown out from his throat.

(iii)  An electrical appliance starts to hiss and gives out sparks.

Ans: If an electrical appliance starts to hiss and gives out sparks, the circuit should be taken out to stop the current. And then appliances should be changed.

(iv)  A bicycle knocks down a pedestrian.

Ans: If a bicycle knocks down a pedestrian, he should be looked after carefully and if the case rises serious, he should soon be taken to the doctor for his proper treatment.

(v)  It rains continuously for more than twenty-four hours.

Ans: If it rains continuously for more than twenty-four hours, we should leave the ground floor. Necessary foods and medicines must be kept in a safe place which may be useful in case of a flood.

(vi)  A member of your family does not return home at the usual or expected time.

Ans: If a member of my family does not return home at the usual or expected time, he should be talked to over the phone. If there is no reply, his friends, or his colleagues must be contacted immediately. At last, police should be informed to look into the matter.

The Thief's Story: ncert solution Class 10

Think about it.   Page-13

1. What are Hari Singh’s reactions to the prospect of receiving an education? What makes him return to Anil?

Ans: In the beginning, the reactions of Hari Singh to the prospect of receiving an education were concerned with money. He thought to earn money by showing himself to be a literate man. That is why he wanted to learn a few words to form a whole sentence.

Later his thought changed into an expectation of receiving a real education. He thought that earning money without honor or respect was not at all appreciable. So his thought underwent a change. Now he wants to be a respected man of a respected society. His thought about reality made him return to Anil.

2. Why does not Anil hand the thief over to the police? Do you think most people would have done so? In what way is Anil different from such employers?

Ans: I think, Anil is a generous man. He was able to make out the circumstances and the situation in which Hari Singh lay. Also, he knew that his cook has a spark for improvement. So, he did not hand over the thief to the police. Instead, he paid him sympathy over his deplorable condition. It rarely happens that returns back to his master after stealing him. But Anil’s cook returns to him and proved that he had the potential to be improved and reformed.

Most of the people would have handed the thief over to the police, but Anil did not do so. It is because he wanted Hari Singh to be changed into a clever and respected person in society.

Talk about It. Page – 13

1. Do you think people like Anil and Hari Singh are found only in fiction, or are there such people in real life?

Ans: No. I don’t think that people like Anil and Hari Singh are found only in fiction. They are found in real life also.

2. Do you think it is a significant detail in the story that Anil is a struggling writer? Does this explain his behavior in any way?

Ans: Of course, Anil is a struggling writer. It is because his earnings vary from time to time. He is a generous and sympathetic character in the story. His extraordinary views regarding individual reformation are appreciable. He wants the needy to be facilitated properly so that the needy remain self-contained.

3. Have you met anyone like Hari Singh? Can you think and imagine the circumstances that can turn a fifteen-year-old boy into a thief?

Ans: Yes, I have met a boy like Hari Singh. He was deputed to help us in our household work during the absence of my family members. Just after a week, he started crying in the washroom while he was washing clothes. My mother wanted to know about what had happened. He showed two five hundred notes completely wet and torn during his washing of the clothes. He was told not to worry. It is because my mother thought that it was done by mistake. But all of a sudden the boy said it was his money. Then and there my mother called his father and asked him why he had given his son a thousand rupees. But he refused to have done so. Ultimately he told his father that he had stolen that money from the locker in the absence of my mother. His father started beating him severely, but my mother saved the boy from being beaten. We came to know that the boy was a victim of his circumstances created by poverty.

4. Where is the story set? Which language or languages are spoken in these places? Do you think the characters in the story spoke to each other in English?

Ans: The Lucknow Express and The Jumna Sweet Shop indicate that the story is set in Delhi, the Capital city of India. Delhi, as I know, is a cosmopolitan city. And so, various languages, such as Hindi, Bengali, Marathi are spoken here.

I don’t think the characters spoke in English to each other. Nowadays, some words are borrowed from different languages, always used by both literates and illiterates. By using the words people even don’t know to which language a particular word belongs. So, I can say, people use the words of common use, without any detailed knowledge of a language.

A Triumph of Surgery: ncert solution Class 10

                      A Triumph of Surgery Page (1 & 3)

Read and find out

1. Why is Mrs. Pumphrey worried about Tricki?

Ans: Mrs. Pumphrey is worried about her dog Tricki which is fat and sick. Its eyes are turned red and its tongue is out of its jaws. She thinks to call a veterinary doctor to diagnose her dog.

2. What does she do to help him? Is she wise in this?

Ans: She calls a veterinary doctor Mr. Herriot to treat her dog. It is because her dog was unwell and required to be treated very soon. Yes, she is wise in this connection, because she calls a veterinary doctor to check up on the dog.

3. Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?

Ans:’I’ refers to the veterinary doctor Mr. Herriot.

4. Is the narrator as rich as Tricki’s mistress?

Ans: No. Tricki’s mistress is richer than the (narrator) doctor.

5. How does he treat the dog?

Ans: He treats the dog very well and properly. He keeps the dog under his keen and careful observation for a little longer. He observed the dog by reducing the quantity of food and providing a good (balanced) diet. The progress is seen in the health of the dog when it starts taking interest in the surroundings out of his surgery.

6. Why is he tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest?

Ans: Mrs. Pumphrey starts providing some nutrition for her dog. The quantity of food was much more than the dog could consume during its treatment. The staff of the surgery used to eat the rest of the food and wine. He thought that if the dog is kept permanently in the surgery, Pumphrey will be providing the dog's food on regular basis. This is the reason why he was tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest.

7. Why does Mrs. Pumphrey think the dog’s recovery is “a triumph of Surgery”?

Ans: Mrs. Pumphrey’s dog was cured in the surgery under strict observation and care. She was very happy with the doctor and the staff of the hospital. So Pumphrey thinks the dog’s recovery is “a triumph of Surgery(hospital)”.

Think about it

1. What kind of person do you think the veterinary Surgeon, is? Would you say he is tactful as well as full of common sense?

Ans: I think the narrator, a veterinary surgeon has a good thought. It seems he is very careful of his job, in the same way, he has developed a skill to get benefits from the provided opportunities. He is a tactful person because he has used his tactics to keep the dog a little longer to get benefits. But his tactics were used very smartly which was beyond the level of Pumphrey to understand.

2. Do you think Tricki was happy to go home? What do you think will happen now?

Ans: Yes, I think Tricky was happy to go home. It is seen in its conduct. Tricky jumped into Pumphrey’s lap. The dog starts licking her face with the utmost affection and excitement.

I think Tricki will be fed much more than it can consume for its energy. As a result, it will visit once more to the veterinary doctor to be cured.

3. Do you think this is a real-life episode or mere fiction? Or is it a mixture of both?

Ans: After going through the story it seems to me that it is a real-life episode, but if I think very deeply, it comes to me that some facts concerned with the episode are unreal. It is because Mrs. Pumphrey is a not a mad lady, she is able to understand every instruction and consent of the surgeon. She must be careful of her dog’s diet and health. So I think this is a mixture of both fact and fiction.

Think About It

1. This episode describes the silly behavior of a rich woman who is foolishly indulgent, perhaps because she is lonely. Do you think such people are merely silly, or can their actions cause harm to others?

Ans: It is a fact that loneliness sometimes compels a person to behave differently. It does not mean he /she will turn into a foolish fellow. Pumphrey is lonely, and so she loves the dog more than it is proper. Thinking that her dog will remain very strong and healthy by over-feeding, she provided nutritious food in good quantity. Consequently, she causes great trouble to her dog. The dog was sent to the hospital for proper treatment. The vet also suggested she reduce the quantity of the food. So it is clear that such actions can cause great harm to others.

2. Do you think there are also parents like Pumphrey?

Ans: There are so many parents who think their children to be healthy and strong by over-feeding. They prefer quantity to quality. This is the reason why their children have to pay a routine visits to the doctors.

3. What would you have done if you were (i) a member of the staff in Mrs. Pumphrey’s household? (ii) a neighbor? What would your life have been, in general?

Ans: If I were a member of the staff in Mrs. Pumphrey I would have suggested her feed the dog as much as it is proper for a dog to be active and healthy.

Had I been a neighbor of Pumphrey I would have made her understand that the quality of food is more important than the quantity of the same. Quantity sometimes troubles the dog whereas quality helps the dog improve its health.

My life would have been fit and fine along with the health of the dog and its mistress. It is because I would have got success in making her understand the importance of a balanced diet.

4. What would you have done if you were in the narrator’s place?

Ans: If I were in the narrator’s place I would have treated the dog properly and would have made Pumphrey understand the importance of a balanced diet. I would have suggested to her how illness is caused by providing foods in a great quantity. I believe that I would have conveyed to her that the quality of food is far greater than the quantity of the same.