Discuss in groups and answer the following questions in two or three paragraphs (100–150 words)
1. Of the three, Jerome, George and Harris, who do you think is the best or worst packer? Support your answer with details from the text.
2. How did Montmorency ‘contribute’ to the packing?
3. Do you find this story funny? What are the humorous elements in it? (Pick out at least three, think about what happens, as well as how it is described.)
1. Of all the three of them, Jerome is the best packer. Both of them, harris and George usually messed up things. George stepped on the butter and Harris packed the strawberry jam or top of a tomato and smashed it. They were consistantly getting annoyed by Montmorency. Jerome took his time to pack the things but he was good at it. Harris and George would sometimes even kept things behind the time and then keep searching for it. They made everything like chaos.
2. The packing adventure was already a messed up job and Montmorency‘s contribution made it even more difficult and tiresome. He did his level best to be a perfect nuisance. He came and sat down on the things just when the things were about to be packed. He used to put his leg into the jam. He also did show off that the lemons were rats. So he got into the hamper and killed three of them before Harris could land him with the frying- pan.
3. Yes, this story is certainly funny. Not only this way in which the three friends pack for the trip quite amusingly, but also the way like the author narrates all the incidents is very entertaining and interesting.
- The first humorous element is when the author offers to pack George and Harris leave the whole task on them. Consequently, he has to do the packing although his true intention was to supervise the job.
- The second humorous element is when George placed the butter on the chair and Harris unknowingly sat on it and it got struck at his back. When they searched it for packing it was missing. They walk all round the room and at last George finds it on the Harris’s back.
- The third humorous element is that Montmorency squirms in where he didn't want. He wants somebody who stumble over him and curse him steadily for an hour. He also pretends that lemons were rats.
Popular Questions of Class 9 English - Beehive
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Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in the story? Give reasons for your answer.
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II. This story about a frightening incident is narrated in a humorous way. What makes it humorous? (Think of the contrasts it presents between dreams and reality. Some of them are listed below.)
1. (i) The kind of person the doctor is (money, possessions)
(ii) The kind of person he wants to be (appearance, ambition)2. (i) The person he wants to marry
(ii) The person he actually marries
3. (i) His thoughts when he looks into the mirror
(ii) His thoughts when the snake is coiled around his arm
Write short paragraphs on each of these to get your answer. - Q:-
When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break?
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I. Discuss in pairs and answer each question below in a short paragraph (30– 40 words).
1. How many characters are there in the narrative? Name them. (Don’t forget the dog!).
2. Why did the narrator (Jerome) volunteer to do the packing?
3. How did George and Harris react to this? Did Jerome like their reaction?
4. What was Jerome’s real intention when he offered to pack?
5. What did Harris say after the bag was shut and strapped? Why do you think he waited till then to ask?
6. What “horrible idea” occurred to Jerome a little later?
7. Where did Jerome finally find the toothbrush?
8. Why did Jerome have to reopen the packed bag?
9. What did George and Harris offer to pack and why?
10. While packing the hamper, George and Harris do a number of foolish and funny things. Tick the statements that are true.
(i) They started with breaking a cup.
(ii) They also broke a plate.
(iii) They squashed a tomato.
(iv) They trod on the butter.
(v) They stepped on a banana.
(vi) They put things behind them, and couldn’t find them.
(vii) They stepped on things.
(viii) They packed the pictures at the bottom and put heavy things on top.
(ix) They upset almost everything.
(x) They were very good at packing. - Q:-
Why did Margie hate school? Why did she think the old kind of school must have been fun?
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Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?
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II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words).
1. How did Santosh begin to climb mountains?
2. What incidents during the Everest expedition show Santosh’s concern for her team-mates?
3. What shows her concern for the environment?
4. How does she describe her feelings at the summit of the Everest?
5. Santosh Yadav got into the record books both times she scaled Mt Everest. What were the reasons for this? - Q:-
Now use these adverbs to fill in the blanks in the sentences below.
(i) The report must be read so that performance can be improved.
(ii) At the interview, Sameer answered our questions , shrugging his shoulders.
(iii) We all behave when we are tired or hungry.
(iv) The teacher shook her head when Ravi lied to her.
(v) I forgot about it.
(vi) When I complimented Revathi on her success, she just smiled and turned away.(vii) The President of the Company is busy and will not be able to meet you.
(viii) I finished my work so that I could go out to play. - Q:-
I. Answer these questions.
1. “At last a sympathetic audience.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does he say it?
(iii) Is he sarcastic or serious?
2. Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?
3. “I said it with bullets.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) What does it mean?
(iii) Is it the truth? What is the speaker’s reason for saying this?
4. What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.
5. “You’ll soon stop being smart.”
(i) Who says this?(ii) Why does the speaker say it?
(iii) What according to the speaker will stop Gerrard from being smart?
6. “They can’t hang me twice.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does the speaker say it?
7. “A mystery I propose to explain.” What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?
8. “This is your big surprise.”
(i) Where has this been said in the play?
(ii) What is the surprise? - Q:-
III. Answer the following questions in not more than 100–150 words each.
1. Compare and contrast the atmosphere in and around the Baudhnath shrine with the Pashupatinath temple.
2. How does the author describe Kathmandu’s busiest streets?
3. “To hear any flute is to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind.” Why does the author say this?
Recently Viewed Questions of Class 9 English - Beehive
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Read this sentence taken from the story:
They had once taken Tommy’s teacher away for nearly a month because the history sector had blanked out completely. The word complete is an adjective. When you add –ly to it, it becomes an adverb.
1. Find the sentences in the lesson which have the adverbs given in the box below.awfully sorrowfully completely loftily
carefully differently quickly nonchalantly - Q:-
From the text on Bismillah Khan, find the words and phrases that match these definitions and write them down. The number of the paragraph where you will find the words/phrases has been given for you in brackets.
1. the home of royal people (1)_______
2. the state of being alone (5)_______
3. a part which is absolutely necessary (2)________4. to do something not done before (5)____
5. without much effort (13)____
6. quickly and in large quantities (9)_______and - Q:-
Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.?
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What things about the book did she find strange?
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III. Tick the right answer.
1. When something is revived, it (remains dead/lives again).
2. When a government bans something, it wants it (stopped/started).
3. When something is considered auspicious, (welcome it/avoid it).
4. When we take to something, we find it (boring/interesting).
5. When you appreciate something, you (find it good and useful/find it of no use).
6. When you replicate something, you do it (for the first time/for the second time).
7. When we come to terms with something, it is (still upsetting/no longerupsetting). - Q:-
Do you agree with Margie that schools today are more fun than the school in the story? Give reasons for your answer.
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Had Margie ever seen a book before?
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I. Answer these questions in one or two words or in short phrases.
1. Name the two temples the author visited in Kathmandu.
2. The writer says, “All this I wash down with Coca Cola.” What does ‘all this’ refer to?
3. What does Vikram Seth compare to the quills of a porcupine?
4. Name five kinds of flutes. - Q:-
Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi?
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II. Answer each question in a short paragraph.
1. What difference does the author note between the flute seller and the other hawkers?
2. What is the belief at Pashupatinath about the end of Kaliyug?
3. The author has drawn powerful images and pictures. Pick out three examples each of
(i) the atmosphere of ‘febrile confusion’ outside the temple of Pashupatinath (for example:some people trying to get the priest’s attention are elbowed aside...)
(ii) the things he sees
(iii) the sounds he hears
- NCERT Chapter