Karnataka Class 10 English Solutions Prose Chapter 1 A Hero
Karnataka Class 10 English Solutions Prose Chapter 1 A Hero
A Hero Questions and Answers, Notes, Summary
Question 1.
Swami’s father drew his attention to a report in the newspaper. What was the report about?
Answer:
The report was about the bravery of a village lad. When he was returning home in the jungle path suddenly a tiger came. He faced the tiger and climbed up the tree and stayed half a day. Afterwards, some people came that way and killed the tiger.
Question 2.
The report said that the boy (who fought with the tiger) stayed on the tree for half-a-day. Why did he do so ? (Choose the right answer)
a. He wanted to watch the tiger from the top of a tree.
b. He wanted someone to kill the tiger.
c. He wanted to take rest for some time.
Answer:
b. He wanted someone to kill the tiger.
Question 3.
Swami said that a very strong and grown-up person might have fought with a tiger. Do you think he made this remark out of his
(a) experience
(b) wisdom
(c) belief? (Choose the most appropriate word)
Answer:
(c) belief?
Question 4.
“Can you prove you have courage ?” Swami’s father said (Answer the following questions )
a) Was he joking? or, serious?
b) Was it a challenge? or, a command?
Answer:
a. He was serious. This we can easily surmise from his insistence on Swami sleeping alone in the office room.
b. It was both a challenge and a command. He challenged Swami to prove that he had courage as his stand was that even if one is small and doesn’t have the strength of a grown-up if one has courage, one can defeat his adversary (opponent). It was a command also as he wouldn’t accept a ‘no’ for an answer from Swami.
Question 5.
The place where Swami usually slept was ______ (Fill in the blank)
Answer:
beside his granny.
Question 6.
What is disgraceful, according to Swami’s father?
Answer:
According to Swami’s father, though his son was grown up and in the second form still he was sleeping beside his granny like a baby.
Share your Responses :
Question 1.
What do you think was the practice of granny before she went to bed?
Answer:
As usual, granny was loving her grandson and used to tell stories, patting him, taking care and showered her love.
Question 2.
Was Swami really sleeping? Or was he pretending?
Answer:
Swami was not really sleeping, he was only pretending.
Question 3.
To Swami, his father looked like a ________ (Fill in the blank)
Answer:
apparition.
Question 4.
Why do you think Swami looked at his granny and his mother while following his father to the room?
Answer:
Swami looked at his granny and his mother because he hoped that they would come to his rescue and ask his father not to compel Swami to sleep in the office room.
Question 5.
“There might be scorpions before your law books”. Said Swami.
a) Had he seen them earlier? Or were there scorpions really?
Answer:
Swami might or might not have seen scorpions. From the story, we cannot make out whether he uses this as an excuse to escape sleeping in the office room or whether he had actually seen scorpions. However, since he uses the word ‘might be’ while referring to scorpions behind the law books, we can conclude that he was just using scorpions as an excuse not to sleep in the office room.
b) Was it a trick to escape from his father? (Answer all the questions)
Answer:
Yes, absolutely it was a trick to escape from his father.
Share your Responses :
Question 1.
Swami wished that the tiger hadn’t spared the boy, which means ________ (Choose the right answer)
a) he didn’t want the boy to be alive.
b) he didn’t want the tiger to be alive
Answer:
a) he didn’t want the boy to be alive.
Question 2.
As silence deepened in the room, what was Swami reminded of?
Answer:
As silence deepened in the room, Swami was reminded of all the stories of devils and ghosts he had heard from his chum Mani and the stories about Munisami’s father and his fourth class friend who had been carried off by a ghost.
Question 3.
Which place in the room did Swami think was safe compact and reassuring?
Answer:
Swami.thought that it would be safe, compact, and reassuring under the bench.
Question 4.
Swami touched _______ in the room instead of granny, (fill in the blank appropriately)
Answer:
The wooden leg of the bench
Question 5.
Swami saw a moving creature in the room. It was ________ (Fill in the blank)
a) his shadow?
b) a scorpion?
c) a man?
Answer:
c) a man?
Share your Responses :
Question 1.
Who cried, “Aiyo! Something has bitten me ?”
Answer:
The burglar cried, “Aiyo! Something has bitten me.
Question 2.
Who did father, cook and a servant stumble upon?
Answer:
Father, cook, and a servant stumbled upon the burglar who lay amidst the furniture.
Question 3.
Why were congratulations showered on Swami?
Answer:
Congratulations were showered on Swami because unknowingly he helped to catch the most notorious house-breakers of the district.
Question 4.
Do you think Swami realty wanted to join the police? If not, what did he want to be ?
Answer:
No, Swami, was not interested to join the police. He wanted to become an engine driver, railway guard or a bus conductor.
Question 5.
Did Swami muster up the courage to sleep alone after the burglar’s incident?
Answer:
No, Swami did not have so much courage to sleep alone even after the burglar’s incident.
Question 6.
Who supported Swami? His mother or his granny.
Answer:
His mother supported him.
Think About The Text
Question 1.
A report about a boy in the newspaper was an unexpected event in Swami’s life. Justify.
Answer:
Yes. If his father hadn’t read about the bravery of the village boy, he wouldn’t have started comparing Swami with him. He wouldn’t have challenged Swami to show his bravery. It is unfortunate for Swami that such a rare incident takes place and gets reported in the newspaper and catches the attention of Swami’s father. Yes, indeed, the report about the boy in the newspaper was an unexpected event in Swami’s life.
Question 2.
Swami made a comment on the newspaper report. Was he right? How did his view differ from that of his father?
Answer:
Swami made a comment on the newspaper report. No, he was not right. But according to his belief, to face the tiger and fight with it means definitely he should be grown up. Swamistrength and age are important to fight but Swami’s father’s view was different. To support his view, he gave an example such as ‘A man may have the strength of an elephant and yet be a coward if he doesn’t fight at all whereas another may have the strength of the straw but if he has courage he can do anything. Courage is everything, strength and age are not important.
Question 3.
What desperate attempts did Swami make to escape from his father?
Answer:
When Swami’s father challenged him to sleep alone, Swami hoped that he was only joking. He mumbled ‘Yes’ weakly and tried to change the subject by talking about his cricket club. Swami, who was terrified of sleeping alone, tried desperately to make his father change his mind. First of all he tried to change the topic by speaking to his father about the new bats and balls and the decision of his cricket club to admit even elders.
When his father kept to his decision, he tried to postpone the date by promising to sleep alone from the first of the coming month. Next, he pretended to have fallen asleep next to his granny, with the blanket covering his face. But, when his father pulled the blanket away and ordered him to sleep alone, as the last request, he pleaded with his father to allow him to sleep in the hall instead of the office room. But all these attempts turned out to be futile as his father remained resolute in his decision.
Question 4.
Why did Swami conclude that his father’s proposition was frightful?
Answer:
Swami had a habit of sleeping beside his granny. He was afraid of sleeping alone. In this condition, Swami concluded that his father’s proposition (suggestion) was frightful.
Question 5.
As the night advanced, Swami felt that something terrible would happen to him. What would it be? How would it happen?
Answer:
When he was in the office-room at night, he remembered all the devil and ghost stories. His friend Mani had seen the devil in the banyan tree, Muniswami’s father spat out blood, his thoughts linked like a chain. Swami thought that something terrible would happen to him. The ghost may come and carry him away. All these thoughts made him faint.
Question 6.
There was absolute silence in the room. In spite of it, some noises reached Swami’s ears. What were they?
Answer:
The different kinds of noises that reached his ears added to Swami’s fear. In the stillness of the night, even usual sounds added to Swami’s nervousness. The ticking of the clock, the rustle of trees, snoring sounds, and the humming sound of the night were the different sounds that reached Swami’s ears in the stillness of the night.
Question 7.
Narrate Swami’s dreadful experience when he was lying under the bench.
Answer:
Though Swami fell asleep when he slept under the bench, he was troubled by nightmares. He dreamt of a tiger chasing him, and his inability to escape as his feet were stuck to the ground and wouldn’t move. The tiger was at his back and he could hear the claws scratching the ground. There was also a loud thud. Swami desperately tried to open his eyes, but couldn’t. Finally, when he opened his eyes, he realized that he wasn’t next to his granny. In this wakeful state, he was in for another horror. He could sense something moving down, ‘ and he thought it was the devil that had come to take him. In his desperation, he hugged it with all his strength and bit into it.
Question 8.
How was Swami honoured by classmates, teachers, and the headmaster?.
Answer:
Swami became a hero in one night. The next day morning congratulations were showered on him. His classmates looked at him with great respect. His teachers patted his back and felt very proud of him. The Headmaster praised him as he was a real scout. Even the police were grateful to him for it.
Question 9.
Why did the father want Swami to sleep alone in the office room?
Answer:
Father wanted Swami to sleep atone in the office-room to prove courage is everything. According to Swami, age and strength were more important in adventurous tasks. But in Swami’s father’s view, the strength and age were not so important, courage is all. To prove Swami had also courage, he should sleep alone in the office room.
Question 10.
Who do you think was wiser, Swami or his father? Justify your preference.
Answer:
According to the prose Swami was wiser. Swami was afraid of darkness and loneliness when he saw something was moving he felt that his end had come. He assumed that the devil would pull him and tear him. So why should he wait ? As it came nearer he crawled out from the bench, hugged it and used his teeth like a mortal weapon. This shows at the time of emergency, he used his wisdom. By this act he helped to catch the notorious burglar. So we can justify that Swami was wiser.
Question 11.
Why did Swami feel relieved at the end?
Answer:
When their father returned home from the club that night, he asked his wife about Swami. Swami as usual slept beside his granny. Father thought that Swami slept before he could return home to avoid him. So he said that he was very clever. For that mother lost her temper and supported Swami and said that he can sleep wherever he likes, there is no need to take such a risk to his life again. Father mumbled that if Swami was spoiled there is no blame on his side, By hearing this conversation Swami felt relieved at the end.
Question 12.
Suppose you are Swami of the story. Write a brief letter to your friend describing how you helped to catch a burglar in your house.
Malgudi
10th April 2017
From,
Swami
Second form
Malgudi
To,
Raju
S/o Muniswamy
2nd Cross, Vidyanagar
Madurai.
My dear Raju,
How are you? I am fine and my parents too. My granny asks you often. How is your school and friends, I hope you are also fine there.
Last week my dad ordered me to sleep in his office-room alone. You know that till today I sleep beside my granny. I was afraid very much, but I had to obey my dad. I slept alone in his office-room. When I was asleep, I heard a sound, I got up and saw that there was something moving towards me. I hugged it and bite with all my strength. There was a cry, by hearing the cry, my dad, servant and family members came and caught the person. To our surprise he was a notorious burglar, like this I helped to catch the burglar though it was not my intention.
I am expecting your early reply, convey my regards to your family members.
Your loving friend
Swami
Question 13.
Some words describing the characters of the story ‘A Hero’ are given in brackets. Put them in these columns appropriately. (Caring, protective, innocent, tricky, authoritative, disciplined, helpless, nervous)
| Swami’s father | Mother | Granny | Swami |
Answer:
| Swami’s father | Mother | Granny | Swami |
| disciplined authoritative |
caring protective |
innocent | tricky helpless nervous |
Enrich Your Vocabulary:
Task – 1: Homophones – Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and different spellings. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.
Question 1.
We had _______ many
apples to carry, (too/two)
Answer:
too.
Question 2.
I ______ a horse at the Marina Beach, (road/rode)
Answer:
rode
Question 3.
Did you have a _______ for lunch ? (pear/pair)
Answer:
pear
Question 4.
The books are over _______ on the shelf, (their / there)
Answer:
there
Task – 2: Fill in the blanks by choosing the appropriate word and complete the story.
This is a _______ (storey / story) told by a (night / knight). Once he received a letter. When he _______ (red / read) it _____ (through’ / threw), he could not believe his own eyes. _______ (Far / For), it was written (buy / by) none other than the queen of the land. She asked him to meet her _______ (at / yet) a secret place. The knight was in a fix. But he thought _______ (of / off) a plan to tide over this problem. He _______ (vent/ went) to the meeting place, not alone, but along with his _______ (fair/fare) wife. Can you guess what happened then ?
Answer:
Story, knight, read, through, for, by, at, of went, fair..
Task – 3: Scramble the letters to form words. See the meaning clues in brackets.
Question 1.
a t r t e f l _______ (praise)
Answer:
flatter
Question 2.
b o u d t ________ (suspect)
Answer:
doubt
Question 3.
r a g t e d y _______ (unhappy ending)
Answer:
tragedy
Question 4.
r a g f e n m t _______ (a piece)
Ans
fragment
Question 5.
r a e 11 ______ (careful)
Answer:
alert
Question 6.
c a c s r i y t _______ (short supply)
Answer:
scarcity
Question 7.
y m t s a t h p e i c _______ (not cruel)
Answer:
sympathetic
Listen And Comprehend
I once took part in a drama. I wanted to tell my co-actor ‘stars were twinkling, dogs were barking, and a thief broke the wall and took away the clock. ’ But when I went on stage I said, ‘stars were barking, dogs were twinkling, and the thief broke the clock and took away the wall ’. The audience had a great laugh. That day onwards I decided not to go on stage.
Answer the following:
Question 1.
Why do you think the audience, on hearing the dialogue, burst into laughter?
Answer:
Because the actor said the dialogue in the wrong way, it was like a joke, So they burst into laughter.
Question 2.
Try to repeat the words as delivered by the actor
Answer:
Do it practically, (for student).
Question 3.
If you had been the actor, how would you have said it?
Answer:
If I had been the actor, I would have practiced correctly and delivered the dialogue effectively.
Read And Respond
Task – 1: A man went to an astrologer.
Astrologer: Come to my child, your name is Suraj Khanna.
Khanna: Yes, indeed!
Astrologer: You have two sons and two daughters.
Khanna: How true!
Astrologer: You bought four kilos of sugar and five kilos of rice yesterday, and there are five members of your household remaining after your parents passed away.
Khanna: I am impressed. But can you tell me about my future?
Astrologer: Okay then. Come back with your horoscope booklet tomorrow. And, here, take your ration card back.
Answer the questions below :
Question 1.
Mr. Khanna was surprised at the astrologer’s prediction. What made him feel so?
Answer:
When Mr. Khanna went to an astrologer, the astrologer said the truth without asking any question. All statements were true. So he was very much impressed and felt surprised. But Mr. Khanna didn’t know that all the details were in his ration card not by the predictions of an astrologer.
Question 2.
Why wasn’t the astrologer able to predict Mr. Khanna’s future?
Answer:
The astrologer didn’t have Mr. Khanna’s horoscope so he was not able to predict his future.
Question 3.
In the conversation given above, who do you think has better common sense?
Answer:
In the above conversation, I think that the astrologer has a better common sense.
Task – 2: My brother, an Army doctor, was part of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Congo. At the end of the one year term, his Congolese commander awarded hint a letter of merit that ended with “______ and he worked hard to restore normalcy to the region”.
Which word in the passage above gives the opposite meaning of what was meant to be said?
The word in the passage above which gives the opposite meaning is ‘Hardly’. It is written “ ______ and he worked hard to restore normalcy to the region” “hardly” here gives the meaning that the army doctor ‘almost not’ worked to restore normally in the region.
The correct word, therefore, should be ‘hard’, which means ‘a great deal of effort’. The correct sentence, therefore, is _______ and he worked ‘hard’ to restore normalcy to the region”.
Task – 3: Look at the cartoon. Interpret it orally with your partner. What is funny as shown in the cartoon?
A man is seen entering the lift. He appears tired and sleepy. Instead of pressing the ‘floor button’ on the lift’s console he is seen pressing the lift man’s coat button.
Learn Grammar Through Communication
Use Of Modals :
Some sentences are given below:
a. Rewrite them beginning with ‘the clue’ given in brackets
b. Identify the language function. One example is given.
e.g: Is it all right if I sit here?
(Begin with ‘could …………..’)
Function. Seeking permission.
Sentence is rewritten:
Could I sit here?
Question 1.
Please return my library books.
Being with ‘will _____
Answer:
Function request.
Question 2.
The files are heavy I ’ll carry them for you. Being with ‘would’ ______
Answer:
Function seeking permission.
Question 3.
That’s your essay. Perhaps you have no objection if I see it. Being with ‘May ______
Answer:
Function Seeking permission.
Question 4.
Let me switch on the fen, OK? Being with ‘Do you _____
Answer:
Function seeking permission.
Question 5.
‘Bring the books to my office’ Being with ‘would _________ Function order
Answers:
1. Will you return my library books?
2. Would you let me carry the files for you?
3. May I see you essay?
4. Do you want me to switch on the fan?
5. Would you bring the books to my office?
Task – 3 : With the help of a dictionary, find out what you can understand about the following words.
1. cheque and check as nouns.
cheque = A written order to a bank to pay money from a bank account to another person.
Check = a sudden stop
a restraint
a test of correctness/accuracy
a square [eq. on a draughtboard]
a pattern of squares
Check-in and check out = to record the arrival and departure.
2. hire and rent as verbs.
hire = to give or get the use of by paying money.
rent = to pay rent for things, house, building, shop etc.,
A Hero Additional Questions and Answers
Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1.
‘A Hero’ is the lesson written by
a) R.K. Narayan
b) K. R. Raja Rao
c) T.R Kailasam
d) Saki
Answer:
a) R.K. Narayan
Question 2.
R.K. Narayan is widely considered to be the greatest English language
a) Writer
b) Poet
c) Novelist
d) Short story writer
Answer:
c) Novelist
Question 3.
R.K. Narayan was nominated to
a) Lok Sabha
b) Rajya Sabha
c) Vidhana Sabha
d) Parliament
Answer:
b) Rajya Sabha
Question 4.
R.K. Narayan’s which novel was adapted for film
a) The Bachelor of Arts
b) The English Teacher
c) A Hero
d) The Guide
Answer:
c) A Hero
Question 5.
R.K. Narayan’s fictional South Indian Town was
a) Bangalore
b)Malgudi
c) Chennai
d) Madurai
Answer:
b) Malgudi
Question 6.
For Swami, Events took a turn.
a) imaginary
b) expected
c) unexpected
d) usual
Answer:
c) unexpected
Question 7.
The paragraph of the newspaper described
a) tiger
b) people
c) bravery
d) the fight, the boy had with the tiger
Answer:
d) the fight, the boy had with the tiger
Question 8.
The opposite of courage is
a) courageous
b) discourage
c) coward
d) encourage
Answer:
c) coward
Question 9.
The meaning of a proposition is
a) suggestion
b) position
c) fight
d) decision
Answer:
a) suggestion
Question 10.
Chum means
a) Classmate
b) friend
c) foe
d) a good friend
Answer:
d) a good friend
Question 11.
The one word for ‘to make someone feel calm ’.
a) reassure
b) rearrange
c) recover
d) reappear
Answer:
a) reassure
Question 12.
The one word for ‘to make someone suffer great mental pain’.
a) rock
b) rack
c) rolled
d) rescue
Answer:
b) rack
Question 13.
Nightmare means
a) male horse
b) dream
c) racehorse
d) a frightening dream
Answer:
d) a frightening dream
Question 14.
“Courage is everything; strength and age are not important”. This statement is according to
a) Swami
b) Swami’s father
c) Author
d) Swami’s granny
Answer:
b) Swami’s father
Question 15.
Swami’s father sat gazing at the newspaper on his lap.
a) happily
b) casually
c) gloomily
d) sadly
Answer:
b) casually
Question 16.
According to Swami’s father, how should Swami show his courage?
a) Sleep alone tonight in his office room.
b) Sleep beside his granny.
c) Fight with the tiger
d) Do brave acts.
Answer:
a) Sleep alone tonight in his office room.
Question 17.
Swami disliked sleeping in his office room because
a) There may be scorpions
b) room was dusty
c) he is not interested to prove his courage
d) he had fear to sleep alone.
Answer:
d) he had fear to sleep alone.
Question 18.
Swami had the habit of
a) sleep beside his granny
b) sleep beside his mother
e) sleep with anybody
d) sleep alone
Answer:
a) sleep beside his granny
Question 19.
Swami bit by his teeth was
a) robber
b)Dacoit
c) burglar
d) most notorious house-breaker of the district.
Answer:
d) most notorious house-breaker of the district.
Question 20.
Molly-coddle means
a) spoiling someone
b) treat someone very kindly and protect the person too much from anything unpleasant.
c) treat someone affectionately
d) Protect too much
Answer:
b) treat someone very kindly and protect the person too much from anything unpleasant.
Question 21.
What was the feeling of Swami at the end
a) feeling proud
b) happy
c) felt tremendously relieved
d) a hero
Answer:
c) felt tremendously relieved
II. Match the following :
| S.no | A | B |
| 1. | Sneer | a) an angry look or expression |
| 2. | Scowl | b) moved somewhere quietly and secretly |
| 3. | Sternly | c) determination |
| 4. | Slunk | d) interuptedatonce |
| 5. | Tenacity | e) seriously and strictly |
| 6. | Cut in | f) speak in a very unkind way |
Answer:
| S.no | A | B |
| 1. | Sneer | f) speak in a very unkind way |
| 2. | Scowl | a) an angry look or expression |
| 3. | Sternly | e) seriously and strictly |
| 4. | Slunk | b) moved some where quietly and secretly |
| 5. | Tenacity | c) determination |
| 6. | Cut in | d) interuptedatonce |
2.
| S.no | A | B |
| 1. | Proposition | a) Say something not clearly enough |
| 2. | Mumble | b) ghost |
| 3. | Gesticulations | c) an object of ridicule |
| 4. | Apparition | d) a frightening dream |
| 5. | Laughingstock | e) Suggestion |
| 6. | Nightmare | f) to make movements with hands and arms |
Answer:
| S.no | A | B |
| 1. | Proposition | e) Suggestion |
| 2. | Mumble | a) Say something not clearly enough |
| 3. | Gesticulations | f) to make movements with hands and arms |
| 4. | Apparition | b) ghost |
| 5. | Laughingstock | c) an object of ridicule |
| 6. | Nightmare | d) a frightening dream |
Answer the following questions in a word or a sentence each:
Question 1.
When did events take an unexpected turn for Swami?
Answer:
Events took an unexpected turn for Swami when a report about the bravery of a village lad appeared in the newspaper.
Question 2.
Who did the village lad fight, according to the newspaper?
Answer:
A tiger.
Question 3.
What, according to Swami’s father, was more important than strength or age?
Answer:
Courage.
Question 4.
How did Swami’s father want Swami to prove that he had the courage?
Answer:
Swami’s father wanted Swami to sleep alone that night in his office room.
Question 5.
Where did Swami sleep usually?
Answer:
Swami always slept beside his granny in the passage.
Question 6.
What class was Swami in?
Answer:
In the second form.
Question 7.
What did Swami’s father intend to do if Swami did not sleep in his office that night?
Answer:
Swami’s father intended to make Swami the laughing stock of his school if he did not sleep in his office that night.
Question 8.
On what condition did the father agree to leave the door open?
Answer:
Father agreed to leave the door open on the condition that Swami wouldn’t roll up the bed and go to granny’s side at night.
Question 9.
Why did Swami feel cut off from humanity?
Answer:
Swami, who was used to sleeping with his granny, felt cut off from humanity when his father forced him to sleep alone in his office.
Question 10.
Where had Mani seen the devil?
Answer:
Mani had seen the devil in the banyan tree at his street end.
Question 11.
What noises did Swami hear at night when he slept alone?
Answer:
Swami heard the ticking off the clock, rustle of trees, snoring sounds, and some vague night insects humming through the stillness.
Question 12.
Where did Swami sleep in his father’s office?
Answer:
Under a bench.
Question 13.
Who did Swami fear would attack him?
Answer:
Swami feared that the devil would attack him.
Question 14.
How did the headmaster praise Swami?
Answer:
The headmaster praised Swami saying that he was a true scout.
Question 15.
Why did Swami go to sleep before his father returned from the club?
Answer:
‘Swami did not want his father to make him sleep in his office again that night. So he went to sleep before his father returned from the club.
Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each:
Question 1.
How does Swami react to the praise he receives?
Answer:
Swami does not reveal the truth to anyone and. when the police inspector suggests that he join the police force when he grows up, Swami does not reveal to him his desire to become an engine driver, a railway guard, or a bus conductor.
Question 2.
‘Swami disputed the theory’. What was the theory?
OR
How was Swami’s view about courage different from that of his father?
Answer:
Referring to the newspaper Swami’s father said that a man may have the strength of an elephant and yet be a coward; whereas another may have the strength of a straw, but if he had the courage he could do anything. Courage was everything, strength and age were not important. But Swami disputed this theory saying even if he had the courage what could he do if a tiger were to attack him.
Question 3.
Where did Swami shift his bed too? Why?
Answer:
As Swami slept on the bench in his father’s office, he remembered all the stories of devils and ghosts he had heard. He expected the devils to come at any moment and carry him away. He could hardly sleep. Suddenly the space under the bench seemed to him to be a much safer place. He got up hurriedly, spread his bed under the bench, and crouched there.
Question 4.
What made Swami attack the burglar first?
OR
In the darkness, Swami felt something was moving down. What did he do then?
Answer:
As Swami woke up from his nightmare, he sweated with fright. He heard some rustling and he stared into the darkness only to find something moving. He thought that the devil had come to tear him. He knew that his end was near and hence saw no point in waiting for it. As it came nearer, he crawled out from under the bench, hugged it with all his might, and bit into it. It was only later that he realized it was a burglar he had bitten and not the devil.
Question 5.
When was Swami greatly relieved? Why?
Answer:
After the burglar incident, Swami’s mother intervened and told Swami’s father that he shouldn’t risk Swami’s life by making him sleep alone. Swami’s father mumbled that she could do what she liked and that he shouldn’t be blamed later., Swami followed the conversation from under the blanket. He felt greatly relieved on realizing that his father had given up on him and would no longer compel him to sleep alone.
Question 6.
How did Swami try to change the subject when his father challenged him to sleep alone?
Answer:
When Swami’s father challenged him to sleep alone, Swami hoped that he was only joking. He mumbled “Yes’ weakly and tried to change the subject by talking about his cricket club. He said loudly and with a lot of enthusiasm that they were going to admit even elders in their club hereafter. He added that they were going to buy brand new bats and balls. But before he could continue any further, his father cut in and insisted that he sleep alone thereafter.
Question 7.
In which part of the office did Swami decide to sleep? Why did he select this place?
Answer:
Swami spread his bed under the bench in the office and crept in there to sleep. It seemed to be a much safer place, more compact and reassuring.
Question 8.
What made Swami’s father, his cook and his servant rush up to the office room?
Answer:
When Swami sleeps in his father’s office he has nightmares about the ghost and wakes up with a start. At the same time, Swami spots an intruder breaking into the office. Mistaking him for the ghost, Swami grabs the intruder’s leg and bites it. The burglar is caught unawares and shouts loudly that something has bitten him. He tumbles and falls amidst the furniture. Hearing the commotion, Swami’s father, his cook, and his servant rush up to the office room.
Question 9.
How did Swami’s father react to the story in the newspaper? What did he want Swami to do?
Answer:
Swami’s father did not have an iota of doubt about the bravery of the village lad who had fought a tiger. He was of the opinion that though the boy was small, since he was courageous, he could do anything. Unlike his father Swami was of the opinion that even if the boy had the courage, since he was small, he wouldn’t stand a chance against a tiger. Since Swami had a different opinion, his father challenged him to prove that he had courage by sleeping alone that night in his office room.
Answer the following questions in 5-6/8-10 sentences each:
Question 1.
Why does Swami think that the idea that he should sleep in his father’s office room is a frightful proposition? How does he try to change the subject? Why does he fail?
Answer:
Swami is not used to sleeping alone as he has always slept with his granny or mother. Secondly, the room that his father has asked him to sleep in is the office room where Swami feels cut off from humanity. Thirdly, Swami has heard stories of ghosts and believes in them. He tries to change the subject by assuring his father that he would start sleeping alone from the coming month. He fails in his attempts because of the tenacity of his father.
Question 2.
Why did everyone congratulate Swami?
OR
How did Swami become a hero?
Answer:
As Swami slept in his father’s office, he was woken up by a rustling. In the darkness, he saw something moving towards him. He thought that the devil had come to get him. As it came nearer, he crawled out from under the bench, hugged it with all his might, and bit into it. The burglar, who had been mistaken for the devil, gave out a loud cry. In a moment his father, cook and a servant came there and overpowered him. The police were grateful to Swami because the burglar was one of the most notorious house-breakers of the district. Congratulations were showered on Swami and he became a hero overnight.
Question 3.
How was Swami successful in fulfilling the intention of his father to prove his courage?
Answer:
Swami proves his courage to his father, not by intention but by accident. When Swami is forced by his father to sleep in the office, Swami gets frightened of ghosts. He recollects the various stories he has heard about ghosts from his friends and is unable to sleep for a long time. Finally, he sleeps below the bench, finding the place more secure. However, he has nightmares about the ghost and wakes up with a start. At the same time, Swami spots an intruder breaking into the office.
Mistaking him for the ghost, Swami grabs the intruder’s leg and bites hard, in desperation and self-defense. The intruder finds the pain unbearable and yells out in agony. The members of the house rush inside the office and catch the intruder. All of them think that it was a heroic attempt on Swami’s part to catch the thief, and so, they have a lot of admiration for Swami. The police congratulate Swami and tell him that the intruder was a thief wanted by the police in a number of cases. Swami receives respect from his classmates and accolades from his teachers and headmaster and, more importantly, shows his courage to his father.
Read the following extracts and answer the questions given below them:
Question 1.
“You think you are wiser than the newspaper?”
a) Who is being questioned here?
b) Why is he being questioned?
c) What report did the newspaper carry?
Answer:
a) Swami is being questioned here.
b) Swami argues with his father about a small boy who bravely fought a tiger. Swami is of the opinion that it wouldn’t have been possible for a small boy to fight a tiger. At that time Swami’s father questions Swami in this sarcastic manner.
c) The newspaper carried a report about the bravery of a village lad who had come face-to-face with a tiger.
Question 2.
“It is disgraceful sleeping beside granny or mother like a baby.”
a) Who is being called a baby?
b) What was considered disgraceful?
c) Why did the speaker think that it was disgraceful?
Answer:
a) Swami is being called a baby.
b) The father thought that it was disgraceful for someone in the second form to sleep beside his granny or mother.
c) Swami was studying in the second form. Hence his father, the speaker, thought that it was disgraceful for him to sleep beside his granny or mother.
Question 3.
“If you do it, I’ll make you the laughing stock of your school.”
a) Who is the ‘you’ referred to?
b) What did Swami’s father expect him to do?
c) What would he do if Swami did so?
Answer:
a) The ‘you’ refers to Swami.
b) Swami’s father expected Swami to roll up the bed and go to granny’s side at night.
c) Swami’s father threatened to tell all his friends at school that Swami was scared of sleeping in the dark and only slept next to his grandmother or mother.
Question 4.
“A frightful proposition, Swami thought”.
a) What was the frightful proposition?
b) Why did Swami regard it as frightful?
c) What does ‘proposition’ mean in this context?
Answer:
a) The frightful proposition was that Swami’s father wanted him to sleep alone in the office room that night.
b) Swami was not used to sleeping alone. He used to sleep with his granny in the passage. Also, Swami felt that the office room where his father asked him to sleep, was cut off from humanity. He had also heard stories about ghosts. Hence Swami regarded it as frightful.
c) Suggestion.
Question 5.
“Your office room is very dusty and there may be scorpions behind your law books”.
a) When did Swami make this remark?
b) Why did Swami make this remark?
c) What does it reveal about his character?
Answer:
a) When his father forced him to sleep alone in his office room.
b) Swami made this remark because he wanted an excuse for not sleeping in the office room.
c) Swami was afraid to sleep alone. But he did not have the courage to tell this to his father.
Question 6.
“Aiyo, something has bitten me”.
a) Who said this? OR Who is the speaker?
b) Why had he been bitten?
c) How did the speaker suffer as a result of being bitten?
Answer:
a) The burglar.
b) Swami thought that it was the devil that had come to attack him. So, he bit him to save himself.
c) The speaker, a burglar, shouted in pain. This brought the people of the house there leading to his arrest.
Question 7.
“Congratulations were showered on Swami the next day”.
a) Why was Swami congratulated?
b) Do you feel Swami deserves the praise? Give reason.
Answer:
a) Swami had caught one of the notorious housebreakers of the district.
b) No. Swami had bitten the burglar out of fright. He was not really a hero.
A Hero Summary in English
‘A Hero’ was written by well known English Novelist R.K. Narayan. This is the extract taken by his familiar novel ‘Swami and his friends In this novel Swami was a boy of 11-12 years age. He was so simple, innocent, non – a courageous boy born in a middle-class South Indian family. His family members were his father, mother, granny, and little baby. His father was most disciplined and authoritative.
His mother and granny were more caring, protective, and he was obedient to his father. In this extract, once his father was reading the newspaper and called Swami and narrated the tiger s incident. The brave lad faced the tiger and flew up the tree until some people came and killed the tiger. Swami’s father asked Swami’s opinion about the incident. Swami said that facing the tiger alone means he might be a strong grown up man not a boy at all. Father said that courage is more important, strength and age are not so important. Swami did not agree, so father challenged him to show his courage by sleeping alone in his office- worn. The poor chap Swami was afraid and wished to change the topic, he started talking about the cricket club.
But his father was so determined and commanded .him to sleep alone in his office-room. To avoid this, Swami gave many excuses and he was not ready to sleep alone. Father said it was shame to sleep beside granny, or mother like a baby though he was grown up and studying in the second form. Father looked at his wife ‘ while talking, but she was not ready to take the abuses that she was spoiling her son. So she said that his granny was spoiling him. Swami s father kept quiet. At that time swami silently went towards his bed. Granny called him and asked why he didn’t want to hear a story on that day as usual. Swami wanted to escape from his father,so he threw himself on his bed and pulled the blanket over his face. Seeing this granny told that not to cover his face and asked whether he was really very sleepy. Swami got angry on his granny and pretended to have slept. Father came and made him to get up and asked him to follow.
Granny recommended Swami and questioned Swami s father why did he disturb him. Mother also supported her son and suggested to sleep him in the hall. But father didn’t listen to their words. Swami was not ready to sleep in the office-room, he said it was very dusty and there may be scorpions behind the law books. But father did not agree and ordered him to sleep in the office-room only, otherwise, he would make him laughing stock at school, He was afraid of darkness so he asked permission to have the burning lamp. For this also father; didn’t agree because he wanted Swami to learn not to be afraid of darkness.
Finally, Swami requested to leave the office – room door open. For that father agreed. There was no way to avoid his father. So Swami went to office-room. While he was in the room he hated the news printed in the newspaper about the tiger and wished that the tiger had not spared the boy. As the night advanced and the silence deepened his heartbeat fastened. He remembered the scary devil and ghost stories that he had heard. He was very much afraid to be alone in the room. He could hear all types of sounds like ticking off the clock, rustle of trees, snoring sounds, etc., in the calmness of night very clearly.
Every moment in his thought the devils would come and carry him away. He was full of fear, he didn’t know what to do? He got up and spread his bed under the bench and crouched there. He shut his eyes tight and fell asleep. He was racked with nightmares in his sleep. Nightmares continued ……… a tiger was chasing him, the tiger was at his back, the fear of tiger that it may catch him continued. He groaned in despair.
After some time by much effort he opened his eyes, he touched the wooden leg of the bench assuming that granny was at his side. He sweated with fear. At that time Swami saw something moving, he thought his end had come, why should he wait? As it came nearer, he hugged it and bite it with all his strength like a mortal weapon. The man (burglar) screamed with pain and fell amidst of furniture.
By hearing the cry of a man, father, cook and a servant came. All three of them caught the burglar. This burglar was most notorious housebreakers of the district and he was a challenge for police. Next day congratulations were showered on Swami. His classmates looked at him with great respect. His teachers and headmaster were also proud of him. Swami became a Hero in one night and all were happy. At night father asked where is Swami ? for that mother replied that he already slept in his usual place. Mother also continued her talk and informed that let him sleep where he likes, need not risk his life again. Father mumbled that if Swami was spoiled then there is no blame from his side. Swami heard the whole conversation of his parents and felt relieved that his father was giving him up at last.
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