The Accidental Tourist

TS 9th Class English 22nd Lesson The Accidental Tourist Important Question and Answers

Section - A : Reading Comprehension Read the following passage

Of all the things I am not very good at, living in the real world is perhaps the most outstanding. I am constantly filled with wonder at the number of things that other people do without any evident difficulty that are pretty much beyond me. I cannot tell you the number of times that I have gone looking for the lavatory in a cinema, for instance, and ended up standing in an alley on the wrong side of a self locking door. My particular speciality now is returning to hotel desks two or three times a day and asking what my room number is, I am, in short, easily confused

I was thinking about this the last time we went en famille on a big trip. It was at Easter, and we were flying to England for a week. When we arrived at Logan Airport in Boston and were checking in, I suddenly remembered that I had recently joined British Airways frequent flyer programme. I also remembered that I had put the card in my carry-on bag. And heres where the trouble started

Now, answer the following Questions. Each Question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B) (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. (4 × 1 = 4M)

Question 1.
What is the most outstanding thing that the speaker is not good at ?

1. Swimming
2. Studies
3. English
4. Living in the real world

Answer:

1. Living in the real world

Question 2.
What does the narrator wonder at ?

1. The number of things that other people do without any evident difficulty
2. The other people pretty much beyond the narrator
3. The other peoples inability
4. Both A & B

Answer:

1. Both A & B

Question 3.
What kind of a person was the narrator ?

1. Level headed
2. Bad tempered
3. Easily confused
4. Confident

Answer:

1. Easily confused

Question 4.
How many days did the narrator and his family go on a trip and when ?

1. Seven days, at Easter
2. Eight days, at Easter
3. Seven days, at Christmas
4. Eight days, at Christmas

Answer:

1. Seven days, at Easter

Answer the following Questions in two or three sentences each. (3 × 2 = 6M)

Question 5.
What happens when the speaker goes to lavatory ?

Answer: He ends up standing in an alley on the wrong side pf a self locking door

Question 6.
What is the speciality of the narrator ?

Answer: Returning to hotel desks two or three times a day and asking what his room number was

Question 7.
What did the narrator remember when he arrived at airport ?

Answer: He remembered that he had recently joined British Airways frequent flyer programme and he had put the card in his carry-on bag

Read the following passage

It was at this point that my wife looked at me with an expression of wonder - not anger or exasperation, but just simple wonder - and said, ."I cant believe you do this for a living."

But Im afraid its so. I always have catastrophes when I travel. Once on an aeroplane, I leaned over to tie a shoelace just at the moment someone in the seat ahead of me threw his seat back into full recline, and found myself pinned helplessly in the crash position. It was only by clawing the leg of the man sitting next to me that I managed to, get myself freed

On another occasion, I knocked a soft drink onto the lap of a sweet little lady sitting beside me. The flight attendant came and cleaned her up, and brought me a replacement drink, and instantly I knocked it onto the woman again. To this day, I dont know how I did it. I just remember reaching out for the new drink and watching helplessly as my arm, like some cheap propin one of those 1950s horror movies with a name like The Undead Limb, violently swept the drink from its perch and onto her lap

Now, answer the following Questions. Each Question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B) (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. (4 × 1 = 4M)

Question 1.
What happened to the narrator on aeroplanes ?

1. catastrophes occurred to the narrator
2. met with an accident
3. met with memorable incidents
4. had sweet memories

Answer:

1. catastrophes occurred to the narrator

Question 2.
How did the narrator get himself free from the crash position ?

1. by requesting the man next to him
2. by requesting the flight attendant
3. by requesting the pilot
4. by clawing the leg of the man sitting next to the narrator that he managed to get himself freed

Answer:

1. by clawing the leg of the man sitting next to the narrator that he managed to get himself freed

Question 3.
The writer met with many catastrophes like?

1. Once he opened his carry-on bag in the airport
2. Once he was arrested under the seat of a plane
3. Once his soft drink fell in the lap of the next seat lady twice
4. All the above

Answer:

1. All the above

Question 4.
What is compared to the cheap prop ?

1. The narrators leg
2. The narrators arm
3. The narrators brain
4. The narrators head

Answer:

1. The narrators arm

Answer the following Questions in two or three sentences each. (3 × 2 = 6M)

Question 5.
The narrators wife looked at him with an experience of wonder. What might the reason be ?

Answer: The writer was almost hysterical with his bleeding finger. His wife expressed wonder at the fun of the events

Question 6.
Do you think the narrator knocked the soft drink two times deliberately ? What evidence do you find in the passage ?

Answer: No, because he himself says that "I dont know how I did it."

Question 7.
Do you think the narrators hands were like some cheap prop ? If yes, what made you think so ?

Answer: Yes, the narratorshands were like some cheap prop. The writer himself says it. Moreover his hands violently swept the soft drink onto the lap of the next seat lady for the second time

Read the following passage

Now on planes when the food is delivered, my wife says: "Take the lids off the food for Daddy" or "Put your hoods up, children. Daddys about to cut his meat." Of course, this is only when I am flying with my family. When I am on my own, I dont eat, drink or lean over to tie my shoelaces, and never put a pen anywhere near my mouth. I just sit very very quietly, sometimes on my hands to keep them from flying out unexpectedly and causing liquid mischief. Its not much fun, but it does at least cut down on the laundry bills. I never did get my frequent flyer miles, by the way

I never do. I couldnt find the card in time. This has become a real frustration for me. Everyone I know - everyone - is forever flying off to Bali first class with their air miles. I never get to collect anything. I must fly 100,000 miles a year, yet I have accumulated only about 212 air miles divided between twenty-three airlines

This is because either I forget to ask for the air miles when I check in, or I remember to ask for them but the air line then manages not to record them, or the check-in clerk informs me that I am not entitled to them. In January, on a flight to Australia - a flight for which I was going to get about a million air miles - the clerk shook her head when I presented my card and told me I was not entitled to any

"Why?" "The ticket is in the name of B. Bryson and the card is in the name of W. Bryson."

I explained to her the close and venerable relationship between Bill and William, but she wouldnt have it. So I didnt get my air miles, and I wont be flying to Bali first class just yet. Perhaps just as well, really, I could never go that long without eating

Now, answer the following

Questions. Each

Question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B), (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. (4 × 1 = 4M)

Question 1.
What precaution does the narrator take when he travels alone ?

1. He doesnt eat or drink
2. He doesnt lean over to tie his shoelaces
3. He never puts a pen anywhere near his mouth
4. All the above

Answer:

1. All the above

Question 2.
Why did the narrator sit very very quietly ?

1. he didnt want to talk with others
2. he didnt want to fly in an aeroplane
3. for fun sake
4. at least cut down on the laundry bills

Answer:

1. at least cut down on the laundry bills

Question 3.
Why did the narrator not get entitled points though he had a card ?

1. He forgot to ask for the air miles
2. He couldnt find the card in time
3. The ticket was in the name of B. Bryson and card was in the name of W. Bryson
4. The airline manages not to record entitled points

Answer:

1. The ticket was in the name of B. Bryson and card was in the name of W. Bryson

Question 4.
When did the narrator find out the truth of entitled points ?

1. In January on a flight to Australia
2. In January on a flight to Bali
3. In January on a flight to England
4. In January on a flight to the United States of America

Answer:

1. In January on a flight to Australia

Answer the following Questions in two or three sentences each. (3 × 2 = 6M)

Question 5.
Why did the narrators wife say to the children, Take the lids off the food for Daddy?

Answer: The narrator often confused himself. He caused food and drinks spill over all around. His wife knew it well. So she asked children to help him. This was a precaution

Question 6.
Did the narrator do all the awkward things intentionally or accidentally ? Give your reasons?

Answer: The narrator did all those awkward things accidentally. He tried hard to avoid them. But he failed

Question 7.
What kind of a person was the narrator ? How can you justify your opinion?

Answer: The narrator was easily confused. He was nervous too. Though he wanted to avoid those awkward incidents, he couldnt. He was not good at living normally. The incidents in his life proved this point

1. Read the following stanzas

My father travels on the late evening train Standing among silent commuters In the yellow light suburbs slid past his unseeing eyes His shirt, and pants are soggy and his black raincoat Stained with mud and his bag stuffed with books Is falling apart. His eyes dimmed byage fade homeward through the humid monsoon night. Now I can see him getting off the train

Like a word dropped from a long sentence. He hurries across the length of the grey platform Crosses the railway line, enters the lane, His chappals are sticky with mud, but he hurries onward

Now answer the following Questions. Each Question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B) (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. (3 × 1= 3M)

Question 8.
What train does the father travel on ?

1. Morning train
2. Afternoon train
3. Evening train
4. Late evening train

Answer:

1. Late evening train

Question 9.
A word dropped from a long sentence. What does it refer to ?

1. Father is getting off the train
2. Father is getting into the train
3. Father is getting off the train which is like a long sentence and he is a small word in it.
4. Father stands among commuters

Answer:

1. Father is getting off the train which is like a long sentence and he is a small word in it

Question 10.
How can you say that the father is in a hurry to go home ?

1. Father walks home fast
2. He starts late evening in the office
3. He must be tired and hungry
4. All the above

Answer:

1. All the above

Answer the following Questions in one or two sentences each. (2 × 1 = 2M)

Question 11.
Is the father comfortable on the train ?

Answer: No, father is not comfortable on the train. He stands among silent commuters

Question 12.
What does the dress of the father indicate ?

Answer: Fathers dress is soggy. His raincoat is stained. The clothes show that father is poor

2. Read the following stanzas

Home again, I see him drinking weak tea, Eating a stale chapati, reading a book. He goes into the toilet to contemplate Mans estrangement from a man-made world. Coming out he trembles at the sink, The cold water running over his brown hands, A few droplets cling to the greying hairs on his wrists. His sullen children have often refused to share Jokes and secrets with him. He will now go to sleep Listening to the static on the radio, dreaming Of his ancestors and grandchildren, thinking Of nomads entering a subcontinent through a narrow pass

Now answer the following Questions. Each Question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), 08) (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. (3 × 1 = 3M)

Question 8.
What did father do after coming home ?

1. eating a stale chapati
2. reading a book
3. all the above

Answer:

1. all the above

Question 9.
What did his children refuse to share with him ?

1. Jokes and secrets
2. Memories
3. Sorrows
4. Worries

Answer:

1. Jokes and secrets

Question 10.
How did the poets father go to sleep ?

1. listening to the static on the radio
2. dreaming of his ancestors and grandchildren
3. thinking of nomads
4. all the above

Answer:

1. all the above

Answer the following Questions in one or two sentences each. (2 × 1 = 2M)

Question 11.
What might be the contemplation of the father in the toilet ?

Answer: Father thinks in the toilet, about mans isolation from man-made world

Question 12.
What image do you get from the line, A few droplets cling to the greying hairs on his wrists ?

Answer: The line "A few droplets cling to the greying hairs on his wrists" suggests many images. Greying hair suggests old age. Droplets suggest sweat and hard work

Read the following passage

At Pashupathinath (outside which a sign proclaims Entrance for the Hindus only) there is an atmosphere of febrile confusion. Priests, hawkers, devotees, tourists, cows, monkeys, pigeons and dogs roam through the grounds. We offer a few flowers. There are so many worshippers that some people trying to get the priests attention are elbowed aside by others pushing their way to the front

A princess of the Nepalese royal house appears; everyone bows and makes way. By the main gate, a party of saffron - clad Westerners struggle for permission to enter. The policeman is not convinced that they are the Hindus (only the Hindus are allowed to enter the temple)

Now, answer the following Questions. Each Question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B) (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. (3 × 1 = 3M)

Question 8.
Why was there confusion at Pashupathinath temple ?

1. Because there were large crowds of people
2. Because there were large number of*cows
3. Because there were large number of monkeys
4. Because there were large number of pigeons

Answer:

1. Because there were large crowds of people.

Question 9.
Who gets entry into the Pashupathinath temple ?

1. only the Hindus
2. only the Christians
3. only the Arabs
4. only the Jorastrians

Answer:

1. only the Hindus

Question 10.
Why are the westerners denied permission into the temple ?

1. Because they are not Hindus
2. Because they are not Muslims
3. Because they are not Christians
4. Because they are not Arabs

Answer:

1. Because they are not Hindus

Answer the following Questions in one or two sentences each

Question 11.
Who roam through the temple ?

Answer: Priests, hawkers, devotees, tourists, cows, monkeys, pigeons and dogs

Question 12.
How do people respect the royal family ?

Answer: Everyone bows and makes way for the royal family

Read the following passage

At the Baudhnath stupa, the Buddhist shrine of Kathmandu, there is, in contrast, a sense of stillness. Its immense white dome is ringed by a road. Small shops stand on its outer edge; many of these are owned by Tibetan immigrants; felt bags, Tibetan prints and silver jewellery can be bought here. There are no crowds; this is a haven of quietness in the busy streets around

Now answer the following Questions. Each Question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B) (C) or (D) in your answer booklet. (3 × 1 = 3M)

Question 8.
What kind of atmosphere do we observe at the Baudhnath stupa ?

1. A sense of stillness
2. A sense of devotion
3. A sense of salvation
4. A sense of peacefulness

Answer:

1. A sense of stillness

Question 9.
Where do we find small shops at the Baudhnath stupa ?

1. At the outer edge around the white dome
2. At the inner edge around the white dome
3. At the vertex around the white dome
4. Around the white dome

Answer:

1. At the outer edge around the white dome

Question 10.
What things are available at the Baudhnath stupa ?

1. Felt bags
2. Tibetan prints
3. Silver jewellery
4. All the above

Answer:

1. All the above

Answer the following Questions in one or two sentences each. (2 × 1 = 2M)

Question 11.
What makes the Baudhnath stupa a haven of quietness?

Answer: There are no crowds at the Baudhnath stupa. That makes it a haven of quietness

Question 12.
Find from the passage a word which means large?

Answer: Immense

Read the following passage

I find it difficult to tear myself away from the square. Flute music always does this to me: It is at once the most universal and most particular of sounds. There is no culture that does not have its flute - the reed neh, the recorder, the Japanese shakuhachi, the deep bansuri of Hindustani classical music, the clear or breathy flutes of South America, the high-pitched Chinese flutes. Each has its specific fingering and compass. It weaves its own associations. Yet to hear any flute is, it seems to me, to be drawn into the commonality of all mankind, to be moved by music closest in its phrases and sentences to the human voice, Its motive force too is living breath: it too needs to pause and breathe before it can go on

Now, answer the following Questions. Each Question has four choices. Choose the correct answer and write (A), (B) (C) or (D) in your answer booklet, (3 × 1 = 3M)

Question 8.
Who is the speaker of this passage ?

1. Gandhi
2. Vikram Seth
3. Bryson
4. Dilip Purushottam

Answer:

1. Vikram Seth

Question 9.
Why does the speaker find it difficult to tear himself away ?

1. Beause he was totally immersed in flute music
2. Because he was totally immersed in Karnatic music
3. Because he was totally immersed in devotional songs
4. Because he was totally immersed in classical dance

Answer:

1. Beause he was totally immersed in flute music

Question 10.
What is the motive force of flute music ?

1. Pause
2. Emotion
3. Melody
4. Living breath

Answer:

1. Living breath

Answer the following Questions in one or two sentences each. (2 × 1 = 2M)

Question 11.
What is the speciality of the flute music according to the speaker ?

Answer: It is at once the most universal and most particular of sounds

Question 12.
How is each flute in the world unique ?

Answer: