UP Board Class 12 English Prose Chapter 2 A Fellow Traveller – A.G. Gardiner
A Fellow Traveller - A.G. Gardiner
मुझे यह ज्ञात नहीं कि हममें से किसने गाड़ी में पहले प्रवेश किया। वास्तव में मुझे बिल्कुल मालूम नहीं था कि वह कुछ समय से इस गाड़ी में है। यह लंदन से मिडलैंड जाने वाली अंतिम रेलगाड़ी थी- यह प्रत्येक स्टेशन पर रुकने वाली गाड़ी, अत्यन्त धीमी चलने वाली गाड़ी और उन गाड़ियों में से एक है जो आपको नित्यता का बोध कराती है। जब यह चली तो यह काफी भरी हुई थी। परन्तु जैसेजैसे हम नगर के बाहरी स्टेशनों पर रुकते गए, यात्री एक-एक दो-दो करके उतरते गए और लंदन की बाहरी सीमा को छोड़ने के समय तक मैं अकेला रह गया या समझिए मैंने सोचा कि मैं अकेला हूँ।
उस गाड़ी में अकेले होने से स्वतंत्रता का एक सुखद आभास होता है जो रात में शोर मचाती झटके देकर हिलती हुई चलती है। यह बड़ी सुहावनी स्वतंत्रता और स्वच्छन्दता होती है। आप जो भी चाहें कर सकते हैं। आप जितनी जोर से चाहें अपने आप से बातें कर सकते हैं और कोई भी आपकी बात नहीं सुन सकता। आप जोन्स (काल्पनिक व्यक्ति) से तर्क-वितर्क कर सकते हैं और उसके विरोधी प्रहार के बिना सफलतापूर्वक उसे धूल चटा सकते हैं। आप अपने सिर के बल खड़े हो सकते है और कोई भी आपको नहीं देख सकता।
आप बिना रोक-टोक और बाधा के गा सकते है या दो कदम नाच सकते हैं या गोल्फ में गेंद मारने का अभ्यास कर सकते हैं या फर्श पर कंचे का खेल खेल सकते है। आप किसी व्यक्ति को विरोध का अवसर दिए बिना खिड़की खोल सकते हैं या उसे बंद कर सकते हैं। आप दोनों खिड़कियों को खोल सकते हैं या दोनों को बंद कर सकते हैं। वास्तव में, आप उन्हें खोलते और बंद करते हुए इस प्रकार का स्वतंत्रता समारोह मना सकते हैं। आप अपनी पसंद के अनुसार डिब्बे के किसी कोने में बैठ सकते हैं और बारी-बारी से सभी का उपयोग करके देख सकते है। आप गद्दों पर पूरे पसर कर लेट सकते हैं और ब्रिटिश राज्य के सुरक्षा अधिनियम (डी.ओ.आर.ए.) के नियमों और उसमें निहित भाव (हृदय)को तोड़ने के सुख का आनंद ले सकते हैं। इस अधिनियम को यह मालूम भी नहीं होगा कि उसका हृदय तोड़ा जा रहा है। आप इस अधिनियम तक से बच निकल सकते हैं।
उस रात मैंने इनमें से कोई काम नहीं किया। वे सब मेरे ध्यान में ही नहीं आए। जो मैने किया वह अति साधारण था। जब मेरा अन्तिम सहयात्री भी चला गया तो मैंने अपना समाचार-पत्र नीचे रख दिया, अपने हाथों और पैरों को फैलाकर अंगडाई ली, खड़े होकर खिड़की से बाहर ग्रीष्म ऋतु की उस शांत रात्रि को देखा जिसमें होकर मैं यात्रा कर रहा था। दिन की धुंधली रोशनी अर्थात् संध्याकाल के हल्के प्रकाश को देखा जो अभी उतरी आकाश में जाते-जाते रुक रहा था; डिब्बे में इस पार से उस पार गया और दूसरी खिड़की में बाहर देखा; एक सिगरेट सुलगाई, बैठ गया और फिर से समाचार-पत्र पढ़ने लगा। तब कहीं मुझे अपने सहयात्री का पता लगा। वह आया और मेरी नाम पर बैठ गया…… वह उन पंखवाले, पैने, साहरी-कीट पतंगों में से एक था जिन्हें हम बोलचाल में मच्छर कहते हैं। मैंने उसे अपनी नाक पर से उड़ा दिया और उसने डिब्बे का चक्कर लगाया, उसकी तीनों विमाओं (लम्बाई और ऊँचाई) का निरीक्षण किया, हरेक खिड़की पर गया, प्रकाश के चारों ओर फड़फड़ाया, उसने यह निर्णय किया कि कोने में बैठे हुए विशाल प्राणी (अर्थात् पाठ के लेखक) से दिलचस्प कोई वस्तु नहीं है, वह आया और उसने मेरी गर्दन को देखा।
मैंने उसे फिर उड़ा दिया। वह उछलकर हट गया, डिब्बे में पुनः एक चक्कर लगाया, लौटकर धृष्टतापूर्वक मेरे हाथ के पिछले भाग पर बैठ गया। मैंने कहा, इतना काफी है, उदारता की कोई सीमा होती है। दो बार तुम्हें चेतावनी दी जा चुकी है कि मैं विशिष्ट व्यक्ति हूँ, मेरा विशिष्ट व्यक्त्वि अपरिचितों को गुदगुदाने की अशिष्टता पर रोष प्रकट करता है। मैं काली टोपी धारण करता हूँ अर्थात् न्यायाधीश का पद ग्रहण करता हूँ। मैं तुम्हें मृत्युदंड देता हूँ। न्याय की यह माँग है और न्यायालय इस (मृत्युदंड को) प्रदान करता है। तुम्हारे विरूद्ध अनेक आरोप हैं। तुम आवारा हो; तुम जनता को कष्ट देने वाले हो; तुम बिना टिकट यात्रा कर रहे हो; तुम्हारे पास भोजन (मांसाहार) के लिए कूपन भी नहीं है। इस सबके तथा अन्य बहुत से गैर कानूनी कार्यो के लिए तुम अब मरने वाले हो। मैंने अपने सीधे हाथ से एक तेज और घातक प्रहार किया। वह ढीठतापूर्वक आसानी से प्रहार से इस तरह बचा गया कि मैंने अपने को अपमानित महसूस किया। मेरा अहंकार जाग गया। मैं अपने हाथ से और समाचार-पत्र से उस पर झपटा। मैं अपनी सीट पर उछलकर चढ़ गया और लैम्प के चारों ओर उसका पीछा किया; मैंने बिल्ली जैसी चालाकी भरी चालें अपनाई, जब तक वह नीचे उतरे तब तक प्रतीक्षा की, भयानक रूप से धीरेधीरे उसके निकट गया और अचानक व भयानक तेजी से उस पर प्रहार किया।
यह सब व्यर्थ रहा। वह मेरे साथ खुलकर और चतुराई दिखाते हुए इस प्रकार खेला जैसे कोई कुशल वृषहन्ता (खेल में साँड़ को भड़काकर अन्त में मार डालने वाला खिलाड़ी) एक क्रुद्ध साँड़ के चारों ओर करतब दिखा रहा हो। यह स्पष्ट था कि वह आनन्द ले रहा है कि इसी बात से उसने मेरी शान्ति भंग की थी। उसे थोड़े से खेल की इच्छा थी और इससे बढ़िया कौन-सा खेल हो सकता था। जैसा इस विशाल, भारी-भरकम पवन चक्की जैसे प्राणी के द्वारा पीछा किया जाना, जिसका स्वाद इतना अच्छा हो और जो इतना निःसहाय तथा मूर्ख प्रतीत हो ? मैं उसकी भावना को समझकर उसमें आनन्द लेने लगा। वह मेरे लिए मात्र एक कीट-पतंग नहीं रह गया था। वह एक व्यक्तित्व के रूप में विकसित हो रहा था, एक बुद्धिमान जीव के रूप में इस रेल के डिब्बे के स्वामित्व पर मेरे साथ बराबरी का दावा कर रहा था। मेरे हृदय में उसके प्रति स्नेह उत्पन्न होने लगा और दंभ की भावना मिटने सी लगी। मैं उस प्राणी से स्वयं को श्रेष्ठ कैसे मान सकता था जो स्पष्ट रूप से उस होने वाली एकमात्र प्रतियोगिता में मेरा स्वामी बन गया ? फिर उदार क्यों न होऊँ ? उदारता और दया मनुष्य के सर्वोत्तम गुण है। इन उत्तम गुणों के प्रयोग द्वारा मैं अपने सम्मान को पुनः प्राप्त कर सकता था। इस समय मैं एक हास्यास्पद व्यक्ति था, हँसी और तिरस्कार का पात्र। दया दिखाकर मैं मनुष्य के नैतिक गौरव की पुन:—- स्थापना कर सकता था और सम्मान के साथ अपने स्थान पर लौटकर जा सकता था। मैंने अपने स्थान पर लौटकर जाते हुए कहा- मैं मृत्युदंड को वापस लेता हूँ। मैं तुम्हें मार नहीं सकता, इसलिए तुम्हारा पुनरुद्धार कर सकता हूँ। मैं ऐसा ही कर रहा हूँ अर्थात तुम्हें छोड़ता हूँ।
मैंने अपना समाचार-पत्र उठा लिया और वह आया तथा उस पर बैठ गया। मैंने कहा-मूर्ख, तुमने स्वयं को मेरे हाथों में सौप दिया है। विचारों की इस सम्मानित साप्ताहिक पत्रिका को दोनों ओर से एकदम बंद करते ही तुम एक शव बन जाओगे और पीस ट्रैप (Peace Trap) तथा दि मोडेस्टी ऑफ मि० ह्यज (The Modesty of Mr Hughes) दो लेखों के बीच भिंचकर तुम साफ तौर से सैण्डविच बन जाओगे। परन्तु मैं ऐसा नहीं करूंगा। मैंने तुम्हारा पुनरुद्धार किया है और मैं तुमको विश्वास दिलाला हूँ कि जब यह विशाल प्राणी कुछ कहता है तो उसे करके दिखाता है। इसके अतिरिक्त, अब तुम्हे मारने की मेरी इच्छा भी नहीं है। तुम्हें और अच्छी प्रकार से समझने के पश्चात् मुझे तुम्हारे प्रति अपनापन महसूस होने लगा है। मुझे लगता है कि सेन्ट फ्रांसिस तुम्हें छोटा भाई कहते। मैं ईसाई उदारता और शिष्टता के समान इतना आगे नहीं बढ़ सकता। परन्तु मैं इससे अधिक दूर का सम्बन्ध मानता हूँ। भाग्य ने गर्मियों की इस रात में हमें सहयात्री बना दिया है। मैं तुम्हें रोचक लगा हूँ |
और तुमने मेरा मनोरंजन किया है। अहसान दोनों ओर से है और इस मौलिक तथ्य पर आधारित है कि हम दोनों नश्वर प्राणी है। जीवन के सुखद क्षण तथा दुःखद पहलू दोनों ही समान रूप से हम दोनों में विद्यमान है। मैं समझता हूँ कि तुम्हें अपनी इस यात्रा के सम्बंध में कुछ पता नहीं होगा। मैं स्वयं आश्वसत नहीं हूँ कि मैं अपनी यात्रा के सम्बंध में अधिक जानता हूँ। यदि इस पर विचार किया जाए तो हम बहुत अधिक एक समान हैं-केवल एक आभास जो कभी है और कभी नहीं, रात के समय प्रकाशित गाड़ी में आते हुए, थोड़ी देर प्रकाश के चारों ओर फड़फड़ाते हुए और रात में ही बाहर चले जाते हुए। शायद “आज रात आगे जा रहे हैं, श्रीमान् ? ‘ खिड़की पर एक आवाज ने कहा। वह एक सहयोग करने वाला कुली था जो मुझे संकेत दे रहा था कि यह मेरा स्टेशन है। मैंने उसे धन्यवाद दिया और कहा कि मैं झपकी ले रहा होऊँगा। और अपना टोप व छड़ी लेकर मैं गर्मियों की सुहावनी रात में बाहर आ गया। जैसे ही मैंने डिब्बे का दरवाजा बंद किया मैंने अपने उस सहयात्री को लैम्प के चारों ओर मँडराते हुए देखा..
Explain with reference to the context the following:—-
1 — I do not know ……………… …………….. I was alone.
Reference to the context :—- These lines have been extracted from the prose ‘A Fellow Traveller’. It was written by A. G. Gardiner. These are the opening lives of this prose.
Explanation:—- In this passage, the authors is travelling by the last train from London. He explained that he did not know who entered into the carriage first, whether it’s him or his fellow traveller, mosquito for a time, he was not even aware of its presence. He was in a stopping train. It was very comfortable train. It was completely full when the train started but gradually and by the time, the author was the only one who was still in the train. He was or rather, he thought he was alone.
2 — There is a pleasant …………………………. anything you like.
Reference to the context:—- These lines have been extracted from the chapter ‘A fellow Travellers’. It was written by A. G. Gardiner. In these lines, the author is describing her joy about being alone in a jolting and jerking carriage during the night.
Explanation:—- The author in this passage says that it is really, joyful and pleasant to travel in a carriage through the night, all alone. He felt free and uncontrolled who had no restrictions. According to the authors, its fun to be alone in a carriage because anyone could do anything they like.
3 — I flicked him off my nose ………… ……………… look at my neck.
Reference to the context:–— These lined have been extracted from the chapter ‘A Fellow Traveller’. It is written by A. G. Gardiner. Here, the author is describing the actions of his fellow traveller.
Explanation:-— The fellow traveller of the author was a mosquito. His fellow came and sat on the author’s nose. He jerked the mosquito from his nose. Then the mosquito, his fellow traveller, flew about in the compartment and examined it thoroughly. He went to all the windows one after other fluttered around the light but it did not attract him. According to the author that when nothing attracted his fellow traveller as him as a large animal in the corner, he came back to him and was looking at his neck.
4 — I flicked him off again ……………………….. has its limits.
Reference to the context:—- These lines have been extracted from the chapter ‘A fellow Traveller’. It is written by A. G. Gardiner. The mosquito came back to the author again. The author flicked him off again and again but he was keep coming back to him.
Explanation:–— In this passage, the author flicked the mosquito again. He flew away and took another short trip of the compartment. He come back and shamelessly sat on the back of the author’s hand. It was irritating him now. He had enough of this fellow. The author tolerated it to an extent but his generosity had limit too.
5 — It is enough ……………………. …………….. meat coupon.
Reference to context:—- These lines have been extracted from the chapter ‘A fellow Traveller’. It is written by A. G. Gardiner. Every time the author flicked off the mosquito but it come back to him. Mosquito had irritated him. This time the mosquito came again and sat on the back of his hand.
Explanation:—– The writes got furious over the thing that the mosquito was taking advantage of his generosity. He said that he would not tolerate it anymore. There is a limit to his generosity. The mosquito had given warning two times by the author. According to the author he was a respected person and felt insulted by the uneasy sensation caused by a stranger like the mosquito. Assuming himself a judge he decided to sentence the mosquito to death for his rudeness and disrespecting the author. Justice demanded that the mosquito should be put to death. So the court gave orders that the fellow traveller of the author should be killed. There were many charges against this fellow like he was a wandering creature who was without a ticket and did not have a licence to bite a person.
6 — I assure the ……………………………… humiliated me.
Reference to the context:—– These lines are taken from the chapter ‘A Fellow Traveller’. It is written by A. G. Gardiner. When the author met his fellow traveller. He was not much pleased to meet him. His fellow traveller was irritating him so he himself presumed to be a judge and decided to punish him.
Explanation:–— The fellow traveller of the author, the mosquito was impertinent towards him. The author was not ready to bear this insult so he considered himself a judge. Being a judge he decided to punish the mosquito. He sentenced the mosquito to death. He said that justice demanded it and court fulfilled it. The author also counted on the charges the mosquito had to justify his punishment. There were many charges against the mosquito. First one, he was is a drifter. Second, he was an annoyance for public. Third, he was travelling in a train without a ticket. The final one that he did not have any authority to bite people and suck their blood for these and much more such crimes he was given the punishment of death. With this the author lodged a fatal blow but the mosquito dodged (avoid) it easily. This humiliated the author.
7 — My personal vanity ………… …………. terrible swiftness.
Reference to the context:–— These lines have been extracted from the chapter ‘A fellow Traveller.’ It is written by A.G. Gardiner. When the author was humiliated by his fellow traveller’s actions, his pride was hurt and triggered. So he decided to make another attempt to punish the mosquito.
Explanation:–— When the author got fail to bill the mosquito he felt extremely humiliated. His pride and ages was triggered and woken up. He tried once more. He lunged at him with the paper in his hand, jumped on the seat and was pursuing him round the lamp but all in vain he also strategised his actions like a cunning cat who waits for prey and approach it at the right time to grabit. The authors waited till the mosquito and approached it secretly and swiftly. It was again, all in vain.
8 –He played with me …………………………………. spirit of the fellow.
Reference to the context:–— These lines have been extracted from the chapter ‘A fellow Traveller’. It is written by A. G. Gardiner. Since all the efforts made by the author to kill the mosquito were failed so the mosquito had again started to irritate him.
Explanation:-— He had failed in his attempt to kill the mosquito. It seemed that the mosquito had enjoyed the fight. He looked furious like bull. The mosquito was enjoying himself he took pleasure in disturbing the author’s comfort. According to the author, the mosquito wanted to play this game of being chased by a big creature like him who also tasted good (as the mosquito could suck blood also) and seemed completely helpless and stupid. Gradually, the author felt that he liked this sport too and was getting a sense of fellowship for the mosquito.
- I began to enter ………………….. my prestige.
Reference to the context:—– There lines are taken from the chapter ‘A Fellow Traveller’. It is written by A. G. Gardiner. After all the annoyance and disturbance created by the mosquito, the author started feeling a sense of companionship for him.
Explanation:—- After spending enough time with the mosquito, the author felt a sense of fellowship towards him. He did not consider him a mere small insect anymore. According to the author the mosquito had developed with a personality of an intelligent creature who had fought with him over the possession of the compartment on equal terms. He felt good about him in his heart and his arrogance towards him was gave, He questioned himself that how he could be greater than the mosquito who clearly failed him in the only competition they had. Why could not be behave generously and mercifully again ? Generosity and kindness were the noblest qualities of man. Like this, he could regain his lost dignity back.
- I took up ………………………………….. summer night.
Reference to the context:—- These lines are taken from the chapter ‘A Fellow Traveller’. It is written by the authors A. G. Gardiner. In these lines the mosquito sat on the paper and the author had a chance to kill his fellow traveller but he did not, as he had given his words to him.
+— After accepting the mosquito as a fellow traveller the mosquito sat on a paper. The author called him foolish as the mosquito had put himself in trouble. The author could smack him anytime which would kill him. He would be sandwiched between the articles written on the paper. Though the author did not do it because he had relieved him temporarily as he had given his words to him and he meant them. Also the author did not desire to kill him. The author was hesitant to say that he had developed affection for the mosquito. According to him the destiny had made them fellow travellers on that summer night.
11 — I have …………………….. night again.
Reference to the context:—– These lines are the part of the passage from the chapter ‘A Fellow Traveller’. It is written by A. G. Gardiner. Here the author is talking about his interaction and experience with his fellow traveller, the mosquito.
Explanation:—– The author said that the mosquito found him interesting and he was also entertained by him. Both the travellers are mortals. According to the author, life has its miracles and mysterious for all which is common to both and nobody knows about their journey in the life. All the creatures on this earth are fellow travellers. None is superior or inferior to others. They are like ghosts that appear for a short time only, it means that their life is also short. It’s like coming from the darkness, flutter around the light and again merge into the darkness. He means that creature born in this world run around the mere things which are of no use and waste their precious time and at last they die going back to the same world.
Read the following passages and answer the questions given below them:—-
1 — I flicked him off again ……. ………….. are about to die.
Questions and their answers:—-
(i) When was the author annoyed with the mosquito ?
Ans — When the mosquito sat on the back of the author’s hand then it annoyed him.
(ii) What does the sentence ‘I assume the black cap’ mean ?
Ans — It means that the author assumed himself a judge to decide the case of the mosquito.
(iii) What did the mosquito do after it had been flicked off ?
Ans — When the mosquito had been flicked off then he skipped away and took another jaunt round the compartment, returned and seated himself impudently on the back of the author’s hand.
(iv) What was the warning of the author ?
Ans — The author flicked off the mosquito twice. It wearing of the author.
2 — I struck a swift ………………………… terrible swiftness.
Questions and their answers:—-
(i) What do you understand by the words ‘feline cunning’ ?
Ans — The meaning of the word ‘feline cunning’ is quirky sporty and active.
(ü) How did the authors feel insulted ?
Ans — The mosquito saved itself from the all kinds of tricks and attacks used by author to kill his fellow traveller. Thus the author felt insulted.
(iii) What did the fellow traveller do to escape the attacks ? Ans — The fellow traveller dodged the attacks of author very carefully.
(iv) Who do you think is smarter ?
Ans — The fellow traveller of the mosquito is smarter.
3 — He was developing ……………………………… I do it.
Questions and their answers:—-
(i) Why does the authors consider the fellow traveller to his master ?
Ans — The mosquito had proved himself more intelligent and clever than the author by protecting him from all the tricks of author to kill him. Therefore the author considers the fellow traveller to be his master.
(ii) How does man differ from animals ?
Ans — Generosity and Kindness make the different from animals.
(iii) Why did the author pardon the fellow traveller ?
(iv) What qualities did the author decide to practise ?
Ans — The author decided to practise the qualities of magnanimity and mercy.
4 — Magnanimity and …………………………… I do it.
Questions and their answers:—-
(i) Name two noblest attributes of man.
Ans — Two noblest attributes of man are Magnanimity and mercy.
(ii) How could the author recover his prestige ?
Ans — The author could recover his prestige by showing his kindness and generosity to the fellow traveller.
(iii) Who does ‘a ridiculous figure’ refer to ?
Ans — ‘Arediculous figure’ refers to the author.
(iv) Why could the author not kill his fellow traveller ?
Ans — The author could not kill his fellow traveller because his fellow travellers was very cunning and saved himself carefully from the every attack of the author. He withdraw the sentence of death from his fellow traveller.
5 — I have reprieved ……………… much about mine.
Questions and their answers:—-
(i) Why does the author spare the fellow traveller ?
Ans — The author spares the fellow traveller because
se he had developed affection for his fellow traveller.
(ii) What is special about St. Francis ?
Ans — St. Francis was popular for his charity and civility for every living creature on the earth.
(iii) What is the mutual obligation referred to in the extract ?
Ans — The mutual obligation referred to in the extract is that both had done something for each other. The author had interested the mosquito and the mosquito had also entertained him.
(iv) What is the journey referred to in the passage ?
Ans — The journey referred to in the passage is th journey of life.
Short Answer Type Questions
Answer the following questions in not more than 30 words each:—-
1 — Give a brief description of the train Mr. A. G.Gardiner was travelling by.
Ans. Mr. A. G. Gardiner was travelling from the last train from London to Midland town. It was a stopping train and a luxurious one. It was giving the feel of eternity to the author.
2 — What is according to Mr. A. G. Gardiner the pleasant sense of freedom about being alone in a compartment ?
Ans — According to the author, if a person travels alone, he has freedom of doing anything without feeling restraint or controlled. He can talk to himself loudly and nobody would hear him. He can do crazy things like singing, dancing, play marbles etc without any hindrance.
3 — What pleasant sense of freedom does the author feel when travelling alone in a railway compartment ?
Ans — According to the author, the pleasant sense of freedom about being alone in a railway compartment is that a person is fully free to do what he likes.
4 — What did the author do while travelling alone in the compartment ?
Ans — The author put down her paper, stretched his arms and legs, stood up and looked out of the window. Then he lit cigarette, sat down ad stated lead his paper again. The author did these things while travelling alone in the compartment.
5 — Who was the authors fellow traveller ? When did the author became aware of his fellow traveller ?
Ans — The authors fellow traveller was a mosquito. When the mosquito sat on his nose while he was reading his newspaper in the compartment alone then the author became aware of his fellow traveller.
6 — Describe the experience of A. G. Gardiner with his fellow traveller.
Ans — The experience of A. G. Gardiner with his fellow traveller was of hatred initially and later it converted into affection. At first he was annoyed with the mosquito and tried to kill it. Having failed multiple times and observing the intelligence of it, the author had developed a sense of affection and called it his fellow traveller.
7 — What did the author say when the mosquito seated himself impudently on the back of his hand ?
Ans — The author said that he had enough and generosity and kindness which have their limits. He had warned him twice that he was not an ordinary person and he won’t accept the inpertinence of any stranger.
8 –Why did justice demand the award of death sentence ?
Ans — The author put charges against the mosquito. He counted the mosquitoes criminal like he was a drifter, who disturbed public, he was travelling without any ticket and he had no licence to bite people and suck their blood. For there and such other crimes, the justice demanded the punishment as an award of death sentence.
Why did author decide to be magnanimous and merciful to the fellow traveller ?
Ans — This is because these two qualities were the noblest virtues of mankind, according to the authors. He could regain his lost prestige by showing generosity and kindness. 10. What relationships did the author develop with his fellow traveller ? Ans — The author developed a kind of affection with the mosquito. There was a mutual obligation between them and a moral bonding had created. He recognised this as a distant relationship where fortune had
made them fellow travellers.
Long Answer Type Questions
Answer the following questions in not more than 150 words each:—-
1 — Describe author’s pleasant sense of freedom about being alone in a compartment.
Ans — The author was travelling by the last train from London to his town Midland. The travellers got down in ones and twos at the stations, when the train left the outer ring of London, the author felt that he was alone in the compartment. The author felt a pleasant sense of freedom about being alone in a compartment of the passenger train. It was liberty and unrestraint in a very agreeable form. He was free to do anything he liked. He could talk to himself very loudly. He could argue out with an imaginary person and roll him in the dust without fear of a counterstroke. He could stand on his head and none would see him. He could sing, dance, practice a golf stroke, or play marbles freely. He could open the window or shut it, Indeed he could go on opening them and shutting them as a sort of festival of freedom. He could sit in any corner he liked. He could lie full length on the cushions and enjoy the luxury of violating the ordinance D.O.R.A.
2 — Describe Gardiner’s experience with his fellow traveller ?
Ans — When the last of his fellow passengers had gone, the author stood up and looked out of the window. He returned to his seat and lit a cigarette. He sat down and began to read again. The author thought that he was alone. He became aware of his fellow traveller when a mosquito appeared and sat on his nose. Now he began to think that he was not alone. His fellow passenger was not an ordinary fellow. He made a tour of the compartment, fluttered round the light and decided to entertain himself with the large animal in the corner. He came and had a look at the author’s neck. The author experienced that his fellow traveller was impudent and took delight in the tickling impertinence. The writer struck a swift lethal blow with his right hand. But the mosquito dodged playfully. The writer experienced humiliation. His personal vanity aroused. He decided to kill the mosquito. He adopted tactics of feline cunning to kill him but all in vain. The author felt the mosquito like a skillful matador and himselflike an infuriated bull. The mosquito was enjoying himself disturbing the repose of the writer. The author felt himself helpless and fool. He considered mosquito as having personality that challenged the possession of the compartment with the writer on equal terms.
3 — Describe the behaviour of the fellow traveller as depicted by A.G. Gardiver.
Ans — When the author was alone in the carriage then suddenly a mosquito appeared and sat on his nose. He flicked him off but he sat on his neck. After flicking him off again, he again came back and sat on the back of his hand. This made the author furious. He decided to kill him so he struck a blow but he dodged. Now the author had to made more efforts to kill him. He lunged at him with his hand and with the paper but failed. He jumped on this seat and pursued him round the Lamp but he dlodyed every time. The author was even unable to touch him. He tried to attack him like a felive but failed agains. The author tried every tactic but every thing useless. The author was attacking him like an angry bull.
The mosquito was cleverly jumping about like a skilful metadas. At last the author give up the fight.
Multiply Choice Questions>–
Choose the most suitable option:—-
1 — A.G. Gardiner one evening boarded a passenger trains.
(a) climbed (b) alighted (c) boarded (d) missed
2 — There is a pleasant sense of freedom about being alone in a carriage.
(a) of (b) over (c) for (d) about
3 — I flicked him off my nose.
(a) of (b) on (c) from (d) off
4 — I condemn you to death. Justice demands it, and the court awards it.
(a) lawyer (b) author (c) court (d) policeman
5 — I felt my heart warning towards him and the sense of superiority fading.
(a) increasing (b) coming (c) fading (d) shining
6 — Justice demands it and the court awards it
(a) declares (b) decides (c) awards (d) directs
7 — You can open the window or shut it without provoking a protest.
(a)provoking (b) calling (c) pickingt (d) getting
8 –I cannot go so for as that in christian charity and civility.
(a) as (b) too (c) to (d) so
I went out into the cool summer night. (a) in (b) for (c) into (d) to
10. I struck a swift, lethal blow with my right hand.
(a) gentle (b) big (c) lethal (d) normal
11 — How could I feel superior to a creature who was so manifestly my master in the only competition we had ever enjoyed. (a) inferior (b) greater (c) better 2(d) superior
12 — He played with me openly. (a) for (b) with (c) in (d) by
Language skills
1 — Match the words under column ‘A’with their synonyms under column ‘B’.
‘A’ tolerably
relaxed stealthiness
remained carriage
satisfactorily leisurely
coach lingered
secret prestige
dead body a good deal
dignity corpse
a large amount
Ans — tolerably…..satisfactorily
stealthiness……………….secret
carriage …….. coach
leisurely…………..relaxed
lingered…………..remained
prestige…………..dignity
a good deal………….. a large amount
corpse…………..dead body
2 — Write the anonyms of the following:—-
(i) brisk (ii) limbo (iii) advantage (iv) allay (v) flee (vi) stress( vii) sensible (viii) discourtesy (ix) hindrance (i) brisk inactive
(ii) limbo -………………………. certainly
(iii) advantage ………………………. Adisadvantage
(iv) allay ……………………….- harm
(v) flee -………………………. stay
(vi) stress ………………………. – unstressed
(vii) sensible -………………………. insensible
(viii) discourtesy-………………………. courtesy
(ix) hindrance -………………………. liberation
3 — Fill in the blanks spaces in the passage given below with appropriate verb forms. Verbs in their
find forms are given within brackets:—-
I flicked (flick) him off again. He skipped (skip) away, took (take) another jaunt round the compartment, returned (return) and sat (seat) himself impudently on the back of my hand. I struck (strike) a swift, lethal blow with my right hand. He dodged (dodge) with an insolent ease that humiliated (humiliate) me.
My personal vanity was aroused, I lunged (lunge) at him with my hand, with my paper;
I jumped (jump) on the seat and pursued (pursue) him round the lamp;
I adopted (adopt) tactics of feline cunning.
4 — Here are some pairs of words. Use each of them in your own sentences and clasify their meanings:—-
(i) calm, qualm (ii) roll, role (iii) night, knight (iv) fellow, fallow (v) deal, dele (vi) peace, piece
(i) calm, qualm
calm – He simply continued to speak in a calm voice.
qualm – He had qualms of conscience.
(ii) roll, role
roll – He grunted and dodged, giving her time to roll out from under him.
role – Everyone has a role to support our society. (iii) night, knight
night – She hates to party at night.
knight – Asoka was a great knight.
(iv) fellow, fallow
fellow – The fellow worker promised to come back.
fallow – The hill fields are left fallow for ten years after two years cultivation.
(v) deal, dele
deal – One has to know how to deal with problems.