UP Board Solutions for Class 11 English Prose Chapter 2 Forgetting free pdf
Explanation Explain with reference to the context the following:
1- Alist…………………………….and murderers.
Reference to context: These lines are taken from the lesson “Forgetting”. The writer of this essay is Robert Lynd, a great modern essayist. Once a list of articles lost by railway passengers was published in London. Many people were astonished by the forgetfulness of their fellows.
Explanation: In these lines, the writer tells us that once a list of articles lost by railway passengers has been published at great London station. Seeing the list many people were astonished at the forgetfulness of their fellows. He says that if written records of data about the things which travellers forget in train compartment were available than it would be common to find that forgetfulness is common in the travellers. The author wonders that it is on the success of human society rather than on its failure. He further says that modern man/people remembers long telephone numbers, addresses, date of old articles, appointment for lunch or dinner, names of actor, actresses, cricketers footballers and murderers.
2- Certain ……………………………….forget to take.
Reference to context: These lines are taken from the lesson “Forgetting”. The writer of this essay is Robert Lynd, a great modern essayist. The author points out clearly forgetting in some matters. Forgetting may be due to carelessness, indifference and being busy in some matters.
Explanation: In these lines, the author says that some psychologists say that it is due to the antipathy to pills and potions. The author does not agree to this theory outright. Giving his example he says that he is a life-long devotee of medicines. He wishes to have them at the regular time. But it often happens that the medicine in his pocket and he wishes to have it, yet he forgets it most unwillingly. The author draws a very solid conclusion that chemists earn lots of money out of those medicines which so many people forget to take. As they forget to take medicine, they take more time to cure. The more time they take, the more medicines they have to buy from chemists.
3- The commonest …………………………………… ………….. about it.
Reference to context: These lines are taken from the lesson “Forgetting”. The writer of this essay is Robert Lynd, a great modern essayist. The author says that memory works less than usual in some matters. People forget to post the letters at proper time. The author himself is forgetful of posting letters.
Explanation: The author thinks that the most common form of forgetfulness takes places in the matter of posting letters. This type of forgetfulness is so common that the author is always unwilling to give an important letter to post to a person who has come to visit him. He has very little confidence in the memory of the visitor. And if he has to give the letter to him to post, he puts him on his oath to post the letter. The writer further says that if anyone asks him to post a letter is a poor judge of character because even if he puts the letter in his hand, he forgets to post it even when he passes from the first pillar box. He puts the letter in his pocket and totally forget to post it.
4- After that ………………..…………… remember to write.
Reference to context: These lines are taken from the lesson “Forgetting’. The writer of this essay is Robert Lynd, a great modern essayist. The author says that when he forgets to post other’s letter than he had to face many embarrassing questions and the forgetfulness might be thought as a result of lack of interest in other people things.
Explanation: In these lines, the author tells his condition when he forget to post other’s letter. He says the life become tame, quiet and he had to face embarrassment because he forget to post the letter. He is asked many questions and he had to take out the letter from his pocket. He says, it might be thought because of the lack of interest in other peoples work or letters but it cannot be the explanation as he himself forgets to post some of the letters that he himself remember to write.
5- As for leaving ………………………………. achieved this?
Reference to context: These lines are taken from the lesson “Forgetting”. The writer of this essay is Robert Lynd, a great modern essayist. The author explains that he does not forgot things except books and walking-sticks. So, he is not a offender in forgetting things.
Explanation: In these lines the author says that he does not forget things in trains and taxis mostly so he is not guilt in these matters. He can remember almost anything except books and walking-sticks. He can remember books many times but he feels quite impossible to remember about the walking-sticks. He like to buy walking-sticks as his taste is old fashioned for them so he buy them frequently but whenever he goes to visits his friends house or travel by train than he forgets about the stick and looses it. He does not carry an umbrella with him because of the fear of loosing it mostly. He asks “Does the person who holds his umbrella tightly has never forgotten his umbrella?”
6- Few of us ………………. ………….. their errors.
Reference to context: These lines are taken from the lesson “Forgetting”. The writer of this essay is Robert Lynd, a great modern essayist. The author tells that some persons have lost many things because of forgetfulness. These persons often forget to take their luggage while getting down form the train. The author says that young mostly forgotten their things rather than the adults.
Explanation: The author says that there are some persons who forget to take their luggage while descending form the train. Usually the ordinary travellers reach to their homes safe without forgetting anything in the train. But the example mentioned in the beginning of the essay occurs mostly with the young travellers. In the opinion of the author sportsmen have also worse memory than an earnest minded person. Many footballs and cricket bats were forgotten by there sportman. It may be because the sportman who is returning after playing the game, have their imagination still filled with the perception of the game. In his mind he is recalling the mistakes he had made while playing.
7- For the rest ………,,,,,,,,,…………….. Utopia.
Reference to context: These lines are taken from the lesson “Forgetting”. The writer of this essay is Robert Lynd, a great modern essayist. The author is telling about the sportsmen and anglers who forget things.
Explanation: In these lines the author is telling that the sportsman keeps on recalling the mistakes which he made while playing, therefore for the rest of the day he is a citizen of dreamland. The same happens with the angler, who forgets his fishing-rod. It is said that the anglers are mostly lost in their imaginations. An angler is lost in his imagination so he forgets about the fishing-rod.
8- The questions ………… ………….. their art.
Reference to context: These lines are taken from the lesson “Forgetting”. The writer of this essay is Robert Lynd, a great modern essayist. Here, the author says the topic of having a good memory is always a matter of discussion. Men with intelligent minds are also liable to commit mistakes. They may have sometimes tried to claim their superiority in intelligence but the author refuses to accept their claims.
Explanation: The author says that the topic of ‘having a good memory has always been a topic of discussion and men with weak memory have tried to prove them superior. Those men who claim superiority but forward the argument that a person who has a very good memory like a machine is barely a man of first grade intelligence. In the opinion of author this argument is wrong. They submit the examples of so many cases of children or men. In the opinion of author these children or men possessed very good memory but they had no intelligence at all. But according to the opinion of author great authors and music composers may be of good memory and intelligent also. The author says that among the poets and stock-brokers in his knowledge, the poets have a better memory because it is the one of the main part or half substance of their art.
9- At the same …………………………………….. him a lesson.
Reference to context: These lines are taken from the lesson “Forgetting”. The writer of this essay is Robert Lynd, a great modern essayist. The author tells about a person with strange memory.
Explanation: In these lines, the author tells that if a person lacks in ordinarily memory, everyone so think him as a strange person. He says that he had heard about a father who take out his baby in perambulator and to take a break, he moves into a pub for a glass of beer leaving the baby in perambulator outside. After few minutes his wife passed through the pub as she was going for shopping. As she saw her baby outside the pub, sleeping in perambulator, she was horrified. She was very angry at her husbands’s behaviour and decided to teach him a lesson.
10- She wheeled …………………………………… great modern city.
Reference to context: These lines are taken from the lesson “Forgetting”. The writer of this essay is Robert Lynd, a great modern essayist. In these lines the author shows and points out a father’s carelessness. A father took his baby in a pram. He entered into a public house for a glass of beer and leaves the baby at the door of public house alone. He came out through the door of the saloon bar and forgot the child. A little later, his wife went past the bar. She discovered her sleeping baby in the pram. Angry at her husband’s behaviour, she decided to teach him a lesson.
Explanation: His wife imagined how her husband would feel frightened when he came out of the bar and saw the child missing. She brought the pram with the child home. She thought that her husband would inform her that the child had been stolen. His face would be white and his lips would be trembling. She would enjoy his state angrily. But the reality was otherwise. Her husband returned home. He had no worry of the child. He was cheerful and smiling. He asked affectionately his wife what she had prepared for lunch that day. Such was the forgetfulness of the father that he had completely forgotten about his child. The author asks a question that how many men below or except the philosopher are such absent minded. The author thinks that most of us are born with ordinary efficient memories. And if it was not like this than the family could not survive in modern society.
Comprehension Read the following passages and answer the questions given below them:
1- Certain …………………………………… forget to take.
Questions with their answer:
(i) Why do we forget things according to certain psychologists?
Ans: According to certain psychologists we forget things because we wish to forget them.
(ii) Why do people often forget to take medicines at the appointed hours?
Ans: People forget to take medicines at the appointed hours because they have great dislike for medicines.
(ii) What delights the author most?
Ans: The introduction of a new medicine delights the author most.
(iv) How do the chemists make their fortunes?
Ans: The chemists make their fortune out of the medicines, people forget to take.
2- The commonest …………………………….. have posted it.
Questions with their answer:
(i) Does the author believe a departing visitor to post an important letter?
Ans: The author does not believe a departing visitor to post an important letter. He does not rely on his memory.
(ii) When does the commonest form of forgetfulness occur?
Ans: The commonest form of forgetfulness occurs in the matter of posting letters.
(iii) What is the weakness of the author posting a letter?
Ans: The weakness of the author about posting a letter is that he forgets to post a letter. He remember it when he has past the letter box. (iv) Does the author post a letter at the first letter box?
Ans: The author does not post a letter at the first letter box. When he has past the first letter box, he remembers that he ought to have posted it.
3- As for ……………………………… even achieved this?
Questions with their answer:
(i) What does he often prefer to buy?
Ans: He often prefers to buy walking-sticks.
(ii) What is the author forgetful of?
Ans: The author is most forgetful of books and walking-sticks.
(iii) What is the most common weakness described in the passage?
Ans: The most common weakness described in the passage is carrying an umbrella.
(iv) What is he most afraid of carrying?
Ans: He is most afraid of carrying umbrellas because he fears to lose it.
4- His loss of ………………………… above such things.
Questions with their answer:
(i) Why is his loss of memory really a tribute?
Ans: When a fisherman thinks about his day’s sport of fishing, he has an intense feeling of enjoyment. Thus, his loss of memory is really a tribute to that intensity of his enjoyment.
(ii) How does the author justify fisherman’s forgetting the fishing-rod and the poet’s to post a
letter? Ans: The author justifies fisherman’s forgetting the fishing rod and the poet’s to post a letter by telling that their minds are filled with much more impressive matter.
(iii) What do you mean by the sentence “Who would have trusted Socrates or Coleridge to post a letter? Ans: The sentence “Who would have trusted Socrates or Coleridge to post a letter?” means that their
minds are filled with so glorious matter that they cannot remember things of average quality such as
posting a letter. (iv) What does the word ‘mediocre’ stand for?
Ans: The word ‘mediocre’ stands for the things of average quality.
5- Aman, they say ………. ……………………. of the truth.
Questions with their answer:
(i) Why has the memory of statesman been compared with a sieve?
Ans: The statesmen have bad memories. They forget things easily. They cannot retain the facts and
figures correctly as a sieve cannot retain any substance.
(ii) Is it true that perfect memory means great intelligence? Ans: No, a man with perfect memory has no intellect to speak of.
(iii) Who have better memories – the poets or the stock-brokers?
Ans: The poets have better memories than the stock-brokers.
(iv) How will you define an ideal statesman? Ans: An ideal statesman is a person who has the genius of memory and of intellect combined.
6- On the other hand, ………………… of intellect combined.
Questions with their answer:
(i) What way does the author suggest to test the memory of the statesmen?
Ans: To test the memory of the statesmen, ask them what happened at a particular Cabinet meeting.
(ii) What each statesman will say about the story told by other statesman?
Ans: Each statesman will say about the story told by other statesman to be incorrect.
(iii) What do you understand by the expression ‘an audacious perverter oftruth’ used in the passage?
Ans: The expression ‘an audacious perverter of truth’ means ‘that man is impudent, he changes truth into falsehood’.
(iv) Why are the facts in the autobiographies and speeches of statesman frequently challenged? Ans: The facts in the autobiographies and speeches of statesman are frequently challenged because they do not have good memories.
7- I had heard ……………………………… her sleeping baby.
Questions with their answer:
(i) Where did the father go leaving the baby alone in the perambulator?
Ans: Leaving the baby alone in the perambulator the father went into a public house for a glass of beer.
(ii) Describe the story of the father, the baby and the perambulator in brief.
Ans: One sunny morning a father took the baby out in a perambulator and left it with the baby lying in it
outside a public-house. (iii) When did the wife see her baby?
Ans: When the wife went for some shopping, she saw her baby in the perambulator outside the public house.
(iv) Why was the wife full of horror?
Ans: The wife was full of horror because she discovered her baby alone in the perambulator outside the
public-house.
Short Answer Type Questions Answer the following questions in not more than 30 words each:
1- Why is the memory of sportsmen worse than that of other ordinary people?
Ans: The memory of sportsmen worse than that of other ordinary people because their minds are full of the
play, the playfield, their achievements or their errors. They are separated from their outward surroundings and so they easily forget their things while leaving the train.
2- What are the most common things we often forget according to Robert Lynd?
Ans: The commonest form of forgetfulness can be seen when railway passengers leave their articles when
they reach their destination. People forget to take medicine at the proper time. Some people forget their
important letters to post. 3- What do certain psychologists tell us about forgetting?
Ans: According to certain psychologist men forget things because they wish to forget. It is possible that
people forget taking medicine due to their dislike for pills and potions.
4- Who do you think is the most absent-minded person on the basis of your study of the essay ‘Forgetting’? Ans: On the basis of our study of the essay ‘Forgetting’, we can say that the father, who took his baby in a perambulator for walking and forgot to bring it back is the most absent-minded person.
5- What is absent-mindedness?
Ans: Absent-mindedness is a kind of virtue by which a man can make the best of his life.
6- Who is a poor judge of character and why?
Ans: A person who entrusts a letter to the author to post is a poor judge of man’s character. It is so because the
author always forgets to post a letter. He does not remember to post even his own letters.
7- Who have bad memories? What way does the author suggest to test their memory?
Ans: Statesmen or politicians have bad memories. To test their memory, the author suggests that two politicians
should be asked to try to recall the same event for example at some Cabinet meeting.
Long Answer Type Questions Answer the following questions in not more than 150 words each:
1- How does the author defend the absent-mindedness? Give examples in support of your answer.
Ans: Introduction: If statistical records were available on ‘forgetting’, it would be found that absent mindedness is common. His wonder: He says it is the efficiency rather than the inefficiency of human memory that compels his wonder. Forgetfulness is a tribute: He takes the example of the angler who forgets his fishing-rod. His forgetfulness is really a tribute to the intensity of his enjoyment in thinking his day’s sport. Forgetfulness is a virtue: An angler forgets his fishing-rod as the poet forgets to post a letter. Their minds are filled with more glorious matter. Absent-mindedness of this kind seems to the author all but a virtue.
Conclusion: The absent-minded man is often a man who is making the best of life. He therefore has no time to remember the mediocre. His soul is above such insignificant things as taking medicine, posting letter and remembering fishing-rod and other things.
- What does Robert Lynd say in defence of forgetfulness?
Ans: The author, Robert Lynd says that his forgetfulness is not related with forgetting articles in compartment
of trains. He is forgetful in posting letters. Even when he carries the letter in his hand, he remembers to post the letter when the first letter-box is left behind. Then tired of holding the letter in his hand, he puts letter in his pocket for safety and forgets all about the letter. Later, he remember to produce the letter from his pocket when a number of embarrassing questions are asked. Some people may think that author forgets to post other people’s letters due to lack of interest. But the author rejects this argument because he says that he forgets to post his own letters also. The author is also forgetful about books and walking-sticks. He says that he can often remember books but he can never remember walking-sticks. Whenever he pays a visit to his friend’s house or goes on a journey in a train, he forgets his walking-sticks and he has to buy a new one. In the same way, he says that he dare not carry an umbrella for fear of losing it.
- According to Robert Lynd, “It is the efficiency rather than the inefficiency of human memory that compels my wonder.” Discuss the statement with suitable examples.
Ans: Introduction: People are born with good memories. Only a few people have dull memories.
Efficiency of human memories: Modern man has efficient memory. He remembers even telephone numbers. He remembers the addresses of his friends. He remembers the dates of good celebrations. He remembers appointments for lunch and dinner. His memory is crowded with the names of actors and actresses. He remembers the names of cricketers and footballers and murderers. He can tell you what the weather was like in a long past August and the name of the provincial hotel at which he had a vile meal during the summer. In his ordinary life modern man remembers almost everything that he is expected to remember. Almost everybody remembers to do the right thing at the right moment from morning till the sleeping time in the night. Even an ordinary man seldom forgets to turn off the lights before going upstairs. Inefficiency of human memory: Forgetfulness is common. In some matters memory works with less than its usual perfection. The things people generally forget are taking medicine and posting letters. Some people forget their walking-sticks, umbrellas and books. Sportsmen forget footballs and cricket bats. Anglers forget their fishing-rods. Conclusion: These cases are only a few. People work with efficient memories. Hence the statement that it is the efficiency rather than the inefficiency of human memory that compels my wonder, is justified.
- Describe those things which a modern man seldom forgets, according to Robert Lynd.
Ans: Introduction: The author is astonished at the absent-mindedness of the people. He is surprised to see the forgetfulness of these people. He does not feel any sympathy for the people of this type. Things which are seldom forgotten: It is a fake absent-mindedness of a individual person, who forgets at a particular movement. Modern man does not forget a telephone number. Even the addresses of the friends and relatives are kept in the memory properly. Celebrated dates are remembered by a modern man as well. Remembering the dates: Thus modern man also remembers the appointments for lunch and dinner. He has a great list of names in his mind of actors and actresses. He also remembers so many cricketers, footballers and murderers. Conclusion: In fact he can tell you the things which were happened in long-past. So, in the ordinary life, one remembers almost all the things which are expected to be remembered.
Multiple Choice Questions Choose the most suitable option:
- The same may be said, no doubt, of anglers who forget their ….. (a) nets (b) baskets
(c) fishing-rods (d) lunch boxes - Absent-mindedness of this kind. …………….. to me all but a virtue.
(a) seems (b) goes (c) comes (d) vanishes - The ordinary man arrives ……………. his destination with all his bags and trunks safe.
(a) on (b) to (c) at (d) for
4- A ………………….. number of footballs and cricket bats, for instance, were forgotten.
(a) heavy (b) countable (c)respectable (d) considerable
- In his ordinary life, again, he remembers almost everything that he is …………… to remember.
(a) expected (b) hoped (c) required (d) supposed
6- The absent-minded man is often a man who is making… ………… of life and therefore has no time to remember the mediocre.
(a) the best (b) the worst (c) own (d) himself
7- The commonest form of forgetfulness, I suppose, occurs ………… the matter of posting letters.
(a) over (b) in (C) upon (d) on
8- It is the efficiency rather than the inefficiency that …………. ……… any wonder.
(a) impels (b) dispels (c)propels (d) compels
9- A list of.. …….. lost by railway travellers and now on sale a great London station has been published.
(a) arsenal (b) arteries (c) artillery (d) articles
10- I can remember almost anything ……………………… books and walking sticks.
(a) except (b) accept (c) decept (d) precept
11- If it were not so, the institution of the family could not ……. ………. in any great modern city.
(a)revive (b) survive (c) derive (d) connive
12- … not to carry an umbrella for fear of losing it.
(a) dare (b) fare (c) care (d) share
13- As for leaving articles in trains and in taxis, I am no great … ……….. in such matters.
(a) enemy (b) delinquent (c) fool (d) opponent
14- Most of us, I fear, are born with prosaically …………………. memories.
(a) sufficient (b) efficient (c) little (d)no
15- Indignant at her husband’s behaviour, she decided to ……………… him a lesson.
(a) forget (b) teach (c)read (d) memorise
16- Certain …………………….. tell us that we forget things because we wish to forget them.
(a)physicians (b) psychologists (c) neurologists (d) homeopaths
17- So common is forgetfulness that I am always ……………… to trust a departing visitor to post a important letter.
(a) unwilling (b) disinclined (c) reluctant (d) inclined
18- A man, they say, who is a …………………………… remembering machine is seldom a man of the first intelligence.
(a) prefect (b) imperfect (c) perfect (d) effect
19- The fishing rod of reality is forgotten as he daydreams over the ………….. of the fishing rod of Utopia.
(a) feats (b) feasts (c) feet (d) freaks
20- Modern man remembers even …………………. numbers.
(a) book (b) directory (c) telephone (d) road
21- There are, it must be admitted, some matters ….. …………. which the memory works with less than
its usual perfection.
(a) for (b) in (c) in regard to (d) about
Language skills type
1- Write the meanings of the following words in English and also use them in your own sentences:
(i) absent-mindedness: inattentive or forgetful behavior
He was absent-minded in the class of maths, so he achieved less marks.
2-vintages : era/period/high-quality
He possess vintage motor cars.
(iii) vile: extremely unpleasant
The vile queen tried to get rid of her stepdaughter.
methodical : well ordered
Their movement were slow and methodical. moral giants: people particular about taking things.
The moral giants always do their work before deadline.
(vi) reluctant: unwilling/ hesitant
He was reluctant to choose mathmatics.
(vii) circumstances: situation
Whatever be the circumstances, you should, never loose hope.
(viii) delinquent: lawless
Provision is made for truant and delinquent children.
(ix) mediocre: ordinary
She belongs to a mediocre family.
(x) fallible : error-prone
She was fallible in maths but she never failed in it.
(xi) audacious: bold/daring
Successful people are audacious and not afraid take risks.
(xii) perambulator: pram
The mother took the baby out in the perambulator.
(xiii) public-house : pub or licensed stores to sell alcoholic drink
He went to public-house on every Saturday.
(xiv) quivering: tremble or shake
Every muscle of his face was quivering.
2- Write the synonyms of the following word:
indignant–dissatisfied/resentful
vile–unpleasant
perfect–ideal
relish–delight/pleasure tribute
praise/ accolade
pause–cease/ stop
anticipating–expect/predict
2- Write the antonyms of the following words:
fallible– infallible
forget–remember
antipathy–affinity/ liking
quivering–steady/ stillness
audacious– timiid