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Question I:

Discuss in pairs and answer each question below in a short paragraph (30-40 words).

1.                 "The sound was a familiar one." What sound did the doctor hear? What did he think it was? How many times did he hear it? (Find the places in the text.) When and why did the sounds stop?

2.                 What two "importan t" and "earth-shaking" decisions did the doctor take while he was looking into the mirror?

3.                 "I looked into the mirror and smiled," says the doctor. A little later he says, "I forgot my danger and smiled feebly at myself." What is the doctor's opinion about himself when: (i) he first smiles, and (ii) he smiles again? In what way do his though ts change in between, and why?

Answer I:

1.       The doctor lived in a room which was full of rats. He could hear the rats all day long. There was a regular inflow and outflow of rats to and from the beam. He heard the sound thrice and the sound stopped all of a sudden as rats saw a snake.

2.       The doctor took two "importa nt" and "earth-shaking" decisions while he looked at himself in the mirror. Firstly, he decided to shave daily and grow a thin moustache. Secondly, he decided to keep an attractive smile on his face.

3.

(i)      When the doctor first smiles, he has an inflated opinion about himself, admiring his looks and profession.

(ii)     In the second instance, the doctor smiles thinking about his foolishness and helplessness. His thoughts change after his encounter with the snake. He accepted his stupidity and moved on from being a proud doctor.

Question II:

This story about a frightening inciden t is narrated in a humorous way. What makes it humorous? (Think of the contrasts it presents between dreams and reality. Some of them are listed below.)

1.

(i)      The kind of person the doctor is (money, possessions)

(ii)     The kind of person he wants to be (appearance, ambition)

2.

(i)      The person he wants to marry

(ii)     The person he actually marries

3.

(i)      His though ts when he looks into the mirror

(ii)     His thoughts when the snake is coiled around his arm Write short paragraphs on each of these to get your answer.

Answer II:

1.

(i)      The doctor is not a rich person. He hardly has any money and lives in a house without electricity. It is a small room which he rented, which had plenty of rats living in it. He has ju st started his medical practice. So he is not a man of possessions or money.

(ii)     The Person wants to be rich. He also dreams of having a good appearance. That's why he decides to shave and grow a thin moustache.

2.

(i)      The doctor wants to get married to a lady doctor with a good medical practice and a lot of money. He wants her to be fat so that she couldn't run after him and catch him.

(ii)     He actually marries a thin reedy woman who has a gift of sprinter.

3.

(i)      His thoughts are full of joy and satisfaction. He decides to shave and also grow thin moustache and keep smiling always. He finds his smile attractive.

(ii)     He turned into a stone and sat like stone image in the flesh. He didn't tremble or cry out. However, his mind was still very active. He felt the presence of creator. He decides to write the words 'O God' outside his little heart.