FATHER’S HELP (R.K.Narayan)
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
- When Swami was in bed, he shuddered because – a. it was Monday morning b. he hadn’t done the homework c. Samuel would scold him d. he had a high fever
Answer. a. it was Monday
- Swami complained of headache – a. at nine o’clock b. at eight o’clock c. at seven o’clock d. none of these
Answer. a. at nine o’clock
- At 9.30 Swami should have been – a. in Samuel’s class b. in the headmaster’s room c. in the prayer hall d. doing nothing
Answer. c. in the prayer hall
- In his mother’s room, Swami chose to lie – a. on a divan b. on bed c. on a bench d. in an easy chair
Answer. c. on a bench
- Swami told his parents that he had – a. a fever b. a headache c. stomach problem d. caught cold
Answer. b. a headache
- When Swami told about his headache, his father was – a. tensed b. happy c. indifferent d. angry
Answer. d. angry
- On Sundays, Swami would – a. do arithmetic b . sleep c. laze around d. go fishing
Answer. c. laze around
- Swami changed his tactics, because – a. his father was strict b. his mother was strict c. Samuel was strict d. his parents were strict
Answer. a. his father was strict
- If Swami told that he had a headache, Samuel would – a. beat him b. scold him c. shout at him d. ignore him
Answer. b. scold him
- Samuel was a man who was always – a. happy b. worried c. relaxed d. angry
Answer. d. angry
- Samuel especially does not like those students who – a. are unpunctual b. are not hard working c. skip classes d. are inattentive
Answer. c. skip classes
- The Headmaster was – a. pleased with Samuel b. angry with Samuel c. afraid of Samuel d. indifferent to Samuel
Answer. c. afraid of Samuel
- Swami changed his tactics, because his father was – a. angry b. liberal c. strict d. cordial
Answer. c. strict morning
- Swami’s father had written a letter by the time Swami was ready to – a. go loafing about b. sleep on the bench c. leave for school d. leave for tuition
Answer. c. leave for school
- Father decided to send the headmaster – a. a letter b. an application c. a notice d. a telegram
Answer. a. a letter
- Swami’s father put the letter in an envelope and – a. strapped it b. covered it c. glued it d. sealed it
Answer. d. sealed it
- The word ‘apprehensively’ means – a. joyfully b. fearfully c. pleasantly d. angrily
Answer. b. fearfully
- In the letter, Swami’s father wrote – a. plenty of things b. a lot of things c. very little d. none of these
Answer. a. plenty of things
- Swami’s father wanted the letter to be given to – a. the headmaster b. the principal c. the rectar d. Samuel
Answer. a. go to class
- Swami’s father wrote the letter to Swami’s – a. friends b. headmaster c. teacher d. mother
Answer. c. teacher
- The colour of Samuel’s coat was – a. white b. yellow c. blue d. black
Answer. b. yellow
- What bothered Swami was his – a. guilt b. offence c. conscience d. late attendance
Answer. c. conscience
- Swami hoped Samuel would – a. welcome him b. scold him c. punish him d. laugh at him
Answer. b. scold him
- Swami was not sure if his description of Samuel was – a. precise b. perfect c. accurate d. exact
Answer. c. accurate
- At school, Swami felt very – a. angry b. confused. c. happy d. tense
Answer. b. confused
- Swami felt that Samuel had a special regard – a. for the headmaster b. for his father c. for himself d. for him
Answer. d. for him
- The more Swami thought of Samuel, the more – a. aggrieved he felt b. cheerful he felt c. disappointed he felt d. angry he felt
Answer. d. aggrieved he felt
- Swami could recall Samuel’s – a. face, moustache and cheek b. hair, beard and cheek c. face, beard and nose d. moustache, eyebrow and wart
Answer. a. face, moustache and cheek
- Swaminathan felt sad as he recalled Samuel’s – a. yellow turban b. yellow coat c. yellow jacket d. yellow shirt
Answer. b. yellow coat
- An idea occurred to Swami, as he entered – a. the classroom b . Samuel’s house c. the school gate d . his own house
Answer. c. the school gate
- Swami decided to deliver the letter – a. at the end of the day b. in the beginning of the day c. during the tiffin break d. the next day
Answer. a. at the end of the day
- Samuel was teaching – a. English b. Arithmetic c. History d. Tamil
Answer. b. arithmetic
- Swami was late by – a. 20 minutes b. 30 minutes c. 40 minutes d. 60 minutes
Answer. b. 30 minutes
- Samuel got most angry when he – a. was talking to guardians b. was teaching arithmetic c. inspecting homework d. found inattentive students
Answer. c. inspecting homework
- Swami had never met anyone who was as________ as Samuel. – a. good b. bad c. ugly d. dangerous
Answer. a. good
- On that day, Samuel appeared to be very – a. polite b. kind c generous d. gentle
Answer. d. gentle
- When Swami told about his headache, Samuel asked him to – a. sit down b. stand up c. go out d. kneel down
Answer. a. sit down
- The bell for the last period rang at – a. 5.30 p.m. b. 3.30 p.m. c. 4.30 p.m. d. 6.30 p.m.
Answer. c. 4.30 p.m.
- That the headmaster had gone on a leave was reported by – a. the clerk b. the supervisor c. the sweeper d. the peon
Answer. d. the peon
- The headmaster had gone on – a. a fortnight’s leave b. a week’s leave c. three-day leave d a month’s leave
Answer. b. a week’s leave
- Swami’s father thought that Swami would – a. tear up the letter b. not deliver the letter c. deliver the letter d. keep it in school desk
Answer. b. not deliver the letter
- When Swami entered the class, Samuel was teaching – a. Hindi b. Science c. History d. Arithmetic
Answer. d. Arithmetic
- If Samuel scolded him again Swami should – a. report immediately b. not go to school c. not come to his father d. not do homework
Answer. c. not come to his father
- Swami’s head was ________ with confusion – a. dizzy b. indistinct c. glazy d. dull
Answer. a. dizzy
- _________ is there in the letter. Give it to your headmaster. – a. nothing b. everything c. something d. anything
Answer. b. everything
Very Short Answer Questions (VSAQ)(1 Mark)
- What did Swami realize with a shudder?
Answer. Swami realized with a shudder that it was Monday morning.
- What did Swami hope on Monday morning?
Answer. On Monday morning, Swami hoped he didn’t have to go to school.
- What excuse did Swami give for not going to school?
Answer. Swami told his parents that he had a headache.
- Where should have been Swami at 9.30?
Answer. Swami should have been in the school prayer hall at 9.30.
- What was the reaction of Swami’s father?
Answer. Swami’s father thought that the headache was nonsense and wanted Swami to go to school.
- What, according to Swami’s father, was the cause of Swami’s headache?
Answer. Swami loafed about in the Sun on Sundays, and that according to Swami’s father was the cause of headache.
- Why did Swami’s father say that Swami would have to go to school?
Answer. Swami’s father said that Swami would have to go to school because he had the headache for his own fault.
- Where did Swami stop to make up his mind about Samuel?
Answer. Swami stopped on the roadside to make up his mind about Samuel.
- Why did Swami change his tactics?
Answer. Swami changed his tactics because his father was strict.
- With whom was Samuel especially angry?
Answer. Samuel was especially angry with the boys who are late to school.
- Why didn’t anyone tell the headmaster about Samuel?
Answer. None said so because the headmaster himself was afraid of Samuel.
- What unexpected turn did the behaviour of Swami’s father take?
Answer. Swami’s father proposed to send a better of complaint against Samuel.
- What did Swami’s father do with the letter?
Answer. Swami’s father put the letter in an envelope and sealed it.
- What did Swami ask his father apprehensively?
Answer. Swami asked his father apprehensively what his father had written in the letter.
- What did Swami’s father write about in the letter?
Answer. Swami’s father complained against Samuel, a teacher in his son’s school.
- With what feeling did Swami go to school?
Answer. As Swami was going to school, he felt that he was the worst boy in the world.
- What was Swami not sure of?
Answer. Swami was not sure if his description of Samuel was accurate.
- What kind of relation did Swami have with Samuel?
Answer. Samuel was friendlier than the other teachers, and he seemed to have a special liking for Swami.
- What could Swami recall?
Answer. Swami could recall Samuel’s dark face, thin moustache, cheeks that were not shaven and a coat which was yellow.
- What idea occurred to Swami?
Answer. Swami thought that he would deliver the letter to the headmaster after the school break.
- What did Swami fail to decide about Samuel?
Answer. Swami failed to decide whether Samuel deserved the allegation made against him.
- What was Samuel doing when Swami entered the class?
Answer. When Swami entered the class, Samuel was teaching arithmetic.
- What did Swami hope?
Answer. Swami hoped that his teacher would scold him bitterly.
- What excuse did Swami give for coming late to school?
Answer. Swami told his teacher that he had a headache, and so he was late for school.
- Why did Swami feel sad?
Answer. Swami felt sad because Samuel was good to him but he had to give the letter to the headmaster.
- What did Swami do when the final bell rang?
Answer. When the final bell rang, Swami picked up the books and ran to the room of the headmaster.
- What was Swami told?
Answer. The peon standing at the gate of the headmaster’s room Swami told that the headmaster had gone on a week’s leave.
- What was the reaction of Swami’s father?
Answer. Swami’s father got his fingers on the letter, tore it up and was very angry with him.
- Where did Father put the letter?
Answer. Father put the letter in an envelope.
- Why could not Swami deliver the letter to the headmaster?
Answer. Swami could not deliver the letter to the headmaster because he was on week’s leave.
Complete the following sentences with information from the text.(1 Mark)
- It seemed to Swami as though a short while ago__________________.
Answer. it was Friday
- Swami’s mother was generous and suggested__________________.
Answer. that Swami might not go to school/was allowed to stay at home.
- Swami chose to lie______________.
Answer. on a bench in her mother’s room.
- Swami’s father thought that Swami must go to school because _________________.
Answer. it was Swami’s fault.
- Swami introduced Samuel as_______________ to his father.
Answer. an angry man.
- Swami couldn’t tell the headmaster about Samuel because_________________.
Answer. the headmaster himself was afraid of Samuel.
- Swami might protest but_______________.
Answer. his father’s mind won’t change.
- While going to school Swami felt___________________.
Answer. that he was the worst boy on earth.
- Swami was very anxious and wanted to know____________________.
Answer. what his father had written in the letter.
- Swami had a feeling that he might have__________________.
Answer. given an inaccurate description of Samuel.
- On his way to school Swami felt unsure, so he___________________.
Answer. stopped on the roadside.
- Besides being friendly, Samuel had__________________.
Answer. a special regard for Swami.
- Other teachers were not as_______________,
Answer. friendly as Samuel was.
- A new idea came to Swami as he_______________.
Answer. entered the school gate.
- Instead of scolding Swami, Samuel told him________________.
Answer. that he was half an hour late.
- The unexpected question from Samuel was_______________.
Answer. why Swami had at all come to school.
- Samuel mostly got angry when________________.
Answer. he was checking homework.
- Swami ran to the headmaster’s room because_______________.
Answer. he had to deliver the letter.
- Swami’s father knew that Swami_______________.
Answer. won’t give the letter to the headmaster.
- Swami wanted to defend himself by saying that________________.
Answer. the headmaster had gone on a leave.
Short Answer Questions (SAQ)(2 Marks)
- What feelings did Swami have in the morning?
- What was Swami doing at 9.30?
- According to Swami, what kind of man was Samuel?
- What was Swami’s expectation of his father? What happened in reality?
- Why did Swami’s conscience bother him?
- What did Swami think of Samuel’s character?
- What idea occurred to swami on reaching school?
- Why did Swami decide to give the letter to the headmaster after the school break?
- How did Samuel react to Swami’s coming late to school?
- How did Samuel react when he came to know that Swami had not done his homework?
- Why couldn’t Swami deliver the letter to the headmaster? What was his father’s reaction to that?
- What is your understanding of Samuel’s character?
- Give short description of Mr. Samuel.
- ‘Samuel looked impressed’-Who impressed Samuel and how?
- Why did Swami feel sad?
State whether the following statements are True or False. Write ‘T” for True and ‘F’ for False. Write words phrases/sentences from the text to support answer.(2 Marks)
- To Swami, time passed by very slowly.
- Swami reported a headache at 9.30 in the morning,
- Swami’s school started around 9.30 in morning
- Usually, Swami stayed at home on Sundays.
- Only students were afraid of Samuel.
- Swami was shocked by his father’s behaviour.
- Swami’s father was very rigid in his character.
- Swami’s father wrote an open letter to the headmaster.
- Swami’s father disclosed the contents of the letter to Swami.
- Swami was puzzled by the incidents.
- A new idea occurred to Swami at the entrance to his class.
- Swami told that he had come to school on his father’s advice.
- Swami was late by an hour.
- Samuel was unaware of what Swami’s father had done.
- Swami’s father was sure that his son would do what he was told to do.