Question 1 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“Please , Sir, will you help us to lace this up? Mr Weston promised to attend to it for us but now he says he’s too busy.”
(i) Who is the speaker here? Where is the current scene taking place?
Answer : The speaker here is Denham, a student of Greenslade School. He is accompanied by Potter, Fernman, Jackson and Seales. The current scene is taking place in Braithwaite’s class.
(ii) What do you know about Mr Weston? Write in brief.
Answer : Mr Theo Weston is one of the teachers at the Greenslade School. He is cynical, sarcastic and critical about every issue and disparaging about the children. He loves to say things that are below the belt . No one likes him and he is often ridiculed or taken to task for his behaviour.
(iii) Who is the ‘Sir’ here? How does he respond to the request?
Answer : ‘Sir’ here refers to ER Braithwaite, the teacher incharge of the top class. He loves his students very much and when the students approach him with another request, he readily agrees to help them.
(iv) Just before the extract, what was said about Pamela Dare?
Answer : Pamela Dare had changed after the holidays. There was something bothering her and her demeanor had become more serious. Braithwaite was very concerned about her. He did not like the new Pamela. He wished if he could help her in any way.
(v) How does Pamela react a little while later?
Answer : While Braithwaite was mending the ball, he cut himself and Potter exclaimed in a funny way that the blood was red. Everybody took the joke in a light way but Pamela was furious. Something had overcome her emotions and she blurted out all that she could at the boys. They were shocked. Then Denham commented before leaving that she was ‘stuck on Sir’. It was the unsaid truth. She blushed and ran out of her class.
Question 2 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“I’m not joking, Rick, this sort of thing happens all the time wherever there are men teachers and girl students, from the infants, right through to high school and university. Here, sit down and let me bring you up to date.”
(i) Who is the speaker here? Where is the current scene taking place?
Answer : The speaker here is Mrs Grace Dale-Evans, the teacher of Domestic Science. She has a “ready listening ear and proven, sound advice” for the female students. The current scene is taking place in the classroom.
(ii) Why has Rick come to the speaker for advice?
Answer : Rick Braithwaite was in a shock after what had happened in the class. The fact that Pamela had a crush on him was in fact true. He had been denying it all along. He was confused about what to do. He had no experience of such sort and hence came to Grace seeking her advice.
(iii) Why couldn’t Rick go to Miss Blanchard?
Answer : It was a sticky situation for Braithwaite. He needed some advice about it. He did not want to go to Gillian because that would mean that he would have to acknowledge the truth of her warning and he was in no mood to hear her say “I told you so.” Hence, He went to Mrs Grace.
(iv) What advice was given to Rick by the speaker?
Answer : Grace heard Braithwaite and commented that he had this coming. However, she was not at all joking. She told Braithwaite that she had been at Greenslade School for about twenty years and she know all about the students. She added that Braithwaite had made a good impression on the students and he must continue to do that. She asked him to be patient with Pamela. She wanted him to be tactful for she was sure that Pamela would pull herself together soon.
(v) Was the speaker right in her assessment of Rick’s problem?
Answer : Grace was absolutely right in what she had said. The experience and wisdom that she had made her assess the situation in its true light. The emotional outburst relieved some of the tension building up inside Pamela, for a in a little while she seemed to throw off some of her aloofness and bad temper, and once again entered into the community spirit within the classroom and at the midday dances. Now and then there was a look of worry on her face, but Braithwaite could see nothing to account for it and hoped it would soon disappear altogether.
Long Questions
Question 1 : Pamela Dare was a different girl after the holidays? What changes had come in her behaviour? How did Braithwaite try to help her?
Answer : Pamela Dare was one of the most charming girls in Braithwaite’s class. Even Braithwaite felt that she would turn out to be a fine woman some day. However, she started to develop a crush on Braithwaite. After the trip to the Victoria and Albert Museum, Gillian had told him his fact. He was shocked to hear it and rubbished her claims. But Gillian was pretty sure about it and told Braithwaite to deal with her carefully.
The new term began after the August Holidays but most of the students were absent as they were on ‘working holidays’. Pamela was at school and Braithwaite noticed many changes in her. She took much care of her appearances and her demeanor had changed. Braithwaite thought she was missing her friend Barbara Pegg. Everybody was back after the third week of September even Barbara, but it did not change Pamela. She could still be seen lost in her thoughts. Braithwaite wanted to help her without intruding on her privacy.
Braithwaite realised that Pamela had got into the habit of being around him. She did many things for him without being asked for. One day, Denham brought a football to be laced up. Braithwaite wounded himself a bit and blood came out. Potter made a witty remark that the blood was red. This flared up Pamela. She was furious as hell. She mocked, ridiculed and belittled the boys. The boys were no match for her remarks. The boys decided it was better to leave. Then Denham said her problem was that she was ‘stuck on Sir’. Pamela blushed and ran out. Braithwaite had refused to acknowledge this fact all along but now he could no longer deny it.
Braithwaite went to Grace to get some advice. Grace told him that Braithwaite was the first real well-mannered man the girls had seen and they were sure to like him. She further added that Pamela was growing up and Braithwaite needs to handle the situation tactfully. She was sure that in the coming time Pamela would be able to pull herself together.