English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
UGBA Sem. – VI
General English
Text - Gems of Wisdom
THE MODEL MILLIONAIRE
Oscar Wilde
Textual Exercises
Questions and Answers:
1) How does the author describe Hughie the protagonist of the story?
Ans: According to the author, Hughie Erskine was wonderfully good looking, with crisp brown hair,
clear cut profile and grey eyes. He was popular amongst both men and women.
2) Why is Hughie unable to marry the love of his life?
Ans: Hughie was unable to marry the love of his life because he was unemployed and Laura’s father
rejected his proposal for marriage. Laura’s father asked him to earn 10,000 pounds on his own
before thinking of marriage.
3) Describe the professions Hughie Erskine had tried and the results of his efforts?
Ans: Hughie tried his hand in stock market. He then tried selling tea, but was soon tired. He even
tried selling sherry but failed. Thus finally he could do nothing and remained unemployed.
4) What was the colonel’s condition for Hughie to get married?
Ans: The retired colonel asked Hughie to come for Laura’s hand in marriage, only when he had ten
thousand pounds of his own.
5) Who was Alan Trevor? What was Trevor doing when Hughie went to visit him?
Ans: Alan Trevor was Hughie’s friend and he was a painter by profession. When Hughie went to visit
him in his studio, he was painting a beggar.
6) Why did Alan Trevor like Hughie Erskine?
Ans: Alan Trevor liked Hughie not only because he was handsome, but also for his buoyant spirits
and his generous reckless nature.
7) Describe the appearance of the beggar-man as he stood in the studio.
Ans: The beggar-man who stood in the studio of Alan Trevor flung a coarse brown cloak, all tears and
tatters, his thick boots were patched and cobbled and with one hand he leant on a rough stick. With
the other hand he held out his battered hat for alms.
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
8)
How did Hughie Erskine show his reckless generosity?
Ans: Hughie Erskine showed his reckless generosity by pitying the old beggar and giving him
whatever little money he had in his pocket.
9) Why did Laura scold Hughie Erskine?
Ans: Laura scolded Hughie Erskine for his extravagance. She disliked that Hughie gave out money
when he himself had nothing.
10) What is the beggar’s true identity? What is Hughie’s reaction when he learns of it?
Ans: The old beggar model was actually the richest man in Europe and his name was Baron
Hausberg. Hughie was in a state of shock when he got to know this. He thought that he was a duffer
that he could not recognize a millionaire. He felt ashamed that he had given a penny to a millionaire.
11) What did Baron Hausberg send to Hughie and why?
Ans: Baron Hausberg sent a cheque of 10,000 pounds to Hughie. He was highly impressed by
Hughie’s generous nature and wished to help Hughie in marrying Laura.
12) Describe how and through whom Hughie got ten thousand pounds?
Ans: Hughie earned ten thousand pounds from the model millionaire, Baron Hausberg. Hughie
earned this money through his kind and generous nature.
Short Note
1) The character of Hughie Erskine
According to the author, Hughie Erskine was wonderfully good looking, with crisp brown
hair, clear cut profile and grey eyes. He was popular amongst both men and women. Hughie was
unable to marry the love of his life because he was unemployed and Laura’s father rejected his
proposal for marriage. Laura’s father asked him to earn 10,000 pounds on his own before
thinking of marriage.
Hughie tried his hand in stock market. He then tried selling tea, but was soon tired. He
even tried selling sherry but failed. Thus finally he could do nothing and remained unemployed.
Although he had no money, Hughie Erskine showed his reckless generosity by pitying the old
beggar and giving him whatever little money he had in his pocket. Laura scolded Hughie Erskine
for his extravagance. She disliked that Hughie gave out money when he himself had nothing.
Hughie’s generosity helps himself find a way to the heart of the beggar model who was
actually a millionaire. The model millionaire Baron Hausberg gives Hughie a cheque of 10,000
pounds and helps him marry the love of his life, Laura.
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
2) The character of Alan Trevor
Alan Trevor was Hughie’s friend and he was a painter by profession. When Hughie went
to visit him in his studio, he was painting a beggar. Alan Trevor liked Hughie not only because he
was handsome, but also for his buoyant spirits and his generous reckless nature.
Alan was a master in his art and was being paid in guineas for his paintings. He was
popular amongst the richest people of Europe. But, when it came to pay the models, he paid
them just a shilling an hour. This disturbed Hughie and he called him one amongst the heartless
lot. Alan was paid by the millionaire, Baron Hausberg, to paint him as a beggar. The day when
Hughie met him he was painting the millionaire standing in a beggar’s dress. But, Hughie took
him to be a beggar and gave him a sovereign.
The millionaire was impressed by Hughie’s generosity and he helped Hughie with the
10,000 pounds which Hughie needed to marry Laura. Thus Alan became instrumental in solving
the problems of Hughie’s life.
3) Baron Hausberg as a model millionaire
Baron Hausberg was not only a millionaire, but a model millionaire. He was the richest
man of Europe. He had a house in every capital. He dined in gold plates and he could buy whole
London without overdrawing his account. He paid Alan Trevor to paint him as a beggar. He
wanted to know how he appeared as a beggar. The day on which he was to be painted he stood
in the studio of Alan Trevor, flung a coarse brown cloak, all tears and tatters, his thick boots were
patched and cobbled and with one hand he leant on a rough stick. With the other hand he held
out his battered hat for alms.
This appearance of Alan misled the kind and generous Hughie. He took him to be an
actual beggar. Thus Hughie gave him a sovereign to help him. This incident impressed the
millionaire. He could not help but ask about Hughie from Alan after Hughie went away. When
Baron Hausberg got to know that Hughie was in need of 10,000 pounds, he immediately sent him
a cheque. Thus he helped Hughie marry Laura.
Objective Type Questions
A) Choose the appropriate options:
Answers
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
History of the Peninsular War
Laura Merton
Ten Thousand Pounds
Painter
A Shilling an Hour
He started, smiled faintly and thanked Hughie
A fortnight’s hansoms
Romance
Baron Hausberg
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
10) A sealed envelope with a cheque
11) Large ears
12) Work as a professional jester
13) Blue eyes
14) In the corner
15) Having breakfast
16) None of the above
B) True or false
Answers
1) False
2) True
3) False
4) True
5)True
6) True
7) True
8) False
9) True
10) True
11) True
12) False
13) False
14) True
15) True
16) True
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
TOO DEAR
Leo Tolstoy
Textual Exercises
Questions and Answers:
1) How does the author describe the kingdom of Monaco?
Ans: The kingdom of Monaco was near the borders of France and Italy, on the shore of the
Mediterranean Sea. It had only seven thousand inhabitants and a small army of sixty men. This
toy kingdom also had a king, a palace, courtiers, bishops, generals etc.
2) What were the different kinds of tax that were levied on the people of Monaco?
Ans: The people of the kingdom of Monaco had to pay the taxes on tobacco and wine.
3) What crime was committed in Monaco that had never been committed before? What was done
once the crime was discovered?
Ans: A man committed a crime of murdering someone. This had never happened before in this
peace loving kingdom. The murderer was sentenced to death after the trial.
4) What punishment did the judges announce for the murderer?
Ans: The murderer was sentenced to death for his crime. The king announced to execute the
murderer.
5) What was the hitch in executing the death punishment?
Ans: The only hitch in executing the death sentence was that the kingdom had neither the
guillotine and nor the executioner.
6) When it was discovered that the punishment could not be carried out due to the absence of a
guillotine, what did the ministers decide to do? What was the response they received?
Ans: When the ministers found that they had neither the guillotine and nor the executioner, they
made an inquiry in the neighbouring countries to get it on rent.
7) Why was the convict’s punishment changed from one of death sentence to life imprisonment?
Ans: The convict’s punishment was changed from death sentence to life imprisonment because
the kingdom could not afford to rent a guillotine and an executioner.
8) What arrangements were made to keep the murderer in the prison?
Ans: The murderer was locked in a prison. A guard was appointed to keep a watch on him and
fetch him food from the palace kitchen.
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
9) Why did the council decide to dismiss the guard?
Ans: At the end of one year of the imprisonment of the murderer, the king found that they had
to spend a lot on the guard appointed for him. So they dismissed the guard.
10) Why did the prisoner not escape from the prison? What complaints did he lodge?
Ans: The prisoner did not escape from the prison saying that he had nowhere to go. He
complained that the king had ruined his name and character. He even told the king that he had
harassed him by removing the guard.
11) What was the price the government had to pay in order to make the prisoner go away?
Ans: The government had to promise him to pay the annual pension of 600 francs and they even
had to give him one third of it in advance.
12) According to the author, what was a good thing for a murderer?
Ans: According to the author, it was a good thing that he did not commit his crime in a country
where they do not grudge expense to cut a man’s head off or keep him in prison for life.
Short Note
1) The Kingdom of Monaco
The kingdom of Monaco was near the borders of France and Italy, on the shore of the
Mediterranean Sea. It had only seven thousand inhabitants and a small army of sixty men. This
toy kingdom also had a king, a palace, courtiers, bishops, generals etc. The people of the
kingdom of Monaco had to pay the taxes on tobacco and wine. The people of the kingdom were
peace loving and there occurred no major crime in the kingdom.
The king found that he fell short of money to run the kingdom efficiently. So, he opened a
gaming house in his kingdom; where roulette was played by the people of the kingdom and even
by those from the neighbouring countries. Thus the king could get a share out of the profits
earned in the gaming house.
But, once when a murder happened, the murderer was put to trial and sentenced to
death. The kingdom neither had the guillotine nor the executioner. So they tried to rent it, but it
proved to be a costly affair. Later they decided to give him the life time imprisonment. This also
could not be afforded by them. Finally they had to get rid of the murderer by offering him a
pension of 600 francs per year.
2) The murderer’s shrewd and practical character
The murderer committed a crime in the kingdom of Monaco. He was put to trial by the
court of the kingdom. After much discussion he was sentenced to death. It was declared that he
should be executed; but, the kingdom neither had a guillotine, nor an executioner. The king was
not ready to spend money on renting the guillotine and the executioner from Italy or France.
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
Thus it was declared that the murderer should be imprisoned for life. A guard was appointed
outside the prison that not only guarded, but also brought food for him from the palace kitchen.
The annual expense of the kingdom increased due to the murderer. Thus the guard was
removed. The king waited for the prisoner to run away. But to his surprise the prisoner decided
to stay in the prison. He even fetched food for himself from the kitchen and locked himself back
in the room.
The king summoned him and asked him that why did he not run away. The prisoner was
very shrewd and practical. He told the king that he had nowhere to go. He blamed the king for
spoiling his name and character. He said that now he would not even get a job. He argued that he
should have been executed when once declared. Thus the king had to pay him a pension of 600
francs per year to get rid of him. He got one-third of it in advance. He purchased a land at the
borders of the kingdom and started market gardening. He made a point to come regularly to
collect his pension.
3) The ending of the story
The ending of the story was quite unusual and unexpected. The annual expense of the kingdom
increased due to the murderer. Thus the guard was removed. The king waited for the prisoner to
run away. But to his surprise the prisoner decided to stay in the prison. He even fetched food for
himself from the kitchen and locked himself back in the room.
The king summoned him and asked him that why did he not run away. The prisoner was
very shrewd and practical. He told the king that he had nowhere to go. He blamed the king for
spoiling his name and character. He said that now he would not even get a job. He argued that he
should have been executed when once declared. Thus the king had to pay him a pension of 600
francs per year to get rid of him. He got one-third of it in advance. He purchased a land at the
borders of the kingdom and started market gardening. He made a point to come regularly to
collect his pension.
According to the author, it was a good thing that the murderer did not commit his crime
in a country where they do not grudge expense to cut a man’s head off or keep him in prison for
life.
4) The title of the story
The title of the story is quite apt and suggestive. The story is about a king and his kingdom
which finds it ‘too dear’ to handle a crime and a criminal.
A murderer committed a crime in the kingdom of Monaco. He was put to trial by the
court of the kingdom. After much discussion he was sentenced to death. It was declared that he
should be executed; but, the kingdom neither had a guillotine, nor an executioner. The king was
not ready to spend money on renting the guillotine and the executioner from Italy or France.
Thus it was declared that the murderer should be imprisoned for life. A guard was appointed
outside the prison that not only guarded, but also brought food for him from the palace kitchen.
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
The annual expense of the kingdom increased due to the murderer. Thus the guard was
removed. The king waited for the prisoner to run away. But to his surprise the prisoner decided
to stay in the prison. He even fetched food for himself from the kitchen and locked himself back
in the room. The king summoned him and asked him that why did he not run away. The prisoner
was very shrewd and practical. He told the king that he had nowhere to go. He blamed the king
for spoiling his name and character. He said that now he would not even get a job. He argued
that he should have been executed when once declared. Thus the king had to pay him a pension
of 600 francs per year to get rid of him. He got one-third of it in advance. He purchased a land at
the borders of the kingdom and started market gardening. He made a point to come regularly to
collect his pension.
Thus it proved to be too dear for the king.
Objective Type Questions
A) Choose the appropriate options:
Answers
1) Near the borders of Italy and France
2) Sixty
3) Money from gaming houses
4) French government
5) 12,000 francs
6) They thought it would be cheaper than executing him
7) More than 600 francs a year
8) Guard outside his room
9) 600 francs
10) Started market gardening
B) True or false
Answers
1) True
2) False
3) False
7) True
8) False
9) True
4) False
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5) True
6) False
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER
W S Maugham
Textual Exercises
Questions and Answers:
1) What lesson does the fable ‘The Ant and the Grasshopper’ give to the young people?
Ans: The fable ‘The Ant and the Grasshopper’ teaches the young people that industry is
rewarded and giddiness is punished.
2) What is the gist of the fable that the author has based his story on?
Ans: The gist of the fable on which the story is based is that one should work hard when one is
young so that one can secure one’s old age days.
3) Why was George Ramsay in deep gloom?
Ans: George Ramsey was in deep gloom because his younger brother Tom had been troubling
him and creating problems for him.
4) What kind of a relationship did George Ramsay share with his brother Tom?
Ans: George Ramsay, being the elder brother was deeply concerned about Tom. He was worried
about Tom’s irresponsible behaviour towards his family and children. On the other hand Tom
was carefree and created problems for George.
5) What was Tom’s attitude towards life?
Ans: Tom wished to enjoy life to its fullest. He did not want to take care of his wife and children
or any other responsibility. He believed that spending money for need was boring. One should
spend on luxuries
6) How did Tom begin his life?
Ans: Tom began his life very decently. He went into business, married and had two children.
7) Why does George help Tom at first? Why does he wash his hands of Tom then?
Ans: George helped Tom because he promised of amendment. But when George found that Tom
spent the money on buying a motor car and jewellery, he washed his hands off him.
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
8) How does Tom blackmail his brother?
Ans: Tom blackmailed George by working as a bar tender or taxi driver in the same club which
George visited.
9) How does Tom get the money for his trip to Monte Carlo?
Ans: Tom conspired to get money for his trip to Monte Carlo. He planned a trick along with
Cronshaw and got himself arrested in a fraud case. George paid a cheque of 500 pounds to
release Tom from jail. But later Tom and Cronshaw cashed the cheque and enjoyed in Monte
Carlo.
10) How does Tom finally get rich?
Ans: Tom finally got rich by marrying a woman of his mother’s age, who died leaving behind a big
fortune for Tom.
11) Why was George so upset by Tom’s good fortune at the end of the story?
Ans: At the end of the story, George was upset by Tom’s good fortune because George had
honestly and sincerely worked hard for all his life to save thirty five thousand pounds. On the
other hand Tom got more than half a million pounds by doing nothing.
Short Notes
1) The Character of Tom Ramsay
Tom can be considered the black sheep of his family. He had begun his life decently
enough: he went into business, married and had two children. But suddenly one day, without
warning, he announced that he didn’t like work and that he wasn’t suited for marriage. He
wanted to enjoy his life and so he left his wife and his office.
He spent all the money he had and spent two happy years in the various capitals of
Europe. When he was left with no money, he began borrowing it. He was charming and
unscrupulous and people could not refuse him a loan which he never returned. Later he began
making money by blackmailing his brother George. He even planned his own arrest with
Cronshaw and extracted money from George to go and enjoy at Monte Carlo.
For twenty years, Tom raced and gambled, philandered with the prettiest girls, danced,
ate in the most expensive restaurants and dressed beautifully. He was forty-six, but looked just
thirty-five. Finally he got engaged to a woman of his mother’s age; who died and left him half a
million pounds, a yacht, a house in London and a house in the country.
2) The Life of George Ramsay
George was the elder brother of Tom; just a year old. He was industrious and had led an
honest life. He was the pride of the Ramsay family. He had never taken more than a fortnight’s
holiday in the year for a quarter of a century. He was in his office every morning at nine-thirty
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
and never left it six. He had a good wife, to whom he had never been unfaithful even in thought,
and four daughters to whom he was the best of fathers
George made a point of saving a third of his income and his plan was to retire at fifty-five
to a little house in the country where he proposed to cultivate his garden and play golf. His life
was blameless. He even took care of Tom’s family. He made every possible effort to bring back
his younger brother towards leading an honest life.
George believed that Tom would suffer in his old age. But, he was upset as he was proved
wrong. He had an honest life and ended up having thirty thousand pounds at the age of fifty. On
the other hand Tom cheated, blackmailed and led a dishonest life, but he at the age of fifty
became a millionaire.
3) George and Tom-a study in contrast
The story of George and Tom is derived from one of the Aesop’s Fables where the ant is
industrious and the grasshopper is lazy and fun-loving. In this fable industry is rewarded and
giddiness is punished. But, in the story of George and Tom there is a twist.
Tom is compared to the grasshopper-he takes life easy and does not care to work hard or
save for the future. George on the other hand is like the ant- works hard, takes no breaks from
life’s responsibilities. Being a respectable lawyer, he is constantly trying to bail out Tom from
trouble. However, in the end, there is a twist to the original tale from the Fable. Tom, with his
lazy and laid-back attitude ends up marrying an old woman who dies leaving behind a fortune for
him. George with all his virtues and hard work is left feeling upset.
The story in some reflects the reality of the age. it is not always necessary that hard
working people get rewarded as they deserve. Sometimes, even the unworthy can get lucky.
However, it is important to understand that hard work stands a greater chance than luck as the
former is in our hands while the latter is a matter of chance.
Objective Type Questions
A) Choose the appropriate options:
Answers
1) Grasshopper
2) Sang all day
3) That George’s brother had been causing him trouble
4) Twenty years
5) He was charming and unscrupulous
6) Blackmailed George
7) He cheated a man and the person was vindictive
8) Forty-six years
9) Fifty-five
10) He got engaged to an old woman who died leaving him everything she had
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
B) True or false
Answers
1) True
2) False
3) False
4) True
7) True
8) True
9) True
10) True
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5) False
6) False
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
THE WORLD RENOWNED NOSE
V M Basheer
Textual Exercises
Questions and Answers:
1) V M Basheer starts the story saying that ‘It is a startling piece of news.’ What is the startling piece
of news?
Ans: The startling piece of news was that the nose of a man had grown longer and had reached
the navel.
2) Describe in brief the life of the poor cook before his nose grows.
Ans: Before the nose grew longer, the poor cook’s world was confined to the kitchen. He was
indifferent towards the outside world, inhaled snuff as much as he wanted, slept and worked.
Every month, his mother collected his salary and brought the necessary things for him from
outside.
3) What was the amazing thing that happened with the protagonist of the story once he reached 24
years of age?
Ans: When the protagonist of the story reached 24 years of age his nose started growing longer
unusually and it reached his navel.
4) Why was the cook dismissed from service?
Ans: The cook was dismissed from service because his extra long nose had become a centre of
attraction. People paid visit at odd hours to see his nose and this disturbed his employer.
5) What were the people who came to visit the cook interested in?
Ans: The people who came to visit the cook were interested in looking at his extra long nose.
They were curious to know whether the nose was real or not.
6) How do the boy and his mother become rich? What are the consequences of this?
Ans: The people soon began bribing the cook’s mother to see his long nose. Thus the boy and his
mother became rich. As a result certain groups of people began conspiring against him. Some
tried to get the political benefits through him.
7) What conspiracies were hatched to capture long-nosed and how were they solved?
Ans: Different political parties tried to capture the long-nosed one through various confidence
tricks. The President made him the ‘Chief of the Long-Nosed Ones.’ Other political parties
requested him to join them. His secretaries lured him to join one of the political parties. But, the
problem was solved when he denied joining any party.
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
8) What were the incidents which led to comrade Long Nose’s arrest?
Ans: A secretary, who was miffed by the long-nosed one’s behaviour, declared that his nose was
made of rubber and that he was a cheater. Lot of confusion was created amongst the public and
so he was arrested.
9) Why was a medical check-up of the comrade long-nose ordered?
Ans: The medical check-up of the comrade long nose was ordered to find out whether the nose
was real or was made of rubber.
10) Describe in brief the political controversy created by the long nose.
Ans: The long-nosed one became the reason of several political controversies. Various parties
fought with each other to capture him. The president made him the ‘Chief of the Long-Nosed
Ones.’ This decision was also questioned when someone said that the nose was made of rubber.
The President and the ministers were asked to resign. The government faced a great upset.
11) What was the doctor’s unanimous verdict about the long-nosed one? What did the President do
then?
Ans: The doctors decided unanimously that the nose was real and was not made of rubber. The
President then made the long-nosed one the member of the parliament.
Short Notes
1) The World-Renowned Nose- a satire on the psychology of the masses
The story is a perfect satire on the psychology of the masses. The story talks about a
simple and poor cook whose life changes and meets an unexpected fate just because of the mass
mentality.
The abnormal growth of the nose of the long-nosed one becomes a point of attraction for
the people. The curiosity to see him leaves him with no job. His master is pestered by the people
at odd hours just to see him; thus he forced to leave the job as a cook. His mother is bribed to
see him and thus he becomes a millionaire.
Even after becoming rich he does not give up his simple and generous nature and keeps
the door of his palace open for the poor and the needy. But selfish people make use of him for
political gains. They conspire against him and make him an issue of political debate. He is blamed
of being a cheater and it is declared that his nose was made of rubber and it was not real. He has
to undergo torturous medical examination to prove that his nose is real.
Thus the people around make and destroy the long-nosed one’s fate. He simply becomes
a puppet at the hands of the people.
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
2) The character of Brother Long Nose
The tile of the story by V M Basheer is appropriate as it is the story of a man whose nose
become and World-Renowned and earns him name, fame and money. But it also brings bad luck
for him. He ends up having several enemies. The Brother Long Nose is the protagonist of the
story. When he reached 24 years of age his nose started growing longer unusually and it reached
his navel. Before the nose grew longer, the poor cook’s world was confined to the kitchen. He
was indifferent towards the outside world, inhaled snuff as much as he wanted, slept and
worked. Every month, his mother collected his salary and brought the necessary things for him
from outside.
The cook was dismissed from service because his extra long nose had become a centre of
attraction. People paid visit at odd hours to see his nose and this disturbed his employer. The
people soon began bribing the cook’s mother to see his long nose. Thus the boy and his mother
became rich. As a result certain groups of people began conspiring against him. Some tried to get
the political benefits through him.
Different political parties tried to capture the long-nosed one through various confidence
tricks. The President made him the ‘Chief of the Long-Nosed Ones.’ Other political parties
requested him to join them. His secretaries lured him to join one of the political parties. But, the
problem was solved when he denied joining any party. A secretary, who was miffed by the longnosed one’s behaviour, declared that his nose was made of rubber and that he was a cheater. Lot
of confusion was created amongst the public and so he was arrested.
The medical check-up of the comrade long nose was ordered to find out whether the
nose was real or was made of rubber. The doctors decided unanimously that the nose was real
and was not made of rubber. The President then made the long-nosed one the member of the
parliament.
Objective Type Questions
A) Choose the appropriate options:
Answers
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
10)
Twenty four years of age
Cook
Nose
His nose had acquired great publicity
The people began to bribe the mother to see the son’s nose
Six years
The human submarine
Nine
Chief among the long-nosed ones
Nominated the long-nose as a member of parliament
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
B) True or false
Answers
1) False
2) True
3) True
4) False
7) True
8) False
9) False
10) False
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5) True
6) True
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
THE DIAMOND NECKLACE
Guy de Maupassant
Textual Exercises
Questions and Answers:
1) Why was the Mathilde, the protagonist of this story unhappy with her life?
Ans: Mathilde expected all the luxuries and comforts in her life and she did not get it. So she was
unhappy.
2) Who was Mathilde’s husband? What was he?
Ans: Mr. Loisel was Mathilde’s husband and he was a clerk in the Ministry of Public Instruction.
3) Why did Mathilde refuse to visit her friend?
Ans: Mathilde felt inferior in front of her rich friend as she was not as rich as them. So she
refused to visit her friend.
4) How did Mathilde react on reading the invitation card?
Ans: Mathilde threw the invitation card on the table and she was upset. She refused to go for the
party as she had nothing good to wear on the occasion.
5) What were the intentions of Mathilde’s husband in getting the invitation to the special evening?
Ans: Mr. Loisel knew that Mathilde loved to attend the parties of the rich people and so he
brought the invitation card to the special evening with great efforts.
6) What did Mr. Loisel do to satisfy his wife’s desire to have a suitable dress for the party?
Ans: Mr. Loisel sacrificed his desire to buy a gun and gave the saved amount to his wife to
purchase a suitable dress for the party.
7) How much money did Mathilde ask her husband for to buy the new dress? What was Mathilde’s
husband saving up the money for?
Ans: Mathilde asked for four hundred francs to buy the new dress. Her husband had saved that
money to buy a gun for himself.
8) What did Madame Loisel borrow from Madame Forestier?
Ans: Madame Loisel borrowed a diamond necklace from Madame Forestier.
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
9) Describe the thoughts going through Mathilde’s mind when she was going through her friend’s
jewellery box.
Ans: Mathilde’s heart throbbed with an immoderate desire while going through her friend’s
jewellery box. She wished that she owned that jewellery.
10) What impression did Madame Loisel create at the party?
Ans: Mathide was a great success at the party. She managed to impress each and every rich and
handsome man in the ball.
11) What was the shocking discovery made by Madame Loisel on reaching home after the party?
Ans: After reaching home from the party, Madame Loisel discovered that she had lost the
diamond necklace which she had borrowed from her friend just for the party.
12) What did Madame Loisel write to Madame Forestier about the necklace? Why did she do so?
Ans: Madame Loisel had lost the diamond necklace borrowed from Madame Forestier. She
wanted time to search for it. So she wrote to Madame Forestier that its clasp had been broken
and so she had given the necklace for repairing.
13) How did the Loisels find the money to buy the diamond necklace to replace the lost necklace?
Ans: Loisels gave away all their savings, took obligations, gave promissory notes to the usurers
and lenders. Thus they collected money to buy a new necklace to replace the lost one.
14) Why was Madame Forestier unable to recognize Madame Loisel when they met after ten years?
What was the surprise she had for Madame Loisel?
Ans: Madame Loisel had grown very old in just ten years. She had become a woman of
impoverished household and was no more beautiful. Thus Forestier could not recognize her.
Forestier surprised Madame Loisel by telling her that the necklace she had lent to Madame Loisel
for the party was not a real diamond necklace. It was imitation jewellery. Loisel was taken aback
as she had ruined herself to compensate for the lost necklace by buying a real diamond necklace.
Short Notes
1) The character of Mathilde
Mathilde was Mr. Loisel’s wife and she expected all the luxuries and comforts in her life
which she did not get it. So she was unhappy. Mr. Loisel was a clerk in the Ministry of Public
Instruction. Mathilde felt inferior in front of her rich friend as she was not as rich as them. So she
refused to visit her friends.
Mr. Loisel knew that Mathilde loved to attend the parties of the rich people and so he
brought the invitation card to the special evening with great efforts. But, Mathilde was upset
and she threw the invitation card away saying that she would not go as she had no nice dress to
put on. Mr. Loisel sacrificed his long term wish to buy a gun for himself and gave away all the
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
savings to purchase an elegant evening gown for his wife. Mathilde even borrowed a diamond
necklace from her friend for the evening.
After enjoying the party when she returned home she found that she had lost the
diamond necklace borrowed by her friend. This changed her life. She and her husband spend all
their earnings and drowned themselves in debt to compensate the loss. She purchased a new
necklace and gave it to her friend. After ten years when she met her friend she came to know
that the borrowed necklace was imitation jewellery and not a real diamond necklace. She was
left dumbfounded.
2) The character of Mr. Loisel
Mr. Loisel was a clerk in the Ministry of Public Instruction. He loved his wife a lot. He
made every possible effort to keep her wife happy. He knew that his wife Mathilde loved riches
and luxuries. She loved going to the parties of rich people. Thus Loisel brought an invitation card
to a special evening with a hope that she would be happy. But, unfortunately he failed to do so.
Madame Loisel demanded for a new dress for the party. Loisel spent her savings to buy it
for her. He even allowed her to borrow a diamond necklace for the party. But these demands of
her wife became the cause of his destruction. Loisel’s wife lost the diamond necklace and the
replacement of it left them in debts. They could not recover from it for a long time. Loisels lived
an impoverished life. After ten years when they met Madame Forestier they came to know that
the lost necklace was not a real one and they had replaced with a real diamond necklace.
3) The loss and replacement of the necklace
Mathilde’s desires to live and dress like rich people ruins him and her husband. She gets
an opportunity to attend a ball and decides to dress up as a ‘high class’ lady so that everyone
notices her. To do so she borrows a diamond necklace from her friend. She goes to the ball and
enjoys her evening. However, when she gets back home, she realises that the necklace is missing.
She and her husband search desperately for it, but can’t find it. They go to a shop and see that
the same necklace is being sold for a huge amount of money. They buy it, but get into an
enormous debt. It takes them years, but after working ceaselessly they pay off all the debt.
One day, Mathilde bumps into the old friend on the street. She confesses to her that she
had lost her original necklace, and had just paid off the debt on the one that she had been given
to replace it. The friend is in shock and discloses that the necklace she had lent out was a fake
one and cost almost nothing. The story teaches us that we should be satisfied with what we
have. There is no end to desires and sometimes we end up paying a heavy prize.
Objective Type Questions
A) Choose the appropriate options:
Answers
1) An invitation to a ball
2) Four hundred francs
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English GUETA – Notes – Dr. Bharti Dave
3) A diamond necklace
4) She was embarrassed to be seen in a modest wrap over the elegant ball dress
5) A carriage
6) She no longer had the necklace around her neck
7) The clasp of the necklace had broken and was being mended
8) Thirty-four thousand francs
9) Ten years
10) Five hundred francs
B) True or false
Answers
1) False
2) False
7) True
8) False
3) False
4) True
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5) True
6) True
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