Question

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

He moved up to the office beyond the pan shop and sat down on the steps. It was nearly half-past nine. On Sunday mornings, songs in praise of goddess Kali were sung in Karali Babu’s house. Patol Babu went there every week and enjoyed it. What if he were to go these useless people, and be made to look foolish on top of that? ‘Silence’! Stuff and nonsense! to hell with your ‘silence’! They had put up this pompus show for something so triviali! Things sere much better on the stage.

i) Choose the option that describes the main reason which was the trigger for Patol Babu’s chain of thought that made him question his presence at the film shoot.

It was the fact that ______.

1. he was missing his duty towards God to fulfill a personal desire
2. he was with strangers instead of spending time with loved ones
3. he was wasting time on free volunteer work instead of earning money
4. he was wasting a great Sunday on doing something so small and insignificant

ii) Choose the correct option.

Assertion: Patol Babu felt silly for getting his hopes high.

Reason: He was convinced that he could never be a successful actor.

1. Assertion is true but the reason is false.
2. Both Assertion and Reason are false.
3. Both Assertion and Reason are true but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion.
4. Both Assertion and Reason are true and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion.

iii) Patol Babu thought that Things were much better on the stage, because ______.

1. theater had better monetary rewards.
2. the actors could see the response of the audience instantly.
3. he delivered long dialogues and got important roles.
4. theater was more suited to his talents as an actor.

iv) Infer Patol Babu’s tone as reflected in the extract.

1. sarcastic and worried
2. angry and regretful
3. serious and threatening
4. ironic and solemn

v) The writer uses questions in his writing. Comment on the purpose of this style.

Answer 1

i) It was the fact that he was wasting a great Sunday on doing something so small and insignificant.

ii) Assertion is true but the reason is false.

Explanation:

Patol Babu felt silly because the role was trivial and the experience was frustrating, not because he lacked the talent to be a successful actor.

iii) Patol Babu thought that Things were much better on the stage, because he delivered long dialogues and got important roles.

iv) angry and regretful

v) The writer uses rhetorical questions to provide the reader with direct insight into Patol Babu’s internal monologue. This style effectively conveys his mounting frustration, self-doubt, and the conflict he feels between his passion for acting and the reality of the underwhelming role he has been assigned. By using questions, the writer makes the reader empathise with Patol Babu’s inner struggle, highlighting his disappointment as he compares the dignity of his past stage experiences with the chaos and perceived insignificance of the film set.