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प्रश्न
Trace the thoughts that went on in the mind of the narrator when picture after picture was put up and sold at the auction.
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उत्तर
The author was enthusiastically participating in the bid at Christie with very little money on him. He sailed smoothly for a long time raising the stakes on many paintings and carefully staying behind other competitors. It was fun watching till he got trapped in a net, set by his own tongue. When one particular painting was offered for 4000 guineas, the bidders maintained an uncomfortable silence when the author heard himself foolishly saying “and fifty”. The auctioneer banged the hammer finalizing the deal in the narrator’s favor.
It was then the narrator realized with alarm that he had no money on him. Suddenly he lost interest in fun bidding. He started thinking fast for a way out of the tight comer he had created for himself. Many small and big paintings were offered and sold out fast. The Barbizon pictures were selling fast like hot cakes for 2000 to 3000 guineas. The author was running over the names of friends, relatives, and even money lenders who might bail him out of the tight comer. He even speculated on the possibility of confessing his poverty to the staff of Christie and request them to put up the picture again for sale. Such a genuine mistake could have been rectified at the early stages of the auction. As he had enthusiastically participated in the bid for many paintings,
the auctioneers wouldn’t buy his justification for the “genuine mistake”. As bidders stood in a queue to hand in their cheques/cash to collect their paintings, the narrator stood deliberately at the end. He never felt such a fool or had colder feet all his life.
“People do not wish to appear foolish; to avoid the appearance of foolishness, they are will to
remain actually fools but wait in patience for the right time
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संबंधित प्रश्न
Have you ever lost or misplaced anything of value due to forgetfulness?
At times, instances of forgetfulness may land us in a tight spot or in a difficult situation. Therefore, we need to find ways to remember what we have to do or carry with us. One suchway is to make a mental checklist that we can verify before starting any activity.
Now discuss with your partner and think of some practical ideas to overcome forgetfulness, in your day-to-day activities.
| e.g. setting an alarm | |
Name a few things that a person remembers easily.
What is the commonest type of forgetfulness, according to Lynd?
What is common about the ‘angler’ and the ‘poet’?
When does human memory work with less than its usual capacity?
How do the chemists make fortunes out of the medicines people forget to take?
Narrate the plight of the baby on its day out.
Will you sympathize or ridicule someone who is intensely forgetful? Write an essay justifying your point of view.
What can you say about the author’s attitude when he high-handedly participated in the auction?
What did the falling of the hammer indicate?
The narrator would not forget two things about his friend. What are they?
What was the narrator’s financial condition?
Why did the narrator feel he could have welcomed a firing party?
How did the narrator take advantage of the situation?
Narrate the circumstances that led to the narrator getting into a tight corner, by his own folly
As the narrator, make a diary entry about the tight corner you faced at Christie’s and how you were saved from the dire situation.
Given below is a list of items or features you find in a good school. Study the list and classify the items as individual and common.
textbooks – uniform – smart classroom – laboratory – competent teachers – library – mid-day meals – blackboard – stationery – playground – sports equipment washrooms
| Individual | Common |
| e.g. textbooks | playground |
Who provides these common facilities? Tick the appropriate source.
- Parents
- Educational institutions
- The Department of Education
- Social Service Organizations
- Other agencies
Who does the speaker claim to represent?
You were one of the fresh graduates at the convocation function of the University. You had the rare privilege of listening to the enlightening speech of Dr. Arignar Anna. Write a letter to your friend highlighting the core ideas of his speech and the impact of the speech on you.
Often on formal occasions, we admire friends and strangers who appear elegant, who are pleasant to converse with, and who conduct themselves gracefully. At times, we also see people who are awkward, nervous, and doubtful about their next move. Recall a few examples of awkward actions that can cause discomfort or disturbance to others like spilling a cup of a hot drink on someone nearby.
What did Bryson wish to avoid in his life?
How would staying away from liquid mischief benefit Bryson?
Bring out the pun in the title ‘The Accidental Tourist’ (one who happens to travel by accident or one who meets with accidents often on his or her trips!).
