Advertisements
Advertisements
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.
Advertisements
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
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
Nuclear Family or Joint Family
Based on the visuals given above, give five words/phrases each, to describe these two family types.
| Nuclear family | Joint family | ||
We use various sports equipment to play different indoor and outdoor games. Now, associate the following sports equipment with their corresponding sports or games.
|
spear, racket, pawns, puck, stump, bow & arrow, club, oar, striker, sabre, dice, baton |
Discuss and share your views with the class on the following.
Is forgetfulness a result of carelessness or preoccupation?
Name a few things that a person remembers easily.
How do psychologists interpret forgetfulness?
What does the author mean when he says the letter in his pocket leads an unadventurous life?
What made people wonder about the absentmindedness of their fellowbeings?
We found a ______of biscuits in the old man’s shirt ______. (pocket/packet)
Describe the activity that was going on in the sale-room at King Street.
What can you say about the author’s attitude when he high-handedly participated in the auction?
What made the author ignore his friend’s warning?
How does the narrator describe the man who approached him?
Barbizon refers to a ______.
The narrator heard his own voice saying, ‘and fifty’. What does this suggest?
What could have been the best way for the narrator, to get himself out of the tight corner?
Form a meaningful summary of the lesson by rewriting the numbers in the correct sequence:
| a) The narrator had only 63 pounds with him and did not know how to manage the situation. | |
| b) The narrator thought of all his relations from whom he could borrow. | |
| c) Unfortunately he had made the highest bid. | |
| d) The narrator entered Christie’s as his friend persuaded him to visit the saleroom. | |
| e) Every time someone else made a higher bid and the narrator was not caught. | |
| f) The narrator on a sudden impulse added 50 more guineas, to the amount offered. | |
| g) His friend joined him then but left immediately unable to control his laughter. | |
| h) He even thought of borrowing from moneylenders and considered the possibility of confessing the truth to the staff at Christie’s. | |
| i) The picture was declared sold to the narrator. | |
| j) After some time a picture was put up and a bid for 4000 guineas was raised. | |
| k) A sudden stroke of luck befell the narrator when he heard that the gent who had made the bid of 4000 guineas would offer him the additional 50 guineas and buy the picture. | |
| l) The narrator kept bidding just for fun. | |
| m) The picture was given away to the other bidder and the narrator was saved from humiliation. | |
| n) His friend had left the place roaring with laughter at the narrator’s predicament. | |
| o) The narrator was quite happy at the offer but demanded 100 guineas instead of the 50. Now there was no need for him to make any payment. |
‘Wisdom was meant for the mansion, not for the marketplace’ -What does this statement signify?
How does Arignar Anna highlight the duties and responsibilities of graduates to the society?
Students are instilled with some of the essential values and skills while at the universities. Enumerate them.
How do Universities mould students apart from imparting academic education to them?
Give a few instances of Bryson’s confused acts.
Describe the fluttery cascade of things tumbling from the bag.
Why did the author’s concern over tobacco shift to his finger?
How would staying away from liquid mischief benefit Bryson?
What was the reaction of Bryson’s wife to his antics?
Briefly describe the ‘accidents’ encountered on the flight by 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!).
As a fellow passenger of Bill Bryson on the flight, make a diary entry describing his clumsy behaviour during the trip and the inconveniences caused to others as a result of his nervousness.
