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Question
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.
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Solution
On that fateful day, I was standing in front of the check-in counter just behind a crazy man. He was making odd movements with his hands. It appeared that he was trying to open something. He had yanked the zip of his bag open. It spilled ejecting all the important contents. The funny thing was, the funnyman was running behind a tin of tobacco that had already disgorged its content. Then he suddenly cried, “My finger”. Maybe he had hurt his finger. The funniest side of the whole episode was that he ignored passport, currency, coins, and other fluttering travel documents. I had my sincere sympathy with the man but I couldn’t help laughing noiselessly because the fellow was really eccentric.
He did not have a sense of proportion. He gave importance to trifles and ignored the major things lying down fluttering in the corridor of the airport. During his flight, he disgorged/spilled the contents of his drink and profusely tendered his apology to the lady next to him. He appeared as real as a buffoon when he appeared sheepish with navy blue ink smeared on his gum, teeth, chin, and tongue. It reminded me of a lion-faced monkey.
‘‘I have always had a reputation as a Bufoon.”
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| 1 | N | 11 | 21 | ||
| 2 | 12 | 22 | |||
| 3 | 13 | 23 | |||
| 4 | 14 | 24 | |||
| 5 | 15 | 25 | |||
| 6 | 16 | 26 | |||
| 7 | 17 | 27 | |||
| 8 | 18 | 28 | |||
| 9 | 19 | 29 | |||
| 10 | 20 | 30 |
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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 | |
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Many of us have unused, old but valuable items at home. If we wish to get rid of them, we can sell them at an auction. Items like paintings, jewels, household articles, vehicles, even houses can be auctioned.
The flowchart below will help you understand how an auction is conducted.
Why was the author sure he would not be caught?
What made the author ignore his friend’s warning?
Why did the friend desert the narrator, a second time?
How does the Narrator show the presence of mind in the sudden turn of events?
The narrator visited the sale-room as he ______.
What is a tight corner? What happens when one finds oneself in a tight corner?
The narrator heard his own voice saying, ‘and fifty’. What does this suggest?
The narrator could not pretend to have made a mistake in bidding. Why?
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. |
Explain how the narrator got out of the tight corner that he was in.
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- e.g. sharing and caring
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