Going Places Textbook Questions and Answers
Understanding the text
Question 1.
Sophie and Jansie were class-mates and friends. What were the differences between them that show up in the story
Sophie और Jansie सहपाठी और मित्र थीं । उन दोनों में क्या अन्तर था जैसा कि कहानी में दर्शाया गया है ?
Answer:
Sophie and Jansie were class-mates and friends but there were following differences between them :
(i) Sophie lived in fantasy and fairyland while Jansie was a practical girl who understood the reality of her family.
(ii) Sophie dreamt of having a boutique while Jansie knew that it would need a lot of money.
(iii) Sophie wanted to become a manager to earn money but Jansie knew that it was not possible to become a manager directly.
(iv) Sophie wanted to become an actress while Jansie realised it needed some qualities and her father would not permit this. Jansie knew they were both earmarked for the biscuit factory.
(v) Sophie was ambitious and resorted to telling lies in order that she might occupy top rank in social ladder while Jansie did not believe in such things.
Sophie और Jansie दोनों सहपाठी और मित्र थीं । लेकिन उन दोनों में निम्नलिखित अन्तर थे :
(i) Sophie कल्पना लोक और परीलोक में जीती थी जबकि Jansie एक व्यावहारिक लड़की थी जो अपने परिवार की वास्तविकता को समझती थी ।
(ii) Sophie एक बुटीक खोलने का स्वप्न देखती थी जबकि Jansie जानती थी कि इसमें बहुत पैसे की आवश्यकता होगी ।
(iii) Sophie पैसा कमाने के लिए मैनेजर बनना चाहती थी जबकि Jansie जानती थी कि वह शुरू से सीधे मैनेजर नहीं बन सकती है ।
(iv) Sophie एक अभिनेत्री बनना चाहती थी जबकि Jansie जानती थी कि इसके लिये कुछ गुणों का होना आवश्यक है और उसके पिता भी इसके लिये अनुमति नहीं देंगे । Jansie जानती थी कि उन दोनों को अन्त में बिस्कुट फैक्ट्री में ही कार्य करना होगा ।
(v) Sophie महत्त्वाकांक्षी थी तथा सामाजिक सीढ़ी के उच्चतम पायदान पर पहुँचने के लिए झूठ का सहारा लेती थी जबकि Jansie ऐसी बातों में विश्वास नहीं करती थी ।
Question 2.
How would you describe the character and temperament of Sophie’s father ?
Sophie के पिता के चरित्र और मिजाज का वर्णन आप कैसे करेंगे ?
Answer:
A Strict Man : Sophie’s father is a strict man. When he hears the story of Sophie’s meeting with Danny Casey, he turns his face to look at Sophie with hatred. His Physical Appearance : He has a plump face which is grim and covered with sweat from his day’s labour.
He works hard throughout the day. His Hobbies : He loves games and players. He knew Tom Finney long ago. Now he is an admirer of Danny Casey, an Irish football player. He goes to see a football match along with his children. He enjoys the match very much.
His Temperament : He is a short tempered man. When Sophie says, “If ever I come into money I’ll buy a boutique”, he says, “Huh-if you ever come into money you’ll buy us a blessed decent house to live in, thank you very much”. Thus he is an example of a strict father. But at the same time, he cares for his family.
कठोर व्यक्ति – Sophie के पिता एक कठोर आदमी हैं । जब वह Danny के साथ Sophie की मुलाकात के बारे में सुनते हैं तो वह Sophie की ओर घृणा से देखने को मुड़ते हैं । उनकी शारीरिक संरचना – उनका मुँह गोल है जो कठोर है और दिन के परिश्रम के फलस्वरूप उस पर पसीना दिखाई देता है। वह पूरे दिन परिश्रम करते हैं ।
उनके शौक – वह खेल और खिलाड़ियों को प्यार करते हैं । वह बहुत समय पहले टॉम फिने को जानते थे। अब वह Danny Casey के प्रशंसक हैं जो आयरलैण्ड का फुटबाल खिलाड़ी है । वह अपने बच्चों को साथ लेकर फुटबॉल मैच देखने जाते हैं । वह मैच का भरपूर आनन्द लेते हैं ।।
उनका मिजाज — वह एक गुस्सैल व्यक्ति हैं । जब Sophie कहती है, “यदि मेरे पास कभी पैसा हुआ तो मैं एक बुटीक खरीदूंगी,” तब वह कहते हैं, “हूँ, यदि तुम्हारे पास कभी पैसा हुआ तो तुम हमारे रहने के लिये आरामदायक अच्छा मकान खरीदोगी, बहुत धन्यवाद ।” इस प्रकार वह एक कठोर पिता हैं । परन्तु साथ ही, वह अपने परिवार का खयाल भी रखते हैं ।
Question 3.
Why did Sophie like her brother Geoff more than any other person? From her perspective, what did he symbolise?
Sophie अपने भाई Geoff को किसी अन्य व्यक्ति से अधिक पसन्द क्यों करती थी ? Sophie के परिप्रेक्ष्य से Geoff किस चीज का प्रतीक था ?
Answer:
Sophie liked her brother Geoff more than any other person because she trusted him. Her
brother Geoff was always the first to share her secrets with. He listened to Sophie’s fantasies and her long cherished dreams patiently.
Little Derek made fun of her, so she did not share her secrets with him. From Sophie’s perspective, Geoff was a symbol of sympathy, guidance, and a store of knowledge for her. Sophie wished that some day he might take her with him to show her unknown and unseen places and people.
She dreamt that she was riding there behind Geoff. He wore new shining black leathers and she, a yellow dress with a kind of cape that flew out behind. There was the sound of applause as the world rose to greet them.
Sophie अपने भाई Geoff को किसी अन्य व्यक्ति से अधिक पसन्द करती थी क्योंकि वह उस पर विश्वास करती थी । उसका भाई Geoff हमेशा पहला व्यक्ति होता था, उसके रहस्य (गुप्त बातें) बाँटने वाला । वह Sophie की कल्पनाशील बातों और दीर्घकालीन संजोये हुए सपनों को धैर्यपूर्वक सुनता था ।
उसका छोटा भाई Derek उसका (Sophie का) मज़ाक उड़ाता था इसलिये वह उसके साथ अपने रहस्य नहीं बाँटती थी । Sophie के परिप्रेक्ष्य से Geoff उसके लिये सहानुभूति, पथप्रदर्शन और ज्ञान के भंडार का प्रतीक था |
Sophie चाहती थी कि Geoff किसी दिन अपरिचित और अदृश्य स्थानों और लोगों को दिखाने के लिये उसको अपने साथ ले जाये । वह स्वप्न देखती कि वह Geoff के पीछे (मोटरसाइकिल पर) सवारी कर रही थी, Geoff ने चमकते काले चमड़े की पोशाक पहनी थी और उसने (Sophie ने) एक पीली पोशाक जिस पर बिना आस्तीन का ऊपरी वस्त्र था जो पीछे हवा में उड़ रहा था । वहाँ तालियाँ बजने की आवाज थी जैसे संसार उनका स्वागत करने के लिये खड़ा हो ।
Question 4.
What socio-economic background did Sophie belong to ? What are the indicators of her family’s financial status ?
Sophie की सामाजिक-आर्थिक पृष्ठभूमि क्या थी ? उसके परिवार का आर्थिक स्तर दर्शाने वाले चिह्न क्या हैं?
Answer:
Sophie belonged to a lower middle class family in which each member was expected to work for their livelihood. Jansie’s statement that they were destined to work in a biscuit factory clearly shows that they were from a socio-economic background in which sustaining life remains the prime concern.
Her brother travelled a long distance every day to work as an apprentice mechanic. He also worked at home. Her father was a labourer whose face was covered with dust. He pined for a good house for the family to live in. They ate very humble food and lived in dirty living conditions. The heap of dirty utensils and the smoke in the room shows the unhygienic conditions they lived in. All this shows that Sophie belonged to a lower middle class family.
Sophie का सम्बन्ध एक निम्न मध्यमवर्गीय परिवार से था जहाँ परिवार के प्रत्येक सदस्य से आजीविका कमाने के लिए काम करने की अपेक्षा की जाती थी । Jansie का यह कथन कि वे बिस्कुट फैक्ट्री में काम करने के लिए बनी हैं दर्शाता है कि वे एक ऐसे सामाजिक-आर्थिक परिवेश से थीं जहाँ जीवन को कायम रखना ही मुख्य चिन्ता होती है ।
उसका भाई एक प्रशिक्षणार्थी मिस्त्री का काम करने के लिए प्रतिदिन लम्बी यात्रा करता था । वह घर में भी काम करता था । उसके पिता एक मजदूर थे जिनका चेहरा धूल से सना रहता था। वह परिवार के रहने के लिए एक अच्छा घर चाहते थे । वे अति साधारण भोजन करते थे तथा गन्दे हालातों में रहते थे। कमरे में गन्दे बर्तनों का ढेर तथा धुंआ दर्शाता है कि वे अस्वास्थ्यकर अवस्था में रहते थे । इस सबसे पता चलता है कि Sophie का सम्बन्ध निम्न मध्यमवर्गीय परिवार से है ।
Think as you read (Page 79)
Question 1.
Where was it most likely that the two girls would find work after school ?
स्कूल छोड़ने के पश्चात दोनों लड़कियों को कहाँ पर काम मिलने की सर्वाधिक सम्भावना थी ?
Answer:
It was most likely that the two girls, Sophie and Jansie would find work in a biscuit factory after leaving their school. Jansie knew that they were both earmarked for the biscuit factory.
स्कूल छोड़ने के पश्चात दोनों लड़कियों- Sophie और Jansie को एक बिस्कुट फैक्ट्री में काम मिलने की सबसे अधिक सम्भावना थी । जेन्सी जानती थी कि वे दोनों बिस्कुट फैक्ट्री के लिये ही (बनी) हैं|
Question 2.
What were the options that Sophie was dreaming of? Why does Jansie discourage her from having such Creams ?
वे क्या विकल्प थे जिनका Sophie स्वप्न देख रही थी ? Jansie Sophie को ऐसे स्वप्न देखने से क्यों हतोत्साहित करती है ?
Answer:
Sophie was dreaming of having a boutique, becoming a manager, being an actress and becoming a fashion designer. Jansie discourages Sophie because she knows that it would need a lot of money and her father would not allow her.
Sophie जिन विकल्पों (पसन्दों) का स्वप्न देख रही थी वे थे – बुटीक खोलना, मैनेजर बनना, अभिनेत्री बनना और फैशन डिजाइनर बनना । Jansie, Sophie को इसलिये हतोत्साहित करती है क्योंकि वह जानती है कि इसके लिये बहुत पैसों की आवश्यकता होगी और उसके पिता इसकी अनुमति नहीं देंगे
Think as you read (Page 81)
Question 1.
Why did Sophie wriggle when Geoff told her father that she had met Danny Casey ?
जब Geoff ने अपने पिता को बताया कि Sophie, Danny Casey से मिली थी तो वह क्यों छटपटाई ?
Answer:
Danny Casey was an Irish football player. When Geoff told his father that Sophie met Danny Casey, she wriggled where she was sitting at the table to avoid his anger. She knew the father was not going to believe her.
Danny Casey आयरलैण्ड का एक फुटबॉल खिलाड़ी था । जब Geoff ने अपने पिता को बताया कि Sophie, Danny Casey से मिली थी तो Sophie जहाँ मेज पर बैठी थी, वहाँ छटपटाई – उनके क्रोध से बचने के लिये । वह जानती थी कि पिताजी उसकी बात पर विश्वास नहीं करने वाले थे ।
Question 2.
Does Geoff believe what Sophie says about her meeting with Danny Casey?
क्या Geoff उस पर विश्वास करता है जब Sophie उसे Danny Casey से अपनी मुलाकात के बारे में बताती है ?
Answer:
Sophie shares all her secrets with her brother Geoff. However, as Danny Casey is a great football player, Geoff does not believe what Sophie says about his meeting with Danny Casey.
Sophie अपने सारे रहस्य अपने भाई Geoff के साथ साझा करती है । तथापि चूँकि Danny Casey एक महान फुटबाल खिलाड़ी है, Geoff, Sophie के साथ उसकी मुलाकात की बात में विश्वास नहीं करता है ।
Question 3.
Does her father believe her story?
क्या उसके (Sophie) पिता उसकी कहानी में विश्वास करते हैं ?
Answer:
No, Sophie’s father doesn’t believe her story at all. He knows that she lives in the world of her imagination and that she is in the habit of telling lies and that she might be in trouble someday for telling lies.
नहीं, Sophie के पिता उसकी कहानी पर बिल्कुल भी विश्वास नहीं करते हैं । वे जानते हैं कि वह अपने कल्पना के संसार में रहती है और उसे झूठ बोलने की आदत है और यह कि झूठ बोलने के कारण वह किसी दिन मुसीबत में फँस जायेगी ।
Question 4.
How does Sophie include her brother Geoff in her fantasy of her future ?
Sophie अपने भविष्य की अपनी कल्पना में अपने भाई Geoff को कैसे शामिल करती है ?
Answer:
Sophie lives in fantasy. She trusts her brother Geoff. She wishes that he might take her with him to show her unknown and unseen places and people. In this way she includes her brother in her fantasy of her future.
Sophie कल्पना लोक में जीती है । वह अपने भाई Geoff पर विश्वास करती है । वह चाहती है कि वह उसे अपने साथ अपरिचित और नहीं देखे गये स्थानों तथा व्यक्तियों के पास ले जाए । इस प्रकार वह अपने भाई को अपने भविष्य की कल्पना में शामिल कर लेती है ।
Question 5.
Which country did Danny Casey play for ?
Danny Casey किस देश के लिये खेलता था ?
Answer:
Danny Casey played for Ireland.
Danny Casey आयरलैण्ड के लिये खेलता था ।
Think as you read (Page 85)
Question 1.
Why didn’t Sophie want Jansie to know about her story with Danny ?
Sophie क्यों नहीं चाहती थी कि Danny के बारे में उसकी कहानी को Jansie जाने ?
Answer:
Sophie wanted to keep her romantic imagination to herself. If Jansie knew about Sophie’s story with Danny, the whole neighbourhood would get to know it. Hence, Sophie didn’t want Jansie to know about her story with Danny.
Sophie अपने प्यार का रहस्य (काल्पनिकता) अपने तक ही सीमित रखना चाहती थी । यदि Jansie उसकी कहानी के विषय में जानती तो सारा पड़ोस यह जान जाता। इसलिये Sophie नहीं चाहती थी कि Jansie को Danny के साथ उसकी कहानी पता चले।
Question 2.
Did Sophie really meet Danny Casey ?
क्या Sophie वास्तव में Danny Casey से मिली थी ?
Answers:
No, Sophie didn’t really meet Danny Casey, who was a great Irish football player. Her meeting with Danny in an arcade, her proposed meeting for the next week, all this was just her imagination.
नहीं, Sophie वास्तव में Danny Casey जो कि आयरलैण्ड का एक महान फुटबॉल खिलाड़ी था, से नहीं मिली थी। उसकी Danny के साथ बाजार में मुलाकात, उसकी अगले सप्ताह प्रस्तावित मुलाकात, यह सब कुछ सिर्फ उसकी (Sophie की) कल्पना थी ।
Question 3.
Which was the only occasion when she got to see Danny Casey in person ?
वह कौन सा एकमात्र अवसर था जब Sophie ने Danny Casey को वास्तविक रूप में देखा था ?
Answer:
The only occasion when Sophie got to see Danny Casey in person was when her family went to watch United on Saturday. She saw him in person at the football ground.
वह एकमात्र अवसर जब Sophie ने Danny Casey को वास्तविक रूप में देखा था, वह था जब शनिवार को उसका परिवार यूनाइटेड (टीम का नाम) देखने गये थे (विश्व कप देखने के लिये) । उसने उसे फुटबाल के मैदान में साक्षात् देखा था ।
Talking about the text
Discuss in pairs :
जोड़ों में चर्चा कीजिए :
Question 1.
Sophie’s dreams and disappointments are all in her mind.
Sophie के सपने और निराशा ये सब उसके मस्तिष्क में हैं ।
Answer:
Sophie is a young school going girl. She belongs to a lower middle class family. She is an ambitious girl so she dreams of her bright future. She tells her classmate and friend Jansie that after completing her school, she wants to have her own boutique.
She wants to become a manager. She wants to become an actress because there is money in this field and at the same time she would like to have a boutique as a side business. Simultaneously, she believes in hero worship.
She is a big fan of Danny Casey, an Irish football player. She cooks a story of her meeting with Danny. She waits for him but he dosen’t come. It is all her fantasy and nothing else.
Sophie स्कूल जाने वाली एक छोटी लड़की है । वह एक निम्न मध्यमवर्गीय परिवार से है । वह एक महत्त्वाकांक्षी लड़की है इसलिए अपने सुनहरे भविष्य के सपने देखती है । वह अपनी सहपाठी व मित्र Jansie को बताती है कि वह अपनी स्कूल की पढ़ाई पूरी करने के बाद अपना एक बुटीक खोलना चाहती है ।
वह एक मैनेजर बनना चाहती है । वह एक अभिनेत्री बनना चाहती है क्योंकि इस क्षेत्र में पैसा है, साथ ही वह बुटीक का अतिरिक्त व्यवसाय करना चाहती है । साथ ही वह (Sophie) नायक पूजा (hero worship) में विश्वास करती है । वह आयरलैण्ड के एक फुटबॉल खिलाड़ी Danny Casey की बड़ी प्रशंसक है । वह डेनी के साथ अपनी मुलाकात की कहानी गढ़ती है । वह डेनी का इन्तजार करती है लेकिन वह नहीं आता है । ये सब बातें सिर्फ उसकी कल्पना हैं, और कुछ नहीं ।
Question 2.
It is natural for teenagers to have unrealistic dreams. What would you say are the benefits as well as disadvantages of such fantasising ?
किशोर-किशोरियों के लिये यह सर्वथा स्वाभाविक है कि वे काल्पनिक सपनों में खोये रहें । आपके विचार से ऐसी कल्पनाओं के क्या लाभ और हानियाँ हैं ?
Answer:
It is natural for teenagers to have unrealistic dreams. These dreams have some benefits as well as disadvantages :
Benefits :
(i) They help them make plans for their future.
(ii) They give them courage to work in the direction of fulfilling their dreams.
Disadvantages :
(i) They lose their touch from reality.
(ii) Sometimes, they set unrealistic goals.
(iii) Most often, they fall a victim to frustration.
किशोर-किशोरियों के लिए काल्पनिक सपने देखना स्वाभाविक है । इन कल्पनाओं के कुछ लाभ व हानियाँ दोनों ही हैं। लाभ :
(i) ये भविष्य की योजनाएँ बनाने में उनकी सहायता करते हैं ।
(ii) ये उन्हें अपने सपनों को पूरा करने की दिशा में कार्य करने के लिए साहस प्रदान करते हैं ।
हानियाँ :
(i) वे वास्तविकता से अपना सम्पर्क खो देते हैं ।।
(ii) कभी-कभी वे अवास्तविक लक्ष्य निर्धारित कर लेते हैं।
(iii) प्रायः वे कुण्ठा के शिकार हो जाते हैं ।
Working with words
Notice the following expressions. The highlighted words are not used in a literal sense. Explain what they mean. निम्नलिखित वाक्यांशों (अभिव्यक्तियों) को देखिये । Highlighted शब्दों को शाब्दिक रूप में प्रयोग नहीं किया गया है । वर्णन करें इनका क्या अर्थ है :
(i) Words had to be prized out of him like stones out of a ground.
Answer:
This expression is used for Geoff who is an introvert boy. He doesn’t speak voluntarily. One has to make him speak with great efforts and his words seem very valuable.
(ii) Sophie felt a tightening in her throat.
Answer:
Atmosphere of her room was very uncomfortable. Sophie felt uneasy. Because of suffocation in the room, Sophie felt a tightening in her throat.
(iii) If he keeps his head on his shoulders.
Answer:
This expression is used for Danny Casey, an Irish football player. It means if he remains sensible.
(iv) On Saturday they made their weekly pilgrimage to the United.
This expression is used for Sophie’s family. They went to enjoy their weekend (by watching United).
(v) She saw ……………. him ghost past the lumbering defenders.
Answer:
ghost past – passed quickly so as to remain unseen.
Noticing Form
Notice the highlighted words in the following sentences :
- “When I leave,” Sophie said, coming home from school, “I am going to have a boutique.”
- Jansie, linking arms with her along the street, looked doubtful.
- “I’ll find it,” Sophie said, staring far down the street.
- Jansie, knowing they were both earmarked for the biscuit factory, became melancholy.
- And she turned in through the open street door leaving Jansie standing in the rain. ।
• जब हम verb में “ing” जोड़ते हैं तो वह Present Participle form बन जाता है । Present Participle form सामान्यत: verb की be (is, are, am, was, were) के साथ Present Continuous Tense को दर्शाने के लिए प्रयोग किया जाता है, जैसे- उपर्युक्त वाक्य नम्बर 1 में है — “Sophie was coming home from school”.
• जब हमें यह दर्शाना हो कि एक कार्य उसी समय हो रहा है जिस समय कि अन्य या दूसरा कार्य, तो हम
Present Participle को बिना सहायक क्रिया (helping verb) के भी use कर सकते हैं, जैसे उदाहरण नम्बर
1 में- Sophie “said” something. “said” यहाँ मुख्य कार्य है.।
• जब Sophie कह रही थी (saying) तब Sophie क्या कर रही थी यह दर्शाया गया है “coming” के द्वारा
Coming home from school. अर्थात् दो कार्य साथ-साथ चल रहे थे, Sophie कह रही थी और Sophie घर लौट रही थी । अतः दो अलग-अलग वाक्यों के स्थान पर एक ही वाक्य में हमें दो सूचनाएँ मिलती हैं। Analyse the other examples in the same way.
दूसरे उदाहरणों को भी इसी प्रकार स्पष्ट कीजिये ।
Answer:
उदाहरण नम्बर 2 में, Jansie looked doubtful. यहाँ ‘looked’ मुख्य कार्य है । उसी समय Jansie दूसरा कार्य (action) भी कर रही थी – She was linking arms with her. अतः यहाँ हमें एक ही समय पर दो कार्यों (actions) की सूचना मिल रही है एक ही वाक्य में ।
उदाहरण नम्बर 3 में Sophie “said” something. “said” यहाँ मुख्य कार्य है । Sophie is also staring while ‘saying’ अतः वह दूसरा कार्य भी कर रही है । अतः यहाँ दो वाक्यों के स्थान पर हमें एक ही वाक्य में दो अलग-अलग कार्यों के होने की सूचना मिल रही है ।
उदाहरण नं. 4 में, Jansie became’ melancholy. यहाँ ‘became’ मुख्य कार्य है (action) knowing they were both earmarked दूसरा कार्य (another action) है । अतः हमें दो कार्यों के घटित होने की सूचना दो वाक्यों के स्थान पर एक ही वाक्य में मिल रही है।।
उदाहरण नम्बर 5 में, She (Sophie) “turned” in. “turned” यहाँ मुख्य कार्य है, और leaving Jansie दूसरा कार्य (another action) है अतः हम दो कार्यों की सूचना दो वाक्यों के स्थान पर एक वाक्य के माध्यम से ही convey कर रहे हैं । Pick out five other sentences from the story in which Present Participles are used in this sense. कहानी में इसी प्रकार के present participle के प्रयोग वाले 5 अन्य वाक्य छाँटिये ।
Answer:
- Jansie frowned, sensing she was covering.
- For some while, waiting, she imagined his coming.
- She watched along the canal, seeing him come out of the shadows.
- He sat frowning at the oil component he cradled in his hands.
- …….. said little Derek, hanging on the back of his father’s chair.
Thinking about language
Notice these words in the story. “chuffed”, meaning delighted or very pleased “nosey”, meaning inquisitive “gawky”, meaning awkward, ungainly. These are words that are used in an informal way in colloquial speech.
Make a list of ten other words of this kind.
Answers :
- Lumbering : means moving slow and awkwardly
- Thunderous : means noisy
- Crisply: means quickly
- Huh : means an expression of disagreement
- Prized out : meaning forced him to speak
- Grunt: means harsh sound or voice
- Propped : means stood
- Ghost past : means moved unseen
- Muffled : means silenced
- Damn: means curse or carelessness
Writing
Think of a person who you would like to have as your role model. Write down the points to be discussed or questions to be asked, if you were asked to interview that person on a television show.
Answer:
Mother Teresa, a philanthropist, is my role model. She was a Christian lady who dedicated all her life for the suffering humanity. If she were alive and I were asked to interview her on television, I would discuss the following points or ask the following questions :
(i) Please tell me something about your childhood.
(ii) When did you decide to serve the humanity?
(iii) What inspired you to dedicate your life to the cause of society ?
(iv) How do you feel serving these sufferers ?
(v) How do you feel to be called mother of so many people ?
(vi) Without any discrimination you have served a large number of people. What message would you like to convey to the society ?
RBSE Class 12 English Going Places Important Questions and Answers
Short Answer Type Questions
Answer the following questions in about 20-25 words :
Question 1.
What is Sophie’s dream about her future? Is her dream realistic?
Sophie का भविष्य के बारे में क्या स्वप्न है ? क्या उसका स्वप्न वास्तविक है ?
Answer:
Sophie wants to own a boutique, or to become a manager, an actress or a fashion designer in future. Her dream is not realistic.
Sophie भविष्य में एक बुटीक खोलना चाहती है, या मैनेजर, अभिनेत्री या फैशन डिजाइनर बनना चाहती है। उसका स्वप्न वास्तविक नहीं है ।
Question 2.
What does Sophie’s father say when he hears her telling, “If ever I come into money, I’ll
buy a boutique ?”
जब Sophie के पिता उसको बताते हुए सुनते हैं, “यदि कभी मेरे पास पैसा होगा तो मैं एक बुटीक खरीदूंगी” तो वे क्या कहते हैं ?
Answer:
Hearing this, her father says, “If you ever come into money, you’ll buy us a blessed decent house to live in, thank you very much.
” यह सुनकर उसके पिता कहते हैं, “यदि कभी तुम्हारे पास पैसा होगा तो तुम हम सबके रहने के लिये एक आरामदायक घर खरीदकर दोगी, बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद” ।
Question 3.
What did Jansie say to Sophie when she expressed her wish of buying a boutique ?
जब Sophie ने एक बुटीक खरीदने की अपनी इच्छा व्यक्त की तो Jansie ने उससे क्या कहा ?
Answer:
When Sophie expressed her desire, Jansie expressed doubt and said, “It needs a lot of money, Soaf.”
जब Sophie ने अपनी इच्छा जाहिर की तो Jansie ने सन्देह व्यक्त किया और कहा, “इसमें बहुत अधिक धन की आवश्यकता होती है, Soaf ।”
Question 4.
Who is little Derek ? What does he say about Sophie ?
छोटा Derek कौन है? वह Sophie के विषय में क्या कहता है ?
Answer:
Little Derek is Sophie’s younger brother. He says about Sophie, “She thinks money grows on trees, don’t she, Dad ?”
छोटा डेरेक Sophie का छोटा भाई है । वह Sophie के विषय में कहता है, “वह सोचती है पैसा पेड पर लगता है, क्या वह ऐसा नहीं सोचती है, डैड” ?
Question 5.
Why did Sophie feel a tightening in her throat ?
Sophie ने अपने गले में जकड़न क्यों महसूस की ?
Answer:
Sophie felt a tightening in her throat because her small room was steamy from the stove and cluttered with the heavy breathing of her father.
Sophie ने अपने गले में जकड़न इसलिये महसूस की क्योंकि उसका छोटा-सा कमरा स्टोव की भाप से और उसके पिता की जोर-जोर से सांस लेने की आवाज से भरा हुआ था ।
Question 6.
Who is Geoff ? What is he ?
Geoff कौन है ? वह क्या करता है ?
Answer:
Geoff is Sophie’s elder brother. He is an apprentice mechanic travelling to his work each day to the far side of the city.
Geoff Sophie का बड़ा भाई है । वह एक प्रशिक्षु मैकेनिक है, जिसे प्रतिदिन शहर के दूर के सिरे तक यात्रा करनी पड़ती है।
Question 7.
Why is Sophie jealous of Geoff’s silence ?
Sophie Geoff की चुप्पी से ईर्ष्या क्यों करती है ?
Answer:
Sophie is jealous of Geoff’s silence because when he isn’t speaking, it is as if he were away
somewhere out there in the world in those places she had never been.
Sophie, Geoff की चुप्पी से इसलिये ईर्ष्या करती है क्योंकि जब वह नहीं बोल रहा होता है तो ऐसा लगता है कि वह कहीं दूर विश्व के उन स्थानों में है जहाँ वह कभी नहीं गई है ।
Question 8.
Why did Sophie go into her brother’s room ?
Sophie अपने भाई के कमरे में क्यों गयी ?
Answer:
Sophie shared all her secrets with Geoff, so she went into his room to tell him that she had met Danny Casey in the arcade.
सोफी अपने सारे रहस्य Geoff के साथ बाँटती थी इसलिये वह उसके कमरे में उसे यह बताने गई कि वह बाजार में Danny Casey से मिली थी ।
Question 9.
What did Sophie narrate about Danny Casey ?
Sophie ने Danny Casey के विषय में क्या वर्णन किया ?
Answer:
Sophie said he (Danny) had green and gentle eyes and he was not so tall. She wondered if she should say about his teeth, but decided against it.
Sophie ने कहा उसकी (Danny की) आँखें हरी और सौम्य हैं और वह बहुत लम्बा नहीं है । उसने सोचा कि क्या उसे उसके दांतों के विषय में भी कहना चाहिये, परन्तु उसने इसके विपरीत फैसला लिया ।
Question 10.
Explain briefly Sophie’s imagination with Geoff ?
Geoff के साथ Sophie की कल्पना का संक्षिप्त वर्णन कीजिये ।
Answer:
Sophie saw herself riding behind Geoff in an unknown land. They wore nice clothes. The world greeted them with clapping.
Sophie स्वयं को किसी अनजान स्थान पर Geoff के पीछे (मोटरसाइकिल पर) सवारी करते देखती थी । वह बढ़िया कपड़े पहने थे। वहाँ तालियाँ बजने की आवाज थी जैसे संसार उसका स्वागत करने को खड़ा हो।
Question 11.
What did little Derek tell his mother when he returned home from the match ?
जब छोटा Derek मैच देखकर घर वापस आया तो उसने अपनी माँ से क्या कहा ?
Answer:
On Saturday, Derek went to watch United with his father. When he returned home, he told his mother, “Ireland will win the world cup”. शनिवार को Derek अपने पिता के साथ United देखने गया था । जब वह मैच देखकर घर वापस आया, तो उसने अपनी माँ कहा “आयरलैण्ड विश्व कप जीतेगा।”
Question 12.
Who was Frank ? What did Geoff tell Frank ?
Frank कौन था ? Geoff ने Frank को क्या बताया ?
Answer:
Frank was Jansie’s elder brother. Jansie and Sophie were close friends. Geoff told Frank that Sophie met Danny Casey one day.
Frank, Jansie का बड़ा भाई था । Jansie और Sophie करीबी सहेलियाँ थी । Geoff ने Frank को बताया कि Sophie एक दिन Danny Casey से मिली थी ।
Question 13.
What was Geoff doing when Sophie came into his room ?
जब Sophie, Geoff के कमरे आई तो वह क्या कर रहा था ?
Answer:
Geoff was Sophie’s brother. He spoke very little. When Sophie came into his room, he was repairing a part of his motorcycle.
Geoff, Sophie का भाई था। वह बहुत कम बोलता था । जब Sophie उसके कमरे में आई, वह अपनी मोटरसाइकिल के किसी हिस्से की मरम्मत कर रहा था ।
Question 14.
Why was Sophie glad seeing the bicycle of her father standing against the pub wall ?
Sophie पब (मदिरालय) की दीवार के सहारे अपने पिताजी की साइकिल को खड़े देखकर खुश क्यों हुई ?
Answer:
Sophie went to meet Danny Casey. When she returned home, she was glad to see the bicycle of her father standing against the pub wall because he would not be there when she got home.
Sophie Danny Casey से मिलने गयी थी। जब वह घर लौटी तो वह पब की दीवार के सहारे खड़ी अपने पिता की साइकिल को देखकर खुश हुई क्योंकि जब वह घर पहुँचेगी तो वे (पिताजी) घर पर नहीं होंगे ।
Question 15.
What did Geoff mean by saying “Casey must have strings of girls” ?
“Casey के पीछे लड़कियों की कतार होगी” से Geoff का क्या तात्पर्य था ?
Answer:
By saying this, Geoff meant to say that as Casey was a celebrity, he would have many girls around him. So she should not be mad after Casey.
ऐसा कहने के पीछे Geoff का तात्पर्य था कि चूँकि Casey एक प्रसिद्ध व्यक्ति था, लड़कियों का उसके पीछे पागल होना सामान्य बात थी । इसलिए वह Casey के पीछे पागल न बने ।
Long Answer Type Questions
Answer the following questions in about 80 words :
Question 1.
Who was Sophie ? What do you know about her family ?
Sophie कौन थी ? आप उसके परिवार के विषय में क्या जानते हैं ?
Answer:
Sophie was a school going girl. She belonged to a lower middle class family. Her father worked hard to earn for the family. Geoff was her elder brother and Derek was her younger brother. She trusted her elder brother Geoff. Sophie dreamt of falling in love with Danny Casey, an Irish football player.
She cooked the story of her meeting with Danny and shared it with Geoff. When Geoff told his father the same, he looked at Sophie with hatred.
Sophie स्कूल में पढ़ने वाली एक लड़की थी । वह एक निम्न मध्यमवर्गीय परिवार से सम्बन्ध रखती थी। उसके पिता परिवार चलाने के लिए कठिन परिश्रम करते थे । Geoff उसका बड़ा भाई था और Derek उसका छोटा भाई था । वह अपने बड़े भाई Geoff पर विश्वास करती थी ।
Sophie आयरलैण्ड के एक फुटबॉल खिलाड़ी Danny Casey के साथ अपने प्रेम का स्वप्न देखती थी । उसने Danny के साथ अपनी मुलाकात की कहानी गढ़ी और Geoff को सुनाई । जब Geoff ने यह कहानी अपने पिता को बताई तो उन्होंने घृणापूर्वक Sophie की ओर देखा ।
Question 2.
What did Sophie tell her brother Geoff about Danny Casey ? What was his reaction ?
Sophie ने Danny Casey के विषय में अपने भाई Geoff को क्या बताया ? उसकी (Geoff की) क्या प्रतिक्रिया थी?
Answer:
Sophie told Geoff that she met Danny Casey, an Irish foolball player. Geoff didn’t believe it. To know the reality, he asked Sophie how Danny looked like. Sophie replied “He has green eyes. His eyes are gentle. He is not so tall as you think.” Geoff tried to make her realise that she was still a school going girl while Danny Casey must be having strings of girls. But Sophie denied and said that Danny was quiet and he was not in contact with a large number of girls.
Sophie ने Geoff को बताया वह कि Danny Casey जो कि आयरलैण्ड का फुटबॉल कि खिलाड़ी है, से मिली थी। Geoff ने उस पर विश्वास नहीं किया । सच्चाई जानने के लिये उसने Sophie से पूछा वह (Danny) कैसा दिखता है। Sophie ने जवाब दिया “उसकी आँखें हरी हैं । उसकी आँखें सौम्य हैं । वह उतना लम्बा नहीं है जितना आप समझते हैं ।” Geoff ने उसे समझाने का प्रयास किया कि वह अभी स्कूल में पढ़ती है जबकि Danny के पीछे लड़कियों की कतार होगी । लेकिन Sophie ने इन्कार कर दिया और कहा कि Danny शान्त है और वह बहुत सारी लड़कियों के सम्पर्क में नहीं है ।
Question 3.
Sophie’s real world is different from her fantasies. She lives in her fantasies. Explain.
Sophie का वास्तविक संसार उसके कल्पना लोक से भिन्न है । वह कल्पनालोक में जीती है । वर्णन कीजिए।
Answer:
Yes, Sophie’s real world is different from her fantasies. She belongs to a lower middle class family. Sophie always lives in fantasies. She is a day-dreamer. She dreams of becoming a boutique owner, a manager, an actress-cum-boutique owner or a fashion designer.
She wishes to know the unknown, to see the unseen, and to meet the strangers. She fancies the world greeting and applauding them (herself and Geoff). Finally she fancies that she has a lover – Danny Casey, an Irish football player. But, there is nothing true in her dreams.
हाँ, Sophie का वास्तविक संसार उसके कल्पनालोक से भिन्न है । वह एक निम्न मध्यमवर्गीय परिवार से सम्बन्ध रखती है । Sophie हमेशा कल्पनालोक में जीती है । वह दिवा-स्वप्न देखने वाली है । वह एक बुटीक की मालकिन बनने से लेकर एक मैनेजर, एक अभिनेत्री व बुटीक (part time)
चलाने से लेकर फैशन डिजाइनर तक बनने का स्वप्न देखती है । वह अनजानी चीजों को जानना, अनदेखे स्थानों को देखना और अजनबी लोगों से मिलना चाहती है । वह कल्पना करती है कि संसार उनका (वह स्वयं. और उसका भाई Geoff) स्वागत कर रहा है। अंत में वह कल्पना करती है कि उसका एक प्रेमी है- Danny Casey जो आयरलैण्ड का फुटबाल खिलाड़ी है । परन्तु उसकी कल्पना में बिलकुल भी वास्तविकता नहीं है।
Question 4.
Do you think the title of the story ‘Going Places’ by A. R. Barton is appropriate ? Explain.
क्या आपको लगता है कि A.R. Barton की कहानी का शीर्षक ‘Going Places’ सटीक है ? व्याख्या कीजिये।
Answer:
Yes, the title of the story ‘Going Places’ is quite apt. It is because in the story Barton takes his readers to different places through his main young female character Sophie. First of all, Sophie takes the readers in search of work.
She fancies of becoming a boutique owner or manager or an actress-cum-boutique owner or a fashion designer. In the second phase, she fancies unknown things, unseen places, and unknown people or strangers. She imagines a vast world and sees herself riding there behind her brother, Geoff.
हाँ, कहानी का शीर्षक ‘Going Places’ एकदम सटीक है । ऐसा इसलिए है क्योंकि कहानी में Barton अपने पाठकों को अपने मुख्य पात्र एक युवा लड़की Sophie के माध्यम से अनेक स्थानों पर ले जाते हैं । सर्वप्रथम Sophie पाठकों को कार्य की तलाश में ले जाती है ।
वह बुटीक मालकिन बनने या मैनेजर बनने या अभिनेत्री व बुटीक मालकिन बनने, अथवा फैशन डिजाइनर बनने की कल्पना करती है । दूसरे चरण में वह अनजानी चीजों की, अनदेखे स्थानों की, अजनबियों से मुलाकात की कल्पना करती है । वह एक विशाल संसार की कल्पना करती है और स्वयं को अपने भाई, Geoff के पीछे (मोटरबाइक पर) सवारी करते देखती है ।
Question 5.
“Sophie and Jansie are both teenagers but they have different approaches to life”. Discuss.
Answer:
Sophie and Jansie are both teenagers. They are classmates and close friends. But their approaches towards life are quite different. Sophie lives in a world of make-believe. She is unaware of the harsh realities of life. On the other hand, Jansie is utterly practical and down to earth.She does not have big and impossible dreams. She knows that one can enhance one’s socio-economic status only gradually. She happily accepts what destiny has offered to her. She is happy in the world she is in.
Sophie तथा Jansie दोनों किशोरियाँ हैं । वे सहपाठी और अच्छी सहेलियाँ हैं । परन्तु जीवन के प्रति उनका दृष्टिकोण बिल्कुल भिन्न है । Sophie कल्पना जगत में रहती है । वह जीवन की कठोर सच्चाइयों के प्रति अनभिज्ञ है । जबकि दूसरी ओर, Jansie पूरी तरह व्यावहारिक तथा जमीन से जुड़ी है । उसके बड़े और असम्भव सपने नहीं हैं । वह जानती है कि केवल धीरे-धीरे ही सामाजिक-आर्थिक हालात सुधारे जा सकते हैं । भाग्य ने उसे जो दिया है वह उसे खुशी-खुशी स्वीकार करती है । वह अपने संसार में खुश है ।
Seen Comprehension Passages
Read the following passages and answer the questions given below:
Passage 1.
“When I leave,” Sophie said, coming home from school, “I’m going to have a boutique.” Jansie, linking arms with her along the street; looked doubtful. “Takes money, Soaf, something like that.” “I’ll find it,” Sophie said, staring far down the street. “Take you a long time to save that much.”
“Well I’ll be a manager then – yes, of course to begin with. Till I’ve got enough. But anyway, I know just how it’s all going to look.” “They wouldn’t make you manager straight off, Soaf.”
“I’ll be like Mary Quant,” Sophie said. “I’ll be a natural. They’ll see it from the start. I’ll have the most amazing shop this city’s ever seen.” Jansie, knowing they were both earmarked for the biscuit factory, became melancholy. She wished Sophie wouldn’t say these things.
Questions:
- What did Sophie want to have after leaving school?
- How much time would it take to save money for having a boutique?
- What would Sophie become till she had got enough money to have a boutique?
- According to Jansie, what were they both earmarked for?
- Find the word from the passage which means designated’.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to‘artificial.
Answers: - Sophie wanted to have a boutique after leaving school.
- It would take a lot of time to save money for having a boutique.
- Sophie would become a manager till she had got enough money to have a boutique.
- According to Jansie, they both were earmarked to work in a biscuit factory.
- earmarked.
- natural.
Passage 2.
When they reached Sophie’s street Jansie said, “It’s only a few months away now, Soaf, you really should be sensible. They don’t pay well for shop work, you know that, your dad would never allow it.”
“Or an actress. Now there’s real money in that. Yes, and I could maybe have the boutique on the side. Actresses don’t work full time, do they?
Anyway, that or a fashion designer, you know something a bit sophisticated”. And she turned in through the open street door leaving Jansie standing in the rain. “If ever I come into money I’ll buy a boutique.” “Huh – if you ever come into money… if you ever come into money you’ll buy us a blessed decent house to live in, thank you very much.”
Questions:
- What would Sophie’s Dad never allow?
- Who don’t work full time?
- Where was Jansie standing?
- According to Jansie, what would Sophie buy when she had money?
- Find the word from the passage which means ‘refined’.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to‘sitting’.
Answers: - Sophie’s Dad would never allow her to do shop work.
- Actresses don’t work full time.
- Jansie was standing in the rain.
- According to her, Sophie would buy a decent house when she had money.
- sophisticated.
- standing
Passage 3.
Sophie’s father was scooping shepherd’s pie into his mouth as hard as he could go, his plump face still grimy and sweat – marked from the day. “She thinks money grows on trees, don’t she, Dad?’ said little Derek, hanging on the back of his father’s chair. Their mother sighed.Sophie watched her back stooped over the sink and wondered at the incongruity of the delicate bow which fastened her apron strings. The delicate-seeming bow and the crooked back.
The evening had already blacked in the windows and the small room was steamy from the stove and cluttered with the heavy-breathing man in his vest at the table and the dirty washing piled up in the corner. Sophie felt a tightening in her throat. She went to look for her brother Geoff.
Questions:
- How was the face of Sophie’s father?
- What did little Derek tell ?
- What did Sophie wonder at?
- What was the small room steamy from and cluttered with?
- Find the word from the passage which means “mismatch’.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘skinny’.
Answers: - Sophies’ father’s plump face was grimy and sweated due to the labour of the day.
- Little Derek said to Dad “Sophie thinks money grows on trees.”
- Sophie wondered at the incongruity of the delicate bow which fastened her apron strings.
- The small room was steamy from the stove and cluttered with the heavy-breathing man and the dirty washing piled up in the corner
- incongruity.
- plump.
Passage 4.
He was kneeling on the floor in the next room tinkering with a part of his motorcycle over some newspaper spread on the carpet. He was three years out of school, an apprentice mechanic, travelling to his work each day to the far side of the city. He was almost grown up now, and she suspected areas of his life about which she knew nothing, about which he never spoke. He said little at all, ever, voluntarily.
Words had to be prized out of him like stones out of the ground. And she was jealous of his silence. When he wasn’t speaking it was as though he was away somewhere, out there in the world in those places she had never been. Whether they were only the outlying districts of the city, or places beyond in the surrounding country – who knew? they attained a special fascination simply because they were unknown to her and remained out of her reach.
Questions:
- What was he doing?
- In which profession was he engaged in? Where did he travel to?
- What was she jealous of?
- Why did they attain a special fascination?
- Find the word from the passage which is the synonym of ‘beginner’.
- Find the word from the passage which is the antonym of ‘known’.
Answers: - He was kneeling on the floor in the next room tinkering with a part of his motorcycle over some newspaper spread on the carpet.
- He was an apprentice mechanic, travelling to his work each day to the far side of the city.
- She was jealous of his silence.
- They attained a special fascination because they were unknown to her and remained out of her reach.
- apprentice.
- unknown.
Passage 5.
Perhaps there were also people, exotic, interesting people of whom he never spoke – it was possible, though he was quiet and didn’t make new friends easily. She longed to know them. She wished she could be admitted more deeply into her brother’s affections and that someday he might take her with him.
Though their father forbade it and Geoff had never expressed an opinion, she knew he thought her too young. And she was impatient. She was conscious of a vast world out there waiting for her and she knew instinctively that she would feel as at home there as in the city which had always been her home.
Questions:
- Which people did he never speak of?
- What did he not make easily?
- What did she wish?
- What was she conscious of?
- Find the word from the passage which means ‘colourful.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘patient’.
Answer: - He never spoke of interesting, exotic people.
- He did not make friends easily.
- She wished she could be admitted more deeply into her brother’s affections and that
someday he might take her with him. - She was conscious of a vast world out there waiting for her.
- exotic.
- impatient.
Passage 6.
It expectantly awaited her arrival. She saw herself riding there behind Geoff. He wore new, shining black leathers and she a yellow dress with a kind of cape that flew out behind. There was the sound of applause as the world rose to greet them. He sat frowning at the oily component he cradled in his hands, as though it were a small dumb animal and he was willing it to speak.
“I met Danny Casey,” Sophie said. He looked around abruptly. “Where?” “In the arcade – funnily enough.” “It’s never true.” “I did too.” “You told Dad?” She shook her head, chastened at his unawareness that he was always the first to share her secrets. “I don’t believe it.”
Questions:
- What did Geoff and she wear?
- How did he cradle the oily component in his hands?
- According to Sophie, whom had she met and where?
- What was she chastened at?
- Find the word from the passage which means “praise’.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to “intelligent.
Answers: - Geoff wore new, shining black leathers and she wore a yellow dress with a kind of cape
that flew out behind. - He cradled the oily component in his hands as though it was a small dumb animal and he was willing it to speak.
- According to Sophie, she had met Danny Casey in the arcade.
- She was chastened at his unawareness that he was always the first to share her secrets.
- applause.
- dumb.
Passage 7.
“All right, what does he look like?” “Oh come on, you know what he looks like.” “Close ‘to, I mean.”
“Well — he has green eyes. Gentle eyes. And he’s not so tall as you’d think…” She wondered Their father had washed when he came in and his face and arms were shiny and pink and he smelled of soap. He switched on the television, tossed one of little Derek’s shoes from his chair onto the sofa, and sat down with a grunt.
“Sophie met Danny Casey,” Geoff said.
Sophie wriggled where she was sitting at the table. Her father turned his head on his thick neck to look at her. His expression was one of disdain.
“It’s true,” Geoff said.
“I once knew a man who had known Tom Finney,” his father said reverently to the television. “But that was a long time ago.”
Questions:
- What does Danny look like?
- Where did their father sit?
- What was her father’s expression?
- Find the word from the passage which means ‘dislike’.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘disrespectfully’.
Answers: - He has green, gentle eyes and is not too tall.
- Their father smelled of soap.
- He sat on the chair.
- Her father’s expression was of disdain.
- disdain.
- reverently.
Passage 8.
“Casey might be that good some day.” “Better than that even. He’s the best.”
“If he keeps his head on his shoulders. If they look after him properly. A lot of distractions for a youngster in the game these days.”
“He’ll be all right. He’s with the best team in the country.” “He’s very young yet.” “He’s older than I am.” “Too young really for the first team.” “You can’t argue with that sort of ability.” “He’s going to buy a shop,” Sophie said from the table. Her father grimaced. “Where’d you hear that?” “He told me so.”
He muttered something inaudible and dragged himself round in his chair. “This another of your wild stories?”
“She met him in the arcade,” Geoff said, and told him how it had been.
Questions:
- For a youngster, what is there in the game these days?
- What is he too young for?
- What is he going to buy?
- Where did she meet him?
- Find the word from the passage which is similar means “diversions’.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to‘audible’.
Answers: - For a youngster, there are a lot of distractions in the game these days.
- He is too young for the first team.
- He is going to buy a shop.
- She met him at the arcade.
- distractions.
- inaudible.
Passage 9.
The table lamp cast an amber glow across her brother’s bedroom wall, and across the large poster of United’s first team squad and the row of coloured photographs beneath, three of them of the young Irish prodigy, Casey.
“Promise you’ll tell no-one?” Sophie said.
“Nothing to tell is there?”
“Promise, Geoff — Dad’d murder me.”
“Only if he thought it was true.” “Please, Geoff.”
“Christ, Sophie, you’re still at school. Casey must have strings of girls.”
“No he doesn’t.” “How could you know that?” he jeered.
“He told me, that’s how.”
“As if anyone would tell a girl something like that.”
“Yes he did. He isn’t like that. He’s… quiet.”
“Not as quiet as all that — apparently.”
Questions:
- What did the table lamp cast?
- What did the large poster show?
- What were the three photographs of?
- What promise Sophie wanted Geoff to make?
- Find the word from the passage which means ‘sensation’.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘small.
Answers: - The table lamp cast an amber shadow.
- The large poster showed the United first team squad.
- The three photographs were of the Irish prodigy, Casey.
- Sophie wanted Geoff to promise that he would not tell anyone.
- prodigy.
- large.
Passage 10.
On Saturday they made their weekly pilgrimage to watch United. Sophie and her father and little Derek went down near the goal Geoff, as always, went with his mates higher up. United won two-nil and Casey drove in the second goal, a blend of innocence and Irish genius, going round the two big defenders on the edge of the penalty area, with her father screaming for him to pass, and beating the hesitant goalkeeper from a dozen yards. Sophie glowed with pride. Afterwards Geoff was ecstatic.
“I wish he was an Englishman,” someone said on the bus. “Ireland’ll win the World Cup,” little Derek told his mother when Sophie brought him home. Her father was gone to the pub to celebrate.
Questions:
- What did they do on Saturday?
- Where did Sophie, her father and little Derek sit?
- Who drove in the second goal?
- What did little Derek tell his mother?
- Find the word from the passage which means ‘crazy’.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘lose’.
Answers: - On Saturday they made their weekly pilgrimage to watch United.
- Sophie, her father and little Derek sat near the goal.
- Casey drove in the second goal.
- Little Derek told his mother that Ireland would win the World Cup.
- ecstatic.
- win.
Passage 11.
She realised then that Jansie didn’t know about the date bit – Geoff hadn’t told about that. She breathed more easily. So Geoff hadn’t let her down after all. He believed in her after all. After all some things might be sacred.
“It was just a little thing really. I asked him for an autograph, but we hadn’t any paper or a pen so it was no good.” How much had Geoff said?
“Jesus, I wish I’d have been there.”
“Of course, my dad didn’t want to believe it. You know what a misery he is. But the last thing I need is queues of people round our house asking him, “What’s all this about Danny Casey?” He’d murder me. And you know how my mum gets when there’s a row.”
Jansie said, hushed, “You can trust me, Soaf, you know that.”
Questions:
- What did Sophie realize?
- Who hadn’t let her down and believed in her?
- Why couldn’t she take his autograph?
- Who didn’t want to believe her story?
- Find the word from the passage which means ‘solemn’.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘distrust.
Answers: - She realized that Jansie didn’t know about the date bit.
- Geoff hadn’t let her down and believed in her.
- She couldn’t take his autograph because they didn’t have any paper or pen.
- Her father didn’t want to believe her story.
- sacred
- trust.
Passage 12.
After dark she walked by the canal, along a sheltered path lighted only by the glare of the lamps from the wharf across the water, and the unceasing drone of the city was muffled and distant. It was a place she had often played in when she was a child.
There was a wooden bench beneath a solitary elm where lovers sometimes came. She sat down to wait. It was the perfect place, she had always thought so, for a meeting of this kind. For those who wished not to be observed. She knew he would approve.
For some while, waiting, she imagined his coming. She watched along the canal, seeing him come out of the shadows, imagining her own consequent excitement. Not until some time had elapsed did she begin balancing against this the idea of his not coming.
Questions:
- What was the sheltered path lighted by?
- What was the unceasing drone of the city?
- Where did lovers sometimes come?
- Where did Sophie imagine him coming out of?
- Find the word from the passage which means ‘lonely’.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘never’.
Answer: - The sheltered path was lighted by the glare of the lamps from the wharf across the water.
- The unceasing drone of the city was muffled and distant.
- There was a wooden bench beneath a solitary elm where lovers sometimes came.
- She imagined him coming out of the shadows.
- solitary.
- always.
Passage 13.
Here I sit, she said to herself, wishing Danny would come, wishing he would come and sensing the time passing. I feel the pangs of doubt stirring inside me. I watch for him but still there is no sign of him. I remember Geoff saying he would never come, and how none of them believed me when I told them.
I wonder what will I do, what can I tell them now if he doesn’t come? But we know how it was, Danny and me – that’s the main thing. How can you help what people choose to believe? But all the same, it makes me despondent, this knowing I’ll never be able to show them they’re wrong to doubt me.
Questions:
- What did Sophie wish?
- What did she remember Geoff saying?
- Who believed her when she told them?
- What would she never be able to show them?
- Find the word from the passage which means ‘dejected’.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to relieves’.
Answers: - She wished that Danny would come.
- She remembered Geoff saying that he would never come.
- No one believed her when she told them.
- She would never be able to show them they were wrong to doubt me.
- despondent.
- pangs.
Passage 14.
She waited, measuring in this way the changes taking place in her. Resignation was no sudden thing. Now I have become sad, she thought. And it is a hard burden to carry, this sadness. Sitting here waiting and knowing he will not come I can see the future and how I will have to live with this burden.
They of course will doubt me, as they always doubted me, but I will have to hold up my head remembering how it was. Already I envisage the slow walk home, and Geoff’s disappointed face when I tell him, “He didn’t come, that Danny.” And then he’ll fly out and slam the door. “But we know how it was,” I shall tell myself, “Danny and me.” It is a hard thing, this sadness.
Questions:
- How did Sophie measure the changes taking place in her?
- What is a hard burden?
- What would they do?
- What would Geoff do when Sophie told him that Danny didn’t come?
- Find the word from the passage which means ‘visualize’.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘comfort’.
Answers: - She waited, thus measuring the changes taking place in her.
- Carrying the sadness is a hard burden.
- They would doubt her, as they had always done:
- Geoff would fly out and slam at the door when she told him that Danny didn’t come.
- envisage.
- burden.
Passage 15.
She climbed the crumbling steps to the street. Outside the pub she passed her father’s bicycle propped against the wall, and was glad. He would not be there when she got home.
“Excuse me, but aren’t you Danny Casey?” Coming through the arcade she pictured him again outside Royce’s. He turns, reddening slightly. “Yes, that’s right.” “I watch you every week, with my dad and my brothers. We think you’re great.” “Oh, well now — that’s very nice.” “I wonder would you mind signing an autograph?”
His eyes are on the same level as your own. His nose is freckled and turns upwards slightly, and when he smiles he does so shyly, exposing teeth with gaps between. His eyes are green, and when he looks straight at you they seem to shimmer. They seem gentle, almost afraid. Like a gazelle’s. And you look away. You let his eyes run over you a little. And then you come back to find them, slightly breathless.
Questions:
- What did Sophie pass outside the pub?
- Why was she glad?
- Whom did she picture again outside the Royce’s?
- Whom did his eyes resemble?
- Find the word from the passage which means “shine’.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to‘unworried’.
Answers: - Outside the pub, she passed her father’s bicycle propped against the wall.
- She was glad to realize that her father would not be at home.
- She pictured Danny again outside the Royce’s.
- His eyes resembled those of a gazelle.
- shimmer.
- afraid.
Passage 16.
And he says, “I don’t seem to have a pen at all.” You realise you haven’t either. “My brothers will be very sorry,” you say.
And afterwards you wait there alone in the arcade for a long while, standing where he stood, remembering the soft melodious voice, the shimmer of green eyes. No taller than you. No bolder than you. The prodigy. The innocent genius. The great Danny Casey.
And she saw it all again, last Saturday – saw him ghost past the lumbering defenders, heard the fifty thousand catch their breath as he hovered momentarily over the ball, and then the explosion of sound as he struck it crisply into the goal, the sudden thunderous eruption of exultant approbation.
Questions:
- What did Danny say?
- Where did Sophie wait alone?
- What did she remember?
- When did she see it all again?
- Find the word from the passage which means ‘recognize’.
- Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘rejection’.
Answers: - He said that he didn’t have a pen
- She waited alone in the arcade.
- She remembered Casey’s soft, melodious voice and the shimmer of his green eyes.
- She saw it all again last Saturday.
- realize.
- approbation.