The Rattrap Textbook Questions and Answers

The Rattrap Textbook Questions and Answers
Understanding the text :

Question 1.
How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter, the ironmaster and his daughter ?
जमीन-मालिक, लोहे की फैक्ट्री के मालिक और उसकी पुत्री द्वारा दर्शायी गई दयालुता और अतिथि सत्कार को फेरीवाला किस रूप में लेता है ?
Answer:
The poor peddler does not often get kind treatment. He is used to being badly treated. The crofter gives him food and shelter and reposes extreme confidence in him. But the peddler makes off with his money. As for the ironmaster, the peddler befools the ironmaster by not revealing to him his real identity.

He intends to take advantage of the situation. The behaviour of the ironmaster’s daughter changes his life. Even after knowing that the peddler is not an old acquaintance, she treats him like a real captain. Her kindness dispells the malice that he had for the people around him. He gives up his bad ways and leaves for them a gift, a letter and thirty kronor to be given to the crofter.

बेचारे फेरीवाले को प्रायः अच्छा व्यवहार नहीं मिलता है। उसे बुरे व्यवहार को सहन करने की आदत है । जमींदार उसे भोजन और आश्रय प्रदान करता है और उस पर अत्यधिक भरोसा जताता है । परन्तु फेरीवाला उसके पैसे लेकर भाग जाता है । जहाँ तक फैक्ट्री मालिक का सवाल है, फेरीवाला फैक्ट्री मालिक को अपनी असली पहचान न बताकर मूर्ख बनाता है । उसका इरादा परिस्थिति का लाभ उठाने का है । फैक्ट्री मालिक की बेटी का व्यवहार उसका जीवन बदल देता है ।

यह जानने के बावजूद भी कि फेरीवाला उनका पुराना परिचित नहीं है, वह उससे सच्चे कप्तान जैसा व्यवहार करती है । उसकी दयालुता लोगों के प्रति उसके विद्वेष को समाप्त कर देती है । वह कुमार्ग त्याग देता है और उनके लिए एक उपहार, एक पत्र और जमींदार को देने के लिए तीस क्रोनर छोड़ जाता है ।

Question 2.
What are the instances in the story that show that the character of the ironmaster is different from that of his daughter in many ways ?
कहानी में ऐसे कौन से उदाहरण हैं जो दिखाते हैं कि लोहा कारखाने के मालिक का चरित्र उसकी पुत्री से बहुत तरीकों में अलग है ?
Or
Compare and contrast the character of the ironmaster with that of his daughter.
लोहा कारखाने के मालिक और उसकी पुत्री के चरित्र की तुलना कीजिए ।
Or
Give examples from the story ‘The Rattrap’ to show how the ironmaster is different from his daughter ‘Rattrap’
कहानी से उन उदाहरणों को दीजिए जो लोहा कारखाने के मालिक को उसकी पुत्री से भिन्न दर्शाते हैं ।
Answer:
Ironmaster’s daughter is more persuasive than him – We are introduced with the ironmaster and his daughter when they try to take the peddler with them to their house. The former fails to persuade him while his daughter succeeds in persuading him.

Daughter is more kind and generous – Edla is kind and generous to the poor. She wants to give the peddler happiness and peace of mind. Her father threatens the peddler as soon as he comes to know that he is not the captain. Daughter is greater observer.

The daughter is a greater observer than her father. Seeing the peddler, she observes that he is afraid. Either he has stolen something or has escaped from jail. Her father does not pay attention to all these things. In this way the difference in their characters is quite clear.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

फैक्ट्री मालिक की अपेक्षा उसकी बेटी किसी को राजी करने में ज्यादा माहिर है- फैक्टी मालिक और उसकी बेटी से हमारा परिचय उस समय होता है जब वे फेरीवाले को घर ले जाने की कोशिश करते हैं । पहला उसे राजी करने में असफल होता है जबकि उसकी पुत्री उसे राजी करने में सफल होती है ।

बेटी अपेक्षाकृत अधिक दयालु और उदार है- एडला गरीबों के प्रति दयालु और उदार है । वह फेरीवाले को खुशी और मानसिक शान्ति देना चाहती है । जैसे ही उसके पिता को पता लगता है कि फेरीवाला कप्तान नहीं है, वह उसे धमकाता है । बेटी अपेक्षाकृत अधिक ध्यान से देखने वाली है- अपने पिता की अपेक्षा बेटी अधिक ध्यान से देखने वाली है।

फेरीवाले को देखते ही वह ध्यान देती है कि वह डरा हुआ है । या तो उसने कुछ चुराया है या फिर वह जेल से भागा है । उसके पिता इन सब बातों पर ध्यान नहीं देते । इस प्रकार उनके चरित्र में अन्तर स्पष्ट है ।

Question 3.
The story has many instances of unexpected reactions from the characters to others’ behaviour. Pick out instances of these surprises.
कहानी में ऐसे अनेक उदाहरण हैं जहाँ कुछ पात्र अन्य पात्रों के व्यवहार के बारे में अप्रत्याशित प्रतिक्रिया करते हैं । इस प्रकार के आश्चर्यजनक उदाहरणों को छाँटिए।
Answer:
The peddler and the crofter The crofter treats the peddler very well. But the peddler makes off with his money. The peddler and the ironmaster — The peddler wanted to stay in the forge but the ironmaster mistook him for an old acquaintance.

Welcome as well as scolded — When the peddler was in tattered clothes, he was welcomed but when he had taken bath and changed his clothes, he was asked to leave at once. Thief and the gift given by him. The ironmaster and his daughter arrived home suspecting that the peddler must have made off with their belongings. But again most unexpectedly he has left for them a gift and gives back the money he had stolen from the old man.

फेरीवाला और जमींदार– जमीन मालिक फेरीवाले साथ बहुत अच्छा व्यवहार करता है । परन्तु फेरीवाला उसके पैसे लेकर भाग जाता है । फेरीवाला और लोहे के कारखाने का मालिक – फेरीवाला लोहे के कारखाने में ठहरना चाहता था लेकिन कारखाने का मालिक उसे अपना पूर्व परिचित समझने की भूल कर बैठा ।

स्वागत भी किया जाता है और लताड़ा भी जाता है – जब फेरी वाले ने फटे कपड़े पहन रखे थे तब तो उसका स्वागत किया गया लेकिन जब उसने स्नान कर लिया और अपने कपड़े बदल लिये तब उससे कहा गया कि वह तुरन्त वहाँ से चला जाए । चोर और उसके द्वारा दिया गया उपहार – लोहे के कारखाने का मालिक और उसकी बेटी यह आशंका करते हुए घर लौटे कि वह व्यक्ति उनका सारा सामान को लेकर भाग गया होगा । पुनः अप्रत्याशित रूप से वह उनके लिए एक तोहफा छोड़ जाता है और उस धन को भी वापिस दे देता है जिसे उसने वृद्ध व्यक्ति के पास से चुराया था ।

Question 4.
What made the peddler finally change his ways?
फेरीवाले के रवैये में अन्ततः किस बात से सुधार आया ?
Or
Describe the events which changed the peddler’s way of life?
उन घटनाओं का वर्णन करो जिन्होंने फेरीवाले के जीवन की दिशा को बदल दिया ?
Or
How did Edla bring about a change in the peddler ?
एडला ने फेरीवाले में कैसे परिवर्तन कर दिया?
Answer:
The peddler was a poor man. He sold rattraps. He did not earn much money by selling rattraps. So at times he used to beg or steal. He was never welcomed anywhere. Nobody cared for him. So he had developed a kind of aversion to the people around him.

That is why he paid little attention to the good treatment that he received from the crofter. When he was mistaken for a captain, he took advantage of that situation. But finally, when he came in contact with the ironmaster’s daughter, he realised that the world was not so bad. His meeting with Edla made him change his ways.

फेरीवाला एक गरीब आदमी था । वह चूहेदानियाँ बेचता था । चूहेदानी बेचकर वह ज्यादा पैसे नहीं कमाता था। इसलिए कभी-कभी वह भीख माँगता था या चोरी कर लेता था । उसका कहीं भी स्वागत नहीं किया जाता था । कोई उसकी परवाह नहीं करता था । इसलिए उसे अपने आस-पास के लोगों से एक प्रकार से घृणा हो गई थी । यही कारण है कि उसने जमींदार के द्वारा किए गए अच्छे व्यवहार पर कोई ध्यान नहीं दिया ।

जब उसे गलती से कप्तान समझ लिया गया तो उसने इस हालात का फायदा उठाया । परन्तु अन्ततः, जब वह फैक्ट्री मालिक की बेटी के सम्पर्क में आया तो उसकी गुणग्राहकता आन्दोलित हो उठी । उसे महसूस हुआ कि यह दुनिया इतनी बुरी नहीं है। एडला से उसकी मुलाकात ने उसके तौर-तरीके बदल दिए।

Question 5.
How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament?
चूहेदानी का रूपक किस तरह मानवीय दुविधा को रेखांकित करता है ?
Answer:
‘What is this world for ?’ has ever since been a question that has perplexed even the greatest of thinkers and philosophers. The peddler used to sell rattraps and he equated this world to a rattrap for the people. The whole world around him offers riches and joys, shelter and food, and clothing exactly as the rattrap offers cheese and pork.

The allurements that this world offers to us tempt us and we get entangled. The peddler suggests that we cannot but fall prey to this snare and that this is our fate. The metaphor discussed above definitely highlights human predicament i.e. we cannot but be what we are.

‘यह संसार किस काम का है ?’ यह ऐसा प्रश्न है जिसने हमेशा से महानतम चिन्तकों और दार्शनिकों को भी परेशान किया है । फेरीवाला चूहेदानी बेचा करता था तथा वह इस संसार को लोगों के लिए चूहेदानी समझता था । उसके लिए यह (संसार) सम्पत्ति, खुशियाँ, आश्रय, भोजन और वस्त्र ठीक उसी तरह प्रस्तुत करता है जैसे चूहेदानी सुअर का मांस और पनीर प्रस्तुत करती है ।

संसार के आकर्षण हमको खींचते हैं, और हम फँस जाते हैं । फेरीवाला सुझाता है कि इस जाल में फंसने के अलावा हम कुछ नहीं कर सकते हैं और यह कि यही हमारा भाग्य है । यह रूपक निश्चय ही मानसिक दुविधा को रेखांकित करता है अर्थात् हम जो हैं उसके अलावा कुछ नहीं हो सकते हैं ।

Question 6.
The peddler comes out as a person with a subtle sense of humour. How does this serve in lightening the seriousness of the theme of the story and also endear him to us ?
फेरीवाला सूक्ष्म हास्य का भाव लेकर प्रकट होता है । कहानी की कथावस्तु की गंभीरता को हल्का बनाने में यह हास्य किस प्रकार सहायता करता है तथा किस तरह उसको (फेरीवाले को) हमारा प्रिय बनाता है?
Answer:
The peddler in the very beginning raises a very pertinent question, a question that has been perplexing a number of thinkers for centuries. But he raises this question in a very light way. The Geeta, the greatest book on philosophy of life and the world offers a way out of human predicament by propagating the theory of non-attachment.

The peddler returns the thirty kronor of the old man and leaves a gift for Edla and her father. It is an act of ‘non-attachment’. The moment he gets rid of attachment, he feels free. This is the magic of his sense of ‘non-attachment’. His treatment of such a serious theme is so light that we begin to love him.

फेरीवाला शुरू में ही एक बहुत उचित प्रश्न उठाता है- एक ऐसा प्रश्न जिसने अनेकों चिन्तकों को सदियों से परेशान किया हुआ है । परन्तु वह इस प्रश्न को बहुत ही हल्के-फुल्के अन्दाज में उठाता है। गीता जो जीवन और दर्शन पर महानतम पुस्तक है ‘अनासक्ति’ के सिद्धान्त का प्रतिपादन कर मानवीय दुविधा से निकलने का मार्ग बताती है ।

फेरीवाला वृद्ध आदमी के तीस क्रोनर वापिस कर देता है और एडला तथा उसके पिता के लिए एक उपहार छोड़ता है । यह ‘अनासक्ति’ का कार्य है । जिस क्षण वह आसक्ति से निजात पा लेता है, वह स्वतन्त्र महसूस करता है । यह उसके ‘अनासक्त’ भाव का जादू है । इतने गम्भीर विषय को इतने हल्के-फुल्के अन्दाज में व्यक्त करने के कारण वह हमको प्रिय लगने लगता है

Think as you read (Page 34)

Question 1.
From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap ?
फेरीवाले को यह विचार कहाँ से आया कि संसार एक चूहेदानी है ?
Or
In what sense was the world a big rattrap according to the peddler ?
फेरीवाले के अनुसार कैसे यह संसार एक विशाल चूहेदानी है?
Answer:
The peddler used to sell rattraps. He got the idea of the world being a rattrap from the rattraps that he sold. He equates worldly attractions to baits such as cheese and pork that we put to trap rats.

फेरीवाला चूहेदानियाँ बेचा करता था । उसको यह विचार कि संसार एक चूहेदानी है उन चूहेदानियों से प्राप्त हुआ जो वह बेचता था । वह सांसारिक आकर्षणों की तुलना चूहों को ललचाने वाली चीजों जैसे पनीर तथा सुअर के माँस से करता है ।

Question 2.
Why was he amused by this idea?
उसे यह विचार मनोरंजक क्यों लगता था ?
Answer:
The peddler led a very hard life. He sold rattraps for livelihood. The world had been very unkind to him. He did not like the world at all. So equating the world with such a bad thing as a rattrap amused him.

फेरीवाले का जीवन बहुत ही कठिनाई भरा था । वह अपनी जीविका चलाने के लिए चूहेदानियाँ बेचता था । संसार उसके लिए बहुत दयालु नहीं रहा था । वह संसार को बिल्कुल पसंद नहीं करता था । इसलिए संसार की तुलना चूहेदानी जैसी बुरी चीज से करना उसे मनोरंजक लगता था ।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 3.
Did the peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter ?
क्या फेरीवाले को ऐसे आतिथ्य की अपेक्षा थी जैसा उसे जमींदार से मिला था ?
Answer:
The peddler sold rattraps and nobody cared for him anywhere. Ordinarily he met sour faces. He was usually not welcomed anywhere. So he did not expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter.

फेरीवाला चूहेदानियाँ बेचता था और कोई भी कहीं भी उसकी परवाह नहीं करता था । अक्सर उसे घृणापूर्ण चेहरे मिलते थे । सामान्यतः कहीं भी उसका स्वागत नहीं किया जाता था । अतः जिस तरह का आतिथ्य उसे जमींदार से मिला उसकी अपेक्षा उसे नहीं थी ।

Question 4.
Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler ?
जमींदार फेरीवाले के प्रति इतना बातूनी व मिलनसार क्यों था ?
Answer:
The crofter did not have wife or children. He was all alone. He was happy to have someone to talk to in his loneliness. That is why he was so talkative and friendly with the peddler.

जमींदार के पत्नी और बच्चे नहीं थे । वह बिल्कुल अकेला था । अपने अकेलेपन में कोई बात करने वाला मिल जाने पर वह खुश था । यही कारण था कि वह फेरीवाले के प्रति इतना बातूनी और मिलनसार था।

Question 5.
Why did he show the thirty kronor to the peddler ?
उसने फेरीवाले को तीस क्रोनर क्यों दिखाये ?
Answer:
The old man was very friendly with his guest. He did not want to conceal anything from him. He had earned thirty kronor last month. He showed thirty kronor to the peddler to make him believe that he had earned thirty kronor only last month.

बूढ़ा आदमी अपने अतिथि के साथ अत्यधिक मित्रवत् था। वह उससे कुछ भी छिपाना नहीं चाहता था । उसने पिछले महीने तीस क्रोनर कमाये थे । उसने फेरीवाले को तीस क्रोनर इसलिए दिखाये ताकि वह विश्वास कर सके कि उसने पिछले महीने ही तीस क्रोनर कमाए थे।

Question 6.
Did the peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter ?
जमींदार ने जो भरोसा फेरीवाले में दिखाया, क्या फेरीवाले ने उस भरोसे का मान रखा ?
Answer:
The crofter told the peddler almost all the details of his life. He did not want to conceal anything from him. But the peddler did not respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter as he made off with the money from the crofter’s house.

जमींदार ने अपने जीवन के लगभग सारे विवरण फेरीवाले को सुना दिये । वह उससे कोई बात छिपा कर नहीं रखना चाहता था । परन्तु फेरीवाले ने उस भरोसे का मान नहीं रखा जो जमींदार ने उसमें जताया था क्योंकि वह उसके घर से पैसा चुराकर भाग गया ।

Think as you read (Page 37)

Question 1.
What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap ?
फेरीवाले को यह कैसे समझ में आया कि वह सचमुच एक चूहेदानी में फँस गया है ?
Answer:
The peddler was wandering in the forest and was unabļe to find a way out. The idea of the world being a rattrap dawned upon him once again. He thought that a bait of thirty kronor had lured him like a rat. He felt he had been caught in the trap.

जब फेरीवाला जंगल में घूम रहा था और उसे रास्ता नहीं मिल रहा था, संसार के चूहेदानी होने का विचार उसे एक बार फिर आया । उसने सोचा कि तीस क्रोनर ने उसे चूहे की भाँति ललचा लिया है । उसे लगा वह जाल में फँस गया है।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 2.
Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?
कारखाने के मालिक ने फेरीवाले से दयालुतापूर्वक बात क्यों की तथा उसे घर आमन्त्रित क्यों किया ?
Answer:
The peddler was lying near a furnace. The ironmaster could not see him properly in the poor light. He mistook him for an old acquaintance of him. So peddler and invited him home.

फेरीवाला भट्टी के पास लेटा हुआ था । धीमे प्रकाश में कारखाने का मालिक उसे ठीक से देख नहीं सका । उसने उसे अपना एक पुराना परिचित व्यक्ति समझ लिया । इसलिए वह उससे दयालुतापूर्वक बोला और उसे अपने घर आमंत्रित किया ।

Question 3.
Why did the peddler decline the invitation ?
फेरीवाले ने निमन्त्रण अस्वीकार क्यों कर दिया ?
Answer:
The ironmaster mistook the peddler for an old aquaintance of him. The peddler had stolen money from a nearby house. He did not want to be caught. He thought that somebody might recognise him. So he declined the invitation.

मिल मालिक ने फेरीवाले को गलती से अपना पूर्व परिचित व्यक्ति समझ लिया । फेरीवाले ने पास के ही घर में चोरी की थी । वह नहीं चाहता था कि वह पकड़ा जाए। उसने सोचा कि कोई उसे पहचान लेगा । इसलिए उसने निमन्त्रण अस्वीकार कर दिया ।

Think as you read (Page 41)

Question 1.
What made the peddler accept Edla Willmansson’s invitation ?
फेरीवाले ने Edla Willmansson के निमन्त्रण को क्यों स्वीकार कर लिया ?
Answer:
Edla insisted on his staying with them over Christmas Eve. She told him that he would be allowed to leave them just as freely as he came. Her persuasiveness and friendliness made the peddler accept her invitation.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

एडला ने उससे क्रिसमस की पूर्व संध्या पर उनके साथ ठहरने पर जोर दिया । उसने उसे कहा कि वह जाने के लिए उतना ही स्वतन्त्र होगा जितना आने के लिए | उसके आग्रहपूर्ण और मिलनसार स्वभाव के कारण फेरीवाले ने उसका निमन्त्रण स्वीकार कर लिया ।

Question 2.
What doubts did Edla have about the peddler ?
फेरीवाले के विषय में एडला को क्या शंकाएँ थीं ?
Answer:
When Edla insisted the peddler on his staying with them and looked at him compassionately, she noticed that the man was afraid. She thought he had either stolen something or had escaped from jail.

जब एडला फेरीवाले के अपने व अपने पिता के साथ ठहरने पर जोर दे रही थी और जब उसने उसकी ओर दयालुतापूर्वक देखा तो उसने महसूस किया कि आदमी डरा हुआ था । उसने सोचा कि या तो उसने कोई चीज चुराई है या वह जेल से भागा है|

Question 3.
When did the ironmaster realise his mistake ?
फैक्ट्री मालिक (लोहार) को अपनी गलती का अहसास कब हुआ ?
Answer:
The peddler put on good clothes and got clean. The valet had bathed him, cut his hair and shaved him. The ironmaster saw him carefully in broad daylight. Now he realised his mistake and found that he was not at all his old acquaintance.

फेरीवाले ने अच्छे कपड़े पहने और साफ-सुथरा हो गया । नौकर ने उसे स्नान कराया था, उसके बाल काटे थे और उसकी दाढ़ी बनाई थी । फैक्ट्री मालिक (लोहार) ने दिन के उजाले में उसे ध्यानपूर्वक देखा । अब उसे अपनी गलती का अहसास हुआ और उसने पाया कि वह निश्चय ही उसका पूर्व परिचित नहीं था ।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 4.
What did the peddler say in his defence when it was clear that he was not the person the ironmaster had thought he was?
जब यह स्पष्ट हो गया कि फेरीवाला वह व्यक्ति नहीं है जो फैक्ट्री मालिक (लोहार) ने उसे समझा था तो उसने अपने बचाव में क्या कहा ?
Answer:
He immediately accepted that he was not the person he was mistaken to be and said that it was not his fault and that he had never pretended to be anything but a poor trader. He was ready to put on his rags again.

उसने तुरन्त स्वीकार कर लिया कि वो वह व्यक्ति नहीं है जो गलती से उसे समझा गया था और कहा कि यह उसकी गलती नहीं थी और यह कि उसने गरीब व्यापारी के अलावा कुछ और होने का दिखावा नहीं किया था । वह अपने पुराने फटे कपड़े फिर से पहनने को तैयार था ।

Question 5.
Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him?
फेरीवाले के सच को जानने के बाद भी एडला ने उसका आतिथ्य क्यों किया ?
Answer:
When Edla’s father came to know that the man whom he mistook for an aquaintance was someone else, he ordered the peddler to leave his house at once. But his daughter Edla was a kind hearted girl. She wanted to entertain the poor hungry peddler over the Christmas he spoke kindly to the Eve. She could not get away from this idea all at once.

She thought about this stranger. She told her father that the peddler walked the whole year long and there was probably not a single place in the whole country where he was welcomed and could feel at home. She also told him that he was chased away wherever he went.

He was always afraid of being arrested and cross examined. She wanted the peddler to enjoy at least a day of peace with them. That is why, even after knowing the truth about him, she entertained him.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

जब एडला के पिता को यह पता चल गया कि वह आदमी जिसे उसने अपना पूर्व परिचित समझा था, कोई और है तो उन्होंने फेरीवाले को तुरन्त अपना घर छोड़ने का आदेश दिया । परन्तु उनकी बेटी एडला एक दयालु लड़की थी । वह बेचारे भूखे फेरीवाले का क्रिसमस की पूर्व संध्या पर आतिथ्य करना चाहती थी ।

वह तुरन्त इस विचार को न त्याग सकी । उसने इस अजनबी के बारे में सोचा । उसने अपने पिता से कहा कि फेरीवाला पूरे वर्ष घूमता रहता है और पूरे देश में सम्भवतः किसी भी जगह उसका स्वागत नहीं किया जाता है और कोई भी स्थान ऐसा नहीं है जहाँ वह घर जैसा महसूस कर सके ।

और यह कि वह जहाँ जाता है उसे हर जगह से भगा दिया जाता है । उसे हमेशा गिरफ्तार होने तथा पछताछ किये जाने का डर रहता है । वह चाहती थी कि फेरीवाला कम से कम एक दिन उनके साथ शान्ति से रहे । यही कारण है कि उसके बारे में सच जानने के बावजूद भी उसने उसका आतिथ्य किया ।

Think as you read (Page 42)

Question 1.
Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler ?
फेरीवाले द्वारा छोड़े गये उपहार को देखकर एडला खुश क्यों थी ?
Or
Why did Miss Edla give a little cry of joy on openning the package left for her by the peddler ?
फेरीवाले द्वारा मिस एडला के लिए छोड़े गये पैकेज को खोलने पर वह (एडला) खुशी से चीख क्यों पड़ी?
Answer:
The peddler left for Edla a rattrap and the money he had stolen. He had requested her to return the money to its owner. Edla was happy to see the gift at the thought that the peddler had repented over his mistake.

फेरीवाले ने एडला के लिए एक चूहेदानी और अपना चुराया हुआ धन छोड़ दिया। उसने एडला से निवेदन किया था कि वह उस धन उसके मालिक को लौटा दे। एडला उस उपहार को देखकर इस विचार से खुश थी कि फेरीवाले को अपनी गलती का पश्चाताप था।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 2.
Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain von Stahle ?
फेरीवाले ने पत्र के नीचे अपना नाम Captain von Stahle क्यों लिखा ?
Answer:
The peddler was a thief. But Edla and her father warmly received him as Captain von Stahle. This friendly treatment changed his mind. So he wanted to behave as a captain. That is why he signed himself as Captain von Stahle.

फेरीवाला एक चोर था । परन्तु एडला और उसके पिता द्वारा उसका Captain von Stahle के रूप में स्वागत किया गया । इस मिलनसार व्यवहार ने उसका दिमाग बदल दिया । इसलिए वह एक कप्तान की भाँति व्यवहार करना चाहता था । यही कारण है कि उसने Captain von Stahle के रूप में हस्ताक्षर किए ।

Talking about the text

Discuss the following in groups of four. Each group can deal with one topic. Present the views of your group to the whole class. निम्नलिखित पर चार-चार के समूह में चर्चा करो । प्रत्येक समूह एक विषय पर चर्चा कर सकता है । अपने समूह के विचारों को सम्पूर्ण कक्षा के सामने प्रस्तुत करो ।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 1.
The reader’s sympathy is with the peddler right from the beginning of the story. Why is this so ? Is the sympathy justified ?
कहानी के प्रारम्भ से ही पाठक की सहानुभूति फेरीवाले के साथ रहती है । ऐसा क्यों है ? क्या यह सहानुभूति औचित्यपूर्ण है ?
Answer:
Tanu – The reader’s sympathy is with the peddler.
Bulbul – Quite right, he deserves all sympathies.
Manasi – How he suffers makes us sympathise with him.
Govind – But he is a thief, we should have no sympathy for him.
Tanu – Just take into account his plight.
Bulbul – He is nowhere welcomed.
Manasi – People around him despise him.
Govind – It doesn’t matter whether people around him despise him or love him. He should have his own character.
Tanu – But adverse conditions can affect one’s character.

Question 2.
The story also focusses on hụman loneliness and the need to bond with others.
यह कहानी मानव के एकाकीपन और दूसरों के साथ मित्रता की आवश्यकता पर केन्द्रित है।
Answer:
The rattrap seller, the old crofter and the ironmaster are the three characters in the story “The Rattrap’ who suffer from loneliness. All these three need bond with others. The rattrap seller – He leads a very sad and monotonous life. After leaving the house of the crofter, he again wanders alone in the forest. When he enters the iron mill, the ironmaster mistakes him to be his old friend.

He celebrates Christmas Eve with the ironmaster and his daughter. The old crofter – He has no wife or child. When the peddler asks him to give him (peddler) shelter for the night, he becomes happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness. The ironmaster He lives with his daughter. His wife is dead and his sons have gone abroad. He sees a strange man and mistakes him to be his old friend. So he requests him to accompany him. This also shows the need to bond with others.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

‘Rattrap’ नामक कहानी में तीन पात्र – चूहेदानी बेचने वाला, वृद्ध जमींदार तथा लोहे की मिल का मालिक हैं जो एकाकीपन से पीड़ित हैं । इन सबको दूसरों के साथ मित्रता की आवश्यकता है । चहेदानी विक्रेता – वह एक अत्यधिक दु:खद और नीरस जीवन जीता है । जमींदार के घर से जाने के बाद वह फिर जंगल में अकेला घूमता है । जब वह लोहे के कारखाने में घुसता है,
तो लोहे के कारखाने का मालिक भूल से उसे अपना पुराना मित्र समझ लेता है। वह क्रिसमस की शाम लोहा कारखाने के मालिक और उसकी पुत्री के साथ मनाता है ।

बद्ध जमींदार- उसकी पत्नी तथा बच्चा नहीं है । जब फेरीवाला उससे रात्रि के लिए शरण माँगता है तो वह उसका स्वागत करता है और अपने एकाकीपन में वार्तालाप करने के लिए, किसी को पाकर प्रसन्न होता है । लोहा मिल का स्वामी-वह अपनी पुत्री के साथ रहता है । उसकी पत्नी मर चुकी है और उसके पुत्र विदेश चले गए हैं । वह एक अजनबी को देखता है और गलती से उसे अपना पुराना मित्र समझ लेता है । अतः वह उससे अपने साथ चलने का आग्रह करता है । यह बात भी दूसरों के साथ मित्रता की आवश्यकता को दर्शाती

Question 3.
Have you known/heard of an episode where a good deed or an act of kindness has changed a person’s view of the world ?
क्या आपने कोई ऐसी घटना जानी या सुनी है जहाँ किसी अच्छे या दयालुतापूर्ण कार्य ने किसी व्यक्ति के संसार के प्रति नजरिये को बदल दिया हो ?
Answer:
In this respect, I would like to share an incident from my own life. I was studying in tenth standard. I was taking my practical exam in chemistry. When the examiner called out my name, I shyly went up to him. He began to ask me questions.

In the mean time, my teacher Shri K. D. Mittal told the examiner that I was the best student of his class. I was a poorly clad village boy. The examiner looked at me surprisingly and asked me a few tough questions which I could not answer properly. I thought my teacher would be angry with me. He would scold me. But contrary to my apprehensions, he took me to his chamber, smiled and asked me not to take that failure so seriously.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

इस सन्दर्भ में मैं अपने जीवन की ही एक घटना को सुनाना चाहूँगा । मैं दसवीं कक्षा में पढ़ता था । मैं रसायन विज्ञान की प्रयोगात्मक परीक्षा दे रहा था । जब परीक्षक ने मेरा नाम पुकारा, मैं सकुचाते हुए उनके पास पहुँचा । उन्होंने मुझसे प्रश्न पूछना प्रारम्भ कर दिया । इसी दौरान मेरे गुरुजी श्री K. D. Mittal ने परीक्षक को बताया कि मैं उनकी कक्षा का सर्वोत्तम विद्यार्थी था । मैं अति साधारण कपड़े पहनने वाला ग्रामीण लड़का था । परीक्षक ने साश्चर्य मेरी ओर देखा और मुझसे कुछ कठिन प्रश्न पूछे जिनका मैं ठीक प्रकार उत्तर नहीं दे सका । मैंने सोचा मेरे शिक्षक मुझसे नाराज होंगे । वे मुझे डाँटेंगे । परन्तु मेरी आशंकाओं के विपरीत, वे मुझे अपने chamber में ले गये, मुस्कुराये और इस असफलता को गम्भीरता से न लेने के लिए कहा ।

Question 4.
The story is both entertaining and philosophical. यह कहानी मनोरंजक भी है और दार्शनिक भी ।
Answer:
Jyoti – The story is quite entertaining. Nishu
How ridiculous it is to equate the world to a rattrap! Priya
The whole story is full of entertaining episodes. Neha
Be it the meeting between the peddler and the crofter or between the
peddler and the ironmaster. Jyoti
Although, the story is apparently written in a light vein, it has a deep
philosophical implication. Nishu
It raises a very pertinent question, i.e. how to live in this world ? Priya – And how to view this world as well ? Neha – No doubt, the story is both entertaining and philosophical.

Working with words

Question 1.
The man selling rattraps is referred to by many terms such as ‘peddler, stranger’ etc. Pick out all such references to him. What does each of these labels indicate of the context or the attitude of the people around him.

चूहेदानी बेचने वाले व्यक्ति को ‘फेरीवाला,अजनबी’ आदि बहुत से नामों से पुकारा गया है।उसके लिए प्रयुक्त ऐसे सभी नामों को छाँटिये इनमें से प्रत्येक नाम प्रसंग के बारे में अथवा उसके चारों ओर के लोगों के दृष्टिकोण के बारे में क्या संकेत करता है
Answer:
vagabond – He has no place to live.
stranger – People are not interested in making acquaintance with him.
guest – He is treated kindly.
intruder – He enters the iron factory without permission.
tramp – He is addressed by the ironmaster in a humiliating way.
ragamuffin – He is in rags.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 2.
You came across the words, plod, trudge, stagger in the story. These words indicate movement accompanied by weariness. Find five other such words with a similar meaning.
आपने कहानी में plod, trudge, stagger शब्दों को देखा । ये शब्द थक कर चलने को दर्शाते हैं । समान अर्थ वाले पाँच अन्य ऐसे ही शब्दों को खोजिये ।
Answer:

1. Drag
2. Tread
3. Hobble
4. Stumble
5. Crawl

Noticing form

1. He made them himself at odd moments.
2. He raised himself.
3. He had let himself be fooled by a bait and had been caught.
   4……… a day may come when you yourself may want to get a big piece of pork.

Notice the way in which these reflexive pronouns have been used (pronoun + self)

• In 1 and 4 the reflexive pronouns ‘himself and ‘yourself are used to convey emphasis. . In 2 and 3 the reflexive pronoun is used in place of personal pronoun to signal that it refers to the same subject in the sentence.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

• Pick out other examples of the use of reflexive pronouns from the story and notice how they are used.
Answer:
Some other examples of the use of reflexive pronouns from the story are —
(i) He made them himself.
(ii) And as soon as anyone let himself be tempted …………
(iii) He had let himself be fooled by a bait.
(iv) He had not come there to talk but warm himself.
(v) Please don’t think that I have such a fine home that you cannot show yourself there.
(vi) He laughed to himself.
(vii) You would bother with me yourself.
(viii) …….. you yourself may want to get a big piece of pork.
(ix) He could not bring himself to oppose her.
In sentences (i), (ii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii) and (ix) the reflexive pronouns are used in place of personal pronouns.
In sentences (iii) and (viii) reflexive pronouns are used to convey emphasis.

Thinking about language

Question 1.
Notice the words in bold in the following sentence :
निम्नलिखित वाक्य में गहरे छपे शब्दों पर ध्यान दीजिए :
“The fire boy shovelled charcoal into the maw of the furnace with a great deal of clatter.” This is a phrase that is used in the specific context of an iron plant. Pick out other such phrases and words from the story that are peculiar to the terminology of iron-works.
कहानी से ऐसे ही अन्य शब्द-समूह व शब्द चुनिए जो लोहे के काम के संदर्भ में प्रयुक्त होने वाले शब्द हैं।
Answer:
Phrases and words peculiar to the terminology of iron-works are: a large plant with smelter, rolling mill and forge; dark forge; furnace; pig iron, anvil, stir the glowing mass with a long iron bar; the burning coal cracked.

Question 2.
‘Mjolis’ is a card game of Sweden. Name a few indoor games played in your region. ‘Chopar’ could be an example.
अपने क्षेत्र में घर के अन्दर खेले जाने वाले कुछ खेलों के नाम बताइये । उदाहरण के रूप में चौपड़ ।
Answer:
Ludo, Chess, Carrom, etc.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 3.
A crofter is a person who rents or owns a small farm especially in Scotland. Think of other uncommon terms for ‘a small farmer’ including those in your language.
कहलाता है जो छोटा सा जमीन का टुकड़ा किराये पर देता है या उसका मालिक होता है, विशेष रूप से स्कॉटलैण्ड में । एक छोटे किसान के लिए प्रयुक्त होने वाले अन्य भिन्न शब्द सोचिये, अपनी भाषा में भी ।
Answer:
tiller, tenant, kisaan, krishak, peasant, etc.

RBSE Class 12 English The Rattrap Important Questions and Answers
Short Answer Type Questions.

Answer the following questions in about 20-25 words:

Question 1.
How did the peddler make the rattraps ? Was his business profitable ?
फेरीवाला चूहेदानियाँ किस प्रकार बनाता था ? क्या उसका व्यवसाय लाभदायक था ?
Answer:
The peddler made the small rattraps of wire from the material which he got by begging in the stores or at the big farms. His business was not much profitable.

फेरीवाला चूहेदानियाँ उन्हें उन वस्तुओं से बनाया करता था, जिन्हें वह दुकानों से या बड़े फार्म हाउसों से भीख के रूप में पाता था । उसका व्यवसाय कुछ खास लाभदायक नहीं था।

Question 2.
What did the peddler do for his livelihood ?
फेरीवाला अपनी आजीविका के लिए क्या करता था ?
Or
How did the peddler live ?
फेरीवाला किस प्रकार जीवनयापन करता था?
Or
What did the peddler do to keep his body and soul together ?
फेरीवाला अपने जीवनयापन के लिए क्या करता था?
Answer:
He used to sell small rattraps for his livelihood. But as it was not a profitable business, he used to steal small things as well as beg for his livelihood.

अपनी आजीविका के लिए वह छोटी चूहेदानियाँ बेचा करता था । चूंकि यह एक लाभदायक व्यवसाय नहीं था अतः वह अपनी आजीविका के लिए छोटी-छोटी चीजें चुराया करता था और भीख माँगा करता था ।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 3.
Why did the peddler resort to begging and petty thievery ?
फेरीवाला भीख माँगने व छोटी-मोटी चोरियाँ करने का काम क्यों करता था ?
Answer:
The peddler used to sell rattraps as a livelihood. His business was not especially profitable. So he had to resort to both begging and petty thievery.

फेरीवाला आजीविका के लिए चूहेदानियाँ बेचता था । उसे व्यवसाय में कोई खास लाभ नहीं होता था । इसलिए उसे भीख माँगना व छोटी-मोटी चोरियाँ, दोनों ही काम करने पड़ते थे।

Question 4.
How was the life of the peddler ?
फेरीवाले का जीवन किस प्रकार का था ?
Answer:
The peddler sold rattraps for a livelihood. He lived the life of a vagabond. His life was very sad and monotonous.

फेरीवाला जीविका के लिए चूहेदानियाँ बेचता था । वह एक घुमंतू का जीवन जीता था । उसका जीवन बहुत दुखी व नीरस था।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 5.
What kind of treatment did the peddler usually get from the world ?
फेरीवाले को प्रायः संसार से किस प्रकार का व्यवहार मिलता था ?
Answer:
The world had never been kind to the peddler. There was no place in the world where he could expect of being welcomed.

संसार फेरीवाले के प्रति कभी दयालु नहीं रहा था । संसार में ऐसा कोई स्थान नहीं था जहाँ वह अपना स्वागत किये जाने की आशा करता हो।

Question 6.
What was the peddler’s favourite pastime?
फेरीवाले के लिए समय व्यतीत करने का प्रिय साधन क्या था ?
Answer:
The peddler was always lost in his own thoughts. He thought the world as a rattrap that tempted the people to be caught in it. This thought was his favourite pastime.

फेरीवाले हमेशा विचारों में ही खोया रहता था। उसे संसार एक चूहेदानी लगता था जो लोगों को इसमें फंसाने के लिए ललचाता है। यह विचार उसके लिए समय व्यतीत करने का प्रिय साधन था।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 7.
How did the crofter welcome the peddler?
जमींदार ने फेरीवाले का स्वागत किस प्रकार किया ?
Answer:
As soon as the peddler knocked at the door of the crofter to ask shelter for the night, the crofter opened the door and welcomed and warmly. He gave him supper.

जैसे ही फेरीवाले ने जमींदार से रात के लिए शरण माँगने के लिए उसके द्वार पर खटखट की, जमींदार ने दरवाजा खोल दिया और उसे भोजन दिया ।

Question 8.
Who supported the old crofter when he was unable to do day labour ?
जब बूढ़ा जमींदार दिन भर की मजदूरी करने में असमर्थ हो गया था तब उसका सहारा कौन था ?
Answer:
When he was unable to do day labour, it was his cow which supported him. He sold her milk and could earn thirty kronor in a month.

जब वह दिनभर की मजदूरी करने में असमर्थ हो गया था तब उसकी गाय उसका सहारा थी । वह प्रतिदिन डेरी के लिए दूध देती थी जिससे वह एक माह में तीस क्रोनर कमा पाता था ।

Question 9.
How did the rattrap seller steal the crofter’s money ?
चूहेदानी बेचने वाले ने जमींदार का धन किस प्रकार चुराया ?
Answer:
The crofter locked the house and went to milk his cow. In the mean time, the rattrap seller returned, smashed the window pane, took the money and went away.

जमींदार ने घर पर ताला लगाया और अपनी गाय दुहने चला गया । इसी दौरान चूहेदानी बेचने वाला वापिस आया, उसने खिड़की का शीशा तोड दिया, पैसा लिया और चला गया ।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 10.
Why did the peddler come to the crofter’s place after half an hour ?
फेरीवाला आधे घण्टे के बाद उस जमींदार के घर क्यों आया ?
Answer:
After half an hour, the peddler returned to the crofter’s place to steal the pouch with the thirty kronor.
आधे घण्टे के बाद, फेरीवाला जमींदार के घर तीस क्रोनर वाले थैले को चुराने लौटा ।

Question 11.
What was the reaction of the peddler after stealing thirty kronor of the old man ?
वृद्ध व्यक्ति के तीस क्रोनर चुराने के उपरान्त फेरीवाले की क्या प्रतिक्रिया हुईं ?
Or
How did the peddler feel after stealing the thirty kronor of the old man?
वृद्ध व्यक्ति के तीस क्रोनर चुराने के बाद फेरीवाले ने कैसा महसूस किया ?
Answer:
As the peddler walked along with the stolen money, he felt quite pleased with his smartness. He turned off the road into the woods and lost his way in the forest.

जब फेरीवाला चुराए हुए ध न को लेकर जा रहा था, वह अपनी चालाकी पर सन्तुष्ट महसूस कर रहा था । वह रास्ता बदलकर जंगल में चल पड़ा और जंगल में मार्ग भटक गया ।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 12.
Why did the peddler not walk on the public highway?
फेरीवाला सार्वजनिक सडक से क्यों नहीं गया ?
Answer:
The peddler did not walk on the public highway because of fear of being caught with the stolen money.

फेरीवाला सार्वजनिक सड़क से इसलिए नहीं गया क्योंकि उसे चुराये हुए धन सहित पकड़े जाने का भय था

Question 13.
How was the peddler lost in the forest ?
फेरीवाला जंगल में किस प्रकार मार्ग भटक गया ?
Answer:
The forest was big and confusing. The paths twisted back and forth very strangely. He walked and walked but was lost in the forest.

पकड़े जाने के भय से फेरीवाला एक जंगल में घुस गया। जंगल बड़ा व भ्रामक था। रास्ते अजीब ढंग से आगे-पीछे मुड़ रहे थे । वह चलता रहा परन्तु वह जंगल में मार्ग भटक गया था

Question 14.
How did the peddler feel on getting lost in the forest ?
जंगल में मार्ग भटक जाने पर फेरीवाले ने कैसा महसूस किया ?
Answer:
The peddler felt himself to be a rat who had been caught in a rattrap. The whole forest seemed to him like an impenetrable prison from which he could never escape.

फेरीवाले ने स्वयं को किसी चूहेदानी में फंसे चूहे की भांति महसूस किया। सारा जंगल उसे एक अभेद्य जेल की भाँति लगा जिससे कभी भी बच निकलना उसे असम्भव लगा ।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 15.
What did the forest remind the peddler of?
जंगल ने फेरीवाले को किस बात की याद दिला दी ?
Answer:
Being caught in the forest, the peddler recalled his own thoughts about the world and the rattrap. He had let himself be fooled by the bait of thirty kronor, and had been caught.

जंगल में फंसकर फेरीवाले को संसार और चूहेदानी के बारे में अपने स्वयं के विचार याद आये। वह तीस क्रोनर रूपी चारे से मूर्ख बन गया था, और (जंगल रूपी चूहेदानी में) फंस गया था।

Question 16.
What was the condition of the peddler in the forest ?
जंगल में फेरीवाले की क्या दशा थी ?
Answer:
Caught in the forest, the peddler saw no way out, and he sank down on the ground, tired to death. He thought that his last moment had come.

जंगल में फंसकर फेरीवाले को बाहर निकलने का कोई रास्ता नहीं सूझ रहा था। बुरी तरह थका हुआ वह जमीन पर बैठ गया। उसे लगा उसका अन्तिम समय आ गया है।

Question 17.
How is the wood compared to a rattrap ?
जंगल की तुलना चूहेदानी से किस प्रकार की गई है ?
Answer:
It was a very tig and confusing forest. Just as a rat gets caught in a trap, he got caught in the woods because of the thirty kronor bait.

जंगल बहुत बड़ा और भ्रमित करने वाला था । जैसे कोई चूहा चूहेदानी में फँसता है, उसी प्रकार वह भी तीस क्रोनर के लालच में जंगल में फँस गया था।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 18.
What type of sounds were there in the forge?
ढलाईघर में किस प्रकार की ध्वनियाँ सुनाई देती थीं ?
Answer:
The big bellows groaned and the burning coal cracked. The waterfall roared outside and a sharp north wind whipped the rain against the brick-tiled roof.

बड़ी बड़ी धौंकनियाँ कराहती थीं, और जलता हुआ कोयला चटखता रहता था । बाहर झरना गरजता था और तेज उत्तरी हवा वर्षा को ईंट लगी छत पर जोर से कोडों की भांति फटकारती थी ।

Question 19.
Why did the blacksmith not notice the man until he stood close to the furnace ?
लोहार (मुख्य मिस्त्री) ने ढलाईघर में घुसे व्यक्ति पर तब तक क्यों नहीं ध्यान दिया जब तक कि वह भट्टी के निकट खड़ा नहीं हो गया ?
Answer:
There were many sounds to be heard in the forge. Probably due to these sounds, the blacksmith did not notice the man until he stood close up to the furnace.

ढलाईघर में सुनी जाने वाली बहुत-सी ध्वनियाँ थीं । संभवतः इन ध्वनियों के कारण लोहार (मुख्य मिस्त्री) ने जब तक कि वह आदमी भट्टी के पास आकर खड़ा नहीं हो गया तब तक उस पर ध्यान नहीं दिया।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 20.
What do you know about the iron master?
लोहे के कारखाने के मालिक के बारे में आप क्या जानते हैं ?
Answer:
The ironmaster of the Ramsjo iron mill was a very prominent figure. His greatest ambition was to ship out good quality of iron to the market. Ramsjo Ironmill

का स्वामी एक बहुत प्रसिद्ध व्यक्ति था । उसकी सबसे बड़ी आकांक्षा थी कि वह उत्तम गुणवत्ता वाले लोहे को ही जहाजों में भरकर बाजार में भेजे ।

Question 21.
How was the ironmaster different from all the blacksmiths ?
‘Ironmaster अन्य लोहारों (मिस्त्रियों) से किस प्रकार भिन्न था ?
Answer:
When he was on his night inspection of the iron mill, he noticed a tall ragamuffin. The ironmaster did not follow the example of the blacksmiths who did not look at the stranger. He walked close up to him and looked at him over very carefully.

जब वह लोहे के कारखाने के रात के निरीक्षण पर था तब उसने वहाँ एक लम्बे गंदे फटहाल व्यक्ति को देखा । कारखाने के मालिक ने अन्य लोहारों के उदाहरण का अनुगमन नहीं किया अर्थात् उसने अन्य लोहारों जैसा व्यवहार नहीं किया जिन्होंने अजनबी को देखने तक की कृपा नहीं की थी । वह उसके नजदीक तक गया और फिर उसकी ओर अच्छी तरह देखा।

Question 22.
Why did the owner of the iron mill request the peddler to come to his home ?
लोहे के कारखाने के स्वामी ने घुमक्कड़ से अपने घर चलने की प्रार्थना क्यों की ?
Answer:
The owner of the iron mill mistook the peddler to be his old friend. So, he requested him to come along with him to join the Christmas food.

लोहा मिल के मालिक ने फेरीवाले को गलती से अपना पुराना मित्र समझ लिया । इसलिए उसने उससे अपने साथ घर चलने की प्रार्थना की ताकि वह क्रिसमस के भोज में सम्मिलित हो सके ।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 23.
Who was Edla ? Why did she come to the factory at night?
एडला कौन थी ? वह रात में फैक्ट्री क्यों आई ?
Answer:
Edla was the eldest daughter of the owner of the Ramsjo Ironworks. She came there to persuade her father’s ‘acquaintance’ to come with her and stay with them.

Edla, Ramsjo Hronworks के मालिक की सबसे बड़ी बेटी थी । वह अपने पिता के पूर्व परिचित व्यक्ति’ को अपने साथ चलने और उनके साथ ठहरने को राजी करने आई थी ।

Question 24.
How was Edla able to get success in persuading the peddler to come home with her ?
एडला फेरीवाले को अपने घर ले चलने के लिए राजी करने में किस तरह सफल हुई ?
Or
How did Edla persuade her father to let the peddler stay in their home till Christmas ?
एडला ने अपने पिता को फेरीवाले को क्रिसमस पर अपने घर पर रुकवाने के लिए कैसे राजी किया?
Answer:
For this, Edla assured him that no harm would be done to him and that he would be allowed to leave whenever he liked.

इसके लिए एडला ने उसे आश्वस्त किया कि उसे कोई नुकसान नहीं पहुंचाया जाएगा तथा यह कि वह जब चाहेगा जा सकेगा।

Question 25.
What were the feelings of Edla when her father was determined to expel the peddier from his house?
जब एडला के पिता फेरीवाले को घर से निकालने के लिए कृतसंकल्प थे उस समय एडला की भावनाएँ क्या थीं ?
Answer:
Edla did not want to let the peddler go. She sympathised with him. She wanted to give him at least a day of peace on Christmas.

एडला फेरीवाले को जाने नहीं देना चाहती थी । उसे फेरीवाले के प्रति सहानुभूति थी। वह क्रिसमस पर कम से कम एक शान्ति का दिन उसे देना चाहती थी।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 26.
After knowing in the church that one of the old crofters of the ironworks had been robbed by a man who went around selling rattraps, what were the fears of the ironmaster ?
चर्च में यह जानने के बाद कि फैक्ट्री के एक पुराने जमींदार को ऐसे आदमी ने लूट लिया है जो चूहेदानी बेचता फिरता है, फैक्ट्री मालिक को क्या आशंकाएँ हुईं ?
Answer:
When the ironmaster came to know this, he realised that the same person was staying with them and that he must have made off with his silver spoons.

जब फैक्ट्री मालिक को यह पता चला, तो वह समझ गया कि वही आदमी उनके साथ ठहरा हुआ है और यह कि वह उनकी चाँदी की चम्मचें लेकर भाग गया होगा ।

Question 27.
Why did Miss Edla Willmansson give a little cry of joy on opening the package left for her by the peddler ?
फेरीवाले द्वारा अपने लिए छोड़े गये पैकेट को खोलने पर Miss Edla Willmansson खुशी से हल्की-सी क्यों चीख पड़ी ?
Answer:
The package contained thirty kroner and a note that told that the money should be returned to the crofter. Edla’s happiness to feel the good change in the peddler made her give a little cry of joy.

उस पैकेट में तीस क्रोनर और साथ ही एक नोट था जिसमें लिखा था कि वह धन उस जमींदार को वापिस कर दिया जाये । फेरीवाले में हुए अच्छे परिवर्तन को महसूस करके Edla इतनी प्रसन्न हुई कि वह खुशी से हल्की-सी चीख पड़ी ।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 28.
How do you think that the peddler is a great philosopher ? Explain it.
आपको कैसे लगता है कि फेरीवाला एक महान दार्शनिक है ? वर्णन कीजिये ।
Answer:
The peddler is a great philosopher. He says that the whole world is nothing but a big rattrap. All the good things that are offered to anyone are set out to drag a poor fellow into trouble.

फेरीवाला एक बड़ा दार्शनिक है । वह कहता है कि यह सारा संसार एक बड़ा चूहेदान है । सारी अच्छी चीजें जो किसी को भी पेश की जाती हैं किसी गरीब को परेशानी में डालने के लिए सजाई गई होती हैं ।

Question 29.
What is the moral of this story ?
इस कहानी से क्या शिक्षा मिलती है ?
Answer:
The story conveys the message that the acts of kindness and good behaviour can change even a criminal mind. We should treat everyone with love and kindness.

यह कहानी संदेश देती है कि दयालुता के कार्यों व अच्छे व्यवहार से किसी अपराधी के हृदय को भी बदला जा सकता है। हमें सभी के साथ प्रेम व दयालुता का व्यवहार करना चाहिए।

Long Answer Type Questions

Answer the following questions in about 80 words :

Question 1.
The peddler stole money from the crofter’s window, yet we sympathise with him. Do you agree ?
फेरीवाले ने जमींदार की खिड़की से पैसे चुराए, फिर भी हम उसके प्रति सहानुभूति रखते हैं । क्या आप सहमत हैं ?
Answer:
The peddler is a very poor man. He goes around selling rattraps of wire. He collects the material for making rattraps by begging in the stores or at the big farms. Although he works very hard yet his clothes are in rags, his cheeks are sunken and hunger gleams in his eyes. If such a penury-stricken person resorts to small thefts just to keep his body and soul together, he is not at all to be blamed. His sufferings make us sympathise with him, even though he steals money from the crofter’s window.

फेरीवाला बहुत निर्धन व्यक्ति है । वह तार की बनी चूहेदानियाँ बेचता फिरता है । चूहेदानी बनाने का सामान वह स्टोरों या बड़े फार्मों से माँगकर लाता है । यद्यपि वह बहुत कठिन परिश्रम करता है तथापि उसके कपड़े फटे हुए हैं, उसके गाल पिचके हुए हैं तथा भूख उसकी आँखों में चमकती है। यदि ऐसा विपन्न व्यक्ति अपना जीवन बचाने के लिए छोटी-मोटी चोरी करता है तो इसमें उसका दोष नहीं है। उसके कष्टों के कारण हमको उससे सहानुभूति होती है, यद्यपि वह जमींदार की खिड़की से पैसा चुराता है।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 2.
“The story ‘The Rattrap’ is a mixture of entertainment and philosophy”. Explain.
“कहानी “The Rattrap’ मनोरंजन और दर्शनशास्त्र का मिश्रण है।” व्याख्या कीजिये ।
Answer:
The story ‘The Rattrap’ is entertaining and philosophical as well. The ironmaster mistakes the peddler for his old friend. This episode amuses the readers a lot. But the comparison between a rattrap and this world conveys a deep philosophical message.

This world provides us with the stuff that allure us. Just as a bait is used to trap a rat, worldly enjoyments are used to trap human beings. The story so beautifully highlights the human dilemma that one wonders in awe whether one should accept the allurements or reject them.

कहानी “The Rattrap’ मनोरंजक भी है और दार्शनिक भी । फैक्ट्री मालिक फेरीवाले को अपना पुराना मित्र समझ लेता है । यह घटना पाठक का बहुत मनोरंजन करती है । परन्तु चूहेदानी और संसार के बीच की तुलना गहरा दार्शनिक सन्देश देती है । संसार हमको ऐसी वस्तुएं प्रदान करता है जो हमको लालच में डालती हैं ।

जैसे किसी चूहे को फँसाने के लिए प्रलोभन की वस्तु प्रयुक्त की जाती है, ठीक उसी तरह सांसारिक सुख मनुष्यों को फँसाने के काम लिए जाते हैं । यह कहानी मानवीय द्विविधा को इतने सुन्दर ढंग से प्रकाश में लाती है कि आदमी साश्चर्य सोचता है कि आकर्षणों को स्वीकारा जाये या अस्वीकार किया जाये ।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 3.
Attempt a character sketch of the peddler in the story ‘The Rattrap”.
कहानी “The Rattrap” में फेरीवाले का चरित्र-चित्रण दीजिये ।
Answer:
His personality – The rattrap peddler was a tall man who lived the life of a vagabond. He was always lost in his own imagination. He wore rags, his cheeks were sunken and hunger gleamed in his eyes. His livelihood . He went round selling self made small rattraps of wire.

This wire, he got by begging. He had some human weaknesses like thievery and begging to fulfil his basic needs. His philosophy – He feels that the world is just like a big rattrap. It exists only for the purpose of setting baits for people and trap them. His inner goodness – Influenced with Edla’s good behaviour, he repents over his mistake and returns the money stolen by him.

उसका व्यक्तित्व – चूहेदान फेरीवाला (बेचने वाला) एक लम्बे कद का आदमी था जो एक घुमंतू का जीवन जीता था। वह हमेशा अपने ही विचारों में खोया रहता था। वह फटे हुऐ कपड़े पहनता था, उसके गाल पिचके हुए थे और भूख उसकी आँखों में झलकती थी । उसकी जीविका – वह स्वयं के द्वारा बनाये तार के चूहेदान बेचता था ।

यह तार, वह भीख माँगकर प्राप्त करता था। उसमें कुछ मानवीय कमियाँ थीं, जैसे चोरी करना और भीख माँगना जिनसे वह अपनी आवश्यक जरूरतें पूरी करता था उसकी दार्शनिकता – वह महसूस करता है कि दुनिया बिल्कुल एक बड़े चूहेदान के समान है। इसका अस्तित्व मात्र लोगों के सामने चारा फेंकने और उन्हें पकड़ने के लिए है। उसके अन्दर की अच्छाई – एडला के अच्छे व्यवहार से प्रभावित होकर वह अपनी गलती का पश्चाताप करता है और अपना चुराया हुआ पैसा लौटा देता है ।

Question 4.
Who was Edla ? How did she change the peddler’s behaviour ?
एडला कौन थी ? उसने फेरीवाले के व्यवहार को किस प्रकार बदल दिया ?
Or
Write the character of Miss Edla.
मिस एडला का चरित्रांकन कीजिये।
Answer:
Miss Edla is the eldest daughter of the ironmaster. She lives with her father. As for her appearance, she is not at all pretty but inwardly she is the most beautiful lady. She is very modest, kind and generous. She succeeded in persuading the peddler to stay with them on Christmas eve.

Miss Edla has a deep insight into human psychology. She easily understands that the peddler is very much scared. When her father wanted to expel the peddler from his house, it was Edla who did not let him go. Thus her generous behaviour brings a change in the peddler.

मिस एडला लोहा फैक्ट्री के मालिक की सबसे बड़ी बेटी है । वह अपने पिता के साथ रहती है । जहाँ तक उसके रूप स्वरूप की बात है, वह बिल्कुल भी आकर्षक नहीं है किन्तु अन्दर से वह अत्यन्त सुन्दर महिला है । वह बहुत शालीन, दयालु एवं उदार है । उसने फेरीवाले को क्रिसमस की शाम उनके साथ ठहरने के लिए राजी कर लिया ।

मिस एडला को मानव मनोविज्ञान की गहरी समझ है । वह आसानी से समझ जाती है कि वह बहुत डरा हुआ है। जब उसने पिता फेरीवाले को अपने घर से निकालना चाहते थे तब यह एडला ही थी जिसने उसे नहीं जाने दिया । इस प्रकार उसका उदार व्यवहार फेरीवाले को एक अच्छा व्यक्ति बना देता है।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 5.
The lesson ‘The Rattrap’ deals with ‘the human tendency to redeem oneself from dishonest ways.’. Comment on this statement.
पाठ “The Rattrap’ बेईमानी पूर्ण तरीकों को छोड़ने की मानवीय प्रवृत्ति का जिक्र करता है । इस पर एक टिप्पणी लिखें ।
Answer:
The peddler is a poor man. He sells rattraps. Poverty compels him to adopt dishonest ways. No one cares for his feelings. He is nowhere welcomed. These factors change him into a dishonest person. But Edla treats him well and does not pay much attention to his demerits and vices. His whole perspective is instantly changed. He gives up his dishonest ways.

He not only leaves a gift for Edla but also returns the money which he had earlier stolen from the crofter’s house. Thus we see the story ‘The Rattrap’ deals with the human tendency to redeem oneself from dishonest ways.

फेरीवाला एक गरीब आदमी है । वह चूहेदानी बेचता है । गरीबी उसे बेईमानी करने को मजबूर करती है । कोई उसकी भावनाओं का ख्याल नहीं रखता है । उसका कहीं स्वागत नहीं किया जाता है । ये कारक उसे एक खराब आदमी बना देते हैं । परन्तु एडला उससे अच्छा व्यवहार करती है तथा उसकी कमियों, गलतियों पर ज्यादा ध्यान नहीं देती है ।

उसका सम्पूर्ण दृष्टिकोण तुरन्त ही बदल जाता है । वह बेईमानी का मार्ग त्याग देता है । वह न केवल एडला के लिए एक उपहार छोड़ता है वरन् जमींदार के घर से चुराये गये पैसे भी वापिस कर देता है । इस प्रकार हम देखते हैं कहानी “The Rattrap’ बेईमानीपूर्ण तरीकों को त्यागने की मानवीय प्रवृत्ति का जिक्र करती है।

Question 6.
What was the peddler’s theory of the world ? How did he himself become a part of it ?
फेरीवाले का संसार के विषय में क्या विचार (सिद्धान्त) था ? वह स्वयं इसका हिस्सा किस प्रकार बन गया?
Or
The peddler believed that the whole world is a rattrap. How did he himself get caught in the same ?
फेरीवाले यह विश्वास करता था कि सारा संसार ही चूहेदानी है। वह इसमें किस प्रकार फँस गया?
Answer:
The peddler thought that the whole world was a rattrap. It had never existed for any other purpose than to set baits for people. As soon as anyone was tempted to touch the bait, it closed in on him, and then everything came to an end.

One day the peddler was tempted by the thirty kronor of a crofter. He stole the money. For fear of being caught, he got into a forest. It was a big and confusing forest. He walked and walked but could not reach the end. Thus he himself had become a part of his theory.

फेरीवाले को सारा संसार एक चूहेदानी लगता था। उसके विचार में संसार का अस्तित्व मात्र लोगों को ललचाने के लिए था । जैसे ही कोई लालच में आकर समृद्धि रूपी चारे को छूता है तो यह संसार उसे फंसा लेता है, और फिर सब कुछ समाप्त हो जाता है। एक दिन फेरीवाले के मन में एक जमींदार के तीस क्रोनर का लालच आ गया । उसने वह पैसा चुरा लिया। पकड़े जाने के डर वह एक जंगल में घुस गया । जंगल बड़ा और भ्रामक था । वह चलता रहा किन्तु उसके छोर पर नहीं पहुँच पाया । इस प्रकार वह स्वयं अपने सिद्धान्त का हिस्सा बन गया था ।

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Question 7.
What made the ironmaster behave well with the peddler ? Why did he change his mind later?
लोहा कारखाने के मालिक ने फेरीवाले के साथ अच्छा व्यवहार क्यों किया ? बाद में उसका मन क्यों बदल गया ?
Answer:
The ironmaster came for the night inspection of his factory. There in the dim light of the furnace, he mistook the peddler to be an old friend of him. He welcomed him warmly. He felt sorry to see that an old friend of him was going through great plight.

The ironmaster requested him to come home with him. He would be pleased to have his friend’s company on Christmas. Next morning when the peddler had a bath, got a hair cut and was shaved, the ironmaster ‘realised that he was a total stranger to him. He called him a cheat and asked him to leave the house at that very instant.

लोहा कारखाने का मालिक अपनी फैक्ट्री के रात्रिकालीन निरीक्षण पर आया। वहाँ उसने भट्टी के धीमे प्रकाश में फेरीवाले को गलती से अपना एक पुराना मित्र समझ लिया । उसनं गर्मजोशी से उसका स्वागत किया । उसे यह देखकर दुःख हुआ कि उसका मित्र अत्यधिक पीड़ा से गुजर रहा था।

लोहा कारखाने के मालिक ने उससे अपने साथ घर चलने का आग्रह किया । उसे क्रिसमस पर अपने मित्र का साथ पाकर खुशी होती । अगली सुबह जब फेरीवाले ने स्नान किया, बाल कटवाये और दाढ़ी बनाई तो लोहा कारखाने के मालिक को अहसास हुआ कि वह व्यक्ति उसके लिए बिल्कुल अजनबी था । उसने उसे धोखेबाज कहा और उसी क्षण घर छोड़कर चले जाने के लिए कहा ।

Seen Comprehension Passages

Read the following passages and answer the questions given below:

Passage 1.

Once upon a time there was a man who went around selling small rattraps of wire. He made them himself at odd moments, from the material he got by begging in the stores or at the big farms. But even so, the business was not especially profitable, so he had to resort to both begging and petty thievery to keep body and soul together. Even so, his clothes were in rags, his cheeks were sunken, and hunger gleamed in his eyes. No one can imagine how sad and monotonous life can appear to such a vagabond, who plods along the road, left to his own meditations.

Questions:

1. What did the man go around selling?
2. From where did he get the material?
3. What else did he do to “keep body and soul together”?
4. What was the appearance of the man?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘homeless traveller’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘lively’.
   Answers:
7. The man went around selling small rattraps of wire.
8. He got the material by begging in the stores or at the big farms.
9. He had to resort to both begging and petty thievery to ‘keep body and soul together’.
10. The man’s clothes were in rags, cheeks sunken and hunger showed in his eyes.
11. vagabond.
12. monotonous.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Passage 2.

But one day this man had fallen into a line of thought, which really seemed to him entertaining. He had naturally been thinking of his rattraps when suddenly he was struck by the idea that the whole world about him – the whole world with its lands and seas, its cities and villages was nothing but a big rattrap. It had never existed for any other purpose than to set baits for people. It offered riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing, exactly as the rattrap offered cheese and pork, and as soon as anyone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, it closed in on him, and then everything came to an end.

The world had, of course, never been very kind to him, so it gave him unwonted joy to think ill of it in this way. It became a cherished pastime of his, during many dreary ploddings, to think of people he knew who had let themselves be caught in the dangerous snare, and of others who were still circling around the bait.

Questions:

1. What was the line of thought that really seemed entertaining to the man?
2. What does the world offer?
3. When does everything come to an end?
4. How has the world treated the man?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘unusual’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to “safe’.
   Answers:
7. The line of thought was that the whole world was nothing but a big rattrap.
8. The world offers riches, joys, shelter, food, heat and clothing.
9. As soon as someone is tempted to touch the bait set by the world, everything comes to an end.
10. The world has never been kind to the man.
11. unwonted.
12. dangerous.

Passage 3.

One dark evening as he was trudging along the road he caught sight of a little gray cottage by the roadside, and he knocked on the door to ask shelter for the night. Nor was he refused. Instead of the sour faces which ordinarily met him, the owner, who was an old man without wife or child, was happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness. Immediately he put the porridge pot on the fire and gave him supper; then he carved off such a big slice from his tobacco roll that it was enough both for the stranger’s pipe and his own. Finally he got out an old pack of cards and played ‘mjolis’ with his guest until bedtime.

Questions:

1. What did he see as he was trudging along the road?
2. What did he do then?
3. How did the other people welcome him?
4. What did the old man do for his guest?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘accepted’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘sweet’.
   Answers:
7. As he was trudging along the road, he caught sight of a little gray cottage by the roadside.
8. He knocked at the door to ask shelter for the night.
9. The other people used to welcome him with sour faces and considered him an unwanted guest.
10. The old man prepared supper gave him tobacco to smoke. He also played cards with his guest.
11. refused.
12. sour.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Passage 4.

The old man was just as generous with his confidences as with his porridge and tobacco. The guest was informed at once that in his days of prosperity his host had been a crofter at Ramsjo Ironworks and had worked on the land. Now that he was no longer able to do day labour, it was his cow which supported him. Yes, that bossy was extraordinary. She could give milk for the creamery every day, and last month he had received all of thirty kronor in payment.

The stranger must have seemed incredulous, for the old man got up and went to the window, took down a leather pouch which hung on a nail in the very window frame, and picked out three wrinkled ten-kronor bills. These he held up before the eyes of his guest, nodding knowingly, and then stuffed them back into the pouch.

Questions:

1. What was the old man work in his days of prosperity?
2. Who was there to support the old man now?
3. How much payment had the old man received last month?
4. Why did the old man get up and go to the window?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘unusual.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘misery’.
   Answers:
7. The old man worked as a crofter at Ramsjo Ironworks.
8. The cow supported the old man now. She used to give milk and the old man sold it to a creamery.
9. The old man had received thirty kronor as payment last month.
10. The old man got up and went to the window to fetch his leather pouch.
11. extraordinary.
12. prosperity.

Passage 5.

The next day both men got up in good season. The crofter was in a hurry to milk his cow, and the other man probably thought he should not stay in bed when the head of the house had gotten up. They left the cottage at the same time. The crofter locked the door and put the key in his pocket. The man with the rattraps said ‘good bye and thank you’, and thereupon each went his own way.

But half an hour later the rattrap peddler stood again before the door. He did not try to get in, however. He only went up to the window, smashed a pane, stuck in his hand, and got hold of the pouch with the thirty kronor. He took the money and thrust it into his own pocket. Then he hung the leather pouch very carefully back in its place and went away.

Questions:

1. What did the other man think the next day when both the men got up?
2. Why was the crofter in a hurry?
3. Why did the rattrap peddler return again?
4. How did the rattrap peddler take the money?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘broke’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘carelessly’.
   Answer:
7. The other man thought that he should not stay in bed when the head of the house had gotten up.
8. The crofter was in a hurry to milk his cow.
9. The rattrap peddler returned again to steal money.
10. The rattrap peddler smashed the window pane and stole money from the leather pouch.
11. smashed.
12. carefully.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Passage 6.

As he walked along with the money in his pocket he felt quite pleased with his smartness. He realised, of course, that at first he dared not continue on the public highway, but must turn off the road, into the woods. During the first hours this caused him no difficulty. Later in the day it became worse, for it was a big and confusing forest which he had gotten into.

He tried, to be sure, to walk in a definite direction, but the paths twisted back and forth so strangely! He walked and walked without coming to the end of the wood, and finally he realised that he had only been walking around in the same part of the forest. All at once he recalled his thoughts about the world and the rattrap.

Now his own turn had come. He had let himself be fooled by a bait and had been caught. The whole forest, with its trunks and branches, its thickets and fallen logs, closed in upon him like an impenetrable prison from which he could never escape.

Questions:

1. What did he realize at first?
2. Why did it become worse later in the day?
3. What did he finally realize as he walked and walked without coming to the end of the wood?
4. “Now his own turn had come.” How?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘unusually’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘private’.
   Answer:
7. At first he realized that he dare not continue on the public highway, but must turn off the road, into the woods.
8. Later in the day it became worse, for it was a big and confusing forest which he had gotten into.
9. He walked and walked without coming to the end of the wood, and finally he realised that he had only been walking around in the same part of the forest.
10. He had let himself be fooled by a bait and had been caught in the world’s rattrap.
11. strangely.
12. pubiic.

Passage 7.

It was late in December. Darkness was already descending over the forest. This increased the danger, and increased also his gloom and despair. Finally he saw no way out, and he sank down on the ground, tired to death, thinking that his last moment had come.

But just as he laid his head on the ground, he heard a sound-a hard regular thumping. There was no doubt as to what that was. He raised himself. “Those are the hammer strokes from an iron mill”, he thought. “There must be people nearby”. He summoned all his strength, got up, and staggered in the direction of the sound.

The Ramsjo Ironworks, which are now closed down, were, not so long ago, a large plant, with smelter, rolling mill, and forge. In the summertime long lines of heavily loaded barges and scows slid down the canal, which led to a large inland lake, and in the wintertime, the roads near the mill were black from all the coal dust which sifted down from the big charcoal crates.

Questions:

1. What did the darkness increase?
2. What did he think as he sank down to the ground?
3. What sound did he hear?
4. What does this passage convey about the Ramsjo Ironworks?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘gathered’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is the antonym of ‘ascending’.
   Answer:
7. The darkness increased danger and also his gloom and despair.
8. As he sank down to the ground, he thought that his end had come.
9. He heard the sound of a hard regular thumping.
10. It was a closed down large plant, with smelter, rolling mill and forge.
11. summoned.
12. descending.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Passage 8.

During one of the long dark evenings just before Christmas, the master smith and his helper sat in the dark forge near the furnace waiting for the pig iron, which had been put in the fire, to be ready to put on the anvil. Every now and then one of them got up to stir the glowing mass with a long iron bar, returning in a few moments, dripping with perspiration, though, as was the custom, he wore nothing but a long shirt and a pair of wooden shoes.

All the time there were many sounds to be heard in the forge. The big bellows groaned and the burning coal cracked. The fire boy shovelled charcoal into the maw of the furnace with a great deal of clatter. Outside roared the waterfall, and a sharp north wind whipped the rain against the brick-tiled roof.

Questions:

1. Where did the master smith and his helper sit?
2. What did they wait for?
3. What did the master smith wear?
4. What was the work of the fire boy?
5. Find the word from the passage which means “sweat’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘short’.
   Answers:
7. The master smith and his helper sat in the dark forge near the furnace.
8. They waited for pig iron, which had been put on fire, to be ready to put on the anvil.
9. The master smith wore a long shirt and a pair of wooden shoes.
10. The fire boy shoveled charcoal into the maw of the furnace.
11. perspiration.
12. long

Passage 9.

It was probably on account of all this noise that the blacksmith did not notice that a man had opened the gate and entered the forge, until he stood close up to the furnace. Surely it was nothing unusual for poor vagabonds without any better shelter for the night to be attracted to the forge by the glow of light which escaped through the sooty panes, and to come in to warm themselves in front of the fire.

The blacksmiths glanced only casually and indifferently at the intruder. He looked the way people of his type usually did, with a long beard, dirty, ragged, and with a bunch of rattraps dangling on his chest. He asked permission to stay, and the master blacksmith nodded a haughty consent without honouring him with a single word. The tramp did not say anything, either. He had not come there to talk but only to warm himself and sleep.

Questions:

1. What did the blacksmith not notice?
2. Why did the vagabonds come there?
3. How did the blacksmith glance at the intruder?
4. Why had the tramp come there?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘glasses’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to “cooľ.
   Answers:
7. The blacksmith did not notice that a man had opened the gate and entered the forge.
8. The vagabonds came there to warm themselves in front of the fire.
9. The blacksmith glanced casually and indifferently at the intruder.
10. The tramp had come there to warm himself and to sleep.
11. panes.
12. warm.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Passage 10.

In those days the Ramsjo iron mill was owned by a very prominent ironmaster, whose greatest ambition was to ship out good iron to the market. He watched both night and day to see that the work was.done as well as possible, and at this very moment he came into the forge on one of his nightly rounds of inspection.

Naturally the first thing he saw was the tall ragamuffin who had eased his way so close to the furnace that steam rose from his wet rags. The ironmaster did not follow the example of the blacksmiths, who had hardly deigned to look at the stranger. He walked close up to him, looked him over very carefully, then tore off his slouch hat to get a better view of his face.

Questions:

1. Who was the owner of the Ramsjo iron mill?
2. What was his greatest ambition?
3. What was the first thing that the ironmaster saw?
4. What did the ironmaster do to get a better view of his face?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘desire’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘impossible’.
   Answers:
7. A very prominent ironmaster was the owner of the Ramsjo iron mill.
8. His greatest ambition was to ship out good iron in the market.
9. The first thing he saw was the tall ragamuffin who had eased his way so close to the furnace that steam rose from his wet rags.
10. The ironmaster tore off his slouch to get a better view of his face.
11. ambition.
12. possible.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Passage 11.

“But of course it is you, Nils Olof!” he said. “How you do look!”
The man with the rattraps had never before seen the ironmaster at Ramsjo and did not even know what his name was. But it occurred to him that if the fine gentleman thought he was an old acquaintance, he might perhaps throw him a couple of kronor. Therefore he did not want to undeceive him all at once.
“Yes, God knows things have gone downhill with me”, he said.
“You should not have resigned from the regiment”, said the ironmaster. “That was the mistake. If only I had still been in the service at the time, it never would have happened. Well, now of course you will come home with me.”To go along up to the manor house and be received by the owner like an old regimental comrade – that, however, did not please the tramp.

Questions:

1. What did the ironmaster think of the rattrap seller?
2. What had the man with the rattraps never seen before?
3. What did the ironmaster say to the rattrap seller?
4. What did not please the tramp?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘a person whom somebody knows”.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to “after’.
   Answers:
7. The ironmaster thought that he was his old regimental comrade.
8. The man with the rattraps had never seen the ironmaster at Ramsjo before.
9. The ironmaster said to the rattrap seller that he should not have resigned from the regiment.
10. To go along up to the manor house and be received by the owner like an old regimental comrade did not please the tramp.
11. acquaintance.
12. before.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Passage 12.

He thought of the thirty kronor. To go up to the manor house would be like throwing himself voluntarily into the lion’s den. He only wanted a chance to sleep here in the forge and then sneak away as inconspicuously as possible.

The ironmaster assumed that he felt embarrassed because of his miserable clothing.
“Please don’t think that I have such a fine home that you cannot show yourself there”, He said… “Elizabeth is dead, as you may already have heard.

My boys are abroad, and there is no one at home except my oldest daughter and myself. We were just saying that it was too bad we didn’t have any company for Christmas. Now come along with me and help us make the Christmas food disappear a little faster.”

Questions:

1. What did he think of?
2. What did he only want?
3. What did the ironmaster assume?
4. Who lives with the ironmaster?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘willingly’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘impossible’.
   Answer:
7. He thought of the thirty kronor.
8. He only wanted to sleep in the forge and then go away.
9. The ironmaster assumed that the man felt embarrassed because of his miserable clothing.
10. The ironmaster’s daughter lives with him.
11. voluntarily.
12. possible.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Passage 13.

It was not more than half an hour before they heard the sound of carriage wheels outside the forge, and a new guest came in, but this time it was not the ironmaster. He had sent his daughter, apparently hoping that she would have better powers of persuasion than he himself.

She entered, followed by a valet, carrying on his arm a big fur coat. She was not at all pretty, but seemed modest and quite shy. In the forge everything was just as it had been earlier in the evening. The master blacksmith and his apprentice still sat on their bench, and iron and charcoal still glowed in the furnace.

The stranger had stretched himself out on the floor and lay with a piece of pig iron under his head and his hat pulled down over his eyes. As soon as the young girl caught sight of him, she went up and lifted his hat. The man was evidently used to sleeping with one eye open. He jumped up abruptly and seemed to be quite frightened.

Questions:

1. Who was the new guest who came in?
2. Who followed the new guest?
3. What did the new guest look like?
4. What was the man evidently used to?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘clearly’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘ugly’.
   Answer:
7. The new guest who came in was the ironmaster’s daughter.
8. The ironmaster’s daughter was followed by a valet (servant).
9. The ironmaster’s daughter was not pretty, but seemed modest and quite shy.
10. The man was evidently used to sleeping with one eye open.
11. apparently.
12. pretty.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Passage 14.

“My name is Edla Willmansson,” said the young girl. “My father came home and said that you wanted to sleep here in the forge tonight, and then I asked permission to come and bring you home to us. I am so sorry, Captain, that you are having such a hard time.”

She looked at him compassionately, with her heavy eyes, and then she noticed that the man was afraid. “Either he has stolen something or else he has escaped from, jail”, she thought, and added quickly, “You may be sure, Captain, that you will be allowed to leave us just as freely as you came. Only please stay with us over Christmas Eve.” She said this in such a friendly manner that the rattrap peddler must have felt confidence in her.

Questions:

1. What was the name of the young girl?
2. How did she look at him? What did she notice?
3. What did she think about the man?
4. What did the rattrap peddler feel about the young girl in the end?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘sympathetically’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘distrusť.
   Answer:
7. The name of the young girl was Edla Willmansson.
8. She looked at him compassionately and noticed that the man was afraid.
9. She thought that either the man had stolen something or else he had escaped from jail.
10. The rattrap peddler felt confidence in the young girl.
11. compassionately.
12. confidence.

Passage 15.

He accepted the fur coat, which the valet handed him with a deep bow, threw it over his rags, and followed the young lady out to the carriage, without granting the astonished blacksmiths so much as a glance. But while he was riding up to the manor house he had evil forebodings.
“Why the devil did I take that fellow’s money?” he thought. “Now I am sitting in the trap and will never get out of it.”The next day was Christmas Eve, and when the ironmaster came into the dining room for breakfast he probably thought with satisfaction of his old regimental comrade whom he had run across so unexpectedly.

Questions:

1. What did the man accept and who handed it to him?
2. What did he think while he was riding up to the manor’s house?
3. Who came into the dining room for breakfast?
4. Whom did the ironmaster think of?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘a strong feeling that something unpleasant is going to happen’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘refused’.
   Answers:
7. The man accepted the fur coat and the valet handed it to him.
8. He thought why he took that fellow’s money as now he was sitting in the trap and would never be able to get out of it.
9. The ironmaster came into the dining room for breakfast.
10. The ironmaster thought of his old regimental comrade whom he had run across unexpectedly.
11. foreboding.
12. accepted.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Passage 16.

“First of all we must see to it that he gets a little flesh on his bones,” he said to his daughter, who was busy at the table. “And then we must see that he gets something else to do than to run around the country selling rattraps.

“It is queer that things have gone downhill with him as badly as that,” said the daughter. “Last night I did not think there was anything about him to show that he had once been an educated man.”

“You must have patience, my little girl,” said the father. “As soon as he gets clean and dressed up, you will see something different. Last night he was naturally embarrassed. The tramp manners will fall away from him with the tramp clothes.”

Just as he said this the door opened and the stranger entered. Yes, now he was truly dean and well dressed. The valet had bathed him, cut his hair, and shaved him. Moreover he was dressed in a good..looking suit of clothes which belonged to the iron master. He wore a white shirt and a starched collar and whole shoes.

Questions:
1, Who is ‘he’ in the above passage?

2. Who had bathed him, cut his hair and shaved him?
3. Whose clothes did the stranger wear?
4. What did the stranger wear?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘strange’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to illiterate’.
   Answers:
7. ‘He’ in the above passage refers to the rattrap peddler.
8. The valet had bathed him, cut his hair and shaved him.
9. The stranger wore the ironmaster’s clothes.
10. He wore a white shirt, a starched collar and whole shoes.
11. queer.
12. educated.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Passage 17.

But although his guest was now so well groomed. the ironmaster did not seem pleased. He looked at him with puckered brow, and it was easy to understand that when he had seen the strange fellow in the uncertain reflection from the furnace he might have made a mistake. but that now, when he stood there in broad daylight, it was impossible to mistake him for an old acquaintance.‘What does this mean,” he thundered The stranger made no attempt to dissimulate.

He saw at once that the splendour had come to an end. “It is not my fault. sir,” he said. “I never pretended to be anything but a poor trader, and I pleaded and begged to be allowed to stay in the forge. But no harm has been done. At worst I can put on my rags again and go away”.

“Well,” said the ironmaster. hesitating a little. “it as not quite honest, either. You must admit that, and I should not be surprised if the sheriff would like to have something to say in the matter.”

Questions:

1. How did the guest look’
2. Why was the ircinmaster not pleased?
3. What did the stranger?
4. For what did the stranger plead and beg”
5. Find the word [rom the passage which means deceive’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘dishonest’.
   Answers:
7. The guest looked well-groomed.
8. The ironmaster was not pleased to realize that he had misunderstood the stranger to be his old acquaintance
9. The stranger saw that the splendor had come to an end.
10. The stranger pleaded and begged to be allowed to stay in the forge.
11. dissimulate.
12. honest.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Passage 18.

Now lam going to tell you, Mr. Ironmaster, how things are,” he said. This whole world is nothing but a big rattrap. All the good things that are offered to you are nothing but cheese rinds and bits of pork, set out to drag a poor fellow into trouble. And if the sheriff comes now and locks me up for this, then you, Mr lronmaster, must remember that a day may come when you yourself may want to get a big piece of pork. and then you will get caught in the trap.” The iron master began to laugh. ‘That was not so badly said, my good fellow. Perhaps we should let the sheriff alone on Christmas Eve, But now get out of here as fast as you can.”

Questions:

1. What are the good things that the world offers as a big rnttrap?
2. Why does the world offer these good things?
3. What could happen to the ironmaster one day?
4. What did the ironmaster ask the man to do?
5. Find the word from the passage which means “pull’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘comfort’.
   Answers:
7. As a big rattrap, the world offers cheese rinds and bits of pork.
8. The world offers these things to drag a poor fellow into trouble.
9. One day, the ironmaster would also be tempted to get a big piece of pork (i.e. the riches) and fall into the rattrap.
10. The ironmaster asked the man to get out of there as fast as he could.
11. drag.
12. trouble.

Passage 19.

“I am thinking of this stranger here,” said the young girl. “He walks and walks the whole year long, and there is probably not a single place in the whole country where he is welcome and can feel at home. Wherever he turns he is chased away. Always he is afraid of being arrested and cross-examined. I should like to have him enjoy a day of peace with us here – just one in the whole year.”

The ironmaster mumbled something in his beard. He could not bring himself to oppose her.
“It was all a mistake, of course,” she continued. “But anyway I don’t think we ought to chase away a human being whom we have asked to come here, and to whom we have promised Christmas cheer.”
“You do preach worse than a parson,” said the ironmaster. “I only hope you won’t have to regret this.”

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Questions:

1. Whom is the young girl thinking about?
2. Where the stranger is welcomed and can feel at home?
3. Why did the young girl not want to chase the stranger away?
4. What did the ironmaster hope?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘certainly’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to‘support.
   Answers:
7. The young girl is thinking about the stranger.
8. There is probably not a single place where the stranger is welcomed and can feel at home.
9. The young girl did not want to chase the stranger away because they had asked him to come there, and promised Christmas cheer to him.
10. The ironmaster hoped that his daughter did not regret her decision.
11. probably.
12. oppose.

Passage 20.

After that, Christmas Eve at Ramsjo passed just as it always had. The stranger did not cause any trouble because he did nothing but sleep. The whole forenoon he lay on the sofa in one of the guest rooms and slept at one stretch. At noon they woke him up so that he could have his share of the good Christmas fare, but after that he slept again. It seemed as though for many years he had not been able to sleep as quietly and safely as here at Ramsjo.

In the evening, when the Christmas tree was lighted, they woke him up again, and he stood for a while in the drawing room, blinking as though the candlelight hurt him, but after that he disappeared again. Two hours later he was aroused once more. He then had to go down into the dining room and eat the Christmas fish and porridge.

Questions:

1. Why did the stranger not cause any trouble?
2. When was the Christmas tree lighted?
3. Why did he blink in the drawing room?
4. Why did he go down the drawing room?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘noiselessly’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘some’.
   Answers:
7. The stranger did not cause any trouble as he did nothing but sleep.
8. The Christmas tree was lighted in the evening.
9. He blinked in the drawing room as though the candlelight hurt him.
10. He went down the drawing room to eat the Christmas fish and porridge.
11. quietly.
12. many.

Passage 21.

As soon as they got up from the table he went around to each one present and said thank you and good night, but when he came to the young girl she gave him to understand that it was her father’s intention that the suit which he wore was to be a Christmas present he did not have to return it; and if he wanted to spend next Christmas Eve in a place where he could rest in peace, and be sure that no evil would befall him, he would be welcomed back again.

The man with the rattraps did not answer anything to this. He only stared at the young girl in boundless amazement. The next morning the ironmaster and his daughter got up in good season to go to the early Christmas service. Their guest was still asleep, and they did not disturb him.

Questions:

1. What did he go around saying to each one present there?
2. What did the young girl make him understand?
3. For what would he be welcomed again?
4. Where did the ironmaster and his daughter go, the next morning?
5. Find the word from the passage which means ‘gift’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘limited’.
   Answers:
7. He went around to each one present saying thank you and good night.
8. The young girl made him understand that the suit he was wearing was a Christmas present for him.
9. He would be welcomed again to spend the next Christmas Eve.
10. The next morning, the ironmaster and his daughter went to the early Christmas service.
11. present.
12. boundless.

RBSE Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 4 The Rattrap

Passage 22.

When, at about ten o’clock, they drove back from the church, the young girl sat and hung her head even more dejectedly than usual. At church she had learned that one of the old crofters of the ironworks had been robbed by a man who went around selling rattraps.
“Yes, that was a fine fellow you let into the house,” said her father. “I only wonder how · many silver spoons are left in the cupboard by this time.”

The wagon had hardly stopped at the front steps when the ironmaster asked the valet whether the stranger was still there. He added that he had heard at church that the man was a thief. The valet answered that the fellow had gone and that he had not taken anything with him at all. On the contrary, he had left behind a little package which Miss Willmansson was to be kind enough to accept as a Christmas present.

Questions:

1. What had the young girl learned at the church?
2. What did her father wonder?
3. What did the ironmaster ask his valet?
4. What had the stranger left behind?
5. Find the word from the passage which means in hopelessness’.
6. Find the word from the passage which is opposite to ‘same’.
   Answers:
7. The young girl had learnt that one of the crofters of the ironworks had been robbed by a man who went around selling rattraps.
8. Her father wondered how many silver spoons were left in the cupboard by that time.
9. The ironmaster asked his valet whether the stranger was still there.
10. The stranger had left behind a little package for Miss Willmansson as a Christmas present.
11. dejectedly.
12. contrary.

Passage 23.

The young girl opened the package, which was so badly done up that the contents came into view at once. She gave a little cry of joy. She found a small rattrap, and in it lay three wrinkled ten kronor notes. But that was not all. In the rattrap lay also a letter written in large, jagged characters –

“Honoured and noble Miss, “Since you have been so nice to me all day long, as if I was a captain, I want to be nice to you, in return, as if I was a real captain -for I do not want you to be embarrassed at this Christmas season by a thief; but you can give back the money to the old man on the roadside, who has the money pouch hanging on the window frame as a bait for poor wanderers.

“The rattrap is a Christmas present from a rat who would have been caught in this world’s rattrap if he had not been raised to captain, because in that way he got power to clear himself.

“Written with friendship
and high regard,
“Captain von Stahle.”

Questions:

1. Why did the contents of the package come into view at once?
2. What did the package contain?
3. Who is referred to as the ‘rat’ in the above passage?
4. What is the ‘bait for poor wanderers’?
5. Find the word from the passage which is the synonym of delighť.
6. Find the word from the passage which is the antonym of ‘disrespect’.
   Answers:
7. The contents of the package came into view at once as it was not packed properly.
8. The package contained a small rattrap, three wrinkled ten kronor notes and a letter.
9. The rattrap peddler has been referred to as the ‘rat’ in the passage.
10. The money pouch hanging on the window frame of the old man is the ‘bait for poor wanderers’.
11. joy.
12. regard.