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17. A Spirted discussion springs up between a young girl who insists that women have outgrown the jumping-on-a-chair-at-the-sight-of-a-mouse era and a colonel who says that they haven’t “A woman’s unfailing reaction in any crisis, “the colonel says, “is to scream. And while a man may feel like it, he has that ounce more nerve control than a woman has. And that last ounce is what counts.”
The American does not join in the argument but watches the guests. As he looks, he sees a strange expression come over the face of the hostess. She is staring straight ahead, her muscles contracting slightly. With a slight gesture, she summons the native boy standing behind her chair and whispers to him. The boy’s eyes widen: he quickly leaves the room. Of the guests, none except the American notices this or sees the boy place a bowl of milk on the veranda just outside the open doors.
1) What are the young girl and the colonel arguing about?
2) The American joins the discussion. Say true or false.
3) What does the American naturalist notice?
4) What does the hostess want the servant to do?
5) Identify the synonym of calls from the passage
6) Find the antonym of familiar in the passage.
7)”……. he has that ounce more nerve control than a woman has. “What does the word
nerve mean?
8) Pick out the word that fits the meaning of making narrower in the passage.
ANSWERS
1) about the nerve control of women
2) false
3) a strange expression on the face of the hostess
4) to place a bowl of milk on the veranda just outside the open doors
5) summons
6) strange
7) emotions-anxiety
8) contracting
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18. “I want to know just what control everyone at this table has. I will count to three hundred-that’s five minutes – and not one of you is to move a muscle. Those who move will forfeit fifty rupees. Ready!”
The twenty people sit like stone images while he counts. He is saying “… two hundred and eighty….” when, out of the comer of his eye, he sees the cobra emerge and make for the bowl of milk. Screams ring out as he jumps to slam the veranda doors safely shut.
“You were right, Colonel!” the host exclaims. “A man has just shown us an example of perfect control.” “Just a minute,” the American says, turning to his hostess. “Mrs Wynnes, how did you know that cobra was in the room?” A faint smile lights up the woman’s face as she replies: “Because it was crawling across my foot.”
1) What is the proposal from the American ?
2) What does the American do to make the guests at the party stay stable?
3) Pick out the word which means lose as punishment from the passage.
4) Pick out the word from the passage that means weak ‘or dull.
5) Why does the American shut the doors?
6) How does the American react, when the host gives credit to him for having the most control?
7) what does the hostess prove to her guests?
8) when does the cobra come out?
ANSWERS
1) that he will count to three hundred and none of them is to move a muscle.
2) To make, the guests say stable and silent, the naturalist throws a challenge at them.
3) forfeit
4) faint
5) for safety, to prevent the snake from coming back again
6) He asks them to wait and proves to them who really has the nerve control.
7) The hostess proves to the guests that she has lots of nerve control.
8) When the naturalist is saying two hundred and eighty….
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19. The country is India. A colonial official and his wife are giving a large dinner party. They are seated with their guests army officers and government
-attachés and their wives, and a visiting American naturalist – in their spacious dining room, which has a bare marble floor, open rafters and wide glass doors opening onto a veranda.
1) In which country is this story set?
2) Who is the host of the party?
3) Where is the party arranged?
4) What is synonym for the word porch in the passage
5) who is the special guest in the party?
6) Describe the place where the dinner is hosted.
7) write the antonym of narrow from the passage.
8) Identify the word from the passage that means touring.
ANSWERS
1) in India
2) a colonial official and his wife
3) in the spacious dining room of the hosts
4) veranda
5) a visiting American naturalist
6) It is a spacious room with a bare marble floor, open rafters and wide glass doors.
7) spacious
8) visiting
