Hornbill The Browning Version - Solutions
CBSE Class -XI English Core
NCERT Solutions
HORNBILL Chapter-6
The Browning Version
Page No: 50
1. Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.
i) Remove
ii) slackers
iii) muck
iv)kept in
v) got carried away
vi) cut
vii) sadist
viii) shrivelled up
Answer: i) Remove: a division in a school
ii) slackers: unmotivated and lazy students
iii) muck: useless, of no practical good
iv) kept in: grounded, detained, work after the official school hours
v) got carried away: to get very excited or lose control of your feelings due to strong emotions.
vi) cut: escape, go away without permission.
vii) sadist: a person who gets pleasure out of inflicting pain to others
viii) shrivelled up: having no feelings.
Page No: 56
1. Comment on the attitude shown by Taplow towards Crocker-Harris.
Answer: Crocker Harris is Taplow’s teacher. According to Taplow and me also; Mr. Crocker Harris is a strict disciplinarian. He is a hard working teacher and fully devoted to his duty as he calls Taplow even on the last day of school to make up for his missed class. No student in his entire career has a courage to ‘cut’ Mr. Crocker Harris class. He is neither partial nor biased; he will give Taplow whatever he deserves. He tries to maintain an appropriate distance from his students. He never responds to the feelings shown by his students and remains shrivelled up. He is a man of principles and follows the rules of the school. His students like him even though of his strict behaviour. His colleagues, even Frank, envy him for the effect he has on the students. He is strict but not a sadist that he seems to be.
2. Does Frank seem to encourage Taplow's comments on Crocker-Harris?
Answer: Frank encourages Taplow to comment on Mr. Crocker Harris by cleverly asking him several questions. He appreciates Taplow’s imitation of Mr. Crocker Harris and also asks him to repeat the same.
3.What do you gather about Crocker-Harris from the play?
Answer: Mr Harris is a teacher who would not compromise with the rules and regulations to suffice the sentiments of the students. He believes in the fair assesment of his students and is not swayed by emotions. He is not a sadist, but strict in performance of his duties. Even on his last day at school, when he is over busy with his own affairs, he does not neglect his duty towards the students.
Talking about the Text
1.Reading plays is more interesting than studying science.
Answer: There is no doubt that reading plays is more interesting than studying science because reading plays makes us imaginative and provides us with the ideas about human life and behaviour. Its good language is helpful in building our linguistic skills. It is a source of entertainment and enjoyment.
Reading science has its own merits. It provides us knowledge and fill us with the modern approach. Practical experiments that we do in laboratories are also useful in our daily life. Science makes us our future growth possible.
Working with Words
1. A sadist is a person who gets pleasure out of giving pain to others.
Given below are some dictionary definitions of certain kinds of persons.
Find out the words that fit these descriptions.
i. A person who considers it very important that things should be correct or genuine e.g. in the use of language or in the arts: P...
ii. A person who believes that war and violence are wrong and will not fight in a war: P...
iii.A person who believes that nothing really exists: N...
iv. A person who is always hopeful and expects the best in all things: O...
v. A person who follows generally accepted norms of behaviour: C...
vi. A person who believes that material possessions are all that matter in life: M...
Answer: i. Perfectionist
ii. Pacifist
iii. Nihilist
iv. Optimist
v. Conventionalist
vi. Materialist
