TEXT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
1. Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following statements.
i) Mr. Purcell sold birds, cats, dogs and monkeys.
ii) He was very concerned about the well-being of the birds and animals in his shop.
iii) He was impressed by the customer who bought the two doves.
iv) He was a successful shop owner, though sensitive and cold as a person.
Ans.
i) Mr. Purcell sold birds, cats, dogs and monkeys. True
ii) He was very concerned about the well-being of the birds and animals in his shop. False
iii) He was impressed by the customer who bought the two doves. False.
iv) He was a successful shop owner, though sensitive and cold as a person. True
2. Why is Mr. Purcell compared to an owl?
Ans. Mr. Purcell is compared to an owl because he looked like an owl when he looked through his glasses.
3. From the third paragraph pick out
i) Words associated with cries of birds.
ii) Words associated with noise.
iii) Words suggestive of confusion and fear.
Ans From the third paragraph the words associated with cries of birds are whisper, twitter, squeals, cheeps
The words associated with noise are stir, rustling and scampered.
The words suggestive of confusion and fear are bewildered, blindly seeking, frightened.
4. “….Mr. Purcell heard it no more than he would have heard the monotonous ticking of a familiar clock.” (Read paragraph beginning with “It was a rough day”—)
i) What does ‘it’ refer to?
ii) Why does Mr. Purcell not hear ‘it’ clearly?
Ans. (i) ’It’ refers to the chirping and moving of birds all around him.
(ii) He has got so used to those noises that he does not mind them and cannot hear it clearly.
Comprehension check
1. Do you think the atmosphere of Mr. Purcell’s shop was cheerful or depressing. Give reasons for your answer.
Ans. The atmosphere in Mr. Purcell’s shop was very dull and depressive. The shop was full of the movements of the noisy birds and pet animals. Mr. Purcell had become used to that noise. But the customers wondered how the owner could bear with all that noise.
2. Describe the stranger who came to the pet shop. What did he want?
Ans.The stranger who came to Mr. Purcell’s shop was a person who had been released from jail after ten years of imprisonment. His suit looked new but it was cheap and it did not fit him well. He had very short hair. His eyes looked all around in the shop. He wanted to purchase something in a cage.
3. (i) The man insisted on buying the doves because he was fond of birds. Do you agree?
(ii) How had he earned the five dollars he had?
Ans. (i) No, the man was not fond of any bird not even doves. He only wanted some birds in a cage.
(ii) The man had spent ten years in prison. He had to work hard and was paid only 50 cents per year. He left the jail with only five dollars and a cheap suit.
4. Was the customer interested in the care and feeling of the doves he had bought? If not, why?
Ans. No, the man had no interest in the care and feeling of the doves. He did not buy them with the intention to keep them as pets. So he did not pay attention to what Mr. Purcell said about feeding and caring of the birds. After coming out of the shop he let the doves go out and then he dropped the cage.
Exercises:
1. Why, in your opinion, did the man set the doves free?
Ans. The man set the doves free because being in prison for ten years he knew the feelings of a bird or human in captivity. He knew the value and need for freedom. He set the doves free so that they can live freely. So he spent his hard earned money on buying the doves and setting them free.
2. Why did it make Mr. Purcell feel ‘vaguely insulted’?
Ans. Mr. Purcell felt vaguely insulted because he had given him a discount on the price of the doves and still he made profit. He felt bad to see the customer’s love for freedom and the great sacrifice he made in spending all his 10 years earnings on releasing these birds.and Mr Purcell made money by capturing birds and by binding them in a cage.
3. How did Mr. Purcell earn his living?
Ans. Mr. Purcell had a pet shop where he kept dogs, cats, birds and monkeys. He also sold fish food and bird seeds and prescribed medicines for the sick animals. Some smaller animals and birds were kept in cages.In this way he earned his living.
4. How did he spend his day at the shop?
Ans. After opening his shop every day he would sit on a high stool and read the newspaper. But when customers came to his shop, He looked after them well.
Complete the sentences:-
i) In the shop when any customer arrived ——————–.
ii) The customer hated Mr. Purcell because ———.
iii) The customer felt happy because ———.
iv) Mr. Purcell appeared to know everything about ——-.
v) Mr. Purcell sold the birds, dogs and cats to ——–.
Answers
i) In the shop when any customer arrived the bell would start ringing.
ii) The customer hated Mr. Purcell because he kept the animal in the cages to earn
iii) The customer felt happy because he released the doves from the cages.
iv) Mr. Purcell appeared to know everything about birds and animals.
v) Mr. Purcell sold the birds, dogs and cats to earn money.