Questions Answers on THE GIFT OF THE MAGI by O Henry

Questions Answers and Study Guide on THE GIFT OF THE MAGI by O Henry:-

Question:

What were the possessions of Dillingham youngs? How does the author show the greatness of their possession? How were they gone?

Answer:

In O Henry’s love story ‘The Gift of The Magi’ the two possessions are Dellas long beautiful hair and her husband’s gold watch.

          O Henry shows the greatness of the possessions of the youngs with comparison.

          If the rich Queen of Sheba had a look at Della’s rippling and shining hair the Queen must have grown jealous of Della’s riches. Della’s beautiful hair was enough to depreciate her majesty jewels and gifts. Similarly treasure king Solomon would have plucked at his beard from envy after having a look at Jim reading his watch. Della’s beautiful hair reached like a cascade of brown waters below her knee. It was almost a garment for her and Jims gold watch had a rich heritage and tradition. It had been his father’s and grand father’s.

          Jim and Della could not think of passing the Christmas without a gift to one another. But the two were too poor to buy a Christmas gift for one another. So he sold his gold watch to buy a set of tortoise shell combs for Della’s beautiful tresses. And she sold her beautiful tresses to buy the platinum fob chain to adorn his gold watch. That is how the possessions of the young were gone.

THE GIFT OF THE MAGI by O Henry Questions Answers Study Guide

THE GIFT OF THE MAGI by O Henry Questions Answers Study Guide:-

Question:

 “Everywhere they are wisest. They are the Magi”. Who are ‘they’? Why are they called the wisest and compared to the Magi?

Answer:

They are Jim and Della, the two characters in O. Henry’s ‘The Gift of the Magi’.

          Each of them was unable to pass the Christmas without a gift of love to the other. But each was too poor to fulfil hearts desire. Ultimately, each sacrificed each one’s best treasure to buy a gift for the other. Any material sacrifice to acquire selfless mutual love is a wise decision. So Jim and Della are called the wisest. They are compared to the Magi for offering Christmas gifts.

Question:

What was the problem Della had to face? How did she solve the problem?

Answer:

Della could save only S1.87 to buy an X-mas gift to her Jim. It was impossible. But she could not pass the X-mas without a gift to him. So she sold her lovely looks for S20 and bought a platinum fob chain for his gold wrist watch. That was how she solved her problem. She tried in vain to repair the ravages to her beautiful appearance by curling her bobbed hairs.

Question:

“A mathematician or a wit would give you the wrong answer”—What is the question to which a mathematician or a wit would give you a wrong answer? Why would their answer be wrong?

Answer:

The question is: Who is happier between one who earns S8 a week and another earning a million a year?

          An earthly man answers that the million-earner is happier. But O. Henry says that happiness depends not on money but on mutual love. Persons like Jim and Della are happier than many millionaires. So the answers of a wit or a mathematician would be wrong.

 

Questions and Answers on TECHNOLOGY FOR MANKIND by J Bronowski

Questions and Answers on TECHNOLOGY FOR MANKIND by J Bronowski:-

Question:

How does Bronowski justify that modern technological progress is a natural continuation of earlier trends and the basic pattern of all technologies is always the same?

Answer:

. In his essay Technology for Mankind Bronowski says that technology, primitive and modern is based on the same basic principle. When we breed new strains of corns, we follow the same aim of the first farmers to produce food. Our rockets serve the same purpose of wheels. Thus the aim all technology is to control nature and make life more comfortable.

Question:

What does Bronowski mean when he says that every human advance carries with it a new responsibility?

Answer:

In his essay, Technology for Mankind Bronowski says that technology can be applied for both good and evil. Its misuse will do us incalculable harm. Its good use too may produce an unknown evil. For instance, technology has made modern war more horrible. Hiroshima bears its proof. So, we must responsibly use technology.

TECHNOLOGY FOR MANKIND by J Bronowski Questions and Answers

TECHNOLOGY FOR MANKIND by J Bronowski Questions and Answers:-

Question:

How does Bronowski show that pure science and technology are not independent fields of study?

Answer:

 Technology develops on a scientific understanding of the working of nature. Pure science and technology, too, are closely linked. Agriculture cannot prosper without the study of genetics. Research in chemistry helps in making light metals. Automation is not possible without the study of physics, logic of control systems and electronic devices.

Question:

“Modern civilization is built on the use of Machines in this way”. What is ‘the way’ referred to here? How, after Bronowski does civilization advanced?

Answer:

In his essay ‘Technology for Mankind’ Bronowski says that the tools of the past are made to in modern times. That is how we got the birth of machines. The tool hammer is made into a trip hammer.

          After Bronowski, man invented a thing like a plough or a boomerang or a wheel or a hut out of necessity. When he wanted to make those things strong and durable, civilization gradually made on from stone to bronze to iron to the light metals of the day.

PACKING by Jerome K. Jerome Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers and Study Guide on ''Packing'' by Jerome K. Jerome:-

Question:

Narrate in brief Montmorency’s habits and activities.

Answer:

Montmorency is the author’s pet-dog with ill-habits. He disturbed George and Harris in their job of packing. He sat on things to be packed. He put his leg into Jam. He bit and shook the spoons and spoiled three lemons. He made Harris and George stumble over him. This mischievous nature of Montmorency is in-born. So Harris gave him (dog) a hard blow with a frying pan.

Question:

“I lived with a man once who used to make me mad that way”.---What did the man do or say to make Jerome K. Jerome mad ?

Answer:

Once Jerome K. Jerome lived with a man. The man used to loll on the sofa and watch Jerome working about alone for hours together. His eyes pursued Jerome all the time while he worked. The idle man talked tall that life was not an idle dream but a great task, full of duty and hard work. He also said that he often wondered how he could have survived before he met the author, In this way the idle man made Jerome mad.

FORGETTING by Robert Lynd Questions Answers and Study Guide

FORGETTING by Robert Lynd Questions Answers and Study Guide

Question:

“It is the efficiency rather than the inefficiency of human memory that compels my wonder”— What instances of an efficient human memory are given by Lynd in Forgetting? Name a few of the ‘matters’ regarding which memory works inefficiently.

Answer:

In his essay on Forgetting Robert Lynd gives a number of examples of efficient human memory. A modern man keeps many things in his memory; names of actors, actresses, sports persons, addresses of friends, appointments for lunch and dinner and telephone numbers. In his everyday living, he does everything he has to do. He even switched off the light before going to bed.

          But despite such efficient memory, man forgets to make medicines regularly, post letters in time and keep umbrellas, walking sticks and books in mind.

Question:

What, after the writer of Forgetting is the commonest form of forgetfulness? Show how this form of forgetfulness affects all including the writer.

Answer:

In his essay Forgetting Lynd says that the commonest form of forgetfulness occurs in the matter of posting letters. It is so common that Lynd cannot trust his departing guest to post his letter. Even if he does, he puts his guest under oath to post his letter. He humorously says about himself : “any one who asks me to post a letter is a poor judge of character”. He carries the letter in his hand. But he remembers to post it always after passing the first letter-box. Weary of holding it, Lynd puts the letter in his pocket. Soon he forgets all about it. The unposted letter leads an unadventurous life in his pocket. At home he faces embarrassing questions. And the guilt is brought out of his pocket.

The Owl by Edward Thomas Question and Answer Sammary

The Owl by Edward Thomas Question and Answer Sammary:

Question:

Describe after Edward Thomas, the situation in which the poet heard an owl’s cry. Do you think the poet refers to the owl’s song with a purpose? If so, what is that purpose?

Answer:

It was a winter night at a hilly area. The Poet of The Owl had a tiring down-hill journey against the north wind. He had had neither any food nor rest. However he put up in a foothill inn for the chilly night. He had food, fire and rest there. Suddenly an Owl’s ‘most melancholy cry’ got into his inn. And at once his refreshing and tasteful food and rest at the inn was made temperate by the owl’s sad cry.

          The poet refers to the Owl’s cry with a purpose. And that is the message of the poet. The poet considers the owl to be a typical spokesman of the deprived and the destitute. By its sad hooting, the owl tells the tale of suffering and sorrows of the poor and the down-trodden and the soldiers. The Owl’s cry gives us a message that only a world free from war and sorrow can ensure permanent peace and prosperity in this world. An individual may escape his/her sorrows but that will not save the multitude in distress.

IN TIME OF THE BREAKING OF NATIONS by Thomas Hardy Study Guide and Notes

Top Questions and Answers and Notes about the Poem “In Time of ‘The Breaking of Nations’” By Thomas Hardy:

Top Questions and Answers and Notes about the Poem “In Time of ‘The Breaking of Nations’” By Thomas Hardy:

Question:

What does the time of the Breaking of Nations signify? What will remain undisturbed even in such a time?

Or

Describe the three country pictures given in Hardy’s poem. Is there a comparison between permanence and impermanence?

Answer:

In his poem Thomas Hardy speaks of the time during war among nations. This is the time of destruction and death. But Hardy sings of the glory of the elemental and eternal processes of life during the period of war ravages. This he does through the presentation of three simple country pictures. These pictures represent three different walks of life. An old farmer is slowly and silently breaking the clods with an old horse. War cannot stop them. A thin smoke rises out from the heaps of burning cauch grass. It indicates the continuity of domestic life. The third picture presents a maid and her wight lost in making love.

          In the Bible we read that God says he will break the nations and bring destruction. In this poem Hardy contests this view. He argues that war breaks nations to pieces but elemental processes of life remain undisturbed. Cultivation, domestic life and love making triumph over war’s ravages. The title of the poem is apt. Pessimistic poet is optimistic here.

 

THE SOLITARY REAPER by William Wordsworth Top Questions Answers

Top Questions and Answers about the poem “The Solitary reaper” by William Wordsworth:

Question:

Describe, after Wordsworth, the singer and the scene and her song. What attitude of the poet to nature is revealed in the poem?

Answers:

While walking down a Scotland valley, Wordsworth beholds a Highland lass. She was along in the vast valley. Bending over her sickle, she was cutting grains and making sheaves. She was singing while reaping. Her sad strain appeared to him sweeter than the melodies of a Cuckoo or a Nightingale. He thought she sang about some unhappy events of the past or the present. Her sad tune was so sweet that the poet listened to it “motionless and still”. He thought her song was an eternal music of humanity. The Solitary Reaper tells much about Wordsworth's attitude to nature. It shows that he was a Poet of hill and valley, seas and sands, cuckoo and nightingale, song, solitude and sadness. His fond for bucolic beauty is also manifesting the lyric. The title nicely reflects the spirit of it.