Short answer type questions for B. Tech.

I year Communication Skills

Q. 26 Who are the three important characters in the story, “ The Three Questions?”

Answer- The three important characters in the story are the king, the hermit and the bearded
man who was the enemy of the king and wanted to take revenge.

Q. 27 How did the bearded man turn into king‟s friend?

Answer- The king‟s decision to take care of the bearded man when he was deeply wounded,
turned him into the king‟s friend.

Q. 28 Why did the king decide to consult the hermit?

Answer- The king did not get satisfactory answers to his three questions from those who
came to his court. When he heard about the hermit‟s reputation as a very wise man, he
decided to consult him.

Q.29 How did the king serve the wounded man?

Answer- When the king saw a man approaching him who was bleeding profusely, he
attended upon him bandaged it with a handkerchief and brought fresh water for him.

Q. 30 What were the three questions of the king?

Answer- The three questions of the king were- i) What is the best time to do each thing? ii)
Who are the most important people to work with? iii) What is the most important thing to do
at all times?

Q.31 What does the king do to get an appropriate answer?

Answer- The king decided to consult the hermit widely renowned for his wisdom. As the
hermit lived in a wood which he never quitted, and he did not meet royal people, the king
decided to meet him dressing up like a common man.

Q.32 Did the hermit pay immediate attention to the king‟s question? If not, how did he
behave?

Answer- When the king approached, the hermit was digging the ground in front of his hut.
Seeing the king he greeted him and went on digging.
Q. 33 Describe how the king passed his day with the hermit.

Answer- The king passed his day with the hermit in digging the earth in front of his hut and
taking care of the wounded man who was bleeding profusely.

Q.34 Who was the wounded man? Why had he turned the king‟s enemy?

Answer- The wounded man was the enemy of the king who decided to take revenge because
the king had executed his brother and seized his property.

Q.35 What were the king‟s feelings after learning the identity of the wounded man?

Answer- The king was very glad to have made peace with his enemy so easily and to have
gained him for a friend. He happily forgave him and promised to return him his property.

Q. 36 What is the poet‟s attitude towards life?

Answer- The poet has a very positive attitude towards life. He is not satisfied with the
pessimistic attitude of people who believe that life is unreal and just like a dream.

Q.37 What according to the poet, the lives of all great men teach us?

Answer- The lives of all great men teach us that with effort and persistence we too can met
our lives worthy and a great example for others to follow.

Q.38 What makes the human soul really dead?

Answer- In the poet‟s view, the soul that does not participate in life‟s challenges is essentially
dead.

Q.39 What does “sands of time” refer to?

Answer- Here the sands of time refer to history. All the great men of the past have led their
lives in such a manner that their way of living shows us the path. The poet makes his point
clear by giving the example of the footsteps of people on sand who have moved ahead of us.

Q. 40 What is the overall tone of the poem?

Answer- The poem is optimistic from the beginning to the end and on the basis it can be said
with certainty that the tone of the poem is inspiring.

Q.41 What according to the poet, the aim of human life?

Answer- The poet is of the opinion that humanity‟s destiny is not indulgence or misery, but to
act in such a manner that creates progress on a regular basis.

Q.42 What should be our attitude towards past and future?

Answer- The poet advises the readers not to place any certainty in the future no matter how
positive it may seem. At the same time he also suggests not to think about the past. Rather he
advises that one should live in the present wholeheartedly

Q.43 How can we make our life sublime?

Answer- In view of the poet, the way great people lived their lives is a proof that we can also
make our lives shining examples of human will and determination.

Q.44 Name the play from which the poem „The Seven Ages of Man‟ has been extracted.
Answer- The poem, „All the World is a Stage‟ is an extract from Shakespeare‟s famous
comedy As You Like It.
Q.45 According to the poet, which is the sixth stage of man‟s life?
Answer- The sixth stage of a man‟s life is old age. At this age, his body deteriorates
physically and mentally. His weak voice reflects his loss of vigour and vitality. This stage
gradually pushes him towards the seventh and final stage of his life.
Q.46 What does Shakespeare compare the world and human beings to?
Answer- William Shakespeare compares the world to a stage where each and every human
being is just an actor and who has a role to play as instructed by the director (God).

Q.47 Which is the final stage of man‟s life?

Answer- The last of a man‟s life is the stage of dotage and death. He starts losing control over
his senses, he becomes bald, toothless and his eyesight also weakens. He ultimately leaves
the world.

Q48. What would Matilda often dream of?

Answer: Matilda would often dream of living a life full of luxuries without any financial
worries. She would escape into her dreams to run away from the reality of her very humble
existence.

Q49 . Why did Matilda throw the invitation spitefully?

Answer: Matilda was simply displeased when her husband showed the invitation. She felt
humiliated and threw the invitation spitefully as she had nothing beautiful enough to wear to
such a grand gathering.
Q50. Describe Mme Loisel‟s success at the ball.
Or
Do you think M Loisel had an enjoyable evening at the ball? Give reasons for your
answer.
Answer: Mme Loisel was the centre of attention at the ball. Her beauty, her grace, her joy and
the gorgeous smile captivated all. She became the centre of attention of all men at the party.
She danced happily at her conquest of all.

Q51. What excuse did Loisels put up to explain the delay in returning the necklace?
Answer: Loisels had lost the necklace and needed time to find an identical one. Thus, Loisels
wrote a letter to Mme Forestier with an excuse that the clasp of the necklace was broken and
they needed time to get it repaired.

Q 52. How did Loisels manage to pay for the necklace?

Answer: The necklace cost Loisels thirty six thousand francs. Loisel used his entire
inheritance of eighteen thousand francs and the rest he had to borrow from the lenders.

Q53. How did Mme Loisel now know the life of necessity?
Answer :To pay the debt of eighteen thousand francs, Loisels had to stop living decently.
Matilda had to cook, clean, wash, mend, bring water and bargain with the butcher and grocer.
Her husband worked day and night to save whatever he could.

Q54. What do you think of M Loisel as a husband? Cite instances from the text to support
your answer.
Answer: M Loisel was a caring and supportive husband. He sacrificed his wishes and the
money he inherited from his father for his wife.

Q 55. Why was Matilda‟s friend astonished to see her at the end of the story?
Answer: Jeanne, Matilda‟s friend, could not recognise her as she seemed an old and worn out
poor woman. Matilda was no longer her former beautiful and joyous self.
Q 56. How did the Loisels react when they realised that the necklace had been lost?
Answer: Matilda Loisel became very sad when they realised that the necklace had been lost.
They were sure that the loss of necklace would make their life hell because Mr Loisel was
only a petty clerk and it was very difficult for him to replace necklace of diamond.

Q57. Why did Matilda not like to visit her rich friend?
Answer: Matilda had inferiority complex. Whenever she visited her rich friend she felt
dejected and disappointed because of her poverty. She used to compare her life with her
friend‟s. She did not have attractive dress and jeweller. That is why, she did not like to visit
her rich friend.

Q58. Why is Matilda unhappy with her life?

Answer: Matilda is unhappy with her life because she ceaselessly, felt herself born for all
delicacies and luxuries. The shabby walls, the worn chairs in her house tortured and angered
her.

Q59. What had Matilda‟s husband saved the money for?

Answer: Matilda‟s husband had saved a good amount of money to buy a gun for him. But
when his wife refused to attend the party without a new dress, he used the saved four hundred
francs to buy her costume.

Q60. What was the cause of Matilda‟s ruin? How could she have avoided it?
Answer: Matilda‟s aspiration and unrealistic dreams were the cause of her ruin. She paid due
importance to materialistic things. She could have easily avoided if she had remained within
her means. She was not a practical lady and had not understood her husband‟s feelings.

Q61. What did Mme Forestier tell Matilda about the reality of her Necklace?
Answer: After having lost the borrowed necklace, Matilda replaced it with a diamond
necklace bought for thirty-six thousand francs. But Mme Forestier told her that her necklace
was false costing about 500 francs.

Q62. What changes came into the life of Loisels after the necklace was lost?
Answer: They had to shift to a cheaper room and dismiss the servant. She did all the
household works and shopping by herself. She fetched water, washed the floor, utensils and
dirty clothes by herself. Matilda‟s husband worked in the evening and late at night to pay
back the debt.

Q63. Why was Mme Forestier shocked to hear Matilda‟s story?

Answer: One Sunday, while walking, Matilda happened to see Mme Forestier. Matilda called
her, but she could not recognise Matilda because she looked much older than her age. Mme
Forestier was shocked to know that Matilda had suffered so much worrying about losing her
necklace of real diamonds, whereas it was false.

Q64. What kind of a person is Mme Loisel? Why is she always unhappy?
Answer: Mme. Loisel is a woman who lives in the world of dreams. She gives much value to
her dreams and hence overlooks the realities of life. That is why she is always unhappy as
dreams are a virtual reality and can‟t be true.

Q65. What, was the cause of Matilda‟s ruin? How could she have avoided it?
Answer: The cause of Matilda‟s ruin was her dissatisfaction with whatever life offered her.
She was always unhappy. She felt that she was born for all the delicacies and luxuries of life.
She disliked being in her current circumstances. She could have avoided this ruin by bringing
content with whatever she had.
Q.66 What did Mme. Forestier tell Matilda about the reality of her Necklace?
Answer: After having lost the borrowed necklace, Matilda replaced it with a diamond
necklace bought for thirty-six thousand francs. But Mme Forestier told her that her necklace
was false costing about 500 francs..
Q.67 Do you think Matilda‟s over-ambitious nature was the cause of her miseries?
Answer: Yes, I do think that Matilda‟s overambitious nature led to her avoidable miseries.
Just to show herself a rich lady, she borrowed a necklace from her rich friend. Her miseries
started when the necklace was lost by her.

Q.68 What fresh problem now disturbs Mme Loisel?

Answer: After buying a pretty dress, Mme Loisel was bothered by yet another problem. She
had no jewels to adorn herself with. She said she would feel inferior and have a poverty-
stricken look. Her husband -” suggested that she should wear some natural flowers. However,
she refused and said that there was nothing more humiliating than to have a shabby air in the
midst of rich women.

Q69. How is the problem solved?

Answer: Mme Loisel‟s husband solved this problem. He told his wife to request her friend,
Mme Forestier, to lend her some jewels. When she went to Mme Forestier, the latter brought
a jewel case for Mme Loisel so that she could choose whichever jewels she liked.