10.

Question 4

Read the passage given below and answer the questions (a), (b) and (c) that follow

(1) "I think," said the dentist, stepping outside again, "Id better give you gas."
2) I knew that he would not hurt me. But for a time I kept up the
appearance of being
hurt every few minutes, just as a precaution. Then even that had ceased and I had
dropped into vainglorious apathy. It was this, of course, which had infuriated the
dentist. He meant to reassert his power. He knew that nothing but gas could rouse
me out of
my lethargy and he meant to apply it-either gas or some other powerful
pain stimulant.

3 "When are you going to do it?" I said in horror.

(4) "Right now, if you like," he answered.

5) "No, not now, I can't stay now," I said, "I have an appointment, a whole lot of 10
appointments, urgent ones, the most urgentIever had." Igave all the lame excuses
I could think of, but suddenly I felt a longing to attend it.
6) "Hold on," said the dentist. "You come tomorrow morning:Ill write theengagement
for ten o'clock."

went out. On the street I met a man I knew. "Have you ever taken gas from 15
a dentist?" I
asked.
INIT
 I asked about ilty people that t
(8) "Oh, yes," he said, "it's nothing" Altogether all said day
absolutely nothing. They that
about gas, and they all said that it was
because I knew
So then I was glad thatat gas
it wouldn't hurt me, that it was nothing.
.

was nothing. I kept the appointment.

had on, white Coats
rigid as
there with two assistants. All three
a

(9) The dentist was

that a gas tank and
in a long chair After
naval uniforms. I was laid out in my shroud
a set of rubber
tubes were fastened tight ove
a pump were placed beside me and

my mouth and nose. (b

in The sensation of this part of it I cannot,
(10) Then they began pumping gas. to administer the gas,
recall. It happened that just as they began
unfortunately, Meanwhile they were
was overtired.
tell asleep.I don't quite know why. PerhapsI
I
operating
someone dealt me powertul a blow in
(11) Of course I didn't feel it. All I felt was that
took a pickaxe and cracked in
the face with a sledgehammer. After that somebody
my jaw with it. That was all.
teeth. I them to remove one, but I realised that
(12) I went home with no only meant
matter. Not my bill.
long after I received
they had taken them all out. Still it didn't
I was astounded at the nerve of it! For administering gas, so much; for removing

teeth, so much;-and so on. In return I sent in my bill amounting

to $400 for mental
agony, for putting me under gas,tor having fun with me under gas and for saying

to the nothingness of gas.

gross lies in regard
(13) My bill has been contested and is in the hands of a solicitor. The matter will prove,
l understand, a test case and will go to the final courts. If the judges have toothache
during the trial, I shall win.

(a) i) Given below are three words and phrases. Find the words which have a
meaning in the passage:

1. made someone angry.

2. shocked. .

3. suffering *********** *****

(ii) For each of the words given below, write a sentence of at least
ten words usingt
same word unchanged in form, but with a different

carries in the passage:

meaning from that whi

1. power (line 5).. ** *********************.*

 2 engagement (line 1.3).

appointment (line 20)..

(b) Answer the following questions in your own words as briefly as possible:

(i) What excuses did the narrator give to avoid the appointment with the dentist? 12

(ii) Describe the appearance of the staff and the equipment in the dentise's clinic. (2

(iii) What bill did the dentist give to the narrator? In return, what bill did the narrator

give to the dentist? (21

(o In not than 100 words, mention the humorous elements in the passage. (Paragraphs
more

8 to 13). Failure to keep within the word limit will be penalised. You will be required to
mmary in the form of a connected passage in about 100 words.

UNIT 3