NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Hornbill Chapter 6 The Browning Version

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NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English Hornbill The Browning Version

QUESTIONS FROM TEXTBOOK SOLVED

Question 1:
Comment on the attitude shown by Taplow towards Crocker-Harris.
Answer:
Taplow is respectful towards Mr. Crocker-Harris and likes him for his principles. He criticises him for being a feelingless person yet regards him an extraordinary master. He is mortally afraid of him and dare not cut the extra work even on the last day of the term.

Question 2:
Does Frank seem to encourage Taplow’s comments on Crocker-Harris?
Answer:
Yes, Frank seems to encourage Taplow’s comments on Crocker-Harris. He shows appreciation for Taplow’s imitation of Mr Crocker-Harris and asks him to repeat it. On smother occasion, Frank tells Taplow not to keep a good joke (narrated in the style of Mr Crocker Harris) to himself but to tell it to others.

Question 3:
What do you gather about Crocker-Harris from the play?
Answer:
Mr Crocker-Harris appears as a stem master who is a man of principles and stickler to the rules. He believes in fair assessment of his students and is not swayed by emotions, as the man is hardly human. He is not a sadist, but strict in performance of his duties. Even on his last day at school, when he is over-busy in his own affairs, he does not neglect his duty towards his students.

Talking About the Text

Discuss with your partners.
Question 1:
Talking about teachers among friends.
Answer:
Commenting on their teachers is something that most students do. Students are quite intelligent and keen observers. Teachers are their role models and the students judge their performance not only on the basis of their mastery over the subject hut also by their method of teaching, communication skills, interaction with students and their general nature and behaviour. Teachers must not feel offended to learn the nick name their dear students have showered upon them. Teachers may sometimes think that the boys don’t understand anything, but this is wrong. Talking about teachers among friends is a favourite pastime of students. They appreciate their virtues and condemn their shortcomings. Even strict persons win the love and admiration of students if they are men of principles.

Question 2:
The manner you adopt when you talk about a teacher to other teachers.
Answer:
We should be respectful and polite when we talk about a teacher to other teachers.
Normal courtesy requires that we should add ‘Mr’ ‘Miss’ or ‘Mrs’ before the name of the teacher and use his/her full name. A teacher should never be mentioned by the nick name he/she has been given. In other words, our approach should be quite formal. The dignity of a teacher should not be lowered before another, even if the person being talked about lacks some qualities you like most. Our remarks should never be derogatory or rude. It is bad manners to run down our teachers and specially so if it is done in the presence of other teachers. We are judged by our actions as well as words. The other teachers may form a very low and unfavourable opinion about us on the basis of a lapse on our part. Hence we must be extra cautions during our interactions with our teachers.

Question 3:
Reading plays is more interesting than studying science.
Answer:
Science is based on the study of some facts, concepts, principles and their application. It demands cool reasoning and concentration of mind to solve numerical problems and to balance complicated equations. One has to be alert, regular, systematic and punctual. If we miss one class, we miss the link. On the other hand, reading plays provides us more amusement. Most of the plays contain a beautiful plot and a number of characters with diverse traits. Their actions, reactions and interactions provide a lot of fun and laughter and make the reading of the play quite interesting. Witty dialogues, irony of situations and intricacies of plots make the plays full of humanity and quite absorbing. We never feel bored while reading a play. Every dialogue or action unfolds something new and we eagerly wait for what is to follow next. The study of science proves dull and cold as compared to the interesting reading of plays.

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C. Working with Words

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:

  1. 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…
  2. A person who believes that war and violence are wrong and will not fight in a war: P…
  3. A person who believes that nothing really exists: N…
  4. A person who is always hopeful and expects the best in all things: O….
  5. A person who follows generally accepted norms of behaviour: C ….
  6. A person who believes that material possessions are all that matter in life: M…

Answer:

  1. purist
  2. pacifist
  3. nihilist
  4. optimist
  5. conformist
  6. materialist

II. Notice the following words in the text. Guess the meaning from the context.
ncert-solutions-for-class-11-english-hornbill-the-browning-version-1
Answer:

  • remove: a form/class or division (in a school)
  • slackers: persons who are lazy and avoid work
  • muck: dirt/mud : something very unpleasant
  • kept in: made to study in classroom after school hours
  • got carried away: got very excited; lost control of feelings
  • cut: miss class
  • sadist: a person who gets pleasure out of giving pain to others.
  • shrivelled up: squeezed up

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

A. Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
What do you learn about Tap low from the initial conversation between him and Mr Frank?
Answer:
Tap low is a boy of sixteen. He is still in the lower fifth. He can’t specialise until the next term if he gets his form/division all right. Since his master, Mr Crocker-Harris has not told him the result, he will have to wait till the next day to learn his fate.

Question 2:
“You know that he’s like, sir” says Tap low. What leads him to say so? What light does this throw on the man talked about?
Answer:
Taplow does not know if he has got his form. It is because, his master, Mr Crocker-Harris does not tell them the results like the other masters. He is a bit different. When Frank says that a rule says that form results should only be announced by a headmaster on the last day of term, Tap low says that none else except Mr Crocker-Harris pays attention to it. This shows that the man is a stickler to the rules.

Question 3:
Which course of study does Tap low prefer and why?
Answer:
Tap low prefers science to literature. He finds it a good deal more exciting than his play which he considers quite unpleasant.

Question 4:
How does Tap low react to Mr Frank’s query? ‘And you considered view is that the Agamemnon is muck?’
Answer:
Tap low modifies his stand. He says that he doesn’t think the play is a muck. It has a good plot in fact, a wife murdering her husband and all that. His opinion is based on the way it is taught to them—just a lot of Greek words strung together and fifty lines if one gets them wrong. Thus Taplow draws a fine distinction between the study of science and literature.

Question 5:
For whom is Tap low waiting and why? How does he feel?
Answer:
Tap low is waiting for his master, Mr Crocker-Harris. He has come in to do extra work on the last day of term because he missed a day last week when he was ill. Since the weather is quite fine, he feels quite unhappy to be confined in a room. He might as well be playing golf.

Question 6:
How according to Tap low Mr Crocker-Harris is unlike other masters?
Answer:
Other masters would certainly give a chap, a form after his taking extra work, but Mr Crocker-Harris is unlike them. When Taplow asked him about his form, he told the boy that he had given him exactly what he deserved: no less; and certainly no more. Taplow is afraid that he might have marked him down, rather than up for taking extra work.

Question 7:
How does Tap low react to Frank’s suggestion, “Why don’t you cut? You could still play golf before lock-up”?
Answer:
Taplow is really shocked at this suggestion. He reacts strongly and says that he couldn’t cut Mr. Crocker-Harris. It has never been done during his stay there. If he did so, nobody could predict the consequences. Perhaps he would follow Tap low home or do some such extraordinary thing.

Question 8:
Why do you think, Frank envies Mr Crocker-Harris’? What possible reasons make him so unique?
Answer:
Frank envies Mr Crocker-Harris for the effect he seems to have on the boys in the form. They all seem scared to death of him. He wants to know what he does: whether he beats them all or does something else which is awe inspiring. Taplow informs Mr Frank that Mr Crocker-Harris is not a sadist.

Question 9:
How according to Taplow does Mr Crocker-Harris differ from other masters in his reactions towards others?
Answer:
Mr Crocker-Harries is not a sadist like some other masters. He does not get pleasure out of giving pain. If he were a sadist, he would not be so frightening. It would show he has some feelings, but he hasn’t any. He’s all dry like a nut. He seems to hate people to like him, but other masters like being liked.

Question 10:
What leads Mr Frank to comment “I’m sure you’re exaggerating”?
Answer:
Tap low says that Mr Crocker-Harris seems to hate people to like him. Yet, in spite of everything, Taplow does rather like him. He can’t help him. He thinks that sometimes Mr crocker-Harris notices it and that seems to shrivel him up even more. This observation of Tap low seems far-fetched. So Mr Frank remarks that he is exaggerating.

Question 11:
How does Tap low refute the charge that he is exaggerating?
Answer:
Tap low says that the other day Mr Crocker-Harris made one of his classical jokes in the class. Nobody understood it, so no one laughed. At last Tap low laughed because he knew the master had meant it as funny. He did so out of ordinary common politeness. Secondly he felt a bit sorry for him for having made a poor joke. Mr Crocker-Harris did not praise Tap low for it.

MCQ Questions for Class 11 English Hornbill Chapter 6 The Browning Version with Answers

Question 1.
What does ‘Remove’ mean in the chapter?
(a) a division in British Schools
(b) take away something
(c) unfasten
(d) get rid of

Answer

Answer: (a) a division in British Schools


Question 2.
How did Frank react upon the arrival of Mrs. Crocker – Harris?
(a) he was happy
(b) he was nervous
(c) he was relieved
(d) nothing as such

Answer

Answer: (c) he was relieved


Question 3.
Does Taplow think that Mr. Crocker – Harris is baised?
(a) Yes
(b) no
(c) May be
(d) Can’t Say

Answer

Answer: (b) no


Question 4.
Where was Mr. Crocker – Harris?
(a) At the Bursar’s
(b) At home
(c) At market
(d) At library

Answer

Answer: (a) At the Bursar’s


Question 5.
Why was Taplow worried that Mrs. Crocker – Harris might have heard what they were saying?
(a) as she had been standing for a few minutes when they were busy talking
(b) as she interrupted them talking about his husband
(c) as she heard them talking about Principal
(d) Don’t know

Answer

Answer: (a) as she had been standing for a few minutes when they were busy talking


Question 6.
How would you describe Millie Crocker – Harris?
(a) Thin Woman, late thirties, smartly dressed
(b) fat woman, forties
(c) thin woman, in her twenties
(d) thin women, smartly dressed

Answer

Answer: (a) Thin Woman, late thirties, smartly dressed


Question 7.
What is the name of Mr. Crocker – Harris’s wife?
(a) Millie Crocker – Harris
(b) Miley Crocker – Harris
(c) Haley Crocker – Harris
(d) never noticed

Answer

Answer: (a) Millie Crocker – Harris


Question 8.
What short name does Taplow call Mr. Crocker – Harris in his absence?
(a) Crock
(b) Harris
(c) Crocker
(d) Teacher

Answer

Answer: (a) Crock


Question 9.
At what time was Mr. Harris supposed to come to school?
(a) Six-thirty
(b) seven
(c) eleven
(d) twelve

Answer

Answer: (a) Six-thirty


Question 10.
Why did Taplow call Mr. Crocker – Harris ‘Hardly Human’?
(a) because he is a sadist
(b) he is all shriveled up
(c) He is very rude to everyone
(d) he finds peace in failing students

Answer

Answer: (b) he is all shriveled up


Question 11.
Why does Taplow have to do extra work?
(a) because he has missed his previous week due to illness
(b) because he didn’t performed well in his studies
(c) because he was there to help his teacher
(d) because he was called by his teacher

Answer

Answer: (a) because he has missed his previous week due to illness


Question 12.
What was Taplow doing on the last day of school?
(a) Extra Work
(b) Time pass
(c) Can’t say
(d) completing homework

Answer

Answer: (a) Extra Work


1. Who has written ‘The Browning Version’?
A. Terence Rattigan
B. Mr Edgar S. Woolard
C. Mr. Lester Brown
D. Kushwant Singh

2. Who are the three characters of the play ‘The Browning Version’?
A. Taplow, Alice and Mr. Harrow
B. Taplow, Frank and Mrs. Harris
C. Taplow, Frank, and Mr. Crocker – Harris
D. Alice, Frank and Mr. Crocker – Harris

3. What is the age of Taplow?
A. Fourteen
B. Sixteen
C. Twenty
D. Five

4. What does Frank do?
A. Student
B. Teacher
C. Principal
D. Parent

5. Who is Mr. Crocker-Harris ?
A. Principal
B. School Teacher
C. middle-aged schoolmaster
D. Don’t know

6. Where is the starting scene of the play set ?
A. School Classroom
B. School Playground
C. Home
D. Road

7. What was Taplow doing on the last day of school?
A. Extra Work
B. Time pass
C. Can’t say
D. completing homework

8. In which class does Taplow study in?
A. Lower fifth
B. seventh
C. ninth
D. lower tenth

9. Why does Taplow have to do extra work?
A. because he has missed his previous week due to illness
B. because he didn’t perfomed well in his studies
C. because he was there to help his teacher
D. because he was called by his teacher

10. Why does Taplow want Science as a remove?
A. because he has no option
B. because he finds the subject extremely interesting
C. because he is confused
D. Cant say

11. Why did Taplow call Mr. Crocker – Harris ‘Hardly Human’?
A. because he is a sadist
B. he is all shriveled up
C. He is very rude to everyone
D. he finds peace in failing students

12. What book was Taplow reading?
A. History textbook
B. The Agamemnon
B. Julius Caesar
D. Englsh Novel

13. At what time was Mr. Harris supposed to come to school?
A. Six-thirty
B. seven
C. eleven
D. twelve

14. Why was Frank jealous of Mr. Crocker – Harris?
A. because of the effect he has on students
B. because of his fame
C. because he was senior schoolmaster
D. because he was paid well

15. What short name does Taplow call Mr. Crocker – Harris in his absence?
A.Crock
B. Harris
C. Crocker
D. Teacher

16. How does Taplow react when Mr. Crocker – Harris cracked a joke in the class?
A. he laughed
B. he ignored it
C. he asked him what it meant
D. he did nothing

17. What is the name of Mr. Crocker – Harris’s wife?
A. Millie Crocker – Harris
B. Miley Crocker – Harris
C. Haley Crocker – Harris
D. never noticed

18. When did Mrs. Crocker – Harris entered the classroom?
A. When Taplow and Frank were discussing Mr. Harris
B. When no one was in the classroom
C. with Mr. Crocker – Harris
D. when only Taplow was in the classroom

19. How would you describe Millie Crocker – Harris?
A. Thin Woman, late thirties, smartly dressed
B. fat woman, forties
C. thin woman, in her twenties
D. thin women, smartly dressed

20. Who said the lines, ‘Come along, Taplow. Do not be so selfish as to keep a good joke to yourself.’?
A. Mr. Crocker – Harris
B. Millie
C. Frank
D. Principal

21. Why was Taplow worried that Mrs. Crocker – Harris might have heard what they were saying?
A. as she had been standing for a few minutes when they were busy talking
B. as she interrupted them talking about his husband
C. as she heard them talking about Principal
D. Don’t know

22. What was Millie carrying when she entered the classroom?
A. basket
B. books
C. knits
D. flowers

23. Where was Mr. Crocker – Harris?
A. At the Bursar’s
B. At home
C. At market
D. At library

24. What did Millie suggest to Taplow in her husband’s absence?
A. to go to chemist to get her prescription filled
B. to go to his home
C. to play golf
D. to wait

25. Does Taplow think that Mr. Crocker – Harris is baised?

A. Yes

B. no
C. May be
D. Can’t Say

26. How is Mr. Crocker – Harris different from other teachers?
A. as he is not biased
B. as he is strict
C. as he is old
D. as he is rude

27. How did Frank react upon the arrival of Mrs. Crocker – Harris?
A. he was happy
B. he was nervous
C. he was relieved
D. nothing as such

28. Who was Agamemnon?
A. he was American astrologer
B. he was an Egyptian king
C. he was the king of Mycenae in Greek mythology
D. Don’t know

29. What does ‘Remove’ mean in the chapter?
A. a division in British Schools
B. take away something
C. unfasten
D. get rid of

30. Does Mr. Crocker – Harris come to the school in the play?
A. Yes
B. No
C. Maybe
D. Can’t say

Answer key for Class 11 English Hornbill Book Chapter 6 – The Browning Version

Q. No.

Answer

Q. No.

Answer

Q. No.

Answer

1

A

11

B

21

A

2

C

12

B

22

A

3

B

13

A

23

A

4

B

14

A

24

A

5

C

15

A

25

B

6

A

16

A

26

A

7

A

17

A

27

C

8

A

18

A

28

C

9

A

19

A

29

A

10

B

20

C

30

B

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