Going Places MP Board Questions and Answers

Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meanings from the context:

(i) incongruity

(ii) prodigy

(iii) chuffed

(iv) solitary elm

(v) arcade

(vi) amber glow

(vii) wharf

(viii) pangs of doubt

Answer:

(i) incongruity : inconsistency, Sophie wondered at the incongruity of the delicate bow.

(ii) Arcade : a covered passage, Sophie met him (Casey) in the arcade.

(lit) Prodigy : extremely talented, ….three of them of the young Irish prodigy, Casey.

(iv) Amber glow : shining through a kind of yellow resin, the table lamp cast an amber glow across her brother’s bedroom wall.

(v) Chuffed : rude, I’d have thought he’d be chuffed as anything.

(vi) Wharf: a landing place beside a sea, path lighted only by the glare of the lamps from the wharf across the water.

(vii) Solitary elm : lonely tree (a kind of), there was a wooden bench beneath a solitary elm where lovers came.

(viii) Pangs of doubt : pains of uncertainty.

Going Places MP Board Questions and Answers

Q1.Where was it most likely that the two girls would find work after school?

Ans: Sophie and Jansie would soon pass out of their school. Only a few months were left. Jansie knew very well that both of the them were earmarked for biscuit factory. Sophie had wild dreams about her career. Jansie was a realist. She knew that they did not pay well for shop work and Sophie’s father would not allow her to work there.

Q2. What were the options that Sophie was dreaming of? Why does Jansie discourage her from having such dreams?

Ans: Sophie wanted to open a boutique. It would be the most amazing shop that city had ever seen. Alternatively, she would become an actress and have the boutique as a side business. She also thought of being a fashion designer. Jansie had her feet firmly planted to the ground. She wanted Sophie to be sensible and drop all her utopian plans because all of them required much money and exprience.

Going Places MP Board Questions and Answers

Q1.Why did Sophie wriggle when Geoff told her father that she had met Danny Casey?

Ans: Sophie knew her father well. He would be angry if he knew of her meeting with the young Irish footballer, Danny Casey. She didn’t tell him. When Geoff told his father about it, he became angry. He turned Ms head to look at her with disdain. Sophie wriggled where she was sitting at the table.

Q2.Does Geoff believe what Sophie says about her meeting with Danny Casey?

Ans: No, Geoff doesn’t believe what Sophie says about her meeting with Danny Casey. First, he looks round in disbelief and says, “It can’t be true”. Again he says, “I don’t believe it.” Sophie then narrates how Danny Casey came and stood beside her. Geoff asks her, “What does he look like?” So, he doesn’t seem to be convinced that Sophie met Danny Casey.

Q3. Does her father believe her story?

Ans: No, Sophie’s father does not believe her story. When Geoff tells him that Sophie met Danny Casey, his father looked at SopMe with disdain. He ignores her totally. He thinks that it is yet another ‘wild story’. He begins to talk about Tom Finny, another great football player.

Q4. How does Sophie include her brother Geoff in her fantasy of her future?

Ans: Geoff was always the first to share her secrets. So, she told him about meeting Danny Casey. She also told him about her plan to meet him next week. She suspected areas of his life about wMch she knew nothing. She longed to know them. She wished that someday he might take her with him. She saw herself riding there behind Geoff.

Q5. Which country did Danny Casey play for?

Ans: Danny Casey played for Ireland.

Going Places MP Board Questions and Answers

Q1. Why didn’t Sophie want Jansie to know about her story with Danny?

Ans: Jansie was very interested in things that did not concern her. She wanted to know other people’s affairs. She would spread the news in the whole neighbourhood. So, Sophie didn’t want Jansie to know about her story with Danny. It may also be mutual rivalry and one-up manship on her part. Sophie was startled to learn that Geoff had told Jansie about her story with Danny.

Q2. Did Sophie really meet Danny Casey? [Delhi 2014]

Ans: No, Sophie did not really meet Danny Casey. She was very fascinated by the young Irish footballer. She imagined his coming. She sat in the park, waiting for Casey and knowing that he would not come. She felt sad. Sadness was a hard burden to carry. She was always lost in a dreamy world where she imagined Casey meeting her.

Q3. Which was the only occasion when she got to see Danny Casey in person?

Ans: The only occasion when Sophie got to see Danny Casey in person was when the family went to watch United on Saturday. Sophie, her father and little Derek went down near the goal. Geoff went with his mates higher up. United won two-nil. Her idol Casey drove in the second goal. She saw the Irish genius going round two big defenders on the edge of penalty area. He beat the hesitant goal keeper from a dozen yards. Sophie glowed with pride. She was very happy.

Going Places MP Board Questions and Answers

Q1. Sophie and Jansie were classmates and friends. What were the differences between them that show up in the story?

Ans: Sophie and Jansie are poles apart in tastes and temperament. Sophie has fantastic dreams and floats in a fairy land. She is an incurable escapist who won’t come out of her dreams. Jansie is down to earth—a realist. Sophie wants to do something sophisticated. Jansie knows that these things require a lot of money which their families do not possess. Jansie also knows that they were earmaked for the biscuit factory. She even advises Sophie to be sensible and practical. Sophie considers Jansie ‘nosey’ and does not want to confide in her.

Q2. How would you describe the character and temperament of Sophie’s father?

Ans:Sophie’s father has a plumpy face looking grimy and sweaty. He doesn’t seem to be a soft or sophisticated man. Sophie fears his agressive manliness. He is a realist and does not believe in his daughter’s wild stories. He loves watching football. He hopes young Casey will be as good as Tom Finney. He wishes that the young footballer keeps away from all distractions. He shouts instructions to Casey at the playground. When the Irish genius beats the hesitant goal keeper, Sophie’s father screams with joy and pride. He goes to a pub to celebrate the victory.

Q3. Why did Sophie like her brother Geoff more than any other person? From her perspective, what did he symbolise?

Ans: Geoff is the only person who listens to Sophie’s fantasies and long cherished dreams. Her father is too bossy and aggressive. He hates Sophie’s fantastic stories. Even little Derek – makes fun of her growing rich. Her classmate Jansie is ‘nosey’ and can’t be trusted with a secret. Only Geoff can be trusted to keep all the secrets of Sophie to himself.

From her perspective, Geoff symbolises an elder brother who has grown up and visited places unknown to her. She wished that someday her brother might take her to those places. He is sympathetic and cautions her by telling her that Casey might have strings of girls. He warns her that he would never show up again. He speaks softly so as not to break the heart of the young dreamer.

Q4. What socio-economic background did Sophie belong to? What are the indicators of her family’s financial status?

Ans: Sophie belongs to a lower middle class family. She is an escapist and has wild dreams. She dreams of things she can’t have in real life. Jansie tells her that boutique needs a lot of money. Sophie knows that the family doesn’t have money. She says, “If ever I came into money, I’ll buy a boutique.” Even little Derek understands her unrealistic nature.

Geoffs occupation reflects their socio-economic background. He is an apprentice mechanic. He travels to his work each day to the far side of the city. His jacket is shapeless. Her father lacks sophistication. He is a heavy breathing man. He sits in his vest at the table. He grunts and tosses one of little Derek’s shoes from his chair on to the sofa. There is stove in the same room where dirty washing is piled in a comer. Sophie’s father goes to pub on his bicycle. All these indicators confirm their lower middle-class family background.

Going Places MP Board Questions and Answers

Q1.Sophie’s dreams and disappointments are all in her mind.

Ans: Sophie is a young school-girl belonging to a lower middle-class family. She wants to rise from the situation in which she finds herself. She is an incurable dreamer and escapist. She dreams of opening a boutique. Her classmate Jansie, who had her feet firmly planted on the ground, tells Sophie that opening a boutique requires a lot of money and experience and she has neither of them. Sophie, who floats in a dreamy world of her own, dreams of becoming an actress or a fashion designer. She has dreams of a hero also. She develops fascination for Danny Casey, the wonder-boy of football. She sees him in action only once when he scores the second goal for United. She imagines him coming to her and tells her brother about the meeting. She goes on waiting for him on the next date but he does not turn up. She becomes sad and carries the burden of sadness all the times. Thus, her dreams and disappointments are the creations of her mind.

Q2.It is natural for teenagers to have unrealistic dreams. What would you say are the benefits and disadvantages of such fantasising?

Ans: Teenagers have boundless enthusiasm and ambitions. They have sweet dreams and go on fantasising. It is natural for them to do so. Every youth is a dreamer. Every great scientist or writer has a dream. Without some thing to aspire for one can’t strive to achieve that goal. Dreams lead to the golden gate of success. Some teenagers float in the world of fantasy. They have unreal dreams. It is just like a child asking for the moon. Their feet are in the mud and they dream of the stars in the sky. Such fantasising results in disappointment and disillusionment. A dreamer who fails to realise his dream is labelled a failure. Those who realise their dreams become heroes and achievers in their spheres. I think it is better to have dreams even if we fail to realise them. Who would have dreams if the teenagers don’t—will these grey-headed, grey-bearded persons have dreams? Let the teenagers indulge in their natural activity and dream of a golden future. They will strive to translate them into reality.

WORKING WITH WORDS

Notice the following expressions. The highlighted words are not used in a literal sense. Explain what they mean.

•Words had to be prized out of him like stones out of a ground.

•Sophie felt a tightening in her throat.

If he keeps his head on his shoulders.

•On Saturday they made their weekly pilgrimage to the United.

•She saw … him ghost past the lumbering defenders

Ans. (i)Phrase Meaning : Words had to be prized out of him. He was so silent that words had to be extracted from him with great difficulty or force.

(ii)Phrase Meaning : … a tightening in her throat. Sophie felt a stiffness in her throat and felt upset.

(iii)Phrase Meaning : … keeps his head on his shoulders. If he is sensible or intelligent.

(iv)Phrase Meaning : … they made their weekly pilgrimage. They went to see the football match every week as if they were visiting a holy place.

(v) Phrase Meaning :… ghost past. Making a silent move or running to dodge/deceive.

NOTICING FORM

Notice the highlighted words in the following sentences:

1.“When I leave,’ Sophie said, coming home from school, “I’m going to have a boutique.”

2. Jansi, linking arms with her along the street, looked doubtful.

3.“I’ll find it,” Sophie said, staring far down the street.

4. Jansie, knowing they were both earmarked for the biscuit factory, became melancholy.

5.And she turned in through the open street door leaving Jansie standing in the rain.

-When we add “ing” to a verb we get the present participle form. The present participle form is generally used along with forms of “be’, (is, was, are, were, am) to indicate the present continuous tense as in “Sophie was coming home from school.”

-We can use the present participle by itself without the helping verb, when we wish to indicate that an action is happening at the same time as another.

-In example 1, Sophie “said” something, “Said”, here, is the main action.

-What Sophie was doing while she was “saying” is indicated by “coming home from school”. So we get the information of two actions happening at the same time. We convey the information in one sentence instead of two.

-Analyse the other examples in the same way.

-Pick out five other sentences from the story in which present participles are used in this sense.

Ans. 1.“She thinks money grows on trees, don’t she, Dad? said little Derek, hanging on the back of his father’s chair. ,

2.She was conscious of a vast world out there waiting for her …

3.She saw herself riding there behind Geoff.

4.Here I sit, she said to herself, wishing Danny would come, wishing he would come

and sensing the time passing.

5.She waited, measuring in this way the changes taking place in her.

6.Sitting here waiting and knowing he will not come I can see the future…

Going Places MP Board Questions and Answers

Notice these words from the story.

•“chuffed”, meaning delighted or very pleased

•“nosey”, meaning inquisitive

•“gawky”, meaning awkward, ungainly.

These are words that are used in an informal way in colloquial speech.

Make a list of ten other words df this kind.

Ans. (i) “boutique”, meaning a shop selling fashionable clothes or expensive gifts.

(ii)“dad”, meaning father.

(iii)“scooping”, meaning picking up something with a spoon.

(iv)“prized out”, meaning extract some infrmation with difficulty or force.

(v)“muttered”, meaning murmured.

(vi)“pub”, meaning a place where one can drink.

(vii)jeered”, meaning taunted.

(viii)“damn”, meaning ‘go to hell!’

(ix)“ghost past”, meaning moved unseen and unheard.

(x)“huh”, meaning an expression showing disagreement.

WRITING

-Think of a person who you would like to have as your role-model.

-Write down the points to be discussed or questions to be asked, if you were asked to interview that person on the Television show.

Ans: ..........................

1.Welcome, Sunil to our chat show. How do you feel at this stage of life?

2.Sachin Tendulkar has broken your record of hitting the highest number of test hundreds. How do you react to that?

3.What helps you to keep fit and smart at this age?

4.What are your current international engagements?

5.What do you prefer—writing books on cricket or commenting on television?

6.Have you ever thought of coaching India?

7.Would you like to be involved intimately in grooming budding talent, if offer comes from the right quarters?

8.What are your plans for helping the players to get a better deal?

9.How do you balance your international engagements with you personal obligations?

10.What are your interests other than cricket?

THINGS TO DO

1.Look for other stories or movies where this theme of hero worship and fantasising about film or sports icons finds a place.

Ans: Extension Activity : To be attempted under the guidance of the teacher.

Going Places SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q1. What does Sophie dream of doing after she passes out of school? Why do you call it a ‘dream’ and not a ‘plan’?

Ans: Sophie dreams to have a boutique of her own. It will be the most amazing shop the city has ever seen. She says that she will buy a boutique if ever she comes into money. She does not mind becoming an actress to run a boutique as a side business. Since she has no money or experience, it is called a ‘dream’ and not a ‘plan’.

Q2. What are the other dreams of Sophie in addition to having a boutique?

Ans: The greatest dream of Sophie is to have a boutique. She wants to be a bit sophisticated and rise above her lower-middle class status. Her other dream is of being an actress as “there’s real money in that”. Moreover, actresses don’t work full time. She can look after her first love i.e. boutique as a side business. She has another option. She can be a fashion designer, and do something sophisticated.

Q3. Why does -Jansie say : “Soaf, you really should be sensible” ?

Ans: Jansie knows Sophie’s family background and financial position. She knows that both of them are earmarked for that biscuit factory. Sophie dreams of big and beautiful things like having a boutique or becoming an actress or a fashion designer. All these things need a lot of money and experience. Sophie has neither of them. So Jansie being down-to-earth advises her to be sensible and stop having wild dreams.

Q4. Compare and contrast Sophie and Jansie?

OR

Jansie is Sophie’s classmate and friend but doesn’t entertain any ‘wild dreams’like her. Why?

Ans: Sophie and Jansie are classmates and friends, but the similarity ends here. They are poles ’ apart in thinking and temperament. Sophie is an incurable dreamer and escapist. She dreams of big and beautiful things, which are beyond her reach.

On the other hand, Jansie is realistic and practical. She knows that they are poor and will have to work in the biscuit factory after leaving school. She is well aware that big things require big money and experience, which they don’t have. It is better to live in reality and think accordingly.

Q5. What job is Geoff engaged in? How does he differ from his sister, Sophie?

Ans: Geoff is a grown up boy. He left school three years ago. Now he is an apprentice mechanic. He has to travel to his work each day to the far side of the city. He speaks little but listens to his sister’s ‘wild stories’. But he is not a day dreamer like her. He knows the financial limitations of his family. He cautions Sophie against entertaining dreams for a celebrity like Danny Casey.

Q6. Why was Sophie jealous of Geoff’s silence?

Ans: Geoff was almost grown up now. He spoke little. Words had to be extracted out of him like stones out of the ground. Sophie was jealous of his silence. She knew that when he was not speaking, he was away somewhere. He was out in the surrounding country—in those places she had never been. She wanted to share her brother’s affection.

Q7. What does Sophie tell Geoff about her meeting with Danny Gasey? How does Geoff react to it?

Ans: Sophie tells Geoff that she met Danny Casey. Geoff is surprised. He looks round abruptly and asks ‘where?’ Sophie replies that she met him in the arcade. Geoff can’t believe her. He says, “It’s never true.” He asks her, “What does he look like?” She replies that he has green eyes and is not very tall. Geoff is still not convinced.

Q8. How does Sophie’s father react when Geoff tells him about her meeting with Danny Casey?

Ans: Geoff informs his father that Sophie had a meeting with Danny Casey. He turns his head on his thick neck to look at her in disbelief. His expression is one of disdain. He ignores the news and goes on to talk about Tom Finney. He hopes that Danny will he like Tom Finney one day. When Sophie says that Casey is going to buy a shop, he reacts sharply. “This is another of your wild stories.”

Q9. “He don’t believe you—though he’d like to.” Who says so, about whom and in what context?

Ans: Geoff says so to Sophie about their father. He reacted sharply to her account of meeting Danny Casey. Geoff said that she had met him in the arcade and then told him how it had been. Their father said aggressively that she was going to talk herself into a load of trouble. Sophie asked Geoff to confirm that it was true. It was then that Geoff uttered these remarks. *-

Q10. Why do you think, does Goeff tell Sophie the following?

(i)“Casey must have strings of girls.”

(ii)“As if he’d ever show up.”

Ans: Geoff knows that Sophie is still very young and immature. She is crazy after Danny Casey, the Irish wonder-boy. He tries to convince Sophie that a celebrity like Casey must have a large number of girls running after him. She says that he doesn’t have any. He will give her autograph next week if she cares to meet him next week. Geoff is not convinced. He doubts if he would ever show up.

Q11.Who was Danny Casey? How did the members of Sophie’s family react towards him?

Ans: Danny Casey was a young Irish football player. He played for the United. The Irish prodigy could easily dodge the defenders and score goals. Sophie’s father was a football fan. He admired old heroes like Tom Finney and young wonder boy Casey. Geoff had a large poster of United first team squad on his bed room wall. There were three coloured photographs of Casey in the row below it. Every Saturday they went to watch United play.

Q12. Why was the visit of Sophie’s father and his family to watch United ‘their weekly pilgrimage’ ?

Ans: Sophie’s father was a keen footfall fan. He took great interest in the career of Danny Casey, the Irish prodigy. Geoff, too was interested in football. Sophie considered Danny Casey her personal hero. She always dreamt of him. Casey was playing for United. The family visited the stadium regularly to watch him. So the family’s visit was like a religious or holy weekly ritual—a pilgrimage.

Q13. Where did Sophie meet Casey and what transpired between them?

Ans: Sophie met Danny Casey in the arcade. It was she who spoke first and asked if he was Casey. He looked surprised. He was certainly Danny Casey as he had the Irish accent. She had already heard him on television. She asked him for an autograph for little Derek. But neither of them had any paper or pen. Before going he promised to give his autograph if she cared to meet him next week.

Q14. What promise does Sophie want Geoff to make and why ?

OR

Why does Sophie say: “Promise you’ll tell no one” and “Promise, Geoff-Dad’d murder me.”

Ans: Sophie wants to confide in Geoff what happened dining her meeting with Danny Casey. Before telling him the details, she wants him to promise that he would tell no one about her meeting and the next ‘date’. She is afraid of her father’s anger. She fears he would murder her. Geoff assures her that she is quite safe. Their father does not believe such wild stories.

Q15. Did Geoff keep his promise? How do you know?

‘ OR

Why did Sophie say “Damn that Geoff, this was a Geoff thing not a Jansie thing.”

Ans: Sophie had told Geoff about her meeting with Danny Casey and asked him to promise that he would tell no one. It was a secret between the two—something special just between them. Geoff did not keep his promise. He told Jansie’s brother Frank about it. Sophie cursed Geoff, as it was his doing, not Jansie’s.

Q16. Why did Sophie not want Jansie to know anything about her meeting with Danny Casey?

Ans: Sophie knew that Jansie was ‘nosey’. She was very inquisitive by nature. She took special interest in knowing new things about others. Sophie did not trust Jansie as she could not keep a secret. She could spread the rumour in the whole neighbourhood.

Q17. How did Jansie react at Sophie’s story of her meeting with Danny Casey ? [Delhi 2014]

Ans: Jansie was a classmate and friend of Sophie. She lived in the same neighbourhood. She knew Sophie quite well. She was also aware of Sophie’s habit of dreaming. On learning of her meeting with Danny Casey, her first reaction was of disbelief. “You never did”, exclaimed Jansie. But when Sophie told her about her request for autograph, Jansie softened a little and said, “Jesus, I wish Fd have been there.”

Q18. What did Sophie want to keep a secret from her father and why? How did Jansie react to this disclosure?

Ans: Sophie told Jansie that she wanted to keep her meeting with Casey a secret. There would be a row if her father knew it. Jansie thought that he would be pleased. Sophie told Jansie what a misery her father was. Moreover, she did not want crowd of people asking him about Danny Casey and her. She feared that he would murder her. Her mother felt upset whenever there was a row. Jansie assured Sophie that she could trust her to keep the secret.

Q19. Why did Sophie choose to walk by the canal? What did she do there?

Ans: Sophie walked by the canal along a sheltered path. It was far away from the noise and crowd of the city. It was a place where she had often played when she was a child. There was a wooden bench beneath a solitary elm tree. Lovers sometimes came there. That was the most suitable place where she could dream of her hero Danny Casey.

Q20. How did Sophie react as she kept sitting for hours, waiting for Danny Casey and imagining his coming?

Ans: At first Sophie was optimistic. She imagined him coming out of the shadows. When time had elapsed, pangs of doubt stirred inside her. She became sad and despondent. Danny would not come there at all. She feared that people would laugh at the story of her meeting with Casey.

Q21. Sophie is a typical adolescen.t hero-worshipper who carries her fantasising too far. Comment.

Ans: Sophie is a dreamer and an escapist. She is also a hero-worshipper. Danny Casey, the wonderful Irish football player was her hero. She indulged in wishful thinking and dreams of meeting him. Her imagined meeting gave her immense pleasure. But the pangs of not meeting him made her sad and despondent.

Q22. “Sophie’s dreams and disappointments are all in her mind.” Do you agree? Give reasons in support of your answer.

Ans: I fully agree with the observation. Sophie’s dreams and disappointments are all in her mind, she is a hero-worshipper. The Irish prodigy is her hero. She imagines her meeting with him. Her day-dreaming makes her sad and despondent. The idea that Casey will not come at all is quite painful to her. Thus, her dreams and disappointments are products of her mind only. They have nothing to do with reality. ‘

Q23. Why did Sophie long for her brother’s affection? [All India 2014]

Ans: Geoff was not veiy talkative. He was an introvert. Sophie thought that Geoff had access to the world where she had not got even a chance to visit. She wanted to be the part of her brother’s world. That is why she longed for his affection.

Going Places  LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q1. What impression do you form of Sophie on reading the story ‘Going Places’?

OR

Sophie has her own dreams and disappointments, but they are all her creations—the creations of her own mind. Justify the statement.

Ans: Sophie is a young school girl. She dreams of big and beautiful things. Some of these are beyond her reach or her means. Her ambitions have no relation with the harsh realities of life. She thinks of having a boutique. She wants to have the most amazing shop this city has ever seen. Then she entertains the idea of being an actress There’s real money in that.’ Actresses do not work full time. So she would nm the boutique as a side business. If need be, she can be a fashion designer. She doesn’t realise that her family is not rich enough and her dreams can’t be fulfilled.

Sophie develops a romantic fascination for Danny Casey. He is a young Irish football player and the hero of her dreams. She indulges in hero worship. She tells a story that she met Casey. Her father calls it another of her “wild stories”. Even Geoff does not believe her. He tries to caution her. Casey is a celebrity. Many girls run after him. But Sophie ignores him.

She is an incurable dreamer. She has seen Casey only once, but all the time she thinks of him. She sits alone and waits for his arrival. She becomes sad and despondent when Casey does not come. She suffers because of her dreams. These dreams and disappointments are all the creations of her mind.

Q2. Compare and contrast Sophie and Jansie highlighting their temperament and aspirations.

Ans: Sophie and Jansie are class-fellows and friends. They belong to lower middle class families. Both of them are earmarked for biscuit factory. Jansie’s feet are firmly planted on the ground. But Sophie is totally blind to the harsh realities of life. She dreams of big and beautiful things. She wants to have a boutique. She thinks of becoming an actress as there is lot of money in this profession. If need be, she can also be a fashion designer. In short, she loves to be grand and sophisticated. All her dreams are beyond her reach and resources. Jansie advises her to be sensible, but she remains a romantic dreamer.

Sophie and Jansie differ in thinking and temperament. Sophie is lost in her dream world. She shares her secret with only one person. It is her elder brother Geoff. Jansie is ‘nose/. She takes interests in learning new things about others. She can spread the story in the whole neighbourhood. So, Sophie doesn’t want to share secrets with her.

Sophie is an incurable dreamer and escapist. She is a hero-worshipper. She adores the young Irish footballer Danny Casey. She develops a fascination for her. She becomes sad and helpless but she doesn’t become wiser. She remains a dreamer. Jansie is practical and realist. She has no such unrealistic dreams.

Q3. Describe the bond between Geoff and Sophie in spite of differences in their temperament and thinking.

Ans: Geoff was Sophie’s elder brother. He was three years out of school. He was an apprentice mechanic. He travelled to his work each day to the far side of the city. He was almost grown up now. He spoke very little. Sophie was jealous of Geoff’s silence. He was quiet

and didn’t make new Mends easily. He thought that Sophie was too young and immature. Geoff was mature enough to understand his limitations and those of his family. He never dreamt of big and beautiful things.

In spite of difference in their temperaments, there was a close bond between the two. Geoff was always the first to share Sophie’s secrets. He knew that Sophie’s story of meeting with Danny Casey was not true. Still he listened to her. Sophie confided in him. Her secret was something special just between them. It was not meant for nosey Jansie who would spread it in the whole neighbourhood. Geoff tried to persuade Sophie. He warned her that Danny Casey was a celebrity. He must have many girls like her running after him. Sophie told him that Casey would give her an autograph if she cared to meet him next week. Geoff did not believe “he’d ever show up.” Thus, he acted like an elder brother.

Geoff and Sophie share a common trait. It is their fascination for the Irish prodigy, Danny Casey. But they differ in their thinking. Like his father, Geoff wished Casey to be a great footballer one day. Sophie had romantic fascination for Casey. It was something else other than football.

Q4. Who was Danny Casey ? How was he adored by the family of Sophie, and specially by Sophie and her father ?

Ans: Danny Casey was an Irish Prodigy. He was a wonderboy of football. He had won the hearts of his countless fans. He played for United. Sophie’s family was obsessed with the Irish genius. Sophie’s father compared young Danny Casey to another great football player Tom Finney. He wished that Casey might be that good someday. He knew there were a lot of distractions for a youngster in the game those days. He wished that Casey would keep his head on his shoulders. Geoff remarked that he was with the best team in the country. He hoped that Casey would prove even a better player than Tom Finney. Geoff considered him the best. His father thought that he was too young for the first team. The fact was that with his exceptional ability he was playing for the first eleven.

On Saturday, Sophie’s family made their weekly pilgrimage to the stadium to watch United play their match. They watched their hero Danny Casey in action. He was running, going round the two big defenders. Then he was on the edge of the penalty area. Sophie’s father was screaming for him to pass. They saw him beating the hesitant goal keeper from a dozen yards. He scored the second goal. United won two-nil. Sophie glowed with pride. Geoff was ecstatic. Someone wished he were an Englishman. Little Derek declared that Ireland would win the world cup. Their father went to the pub to celebrate.

Sophie adored Danny Casey. She had a romantic fascination for the Irish prodigy. Her young heart throbbed for her hero. She imagined Casey coming to her. She would sit under an elm tree, waiting for Casey and dreaming of him. She realised that he would not come. This made her sad and dejected. Sophie became a victim of her own dreams and disappointments.

VALUE-BASED QUESTIONS

Q1. The unrealistic dreams determine negativity and failure. Childhood dreams sometimes dishearten and disappoint the people. Write an article on the topic, “Horrors of Unrealistic Dreams” taking ideas from the following lines:

“For some while, waiting, she imagined his coming. She watched along the canal, seeing him come out of the shadows, imagining her own consequent excitement.”

Ans:                                         Horrors of Unrealistic Dreams

People harbour fierce and uncontrollable desires. The search for a better life is one of the most basic desires of human beings. But they substantially deviate from the path of righteousness when they feel that their unquenchable desires can never be fulfilled. They found themselves in the depths of depression. The mortals should use their wisdom to set

realistic goals. Imagination is thrice away from reality. Undoubtedly, the human race is

governed by its imagination. But it is also a harsh reality of life that ‘He who has imagination

without learning has wings but no feet.’ One should not forget that there is a difference

between real life and reel life. The happenings of dreams cannot take place in this physical

world. Those who ignore the present situation while setting their goals repent later. Man

has to identify his latent talent and potential to materialise his goals. One should have thorough knowledge of one’s interests and outlook.

Q2. The world we are living in is replete with hypocrites and ditchers. It becomes difficult for us to confide our secrets to someone. But it is important to have someone you can confide in. Discuss the topic taking ideas from the following expressions:

“Sophie glared at the ground. Damn that Geoff, this was a Geoff thing not a Jansie thing. It was meant to be something special just between them. Something secret. It wasn’t a Jansie kind of thing at all.”

Ans: Man is a social animal. He has to interact with the fellow human beings to give vent to his emotional grievances and sentimental grudges. He needs a person, a Mend to confide in his secrets. This dog eat dog world has numerous people who seem to be trustworthy. But they are pretenders, hypocrites and opportunists. A person who leads a lonely life never feels happy and contented. His life becomes a hell. Expression of thoughts lightens the human soul. It is a matter of fact that there is dearth of true Mends. People do not believe in one another. Material prosperity and unhealthy competition have eroded trust. Our forefathers worked together, lived together and earned their livelihood together. In the modem world lack of trust has created nuclear families. The concept of joint family was based on the principles of trust, honesty and brotherhood. These virtues have no significance in the present age. Trust gives us strength and courage to overcome the obstacles coming in the life. It is said that a Mend in need is a Mend indeed. We must have someone with us whom we can tell our secrets and reveal the truth. There should be a person who could objectively listen to our candid confessions.

Q3. “Children begin by loving their parents. After a time they judge them. Rarely, if ever, do they forgive them.” The attitude of parents shape the child’s perception. Write an article on effective parenting taking ideas from the following lines:

“Sophie’s father was scooping shepherd’s pie into his mouth as hard as he could go, his plump face still grimy and seat—marked from the day… outside the pub she passed her father’s bicycle propped against the wall, and was glad”

Ans:    Effective Parenting

Taking care of children requires infinite patience, great tolerance and profound wisdom. Children are emotional and delicate creatures. They should not be treated as things. People scold children frequently. Consequently, they become rude and arrogant. Those who thrash the tiny tots tend to forget that children intend to explore the mystery of physical objects. All the things available at home make the children curious. Their insatiable curiosity gets stimulated and stirred when they get freedom to touch them. Their spontaneity must not be hindered. Parents should encourage children to create new things. They should develop their interest in various activities so as to make their lives colourful. Their questions asked out of innocence should be answered thoughtfully. It is a universally accepted fact that children learn by imitating others. Parents should never argue with each other in presence of their children. They should treat the children in an affectionate way. They should play the role of a Mend, teacher, councilor and parents.