Class 11 English Notes Chapter 5 Punjab | Rawalpindi board for Punjab and Rawalpindi board, MCQs, True / False, Match the Columns, Grammar, Questions Answers, and 1st Year FSc Part-1 notes.
Class 11 English Notes Chapter 5 Punjab | Rawalpindi board
i. Why did Manana accuse Hubert of picking the lost pocketbook?
Answer:
Manana had seen Hubert picking up something on the way to the market place where the pocketbook had been lost. He mistook it as the pocketbook but it was a piece of string.
ii. What did the people think of Hubert when they heard the return of the pocketbook by some other person?
Answer:
When the people heard about the return of the pocketbook by some other person, they still refused to accept that Hubert was innocent. They believed that he had fabricated a scheme to save himself and had picked up the pocketbook.
iii. Why did George give the pocketbook to his employer?
Answer:
Being a simple, uneducated villager, George was unable to read the pocketbook owner’s particulars from its contents. Therefore, he thought it would be more appropriate to give the pocketbook to his employer in order to have it handed over to its rightful owner.
iv. What made Hubert shameful?
Answer:
What made Hubert feel shameful was not the false accusation of theft itself, but being considered a liar made him feel humiliated. Although he was an honest and truthful man, Hubert felt that being called a liar was a disgrace to his self-esteem and character.
v. Why did the people make fun of his innocence?
Answer:
The people made fun of Hubert’s innocence in order to amuse themselves. They narrated the story to each other in the manner of a soldier who had been on a campaign and shared anecdotes of his battles.
vi. Why did he keep claiming his innocence before his death?
Answer:
Hubert kept claiming his innocence even on his deathbed because he considered it shameful that people considered him a liar and a dishonest person. He did not want to die in disgrace.
Q 4. Answer the following questions in 100-150 words.
i. Write down a note on the character of Hubert.
Answer:
Hubert is the protagonist of the story ‘The Piece of String’ written by Guy de Maupassant. Hubert has been portrayed as a man of humble origins who becomes the face of the false accusation of theft and the harsh treatment of his fellow villagers. Hubert has been described as a “simple countryman”, a “peasant” by profession who was an “honest” person and a sensitive soul at heart. When Hubert is accused of stealing the pocketbook of Mr. James, he is astounded. Despite his persistent efforts, when the villagers also refuse to accept that he is innocent and consider him a liar, he takes it to his heart. He feels ashamed to be called a liar and unable to withstand this “disgrace to his self-esteem and character” the poor man reaches his deathbed.
ii. Write ten lines on the mentality of the people who did not believe Hubert.
Answer:
The people who did not believe Hubert did not have any fair sense of judgment. They were so narrow-minded that they only listened to one side of the story and believed it. In spite of the fact that they had been living close to Hubert in the same village for years, they blindly followed the fabricated accusation of theft, doubting his honesty.
Even when George discovered the pocketbook and gave it to Mr James, the villagers believed that it is a scheme of Hubert to save himself and refused to believe that he is innocent. These hardhearted people made him a laughing stock in the society. They made his life difficult and the sensitive soul took the disgrace of his fellow villagers to his heart. Their death at the end of the story proves that God is just and such people who mistreat and accuse innocent people making their lives miserable always meet a bad end.
iii. Why did the Mayor not believe the innocence of Hubert?
Answer:
The mayor was informed by Manana, whom he considered a competent and trustworthy officer that Hubert had stolen the pocketbook. Since, he could not believe that his credible officer Manana could be mistaken. So when Hubert spoke in his defence and informed the mayor that he had picked up a piece of wire not the pocketbook, he refused to believe him saying; “You will not make me believe that Mr Manana, who is a man of worthy credence, mistook the cord for a pocketbook.” Moreover, the poor peasant did not have any credible proof to prove his innocence.
iv. Was it necessary for Hubert to continue pleading his innocence?
Answer:
Hubert did not need to continue pleading his innocence. When the villagers refused to believe that he was innocent even after George discovered the pocketbook and gave it to Mr James, he should not have continued making efforts in order to prove his innocence. There was no need of making futile efforts to convince these people who accused him and made fun of him as they believed in one side of the story.
v. What suggestions can you give to Hubert to save him from such a humiliating situation?
Answer:
Hubert should have left the village of heartless people who could not even recognize the truth of his character and doubted his honesty. Being a peasant by profession, Hubert could live and work somewhere else instead of taking it to his heart. In this way, he could have survived.
Grammar
Q 6. Punctuate the following lines.
i was seen with the pocketbook who saw me Mr manana the harness man saw you pick up the pocketbook
Answer:
“I was seen with the pocket-book? Who saw me?” “Mr Manana, the harness man saw you pick up the pocketbook.”
Q 7. Use the following words in your sentences.
purchase, attentive, surprised, astounded, shook
Answer:
i. I am happy with my recent purchase of shoes as they came with a discount offer of thirty percent of the original price.
ii. The students were not only attentive but also participated actively during English class.
iii. The indifference of the little boy’s mother towards his deteriorating health surprised me.
iv. What intrigued me was Ali’s astounded reaction at the successful completion of his colleague’s project.
v. Recollecting the memories of his youth, the old man shook his head and sighed.
Q 8. Read the passage and answer the questions given at the end.
Suddenly, at the sound of drumbeat in the court, everybody rose from the seats except a few ones who still had the food in their hands. After the drumbeat had ceased, the drumbeater called out to the people who were now attentive and impatiently waiting for him to call out the public announcement. “It is hereby made known to the inhabitants of this place and general to all persons in the market that a black leather pocketbook containing five hundred shillings and some business papers was lost on the road between 9.00 and 10.00 in the morning. The finder is requested to return the same to the mayor’s office or to Mr James, the caretaker of this public hall. There will be a reward of 20 shillings”.
i. Did all the people rise on hearing the sound of drumbeat?
ii. What was the announcement made by the drumbeater?
iii. Who was the owner of the lost pocketbook?
iv. Where was the pocketbook lost?
Answer:
i. All the people did not rise on hearing the sound of the drumbeat. Those who still had the food that they were eating in their hands remained seated.
ii. The drumbeater announced that a black leather pocketbook containing five hundred shillings and some business papers had gone missing on the road between 9:00 to 10:00 in the morning. The finder was requested to return the same to the mayor’s office or to Mr. James who was the caretaker of that public hall.
iii. The owner of the pocketbook was Mr. James who was also the caretaker of the public hall in which the announcement was made.
iv. The pocketbook was lost on the road of the market between 9:00 to 10:00 in the morning.
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