NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English - A Dog Named Duke

Q1. Based on your reading of the story answer the following questions by choosing the correct option.

(a) With reference to Hooper, the author says, “Everything was going for him.” What does it imply?
(i) He had everything that a man aspires for.
(ii) People admired him.
(iii) He did what he wanted.
(iv) He was capable of playing games.

Ans: (i) He had everything that a man aspires for.

(b) Duke never jumped on Chuck again because _____________
(i) Duke was paralysed and unable to jump.
(ii) Chuck was angry with Duke for jumping at him.
(iii) Duke realised that Chuck was not well and could not balance himself.
(iv) Marcy did not allow Duke to come near Chuck.

Ans: (iii) Duke realised that Chuck was not well and could not balance himself.

(c) The author says that Duke ‘knew his job’. The job was _____________
(i) to look after Chuck.
(ii) to get Chuck on his feet.
(iii) to humour Chuck.
(iv) to guard the house.

Ans: (ii) to get Chuck on his feet.

(d) “_______ even Duke’s presence didn’t reach Chuck”. Why?

(i) Duke was locked in his kennel, and Chuck couldn’t see him.
(ii) Duke hid himself behind the bedpost.
(iii) Duke had come to know that Hooper was not well.
(iv) Hooper was lost in his own grief and pain.

Ans: (iv) Hooper was lost in his own grief and pain.

Q2. Answer the following questions briefly.

(a) In 1953, Hooper was a favoured young man. Explain.
Ans: Hooper was fortunate in every way. He was healthy, tall, happy and satisfied with life. Professionally, he was in the top slot, working as Zonal Sales Manager of a chemical company.

(b) They said that they would create a desk-job for Hooper at headquarters.

(i) Who are they?
Ans: ‘They’ refers to the people from Hooper’s chemical company who paid a visit to the hospital.

(ii) Why did they decide to do this?
Ans: Hooper remained on the critical list for a month. His condition showed no improvement; he was unable to move and could only breathe and see. So out of sympathy, the company people made this offer.

(c) What special qualities made Duke an extraordinary dog?
Ans: Duke was not only faithful and loyal, but he was also gifted with extraordinary intuition, foresight, and a deep understanding of human behaviour. He knew exactly how he could accomplish the impossible task of making Chuck walk.

(d) What problems did Chuck present when he returned to the company headquarters?
Ans: Hooper was not totally fit and yet wanted to join his work. The company people did not know how to handle Hooper. Seeing his positive spirit and enthusiasm, nobody in the company had the courage to tell him that he would not be able to handle his old job, which required 24-hour agility and movement. They found him a misfit for his old job.

(e) Why do you think Charles Hooper’s appointment as Assistant National Sales Manager is considered to be a tribute to Duke?
 Ans: The manner in which Duke helped Charles Hooper to get over his handicap proved that objectives can be realised if planned step by step. Dogged determination, ability and perseverance in little measures, one by one, can achieve the impossible. So, Hooper’s promotion was the company’s way of acknowledging Duke’s contribution.

(f) What thoughts do you think might have crossed Chuck’s mind when Marcy quietly went to work and Chuck was alone with his thoughts?

Ans. When Chuck was alone after Marcy left for work, he probably felt sad and frustrated. He couldn't move much and couldn't talk well because of his injury. He might have wondered how he would get better and if things would ever go back to how they were before the accident. He felt reduced to a paralysed, crippled man, forced to lie in bed alone with his thoughts.

(g) ‘Small wins help achieve big goals.’ Support, with evidence from the text, to show how this applies to Chuck.

Ans. Chuck's journey shows that taking small steps every day can lead to big achievements:

• Starting to Walk: At first, Chuck could barely stand up without falling. But with Duke's help, he took a few steps each day, slowly getting stronger.

• Daily Progress: Chuck and Duke set small goals, like walking to a new spot each day. They celebrated each little success, which kept Chuck motivated.

• Reaching Big Milestones: Over time, Chuck could walk longer distances. Eventually, he even walked to his office again, which seemed impossible at first.

These small victories helped Chuck recover and achieve his goal of returning to work, showing that small steps can lead to big changes.

Q3. Following dates were important in Charles Hooper’s life in some way. Complete the table by relating the description with the correct dates.

Ans:

Q4.  Read the diary entry written by Charles Hooper on the day he received the order, “……Charles Hooper is appointed Assistant National Sales Manager.”

March 1, 19….Thursday              

The last four years have been rather eventful. The day I brought Duke home…. (Marcy was almost impolite to him because she would have preferred a Pomeranian to a Doberman) …. to a stage on October 12, 1957 (when she would not allow anyone else to carry the injured Duke to the vet)… much water flowed under the bridge. 

From being a very fit, high-charging Zone Sales Manager, I was reduced to a paralysed cripple forced to lie on a bed alone with my thoughts due to a small error by a car driver. Despair had led me on to helplessness… Was I to be a vegetable for the rest of my life? I never wanted to be a burden on Marcy.

 Duke’s re-entry into my life lifted my numbed spirits. The day he made me take my first step, there was a rekindling of hope. Duke assumed all the responsibility to lead me back to my office desk … Life had taken a full circle. From shock to denial and helplessness to anger, Duke taught me to cope with the challenges and led me to accept the changed mode of my life. Today, I am happy to be living as well as working successfully. 

The order that I have just received is my tribute to Duke, who would always be alive with me and be a part of everything else I achieve in my life. 

When a person loses something, he is shocked and gets into a state of denial leading to anger. In such a situation coping well leads to acceptance and a changed way of living in view of the loss. Using Hoopers’s diary entry as a cue, write your views in the form of an article on ‘Coping with Loss’ in about 150 words. 

Ans. Gain and loss are two sides of life's coin, and everyone experiences loss at some point. A person's true courage is revealed during these challenging times. Those who are strong and brave accept loss with resilience, understanding that they must endure what cannot be changed. In contrast, some individuals struggle, reacting with shock, denial, and anger, which can lead to feelings of disconnection from life. 

In the story 'A Dog Named Duke', Charles Hooper was once a dynamic and successful man until a tragic accident left him paralysed and bedridden. Initially, despair consumed him, but the presence of Duke, his dog, rekindled his hope. Hooper chose to confront his loss and adapt to his new reality. With Duke's support, he took small steps towards recovery, eventually accepting a desk job. He set a goal to work a full day again by March 1, and his determination paid off when he was promoted to Assistant National Sales Manager. 

Hooper's journey demonstrates that coping with loss can lead to personal growth and a new way of living. His experience illustrates the importance of acceptance and the potential for renewal in the face of adversity.