Q.1 : What are some of the signs of approaching winter referred to in the text?
ANS : Some of the signs of approaching winter referred to in the text are birds begin to fly south, people want new warm coats and dead leaves falling.
Q.2 : Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following.
(i) Soapy did not want to go to prison. _______
(ii) Soapy had been to prison several times. ________
(iii) It was not possible for Soapy to survive in the city through the winter. _________
(iv) Soapy hated to answer questions of a personal nature. _________
ANS : (i) False
Soapy wanted to go to prison.
(ii) True
(iii) False
There were places in the city where he could go and ask for food and a bed. These would be given to him.
(iv) True
Q.3 : What was Soapy’s first plan? Why did it not work?
ANS : Soapy's first plan was to go and have a good dinner at some fine restaurant. Then he would say that he had no money to pay. And then a cop would be called. It would all be done very quietly. The cop would arrest him. He would be taken to a judge. The judge would do the rest. It did not work because as he put his foot inside the restaurant door, the head waiter saw his broken old shoes and the torn clothes that covered his legs. Strong and ready hands turned Soapy around and moved him quietly and quickly outside again.
Q.4 : “But the cop’s mind would not consider Soapy”. What did the cop not consider, and why?
ANS: The cop's mind would not consider Soapy because according the cop, men who break windows do not stop there to talk to cops. They run away as fast as they can.
Q.5 : “We have orders to let them shout”. What is the policeman referring to?
ANS : When Soapy began to shout as if he was drunk, the cop turned his back to him and said to a man standing near that the person shouting was one of the college boys and he would not hurt anything. He said that the police had orders to let them shout.
Q.6 : Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of the following.
(i) Soapy stole a man’s umbrella. _______
(ii) The owner of the umbrella offered to give it to Soapy. _______
(iii) The man had stolen the umbrella that was now Soapy’s. _______
(iv) Soapy threw away the umbrella. _______
ANS : (i) True
(ii) False
(iii) True
(iv) True
Q.7: “There was a sudden and wonderful change in his soul”. What brought about the change in Soapy?
ANS : "There was a sudden and wonderful change in his soul". It was brought about when Soapy saw his old childhood home. He decided to fight to change his life. He would pull himself up, out of the mud. He would make a man of himself again.
