Class 9 English Chapter 1 Practice Question Answers - The Snake and the Mirror

Q1: What does the narrator say about the room where he lived?
(a) It was a small rented room.
(b) It was not electrified.
(c) There were too many rats in it.
(d) All of these
Ans: (d)
The narrator describes his living situation, mentioning that his room was small, rented, lacked electricity, and had an issue with rats, indicating that all the options are true.

Q2: What did the thief leave behind?
(a) The doctor’s diary
(b) The doctor’s vest, the dirty one
(c) The doctor’s book
(d) The doctor’s wallet
Ans: (b)
After the theft, the thief only left behind the doctor's dirty vest, as mentioned in the story.

Q3: Why could the doctor not sleep in the room?
(a) Because it was very hot.
(b) Because the rats were making a lot of noise.
(c) Both (a) and (b).
(d) Neither (a) nor (b).
Ans: (c)
The doctor couldn't sleep due to the combined discomfort of the hot weather and the noisy rats.

Q4: What does the narrator say he was an admirer of?
(a) Art.
(b) Beauty.
(c) Nature.
(d) Classical music.
Ans: (b)
The narrator mentions that he was an admirer of beauty, indicating his appreciation for aesthetically pleasing things.

Q5: What did the narrator do after coming into the room?
(a) He lighted a kerosene lamp.
(b) He switched on the light.
(c) He lighted a candle.
(d) He sat down in the dark.
Ans: (a)
Upon entering the room, the narrator lit a kerosene lamp to provide illumination.

Q6: Why did the doctor feel insulted when he found his dirty vest?
(a) Because he realised how unhygienic he was
(b) Because the thieves had turned his vest dirty
(c) Because the vest was burnt
(d) Because the thieves cleaned out his entire room leaving behind his dirty vest
Ans: (d)
The doctor felt insulted because the thieves had ransacked his room but left only his dirty vest, which added to his humiliation.

Q7: What time did he come back to his room?
(a) At about ten in the morning.
(b) At about two in the afternoon.
(c) At about six in the evening.
(d) At about ten in the night.
Ans: (d) The doctor returned to his room late at night, around ten o'clock.

Q8: What is the economic condition of the doctor?
(a) The doctor was living luxuriously.
(b) The doctor is not economically sound.
(c) The doctor was in debt.
(d) The doctor is prosperous and has a lavish lifestyle.
Ans: (b)
The doctor's economic condition is not stable; he is facing financial difficulties and isn't well-off financially.

Q9: What was it that had fallen at the narrator’s back?
(a) A rubber tube.
(b) A big rat.
(c) A fat snake.
(d) A dead mouse.
Ans: (c)
A fat snake fell on the narrator's back, surprising and shocking him.

Q10: What is our opinion about most of the snakes?
(a) fearsome symbols of death
(b) faithful friends
(c) loyal to the human being
(d) not harmful to us
Ans: (a)
Many people generally view snakes as symbols of danger and death.

Q11: What happened when the narrator saw a snake landing on his shoulder?
(a) He cried in fear.
(b) He trembled in fear.
(c) He jumped up from the chair.
(d) He was turned to stone.
Ans: (d)
The sight of the snake landing on his shoulder left the narrator so terrified that he was frozen in fear, as if turned into stone.

Q12: What is the snake trying to escape?
(a) stone
(b) bullet
(c) mud
(d) stick
Ans: (d)
The snake is attempting to escape from a stick being wielded, indicating its fear of being attacked.

Q13: Where did the narrator have his meal?
(a) At home.
(b) At his friend’s house.
(c) At his uncle’s house.
(d) At a restaurant.
Ans: (d)
The narrator had his meal at a restaurant, suggesting that he did not eat at home or at a friend's or relative's house.

Q14: What did he do with the comb?
(a) He cleaned it with a brush.
(b) He ran it through his moustache.
(c) He threw it away into the dustbin.
(d) He ran it through his hair and adjusted the parting.
Ans: (d)
The narrator used the comb to tidy his hair and adjust the parting.

Q15: What kind of woman did he want to have as his wife?
(a) A woman doctor with a good medical practice.
(b) A woman who had plenty of money.
(c) A woman too fat to run after him.
(d) All of these.
Ans: (d)
The narrator humorously expresses his desire for a wife possessing multiple qualities, including being a successful doctor, wealthy, and physically unable to chase after him.

Q16: Why did the narrator live in a small rented room?
(a) He was unmarried.
(b) His earnings were very small.
(c) There was no other room available.
(d) It was very close to his clinic.
Ans: (b)
The narrator's limited income compelled him to reside in a small rented room due to financial constraints.

Q17: What sound did he hear while sitting on the chair?
(a) The squeak of a rat.
(b) The hiss of a snake.
(c) The dull thud of something falling to the ground.
(d) The sound of somebody coming into the room.
Ans: (c)
While sitting on the chair, the narrator heard a dull, muffled noise that indicated something had fallen onto the ground.

Q18: How did the narrator feel when the snake coiled around his left arm?
(a) He felt as if a leaden rod was piercing his heart.
(b) He felt as if he was going to die.
(c) He felt as if God had come there to save him.
(d) He felt as if a rod of fire was crushing his arm.
Ans: (d)
The sensation of the snake coiling around his left arm was intensely painful, making the narrator feel as if his arm was being squeezed and crushed by a fiery rod.

Q19: How did the narrator react when he saw a fat snake on his shoulder?
(a) He did not jump.
(b) He did not tremble.
(c) He did not cry out.
(d) He neither jumped nor trembled nor cried out.
Ans: (d)
Despite the shock of seeing a fat snake on his shoulder, the narrator managed to maintain his composure and did not display any overt signs of fear.

Q20: What happened when the narrator turned around to see what had fallen there?
(a) A fat snake landed on his shoulder.
(b) A fat snake fell on the back of his chair.
(c) A fat snake fell to the ground.
(d) A fat snake wriggled from his shoulder to the back of the chair.
Ans: (a)
As the narrator turned around to investigate the source of the noise, a fat snake unexpectedly landed on his shoulder, causing a moment of panic and surprise.