Very Short and Short Answers - Chapter - 1, Three Men in a Boat

Very Short Answer Type Question

Q.1.What will you do If you suffer from a headache?
Ans.  I'll take a painki

Q.2.Do you like to go out for a picnic?
Ans. Yes, I like to go for a picnic. / No, I do not like to go for a picnic.

Q.3.What can keep you healthy?
Ans. A long walk daily can keep us healthy.

Q.4.When should one get up In the morning?
Ans. One should get up early

Q.5. Do you know how to swim?
Ans. No

Short Answer Type Question

Q.1. What did the three friends-George, Harris, and the narrator-think about their illness?
Ans: George and Harris thought that they suffered from fits of giddiness. But the narrator was sure that he suffered from the ailment of liver. He was certain because he thought, after reading a patent liver pill circular, that he had the same symptoms of the ailment as described in it.

Q.2. What did the narrator come to know after reading a medical dictionary In the British Museum?
Ans: After reading about every disease alphabetically in the medical dictionary he came to know that he suffered from every disease mentioned in it except the disease called the housemaid's knee (arthritis).

Q.3. What were the medicines that the doctor prescribed the narrator?
Ans. The medicines prescribed were: 'One pound beefsteak, with one pint bitter  beer every six hours, a ten-mile walk every morning, and sleep at eleven sharp every night.'

Q.4. What conclusion did the friends arrive at about their ailments?
Ans. The friends Concluded that the remedy for their ailments Was 'rest' and a holiday. They thought that they should seek out Some old-world spot far away from the crowd.

Q.5. What did George suggest? Who disagreed with the suggestion?
Ans. George suggested that they should take a boat trip along the river. Montmorency the dog, disagreed with the suggestion.

Q.6. In What way author's illness different from his friend's
 Ans. The author actually suffers from a disease called 'hypochondria' whereas his friends suffer from strange attacks of giddiness.

Q.7. Why did the writer believe that he had all the diseases?
 Ans. A man suffering from hypochondria imagines that he has all diseases of the world and the writer suffers from 'hypochondria'.

Q.8. What did the three friends eat for supper and how was it funny?

Ans. They ate a little steak, onions, and some rhubarb tart. Having fancied of illness, they took no interest in their food for half an hour. It was an unusual thing for the writer. It is quite funny that they are not ill, still avoid eating rather enjoy drinking and smoking.

Q.9. How did the writer's family cure him from his supposed liver problem?

Ans. They struck him with clumps on his head and he felt cured of his liver problem. The incident also happened in the past with him.

Q.10. What surprised the two friends when George gave a suggestion?

Ans. George was a lazy person. He comes up with the find suggestion of taking a boat trip. His two friends were surprised, as they thought he was not capable of making such a sensible suggestion.

Notes and Definitions (Useful for understanding the chapter)

Hypochondria: Hypochondria is an anxiety disorder in which a person is excessively worried about having a serious illness despite little or no medical evidence. In the story the narrator's hypochondria makes him imagine symptoms of many diseases after reading about them.

Giddiness: A sudden feeling of unsteadiness, light-headedness or dizziness. George and Harris confuse their faint, momentary attacks of giddiness with real illness.

Housemaid's knee (arthritis): A condition where the knee becomes swollen and painful due to inflammation, often caused historically by kneeling work; commonly referred to as a form of arthritis.

Patent liver pill circular: A patent medicine advertisement or leaflet that promises cures for liver problems; such circulars often use alarming symptom lists so that readers may identify with them and buy the medicine. The narrator's reading of such a circular reinforces his belief that he has liver disease.

Medical dictionary episode: The narrator's visit to the British Museum and his reading of a medical dictionary (which lists diseases alphabetically) is used in the chapter for comic effect: by reading every entry he concludes he must have nearly every disease listed, demonstrating the absurdity of self-diagnosis without medical training.

Montmorency: Montmorency is the name of the dog who accompanies the three men. The dog adds humour to the narrative by reacting in animal ways that often contrast with the men's human anxieties.

Tips for Answering Short Questions in Exams

Read the question carefully and answer concisely. Use the names George, Harris, the narrator and Montmorency when the question asks about characters. When asked about the narrator's condition use the term hypochondria and give a brief explanation. For questions about incidents (for example, the medical dictionary or the doctor's 'prescription'), mention the specific event and its comic effect in the story. Keep answers to the point and use short sentences where clarity is needed.