Long Answers: Chapter - 7, Three Men in a Boat | English Class 9 PDF Download

Long answer type question

Q1. What happened when Harris tried to pick a bottle from the hamper?

Ans. Harris wanted to go to a pub for a drink. Jim told him that there was no pub for miles around and suggested to take out the bottle of concentrated lemonade lying in the bottom of the hamper. Harris with one hand searched for it and bent down. He also had to steer the boat at the same time. Mistakingly he pulled the wrong line and sent the boat into the bank. The shock upset him and he dived right into the hamper and stood there on his head holding on the sides of the boat, his legs sticking up into the air. Jim held his legs and hauled him back. This made him mad and furious.

Q2. Mention the reason of fleeing the writer from village church.

Ans. One golden morning of a sunny day, the writer visited the country church where he was so much impressed by the beautiful landscape that he became idyllic, poetical and it inspired him to imagine, to lead a blame less, noble and pious life free from sins and absurdities. But an old bald-headed man broke his reverie and asked him if he wanted to see the graves. The writer was disturbed as he was lost in the imagination and was not least desirous to see them. He got angry with the old man who again and again asked him to see the graves or sculls. The writer angrily said, “When you yourself are buried, I will come and see yours.” Troubled by the old man he fled from the village church.

Q3. Bring out the humour in the conversation between the old feeble hobbling sexton and the writer.

Ans. When the writer was brooding over life, friends, forgiveness and sin in the peaceful and charming landscape of a village churchyard, an old sexton disturbed him when he come shouting, ‘I am coming sir’. He repeatedly pleaded the writer to follow him, if he wanted to see the graves, if he was eager to see the sculls. The writer was maddened and he threatened him to kill the old fool. But the old man kept calm and his tone became softer. The writer went harsher and harsher but the old\ man coolly insisted on him to see the graves. The writer said angrily that he had a family graveyard and that he was not desirous to see the graves of strangers. The way the writer discourages the old man and the way he pleads to the writer to see the graves make the episode truly humorous. The writer flees at the mention of sculls.

Q4. “The less taste a person has in dress, the more obstinate he always seem to be.” What does the statement reveal about the speaker’s nature?

Ans. Jim, the writer, makes this statement when he talks about Harris’s taste of colours. He finds that Harry is poor at choosing the right colours of dress for himself. Harris likes orange and yellow but according to the writer his complexion was too dark for yellow coloured costumes. The writer attributes his obstinate nature to his choice of colours. The writer is somewhat more sophisticated in his attitude towards dress and likes red and black that match his golden brown coloured hair.