Long Answers: Chapter - 8, Three Men in a Boat | English Class 9 PDF Download

Answer the following questions in detail:

Q.1. How could Harris and Jim escape from being blackmailed?

Ans. Harris and Jim stopped under the willow by Kingston Park and were enjoying their lunch when and old bald-headed man told them that they were trespassing the park and that it was his duty to remove them. Jim and Harris were not worried of it and Harris who well built and strong asked him how he would remove them. The man retreated from there. Actually he wanted some money by blackmailing them. He said that he would through them in the river after consulting his owner but when they both rebuked him angrily and threatened to kill him and his owner, the man disappeared and did never return.

Q.2. What are the views of Jim and friends of Harris regarding the singing talent of Harris?

Ans. Harris is confident that he can sing comic songs very well but his friends did not believe so. They say he will never be able to sing nor he should be allowed to try. Once in a party he got up to sing a comic song. After a long lecture on the qualities of a comic song, he sang the Judge’s song out of Pinafore. The nervous pianist tried to follow him but failed miserable. When he knew from his friends that he was singing the Admiral’s song from Pinafore, the over confident Harris argues a lot and takes a general roar of laughter as a compliment. He could not sing a single line properly but believed that he had really entertained his audience and assures that he will sing again after supper. Jim knows that he had made a fool of himself and dragged himself in a fix.

Q.3. Describe the intention of two young men behind the singing of German Professor.

Ans. The two young men intended to take revenge on the German singer for insulting them. These young men who had just returned from Germany seemed restless and uncomfortable in a fashion party. The polished conversation and the high-class tastes of the people were beyond their understanding. They brought a German professor to sing in the party. They announced that he was going to sing one of his most famous comic song. The prelude of the song was tragic, sullen and gloomy. When he sang these two young men laughed and roared. The audience not knowing German language, followed them and created a scene of comedy. The professor felt deeply insulted. They had done it knowingly to insult the German professor and make him a laughing stock. They took their revenge and left the other people heart-broken.

Q.4. Why German Professor was upset and felt insulted?

Ans. The German Professor had not imagined even in his wildest dreams that he would have to bear such insult during his performance. Though he sang the most tragic song in German language, but the audience sniggered and laughed at his song considering it to be a comic one. The professor tolerated their behaviour for some time but when he could not bear it anymore, he stopped and abused them with all the words he knew of English language.

Q.5. Describe the tragic and pathetic reasons behind the song sung by German professor.

Ans. The song was tragic and pathetic, the most famous song written and sung by the German professor. Once he sang it before the German Emperor who became so sad to hear it that tears fell from his eyes. Actually this song was related to the story of a young girl who sacrificed her life for her lover. When he died he met her spirit in the heaven but later on he left her spirit for the spirit of another girl. Thus the song contained a tragic, gloomy and pathetic touch.

Q.6. What surprised the two friends when they met George at Weybridge?

Ans. When Jim and Harris reached Weybridge, they were surprised to see George’s blazer on one of the lock gates. They suspected something unhappy has happened with George. But closer inspection showed that George was inside it. Montmorency barked furiously, Harris roared and Jim shrieked. George waved his hat and yelled back. Due to this commotion the lock-keeper rushed out thinking someone had fallen into the lock. George showed them a curious oilskin parcel. He told them that it was not a frying pan but a banjo which was very easy to play on as he had brought a instruction book.

Q.7. Blackmailers thrive because people do not oppose them. Give your opinions.

Ans. When Jim and Harris were enjoying their lunch in the park, an old man approached them and told them that they had trespassed into a private property. He also told them that his duty was to remove such people from the park and threatened to throw them into the river. Actually he wanted to get some money by blackmailing them. But the friends were bold and they did not succumb to his tactics and put up a brave encounter which made the man retreat quietly. The writer claimed that people in order to avoid any trouble, encourage them by giving into their demands. That was the reason the blackmailers thrived. He suggests people should oppose and question such people which can curb on such practices.

Q.8. Can language be a hurdle in getting the tone and theme of a song? What do you say?

Ans. Language can be a hurdle in understanding the wordings of a song but one can clearly get the tone and theme of a song when sung in some foreign language. We can understand whether the tone is tragic or comic. In the opisode of the German singer, the prelude of his song was tragic and pathetic. But people were confused by the two young men who laughed and pretended to show by their appearances that it was a comic song. People did not know the German so they were deluded by the expressions of the young men and they followed them and presented a comic scene. Had they been able to understand the German language, they would have never behaved in that manner.

Q.9. Write a diary entry from Herr Boschen’s side about how he felt after the party is over.

Ans. 
Monday,
March 25, 2017                                                                                                       
10 p.m

While singing that tragic song which was full of sentiments and emotions, I felt very sad. I expected pin drop silence and people to shed tears. But I was puzzled to see people laughing and roaring as if I was singing a comic song. I could not understand why people behaved in such a way. Emotions and sentiments are universal and language can be no barrier in grasping the soul and spirit of a song even if it is sung in an alien language. Tears lurked in my eyes but stopped them from rolling down my cheeks. Now I feel that I was foolish when I shook my fists and murmured nasty words to the listeners. How could I stoop so low and be a pedestrian. Fie on me. How can I call them uncivilized when I behaved like a denizen of a jungle. I should have told the audience about the song before hand or presented the theme through gestures. So I am to blame. I would like to be cautious in future.

Herr Slossenn Boschen