Class 9 English Chapter 5 Question Answers - The Snake and the Mirror

Q1. What were V.M. Basheer and his friends discussing?

Ans: V.M. Basheer and his friends were deeply engaged in a discussion about snakes.

Q2. Who is the narrator of the story ‘The Snake and the Mirror’?

Ans: The narrator of "The Snake and the Mirror" is a homeopath. He shares a humorous and suspenseful story about an encounter with a snake, revealing his thoughts and experiences during this unexpected event.

Q3. Where did the narrator of the story ‘The Snake and the Mirror’ live?

Ans: The narrator lived in a small rented room.

Q4. Who shared the room with the narrator in the story ‘The Snake and the Mirror’?

Ans: The narrator shared the room with rats. As he opened the door, he heard a familiar noise, indicating that the rats were his only companions in the small, rented space.

Q5. What was his second earth-shaking decision?

Ans: The homeopath's second earth-shaking decision was to always maintain an attractive smile on his face. This choice was made to enhance his appearance, as he was both a bachelor and a doctor.

Q6. Who did the narrator decide to marry?

Ans: The narrator chose to marry a wealthy woman doctor who had a successful medical practice. This decision was influenced by his desire for financial stability and a partner who could support him.

Q7. How did the snake coil itself?

Ans: The snake coiled itself around my left arm, just above the elbow.

Q8. What happened when the snake looked in the mirror?

Ans: When the snake looked into the mirror, it uncoiled itself and moved closer to admire its reflection. This behaviour suggested that the snake was curious about its own appearance.

Q9. What did the snake seem to admire in the mirror?

Ans: The snake appeared to be admiring its own beauty in the mirror.

Q10. Where did the narrator spend his night when he was free from the snake’s grip?

Ans: The narrator spent the night at a friend's house after escaping the snake's grip. He quickly applied oil to himself, took a bath, and changed into fresh clothes, finding relief in the safety of his friend's home.

Q11. Who entered the narrator’s room in his absence during the night?

Ans: A thief entered the narrator's room during his absence at night. When he returned the next morning, he discovered that most of his belongings had been taken. The thief, however, left behind a final insult: the narrator's dirty vest.

Q12. Name the author of the story ‘The Snake and the Mirror’.

Ans: Vaikom Muhammad Basheer is the author of the story 'The Snake and the Mirror'.

Q13. What made the doctor narrates his encounter with a snake?

Ans: The doctor recalled his encounter with a snake during a discussion about snakes. This memory prompted him to share the story of his own experience, which was both humorous and memorable.

Q14. When did the incident regarding the snake take place?

Ans: The incident occurred after the doctor had finished his meal at a restaurant and returned to his room at around ten o'clock at night.

Q15. Why did the doctor have to light the kerosene lamp on reaching his room?

Ans: The doctor had to light the kerosene lamp because his room lacked electricity, leaving it completely dark at night. With limited funds, he could not afford a better accommodation.

Q16. What kind of room did the doctor live in?

Ans: The doctor lived in a small, poorly furnished room without electricity. This outer room had one wall facing an open yard and featured a tiled roof supported by gables resting on a beam. There was no ceiling, and the room was infested with rats.

Q17. Why did the doctor live in a small, poor house?

Ans: The doctor lived in a small, poor house because he had just begun his practice and was earning very little. His meagre income made it impossible for him to afford better accommodation.

Q18. What were the doctor’s possessions when he set up his medical practice?

Ans: The doctor had approximately sixty rupees in his suitcase when he established his medical practice. He also owned a few shirts, dhotis, and a single black coat, which he was wearing at the time.

Q19. “The sound was a familiar one.” What sound did the doctor hear? What did he think it was? How many times did he hear it? When and why did the sounds stop?

Ans: The doctor heard a familiar sound that he initially thought was the squeaking of rats in his room. He heard this sound three times, with short pauses in between. The noises stopped when the snake fell to the floor after trying to reach it.

Q20. Why did the doctor look in the mirror again and again?

Ans: The doctor frequently looked into the mirror because he had developed a fondness for his appearance. He wanted to enhance his looks and appear more handsome. Each glance allowed him to assess his features, comb his hair, and boost his vanity.

Q21. Which two ‘important’ and ‘earth-shaking decisions did the doctor make as he looked at his image in the mirror?

Ans: The doctor made two important decisions after looking at himself in the mirror. First, he decided to shave daily and grow a thin mustache to enhance his appearance, as he was still unmarried and wanted to look more attractive in his medical profession. Second, he resolved to marry a wealthy and plump lady doctor, believing that her size would ensure she could not chase after him if he made a mistake.

Q22. What kind of woman did the doctor decide to marry? Why?

Ans: The doctor chose to marry a wealthy woman who was a successful medical practitioner. He preferred her to be overweight, jokingly suggesting that if he made a foolish mistake, he could escape without her chasing him. However, this wish was expressed in jest and was never realised.

Q23. What did the doctor do when the snake landed on his shoulder?

Ans: When the doctor discovered a snake on his shoulder, he remained remarkably calm. Instead of panicking, he held his breath and stayed completely still, knowing that any movement could provoke the snake to strike. The snake's hood was only a few inches from his face, making it crucial for him to remain motionless.

He felt as if he had turned to stone, yet his mind was alert. As the snake slithered down his arm and onto the table, he quietly got up and exited the room, eventually running to safety. This experience left him shaken but unharmed.

Q24. When did the doctor feel like a foolish, weak person? Why?

Ans: The doctor felt like a foolish and weak person when he found himself in the grip of a frightening snake. At that moment, he realised there was no medicine available for a snake bite, leaving him feeling helpless and terrified. The pride he had moments before faded away, and he could only manage a feeble smile at his own stupidity and ill fortune.

Q25. How did the doctor feel when the snake coiled itself around his arm?

Ans: When the snake coiled around the doctor's arm, he experienced a sharp pain, as if a thick rod made of molten fire was crushing it. His arm felt weak and drained of all strength, leaving him in a state of distress.

Q26. What thoughts crossed the doctor’s mind when he saw the snake looking into the mirror?

Ans: When the doctor observed the snake gazing into the mirror, he pondered whether it was admiring its own beauty. He speculated that the snake might be contemplating trivial decisions, such as growing a moustache, applying eye shadow and mascara, or even adding a vermilion spot on its forehead. The doctor was uncertain about the snake's intentions, but it was clear that it was captivated by its reflection.

Q27. How was the doctor relieved of the hold of the snake?

Ans: The snake became distracted when it saw its reflection in the mirror on the table. It uncoiled from the doctor's arm, slid into his lap, and then crawled towards the mirror. Perhaps, like the doctor earlier, it was fascinated by its own appearance.

Q28. What did the doctor do when the snake was absorbed in looking at the mirror?

Ans: As the snake was absorbed in looking at the mirror, the doctor seized the opportunity. He held his breath, got up from the chair, and quietly slipped out of the room. He then passed through the veranda and the yard, running until he finally reached a friend's house.

Q29. What did the doctor do as soon as he reached his friend’s house? Why?

Ans: Upon arriving at his friend's house, the doctor immediately smeared oil over his body, took a bath, and changed into fresh clothes. He felt compelled to do this because a snake had slithered across his back, shoulder, and arm. This action was to rid himself of any unpleasant sensations and potential effects from the snake's touch.

Q30. Why does the doctor remark that the snake was “taken with its own beauty”?

Ans: The doctor remarked that the snake was “taken with its own beauty” because it kept gazing into the mirror. This behaviour was reminiscent of the doctor himself, who would often admire his own appearance while looking in the mirror.

Q31. What did the doctor and his friends find when they went to remove things from the room?

Ans: The doctor and his friends discovered that the room was nearly empty, with only a dirty vest remaining. A thief had stolen away all the other belongings, leaving the room completely cleaned out.

Q32. Did the doctor marry a fat woman as he had wished?

Ans: No, the doctor did not marry a fat woman. Instead, his wife is a thin and lean person who can run very fast, much like a sprinter.