Factual Passage Worksheet Solutions: My Dog Marcus | Class 11 English Grammar PDF Download

Read the following passage carefully:

1. Anyone who has met Marcus, my huge, handsome lazy, stupid St. Bernard, will not believe that he recently had an idea. This idea was certainly the first he has ever had and I cannot think how he recognized it.
2. The idea had something to do with making life easy for St. Bernard.
3. Roughly, then, his idea was this: “If I were deaf, I couldn’t hear when they called me for my walk, and they wouldn’t be able to move me, because nothing can move me. So I will pretend to be deaf.”
4. The day on which he put his plan into action, my wife, came to me much disturbed. ‘Poor old Marcus has gone deaf!’ she exclaimed.
5. ‘Deaf?’ I cried. ‘But he could hear perfectly well last night.’ I went into the kitchen and addressed him. ‘Coming for a walk, Marcus?’ I said.
6. Marcus, like a perfect actor, gazed at me with eager devotion, as though he would have given his last bone to have heard what I said. After a good deal of shouting, we left him where he was, and he went to sleep smiling.
7. It was some days before we noticed that Marcus was only partly deaf, he was still able to hear anything connected with food. I was carving a joint one Sunday when a tiny scrap of meat slipped from the fork and dropped on the carpet. Although Marcus was asleep in the kitchen—some distance away—he heard it fall. He hurtled into the dining-room and gulped it down. ‘Hey!’ I said, ‘I thought you were deaf!’
8. Marcus’s jaw and tail both dropped. He seemed to remember that he was deaf.
9. Not much later he failed to hear three repeated commands to come out for a walk—then leapt to his feet at the arrival of the butcher. In the end my wife and I agreed that he had to be cured.
10. The course we took was not, perhaps, entirely sporting. Marcus had gone deaf; we would go silent. When Marcus was about, we would now go through the actions of speaking but would not say a word.
11. Marcus’s first reaction was to be lazily puzzled. Very soon he was really worried. Had he over-estimated his power and gone really deaf? The horrible part was that, for all he knew, we might be talking about food. The thought of what he might be missing was real torture to him.
12. As we mouthed silently at one another, Marcus would stare painfully into our faces, trying, I swear, to lip-read- Also, as he was never called now for meals, I doubt if he had fourteen hours’ real sleep out of the twenty-four, and he worried himself down to about three hundred pounds in weight.
13. We kept this up for several days. Then we decided to restore Marcus’s hearing. I said in a loud voice one morning, ‘Come on, Marcus! Time for your walk, boy.’
14. An expression of beautiful relief spread over his vast face. He was not dear at all! He bounded to his feet. He frisked to the gate like a lively pony. He joyously took one of the longest walks of his career—almost half a mile.
15. Marcus was not troubled again with his deafness. Neither were we.

A. Answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate option:

Q.1. No one will believe that Marcus had recently an idea because______
(a) he is a huge, handsome, lazy and stupid dog
(b) he has never had an idea before
(c) the author is surprised how Marcus perceived it
(d) the author thinks Marcus is incapable of doing so

Ans: (c)
Explanation: In the passage, the author mentions that anyone who has met Marcus, the St. Bernard, would not believe that he recently had an idea. The author expresses surprise at Marcus recognizing and having an idea.

Q.2. Marcus did not like to be disturbed because______
(a) he loved to sleep for a long time
(b) he was a very heavy dog
(c) he found it difficult to run
(d) he hated going out for a walk

Ans: (a)
Explanation: The passage mentions that Marcus was a lazy dog and enjoyed sleeping. Therefore, he did not like to be disturbed.

Q.3. Marcus decided to be deaf because______
(a) his master used to shout loudly
(b) there was too much noise around
(c) he did not want to be moved
(d) he wanted to listen only about meals

Ans: (c)
Explanation: According to the passage, Marcus's idea was to pretend to be deaf so that he couldn't hear when called for a walk, and therefore, he wouldn't be moved. He wanted to avoid being taken for a walk.

Q.4. The method that the author adopted to cure the deafness of Marcus was______
(a) fair and liberal
(b) unfair and harsh
(c) scientific
(d) not worth adopting

Ans: (b)

Explanation: The passage states that the author and his wife decided to go silent when Marcus was around. They pretended to speak without saying a word, causing Marcus to worry and feel tortured. This method can be considered unfair and harsh.

Q.5. Marcus lost weight because______
(a) he slept for fourteen hours a day
(b) he was worried about food
(c) he could not understand his master
(d) he had overestimated his powers to be deaf

Ans: (b)
Explanation: The passage mentions that Marcus, while pretending to be deaf, worried about missing out on conversations about food. As a result, he lost weight due to the constant worry.

Q.6. The word ‘scrap’ in para 7 means______
(a) an unwanted thing
(b) a short fight/quarrel
(c) a small piece
(d) to remove/cancel

Ans: (c)
Explanation: In the passage, the word "scrap" refers to a small piece of meat that slipped from the fork and fell on the carpet. Therefore, option (c) a small piece is the correct meaning.

B. Answer the following questions in brief:

Q.7. Why did Marcus decide to be deaf?

Marcus decided to pretend to be deaf so that he wouldn't hear when called for a walk, and therefore, he wouldn't be moved. He wanted to avoid going for a walk.

Q.8. Which method was adopted by the author to cure the deafness of Marcus?

The author and his wife decided to go silent when Marcus was around. They pretended to speak without saying a word to make Marcus realize that he was not actually deaf.

Q.9. Why did Marcus lose weight?

Marcus lost weight because, while pretending to be deaf, he worried about missing out on conversations about food. He was anxious about not hearing discussions related to meals.

Q.10. How did Marcus react on author’s call?

When the author called Marcus in a loud voice, Marcus reacted with joy and relief. He bounded to his feet and frisked to the gate, excited to go for a walk.

Q.11. Find the words from passage having opposite meanings to these words or phrase.

(a) Actively (para 11)
(b) Lose (para 13)

(a) Lazily: In the context of paragraph 11, the word "actively" suggests that someone is engaging in an action or task with enthusiasm, energy, and a sense of purpose. They are making an effort and putting in their full attention and dedication.

On the other hand, the word "lazily" implies a lack of effort, energy, or enthusiasm. When someone does something lazily, they do it without much motivation or dedication. They may show little interest or engagement in the task at hand, and their actions may be slow or lackluster.

(b) Restore: In paragraph 13, the word "lose" indicates a state of deprivation or loss. It suggests that something has been taken away, gone missing, or is no longer accessible. It implies a negative outcome or the absence of something that was previously present.

Contrastingly, the word "restore" means to bring something back to its original state, condition, or position. It suggests the act of returning something that was lost or missing. Restoration implies the recovery of something that was once present or functional, often leading to a positive outcome or the reestablishment of a desired state.

Overall, the two pairs of words represent contrasting actions or conditions, with "actively" suggesting engagement and effort, while "lazily" indicates a lack of motivation. Similarly, "lose" implies the absence or removal of something, while "restore" indicates the return or recovery of that same thing.