NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Hornbill - The Browning Version

Page No: 50

Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.
Remove
Slackers
Muck
Kept in
Got carried away
Cut
Sadist
Shrivelled up
Answer: 
Remove: a division in a school
Slackers: unmotivated and lazy students
Muck: useless, of no practical good
Kept in: grounded, detained, work after the official school hours
Got carried away: to get very excited or lose control of your feelings due to strong emotions.
Cut: escape, go away without permission.
Sadist: a person who gets pleasure out of inflicting pain to others
Shrivelled up: having no feelings

Page No: 56
1. Comment on the attitude shown by Taplow towards Crocker-Harris.
Answer: Crocker-Harris is Taplow’s teacher. According to Taplow and me also; Mr. Crocker Harris is a strict disciplinarian. He was a hard-working teacher and fully devoted to his duty as he called Taplow even on the last day of school to make up for his missed class. No student in his entire career has the courage to ‘cut’ Mr. Crocker Harris. He is neither partial nor biased; he will give Taplow whatever he deserves. He tries to maintain an appropriate distance from his students. He never responds to the feelings shown by his students and remains shrivel. He is a man of principals and keeps the rules of the school. His students like him even after his strict behavior. His colleagues, even Frank, envy him for the effect he has on the students. He is strict but not a sadist that he seems to be.

2. Does Frank seem to encourage Taplow's comments on Crocker-Harris?Answer: Frank encourages Taplow to comment on Mr. Crocker Harris by cleverly asking Taplow several questions. He appreciated Taplow’s imitation of Mr. Crocker Harrisand also asks him to repeat it.

3. What do you gather about Crocker-Harris from the play?
Answer: Mr. Harris is a teacher who would not compromise on the rules and regulations to suffice the sentiments of students. He believes in the fair assessment of his students and is not swayed by emotions, as the man is hardly human. He is not a sadist, but strict in the performance of his studies. Even on his last day at school, when he is over busy in own affairs he does not neglect his duty towards students. 

Talking about the Text
4. Reading plays is more interesting than studying science. 
Answer: There is no doubt that reading plays are more interesting than studying science because reading plays to make us imaginative and provides us ideas about human life and behavior. It has good language that is helpful in building our linguistic skills. It is a source of entertainment and enjoyment. Reading science has its own merits. It provides us knowledge and fill us with a modern approach. Practical that we do in laboratories are also useful in daily life. Science makes us our future growth possible.

Working with Words
1. A sadist is a person who gets pleasure out of giving pain to others.
Given below are some dictionary definitions of certain kinds of persons.
Find out the words that fit these descriptions.
1. A person who considers it very important that things should be correct or genuine e.g. in the use of language or in the arts: P...
2. A person who believes that war and violence are wrong and will not fight in a war: P...
3. A person who believes that nothing really exists: N...
4. A person who is always hopeful and expects the best in all things: O...
5. A person who follows generally accepted norms of behavior: C...
6. A person who believes that material possessions are all that matter in life: M...
Answer: 
1. Perfectionist
2. Pacifist
3. Nihilist
4. Optimist
5. Conventionalist
6. Materialist