English Literature - ...

The Eyes Have It (By Ruskin Bond)

About the passage

Read to understand

A. Answer these questions with reference to the context.

1. ‘“Yes, October is the best time.”’

      a)   Who said this and to whom?

      b)   Why did the speaker say this?

      c)   What is October the best time for?

 

2. ‘But her next question removed my doubts.’

      a)   Who does ‘her’ refer to?

      b)   What ‘doubts’ does the narrator have?

      c)   What was the ‘question’ and how did it remove his doubts?

 

B. Mark these statements as (T) for true or (F) for false.

1. There were only three people in the compartment.

2. The girl was travelling to Mussoorie.

3. The narrator knew there were many animals in the forest near Dehra.

4. The girl didn’t like to be told that she had a pretty face.

5. She liked short train journeys.

 

C. Answer these questions.

1. How did the girl’s parents show their concern for her?

 

2. Why was she startled when the narrator spoke?

 

3. What voices did the narrator hear when the train entered the Saharanpur station?

 

4. Why did the narrator remain silent when the next fellow traveller came into the compartment?

 

5. What did the new passanger assume from the narrator’s silence?

 

6. What did the second man notice about the girl?

 

7. Why was the second man puzzled when he was asked if the girl’s hair was long or short?

 

Discuss and write

1. What do you think the narrator means by saying ‘Once again I had a game to play?

 

2. Why do you think the narrator wanted to keep his blindness a secret?

 

3. Do you think the title of the story is appropriate? Why?