Thinking about the Text

I. Discuss in pairs and answer each question below in a short paragraph (30-40 words)

Q1. How many characters are there in the narrative? Name them. (Don’t forget the dog!).
Answer: There are four characters in the narrative. They are the narrator, Jerome, and his two friends, George and Harris. The fourth character is the narrator’s dog, Montmorency, who is also a significant part of the story.

Q2. Why did the narrator (Jerome) volunteer to do the packing?
Answer: The narrator, Jerome, volunteered to pack because he prided himself on his packing skills. He believed he knew more about packing than any other person living. He told his friends that it would be best for them to leave the entire matter to him.

Q3. How did George and Harris react to this? Did Jerome like their reaction?
Answer: George and Harris readily agreed to Jerome’s suggestion, which Jerome found to be strange and irritating. He had expected them to “potter about” under his directions, not to sit back and watch him do all the work. He was annoyed by their inactivity.

Q4. What was Jerome’s real intention when he offered to pack?
Answer: Jerome’s real intention was to supervise the packing process, not to do it all by himself. He wanted to “boss the job” while George and Harris did the work under his guidance. He wanted to show them how packing should be done.

Q5. What did Harris say after the bag was shut and strapped? Why do you think he waited till then to ask?
Answer: After the bag was shut and strapped, Harris asked Jerome if he had packed the boots. He waited until the last moment to ask to irritate Jerome, who was already feeling proud of having finished the job. Harris’s question forced Jerome to reopen the bag.

Q6. What “horrible idea” occurred to Jerome a little later?
Answer: A little later, after reopening the bag and packing the boots, a “horrible idea” occurred to Jerome. He began to wonder if he had packed his toothbrush, a thought that always haunted him whenever he travelled.

Q7. Where did Jerome finally find the toothbrush?
Answer: Jerome found his toothbrush inside a boot after searching through all the items in the bag and making a mess. He had to turn everything out to find it and then repack it all once again.

Q8. Why did Jerome have to reopen the packed bag?
Answer: After he had finally shut and strapped the bag, Jerome realised he had packed his tobacco-pouch inside it. He needed the pouch and so had to reopen the bag once more to take it out.

Q9. What did George and Harris offer to pack and why?
Answer: George and Harris offered to pack the hampers, which were the large baskets for carrying food. They made this offer because they were running out of time and thought they could finish the remaining packing faster since they were a bit more light-hearted and confident.

Q10. While packing the hamper, George and Harris do a number of foolish and funny things. Tick the statements that are true.

(i) They started with breaking a cup. 

(ii) They also broke a plate. 

(iii) They squashed a tomato. 

(iv) They trod on the butter. 

(v) They stepped on a banana. 

(vi) They put things behind them, and couldn’t find them. 

(vii) They stepped on things.

(viii) They packed the pictures at the bottom and put heavy things on top. 

(ix) They upset almost everything. 

(x) They were very good at packing.
Answer:

(i) They started with breaking a cup. (True)

(ii) They also broke a plate. (False)

(iii) They squashed a tomato. (True)

(iv) They trod on the butter. (True)

(v) They stepped on a banana. (False)

(vi) They put things behind them, and couldn’t find them. (True)

(vii) They stepped on things. (True)

(viii) They packed the pictures at the bottom and put heavy things on top. (False)

(ix) They upset almost everything. (True)

(x) They were very good at packing. (False)

II. What does Jerome say was Montmorency’s ambition in life? What do you think of Montmorency and why?
Answer: According to Jerome, Montmorency’s ambition in life was to get in the way, be a nuisance, and be sworn at. He believed that if he could cause enough chaos and make people mad, his day would not be wasted. Montmorency seems like a mischievous dog who loves attention. He isn’t malicious, but he enjoys creating trouble and being the centre of a dramatic, frustrating situation for the people around him.

III. Discuss in groups and answer the following questions in two or three paragraphs (100-150 words)

Q1. Of the three, Jerome, George and Harris, who do you think is the best or worst packer? Support your answer with details from the text.
Answer: Of the three, Jerome is arguably the worst packer, despite his initial boastful claims. His overconfidence leads to a series of blunders. He has to repack the bag multiple times—first for the boots, then for his toothbrush, and finally for his tobacco-pouch. His packing takes a long time and results in utter chaos. The way he struggles with his toothbrush, dreaming about it and having to unpack the entire bag to find it, makes his packing attempts seem more inept than those of his friends.

George and Harris are not much better, but they manage to pack the hampers together. Their main mistake is their clumsiness and carelessness, which results in breaking a cup, squashing a tomato, and the absurd incident with the butter. They are disorganised, but at least they work together to finish the task. Jerome’s solo attempt at packing is a comedy of errors, making him a more comical and arguably worse packer than his friends.

Q2. How did Montmorency ‘contribute’ to the packing?
Answer: Montmorency’s ‘contribution’ to the packing was to create as much trouble as possible. His main goal was to be a nuisance and get people to swear at him, which he felt was a sign of a well-spent day. He came and sat on things just when they were about to be packed. He pretended that the lemons were rats and got into the hamper, killing three of them. He also put his leg into the jam and got his cold, damp nose into everything, believing that the men wanted to be touched by it. His actions made the packing process even more difficult, chaotic, and frustrating for George and Harris.

Q3. Do you find this story funny? What are the humorous elements in it? (Pick out at least three, think about what happens, as well as how it is described.)
Answer: The story is highly humorous due to its portrayal of common packing anxieties in a very exaggerated and comical way. The humour comes from the sheer incompetence of the characters and the way their actions are described.

One humorous element is Jerome’s immense pride in his packing skills, which is immediately followed by a series of blunders. His boastful claim that he knows more about packing than anyone alive, only to forget the boots and his toothbrush, is a classic comedic setup. Another funny element is the butter incident. George and Harris’s struggle to get the butter off George’s slipper, the search for it around the room, and the final discovery of it on Harris’s back is a brilliantly executed piece of physical comedy. Lastly, the antics of the dog, Montmorency, are a source of great humour. His deliberate effort to be a nuisance and the narrator’s commentary on his “natural, original sin” of creating chaos are hilarious.

Thinking about Language

I. Match the words/phrases in Column ‘A’ with their meanings in Column ‘B’.

Answers:

II. Use suitable words or phrases from Column A above to complete the paragraph given below.

A Traffic Jam

During power cuts, when traffic lights go off, there is utter ________ at crossroads. Drivers add to the confusion by ________ over their right of way, and nearly come to blows. Sometimes passers-by, seeing a few policemen ________ at regulating traffic, step in to help. This gives them a feeling of having ________ something.

Answer: During power cuts, when traffic lights go off, there is utter chaos at crossroads. Drivers add to the confusion by having a row over their right of way, and nearly come to blows. Sometimes passers-by, seeing a few policemen slaving at regulating traffic, step in to help. This gives them a feeling of having accomplished something.

III. Look at the sentences below. Notice that the verbs (italicised) are all in their bare form.

• Simple commands:
  • Stand up!
  • Put it here!
• Directions: (to reach your home) Board Bus No. 121 and get down at Sagar Restaurant. From there turn right and walk till you reach a book shop. My home is just behind the shop.
• Dos and don’ts:
  • Always get up for your elders.
  • on’t shout in class.
• Instructions for making a fruit salad:

Ingredients:
Oranges – 2; Pineapple – one large piece; Cherries – 250 grams; Bananas – 2; Any other fruit you like

Wash the fruit. Cut them into small pieces. Mix them well. Add a few drops of lime juice. Add sugar to taste. Now add some cream (or ice cream if you wish to make fruit salad with ice cream.)

Q1.Now work in pairs. Give

(i)two commands to your partner.

(ii)two do’s and don’ts to a new student in your class.

(iii)directions to get to each other’s houses,

(iv)instructions for moving the body in an exercise or a dance, or for cooking something.

Answers:

1. Don’t waste time. Don’t spit here.
2. Do’s : (a) Respect your teachers, (b) Behave properly.
   Don’ts : (a) Don’t make a noise, (b) Don’t come late to the class.
3. Go straight on M.G. Road. Walk for 10 minutes. Look to the left. There is a park nearby. Across the park, there is my house. It looks like a bungalow with a Holy Cross structure.
4. Instructions: Sit cross-legged. Raise your palm. Put the thumb on one nostril. Breathe into the air. Then close the open nostril with the tip of the first finger. Remove the thumb from the first nostril. Breathe out the air through the first nostril. This is the yoga called ‘Lorn VHom’

Q2. The table below has some proverbs telling you what to do and what not to do. Fill in the blanks and add a few more such proverbs to the table.

Answers:

Writing

You have seen how Jerome, George and Harris mess up their packing, especially of the hamper. From their mistakes you must have thought of some do’s and don’ts for packing. Can you give some tips for packing by completing the paragraph below?

First pack all the heavy items, especially the ones you don’t need right away. Then Here are some words and phrases you can use to begin your sentences with:

• Then
• Next
• Now
• Remember
• Don’t forget
• At last/Finally

Answer:

First pack all the heavy items, especially the ones you don’t need right away. Then, pack the lighter, smaller items like clothes and toiletries, filling any gaps in the bag to prevent things from shifting. Next, remember to pack fragile items, such as jars and bottles, in a separate, secure pouch wrapped in soft clothing. Don’t forget to keep essentials like your toothbrush, wallet, and travel documents in an easily accessible pocket of your bag. Now, you should pack your shoes and other solid items on the sides to prevent them from damaging softer things. Finally, close and strap the bag securely. At last, double-check that you haven’t forgotten anything important before you leave.

Speaking

Look at this sentence.
“I told George and Harris that they had better leave the whole matter entirely to me.”

The words had better are used

• in an advice or suggestion:
  You had better take your umbrella; it looks like rain.
• in an order
  You had better complete your homework before you go out to play.
• as a threat
  You had better leave or I’ll have you arrested for trespass !

When we speak, we say you ’d/I’d/he’d better, instead of you had better, etc.

Q1.Work in pairs to give each other advice, orders or suggestions, or even to threaten each other. Imagine situations like the following: Your partner

1. Hasn’t returned a book to the library.
2. Has forgotten to bring lunch.
3. hasn’t got enough change for bus fare.
4. has found out a secret about you.
5. has misplaced your English textbook.

Answers:

1. You had better return the book to the library; the librarian charges fine for any delay.
2. You had better not to forget to bring your lunch.
3. You had better get change for bus fare or alight from the bus.
4. You had better keep your secrets or he will make them public.
5. You had better keep your English textbook; your brother will misplace it.

Activity
• Collect some examples of instructions, directions, etc. from notice boards and pamphlets. Bring them to class and display them, or read them out. (You can collect examples in English as well as other languages, Indian or foreign.) Here is an example for you:

1. Prepare a project on each of the following:

This is a project-based task and does not have a single written solution.

1. Collect information about the following and discuss in groups:

This is a group discussion activity and does not have a single written solution.