‘A triumph of Surgery’: Extract-based questions are the part of CBSE Board Exams. Get here a few extract-based questions to prepare and revise the lesson ‘A Triumph of Surgery’.
I. Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.
“All the while, Mrs Pumphrey hovered anxiously in the background, ringing a dozen times a day for the latest bulletins. I dodged the questions about whether his cushions were being turned regularly or his correct coat worn according to the weather; but I was able to tell her that the little fellow was out of danger and convalescing rapidly.
The word ‘convalescing’ seemed to do something to Mrs Pumphrey. She started to bring round fresh eggs, two dozen at a time, to build up Tricki’s strength. For a happy period my partners and I had two eggs each for breakfast, but when the bottles of wine began to arrive, the real possibilities of the situation began to dawn on the household. It was to enrich Tricki’s blood. Lunch became a ceremonial occasion with two glasses of wine before and several during the meal.”
Questions:
1. Why did Mrs. Pumphrey send wine to the narrator’s house?
- A) For the other dogs
- B) To thank the narrator
- C) To enrich Tricki’s blood
- D) As an apology
2. What did Mrs. Pumphrey send after wine?
- A) A dish of pudding
- B) A quart of milk
- C) A basket of cakes
- D) A bottle of brandy
3. Why did lunch become a ceremonial occasion?
- A) Mr. Herriot liked to have the brandy.
- B) Mr. Herriot decided to ask Mrs. Pumphrey for another bottle.
- C) Mr. Herriot and his people had wine before and during lunch.
- D) Mr. Herriot gave the wine and eggs to his dogs.
4. What is the meaning of the word ‘convalescing’
- A) To make progress towards recovery
- B) To rebuild something over
- C) To give new life to something
- D) To refresh something old
5. What does the narrator mean by the phrase ‘the real possibilities of the situation’?
- A) The concern that Mrs. Pumphrey showed
- B) The advantages of keeping Tricki
- C) The hospitality of Mrs. Pumphrey
- D) The convalescent condition of Tricki
Answers:
1. C) To enrich Tricki’s blood (On hearing that Tricki was convalescing, Mrs. Pumphrey started sending bottles of wine so as to enrich Tricki’s blood and help him recover faster.)
2. D) A bottle of brandy (After bottles of wine, Mrs. Pumphrey finally sent an expensive bottle of brandy.)
3. C) Mr. Herriot and his people had wine before and during lunch. (The narrator and his household started enjoying the wine Mrs Pumphrey sent for Tricki during and before lunch, making it a ceremonial occasion.)
4. A) To make progress towards recovery (The word ‘convalescing’ means the process of recovering from an illness.)
5. B) The advantages of keeping Tricki (Mrs. Pumphrey regularly sent food and drinks for Tricki. Since, Tricki was on diet, the narrator and his household enjoyed these goodies. Soon, they realised that keeping Tricki with them was indeed beneficial.)
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II. Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.
“At the surgery, the household dogs surged round me. Tricki looked down at the noisy pack with dull eyes and, when put down, lay motionless on the carpet. The other dogs, after sniffing round him for a few seconds, decided he was an uninteresting object and ignored him.
I made up a bed for him in a warm loose box next to the one where the other dogs slept. For two days I kept an eye on him, giving him no food but plenty of water. At the end of the second day, he started to show some interest in his surroundings and on the third he began to whimper when he heard the dogs in the yard.”
Questions:
1. Why did the other dogs ignore Tricki?
- A) He was a new dog.
- B) He was very violent.
- C) He was uninteresting.
- D) He was of a different breed.
2. How did Tricki react to the narrator’s dogs?
- A) He looked at them with dull eyes.
- B) He rushed to join them in play.
- C) He mingled with them excitedly.
- D) He ignored them.
3. What did the narrator feed Tricki on the first two days?
- A) Plenty of water
- B) Special dog diet
- C) Limited food and water
- D) Balanced diet
4. Which of these is the correct meaning of the word ‘whimper’?
- A) Barking sound made by dogs
- B) Low sound of pain
- C) Loud noise of anger
- D) A woof of recognition
5. What happened to Tricki once he was denied food?
- A) He started reacting to things around him.
- B) He became increasingly listless.
- C) He lost weight immediately.
- D) His suffering increased.
Answers:
1. C) He was uninteresting. (Tricki lay motionless and made no attempt to mix with the other dogs. Hence, they found him uninteresting and chose to ignore him.)
2. A) He looked at them with dull eyes. (When the narrator brought Tricki to his clinic, his dogs came running to him and sniffed Tricki curiously. But, Tricki only stared at them with dull eyes.)
3. A) Plenty of water (The narrator did not give Tricki any food for two days. He only gave him plenty of water.)
4. B) Low sound of pain (‘Whimper’ means to make a series of low and feeble sounds. These sounds are often made by those who are suffering from pain or sorrow.)
5. A) He started reacting to things around him. (After being denied food for two days, Tricki began to show interest in his surroundings. Finally, he started feeling better and mixing with the other dogs.)
III. Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.
“The poor lady almost swooned. She was sure he would pine and die if he did not see her every day. But I took a firm line. Tricki was very ill and this was the only way to save him; in fact, I thought it best to take him without delay and, followed by Mrs Pumphrey’s wailings, I marched out to the car carrying the little dog wrapped in a blanket.
The entire staff was roused and maids rushed in and out bringing his day bed, his night bed, favourite cushions, toys and rubber rings, breakfast bowl, lunch bowl, supper bowl. Realising that my car would never hold all the stuff, I started to drive away. As I moved off, Mrs Pumphrey, with a despairing cry, threw an armful of the little coats through the window. I looked in the mirror before I turned the corner of the drive; everybody was in tears.”
Questions:
1. Why was the narrator taking Tricki?
- A) To give him some medicines
- B) To another owner
- C) To force feed Tricki
- D) To cure him and save his life.
2. How did Mrs. Pumphrey react to the narrator’s suggestion?
- A) She refused resolutely.
- B) She was about to faint.
- C) She was grateful.
- D) She was resigned.
3. Which of these words is a synonym for ‘despairing’?
- A) Anxious
- B) Upset
- C) Suicidal
- D) Miserable
4. What, according to Mrs. Pumphrey, would happen to Tricki if she left him at the clinic?
- A) He would get better.
- B) He would attract some other disease.
- C) He would die.
- D)He would get worse.
5. Why did the narrator rush away with Tricki from Mrs. Pumphrey’s house?
- A) He wanted to reach the clinic as soon as possible.
- B) His car was too small for Tricki’s luggage.
- C) He couldn’t bear to see everyone crying.
- D) He did not like Mrs. Pumphrey’s company.
Answers:
1. D) To cure him and save his life. (The narrator was taking Tricki to his clinic to keep him under observation and to help him become fitter.)
2. B) She was about to faint. (Mrs. Pumphrey was very attached to her pet dog. Therefore, on hearing that Tricki would be taken away from her, she almost passed out.)
3. D) Miserable (The word ‘miserable’ means to be utterly depressed and disconsolate. Mrs. Pumphrey was despairing because her pet was being taken away to a clinic.)
4. C) He would die. (Mrs. Pumphrey believed that if Tricki did not see her on a daily basis, he would pine for her and die out of longing.)
5. B) His car was too small for Tricki’s luggage. (As Tricki left his house, the whole staff came forth with an array of items for his comfort. The narrator realised that all this luggage would not fit in his car. So, he speedily drove away.)
IV. Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.
“I watched their progress with growing concern. Tricki was tottering along in his little tweed coat; he had a whole wardrobe of these coats — for the cold weather and a raincoat for the wet days. He struggled on, drooping in his harness. I thought it wouldn’t be long before I heard from Mrs. Pumphrey.
The expected call came within a few days. Mrs Pumphrey was distraught. Tricki would eat nothing. Refused even his favourite dishes; and besides, he had bouts of vomiting. He spent all his time lying on a rug, panting. Didn’t want to go for walks, didn’t want to do anything. I had made my plans in advance. The only way was to get Tricki out of the house for a period. I suggested that he be hospitalised for about a fortnight to be kept under observation.”
Questions:
1. Why was Tricki ‘drooping in his harness’?
- A) Tricki was flea ridden, with thin fur.
- B) Tricki was hugely fat, like a bloated sausage and so he could barely walk
- C) Tricki has swollen legs
- D) Tricki was a lazy dog.
2. Identify the two reasons why Mrs. Pumphrey was distraught?
- A) Tricki wasn’t playing with her.
- B) Tricki spent time on his rug, panting.
- C) Tricki wanted more cake and chocolate.
- D) Tricki was not eating anything.
3. Which quote best suits this extract?
- A) Animals are agreeable friends.
- B) There’s nothing greater than the love of a pet.
- C) An overindulgence of anything can intoxicate.
- D) Pets are gifts to mankind.
4. Which word means the same as ‘stumbling’ in this extract?
- A) Weaving
- B) Stammering
- C) Tottering
- D) Wavering
5. What was the narrator’s plan?
- A) To get Tricki out of Mrs. Pumphrey’s care
- B) To perform a surgery on Tricki
- C) To send Tricki to a dog’s gym
- D) To sell Tricki to another owner
Answers:
1. B) Tricki was hugely fat, like a bloated sausage and so he could barely walk (Tricki was overweight. He just couldn’t walk. Plus, he was wearing a tweed coat, which made it more difficult for him to walk.)
2. B) Tricki spent time on his rug, panting. (Because of excess indulgence from his mistress, Tricki had become lazy and obese. Tricki was vomiting and feeling unwell. Thus, he sat on his rug, with no energy.)
D) Tricki was not eating anything. (Tricki was an overfed dog. He was ill and he refused to eat even his favourite dishes.)
3. C) An overindulgence of anything can intoxicate. (Tricki was overfed and pampered. Overindulgence led to this fate of him being unable to move due to obesity.)
4. C) Tottering (The word ‘stumbling’ means walking unsteadily and losing balance. Tricki was tottering because he could not carry his own weight.)
5. A) To get Tricki out of Mrs. Pumphrey’s care (The narrator realised that Mrs. Pumphrey’s pampering was the main reason behind his deteriorating condition. So, he decided to remove Tricki from the house and keep him in the hospital for a while.)
Very boring and very easy questions