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2nd Year English Notes

Book-II: Questions Answers
(Prose)

The Dying Sun

Q. 1: How is it that a star seldom finds another star near it?
Ans: A star seldom finds another star near it because there is a distance of millions of miles between two
stars. Moreover, space is immensely vast and each star is bound to travel in its own orbit.
Q. 2: What happened when, according to Sir James Jeans, a wandering star, wandering through
space came near the sun?
Ans: When a wandering star came near the sun, it raised tides on the surface of the sun. These tides
formed a high mountain on the surface of the sun that we can hardly imagine.
Q. 3: What happened when the wandering star came nearer and nearer?
Ans: When the wandering star came nearer and nearer the sun, the mountain on the surface of the sun
rose higher and higher and was, finally, torn into pieces.
Q. 4: What are planets and how did they come into existence?
Ans: The planets are the broken parts of the sun. They came into existence due to the tidal pull caused by
some star on the surface of the sun.
Q. 5: Why is there no life on the stars?
Ans: There is no life on the stars because the stars are balls of fire and they have intense heat. Therefore,
the stars are too hot for life to exist on them.
Q. 6: Write a note on the beginning of life on earth?
Ans: When the earth gradually became cooler and cooler, life started in very simple organisms which had
ability to reproduce themselves before dying. In the end, it produced the most complicated organisms like
man who has feelings and ambitions.
Q. 7: Why is the universe so frightening?
Ans: The universe is so frightening because of the immense stretches of time, extreme loneliness and
absence of life on other planets.
Q. 8: What should be the conditions necessary, for the kind of life we know to exist on other
heavenly bodies? Do such conditions generally exist?
Ans: Life can exist only in some suitable physical conditions like moderate temperature, air and water.
Such conditions do not exist on other heavenly bodies except the earth. Therefore, there is no life on other
heavenly bodies.
Q. 9: How do the stars travel in the universe?
Ans: The stars travel in the universe either in groups or in loneliness. They travel at vast distances from
one another.
Q.10: What are the temperature belts?
Ans: The temperature belts are zones that surround each hot star at a certain distance. The temperature
there is neither too hot nor too cold. Life can exist on such temperature belts.

Why Boys Fail in College

Q. 1: According to the author there are some boys who fail because they do not try. Who are they?
Can we help them?
Ans: They are those boys who do not have any aim in life. They do not try to pass, and fail. They join
college just for fun. They should be guided towards the aim of their life as a student.
Q. 2: How do mistaken ambitions on the part of boys and their parents lead to the failure of the
boys?
Ans: Mistaken ambitions of the parents lead to the failure because the students do not take any interest in
the subject chosen by their parents. They stop working hard in their studies. As a result, they fail.

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Q. 3: There are some boys who have done well at school but fail to make their mark at college. Who
are they? Do you have such boys in college in your country?
Ans: These are boys who are bright and intelligent but not hard working. They become over confident
and fail in college. Such boys could be found in the colleges of every country.
Q. 4: How does financial pressure lead to the failure of students described in the lesson? Do you
have similar cases in your country?
Ans: Poor students have to do jobs to meet their educational expenses. This dual exertion affects both
their health and studies and so they fail. Yes, we do have such cases in our country.
Q. 5: To what extent does the question of health lead to failure at college? How far can the college
authorities with their medical officers help students in such cases?
Ans: Both physical and mental health is very important for students. If a student is suffering from some
disease, he can not concentrate on his studies. As a result, he fails.
Q. 6: What place would you accord to sportsmen in college?
Ans: The main purpose of college is to impart education. Sportsmen should be given respectable position
in the college. But they should not be allowed to neglect their studies at any cost.
Q. 7: There are some students who join college for the fun of it. Should they be allowed to stay?
Ans: Students who join college for fun should not be allowed to stay. Because they can spoil other
students as well.
Q. 8: Who are lazy bluffers? What should be done about them?
Ans: Lazy bluffers are the students who join college without any purpose. They should be left to the cold
merciless world to learn a lesson.
Q. 9: What should be the role of college dean?
Ans: The college dean should be like a doctor. He should diagnose the cause of failure among the
students. In this way, he can save the boys from failure through foolishness, sickness and sin.
Q.10: Why is the proper cooperation needed between the teaching staff and the college doctor?
Ans: It is necessary so that the boys are clinically examined regularly to maintain their physical and
mental health.
Q.11: What are common diseases among college students?
Ans: The common disease among college students are tuberculosis, bad tonsils, sleeping sickness, poor
digestion and nervous forms of mental difficulties.
Q.12: What is the heartrending spectacle?
Ans: To see boys undergoing transfusion of blood to get money for food and books is a heartrending
spectacle.
Q.13: Can we help the student suffering from nervous habits?
Ans: No, we can not help the students suffering from nervous habits. Nervous habits are not easy to
uproot, they cannot be eradicated by anyone but the boy himself.

On Destroying Books
Q. 1: What sorts of books were presented by the British public to soldiers?
Ans: Most of the books sent to soldiers were ordinary and suitable. But they were also presented oddest
books such as twenty years old magazinez, guides to Lake District and back numbers of Whitaker’s
Almanac.
Q. 2: Was it interest of soldiers that prompted their action, or it was wish to get rid of the useless
books?
Ans: No, it was not the interest of soldiers. In fact, they wanted to get rid of their old and useless books.
So they sent them to the soldiers.
Q. 3: Why should bad books be destroyed?
Ans: Bad books should be destroyed so that there may be space for good and new books in the shelves.
Moreover, it saves one’s heir from the trouble of sorting them out and storing them.
Q. 4: Why is it difficult to destroy books?

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Ans: It is difficult to destroy books because they die hard. We do not have proper place to burn them.
They are like cats and it is difficult to find a scaffold for them.
Q. 5: Why could not the author burn the unwanted books?
Ans: The author could not burn the unwanted books because he had no cooking range and he could not
burn them on the gas cooker.
Q. 6: How did he decide to get rid of them?
Ans: He decided to get rid of them by throwing them into the river. He stuffed them into a sack and went
to the river to throw them.
Q. 7: Describe the authors midnight venture to throw the books in the river and the suspicion
which his action were likely to arouse?
Ans: At midnight, the author stuffed the books in a sack. He shouldered them and went to fling them into
the river. He was terribly frightened at the sight of a policeman and a stranger. At last, he threw the books
into the river after many difficulties.
Q. 8: How did he muster up courage at last to fling them into the river?
Ans: The writer was hesitant to throw them. Then he abused himself for his cowardice. At last, he
mustered up courage and threw the sack into the river.
Q. 9: Did he come to have a feeling for those books once he had got rid of them?
Ans: He was sad after throwing the books. He thought that poor books met a fate worse than they
deserved.
Q.10: What did the writer think about the splash?
Ans: The writer thought that people would catch him. They would think that he had thrown a baby into
the river. Therefore, he was afraid of the splash of the sack.
Q.11: Give the names of the books that the writer threw into the river?
Ans: The names of the books were Odes to Diana, Sonnets to Ethel, Dramas on Love of Lancelot, and
Stanzas on a first Glimpse of Venice.
Q.12: What did the writer think when he saw the policeman on the way?
Ans: When he saw a policeman on the way, he became afraid. He thought that he would consider him a
thief and arrest him. But the policeman did not take any notice of him.

My Financial Career
Q. 1: What light do the following expressions throw on Leacock’s state of mind when he entered the
bank? Looked timidly round’ Shambled in?
Ans: These expressions reflect the confused state of writer’s mind. He was fully confused and could not
express his matter properly.
Q. 2: Why did the manager come to think that Leacock had an awful secret to reveal?
Ans: The manager came to think that Leacock had an awful secret to reveal because he insisted on
meeting the manager alone.
Q. 3: What was the attitude of the manager towards Leacock on learning that he only wished to
deposit 56 dollars in the bank?
Ans: When the manager learnt the actual amount of the money, he became angry. His attitude was rude
and unkind. He asked him to go to the accountant.
Q. 4: What other blunders did Leacock commit after leaving the manager’s office?
Ans: After leaving the manager’s office, Leacock made a number of blunders. First, he stepped into an
iron safe. Then he wrote fifty six instead of six on the cheque. Then instead of admitting his mistake, he
pretended to be angry on being insulted by someone.
Q. 5: After this misadventure in the bank where did Leacock keep his money?
Ans: After this misadventure, he kept cash money in his trousers pocket and savings in silver dollars in
socks.
Q. 6: Give as many examples as you can to show that Leacock was feeling completely lost in the
bank all the time he was there?

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Ans: Leacock was completely lost in the bank. He made many mistakes there. First, he stepped into an
iron safe. Then he wrote fifty six instead of six on the cheque. Then instead of admitting his mistake, he
pretended to be angry on being insulted by someone.
Q. 7: How much was the writer’s salary raised?
Ans: The writer’s salary was raised to 50 dollars per month. He wanted to save it for his future use.
Therefore, he decided to keep it in the bank.
Q. 8: Who was Mr. Montogomery?
Ans: Mr. Montogomery was the accountant in the bank. He was a tall, cool devil. The very sight of him
rattled the writer.
Q. 9: What was the reaction of the bank staff when he author rushed out of the bank?
Ans: When the author rushed out of the bank, the bank staff made a roar of laughter at his blunders.
Q. 10: Why did people think he was some invalid millionaire?
Ans: They thought him some invalid millionaire because when he was given a cheque book, someone told
him how to write it.

Hunger and Population Explosion

Q. 1: What does hunger mean on large scale as viewed by the author?
Ans: Hunger does not mean missing one meal. It means never having enough to eat. It also means no
surety of another meal after one meal.
Q. 2: Describe some great famines of the past.
Ans: The Nile remained dry for seven years and the Egyptians had to face the famine. Likewise, China
and England faced great famines and millions of people died in Russia because of famine in 1921. A
worst famine of the century struck India in 1964-65.
Q. 3: How do famines occur?
Ans: Some of the causes of famines are over population, failure of crops, shortage of food and lack of
rains. If the food available is not enough for the people to eat there may spread a famine. In such cases
people starve to death.
Q. 4: What is the main reason for population increase today?
Ans: The main reason for population increase is the difference between birth-rate and death-rate. The
fatal diseases have been controlled. Due to this the death-rate has been reduced. As a result, the
population is increasing rapidly.
5: What is meant by birth-rate and death-rate and how do they affect the population of a country?
Ans: Birth-rate means the number of births per 1000 population while death rate means the number of
deaths per 1000 population.The main reason of population increase is the difference between birth-rate
and death-rate.
6: What have public-health measures to do with increase in population?
Ans: Public health measures have controlled epidemics and fatal diseases. The discovery of the treatment
of many diseases has decreased the death rate. When death rate decreases, population increases.
7: Account for the high birth-rate in under-developed countries?
Ans: In underdeveloped countries , the birth rate is very high and most of such countries are over
populated. These countries are unable to provide even basic facilities to their people. The basic reason of
high birth rate is the lack of education.
Q. 8: Why is birth rate not so high in the more advanced countries?
Ans: The people of advanced countries are wise, intelligent, and educated. They are aware of the danger
of overpopulation. Therefore, the birth rate is not so high in these countries.
Q. 9: Give a brief account of the poor economic conditions prevailing in under-developed countries.
Ans: Poverty, illiteracy and diseases are the common factors in under-developed countries. Such countries
have poor economy because they depend on the export of raw material. The have no factories, no proper
communication, public health and education system.

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(Heroes)

First Year at Harrow

Q. 1: Who is the writer of “First Year at Harrow”?
Ans: Sir Winston Churchill is the writer of the essay “First year at Harrow”.
Q. 2: The writer says that the examiners ask question which students cannot answer and not those
which they can answer. Is the complaint just?
Ans: To some extent, this complaint is true but mostly it does not happen. It is the complaint of dull
students. The hardworking can answer any question asked in the exam.
Q. 3: What sort of questions is asked by your examiners?
Ans: Our examiners ask easy as well as difficult questions in the examinations. They ask such questions
as can distinguish a diligent student from an ordinary one.
Q. 4: Why did not Churchill do well in examinations?
Ans: He liked history, poetry and essay writing but the examiners were interested in Latin and
Mathematics. He did not know the answers to the questions. So he could not do well in the examination.
Q. 5: How did he do his Latin paper?
Ans: He did his Latin paper badly. He first wrote his name at the top, then wrote question “1” and after
much reflection put a bracket round it thus (1). Then, unknowingly, he put a blot and many smudges on
the paper.
Q. 6: Churchill was taught English at Harrow and not Latin and Greek. Was it a gain or loss?
Ans: Churchill was taught English at Harrow and not Latin and Greek and it was a gain for him. This
knowledge proved very useful for him in future to earn his livelihood and a promising career.
Q. 7: What good did his three years stay at Harrow do him?
Ans: His three stay at Harrow was very important for Churchill. Here he learnt the basic rules of English
and had its structure in his bones. This knowledge proved very useful for him in future to earn his
livelihood and a promising career.
Q. 8: In after years how did the knowledge of English stand him in good stead?
Ans: In after years, the knowledge of English proved very useful for him in his practical life.By knowing
his national language, he faced no difficulty in the daily affairs of life. He became a successful politician.
Q. 9: What happened to boys who had learnt Latin and Greek?
Ans: Those boys who had learnt Latin and Greek and had won many prizes had to learn English again to
earn their livelihood.
Q.10: What is Churchill’s advice regarding learning English?
Ans: His advice is that all English boys should learn English first. They should get it into their bones.
Later on, clever ones may learn Latin as an honor and Greek as a treat.
Q.11: Who was Mr. Welldon?
Ans: Mr. Welldon was the head of Harrow. He was an intelligent man. He judged the hidden qualities in
Churchill and granted him admission. Churchill had a great regard for him.
Q.12: Who was Mr. Somervell and how did he teach English?
Ans: Mr. Somervell was a delightful teacher of English at Harrow. He had his own method of teaching.
He took a very large sentence and divided it into parts by means of red, blue, black and green inks.

Louis Pasteur
Q. 1: Who is the writer of the essay “Louis Pasteur”?
Ans: Margaret Avery is the writer of the essay “Louis Pasteur”.
Q. 2: Describe the early life of Pasteur.
Ans: Pasteur belonged to a humble family. He lived in a village from where he got early education. Then
he moved to city and became a famous scientist in history.
Q. 3: Give some instances of Pasteur’s patriotism.

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Ans: Pasteur was a great patriot. He offered himself to serve in the army. He worked for France in the
field for science. He saved the wine and silk industry of France. Once. He donated all his savings to the
welfare of France. He also returned his degree to the German university when his country France plunged
into war with Germany.
Q. 4: What do you mean by “spontaneous generation”?
Ans: Spontaneous generation means that things change without the external influence.
Q. 5: How did Pasteur prove that spontaneous generation was not a fact?
Ans: Pasteur proved that things change because of bacteria. Things do not change without external
influence.
Q. 6: What help did Pasteur render in curing the “silkworm” disease in his country?
Ans: Pasteur advised the rearers of silkworm to avoid over-crowding, over-heating and unhealthy
conditions because these things weakned them to get disease.
Q. 7: How did Pasteur discover the treatment of the cattle disease, Anthrax?
Ans: Pasteur cultivated the germs in such a way that they were weakned. When these germs were
inoculated into the healthy animals, they produced a mild type of illness. This protected them from the
virulent from of disease.
Q. 8: How did Pasteur discover the method of making vaccines?
Ans: Pasteur cultivated the germ in such a way that they were weakened. When these germs were
inoculated into the healthy animals, they produced a mild type of illness. This protected them from the
virulent form of disease.
Q. 9: Give an account of Pasteur’s treatment of hydrophobia.
Ans: The first human disease for which Pasteur used inoculation was hydrophobia or Rabies. It was a
horrible disease caused by the bite of a mad dog.
Q. 10: How did Pasteur show the way to other discoveries to other scientists?
Ans: Pasteur abolished superstitions about diseases. Diseases and death were mysterious things. He found
out their causes and brought them to the world of facts.

Mustafa Kamal
Q. 1: Who is the writer of the essay “Mustafa Kamal”?
Ans: Wilfred F. Castle is the writer of the essay “Mustafa Kamal”.
Q. 2: What was the attitude of the Turkish government towards the allies after world world I?
Ans: Padsha and old liberals wanted to from a government in collaboration with the allies.
Q. 3: Why was Mustafa Kamal sent to Antolia?
Ans: Mustafa Kamal was sent to Anatolia to put down the rebels who were not obeying Padsha.
Q. 4: What was the reaction of the Turkish patriots to the intentions of the allies to partition the
Ottoman Empire?
Ans: They planned to rage a war against the Greeks through guerillas. They wanted to build up to the
national army and temporary government in Anatolia.
Q. 5: Writer a note on Mustafa Kamal’s activities in Anatolia.
Ans: Mustafa Kamal planned to rage a war against the Greeks through guerillas. He wanted to build up
the national army and temporary government in Anatolia.
Q. 6: Why did Mehmet order Mustafa Kamal to return to Constantinople?
Ans: Mehmet felt that he was working against the interest of his government. So he orded him to come
back at once.
Q. 7: What was Mustafa Kamal’s reply?
Ans: In reply to the order of the sultan of Turkey, Mustafa Kamal said: “I shall stay inAnatolia until the
nation has won its independence”.
Q. 8: What was decided by the Grand Turkish National Assembly at the end of war?
Ans: The Grand National Assembly of Turkey decided by the unanimous vote to abolish the Sultanate in
Turkey.

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Q. 9: Why did Mustafa simplify the Turkish language?

Ans: The Turkish language had many Arabic and Persian words. It was difficult to learn. Mustafa kamal
simplified the Turkish language to make it easy and modern.
Q. 10: What were Mustafa Kamal’s views about the women of the country?
Ans: Mustafa was of the opinion that woman should have equal rights. They should be educated. They
should be encouraged to take part in national progress.
Q. 11: What were Mustafa Kamal’s economic reforms?
Ans: For economic reforms, new roads and railways were constructed. New factories were opened. He
encouraged heavy industry. Their banking system was organized. He did all this without borrowing from
outside.
Q. 12: What were his social reforms in the country?
Ans: Mustafa Kamal finished the old title. The people used to wear Fez: now wearing of hat was
compulsory. Veil was also abolished. Women were allowed to get higher education.
Q. 13: What happened on 23rd of April, 1920?
Ans: On 23rd April, 1920, the revolutionary Turkish Grand Assembly met and elected Mustafa Kamal as
the first president of Turkey.
Q. 14: Why October 1923 I famous in the history of the world?
Ans: The 29 October 1923 is famous in the history of the world because on that day the Ottoman Empire
was wiped from history and a new Turkish Republic was established.

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