Flamingo Prose Section

Chapter 8: Going Places

Q1) Choose the option that marks the differences between the personalities of Sophie and Jansie, even
though both of them belong to impoverished families.

a) Option (1)

b) Option (2)

c) Option (3)

d) Option (4)

Ans. Option (b)

Q2) ‘Going Places’ is an idiomatic expression which means

a. Movement from one place to another

b. To be successful in one’s career

c. Absurd realities of life

d. Exploring untouched horizons

Q3) ‘Sophie felt a tightening in her throat.’ Why did she feel a tightening in her throat?

a. She was not well.

b. She was not able to accept her middle-class background.

c. She was trying to hide a secret.

d. She was stuffing apple pie in her mouth.

Ans. Option (b

Q4) What is Sophie’s dream regarding her future? Why does Jansie discourage her from having such
dreams?

Ans. Sophie dreamed of having a boutique in the city. To save money to have a boutique, she dreamed
of becoming a manager, a fashion designer, or an actress. Jansie discouraged her from having such
dreams because Sophie’s dreams were wild and impossible. She had neither the means nor the skill to
achieve them.

Q5) The story is written in a manner that makes it difficult to point out clearly if Sophie met Danny Casey
or not. Suggest possible reasons for such writing.

Ans. The story is written in a way that makes it difficult to determine whether or not Sophie met Danny
Casey because the author wants to create a sense of ambiguity and suspense. The reader is left to
wonder whether Sophie is telling the truth or whether she is simply fantasizing. This ambiguity allows
the reader to interpret the story in different ways and to reflect on their own dreams and aspirations.

Q6) Sophie is caught between the world she lives in and the world she wants to live in. Elucidate.

Ans. Sophie's aspirations for a better life contrast starkly with her current circumstances. She grapples
with the disparity between her dreams of a sophisticated, glamorous world – depicted through her
desire for a boutique or a connection with Danny Casey – and the harsh reality of her family's financial
struggles and limited opportunities.
Practice Questions

7) Compare and contrast the characters of Sophie and Jansie

8) How does Sophie think about her brother's life?

Chapter 7: The Interviews

Q1) Mukund Padmanabhan mentions that much like his novels, Umberto Eco’s “scholarly work has a
certain playful and personal quality about it.” To what is this attributed?

a. Eco thought the regular academic style was depersonalized, dry, and boring.

b. Eco presented his first Doctoral dissertation in Italy in this style.

c. Eco realized that scholarly books should tell the story of the research.

d. Eco identified himself with the academic and scholarly community.

Ans. Option (c)

Q2) How would you describe Denis Brian’s opinion on interviews? Choose the most appropriate option.

1. appeasing

2. utilitarian

3. approving

4. praising

a. Options (1) and (2)

b. Options (3) and (4)

c. Options (2) and (3)

d. Options (1) and (4)

Q3) Based on V. S. Naipaul's quote, we can say that interviews __________.

a. are forced upon people

b. are physically violent in nature

c. can build hostility and hatred

d. can be a traumatic experience

Ans. Option (d)

Q4) What is common between how celebrities feel about interviews and how primitive cultures viewed
photographic portraits?

Ans.Both find it intrusive.

Both think it somehow diminishes who they are.

Both are not in favor of these ways of capturing someone's essence.

Q5) Umberto Eco, with reference to "The Name of the Rose" says, “I think if I had written The Name of
the Rose ten years earlier or ten years later, it wouldn’t have been the same.” What could he have
meant?

Ans. This could be interpreted as Eco recognizing the importance of cultural context and how the
reception of a work of art is influenced by the historical, social, and political climate of its time.

Eco might be suggesting that the themes and ideas he explored in his novel resonated particularly
strongly with readers in the cultural moment in which it was published and that this moment was
fleeting.

Q6) What was unique and distinctive about Eco’s academic writing style?

Ans. Umberto Eco way of writing for academic purposes is personal, relaxed, and fun. He includes all the
challenges and mistakes in his research stories, making even his research work as unique as creative
writing and reading. It is not just informative but also captivating.
Practice Questions

Q7) Does Eco likes to be interviewed? Why or why not?

Q8) Why do most celebrities hate to be interviewed?

Chapter 6: Poets and Pancakes

Q1) Pick the quote that best describes Subbu’s role in Gemini Studios based on the story.

1. Life’s too short to hang out with people who aren’t resourceful.

2. The more a person limits himself, the more resourceful he becomes.

3. Success is not about your resources. It’s about how resourceful you are with what you have.

4. Resourcefulness: Seeing where you want to go and taking the first step.

a. Option 1

b. Option 2

c. Option 3

d. Option 4

Ans. Option (c)

Q2) ‘Often he looked alone and helpless- a man of cold logic in a crowd of dreamers…’. It can be
inferred that the man

a. rationalized every thought before it was spoken.

b. failed to consider human emotions and social dynamics.

c. was critical of what others did around him.

d. egoistic and always thought others lacked reason.

Q3) Role of the office boy in the Gemini Studio.

Ans. The "office boy" in Gemini Studios worked in the make-up department. His role primarily involved
applying makeup to crowd actors during crowd-shooting days. He joined the studios with hopes of
becoming a star actor, screenwriter, director, or lyrics writer. However, he was disappointed as he
ended up in a less glamorous role, working behind the scenes in the make-up department and never
achieving his aspirations in the film industry.

Q4)The make up department was an example of National Integration. How?

Ans. The make-up department at Gemini Studios employed individuals from various regions and
backgrounds, showcasing a form of national integration within the studio. This diversity among makeup
artists reflects the cosmopolitan nature of the film industry and how people from different parts of India
came together to contribute to the world of cinema.

Q5) Why was the legal adviser referred to as the opposite by others?

Ans. The legal adviser in Gemini Studios was humorously referred to as "the opposite" because while his
official title was "legal adviser," he was known for taking actions that seemed contrary to his role. For
example, he discreetly recorded an actress's outburst, which had unintended consequences for her,
leading to her disillusionment with her acting career. This behavior contrasted with the expectations
associated with his legal role.

Q6) Why is the Englishman’s visit referred to as an unexplained mystery?

Ans. The Englishman's visit to Gemini Studios is referred to as an "unexplained mystery" because the
author and the staff at the studio couldn't comprehend the purpose or relevance of his visit. His speech
left the audience baffled because it seemed out of place in a Tamil film studio, and the author and
others were puzzled as to why he was addressing them. The visit lacked a clear explanation or
connection to the studio's work, making it a perplexing and enigmatic event.

Practice Questions
Q7) What do you think is the reason behind Subbu's success?

Q8) What does 'The God That Failed' refer to?

Chapter 5: INDIGO

Q1) Select a suitable word from the extract to complete the following analogy:

change: transform :: relieve: __________.

Ans. alleviate

Q2) the phrase 'loyalty to abstractions' refers to a strong commitment to __________.

a. selected groups

b. simple pleasures

c. certain ideologies

d. governmental authorities

Ans. Option (c)

Q3) Gandhi uses the words 'turning point' to refer to the Champaran incident because it __________.

Ans. was Gandhi's first instance of civil disobedience/helped people realize the importance of being self-
reliant/marked the beginning of the Indian struggle for Independence.

Q4) Gandhi makes it clear that money and finance are secondary aspects of the struggle in Champaran.
Comment on the aspect that you think was most important for Gandhi.

Ans. For Gandhi, the most important aspect of the struggle in Champaran was the upliftment of the
oppressed and impoverished peasants. He prioritized addressing their cultural and social backwardness
over financial gains. His focus on compassion, justice, and humanitarian values exemplified his deep
commitment to social justice and empowerment of the marginalized, making it the central goal of the
movement.

Q5) When Gandhi got the wholehearted support of the lawyers, he said, "The battle of Champaran is
won‟. What was the essence behind his statement?

Ans. Gandhi made lawyers realize their duty toward the peasants

it would be shameful desertion on their part if they left the peasants if Gandhi was arrested

lawyers understood, approached Gandhi, and said they would accompany him to jail

getting the support of educated Indians like lawyers, Gandhi gained confidence that now they would win
against the British.

Practice Questions

6) Briefly describe the leadership qualities of Mahatma Gandhi.

7) How would you assess the role of Rajkumar Shukla in the battle of Chaparan?