On Examination | Question-Answer | Invitation to English 1 | +2 2nd Year | CHSE Odisha

 On Examination

By Winston S. Churchill






Text Book Question and Answer

Unit - 1

1. Does the writer like examinations? Quote the line in support of your answer? 

Ans: The writer does not like examinations. The line which says it is -"I entered the inhospitable regions of examination. These examinations were a great trial for me." 

2. Mention the subjects that were dearest to the examiners? 

Ans: The subjects that were dearest to the examiners were Latin and Mathematics. They set all questions out of these subjects. 

3. Which subjects did the writer like the most? 

Ans: The writer liked history, poetry and essays. 

4. What reason does the writer give for his not doing well in the examinations? 

Ans: The examination questions were set from Latin and Mathematics. The writer had no knowledge of them. They set no questions from his favourable area. So I performed badly in the examination. 

5. What did the writer write in the answer book for the Latin paper?

Ans: In the Latin paper, the writer wrote his name and the number of the question 'I'. 

6. What a sad spectacle for him?

Ans: The writer shed tears in the examination hall. Teardrops fell on answer paper and created blots and smudges. This was a sad spectacle for him.

7. What was the writer's position in the merit list for admission? 

Ans: In the merit list, the writer was placed in the third or lowest division of the Fourth or bottom Form.

8. Whom does he give the credit of his success in the Entrance Examination? Why? 

Ans: Churchill gave the credit of his success to the headmaster Dr. Welldon. He was a man capable of looking beneath the surface of things. He passed out Churchill even though he had written nothing. 

9. What do we mean by - "I gained no more advantage from the alphabet than from the wider sphere of letters." 

Ans: The names of the new boys were printed in the school list alphabetical order. So Spencer Churchill appeared towards the end of list. The writer humorously says -I gained no more advantage from the alphabet than from the wider sphere of letters. 

10. How did he become the last boy in the class? 

Ans: Churchill's name was at the third position from the bottom. As the last two left school due to illness or some other cause, his name came to the last. 

11. What is the custom of calling the roll at Harrow? 

Ans: The custom of calling the roll at Harrow was that when the roll is called, the student files past a master in the schoolyard and answers his presence. 

12. What is the custom of calling the roll at Eton? 

Ans: At Eton the boys stand in a cluster and lift their hats when their names are called. 

13. "Why, he's last of all"- why did people say so? 

Ans: Churchill's name was at the end of the school list. During the roll call, it comes last and he files past. So others comment -why, he's last of all.

Unit - 2

1. What kind of students were taught Latin and Greek at Harrow? 

Answer. The cleverer students were taught Latin and Greek at Harrow. 

2. Which students were taught only English? 

Ans: The dull students were taught English only. 

3. Why does the writer rate English as a subject and Mr. Somervell as a teacher? 

Ans: According to the writer, English should be read for earning livelihood. The English teacher Mr. Somervell was a delightful man. He could teach in an easy manner so that the dull students could understand his teaching. He taught parsing thoroughly.

4. What part of English grammar did he learn from Mr. Somervell? 

Answer. Churchill learnt parsing from Mr. Somervell. It included identifying and using subject, object, verbs, clauses etc. 

5. How did he score over the clever school fellows in after years? 

Ans: The clever students first studied Latin and Greek while Churchill studied English. When the clever students returned to English class, Churchill had already got much knowledge in English and scored over others. 

6. Why was he biased in favour of boys learning the English language? 

Ans: He was biased in favour of boys learning English. Language because English would give them job opportunities, and would earn them bread. 


Unit - 3

1. How did the boys enjoy their time at the swimming bath? 

Ans: Children used to repair for hours at a time and bask between dips eating enormous buns on the hot asphalt margin. 

2. What kind of pranks did they enjoy at the bath? 

Ans: They go in groups, play jokes on each other, come up behind naked friends, push them into water. 

3. What did the writer do to the boy standing in a meditative posture? 

Ans: Once a boy was standing in a meditative posture on the bank of the pond. Churchill came behind him secretly, pulled out his towel and pushed him into the pond. 

4. What was the reaction of the boy? 

Ans: The boy emerged from the foam angrily, seized Churchill in a ferocious grip and hurled him into the deepest part of the pool. 

5. What did the writer learn about Amery from the crowd of younger boys? 

Ans: The writer learnt from others boys about Amery that he was in sixth form. He was the head of the house. He was the champion at Gym. He had got his football colours. 

6. How did the writer apologize for his misconduct? 

Ans: The writer came near Amery and said - "I am very sorry. I mistook you for a fourth form boy. You are so small. My father, who is a great man, is also small." 

7. Did he apologise out of fear of guilt or both? 

Ans: He apologised out of guilt. To him, it was "with the guilt of sacrilege." 

8. Did the matter end happily for the writer? 

Ans: Yes, the matter ended happily for the writer. In Unit-IV, he has given clarification.


Unit - 4

1. "Three years" difference in age is not as important as it is at school"- How does the writer prove it? 

Ans: Three years difference may be enough in school. So Churchill and to beg pardon to Amery in school, In Later life, Churchill became the Prime Minister and Armory was his cabinet colleague for many years. They had no ill-feeling, no difficulty. 

2. How did the writer fare at school? 

Ans: The writer remained in the lowest rank in the merit list at school. It pained him much yet he showed excellence in a few fields. 

3. How did he win a prize at school? 

Ans: Churchill once, recited to the headmaster twelve hundred lines of Macauley's "Lays of Ancient Rome" without making a mistake and got a prize. 

4. What were the writer's noteworthy achievements at school? 

Ans: The writer passed out the preliminary examination for the Army when many seniors failed, It was a rare achievement indeed. 

5. How did the writer prepare himself for the preliminary examination for the Army?

Ans: The writer thought that there would be a question to draw the map of a country and that country might be Newzealand, He read it and got the same question. So he answered it well. 

6. Why does he call his success an en 'plein'? 

Ans: He called his success an "en plein'' because he had read only one - "to draw the map of Newzealand". It was like a type of gambling. Actually, the same question came. So it was an en' plein for Churchill. 



Additional Question and Answer

1. What does the writer say about his intense dislike of examination?

Ans: The writer didn't like the examinations at all. They caused a lot of hardship for him for the next seven years, he was destined to journey.

2. How was the writer as a boy selected for Harrow?

Ans: Really, the writer was not able to answer a single question. However Dr. Welldon the headmaster of Harrow who could see beneath the things, passed him in the third or lowest grade that is the fourth division. This is how the writer got into Harrow.
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3. Who was Dr. Welldon and what was he like?

Ans: Dr. Welldon was the headmaster of Harrow School. He was such a unique person having a broad mind and discernment in judging the general ability of the students. He was such a person who could be able to study the inner feelings of the students.

4. What made the writer hold Dr. Welldon in high esteem?

Ans: The writer always holds Dr. Welldon in high esteem because he was a man capable of looking beneath the surface of things.

5. Who gave the irreverent comment about W.S. Churchill and why?

Ans: The people said the irreverent comment about W.S. Churchill, why he's last of all because they were interested to know why the writer was the last of all to march by, whereas his father lord Randolph Churchill, despite his resignation as the leader of the House of Commons and the chancellor of exquisite ruled the roost in the field of politics.

6. What was the unpretentious situation Spencer Churchill was in and what advantage he scored over the cleverer boys?

Ans: Spencer Churchill was in the unpretentious situation of being put in the 3rd division of the bottom for about a year. Therefore he availed himself of all the advantages of learning proficiency in English language. As a result of which he gained immense advantage over the cleverer boys of the school.

7. Write about Mr. Somervel's method of teaching English language?

Ans: Mr. Somervel's method of teching English was unique, interesting and effective. He left no stone unturned to make all his students understand the rules of grammar for the better learning and understandiing of the student. He was in the habit of separating the words according to underline them with different coloured pens.

8. What helped the writer learn English clearly?

Ans: As the writer got through the entrance in the lowest division of fourth, he was obliged to learn English. However it was proved a blessing in disguise for him in the later part of his life. The able guidance, precious co-operation, easy and enjoyable method of Mr. Somervel, the teacher of English helped him learn English thoroughly.

9. How did the writer beat the cleverer students who were his classmates?

Ans: The writer came out successful in beating the cleverer boys in after years by performing more spectacularly. His proficiency in English gave him more advantage over his classmates who were quick learners.

10. What was the opinion of the writer about the learning of Latin and Greek in schools?

Ans: The writer was of the view that the quick learners may learn Latin as an honour and Greek as a treat. But everyone should learn English to make their mark and flourish in life.

11. What made the writer appreciate the learners of English?

Ans: The writer appreciated the learners of English because this language helps them occupy the highest position in life and helps them earn their living.

12. Write a few lines on the swimming bath at Harrow school?

Ans:The Harrow school that the author joined in the summer term had the biggest swimming bath. It was more like the bend of a river than a bath having two bridges across it.

13. What information did the younger boys give him about Amery?

Ans: From the crowd of younger boys, the writer came to know that Amery was in the sixth from. He was the head of his house, champion at Gymnastics and got his football colours. He had so many titles for fame and reverence.

14. What did the writer apologise to Amery for?

Ans: The writer apologised to Amery out of fear and guilt. He repented and regretted of his action and behaviour towards a student who had pocketed a lot of name, fame and reputation in different fields.  
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