NCERT Solutions class-9 English Comm F CH04 Keeping It From Harold

Page No: 39

3. Based on your reading of the story, Ans: the following questions by choosing the correct option.

(a) Mrs Bramble was a proud woman because __________.
(i) she was the wife of a famous boxer
(ii) she had motivated her husband
(iii) she was a good housewife
(iv) she was the mother of a child prodigy
Ans: (iv) she was the mother of a child prodigy

(b) “The very naming of Harold had caused a sacrifice on his part.” The writer’s tone here is __________________.
(i) admiring
(ii) assertive
(iii) satirical
(iv) gentle
Ans: (iv) gentle

(c) Harold had defied the laws of heredity by ______.
(i) becoming a sportsperson
(ii) being good at academics
(iii) being well-built and muscular
(iv) respecting his parents
Ans: (ii) being good at academics

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Page No: 40
(d) Harold felt that he was deprived of the respect that his classmates would give him as _________.
(i) they did not know his father was the famous boxer, ‘Young Porky’
(ii) his hero, Jimmy Murphy had not won the wrestling match
(iii) he had not got Phil Scott’s autograph
(iv) Sid Simpson had lost the Lonsdale belt
Ans: (i) they did not know his father was the famous boxer, ‘Young Porky’

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4. Answer the following questions
(a) What was strange about the manner in which Mrs. Bramble addressed her son? What did he feel about it?
Ans: Mrs. Bramble always referred to herself in the third person and treated ten-year-old Harold as a baby. He would feel irritated and wished that his mother would give him due credit of being a grown-up boy who had won prizes in spellings and dictation.

(b) Why was it necessary to keep Harold’s father’s profession a secret from him?
Ans: Harold’s father was a professional boxer but Harold was a scholarly child with a very gentle and sophisticated behaviour. Mr. Bramble and his wife considered that boxing was an inferior profession and it may become difficult for Harold to accept the image and qualities of his father as displayed by any professional boxer. Hence, they thought it was necessary to hide his father’s profession from him.

(c) When Mr. Bramble came to know that he was to become a father what were some of the names he decided upon? Why?
Ans: Mr. Bramble expressed a desire that the child should be named John after Mr. John L. Sullivan and if it was a girl, then she should be named Marie, after Miss Mary Lloyd.

(d) Describe Mr. Bramble as he has been described in the story.
Ans: Mr. Bramble was thirty one years old, of athletic built and weighed eight stone four. There was no one whom
he could not defeat in the twenty round contest of boxing. Very famous, his feats in the ring were well known. But by nature he was too timid and could never have his way with his wife. He was a very devoted and an overprotective father.

(e) Why was Mrs. Bramble upset when she came to hear that Bill had decided not to fight?
Ans: Although Mrs. Bramble did not like her husband’s profession as a boxer, she didn’t want him to quit because it earned them good money and made it possible for them to educate Harold.If he beat Murphy at the final match, he would win prize money of five hundred pounds .Even if he lost, he would still get a hundred and twenty, and this money would have been a blessing because it was enough to give Harold a better start in life.

(f) Who was Jerry Fisher? What did he say to try and convince Bill to change his mind?
Ans: Jerry Fisher was Bill’s trainer and he had been working hard at White Hart to train Bill for the boxing match, scheduled next week. Jerry tried to tempt Bill with the prize money and when he failed then he tried to emotionally blackmail him. If Bill withdrew, even Jerry’s career and reputation as a trainer would suffer. All the hard work they had put in together would go down the gutter.

(g) How did Harold come to know that his father was a boxer?
Ans: Jerry Fisher, Mrs. Bramble and her brother were trying to convince Bill not to back out from the fight. When Harold entered, Jerry Fisher told him the truth that his father was a professional boxer.

(h)Why was Harold upset that his father had not told him about his true identity? Give two reasons.
Ans: He was very upset with his father for not telling him his true identity for two reasons.
(i) Harold was very hurt to know that his parents kept such a secret from him.
(ii) Harold felt that he had missed the golden chance of winning respect and being the subject of envy of his classmates if they had known that his father was the famous boxer, ‘Young Porky’.

(i) Do you agree with Harold’s parents decision of hiding from him the fact that his father was a boxer? Why/Why not?
Ans: I agree with Harold’s parents’ decision of hiding from him the fact that his father was a boxer. Parents always think for the well being and good caring of children. They considered that a professional boxer was looked upon as a low-profile entertainer, and most of the people in the society did not respect a boxer. Therefore, they had a very good intention about their plan to keep it away from Harold.

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5. The sequence of events has been jumbled up. Rearrange them and complete the given flowchart.
(1) Major Percy and Bill come to the house.
(2) Harold comes to know that his father is a boxer.
(3) Bill tells his wife that he is doing it for Harold.
(4) Jerry Fisher tries to convince Bill to reconsider.
(5) Mrs. Bramble is amazed to think that she has brought such a prodigy as Harold into the world.
(6) Harold wants to know what will happen to the money he had bet on Murphy losing.
(7) Mrs. Bramble is informed that Bill had decided not to fight.
(8) Mrs. Bramble resumes work of darning the sock.
(9) Harold is alone with his mother in their home.
Ans: Here is the correct sequence:
(9) Harold is alone with his mother in their home.
(5) Mrs. Bramble is amazed to think that she has brought such a prodigy as Harold into the world.
(8) Mrs. Bramble resumes work of darning the sock.
(1) Major Percy and Bill come to the house.
(7) Mrs. Bramble is informed that Bill had decided not to fight.
(3) Bill tells his wife that he is doing it for Harold.
(4) Jerry Fisher tries to convince Bill to reconsider.
(2) Harold comes to know that his father is a boxer.
(6) Harold wants to know what will happen to the money he had bet on Murphy losing.

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Page No: 41

6. Choose extracts from the story that illustrate the characters of these people in it.

Person	Extracts from the story	What this tells us about their characters
Mrs. Bramble	(Para 12) “Bill we must keep it from Harold”	She was not honest and open with her son; concerned mother
Mr. Bramble	(Para 33)
Percy	(Para 109)
Jerry Fisher	(Para 110)

Ans:

Person	Extracts from the story	What this tells us about their characters
Mrs. Bramble	(Para 12) “Bill we must keep it from Harold”	She was not honest and open with her son; concerned mother
Mr. Bramble	(Para 33) “The scales have fallen from his eyes”	Mr. Bramble was a caring father; he chose his son over his profession
Percy	(Para 109) “My dear sir…a father’s feelings.”	A man who understood a father’s feelings well; a little dramatic
Jerry Fisher	(Para 110) “Tommy…’Young Porky’.”	Blunt; did not care about how his words might affect the relation of a father and his son.