Gujarat Board Textbook Solutions Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 7 Packing
Gujarat Board Textbook Solutions Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 7 Packing
GSEB Solutions Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 7 Packing
Packing Summary in English
Packing Introduction:
Jerome Klapka Jerome (2 May, 1859 – 14 June, 1927) was an English writer and humorist, best known for the comic travelogue ‘Three Men in a Boat’. This extract ‘Packing’ is taken from ‘Three Men in a Boat’. His other works include the essay, collections ‘Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow’, ‘Three Men on the Bummel’ and several other novels.
Packing Summary:
Three friends George, Harris and Jerome, the narrator, decided to go on a Holiday. Jerome was very proud of his packing so he offered to do the packing task on which other two friends agreed. Both friends relaxed, but the narrator’s intention was different. According to him, both would do packing task under his direction. The narrator hated other people relaxing while he was working. However, the narrator started packing and soon finished it.
Harris asked the narrator that he had put the boots in the package. The narrator searched and found he had forgotten. He opened the bag, put the boots and packed the boots. When he was going to close his bag a horrible idea came to his mind that had he packed his toothbrush! He turned everything. He found toothbrushes of George and Harris more than eighteen times but could not find out his toothbrush. He put the things back one by one. Then he found it inside a boot and packed the things once more.
After he finished packing, George asked if the soap was in. The narrator said that he didn’t care about soap whether it was in bag or not. Again, he had to open the bag as he had packed his spectacles in it. The bag finally got finished at 10:05 p.m. Now, the hampers task remained to do which was taken by George and Harris on which narrator agreed. Both started packing in cheerful nature showing narrator how to do. However, according to the narrator Harris is the worst packer in the world. The narrator could see the piles of plates and cups, and kettles, and bottles, and jars, and pies, and stoves, and cakes, and tomatoes, etc., and felt that the thing would soon become exciting.
The narrator’s thinking was right as they started with breaking a cup. Harris packed the strawberry jam on top of a tomato and squashed it. George stepped on the butter. The narrator came over and quietly sat on the edge of the table which irritated them as narrator felt. It made them nervous and excited. They couldn’t find what they wanted. They packed the pies at the bottom and squashed them by putting heavy things over them.
Both of them upset everything. George got the butter off his slipper and tried to put it in kettle, but it wouldn’t go in and what was in wouldn’t come out. At last, they dragged it out all and put it down the chair. Harris sat on it and butter stuck to him. They searched the whole room but couldn’t find. Lastly, George got round at the back of Harris and saw it and they got it off, and packed it in the teapot.
Montmorency, the pet dog had an ambition in his life to get in the way and get scolded. He felt that his day had not been wasted if he had made people mad and had things thrown at his head. His highest aim was to get somebody to stumble over him, and curse him steadily for an hour. He came and sat down on things, just when they were wanted to be packed. He put his leg into the jam, and he worried the teaspoons, and he pretended that the lemons were rats, and got into the hamper and killed three of them before Harris could land him with the frying-pan. Harris said it was the narrator who encouraged the dog to do these things.
The packing was done at 12:50. Harris asked when he should wake them. After little said that he hoped nothing would be found arguments they decided to wake up at 6 : 30. broken. They decided to go to sleep. George
GSEB Class 9 English Packing Text Book Questions and Answers
Thinking about the Text
I. Discuss in pairs and answer each question below in a short paragraph (30-40 Words):
Question 1.
How many characters are there in the narrative ? Name them. (Don’t forget the dog!).
Answer:
There are four characters in the narrative. They are Jerome (the narrator), George, Harris and Montmorency (the dog).
Question 2.
Why did the narrator (Jerome) volunteer to do the packing ?
Answer:
The narrator volunteered to do the packing because he thought he was the best packer. He felt proud of his packing skill and wanted to show it.
Question 3.
How did George and Harris react to this ? Did Jerome like their reaction ?
Answer:
George and Harris readily accepted Jerome’s suggestion. George smoked a pipe and ‘spread himself over the easy-chair’, while Harris put his legs on the table and lit a cigar. No, Jerome was irritated by their reaction.
Question 4.
What was Jerome’s real intention when he offered to pack ?
Answer:
When Jerome offered to pack, his real intention was to supervise the work. He wanted to show his ability through the supervision.
Question 5.
What did Harris say after the bag was shut and strapped? Why do you think, he waited till then to ask ?
Answer:
After the bag was shut and strapped, Harris mentioned that Jerome had not packed the boots. He had waited till then to ask because he wanted to make Jerome realise his mistake and ridicule his packing skills.
Question 6.
What ‘horrible idea’ occurred to Jerome a little later ?
Answer:
The ‘horrible idea’ that occurred to Jerome a little later was whether he had packed his toothbrush or not. Whenever he travelled he could never remember if he had packed his toothbrush or not. This thought haunted him and made his life a misery.
Question 7.
Where did Jerome finally find the toothbrush ?
Answer:
Jerome finally found the toothbrush inside a boot when he was putting the things back-one by one after turning them out of the bag.
Question 8.
Why did Jerome have to reopen the packed bag ?
Answer:
Jerome had to reopen the packed bag twice owing to his forgetfulness. Once he had to reopen the bag as he had forgotten to pack the boots. The next time, he unpacked when he realised he had packed his tobacco-pouch in.
Question 9.
What did George and Harris offer to pack and why?
Answer:
George and Harris offered to pack the hampers because it was getting late and they thought that Jerome had taken too much of time. They also wanted to show their skill to Jerome.
Question 10.
While packing the hamper, George and Harris do a number of foolish and funny things. Tick the statements that are true:
(1) They started with breaking a cup.
(2) They also broke a plate.
(3) They squashed a tomato.
(4) They trod on the butter.
(5) They stepped on a banana.
(6) They put things behind them, and couldn’t find them.
(7) They stepped on things.
(8) They packed the pictures at the bottom and put heavy things on top.
(9) They upset almost everything.
(10) They were very good at packing.
Answer:
The true statements tick marked are : 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7.
II.
What does Jerome say was Montmorency’s ambition in life ? What do you think of Montmorency and why ?
Answer:
Jerome says Montmorency’s ambition in life was to get in the way and be sworn at. Montmorency was a mischievous little dog who loved creating troubles for others. I think that Montmorency was a perfect nuisance because
whenever he found people busy with their work, he might feel bored and wanted to get involved. He meant no trouble intentionally. But when people shouted at him or threw things at his head, he got discouraged and then went away to sit silently, which the narrator calls as the fulfillment of his conceit.
III. Discuss in groups and answer the following questions in two or three paragraphs (100 – 150) words:
Question 1.
Of the three, Jerome, George and Harris, who do you think is the best or worst packer? Support your answer with details from the text.
Answer:
Of the three Jerome is the best packer. He knew how to arrange things in order. Both Harris and George messed everything. Harris packed the strawberry jam on top of a tomato and squashed it. George stepped on the butter. They were getting constantly irritated by Montmorency. Till the time Jerome packed, although he took his time, for the job. George and Harris even kept things behind them and then kept searching for them. They made everything such a mess.
Question 2.
How did Montmorency ‘contribute’ to the packing ?
Answer:
The packing escapade was already a messy job and Montmorency’s contribution made it even more tiresome. He did his level best to be a ‘perfect nuisance’. He came and sat down on things, just when they were wanted to be packed. He put his leg into the jam and worried the teaspoons. He also pretended that the lemons were rats. So he got into the hamper and killed three of them before Harris could land him with the frying pan.
Question 3.
Do you find this story funny ? What are the humorous elements in it ? (Pick out at least three, think about what happens, as well as how it is described.)
Answer:
Yes, this story is definitely funny. Not only is the way in which the three friends pack for their trip quite mirthful, but the way the author narrates all the incidents is also entertaining. The first humorous element is that he offered to pack, George and Harris leaves the whole matter to him. Consequently, he has to do packing though his real intention was to boss the job.
The second humorous element is that George placed the butter on the chair and Harris sat on it and it stuck at his back. When they searched it for packing, it was missing. They walked round the room. At last, George saw it at Harris’s back. The third humorous element is that Montmorency squirms in where he is not wanted. He wants somebody to stumble over him and curse him steadily for an hour. He pretends that lemons were rats.
Thinking about Language
I. Match the words / phrases in Column ‘A’ with their meanings in Column ‘B’:
| ‘A’ | ‘B’ |
| 1. slaving | (a) a quarrel or an argument |
| 2. chaos | (b) remove something from inside another thing using a sharp tool |
| 3. rummage | (c) strange, mysterious, difficult to explain |
| 4. scrape out | (d) finish successfully, achieve |
| 5. stumble over, tumble into | (e) search for something by moving things around hurriedly or carelessly |
| 6. accomplish | (f) complete confusion and disorder |
| 7. uncanny | (g) fall, or step awkwardly while walking |
| 8. (to have or get into) a row | (h) working hard |
Answer:
(1 – h), (2 – f), (3 – e), (4 – b), (5 – g), (6 – d), (7 – c), (8 – a).
II. Use suitable words or phrases from Column ‘A’ above to complete the paragraph given below:
A Traffic Jam
During power cuts, when traffic lights go off there is utter ………….. at crossroads. Drivers add to the confusion by ……………. over their right of way, and nearly come to blows. Sometimes passers-by, seeing a few policemen ……………… at regulating traffic, step in to help. This gives them a feeling of having something.
Answer:
chaos, getting into a row, slaving, accomplished
III. Look at the sentences below. Notice that the verbs (italicised) are all in their bare form:
- Simple commands:
– Stand up!
– Put it here ! - Directions : (to reach your home)
Board Bus No. 121 and get down at Sagar Restaurant. From there turn right and walk till you reach a book shop. My home is just behind the shop. - Dos and don’ts :
-Always get up for your elders.
-Don’t shout in class. - Instructions for making a fruit salad: Ingredients
Oranges – 2
Pineapple – one large piece
Cherries -250 grams
Bananas – 2
Any other fruit you like
Wash the fruit. Cut them into small pieces.
Mix them well. Add a few drops of lime
juice. Add sugar to taste. Now add some
cream (or ice cream if you wish to make ‘
fruit salad with ice cream.)
(1) Now work in pairs. Give
(a) two commands to your partner.
(b) two dos and don’ts to a new student in your class.
(c) directions to get to each other’s houses.
(d) instructions for moving the body in an exercise or a dance, or for cooking something.
Answer:
(a) Help me to solve this riddle. Don’t move away from here till it is done.
(b)
- Come and sit with me. Follow the school rules strictly.
- Don’t exchange things or look outside while the lecture is in progress. Don’t talk at all.
(c)
- Go straight and you will be at the crossroads. Then turn right and you will see the signboard of my colony,
- Take a left turn from your bank, drive for just two minutes. There will be a junction of three roads. Turn right from there and at the dead end, you will be at our apartments.
(d) Fold your hands in ‘Namaste’ gesture. Raise them over your head. Then bend and hold your toes. Rest your palms on the floor. Then stretch your left leg back.
(2) The table below has some proverbs telling you what to do and what not to do. Fill in the blanks and add a few more such proverbs to the table:
| Positive | Negative |
| 1. Save for a rainy day.
2. Make hay while the sun shines. 3. ………….. before you leap. 4. …………… and let live |
1 .Don’t cry over spilt milk.
2. Don’t put the cart before the horse. 3. …………….. a mountain out of a molehill. 4. …………… all your eggs in one basket. |
Answer:
3. Look before you leap.
Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.
4. Live and let live.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Writing
You have seen how Jerome, George and Harris mess up their packing, especially of the hamper. From their mistakes you must have thought of some dos and don’ts for packing. Can you give some tips for packing by completing the paragraph below?
First pack all the heavy items, especially the ones you don’t need right away. Then…………
Here are some words and phrases you can use to begin your sentence with:
- Then
- Next
- Now
- Remember
- Don’t forget
- At last /Finally
Answer:
First pack all the heavy items, especially the ones you don’t need right away. Then keep the light or breakable items in the bag. Don’t forget to wrap such items in newspapers or clothes before packing them. Next, put all you toiletries in a separate pouch and keep it in the side pocket of the bag or towards one side in the suitcase. Now pack the food items in boxes and keep them carefully over the other things. Remember / Don’t forget all those things that you had planned to pack. Finally check whether you have packed all the things you will need in your trip.
GSEB Class 9 English Packing Additional Important Questions and Answers
Reading Comprehension
Read the following passages and select the most appropriate answers for the questions given below them:
Question 1.
Of course I had to turn every mortal thing out now, and, of course, I could not find it. I rummaged the things up into much the same state that they must have been before the world was created, and when chaos reigned. Of course, I found George’s and Harris’s eighteen times over, but I couldn’t find my own. I put the things back one by one, and held everything up and shook it. Then I found it inside a boot. i I repacked once more.
When I had finished, George asked if the soap was in. I said I didn’t care a hang whether the soap was in or whether it wasn’t; and I slammed the bag shut and strapped it, and found that I had packed my spectacles in it, and had to re-open it. It got shut up finally at 10.05 p.m., and then there remained the hampers to do. Harris said that we should be wanting to start in less than twelve hours’ time and thought that he and George had better do the rest; and I agreed and sat down, and they had a go.
Questions:
1. The meaning of ‘rummaged’ is ………………..
A. ‘searched’.
B.‘broken’.
C.Tost’.
D.‘forgot’.
Answer:
A. ‘searched’.
2. The search was over when ……………..
A. he rummaged the things.
B. he created a chaos.
C. he held everything up and shook it.
D. he found it inside a boot.
Answer:
D. he found it inside a boot.
3. The phrase ‘care a hang’ means …………………
A. ‘take more interest in’.
B. ‘show no concern or interest’.
C. ‘be more careful about’.
D. Both ‘A’ and ‘C’
Answer:
B. ‘show no concern or interest’.
4. ‘They had a go’ means ……………..
A. ‘They started their journey’.
B. ‘They started their work’.
C. ‘They went to take rest’.
D. ‘They finished their packing’.
Answer:
B. ‘They started their work’.
Question 2.
Montmorency was in it all, of course. Montmorency’s ambition in life is to get in the way and be sworn at. If he can squirm in anywhere where he particularly is not wanted and be a perfect nuisance, and make people mad, and have things thrown at his head, then he feels his day has not been wasted.
To get somebody to stumble over him, and curse him steadily for an hour, is his highest aim and object; and, when he has succeeded in accomplishing this, his conceit becomes quite unbearable.
He, came and sat down on things, just when they were wanted to be packed; and he laboured under the fixed belief that, whenever Harris or George reached out their hand for anything; it was his cold damp nose that they wanted. He put his leg into the jam, and he worried the teaspoons, and he pretended that the lemons were rats; and got into the hamper and killed three of them before Harris could land him with the frying pan.
Questions:
1. Who is Montmorency?
A. One of their friends.
B. Another name of Harris.
C. Their pet dog.
D. George
Answer:
C. Their pet dog.
2. Montmorency’s conceit becomes unbearable when ………………..
A. he squirms in anywhere.
B. makes people mad.
C. somebody has to stumble over him.
D. he accomplishes what he has aimed at.
Answer:
D. he accomplishes what he has aimed at.
3. What does Montmorency usually do when
others are working ?
A. He pokes his nose in.
B. He upsets things.
C. He does not let them do the things.
D. None of these three
Answer:
A. He pokes his nose in.
4. The phrase ‘squirms in’ means ……………….
A. ‘disturbs’.
B. ‘makes noise’.
C. ‘squeezes into the confined space’.
D. ‘leave the place soon’.
Answer:
C. ‘squeezes into the confined space’.
Question 3.
Harris said I encouraged him. I didn’t encourage him. A dog like that doesn’t want any encouragement. It’s the natural, original sin that is born in him that makes him do things like that.
The packing was done at 12.50; and Harris sat on the big hamper, and said he hoped nothing would be found broken. George said that if anything was broken it was broken, which reflection seemed to comfort him. He also said he was ready for bed. We were all ready for bed. Harris was to sleep with us that night, and we went upstairs.
We tossed for beds, and Harris had to sleep with me. He said:
“Do you prefer the inside or the outside, J: ?”
I said I generally preferred to sleep inside a bed,
Harris said it was odd.
George said:
“What time shall I wake you fellows ?”
Harris said:
“Seven.”
I said:
“No – six,” because I wanted to write some letters.
Harris and I had a bit of a row over it, but at last split the difference, and said half-past six.
“Wake up at 6.30, George,” we said.
Questions:
1. What was the blame on the writer ?
A. That he never worked.
B. That he did not know packing.
C. That he encouraged the dog.
D. That he could not control the dog.
Answer:
C. That he encouraged the dog.
2. Their bedroom was ……………….
A. in the same room where they were doing the packing..
B. on the same floor.
C. upstairs.
D. in the basement.
Answer:
C. upstairs.
3. What, according to Harris ‘it was odd’ ?
A. That he prefers to sleep outside the bed.
B. That Jerome prefers to sleep inside a bed.
C. That Jerome prefers to sleep outside the bed.
D. That Jerome prefers to stay inside the bed.
Answer:
B. That Jerome prefers to sleep inside a bed.
4. The phrase ‘to have a row over’ means…
A. ‘to have argument over’.
B. ‘to have deep thinking over’.
C. ‘to have a conclusion over’.
D. ‘to have agreement over’.
Answer:
A. ‘to have argument over’.
Answer the following questions in three to four sentences each:
Question 1.
Why did Jerome, the narrator, volunteer to do packing ?
Answer:
Jerome thought that he knew about packing more than any other person. So he volunteered himself to do the packing.
Question 2.
What was Jerome’s real intention when he offered to pack ?
Answer:
Jerome considered himself the best packer in the world. When he offered to pack his real intention was to boss the work. He wanted Harris and George to do work under his directions.
Question 3.
What ‘horrible idea’ occurred to Jerome a little later ?
Answer:
When Jerome was about to finish the packing, a horrible idea occurred to him. He was confused if had packed his toothbrush or not. His toothbrush always troubled him in packing.
Question 4.
Why did Jerome have to re-open the packed bag ?
Answer:
Jerome thought that he had packed his tobacco pouch in it. So he had to re-open it.
Question 5.
Why did George and Harris have to pick out the tomato with a teaspoon ?
Answer:
Harris packed the strawberry jam on the top of a tomato and squashed it. George had to pick out the crushed tomato with a teaspoon.
Answer the following questions in five to six sentences each:
Question 1.
Narrate in brief Montmorency’s habits and activities.
Answer:
Montmorency is the author’s pet-dog with ill-habits. He disturbed George and Harris in their job of packing. He sat on things to be packed. He put his leg into Jam. He bit and shook the spoons and spoiled three lemons. He made Harris and George stumble over him. This mischievous nature of Montmorency is inborn. So Harris gave him (the dog) a hard blow with a frying pan.
Question 2.
“I lived with a man once who used to make me mad that way.” What did the man do or say to make Jerome K. Jerome mad ?
Answer:
Once Jerome K. Jerome lived with a man. The man used to loll on the sofa and watch Jerome working about alone for hours together. His eyes pursued Jerome all the time while he worked. The idle man talked tall that life was not an idle dream but a great task, full of duty and hard work. He also said that he often wondered how he could have survived before he met the author, In this way the idle man made Jerome mad.
Question 3.
Draw the character-sketches of the following:
(i) Jerome (The Narrator)
Answer:
He is the narrator of the story. He is very proud of his packing skill so he decides to do the packing for holiday but his real intention is different. He wants his friends to do the packing and he would supervise their work. He feels irritated when he is working and other people are relaxing. However, he does the packing task but had forgotten many things outside so he had to do the packing many times. He enjoys the packing of foods by his friends and make them feel irritated.
(ii) Montmorency (The Dog)
Ansjfe is a pet dog. He had an ambition in his life to get in the way and get scolded. He felt that his day had not been wasted if he had made people mad and had things thrown at his head. His highest aim was to get somebody to stumble over him, and curse him steadily for an hour. He is disturbing George and Harris while they are packing. He sat down on many things. He put his leg into the jam and scattered the teaspoons. He pretended that the lemons were rats and crushed three.
Vocabulary And Grammar
Vocabulary
Fill in the blanks choosing the correct words given in the brackets:
(1) (meant, hardly, boss, intended)
This was …………….a…………. what I …………….b…………. . What I had …………..c………… , of course was that I should ………….d…………… the job.
Answer:
a. hardly
b. intended
C. meant
d.boss
(2) (chaos, rummaged, world, same)
I ……………a…………. the things up into much the ……………b…………. state that they must have been before the ……………..c……………. was created, and when ……………d……………. reigned.
Answer:
a. rummaged
b. same
c. world
d. chaos
Grammar
Since, I did not say anything, but started the packing. It seemed a longer job then I had thought it was going to be; and I got the bag finished at last, and I sat over it and strapped it. “Are you going to put the boots in ?” said Harris, I looked round, and found I had forgot them.
| Errors | Corrections |
| (a) Since | However |
| (b) then | than |
| (c) and | but |
| (d) over | on |
| (e) Are | Ain’t |
| (f) forgot | forgotten |
(2)
Answer:
When I had finished, George asked that the soap was in. I said I didn’t care a hang weather the soap was in or out; but I slammed the bag shut and strapped it, and found if I had packed my spectacles in it, and had to re open it. It got shut up finally at 10.05 p.m., and then their remains the hampers to do.
| Errors | Corrections |
| (a) that | if |
| (b) weather | whether |
| (c) but | and |
| (d) if | that |
| (e) their | there |
| (f) remains | remained |
(3)
Answer:
They started in breaking a cup. That was the first thing they did. They did that just showing you that they could do, and to get you interested. Now Harris packed the strawberry jam on top of a tomato and squoshed it, and they had to peak out the tomato with a teaspoon.
| Errors | Corrections |
| (a) in | with |
| (b) showing | to show |
| (c) that | what |
| (d) Now | Then |
| (e) squoshed | squashed |
| (f) peak | pick |
Fill in the blanks using article(s), conjunctions(s) and preposition(s) at the correct places:
(1) My toothbrush is …………..a………….. thing …………b…………… haunts me ………….c…………. I’m travelling, ……………d………. makes me life …………e……….. misery. I dream ………….f…………. I haven’t packed it.
Answer:
a. a
b. that
c. when
d. and
e. a
f. that
(2) To get somebody to stumble ……………a…………… him, …………..b………….. curse him steadily ………..c………….. an hour, is his highest aim ……………d………….. object; and, ……………e…………… he has succeeded ………….f…………….. accomplishing this, his conceit becomes quite unbearable.
Answer:
a. over
b. and
c. for
d. and
e. when
f. in
Punctuate the following passage:
Oh you here let me do it there you are simple enough really teaching them as you might say their taking it in the way they did irritated me.
Answer:
“Oh, you!” “Here, let me do it.”
“There you are, simple enough!”- really teaching them, as you might say. Their taking it in the way they did irritated me.
Convert the following into Indirect Speech:
“I’ll take my oath I put it down on that chair,”
said George, staring at the empty seat.
“I saw you do it myself, not a minute ago,”
said Harris.
“Most extraordinary thing I ever heard of,”
said George.
“So mysterious !” said Harris.
Answer:
Staring at the empty seat, George said on oath that he had put it down on that chair. Soon Harris told that he had seen him do it himself, not a minute before. George exclaimed that it was the most extraordinary thing he had ever heard of. Harris also joined him telling that it was greatly mysterious.
Rewrite as directed:
(1) I rather pride myself on my packing. (Turn into Complex.)
(2) This was hardly what I intended. (Turn into Negative.)
(3) Harris is the worst packer in the world. (Change the Degree.)
(4) I opened the bag and packed the boots in. (Turn into Simple.)
(5) They stepped on a banana. (Change the Voice.)
(6) If he can squirm in anywhere, he feels his day has not been wasted. (Use ‘Unless’.)
(7) Harris could land him with the frying-pan. (Turn into a Question.)
Answer:
(1) 1 rather pride myself that I can do wonderful packing.
(2) This was not something that I intended.
(3) Harris is worse than any other packer in the world. OR No other packer in the world is so bad as Harris.
(4) Opening the bag, I packed the boots in.
(5) A banana was stepped on by them.
(6) Unless he can squirm in anywhere, he hardly feels his day has not been wasted.
(7) Couldn’t Harris land him with the frying- pan ?
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