1st Year English: Book 1 : Ch 5: The Piece of String

 

Lesson-5

The Piece of String

Exercise Questions
Q.1. Why did Manana accuse Hubert of picking the lost pocketbook? (imp)
Ans: Mr. Manana had seen Hubert picking up something from the road. He believed that Mr. Hubert had picked up the very pocket-book. So, he accused him of picking up the lost pocket-book.
Q.2. What did the people think of Hubert when they heard the return of pocketbook by some other person?
Ans: people did not trust Mr. Hubert. Still, they termed it as deception by Mr. Hubert. They did not believe him.
Q.3. Why did George give the pocketbook to his employer?
Ans: George was an uneducated person. He could not read the name of the owner of the pocketbook. So, he gave the pocketbook to his employer.
Q.4. What made Hubert shameful? (imp)
Ans: The illusion of people about him made him shameful. It was a disgrace to his ego and self-esteem. This thing grieved him a lot.
Q.5. Why did the people make fun of his innocence
Ans: They believed that Mr. Hubert had picked up the lost pocket-book but he was just not ready to confess. So, they made fun of his arguments.
Q.6. Why did he keep claiming his innocence before his death?
Ans: Mr. Hubert was a very sensitive and touchy fellow. He did not want to die with a spot on his character. So, he kept claiming his innocence till the last breath.
Additional questions
Q.7. Why didn’t the mayor believe the innocence of Hubert?
Ans: The mayor was not ready to accept that Mr. Manana, who was a credible man in the eyes of the mayor, would have taken a piece of string for a pocket-book. So, he didn’t believe in Mr. Hubert’s story of the string.
Q.8. What was the effect of Mr. Hubert’s protesting?
Ans: His protesting could not win the trust of the people. The people made fun of what he said and questioned his innocence.

Punctuated lines 01: 

i was seen with the pocket book who saw me mr manana the harness man saw you pick up the pocket book

 “I was seen with the pocket book? who saw me?” “Mr. Manana, the harness man saw you pick up the pocket book.”

Punctuated lines 02: 

o him yes he saw me pick up this string here and as he said so he drew out the little piece of string from his pocket

O, him! Yes! He saw me pick up this string here.” and as he said so, he drew out the little piece of string from his pocket.

Punctuated lines 03: 

mr hubert the peasant furiously lifted his hand spat at one side to attest his honor and said in most exasperating tone it is nevertheless truth of the good god the sacred truth I repeat it on my soul and my salvation

Mr. Hubert, the peasant, furiously lifted his hand spat at one side to attest his honor and said in most exasperating tone, “It is, nevertheless, truth of the good God, the sacred truth. I repeat it on my soul and my salvation.”