Communication Skills in English

Unit: 3. Prose and Poetry

Question Answer & Short Notes

Answer the following questions:

1) Why did author visit ravine?

Ans. The author visited the ravine to renew himself, to get some exercise and to write a
novel.

2) Describe the ravine (Valley) mentioned in the prose ‘The Leopard’?

Ans. The ravine was so deep that for the most of the day it remained in shadow. This
encouraged many birds and animals to emerge from cover during the hours of daylight. Few
people ever passed that way. As a result, the ravine had become a little heaven of wildlife.
There were oak and rhododendron trees, and several flowers and berries. Near the ridge
there was a stream that flowed violently in the monsoon months. The ravine looked
mesmerizing.

3) Make a list of wild life the author encounters in the forest.

Ans. The author encounters barking deer, khaleej pheasant, red fox, bear, forktail, langurs
and leopard in the forest.
4) Make a list of plants the author encounters in the forest
Ans. The author encounters oak, maple, pine, Himalayan rhododendron, red sorrel,
raspberries, creeping vines, slender ringal bamboo, wild dog roses, yellow and blue
primroses, and saxifrage in the forest.
5) How did the author (Ruskin Bond) recognize the forktail?
Ans.: The author recognized the forktail because of the prominent white cross of St. Andrew
across its back.
6) What was the danger the langurs were trying the author to warn against?
Ans.: The langurs were trying to warn the author against the hidden danger of leopard that
was roaming in the forest and it might have sensed the presence of the author in the area.

7) “The birds and animals knew their trust had been violated.” What does this line
mean?
Ans.: The birds and animals trusted the author so they began trusting all human beings. But
the hunters shot many animals and sounds of bullets were often heard in the forest, as a
result the bird and animals lost their trust in human beings.
8) Why were shikaris roaming in the forest?
Ans.: The shikaris were roaming in the forest to hunt the leopard. They wanted to sell the
skin of leopard to earn money.
9) Describe the author’s behavior in the forest.
Ans.: The author felt relaxed in the forest. His intentions were not to harm the forest or any
birds or animals but to enjoy the natural beauty. The author was well acquainted with
wildlife and flora. He was fearless and confident surrounded by wildlife. He was not even
afraid of confrontation with the leopard. The author felt strong and generous bondage with
the forest.

R.C.T.I…..DJJ….……Sem-1……Communication Skills in English…..Unit – 3. Page 1 of 5

10) Why did Ruskin Bond’s approach didn’t disturb the animals in the forest?
Ans.: Ruskin Bond did not come to forest to hunt or harm any animals or to take anything
from the forest. Gradually animals grew accustomed to his face; therefore his approach
didn’t disturb animals in the forest.
11) What was hunter’s advice to Ruskin Bond?
Ans.: Hunters advised Ruskin Bond to carry a gun with his as there was a leopard around.
12) Why did ravine become a little heaven for wild life?
Ans.: The ravine was so deep that for most of the day it remained in shadow. This
encouraged many birds and animals to emerge from cover during the hours of daylight. And
only few people ever passed that way, therefore it became a little heaven for wild life.
13) Write a short note on Ruskin Bond’s first encounter with the leopard.
Ans.: Once, while Ruskin Bond was climbing the hill, he heard the grunting and chattering of
the langurs as though langurs were trying to warn him of some hidden danger. A shower of
pebbles came rattling down the steep hillside. When Ruskin Bond looked up he saw a sinewy
orange-gold leopard poised on a rock about 20 feet above him. To give himself courage, he
clapped his hands sharply, the leopard sprang away into the thickets and disappeared.
14) Who is the speaker in the poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening? Where is he
in the poem?
Ans.: The speaker in the poem is a traveler. He is riding a horse. He has stopped at a place
between the woods and the frozen lake to behold the natural beauty of snowfall.

15) Why do you think the poet stopped in the woods?

Ans.: The poet was enchanted by the beauty of the woods therefore he stopped at the woods
to observe the natural beauty of the woods. He wanted to enjoy the calmness of dark, deep
and lovely woods.
16) Describe the woods the poet is in. (What is woods?)
Ans,: Woods is an area of land which is smaller than the forest and is covered with a thick
growth of tree. The woods were lovely, dark and deep. The trees were thick and there was
no one around. There was a lake near the woods which was frozen due to cold winter. The
trees were covered with snow.
17) Who is the owner of the woods and why will he not be able to see the poet?
Ans.: The owner of the woods lives in the village, which is far away from the woods,
therefore he will not be able to see the poet.

18) What is the feeling of the poet standing in the woods?

Ans.: The poet is truly happy enjoying the natural beauty of the woods – frozen lake and
snow. He is delighted to experience the calmness of the woods and snowfall.

19) Where did the horse stop?

Ans.: The horse stopped between the woods and frozen lake as the poet wanted to see the
beauty of the woods.

20) What must the horse find queer and strange? (What according to the poet will
surprise the horse?)
Ans.: The horse found it queer and strange because the speaker stopped at a place between
the woods and frozen lake where there was no farmhouse nearby. The horse found it

R.C.T.I…..DJJ….……Sem-1……Communication Skills in English…..Unit – 3. Page 2 of 5

 strange that the poet stopped to see the natural beauty on the dark and snowy evening away
from his destination.

21) Why does the horse give his bell a shake?

Ans.: The horse gives his harness bell a shake because he finds it strange that his master has
stopped at an isolated place where there is no farmhouse nearby to rest. The horse gives his
harness bell a shake to ask the poet if there is any mistake on his side.

22) Which sound does the speaker listen at the woods?

Ans.: The speaker hears the sound of the sweeping wind, falling snowflakes and the sound of
horse’s harness bells.
23) Why the woods are called lovely, dark and deep?
Ans.: The poet finds woods beautiful, mysterious and seductive. Woods symbolize sensuous
enjoyment and dark inner self of man. The woods here also suggest distractions and
enjoyment during the journey of life.

24) What is the significance of ‘sleep’ in the poem?

Ans.: In this poem, ‘sleep’ refers to death which overcomes everything in the material world.
The speaker sees the life as a journey and there are lots of temptations and attractions on
the way. But we need to overcome them to live life peacefully till our final destination, which
is ‘death’.

25) What promises is the speaker talking about?

Ans.: The speaker is talking about the duties and responsibilities he has towards himself and
others. He needs to take care of many commitments and obligations. He needs to fulfill the
worldly responsibilities before embracing the long sleep, which is death.

26) What are the sights and the sounds that the poet experience in the woods?
Ans.: The poet sees the woods filled up with snow on the one side of the path and frozen lake
on the other side. He hears the sound of bells from horse’s neck, sweep of easy wind and
snow falling.
27) Describe the central idea of the poem ‘Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’?
Ans.: The central theme of the poem is to make balance between beauty and duty. In our life,
we are attracted by so many temptations, but we have to remember the call of duty. The
word ‘sleep’ used by the poet in the last stanza also represents the final sleep, means ‘death’.
Before death, each of us has to fulfill so many promises, which we have made with our
family, friends, society and country.
28) What does the poet say about the owner of the woods? (Where does the owner of the
woods live?)
Ans.: The poet says that the owner of the woods lives in the village; therefore he will not find
out that the author has stopped in his woods to observe the woods fill up with snow.
29) Who is the author of the poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening’?
Ans.: Robert Frost is the author of the poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.
30) Comment on Author’s approach to the Birds and animals in “The Leopard”.
Ans. In the beginning, when the author come to the forest, the birds and animals used to
move away, but gradually they became used to author’s approach and as author did not
harm them, his approach didn’t disturb the birds and animals.

R.C.T.I…..DJJ….……Sem-1……Communication Skills in English…..Unit – 3. Page 3 of 5

31) Who is the author of prose “The Leopard”?
Ans. The author of “The Leopard” is Ruskin Bond.
32) When did the author first see the leopard?
Ans. The author first saw the leopard when he was crossing the small stream at the bottom
of the hill.
33) What arrangement (agreement) did Jimmy and Bob come upon twenty years ago?
Ans.: Jimmy and Bob promised each other to meet after twenty years of time at the same
time and at the same place in New York after their last dinner together.

34) What did Bob do after parting from Jimmy twenty years ago?
Ans.: After parting from Jimmy, Bob went to the West to make fortune. He earned a lot of
money by wrong means and became a criminal.
35) What was Bob’s criticism of Jimmy?
Ans.: Bob believed that Jimmy was a nicest and the most loyal person on earth. Bob believed
that Jimmy got stuck in New York as he was not very ambitious.
36) Describe Bob’s appearance.
Ans.: Bob had a pale, square jawed face with keen eyes. He had a little white scar near his
right eyebrow. There was a large diamond oddly set on his scarf
37) What kind of person do you think Jimmy is?
Ans.: Jimmy is a simple and honest person. He is not ambitious like his friend Bob. He prefers
to stay connected to his roots; therefore he stays in New York. He gives more importance to
his duty than friendship.
38) What kind of person do you think Bob is?
Ans.: Bob is a very ambitious person and he chooses wrong paths to earn wealth. On the
other hand, he is loyal as a friend as he travels thousand miles and risks his life to meet his
old friend Jimmy.

39) Why did Jimmy decide not to move out of New York?
Ans.: Jimmy decided not to go out of New York because he wanted to stay connected to his
roots. He couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
40) Describe the part of the city Bob was waiting in.
Ans.: Bob was waiting at the door way of a darkened hardware store. Most of the shops were
closed. Streets were empty as people went home early. There were a few cigar stores or all
night lunch counters whose lights were on.

41) When did Bob realize that the tall man he had met was not Jimmy Wells? How?
Ans.: When Bob and the tall man reached near a store which had electric lights, both of them
gazed at each other’s face. At this moment, Bob realized that the man he met was not Jimmy
Wells as his nose was completely different from Jimmy’s nose.
42) What did Jimmy notice when Bob lit his cigar?
Ans.: When Bob lit his cigar, Jimmy could see his face. On seeing Bob’s face, Jimmy realized
that Bob was a criminal who was wanted in Chicago.

R.C.T.I…..DJJ….……Sem-1……Communication Skills in English…..Unit – 3. Page 4 of 5

43) Why do you think Jimmy sent someone else to arrest Bob and did not do it himself?
Ans.: Both Jimmy and Bob were childhood friends and they were meeting each other after
twenty years. When Jimmy saw Bob’s face, he realized that Bob was the criminal wanted by
the Chicago Police. Since Bob was Jimmy’s best friend, he could not gather courage to arrest
him, therefore he sent a plain clothed police officer to arrest Bob.

44) At what time the story After Twenty Years begins?

Ans.: The story ‘After Twenty Years’ begins about 10 o’clock at night.
45) Describe patrolling activity of the policeman mentioned in the story After Twenty
Years.
Ans.: The policeman was doing his patrolling activity impressively. He was moving his club
in artful manner and checking the doors. He was turning now and then to cast his watchful
eye towards the streets. He resembled to be a guarding of peace
46) Where did Jimmy live to make his career?
Ans.: Jimmy lived in New York to make his carrer in the police department.
47) What used to be there in the place of that shop twenty years ago?
Ans.: There used to be a restaurant named Big Joe Brady’s Restaurant in place of the
hardware shop.
48) Where did Bob and Jimmy take last dinner?
Ans: Bob and Jimmy took their last dinner at Big Joe Brady’s restaurant.
49) Why was Bob under arrest?
Ans.: Bob was under arrest because he was a wanted criminal of Chicago Police.
50) Whose note was handed over to Bob in the end? What did the note contain?
Ans.: Jimmy Wells’ note was handed over to Bob in the end. The note contained, “Bob, I was
at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar I saw it was
the face of the man wanted in Chicago. Somehow I couldn’t do it myself, so I went around
and get a plainclothes man to do the job.”

*****

R.C.T.I…..DJJ….……Sem-1……Communication Skills in English…..Unit – 3. Page 5 of 5