SHORT ANSWER

Type Questions |2 Marks each|

1 What do the words just' and 'placid'
mean? Are they used in the right context?
Ans The literal meaning of just' is 'fair'. Placid' Ans
means 'calm' or'even-tenmpered'. But both these
words used for the king are satirical as the king
does not show any signof being just or being
even-tempered.
2Why did the king order to build an arch? Ans
Ans The king proclaimed for an arch to be constructed
keeping in mind that the arch would be a symbol
monument. He
of his triumphs - a sort of victory main
wanted the arch to be extended across the
road of the city.
33 What happened when the king passed
under the arch?
under the arch, his crown
Ans When the king passed arch was probably built
hit the arch and fell. The furious. A frown An.
too low. The king becameface. He took it as a
Ppeared on his calm builders
the Chief of
disgrace and ordered that
must be hanged for this insult.
 4 Who was initially held responsible bythe king
accorded
10r his disgrace? What punishment was
to the guilty?
the
s When the king's crown fell down on his head striking
arch, the king was verv angry because he considered that
he had been disgraced in front of his people. He held the
Chief of builders guilty of building the arch wrongly. He
felt that the arch had been built too low. So the king
decided that the Chief of builders should be hanged to
death for disgracing the king.
J What did the architect tell the king when he was
summoned by the king?
Ans When the architect was summoned by the king and
blamed for making a faulty design of the arch,the
architect reminded the king that he had forgotten one
small thing. The king had made certain changes to the
plans of the arch when the architect had shown them to
him. Thus he implied that the blame for the faulty design
was with the king himself and that the architect was not
to be blamed.

6A blame gamne started and the king was confused.

Who were involved in this?
Ans People knew that the king could be easily influenced.
They started passing the blame from one to another.
The chief of builders blamed the workmen. The workmen
blamed the masons,who blamed the architect and the
architect blamed the king himself. Thus they finally held
the king responsible,which made him confused as to
what action to take.

Do you think the king was trapped by the

architect? What solution was found by the king
to avert the situation?
Ans Yes, the architect trapped the king by blaming him.
The king became very furious and was unable to remain
calm. He asked for the wisest man to be brought there so
that a proper solution could be found to the problem.
8HoW was the wisest man chosen? Was his advice
really 'wise'?
Ans Thewisest man was chosen on the criterion that
'theoldest would be the wisest'. The old man selected as
the wisest could not even walk or see anything. The
advice given by him to hang the arch was a ridiculous
iudgement as the arch was lifeless and thus hanging
could not deprive it of life.
9The wisest man said that the arch must be
hanged. Then how did the arch escape the
punishment?
Anc When the arch was being taken to be hanged, one of the
Councillors commented that it would be shameful to
bang something that had touched the king's head. The
king considered and decided that the arch should not be
hanged.
 488 Allinone ENGLISH CORE Class 114.

10 Why was the crowd

Ans The crowd had been getting restless?
16 Who decided a melon to be the king and
people blaming otherswatching
for long the drama of why?
for the disgrace of the king. Ans After the message was sent out by the
They expected a hanging to happen soon, but it
being averted due to one reason or another. was idiot happenedto pass the City Gate andministers,
was an
bored and wanted some real They felt stopped by the guards to be asked who should be
action. So the king. The idiot told that a melon should be the
getting restless. They wanted someone they werc
to be hanged king. He named the melon as he was very fond of
immediately. melons. Moreover, reasoning was beyond him.
H The crowd is not guided by
this comment in the light ofreason. Elaborate
this chapter.
17 How can you say that the people of melon
city are happy even if their king happens to
Ans The mob is swayed by
emotions. The
are impulsive andact without reason. common people be a melon?
In this chapter Ans The people of melon city did not bother at all abot
the crowwd was watching the actions of the
hanging had taken place so far. So the crowdking.grew
No who was their king because it did not matter to
them as long as they were allowed to enjoy peace
restless, as it needed some real action. The
not concerned that, by hanging, a life will bemob was
lost. It
and liberty. Even their previous king was idiotic
needed some excitement. and changing his mind all the time, whereas a
melon will not be able to interfere at all in their
12 What did the king decide to do activities, as it is not a human being.
after he
observed the crowd getting restless? 18 What are the principles of Laissez-faire?
Ans The observant king judged the mood of the
correctly. They had been watching what waspeoplegoing on
Ans Laissez-faire is a french word which neans 'to leave
alone' or the policy of leaving things to take their
for a long time but no one was getting
hanged.
wanted some action. So the king declared that the They own course without interfering. This principle was
nation wanted 'a hanging' and, whether guilty or not, well-established in Melon City' as their king, being
someone should be hanged and that also a lifeless object, did not interfere in the lives of its
Accordingly, it was decided that the tallestimmediately.
person
subjects.
would be hanged. 19 Justify the title of the chapter The Tale of
13 The noose fitted only one
person-whowas this Melon City'.
person? Did he deserve this judgement? Ans The title is well justified because it narrates the part
Ans The noose was set up somewhat high. Each man of the history of this city when a melon was
was
measured one by one. But only one man was found tall the king.That is how the city got its name. Itmadetells
enough to fit the noose. He was the king. Thus, he was the full story of how the foolish king sentenced
hanged by royal order. Although the king was not to himself to death, so that a melon was chosen as the
blame for what he considered as his disgrace', he king. It also suggests that the chapter is satirical,
deserved to die because of his stupidity and arbitrary suggesting the faults of most humans.
behaviour. He was not fit to be a king.
14 Was the king just and placid'?
Ans The king is neither just nor placid. He cannot
LONG ANSWER Type Questions
decide
between right and wrong. He claims to be just and
|6 Marks each
placid but passes death penalties on petty issues. He It is
got furious when his crown fell and he tried to hang essential to possess intelligence and
someone for the disgrace. Thus, the king is rather common sense to rule over others.
foolish. ridiculous and unreasonable. Comment in the context of the chapter The
Tale of Melon City'.
15 What was the problem faced by the Ans It is a fact that a ruler must
after the king's execution?
ministers have common sense ana
intelligence to judge things in correct
Ans After the hanging of the king, the city was without a perspective. Multiple situationstheir
and
ruler. The ministers needed to find a ruler. Howvever.. require quick judgement and ability varied people
to differentiate
they had a customary method of choosing kings. So between right and wrong. People
to save themselves, which is very tend fool others
thev sent out the message that the next person to pass to
the City Gate would choose the new king. well-reflected in
the chapter "The Tale of Melon City' .
be Tale of Melon City 489
The king is sofoolish that he is not able to sec through the social
excuses of
others and 3Satire can be an effective tool for Tale
architect or the people pays heavily by losing his own life. The
whoset the noose reform. Keeping the chapter The
intelligent than the king so they could casilyweretrapfar more fMelon City' in mind, express your
unavoidable situation. For a leader it is eSsential tohimbe ina an views onthe above staterment.
administrator who should be intelligent. He should be ablegoodto
analvse and rationalise
Ans The word 'satire' means conveying a message
the without using harsh or direct words. The
diffcult situation from whichsituation: otherwise he can be in a
it willbe difficult to literal neaning of satire is the use of humour
2 Mobpsychology is beyond any come out. to expose and criticise people's stupidity,
reason. Politicians use this in
their favour. A good leader carn use particularly in the context of conternporary
the
useful prposes or goals. Elucidate. mob achieve some politics. This writing style has been in use for
to
ns The crowd or mob may be very ages. Writers, poets and dramatists have used
excited, they act on intelligent but when they are this style to create an ernotional inpact on
their emotions and set aside any readers.
discretion or reason. Many politicians try to arouse The writer tries to impress the reader
to achieve their dirty goals or to damage the good the mob through subtle use of language. In this poem
honest party or leader.
image of an
also, the poet has used satire to bring out the
Agood leader can use the crowd to achieve some visions or point that our leaders should be wise so that
goals which may be beneficial to the nation. For example, they can lead the country in the path of
Gandhijiaroused the passions of the common man to make developrnent and prosperity.
India free. It was with the help of a large gathering of common The purpose of the writer is to get matters
people involved in satyagraha that the Britishers got corrected by pointing towards the wrong
threatened and finally had to leave India. actions in ahumorous manner.