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The Elevator: ICSE Class 10 English questions, answers, notes

Get notes, line-by-line explanation, summary, questions and answers, critical analysis, word meanings, extras, and pdf of the story “The
Elevator” by William Sleator, which is part of ICSE Class 10 English (Treasure Chest: A Collection of ICSE Poems and Short Stories).
However, the notes should only be treated as references, and changes should be made according to the needs of the students.

Table of Contents
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Summary
About the author
Evergreen workbook answers/solutions
Multiple Choice Questions
Comprehension passage
Morning Star workbook answers/solutions
Multiple Choice Questions II
Context Questions and Answers
Additional/Extras
Questions and Answers
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Summary

The story is about Martin, a 12-year-old boy who is afraid of the old, rickety elevator in his apartment building. From the first day he
and his father move into the building, Martin feels uneasy in the elevator, which is very small. The lighting is poor, the walls are dirty,
and the door slams loudly every time it closes. The elevator shudders each time it starts up, as if exhausted.

Martin tries taking the stairs one day after school, but they are dark with no windows, and he becomes short of breath by the 17th floor
where he lives. His father scolds him for not taking the elevator and implies Martin is weak and cowardly. After that, Martin forces
himself to take the elevator despite his fear.

One morning, a fat lady in an old green coat gets on the elevator with Martin. She completely fills the small space and her coat brushes
up against Martin as he’s pushed into the corner. She stares intensely at Martin the whole ride down. When he returns home and takes
the elevator, the woman gets into the elevator again on the third floor and stares at him the entire ride up to the 17th floor where he lives.

Martin asks his father that night if he’s noticed the strange woman, but his father dismisses his concerns. The next morning, the woman
is again waiting for Martin in the elevator and smiles creepily as the door shuts between them. Martin is so afraid that he tries taking the
stairs but falls and breaks his leg.

He is taken to the hospital by his father. When they get back, Martin has to stay off his broken leg and feels relieved to avoid the
elevator and woman. However, his father stops on the 9th floor to visit someone, forcing Martin back alone in the elevator when the
same woman steps inside the elevator again.

The elevator starts moving up but she pushes the stop button midway, trapping him inside, and says “Hello Martin”. The story ends
without mentioning what happens next.

The story plays on Martin’s fear of confined spaces and possibly his imagination. The woman may not be real, but rather a manifestation
of Martin’s anxiety about elevators and his own lack of control in his life. However, from Martin’s perspective, the fear is very real,
making the experience terrifying for him.

About the author

William Sleator (1945-2011) was an American author who masterfully blended science fiction with explorations of complex family
relationships. This is evident in his short story ‘The Elevator’, where a frightening plotline underscores the dysfunctional dynamic
between a father and son.

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Sleator deftly contrasts the characters of Martin, a sensitive 12-year-old boy, and his insensitive father. Martin likely suffers from
claustrophobia, as his greatest fear is being trapped in the old, cramped elevator of their apartment building. His father berates him for
this phobia, demanding he ‘grow up and act like a man’. Sleator vividly depicts the heightened pressure on young boys to suppress their
emotions and fears.

Through Martin’s escalating terror of the mysterious, smiling woman who seems to be stalking him in the elevator, Sleator offers insight
into the frightened inner world of childhood. The story’s horror fiction elements come to the fore as it concludes with Martin,
immobilised with a broken leg, trapped in the elevator at the mercy of this ominous woman. Sleator chillingly explores irrational
childhood fears within a tense, suspenseful plot.

Evergreen workbook answers/solutions

Multiple Choice Questions

(i) The story ‘The Elevator’ is written by

(a) Joseph Conrad (b) William Sleator (c) Katherine Mansfield (d) Stephen Leacock

Answer: (b) William Sleator

(ii) The elevator could carry

(a) two (b) three (c) four (d) only one

Answer: (b) three persons.

(iii) Martin’s father worked

(a) in a factory (b) in an office (c) at home (d) in his fields

Answer: (c) at home

(iv) Martin was (a) a brave boy (b) a skinny boy (c) a fat boy (d) a fearless

Answer: (b) a skinny boy

(v) Martin lived on the

(a) third (b) fourth (c) seventeenth (d) eighteenth

Answer: (c) seventeenth .floor.

(vi) Martin first met the fat lady on the ………………. .floor.

(a) ninth (b) thirteenth (c) tenth (d) fourteenth

Answer: (d) fourteenth

(vii) The fat lady looked at Martin

(a) affectionately (b) scornfully (c) threateningly (d) closely

Answer: (d) closely

(viii) The old lady was wearing a ….. coat

(a) red (b) brown (c) green (d) black

Answer: (c) green

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(ix) What was Martin’s father doing when he was told about the fat lady?

(a) watching television (b) speaking to someone on mobile (c) reading a book (d) taking to a friend to meet Mrs Ullman

Answer: (a) watching television

(x) On which floor was Martin’s father going to meet

(a) 4th (b) 9th (c) 14th (d) 3rd

Answer: (b) 9th

Comprehension passage

Passage 1

Of course he was always uncomfortable in elevators, afraid that they would fall, but this one was especially unpleasant. Perhaps this was
because of the poor lighting and the dirty walls.

(i) Describe the apartment to which Martin and his father had shifted recently.

Answer: It was an old building with an old elevator, a very small elevator that could hold three people. Of course, he was always
uncomfortable in elevators, he was afraid that they would fall, but there was something special unpleasant about it. Perhaps it was its
sinister atmosphere due to the light from the only fluorescent a ceiling strip, dull and dull against dirty walls. Perhaps the problem was
the door, which was never left open all the way.

(ii) What made the boy uncomfortable in the elevator?

Answer: Martin was uncomfortable in elevators as he was afraid that they would fall down. The elevator in the new apartment building
was especially unpleasant because of the poor lighting and dirty walls.

(iii) What kind of boy was Martin ?

Answer: Martin was a skinny twelve-year-old boy who was nervous by nature.

(iv) What are we told about the door of the elevator ?

Answer: The door of the elevator was never left open all the way long enough, and slammed shut with that ominous, clanging finality.

(v) How does the description of the elevator contribute to the suspense in the story?

Answer: The description of the old building, the small cramped elevator with poor lighting and dirty walls, and the ominous clanging
sound of the elevator door sets an atmosphere of suspense and fear, making the reader expect something strange or frightening to
happen.

Passage 2

‘You’re not only skinny and weak and bad at sports,’ his face seemed to say, ‘but you are also a coward’. After that, Martin always took
the elevator. He would have to get used to it, he told himself, just as he got used to being bullied at school.

(i) Earlier, why did father get upset with Martin?

Answer: Earlier, Martin’s father got upset with him because instead of taking the elevator, Martin took the stairs and reached home out
of breath after climbing up to the 17th floor where they lived.

(ii) What kind of boy was Martin ?

Answer: Martin was a skinny, weak boy who was bad at sports and timid by nature, as described by his father’s expression.

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(iii) What did Martin have to come to terms with ?

Answer: Martin had to come to terms with using the elevator despite his fears, just as he had got used to being bullied at school by his
classmates.

(iv) Why did Martin take the elevator although he was scared of it?

Answer: Although Martin was scared of the elevator, he started taking it after his father rebuked him for being a coward and told him he
would have to get used to it.

(v) Was Martin a coward ? Give two reasons for your answer.

Answer: Yes, Martin was depicted as a coward by his father’s expression. He was skinny, weak, bad at sports, and most importantly,
afraid of using the elevator which his father considered an irrational fear that he needed to overcome.

Passage 3

She was wearing an old green coat that ballooned around her. As she waddled into the elevator, Martin was sure he felt it sink under her
weight. She was so big that her coat brushed against him, and he had to squeeze himself into a corner.

(i) What kind of lady was ‘she’?

Answer: The lady was fat and wore an old green coat that ballooned or swelled out around her large body.

(ii) What is Martin’s tone while describing the lady’s stature ?

Answer: Martin’s tone in describing the lady’s large stature is one of fear and being overwhelmed by her size, as he felt the elevator
sink under her weight when she waddled in.

(iii) What was Martin’s state of mind when he confronted the lady?

Answer: When the fat lady entered the cramped elevator, Martin felt very uncomfortable and squeezed himself into a corner to avoid
brushing against her coat, indicating he was in a nervous, fearful state of mind.

(iv) On which floor did the lady step into the elevator ? On which floor did she actually live?

Answer: The lady got into the elevator on the fourteenth floor. The story does not specify on which floor she lived. It only states that
she entered when the elevator stopped at the 14th floor in the morning.

(v) How did the lady look at the boy in the elevator ?

Answer: The extract mentions that the fat lady just kept staring at Martin constantly and did not stop looking at him for even a minute in
the elevator.

Passage 4

She did nothing. She only watched him breathing loudly, until the elevator reached the first floor at last. Martin wanted to run past her to
get out, but there was no room. He could only wait as she turned and moved slowly into the lobby. Then he ran. He didn’t care what she
thought. She ran nearly all the way to school.

(i) What was the lady’s behaviour while in the elevator with the boy ?

Answer: The lady did nothing in the elevator except watch Martin breathing loudly and staring at him constantly until they reached the
ground floor.

(ii) Why couldn’t Martin run past the lady?

Answer: Martin could not run past the lady to get out of the elevator first because there was no room or space due to the lady’s large
size taking up most of the cramped elevator.

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(iii) What was the boy’s impression of the lady in the elevator?

Answer: The lady’s constant staring at Martin in the confined elevator gave him the impression that she was strange or crazy in her
behavior.

(iv) Where did the lady live ?

Answer: The story does not explicitly state where the lady lived.

(v) What time of the day was it then? How do you know?

Answer: It was morning time, as mentioned in the line “She was waiting for him at 7:30 in the morning.”

Passage 5

She nodded, and stepped in. The door slammed. He watched her pudgy hand move towards the buttons. She pressed not fourteen, but
eighteen, the top floor.

(i) To which question of the boy did the lady nod?

Answer: The lady nodded in response to Martin’s question if she was going up in the elevator.

(ii) What did the woman look like?

Answer: The lady is described as pudgy or fat, indicating her large physique.

(iii) What is surprising in the lady’s pressing the button eighteen?

Answer: It is surprising that the lady pressed the button for the 18th floor or top floor, when earlier that morning she had gotten on at
the 14th floor, raising questions about where she actually lived.

(iv) Which floor do you think did the lady live on?

Answer: Based on her pressing different floor buttons at different times of the day, it is unclear which floor the lady actually lived on in
the building.

(v) What makes the boy feel nervous in the elevator ?

Answer: The constant presence and strange behavior of the large fat lady staring at him in the cramped elevator makes Martin feel very
nervous and uncomfortable.

Passage 6

“I’m not afraid”. “You’re afraid”, said his father. “When are you going to grow up and act like a man? Are you going to be timid all
your life?”

(i) Why does the boy retort “I’m not afraid” ?

Answer: The boy retorts “I’m not afraid” when his father accuses him of being afraid of the fat old lady he saw in the elevator.

(ii) What was the boy’s father trying to emphasise ?

Answer: The father was emphasizing and advising his son to grow up, be brave like a man, and not remain timid or fearful throughout
his life.

(iii) How did Martin react to his father’s rebuke ?

Answer: When rebuked by his father for being afraid, the extract mentions that Martin managed not to cry until he went to his room,
implying he broke down in tears due to his father’s harsh words.

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(iv) What does the extract tell about the relationship between the son and the father?

Answer: The extract shows there is lack of understanding and a strained relationship between the father and son, with the father being
critical of Martin’s timid nature and wanting him to be braver.

(v) Later, what happens when the boy tries to avoid the lady ?

Answer: Later, when Martin tries to avoid the lady again by taking the stairs instead of the elevator, he falls down the flight of stairs and
breaks his leg.

Passage 7

His father was silent on the way to hospital, disappointed and angry with him for being a coward and a fool. Martin had broken his leg,
and needed to walk on crutches.

(i) Why was the boy taken to hospital?

Answer: Martin was taken to the hospital because he had broken his leg after falling down the stairs while trying to avoid the fat lady in
the elevator.

(ii) What did the father feel about the boy’s health?

Answer: Martin’s father felt disappointed and angry with him for being a coward and acting foolishly out of his irrational fears.

(iii) What disability had the boy suffered and how ?

Answer: Martin had suffered a broken leg from his fall down the stairs and now needed to walk with the support of crutches.

(iv) How could this disability give some relief to Martin ?

Answer: Having a broken leg that required him to use crutches gave some relief to Martin, as it meant he would not need to get into the
elevator for some time and avoid facing the fat lady.

(v) What advice was given to Martin by his doctor?

Answer: The doctor had advised Martin to use his fractured leg as little as possible for recovery.

Passage 8

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Father held out his hand and pressed nine. “What are you doing? You’re not coming out, are you?” he asked him,
trying not to sound panicky. “I promised Terry Ullman that I would visit her,” his father said, looking at his watch and leaving the
house. “Let me go with you. I want to visit her too,” Martin pleaded, moving forward on crutches. But the door was already closing.
“Afraid to be in the elevator alone ?” said his father. “Grow up, Martin”. The door slammed shut.

(i) Why did the father not want Martin to visit the neighbour along with him ?

Answer: The father did not want Martin to visit the neighbor Mrs. Ullman along with him, so that Martin would be forced to take the
elevator alone to overcome his fears.

(ii) What was the father’s advice to Martin?

Answer: The father’s advice to Martin was to “grow up” and stop being afraid to take the elevator alone, implying he wanted his son to
become braver.

(iii) On which floor did the neighbour live? What was her name?

Answer: The neighbor the father was going to visit was named Mrs. Ullman who lived on the 9th floor.

(iv) Where did the elevator stop and why?

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Answer: The elevator stopped at the 10th floor, where the same fat lady Martin was afraid of was waiting to enter.

(v) What surprise awaited Martin in the elevator? How did the lady treat him there?

Answer: To Martin’s surprise, the fat lady was waiting for him at the 10th floor of the building. When they were alone in the elevator,
she greeted Martin by name and laughed, before pressing the stop button, trapping them inside in a threatening way.

Morning Star workbook answers/solutions

Multiple Choice Questions II

1. Which of the following statements about the elevator in Martin’s building is NOT correct?

A. There was poor lighting

B. Its walls were dirty
C. Its door could stay open for long
D. It could carry only three people

Answer: C. Its door could stay open for long

2. Why was the narrator gasping for breath when he reached his home?

A. He was scared that the old lady was following him

B. He used the stairs to reach his home on the seventeenth floor
C. He ran as fast as he could to escape from the fat lady
D. He was thin and weak

Answer: B. He used the stairs to reach his home on the seventeenth floor

3. What was Martin’s fear about the elevator in his building?

A. It would stop suddenly

B. He would be trapped inside it for hours
C. He would be bullied by others in the elevator
D. Both A and B

Answer: D. Both A and B

4. Which of the following is incorrect about the lady who entered the elevator?

A. She had no chin but a huge mass of neck

B. She had sharp brown eyes
C. She was wearing an old green coat
D. She had tiny but sharp eyes

Answer: B. She had sharp brown eyes

5. Why did Martin feel ashamed of himself when he returned home after school?

A. For being afraid of an old lady

B. For being scared of the staircase
C. For not using the elevator
D. None of the above

Answer: A. For being afraid of an old lady

6. Martin said, ‘It wasn’t possible.’ What was it that Martin felt like a nightmare?

A. Being trapped in the elevator

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B. Using the stairs to reach the seventeenth floor

C. Seeing the lady for the second time in the elevator
D. None of the above

Answer: C. Seeing the lady for the second time in the elevator

7. What did Martin’s father say when he told him about the lady?

A. Martin would remain timid all his life

B. Martin should ignore the old lady
C. Martin should talk to her
D. None of the above

Answer: A. Martin would remain timid all his life

8. How did Martin’s father feel when he (Martin) fell down and broke his leg?

A. Sympathy for Martin

B. Angry and disappointed
C. Silent and apathetic
D. None of the above

Answer: B. Angry and disappointed

9. Why did Martin feel secure in the elevator after he returned from the hospital?

A. The old lady was not in the elevator

B. His father was with him in the elevator
C. He could hit the lady with his crutches
D. None of the above

Answer: B. His father was with him in the elevator

10. What did Martin plead with his father when he left him alone in the elevator?

A. To let Martin accompany him

B. To reach him to their house
C. To meet the fat lady
D. None of the above

Answer: A. To let Martin accompany him

11. Choose the option that lists the sequence of events in the correct order.

1. Martin watched the door slide open, revealing a green coat, a piggish face, and the blue eyes which were already staring at him
as if she knew he would be there.
2. Martin stood there, unable to move, then backed away. As she saw him, her expression changed. She smiled as the door
slammed.
3. One morning the elevator stopped at the fourteenth floor, and a fat lady got on.
4. The door closed and the elevator began to move. “Hello, Martin,” she said and laughed and pushed the stop button.

A. 4, 2, 3, 1
B. 3, 1, 2, 4
C. 3, 2, 1, 4
D. 4, 3, 2, 1

Answer: B. 3, 1, 2, 4

12. Select the option that shows the correct relationship between statements (1) and (2) from The Elevator.

1. “What am I going to do with you, Martin? Honestly, now you’re afraid of some poor old lady.”

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2. Martin started running down the stairs. The stairs were dark and he fell.

A. 1 is the cause for 2

B. 1 is an example of 2
C. 1 is independent of 2
D. 1 is a contradiction of 2

Answer: A. 1 is the cause for 2

Context Questions and Answers

Extract 1

Martin, a thin twelve-year-old, felt nervous in it from the first day he and his father moved into the apartment. Of course, he was always
uncomfortable in elevators, afraid that they would fall, but this one was especially unpleasant. Perhaps it was because of the poor
lighting and dirty walls. Perhaps it was because of the door, which never stayed open long enough and slammed shut with a loud
clanging noise.

(i) Where does Martin feel nervous? Why?

Answer: Martin feels nervous in the apartment building’s elevator because of his general fear of elevators and the unpleasant
conditions, such as poor lighting, dirty walls, and the door that slams shut loudly.

(ii) Why was the elevator in his building unpleasant to use?

Answer: The elevator was unpleasant to use due to the poor lighting, dirty walls, and the door that slammed shut quickly and loudly,
which made Martin even more uncomfortable.

(iii) What was the other option besides the elevator? Was it better than the elevator? Give a reason to support your answer.

Answer: The other option was using the stairs. However, it wasn’t much better because they were dark, windowless, and the lights
weren’t working, which made Martin feel as though someone was following him, echoing his steps.

(iv) How did the size of the elevator affect the narrator later in the story?

Answer: The small size of the elevator made Martin feel trapped and claustrophobic, especially when sharing it with the strange fat
lady, which heightened his anxiety and fear later in the story.

(v) Explain how does this extract act as a ‘foreshadow’ in the story.

Answer: This extract foreshadows Martin’s increasing fear of the elevator and his encounters with the strange fat lady, as the
uncomfortable nature of the elevator builds tension and hints at the terror he will face later

Extract 2

He wanted to know why Martin was out of breath. ‘Why didn’t you take the elevator?” he asked, frowning at Martin. You’re not only
skinny and weak and bad at sports, his face seemed to say, but you are also a coward. After that, Martin always took the elevator. He
would have to get used to it, he told himself, just like he got used to being bullied at school.

But he didn’t get used to it. He was always afraid that it would stop suddenly and he would be trapped inside it for hours by himself.

(i) Who is ‘He’ referred to in the extract? What did he ask Martin? Why?

Answer: ‘He’ refers to Martin’s father, who asked Martin why he didn’t take the elevator, implying that Martin was a coward for
choosing the stairs instead.

(ii) State the three adjectives which he apparently used for Martin. Why?

Answer: The three adjectives are “skinny,” “weak,” and “bad at sports.” These describe Martin’s physical appearance and lack of
athletic ability, and they contribute to his father’s judgment of him as inadequate or cowardly.

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(iii) What does Martin promise himself? Does he succeed? Name the other thing which he got used to?

Answer: Martin promises himself that he will get used to the elevator, but he does not succeed as he continues to be afraid. He did,
however, get used to being bullied at school.

(iv) What was his fear about the elevator? Did that happen at the end of the story? Give reason for your answer.

Answer: Martin feared that the elevator would stop suddenly, and he would be trapped. While this specific fear did not happen, a
different fear materialized as he became trapped with the fat lady, which was equally terrifying for him.

(v) Explain briefly the characteristic traits of Martin based on this extract.

Answer: Martin is portrayed as timid, fearful, and physically frail. He lacks confidence and feels pressure from both his father and his
fears, but he is determined to try to overcome them, even though he struggles to do so.

Extract 3

He thought about her all day. Did she live in the building? He had never seen her before, and the building was not very big. Maybe she
was visiting somebody? But 7.30 in the morning was too early for visiting.

Martin felt nervous when he got back to the building after school. But why should he be afraid of an old lady? He felt ashamed of
himself. He pressed the button and stepped into the elevator, hoping that it would not stop, but it stopped on the third floor.

(i) What did Martin think about her all day and why?

Answer: Martin thought about the fat lady all day because she had unnerved him by staring at him in the elevator, and he wondered
whether she lived in the building.

(ii) Why was Martin nervous when he got back to his building after school?

Answer: Martin was nervous because he feared encountering the strange fat lady again in the elevator, given how unsettling their
previous encounter had been.

(iii) Why did Martin feel ashamed of himself? What does it reveal about him?

Answer: Martin felt ashamed of being afraid of an old lady, revealing that he was self-conscious about his fears and recognized that his
anxiety might be irrational.

(iv) Why did Martin hope that the elevator would not stop? What happened when it did stop on the third floor?

Answer: Martin hoped the elevator wouldn’t stop because he didn’t want to see the fat lady again. However, it did stop on the third
floor, and the fat lady got on, staring at him once more.

(v) What according to you, Martin found scarier—the elevator or the old lady? Give reason to support your answer.

Answer: Martin likely found the old lady scarier because, despite his discomfort in the elevator, it was her relentless staring and
unsettling presence that caused him the most fear.

Extract 4

Martin knew he was probably making a mistake, but he had to tell somebody about the woman. She was in the elevator with me twice
today. She just kept staring at me. She never stopped looking at me for a minute.

“What are you so worried about now?” his father said, turning impatiently away from the television. “What am I going to do with you,
Martin? Honestly, now you are afraid of some poor old lady.”

(i) What was the mistake Martin think he was probably making? Why did he think so?

Answer: Martin thought he was making a mistake by telling his father about the strange woman because he anticipated that his father
would dismiss his fears and think he was being foolish.

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(ii) Why did Martin feel that he had to tell somebody about the woman? Whom did he decide to tell? Why?

Answer: Martin felt the need to tell someone about the woman because her constant staring was making him uncomfortable. He decided
to tell his father because he was the closest person available, even though he knew his father might not take him seriously.

(iii) What was the one thing that Martin found strange about the lady? Why?

Answer: Martin found it strange that the woman kept staring at him the entire time they were in the elevator. This made him feel
uneasy, as her behavior was abnormal and threatening in its intensity.

(iv) Martin’s father asks him what was he worried about ‘now’? What was he afraid about earlier? What did his father say
about him then?

Answer: Earlier, Martin was afraid of the elevator itself, specifically that it might stop suddenly and trap him. His father dismissed his
fears then, telling him that he needed to stop being timid and grow up.

(v) Give a character sketch of Martin’s father based on the extract.

Answer: Martin’s father appears to be dismissive and impatient. He does not understand or acknowledge Martin’s fears and often
belittles him, expecting him to “grow up” and act more mature. His lack of empathy and emotional support adds to Martin’s anxiety.

Extract 5

Martin started running down the stairs. The stairs were dark and he fell. His father was silent on the way to the hospital, disappointed
and angry with him for being a coward and a fool. He could not use the stairs now. Was that why that lady had smiled? Did she know
what would happen?

(i) Why did Martin start running down the stairs? How did he fall?

Answer: Martin started running down the stairs because he was frightened after encountering the fat lady in the elevator. He fell
because the stairs were dark, and he likely tripped in his haste to escape.

(ii) What were Martin’s father’s feelings on the way to the hospital? How had he reacted earlier when Martin took the stairs to
reach his house on the seventeenth floor?

Answer: Martin’s father was silent but disappointed and angry with Martin for being a “coward and a fool.” Earlier, when Martin took
the stairs instead of the elevator, his father had frowned at him, expressing his frustration that Martin didn’t just use the elevator like
everyone else.

(iii) Why would Martin not be able to use the stairs? How do you think Martin would have been affected by this condition?

Answer: Martin wouldn’t be able to use the stairs because he had broken his leg and was now on crutches. This likely increased his
anxiety, as he would now have no choice but to use the elevator, which he feared.

(iv) Why did Martin think that fat lady had smiled and knew what was going to happen to him?

Answer: Martin thought the fat lady had smiled because she somehow anticipated or orchestrated the events that led to his fall,
heightening his fear that she had sinister intentions or some control over the situation.

(v) Explain briefly what could have given rise to Martin’s thoughts about the fat lady.

Answer: Martin’s fear of the fat lady’s persistent staring and her ominous presence in the elevator likely contributed to his belief that
she had malevolent foresight. His anxious and paranoid state made him think that her smile indicated she knew he would be injured and
forced to rely on the elevator.

Extract 6

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But the door was already closing. “Afraid to be in the elevator alone?” said his father. “Grow up, Martin.” The door slammed shut.
Martin hobbled to the buttons and pressed nine, but it didn’t do any good. The elevator stopped at ten, where that fat lady was waitingfor
him. She moved in quickly, and he was too slow to get past her in time to get out. The door closed, and the elevator began to move.

“Hello, Martin,” she said, and laughed, and pushed the Stop button.

(i) How did Martin remain alone in the elevator? What did his father tell him?

Answer: Martin remained alone in the elevator because his father exited on the ninth floor, leaving him behind. His father teased him,
saying, “Afraid to be in the elevator alone?” and told him to “grow up.”

(ii) Why did Martin want to press button nine on the elevator? What had happened instead?

Answer: Martin wanted to press button nine to follow his father and avoid being alone in the elevator. However, he was too slow, and
the elevator stopped at the tenth floor, where the fat lady was waiting for him.

(iii) Why could Martin not move out of the elevator? What happened thereafter?

Answer: Martin couldn’t move out of the elevator in time because the fat lady entered too quickly, blocking his escape. After she got in,
she laughed, pressed the Stop button, and trapped him inside.

(iv) Why do you think that the lady laughed and then pushed the ‘Stop button? Give a reason to support your answer.

Answer: The lady likely laughed and pushed the Stop button to intimidate Martin. Her strange behavior throughout the story suggests
that she enjoys causing fear and distress, and stopping the elevator would increase Martin’s sense of entrapment and helplessness.

(v) The story ends in a cliffhanger. What is a cliffhanger? Explain what according to you would have happened at the end. Give
reasons to justify your views.

Answer: A cliffhanger is a suspenseful ending that leaves a story unresolved, making the reader wonder what happens next. At the end
of this story, it’s likely that Martin’s worst fears came true, and something terrifying occurred with the fat lady. The fact that she
deliberately trapped him in the elevator suggests that her intentions were sinister, possibly confirming Martin’s belief that she was
dangerous all along.

Additional/Extras

Questions and Answers

Extract 1

It was an old building with an old elevator, a very small elevator which could carry only three people. Martin, a thin twelve-year-old,
felt nervous in it from the first day he and his father moved into the apartment. Of course, he was always uncomfortable in elevators,
afraid that they would fall, but this one was especially unpleasant. Perhaps this was because of the poor lighting and the dirty walls.
Perhaps it was because of the door which never stayed open long enough and slammed shut with a loud clanging noise. Perhaps it was
the way the elevator shuddered each time it left a floor as if it was exhausted. Maybe it was simply too small. It seemed crowded even
with only two people in it.

(i) Why did Martin feel particularly nervous about the elevator in his new apartment building?

Answer: Martin was always uncomfortable in elevators, but this one made him especially nervous because of its poor lighting, dirty
walls, quick-closing door, and the way it shuddered as if exhausted.

(ii) How did Martin perceive the size of the elevator?

Answer: Martin thought the elevator was too small and crowded, even with just two people inside.

(iii) What elements contributed to Martin’s discomfort with the elevator?

Answer: The poor lighting, dirty walls, the quick-closing door that slammed loudly, and the shuddering movement of the elevator all

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contributed to Martin’s discomfort.

(iv) How did Martin react when the elevator shuddered each time it left a floor?

Answer: Martin was made even more nervous by the way the elevator shuddered each time it left a floor, as if it was exhausted.

(v) Did Martin’s discomfort with elevators stem from this specific one or was it a general fear?

Answer: Martin already had a general fear of elevators, but this one in particular heightened his nervousness due to its unpleasant
conditions.

Extract 2

The stairs were no better. Martin tried them one day after school. There were no windows, and the lights were not working. Martin’s
footsteps echoed behind him on the cement as though there was another person climbing, getting closer. By the time he reached his
home on the seventeenth floor, he was gasping for breath.

(i) Why did Martin choose to take the stairs instead of the elevator?

Answer: Martin chose to take the stairs because he felt nervous and uncomfortable using the elevator.

(ii) How did Martin feel while climbing the stairs?

Answer: Martin felt uneasy while climbing the stairs, as his footsteps echoed behind him, giving him the sensation that someone was
following him.

(iii) What physical state was Martin in by the time he reached his home?

Answer: By the time Martin reached his home on the seventeenth floor, he was gasping for breath, exhausted from the climb.

(iv) What caused Martin’s discomfort while using the stairs?

Answer: The lack of windows, broken lights, and the eerie echo of his footsteps on the cement caused Martin discomfort while using
the stairs.

(v) Did the stairs provide a better alternative to the elevator for Martin?

Answer: No, the stairs did not provide a better alternative, as they were dark, uncomfortable, and made him feel just as uneasy as the
elevator.

Extract 3

One morning, the elevator stopped at the fourteenth floor, and a fat lady got on. She was wearing an old green coat that ballooned
around her. As she waddled into the elevator, Martin was sure he felt it sink under her weight. She was so big that her coat brushed
against him, and he had to squeeze himself into a corner. There was no room for anybody else. The door closed quickly behind her, and
instead of facing it, she turned around and stared at Martin.

(i) What was Martin’s initial reaction to the fat lady getting on the elevator?

Answer: Martin was immediately uncomfortable and nervous, feeling the elevator sink under her weight and being squeezed into a
corner as her coat brushed against him.

(ii) What was unusual about the fat lady’s behavior after entering the elevator?

Answer: Instead of facing the elevator doors, as most people would, the fat lady turned around and stared directly at Martin, making
him feel even more uncomfortable.

(iii) How did Martin physically react to the fat lady’s presence in the elevator?

Answer: Martin tried to squeeze himself into a corner to avoid contact with her, feeling trapped and anxious.

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(iv) How did the woman’s gaze affect Martin’s emotions?

Answer: The woman’s constant, unsettling gaze made Martin extremely nervous and fearful, to the point where he wanted to look away
but couldn’t.

(v) Why did Martin feel as though the elevator sank when the fat lady entered?

Answer: Martin felt the elevator sink due to the weight of the fat lady, which heightened his anxiety about the small and already
uncomfortable space.

Extract 4

Martin watched the door slide open, revealing a green coat, a piggish face, and blue eyes which were already staring at him as if she
knew he would be there. It wasn’t possible. It was like a nightmare. But there she was. “Going up!” said Martin, his voice little more
than a squeak. She nodded and stepped on. The door slammed. He watched her pudgy hand move towards the buttons. She pressed not
fourteen but eighteen, the top floor.

(i) How did Martin feel when he saw the fat lady again?

Answer: Martin felt as though he was in a nightmare, shocked and frightened to see the fat lady once again staring at him, as if she had
been waiting for him.

(ii) How did the woman behave when she entered the elevator the second time?

Answer: The woman acted just as strangely as before, nodding in response to Martin’s squeaky greeting and pressing the button for the
top floor.

(iii) Why was Martin shocked by the fat lady’s appearance on the third floor?

Answer: Martin was shocked because he had seen her get on at the fourteenth floor earlier, and her sudden reappearance on a different
floor added to the eerie feeling that she knew his movements.

(iv) What did Martin observe about the woman’s choice of floor this time?

Answer: Martin noticed that instead of pressing her previous floor, fourteen, the woman pressed eighteen, the top floor, which deepened
his sense of unease.

(v) How did Martin react physically to the woman’s reappearance?

Answer: Martin was too nervous to do much; he squeaked out a greeting and stood there anxiously as she stared at him again.

Extract 5

At least his father was with him in the elevator on the way back from the hospital. There was no room for the fat lady to get in, and if
she did, his father would see her and maybe he would understand. When he got home, he could stay in the apartment for a few days. The
doctor said that he had to rest as much as possible. Martin felt quite safe from the fat lady now.

(i) Why did Martin feel safer with his father in the elevator?

Answer: Martin felt safer because there was no room for the fat lady to enter the elevator, and if she did, his father would finally see her
and might understand his fear.

(ii) What temporary relief did Martin expect upon returning home?

Answer: Martin expected to feel relief because the doctor had advised him to rest at home for a few days, meaning he wouldn’t have to
use the elevator.

(iii) Why did Martin think his father might understand his fear if he saw the fat lady?

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Answer: Martin believed that if his father saw the fat lady, he might realize why Martin had been so terrified of her, possibly validating
his fear.

(iv) How did the doctor’s advice give Martin a sense of security?

Answer: The doctor’s advice to rest at home meant that Martin wouldn’t have to use the elevator for a few days, providing him with a
temporary escape from his fear of encountering the fat lady.

(v) What was Martin’s emotional state after returning from the hospital?

Answer: Martin felt a sense of relief and safety, thinking he was temporarily free from the threat of the fat lady due to his injury.

Extract 6

Martin felt nervous when he got back to the building after school. But why should he be afraid of an old lady? He felt ashamed of
himself. He pressed the button and stepped into the elevator, hoping that it would not stop, but it stopped on the third floor. Martin
watched the door slide open, revealing a green coat, a piggish face, and blue eyes which were already staring at him as if she knew he
would be there. It wasn’t possible. It was like a nightmare.

(i) How did Martin feel when he returned home after school?

Answer: Martin felt nervous about encountering the fat lady again, but he was also ashamed of himself for being afraid of an old
woman.

(ii) Why did Martin feel ashamed of his fear of the fat lady?

Answer: Martin felt ashamed because he thought it was irrational to be afraid of an old woman, something he believed he should be
able to handle.

(iii) What was Martin hoping for when he got into the elevator after school?

Answer: Martin was hoping that the elevator would not stop on any floors, allowing him to avoid the fat lady entirely.

(iv) How did Martin react when the elevator stopped at the third floor?

Answer: Martin was horrified when the elevator stopped and the fat lady appeared again, as it felt like a recurring nightmare to him.

(v) What was significant about the fat lady’s appearance at the third floor?

Answer: The significance lay in the fact that the fat lady seemed to know where Martin would be, heightening his sense of fear and
paranoia.

Extract 7

Martin knew he was probably making a mistake, but he had to tell somebody about the woman. “She was in the elevator with me twice
today. She just kept staring at me. She never stopped looking at me for a minute.” “What are you so worried about now?” his father said,
turning impatiently away from the television. “What am I going to do with you, Martin? Honestly, now you’re afraid of some poor old
lady.”

(i) Why did Martin feel the need to talk to someone about the fat lady?

Answer: Martin felt overwhelmed by fear and confusion about the fat lady’s strange behaviour and needed to confide in someone to
make sense of it.

(ii) How did Martin describe the fat lady’s behaviour in the elevator?

Answer: Martin described how the fat lady kept staring at him without stopping, which unnerved him deeply.

(iii) How did Martin’s father react to his concern about the fat lady?

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Answer: Martin’s father dismissed his concern, showing impatience and frustration, believing Martin was overreacting to an old lady.

(iv) What does Martin’s father’s reaction reveal about their relationship?

Answer: The father’s reaction suggests a strained relationship where he views Martin as weak and overly timid, unable to deal with his
fears maturely.

(v) How did Martin’s father interpret his son’s fear?

Answer: Martin’s father interpreted his son’s fear as irrational and childish, accusing him of being afraid of an innocent old woman.

Extract 8

In the morning when the elevator door opened, the fat lady was waiting for him. Martin stood there, unable to move, then backed away.
As she saw him, her expression changed. She smiled as the door slammed. Martin started running down the stairs. The stairs were dark,
and he fell. His father was silent on the way to the hospital, disappointed and angry with him for being a coward and a fool. Martin had
broken his leg and needed to walk on crutches.

(i) What happened when Martin saw the fat lady waiting for him in the morning?

Answer: Martin was frozen with fear when he saw the fat lady waiting for him in the elevator and backed away, causing her to smile as
the door closed.

(ii) How did Martin react after seeing the fat lady?

Answer: Martin panicked and ran down the stairs, but the darkness caused him to fall, resulting in a broken leg.

(iii) How did Martin’s father react to his accident?

Answer: Martin’s father was disappointed and angry, viewing his son as cowardly and foolish for his reaction to the fat lady.

(iv) What physical injury did Martin sustain after his fall?

Answer: Martin broke his leg in the fall, and as a result, he had to walk on crutches.

(v) What was the significance of the fat lady’s smile as the door closed?

Answer: The fat lady’s smile suggested she knew something terrible was about to happen to Martin, adding to the eerie and unsettling
nature of her character.

Extract 9

Martin’s father reached out and pressed number nine. “What are you doing?” asked Martin, trying not to sound afraid. “I promised to
visit Mrs. Ullman,” said his father, looking at his watch as he stepped out of the elevator. “Let me go with you. I want to visit her too!”
Martin pleaded, struggling to move on his crutches. But the door was already closing. “Afraid to be in the elevator alone?” said his
father. “Grow up, Martin.” The door slammed shut.

(i) Why did Martin’s father press number nine?

Answer: Martin’s father pressed number nine because he had promised to visit someone named Mrs. Ullman.

(ii) Why did Martin plead to go with his father to visit Mrs. Ullman?

Answer: Martin pleaded to go with his father because he was afraid of being left alone in the elevator, especially after his recent
experiences with the fat lady.

(iii) How did Martin’s father react to his son’s request to accompany him?

Answer: Martin’s father dismissed his request, accusing him of being afraid and telling him to “grow up” before the elevator doors
closed.

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(iv) What was Martin struggling with physically during this moment?

Answer: Martin was struggling with moving on crutches due to his broken leg, making it difficult for him to keep up with his father.

(v) How did Martin feel as the elevator door slammed shut?

Answer: Martin likely felt abandoned and frightened as the door closed, knowing he was alone and vulnerable in the elevator again.

Extract 10

Martin hobbled to the buttons and pressed nine, but it didn’t do any good. The elevator stopped at ten, where the fat lady was waiting for
him. She moved in quickly, and he was too slow to get past her in time to get out. The door closed, and the elevator began to move.
“Hello, Martin,” she said and laughed and pushed the Stop button.

(i) What did Martin try to do after the elevator door closed?

Answer: Martin tried to press the button for the ninth floor, hoping to follow his father, but the elevator didn’t respond.

(ii) Where did the elevator stop after Martin pressed the button?

Answer: The elevator stopped at the tenth floor, where the fat lady was waiting for him.

(iii) Why was Martin unable to escape the fat lady this time?

Answer: Martin, slowed by his crutches, was too slow to get out of the elevator before the fat lady entered and the door closed.

(iv) What did the fat lady do after entering the elevator?

Answer: After entering, the fat lady greeted Martin, laughed, and ominously pressed the Stop button, trapping them together.

(v) What does the fat lady’s behavior in this final encounter suggest about her intentions?

Answer: The fat lady’s behavior, especially her laughter and decision to press the Stop button, suggests that her intentions are
menacing. By trapping Martin in the elevator, she shows that she is not just a passive presence but actively seeking to intimidate or harm
him.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. What floor does Martin live on?

A. 14th floor B. 17th floor C. 18th floor D. 9th floor

Answer: B. 17th floor

2. Why does Martin dislike riding the elevator?

A. It moves too fast B. It is too brightly lit C. It feels rickety and confined D. It is not cleaned regularly

Answer: C. It feels rickety and confined

3. What happens when Martin tries using the stairs instead of the elevator?

A. He has to stop to catch his breath B. He gets lost C. He slips and falls D. The lights go out

Answer: A. He has to stop to catch his breath

4. How does Martin’s father react when he suggests a strange woman is stalking him in the elevator?

A. He comforts Martin B. He warns the building security C. He inspects the elevator himself D. He dismisses Martin’s concerns

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Answer: D. He dismisses Martin’s concerns

5. What does the fat lady do when she rides the elevator with Martin?

A. She hums loudly B. She applies makeup C. She reads a book D. She stares at Martin

Answer: D. She stares at Martin

6. Why does Martin feel relieved about staying home with a broken leg?

A. He gets to miss school B. He can avoid the elevator C. His father is nicer to him D. He doesn’t have to walk stairs

Answer: B. He can avoid the elevator

7. Where is the woman waiting for Martin the second time he sees her?

A. 14th floor B. 3rd floor C. 10th floor D. Basement

Answer: B. 3rd floor

8. How does Martin end up breaking his leg?

A. The woman pushes him B. He trips carrying his schoolbooks C. He falls down the stairwell D. The elevator malfunctions

Answer: C. He falls down the stairwell

9. What is the relationship like between Martin and his father?

A. Close and affectionate B. Distanced and unaffectionate C. Friendly with mutual understanding D. Martin is afraid of his father

Answer: B. Distanced and unaffectionate

10. How might the strange woman be interpreted symbolically?

A. As Martin’s inner courage B. As the danger of elevators C. As a motherly guide D. As the embodiment of Martin’s fears

Answer: D. As the embodiment of Martin’s fears

11. Why does Martin’s father get angry at him for taking the stairs?

A. He worries it is unsafe B. He thinks Martin is acting cowardly C. It takes Martin too long D. It is against building rules

Answer: B. He thinks Martin is acting cowardly

12. What is suggested about Martin’s personality?

A. He is brave and adventurous B. He is anxious and timid C. He is reckless and selfish D. He is angry and violent

Answer: B. He is anxious and timid

13. What floor does the fat lady get off the elevator on the second time?

A. 3rd floor B. 14th floor C. 17th floor D. 18th floor

Answer: D. 18th floor

14. Why does Martin avoid looking the fat lady in the eyes when they ride the elevator?

A. He is playing a game B. He knows she is crazy C. He is being polite D. He feels too scared

Answer: D. He feels too scared

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15. Why does Martin’s father stop on the 9th floor before Martin gets off on their way back?

A. To help a neighbor B. To confront the woman C. To call the repairman D. To visit Mrs. Ullman

Answer: D. To visit Mrs. Ullman

16. What does the fat lady say to Martin at the end when she traps him in the elevator?

A. “Going down?” B. “Are you okay?” C. “Hello, Martin.” D. “Be brave.”

Answer: C. “Hello, Martin.”

17. Why does Martin’s father call him weak and timid?

A. Because Martin cries a lot B. Because Martin performs poorly in sports C. Because Martin is afraid of the elevator D. Because
Martin often gets injured

Answer: C. Because Martin is afraid of the elevator

18. What time of day does the woman first appear in the elevator?

A. Late at night B. Early morning C. After school D. Mid-afternoon

Answer: B. Early morning

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