Lesson 11 

Midnight Express

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A. Short Answer Type Questions :

• Answer the following questions :

1. How did the book look?

Ans: The book was a battered old one, bound in red leather. 

2. Where did Mortimer find the book? 

Ans: Mortimer found the book in his father's library. 

3. How old was Mortimer when he found the book in the library?

Ans: Mortimer was twelve years old when he found the book in the library. 

4. How was Mortimer's house? 

Ans: Mortimer's house was large and old. 

5. When did Mortimer read the book? 

Ans: When the rest of his large, old house was covered in darkness, Mortimer read the book in his bedroom by the candlelight. 

6. What is the name of the story which the leather - bound book contained? 

Ans: The name of the story which the leather - bound book contained is 'Midnight Express'.

7. What did the illustration on page fifty of the book show? 

Ans: The illustration on page fifty of the book showed an empty railway platform at night lit by a dull, yellow lamp. A single man stood under the lamp, his face turned towards the black mouth of a tunnel. 

8. Why do you think Mortimer never read beyond page fifty of the book?

Ans: I think that Mortimer never read beyond page fifty of the book because there was an illustration on page fifty which threatend him for some unknown reason.

9. Why were Mortimer's instincts aroused? 

Ans: Mortimer's instincts were aroused because he suddenly noticed in an empty junction a dark and solitary figure which he saw on page fifty of his book in his childhood. 

10. What did Mortimer do when his instincts were aroused? 

Ans: Mortimer walked quickly towards the figure and looked into its face when his instincts were aroused. 

11. When had Mortimer seen the 'dark and solitary figure' in his childhood?

Ans: Mortimer had seen the dark and solitary figure' while he was reading a book from his father's library in his childhood. It was there in an illustration on page fifty.

12. "Mortimer was shocked" When was Mortimer shocked and why?

Ans: When Mortimer noticed the solitary figure on the platform, he was reminded that he had seen on page fifty of his book in his childhood. He was shocked when he walked quickly towards the figure and looked into its face. Mortimer was shocked because he was staring into his own face.

13. What was "steady gaining" on Mortimer as he stumbled out of the platform? 

Ans: The echo of Mortimer's own footsteps behind him were "steadily gaining" on him as he stumbled out of the platform.

14. What was the content of the story "Midnight Express"?

Ans: The content of the story "Midnight Express" was about a man who in his childhood had read a book which contained a frightening picture. 

15. How did Mortimer react to the panicky situation?

Ans: Mortimer collapsed into the armchair and picked up the old book. With a shock he realized it was the same book from his childhood. He was afraid. He turned the pages with trembling hands.

16. When did Mortimer feel a chill run up his spine? 

Ans: Mortimer felt a chill run up his spine when he looked up into the face of the shadowy figure and realized that he was looking at himself. 

17. To where did Mortimer follow the shadowy figure? 

Ans: Mortimer followed the shadowy figure to an upper room where a bright fire was burning. 

18. Why do you think Mortimer's hands trembled when he turned the pages of the book? 

Ans: When Mortimer realized that the book which lay on the oak table was the same book from his childhood, he was greatly afraid. This is why Mortimer’s hands trembled.

19. "Mortimer tried to grasp the strange cycle of events he was going through" - What was the strange cycle of events?

Ans: Mortimer saw a picture in a book in his childhood and exactly the same picture and the book he saw when she was an adult man. All the incidents of the story were coming alive in front of him. 

20. Do you think that the strange incidents that happened to Mortimer would not have occurred if he had not read the book? 

Ans: Since the book was a part of the strange cycle of events, it is possible that the things that happened to Mortimer would not have happened if he had not read the book. 

B. Multiple Choice Questions :

• Tick the correct alternative: 

1.(i) Mortimer found the book- 

(a) at a friend's place 

(b) in a book fair 

(c) in his father's library

Ans: (c) in his father's library

(ii) The illustration on the page showed- 

(a) a vast sea

(b) an empty railway platform 

(c) a dark library room

Ans: (b) an empty railway platform 

(iii) Mortimer was able to read up to- 

(a) page fifty of the book 

(b) the last page of the book 

(c) page fifty five of the book

Ans: (a) page fifty of the book 

(iv) Here 'Midnight Express' is- 

(a) an express train

(b) a railway station

(c) a book

Ans: (c) a book

2.(i) The illustration of an empty platform inspired in the boy-

(a) a sense of fear 

(b) a sense of love

(c) a sense of hatred

Ans: (a) a sense of fear 

(ii) Mortimer went through the story-

(a) in his father's library

(b) inside the black mouth of a tunnel

(c) in his bedroom

Ans: (c) in his bedroom

(iii ) The solitary figure in the illustration stood-

(a) silhouetted against the dull lamp

(b) illuminated by the dull lamp

(c) glamourized by the dull lamp

Ans:(a) silhowetted against the dull lamp

(iv) Mortimer sat on the armchair-

(a) with comfort 

(b) with tiredness 

(c) with fearness

Ans: (c) with fearness

v) The cycle of events faced by Mortimer was-

(a) common 

(b) peculiar 

(c) normal

Ans: (b) peculiar

C. Rearrange the following sentences numbers in the given boxes:

(i) As a young man, Mortimer was waiting for a train in an empty junction.

 Ans: 6

(ii) Mortimer found a battered old book.

 Ans: 1

(iii) He started to read the story by candle light.

 Ans: 3

(iv) Mortimer stopped at page fifty while reading the story.

 Ans: 4

(v) The illustration of the story frightened Mortimer every time.

 Ans: 5

(vi) Mortimer was fascinated by the battered old book.

 Ans: 2

2.(i) Mortimer heard heavy footsteps coming down.

 Ans: 3

(ii) The shadowy beckoned Mortimer inside.

 Ans: 6

(iii) Mortimer saw a small white cottage.

 Ans: 1

(iv) The door opened and a shadowy figure stood with a candle.

 Ans: 4

(v) They exchanged no words.

 Ans: 5

(vi) Mortimer pounded on the wooden door.

 Ans: 2

D. Sentence Completion Type Question :

Complete the following sentences with information from the text:

1.(i) Mortimer noticed in the lamp light                 .

  Ans: a dark and solitary figure he knew.

(ii) The solitary figure faced                   .

  Ans:  the black mouth of a tunnel.

(iii) Walking towards the figure Mortimer                   .

  Ans: looked into its face.

(iv) The shadowy figure stood                 .

  Ans: with a candle.

2.(i) Mortimer broke into a wild run when                   .

  Ans: he was staring into his own face.

(ii) In the light of the lamp, Mortimer noticed                      .

  Ans: a dark and solitary figure he know.

(iii) Mortimer was completely shaken with fear as                      .

  Ans: he was seeking shelter desperately.

(iv) Mortimer knocked heavily at the wooden door because                     .

  Ans: he was seeking shelter desperately.

(v) The book contained a story                       .

  Ans: about a man who in his childhood had read a book which contained a frightening picture.

E. True or False Type Questions :

Write 'T' for true and 'F' for false statements in the given boxes. Give supporting statements for each of your answers:

1.(a) Mortimer found the old battered book on the armchair.

   Ans:  Fales By the arm chair was a small, oak table on which lay a battered old book bound in red leather.

(b) Mortimer realized that the book was the same one which he had read in his childhood.

   Ans: True He (Mortimer) was filled with acute dread.

(c) Mortimer felt immensely afraid of the things happening around him.

   Ans: Fales The candle on the table cast huge shadows on the walls. The shadowy figure stood before Mortimer. Slowly he edged forward.

(d) In the flickering candlelight, the host was seen standing by the table.

   Ans: Fales The candle on the table cast huge shadows on the walls. The shadowy figure stood before Mortimer. Slowly he edged forward.

2.(i) Mortimer was very afraid of seeing the old, battered book.

   Ans: True Mortimer was greatly afraid.

(ii) There was a river outside Mortimer's room.

  Ans: Fales The clock ticked in the hall below and the sea roared outside.

(iii) Mortimer saw his 'mirror-image' in the shadowy figure.

   Ans: True He (Mortimer) was staring into his own face.

(iv) The candlelight created large shadows of Mortimer on the walls.

   Ans: Fales The candle on the table cast huge shadows on the wall. The shadowy figure stood before Mortimer.

(v) The dark figure was familiar to Mortimer.

   Ans: True suddenly noticed a dark and solitary figure he (Mortimer) knew.

(vi) Mortimer was not frightened.

   Ans: Fales Mortimer was greatly afraid.

(vii) The old book that Mortimer found was in a good condition.

   Ans: Fales It was a battered old book, bound in red leather.

GRAMMAR:

In the following sentences, underline the verb forms which show that the person denoted by the Subject is doing something. Circle the verb forms which show that something is being done to the person denoted by the Subject: 

(i) I am writing a letter.

    Ans: am writing

(iii) The gatekeeper was opening the gate.

    Ans: was opening

 Identify the voice of the following sentences and fill in the chart given below: 

 

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Editing By:- Lipi Medhi