CBSE Class 10 English A Triumph of Surgery Assignment Set 05

Answer: Mr Herriot tried to sound severe so that Mrs Pumphrey would take his warning seriously. She was too fond of Tricki to deny him anything, so a gentle request would not have worked.

Teacher's Note:
1. A stern tone was needed to make a doting owner listen.
2. The doctor cared about the dog's health more than her feelings.

Answer: The advice was given to Mrs Pumphrey about her dog Tricki. He was fat and greedy because she overfed him and gave him little exercise, so he was in danger of falling really ill.

Teacher's Note:
1. The patient was the dog but the advice was for the owner.
2. The cause of the trouble was overfeeding.

Answer: Severe. It means harsh or strict, which is close in sense to serious in this context.

Teacher's Note:
1. The word is in the first line of the extract.
2. Check that the meaning fits the tone of the speaker.

Answer: Softened. The speaker asks Mrs Pumphrey to harden her heart, so the opposite is to soften it.

Teacher's Note:
1. The base word is 'harden'.
2. The opposite of hard here is soft.

Answer: Mr Herriot was driving away from Mrs Pumphrey's house to his surgery with Tricki in his car. He was taking the dog there for treatment and a strict diet.

Teacher's Note:
1. The surgery is the vet's clinic.
2. Tricki was to stay there for some days.

Answer: Mrs Pumphrey and her servants were in tears because Tricki, whom they loved, was being taken away for treatment. They thought he was seriously ill and feared they would not see him soon.

Teacher's Note:
1. The household was deeply attached to the dog.
2. Their grief is exaggerated, which gives the scene its humour.

Answer: Despairing. It means without hope, which is the opposite of cheerful.

Teacher's Note:
1. Look at the adjectives describing the cry.
2. A cheerful person has hope while a despairing one has none.

Answer: After. 'Before' tells what comes earlier, so 'after' gives the reverse.

Teacher's Note:
1. Both words are used to show time order.
2. The opposite of before is after.

Answer: Tricki had no real disease. He had been overfed with cream cakes, chocolates and rich food and given little exercise, so he became overweight and lazy.

Teacher's Note:
1. His problem was greed and pampering.
2. The cure was a strict diet and exercise.

Answer: At first he was not, as he lay quietly for two days with only water to drink. Later he met the other dogs, played with them and ate heartily, so he did enjoy the stay.

Teacher's Note:
1. His mood changed as his health improved.
2. Company and activity helped him more than the luxury at home.

Answer: Mrs Pumphrey's excessive love made her feed and spoil Tricki until he became ill. Too much of even a good thing, like love, harms when it is not balanced by sense and discipline.

Teacher's Note:
1. Love without sense can hurt the loved one.
2. Moderation is the message of the story.

Answer: Yes, some parents give their children everything they ask for. Pampering is not good because children then lose discipline, health and the ability to face difficulties, so love should be shown with limits.

Teacher's Note:
1. Children need guidance as well as affection.
2. Give a clear opinion with a reason.

Answer: She believed that Tricki was recovering from a serious illness and needed strong food. Mr Herriot and his colleagues enjoyed the eggs, wine and brandy themselves, and he felt tempted to keep Tricki longer.

Teacher's Note:
1. The gifts show her anxiety and her wealth.
2. The doctor's amusement adds humour to the story.

Answer: Tricki was first kept on water and light food, and he lay quietly for two days. By the third day he was running about with the other dogs and eating hungrily, and in about two weeks he was healthy and slim.

Teacher's Note:
1. Diet, exercise and company worked together.
2. No medicine was used, which makes the title ironical.

Answer: (1) kidney beans (2) nail biting (3) eye opener (4) tongue twister (5) wrist watch.

Teacher's Note:
1. Each phrase uses a common part of the body.
2. Say the phrase aloud to check it sounds right.

Answer: (6) cut-throat competition (7) bottleneck (8) upper hand (upper arm or upper lip also fit) (9) belly dancer (10) foot stool.

Teacher's Note:
1. More than one answer is possible for number 8.
2. Accept any body part that gives a real phrase.

Answer: (11) arm chair (12) elbow room (13) handsome (14) shake a leg.

Teacher's Note:
1. Number 13 forms a single word.
2. Number 14 is an idiom meaning to hurry.