CBSE Class 10 English Footprints without Feet Important Questions Set 02

Extract Based Questions

Extract 1

(a). Pick the option that correctly classifies fact/s (F) and myths (M) describing the kind of medicine Griffin discovered.
1. That made him extremely small. 2. That made him extremely huge. 3. That made him invisible. 4. That made him smell good.
(a) F – 3 and M – 1, 2, 4
(b) F – 4 and M – 1, 2, 3
(c) F – 2 and M – 1, 3, 4
(d) F – 1 and M – 2, 3, 4
Answer: (a) F – 3 and M – 1, 2, 4

(b). Before coming to Mrs. Hall’s inn, where did Griffin find comfort?
(a) In a restaurant
(b) A big store
(c) In a shopping mall
(d) In an abandoned building
Answer: (b) A big store

(c). Why was Mrs. Hall tolerating Griffin’s strange behaviour?
(a) Because he was a brilliant scientist
(b) Because he had paid in advance
(c) Because he was her long distance relative
(d) Because he was a dangerous man
Answer: (b) Because he had paid in advance

(d). Identify a word from the above lines which means the same as ‘an event or sequence of events.
(a) Amazement
(b) Affair
(c) Extraordinary
(d) Appeared
Answer: (b) Affair

(e). With which intention did the clergyman kept saying “Extraordinary affair!” in the given extract?
(a) Because the clergyman was shocked by the incident.
(b) Because the clergyman was extremely excited.
(c) Because the clergyman felt angry.
(d) Because the clergyman was upset with what happened.
Answer: (a) Because the clergyman was shocked by the incident.

Short Answer Questions

Question 1. How did the invisible man first become visible?
Answer: The invisible man became visible because he wanted to save himself from the bitter cold of winter. He put on warm clothes in a big London store: an overcoat, shoes and a wide-brimmed hat.

Question 2. Why was he wandering in the streets?
Answer: He was wandering in the streets because he was homeless after his landlord had tried to eject him and he had set the house on fire.

Question 3. Why does Mrs Hall find the scientist eccentric?
Answer: Mrs Hall found the scientist eccentric because, though he had paid the rent in advance, he never allowed Mrs Hall to talk to him and he had an uncommon appearance.

Question 4. What curious episode occurs in the study?
Answer: The curious episode was that money was being taken from the clergyman’s desk but there was no one in the room.

Question 5. What other extraordinary things happen in the inn?
Answer: Mrs Hall felt a sniff very close to her ear. The hat leapt up and dashed into her face, and the chair moved, pushed her and her husband out of the room and appeared to lock the door after them.

Question 6. “Griffin was rather a lawless person.” Comment.
Answer: Griffin was rather a lawless person. The very fact that he used his scientific discovery not for the welfare of mankind but for his selfish interests shows that he had no respect for law. After a quarrel with his landlord, he set his house on fire to take revenge. He then removed all his clothes and made himself invisible. He did not bother to pay for the clothes he took. While coming out of the theatrical shop, he hit the shopkeeper and stole his money. When his money was exhausted at Iping, he stole money from the clergyman’s desk. He had a strange encounter with Mr Jaffers, the constable, who struggled hard to arrest the headless man. In this way Griffin did not honour the law, and crossed his limits many times, which enables us to label him a lawless person.

Question 7. How would you assess Griffin as a scientist?
Answer: As a scientist, Griffin scores very high. His scientific discovery could have had a revolutionary impact and showcased the mind of a pure genius.
But mankind and science should complement each other. Science becomes a sheer waste if it is not utilised for the betterment of humanity and the welfare of mankind. No scientific discovery is justified if its very target is the human race.
Had Griffin used his discovery in favour of mankind he could have been called a matchless person instead of a lawless person.

Question 8. Why were the two boys in London surprised?
Answer: The two boys in London were surprised and fascinated because they saw fresh muddy impressions of a pair of bare feet on the steps of a house in London. The man making them was not in sight.

Question 9. What happened when Griffin didn’t wake up on time? How did he escape from the London store?
Answer: Griffin was still sleeping when the assistants arrived and saw him. When Griffin saw two of them approaching, he panicked and began to run. They chased him. He escaped from the London store by taking off his clothes. He became invisible and naked once again.

Question 10. What experiments did Griffin carry out? What was the final result of these experiments?
Answer: Griffin was a brilliant scientist. He conducted many experiments and discovered a drug which, if swallowed, could make a person’s body transparent and invisible. Griffin misused his invention for personal gains and selfish ends. He became invisible and got involved in lawlessness.

Question 11. Mr Griffin entered the shop of the theatrical company. What did he do there?
Answer: He wore bandages around his forehead. Then he put on dark glasses, a false nose, big bushy side-whiskers and a large hat. He escaped from there after attacking the shopkeeper from behind and robbing him of all his money.

Question 12. What happened to the people who tried to help the constable in catching the invisible man?
Answer: The people who tried to help the constable in catching the invisible man found themselves hit by blows that seemed to come from nowhere.

Question 13. How did Griffin find himself invisible but naked in the chill January air for the second time? (CBSE 2019)
Answer: Griffin, who had successfully escaped from his landlord after setting his house on fire, had got into a department store where he clothed himself and decided to take a nap. Unfortunately, Griffin was discovered by the store assistants early the next morning, prompting him once again to leave behind all his clothes and escape naked in the chill January air.

Question 14. Describe the curious episode which took place in a clergyman’s study. (Delhi 2020)
Answer: Early in the morning the clergyman and his wife were woken by a noise. They heard the chink of money being taken from the desk in the study. They flung open the door but the room was empty. Nobody was there, but the drawer was open and the money was missing. It was a curious episode.

Question 15. The theme of the story centres on the dangers and consequences of unchecked scientific exploration and the pursuit of power. Comment. Footprints Without Feet [\“] 227
Answer: In the story, "Footprints without Feet", Griffin's unchecked scientific exploration leads to his ability to become invisible. However, he abuses this power, causing chaos and harm to others. His quest for power and disregard for consequences result in dangerous outcomes, highlighting the significance of ethical and responsible scientific study.

Question 16. Do you find the story based on being invisible a mere figment of one’s imagination or a phenomenon that is plausible? Elaborate with your opinion.
Answer: The concept of being invisible in the story is a fictional or imaginative element instead of a plausible phenomenon in reality. The story explores how a scientist makes himself invisible by swallowing rare drugs which is beyond the realm of scientific possibility. Griffin becoming completely invisible is meant to engage the readers and create an element of adventure and curiosity in the story.

Question 17. The story is a powerful example of misuse of power. Explain.
Answer: Griffin’s discovery of invisibility gave him a rare power, but he used it only for selfish and lawless ends. He set fire to his landlord’s house in revenge, robbed a big London store, stole money from a clergyman’s house and attacked Mr. and Mrs. Hall at the inn. Instead of using his discovery for the good of mankind, he used it to escape the law and harm others. Thus, the story is a powerful example of the misuse of power.

Question 18. Scientists contribute to making the world a better place. Griffin is the antithesis of this statement. Justify.
Answer: Scientists contribute to making the world a better place, but Griffin did the opposite. Though Griffin was a brilliant scientist, he was a lawless person. He used his power of invisibility to use it for his own benefit. He committed a lot of misdeeds. Scientists like Griffin can destroy the world once they discover such power.

Question 19. What remarkable events occur at the inn in the story?
Answer: Many extraordinary things happened in the Inn. Some of them were that the landlord and his wife found the scientist’s door open. But there was no one in the room. Then Mrs. Hall heard a sniff close to her ear. After a moment, the hat on the bedpost leapt up, and dashed itself into her face. The chair began moving automatically.

Question 20. “Griffin was a lawless person.” Comment. Give reasons.
Answer: Griffin set his landlord’s house on fire because the landlord tried to make him leave. Then his robbery at the big London store indicated that he was a lawless person. When he encountered the landlady of the inn, he threw a chair at her and her husband. Lawless people like Griffin never think about the safety and well-being of others.

Question 21. How did hiding in the big London store help Griffin? (Delhi Gov. 2021)
Answer: Griffin was wandering naked on the streets in the chilly weather of London after he took his clothes off to become invisible. When he entered the London store, he covered himself up with warm clothes, ate food and sweets, and drank wine as there wasn't anyone in the store at night. Then he slept on a warm pile of quilts.

Question 22. Griffin was a brilliant scientist. Do you agree? Why? (Delhi Gov. 2021)
Answer: Yes, Griffin was a brilliant scientist because he possessed exceptional intelligence and skills. He had carried out multiple experiments, and with them, he finally discovered a drug that could make him invisible. This ability to become invisible is Griffin’s great scientific achievement.

Question 23. How does the scientific discovery play a transformative role in Griffin's life?
Answer: Griffin’s discovery of invisibility changed his life completely. It gave him great power, but he used it to commit crimes. Instead of becoming a respected scientist, he turned into a lawless fugitive, always hiding and running from people and the police.

Question 24. The story questions the boundaries of scientific exploration. Elucidate.
Answer: Griffin’s experiments make him invisible, but he uses his power to burn a house, rob a store, steal from a clergyman and attack people. The story suggests that science without ethics is dangerous and that a discovery is good only if it is used responsibly.

Question 25. Explain how the description of the chaos caused by the Griffin in the story creates a sense of adventure. Refer to these lines from the story: There followed a remarkable scene as the policeman tried to get hold of a man who was becoming more and more invisible as he threw off one garment after another.
Answer: The scene is both comic and thrilling. As the policeman tries to grab Griffin, the scientist throws off his clothes one by one and gradually disappears. People are confused and frightened, and the chase turns into a chaotic struggle with an invisible man, which creates a strong sense of adventure.

Question 26. What made the boys follow Griffin? (CBSE 2020)
Answer: The footprints were of a scientist named Griffin who had become invisible after swallowing certain rare drugs. He was first noticed by the two boys as Griffin happened to step in some mud and left footprints on the steps of a house, where they could see just his footprints, and they started following them. They followed them until the footprints became fainter and could not be seen.

Question 27. What extraordinary things happen at the inn?
Answer: At the inn, the landlord and his wife Mrs. Hall found the scientist’s room door open, so they went in. There was nobody there. His clothes, bandages, etc. were lying about in the room. Mrs. Hall heard a sniff and the hat on the bedpost leapt up and dashed into her face. Then the bedroom chair sprang into the air and pushed them out of the room. Mrs. Hall felt sure that the room was haunted by spirits.

Question 28. What did Griffin do in the shop of a theatrical company?
Answer: After removing his clothes to escape from the shop assistants of a big London store, Griffin next found a solution in a theatrical company. He went into the shop and came out wearing bandages around his face. He wore dark glasses, a false nose and big bushy side-whiskers. He then attacked the shopkeeper and robbed him of all his money.

Question 29. How was Griffin a lawless man?
Answer: Griffin was a lawless man. He did many offensive and criminal things without regretting them even once. He set fire to his landlord’s house and ran away. He stole food and clothes from a London store. Then he stole clothes and other goods from a theatrical company, robbed the owner and ran away. He also robbed the clergyman to pay his bills.

Question 30. How did the visible man become invisible at the inn?
Answer: The visible man at the inn got very angry with Mrs. Hall. He started throwing off all that he was wearing on his head and he became a headless man. Soon, Mr. Jaffers, the constable, arrived to arrest him but the headless man started removing all his clothes and soon became invisible. The constable was struggling with someone he could not see. And then the invisible scientist escaped again.

Question 31. Why was he wandering the streets?
Answer: His landlord had ejected Griffin and in a rage of revenge, Griffin burnt down the house. Thus, he was homeless and since he wanted to be invisible he was also clotheless and wandering the streets.

Question 32. What other extraordinary things happen at the inn?
Answer: Apart from money being stolen from the study, when Mr. and Mrs. Hall enter Griffin’s apparently empty room, they are accosted by a moving hat and furniture. When they call the constable to arrest Griffin, he disrobes, becomes invisible and escapes.

Question 33. Would you like to become invisible? What advantages and disadvantages do you foresee if you did?
Answer: Yes, I would very much like to become invisible. It would have a whole lot of advantages and disadvantages. Advantages: Being able to go wherever one wanted, doing whatever one wished without being detected, countries could use this technology to know the enemy’s whereabouts etc. Disadvantages: Not being able to enjoy with friends, lawlessness would increase, it would be a disaster if it went into the hands of anti-social elements of the society.

Question 34. Are there forces around us that are invisible, for example, magnetism? Are there aspects of matter that are ‘invisible’ or not visible to the naked eye? What would the world be like if you could see such forces or such aspects of matter?
Answer: Yes, there are many forces in nature that are not visible to the naked eye. Scientists know that there is still a lot of stuff yet to be seen or studied. If we could see all these ‘invisible’ forces, may be it would make our life on earth more simple, maybe we would know the mysteries of nature that have yet not been solved.

Question 35. What makes glass or water transparent (what is the scientific explanation for this)? Do you think it would be scientifically possible for a man to become invisible, or transparent? (Keep in mind that writers of science fiction have often turned out to be prophetic in their imagination!)
Answer: Water is transparent because it doesn’t absorb light. Like air, it has a low reflectivity, which enables light to pass through it. It may not be scientifically possible for a man to become invisible because I believe that would involve changing the very structural units of human body. However, one never knows how much progress will man make in science. We may be able to become invisible one day.

Question 36. What made the boys follow Griffin?
Answer: As Griffin was invisible, his footprints appeared out of nowhere on the snow. The boys saw the footprints without any feet and were amazed. That’s why they started following the footprints which were Griffin’s footprints.

Question 37. What does Griffin do to keep warm?
Answer: When Griffin starts to feel cold in the winter air, he goes into a big London store and waits for it to close. Then, he wears clothes from the boxes in the store, eats food and sleeps on a pile of quilts to keep warm.

Question 38. Where does Griffin go in order to fill the gap above his shoulders?
Answer: Griffin goes to a theatrical company shop from where he gets bandages round his forehead, dark glasses, false nose, big bushy side-whiskers, and a large hat.

Question 39. Describe the curious episode which took place in a clergyman‘s study.
Answer: The clergyman and his wife heard noises in their study. They got up and went downstairs. They heard the chink of money as if someone was taking out the money from the clergyman’s desk. They opened the door. He and his wife searched behind the curtains but they found nobody there, still the money was missing. Thus, it was a curious thing that happened in their study.

Question 40. What happened to the constable who had come to arrest the scientist?
Answer: When the constable arrived, he saw a headless Griffin. When he went to arrest him, Griffin got into a scuffle with him, simultaneously removing his clothes and becoming invisible. The constable was hit a number of times and was finally knocked unconscious.

Question 41. Griffin is an evil scientist. Discuss.
Answer: Griffin was a brilliant person with a sharp scientific acumen. But he did not apply his talent for the well-being of mankind. So, he would be called an evil scientist and a criminal who misused science to serve his selfish motive and ended up harming a lot of people.

Question 42. Describe the experience of the Halls in the room of their eccentric scientist –guest.
Answer: The Halls had a weird and frightening experience in the room of their eccentric scientist-guest. Mrs hall felt something suddenly whizz past her ear. Then the hat on the bedpost leapt up and dashed into her face and the chair sprung into the air and charged at both of them. It pushed them out of the room, slamming and locking the door after them.