CBSE Class 12 English HOTs Going Places Set 02

Think as you Read 

Question. Where was it most likely that the two girls would find work after school?
Answer: The two girls, Sophie and Jansie, were most likely to find work in the local biscuit factory. This was so because they belonged to the lower middle class and could not go for higher studies after school. Hence, they could not get good well-paying jobs.

Question. What were the options that Sophie was dreaming of? Why does Jansie discourage her from having such dreams?
Answer: Sophie was dreaming of opening a boutique. When Jansie told her that it would require a lot of money, she would say that she would become a manager till then to save the money for her boutique. She also hoped of becoming an actress. Jansie discouraged Sophie from having such dreams as she was a practical girl. She knew that Sophie and herself were from lower middle-class families and so would only be able to work in the local biscuit factory.

Think as you Read 

Question. Why did Sophie wriggle when Geoff told her father that she had met Danny Casey?
Answer: Sophie wriggled when Geoff told their father that she had met Danny Casey because she knew her father would scold her for having such wild fantasies. She knew that he would not believe and would be angry with her.

Question. Does Geoff believe what Sophie says about her meeting with Danny Casey?
Answer: Geoff finds it hard to believe the story of Sophie’s meeting Danny Casey. He knew that her stories were never true and he couldn’t believe this one also. However, we can say that Geoff might have believed her story partially, because he tells about it to Jansie’s brother Frank.

Question. Does her father believe her story?
Answer: Sophie’s father does not believe Sophie’s story at all and dismisses it as another of her wild fantasies. Further, he warned Sophie that such made up stories will land her in trouble some day.

Question. How does Sophie include her brother Geoff in her fantasy of her future?
Answer: Sophie includes her brother Geoff in her fantasy of her future by imagining herself riding behind Geoff on his motorcycle to go to the unknown places he visits and the world rising to greet them with applause.

Question. Which country did Danny Casey play for?
Answer: Danny Casey was a young soccer player who played for Ireland. He was a popular athlete because he played really well. His technique was a blend of innocence and Irish genius.

Think as you Read

Question. Why didn’t Sophie want Jansie to know about her story with Danny? 
Answer: Sophie didn’t want Jansie to know about her meeting with Danny Casey because Jansie could not keep a secret. The moment she knew of someone’s secret, the whole neighbourhood would get to know of it. Sophie also didn’t want this meeting to reach her father’s ears or else she would be in trouble.

Question. Did Sophie really meet Danny Casey?
Answer: No, Sophie never really met Danny Casey. She has just seen Danny Casey on the field when she went to watch the team United play a football match. There, she was one of the spectators and could see Casey playing but only from a distance.

Question. Which was the only occasion when she got to see Danny Casey in person?
Answer: The only occasion when Sophie got to see Danny Casey in person was when she and her family went to watch a football match of their team, United. Sophie was sitting amongst the spectators and could see her hero Casey only from a distance while he played the match.

Understanding the Text 

Question. Sophie and Jansie were class-mates and friends. What were the differences between them that show up in the story? Or Compare and contrast Sophie and Jansie, highlighting their temperament and aspirations. Or Jansie is just as old as Sophie but she is very different from her. Bring out the contrast between the two friends, citing relevant instances from the story, ‘Going Places’.
Answer: Although Sophie and Jansie were classmates and intimate friends, both of them had an altogether different approaches towards life.
Sophie is a dreamer who always lives in a make-believe world of her own. She always imagines that she will have a successful career as a boutique owner, store manager, actress or fashion designer. She also imagined that the famous footballer Danny Casey would date her. She even went to the extent of waiting beside the canal for him. After he did not turn up, she realised that this was only her dream. Even then, she is lost in her dream world becoming sad that Danny did not come.
In contrast, Jansie’s feet are grounded in reality. She knows that they have been earmarked for working in the biscuit factory and accepts her fate. Hence, she does not indulge in fantasising and hero-worship like Sophie. She is also a gossip monger who pokes her nose into other’s affairs.

Question. How would you describe the character and temperament of Sophie’s father? Or Draw a character sketch of Sophie’s father.
Answer: Sophie’s father has the character and temperament of a typical working class man. He is the sole provider of the family. We first meet him as a coarse, ill-mannered man stuffing shepherd's pie into his mouth, wearing his dirty and sweaty vest.
He is a practical person who never leaves the harsh world of reality. He wants Sophie to step out of her dream world and tells her that her habit of making up stories is going to land her into trouble some day.
He goes to the pub to celebrate something as frivolous as a football match. In spite of being the head of an impoverished family with many mouths to feed, we never see him indulging in self-pity or cursing his fate. Instead, he enjoys life to the fullest by making a weekly pilgrimage to watch the local football match.

Question. Why did Sophie like her brother Geoff more than any other person? From her perspective, what did he symbolise?
Answer: To Sophie, her brother Geoff symbolised liberty from her dull, drab, monotonous and impoverished existence. He had left school three years ago and was working away from home as an apprentice mechanic. She imagined that he met many exotic and interesting people. She wished in her heart of hearts that she could be admitted more deeply into her brother’s affections and that some day he might take her with him. She even imagined herself and Geoff to be a part of that glamorous world. Sophie liked Geoff because he was a man of few words. He patiently listened to her stories about meeting the sports icon Danny Casey although he suspected it was not true. Still he gave her the impression that he had believed her. This made Sophie adore him more than she did any other member of her family.

Question. What socio-economic background did Sophie belong to? What are the indicators of her family’s financial status?
Answer: Sophie belonged to a lower middle class socio-economic background. There are many indicators that point towards this status. The first indicator is Jansie and Sophie’s conversation about them working after finishing school. Sophie longed for a good life but Jansie knew that they were both destined to become workers in the local biscuit factory. When Sophie mentioned her ambition to own a boutique, Jansie told her to first buy a ‘decent house’ to live in before buying a boutique. The second indicator is her father’s face still grubby and sweaty after a day’s hard work. Third, she observes her mother stooping over the sink. The small room was steamy from the stove and cluttered with the dirty washing piled up in the corner. Fourth, her brother Geoff was an apprentice mechanic. Fifth, they travelled by bus to watch their team United play a football match. Last, on her way back home from the solitary place where she spent time in the evening sometimes, outside the pub, she passed her ‘father’s bicycle’ propped against the wall. All these details point towards their lower middle class status.

Talking about the Text

Question. Sophie’s dreams and disappointments are all in her mind. Discuss. Or Sophie lives in a world full of dreams which she does not know she cannot realise. Comment.
Answer: It is true to say that Sophie’s dreams and disappointments are all in her mind. Sophie lives in a make-believe world— a world full of dreams— which she does not know she cannot realise. She always imagines that she will have a successful career as a boutique owner, store manager, actress or fashion designer. Even though, her friend, Jansie always used to remind her of their reality, she never listened.
Sophie comes face to face with her reality when she imagines that Danny Casey had promised to meet her near the canal. However, he does not show up. This is because the meeting with Danny Casey and the so-called date were all a figment of her imagination. However, Sophie never realises how her imagination is affecting her sense of reality.
Sophie dreams big and believes that they will be fulfilled even though she had faced disappointment. She does not accept or realise that her dreams are far away from her reality and their fulfillment is an almost impossible thing.

Question. It is natural for teenagers to have unrealistic dreams. What would you say are the benefits and disadvantages of such fantasising? Discuss. Or Teachers always advise their students to dream big. Yet, the same teachers in your classrooms find fault with Sophie when she dreams. What is wrong with Sophie’s dreams?
Answer: Dreaming is a necessary part of one’s life. Without dreams, there will be no aims and aspirations in our lives. As teenagers, each one of us set some goals in life. To reach those goals, we start daydreaming and fantasising about unrealistic things. This is what happens with Sophie too. Her dreams are unrealistic and she views the world with rose-coloured glasses.
Her longing for earning a large amount of money forces her to dream of opening a boutique, become an actress or a fashion designer. Such unrealistic dreams which are not within our reach can be damaging to our personality as unrealistic goals can lead to depression, low self-esteem and suicidal tendencies.
Thus, dreams are a part and parcel of our lives. We cannot do without them but we must remember that if we go overboard with them, they may have a negative effect on our personalities.

Extract Based Questions

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

“Or an actress. Now there’s real money in that. Yes, and I could may be have the boutique on the side. Actresses don’t work full time, do they? Anyway, that or a fashion designer. You know something a bit sophisticated”. And she turned in through the open street door leaving Jansie standing in the rain. “If I ever come into money I’ll buy a boutique”. “Huh, if you ever come into money ... if you ever come into money you’ll buy us a blessed decent house to live in, thank you very much.”
Sophie’s father was scooping shepherd’s pie into his mouth as hard as he could go, his plump face still grimy and sweat-marked from the day.
“She thinks money grows on trees, don’t she Dad?” Said little Derek, hanging on the back of his father’s chair. Their mother sighed. 

Question. Sophie wants to become an actress to
(a) become famous
(b) to earn money
(c) to support her father
(d) to compete with Jansie
Answer: (b) to earn money

Question. Jansie wanted Sophie to spend her money on
(a) her marriage
(b) her career
(c) to open a boutique
(d) buying a house
Answer: (d) buying a house

Question. Sophie is daydreaming about ___________ .
Answer: becoming an actress and opening a boutique

Question. The phrase ‘money grows on trees’ indicates that Sophie ___________ .
Answer: is not very practical

Question. Sophie’s mother’s sigh is one of
(a) regret
(b) delight
(c) relief
(d) helplessness
Answer: (d) helplessness

Question. Complete the following sentence appropriately. From the extract, Jansie comes across as a ___________ person.
Answer: practical

“She thinks money grows on trees, don’t she, Dad?” said little Derek, hanging on the back of his father’s chair. Their mother sighed. Sophie watched her back stooped over the sink and wondered at the incongruity of the delicate bow which fastened her apron strings. The delicate-seeming bow and the crooked back. The evening had already blacked in the windows and the small room was steamy from the stove and cluttered with the heavy-breathing man in his vest at the table and the dirty washing piled up in the corner. Sophie felt a tightening in her throat. She went to look for her brother Geoff.

Question. Why did Sophie’s mother sigh?
Answer: Sophie’s mother sighed because of the dreamy tendencies of her daughter.

Question. Select the correct option from those given in bracket to fill in the blank. It could be inferred that Sophie’s mother was fatigued and burdened. We reach this inference because of ___________ (her sigh/her posture).
Answer: her sigh

Question. Complete the sentence appropriately. “Sophie felt a tightening in her throat.” Sophie is feeling ___________ .
Answer: anxious and uneasy

Question. What can be we make out about the financial condition of the family from the extract?
Answer: From the given extract, we can make out that the family lived in a impoverished condition. They belonged to the lower middle class and had very little money.

Question. Choose the correct option about Sophie’s parents based on the extract given above.
(a) Sophie’s parent’s marriage was an example of harmony and affection,
(b) Sophie’s relationship with her parents was warm and friendly,
(c) Sophie’s mother was subdued while her father was detached,
(d) Sophie and her brother didn’t like to stay with their parents,
Answer: (c) Sophie’s mother was subdued while her father was detached.

Question. Choose the option that supports the contention coming through Derek’s dialogue, “She thinks money grows on trees, don’t she, Dad?”,
(a) Derek thought his sister to be unreasonable at times,
(b) Derek had no faith in Sophie’s abilities to open a boutique,
(c) Derek thought of his sister as someone who was not realistic,
(d) Derek was not at all happy about Sophie’s habit of day dreaming.
Answer: (c) Derek thought of his sister as someone who was not realistic.

On Saturday they made their weekly pilgrimage to watch United. Sophie and her father and little Derek went down near the goal — Geoff, as always, went with his mates higher up. United won two-nil and Casey drove in the second goal, a blend of innocence and Irish genius, going round the two big defenders on the edge of the penalty area, with her father screaming for him to pass and beating the hesitant goalkeeper from a dozen yards. Sophie glowed with pride. Afterwards Geoff was ecstatic.

Question. Who joined his friends higher up the stairs?
Answer: Geoff joined his friends higher up the stairs.

Question. Select the correct option from those given in bracket to fill in the blank. Their visit to the match was like a ‘weekly pilgrimage’ refers to ___________ (love for a fixed routine/similar feelings of devotion).
Answer: similar feelings of devotion

Question. Complete the sentence appropriately. ‘Sophie glowed with pride.’ Her pride is the result of ___________ .
Answer: being an avid fan and her sense of closeness with Danny

Question. How did the ‘United’ perform in the match?
Answer: The United won the match by two-nil.

Question. Based on the following statements, choose the correct option.
Assertion: “Geoff, as always, went with his mates higher up.”
Reason I: Geoff was not very close to his family and lived in his own world.
Reason II: Geoff was rude and indifferent towards everyone around him and didn’t care about anyone at all.
(a) Reason I and Reason II both can be inferred from the assertion,
(b) Reason I can be inferred but Reason II cannot be inferred from the assertion,
(c) Reason I cannot be inferred but Reason II can be inferred,
(d) Reason I and Reason II both cannot be inferred,
Answer: (b) Reason I can be inferred but Reason II cannot be inferred from the assertion.

Question. Choose the option listing the situation in which one would be ‘ecstatic’.
(a) Going to an old age home and listening to them share stories from the past,
(b) Being seated next to your favourite pop singer during a short flight,
(c) Going to a dog show and losing your pet there,
(d) Coming home and finding that there are 11 messages from your Principal in your email inbox.
Answer: (b) Being seated next to your favourite pop singer during a short flight.

There was a wooden bench beneath a solitary elm where lovers sometimes came. She sat down to wait. It was the perfect place, she had always thought so, for a meeting of this kind. For those who wished not to be observed. She knew he would approve. For some while, waiting, she imagined his coming. She watched along the canal, seeing him come out of the shadows, imagining her own consequent excitement. Not until some time had elapsed did she begin balancing against this the idea of his not coming.

Question. Why was Sophie waiting at that location?
Answer: Sophie, in her imagination, had setup a date with Danny Casey. So, she was waiting for him at the canal.

Question. Select the correct option from those given in brackets to fill in the blank. Sophie is feeling ___________ (flustered/excited) at the prospect of him liking the place.
Answer: excited

Question. Complete the sentence suitably. ‘He’ did not come because ___________ .
Answer: the entire event of him promising to come was a part of Sophie’s imagination

Question. How does Sophie come to realise the reality?
Answer: Sophie had been waiting for Casey for a long time. When he did not come, she came to realise that the date was a fantasy and not a reality.

Question. What is the wooden bench beneath a solitary elm symbolic of?
(a) Peacefulness
(b) Isolation
(c) Distant and lonely
(d) Lovers’ point
Answer: (d) Lovers’ point

Question. Why would he approve of that place?
(a) It was the perfect place
(b) People could not be observed here
(c) The bench was very comfortable
(d) It was safe from wild animals
Answer: (b) People could not be observed here

Now I have become sad, she thought. And it is a hard burden to carry, this sadness. Sitting here waiting and knowing he will not come I can see the future and how I will have to live with this burden. They of course will doubt me, as they always doubted me, but I will have to hold up my head remembering how it was. already I envisage the slow walk home, and Geoff’s disappointed face when I tell him, “He didn’t come, that Danny”. And then he’ll fly out and slam the door.

Question. Why do you think Geoff would slam the door?
Answer: Geoff would slam the door because of his anger. He would be angry at Danny Casey was not keeping his promise to his sister.

Question. Select the correct option from those given in brackets to fill in the blank. The fact that Sophie is predicting her family’s reaction shows that she is ___________ (anticipating their reactions/feeling embarrassed).
Answer: feeling embarrassed

Question. Complete the sentence suitably. The ‘burden’ here refers to ___________ .
Answer: the fact that Casey’s date with her was just her imagination and not her reality

Question. Do you think Sophie’s sadness is justified?
Answer: Yes, I find Sophie’s sadness to be justified because as a young teenage girl she was deeply engrossed in her imagination. So, when the realisation of her reality struck her, she becomes sad.

Question. What is hard for Sophie to carry?
(a) Jansie’s friendship
(b) Casey’s indifferent attitude
(c) The sadness of not meeting Danny
(d) Her father’s anger
Answer: (c) The sadness of not meeting Danny

Question. On the basis of the extract, choose the correct option with reference to the two statements given below.
I. Sophie idolised Danny Casey.
II. Sophie disliked her family.
(a) I can be inferred from the extract but II cannot
(b) I cannot be inferred from the extract but II can
(c) I is true but II is false
(d) II is the reason for I
Answer: (a) I can be inferred from the extract but II cannot