CBSE Class 12 English HOTs The Interview Set 03

Question. What are some of the positive views on interviews?
Answer: Interview is a genre that has become a commonplace of journalism within a span of about 130 years. It is an art that brings out truth and gives us vivid impressions of the interviewees. It is an excellent medium of communication.

Question. Why do most celebrity writers despise being interviewed?
Answer: Most of the celebrities do not like giving interviews because they believe that interviews diminish them. Writers such as VS Naipaul feel wounded by interviews and lose a part of themselves in the process of interview. Some others such as Rudyard Kipling condemn interviews as immoral, an offence, a crime and something vile and cowardly. Saul Bellow feels suffocated during interviews.

Question. What is the belief in some primitive cultures about being photographed?
Answer: Some primitive cultures condemn photography and view it with suspicion. They dislike it, as they have a groundless and false fear of their soul being robbed if they are photographed.

Question. What do you understand by the expression "thumbprints on his windpipe"?
Answer: Saul Bellow compares interviews to 'thumbprints on the windpipe'. This refers to the fact that interviewers make the interviewees feel suffocated and uneasy during the course of an interview. Bellow feels that interviewers are strangulators while interviewees are their victims.

Question. Who, in today's world, is our chief source of information about personalities?
Answer: Ever since interviews were invented over 130 years ago, this excellent medium of communication has become our chief source of information. As compared to the other sources of information, say biographies, autobiographies and movies, to know about personalities, interviews convey information in a fast, simple and effective way.

Question. Do you think Umberto Eco likes being interviewed? Give reasons for your opinion.
Answer: Umberto Eco, the interviewee does not seem to dislike being interviewed. He gives long and elaborate answers to the questions posed by Mukund Padmanabhan. He answers all the questions in a straightforward, truthful and sincere way, sharing his experiences with the world at large. Nowhere does he try to evade a question. He also smiles and shrugs during the interview which shows his interest. At no point during the interview do we feel that he is in a hurry to wind up the interview. Thus, he seems to like being interviewed.

Question. How does Eco find the time to write so much?
Answer: Umberto Eco values time; in fact, he values each and every second. He utilises even the 'interstices' i.e., the empty spaces or gaps between any two pieces of literature written by him. Most of us ignore this time but Umberto Eco uses it in a productive manner. Thus, he has found time to write a large number of works.

Question. What was distinctive about Eco's academic writing style? Delhi 2011
Answer: Umberto Eco's style was distinctive because it is a narrative written in the manner of a story, in contrast to a regular academic style, which is invariably depersonalised, dry and boring. Even his scholarly works have a certain playful and personal quality about them. He wrote books for children on non-violence and peace. He pursued his philosophical interests through his academic work and his novels.

Question. Did Umberto Eco consider himself a novelist first or an academic scholar?
Answer: Umberto Eco considers himself an academic scholar first. He has over forty works in non-fiction, but only about five novels. The fictional works make him reach a large audience. He participates in academic conferences but not meetings of fan clubs and writers. This Professor thoroughly identifies himself with the academic community. He writes novels on Sundays or only when he is not involved in any scholarly activity.

Question. What is the reason for the huge success of the novel, 'The Name of the Rose'? or State the reason for the huge success of the novel 'The Name of the Rose'. 
Answer: The reason for the huge success of the novel, 'The Name of the Rose', is probably that it was a different kind of novel from the normal one, as it was a highly personalised narrative in an unconventional style. It was a serious detective story which probed into metaphysics, theology and medieval history. All these topics interested readers. The author himself was mystified by its success and says that probably the novel was written at the right time; it may not have been such a success if it had come earlier or later.

EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS

Read the extract given below and choose the correct option. “It was his horror of being lionised which made him thus repel would be acquaintances, interviewers, and the persistent petitioners for his autograph and he would afterwards relate the stories of his success in silencing all such people with much satisfaction and amusement.”

Question. Who is the person referred to in this extract?
(a) Christopher Silvester
(b) Umberto Eco
(c) Lewis Carroll
(d) None of the options
Answer: (c) Lewis Carroll

Question. Why was the person referred to in the extract horrified?
(a) Interview glorified him as celebrity
(b) He did not like being in limelight
(c) He wanted to work and write unnoticed
(d) Both (a) and (b)
Answer: (d) Both (a) and (b)

Question. What did the concerned person do to keep away people?
(a) He refused to meet them
(b) Did not give them any autographs
(c) Not to be friendly with interviewers
(d) All of the options
Answer: (d) All of the options

Question. What will be the synonym of the word 'resolute or determined' from the passage.
(a) Repel
(b) Relate
(c) Persistent
(d) Persevere
Answer: (c) Persistent

Read the extract given below and choose the correct option. “Why do I refuse to be interviewed? Because it is immoral! It is a crime, just as much of a crime as an offence against my person, as an assault, and just as much merits punishment. It is cowardly and vile. No respectable man would ask it, much less give it.”

Question. Who is the speaker here?
(a) Lewis Carroll
(b) Rudyard Kipling
(c) Mukund Padmanabhan
(d) VS Naipaul
Answer: (b) Rudyard Kipling

Question. What drawbacks of the 'Interview' did his wife point out?
(a) It was an assault on the individual
(b) It was a crime
(c) It was an immoral act
(d) All of the options
Answer: (d) All of the options

Question. The attitude of the speaker of these lines towards Interview was............
(a) applauding
(b) depreciative
(c) critical
(d) very appreciative
Answer: (b) depreciative

Question. What does the expression 'merits punishment' mean here?
(a) Interviewer should be condemned and punished
(b) appreciated
(c) should be jailed
(d) should be isolated
Answer: (a) Interviewer should be condemned and punished

Read the extract given below and choose the correct option. “In 1980, he acquired the equivalent of intellectual superstardom with the publication of The Name of the Rose, which sold more than 10 million copies.”

Question. Who is 'he' referred to here?
(a) Rudyard Kipling
(b) Umberto Eco
(c) Christopher Silvester
(d) Lewis Carroll
Answer: (b) Umberto Eco

Question. The publication of novel 'The Name of The Rose' made its author............
(a) Criticised severely
(b) Condemned to annonymity
(c) Etremely famous academically
(d) Successful actor
Answer: (c) Etremely famous academically

Question. What was the reason of this novel's extreme popularity?
(a) Author's narrative style
(b) Provided different reading experience
(c) Covered widely different subjects
(d) All of the options
Answer: (d) All of the options

Question. Which word in the passage will be antonym of the word unequal or dissimilar?
(a) Intellect
(b) Equivalent
(c) Comparable
(d) Identical
Answer: (b) Equivalent

Read the extract given below and choose the correct option. “It is a marked departure from a regular academic style - which is invariably depersonalised and often dry and boring. Have you consciously adopted an informal approach or is it something that just came naturally to you?”

Question. Who said these words in the extract?
(a) Umberto Eco
(b) Mukul Padmanabhan
(c) VS Naipaul
(d) Christopher Silvester
Answer: (b) Mukul Padmanabhan

Question. About which work of the author 'Umberto' is the interviewer referring to here?
(a) Essay and newspaper articles
(b) Children's looks
(c) Fictions
(d) Author's non-fictional writings
Answer: (d) Author's non-fictional writings

Question. What is the speciality of Umberto Eco's Literary writing?
(a) Highly philosophical
(b) Dramatised
(c) Full of narrative style
(d) Full of figures of speech
Answer: (c) Full of narrative style

Question. The concerned author 'Umberto Eco' teaches in which university?
(a) Oxford University, London
(b) University of Bologna, Italy
(c) Cornell University, U.S.A
(d) None of the options
Answer: (b) University of Bologna, Italy

Read the extract given below and choose the correct option. “I participate in academic conferences and not meetings of Pen Clubs and writers. I identify myself with the academic community.”

Question. How does the author keep his literary tastes alive?
(a) By attending pen clups
(b) Meeting writers over coffee
(c) By participating in academic conferences
(d) All of the options
Answer: (c) By participating in academic conferences

Question. Most people consider him only as a............
(a) poet
(b) dramatist
(c) literary critic
(d) novelist
Answer: (d) novelist

Question. Explain "I identify myself with the academic community".
(a) Writer considered himself as a scholar not a novelist
(b) Writer considered himself as a literary critic
(c) Writer considered himself as a professor only
(d) None of the options
Answer: (a) Writer considered himself as a scholar not a novelist

Question. How does the author react to know that more people recognise him as a novelist, not as a scholar.
(a) Highly unhappy
(b) Very furious
(c) He consoles himself that as a novelist, he is able to reach out ot a large number of people
(d) All of the options
Answer: (c) he consoles himself that as a novelist, he is able to reach out ot a large number of people

Read the extracts given below and choose the correct option. “So in a way I reached only a small percentage of readers. But it is exactly these kinds of readers who don't want easy experiences. Or at least don't always want this.”

Question. Who is 'I' referred to in thse lines?
(a) Mukund from the Hindu
(b) Christopher Sylvester
(c) Umberto Eco
(d) Lewis Carroll
Answer: (c) Umberto Eco

Question. Why does the speaker conclude 'I reached only a small percentage of readers'?
(a) 10 million copies is small number compared to worldwide readers
(b) Novel was read only in Europe by few people
(c) Eco's novel was appreciate only by literary figures of his time
(d) The novel did not become very popular
Answer: (a) 10 million copies is small number compared to worldwide readers

Question. What does the author mean by "Easy Experiences" in reading?
(a) Some humourous reading material like comics. etc.
(b) Horror stories which keep you engaged
(c) Reading material which is entertaining and easy to understand
(d) Reading of newspapers, magazines, etc.
Answer: (c) Reading material which is entertaining and easy to understand

Question. Why does the author love to watch T.V. after 9 pm?
(a) To listen to important news
(b) To relax
(c) To entertain himself
(d) Both (b) and (c)
Answer: (d) Both (b) and (c)

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question. What drawbacks of interviews have been pointed out by Lewis Carroll? 
Answer: The drawbacks of interviews which have been pointed out by Lewis Carroll are the horror of the interviewer, as he did not want to be glorified.

Question. How do we know that Lewis Carroll was triumphant in his success of not giving interviews?
Answer: We know that Lewis Carroll was triumphant in not giving interviews because afterwards he would tell the stories of his success in silencing all such people with much satisfaction and amusement.

Question. What did Rudyard Kipling's wife has to say about Kipling's attitude towards interviewers?
Answer: Rudyard Kipling's wife, Caroline, wrote in her diary on 14th October, 1892, that their day was 'wrecked by two reporters from Boston'. She reports that her husband told the reporters that interviews are a crime as they are an assault against the person being interviewed. That is why he refused to be interviewed by the reporters from Boston.

Question. What did the publisher think of 'The Name of the Rose'?
Answer: The publisher loved the book 'The Name of the Rose', but didn't expect to sell more than 3000 copies in a country such as the USA, where nobody has seen a cathedral or studied Latin.

Question. What is the variety of writing that Umberto Eco has produced?
Answer: Umberto Eco has produced a large variety of writings which include his ideas on semiotics (the study of signs), literary fiction, academic texts, essays, children's books, newspaper articles and finally detective novels.

Question. What is the one thing that Umberto Eco is convinced that he is doing through all his variety of writing? Why is he convinced about it?
Answer: Umberto Eco is convinced that he is pursuing his philosophical interests through his academic work and his novels. He is convinced about it because, as he says, even his books for children are about non-violence and peace, which are part of his ethical, philosophical interests.

Question. Explain the concept of 'interstices' in our lives, as given by Umberto Eco.
Answer: Umberto Eco explained that we have a lot of empty spaces of time in our lives, which he calls 'interstices'. For instance, if we are waiting to meet someone, we are 'free'. This is an interstice or an empty space. He is able to be a prolific writer because he works during these empty spaces.

Question. Why did Umberto Eco start writing novels?
Answer: Umberto Eco started writing novels by accident, as he himself says. He had nothing to do one day and probably writing a novel satisfied his taste for narration. So he started writing them.

Question. Did the fact that most people thought of Umberto Eco as only a novelist bother him? Why?
Answer: Yes, the fact that most people thought of Umberto Eco as only a novelist did bother him because he considered himself a university professor who wrote novels on Sundays. He also participated in academic conferences, as he identified himself with the academic community.

Question. What is the advantage of writing novels, as mentioned by Umberto Eco?
Answer: As mentioned by Umberto Eco, the advantage of writing novels is that he is able to reach to a larger audience, which would not be possible with his scholarly writings.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS 

Question. What made the American publisher think that the novel, 'The Name of the Rose' won't sell in America? What actually happened? What was the secret of its success?
Answer: The American publisher loved the book 'The Name of the Rose', but didn't expect to sell it in a country such as the USA, where nobody has seen a cathedral or studied Latin. The reason was that the novel dealt with subjects such as metaphysics, theology, and medieval history, none of which most people who read novels would have ever heard of, let alone understand their concepts. Thus, the publisher gave him an advance for only 3000 copies. However, the novel became a best seller, as it sold over 10 million copies, out of which between two and three million were sold in the USA alone. The secret of the novel's success is still a mystery for the author. A lot of books have been written about the medieval past before his novel. He thinks that if he had written this novel ten years earlier or ten years later, it wouldn't have had the same success.

Question. What impression do you form about Umberto Eco as a scholar and writer on the basis of 'The Interview?
Answer: On the basis of 'The Interview', we understand that Umberto Eco is a professor at the University of Bologna in Italy. He is a scholar in semiotics (the study of signs). He likes to attend academic meetings and loves giving interviews, unlike other famous writers mentioned in the chapter. He does literary interpretation, writes academic text, children's books, newspaper articles and novels. The novels are written on Sundays, as he says that he started writing his first novel at the age of 50 years when he found one day that he had nothing to do. He has written 40 papers on scholarly works of nonfiction and five novels. He has a narrative style which is informal and playful. His research work has the qualities of a creative and narrative style. His first novel, 'The Name of the Rose', brought a lot of fame to him and a large readership, so that he came to be known as a novelist, although he wanted to be known as an academician.

EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS 

Read the extract given below and choose the correct option. “Almost everything of moment reaches us through one man asking questions of another. Because of this, the interviewer holds a position of unprecedented power and influence.”

Question. Who wrote the words in the extract?
(a) VS Naipaul
(b) Rudyard Kipling
(c) Christopher Silvester
(d) Denis Brian
Answer: (d) Denis Brian

Question. Which mode of communication is referred to in these lines?
(a) Discussion
(b) Speech on TV
(c) Interview
(d) None of the options
Answer: (c) Interview

Question. What does the expression "Everything of the moment' refer to?
(a) All types of expression and information of concerned person at the time of interview
(b) All types of questions
(c) Author's reaction to a specific question
(d) None of the options
Answer: (a) All types of expression and information of concerned person at the time of interview

Question. The word 'Unprecedented' as used in the passage means
(a) unaccounted
(b) never done or known before
(c) very critical
(d) unbiased
Answer: (b) never done or known before

Read the extract given below and choose the correct option. “Did you know what will happen if you eliminate the empty spaces from the universe, eliminate the empty spaces in all the atoms?”

Question. Who said these words?
(a) Mukul Padmanabhan
(b) Umberto Eco
(c) Christopher Sylvester
(d) Rudyard Kipling
Answer: (b) Umberto Eco

Question. What was the occasion?
(a) At a public speech
(b) Being interviewed by Mukul
(c) Addressing students in the university
(d) On a meeting with other writers
Answer: (b) Being interviewed by Mukul

Question. What does the expression 'Empty space' imply here?
(a) When one is without a job
(b) Free time between important works
(c) Relaxing on Sunday
(d) Enjoying with family
Answer: (b) Free time between important works

Question. Which word in these lines can also mean to get rid of completely?
(a) Empty
(b) Universe
(c) Eliminate
(d) Remove
Answer: (c) Eliminate