GSEB Class 12 English Vistas Chapter 1 The Third Level Solutions

GSEB Solutions

Class 12th English Supplementary Chapter 1 The Third Level Question Answers Gujarat Board

The Third Level Class 12 Questions and Answers GSEB

Read and Find Out (Textbook Page No. 1)

Question. What does the third level refer to?
Answer: The third level *means* the subway of the Grand Central Station that *carries* passengers to Galesburg, Illinois. The third level on the station *offered* an escape for Charley, the narrator, from the *difficult* parts of modern life. It *gave* him a place where he could mix his imagination and the real world.
In simple words: The third level is a subway at Grand Central Station that Charley imagines goes to Galesburg. It's his escape from the hard parts of real life, a blend of fantasy and reality.

Exam Tip: To score well, define the third level and explain its significance as an escape mechanism for Charley.

Read and Find Out (Textbook Page No. 5)

Question 1. Would Charley ever go back to the ticket counter on the third level to buy tickets to Galesburg for himself and his wife?
Answer: No, Charley *would not* return to the ticket counter on the third level to *purchase* tickets to Galesburg for himself and his wife *as* the third level was *merely* his imagination.
In simple words: No, Charley would not go back because the third level was only in his mind, not a real place.

Exam Tip: When asked about Charley's actions related to the third level, always emphasize that it was a product of his imagination and not a real place.

Reading with Insight

Answer the following questions in about six to seven sentences each:

Question 1. Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley? Why?
Answer: Yes, I *believe* the third level *served as* an escape for Charley. *Today's* world is *filled with* insecurity, fear, war, worries, and stress. People *must face* these *challenges constantly*. The *tough* parts of life make living quite *hard* and even unbearable. So, he *wishes* to escape into a wishful world. Charley *speaks* to his psychiatrist friend about the third level at the Grand Central Station. His friend calls it “a walking-dream wish fulfilment”. Charley *shows* an escapist tendency. Even his stamp collecting *offers* a 'temporary refuge from reality'.
In simple words: Yes, the third level was a way for Charley to escape. Modern life is full of stress, and people constantly face problems. This makes life hard, so Charley dreams of a better world. His psychiatrist friend calls it a "walking-dream wish fulfilment," and even his stamp collecting is a temporary break from reality.

Exam Tip: To explain Charley's need for escape, link the 'third level' to the stresses of modern life and his underlying psychological tendencies.

Question 2. What do you infer from Sam's letter to Charley?
Answer: The way Charley *discovered* Sam's letter was *shrouded* in mystery. Among his oldest first-day covers, he *found* an envelope. The envelope, *which held* the letter, *had* the address of his grandfather. It was written on July 18, 1894. The postmark *displayed* a picture of President Garfield. Generally, first-day covers *contain* blank papers, but this one *held* a letter. The letter was *meant for* Charley. In the letter, Sam had *informed* Charley that he was living on the third level. He had also *asked* Charley and his wife to keep looking for the third level. Clearly, the letter was a product of Charley's imagination.
In simple words: Charley found Sam's letter mysteriously among old stamp covers. The letter, sent to his grandfather's address, was dated 1894 and showed President Garfield. It was actually for Charley, telling him Sam was on the third level and urging them to find it. This letter was clearly just part of Charley's imagination.

Exam Tip: When discussing Sam's letter, detail how Charley discovered it and what the letter stated, concluding that it was part of Charley's fantasy.

Question 3. 'The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and stress.' What are the ways in which we attempt to overcome them?
Answer: We can *deal with* the anxieties and insecurities *caused by* our inevitable existence in the modern world by *taking part in* practical and beneficial activities. Cultivating hobbies, spending time with family and friends, going on trips and excursions, *and doing* meditation and exercises *assist* us in living a balanced and healthy life. Reading good books is *like having* good friends with great insight. They not only *fill* us with a vast store of knowledge but also help us to learn from *others'* experiences and stay rooted to some basic human qualities. Joining hobby classes or gyms, attending social events like birthdays and weddings, going for outdoor games, interacting meaningfully through social-networking sites, and writing diaries, *for example*, can also help us relieve our worries and stay *focused* and disciplined in life. Simple activities like listening to music, playing with pets, an occasional dinner out, watching cinema or plays, or going to places like parks, *among others*, can go a long way in helping us get rid of stress, boredom, and insecurities.
In simple words: We can overcome modern stresses by doing practical and helpful activities. Hobbies, spending time with family, trips, meditation, and exercise help us live better. Reading good books and learning from others also helps. Joining classes, social events, outdoor games, and meaningful online interactions can reduce worries. Simple things like music, pets, dinner out, or movies can also relieve stress and boredom.

Exam Tip: Provide diverse examples of healthy coping mechanisms, focusing on both individual pursuits and social interactions, to illustrate how modern anxieties can be managed.

Question 4. Do you see an intersection of time and space in the story?
Answer: Yes, there *are specific examples* in the story that *demonstrate* an intersection of time and space. Firstly, the first two levels of Grand Central Station were located in the present time, while the third level *was in* the 1890s. Secondly, Charley and his wife, Louisa, live in the present, yet he had to *acquire* old currency to *purchase* two tickets to go to Galesburg of 1894. *Moreover*, the old architecture of the platform at the third level is different from the modern platforms of the first two levels. Besides, the *old-fashioned* way people were dressing, and the newspaper, The World, dated June 11, 1894, also *mixes with* Charley's real-time world and existence. Lastly, the letter *sent* to Charley's grandfather on 18th July 1894 highlights the intersection of time and space, as the sender (Charley's friend Sam) and receiver (Charley himself) belong to the present time.
In simple words: Yes, the story shows time and space mixing. The first two station levels are current, but the third level is from the 1890s. Charley lives now but tries to buy 1894 tickets with old money. The third level's old architecture and people's archaic clothes, plus an 1894 newspaper, blend past and present. Finally, a letter from Sam (present) mailed in 1894 to Charley's grandfather, but received by Charley (present), clearly links different times and spaces.

Exam Tip: When analyzing time and space intersection, provide distinct examples from the story, such as the station levels, character timelines, and historical details, to support your argument.

Question 5. Apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic projection. Discuss.
Answer: It is true that *what seems like* illogicality sometimes *becomes* a futuristic projection. Before the Wright Brothers invented the first aeroplane, nobody *would have imagined* that people could fly. Before Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, it would have been impossible to *think* that long-distance talks could happen in real-time. *Furthermore*, there are examples of inventions, like the modern sewing machine with a needle hole on its wrong end, which were *first dreamt of* but are now part of our everyday reality. All this *shows* that fantasies from one point in time that seem illogical may *become* revolutionary things that change humanity's future. Similarly, it would not be *unreasonable* to *imagine* railway stations *equipped* with time-machine devices that would make travel from one era to another *simple*.
In simple words: It's true that things seeming illogical can become future realities. For instance, flying seemed impossible before the Wright Brothers, and long-distance calls before the telephone. Even ideas like the modern sewing machine with its unusual needle design were once just dreams. This highlights that what seems impossible today might become normal and revolutionary tomorrow, much like imagining time-traveling railway stations.

Exam Tip: To discuss futuristic projections, use historical examples of inventions that once seemed impossible. Relate these to how seemingly illogical ideas can become reality over time.

Question 6. Philately helps keep the past alive. Discuss other ways in which this is done. What do you think of the human tendency to constantly move between the past, the present and the future?
Answer: Besides philately, there are *many* other ways to help keep the past alive. Collecting historical artefacts, paintings, and inscriptions in a museum; collecting and reading books (including autobiographies, bio-sketches, letters, and diary entries) written in different eras; and collecting and viewing documentaries and other videos are all *methods* of revisiting history. *Additionally*, we can keep our culture and traditions alive when we follow rituals in ceremonies and *preserve* memories in the form of videos, photographs, and audio collections. Also, *restoring* old monuments, buildings, and other artefacts may *offer* a huge learning opportunity to those visiting such places, and *also* promote tourism. The capacity to *move* between the past, present, and future is a great intellectual gift. This human tendency *allows* him to plan for the future in the present by *using lessons* from the past. Consider a very simple example: adopting a study technique for board exams. *By looking at* past results (from class tests or half-yearly exams), a student makes a strategy plan to address weak areas and score better in the future. Thus, such a tendency helps in *making sure we accept* the impact of important decisions taken at any point in time and learn from them.
In simple words: Beyond stamp collecting, we keep the past alive through historical artefacts, museum exhibits, old books, documentaries, and family traditions. Restoring old buildings also helps us learn and boosts tourism. The ability to think about the past, present, and future is a valuable human skill. It lets us plan for the future using past experiences, like a student studying for exams based on previous test results. This helps us learn from our decisions over time.

Exam Tip: For questions about preserving the past, list diverse methods like museums, literature, and cultural practices. Explain the human tendency to link past, present, and future, using a practical example.

Question 7. You have read ‘Adventure' by Jayant Narlikar in Hombill Class XI. Compare the interweaving of fantasy and reality in the two stories.
Answer: In 'Adventure', Jayant Narlikar *showed* that many worlds exist *at the same time*, even though they seem to be separated by time. He *stated* that another world also existed and *thrived along with* the world we know. On the other hand, in 'The Third Level', Charley, a young New York commuter, *accidentally discovers* a gateway at Grand Central Station that leads to a real past of 1894. *Taking this chance*, Charley *tries* to escape the rat race by *purchasing* a one-way ticket to his childhood town of Galesburg. *Because he lacks* the correct currency for that period, he is forced to postpone his plan to escape to the past.
In simple words: In 'Adventure', Jayant Narlikar showed that multiple worlds exist together, even if time separates them. He said another world thrived alongside ours. In 'The Third Level', Charley, a young commuter, finds a portal at Grand Central Station that takes him to 1894. He tries to escape modern life by buying a ticket to Galesburg, but he cannot go because he lacks the correct old currency.

Exam Tip: To compare the stories, clearly state how each narrative integrates fantasy and reality. Highlight the distinct methods (simultaneous worlds vs. a time-travel gateway) and their consequences for the characters.

The Third Level Summary in English

The Third Level Summary: Charley, the main character of the story, *discovers* a portal that leads to 1894. He *attempts* to go to his hometown, Galesburg. But, because he *did not have* any currency from 1894, he had to postpone his plans for the future. He exchanged his three hundred dollar bills for less than two hundred dollars of 1894's currency. However, he never *locates* the third level again. When he tells this to his wife and his psychiatrist friend, both *believe* that, similar to philately, this is another way to *seek refuge* from the realities of the world. However, the proof of the third level's existence comes from the most unexpected source: his psychiatrist friend, Sam. Sam sends Charley a letter telling him about the third level. When Sam *travels* to 1894 through the third level, he sends a first-day cover to his grandfather's address. His grandfather, *assuming* the first-day cover was sent to him by himself, adds it to his collection of stamps and never opens it, thinking that there is nothing in that envelope but blank paper. In the story, you will find a line: '...he started my collection'. This *implies* that Charley's grandfather had a collection of stamps, along with first-day covers, which was passed over to Charley. When Charley was looking at his collection, he found the letter which Sam had written to him, and that letter *provided* solid proof of the third level's existence. You might be confused by the last part of the story, but it's really simple: the concept is *like* something you do in the past that has a direct effect on your present. Charley received the letter because Sam wrote it to him in 1894. Charley didn't exist in 1894 because, in 1894, he wasn't born. So, Sam had to think and write a letter to Charley's grandfather, whose hobby was to collect stamps like Charley. Sam knew that if he could somehow *get* his grandfather to add the letter to his collection, then it would *go straight* to Charley, as Charley's collection was started by his grandfather. So, I think it's clear that Charley got that letter only when Sam sent it to him. He didn't receive it until Sam actually went to 1894 and wrote a letter to Charley's grandfather. It's *just like this*: something someone does in the past which has a direct (in this case, immediate) effect on the present you are living in.

12th Std English Questions And Answers