CBSE Class 10 English HOTS A Triumph of Surgery

Extract Based Questions

1. Mrs. Pumphrey hastened to explain, “He was so listless, Mr. Herriot. He seemed to have no energy. I thought he must be suffering from malnutrition, so I have been giving him some little extras between meals to build him up, some malt and cod-liver oil and a bowl of Horlicks at night to make him sleep — nothing much really.”“And did you cut down on the sweet things as I told you?” “Oh, I did for a bit, but he seemed to be so weak I had to relent. He does love cream cakes and chocolates so. I can’t bear to refuse him.”I looked down again at the little dog. That was the trouble. Tricki’s only fault was greed. He had never been known to refuse food; he would tackle a meal at any hour of the day or night. And I wondered about all the things Mrs. Pumphrey hadn’t mentioned.

Question. “I thought he must be suffering from malnutrition implies”
a) He was over fed.
b) He wasn’t taking proper food.
c) He was fed with nutritious food.
d) He was lacking nutritious food.
Answer. D

Question. Choose the option that lists the set of statements that are NOT TRUE according to the given extract.
a) Tricki was a greedy little dog.
b) Mrs Pumphrey was very sensitive towards her dog.
c) Tricki was suffering from malnutrition.
d) Tricki never preferred eating chocolates and cakes.
Answer. C

Question. Which word does ‘hastened’ correspond to?
a) Light
b) Quick
c) Relaxed
d) Slow
Answer. B

Question. Find out the phrase that describes Tricki’s affinity towards food.
Answer. He relishes upon tasty food item

Question. What state of mind does Mrs. Pumphrey have?
Answer. She was worried, perplexed for her loving dog

2. The expected call came within a few days. Mrs. Pumphrey was distraught. Tricki would eat nothing. Refused even his favourite dishes; and besides, he had bouts of vomiting. He spent all his time lying on a rug, panting. Didn’t want to go for walks, didn’t want to do anything. I had made my plans in advance. The only way was to get Tricki out of the house for a period. I suggested that he be hospitalized for about a fortnight to be kept under observation. The poor lady almost swooned. She was sure he would pine and die if he did not see her every day. But I took a firm line. Tricki was very ill and this was the only way to save him.

Question. Why was Mrs. Pumphery worried for Tricki?
Answer. His health was getting deteriorated

Question. Choose the option that lists the set of statements that are TRUE according to the givenextract.
a) Mr Herriot suggested that Tricki should be hospitalized.
b) Tricki was comfortable in his physical condition.
c) Tricki started avoiding his tasty diet.
d) It was very easy to convince Mrs. Pumphrey to get her pet hospitalized.
a) 2, 3
b) 1, 3
c) 3, 4
d) 1
Answer. B

Question. Find out the most appropriate word that describes the characteristic displayed by the doctor according to the above extract.
Answer. He was practical by nature

Question. What impression do you get about vet?
a) Tactful
b) Over-doing
c) Careless
d) Irrational
Answer. A

Question. Which word does ‘advance’ NOT correspond to?
a) Forward.
b) Prior.
c) Lead.
d) Hinder
Answer. D

3. At the surgery, the household dogs surged round me. Tricki looked down at the noisy pack with dull eyes and, when put down, lay motionless on the carpet. The other dogs, after sniffing round him for a few seconds, decided he was an uninteresting object and ignored him. I made up a bed for him in a warm loose box next to the one where the other dogs slept. For two days I kept an eye on him, giving him no food but plenty of water. At the end of the second day he started to show some interest in his surroundings and on the third he began to whimper when he heard the dogs in the yard. When I opened the door, Tricki trotted out and was immediately engulfed by Joe, the greyhound, and his friends. After rolling him over and thoroughly inspecting him, the dogs moved off down the garden. Tricki followed them, rolling slightly with his surplus fat.

Question. The surgery as per the extract is
a) An operation that Tricki had to undergo.
b) A park for pet animals.
c) A vet hospital.
d) A refuge home for stray dogs.
Answer. C

Question. The statement that is TRUE about Tricki’s situation at the surgery, according to the extract is:
a) His over fed body was a burden for him.
b) He was taking proper food.
c) Doctor was giving special care to Tricki.
d) Tricki was missing Mrs Pumphery.
Answer. A

Question. Choose the option that lists the set of statements that are NOT TRUE according to the given extract.
a) Tricki was inactive at the surgery.
b) Tricki learned to cope up with other dogs.
c) The dogs at the surgery initially ignored him.
d) Tricki was given immense amount food at the surgery.
e) For two days the doctor gave him only food and no water.
f) Tricki was suffering from malnutrition.
a) 1, 2, 3
b) 3, 4, 5
c) 4, 5, 6
d) 1, 2, 6
Answer. C

Question. Why did Tricki whimper when he heard the dogs barking in the yard?
Answer. He developed liking for his surroundings

Question. How did other dogs react to Tricky?
Answer. They found him uninteresting and boring

Short Answer Type Questions

Question. “I think I know a cure for you.” Who said this and to whom? What was the ‘cure’?
Answer. Mr. Herriot, veterinary surgeon, said this to Mrs.
Pumphrey. The ‘cure’ was not a medical treatment,but regulating Tricki’s diet and maintenance. Mr.
Herriot gave it the required diet at the fixed time as a cure. Secondly, Tricki got other dogs’ company which added to its treatment. These things made up a proper ‘cure’ for Tricki.

Question. The household dogs at the surgery rejected Tricki as an uninteresting object. Why?
Answer. As soon as Tricki was introduced into the yard, all the household dogs swarmed around him and sniffed him. However, since he kept lying listless and did not play with them due to his health problem, the dogs thought of him as an uninteresting object and rejected him.

Question. How did other dogs treat Tricki?
Answer. When Tricki arrived at the surgery, no dog showed any interest in it. But after the third day, Joe, and the greyhound and his friends befriended Tricki after sniffing.

Question. How did Mrs. Pumphrey and her servants behave when Tricki was being sent to the surgery? 
Answer. When Tricki was being taken to the surgery, the staff of Mrs. Pumphrey was roused from sleep. They brought the pet’s personal belongings like cushion,lunch bowl, breakfast bowl, etc. They were all in tears when it was being taken to the hospital. This showed that they were very closely attached to the pet and considered him to be a part of the family.

Question. What made Mrs. Pumphrey call the vet?
Answer. Tricki had become fat and lazy. He used to lie on his rug and pant. He also refused to eat his favourite dishes. His bouts of vomiting added to Mrs. Pumphrey’s worry and hence she decided to call Dr. James Herriot, the vet.

Question. Why was Dr Herriot shocked at Tricki’ appearance?
Answer. Herriot was shocked at Tricki’s appearance because he had become hugely fat. His eyes looked bloodshot and rheumy and his tongue lolled from his jaws. He could walk with difficulty.

Question. What step did Dr Herriot take to save Tricki?
Answer. Dr Herriot immediately hospitalised Tricki for about a fortnight as it was necessary to part him from his mistress. Tricki’s only problem was over feeding which he knew. Tricki needed dieting which was possible only in absence of Mrs Pumphrey. He stopped giving food to Tricki. He was given only plenty of water.

Question. What made James Herriot expect a call from Mrs Pumphrey?
Answer. James Herriot’s encounter with Mrs Pumphrey and Tricki made him expect a call for help. He was sure that the extra diet and no physical activity would soon put Tricki’s health in danger. And just as anticipated, Mrs Pumphrey called the vet a few days afterwards.

Question. How can you say that it was hard for Mrs Pumphrey to part with her doting pet?
Answer. Mrs Pumphrey treated Tricki as her own child. She loved him very much. It was very difficult for her to see Tricki in such a situation. She was distraught when she had to make the decision to hospitalise Tricki, for her love for him knew no bounds. It was a terrible and tearful moment for her but she agreed to Herriot’s suggestion for the betterment of her pet.

Question. What makes you know that Mrs. Pumphrey was a rich lady?
Answer. Mrs. Pumphrey was a wealthy lady as she had many servants and maids also had a pet. She used to feed her pet with a lot of dishes, sweets and snacks. Moreover, she had a separate room and wardrobe for her pet. All these things show that she was a rich lady.

Question. Why were the household dogs not interested in Tricki initially?
Answer. Tricki was a newcomer in the house. Moreover, Tricki was very lethargic to play with them He was not comfortable there. But after a few days, Tricki started enjoying them. He discovered the joys of being bowled over, tramped on and squashed every few minutes. He became an accepted member of the gang.

Question. What was the cause of Tricki’s ailment?
Answer. Tricky was overfed by Mrs Humphrey. He became hugely fat and inactive. He was pampered with a lot of cream cakes, chocolates and Hotlinks. This was the main cause of his illness.

Question. How does Dr Herriot treat Tricky?
Answer. Dr Herriot cut down Tricki’s food and made him exercise. For the first three days he was not given any food but was kept only on fluid, that is, water. He did not receive any medical treatment but was kept in the company of other dogs. Tricki discovered the joy of being bowled over and tramped on. Finally he recovered from obesity and was overjoyed

Question. Why was Tricki sent to the hospital?
Answer. Tricki had become sluggish as he had grown so fast that it became difficult for him to walk. He started panting all the time, kept on vomiting and stopped eating. He seemed very ill so he was hospitalized.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. Mrs. Pumphrey hastened to explain, “He was so listless, Mr. Herriot. He seemed to have no energy. I thought he must be suffering from malnutrition, so I have been giving him some little extras between meals to build him up, some malt and cod-liver oil and a bowl of Horlicks at night to make him sleep — nothing much really.”
(a) Who is Mrs. Pumphrey talking about? Why do you think she “hastened” to explain?
(b) After looking at “him”, what was Mr. Herriot worried about?
Answer. (a) Mrs. Pumphery is talking about Tricki, her pet dog. Because she was worried for him, she quickly explained the reason for Tricki’s obesity at which Mr Herriot seemed aghast. (b) My Herriot, a veterinarian surgeon, was worried about Tricki’s health. He rightfully felt that if Mrs Pumphrey did not look after Tricki well and controlled his diet, then Tricki may develop serious health complications.

Question. Mrs. Pumphrey is a loving and caring mistress for Tricki. Do you agree with this statement? Give reasons.
Answer. I agree with the statement that Mrs. Pumphrey is a loving and caring mistress. She looks after Tricki with lot of love. She lavishes all her attention on him. she ensures that he has the best of everything to wear and eat. When he falls sick, she promptly takes him for treatment to the surgery where in two weeks time, Tricki is fit and healthy again. Though she may have been silly in her indulgence for Tricki, her heart is at the right place. She loves Tricki and cannot bear to deprive him of his favourite foods. The trouble that befell Tricki was also because of her infinite love for him. Though she knew the cakes and sweets may harm him, she couldn’t say no when he was greedy for them.

Question. Write the character-sketch of Mrs. Pumphrey.
Answer. Mrs Pumphrey was a very wealthy lady. She was very loving to her dog. She pampered and overfed him. She gave him lots of nutritious food. Tricki was very greedy. He never refused food. This made him hugely fat and lazy. Mrs Pumphrey was worried about him. She thought that he was suffering from malnutrition and so she eventually gave him more energy food. She almost swooned when Herriot told her that Tricki must be hospitalized for a fortnight. She thought that Tricki would pine and die if he did not see his even for a single day. Mrs Pumphrey is impractical but very compassionate and caring. She and her staff members arranged and provided all possible comforts such as beds, cushions and toys to Tricki. She regularly enquired about his health from Dr Herriot. She gratefully thanked Dr Herriot for saving Tricki’s life and called it “A triumph of Surgery.”

Question. Write the character-sketch of Tricki.
Answer.  Tricki was a small dog. He was pampered and overfed by his mistress. He was fed with excessive nutritious food. He was greedy enough to refuse food at any time. He liked eating cream cakes and chocolates. This made him hugely fat. He looked like a bloated sausage. He had bloodshot and rheumy eyes. He became dull, flabby, lazy and listless. He was seriously sick. He had bouts of vomiting. He was taken to Herriot’s surgery. There he was given no food for two days. He was made to do a lot of exercises. This changed him and he became fit. He loved his mistress very much. His mistress remarked that Tricki would pine and die if he did not see her even for a single day.

Question. Write the character-sketch of Dr. James Herriot.
Answer.  Dr James Herriot is a competent veterinary surgeon. He is really worried about Tricki. He understands that the real fault of the dog is his greed for food. Dr Herriot instructs Mrs Pumphrey to keep Tricki on a very strict diet. Dr James Herriot is practical and pragmatic. He doesn’t give any medical treatment to the dog. He feeds the dog with only water. His method works. The grateful mistress thanks Dr Herriot and calls his feat “A triumph of Surgery!” Dr James is clever enough to enjoy the best of both the worlds. He is tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest. It was a happy period for Dr Herriot and his friends. He used to enjoy eggs for breakfast and wine and brandy for lunch.