CBSE Class 12 English HOTs The Interview Set 01

Question. “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.” I myself, at 9 pm after dinner, watch television and want to see either ‘Miami Nice’ or ‘Emergency room’. I enjoy it and I need it. But not all day.

Question. Who is ‘I’ referred to in these lines?
Answer: ‘I’ in the given extract refers to Umberto Eco.

Question. Select the suitable word from the extract to complete the following analogy: Reached : Verb :: ............ : Emphatic pronoun
Answer: Myself

Question. Complete the sentence with an appropriate explanation, as per the extract. The speaker concludes “I reached only a small percentage of reader’s” because ............
Answer: 10 million copies is small number compared to worldwide readers

Question. Why does the speaker say the given lines?
Answer: The speaker says the given lines as an answer to the question asked by his interviewer Mukund Padmanabhan who had asked him about the theme and readership of his book ‘The Name of the Rose’.

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 TV 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 that the interviews lionise or glorify people. This make people including other interviewers, fans, etc. come after him which he does not want.

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. Why did Rudyard Kipling dislike being interviewed? 
Answer: Rudyard Kipling disliked being interviewed because two interviewers had spoiled his interview in Boston. In addition to this, Kipling considered interview to be immoral. Another reason was that it was an assault on a person and an offence against him.

Question. What evidence from the text reveals that Rudyard Kipling did not walk the talk? 
Answer: Although Kipling expressed his hatred towards the act of interviewing quite openly, his actions were not consistent with his words. Kipling degraded the act of interviewing as an ‘assault’ but he had himself perpetrated such an ‘assault’ on Mark Twain only a few years before. Thus, Kipling did not walk the talk.

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. Or What does Umberto Eco mean by the concept of ‘interstices’ in out lives? 
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. 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.

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. How does the author’s writing style in ‘The Interview’ affect the reader’s understanding of the story? 
Answer: The author’s writing style in ‘The Interview’ deeply affects the reader’s understanding of the story. In the story, the author often blends a conversational tone with introspective moments. The use of direct dialogues with reflective commentary not only makes the interactions more dynamic and engaging but enhances the reader’s insight into the complexities of personalities and themes being explored.

Question. Why do you think Christopher Silvester describes the viewpoints of other writers and authors when discussing the concept of an interview? Support your opinion with reference to any one writer. 
Answer: Christopher Silvester describes the viewpoints of other writers and authors when discussing the concept of an interview to show how the views about interviews vary across people. While for common people interviews are an effective medium of communication, for authors and writers it is a vile crime. Take for example, Rudyard Kipling who finds that interviews are so vile that the interviewers should be punished.

Question. How would you evaluate Mukund Padmanabhan as an interviewer? Mention at least two qualities he displays in his interview, supported by textual evidence.
Answer: Mukund Padmanabhan comes out to be a sensible and a logical journalist who knows not to exasperate a writer. As an interviewer, he talks about things that interests the interviewee and even asks his questions in an orderly manner.

Question. Christopher Silvester shares authors’ reservations about interviewing. Bearing that in mind, would you interview a writer of your choice? If so, what would you pay particular attention to in interviewing the said writer? 
Answer: If I had an opportunity I would interview JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series. While doing do, I would keep a number of things in mind. I would make sure that the interviewee is comfortable and would prepare questions that interest her. I would avoid going into the personal lives of the author and would focus on her professional outlook and works.

Question. In ‘The Interview’, we learn that Kipling strongly condemned interviews, yet he had previously interviewed Mark Twain. In 20-30 words, state a possible reason for such a contradiction. 
Answer: In ‘The Interview’, it is shown that Rudyard Kipling hated the process of interviews very much. But he had previously interviewed Mark Twain. This contradiction can be due to many reasons. One possible reason could be that Kipling made an exception for Mark Twain. It is also possible that he may have developed a hatred for interviews after he interviewed Mark Twain himself. Conflicting beliefs are a part of human nature and Rudyard Kipling is a fine example of this.

Question. Consider there are six billion people on this planet. ‘The Name of the Rose’ sold between 10 to 15 million copies. So in a way I reached only a small percentage of readers. How does Umberto Eco’s perspective on the readership of his novel ‘The Name of the Rose’ reflect his personality? Answer in 20-30 words based on ‘The Interview’. 
Answer: Umberto Eco’s perspective on the readership of ‘The Name of the Rose’ shows that he is self aware. He is mindful of the vast number of potential readers that his novel did not reach. Even so, Eco is a world famous author and the acknowledgment of his limited reach is a true sign of humility.

Question. Explain why Umberto Eco said, “I started writing novels by accident”. 
Answer: Umberto Eco said, “I started writing novels by accident”, because he initially focused on academic writing and semiotics. His transition to fiction was unplanned—he wrote ‘The Name of the Rose’ for personal satisfaction without expecting it to become a bestseller. His love for storytelling eventually led him to continue writing novels.

Long Answer Type Questions

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 information given in the lesson ‘The Interview’, we get to know 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 non-fiction 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.

Question. Imagine that you are Christopher Silvester. You have been invited to a seminar series titled - ‘Ethics and Techniques of Interviewing’. The organisers would like you to speak about the challenges of conducting interviews, and skills interviewers must have in order to conduct good and ethical interviews. Based on your reading of ‘The Interview, Part I and II’, draft your speech. Include relevant details from the text in support of your answer. 
Answer: Good morning to one and all present here. I am very pleased to be standing here at the seminar titled ‘Ethics and Techniques of Interviewing’ to be able to tell you all about how an effective medium of communication can be a course of distrust for many. We all are aware that interviews are one of the major sources of getting to know about our favourite people today. Be it film stars, writers, singers or any other public personality, interviews have become a must. But do you know that the process of taking an interview is not always smooth. Sometimes, in out hurry to get good trending data we, as interviewers, cross our boundaries and make the interviewee so uncomfortable that they stop giving interviews altogether and change their perception about it. Hence, we must be careful about how we conduct good and ethical interviews. Remember, focus on getting the interviewees comfortable. Either take an appointment or pre-inform the interviewee about the interview. Do not enter his/her personal life or interfere in it. Further, the question asked should not be vain. They must interest the interviewee as well. These few things can prove to be a boon to take a successful interview. Thank you.

Question. Mukund Padmanabhan was gifted the ‘Penguin Book of Interviews - An Anthology from 1859 to the Present Day’ edited by Christopher Silvester, after interviewing Eco. He shared his thoughts on his personal blog exploring his own concerns about interviewing a distinguished writer like Eco, followed by an evaluation of the interview in light of his reading. As Mukund Padmanabhan, write a blog about it. 
Answer: Exploring Interviews
It was a fantastic week for me for I got to read a book that had been on my list for a long time. ‘Penguin Book of Interviews - An Anthology from 1859 to the Present Day’ edited by Christopher Silvester was something that had blown my mind away given the fact that I successfully interviewed Umberto Eco. I did not for once feel that a distinguished writer like Eco was irritated at the questions I was asking. In fact, the interview went smoothly. One reason for this was my approach. I think approach is very essential to any interview. If an individual interferes in any person’s life or asks questions that are not at all interesting to the interviewee then, the person is bound to have a bad experience. I believe that the people who hated interviews have had some bad experiences with interviewers. Thus, we have to remember that we need to follow certain rules for a smooth, successful and good interview.

Question. Imagine you are Mukund Padmanabhan from the ‘The Hindu’ (The Interviewer) and you interviewed M. Hamel, after he finished delivering the last lesson. (The Last Lesson). Write a paragraph on Hamel’s views on individual responsibility and nationalism. 
Answer: In my interview with M. Hamel, following his significant delivery of the last lesson, his views on individual responsibility and nationalism were deeply profound. Hamel emphasised the importance of individual accountability in preserving one’s cultural heritage and national identity. He lamented the complacency of society, attributing the decline of language and culture to neglect. According to Hamel, each individual bears a responsibility to uphold and cherish their cultural heritage, regardless of external circumstances or political upheavals. He believed that nationalism moves beyond mere loyalty to a government or flag; it is rooted in a deep-seated commitment to preserving one’s language, traditions and values. Hamel’s impassioned plea for individual responsibility and nationalism resonated deeply, serving as a reminder of the enduring significance of cultural preservation amidst the tumult of modernity. Mukund Padmanabhan.

The Interview