CBSE Class 10 Solved English Passage (1)

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CBSE Class 10 Solved English Passage
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CBSE Class 10 English Literature Reader
Solutions Two Gentlemen of Verona
(Source- https//www.learncbse.in/cbse-class-10-en
glish-literature-reader-solutions-two-gentlemen-of
-verona/)
Two Gentlemen of Verona is a beautiful and
touching story of two small boys who worked
really hard in the city of Verona. One day, the
narrator met these boys in Verona. They were
selling wild strawberries. When asked about their
age and name, they told him that Nicola, the
elder was 13 whereas Jacopo, the younger, was 12.
Next day, the narrator found them doing brisk
business in shoe-shining. When the narrator
asked them the reason for changing their
business, they told him that they did many
things. For the next few days, the narrator found
them shining shoes, selling fruits, hawking
newspaper, conducting tourists round the town and
so on. The narrator became eager to know why
these small children worked so hard. He even
realized that despite their hard work, they never
spent money on themselves. Their clothes were
dirty and they usually ate black bread and figs.
He teased them by asking if they had plans to
emigrate to America. To this they replied in
negative saying that they had other plans. Then
Jacopo requested the narrator to help them reach
Poleta, 30 km. from Verona. The narrator agreed
and took them there the next afternoon. In
Poleta, they drew up at a large villa and rushed
inside. He later came to know that it was a
hospital where their sister, Lucia, was under
treatment for tuberculosis of the spine. He asked
the nurse about Lucia. She told the narrator that
a bomb had destroyed their family and these boys
grew to hate the Germans. After the war was over,
there was peace all around. But not in the lives
of these children as it was at this moment that
they discovered Lucia suffering from the deadly
disease. But after the treatment, she was
recovering. He was further informed that her
brothers made the payments every week for the
smooth going of treatment. The narrator was
touched by the devotion of the two boys. He could
see the ray of hope for human society. Then all
the three came back to Verona.
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Extract Based Questions (3 marks each)

• Question 1He smiled uncomfortably. Just plans
  sir. He answered in a low voice. (a) Who is
  he in the above lines ?(b) Why did he smile
  uncomfortably ?(c) What are the plans being
  talked about ?
• Answer(a) He is Nicola in above lines. (b)
  He smiled uncomfortably because he didnt want to
  share his plans with the narrator.(c) The
  plans being talked about are those of
  emigrating to America. 
• Question 2
• The following afternoon we drove to the tiny
  village set high upon the hill side.
• Who went on a trip to the tiny village?
• Which village had they driven to?
• Why was the narrator surprised when Jacopo
  directed him as to where he should stop?
• Answer
• The narrator and the two brothers, Nicola and
  Jacopo went on the trip.
• They had gone to Poleta
• He thought they would stop at some humble
  dwelling, but Jacopo guided him to a large
  village.

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Question 3We should greatly like to go to the
states. But here, at present, we have other
plans. (a) Who is the speaker of the above
lines and whom is he talking to ?(b) Why doesnt
the speaker elaborate the other plans that he has
?(c) What characteristic traits of the speaker
are revealed from the above lines ? Answer(a)
Nicola is speaking to the narrator. (b) Because
he wanted to keep his secret about the treatment
of his tuberculosis afflicted sister. (c) Soft
spoken, polite, wishing to fight his battle
independently, self-respect, responsible, doesnt
share his problems Question 4They greeted us
with friendly faces.I thought you picked fruit
for a living, I said.(a) Who are they ? (b)
How did they greet the narrator ?(c) What did
the narrator think they did for a living
? Answer(a) Jacopo and Nicola. (b) They
greeted him with a smile. (c) The narrator
thought that they picked fruit for a living.
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Question 5There was a pause. Nicola was glaring
at his younger brother in vexation. We could not
think of troubling you, sir. (a) Why was Nicola
glaring at his younger brother ?(b) What favor
did his younger brother ask from the narrator
?(c) What trait of Nicolas character is
revealed in these lines ? Answer(a) Nicola was
glaring at his younger brother in vexation
because he was asking for a favour from a
stranger which was against their
self-respect. (b) The younger brother Jacopo had
asked the narrator if he could drive them to
Poleta, 30 kilometer from Verona in a car on
Sunday. (c) His self-respect is revealed through
his behavior.  Question 6The two boys were
seated at the bedside of a girl of about 20, who
propped up on pillows wearing a pretty lace
jacket, was listening to their chatter, her eyes
soft and tender. (a) Who are the two boys
referred to here ?(b) Where are the boys at
present ?(c) Who is the girl ? Why was she
propped up on the pillows ? Answer(a) Nicola
and Jacopo. (b) In a hospital at Poleta,
visiting th eir ailing sister, Lucia. (c) The
girl was their sister, Lucia. She was suffering
from tuberculosis of the spine and was undergoing
treatment.
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Question 6The two boys were seated at the
bedside of a girl of about 20, who propped up on
pillows wearing a pretty lace jacket, was
listening to their chatter, her eyes soft and
tender. (a) Who are the two boys referred to
here ?(b) Where are the boys at present ?(c)
Who is the girl ? Why was she propped up on the
pillows ? Answer(a) Nicola and Jacopo. (b) In
a hospital at Poleta, visiting their ailing
sister, Lucia. (c) The girl was their sister,
Lucia. She was suffering from tuberculosis of the
spine and was undergoing treatment.  Question
7You must be saving to emigrate to America, I
suggested. He looked at me sideways, and spoke
with an effort. (a) Who is he referred to here
?(b) Why did the author make such a suggestion
?(c) What answer did he give with an effort
? Answer(a) Nicola is referred to as he
here. (b) He did so on seeing the boys working
hard. (c) He answered that they had other plans.
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Question 8When the resistance movement began
secretly to form they were among the first to
join. When the war was over and we had peace at
last, they came back to their beloved
sister. (a) Who are the they referred to here
?(b) Why did they join the resistance movement
?(c) What had happened to their sister
? Answer(a) They are referred to the two
boysNicola and Jacopo. (b) They joined the
resistance movement because they had suffered
during the war and so hated the Germans. (c)
Their sister was suffering from
tuberculosis.  Question 9I had already told
Luigi he might have the Sunday off. However, I
answered, Ill drive you out myself. (a) Who
was Luigi ?(b) Which was their destination ?(c)
Who was the narrator speaking to ? Answer(a)
Luigi was the narrators driver.(b) Their
destination was a hospital where they used to go
to meet their sister. (c) The narrator was
speaking to Jacopo and Nicola.
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