Question

comprehension


Yes, I had been lunching rather well at a club in St. James Street with an old friend from

abroad, and, passing along king street afterward, he persuaded me to look in at sale room of

art auctioneers. The place was full. They were selling French paintings and greeting

tremendous sums for each; two thousand, tree thousand, for little bits of things- forest

scenes, pools at evening, shepherdesses, he regular subjects. Well, we watched for a while

and then I found myself bidding too - just for fun. I had exactly sixty- three pounds in the bank

and not enough securities to borrow five hundred on, and here I was nodding away to the

auctioneer like a man of wealth. “You’ll get caught.” My friend said to me.

“No, I shan’t,” I said, “I’m not going to run any risks.”

And for a long time I didn’t. And then a picture was put up. Although the previous lots had run

into four figures they had all been modestly started at fifty guineas or hundred guineas, with a

gradual crescendo to which I had often been a safe contributor. But no sooner was the new

picture displayed than the dealer made his sensational bid. “Four thousand guineas,” he said.

There was a rustle of excitement, and at the end of it heard my own voice saying, “And fifty!”

A terrible silence followed.

“Four thousand and fifty guineas offered,” said the auctioneer, searching the room. “My heart

stopped”, my blood congealed.

Four thousand and fifty guineas. Any advance on four thousand and fifty guineas?” and the

hammer fell.

That was a nice pickle to be in! Here was I, with sixty- three pounds in the world and not five

hundred thousand pounds’ worth of securities, the purchaser of a picture which I didn’t want,

for four thousand and fifty guineas, the top price of the day. I set to pondering on the problem

what to do next. I was running over the names of uncles and other persons from whom it

might be possible to borrow.

Meanwhile the sale came to an end and I stood on the outskirts of the little knot of buyers

round the desk who were writing cheques and giving instructions. Naturally I preferred to be

the last. And then the unexpected happened.

A voice at my ear suddenly said. “Beg pardon, sir, but was you the man that bought the big

Daubigny?”

I admitted it.

“Well, the man who offered four thousand guineas wants to know if you’ll take fifty guineasWhy I would have taken fifty farthings.

But how near the surface and ready, even in the best of us, is worldly guile!’ “Is that the most

he would offer?” I had the presence of mind to ask.

“It’s not for me to say.” He replied, “No arm is trying for a bit more, in there?”

“Tell him I’ll take a hundred,” I said.

‘And I got it.’



(a) Give the meaning of each word as used in the passage. One word answer or short phrases

will be accepted. (3)

i) crescendo

ii) sensational

iii) congealed

(b) Answer the following question briefly in your own words: (10)

i) What did narrator observe after entering the sale room of the art auctioneers?

ii) Why did he participate in the bidding?

iii) How much money did he have in the bank?

iv) Did it provide adequate financial backing required to participate in this type of

bidding?

v) What warning did the friend give the narrator?

vi) Why did the narrator become nervous after saying the words “And fifty”?

(c) In your own words, narrate the foolish adventure of the narrator and how it won for him a

hundred guineas. The composition should not exceed 60 words. Write in a grid. (7)​

Answer 1

Answer:

Here are the first few prime numbers: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83, 89, 97,

Answer 2

Answer:

ooooooooooo bhaisaaaaab oppppp