Class 9 NCERT Solutions English Chapter F.3 - The Man Who Knew Too Much
The Man Who Knew Too Much Exercise 22
Solution 1
This answer depends on each student's views and experiences. Please use the following guidelines to write your answer.
Who is a show off?
- aperson possessing several things that other people want.
- aperson making a display of something that others can't have or don't have.
- aperson trying to attract attention.
- amaterialistic person.
- aperson who boasts.
What do people showoff about?
- clothes
- school bags
- expensive items
- cars
- educational qualifications
- ability to play certain games/sports
- intelligence
- physical attributes( good looks/good hair/good physique/good height)
Why do people show off?
- feeling of insecurity
- want to be noticed
- gain attention (not getting enough)
- care about peoples opinion
- seeing the reaction of others makes them happy
Negative effects of showing off
- people avoid you
- you lose your friends
- people start calling you names
Next relate these points to people or friends you may know who behave in a similar manner.
Relate an incident when you were with the person who was showing off.
What was the effect of his /her showing off on the people around?
Remember: People judge you not by the material things you have but by the person you actually are!
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Solution 3
(a) about muzzle velocity:
At the first lesson on musketry, a Sergeant was explaining the mechanisms of a service rifle. He went on to explain that the 'muzzle velocity' or speed at which the bullet leaves the rifle was well over two thousand feet per second. He was interrupted by the Professor who said it was two thousand, four hundred and forty feet per second and the Sergeant without much enthusiasm agreed with him.
(b) After a thirty mile walk: The Professor drilled with enthusiasm and on route marches he was not only miraculously tireless but also extremely hearty and enthusiastic. At the end of a thirty miles walk he would ask the others if they would like to sing a song much to the chagrin of his colleagues.
(c) His salute on payday: The Professor's salute at the pay table was a model to behold. Whenever there were officers in sight he would swing his skinny arms and march to the canteen like a Guardsman.
(d) The loud sound of a high flying invisible aeroplane: All the soldiers prided themselves on their aircraft recognition skills. Once when they were out for a walk, they heard the drone of a plane flying high overhead. It could not be seen in the glare. Without even a glance upwards, the Professor announced that it was a 'North American Harvard Trainer' and that it could be identified by the harsh engine note, due to the high tip speed of its air screw.
(e) About hand grenades: One afternoon, at a session on hand grenades, Corporal Turnbull was explaining how the outside of a grenade is divided into a large number of fragments to assist segmentation. He was rudely interrupted by the Professor who pointed out that the exact number of fragments was 44. He then went on to suggest that the Corporal should have started his lecture by first explaining the five characteristics of the grenade.
The corporal was upset with this interruption He tossed the grenade to the Professor and asked him to give the lecture himself. The Professor, quite unabashed, climbed to his feet and with the aid of a man coming into his birthright, gave an unexceptionable lecture on the grenade.
(f) During cook house duties: The Professor was assigned by Corporal Turnbull for 'permanent cook house duties'. One day while the narrator and his friend Trower were returning from the canteen to their own hut, they saw through the open door three cooks standing against the wall as if at bay. From within they heard the monotonous yet familiar voice of the Professor .He was criticizing the cooks for their abominably unscientific and unhygienic method of peeling potatoes. According to hims it was a sure waste of the vitamin value of the potatoes.
The Man Who Knew Too Much Exercise 26
Solution 4a
(iv) his habit of sermonizing.
Solution 4b
(i) he was a strong and sturdy man.
Solution 4c
(ii)They could not stand Private Quelch exhibiting his knowledge
Solution 5a
A nickname is a name that may be given to somebody in addition to the person's actual name. This nickname may represent the person's unique traits or his intellect.
According to the author, a man in his first week of army life, along with his military paraphernalia, also acquires a nick name.
Private Quelch a lanky, stooping man who frowned through horn rimmed spectacles was given the nick name 'Professor'.
He was an intelligent, hard working, well read man who loved to display his knowledge even when it was not asked for. If anyone had any doubts on why he was given that name they lost them after having a five minute conversation with the Professor. When asked if he had any prior training he would reply with his regular phrase "it's all a matter of intelligent reading". This reply of his sums up his personality.
Solution 5b
Private Quelch was a lanky, stooping man who frowned through horn rimmed spectacles and so was nick named 'Professor'.
Solution 5c
The dark, sun-dried appearance of the Sergeant suggests that he had years of service in the army. He may have spent a lot of time outdoors in the hot sun, working diligently in harsh weather and so his skin was tanned and had the sundried appearance.
Solution 5d
The Sergeant did not appreciate the Professor interrupting his lecture
With the hope of exacting revenge, the Sergeant directed most of his questions towards the Professor. But this only enhanced the Private's glory as he answered them with perfect technical definitions, the parts of the rifle, its use and care, the professor knew them all by heart.
Later, when the Sergeant asked Private Quelch, if he had any training before he replied smugly, "It's all a matter of intelligent reading."
The Man Who Knew Too Much Exercise 27
Solution 5e
By "intelligent reading" the Professor means to do a thorough study and have all knowledge available on a particular subject. For instance, if one is studying about 'the mechanism of a service rifle', one must know every detail-technical definitions, the parts of the rifle, its uses and care, muzzle velocity everything by heart.
Solution 5f
The Professor told everyone that he meant to 'get on' in the army. He had brains and was sure to get a commission- become an army officer before long. His first step was to get his stripe which meant to get his rank as a soldier. He genuinely worked hard in pursuit of his ambition. He would borrow training manuals and stay up late at night reading them. He badgered his instructors with questions. During the training marches of the battalion, he drilled with enthusiasm and had oodles of energy.
Solution 5g
Private Quelch worked hard in the pursuit of his ambitions. His day- to- day practices took him closer towards his goal.
He would stay up late in the night and read training manuals that he had borrowed. He badgered his instructors with questions. During battalion marches, he drilled with enthusiasm and stayed tireless. His salute at the pay table was a model to behold. He lectured all in his repetitive remorseless voice on every aspect of human knowledge. Initially, the Professor gained respect, but gradually everyone started getting tired of his "know-it-all" nature. He began receiving clumsy sarcasms and was the target for several practical jokes. He was however unaffected by all this as "he was too busy working for his stripe".
Although the Professor's behaviour initially brought him popularity, his condescending nature soon led to his downfall as was seen during Corporal Turnbull's lesson on the 'hand grenade'. He rudely interrupted the Professor and even went on to suggest that the Corporal should have started his lecture in a different way. The Corporal however, was angry and did not take kindly to his display of knowledge. He got his revenge by assigning him 'permanent cookhouse duties' which remained a source of much laughter and amusement for all.
Therefore, despite working hard towards his goal, the Professor brought about his own downfall through his condescending behavior.
Solution 5h
Although young, Corporal Turnbull was not a man to be trifled with. . He was a tough and rugged man -a hero to the whole platoon and highly admired by all. It was said that he was so tough that one could hammer nails into him without him noticing it.
Corporal Turnbull was a 'no-nonsense' person who was angry and did not take kindly to the Professor interrupting his lesson and his display of knowledge.
However, he remained composed and was not easily provoked. He believed in discipline and patiently observed and then approached the person decidedly. He remained calm on surface, and when the time came, taught Quelch a lesson of a lifetime by assigning him 'permanent cookhouse duties', thus making him the object of much laughter and amusement.
Solution 5i
Corporal Turnbull was taking a lecture on the hand grenade. Although young, he was not a man to be trifled with.
During the lecture he explained that the outside of a grenade was divided up into a large number of fragments to assist segmentation. The Professor, who loved exhibiting his intelligence, interrupted him by saying that the number of segments was forty four. The corporal said nothing, but his brow tightened and he was about to resume the lecture when he was again interrupted by the knowledgeable Professor. He informed the Corporal that he should have begun his lecture with the five characteristics of the grenade. This angered the Corporal. Tossing the grenade to the Professor he told him to continue with the lecture. He then stood and watched impassively and when the lecture was over he thanked Private Quelch.
The Corporal later got his revenge by assigning him 'permanent cookhouse duties' which remained a source of much laughter and amusement for all.
Solution 5j
The assignment of permanent cookhouse duties to Private Quelch was definitely a big blow to his ego. However, Quelch learnt little from the episode and remained critical in his attitude towards his mates and continued to show off his knowledge to them.
A few days later when the narrator was returning with his friend from the canteen to his hut he looked in through the open door and saw three cooks standing against the wall as if at bay. From within, they could hear the monotonous voice of the Professor telling the other cooks how unscientific and unhygienic their method of peeling potatoes was. He was explaining to them how the essential vitamins from the potatoes were wasted by this method and so he was going to protest against it.
Solution 6
Anyone who first met the lanky, stooping Private Quelch at the training centre and listened to his conversation for just five minutes would realize immediately why he was nicknamed the 'Professor'.
At the very first lesson on 'musketry', a Sergeant was explaining the mechanisms of a service rifle. Private Quelch was able to give the exact figure of the 'muzzle velocity' and the Sergeant without much enthusiasm agreed with him.
On concluding the lesson, the Sergeant directed most of his questions towards Quelch. But this only enhanced his glory as he knew every answer by heart.
To all queries as to how he gained his knowledge, he would reply "It's all a matter of intelligent reading."
Private Quelch meant to 'get on' in the army so he told the rest of the soldiers. He had brains and was sure to get a commission. To pursue his ambitions and get his stripes he worked very hard.
He lectured his fellow soldiers on every aspect of human knowledge and would publicly correct them if ever they made a mistake.
Yet he truly was a hero in the eyes of his fellow soldiers.
Solution 7
Although Private Quelch was a very well read and knowledgeable soldier, his continuous lecturing and 'know all attitude' soon began to upset his colleagues.
Neither was he able to gain the admiration of his senior officers.
At the very first lesson on musketry, Private Quelch managed to raise the ire of a Sergeant who then tried to embarrass the Professor by shooting a volley of questions towards him. Luckily for the Professor, he was able to answer all of Sergeant's questions confidently.
Private Quelch was not so lucky the second time. Corporal Turnbull was taking a lecture on the 'hand grenade'. Although young, Turnbull was not a man to be trifled with. The Professor tried exhibiting his vast knowledge but he ended up infuriating Turnbull. In his trademark calm manner, the Corporal exacted revenge for his misdemeanour by giving the Professor permanent cookhouse duties.
Solution 8a(i)
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Positive traits |
Instances from the story. |
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Knowledgeable/ Intelligent |
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Ambitious
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He meant to 'get on' in the army. He was sure to get a commission before long. As a first step he was determined to get a stripe. |
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Determined/ Persevering |
He drilled with enthusiasm and on route marches he was miraculously tireless. He badgered the instructors with questions.
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Hardworking |
To pursue his ambition he worked very hard. He borrowed training manuals and stayed up late at nights reading them. |
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Confident |
When asked by the Sergeant if he had any training he would reply "It's all a matter of intelligent reading." His salute at the pay table was a model to behold. |
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Acceptance |
Even when assigned 'permanent cook house duties'-he never took it as an insult or joke but went about his job and lecturing to the other cooks as if it was an important job assigned to him. |
Solution 8a(ii)
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Negative traits |
Instances from the story |
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Impolite/rude |
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Interrupting |
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Boring/monotonous |
He lectured his colleagues day in and day out in his droning, remorseless voice on every aspect of human knowledge.
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Superior, condescending attitude |
He always spoke in a superior condescending manner to his mates. |
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Critical |
He was critical of both his seniors as well as his mates. When he was assigned permanent cook house duties instead of learning a lesson he kept lecturing and criticizing the other cooks about the unscientific and unhygienic method they were using to clean potatoes. |
Solution 8b
This answer is related to Que 8(a). Students can use the same information.
Solution 8c
This answer will vary depending on the students own views of Private Quelch.
Some guidelines have been provided.
Private Quelch's lanky frame, stooping poster, horn rimmed glasses and his love for showing off his knowledge earned him the nickname "The Professor". He also took great pride in "educating" and "correcting" people in a rather condescending manner. Although he meant well, his colleagues and superiors did not take too well to this. He was impervious to all the brickbats he received.
He desired to rise through the ranks in the army; for which he worked very hard by poring through manuals. Unfortunately, he brought about his own downfall through his condescending behaviour. Despite being taught a lesson, his derisive attitude saw no end.
Solution 9
This answer will depend on the students own thoughts and views on the subject.
A few guidelines have been provided.
Date……. Time….
- Beginning:
Today dear diary was a memorable day for several reasons. Here I was a brilliant, intelligent soldier aspiring to get a commission and where do I land up…doing cook house duties, that to on a permanent basis.
- Reasons why you got this assignment.
- How you plan to be happy at this assignment.
- Describe the other cooks-what you think of them, their methods, their attitude to life (finish the job and leave).
- How you plan to bring about changes in the set up-so that you will be given credit and be recognized.
- How this is just a passing phase and in later years you will think about it and laugh about it!
