Tamilnadu State Board New Syllabus Samacheer Kalvi 10th English Guide Pdf Supplementary Chapter 7 A Dilemma Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.
Tamilnadu Samacheer Kalvi 10th English Solutions Supplementary Chapter 7 A Dilemma
10th English Guide Supplementary A Dilemma Textbook Questions and Answers
A. Read the given lines carefully and identify the character / speaker:
Question 1.
I suppose you think me queer. I will explain?
Answer:
Uncle Philip
Question 2.
Don’t come back. I won’t hasten things?
Answer:
Uncle Philip
Question 3.
He thought it simply a cruel jest?
Answer:
Tom’s Father Confessor.
Question 4.
He did not desire to do so?
Answer:
Professor Clinch
Question 5.
He would think it over and come back later?
Answer:
The collector
B. Based on your understanding of the story, answer the following briefly.
Question 1.
What did the uncle do as soon as he bought a stone?
Answer:
As soon the uncle bought a stone, he carried it in his pocket for a month and now and then he took it out and looked at it.
Question 2.
What did the uncle bequeath to the narrator?
Answer:
The uncle bequeathed an iron safe containing gems and a dynamite that would explode in his safe.
Question 3.
What was the condition laid by the uncle to inherit his property?
Answer:
The uncle asked Tom to open the box with belief and trust which increase his expectation and desire. If he doubted and opened the dynamite would explode.
Question 4.
Why do you think Tom happily looked forward to the expenditure for his uncle’s funeral?
Answer:
Tom thought he would become a very rich man after his uncle died when he inherited the box of gems.
Question 5.
Write a few words about the mechanism used in the iron box?
Answer:
The box contained an interesting mechanism. It will act with certainty as one unlocks it, and explode 9 1/2 ounces of his improved, super sensitive dynamite one must open without doubting to desire a fortune. If they doubt, the person will be blown to atoms.
Question 6.
What was the counsel offered to the narrator?
Answer:
The narrator was counselled to give up thinking about the box and its contents
Question 7.
Why and when was the narrator shocked?
Answer:
The narrator was shocked when he read the letter that the box contained sensitive dynamite.
Question 8.
What was the doctor’s warning to Tom?
Answer:
The doctor warned Tom not to lose his mind thinking a lot about the rubies.
Question 9.
Why didn’t Tom dare to assign the task of unlocking the box to someone?
Answer:
Tom felt a stranger had no right to be subjected to the trial that he dare not face. So he did not want a stranger to open the box.
C. Answer the questions given below in a paragraph of 150 words.
Question 1.
Describe briefly the contents of the letter written by Tom’s uncle.
Answer:
Title: A Dilemma
Character: Tom and Uncle Philip
Author: Silas Weir Mitchell
Theme: ‘A Bird in hand is worth two in the bush’
In his letter Uncle Philip wrote that the box contained a large number of fine pigeon – blood rubies and a lot of diamonds of which one was a beautiful blue diamond. There were hundreds of pearls, a famous green pearl and a necklace of blue pearls. Regarding Susan, he insisted Tom to continue to have expectations and remember his dear uncle.
He gave the stones to Tom instead of leaving them to a charity. The letter instructed Tom about the mechanism of unlocking it. It would explode 9 1/2 ounces of improved, super sensitive diamond. The letter added that if he opened it doubtfully it would rain him to atoms. If he opened it with faith and care, he would nourish hopes and expectations. He asked Tom to be very careful.
(OR)
Uncle Philip wrote that there were plenty of pigeon – blood rubies, diamonds, pearls and a necklace of blue pearls. Among them there was a beautiful blue diamond and a famous green pearl.
He thought of Susan and said he must have expectations and remembrance of his dear uncle. He gave the stones to him instead of a charity. He told about the mechanism of unlocking it. If he opened it doubtfully, 9 1/2 ounces of quality dynamite would turn to atoms. With faith, if he opened it carefully, he would nourish hopes and expectations. Tom was warned to be careful.
(OR)
- Uncle Philip wrote about plenty of rubies, diamonds, pearls and a blue pearls necklace in the box.
- There was a beautiful blue diamond and a famous green pearl.
- Uncle gave him the stones instead of a charity
- He told about the mechanism of unlocking the box
- Opening the box doubtfully, 9 1/2 ounces of dynamite would explode
- Opening it with faith and care, Tom would nourish hopes and expectations
- Uncle philip asked Tom to be careful
Question 2.
Explain the efforts taken by Tom to open the iron box. Did he succeed? Why?
Answer:
Title: A Dilemma
Author: Silas Weir Mitchell
Characters: Tom, Prof. Clinch, Father Confessor and the Collector.
Theme: ‘Take the risk or lose the chance’
After getting the box, Tom went on thinking about it. He went after people for their advice. He spent his spare times in the libraries. He imagined wild plans like dropping the box from a height to open it. He wanted to get the gems after the explosion. In all his attempts, he could not succeed.
He thought very hard in vain over weeks and months. His father confessor dismissed it that it was a cruel joke of his uncle. His doctor advised him to stop thinking about the box with precious gems as it would make him mad.
He tried to deposit it in the bank, but withdrew it because he was afraid of burglary. He consulted Professor Clinch about his dilemma. He dismissed it as an incredible story. Thus Tom had to leave the box to the society for Preservation of Human Vivisection.
“Take the risk and drop the fear”
(OR)
Tom inherited the iron box. He constantly thought about it. He went after people for their advice. He ransacked libraries. He imagined wild plans like dropping the box from a height to open it.
He wanted to get the gems after the explosion. He thought hard in vain for weeks and months. His father dismissed it as a cruel joke of his uncle. His doctor advised him to stop thinking about it. He tried to deposit it in the bank. He consulted Prof. Clinch about his dilemma. He dismissed it as an incredible story. Finally, Tom had to leave the box to the society for Preservation of Human Vivisection.
(OR)
- Tom always thought about the box
- He asked many people to advise him
- He imagined wild plans to open the box
- He thought of getting the gems after the box’s explosion
- Nothing worked out for his success
- His father dismissed it
- His doctor advised him to stop thinking about the box
- He was afraid of deposit
- His Professor Clinch dismissed it
- Thus Tom left the box to the society for the Preservation of Human Vivisection
D. Fill in the blanks with the right options and write down the summary of the story ‘A dilemma’.
Question 1.
The narrator was sent for, by his uncle when we was ……………….. (on his death bad / on his travels / in his work place)
Answer:
on his death bed
Question 2.
The uncle had collected precious ……………….. (jewels / stones / articles)
Answer:
stones
Question 3.
His uncle announced Tom as his heir and wanted him to pay for his …………………. (rented house / marriage / funeral)
Answer:
funeral
Question 4.
Leaving an iron box for Tom, his uncle instructed him not to …………………… the box. (throw / carry / shake)
Answer:
shake
Question 5.
The letter read that the box contained ……………….. (a sensitive dynamite / jewels / money)
Answer:
a sensitive dynamite
Question 6.
He started thinking of all possible ways to open the box without being …………………. (wounded / killed / maimed)
Answer:
killed
Question 7.
He planned to explode the box at but dropped the plant in fear of losing the rubies (home / a safe distance / a waste land)
Answer:
a safe distance
Question 8.
His consultation with …………………. did not yield him any fruitful solution. (Uncle Philip / Professor Clinch / Susan)
Answer:
Professor Clinch
Question 9.
He failed in his attempts to open the box. His efforts to read about explosives led to ……………….. (hopes / confusions / suspicious) and he had to change his (name and occupation / lodgings / appearance)
Answer:
confusion, name and occupation
Question 10.
At last, he bequeathed the box to ………………… (his offspring / his friends / the society)
Answer:
the society
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
1. I was just thirty-seven when my Uncle Philip died. A week before that event he sent for me; and here let me say that I had never set eyes on him. He hated my mother, but I do not know why. She told me long before his last illness that I need expect nothing from my father’s brother. He was an inventor, an able and ingenious mechanical engineer, and had much money by his improvement in turbine-wheels.
He was a bachelor; lived alone, cooked his own meals, and collected precious stones, especially rubies and pearls. From the time he made his first money he had this mania. As he grew richer, the desire to possess rare and costly gems became stronger. When he bought a new stone, he carried it in his pocket for a month and now and then took it out and looked at it. Then it was added to the collection in his safe at the trust company.
Question 1.
How old was the narrator when his uncle died?
Answer:
The narrator was just thirty-seven, when his Uncle Philip died.
Question 2.
Had the narrator seen his uncle before? Give lines from the passage that support your answer?
Answer:
No, the narrator had not seen his uncle before, “A week before that even he sent for me; and here let me say that I had never set eyes on him”.
Question 3.
What had the narrator’s mother told him of his father’s brother?
Answer:
He was an inventor, an able and ingenious mechanical engineer and had much money by his improvement in turbine wheels.
Question 4.
What do you know about Uncle Philip?
Answer:
He was a bachelor lived alone cooked his own meals and collected precious stones, especially rubies and pearls. From the time he made his first money, he had this mania.
Question 5.
What did the uncle do, when he bought a new stone?
Answer:
He carried the new stonein his pocket for a month and now and then took it out and looked at it. Then it was added to the collection in his safe at the trust company.
2. Now I repent of my wickedness to you all, and desire to live in the memory of at least one of my family. You think I am poor and have only my annuity. You will be profitably surprised. I have never parted with my precious stones; they will be yours. You are my sole heir. I shall carry with me to the other world the satisfaction of making one man.
Question 1.
What did he repent of?
Answer:
He repented of his wickedness to all.
Question 2.
What didn’t he part with?
Answer:
He did not part with his precious stones.
Question 3.
Who would be his sole heir?
Answer:
Tom would be his sole heir.
Question 4.
What kind of satisfaction was he going to have?
Answer:
By announcing Tom his sole heir, he makes Tom happy. This kind of satisfaction was he going to have.
Question 5.
Was he a poor man?
Answer:
No, Tom’s uncle was not a poor man.