2. The Thief’s Story (Book: Supplementary)
Short Answer-type Qs (30-40 words each)
Q1. Why was
the thief grateful to Anil?
Ans. The thief was grateful to Anil because he gave
him work. He taught him how to cook. He also taught him to write his name. He
was also going to teach him to write full sentences.
Q2. What
does the thief say about the reactions of the different people when they were
robbed?
Ans. The thief told Anil that people react differently
when they are robbed. A greedy man shows fear. A rich man shows anger and the
poor person shows acceptance.
Q3. What was
Anil’s job? What did he usually do with the money he earned?
Ans. Anil had no regular job for earning his
livelihood. He wrote for some magazines to earn money. He used to celebrate
whenever he got money.
Q4. Why did
the thief want to become an educated man?
Ans. The thief also wanted to become an educated man.
He had a dream to earn money like an educated person.
Q5.How did
the thief realise that Anil knew that the money had been stolen?
Ans. The thief realised that Anil knew about his act
of theft. Anil gave him a fifty rupee note. It was still wet. It meant that
Anil had come to know that the notes were taken out by Hari Singh (the thief)
and then put back under the mattress.
Q6.Why did
the thief smile without any effort towards the end of the story?
Ans. Hari Singh (the thief) smiled at the end of the
story. It was because Anil seemed to forgive him. In the beginning, the thief
was guilty of his wrong act. But later, he felt sure that his master (Anil) had
forgiven him.
Q7.Why,
according to Hari Singh, is it difficult to rob a careless man? (2014)
Ans. The thief (Hari Singh) says that it is difficult
to rob a careless man. It is because a careless person usually does not care
about the theft done to him.
Q8.What
did Hari Singh smile in his most appealing way? (2014) ) ( Notes prepared by Shish Pal Chauhan)
Ans. Hari Singh
(the thief) wanted to impress Anil. So he smiled in his most appealing way.
Hari Singh (the thief) wanted to work for him so that he could rob Anil later
on of his money.
Q9. Why did
Hari Singh consider friends to be more trouble than help? (2012)
Ans. Hari Singh had no friends because he was a
professional thief. He did not want to tell anyone about his secrecy. So he
considered friends troublesome in this way.
Q10. Did Hari Singh know how to cook? What was his
purpose?
Ans. Hari Singh did not know how to cook. But he
wanted to live with Anil to rob him later on. So he told a lie to Anil. He knew
that Anil was a kind person. So he would believe him easily.
Q11. Why was
the thief boy happy to work for Anil?
Ans. First, he could befool Anil easily. Second, he
taught him to cook and write his name. Third, he was making a profit of one rupee
daily from the daily supplies. Fourth, Anil had promised to teach him to make
full sentences.
Q12. Why did
Hari Singh choose Anil as his victim?
Ans. Hari Singh chose Anil. He seemed to him a simple,
kind, and easy-going man. It was clear that he could easily be befooled.
Q13. What
forced the thief boy to go back to Anil even though he had reached the station
to catch a train?
Ans. Anil was a kind and gentle person. Hari Singh
robbed him of his money. He was about to board the train. His conscience
pricked him. He realised his mistake. He wanted to be educated and make his
future bright. So he came back.
Long
Answer-type Questions
Q1.Write the
Character sketch of the thief (Hari Singh)
Ans. Hari Singh was a fifteen-year-old thief. He
befooled people easily. He could study people’s faces easily. He found Anil
watching a wrestling match. He studied his face. He found him a kind and gentle
person. Very soon he impressed him with his broad smile. Anil gave him work
cooking at his house.
Hari Singh made a profit of one rupee daily. Anil taught
him to write his name. He also promised Hari Singh to teach him to make
sentences. But one day, Hari Singh robbed Anil of his money. He went to catch
the train to leave Anil forever. But his conscience pricked him. So he came
back to Anil and secretly put the money back in its place. Thus Anil’s love and
good behavior changed a thief into a good person.
Q2. How did
Hari Singh rob Anil of his six hundred rupees? What stopped him to run away?
Ans. Hari Singh wanted to rob Anil from the very
beginning. But he could not proper chance. Anil had no regular way of making
money. He earned money by fits and starts. Whenever he got any payment for his
work, he would go out to enjoy himself. He used to spend money quickly. One day, Hari
Singh noticed (saw) Anil placing (putting) six hundred rupees under the
mattress of his bed. At night, Hari Singh stole the bundle of rupees. He also
reached the railway station to catch a train. But he did not sit inside the
train. He remembered Anil’s face and his kindness to him. He felt guilty about
robbing a gentleman like Anil. He also wanted to be an educated person. So he
came back home. Then he put that money in the same place.
Q3.
Character sketch of Anil.
Anil was a tall, lean fellow of about 25 years. He
looked easy-going, kind, and simple. Anil had no regular way of making money. He
earned money by fits and starts. He used to spend money quickly. Then he would
wait for the next cheque.
He trusted a boy of fifteen. He gave him food and
shelter. He forgave him for his lies. He taught him to write his name. He also
promised to teach him to write sentences. Anil gave him a fifty rupee note.
He knew that Hari Singh had stolen his money. In spite of that, he promised to pay money in the future. He did not say anything to Hari Singh about the theft.
Thus we can say that Anil was a thorough gentleman.
