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The Snake and the Mirror, , I. Discuss in pairs and answer each question below in a short paragraph (30-40 words)., , 1. “ The sound was a familiar one.” What sound did the doctor hear? What did he think it was?, How many times did he hear it? (Find the places in the text.) When and why did the sounds, stop?, , Answer: The doctor heard the sound of rats. The sound was a familiar one. He heard this sound, four times. The phrases are ‘Again I heard that sound from above’, ‘Again came that noise from, above’, ‘Suddenly there came a dull thud as if a rubber tube has fallen’. The sounds stopped, after the appearance of the snake., , 2. What two “important” and “earth-shaking” decisions did the doctor take while he was, looking into the mirror?, , Answer: The doctor took the following two ‘important’ and ‘earth shaking’ decisions:, , (a) He would shave daily and grow a thin moustache to look more handsome., , (b) He would always keep that attractive smile on his face., , 3. “I looked into the mirror and smiled,” says the doctor. A little later he says, “I forgot my, danger and smiled feebly at myself.” What is the doctor’s opinion about himself when (i) he, first smiles, and (ii) he smiles again? In what way do his thoughts change in between, and why?, Answer: The doctor thought that he had a good smile when he first smiled. But when he smiled, a little later, he laughed at his destiny. His life was in danger. His thoughts got changed because, of the snake. He was quite near to death., , , , II. This story about a frightening incident is narrated in a humorous way. What makes it, humorous?, (Think of the contrasts it presents between dreams and reality. Some of them are listed below)., Write short paragraphs on each of these to get your answer., 1. (i) The kind of person the doctor is (money, possessions), (ii) kind of person he wants to be (appearance, ambition), Answer:, (i) The doctor is a poor man. He does not have much money. His house has no electricity., It is a small rented room which has many rats. He has about sixty rupees in his, suitcase. Along with some shirts and dhotis, he also possesses one solitary black coat., (ii) | He wants to be a handsome person. So he decides to shave daily and grow a thin, moustache. He also wishes to accumulate wealth., 2. (i) The person he wants to marry, (ii) The person he actually marries, Answer:, (i) He intends to marry a woman doctor who has plenty of money and a good medical practice., He wishes to have a fat wife so that she cannot run after him and catch him when he would, make a mistake., (ii) The person he actually marries is a thin reedy person with the gift of a sprinter., , 3. (i) His thoughts when he looks into the mirror, (ii) His thoughts when the snake is coiled around his arm, Answer: