प्रश्न बैंक - सह - उत्तर पुस्तक (Question Bank-Cum-Answer Book)
Class 11 English Elective (PROSE)
2. A PAIR OF MUSTACHIOS - Mulk Raj Anand
MAIN POINTS
☞ The story, A Pair of
Mustachios is written by Mulk Raj Anand.
☞ Indians prefer the
various styles of mustachios to mark the differences between the classes.
☞ Famous lion moustaches
symbolise the fearsome, resplendent rajas, maharajas, nawabs and English army
generals.
☞ The descendents of feudal
gentry still hold the false pride of greatness who are left with nothing but
strange and pointed tiger moustaches.
☞ There is goat moustaches
worn by newly rich men and shopkepper class.
☞ Charlie Chaplin moustache
is worn by lower middle class,clerks and professional men.
☞ There are endless styles
of mustachios in India and people adhere to it as if Government has patented or
sanctioned.
☞ Seth Ramanand is a grocer
and moneylender.
☞ He is doing good in his
business and twists his goat moustache to tiger moustache as the occasion
demands.
☞ Seth's twisting of
moustaches was not accepted by Azam Khan who claims himself to be descendants
of ancient Afghan family.
☞ Azam is tall, middle
aged, handsome and dignified person who wears a tiger moustache as the
resemblance of his class.
☞ To maintain the false
pride and prejudices of his ancient and noble family, Azam sells off all his
wealth to the cunning Seth with the promise and deed signed to fix down the
tips of the moustaches of Seth.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. The author of the story of' A Pair of Mustachios' is-
a.
Anton Chekhov
b. Mulk Raj Anand
c.
D.H.Lawrence
d.
Jhumpa Lahiri
2. Mulk Raj Anand, belongs to which country?
a.
Britain
b.
Ireland
c.
America
d. India
3. According to Mulk Raj, what marks the boundaries between the
various classes of people in Europe?
a. Clothes
b.
Cars
c.
Mustachios
d.
Bikes
4. What can be the line of demarcation to mark the differences
between the classes in India?
a.
Clothes
b.
Cars
c. Mustachios
d.
Bikes
5. Rajas, Maharajas,, nawabs and English Army Generals bear-
a. Lion Mustachios
b.
Grey Mustachios
c.
Tiger Mustachios
d.
Black Mustachios
6. Charlie Chaplin Mustachios is worn by-
a.
Nouveau Riche
b.
Lower middle class
c.
Clerks and Professional men
d. Both (b) and (c)
7. What kind of mustachios do the nouveau riche and shopkeeper
class have?
a.
Mouse moustache
b.
Sheep moustache
c. Goat moustache
d.
Lion moustache
8. Sheep Mustache is of the
a.
Peasants
b. Coolies
c.
Feudal gentry
d.
Rajas
9. Peasants wear-
a.
Sheep Moustache
b.
Charlie Chaplin Moustache
c. Mouse Moustache
d.
Lion Moustache
10. Seth Ramanand is a-
a.
Clerk
b.
Peasant
c.
Coolie
d. Grocer
11. What kind of moustache was worn by Seth Ramanand?
a.
Sheep moustache
b. Goat moustache
c.
Tiger moustache
d.
Mouse moustache
12. Which crop did Seth Ramanand buy at a cheap price?
a.
Rice
b.
Corn
c.
Ragi
d. Wheat
13. Who used to lend money?
a. Seth Ramanand
b.
Khan Azam Khan
c.
Choudhary Chotu Ram
d.
Chotu Ram
14. What did Khan Azam Khan pawn very first to the moneylender?
a
His wife's gold ear-ring
b. His wife's gold nose-ring
c.
his wife's gold necklace
d.
His wife's gold bangles
15. Who said, "Since when have lentil-eating shopkeepers
become noblemen" and to whom?
a.
Seth Ramanand to Azam Khan
b. Azam Khan to Seth Ramanand
c.
Choudhary Chottu Ram to Azam Khan
d.
Azam Khan to Choudhary Chottu Ram
16. Who twists his moustache to look like a tiger moustache?
a.
Choudhary Chottu Ram
b. Seth Ramanand
c.
Khan Azam Khan
d.
The Emperor
17. Khan Azam Khan claims descent from-
a.
Moghuls
b. Afghans
c.
English
d.
None of these
18. Khan Azam Khan wears-
a.
Goat Moustache
b.
Sheep Moustache
c. Tiger Moustache
d.
Lion Moustache
19. Choudhary Chottu Ram is the --------of the village.
a.
Grocer
b.
Moneylender
c. Landlord
d.
Peasant
20. What did Khan Azam Khan pawn for the second time to the
moneylender?
a. His wife's necklace
b.
His wife's gold nose ring
c.
His House
d.
His pots and pans
21. Who raged at Ramanand?
a.
Choudhary Chottu Ram
b.
The landlord
c. Khan Azam Khan
d.
None of these
22. Why was Khan Azam angry at Seth?
a.
Because he paid low for the gold nose-ring
b.
Because he paid low for the gold necklace
c. Because the tip of his moustache were turned up like tiger
moustache
d.
Because the tip of his moustache were turned down like tiger moustache
23. How many people were present at the time when a deed was
drawn up between Seth and Khan Azam?
a. Five
b.
Eight
c.
Ten
d.
Twelve
24. What all did Azam Khan pawn to bring down the tips of the
moustache of Seth?
a.
Household goods
b.
Chattels
c.
Necklace
d. All of these
25. Where was the landlord of the village sitting?
a.
Near the market
b.
In the front yard
c. Under a tree
d.
In his office
26. Who said, "I shall excommunicate him from religion if
he doesn't keep his word"?
a.
The landlord
b. The priest
c.
The moneylender
d.
None of these
27. Why did others not mind the twisted moustache of the
moneylender?
a.
Because they owe him interest on a loan
b.
Because they owe an instalment on a mortgage of jewellery
c.
Because they owe an instalment on a mortgage
d. All of these
28. Who sells off all his wealth just to maintain the false
pride and prejudices of his class?
a. Khan Azam Khan
b.
Seth Ramanand
c.
The landlord of the village
d.
Choudhary Chottu Ram
29. Which of the following is a character of the story 'A pair
of Mustachios'?
a.
Seth Ramanand
b.
Choudhary Chottu Ram
c.
lona
d. Both (a) and (b)
30. At the end of the story, who becomes a pauper?
a.
Seth Ramanand
b. Khan Azam Khan
c.
Chaudhary chotu Ram
d.
None of these
VERY SHORT QUESTIONS
1. What does the author consider as the line of demarcation to
mark the boundaries between the various classes in India?
Ans
In India we prefer the various styles of mustachios to mark the differences
between the classes.
2. From where does Khan Azam Khan claim his ancestry to be?
Ans
Khan Azam Khan claims his ancestry to be from an ancient Afghan family who used
to work in the court of Moghuls.
3. What does the lion moustache symbolise?
Ans
The lion moustache symolises the fearsome resplendent rajas, maharajas, nawabs
and English army generals who were well known for their devotion to the King
Emperor.
4. What do the feudal gentry take pride in?
Ans
Feudal gentry take pride from their ancestors. Nothing has left with them
except few mementoes of the past glory, a few gold trinkets, heirlooms and bits
of land.
5. Who all have Charlie Chaplin moustache?
Ans
The lower middle class, the clerks and professional men have Charlie Chaplin
moustache.
6. Who was Seth Ramanand?
Ans
Seth Ramanand was a grocer and used to lend money.
7. How was Seth Ramanand doing in his business?
Ans
Seth Ramanand was doing well in his business. He bought the wheat from the
farmers at cheap prices and sold it at higher prices.
8. What kind of moustache was worn by Seth Ramanand?
Ans
Goat moustache
9. Who was Azam Khan?
Ans
Azam Khan was a tall, middle-aged, handsome and dignified man.
10. Why did Khan Azam Khan go to the moneylender?
Ans
Khan Azam Khan went to the shop of the moneylender to pawn his wife's
nose-ring.
11. Why was Azam Khan angry at Seth Ramanand?
Ans
Azam Khan was angry at Seth Ramanand because of the upturned tips of his
moustache which looked like that of tiger moustache.
12. What condition did the moneylender put to bring down the
tips of his moustache?
Ans
The moneylender asked Azam Khan to sell all his goods and chattels in order to
bring down the tips of his moustache.
13. Who was referred as 'lentil-eaters' in the story?
Ans
Seth Ramanand was referred as 'lentil-eaters'.
14. What would the priest do if Seth did not keep his word?
Ans
The priest would excommunicate Seth from religion if he did not keep his word.
15. How did Azam Khan become a pauper?
Ans
Azam Khan became a pauper as he sold off all his wealth to Seth just for the
sake of moustache.
SHORT QUESTIONS
1. What does the author, Mulk Raj Anand say about the tiger
moustache?
Ans
The author says that tiger moustache is very stange, pointed, unbending and
unchanging survivals from the ranks of feudal gentry who have nothing left with
them except false pride in their greatness. They are left with a few mementoes
of past glory,scrolls of honour granted the the former Kings, a few gold
trinkets, heirlooms and bits of land.
2. Discuss about the goat moustache?
Ans
The author has illustrated the goat moustache very well in this story.
According to him goat moustache is a unsure brand worn by the nouveau riche,
the new commercial bourgeoisie and the shopkeeper class. It has thin line of
difference from the tiger moustache and can be twisted as the occasion demands.
They are turned up to show the power to some coolie or turned down to show
humility to a prosperous client.
3. Who was Seth Ramanand? Was he successful in his profession?
how?
Ans
Seth Ramanand was a grocer and moneylender. He was successful in his
profession. He was clever and cunning and knew the tricks to carry his
business. When the prices of wheat fell, he bought at a lower prices and sold
at higher prices. Moreover, he takes away all the wealth of Azam Khan very
cleverly just for putting down the tips of his moustache.
4. Who was Azam Khan? Why was he raged at Seth Ramanand?
Ans
Khan Azam Khan was a tall, middle-aged man, a handsome and dignified person who
lived in the same village of Seth Ramanand. He wears a tiger moustache and
takes honour in the styling of moustache which he claims to be of the descent
of an Afghan family whose heads were noblemen and councillors in the court of
great Moghuls. He was raged at Seth Ramanand because Seth used to twist the tip
of his goat moustache upward just like a tiger moustache which was not
tolerable by Azam.
5. What was the deed that was drawn up between Seth and Azam?
Ans
Shopkeepers and moneylenders used to have goat moustache. Seth being the grocer
and moneylender had a goat moustache but at times used to turn the tips of his
moustache upward to look like the tiger moustache. Styling of moustache was
considered as the mark of difference between the classes so it was not
tolerable for Azam .He asked Seth to put the tips of the moustache down but
under the condition of selling all his wealth to Seth. The document stated the
transfer of all his household goods and chattels to keep Seth's moustaches
fixed in the goat style.
LONG QUESTIONS
1. What do you understand of the natures of Ramanand and Azam
Khan from the episode described?
Ans
Seth Ramanand is a grocer and moneylender. He is cool and calm. He never gets
angry and considers that the customer is always right. He is very clever,
cunning and successful in his business dealings. When the price of the wheat
was low, he bought it from the peasants and sold at higher prices. Similarly,
he was ready to put back his moustaches to goat moustaches at the cost of the
wealth of Azam Khan
On
the other hand, Azam khan, a middle aged man suffers from false pride which he
considers to be important. In the story he shows his immaturity and
impracticality. He is short-tempered and arrogant and takes pride in the
forgone royalty of his ancestors. He sells off all his wealth and property just
for styling moustaches. He appears to be a real fool.
2. Identify instances in the story that show the business acumen
of Ramanand.
Ans
Undoubtedly Ramanand is a successful businessman and that is only through his
business acumen. He bought whole wheat from the farmers when the price lowered
and sold it at higher prices making profit. At other time Azam Khan had come to
his shop only to pawn his wife's gold nose-ring but with cleverness he made
Azam Khan to sell off all his property. He knew Azam did not like his moustache
to be turned up like Azam's therefore even at Azam's request he lowers only one
side of his moustache. At this, Azam gets angry and is ready to mortgage his
household goods and chattels through a deed.
3. Both Ramanand and Azam Khan seem to have very fixed views.
How does Ramanand score over Azam Khan towards the end of the story?
Ans Ramanand the moneylender and Azam the heir of the royal family live in the same society with the belief of categorization of people on the basis of position and styling of moustaches. They both have fixed views about each other and themselves. But at the end of the story Ramanand scores over Azam. Ramanand is now in good position so takes advantage of that and wears his moustaches as the occasion demands. Tiger moustache is worn by Azam and he could never tolerate Seth's moustache to look like his. Seth is ready to lower the tips of his moutaches on the condition of mortgaging the wealth and property of Azam making him a pauper.
English Elective (CONTENTS)
WOVEN WORDS | ||
CH. NO. | NAME OF CHAPTERS | AUTHOR |
PROSE | ||
1. | ||
2. | ||
3. | ||
4. | ||
5. | ||
6. | ||
POETRY | ||
1. | ||
2. | ||
3. | ||
4. | ||
5. | ||
6. | ||
7. | ||
8. | ||
ESSAY | ||
1. | ||
2. | ||
3. | ||
5. | ||
6. | ||
7. | ||
DRAMA | ||
1. | ||
NOVEL | ||
1. | ||
