1. BED NUMBER - 29
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How did the author of ‘Bed Number-29' lose his eyesight?
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Ans: He was hit by a car and lost his eyesight.
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What did the author of ‘Bed Number- 29’ do before he lost his eyesight?
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Ans: He was a painter.
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Who did the author of ‘Bed Number-29’ meet in the hospital ward? Why was he there?
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Ans: He met Naeem in the hospital. He was there for the treatment of his eyes.
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When did the author regain his confidence and how?
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Ans: The author regained his confidence when Naeem praised his paintings.
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What happened when the author’s second operation failed? Who consoled him then?
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Ans: The author got upset. Naeem consoled him.
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How did the author of ‘Bed Number-29’ get the money to get operated the third time? Who helped him?
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Ans: He got the money by selling his paintings. Naeem helped him. He bought his paintings.
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Where was Naeem when the author regained his eyesight?
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Ans: Naeem had left the hospital then.
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Did the author know that Naeem was also blind like him? Give reasons to support your answer.
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Ans: No, the author did not know that Naeem was also blind like him. Because Naeem described the scenes in detail.
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Why could Naeem not get his treatment done?
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Ans: Because he had spent all his money in buying the paintings of the author.
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How did the author feel when he learnt that Naeem had left the hospital because he had no money for the treatment?
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Ans: The author got upset. His eyes were filled with tears.
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How could Naeem describe different seasons in detail?
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Ans: Naeem was a painter and he had painted four seasons.
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What does the message “The goddess of art smiled on me..... and then it vanished” mean?
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Ans: Goddess of art refers to Naeem who helped the author. He went away in the end.
2. HALF A RUPEE A WORTH
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How did Subbiah manage to get rice during the drought?
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Ans: He managed to get rice from villages.
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‘Those were the days when Subbiah loathed the rice bags?’ Which were those days? Why did he dislike the rice then?
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Ans: He loathed the rice bags when he worked under his father. He disliked the rice because he did not want to stay in the shop.
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‘Rice was in his blood’ means:
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Ans: He knew all about rice.
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How did Subbiah’s profits increase during the war? Did he follow the rules laid down by the government? How did he tackle the officers?
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Ans: Because of scarcity he sold the rice at high price. He did not follow the rules. He bribed the officer.
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Besides selling rice what else did Subbiah do to earn more?
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Ans: Subbiah also lent money at high interest.
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Who came to buy rice one evening when Subbiah was about to go home? Did he give rice to him? What did he say?
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Ans: A poor man came to him. At first, he told him that he had some other business. But in the end, he agreed to give rice.
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How much rice did Subbiah agree to sell to him and for how much?
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Ans: He agreed to sell him half seer of rice for half a rupee.
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Why did Subbiah ask the man to wait? What reasons did he give?
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Ans: He didn’t want to show his secret godown. So he told that he had to bring rice from other man.
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Where did Subbiah go to get the rice?
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Ans: He went to the secret godown.
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Did the man wait for Subbiah for long? How do you know?
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Ans: The man waited for Subbiah for long time. He waited till morning.
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Where did the man go then? Where was he taken and by whom?
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Ans: The man went to Subbiah’s house. He was taken to the secret godown by Subbiah’s wife.
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How did Subbiah die?
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Ans: Rice bags fell on him. He died under them.
3. ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS
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Who gave $1000 to Robert Gillian? Who did the money belong to? Why was it given to him?
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Ans: Lawyer Tolman gave $1000 to Robert Gillian. The money belonged to Robert’s uncle. It was written in his will.
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Why was Bobby Gillian not happy with the money given to him?
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Ans: Because it was a very small amount.
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What was the condition laid down by the lawyer?
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Ans: Bobby Gillian would have to give the spending details of $1000.
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Who else got the money and how much?
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Ans: The butler, the housekeeper and Miss Hayden got ten dollars each.
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Why was Old Bryson not serious in giving suggestions to Gillian? What were the suggestions given?
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Ans: Because Bryson didn’t like him. He suggested him to buy a home, to give milk to one hundred babies or to buy pendant for Miss Lotta Lauriere.
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Which one did Gillian accept? What did he do then?
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Ans: Gillian accepted to give a diamond pendant to Miss Lotta Lauriere. Then he went to meet her.
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Who was Miss Lotta Lauriere? Did she welcome Gillian’s coming? Was she happy with his offer? Give reasons for your answer.
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Ans: Miss Lotta Lauriere was an actress. She didn’t welcome Gillian’s coming. She was not happy with his offer. It was a cheap thing for her.
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What did Gillian ask the driver of the cab? Did he like his answer? How do you know?
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Ans: Gillian asked him how he would use one thousand dollar. He didn’t like his answer.
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Who did Gillian talk to next? Why?
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Ans: Gillian talked to a blind man. Gillian asked him how he would use one thousand dollar.
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After talking to the blind man Gillian went to :
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Ans: the lawyers.
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Why did Gillian give his money to Miss Hayden? What did he ask her to give him and why?
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Ans: Because he wanted to help her. He asked for a piece of paper to write a note.
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What did Robert Gillian write in his note?
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Ans: He wrote that he paid $1000 to the best and dearest woman on the earth.
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Why did Robert Gillian go to the lawyers again?
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Ans: He went to give the spending details of $1000.
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What had Robert Gillian’s uncle written in the post-script of his will?
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Ans: He had written if Robert had spent $1000 wisely, he would get another $5000.
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Why did Gillian not get the rest of the money? Was he sorry for his action?
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Ans: He told the lawyer that he had spent $1000 on horse races. He was not sorry for his actions.
4. THE DYING DETECTIVE
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Who was Mrs. Hudson? Why did she go to Watson’s house?
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Ans: She was the landlady. She went to bring Watson.
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Where did Holmes get the illness from? When did he get it?
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Ans: Holmes got the illness from Chinese sailors when he was working on a case.
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What was Holmes’ condition when Watson saw him?
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Ans: Holmes was in serious condition. He had fever and red cheeks.
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Why did he not let Watson examine him?
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Ans: Holmes was very sick. He did not want Watson to get sick.
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Till when was Watson asked to stay in Holmes house?
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Ans: Watson was asked to stay in Holmes’ house till six o’clock.
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Why did Holmes not let Watson touch his things? What did Watson think about Holmes then?
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Ans: There was a poisonous spring in the box. Watson thought that Holmes was really very sick.
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What did Holmes ask Watson to do before leaving his room?
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Ans: Holmes asked Watson to put money in the pocket and place some other things on the table.
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Who was Culverton Smith? Why did Holmes want him for the treatment of his disease?
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Ans: Culverton Smith was a planter. Holmes wanted to catch him.
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What did Holmes ask Watson to say to Mr. Smith?
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Ans: Holmes asked Watson to say Smith that his condition was very serious.
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Did Smith welcome Watson calling on him? How do you know?
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Ans: Smith did not welcome Watson calling on him. His butler told Watson that he was not at home.
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Why did Watson not come back with Smith?
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Ans: Because Holmes had asked him not to do so.
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Did Smith ask Watson when he finally met him?
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Ans: Smith asked him about the health of Holmes.
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Did Smith go near Holmes to examine him? How do you know?
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Ans: Smith did not go near Holmes to examine him. He could not know that Holmes was just acting.
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Who was Victor Smith? What had happened to him and how?
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Ans: Victor was Culverton Smith’s nephew. Culverton Smith had killed Victor Smith.
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“You did it. I’ll gorget everything,” Holmes said to Smith. What did Smith do and how? Did Holmes really mean what he said? Give examples in support of your answer.
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Ans: Smith had killed his nephew. No, he did not mean that.
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Why did Smith send infected sharp spring in an ivory box?
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Ans: Holmes knew that Smith had killed Victor. So Smith wanted to kill him.
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Why did Holmes ask Smith to turn up the gas?
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Ans: Holmes asked Smith to turn up the gas to send a signal to the inspector.
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Who arrested Smith? What were the charges against him?
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Ans: Inspector Morton arrested Smith. Culverton Smith had killed Victor Smith.
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Why did Holmes pretend to be ill? What did he do and say to appear ill?
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Ans: Because Holmes wanted to catch Smith. He did not eat anything for three days and also applied some makeup.
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Should Holmes have spoken so rudely to Watson? Why?
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Ans: Yes, Holmes should have spoken so rudely to Watson. It was needed to solve the case.
5. HOW MUCH LAND DOES A MAN NEED?
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What did the two women discuss? Were they related to each other?
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Ans: The two women discussed about the town life and village life. They were sisters.
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What did one woman say in defence of rural life? What was the counter-argument?
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Ans: She said rural life is free from worries.
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Pakhom listened to the women’s chatter. He started brooding and reached a conclusion. What was the conclusion?
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Ans: He thought if he has enough land, he would not fear the devil also.
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When the Devil heard Pakhom’s musings, what did he decide?
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Ans: The Devil decided to give Pakhom enough land and have him in my power.
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The estate-owner on whose land Pakhom was tenant sold her land. Who bought the land?
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Ans: His neighbour bought fifty acres. Pakhom bought forty acres.
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How did Pakhom manage to put together the money for buying the land?
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Ans: He sold his colt and some bees. He borrowed some money from his brother-in-law.
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Pakhom met a stranger one day. Who was this stranger? What information did he give to Pakhom?
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Ans: He was a peasant. He said there land is very good beyond Volga.
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A trader told Pakhom something about the land of Bashkirs. What was it?
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Ans: He told him that he could buy plenty of land at cheap price.
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Who were the Bashkirs? How did Pakhom make friends with them?
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Ans: Bashkirs were landlords. Pakhom gave them gifts to make them friends.
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Bashkirs wanted to repay Pakhom for his gifts. What did Pakhom want from them?
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Ans: Pakhom wanted to buy land from them.
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‘Our price is always the same: One thousand roubles a day,’ the chief said. What did he mean?
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Ans: It meant one could buy as much land as one could cover on foot in a day.
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On what condition did the chief agree to sell land to Pakhom?
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Ans: The condition was that Pakhom had to come back to starting point before sunset.
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What is the moral of the story?
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Ans: The moral of the story is ‘Greed is curse’.
6. RETURN TO AIR
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Why was the boy called ‘Sausage’?
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Ans: He was called ‘sausage’ because he was very fat.
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Why did Sausage not like diving?
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Ans: Because he had to take off his glasses before diving.
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They all wanted me to learn duck-diving. Who were ‘they’?
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Ans: His friends and the instructor.
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What is duck-diving? How is it taught?
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Ans: Duck diving is diving like a duck into the water. The diver has to bring back the brick thrown into the water.
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What happened to Sausage when he tried duck-diving the first time?
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Ans: He was very afraid when he tried duck diving the first time.
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Why couldn’t Sausage see inside the water?
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Ans: Because he was without glasses.
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Why did the water change colours? How did it change colours?
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Ans: The water changed colour as he went deeper. It changed from brown to blackish brown.
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Was Sausage sure that he would not come out alive? Give examples to support your answer.
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Ans: Yes, he was sure he would not come out alive.
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What did Sausage dig out? Did he know what he had caught hold of when he was inside the water? Why?
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Ans: He dug out an old tin box. No, he did know that because it was very dark inside.
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Where did Sausage reach while swimming?
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Ans: He reached almost at the other bank of the pond.
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What did Sausage do with the tin?
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Ans: He cleaned it. He put his coin collection in it.
