English Confluence By CL Gautam

Ch-9 The Accidental Tourist -Bill Bryson Textual Questions Q1. Bill Bryson says, I am, in short, easily confused. What example has he given to justify this? Ans. The author rightly says that he is easily confused. He goes looking for the lavatory in cinema and ends up in an alley on the wrong side of a self-locking door. He easily forgets his hotel's room number and has to return to the hotel desks many times to confirm his room number. Q2. What happens when the zip on his carry-on bag gives way? Ans. On reaching Logan Airport, Boston, Bill Bryson remembers that he has recently joined British Airways' frequent flyer programme and his card is in his carry-on bag. When he pulls the zip of his bag hard, it gets broken. Everything from the bag comes out with force. It includes newspaper cuttings, loose papers, a tin of pipe tobacco, magazines, passport, English money and a film roll. The tobacco spreads all over the area. Bryson also cuts his finger while pulling at the zip. He bec...

Ch-9 The Accidental Tourist -Bill Bryson   Introduction of the Author Bill Bryson (1951-) is an Anglo-American author of great excellence. He has authored many books with topics varying from science, travel to non-fiction. He served as the Chancellor of Durham University from 2005 to 2011. His book Notes from a Small Island (1995), an exploration of Britain, gained him recognition in the United Kingdom. The book was further made into a television series. He gained widespread recognition with the publication of his science book, A Short History of Nearly Everything (2003). He was awarded the Key to the City in 2006 by Frank Cownie, the mayor of Des Moines. Frank Cownie also declared October 21, 2006 as the 'Bill Bryson, The Thunderbolt Kid Day   Description of the Chapter Bill Bryson presents a funny narrative piece about his clumsy experiences during air travel. Though he is a frequent air traveller, he always gets caught in uncomfortable and comical situations. Chaos at the A...

Ch-8 A House Is Not a Home   -Zan Gaudioso    Questions And answers  Q1. What does the narrator notice one Sunday afternoon? What is his mother's reaction? What does she do? Ans. One Sunday afternoon while sitting in the dining room doing his homework, the narrator notices smoke coming in through the ceiling. The room soon gets filled with smoke, making it impossible to see anything. The narrator and his mother run out into the front yard. Then his mother goes into the house and bring outside a small metal box containing important documents. Then she again runs into the house to bring her deceased husband's pictures and letters. Q2. Why does he break down in tears after the fire? Ans. After the narrator's house is completely burnt in fire, he loses his pet cat whom he dearly loves. The memory of his cat fills his mind with pain. He misses her bitterly Therefore, he breaks down in tears. Q3. Why is the narrator deeply embarrassed the next day in school? Which words sh...

Ch-8 A House Is Not a Home   -Zan Gaudioso         Introduction of the Author Zan Gaudioso is an editor of several volumes of a series entitled Chicken Soup for the Soul. The series remained in the best-selling list for a long time. Her most notable contribution is in Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, Part III, a remarkable book for teenagers. She is also the co-author of the award winning book, The Buddha Next Door. Zan was the approved writer for the Touchstone/Hollywood Pictures A Brief Note of the Chapter The Narrator in the New School This story reflects the challenges of being a teenager, and the problems of growing up. The narrator was a teenager who had joined a new high school. He did not like this change because he was a fresher there whereas in his earlier school, he was a head of the class at senior upper grade level. He also missed his friends and old teachers. Fire at the Narrator's House On one cold Sunday, the narrator was sitting at h...