A. Answer these questions briefly.
1. What happened immediately after the train stopped for a brief period?
Answer: Immediately after the train stopped at North Berwick, the people on the side of the car next to the station stood up and started looking out of the windows eagerly at someone on the platform.
2. How did the narrator feel about sitting still in her seat while others were looking out of the windows?
Answer: The narrator was not someone who could sit still when others were looking out. She felt highly curious and quickly ran to flatten her nose against the window pane to see what was happening.
3. Who did the narrator see on the platform at North Berwick, and why was he called the 'Adored One'?
Answer: The narrator saw Charles Dickens on the platform. He was called the 'Adored One' because he was a highly celebrated, universally famous author, and he happened to be the narrator's absolute favourite novelist.
4. Which physical characteristics of the person on the platform made the narrator recognise him as Charles Dickens?
Answer: She recognised him by his smiling, genial face, his brilliant eyes, his distinctive watch chain, the red carnation pinned to his coat's buttonhole, and his signature gesture of plunging his hands deep into his pockets.
5. Why did the narrator slip away and enter the next car?
Answer: She slipped away while her mother was absorbed in reading a book because she discovered that Charles Dickens had boarded the train and was sitting in the carriage right next to theirs. She wanted to grab a chance to say 'Hello!' to him.
6. How did the narrator manage to sit in the 'seat of honour' next to Charles Dickens?
Answer: When Dickens' travelling companion, Mr. Osgood, temporarily left his seat to go to the adjacent car, the narrator felt an uncontrollable urge—like "invisible ropes" pulling her. She rushed down the aisle and nervously sat down in the empty seat next to Dickens.
7. What did the narrator tell Charles Dickens about her origins and her reason for not attending his reading the previous night?
Answer: She told him that she came from Hollis, Maine, and was traveling to visit her uncle. She explained that she couldn't attend his reading because only two people from her family could go, so her mother and cousin went while she had to stay back. She also naively added that a lady at the event had only read two of his books and had never even heard of Betsey Trotwood.
8. How did Charles Dickens react when the narrator mentioned that she had read all of his books, some of them six times?
Answer: Dickens was completely surprised and delighted. He exclaimed, "Bless my soul!" and expressed amazement that such a young, "slip of a thin girl" could have read through all of his long, thick volumes so many times.
9. According to the passage, which book of Charles Dickens did the narrator like the best?
Answer: The narrator liked David Copperfield the best, mentioning that it was the specific book she had read six times. Dickens warmly agreed with her choice, stating that it was his favourite of his own works as well.
10. How did the other passengers react when they saw the narrator talking with Charles Dickens?
Answer: The other passengers turned their heads and looked in their direction from time to time, particularly after Dickens loudly and warmly expressed his delight over her love for David Copperfield.
11. How did the encounter with Charles Dickens end? What did the narrator do after that?
Answer: The encounter ended when the train reached Boston. Dickens kindly walked the narrator back to her mother, introduced himself, and then held the narrator's hand as they walked down the station platform. After he disappeared into his carriage, the narrator treasured it as a beautiful, unfading childhood memory.
B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
1. “Suddenly, I noticed that the people on the side of the car, next to the station, were on their feet and looking out eagerly at some object of apparent interest.”
a. Which station is being referred to here?
Answer: The station being referred to here is North Berwick.
b. What were people looking out eagerly at?
Answer: The people were looking eagerly at the famous English novelist, Charles Dickens, who was standing on the station platform.
c. What was the narrator excited about?
Answer: The narrator was excited to find out what had captured everyone's attention, and she became thrilled upon realizing that her idol and favourite author was standing right outside her train car window.
2. “One gentleman after another came to exchange a word of greeting with him, so that he was never for a moment alone.”
a. Who does 'he' refer to?
Answer: 'He' refers to the celebrated author, Charles Dickens.
b. Why were people greeting him?
Answer: People were greeting him because he was an incredibly famous and beloved public figure, and the passengers wanted to express their admiration or have a brief interaction with him.
c. Why did 'he' seem busy and how did the narrator feel about this?
Answer: He seemed busy because of the continuous stream of admirers approaching him one after another. The narrator, who had been sitting quietly nearby for half an hour waiting to say 'Hello!', felt a bit disappointed and anxious that she might not get a chance to speak with him alone.
3. “I, still clinging to his hand, left the car and walked with him down the platform until he disappeared in the carriage. That was my last glimpse of him, but pictures made in childhood are painted in bright hues, and this one has never faded.”
a. Who was clinging to whose hand?
Answer: The young narrator (Kate Douglas Wiggin) was clinging to the hand of Charles Dickens.
b. What do you understand about the relationship between the two people mentioned in these lines?
Answer: The lines show a deeply warm, affectionate, and respectful bond formed in a short time. Dickens treated the young girl not just as a fan but with genuine kindness and individual attention (giving her "the right of way"), while the narrator held a deep, lifelong adoration for him.
c. What does the narrator mean by saying ‘pictures made in childhood are painted in bright hues’?
Answer: She means that childhood experiences and memories are felt with intense emotion, vividness, and wonder. Because the event was so magical and impactful to her as a child, the memory remained incredibly clear, vibrant, and unforgettable throughout her entire life.
1. How does the description of Charles Dickens help create a vivid image of his appearance?
The description of Charles Dickens includes specific details like his smiling face, brilliant eyes, watch chain, red carnation in his coat, and his hands in pockets. These features paint a clear and lively picture of him, making it easy for readers to imagine his appearance and personality.
2. Imagine you were on the train with the narrator. What would you be thinking and feeling when you saw ‘the Adored One’ (Charles Dickens) on the platform?
If I were on the train, I would feel excited and amazed to see Charles Dickens, a famous author, standing on the platform. I would think about how lucky I was to see him in person and might feel a little nervous but also curious to observe him closely.
3. What shows you that the narrator was determined and curious to meet Charles Dickens?
The narrator pressed her nose against the window to see what others were looking at and later rushed through the aisle to sit next to Dickens without any prior planning. This shows her determination and curiosity to meet him.
4. What might have made the other gentlemen on the train come and greet Charles Dickens, preventing him from being alone for even a moment?
The other gentlemen on the train likely recognized Charles Dickens as a famous author and wanted to meet and greet him. His popularity and the excitement of seeing him in person made them come to him one after another.
5. What does the narrator’s action of rushing through the aisle and sitting down next to Charles Dickens without any prior planning or intention tell you about her?
The narrator’s action shows that she was bold, spontaneous, and deeply admiring of Dickens. She acted on her excitement without hesitation, which reflects her youthful enthusiasm and confidence.
6. Why do you think Charles Dickens was impressed by the fact that the young narrator had read all of his books, some of them multiple times?
Charles Dickens was impressed because the narrator’s dedication to reading all his books, some multiple times, showed her deep love and understanding of his work. It also reflected her youthful enthusiasm and genuine admiration for his writing.
7. Why do you think Mr. Osgood, Charles Dickens’ friend, respected the narrator’s interaction with Dickens and excused himself from their conversation with a smile?
Mr. Osgood likely recognized the narrator’s genuine admiration for Dickens and wanted to give them space to talk. His smile suggests he found the interaction heartwarming and respected the narrator’s enthusiasm.
8. What does the last sentence of the passage, ‘pictures made in childhood are painted in bright hues, and this one has never faded’ suggest about the impact of the encounter with Charles Dickens on the narrator’s life?
The sentence suggests that the narrator’s memory of meeting Charles Dickens remained vivid and special throughout her life. It highlights the lasting emotional impact of the encounter, showing how it stayed with her as a cherished and unforgettable moment.
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