THE GREAT ESCAPE:SUGATA BASU/CLASS 8/BLOSSOM

 

  

     

THE GREAT ESCAPE:SUGATA BASU/CLASS 8/BLOSSOM

Rearrange the following sentences in the correct order and put the numbers in the given boxes :

1. Subhas and Sisir chose the wanderer for their journey. [6]

2. Sisir entered Subhas's bedroom that December afternoon. [1]

3. The police were keeping a watch on Subhas's house. [4]

4. Sisir was to help plan and carry out Subhas's escape from India. [2]

5. Subhas's nephew helped him listen to foreign broadcasts. [5]

6. Sisir walked back to his own house in a state of wonder and excitement. [3]

 

Complete the following sentences with information from the text :

(a) On a December afternoon, Sisir entered Subhas's bedroom.

(b) The task that Subhas gave sisir was to help plan and carry out Subhas's escape from India.

(c) 1, woodburn park was the address of sisir’s residence.

(d) The escape plan of Subhas and sisir was to drive out in the most natural fashion, through the main gate.

Answer the following question:

Q. Why did Subhas and Sisir, as their plan of escape, decided to drive out in 'the most natural fashion through the main gate'?

 Subhas and Sisir according to their plan of escape decided to drive out in the most natural fashion through the main gate. The police were keeping watch on Subhas's house but it was normal for a nephew to visit his ailing uncle. So the police would not be suspicious about their escape. They would think Sisir is returning his home after visiting his uncle.

 

Write ‘T’ for True and ‘F’ for false statements in the given boxes. Give supporting statements for each of your answer :

(a) Akbar Shah operated in the north-eastern frontier provinces. [F]

SS: Akbar Shah operated in the north-western frontier provinces.

(b) The items of clothing for Subhas's disguise were purchased from a shop in South Kolkata. [F]

SS: Together they went to a shop in Central Calcutta where they purchased baggy shalwars (trousers) and a black fez for Subhas's disguise.

(c ) Everyone in Subhas's family was aware of his plan of escape. [F]

SS : None of the family members knew anything except subhas niece Ila and a male Cousin Dwijen.

(d) The policeman preferred warm blankets on the cool winter night of 16th January. [T]

SS: On the cool winter night of January 16th, they had preferred the comfort of the warm blankets on the charpol.

Answer the following questions :

Q. What items were purchased for Subhas to be carried with him on his journey ?

 The items which were purchased for subhas to be carried with him on his journey were a suitcase a bed roll, shirts and pillows.

Q. What was the real identity of Muhammad Ziauddin ?

 Subhas Chandra Bose had changed into his disguise as Muhammad Ziauddin.

Q. Why do you think Subhas had to put on a false identity ?

 Subhas had to put on a false identity to maintain total secrecy about the plan of escape.

Fill in the following chat with information from the text :

1.    What : Subhas and sisir tip-toed down the backstairs.- To maintain the total secrecy of his escape.

2.    What : The light glowed in Subhas's bedroom.- To give the impression that he was still there.

3.    What : They shared a few anxious moment together.- The car engine faltered.

4.    What : In disguise Subhas left alone for Gomoh station.-Subhas wanted to catch the Delhi-Kalka Mail.

Answer the following questions:

Q. In which direction did Sisir drive after leaving Elgin Road ?

 After leaving elgin road sisir drove towards the precincts of the city.

Q. Who was Ashok ? How did he help in Subhas's escape ?

 Ashok was Sisir’s brother.When Subhas was escaping in disguise, Ashok gave Subhas a room to rest during the day.

Q. Describe Sisir’s last sight of Subhas.

 On the day of Subhas's escape . They reached Gomoh railway station. Then Sisir watched him mount the railway overbridge and walk across it with his usual majestic gait. He disappeared into the darkness towards the platform on the opposite side.

Q. Why did sisir pick Subhas up in his car a little further from Ashok’s house ?

 Sisir picked Subhas up in his Wanderer, a little further from Ashok’s house for  maintaining total secrecy of  his escape.

In the following sentences underline the words that act like verbs and take objects.

1.    He likes to play badminton.

2.    His habit is to read the newspaper daily.

3.    Her greatest pleasure is to dance.

Underline the infinitives in the following sentences.

1.    Raja is not afraid to speak the truth.

2.    The teacher was extremely sorry to hear it.

3.    The guava is fit to eat.

4.    To find fault is easy.

 

Add suitable prefix or suffix to the given words in brackets and fill in the blanks to complete the sentences meaningfully.

a.   The children were full of  excitement (excited) as they went for a picnic.

b.   We should not discourage (courage) anyone.

c.   It was a comfortable (comfort) journey, as I got a place to sit.

d.    India became an Independent (dependent) nation in 1947.

EXTRA QUESTIONS & ANSWERS :

1.    Who entered Subhas’s bedroom?

Sisir nephew of Subhas entered the bedroom in December afternoon.

2.     How was Subhas looking like then?

Then Subhas was looking pale and thin, with bushy half-grown beard and he was reclining on his pillow.

3.    What did Subhas ask Sisir?

Subhas asked Sisir if could do some work for him.

4.    What was the task?

The task was to help Subhas to escape from India.

5.    What would Sisir have to do?

Sisir have to drive his unlce Subhas,in the dead of the night to a railway station far away from Calcutta.

6.    Where did Sisir’s uncle reside?

Sisir’s uncle reside at Elgin Road.

7.    Where did Sisir returned that night and how?

That night Sisir walked back to his residence at 1 Woodburn Park in a state of wonder and excitement.

8.    Who used to keep watch on Subhas?

The police used to keep watch on Subhas in those days.

9.    What was normal for Subhas’s nephew Sisir?

Then it was normal for Sisir to visit his ailing uncle Subhas. Moreover, Sisir was good in operating radio and he used to help Subhas to listen to foriegn broadcasts.It was an additional excuse to visit his uncle.

10. What did Subhas and Sisir finally decide to do?

After various discussion, finally Subhas and Sisir decided to drive out, in the most natural fashion,through the main gate in a Wanderer,a German car, owned ny Sisir,befooling the gaurds.

11. Who was Akbar Shah?

Akbar Shah was a co-worker of Subhas in the freedom struggle against British Raj.

12. Why did Subhas cabled Akbar Shah?

 Akbar was to help Subhas to escape safely from India.

13. Where did Akbar Shah work for the freedom struggle?

Akbar Shah  used to operate in the north- western frontier provinces in the freedom struggle against British Raj.

14. Where did Subhas , Akbar Shah and Sisir go and why?

They together went to a shop in Central Calcutta to buy baggy salwar and a black fez for Subhas’s disguise.

15. What other things did Sisir purchse?

16. Sisir also purchased a suitcase,a bedroll, shirts and pillow.Moreover, he ordered a set of calling cards.

17. Who was Muhammad Ziauddin?

Muhammad Ziauddin was Travelling Inspector,the Empire of India Life Insurance Co. Ltd. This was the false identity with which Subhas travelled secretly to escape from India.

18. When and where did Sisir arrived on the decided date?

19. Having early dinner Sisir drove to Elgin Road on 16.01.1941 and paraked his Wanderer at the back of the house.

20. How much secrecy did Subhas and Sisir maintained?

21. They maintained total secrecy about the plan of escape.None of their family member was informed.Only,Subhas’s niece  Ila and Dwijen,a male cousin knew about the plan of his escape.

22. How was Subhas dressed in disguise?

Subhas was dressed in a longcoat,baggy salwar,a black beck and was wearing a gold wire – rimmed spectacles.

23. What happened at 1.35am at night?

At 1.35am at night, when Bose family had fallen asleep and there was no trace of policemen near by, Dwijen signalled from an upstair window that all was clear.

24. What did the policemen usually do?

25. Usually the policemen sat on a charpoi at the corner of the Elgin Road AND Woodburn Road in the day time. But,on the cool winter night of 16.01.1941 they preffered the cozy warm blanket on the charpoi.

26. Why did Subhas and Sisir tip-toed down the backstairs?

27. To maintain the total secrecy of his escape Subhas and sisir tip-toed down the backstairs.

28. Why did the  light glow in Subhas's bedroom?

29. The  light glow in Subhas's bedroom to give the impression that he was still there.

30. What was Subhas’s last word to Sisir?

31. The last word of Subhas was – “I AM OFF – YOU GO BACK.”