Chapter 9: A Bicycle in Good Repair

English
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Chapter 9: A Bicycle in Good Repair

Class: VII
Exercise number-1

Question 1

"I got up early, for me." It implies that
(i) he was an early riser.
(ii) he was a late riser.
(iii) he got up late that morning.
Mark the correct answer.

Answer 1

"I got up early, for me." It implies that he was a late riser.

Question 2

The bicycle "goes easily enough in the morning and a little stiffly after lunch." The remark is
(i) humorous.
(ii) inaccurate.
(iii) sarcastic.
(iv) enjoyable.
(v) meaningless.
Mark your choice(s).

Answer 2

The bicycle "goes easily enough in the morning and a little stiffly after lunch". The remark is humorous, sarcastic and enjoyable.

Question 3

The friend shook the bicycle violently. Find two or three sentences in the text which express the author’s disapproval of it.

Answer 3

The sentences in the text which express the author’s disapproval of his friend shaking the bicycle violently are as follows:
(i) I said, "Don’t do that; you’ll hurt it."
(ii) I did not see why he should shake it; it had not done anything to him.
(iii) Besides, if it wanted shaking, I was the proper person to shake it. I felt much as I should had he started whacking my dog.

Question 4

"…if not, it would make a serious difference to the machine." What does ‘it’ refer to?

Answer 4

"It" refers to the absence of even a single ball bearing of the bicycle. When the ball bearings of the bicycles fell off, the author’s friend told him to catch the ball bearings. He said that it would make a serious difference to the bicycle if all the bearings of the bicycle are not present.

Question 1

Did the front wheel really wobble? What is your opinion? Give a reason for your answer.

Answer 1

No, the front wheel of the bicycle did not wobble and the author himself said that it will not wobble. However, it started to wobble when the author’s friend was done with it.

Question 2

In what condition did the author find the bicycle when he returned from the tool shed?

Answer 2

The author saw his friend sitting on the ground with the front wheel between his legs when he returned from the tool shed. He saw his friend playing with it, twiddling it round between his fingers and the remnant of the machine was lying on the gravel path that was beside him.

Question 3

"Nothing is easier than taking off the gear-case." Comment on or continue this sentence in the light of what actually happens.

Answer 3

The author’s friend wanted to check the chain of the bicycle that’s why he started taking out the gear-case. The author warned him from doing that by telling him that if anything goes wrong with the gear-case and if it doesn’t work properly then it is cheaper to sell the bicycle than repairing the damaged gear-case. However, his friend disagreed to the author and told him that nothing was easier than taking off a gear-case. The author notices that he is overconfident and he kept quiet and notices him with sarcasm that his friend is right. He had the gear-case in two pieces lying on the path, in less than five minutes.

Question 4

What special treatment did the chain receive?

Answer 4

The author’s friend tightened the chain that it could not move. Then after this, he loosened the chain till it was twice as loose as it was before. This was the special treatment given to the chain.

Question 5

The friend has two qualities — he knows what he is doing and is absolutely sure it is good. Find the two phrases in the text which mean the same.

Answer 5

"Cheery confidence" and "inexplicable hopefulness" are the two phrases which respectively show that the author’s friend knew what he was doing and was absolutely sure that it was good.

Question 6

Describe ‘the fight’ between the man and the machine. Find the relevant sentences in the text and write them.

Answer 6

When the author’s friend doubled himself till he lost his balance and slid over on to his head, he lost his temper and tried bullying it. The bicycle showed some spirit and this made the author’s friend so irritating that he got into a fight between him and the machine. At one moment, the bicycle was on the gravel path and he was on top of it or the second moment was just the reverse of it. He became happy when the bicycle was firmly fixed between his legs. However, his triumph was short-lived. Suddenly, the bicycle freed itself and hit him over his head sharply with one of its handles. After a while, he gave up and said that the bicycle looked as if it also had enough of it.

Question 1

Rewrite each of the following sentences using should/ought to/must in place of the italicised words. Make other changes wherever necessary.
(i) You are obliged to do your duty irrespective of consequences.
_____________________
____________________
(ii) You will do well to study at least for an hour every day.
____________________
___________________
(iii) The doctor says it is necessary for her to sleep eight hours every night.
_____________________
______________________
(iv) It is right that you show respect towards elders and affection towards youngsters.
_____________________
___________________
(v) If you want to stay healthy, exercise regularly.
__________________
___________________
(vi) It is good for you to take a walk every morning.
__________________
_____________________
(vii) It is strongly advised that you don’t stand on your head.
___________________
________________
(viii) As he has a cold, it is better for him to go to bed.
_________________
___________________

Answer 1

(i) You are obliged to do your duty irrespective of consequences.
You ought to do your duty irrespective of consequences.
(ii) You will do well to study at least for an hour every day.
You should study at least for an hour everyday.
(iii) The doctor says it is necessary for her to sleep eight hours every night.
The doctor says she must sleep eight hours every night.
(iv) It is right that you show respect towards elders and affection towards youngsters.
You should show respect towards elders and affection towards youngsters.
(v) If you want to stay healthy, exercise regularly.
You must exercise regularly to stay fit.
(vi) It is good for you to take a walk every morning.
You should take a walk every morning
(vii) It is strongly advised that you don’t stand on your head.
You must not stand on your head.
(viii) As he has a cold, it is better for him to go to bed.
As he has a cold, he should go to bed.

Question 2

Use should/must/ought to appropriately in the following sentences.
(i) People who live in glass houses _____________ not throw stones.
(ii) You ______ wipe your feet before coming into the house, especially during the rains.
(iii) You _________________ do what the teacher tells you.
(iv) The pupils were told that they ______________ write more neatly.
(v) Sign in front of a park: You _______________ not walk on the grass.
(vi) You _____________ be ashamed of yourself having made such a remark.
(vii) He left home at 9 o’clock. He _______________ be here any minute.
(viii) "Whatever happened to the chocolate cake?"
"How _______________ I know? I have just arrived."

Answer 2

(i) People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
(ii) You ought to wipe your feet before coming into the house, especially during the rains.
(iii) You should do what the teacher tells you.
(iv) The pupils were told that they should write more neatly.
(v) Sign in front of a park: You must not walk on the grass.
(vi) You should be ashamed of yourself having made such a remark.
(vii) He left home at 9 o’clock. He should be here any minute.
(viii) "Whatever happened to the chocolate cake?"
"How should I know? I have just arrived."

Question 3

Divide each of the following sentences into its parts. Write meaningful parts. If necessary, supply a word or two to make each part meaningful.
(i) I went to the tool shed to see what I could find. (3 parts)
(ii) When I came back he was sitting on the ground. (2 parts)
(iii) We may as well see what’s the matter with it, now it is out. (3 parts)
(iv) He said he hoped we had got them all. (3 parts)
(v) I had to confess he was right. (2 parts)

Answer 3

(i)
(a) I went to the tool shed.
(b) I went (there) to see.
(c) What could I find?
(ii)
(a) I came back.
(b) He was sitting on the ground.
(iii)
(a) We may as well see (it).
(b) What (is) the matter with it?
(c) It is out now.
(iv)
(a) He said.
(b) He hoped.
(c) We had got them all.
(v)
(a) I had to confess.
(b) He was right.

Question 4

(i) Arrange the words given in the box under the three headings — prefix, suffix and part of the word.

encourage	dampen	listen
barren	endanger	soften
fasten	enclose	weaken
even	enable	enclave

en (prefix)	en (suffix)	en (part of word)
_________	__________	_____________
_________	__________	_____________
_________	__________	_____________
_________	__________	_____________