Chapter 2: The Night the Ghost Got in
Samacheer Kalvi solutions for English Class 10th SSLC Tamil Nadu State Board Chapter 2 The Night the Ghost Got in Intext [Pages 30 - 34]
Where was the author when he heard the noise?
SOLUTION
The author had just stepped out of the bathtub, when he heard the noise.
What did the narrator think the unusual sound was?
SOLUTION
At first, he thought it was his father or his brother Roy. Next, he suspected that it was a burglar. Later on, he thought that it was a ghost.
What were the various sounds the brothers heard when they went downstairs?
SOLUTION
The brothers heard like a man running and started up the stairs towards them. They thought that they were coming two at a time. They saw nothing, but only heard the steps.
Who were the narrator neighbours?
SOLUTION
The narrator’s neighbours were a retired engraver named Bodwell and his wife.
How did the Bodwells react, when a shoe was thrown into their house?
SOLUTION
Mr. Bodwell was shouting, frothing a little, and shaking his fist. Mrs. Bodwell wanted to sell their house and go back to Peoria. For some years, he had been in a bad way and was subjected to mild attacks.
What did the Bodwells think when they heard the mother shout.
SOLUTION
Bodwell thought that there were burglars in his house when they heard the mother shout.
What was the grandfather wearing?
SOLUTION
The narrator’s grandfather was wearing a long flannel nightgown over long woollen pants, a nightcap, and a leather jacket around his chest.
What conclusions did grandfather jump to when he saw the cops?
SOLUTION
His grandfather was going through fits where he believes he is in the war. He thinks that General Meade’s men are deserting under fire from Stonewall Jackson.
Were the policemen willing to leave the house?
SOLUTION
No, the policemen were not willing to leave without getting their hand on somebody besides grandfather.
What made the reporter gaze at the author?
SOLUTION
The author had put on one of his mother’s dress, as he couldn’t find anything else. The reporter looked at him with mingled suspicion and interest.
Samacheer Kalvi solutions for English Class 10th SSLC Tamil Nadu State Board Chapter 2 The Night the Ghost Got in Exercise [Pages 34 - 48]
Answer the following questions in a sentence or two.
Why was the narrator sorry to have paid attention to the footsteps?
SOLUTION
The imagination of the ghost getting into his house lead to a commotion. It caused his mother to throw a shoe through a window of the neighbouring house. It ended with his grandfather shooting a policeman. So the narrator was sorry to have paid attention to the footsteps.
Why did Herman and the author slam the doors?
SOLUTION
Herman and the author slammed the doors because they thought that someone was coming up their stairs. They were scared as they heard the steps of someone.
What woke up the mother?
SOLUTION
The slamming of the doors had awakened their mother.
Read the following line from the poem and answer the question given below.
Nothing goes right with the folks you meet.
Down on that gloomy Complaining street.
a. What is the opinion about the folks you meet down the street?
b. What does the word 'gloomy' mean here?
SOLUTION
- Everything goes wrong with the folks you meet down the street.
- The word ‘gloomy’ means to appear depressing or frightening.
What do you understand by the mother’s act of throwing the shoe?
SOLUTION
His mother enormously fancied the thrill of throwing a shoe through a glass window of her neighbour. She is a highly excitable woman.
Why do you think Mrs. Bodwell wanted to sell the house?
SOLUTION
Mrs. Bodwell wanted to sell the house, as she wanted to go back to Peoria, due to the frequent mild attacks.
Read the following line from the poem and answer the question given below.
And so it were wisest to keep our feet From wandering into Complaining Street;
a. What is the wisest thing that the poet suggests?
b. What does the phrase ‘to keep our feet from wandering’ refer to?
SOLUTION
- The poet suggests that the wisest thing is to keep our feet away from going into the complaining street.
- The phrase ‘to keep our feet from wondering’ refers to avoid stepping into the complaining street.
How did the cops manage to enter the locked house?
SOLUTION
The cops managed to enter the locked house by breaking the glass of the front door.
Read the following line from the poem and answer the question given below.
Let us learn to walk with a smile and a song,
No matter if things do sometimes go wrong;
a. What does the poet expect everyone to learn?
b. What should we do when things go wrong sometimes?
SOLUTION
Why were the policeman prevented from entering grandfather's room?
SOLUTION
The policemen were prevented from entering into grandfather’s room because the narrator realized that it would be bad if they do so. His grandfather was going through a phase, in which he believed that General Meade’s men were beginning to retreat. They were under the control of Stonewall Jackson.
Who used the zither and how?
SOLUTION
Zither was used by the guinea pig to sleep on it. It would never sleep anywhere except on the zither.
Mention the things that the grandfather imagined.
SOLUTION
His grandfather imagined that the cops were deserters from Meade’s army. He thought that they were trying to hide away in his attic.
Answer the following question in about 100-150 word.
Describe the funny incident that caused the confusion in the house.
SOLUTION
Introduction:
James Grover Thurber was an American cartoonist. He is the best known for his cartoon and short stories. The extracts of this lesson are from his auto-biography.
A strange sound:
The incident took place in the author’s house. It was about a quarter past one o'clock in the morning. The author came out of the bath. He heard the footsteps of someone. He was scared. He thought it was a burglar or a ghost. So, he went to his brother Herman’s room. He woke up his brother.
Call for the police:
Both of them heard the noise and were afraid. They went to the back staircase to listen to the footsteps. Their mother woke upon hearing the sound. She believed that there were burglars in the house. She threw a shoe at her neighbor's door to seek help. Mr. Boldwell called the police.
Entry of the police:
The policemen arrived with some reporters. They searched all over, but they found nothing. Then they rushed to attic. The narrator’s grandfather thought that the cops were deserters, so he grabbed the gun and started shooting at them. The policemen left their house.
Secret behind the chaos:
The policemen were full of confusion. Next morning, grandfather told that he came to the dining room for water, the previous night.
Conclusion:
It finally becomes clear that it was the narrator’s mistake. Their imagination rewarded them a sleep less night of disorderly activities.
Answer the following question in about 100-150 word.
Narrate the extensive search operation made by the policemen in the house.
SOLUTION
Introduction:
James Grover Thurber was an American cartoonist, story writer, journalist, etc. The story “The Night the ghost got in” is extracted from his auto-bio-graphy.
Unusual things:
The incident took place in the narrator’s house. He heard strange sound as he takes a bath. He heard footsteps circling the dinning room table. He thought that it was burglar or ghost. He rushed to his brothers room. They both looked down. There were none but they heard foot steps.
Arrival of Police:
The brothers slammed the doors. The mother woke up. She called the police by throwing a shoe into neighbours house. The neighbour called the police. The police arrived. They broke open the door. They ransacked the floor. They gleamed flash lights. They told that there were none. The police returned home empty-handed.
Screen behind the confusion:
The next morning the grandfather of the narrator told that he only came to the dinning room for water. Then only the narrator tame to know all the confusions.
Conclusion:
The narrator realised that it was his mistake. The imagination of thinking his grandfather as a ghosts created a lot of confusion in the house.
Look at the following expressions from the text. With the help of your teacher rewrite them in standard English. One has been done for you.
| 1. ‘Musta got away – whatt’d he like? | Must got away - what was he like?’ |
| 2. ‘Looky here, Joe | |
| 3. ‘No sign o’ nothing’ | |
| 4. ‘Back t’ the lines ye goodaam | |
| 5. ‘What was the idea of all them cops tarryhootin’ round the house last night. |
SOLUTION
| 1. | ‘Musta got away-whatt’d he like | Must got away – what was he like |
| 2. | ‘Looky here, Joe | Look here, Joe |
| 3. | ‘No sign o’ nothing’ | No sign of nothing |
| 4. | ‘Back t’ the lines ye goodaam’ | Back to the lines you good men |
| 5. | ‘What was the idee of all them cops tarryhootin’ round the house last night.’ | What was the idea of all the cops working up round the home last night |
Complete the given tabular column with the suitable plural forms.
| chair | - | |
| box | - | |
| Eskimo | - | |
| lady | - | |
| radius | - | |
| formula | - | |
| child | - | |
| deer | - | |
| loaf | - | |
| hero | - |
SOLUTION
| chair | - | chairs |
| box | - | boxes |
| Eskimo | - | eskimos |
| lady | - | ladies |
| radius | - | radii |
| formula | - | formulae |
| child | - | children |
| deer | - | deer |
| loaf | - | loaves |
| hero | - | heroes |
The rich man was from...
Nagaland
Thailand
Finland
SOLUTION
Where did Chulong catch the bird?
SOLUTION
Chulong caught the bird in a garden.
Why did Chulong catch the bird?
SOLUTION
Chulong caught the bird to make money.
What will happen to the bird in imprisonment?
SOLUTION
The bird will lose its beauty and sweet voice.
What did the bird suggest Chulong, in exchange for its freedom?
SOLUTION
The bird suggested to teach him three simple and useful rules in exchange for its freedom.
Does Chulong want to earn money honestly?
SOLUTION
No, Chulong doesn’t want to earn money honestly.
What were Chulongs plans for the bird?
SOLUTION
Chulong’s plans were to kill the bird and eat its meat.
Who is wise according to you?
SOLUTION
According to me, the bird is wise.
Is the bird a crow?
SOLUTION
No, the bird was not a crow.
What are the three rules given by the bird?
SOLUTION
1. Never believe everything others say.
2. Never be sad about something you do not have.
3. Never throw away what you have in your hand.
Who am I?
Who Am I? is a guessing game where players use ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions to guess the identity of a famous person. Questions are based upon the traits and characteristics of a person everyone will be able to identify.
Divide the class into groups. One group should decide the personality while the other group should ask ‘yes’ or ‘no’ type questions. To win the game, a team needs to find out the person within 10 clues.
Sample questions to ask. Answers must be ‘yes’ or ‘no’ only.
- Are you a male (female)?
- Are you a famous personality?
- Are you a singer (dancer, actor)?
- Are you a historical figure?
- Are you young (old)?
- Are you alive now?
- Does your name start with ‘___’?
- Is he/she ____ ?
SOLUTION
- Yes
- No
- No
- Yes
- No
- No
- Yes
- Yes
Use this passage to play the game. You can collect information on other famous personalities and play too.
Charlie Chaplin was born on April 16, 1889, in London England. His birth name was Charles Spencer Chaplin, though he had many nicknames growing up such as Charlie, Charlot, and The Little Tramp. His father, Charles Chaplin, and his mother, Hannah Chaplin, were inducted into the music hall of fame, leading the way to his exposure even as a young boy. His first onstage moment was when he was 5 years old; he sang a song that was intended to be sung by his own mother; she had become ill at the time of the performance, so little Charlie Chaplin stood instead and performed for his mother.
Charlie Chaplin came to the United States in 1910, at the age of 21. He was brought to New York, which was known to be a great place to start out for anyone trying to become a professional actor. Two years later, in 1913, Chaplin signed his very first contract at Keystone and it was no time before he headed to Hollywood. His first movie premiered in 1914, “Making a Living,” and went on to make over 35 movies total in that year alone. Charlie Chaplin grew to become one of the most popular and successful actors of all time. The moment that really kicked off his long career was in 1921 when he starred in, and produced, his first full-length film called “The Kid.” From then on, most people all over the world knew Charlie Chaplin and loved his movies. He had a great career and life, dying on December 25, 1977, in Vevey, Switzerland. He had apparently died of natural causes in his sleep from old age.
SOLUTION
- Was Charlie born in India?
- Do you know his birth name?
- Do you know his nick names?
- Did Charlie Chaplin come to Russia in 1910?
- Did Chaplin sign his first contract at keystone ¡n 1913?
- Was the film ‘The Kid’ produced by Charlie Chaplin?
- Did people love his movies?
- Did his first movie premiere in 1915?
- Had he a great career and life?
- Did he die at his young age?
Read the following incident carefully to answer the question that follow.
The tie that does not bind
“Oh, so you’re going abroad? Can you bring me back…..?” I’ve been asked to bring back a vaccine for a course. Once I searched the suburbs of Paris for two days for a special brand of ceramic paint. Having spent a lot of money for Cartier lighter refills, I had them confiscated at the airport just before boarding because the gas might be dangerous in the air.
Now, two months before a trip, I stop talking to people so they won’t suspect I’m about to travel. But someone always catches me.” I’ve heard you’re going to New York, and I want you to get something for me. It’s just a little thing you can find anywhere. I don’t know exactly how much it costs, but it shouldn’t be much. We’ll settle up when you get back”.
What Gilson asked me to buy was, in fact, a little thing: a tie. But not just any tie. He wanted a tie with a small embroidered G. Any colour would do, as long as it had his initials. Look, this is a special flight, I explained. We are only staying Saturday through Tuesday. On the day we arrived I didn’t have time to think about the tie, but strolling around on Sunday I did see ties bearing various letters in more than one shop window. They were cheap, just a dollar, but all the shops were closed.
On Monday, lunch lasted the whole afternoon. Then it was Tuesday morning, time to leave. It was only when I saw our airport bus waiting outside the hotel that I remembered the tie.
I told the group to go on. I would get a taxi to the airport. And so I went in search of a nearby shop where I had seen ties.
But I couldn’t find it. I walked further down the street-one, two, three blocks - all in vain. Back at the hotel, a bit anxious now, I took my suitcase, got a taxi and asked the driver to rush to the street where I had seen them.
The driver stopped at each shop we passed so I could look from the window. The stores had all sorts of ties, but not the kind I was looking for.
When I finally thought I had located the right shop, I decided to go in and check. The driver refused to wait. Parking was prohibited, he said. I promised to double the fare, jumped out and ran into the shop. Was I going to miss the plane just for a damned tie?
The salesman was unbearably slow. When I realized that the smallest change I had was a ten dollar note , I grabbed ten ties of different colours so I wouldn’t have to wait for change. I rushed out with the ties in a paper bag.
On the street I looked around. The taxi had vanished, taking my suitcase. What is more, I was going to miss the plane.
I ran to the corner, and hope flared up again: the taxi was waiting in the next street. Quick to the airport! As I settled down inside the taxi. I sighed with relief. Gilson was going to have enough initialized ties to last him a lifetime.
When I reached the airport, I paid the taxi driver the double fare and grabbed my suitcase. Panting, I boarded the plane under the reproachful gaze of the other passengers, all primly seated with their seat belts fastened. Ready to take off. Departure had been delayed because of me.
“At least I hope you found your tie”, said one who knew the story.
“I did”, I answered triumphantly.
After making myself comfortable, I reached for the paper bag to show the ties.
I had left it behind; in the taxi.
Fernando Sabino.
Read the incident again and answer the following question.
What was the writer always asked to do whenever he planned to go abroad?
SOLUTION
The author was to buy something from abroad.
Read the incident again and answer the following question.
What did Gilson want the writer to bring for him?
SOLUTION
Gilson wanted the writer to bring a tie with a small embroidered G.
Read the incident again and answer the following question.
When did the writer remember the fact that he had to buy something for Mr. Gilson?
SOLUTION
The writer remembered it when he saw their airport bus waiting outside the hotel.
Read the incident again and answer the following question.
Why were the other passengers in the flight gazing at the writer?
SOLUTION
The other passengers in the flight were gazing at the writer because b delayed because of him.
Read the incident again and answer the following question.
What is the humour element in the above incident?
SOLUTION
The humour element in the above incident is that the writer had left the paper bag containing the ties in the taxi.
Title summarises the story. Each paragraph is a part of the story. Look at the following expressions and find out the paragraphs that best suit these expressions.
- Oh, No! But it happens!
- Don’t let out your travelling dates
- Anyway, people will be happy
- Search begins
- Things are not that easy
- Hurry invites worry
SOLUTION
- Oh, No! But it happens – Paragraph 1
- Don’t let out your travelling dates – Paragraph 2
- Anyway, people will be happy – Paragraph 3
- Search begins – Paragraph 4
- Things are not that easy – Paragraph 5
- Hurry invites worry – Paragraph 6
Look at the following situations the writer was in. He could have avoided the situation and saved himself. Glance through the write up again and comment on what the writer should have done in the following situations.
- Gilson asked the writer to bring a tie.
- On the day of arrival, the writer had no time to think about the tie.
- The writer remembered about the tie when the bus was leaving for the airport.
- The writer walked down in search of the shop.
- The writer rushed out with the tie in a paper bag.
SOLUTION
- Gilson asked the writer to bring a tie?
Having accepted to bring a tie. The writer should have completed his shopping in time to procure it. He could have avoided his last-minute purchase. - On the day of arrival, the writer had no time to think about the tie?
The next day he saw the ties bearing various letters. But the shop were closed, the day being Sunday. He should have tried on Monday. - The writer remembered about the tie when the bus was leaving for the airport.
The writer should not have risked to go for buying a tie at the eleventh hour. He could have ignored it for want of time and convenience. - The writer walked down in search of the shop.
It was unwise to go in search of the shop when it was time for him to report at the airport. - The writer rushed out with the tie in a paper bag.
He had to buy ten ties instead of one. He could have avoided the tension of rushing out to the airport and pay double to the taxi.
State whether the following statements are true or false.
The narrator searched for three days to buy ceramic paint.
True
False
SOLUTION
The author was going to New York.
True
False
SOLUTION
Gilson asked the narrator to buy a tie.
True
False
SOLUTION
The taxi driver took away the narrator’s suitcase.
True
False
SOLUTION
Departure was delayed because of the author.
True
False
SOLUTION
The author left the ties in the taxi.
True
False
SOLUTION
Write a speech for your school Literary Association celebration with the given lead.
| 1) Opening | |
| 2) Purpose | |
| 3) Audience | |
| 4) Language – Some Good Describing Words (Adverbs And Adjectives), Emotive Words, Imagery etc. | |
| 5) Ending |
SOLUTION
Literary Association Celebration
Samacheer Kalvi solutions for English Class 10th SSLC Tamil Nadu State Board Chapter 2 The Night the Ghost Got in Grammar [Pages 42 - 44]
Nagarajan and Dhanalakshmi want to buy a new house. They have come to see a house for sale. Complete the conversation below by adding a, an, or the.
| Nagarajan: | Well, here we are, No.8, Kaveri Street. I think this is house we saw online. What do you think of ____________ location? |
| Dhanalakshmi: | It is in ____________ nice neighbourhood. And it’s close to the railway station. |
| Nagarajan: | And ____________ bus stop is not too far away. |
| Dhanalakshmi: | How many rooms are there? |
| Nagarajan: | There are three rooms, ____________ kitchen and ____________ balcony. |
| Dhanalakshmi: | There is a ____________ lawn behind ____________ house, right? |
| Nagarajan: | That’s right ____________ lawn is actually quite large. Did you see any photos of ____________ living room, online? What does it look like? |
| Dhanalakshmi: | ____________ living room looks great. It looks bright and airy. It has ____________ nice view of ____________ hills. But ____________ kitchen looks ____________ Little small. |
| Nagarajan: | And, I remember you said there isn’t ____________ store room, right? |
| Dhanalakshmi: | No, but there is ____________ attic, where we can store things. |
| Nagarajan: | I hope this house is ____________ better option. |
| Dhanalakshmi: | Lets wait for____________ real estate agent. She said, she would be here at three o’clock. |
| Nagarajan: | Look there she is! |
SOLUTION
| Nagarajan: | Well, here we are, No.8, Kaveri Street. I think this is house we saw online. What do you think of the location? |
| Dhanalakshmi: | It is in a nice neighbourhood. And it’s close to the railway station. |
| Nagarajan: | And a bus stop is not too far away. |
| Dhanalakshmi: | How many rooms are there? |
| Nagarajan: | There are three rooms, the kitchen, and a balcony. |
| Dhanalakshmi: | There is a lawn behind the house, right? |
| Nagarajan: | That’s right a lawn is actually quite large. Did you see any photos of the living room, online? What does it look like? |
| Dhanalakshmi: | The living room looks great. It looks bright and airy. It has a nice view of the hills. But the kitchen looks a little small. |
| Nagarajan: | And, I remember you said there isn’t a storeroom, right? |
| Dhanalakshmi: | No, but there is an attic, where we can store things. |
| Nagarajan: | I hope this house is a better option. |
| Dhanalakshmi: | Let's wait for the real estate agent. She said, she would be here at three o’clock. |
| Nagarajan: | Look there she is! |
Few articles are missing in the given passage. Edit the passage given below by adding suitable articles where ever necessary.
My neighbourhood is very interesting place. My house is located in apartment building downtown near many stores and offices. There is small supermarket across street, where my family likes to go shopping. There is also post office and bank near our home. In our neighbourhood there is small, Green Park where my friends and I like to play on weekends and holidays. There is small pond near park and there are many ducks in park. We always have great time. In addition there is elementary school close to our home where my little brother studies in third grade. There are so many things to see and do in my neighbourhood that’s why I like it. It’s really great place.
SOLUTION
My neighbourhood is a very interesting place. My house is located in an apartment building downtown near many stores and offices. There is a small supermarket across the street, where my family likes to go shopping. There is also a post office and a bank near our home. In our neighbourhood, there is a small, Green Park where my friends and I like to play on weekends and holidays. There is a small pond near the park and there are many ducks in the park. We always have a great time. In addition, there is an elementary school, close to our home, where my little brother studies in the third grade. There are so many things to see and do in my neighbourhood. That’s why I like it. It’s really a great place.
Refer to the dictionary to find out the meaning of the following prepositions and match them with the correct meaning
| Preposition | Meaning | |
| 1. | due to | a. as a substitute for |
| 2. | except for | b. in the interest of |
| 3. | with reference to | c. irrespective of |
| 4. | in spite of | d. added to |
| 5. | in addition to | e. because of |
| 6. | in place of | f. referring to |
| 7. | regardless of | g. with the exception of |
| 8. | for the sake of | h. disregarding the difficulty |
SOLUTION
Preposition | Meaning | |
1. | due to | e. because of |
2. | except for | g. with the exception of |
3. | with reference to | f. referring to |
4. | in spite of | h. disregarding the difficulty |
5. | in addition to | d. added to |
6. | in place of | a. as a substitute for |
7. | regardless of | c. irrespective of |
8. | for the sake of | b. in the interest of |
Fill in the blanks by choosing the most appropriate prepositional phrase from the given options.
Everything falls to the ground _______ earth’s gravitational pull.
in addition to
because of
cause of
SOLUTION
The trial was conducted ___________ the procedure of law.
in accordance with
due to
despite of
SOLUTION
There is a temple right ________ my house.
in back of
apart from
in front of
SOLUTION
As a ________ of his hard work, he achieved the target.
instead of
result of
apart from
SOLUTION
Failure is often the __________ negligence.
effect of
consequence of
reason of
SOLUTION
The parents must be informed ___________ any indiscipline conduct of their wards.
because of
in case of
in spite of
SOLUTION
Global warming is ______________ the green house emission.
an effect of
in spite of
in addition to
SOLUTION
______________ several warnings, he continued to swim.
due to
in spite of
because of
SOLUTION
Children are given toys ____________ sweets on Children’s day.
on top of
in addition to
due to
SOLUTION
He didn’t turn up ____________ his busy schedule.
consequence of
due to
except for
SOLUTION
Edit the following passage by replacing the underlined incorrect word with correct prepositional phrase.
Janu is studying in class X. In the event of the teachers __________________
SOLUTION
Janu is studying in class X. In the event of the teachers - According to
Edit the following passage by replacing the underlined incorrect word with correct prepositional phrase.
she is a disciplined student. In addition to her poverty, she __________________.
SOLUTION
she is a disciplined student. In addition to her poverty, she Inspite of.
Edit the following passage by replacing the underlined incorrect word with correct prepositional phrase.
is always neat. Many students like her in case of ________________________.
SOLUTION
is always neat. Many students like her in case of because of.
Edit the following passage by replacing the underlined incorrect word with correct prepositional phrase.
her simplicity. According to her studies, she also ____________.
SOLUTION
her simplicity. According to her studies, she also In addition to.
Edit the following passage by replacing the underlined incorrect words with correct prepositional phrase.
participates in sports. She gets on with everyone in case of __________________.
SOLUTION
participates in sports. She gets on with everyone in case of regardless of.
Edit the following passage by replacing the underlined incorrect word with a correct prepositional phrase.
age and gender in the school. In opposition to taking leave, she ensures __________________ that she completes the work given before she goes to school next day.
SOLUTION
age and gender in the school. In opposition to taking leave, she ensures In the event of that she completes the work given before she goes to school next day.
