TEXT BASED MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
(i) The story 'With the Photograph' is penned by ________.
(a) Katherine Mansfield
(b) Stephen Leacock
(c) W. Somerset Maugham
(d) Alphonse Daudet
Answer: (b) Stephen Leacock
(ii) The photographer looked at the narrator ________.
(a) cheerfully
(b) with enthusiasm
(c) without enthusiasm
(d) indifferently
Answer: (c) without enthusiasm
(iii) The narrator was asked to wait for ________.
(a) 15 minutes
(b) 30 minutes
(c) one hour
(d) 45 minutes
Answer: (c) one hour
(iv) The studio was ________.
(a) well-furnished
(b) quite modern
(c) dimly lighted
(d) very big
Answer: (c) dimly lighted
(v) The photographer had the looks of ________.
(a) a sick man
(b) an angry man
(c) a natural scientist
(d) a crooked politician
Answer: (c) a natural scientist
(vi) The second visit to the photographer was paid by the
narrator ________.
(a) next day
(b) the same evening
(c) next Saturday
(d) after a fortnight
Answer: (c) next Saturday
(vii) The narrator's face was found to be ________ by the
photographer.
(a) quite ugly
(b) quite attractive
(c) quite wrong
(d) very innocent
Answer: (c) quite wrong
(viii) While waiting for the photographer the narrator
________.
(a) read the latest news
(b) a journal for the infants
(c) listened to the music
(d) kept writing something in his diary
Answer: (b) a journal for the infants
(ix) What was the age of the narrator when he went to the
photographer to have his photograph taken?
(a) fifty
(b) forty
(c) thirty
(d) forty-five
Answer: (b) forty
(x) The Delphide is a process employed by the photographer
to ________.
(a) add new features
(b) remove unwanted features
(c) adjust body posture
(d) show attractive teeth
Answer: (b) remove unwanted features
COMPREHENSION PASSAGES
Passage 1
(i) Why do you think the photographer did not look at the
narrator with enthusiasm?
Answer: The photographer may have lacked enthusiasm because
he saw the task as routine or uninspiring, or he might not have been
particularly impressed or interested in the narrator's appearance, which seems
to be a common response of someone with a scientific and detached demeanor.
(ii) Why did the narrator not feel fit to describe the
photographer?
Answer: The narrator assumed that the typical appearance and
behavior of photographers are universally known and therefore did not require
description.
(iii) What was the narrator's experience with the
photographer?
Answer: The narrator's experience with the photographer was
disheartening and dismissive, leaving him feeling undervalued and subjected to
an impersonal and critical examination.
(iv) What tells you about the appearance of the
photographer?
Answer: The description of the photographer as a
"drooping man in a gray suit, with the dim eye of a natural
scientist" conveys an image of someone who is disinterested, possibly
tired, and detached.
(v) How did the narrator spend his time while waiting for
the photographer?
Answer: The narrator passed the time by reading outdated
magazines, which likely contributed to his feelings of insignificance and
neglect.
Passage 2
(i) Who is 'he' here in this extract? Was 'he' at peace with
himself?
Answer: 'He' refers to the photographer. He does not appear
to be at peace with himself, as evidenced by his frantic tearing at the cotton
sheet and window panes, suggesting a sense of urgency or dissatisfaction with
the lighting conditions.
(ii) What do you think of the studio where the photographer
was to take the narrator's photograph?
Answer: The studio seems to be inadequately equipped,
lacking proper lighting and ventilation, which causes the photographer to
become frantic for light and air.
(iii) What was the photograph trying to do in his studio?
Answer: The photographer was attempting to improve the
lighting in his studio, perhaps to create better conditions for taking a
successful photograph.
(iv) What was the photographer's reaction when he came out
of the black cloth on the camera?
Answer: When the photographer emerged from the black cloth
of the camera, he was grave and shook his head, indicating dissatisfaction with
the narrator's appearance or the lighting conditions.
(v) What was thought to be the problem with the face of the
narrator?
Answer: The photographer perceived the narrator's face as
'quite wrong' for a photograph, indicating that it did not meet his standards
or the conventional expectations for a portrait.
Passage 3
(i) What was the narrator sure of?
Answer: The narrator was sure that a face could appear more
attractive when viewed from a three-quarters perspective.
(ii) "The man had such a human side to him." What
does the narrator wish to convey about the man?
Answer: The narrator wishes to convey that the photographer,
despite his professional detachment, showed a moment of relatability by
acknowledging the potential for improvement in human appearances.
(iii) How are the faces of the human beings made to look
better and how much?
Answer: According to the narrator, the faces of human beings
are made to look wider and more expansive when viewed from a three-quarters
angle, enhancing their appearance.
(iv) What is the tone of the narrator when he says that
human faces are made to look better?
Answer: The narrator's tone is one of enthusiasm and relief,
pleased with the idea that the photographer might be able to capture a more
flattering image.
(v) Did the photographer himself need some improvement in
his face or mind? How do you know?
Answer: The text suggests that the narrator believed the
photographer could also benefit from being viewed at a more flattering angle,
implying that everyone has features that could be enhanced by a photographer's
skill.
Passage 4
(i) Which body features are asked to be improved upon and
how?
Answer: The photographer asks the narrator to droop his ears
more, roll his eyes under the lids, and adjust the positioning of his hands and
face to create a supposedly better appearance.
(ii) Do you think the narrator is happy and satisfied with
the photographer?
Answer: It is unlikely that the narrator is happy or
satisfied; he seems to be complying with the photographer's demands but there
is an underlying tension and discomfort.
(iii) Which things other than the ones mentioned later in
the context are to be right?
Answer: Other than the features mentioned, the photographer
also focuses on the positioning of the body, the opening of the mouth, and the
overall expression to meet his artistic standards.
(iv) Did all these body features of the narrator meet the
due approval of the photographer? How do you know?
Answer: No, the body features did not meet the
photographer's approval, as he continuously gave directions for adjustments,
indicating dissatisfaction with the initial presentation.
(v) What does it tell you about the photographer's art?
Answer: It suggests that the photographer's art is
meticulous and exacting, with a specific vision that requires precise
manipulation of the subject's features.
Passage 5
(i) Who is the speaker here? Who is he talking to? What is
the occasion?
Answer: The speaker is the narrator, he is talking to the
photographer during a photo session where his appearance is being critiqued and
altered.
(ii) What prompted the speaker to say, “It is not yours, it
is mine”?
Answer: The speaker is prompted by the photographer's
intrusive adjustments and critique of his facial features, leading him to
assert ownership over his own appearance.
(iii) What is the tone of the speaker?
Answer: The tone of the speaker is emotional and dignified,
with a hint of defiance as he asserts the personal value and acceptance of his
own face.
(iv) What does the extract tell about the narrator's present
mood?
Answer: The extract indicates that the narrator is
frustrated and emotionally stirred, but he also expresses a sense of dignity
and self-acceptance.
(v) The narrator seems to assert some idea. What is it?
Answer: The narrator asserts the idea of self-acceptance and
the intrinsic value of his natural appearance, despite its imperfections.
Passage 6
(i) Where was the narrator asked to come?
Answer: The narrator was asked to come into the
photographer's studio to view the proof of his photograph.
(ii) What made the photographer feel proud of?
Answer: The photographer seemed to feel proud of the
photograph he had taken, perhaps believing it to be a good representation of
his skills.
(iii) Both the photographer and the narrator looked at the
proof of the photograph in silence. Why do you think both were silent?
Answer: Both were likely silent due to the gravity of the
moment, with the photographer possibly awaiting approval and the narrator
absorbing the impact of seeing his altered image.
(iv) What was the narrator's reaction on seeing his
photograph?
Answer: The narrator was puzzled and unsure, questioning
whether the photograph truly represented him.
(v) What more changes did the photographer want to make in
the final finish of the photograph?
Answer: The photographer wanted to remove the ears entirely
using the Sulphide process, among other possible alterations.
Passage 7
(i) What had not been tempered with as far as the body
features were concerned?
Answer: The ears had not yet been altered in the photograph.
(ii) To which question of the narrator does the photographer
say 'yes'?
Answer: The photographer says 'yes' to the narrator's
observation that the ears in the photograph were a good likeness of his own.
(iii) Which body features had the photographer retouched to
make them look better?
Answer: The photographer had retouched the eyes and removed
the eyebrows, intending to replace them with an improved version using the
Delphide process.
(iv) How do the photographers bring about changes in a
photograph that looks completely different from the original?
Answer: Photographers use various processes like Sulphide
for removing features, Delphide for adding new ones, and other techniques to
adjust and enhance the original image.
(v) How did the narrator blast the photographer later?
Answer: The narrator harshly criticized the photographer's
alterations and the artificiality of the processes used, expressing that the
result was a distortion of his true self.
Passage 8
(i) What is the narrator’s reaction on his photograph in his
next visit?
Answer: The narrator is indignant and views the photograph
as a distortion of his real self, a mere trinket without personal value.
(ii) Mention at least three different processes with the
help of which the photographers effect facial features.
Answer: The processes include the Delphide for adding new
features, Sulphide for removing features, and techniques like glossing,
shading, embossing, and gilding to finish the photograph.
(iii) Does the narrator approve of the techniques of the
photographers in bringing about changes in the original photograph?
Answer: No, the narrator does not approve of the
photographer's techniques, as they distort his natural appearance.
(iv) Would you justify the narrator’s viewpoint or the
photographer’s? Why?
Answer: This answer would be subjective, but in the context
of the story, one might justify the narrator's viewpoint for valuing
authenticity and self-acceptance over artificial enhancement.
(v) Why does the narrator call the photograph a worthless
‘bauble’?
Answer: The narrator calls the photograph a worthless
'bauble' because it no longer represents his true appearance or the essence of
his character, reducing it to a valueless object.
Credits @Dinesh_Moturi. ;-)
