18. The Missing Whiskers Solutions

 18. The Missing Whiskers Solutions

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A. Think Quick

1. The boss was usually a gentle/an angry fellow.

gentle

2. He was having lunch/taking a nap when he snapped.

taking a nap

3. He shouted out that he was sick/in pain.

sick

4. His face became yellow and blue/red and swollen.

red and swollen

5. He said his employees were incompetent/efficient.

incompetent

6. He drafted a letter/memorandum.

memorandum

B. Write Short Answers

1. Who is the main character in the poem?

The main character in the poem is the Boss Babu.

2. Write three adjectives which the poet has used to describe him.

The poet describes him as gentle, relaxed and stricken.

3. What happened during his nap?

During his nap, the Boss Babu suddenly felt something snap inside him, leading him to believe that his moustache had been stolen. He suddenly rolled his eyes and shouted for help.

4. What did he say after he woke up?

After he woke up, he declared, "My moustache has been stolen."

5. What were some of the solutions that the employees suggested? Mention any two.

The employees suggested calling the doctor or the veterinarian to address the situation.

6. What did the boss do at the end of the poem?

At the end of the poem, the boss composed a memorandum criticizing his employees for their incompetence and lack of belief that moustaches could be stolen.

C. Think and Answer

1. Why do you think that the boss suddenly snapped while he was taking a nap?

The boss suddenly snapped during his nap because he felt an unexpected sensation, leading him to believe that his moustache had been stolen, which caused him great distress. This was because probably he had a bad dream that upset him very much.

2. The employees reacted in different ways. What does this tell us about them and their relationship with their boss?

The employees reacted in different ways. They had always thought that the boss was gentle and mild-mannered man. They were taken aback when they saw his change, when he thought that his moustache had been stolen. They became frightened of his temper and unpredictable behaviour and were unsure of how to deal with him.

3. How did the boss react after he was shown a mirror?

After being shown a mirror, the boss became angry, accusing his employees of being "dunderheads" for not believing that his moustache had been stolen, and threatened to reduce their wages.

4. Was the boss right to call the employees ‘dunderheads’? Give two reasons for your answer.

The boss was not justified in calling his employees 'dunderheads' because they were genuinely trying to help him by showing that his moustache was still intact, and his accusation stemmed from his own misunderstanding.

5. Explain this line in your own words: ‘Man is a slave, Mustache is master …’

A moustache is the most important thing to a person, who has one. It is very precious to him. He cannot imagine losing it. It seems to be his master and not the other way around.

6. Do you think that this is a funny poem? Give two reasons for your answer.

Yes, this is a funny poem because it portrays an exaggerated reaction to a trivial issue, and the employees' absurd suggestions add to the humor.

D. Reference to Context

‘They heard him and they all began to cluster around the stricken man …’

a. Who are they?

'They' refers to the employees of the Boss Babu.

b. Who is the person being referred to as 'him'?

'Him' refers to the Boss Babu.

c. What did they hear?

They heard the boss exclaiming that he was sick and needed help.

d. What did they do when they heard this?

Upon hearing this, they gathered around the boss to assess the situation and discuss possible solutions.

e. Why has the person referred to as ‘him’ been called a ‘stricken man’?

He is called a 'stricken man' because he appeared distressed and agitated, believing that his moustache had been stolen.

f. What do ‘they’ do after this?

After this, they suggested various actions, such as calling the police or a veterinarian, to help the boss.