Q.1.
What does Mrs Bennet tell her husband?
Ans:
Mrs Bennet tells her husband, Mr Bennet that she comes to learn from her neighbour,
Mrs Long that Neither field park which is vacant for a long time is taken by Mr. Charles
Bingley, a rich single young man.
Q.2.
Who takes over Neitherfield park? Why is Mrs Bennet happy about it?
Ans:
Neither field Park is taken over by Mr Charles Bingley who is a single young man of
large fortune from the north of England. Mrs Bennet is happy about taking over of the
park by the single (unmarried) and rich young man because she hopes (wishes) him to
marry one of her daughters.
Q.3.
Why does Mrs Bennet insist her husband to meet Mr. Bingley?
Ans:
Mrs Bennet insists her husband to meet Mr. Bingley because she has come to learn that
he is a handsome and single young man and wants Mr Bennet not to miss such an
acquaintance and settle the marriage of one of her daughters with Mr Bingley.
Q.4.
„You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves‟.
Ans:
When Mrs Bennet insists her husband, Mr Bennet to meet Mr. Bingley and settle the
marriage of one of their daughters with him, she gets poor response from him. She is very
much worried about the marriage of her daughters whose job is only to get her daughters
married. But instead of going himself (Mr Bennet) along with his daughters to meet
Bingley, he insists and forces his wife to go herself with them which here indicates that
he has no regard for his wife‟s feelings and it seems he doesn‟t think of them. As a matter
of fact he likes to shake her confidence by vexing her and in due course, she feels very
happy when she comes to learn that her husband had already called on Mr. Bingley.
Q.5.
Why does Mrs. Bennet think that Mrs Long is selfish?
Ans:
Mrs Bennet thinks that Mrs. Long is selfish because she has got her two nieces fulfilling
the criteria for marriage. So she will think only of them. Instead of introducing Bennet
family‟s daughters to Mr. Bingley, she will settle the marriage of one of her nieces with
him.
Q.6.
How does Mr Bennet react to the plan designed by his wife?
Ans:
Mr Bennet is a humourous and fun-loving person with responsible head. He likes to
ridicule his wife but the plan designed by his wife is reacted by him the way she doesn‟t
expect. She is worried about her daughters‟ marriage and insists her husband to meet Mr
Bingley in order to develop acquaintance. On the surface, he does not show any
willingness though his wife insists him a lot which indicates that Mr Bennet has no
regard for his daughters. But as a matter of fact, he has already called on him which
astonishes and delights his wife.
Q.7.
Why does Mrs Bennet tell her girls that they have an excellent father?
Ans:
At first Mrs Bennet thinks that her husband, Mr Bennet doesn‟t think of his daughters and
is not worried about their marriage. But when she comes to learn that her husband has
already paid a visit to Mr. Bingley in the morning of which he himself admits, she gets
surprised and feels very happy and therefore, tells her girls that they have an excellent
father.
WRITING WORK
Q.
Draw a character sketch of Mrs Bennet.
Ans:
The wife of Mr. Bennet, Mrs Bennet who is the mother of five daughters namely Jane,
Elizabeth (Lizzy), Catherine (Kitty), Mary and Loida, is an interesting character in “An
Excellent Father” extracted from Jane Austen‟s famous novel „Pride & Prejudice‟. The
first two daughters are fully grown and eligible of marriage Mrs Bennet is always worried
about her daughters‟ marriage whose job is only to get her daughters married. But on the
other hand, she is a woman of mean understanding, little knowledge and uncertain
temper. She insists her husband, Mr Bennet to meet Mr Bingley in order to develop
acquaintance with him and then settle his marriage with one of their daughters. But her
husband doesn‟t show any willingness to meet him (Mr Bingley) and it seems that he has
no regard for his wife‟s feelings. As a matter of fact, he has already called on him which
surprises and delights Mrs Bennet. Therefore, though at the last she feels satisfied to
some extent with the plan designed by her.
Q.
Write briefly about the humorous incidents in „An Excellent Father‟.
Ans:
There are a few instances of humour in „An Excellent Father‟. Right at the beginning
when Mrs Bennet was told by her husband to pay a visit to Mr. Bingley herself along
with the girls instead of visiting himself but later he was not of the opinion to send her
along with the girls and wanted her to send them by themselves. He teased her saying that
Mr. Bingley might like her the best of the party because he thought that she was as
handsome as any one of them. In another case when Mr Bennet observed Lizzy
(Elizebeth) engaged in trimming a hat, he teased her saying that Mr. Bingley would like it
(hat). In another situation when his another daughter Kitty (Catherine) started coughing,
he began to tease her. He remarked that she had no discretion in her coughs as she timed
them ill.
DISCUSSION:
Q.
Do you feel that mother‟s love is different from father‟s love? Why or why not?
Ans:
Yes, we do feel that mother‟s love is different from father‟s love because right after the
birth of a baby, mother starts worrying about her child. It is a fact that if we care for
anyone, there develops love and it is natural, that mothers love their children very much.
It is the mother who suffers a lot regarding her child‟s nourishment. It is she who is
always ready to sacrifice for her child. It is she who feels restless when she comes to
learn about her child‟s injury got accidently while playing. It is she who develops good
habits in her child. It is she who is considered as the first teacher of a child. She teaches
him/her how to talk, how to walk, how to interact with other. She is the symbol of love
affection, kindness, sympathy, tenderness, etc. and it is well said by our Prophet
Muhammad(S.A.W.) “Paradise lies under the feet of our mother.”
GRAMMAR:
Agreement of the verb with the subject (Concord)
Concord means a harmonious relationship between two grammatical items.
Rule-I: A verb must agree with its subject in number and persons, e.g,
The list of things is quite long. (Singular)
The lists of things are quite long. (Plural)
Singular subject take singular verbs (list, is) and plural subjects take plural verbs
(list are).
Exceptions:
i.
A plural verb is always required after „you‟ even when it is used in singular,
referring to one person, e.g,
You are watching TV perhaps. (Singular)
All of you are watching the cricket match. (Plural)
ii.
If the subjects joined by „and‟ refer to the same person or thing, the verb used is
singular, e.g,
The minister and scientist is on tour. (One person)
The minister and the scientist are on tour. (Two persons)
iii.
If the nominatives of two subjects joined by „and‟ denote one single idea, the verb
must be singular, e.g,
a.
Law and order is in utter chaos.
b.
Bread and butter is not the only aim of education.
c.
Slow and steady wins the race.
iv.
If two subjects connected by „and‟ are preceded/modified by each, every, many a,
somebody, no, either, no one, little, more, much, nobody, etc. These must take a
singular verb e.g,
a.
Each boy and girl has done his or her homework.
b.
Every shirt and coat is on sale.
c.
Many a soldier has laid down his life for the sake of his country.
Rule-II If a singular subject is connected to another noun or pronoun by with, together with,
along with, besides, as well as, including, in addition to, and not, etc. the verb must be
singular e.g,
a.
The laptop, along with the carry bag is on sale.
b.
He together with his parents has gone out.
c.
She, as well as, I is not wrong.
Note: If two subjects are connected by „as well as‟, the verb must agree in number and
person with the first one, e.g,
a.
I, as well as, she am not wrong.
b.
She, as well as, I is not wrong.
Rule-III If the subject is made up of both singular and plural words connected by nor or, either… or,
neither…nor, not only…but also the verb must agree with the nearer part of the subject, e.g,
a.
Either he or you have done it.
b.
Either you or he has done it.
Rule-IV If a collective noun expresses a single whole, the verb must be singular. But if it expresses
the individuals of which it is composed/made of, the verb must be plural e.g,
a.
The jury is unanimous in its opinion.
b.
The jury are divided in their opinions.
Q.
Now use verb in agreement with its subject in the following sentences.
1.
The page of the book is torn and the pages of the book are torn
2.
Two and two make four.
3.
A black and white dog is barking.
4.
The horse and the carriage are ready.
5.
The madam as well as the students is in the library.
6.
Either she or her brother is absent.
7.
Neither I nor he has resigned.
8.
Physics is said to be an interesting subject.
9.
Not only she but also her sisters are involved in the crime.
10.
The team is divided over who should be the captain.
Make five more sentences of each pattern given below.
a)
Mr Bennet had always intended to visit Mr Bingley.
i.
We all were anxious to hear our results.
ii.
I always wished to win a trophy.
iii.
The robber intended to rob the shopkeeper.
iv.
The students decided to visit Dachigam National Park.
v.
My friend promised to hand over the book.
b)
It is very likely that he may fall in love with one of our daughters.
i.
It is his good luck that he got such a loving friend.
ii.
It was my father‟s opinion that the issue of Child Labour could not end by
negotiations.
iii.
It is such a shock that one can‟t bear it.
iv.
It is bad news that Ramesh has failed in his exams.
v.
It was her destiny that she became an Air Hostess.