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Q1 In what way is Iswaran an asset to Mahendra?
Ans: Iswaran was a nice domestic helper for Mahendra. Apart from cooking and doing household work he was also a great entertainer for his masters. He was expert in the management of resources as he could find vegetables out nowhere and never complained with accompanying his masters.
Q2 How does Iswaran describe the uprooted tree on the highway? What effect does he want to create in his listeners?
Ans: Iswaran narrated the uprooted tree on the highway as eyebrows made appropriately and hands stretched out in the dramatic manner. He would being by saying that the road was distant and he was also all alone. Suddenly, he found something which looked like a huge bushy beast lying across that had fallen down its dry branches and were spread out. The effect that he wanted to create is suspense concluding in a very small incident which he narrates to the readers.
Q3 How does he narrate the story of the tusker? Does it appear to be plausible?
Ans: He began the story of an elephant by giving a preface in which he called an elephant a big and huge well- fed beasts. He said that after absconding from the timber yard, the elephant began roaming around carved on bushes and tore apart the wild creepers. Elephant came to the main road of the town and broke all the stalls which were selling fruits there, mud pots, broke down the volleyball net and crushed the drum which was kept for water and uprooted the shrubs. All the teachers and students were so afraid that they started climbing up to the school building's terrace. According to Iswaran, he was in the junior class. He took a cane from one of the teachers and ran into the open. The elephant was groaning and stamping its feet hardly. The entire scene was very frightening. But still, he moved slowly towards him and when the elephant rushed towards him, he moved and dead beat its third toe nail. It looked surprising and then fell down. This story does not appear to be acceptable so it is not plausible.
Q4 Why does the author say that Iswaran seemed to more than make up for the absence of a TV in Mahendra’s living quarters?
Ans: The author says this so because lswaran provided a great company to Mahendra. He would talk with mahendra at night when he would return back to his home from work. Mahendra would get entertained from stories told by Iswaran. Thus, Iswaran around Mahendra both with each other never felt bored and never felt the necessity of having TV for entertainment.
Q5 Mahendra calls ghosts or spirits a figment of the imagination. What happens to him on a full-moon night?
Ans: Mahendra calls ghosts or spirits as a fabrication of somebody thoughts because iswaran had told him that the ghosts were living on a funeral site and kept narrating the stories of various ghosts to him which he had faced. On the full moon night, Mahendra woke up from sleep and could hear a low groan which was close to his window. He thought that it was a cat romping around for a mice. But the sound was too deep and didn't seem like a cat. He avoided looking outsides as he didn't wanna counter whatever was there and wanted to avoid that sight which was breath taking. But the groaning became very louder and less faint. He couldn't resist that noise anymore so he calmed and lowered himself out of the windowsill. He looked out the moonlight at outside and saw a dark cloudy figure that holding a bundle. He started sweating due to fear and fell back on the pillow puffing.
Q6 Can you think of some other ending for the story?
Ans: The story could have ended on the more positive note. Instead of resigning from his job, Mahendra could have shown more audacity and proved the ghost theory wrong. Another ending can be of both by showing Mahendra and Iswaran continuing their bond and leaving the place together .