DAV Class 8 English Literature Book Solutions Chapter 10 The Undeserved Reward

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DAV Class 8 English Literature Chapter 10 Question Answer – The Undeserved Reward

Pre-Reading Task

If you are offered a reward for a task done by someone else, will you….
(a) accept the reward quietly.
(b) refuse to accept the reward, saying that you don’t deserve it.
(c) accept the reward with the intention that you will pass it on to the one who really deserves it?
Discuss your response with your partner.
Answer:
For self-attempt

I. Understanding the Story

A. Write T for true or F for false statements.

Question 1.
The narrator is a lawyer by profession.
Answer:
False

Question 2.
The district officer had a keen interest in history.
Answer:
True

Question 3.
The narrator and Baldev used to be classmates about ten years back.
Answer:
False

Question 4.
Baldev came to see the narrator because he was keen to revive an old friendship.
Answer:
False

Question 5.
The narrator requested the district officer to help his friend.
Answer:
False

Question 6.
Baldev was thankful to the narrator for saving his son.
Answer:
True

B. Answer the following questions in about 30 words each.

Question 1.
Why is the narrator a secret admirer of the district officer?
Answer:
The narrator is a secret admirer of the district officer because of his keen interest in histoiy. He has also done research in history and in coins. He is a man of learning.

Question 2.
What did the Indian officer do when his father-in-law insisted on prolonging his daughter’s stay at his house?
Answer:
The Indian officer came back to his house when his father-in-law insisted on prolonging his daughter’s stay at his house. He issued summons for the arrest of the father-in-law. The man came and asked for forgiveness.

Question 3.
When the narrator was invited by the district officer to see him, his friends said that it was an insult to him. Why?
Answer:
When the narrator was invited by the district officer to see him, his friends gave different views. They said that it was his insult. According to them, if, he was keen to meet him, he should come himself. They said that these officers never come out of their superiority and thought that other persons were ordinary.

Question 4.
Why was the narrator happy that the district officer had not come to his house himself instead of calling him?
Answer:
The narrator was happy that the district officer did not come to his house himself but sent for him because he was not capable to give him proper welcome. He did not have even a proper chair or expensive cigar to serve him.

Question 5.
‘I considered this as downright mean and dishonest.’What did the narrator consider to be mean and dishonest?
Answer:
‘I considered this as downright mean and dishonest.’ The narrator did not like to take help or advantage of his relationship with the district officer. Taking favours from the high officials was against his principles.

Question 6.
How did the narrator and Baldev become friends in their childhood?
Answer:
The narrator and Baldev had studied together. They were then eight or nine years old. Baldev was dull minded whereas the narrator was very intelligent. Baldev never understood anything in class. The narrator began to help him in his studies and he began to do well.

Question 7.
Why had the police involved Baldev’s son in a false case of dacoity?
Answer:
Baldev’s son was a well built, stout person. Many a time he quarrelled with the police. The police was searching an opportunity to involve him in a criminal case. They got a chance to involve him in a false case.

C. Baldev presented many arguments before the narrator to convince him to speak to the district officer. State a few arguments and identify the one which you think to be the most convincing, giving reasons to justify your choice. (About 80-100 words).
Answer:
Baldev gave several arguments to convince the narrator. He told that his son was innocent. He also told that the entire family and son’s life would be ruined. He appealed that he approached him for help only because his son was innocent otherwise he could have never disturbed him. The son’s mother was crying and had not eaten anything since his arrest. Baldev asked the narrator what could he have done if his own innocent son was arrested like that. In my opinion, the last argument is most convincing. If it would have been the matter of the narrator’s own innocent son, he might have approached the district officer for the sake of his son. It was the matter of an innocent life.

II. HOTS

‘I feel sorry at the mentality of my countrymen’ says the narrator. Why does the narrator feel sorry for it? Explain.
Answer:
The narrator felt sorry at the mentality of the countrymen. The weaker always give too much respect to the stronger or rich. They think that they need their help to lead a smooth life. Though they seldom get their help. People should learn to live independent and decent life in whatever condition they are.

III. Life Skills

A. “Every deserving action should be rewarded, likewise every reward should be well deserved. Does this statement always holds true in real life? Substantiate your answer with examples.
Answer:
Every deserving action should be rewarded and every reward should be well deserved. But this statement does not always hold true in real life. For instance, in our country hockey players do not get deserved reward whereas cricketers are over rewarded.

B. ‘One should listen to all but take one’s own decision guided by both intellect and conscience’. Discuss.
Answer:
It is true that one should listen to all but take one’s own decision guided by both intellect and conscience. Otherwise later one has to repent over the decision made on the basis of other’s suggestions or requests. In the story the narrator decided help Baldev free his son from the police but later he regretted doing so because he knew that his son was not a good person and that was the reason that the district officer did not consider it proper to interfere in the case.

IV. Values

A. “I could not gather the courage to tell them that I had done nothing. ’
Should the narrator have accepted the credit for saving Baldev’s son from imprisonment or should have he admitted openly that he had done nothing in the matter? Discuss in the class.
Answer:
For self-attempt.

B. (i) “Where the teacher’s cane failed, my sympathetic approach yielded results’. It was not uncommon to see children being subjected to corporal punishment earlier. Do you think it was relevant in these times?
(ii) Do you think capital punishment is justified?
Answer:
For self-attempt.

V. Writing Skills

A. Baldev is extremely rejoiced at the help rendered by his old friend. On behalf of Baldev prepare a thanksgiving card for the narrator thanking him for his help.
Answer:
Dear Premchand
Accept my thanks for what you have done to save my son’s life. I know ‘thanks’ is a very small word for such type of help. You have also proved this dictum right that a friend in need is a friend indeed.
Yours
Baldev

B. You are the narrator. You are overcome with a feeling of guilt after Baldev and his son leave your house. Write a letter to Baldev expressing your guilt over accepting the honour that you did not deserve.
Answer:
Examination Hall
5th March, 20XX
Dear Baldev
I was really overwhelmed to see that your son was released by the police because he was innocent. He deserved this. But I would like to apologise that I had not done any favour. You know well my principles that I do not like taking any obligation. So I did not visit the district officer. Your son had been released because he did not commit any crime. Hence, he was not punished. I am really feeling guilty for accepting the reward which I didn’t deserve. I would also like to send back all the gifts that you brought.
Yours
Premchand

DAV Class 8 English Literature Chapter 10 Solutions – The Undeserved Reward

Question 1.
Do you think the narrator was a true friend of Baldev? Comment.
Answer:
The narrator was a man of principles. He did not like taking obligations in his life. When he was approached by an old friend Baldev for a favour from district officer, he found himself helpless in this situation. But it does not prove that he was not a true friend of Baldev. He had sympathy for Baldev and his son. So he became overwhelmed seeing the release of Baldev’s son as he was innocent.

Question 2.
What is your opinion about Baldev’s friendship with the narrator?
Answer:
Baldev who called himself the narrator’s bosom friend did not appear before falling into a trouble. He came to him only after getting knowledge of the narrator’s relations with the district officer. He showed his intimacy to flatter the narrator and brought gifts for him to pay back his obligations. Overall, Baldev does not appear to be a true and close friend to the narrator.

Question 3.
Write character sketch of the district officer on the basis of your reading of the stoiy.
Answer:
The district officer in the stoiy is a wise, and well learned person, who manages time to study history and coins from his busy schedule. He is an amiable person who invites the narrator as he is a writer and talks to him in a very polite manner. It is his keen observation and wisdom that the son of the narrator’s friend has been let off without any charge. He scolds the daroga and warns him if in future he indulges in bringing bad name to anyone without any base, he would be dismissed. Thus, the district officer is a true human being and just in his decisions.

Word Power
Find words from the story whose synonyms have been given below.
(a) advice : _________
(b) comforted : _________
(c) examine : _________
(dj infuriated : _________
(e) entirely : _________
Answer:
(a) advice : suggestion
(b) comforted : promised
(c) examine : investigate
(d) infuriated : enraged
(e) entirely : completely

The Undeserved Reward Summary in English

The narrator writes about a district officer who has also done considerable research in history and old coins. But he never met the officer. For him, meeting a government official means taking of some obligations.

One day, the narrator was called by the district officer. Everyone suggested him in his own way. According to one friend, it was compulsory whereas other thought that the district officer should come himself and meet him.

But the narrator felt that he was merely a writer and an ordinary man whereas the district officer was a man of fame. So, he decided to meet the district officer. The district officer behaved very well. The narrator felt pleasure in the meeting. Soon, people came to know about the meeting. The people came to the narrator so that they could get favour from the district officer. But the narrator was not interested in such matters. One day, the narrator’s friend Baldev came to meet him. They were childhood friends and studied together. Baldev thanked him for teaching him in his childhood. He also remarked that the narrator was so thin as before. He suggested him to have proper diet for his health.

Then, Baldev started telling that his son was arrested in a case in which, he was not involved at all and asked the narrator to talk to the district officer otherwise, the life of his son and family would be ruined.

The writer had no excuse: He completed his article, but he paid no attention to keep his promise to Baldev. He forgot the incident.
After eight days Baldev came along with his son and thanked him. His son brought a huge bundle of presents. The writer got the reward for the task which he had not done.
He was spellbound in that situation.

The Undeserved Reward Summary in Hindi

लेखक एक जिलाध्यक्ष के विषय में लिखता हैं जिसने इतिहास और पुराने सिक्कों के ऊपर शोध किया था। परन्तु वह उस अधिकारी से कभी नहीं मिला था। उसके लिए सरकारी अधिकारी से मिलने का अर्थ उससे मिलकर कोई सरकारी काम निकलवाना था।

एक दिन जिलाध्यक्ष ने उसे बुलाया। उसके मित्रों ने अपने-अपने मत प्रकट किए। एक मित्र ने इसे आवश्यक बताया तो दूसरे मित्र ने कहा कि जिलाध्यक्ष को स्वयं उससे मिलने के लिए आना चाहिए।
परन्तु लेखक ने सोचा कि वह एक छोटा सा लेखक है और जिलाध्यक्ष बहुत बड़ा व्यक्ति है। अतः उसने जिलाध्यक्ष से मिलने का निश्चय किया। जिलाध्यक्ष उसके साथ बहुत विनम्रता के साथ मिला। लेखक को इस मुलाकात से प्रसन्नता हुई। जल्दी ही लेखक की इस मुलाकात का लोगों को पता चल गया। लोगों ने लेखक के पास आना आरम्भ कर दिया ताकि वह जिलाध्यक्ष से उनका काम करा सकें । परन्तु लेखक की इन कामों में कोई रूचि नहीं थी ।

एक दिन, लेखक के बचपन का एक मित्र बलदेव उनसे मिलने आया। दोनों बचपन के मित्र थे तथा साथ पढ़ाई किया करते थे। बलदेव ने लेखक को बचपन में पढ़ाने का धन्यवाद दिया और उसके दुबलेपन पर चिन्ता व्यक्त करते हुए ठीक से खाने का सुझाव दिया।

फिर बलदेव ने बताया कि उसके बेटे को एक मामले में गिरफ्तार कर लिया गया है जिसमें वह शामिल ही नहीं था । उसने लेखक से कहा कि वह जिलाध्यक्ष से बात करे, नहीं तो उसकी और उसके बेटे की जिंदगी बर्बाद हो जाएगी।

लेखक के पास कोई बहाना नहीं था। उसने अपना लेख पूरा किया, परन्तु बलदेव को दिया वादा भूल गया । उसकी इसे पूरा करने की कोई चाह भी नहीं थी। वह घटना भी भूल गया। आठ दिनों के बाद बलदेव अपने बेटे के साथ आया और लेखक को धन्यवाद दिया । उसका पुत्र उसके लिए ढेरों उपहार लाया था लेखक नि:शब्द था क्योंकि उसे उस काम का पुरस्कार मिला था, जो उसने किया ही नहीं था ।

• Admirer – one who praises – प्रशंसक;
• Barrier – obstacle – रूकावट;
• Misconstrued – misunderstood – किसी व्यक्ति के कहे गए शब्दों को गलत समझना ;
• Predicament – unpleasant situation – दुखद स्थिति;
• Obligatory – compulsory – अनिवार्य;
• Snooty – a person who considers himself to be superior than others – जो व्यक्ति स्वयं को सर्वश्रेष्ठ समझे;
• Naib Tehsilder – Assistant Officer – सहायक अधिकारी;
• Acquaintance – familiarity – परिचित;
• Seditious – provoking people against the govt – राजद्रोही;
• Canons – principles – सिद्धांत;
• Prestige – respect – आद्र;
• Personage – a person of rank – अधिकारी वर्ग का
• Pies – old coin – पुराना सिक्का;
• Discrimination – making difference – विषमता;
• Parted – separated – अलग किया;
• Vanishes – disappear – समाप्त करना;
• Seer – a unit of weight – नाप की इकाई;
• Implicate – to show to be involved in a crime – किसी अपराध में फंसाना;
• Investigate – probe – छानबीन;
• Blemish – charge – कलंकित करना;
• Reprimanded – scolded – तिरस्कृत किया;
• Maligning – bringing a name without any basis – बिना किसी साक्ष्य के बदनाम करना ।