Question Bank — Footprints 1 — A Triumph of Surgery

Section A — MCQs (10 questions, 1 mark each)

1. Why did Mrs Pumphrey give Tricki “little extras” between meals?
   a) To cure his lumbago
   b) Because she thought he was suffering from malnutrition
   c) Because the gardener could not take him for walks
   d) To make him sleep better at night

2. What was Tricki’s only fault according to the narrator?
   a) Laziness
   b) Greed
   c) Aggression towards other dogs
   d) Fear of the car

3. How long did the narrator plan to keep Tricki at the surgery?
   a) One week
   b) About a fortnight
   c) One month
   d) Three days

4. Which of the following items did Mrs Pumphrey send with Tricki to the surgery?
   a) Only his raincoat
   b) His day bed, night bed, cushions, toys, rubber rings and bowls
   c) Only his favourite cream cakes
   d) None of the above

5. What change was noticed in Tricki on the third day at the surgery?
   a) He started eating cream cakes
   b) He began to whimper on hearing other dogs
   c) He refused to drink water
   d) He became aggressive

6. Assertion-Reason Question
   Assertion (A): Tricki recovered rapidly without any medicinal treatment.
   Reason (R): He joined the other dogs in running, playing and fighting for food.
   a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
   b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
   c) A is true but R is false.
   d) A is false but R is true.

7. Assertion-Reason Question
   Assertion (A): Mrs Pumphrey called the dog’s recovery “a triumph of surgery”.
   Reason (R): She believed the narrator had performed a successful operation on Tricki.
   a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
   b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
   c) A is true but R is false.
   d) A is false but R is true.

8. Which word from the text means “recovering from an illness”?
   a) Distraught
   b) Convalescing
   c) Listless
   d) Rheumy

9. Why did the narrator feel tempted to keep Tricki longer?
   a) Tricki had become very attached to him
   b) The household was receiving eggs, wine and brandy from Mrs Pumphrey
   c) Tricki helped in catching rats
   d) Mrs Pumphrey had stopped calling

10. What did Tricki do immediately on seeing Mrs Pumphrey at the end?
    a) He hid under the seat
    b) He leapt into her lap and licked her face
    c) He refused to leave the surgery
    d) He started barking at the chauffeur

Section B — Reference to Context (3 extracts, 4 marks each)

Extract 1

“I was really worried about Tricki this time. I had pulled up my car when I saw him in the street with his mistress and I was shocked at his appearance. He had become hugely fat, like a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner.”

1. Who is the speaker and what is the context?
2. What does the description reveal about Tricki’s condition?
3. Identify the literary device used in “like a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner”.
4. Pick out a word from the extract that means “swollen or puffed up”.

Extract 2

“For two days I kept an eye on him, giving him no food but plenty of water. At the end of the second day he started to show some interest in his surroundings and on the third he began to whimper when he heard the dogs in the yard.”

1. Who is “I” in the extract?
2. Why did the narrator not give Tricki any food initially?
3. Name the literary device used in the phrase “kept an eye on him”.
4. What does Tricki’s whimpering on the third day suggest?

Extract 3

“Oh, Mr Herriot,” she cried, “how can I ever thank you? This is a triumph of surgery!”

1. Who is speaking and to whom?
2. Why does the speaker thank the listener?
3. What literary device is used in the phrase “a triumph of surgery”?
4. What is ironic about the speaker’s statement?

Section C — Short Answer (5 questions, 3 marks each)

1. Why was Mrs Pumphrey worried about Tricki? What steps did she take that proved unwise?
2. How did the narrator treat Tricki during the first two days at the surgery?
3. Describe the change in Tricki’s behaviour after he started mixing with the other dogs.
4. Why did Mrs Pumphrey keep sending eggs, wine and brandy to the surgery?
5. How did Tricki react on seeing Mrs Pumphrey when he was being taken home?

Section D — Long Answer (2 questions, 6 marks each)

1. Draw a character sketch of Mrs Pumphrey in 100–120 words. Highlight her love for Tricki and the problems caused by her overindulgence.
2. “Over-pampering can harm those we love.” How does the story “A Triumph of Surgery” illustrate this idea? Write your answer in 100–120 words with reference to the text.

Section E — Language and Writing (2 questions, 4 marks each)

1. From the words given in the box, choose the correct synonyms for the following words as used in the story:
   listless, distraught, regime, convalescing
   (Options: extremely worried, recovering, lacking energy, prescribed routine)

2. Imagine you are Mrs Pumphrey. Write a short diary entry (80–100 words) on the day you received Tricki back from the surgery. Express your feelings and what you have learnt.