Read the extract: "Before beginning this story, let me put you in the picture. I am Anita, fourteen years old. My brother Anand, one year younger than me, caused all that hoo-ha with his burglar alarm. The trouble with him is that he thinks he is a scientist. He loves tinkering with all sorts of electrical gadgets, tools, dynamos, planks of wood, and things like that. And he keeps creating 'inventions' that never work out as they are supposed to." (i) Complete the following sentence suitably by choosing the correct option from those given in the brackets. When Anita says, "…let me put you in the picture", she wants to ____ (introduce/summarise) the situation for the benefit of the readers.
Anand loves 'tinkering' with all sorts of electrical gadgets. This means that he enjoys ____ gadgets. A. dismantling and creating B. labelling or naming C. repairing or improving D. collecting and displaying
A. dismantling and creating. Anand enjoys taking apart gadgets and creating new things from them, which is what 'tinkering' means in this context.
Which of the following options most suitably describes Anand's personality? A. methodical and cautious B. creative and experimental C. energetic and hasty D. shy and reserved
B. creative and experimental. Anand constantly thinks of new inventions, creates gadgets, and experiments with different materials despite his creations often failing.
Based on the extract, compare what Anita thinks of her brother Anand with what he thinks of himself.
Anita thinks of Anand as a bothersome brother whose inventions never work properly and who causes trouble in the house. She sees him as someone who merely 'thinks he is a scientist' but whose creations fail. In contrast, Anand thinks of himself as a genuine scientist and inventor. He believes in his abilities, plans his inventions carefully with blueprints, and is confident that his creations will work.
Explanation
((ii)) The word 'tinkering' refers to making small changes or improvements by taking things apart and reassembling them. The chapter describes Anand as someone who 'loves tinkering with all sorts of electrical gadgets, tools, dynamos, planks of wood' and 'keeps creating inventions'—this clearly indicates dismantling and creating. ((iii)) The extract shows Anand as someone who 'thinks he is a scientist,' 'loves tinkering,' and 'keeps creating inventions.' These traits reflect creativity (thinking of new ideas) and an experimental nature (trying things out even when they don't work as planned). ((iv)) The extract reveals Anita's skeptical view—she describes Anand's 'inventions that never work out as they are supposed to' and mentions how he 'got on Papa's nerves or frightened someone half to death.' Anand, however, sees himself as professional (using words like 'blueprint') and is confident about his work, saying 'Nothing will go wrong this time. I've planned it out carefully.'