Read the extract: "I was about to direct him upstairs, when Anand said quickly, 'The one next to this one.' 'You silly goose!' I said angrily as soon as the man had gone. 'That's your room. He'll come back as mad as mad can be.' 'At least it will give us some time to think of something,' Anand said. 'He'll take a while to locate the light switch. Let's shout.' All of a sudden there was a crash followed by a loud scream. More strange noises emerged from the next room—a few muffled thumps, an eerie whine, and a low, humming sound." (i) Complete the sentence given below with a suitable reason. Anita was angry with Anand because ____.
Which action of Anand shows his presence of mind?
Anand's action of quickly misleading Boppa into entering his own room instead of his father's room shows his presence of mind. He did this deliberately to buy them time to think of a plan, knowing Boppa would struggle to find the light switch in an unfamiliar room.
What might be the cause of the strange noises emerging from the next room? A. The intruder moving furniture around B. Anand's time machine getting activated C. The intruder locating the light switch D. Anand's invention malfunctioning
B. Anand's time machine getting activated. The strange noises—a crash, loud scream, muffled thumps, eerie whine, and low humming sound—suggest that Boppa accidentally triggered Anand's time machine, which was described earlier as having a control switchboard and various mechanical components.
Which of the following best describes the atmosphere in this extract? A. relaxing B. peaceful C. tense D. sad E. suspenseful F. joyful (a) A, D and E (b) B and F (c) C and E (d) Only D
(c) C and E. The atmosphere is both tense and suspenseful. The children are in danger from an intruder, there are strange unexplained noises, and they are waiting anxiously for help to arrive.
Explanation
((ii)) Despite the frightening situation, Anand thought quickly and redirected the dangerous intruder away from his father's room. His statement 'At least it will give us some time to think of something' shows he had a strategic reason for his action—Boppa would take time to locate the light switch in the dark room. ((iii)) The chapter describes Anand's time machine as having 'a network of wires, springs, levers, and bulbs' and 'an enormous panel which was to be control switchboard.' The specific sounds described—humming, whine, thumps—match what one might expect from such a machine being activated. Anand himself exclaims 'My time machine, he's started it!' ((iv)) The extract creates a tense atmosphere through the presence of a dangerous intruder ('brandishing his cudgel'), the children's fear, and the mysterious sounds. The suspense builds as they wonder what is happening in the next room and whether help will arrive in time.