Jammu and Kashmir Board Class 10 English Tulip Book Short Stories 4 Dusk Question Answers
Dusk Question Answers: Looking for Dusk important questions and answers for JKBOSE Class 10 English Tulip Book? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practicing JKBOSE Class 10 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the board exam. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Dusk answers now. The questions listed below are based on the latest JKBOSE exam pattern. All the exercises and Questions Answers given at the back of the lesson have also been covered.
Jammu and Kashmir Board Class 10 English Tulip Book Short Stories Dusk Textbook Questions
Exercise
Question Answers
Thinking about the Text
- What was the atmosphere at Hyde Park?
Ans. The atmosphere was gloomy, with dusk having fallen heavily, and there were shadowy, indistinct figures moving silently or sitting unnoticed, reflecting the defeated mood of the park’s visitors.
- Do the atmosphere and the mood at the Park justify the title of the story?
Ans. Yes, the atmosphere of dusk, associated with defeat and concealment, matches the theme of the story, where the characters hide their misfortunes, fitting the title ‘Dusk.’
- Draw a profile of the person who first sat near Gortsby on the bench.
Ans. The first person was an elderly gentleman who seemed defeated but refused to admit it. His clothes were not shabby, but he appeared to belong to the group of people who had lost in life.
- What, according to Gortsby, was the weak point of the young man’s story?
Ans. The weak point, according to Gortsby, was that the young man couldn’t produce the soap, which was a critical detail in his story.
- While walking back to his seat in the Park, what did Gortsby see?
Ans. Gortsby saw a cake of soap lying on the ground, which made him reconsider the young man’s story.
- How did Norman Gortsby feel when he realized he had been fooled?
Ans. Gortsby felt foolish and regretted his judgment when he realized that the soap belonged to the elderly gentleman and that the young man had tricked him.
- What did Gortsby imagine about the people who visited Hyde Park?
Ans. Gortsby imagined that the people who visited Hyde Park during dusk were the defeated ones, those who hid their misfortunes from the world.
- What is irony? Bring out the elements of irony in the story.
Ans. Irony is when events turn out differently from what one expects. In the story, Gortsby, after distrusting the young man, ultimately trusts him when he finds the soap, only to realize that the soap belonged to the elderly man, making his act of generosity misinformed and ironic.
- What is ‘juxtaposition’? Has Saki been able to juxtapose humour and pathos in ‘Dusk’?
Ans. Juxtaposition is a literary technique where two or more ideas, characters, or actions are placed side by side to highlight their differences, often to create contrast or add depth to a story.
In Dusk, Saki effectively juxtaposes humor and pathos. The story involves a humorous twist, where Gortsby, after being suspicious and rational, finally believes the young man only to realize he has been deceived. The humor comes from this irony, as Gortsby prides himself on his judgment but is tricked in the end. On the other hand, the pathos lies in Gortsby’s view of the world—he sees dusk as the hour for the “defeated” and is himself part of that defeated group.
Language Work
Use the following in sentences of your own:
- Youthful figure
- Shabbily dressed.
- Decent chap.
- Pale moonlight.
- Stroll about.
- Wandering about.
Ans.
- Youthful figure: Despite his old age, Mr. Johnson maintained a youthful figure that surprised everyone at the gym.
- Shabbily dressed: The man was shabbily dressed, with worn-out shoes and a tattered coat, but he carried himself with dignity.
- 3. Decent chap: Everyone in the office agreed that Tom was a decent chap, always willing to help others.
- Pale moonlight: The pale moonlight cast a soft glow over the empty streets, making the night feel serene.
- Stroll about: After dinner, they decided to take a stroll about the park to enjoy the cool evening breeze.
- Wandering about: I saw a man wandering about aimlessly at the train station, seemingly lost in thought.
Writing Work
- Write a short ironical dialogue.
Ans. Person A: “I’m glad you didn’t buy the cheap umbrella. The weather looks great today!”
Person B: (grinning as the clouds darken) “Oh, absolutely! Just look at how sunny it is right now.”
Person A: (pointing at the first drops of rain) “And those little raindrops? Just a lovely mist, right?”
Person B: (sighing as the downpour begins) “Of course! Who wouldn’t want to get drenched in a refreshing shower? It’s just like a free spa day!”
- Do you approve of the behaviour and approach of Gortsby in the story? Explain.
Ans. Gortsby’s approach in Dusk can be seen as both cautious and flawed. Initially, his skepticism shows sound judgment, as he is not easily deceived by a stranger’s sob story. This reflects a practical, streetwise mentality, especially in a setting where deception is common. However, his eventual reversal—when he finds the soap—exposes a lapse in his judgment. He overcompensates for his earlier distrust, leading him to act impulsively and give money to the young man.
While his initial caution is understandable, Gortsby’s behaviour becomes problematic when he lets a single piece of evidence—the soap—override his original skepticism. His willingness to believe the young man’s story so quickly, without deeper reflection, shows that even a seemingly rational person can be fooled by the simplest of details. In this light, Gortsby’s behaviour teaches the importance of balancing skepticism with empathy, but it also highlights how easily one can be misled by overconfidence in one’s own judgment.
Jammu and Kashmir Board Class 10 English Tulip Book Short Stories Dusk Extra Questions
Multiple Choice Questions
- Where was Norman Gortsby sitting at the start of the story?
(A) At a café
(B) In Hyde Park
(C) In a cinema
(D) At a train station
- What time of day is it when the story begins?
(A) Early morning
(B) Late night
(C) Late afternoon
(D) Early evening
- According to Gortsby, dusk is the hour of which kind of people?
(A) Happy people
(B) The defeated
(C) The wealthy
(D) The sick
- What was the young man’s main issue in his story?
(A) He lost his wallet
(B) He forgot his way back to the hotel
(C) He missed his train
(D) He was robbed
- Why did Gortsby initially doubt the young man’s story?
(A) The young man looked suspicious
(B) The young man seemed too confident
(C) The young man couldn’t produce the soap
(D) The young man was asking for too much money
- What did Gortsby find on the ground near the bench?
(A) A cake of soap
(B) A letter
(C) A wallet
(D) A key
- What does Gortsby give the young man after believing his story?
(A) Directions to the hotel
(B) A sovereign
(C) His own soap
(D) A meal
- What was the elderly gentleman searching for after Gortsby returned to the bench?
(A) His glasses
(B) His cane
(C) A cake of soap
(D) His hat
- What does Gortsby realize at the end of the story?
(A) He had been wise to doubt the young man
(B) The young man was truthful
(C) He had been fooled by the young man
(D) The elderly man was actually the young man in disguise
- What does the story ‘Dusk’ primarily explore?
(A) The nature of trust and suspicion
(B) The joy of generosity
(C) Life in the city
(D) The beauty of nature
Answers:
- (B) In Hyde Park
- (D) Early evening
- (B) The defeated
- (B) He forgot his way back to the hotel
- (C) The young man couldn’t produce the soap
- (A) A cake of soap
- (B) A sovereign
- (C) A cake of soap
- (C) He had been fooled by the young man
- (A) The nature of trust and suspicion
Extract- Based Questions
A. “Norman Gortsby sat on a bench in the Park, at around thirty minutes past six on an early March evening, and dusk had fallen heavily over the scene. There was a wide emptiness over road and sidewalk, and yet there were many figures moving silently through the half-light, or dotted unobtrusively on bench and chair, scarcely to be distinguished from the shadowed gloom in which they sat. The scene pleased Gortsby and harmonised with his present mood. Dusk, to his mind, was the hour of the defeated. Men and women, who had fought and lost, who hid their fallen fortunes and dead hopes as far as possible from the scrutiny of the curious, came forth in this hour of gloaming, when their shabby clothes and bowed shoulders and unhappy eyes might pass unnoticed, or, at any rate, unrecognised.”
- What time of day is it in the opening scene?
Ans. It is around thirty minutes past six on an early March evening, and dusk has already fallen.
- How does Gortsby describe the figures in the park?
Ans. Gortsby observes many figures moving silently through the half-light, or sitting unobtrusively on benches and chairs, blending into the shadows.
- Why does Gortsby feel that dusk is the hour of the defeated?
Ans. He believes that dusk is the time when those who have failed in life come out, as their shabby appearance and unhappy expressions can go unnoticed in the shadows.
- How does the scene in the park reflect Gortsby’s mood?
Ans. The somber, shadowy park harmonizes with Gortsby’s mood of disillusionment and cynicism, as he considers himself one of the defeated.
- What does Gortsby mean by saying that the defeated people come forth in the “gloaming”?
Ans. By “gloaming,” Gortsby refers to dusk or twilight, a time when those who are downcast or defeated can move about without being recognized or scrutinized.
B. “A king that is conquered must see strange looks. So bitter a thing is the heart of man. The wanderers in the dusk did not choose to have strange looks fasten on them; therefore they came out in this bat-fashion. Beyond the sheltering screen of bushes and palings came a realm of brilliant lights and noisy, rushing traffic, marking the haunts of those other people, who held the steering of life in their own hands and did not give up so easily. ”
- What does Gortsby imply by the phrase “a king that is conquered must see strange looks”?
Ans. Gortsby suggests that once someone has failed, they are looked at differently by others, often with pity or contempt.
- Why do the defeated people come out at dusk according to Gortsby?
Ans. They come out at dusk to avoid the curious and judgmental gazes of others, as they can move unnoticed in the dim light.
- What does the “realm of brilliant lights and noisy, rushing traffic” represent?
Ans. This realm symbolizes the world of successful people, those who are actively steering their lives and have not given up.
- How does Gortsby compare the defeated to bats?
Ans. Gortsby likens the defeated to bats because they come out in the dim light, unseen and unnoticed, much like nocturnal creatures.
- What is the contrast Gortsby draws between the park and the bustling streets beyond it?
Ans. The park, shrouded in dusk, represents defeat and despondency, while the bustling streets beyond, full of light and traffic, symbolize vitality, success, and the ongoing struggles of life.
C. “On the bench by his side sat an elderly gentleman who seemed to have lost interest in life. He looked defeated but refused to admit it. His clothes could scarcely be called shabby and he belonged unmistakably to that forlorn orchestra to whose piping no one dances. As he rose and vanished slowly into the shadows, and his place on the bench was taken almost immediately by a young man, fairly well dressed but more cheerful of mien than his predecessor. ”
- What is Gortsby’s impression of the elderly gentleman?
Ans. Gortsby views the elderly gentleman as someone who looks defeated and disillusioned with life, even though he does not fully admit it to himself.
- How does Gortsby describe the elderly man’s appearance?
Ans. The elderly man’s clothes are not shabby, but he still appears to be a part of a defeated group that no longer has influence or relevance.
- What happens when the elderly gentleman leaves the bench?
Ans. As the elderly man leaves, a younger, more cheerful-looking man takes his place on the bench beside Gortsby.
- How does the young man’s appearance differ from that of the elderly gentleman?
Ans. The young man appears to be more upbeat and well-dressed compared to the older gentleman, suggesting a different outlook on life.
- What is Gortsby’s mood as he watches these people?
Ans. Gortsby is in a reflective, cynical mood, and he seems to take a detached, almost judgmental pleasure in categorizing the people around him as “defeated” or “cheerful.”
D. “Came up this afternoon, meaning to stay at the Patagonian Hotel in Berkshire Square,” continued the young man; “when I got there I found it had been pulled down some weeks ago and a cinema theatre run up on the site. The taxi driver recommended me to another hotel some way off and I went there. I just sent a letter to consul, and then I went out to buy some soap as I’d forgotten to pack any and I hate using hotel soap.”
- Where was the young man planning to stay?
Ans. He was planning to stay at the Patagonian Hotel in Berkshire Square.
- What did the young man discover upon arriving at the hotel?
Ans. He found that the hotel had been demolished and a cinema theater had been built on the site.
- What did the young man do after the taxi driver recommended another hotel?
Ans. He went to the recommended hotel, sent a letter to the consul, and then went out to buy some soap.
- Why did the young man buy soap?
Ans. He bought soap because he had forgotten to pack any and disliked using the soap provided by hotels.
- What does the young man’s story imply about his current situation?
Ans. The young man implies that he is stranded, without any money, and is struggling to find his way back to the hotel.
E. “As Gortsby retraced his steps past the bench where the young man had sat, he saw an elderly gentleman searching the ground around the bench.
“Have you lost something, sir?” Gortsby asked.
“Yes, a cake of soap,” replied the man, annoyed. “I must have dropped it earlier.”
Gortsby suddenly realized that the soap he had returned to the young man belonged to this elderly gentleman. The young man’s entire story had been a lie. Gortsby felt embarrassed for having been fooled so easily and walked away, acknowledging that he had been outwitted.”
- What was the elderly gentleman searching for?
Ans. The elderly gentleman was searching for a cake of soap that he had dropped earlier.
- What did Gortsby realize upon speaking to the elderly man?
Ans. Gortsby realized that the soap he had returned to the young man actually belonged to the elderly man, meaning the young man’s story was a lie.
- How did Gortsby feel after discovering the truth?
Ans. Gortsby felt embarrassed and dismayed for having been deceived by the young man’s fabricated story.
- What does this realization reveal about the young man’s story?
Ans. It reveals that the young man’s story was a clever trick to extract money from Gortsby.
- What does Gortsby do after realizing his mistake?
Ans. Gortsby walks away, acknowledging that he had been outwitted.