CBSE Class 12 English Evans Tries An O Level Colin Dexter Assignment

GIST OF THE LESSON

• Evans a kleptomaniac was imprisoned thrice and all the time escaped from the prison. Now he was in the prison for the 4th time and all of a sudden developed curiosity to appear in O-level German Examination which also was an effort to break the prison.
• The Governor takes utmost care to see that he would not be fooled. Every care was taken to make Evans prepare for the exam.
• He was tutored by a German tutor for 6 months. The day before the exam the tutor wishes good luck but makes it clear that he had hardly any 'chance of getting through.􂀙 But Evans gives an ironical twist to the tutor􂀙s observation by saying 'I may surprise everybody.'
• On the day of the exam Jackson and Stephens visited Evans cell and took away everything that may help him injure himself. Evans was insisted to take away the hat but he refused saying that it was lucky charm.
• Evans cell was bugged so that the Governor could himself listen to each and every conversation in the cell. The invigilator Rev. S. McLeery too was searched and left him to complete the task.
Stephen sitting outside the cell every now and then peeped into the cell.
• The exam went on smoothly. Stephen escorted the invigilator to the main gate and took a look into Evans cell and found the invigilator (actually Evans) wounded, informed the Governor. The latter was to be hospitalized but informed that he was alright and asked them to follow Evans.
Thus he escaped the prison.
• When the invigilator was not found in the hospital they went to the residence of Rev. S.
McLeery only to find him 'bound and gagged in his study in Broad Street'. He has been there, since 8.15 a.m. Now everything was clear to the Governor.
• Evan escaped the prison the 4th time. But by taking the hint from the question paper the Governor reached the hotel where Evans was and captured him and came to know how he planned his escape and said that his game was over. Evans surrenders himself to the Governor.
• The Governor tells Evan they would meet soon.
• The moment they are rid of the Governor, the so called prison officer-a friend of Evans-unlocks the handcuffs and asks the driver to move fast and Evans tells him to turn to Newbury. Evans, thus, has the last laugh.

Main Points

(1) The story tells about Evans, a prisoner who wants to appear in an 'o' Level exams in German, to escape

(2) He is cunning and contrives to dodge the authority

(3) The prison authority arranges his test in his cell and beef up security there.

(4) Prison officer Stephens keeps on watching in the cell after every minute, through the peephole.

(5) After some time, prison authority receives a call from the examination board regarding a correction slip.

(6) Evans got the permission from the invigilator to put a blanket around him as he was feeling cold.

(7) McLeery, the invigilator (Evans's man) leaves the prison escorted by Stephens on the order of the governor of the prison.

(8) Stephens finds a person on Evans chair in wounded conditions.

(9) The wounded invigilator (Actual Evans) tells them Evans (here Mcleery) has gone towards Elsefield. He gets to know this through a photocopied sheet pasted at the last blank page of the question paper.

(10) He accompanies the police party to help it find the culprit.

(11) The detective superintendent informs the governor of Evans being near Else field way towards Headington round about, but he could not be traced later.

(12) He also informs that the wounded invigilator has been sent to the Red cliffs hospital.

(13) The hospital informs that there is no patient there and no one knows about him.

(14) Then, the governor understands that the wounded invigilator is actual Evans. The real invigilator, the real Mcleery is found tied in the study since 8:15 a.m.

(15) The analysis of the hints helps the governor nab Evans again. He is staying in the hotel Golden Lion in Chipping Norton.

(16) He confesses everything but again flees away.

(17) He outsmarts the authorities fourth time and has the 'Last Laugh'.

Major features:
Characters:
(1) The Secretary of the Examination Board
(2) The Governor of H.M. Prison Oxford
(3) James Roderick Evans (Evans, the protagonist of story) and a prisoner.
(4) Mr. Stephens - A Prison officer
(5) Mr. Jackson - A Prison officer
(6) Rev. Stuart McLeery -An Invigilator (Parson)
(7) Mr. Carter- Detective Superintendent
Mr. Bell- Detective chief Inspector.

Proceeding of Events
Evans tries 'o' level German Exam in his cell in the prison
Jacksons, Stephens visit Evans and snatch nail-Scissors and razors but not the 'Lucky Hat.
The duplicate Mcleery (original tied & gagged in the library) reaches with all the exams- material.
After the exams, the invigilator leaves but authorities mistake him for Evans. The real Evans mistaken for the invigilator is found wounded in the cell.
For the treatment, the real Evans is sent to hospital, thus, he escapes.
Evans, after escape stays at the Golden Lion hotel. But the Governor catches him.
Evans is arrested! No
He is sent to the prison in a prison van. But inside the van, it is his own man-final Escape.

The most Intriguing Question Plaguing the Authorities:

Question: Who is real Evans
(A) the one who left the prison as an invigilator
Or
(B) The one who was left with wounds in the prison.
Answer: B

Security Arrangements during Exams:
(i) Shaving razors and nail scissors are taken away
(ii) A microphone is fitted in the cell so that governor himself listens to the conversation
(iii) The thorough checking of Mcleery, the invigilator.
(iv) The wooden furniture have been placed apposite to each other.
(v) Senior police officers Jackson and Stephens arranged to have a strict vigil.
The Significance of 313/271 (Index No 4 Centre No.)
The governor put the two together with the help of 'Ordinance Survey Map' for Oxfordshire and reaches hotel.
The Purpose of Clues on the superimposed photocopied sheet attached to the question paper.
(1) Final details of escape-plans
(2) To make the authorities believe that the wounded man was actually Mcleery
(3) To misled authorities at every step and to get them play to Evans' tunes

EVANS TRIES AN O-LELVEL

❑ Evans tries an O-Level
– James Roderick Evans – a prisoner
– earlier escaped thrice from the prison
– therefore titled ‘Evans the Break’
– started night classes in O-Level German
– Govt. arranged to examine Evans for O-Level in his prison cell
– On the exam day he was given time to smarten up
– Unshaven and having a filthy looking hat
– refused to remove the cap that’s lucky
❑ Examination Arrangements
– removal of razors and nail scissors
– set tables opposite each other and placed two hard chairs in the cell
– deputed Stephens on D-Wing and newly recruited to visit Evans’ prison
– invigilator Mc Leery left his house at 8:45 am as the exam was to begin at 9:15 am.
– Mc Lerry came, having a brown suitcase, semi-inflated rubber ring, needed for haemorrhoids?
❑ The Exam Begins
– asked Evans to write index No., centre No, 313 and 271
– at 9:40 a.m. Mc Leery asked for correction slip
– Evans hardly understood anything, kept his pen between lips and staring towards the door
– at 10:15 Evans requested for a blanket
– The exam got over at 11:20
– Hearing the Governor’s order at 11:22 a.m. accompanied McLeery to the prison gate
– Stephens obeyed the orders
– On the way asked Mcleery about Evans
– McLeery’s answer made him feel, his broader scots accent, to be slimmer due to long black overcoat.
❑ Evans Escapes
– After seeing McLeery off, wanted to go for coffee, must take one last look at Evans
– he saw McLeery sprawled in Evan’s chair slipping the blanket and blood dripping through the beard.
– instead of calling ambulance McLeery low moaned and asked for police to call
– he knew where Evans was
– opened the German Q. Paper and found a photocopied sheet carefully and cleverly super imposed over the last page of Q. Paper
– instructions and the plan written in German as Make your way to Neugraben
– Governor was furious, not made any call to see off McLeery at the prison gate
– Governor wanted to know about the false beared, spectacles and other things
– Later the Governor was puzzled Mcleery was not in the hospital
– The ambulance sent to Elsfield to pick, Mc Leery but just vanished
– after a quarter and half an hour they found McLeery bound and gagged
– Now they understood it was not Evans impersonating as McLeery who had walked out but it was Evans, impersonating Mc Leery who stayed in
❑ Final Escape
– reached his hotel at Golden Lion
– very happy for his successful plan
– able to hide his closely cropped hair due to lucky hat
– as he reached the reception, found the receptionist not the same girl
– collected the keys, asked for early morning call at 6.45 am.
– as entered the room, shocked to see the Governor sitting on the narrow bed
– finally spoke that was the correction slip which he left behind, given the clue about
– Index No. 313, Centre No. 271 the six figures 313271 got him there
– Governor wanted to know where the blood came from, answered that was pig’s blood in ring
– told about his German friend, helped him
– winked at receptionist and get back
– hand cuffed and clambered into the back seat of prison van, As he turned right, unlocked hand cuffs and asked to drive fast
– on the driver’s query, suggested Newbury
– prison officer was Evans’ own man and the Governor was fooled once again.

Some Questions :

Question. Why did the injured Mcleery offer to help the prison officers track Evans?
Answer: The wounded Mcleery, who was actually Evans, wanted to escape. He did so in order to hoodwink the prison authorities. Evans saw in it the golden chance for his escape.

Question. Where did Evans Go?
Answer: To a hotel named named 'Golden Lion' in Chipping Norton.

Question. How does the correction slip help the escape of Evans?
Answer: The slip provided the name of the hotel- gave them opportunity to know the time when the exams started.

Question. Who do you think has outwitted the other-Evans or the governor? How?
Answer: Evans-almost rearrested in the hotel -handcuffed and made to sit in a prison van but to evans delight his friend had already exchanged the driver and the other officials. In the van, people are his friends - took the van towards New burry- Evans finally escapes -He outwitted the governor by dodging him at every step.

EVANS TRIES AN O-LEVEL

COLIN DEXTER

GIST OF THE LESSON

This is really a very interesting story which has all the ingredients of a thriller; police background, prison, detectives, escapes etc. James Roderick Evans was a jail bird. The prison officers called him “Evans the Break” as he had escaped from prison three times . An examination centre was created in prison for Evans and all safety measures were taken to avoid his escape. A parson Mr. Mc Leery was arranged to invigilate the examination. Evans pulls wool over everyone’s eye and succeeds in escaping from prison . But his happiness was short lived. The governor had been smarter and Evans had to surrender without any protest. But eventually Evans had escaped in a car right from under the nose of the governor.

About Oxford
• Oxford Prison was built in 1870
• Oxford Prison was considered airy and healthful.
• But when the prison was closed in 1996 it was so overcrowded that prisoners were apportioned three to a cell
• The Oxford Prison site closed for redevelopment in 2004 before reopening as a Hotel, Malmaison Oxford.

The Reputation of Evans
• Evans, The Break
• He had a gang of friends who used to make money by imitating other people.
. Because of his smartness in breaking prisons, Evans was sent to the Oxford prison that was thought to be the most secure prison in England.

Evans’ presence in the prison felt by the authorities
• He being a smart, tricky, intelligent and the most popular inmate of the prison, even the authorities admired his skills but were worried only about the possibility of his escape.
• He had many good friends among the prisoners and even the Governor himself was concerned for him and at times behaved to be Evans’ fan.
• ‘quite a pleasant chap’
‘congenital kleptomaniac’

TAKING THE GERMAN O LEVEL
• He had convinced the authorities that he was genuinely interested in learning German and was tutored for a while.
• When the tutor announced that Evans was prepared for an O’Level exam, the Governor of the prison applied to the Examination Board for his exam.
• The tutor himself was Evans’ man. The deception started from there.

Role of the real McLeery
• A Parson
• He was about to leave his residence for the prison when two of Evans’ friends entered his room and tied and gagged him until Evans had escaped from the prison.

Steps taken to ensure that Evans did not Escape
• Thoroughly checked.
• All sharp pointed objects removed including his razor.
• Even McLeery was thoroughly frisked.
• Paper knife was removed from McLeery.
• Microphone installed.

Primary Blunder
• Letting Evans keep on his ‘lucky’ hat
• Later the hat was used to conceal makeup material.
The Governor’s pride in his little knowledge in German 
• The Governor had acquired a little bit of German earlier and was proud of that.
• On seeing the correction sheet and faintly recognizing the hidden message that would help him to trace the escaped Evans, he became over enthusiastic and decided to track the prisoner with the assistance of another officer.
• . Identified the hotel ‘zum Golden lion’
• The numbers
Index number 313
Centre number 271
decoded referring Ordinance Survey Map for Oxfordshire
313/217 brought him to ‘Chipping Norton’
• ALL THE ABOVE DONE ON PURPOSE AS THE PART OF A LARGER PLAN

Call from the Examinations Board
• This call was primarily meant for confirming the beginning time of the exam in order to calculate the end of the exam.
. The equally important reason behind this call was to misguide the Governor into Hotel Golden Lion to arrest Evans from there and thereby to make the escape altogether safer.

Evans asks for a blanket while writing the exam
• As part of his escape plan, Evans had to dress himself up as Mc Leery, the invigilator.
• To cut his long hair and to dress up, Evans wanted a hiding place.
Moreover, he had hidden part of the invigilator’s costume under the blanket.

Call from the Magistrate's Court
• Call for a vehicle
• Actually made by Evans’ gang
• Made sure an escape vehicle was ready when the time came.

What the fake McLeery brings
• Evans’ friend dressed up as Mc Leery had brought some very useful articles for Evans’ escape. He had worn an extra clerical collar and a clerical front. In his bag he had carried a semi inflated rubber tube filled with blood. He had also carried a paper scissors even though it was frisked by the prison authorities.
• Wearing
(i) a long black overcoat
(ii) shallow crowned clerical hat
(iii) spectacles of thick lenses

Overconfidence of Stephens 
• He was bored of watching Evans through the window and left the place returning occasionally.
• He was already glad that he was in charge of the invigilator and the examinee.
• When he was asked by the Governor to accompany the invigilator out of the prison, Stephens felt greatly flattered and proud of himself

Why did Evans want the Governor arrest him at Hotel Golden Lion?
• He wanted to make sure that his plan had to amaze everyone and the very smart Governor also had to be overtaken.
• To do this he wanted the Governor arrest him with his ‘own smartness’ (correction slip) and feel ‘elated, proud and over confident and consequently less careful about keeping Evans under high security
• Also to acquire a vehicle to escape.
How did Evans escape from Detective Carter?
• Disguised as the invigilator, hit by the escaped Evans, Evans misguided detective Carter in the pretext of helping the officer to find the escaped Evans.
• When they reached Radcliff Hospital, Evans pretended to be most critical and told the detective to admit him in the hospital. Carter wanted to drive the wounded invigilator into the hospital but Evans refused.

Governor realizes that the invigilator was fake
• The Governor had initially assumed that it was Evans who had run out of the prison after hitting the invigilator.
• But later, when he made a call to the Radcliffe Hospital where detective Carter had admitted the invigilator, he was informed that the hospital had not admitted the invigilator.
• More confused, the Governor made another call to the invigilator’s residence and confirmed that the parson who had to come as the invigilator had been tied and gagged in his room and the one came as the invigilator was Evan’s accomplice.

How Evans Escaped from Prison
• Covered with a blanket, changed his dress.
• Shaved his hair, which later he used for a beard.
• Used the pigs blood mixed with human blood 1/10th of its volume with human blood and 3.8 % trisodium citrate.
• Covered his face with blood so that he may not be easily recognised.

• IT WAS EVANS WHO STAYED IN AND NOT EVANS WHO ESCAPED

Short questions

Question. Who was Evans? Why was he keen in getting some sort of academic qualification?
Answer : Evans, a pleasant chap - known as ‘Evans the Break’-had escaped thricekeen in getting qualification - only intention was his next escape.

Question. How did the correction slip kill two birds with a single stone?
Answer :  Evans wanted to know the name of the hotel where they had to go and at what time the examination started. The correction slip supplied both.

Question. What clues did the answer sheet of Evans provide to governor?
Answer : Evans left clues like index No.313 and centre No.271 to trap governor. The governor made out of six unit reference which led him to the golden lion where he met Evans.

Question. How did Evans actually escape from prison?
Answer : Escapes posing as Mc Leery - a parson’s disguise. The injured Mc Leery was not Mc Leery but Evans-misguided all. 

Long questions

Question. Describe how Evans escaped from the high security Oxford prison despite all the precautions taken against his escape?
Answer : Governor’s phone rang a few minutes before the end of the examination - Evans disguised as McLeery with double clerical collars, black fronts – a false beard –and other clerical paraphernalia - McLeery was not actually McLeery – dramatically his friend escapes escorted by Stephen. Evans covered himself in blood carried in –taking his injury –succeeded in escaping distinguished as McLeery.

Question. Describe how the German O-Level examination was conducted?
Answer : Exam was scheduled to commence at 9:15 a.m. - but started at 9:25a.m – a parson Rev. McLeery was arranged to invigilate – calm prevailed but many lapses were noticed - at 9:40 examination room was informed of correction [where venue was fixed?] on page three - at 10.50 a.m. Evans demanded a blanket - at 11:20 the warning bell was rung - at 11:22 a.m. the hoax call instructed Stephens to accompany McLeery - at 11. 25 a.m. the examination was over.

Question. How do the prison officers represent the ugly and decadent side of the prison force as given in “EVANS TRIES an O-LEVEL’’?
Answer : The chapter reveals true faces of the prison department- governor, an intelligent, bold, brave and a capable officer taking all the precautions of supervising examination can be called the brain soul of the prison department - but depends on sub-ordinate officers- Jackson, Stephens - the ugly side of the prison department - clearly visible in behaviour with Evans - Evans pull wool over their eyes and escapes - then the detective superintendent Carter and chief inspector Bell - chips of the same block –very disgusting.

Important Questions NCERT Class 12 English Vistas "Evans Tries An O-Level"

Question. What did the Detective Superintendent inform the Governor about Evans?
Answer : Superintendent Carter informed the Governor that McLeery had spotted Evans driving off along Elsfield Way. They had got the number of the car all right. They had given a chase immediately, but they had lost him at the Headington roundabout. He assumed that Evans must have doubled back into the city.

Question.What kind of person was Evans? Why did he want to appear for the O-level German examination?
Answer : Evans was a young prisoner who had tried to escape thrice from the prison. For this reason, he was also known as ‘Evans the Break’. He seemed to be quite a pleasant and astute person, but he was basically a kleptomaniac. His desire to sit for the O-level German examination was only a plot to hoodwink the authorities and escape from the prison. 

Question.What were the contents of the small suitcase that McLeery carried?
Answer : The suitcase that McLeery carried had a sealed question paper envelope, a yellow invigilation form, a special authentication card from the Examination Board, a paper knife, a Bible, the current copy of the Church Times and a small semi-inflated rubber ring.

Question. What clues did the answer sheet of Evans provide to the Governor?
Answer : The clues, which the Governor found in Evans’ answer sheet, were the index number 313 and centre number 271. This six figure reference helped the Governor to find Evans. In addition to this, the correction slip also carried a clue for Evans. ‘Zum golden Lo..wen; which means ‘The Golden Lion’ in English was actually the name of the hotel where Evans was supposed to go to after escaping from jail.

Question.Why did Evans not take off his hat when Jackson ordered him to do so?
Answer : Evans knew that the duplicate McLeery, who was to invigilate during the O-level German examination, had short hair. So he cropped his hair to pass off as McLeery later. The “bobble hat was an important part of the plan to conceal Evans” cropped hair.

Question.How does McLeery explain the presence of a small semi-inflated rubber ring? What did it actually contain?
Answer : McLeery tells Jackson that he is suffering from haemorrhoids (piles) and the ring helps him when he has to sit for a long time. In reality, the ring contained pig blood, which Evans would splatter on his head and escape from the hospital as McLeery who had been injured.

Question.How did the Governor react to the two phone calls he received in quick succession?
Answer : The Governor had a sharp presence of mind and wanted to give Evans no chance to escape. As a part of his multi-step elaborate precautions, he verified the first phone call he received. However, he did not do so with (fie second call as he thought he was being paranoid and that he had taken all possible precautions for the safe conduct of the examination.

Question.How did the question paper and the correction slip help the prisoner and the Governor?
Answer : The purpose of the cleverly superimposed photocopied sheet on the question paper and the correction slip was to finalise the details of the plan of escape. This information had to reach Evans. It was also meant to make the authorities believe that the wounded man was McLeery himself. The question paper and correction slip helped the Governor to locate the place where Evans was hiding. Thus, the two clues helped both the prisoner and the Governor.

Question. What clues did the answer sheet of Evans provide to the Governor?
Answer : The index number 313 and the centre number 271 on the answer sheet proved to be the clues for the Governor. Putting the two together and with the help of the Ordnance Survey Map for Oxfordshire, he managed to catch Evans in the hotel.

Question. How did the Governor, Oxford Prison describe Evans to the Secretary, Examination Board ?
Answer : The Governor gave quite a satisfactory report about Evans to the Secretary of the Board. It was stated that Evans had no record of violence and that he was quite a ‘pleasant sort of chap’. He also said that Evans was one of the stars at the Christmas concert. However, he suffered from a weakness, he was just a congenital kleptomaniac.

Question.Will the clues left behind on the question paper, put Evans back in prison again?
Answer : Evans escaped from the prison with the help of a clever, infallible plan. Certain clues were left behind by the shrewd fugitive which was a “careless” act according to the Governor. There was a superimposed question paper with directions to the supposed plan. However, it was soon seen that all of it was fake and part of the plan to misguide the officials.
But the little German the Governor knew and the 'correction slip' did help them to track him down.

Question.Where did Evans go?
Answer : After deceiving the police intelligently, Evans went to the hotel Golden Lion located in Chipping Norton.

Question.Do you agree that between crime and punishment it is mainly a battle of wits?
Answer : In every battle the stronger side wins; and this strength could be physical or mental. However, after reading the story we can conclude that between crime and punishment, it is mainly a battle of wits. The side which outsmarts the other wins. It is not always that a criminal gets punished. In the given story, although well trained, the police officials were easily fooled by the clever Evans, who managed to escape from right under their nose.
(The above answer is only a sample provided for students' reference. It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.)

Question. How did Evans have the last laugh at the Governor?
Answer : Evans already had a well thought out plan B in case his initial plan failed. When the Governor recaptured Evans and handed him over to the silent prison officer, the Governor was unaware that the officer as well as the driver of prison van were actually Evans’ accomplices. As Evans finally escaped, he had the last laugh at the Governor.

Question.What were the precautions taken for the smooth conduct of the examination? ‘
Answer : The prison authorities had taken elaborate precautions to ensure the smooth conduct of the examination. Evans’ cell was thoroughly frisked a night before. All sharp edged objects like razor, scissors, etc., were taken away. Even the suitcase of the invigilator was carefully checked and the prison officers kept a close watch on him (Evans) throughout the process.

Question. What precautions were taken for the smooth conduct of Evans’ O-Level examination?
Answer : Fearing that Evans might escape, the exam was conducted in Evans’ prison cell itself. It was installed with a microphone so that the Governor could listen to every talk. The cell was fully checked by the staff who took away anything that could pose a threat. Moreover, the staff was put on high alert, doors and gates were locked. Prison officers Stephens was to peep into Evans’ cell after every few minutes. The parson who came to invigilate, was frisked at the prison gate and his briefcase was checked thoroughly.

Question.How did Evans outwit the Governor in the end?
Answer : Evans was recaptured by the Governor and handcuffed by a prison officer. He was given farewell by the Governor, who thought he was sending Evans back to Oxford jail. Ironically, it was not so. The prison officer, who was actually a friend of Evans in disguise, took Evans to the police van and unlocked the handcuffs as soon as the Governor was out of sight. Evans finally escaped to Newbury. Thus, Evans outwitted the Governor and had the last laugh in this case.

Question. It was sheer negligence on the part of the prison staff that helped Evans to escape. Comment.
Answer : Even after taking various drastic precautions, for the smooth conduct of the exam, Evans fools the Governor and the prison authority in every step of the way. Stephens notices that Evans is wearing a hat but does not ask him to remove it. The hat concealed Evans’ cropped hair. Similarly, the prison staff do not check McLeery’s identity or verify the phone call or recognise Evans impersonating McLeery. All this helps him to escape prison easily. Later, though the Governor is able to catch him red-handed, at the capital, Evans escapes once again, this time audaciously in the prison van. Therefore, it proves that it is sheer negligence on the part of the prison staff that helps Evans to escape.

Question.Will the exam now go as scheduled?
Answer : Everything had been in order for the exam to start on its scheduled time, but the Governor, still apprehensive, ordered a last minute change in plan. As another precautionary measure, he ordered frisking the invigilator as well, before allowing him to carry out his assigned job. This wasted some time and the exam started at 9:25am, ten minutes later than the scheduled time.

Question. What kind of person was Evans ? Why did he want to sit for O-level German examination?
Answer : Evans was considered a pleasant sort of chap by the prison authorities. They called him ‘Evans the Break’ because of his prior attempts to escape from prison. He was a congenital kleptomaniac. Evans wanted to sit for the O-level German examination because he saw it as another opportunity to escape from the prison.

Question.Did the Governor and his staff finally heave a sigh of relief?
Answer : Evans was a shrewd man who allowed only a momentary sigh of relief to the Governor and his staff. The exam was supposed to have ended peacefully, but when Stephens rechecked Evans’s cell, he was stunned to see a profusely bleeding McLeery still in the cell. He concluded that the man he had escorted to the gate was actually Evans.
Measures were taken to recapture Evans with the help of the bleeding McLeery, who was later sent off to a hospital for treatment. However, soon it was exposed that this ‘bleeding McLeery’ was the real Evans. Finally, when the Governor traced Evans and ordered him to be taken back to the prison with a prison officer in the official van, another conspiracy unfolded. Evans fled again, as the prison officer and the van were part of his back-up plan. His flawless plans left everyone perplexed and troubled.

Question.Will the injured McLeery be able to help the prison officers track Evans?
Answer : Injured McLeery, showcasing his knowledge of German, reveals the supposed plan of Evans through the superimposed question paper. He proposes to guide the officials to the whereabouts of Evans. However, this is later revealed to be a part of the Evans plan to flee to safety, as it was Evans himself who was disguised as the injured McLeery. It can be, thus, noticed that the disguised McLeery’s help to the officials was fake as it was just a part of Evans’s escape plan.

Question.Will the exam now go as scheduled?
Answer : Everything had been in order for the exam to start on its scheduled time, but the Governor, still apprehensive, ordered a last minute change in plan. As another precautionary measure, he ordered frisking the invigilator as well, before allowing him to carry out his assigned job. This wasted some time and the exam started at 9:25am, ten minutes later than the scheduled time.

Question. Which important call did the Governor receive when the examination was going on?
Answer : When the examination was going on, the Governor received two important phone calls. The first call was from the University regarding a correction slip, which was not sent with the question paper. The second call was supposedly from the magistrate’s office requesting for a van and two prison officers.

Question.What kind of a person was Evans?
Answer : Evans was a congenital kleptomaniac who was imprisoned in the Oxford Prison. He urged the prison authority to allow him to take the examination for O-level in German as it would help him gain some educational qualification. Although, a pleasant personality with no record of violence, he had managed to escape thrice from the prison.
His intelligent and conspiring mind is the focus of the story. He managed to dodge everyone with his foolproof plans. Even the Governor could not help appreciating his shrewd mind.

Question.What could the Governor have done to securely bring back Evans to the prison when he caught him at the Golden Lion? Does that final act of foolishness really prove that “he was just another good-for-a-giggle, gullible governor, that was all”?
Answer : At the Golden Lion when the Governor arrested Evans, he should have been extra cautious in sending him back to the jail. If he knew the whereabouts of Evan, he should have taken along more police officials. Also, considering the fact that Evans had successfully fooled them earlier, he should not have taken chances by sending him in a van with just a couple of police officers whom, apparently, he did not know. As a result, Evans easily escaped once again. Ideally, the Governor should have escorted Evans himself. Thus, this final act of foolishness really proved that “he was just another good-for-a-giggle, gullible governor, that was all”.

Question. How did the question paper and correction slip help the prisoner and the Governor?
Answer : The Governor received a call from the Assistant Secretary of the Examination Board saying that there was a correction slip, which was not attached to the question paper. He requested the Governor if he could read out the correction to Evans. The correction was ‘zum goldenen Lowen’. In reality, it was an indication informing  Evans where he was supposed to go after escaping from jail. Although, the Governor did not suspect anything, the correction slip helped Evans to know the name of the hotel and its location. Later, when the Governor learned about Evans’ escape, Rev. McLeery (Evans in reality) showed him the question paper at the back of which, instructions were given to help Evans escape. These instructions were meant to misguide the jail authorities. However, the Governor was able to put together the index and centre numbers. With the six digit reference and the help of a survey map, the Governor came to know Evans had escaped to Chipping Norton. Now, the Governor could work out a plan to arrest Evans.

Question. While we condemn the crime, we are sympathetic to the criminal. Is this the reason why prison staff often develops a soft corner for those in custody?
Answer :. ‘Crime’ and ‘criminals’ are usually considered synonymous. However, our perception changes when we see a criminal suffering or serving his punishment. This is what happens with the prison staff. Noticing a criminal suffer in the prison, they unwittingly develop a soft corner for him in their hearts. They look at him as a human being and not as a mere criminal. They start noticing and appreciating their mental capabilities rather than just remembering their crime.
In the story, Jackson lets Evans keep his hat after knowing that he considered it to be his lucky charm. Evans knew of the emotional side of Jackson and so hit it directly through his talk about “lucky charm”, and managed to fool the stern and practical officer. Even the Governor could not help noticing his intelligence when he caught him in the hotel. Thus, he was not cruel or stern with Evans, and regrettably, took him leniently.

Question. What was his German teacher’s opinion of Evans’ proficiency in German?
Answer : According to Evans’ German teacher, his language ability was not quite up to the mark, in fact, it is doubtful. Evans could not even understand basic pleasantries in German.

Question.What were the precautions taken for the smooth conduct of the examination?
Answer : The Governor was suspicious of the true intentions of Evans in wanting to take the exams. Fearing his fourth escape, the exam was ordered to be conducted inside the prison cell which was installed with a microphone, to keep a check on this intelligent prisoner. His cell was properly scrutinized by the prison staff who took away anything which could pose a threat in the smooth conduct of the examination. On the day of exam, the prison staff was put on high alert and special care was taken to promptly lock all doors and gates. Stephens was ordered to keep an eye on the exam proceedings. Even the invigilator, a parson, was frisked thoroughly before the examination.

Question.Should criminals in the prison be given the opportunity of learning and education?
Answer : No one should be denied the right to education. If the criminals in prison are provided with education and work skills, their life could turn towards a better and crime free future. Education may help them to become responsible citizens. Thus, efforts should be put in to provide opportunity of learning and education to even the criminals in prisons.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Question. What kind of a person was Evans?
Answer: Evans was a 'Kleptomaniac' and had broken jail thrice. He was a master planner and was very sociable. He knew how to keep intimate contacts with people. In the words of the Governor, he was a pleasant sort of chap with no record of violence.

Question. Do you think Evans' statement, 'I may surprise everybody,' has some special significance?
Answer: Evans seems to be telling his teacher that he may surprise everybody by doing well in the exam, but in reality it is a forewarning that he is going to jolt everybody by his master-minded perfect escape-plan.

Question. Who were the two visitors Evans received in the morning of the day of his exam?
Answer: The two visitors --Mr. Jackson, the senior prison officer of the prison's D Wing-- man called Stephens, who had been only recently recruited.

Question. What made Evans clip his hair short?
Answer: Evans' escape prison-- duplicate McLeery (invigilate during the O-level German exam) had short hair. In order to give a practical shape to their plan Evans' hair had to look like McLeery's, hence Evans clipped them short.

Question. Why did the Governor instruct Jackson to search McLeery?
Answer: The Governor asked Jackson to search McLeery, the invigilator, just in case he has brought something unwittingly which might prove to be a weapon that Evans could use and try escaping from prison.

Question. Why did Evans drape a blanket round his shoulder? What did Stephens think about it?
Answer: In between intervals of Stephens' peeping into the cell, Evans was changing into the Parson's dress to look like McLeery. So, in order to conceal his effort to keep them in place, Evans draped a blanket round his shoulder. Stephens was misled into believing that Evans was feeling cold.

Question. In spite of strict vigilance, how did Evans' friend manage to give the material for disguise in the cell?
Answer: Despite all vigilance, Evans' friend disguised as McLeery, the invigilator, managed to smuggle the disguised material into the cell. He came wearing two parson's dresses with black fronts and collars. Apart from it he also brought an extra pair of spectacles. All this was passed on to Evans when Stephens' vigilant eyes were away from the peep-hole.'

LONG ANSWER QUESTION

Question. What were the precautions taken for the smooth conduct of the examination?
Answer: Since Evans had already escaped from the jail on three earlier occasions, there was always a lurking fear that he might make another attempt to escape. Therefore all possible precautions were taken to see that the O-level German examination arranged in the prison did not provide him with any means of escape. The Governor personally monitored all security arrangements and heavily guarded the Recreation Block from where he expected the prisoner to make another break.
Evans cell was thoroughly checked by Jackson to ward off the possibility of the presence of an incriminating material which might hamper the smooth conduct of the examination. His nailscissors, nail-file and razor were taken away; and to keep a strict watch on the activities of the cell during the examination, the Governor got it bugged. A police officer Stephens was posted to keep a constant vigil on his activities. The invigilator, too was frisked to make sure that he carried no objectionable material with him.