CBSE Class 12 English The Interview Worksheet Set C

Extract based questions:

A ."Lewis Carroll, the creator of Alice in wonderland , was said to have had a ' just horror of the interviewer and he never consented to be interviewed- It was his horror of being lionized which made him thus repel would be acquaintances, interviewers and the persistent petitioners for his autograph and he would afterwards relate the stories of his success in silencing such people with much satisfaction and amusement"

Question. What does the word lionised mean?
(a) To show disrespect
(b) To give a lot of public attention and approval
(c) To dishonour
(d) To treat with contempt

Answer: B

Question. Why did Lewis Carroll never consent to be interviewed?
(a) He disliked interviews.
(b) He did not consider interview as a medium of communication
(c) Had horror of the interviewer.
(d) Considered interviews as thumbprints on his windpipe.

Answer: C

Question. Choose the most appropriate option that resonates Lewis Carroll‘s opinion about interviews.
i. Frightening ii. Satisfying
iii. Pleasing iv. Appalling
(a) ii and iii
(b) i and iv
(c) I and ii
(d) iii and iv

Answer: B

Question. Which of the following statements CAN berelatedto the opinion of interviews as expressed in the above extract.
(a) Interview is a source of truth and ,in its practice an art.
(b) Interview is a satisfying and amusing mode of journalism.
(c) A repulsive and horrifying experience
(d) A supremely serviceable medium of communication

Answer: C

B. "Why do I refuse to be interviewed? Because it is immoral! It is a crime, just as much of a crime as an offence against my person, as an assault, and just as much merits
punishment. It is cowardly and vile. No respectable man would ask it, much less give it"

Question. The use of the word '‘ assault‖ indicates that interviews are_______________
i. Harmful ii. Offensive
iii. Entertaining iv. Righteous
(a) i and iv
(b) iii and iv
(c) i and ii
(d) Only iii

Answer: C

Question. The above extract indicates __________________attitude towards interviews
(a) Discouraging
(b) Condemnatory
(c) Laudatory
(d) Positive

Answer: B

Question. To whom is the above opinion about interviews attributed ?
(a) Saul bellow
(b) Rudyard Kipling
(c) Lewis Carroll
(d) H G Wells

Answer: B

Question. Find a word from the passage that can be replaced by "extremely unpleasant"
Answer: Vile

C. "Maybe I give the impression of doing many things. But in the end, I am convinced I am always doing the same thing"

Question. What is the ' same thing‘ mentioned by Eco?
(a) Similar narrative style
(b) Same philosophical and ethical interests pursued in Eco‘s works
(c) Academic works of Eco
(d) Works of fiction by Eco

Answer: B

Question. The above extract is taken from an interview between__________
Answer: Eco and Mukund Padmanabhan

Question. The above is in reply to the question asked by _________
(a) Christopher Silvester
(b) Rudyard Kipling
(c) Umberto Eco
(d) Mukund Padmanabhan

Answer: D

Question. What are the many things mentioned in the above extract?
(a) Different novels written by Eco
(b) Newspaper articles by Umberto Eco
(c) Eco‘s academic works, novels, books for children etc
(d) Scholarly works on semiotics

Answer: C

D. " It‘s a detective yarn at one level but it also delves into metaphysics, theology, and medieval history. Yet it enjoyed a huge mass audience. Were you puzzled at all by this?"

Question. What is the thing that puzzled many?
(a) The success of a novel that provided difficult reading experiences.
(b) The plot of the novel
(c) complexity of the theme
(d) Eco‘s style of writing

Answer: A

Question. Which of the following options convey the meaning of 'yarn‘ as used in the extract?
(a) She still spins the yarn and knits sweaters
(b) Douglas has a yarn or two to tell me about his trips into the bush
(c)The shop sells yarn and embroidery floss.
(d) He took a ball of yarn from the basket

Answer: B

Question. Who were puzzled at the huge mass audience?
(a) Umberto Eco
(b) Journalists and publishers
(c) Readers
(d) Community of writers

Answer: B

Question. What does 'it‘ stand for?
Answer: The Name of the Rose

E. "Almost everything of moment reaches us through one man asking questions of another.
Because of this ,the interviewer holds aposition of unprecedented power and influence"

Question. Find a word from the extract that means the same as ―not known, experienced or one before.
Answer: Unprecedented

Question. "Almost everything of moment reaches us through one man asking questions of another‘‘.
It highlights interviews as ________
(a) An attractive mode of communication
(b) Highly useful
(c) Despicable
(d) Detestable

Answer: B

Question. Whose opinion about interviews is given in the above extract?
(a) Dennis Brian
(b) Christopher Silvester
(c)Umberto Eco
(d)Caroline

Answer: A

Question. The interviewer occupies a position of power and influence as__________
(a) everything reaches us through one man asking questions of another
(b) Interviews are immoral, vile and cowardly
(c) Interviews are unwarranted intrusion
(d) Interviews are integral part of journalism

Answer: A

Short Answer Questions:

Question. Why does Denis Brian believe that interviewer holds a position of unprecedented power and influence?
Answer: Denis Brian believes that almost everything of moment reaches us through one man asking questions of another. So, interviewer holds a position of unprecedented power and influence. It highlights the utilitarian aspect of interview.

Question. Did Umberto Eco consider himself a novelist first or an academic scholar?
Answer: Umberto Eco identifies himself with the academic community. He considers himself a university professor who writes novels on Sundays. Eco attends academic conferences and does not attend meetings of Pen Clubs or writers.

Question. Why do most celebrities hate being interviewed?
Answer: Most celebrities hate being interviewed as they consider themselves as victims of interviews. For them, interviews are an unwarranted intrusion into their lives and feel that it somehow diminishes them.

Question. How does Eco find time to write so much and do many things?
Answer: Two factors explain how Eco was able to write so much. According to Eco, the life of every person has a lot of empty spaces that he calls as interstices. Eco did most of his writing during these free intervals.
Eco also explains that people wondered that he had written so much on various subjects. He pursued same philosophical and ethical interests in his academic works, novels and in his books for children. Same interests-peace, non-violence, etc were pursued in all his works. It saves his time and he could write prolifically in a short period of time.

Question. What do you infer from the expression "thumbprints on his windpipe"?
Answer: Saul Bellow, the American writer opined interviews as 'thumbprints on his windpipe‘. He considers interviews as a strangulating experience. It suggests that interviews are suffocating and painful and he detested it.

Question. What did the novel, The Name of the Rose become a huge success?
Answer: 'The Name of the Rose' is a very serious novel that delves into metaphysics, theology and medieval history. It sold between 10 and 15 million copies. It became a success among those readers who don‘t want easy reading experiences. The actual reason behind its success is a mystery as per Eco.

Question. Describe the uniqueness in Eco‘s academic writing style?
Answer: Eco's academic writing style was quite different and unique. His non-fictional writing, scholarly work had a certain playful and personal quality about them. It was a marked departure from a regular academic style which generally is invariably depersonalized and often dry and boring. The narrative aspect of his scholarly work makes it more interesting.

Long Answer Questions:

Question. Describe Umberto Eco‘s views on the huge success of his novel, The Name of the Rose?
Answer: The Name of the Rose- enjoyed huge success- a detective yarn-deals with metaphysics, theology and medieval history- sold between 10 and 15 million copies-became a success among those who do not want easy reading experiences-American publisher didn‘t expect to sell more than 3000 copies- sold two or three million copies in US-Eco considers the success of the book as a mystery.

Question. Interviews have become an integral part of journalism and several celebrities have been interviewed over the years. In spite of that, many despise being interviewed. Elucidate.
Answer: Interviews- a commonplace of journalism -celebrities have been interviewed over the yearsopinions about interviews vary considerably- some consider interview as a source of truth and in practice, an art- several celebrities despise being interviewed-most of them consider interviews as an unwarranted intrusion into their lives-people are wounded by interviews as per V S Naipaul-Lewis Carroll had horror of the interviewer-Rudyard Kipling considered interviews as immoral, cowardly, vile and as a crime- H G Wells felt interviews as an ordeal-Saul Bellow considered interviews as thumbprints on his windpipe- interview has its own drawbacks that created aversion in many.

               Very Short Questions

Q.1)        What secret does Umberto Eco reveal about his time management?

Q.2)        Why was Umberto Eco’s friend Roland Bathers frustrated?

Q.3)        Eco’s written output is staggeringly large and wide-ranging’. Explain

Q.4)        Umberto Eco is an academician as well as a famous novelist. Comment.

Q.5)        What do you think were the distinguishing features of his novel ‘The Name of the Rose’?

               Short Questions

Q.6)        What is the reason for the huge success of ‘The Name of the Rose’?

Q.7)        Eco’s academic work has certain playful and personal quality about it. Comment.

Q.8)        What is the Secret of Umberto Eco’s working style?

Q.9)        Umberto Eco is an academic as well as famous novelist. Comment.

Q.10)      Every famous person has a right to his or her privacy. Interviewers sometimes embarrass celebrities with very personal questions.

               Long Questions

Q.11)      What impression do you form about Umberto Eco as a scholar as writer on the basis of ‘The Interview’?

Q.12)      Answer the following questions:-

(1)          Why did Umberto Eco start writing novels and when? What does Eco say about the huge success of his novel, ‘The Name of the Rose’ in spite of it being a difficult and very serious novel?

(2)          Why do some celebrity writers not being like interviewed?

Q.13)      Every famous person has a right to his or her privacy. Interviewers sometimes embarrass celebrities with very personal questions.

Q.14)      Briefly explain the Summary of the Chapter “The Interview”?

Q.15)      Eco’s academic work has a certain playful and personal quality about it. Comment.

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