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In addition to the questions in the book, our team of English experts has prepared a series of extra questions presented in a systematic manner which you will enable you to ace any exam!
Find NCERT Solutions to Class 7 English Unit 5 ‘Quality’, here.
Working with the text
Answer the following questions.
1. What was the author’s opinion about Mr Gessler as a bootmaker?
Answer:
The author was in awe of Mr Gessler’s expertise as a bootmaker. His custom-made boots were like works of art. They always fit perfectly and were fashioned from the best materials. They were so durable that there was no need to buy another pair for a long time. The author thought that making such boots was possible due to some mysterious and wonderful ability.
2. Why did the author visit the shop so infrequently?
Answer:
The author didn’t get the opportunity to visit Mr Gessler’s shop frequently because the boots he made were so long lasting that they didn’t need to be replaced for a long time.
3. What was the effect on Mr Gessler of the author’s remark about a certain pair of boots?
Answer:
The author’s remark about the boots that creaked stunned Mr Gessler. He stared dumbfounded at the author for a while as if waiting for him to withdraw his complaint, then declared that they shouldn’t have creaked. He told the author firmly that boots may have got wet. When author denied the allegation, Mr Gessler looked down as if trying to recollect the pair of boots and asked the author to send them back to him for inspection. He assured that if he could not fix the problem, he would adjust the price of the faulty boots in his bill. Seeing how seriously Mr Gessler took the complaint, the author was sorry to have brought up the subject of the creaking boots.
4. What was Mr Gessler’s complaint against “big firms”?
Answer:
Mr Gessler complained bitterly that the big firms were attracting customers through advertisements. They did not care about the quality of their workmanship, but were wooing customers with their aggressive marketing efforts. They were snatching away the work from small businesses like Gessler Brothers. Things had come to such a pass that the Gessler brothers who were passionate about making boots were out of work. Each year the business dwindled further.
5. Why did the author order so many pairs of boots? Did he really need them?
Answer:
The author ordered many pairs of boots to help Mr Gessler financially because he learnt that his small business had dwindled due to competition from big firms.
No, he did not really need so many pairs of boots.
Working with language
Question 1. Study the following phrases and their meanings. Use them appropriately to complete the sentences that follow.
look after: take care of
look down on: disapprove or regard as inferior
look in (on someone): make a short visit
look into: investigate
look out: be careful
look up: improve
look up to: admire
(i) After a very long spell of heat, the weather is __________________ at last.
(ii) We have no right to __________________ people who do small jobs.
(iii) Nitin has always __________________ his uncle, who is a self-made man.
(iv) The police are __________________ the matter thoroughly.
(v) If you want to go out, I will __________________ the children for you.
(vi) I promise to __________________ on your brother when I visit Lucknow next.
(vi) __________________ when you are crossing the main road.
Answer:
(i) After a very long spell of heat, the weather is looking up at last.
(ii) We have no right to look down on people who do small jobs.
(iii) Nitin has always looked up to his uncle, who is a self-made man.
(iv) The police are looking into the matter thoroughly.
(v) If you want to go out, I will look after the children for you.
(vi) I promise to look in on your brother when I visit Lucknow next.
(vii) Look out when you are crossing the main road.
Question 2: Read the following sets of words loudly and clearly.
cot — coat
cost — coast
tossed — toast
got — goat
rot — rote
blot — bloat
knot — note
Answer: Do it yourself. Pay attention to the difference in the sound of the vowels. If you cannot distinguish the difference, take the help of your teacher. It is very important to pronounce words correctly.
Question 3:
Each of the following words contains the sound ‘sh’ (as in shine) in the beginning or in the middle or at the end. First speak out all the words clearly. Then arrange the words in three groups in the table on page 80.
sheep trash marsh fashion
anxious shriek shore fish
portion ashes sure nation
shoe pushing polish moustache
| Initial | Medial | Final |
Answer:
| Initial | Medial | Final |
| sheep | fashion | trash |
| shriek | anxious | marsh |
| shore | portion | fish |
| sure | ashes | polish |
| shoe | nation | moustache |
| pushing |
4. In each of the following words ‘ch’ represents the same consonant sound as in ‘chair’. The words on the left have this sound initially. Those on the right have it finally.
Speak each word clearly.
choose bench
child march
cheese peach
chair wretch
charming research
Underline the letters representing this sound in each of the following words.
(i) feature (iv) reaching (vii) riches
(ii) archery (v) nature (viii) batch
(iii) picture (vi) matches (ix) church
Answer:
(i) feature (iv) reaching (vii) riches
(ii) archery (v) nature (viii) batch
(iii) picture (vi) matches (ix) church
Speaking
1. Do you think Mr Gessler was a failure as a bootmaker or as a competitive businessman?
Answer.
Mr Gessler was an extraordinary bootmaker. His made customised boots for his customers and the boots he made never failed to fit. He was a stickler for perfection and used the best quality of leather. Making boots was a passion for him and he poured his soul into every piece that he made. Each pair of boots was unique and of lasting value. He regarded boot making as an art and took great pride in his work.
We may say that he was a failure as a competitive businessman, but the truth is that he had too much self-respect to seek cheap publicity and advertise his boots the way big businesses did.
He thought the quality of the work would set him apart from the purely commercial ventures. Holding on to his ideals, and slowly and painstakingly making each pair of boots, he lost business to big firms who were able to mass produce them on a large scale.
Mr Gessler lacked the financial strength to scale up his business and spent his last days in dire financial distress. So, in a world taken over by consumerism and competition, the small businesses which strived for uniqueness and quality had to bow out.
2. What is the significance of the title? To whom or to what does it refer?
Answer:
The title of the story “Quality’ refers to the impeccable quality of the boots made by Mr Gessler. He was a perfectionist and boot making for him was an art. He used the finest leather and never compromised on the quality. He worked on each pair of boots for long hours tirelessly, and did not allow anyone to touch them till they were ready. Even though business was dwindling, Mr Gessler never compromised on quality.
Unlike Mr Gessler, quality was not a prime concern for the big businesses which attracted their clientele through costly and flashy advertisements to buy cheap mass-produced goods.
So eventually quality and art are lost in a world overtaken by competition and consumerism.
3.
Notice the way Mr Gessler speaks English. His English is influenced by his mother tongue. He speaks English with an accent.
- When Mr Gessler speaks, p,t,k, sound like b,d,g. Can you say these words as Mr Gessler would say them?
It comes and never stops. Does it bother me? Not at all. Ask my brother, please.
Answer: Mr Gessler would have said the above statement like:
Id gomes and nebber sdobs. Does id bodder me? Nod ad all. Asg my brudder blease.
4. Speak to five adults in your neighbourhood. Ask them the following questions (in any language they are comfortable with). Then come back and share your findings with the class.
(i) Do they buy their provisions packed in plastic packets at a big store, or loose, from a smaller store near their house?
(ii) Where do they buy their footwear? Do they buy branded footwear, or footwear made locally? What reasons do they have for their preference?
(iii) Do they buy ready-made clothes, or buy cloth and get their clothes stitched by a tailor? Which do they think is better?
Answer:
I discussed the questions with five adults in my neighbourhood and the responses are summarised below:
(i) They buy loose provisions from a smaller store near their house because it is convenient and they know that the neighbourhood store stocks reasonably priced goods of high quality.
(ii) They buy footwear made locally. They prefer the local ones because they are durable and cheaper than fancy branded shoes which are not only expensive but also stress style rather than comfort.
(iii) They buy both – the ready-made ones are bought for daily wear because they are cheaper, but they prefer to get their formal clothes tailored to fit.
Question 5. Look at the picture.
Let pairs of students talk to each other about leaving the country. One student repeats Ajit’s statement. The other gives a reason for not agreeing with Ajit. The sentence openings given below should be used.
• If I leave this country, I’ll miss…
• There are some things which you can get only here, for example…
• There are some special days I’ll miss, particularly…
• Most of all I’ll miss…because…
• I think it’s impossible for me to leave my country because…
• How can you leave your own country except when…?
• Depends on one’s intention. I can’t leave for good because…
• Maybe for a couple of years…
Answer:
Ajit: I’ve decided to go abroad for higher studies.
Anisa: Have you? I don’t think I’ll ever do that. I love my country.
Ajit: If I leave this country, I’ll miss my parents and grandparents who mean a lot to me and who will be heart-broken if I leave.
Anisa: There are some things which you can get only here, for example, the simple life style of our village which is slow-paced and stress-free.
Ajit: There are some special days I’ll miss, particularly those on which we celebrate colourful festivals like Durga Puja, Holi and Diwali and Onam.
Most of all, I’ll miss my friends because I grew up playing with them since childhood.
Anisa: I think it’s impossible for me to leave my country because I am the only child of my parents and it is my duty to look after them in their old age.
How can you leave your own country except when for some reason you are forced to leave?
Ajit: Depends on one’s intention. I can’t leave for good because I have to take over our family business which was set up by my great grandfather.
Maybe for a couple of years I can go abroad to get a Master’s degree in my chosen field.
Writing
Question 1. Based on the following points write a story.
• Your aunt has gone to her mother’s house.
• Your uncle does his cooking.
• He is absent-minded.
• He puts vegetables on the stove.
• He begins to clean his bicycle outside.
• The neighbour calls out saying something is burning.
• Your uncle rushes to the kitchen.
• To save vegetables, he puts some oil on them.
• Unfortunately, it’s machine oil, not cooking oil.
• What do you think happens to the vegetables?
Begin like this:
Last month my aunt decided to visit her parents…
Answer:
Last month my aunt decided to visit her parents for a week. My uncle did not accompany her, so he had to cook his own meals. He has always been a little absent-minded. One day, he put the vegetables on the stove to cook and went outside in the meantime to clean his bicycle. Suddenly, a neighbour called out that he could smell something burning. My uncle remembered the vegetables and rushed into the kitchen. He quickly put some oil on the vegetables to save them. Unfortunately, instead of cooking oil he poured machine oil on the vegetables. So, uncle’s meal was ruined – the vegetables were inedible and had to be thrown out.
Extra Questions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Unit 5 – “Quality”
A. Multiple Choice type Questions
Choose the correct option:
1. Since when did the author know Mr Gessler?
(i) since childhood
(ii) since the days of his youth
(iii) since five years ago
(iv) None of the above
2.The shop had________.
(i) no sign other than the name of Gessler Brothers
(ii) a certain quite distinction
(iii) a few pairs of boots in the window
(iv) all of the above
3. What colour were the Russian-leather boots that the author ordered?
(i) black leather
(ii) Blue leather
(iii) grey leather
(iv) gold-brown leather
4. What did the Gessler brothers aspire for?
(i) To produce the highest quality boots
(ii) to produce the largest number of boots
(iii)to produce long lasting boots
(iv) both (i) and (iii) above
5. How long would Mr Gessler ‘s customers have to wait for one pair of boots?
(i) for a day
(ii) a week
(iii) a fortnight
(iv) none of the above
6. How did Mr Gessler react when the author complained about the creaking boots?
(i) He was sad
(ii) he felt hurt
(iii) annoyed
(iv) shocked
7.What did Mr Gessler have to say about big firms?
(i) They get their business through advertisements
(ii) they take away business from small businesses
(iii) they have no self-respect
(iv) All of the above
8. Why did the author order many pairs of boots?
(i) he needed a lot of new boots to match his clothes
(ii) he realised that Mr Gessler’s business was declining
(iii) he was moved by the boot-maker’s plight
(iv)both (ii) and (iii)
9. Why did Mr Gessler say that he could make the boots quickly?
(i) because he had learnt to be fast
(ii) because he had no other orders in hand
(iii) because he was pleased to see the author
(iv) None of the above
10. Why were the author’s visits to Mr Gessler’s shop infrequent?
(i) the author lived far away
(ii) Gessler’s shoes lasted a long time
(iii) Gessler’s boots were ill-fitting
(iv) None of the above
Answer:
1. (ii) since the days of his youth
2. (iv) all of the above
3. (iv) gold-brown leather
4. (iv) both (i) and (iii) above
5. (iii) a fortnight
6. (iv) shocked
7. (iv)All of the above
8. (iv)both (ii) and (iii)
9. (ii) because he had no other orders in hand
10. (ii)Gessler’s shoes lasted a long time
B. Fill in the blanks with suitable words from the box to complete the following sentences:
| absent-mindedly | long | elder | emergency | Struggle |
| lined | fashionable | bitter | bitterly | noticed |
1. He lived with his ____brother in his shop, which was in a small by-street in a ____________part of London.
2. Once I went in _________into his shop in a pair of boots bought in an __________at some large firm.
3. “Id ‘urds you dere,” he said, ‘Dose big virms ‘ave no self-respect.” And then as if something had given way within him, he spoke _________ and ____________.
4. And looking at his ________face I saw things I had never _______before, _________things, bitter ________and what a lot of grey hairs there seemed suddenly in his red beard
Answer:
1. He lived with his elder brother in his shop, which was in a small by-street in a fashionable part of London.
2. Once I went in absent-mindedly into his shop in a pair of boots bought in an emergency at some large firm
3. “Id ‘urds you dere,” he said, ‘Dose big virms ‘ave no self-respect.” And then as if something had given way within him, he spoke long and bitterly .
4. And looking at his lined face I saw things I had never noticed before, bitter things, bitter struggle and what a lot of grey hairs there seemed suddenly in his red beard.
C. Match the words in column A with those in column B
| A | B |
| The shop had | and what he made never failed to fit |
| He made only what was ordered | his boots lasted terribly |
| It was not possible to go to him often | and I could feel his eyes penetrating the inferior covering of my foot |
| He took my order without showing me any leather | they were the best he ever made |
| In shape and fit, in finish and quality of leather | a certain quiet distinction |
Answer:
| A | B |
| The shop had | a certain quiet distinction |
| He made only what was ordered | and what he made never failed to fit |
| It was not possible to go to him often | his boots lasted terribly |
| He took my order without showing me any leather | and I could feel his eyes penetrating the inferior covering of my foot |
| In shape and fit, in finish and quality of leather | they were the best he ever made |
D. State whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE:
1. Mr Gessler took great pride in the boots he made.
2. The author thought that Mr Gessler’s ability to make boots was mysterious and wonderful.
3. A guttural sound is emitted through the nose.
4. Mr Gessler spoke English with a strong German accent.
5. Mr Gessler died of slow starvation because he all he earned went into paying rent and to buy leather.
Answer:
1. True
2. True
3. False – ‘guttural’ means a hoarse sound made in the back of the throat.
4. True
5. True
E. Very Short Answer type Questions:
1. What was the name of Mr Gessler’s shop?
Answer:
The name of the shop was “Gessler Brothers”.
2. Where was the shop?
Answer:
The shop was in a small by-street in a fashionable part of London.
3. Who lived in the shop?
Answer:
Mr Gessler and his elder brother lived in the shop.
4. What kinds of boots did Mr Gessler make?
Answer:
His boots were custom-made and never failed to fit perfectly. They were made from the best leather and were durable.
5. How did the author feel when he entered Mr Gessler’s shop?
Answer:
The author felt as if he had entered a church.
6. How do we know that Mr Gessler was not English?
Answer:
Mr Gessler’s thick German accent while speaking English revealed that he was not a native speaker of English.
7. What kind of boots did the author ask Mr Gessler to make?
Answer:
The author asked Mr Gessler to make him a pair of Russian-leather boots.
8. What was Mr Gessler’s reaction when the author went in wearing a pair of boots bought from some big firm?
Answer:
Hewas upset to see that his regular client had also bought sub -standard boots from a big firm.
9. Who according to Mr Gessler had no self-respect?
Answer:
According to Mr Gessler, the big firms had no self-respect because they were not concerned about quality.
10. How did Mr Gessler know that the left boot was uncomfortable for the author?
Answer:
Being an experienced boot maker, Mr Gessler could tell just by looking at the wearer’s boot the very spot which was uncomfortable.
11. Why did the author order many pairs of shoes?
Answer:
The author was deeply moved by Mr Gessler’s lined face which reflected the stress and struggle that he was undergoing, so he ordered many pairs of shoes to help him.
12. What did Mr Gessler say about his brother?
Answer:
He said that his elder brother was a good man and he made a good boot.
13. How did Mr Gessler look when the author saw him after his brother had died?
Answer:
Mr Gessler looked very aged and wan. His hair had grown thin.
14. Why did the author go to the shoe shop for the last time?
Answer:
The author went to tell Mr Gessler that the boots he had made fit splendidly.
15. Why was the “Gessler Brothers “signboard missing?
Answer:
Mr Gessler had passed away and the shop had been taken over by another man who must have removed the original name plate.
16. How did Mr Gessler die according to the new owner?
Answer:
The new owner told the author that Mr Gessler had starved himself to death.
F. Short Answer Type Questions:
1. Describe Mr Gessler as he entered the shop to meet his clients.
Answer:
Mr Gessler’s entrance in the shop was announced by a guttural sound and the tip-tap of his slippers
on the wooden staircase. He would stand a little hunched without a coat, wearing a leather apron with sleeves turned back, blinking as if he had just been awakened from some dream of boots.
2. Why did the author prefer Mr Gessler’s boots to those made by big firms?
Answer:
The boots made by Mr Gessler because his boots were fashioned with great care from the finest leather available and fitted most comfortably. Moreover, they lasted terribly long as if they had some mysterious and wonderful essence of boot stitched into them.
3. Why did the author regret complaining about the creaking boots?
Answer:
The author realised that Mr Gessler was shocked to hear that a pair of boots so caringly crafted by him could be defective. He stared at the author in disbelief as if expecting him to withdraw his words. Then he said that they shouldn’t have creaked. He also told the author that he must have got them wet. When the author denied having wet them, Mr Gessler tried to think of what he had done wrong. Seeing how disturbed he was at the thought of a defective pair of boots, the author regretted complaining about them.
4. What was Mr Gessler’s attitude towards boot-making?
Answer:
Mr Gessler considered boot-making an art. He poured his soul into each pair of boots that he fashioned out of the finest leather. He took his time to create boots that fit perfectly. He was proud of his boots which were durable and comfortable.
5. What induced Mr Gessler to discuss the hardships of his trade?
Answer:
One day the author went to see Mr Gessler wearing a pair of boots which he had bought from a large firm in an emergency. As soon as Mr Gessler noticed them, he became quiet. He pointed out the place where the left boot hurt the author and spoke bitterly about the threats faced by small businesses like his from the big sharks who lured all their customers away through flashy advertisements.
G. Long answer Type Questions
1. What was Mr Gessler’s complaint against big firms?
Answer:
Mr Gessler complained bitterly about big firms which attracted clients with costly and glitzy advertisements to buy cheap and mass-produced boots. Unlike “Gessler Brothers” who took pride in making exclusive, custom-designed boots which were of the highest quality, the big firms had no self-respect.
They produced shoes of indifferent quality and relied on clever marketing techniques to corner all the business driving small businesses against the wall. With every passing year, small businesses like “Gessler Brothers” saw their clientele dwindle till they were left with almost no work.
This situation was very painful for them because boot-making was their passion and they loved creating boots to fit their clients perfectly. He regretted the loss of art and quality in a world of competition and crass consumerism.
2. How did the new owner describe the last phase of Mr Gessler’s life?
Answer:
The new owner told the author that Mr Gessler had starved himself to death. He kept on the shop and wouldn’t let anyone else touch his boots. When he got an order, it took him such a long time to execute that people grew impatient. Gradually he lost all his clients.
Of course, there wasn’t a man in London who made better boots than him or used better materials. But he could not deal with the competition which was very aggressive. He refused to advertise and to keep up with the changing demands of the times.
Towards the end, he worked day and night on his boots, never giving himself time to eat and never had a penny to spare. All that he earned was spent in paying his rent and in buying leather. Often, he let the fire die out so it was a wonder how he lived so long. He was a strange character but he made good boots.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Unit 5 “Quality”
Our team of English experts, trained both in India and overseas, have taken care to explain the story to you simply and effectively. Plenty of additional questions have been provided which cover the all facets of the lesson in detail to help you understand the story in depth. We suggest you go through them in right earnest paying attention to all the details.
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and his refusal to compromise with changing trends which eventually leads to his death by starvation. The Gessler brothers remained true to their art in spite of suffering losses. They undoubtedly made the best boots in town. The story traces how art which strives towards perfection is elbowed out by the flashy materialistic world driven by money.
One day the author went to see Mr Gessler wearing a pair of boots which he had bought from a large firm in an emergency. As soon as Mr Gessler noticed them, he became sombre and quiet. He pointed out accurately the defective spot where the left boot hurt the author. Then, he spoke bitterly about the threat faced by small businesses like his from the big sharks who had little concern for quality and lured all their customers away through flashy advertisements.
Yes, certainly. Our team of competent English teachers have carefully anticipated all the queries you may have about the lesson and crafted these excellent solutions which draw your attention to every detail in the story. We suggest that at first you read the story closely and look up the meanings of unfamiliar terms. Then go through the solutions taking in all the details. Do not learn by heart because the key to learning lies in understanding the text.
Our English experts have painstakingly provided many extra questions which are similar to exam questions and are designed to give you sufficient practice.
Go through the solutions before the exam and practice writing out some answers within a specified time period. This is a vital step which should not be underestimated because practice not only makes perfect, but also boosts your self-confidence. You will be calm and ready to take on any challenge that your examiner may pose! Good luck!
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