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English LS-1 The Boy Who Broke The Bank
Poem-1 The Lost Dances Of The Cranes
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Ls-1 The Boy Who Broke The Bank
Gist
Gist
"The Boy Who Broke the Bank" by Ruskin Bond is a satirical short-story about rumour-mongering in a small town. It all began with Nathu, the sweeper-boy who complained of the irregularity of his salary from the local bank. The bank-owner, Seth Govind Ram was quite overdue in paying him. Soon word spread around the town that the boy hadn’t been paid. People automatically assumed that the bank had gone bankrupt. The news of the bank’s imminent collapse made the townsfolk panic. Everyone started speculating. Rumour had it that the Seth, the owner of the bank had left the town. Some said that he had left the country. Some others were convinced that he was hiding in the town, itself. Every other customer started withdrawing money from the bank. The bank manager was in a dilemma. He tried in vain to pacify the protesting mob of townsmen by declaring that the bank had plenty of money. Nobody believed him. They demanded their cash on the spot. Mischief makers who never had dealings with the bank joined the crowd. They pelted stones and hurled bricks at the bank. One of the glass windows broke, as a result. The manager had no other option but to close the gate of the bank. The next day after all the chaos, the sweeper boy who unintentionally caused all the pandemonium, came to the bank to find it in shambles. He had not the slightest clue that he was responsible for triggering the onslaught.
Ls-1 The Boy Who Broke The Bank
Gist
Gist
"The Boy Who Broke the Bank" by Ruskin Bond is a satirical short-story about rumour-mongering in a small town. It all began with Nathu, the sweeper-boy who complained of the irregularity of his salary from the local bank. The bank-owner, Seth Govind Ram was quite overdue in paying him. Soon word spread around the town that the boy hadn’t been paid. People automatically assumed that the bank had gone bankrupt. The news of the bank’s imminent collapse made the townsfolk panic. Everyone started speculating. Rumour had it that the Seth, the owner of the bank had left the town. Some said that he had left the country. Some others were convinced that he was hiding in the town, itself. Every other customer started withdrawing money from the bank. The bank manager was in a dilemma. He tried in vain to pacify the protesting mob of townsmen by declaring that the bank had plenty of money. Nobody believed him. They demanded their cash on the spot. Mischief makers who never had dealings with the bank joined the crowd. They pelted stones and hurled bricks at the bank. One of the glass windows broke, as a result. The manager had no other option but to close the gate of the bank. The next day after all the chaos, the sweeper boy who unintentionally caused all the pandemonium, came to the bank to find it in shambles. He had not the slightest clue that he was responsible for triggering the onslaught.
. Read the line and answer the questions.
" I hear they have stopped paying their employees—no salary for over three months!"
a. What information does the speaker share with the listener?
b. How did the speaker gather this information?
c. What effect did the information have on the listener? Answers: a. The speaker, Mrs Bhushan informs Mr Jugal Kishore that Seth Govind Ram’s bank was going bankrupt.
b. Mrs Prakash told Mrs Bhushan that Seth Govindram’s Bank did not pay his employee properly because the bank may not have enough money. Mrs Bhushan immediately wanted to share the information with her husband.
c. The moment Mr Jugal Kishore heard the news, he jumped and rushed out to call and inform his neighbour, who had an account with the bank.
" I hear they have stopped paying their employees—no salary for over three months!"
a. What information does the speaker share with the listener?
b. How did the speaker gather this information?
c. What effect did the information have on the listener? Answers: a. The speaker, Mrs Bhushan informs Mr Jugal Kishore that Seth Govind Ram’s bank was going bankrupt.
b. Mrs Prakash told Mrs Bhushan that Seth Govindram’s Bank did not pay his employee properly because the bank may not have enough money. Mrs Bhushan immediately wanted to share the information with her husband.
c. The moment Mr Jugal Kishore heard the news, he jumped and rushed out to call and inform his neighbour, who had an account with the bank.
Question and Answers
Ans.1Nathu, the sweeper-boy, was annoyed because his employer, Seth Govind Ram’s careless business dealings had almost left him penniless. Nathu hadn’t even received his regular pay for two months. Govind Ram owned a small local bank and Nathu could not understand how he could hold up a poor man’s salary.Ans.2 Mrs Prakash informed Mrs Bhushan that Seth Govind Ram’s bank was not being able to pay its employees for two months, which included Nathu, the sweeper-boy of the bank. Mrs Bhushan concluded that if the bank was failing to pay its sweeper, then it must have gone bankrupt. She then told her husband and others that the bank had not paid its employees for three months. This is how the news about the bank changed from Mrs Prakash’s telling to Mrs Bhushan’s.
Ans. 3. Faiz Hussain, the barber, was so shocked to hear the news of the bank going bankrupt that his hands shook and he nicked his customer’s right ear.
Ans. 3. Faiz Hussain, the barber, was so shocked to hear the news of the bank going bankrupt that his hands shook and he nicked his customer’s right ear.
. Read the line and answer the questions.
" I hear they have stopped paying their employees—no salary for over three months!"
a. What information does the speaker share with the listener?
b. How did the speaker gather this information?
c. What effect did the information have on the listener? Answers: a. The speaker, Mrs Bhushan informs Mr Jugal Kishore that Seth Govind Ram’s bank was going bankrupt.
b. Mrs Prakash told Mrs Bhushan that Seth Govindram’s Bank did not pay his employee properly because the bank may not have enough money. Mrs Bhushan immediately wanted to share the information with her husband.
c. The moment Mr Jugal Kishore heard the news, he jumped and rushed out to call and inform his neighbour, who had an account with the bank.
" I hear they have stopped paying their employees—no salary for over three months!"
a. What information does the speaker share with the listener?
b. How did the speaker gather this information?
c. What effect did the information have on the listener? Answers: a. The speaker, Mrs Bhushan informs Mr Jugal Kishore that Seth Govind Ram’s bank was going bankrupt.
b. Mrs Prakash told Mrs Bhushan that Seth Govindram’s Bank did not pay his employee properly because the bank may not have enough money. Mrs Bhushan immediately wanted to share the information with her husband.
c. The moment Mr Jugal Kishore heard the news, he jumped and rushed out to call and inform his neighbour, who had an account with the bank.
Question and Answers
Ans.1Nathu, the sweeper-boy, was annoyed because his employer, Seth Govind Ram’s careless business dealings had almost left him penniless. Nathu hadn’t even received his regular pay for two months. Govind Ram owned a small local bank and Nathu could not understand how he could hold up a poor man’s salary.Ans.2 Mrs Prakash informed Mrs Bhushan that Seth Govind Ram’s bank was not being able to pay its employees for two months, which included Nathu, the sweeper-boy of the bank. Mrs Bhushan concluded that if the bank was failing to pay its sweeper, then it must have gone bankrupt. She then told her husband and others that the bank had not paid its employees for three months. This is how the news about the bank changed from Mrs Prakash’s telling to Mrs Bhushan’s.
Ans. 3. Faiz Hussain, the barber, was so shocked to hear the news of the bank going bankrupt that his hands shook and he nicked his customer’s right ear.
Ans. 3. Faiz Hussain, the barber, was so shocked to hear the news of the bank going bankrupt that his hands shook and he nicked his customer’s right ear.
The customer, an elderly gentleman, yelped with pain and distress – pain because of the cut and distress because of the news he had just heard. “With one side of his neck still unshaved, he ran out of the shop to a general store where there was a telephone.” This line shows that the customer was more worried about his money than his injury.
a. The elderly customer at the barbershop ran out as soon as he got to know of the bank going insolvent. He went to a general store which had a telephone and dialled Seth Govind Ram’s Number. The Seth was not at home. He was holidaying in Kashmir. The elderly gentleman speculated that Seth Govind Ram had the left town. When this piece of information did its rounds in the bazaars, everyone else was convinced that the Seth had run away.
b. Among the absurd rumours that were spreading about the Seth, one was that he had fled the state. Others insisted that he had fled the country. Some believed that he was hiding somewhere close by, possibly within the town.
c. Yes, the Seth’s reputation made the rumours easier to believe. This is because the Seth was known for his pleasure-loving attitude and careless business dealings. His frivolous ways made it difficult for the simple townsfolk to trust him entirely. Hence a lot of them withdrew their money from the bank, way ahead of the speculated crash.
5. a. A clerk at the bank, which had supposedly gone bankrupt, said these words over the telephone to a relative. The relative had called him to get facts about the bank’s collapse
b. Among the absurd rumours that were spreading about the Seth, one was that he had fled the state. Others insisted that he had fled the country. Some believed that he was hiding somewhere close by, possibly within the town.
c. Yes, the Seth’s reputation made the rumours easier to believe. This is because the Seth was known for his pleasure-loving attitude and careless business dealings. His frivolous ways made it difficult for the simple townsfolk to trust him entirely. Hence a lot of them withdrew their money from the bank, way ahead of the speculated crash.
5. a. A clerk at the bank, which had supposedly gone bankrupt, said these words over the telephone to a relative. The relative had called him to get facts about the bank’s collapse