The Browning Version Class 11 English Important Questions

Please refer to The Browning Version Class 11 English Important Questions with solutions provided below. These questions and answers have been provided for Class 11 English based on the latest syllabus and examination guidelines issued by CBSE, NCERT, and KVS. Students should learn these problem solutions as it will help them to gain more marks in examinations. We have provided Important Questions for Class 11 English for all chapters in your book. These Board exam questions have been designed by expert teachers of Standard 11.

Class 11 English Important Questions The Browning Version

Short Answer Type Questions :

Question. Why was Taplow bitter?
Answer: Mr Frank found Taplow waiting for Mr Crocker- Harris and they got into a conversation. While talking, Taplow called the ‘Agamemnon’ rubbish. Mr Frank detected some bitterness in Taplow’s voice. Taplow said that he was certainly bitter. The weather was good and he could have been out playing golf but here he was, in the school, doing extra work on the last day of the term.

Question. Why would Taplow not get any ‘comfort’ as mentioned by Mr Frank?
Answer: Mr Crocker-Harris gave no benefit to his students for being good boys in taking up extra work. He gave marks as per the performance and not for doing any extra work. In fact, Taplow was afraid that his teacher would have rather marked him down for doing extra work.
Hence, he doesn’t think he would get any ‘comfort’.

Question.What happened when Mr Crocker-Harris made one of his classical jokes?
Answer: One day, Mr Crocker-Harris made one of his classical jokes in class. Nobody understood it and hence nobody laughed.
However, Taplow knew that Mr Crocker-Harris meant something funny and he laughed out of sheer courtesy. Mr Crocker-Harris said that he was impressed by the progress made by Taplow as he understood what others in his class couldn’t and then asked Taplow to explain to the whole class what he had understood.

Question. What did Taplow consider ‘muck’? Why?
Answer: Taplow considered the Greek tragedy ‘Agamemnon’ as ‘muck’. Even though he liked the plot of the play, Taplow disliked the way it was taught by Mr Crocker-Harris.
Besides, a number of Greek words were to be learnt and if a student went wrong, he had to write each word fifty times as punishment.

Question. How does Taplow react to Millie Crocker-Harris’ arrival?
Answer: Taplow is nervous on seeing Millie Crocker-Harris. He is unable to control his emotions and whispers to Mr Frank whether he thinks she has heard their conversation. Taplow
feels that if she tells Mr Crocker-Harris about what they were talking about, he would surely be failed.

Question. Why does Mr Frank ask Taplow to ‘cut’? How does Taplow react?
Answer: When Mr Frank finds Taplow waiting, he asks him to ‘cut’ as Mr Crocker-Harris had not arrived even after ten minutes. However, Taplow cannot even imagine doing such a thing. According to him, there is probably not a single student who has insulted Mr Crocker-Harris in his career.

Question. Why did Taplow say that Mr Crocker-Harris was hardly human?
Answer: Taplow could not believe that Mr Crocker-Harris was a normal human being for a number of reasons.
Mr Crocker-Harris was extremely strict while teaching. He followed the headmaster’s rules of announcing results on the last day of term. He never told the students their results beforehand. He frightened the students in every possible way. He was a man who hated even those who liked him.

Question. “We get all the slackers!” What did Mr Frank mean?
Answer: Mr. Frank means that he thinks that most studies who opt for science are poor in studies and the subject frequently attracts ‘slackers’.
He further goes on to admit that he himself doesn’t like the science he teaches.

Question. Why is Taplow worried about his ‘remove’? What did Mr Crocker-Harris reply to him?
Answer: Taplow is in the lower fifth class. He can’t specialise until he goes into the next class. He is worried about the ‘remove’ i.e. his result, because much depends on how he performed in the examination.
At the same time, he is very anxious to know his result. So, he had gone to Mr Crocker-Harris and asked him if he had passed him. However, the teacher gave a very mysterious
answer and told him that he had given him exactly what he deserved, not less and certainly not more.

Question. HowdoesMillieCrocker-Harris send Taplowaway?
Answer: On seeing Taplow, Millie Crocker-Harris points out that her husband was at the Bursar’s and would take some time to get back. She suggests him to go away for a quarter of an hour. However, Taplow does not do so due to fear of the teacher. Millie Crocker-Harris assures him that she would take the blame. She given him prescription and requests
him to bring some medicines from the chemist. Taplow accepts the proposal and leaves.

Question. Mr Crocker-Harris is not a sadist. Still his students are scared of him. Comment.
Answer: Taplow says that Mr Crocker-Harris is not a sadist. If he had been a sadist then he wouldn’t have been so frightening. It would mean that he had some feelings. But Mr Crocker-Harris was devoid of any feelings. He seemed to hate that people liked him and Taplow couldn’t think of any teacher who didn’t like being liked by his students.

Question. Did Taplow come to the school only because Mr Crocker-Harris had asked him to?
Answer: Taplow was present at the school on the last day of the term as he had missed a class of Mr Crocker-Harris the previous week and Mr Crocker-Harris had asked him to make amends for it. It is true that Taplow was there because he was scared to death of Mr Crocker-Harris, but he also had another motive. He was waiting for his result and feared that if he
did not obey Mr Crocker-Harris then his result would suffer.

Question. What do you gather about Mr Frank from the play?
Answer: Mr Frank is a young science teacher. He does not like the subject he teaches. He also admits that he tells results to the students before they are officially announced. He envies Mr Crocker-Harris for the effect he has on the students.

Question. What did Mr Frank call ‘bad luck’?
Answer: The weather was fine and Taplow wanted to go and play golf.
But Taplow had been given extra work to do by Mr. Crocker-Harris. He was waiting for his teacher and couldn’t dare to defy him. Mr Frank considered Taplow’s situation ‘bad luck’ as he could not go out to play on such a wonderful day.

Question. What kind of a teacher and a human being is Mr Crocker-Harris, according to Taplow?
Answer: Mr Crocker-Harris appears to be a disciplinarian. Students are scared to death of him. He follows rules and believes in them. He tells Taplow that he will mark him according to
what he deserves, neither less, nor more. Taplow thinks that Mr Crocker-Harris is not a sadist, but hates being liked. He is all shrivelled up and without any feelings.
He has a wonderful hold over his students. No student has ever refused any punishment given by Mr Crocker-Harris in his entire career. He appears frightening to his students.

Long Answer Type Questions :

Question. Comment on the attitude shown by Taplow towards Mr Crocker-Harris. 
Answer: Mr Crocker-Harris is a middle-aged schoolmaster. He is a teacher in the traditional mould. He is a strict man who is more feared than respected. He follows rules and regulations with all sincerity.
Taplow is in the lower fifth standard. His attitude towards Mr Crocker-Harris is mixed. He recognises his sense of discipline, sense of devotion and stoic nature. But he has a personal feeling of ill-will against Mr Crocker-Harris. He is given extra work on the last day of the term as punishment because he missed a day the previous week when he was ill.
Mr Crocker-Harris is a hard taskmaster. That’s why he gave extra work to Taplow. He doesn’t bother that it is the last day of the term.
Taplow feels that Mr Crocker-Harris is devoid of feelings, is strict and can never be flattered. In spite of everything, Taplow rather likes him. Mr Crocker–Harris doesn’t tell the
results like the other masters before they are formally announced. Hence, Mr Crocker-Harris is different from other teachers.
Taplow doesn’t consider Mr Crocker-Harris a sadist.
He doesn’t get pleasure out of giving pain to others. In his view, a sadist shows some feelings but Mr Crocker-Harris has none.

Question. Taplow does an imitation of Mr Crocker-Harris.
Do you think respect for one’s teacher is fast disappearing in the modern world? Give reasons in support of your answer.
Answer: It is true that respect for one’s teacher is fast disappearing in the modern world. Improper parenting, lack of restriction in schools and no fear of teachers are some of the reasons why teachers are not being adequately respected.
Too often parents these days blame the teachers for the slightest bit of strictness in schools. No wonder the children have no respect for the teacher when they know they can
get away with indiscipline.
Moreover, these days teachers seem to lack the passion to teach. As a result, teachers do not have good knowledge of their subject and are thus not respected by their students.
Moreover, there are teachers who are biased and prejudiced in their approach. Students do not appreciate such teachers and thus lose respect for them. Further, it is rightly said that
respect is never demanded but earned. It is the responsibility of the teacher to earn the students’ respect. If a teacher comes across students who are disrespectful, he/she should think over it and try to understand where he/she has gone wrong and lost the respect.

Question. What do you gather about Mr Crocker-Harris from the play? 
Answer: Mr Crocker-Harris is a middle-aged schoolmaster. He is quite reserved and a disciplinarian. He follows rules very strictly. He is a devoted teacher who can’t tolerate any relaxation among his students. He is a hard taskmaster. He doesn’t leak the results like other masters before they are formally announced. He is very conscious of his duty and he never spares a child who absents himself. He can give extra work to a student even on the last day of the term.
He is quite unpredictable. It is very difficult to read his mind. For instance, when Taplow asked him if he had given him a promotion, Mr Crocker-Harris replied mysteriously that he has given him exactly what he deserves, no less and certainly no more. His junior colleague feels jealous of the effect Mr Crocker-Harris has on the students.
Students seem to be scared to death of him. Taplow says that Mr Crocker-Harris has no feelings. It is quite correct, as he doesn’t like flattery, nor does he like anyone who likes him.
Sometimes he also cracks jokes but his classical jokes lack humour. In spite of everything, Taplow likes him.

Question. Does Mr Frank seem to encourage TapIow’s comments on Mr Crocker-Harris? 
Answer: Yes, Mr Frank seems to encourage Taplow’s comments on Mr Crocker-Harris. Mr Frank is a young school teacher. He teaches in the same school in which Mr Crocker-Harris, his
senior colleague, teaches. Actually, he is jealous of Mr Crocker-Harris. He frankly admits that Mr Crocker-Harris enjoys a wonderful hold over his students. They all seem scared to death of him. He is jealous of Mr Crocker-Harris’s authority and ‘effect’ on his students.
He relishes all adverse comments against Mr Crocker- Harris. Not only that, he even encourages Taplow to criticise him. But he doesn’t do it openly. He pretends not to like any adverse comments against Mr. Crocker-Harris like when Taplow calls him ‘Crock’. However, when Taplow imitates Mr. Crocker-Harris in his throaty voice, Mr Frank relishes it. He even asks Taplow to repeat it. He enjoys Mr Crocker-Harris being ridiculed by his own student.
Mr. Frank also asks Taplow to go away without meeting his teacher. But Taplow can’t even imagine doing such a thing.
He also encourages Taplow to share Mr. Crocker-Harris’s jokes with him. Mr. Frank pretends to have no jealousy against Mr. Crocker-Harris and warns Taplow that he has gone much too far in his criticism of Mr. Crocker-Harris.

Question. Do you feel it is proper for students to present their teacher the way Taplow does? What in your opinion should the relation between teacher and student be like?
Answer: It is improper for students to present their teacher the way Taplow does. He should not have criticised his teacher and his ways in front of another teacher. Moreover, Taplow’s bitterness arises out of the fact that he is detained by his teacher for extra work when he wanted to play golf. Further, Mr Crocker-Harris is the only one who follows the rules strictly. Had other teachers been like him, Taplow might not have been so critical of his teacher.
The relation between a teacher and his students should be of mutual understanding, respect and cooperation. They should work as a team, as neither is complete without the other. Both should try and create an interactive space where problems can be talked about and brought to a conclusion.
Moreover, it is the duty of the teacher to gain the trust of the students and create a friendly atmosphere where students are not scared of sharing their problems.

Extract Based Questions :

Question. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
‘‘Anyway, the Crock isn’t a sadist. That’s what I’m saying. He wouldn’t be so frightening if he were — because at least it would show he had some feelings. But he hasn’t. He’s all shrivelled up inside like a nut and he seems to hate people to like him.
It’s funny, that. I don’t know any other master who doesn’t like being liked —’’
(i) Who is the speaker of the given lines?
(ii) Why does he say that Crock isn’t a sadist?
(iii) Do you think Taplow dislikes Crocker-Harris?
(iv) Taplow states that Crocker Harris is shriveled up like a nut. Explain.
(v) Why does the extract end with ‘—–’ ?
Answer: (i) Taplow, a 16 year old boy, is the speaker of the given lines.
(ii) Taplow says that Crock isn’t a sadist to clarify to Frank that he does not beat children and boys are afraid of him for some other reason.
(iii) No, I don’t think that Taplow dislikes Crocker-Harris because he, in his description of the teacher, does nowhere state so or show any resentment towards him.
(iv) Taplow says that Crocker-Harris is all shriveled up like a nut to highlight that Crocker-Harris does not seem to have any emotions and even if he has any he hides it.
(v) The extract ends with ‘—-’ to show that the speaker of the given lines was interrupted in between.

Question. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
‘‘Millie He’s at the Bursar’s and might be there quite a time. If I were you I’d go.
Taplow (doubtfully) He said most particularly I was to come.
Millie Well, why don’t you run away for a quarter of an hour and come back? (She unpacks some things from the basket.) Taplow Supposing he gets here before me?
Millie (smiling) I’ll take the blame. (She takes a prescription out of the basket.) I tell you what — you can do a job for him. Take this prescription to the chemist and get it made up.
Taplow All right, Mrs Crocker-Harris. (He crosses towards the door up right.)’’
(i) Why does Millie tell Taplow that if she were him she would leave?
(ii) Why is Taplow hesitant to leave without seeing Crocker-Harris?
(iii) Do you think Millie Crocker-Harris wanted Taplow to leave her and Frank alone?
(iv) How do you think is Mrs. Millie Crocker-Harris different from what Taplow thought about her?
(v) What can you say about Taplow’s feeling’s for Crocker-Harris?
Answer: (i) Millie tells Taplow to leave because she knows that Crocker-Harris would take his time to reach school.
(ii) Taplow is hesitant to leave without seeing Crocker-Harris as he feels that if he does so, he would not get his remove.
(iii) Yes, I think that Millie Crocker-Harris wanted Taplow to leave her and Frank alone for some time.
(iv) When Taplow sees Mrs. Millie Crocker Harris he thinks that she would tell everything to Crocker Harris and then he would not get his remove. However, contrary to his opinion, Millie tells Taplow to leave and that she would take the blame on herself.
(v) From the given extract, we can gather that Taplow is respectful towards Mr Crocker-Harris and is afraid of him and dare not cut the extra work even on the last day of the term.

Question. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
‘‘Taplow Well, I’m not so sure, sir. That would be true of the ordinary masters, all right. They just wouldn’t dare not to give a chap a remove after his taking extra work. But those sort of rules don’t apply to the Crock — Mr Crocker-Harris. I asked him yesterday outright if he’d given me a remove and do you know what he said, sir?
Frank No. What?
Taplow (imitating a very gentle, rather throaty voice) “My dear Taplow, I have given you exactly what you deserve. No less; and certainly no more.”
Do you know sir, I think he may have marked me down, rather than up, for taking extra work. I mean, the man’s hardly human. (He breaks off quickly.) Sorry, sir. Have I gone too far?
Frank Yes. Much too far.
Taplow Sorry, sir. I got carried away.’’
(i) What is Taplow not sure of ?
(ii) Why does Taplow say that ‘those kind of rule don’t apply to the Crock’?
(iii) Do you think Taplow is bitter about not knowing whether he got his remove?
(iv) WhydoesTaplow call Crocker-Harris ‘HardlyHuman’?
(v) Why does Taplow feel that he got carried away?
Answer: (i) Taplow is not sure of whether he would get his remove from Crocker Harris.
(ii) Taplow says that those kind of rules does not apply to the Crock because if it would have been some other teacher he would have gotten his remove but Mr. Crocker-Harris would not do so.
(ii) No, Taplow is not bitter about not knowing whether he got his remove because this was expected of Crocker-Harris.
(iv) Taplow calls Crocker-Harris hardly human because he felt that Crocker-Harris did not have any emotions.
(v) Taplow feels that he got carried away because he was talking about another teacher disrespectfully in front of Frank who was a teacher himself.

Extract Based MCQs :

1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
‘‘Frank What’s your name?
Taplow Taplow.
Frank Taplow! No, I don’t. You’re not a scientist I gather?
Taplow No, sir, I’m still in the lower fifth. I can’t specialise until next term — that’s to say, if I’ve got my remove all right.
Frank Don’t you know if you’ve got your remove?
Taplow No sir, Mr Crocker-Harris doesn’t tell us the results like the other masters.
Frank Why not?
Taplow Well, you know what he’s like, sir.
Frank I believe there is a rule that form results should only be announced by the headmaster on the last day of term.’’

Question. What is Frank’s reaction when he asks Taplow as to why he does not know about his remove yet?
(a) Sad
(b) Surprising
(c) Angry
(d) Happy

Question. What does Frank mean to say when he states that Crocker-Harris is unlike other teachers?
(a) He follows rules
(b) He does not favour any child
(c) He is not flexible
(d) He is strict

Question. By stating the rule, Frank is ………… Mr. Crocker-Harris.
(a) trying to understand
(b) defending
(c) negating
(d) clarifying

Question. What does ‘remove’ mean in this context?
(a) A division in British schools
(b) Take away something
(c) Unfasten
(d) Get rid of

Question. Select the statement(s) that can be inferred from the above extract:
I. Frank is meeting Taplow for the first time.
II. Taplow is a new student of Frank.
III. Mr. Crocker-Harris is a rather unique teacher.
(a) I and II are true
(b) Only II is true
(c) I and III are true
(d) I, II and III are true

2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
‘‘Frank Well, he’s ten minutes late. Why don’t you cut? You could still play golf before lock-up.
Taplow (really shocked) Oh, no, I couldn’t cut. Cut the Crock — Mr Crocker-Harris? I shouldn’t think it’s ever been done in the whole time he’s been here. God knows what would happen if I did. He’d probably follow me home, or something … Frank I must admit I envy him the effect he seems to have on you boys in the form. You all seem scared to death of him. What does he do — beat you all, or something?
Taplow Good Lord, no. He’s not a sadist, like one or two of the others.”

Question. Why does Taplow correct himself immediately after calling his professor Crock?
(a) Because Mr. Crocker-Harris arrived
(b) Because he is with another teacher
(c) Because he forgot his teacher’s actual name
(d) Because he is sad

Question. Taplow says that Crocker-Harris is not a sadist.
Select the option that explains this.
(a) To negate Frank’s belief that Crocker-Harris beats them.
(b) To state why they are afraid of Crocker-Harris.
(c) To justify why students are afraid of Crocker Harris.
(d) To claim that Crocker-Harris was not strict.

Question. What makes Mr. Crocker-Harris different from other teachers?
(a) He might be a sadist
(b) He treasures his students
(c) He values other teachers
(d) He has a special influence on students

Question. Frank asks Taplow to cut. He means that Taplow should ………… .
(a) leave
(b) wait
(c) contact
(d) forget

Question. How does Taplow come out in the given extract?
(a) Rational
(b) Matter of fact
(c) Frank
(d) All of the above