The Dear Departed Part 1

AP State Syllabus SSC 10th Class English Solutions 

Unit 2A The Dear Departed Part 1

Comprehension

Answer the following questions.

1. What qualities of Mrs. Slater have you noticed?

Mrs. Slater is unscrupulous, greedy, deceitful, dishonest, selfish, impolite and insensitive. She is also insensitive.

2. Why does Mrs. Slater decide to shift the bureau from her father’s room before the arrival of the Jordans? How does Henry react to the suggestion?

Mrs. Slater wants to own her father’s bureau as she likes it very much. After her father’s death, she decides to shift the bureau to the drawing room before the arrival of the Jordans. At first, Henry is shocked at her decision. Later he works with his wife and shifts the bureau to the ground floor.

3. Why do the Jordans take a long time to get to the house of the Slaters? What does it show about the two sisters’ attitude towards each other?

I think the Jordans are late as they have bought mourning dresses to wear before they come to Slater’s house. They are not sorrowful at their father’s death. In their relationship, we don’t find any kind of emotions and sisterly love.

4.Ben appreciates his father-in-law saying, ‘It’s a good thing he did’. Later, he calls him a ‘drunken old beggar’. Why does he change his opinion about his father-in-law?

Ben appreciates his father-in-law saying it’s a good thing he did’ when he comes to know from Mrs. Slater that the old man has gone out to pay his insurance premium on the day of his death. Later, he comes to know that he has not paid the premium and therefore calls him a drunken old beggar’. Ben has changed his opinion about his father-in-law when be realises that he hasn’t paid premium because, now after his death, they can t claim the insurance company. 

5. What made Mr.Henry feel shocked to hear Victoria say ‘Are you planning to pinch it ?’?

When Victoria asked Slaters “Are you planning to pinch it ?”, Mr. Henry felt shocked. He thought that Victoria was innocent. But when she asked him the above question, Mr. Henry came to know that Victoria had wisdom beyond her age.