Jharkhand Board Class 10 English Notes | A Triumph of Surgery Solutions Chapter 1
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q. 1. Give a brief character sketch of Mrs. Pumphrey.
Ans. Mrs. Pumphrey was quite a rich lady. She had a small pet
dog she named it Tricki. She used to take him out in the street for
a stroll. Mrs. Pumphrey was anxious because her dog had no
energy. She gave him extra diet to build up his health. She also
gave him some malt, cod-liver oil and a bowl of Horlicks but could
not make him sleepy. Out of affection, she did not cut down sweet
things for ever. She gave him cream, cakes and chocolates. She
could not give him plenty of exercise. She agreed to be strict with
Tricki's diet and in giving him more exercise.
She was a kind and considerate lady. She started bewailing
when Tricki was carried to the surgery. She had a set of uniforms,
beds and bowls for him. She sent eggs and wine for the dog in the
hospital. She enquired about him a number of times everyday. She
shed tears of joy on viewing Tricki fully cured.
Q. 2. Give a brief character sketch of Tricki.
Ans. Tricki was a small dog. His rich mistress pampered him.
He had become hugely fat due to overfeeding. He became rheumy
and listless. He lost all energy. Dr. Herriot took interest in him and
asked his mistress to cut down on sweet things. He was very
greedy. He ate at odd times enormously. He was fond of cream,
cakes and chocolates. He was not given plenty of exercise. A whole
wardrobe was full of his clothing.
His mistress got upset when Tricki left eating, going for walks
and doing anything. His mistress bewailed when he was taken to
the hospital. He had no energy left. Dr. Herriot took personal
interest in him. He was only given plenty of water for two days. He
regained energy and showed interest in other dogs. He enjoyed
playing in the company. His mistress sent eggs and wine for him.
They built him up and enriched his blood. He licked his mistress's
face when he was taken back home. He was a kind, sensible and
grateful dog.
Q. 3. How do you know that Mrs Pumphrey was a rich lady?
Ans. From the way Mrs. Pumphrey kept Tricki, it is clear that
she was a rich lady. She had a chauffeur-driven long black car. She
spent a lot of money on delicacies for Tricki. She gave Tricki a rich
diet. She gave it eggs, malt, cod liver oil and a bowl of Horlicks. She
also gave it a lot of cream, cakes and chocolates. She had many
servants―maids and nurses in her household. She had all things
of comfort for Tricki. There were day bed, night bed, favourite
cushions, toys, rubber rings etc. Then she sent many delicacies
like fresh eggs, wine, whisky etc., to Mr. Herriot's surgery for Tricki.
These tastes and likes show that Mrs. Pumphrey was a rich lady.
Q.4. Comment on the aptness of the title of the story 'A Triumph
of Surgery.
Ans. Surgery is the hospital for the sick dogs. It also refers to
medical aid in allopathy. The title refers to both these meanings.
Tricki is the dear dog of Mrs. Pumphrey. It falls ill due to over-
eating and lack of physical exercises. It is a glutton also. Mrs.
Pumphrey gets sad at its illness. She calls the author who is a
veterninary surgeon. He takes Tricki to the Surgery. He regulates
Tricki's diet. He makes it run with other dogs. Mrs. Pumphrey
thought that Tricki was suffering from some serious illness. But it
was all right after the treatment at the Surgery. So, the importance of
the Surgery is clear. The chapter is all about this. So, it is
appropriately titled. The title is the main idea of the story.
Q.5. Pampering is bad for people as well as for animals.
Discuss.
Ans. For many people pampering means love, kindness and
understanding. They teel that by this people become very close.
This may be true in theory. But its practical side is different:
Pampering is harmful as it is seen in this story. Pampering makes
people and animals dull, lazy and glutton.
If Jijabai, mother of Shivaji, had pampered him, he could have
been a mere coward. Similarly, if Mrs. Pumphrey had not pampered
Tricki, she would not have faced problems of its health.
Q. 6. What was Tricki's ailment? How did it worry Mrs.
Pumphrey ? What did she do for its cure? [JAC Sample Paper 2010]
Ans. Mrs. Pumphrey had a dog. Its name was Tricki. Mrs.
Pumphrey's too much live was responsible for Tricki's illness. She
found Tricki dull. So she gave it little extras between meals. She
gave it some malt, cod liver oil and a bowl of Horlicks. But she did
not give it much-needed exercise. As a result, it had falen ill. it
even refused to eat its favourite dishes. It vomited also. It spent all
its time lying down. Mrs Pumphrey called Mr. Herriot, veterinary
Surgeon. He took Tricki to his Surgery.
Q.7. Describe in about 100 words how Mr. Herriot 'cured'
Tricki's illness. [JAC 2005 (A)]
Ans. Mr. Herriot took Tricki to his Surgery. For two days he
gave it no food but plenty of water. At the end of the second day,
Tricki Showed some interest in its surroundings. It started searching
some food. Next day an extra bowl was put out for him. It was not
given any medicinal treatment. Mr. Herriot also gave brandy to
Tricki. Its diet was: extra egg in the morning, Wine at noon and
brandy in the evening. These things had a great effect on Tricki.
Then the company ot dogs also proved important in Tricki's
improvement. very soon, it became all right.
Q.8. Describe Mrs. pumphrey's love and worry forTricki.
[JAC 2006 A]
Or, How is Mrs. Pumphrey responsible for Tricki's ailment?
[JAC 2007(A)]
Ans. In fact, Mrs. Pumphrey has a great love for Tricki, her
dog. She does not treat it as an animal, Tricki has been given every
sort of luxury, but no work. It has separate beds and separate
bowls. It has become very 1at. it is all due to Mrs Pumpltrey's
giving it extra food. The result is that Tricki falls ill because it has
no exercise. Mrs. Pumphrey's worries are great. She calls Mr. Herriot,
veterinary Surgeon. Mr. Herriot regulates its diet and gives it
physical exercise. Tricki gets all right again.
Q.9. Compare and contrast Tricki in the beginning and in
the end of the story 'ATriumph of Surgery'.
Ans. In the beginning. Tricki was hugely fat. Its tongue lolled
from its Jaws. it was lazy ana Seemed to have no energy left. It was
greedy and ate tood the whole day. But it did not exercise, nor
walked. So this worried Mrs. Pumphrey greaty. She telephoned
Mr. Herriot, the author. He took it to his surgery, At the surgery,
Mr. Herriot gave Tricki a lot of water and no food. On the third day,
it started barking at other dogs. lt followed them down the garden.
Other dogs befriended it. In two weeks it had become a hard-
muscled animal. It looked a little golden figure.
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q. 1. Who was Tricki? How was he pampered?
[JAC Sample Paper 2010]
Ans. Tricki was a small dog. He was pampered by his rich
mistress. She gave him cream cakes and chocolates. She overfed
him. He would tackle a meal even at odd times.
Q. 2. How did Dr. Herriot show keen interest in Tricki?
Or, How did the author (Dr. Herriot) treat tricki at the
surgery? [JAC 2004(A), 2005 (S), 2012(A)]
Ans. The author took Tricki to his surgery not caring for his
mistress's bewailing. He made up a bed for Tricki in a warm loose
box near the other dog's dormitory. He kept an eye on him. He did
not give him any food. Rather he gave him plenty of water. He
observed the daily progress made by Tricki.
Q.3. Why was Mr. Herriot shocked at Tricki's appearance ?
[JAC 2004 S, 2006 (S), 2007A, 2013(A), 2015 (A); 2018 (A)]
Ans. Tricki, the pampered dog of Mrs. Pumphrey had become
enormously fat. His legs were hardly visible. His eyes were blood
red and rheumy. His tongue came out was lolling from his jaws.
Therefore, Tricki's appearance shocked Mr. Herriot.
Q. 4. Why was it a temptation to keep Tricki as a permanent
guest? [JAC 2005(A)]
Or, What is doctor tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent
guest ? [JAC 2014(A); 2017 (A)]
Ans. The doctor and his partners had two eggs each for
breakfast out of Tricki's share. They also took wine and brandy out
of Tricki's share. Therefore, it was a temptation to keep Tricki as a
permanent guest.
Q.5. "I think I know a cure for you". What was the 'cure'?
Ans. The 'cure' was not medical treatment, but regulating
Tricki's upkeep. Mr. Herriot gave it the required diet at the fixed
time. Secondly, Tricki got its company. These things made up a
proper 'cure' for Tricki.
Q. 6. How did other dogs treat Tricki? [JAC 2004(A)]
Ans. When Tricki arrived at the surgery, no dog showed any
interest in it. But after the third day, Joe, the grey hound, showed
interest in it. It befriended Tricki after sniffing and rolling him over.
Q. 7. How did Tricki improve slowly?
Ans. In the beginning, Tricki couldn't compete with the
headlong wush of other dogs. But later he made a trip round the
empty shining bowls. From the next day, it was able to enjoy the
food from the extra bowl kept for him.
Q. 8. How did Mrs. Pumphrey react when she heard that
Tricki could be collected as it had got well?
Ans. Dr. Herriot telephoned Mrs. Pumphrey that Tricki was all
right. She could collect it. Within minutes, Mrs. Pumphrey drove in
there in her long black shining car. She wanted to know if it was o.k.
She had tears in her eyes and her lips trembled.
Q. 9. What things of Tricki did Mrs. Pumphrey note when she
came to take it back?
Ans. Mrs. Pumphrey noted that Tricki had become a hard
muscled animal. It was a little golden figure. It moved in the lawn
flapping its ears and waving its tail. It kept pace with the pack of
other dogs.
Q. 10. Why is Mrs. Pumphrey worried about Tricki?
Ans. Mrs. Pumphrey is worried about Tricki. It has become
hugely fat. It looks like a bloated sausage. Its eyes are blood red and
rheumy. Its tongue lolls down its jaws.
Q. 11. What does she do to help him? Is she wise in this?
Ans. She at once calls Mr. Herriot to him (Tricki). Mr. Herriot is
a veterinary doctor. She is wise in this because no one can know
about animals except the veterinary doctor.
Q. 12. Who is the 'I' in this story?
Ans. 'I' in this story is James Herriot, the veterinary surgeon.
Q. 13. Is the narrator as rich as Tricki's mistress?
Ans. No, the narrator is not as rich as Tricki's mistress.
Q. 14. How does he treat the dog?
Ans. He takes the dog Tricki to his surgery. There he does not
give much food to it. He instead cuts its food and keeps it on a strict
diet. He keeps it under observation. At the end of the second day
Tricki starts showing some interest in the surroundings. On the third
day it whimpers.
Q. 15. Why does Mrs. Pumphrey think the dog's recovery is
'a triumph of surgery'?
Ans. She thinks so because it is the surgery, that is, hospital that
has made Tricki all right. Its stay at the surgery has cured it of its
illness.
Q. 16. What would you have done if you were in the narrator's
place?
Ans. If I had been in the narrator's place, I would have done the
same things as he did. He did not exploit Mrs. Pumphrey, nor would
I do. Eating a part of Mrs. Pumphrey's items of food meant for Tricki
was not bad in taste. It was playful.
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