The Thief’s Story – Textbook Questions and Answers | Class 10 English

What is the narrator quite successful at?

Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?

Why did the narrator change his name every month?

What favours did Anil do for the narrator?

What proves that the narrator still practised deceit?

Why did Hari hesitate to board the train?

Why does Hari believe that friends were more trouble than help?

What is face reading?

What could have caused the scars on Hari’s face?

Why did Hari feel nervous?

Why did Hari give a genuine appealing smile?

What were Hari’s regrets as he pondered over his theft?

Does Anil realise that he has been robbed?

Complete the web diagram: (a) Anil’s virtues (b) Hari’s vices.

Insert the appropriate word/phrase given below in the sentences that follow: (flattery, appealing, by fits and starts, dashed to, undetected, spirits rose)
(a) I ______ the school gate when I heard the school-bell ring.
(b) After the death of my pet dog, my ______ when dad got me a new pup.
(c) Do not stoop to ______ just to gain something from someone.
(d) The artist completes his paintings ______.
(e) The crime went ______ for 11 years.
(f) When the baby saw its mother it gave an ______ smile.

Find from the text the collocation for the following: (i) dog (ii) man (iii) ticket (iv) slowly (v) drizzle (vi) sentences (vii) spirits.

Complete the compound words from the story: (i) oil___ (ii) fifty___ (iii) easy___ (iv) ___tower (v) moon___

Pick out from the story 3 or 4 examples of Code-mixing (Indian words used in English).

Read the story carefully and complete the table: Total no. of characters, Names, Age, Physical appearance, Earned money by, Qualities.

Complete the given sentences.
(a) Anil kept Hari as a cook because ...
(b) Hari was grateful ...
(c) Hari continued making money ...
(d) Anil didn’t hand Hari over to the police ...
(e) The moral of the story is ...

Think and write in your own words.
(a) Why did Anil employ Hari as a cook, although he could not afford to pay him?

Think and write in your own words.
(b) What did Hari learn from Anil in the beginning?

Think and write in your own words.
(c) Why didn’t Anil hand over Hari to the police? What effect would it have had on Hari?

Think and write in your own words.
(d) Do you feel Anil’s way of handling a thief like Hari was effective? Justify your answer.

Think and write in your own words.
(e) What tact had Anil used to change Hari’s dishonest ways?

Think and write in your own words.
(f) ‘And the smile came by itself without any effort.’ Say why. When do people give fake smiles?

Write a character sketch of ‘Hari Singh’ with the help of the following points, using the paragraph format: Hari Singh’s background, his dishonesty, his aspirations, his courage to change himself.

Frame a ‘Wh’ question to get the underlined answer. (Change first person pronouns to the second person where necessary.)
(a) I hurried back to the room.

Frame a ‘Wh’ question to get the underlined answer. (Change first person pronouns to the second person where necessary.)
(b) I had made a study of men’s faces.

Frame a ‘Wh’ question to get the underlined answer. (Change first person pronouns to the second person where necessary.)
(c) I drew them out without a sound.

Frame a ‘Wh’ question to get the underlined answer. (Change first person pronouns to the second person where necessary.)
(d) The poor man showed acceptance.

Frame a ‘Wh’ question to get the underlined answer. (Change first person pronouns to the second person where necessary.)
(e) I made tea in the morning.

Imagine that Anil catches Hari red-handed when Hari is stealing the money from under the mattress. Compose a short dialogue between the two, which reflects Anil’s shock and Hari’s repeated apologies.