Keeping It From Harold
Q.1: Before you read “Keeping It From Harold” the teacher will encourage you to answer or discuss the following:
(a) What are the different weight categories in Boxing?
(b) Have you ever heard the song whose lyrics go like … “He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee”? Who does ‘he’ refer to? He is also known as “The Greatest” boxer of all time. What was his original name? How many times did he win the World Heavyweight Belt?
(c) Find out from your friend if he/she watches WWE and who is his/ser favourite wrestler. Also find out why he/she likes this wrestler.
(d) Discuss with your friend as to why these wrestlers have such a large fan following. Has the perception of people changed over the century with respect to those who fight in the ring?
Ans: (a) The different weight categories in Boxing are – 1. Heavy weight, 2. Light heavy weight, 3. Cruiser weight, 4. Super middle weight, 5. Middle weight, 6. Light middle weight, 7. Welter weight, 8. Light welter weight, 9. Light weight, 10. Super feather weight, 11. Feather weight, 12. Bantam weight, 13. Super bantam weight, 14. Fly weight, 15. Super fly weight, 16. Light fly weight, 17. Minimum weight.
(b) Yes. Here, ‘he’ refers to Mohammad Ali who is also known as “The Greatest Boxer” of all time. His original name is Casius Clay. He won World Heavyweight Belt three times.
(c) Yes, my friend Sanju watches WWE. His favourite wrestler is Beth Phoenix. His punching is stylish and entertaining.
(d) Yes, the perception of the people has changed over the time with respect to those who fight in the ring. Now they are celebrities. They earn lot of money and fame. They have fans all over the world and people see them with great respect.
Q.3: Answer the following questions by choosing the correct option:
(a) Mrs. Bramble was a proud woman because __________.
(i) She was the wife of a famous boxer.
(ii) She had motivated her husband.
(iii) She was a good housewife.
(iv) She was the mother of child prodigy.
(b) “The very naming of Harold had caused a sacrifice on his part.” The writer’s tone here is _______.
(i) admiring (ii) assertive (iii) satirical (iv) gentle
(c) Harold had defined the laws of heredity by ______.
(i) becoming a sportsman.
(ii) being good at academics.
(iii) being well-built and muscular.
(iv) respecting his parents.
(d) Harold felt that he was deprived of the respect that his classmates would give him as _________.
(i) they did not know his father was the famous boxer, ‘Young Porky’.
(ii) his hero, Jimmy Murphy had not won the wrestling match.
(iii) he had not got Phil Scott’s autograph.
(iv) Sid Simpson had lost the Lonsdale belt.
Ans: (a) iv (b) i (c) ii (d) i
Q.4: Answer the following questions:
(a) What was the strange about the manner is which Mrs. Bramble addressed her son? What did he feel about it?
(b) Why was it necessary to keep Harold’s father’s profession a secret from him?
(c) When Mr. Bramble came to know that he was to become a father what were some of the names he decided upon? Why?
(d) Describe Mr. Bramble as he has been described in the story.
(e) Why was Mrs. Bramble upset when she came to hear that Bill had decided not to fight?
(f) Who was Jerry Fisher? What did he say to try to convince Bill to change his mind?
(g) How did Harold come to know that his father was a boxer?
(h) Why was Harold upset that his father had not told him about his true identity? Give two reasons.
(i) Do you agree with Harold’s parents’ decision of hiding from him the fact that his father was a boxer? Why/Why not?
Ans:
(a) Mrs. Bramble used to speak to her son as if he were a baby, and not a young man of ten. She referred to herself in the third person. He disliked this habit of his mother.
(b) Harold’s father was a professional boxer. And Harold was a scholarly child with a very gentle and sophisticated behaviour. Mr. Bramble and his wife considered that boxing was an inferior profession and it may become difficult for Harold to accept the image and qualities of his father as displayed by any professional boxer. Hence, they thought it was necessary to hide his father’s profession from him.
(c) When Mr. Bramble came to know that he was to become a father he decided that the child should be named John, if it was a boy after Mr. John Sullivan and if it was a girl, she should be named Marie, after Miss Marie Lloyd.
(d) Mr. Bramble was a professional boxer. Yet he was an amiable and a very gentle person. He was proud of being a professional boxer. There was no man weighing eight stone four in London whom he could not overcome.
(e) Mrs. Bramble did not like her husband’s profession which she kept aloof from Harold. But Mr. Bramble used to earn lot of money that helped them to give a good education to Harold as they desired. She was upset because if her husband did not fight Murphy, he was not going to get the money they needed to give Harold a good future.
(f) Jerry Fisher was Bill’s trainer at White Hart. He had been preparing Bill for the fight with Murphy. When Bill decided not to fight with Murphy, he tried to convince Bill to change his mind. Fisher told him that if he did not fight he would lose a lot of money. The spectators would also be disappointed and the media would not rightly be kind of him. On the other hand, a win against Murphy would bring him not only money, but also a huge popularity.
(g) Just when Jerry was trying to convince Bill not to give up the idea of fighting, Harold came in. He wanted to know what they were talking about him. Here Jerry told him that his father was not a commercial agent but a fighting man, a professional boxer who was popularly known as ‘Young Porky’.
(h) Here are the two reasons why Harold became upset when he came to know that his father had not told him about his true identity:
(1) Harold was deeply interested in boxing. He had betted Dicky Sauders that Jimmy Murphy wouldn’t last ten rounds against Young Porky. If his father did not fight he was sure to lose the bet.
(2) He was also upset because his father had kept from him his true identity. Boys at school had nicknamed him ‘Goggles’. If they knew that he was the son of Young Porky, they would hold him in awe. By hiding his true identity, his father had deprived him of the pride and respect he would have got from his schoolmates.
(i) I agree with Harold’s parents’ decision of hiding from him the fact that his father was a boxer. They considered that a professional boxer was looked upon as a low-profile entertainer, and most of the people in the society did not respect a boxer. By hiding father’s true identity from their son was they wanted to save Harold from the agony of being called the son of a petty boxer or fighter. But they did not have idea that time had changed and boxers were the heroes of younger generation and enjoy fans around the world.
5. The sequence of events has been jumbled up. Rearrange them and complete the given flowchart.
1) Major Percy and Bill come to the house.
2) Harold comes to know that his father is a boxer.
3) Bill tells his wife that he is doing it for Harold.
4) Jerry Fisher tries to convince Bill to reconsider.
5) Mrs. Bramble is amazed to think that she has brought such a prodigy as Harold into the world.
6) Harold wants to know what will happen to the money he had bet on Murphy losing.
7) Mrs. Bramble is informed that Bill had decided not to fight.
8) Mrs. Bramble resumes work of darning the sock.
9) Harold is alone with his mother in their home.
Answer
Here is the correct sequence:
(9) Harold is alone with his mother in their home.
(5) Mrs. Bramble is amazed to think that she has brought such a prodigy as Harold into the world.
(8) Mrs. Bramble resumes work of darning the sock.
(1) Major Percy and Bill come to the house.
(7) Mrs. Bramble is informed that Bill had decided not to fight.
(3) Bill tells his wife that he is doing it for Harold.
(4) Jerry Fisher tries to convince Bill to reconsider.
(2) Harold comes to know that his father is a boxer.
(6) Harold wants to know what will happen to the money he had bet on Murphy losing.
Q.1: Before you read “Keeping It From Harold” the teacher will encourage you to answer or discuss the following:
(a) What are the different weight categories in Boxing?
(b) Have you ever heard the song whose lyrics go like … “He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee”? Who does ‘he’ refer to? He is also known as “The Greatest” boxer of all time. What was his original name? How many times did he win the World Heavyweight Belt?
(c) Find out from your friend if he/she watches WWE and who is his/ser favourite wrestler. Also find out why he/she likes this wrestler.
(d) Discuss with your friend as to why these wrestlers have such a large fan following. Has the perception of people changed over the century with respect to those who fight in the ring?
Ans: (a) The different weight categories in Boxing are – 1. Heavy weight, 2. Light heavy weight, 3. Cruiser weight, 4. Super middle weight, 5. Middle weight, 6. Light middle weight, 7. Welter weight, 8. Light welter weight, 9. Light weight, 10. Super feather weight, 11. Feather weight, 12. Bantam weight, 13. Super bantam weight, 14. Fly weight, 15. Super fly weight, 16. Light fly weight, 17. Minimum weight.
(b) Yes. Here, ‘he’ refers to Mohammad Ali who is also known as “The Greatest Boxer” of all time. His original name is Casius Clay. He won World Heavyweight Belt three times.
(c) Yes, my friend Sanju watches WWE. His favourite wrestler is Beth Phoenix. His punching is stylish and entertaining.
(d) Yes, the perception of the people has changed over the time with respect to those who fight in the ring. Now they are celebrities. They earn lot of money and fame. They have fans all over the world and people see them with great respect.
Q.3: Answer the following questions by choosing the correct option:
(a) Mrs. Bramble was a proud woman because __________.
(i) She was the wife of a famous boxer.
(ii) She had motivated her husband.
(iii) She was a good housewife.
(iv) She was the mother of child prodigy.
(b) “The very naming of Harold had caused a sacrifice on his part.” The writer’s tone here is _______.
(i) admiring (ii) assertive (iii) satirical (iv) gentle
(c) Harold had defined the laws of heredity by ______.
(i) becoming a sportsman.
(ii) being good at academics.
(iii) being well-built and muscular.
(iv) respecting his parents.
(d) Harold felt that he was deprived of the respect that his classmates would give him as _________.
(i) they did not know his father was the famous boxer, ‘Young Porky’.
(ii) his hero, Jimmy Murphy had not won the wrestling match.
(iii) he had not got Phil Scott’s autograph.
(iv) Sid Simpson had lost the Lonsdale belt.
Ans: (a) iv (b) i (c) ii (d) i
Q.4: Answer the following questions:
(a) What was the strange about the manner is which Mrs. Bramble addressed her son? What did he feel about it?
(b) Why was it necessary to keep Harold’s father’s profession a secret from him?
(c) When Mr. Bramble came to know that he was to become a father what were some of the names he decided upon? Why?
(d) Describe Mr. Bramble as he has been described in the story.
(e) Why was Mrs. Bramble upset when she came to hear that Bill had decided not to fight?
(f) Who was Jerry Fisher? What did he say to try to convince Bill to change his mind?
(g) How did Harold come to know that his father was a boxer?
(h) Why was Harold upset that his father had not told him about his true identity? Give two reasons.
(i) Do you agree with Harold’s parents’ decision of hiding from him the fact that his father was a boxer? Why/Why not?
Ans:
(a) Mrs. Bramble used to speak to her son as if he were a baby, and not a young man of ten. She referred to herself in the third person. He disliked this habit of his mother.
(b) Harold’s father was a professional boxer. And Harold was a scholarly child with a very gentle and sophisticated behaviour. Mr. Bramble and his wife considered that boxing was an inferior profession and it may become difficult for Harold to accept the image and qualities of his father as displayed by any professional boxer. Hence, they thought it was necessary to hide his father’s profession from him.
(c) When Mr. Bramble came to know that he was to become a father he decided that the child should be named John, if it was a boy after Mr. John Sullivan and if it was a girl, she should be named Marie, after Miss Marie Lloyd.
(d) Mr. Bramble was a professional boxer. Yet he was an amiable and a very gentle person. He was proud of being a professional boxer. There was no man weighing eight stone four in London whom he could not overcome.
(e) Mrs. Bramble did not like her husband’s profession which she kept aloof from Harold. But Mr. Bramble used to earn lot of money that helped them to give a good education to Harold as they desired. She was upset because if her husband did not fight Murphy, he was not going to get the money they needed to give Harold a good future.
(f) Jerry Fisher was Bill’s trainer at White Hart. He had been preparing Bill for the fight with Murphy. When Bill decided not to fight with Murphy, he tried to convince Bill to change his mind. Fisher told him that if he did not fight he would lose a lot of money. The spectators would also be disappointed and the media would not rightly be kind of him. On the other hand, a win against Murphy would bring him not only money, but also a huge popularity.
(g) Just when Jerry was trying to convince Bill not to give up the idea of fighting, Harold came in. He wanted to know what they were talking about him. Here Jerry told him that his father was not a commercial agent but a fighting man, a professional boxer who was popularly known as ‘Young Porky’.
(h) Here are the two reasons why Harold became upset when he came to know that his father had not told him about his true identity:
(1) Harold was deeply interested in boxing. He had betted Dicky Sauders that Jimmy Murphy wouldn’t last ten rounds against Young Porky. If his father did not fight he was sure to lose the bet.
(2) He was also upset because his father had kept from him his true identity. Boys at school had nicknamed him ‘Goggles’. If they knew that he was the son of Young Porky, they would hold him in awe. By hiding his true identity, his father had deprived him of the pride and respect he would have got from his schoolmates.
(i) I agree with Harold’s parents’ decision of hiding from him the fact that his father was a boxer. They considered that a professional boxer was looked upon as a low-profile entertainer, and most of the people in the society did not respect a boxer. By hiding father’s true identity from their son was they wanted to save Harold from the agony of being called the son of a petty boxer or fighter. But they did not have idea that time had changed and boxers were the heroes of younger generation and enjoy fans around the world.
5. The sequence of events has been jumbled up. Rearrange them and complete the given flowchart.
1) Major Percy and Bill come to the house.
2) Harold comes to know that his father is a boxer.
3) Bill tells his wife that he is doing it for Harold.
4) Jerry Fisher tries to convince Bill to reconsider.
5) Mrs. Bramble is amazed to think that she has brought such a prodigy as Harold into the world.
6) Harold wants to know what will happen to the money he had bet on Murphy losing.
7) Mrs. Bramble is informed that Bill had decided not to fight.
8) Mrs. Bramble resumes work of darning the sock.
9) Harold is alone with his mother in their home.
Answer
Here is the correct sequence:
(9) Harold is alone with his mother in their home.
(5) Mrs. Bramble is amazed to think that she has brought such a prodigy as Harold into the world.
(8) Mrs. Bramble resumes work of darning the sock.
(1) Major Percy and Bill come to the house.
(7) Mrs. Bramble is informed that Bill had decided not to fight.
(3) Bill tells his wife that he is doing it for Harold.
(4) Jerry Fisher tries to convince Bill to reconsider.
(2) Harold comes to know that his father is a boxer.
(6) Harold wants to know what will happen to the money he had bet on Murphy losing.
