“Footprints Without Feet” Chapter 3 ‘The Midnight Visitor’ के एनसीईआरटी समाधान यह समझने में मदद करते हैं कि कठिन परिस्थितियों में शारीरिक शक्ति से अधिक बुद्धिमानी और सूझबूझ महत्वपूर्ण होती है। कहानी में ऑसेबल नामक गुप्त एजेंट अपनी शांत प्रवृत्ति और तेज़ सोच से एक खतरनाक स्थिति को आसानी से संभाल लेता है। ये समाधान मुख्य घटनाओं को सरल तरीके से समझाकर आपकी समझ, उत्तर-लेखन कौशल और तेज़ पुनरावृत्ति को बेहतर बनाते हैं।
‘The Midnight Visitor’ Chapter 3 का यह विस्तृत अध्ययन और समाधान छात्रों को कहानी के मुख्य विचारों और घटनाओं को अच्छी तरह समझने में मदद करते हैं। इसमें ऑसेबल की चतुराई और कठिन परिस्थितियों में उसके तेज़ निर्णय लेने की क्षमता को सरल तरीके से समझाया गया है। इन प्रश्न-उत्तर का अभ्यास करने से कहानी की कथावस्तु, पात्रों और रहस्यपूर्ण घटनाओं की समझ बेहतर होती है, जो परीक्षा की तैयारी के लिए बहुत उपयोगी है।
Question 1. How is Ausable different from other secret agents?
Answer: Ausable was quite different from the usual idea of a secret agent. Instead of working in exciting or stylish places, he lived in a small, dull room in an old French hotel. He was overweight and did not look like a typical spy. Even after living in Paris for many years, he still spoke with an American accent and could speak only limited French and German. Unlike other agents who received secret messages, his work was more routine and less dramatic.
Question 2. Who is Fowler and what is his first authentic thrill of the day?
Answer: Fowler was a young writer who had come to meet Ausable. His first real moment of excitement came when he suddenly saw a man standing in Ausable’s room with a gun, threatening both Ausable and him.
Question 3. How has Max got in?
Answer: Max was a spy who entered Ausable’s room secretly. He claimed that he had used a master key to get inside. However, Ausable made him believe that he had come through the balcony, which created confusion and helped Ausable handle the situation.
Question 4. How does Ausable say he got in?
Answer : Ausable cleverly said that Max had entered through the balcony, even though there was actually no balcony outside his room. He pretended as if this was not the first time someone had tried to enter that way, which confused Max and led him into a trap.
Question 5. “Ausable did not fit any description of a secret agent Fowler had ever read.” What do secret agents in books and films look like, in your opinion? Discuss in groups or class some stories or movies featuring spies, detectives, and secret agents, and compare their appearance with that of Ausable in this story. (You may mention characters from fiction in languages other than English. In English fiction, you may have come across Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, or Miss Marple. Have you watched any movies featuring James Bond?)
Answer:
In stories and films, secret agents are usually shown as stylish, strong, and very attractive people. They are often tall, smartly dressed, and surrounded by danger, luxury, and beautiful women. Many times, they are also shown using modern gadgets while completing risky missions. For example, James Bond, created by Ian Fleming, is a famous spy character who uses advanced technology to defeat enemies. However, there are some exceptions like Feluda, created by Satyajit Ray, who looks like a normal educated person. In comparison, Ausable is very different from these typical images. He is overweight, ordinary-looking, and lives in a simple hotel room. His success as a secret agent comes from his intelligence and presence of mind, not from appearance or physical strength.
Question 6. How does Ausable manage to make Max believe that there is a balcony attached to his room? What makes it a convincing story?
Answer:Ausable cleverly convinces Max that there is a balcony attached to his room by speaking about it very confidently and in a natural way. He describes it as if it is a normal and real part of the room and even mentions that someone had earlier entered through it. He also talks about complaining to the hotel management, which makes his story sound more believable. Since Max is already nervous and under pressure, he easily trusts Ausable’s words. This calm and confident explanation makes the story convincing and helps Ausable trap Max.
Question 7. When do you think Ausable thought up his plan for getting rid of Max? Was it prepared in advance or made on the spot?
Answer:Ausable did not plan everything in advance. He created his idea at the moment, depending on the situation. When Max suddenly appeared in his room, Ausable quickly used his presence of mind and turned the situation in his favor. He made up the story about the balcony and also used the sound of the doorbell as police arrival. All these things were used instantly to confuse Max. This shows that Ausable formed his plan on the spot rather than preparing it earlier in detail.
Question 8. In this story, Ausable shows great ‘presence of mind’ or the ability to think quickly and act calmly and wisely, in a situation of danger and surprise. Give examples from your own experience, or narrate a story, which shows someone’s presence of mind.
Answer:A good example of presence of mind can be seen in the play “If I Were You.” In this story, a playwright named Gerrard is held at gunpoint by a criminal who plans to kill him and take his identity. Instead of panicking, Gerrard remains calm and uses his intelligence to handle the situation. He talks confidently with the intruder and makes him believe that escape is possible through a special exit. When the criminal follows his instructions, he ends up getting trapped and is later caught. This shows how quick thinking, calm behavior, and presence of mind can help a person overcome dangerous situations just like Ausable did in the story.
Question 9. Discuss what you would do in the situations described below. Remember that presence of mind comes out of a state of mental preparedness. If you have thought about possible problems or dangers, and about how to act in such situations, you have a better chance of dealing with such situations if they do arise. You may suggest other such situations.
Answer:
1. A small fire starts in your kitchen.
I would first try to find the cause of the fire. If it is due to an electrical short circuit, I would immediately switch off the main power supply and use a fire extinguisher. If food is burning, I would turn off the gas stove, carefully remove the utensil, and pour water or cover it to stop the fire.
2. A child starts to choke on a piece of food.
I would stay calm and try to help the child by giving first aid like back blows or abdominal thrusts if I know how to do it. If the situation does not improve, I would take the child to a nearby hospital immediately.
3. An electrical appliance starts to hiss and gives out sparks.
I would immediately turn off the switch and disconnect the power supply. I would not touch it again and would call an electrician to check and repair it before using it again.
4. A bicycle knocks down a pedestrian.
I would quickly help the injured person and check their condition. If the injury is minor, I would give basic first aid. If the injury is serious, I would call an ambulance and get medical help immediately.
5. It rains continuously for more than twenty-four hours.
I would stay indoors and ensure that all doors and windows are properly closed. I would also check that water drainage around the house is working properly to avoid flooding.
6. A member of your family does not return home at the usual or expected time.
I would try to contact them by phone and ask about their whereabouts. If there is no response, I would contact their friends or the places they might have visited and wait calmly while keeping others informed.
Chapter 3 ‘The Midnight Visitor’ परीक्षा के लिए महत्वपूर्ण है। यह अध्याय समझ, सूझबूझ और त्वरित निर्णय क्षमता को बढ़ाता है तथा एक रहस्यपूर्ण जासूसी कहानी पर आधारित है। परीक्षा दृष्टि से छात्र कुछ इस प्रकार तैयारी कर सकते हैं –
कहानी को ध्यान से पढ़ें: कहानी के पात्रों (ऑसेबल, मैक्स, फाउलर) और घटनाओं को समझें ताकि मुख्य विचार स्पष्ट हो सके।
एनसीईआरटी प्रश्न-उत्तर अभ्यास करें: नियमित अभ्यास से लेखन कौशल बेहतर होता है और परीक्षा में मदद मिलती है।
थीम पर ध्यान दें: यह समझें कि सूझबूझ और उपस्थिति बुद्धि से कैसे कठिन स्थिति संभाली जाती है।
रिवीजन करें: सारांश और महत्वपूर्ण प्रश्न बार-बार पढ़ें ताकि याददाश्त मजबूत हो और आत्मविश्वास बढ़े।
यह भी पढ़ें :
कक्षा 10 NCERT Solutions 2026-27
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