Welcome to “Oliver Asks for More Workbook Ans: ICSE Treasure Chest (Evergreen),” where we delve into the captivating narrative of the poem “Oliver Asks for More,” featured in the ICSE English Literature Treasure Chest by Evergreen Publications. This post provides detailed solutions to the workbook questions, offering a comprehensive analysis of this engaging text.
Within these pages, we explore the essence of “Oliver Asks for More,” presenting precise answers to multiple-choice and contextual questions that illuminate the core themes and characters of the poem. Discover the depth of Oliver’s experiences and the nuances of his character through our meticulous solutions, designed to enhance your understanding of this classic piece of literature.
Each question serves as a key to unlock a deeper appreciation of the poem, encouraging readers to analyze its subtle layers and broader implications. Contextual inquiries provide a richer perspective, fostering critical engagement with the text’s socio-cultural and thematic elements.
Whether you’re preparing for ICSE English Literature exams or are simply an enthusiast of classic literature, “ICSE Treasure Chest: Oliver Asks for More Workbook Answers” offers invaluable support and insight. Join us as we navigate the intricacies of this literary work, guiding you toward a profound comprehension, one workbook answer at a time.
Table of Contents
Summary :
Oliver’s Birth
A child was born in the workhouse of an unidentified place. As the infant struggled for survival, its mother was dying. A doctor and an old woman stood by her side. At the sound of the child’s voice the mother murmured faintly. “Let me see the child and die”. Both her wishes were granted. The doctor put the baby in her arms. She pressed her cold, white lips to its face and then fell back dead.
As the doctor was putting on his gloves and hat he said, “Where did she come from?” The old woman told him that she was brought there the previous night. She was lying in the street. Nobody knew where she had come from. The doctor looked at the girl’s left hand and said. “The usual story, she has no ring on her finger”.
Mr. Bumble Named the Baby Oliver Twist
When the doctor had gone, the old woman dressed the infant in very old clothes used for babies. No one was able to discover who the boy’s father was and what was his mother’s name. Mr Bumble an important officer of the town invented a name for the baby. It was Oliver Twist.
Life at the Workhouse
At the age of nine Oliver was a pale thin child. The boys at the workhouse never had enough warm clothes or food. They were given only three meals of thin soup everyday. On Sundays, they had a piece of bread. They were fed in a big hall. One day Oliver and his friends decided that one boy would ask the master for more soup. Oliver was chosen for this task. In the evening when the soup served disappeared quickly, Oliver stood up. He went to the master and said, “Please, Sir. I want some more” Hearing this the master went pale. He was utterly surprised. Oliver repeated his request. The master cried for help. Mr Bumble rushed into the room. He was told what had happened. He didn’t believe it, Even then he took Oliver away and shut him in a dark room.
Notice on the Workhouse
Oliver was instantly sentenced to confinement. The next morning, a notice was pasted on the gate offering five pounds to any one who would accept Oliver Twist as an apprentice. One day Mr Bumble met Mr Sowerberry and asked him if he knew anybody who wanted a boy and also five pounds. With this he raised his stick and pointed towards the gate.
Workbook MCQs :
Answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate options.
1. Choose the option that lists of sequence of events in the correct order.
1. Oliver asked for some more soup.
2. Oliver, an orphan boy, lived in a workhouse with other orphan boys.
3. He was shut in a dark, cold room for a week.
4. In the workhouse children were under-clothed and under-fed.
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4
(b) 2, 4, 1, 3
(c) 4, 2, 1, 3
(d) 2, 1, 3, 4
Answer :- (b) 2, 4, 1, 3
2. Choose the option that shows the correct relationship between Statement (1) and Statement (2).
1. Oliver was severly beaten and shut in a cold, dark room for a week.
2. He had demanded some more soup.
(a) 1 is the result of 2.
(b) 1 is an example of 2.
(c) 1 is independent of 2.
(d) 1 is a contradiction of 2.
Answer :- (a) 1 is the result of 2
3. Which of these statements is NOT true?
(a) Oliver was bold enough to demand some more soup.
(b) He was goaded to ask for some more soup.
(c) He was too innocent to comprehend the situation.
(d) He was handed over to a coffin maker.
Answer :- (a) Oliver was bold enough to demand some more soup
4. Oliver’s demand for more soup made the master feel
(a) sad
(b) angry
(c) stunned
(d) surprised
Answer :- (c) stunned
5. “I named the last one Swubble. This one is Twist. The next one will be Unwin Which of the following statements shows the reason for this?
(a) These are popular names at that time.
(b) The mothers of the babies have selected these names.
(c) The babies in the workhouse bare named in order from A to Z.
(d) These names are considered to the lucky for the babies.
Answer :- (c) The babies in the workhouse bare named in order from A to Z.
6. Where was Oliver Twist born?
(a) in a private clinic
(b) in the workhouse
(c) in a park
(d) in a discarded building
Answer :- (b) in the workhouse
7. Oliver’s mother pressed her cold lips to his face and then
(a) smiled
(b) began to weep
(c) fell back and died
(d) went to sleep
Answer :- (c) fell back and died
8. The doctor raised the dead woman’s left hand and commented that she had no ring on her finger. What does this mean?
(a) she was very poor
(b) she was not fond of jewellery
(c) she was not married
(d) none of the above
Answer :- (c) she was not married
9. To the orphan boy the name Oliver Twist was given by
(a) Swubble
(b) Unwin
(c) the old woman at the workhouse
(d) Mr Bumble
Answer :- (d) Mr Bumble
10. The bowls in which soup was served to workhouse boys never needed washing. Why?
(a) they were made of glass
(b) they were made of bone-china
(c) the boys cleaned them with their spoons
(d) all of the above
Answer :- (c) the boys cleaned them with their spoons
11. When Oliver asked for more soup how did the master react?
(a) he was pleased
(b) he was utterly surprised
(c) he shouted at Oliver
(d) he started beating Oliver
Answer :- (b) he was utterly surprised
12. Oliver was shut up in a dark room. He remained a prisoner for
(a) a whole week
(b) five days
(c) six months
(d) twenty four hours
Answer :- (a) a whole week
13. The soup disappeared quickly. Why?
(a) it was very tasty
(b) the boys were very hungry
(c) the quantity was not enough
(d) all of the above
Answer :- (c) the quantity was not enough
14. How much money was offered to the person who would take Oliver Twist?
(a) ten pounds
(b) five pounds
(c) one pound
(d) four pounds
Answer :- (b) five pounds
15. What was the profession of Mr Sowerberry? He made
(a) buildings
(b) utensils
(c) coffins
(d) shoes
Answer :- (c) coffins
Comprehension Passages :
Passage – 1
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
Among other buildings in a town in England, there was a house for poor people who had no money and nowhere to live. This was called the workhouse.
Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse. His mother, a young woman, lay ill in bed. A doctor and an old woman stood by her side. She lifted her head from the pillow.
‘Let me see the child and die’, she said.
(I) Who lived in the workhouse?
Answer :- Oliver’s mother was a poor young woman. She was unmarried when Oliver was born. She died after his birth.
(II) What do you learn about Oliver’s mother?
Answer :- The babies born in the workhouse were named from A to Z. The last one was named Swubble. The present one was named Twist, and the next one would be Unwin,
(III) Who were present in the room where Oliver was born?
Answer :- Oliver’s young mother was lying ill in the room. There was also a doctor and an old woman who were standing by her side.
(IV) The baby’s mother wished for two things. What were they?
Answer :- First, she wanted to have a look at her newly born child. Secondly, she did not want to live any more. These were her two wishes.
(V) How did the doctor react to one of the wishes?
Answer :- The old woman reacted by saying that she was too young to die. The doctor put the child in the arms of the dying mother.
Passage – 2
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
The doctor put the child in her arms. She pressed her cold white lips to its face, then fell back. and
‘She is dead ‘, said the doctor.
Yes, poor dear, said the old woman, as she took the child away from its dead mother. ‘Poor dear.’
She was a good-looking girl,’ said the doctor, as he put on his hat and gloves. ‘
‘Where did she come from?’
‘She was brought here last night,’ said the old woman.
‘She was lying in the street. She had walked a long way and her shoes had holes in them. Nobody knows where she came from, or where she was going to.’
(I) Who is ‘she’ referred to in the first line? What wish had she expressed earlier?
Answer :- “She” referred to in the first line is the dying young mother. Earlier, she had expressed the wish that she did not want to live any more.
(II) After kissing the baby the woman fell back. What happened to her? What do the words ‘Poor dear’ indicate?
Answer :- After kissing the baby the woman fell back dead. The words ‘Poor dear’ convey the feelings of pity and sympathy for the young unwed mother.
(III) What was the doctor told about the baby’s mother? Who told about Oliver’s mother to the doctor?
Answer :- The doctor was told that the baby’s mother was brought to the workhouse the previous night. She was lying in the street. Nobody knew where she came from and where she was going. An old woman told all this to the doctor.
(IV) Looking at the dead woman’s ringless hand what did the doctor conclude ? What does this indicate?
Answer :- When the doctor looked at the dead woman’s ringless hand, he easily concluded that she wasn’t married. It indicated that it was the usual story during those days.
(V) What did the old woman do when the doctor had gone home for dinner?
Answer :- When the doctor went away for dinner, the old woman satin front of fire, took the baby in her lap and dressed it in very old clothes. Such clothes were used for those babies who were born in workhouses.
Passage – 3
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
No one was able to discover who the baby’s father was, or what his mother’s name was. Mr Bumble, an important officer in the town, invented a name for the baby. He chose the name Oliver Twist.
We name the new babies here in order from A to Z, he explained when people asked. ‘I named the last one Swubble. This one is Twist. The next one will be Unwin’.
At the age of nine, Oliver was a pale, thin child. He and the other workhouse boys never had enough warm clothes or food. They were given only three meals of thin soup every day. On Sundays they had a small piece of bread.
(I) What were the organisers of the workhouse not able to find out ?
Answer :- The organisers of the workhouse were unable to find out who the baby’s father was. ‘They did not know even the name of his mother.
(II) Who was Mr Bumble? What did he do for the baby?
Answer :- Mr Bumble was an important officer in the town. He invented a name for the baby. The baby was given the name Oliver Twist.
(III) Who are ‘we’ mentioned in the passage? How did ‘we’ name new babies?
Answer :- We’ mentioned in the passage are the important persons of the town. They named the new babies in order from A to Z.
(IV) How did Oliver look at the age of nine? Why did he look thin and pale?
Answer :- Oliver looked pale, lean and thin at the age of nine. He looked so because he was underfed at the workhouse. He also didn’t have warm clothes to cover his body.
(V) What was the usual food of workhouse boys? What special thing was given to them on Sundays?
Answer :- The usual food of workhouse boys was thin soup thrice a day. However, Sunday used to be a special day when they received a piece of bread each.
Passage – 4
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
The master hit Oliver with his spoon, then seized him and cried for help. Mr Bumble rushed into the room, and the master told him what Oliver had said.
‘He asked for more?’ Mr Bumble cried. He cannot believe it. ‘One day they will hang the boy.’
He took Oliver away and shut him in a dark room. The next morning a notice appeared on the workhouse gate. Five pounds were offered to anybody who would take Oliver Twist.
(I) Why did the master hit Oliver with his spoon? What does this reveal?
Answer :- The master hit Oliver with a spoon because he had asked for more. In fact they were not permitted to do so. It reveals that the poor orphans were not properly fed in the workhouse.
(II) Whom did he call for help? What did that person do ?
Answer :- He called Mr Bumble for help. Hearing that Oliver had asked for more, Mr Bumble took him away and shut him in a dark room.
(III) “He asked for more?” In which tone is this sentence spoken? Why?
Answer :- This sentence is spoken in a ridiculous tone. It is thus spoken because it was quite unexpected of any boy to ask for more. The boys were expected to be satisfied with whatever little they were given.
(IV) What did the notice on the gate of the workhouse say?
Answer :- The notice said that five pounds would be given to anybody who would take Oliver Twist.
(V) What impression do you form of the working of the workhouse? Why?
Answer :- The working of the workhouse was inhuman and oppressive. The boys in the working house were treated very badly. The house keepers like Mr Bumble were very callous. ‘They exploited the boys. Nobody was expected to raise voice against them.
Passage – 5
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
The usual story,’ he said. ‘I see that she has no ring on her finger. She wasn’t married. Good night!’
He went home to his dinner. The old woman sat down on a chair in front of the fire and began to dress the baby. She dressed him in the very old clothes used for babies who were born in the workhouse. The child was an orphan, born into a world which had no love or pity for him.
(I) Who is ‘he’ referred to in the first line?
Answer :- ‘He’ referred to in the first line is the doctor who was present by the side of the young ‘woman when her son was born. She was lying ill at that time.
(II) What does the absence of a ring on the finger show?
Answer :- The absence of ring on the finger shows that the young woman was unmarried. Her partner had deserted her at the crucial time.
(III) When he had gone home, what did the old woman do? What does it reveal about the woman?
Answer :- When *he’ had gone home, the old woman sat down on a chair in front of fire. Then she began to dress the baby. It reveals the woman’s kind hearted nature.
(IV) The newly born baby was dressed in ?
Answer :- The newly born baby was dressed in very old clothes used for babies who were born in the workhouse.
(V) What light does the last line throw on the society of that time?
Answer :- The last line shows the society of that time in poor light. The affluent sections of the society didn’t bother about the poor and the destitute. They had no sympathy for these people and thus they openly flouted the Christian values.
Passage – 6
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
Oliver was a prisoner in that cold, dark room for a whole week. Every morning he was taken outside to wash, and Mr Bumble beat him with a stick. Then he was taken into the large hall where the boys had their soup. Mr Bumble beat him in front of everybody. He cried all day. When night came he tried to sleep, but he was cold, lonely and frightened.
But one day, outside the high workhouse gate, Mr Bumble met Mr Sowerberry. Mr Sowerberry was a tall, thin man who wore black clothes and made coffins. Many of his coffins were for the poor people who died in the workhouse.
(I) Why was Oliver put into prison? What happened every morning?
Answer :- Oliver had mustered up courage to request for more soup as he still felt hungry. He did so at the behest of all the boys in the workhouse. Every morning Oliver was beaten with a stick.
(II) Why did Mr Bumble beat Oliver in front of everybody?
Answer :- Mr Bumble beat Oliver in front of everybody so that it would be an example for them. ‘Then no body would dare ask for more.
(III) Why couldn’t Oliver sleep at night?
Answer :- Oliver could not sleep in the darkness of the room at night. He was cold, lonely and frightened. Moreover, the stick wounds would not let him sleep.
(IV) How did Mr Sowerberry earn money for a living? What does it show about his character?
Answer :- Mr Sowerberry was a lean and thin fellow who wore black clothes. He earned money by making coffins. It shows that he must be hard hearted person.
(V) What information did Mr Sowerberry give to Mr Bumble?
Answer :- Mr Sowerberry informed Mr Bumble that he made coffins for two women who had died in the workhouse the previous night.
