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(Footprints without Feet)(Chapter - 3) (The Midnight Visitor), (Class - 10), Read and Find Out - I, Question 1:, How is Ausable different from other secret agents?, E Answer 1:, Ausable was different from other secret agents in more ways than one and did not fit in the, description of a normal agent. He had a small room in the musty corridor of a gloomy French hotel, on the sixth and top floor and it was scarcely the setting for a romantic adventure. He was extremely, fat and had a very different accent. Though he spoke French and German passably, he never lost his, American accent in spite of living in Paris for over twenty years. Instead of getting messages slipped, into his hands by dark-eyed beauties, he got only a telephone call making an appointment. In these, ways, he was different from the conventional notion of a spy., Question 2:, Who is Fowler and what is his first authentic thrill of the day?, Answer 2:, Fowler was a writer and he had come to meet Ausable. Fowler's first authentic thrill of the day came, when he saw a man in Ausable's room pointing a pistol towards Ausable and himself., Read and Find Out - II, Question 1:, How has Max got in?, C.Answer 1:, Max was a slender, a little less than tall and had features that indicated crafty and pointed, countenance of a fox. He had got into the room with a passkey or a master key., Question 2:, How does Ausable say he got in?, . Answer 2:, Ausable said that he thought Max had got into the room through the balcony. He said that it was the, second time in a month that somebody had got into his room this way., Think about it, Question 1:, "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 in 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?), 1

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(Footprints without Feet)(Chapter - 3) (The Midnight Visitor), (Class - 10), Answer 1:, Secret agents in fiction are shown as ideal men, "Tall dark and handsome'. They are typically well, built and have gorgeous women to accompany them. They usually smoke pipe or cigar and do death, defying difficult stunts. James Bond is a very famous character by lan Fleming. The movies based on, James Bond show hi-tech gizmos which help the detective in encountering the villains. There is a, character named Feluda which was created by Satyajit Ray, the famous Bangla Filmmaker. Feluda, was typical bhadralok by appearance., Question 2:, How does Ausable manage to make Max believe that there is a balcony attached to his room? Look, back at his detailed description of it. What makes it a convincing story?, Answer 2:, Ausable tells Max that someone entered his room through the balcony before also. When there was, someone knocking at his door, Ausable said that it was police to give him protection as he had some, important papers with him. With someone knocking the door repeatedly Max became nervous and, just wanted to escape from police. He said that he would wait in the balcony and asked Ausable to, send police away or he would shoot and take his chances. As a result he jumped out of the window, and fell down without noticing. Ausable's ability to think quickly and calmly, in a situation of panic, makes it convincing., Question 3:, Looking back at the story, when do you think Ausable thought up his plan for getting rid of Max? Do, you think he had worked out his plan in detail right from the beginning? Or did he make up a plan, taking advantage of events as they happened?, Answer 3:, No, I don't think that he had worked out his plan in detail. He took advantages of the event as they, happened. Ausable made a story of the balcony outside the room. As there was a knock at the door,, he told it would be police, all this events threatened Max. In such a hurry, he became restless and, without seeing jumped out of the window., Talk about it, Question 1:, 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 1:, Do yourself as per your experience., Question 2:, 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., • A small fire starts in your kitchen., • A child starts to choke on a piece of food., 2

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(Footprints without Feet)(Chapter - 3) (The Midnight Visitor), (Class - 10), • An electrical appliance starts to hiss and gives out sparks., A bicycle knocks down a pedestrian., • It rains continuously for more than twenty-four hours., • A member of your family does not return home at the usual or expected time., You may suggest other such situations., . Answer 2:, • A small fire starts in your kitchen., Fire in a kitchen can make us turn panicky. Actually in kitchen there is a gas cylinder, which can, bust any moment due to excessive heat. If a small fire starts in our kitchen, the first step should be, to close the regulator and try to open the doors and windows of kitchen. In such situation we should, also put off the main switch. If possible try to put sand over the fire., • A child starts to choke on a piece of food., Food choked in the mouth of a child can be quite risky. Calm and patience are required for the, handling of this situation. The child should be asked to keep quit and his back should be rubbed, softly. If needed arises a glass of water can be given to drink. The child should be advised that while, eating he should not talk., • An electrical appliance starts to hiss and gives out sparks., Electrical fires are generally more dangerous than the other ones. They cannot be put off by, throwing water. There can cause short circuit and even bring the whole structure down. In case of, such fires, the foremost priority should be to put off the main switch. One should never touch any, switch with wet hands and always keep your foot covered with insulated means., • A bicycle knocks down a pedestrian., If you are a passer-by and witness a pedestrian being knocked down. In such a situation, some, people simply laugh and create fun. But you must act sensibly. Go near the pedestrian. Try to see, where he has been hurt. If need arises, take him to the nearby doctor. At least try to give him support, whatever you can at that moment. Such a good act will always pay you in later life. If the injury is, serious, take him to the hospital and inform his relatives., • It rains continuously for more than twenty-four hours., There are so many unforeseen consequences due to heavy rain fall. The pipes can get choked and, cause a kind of danger to the building structure. Call a plumber to get all the pipes checked. The, road may form pits and become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The danger of accident also, increases. Try to help the people as much as possible. Insecticides can be sprayed in stagnant water, and water should be cleared off the roads., • A member of your family does not return home at the usual or expected time., It is human nature to show worry for our near and dear ones. If a member of our family does not, return home at the usual time then first of all we should check at the place where he was expected, to go. After knowing about his time of departure, check with his friends and other associates. If no, whereabouts are found out report at the nearest Police Station., 3