A Most Important Person

 

2. Answer the following questions. (Page 29)

a. ‘She was thinking, rather wishing, for an even that might hurl her out of the world …….” What is Miss Lucy is wishing for and why?

Miss Lucy was so lonely that she wanted to end her life. She was hoping for an event that would take her to another world because everybody close to her had moved on and she felt very lonely.

b. Unlike Miss Lucy, Chester is not shy at all. Give evidence from the story to support this statement.

Chester easily makes conversation with Miss Lucy when she rescues him. He goes to her house and accepts her invitation to tea. He offers to bring his sister also. He goes to Miss Lucy’s house the next day with his sister. On the other hand, Miss Lucy likes to be alone. She couldn’t visit her friends easily. This proves that unlike Miss Lucy, Chester is not shy at all.

c. In what way is the friendship between Miss Lucy and Chester unusual and remarkable?

Miss Lucy is an elderly person. She is rich. Chester is a boy and he is poor. Despite the differences in age and social backgrounds they become friends. In this way their friendship is remarkable.

d. How could Miss Lucy have avoided paying the fine for parking?

Miss Lucy could have used her influence or she could speak to the judge who was a family friend to avoid paying the fine for parking. She could have make a call to her family lawyer to help her out.

e. In the end, why does Miss Lucy believe that Christmas is the most important time?

In the end, Miss Lucy believes that Christmas is the most important time because it brings old and new friends together.

f. We use ‘the’ before an adjective in the superlative degree, but this chapter is called ‘A Most Important Person’. Why do you think so? How is Chester ‘a most important person’ for Miss Lucy.

Miss Lucy becomes a special friend of Chester because he makes her realize that she is not alone or lonely. He is not ‘the’ most important person in her life but he is ‘one of the’ most important person. So ‘a’ is used instead of ‘the’ before the superlative ‘most’.

Reading 2

1. What was wrong with the way Miss Lucy had been brought up?

Miss Lucy was brought up in such way that she thought that only a small group of people belonging high society could be her friends. She felt that she was not supposed to mix with all kinds of people.

2. How would you describe Chester as a person?

Chester is a friendly person. He is an out-going boy and it is easy to talk to him. He is an energetic and caring boy.

3. Do you think that this story teaches us something important about friendship? Write and share your thoughts with class.

Yes. This story teaches several important things about friendship. Friendship has no barriers like age, money or social status. Making friends with new people helps us to live happily. We have to reach out to all kinds of people and be caring and friendly with them.