Assam Board Class 12
Alternative English Notes 2025
Chapter: 3 The Verger
(A)
Very Short Questions & Answers: Mark: 1
1.
For how long had the Verger been working at St. Peter's?
Ans. The Verger had been working at St. Peter's Church for sixteen years
2.
Where had the new vicar come from?
Ans. The new vicar had come from the East End.
3.
What is the full name of the verger in the short story by the same name?
Ans. Albert Edward Foreman.
4.
Where does the verger work?
Ans. St. Peter's Church at Neville Square.
5.
At what age did the verger begin to work?
Ans. At the age of twelve years
the verger began to work.
6.
What did the verger want to buy while walking on the street after losing his
job?
Ans. He wanted to buy cigarettes.
7. Where was St. Peter's Church located?
Ans. Neville Square.
8.
Who were in the vestry besides the verger and the vicar?
Ans. The two church wardens.
9.
At what age did the verger begin working?
Ans. At twelve years, the verger
began working.
10.
What did the verger want to buy while walking in the street?
Ans. He wanted to buy
cigarettes.
11.
How old was the new vicar?
Ans. His age was approximately
about forty years.
12.
Where did the refectory table bring from?
Ans. It was brought from Italy
by the vicar.
13.
How long had the church wardens been working there in St. Peter's?
Ans. They had been church
wardens as long as Albert had been verger in the church.
14.
What did the verger think for calling him to the vestry?
Ans. The verger thought himself
that perhaps he has done something, which, they did not like.
15.
What did the verger do at first before joining as a verger?
Ans. At first, he had worked as
a pageboy in the household of a rich merchant-prince.
16.
What did Albert Edward Foreman do after leaving the job of a pageboy?
Ans. He worked sincerely as a
pageboy. So, he was promoted from fourth to first footman.
17.
On which day Albert Edward Foreman went to collect the money from his shops?
Ans. On Monday morning.
18.
Where did the manager of the bank want to invest the money of Albert?
Ans. In share market.
19.
How much money did the verger deposit in the bank?
Ans. A little more than thirty
thousand pounds.
20.
Was the verger concerned about the amount of his money deposited in the bank?
Ans. No, he had only a rough
idea.
21.
Who first tried to teach the verger how to read and write?
Ans. The cook tried to teach
him how to read and write.
(B)
Short Questions & Answers: 2 Marks
1.
How did the verger regard his official dress?
or
How
did the verger treat his gowns?
Ans. The verger loved his gowns
very much. He always felt dignified when he wore, his uniform. His uniform was
the dignified symbol of his office and without it, he felt some- what
insufficient. He maintained it very carefully; he pressed it and ironed it himself.
2.
What business did Albert Edward Foreman set up and where?
or
What
occupation did the verger take up after resigning from the church?
Ans. Albert Edward considered
the matter from every point of view and next day he went along the street. It
was his good luck that he found a little shop to let and it looked as though it
would exactly suit him. After twenty four hours, he had taken the shop. Already
a month had been passed since he left St. Peter's Neville Square for good and
now after one month of that incident, he set up in business as a tobacconist
and newsagent.
3.
What was the discovery that astonished the vicar?
Ans. The discovery that
astonished the vicar was the illiteracy of the verger. The vicar did not know
that Albert Edward Foreman was completely an illiterate person. He could not
imagine a verger in St. Peter's church who did not know how to read and write.
4.
What was the verger told by the vicar in the vestry?
Ans. In the vestry, the verger
was told that St. Peter's church was a famous and dignified church. It was very
surprising that being a verger of this church, Edward Foreman did not know how
to read and write. He was also told that they would give him three months time
to learn how to read and write and if he would fail to do that, then he had to
leave the job.
5.
What did the verger do with his worn out gowns?
Ans.
He
never threw away all his worn out gowns. Instead, he wrapped up the complete
series of his gowns in brown paper and lay them in the bottom drawers of the
wardrobe in his bedroom.
6.
Why did the verger wear his second best gown on that day?
Ans. In the afternoon on that
special day, there had been a christening ceremony and the verger of the church
Albert Edward Foreman still wore his uniform that is his verger's gown. St.
Peter's, Neville Square was regarded as the favourable place for performing
ceremonies by the fashionable people; so, Albert Edward Foreman too wore his
second best gown.
7.
Did the new vicar and the two church wardens express anything on their faces
when the verger entered into the vestry?
Ans. The face of the new vicar
did not express anything but the two church wardens showed something
seriousness in their faces.
8.
What occupation did the verger take up after resigning from the church?
Ans. After resigning from the
church, by chance, the verger took up the occupation of selling tobacco and
sweets by establishing shops beside some roads.
9.
What impression did the verger have about the new vicar?
Ans. The verger did not like
the new vicar. He was from the East End. According to Albert Edward Foreman,
this new vicar wanted to involve himself in unnecessary matters of the church.
10.
In your opinion, what kind of a person was the verger?
Ans. The verger was a very good
man. He did his duty very sincerely and he made everybody satisfied. No doubt,
he was illiterate, but it was the result of his burdens. He could not have time
for learning as he had to busied himself in earnings. The old vicar understood
him, he knew that his illiteracy might not cause any problem. The verger was
very intelligent and it was proved by his calculation in opening shops one
after another.
11.
What did the vicar say to the verger?
Ans. The vicar said that they
did not like that Albert was completely illiterate. They gave him three months
time to learn how to read and write.
12.
How did the verger reply defending his illiteracy?
Ans. The verger said that the
last vicar also knew that andhe said that it would make no difference. Besides,
he had been working here in that same way satisfactorily for the last sixteen
years.
13.
What reasons did the verger provide for his being illiterate?
Ans. The verger thought that he
did not have the ability to learn it. He was also busy with things one after
another and so he even had no time to do it. Edward said that he never felt the
necessity of knowing how to read and write. He even says that trying to learn
reading and writing is only a wastage of time.
14.
How did the verger reply when the other church warden asked Edward if he did
not want to know the news or to write a letter?
Ans. To this, Edward replied
politely that he could manage it very well without knowing reading and writing.
He also added that now a days, he could even know the news from the pictures
added to it. His wife also helped him a lot in writing for him.
15.
After leaving the church, where did the verger go?
Ans. He was so much sad in his
thoughts that in his unconsciousness, he did not take the road that led him
home where a nice cup of tea awaited for him. He took a wrong turning.
16.
'The manager stared at him as though he were a prehistoric monster'
(i)
Who is the 'he' referred to in the question?
(ii)
Explain what made the manager stare at that person.
Ans. (i) Here 'he' is the
verger, Albert Edward Foreman.
(ii) The manager was very much surprised to know
that the verger was illiterate and in this way, he could earn so much money.
So, he stared at that person in astonishment.
17.
What was the incident of the baby that stopped crying?
Ans. To start a talking, the
vicar told the new vicar that the christening was very nice. And it was very
funny that when a baby was crying there, the vicar took him and it stopped
crying. With a little smile he replied that the babies always liked in his lap.
He had a good deal of such practice and they always stopped crying when he took
them in his lap.
18.
How did the new vicar enjoy the moment after making the baby stopped crying?
Ans. It was a source of pride
for the vicar that he could easily quiet a crying infant and he always enjoyed
the admiration of the mothers and nurses of the infants for his capacity of
making the babies stop crying.
19.
Why did the verger start the topic of the crying babies?
Ans. The verger wanted a topic
to be started with. So, he started with the topic of the crying babies. The
verger knew that it pleased him to be complimented on his talent of soothing
the babies.
20.
Why was the verger surprised entering into the vestry?
Ans. The vicar led Albert Edward
into the vestry. Albert was surprised to find the two church wardens there in
the vicar's room. He had not seen them coming there.
21.
How did the verger describe the arrangement in the vestry?
Ans. The vicar led Albert Edward
into the vestry. Albert was surprised to find the two church wardens there in
the vicar's room. He had not seen them coming there. They were now sitting
beside a beautiful refectory table that was brought from Italy many years ago
by the old vicar. The vicar was sitting in the vacant chair between them.
22.
What was the 'unpleasant' thing told by the vicar?
Ans. The unpleasant thing told
by the vicar was that they had recently discovered that the verger was a
complete illiterate person. This discovery shocked them.
23.
How did the verger manage even being illiterate?
Ans. Edward said that he could
manage it very well without knowing reading and writing. He also added that now
a days, he could even know the news from the pictures added to it. His wife
also helped him a lot in writing for him. So, in this way, he could manage
everything without being literate.
24.
What did Albert Edward say when he was asked if he could learn now?
Ans. Albert Edward replied that
at this age, he could not leam how to read and write. He would no more be able
to remember all those alphabets. There would be no chance of his learning
again. Edward told that he well understood the condition. He would be happy to
leave the job and as soon as he would leave the job, there would be another one
who could fulfil his place.
25.
Where did he go after leaving the job at St. Peter's?
Ans. He locked the church door
and coming out. He was so much sad in his thoughts that in his unconsciousness,
he did not take the road that led him home where a nice cup of tea awaited for
him. He took a wrong turning. He began to walk slowly with a heavy heart. He
did not know what to do now.
26.
What thoughts disturbed him after leaving the job of a verger?
Ans. Working as a verger, he had
saved only a little amount of money, which was not enough to live on without
doing something. The cost of everything had also been increasing every year. He
never thought of facing such troubles in his life. The vergers of St. Peter's
square had been serving there for their life.
27.
How did Albert Edward Foreman console his wife when she became upset at her
husband's leaving the job?
Ans. Albert's wife was unhappy
when he left the verger's job of St. Peter's. But Albert consoled her by saying
that we had to move according to the passing of time. The church had not been
remaining the same with its old glory. So, there would be no use of lamenting
over it.
(C)
Long Questions & Answers : Marks: 4
1.
Why was the bank manager in Maugham's tale surprised? Why did it seem the most
extraordinary thing he had ever heard?
Ans. When the bank manager
suggested Foreman to invest in stocks the latter replied that he had never had
anything to do with share and stock and he had to leave all these things on the
hands of the manager. The manager smiled and told him that they would do
everything. He would only require to sign the transfers when he would come next
time. When Foreman was hesitant, the manager told him that he could read the
documents before signing. Foreman replied that he could not read and write. The
bank man eager was so surprised that he jumped up from his chair.
It seemed to him the most extraordinary thing he had
ever heard in his life. He could not believe in the fact that an illiterate man
could earn such a huge amount of money. The manager was looking at Foreman as
if he was a prehistoric monster.
2.
Narrate the circumstances under which the verger had to lose his job at St.
Peter's.
Ans. Albert Edward Foreman had
been Verger of St. Peter's Neville square for sixteen years. A new vicar from
the east end was appointed in St. Peter's found the new vicar very different
from the predecessor. One day, christening ceremony was conducted by the new
vicar. After that, the new vicar called the verger to the vestry. There were
two elder church wardens waiting already in the vestry. The vicar praised
Albert for his sincerity and capability of doing the work. He also pointed out
the illiteracy of the verger. Albert was shocked but he defended himself by
saying that the previous vicar did not mind it. He said that he could manage
everything well without education. The vicar did not like his reply. He told
the verger that he would give three months time to learn how to read and write.
The verger was not ready to do that. So he decided to resign his job as a
verger. In this way, the verger had to lose his job.
3.
In your opinion, what kind of a person was the verger?
Ans.
The
verger was a very good man. He did his duty very sincerely and he made
everybody satisfied. No doubt, he was illiterate, but it was the result of his
burdens. He could not have time for learning as he had to busied himself in
earnings. The old vicar understood him, he knew that his illiteracy might not
cause any problem. The verger was very intelligent and it was proved by his
calculation in opening shops one after another.
4.
How did Albert react about the probability of the meeting?
Ans. Albert was little uneasy
thinking about the probability of this meeting. He could not imagine about the
matter. He remembered one such occasion when the church had been in trouble. In
such a church like St. Peter's Neville, there was no place for scandal. The
face of the new vicar did not express anything but the two church wardens
showed something seriousness in their faces. The verger thought himself that
perhaps he has done something, which, they did not like.
5.
What did the verger do before joining as a verger in St. Peter's?
Ans. He had been doing other
services before appointed to this religious office as verger and he was always
proved to be blameless. At first, he had worked as a pageboy in the household
of a rich merchant-prince, then by his sincerity, he was promoted from fourth
to first footman. For a year, he had been working as a single-handed butler to
a widowed peeress, and in the house of a retired ambassador, he has worked as a
butler having two men under him. After that the vacancy occurred at this church
and he was appointed.
6.
What thoughts came to the verger's mind as he sat in the vestry with the vicar
and the church wardens? How did the verger react to the vicar's announcement?
Ans. The verger was a very good
man. He did his duty very sincerely and he made everybody satisfied. No doubt,
he was illiterate, but it was the result of his burdens. He could not have time
for learning as he had to busied himself in earnings. The old vicar understood
him, he knew that his illiteracy might not cause any problem. Albert was little
uneasy thinking about the probability of this meeting. He could not imagine
about the matter. The verger thought himself that perhaps he has done
something, which, they did not like. But Albert did not show his thoughts on
his face. He stood in a respectful and submissive manner in front of them.
Albert was shocked but he defended himself by saying
that the previous vicar did not mind it. He said that he could manage
everything well without education. The vicar did not like his reply. He told
the verger that he would give three months time to learn how to read and write.
The verger was not ready to do that. So he decided to resign his job as a
verger.
7.
How did the verger treat his gowns?
Ans. The verger kept his new
gown, which was made of perennial bronze for funerals and weddings. He always
felt dignified when he wore his uniform. His uniform was the dignified symbol
of his office and without it, he felt somewhat insufficient. He maintained it
very carefully; he pressed it and ironed it himself. He had been working here
for the last sixteen years and during those days, he had worn lots of such
gowns. But he never threw away all his worn-out gowns. Instead, he wrapped up
the complete series of his gowns in brown paper and lay them in the bottom
drawers of the wardrobe in his bedroom.
8.
How did Albert Edward Foreman compare the old and the new vicar?
Ans. Albert Edward remembered
the old verger, who was a kind person and Albert liked him. He was a man of old
traditions and beliefs and his voice was worth listening while he preached
sermons in a leisurely manner. He enjoyed his meal with his aristocratic
friends who were regular visitors to the church. He also wanted discipline in
the church but he never wanted to engage himself in unnecessary matters. But
this new vicar was a different one, he wanted to deal with all the matters
whether necessary or unnecessary. Albert Edward had been observing all these
with tolerance and patience. The people near the church were very good and
those who came to the church were also a very nice class of people. The new
vicar had come from the East End and so it was quite natural that there might
be some time required to adjust himself with these new society and people.
9.
What arguments did the verger provide for his being illiterate?
Ans. The verger said that the
last vicar also knew that. He said that there would be no difference whether he
knew or did not know about how to read and write. The verger said that he had
gone into service when he was twelve years old. At first, the cook tried to
teach him how to read and write. But the verger thought that he did not have
the ability to learn it. He was also busy with things one after another and so
he even had not time to do it. Edward said that he never felt the necessity of
knowing how to read and write. He even says that trying to learn reading and
writing is only a wastage of time.
10.
How did the vicar react against the arguments provided by the verger for being
illiterate?
Ans. The vicar said that he had
discussed the matter with the two gentlemen and they also agreed with him that
the situation is impossible with an illiterate verger. St. Peter's Neville
Square was a renowned church and there they could not keep a man as verger who
did not know how to read and write. The vicar gently requested Edward to
understand him and the situation. He said that he had no complaint against him.
The verger had satisfactorily did his duties. The vicar had the highest opinion
about his character and capacity. But they could not take the risk of some
probable accident that might occur due to his illiteracy. It was a matter of
care and principle. But they were agree to give him three months time to learn
again.
11.
How did the thought of opening tobacco shop come into his mind?
Ans. Albert Edward never smoked
a cigarette and he was a total abstainer. But there were some liberty with
this. That is to say, he liked a glass of beer with dinner and when he was
tired, he enjoyed a cigarette. Now, after leaving the job, when he was roaming
here and there in the street, he felt that he needed a cigarette at this
moment. As he did not carry any cigarette with him, he looked about him for a
shop where he could buy a packet of Gold Flakes. He did not at once see one and
walked on a little. It was a long street with all types of shops in it, but
there was not a single shop where one could buy cigarettes. Albert found it a
very strange reality. To make sure about the fact, he walked right up the
street again. There was no doubt about it. Then this thought of opening tobacco
shop came into his mind.
12.
How was Albert's business of tobacco shop?
Ans. Albert did very well in his
business. He did so well that in a year or so, it came to his mind that he
should start a second shop and put a manager in it. He began to look for
another long street which did not have a tobacco shop in it and when he found
it and a shop to let, he took it and stocked it. This was also a success for
him. It now came to his mind that if he had been able to run two shops, then he
could also run half a dozen such shops. So he started to walk about London, and
whenever he found a long street that had no tobacconist and a shop to let, then
he took it. In a period of ten years, he had acquired no less than ten shops
and he had earned money from everywhere. Every Monday, he went to his shops and
collected the week's earnings and deposited the amount in the bank.
13.
What suggestion did the manger offer to the verger?
Ans. One morning he went to the
bank with a heavy bag containing bundle of notes. The cashier told him that the
manager wanted to meet him. When he entered the manager's office, the manager
shook hands with him. The manager told him that he wanted to make a discussion
about the money he had deposited in their bank. The manager told him that
excluding the amount he deposited on that day, his total deposit was a little
over thirty thousand pounds. That was a very large sum of deposit and the
manager asked him to invest the money for better prospect.
14.
Why did Albert not like the idea of investing his money?
Ans. Albert said that he did not
want to take any risk and he thought that his money was safe only in the bank.
The manger than told him that he should not have to take risk and there would
be no need of anxiety from his part. The bank would make him out a list of
absolutely risk free securities which would bring him a better rate of interest
than the bank could provide to him.Mr. Foreman seemed to be disturbed and it
was reflected on his face. He said that he had never had anything to do with
share and stock and he had to leave all these thing on the hands of the manger.
The manager smiled and told him that they would do everything. He would only
require to sign the transfers when he would come next time. But it annoyed the
verger much as he did not know how to read and write.
(D)
Reference To The Context: Marks: 5
1.
'The last vicar knew that, sir,' he replied. 'He said it didn't make no
difference. He always said there was a great deal too much education in the
world for 'is taste.'
Ans. The quoted lines are taken
from William Somerset Maugham's short story 'The Verger'. In the quoted lines
the verger, Albert Edward Foreman, responds to the condition given by the new
vicar that the latter will have to be literate. The vicar said that he had
discussed the matter with the two gentlemen and they also agreed with him that
the situation is impossible with an illiterate verger. St. Peter's Neville
Square was a renowned church and there they could not keep a man as verger who
did not know how to read and write. The verger said that the last vicar also
knew that. He said that there would be no difference whether he knew or did not
know about how to read and write. The verger said that he had gone into service
when he was twelve years old. At first, the cook tried to teach him how to read
and write. But the verger thought that he did not have the ability.
2.
He's been nagging them he'as,' said the verger to himself.
Ans. The quoted line is taken
from William Somerset Maugham's short story The Verger. The verger, Albert
Edward Foreman, speaks the quoted line to himself when he saw two church
wardens seated at the refrectory table in the vestry.
The verger was called to the vestry by the vicar.
Foreman saw that the vicar's red face was a look of resolute benignity but the
others bore an expression that was slightly troubled. He thought that the new
vicar had made the church wardens do something against their wishes.
3.
'I can tell you that sir', said Mr. Foreman, a little smile on his still
aristocratic features. 'I'd be verger of St. Peter's, Neville Square'.
Ans. The quoted lines are taken
from William Somerset Maugham's short story 'The Verger'.
When the bank manager suggested that Foreman could
read the documents regarding investments before signing. The latter replied
that he could not read and write. The bank manager was so surprised that he
jumped up from his chair. The verger explained him that he never had the
opportunity and when he got, it was very late for him to learn. He then could
not able to start it. The manager looked at him as if the verger was a monster
from prehistoric period. He wondered how an illiterate could start the business
and earn such an amount of money. The manager also wondered what Foreman would
have been had he been able to read and write. Albert Foreman replied that he
surely tell him that he would have been the verger of St. Peter's, Neville
Square if he knew how to read and write. Foreman's answer to the bank manager
reflects his simplicity. The answer also reflects a sense of humour. There is
realism in the answer as if he had been literate. Albert would have been able
to continue his job as the verger of St. Peter's, Neville Square.
The manager stared at him as though he were a
prehistoric monster.
4.
'And do you mean to say that you've built up this important business and
amassed a fortune of thirty thousand pounds without being able to read or
write? Good God, man, what would you be now if you had been able to?'
Ans. The quoted lines are taken
from William Somerset Maugham's short story 'The Verger'.
The bank manager suggests Foreman to invest in
stocks as there is huge money in his account. But Foreman says that he knows
nothing about stocks and shares. The bank manager offers him help. He tells
that he would select the stocks for Foreman and he just has to sign. But
Foreman expresses his doubt about how he would know what he is going to sign.
The banker says that he simply has to read and write. Foreman reveals that he
doesn't know how to read. The bank manager is surprised that Foreman, being an illiterate,
is able to earn a fortune. He likes to know what he would have become, had he
been educated.
5.
'That's strange,' said Albert Edward. To make sure he walked right up the
street again. No, there was no doubt about it. He stopped and looked
reflectively up and down.
Ans. The quoted lines are taken
from William Somerset Maugham's short story 'The Verger'.
After losing his job as a verger, Foreman was in a
sorrowful mood while walking home from church. He was worried about leading his
life further. He couldn't read or write; he lost his job; he knew no other
work; and he didn't want to go back to domestic service. He was in deep thought
that he didn't notice the route and took a wrong turn. He entered a lane where
there were many shops.
Foreman felt the need to smoke but to his surprise,
he didn't find a single shop selling tobacco. He checked the lane twice and
wondered how profitable it would be if someone started a tobacco shop there. He
now had a new idea. He thought about it all night and had gone to that lane
again the next morning. He found a vacant shop to let and took it.
6.
'I can't be the only man as walks along this street and wants a fag,' he said.
Ans. The quoted lines are taken
from William Somerset Maugham's short story 'The Verger'.
After losing his job as a verger, Foreman was in a
sorrowful mood while walking home from church. He was worried about leading his
life further. He couldn't read or write; he lost his job; he knew no other
work; and he didn't want to go back to domestic service. He was in deep thought
that he didn't notice the route and took a wrong turn. He entered a lane where
there were many shops.
Foreman felt the need to smoke but to his surprise, he didn't find a single shop selling tobacco. He checked the lane twice but couldn't find a shop selling cigarettes. He wondered that he couldn't be the only man who would need cigarettes while walking on the road. Foremen wondered how profitable it would be if someone started a tobacco shop there. He now had a new idea. He thought about it all night and had gone to that lane again the next morning. He found a vacant shop to let and took it. He started his life as a tobacconist and newsagent.
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