Ch.

2: Oliver Asks for More

1. Who is the author of ‘Oliver Asks for More’?

a. Oscar Wilde
b. O.Henry
c. Charles Dickens
d. Ruskin Bond

2. Where was Oliver born?

a. in a manger
b. in a workhouse
c. in a poorhouse
d. in a hut

3. The story ‘Oliver Asks for More’ happens in a ___________.

a. in a town in England
b. in a village in India
c. in a city in Spain
d. in a town in Germany

4. Who said, “ You are too young to die.”?

a. Mr. Limbkins
b. Mr. Bumble
c. The old woman
d. The young mother

5. Who gave the name ‘Oliver Twist’ to the baby?

a. Mr. Limbkins
b. Mr. Bumble
c. The old woman
d. The young mother
6. The boys at the workhouse were fed with_______everyday.
a. Three bowls of salad
b. Three meals of thin soup
c. One slice of bread
d. Three plates of rice

7. What does Oliver ask for more?

a. more bread
b. more soup
c. more sauce
d. more rice

8. How old is Oliver in the story?

a. ten
b. seven
c. nine
d. twelve

9. Who was Sowerberry?

a. A man who made umbrellas
b. A man who made pots
c. A man who made clothes
d. A man who made coffins

10. How much money was offered to anyone who would take Oliver Twist?
a. ten pounds
b. three pounds
c. seven pounds
d. five pounds

11. Who is described as a fat and healthy man in the story?

a. The master
b. Mr.Bumble
c. The doctor
d. Mr.Sowerberry

12. Mr. Sowerberry had already made —-----coffins for the women who died in the
workhouse the previous night.
a. one
 b. four
c. three
d. two

Passage 1
The doctor put the child in her arms. She pressed her cold white lips to its face, and then fell
back.
'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.'

1. Who is ‘she’ referred to in the first line?What wish had she expressed earlier?
Ans. 'She' referred to in the first line is the dying young mother. Earlier, she had expressed the
wish that she wanted to see the child and that she did not want to live any more.

2. What was the doctor told about the baby’s mother?

Ans. The doctor was told that the baby's mother was brought to the workhouse the previous
night. She was lying in the street. She had walked a long way and her shoes had holes in
them.Nobody knew where she came from and where she was going to.

3. Looking at the dead woman’s ringless hand, what did the doctor comment and
conclude? What did the doctor earlier enquire about the young woman?
Ans. When the doctor looked at the dead woman's ringless hand, he commented that it was the
usual story during those days and easily concluded that she was not married. The doctor
enquired where the young woman came from.

4. What did the old woman do when the doctor had gone home for dinner?
Ans. When the doctor had gone home for dinner, the old woman sat 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.

5. After kissing the baby the woman fell back. What happened to her?What do the
words ‘poor dear’ indicate? What were the organisers of the workhouse not able to
find out?
Ans. 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 who died.The organisers of
 the workhouse were unable to find out who the baby's father was. They did not even
know the name of his mother.

Passage 2
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.

1. Where was the baby born? Who lived in that place?

Ans. The baby was born in a workhouse. The poor people who did not have any money and
nowhere to live lived in the poorhouse.

2. Who was Mr.Bumble? What did he do for the baby?

Ans. Mr. Bumble was an important officer in the town. He invented a name for the baby. The
baby was given the name Oliver Twist.

3. How were the babies born in the workhouse named and by whom? What name was
given to the baby before Oliver ?
Ans. The babies born in the workhouse were named from A to Z by Mr.Bumble, an important
officer in the town.The last one was named Swubble. The present one was named Twist,
and the next one would be Unwin.

4. How did Oliver look at the age of nine ? Why did he look thin and pale ?
Ans. 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.

5. What was the usual food of workhouse boys? What special thing was given to them
on Sundays? Describe the master in the workhouse.
Ans. The usual food of workhouse boys was thin soup thrice a day. However, Sunday used to
be a special day when they received a small piece of bread each. The master was a fat and
healthy man.
Passage 3
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. 'I 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.

1. Describe the place where the boys were fed ?

Ans. The boys were fed in a large hall. A large pot stood at one end of the room, and the soup
was served by the master.The bowls never needed washing,because the boys cleaned
them with their spoons until they shone.

2. How did the master react when Oliver asked for more soup ?
Ans. The master hit Oliver with his spoon,then seized him and cried for help.

3. Whom did he call for help ? What did that person do ?

Ans. 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.

4. Why did the master go pale on hearing Oliver’s request ?

Ans. The master went very pale as he was surprised at the small boy who asked for more soup.
It was quite unexpected of any boy to ask for more soup. The boys were supposed to be
satisfied with whatever little they were given.

5. What did the notice on the gate of the workhouse say ?What impression do you
form of the working of the workhouse ?
Ans. The notice said that five pounds would be given to anybody who would take Oliver
Twist. The boys in the working house were treated very badly.The house keepers like Mr.
Bumble were very callous.

Passage 4
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.

1. What had Oliver done that he was put in prison ? How long was he kept there?
Ans. 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. He was kept there for a whole week.

2. What was done to Oliver every morning after he was taken prisoner ?
Ans. After Oliver was taken prisoner,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.

3. How did Oliver feel at night in the dark room ?

Ans. When night came ,he tried to sleep, but he was cold, lonely and frightened.Moreover, the
wounds caused by the stick would not let him sleep.

4. Describe Mr. Sowerberry. How did he earn money for a living ?

Ans. Mr. Sowerberry was a lean and thin fellow who wore black clothes . He earned money by
making coffins.

5. What information did Mr. Sowerberry give to Mr. Bumble ? How did Mr. Bumble
react to the information?
Ans. Mr. Sowerberry informed Mr. Bumble that he had already made coffins for the two
women who had died in the workhouse the previous night. Mr. Bumble said that he has
done a good job and that he would be rich one day.