21. What does the narrator imply about the person who took his umbrella?
a) He stole it deliberately
b) He exchanged it unknowingly
c) He is a kind-hearted person
d) He was forced to take it
Answer: a) He stole it deliberately
Explanation: The essay suggests that the person who took the narrator’s umbrella was aware of the switch. The narrator imagines the person walking confidently under the superior umbrella while smirking at the unfortunate person left with the broken one. This highlights how people justify minor dishonest acts to themselves, believing they are harmless. The umbrella thief is depicted as a person with flexible morality who knowingly benefits from the exchange.
22. Why does the narrator believe that some people justify swapping umbrellas?
a) They believe they deserve a better one
b) They don’t consider it a serious crime
c) They enjoy tricking others
d) They are unaware they have done so
Answer: b) They don’t consider it a serious crime
Explanation: The essay illustrates how people rationalize small dishonest acts by convincing themselves that they are harmless. Swapping umbrellas is not seen as theft but as an accident or a matter of chance. The person taking a better umbrella feels justified because they left their old one behind, creating a false sense of fairness. This highlights how people manipulate moral boundaries to suit their convenience.
23. What example of moral compromise does the writer mention besides umbrella swapping?
a) Forging a check
b) Forgetting to return borrowed books
c) Stealing from a shop
d) Lying about one’s identity
Answer: b) Forgetting to return borrowed books
Explanation: The essay humorously criticizes how people borrow books and then never return them, convincing themselves that the book has become part of their collection. The narrator describes a scholar whose library was full of books that belonged to various libraries. This example reinforces the theme that even well-respected, morally upright individuals engage in small dishonesties without guilt.
24. What humorous metaphor does the narrator use to describe the attachment to borrowed books?
a) “They clung to him like family heirlooms”
b) “They clung to him like children to their mother”
c) “They clung to him like precedents to law”
d) “They clung to him like a lover to his beloved”
Answer: c) “They clung to him like precedents to law”
Explanation: The narrator compares borrowed books to legal precedents, implying that once they enter someone’s possession, they are never given up. This metaphor humorously illustrates how people become attached to books they have borrowed, often forgetting or deliberately avoiding returning them. The phrase suggests that, like legal rulings, borrowed books become permanently embedded in their new owner’s collection.
25. What does the story of the preacher with a third-class ticket suggest?
a) Even morally upright people sometimes bend rules
b) Rich people always travel first-class
c) Preachers are dishonest
d) Train tickets were expensive in those days
Answer: a) Even morally upright people sometimes bend rules
Explanation: The preacher is a respected figure, yet he was caught traveling in a first-class carriage with a third-class ticket. This example demonstrates that even those who preach morality are not immune to small acts of dishonesty. It reinforces the central theme that people justify minor moral failings while maintaining a positive self-image.
26. What lesson does the narrator learn from his umbrella incident?
a) To engrave his name on his umbrella
b) To never carry an umbrella again
c) To avoid strangers in public places
d) To carry an extra umbrella
Answer: a) To engrave his name on his umbrella
Explanation: The narrator realizes that having one’s name engraved on an umbrella makes it harder for others to justify taking it. This serves as both a practical solution and a satirical commentary on human behavior. A clearly marked umbrella forces a person to confront their dishonest act, making self-deception more difficult.
27. How does the narrator view minor moral lapses?
a) They are as bad as serious crimes
b) They are humorous but still dishonest
c) They should always be ignored
d) They help people survive in society
Answer: b) They are humorous but still dishonest
Explanation: Gardiner presents moral lapses as humorous but acknowledges that they are still forms of dishonesty. His lighthearted tone suggests that while these actions are common and relatable, they are not entirely justifiable. The essay encourages self-reflection on how people rationalize their behavior.
28. What does the narrator sarcastically suggest about lending books?
a) Books should be shared freely
b) Lending books leads to the loss of friendships
c) No one ever returns borrowed books
d) Books should never be read by others
Answer: c) No one ever returns borrowed books
Explanation: The narrator humorously remarks that lending books is equivalent to giving them away because borrowers rarely return them. He tells a story of a man whose personal library consisted entirely of borrowed books, highlighting the absurdity of this common moral failing.
29. Why does the narrator mention political parties when discussing his stolen hat?
a) To imply that all politicians are dishonest
b) To humorously guess who might have taken it
c) To suggest political bias in theft cases
d) To show that only a certain group steals hats
Answer: b) To humorously guess who might have taken it
Explanation: The narrator playfully speculates whether a Tory or a Radical took his hat, using humor to highlight political stereotypes. This adds a comical touch to the discussion of minor theft, implying that dishonesty is not confined to any one political group. Rather than accusing politicians of theft, the narrator uses this as a satirical way to illustrate that small moral failing, like taking someone else’s hat, are universal traits that transcend political affiliations.
30. What does the narrator say about people who swap hats?
a) They have a worse conscience than those who swap umbrellas
b) They are completely honest
c) They usually return the hats later
d) They are unaware they are taking the wrong hat
Answer: a) They have a worse conscience than those who swap umbrellas
Explanation: The narrator considers hat-swapping to be a more serious moral failing than umbrella-swapping. While an umbrella might be taken absentmindedly, wearing someone else’s hat requires conscious intent. A person can mistakenly pick up the wrong umbrella in a hurry, but putting on a hat that is not theirs requires deliberate action. This distinction reinforces the idea that certain minor dishonest acts are easier to justify than others.
