On Examination ( Comprehensions questions)

On Examination 

1. Why were examinations a great trial for the narrator?

Answer: Examinations were difficult for him because the examiners emphasized Latin and Mathematics, whereas he preferred History, Poetry, and Essay Writing.

2. Why did the narrator fail to perform well in the Latin examination?

Answer: He could not answer any question in the Latin paper. He wrote only his name and the number of the first question before submitting the answer sheet.

3. Why did Dr. Welldon admit the narrator to Harrow?

Answer: Dr. Welldon looked beyond examination marks and recognized the narrator's overall ability and potential.

4. What advantage did the narrator gain by remaining in the lowest form?

Answer: He received extensive training in English grammar, parsing, and sentence analysis, which greatly improved his command of English.

5. How did Mr. Somervell teach English?

Answer: Mr. Somervell used coloured inks to analyse sentences into subjects, verbs, objects, and different types of clauses, making grammar easy to understand.

6. Why did the narrator believe English should be taught to every student?

Answer: He believed that a strong command of English was essential for success in life, while Latin and Greek could be learned later by more advanced students.

7. Describe the swimming pool at Harrow.

Answer: The swimming pool was very large, resembling the bend of a river. It had two bridges, and boys spent hours swimming, sunbathing, and eating buns there.

8. What mistake did the narrator make at the swimming pool?

Answer: He pushed a small boy into the pool, not realizing that the boy was Amery, a respected Sixth Form student and Head of his House.

9. How was the misunderstanding with Amery resolved?

Answer: The narrator apologized sincerely and humorously remarked that his father, though a great man, was also small. Amery laughed and forgave him.

10. What prize did the narrator win while at Harrow?

Answer: He won a school prize for reciting 1,200 lines of Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Rome without making a single mistake.

11. Which examination did the narrator pass successfully?

Answer: He successfully passed the preliminary examination for entry into the Army.

12. How did luck help the narrator in the Army examination?

Answer: He randomly selected New Zealand for revision the night before, and the examination asked him to draw a map of New Zealand.

13. Why did the narrator admire Dr. Welldon?

Answer: He admired Dr. Welldon because the Headmaster judged students by their true ability rather than only by examination results.

14. What lesson did the narrator learn from his school experience?

Answer: He learned that practical knowledge, perseverance, and a strong command of English are more valuable than merely scoring high marks in examinations.

15. What qualities of the narrator are revealed in these passages?

Answer: The passages reveal that the narrator was honest, humorous, determined, self-confident, and capable of learning from his experiences despite academic difficulties.