Don't worry guys here you get the alternative english class 11 notes the box and cox summary written by john Maddison Morton along with ncert solution question and answers class 11 ahsec Seba board. This chapter is included in the chinar book of class 11.
Box and Cox Notes
Box and Cox Summary
Mrs. Bouncer, a house manager in London. She letting the room to two different persons who were of different professions named Box and Cox. Box, a printer who spent all night at his press and used the room only during day hours. While Cox, a hatter spent the day at his workplace used the room only at night. But neither of them has any idea that Mrs. Bouncer was giving the room to the other.
Then starts a strange series of situations. Cox doubts that Mrs. Bouncer has been using his room during the daytime. He complains to Mrs. Bouncer that his coal keeps decreasing and there is a steady increase of evaporation among my candles, wood, sugar, and matches. he also complains that his room is continually full of tobacco smoke.
Mrs. Bouncer gives various excuses on this matter. Cox was getting late for his work. He goes away for his work at the hat shop and Box was returning from the night shift at the newspaper. The box was brought a rasher of bacon with him which he prepared to cook. He lighted the fire and he shows that his matches have been used and his candles burnt low. He also suspects Mrs. Bouncer of these actions. But Cox was returning to the room from the work because he was eleven and a half minutes late for his shop in considerable excitement and his employer gave him a holiday that day.
Box and Cox meet that day, each imaging each other to be an intruder, each pulling the last week's rent receipt from their pocket, and each banging loudly for corrects from the landlady. Mrs. Bouncer is forced to explain the secret, and she throws herself at the mercy of Box and Cox by promising to put either of them in a beautiful second-floor back room, which she prepares quickly. Both Box and Cox then agreed that they had no quarrel and that the whole mess was Mrs. Bouncer's fault.
Box and cox question and answers
COMPREHENSION
1. Why does Cox want Mrs. Bouncer to change his bolster?
Ans: Cox wants Mrs. Bouncer to change his bolster because he could not sleep comfortably as he has seemed to him to have a handful and a fall of feathers at each end and nothing whatever in the middle.
2. Why does Cox suspect is using his stuff? Quote evidence from the play to support your answer.
Ans: Cox suspects Mrs. Bouncer is using his stuff. It is because for some time past Cox's coals go remarkably fast and it is not only the case with the coals but Cox has observed a gradual and steady increase of evaporation among his candles, wood, sugar, and matches. Cox says, "I don't say I do, Mrs. Bouncer; only I wish you distinctly to understand, that I don't believe it's the cat."
3. Why does Cox say 'this gentleman's smoke instead of emulating the example of all other sorts of smoke, and going the chimney, thinks proper to affect a singularity by taking the contrary direction?’
Ans: Cox uses this statement for Mr. Box. Cox says in front of Mrs. Bouncer when she said that the man in the attic has the habit of smoking and that the man's smoke entered Cox's room. In this connection, Cox is the view that the smoke should have gone up the chimney but it was ridiculous that the smoke changed its normal course of flowing and entered his room.
4. How is Mrs. Bouncer's idea of renting out the same room two sets of lodgers 'a capital idea'?
Ans: Mrs. Bouncer letting the room to two different persons who were of different professions. By this, she was earning double income from the same room, which shows her greediness. She rented out her room to Box, a printer who spent all night at his press and used the room only during day hours. While Cox, a hatter spent the day at his workplace used the room only at night Mrs. Bouncer took the opportunity thinking it as "a capital idea". Practically nobody can imagine such a thing.
5. As soon as Cox leaves the room, Mrs. Bouncer gets busy in the room. What does she do and why?
Ans: As soon as Cox leaves the room, Mrs. Bouncer gets busy in the room. It is because she rented out the same room to two lodgers at the same time. So, when Cox leaves the room, Mrs. Bouncer gets busy to put Mr. Cox's things out of Mr. Box's way and arranging the room in such a way that Mr. Box cannot understand that someone was in the room. She has to do all this so that Mr. Box could not suspect her.
6. Who is Box angry with as he enters? Why?
Ans: Box is angry with Cox as he enters. Box complain cox why the latter does not keep his own side of the staircase. He also admits that it was the fault of both of them. The box is angry because he was about to hit. Cox on the staircase.
7. When Box returns to his room in the morning he is (Tick the correct answer)
(a) cheerful (b) exhausted (c) energetic
Give reasons for your answer.
Ans: (b) Exhausted. Because Box works the whole night in a printing press. So when he returns to his room in the morning he feels sleepy and exhausted.
8. Why does Box feel agitated when he starts cooking his breakfast?
Ans: Mr. Box feels agitated when he starts cooking his breakfast because he is unable to find his matches in the place where he kept. He finds it on the mantlepiece but he finds only one stick. However, three days ago it was full. Not only this but he also feels that his coals, candles, and sugar were purloined by Mrs. Bouncer. He becomes angry to find his gridiron used by Mrs. Bouncer.
9. Why does Cox come home early? What has he got for breakfast?
Ans: Mr. Cox was eleven and a half minutes late for his shop in considerable excitement and his employer gave him a holiday that day.
That is why he comes home early. He has bought a mutton chop for his breakfast. He won't want any dinner.
10. Though both Box and Cox start cooking breakfast, neither of them gets to eat anything. Why?
Ans: Box purchased a leg of chicken before coming to his room. In an unhappy state of mind, he placed the gridiron on fire, and then with fork laid leg of chicken on the gridiron. He felt very much sleepy so he wanted to take a nap and fell fast asleep. In the meantime, Cox also entered and wanted to light the fire. He was astonished to see the fire lighted and also the chicken there. He was angry because he thought that it was Mrs. Bouncers' act. He put the leg of chicken on a plate and placed his Chop on the gridiron and then put on the fire. Then he went out. Suddenly Box rose and was astonished to see his leg of chicken on the table a chop. He also accused Mrs. Bouncer of doing these things. He threw chop out through the window and again he put the leg of chicken on the gridiron. Then he exits. Now Cox entered with tea things and placed them on the table. He saw that his chop was gone and again there was the leg of the chicken. He became angry and threw the leg of the chicken out the window.
In this way, the breakfast of Cox and Box was gone and no one could have their breakfast.
REFERENCE TO THE CONTEXT
a. Then I'll lend you the one - and if you turn to the letter G, you’ll find ‘Grumble, verb neuter to complain without a cause.’ Now that’s not my Case, Mrs. B.
(i) Who speaks these words?
Ans: Mr. Cox speaks these words.
(ii) What is the ‘one’ that he wishes to land Mrs. Bouncer? Why?
Ans: He wishes to lend Mrs. Bouncer a dictionary to look up the word ‘Grumble’ there. She asked if there was anything he had got a grumble about. That is why Mr. Cox asked her to consult a dictionary and be sure whether the word ‘Grumble’ was appropriate.
(iii) What does he mean by saying ‘that's not my case?
Ans: He said so because he was not complaining without any cause.
(iv) What tone do you think he adopts at this time?
Ans: At this time he was polite enough and clever to clarity his own point.
b. I hope, Mrs. Bouncer, you're not guilty of cheroots or cubas?
(i) What does Cox mean by the above words?
Ans: By Cheroots or Cubas he means cigars. He wants to know if he is in the habit of smoking.
(ii) Why does he say them to Mrs. Bouncer?
Ans: He says so because he finds the smell of tobacco smoke in his room.
c. He's gone at last? Really I was all in a tremble for fear.
(i) Who says these words? About whom?
Ans: Mrs. Bouncer says these words. She says about Cox.
(ii) Why is the speaker afraid?
Ans: The speaker is afraid because Box will arrive at any moment. She does not want to see both Box and Cox at the same moment. Because neither of them knew that they live in the same room.
(iii)Are the person's fears groundless or justified? Give a reason for your answer.
Ans: The person's fears are not groundless though not fully justified. Because if they met she would fall in an awkward position. But she should have done such a thing only for the sake of earning a little more money.
d. Ana by the bye, Mr. Box he begged me to request you, as a particular favour that you would not smoke quite so much.
(i) Who is the speaker? Who is the person being referred to as ‘he’?
Ans: Mrs. Bouncer is the speaker. Cox is the person to as ‘he’.
(ii) Why has ‘he’ objected to Mr. Box's smoking?
Ans: He has objected to Mr. Box’s smoking because he could stand the smell of tobacco smoke that he found in his room which was caused by Mr. Box’s smoking.
(iii) What advice does Box offer him?
Ans: Mr. Box advises him to shift from that place in such a case.
EXTRA QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
1. What did Mr. Cox ask Mrs. Bouncer for? Why?
Ans: Mr. Cox asked Mrs. Bouncer for a more bulging bolster because the one he has seems to him to have about a handful and a half of feather at each end, and nothing whatever in the middle.
2. Why does Cox's hat come over his eyes?
Ans: Mr. Cox has his hair cut. He asked his hairdresser only to cut the ends off but the hairdresser must have thought that he had to cut the other ends. As a result, his hair has become very short. Now comes over his eyes.
3. Why did Mr. Cox find his apartment full of smoke? What Mrs. Bouncer says?
Ans: Mr. Cox finds his apartment full of smoke because of who lives in the same room in his absence and Mr. Box has the habit of smoking
Mrs. Bouncer gives various excuses. He says that Mr. Box occupies the attic, is a persistent smoker, and that his smoke must come down the chimney.
4. What was Mr. Box's excuse when Mrs. Bouncer said that he has not in a good temper?
Ans: Mrs. Bouncer said that Mr. Box was not in a good temper. At once Mr. Box replied that a man who had been setting up long leaders for daily paper all night obviously would not be in good temper in the morning.
5. What was Box's reply when Mrs. Bouncer requested him not to smoke quite so much?
Ans: When Mrs. Bouncer forwarded the request of the other border urging him not to smoke quite so much Mr. Box became irritated and roughly said that the other man might leave the place. He even said that case the situation demanded he himself was ready to shift to a new place.
6. What meaning did Mr. Cox find in Mrs. Bouncer's reply in regard to smoke?
Ans: Mr. Cox said that the gentleman in the attack smoked and his smoke instead of following the general principle of smoke going up the chimney thought it proper to affect a singularity by taking the contrary direction to Mr. Cox's room. He clearly meant that what Mrs. Bouncer was saying could never be correct.
