Chapter -4 The Old-Clock Shop | NCERT ENGLISH SOLUTIONS | EDUGROWN

1. What made Ray think the visitor was not really a shopper?
Ans: Ray was deaf and dumb, but a good judge of men. His old wise eyes told him that the new visitors to his shop at that late hour, was not a shopper or customer. There was no friendliness in his eyes.

2. Why do you think he had come to the shop?
Ans: The visitor had not come to the shop to buy anything. Perhaps his intention was to loot the owner of his cash. He was in dire need of money.

3. How did Ray communicate with him?
Ans: Ray could neither speak nor hear. So he communicated with his customer by writing his message on a notepad. The visitor also wrote his reply on paper.

4. What do you think the man said to his friend who waited at the door?
Ans: The older man pointed to his ears and shook his head from side to side. Thus he conveyed to his younger companion that the shop owner could neither hear ‘ nor speak.

5. Ray was not a pawnbroker. Why then did he lend money to people in exchange for their old watches and clocks?
Ans: Ray was not a pawnbroker, a person who lends money on security of some item. He did not lend money on interest. He was, however, kind and helpful. He could n’t say ‘No’ to the needy people.

6. “The watch was nothing special and yet had great powers.” In what sense did it have ‘great powers’?
Ans: The watch was just ordinary. But it had the power to pull a person out of a bad situation. The older man got the money he needed without hurting Ray. The generous shopkeeper also escaped physical injury. In this sense the watch had great powers.

7. Do you think the man would ever come back to pick up the watch?
Ans:No, it is very unlikely that the older man would ever come back to pick up his watch. He had, after all, got a price higher than the watch was worth for.

8. When did “the unfriendly face” of the visitor turn truly friendly?
Ans: The unfriendly face of the visitor turned friendly when he got a fifty dollar note for his ordinary watch. He felt obliged and happy.

I. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Who was Ray? What was his handicap?
Ans: Ray was the owner of an old-clock shop. He was deaf and dumb. He communicated with his customers by writing on a notepad.

2. Who were the two last-minute shoppers to Ray’s shop?
Ans: The two persons came to Ray’s shop just before the shop closed. One was young, the older one was nearly fifty. They had an evil plan to rob Ray of his cash.

3. What was the problem of the two shoppers? What were they going to try?
Ans: The two persons visiting Ray’s shop were in dire need of money. They were ready to take away Ray’s cash by force.

4. How did Ray tackle the evil-minded shoppers?
Ans: Ray hid his growing fear. He noticed that the older man was unfriendly and he carried a gun. But he kept cool. He paid fifty dollars in exchange for an old watch. This pleased the man. He said ‘Merry Christmas’ to Ray before he walked out of the shop.

5. What message did the old clocks spread as they chimed ‘Merry Christmas’ together?
Ans: The old-clocks and timepieces in Ray’s shop chimed all together. They spread ‘the message of peace on earth and goodwill towards all’.

II.LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Sketch the character of Ray in about 80 words. What qualities of Ray do you admire most?
Ans: Ray was an old and deaf owner of an old clock-shop. He repaired and sold old clocks. He communicated with his customers using pen and paper. But he was wise with long experience. Anger boiled within him when he noticed a gun in the man’s pocket. But he remained cool. He was generous and helpful also. He overpaid his visitors in need. He sent away the unfriendly visitors quite happy.

2. How did the old clock give a timeless message through Ray?
Ans:Ray was an old and deaf dealer in old clocks. He also used to pay to the needy customers against the security of their old clocks. Two visitors came to his shop when he was going to pull the shutters down. He doubted their intentions. But he kept his cool. He offered them fifty dollars for an old clock. He did so as a gesture of goodwill and peace. The timepiece rang out a musical message filled with hope. All the three persons who stood in the shop heard the timeless message of peace on earth and goodwill towards all.