Oliver Asks for More workbook answers

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Oliver Asks for More MCQ,

Oliver Asks for More workbook answers

Section A: Multiple Choice Questions

Answers

1. (d) All of the above.

2. (b) went horne to have dinner

3. (b) Her shoes had holes

4. (a) She did not have a ring on her finger on her left hand.

5. (b) Mr Bumble

6. (a) drank up all the soup and cleaned them with their spoons.

7. (c) Oliver asked him for more food

8. (d) He was shut up for a week in solitary confinement.

9. (a) Twenty pounds

10. (b) A coffin maker for the workhouse

Section B: Context Questions

Oliver Asks for More workbook answers

1. Read the extract given below and answers the questions that follow:

Oliver Twist was born in a workhouse. His mother, a young woman, lay ill in bed. A doctor and an old woman stood by her side. She lifted her head from the pillow ‘Let me see the child and die,’ she said. ‘Oh, you mustn’t talk about dying yet,’ said the doctor.

Answers

(i) A workhouse was a place in 19th-century England where the poor and destitute, including orphans, were sent to live and work in exchange for food and shelter. The conditions in workhouses were often harsh and bleak, and inmates were subjected to gruelling labour. The presence of a workhouse in the story sets the tone for the social issues of the time, highlighting the harsh treatment of the poor and the plight of orphaned children.

(ii) When Oliver was born, only the attending doctor and an old woman was present in the room. Oliver’s mother had been found in the streets, pregnant and destitute. She gave birth in the workhouse, and as was customary, the authorities kept unmarried mothers separated from their children, sending the babies to the workhouse while the mothers were sent away.

(iii) Oliver’s mother, wished to see her newborn son and hold him in her arms before she died. When the doctor handed the baby to her, she kissed the baby’s forehead and passed her hands over his face. Unfortunately, her weak state and the harsh conditions in the workhouse took a toll on her, and she died soon after giving birth.

(iv) Oliver’s mother knew that she was very weak and may not live, therefore she told the old woman that she wished to see the child before she died. The old woman told the doctor that the young woman had walked quiet a distance as her shoes were worn out and she was found lying in the street. The old woman conveyed this message to the doctor in charge, but the doctor showed little sympathy or concern, merely writing it off as another death in the workhouse.

(v) The evidence that suggests the young woman, was poor and not married includes her destitute state when she was found in the streets pregnant, with no means to support herself. Moreover, the fact that she was in a workhouse for unwed mothers further emphasizes her vulnerable and impoverished status. In the social context of the time, unmarried pregnant women were often ostracized and faced significant challenges in society, especially if they lacked financial support.

Oliver Asks for More workbook answers

II. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

The doctor raised the dead woman’s left hand. The usual story,’ he said. ‘I see that she has no ring on her finger. She wasn’t married. Good night!’ He went home to his dinner. The old woman sat down on a chair 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. The child was an orphan, born into a world which had no love or pity for him.

Answers

(i) When the doctor raised the young woman’s hand, he noticed that she did not wear a wedding ring. This indicates that she was not married and might have faced some unfortunate circumstances that led her to the workhouse.

(ii) After the doctor went home, the old woman, who was a nurse or caretaker in the workhouse, the old woman sat down on a chair 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. This suggests that life in the workhouse was harsh and lacked proper care for the children.

(iii) Since 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. He said that they named the new babies there in order from A to Z. As he had named the last one Swubble, this one is Twist and the next one will be Unwin.

(iv) An example of Oliver experiencing a lack of love in the novel can be seen in how he was treated as an orphan in the workhouse. He faced neglect, hunger, and mistreatment by the staff, which highlights the lack of compassion and empathy for the young and vulnerable.

(v) The condition of children, particularly those in workhouses, was depicted as dismal and bleak. They faced neglect, abuse, and poor living conditions, which reflected the harsh realities of life for orphaned or abandoned children during that period.

Oliver Asks for More workbook answers

III Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

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. ‘l named the last one Swubble. This one is Twist. The next one will be Unwin.’

Answers

(i) Oliver’s mother did not wear a finger ring, this suggests that she was not married. Her shoes were worn out, this suggests that she had walked a long distance. Her weak state and the harsh conditions in the workhouse took a toll on her, and she died soon after giving birth. So no one was able to discover the identities of the baby’s parents.

(ii) Mr. Bumble was an important officer in town was responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the workhouse. When the baby (Oliver) was brought to the workhouse, Mr. Bumble named him Oliver Twist and took care of the administrative aspects of the child’s entry into the workhouse. However, Mr. Bumble did little to provide proper care and love for Oliver, as he saw the children in the workhouse as a burden and expense rather than deserving of care and compassion.

(iii) Mr Bumble, an important officer in the town, invented a name for the baby. He chose the name Oliver Twist. He said that they named the new babies there in order from A to Z. As he had named the last one Swubble, this one is Twist and the next one will be Unwin.

(iv) Oliver looked thin and pale because he, along with the other boys in the workhouse, suffered from malnourishment and neglect. The conditions in the workhouse were harsh, and the children received inadequate food and care. The meager and insufficient diet they were provided which resulted in poor health, making Oliver and the other boys appear thin and pale.

(v) The normal food given to the boys in the workhouse was a small portion of gruel, a thin and bland porridge-like meal, served three times a day. On Sundays, they received an extra small portion of gruel after the morning church service as a special treat. The extra food on Sundays reflects the limited resources and lack of proper care in the workhouse. It shows how the inmates of the workhouse, especially the children, were deprived of even basic nutritional requirements, and the small treat on Sundays was hardly sufficient to address their needs.

Oliver Asks for More workbook answers

IV Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

One day Oliver and his friends decided that one boy would walk up to the master after supper and ask for more soup. Oliver was chosen. In the evening, the boys sat down at the tables. The master stood by the pot, and the soup was served. It disappeared quickly. The boys whispered and made signs to Oliver. He stood up from the table and went to the master, with his bowl and spoon in his hands. ‘Please, Sir,’ he said, ‘l want some more.’ The master was a fat, healthy man, but he went very pale. He looked with surprise at the small boy. What?’ said the master at last in a quiet voice. ‘Please, sir,’ repeated Oliver, ‘I want some more.’ 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.’

Answers

(i) The master of the workhouse is described as a fat, healthy man in the novel. He was surprised because he had never seen a child like Oliver before. Oliver looked thin and pale due to the harsh living conditions in the workhouse, and his appearance was in stark contrast to the well-fed, healthier children the master was used to seeing.

(ii) Oliver was hit with the master’s spoon because he dared to ask for more food, specifically more gruel, which was considered audacious and rebellious in the workhouse. In the eyes of the workhouse authorities, asking for more food was seen as a sign of ingratitude and disobedience. The workhouse system was designed to be strict and provide only the bare minimum to the inmates, and any request for additional food was met with harsh punishment.

(iii) The master called for Mrs. Mann’s help, who was responsible for taking care of the younger children in the workhouse. Mrs. Mann was asked to come and take Oliver away because the master accused him of being a troublemaker and an ungrateful wretch for asking for more food.

(iv) The master punished Oliver by having him locked in a dark room and subjected to solitary confinement. The punishment was severe and harsh, especially considering Oliver’s young age and the minor nature of his offense. From a modern perspective, the punishment was clearly disproportionate to the offense of asking for more food when the boy was hungry and malnourished.

(v) As an AI language model, I don’t have feelings, emotions, or consciousness. However, in the context of the novel, readers often feel sympathy and compassion for young Oliver due to the harsh treatment he receives in the workhouse. He is depicted as a vulnerable and innocent child who is mistreated and neglected by the adults around him. Dickens‘ portrayal of Oliver’s hardships elicits emotions of pity and concern for his well-being as he struggles to survive in a harsh and unforgiving world.

Oliver Asks for More workbook answers

V Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

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.

Answers

(i) Oliver was shut in the cold dark room by Mr. Bumble, the parish beadle, as a punishment for asking for more food in the workhouse. Oliver was imprisoned in this wretched place, known as the “coal-cellar,” for a whole week as a severe consequence for his audacity to make such a request for additional gruel.

(ii) Oliver was forced to make the offense of asking for more food because he was suffering from extreme hunger and malnourishment. The meager rations provided to the children in the workhouse were barely enough to sustain them, and Oliver, being severely underfed and weak, couldn’t bear the pangs of hunger any longer. As for why he was chosen to commit the offense, it was simply because he was the one who finally mustered the courage to speak up and ask for more food, while the other boys remained silent out of fear.

(iii) From a moral standpoint, it was not proper for Mr. Bumble to beat Oliver in front of everyone. However, in the workhouse culture of Victorian times, harsh punishments were common, and the authorities believed in maintaining strict discipline. Mr. Bumble, as an embodiment of the callous and unfeeling workhouse system, sought to make an example of Oliver to deter others from daring to ask for more food or question the inadequate conditions of the workhouse.

(iv) As an AI language model, I don’t have feelings or opinions. However, I can provide an objective analysis. Mr. Bumble is depicted as a heartless and self-serving character in the novel. He represents the indifferent and uncaring attitudes of some authority figures in the workhouse system during Victorian times. The workhouse culture of that era was often marked by cruelty, neglect, and an oppressive approach towards the poor and vulnerable, particularly orphaned children like Oliver. Dickens uses the character of Mr. Bumble and the workhouse setting to criticize the social injustices and the lack of empathy prevalent during that period.

(v) Oliver could not sleep at night because of hunger and distress. The meager and insufficient food provided to the children in the workhouse left them constantly hungry and malnourished. As a result, Oliver and his fellow inmates suffered from physical and emotional deprivation, which made it difficult for them to find rest and comfort. This inability to sleep highlights the harsh living conditions and lack of proper care faced by orphaned and destitute children in Victorian England, where many young lives were marked by suffering and neglect.

Oliver Asks for More workbook answers

VI Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

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.

Answers

(i) Mr. Sowerberry was an undertaker in the novel “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens. He was responsible for arranging funerals and taking care of the deceased. Mr. Sowerberry is described as a tall, gaunt man with a cadaverous face, which means he had a thin and emaciated appearance. He wore black clothes, and his overall demeanor reflected the somber and gloomy nature of his profession.

(ii) The black clothes worn by Mr. Sowerberry, being an undertaker, signify mourning and grief associated with death. In the novel, the notice at the gate of Mr. Sowerberry’s establishment stated that he was in need of an apprentice to assist him in his undertaking business. The notice invited applications from boys willing to take up the apprenticeship.

(iii) Mr. Bumble, the parish beadle, expressed the belief that he would be rich one day because he saw the position of a beadle as a stepping stone to wealth and prosperity. In Victorian society, some individuals in authority or those connected to the parish administration could exploit their positions to gain financial advantages, whether through bribes, embezzlement, or other means.

(iv) The theme of “poverty and social injustice” is reflected in the extract. The notice at Mr. Sowerberry‘s gate seeking an apprentice suggests the harsh reality that many children during Victorian times had limited opportunities and were forced to work in unfavorable conditions at a young age. Poverty and lack of support from the society or institutions often led to the exploitation of vulnerable children, like Oliver, who were left to the mercy of those who were supposed to care for them.

(v) The notice at Mr. Sowerberry’s gate reflects the bleak treatment of children in Victorian Times. It highlights how children from poor backgrounds were often seen as a source of cheap labor and were subjected to work in demanding and sometimes exploitative environments. The fact that the notice sought an apprentice for an undertaker’s grim and solemn profession also indicates how little regard was given to the well-being and happiness of these young individuals. The prevailing social attitudes and lack of adequate child protection laws during that era meant that many children faced challenging and precarious circumstances in their early years.

Oliver Asks for More workbook answers