110. Reading Skills Comprehension: Excursion

Excursion

It was a fine morning with the sound of steady drizzling which seemed like hoof beats on the roof. I looked through the window and observed that the prospect was quite grey as well as drab and the truth was apparent to a me-the outing that my friends and I had planned for this holiday would definitely be cancelled. There cannot be any query regarding that excursion. Passing so many miles on the bicycles was really out of the question and the weather conditions were really inclement I was decidedly depressed as I had placed great store upon that excursion taking place. It was to have been a most exciting outing. But I had to console myself by thinking of the proverb— Man proposes and God disposes of.

 I lazed in bed for some time longer than it was customary for me to do. Then I got up and had a wash, dressed and went down for breakfast. My mother was already busy about her household chores and she greeted me quite as cheerfully as ever. I did not feel cheerful but there was no point in complaining about something beyond her control or mine. So I sat down to breakfast and made the best of polite conversation between mother and son. After some time she said: ‘Son, I nearly forgot to tell you that Jimmy phoned up to say that the outing was off on account of the rain. He said that you could arrange it on some other occasion when the weather was not so foul’.

Do you know what it is like? Well, I finished breakfast and went back up to my room to sit and decide what I was going to do to keep myself occupied. I switched on the record player and listened to some music but it did not appeal much to me that morning. The rain seemed to have dampened my spirits pretty badly. Then for a change, I took from my bookshelf a book of poems and tried to concentrate on some of the philosophic thoughts that I discovered therein.

 But that also did not hold my attention for long. Later, I began reading a novel and thus passed the hours until lunchtime. With the little appetite, I sauntered down for the meal—chiefly because I did not want to hurt other’s feelings. So I made an effort to appreciate the delicious lunch that it was. She was pleased.

Towards two o’clock the weather cleared up. Lunch being over, Mother and I settled down for a chat when the doorbell rang and who should enter but my married sister and her husband. We were really surprised to see them because they lived in another town quite far away. They had come by car and had wanted to give us a surprise. Sure enough, it was a very welcome surprise. More so, when they announced that they had planned to take us back with them. The next day being Sunday, we could stay with them. Now, this was really a pleasant surprise for me and for Mum. It did not take us long to pack up a few things and be ready to leave within the hour.

Just before we could leave home the phone rang,  it was Jimmy again: he suggested that the outing was to be planned for the next day. I told him to go ahead and to have a good time—I would not be there. Upon his asking me what had gone wrong with me, as I had been the one to be so eager about it, I merely replied that I had far better things to do. I was glad—right glad that it had rained that day.

1. On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer the following questions briefly

(a) How had rain affected the writer’s spirit?

(b)Two ways in which the writer tried to get over his depression were:

(c) What surprised Jimmy? Why? 

(d) The writer’s sadness and frustration turned into joy when

2. Pick out words from the passage that mean the following

(a) a short journey or trip, especially one taken as a leisure activity. (Para 1)

(b)  usual practices associated with a particular society, place, or set of circumstances. (Para 2)

(c) walk in a slow, relaxed manner     (Para 3)

(d) strongly wanting to do or have something. (Para 5)

Answers-

(a) He felt greatly depressed because the rain had spoiled the chances of an outing which had to be cancelled.

(b)1. He switched on the record player.

  1. He tried to concentrate on reading a book of poems and then a novel.

(c)Jimmy was surprised because the author declined the offer to go for an outing the next day

(d) his married sister and her husband arrived and announced that they were taking him and his mother to stay with them for a day.

2.(a) – Excursion

 (b)- customary

(c)- sauntered

(d)-  eager

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