Evans Tries an O-Level- Important Extra Questions Short Answer Type

Evans Tries an O-Level

                                        By–Colin Dexter

 Short Answer Type Questions  (30 to 40 words)

1.How was the Reverend Stuart McLeery dressed and why?

Ans. Reverend Stuart McLeery was wearing a long black overcoat and a shallow-crowned clerical hat. His spectacles had thick lenses. He was carrying a small brown suitcase. It was actually a cold and chilly day and hence he was dressed in a long overcoat.

Q2. What was the significance of the two phone calls the Governor received after a quarter of an hour of the start of the examination?

Ans.The first phone call was made by the Assistant Secretary of the Examination Board. It was regarding a correction slip for the German paper that Evans was writing. The word `Golden Lion’ was to be used in place of ‘Golden Lowe’. The second call came from the Magistrate’s Court. They needed a prison van and a couple of prison officers for a remand case.

Q3. How did the prison machinery swing into action? What did they overlook?

Ans. Prison officers started shouting orders as soon as they discovered that Evans had escaped. Sirens were blown. Puzzled prisoners pushed their way along and doors were banged and bolted. Phones were ringing everywhere. Jackson and Stephens supported McLeery on either side and brought him to the prison yard. The identity of the injured `McLeery’ remained unchecked.

Q4. What did the Governor think of Evans and his plan after ringing up Detective Chief Inspector Bell?

Ans.The Governor admired clever Evans and his beautifully laid plan. He also commented on Evans’ carelessness in leaving behind the question paper. He said that all criminals got caught because they left important clues behind. He was sure that they would soon be able to catch Evans and put him in prison once again.

Q5. What two purposes did the correction slip serve? Which of them did Evans consider more important?

Ans.The correction slip revealed the name of the hotel and its location. He had to go to `Golden Lion’. It also contained the exact time the exam started. For Evans, it was an important thing that the phone rang just before the exam finished. Thus he was able to get the prison officers out of the way for a couple of minutes.

Q6. What did Evans’ own hair look like? How then did he impersonate McLeery?

Ans. Evans’ hair was long and wavy while McLeery had closely clipped hair, almost next to the scalp. Jackson had removed Evans’ scissors, so he had to remove his hair off with a razor. After that he kept his head covered with a bobble hat to prevent being noticed.

Q7. How did the Governor of Oxford Prison locate the hiding place of Evans?

Ans.The Governor told Evans that he had used the same method as Evans had done. The six-figure reference 313/271 was formed by two hints- Index number 313 and centre number 271. If one took an Ordinance Survey Map for Oxfordshire, this number would land bang in the middle of Chipping Norton.

Q8. What request did the Secretary of the Examination Board receive from the Governor of Oxford Prison?

Ans.The Governor of Oxford Prison’s request was to create an examination centre in the prison for one candidate named James Roderick Evans who wanted to appear in O Level German Examination to be held on June 8.

Q9. What enquiry did the Secretary of the Examination Board make about Evans?

Ans.The Secretary of the Examination wanted cursory details about the examinee regarding his nature. He wanted to know if Evans was a violent sort of a person. He was told that there was no record of violence.

Q10. Who met Evans on the eve of the examination?

Ans. Mr Jackson and Mr Stephens visited Evans on the morning of the Examination. They visited him to ensure that he did not have any weapon with him. Evans was called Evans the Break as he had escaped from Prison three times.

Q11. What puzzled Mr Jackson about the contents in McLeery’s suitcase?

 Ans. Jackson saw a smallish semi-inflated rubber ring. Even a young child might have to struggle into it. Jackson questioned McLeery about it who replied that he carried it as he suffered from piles.

Q12. Why did the Governor doubt the phone call from the Examination board for the correction in the paper? What did he do?

Ans.The Governor doubted the phone call from the Examination board for the correction in the paper because he thought it might be a fake call. He tried to verify the call. He held the incoming call and from the other line called the Examination Board. Since the number was busy he assumed the call was a genuine one.

Q13. How did Stephens keep an eye on Evans? What did he notice on looking through the peep-hole in Evans’ cell?

Ans. Stephens peeped after every one minute. He found Evans sitting with his pen between his lips and staring straight in front at the door. McLeery sat on his chair reading the ‘Church Times’. His right index finger was hooked beneath the narrow clerical collar. The fingers of the left hand were slowly stroking the short blackboard.

 Q14. What request did Evans make about half an hour before the end of the examination? What did Stephens think about it?

Ans. Evans requested if he could put the blanket on his shoulders as it was chilly and McLerry told him to be quick about it. A minute later, Stephens was surprised to see a grey regulation blanket draped round Evans’ shoulders. Stephens was misled into believing that Evans was feeling cold.

Q15. What did Stephens see when he peeped through the hole of the cell of Evans after leaving McLeery at the main gate of the prison?

 Ans. Stephens thought of looking at Evans once again after leaving McLeery at the main gate. He saw a terrible sight. A man with short hair presumably McLeery in a pool of blood was sprawling back in Evans’ chair.

Q16. How did McLerry want to help the police?

Ans.The injured McLeery said that he knew where Evans was. He wanted to accompany the police in finding the culprit. He insisted that he did not need to be hospitalized as he was all right. To further his point, he showed the question paper to the Governor to impress upon him that Evans had befooled everybody.

 Q17. What important clues were hidden in the German Question paper?

Ans.There was a photocopied sheet hidden in the German question paper. It was very cleverly pasted on the last blank sheet. It had instructions written in German. It has instructions that the plan should be followed. The vital point in time was three minutes before the end of the examination. It further read that he must not hit the person hard and overdo the Scot accent. He was to move the Headington roundabout and then make way to Newbury.




Q18. Where was the real McLeery?

Ans.The real Rev. McLeery was gagged and tied in his room since 8:15 am. The two men visited McLeery in the morning. They gagged him and tied him in his study. Since 8:15 in the morning, the real McLeery had been in his own house. It was Evans accomplice who had come as McLeery to the examination centre.

Q19. How did Evans manage his final escape?

Ans.Evans was handcuffed and made to sit in the prison van. But the Governor was complacent and Evans’ accomplices were inside the van. As the van turned to the Oxford Road, the silent prison officer who was Evans’ friend unlocked the handcuffs. Evans suggested that they go towards Newbury. Evans had his final escape.

 Q20. Who, do you think, has the last laugh- The Governor or Evans? How?

Ans.It is Evans who has the last laugh in the story. The two persons, i.e. driver and the silent prison officer turn out to be the accomplices of Evans. The Governor became complacent as he thought he had nabbed the prisoner and would soon put him in prison. But Evans escapes once again.




Q21. What kind of a person was Evans?

Ans. Evans’ full name was James Roderick Evans. The prison officers called him `Evans the Break’ as he had escaped from jail three times. He was quite a pleasant sort of chap — an amusing person who was good at imitations. He was not violent. He was a congenital kleptomaniac.

 Q22. What were the precautions taken for the smooth conduct of examinations?

Ans.Evans was in a solitary cell. Reverened Stuart McLeery, a person from St. Mary Mags was the invigilator. Evans’ cell was thoroughly checked. The nail file and scissors taken out. McLeery’s bag was also checked for potential weapons that could be used by Evans. A penknife was taken away. All messages and phone calls to Evans were to go through the Governor. His solitary cell was well guarded with all officers on alert and two locked doors between Evans’ cell and the yard, which had a high wall. Initially, Stephens, a guard, was in the cell. Later, when outside, he checked on Evans after every minute or two.

Q23. Will the injured McLeery be able to help the prison officers track Evans?

Ans.The injured McLeery was Evans. He spoke in broken phrases and told the prison officers to get the police. He drew the attention of the Governor to the German text on photocopied sheet on the last page. When the police arrived, McLeery or Evans told the officer to go to Elsfield Way. The Governor told Detective Carter to take the injured McLeery with him. He was only pretending to guide the officials. His purpose was to escape.

 Q24. How did the clues left behind on the question paper, put Evans back in prison again?

Ans.The text on the last page of the German question paper contained the plan of escape. It had important clues of the route which was from Elsfield Way to the Headington roundabout and from there to Newbury. The other clue was the index number 313 and the centre no. 271. The six figures brought the Governor in the middle of Chipping INorton. Golden Lion was also alluded at in the paper.

Q25. Where did Evans go?

Ans. Evans accompanied Detective Carter to track the convict. When the car reached the Examination offices in Elsfield Way, McLeeryor Evans in disguise grogged. He asked for an ambulance to be called for and left there. A car was arranged. He removed blood stains, the false beard, changed clothes and drove to Golden Lion in Chipping Norton.

26. What did the Detective Superintendent inform Governor about Evans?

 Ans. Detective Superintendent Carter was told by the Governor to take McLeery along with him to catch Evans. Carter informed the Governor that McLeery had spotted Evans driving off along Elsfield Way. They chased him but lost track of him at the Headington roundabout.

27. What kind of a person was Evans? Why did he want to sit for 0-level German examination?

Ans. Evans was a congenital kleptomaniac. He was in prison and was famous for being ‘Evans the Break’. He was a genius in planning. He was very observant too. He wanted to sit for the O-level German Examination as part of his plan to escape from the prison.

28. How was Jackson instrumental in Evans’ escape from prison?

 Ans. Jackson was instrumental in Evans’ escape from prison because he allowed Evans to wear his old cap. Evans told him that it was his lucky hat and due to his compassionate nature, Jackson allowed him to wear the cap which concealed the haircut of Evans. He had cut his hair in the same style as the examiner McLeery had.

29. Why did Evans insist on wearing his hat, despite Jackson’s orders?

Ans. Evans befooled Jackson by telling him that the hat was his lucky charm. He requested him to allow him to wear it as he was going to appear for the examination. In fact, he had hidden his haircut under this cap. But Jackson couldn’t understand his plan and allowed him to wear the cap on compassionate grounds.




30. At 11:22 a.m., there was a call for Stephens. Who had made the call and for what?

 Ans. The call was made by the friends of Evans outside the prison so as to divert Jackson from the close supervision of Evans. He was removed from his duty for some time so that Evans could give finishing touches to his make-up to look like McLeery.

31.  What shock awaited Stephens when he peeped inside Evans’ cell after the Exam?

Ans. When Stephens peeped inside Evans’ cell, he found that McLeery was all smeared in blood and sprawled on Evans’ chair. He presumed that it was McLeery and Evans escaped after injuring the invigilator.

32. Who is Carter? Why was he summoned?

Ans. Caner is the Detective Superintendent. The Governor called him after he came to know of Evans’ escape. He told him to take the injured person with him as only he seemed to know what was happening and could help him to catch Evans.

33. Who were the two visitors who paid a visit to Evans’ cell on the Examination day?

Ans. These were two prison officers who were deputed by the Governor. Senior prison officer Jackson, an officer of the `D’ wing and officer Stephens, recently recruited, were kept on special duty to keep a vigil during the conduct of O-level German Exam for Evans.




34. Why was Evans reluctant to remove his hat?

Ans. Evans had cut his hair short. It was part of his escape plan. He had to impersonate McLeery. So he got his hair cut short. But in order to conceal this fact from the prison authority, he wore a hat. He was reluctant to remove the hat on the pretext that it was his lucky charm. What was the purpose of the correction slip?

35. How did the Governor locate Evans in his hotel?

Ans. The Governor finally realised that is was McLeery who had escaped and it was Evans who had stayed back in the guise of McLeery. It was foolish to send him out with Detective Carter. The Governor put the index no. and centre no. 312/271 together and derived the pin code of the area. with the help of ordnance map of Oxfordshire, he managed to locate Evans’ hotel, Golden Lion.

36. How did Evans manage to get blood smeared on his face?

 Ans. It was the examiner who got that blood for Evans. It was brought in the rubber-ring that McLeery carried with him in his briefcase. It was pig’s blood which was mixed with human blood to stop clotting. This blood was smeared on his face by Evans.

37. How did Evans manage to get McLeery’s get-up in the cell?

Ans. McLeery was wearing two collars, two gowns and two spectacles along with his own clothes. It was so cleverly done that nobody could detect it. So, one collar, one gown, one false beard and a pair of spectacle were used by Evans to disguise as parson for his escape.

38. Who are the prison officers in the end who handcuffed Evans? Why does one of them have “a broad Scots accent”?

Ans. The prison officers who handcuffed Evans, in the end, were no other than his friends. The man with ‘a broad Scots accent was no other than the man who came as McLeery. He was clever enough to flee just right in front of the Governor’s eyes.




Want to Read More Check Below:-

Evans Tries an O-Level- About the Author

Evans Tries an O-Level- Theme & Title

Evans Tries an O-Level- Nutshell of the Story

Evans Tries an O-Level- Short & Detailed Summary

Evans Tries an O-Level- Main Characters of the Story

Evans Tries an O-Level- Multiple Choice Questions in Quiz

Evans Tries an O-Level- Important Extra Questions Long Answer Type

Evans Tries an O-Level- Important Extra Questions Value-Based Answer Type

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