Find details of A Shady Plot Questions Answers Class 10 CBSE English 2024 specifically designed for Class 10 students in the CBSE English Communicative (101) curriculum for the 2024-2025 academic year. This resource provides clear explanations and insights to help you excel in your studies and prepare for exams. Perfect for comprehensive understanding and classroom discussions.
About the Author:
Elsie Brown (1897-1965) was an American author renowned for her witty and engaging short stories. Her most famous work, “A Shady Plot,” humorously explores the trials of a writer dealing with a ghostly muse. The story combines supernatural elements with clever dialogue and comical situations. Brown’s unique blend of humor and the paranormal has left a lasting impression on readers.
About the story, A Shady Plot:
“A Shady Plot” by Elsie Brown is a humorous short story about John Hallock, a writer who has been asked by his publisher, Jenkins, to write another ghost story. John is struggling with writer’s block when he is visited by a ghost named Helen. Helen reveals that she is part of the “Writer’s Inspiration Bureau,” a group of ghosts who help writers with their stories.
Helen informs John that she and her fellow ghosts are on strike because the widespread use of Ouija boards has made their job harder. She demands that John convince people to stop using Ouija boards if he wants her continued assistance with his ghost stories.
John’s troubles worsen when his wife, Lavinia, buys a Ouija board and holds a séance with her friends. During the séance, Helen communicates through the board, leading Lavinia to believe that John has been unfaithful. This results in a comical misunderstanding and a tense situation at home.
Eventually, Helen and the other ghosts resolve their strike, and John convinces Lavinia of his innocence. The story ends on a light note, highlighting the absurdity of the situation and the humorous complications of dealing with ghosts and Ouija boards.
The story combines elements of the supernatural with humor, focusing on the quirks and misunderstandings that arise from John’s interactions with the ghostly Helen and the living Lavinia. It underscores themes of creativity, writer’s block, and the often comical nature of human relationships.
Consult with the ‘A Textbook for English Course( Communicative)(101) from the CBSE official Website (download).
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Textual:
Get precise answers to “A Shady Plot” tailored for English Communicative (101), Class 10. This resource helps students understand and analyze the text effectively, enhancing their grasp of key concepts.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers from Textbook Page No 50
4. Based on your reading of the story above, answer the following questions by selecting the correct options.
1. What made the writer overconfident about his ability to write ghost stories?
a) He was contacted whenever magazines wanted a ghost story
b) He was always able to write a ghost story whenever he had to write one
c) He had an Ouija board
d) He knew the ghost lady would help him write a good ghost story
Ans: b) He was always able to write a ghost story whenever he had to write one
2. The sight of the ghost materializing in his room filled the narrator with ………
a) fear
b) excitement
c) joy
d) anticipation
Ans: d) anticipation
3. John wants the ghost to disappear before his wife enters the room and waves his arms at the ghost with something of the motion of a beginner when learning to swim. What does it reveal about John?
His_________________.
a) fear
b) amusement
c) desperation
d) anxiety
Ans: c) desperation
A Shady Plot Questions Answers from Textbook Page No 51
4. When the narrator says his wife is never so pretty as when she’s doing something she knows he disapproves of, his tone is _________________.
a) amused
b) ironic
c) angry
d) irritated
Ans: b) ironic
5. The ghost says “It’s all your fault.’It’ here refers to the ___________________.
a) narrator’s wife’s anger
b) ghost’s anger
c) narrator’s wife leaving him
d) ghost materialising in sections.
Ans: d) ghost materialising in sections.
5. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
1. We scout around until we find a writer without ideas and with a mind soft enough to accept the impression. The case is brought to the attention of the main office, and one of us is assigned to it. When that case is finished we bring in a report.
(i) What does ‘we’ refer to in the above lines?
Ans: ‘We’ in the given extract refers to the members of the Writer’s Inspiration Bureau.
(ii) Select the most appropriate option based on (1) and (2).
(1) ‘The case is brought to the attention of the main office, and one of us assigned to it.’
(2) Helen says that she helped Johan many times when she was thinking hard.
A. (1) is the reason for (2)
B. (1) is the result of (2)
C. (1) is independent of (2)
D. (2) is the reason for (1)
Ans: A. (1) is the reason for (2)
A Shady Plot Questions Answers from Textbook Page No 52
(iii) Choose the most appropriate option which shows the speaker’s character with reference to the extract.
A. Creative
B. Gullible
C. Jealous
D. Sceptical
Ans: A. Creative
(iv) ‘We scout around…’ What purpose does the scouting serve?
Ans: The purpose of the scouting is to look for writers who don’t have sufficient ideas to write their stories. Then, ‘we’ help these writers by giving shape to their thoughts so that interesting stories can be written.
(v) Select the option that displays the appropriate features that can be associated with task completion, as mentioned in the extract.
(1) organisation
(2) autocracy
(3) delegation of duty
(4) competitiveness
(5) need for recognition
A. Only (4)
B. (2), (3) and (5)
C. (1) and (3)
Ans: C. (1) and (3)
6. Answer the following questions briefly.
a) Which genre of stories does Jenkins want the narrator to write? Why?
Ans: Jenkins wants the narrator to write ghost stories because they are popular and sell well, ensuring commercial success for his magazine.
b) Does the narrator like writing ghost stories? Support your answer with evidence from the story.
Ans: The narrator does not like writing ghost stories. Evidence from the story includes his frustration and the trouble he faces due to the ghostly encounters.
c) What makes Helen, the ghost, and her other co-ghosts organize The Writer’s Inspiration Bureau?
Ans: Helen and the other ghosts organize The Writer’s Inspiration Bureau to help struggling writers by providing them with ideas for ghost stories.
d) Why had Helen, the ghost, been helping the narrator write ghost stories? Why was she going on strike? What condition did she place for providing continued help?
Ans: Helen had been helping the narrator write ghost stories as part of The Writer’s Inspiration Bureau’s work. She was going on strike because she was fed up with the modern technology (like the Ouija board) being misused. She demanded that the narrator get rid of the Ouija board for her continued help.
e) How does the ghost undermine the narrator’s faith in his ability to write ghost stories?
Ans: The ghost undermines the narrator’s faith in his ability to write ghost stories by making him dependent on her for ideas, which makes him doubt his own creativity.
f) Why does John want the ghost to disappear before his wife appears on the scene? What impression of his wife’s character do you form from his words?
Ans: John wants the ghost to disappear before his wife appears because he fears she will misunderstand and think he is involved in some kind of mischief. His words suggest that his wife is suspicious and prone to jealousy.
g) Why does the narrator hesitate to be a partner to Laura Hinkle during the Ouija Board Party?
Ans: The narrator hesitates to be a partner to Laura Hinkle during the Ouija Board Party because he fears the ghost, Helen, might create a scene, complicating his life further.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers from Textbook Page No 53
h) What message does the ghost convey to the group assembled in the narrator’s house? What is their reaction to the message?
Ans: The ghost conveys the message that she and her fellow ghosts are going on strike and won’t help with any more ghost stories. The group is startled and confused by the message.
i) Do you agree with the narrator calling the assembly of women “manipulators?” Give reasons.
Ans: Yes, the narrator calling the assembly of women “manipulators” is accurate because they are using the Ouija board to pry into his personal life and affairs.
j) Why does John wish himself to be dead? Also, explain Helen’s role in resolving that phase in his life.
Ans: John wishes himself to be dead because of the overwhelming stress and complications brought on by the ghost’s interference and his wife’s jealousy. Helen resolves this phase by striking a deal with John to stop using the Ouija board, thus bringing an end to the supernatural disturbances.
k) When confronted by Lavinia about his flirtations over the Ouija Board, John insists that ‘the affair was quite above-board, I assure you, my love’. Bring out the pun in John’s statement
Ans: The pun in John’s statement “the affair was quite above-board” refers to both the Ouija board (a literal board) and the idea that his actions were honest and transparent (aboveboard).
l) John’s apprehensions about his wife’s reaction to her encounter with the ghost are unfounded. Justify.
Ans: John’s apprehensions are unfounded because, ultimately, his wife is not as angry or frightened as he expected. Instead, she reconciles with him, showing understanding and a sense of humor about the situation.
7. Answer the following questions in detail:
a) After her reconciliation with her husband, John Hallock, Lavinia writes a letter to her friend expressing how her relationship with him has almost been on the verge of breaking and what has saved it. Write her a letter.
Ans:
Dear [Friend’s Name],
I hope this letter finds you well. I must share with you an extraordinary series of events that almost broke my marriage with John but ultimately brought us closer than ever.
For some time, I felt a growing distance between us, compounded by strange occurrences in our home and John’s peculiar behavior. I feared he was hiding something from me, perhaps even being unfaithful. My suspicions peaked during a bizarre Ouija board party where a ghost named Helen communicated with us.
Imagine my shock when I realized that John’s odd behavior was due to his encounters with this ghost, who was actually helping him write his ghost stories. Initially, I was furious and felt betrayed by John’s secrecy and involvement with the supernatural.
However, through honest communication and John’s sincere explanations, I came to understand his predicament. The ghostly interference was not John’s doing, and his loyalty to me was unwavering. In the end, we agreed to eliminate the Ouija board from our lives, ensuring no more ghostly disruptions.
This experience has taught me the importance of trust and open communication in our relationship. John and I are now more united, having faced and overcome these eerie challenges together.
Your friend, Lavinia
b) John Hallock reflects upon his experience with Helen’s ghost and in retrospect he finds it quite amusing. All the same, he is relieved that he is no longer plagued by it. Ironically, the same ghost inspires his creativity and he writes a diary entry reflecting upon the comical aspect of his experience. Write his diary entry.
Ans:
Diary Entry:
What a whirlwind these past few weeks have been! Reflecting on my encounters with Helen, the ghost, I can’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. Imagine, a grown man, a writer no less, finding himself at the mercy of a temperamental ghost!
Initially, Helen’s presence was terrifying, her demands disruptive. Yet, she brought a peculiar kind of inspiration, sparking creativity in my writing that I hadn’t experienced before. The irony is, despite the chaos she caused, Helen pushed me to produce some of my best ghost stories.
However, the tension it created with Lavinia was unbearable. The misunderstandings, the jealousy – it nearly drove me mad. Thankfully, we managed to clear the air, and Helen’s departure has restored peace in our home.
Looking back, I can see the humor in these strange events. I’m relieved they’re behind me, but I must admit, the experience has added a rich, albeit bizarre, chapter to my life. Who knew a ghost could leave such a lasting impact on both my writing and my personal life?
John Hallock
8. The narrator and his wife reveal something about their character through their words and actions. We also learn about them from what other people say. Can you pick out the words that describe them from the box given below? Also, pick outlines and instances from the story to illustrate your choice.
[shy arrogant loyal clever overconfident manipulative protective self- disparaging suspicious sceptical jealous fearless firm shrewd strong gullible sly creative loves novelty and thrills]
A Shady Plot Questions Answers from Textbook Page No 54
| Person | Extract from story | What it tells us about the character |
| John Hallock | 1. …in the end things had always come my way….. somehow I’d always been able todig one (plot) up for him, so I’d begun to geta bit cocky as to my ability (to write stories). 2. “But my ghosts aren’t a bit like you—-“. 3. We scout around until we find a writer without ideas and with a mind soft enough toaccept impression. 4. I had often been like that before and in the end things had always come my way…. I didn’t in the least know how or why. It had all been rather mysterious. 5. I threw a protective husbands hand around her to catch her if she fainted. | 1. Overconfident 2. sceptical 3. gullible 4. creative 5. protective |
| Lavinia Hallock | 1. “John Hallock,” she said distinctly. “I don’t propose to doanything of the kind. In the first place they won’t exchangethings bought at a bargain sale and in the second, if youaren’t interested in the other world I am. So there!” 2. you know I bought the loveliest thing this afternoon. 3. Lavinia stopped and began to look at me through narrowedlids much as she had done in the library the evening before. 4. “John,” Lavinia demanded like a ward boss, “you arehiding somebody in here! Who is it?” I only waved denialand gurgled in my throat. She went on, “It’s bad enough tohave you flirt over the Ouija board with that hussy. 5. Buys the Ouija board but says it is for John’s research 6. Does not flinch when she meets the ghost but talks to her casually. | 1. loves novelty and thrills 2. spendthrift 3. suspicious 4. jealous 5. manipulative 6. strong |
A Shady Plot Questions Answers from Textbook Page No 55
| Column A | Column B |
| • Misto Hallock • de Missus • sho t’inks you’s lost! • she done ‘phone you dis mawnin’ • fo’ de lawd’s sake • not to stop to argify now • I’s gwine t’ quit. • I don’t like no hoodoos. • I’se done lef’ dis place • I is | • Mister Hallock • the Mrs. • She thinks that you are lost • she phoned you this morning. • for the lord’s sake • do not stop to argue now. • I am going to quit • I don’t like hoodoos/ hoodoo magicI am done with this place and I am going to leave this place • I am |
10. Read and understand the following ghost phrases and expressions:
a) To give up the ghost– to die or to stop trying
b) A ghost of a chance– a poor chance, not likely to happen
c) The ghost at the feast– something or someone that spoils your enjoyment by reminding you of something unpleasant
d) — a town which most people have left, abandoned and deserted
e) Ghost-write- to write for someone else
f) Lay the ghost of something/somebody (to rest)– to finally stop being worried
or upset by something or someone that has worried or upset you for a long time
g) Ghost image — secondary image, especially, one appearing on a television
screen as a white shadow, caused by poor or double reception or by a defect in the receiver
h) the ghost of a smile – faint trace of a smile
i) As white as a ghost- very pale or white in the face
Now complete the following story by using the appropriate phrases in the blanks given below:
A Shady Plot Questions Answers from Textbook Page No 56
10. Complete the following story by using the appropriate phrases in the blanks given below:
- I was alone in a place that bore a deserted look like that of a ghost town. I increased the pace of my footsteps as I walked through the dark forest. I felt someone walking behind me. I turned immediately and spotted the contour of a figure in the form of a ghost image. It smiled at me wickedly. I started shaking with fear and perspiring profusely when I felt its skeletal hand upon my neck.
- I woke up with a start, relieved that it was only a nightmare. This was not the first time I had had one. It had all started when I had watched the horrendous horror film with an eerie ghost character that had a scary ghost of a smile on its face. It had been almost a month. The strange thing was that I saw a similar face at the station the next morning. That was uncanny.
- I was to attend a dinner at my friend’s at Northanger Abbey that night. I had decided to narrate my experience to the group that would assemble there. Although I knew, there was a ghost of a chance that they would be convinced.
- After everyone had finished pouring their drinks to themselves, I cleared my throat and started narrating my spooky experience. However, every one of the group started accusing me of being the ghost at the feast and held me responsible for spoiling the spirit of revelry. I gave up the ghost and sat quietly waiting for the party to be over. Back at home, the fears returned. I knew I had to talk about my experience to somebody to feel better. I have now decided to ghost-write and publish my experience under a pseudonym. Only then can I lay the ghost to rest.
12. WRITING
Do you think a story has an atmosphere? Complete the following blanks to make up your ghost story by choosing the correct options.
A Ghost Story
She opened the door of the castle silently. Standing in front of her was a terrifying apparition with a scythe in its bony hand.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers from Textbook Page No 57
Now that you have shared a ghost story/anecdote as well as completed a guided story in the class, create your own ghost story on the basis of the starters given below:
Example Ghost Story
a) Stephen knew he would never sleep. The noises, those horrid sounds, would keep him awake…
Stephen knew he would never sleep. The noises, those horrid sounds, would keep him awake. The howling wind rattled the windows, and every creak of the old house sent shivers down his spine. As he lay in bed, he could hear the faint, eerie whispers that seemed to come from the walls themselves.
One stormy night, as the rain pounded against the roof, Stephen decided to investigate. He grabbed a flashlight and cautiously made his way down the creaky staircase. The atmosphere was thick with a chilling fog that seemed to seep through the walls. The air was cold and damp, and every step he took echoed through the empty halls.
As he reached the basement, he noticed the temperature drop even further. He opened the door and was greeted by an overwhelming sense of dread. In the center of the room, illuminated by the flickering light of his flashlight, stood a figure. It was translucent, a ghostly apparition with hollow eyes and a face contorted in anguish.
Stephen’s heart raced as he realized he was face to face with the spirit of a long-forgotten soul. The ghost raised a skeletal hand and pointed to an old, dusty chest in the corner of the room. Trembling, Stephen approached the chest and opened it to reveal a collection of letters and photographs.
As he read through the letters, he learned the tragic story of the ghost – a woman who had been wronged and betrayed by those she trusted. Her spirit had been unable to rest, bound to the house by her unresolved anguish.
Determined to help, Stephen vowed to uncover the truth and bring justice to her memory. With each revelation, the ghost seemed to grow more peaceful, her presence less ominous. Finally, after weeks of research and confronting the descendants of those who had wronged her, Stephen managed to lay her spirit to rest.
The house, once filled with eerie whispers and ghostly apparitions, was now quiet. Stephen could finally sleep, knowing he had brought peace to the restless soul. The experience had left him changed, more attuned to the mysteries of the world and the lingering echoes of the past.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers from Textbook Page No 58
13. SPEAKING
Discuss within your groups what makes the story, A Shady Plot humorous. Share your views during a class discussion.
“A Shady Plot” is humorous due to its clever use of language, the narrator’s ability to laugh at himself, and the comic situations that arise from his interactions with the ghost, Helen. The story also plays on the absurdity of a ghost helping a writer with his ghost stories, the misunderstandings between John and his wife, and the overall light-hearted tone despite the spooky subject matter.
14. LISTENING TASK
Listen to the extract from The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde and complete the following tasks as directed.
- Answer the following questions:
- The Ghost loved the stormy weather because … d) such weather was ideal for frightening the people in the house.
- The Ghost was particularly angry with Washington and wished to frighten him because… Washington had removed the famous bloodstain from the carpet, disrespecting the ghost’s history and presence in the house.
- The Ghost did not wish to frighten Virginia because… Virginia showed kindness and understanding towards the ghost, unlike the rest of her family.
- The Ghost was most angry with … d) The Twins, who constantly played tricks on him and showed him no respect.
- Write two striking qualities of the Ghost as revealed in this extract. a) Vengeful – The Ghost seeks to frighten and avenge any disrespect shown to him. b) Sensitive – Despite his vengeful nature, he appreciates kindness and compassion, as shown in his interactions with Virginia.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based
Explore extract-based questions answers from “A Shady Plot” tailored for English Communicative (101), Class 10. This resource helps students understand and analyze the text effectively, enhancing their grasp of key concepts.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 1:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
1. “Hallock”, he had said to me, “give us another on the supernatural this time.”
(a) Which word in the above extract is a synonym of ‘ghostly?
(b) What did ‘he’ want from Hallock?
(c) Why had ‘he’ stressed that he wanted only a ‘supernatural’?
(d) Who does ‘he’ refer to?
Ans: (a) The word is ‘supernatural’.
(b) Jenkins wanted Hallock to write a ghost story for his magazine.
(c) He had made this request because Hallock’s ghost stories were very lively and quite popular with the readers.
(d) ‘He’ refers to Jenkins.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 2:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
2. ‘Well, I was in no position to contradict Jenkins.” CBSE 2012
(a) Why was the narrator not in a position to refuse Jenkins’ request?
(b) Give an antonym of ‘contradict’.
(c) What had Jenkins asked the narrator to do?
(d) Who does ‘T’ refer to?
Ans: (a) Jenkins’ magazine had been the only one to print the narrator’s stories. So, he could not refuse Jenkins’ request to write a ghost story for his magazine.
(b) ‘Agree’ is an antonym of ‘contradict’.
(c) Jenkins wanted Hallock to write a ghost story for his magazine.
(d) ‘I’ refers to the narrator, John Hallock.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 3:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
3. ‘I hadn’t the shade of an idea, but at the time that didn’t worry me in the least. You see, I had often been like that before.. CBSE 2014
(a) Who is ‘I’? What did he not have an idea about?
(b) Why was he not worried?
(c) Which word in the above extract means the same as ‘distress’?
(d) Who does ‘you’ refer to in the concluding sentence?
Ans: (a) ‘I’ here refers to John Hallock, the narrator. He did not have any idea about writing a new ghost story for Jenkins.
(b) He was not worried because whenever he sat down to write a ghost story, ideas came to him naturally.
(c) The word is ‘worry’.
(d) In the concluding sentence, ‘you’ refers to the reader of this story.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 4:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
4. Jenkins always seemed to have an uncanny knowledge as to when the landlord or the grocer was pestering me, and he dunned me for a ghost.
(a) Why is Jenkin’s knowledge uncanny?
(b) Explain ‘he dunned me for a ghost’.
(c) Why was Jenkins confident that he would be able to get a story written by John?
(d) How did Jenkins trap Hallock to write a story?
Ans: (a) Jenkins always knew, as if through some mysterious powers, when the narrator needed money. Thus, he asked John for a story at that time.
(b) It means that the editor persistently asked the narrator to write a ghost story for the magazine.
(c) Jenkins was confident because in the past, John had always been able to write a ghost story when asked by Jenkins.
(d) Jenkins trapped Hallock to write a story as Hallock needed money for his basic needs and Jenkins offered him the money for writing a ghost story.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 5:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow
5. And somehow I’d always been able to dig one up for him, so I’d begun to get a bit cocky as to my ability.
(a) Who is ‘T’ in the above lines?
(b) What had the speaker always been able to dig up?
(c) Give the meaning of ‘cocky.’
(d) What does ‘one’ refer to in the extract?
Ans: (a) ‘I’ refers to Hallock here.
(b) He had always been able to write a ghost story when asked to do so.
(c) The word ‘cocky’ means overconfident.
(d) ‘One’ refers to a ghost story that Hallock was writing for Jenkins.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 6:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow
6.. …such as my wife’s shopping and how on Earth! was going to cure her of her alarming tendency to take every new fad that came along and work it to death.
(a) Who is the speaker here?
(b) What does the speaker want to cure his wife of?
(c) What does the phrase ‘work it to death’ mean?
(d) What was the speaker doing when he said this?
Ans: (a) The speaker of these lines is John Hallock
(b) John wants his wife to drop her habit of pursuing every new fad.
(c) The phrase means to follow something to the point of exhaustion.
(d) John was thinking about the plot for writing a ghost story when he said this.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 7:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow
7. I sat staring at it and presently noticed something just taking shape. It was exactly like watching one of these moving picture cartoons being put together.’ CBSE 2012
(a) What was the narrator staring at?
(b) How was the figure taking shape?
(c) Give a synonym of ‘staring’.
(d) Why has the phrase “being put together’ been used here and why is it used?
Ans: (a) Hallock was staring at the shadow that started taking a definite shape at the far end of the room.
(b) The shape was forming exactly like moving picture cartoons put together.
(c) ‘Gazing’ is a synonym of ‘staring’.
(d) ‘Being put together’ means to make something by joining all its parts. The narrator has used it because the view seemed like many small cartoons that were forming a bigger picture of a ghost.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 8:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow
8. I just came to tell you to stop bothering us for assistance; you ain’t going to get it. We’re going on strike!’ CBSE 2012
(a) Which word in the extract means the same as ‘help’?
(b) Who does ‘you’ refer to?
(c) What does the speaker threaten to do?
(d) What kind of assistance is the speaker talking about in the extract?
Ans: (a) The word is ‘assistance’.
(b) “You’ refers to the narrator, John Hallock.
(c) Helen threatened that the ghosts were going on a strike. So, writers like Hallock would get no more ideas for their stories from them.
(d) The speaker (the ghost) is talking about the assistance of giving ideas to writers for writing stories.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 9:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow
9. I groaned, and clutched my hair. The very idea of that horrible scarecrow so much as touching me! And wouldn’t my wife be shocked! I shivered.
(a) Which word in the extract is a synonym of ‘cried’?
(b) Who is the scarecrow?
(c) Why did the scarecrow touch the speaker?
(d) Who does ‘I’ refer to?
Ans: (a) The word is ‘groaned’.
(b) The scarecrow referred to here is Helen, the ghost
(c) The scarecrow often leant over the narrator’s shoulder while he was writing to give him ideas.
(d) ‘I’ refers to the narrator of the story, John Hallock.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 10:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow
10. “Get all your friends and acquaintances to stop using the Ouija Board, and then we’ll start helping you to write.” CBSE 2019
(a) Identify the speaker of the above lines.
(b) To whom has this request been made?
(c) Why had the speaker made this request?
(d) How has the speaker been ‘helping you to write?
Ans: (a) The speaker of the given lines in a ghost named Helen.
(b) The request has been made to John Hallock, a ghost story writer.
(c) The speaker had made this request because she and her companions have to answer the questions asked through Ouija Boards and thus have no time to help writers.
(d) The speaker had been helping the writer by giving shape to his ideas regarding ghost stories.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 11:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow
11. “Madam, I must ask you to leave, and at once. Consider the impression if you were seen here-“
(a) What do you mean by ‘impression’?
(b) Why does the speaker want the listener to leave immediately?
(c) What might happen if the listener is seen?
(d) Who does the narrator address as ‘Madam’ in the extract?
Ans: (a) It means ‘effect’.
(b) John wants the ghost of Helen to leave immediately as he doesn’t want his wife to see them together.
(c) John thought that his wife might faint out of fear or become hysterical on seeing the ghost.
(d) The narrator addresses the ghost of Helen as ‘Madam’.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 12:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow
12. ‘I don’t propose to do anything of the kind. In the first place they won’t exchange things bought at a bargain sale, and in the second, if you aren’t interested in the other world I am, so there!” CBSE 2015
(a) What does the speaker refer to by saying “anything of the kind”?
(b) What has been bought at a bargain sale?
(c) What does “the other world” refer to?
(d) Why does Lavinia not want to exchange the Ouija Board?
Ans: (a) John wanted Lavinia to get rid of the Ouija Board by returning it to the shop and buying something else in exchange. Lavinia refers to this as “anything of the kind.”
(b) An Ouija Board has been bought by Lavinia at a bargain sale
(c) “The other world” refers to the supernatural world, the world of ghosts and spirits.
(d) Lavinia does not want to exchange the Ouija Board because she is interested in the world of spirits and ghosts
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 13:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow
13. I had hardly seated myself at the desk when there came a tap at the door and a white slip of paper slid under it. I unfolded it and read..
(a) What do you mean by ‘tap?
(b) Who had written the slip of paper?
(c) What was written on it?
(d) Why had Lavinia written the slip of paper?
Ans: (a) It means ‘a light knock’.
(b) John’s wife, Lavinia, had written the slip of paper.
(c) Lavinia wrote that she was going back to her grandmother and her lawyer would communicate with John later.
(d) Lavinia had written the slip of paper to Hallock because she doubted John’s marital fidelity, so she wanted to divorce him.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 14:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow
14. “I am going back to my grandmother. My lawyer will communicate with you later.” CBSE 2012
(a) Which word in the extract means the same as ‘get in touch?
(b) Why is the writer going back?
(c) What effect do the above words have on the person who reads it?
(d) Describe the mood of the writer and the reason behind her mood.
Ans: (a) The word is ‘communicate’.
(b) The writer (Lavinia) is going back to her maiden home and is going to file papers for a divorce as she thinks that John is having a secret love affair.
(c) John feels totally helpless and wishes that he were dead.
(d) The writer, Lavinia, was angry with her husband, Hallock, as she felt that he was cheating on her.
A Shady Plot Questions Answers Extract Based Set 15:
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow
15. That suitcase had an air of solid finality about it, and its lock leered at me brassily. I leaped from my chair with unaccustomed agility and sprang in front of my wife. I must conceal that awful phantom from her, at any risk!
(a) Why did the narrator spring in front of his wife?
(b) Why did he take such a risk?
(c) What do you mean by ‘brassily”?
(d) Whom does the narrator address as ‘phantom’ here?
Ans: (a) The narrator sprang in front of his wife so that she would not be able to see the ghost standing behind him.
(b) He took the risk because his wife, being sensitive and scared even of a mouse, would be terrified of the ghost and become hysterical or faint.
(c) It means ‘rudely’.
(d) The narrator addresses Helen, the ghost, as a ‘phantom’ here.
A Shady Plot Questions Answer Short Type (SAQs)
Answer the following questions in 30-40 words.
1 Hallock’s ‘ghosts’ were ‘live propositions’. How could he pen down ghost-special stories? CBSE 2012
Ans: Hallock never considered himself as a specialist at writing ghost stories. But mysteriously, every time he needed some inspiration for a story, an idea would come to his mind. Actually, Helen, a ghost, was helping him write such realistic ghost stories although he was not aware of it.
2. Why was the narrator not in a position to contradict Jenkins? CBSE 2012
Ans: Jenkins was the editor of a magazine for which Hallock wrote. Jenkins kept asking Hallock to write ghost stories. Even though Hallock wanted to write other stuff, he had no choice. Jenkins’ magazine was the only one that printed his stories.
3. John Hallock could never displease Jenkins. Why? CBSE 2016
Ans: John Hallock could never displease (make angry) Jenkins because he was the only publisher who published his stories and was a source of income. Moreover, he could not risk Jenkins getting angry and withdrawing the offer or not giving him any work in the future.
4. Bring out the irony in the statement: ‘I did not specialise in ghost stories, but more or less, they seemed to specialize in me.’ CBSE 2012
Ans: Though John Hallock did not consider himself a good writer of ghost stories, as expressed in this statement, the readers of the magazine loved it because the stories were very good.
5. What happened when Hallock sat down at his desk and waited for ideas for his story? CBSE 2014
Ans: When Hallock sat down at his desk, he could not think of any plot. He stared at the ceiling and said to himself, “This ghost of Helen appeared and answered his question, writing business is delightful, isn’t it?” As if in response, the saying. “Yes… I should say it is.”
6. What did the ghost tell about herself before she became a ghost? CBSE 2012
Ans: Helen appeared before John and told him that she was a ghost from the Writer’s Inspiration Bureau. But before that, in her human life, she used to write, and she later worked as a reader in a magazine. As she knew the work was quite tiresome, she along with other ghosts formed the Writer’s Inspiration Bureau.
7. Why did the ghost want people to stop using the Ouija Board? CBSE 2012
Ans: The ghost (Helen) wanted to stop the people from using the Ouija Boards because the ghosts had to give up haunting almost entirely as they were busy answering questions asked
by the Ouija Board users. Now they had no time for amusement or rest.
8. Why were the ghosts angry with the Ouija Board fanatics? CBSE 2012
Or, Why is Helen, the ghost, upset with people using Ouija Boards? CBSE 2020
Ans: The ghosts had organized a Writer’s Inspiration Bureau to help writers. However, they were not able to perform this duty properly as the Ouija Board fanatics would wake them up at
odd hours and call them. They were not able to sleep and got very tired. Hence, they were angry with the Quija Board fanatics.
9. Why does Lavinia feel that the Ouija Board would help her husband? CBSE 2013
Ans: Lavinia felt that the Ouija Board would help her husband write his stories. Now, he would not have to research old books in the public library. He could have a face-to-face talk with
legendary characters like William the conqueror, Napoleon or Helen of Troy. With the help of an Ouija Board, he could write whatever he needed without any trouble.
10. Why is John’s wife angry? What does she decide to do? CBSE 2012
Ans: John’s wife is angry because the Ouija Board was conveying a message from Helen to her husband, which filled her with suspicion about his unfaithfulness to her. She could not tolerate her husband’s supposed infidelity and decided to leave him.
11. Why did John’s wife want to go to her grandmother’s house? CBSE 2012
Ans: Lavinia was furious with John. She thought that John was having a clandestine (secret) affair, after the Ouija Board announced that a woman named Helen was calling her husband a traitor. She was deeply hurt due to his supposed infidelity and wanted to leave him, due to which she wanted to go back to her grandmother’s house.
12. What problems did Helen, the ghost, cause in John Hallock’s life? CBSE 2013
Ans: The ghost of Helen disrupted Hallock’s relationship with his wife. Lavinia suspected Hallock of having a secret affair with a woman named Helen. She also called Hallock ‘traitor’ on the Quija Board. Thinking that her husband had been a traitor, Lavinia became hysterical and decided to get separated from Hallock for his betrayal of her trust.
13. How did Lavinia react when she saw Helen the ghost? CBSE 2017
Ans: Lavinia reacted quite normally and was not worried on seeing the ghost inside John’s room. In fact she was relieved to see a ghost and not a real woman. John, on the contrary, had feared that she would faint or become hysterical on seeing a real ghost in front of her. q
14. What impression do you form about Lavinia? CBSE 2017
or, What kind of woman is Lavinia?
Ans: Lavinia is a jealous, possessive, and sensitive woman who is subject to hysterics. She is also impulsive and takes decisions without considering the overall scenario. She is also extravagant and spends a lot of money on the latest fashions and trends.
15. Why was John Hallock eager to burn the Ouija Board? CBSE 2019
Ans: John Hallock was eager to burn the Ouija Board because it created many problems in his life. His wife started doubting him because of the misunderstanding due to the board. Also, the maid was scared of the board and had announced her departure. Thus, the board was the root cause of the entire problem.
A Shady Plot Questions Answer Long Type (SAQs)
Answer the following questions in 150 words.
1. How does the lesson ‘A Shady Plot’ remind us that man has no right to invoke the supernatural through Ouija Boards, Tarot cards, etc to solve his problems, and that one should face life boldly and overcome difficulties using wit and intelligence? CBSE 2015
Ans: The world of the supernatural is something meant to be beyond the reach of humans. However, man, in his quest for the unknown, has explored this forbidden realm, and has devised various means to communicate with supernatural beings. There are innumerable people who claim to use Ouija Boards, Tarot cards, planchette, etc. and invoke the help of supernatural elements.
The lesson ‘A Shady Plot’ too deals with this fact as one of its major themes. Though the story shows a ghost willingly offering help to a writer, this ghost does object to the use of Ouija Boards for any such communication or invocation. We see the turmoil that the narrator and his wife experience when she brings home an Ouija Board and throws an Ouija Board party. This is a
reminder that man should not encroach upon the forbidden land of the spirits and rely upon his own wit and intelligence to solve his problems.
2. The story, ‘A Shady Plot’ triggers the age old debate on superstitions and the supernatural. Is it good to believe in superstitions? What impact does it have on human health? How can one get rid of superstitions?
Ans: The story, ‘A Shady Plot’ triggers the age old debate on superstitions and the supernatural. It questions whether ghosts do exist and whether supernatural events happen and whether spirits like Helen control our lives. No, it is not good to believe in superstitions. Superstitions can lead to unnecessary troubles and misunderstandings. Just as in the case of Lavinia, who believed the message given by the Ouija Board and suspected her husband of having an affair with a woman named Helen. It is when she threw away the Ouija Board did all the misunderstandings get cleared and their life went back to normal. Superstitions can affect one’s mental health adversely. One forgets to think rationally and practically. Superstitions exploit
one’s innocence and ignorance and ruin one’s domestic life. Thus, one should get rid of such superstitious beliefs and instead conquer such fears by having knowledge about the world around.
6. The story of ‘A Shady Plot’ is woven around the theme of conjuring up the spirits of dead people in order to know the unknown. Do you think it is moral to conjure up spirits and expect them to solve our problems?
Ans: The world of the supernatural is something that is supposed to be beyond the reach of humans. Man, in his quest of the unknown, has time and again explored this forbidden realm.
He has devised various means to communicate with supernatural beings. There are innumerable people, who claim to use Ouija Boards, Tarot cards etc and invoke the help of supernatural elements. However, sometimes such communication or invocation can have a negative impact as well. Supernatural forces are much stronger than humans and, if disturbed, can create havoc resulting into a loss of life. Thus, it is immoral to conjure up spirits and disturb them. In the story, the ghost of Helen raises a strong objection to the use of Ouija Boards. Man should, thus, not encroach upon the forbidden land of the spirits and rely upon his own wit and intelligence to solve his problems.
