Stories of suspense and intelligence often show that presence of mind can be more powerful than physical strength.
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 3, The Midnight Visitor, written by Robert Arthur, is an engaging story that highlights how calm thinking and quick wit can help a person overcome dangerous situations.
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 3 – The Midnight Visitor
Q.
How is Ausable different from other secret agents?
Q.
Who is Fowler and what is his first authentic thrill of the day?
Q.
How does Ausable say he got in?
Q.
“Ausable did not fit any description of a secret agent Fowler had ever read.” What do secret agents in books and films look like, in your opinion? Discuss in groups or in class some stories or movies featuring spies, detectives and secret agents, and compare their appearance with that of Ausable in this story. (You may mention characters from fiction in languages other than English. In English fiction you may have come across Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, or Miss Marple. Have you watched any movies featuring James Bond?)
Q.
How does Ausable manage to make Max believe that there is a balcony attached to his room? Look back at his detailed description of it. What makes it a convincing story?
Q.
Looking back at the story, when do you think Ausable thought up his plan for getting rid of Max? Do you think he had worked out his plan in detail right from the beginning? Or did he make up a plan taking advantage of events as they happened?
Q.
In this story, Ausable shows great ‘presence of mind,’ or the ability to think quickly, and act calmly and wisely, in a situation of danger and surprise. Give examples from your own experience, or narrate a story, which shows someone’s presence of mind.
Q.
Discuss what you would do in the situations described below.
Remember that presence of mind comes out of a state of mental preparedness. If you have thought about possible problems or dangers, and about how to act in such situations, you have a better chance of dealing with such situations if they do arise.
1. A small fire starts in your kitchen.
2. A child starts to choke on a piece of food.
3. An electrical appliance starts to hiss and gives out sparks.
4. A bicycle knocks down a pedestrian.
5. It rains continuously for more than twenty-four hours.
6. A member of your family does not return home at the usual or expected time.
You may suggest other such situations.
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 3 – The Midnight Visitor
The story revolves around Ausable, an unlikely secret agent, and a young writer named Fowler, who witnesses Ausable’s intelligence when a criminal named Max enters his room at midnight. The chapter explores themes such as presence of mind, intelligence, appearance vs reality, and courage. This story is part of the Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet textbook.
The NCERT Solutions for Chapter 3 – The Midnight Visitor given below are written in clear and exam-oriented language to help students understand the story, analyse characters, and prepare effectively for school exams and board examinations.
Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet
Chapter 3 Questions & Answers – The Midnight Visitor
Q1. How is Ausable different from other secret agents?
Solution: Ausable is very different from other secret agents. He lives in a small room on the top floor of a hotel, is fat, and does not look adventurous. He also speaks with an American accent, unlike the glamorous secret agents shown in books and films.
Q2. Who is Fowler and what is his first authentic thrill of the day?
Solution: Fowler is a young and romantic writer. His first real thrill of the day comes when he sees a man standing in the room with a pistol aimed at Ausable and himself.
Q3. How has Max got into Ausable’s room?
Solution: Max has entered Ausable’s room using a passkey.
Q4. How does Ausable say Max got in?
Solution: Ausable claims that Max entered the room through the balcony that lies below his window and belongs to the next apartment.
Q5. “Ausable did not fit any description of a secret agent Fowler had ever read.” What do secret agents usually look like?
Solution: Secret agents in books and films are usually shown as smart, athletic, mysterious, and equipped with advanced gadgets. Ausable, however, looks ordinary and unadventurous, making him very different from typical fictional spies.
Q6. How does Ausable manage to convince Max about the balcony?
Solution: Ausable invents a detailed story about the balcony, explaining that it belongs to the next apartment and extends below his window. He adds that someone had earlier entered his room using it, making the story sound believable.
Q7. When do you think Ausable planned to get rid of Max?
Solution: Ausable did not plan everything in advance. He used the situation wisely and quickly made up a plan based on the events as they unfolded, showing great presence of mind.
Q8. How does Ausable show presence of mind in the story?
Solution: Ausable remains calm despite the danger. He cleverly uses the darkness outside and the knocking at the door to frighten Max, who jumps out of the window believing there is a balcony.
Q9. Discuss what you would do in the following situations.
Solution: In emergencies such as fire, choking, electrical sparks, or accidents, one should remain calm, ensure safety, provide first aid if trained, and seek professional help immediately.
NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 3 – FAQs
Q1. What is the central theme of “The Midnight Visitor”?
Answer: The story teaches that intelligence and presence of mind are more important than physical strength in difficult situations.
Q2. Why is Ausable considered an unusual secret agent?
Answer: Ausable does not look or behave like typical secret agents. His ordinary appearance contrasts with his sharp intelligence.
Q3. How does this chapter help students in board exams?
Answer: This chapter is important for questions on character sketch, theme, irony, and situational analysis, which frequently appear in board examinations.