Questions & Answers on “Monday Morning” by Mark Twain

Target Audience: Polytechnic Teachers and Students in Tamilnadu
Subject: English-1, II YEAR MOP, M SCHEME
Objective: Students should be able to interpret and explain a content in English. 
Question Pattern in Exam: II. Answer any FIVE questions  each in 30 words : (5 x 2=10)
Eight questions from 4 lessons will be given in the exam and students should answer FIVE questions in 30 words.
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1. What was Tom's opinion of schools? Or What made school going on Monday odious?

Tom did not like Monday morning because, according to him, going to school is going to jail and again being in chains.  He wished that at least there was no intervening holiday that intensifies the suffering still more.

2. What was Tom’s plan? Or Why did Tom decide to hold his loose tooth in the reserve for the present?

Tom’s plan was to pretend to be sick. Then he can escape from school going.  First he thought of having a stomach pain.  But there was no symptom. Then he thought of one of his loose front teeth.  But He cannot cheat his aunty who will simply pull off the loose tooth and settle the matter.  So he kept this idea in reserve now.

3. Why did Tom decide to complain of a mortified toe? Or Why did Tom claim that he would forgive everything?

Tom once heard from a doctor that severe wound in a finger may lead to two or three week rest.  So he decided to complain of a mortified toe. He started groaning.  He even told his brother Sid that before his death,  he would forgive him for all wrongs done to him.

4.  How did Aunt Polly react to Tom’s complaint of a mortified toe?

Aunt Polly knows very well that lack of blood supply in the toe is not a serious one.  She couldn’t control her laugh.  She scolded him to stop all that nonsense.

5. How did Aunt Polly come to know of Tom’s loose tooth? / What were the dental instruments used by Aunt Polly? / How did Aunt Polly use the silk thread? / How did Aunt Polly extract the loose tooth?

When his first pretence failed, Tom told his Aunt about his loose tooth.  Then Aunt Polly asked Mary to bring a silk thread and little fire from kitchen.  These two are her dental instruments.  She tied one end of silk thread to Tom’s loose tooth and the other end to the bed post. She thrust the pan of burning coals near his face. The tooth fell hanging and everything was ok.