‘Surprise Party’ is the first lesson in Class 7. The story is an extract from the novel ‘Hobbits’. Here are given answers, summary, meanings.
Video: The Surprise Party
Summary: The Surprise Party
‘The Surprise Party’ is the first chapter of the novel ‘The Hobbit’ with original title ‘An Unexpected Party’. The story starts with Bilbo hurrying towards the door after hearing the doorbell. He was expecting Gandalf but to his surprise a blue-bearded dwarf named Dwalin appears before him. Bilbo is flustered, but invites Dwalin inside for tea. A little later, he hears another knock on the door, and finds another dwarf, Balin—Dwalin’s brother. Again, he invites Balin to come in. In this manner, he lets a total of thirteen dwarves into his house: Dwalin, Balin, Fili, Kili, Dori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and Thorin who is a haughty dwarf. Gandalf arrives along with the last four dwarves. All thirteen dwarves ask for food and Bilbo is greatly annoyed yet he serves them with patience. Though the dwarves appear ill-mannered, yet they treat Bilbo’s house and belongings with great care. The dwarves’ boisterous singing and play along with the actual respect they pay to Bilbo’s home establishes them as not only fun-loving and disorderly but also as having a deep sense of honour and respect. The scene also portrays how to be both a good host and a good guest. The host trusts and is generous with his guests; the guests enjoy themselves but are also careful with the host and his home. The thirteen dwarves and the wizard nearly clean out Bilbo’s pantry before finally settling down to discuss their business.
The dwarves play music and sing of the dwarves of the past, who lived in a great hall beneath a mountain, where they mined gold and jewels. A dragon attacked the dwarves and drove them from their home, and now they must quest to reclaim their home and their treasure. As Bilbo hears this song, he’s momentarily filled with a desire to go on adventures, but this desire disappears soon after the music ends.
Word Meanings- The Surprise Party
Hobbit – An imaginary small human race like character in the novel ‘The Hobbit’ written by J. R. R. Tolkien
Nasty – That gives bad or unpleasant feelings, harmful and dangerous
Bilbo Baggins – A hobbit and main character of the novel ‘The hobbit’
Gandalf – A fictional old wizard in the novels like ‘The Hobbit’ written by J RR Tolkien
folk – Common and general people
quiet a plain folk – very simple people with no adventures (सीधे – सादे लोग)
adventures – exciting, unusual or risky activities or undertakings (जोखिम भरा अनुभव )
look for – to search or try to find out
get rid of – to be free from something or someone, get free of (छुटकारा पाना )
not at all – not in any way, (बिल्कुल भी नहीं)
wizard – a person with magical powers (feminine – wizardess)
tuck- to thrust the loose ends or sides of (something) into a confining space, so as to make neat and secure
uncomfortable- difficult to deal, not easy, painful,
for certain- for sure
Into the blue – completely gone or disappeared, (पूरी तरह से गायब , कहाँ चले गए कुछ पता नहीं )
throng– a great number of people or things crowded together
wits- the ability to think and make sense, intelligence, understanding, (हाजिर-जवाबी )
hood- a usually loose covering for the whole head, often attached to a coat, cloak etc (सिर गर्दन ढकने के लिये टोपी)
goblin– a mischievous ugly spirit, it tricks people or cause trouble
buttered scone – a round cake often eaten with butter and jam
staff- a long stick used for support
stumped off– walked noisily and angrily
pile- a large quantity of something lying in a heap. (ढेर लगाना )
lo and behold– an expression indicating surprise etc at seeing or finding something (लो देखलो )
parlour- a room in a house used for sitting in and for entertaining guests.
get through- complete, finish, use up
dungeons- a dark underground room that used as a prison
cavern- a large cave
ere- before
yore- long ago
fell- a large hill
hollow halls- empty or vacant halls
goblets- a cup for wine, the cup has stem and base but no handle (प्याला)
delves- goes or visits
dale- a valley
ire- anger, wrath
laid low- demolished
frail- weak, can be easily broken
grim- serious, not in good condition or situation
dim- not bright weak, faded
explore- to discover and try to know or find out more about
plunder– to loot, (लूटपाट करना)
shudder- to tremble out of fear, cold or horror (कांपना)
Exercise Solutions
Comprehension
Answers
- Bilbo was expecting Gandalf. The lines from the text that suggest the same. They are ‘I am so sorry to keep you waiting!’ He was going to say, when he saw that it was not Gandalf at the door.
- The first dwarf to visit Bilbo was Dwalin.
- Bilbo was was expecting only Gandalf and so many dwarfs.
- Some instances of Bibo’s happiness can be cites like – ‘What would you do if an uninvited dwarf came to visit without a word of explanation.’ ‘He sat in a corner trying to collect his wits.’ ‘The poor little hobbit sat down in the hall and put his head in his hands, and wondered what had happened, and what was going to happen, and whether they would all stay to supper.’
- Bilbo’s visitors were quite comfortable. While he sat in a corner trying to collect his wits, the dwarves sat around drinking coffee and cakes. They were enjoying the party though they were uninvited guests there.
- ‘Throng’ means a large group of people in one place especially around someone or something. Bilbo did not like the sound of it as he was not fond of having too many people in his place and most of the people who came were unexpected visitors.
- Gandalf finally arrived with Thorin.
Answers
- a. Bilbo Baggins.
b. ‘They’ refer to dwarves here.
c. The hobbit put his heads in his hands as he was not used to having so many people in his house. Moreover, the dwarfs were uninvited and unexpected. - a. Dwalin was the first dwarf to arrive at Bilbo’s house. He had a blue beard tucked into a golden belt.
b. Dwalin was standing at the door of Bilbo’s house.
c. He is addressing Bilbo Baggins here. The listener was not expecting Dwalin but Gandalf, so he was surprised at this unexpected visitor. - a. Thorin was an enormously important and a proud dwarf.
b. Thorin said ‘of course’ in response to Bilbo’s question whether all the dwarves would stay for supper at his place.
c. Thorin and the other dwarves wanted to get rid of the dragon that had been plundering the caves of the dwarves. They wanted to discuss the plan of action. Hence, Thorin called it as ‘business’ which had to be sorted.
Answers
- When Dwalin arrived at Bilbo’s place he was not invited and Bilbo was expecting Gandalf. But on his arrival, he pushed himself inside Bilbo’s house, just as if he had been expected.
- When Dwalin pushed himself inside Bilbo’s house, he could not do much but invite Dwalin for tea. There was an awkward silence between the two and in order to overcome that, Bilbo decided to ask him for tea. It shows that he was polite in nature.
- Kili entered and said, “Kili at your service!”
- The dwarves sat sound the table and discussed about mines and gold, troubles with the goblins, and the threat of dragons and many other things which Bilbo Baggins did not understand.
- Bilbo did not want to understand what the dwarves talked about as he was not fond of any adventure and the dwarves sounded too adventurous for him.
- Gandalf arrived with Thorin in the end. Once he was at Bilbo Baggin’s place, he asked him to cook a few eggs and get the cold chicken.
- As Bilbo heard the song, he felt the love of beautiful things made by hand. Then something woke up inside him and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and explore the caves. The song represents the agony of the dwarves as they had their home, and wealth, stolen from them. The dwarves are without a home, and they must go on an adventurous quest to get it back and Bilbo should help them.
- The dwarves aren’t in possession of their treasure as their caves have been plundered by Smaug, the dragon. This makes them feel sad but hopeful. The song sung by them is indicative that they want to fight back, defeat the dragon and get their lost treasure back.
- Bilbo was not particularly happy about the unexpected company. Various instances in the chapter indicate the same.
For instance:
(i) ‘What would you do if an uninvited dwarf came to visit without a word of explanation.’
(ii) ‘I don’t like the sound of that.’
(iii) The poor little hobbit sat down in the hall and put his head in his hands…’
(iv) ‘…he was getting very angry and red in the face.’
(v) ‘I suppose you will all stay to supper?’ he said in a polite and unpressing tone.’ - The title is justified as the party was not pre-planned and even the guests were uninvited and unexpected. Another title can be, ‘Naughty Unknown Guests.’
Answers
A. 1. c 2. a 3. e 4. f 5. d 6. b
Answers
B. 1. b 2. a 3. e 4. f 5. d 6. c
Answers
- Major Das – proper; soldier – common
- class- collective; discipline – uncountable
- artist – common, countable; creativity – noun, uncountable
- truth – uncountable
- mother – common, countable; doctor –common, countable
- Kaveri- proper; fleet – collective; hotel – common, countable
- Sutlej- proper; season – countable
- trust – uncountable; judgement – uncountable
- Rima – proper; sense – countable
- London – proper; month- common, countable; May – proper; summer- common, countable holidays
Answers
B. 1. fine fellow 2. my expensive 3. my new 4. twenty, this 5. long, short
- a few days, frail 7. hungry 8. plastic 9. several, loud 10. beautiful, red
Answers
- Pinaki ate two, generous slices of apple pie.
- My first, fat, ginger and grey, tortoiseshell cat is named Tabby.
- Noor brought home an adorable, little white pup.
- We heard that the exciting, new American band is in town.
- That pretty, tiny, purple gem is my favourite.
Answers
- Tara is more careful than her sister Meera. (careful)
- This painting is more colourful than yours. (colourful)
- This dish is tastier than the one I had yesterday. (tasty)
- This book is more interesting than the one I read last night. (interesting)
- Happiness is more desirable than wealth.
- My sister is more organised than me.
Answers
- large – This house is too large for two people.
- high – This building is about 20 metres high.
- sweet – You look sweet (attractive) in this photograph.
- deep – The water is only a few centimetres deep here.
- long – We have been living here for a long time.
can u send the hide and seek
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