Father’s Help by R. K. Narayan – Madhyamik Style Fill in the Blanks Exercise

R.K. Narayan’s short story Father’s Help is a fascinating tale that explores a child’s reluctance to attend school and the unintended consequences of his actions. The story follows Swami, a schoolboy who fabricates a headache to avoid going to school, fearing his strict teacher, Samuel. However, his father, instead of letting him stay home, writes a letter to the headmaster, pushing Swami into an even more difficult situation. As the events unfold, Swami begins to question his own exaggerations and struggles with his conscience.

To enhance comprehension and critical thinking, this exercise includes sentence completion tasks based on the passages from the story. These tasks will encourage you to recall key details, analyze character interactions, and understand the moral dilemmas presented in the text. The answers section follows, highlighting the correct responses to aid in learning and reinforcing textual understanding. By engaging with these exercises, you will not only grasp the storyline better but also develop a deeper appreciation for Narayan’s storytelling and the lessons embedded within.

Fill in the Blanks with Information from the Text in your Syllabus – Father’s Help by R. K. Narayan

1. Swami realized with a shudder that it was ____.
2. Swami hoped he didn’t have to ____.
3. At 9:30, instead of being in the prayer hall, Swami was ____.
4. Swami’s father insisted that he should ____.
5. Swami described Samuel as ____.
6. Swami felt guilty because he ____.
7. While going to school, Swami decided to ____.
8. Samuel was teaching ____ when Swami entered the class.
9. Instead of punishing Swami, Samuel ____.
10. When Swami reached the headmaster’s office, he found that ____.
11. Father tore up the letter because ____.
12. Swami thought Samuel deserved ____, but later he changed his mind.
13. When Swami told Samuel about his headache, Samuel ____.
14. The headmaster was on leave for ____.
15. Swami stood at the entrance of his class while ____.
16. Swami believed his father had written ____.
17. Swami was confused about Samuel because ____.
18. Swami regretted describing Samuel negatively because ____.
19. When Swami returned home with the letter, his father ____.
20. Father warned Swami that if Samuel scolded him again, he ____.

Answers Set

1. Swami realized with a shudder that it was Monday morning.
2. Swami hoped he didn’t have to go to school.
3. At 9:30, instead of being in the prayer hall, Swami was lying on the bench in Mother’s room.
4. Swami’s father insisted that he should dress up and go to school.
5. Swami described Samuel as a very angry man, especially with boys who come in late.
6. Swami felt guilty because he wasn’t sure if his description of Samuel had been accurate.
7. While going to school, Swami decided to deliver the letter to the headmaster at the end of the day.
8. Samuel was teaching arithmetic when Swami entered the class.
9. Instead of punishing Swami, Samuel asked him why he had come at all if he had a headache.
10. When Swami reached the headmaster’s office, he found that the headmaster had gone on a week’s leave.
11. Father tore up the letter because Swami had not delivered it as expected.
12. Swami thought Samuel deserved the allegations made against him, but later he changed his mind.
13. When Swami told Samuel about his headache, Samuel looked impressed and said, “Your father is quite right.”
14. The headmaster was on leave for one week.
15. Swami stood at the entrance of his class while Samuel was teaching arithmetic.
16. Swami believed his father had written many complaints about Samuel in the letter.
17. Swami was confused about Samuel because he realized that Samuel was much friendlier than he had described.
18. Swami regretted describing Samuel negatively because he found that Samuel was a kind and gentle teacher.
19. When Swami returned home with the letter, his father snatched it away and tore it up.
20. Father warned Swami that if Samuel scolded him again, he should not come to him for help.

This set will help you engage with the story meaningfully and reinforce your comprehension. You may also like our Madhyamik Style Multiple Choice Questions with Answers (MCQ) from R. K. Narayan’s “Father’s Help” in WBBSE Madhyamik Syllabus.