Father’s Help by R. K. Narayan – Madhyamik Style Multiple Choice Questions with Answers (MCQ)

R.K. Narayan’s Father’s Help is a captivating short story that explores the amusing yet relatable struggles of a schoolboy, Swami, as he tries to escape a school day with a fabricated excuse. The story humorously unfolds as his father insists on sending a letter to the headmaster, leading to unexpected outcomes. In the following sections, readers will find a comprehensive set of multiple-choice questions and sentence completion exercises designed to test their understanding of the story. Additionally, all answers are provided along with supporting sentences from the text to help students grasp the narrative more effectively.

MCQs from “Father’s Help” by R. K. Narayan

1. Swami realized it was a Monday morning when he felt:
   (i) Excited to go to school
   (ii) A sudden shudder
   (iii) A sense of joy
   (iv) Indifferent
2. When Swami was lying on the bed, his father was:
   (i) Reading the newspaper
   (ii) Talking on the phone
   (iii) Preparing breakfast
   (iv) Watching Swami closely
3. Swami’s father wanted him to deliver a letter to:
   (i) Samuel
   (ii) The headmaster
   (iii) His mother
   (iv) His best friend
4. Swami’s excuse for not going to school was that he had a:
   (i) Fever
   (ii) Headache
   (iii) Stomach ache
   (iv) Toothache
5. According to Swami, Samuel was:
   (i) The kindest teacher in school
   (ii) Especially angry with latecomers
   (iii) A very understanding teacher
   (iv) Completely indifferent to students
6. When Swami reached school, Samuel was teaching:
   (i) English
   (ii) History
   (iii) Arithmetic
   (iv) Geography
7. Samuel reacted to Swami’s late arrival by:
   (i) Scolding him severely
   (ii) Asking him to stand outside
   (iii) Calmly questioning him
   (iv) Sending him to the headmaster
8. Swami’s response to Samuel’s question about his lateness was:
   (i) “I missed the bus.”
   (ii) “I forgot my homework.”
   (iii) “I had a headache, sir.”
   (iv) “I woke up late.”
9. What was Samuel’s reaction to Swami’s reason for being late?
   (i) He mocked Swami
   (ii) He got furious
   (iii) He was understanding
   (iv) He ignored Swami
10. When asked about his homework, Swami:
    (i) Lied about completing it
    (ii) Admitted he hadn’t done it
    (iii) Pretended to have lost his notebook
    (iv) Said he forgot it at home
11. Samuel’s reaction to Swami’s missing homework was:
    (i) He punished him
    (ii) He sent him to the headmaster
    (iii) He excused him
    (iv) He yelled at him
12. Swami expected Samuel to be:
    (i) Kind and gentle
    (ii) Angry and strict
    (iii) Uninterested in his behavior
    (iv) Completely indifferent
13. Swami decided to deliver the letter to the headmaster at:
    (i) The beginning of the day
    (ii) The lunch break
    (iii) The end of the day
    (iv) The next day
14. When Swami went to meet the headmaster, he found:
    (i) The office open
    (ii) The office locked
    (iii) The headmaster waiting for him
    (iv) Samuel already there
15. The peon informed Swami that the headmaster was on leave for:
    (i) One day
    (ii) One week
    (iii) One month
    (iv) One year
16. What did Swami do after finding the headmaster’s office locked?
    (i) Waited for him to return
    (ii) Went home running
    (iii) Told Samuel about the letter
    (iv) Gave the letter to the peon
17. When Swami returned home, his father:
    (i) Praised him
    (ii) Asked him if he had delivered the letter
    (iii) Scolded him
    (iv) Ignored him
18. Upon hearing the headmaster was absent, Swami’s father:
    (i) Sent him back to school
    (ii) Tore the letter
    (iii) Told him to give it the next day
    (iv) Went to meet Samuel himself
19. Swami’s final reaction after his father tore the letter was:
    (i) Relief
    (ii) Disappointment
    (iii) Frustration
    (iv) Excitement
20. At the end of the story, Swami felt:
    (i) Guilty
    (ii) Relieved
    (iii) Angry
    (iv) Confused

Answers with Supporting Sentences

1. (ii) A sudden shudder
   • “With a shudder, Swami realized that it was Monday morning.”
2. (i) Reading the newspaper
   • “Father was reading the newspaper when Swami lay on the bed.”
3. (ii) The headmaster
   • “Father decided to send the headmaster a letter.”
4. (ii) Headache
   • “I have a headache, father.”
5. (ii) Especially angry with latecomers
   • “Swami knew Samuel was especially angry with boys who came in late.”
6. (iii) Arithmetic
   • “Samuel was teaching arithmetic.”
7. (iii) Calmly questioning him
   • “‘You are half an hour late,’ Samuel said.”
8. (iii) “I had a headache, sir.”
   • “‘I have a headache, sir,’ Swami said.”
9. (iii) He was understanding
   • “Samuel looked impressed. ‘Your father is quite right.’”
10. (ii) Admitted he hadn’t done it
    • “‘I have not done my homework, sir,’ Swami said.”
11. (iii) He excused him
    • “‘All right, sit down,’ Samuel said.”
12. (ii) Angry and strict
    • “Swami hoped Samuel would scold him severely.”
13. (iii) The end of the day
    • “He would deliver the letter to the headmaster at the end of the day.”
14. (ii) The office locked
    • “He found the room locked.”
15. (ii) One week
    • “The peon told him the headmaster had gone on a week’s leave.”
16. (ii) Went home running
    • “Swaminathan ran away from the place.”
17. (ii) Asked him if he had delivered the letter
    • “As soon as he entered home with the letter, Father said, ‘I knew you wouldn’t deliver it.’”
18. (ii) Tore the letter
    • “Father snatched the letter away from Swami and tore it up.”
19. (i) Relief
    • “Swami felt relieved.”
20. (ii) Relieved
    • “Swami sat down, feeling sad. He had never met anyone as good as Samuel.”