Glossary :
sherry : a kind of wine.
wrinkle : small line on the skin of a person’s face or hands.
sovereign : a gold coin worth one sterling.
invest : to put money in a business to try to increase its value.
admire : regard with respect, took at with pleasure.
millionaire : a person whose assets are worth one million pounds or dollars or more.
miserable : unhappy, uncomfortable.
faint : slight.
dreadful : extremely bad or serious.
splendid : magnificent, very impressive, excellent.
apology : regretful acknowledgement of an offence or failure.
Comprehension:
I. Answer the following questions in two or three sentences each:
1. What sort of man was Hughie Erskine?
Hughie Erskine was a very good–looking young man. He was liked and admired by both men and women. He never said an unkind word about anyone. But he was not very clever, and never had any money.
2. What were the various jobs he took up? Why?
He was always changing his job and had tried everything. But he is not successful in all jobs. At one time he had worked on the Stock Exchange, which had lasted for six months. He had been a tea merchant for a little longer than that, but soon got tired of selling tea. Then he tried selling sherry instead, but again he failed.
3. What was the condition laid down for Hughie to marry Laura?
The Colonel, father of girl Laura Merton, conditioned Hughie and would not allow them to get married. He put condition for a marriage and said “Come to me, my boy, when you have got ten thousand pounds of your own, and we will see about it,” This was the condition for Hughie to marry Laura Merton
4. Who was Alan Trevor? What was Trevor doing when Hughie called on him?
Alan Trevor was a Painter Trevor finishing the full size picture of a beggar–man when Hughie called on him.
5. How was the model beggar dressed?
Beggar dressed a ragged brown coat, all torn and dirty. His thick boots were patched and well worn, and with one hand he leaned on a rough stick. In the other hand, he held out a hat for money.
6. What did Hughie feel the model should get? Why?
Hughie think the model should get some part of that Painter earned from the painting. Hughie said that Model working quite as hard as Painter.
7. Why did Hughie feel sorry for the beggar-man?
The old beggar–man sat down on a wooden seat that was behind Hughie. He looked so lonely and sad, that Hughie could not help feeling sorry for him.
8. What did Hughie give the old beggar-man?
Hughie walked across the room and slipped the sovereign into the beggar man’s hand.
9. What did Alan Trevor tell Hughie when he met him at the Palette Club?
Trevor said when he met him at the palette Club, ‘‘That old beggar, as you call him, is one of the richest men in Europe. He could buy all London tomorrow and never miss the money. He has a house in every capital city, eats off gold plates”
10. Alan says, “He’ll invest your sovereign for you Hughie,” How do you think the Baron could have invested the sovereign for Hughie?
The Baron Hausberg was a millionaire and have a many number of business firms in his name. He could invest Hughie’s sovereign in his firms.
II. Answer the following questions in five or six sentences each:
- ‘That old beggar, as you call him, is one of the richest men in Europe.’ Name the richest man referred to. How is he described to Hughie?
Richest man is Baron Hausberg. Trevor Described the old beggar “That old beggar, as you call him, is one of the richest men in Europe. He could buy all London tomorrow and never miss the money. He has a house in every capital city, eats off gold plates, and can prevent Russia going to war when he chooses”
2. Describe how Hughie Erskine was able to marry Laura Merton.
Hughie Erskine was a very good–looking young man. He was in love with a girl called Laura Merton, who was the daughter of a retired Colonel. But he can’t marry him. The Colonel would not allow them to get married. He asked Hughie to earn ten thousand pounds and then only he will decide about marriage. One day Hughie saw beggar model and gave him sovereign. Beggar model is one of the richest men in Europe named Baron Hausberg. One day that millionaire beggar model sent a sealed envelope to Hughie. On the outside was written, ‘‘A wedding present to Hugh Erskine and Laura Merton, from an old beggar,” and inside was a cheque for ten thousand pounds. This is how Erskine was able to marry Laura Merton.
3. Bring out the subtle humour in the story “The Model Millionaire.”
The whole story is containing the subtle humour. Hughie Erskine was always changing his job and had tried everything. At last he gave up trying to work, and lived on two hundred pounds a year, given to him by an old aunt. Hughie thought that the model eas a real beggar and gave him a sovereign. But the beggar model war one of the richest person in Europe. These are the subtle humour in the story.
4. “I have got heaps of old clothes at home. Do you think he would like any of them? Why, his rags were falling to bits,’ said Hughie. ‘But he looks so wonderful in them,” said Trevor. “I wouldn’t paint him in a good suit for anything. However, I’ll tell him of your offer.” The above instance is an example for subtle humour. Pick out other incidents of humour from the story.
- ‘You don’t want a beggar to look happy, do you?’”
- “Well, I think the model should get some part of that,’ cried Hughie, laughing. ‘He’s working quite as hard as you.”
- “Poor man,’”he thought, ‘he needs it more than I do,’ and he walked across the room and slipped the sovereign into the beggar’s hand.
- I have got heaps of old clothes at home. Do you think he would like any of them?
- “Baron Hausberg!” cried Hughie. “Good heavens! I gave him a sovereign!” “Gave him a sovereign!” shouted Trevor, and he burst into a roar of laughter.
- He’ll invest your sovereign for you Hughie, and pay you the interest every six months.
Fill in the blanks given below with the help of the compound words.
1. Full size picture (full–size)
2. Good looking young man (good – looking)
3. The old Beggar man (beggar-man)
4. The frame maker wanted to speak to Trevor. (frame – maker)
2) Match the words in column A with the words in column B to make more compound words
Grand – mother
News – paper
Mile – stone
Book – mark
Tie – breaker
Foot – path
