Footprints without feet

Question 1.
As they gazed, a remarkable sight met their eyes. A fresh footmark appeared from nowhere! Further footprints followed, one after another, descending the steps and progressing down the street.
(a) Who are ‘they’ in the above extract?
(b) Who is making these footprints?
(c) Find the word from the extract that means the same as ‘continuing’.
(d) What is the opposite of ‘remarkable’?
Answer:
(a) ‘They’ in the above extract are two boys on a street in London.
(b) The scientist Griffin, who has become invisible, is making these footprints.
(c) The word is ‘progressing’.
(d) Its opposite is ‘ordinary’.

Question 2.
The air was bitterly cold and he could not do without clothes. Instead of walking about the streets he decided to slip into a big London store for warmth.
(a) Who is ‘he’ in the above extract?
(b) Why was the air bitterly cold?
(c) Find a word from the extract that means the same as ‘quietly enter’
(d) What is the opposite of ‘warmth’?
Answer:
(a) ‘He’ in the above extract is Griffin, the invisible scientist.
(b) The air was bitterly cold because the season was mid-winter.
(c) The word is ‘slip’.
(d) Its opposite is ‘chill’.

Question 3.
They naturally gave chase. In the end he was able to escape only by quickly taking off his newly found clothes. So once more he found himself invisible but naked in the chill January air.
(a) Who are ‘they’ and ‘he’ referred to in the above extract?
(b) Why has the author used the phrase ‘once more’?
(c) Find a word from the extract that means the same as ‘run away’.
(d) What is the opposite of ‘invisible’?
Answer:
(a) ‘They’ are the shop assistants and ‘he’ is the invisible scientist, Griffin.
(b) The author has used the phrase ‘once more’ because Griffin was naked before he had entered the large store, from where he had taken the ‘newly found’ clothes.
(c) The word is ‘escape’.
(d) Its opposite is ‘visible’.

Question 4.
Suspicion grew even stronger when he suddenly produced some ready cash, though he had admitted not long before that he had no money. [CBSE 2014]
(a) Who is ‘he’ in the above extract?
(b) What was ‘he’ suspected for?
(c) Find a word / phrase from the extract that means the same as ‘money’.
(d) Give a synonym of ‘suddenly’.
Answer:
(a) ‘He’ in the above extract is Griffin, the invisible scientist.
(b) ‘He’ was suspected for having a role in the burglary at the clergyman’s home.
(c) The phrase is ‘ready cash’.
(d) Its synonym is ‘immediately’.

Question 5.
Why were the two boys in London surprised and fascinated?
Answer:
The two boys in London were surprised and fascinated when they saw fresh muddy footprints of a human being on the steps of a house, but no man was there making them! As they looked, a fresh footprint appeared from nowhere.

Question 6.
Why did Griffin decide to slip into a big London store? [CBSE 2011]
Answer:
Griffin decided to slip into a big London store, because the season was mid-winter, due to which it became difficult to wander around without clothes in London.

Question 7.
How was Griffin a lawless man?
Answer:
Griffin was lawless because he had committed many anti-social deeds for which he never felt guilty. He set fire to his landlord’s house and ran away, he stole ‘ foodstuffs and clothes from a London store, stole other goods from a theatrical company and also stole money from a clergyman’s house to pay his bills.

Question 8.
What did Griffin do in the shop of a theatrical company? [CBSE 2012]
Answer:
The second time Griffin tried the stock of a theatrical company in the hope of finding not only clothes but also something like side whiskers, glasses, false nose, bandages, hat etc that would hide the empty space above his shoulders.

Question 9.
How did Griffin find himself invisible but naked in the chill January air for the second time?
Answer:
As he had overslept in the big London store, when the store opened in the morning the store assistants came in. Griffin panicked and ran, chased by the assistants. He had to take off his newly found clothes to become invisible and escape, so that he found himself invisible but naked in the chill January air for the second time.

Question 10.
What did the Halls see in the scientist’s room? [CBSE 2013]
Answer:
As the door of the room was open and nobody appeared to be inside, the Halls entered the scientist’s room. They saw that the bedclothes were cold, showing that the scientist must have been up for some time; and stranger still, the clothes and bandages that he always wore were lying about the room.

Question 11.
How did the visible man become invisible? What did he do then? [CBSE 2014]
Answer:
The invisible man got angry with Mrs Hall for asking an explanation for the mysterious happenings and threw off all he was wearing on his head so that he became a man without a head. Soon the constable Jaffers arrived to arrest him, but the invisible man threw off all his clothes to become invisible and, in the ensuing scuffle, knocked Jaffers unconscious and escaped.

Question 12.
What happened to Jaffers when he tried to catch the invisible scientist?
Answer:
When constable Jaffers tried to catch Griffin, he became invisible by removing his clothes. Jaffers found himself struggling with someone who couldn’t be seen. He was hit blows by Griffin and soon was knocked unconscious.

Question 13.
What was the explanation of ‘mystery’? (Footprints Without Feet)
Answer:
The two boys followed muddy footprints being made fresh without seeing anybody making the prints, which was a ‘mystery’ for them. The explanation was that the bewildered boys had been following a scientist who had just discovered how to make the human body transparent, and thus invisible, by swallowing certain drugs.

Question 14.
Griffin was not a true scientist as he misused his scientific discovery. Illustrate this point by giving two incidents from the story.
Answer:
A true scientist is a law-abiding person. A scientist is also called a ‘natural philosopher’. Griffin was not a true scientist as he did not use his discovery of how to make himself invisible for good uses. He lost control of himself and behaved like a criminal. First, he set fire to his landlord’s house and ran away. Then he stole food without paying for it in a London store. Besides, he robbed the owner of a theatrical company and stole money from a clergyman’s desk.

Question 15.
Describe the landlord’s and his wife’s experience with the strange scientist. [CBSE 2016]
Answer:
Both Mrs Hall and her husband were
surprised to find the scientist’s room door open because normally it was always locked. So they peeped in, but found nobody there. The clothes and bandages that he always wore were lying about the room. Suddenly Mrs Hall heard a sniff close to her ear and the hat on the bedpost
leapt up and dashed itself into her face. Then the bedroom chair sprang into the air and pushed them both out of the room and then appeared to slam and lock the door after them. Mrs Hall became hysterical and almost fell down the stairs. She thought that her furniture was haunted. They decided to confront the scientist next time when they met him.

Question 16.
What impression do you form of Griffin after reading the lesson, “Footprint,without Feet”?
Answer:
Griffin was a brilliant scientist, as he discovered a drug due to which his body became transparent as a sheet of glass after swallowing it. This made him invisible. But he was a lawless person. Because of his misdeeds, he became a homeless wanderer without clothes and money. He was an introvert with a desire for solitude. He was always seeking adventure, being fond of mysterious things. However, he was unscrupulous, as he robbed various people to finance his work, besides he got angry very quickly, which caused him to become a fugitive.

Question 17.
If, somehow you discovered how to become invisible, how would you use that opportunity?[CBSE 2015]
Answer:
If I discovered how to become invisible, I would use this opportunity to punish all those people who cause trouble to others for their own selfish motives. I would catch them and hand them over to the police without letting them know that I was behind them. I will also help the law-enforcing agencies when they conduct raids on criminal hideouts, as I will be able to move in the open without fear of being seen. This will help the people of the country to become more law-abiding citizens.

Question 18.
Brilliant scientist though he was, Griffin was rather a lawless person. His landlord disliked him and tried to eject him. In revenge Griffin set fire to the house. To get away without being seen he had to remove his clothes. Thus, it was that he became a homeless wanderer, without clothes, without money and quite invisible – until he happened to step in some mud, and left footprints as he walked!
(a) How can you say that Griffin was a brilliant scientist ?
(b) How did he reach to that position ?
(c) Which word in the above extract means the same as ‘a being who roams around aimlessly’ ?
(d) Who disliked Griffin ? (1×4=4)
Answer:
(a) Griffin was a brilliant scientist as he carried on experiments for years to prove that human body could become invisible.
(b) To reach to the position of invisibility, he swallowed certain drugs.
(c) ‘wanderer’.
(d) Griffin was disliked by his landlord.

Question 19.
Eager to get away from crowded London he took a train to the village of Iping, where he booked two rooms at the local inn. The arrival of a stranger at an inn in winter was in any case an unusual event. A stranger of such uncommon appearance set all tongues wagging, Mrs. Hall, the landlord’s wife, made every effort to be friendly.
(a) After escaping from London, where did Griffin go ?
(b) What did he experience there ?
(c) Which phrase in the above extract means the same as ‘everybody started talking about him’ ?
(d) How did the landlord’s wife behave ? (1×4=4)
Answer:
(a) After escaping from crowded London, he went to the village of Iping.
(b) His uncommon appearance attracted everybody’s attention.
(c) ‘set all tongues wagging’.
(d) The landlord’s wife made every effort to be friendly.

Question 20.
Mrs. Hall almost fell down the stairs in hysterics. She was convinced that the room was haunted by spirits, and that the stranger had somehow caused these to enter into her furniture.
(a) Why did Mrs. Hall think that the room was haunted by spirits ?
(b) Who had caused this to happen ?
(c) Which word in the extract means the same as ‘fits of crying’?
(d) Who is the author of the story ? (1×4=4)
Answer:
(a) Inside the empty room, Mrs. Hall heard a sniff close to her ear. Then the hat in the room leapt up and dashed itself into her face. It made her to think that the room was haunted by spirits.
(b) Griffin, the scientist had caused this to happen.
(c) ‘hysterias’.
(d) H. G. Wells

Question 21.
What did Griffin, the scientist, do to escape after setting the fire to the house of his landlord ? [Board Term I, 2012; Set EL2 – 018]
Answer:
Griffin, the scientist removed his clothes, became invisible and got away without being seen. He became homeless wanderer without clothes, without money and quite invisible.

Question 22.
What did Griffin decide to try the second time ? What did he hope to find ? [Board Term I, 2012; Set EL2 – 055]
Answer:
Griffin decided to try the stock of theatrical company. He hoped to find clothes that would hide the empty space above his shoulders.

Question 23.
Give a character sketch of Griffin the invisible scientist ? [Board Term I, 2012; Set EL2 – 064]
Answer:
The invisible scientist was a brilliant scientist who misused his scientific discovery and became a lawless person. He started enjoying harming people. When his landlord fried to catch him, in revenge, Griffin set fire to the house.

Question 24.
How did Griffin enjoy himself inside a big London store ? [Board Term I, 2012; Set EL2 – 065]
Answer:
Griffin slipped into a big London store to save himself from the unbearable cold. He dranked and wore warm clothes. He found cold meat, coffee and sweets there. At last he slept on a pile of quilts.

Question 25.
What extraordinary things happened at the inn ? [Board Term I, 2012; Set EL2 – 035]
Answer:
The landlord and his wife found the scientists door open. The scientist was missing. Suddenly, Mrs. Hall heard a sniff and saw the hat on the bedpost leapt up. The chair in the room started moving automatically. These things made people furious.

Question 26.
Why did Mrs. Hall find the scientist eccentric ? [Board Term I, 2012; Set EL2 – Oil]
Answer:
Mrs. Hall found the scientist eccentric because he arrived at the inn in winter, which was an unusual time for any visitor to arrive there. His appearance was stranger. He did not like to speak to Mrs. Hall and wanted to be left alone and undisturbed

Question 27.
What did the Halls see in the scientist’s room ? [Board Term I, 2013]
Answer:
One day the Halls got up early and were surprised to see that, the door of the scientist’s room, was open. Normally, it remained shut and locked. The Halls felt like making the use of the opportunity as they could not see anyone inside. They went inside to investigate. They saw that the bed clothes were cold his clothes and bandages were lying loose in the room. Suddenly, they heard a sniffing sound although there was no one in the room. The Halls got terrified and decided to leave the scientist’s room.

Question 28.
What did Griffin finally do when people held him responsible for all the strange occurrences ?
Answer:
Griffin became furious when he saw people holding him responsible for all the strange occurrences. He started taking off his bandages, whiskers, spectacles and even false nose. The people around him got horrified as they were looking at a headless man. The space above his shoulders became empty. Then, he started to remove his clothes and became absolutely invisible. The situation became funny when the constable was struggling with someone whom no one could see at all. The man kept on throwing one garment after another and finally no one could see him. He was invisible.

Question 29.
Describe Jaffer’s fight with Griffin at the village of Iping.
Answer:
Griffin entered the clergyman’s house with an intention to steal money. He opened the desk and stole the money. When people came to know about the burglary, they suspected the strange. They sent for the village constable. The scientist became furious and threw off his bandages, whiskers, spectacles and false nose. Mr. Jaffers was surprised that he had to arrest a headless man. He tried to get hold of the man who was becoming more and more invisible. The constable was struggling with someone who could not be seen at all. Some people tried to assist him but received blows. The constable was knocked unconscious and Griffin escaped.

Question 30.
Name three extraordinary things that took place in the room where Griffin was staying.
Answer:
Griffin was a scientist. He carried out an experiment which made human body invisible. He tried it on himself and became invisible. Then he started doing things which were, extraordinary. The first extraordinary thing that took place was that there was no one in the room yet Mrs. Hall heard a sniff close to her ear. The hat that was kept on the bedpost, went up and dashed into her face. After that, suddenly the chair rose up in the air and pushed both Mrs. Hall and her husband out of the room.

Question 31.
Why were the landlord and his wife surprised to see the scientist’s door wide open ? What did they decide ?
Answer:
One day the landlord and his wife found the scientist’s door wide open. The scientist’s door usually, remained shut and locked. They became furious if anyone entered his room. The couple got an opportunity to enquire the matter. So, they decided to investigate. They went inside apd found that the bed clothes were cold and the clothes and bandages that he always wore were lying in the room. Suddenly, Mrs. Hall heard a sniff close to her ear. After a moment, the hat in the room leapt up and dashed itself into her face. They thought that the room was haunted by spirits so they decided to leave it.

Question 32.
Griffin is a talented scientist but he misused his invention. The lesson we learn from his example is that the misuse of a scientific discovery can play havoc with humanity. Explain.
Answer:
A true scientist works for the good of humanity. He wants to make man’s life easier, more comfortable and enjoyable. He doesn’t misuse his discoveries for personal gains or selfish ends. But Griffin, though a brilliant scientist, misuses his discovery. By his experiments, he has been able to make his body transparent and invisible. He uses his discovery to puzzle people enters store and shops unseen, robs people of their money or things and escapes. He sets fire to the house of his landlord. He steals food, sweets, wine. It shows that the misuse of a scientific discovery can disturb the peace of society. Such a scientist will use his invention for self-interest and for taking revenge upon the people around him, he won’t honour the law and thus will become a lawless person.

Footprints without Feet (Prose)

 Question 1:

How did the invisible man first become visible?

Answer:

The invisible man, Griffin first became visible when he stepped in some mud and his footprints were all over the steps of a house in the middle of London. His footprints were noticed by two boys who followed, fascinated, until the muddy impressions became fainter and fainter and at last disappeared altogether. He escaped easily enough from the boys who followed his footprints in London. As it was mid-winter, he slipped into a big London store for keeping himself warm and slept there while picking up a pair of shoes, an overcoat and a wide-brimmed hat from the store. When he wore the clothes, it made him visible to the shop assistants when the shop opened in the morning. Thereafter, he had to shed all his clothes to escape from them and became invisible again.

Question 2:

Why was he wandering the streets?

Answer:

Although Griffin was a brilliant scientist, but he was a lawless person. His landlord disliked him and tried to evict him from the house. In revenge, the scientist set the house on fire. To escape from the scene, he removed his clothes and became a homeless wanderer without clothes, no money and totally invisible roaming around the streets of London.

Read and Find Out (Page 28)

Question 1:

Why does Mrs Hall find the scientist eccentric?

Answer:

The arrival of a stranger with an uncommon appearance at an inn in mid-winter was an unusual event in itself. Mrs Hall tried to be friendly with Griffin, but he gave her a cold response. He rebuffed her by saying that he was not interested to talk to anyone and had come there for solitude and did not wish to be disturbed in his work. Considering all these reasons, Mrs Hall found the scientist to be an eccentric person.

Question 2:

What curious episode occurs in the study?

Answer:

In the early hours of one morning, the clergyman and his wife woke up by noises coming from their study. Creeping downstairs, they heard the sound of coins being taken from the clergyman’s desk. To their amazement, when they entered the study, the room was empty. He and his wife looked under the desk and behind the curtains and even up the chimney. However, they did not find anybody there. Yet the desk was found open and the housekeeping money was also missing.

Question 3:

What other extraordinary things happen at the inn?

Answer:

A series of extraordinary things happened at the inn. When Mrs Hall and her husband went into the scientist’s room and found its door wide open. Usually it was always shut and locked and the scientist became furious if anyone entered his room. However, when Mrs Hall and her husband peeped round the door, he was nowhere to be seen in the room. His clothes and bandages that he always wore were lying about the room. Suddenly, Mrs Hall heard a sniff close to her ear and the hat on the bedpost leapt up and dashed itself into her face. Out of nowhere, the bedroom chair sprang into the air and pushed them both out of the room and then it slammed and locked the door after them. All these incidents made Mrs Hall believe that her furniture and the room was haunted by spirits, and that the stranger had somehow caused these to enter into her furniture.

Think about it (Page 31)

Question 1:

“Griffin was rather a lawless person.” Comment.

Answer:

Griffin was indeed a lawless person as he did not bother harming others to fulfill his selfish interests. He set his landlord’s house on fire when he tried to evict the scientist from his house. Thereafter, he robbed clothes from shops and stole money from Mrs. Hall’s house that was kept for housekeeping purposes inside the desk in the study room. However, when the landlady encountered him at the inn, he threw a chair at her and her husband. Finally, he also escaped from the clutches of Mr Jaffers, the constable who had come to arrest him for his misdeeds. Lawless persons like Griffin are very vengeful in nature and do not think about the safety and well-being of others in the society. They are only self-obsessed about themselves.

Question 2:

How would you assess Griffin as a scientist?

Answer:

Griffin was a brilliant scientist, as he discovered the scientific formula to make a human body invisible. This was indeed a big achievement in science. But he seemed to enjoy the feeling of power when he became invisible. He misused his discovery to satisfy his personal needs and got sadistic pleasure by hurting others. Although he was brilliant in his job, but he was not a noble scientist who made contribution for the larger benefit of society. His discovery of invisibility was therefore, done just for his own benefit.

Talk about it (Page 31)

Question 1:

Would you like to become invisible? What advantages and disadvantages do you foresee, if you did?

Answer:

Yes, it would be an exciting idea for most people to become invisible. Just like there are two facets of every coin, invisibility can also have certain advantages and disadvantages. A prime advantage of becoming invisible for military personnel could help them in maintaining law and order in the society by tracking illegal crimes caused by anti-social elements without their knowledge and put an end to the nuisance created by terrorists or criminals. On a lighter note, for a child being invisible is an open license to play pranks on his friends without getting caught. On the other hand, a disadvantage of invisibility would mean isolation and having no friends and family to share joys and sorrows with. A person is likely to become like the eccentric scientist, Griffin as mentioned in this story.

Question 2:

Are there forces around us that are invisible, for example, magnetism? Are there aspects of matter that are ‘invisible’ or not visible to the naked eye? What would the world be like if you could see such forces or such aspects of matter?

Answer:

Yes, electrostatic and magnetic forces are good examples of invisible forces. The atoms and molecules in a particular matter are so tiny that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Similarly, sound and heat energy are transparent and cannot be seen. Although it is quite an exciting idea to see invisible things, but their visibility could create a lot of issues too. For instance, if we are able to view the magnetic force, it might cause a lot of irritation to our senses.

Question 3:

What makes glass or water transparent (what is the scientific explanation for this)? Do you think it would be scientifically possible for a man to become invisible, or transparent? (Keep in mind that writers of science fiction have often turned out to be prophetic in their imagination!)

Answer:

We know that light can pass through glass or water as they are transparent. When light rays fall on an object, the reflection of that light from the object makes it visible for us. Similarly, if any device of similar kind can be made that can prevent reflection of light from the human body, then the human body can also become transparent and invisible.