The Accidental Tourist Class 9 Questions and Answers
Textbook Questions
Think about it
Question 1.
Bill Bryson says, “I am, in short, easily confused.” What examples has he given to justify this?
बिल ब्रायसन कहता है, “मैं संक्षेप में, आसानी से घबरा, गड़बड़ा जाता हूँ।” इस कथन को न्यायसंगत ठहराने के लिए वह क्या उदाहरण?
Answer:
Bill Bryson gives a few examples to justify this above statement. They are as follows:
Many times while searching a lavatory in a cinema, he ends up standing on the wrong side of a self-locking door in an alley. He goes to the hotel desk at least two or three times a day to enquire about his room number which he forgets.
Question 2.
What happens when the zip of his carry-on bag gives away?
जब उसके स्वयं उठाने वाले बैग की जिप खुल जाती है तब क्या होता है?
Answer:
When the author force-opens the zip of his carry-on bag, everything in it — newspaper cutting, magazines, passport, films, his tobacco tin, English coins, etc. spill out in an area of about the size of a tennis court.
He watched them helplessly and dumbstruck specially his carefully sorted out hundred documents raining like a fluttering cascade and the expensive tobacco spilling from the lidless tin.
Question 3.
Why is his finger bleeding? What is his wife’s reaction?
उसकी उँगली से खून क्यों बह रहा है? उसकी पत्नी की क्या ufafanu?
Answer:
The zip of his carry-on bag gets jammed. He tries to open it forcibly and gets a long deep cut in his finger. It starts bleeding profusely. When he looks at his bleeding finger his hair stand up in panic. His wife looks at him in wonder not in anger or exasperation.
Question 4.
How does Bill Bryson end up in “crash position” in the aircraft?
बिल ब्रायसन किस प्रकार हवाई जहाज में धराशायी की स्थिति मे आता है?
Answer:
Once while sitting in an aircraft he bends to tie his shoelaces, just then the person sitting ahead of him throws his seat in full recline, and he ends up in crash position. He gets out of it only by clawing to the leg of the passenger sitting beside him.
Question 5.
Why are his teeth and gums navy blue?
उसके दाँत और मसूड़े नेवी के नीले रंग जैसे क्यों हैं?
Answer:
Once the author was noting important thoughts, he started sucking one end of his pen as people normally do while thinking in between writing. He fell into conversation with the attractive lady sitting beside him. This lasted for about 20 minutes. After it when he went to the lavatory, he found that his mouth, chin, tongue, teeth and gums all had become navy blue with his leaking pen.
Question 6.
Bill Bryson “ached to be suave.” Is he successful in his mission? List his ‘unsuave’ ways.
बिल बायसन ‘विनीत होने के लिए तड़पता था।’ क्या वह अपने उद्देश्य में सफल हो पाया? उसके गुस्ताख़ तरीकों की सूची बनाइये।
Answer:
Bill Bryson longed to behave politely. It pained him when he failed to be suave. Try hard he might but he was never successful. From the dinner table he used to rise up as if he had experienced a localized earthquake. He got into the car closing the door but leaving 14 inches of his coat hanging outside. Whenever he wore light-coloured trousers, they became full of stains of ice cream, cough syrup, motor oil or sitting several times on chewing gum, by the end of the day. Even on the air flights he could not drink or eat without spoiling his own or others’ clothes.
Question 7.
Why do you think Bill Bryson’s wife says to the children, “Take the lids off the food for Daddy”?
आपके विचार में बिल ब्रायसन की पत्नी अपने बच्चों से क्यों कहति होगी, “अपने पिता के लिये खाने के ऊपर से ढक्कन उतरे”?
Answer:
It seems that Bill’s wife knew pretty well the unsuave ways of her husband. She tells her children to take the lid off the food for daddy for she is almost sure if her husband is left to take off the lids himself he will spill the contents and either spoil his own clothes or the clothes of those who are sitting near him.
Question 8.
What is the significance of the title?
नम्लेख (title) से क्या अभिप्राय है?
Answer:
Accidental means ‘happening by chance’.The author often goes on tours and trips and is a frequent traveller. The story is full of chance happenings in the life of the author while he is travelling. He relates some of his experiences in a humorous style. Once he was flying to England with his family to enjoy a week of Easter holidays. While checking in he suddenly remembered that he had recently joined British Airways’ frequent flying programme and the card for recording the milage was in his carry-on bag. To take out the card, he tried to open the zip of the bag but it got jammed. He tried to open it forcibly, it snapped opened, spilling out everything in it far and wide in an area of a tennis court.
In another flight he fell into a ‘crash position’ while bending to tie his shoelaces, just then, the person sitting ahead of him drew his seat back in full recline. Yet in another flight he accidently dropped his soft drink twice in the lap of a nun sitting beside him. His worst experience was when he got his mouth, chin, tongue, gums and teeth coloured navy blue while sucking one end of his pen that was leaking. Thus we see that the whole story is replete with accidental happenings which is the significance of the title.
IV. Very Important Examination Questions
1. Extract-based Objective Type Questions
Read the extracts given below carefully and answer the questions with the help of the given options :
Question 1.
Now on planes when the food is delivered, my wife says: “Take the lids off the food for Daddy” or “Put your hoods up, children. Daddy’s about to cut his meat”.
(i) The author’s wife instructed the children while they were on the plane to :
(a) follow the safety instructions
(b) fasten their seat belts
(c) help their don father in cutting his meat
(d) take the lids off the food for Daddy or put their hoods up as he was about to cut his meat
Answer:
(d) take the lids off the food for Daddy or put their hoods up as he was about to cut his meat
(ii) The author’s wife asked the children to put up their hoods because :
(a) she wanted them to see what the flight attendant was showing to them
(b) of author’s accidental and uncontrolled movements while taking his meals
(c) she was aware of their muchievous behaviour
(d) she thought that they might possibly spill their drinks as the hoods were obscuring their view
Answer:
(b) of author’s accidental and uncontrolled movements while taking his meals
(iii) From these lines we learn about ‘Daddy’ that:
(a) he was clumsy and could drop his food anywhere
(b) he was unable to do his works on his own
(c) he had cordial relations with his wife
(d) he was a forgetful person
Answer:
(a) he was clumsy and could drop his food anywhere
(iv) The extract is taken from the lesson:
(a) Ishwaran the Story Teller
(b) The Happy Prince
(c) The Accidental Tourist
(d) The Beggar
Answer:
(c) The Accidental Tourist
Question 2.
My particular specialty now is returning to hotel desks two or three times a day and asking what my room number is. I am, in short, easily confused.
(i) In a day the author returns to his hotel desk :
(a) only once
(b) two or three times a day
(c) umpteen number of times
(d) only if he has to make an inquiry
Answer:
(b) two or three times a day
(ii) The author gets easy confused because :
(a) he suffers from dementia
(b) he is imbecile
(c) he lacks confidence
(d) forgetfullness runs in his family
Answer:
(d) forgetfullness runs in his family
(iii) These lines reveal that the author is :
(a) least ashamed of his forgetfullness
(b) a forgetful person
(c) unmindful of his activities
(d) an annoying person
Answer:
(b) a forgetful person
(iv) The extract is taken from the lesson:
(a) A Truly Beautiful Mind
(b) The little Girl
(c) My Childhood
(d) The Accidental Tourist
Answer:
(d) The Accidental Tourist
(v) What character trait of the author is revealed by these lines?
Answer:
The author is a forgetful person. He is easily confused. He often forgets his own room number in a hotel and visits at least 2-3 times a day, to the hotel desk, to enquire about it.
Question 3.
Of all the things I am not very good at, living in the real world is perhaps the most outstanding.
(i) The author was not very good at –
(a) making excuses
(b) living in the real world
(c) recollecting things
(d) maintaining cordial relations with people
Answer:
(b) living in the real world
(ii) A person who is not good at living in the real world is :
(a) often confusesd and muddled
(b) good at living in the world of fantasies
(c) unintelligent and lacks vision
(d) the one who is a narcissist
Answer:
(a) often confusesd and muddled
(iii) The character traits of the
(a) hirfrankness and state of beurilderment
(b) his straightforwardness and unsympathetic attitude
(c) his pretentiousness and arrogance
(d) his pessimism
Answer:
(a) hirfrankness and state of beurilderment
(iv) The extract is taken from the lesson –
(a) The Accidential tourist
(b) The Happy Prince
(c) In the Kingdom of Fools
(d) The Lost Child
Answer:
(a) The Accidential tourist
Question 4.
On another occasion, I knocked a soft drink into the lap of a sweet little lady sitting beside me. The flight attendant came and cleaned her up, and brought me a replacement drink, and instantly I knocked it onto the woman again.
(i) The author spilled _______ on the lap of a little lady.
(a) soft drink
(b) his replacement drink
(c) water
(d) the food that he was eating
Answer:
(a) soft drink
(ii) The situation described above tells us :
(a) that the author is a fun-loving person
(b) that the author is often confused and does careless and foolish things unknowingly.
(c) that the author a lacks in ettiquettes
(d) that the author likes being the centre of attraction
Answer:
(b) that the author is often confused and does careless and foolish things unknowingly.
(iii) The accidental tourist annoyed the lady in the plane by
(a) passing rude remarks at her
(b) asking irrelevant questions from her
(c) unknowingly falling asleep on her shoulder
(d) dropping his soft drink twice on her lap
Answer:
(d) dropping his soft drink twice on her lap
(iv) The flight attendant :
(a) cleaned up the lady and brought another soft drink for the author
(b) complaint the higher authorities about the reckless behaviour of the author
(c) was quite impressed by the author’s demeanour
(d) refused to bring the author a replacement drink
Answer:
(a) cleaned up the lady and brought another soft drink for the author.
Short Answer Type Questions
II. Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words:
Question 1.
The writer says that he is easily confused.’ Cite instances from the story to prove the above given statement.
लेखक कहता है कि वह जल्दी परेशान हो जाता है। कहानी में से उदाहरण दीजिए।
Answer:
He returned to hotel desk two or three times a day asking what his room number was. He also used to go looking for the lavatory in a cinema and ended up standing in an alley on the wrong side of a self-locking door.
Question 2.
What was Bill Bryson’s worst experience on a (plane) flight?
बिल ब्रायसन का एयरोप्लेन पर सबसे बुरा अनुभव क्या था?
Answer:
The worst experience of Bill Bryson on a flight was when he was writing some important thoughts in a notebook sucking thoughtfully on the end of his pen. Later he found that the pen had leaked and his mouth, chin, tongue, teeth and gums were now scrub resistant navy blue and would
Question 3.
How does the writer’s wife react when she sees him crying loudly?
लेखक की पत्नी की क्या प्रतिक्रिया थी जब उसने लेखक को रोते हुए देखा?
Answer:
When she sees him crying loudly, she looked at him with an expression of wonder. She was neither angry nor annoyed. She was just shocked to see him crying for a living. It was very embarrassing for her at a public place.
Question 4.
Where was Bill Bryson when he
बिल ब्रायसन कहाँ था जब उसने महसूस किया कि वह मुसीबत #t?
Answer:
Bill and his family went on a long trip. It was at Easter. They were flying to England for a week. When they arrived at Logan Airport in Boston and were checking in, he suddenly remembered that he had recently joined British Airway’s frequent flyer programme. He also remembered putting the card in the carry on bag hanging around his neck. That’s where his trouble started.
Question 5.
Bill Bryson could be another synonym for *clumsy’. Give one example which shows that Bill indeed is clumsy.
बिल ब्रायसन को अनाड़ी कह सकते हैं। एक उदाहरण दें जिससे पता चलता है कि बिल सच में अनाड़ी है।
Answer:
There are various examples which prove that Bill Bryson was very clumsy. For example, when the author wanted to use his flyer card to avail privilege on his England trip, he tried to open his bag. But the zip of the bag was jammed. On being pulled forcibly, it gave way. Everything within came out and fell on the ground. It also wounded his finger. The author got panicky and started shouting.
Question 6.
Why did Bill’s ‘hair went into panic mode’?
बिल के (घबड़ाने से) बाल क्यों खड़े हो गए?
Answer:
The author wanted to use his flyer card to avail privilege on his England trip. He tried to open his bag but the zip of the bag was jammed. On being pulled forcibly, it gave way. Everything within came out and fell on the ground. It also wounded his finger. It panicked the author and he started shouting. He got confused and unable to help; his hair went into panic mode.
Question 7.
Which incident does Bill describe as “Catastrophe’? Describe the incident in your own words.
किस घटना से बिल आपत्तिजनक कहलाया? इस घटना का वर्णन करें।
Or
How does Bill Bryson end up in a “crash position” in the aircraft?
हवाई जहाज़ में बिल आपत्तिजनक स्थिति में कैसे पहुँचा?
Answer:
Bill describes his travel experiences as a catastrophe’. Once on an aeroplane, he had leaned over to tie a shoelace, but just at the moment a person in the seat ahead of Bill threw his seat back into full recline. Bill found himself pinned hopelessly in the crash position. It was only by clawing the leg of the man sitting next to him that Bill managed to get himself freed.
Question 8.
Give an example from the story which shows that Bill’s memory was not sharp.
कहानी से एक उदाहरण बताइये जिससे पता चलता है कि बिल at ace 4 eft?
Answer:
There are different instances in the story which show that Bill’s memory was not sharp. Firstly, his returning to hotel desks two or three times a day asking about his hotel room number. Also, he kept searching for lavatory in the cinema hall.
Long Answer Type Questions
III. Answer the following questions in about 100-150 words:
Question 1.
Why does the narrator of the story “The Accidental Tourist’ ache to be suave ? What stops him from being so ? Do you see any values in his admission of not being able to be suave ? Explain.
‘द एक्सीडेन्टल टूरिस्ट’ कहानी का लेखक सभ्य क्यों नहीं है? क्या ऐसा वह जानबूझ करता है? वर्णन कीजिए।
Answer:
The narrator Bill Bryson ached to be suave, and so troubled himself, as well as the people around him. His weakness, as he admitted, was that he was easily confused. Perhaps his restlessness to finish things smoothly put too much pressure on him. As he himself revealed, he found it difficult to do a number of things that other people did very easily. From zipping the bag, to forgetting his hotel room number, and then acting clumsily even in a flight journey, Bill Bryson turned out to be an “accidental tourist.” Once he was at the airport to fly to England with family.
He drew everyone’s attention, when in his effort to unzip his jammed bag, he dropped all its contents. Again, when he was inside an aeroplane, he leaned over to tie his shoelace just at the moment the fellow in the front seat threw it back, and it resulted in leaving Bryson in a ‘crash’ position. Bryson had similar experiences on several occasions. He wished to be normal like others, i.e., to be suave and graceful. His admission, initially seems strange and humorous. However, it also reveals that Bryson had carried out a self-estimation in a bid to recognise his flaws. He is frank in his analysis, and one may hope that the next step will be his effort to get rid of his flaw.
Question 2.
Now on planes when the food is delivered, my wife says: “Take the lids off the food for Daddy’. Why does the narrator’s wife do this? Elaborate.
हवाई जहाज़ पर जब खाना परोसा जाता है, तब लेखक की पत्नी बच्चों से कहती है कि पापा के लिए खाना खोल दो। लेखक की पत्नी ऐसा क्यों कहती है? वर्णन कीजिए।
Answer:
Whenever the author Bill Bryson travels in plane and food is delivered, his wife says, “Take the lids off the food for Daddy” to his children. She does this because she knows that Bill Bryson is prone to accidents and that he is capable of spilling all the food. So, for the sake of precaution and to save all of them from embarrassment in public, she takes this precaution to open up the lids of the food which is served to them in a flight.
This shows that she also knows the clumsy and careless behaviour of Bill Bryson. She just wants to help him so that he can also do his work in a sober manner like all the other people. May be she understands that he lacks self-confidence due to which he does all the activities in a fearful manner. She wants him to act in a confident and controlled manner in front of the people.
Question 3.
In the story, The Accidental Tourist’, the narrator says that he does not do a number of things when he flies alone. What are they and why doesn’t he do them ?
‘द एक्सीडेन्टल टूरिस्ट’ कहानी में लेखक कहता है कि जब वह अकेला हवाई यात्रा करता है तब कुछ बातें वह नहीं करता है। वे कौन सी हैं? वह ऐसा क्यों करता है?
Answer:
When the author flies alone, he neither eats nor drinks. He does not lean over his shoelace nor take the pen near his mouth. He does not let his hands free. He does all these to avoid the accidents resulting out of his movement and actions.
His history of spilling drinks over the other passengers on flight and even once he spilled the drink onto the woman sitting next to him twice. And many more embarassing situation made him feel so nervous and embarassed that he was now sure that he cannot do any work in a decent manner. So, he decided to avoid that work to avoid mismanagement and embarassment in public places.
He needs to develop self-confidence in himself to control his actions. Then only he can act fearlessly and could command his actions according to his will.
Question 4.
How does the narrator of the story The Accidental Tourist’ feel about his clumsiness ? Do you think some values are hidden in his feelings about it? Explain.
‘द एक्सीडेन्टल टूरिस्ट’ का लेखक अपनी आपत्तिजनक स्थिति के लिए क्या महसूस करता है। क्या आपके विचार से ऐसा करने में उसके कुछ मूल्य छुपे हैं? बताइये।।
Answer:
The author Bill Bryson talks about his clumsiness and he says “I am, in short, easily confused”. And he lists various examples of his clumsy behaviour like searching for lavatory in a cinema and getting locked in a self-locking door and to ask for his room number in the hotel many a times, spilling drinks over the other passengers in flight. His accidental and uncontrolled movement on the dinner table, his carelessly closing the door just after him, sitting on chanting gums, ice cream, cough syrup and motor oil.
The author tries hard to get up decently from the dinner table, to close the door without stucking his coat in it, not to stain his light-coloured trousers, etc. But he is not successful. He fails to keep things in his control. It may be due to lack of selfconfidence. Self-confidence is very important to be successful in life. It gives us a positive frame of mind. Without self-confidence, we can never take right decision and will always remain confused. Without it, the fear of failure will haunt and we cannot perform any task correctly just like the author, Bill Bryson. I think the values of simplicity, honesty, acceptability, etc. are hidden in his fillings about it.
Question 5.
Write the character-sketch of the author of the story – The Accidental Tourist’.
‘द एक्सीडेन्टल टूरिस्ट’-कहानी के लेखक का चरित्र-चित्रण
Or
In what way was Bill Bryson an accidental tourist ?
किस प्रकार बिल बायसन एक एक्सीडैन्टल दूरिस्ट है?
Answer:
The author is a frequent traveller. He travels a lot and gets varied experiences. He is humorous by nature. He relates his experiences in a light, humorous manner that entertain us. He does not seem to mind becoming a laughing stock. His style and language is lucid. He creates vivid (clear) images and beautiful word pictures through his words – see how he describes the falling of his carefully, sorted out papers – “They rained like fluttering cascade.’ Again when he was leaning to tie his laces and the passenger ahead draws his seat in full recline, he is trapped in ‘crash position’.
The author is also a confused and forgetful person. While searching lavatory in cinema, he ends up standing in an alley on the wrong side of a self-locking door. He also forgets the number of his hotel room or asking to record travelled milage on his frequent flyer card. He lacks control on his limbs and drops his soft drink twice in the lap of a pretty nun sitting beside him. He longs to be suave but fails miserably. He could never rise from a dining table without making one feel that he had just experienced a local earthquake. He is a good conversationalist. He entertains the attractive lady with his interesting anecdotes and jokes. Thus we see that the author is an interesting and humorous person. He is a good conversationalist but is a confused, forgetful, unsuave person with little control on his limbs.
I. Summary In English
The narrator — a confused personality :
The narrator wonders how people manage to do things without any difficulty. He can’t do anything in a normal way. He gets confused. He gives two examples. One : He goes many times to find the lavatory in a cinema but ends up standing in an alley on the wrong side of self-locking door. Two: He often forgets the number of his hotel room and goes 2-3 times a day at the hotel reception to enquire about it.
At Logan Airport in Boston :
Once he was going with his family to enjoy Easter holidays in England. While checking in, he suddenly remembered that he had recently joined British Airways ‘frequent flyer programme’. It was in his carry-on bag. As he tried to open it, the zip got jammed. He pulled harder and harder. At last it snapped open. Everything in the bag spilled out far and wide on the floor in all directions. The lid of tobacco tin opened. He watched the spilling of expensive tobacco helplessly. Then he noticed blood coming out of his finger which he had gashed while opening the zip. In panic his hair stood up. His wife looked at him with wonder.
Other such experiences :
1. In another flight he was in helpless ‘crash position’ when he leaned over to tie his shoelaces and someone in the seat ahead of him threw his seat back into full recline.
2. On another occasion he knocked soft drinks twice into the lap of a nun sitting beside him. She uttered an oath in desperation.
3. Worst experience was when he got his mouth, chin, gums and tongue coloured navy blue. He was sucking one end of his leaking pen while in conversation with a pretty lady sitting beside him.
Precautions taken by wife :
While they travel together, the wife takes some precautions. She tells her children to take the fid off the food for daddy or put their hoods up when daddy cuts his meat.
When travelling alone :
He never eats or drinks anything, bends to tie laces or puts end of his pen in his mouth.
Never got frequent flyer miles :
He often forgets to ask for air miles or the clerk forgets to record them. He has flown about 100,000 miles but has only 212 air miles divided between 23 airlines.
Could never go to Bali in first class :
People often went to Bali in first class by using their air miles but he could never collect so many air miles.
Difference in name on Card and Ticket:
Once he was going to Australia by air. He was expecting to collect quite a lot of air miles for the distance was long. He gave his card to the check-in clerk to fill in the air-miles but she refused that privilege the name on the card was ‘W. Bryson’ while on ticket it was B. Bryson — so he was not entitled.
II. Complete Text With Hindi Translation
Text (Page 56) : They say that the world today is a small place because travel has become easy but not everybody finds it easy to travel. Here, the author reflects humorously his experiences as a traveller.
Vocabulary : reflects ( रिफलैक्ट्स) meditates/ consider seriously चिन्तन करता है; humorously ( ह्यूमरसली) lightly, in jolly mood विनोदपूर्वक।
अनुवाद : वह कहते हैं कि आजकल संसार एक छोटा स्थान है क्योंकि यात्रा करना आसान हो गया है परन्तु प्रत्येक व्यक्ति यात्रा करना आसान नहीं पाता। यहाँ लेखक यात्री के रूप में अपने अनुभवों का विनोदपूर्वक चिन्तन करता है।
Text (Page 56) : Of all the things I am not very good at, living in the real world is perhaps the most outstanding. I am constantly filled with wonder at the number of things that other people do without any evident difficulty that are pretty much beyond me. I cannot tell you the number of times that I have gone looking for the lavatory in a cinema, for instance, and ended up standing in an alley on the wrong side of a self-locking door. My particular speciality now is returning to hotel desks two or three times a day and asking what my room number is. I am, in short, easily confused.
Vocabulary : outstanding (आउटस्टैंडिंग) prominent विशिष्ट; constantly (कॉसटैंटली) all the time लगातार; evident (एवीडैन्ट) clear स्पष्ट; beyond (बीओन्ड) above के ऊपर; lavatory (लैवेट्री) toilet शौचालय; alley (ऐले) a narrow passageway between or behind buildings गलियारा; selflocking (सैल्फलॉकंग) that is locked automatically अपने आप ताला लग जाना; particular (पर्टिकुलर) special विशेष।
अनुवाद : उन सब चीजों में जिनमें मैं अच्छा नहीं, असली संसार में रहना शायद सबसे विशिष्ट है। मैं लगातार हैरानी से भर जाता हूँ उन चीजों की संख्या से जो लोग स्पष्ट रूप से बिना किसी कठिनाई के कर लेते हैं जो मेरे बिल्कुल वश में नहीं है। उदाहरण के लिए, मैं जितनी बार शौचालय ढूँढने गया अपने आपको उसके गलियारे में अपने आप ताला लगने वाले दरवाजे पर गलत तरफ खड़ा पाया। अब मेरी मुख्य विशिष्टता है दो-तीन बार होटल के डैस्क व स्वागत कक्षा में आकर होटल में अपने कमरे का नम्बर पूछना। संक्षेप में, मैं जल्दी ही घबरा/गड़बड़ा जाता हूँ।
Text (Page 56) : I was thinking about this the last time we went en famille on a big trip. It was at Easter, and we were flying to England for a week. When we arrived at Logan Airport in Boston and were checking in, I suddenly remembered that I had recently joined British Airways’ frequent flyer programme. I also remembered that I had put the card in the carry-on bag that was hanging abound my neck. And here’s where the trouble started. .
Vocabulary : recently (रीसैन्टली) of late हाल ही में; frequent flyer programme (फ्रीकुऐंट फ्लायर प्रोग्राम) a programme in which you collect air miles if you travel very often by air, then you get free travel/milage according to the collected amount you have on your record जितने मील यात्रा करो, इकट्ठा करो हिसाब के मुताबिक बिना पैसे दिये यात्रा करो, फ्री; carry-on bag ( कैरी ऑन बैग) light travel bag that you can carry हल्का यात्रा का थैला जो आप स्वयं उठा सकें।
अनुवाद : मैं उसके बारे में सोच रहा था जब हम पिछली बार पूर्ण-परिवार बड़ी यात्रा पर गये थे। इस्टर के समय, हम एक सप्ताह के लिए इंग्लैंड जा रहे थे। जब हम बॉसटन में लोगन हवाई अड्डे पर पहुँचे और जाँच करवा रहे थे। अचानक मुझे याद आया कि अभी-अभी मैं ब्रिटिश एयरवेज के प्रायः उड़ने वाले कार्यक्रम में शामिल हुआ हूँ। मुझे यह भी याद आया कि मैंने कार्ड अपने साथ उठाने वाले बैग में जो मेरी गर्दन से लटक रहा था रखा था। और यहीं से मुसीबत आरम्भ हुई।
Text (Pages 56-57) : The zip on the bag was jammed. So I pulled on it and yanked at it, with grunts and frowns and increasing consternation. I kept thi§.up for some minutes but it wouldn’t budge, so I pulled harder and harder, with more grunts. Well, you can guess what happened. Abruptly the zip gave way. The side of the bag flew open and everything within — newspaper cuttings and other loose papers, a 14 — ounce tin of pipe tobacco, magazines, passport, English money, film — was extravagantly ejected over an area about the size of a tennis court.
Vocabulary : jammed ( जैमड) became fixed टस से मस न होना, अटक जाना; yanked ( जैंक्ड) pulled with a jerk झटके से खोलना; grunts (ग्रन्ट्स) produce low angry round गुर्राना; frown (फ्राउनस) wrinkles on forehead showing displeasure or deep thought माथे की सिलवट; consternation (कॉसटरनेशन) surprise and fear/dismay भय से आतंकित होना; budge (वज) move this or that way टस से मस न होना; abruptly (अबरप्टली) all of a sudden अचानक एकदम से; gave way (गेव वे) opened/accept defeat खुल गई; extravagantly (एक्सट्रवेगेन्टली) excessive अत्यधिक; ejected (इजैक्टिड) emerged बाहर निकल आये।
अनुवाद : बैग की जिप अटक गई। अतः मैंने उसे खींचा, जोर से झटके दे देकर गुराते हुए माथे पर सिलवटें डालकर, बढ़ते भय से आतंकित होकर कुछ मिनटों तक पर वह टस से मस न हुई, अतः मैंने और गुर्राते हुए और जोर से खींचा। आप अन्दाजा लगा सकते हैं क्या हुआ। अचानक जिप खुल गई। बैग की साईड एकदम से खुल गई और उसके अन्दर की सभी चीजें-समाचारपत्र की कतरनें और खुले कागज, एक 14 आऊंस का पाईप के तम्बाकू का डिब्बा, पत्रिकायें, पासपोर्ट, इंग्लिश रुपये, पैसे, फिल्म-अत्यधिक रूप से, टेनिस कोर्ट जितने क्षेत्र में बाहर निकल गये/फैल गये।
Text (Page 57) : I watched dumbstruck as a hundred carefully sorted documents came raining down in a fluttery cascade, coins bounced to a variety of noisy oblivious and the now-lidless tin of tobacco rolled crazily across the concourse disgorging its contents as it went.
Vocabulary : dumbstruck (डमस्ट्रक) silent with surprise हैरान होकर मूक होना; fluttering (फ्लटरिंग) flapping of wings पंख फड़फड़ाते हुए; cascade (कैसकेड) waterfall झरना; bounced (बाउन्सड) burst noisily खनखनाते हुए उछले; oblivious (ओबलीवियस) forgetful भूल जाने वाले; concourse (कॉनकोर्स) the open central area in a large public building (here, in the airport) प्रांगण; disgorging (डिसर्गोर्जिंग) discharging तीर की तरह बाहर निकलना; contents (कॉन्टैन्ट्स) subject matter/things in something अन्दर के पदार्थ।
अनुवाद : मैं हैरान होकर मूक देखता रहा सौ सावधानी से चुनकर निकाले हुए दस्तावेजों को फड़फड़ाते झरने की तरह बरसते हुए, खनखनाते, उछलते भूल जाने वाले, भिन्न प्रकार के सिक्के और अब बिना ढक्कन के तम्बाकू के टिन को पागलों की तरह हवाई अड्डे के प्रांगण में अपने अन्दर के पदार्थों को निकालते हुए लुढ़कता देखता रहा।
Text (Page 57): “My tobacco !” I cried in horror, thinking what I would have to pay for that much tobacco in England now that another Budget had come and gone, and then changed the cry to ‘My finger! My finger !’ as I discovered that I had gashed my finger on the zip and was shedding blood in a lavish manner. (I am not very good around flowing blood generally, but when it’s my own — well, I think hysterics are fully justified.) Confused and unable to help, my hair went into panic mode.
Vocabulary : horror (CIO) creating too much ___ fear खौफनाक; gashed (गैशड) a long and deep cut
लम्बा-गहरा घाव; shedding (शैडिंग) making to flow बहाना; lavish (लैविश) extravagant/profuse अति व्ययी, खर्चीले hysteries (हिस्टैरिक्स) state of being unconscious मूर्छित होना; panic (पैनिक) too much afraid अत्यधिक भयभीत होना।
अनुवाद : “मेरा तम्बाकू।” मैं भय से चिल्लाया, यह सोचकर कि उसमें तम्बाकू के लिए दूसरे बजट के बाद कितना पैसा खर्च करना पड़ेगा और तब मैंने अपने चिल्लाने की पुकार बदल दी, “मेरी ऊँगली ! जब मैंने पाया कि जिप खोलते समय मेरी ऊँगली में गहरा लम्बा घाव कर लिया था और उसमें से बुरी तरह से अत्यधिक मात्रा में खून बह रहा था (साधारणतया खून बहाने में अच्छा नहीं हूँ परन्तु जब मेरा अपना खून हो तो मेरे विचार में मूर्छित होना न्यायसंगत होगा।) घबराकर, जब मैं कुछ नहीं कर सका तो भय से मेरे बाल/रोंगटे खड़े हो गये।
Text (Page 57) : It was at this point that my wife looked at me with an expression of wonder – not anger or exasperation, but just simple wonder – and said: ‘I can’t believe you do this for a living.’
Vocabulary : exasperation (एक्जॉस्पीरेशन) rage/ provocation गुस्से में/भड़ककर।
अनुवाद : इसी समय मेरी पत्नी ने मुझे हैरानी के भाव से देखा-जो गुस्से से न भड़ककर, केवल हैरानी से बोली, “मुझे विश्वास नहीं आता कि अपने जीविकोपार्जन के लिए तुम यह करते हो।”
Text (Page 57): But I’m afraid it’s so. I always have catastrophes when I travel. Once on an aeroplane, I leaned over to tie a shoelace just at the moment someone in the seat ahead of me threw his seat back into full recline, and found myself pinned helplessly in the crash position. It was only by clawing the leg of the man sitting next to me that I managed to get myself freed.
Vocabulary:catastrophes (केटास्ट्रोफीज) disaster बड़ी विपत्ति; shoelace (शूलेस) string for shoes जूते का फीता; ahead (अहैड) just before/in front आगे वाली: recline (रिक्लाईन) relaxing position/to lie आराम के लिए झुकना/लेटना; pinned (पिन्ड) fixed खूटी की तरह स्थिर हो जाना; crash (क्रैश) to fall to the earth धराशायी होना; clawing (क्लोयिंग) holding like thorny nail of a beast पंजे की तरह पकड़ना।
अनुवाद : परन्तु मेरा ख्याल ऐसा ही है। जब मैं यात्रा करता हूँ तो मेरे ऊपर सदा बड़ी विपत्ति आती है। एक बार एक हवाई जहाज में में अपने जूते के फीते बाँधने के लिए झुका, तभी मेरे आगे की सीट वाले ने लेटने की स्थिति में अपनी सीट पूरी तरह खोल दी और मैं धराशायी स्थिति में असहाय सा खूटी की तरह स्थिर हो गया। पंजे की तरह अपने साथ वाली सीट के व्यक्ति की टाँग पकड़कर मैंने स्वयं को मुक्त किया।
Text (Page 58): On another occasion, I knocked a soft drink onto the lap of a sweet little lady sitting beside me. The flight attendant came and cleaned her up, and brought me a replacement drink, and instantly I knocked it onto the woman again. To this day, I don’t reaching out for the new drink and watching helplessly as my arm, like some cheap prop in one of those 1950s horror movies with a name like The Undead Limb, violently swept, the drink from its perch and onto her lap.
Vocabulary : occasion (ओकेशन) opportunity अवसर; knocked (नोक्ड) to strike down मारकर गिरा दिया; lap (लैप) गोदी; instantly (इन्सटैन्टली) immediately एकदम से; prop (प्रोप) support सहारा, खम्बा; limb (लिम्ब) arms/legs बाजू व टाँगे; violently (वायोलैटन्टली) outrageously प्रबलता से; swept (स्वैप्ट) past tense of sweep झाडू लगाया; perch (पर्च) a horizontal bar for a bird to sit (herea portable horizontal bar fitted on the side of the seat to put glasses or food tray गिलास व खाने की ट्रे रखने वाली सीट के साथ लगी पटरी।
अनुवाद : एक दूसरे अवसर पर मैंने पेय एक प्यारी, छोटी-सी औरत जो मेरे साथ बैठी थी, पर गिरा दिया। वायुयान की सेविका ने सब आकर साफ किया और मेरे लिए बदले में दूसरा पेय का गिलास ले आई। परन्तु मैंने उसे भी एकदम से पास बैठी औरत पर गिरा दिया। इस दिन तक मुझे नहीं पता वह मुझसे कैसे हो गया। मुझे केवल इतना याद है कि पेय को लेते समय मैं असहाय बाजू को देख रहा था। वैसे ही जैसे 1950 के दशक की खौफ पैदा करने वाली फिल्में जैसे ‘जिन्दा बाजू’ में एक सस्ता सहारा/खम्भा होता है। वैसे ही मेरी बाजू ने प्रबलता से झाडू लगाया और पेय को खाने की फट्टी/पटरी पर से उसकी गोदी में गिरा दिया।
Text (Page 58) : The lady looked at me with the stupefied expression you would expect to receive from someone whom you have repeatedly drenched, and uttered an oath that started with ‘Oh’. Finished with ‘sake’ and in between had some words that I have never heard uttered in public before, certainly not by a nun.
Vocabulary : stupefied (स्टूप्फाईड) deprived of sensibility भौंचक्का रह जाना, बुत बन जाना हैरानी से drenched (ड्रेन्चड) made completely wet पूरी तरह से भिगो देना; uttered (अर्टड) spoke/said कहा; oath (ओथ) swear कसम खाना; certainly (सटैन्टली) surely निश्चय ही; nun (नन) भिक्षुणी।
अनुवाद : औरत ने हतप्रभ/भौंचक्का होकर मेरी ओर इस भाव से देख जो किसी को बार-बार भिगोने पर आशा कर सकते हो और एक कसम खाई जो ‘ओह’ से आरम्भ हुई और ‘के लिए’ पर खत्म और बीच में कुछ ऐसे शब्द जो कभी लोगों के बीच, पब्लिक में मैंने कभी नहीं सुने, विशेषतया एक भिक्षुणी के मुँह से।
Text (Pages 58-59) : This, however, was not my worst experience on a plane flight. My worst experience was when I was writing important thoughts in a notebook (‘Buy socks’, ‘clutch drinks carefully’, etc.), sucking thoughtfully on the end of my pen as you do, and fell into conversation with an attractive young lady in the next seat. I amused her for perhaps 20 minutes with a scattering of urbane bons mots, then retired to the lavatory where I discovered that the pen had leaked and that my mouth, chin, tongue, teeth and gums were now a striking, scrub-resistant navy blue, and would rema 2 so for several days.
Vocabulary : clutch (* ) hold around tightly चारों तरफ से कसकर पकड़ना; sucking (सक्किंग) to draw a liquid into the mouth चूसना; amused (एम्यूजड) entertained मनोरंजन किया; scattering (स्कैटरिंग) spreading out बिखेरते हुए; urbane (अरबेन) of civil/courteous शिष्टता/शालीनता; bons mots (योन्स मॉट्स) good witty sayings मजेदार चुटकले/कहावतें; striking (सट्राइकिंग) peculiar अजीब; scrub-resistant (स्क्रब-रसिस्टैंट) that cannot be scrubbed clean जो रगड़कर न मिट सके; several (सेवरल) many बहुत से।
अनुवाद : वायु यात्रा पर यह मेरा सबसे बुरा अनुभव नहीं था। मेरा सबसे बुरा अनुभव था जब मैं अपनी नोटबुक में कुछ महत्त्वपूर्ण सोचें लिख रहा था (जुराबें खरीदनी, सावधानी से पेय के गिलासों का चारों ओर से कसकर पकड़ना आदि)। अपने पैन का एक सिरा सोचते हुए चूस रहा था। जैसे आप प्रायः करते हैं और अपने से अगली सीट पर बैठी एक आकर्षक स्त्री के साथ वार्तालाप में उलझ गया। मैं 20 मिनट तक बीच में मजेदार चुटकुले व कहावतें सुना कर उसका मनोरंजन करता रहा। जब मैं शौचालय गया तब पाया कि पैन लीक हो गया था और मेरा मुँह, ठोड़ी, जिह्वा, मसूड़े और दाँत रगड़ने से न मिटने वाले नेवी ब्ल्यू रंग में रंग गये थे और ऐसे कई दिन तक रहेंगे।
Text (Page 59): So you will understand, I trust, when I tell you how much I ache to be suave. I would love just once in my life to rise from a dinner table without looking as if I have just experienced an extremely localized seismic event, get in a car and close the door without leaving 14 inches of coat outside, wear light-coloured trousers without discovering at the end of the day that I have at various times sat in chewing gum, ice cream, cough syrup and motor oil. But it is not to be.
Vocabulary : trust (ट्रस्ट) have faith विश्वास करना; ache (ऐक) pain दर्द; suave (स्वेव) sophisticated, polite विनम्र; seismic (सेसमिक) pertaining to earthquake भूकम्प
सम्बन्धी; event (ईवन्ट) happening घटना।
अनुवाद : मेरा विश्वास है आपको समझ आ गया होगा जब मैं कहता हूँ कि विनम्र होने के लिए मैं कितना तड़पता हूँ। दर्द महसूस करता हूँ। मुझे बहुत अच्छा लगेगा अगर जिन्दगी में एक बार भी में खाने की मेज पर ऐसे उतूं जैसे मैंने केवल आस-पास के क्षेत्र में भूकम्प जैसी घटना का सामना न किया हो, कार में बैठा हूँ और उसका दरवाजा बन्द करते हुए 14 इंच कोट बाहर (लटकता) न छोड़ा हो। अथवा हल्के रंग के ट्राउजर पहन दिन के अन्त में यह न पाया हो कि मैं दिन में कितनी बार चबाने वाले रबड़, आईसक्रीम, खाँसी की दवाई और मोटर के तेल पर बैठा होऊँ। परन्तु ऐसा कभी नहीं होगा।
Text (Page 59): Now on planes when the food _is delivered, my wife says : “Take the lids off the food for Daddy’ or ‘Put your hoods up, children. Daddy’s about to cut his meat.’ Of course, this is only when I am flying with my family. When I am on my own. I don’t eat, drink or lean over to tie my shoelaces, and never put a pen anywhere near my mouth. I just sit very, very quietly, sometimes on my hands to keep them from flying out unexpectedly and causing liquid mischief. It’s not much fun, but it does at least cut down on the laundry bills.
Vocabulary : delivered (डिलिवर्ड) given दिया जाता है; lid (लिड) cover ढक्कन; hoods (हुड्स) covering for the head सिर को ढकने वाली टोपी/वस्त्र।
अनुवाद : अब जब हवाई जहाज पर खाना दिया जाता है तो मेरी पत्नी कहती है, “पिता जी की खातिर खाने का ढक्कन खोल दो’ अथवा सिर हुड से ढक लो, बच्चों आपके पिता अपना माँस (पका हुआ) काटने जा रहे हैं।’ निश्चय ही यह तब होता है जब मैं परिवार के साथ हवाई यात्रा करता हूँ। जब मैं अकेला होता हूँ तो मैं न खाता हूँ, न पीता हूँ, न झुककर अपने जूतों के फीते बाँधता हूँ और मैं पैन अपने मुँह के आस-पास भी फटकने नहीं देता। मैं बहुत ही चुप बैठता है, कभी-कभी अपने हाथों पर जिससे वह बिना उम्मीद के उड़कर, पेय की शैतानी न करें। यह ज्यादा मजा नहीं देता परन्तु इससे लान्ड्री का बिल कम आता है।
Text (Page 59) : I never did get my frequent flyer miles, by the way. I never do. I couldn’t find the card in time. This has become a real frustration for me. Everyone I know-everyone-is forever flying off to Bali first class with their air miles. I never get to collect anything. I must fly 100,000 miles a year, yet I have accumulated only about 212 air miles divided between twenty-three airlines.
Vocabulary:frequent (फ्रीकुऐन्ट) very often अक्सर; frustration (फ्रस्टेशन) extreme disappointment हताश अवस्था; accumulated (एक्यूमिलेटिड) collected इकट्ठी की हुई।
अनुवाद : मुझे कभी अक्सर उड़ान के मील नहीं मिले, मैं कभी उन्हें (इकट्ठा) न कर पाया। समय पर कभी मुझे कार्ड (जिस पर मील रिकार्ड होते हैं) नहीं मिला। यह मेरे लिए सचमुच अत्यधिक निराशा बन गई थी। हर कोई मैं जानता हूँ हर कोई अपने इकट्ठे किये हुए मीलों पर बाली अव्वल क्लास में जाता था। मैं कभी कुछ जोड़ न सका। मैंने एक वर्ष में 100,000 मील यात्रा की होगी परन्तु कुल मिलाकर 212 हवाई मील इकट्ठे कर पाया वह भी 23 एयरलाईन्स में बाँट कर।
Text (Page 59): This is because either I forget to ask for the air miles when I check in, or I remember to ask for them but the airlines then manages not to record them, or the check-in clerk informs me that I am not entitled to them. In January, on a flight to Australia for this esteemed publication – a flight for which I was going to get about a zillion air miles – the clerk shook her head when I presented my card and told me I was not entitled to any.
Vocabulary:entitled (एनटाईटल्ड) to claim अधिकार __ होना (सरकारी तौर पर); esteemed (एसटीमड) respected आदरणीय; zillion (जिलियन) a lot of बहुत से।
अनुवाद : यह ऐसे कि या तो मैं हवाई मील के बारे में भूल जाता था जब मैं यात्रा के लिए अपने पेपर जाँच करवाता और अगर मुझे याद रहता
और मैं उन्हें माँगता तो एयरलाइन्स, उनको किसी तरह रिकार्ड ही नहीं करती, अथवा जाँच करने वाला क्लर्क मुझे सूचित करता कि मैं उन्हें पाने का सरकारी रूप से अधिकारी नहीं हूँ। जनवरी में आस्ट्रेलिया की हवाई यात्रा जो आपके आदरणीय प्रकाशन के लिए कर रहा था-मुझे जिलियन हवाई मील मिलने वाले थे, क्लर्क ने अपना सिर हिला दिया जब मैंने अपना कार्ड दिया और कहा मैं उनके लिए सरकारी तौर पर अधिकारी नहीं था।
Text (Page 60) : ‘Why?’
“The ticket is in the name of B. Bryson and the card is in the name of W. Bryson.’
I explained to her the close and venerable relationship between Bill and William, but she wouldn’t have it.
Vocabulary : venerable (वेनरेबल) worthy of reverance पूज्यनीय/आदरणीय।
अनुवाद : ‘क्यों?’
“टिकट बी. ब्रायसन के नाम पर है और कार्ड डबल्यू. ब्रायसन के नाम का है।”
मैंने उसे बिल तथा विलियम के बीच नजदीकी और आदरणीय सम्बन्ध समझाया पर वह नहीं मान रही थी।
Text (Page 60) : So I didn’t get my air miles, and I won’t be flying to Bali first class yet. Perhaps just as well, really. I could never go that long without eating.
Vocabulary : perhaps (परहैप्स) possibly शायद।
अनुवाद : अत: मुझे अपने हवाई मील नहीं मिले और मैं अभी बाली अव्वल दर्जे में यात्रा नहीं कर पाऊंगा। शायद सचमुच में अच्छा ही है। मैं उतनी दूर बिना खाये पीये कभी नहीं जा सकता था।