9th English (TL)
Textbook Solutions
SUPPLEMENTARY READING
1. NAPOLEON’S THREE QUESTIONS
Answer the following questions:
1. Who was Napoleon Bonaparte and when was he born?
Ans.- Napoleon Bonaparte was a prominent military leader in Europe. He was born in 1769 on the Mediterranean Island of Corsica.
2. How did he inspect his troops?
Ans.-Napoleon would inspect his troops by looking at their faces with care. He would often put a few questions to the soldiers whose names he thought he had forgotten.
3. Why did the soldiers like the Swede?
Ans.-The soldiers liked the Swede because he had a friendly face, was tall, handsome, and had strong-looking arms and shoulders. Additionally, he admired Napoleon and wanted to join the French army to fight for him.
4. What were the three questions usually asked by Napoleon?
Ans.-The three questions usually asked by Napoleon were:
a. “How old are you?”
b. “How long have you been in the army?”
c. “Did you serve in either of my last two campaigns?”
5. Why did the Swede practise answers for many days?
Ans.-The Swede practiced the answers for many days because he wanted to be prepared for Napoleon’s inspection. He wanted to give the correct responses to the questions that Napoleon typically asked his soldiers.
6. “Both, sir” – what does this mean in the beginning and at the end?
Ans.- In the beginning, when the Swede says “Both, sir,” it means that he is declaring that he is both mad and Napoleon is also mad. At the end, when he says “Both, sir” again, it is a proud response to Napoleon’s statement, indicating that both of them are indeed mad.
