George Takes a Walk
I.Summary
1. George’s Decision to Walk:
George, one of the three main characters, decides to take a solitary walk in the
countryside while the narrator (J.) and Harris are occupied with other activities.
2. Good Intentions Gone Awry:
George hopes for a peaceful and relaxing walk, enjoying the countryside and the fresh
air.
3. Comedic Mishaps:
During the walk, George encounters a series of humorous and unexpected problems,
disrupting his peaceful outing.
4. Misunderstandings:
George’s interactions with nature and the people he meets lead to comical
misunderstandings, showcasing the absurdity of the situation.
5. Exaggerated Humor:
The chapter highlights Jerome K. Jerome’s style of blending exaggerated humor with
everyday situations, turning simple moments into comedic events.
6. Theme of Human Nature:
The chapter reflects on the quirks and foibles of human nature, making light of the way
people often complicate simple tasks.
7. Light-Hearted Interlude:
The episode serves as a light-hearted break in the larger context of the group’s river
journey, adding humor and providing a contrast to the more serious parts of the
narrative.
II.Word Meaning
1. No earthly necessity–here, no urgent need.
2. Death to us– here, intolerable.
3. Hauled down– pulled down.
4. Sprang –to jump or move suddenly.
5. Unusual course–uncommon practice.
6. Dilapidated –old and broken.
7. Undisguised –clearly shown and not hidden.
8. Slinking –to move quiet, secret, or stealthy way, often due to fear, shame, or
embarrassment.
9. Scuttleful –a scuttle (used to store coal)
10. Burglars –a person who enters a building illegally in order to steal.
III.Sentence
1.Burglars: The burglars broke into the house in the middle of the night, looking for
valuable items.
2. Hauled down: The heavy painting was hauled down from the wall and carefully placed
on the floor for inspection.
3. Dilapidated: The old, dilapidated house had broken windows and a collapsing roof,
showing signs of years of neglect.
4. Undisguised:She looked at the painting with undisguised admiration, clearly
impressed by the artist's talent.
5.Slinking: The cat was slinking around the corner, trying to avoid being noticed by
anyone in the room.
IV. One-Word Answer Questions:
1. What time did George wake up?
Answer: Six
2. Where was George lodging at the time?
Answer: Mrs Gippings
3. What was the time on George's watch when he first checked it?
Answer: Quarter-past eight
4. What was George’s reaction when he saw the time?
Answer: Shock
5. What did George do after checking his watch?
Answer: Rushed
6. How far did George run to reach Holborn?
Answer: Quarter
7. What was the policeman’s response to George's question about the time?
Answer: "Listen"
8. What time did George realize it actually was?
Answer: Three
9. Who accompanied George home?
Answer: Plain-clothes constables
10. What did George do when he got home after his walk?
Answer: Sat
V.Fill-in-the-Blanks:
1. George was shocked when he found out that his watch had stopped and showed the
wrong time. Answer:
2. George initially thought he had to be in the City by nine.
3. When George reached the policeman, he asked him for the time.
4. After his restless morning, George attempted to sleep but found it impossible to sleep.
5. George was afraid that Mrs G would think he was a burglar when he was making noise
inside the house.
VI.Answer the following question.
1. What is the main theme of the story "George Takes a Walk"?
Answer:The main theme of the story is humor. The story highlights the amusing and
unexpected adventures of George, whose seemingly simple walk turns into a series of
humorous and absurd incidents.
2. Why does George decide to go for a walk?
Answer: George decides to go for a walk to relax and enjoy a peaceful stroll. However,
his walk soon turns into an unexpected and comical series of events.
3. What kind of person is George?
Answer: George is portrayed as a somewhat whimsical and carefree character, who
enjoys walking and observing life. He tends to get easily distracted by trivial things,
which leads to humorous situations.
4. What did George realize after running for a quarter of a mile?
Answer: George realized that there were very few people around, and no shops were
open, which seemed strange for that time of day.
5. What did he see when he reached Holborn?
Answer: When George reached Holborn, he saw that not a single shop was open, there
were no buses around, and the streets were mostly empty, except for a few people and a
market-cart full of cabbages.
6. How did he find out the actual time?
Answer:George found out the actual time when a nearby clock struck three, indicating
that it was still very early in the morning.
7. What did George do after he reached home the first time?
Answer:After reaching home, George thought of going back to bed but decided to stay
awake. He tried playing chess and reading, but eventually, he put on his coat and went
for a walk.
8.What did George do after he reached home the first time?
Answer:After reaching home, George thought of going back to bed but decided to stay
awake. He tried playing chess and reading, but eventually, he put on his coat and went
for a walk.
9. Why did he start slinking down the by-streets and hiding in dark
doorways?
Answer:George started slinking down the by-streets and hiding because the policemen
were watching him suspiciously, and he began feeling as though he had done something
wrong.
10.Why did George give up trying to make breakfast for himself?
Answer:George gave up trying to make breakfast because he kept dropping things and
making a lot of noise, which made him fear that he would wake up Mrs. Gippings, who
might call the police thinking there were burglars in the house.
V.Think and Answer
1. Do you think George has a vivid imagination? Give reasons for
your answer.
Answer:Yes, George has a vivid imagination. He imagines getting caught by the police,
being wrongly accused of being a burglar, going to trial, and even being sentenced to 20
years in prison. His mind goes to extremes over a simple situation.
2. Which part(s) of the story did you find especially humorous?
Explain with reference from the lesson.
Answer:The humorous part of the story is when George rushes out of the house in a
panic, thinking he is late, only to find that it is still early in the morning and the world
hasn't woken up yet. The irony of him being watched by the police because of his
strange behavior also adds to the humor.
