Class-6 Supplementary Reader (A Pact With the Sun) Chapter-4, The Old Clock Shop, Additional Exercises with Solutions / NCERT/CBSE

 

The Old Clock Shop

पुरानी घड़ी की दुकान

 

CHRISTMAS Eve had arrived. As last-minute shoppers were going home, a thick, white sheet of snow lay over Salt Lake City, USA. Yet the lights were still burning in the old-clock shop, as Ray, its old, deaf owner, worked on a clock he had sold that day.

क्रिसमस की पूर्व संध्या आ गई थी। जैसे ही अंतिम समय में खरीदार घर जा रहे थे, अमेरिका के साल्ट लेक सिटी के ऊपर बर्फ की एक मोटी, सफेद चादर बिछी हुई थी। फिर भी पुरानी घड़ी की दुकान में रोशनी अभी भी जल रही थी, क्योंकि रे, इसके बुजुर्ग, बहरे मालिक, उस घड़ी पर काम कर रहे थे जिसे उन्होंने उस दिन बेचा था।

 

Having finished his work, Ray stood up and was on his

way to the back room when a cold rush of air from the front

door hit the back of his neck.

अपना काम समाप्त करने के बाद, रे खड़ा हो गया और पीछे के कमरे में जा रहा था, जब सामने के दरवाजे से ठंडी हवा उसकी गर्दन के पिछले हिस्से से टकराई।

 

He turned to meet a last-minute shopper, but his old, wise eyes told him that this was not a shopper. He saw two men, one in his twenties, the other closer to fifty. The younger man remained at the door. The older man approached the counter with no sign of friendliness in his eyes. Ray was able to hide his growing fear as he slowly pushed a notepad and a pencil across the counter.

वह अंतिम समय के एक दुकानदार से मिलने के लिए मुड़ा, लेकिन उसकी बूढ़ी, समझदार आँखों ने उसे बताया कि यह कोई दुकानदार नहीं है। उसने दो आदमियों को देखा, जिनमें से एक उम्र के बीसवे दशक में थी, दूसरे की पचास के करीब। छोटा आदमी दरवाजे पर ही रह गया। बूढ़ा आदमी काउंटर के पास पहुंचा, उसकी आँखों में मित्रता (सद्भाव) का कोई निशान नहीं था। रे अपने बढ़ते डर को छिपाने में सक्षम था और उसने धीरे-धीरे एक नोटपैड और एक पेंसिल

को काउंटर पर धकेला।

 

He smiled at the unfriendly face, then pointed to his ears and shook his head from side to side. A quick look of surprise changed the man’s face as he studied the notepad, then turned and said something to his friend.

वह उस अनजान चेहरे को देखकर मुस्कुराया, फिर अपने कानों की ओर इशारा किया और अपने सिर को बगल से हिलाया। आश्चर्य के भाव ने उसके चेहरे क भाव बदल दिया, उसने नोटपैड का अध्ययन किया, फिर मुड़ा और अपने मित्र से कुछ कहा।

 

Ray used the chance to look closely at the man, paying

attention to the shape of a gun and a restless hand in the

man’s right coat-pocket. Anger boiled within him, but it was

kept down by an inner voice that said, “Be still.” He wrote on

the notepad, “May I help you?” For the first time the older man looked directly at Ray and smiled. A cruel, mocking smile.

They both understood why he was there, why his friend

remained at the door. They looked like men who were down

on their luck, and were now ready to try something they would

later be sorry about.

 

रे ने मौके का इस्तेमाल उस आदमी को करीब से देखने के लिए किया,

आदमी के दाहिने कोट-जेब में बेचैन हाथ पर ध्यान दिया, उसके भीतर क्रोध उबल रहा था, लेकिन उसे एक आंतरिक आवाज ने शांत कर दिया, जो कहती थी, "शांत रहो।" उन्होंने नोटपैड पर लिखा, "क्या मैं आपकी मदद कर सकता हूँ ?" पहली बार बूढ़े ने सीधे रे की ओर देखा और मुस्कुराया। एक क्रूर, मजाकिया मुस्कान। वे दोनों समझ गए कि वह वहां क्यों था, उसका दोस्त दरवाजे पर क्यों रहा। वे ऐसे पुरुषों की तरह दिखते थे जो अपनी किस्मत से निराश थे, और अब कुछ ऐसा करने के लिए तैयार थे जिसके लिए उन्हें बाद में पछतावा होगा।

 

The clocks ticked on. Ray calmly wrote another message.

“Have you come to pick up a clock or watch?” Then he pointed to the ‘loan’ board filled with hanging clocks and pocket watches. He was not a pawnbroker, but at the same time couldn’t say ‘No’ to the needy people who placed their old watches or clocks before him for anything they could get. He loaned more than he should. They would be there when the owners wanted them back ... at the same price he had paid, with no interest. 

घड़ियाँ बजती रहीं। रे ने शांति से एक और संदेश लिखा। "क्या तुम घड़ी या जेब  घड़ी लेने आए हो?" फिर उसने लटकी हुई घड़ियों और जेब घड़ियों से भरे 'ऋण' बोर्ड की ओर इशारा किया। वह साहूकार नहीं था, लेकिन साथ ही उन जरूरतमंद लोगों को 'ना' नहीं कह सकता था, जो अपनी पुरानी घड़ियाँ या जेब घड़ियाँ उसके सामने रख देते थे, जो कुछ मिल सके उसके लिए। उसने जितना देना चाहिए उससे ज्यादा उधार दिया| वे तब वापस होंगी जब मालिक उन्हें वापस चाहेंगे  ... उसी कीमत पर जिसका भुगतान किया था, बिना किसी ब्याज के। 

 

Then the older man seemed to feel a little easier, took out his hand from his pocket and quickly looked at the watch on his wrist. “How much will you give me for this?” the man wrote. 

तब बूढ़े को कुछ आसान लगने लगा, उसने अपनी जेब से हाथ निकाला और जल्दी से अपनी कलाई पर लगी घड़ी की ओर देखा। "इसके लिए आप मुझे कितना देंगे?" आदमी ने लिखा। 

 

Ray noticed a little shame in the grey eyes looking at him. The watch was nothing special and yet had great powers. It was something to exchange, a way out of a bad situation. Knowing that great need had brought the man to his shop in the first place, Ray asked, “How much do you need for it?” The reply came back on the notepad: “Whatever it’s worth.” 

ग्रे आँखों में रे ने उसे देखकर थोड़ी शर्मिंदगी महसूस की। घड़ी कुछ खास नहीं थी और फिर भी दम था । यहाँ आदान-प्रदान एक बुरी स्थिति से बाहर निकलने का रास्ता था । यह जानते हुए कि एक बड़ी आवश्यकता उस व्यक्ति को इस दुकान पर लायी थी, रे ने पूछा, "आपको इसका कितना चाहिए?" उत्तर नोटपैड पर वापस आया: " इसका जो कुछ भी मिल सके।" 

 

Ray reached into his cash-box, pulled out a fifty-dollar note and passed it into the man’s hand. As they shook hands, Ray looked into the man’s eyes; they seemed to say, “Thankyou!” They both knew the watch wasn’t worth that much. Before turning to leave, the man wrote, “I will be back to pick it up as soon as I can. Merry Christmas!” 

रे अपने कैश-बॉक्स तक पहुंचा, पचास डॉलर का नोट निकाला और उस आदमी के हाथ में दे दिया। जैसे ही उन्होंने हाथ मिलाया, रे ने उस आदमी की आँखों में देखा; वे मानो कह रही थीं , "धन्यवाद!" वे दोनों जानते थे कि घड़ी की कीमत इतनी नहीं है। जाने के लिए मुड़ने से पहले, उस व्यक्ति ने लिखा, “जितनी जल्दी हो सके मैं इसे लेने के लिए वापस आऊंगा। क्रिसमस की शुभकामनाएँ !" 

 

The little story ended in the half hour with the clocks striking all together. The timepieces, which had been looking on silently all the while, rang out the time with such feeling that even Ray thought he could hear them. Their sweet, musical message was filled with hope. The timeless message of ‘Peace on earth, goodwill towards all’ was felt by the three men who stood in the old-clock shop. 

छोटी कहानी आधे घंटे में समाप्त हो गई और सभी घड़ियां एक साथ बज उठीं। घड़ियाँ, जो हर समय चुपचाप रहती थीं, इस समय आवाज़ कर रही थीं कि और रे को भी ऐसा महसूस हो रहा था कि वह उन्हें सुन सकते हैं। उनका मधुर, संगीतमय संदेश आशा से भरा था। 'पृथ्वी पर शांति, सभी के प्रति सद्भावना' का कालातीत संदेश-उन तीन लोगों द्वारा महसूस किया गया जो पुरानी घड़ी की दुकान में खड़े थे। 

 

Choose the correct answer:

 

1-   What was the approximate age of the last minute shopper?

a.     Fifty (✔)

b.    Twenty

c.     Thirty

 

2-   What did the shopkeeper push across the counter?

a.     A wrist watch

b.    A notepad and a pencil (✔)

c.     A fifty-dollar note

 

3-   Where did Ray pay his attention when the man was talking to his companion?

a.     the shape of a gun and a restless hand in the man’s right coat-pocket (✔)

b.    Watches on the load board

c.     Talk of both the men.

 

4-   What did Ray write on the note pad?

a.     “May I help you?” (✔)

b.    “It’s closing time, so please come tomorrow.”

c.     “I am unable to listen.”

 

 

Fill in the blanks:

 

grey eyes, luck, clock, growing fear, friendliness

 

 

1-   The old, deaf owner of the shop was working on a clock.

2-   Ray was able to hide his growing fear as he slowly pushed a notepad and a pencil across the counter.

3-   The older man approached the counter with no sign of friendliness in his eyes.

4-   The two visitors looked like men who were down on their luck.

5-   Ray noticed a little shame in the grey eyes looking at him.

 

 

State whether these statements are true or false:

 

1-   The incident took place on Christmas Eve. (True)

2-   The ‘loan’ board was filled with hanging clocks and pocket watches. (True)

3-   The shopkeeper was looking very nervous. (False)

 

4-   Ray loaned more than he should. (True)

5-   Ray used to return watches to owners with double interest. (False)

 

 

Answer these questions 

 

1. What made Ray think the visitor was not really a shopper?

Ans-  Ray’s wise eyes could tell that the visitor was not really a shopper because there was no sign of friendliness in his eyes.  

 

2. Why do you think he had come to the shop? 

Ans- He was approaching the counter with no sign of friendliness in his eyes and this was growing fear in Ray. Therefore, we can say that he had not come for the purpose of shopping.

 

3. How did Ray communicate with him? 

Ans- Ray pushed a notepad and a pencil across the counter and communicated by writing on it.

 

 

4. What do you think the man said to his friend who waited at the door? 

Ans- I think the man said to his friend that the shop owner is deaf and they can’t loot as per the plan.

 

5. Ray was not a pawnbroker. Why then did he lend money to people in exchange for their old watches and clocks? 

Ans- Ray was not a pawnbroker, but at the same time couldn’t say ‘No’ to the needy people who placed their old watches or clocks before him for anything they could get. Actually he loaned more than he should.

 

6. “The watch was nothing special and yet had great powers.” In what sense did it have ‘great powers’? 

Ans- The watch was nothing special and yet had great powers because the shopkeeper was a generous man and used to help people in need.

 

7. Do you think the man would ever come back to pick up the watch? 

Ans- I think the man would come back to pick up the watch because he was moved by the goodwill and gesture of the shopkeeper.

 

8. When did “the unfriendly face” of the visitor turn truly friendly?

Ans-  The unfriendly face of the visitor turned friendly when the shopkeeper gave him a fifty dollar note for the watch because he knew that the watch was not worth that match.

 

 

Click here to reach the Table of Contents of this book