The Cop And The Anthem

Activity Sheet No 1

Read the extract and complete the activities given below: (12)

Soapy left his bench and strolled out of the square and across the level sea of asphalt, where Broadway and Fifth Avenue flow together. Up Broadway he turned, and stopped at a luxurious cafe. Soapy had confidence in himself from the lowest button of his vest upward. He was shaven, and his coat was trim and his neat, black bow had been presented to him by a lady missionary on Thanksgiving Day. If only he could reach a table in the restaurant unsuspected, success would be his. The portion of him that would show above the table would raise no doubt in the waiter’s mind. A roasted mallard duck, thought Soapy, would be about the thing with a bottle of wine and then some cheese, a cup of coffee and a cigar. One dollar for the cigar would be enough. The total would not be so high as to call forth any extreme of revenge from the cafe management; and yet the meat would leave him filled and happy for the journey to his winter island. But as Soapy set foot inside the restaurant door, the

head-waiter’s eye fell upon his tattered trousers and decadent shoes. Strong and ready hands turned him about and conveyed him in silence and haste to the side-walk and averted the ignoble fate of the menaced mallard. Soapy turned off Broadway. It

seemed that his route to the coveted island was not to be an easy one. Some other way of entering the limbo must be devised. At a corner of Sixth Avenue electric lights and cunningly displayed wares behind plate glass made a shop window attractive.

Soapy took a stone and dashed it through the glass. People came running round the corner, a policeman in the lead. Soapy stood still with his hands in his pockets, and smiled at the sight of brass buttons. “Where’s the man that done that?” inquired the officer agitatedly. “Don’t you think that I might have had something to do with it?” said Soapy, with a friendly voice, as one greets good fortune. The policeman refused to accept Soapy even as a clue. Men who smash windows do not remain to chat with the police. They take to their heels. The policeman saw a man half-way down the block running to catch a car. With drawn club he joined in the pursuit. Soapy, with disgust in his heart, drifted along, twice unsuccessful.

A1 Soapy’s attempts to get into Winter Island: (2)

Attempt 1 : Soapy tried to enter a luxurious cafe. He thought to consume enough eatables and refuse to pay the bill. That would enable him to land in to a Winter Island i.e. jail. But the waiter prohibited him from entering the cafe.

Attempt 2 : He smashed the glass with a stone and remained on the spot to get arrested.  

A2 Complete the given statement in 30 words. (2)

Soapy couldn’t enter the restaurant because………

Soapy couldn’t enter the restaurant because his shoes were decadent and trousers was tattered. The head waiter in the luxurious cafe found it and turned him away. Soapy missed the mallard duck. 

A3 Soapy had confidence in himself from the lowest button of his vest upward. Here the

lowest button of his vest upward means ……………. (2)

Ans : He was wearing a coat and a black bow. He was cleanly shaven. This suited to the luxurious cafe. But his tattered trousers and decadent shoes didn't suit the cafe. Here the lowest button of his vest upward means his appearance after sitting at the table.

A4 If a person tries to damage the public property, how you will react in such a situation.

(write your response in 3/ 4 lines) (2)

Ans : If a person tries to damage the public property, I will explain the importance of public property. I will try to convince him/her not to damage. We all are the owner of public property. How can we damage our own property.

A5 Do as directed. (2)

1) The policeman refused to accept Soapy even as a clue.

(Choose the correct alternative to transform as a negative statement)

i) The policeman didn’t accept Soapy even as a clue.

ii) The policeman had never accepted Soapy even as a clue.

iii) The policeman didn’t accepted Soapy even as a clue.

iv) The policeman couldn’t accept Soapy even as a clue.

3) “Don’t you think that I might have had something to do with it?” said Soapy.

(Choose the correct alternative to change the sentence into indirect speech)

i) Soapy asked if he didn’t think that he might have something to do with that.

ii) Soapy asked if he didn’t think that he might have had something to do with that.

iii) Soapy asked if he didn’t thought that he might have had something to do with that.

iv) Soapy asked if he didn’t think that he might had had something to do with that.

A6. Match the words in column A with column B: (2)

 A                                               B

1) stroll                   a) border place between heaven and hell

2) decadent           b) walk in a leisurely way

3) limbo.                 c) old and worn out

4) coveted              d) very hard and torn

                                 e) greatly desired

1) stroll -    b) walk in a leisurely way

2) decadent - d) very hard and torn

3) limbo  -   a) border place between heaven

4) coveted  -    e) greatly desired

Activity Sheet No 2 

A1. Global Understanding 

Complete the web chart. 

A2. Complex Factual 

Give reason : 1. Soapy was confident of himself to enter into cafe because .........

2. He could not enter the cafe because.....

A3. Inference 

Explain why Soapy misbehaved. 

A4. PRT

Write an incident when you felt scared of police. 

A5. Language Study

1. But as Soapy set foot inside the restaurant door, the head-waiter's eye fell upon his tattered trousers and decadent shoes. ( Rewrite using 'no sooner .... than ) 

2. Some other way of entering the limbo must be devised. (Begin the sentence with "Soapy.......)

A6. Find the words which mean: 

a. decorated b. without doubt c. danger d. greatly desired 

Key

A1.  Soapy thought to eat - 

1. a roasted mullard duck  2. cheese 3. wine 4.  coffee ( draw the diagram and put these there )

A2.(1) Soapy was confident to enter the luxurious cafe because he was shaven and wearing a decorated coat , black neat bow. 

(2) He could not enter the cafe because the head-water's eye fell upon his tattered trousers and worn out shoes. 

A3.  Soapy misbehaved. He took a stone and dashed it through the glass of shop window. He did this to get arrested as he utterly wanted a roof in winter days to save himself from the cold. 

A4. Once I got scared of police. I was riding a bike and I had no valid license for riding. At the corner I saw a traffic police checking vehicles. Seeing him there I got frightened. 

 A5. 1. But no sooner did Soapy set foot inside the restaurant door than the head-waiter's eye fell upon his tattered trousers and decadent shoes. 

2.  Soapy must devise some other way of entering the limbo.

A6. 

a. decorated - trim b. without doubt  - unsuspectedly c. danger -manaced  d. greatly desired - coveted 

Activity Sheet No 3

A1 State whether the following statements are true or false.

a) Soapy was hungry and trying to get food.

b) He was trying to get arrested.

c) He was drunken and so he was misbehaving.

d) Soapy wanted umbrella because it was raining.

A2. Arrange the following statements in order as the events occurred in the extract

a) Seeing the cop Soapy began to yell like a drunkard.

b) Two waiters threw Soapy on the pavement for not paying the bill.

c) Soapy picked up the umbrella and walked away.

d) Soapy consumed eatables at a restaurant and declared he had no money.

A3. The umbrella owner slowed his steps. Soapy did likewise. Explain the underlined expression. 

A4. Discuss what will you do to earn your livelihood.

A5. Language Study

1. In a cigar store he saw a well-dressed man lighting a cigar. ( Frame wh question to get the underlined part as an answer.)

2. Why don't you call a cop? ( Rewrite as an assertive sentence.) 

A6. Give the antonyms.

1. Disconsolate 2. Slowly 3. Harsh 4. buttoned 

Key

A1. a) Soapy was hungry and trying to get food. True

b) He was trying to get arrested. True

c) He was drunken and so he was misbehaving. False

d) Soapy wanted umbrella because it was raining. False

A2. 

d) Soapy consumed eatables at a restaurant and declared he had no money.

b) Two waiters threw Soapy on the pavement for not paying the bill.

a) Seeing the cop Soapy began to yell like a drunkard.

c) Soapy picked up the umbrella and walked away.

A3 Soapy did likewise means Soapy did the same the umbrella owner did . The umbrella owner followed Soapy as he grabbed the umbrella. When Soapy asked the man to call the police, the man slowed his steps. Soapy also slowed down his steps to make sure the man called the police. Soapy wanted to get arrested. 

A4 . I will set up a start up.  I will get necessary guidance from the expert. Thereafter I will apply for loan and set up a small business with the help of parents. 

A5. 1. Where did he see  a well-dressed man lighting a cigar?

       2. You should call a cop. 

A6. 1. Disconsolate - happy 2. Slowly - fast, hastily 3. Harsh - soft 4. buttoned - unbuttoned 

Vocabulary Test

Brainstorming Activities 

(A1) (i) Discuss with your partner and find out the different ways in which Soapy 

tried to get arrested. The first one is given.

(ii) Describe the atmosphere when Soapy reached near the Church.

(A2) (i) Read the story and match the incidents given in Column A with the 

consequences given in Column B.

Column A	Column B
(1) Soapy tried to enter a cafe.	A) The cop ran after another man
(2) Soapy broke a glass window.	B. Suddenly a wonderful change came in his heart.
(3) Two waiters pitched Soapy on  the callous pavement.	C. Dream of turning around in life was  shattered.
(4) Soapy heard the anthem being  played in the Church.	D.  He stood up slowly beating the dust  from his clothes.ch.
(5) Cop arrests Soapy for hanging  around.	E. Strong and ready hands of the head waiter turned him around.

Ans: 1-E, 2-A, 3-D,4-B 5-C

(ii) Give reasons and complete the following :

 (a) Soapy had confidence in himself because he was saven and his coat was trim.

 (b) The head waiter of the luxurious cafe did not allow Soapy to enter because his eyes fell upon Soapy's trousers and decadent shoes.

 (c) The cop did not arrest Soapy for breaking the glass window because he didn't believe Soapy had smashed the window glass.

 (d) The cop did not arrest Soapy for shouting and dancing because he thought Soapy was Yale lad celebrating.

(iii) Pick out the lines from the text which show that : 

 (a) Soapy wants to enter the cafe for two reasons. 

Lines: Yet the meat would leave him filled and happy for the journey to his winter island.

 (b) Soapy was afraid that he won't be able to enter the prison.

Lines : It seemed that his route to the coveted island was not to be an easy one.

 (c) Soapy was not caught by the cop for throwing stones at the glass.

Lines : The policeman refused to accept Soapy even as a clue.

 (d) Soapy actually did not want the umbrella.

Lines : He hurled the umbrella angrily into an excavation.

 (e) Listening to the anthem, Soapy remembered his good old days.

Lines: And the anthem that the organist played cemented Soapy to the iron fence, for he had known it well in the days when his life contained such things as mothers and roses and ambitions and friends and immaculate thoughts and collars.

(iv) ‘He would make a man of himself again’ – The word ‘man’ in the sentence 

means

(v) Soapy’s earlier life was much different from his present life. Complete the 

table to show this contrast. One is done for you.

Earlier life	Present life.
(a) Contained friends  and roses	( a) Unworthy desires
(b) Mother and ambitions	(b)No roof, No destination, degraded days
(c) Clean thoughts and collars	(c) Villainous attitude, decadent shoes dead hopes

(vi) After listening to the sweet and solemn organ notes, Soapy decides to : 

(a) Soapy decides to lead a simple life working hard to earn livelihood. He would try to be placed as a driver.

(A3) (i) O’Henry has used different words to indicate prison where Soapy wants 

to reach. Make a list of those words.

And : winter island, coveted island, limbo, the island,

(ii) Find out the words used for the 'degraded state of Soapy'.

Ans : degraded days, unworthy desires,dead hopes, wrecked faculties and base motives

(iii) The specific meaning of word 'anthem' in the content of the story is.......

Prayer offered in the church

(A4) (i) Convert the following sentences into negative without changing their 

meanings.

(a) The policeman refused to accept Soapy even as a clue.

Ans : The policeman didn't accept Soapy even as a clue.

(b) Soapy drifted along twice unsuccessful.

Ans : Soapy didn't drift along twice successful.

(c) Soapy stopped his unavailing racket.

Ans : Soapy didn't continue his unavailing racket.

(d) The island seemed very far away.

Ans : The island didn't seem near ( in his realm) .

(e) The island seemed an unattainable Arcadia.

Ans : The island didn't seem an attainable Arcadia.

(ii) Convert the following sentences into affirmative without changing their

meanings.

(a) Men who smash windows do not remain to chat with the police.

Ans : Men who smash windows avoid to chat with the police.

(b) Why don’t you call a cop?

Ans: You should call the police.

(c) On the opposite side of the street was a restaurant of no great pretensions.

Ans :On the opposite side of the street was a restaurant of less pretensions.

(d) Noisy; but no harm.

Ans : Noisy; but harmless.

(e) They seemed to regard him as a King who could do no wrong.

Ans: They seemed to regard him as a King who could do everything right.

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