(Part II) English Lesson 11: First Year at Horrow

Writer: Sir Winston Churchill

Q1: The writer says that the examiners ask questions which students cannot answer and not those which they can answer. Is the complaint just?

Ans: I think the complaint is not just. If a student studies well, and goes though his complete book and syllabus, there will be no complaint. Those who do not touch books will never be able to answer any question. Sometimes students do not study some particular subject because they do not like it. Therefore, they are unable to answer questions.

Q2: What sort of questions are asked by your examiners?

Ans: Our examiners ask reasonable question. They ask neither too easy not too difficult question. A question should be asked to test the knowledge of students, rather to put them in difficulty. An examiner should also keep in mind, the level of students, and the study condition while setting the paper.

Q3: Why did not Churchill do well in examinations?

Ans: Churchill did not like Latin and mathematics; instead he was interested in poetry and essay writing. The examiners were interested in Latin and Mathematics. That's way he did not do well in examinations.

Q4: How did he do his Latin paper?

Ans: Churchill did not do his Latin paper well. He had two hours to solve it. He wrote question 1 and then had nothing to write. After a long thinking he put a bracket or like (1). Then he was sorry to see many blots and smudges on the answer sheet. He did not know where these smudges come from?

Q5: Churchill was taught English at Harrow and not Latin and Greek. Was it a gain or loss?

Ans: It was not a loss at all. The intelligent students, who had been learning Latin, had to come down to common English to earn their living. In this regard Churchill was at gain, because he had been learning English for a long time.

 

Q6: What good did his three years stay at Harrow do him?

Ans: Churchill got an ample time to learn English. Those who were learning Latin, they had to learn English to earn their living and Latin was of no use for them in practical life. Churchill learnt English which helped him in his practical life.

Q7: In after years how did the knowledge of English stand him in good stead?

Ans: Churchill was not very intelligent student, that's why he was not sent to Latin and Greek classes. He had been learning English only, which proved very helpful for his practical life. It helped him in earning his living.

Q8: Write an appreciation or criticism of Churchill's views in regard to the study of Latin, Greek and English and their value in earning a living.

Ans: Churchill seems to be little biased toward English. As today, English was need of time in Churchill's time. He was of the view that one should learn English. Those who are claver, they should learn Latin an honour and Greek as a treat.