The document provides information about coaching classes available in Zainapora, Kashmir for various subjects like English, Education, and others. It lists the subjects and topics covered, along with contact information for the instructor, Mr. Mudasir Amin. It then provides sample lessons and questions from short stories "After Twenty Years" by O'Henry and "Forgetting" by Robert Lynd to demonstrate the type of material covered in the English coaching classes.

1. IN THE NAME OF ALLAH
ZAINAPORA SHOPIAN KASHMIR J&K
Coaching classes are available for class 11th
, 12th
, B.A, B.SC.,
B.COM (1ST
, 2ND
, 3RD
YEAR)
Subjects Taught:- Gen. English, Education.
 Strong Grammar
 Pronunciation
 Presentation
 Group Discussion
 Vocabulary
 Personal Development
 Art Of Public Speaking
Notes Compiled By:-
MR. MUDASIR AMIN
Resi:-DURPORA SHOPIAN.
M.A(ENGLISH), B. Ed., M. Ed, Ph. D
(KASHMIR UNIVERSITY, CU JAMMU)
JOIN
ENGLISH SPEAKING
COURSE
A COURSE ESPECIALLY
DESIGNED FOR FUTURE
PROFESSIONAL
FOR FURTHER DETAILS CONTACT:- 9906413078, 7780859396
E-MAIL:-- mudasiramin761@gmail.com

2. LESSON NO.1 AFTER TWENTY YEARS
(O’HENRY)
O’Henery is the name of William Sydney Poter. A pen name, non deplume or literary double
is a pseudonym adopted by an author.
Some more pen names
Real Name Pen Name
Nora Roberts JD Robb
Samuel Langhorne Mark Twain
Charles Dodgson Lewis Carol
Marry Ann Evans George Eliot
Long Answer Type Questions
Q.No.1: Compare and contrast the characters of Jimmy and Bob? (Important)
Ans: Jimmy and Bob are childhood friends. They have been raised together in New York as
two Brothers. But there is a great difference between the two. They are poles apart. Jimmy
wells is an honest and upright character. He has great love for New York and does not wish
to go anywhere else. He becomes a police officer in New York. He is highly loyal and dutiful.
He does not hesitate to get his old friend arrested when he recognizes him as the man
wanted in Chicago.
Bob is over-ambitious and goes out to the west to make his fortune. There he becomes a
notorious criminal wanted in many cases. He gets lot of wealth but at the cost of his
reputation. In the end he is arrested in New York by his own childhood friend Jimmy Wells.
He is an underworld character.
Q.No.2: Give the character sketch of BOB? OR
What is it that makes it difficult for us to dislike Bob inspite of his being an underworld
character? Discuss?
Ans: The Later part of the story ‘‘After Twenty Years” shows bob as a character of the
underworld. He follows no principles of morality and so he makes money in the west by
indulging in criminal activities. On his return after a period twenty years to meet his friend
jimmy, Bob looks quiet prosperous. Jimmy dutiful police officer gets Bob arrested for his
crimes. But it is difficult for us to dislike Bob. The story brings out the good side of his
character as we see him come after travelling a distance of thousand miles to meet his
friend. He keeps his promise. He values his friendship with Jimmy Wells above everything
else. We do not know what criminal activities he indulged in because we are simply told that
he became an underworld character and was wanted by Chicago police.
It is a real irony of fate that his own friend Jimmy Wells should get him arrested. We can’t
help sympathizing with him.

3. (Q No. 3) Give the character sketch of Jimmy Wells, the policeman?
(Ans.) Jimmy is very conscientious as a policeman. He conducted the behavior as exemplary.
He is an upright man. He is devoted to his duty. He had done his duty honestly and
efficiently. During his beat, he moves on the road impressively. He has a keen and a watchful
eye.
He is a law abiding citizen. He considers it his duty to arrest a criminal and get him
punished. His sense of duty is stronger than love for his friend. He is not swayed by any
emotion of friendship.
He is sincere friend. He valued his friendship with Bob. He keeps his promise of meeting
his friend after a period of twenty years at the same place where they had portioned. He
finds himself in a fixation when he is faced with the question of his friend’s arrest. He sends
somebody else to arrest Bob and had done his duty.
Q. No.4: How would you categorize the story “After Twenty Years” comic or tragic? Give a
reasoned answer?
Ans.: The story “After Twenty Years” by O’ Henry has a fairly unexpected ending quite tragic
in nature. O’ Henry has underlined the importance of the role of chance or fate in human
life. There is hardly anything in this story that should prompt us to call it comic. It does not
make us laugh at all. There is no element of fun and humour in this story. Its ending is quite
heart touching.
The story ends with the arrest of Bob. It is his best chum, Jimmy who gets him arrested.
But we can’t help appreciating Jimmy for not arresting Bob himself out of consideration for
their friendship. Though Bob, an underworld character, deserves to be punished. Yet we feel
for him as he is betrayed by Jimmy.
In the light of the facts underlined, it is quite logical to conclude that “After Twenty Years”
is a tragic story.
Q. No. 5: Discuss the Ending of the story “After Twenty Years”?
Ans.: The ending of the story is not only surprising but also tragic. Two friends Jimmy and
Bob come to meet each other after twenty years. Both are loyal and sincere so far as their
friendship is concerned. The two friends had dined together in a restaurant twenty years ago
before parting from each other. The next morning Bob had to start for the west to make his
fortune. They agreed to meet each other exactly after twenty years at the same place and
time. Both of them are at the appointed place on time. However Jimmy Wells who is a place
officer is not able to meet his friend because he recognizes him as the man wanted in
Chicago. Jimmy Wells being a dutiful police officer had to get his friends arrested. The tragic
end moves the reader’s heart.
Q. No. 6: What is the theme of the story “After twenty years”?
Ans.: In the story “After Twenty Years” the reader is introduced to the impressive character
of the policeman, who loses some of his valour when presented in contrast to the stranger in

4. the door. The stranger has come to re-acquaint with a friend whom he had agreed to meet
after twenty years in future. The stranger is proud of his accomplishments and feels
successful. He wears diamonds to give the reader a sense of his success. He is egotistical in
his own self identity. When the reader learns that the stranger’s friend is the policeman and
the stranger is a crook, the reader must look back at the foreshadowing that took place in
the beginning of the story where the policeman was described. It is here that the theme of
“what is true measure of success. Who is more successful, the policeman who walks a daily
beat but has little money or the criminal with his physical wealth.
Another theme is that we should do our duty honestly. Duty should be uppermost thing in
our mind. One more theme in the story is that long period of time can turn a good man into
a bad man.
COMPREHENSION TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
(Q. No. 1) How impressive was the policeman? How would you justify your answer?
(Ans) The policeman made a fine picture of a guardian of piece. He was strongly built and
had a watchful eye. Moreover, he walked impressively.
(Q. No. 2) Why did the man tell the policeman “it is alright, officer”?
(Ans) Because he convinced the officer that there was nothing doubtful as the man was
simply waiting for his friend and has no evil intentions.
(Q. No. 3) Were the two friends in regular contact with each other during the twenty
years? Why? Why not?
(Ans) No, the two friends were not in regular contact with each other because they lost track
of each other only after two years from the date of their separation.
(Q. No. 4) How well did Jimmy’s friend prosper in life? How do you know?
(Ans) Jimmy’s friend had become a very rich man. He wore a nice watch with its lids set with
small diamonds. His pin was a large diamond.
(Q. No. 5) When a tall man in a long overcoat walked upto Bob, what made him to think
that it was a Jimmy and not anyone else?
(Ans) The tall man walked directly to Bob which made him think that it a was Jimmy Wells.
(Q. No. 6) Why was Bob arrested?
(Ans) Bob was arrested because he was a wanted man in Chicago.
(Q. No. 7) Why did Bobs hands begin to tremble as he finished reading the note?
(Ans) Bob had never expected that his own friend would get him arrested that is why his
hands trembled as he read the note.
(Q. No. 8) Why is this story titled “ After Twenty Years”?
(Ans) The story is titled after twenty years because two childhood friends depart from each
other and come to meet each other exactly after twenty years. However, Jimmy had to
arrest Bob because he had become a criminal.

5. (Q. No. 9) If you were in Jimmy’s shoes, what would have been the best thing to do from
the following points of view?
(a) Your carrier as a policeman. (b) Your friendship with Bob. (c) Your own conscience. (d)
The law.
(Ans) If I were in Jimmy’s shoes:-
(a) As a policeman, I would have arrested him by myself instead of sending another
policeman to do that job so that Bob would have realized that friendship never comes
in the way of duty and there is no loose for a criminal.
(b)Considering my friendship with Bob, I would have sort the help of a reputed and
intelligent advocate to get him released on bail from the court.
(c) My own conscience would have never allowed me to spare a criminal even if he had
been my friend.
(d) The law, I would have obeyed law because being a policeman I would have proved
myself as a protector of law.
Some Extra Questions
(Q. 1) Why were the streets deserted?
(Ans) The atmosphere outside was very cold. Chilly gusts of wind had de-peopled the streets.
(Q. 2) Who was the man at the doorway of the hardware store waiting for?
(Ans) The man at the doorway of the hardware store was Bob. He was waiting for his friend
Jimmy Wells.
(Q. 3) Did Bob notice any change in his friend Jimmy?
(Ans) Bob noticed that Jimmy had grown taller by two or three inches.
(Q. 4) How did Bob recognize that the man he was walking with was not Jimmy?
(Ans) The man had a different kind of nose than Jimmy had. Jimmy had a roman nose while
the man had a pug nose.
(Q. 5) What was the real identity of the tall man in the overcoat? Why had he gone there?
Who had sent him?
(Ans) The tall man in the overcoat was a policeman. He had been sent by Jimmy Wells to
arrest Bob.
(Q. 6) Jimmy did not arrest his friend, why?
(Ans) He could not bring himself to arrest his friend.
(Q. 7) How was Jimmy able to recognize the man in the dark?
(Ans) The man in the doorway struck a match to light his cigar. The light showed a pale
square-jawed face with a scar near the right eyebrow. Jimmy recognized the man as a
criminal wanted in Chicago. Compiled By :- Mr. Mudasir Amin (9906413078)
Son/Of :- Mohd. Amin Itoo (7780859396)
Residence :- Durpora, Zainapora, Shopian, Kashmir
M.A(English), B.Ed., M.Ed., Ph. D

6. LESSON NO. :- 2 FORGETTING By (ROBERT LYND)
Long Answer Type Questions
(Q. No. 1) Why are young people and sportsmen more forgetful than others? What about
anglers and statesmen?
(Ans) Robert Lynd says that young people and sportsmen are more forgetful than others.
They live in the world of imagination. They remain lost in their thoughts. They are seriously
engrossed in their fields of activity. They have less interaction with the outside world. They
are busy glorifying their talents and imagining future possibilities. They have no time to think
of ordinary matters. Their souls are above such petty things which ordinary people usually
remember. That is why they lose many of their things in buses and trains. The same is the
case with anglers (fishermen). They often lose their fishing-rods. They live their profession
very much. Statesmen suffer from extraordinary bad memories. They soon forget what
happens in the cabinet meeting attended by them.
(Q. No. 2) How are writers and composers different from statesmen?
(Ans) Writers and composers of music usually have exceptional powers of memory. Good
memory is a part of their art. On the other hand, statesmen have extraordinarily bad
memories. They soon forget what happened in the cabinet meeting attended by them. That
is why they give such an inaccurate version of the facts which is challenged by others. Most
statesmen are men of intellect but lack genius of memory.
(Q. No.3) When according to Robert Lynd forgetfulness is a virtue?
(Ans) According to Robert Lynd, we can’t condemn all types of forgetfulness. We may
condemn forgetfulness in regard to posting of letters and swallowing of pills and potions
prescribed by the doctors. But we can’t condemn forgetfulness in case of sportsmen who
never remember to take their footballs, cricket balls, bats and other sports items when they
return after games. Similarly, we appreciate the forgetfulness of anglers who return so full of
joyful memories of the day that they forget their fishing rods behind. Same is the case with
philosophers, poets and composers of music as they are also prone to forgetfulness. The fact
is that in all the above cases, it is the joy of sports, the dream of a happy state, the poetic or
philosophical fancies of a high order etc. that certain common place things are either lost or
forgotten. This loss is nothing when compared to joy, peace and truth obtained. Hence in all
these cases forgetfulness or bad memory is a blessing or a virtue in disguise.
(Q. NO. 4) Bring out and appreciate the most enjoyable elements in the essay Forgetting by
Robert Lynd?
(Ans) According to Robert Lynd modern men remembers a lot of things such as address,
telephone numbers, names of actors actresses etc. quite easily. But at the same time he
finds his memory extremely bad and fails to remember things that should be easy to
remember such as posting letters, swallowing pills and carrying things home during

7. travelling. This witty anti-climax makes us laugh.
Lynd’s description of the sportsmen and the anglers is also humorous. They forget their
things on their return to their homes. The description of the absentminded father who
forgets having taken his child in a pram is also most amusing.
However, Lynd’s perception of life is not only light and amusing; his wisdom comes in
the middest of his jokes. His remark, for example the forgetfulness of angler, sportsmen and
poets is a virtue.
(Q. No. 5) What is the theme of the essay “Forgetting” by Robert Lynd?
(Ans) The theme of the essay “Forgetting” by Robert Lynd is that modern man has a
wonderful memory. He remembers everything he is expected to remember. But he is also
forgetful in several things. Only few of us remember to take medicines on time or post their
letters. Sportsmen forget their sports equipments and anglers forget their fishing rods.
Another theme is that forgetfulness has its own advantages. Absentmindedness,
forgetfulness relieves man from the pain of hard life.