1. Why was Swaminathan ‘a little disappointed”?

Ans. ‘The MCC’ is an extract from ‘Swami and Friends’ written by R.K. Narayan. Here,
three friends Swami, Rajam and Mani decided to form a cricket team with their
classmates. At the beginning of this text, Swami and Rajam were discussing over the
name of their team. When Swami asked what they would call their team, Rajam
replied that they would call it the MCC which stands for Malgudi Cricket Club. Hearing
it, Swaminathan was ‘a little disappointed’. Because, he thought that though as MCC,
it sounded impressive, this name was not so interesting.

2. What kind of list was being planned and why?

Ans. The MCC’ is an extract from ‘Swami and Friends’ written by R.K. Narayan. Here,
three friends Swami, Rajam and Mani decided to form a cricket team with their
classmates. At the beginning of this text, it is seen that two friends, Rajam and Swami,
had a very childish conversation over the name of their cricket team. A list for different
types of names of their team was being planned by them because it was very urgent to
take a beautiful name for their cricket team.

3. What was Swami’s concern regarding starting a team?

Ans. ‘The MCC’ is an extract from ‘Swami and Friends’ written by R.K. Narayan. Here,
three friends Swami, Rajam and Mani decided to form a cricket team with their
classmates. At the beginning of this text, Swami and Rajam were discussing over the
name of their team. Swaminathan thought when they would start a team, they would
have to pay tax to the Government as the Government seems to tax everything in this
world. When Rajam commented that their team could have two names, Swami
thought that then the Government might demand two taxes from them. This was
Swami’s concern regarding starting a team.

4. How was the idea of two names for the team treated and why?

Ans. ‘The MCC’ is an extract from ‘Swami and Friends’ written by R.K. Narayan. Here,
three friends Swami, Rajam and Mani decided to form a cricket team with their
classmates. At the beginning of this text, Swami and Rajam were discussing over the
name of their team. Rajam commented that their team could have two names, one
name was for ordinary use and the other was for matches. But Swami thought that it
was all very well for a rich team because the Government might demand two taxes
from them if their team had two names.
5. What was Swami’s comment regarding the bat in the catalogue and how did the
others react to it?

Ans. ‘The MCC’ is an extract from ‘Swami and Friends’ written by R.K. Narayan. Here,
three friends Swami, Rajam and Mani decided to form a cricket team with their
classmates. In the text, they were discussing over the sport goods required for the
team. After seeing a catalogue of Messrs Binns, Swami’s friends decided to buy Junior
Willard Bats. Then, Swami craned his neck and agreed that it was a fine bat, but he
was indiscreet enough to say that it looked like any other bat in the catalogue.

Hearing Swami’s opinion, the others asked Swami why he pretended to be a cricket
player if he couldn’t see the difference between Junior Willard and other bats. They
also remarked that Swami was not fit to be even a sweeper in their team.

6. Briefly explain the comparison between the Willard Junior and the Rolls-Royce.
Mention the author’s use of humour in this reference.

Ans. According to the text ‘The MCC’, Willard Junior is the Rolls-Royce among the
junior bats. Rolls-Royce costs a lakh of rupees, while other cars cost about ten
thousand; a Rolls has engines made of silver, while other cars have iron engines. A
Rolls never gives trouble, while other cars always give trouble; a Rolls engine never
stops; a Rolls-Royce never makes a noise, while other cars always make a noise.
Similarly, there are actual springs inside a Willard Junior bat, so that when one
touches the ball it flies. There is fine silkcord wound round the handle. No other bat
has silk cord and springs like the Willard.

When Swaminathan told Rajam and Mani about the difference between the Rolls-
Royce and other cars, Mani mockingly asked Swaminathan why he did not deliver a
lecture on the Rolls-Royce. Here, we can see the author’s use of humour.

7. Would you say that Swami was not very keen about the club? Answer with two
textual references.

Ans. Yes, I think that Swami was not very keen about the club.

In the text, we can see that Swaminathan didn’t know properly about the
catalogue’s bats and he had no idea about the difference between Junior Willard and
other bats. These two references from the text prove that Swami was not very keen
about the club.

1. You are not fit to be even a sweeper in our team.”

Who says this and when?

How do you think the person spoken to is feeling?

What comparison steers the conversation for a while immediately after this?

Ans. ‘You are not fit to be even a sweeper in our team.’ – this line has been taken from
‘The MCC’, an extract from ‘Swami and Friends’ written by R.K. Narayan.

a. Mani says this.

After seeing a catalogue of Messrs Binns, Swami’s friends

b. At this point of time, the speaker, Mani, is feeling that why Swami pretends to be a
cricket player if he cannot see the difference between Junior Willard and other bats.
Mani expresses his feelings by shooting out his left hand and holding Swami’s neck
and pressing Swami’s face close to the picture of the bat.

c. I think that the person spoken to, Swaminathan, is feeling very insulted at this.

Immediately after this, Rajam says that it seems Junior Willard is the Rolls-Royce
among the junior bats. Rajam also asks Swami if he knows the difference between the
Rolls-Royce and other cars. Then, Swami tells his friends about the difference
between the Rolls-Royce and other cars. This comparison steers the conversation for
a while.

2. ‘It might lead to all kinds of complications.”

What is the subject of discussion?

What suggestion is offered to avoid complications?

Briefly summarise the conversation in this context.

What is your conclusion regarding the speakers after this line?

Ans. ‘It might lead to all kinds of complications.’-this line has been taken from ‘The
MCC’, an extract from ‘Swami and Friends’ written by R.K. Narayan.

The subject of discussion between Swaminathan and Rajam is about for paying tax to
Government. According to them, if they don’t pay tax, the Government may not
recognize their team or its name and a hundred other teams may take the same name
and that might lead to all sorts of complications.
b. To avoid the complications, they decide to pay tax to the Government. Rajam also
suggests that they should have two names-one name is for ordinary use and the other
is for matches.

c. When Swaminathan asked if they would have to pay tax or something to the
Government when they would start the team, Rajam replied that the Government
seemed to tax everything in the world. Then they discussed that if they would not pay
tax, the Government might not recognise their team or its name and a hundred other
teams might take the same name and that might lead to all sorts of complications.

D. After this line, my conclusion regarding the speakers is that they will pay tax to the
Government when they will start the team. But Rajam thinks about the two names of
their team one name is for ordinary use and the other is for matches.

3. ‘And then came the most difficult part of the whole affair…’

What ‘affair is being referred to here?

What was the ‘most difficult part’ and who was ‘forced to accept it?

What problems did the person face?

Who took up the ‘most difficult part’ ultimately?

Ans. ‘And then came the most difficult part of the whole affair…’ – this line has been
taken from ‘The MCC’, an extract from ‘Swami and Friends’ written by R.K. Narayan.

Here, the ‘affair’ is being referred to discuss about the sport goods required for the
team, select the items from the catalogue and order the required number of the items.

b. The ‘most difficult part’ was to write a letter to Messrs Binns, ordering goods.

Swaminathan was ‘forced to accept’ it.

c. Swaminathan was forced to accept it in spite of his protests, and he sat for a long
time chewing his pencil without producing a word: he had infinite trouble with
spelling, and the more he tried to be correct, the more muddled he was becoming; in
the end he sat so long thinking of spelling that even such words as ‘the’ and ‘and’
became doubtful.

Rajam took up the ‘most difficult part’ ultimately.