1. Packing (Written by Tahir Sir ( M.A Eng Lit,DEFL, D.
Com)
Sentences with the phrases are structured below-
1. Toss for- We agreed to toss for the matter as Rohit was not ready to go.
2. Toss about - They tossed about a few techniques to decide which one to apply.
3. Fall into - His fate was to fall into the mud even after walking so carefully.
4. Fall out - Due to lack of communication, they fell out.
5. Search for - Rohit went on searching for his new pen that his father has gifted.
6. Scrape out - Raghav scraped out the label on his old book that carried his brother's name.
7. Mess about - They were trying to mess about the sensitive topic.
toss for (something)
1.To flip a coin with someone in order to decide or determine who gets to have or do something. A
name or personal pronoun can be used between "toss" and "for." We both wanted to go with him to the
concert, so we decided to toss for it.
2. Toss about
3. To hurl, fling, or cast someone or something from place to place or back and forth. A noun or pronoun
can be used between "toss" and "about." We went outside to toss a football about. The huge waves
tossed us about while we were out on the open sea.
4. Fall into
5. to start doing something, often without intending to: We've fallen into the habit of getting up late on
Saturday mornings. I fell into my job quite by accident. She fell into a conversation with the taxi drive
6. Fall out
7. If you fall out with someone, you have an argument and stop being friendly with them. You can also say
that two people fall out. She fell out with her sister.
8. Search for
9. I've been looking for this book for years! John is looking for a new job. She has been looking for love in all
the wrong places.
10. Scrape out
11. remove something from inside something else, using something sharp or hard like a
knife Scrape out the flesh of the melon with a spoon.
Mess about behave in a silly or playful way.
Q .1 How many characters are in the narrative? Name them.
Ans : The humorous story has four characters; There are three men in the story. They are; the author himself, his
friends, George and Harris. There is also their dog, Montmorency.
Q 2.Why did then narrator volunteers to do the packing?
Ans : The narrator thought he is better at packing than his friends, so he volunteered himself in packing.
Q 3. How George and Harris did react to this? Did Jerome like their reaction?
Ans : George and Harris agreed to it at once. They sat down comfortably and began to smoke. Jerome didn’t like
doing anything, he only wanted to superintend the job and keep on directing them about to how to do it.
Q 4.What was Jerome’s real intention when he offered to pack?
Ans : Jerome preferred to sit idle and do nothing. He never wanted to do the packing himself, he only wanted to
superintend the job. He wanted to keep directing George and Harris about how to do it.
Q .5 what did Harris say after the bag was shut and strapped? Why do you think he waited till then to ask?
Ans : Harris asked the narrator if he had put the boots in the bag. He wanted to show that narrator was not good
at packing, so he waited till the packing was over.
Q .6.What horrible idea occurred to Jerome a little later?
Ans : The author didn’t know if he had packed his toothbrush. Forgetting things would always hunt him
whenever he started for journey. Jerome wanted to whether the author has packed the toothbrush.
Q .7.Why did Jerome have to reopen the packed bag?
Ans : Jerome found that he had packed his tobacco-pouch in the bag. He had to reopen the bag to have the
pouch.
Q .8.What does Jerome say was Montmorency’s ambition in life? What do you think of Montmorency and
why.
Ans : Montmorency’s ambition in life is to interfere with others and be abused. He wants to be a perfect nuisance and
make people mad. If things are thrown at his head, he feels his day has not been wasted. To get somebody to stumble over
him, and curse him for an hour is his highest aim and object. He came and sat on things, just when they were going to be
packed. He put his leg into the jam and worried the teaspoons and pretended that lemons were rats and got into the
hamper and killed three of them.
Q .9. Of the three, Jerome George and Harris, who do you think so the best or worst packers. Support your
answer with details from the text.
Ans : Of the three, Harris is the worst packer in this world. But none of them is the perfect packer. All of them are confused
and do not know what is to be placed and where. So far as Jerome is concerned he unpacked the bag to find his toothbrush
in a boot. He also packs his spectacles in the bag. Harris and George start their work in a light hearted spirit. There are piles
of plates, cups, kettles, bottles, jars, pies, stoves, cakes and tomatoes. They break a cup. Harris packs the strawberry jam on
top of a tomato and squashes it. They have to pick out the tomato with a teaspoon. George treads on the butter. He gets it
off from his slipper and puts it in the kettle. He puts it down on a chair and Harris sits on it. It sticks to him and then they
look for it all over the room. In this way they created chaos in the room.
Q .10.How did Montmorency contribute to the packing?
Ans : Montermonecy came and sat down on things just while Jerome and George were about to finish packing.
Whenever Harris and George reached out of the things. His cold damp nose came in their way. He put his leg into
the jam and spoiled it. He fiddled with the teaspoons. He got into the hamper and spoiled the lemons.
Q. 11.Do you find this story funny? What re the humorous elements in it?
Ans : The story is indeed funny from the beginning to the end. Each charter in the story contributes to the
humour.
George and Harris start with breaking of a cups then Harris packs strawberry jam at the bottom of tomatoes and
it gets squashed. They pack the pastries at the bottom, putting heavy things on top. Pastries get smashed. Then
they try to put the butter in the kettle. It wouldn’t go in and what was in wouldn’t come out. At last they manage
to get out. They put it on the chair and Harris sits on it. It gets stuck to Harris’s back, then looks for butter all over
the room. Their dog messes about the things while packing. He gets into the hamper and spoiled the lemons.
Use the phrases in your own sentences:
Toss for: (to decide bet. the two) shall we go picnic or movies; I think we should toss for it.
Toss about: (turn round) Why are tossing about like this, aren’t you feeling well.
Fall into: ( to get used to )I fell into a bad company and stared smoking.
Fall out: ( stop talking) she has fallen out with me because I couldn’t keep promise.
Search for: (to look for something) Since morning I am searching for my pen.
Scrape out: (to remove something with sharp object) I couldn’t scrape out what was inside the bottle.
Mess about: (to do carelessly) Don’t mess about, do your job well.
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