( The apartment to which Martin and his father had recently shifted was an old building with an elevator. The walls of the apartment were dirty and the lighting there was quite poor. (i) Martin felt uncomfortable in the elevator as the door would never stay open for ong, It produced a strange noise and slammed shut quite often. The elevator shuddered each time it left a floor. He feared that the elevator would fall. (ii) Martin was a thin twelve-year old boy. He was always uncomfortable in elevators, (i2) The door of the elevator did not remain open for long, It produced a clanging noise and would slam shut. (2) The apartment does not have proper lighting and its walls are dirty. It looks mysterious and strange. The elevator with a creaking door makes the things more fearful. Its description adds to the atmosphere of suspense already prevailing there. Martin's father did not like his son’s fear of the elevators. When Martin did not take the elevator to go upstairs, his father was upset with him. He wanted his son to be brave and bold. (ii) Martin was a nervous boy. He had fears of elevators. But gradually he learns to face his fears boldly. (iii) Martin had to come to terms with his fear of the elevator. He learnt to do this as he had done in case of his being bullied at school. (iv) Martin's father admonished him for not taking the elevator and using the stairs. forced him to take the elevator despite his fears of the elevator. It(i) The Indy in the elevator behaved in a strange way. She watched Martin breathing loudly out of his fears and nervousness. She just tumed and moved into the lobby. (@), Martin was afraid of the strange lady in the elevator. He wanted to run out of the ‘levator but the lady was so big that there was no room for him to slip out ofthe levator. (ii) The boy was afraid of the lady in the elevator. He thought that the lady was someone mysterious and strange. He got so afraid of her that he broke his leg when he took the stairs in order to avoid facing the lady inthe elevator. (io) The lady, it is hinted atthe end of the story, perhaps lived on the 9th floor. Martin did not know this. (@) twas morning at that time. Martin's going to schoo! indicates the time ofthe day. () Martin asked the lady if she was going up. The lady just nodded in response to this ‘question (i) The lady was very fat, She had pudgy hands and her balloon-like green coat made her look still bigger and strange. (ii) The lady had got into the elevator on the fourteenth floor the previous day. Her pressing the button eightoen was therefore something strange and surprising t0 Martin. (fe) The lady seems to live on the fourteenth floor. She had got into the elevator at this floor for the frst time. 2 “Teacher Handbook Tee Chet: Per nd Short Str: WE 10 (©) The boy has a natural fear of the elevator. He always fears thatthe elevator would fall down, Itmade him uncomfortable and nervous, (i) Martin’ father expresses his frustration over the boy's fears, He is annoyed that Martin feels afraid of a big, woman is the elevator, Martin then retorts telling his father that he was not ara, (i) The boy’s father was trying to emphasize thatthe boy should learn to overcome his fears, He should not behave in a cowardly manne. (ii) Martin went to his room and cried. He was crying because his father had rebuked him. But he did not ry in front of his father and wept in the isolation of his room. (io) The extract reveals thatthe father and the son have strained relationship due tothe boy's fears of elevator. The father wants the son to be bold and courageous whereas the boy is fll of fear. (©) When the boy tres to avoid the lady he takes the stairs instead of the levator. But he breaks his leg and has to be taken to a hospital,(i) The boy had broken his leg while trying to avoid the fat lady in the elevator. So he was taken to the hospital. (ii) The father felt disappointed and angry with the boy. He considered the boy a coward and fool who had got injured because of his own false and unwanted fears. (iii) The boy suffered from a broken leg. He suffered this disability as he had fallen in the stairs while trying to avoid the strange lady in the elevator. (iv) This disability could bring some relief to Martin as he did not have to use the elevator and have rest at home for a few days. (2) The doctor advised Martin to have rest and stay in the apartment for a few days. It also meant Martin staying away from the dreadful elevator and the strange, fat lady for some days. SSAGE-8 () Martin’s father wanted him to face his fears boldly. He wanted to leave the boy alone with the fat lady he dreaded. Keeping these things in mind, he did not want Martin to accompany him to the neighbour.(ii) Martin's father advised him to grow up and shun all his fears. (if) The woman whom Martin’s father wanted to visit lived on the 9th floor. Her name was Mrs. Ullman. (iv) The elevator stopped at the tenth floor. The elevator stopped there as the fat lady had pressed the button of the elevator while standing there and waiting for Martin. (0) The fat lady that Martin was afraid of stood there in the elevator. It was a surprise for him. The lady pleasantly greeted him by addressing him by his name ‘Martin’ !