By: Alexander Baron

THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH

Alexander Baron (4 December 1917 – 6 December 1999) was

a British author and screenwriter. He is best known for his highly acclaimed novel about D-Day entitled From the City from the Plough (1948) and his London novel The Lowlife (1963). His father was Barnet Bernstein, a Polish-Jewish immigrant to Britain who settled in the East End of London in 1908 and later worked as a furrier. Alexander Baron was born in Maidenhead and raised in the Hackney district of London. He attended Hackney Downs School. During the 1930s, with his school friend Ted Willis, Baron was a leading activist and organizer of the Labour League of Youth (at that time aligned with the Communist Party), campaigning against the fascists in the streets of the East End. Baron became increasingly disillusioned with far left politics as he spoke to International Brigade fighters returning from the Spanish Civil War, and finally broke with the communists after the Hitler–Stalin Pact of August 1939.

Alexander Baron

The story is about a man named Private Quelch who likes to show off his knowledge. The narrator and his friends also gave him nickname ‘Professor' due his lanky body and bespectacled looks. Although Private Quelch meant to acquire a stripe and to get commission. He works hard for his ambition but due to his habit of interrupting seniors and showing off his knowledge he was nominated for permanent cookhouse duties by Corporal Turnbull. Corporal Turnbull, a young and smart soldier who had returned from Dunkirk, was a man not to be trifled with. The narrator and his fellow soldiers told each other that they could hammer nails into him without him noticing. There are also many incidents in the story, when Private Quelch outshone his fellow soldiers(including the narrator) on aircraft recognition, when professor interrupted the Sergeant and he started asking questions to Professor in hope of revenge. The story ends with a light note on Private Quelch lecturing his fellow soldiers on how to cut potato without its vitamin values being wasted.

SUMMARY

1.Where did the writer meet privateQuelch?a) Bus Stand b) Marketc) Training depot d) House

2. Who was Private Quelch?a) Writer b) Professorc) Sergeant d) Officer

3. What was their first lesson in camp?a) About hand grenadeb) About service riflec) How to use a weapond) How to use hand grenade

4. In which shape did they stand first?a) Triangle b) Squareb) Circle d) Rectangle

5. What is the speed of riffle as toldby the sergeant? a) 3000 ft/sec b) 2500 ft/secb) 3500 ft/sec d) 2000 ft/sec

6. What is the original speed of the rifle?a) 2440 ft/sec b) 3360 ft/secc) 4440 ft/sec d) 5340 ft/sec

7. Who questioned the professor that, “You had any training before”? a) Ordinary Officer b) Sergeantc) His Friend d) Writer

8. Who is known as ‘Ordinary Officer’?a) Officer of the day b) Sergeantc) Best Officer d) None of these

9. Who announced the name of the plane?a) Ordinary Officer b) Professorb) Both a and b d) None of these

10. How did the Professor identify theplane?

a) By watching it b) High tip speed of the airscrewc) Both a and bd) None of these

11. When did the turning point come in theProfessor’s life?

a) Summer afternoon b) Morningc) Evening d) None of these

12. What is the position below the Sergeantrank?a) Officer b) Doctorc) Corporal Officer d) None of these

13. Corporal was taking a lesson on?a) Machine gun b) Riflec) Short gun d) Hand grenade

14. How many parts are there in a handgrenade?a) 35 b) 44c) 40 d) 30

15. Whom did the officer nominate forpermanent cook house duties?a) Sergeant b) Professorc) Corporal Officer d) None of these

Answers1. (c) Training depot2. (b) Professor 3. (b) About service rifle 4. (c) Circle 5. (d) 2,000feet/sec 6. (a) 2,440feet/sec 7. (b) Sergeant 8. (a) Officer of the day 9. (b) Professor10. (b)High tip speed of the airscrew11. (a) Summer afternoon12. (c) Corporal Officer13. (d) Hand grenade14. (b) 4415. (b) Professor

EDITTED BY: ELIZABETH MATHEW