The Luncheon Extract Questions | English Class 11

Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 1

Reading Set

Extract 1

Passage

I was startled when the bill of fare was brought for the prices were a great deal higher than I had anticipated. But she reassured me. 'I never eat anything for luncheon.' She said. 'Oh, don't say that!' I answered generously. 'I never eat more than one thing. I think people eat far too much nowadays. A little fish, perhaps. I wonder if they have any salmon.'

The author felt ________ when he first saw the prices on the menu.

startled

The guest suggested ordering ________ as her 'one thing' for luncheon.

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Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 2

Reading Set

Extract 2

Passage

Panic seized me: it was not a question now how much money I should have left over for the rest of the month but whether I had enough to pay the bill. It would be mortifying to find myself ten francs short and be obliged to borrow from my guest. I could not bring myself to do that.

The author was worried about being ________ francs short when paying the bill.

ten

The feeling that overwhelmed the author as the costs rose was ________.

panic

Why would borrowing money from the guest be 'mortifying' for the author?

Borrowing money would be mortifying because it would expose his poverty and ruin the image of the successful, hospitable author he was trying to project. In that era, a man being unable to pay for a lady's meal was a major social disgrace.

How has the author's concern shifted in this extract compared to the beginning of the meal?

Initially, the author was worried about how much money he would have 'left over' for the month. Now, as the guest continues to order, his concern has shifted to the immediate survival of paying the bill itself to avoid public shame.

What does the word 'seized' suggest about the author's state of mind?

The word 'seized' suggests that the fear was sudden, powerful, and uncontrollable. It shows that the author is no longer just nervous but is experiencing a physical and emotional grip of anxiety due to his desperate financial situation at the restaurant.

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Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 3

Reading Set

Extract 3

Passage

Today she weighs twenty-one stone. ... I do not believe that I am a vindictive man, but when the immortal gods take a hand in the matter it is pardonable to observe the result with complacency.

The lady guest now weighs ________ stone.

twenty-one

The author observes the woman's physical change with a sense of ________.

complacency

What does the author mean by the 'immortal gods' taking a hand in the matter?

He means that fate or a higher power has naturally punished the woman for her greed and hypocrisy. He views her extreme weight gain as a form of divine justice for the financial and emotional stress she caused him years ago.

Why does the author feel 'complacency' rather than pity?

He feels complacency because her current state validates his past suffering. Seeing her obese reminds him that her claims of 'never eating anything' were lies, and her physical form is now an undeniable proof of her gluttony, giving him a sense of closure.

How does this extract conclude the themes of the story?

This extract concludes the story with the theme of retribution. It shows that while the woman 'won' the luncheon by eating at the author's expense, the long-term consequences of her lifestyle eventually balanced the scales, providing a humorous and ironic resolution.

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Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 4

Reading Set

Extract 4

Passage

The asparagus appeared. They were enormous, succulent, and appetizing. ... I watched the abandoned woman thrust them down her throat in large voluptuous mouthfuls, and, in my polite way, I discoursed on the condition of the drama in the Balkans.

The author describes the woman's eating manner as using ________ mouthfuls.

voluptuous

The author tried to maintain politeness by talking about the drama in the ________.

Balkans

Why does the author call his guest an 'abandoned woman' in this context?

The term 'abandoned' here refers to her lack of restraint or shamelessness in eating. She is totally giving in to her appetite for the expensive asparagus without any concern for the cost or her previous claims of eating lightly.

What is the contrast between the author’s actions and the woman’s actions in this scene?

The contrast is between the woman's animalistic, greedy eating ('thrusting them down her throat') and the author’s attempt to remain a refined, intellectual host by discussing Balkan drama. This highlights the absurdity and the social pretense of the entire encounter.

How does the description of the asparagus add to the author’s misery?

By describing them as 'enormous' and 'succulent,' the author emphasizes how desirable they are, making it harder for him to watch her eat them while he goes hungry and worries about the massive bill they represent.

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Chapter sections

Chapter the-luncheon: The Luncheon | Extract Questions

Extract 1

The author felt ________ when he first saw the prices on the menu.

The guest suggested ordering ________ as her 'one thing' for luncheon.

Why does the author describe his response to the guest as 'generous'?

How does the guest justify her request for salmon?

What does this extract reveal about the author's financial state?

Extract 2

The author was worried about being ________ francs short when paying the bill.

The feeling that overwhelmed the author as the costs rose was ________.

Why would borrowing money from the guest be 'mortifying' for the author?

How has the author's concern shifted in this extract compared to the beginning of the meal?

What does the word 'seized' suggest about the author's state of mind?

Extract 3

The lady guest now weighs ________ stone.

The author observes the woman's physical change with a sense of ________.

What does the author mean by the 'immortal gods' taking a hand in the matter?

Why does the author feel 'complacency' rather than pity?

How does this extract conclude the themes of the story?

Extract 4

The author describes the woman's eating manner as using ________ mouthfuls.

The author tried to maintain politeness by talking about the drama in the ________.

Why does the author call his guest an 'abandoned woman' in this context?

What is the contrast between the author’s actions and the woman’s actions in this scene?

How does the description of the asparagus add to the author’s misery?