'Aunt Polly's New Cure' Story in English by Mark Twain | Summary | Question and Answers.
The story 'Aunt Polly's New Cure' written by Mark Twain is an extract from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the famous novel by Mark Twain. Tom lives in a neighbourhood of Missouri, a town on the Mississippi river in North America, with his aunt and brother Sid. He loves to play pranks and indulge in all kinds of mischief. Aunt Polly, who can be very strict, is however, deeply fond of her nephews. Read how she tries her new cures on Tom.
- Aunt Polly's New Cure -
This story is an extract from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the famous novel by Mark Twain. Tom lives in a neighbourhood of Missouri, a town on the Mississippi river in North America, with his aunt and brother Sid. He loves to play pranks and indulge in all kinds of mischief. Aunt Polly, who can be very strict, is however, deeply fond of her nephews. Read how she tries her new cures on Tom.
'Aunt Polly's New Cure' story in english :
Tom was worried.
Becky ThatcherTom's close friend in school.
had not come to school for a week. He learnt she was ill. What if she never got well? The thought terrified him. He could not think of anything else. He put away his hoopA large ring made of wood, metal or plastic which children play with.
and his bat. There was no joy in them anymore.Aunt Polly watched Tom with concern. This
listlessnessLack of energy or enthusiasm.
was so unlike Tom, she thought he was ill. In a way, however, Tom's condition was a windfallA golden chance.
to her. If Aunt Polly had a weakness, it was for new cures, treatments and medicines. She read many health magazines and was convinced that the cures they wrote about would work. She tried on Tom many of the cures and treatments she saw advertised in the magazines. The water treatment was new then and she wished to see if it would work on Tom. She poured cold water on him and then warmed him by drying him out with a rough towel. Then she rolled him in a wet sheet and covered him in blankets till he sweated 'till his soul came out of his pores'-as Tom said.However, none of her medicines or cures worked. Tom remained as gloomy as ever.
Then Aunt Polly heard of a new medicine called Painkiller. She tasted it and felt satisfied. It was a good, strong and fiery medicine. She gave up all other cures and decided to try the Painkiller. She gave Tom a teaspoonful and watched him anxiously. There was a magical change in Tom's condition. A fire seemed to have been lit inside him. He did not seem gloomy or listless any more. Now Aunt Polly was not worried about Tom.
The next day Tom did not have anything to do and was bored. He was looking for some distractions. He wondered what he could do. Finally, he hit upon a plan of pretending to be fond of Painkiller. He would not stop asking for it and it became quite a nuisance. Finally, Aunt Polly told him to help himself from the bottle and not bother her. If it had been Tom's brother Sid, she would not have been worried. But as it was Tom, she was a little suspicious. So she watched the bottle carefully. She found that the liquid in the bottle was disappearing slowly, so she relaxed. She had no idea that the boy was mending a crack in the floor with it.
One day, Tom was in the act of closing the crack when his aunt's yellow cat came along. He purred, eyeing the medicine greedily as if asking for it. Tom said warningly, "Do not ask for it unless you want it, Peter."
Peter
signifiedIndicated.
that he did want it. So Tom hesitated no longer. He forced Peter's mouth open and poured a generous amount of Painkiller down his throat. The effect was instant and electric. Peter sprang a couple of yards in the air, uttered a war whoopA shout meant to bring together a group of soldiers during a war.
and set off round and round the room. In the process he banged against furniture, upset flowerpots and created general havocCaused a lot of confusion and damage.
. Next, Peter rose on his hind paws and pranced around in a frenzy of enjoymentDanced joyfully.
. Then with his head over his shoulder he gave voice to his complete happiness. He went tearing around the room again spreading chaos and destruction in his path.Aunt Polly came in time to see him turn a few double somersaults, and sail through the open window carrying the rest of the flowerpots with him. The old lady stood frozen with astonishment, peering over her glasses. Tom lay on the floor shaking with laughter. Aunt Polly looked at Tom sternly and asked him what was wrong with the cat. Tom replied that he really did not know.
"Cats always act like this when they are having a good time, he spluttered.
"They do, do they?" Something in her tone warned Tom to be a little careful. The old lady bent down. Too late, Tom saw what Aunt Polly had seen.
The telltale spoonThe spoon which gave away the secret.
was visible under the bedcover. Tom dropped his eyes. Aunt Polly raised Tom by the usual handle- his ear!"Now, sir, why did you treat that poor animal like that?" she asked.
"I did it out of pity because he doesn't have an aunt," replied Tom with an innocent look.
"Doesn't have an aunt? What does that have to do with anything?" asked his puzzled aunt.
"Lots. If he had an aunt, she'd have burnt his inside out herself with no more feeling than if he was human!" was the
incorrigibleImpossible or very difficult to correct.
boy's reply.Aunt Polly
felt a sudden pang of remorseFelt sorry for her behaviour.
. This was putting things in a new light, indeed. What was cruelty to a cat might be cruelty to a boy. Her eyes wate red a little. She said gently, "I meant it for the best, Tom. And you did get better.""I know Auntie and I also meant it for the best. I have not seen Peter
act so perkyBe so cheerful.
since .. .""Oh, go away, Tom. Don't annoy me again. Can't you try and be a good boy, for once? And Tom, you need not take any more of the medicine."
- Mark Twain
Mark Twain was the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens. He was an American writer, humorist, and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced", with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature".
Mark Twain was the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens. He was an American writer, humorist, and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced", with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature".
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# Summary :
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Aunt Polly's New Cure Summary :
The author...........
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# Word - Meaning :
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⚈ Becky Thatcher : Tom's close friend in school.
⚈ Hoop : A large ring made of wood, metal or plastic which children play with.
⚈ Listlessness : Lack of energy or enthusiasm.
⚈ Windfall : A golden chance.
⚈ Signified : Indicated.
⚈ War whoop : A shout meant to bring together a group of soldiers during a war.
⚈ Created general havoc : Caused a lot of confusion and damage.
⚈ Pranced around in a frenzy of enjoyment : Danced joyfully.
⚈ The tell-tale spoon : The spoon which gave away the secret.
⚈ Incorrigible : Impossible or very difficult to correct.
⚈ Felt a sudden pang of remorse : Felt sorry for her behaviour.
⚈ Act so perky : Be so cheerful.
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# Question Answers :
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# Choose the correct answers.
Q1. This story is about
a. Tom's brother Sid.
b. The cures which Aunt Polly tried out on Tom. ✅
c. The water treatment
Q2. Aunt Polly gave Tom the Painkiller because
a. She wanted to cure Tom. ✅
b. Tom did not go to school for a week.
c. She wanted to punish Tom.
Q3. Tom gave Peter the Painkiller because
a. Peter was not feeling well.
b. It seemed as if Peter wanted to taste the medicine. ✅
c. Peter did not have an aunt.
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# Complete the following :
1. Tom put away his hoop and bat because... There was no joy in them anymore.
2. Aunt Polly finally told Tom to help himself from the bottle because... He was bothering her.
3. Aunt Polly felt a sudden pang of remorse because... she realised her mistake.
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# Reference to the context.
Q.
'There was no joy in them any more.'
a. In what did Tom find no joy any more?
Answer :
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b. What was bothering him?
Answer :
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Q.
'In a way however, Tom's condition was a windfall to her.'
a. Why was Tom's poor health a windfall for Aunt Polly?
Answer :
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b. What was Aunt Polly's weakness?
Answer :
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Q.
'There was a magical change in Tom's condition.'
a. What caused this magical change?
Answer :
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b. Why was Aunt Polly not worried anymore?
Answer :
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Q.
'Peter signified that he did want it.'
a. What did Peter signify?
Answer :
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b. What effect did it have on Peter after he had it?
Answer :
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Q.
'He went tearing around the room again spreading chaos and destruction in his path.'
a. Who is being referred to as 'he' here?
Answer :
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b. What kind of chaos and destruction did he cause?
Answer :
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# Answer the following questions :
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Answer :
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Q.
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Answer :
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| Chapter 1 : | Story : Heidi Goes to Hawthorn School |
| Chapter 2 : | Story : Aunt Polly's New Cure |
| Chapter 3 : | Poem : Rain In Summer |
| Chapter 4 : | Story : Galileo Galilei |
| Chapter 5 : | Story : Marooned |
| Chapter 6 : | Poem : A Pin |
| Chapter 7 : | Story : The Dragon Rock |
| Chapter 8 : | Story : Gulliver in the Land of the Giants |
| Chapter 9 : | Poem : A Visit from the Sea |
| Chapter 10 : | Story : The Parakeet who squawked in English - 1 |
| Chapter 11 : | Story : The Parakeet who squawked in English - 2 |
| Chapter 12 : | Poem : Future Plans |
| Chapter 13 : | Story : Ranji's wonderful bat |
| Chapter 14 : | Poem : Silver |
| Chapter 15 : | Story : Rainforests |
| Chapter 16 : | Poem : Vocation |
| Chapter 17 : | Story : The why-why Girl |
| Chapter 18 : | Story : The Pataliputra Mystery |
| Chapter 19 : | Poem : A Message for Mum |
| Chapters | Class 6 Physics Solutions |
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| Chapter 1 : | Matter |
| Chapter 2 : | Physical Quantities and Measurement |
| Chapter 3 : | Force |
| Chapter 4 : | Simple Machines |
| Chapter 5 : | Light |
| Chapter 6 : | Magnetism |
| Chapters | Class 6 Chemistry Solutions |
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| Chapter 1 : | Introduction to Chemistry |
| Chapter 2 : | Common Laboratory Apparatus and Equipment |
| Chapter 3 : | Matter |
| Chapter 4 : | Elements, Compounds, Symbols and Formulae |
| Chapter 5 : | Pure Substances and Mixtures; Separation of Mixtures |
| Chapter 6 : | Air and Atmosphere |
| Chapter 7 : | Water |
| Chapters | Class 6 Biology Solutions |
|---|---|
| Unit 1 : Plant Life | 1. The Leaf |
| 2. The Flower | |
| Unit 2 : The Cell | 3. Cell -The Structure And Functions |
| Unit 3 : Human Body | 4. Digestive System |
| 5. Respiratory System | |
| 6. The Circulatory System | |
| Unit 4 : Health and Hygiene | 7. Disease and Hygiene |
| Unit 5 : Adaptation | 8. Habitat and Adaptation |
