First year intermediate - English - Summary (prose)

Summary from Prose

Birkenhead Drill

Introduction

Birkenhead Drill is a story of extravagant deed of heroism and shvarism shown by the soldiers of British 963Army. The Birkenhead Drill was a troop ship, which come across with sudden accident which has brought a dramatic change in the life of soldiers.

Birkenhead Drill means Women and Children First is the order followed on all ships that are in danger. Birkenhead Drill means today to stand be still facing certain death so that the weaker ones may have a chance of life.

“Some people born great

Some people have greatness

Some people achieve greatness

We should make our lifes sublime”

Summary:

Birkenhead Drill was a military ship. In February 1851, it was going to South Africa with troops and their families. There were a total of six hundred and thirty people on board out of which one hundred and seventy were women and children. The rest were inexperienced military men and officers. At 2 a.m. on 25th February, when this ship was near Cape Town, it strokes a massive rock that was not shown on any of the maps. This sudden jerk broke the ship into two pieces. The front half soon sank but the hind half stayed afloat. Most of the people manage to reach the rear part. There were only 3 lifeboats left undamaged with a capacity of 60 persons per boat. Only 180 people could be saved in this way. The others would draw because the damaged military ship could not float much longer. This situation should have caused a panic on the ship. Unlike other happenings, there was no panic or confusion in the boat. The trained soldiers managed complete discipline and were successful in transferring some women and children into the lifeboats. The captain and soldiers stood line by line as if they were on their daily drill. Every one was loyal to his duty and himself. A commander set an example by giving his life for two young soldiers. When the commander was hanging on to some piece of wood, he saw two young soldiers struggling in the water. He allowed them to hold on wreckage. But the commander realized that the wreckage could not bear the weight of the three persons so he let go his hold and went into the water for ever. Due to complete management of discipline, 194 people were saved but 436 men drowned forever in the deep waters. Moral The undiminished order of the soldiers presented in the article reflects the quality of sacrifice and devotion in mankind. We should stand till facing certain fate so that the weak ones may have a chance to live. This has been known as Birkenhead Drill since then.

“DUTY, THAT WHICH STERNLY IMPELS US IN THE DIRECTION OF PROFIT, ALONG THE LINE OF DESIRE.”

___________________________________ Ambrose Bierce

The Hostile Witness

Introduction:

The Hostile Witness is a detective story by D.Y. Morgan. In this story he depicts the character of a person who was not satisfied with the performance of the state Police, but he changed his views when witnesses the performance of the police in arresting a dangerous murderer at large.

Summary:

Norman Charlton is a robber and a murderer. He lives as a servant in White Hart Hotel. This hotel is in Kirby, a small Yorkshire town about 32 kilometers south of Darlington. He robbed the weekly wages of two people at New Castle, who were going to their factory carrying thousands of pounds. While committing the robbery, he faces protest from the two persons. In reply he shoots them. One of them, named John Edward Robson, gets killed while the other becomes seriously wounded. Charlton escapes in a stolen sports car from the place of robbery. After reaching a safe place, he leaves the car and asks for a lift at about a hundred yards from that point. Fortunately, he gets a lift from Mr. Earnest King who was on his way to White Hart Hotel. When they reach the hotel, Charlton transfers the stolen bag from Mr. King’s car into the hotel and places it behind the reception desk. He also puts King’s luggage in a room and gets dressed in his white jacket. He leaves the weapon of murder under the mattress. Mr. King sits in the lounge and orders for cold drink. While enjoying cold drink, Mr. Abott and two other guests, Mr. Cartor and Johnson enter the room. They exchange greetings and then Mr. King gets informed about the robbery and the murder. Mr. Cartor also tells about the checking of his car by the police. While they were talking about the robbery, three persons, Detective-Sergeant Manning and Police Constable Stevens and Edwards, enter the hotel. They told the people about the security and said that their duty was to check all the hotels in the North of England. Detective-Sergeant Manning asks for the keys of the rooms so that he could check the luggage of the guests. Everyone gives them the keys except Mr. King, who thinks that this action was unrespectable. But after some discussion he also gives the keys. thedetective then go up to check the rooms. When they return, one of them holds a pistol in his hand, which had been fired recently. He tells that this pistol was laid under the mattress in Mr. King’s room. He suspects Mr. King for the murder. Charlton takes advantages of this situation and gives the description of the murderer – medium height and build, fresh complexion, dark hair, moustache, horn-rimmed glasses, Grey suit and Grey hat. This description exactly suited the dressing of Mr. King, which made him more mistrustful and every body stares at him. Charlton also gives the bag of money having massive locks from behind the reception desk and says that this bag was carried by Mr. King. Suddenly, Manning turns at Charlton and orders the constable to arrest him. He suspected him of the spirit gum and fake moustaches that were left on his upper lip. The lift which he had taken from Mr. King made him more suspicious. He also asks him of horn-rimmed glasses and receives the answer in positive. Manning then arrests him and tells the people how Charlton had committed the crime. He hid the pistol under the mattress in Mr. King’s room while he as keeping the luggage and threw away his fake moustache soon after killing the person. He had then taken lift from Mr. King at a bus stop near Great North Road and gotten away safely from the police. This entire work carried out by the police really impressed Mr. King and the killer was caught.

My Bank Account

Introduction:

My Bank Account is written by Stephen Leacock. He is one of the most popular mockers and article writer. His witty articles are the best example of sardonic Mockery. The most of his stories like Brown Eyes, Freedom Cost, Behind the Table are written in first person style.

“CONFIDENCE WITH FEAR LEAD TO MOCKERY.” ___________________________________ Stephen

Summary:

Our author had a particular kind of fear about banks. Every time he entered a bank, to do business, he felt awfully frightened. The author was afraid of banks but he had to go to a bank, as he received a raise in his salary. As he entered the bank his fear overlook him. In this panic, the author made number of stupid mistakes. He entered the bank and demanded to see the manager alone. The author was taken to a private room. The manager was convinced that the author was millionaire who wished to deposit millions of dollars. But the manager was very upset, when he learn that the author wanted to deposit, fifty six dollars and that he would deposit fifty dollars every month. Quite obviously the manager was irritated and directed him to the accountant, so that his account could be opened, which was duly done. After having deposited fifty-six dollars. The author wanted to withdraw six dollars for his current use. In his nervousness, the author made a blunder. Instead of writing a cheque for six dollars he had written fifty-six dollars. The accountant looked at him in astonishment and asked if he wanted to withdraw all his money. The author realized his mistake, but wanted to cover up his stupidness. So he replied he wanted to draw all his money. Author was feeling miserable and he want to rush out of the bank sooner than he received his money, he rushed out of the bank as he did so, a loud burst of laughter went up, to the roof of the bank.

The Wolves of Cernogratz

Introduction:

This is an interesting story about supernatural forces and strange happenings written by Saki H.H. Munro. The author is well known for his tales of mystery and magical powers. The story is about an old castle and its owners, the Cernogratz family who had to sell off their family castle, when their fortune turned against them. Thus, they abondoned their ancestral family castle. As time went by, the castle was purchased by Gruebel family.

Summary:

One of the last days of December, the Baroness, the new owner of the Cernogratz Castle, was engaged in a friendly conversation with her guests. She was telling them about a strange legend attached to the castle. She said that whenever someone died in the castle, all the wild beasts and wolves would appear from nowhere and start howling all night long. But she quickly brushed this legend aside by saying that, it is only a gimmick to enhance the value of castle. She also said that she did not believe in the legend as she had proof that nothing of the sort ever happened. When her old mother-in-law died in the castle, nothing of the sort happened and no wolves appeared. According to her it was utter rubbish and that there was no truth in the legend. That the people had merely invented a story so as to give cheap publicity to the place. On hearing this account, Amalie von Cernogratz, an old governess employed in the house, remarked:

“THE STORY IS NOT AS YOU HAVE TOLD IT. IT IS NOT WHEN ANY ONE DIES IN THE CASTLE, THAT THE HOWLING IS HEARD. IT IS ONLY HEARD, WHEN A MEMBER OF THE CERNOGRATZ FAMILY, DIES IN HIS FAMILY CASTLE THAT THE WOLVES APPEAR IN THEIR THOUSANDS AND START HOWLING.”

The Governess strongly protested and insisted that the legend was quite true. She knew the family legend very well, as she was the last of the great Cernogratz family. The old Governess repeated the actual legend in a note of defiance, almost in contempt. She made it quite clear that no howling was heard if a stranger died in the castle. But if a cernogratz died in his family castle, not only did the wolves would howl in chorus, but also a large tree would crash in the park as the soul of the dying one left its body. Naturally the company showed its disbelief. They thought that the old lady is pretending to be an important person. She knows that she will be soon past work and she wants to appeal to our sympathies. That the old Amalie is making a false claim to be a Cernogratz. When the old Governess left the room, the Baroness and her guests were convinces that, she is an ordinary woman and had some how learnt the Cernogratz legend from the peasants living in the vicinity. Later on, some mysterious happenings proved every word of the old governess. It so happened that the old governess fell ill and confined herself to her small, cheerless room. Just then the company heard the howling of wolves. Moved by some impulse, the Baroness went to the Governess’s room. To her horror, she found, all the windows open, despite the biting cold, while the old lady was lying on the couch terribly sick. The Baroness rushed forward to shut the windows. But the Governess forbade her in a very stern manner. She asked the Baroness to leave and let the windows be open, as she wanted to hear the “Death Music” of her family. The Baroness announced to her guests that the old governess was dying. While the guests were talking, they heard a loud noise of a tree splitting and then crashing down, with a loud thud. At that moment, the governess breathed her last. The news of Amalie-von-Cernogratz’s death and her affiliation to the Cernogratz family was confirmed in the newspaper, the following day. Amalie, the valued fried of the Baron and Baroness Gruebel had passed away in her old family castle.