Here is a comprehensive study guide for the SEBA Class 10 English Supplementary Reader chapter, “A Triumph of Surgery,” by James Herriot. This guide includes a summary, complete textual question answers, previous years’ HSLC questions, and a list of most important questions in both English and Assamese
Chapter: “A Triumph of Surgery”
by James Herriot
Summary Note (পাঠটোৰ সাৰাংশ)
In English: “A Triumph of Surgery” is a humorous and insightful story by James Herriot, a veterinary surgeon. The story revolves around a small, rich dog named Tricki, who is excessively pampered and overfed by his wealthy mistress, Mrs. Pumphrey. Due to this, Tricki becomes hugely fat, listless, and seriously ill.
Worried, Mrs. Pumphrey consults Mr. Herriot. Understanding that Tricki’s only problem is his greed and the overindulgence of his owner, Mr. Herriot decides to hospitalize the dog for a fortnight. At his surgery, he puts Tricki on a strict diet, giving him no food for the first two days and only plenty of water. Soon, Tricki starts to show improvement. He begins to play with the other dogs and fights for his share of food. He gets plenty of exercise by running and playing with the pack.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Pumphrey, thinking Tricki is suffering, starts sending eggs, wine, and brandy to build up his strength. However, Mr. Herriot and his partners enjoy these luxuries themselves instead of giving them to the dog. After two weeks, Tricki is completely transformed into a lithe, hard-muscled, and active dog. When Mrs. Pumphrey comes to collect him, she is overjoyed and, in her gratitude, calls his recovery “a triumph of surgery.”
In Assamese: “A Triumph of Surgery” হৈছে এজন পশু চিকিৎসক, জেমছ হেৰিয়টৰ দ্বাৰা ৰচিত এক ৰসাত্মক আৰু অন্তৰ্দৃষ্টিপূৰ্ণ কাহিনী। কাহিনীটো ট্ৰিকি নামৰ এটা সৰু, ধনী কুকুৰৰ ওপৰত কেন্দ্ৰিত, যাক তাৰ ধনী মালকিন, শ্ৰীমতী পামফ্ৰেই অত্যাধিক মৰম আৰু অতিমাত্ৰা আহাৰ দি মৰমত বৰবাদ কৰিছিল। ইয়াৰ ফলত, ট্ৰিকি অত্যন্ত শকত, দুৰ্বল আৰু গুৰুতৰভাৱে অসুস্থ হৈ পৰে।
চিন্তিত হৈ, শ্ৰীমতী পামফ্ৰেই শ্ৰীযুত হেৰিয়টৰ লগত পৰামৰ্শ কৰে। ট্ৰিকিৰ একমাত্ৰ সমস্যা যে তাৰ লোভ আৰু তাৰ মালকিনৰ অতিমাত্ৰা মৰম, সেই কথা বুজি পাই, শ্ৰীযুত হেৰিয়টে কুকুৰটোক দুসপ্তাহৰ বাবে চিকিৎসালয়ত ভৰ্তি কৰাৰ সিদ্ধান্ত লয়। তেওঁৰ চিকিৎসালয়ত, তেওঁ ট্ৰিকিক এক কঠোৰ খাদ্য তালিকাত ৰাখে, প্ৰথম দুদিন কোনো খাদ্য নিদিয়াকৈ কেৱল পানী খাবলৈ দিয়ে। সোনকালেই, ট্ৰিকিৰ স্বাস্থ্যৰ উন্নতি হ’বলৈ ধৰে। সি আন কুকুৰবোৰৰ লগত খেলিবলৈ আৰম্ভ কৰে আৰু নিজৰ খাদ্যৰ ভাগৰ বাবে যুঁজ কৰে। অন্য কুকুৰৰ জাকৰ লগত দৌৰি আৰু খেলি সি যথেষ্ট ব্যায়াম লাভ কৰে।
ইফালে, শ্ৰীমতী পামফ্ৰেই, ট্ৰিকিয়ে কষ্ট পাইছে বুলি ভাবি, তাৰ শক্তি বঢ়াবলৈ কণী, ৱাইন আৰু ব্ৰেণ্ডি পঠিয়াবলৈ আৰম্ভ কৰে। কিন্তু, শ্ৰীযুত হেৰিয়ট আৰু তেওঁৰ সহকৰ্মীসকলে সেইবোৰ কুকুৰটোক নিদি নিজেই উপভোগ কৰে। দুসপ্তাহৰ পিছত, ট্ৰিকি সম্পূৰ্ণৰূপে এটা সক্ৰিয়, শক্তিশালী আৰু কঠিন মাংসপেশীৰ কুকুৰলৈ ৰূপান্তৰিত হয়। যেতিয়া শ্ৰীমতী পামফ্ৰেই তাক নিবলৈ আহে, তেওঁ আনন্দত আত্মহাৰা হৈ পৰে আৰু কৃতজ্ঞতাৰে, এই আৰোগ্য লাভক “এ ট্ৰায়াম্ফ অৱ ছাৰ্জাৰী” (অস্ত্ৰোপচাৰৰ এক বিজয়) বুলি অভিহিত কৰে।
Textual Question Answers (পাঠ্যপুথিৰ প্ৰশ্নোত্তৰ)
Read and Find Out (পঢ়া আৰু বিচাৰি উলিওৱা)
1. Why is Mrs Pumphrey worried about Tricki?
(শ্ৰীমতী পামফ্ৰেই ট্ৰিকিক লৈ কিয় চিন্তিত আছিল?)
Answer: Mrs Pumphrey was worried about Tricki because he had become hugely fat, listless, and seemed to have no energy. He refused to eat his favourite dishes and had bouts of vomiting.
2. What does she do to help him? Is she wise in this?
(তেওঁ তাক সহায় কৰিবলৈ কি কৰে? এই কামত তেওঁ জ্ঞানী নে?)
Answer: To help him, she starts giving him little extras between meals like malt, cod-liver oil, and a bowl of Horlicks at night. No, she is not wise in this because she is overfeeding him, which is the actual cause of his illness.
3. Who does ‘I’ refer to in this story?
(এই কাহিনীটোত ‘I’ (মই) বুলি কাক বুজোৱা হৈছে?)
Answer: In this story, ‘I’ refers to the narrator, Mr. James Herriot, who is a veterinary surgeon.
4. Is the narrator as rich as Tricki’s mistress?
(কথকজন ট্ৰিকিৰ মালকিনৰ দৰে ধনী নে?)
Answer: No, the narrator is not as rich as Tricki’s mistress. We know this because he is tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest to enjoy the eggs, wine, and brandy that Mrs. Pumphrey sends.
5. How does he treat the dog?
(তেওঁ কুকুৰটোক কেনেকৈ চিকিৎসা কৰে?)
Answer: He treats the dog by putting it on a strict diet. For the first two days, he gives Tricki no food but plenty of water. He ensures the dog gets enough exercise by letting it play and run with the other dogs at the surgery.
6. Why is he tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest?
(তেওঁ ট্ৰিকিক এজন স্থায়ী অতিথি হিচাপে ৰাখিবলৈ কিয় প্ৰলোভিত হৈছিল?)
Answer: He is tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest because Mrs. Pumphrey sends fresh eggs, wine, and brandy for the dog’s recovery. The narrator and his partners enjoy these items themselves, and they want this luxurious supply to continue.
7. Why does Mrs Pumphrey think the dog’s recovery is “a triumph of surgery”?
(শ্ৰীমতী পামফ্ৰেই কিয় ভাবে যে কুকুৰটোৰ আৰোগ্য লাভ “অস্ত্ৰোপচাৰৰ এক বিজয়”?)
Answer: Mrs Pumphrey thinks the dog’s recovery is “a triumph of surgery” because Tricki was seriously ill, and in just two weeks, he was completely transformed into a healthy, active, and hard-muscled animal. She believes that this remarkable recovery could only have been possible through a medical surgery, not realizing it was simply due to a proper diet and exercise.
Think about it (ভাবি চোৱা)
1. What kind of a person do you think the narrator, a veterinary surgeon, is? Would you say he is tactful as well as full of common sense?
(কথক, এজন পশু চিকিৎসক, কেনেকুৱা ধৰণৰ ব্যক্তি বুলি তুমি ভাবা? তুমি কবানে যে তেওঁ কৌশলপূৰ্ণ আৰু লগতে সাধাৰণ জ্ঞানসম্পন্ন?)
Answer: The narrator is a very capable and practical veterinary surgeon. Yes, he is tactful as well as full of common sense. He is tactful because he handles Mrs. Pumphrey’s foolishness with patience and politeness, without offending her. He shows common sense by correctly diagnosing that Tricki’s problem is overfeeding, not malnutrition, and treating him with a simple, common-sense remedy of diet control and exercise instead of unnecessary medicine or surgery.
2. Do you think Tricki was happy to go home? What do you think will happen now?
(তুমি ভাবানে যে ট্ৰিকি ঘৰলৈ গৈ সুখী হৈছিল? এতিয়া কি হ’ব বুলি তুমি ভাবা?)
Answer: Yes, Tricki was very happy to go home. When he saw his mistress, he took a tremendous leap and sailed into her lap, licking her face and barking.
I think that if Mrs. Pumphrey does not change her ways, Tricki will likely fall ill again. Her excessive love and habit of overfeeding him might lead to the same health problems returning soon.
3. Do you think this is a real-life episode, or mere fiction? Or is it a mixture of both?
(তুমি ভাবানে যে এইটো এটা বাস্তৱ জীৱনৰ ঘটনা, নে কেৱল কল্পনা? নে ই দুয়োটাৰে মিশ্ৰণ?)
Answer: This story seems to be a mixture of both real-life and fiction. The author, James Herriot, was a real veterinary surgeon, and his stories are based on his actual experiences. The characters and the situation seem very realistic. However, the extent of Mrs. Pumphrey’s luxury and the humorous events at the surgery might be slightly exaggerated for storytelling effect, making it a fictionalized account of a real-life episode.
Talk about it (কথা পতা)
(These are open-ended questions for discussion, but here are model answers.)
1. This episode describes the silly behaviour of a rich woman who is foolishly indulgent… Do you think such people are merely silly, or can their actions cause harm to others?
(এই খণ্ডটোৱে এজনী ধনী মহিলাৰ মূৰ্খতাপূৰ্ণ আচৰণৰ বৰ্ণনা দিয়ে… তুমি ভাবানে যে এনেকুৱা মানুহবোৰ কেৱল মূৰ্খ, নে তেওঁলোকৰ কাৰ্যই আনৰ ক্ষতি কৰিব পাৰে?)
Answer: Such people are not merely silly; their actions can cause serious harm to others. In this story, Mrs. Pumphrey’s foolish indulgence, born out of excessive love, almost killed her dog. Her actions, though well-intentioned, were harmful. This shows that “blind love” or ignorance can be as dangerous as cruelty.
2. Do you think there are also parents like Mrs Pumphrey?
(তুমি ভাবানে যে শ্ৰীমতী পামফ্ৰেৰ দৰে পিতৃ-মাতৃও আছে?)
Answer: Yes, there are many parents like Mrs. Pumphrey. They pamper their children excessively, fulfill all their demands without question, and often overfeed them with junk food out of love. This kind of parenting can make children spoiled, unhealthy, and undisciplined.
3. What would you have done if you were: (i) a member of the staff in Mrs Pumphrey’s household, (ii) a neighbour?
(যদি তুমি হ’লাহেঁতেন তেন্তে কি কৰিলাহেঁতেন: (i) শ্ৰীমতী পামফ্ৰেৰ ঘৰৰ কৰ্মচাৰী, (ii) এজন চুবুৰীয়া?)
Answer:
(i) As a member of the staff, I would be bound to follow my employer’s orders. However, I would have tried politely to explain to Mrs. Pumphrey that overfeeding was harming the dog and suggest she follow the vet’s advice strictly.
(ii) As a neighbour, I would have gently advised Mrs. Pumphrey that her method of showing love was making Tricki unhealthy. I would have suggested she consult a good vet and encouraged her to involve the dog in more physical activities.
4. What would you have done if you were in the narrator’s place?
(যদি তুমি কথকৰ ঠাইত হ’লাহেঁতেন, তেন্তে কি কৰিলাহেঁতেন?)
Answer: If I were in the narrator’s place, I would have done exactly what he did. His approach was perfect. He understood that simply giving advice to Mrs. Pumphrey would not work. Taking Tricki away from that environment was the only practical solution to save the dog’s life. His method was both effective and full of common sense.
Previous Year HSLC Question Answers
1. Who was Tricki? (HSLC 2022)
(ট্ৰিকি কোন আছিল?)
Answer: Tricki was a small dog who was excessively pampered and overfed by his rich mistress, Mrs. Pumphrey.
2. What was the only way to save Tricki? (HSLC 2022)
(ট্ৰিকিক বচোৱাৰ একমাত্ৰ উপায় কি আছিল?)
Answer: The only way to save Tricki was to get him out of the house for a period. The narrator suggested that he be hospitalized for about a fortnight to be kept under observation and on a strict diet.
3. What was Tricki’s only fault? (HSLC 2023)
(ট্ৰিকিৰ একমাত্ৰ দোষ কি আছিল?)
Answer: Tricki’s only fault was his greed. He had never been known to refuse food.
4. For what reason was Tricki sent to the hospital? (HSLC 2023)
(কি কাৰণত ট্ৰিকিক চিকিৎসালয়লৈ পঠিওৱা হৈছিল?)
Answer: Tricki was sent to the hospital because he had become seriously ill due to overfeeding. He was refusing to eat, had bouts of vomiting, and spent all his time lying on a rug, panting.
5. How did the staff of Mrs. Pumphrey behave when Tricki was being sent to the hospital? (HSLC 2024)
(ট্ৰিকিক চিকিৎসালয়লৈ পঠিওৱাৰ সময়ত শ্ৰীমতী পামফ্ৰেৰ কৰ্মচাৰীসকলে কেনে আচৰণ কৰিছিল?)
Answer: When Tricki was being sent to the hospital, the entire staff was roused. Maids rushed in and out, bringing his day bed, night bed, favourite cushions, toys, and various bowls, trying to put all of Tricki’s belongings into the car.
Most Important Questions and Answers
(আটাইতকৈ গুৰুত্বপূৰ্ণ প্ৰশ্নোত্তৰ)
1. Why did Mr. Herriot expect a call from Mrs. Pumphrey?
(শ্ৰীযুত হেৰিয়টে শ্ৰীমতী পামফ্ৰেৰ পৰা এটা ফোন কিয় আশা কৰিছিল?)
Answer: Mr. Herriot expected a call because he had seen Tricki’s unhealthy condition. He knew that Mrs. Pumphrey’s overfeeding and pampering would soon make the dog seriously ill.
2. Describe Tricki’s appearance when Mr. Herriot first saw him.
(শ্ৰীযুত হেৰিয়টে প্ৰথমবাৰ ট্ৰিকিক দেখি তাৰ চেহেৰাৰ কেনে বৰ্ণনা দিছিল?)
Answer: When Mr. Herriot first saw Tricki, he looked like a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner. His eyes were bloodshot and rheumy, and his tongue lolled from his jaws.
3. What was Mrs. Pumphrey’s explanation for Tricki’s condition?
(ট্ৰিকিৰ অৱস্থাৰ বাবে শ্ৰীমতী পামফ্ৰেই কি বৰ্ণনা দিছিল?)
Answer: Mrs. Pumphrey explained that Tricki seemed to have no energy, so she thought he was suffering from malnutrition. That is why she was giving him extras like malt, cod-liver oil, and Horlicks.
4. How was Tricki treated at the surgery for the first two days?
(চিকিৎসালয়ত প্ৰথম দুদিন ট্ৰিকিক কেনেকৈ চিকিৎসা কৰা হৈছিল?)
Answer: For the first two days at the surgery, Tricki was given no food at all. He was only given plenty of water to drink and was kept under strict observation.
5. How did Tricki become an accepted member of the dog gang?
(ট্ৰিকি কেনেকৈ কুকুৰৰ দলটোৰ এজন গ্ৰহণযোগ্য সদস্য হৈ পৰিছিল?)
Answer: After a few days on a strict diet, Tricki regained some energy. He started playing with the other dogs, joined in their friendly scrimmages, and fought for his share at mealtimes, thus becoming an accepted member of the gang.
6. Why was the narrator tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest?
(কথকজনে ট্ৰিকিক এজন স্থায়ী অতিথি হিচাপে ৰাখিবলৈ কিয় প্ৰলোভিত হৈছিল?)
Answer: The narrator was tempted because Mrs. Pumphrey started sending two dozen fresh eggs, bottles of wine, and even brandy for Tricki. The narrator and his partners enjoyed these luxuries themselves and wanted them to continue.
7. What was the real “triumph of surgery”?
(প্ৰকৃত “অস্ত্ৰোপচাৰৰ বিজয়” কি আছিল?)
Answer: The real “triumph of surgery” was Tricki’s recovery without any actual medical surgery. The triumph was Mr. Herriot’s common-sense approach of treating the dog with a controlled diet and plenty of exercise, which cured him completely.
8. What does this story tell us about the behaviour of rich people?
(এই কাহিনীটোৱে ধনী মানুহৰ আচৰণৰ বিষয়ে আমাক কি কয়?)
Answer: The story suggests that some rich people can be foolishly indulgent and their excessive love can be harmful. Mrs. Pumphrey, despite her wealth, lacked common sense and almost killed her dog with kindness and overfeeding.
9. Compare Tricki’s life at home with his life at the surgery.
(ঘৰত ট্ৰিকিৰ জীৱন আৰু চিকিৎসালয়ত তাৰ জীৱনৰ মাজত তুলনা কৰা।)
Answer: At home, Tricki lived a life of extreme luxury with no physical activity, where he was overfed and pampered. At the surgery, he lived like a normal dog, had to run and play for his food, got plenty of exercise, and lived a disciplined life.
10. What is the message of the story “A Triumph of Surgery”?
(“A Triumph of Surgery” কাহিনীটোৰ বাৰ্তা কি?)
Answer: The message of the story is that excessive or blind love can be harmful. It also highlights that a disciplined lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular exercise is essential for good health, for both animals and humans..