Hi Everyone!! This article will share A Voice in the Dark Questions & Answers.
In my previous posts, I have shared the questions and answers of Home and Love, The Story of Keesh and The Lumber Room so, you can check these posts as well.
A Voice in the Dark Questions & Answers
Question 1: What time of the year was it when this incident took place? How do you know?
Answer: The incident took place in winter (the end of this season). The snow is still deep and the mornings and evenings cold, and there is still much ice and snow on the track.
Question 2: What kind of train was it – diesel, electric or steam? How do you know?
Answer: It was a steam train – it steamed into the station (also it has a whistle, a fireman and engineer – put together, these things indicate that it was a steam train).
Question 3: What in the story is described as being ‘insignificant’? What does this mean?
Answer: The small stations, the slow train stopped at are described as being ‘insignificant’. This means ‘unimportant’.
Question 4: How did the author and his companion know that the train was shortly going to arrive at the station?
Answer: The author and his companion knew that the train was shortly going to arrive at the station because ‘passengers were already pacing the platform, the luggage was placed in readiness, and a number of curious people, having nothing else to do, had assembled here to see the coming and going of the train.’
Question 5: Why was Davies allow his companion to jump on the train first?
Answer: Davies allowed his companion to jump on the train first because he had a maimed hand.
Question 6: What is meant by a ‘blind baggage car’?
Answer: A ‘blind baggage car’ means that the end nearest to the engine on that car/carriage had no door on it so if the men could climb on it no one would be able to see them or get to them.
Question 7: Does Davies blame the man for the accident? How do we know?
Answer: Some details indicate that Davies does blame the man for the accident. Davies says that the man stood ‘thoughtlessly irresolute on the step, leaving no room’ for him (which suggests the action was not intentional) but then adds that he moved ‘very deliberately’ which suggests that he believes the man was being slow intentionally.
Question 8: Why was a sensation caused in the local press? What does this mean?
Answer: A sensation was caused in the local press because Davies calmly let his pipe and started smoking while waiting for the doctor to come and attend to his leg. A sensation is something that creates great public interest and this event certainly did that.
Question 9: How is the hesitation of the man jumping on the train before the author hesitated described by the author? What might have happened if the man had not hesitated?
Answer: His hesitation is described as ‘thoughtlessly irresolute’ (perhaps he was unsure/ undecided). If the man had not hesitated, Davies would have boarded the train and left Renfrew. he would not have lost his foot and may never have written this story!
Question 10: Explain what is meant by the groups of words italicized in the following sentences.
a. We slipped out unobserved and took possession of an empty car.
Answer: Slipped out – to sneak out of a place unnoticed.
Took possession of (took ownership of (temporarily, in this case!)
b. With this object we sat in the station’s waiting room till evening.
Answer: With this object (with this as our goal).
c. ‘Come’, I said, ‘there is no time to lose’.
Answer: No time to lose (need to hurry as fast as possible).
d. The train pulled slowly out of the station.
Answer: Pulled slowly out (departed).
e. I shouted to him to clear the step.
Answer: To clear the step (move aside).
f. My foot came short of the step.
Answer: Came short of (did not reach/almost got there).
g. Coming forward quickly the man looked me over.
Answer: Looked me over (inspect/examine quickly).
So, these were A Voice in the Dark Questions & Answers.