On Examinations
Introduction to Author:
Winston S. Churchill, widely known as one of the greatest statesmen and leaders of the 20th century, was also a prolific writer and orator. Born on November 30, 1874, in Blenheim Palace, England, Churchill served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during crucial periods of history, including World War II. His leadership and unwavering determination played a pivotal role in the Allied victory against Nazi Germany. Churchill’s eloquent speeches and writings continue to be celebrated for their clarity, wit, and resilience in the face of adversity. His work, “On Examinations,” provides insights into his thoughts on education and examinations.
Summary of “On Examinations”:
Winston S. Churchill’s essay, “On Examinations,” delves into his perspective on the education system and the role of examinations in assessing knowledge and aptitude. Churchill’s witty and insightful commentary offers a critical examination of the examination process itself.
In the essay, Churchill expresses his belief that examinations have become a central fixture of modern education, often overshadowing the true purpose of learning. He suggests that examinations have evolved to measure the ability to memorize facts and regurgitate them, rather than nurturing a genuine understanding of the subject matter. Churchill laments that students are often more focused on passing exams than on acquiring a deep and lasting knowledge of their studies.
Churchill humorously likens examinations to “the inquisition” and “torture,” highlighting the stressful and anxiety-inducing nature of these assessments. He argues that the intense competition and pressure surrounding exams can lead to a shallow understanding of the subjects and discourage creativity and independent thinking.
Despite his critiques of examinations, Churchill acknowledges their necessity in assessing qualifications for certain professions and roles. He emphasizes the importance of balancing examinations with a broader and more comprehensive approach to education that encourages critical thinking, creativity, and the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake.
Churchill’s essay serves as a thought-provoking reflection on the education system’s challenges and the need for reforms that prioritize holistic learning and personal growth over mere exam results. His wit and wisdom continue to resonate with educators, students, and anyone interested in the complexities of modern education.
Question and Answer
Unit-1
1. Does the writer like examinations? Quote the line in support of your answer?
Ans: The writer does not like examinations. He expresses this sentiment with the line, “I entered the inhospitable regions of examination. These examinations were a great trial for me.”
2. Mention the subjects that were dearest to the examiners?
Ans: The subjects that were dearest to the examiners were Latin and Mathematics. All the questions in the examinations were set from these subjects.
3. Which subjects did the writer like the most?
Ans: The writer liked history, poetry, and essays.
4. What reason does the writer give for not doing well in the examinations?
Ans: The writer explains that he performed poorly in the examinations because the questions were set from Latin and Mathematics, subjects he had little knowledge of. None of the questions were from his preferred areas of study.
5. What did the writer write in the answer book for the Latin paper?
Ans: In the Latin paper, the writer wrote his name and the number of the question ‘I,’ indicating that he couldn’t answer any of the questions.
6. What a sad spectacle for him?
Ans: A sad spectacle for the writer was when he shed tears in the examination hall. His teardrops fell on the answer paper, creating blots and smudges.
7. What was the writer’s position in the merit list for admission?
Ans: In the merit list for admission, the writer was placed in the third or lowest division of the Fourth or bottom Form.
8. Whom does he give the credit for his success in the Entrance Examination? Why?
Ans: Churchill gives credit for his success in the Entrance Examination to the headmaster, Dr. Welldon. He acknowledges Dr. Welldon’s ability to see beyond superficial factors and mentions that he passed Churchill even though Churchill had written nothing.
9. What do we mean by – “I gained no more advantage from the alphabet than from the wider sphere of letters.”
Ans: By the statement, “I gained no more advantage from the alphabet than from the wider sphere of letters,” the writer humorously indicates that being listed alphabetically did not provide him with any special advantage. He remained at the bottom of the school list.
10. How did he become the last boy in the class?
Ans: Churchill became the last boy in the class because two other students left school due to illness or some other cause. As a result, his name moved to the very end of the list.
11. What is the custom of calling the roll at Harrow?
Ans: The custom of calling the roll at Harrow involves students filing past a master in the schoolyard and verbally acknowledging their presence when their names are called during roll call.
12. What is the custom of calling the roll at Eton?
Ans: At Eton, the custom of calling the roll involves students standing together in a cluster and lifting their hats as their names are called during roll call.
13. “Why, he’s last of all”—why did people say so?
Ans: People said, “Why, he’s last of all,” because Churchill’s name was listed at the end of the school roll, and during roll call, he was the last to file past, prompting others to comment on his position.
Unit -2
1. What kind of students were taught Latin and Greek at Harrow?
Ans: The students who were considered clever were taught Latin and Greek at Harrow.
2. Which students were taught only English?
Ans: The students who were considered dull were taught only English.
3. Why does the writer rate English as a subject and Mr. Somervell as a teacher?
Ans: The writer rates English as a subject because he believes it is crucial for earning a livelihood. He also highly praises Mr. Somervell as a teacher because he made the subject enjoyable and understandable, especially for the less academically inclined students. Mr. Somervell’s teaching methods, including thorough parsing instruction, earned his admiration.
4. What part of English grammar did he learn from Mr. Somervell?
Ans: Churchill learned parsing from Mr. Somervell, which involved identifying and understanding subjects, objects, verbs, clauses, and other elements of English grammar.
5. How did he score over the clever school fellows in later years?
Ans: Churchill scored over his clever school fellows in later years because while they were initially studying Latin and Greek, he was already building a strong foundation in English. When the clever students eventually returned to the English class, Churchill had acquired substantial knowledge in English, giving him an advantage.
6. Why was he biased in favor of boys learning the English language?
Ans: Churchill was biased in favor of boys learning the English language because he believed that a strong command of English would provide them with better job opportunities and enable them to earn a livelihood. He considered it a practical and essential skill.
Unit-3
1. How did the boys enjoy their time at the swimming bath?
Ans: The boys enjoyed their time at the swimming bath by spending hours there, sunbathing between dips, and eating enormous buns on the hot asphalt margin.
2. What kind of pranks did they enjoy at the bath?
Ans: At the bath, the boys formed groups, played jokes on each other, and engaged in playful antics, such as sneaking up behind their naked friends and pushing them into the water.
3. What did the writer do to the boy standing in a meditative posture?
Ans: The writer, Churchill, pulled a prank on a boy who was standing in a meditative posture by secretly approaching him, taking his towel, and pushing him into the pond.
4. What was the reaction of the boy?
Ans: The boy emerged from the water angrily, seized Churchill in a ferocious grip, and threw him into the deepest part of the pool in retaliation.
5. What did the writer learn about Amery from the crowd of younger boys?
Ans: From the crowd of younger boys, the writer learned that Amery was in the sixth form, was the head of the house, had achieved champion status in gymnastics, and had earned his football colors.
6. How did the writer apologize for his misconduct?
Ans: The writer approached Amery and apologized, saying, “I am very sorry. I mistook you for a fourth form boy. You are so small. My father, who is a great man, is also small.”
7. Did he apologize out of fear or guilt, or both?
Ans: The writer apologized primarily out of guilt. He described his apology as being made “with the guilt of sacrilege.”
8. Did the matter end happily for the writer?
Ans: Yes, the matter ended happily for the writer. In Unit-IV, he provides further clarification about how Amery responded to his apology, which suggests that there were no lingering hard feelings.
Unit-4
1. “Three years’ difference in age is not as important as it is at school.” How does the writer prove it?
Ans: The writer proves this by highlighting that although there was a three-year age difference between Churchill and Amery at school, leading Churchill to apologize to Amery, in later life, their age difference became inconsequential. Churchill became the Prime Minister, and Amery was his cabinet colleague for many years. They harbored no ill feelings, and the age gap no longer posed any difficulty.
2. How did the writer fare at school ?
Ans: The writer, Churchill, did not perform well academically at school. He remained in the lowest rank in the merit list, which was a source of disappointment for him. However, he excelled in a few specific areas.
3. How did he win a prize at school?
Ans: Churchill won a prize at school by reciting twelve hundred lines of Macaulay’s “Lays of Ancient Rome” to the headmaster without making a single mistake. This remarkable feat earned him a prize.
4. What were the writer’s noteworthy achievements at school?
Ans: The writer’s noteworthy achievements at school included passing the preliminary examination for the Army, a feat that many of his senior classmates failed to accomplish. This achievement was considered rare and impressive.
5. How did the writer prepare himself for the preliminary examination for the Army?
Ans: The writer, Churchill, prepared for the preliminary examination for the Army by anticipating a question that might require drawing the map of a country, possibly New Zealand. He read about New Zealand, and when the same question did indeed appear in the exam, he was well-prepared to answer it successfully.
6. Why does he call his success an “en plein”?
Ans: The writer, Churchill, refers to his success as an “en plein” because he had focused his preparation on a specific question regarding drawing the map of New Zealand. His success hinged on the fact that the exact question he had prepared for appeared in the exam, making it feel like a gamble that had paid off perfectly.
Additional Question and Answer
1. What does the writer say about his intense dislike of examinations?
Ans: The writer harbored an intense dislike for examinations. He found them to be a source of hardship, which he was destined to endure for the next seven years.
2. How was the writer, as a boy, selected for Harrow?
Ans: Despite not being able to answer a single question, the writer was selected for Harrow because of Dr. Welldon, the headmaster of Harrow School, who possessed the unique ability to see beyond surface appearances. Dr. Welldon recognized the writer’s potential and admitted him to the school, placing him in the third or lowest division, which was the fourth division.
3. Who was Dr. Welldon, and what was he like?
Ans: Dr. Welldon was the headmaster of Harrow School. He was a remarkable individual with a broad mind and the ability to discern the general ability of students. He had a keen insight into the inner feelings and potential of students.
4. What made the writer hold Dr. Welldon in high esteem?
Ans: The writer held Dr. Welldon in high esteem because he was a man capable of looking beneath the surface of things. Dr. Welldon’s ability to recognize the potential in students like the writer earned him the writer’s deep respect.
5. Who made the irreverent comment about W.S. Churchill, and why?
Ans: People made an irreverent comment about W.S. Churchill, saying, “Why, he’s last of all,” because they were surprised to see the writer, who was the son of Lord Randolph Churchill and despite his father’s prominent political career, being the last to march by during a school event.
6. What unpretentious situation was Spencer Churchill in, and what advantage did he gain over the cleverer boys?
Ans: Spencer Churchill found himself in the unpretentious situation of being placed in the third division of the bottom form for about a year. This situation allowed him to focus on learning English, ultimately giving him a significant advantage over his cleverer classmates.
7. Describe Mr. Somervell’s method of teaching the English language.
Ans: Mr. Somervell employed a unique, interesting, and effective method of teaching the English language. He went to great lengths to ensure that his students understood the rules of grammar. He even separated words and underlined them with different colored pens, making the learning process enjoyable.
8. What helped the writer learn English thoroughly?
Ans: The writer’s placement in the lowest division of the fourth form, combined with Mr. Somervell’s guidance and effective teaching methods, helped him learn English thoroughly. This experience proved to be a blessing in disguise for him in later life.
9. How did the writer outshine the cleverer students who were his classmates?
Ans: In later years, the writer outshone the cleverer students who were his classmates by performing more spectacularly. His proficiency in English gave him a significant advantage over his classmates, who were quick learners.
10. What was the writer’s opinion about the learning of Latin and Greek in schools?
Ans: The writer believed that quick learners might choose to learn Latin as an honor and Greek as a treat. However, he argued that everyone should learn English because it was the key to making a mark in life and achieving success.
11. What made the writer appreciate the learners of English?
Ans: The writer appreciated learners of English because he recognized that mastering the English language provided individuals with the opportunity to hold prominent positions in life and earn a livelihood.
12. Describe the swimming bath at Harrow School.
Ans: The swimming bath at Harrow School was the largest the writer had ever seen. It resembled a bend in a river and featured two bridges across it.
13. What information did the younger boys give the writer about Amery?
Ans: The younger boys informed the writer that Amery was in the sixth form, held the position of head of his house, was a champion in gymnastics, and had earned his football colors. He was well-known and respected for his achievements.
14. What did the writer apologize to Amery for?
Ans: The writer apologized to Amery out of a sense of fear and guilt. He regretted his actions and behavior toward a student who had earned a significant reputation in various fields.
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