THE HACK DRIVER

*MCQ* (The Hack Driver)

1. The narrator was sent to New Mullion to —

a) practise law

b) meet villagers

c) serve summons

d) attend court

Ans: c) serve summons

2. Oliver Lutkins was required by the law firm as a) criminal

b) judge

c) lawyer

d) witness

Ans: d) witness

3. Why had Lutkins ignored the letters sent to him?

a) He was ill

b) He was out of town

c) He did not want to be a witness

d) He could not read

Ans: c) He did not want to be a witness

4. The lawyer hated city work because —

a) it paid less

b) it was boring

c) it was dangerous and unpleasant

d) it had no future

Ans: c) it was dangerous and unpleasant

5. The lawyer expected New Mullion to be —

a) modern and clean

b) sweet and simple

c) crowded and noisy

d) rich and developed

Ans: b) sweet and simple

6. The streets of New Mullion were —

a) clean and wide

b) paved with stones

c) rivers of mud

d) full of traffic

Ans: c) rivers of mud

7. The shops in New Mullion were mostly —

a) brick-built

b) glass-fronted

c) wooden

d) cemented

Ans: c) wooden

8. Bill Magnuson was a —

a) shopkeeper

b) farmer

c) barber

d) hack driver

Ans: d) hack driver

9. Bill was about —

a) 25 years old

b) 30 years old

c) 40 years old

d) 50 years old

Ans: c) 40 years old

10. Bill looked —

a) thin and serious

b) weak and pale

c) red-faced and cheerful

d) tall and proud

Ans: c) red-faced and cheerful

11. Bill offered help mainly because —

a) he liked strangers

b) he was kind-hearted

c) he wanted the fare

d) he feared the court

Ans: c) he wanted the fare

12. Bill charged the lawyer —

a) one dollar an hour

b) two dollars an hour

c) three dollars an hour

d) four dollars an hour

Ans: b) two dollars an hour

13. Bill’s hack looked like —

a) a modern car

b) a bicycle

c) a black box on wheels

d) a horse cart

Ans: c) a black box on wheels

14. Bill pretended that Lutkins was —

a) honest

b) poor

c) clever and tricky

d) sick

Ans: c) clever and tricky

15. The first place Bill took the lawyer to was —

a) barber shop

b) poolroom

c) Fritz’s shop

d) hotel

Ans: c) Fritz’s shop

16. Lutkins was said to be fond of —

a) farming

b) reading

c) poker

d) travelling

Ans: c) poker

17. The lawyer hid behind Bill because —

a) he was shy

b) he feared villagers

c) Lutkins might recognize him

d) Bill advised him to rest

Ans: c) Lutkins might recognize him

18. At Gustaff’s barber shop, Lutkins was said to have gone to —

a) Fritz’s shop

b) Gray’s barber shop

c) the station

d) home

Ans: b) Gray’s barber shop

19. From Gray’s shop, Lutkins was said to have gone to —

a) poolroom

b) hotel

c) station

d) market

Ans: a) poolroom

20. The lawyer could not catch Lutkins because —

a) he was slow

b) Lutkins kept moving

c) Bill misled him

d) both b and c

Ans: d) both b and c

21. Where did Bill suggest having lunch?

a) restaurant

b) hotel

c) Wade’s Hill

d) station

Ans: c) Wade’s Hill

22. Bill preferred home-packed lunch because —

a) restaurants were costly

b) restaurants were bad

c) he disliked city food

d) all of the above

Ans: d) all of the above

23. The lawyer enjoyed Bill’s talk because it showed —

a) gossip

b) humour and wisdom

c) anger

d) pride

Ans: b) humour and wisdom

24. The lawyer felt New Mullion was —

a) boring

b) foolish

c) warm and human

d) dishonest

Ans: c) warm and human

25. Lutkins’ mother lived —

a) in the village

b) near the station

c) on a farm

d) in the city

Ans: c) on a farm

26. Bill described Lutkins’ mother as —

a) polite

b) gentle

c) terrifying

d) silent

Ans: c) terrifying

27. Lutkins’ mother threatened them with —

a) a stick

b) a knife

c) a gun

d) a hot iron

Ans: d) a hot iron

28. Lutkins’ mother was actually —

a) angry

b) frightened

c) pretending

d) joking

Ans: c) pretending

29. The lawyer failed to serve the summons because —

a) Lutkins escaped

b) he ran out of time

c) Bill fooled him

d) court was closed

Ans: c) Bill fooled him

30. On the second visit, the lawyer went with —

a) Bill

b) a policeman

c) a man who knew Lutkins

d) his boss

Ans: c) a man who knew Lutkins

31. The biggest shock to the lawyer was that —

a) Lutkins was rich

b) Lutkins was Bill

c) the village was dishonest

d) his job was lost

Ans: b) Lutkins was Bill

32. Lutkins and his mother laughed at the lawyer because —

a) he was rude

b) he was angry

c) he was easily fooled

d) he was late

Ans: c) he was easily fooled

33. The title “The Hack Driver” is ironic because —

a) the driver was poor

b) the driver was honest

c) the driver was Lutkins himself

d) the driver helped the law

Ans: c) the driver was Lutkins himself

34. The story mainly teaches that —

a) villages are peaceful

b) lawyers are foolish

c) appearances can be deceptive

d) city life is better

Ans: c) appearances can be deceptive

35. The lawyer’s main weakness was —

a) pride

b) anger

c) blind trust

d) laziness

Ans: c) blind trust

36. Bill/Lutkins was intelligent because he —

a) used force

b) ran away

c) used clever deception

d) hid permanently

Ans: c) used clever deception

37. The tone of the story is mostly —

a) tragic

b) humorous

c) fearful

d) serious

Ans: b) humorous

38. The narrator felt insulted because he was treated like —

a) a lawyer

b) a clerk

c) a detective

d) a criminal

Ans: c) a detective

39. The narrator thought of returning to his hometown because —

a) he missed his parents

b) city life disappointed him

c) village life attracted him

d) he lost his job

Ans: b) city life disappointed him

40. The narrator felt strengthened by Bill because Bill had —

a) education

b) wealth

c) philosophy of simplicity and laughter

d) power

Ans: c) philosophy of simplicity and laughter

41. The narrator paid Bill for —

a) four hours

b) five hours

c) six hours

d) seven hours

Ans: c) six hours

42. The narrator charged the expenses to —

a) himself

b) Bill

c) the court

d) the firm

Ans: d) the firm

43. Bill called Lutkins “Brother Lutkins” to show —

a) fear

b) anger

c) familiarity

d) respect

Ans: c) familiarity

44.. The lawyer described Bill’s hack as —

a) elegant

b) luxurious

c) modern

d) funny-looking

Ans: d) funny-looking

45. The chief in the law firm reacted with —

a) sympathy

b) patience

c) anger

d) humour

Ans: c) anger

46. Lutkins invited the lawyer for coffee to show- 

a) anger

b) revenge

c) mockery mixed with kindness

d) fear

Ans: c) mockery mixed with kindness

47. The neighbours wanted to see the lawyer because —

a) he was famous

b) he was rude

c) he was fooled

d) he was rich

Ans: c) he was fooled

*THE HACK DRIVER* (Q-ANS)

1. Why was the lawyer sent to New Mullion?

Ans: c) To serve summons on Oliver Lutkins

2. What was the lawyer’s first impression of New Mullion?

Ans: c) Dirty and muddy

3. Who was the first person the lawyer met in New Mullion?

Ans: c) Bill Magnuson

4. What was Bill Magnuson’s profession?

Ans: c) Hack driver

5. Where did Bill first take the lawyer to find Lutkins?

Ans: b) Fritz’s shop

6. Why did Lutkins avoid being found?

Ans: b) He was afraid of the summons

7. Where did Bill say Lutkins finally went?

Ans: c) To his mother’s farm

8. Who turned out to be Oliver Lutkins?

Ans: d) Bill Magnuson

9. How did Lutkins and his mother react when the lawyer served the summons?

Ans: c) They laughed at him

10. What quality of Bill impressed the lawyer most?

Ans: c) His kindness and wisdom

11. Why did the lawyer hate his job in the city?

Ans: Because he had to serve summons in unpleasant and dangerous places.

12. What kind of place was New Mullion?

Ans: It was a muddy village with wooden shops.

13. What did Bill charge the lawyer per hour?

Ans: Two dollars an hour.

14. Why did the lawyer hide behind Bill while searching for Lutkins?

Ans: To avoid being recognized by Lutkins.

15. Where did Bill and the lawyer have lunch?

Ans: On Wade’s Hill.

16. Why was Lutkins needed by the law firm?

Ans: He was required as a witness in a case.

17. What did Lutkins’ mother threaten the lawyer and Bill with?

Ans: She threatened them with a hot iron.

18. Who accompanied the lawyer on his second visit to New Mullion?

Ans: A man who had worked with Lutkins.

19. What made the lawyer admire village life?

Ans: The simplicity, wisdom, and kindness of village people.

20. What was the lawyer’s final realization about Bill?

Ans: Bill was actually Oliver Lutkins himself.

21. Why did the lawyer feel happy when he was sent to New Mullion?

Ans:

The lawyer was tired of his dangerous and unpleasant city job. When he was sent to New Mullion, he felt happy because he expected a peaceful village life away from the city.

22. Describe the appearance and nature of Bill Magnuson.

Ans:

Bill Magnuson was a red-faced, cheerful man with a friendly nature. He was helpful, humorous, and appeared kind and trustworthy, which easily won the lawyer’s confidence.

23. How did Bill help the lawyer in searching for Lutkins?

Ans:

Bill took the lawyer around the village in his hack, visited shops, barber shops, and the farm, and asked people about Lutkins while keeping the lawyer hidden.

24. Why could the lawyer not find Lutkins during the whole day?

Ans:

The lawyer could not find Lutkins because Bill himself was Lutkins and deliberately misled him throughout the day.

25. Describe the behaviour of Lutkins’ mother.

Ans:

Lutkins’ mother was aggressive and loud. She threatened the lawyer and Bill with a hot iron and scared them away from her house.

26. What impression did New Mullion leave on the lawyer by the end of the day?

Ans:

By the end of the day, the lawyer found New Mullion simple, peaceful, and full of warm-hearted people.

27. How did the lawyer’s opinion about Bill change at the end of the story?

Ans:

Initially, the lawyer admired Bill as a kind guide, but later he felt hurt and foolish when he learned that Bill was actually Lutkins.

28. Why was the lawyer ordered to return to New Mullion?

Ans:

The lawyer was ordered to return because he had failed to serve the summons on Lutkins, which was necessary for the court case.

29. . Narrate how the lawyer searched for Oliver Lutkins with the help of the hack driver.

Ans:

The lawyer went to New Mullion to serve a summons on Oliver Lutkins. There he met Bill Magnuson, a friendly hack driver, who offered to help him. Bill took the lawyer to several places like Fritz’s shop, barber shops, the poolroom, and finally to Lutkins’ mother’s farm. At every place, Bill claimed that Lutkins had just left. The lawyer trusted Bill completely and followed him the whole day. In the end, the lawyer failed to find Lutkins because Bill himself was Lutkins and had cleverly fooled him.

30. Describe the character of Bill Magnuson. How did he successfully fool the lawyer?

Ans:

Bill Magnuson appeared to be cheerful, helpful, and wise. He spoke kindly and showed deep knowledge of village life. He gained the lawyer’s trust by offering help and guiding him around the village. In reality, Bill was Oliver Lutkins himself. He cleverly misled the lawyer by pretending that Lutkins was always just nearby. His friendly nature made the lawyer suspect nothing, allowing Bill to fool him successfully.

31. How does the story “The Hack Driver” show the contrast between city life and village life?

Ans:

The story contrasts city life and village life through the lawyer’s experiences. City life is shown as dangerous, stressful, and dishonest. In contrast, village life appears simple, peaceful, and friendly. The lawyer enjoys the warmth, humour, and simplicity of the villagers. However, the story also reveals that appearances can be deceptive, even in villages.

32. Explain the irony in the title “The Hack Driver.”

Ans:

The title is ironic because the hack driver, Bill Magnuson, who helps the lawyer search for Oliver Lutkins, turns out to be Lutkins himself. Instead of helping the lawyer, he fools him all day. Thus, the helper is actually the person being searched for.