Class 7 English Notes Chapter 9 (A Bicycle in Good Repair ; Garden Snake) – Honeycomb Book

Alright class, let's focus on Chapter 9 from your Honeycomb textbook. This chapter includes a humorous prose piece, 'A Bicycle in Good Repair', and a short poem, 'Garden Snake'. Both are important, so pay close attention to these notes, especially if you're preparing for competitive exams where comprehension and detail are key.

Chapter 9: A Bicycle in Good Repair & Garden Snake - Detailed Notes

Part 1: A Bicycle in Good Repair

• Author: Jerome K. Jerome (Known for his humorous writing, especially 'Three Men in a Boat').
• Genre: Humorous Essay/Narrative.

Summary:
The story begins with the narrator planning a bicycle ride the next day with a friend. The friend arrives and, instead of preparing for the ride, insists on inspecting the narrator's bicycle. He starts by violently shaking the front wheel, claiming it wobbles. Despite the narrator's assurances that it doesn't wobble or that wobbling doesn't matter, the friend insists on 'fixing' it.

The friend then proceeds to dismantle the bicycle piece by piece, starting with the front wheel. He unscrews parts, leading to tiny ball bearings scattering everywhere. Both men crawl on the gravel path searching for them. The friend then moves on to the gear-case, taking it apart despite the narrator's pleas, arguing that no bicycle is complete without a gear-case issue. He tightens the chain excessively, then loosens it until it's twice as loose as before.

The process of putting the bicycle back together is chaotic and clumsy. Parts are fitted incorrectly, the chain causes immense trouble, and the friend manages to get himself covered in oil and dirt. By the end, the bicycle is reassembled but in a far worse condition than before. The friend, bruised and dirty but inexplicably cheerful, suggests the bike is now satisfactory. The narrator, however, has lost all enthusiasm for the ride and sends the friend home, finding the damaged bicycle sufficient reason to abandon the trip.

Key Characters:

1. The Narrator (Jerome): The owner of the bicycle. He is initially trusting but becomes increasingly frustrated and helpless as his friend dismantles his perfectly functional bicycle. He represents the victim of unsolicited, incompetent 'help'.
2. The Friend: Overconfident and meddlesome. He claims expertise in bicycle mechanics but is utterly incompetent. His actions are driven by a misplaced desire to 'fix' things, resulting only in chaos and damage. He embodies blind confidence without skill.

Themes:

• Incompetence masked as expertise: The friend's actions highlight the dangers of people pretending to know more than they do.
• The frustration of unsolicited advice/help: The narrator's experience shows how 'helpful' interventions can often be counterproductive and annoying.
• Humour in absurdity: The humour arises from the sheer incompetence of the friend, the escalating chaos, and the narrator's understated exasperation.
• Destruction in the name of repair: The story ironically shows how an attempt to 'repair' something can lead to its complete ruin.

Important Points for Exams:

• The friend's first action: Shaking the front wheel.
• What gets lost: The ball bearings (the narrator finds 16, the friend claims they have them all).
• Parts dismantled: Front wheel, gear-case, chain.
• The friend's logic for removing the gear-case: He claims he read about it in a book or patent specification.
• The state of the chain: First too tight, then too loose.
• The final condition of the bicycle: Significantly damaged, barely reassembled.
• The narrator's final decision: To not go on the ride and send the friend home.
• The overall tone: Humorous, ironic, exasperated.

Key Vocabulary:
Wobble, lunatic, sufficient reason, inexplicable satisfaction, grovelled, topsy-turvy, muddle, uncanny.

Part 2: Garden Snake (Poem)

• Poet: Muriel L. Sonne

Summary:
The poem describes a child's encounter with a snake in the garden. Initially, the child reacts with fear ("I saw a snake and ran away...") because of the common belief that some snakes are dangerous. However, the child's mother provides reassurance, explaining that this particular kind of snake (a garden snake) is harmless ("that kind is good"). She clarifies that it eats insects for its food, implying it's beneficial. This knowledge changes the child's perception. Now, when the child sees the snake wiggling in the grass, instead of running, they stand aside, watch it pass, and remind themselves that it's "just a harmless garden snake."

Themes:

• Fear of the unknown: The initial reaction is based on general fear and hearsay about snakes.
• Overcoming fear through knowledge: Understanding the specific nature of the garden snake dispels the child's fear.
• Parental guidance and reassurance: The mother's explanation plays a crucial role in changing the child's perspective.
• Misconceptions about nature: The poem subtly challenges the common fear associated with all snakes, highlighting that some are harmless or even helpful.
• Childhood perception: It shows how a child's view can be easily influenced by fear but also readily corrected by factual information.

Important Points for Exams:

• The child's initial reaction to the snake: Fear and running away.
• The source of the fear: General belief ("Some snakes are dangerous, they say").
• Who reassures the child: The mother.
• What the mother says about the snake: It is "good" (harmless) and eats insects.
• The child's changed behaviour: Stands aside and watches the snake pass.
• The final understanding: It's "just a harmless garden snake."
• Rhyme Scheme: Simple, mostly AABB or ABCB, making it easy to remember.
• Tone: Shifts from fearful to calm and accepting.

Key Vocabulary:
Wiggles, aside, harmless.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. In 'A Bicycle in Good Repair', what was the friend's first action regarding the bicycle?
   a) He checked the tyres.
   b) He shook the front wheel violently.
   c) He oiled the chain.
   d) He adjusted the seat.

2. What tiny parts were lost when the friend took off the front wheel?
   a) Screws
   b) Nuts
   c) Washers
   d) Ball bearings

3. According to the friend, why did he take off the gear-case?
   a) The narrator asked him to.
   b) It was making a strange noise.
   c) He had read that it often caused problems.
   d) It looked rusty and old.

4. What was the final state of the bicycle chain after the friend 'fixed' it?
   a) Perfectly tensioned.
   b) Too tight.
   c) Twice as loose as it was initially.
   d) It came off completely.

5. What word best describes the friend's attitude throughout the 'repair' process?
   a) Cautious and careful
   b) Nervous and unsure
   c) Cheerful and overconfident
   d) Angry and frustrated

6. In the poem 'Garden Snake', why did the child initially run away?
   a) The snake tried to bite him.
   b) His mother told him to run.
   c) He thought all snakes were dangerous.
   d) The snake was very large.

7. Who explained to the child that the garden snake was harmless?
   a) His father
   b) His teacher
   c) His mother
   d) His friend

8. According to the poem, what does the garden snake eat?
   a) Grass
   b) Mice
   c) Insects
   d) Flowers

9. How does the child behave towards the snake at the end of the poem?
   a) Runs away screaming.
   b) Tries to catch it.
   c) Throws stones at it.
   d) Stands aside and watches it pass.

10. What is the main message of the poem 'Garden Snake'?
    a) All snakes are friendly.
    b) Knowledge can help overcome fear.
    c) Children should not play in the garden alone.
    d) Snakes make good pets.

Answer Key for MCQs:

1. b
2. d
3. c
4. c
5. c
6. c
7. c
8. c
9. d
10. b

Study these notes thoroughly. Understand the plot, characters, themes, and the shift in tone, especially in the poem. Good luck with your preparation!