“The White Visitor” is a lesson of Class 7 Textbook of MPBSE. Here all the Exercises Questions are done by teachers.
Comprehension:
- Why did Dr. Dass need to buy a house?
Dr. Dass needed to buy a house because he had come to live and work in Kali Ghat, Kolkata. - Why did he want to buy Shanti Bhawan?
Dr. Dass wanted to buy Shanti Bhawan because it was affordable, priced at only three lakhs, which suited his budget. - What reason did Mr. Choudhary give Dr. Dass so that he wouldn’t buy Shanti Bhawan?
Mr. Choudhary told Dr. Dass that Shanti Bhawan was haunted by the ghost of the previous owner, Mrs. Ghosh, who had died in the house and was said to visit it at night. - Why did Dr. Dass want to spend a night in the house before buying it?
Dr. Dass wanted to spend a night in the house to prove to himself that there were no ghosts and to confirm that the stories about Shanti Bhawan were false. - Who was the ‘White Visitor’?
The ‘White Visitor’ was none other than Mr. Choudhary himself, who dressed as a ghost to scare away potential buyers. - Do you think Dr. Dass suspected anyone else before he ‘caught’ the ghost?
No, Dr. Dass did not initially suspect anyone specific but remained calm and confident that the ghost was not real. - What qualities of Dr. Dass helped him in buying the house?
Dr. Dass’s courage, logical thinking, patience, and quick decision-making helped him prove that there was no ghost and finalize the purchase of the house. - Why did Mr. Choudhary ask Dr. Dass not to talk about this incident?
Mr. Choudhary asked Dr. Dass not to talk about the incident because it would ruin his reputation and his real estate business if people learned he had fabricated ghost stories to lower the price of the house.
Word Power:
A) The words, given below, tell you about people’s qualities. Some of them describe Dr. Dass and some describe Mr. Choudhary. Write them in separate columns meant for both of them.
(smart, intelligent, not straightforward, determined, lacks confidence, clever, brave, greedy)
| Dr. Dass | Mr. Choudhary |
|---|---|
| Smart | Not straightforward |
| Intelligent | Greedy |
| Determined | Clever |
| Brave | Lacks confidence |
B) Match the following :
| S.No. | Description | Match |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | One who lends money | Moneylender |
| 2 | One who rents out a house | Landlord |
| 3 | One who arrests thieves | Policeman |
| 4 | One who sings | Singer |
| 5 | One who builds houses | Builder |
| 6 | One who works with and rides an elephant | Mahout |
| 7 | The spirit of a dead person | Ghost |
Grammar in Use:
A) Learn these phrases with their meanings and fill in the blank spaces in the sentences given below using the suitable phrase in its correct form:
(to visit, dressed in, in a bad state, afraid of, by the light of, in good order, at the end, head to foot)
- All my records are in good order.
- His grandmother is very old, she is in a bad state of health.
- Sohan went to visit his sister last month.
- He is working by the light of the moon.
- Suman was dressed in a khadi saree to act as a leader.
- The sick child gets cured at the end of the story.
- She was wearing black clothes from head to foot.
- I am not afraid of ghosts.
B) Rewrite the following sentences in indirect form of narration as it is given in the example :
Example : Seema asked Geeta, “What are you doing today?”
Seema asked Geeta what she was doing that day.
- Geeta said, ” I am going to my grandmother’s place.”
- Seema asked, “How far is your grandmother’s house?”
- Geeta said, “It is not very far. I will have to take a bus to Sonpur village.”
- Seema said, “Sonpur is a nice village. I have seen it.”
C) Read the following words and write them in the right column:
(pencil, king, mother, baby, cup, parent, father, tree, girl, boy, uncle, book, aunt, lioness, teacher, queen, cousin, box, ghost)
| He (Boy) | She (Girl) | He/She (Boy/Girl) | (Tree) It |
|---|---|---|---|
| King | Queen | Baby | Pencil |
| Father | Mother | Teacher | Tree |
| Uncle | Aunt | Parent | Cup |
| Boy | Girl | Cousin | Book |
| Lioness | Ghost | Box |
Let’s Talk:
A) Work in pairs and answer the questions :
- What stories did Mr. Choudhary tell about ‘Shanti Bhawan’?
Mr. Choudhary told stories that Shanti Bhawan was haunted by the ghost of Mrs. Ghosh, the previous owner, who was said to visit the house at night. - Does Dr. Dass believe in Mr. Choudhary’s stories?
No, Dr. Dass does not believe in Mr. Choudhary’s stories. - How does he plan to find out the truth?
Dr. Dass plans to spend a night in Shanti Bhawan to find out if the ghost stories are true. - What happens in Shanti Bhawan after midnight?
After midnight, a figure dressed in white enters the room where Dr. Dass is staying. The figure stands silently at the end of the room. - What does Dr. Dass say to the White Visitor?
Dr. Dass tells the White Visitor to go away and says that he is not afraid. He even throws his book at the figure to prove his point. - How does Dr. Dass find out the truth?
Dr. Dass pulls the white cloth off the figure’s face and discovers that the ‘White Visitor’ is actually Mr. Choudhary, who created the ghost stories to lower the price of the house.
B) When the mystery of Shanti Bhawan is unfolded at the end, do you feel sorry for Mr Choudhary? Do you think he was greedy? Discuss in pairs and match the answers in column ‘B’ with the questions in column’A’.
| A | B |
|---|---|
| 1. I feel sorry for Mr. Choudhary, don’t you? | No, I don’t. |
| 2. Why don’t you? | Because I think Mr. Choudhary was trying to cheat. |
| 3. Do you think Dr. Dass was right? | Yes, he was. |
| 4. Dr. Dass taught him a lesson, didn’t he? | Yes, he did. |
Let’s Write:
Imagine you are Dr. Dass. Write a letter to your sister, telling her how you managed to buy the house and what your future plans are about the garden which you intend to have outside the house.
Shyamla Hills,
Kolkata
January 15, 2003
Dear Rahul,
I hope this letter finds you in great health and spirits. I wanted to share an incredible story with you about how I managed to buy a house, despite some very peculiar circumstances.
The house I purchased is called Shanti Bhawan. At first, I was warned about its mysterious reputation and stories about a “White Visitor.” But you know me—I don’t believe in such superstitions. To prove it, I even spent a night there, only to discover that the so-called ghost was none other than Mr. Choudhary himself! His intention was to keep the house for himself by scaring away potential buyers.
After revealing his trick, I was able to negotiate a fair price for the house. Now, Shanti Bhawan is mine, and I couldn’t be happier!
I’ve already started planning my dream garden outside the house. I want to plant a variety of flowers, including marigolds, roses, and jasmine, which will fill the air with a wonderful fragrance. I’m also thinking of growing some vegetables and herbs—it will be a perfect mix of beauty and utility.
I can’t wait for you to visit once everything is set up. The house has a charm of its own, and I’m sure you’ll love the garden too. Write back soon and let me know how things are at your end.
Yours affectionately,
Dr. Dass