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Advice to Youth: ISC Class 11 English (Prism) summary, answers
Get notes, line-by-line explanation, summary, questions and answers, workbook solutions (Beeta Publictions/Morning Star) critical analysis, word meanings, extras, and pdf of the piece Mark Twain’s Advice to Youth: ISC Class 11 English (Prism: A Collection of ISC Short Stories). However, the notes should only be treated for references and changes should be made according to the needs of the students.
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Summary
“Advice to Youth” by Mark Twain, written in 1882 is full of jokes and funny advice for young people. Twain starts by saying that kids should always listen to their parents when they’re around. This is because parents think they know better, and it’s easier to just go along with what they say.
He also says that kids should be respectful to people who are in charge and to strangers. If someone upsets you, he jokes that you should wait for a chance and hit them with a brick. But he also says that violence isn’t a good idea.
Twain suggests that it’s a good idea to go to bed early and wake up early. He makes a joke about waking up with a bird called a lark. He says you can train the bird to wake up late, so you can still seem like you’re waking up early.
When it comes to lying, Twain says to be careful. If you get caught lying, people might not trust you anymore. He makes a joke that a good lie can last forever, using the example of a man who lied about discovering something important.
Twain also talks about being careful with guns. He tells a story about a boy who pointed a gun at his grandma as a joke, thinking it wasn’t loaded. Luckily, it wasn’t, but Twain uses this story to show that playing with guns can be dangerous.
He tells kids to read good books, and he jokingly suggests a few, including one of his own books.
Twain ends by saying that he hopes kids will remember his advice and use it to build their character. He jokes that if they do, they’ll be surprised to see how much they’re like everyone else.
Workbook answers/solutions
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Which of the following speech is NOT suitable for youth?
(a) Didactic
(b) Instructive
(c) Provocative
(d) Advisory
Answer: (c) Provocative
2. If one does not obey one’s parents
(a) parents are more knowledgeable
(b) parents will force them to do so
(c) parents are superstitious about it
(d) parents know better than their children
Answer: (b) parents will force them to do so
3. If a person offends, intentional or not
(a) hit him with a brick
(b) find his intentions
(c) avoid violence
(d) All of the above
Answer: (a) hit him with a brick
4. In today’s world violence should
(a) be left to the low and unrefined
(b) is replaced by charity and kindliness
(c) be confessed and acknowledged
(d) be acknowledged and forgiveness sought
Answer: (a) be left to the low and unrefined
5. Though authorities say ‘rise with the sun’ Twain prefers the idiom
(a) Early to bed, early to rise
(b) Be up with the lark
(c) Early bird catches the worm
(d) All of the above
Answer: (b) Be up with the lark
6. Twain’s last piece of advice was on
(a) not using guns and ammunition.
(b) reading good books.
(c) being punctual.
(d) respecting superiors.
Answer: (b) reading good books.
7. The figure of speech used in the line, “go to bed early, get up early” is:
(a) Anaphora
(b) Alliteration
(c) Parallelism
(d) Simile
Answer: (c) Parallelism
8. According to Twain, in this age of charity and kindliness, the time has gone by for
(a) telling lies.
(b) using violence.
(c) Being careful about lying.
(d) Going to bed early.
Answer: (b) using violence.
Complete the sentences
1. It is best to target the very young for instructions because________________.
Answer: certain skills, like the art of lying, require a great deal of practice and experience to master, and therefore one should begin cultivating them from an early age.
2. One must obey one’s parents because________________.
Answer: it is the “best policy in the long run.” Parents operate under the “superstition” that they know best, and if you do not obey them, they will make you.
3. In today’s day and age always avoid violence because________________.
Answer: it is an age of charity and kindliness, and violence should be left to the “low and unrefined” members of society.
4. The lark is the best thing to wake up to because________________.
Answer: you can train it to wake you up as late as possible. This allows you to get more sleep while still being considered disciplined for being “up with the lark.”
5. A student should be deeply involved in nurturing the ‘art’ of lying because________________.
Answer: if you are not skillful, you are almost sure to get caught, and once caught, you can never regain the status of an honest person. It is an art that must be practiced to be made graceful and profitable.
7. An awkward, feeble, leaky lie should be avoided because________________.
Answer: such a lie will surely be found out, and a person caught in a lie can never be perceived as ‘good’ or ‘pure’ again, falling from their high pedestal.
8. Firearms handling requires knowledge and care because________________.
Answer: when used by untrained people, firearms can cause more havoc and destruction than that caused in wars.
9. Young should read good books because________________.
Answer: books are a “great, inestimable and unspeakable means of improvement” that allow young people to think independently and form their own opinions.
10. Twain refers to a particular selection of books because________________.
Answer: his recommendation is satirical. By suggesting religious texts alongside his own travel book, he encourages the youth to explore different interpretations and dissect human nature, rather than just accepting conventional wisdom. It also serves as a humorous self-promotion.
11. Originality and individuality is absent in current society because________________.
Answer: society pressures every individual to conform to a fixed set of expected standards, which results in everyone developing similar personalities and acting in the same way.
12. Advice to Youth is a hidden call for young people to think critically and act independently because________________.
Answer: it uses irony and satire to mock conventional advice and question the authority of the older generation, which encourages the audience to think for themselves.
13. Using a lark is the best way to get up in the morning because________________.
Answer: it provides a clever way to sleep in late while maintaining the appearance of being an early riser and a disciplined person.
14. The author advises students to be careful about lying because________________.
Answer: if one is not careful, they are nearly sure to get caught, which would permanently destroy their reputation for being an honest person.
16. Mark Twain calls telling a lie an art because________________.
Answer: like any art form, it requires significant hard work, practice from a young age, and experience to cultivate and master it properly.
17. Always obey your parents when they are present because________________.
Answer: they operate under the “superstition” that they know better than you, and it is the best policy since they will force you to obey them anyway.
18. If a person offends you hit him with a brick because________________.
Answer: this satirical advice mocks the way people in power often act first and then make a show of apologizing later. The act itself is suggested to be “sufficient” to resolve the matter.
19. Young people must read religious and moral books because________________.
Answer: this advice is given tongue-in-cheek to encourage them to actually explore different readings and passages, which will help them think independently and form their own opinions.
Short answer questions
1. List and explain briefly the heads under which Mark Twain passes down valuable lessons that he learned so far in life.
Answer: Mark Twain passes down lessons under several heads, which are explained as follows:
Obedience to parents: Twain begins with the need to obey one’s parents when they are present, calling it the best policy in the long run. He notes that if children are not obedient, their parents will make them so, and that there is a superstition that parents know best.
Respect superiors: He advises that one should be respectful to superiors and strangers. If offended, one can resort to extreme measures, but it is better to leave violence to the dregs of society.
Punctuality: Going to bed early and getting up early is presented as the best policy. He humorously suggests that youth could train a lark to wake them up as late as possible so they can sleep more yet still be considered disciplined.
Lying: Twain advises to be careful about lying, as once caught, a person can never regain the status of being honest. He calls lying an art that requires hard work to cultivate and suggests that the young should exercise caution while using this weapon.
Ammunition: He warns against handling firearms without the required knowledge or care, as they can cause more havoc when used by untrained people than is caused in wars. He gives an example of old, rusty, unloaded guns that created unnecessary fear.
Good books: He advises young people to read good books, calling them great, inestimable, and unspeakable means of improvement. He recommends specific books like Robertson’s Sermons, Baxter’s Saints’ Rest, and The Innocents Abroad.
2. How does Twain speak out against learned behaviours that adults abide by in the name of cultural conformity.
Answer: Mark Twain uses his essay as a critique of the conformity demanded by adults. He points out that parents often believe they know what is best for youngsters and, in their enthusiasm, thrust their own beliefs, thoughts, and ambitions upon their offspring.
Twain is aware of how adults use presets to produce followers rather than thinkers. He satirically advises obeying parents only when they are present, highlighting the superstition that parents know better. Through satire, he encourages both youngsters and adults to study, think, and interpret things independently. The essay hits at the lack of originality and uniqueness that results from societal pressure, where every individual conforms to a fixed set of expected standards.
3. How does Mark Twain tackle the issue of responsible handling of firearms?
Answer: Mark Twain tackles the issue of responsible firearm handling by warning against their use without proper knowledge and care. He states that these weapons, when used by untrained people, can cause more havoc than that caused in wars.
To illustrate his point, he regales his audience with a humorous story about a battered rusty gun, an immature grandson, and a terrified grandmother. This example of using an old, unloaded gun created unnecessary fear. The deeper meaning is that a young person should gain full knowledge of any field they pursue to earn a living, as half-baked knowledge and training would spell doom.
4. What does Twain say about good books? Why does he suggest the books?
Answer: Mark Twain advises young people to read good books, which he describes as great, inestimable, and unspeakable means of improvement. He specifically recommends works like Robertson’s Sermons, Baxter’s Saints’ Rest, and his own book, The Innocents Abroad.
He suggests these books because they would allow youngsters to think independently and form their own opinions. By recommending Robertson’s Sermons, which were often dictated and interpreted by others, Twain suggests that one should explore different readings and passages. He includes his own book, The Innocents Abroad, not only as self-promotion but also because it is a book that dissects human nature.
5. What does Twain say about parents and superiors?
Answer: Regarding parents, Twain advises to always obey them, but humorously adds the condition of when they are present. He explains this is because parents operate under the superstition that they know better. He suggests that parents need to be open to their children being individuals and require space to blossom.
Regarding superiors, Twain advises being respectful to them, if one has any, as well as to strangers. However, he also humorously suggests that if a superior offends you, you can hit them with a brick and later confess to the error, which is typical of those in power. He then clarifies that it is better to leave violence to the low and unrefined. This advice points out the demand for respect from children, regardless of whether the superior deserves it.
6. Describe the scene of the grandmother and the armed grandson in your own words taking into account Twain’s humour?
Answer: In his advice about firearms, Mark Twain tells a humorous story involving an immature grandson, his terrified grandmother, and a battered, rusty gun. The humour comes from the fact that the gun was old and unloaded, yet the grandson’s careless handling of it created unnecessary fear and chaos, particularly for the grandmother. Twain uses this anecdote to illustrate his point that even harmless-looking firearms can cause great distress when handled without knowledge and care, and that more damage is often done by such irresponsible handling than by actual wars.
7. Write in your own words the issue mentioned about the monument in Boston.
Answer: Mark Twain humorously discusses a monument in Boston that was erected to commemorate the discovery of anesthesia. The issue he highlights is that several different people claimed to be the sole discoverer of it. Faced with this controversy and unable to determine the rightful claimant, the city of Boston chose a clever solution. They built a monument dedicated to the man who discovered anesthesia but did not put any name on it. Twain uses this story to make a satirical point about truth, recognition, and how institutions cleverly sidestep difficult conflicts.
8. What would be the end result of building character on the ‘precepts’ of adults? Does Twain want to encourage such a thing? Why?
Answer: According to Twain, the end result of building one’s character on the precepts of adults is a complete lack of originality and individuality. He concludes his essay with the satirical statement that after painstakingly building your character on these precepts, you will be surprised and gratified to see how nicely and sharply it resembles everybody else’s.
Twain does not want to encourage such conformity. His entire essay is a hidden call for young people to think critically and act independently. He is aware that adults use these precepts to produce followers, not thinkers. The theme of his essay is the belief in oneself as an individual entity, not as part of a conforming group. He uses satire to encourage his audience to think for themselves.
Long answer questions
1. Imagine you have to deliver a graduation day speech. Write the speech in the same satirical manner as Mark Twain’s Advice to Youth.
Answer: Esteemed faculty, proud parents, and my young friends, the graduates of this fine institution. I have been asked to impart some wisdom to you today, some guidance to light your path as you step into the world. I have never been very good at giving serious advice, but I will try my best to offer some precepts that have served others well.
First, always follow your passion. This is the surest path to success. Find that one thing you love, and then find a way to make a living from it. Of course, most passions do not pay the bills, and you may find yourself quite hungry. In that case, it is best to have a backup passion, preferably one that involves a steady salary, even if it bores you to tears. It is better to be comfortably bored than passionately destitute.
Next, you will be told to work hard and success will follow. This is a noble thought. I advise you to work hard, especially when the manager is watching. When no one is looking, it is a good time to practice the art of looking busy, which is a more valuable skill in the corporate world than actual hard work. It requires great study and diligence, and you should begin your practice early.
You will also be advised to be a team player. This is excellent advice. Always support your team, praise your colleagues in public, and agree with your superiors. This will make you well-liked. It will also ensure that when a difficult or risky project comes along, you can generously suggest that a more capable colleague should take the lead. Your humility will be greatly admired.
So go forth, build your careers thoughtfully and painstakingly upon these instructions. And by and by, when you have built them, you will be surprised and gratified to see how nicely and sharply your career path resembles everybody else’s. I wish you the very best.
2. How does Twain sprinkle each advice with humour? Give the implied meaning of each?
Answer: Mark Twain uses humour in each piece of advice to convey a deeper, often contrary, meaning.
His advice to obey one’s parents is humorously qualified with the phrase ‘when they are present’. This is funny because it acknowledges a common youthful behavior of only behaving when under supervision. The implied meaning is a critique of blind obedience and the ‘superstition’ that parents always know best, suggesting that young people should be allowed to develop their own judgment and individuality.
When advising on respecting superiors, he humorously suggests that if offended, one should hit the person with a brick and then make a big farce of apologising. This is a satirical jab at how people in power often act first and apologize later. The implied meaning is a critique of authority and a warning to avoid violence, which should be left to the ‘low and unrefined’ elements of society.
Regarding the adage to go to bed early and rise early, Twain humorously suggests training a lark to wake them up as late as possible. This plays on the idiom of being ‘up with the lark’. The implied meaning is to encourage youngsters to think unconventionally and question universally accepted wisdom.
Twain discusses lying with humour by calling it an ‘art’ that requires a great deal of practice and should be started young. The humour lies in treating a vice as a sophisticated skill. The implied meaning is a cynical observation that in the real world, truth does not always prevail and that lying can be profitable, but it also serves as a warning about the dangers and consequences of being caught.
He tackles the handling of firearms by regaling the audience with a humorous story of a ‘battered rusty gun’, an immature grandson, and a terrified grandmother. The implied meaning behind this story is that one must gain full and complete knowledge of any field they intend to pursue, as half-baked knowledge and training can lead to disaster.
Finally, when advising the youth to read good books, he humorously and with a ‘tongue in cheek’ manner includes his own book, ‘The Innocent Abroad’. This self-promotion is humorous in the context of giving solemn advice. The implied meaning is that young people should read books that encourage independent thought and provide a dissection of human nature, rather than just accepting prescribed texts.
3. How appropriate is the title of the essay? Give reasons to justify your answer.
Answer: The title ‘Advice to Youth’ is highly appropriate and justified, though in a satirical sense. The essay is structured as a graduation speech, a form in which an idolized person traditionally gives a speech to prepare young people for the realities of life outside school. Twain adopts this form to deliver his message.
The title is fitting because the essay does offer advice on several topics relevant to young people, such as obeying parents, respecting authority, avoiding violence, punctuality, lying, and reading good books. These are the same subjects of conventional advice. However, Twain’s treatment of each subject is what makes the title work on a deeper level. He uses satire, irony, and humour to present a contrarian view on each precept.
For instance, while everyone is taught not to lie, Twain presents it as a ‘beautiful art’. He doesn’t tell youth to lie, but to be careful about it, thus using a humorous twist to expose the ill-effects of lying and the hypocrisy in society. Each piece of advice is explained in a creative way that forces the target audience to think critically about what is being said, rather than simply accepting it. Therefore, the title ‘Advice to Youth’ is apt because it is a genuine, albeit unconventional, attempt to advise the youth to think for themselves and to question societal norms.
4. Comment on lying as an art form and its usage as well as utility, as listed by Mark Twain in his ‘Advice to Youth’.
Answer: In his essay, Mark Twain presents lying as a complex ‘art form’ that requires skill, practice, and caution. He advises the youth to be very careful about lying, because if one is caught, they can never regain the same status of being an honest person. He humorously calls it an art that requires a lot of hard work to cultivate and suggests that one should begin practicing early to master it and make the process graceful.
The utility of lying, as suggested by Twain, is that it can be profitable in the real world. He implies that the ‘might of truth’ is yet to prevail, and in such a world, a well-told lie can be a useful tool. He refers to lying as a ‘weapon’ that the young should use with ‘caution’. He even uses hyperbole to express his own regret that he had not begun to practice lying earlier, so that he could have mastered the art by now.
However, this portrayal is satirical. While he calls it a ‘beautiful art’, he also warns that a person caught lying would no longer be perceived as ‘good’ or ‘pure’, falling from their high pedestal. An ‘awkward, feeble, leaky lie’ should be avoided. Through this contrarian and humorous approach, Twain is not truly advocating for dishonesty but is instead making a satirical commentary on a society where appearances are often valued over truth, while also exposing the inherent dangers and negative consequences of deceit.
5. Do you agree with the advice given by Mark Twain? Why or why not? Give reasons to support your answer.
Answer: Yes, I agree with the advice given by Mark Twain, but I agree with the implied, underlying advice rather than the literal, satirical words he uses. His essay is a hidden call for young people to think critically and act independently, and this is a message I find very valuable.
I agree with his message because he is not genuinely telling us to be disobedient, violent, or dishonest. Instead, he uses humour and irony to challenge the conventional, and often hypocritical, advice that young people receive from adults. His work is a critique of conformity. For example, his advice to ‘Always Obey your Parents’ is humorously modified with ‘when they are present’. This does not encourage disrespect but cleverly points out that blind obedience is not wisdom and that we must develop our own judgment.
Similarly, his discussion on lying as an ‘art’ is not an endorsement of it. It is a satirical commentary on a world where truth can be inconvenient and appearances matter. It serves as a powerful warning about the skill required to deceive and the permanent damage to one’s reputation if caught, thus ultimately discouraging dishonesty in a more memorable way than a simple command to ‘not lie’.
The most important reason I agree with Twain is his final point. He concludes that if one follows all the standard precepts, they will be shocked to find they have built a character that ‘resembles everybody else’s’. This is a powerful warning against conformity. He encourages his audience to study, think, and interpret things independently. This belief in oneself as an individual, and not just as part of a group that follows fixed standards, is the most important piece of advice a young person can receive.
Additional questions and answers
1. Why has the author to give an advice to the youth?
Answer: The author, Mark Twain, was expected to give a talk suitable for youth, something didactic, instructive, or something in the nature of good advice. He believed that it is in one’s tender early years that such advice will best take root and be most enduring and most valuable.
2. What are the two different reactions to an offence faced by the youth?
Answer: According to the author, if a person offends a youth and they are in doubt as to whether it was intentional or not, they should not resort to extreme measures. Instead, they should watch their chance and hit the offender with a brick.
If they find that the offender had not intended any offense, they should come out frankly and confess that they were in the wrong when they struck him.
3. What are the author’s ideas on telling a lie? Is he justified? How?
Answer: The author advises the youth to be very careful about lying as they are nearly sure to get caught. Once caught, they can never again be in the eyes of the good and the pure, what they were before. He believes that the young ought to be temperate in the use of this great art until practice and experience shall give them that confidence, elegance, and precision which alone can make the accomplishment graceful and profitable.
4. Which qualities are required to make the student perfect?
Answer: According to the author, patience, diligence, and painstaking attention to detail are the requirements that will make the student perfect. These qualities, in time, will make the student perfect and they may rely on these as the sure foundation for future eminence.
5. “A truth is not hard to kill and that a lie well told is immortal.” How?
Answer: The author suggests that a well-told lie can outlast the truth. He uses the example of a monument in Boston dedicated to the man who supposedly discovered anesthesia, but in reality, this man stole the discovery from another. Despite this truth, the lie told by the monument will outlast it for a million years. This suggests that a well-crafted lie can become immortal, outliving the truth it was meant to hide.
6. Why does the author mention the monument in Boston?
Answer: The author mentions the monument in Boston to illustrate the power of a well-told lie. He uses the example of the monument dedicated to the man who supposedly discovered anesthesia, but who, in reality, stole the discovery from someone else. Despite this, the lie of his discovery has outlasted the monument itself, demonstrating how a lie can become “immortal” if it’s told well enough.
7. What are the author’s views on handling firearms?
Answer: The author’s views on handling firearms are that they should never be handled carelessly, especially by the young. He uses a story of a young boy who, thinking a gun was unloaded, pointed it at his grandmother and pulled the trigger. Although no harm was done, the author uses this story to emphasize the potential dangers and sorrows that can come from the heedless handling of firearms.
8. For what purpose does the author mention the grandmother’s incident?
Answer: The author mentions the grandmother’s incident to emphasize the dangers of handling firearms carelessly. He uses this story to illustrate the potential harm that can come from such actions, even if the firearm is believed to be unloaded.
9. Towards the end of the essay the author gives a moral advice, which advice does he give? Why?
Answer: Towards the end of the essay, the author advises the young to be careful in their selection of books. He emphasizes that good books are an invaluable means of improvement and advises the young to confine themselves to certain types of books, such as Robertson’s Sermons, Baxter’s Saint’s Rest, and The Innocents Abroad.
10. Is the essay an advice or a satire? Justify your answer.
Answer: The essay can be seen as both an advice and a satire. While the author does provide advice to the youth on various topics such as obeying parents, avoiding violence, and being careful about lying, the manner in which he presents this advice is often satirical.
For example, he suggests hitting someone with a brick if they offend you, and then confessing if it turns out they didn’t mean to offend. This satirical tone is used throughout the essay, making it both a piece of advice and a satire.
11. Which are the main virtues about which the author advises the young people?
Answer: The main virtues that the author advises the young people about include obedience to parents, respect for superiors and strangers, avoidance of violence, truthfulness, and careful handling of firearms. He also advises them to go to bed early and wake up early, to be careful in their selection of books, and to be patient, diligent, and pay painstaking attention to detail. He emphasizes the importance of these virtues in building one’s character and achieving future eminence.
12. Discuss the main literary devices used by the author in this essay. (These devices are irony, satire, parallalism etc.)
Answer: The author uses several literary devices in this essay. Irony is used when he advises the youth to always obey their parents when they are present, implying that they need not do so when their parents are not around. Satire is evident throughout the essay, as the author humorously critiques various aspects of society and human behavior. For example, he satirizes the reverence for truth by pointing out how a well-told lie can become immortal. Parallelism is used in sentences like “Patience, diligence, painstaking attention to detail–these are requirements; these in time, will make the student perfect; upon these only, may he rely as the sure foundation for future eminence.”
13. Which are the main qualities which are required to be a perfect student?
Answer: The main qualities required to be a perfect student, according to the author, are patience, diligence, and painstaking attention to detail. These qualities, in time, will make the student perfect and they may rely on these as the sure foundation for future eminence. The author emphasizes that these qualities are necessary for the practice of the “gracious and beautiful art” of lying, which he humorously presents as a necessary skill for navigating life.
14. The author was asked to say something, “didactic, instructive or something in the nature of good advice.” Do you think the author follows the advice?
Answer: Yes, the author does follow the advice, but in a satirical and humorous way. He provides advice on various topics such as obeying parents, avoiding violence, and being careful about lying. However, the manner in which he presents this advice is often satirical and humorous, which adds a layer of entertainment and thought-provoking commentary to the didactic and instructive nature of the essay.
15. Which are the habits the author urges the youth do avoid? Why?
Answer: The author urges the youth to avoid lying, violence, and careless handling of firearms. He advises against lying because once caught, a person can never again be in the eyes of the good and the pure, what they were before. He advises against violence because in this age of charity and kindliness, the time has gone by for such things. He advises against careless handling of firearms because of the sorrow and suffering that have been caused through the innocent but heedless handling of firearms by the young.
16. What is the advice Mark Twain gives about obeying parents?
Answer: The advice Mark Twain gives about obeying parents is to always obey them when they are present. He suggests that this is the best policy in the long run because if you don’t, they will make you. He also humorously suggests that most parents think they know better than you do, and you can generally benefit more by humoring that belief than you can by acting on your own better judgment.
17. How does Twain suggest dealing with someone who offends you?
Answer: Twain suggests dealing with someone who offends you by not resorting to extreme measures immediately. Instead, he humorously advises to simply wait for your chance and hit the offender with a brick. If you find out that the person had not intended any offense, Twain advises to come out frankly, admit your mistake, and say you didn’t mean to hit them. He emphasizes avoiding violence and leaves extreme measures to those he considers low and unrefined.
18. What is Twain’s humorous advice about waking up early?
Answer: Twain’s humorous advice about waking up early is to get up with a lark. He suggests that it gives you a splendid reputation with everybody to know that you get up with the lark. However, he humorously adds that if you get the right kind of lark and train it right, you can easily make it get up at half past nine every time, implying that you don’t really have to wake up that early.
19. What does Twain say about lying and its consequences?
Answer: Twain advises to be very careful about lying because you are nearly sure to get caught. Once caught, you can never again be seen as good and pure as you were before. He suggests that many young people have permanently harmed themselves through a single clumsy and poorly executed lie, the result of carelessness born of incomplete training.
He humorously suggests that while some people believe young people should not lie at all, he believes that young people should be moderate in their use of this “great art” until practice and experience give them the confidence, elegance, and precision that can make the act of lying graceful and profitable.
20. How does Twain describe a well-told lie?
Answer: Twain describes a well-told lie as immortal, suggesting that a truth is not hard to kill, and a lie that is well told can live forever. He humorously points out that an awkward, feeble, leaky lie should be avoided as it has no more real permanence than an average truth. He suggests that a feeble, stupid, preposterous lie will not live two years unless it is a slander upon somebody. He concludes by encouraging the practice of this “gracious and beautiful art” early on.
21. What story does Twain tell about handling firearms?
Answer: Twain tells a story about a young boy who found an old, rusty gun that hadn’t been used for many years and was thought to be unloaded. The boy pointed the gun at his grandmother, who was terrified and ran away. The boy pulled the trigger, but fortunately, the gun was indeed unloaded, so no harm was done. This story is used to illustrate the dangers of carelessly handling firearms, especially those thought to be unloaded.
22. What does Twain suggest about the danger of unloaded firearms?
Answer: Twain suggests that unloaded firearms are extremely dangerous and unpredictable. He humorously states that they are the most deadly and unerring things created by man. He warns that you don’t need to aim or even have a rest to hit your target with an unloaded firearm. He emphasizes that even a youth who can’t hit a large target with a powerful gun can easily hit a relative with an old, supposedly unloaded musket.
23. What types of books does Twain recommend for young people to read?
Answer: Twain recommends that young people read good books, which he describes as a great and inestimable means of improvement. He advises young people to be very careful in their selection of books and suggests they confine themselves to works like Robertson’s Sermons, Baxter’s Saint’s Rest, and The Innocents Abroad.
24. How does Twain conclude his advice to the youth?
Answer: Twain concludes his advice to the youth by encouraging them to treasure up the instructions he has given and use them as a guide. He suggests that they should build their character thoughtfully and painstakingly upon these precepts. He ends with a humorous note saying that once they have built their character, they will be surprised and gratified to see how nicely and sharply it resembles everybody else’s.
25. How does Twain use humor in his advice about obeying parents?
Answer: Twain uses humor in his advice about obeying parents by suggesting that youth should always obey their parents when they are present. He humorously states that this is the best policy in the long run because if they don’t, their parents will make them. He also adds that most parents think they know better than their children do, and one can generally gain more by humoring this belief than by acting on their own better judgment.
26. What is the tone of Twain’s essay?
Answer: The tone of Twain’s essay is humorous and satirical. He uses irony and exaggeration to mock conventional wisdom and societal norms, while also providing his own unique perspective on various topics. His tone is also somewhat didactic, as he is providing advice to the youth, albeit in a tongue-in-cheek manner.
27. How does Twain use satire in his advice about dealing with offense?
Answer: Twain uses satire in his advice about dealing with offense by suggesting an exaggerated response. He advises that if a person offends you and you are unsure if it was intentional, you should not resort to extreme measures; instead, you should simply wait for your chance and hit them with a brick. He then adds that if you find out that the person had not intended any offense, you should confess that you were wrong to strike them, acknowledge it like a man, and say you didn’t mean to.
28. What is the significance of the story about the boy and his grandmother in Twain’s advice?
Answer: The story about the boy and his grandmother in Twain’s advice is significant as it serves as a satirical cautionary tale about the dangers of carelessness, particularly with firearms. Twain humorously describes a situation where a boy points an old, supposedly unloaded gun at his grandmother, causing her great fright. However, the gun was indeed not loaded, and no harm was done.
Twain uses this story to emphasize his point that even unloaded firearms can be dangerous due to the fear and panic they can cause. He concludes by advising the youth not to meddle with old unloaded firearms, stating that they are the most deadly and unerring things ever created by man.
29. How does Twain use irony in his advice about lying?
Answer: Twain uses irony in his advice about lying by suggesting that lying is an art that requires practice and experience. He ironically states that one should be careful about lying because they are nearly sure to get caught. He also suggests that a well-told lie is immortal, and that a truth is not hard to kill, which is a reversal of the common wisdom that truth will always prevail. He further states that a feeble, stupid, preposterous lie will not live two years, except if it’s a slander upon somebody, then it’s indestructible.
30. What is Twain’s advice about the practice of lying?
Answer: Twain’s advice about the practice of lying is presented with a sense of irony and humor. He suggests that lying is an art that requires practice and experience to be done gracefully and profitably. He advises the youth to be very careful about lying because they are nearly sure to get caught. Once caught, they can never again be in the eyes of the good and the pure, what they were before.
He also suggests that a well-told lie is immortal, and that a truth is not hard to kill. He further states that an awkward, feeble, leaky lie should be avoided as it has no more real permanence than an average truth. He concludes by advising the youth to begin their practice of this “gracious and beautiful art” early.
31. How does Twain use humor in his advice about waking up early?
Answer: Twain uses humor in his advice about waking up early by suggesting that the best thing to get up with is a lark. He humorously states that it gives you a splendid reputation with everybody to know that you get up with the lark. He then adds that if you get the right kind of lark and work at it right, you can easily train it to get up at half past nine, every time, implying that waking up early is not necessarily as early as dawn, but rather a relative concept that can be adjusted to one’s convenience.
32. What does Twain mean when he says a well-told lie is immortal?
Answer: When Twain says a well-told lie is immortal, he is using irony to highlight the power and endurance of a well-crafted lie. He suggests that a lie, if told well, can outlive truths and even become accepted as truth itself. He uses the example of a monument in Boston dedicated to the man who supposedly discovered anesthesia, stating that many people are now aware that the man didn’t discover it at all but stole the discovery from another man. Despite this, the lie perpetuated by the monument will outlast the monument itself by a million years.
33. How does Twain use humor in his advice about reading books?
Answer: Twain uses humor in his advice about reading books by suggesting that the young should confine themselves exclusively to certain types of books for their improvement. He humorously lists Robertson’s Sermons, Baxter’s Saint’s Rest, and The Innocents Abroad as examples of the kind of books they should read. The humor lies in the fact that The Innocents Abroad is one of Twain’s own works, known for its satirical and humorous content, which contrasts with the serious religious works he mentions alongside it.
34. What does Twain suggest about the nature of truth and lies?
Answer: Twain suggests that the nature of truth and lies is such that a truth is not hard to kill, and a well-told lie can become immortal. He implies that lies, if told well and convincingly, can outlive truths and become accepted as truth. He uses the example of a monument in Boston dedicated to the man who supposedly discovered anesthesia, stating that many people are now aware that the man didn’t discover it at all but stole the discovery from another man. Despite this, the lie perpetuated by the monument will outlast the monument itself by a million years. This suggests that lies can have a lasting impact and can even replace the truth in people’s minds.
35. What does Twain mean when he says a character built upon his precepts will resemble everybody else’s?
Answer: When Twain says a character built upon his precepts will resemble everybody else’s, he is using irony to suggest that if one follows his advice, their character will be no different from the average person’s. This is because his advice, while presented as unique and insightful, is actually filled with common sense and conventional wisdom, albeit presented in a humorous and satirical manner.
36. How does Mark Twain use satire and humor to convey his advice in “Advice to Youth”?
Answer: Mark Twain uses satire and humor throughout his essay “Advice to Youth” to convey his advice in a manner that is engaging and entertaining, while also thought-provoking. He uses irony and exaggeration to satirize conventional wisdom and societal norms. For instance, he advises the youth to always obey their parents when they are present, implying that obedience is not necessary when the parents are not around. He also humorously advises the youth to hit someone with a brick if they offend them, and then confess if they find out the offense was not intentional.
Twain’s advice about waking up early is also filled with humor. He suggests that one should get up with the lark, and if they get the right kind of lark, they can train it to get up at half past nine, which is a satirical take on the common advice to wake up early.
In his advice about lying, Twain humorously suggests that the young should be careful about lying because they are nearly sure to get caught. He also ironically states that a well-told lie is immortal, suggesting that lies can have a lasting impact and can even replace the truth in people’s minds.
In his advice about reading books, Twain humorously suggests that the young should confine themselves exclusively to certain types of books for their improvement, including one of his own works known for its satirical and humorous content.
37. What is the underlying message in Twain’s advice about obeying parents?
Answer: The underlying message in Twain’s advice about obeying parents is that it’s often more beneficial to humor their beliefs and expectations, even if you disagree with them. Twain suggests that parents often believe they know better than their children, and by obeying them, especially when they are present, you can avoid unnecessary conflicts. This advice is given with a touch of humor and irony, as Twain is subtly critiquing the notion that parents always know best.
38. In what ways does Twain challenge conventional wisdom in his advice about waking up early?
Answer: Twain challenges the conventional wisdom of waking up early by humorously suggesting that one should get up with the lark, a bird known for its early morning song. However, he adds that if you train the right kind of lark properly, you can have it wake up at half past nine every time, which is considerably later than the traditional early morning wake-up time. This advice is a satirical critique of the societal expectation of waking up early, suggesting that it’s more important to maintain a good reputation than to strictly adhere to the norm.
39. How does Twain’s perspective on lying reflect his views on honesty and integrity?
Answer: Twain’s perspective on lying is presented with a great deal of irony and humor. He suggests that lying is an art that requires practice and experience to be done gracefully and profitably. He also implies that a well-told lie can be more enduring than an average truth. However, he warns against clumsy and ill-finished lies, suggesting that once caught lying, a person’s reputation can be permanently damaged. This reflects his view that while honesty and integrity are important, they are often at odds with societal practices and expectations.
40. How does Twain use irony to critique societal standards and expectations in “Advice to Youth”?
Answer: Twain uses irony to critique societal standards and expectations by giving advice that appears to uphold these standards on the surface, but upon closer examination, actually challenges them. For instance, he advises the youth to always obey their parents when they are present, implying that obedience is not necessary when they are not around. Similarly, his advice about waking up with the lark, but training the lark to wake up at half past nine, is a subtle critique of the societal expectation of waking up early.
41. How does Twain use humor and satire to critique societal norms and expectations in “Advice to Youth”?
Answer: Twain uses humor and satire to critique societal norms and expectations by presenting them in a way that highlights their absurdity or contradiction. His advice about obeying parents only when they are present, waking up with the lark at half past nine, and the artful practice of lying all serve to humorously challenge the conventional wisdom of his time. His satirical approach encourages the reader to question these societal norms and expectations rather than accepting them at face value.
Additional MCQs
1. According to Twain, what is the best policy in the long run when it comes to obeying parents?
A. Always obey your parents, even when they are not present.
B. Always obey your parents, when they are present.
C. Never obey your parents.
D. Obey your parents only when they ask you to do something you agree with.
Answer: B. Always obey your parents, when they are present.
2. What does Twain suggest you do if a person offends you and you are unsure if it was intentional?
A. Ignore them.
B. Ask them if they intended to offend you.
C. Resort to extreme measures.
D. Watch your chance and hit them with a brick.
Answer: D. Watch your chance and hit them with a brick.
3. According to Twain, what is the best thing to get up with?
A. The sun.
B. An alarm clock.
C. A rooster.
D. A lark.
Answer: D. A lark.
4. What does Twain suggest about the nature of truth and lies?
A. A truth is hard to kill, and a well-told lie is mortal.
B. A truth is not hard to kill, and a well-told lie is immortal.
C. Both truth and lies are equally hard to kill.
D. Both truth and lies are equally immortal.
Answer: B. A truth is not hard to kill, and a well-told lie is immortal.
5. According to Twain, what are the most deadly and unerring things that have ever been created by man?
A. Dynamite.
B. Swords.
C. Old unloaded firearms.
D. Lies.
Answer: C. Old unloaded firearms.
6. What does Twain suggest about the nature of a well-told lie?
A. It is easy to detect.
B. It is immortal.
C. It is always harmful.
D. It is always beneficial.
Answer: B. It is immortal.
7. According to Twain, what should you do if you find out that the person you hit with a brick had not intended any offense?
A. Apologize to them.
B. Hit them with a brick again.
C. Ignore them.
D. Ask them to hit you with a brick.
Answer: A. Apologize to them.
8. What does Twain suggest about the practice of lying?
A. It should be avoided at all costs.
B. It is an art that requires practice and experience.
C. It is always wrong.
D. It is always right.
Answer: B. It is an art that requires practice and experience.
9. According to Twain, what kind of books should the young read?
A. Any kind of books.
B. Only books that are entertaining.
C. Only books that are educational.
D. Good ones that are a great, an inestimable, and unspeakable means of improvement.
Answer: D. Good ones that are a great, an inestimable, and unspeakable means of improvement.
10. What does Twain mean when he says a character built upon his precepts will resemble everybody else’s?
A. If you follow his advice, your character will be unique.
B. If you follow his advice, your character will be no different from the average person’s.
C. If you follow his advice, your character will be better than everybody else’s.
D. If you follow his advice, your character will be worse than everybody else’s.
Answer: B. If you follow his advice, your character will be no different from the average person’s.
11. What does Twain suggest about the handling of firearms?
A. They should be handled carelessly.
B. They should never be handled.
C. They should be handled with care.
D. They should be handled only by adults.
Answer: C. They should be handled with care.
12. According to Twain, what is the result of a clumsy and ill-finished lie?
A. It can damage a person’s reputation permanently.
B. It can improve a person’s reputation.
C. It can make a person more popular.
D. It can make a person more trustworthy.
Answer: A. It can damage a person’s reputation permanently.
13. What does Twain suggest about the practice of lying?
A. It should be started early.
B. It should be avoided until adulthood.
C. It should be practiced only by adults.
D. It should never be started.
Answer: A. It should be started early.
14. According to Twain, what kind of books should the young confine themselves to?
A. Robertson’s Sermons, Baxter’s Saint’s Rest, The Innocents Abroad, and works of that kind.
B. Only entertaining books.
C. Only educational books.
D. Any kind of books.
Answer: A. Robertson’s Sermons, Baxter’s Saint’s Rest, The Innocents Abroad, and works of that kind.
15. According to Twain, what will happen if you build your character thoughtfully and painstakingly upon his precepts?
A. You will be surprised and gratified to see how nicely and sharply it resembles everybody else’s.
B. You will be disappointed to see how different it is from everybody else’s.
C. You will be surprised to see how unique it is.
D. You will be gratified to see how better it is than everybody else’s.
Answer: A. You will be surprised and gratified to see how nicely and sharply it resembles everybody else’s.
16. Mark Twain gave this advice:
A. He wrote it in a letter
B. It was part of a novel
C. He delivered this lecture
D. It was a private journal entry
Answer: C. He delivered this lecture
17. Twain thinks about the young age:
A. It is an insignificant time
B. It is a time for pure fun
C. It is a crucial point
D. It is a time to be ignored by adults
Answer: C. It is a crucial point
18. The young people should obey their parents
A. at all times
B. only when it is convenient
C. when they are present
D. never
Answer: C. when they are present
19. The young people avoid violence:
A. Sometimes
B. Never
C. Only in self-defense
D. Always
Answer: D. Always
20. The best thing to wake up the youth is a (an):
A. lark
B. rooster
C. alarm clock
D. parent
Answer: A. lark
21. The author calls telling a lie:
A. a terrible sin
B. a necessary evil
C. an art
D. a sign of weakness
Answer: C. an art
22. The author says that the monument in Boston shows:
A. the discovery of anesthesia
B. a tribute to war heroes
C. the founding of the city
D. a stolen discovery
Answer: D. a stolen discovery
23. The firearms are, many times, handled by:
A. experts
B. soldiers
C. careless people
D. children
Answer: C. careless people
24. Which are the “most deadly and unerring things”?
A. Dynamite
B. Swords
C. old unloaded firearms
D. Poison
Answer: C. old unloaded firearms
25. What types of books does the author recommend?
A. Adventure
B. Fictional
C. Comical
D. religious
Answer: D. religious
Very nicely written. I would love to review other poems/ prose/ Macbeth questions and answers.
Neville Albequaid Reay, Don Bosco School, liluah.
The answers are well written. Well done.Keep it up.
thanks:) i have an exam tomorrow,hope this helps me enough.
I am scoring full in my test thanks
thank u so much please keep writing more we need it