CG Board Class 10 English Solutions Lesson 6: Unit 2 Reading C: Uncle Podger Hangs a Picture (2026-27)

“Uncle Podger Hangs a Picture” by Jerome K. Jerome is a hilarious and satirical extract from his famous book Three Men in a Boat. The story portrays Uncle Podger as an overconfident, chaotic, and disorganized man who turns a simple chore – hanging a picture on a wall – into a massive, noisy, and stressful project involving the entire household.

When a new picture arrives, Uncle Podger boasts that nobody should worry because he will do the task all by himself. However, he immediately begins delegating work to everyone. He sends the maid for nails, sends Tom after her to specify the size, orders Will to fetch the hammer, Tom to get the rule, Jim to borrow a spirit level from a neighbor, and Aunt Maria to hold the lamp.

In the process of hanging the picture, Uncle Podger creates endless commotion: he drops the picture and cuts his finger on the broken glass, loses his coat while sitting on it, drops the nail, loses the hammer, forgets the mark on the wall, falls onto the piano while reaching with a string, smashes his thumb with the hammer, and drops it on someone’s toes. Despite blaming everyone else for being careless and calling them fools, he takes all the credit when the picture is finally hung late at night, crooked and insecure, on a ruined wall.

1. Charwoman – A woman employed to clean a house /
2. Spirit level – An instrument used to check if a surface is perfectly horizontal or level /
3. Ladder – Stairs made of metal or bamboo used for climbing /
4. Semi-circle – Half of a circle /
5. Critical moment – A crucial or decisive point in time /
6. Curse / Bad language – Profanity or abusive words /
7. Crooked – Not straight, bent or slanting /

• English Note: Jerome K. Jerome (1859 – 1927) was an English writer and humorist. His early life was filled with immense poverty. His marriage in 1888 and a subsequent wedding trip rowing on the Thames River inspired his most celebrated comic masterpiece, Three Men in a Boat.

Task: Given below is a list of items Uncle Podger used in order to hang the picture. Read the story again and list them in the order in which they are used in the story: (string, nails, ladder, picture, hammer, rule, spirit level, light, picture cord).

Correct Chronological Order of Items:

1. Picture (dropped at the very start)
2. Nails (sent maid for six-pennyworth of nails)
3. Hammer (asked Will to fetch)
4. Rule (asked Tom to bring)
5. Ladder (asked for step-ladder)
6. Spirit level (sent Jim to borrow from Mr. Goggles)
7. Light (asked Aunt Maria to hold)
8. Picture cord (sent maid out again to buy)
9. String (used later when he lost the mark on the wall)

Task: Read the incidents in the table and pick out adjectives from the box to describe Uncle Podger: (disorganized, forgetful, blames others, careless, clumsy, impatient).

Task: Pick out ten sentences from the text where ‘would’ has been used to describe habitual actions in the past.

1. Aunt Podger would ask what was to be done with it.
2. Then he would take off his coat and begin.
3. He would send the maid out for six pennyworth of nails.
4. He would jump round the room, looking for his handkerchief.
5. He would try again, the whole family standing round in a semi-circle.
6. He would take the nail in his hand and drop it.
7. We would all have to go down on our knees and look for it.
8. We would find the hammer for him.
9. He would take the rule and measure again.
10. He would use a bit of string this time.

(Rule Note: Use ‘would’ for past repeated actions if past time frame is established first. Use ‘used to’ for past states like live, be, love, know, have, or if stative verbs are used. If both are possible for actions, use ‘would’.)

1. When I was a child, my father would pick me up and throw me in the air. I used to love it.
2. My uncle used to have a bicycle, when I was young. He would take me for a ride.
3. For years, I used to be afraid of ghosts, as my grandmother would tell me stories of them every night.
4. I used to become Krishna during Janmastami every year in childhood, and every year I would break the matki.
5. I used to know many songs as a child, so my friends would ask me to sing every time we worked in the fields.
6. When I was five, I used to be able to do incredible stunts. I would climb every tree in the neighbourhood and swing like a monkey.

• Shahila: Hey guys, how about making biryani on Friday?
• Shabana: Hmm, I’m not sure if biryani is such a good idea…
• Rajiv: But you used to love biryani? What happened? I remember that we would eat lots of it when your mother would make it for Eid.
• Shabana: I still do. But yesterday we had some, and…
• Rajiv: OK, I see. Well, then I have a better idea. Let’s have a potluck party. I will prepare some cabbage curry, the way mom used to do it. I used to like it a lot when I was a kid. And Shabana can make some fried rice.
• Shahila: Really? I used to hate cabbage when I was a child. But now I like it. Maybe I can prepare some kheer.

Text from Appendix-I: Ram Lal losing his sports kit bag and talking to the teacher in-charge of ‘Lost and Found’.

Notice Board Completion Task:

`text

NOTICE

LOST! LOST! LOST!

Dear Friends,

I have lost my cricket kit bag in the school playground yesterday evening. It is a large red and black Nike bag with a wheeler. It is torn at the left-hand corner and has two outside pockets containing some money and a new pen.

If anyone has found it, please hand it over to the Lost and Found room or contact the undersigned.

Undersigned,

Ram Lal

Class X

`

Task: Work in groups. Discuss how you will decorate your classroom in a funny way for the Class Decoration Competition.

Sample Group Presentation Plan:

1. Hang inverted umbrellas from the ceiling holding fake flowers.
2. Put funny quotes and comics on the back display board.
3. Stick funny face emoji cutouts on every desk.
4. Draw cartoon footprints walking upside down on the walls towards the ceiling.

Original List:

a. He lost the hammer.

b. He dropped the nail.

c. He forgot where he had made the mark to hammer the nail.

d. He dropped the picture.

e. He fell down while measuring with the string.

f. He tried to save the glass and cut himself.

Correct Chronological Order:

1. (d) He dropped the picture.
2. (f) He tried to save the glass and cut himself.
3. (b) He dropped the nail.
4. (a) He lost the hammer.
5. (c) He forgot where he had made the mark to hammer the nail.
6. (e) He fell down while measuring with the string.

(Linkers: first, then, next, after that, also, finally)

Completed Paragraph:

Uncle Podger made a lot of mistakes while trying to hang the picture. First, he lifted up the picture and dropped it, cutting his finger on the broken glass. Then, while searching for his handkerchief in his coat pocket, he realized he was sitting on the coat himself. Next, he dropped the nail on the floor and made everyone search for it on their knees. After that, he lost the hammer and forgot the mark he had made on the wall. He also slipped while measuring the spot with a bit of string and fell heavily onto the piano keys. Finally, after smashing his thumb with the hammer, he managed to hang the picture late at night, crooked and insecure.

Task: Look up a dictionary and find out the contextual meanings of italicised phrases from the story:

1. hand me up: to pass or lift an object up to someone standing on a higher level.
2. lift up: to raise or elevate something to a higher position.
3. stop looking for: to cease or discontinue searching for an object.
4. came across: to meet, find, or encounter someone/something by chance.
5. put down: to place or set an object down on a surface.
6. give it up: to stop trying or searching; to abandon effort.
7. go down on our knees: to kneel down on the floor to search for something.
8. lost sight of: to no longer be able to see or locate a specific mark or object.
9. get down: to descend or step down from an elevated position (like a chair or ladder).

1. How much does Jack earn? How much does he pay towards each instalment?

• Answer: Jack earns six pounds a week. His total weekly installments come to seven pounds, eight shillings, and eight pence.

1. How does Jack manage to pay each instalment?

• Answer: Jack manages to pay the excess amount by taking loans from a finance company called Thrift and Providence Trust Corporation.

1. Does Aunt Jane like the way Jack manages his money?

• Answer: No, Aunt Jane completely dislikes Jack’s financial management and considers it absurd, shocking, and reckless.

1. Why doesn’t Aunt Jane want to travel by car?

• Answer: Aunt Jane refuses to travel by car because Jack does not fully own it; only one tyre and two cylinders belong to him, while the rest belongs to the finance company.

1. How did Jill and Jack feel when Aunt Jane gave them a gift of money?

• Answer: Jill and Jack felt delighted, surprised, and slightly awkward when Aunt Jane handed them a ten-pound cheque.

1. Aunt Jane gives Jack a cheque so that he can pay off one of his instalments. Jack will have to check whether he is now spending less than he earns.
2. Aunt Jane says that Jack’s car has only one tyre because he does not own it completely. If Jack continues to buy things on instalments, the burden of the loan is certainly going to tire him.
3. Aunt Jane wants Jack to live in peace. She does not want him to own just a piece of the things he buys.

(Box words: The earth, do, shed, breath, take)

Completed Poem:

Nothing to breath but air,

Quick as a flash ’tis gone;

Nowhere to go but off,

Nowhere to fall but on.

Nothing to take but air,

Nowhere to sleep but the earth,

Nothing to shed but tears,

Nothing to do but work.

i. Aunt Jane hates to owe money to anybody.

ii. Jack and Jill like to buy things on instalment.

iii. The Corporation lends money on a note of hand.

iv. Both Jack and Jill do not agree with Aunt Jane.

v. Some people buy things only if they have money.

vi. Everyone is not a spendthrift.

i. What time do the shops open here?

ii. It has been raining since morning.

iii. We watched a film last evening.

iv. He will have reached the station by the time the train arrives.

v. She has gone to New York many times.

Passage i:

A woman went inside a shop and said to the man behind the counter, “Why are the signs in your shop window full of spelling and grammatical mistakes?” The man replied, “So that people think that I’m a fool and come inside expecting to get the best of me. Since I put up those signs, business has boomed.”

Passage ii:

A man walking along the road said to a woman working in a field, “Excuse me, how long will it take to get to the next village?” The woman didn’t answer, so the man kept walking. He hadn’t gone far when he heard the woman call out, “It’ll take you about 30 minutes.” “Why didn’t you tell me when I asked you?” asked the surprised man. The woman replied, “Then I didn’t know how fast you were going to walk, did I?”

Passage iii:

Hari walked into a pet shop and asked the shop owner if he could buy the following items: 391 beetles, 17 mice, and 10 cockroaches. The shop owner said, “I’m sorry sir, but we can only supply the mice. Why do you want all these creatures?” “I have been asked to vacate my flat,” said the young man, “and my landlord says that I must leave the place exactly as I found it!”

Passage iv:

Aunt Jane: Good heavens! And how much do you earn?

Jack: As a matter of fact – er – that is – six pounds.

Aunt Jane: But that’s absurd! How can you pay seven pounds eight and eight pence out of six pounds?

(Coordinating Conjunctions: and, but, or, nor, for, yet, so, not only…but also, neither…nor, either…or)

i. We can either start right now or wait for him to come.

ii. She got a bit late for it took her a while to find a parking space.

iii. I am Batman and that’s the Batmobile.

iv. For him, it was neither a matter of pride nor a matter of shame, but simply a matter of fact.

v. She forgot her spectacles at home so she sat in the front row.

vi. They weren’t too excited about the event yet they didn’t want to miss it either.

(Subordinating Conjunctions: after, before, because, since, if, although, so that)

i. What would have happened if he hadn’t come on time? -> Type: Condition

ii. Don’t forget to consider all points of view before you give your opinion. -> Type: Time

iii. She opened the window because the room was all hot and stuffy. -> Type: Cause / Reason

iv. Although they still are in disagreement over some points, the major issues of conflict have been resolved. -> Type: Concession

v. After we had finished dinner, we went out for a stroll. -> Type: Time

vi. He borrowed the phone so that he could play the game on it. -> Type: Purpose

Task: Listen to the poem “I Tried to Do My Homework” and tick (✓) the things that distract the speaker:

• Songs on the radio (✓)
• An SMS / Friend texting (✓)
• Videos / silly cat video (✓)
• Playing games (✓)
• Emails (✓)
• Watching a TV show (✓)

• Context: Practice the dialogue of Nasruddin boasting about his archery skills and defending his missed targets until he finally hits the bullseye by luck.

`text

Flat No. 402, Surya Apartments,

Civil Lines, Raipur (C.G.)

To,

The Branch Manager,

Bank of India,

Main Branch, Raipur (C.G.)

Date: October 12, 2026

Subject: Application for Housing Loan of Rs. 20 Lacs.

Respected Sir,

I wish to apply for a housing loan of Rs. 20 Lacs to purchase a 2-BHK residential flat located at Green Valley Society, Telibandha, Raipur. The total cost of the flat is Rs. 25 Lacs, and I am ready to contribute Rs. 5 Lacs as my margin money.

I am currently working as a Senior Accountant in a private firm with a stable monthly income of Rs. 65,000. All required documents, including salary certificates, property details, income tax returns, and identity proofs, are enclosed with this application.

Kindly sanction the loan amount at your earliest convenience.

Yours faithfully,

(Signature)

Rakesh Kumar Sharma

Contact: 98270XXXXX

`

Title: Understanding Human Metabolism

1. Def. of Metabolism:

• Conversion of calories into energy.
• Energy required for daily work & vital body functions (breathing, heart pumping).

1. Factors Affecting Metabolic Rate:

• Body size & muscle frame (larger muscle = higher burn rate).
• Age (muscle decreases with age -> slower calorie burn).
• Gender (men burn calories faster due to higher muscle mass).
• Physical activity (nature, intensity, & duration).

1. Tips for Healthy Lifestyle & Weight Mgmt:

• Avoid oily, sugary, & fatty foods.
• Eat whole grains, pulses, low-fat dairy, fruits, & vegetables.
• Exercise 30-45 mnts daily & avoid sedentary lifestyle.

Key to Abbreviations Used:

• Def. = Definition
• Mgmt = Management
• mnts = minutes
• & = and

Humorous Definition of ‘An Idiot’:

“An idiot is someone who takes an hour to explain a five-minute concept, and then asks if you understood why he didn’t explain it faster!”

Classroom Jokes:

1. Teacher: “Ramu, why are you making faces?” Ramu: “Sir, I didn’t make it, I was born with it!”
2. Teacher: “Name five animals that live in water.” Student: “A frog, and four of its brothers!”

Poem Text Review:

“Whosever room this is should be ashamed! / His underwear is hanging on the lamp. / His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair, / And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp. / His workbook is wedged in the window, / His sweater’s been thrown on the floor. / His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV, / And his pants have been carelessly hung on the door.”

Comprehension Questions & Answers:

i. Pick out the line(s) that indicate(s) the season.

• Answer: The lines indicating the winter/rainy season are: “His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair, And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp” and “His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV”.

ii. What is wrong with the chair?

• Answer: The chair is overstuffed with clothes, and it is becoming mucky and damp because of the wet raincoat kept on it.

iii. What do these lines suggest about the character of the person who owns the room?

• Answer: These lines suggest that the person owning the room is extremely careless, messy, disorganized, lazy, and untidy.

iv. Make a list of the clothes mentioned in the poem.

• Answer: Underwear, raincoat, sweater, scarf, pants.

v. What items other than the clothes are mentioned?

• Answer: Lamp, chair, workbook, window, floor, ski, TV, door.

vi. What does the word ‘messy’ suggest? Think of some other situations where you may use this word.

• Answer: The word ‘messy’ suggests untidiness, confusion, and lack of cleanliness. It can be used for a messy desk, messy hair, a messy handwriting, or a messy situation.

(Words: carelessly, beneath, hang, damp, ashamed, overstuffed)

i. If you can’t clean your room, you should be ashamed of yourself.

ii. I have eaten too much, I feel overstuffed.

iii. It is raining outside, and the table inside is damp.

iv. Our cats sit beneath the TV.

v. We do not even have a nail in our room to hang a picture.

vi. You spend carelessly.