Quality Chapter 5 Melody English Summary and Question Answers

Here is a new blog post in Class 7th English. The “Quality” is Chapter 5 taken from the newly introduced textbook Melody English for students of Class 7^th of JKBOSE and Honeycomb English for students of NCERT. An English novelist and playwright John Galsworthy wrote it. This post concerns Quality Chapter 5 Melody English Summary and Question Answers. In my previous post, you read about Chivvy Poem 4 Melody English Summary and Question Answers with you. So, let’s not waste any more time and get started with today’s post.

Quality Chapter 5 Melody English Summary and Question Answers

Introduction

Gassler is a German shoemaker. He lives in London. He is skilled and highly devoted to his work. For him, shoemaking is an art. But competition from big firms snatches his business away. Consequently, he dies as a starved old man in a miserable condition. He is a perfect shoemaker but an incompetent businessman.

Quality Chapter 5 Word Meaning

Quality Chapter 5 Summary in English

Mr. Gessler, a skilled German bootmaker in London, crafted exceptional, long-lasting boots in a small shop with his elder brother. He used to make boots for the author’s father. His shop had no sign except the name “Gessler Brother.” The author’s father was a regular customer, and the author himself occasionally visited when in need of new shoes. Mr. Gessler considered boot-making an art and insisted on perfection. Mr. Gessler’s shop had a distinctive peaceful ambience, making the author feel like a church there. He used to make his boots with utmost care and would not let anyone touch them.

Even when the author once complained about a pair of creaking boots, Mr. Gessler rectified the issue with meticulous care. On a visit to Mr Gessler wearing shoes from a different shop, the author learned of the bootmaker’s struggle against big firms that prioritized advertising over craftsmanship. Moved by pity, the author placed multiple orders, each pair lasting for years. During that time the author did not get to go to Mr. Gessler.

During the author’s final visit, Mr. Gessler seemed significantly older and failed to recognize him. Despite this, the author placed another order, and the boots surpassed expectations. A week later, intending to express gratitude, the author found the shop without its nameplate. Inquiring with a young English man, he learned of Mr. Gessler’s demise. The man revealed the bootmaker’s relentless work ethic, financial struggles, and the toll it took on his health. The author acknowledged Mr. Gessler’s dedication, stating simply, “he made good boots.” The narrative captures the poignant story of a skilled craftsman whose artistry was overshadowed by the challenges of a changing world.

Quality Chapter 5 Melody English Question Answers

Working with the Text Page No. 78

Answer the following questions:

Working with Language Page No. 78

1. Study the following phrases and their meanings. Use them appropriately to complete the sentences that follow.

look after: take care of

look down on: disapprove or regard as inferior.

look in (on someone): make a short visit

look into investigate

look out be careful

(i) After a very long spell of heat, the weather is ……. at last.

(ii) We have no right to…… people who do small jobs.

(iii) Nitin has always ……… his uncle, who is a self-made man.

(iv) The police are ……….. the matter thoroughly.

(v) If you want to go out, I will ……….. the children for you. 

(vi) I promise to …….. on your brother when I visit Lucknow next.

(vii) …………. when you are crossing the main road.

Ans.

(i) After a very long spell of heat, the weather is looking up at last.

(ii) We have no right to look down on people who do small jobs.

(iii) Nitin has always looked up to his uncle, who is a self-made man.

(iv) The police are looking into the matter thoroughly.

(v) If you want to go out, I will look after the children for you. 

(vi) I promise to look in on your brother when I visit Lucknow next.

(vii) Look out when you are crossing the main road.

2. Read the following sets of words loudly and clearly,

Cot – coat

Cost – coast

Tossed – toast

Got – goat

Rot – rote

Blot – bloat

Knot – note

Ans. Read out these sets of words loudly and clearly under the supervision of your teacher.

For instance, you will come to know how to pronounce ‘cot’ and ‘coat.

3. Each of the following words contains the sound ‘sh’ (as in shine) in the beginning in the middle or at the end. First, speak out all the words. Then arrange the words in three groups in the table below.

sheep	trash	marsh	fashion
anxious	shriek	shore	fish
portion	ashes	sure	nation
shoe	pushing	polish	moustache

Ans.

Initial        Medial      Final

…….           ……..          …….

…….           ……..          …….

…….           ……..          …….

…….           ……..          …….

initial	medial	final
sheep	anxious	trash
shoe	portion	marsh
shriek	ashes	polish
shore	pushing	fish
sure	fashion	moustache
	nation

4. In each of the following words ‘ch’ represents the same consonant sound as in ‘chair’. The words on the left have this sound initially. Those on the right have it finally. Speak each word.

Choose        bench

Child           march

Cheese         peach

Wretch        chair

Charming   research

Underline the letters representing this sound in each of the following words

(i) feature (iv) reaching (vii) riches

(ii) archery (v) nature (viii) batch

(iii) picture (vi) matches (ix) church

Ans.

(i) feature (iv) reaching (vii) riches

(ii) archery (v) nature (viii) batch

(iii) picture  (vi) matches (ix) church

Speaking Page No. 80

1. Do you think Mr. Gessler was a failure as a bootmaker or as a competitive businessman?

Ans. Mr Gessler was an amazing bootmaker, probably the best in London. However, he struggled as a businessman because he didn’t know how to promote his business. Even though the shoes he made were top-notch in quality and durability, he faced challenges. He insisted on making each pair himself, which took a long time and led to losing some of his loyal customers. Additionally, he didn’t advertise to attract new clients, and ultimately, he failed as a competitive businessman.

2. What is the significance of the title? To whom or to what does it refer?

Ans. The story is called ‘Quality’ because it’s all about how great the boots made by Mr. Gessler were. He was an amazing craftsman and artist who created shoes that fit well and last a long time. Even though he faced hunger and poverty, the quality of his shoes never suffered. The last pairs of boots he made for the author were perfect in shape and finish. Mr. Gessler’s main goal was to make shoes of the highest quality, and he dedicated his life to it. So, the title ‘Quality’ is the best choice because it captures the main theme of the story.

3.  

• Notice the way Mr. Gessler speaks English. His English is influenced by his mother tongue. He speaks English with an accent.
• When Mr. Gessler speaks, p, t, k, sound like b, d, g. Can you say these words as Mr Gessler would say them?

It comes and never stops. Does it bother me? Not at all. Ask my brother, please.

Ans. Mr. Gessler is a German. So, the way he pronounced English words is influenced by his mother tongue, i.e., German. That is why he speaks English with an accent, which is not British but is German. If I had to say these sentences as Mr. Gessler would have said, I would say these as under:

(i) It komes and never stops. Does it bodder me? Asg my brodder, please.

4. Speak to five adults in your neighbourhood. Ask them the following questions (in any language they are comfortable in). Then come back and share your findings with the class. 

(i) Do they buy their provisions packed in plastic packets at a big store, or loose, from a smaller store near their house?

(ii) Where do they buy their footwear? Do they buy branded footwear, or footwear made locally? What reasons do they have for their preference?

(iii) Do they buy ready-made clothes, or buy cloth and get their clothes stitched by a tailor? Which do they think is better? 

Ans. Classroom activity. Firstly, you should ask them the questions in whichever language they are comfortable in. You will find different answers according to the tastes of the people you interview. Then you share your findings with other members of the class.

5. Look at the picture. (See pic in Textbook Page No. 81).

Let pairs of students talk to each other about leaving the country. One student repeats Ajit’s statement. The other gives a reason for not agreeing with Ajit. The sentence openings given below should be used…

• If I leave this country, I’ll miss…
• There are some things which you can get only here, for example…
• There are some special days I’ll miss, particularly…
• Most of all I’ll miss…because …..
• I think it’s impossible for me to leave my country because… 
• How can you leave your own country except when ……….? 
• Depends on one’s intention. I can’t leave for good because 
• Maybe for a couple of years….

Ans. For self-attempt. However, a brief answer is given below: 

(i) If I leave this country, I’ll miss my family, my friends and my environment.

(ii) There are some things which you can get only here, for example, good servants, and leisure.

(iii) There are some special days I’ll miss, particularly the Diwali, and Holi festival.

(iv) Most of all I’ll miss my parents because I am very much attached to them.

(v) I think it’s impossible for me to leave my country because my roots are deeply rooted here.

(vi) How can you leave your own country except when you are asked to leave your country?

(vii) Depends on one’s intention. I can’t leave for good because I can’t afford to live without my parents.

(viii) May be for a couple of years I may think of going abroad provided I must return to my country.

Writing Page No. 82

1. Based on the following points write a story. 

• Your aunt has gone to her mother’s house.
• Your uncle does his cooking.
• He is absent-minded.
• He puts vegetables on the stove.
• He begins to clean his bicycle outside.
• The neighbour calls out saying something is burning. 
• Your uncle rushes to the kitchen.
• To save vegetables, he puts some oil on them. 
• Unfortunately, it’s machine oil, not cooking oil. 
• What do you think happens to the vegetables? 

Begin like this:

Last month my aunt decided to visit her parents….

Ans. Last month my aunt decided to visit her parents. As she had to go at once, she was not able to do any cooking. My uncle can cook but he is quite absent-minded. He put vegetables on the stove and went out to clean his bicycle. The neighbours smelled something burning and told my uncle so. My uncle rushed to the kitchen. Being confused, my uncle put some oil on the vegetables. However, by mistake, he had used machine oil and not cooking oil. The vegetables smelt bad. The vegetables had been spoilt and foul smell had spread all over the house.

2. Shoe making is presented as an art in the chapter ‘Quality’ J&K is famous for its splendid arts such as carpet, pashmina and kani shawl weaving, paper machie, copperware, wood carving, crewel work and folk paintings such as Basholi These traditional arts are the source of livelihood for many people and represent the culture of J&K. The hand made products are exported all over the world. Collect information about any two art forms and write a brief paragraph on them.

Ans. The weaving of a Kashmir Pashmina Shawl involves a centuries-old traditional process called Wonun, done by skilled artisans called Wovurs in Kashmir. These craftsmen, much like pianists, use their hands and feet together. It takes around three to four days to weave a single Pashmina stole or shawl. In the late 17th century, Basohli in the Kathua district of Jammu became known for Basohli Painting. These paintings cover various themes like religion, everyday life, history, and literature. People often describe these paintings as ‘colourful poems.’

That’s it about Quality Chapter 5 Melody English Summary and Question Answers. Hope it has helped. Do share your views about this post in the comment section below.