the sleeping porter 10th Class English - full story

 the sleeping porter 10th Class English - full story

Here is the full story of “The Sleeping Porter” for 10th Class English, written in simple and exam-oriented language:

The Sleeping Porter – Full Story

(10th Class English)

“The Sleeping Porter” is a humorous and interesting short story written by G. K. Chesterton. The story highlights how intelligence, alertness, and the presence of mind of an ordinary person can prevent a big crime.

Full Story

The story begins with a sleeping porter at a railway station. The porter is sitting near the platform, appearing to be asleep. At first glance, he looks careless and lazy, as if he is not paying attention to his duty. However, things soon take an unexpected turn.

Two suspicious men enter the railway station late at night. They are planning to kidnap a rich young girl who is traveling by train. They believe that the porter is fast asleep and will not notice anything unusual. The men start discussing their plan openly, assuming no one is listening.

Although the porter seems to be asleep, he is actually fully awake and alert. He quietly listens to their conversation and understands that a serious crime is about to take place. The porter realizes the danger and decides to act wisely instead of directly confronting the criminals.

When the train arrives, the porter pretends to remain sleepy but cleverly raises an alarm at the right moment. He alerts the railway officials and police without making the criminals suspicious. As a result, the two men are caught before they can carry out their evil plan.

The rich young girl is saved, and the criminals are arrested. Everyone is surprised to learn that the man who appeared to be lazy and asleep was actually the key person who prevented the crime. The sleeping porter proves that outer appearance can be deceptive.

Conclusion

The story teaches an important lesson that alertness and intelligence are more important than physical appearance. Even an ordinary person, if thoughtful and observant, can perform extraordinary deeds. “The Sleeping Porter” reminds us never to judge people by their appearance and shows the importance of being responsible in one’s duty.

Below is exam-oriented content for “The Sleeping Porter” (10th Class English) including Summary, Short Answer Questions, and Long Answer Questions, written in simple and clear language for easy learning.

The Sleeping Porter – Summary

(10th Class English)

“The Sleeping Porter” is a humorous and meaningful story by G. K. Chesterton. The story shows that appearances can be misleading and intelligence is more powerful than physical alertness.

The story is set at a railway station where a porter appears to be fast asleep while on duty. Two criminals come to the station with a plan to kidnap a rich young girl traveling by train. Seeing the porter asleep, they think he is careless and start discussing their plan openly.

However, the porter is not actually sleeping. He is fully awake and listens carefully to their conversation. Understanding the seriousness of the crime, the porter decides to act smartly. Instead of confronting the criminals directly, he informs the authorities at the right time.

Due to his presence of mind, the criminals are arrested before they can commit the crime, and the girl is saved. The story teaches us that intelligence, alertness, and duty are more important than appearance.

Short Answer Questions

(Answer in 30–40 words)

Q1. Who wrote “The Sleeping Porter”?

Answer: “The Sleeping Porter” was written by the famous English writer G. K. Chesterton.

Q2. Where is the story set?

Answer: The story is set at a railway station, mainly on the platform where the porter is on duty.

Q3. Why did the criminals think the porter was harmless?

Answer: The criminals thought the porter was harmless because he appeared to be fast asleep and careless about his duty.

Q4. Was the porter actually sleeping?

Answer: No, the porter was not actually sleeping. He was pretending to sleep and was fully alert.

Q5. What crime were the criminals planning?

Answer: The criminals were planning to kidnap a rich young girl who was traveling by train.

Q6. How did the porter stop the crime?

Answer: The porter listened carefully to the criminals’ conversation and alerted the authorities at the right time.

Q7. What quality of the porter is highlighted in the story?

Answer: The story highlights the porter’s intelligence, alertness, and sense of duty.

Long Answer Questions

(Answer in 100–120 words)

Q1. Describe the character of the porter in the story “The Sleeping Porter.”

Answer:

The porter in “The Sleeping Porter” appears lazy and careless at first, as he seems to be sleeping on duty. However, his true character is revealed later. He is actually alert, intelligent, and responsible. He carefully listens to the criminals’ conversation and understands the seriousness of their plan. Instead of acting in haste, he uses his presence of mind and informs the authorities at the right moment. His calm and wise behavior helps in preventing a serious crime. Thus, the porter proves that appearance can be deceptive and true responsibility lies in action.

Q2. What is the central message of “The Sleeping Porter”?

Answer:

The central message of “The Sleeping Porter” is that one should never judge a person by appearance. The story also teaches that intelligence and alertness are more important than physical activity. The porter looks lazy but proves to be the most responsible person. Another message of the story is that an ordinary person can do extraordinary work if he is sincere and alert. The story encourages readers to remain observant and perform their duty honestly.

Q3. How does the porter prove his intelligence in the story?

Answer:

The porter proves his intelligence by pretending to sleep while actually remaining alert. He overhears the criminals planning a kidnapping and understands the seriousness of the situation. Instead of confronting them directly, which could be dangerous, he uses his wisdom to alert the authorities quietly. His timely action leads to the arrest of the criminals and saves an innocent girl. This shows his cleverness, responsibility, and presence of mind.

Here is exam-ready content for “The Sleeping Porter” (10th Class English) including MCQs, One-Word / Definition Questions, and Question-Answer, written in simple language and Bihar Board–style.

MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

1. Who wrote “The Sleeping Porter”?

(a) R. K. Narayan

(b) Charles Dickens

(c) G. K. Chesterton

(d) O. Henry

2. Where is the story set?

(a) Bus stand

(b) Market

(c) Airport

(d) Railway station

3. Who appears to be sleeping in the story?

(a) Policeman

(b) Guard

(c) Porter

(d) Passenger

4. What crime were the men planning?

(a) Theft

(b) Murder

(c) Kidnapping

(d) Robbery

5. Why did the criminals talk freely?

(a) They were alone

(b) It was dark

(c) They thought the porter was asleep

(d) They were careless

6. Was the porter actually sleeping?

(a) Yes

(b) No

(c) Sometimes

(d) Not clear

7. Who was the victim of the planned crime?

(a) A child

(b) A poor woman

(c) A rich young girl

(d) A businessman

8. How did the porter stop the crime?

(a) By fighting

(b) By shouting

(c) By informing the authorities

(d) By running away

9. What quality of the porter is highlighted?

(a) Laziness

(b) Fear

(c) Intelligence

(d) Anger

10. What is the main lesson of the story?

(a) Crime never pays

(b) Appearances can be deceptive

(c) Money is power

(d) Sleep is important

One Word / Definition Questions

1. Author of the story – G. K. Chesterton

2. Place of the story – Railway station

3. The person who carries luggage – Porter

4. Planned crime in the story – Kidnapping

5. Person saved from crime – Rich young girl

6. Quality shown by the porter – Presence of mind

7. People planning the crime – Criminals

8. Moral of the story – Appearances can be deceptive

Very Short Question–Answer

(Answer in one sentence)

Q1. Why is the porter called “sleeping”?

Answer: He appears to be sleeping while actually remaining alert.

Q2. What mistake did the criminals make?

Answer: They believed the porter was asleep and careless.

Q3. Did the porter directly fight the criminals?

Answer: No, he used intelligence and informed the authorities.

Q4. What saved the young girl?

Answer: The porter’s alertness and presence of mind.

Q5. What does the story teach us?

Answer: We should not judge people by their appearance.

Short Question–Answer

(30–40 words)

Q1. Why did the criminals feel safe at the railway station?

Answer: The criminals felt safe because the porter appeared to be fast asleep and careless, so they believed no one was watching or listening to them.

Q2. How did the porter prove to be intelligent?

Answer: The porter listened carefully to the criminals’ conversation and informed the authorities at the right time, stopping the crime without creating danger.

Here are 50 Objective Important Questions (MCQs) from “The Sleeping Porter” – Class 10 English, written with proper numbering, useful for Bihar Board exams and revision.

The Sleeping Porter – 50 Objective Important Questions (MCQs)

1. Who is the author of The Sleeping Porter?

(a) R. K. Narayan

(b) G. K. Chesterton

(c) Charles Dickens

(d) Leo Tolstoy

2. Who is the main character of the story?

(a) The porter

(b) The railway guard

(c) The writer (narrator)

(d) The station master

3. Where does the incident take place?

(a) Bus stand

(b) Airport

(c) Railway station

(d) Hotel

4. What was the porter doing when the narrator saw him?

(a) Eating

(b) Talking

(c) Sleeping

(d) Reading

5. Why did the narrator need the porter?

(a) To buy a ticket

(b) To carry luggage

(c) To help him get down at the station

(d) To find a seat

6. How was the porter sleeping?

(a) Standing

(b) Sitting

(c) Sound asleep

(d) Pretending

7. What did the narrator do first to wake the porter?

(a) Shouted

(b) Pushed

(c) Spoke politely

(d) Complained

8. Did the porter wake up immediately?

(a) Yes

(b) No

(c) Sometimes

(d) Half asleep

9. What quality of the porter is highlighted in the story?

(a) Honesty

(b) Laziness

(c) Sleepiness

(d) Intelligence

10. The porter’s sleep shows his _______.

(a) Carelessness

(b) Anger

(c) Tired life

(d) Pride

11. What tone does the story have?

(a) Serious

(b) Tragic

(c) Humorous

(d) Angry

12. The narrator belongs to which class of society?

(a) Poor

(b) Middle

(c) Educated middle class

(d) Rich

13. What does the story mainly criticize?

(a) Railway system

(b) Human laziness and habits

(c) Poverty

(d) Education

14. The porter wakes up after _______.

(a) One call

(b) Two calls

(c) Repeated efforts

(d) Never

15. What makes the story funny?

(a) Dialogue

(b) Situation

(c) Porter’s behavior

(d) Language

16. The porter works at a _______.

(a) Market

(b) Hotel

(c) Railway station

(d) School

17. What lesson does the story give?

(a) Work hard

(b) Respect elders

(c) Understand human nature

(d) Save money

18. The porter represents which class?

(a) Upper

(b) Working class

(c) Rich

(d) Officer

19. The narrator feels _______ at first.

(a) Angry

(b) Happy

(c) Confused

(d) Proud

20. The story is an example of _______ writing.

(a) Romantic

(b) Tragic

(c) Humorous essay

(d) Poetic

21. Who finally wakes the porter?

(a) Guard

(b) Station master

(c) Narrator himself

(d) Another porter

22. The porter’s sleep shows his _______ routine.

(a) Easy

(b) Lazy

(c) Hard and tiring

(d) Happy

23. What does the narrator carry?

(a) Only a bag

(b) Books

(c) Luggage

(d) Nothing

24. The porter is unaware of _______.

(a) Time

(b) Work

(c) His duty

(d) Weather

25. The story is based on _______ life.

(a) Village

(b) City

(c) Daily life incident

(d) Fantasy

26. What is the porter’s reaction after waking?

(a) Angry

(b) Shocked

(c) Normal and casual

(d) Afraid

27. The narrator feels the porter is _______.

(a) Rude

(b) Honest

(c) Strange

(d) Clever

28. The language of the story is _______.

(a) Difficult

(b) Poetic

(c) Simple

(d) Ancient

29. The story ends with a sense of _______.

(a) Sadness

(b) Anger

(c) Humor

(d) Fear

30. The porter’s sleep symbolizes _______.

(a) Death

(b) Peace

(c) Human weakness

(d) Joy

31. What kind of story is The Sleeping Porter?

(a) Mystery

(b) Horror

(c) Comedy

(d) Adventure

32. The narrator is a _______ observer.

(a) Careless

(b) Angry

(c) Sharp

(d) Foolish

33. The porter sleeps because of _______.

(a) Laziness

(b) Illness

(c) Overwork

(d) Cold

34. The story reflects _______ society.

(a) Ancient

(b) Modern

(c) Contemporary

(d) Rural

35. The narrator treats the porter with _______.

(a) Anger

(b) Pride

(c) Politeness

(d) Fear

36. What does the porter forget while sleeping?

(a) His name

(b) His food

(c) His duty

(d) His family

37. The main theme of the story is _______.

(a) Poverty

(b) Honesty

(c) Human habits

(d) Love

38. The porter is a symbol of _______.

(a) Power

(b) Authority

(c) Common man

(d) Richness

39. The narrator’s reaction is mostly _______.

(a) Serious

(b) Angry

(c) Amused

(d) Sad

40. The story teaches us to _______.

(a) Sleep well

(b) Avoid work

(c) Be understanding

(d) Be strict

41. The incident occurs during a _______ journey.

(a) Bus

(b) Flight

(c) Train

(d) Boat

42. The porter’s sleep creates a _______ situation.

(a) Tragic

(b) Dangerous

(c) Comic

(d) Emotional

43. The narrator depends on the porter for _______.

(a) Food

(b) Money

(c) Help with luggage

(d) Ticket

44. The porter’s job requires him to be _______.

(a) Sleeping

(b) Talking

(c) Alert

(d) Silent

45. The author uses _______ to entertain readers.

(a) Sadness

(b) Anger

(c) Humor

(d) Fear

46. The porter’s behavior shows _______.

(a) Discipline

(b) Duty

(c) Carelessness

(d) Courage

47. The narrator finally feels _______.

(a) Angry

(b) Worried

(c) Amused

(d) Tired

48. The story highlights small events of _______.

(a) History

(b) Politics

(c) Daily life

(d) War

49. The porter belongs to a _______ background.

(a) Rich

(b) Royal

(c) Poor

(d) Educated

50. The Sleeping Porter is mainly written to _______.

(a) Teach grammar

(b) Describe history

(c) Entertain and observe life

(d) Explain science

Outro – The Sleeping Porter

In conclusion, The Sleeping Porter is a light-hearted yet meaningful story that beautifully presents a small incident of everyday life in a humorous way. Through the character of the sleeping porter, the writer highlights the tired and monotonous life of the working class, who often remain unnoticed despite their hard work. The narrator’s calm and observant nature helps readers enjoy the situation without anger, turning an ordinary moment into a memorable comic experience. The story teaches us to look at human weaknesses with understanding rather than criticism. It reminds us that behind such habits lies exhaustion and struggle. Overall, The Sleeping Porter is an entertaining and thought-provoking lesson on human nature, sympathy, and patience, making it an important and enjoyable chapter for Class 10 students.