Chapter 11 University Days Summary, Analysis, and Questions & Answers. Are you a student?

In this post, I am sharing with you all Chapter 11 University Days Summary, Analysis, and Questions & Answers

Summary of University Days:

Chapter “University Days,” recounts the author’s experiences as a student in England. In this chapter, Narrator describes his struggles with three subjects: botany, economics, and gymnasium.

The chapter begins with the Narrator’s botany class, where the students are expected to draw the structure of flower cells under a microscope. Despite several attempts, Narrator is unable to see the cells through the microscope and draws a blank page, which leads to his professor’s anger. The narrator tries to study more but still fails to understand the concepts, resulting in his inability to pass the course.

The Author then moves to Narrator’s second year, where he attends an economics class. One day, the professor asks a difficult question on transportation, which Narrator’s classmate Bolenciecwcz answers correctly. The professor then asks Bolenciecwcz to explain his answer, and the students begin to help him by giving more information. The professor eventually gives up, and Narrator and Bolenciecwcz become good friends.

Lastly, the Narrator describes his experiences in the gymnasium class, where he has to perform physical exercises, including rope climbing, vaulting, and parallel bars. Narrator struggles to complete these exercises due to his lack of physical strength and coordination, leading to his failure in the class.

Throughout the chapter, Narrator’s struggles highlight the difficulties he faced in adapting to a new environment, culture, and education system. His experiences also reveal his perseverance and determination to overcome challenges, which would later become hallmarks of his leadership style

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Reading University Days

A. Mark if these sentences are true (T) or not true (NT).

1. The narrator could never pass botany as he could not draw the structure

of flower cells.

2. The narrator could not see the cells through the microscope because it was not adjusted properly.

3. The narrator could only see a milky white substance through the microscope.

4. Most students in the botany class could clearly see cells through the microscope.

5. The narrator’s drawing of the cell-structure made the professor lose his temper.

6. The economics professor asked Bolenciecwcz a difficult question in class.

7. The narrator managed to pass gymnasium by making another student do things in his place.

8. The narrator had problems in the gymnasium class because his professor was

very strict.

Answers: University Days

1. NT (The narrator never mentions his ability to draw flower cells.)
2. T
3. T
4. NT (The narrator states that most students had trouble seeing the cells.)
5. NT (The professor did not react strongly to the narrator’s drawing.)
6. NT (There is no mention of an economics professor or Bolenciecwcz in the chapter.)
7. T
8. NT (The narrator mentions having trouble with gymnasium class, but does not attribute it to a strict professor.)

B. Read these lines from the text and answer these questions. University Days

1. “As God is my witness, I’ll arrange this glass so that you see cells through it or I’ll give up teaching.”

a. Who said this to whom?

b. What makes the speaker say that he would give up teaching?

C. What happens after this?

Answers:

a. The professor said this to the narrator.

b. The professor was frustrated that the narrator could not see the cells through the microscope, and he was determined to help the student learn.

c. The professor adjusted the microscope, and the narrator was finally able to see the cells.

2. “Toot, toot, too-tooooooot!” some student with a deep voice moaned, and we all looked encouragingly at Bolenciecwcz.

a. Why is the student making this kind of sound?

b. Why did all the other students look encouragingly?

c. Why were the students trying to help Bolenciecwcz?

Answers:University Days

a. The student was making this sound to signal that the economics professor was coming to the classroom.

b. The other students were looking encouragingly at Bolenciecwcz because they wanted him to answer the difficult question that the professor was likely to ask.

c. The students were trying to help Bolenciecwcz because they wanted him to do well and they may have also been curious to see if he could answer the question.

C. Answer in detail. University Days

1. Describe why the narrator could not pass botany at University.

2. What happened in the second year? Did he finally see the cell-structure through the microscope?

3. How did the economics professor and the students help Bolenciecwcz answer the question on transportation?

4. In what way was gymnasium worse than economics and botany?

Answers: University Days

1. The narrator could not pass botany at University because he had difficulty seeing the cell-structure through the microscope. He had tried many times to adjust the microscope, but he could only see a milky white substance. Moreover, he was not good at drawing the structure of flower cells, which was a requirement for the botany exam. The narrator also felt that the professor was impatient and did not teach in a way that was easy for him to understand.
2. In the second year, the narrator’s professor, Professor Gradowski, promised to arrange the glass so that the narrator could see cells through the microscope. As promised, the professor did so, and the narrator finally saw the cells. The narrator felt overjoyed and amazed to see them for the first time, and he felt grateful to the professor.
3. The economics professor helped Bolenciecwcz answer the question on transportation by giving him hints and clues. The professor asked leading questions that pointed Bolenciecwcz in the right direction. The students also helped by encouraging Bolenciecwcz with toots and cheers. They knew that Bolenciecwcz was shy and that he had a hard time speaking up in class.
4. Gymnasium was worse than economics and botany for the narrator because the gym teacher was strict and would deduct points for minor infractions, such as not having the right shoes or not wearing a white T-shirt. The narrator had trouble performing physical exercises, and he had to take off his glasses during gym class, which made him feel vulnerable and exposed. Additionally, the narrator felt that gym class was not as intellectually stimulating as his other classes.

D. Think and answer. University Days

1. Why do you think the narrator could never see the structure of cells through

the microscope? Do you think he was just pretending?

2. Do you think what the economics professor did was right? Give reasons.

Answers: University Days

1. Based on the information in the chapter, it seems that the narrator had a genuine difficulty in seeing the structure of cells through the microscope, likely due to his poor eyesight or lack of experience with the instrument. It is unlikely that he was pretending, as he showed a genuine desire to understand the subject and even sought help from the professor.
2. It is difficult to say whether what the economics professor did was right without more information on the context and the nature of the difficult question. However, in general, it is important for professors to challenge their students and push them to think critically. As long as the question was fair and relevant to the topic, it is reasonable for the professor to ask it and expect the students to try their best to answer it. It is also positive that the other students in the class tried to help Bolenciecwcz, as this shows a supportive learning environment.

E. Know your values. University Days

The narrator seems to face a lot of problems at University. He resorts to cheating in order to pass his examinations. Do you think he has done the right thing?

Answer: University Days

Cheating is generally considered unethical and dishonest, and it can have negative consequences for both the individual and the community. It undermines the integrity of the education system and can lead to unfair advantages for those who cheat, while disadvantaging those who work hard and play by the rules. It is important to value honesty and integrity in all aspects of life, including academic pursuits.

University Days

University Days

University Days