Skip to content

Evaluate the elements of… (Class 10 English 2026, Q11a)

questionbuddy.in/q/cbse-10-english-2026-2-4-1-q11a-evaluate-elements-humour-endearment-triumph

EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2026, set 2/4/1 · 6 marks · Long answer

CBSE Class 10 English 2026: question 11(a)

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2026, paper 2/4/1, section C, question 11(a), for 6 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q11(a) · 6 marks · Long answerA Triumph of Surgery

Evaluate the elements of humour and endearment in “A Triumph of Surgery”. Answer in about 100-120 words.

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2026 board paper, set 2/4/1.

Hints

Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.

Hint 1

List the funny details about Tricki's food and Mrs Pumphrey's fuss.

Hint 2

Think of who shows affection and how.

Hint 3

Say how both together make the story pleasant.

Step-by-step solution

Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.

  1. Humour: Tricki's exaggerated obesity is comic. Mrs Pumphrey's overindulgence is funny, with cakes, Horlicks, malt and cod-liver oil for a dog. Her panic over his 'serious illness' contrasts with Herriot's simple cure of diet and exercise. The irony is that the illness is only overfeeding.

    3 marks

  2. Endearment: Mrs Pumphrey's deep love and constant anxiety show the bond between owner and pet. Herriot treats the dog gently and with care. Tricki changes from lazy and sick to active and healthy, which warms the reader.

    2 marks

  3. Gentle satire and warmth are blended, so the story is both amusing and emotionally engaging.

    1 mark

Answer: The story blends comic exaggeration and irony with warm affection between Mrs Pumphrey, Tricki and Herriot.

Where the marks are

  • Humour elements with evidence
  • Endearment elements with evidence
  • Synthesis of humour and warmth
  • Expression and accuracy (2 + 1 marks)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from A Triumph of Surgery, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2026 board paper, set 2/4/1: every question, by section.

The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.