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Q1. What does Mrs Pumphrey give Tricki between meals to 'build him up'?
Answer: B — The text explicitly states Mrs Pumphrey gives 'some malt and cod-liver oil and a bowl of Horlicks at night' to build Tricki up.
Q2. How does Tricki appear when Mr Herriot first sees him in the street?
Answer: C — Mr Herriot describes Tricki as 'hugely fat, like a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner' with 'bloodshot and rheumy' eyes.
Q3. What does Mr Herriot's advice to Mrs Pumphrey suggest about her character?
Answer: B — Mrs Pumphrey admits she 'had to relent' and cannot refuse Tricki because 'he does love cream cakes and chocolates so'—showing weakness.
Q4. Why does Mr Herriot take Tricki to the surgery without delay?
Answer: C — Mr Herriot says 'The only way was to get Tricki out of the house for a period' because isolation from Mrs Pumphrey's overindulgence is necessary.
Q5. What does Tricki do on the third day at the surgery?
Answer: B — The text states: 'on the third he began to whimper when he heard the dogs in the yard'—showing his instinct to rejoin pack life.
Q6. How does the presence of other dogs help Tricki recover?
Answer: C — Mr Herriot observes that Tricki 'ran about with the dogs, joining in their friendly scrimmages' and 'fighting like a tiger for his share at mealtimes'—natural healing.
Q7. Why does Mrs Pumphrey send eggs, wine, and brandy to the surgery?
Answer: B — The text says 'She started to bring round fresh eggs...to build up Tricki's strength' and wine 'to enrich Tricki's blood'—misguided generosity.
Q8. What is ironic about the title 'A Triumph of Surgery'?
Answer: B — Despite the title mentioning surgery, Mr Herriot uses no medicine or operation—only lifestyle change and natural living to cure Tricki.
Q9. Which statement best explains why Mrs Pumphrey misdiagnoses Tricki's illness?
Answer: B — Mrs Pumphrey interprets Tricki's listlessness as malnutrition when it is actually obesity, because her love makes her unable to refuse his desires.
Q10. What does Mr Herriot's decision to return Tricki reveal about him?
Answer: C — Though tempted by eggs and wine, Mr Herriot feels 'compelled to phone and tell her that the little dog had recovered' because 'Mrs Pumphrey was suffering.'
Why is Tricki brought to Mr Herriot at the beginning of the story?
Because he has become obese, listless, and unhealthy from being overfed by Mrs Pumphrey with treats between meals.
What does Mrs Pumphrey think is wrong with Tricki?
She believes he is suffering from malnutrition and is weak, so she feeds him extra food to build him up.
What does Mr Herriot advise Mrs Pumphrey to do?
He tells her to cut Tricki's food drastically and increase his exercise, and to harden her heart against the dog's desires.
Why does Mr Herriot decide to hospitalize Tricki?
Because Tricki's condition worsened after Mrs Pumphrey continued overfeeding him despite advice, so he needs to be removed from the house for proper recovery.
What is the actual treatment Tricki receives at the surgery?
No medicine—only water for two days, then normal food shared with other dogs, and constant play and exercise with the pack.
How does Tricki change during his stay at the surgery?
He regains energy, joins the other dogs in games, fights for food at mealtimes, and becomes fit and healthy through natural activity.
Why does Mrs Pumphrey send eggs, wine, and brandy to the surgery?
She mistakenly believes these luxuries will help strengthen Tricki's blood and constitution during his recovery.
Why is the title 'A Triumph of Surgery' ironic?
Because no actual surgery is performed; the 'cure' is simply removing Tricki from pampering and letting him live normally with other dogs.
What tempts Mr Herriot to keep Tricki as a permanent guest?
The luxury of extra eggs at breakfast, wine at lunch, and brandy in the evenings—gifts Mrs Pumphrey sends thinking they help Tricki.
Who is 'I' in this story?
Mr Herriot, a veterinary surgeon who treats Tricki and realizes that the dog's illness is caused by overindulgence, not disease.
According to the text, what does Mrs Pumphrey think is wrong with Tricki, and how does her action backfire? (Extract: 'He was so listless, Mr Herriot...') [2 marks]
State that Mrs Pumphrey believes Tricki has malnutrition (not obesity), so she overfeds him with extras. Explain that this worsens his condition—he becomes even more ill with vomiting and lethargy. Show the irony: her 'cure' is the actual cause.
Why does Mr Herriot hospitalize Tricki instead of treating him at Mrs Pumphrey's home? Explain how this decision reflects his understanding of the dog's real problem. [3 marks]
Identify that removing Tricki from Mrs Pumphrey's house is essential because the problem is pampering, not disease. Explain that in the surgery, Tricki is exposed to normal competition, other dogs, rough play, and natural appetite regulation. Show that Mr Herriot understands the root cause is lifestyle, not medical—so environment change (not medicine) is the cure.
The title is 'A Triumph of Surgery,' but no surgery is performed. How does this irony reflect the story's deeper message about love, wisdom, and care? What does Tricki's recovery teach about what animals (and perhaps children) really need to thrive? [5 marks]
Analyze that the 'triumph' is not medical but behavioral—Tricki recovers through removal of luxury, forced competition, natural activity, and peer interaction. Explain the paradox: Mrs Pumphrey's love (pampering) harms the dog; harsh conditions heal him. Conclude that overindulgence born from emotional weakness (inability to say 'no') actually damages wellbeing. Real care requires wisdom to balance love with discipline. Animals thrive not in isolation with luxury but in struggle, community, and natural living—a lesson applicable to human children as well.
Q1. Assertion (A):
Mr Herriot decided to hospitalize Tricki to separate him from his mistress's harmful indulgence.
Reason (R):
Mrs Pumphrey was unable to resist giving Tricki treats and refused to follow the strict diet advice given to her.
Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true. Mrs Pumphrey explicitly states 'I can't bear to refuse him' regarding cream cakes and chocolates, and she admits it is 'so difficult' to enforce discipline. This is exactly why Mr Herriot needed to remove Tricki from the home environment—because Mrs Pumphrey's love and weakness made her incapable of providing the necessary strict care. The reason correctly explains the assertion.
Q2. Assertion (A):
Tricki's physical deterioration was caused by malnutrition and lack of vitamins.
Reason (R):
Mrs Pumphrey believed Tricki was malnourished and therefore gave him additional food between meals.
Answer: D — A is false but R is true — The assertion is false. The passage clearly states that 'Tricki's only fault was greed' and his problem was overfeeding and lack of exercise, not malnutrition. The reason is technically true about what Mrs Pumphrey believed, but it's based on a false premise, and she was actually wrong. Mr Herriot corrected this misconception by putting Tricki on a strict diet.
Q3. Assertion (A):
Tricki recovered without undergoing any surgical procedure or medical treatment.
Reason (R):
The cure involved removing him from his comfortable home, providing exercise through interaction with other dogs, and ensuring proper diet control.
Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true. The text explicitly states: 'He had no medicinal treatment of any kind' and his recovery came from being in an active environment with other dogs and receiving controlled portions at mealtimes. The reason correctly explains how Tricki recovered without surgery or medicine, supporting the assertion completely.
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Case Study:
A pet owner named Rajesh has a small dog named Buddy who has become overweight and lazy. Rajesh loves Buddy dearly and feeds him multiple times a day with treats, chocolates, and rich food. He rarely takes Buddy for walks, and the dog mostly lies around the house looking unhappy. Recently, Buddy stopped eating his regular food and started vomiting. Rajesh took Buddy to a veterinary clinic where the vet advised complete dietary change and regular exercise. The vet suggested that Buddy stay at the clinic for two weeks under observation. Rajesh was reluctant but agreed. At the clinic, Buddy played with other dogs, went on supervised walks, and ate controlled portions of healthy food. After two weeks, Buddy was energetic, fit, and healthy. Rajesh was amazed and asked the vet, 'Did you perform surgery on my Buddy?'
Q1. What was the main reason for Buddy's illness?
Answer: B
Q2. Why did the veterinarian recommend keeping Buddy at the clinic?
Answer: C
Q3. What does Rajesh's question about surgery reveal about his understanding?
Answer: B
Q4. How is Rajesh's situation similar to Mrs Pumphrey's situation from the story?
Answer: C
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Real CBSE board exam questions from past papers — free to attempt.
CBSE 2026 · Set 31/1/1 · 6 marks
Evaluate the elements of humour and endearment in 'A Triumph of Surgery'.
CBSE 2026 · Set 31/3/1 · 3 marks
Why was Dr. Herriot really worried about Tricki?
CBSE 2026 · Set 31/3/1 · 6 marks
Evaluate the elements of humour and endearment in "A Triumph of Surgery".
CBSE 2026 · Set 31/1/1 · 3 marks
In 'A Triumph of Surgery', how does Tricki's condition reflect the consequences of pampering pets excessively? What does this suggest about human attachment?
CBSE 2026 · Set 31/1/1 · 3 marks
Considering the emotional attachment of Mrs. Pumphrey with Tricki, state the impact of the word 'convalescing' on her.
CBSE 2025 · Set 31/1/1 · 3 marks
Analyze how Herriot uses Tricki and Mrs. Pumphrey's relationship to comment on societal attitudes towards pets and the responsibilities associated with their care.
CBSE 2025 · Set 31/2/1 · 1 mark
Tricki was tottering along in his little tweed coat.... He struggled on, drooping in his harness. I thought it wouldn't be long before I heard from Mrs. Pumphrey. The expected call came within a few days. Mrs. Pumphrey was distraught. Tricki would eat nothing. Refused even his favourite dishes; and besides, he had bouts of vomiting. He spent all his time lying on a rug, panting. Didn't want to go for walks, didn't want to do anything. I had made my plans in advance. The only way was to get Tricki out of the house for a period. I suggested that he be hospitalized for about a fortnight to be kept under observation. The poor lady almost swooned. She was sure he would pine and die if he did not see her every day. But I took a firm line. Tricki was very ill and this was the only way to save him.
Why had the author made his plans in advance?
CBSE 2025 · Set 31/2/3 · 1 mark
Tricki was tottering along in his little tweed coat.... He struggled on, drooping in his harness. I thought it wouldn't be long before I heard from Mrs. Pumphrey. The expected call came within a few days. Mrs. Pumphrey was distraught. Tricki would eat nothing. Refused even his favourite dishes; and besides, he had bouts of vomiting. He spent all his time lying on a rug, panting. Didn't want to go for walks, didn't want to do anything. I had made my plans in advance. The only way was to get Tricki out of the house for a period. I suggested that he be hospitalized for about a fortnight to be kept under observation. The poor lady almost swooned. She was sure he would pine and die if he did not see her every day. But I took a firm line. Tricki was very ill and this was the only way to save him.
Why had the author made his plans in advance ?
CBSE 2024 · Set 31/4/1 · 3 marks
We are often over-indulgent towards people we care about. Explain with reference to the context of the story A Triumph of Surgery.
CBSE 2024 · Set 31/4/2 · 3 marks
We are often over-indulgent towards people we care about. Explain with reference to the story A Triumph of Surgery.
CBSE 2024 · Set 31/5/1 · 1 mark
The expected call came within a few days. Mrs. Pumphrey was distraught. Tricki would eat nothing. Refused even his favourite dishes; and besides he had bouts of vomiting. He spent all his time lying on a cushion avoiding any strenuous activity. I had made my plans in advance. The only way was to get Tricki out of the house for a period. I suggested that he be hospitalised for about a fortnight to be kept under observation.
Which of the following is not a reason why Mr. Herriot thinks Tricki needs to be taken out of the house for a period?
CBSE 2023 · Set 31/1/1 · 3 marks
What was Mr. Herriot's strict advice? Did Mrs. Pumphrey agree to his advice?
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