-Colin Dexter
Text:
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Summary:
The story "Evans Tries An O-Level" by Colin Dexter is actually a crime thriller revolving around an escape plan of a prisoner called Evans.He had planned to escape the jail on the day of his German O-Level Language examination.
The story begins with a telephonic conversation between the Governor and the examination board secretary.The prison authorities wanted to conduct a O-Level examination in German language for a prisoner called as Evans.The secretary asked a few more questions regarding the venue and the person who would be invigilating the examination.To these questions,the Governor replied that the examination can be conducted in Evans' cell and a churchman named Stuart Mc Leery would be presiding over the examination to invigilate.They both end their conversation on this note that the examination needs to be conducted safely.
A senior official named Jackson visited Evans' cell to conduct an inspection so that any weapon which may be hidden in the cell could be removed.The prison authorities were a bit wary and apprehensive of Evans as he had earlier also tried to escape the prison.The Governor was also not all ready to take any risk in this case as it might bring a bad name to him.They had taken away his nail scissors earlier but now they also took away his razor blade.In the fear that he might escape,they were also taking away his hat but he insisted that they left it because it was lucky for him.
By this,all sorts of arrangements were made to keep a check on Evans with even a microphone placed in his cell.On the day of the examination,the churchman,Mc Leery reached the cell with assistance from Stephens.The Governor was told that the exam was about to begin and the cell had no weapons in it.Still then,to make all arrangements totally secure the Governor ordered the concerned officer to check Mc Leery's belongings so that Evans doesn't use any of it as a weapon.A paper knife from the belongings of the churchman was removed because Evans might have used to make a possible escape.They also found a semi-filled tube in the churchman's bag which the churchman said he used because he was suffering from piles.
Then,the examination began and everything spoken in the cell was constantly heard by the Governor.Meanwhile,a phone call from the examination board for some amends in the question paper made him suspicious.He cross checked it by dialing the contact number again but it was busy.Again,there was a phone call from the Magistrate demanding for some police officers and a van.Such things were making the Governor suspicious but he calmed down as he was quite sure of his security arrangements.
Stephens was positioned just outside the cell and glanced into the cell periodically.There was nothing at first but later on he found that Evans had put a blanket around himself.At first,he was suspicious but stopped thinking much because it was also really cold inside the cell.
After the examination was conducted,as per the Governor's orders,Stephens escorted Mr. Mc Leery to the prison gate.Everything went as planned and Stephens was satisfied to have done his work with accuracy.To be certain of himself,he again went to the cell for a final check.Here,he was completely shocked what he saw next.
Mc Leery was lying in a pool of blood.Soon,the news was out that Evans had escaped the jail by impersonating his exam invigilator and injuring him.Mc Leery was immediately taken to the Governor as he had something important news to share with him.He told the Governor that a photocopy was placed on question paper which shared the escape plan with Evans.
The governor decoded the photocopy to which he found that Evans would reach NewBury after his jail break.Soon,Superintendent Carter was called and Mc Leery was sent with him to catch Evans.Jackson and Stephens were taken into task for being unaware about Evans having a false beard and the churchman's belongings in the cell.He ordered both of them to go to St.Aldates Police station and meet Chief Inspector Bell.
In this while,Carter called him up to inform that they missed Evans while chasing him and Mc Leery was sent to Radcliffe hospital.The governor called up the hospital to know that they had sent an ambulance to the examination board but the churchman had already disappeared.Now,all the pieces of the puzzle were slowly falling in place in the Governor's mind as he decoded the entire plan of Evans.He understood that all this time the Mc Leery who was helping them chase Evans was actually Evans himself.
When searched for,the real Mc Leery was found tied up in his house by the police.The Governor promptly took counter action as he didn't want to let Evans escape again.Evans had reached a hotel called as Golden Lion and enjoying his new-found freedom.When he reached his room though,he was taken aback.The Governor was already waiting for him inside the room.
The Governor warned him that there is no way for him to escape as his men were all around them.The Governor curiously asked about his plan and Evans explained it to them in each detail getting attention.After all this,the prison van was called to take Evans to the prison back.The Governor was also very proud that he had caught him.
As soon as the van turned on its ignition,the prison officer unlocked his handcuffs and asked the driver to drive fast so that they could escape the police.Once again,Evans had escaped the police with the help of his associates.
Difficult Words:
i)Cost him a packet:To cost a lot of money.
ii)Kleptomania:A strong desire to steal.
iii)Parson:Churchman.
iv)Incommunicado:Not able or allowed to communicate.
v)Guten Gluck:German word for 'Good Luck'.
vi)Herr:German word for 'Mister'.
vii)Danke Schon:German word for 'Thank You'.
viii)Haven't a cat in Hell's chance:To be completely unable to do something.
ix)Grubby:Dirty
x)Ramrod:(Here)A strict supervisor.
xi)Paper Knife:Blunt knife used to cut paper.
xii)Reverend:A member of the church.
xiii)Pin-ups:Posters.
xiv)Rivet:(Here)Fixed.
xv)Twang:A strong ringing sound.
xvi)Jack-Knife:A large knife with a folding mechanism.
xvii)Riffle:To turn pages quickly.
xviii)Haemorrhoids:A swollen vein or a group of veins.
xix)Demeanour:Manners.
xx)Hitherto:Previous.
xxi)Staccato:A short musical note.
xxii)Blither:A long conversation with no real substance.
xxiii)Askew:Tilted or angled.
xxiv)Parky:Cold.
xxv)Tufted:Bunch.
xxvi)Dredge:Clear.
xxvii)Crescendo:The loudest point of a sound.
xxviii)Strident:Harsh.
xxix)Gagged:Stopped.
xxx)Bobble:A small ball attached to a hat.
xxxi)Fiddling:Something which is pretty annoying.
xxxii)Gorgon:Fierce.
xxxiii)Pint:A unit of volume.
xxxiv)Clambered:To climb.
About Author:
Norman Colin Dexter was born on 29th September,1930 was an English crime writer known for his "Inspector Morse" series of novels.He has also received a "Macavity Award" for this story 'Evans Tries an O-Level'.He was also appointed as Officer of the order of the British Empire because of his services to literature.
NCERT Questions:
A)Reading with Insight.
1)It was Evans who had the last laugh.This certainly depicts that the criminals always remain one step ahead of legal authorities.The whole play is centred around the theme which makes fun of the routine procedure followed by prison authorities and policemen.The last laugh of Evans signified that he,inspite of all security arrangements,escaped from prison victoriously.
He had successfully deceived all of the prison workforce.
2)On his return to the cell,Stephens saw a man sprawling back in Evans' chair.The small black beard,white clerical collar and the black clerical front and blood dripping from his forehead immediately alarmed him and tensed him.This was so sudden and tense that he immediately jumped on to the conclusion that Evans had escaped and everybody was after catching him while nobody even cared to verify the identity of
Mc Leery.
•For clever criminals like Evans,it was all a cake walk where nobody paid him much attention and he managed to escape.He was also familiar about what ways they would try to catch him.It was his passport to freedom.
3)The Governor should have himself taken Evans back to the prison because he had only two persons with him.He didn't bother to check the identity of the prisoners' officers with whom he was leaving Evans with.This was because layer on it was find that they were associates of Evans who helped him escape.
•The Governor is credulous and a ordinary policeman like others in his team because in his enthusiasm to locate and send him again back to jail had made him forget to take care of the basic security protocols.He also made a mistake by putting his faith in the wrong persons.
4)People definitely condemn the crime as it is certainly an evil act against law and society.They are also punished.But,efforts are also continuously made in order to reform these criminals.These efforts do show the desired results in the long term and make the concerned authorities a bit inclined towards these people.Sympathy for these people as they live and spend their life in prisons is also one of the probable reasons.
5)Crime and punishment are like a train where the latter follows the farmer.Only when a crime is commited,law agencies chase these offenders and charge them.After nabbing them, suitable sentences are given to them on the basis of which they are punished.Since,all the parties try to come out victorious,criminals and law agencies are always engaged in a perennial battle to outwit the other party.
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