Chapter 1 – An Astrologer’s Day Solutions & Q&A

Content Structure

1. About the author – R.K. Narayan
2. Summary of An Astrologer’s Day
3. Word meanings
4. Exercises solutions
5. Additional Multiple choice questions and answers (MCQs)

1. About the author – R.K. Narayan

Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami, known as R.K. Narayan was born on 10th October 1906. He was one of the leading figures of early Indian literature written in English. His notable works are Malgudi Days and The Guide. In 1958, The Guide earned him the Sahitya Academi Award. He was also honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 1964 and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2000 for his contribution to Indian literature. He passed away on 13th May 2001.

2. Summary of An Astrologer’s Day

The story is about a man who pretends to be an astrologer to earn a living. He set up his small business every day under a tamarind tree in a busy marketplace. His eyes looked powerful because they were between his painted forehead, the dark hair on his cheeks, and a bright saffron turban. This made him look attractive to people just like bees are drawn to flowers. Although he did not have real knowledge of astrology he skillfully guessed people’s problems by listening carefully for ten minutes to what they said and gave advice on common issues like marriage, money, and family matters. His eyes sparkled with a sharp, strange light, which actually came from constantly looking for customers but his simple clients believed it was a magical glow. There were many types of people doing business along the road like medicine sellers, sellers of stolen goods, magicians, and especially a cloth seller who shouted loudly to get attention. A groundnut seller was just as noisy, giving his snacks funny names like Bombay Ice-Cream, Delhi Almond, or Raja’s Delicacy. People enjoyed his style and gathered around him. Many also stopped near the astrologer who worked by the light of a flare that burned near the groundnut stall. One evening, a strange man came to the astrologer with a challenge and asked for an accurate prediction. At first, the astrologer felt nervous but after receiving a rupee, he began to study the man’s face under the faint light. He was shocked to see the man was the same person he thought he had killed years ago in a village fight. That incident had made him leave his village in fear thinking the man was dead. He pretended to read the man’s past and spoke of how he had been attacked with a knife, thrown into a well, and later saved by a stranger. The astrologer revealed the man’s name, Guru Nayak, which surprised him. Guru Nayak said he had been searching for the person who had attacked him, hoping to take revenge. The astrologer warned him never to travel south again and advised him to return home, saying the attacker had already died under a lorry. That night, the astrologer told his wife the whole story about Guru Nayak and his feelings which made him feel relieved and free from guilt.

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3. Word meanings

Word	Meaning
Punctually	On Time
Obscure	Unclear
Mystic charts	Special drawings showing secrets or future
Resplendent	Bright and beautiful
Vermilion	A bright red colour
Gleam	A small shining light
Prophetic	Future telling
Enhanced	Made stronger or better
Turban	Cloth tied around the head
Stalks	Long plant stems
Flanked	Placed on both sides
Surging	Rushing
Auctioneer	Seller
Vociferousness	Loud talking or shouting
Groundnuts	Peanuts
Dallied	Moved slowly or wasted time
Bewildering	Confusing
Intended	Planned
Shrewd guesswork	Clever guessing
Perception	Understanding
gazing	Looking for a long time
Impetuous	Acting without thinking
Forbidding exterior	A scary or unfriendly look
Strayed	Went the wrong way by mistake
Paraphernalia	Tools
Careworn	Tired and worried look
Vague	Unclear
Grumbled	Complained
Flung	Threw quickly
Bluffing	Pretending to fool someone
Cheroot	A small cigar
Ruthlessly	Without care or kindness
Dragged	Pulled roughly
Disgorge	To give out unwillingly
Incantations	Magic words
Muttered	Spoke softly and unclearly
Overwhelmed	Full of emotion
Clenching	Holding tightly
Groaned	Moaned
Choke	Trouble breathing or talking
Gratified	happy
Swine	Rude word for a bad person
Gasped	Took a quick, deep breath
Silly youngster	Foolish young person
Yawning	sleeping action

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4. Exercises solutions

Choose the correct answer from the alternatives given :

1. How does the astrologer make his living?
a) By accurately predicting the future of his clients
b) By selling fake horoscopes to unsuspecting customers
c) By performing elaborate rituals to appease the Gods
d) By offering advice on various life matters to his clients
Ans: d) By offering advice on various life matters to his clients

2. What is the turning point of the story that leads to the astrologer’s realisation?
a) He finds a valuable gemstone while strolling through the marketplace
b) He encounters a man from the past whom he had tried to kill
c) He discovers that his wife has been cheating on him
d) He meets a wealthy client who offers him a large sum of money
Ans: b) He encounters a man from the past whom he had tried to kill

5. Additional Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)

1. Where did the astrologer sit to do his work?
(a) On a bench in the park
(b) Near the school
(c) Under a tamarind tree
(d) In a shop

Ans: (c) Under a tamarind tree

2. Why did the astrologer leave his village?
(a) He thought he killed someone
(b) He lost his home
(c) He wanted to study
(d) He got married

Ans: (a) He thought he killed someone

3. What did the astrologer’s wife want to buy with the coins?
(a) Clothes
(b) A new house
(c) Sweets for the child
(d) Jewellery

Ans: (c) Sweets for the child

4. How did the astrologer feel when he saw the stranger’s face?
(a) Happy
(b) Proud
(c) Angry
(d) Nervous and shocked

Ans: (d) Nervous and shocked

5. What emotion did the astrologer feel at the end?
(a) Relief
(b) Anger
(c) Fear
(d) Excitement

Ans: (a) Relief

6. What did the astrologer spread out before starting work?
(a) Posters and banners
(b) Books and lamps
(c) Cowrie shells and mystic charts
(d) Food and sweets

Ans: (c) Cowrie shells and mystic charts

7. What did the astrologer have on his head?
(a) A saffron-colored turban
(b) A wool cap
(c) A crown
(d) A black scarf

Ans: (a) A saffron-colored turban

8. What did the astrologer say about Saturn?
(a) It brings luck
(b) It brings wealth
(c) It shines brightly
(d) It causes anger and troubles

Ans: (d) It causes anger and troubles

9. Why did Guru Nayak travel?
(a) To visit friends
(b) To become rich
(c) To see a doctor
(d) To find the man who hurt him

Ans: (d) To find the man who hurt him

10. ‘An Astrologer’s Day’ was first published in
(a) 1950
(b) 1949
(c) 1947
(d) 1943

Ans: (d) 1943

11. Which good was given the fancy name as Delhi Almond?
(a) Walnut
(b) Roasted Almond
(c) Salted Cashew
(d) Fried Groundnut

Ans: (d) Fried Groundnut

12. How much did the astrologer charge for one question?
(a) Eight annas
(b) Two rupee
(c) An anna
(d) One rupee

Ans: (c) An anna

13. The astrologer could understand the problem of his coustomer within –
(a) 2 minutes
(b) 8 minutes
(c) 10 minutes
(d) 5 minutes

Ans: (d) 5 minutes

14. How far the astrologer native village from his present residence?
(a) About two hundred kilometres
(b) About one hundred miles
(c) About two hundred miles
(d) About one hundred kilometres

Ans: (c) About two hundred miles

15. The astrologer predict about his coustomer’s future gazing at his
(a) Face
(b) Eyes
(c) Palm
(d) Forehead

Ans: (a) Face

16. ‘Most of your troubles are due to your nature.’ – The planet that the astrologer held responsible for this was –
(a) Venus
(b) Jupitar
(c) Saturn
(d) Earth

Ans: (c) Saturn

17. At the beginning of conversation, the astrologer let his coustomer to speak for at least
(a) 6 minutes
(b) 10 minutes
(c) 5 minutes
(d) 15 minutes

Ans: (c) 5 minutes

18. The colour of the turban the astrologer wound was
(a) Saffron
(b) green
(c) White
(d) Red

Ans: (a) Saffron

19. The astrologer forehead was resplendent with
(a) Turmaric and ash
(b) Sandal and ash
(c) Ash and vermillion
(d) Sandal and Turmaric

Ans: (c) Ash and vermillion

20. ‘Whiskers’ means
(a) limb
(b) Beard
(c) Moustache
(d) Hair

Ans: (c) Moustache

21. What fancy name was used by the groundnut seller to sell his goods?
(a) Bombay ice-cream
(b) Raja’s Delicacy
(c) Delhi Almond
(d) All of these

Ans: (c) Delhi Almond

22. Who came to the astrologer when he was about to close?
(a) A stranger
(b) The groundnut seller
(c) The auctioneer
(d) His wife

Ans: (a) A stranger

23. The stranger’s name was
(a) Vasudev
(b) Guru Nayak
(c) Guru Nanak
(d) Vinayak

Ans: (b) Guru Nayak

24. “… as they were between the painted forhead and the dark whiskers” – Here “they” refer to
(a) The astrologer’s moustach
(b) The astrologer’s eyes
(c) The astrologer’s searching look
(d) The astrologer’s lips

Ans: (b) The astrologer’s eyes

25. The astrologer caught the glimpases of the stranger’s face by the
(a) Green flare
(b) Matchlight
(c) Light of cars
(d) Street light

Ans: (b) Matchlight

26. The stranger showed the scar on his
(a) Arm
(b) Chest
(c) Stomach
(d) Leg

Ans: (c) Stomach

27. While conversing with the astrologer the stranger was sucking –
(a) Hooka
(b) Cigar
(c) Cheroot
(d) Cigarette

Ans: (c) Cheroot

28. The astrologer asked the stranger to rub the scared ash on his
(a) Palm
(b) Forehead
(c) Cheek
(d) Breast

Ans: (b) Forehead

29. According to the astrologer the stranger’s enemy died in –
(a) In this very town
(b) A far off town
(c) In jail
(d) In a far off village

Ans: (a) In this very town

30. According to the astrologer, the stranger enemy died
(a) One months ago
(b) Two months ago
(c) Four months ago
(d) Three months ago

Ans: (c) Four months ago

31. The astrologer wants the stranger never to travel in ______ direction.
(a) Western
(b) Northern
(c) Eastern
(d) Southern

Ans: (d) Southern

32. The astrologer advised the stranger
(a) To take revenge
(b) To live with astrologer
(c) To return to his own village
(d) To leave his own village

Ans: (c) To return to his own village

33. In his past the stranger was wounded with a –
(a) Knife
(b) Sword
(c) Arrow
(d) Revolver

Ans: (a) Knife

34. The astrologer confessed the truth to
(a) His brother
(b) The judge
(c) The stranger
(d) His wife

Ans: (d) His wife

35. The astrologer had gone away at night giving the astrologer-
(a) A lot of coins
(b) Two or three coins
(c) A handful of coins
(d) Nothing

Ans: (c) A handful of coins

36. The astrologer reached home nearly –
(a) At midnight
(b) In the evening
(c) The next morning
(d) At dawn

Ans: (a) At midnight

37. The astrologer left his village-
(a) Informing everyone
(b) Telling only his wife
(c) Without telling anyone
(d) Telling his parents

Ans: (c) Without telling anyone

38. “The swine has cheated me!’ – The ‘swine’ refers to
(a) Guru Nayak
(b) The astrologer
(c) The stranger
(d) Guru Nanak

Ans: (a) Guru Nayak

39. Who is the protogonist of the story “An astrologer’s Day’?
(a) The vendor
(b) The astrologer’s wife
(c) The astrologer
(d) Guru Nayak

Ans: (c) The astrologer

40. What does the astrologer’s wife intend to buy with the money earned by her husband?
(a) Saree for herself
(b) Rice
(c) Jaggery and coconut
(d) Dresses for the children

Ans: (c) Jaggery and coconut

41. The astrologer confessed the truth to
(a) The judge
(b) The stranger
(c) His wife
(d) His brother

Ans: (c) His wife

42. According to the astrologer, the enemy of Guru Nayak died –
(a) Committed suicide
(b) Of a disease
(c) Killed by some enemy
(d) In an accident

Ans: (d) In an accident

43. What did customers think about the astrologer’s eyes?
(a) They looked funny
(b) They were magical
(c) They were sleepy
(d) They were angry

Ans: (b) They were magical

44. Where did the astrologer sit to do his work?
(a) On a bench in the park
(b) Near the school
(c) Under a tamarind tree
(d)In a shop

Ans: (c) Under a tamarind tree

45. How was the marketplace?
(a) Quiet and empty
(b) Crowded and noisy
(c) Peaceful and clean
(d) Dark and deserted

Ans: (b) Crowded and noisy

46. How much money did the astrologer take for each question?
(a) One rupee
(b) Two annas
(c) Three pice
(d)Ten rupees

Ans: (c) Three pice

47. Why did the astrologer leave his village?
(a) He thought he killed someone
(b) He lost his home
(c) He wanted to study
(d) He got married

Ans: (a) He thought he killed someone

48. What did the stranger want from the astrologer?
(a) Money
(b) Food
(c) Shelter
(d) A true prediction

Ans: (d) A true prediction

49. What was the stranger’s name?
(a) Guru Nayak
(b) Raju
(c) Malgudi
(d) Ashwin

Ans: (a) Guru Nanak

50. What did the astrologer’s wife want to buy with the coins?
(a) Clothes
(b) A new house
(c) Sweets for the child
(d) Jewellery

Ans: (c) Sweets for the child

51. How did the astrologer feel when he saw the stranger’s face?
(a) Happy
(b) Proud
(c) Angry
(d) Nervous and shocked

Ans: (d) Nervous and shocked

52. What emotion did the astrologer feel at the end?
(a) Relief
(b) Anger
(c) Fear
(d)Excitement

Ans: (a) Relief

53. What did the astrologer spread out before starting work?
(a) Posters and banners
(b) Books and lamps
(c) Cowrie shells and mystic charts
(d)Food and sweets

Ans: (c) Cowrie shells and mystic charts

54. What covered the astrologer’s forehead?
(a) Oil and water
(b) Sacred ash and vermilion
(c) Sand and mud
(d)Flower petals

Ans: (b) Sacred ash and vermilion

55. Who shouted the loudest in the market?
(a) The astrologer
(b) The sweet seller
(c) The magician
(d) The cloth seller

Ans: (d) The cloth seller

56. What did the astrologer have on his head?
(a) A saffron-colored turban
(b) A wool cap
(c) A crown
(d)A black scarf

Ans: (a) A saffron-colored turban

57. What did the astrologer say about Saturn?
(a) It brings luck
(b) It brings wealth
(c) It shines brightly
(d)It causes anger and troubles

Ans: (d) It causes anger and troubles

58. Why did Guru Nayak travel?
(a) To visit friends
(b) To become rich
(c) To see a doctor
(d) To find the man who hurt him

Ans: (d) To find the man who hurt him

59. How did the astrologer feel after the stranger went away?
(a) Free from guilt
(b) Sad
(c) Angry
(d)Ready for sleep

Ans: (a) Free from guilt

60. The astrologer had run away from his ____________.
(a) town
(b) home
(c) village
(d) city

Ans: (c) village

61. The astrologer worked under the light of a ____________.
(a) lamp
(b) flare
(c) candle
(d) torch

Ans: (b) flare

62. He used cowrie shells, a cloth, and ____________ for his work.
(a) paper
(b) palmyra writing
(c) books
(d) chalk

Ans: (b) palmyra writing

63. People gathered around him like bees around ____________.
(a) honey
(b) flowers
(c) fruits
(d) sugar

Ans: (b) flowers

64. The market had many sellers, including magicians and ____________ sellers.
(a) cloth
(b) fruit
(c) toy
(d) food

Ans: (a) cloth

65. The astrologer said the attacker had died under a ____________.
(a) bus
(b) lorry
(c) train
(d) cart

Ans: (b) lorry

66. The astrologer felt he had ____________ on his hands.
(a) guilt
(b) blood
(c) sin
(d) dirt

Ans: (b) blood

67. Guru Nayak wanted to find the man who tried to ____________ him.
(a) rob
(b) cheat
(c) kill
(d) hurt

Ans: (c) kill

68. The astrologer used study, practice, and ____________ to answer questions.
(a) luck
(b) guesswork
(c) magic
(d) tricks

Ans: (b) guesswork

69. The stranger lit a ____________ while talking to the astrologer.
(a) cigarette
(b) cheroot
(c) cigar
(d) match

Ans: (b) cheroot

70. Where did the astrologer sit to do his work?
(a) Under a banyan tree
(b) Under a tamarind tree
(c) Near a temple
(d) Beside a river

Ans: (b) Under a tamarind tree

71. What did the astrologer’s wife want to buy with the money he brought home?
(a) A new saree
(b) Fruits and flowers
(c) Sweets for their child
(d) A gold chain

Ans: (c) Sweets for their child

72. How did the astrologer feel at the end of the story?
(a) Angry and upset
(b) Peaceful and free from guilt
(c) Sad and lonely
(d) Tired and sleepy

Ans: (b) Peaceful and free from guilt