NCERT Revision Notes for Chapter 1 My Watch Class 11 English Woven Words

Answer

In the chapter “My Watch” by Mark Twain, the author shares a humorous account of his watch’s misadventures after being repaired. Initially running perfectly, the watch suddenly began gaining time rapidly, causing the author to constantly be late for appointments and leading to comical situations. Twain’s witty narrative style brings to life the frustration and absurdity of dealing with a malfunctioning watch.

Answer

Samuel L. Clemens (1835–1910) who used the pseudonym Mark Twain, was an American humorist, short story writer and novelist. He worked as a printer’s apprentice, a steamboat pilot, a prospector and a journalist. In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, he drew on his own childhood; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which was planned merely as a sequel, went on to become a masterpiece, the story being narrated through an uneducated boy.

Answer

The author’s watch was working perfectly for eighteen months, but it started acting strange after being left on one night. The next day, it completely stopped working, causing the author to have a panic attack. After guessing the time, the watch began running slower than usual. The author, feeling frustrated and upset with his malfunctioning watch, sought help from a jeweller to adjust it. Unfortunately, the jeweller’s attempt to fix it only made the problem worse. After taking it to another watchmaker who also failed to repair it, the author’s anger grew. Now, the watch is running even slower than before, worsening its condition.

The writer decided to get a second opinion on the watch’s repair from a watchmaker, which would take three days. After spending three days alone in the wilderness, he discovered that the watch he brought home was still broken. The watch would run intermittently, frustrating the author who had already spent a significant amount on repairs. This issue was not resolved even after consulting with several watchmakers.

The author decided to seek advice from a grizzled old watchmaker but soon realized he was not as skilled as he claimed to be. Remembering his uncle’s wise words about the quality of a repairman’s work—“a good horse was a good horse until the day he went away and a good watch was a good watch until the day the repairmen had a chance with it”—the author decided to forgo getting the watch serviced altogether. It seemed that none of the tinkerers were true experts in their field.