Question.1.What kind of person was Evans?

Why did he want to sit for the O-

level German examination?
Answer. Evans was a young prisoner who had tried to escape thrice from the
prison. For this reason, he was also known as ‘Evans the Break’. He seemed to be
quite a pleasant and astute person, but he was basically a kleptomaniac. His desire
to sit for the O-level German examination was only a plot to hoodwink the
authorities and escape from the prison.

Question.2.What were the contents of the small suitcase that McLeery

carried?
Answer. The suitcase that McLeery carried had a sealed question paper envelope,
a yellow invigilation form, a special authentication card from the Examination
Board, a paper knife, a Bible, the current copy of the Church Times and a small
semi-inflated rubber ring.

Question.3.What were the precautions taken for the smooth conduct of the
examination?
Answer. The prison authorities had taken elaborate precautions to ensure the
smooth conduct of the examination. Evans’ cell was thoroughly frisked a night
before. All sharp edged objects like razor, scissors, etc., were taken away. Even the
suitcase of the invigilator was carefully checked and the prison officers kept a
close watch on him (Evans) throughout the process.

Question.4.How did the Governor react to the two phone calls he received in
quick succession?
Answer. The Governor had a sharp presence of mind and wanted to give Evans no
chance to escape. As a part of his multi-step elaborate precautions, he verified the
first phone call he received. However, he did not do so with (fie second call as he
thought he was being paranoid and that he had taken all possible precautions for
the safe conduct of the examination.

Question.5. How did the question paper and the correction slip help the
prisoner and the Governor?
Answer. The purpose of the cleverly superimposed photocopied sheet on the
question paper and the correction slip was to finalise the details of the plan of
escape. This information had to reach Evans. It was also meant to make the
authorities believe that the wounded man was McLeery himself. The question
paper and correction slip helped the Governor to locate the place where Evans was
hiding. Thus, the two clues helped both the prisoner and the Governor.
Question.6. Why did Evans not take off his hat when Jackson ordered him to
do so?
Answer. Evans knew that the duplicate McLeery, who was to invigilate during the
O-level German examination, had short hair. So he cropped his hair to pass off as
McLeery later. The “bobble hat was an important part of the plan to conceal
Evans” cropped hair.

Question.7. How does McLeery explain the presence of a small semi-inflated

rubber ring? What did it actually contain?
Answer. McLeery tells Jackson that he is suffering from haemorrhoids (piles) and
the ring helps him when he has to sit for a long time. In reality, the ring contained
pig blood, which Evans would splatter on his head and escape from the hospital as
McLeery who had been injured.

Question.8. What clues did the answer sheet of Evans provide to the
Governor?
Answer. The index number 313 and the centre number 271 on the answer sheet
proved to be the clues for the Governor. Putting the two together and with the help
of the Ordnance Survey Map for Oxfordshire, he managed to catch Evans in the
hotel.

Question.9. How did Evans outwit the Governor in the end?

Answer. Evans was recaptured by the Governor and handcuffed by a prison
officer. He was given farewell by the Governor, who thought he was sending
Evans back to Oxford jail. Ironically, it was not so. The prison officer, who was
actually a friend of Evans in disguise, took Evans to the police van and unlocked
the handcuffs as soon as the Governor was out of sight. Evans finally escaped to
Newbury. Thus, Evans outwitted the Governor and had the last laugh in this case.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. 10. Describe the precautions taken by the prison officers to prevent
Evans from escaping.
or
What precautions were taken by the prison authorities for the smooth conduct
of the examination?
Answer. As Evans had tried to escape before, the prison authorities had taken all
possible precautions for the smooth conduct of the examination.
Evans’ cell was thoroughly frisked a night before and all sharp-edged objects like
razor, nail-file, scissors, etc., were taken away from him. The suitcase of the
invigilator McLeery was carefully checked. Also, the Governor had himself
decided to supervise the examination by listening in through the microphone
connected to Evans’ cell. Prison officer Stephens was deployed to observe Evans
from the peep-hole every minute or so. Another prison officer Mr Jackson was in
constant contact with the Governor on the phone. Both the gates of the wings of
Evans’cell were locked tightly.
Thus the authorities left no stone unturned in ensuring the smooth and safe conduct
of the examination.

Question.11.How did the negligence of the prison officers prove to be a boon

for Evans?
Answer. The prison authorities had taken multi-step detailed precautions for the
safe conduct of the examination. However, some lapses on their part at critical
moments proved to be a boon for Evans.
First of all, no one tried to verify the identity of the invigilator McLeery and that
turned out to be a key mistake in this case. Similarly, the identities of the van
driver and the officer who handcuffed Evans were not verified. All of them later
turned out to be Evans’ accomplices. The Detective Superintendent also acted
hastily and did not drive the injured McLeery to the hospital. This gave Evans the
chance to escape. Finally, the Governor, who had a sharp presence of mind and
hawk-eyed vigil, made the greatest blunder. When he nabbed Evans at the hotel, he
did not bring him to the jail with himself and sent him with a driver and ‘silent’
prison officer. Thus, Evans escaped yet again.

Question.12.Give a character sketch of the Governor of Oxford Prison based

on your understanding of the story, ‘Evans Tries an O-level’.
Answer. The Governor of the HM Prison, Oxford, appears to be kind-hearted
fellow at the start as he arranges for on O-level exam for a prisoner renowned for
his ability to escape. He was, though, quite skeptical of Evans and made every
arrangement to make sure that Evans had no means to escape.
He was also very proud and self-conscious. He did not want Evans to disgrace him
by escaping from his prison. He had a sharp presence of mind, which was clear
from the fact that he cross checked every call that was made to the prison that day.
However, he got over-confident of his arrangements and gave Evans the
opportunity to escape.
Also, he was a person who did not mind showering praise on a prisoner. When
Evans revealed the secret plan to him, he admired him.
At last, he proved to be just another good-for-a-giggle, gullible Governor when
again Evans tricked him and successfully escaped. His overconfidence and self-
praise let him down.

Question.13.How was the injured McLeery able to befool the prison officers?
Answer. Evans acted really well as the ‘injured’ McLeery. The fake blood that was
supplied to him by his invigilator friend was pouring down from his head. With a
‘feeble’ hand, he got his handkerchief and held it to his bleeding head. In fact in
that process, he was able to hide his face from the eyes of the prison officer. He
was in so much pain that he could hardly utter a coherrent word! In this way, he
concealed his voice and was able to dodge the officers. The moment he heard the
suggestion of bringing in an ambulance, he interrupted and asked them to call the
policl; he offered them his help in tracing Evans whom the authorities thought had
escaped. This was a part of his plan in which all officers were trapped.
Evans acting as the injured McLeery fooled all the officers and he became
successful in making them believe that the injured invigilator was really trying to
help them. Thus, by his superb acting of an injured person, he was completely
successful in befooling and confusing the prison officers.

Question.14. What purpose did the question paper and the correction slip
serve? How did they help both the criminals and the Governor?
Answer. The purpose of the photocopied sheet that was superimposed on the
question paper and the correction slip was to supply the details of the plan of
escape to Evans without uttering a single word. It was a well-thought out
meticulous plan. It was also meant to make the authorities believe that the
wounded man was McLeery himself. And at that moment, it worked as was
thought and the authorities got trapped.
/ However, there is a wise saying ‘iron cuts iron’. Just like that, if that
superimposed question paper and correction slip helped Evans, then the same
materials helped the Governor also in locating the place where Evans was hiding.
The six digit number of the correction slip, i.e. the index number and centre
number 313/271, helped the Governor. He put these numbers together and with the
help of the Ordnance Survey Map of Oxfordshire, he reached the hotel where
Evans had decided to hide for the day.

Q15. Where did Evans go?

Ans. Evans left the prison disguised as parson McLeery who had been injured by
the examinee Evans. He pretended to guide the authorities to help them track
Evans. When the police car reached the Examination offices on Elsfield Way,
McLeery (Evans in disguise) grogged. An ambulance was called in from the
Radcliffe and he was left there.
Evans got into a car as arranged beforehand. It had soap, water, clothes and a map.
He removed blood stains from hair, peeled the false beard, changed clothes, put on
a smart new hat. Then he drove to the Golden Lion in the middle of Clipping
Norton.
He was traced in this hotel by the Governor of Oxford Prison following the clues in
the German text on the German question paper.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q1. Reflecting on the story, what did you feel about Evans’ having the last
laugh?
Ans. It is Evans who has the last laugh. The play makes a fun of the routine
procedure followed by prison authorities and police. It depicts how the criminals
are one step ahead of the jail authorities.
All precautions have been made by the Governor of Oxford Prison to see that the
O-Level German examination, held in prison for the prisoner Evans, does not
provide him means to escape. The examination passes off peacefully. Mr Stephens,
a prison officer, sees off McLeery, the invigilator and on returning to the cell finds
injured “McLeery” sprawling in Evans’s chair.
It is easy for Evans impersonating as McLeery to leave the prison along with
police officer. He claims to have spotted Evans driving off along Elsfield Way but
loses track at the Headington roundabout. He grogs off near the Examination
offices. Then he disappears. He is located in the Golden Lion in Chipping Norton
by the Governor of Oxford Prison. Instead of bringing Evans securely back to
prison, the Governor lets him come in a prison van guarded by a prison officer. It
is just what Evans had planned. The driver and the ‘prison officer’ are his friends
and Evans escapes from prison once again.
In fact, Evans has made elaborate arrangements. He joins the night classes in
September. The German teacher is one of his friends. He has his friends in the
Examination Board as well. He waits patiently till June. Two of his friends bind
and gag Reverend Stuart McLeery in his Broad Street flat. One of them personates
him. He is dressed up as a minister. He has two collars and two black fronts on his
person. Evans fiddles about under the blanket with the black front and the stud at
the back of the collar. His friends also arrange a car where he can change his make
up as well as clothes. He successfully deceives the police as well as the prison
authorities.

Q2. When Stephens comes back to the cell he jumps to a conclusion and the
whole machinery blindly goes by his assumption without even checking the
identity of the injured ‘McLeery’. Qoes this show how hasty conjectures can
prevent one from seeing the obvious? How is the criminal able to predict such
negligence?
Ans. On his return to the cell of Evans, Stephens saw a man sprawling back in
Evans’ chair. For a semi-second Stephens thought it must be Evans. But the small
black beard, white clerical collar and black clerical front and red blood dripping
from the front of his head, made Stephens jump to a conclusion—Evans
impersonating McLeery, had walked out.
Almost immediately the whole machinery jumped into action. No one bothered to
check the identity of the injured “McLeery.’ The assumption of Stephens
prevailed. It was reinforced by the broader Scots accent and slimmer body of the
parson he had seen off and the blood coming out of wound and dress of the
“parson” in the cell.
The hasty conjecture prevents one from seeing the obvious. The jail breaker might
have played a trick again. Even the Governor is deceived. He believes what his
staff says. The man who doubted everything and cross checked it, does not even
examine the victim. Due to their long sojourn in prison the criminals become
familiar with the temperaments of prison officers as well as the routine they
follow. A criminal is always disbelieved. On the other hand, an officer’s word is
always accepted. The criminals are sure that negligence of the prison authorities is
their only passport to freedom. They doubt the remotest possibility and doubt
genuine telephone calls as fake ones, yet an assumption is accepted as truth and the
obvious is ignored. Hence, the criminal is able to predict such negligence on the
part of prison authorities.

Q3. What could the Governor have done to securely bring back Evans to
prison when he caught him at the Golden Lion? Does that final act of
foolishness really prove that “he was just another good-for-a-giggle, gullible
governor, that was all”.
Ans. The Governor should have escorted Evans himself to the Oxford Prison. He
had only two persons with him, and later it turned out that these two persons were
associates of Evans. One of them, who posed to be the silent prison officer
instructed the driver to move on faster. The driver, who spoke in a broad Scots
accent, was the person who acted as the Reverend S. McLeery. The Governor
should have at least checked the identity of the staff to whom he was entrusting the
prisoner.
Secondly, he should have contacted Mr Jackson and Mr Stephens, the two prison
officers, Detective Superintendent Carter and Detective Chief Inspector Bell, who
were all searching Evans.
It was perhaps his over excitement and childish enthusiasm at his arm-chair
reasoning in locating the hide-out of Evans and catching him at the Golden Lion,
that he threw all cautions to wind and acted foolishly by reposing confidence in
wrong persons. Evans and his associates had befooled him earlier as well. The
German teacher and the invigilator were friends of Evans. The correction slip sent
from Examination Branch was a clever device to convey the route of escape and
the hide-out. The Governor’s last act of foolishness really proved that he was only
worth being laughed at as he was too credulous and trustful.

Q4. While we condemn the crime, we are sympathetic to the criminal. Is this
the reason why prison staff often develop a soft comer for those in custody?
Ans. People condemn the crime as it is an evil act against law and society. In the
past, punishment was the only way to treat the criminals. The greater the crime, the
harsher and harder the punishment, which could go to the extent of life-
imprisonment or death sentence.
In the modem age, efforts are on to reform the criminals, even the hard core, and
bring them back to the mainstream. Hence police, prison officers, judges and other
law-enforcing agencies develop a soft comer for the people in custody. While the
sufferer should get justice, the innocent must not be punished. This idea too helps
the prison staff often develop a soft comer for jthe prisoners.
The behaviour of prison officer Jackson amply illustrates the above point. He is
very strict in enforcing the rules and regulations of prison as well as the
Governor’s orders. Yet somewhere in him we find a tiny core of compassion. Even
Evans knew it. Mr Jackson has asked Evans to remove that filthy bobble hat.
Evans requested him to allow it to wear it during exam as it brought luck to him. It
was kind o’ lucky charm for him. Jackson agreed.

Q5. Do you agree that between crime and punishment it is mainly a battle of
wits?
Ans. Crime and punishment are like two sides of the coin. Punishment follows
crime. It is only after a crime has been committed that the law-enforcing agencies
become active and try to nab the offenders and bring them to book. If efforts of the
police are successful, suitable punishment is awarded to the criminals.
Since the location, time and victim of a crime cannot be predicted in advance,
preventive action to check the crime is not possible. Even tight security fails when
hardened criminals or suicide-minded human bombs come into play.
Criminals are always one step ahead of the police. It is always a battle of wits
between the two. The police tries to trace the clues left by the criminals and
apprehend them on the basis of these. On the other hand, the criminals devise a
foolproof plan and try to leave no clues which might help in identification later on.
Since the legal system is based on evidence—both human and material—police as
well as criminals and their lawyers, use their wits to turn the case in their favour
and win it.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q1.What request did the Secretary of the Examination Board receive from
the Governor of Oxford Prison?
Ans. The request was to create an examination centre in the prison for one
candidate named James Roderick Evans. He had started night classes in O-Level
German last September. He was the only one in the class and said that he was keen
to get some sort of academic qualification. The Secretary agreed to give him a
chance and promised to send all the forms and stuff.

Q2. What enquiry did the Secretary of the Examination Board make about
Evans? What did the Governor tell him about Evans?
Ans. The Secretary wanted to know if Evans was a violent sort of person. The
Governor told him that there was no record of violence. He was informed that
Evans was quite a pleasant fellow—an amusing person. He was good at imitation
and hence h star at the Christmas concert. He suffered from the desire to steal. He
had this disease from birth.

Q3. What facts about Evans did the Governor of Oxford Prison not reveal to
the Secretary of the Examination Board?
Ans. Evans was called ‘Evans the Break’ by the prison officers. He had escaped
from prison three times already. He would have done so from Oxford Prison as
well if there had pot been unrest in the maximum security establishments up north.

Q4. What issue regarding conducting the examination did the Secretary of
Examination Board raise? What was he told?
Ans. The Secretary wanted to know whether a room could be arranged for holding
examination. The Governor told him that Evans had a cell on his own. He could sit
the exam in there. Secondly, they could easily get one of the parsons from St. Mary
Mags to invigilate. The Secretary hoped that they would not have much trouble in
keeping Evans without communicating with others.

Q5. Who met Evans on the eve of the examination? What does this brief
interview reveal?
Ans. It was Evans’ German teacher who shook him by the hand at 8.30 p.m. on
Monday, 7 June. They met in the heavily guarded Recreational Block, just across
from D Wing. The teacher wished him good luck in German, which Evans failed to
understand. The teacher observed that he had a remote chance of getting through.
Evans remarked that he might surprise everybody. These remarks prove quite
meaningful and prophetic.

Q6. Who visited Evans on the morning of the Examination? What did they
visit him for?
Ans. Mr Jackson and Mr Stephens visited Evans. Jackson was the senior prison
officer on D Wing and Stephens was a burly, surly-looking, new recruit. They
visited him to ensure that he did not retain any potential weapon with him. Mr
Stephens was asked to take away the razor after Evans had shaved himself.

Q7. What evidence do you get from the text to show that Mr Jackson and
Evans “had already become warm enemies” ?
Ans. Jackson nodded curtly. He addressed Evans as “little Einstein” and
mockingly enquired about him. He felt annoyed as Evans pointed out his ignorance
about Einstein. Jackson genuinely loathed about the long, wavy hair of Evans. He
had taken away the nail-scissors and nail-file of Evans. He used the word ‘bloody’
too often while addressing Evans.

Q8. How was the Reverend Stuart McLeery dressed and why ?
Ans. He had put on a long black overcoat and a shallow-crowned clerical hat. His
spectacles had thick lenses. It was a chilly day for early June and the steady
drizzle, which had set in half an hour earlier still continued. In his right hand he
was carrying a small brown suitcase.

Q9. What were the contents of the small brown suitcase that McLeery
carried?
Ans. It had a sealed question paper envelope, a yellow invigilation form, a special
‘authentication’ card from the Examination Board, a paper knife, a Bible, and a
current copy of ‘The Church Times’. Except the last two articles, the rest were
related to his morning duties as invigilator.

Q10. What was the object found in McLeery’s suitcase that puzzled Mr
Jackson? How did McLeery react to Mr Jackson’s query?
Ans. There was a smallish semi-inflated rubber ring. Even a young child with a
waist of about twelve inches might have to struggle into it. Jackson asked McLeery
if he was thinking of going for a swim. McLeery’s amiable demeanour was slightly
ruffled by this tasteless pleasantry. He answered Jackson somewhat sourly and told
him he suffered from piles.

Q11. What instructions did the invigilator issue to the examiner before the
examination?
Ans. He asked the examinee if he had got a watch. He would tell him when to start
and again
when he had five minutes left. He asked him to write the name of the paper, 021-1,
in the .
top left-hand comer, and his index number-313 in the top right-hand comer. Just
below that he was to write his centre number-271.

Q12. How did the Governor, who was listening-in, react to these numbers at
that time and later on after the escape of Evans?
Ans. Initially, the Governor took them as innocuous, routine information and did
not pay much attention. Later on, when Evans had escaped, he consulted the
Ordnance Survey Map for Oxfordshire. He found that the six-figure reference
313/271 pointed to the middle of Chipping Norton—the place of hiding for run
away Evans.

Q13. What was the import of the two phone calls the Governor received after
a quarter of an hour of the start of the examination?
Ans. The first phone call was from the Assistant Secretary of the Examination
Board. It was about a correction slip in the O-Level German paper. The word
‘Golden Lion’ was to replace ‘Golden Lowe’. The second call was from the
Magistrate’s Court. They needed a prison van and a couple of prison officers for a
remand case.

Q14. How did the Governor react to the two phone calls he received in quick
succession?
Ans. When the Governor received the first call, he checked it immediately by
dialling the number of the Examination Board. He wanted to ascertain whether it
was a fake phone call or some signal or secret message. He found the line engaged.
After the second phone call, the Governor was wondering whether that could be a
hoax. Then he told himself not to be so silly. His imagination was beginning to run
riot.

Q15. What did Stephens notice on looking through the peep-hole of Evans’
cell?
Ans. He found Evans sitting with his pen between his lips. He was staring straight
in front of him towards the door. Opposite him sat McLeery. His hair was
amateurishly clipped pretty closely to the scalp. His eyes were fixed at ‘The
Church Times’. His right index finger was hooked beneath the narrow clerical
collar. The fingers of the left hand were slowly stroking the short black beard.

Q16. What request did Evans make about half an hour before the end of the
examination? How did McLeery and Stephens react to it?
Ans. Evans made a polite request if he could put a blanket round his shoulders as it
was a bit chilly there. McLeery told Evans to be quick about it. A minute later,
Stephens was surprised to see a grey blanket draped round Evans shoulders.

Q17. Who was the phone call three minutes before the end of the examination
meant for? How important did it prove?
Ans. The phone call was meant for Stephens. Jackson told him that the Governor
wanted to speak to him. Stephens listened to the rapidly spoken orders. The phone
call was important. Stephens had to accompany McLeery to the main prison gates.
He was to see the door locked on Evans after McLeery had left the cell. It was also
important for Evans. He could make swift changes and adjustments, in his dress
and make-up.

Q18. What did* Stephens notice on coming back to the cell of Evans? What
did he assume?
Ans. Stephens saw a man sprawling in Evans’ chair. The front of his closely
cropped, irregularly tufted hair was covered with red blood. It had dripped already
through the small black beard. It was now spreading over the white clerical collar
and down into the black clerical front. He assumed that Evans had hit McLeery and
left the prison impersonating McLeery.

Q19. How did the Prison machinery swing to action? What point was
overlooked?
Ans. Sirens were sounded. Prison officers shouted orders. Puzzled prisoners
pushed their way along the corridors. Doors were banged and bolted. Phones were
ringing everywhere. Jackson and Stephens supported McLeery on either side and
brought him to the prison yard. The identity of the injured “McLeery” remained
unchecked. Thus, hasty conjectures prevented them from seeing the obvious.

Q20. How did the injured “McLeery’’ behave? What, do you think, did he
achieve by this sort of behaviour?
Ans. The injured “McLeery” claimed to know where Evans was. He showed more
interest in arrival of police than of ambulance. He drew the Governor’s attention to
the German question paper. The photocopied sheet in German contained the route
of escape. He diverted the attention of the prison officers and the police to the
person (Evans) who had already left the prison.

Q21. What did the Governor tell Detective Superintendent Carter when he
enquired about the injured “McLeery”?
Ans. Carter wondered who had hit “McLeery”. Before the Governor could explain
anything, McLeery told the officer to go to Elsfield Way, where Evans… The
Governor told Carter to take “McLeery” with him if he thought he would be all
right. He was the only one who seemed to know what was happening. Thus,
injured “McLeery” left the prison in police car as a witness.

Q22. What conclusion did the Governor arrive at after reading the German
text on the question paper?
Ans. The text advised Evans to drive to the Headington roundabout from Elsfield
Way. The Examinations Board was in Elsfield Way. Someone from the Board
must have been involved in the escape plan from the very beginning. It was clear
from the question paper and the correction slip.

Q23. What did the Governor’s questioning of Stephens reveal?

Ans. It was Stephens who had taken “Evans” to the main gates. Stephens claimed
that he had acted as he had been told by the Governor on phone at about twenty
past eleven just before the paper was over. The Governor said that he had not rung
him. He had used the telephone at that time, unsuccessfully, to get through to the
Examinations Board.

Q24. Why was the Governor angry with Jackson?

Ans. Jackson had spent two hours in Evans’s cell the previous evening. He had
confidently reported that there was nothing hidden away there. Yet Evans had
concealed a false beard, a pair of spectacles, a dogcollar and other material of a
priest. He also had a weapon with which he hit McLeery across the head.

Q25. What did the Governor think of Evans and his plan after ringing up
Detective Chief Inspec¬tor Bell?
Ans. The Governor admired clever Evans and his beautifully laid plan. He called it
careless of him to leave the question paper behind. He observed that all criminals
made mistakes somewhere. That is why they were nabbed. He hoped that very
shortly Mr clever-clever Evans would be back inside the prison.

Q26. What did Detective Superintendent Carter inform the Governor about
Evans?
Ans. Superintendent Carter informed the Governor that McLeery had spotted
Evans driving off along Elsfield Way. They had got the number of the car all right.
They had given chase immediately, but they had lost him at the Headington
roundabout. He assumed that Evans must have doubled back into the city.

Q27. Where, according to the Governor, was Evans likely to be found and
why ? What did he think about himself after this episode?
Ans. The Governor said that Evans was on his way to Newbury. He explained his
reasons for believing so. The clues in the German text pointed to this. It was now a
police job to arrest him. He thought he was merely a laughing stock, a credulous
governor.

Q28. What truth did the enquiries about injured “McLeery” from (i) Carter
and (ii) the Radcliffe reveal?
Ans. Carter said that he was in the Radcliffe. He was really groggy near the
Examination offices. They rang for the ambulance from there. The accident
department of the Radcliffe informed him that there was no parson named
McLeery there. They had sent an ambulance to Elsfield Way, but the fellow had
vanished from there by then.

Q29. Where did they find the Reverend S. McLeery and in what condition?
What can you deduce from it?
Ans. A quarter of an hour later they found the Reverend S. McLeery in his study in
Broad Street. He was bound and gagged securely. He said that he had been there
since 8.15 a.m. when two men had called and… It is obvious that the two men
were helpers of Evans and one of them acted as the Reverend S. McLeery during
the Exam.

Q30. What did the inmates of the prison come to know by tea-time?
Ans. They came to know what had really happened. Earlier, it was presumed that
Evans had impersonated McLeery and walked out of the prison. The truth was that
Evans, impersonating McLeery, had stayed in.
Q31. What sort of hair did Evans have? How then did he personate McLeery?
Ans. Evans had long, wavy hair, whereas the hair of McLeery had been
amateurishly clipped pretty closely to the scalp. Jackson had pinched Evans’s
scissors. So, he had to remove his hair off his head with his only razor. Then he
kept his head covered with a bobble hat to prevent detection.

Q32. Jackson had thoroughly searched Evans’s cell for two hours the previous
evening. How then was Evans able to disguise himself as a parson?
Ans. Evans had really nothing hidden in the cell. It was McLeery who had worn
two black fronts and two collars. Evidently, Evans put on one set of these. He used
the blanket to cover his act. The parson suddenly seemed to have grown slimmer
when he left the Oxford Prison.

Q33. “It was that bloody correction slip, I s’pose”. Who said this, when and
why?
Ans. Evans said this when he found the Governor of Oxford Prison in his room in
Hotel Golden Lion in Chipping Norton. He knew he was beaten. The details of the
escape plan were there on the correction slip and he had left it there on the table.

Q34. What two purposes did the correction slip serve? Which of them did
Evans consider more important?
Ans. The correction slip provided Evans the name of the hotel and its location.
Secondly, it contained the exact time the exam started. The really important thing
for Evans was that the phone rang just before the exam finished. Thus, he was able
to get the prison officers out of the way for a couple of minutes.

Q35. “How did you know which Golden Lion it was? There’s imdreds of ’em,”
said Evans. How did the Governor of Oxford Prison locate the hiding place of
Evans?
Ans. The Governor told Evans that he used the same method as Evans had done.
The six-figure reference 313/271 was formed by two hints—Index number 313 and
Centre number 271. If one takes an Ordnance Survey Map for Oxfordshire, this
number lands one bang in the middle of Chipping Norton.

Q36. “Tell me one thing before we go. How on earth did you get all that blood
to pour over your head?” asks the Governor. How does Evans react to this
question?
Ans. Evans looked a little happier. He said it was very clever to get a couple of
pints of blood into a cell. There was none there to start off with. The “invigilator”
got searched before he came in. Evans refused to disclose it as he might use that
trick again. Governor then enquired if it was anything to do with a little rubber ring
for piles. Evans grinned and asked if it wasn’t clever.

Q37. “Must have been a tricky job sticking a couple of pints.” “Nah! you’ve
got it wrong, sir. No problem about that.” In the light of the above remarks,
explain what problem regarding blood Evans faced and howjt was solved?
Ans. Storing blood in the rubber ring was not the problem. It was clotting that was
the big problem. They got pig’s blood from slaughter house in Kidlington. But to
stop it clotting actual blood has to be mixed with one-tenth of its volume of 3.8 per
cent trisodium citrate.

Q38. How did Evans manage to plan the escape from, prison?
Ans. The Governor had taken enough precautions. Evans had no visitors. He had
no letters. Evans told the Governor that he had got lots of friends. He gave the
example of his German teacher. The Governor said he was from the Technical
College. Evans seemed to enjoy all this and asked if he had checked it. Reluctantly,
the Governor had to admit that far more was going on than he thought or imagined.

Q39. What suggestion did the handcuffed Evans make while clambering to
van?
Ans. Evans observed that the Governor’s German was pretty good and asked if he
knew any more of the modem languages. When the Governor said, “Not very
well,” Evans grinned happily. He said that he had noticed that they had got some
O-Level Italian classes coming up next September. The Governor said that perhaps
he wouldn’t be with them next September. Evans pondered over these words and
said that he wouldn’t.

Q40. Who, do you think, has the last laugh—the Governor or Evans? How?
Ans. The Governor is complacent that he has nabbed the run away prisoner and
soon the police van will land him in prison. However, facts prove otherwise. As the
van turns to the Oxford road, the silent prison officer unlocks the handcuffs and
asks the driver to move on fast. The driver enquires in broad Scots accent where
they should make for. Evans suggests Newbury. It is crystal clear that the two
persons are accomplices of Evans. He has escaped from prison once again. Hence,
it is Evans who has the last laugh.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q1. Should criminals in prison be given the opportunity of learning and
education ? Give reasons in support of your answer.
Ans. Modern prisons are no longer the dark dungeons of the middle ages where
even the rays of the sun could not penetrate. Human rights are observed
scrupulously in all civilised countries even in jails. These prisons are gradually
becoming reform houses. Under the prevailing conditions criminals are given the
opportunity of self improvement. Provision is made for learning and education.
The light of knowledge, it is hoped, will reform the criminals, change their
thoughts and make them responsible citizens. They will join the mainstream, give
up crime and contribute to the well-being of society and nation. Instead of physical
torture and mental agony, love and sympathy be used to transform the bitterness,
cruelty and evil bent of mind. Let us hate sin and crime, not the sinner and
criminals. Hence, the criminals should be given opportunity of learning and
education in prison.

Q2. What precautions were taken for the smooth conduct of the O-Level
German examination in prison and why ?
Ans. James Roderick Evans was a smart fellow. He was known as ‘Evans the
Break’ among the prison officers. He had escaped from prison three times. Now he
was taking O-Level German Examination in prison.His solitary cell was located in
D-Wing, which had two heavy gates—outer and inner. Both were locked securely.
Evans’s cell was kept under strict observation. Prison officer Mr Stephens watched
his activities every minute through the peep-hole. Mr Jackson, the incharge of D-
Wing, was in constant touch with the Governor on phone. The Governor himself
listened in to the conversation in the cell. During his stay in prison, Evans was not
allowed to have any visitor or letters.
All potential weapons such as knife, scissors, nail-file and razor had been removed
from the cell of Evans. The contents of the suitcase of the invigilator, Reverend S.
McLeery were also thoroughly searched. Even the paper-knife was taken away. In
short, all precautions had been taken to see that Evans did not get a means to
escape.

Q3. How was Evans able to devise foolproof plan for escape from prison as
well as items for disguise in spite of severe restrictions and strict observation ?
Ans. First, Evans joined the 0-Level German night classes in last September. He
was the only student. The Governor had appointed a teacher from the Technical
College. Since Governor did not check on the person, a friend of Evans joined as
German teacher. He was in contact with him everyday and visited him even on the
eve of the examination to say good luck. The plan was devised slowly—from
September to June.
Reverend S. McLeery, who was to invigilate, was bound and gagged in his flat. A
friend of Evans replaced him as invigilator. McLeery put on double clerical collar,
two black clerical fronts. He carried a pair of reading glasses and the semi-inflated
rubber ring for piles in his suitcase.
Evans had friends in the Examination Board as well. The correction slip fixed the
hotel and provided exact time of start of paper. Two more telephone calls proved
handy—One asking for prison-van for court and the other for giving instructions to
Stephens. It was near the Examination Board that Evans as “injured McLeery” got
a car to change his make¬up and clothes and escape to Golden Lion. Here, it is
worth-mentioning that the silent prison officer and the driver, who drove the prison
van from the Golden Lion and helped Evans escape, were his friends.

Q4. What factors, other than friends, do you think, contributed to the success
of the plan of the escape devised by Evans?
Ans. Evans’s calm, pleasant, amusing temperament and his insight into the
working of the minds of prison authorities helped him a lot. He devised everything
carefully and executed the plan skilfully. Every detail was worked out beforehand.
For example, he knew that Mr Jackson who used rough tone, had some compassion
for him deep inside. He granted Evans’s request to keep the filthy looking red and
white bobble hat on his head during the examination. It was, in fact, a device to
hide his recently closely cropped hairs. Secondly, he knew that the whole prison
machinery blindly goes by assumption. He impersonated McLeery and posed to be
injured. No one checked the injured “McLeery”. The hasty conjecture was that
Evans, impersonating McLeery, had hit the parson and escaped. It prevailed. The
police was after run away Evans while the real Evans left the prison with the police
as the only witness. He claimed to have seen Evans driving. When they reached
Examination Board he acted as if he was quite weak. The police officer phoned for
an ambulance and left Evans there. He got into the car his friends had kept for him
and disappeared from the scene. Thus, his ingenuity, presence of mind and
theatricality also helped him.

Q5. What lapses on the part of the police and prison authorities helped Evans
to escape from the prison?
Ans. In spite of elaborate precautions and careful arrangements, Evans succeeds in
slipping away. Certain lapses on the part of the police and prison authorities
contribute to it. The Governor, who smells a rat in every call and tries to cross
check it, fails at vital moments. For example, no one tries to verify the identity of
the German teacher, the invigilator, the “injured” McLeery, the driver of prison-
van and the “silent” prison officer who handcuffs Evans at the Golden Lion hotel.
Sometimes, appearance—the outward form and dress— deceives as it is accepted
to be genuine. The criminals impersonate even the prison officer and driver. The
Detective Superintendent too acts hastily. He does not drive to the Rad- cliffe and
get the “injured” McLeery admitted there. This provides him God-sent opportunity
to disappear. The greatest lapse is on the part of the Governor who nabs Evans at
Golden Lion hotel and fails to bring him to jail as he gets tricked by the prison-van,
“silent” prison officer and driver. Had he waited for police escort, Evans would not
have escaped yet again.

Q6. What estimate do you form of the Governor of Oxford Prison ?

OR
How far do you agree with the observation: “He was just another good-for-a-
giggle, gullible governor, that was all” ?
Ans. The Governor was a fussy sort of person. He would carry things to the
extreme and in his enthusiasm, sometimes overdid them and ignored the obvious.
His imagination seemed to run riot. He was apprehensive that Evans might try to
take advantage of the examination and escape. He was filled with doubts. Evans
might take advantage of the invigilator and hi-jack-knife him.
The Governor wag duty-conscious. He did not run away from responsibility. He
listened- in to the conversation in the cell himself. In spite of all his virtues, the
Governor had a serious flaw. He was too credulous. He had full faith in his officers
and the law-enforcing machinery. He believed the injured “McLeery” and let him
accompany Superintendent Carter to help him trace Evans. Actually, he let Evans
leave the prison.
The final act of foolishness was when he let Evans be carried in a prison-van,
without sufficient police escort. He had used his intelligence to locate the hide-out
of Evans and nab him. His gullible nature deprived him of all credit. In the end, he
appeared as “another good-for-a-giggle, gullible governor.”

Q7. Using examples from the play ‘‘Evans Tries An 0-Level’ show how the
criminals like Evans turn the tables on the Governor of Oxford Prison and the
local police.
Ans. Evans is familiar with the methods of the prison authorities and he anticipates
all their moves. Hence, in the battle of wits between himself and the official
machinery he employs tricks unknown to them. The new German teacher and the
replaced invigilator are merely stooges of Evans. Carrying blood in a rubber ring
for piles is a novelty. The device of the correction slip to fix the hide out and the
route to it is another piece of ingenuity. The master-stroke is when Evans
impersonating wounded “McLeery” stays in prison and misguides the police to
trace the parson. The use of modem devices such as prison-van, car, telephone,
Ordnance Survey Map for Oxfordshire etc. shows how the criminals can misuse
these facilities for their own ends. The whole operation is run by someone in the
Examination Board who remains unknown till the end. It is well-planned and
skilfully executed escape using the prison-van and prison staff.

Q8. What impression do you form of ‘Evans the Break’?

OR
Attempt a brief character sketch of James Roderick Evans.
Ans. “Evans the Break” as he was known among the prison officers was a jail-bird.
He was a congenital kleptomaniac, but he was non-violent. He was quite a pleasant
sort of person— an amusing chap; a star at the Christmas concert good at
imitations.
Evans had long wavy hair. When we meet him for the first time his face was
unshaven and he wore a filthy looking red and white bobble hat upon his head. He
had tucked a grubby string-vest into equally grubby trousers. He smiled cheerfully
at the prison officers. “Evans is smart, cunning and resourceful. He makes a
request to Mr Jackson to allow him to put on his bobble hat. But he complains to
the invigilator against Stephens. Stephens’ presence disturbs Evans’ concentration.
He makes a very polite request to cover himself with blanket as it is chilly. He uses
it to put on the clerical collar and black front. He employs the brief absence of
prison officers to disguise himself as parson McLeery and spill blood on himself to
look injured. He acts the part of injured parson well. He offers to help police and
wins their confidence. He becomes groggy and is left there to wait for ambulance.
Evans enjoys the faith, support and active cooperation of his dedicated friends.
They plan carefully, working out the minute details and execute it skilfully. He
never loses his calm or presence of mind even in the worst circumstances.

Q9. Comment on the ending of the play ‘Evans Tries An O-Level’.

Ans. The ending of the play is qyite surprising and unexpected. Only a couple of
minutes ago the Governor of Oxford Prison had nabbed Evans from his hide-out at
the ‘Golden Lion’. A silent prison officer handcuffed the recaptured Evans. Then
the two men clambered awkwardly into the back seat of the prison-van.
The Governor bade him farewell but wished to see him soon in his jail. Evans too
behaved as if he would remain there for a long time and wanted to know about the
O-Level Italian classes coming up next September. The Governor remarked that
perhaps Evans might not be with them then. Evans pondered over it and said that
he wouldn’t. After a couple of minutes Evans implemented what he had predicted.
Not only were the handcuffs unlocked, but the van moved on fast towards
Newbury.
Evans is once again free. The broad Scots accent leaves us in no doubt who the
driver was. Once again Evans scores over the prison authorities.

Q10. Comment on the aptness of the title ‘Evans Tries An O-Level’

OR
Do you think the title ‘Evans Tries An O-Level’ is appropriate. Give reasons
in support of your answer.
Ans. The title ‘Evans Tries An O-Level’ is quite apt and suggestive. The action of
the play begins with a conversation between the Secretary of the Examination
Board and the Governor of the Oxford Prison about holding the O-Level
examination in German at the prison. The play ends with the mention of O-Level
Italian classes and Evans’s interest in them. The middle portion of the play is
devoted to the holding of the O-Level Examination and its consequences—escape
of Evans impersonating McLeery, the Invigilator. In short, the title dominates the
play and is interwoven in the whole action.
The title indicates how criminals may exploit a facility for their selfish purpose of
escaping from prison. It, thus, throws a comment on crime and punishment. The
complacent Governor and methodical prison officers are outwitted again by a
smart criminal ahd his friends who help in his adventure. It makes us laugh at the
discomfiture of the efficient prison authorities.

Q11. Describe the precautions taken by the prison officers to prevent Evans
from escaping.
Ans. Special precautions were taken by the prison staff to prevent him from
escaping during Evans O-level German test. A parson from St. Mary Mags was
called to invigilate. Evans “was put in the heavily guarded recreational block.
Between the cell and the yard there were two locked doors. The prison officers
were on alert. In Evan’s cell a microphone was installed while Mr. Stephens kept
eye on Evans. Mr. Jackson and Mr. Stephens, the two prison officers checked his
cell thoroughly for the possible escape.