Evans Tries an O-Level
Important Questions with Answers
Q1.How was Jackson instrumental in Evans’ escape from the prison?
Ans :Jackson was instrumental in Evans’ escape from the prison because he allowed Evans to wear his old cap. Evans told him that it was his lucky hat and due to his compassionate nature, Jackson allowed him to wear the cap which concealed the haircut of Evans. He had cut his hair in the same style as the parson McLeery had.
Q2. What shock awaited Stephens when he peeped inside Evans’ cell after the Exam?
Ans :When Stephens peeped inside Evans’ cell, he found that a man was all smeared in blood and sprawled on Evans’ chair. He presumed that it was McLeery and Evans had escaped after injuring the invigilator.
Q3. What was the purpose of the correction slip? Ans : The correction slip served two purposes in the escape plan of Evans. First, it confirmed the name of the hotel Golden Lion where Evans had to reach after his escape. Secondly, it also confirmed the time at which Evans’ paper had started.
Q4. How did the Governor locate Evans in his hotel? Ans : The Governor finally realised that is was McLeery who had escaped and it was Evans who had stayed back in the guise of McLeery. It was foolish to send him out with Detective Carter. The Governor put the index no. and centre no. 312/271 together and derived the pin code of the area. with the help of ordnance map of Oxfordshire he managed to locate Evans’ hotel, Golden Lion.
Q5. How did Evans manage to get McLeery’s get-up in the cell? Ans : McLeery was wearing two collars, two gowns and two spectacles along with his own clothes. It was so cleverly done that nobody could detect it. So, one collar, one gown, one false beard and a pair of spectacles were used by Evans to disguise as parson for his escape.
Q6. How was Evans able to devise a foolproof plan for his escape from prison as well as procure items for his disguise in spite of severe instruction and strict observation? Ans : As part of his plan to escape the prison, Evans expressed his desire to learn German and passing O-level examination. The prison authority after consulting the board, allowed a tutor to come into the cell and give him tuitions in German. In fact, the tutor was part of his team arranging his escape. Evans was to appear for examinations. The test would be given in the prison cell and a priest was arranged as an invigilator. At the end of the test, Evans impersonated as the invigilator McLeery and remained inside the cell, pretending to be injured while the other escaped. In fact, it was the invigilator who had come wearing two coats, two collars, two pairs of spectacles and two false beard and the pig blood in a rubber tube. As a result, in spite of strict vigil by the prison authorities, he was able to escape from the prison.
Q7. What could the Governor have done to securely bring back Evans to the prison, when he caught him at the ‘Golden Lion’? What does this final act of the Governor prove? Ans : The Governor was intelligent and had good analytical power. He very cleverly located the Golden Lion hotel and deciphered Chipping Norton on the map of Oxfordshire. He reached there and caught Evans. Evans was handcuffed and sent back to the prison in the prison van. But here the Governor again did the same mistake as earlier of relying on his staff. He never bothered to cross-check the identity of prison officers. So Evans was taken away by his own friends disguised as the prison officers. And once again Evans escaped leaving the Governor shocked and surprised.
Q8. How did the negligence of the prison officers prove to be a boon for Evans? Ans : The prison officers prove to be a pack of “good-for-a-giggle’ officers who were no match to the clever Evans. First, negligence on their part was not to verify the identity of the German teacher. They could not even identify McLeery, the imposter, who came to the cell right under the nose of the prison authorities. Jackson’s casual attitude towards the hat of Evans was another blunder. He showed his negligence in not even searching McLeery throughly, otherwise his false beard and two collars and gowns could have been identified. Moreover, nobody tried to establish the identity of the wounded man and the Governor himself facilitated his escape by sending him out with Carter. Finally, the biggest negligence was not to verify the authenticity of prison officers with whom he sent Evans after he was captured. All this proved to be a boon for Evans to escape.
Q9. What role is played by McLeery, in contributing to the success of Evans’ escape plan? Ans : McLeery plays the most significant role in Evans’ escape. He impersonates Reverend McLeery and reaches the prison. He has great acting skills and is so confident and intelligent that the jail authorities do not suspect him. It is his smartness to wear two beards, two collars and two gowns which helps Evans to escape. Throughout, McLeery sits like a parson, giving specific instructions like index no, centre no, etc. He is smart enough to answer Jackson regarding the rubber tube. It is not only once but even at the end, it is his friend who appeared as a driver of the prison van to steer Evans to freedom from H.M. Prison. Thus it was McLeery who was instrumental in the success of Evans’ escape plan.
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