GOENKA AND ASSOCIATES EDUCATIONAL TRUST

VASANT VIHAR HIGH SCHOOL AND JUNIOR COLLEGE

GRADE 10 LITERATURE: THE ELEVATOR- EVALUATION

SUMMARY:
The Elevator by William Sleator is a short story that revolves around Martin, a twelve-year-old child
as he faces his fears, that is, the elevator. Martin already hated elevators but the new apartment
that his father had moved in was even smaller than the previous ones. As Martin struggles to cope
with the situation an old lady begins to use the elevator with Martin which only increases his fears.
In the end, he gets stuck inside it with the old woman as she pushes the stop button on the elevator.
The story is quite plain in its style as it shows how Martin, an anxious boy, dealing with moving into
a new neighborhood along with adjusting to modern technology that could lift people from floor to
floor tries to be brave. However, when we reach the end of the story it becomes a little difficult to
place the story in a general category. In this way, the story transforms from a simple short story
into an intriguing one. (cliff hanger)
MCQS:
Choose the correct answers of the following questions from the options given.
1. The story ‘The Elevator’ is written by ……………….. .
(a) Joseph Conrad
(b) William Sleator
(c) Katherine Mansfield
(d) Stephen Leacock
2. The elevator could carry .............persons.
(e) two
(f) three
(g) four
(h) only one
3. Martin’s father worked …………………. .
(i) in a factory
(j) in an office
(k) at home
(l) in his fields
4. Martin was ...................... boy.
(a) a brave
(b) a skinny
(c) a fat
(d) a fearless
5. Martin lived on the ....................... floor.
(a) third
(b) fourth
(c) seventeenth
(d) eighteenth
6. Select the option that shows the correct relationship between statements (1) and (2)
from William Sleator's short story, 'The Elevator'.
Statement 1: Terrified of the fat lady in the elevator, Martin ran down the dark stairs, fell and
broke his leg.
Statement 2: Angry and disappointed that his son had behaved like a fool and a coward, Martin's
father did not talk to him on the way to the hospital.
OPTIONS
1. (1) is true and (2) is false.
2. (2) is true and (1) is false.
3. (1) is the cause for (2).
4. (1) and (2) are independent of each other.

7. After Martin had a fractured leg while running down stairs the doctor advised that:
(a) he should not run down the stairs.
(b) Martin should use elevator.
(c) he had to rest as much as possible.
(d) he should not be afraid of the lady.

8. Choose the option that lists the sequence of events in the correct order.
1. The elevator stopped at the fourteenth floor, and a fat lady got in.
2. Martin’s father wanted to know why Martin was out of breath.
3. The fat lady only watched him breathing loudly.
4. Martin did not like to be close to the other passengers in the elevator.
(a) 2,4,1,3
(b) 1,2,4,3
(c) 2,1,4,3
(d) 1,4,3,2

9. “ Why didn’t you take the elevator?’ he asked, frowning at Martin. Which of the following
words best describe the tone of the speaker?
(a) joyful
(b) frustrated
(c) angry
(d) satirical
10. Which of the following is NOT true of Martin.
(a) Martin always avoided using stairs.
(b) He always felt nervous in elevator
(c) Martin was skinny and weak.
(d) He was bullied at school.

11. Why was Martin gasping for breath when he reached his home?
(a) He was scared that the old lady was following him.
(b) He used the stairs to reach his home on seventeenth floor.
(c) He ran as fast as he could to escape from the fat lady.
(d) He was thin and weak.

12. What does the elevator symbolize in the story?

(a) A means of daily transportation
(b) The narrowness of city life
(c) Martin’s psychological fears and vulnerabilities
(d) The relationship between Martin and his father

13. Why is the presence of the fat lady significant in the story?
(a) She represents the kindness of strangers
(b) She adds a humorous twist
(c) She intensifies Martin's fear and helplessness
(d) She helps Martin overcome his anxiety

14. Which of the following best describes the relationship between Martin and his father?
(a) Supportive and understanding
(b) Distant and unsympathetic
(c) Friendly and encouraging
(d) Warm and affectionate

15. If Martin had taken the stairs instead of the elevator, how might the story’s tone and
outcome have changed?
(a) The story would lose its suspenseful atmosphere.
(b) Martin would have become stronger and braver.
(c) The woman would still follow him.
(d) The ending would remain the same.

16. If Martin overcame his fear and confronted the woman, what theme would become
stronger in the story?
(a) Isolation
(b) Courage and growth
(c) Revenge
(d) Supernatural power

17. What does the elevator symbolize in the story?

(a) A place of comfort and speed
(b) Martin's fear and loss of control
(c) A broken machine
(d) The strength of modern technology

18. What is the tone of the story "The Elevator"?

(a) Humorous and light-hearted.
(b) Exciting and adventurous.
(c) Dark, suspenseful, and fearful.
(d) Romantic and dreamy.

CONTEXT BASED QUESTIONS:

Passage 1
Of course he was always uncomfortable in elevators, afraid that they would fall, but this one was
especially unpleasant. Perhaps this was because of the poor lighting and the dirty walls.
(i) Describe the apartment to which Martin and his father had shifted recently.
Answer. It was an old building with an old elevator, a very small elevator that could hold three
people. Of course, he was always uncomfortable in elevators, he was afraid that they would fall,
but there was something special unpleasant about it. Perhaps it was its sinister atmosphere due
to the light from the only fluorescent a ceiling strip, dull and dull against dirty walls. Perhaps the
problem was the door, which was never left open all the way.

(ii) What kind of boy was Martin? What made the boy uncomfortable in the elevator?
Answer: Martin was a skinny twelve-year-old boy who was nervous by nature. Martin was
uncomfortable in elevators as he was afraid that they would fall down. The elevator in the new
apartment building was especially unpleasant because of the poor lighting and dirty walls
(iii) What are we told about the door of the elevator?
Answer: The door of the elevator was never left open all the way long enough, and slammed shut
with that ominous, clanging finality.
(iv) How does the description of the elevator contribute to the suspense in the story?
Answer: The description of the old building, the small cramped elevator with poor lighting and
dirty walls, and the ominous clanging sound of the elevator door sets an atmosphere of suspense
and fear, making the reader expect something strange or frightening to happen.
Passage 2
'You're not only skinny and weak and bad at sports, his face seemed to say, 'but you are
also a coward' After that, Martin always took the elevator. He would have to get used to it,
he told himself, just as he got used to being bullied at school.
(i) Earlier, why did father get upset with Martin?
Answer Earlier, Martin's father got upset with him because instead of taking the elevator, Martin
took the stairs and reached home out of breath after climbing up to the 17th floor where they
lived.
(ii) What kind of boy was Martin? What did Martin have to come to terms with?
Answer: Martin was a skinny, weak boy who was bad at sports and timid by nature, as described
by his father's expression. Martin had to come to terms with using the elevator despite his fears,
just as he had got used to being bullied at school by his classmates
(iii) Why did Martin take the elevator although he was scared of it?
Answer: Although Martin was scared of the elevator, he started taking it after his father rebuked
him for being a coward and told him he would have to get used to it
(iv) Was Martin a coward? Give two reasons for your answer.
Answer: Yes, Martin was depicted as a coward by his father's expression. (You can give a different
perspective with valid reasons) He was skinny, weak, bad at sports, and most importantly, afraid
of using the elevator which his father considered an irrational fear that he needed to overcome
Passage 3
She was wearing an old green coat that ballooned around her. As she waddled into the
elevator, Martin was sure he felt it sink under her weight. She was so big that her coat
brushed against him, and he had to squeeze himself into a corner.
(i) What kind of lady was 'she'? What is Martin's tone while describing the lady's stature?
Answer. The lady was fat and wore an old green coat that ballooned or swelled out around her
large body. Martin's tone in describing the lady's large stature is one of fear and being
overwhelmed by her size, as he felt the elevator sink under her weight when she waddled in.
(ii) What was Martin's state of mind when he confronted the lady?
Answer: When the rat lady entered the cramped elevator, Martin felt very uncomfortable and
squeezed himself into a corner to avoid brushing against her coat, indicating he was in a nervous,
fearful state of mind.
(iii) On which �loor did the lady step into the elevator? On which �loor did she actually live?
Answer. The lady got into the elevator on the fourteenth floor. The story does not specify on
which floor she lived It only states that she entered when the elevator stopped at the 14th floor in
the morning.
(iv) How did the lady look at the boy in the elevator?
Answer. The extract mentions that the fat lady just kept staring at Martin constantly and did not
stop looking at him for even a minute in the elevator.