Chapter 1 — Two Gentlemen of Verona: Exercise Solutions
| Author: A.J. Cronin | Type: Prose (Short Story) |
|---|
How to Use This Page
- Start with the Key Concepts table for a quick recap of essential terms and ideas.
- Work through the MCQs, Fill in the Blanks, and True/False to test factual recall and comprehension.
- Use Match the Following to check your understanding of character traits, settings, and vocabulary.
- Read the Briefly (2-mark) and Detail (5-mark) answers for model exam-style writing — adapt these in your own words.
- Review Common Mistakes and the Exam Checklist before your test to avoid losing marks on easy points.
About the Story
A.J. Cronin's story is set in post-World War II Italy. A British author (the narrator) and his driver Lucia meet two shabby young boys — Nicola and Jacopo — selling wild strawberries. Over several encounters, the narrator notices the boys doing odd jobs at all hours. When he follows them to a hospital, he discovers their selfless secret: they work tirelessly to fund treatment for their tuberculosis-stricken sister.
Key Concepts (Quick Recap)
| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Two Gentlemen of Verona | The title refers to Nicola and Jacopo; "gentlemen" is ironic — they are poor boys of noble character |
| A.J. Cronin | Scottish novelist and physician; known for stories of human resilience and compassion |
| Nicola | The older brother (13), more serious and reserved, the one who worries about money |
| Jacopo | The younger brother (12), more cheerful and talkative, the one who asks the narrator for help |
| Lucia | The boys' elder sister, a singer before falling ill; also the name of the narrator's driver |
| Tuberculosis of the spine | Also called Pott's disease; the illness Lucia suffers from, requiring expensive treatment |
| Polleta | The town 12 km from Verona where Lucia's hospital is located |
| Post-WWII Italy | The setting; Italy devastated by war, poverty widespread, many orphaned or displaced |
| Self-sacrifice | The central theme — the boys give up their childhood to save their sister |
| Dignity in poverty | The boys never beg or complain; they work with pride and refuse charity |
| Narrator | A British writer visiting Italy; he observes, questions, and ultimately admires the boys |
| Wild strawberries | The first item the boys sell to the narrator; symbolises their humble means |
| Irony in the title | "Gentlemen" traditionally means men of wealth and status; here it means boys of character |
| Shakespeare reference | The title echoes Shakespeare's play The Two Gentlemen of Verona, also about loyalty and friendship |
Textbook Questions — Model Answers
Short Answer Questions (2–3 marks)
Q: How did the narrator first meet Nicola and Jacopo? A: The narrator first met Nicola and Jacopo on the outskirts of Verona where the two boys were selling wild strawberries. They were barefoot, shabbily dressed, and the narrator was struck by the look of steady purpose in their eyes.
Q: What different jobs did the boys do? A: The boys took on various jobs — selling newspapers, shining shoes, conducting visitors to places of interest, running errands, and selling wild strawberries. They worked from early morning to late at night, never refusing any honest work.
Q: Describe Lucia and her condition. A: Lucia was the younger sister of Nicola and Jacopo. She had contracted tuberculosis of the spine (Pott's disease) during the war, which had left her bedridden. She was being treated at a small hospital in Polleta, twelve kilometres away, where she had spent the last year. Her brothers visited her every Sunday.
Q: Why did the boys refuse the narrator's offer to help? A: The boys refused the narrator's offer of help because they were proud and independent. They did not want charity — they wanted to earn the money themselves. Their self-respect would not allow them to accept what they felt they had not earned.
Long Answer Questions (5 marks)
Q: Trace how the narrator's opinion of the boys changed throughout the story. A: Initially, the narrator saw Nicola and Jacopo as ordinary street boys — interesting but unremarkable. He noticed their hard work and their refusal of a ride, which sparked his curiosity. As he observed them working at odd hours, doing every kind of odd job, his curiosity deepened into admiration. When he finally discovered their secret — that every lira they earned went to fund their sister's treatment — his admiration turned into deep respect. He realised that beneath their ragged appearance lay noble hearts. The title "Two Gentlemen of Verona" reflects this final understanding: true gentlemanliness is not about wealth but about character, sacrifice, and love.
I. Choose the Best Answer (MCQs)
1. Where does the narrator first meet Nicola and Jacopo?
Answer
- (a) At a railway station in Rome
- (b) On the outskirts of Verona, selling wild strawberries
- (c) Outside a hospital in Polleta
- (d) At a shoe-shine stand in the city centre
2. What disease does Lucia suffer from?
Answer
- (a) Pneumonia
- (b) Malaria
- (c) Tuberculosis of the spine (Pott's disease)
- (d) Typhoid
3. How old is Nicola?
4. Which of the following jobs do the boys NOT do in the story?
Answer
- (a) Selling newspapers
- (b) Shining shoes
- (c) Driving a taxi
- (d) Conducting visitors
5. Where is Lucia being treated?
Answer
- (a) In a hospital in Verona
- (b) In a hospital in Polleta, 12 km from Verona
- (c) In a hospital in Rome
- (d) At home with a private nurse
6. Why is the title "Two Gentlemen of Verona" ironic?
Answer
- (a) Because the boys are actually from Rome
- (b) Because the boys are poor and young, yet display true gentlemanly qualities
- (c) Because the narrator is the real gentleman
- (d) Because they cheat people for money
7. What does the narrator discover when he follows the boys on Sunday?
Answer
- (a) They go to church to pray
- (b) They meet a gang of street boys
- (c) They visit their sister Lucia in the hospital
- (d) They go to a cinema for entertainment
8. How do the boys spend the money they earn?
Answer
- (a) On food and clothes for themselves
- (b) On a house in Verona
- (c) On their sister's medical treatment
- (d) On education for themselves
9. What is the narrator's profession?
Answer
- (a) A doctor
- (b) A writer (author)
- (c) A teacher
- (d) A soldier
10. The boys' parents were:
Answer
- (a) Alive and living in Verona
- (b) Rich merchants
- (c) Killed in the war
- (d) Living in Rome
11. The word "shabbily" as used in the story means:
Answer
- (a) Rudely
- (b) Poorly, in worn-out clothes
- (c) Quickly
- (d) Lazily
12. What quality of the boys most impresses the narrator?
Answer
- (a) Their intelligence
- (b) Their selfless devotion and dignity in hardship
- (c) Their sense of humour
- (d) Their physical strength
II. Fill in the Blanks
1. The narrator first met Nicola and Jacopo on the outskirts of Verona where they were selling wild strawberries. 2. Lucia, the boys' sister, was suffering from tuberculosis of the spine (Pott's disease). 3. The hospital where Lucia was treated was located in Polleta, twelve kilometres from Verona. 4. The boys' parents had been killed in the war, and their house had been destroyed by bombs. 5. Nicola was the older brother and Jacopo was the younger one. 6. The boys visited their sister every Sunday at the hospital. 7. The title "Two Gentlemen of Verona" echoes a play by Shakespeare. 8. The narrator's driver was also named Lucia, which can cause confusion with the boys' sister. 9. When the narrator offered to help the boys financially, they refused because of their pride and self-respect. 10. The narrator described the look in the boys' eyes as one of steady purpose.
III. True or False (with corrections)
1. True or False: Nicola and Jacopo were wealthy boys pretending to be poor.
AnswerFalse — They were genuinely poor; their parents were killed in the war and their home was destroyed. They worked multiple odd jobs to survive and fund their sister's treatment.
2. True or False: The boys were willing to accept charity from the narrator.
AnswerFalse — The boys firmly refused any charity or offers of free help. They insisted on earning every lira through their own hard work, showing their dignity and self-respect.
3. True or False: Lucia was the boys' mother who was ill.
AnswerFalse — Lucia was their elder sister, not their mother. She was a singer before she fell ill with tuberculosis of the spine.
4. True or False: The narrator discovered the boys' secret by following them to the hospital.
AnswerTrue — The narrator became curious about where the boys went every Sunday and followed them to the hospital in Polleta, where he learned about their sister's treatment.
5. True or False: The boys did only one job — selling strawberries.
AnswerFalse — The boys did many jobs: selling newspapers, shining shoes, conducting visitors, running errands, and selling wild strawberries. They worked from early morning until late at night.
6. True or False: The story is set during World War I.
AnswerFalse — The story is set in post-World War II Italy. The war has ended, but its devastation — bombed homes, orphaned children, poverty — is still visible everywhere.
7. True or False: The title "Two Gentlemen of Verona" is entirely unironic.
AnswerFalse — The title is ironic because "gentlemen" traditionally refers to men of wealth, status, and leisure. The boys are poor, young, and ragged, yet they display the truest gentlemanly qualities of sacrifice and integrity.
8. True or False: A.J. Cronin was a Scottish novelist and physician.
AnswerTrue — A.J. Cronin was indeed a Scottish novelist and physician, known for his compassionate stories about ordinary people facing hardship.
IV. Match the Following
| Column A | Column B |
|---|
| 1. Nicola | (d) Older brother, serious and reserved |
| 2. Jacopo | (e) Younger brother, cheerful and talkative |
| 3. Polleta | (a) Town where Lucia's hospital is located |
| 4. Wild strawberries | (f) First item the boys sold to the narrator |
| 5. Tuberculosis of the spine | (b) The disease Lucia suffers from |
| 6. The narrator | (c) A British writer visiting Italy |
| 7. Shakespeare | (g) Wrote The Two Gentlemen of Verona, which the title echoes |
| 8. Post-WWII Italy | (h) The setting of the story |
V. Answer Briefly (2-mark)
1. What does the narrator mean when he says there was "a kind of nobility" in the boys?
Answer
The narrator means that despite their ragged appearance and poverty, Nicola and Jacopo displayed a noble spirit — selfless devotion to their sister, refusal to beg or complain, and an unwavering commitment to earning their way. Their character was more admirable than that of many wealthy people.
2. Why did the boys work so many different jobs?
Answer
The boys worked multiple jobs because they needed to pay for their sister Lucia's expensive medical treatment at the hospital in Polleta. A single job did not earn enough, so they took on every honest work they could find — from selling newspapers to shining shoes — from dawn until late at night.
3. What happened to the boys' family during the war?
Answer
Their father, a well-known singer, was killed in the war. Their mother passed away earlier. A bomb had destroyed their home, and they were left orphaned and homeless. Only Lucia survived, but she fell ill with tuberculosis of the spine, forcing the brothers to become her sole providers.
4. How does the story portray post-war Italy?
Answer
The story shows Italy devastated by war — orphaned children, destroyed homes, widespread poverty, and people struggling to rebuild their lives. The boys represent the resilience of ordinary Italians: despite losing everything, they refuse to give up or surrender to despair, choosing hard work and sacrifice instead.
5. What is the significance of the boys' refusal of a ride from the narrator?
Answer
When the narrator offered them a free ride to Polleta, the boys politely declined because they did not want to be objects of charity. Their refusal highlights their self-respect and dignity — they would rather walk 12 kilometres than accept something they felt they had not earned.
6. Why does the story end without the narrator revealing what happens next to the boys?
Answer
The open ending emphasises that the boys' struggle is ongoing — there is no neat resolution. This mirrors real life, where poverty and illness do not end neatly. What matters is the narrator's — and the reader's — recognition of their extraordinary character.
VI. Answer in Detail (5-mark)
1. Discuss the significance of the title "Two Gentlemen of Verona." How is it ironic?
Answer
The title "Two Gentlemen of Verona" is drawn from Shakespeare's comedy of the same name, which deals with friendship and loyalty. Cronin deliberately uses this allusion to create irony:
- Surface irony: "Gentlemen" traditionally means men of wealth, status, and refined manners. Nicola and Jacopo are barefoot, shabbily dressed street boys — the opposite of conventional gentlemen.
- Deeper meaning: Despite their poverty, the boys possess the truest gentlemanly qualities — integrity, self-sacrifice, loyalty, and devotion. They work tirelessly not for themselves but for their sister. They refuse charity, keep their suffering private, and never complain.
- Contrast with the narrator: The narrator, a well-off British author, is the conventional "gentleman" by society's standards. Yet it is the boys who demonstrate genuine nobility of character, making the reader question what true gentlemanliness means.
- Cronin's message: True worth is measured by character, not by wealth or social position. The title challenges the reader to look beyond appearances and recognise moral courage in unexpected places.
2. Describe the character of Nicola. How is he different from Jacopo?
Answer
Nicola, the 13-year-old elder brother, is the more serious and burdened of the two:
- Responsible and worried: Nicola carries the weight of their situation. When the narrator asks why they work so hard, Nicola is evasive — he does not want sympathy or pity. He is constantly calculating how much money they need.
- Reserved and dignified: Nicola speaks little. He does not share their secret easily. His seriousness reflects the heavy burden he carries as the elder sibling responsible for his sister's survival.
- Self-denying: Despite working from dawn to midnight, Nicola never spends on himself. Every lira goes toward Lucia's treatment and their basic needs.
Contrast with Jacopo: Jacopo (12) is more cheerful, talkative, and open. It is Jacopo who asks the narrator for work and who chats more freely. This contrast is important — Jacopo's cheerfulness shows the resilience of childhood, while Nicola's gravity shows how early responsibility has aged him beyond his years. Together, they balance duty and hope.
3. How does the narrator's understanding of the boys evolve? Trace the change.
Answer
The narrator's perception shifts through three clear stages:
- Stage 1 — Curiosity: When he first meets the boys selling strawberries, the narrator is mildly intrigued. He notices their shabby appearance but is struck by "a kind of nobility" in their eyes. He does not yet understand what drives them.
- Stage 2 — Admiration: As the narrator observes the boys working at every possible odd job, his curiosity grows into admiration. He notices their tireless industry, their refusal of help, and their quiet determination. He begins to see them as remarkable rather than merely interesting.
- Stage 3 — Deep respect: When he follows the boys to the hospital and learns their secret, his admiration transforms into profound respect. He realises that beneath their ragged exterior lies extraordinary courage and love. The final line — "the two gentlemen of Verona" — is his tribute to their character.
This progression mirrors the reader's own journey: from noticing the boys' poverty to recognising their true worth.
4. Explain the theme of self-sacrifice in the story.
Answer
Self-sacrifice is the central theme of the story, expressed through multiple layers:
- The boys sacrifice their childhood: At ages 12 and 13, they should be in school, playing, and enjoying life. Instead, they work from dawn to midnight at menial jobs, giving up every comfort.
- They sacrifice their dignity to a degree: They do jobs most people would find beneath them — shoe-shining, running errands — yet they maintain their inner dignity by refusing charity.
- They sacrifice personal happiness: Every lira goes to Lucia's treatment. They do not buy themselves treats, new clothes, or entertainment. Their sole purpose is their sister's recovery.
- They sacrifice openness: They do not tell the narrator about their situation until he discovers it. They suffer in silence, bearing their burden alone.
- Cronin's message: True sacrifice is not dramatic or public — it is quiet, consistent, and motivated by love, not by desire for recognition.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Correction |
|---|
| Confusing Lucia (the sister) with Lucia (the driver) | The sister and the narrator's driver share the same name — be specific about which Lucia you mean in your answer. |
| Saying the boys are from Rome | The boys are from Verona — it is in the title and central to the story. |
| Writing that the disease is "just tuberculosis" | It is specifically tuberculosis of the spine (Pott's disease) — be precise. |
| Stating the narrator is a doctor | The narrator is a writer/author, not a doctor (though Cronin himself was a physician). |
| Saying the boys' parents abandoned them | Their parents were killed in the war — they did not abandon the boys. |
| Writing that the boys eagerly accept help | The boys refuse charity — their self-respect and pride are key character traits. |
| Confusing Nicola and Jacopo's ages | Nicola is 13 (older, serious); Jacopo is 12 (younger, cheerful). |
| Stating the hospital is in Verona | The hospital is in Polleta, 12 km from Verona. |
| Writing vague answers about "gentlemanliness" | Always link the title's irony to the contrast between the boys' poverty and their noble character — do not just say "they are gentlemen." |
| Forgetting the war context | Post-WWII Italy is essential — the boys are war orphans in a devastated country. |
Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|
| Shabbily | In a poor or worn condition |
| Solemnity | Seriousness, gravity |
| Wistfully | With longing or sadness |
| Taciturn | Reserved, saying little |
| Pallid | Pale, lacking colour |
Grammar Focus — Reported Speech
The story is narrated in first person. Practice converting direct speech to reported speech:
Direct: "We want to work," said Nicola. Reported: Nicola said that they wanted to work.
Exam Checklist
- [ ] Know the author: A.J. Cronin — Scottish novelist and physician
- [ ] Remember the setting: Post-WWII Verona, Italy — war-devastated country
- [ ] Know both brothers' names and ages: Nicola (13) and Jacopo (12)
- [ ] Know the sister's name and condition: Lucia, tuberculosis of the spine (Pott's disease)
- [ ] Remember the hospital location: Polleta, 12 km from Verona
- [ ] Understand the irony of the title: "Gentlemen" = noble character, not wealth
- [ ] Be able to explain the theme of self-sacrifice with examples from the text
- [ ] Be able to describe how the narrator's attitude changes from curiosity to deep respect
- [ ] Know the contrast between the two brothers: Nicola (serious, reserved) vs. Jacopo (cheerful, open)
- [ ] Quote key phrases: "a kind of nobility in them," "steady purpose"
- [ ] Know the Shakespeare allusion in the title
- [ ] Understand the war context: parents killed, home destroyed, children orphaned
