The Third Level questions and answers: Ncert Solutions for Class 12 English Vistas Chapter 1 The Third Level
| Textbook | Ncert |
| Class | Class 12 |
| Subject | English |
| Chapter | Chapter 1 |
| Chapter Name | The Third Level ncert solutions |
| Category | Ncert Solutions |
| Medium | English |
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The Third Level Read and Find Out question answer
Question 1: What does the third level refer to?
Answer 1: The third level refers to the subway of the Grand Central Station that takes passengers to Galesburg, Illinois. It represents an escape from the harsh realities of modern life, such as insecurity and stress, and is symbolic of Charley’s longing for a simpler, more peaceful past. It provided him a base where he could interweave fantasy and reality. The third level is presented as both a physical and psychological space, blending nostalgia and imagination.
Question 2: Would Charley ever go back to the ticket-counter on the third level to buy tickets to Galesburg for himself and his wife?
Answer 2: It did not happen, Charley did not go back to the ticket counter on the third level to buy tickets to Galesburg for himself and his wife because he realized that the third level was his imagination, his way of escaping from reality. Moreover, he could not find the door to the third level the second time he reached the Grand Central with old currency.
The Third Level Reading with Insight question answer
Question 1: Do you think that the third level was a medium of
escape for Charley? Why?
Answer 1: Yes, I think the third level was a medium of escape for Charley. Life in the modern world is rife with insecurity, fear, and stress, which Charley found overwhelming. The third level at Grand Central Station symbolizes his desire to retreat into a simpler, idyllic past, away from the harsh realities of the present. His psychiatrist refers to it as “a walking-dream wish fulfillment,” suggesting that Charley subconsciously created this fantasy to cope with his struggles.
Charley’s escapist tendencies are evident not only in his fascination with the third level but also in his stamp collecting, described as a “temporary refuge from reality.” Both reflect his longing for stability and comfort, contrasting sharply with the anxieties of contemporary life.
Question 2: What do you infer from Sam’s letter to Charley?
Answer 2: The way Charley came across Sam’s letter was surrounded in mystery. Among his oldest first-day covers, he found an envelope. The envelope containing the letter bore the address of his grandfather. It was written on July 18, 1894. The postmark showed the Picture of President Garfield. Generally the first day covers have blank papers in them, but this one contained a letter. The letter was addressed to Charley. In the letter Sam had informed Charley that he was living on the third level. He had also told Charley and his wife to keep looking for the third level. Clearly, the letter was a product of Charley’s imagination.
Question 3: ‘The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and stress.’ What are the ways in which we attempt to overcome them?
Answer 3: To overcome the insecurities, fear, war, worry, and stress of the modern world, we can engage in various practical and beneficial activities. Cultivating hobbies, spending quality time with family and friends, and taking trips can provide both relaxation and meaningful experiences. Activities like meditation and regular exercise help maintain physical and mental well-being, offering a sense of balance in a busy world. Reading books can also be a powerful tool, enriching us with knowledge and offering insights into human experiences, while grounding us in essential values.
Additionally, joining hobby classes, going to the gym, or attending social events like birthdays and weddings provide opportunities to connect with others and reduce stress. Outdoor games and active participation on social media or writing in diaries allow for healthy interaction and personal expression, helping to alleviate worries. Simple joys, such as listening to music, playing with pets, dining out, or enjoying nature through walks in parks or watching a movie, can help soothe the mind and release tension, improving overall emotional well-being.
Question 4: Do you see an intersection of time and space in the story?
Answer 4: Yes, the story clearly shows an intersection of time and space. Firstly, the first two levels of Grand Central Station were located in the present time while the third level existed in the 1890s. Secondly Charley and his wife, Louisa, live in the present time yet Charley goes to get old currency to buy tickets to go to the Galesburg of 1894.
The old architecture of the platform at the third level is different from the platform of the modern times. The archaic manner of dressing by the people and the newspaper, The World, dated June 11, 1894 also overlap with Charley’s real time world and existence. Finally, the letter that was mailed to Charley’s Grandfather on 18 July, 1894 highlights the intersection of time and space.
Question 5: Apparent illogicality sometimes turns out to be a futuristic projection? Discuss.
Answer 5: It is true that Apparent illogicality often turns out to be a futuristic projection, as history has shown with groundbreaking inventions. Before the Wright Brothers invented the airplane, the idea of human flight seemed impossible. Similarly, before Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, long-distance communication in real-time was a fantasy. Even seemingly bizarre inventions, like the modern sewing machine with a needle having the hole at the wrong end, were once considered impractical but are now part of our daily lives. These examples illustrate how ideas that once appeared illogical can evolve into revolutionary advancements that shape the future.
This notion encourages us to imagine possibilities that may seem absurd today, like the concept of time machines in railway stations, which could transport people across different eras. While such ideas might seem illogical now, they could be the future’s reality. Thus, many innovations that seem far-fetched at first can later prove to be visionary projections, transforming the way we understand and experience the world.
Question 6: Philately helps keep the past alive. Discuss other ways in which this is done. What do you think of the human tendency to constantly move between the past, the present and the future?
Answer 6: Besides philately, there are many other ways to help keep the past alive. Holding on to the past alive also means protecting the memories, which can be preserved in numerous ways. Philately is collecting the stamps that transport us into our actual past. In the past, people would maintain a diary to keep incidents recorded. Some people would also safely preserve letters, souvenirs, gifts, and coins that they got from others. In the modern world, as time flies and technology develops in people’s lives, they make videos or take photographs to capture the moments.
The ability to fluctuate between the past, present, and future is a great intellectual gift. It is good to make mistakes in our past. We can take beautiful lessons from it and can make today and tomorrow wonderful. Human beings have a good ability to keep events recorded in mind. This enables them to continually go back to any situation in the past and revive it. Hence, we as humans have the power to probe deep into the past, think about the present, and also imagine the future.
Question 7: You have read ‘Adventure’ by Jayant Narlikar in Hornbill Class XI. Compare the interweaving of fantasy and reality in the two stories.
Answer 7: In ‘Adventure’ Jayant Narlikar expressed that many worlds exist simultaneously though they appear to be separated by time. He conveyed that the other world also existed and prospered with the world we are aware of.
In The Third Level, Charley, a young New York commuter wandering Grand Central Station by accident, finds a gateway that leads to the past of 1894. Charley attempts to escape the rat race by buying a one way ticket to his childhood town of Galesburg, Illinois. But circumstances forced him to postpone his plan to escape to the past.