“The Accidental Tourist”
Question 1. Bill Bryson says, “I am, in short, easily confused.” What examples has he given to justify this?
Solutions: In a nutshell, Bill Bryson explains, “I am easily confused.” He provides various instances to support the assertion. For example, he might search for the restroom in a movie theatre and find himself standing in an alley on the wrong side of a self-locking door. He claims that his area of expertise was going back to hotel desks two or three times a day to inquire about the number of his room.
Question 2 . What happens when the zip on his carry-on bag gives way?
Solutions: A 14-ounce tin of pipe tobacco, magazines, a passport, English money, film, newspaper cuttings, and other loose materials were all wildly hurled out of the bag when its side snapped open. His paperwork fell to the ground, cash landed on the floor, and he cut his finger on the zip. His fingers started to bleed.
Question 3 . Why is his finger bleeding? What is his wife’s reaction?
Solutions: He cut his finger on the zip, which is why it is bleeding. His wife was not irate or frustrated. Rather, she gave him a bewildered look and said that she could not believe he made a career off of that.
Question 4 . How does Bill Bryson end up in a “crash position” in the aircraft?
Solutions: The author once leaned forward to tie a shoelace while flying. Simultaneously, the person seated in front of him reclined his seat all the way back. At that moment, the writer found himself fixed in the crash position. He was only able to free himself by catching the man seated next to him with his leg.
Question 5 . Why are his teeth and gums navy blue?
Solutions: The author was on a plane, sucking attentively on the end of his pen and jotting down significant thoughts in his notepad. There was a leak in the pen. The author now had navy blue teeth, gums, tongue, chin, and mouth.
Question 6 . Bill Bryson “ached to be suave”. Is he successful in his mission? List his ‘unsuave’ ways.
Solutions: No, his attempt to appear dapper has failed. He uses his charm in many of his actions. At the end of the day, he would wear light-colored trousers and discover that he had spent the day chewing gum, ice cream, cough syrup, and motor oil. He would get up from dinner tables looking as though he had just experienced an incredibly localised seismic event.
Question 7 . Why do you think Bill Bryson’s wife says to the children, “Take the lids off the food for Daddy”?
Solutions: The reason Bill Bryson’s wife tells the kids to “take the lids off the food for Daddy” is because she worries that if Bill does so, he would get into more unpleasant situations. She was aware that her spouse and these kinds of circumstances frequently occurred, particularly when he travels.
Question 8 . What is the significance of the title?
Solutions: “The Accidental Tourist” is a highly meaningful and accurate title. Throughout the entire narrative, the author provides multiple examples that demonstrate his status as an unintentional tourist. He is a traveller who frequently encounters amusing mishaps and issues. Even though he travels a lot, he nevertheless makes careless errors when performing tasks that others execute with apparent ease.