The M.C.C. — Important Questions

The name is dull, unexciting, and lacks impact.

Step 1: The word 'tame' literally means domesticated or not wild. Step 2: In this context, Swaminathan uses it figuratively to mean boring, dull, or lacking excitement and power. Step 3: He wants a name that sounds impressive and fearsome, not a plain, simple one. Step 4: This is supported by the fact that names like 'Excelsior Union' and 'Champion Eleven' are then suggested, which sound grander and more impressive. Step 5: Option A is the opposite meaning. Options C and D are not related to the word 'tame' in this context.

Both names sound grand, powerful, and suggest superiority or championship.

Step 1: 'Excelsior' is a Latin-origin word meaning ever upward or higher, suggesting ambition and greatness. Step 2: 'Champion' clearly means the best or winner. Step 3: Both names give the impression of a powerful, unbeatable team — far from 'tame'. Step 4: The humour here is that the club at this point has barely any members, no equipment, and uncertain rules, yet the boys want a name that suggests they are champions. Step 5: Option A is wrong — neither name mentions cricket. Option C is not supported. Option D is incorrect — 'Excelsior Union' is not a short name in terms of impact.

He has already thought about specific plans, rules, and structures for the club.

Step 1: Paragraph 30 shows us Rajam's level of planning and commitment. Step 2: Unlike Swaminathan who is mostly reactive and worried, Rajam has been thinking ahead about how the club will be structured. Step 3: This includes thinking about members, rules, and how the club should function — showing genuine seriousness and leadership. Step 4: Option A involves equipment which is not the focus of paragraph 30. Options C and D are not events from the text. Step 5: This contrast between Rajam's serious planning and Swaminathan's anxious worrying is a key source of humour and character development.

Both boys dream of having power and prestige, showing childlike ambition.

Step 1: This statement comes in the context of imagining how powerful their club will be. Step 2: The desire to be 'feared' here is not aggressive but rather childlike — it reflects a wish to be respected and admired. Step 3: It shows the boys have grand ambitions that are completely out of proportion with their actual situation (a club with almost no members or resources). Step 4: This gap between ambition and reality is what makes the story humorous and relatable. Step 5: Options A and C incorrectly suggest aggression or a history of bullying, which is not in the text. Option D is too specif