Looking for exam-oriented extra questions and answers for SEBA Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 8 (The Hack Driver by Sinclair Lewis) for the 2026–27 academic session? Access thoroughly solved short answer questions, long analytical questions, the pervasive use of dramatic irony, detailed character sketches of the naive junior assistant clerk and the cunning yet charming Oliver Lutkins (Bill Magnuson), the encounter with Lutkins’ aggressive mother, the lunch scene at New Wade’s Hill, extract-based questions, and previous years’ HSLC board exam patterns tailored for Assam Board English examinations.
1. Why was the young lawyer sent to New Mullion?
Answer: The young lawyer was sent to New Mullion to serve a summons on Oliver Lutkins, who was needed as a witness in a court case.
2. What was the lawyer’s first impression of New Mullion?
Answer: The lawyer found New Mullion pleasant and attractive. He liked the peaceful countryside and friendly-looking people and thought life there would be enjoyable.
3. Who was Bill Magnuson, and how did he introduce himself to the lawyer?
Answer: Bill Magnuson was a hack driver in New Mullion. He approached the lawyer at the station and introduced himself as a man who knew the town and its people well.
4. Why did the lawyer decide to hire Bill as his driver?
Answer: The lawyer hired Bill because Bill claimed to know Oliver Lutkins and the people of New Mullion very well. The lawyer thought Bill could help him find Lutkins quickly.
5. What did Bill tell the lawyer about Oliver Lutkins?
Answer: Bill told the lawyer that Lutkins was clever, dishonest, and difficult to catch. He said Lutkins was always avoiding people who wanted to find him.
SEBA Class 10 English The Hack Driver Extra Questions
6. Why was it difficult for the lawyer to find Oliver Lutkins?
Answer: It was difficult because Lutkins kept moving from one place to another and avoided being caught. In reality, he was cleverly guiding the lawyer away from himself.
7. How did Bill manage to convince the lawyer that Lutkins was difficult to catch?
Answer: Bill took the lawyer to several places where he claimed Lutkins had recently been. He gave believable explanations for why Lutkins had just escaped.
8. Describe the lawyer’s search for Lutkins at the railway station.
Answer: The lawyer and Bill searched around the railway station for Lutkins. Bill questioned people and convinced the lawyer that Lutkins had probably left or was hiding somewhere nearby.
9. What did the lawyer and Bill discover at Fritz’s shop?
Answer: At Fritz’s shop, they learned that Lutkins had been there earlier. However, Bill made the lawyer believe that Lutkins had already left.
10. Why did Bill take the lawyer to Lutkins’ mother’s house?
Answer: Bill took him there because he claimed that Lutkins might be hiding at his mother’s house. In reality, Bill was taking the lawyer to another place where he could continue his deception.
The Hack Driver Important Questions and Answers 2026-27
11. How did Lutkins’ mother behave when the lawyer asked about Oliver?
Answer: Lutkins’ mother behaved aggressively and made it difficult for the lawyer to search the place. This helped Bill make the lawyer believe that Lutkins was really hiding there.
12. What role did Bill play in helping the lawyer search for Lutkins?
Answer: Bill acted as the lawyer’s guide and driver. He took him from one place to another, gave him false information, and cleverly prevented him from finding Lutkins.
13. Why did the lawyer trust Bill so easily?
Answer: The lawyer was inexperienced and believed that Bill was a simple, friendly local man. Bill spoke confidently and appeared to know everyone in the town, so the lawyer never suspected him.
14. What was the truth about Bill Magnuson at the end of the story?
Answer: The truth was that Bill Magnuson was actually Oliver Lutkins himself. He had disguised his identity and fooled the lawyer throughout the day.
15. How did the lawyer react when he discovered that Bill was actually Oliver Lutkins?
Answer: The lawyer felt embarrassed and disappointed. He realized that he had been completely fooled by Lutkins and had unknowingly spent the entire day with the very man he was looking for.
Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Extra Q&A SEBA
16. What does the story tell us about appearances and reality?
Answer: The story shows that appearances can be misleading. A person may appear friendly and helpful but may actually have a completely different intention.
17. Why is the title “The Hack Driver” appropriate for the story?
Answer: The title is appropriate because the hack driver, Bill, is the central character who drives the lawyer around New Mullion. He is also secretly Oliver Lutkins, the person the lawyer is trying to find.
18. How does Sinclair Lewis create humour in the story?
Answer: The humour comes from the irony that the lawyer spends the entire day searching for Lutkins while Lutkins himself is driving him around. The lawyer’s innocence and Bill’s clever tricks make the situation amusing.
19. Compare the lawyer’s personality at the beginning and at the end of the story.
Answer: At the beginning, the lawyer is innocent, inexperienced, and trusting. By the end, he becomes disappointed and realizes that he needs to be more careful and practical when dealing with people.
20. “The lawyer was outsmarted because of his innocence and lack of practical experience.” Explain.
Answer: The lawyer was new to the profession and trusted Bill without checking his claims. He believed everything Bill told him and failed to notice the clues around him. Because of his innocence and lack of experience, he did not realize that Bill himself was Oliver Lutkins.
⚖️ HSLC English Exam Preparation Notice: This page provides curated SEBA Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet (The Hack Driver by Sinclair Lewis) Extra Questions, Answers & Solutions updated for the 2026–27 academic session. This complete study guide features in-depth analyses of village shrewdness versus city naivety, the humor and deception behind Bill’s guided tour of New Mullion, the climax in court, and high-yield board questions designed to help you secure top marks in your examinations.
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