Evans Tries an O- Level

Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each:

1. Why did the prison authorities doubt Evan’s sincerity in taking the O -Level
Exam, in Evan Tries an O-Level?
The prison authorities doubted Evans’s sincerity in taking the O - Level
Exam because of his reputation. He was known as ‘Evans the Break’ as he
had escaped from prison thrice. Moreover, Evans did not appear to have
learnt any German. He could not understand when the German teacher
wished him good luck in German.
2. Why do you think that Evans selected German, for his O - Level
examination?

Evans had probably selected German for his O - Level examination because he
felt that none of the prison authorities could understand the language well
enough. His fake escape plan superimposed on the question paper was in
German and so was the message in the correction slip. Evans had hoped that
the language would ‘sort of muddle everybody a bit’ and misguide the
authorities.

3. Describe Evans’s appearance.

Evans was unshaven. He wore a grubby string-vest and trousers and a filthy-
looking, red-and-white bobble hat upon his head that covered his long wavy
hair.

4. How did the Governor describe Evans to the Secretary of Examinations?

The Governor described James Roderick Evans as 'quite a pleasant sort of

chap.' According to him, Evans had no record of violence; he was 'just a
congenital kleptomaniac.’ He was one of the stars at the Christmas concert.

5. Why did the Governor have a concealed microphone (bug) installed in

Evans’s cell?

The Governor had a concealed microphone installed in Evans’s cell so that he

could monitor every sound made in the cell during the exam. He also felt sure
that Evans would not dare to try and escape if he came to know that his cell
was ‘bugged’.
6. Why was Evans particular about keeping his hat on his head during his
exam?

Evans wore a bobble hat at the time of his examination. When he was asked
to remove it, Evans pleaded that he should be allowed to wear it, because he
believed it was his lucky charm. However the real reason for this was that
Evans had cut off his long hair with nail scissors in order to look like the fake
McLeery. He did not want the prison authorities to notice this.

7. Why did the Governor want the police officers to frisk Mc Leery?

Mc Leery was the invigilator of the examination and he was to sit inside
Evans's cell while the latter wrote the exam. The Governor wanted to make
sure the parson was not carrying anything like a paper-knife or something
similar which could be used by Evans to hold the parson hostage and escape
from the prison.

8. What had 'Mc Leery' brought with him to the prison to help Evans to
escape?

Evans’s accomplice, who was dressed up like Mc Leery, had worn an extra
clerical collar and clerical front that Evans could change into. In his bag he
carried a semi inflated rubber tube filled with pig’s blood. He had also carried
a paper knife, which was taken away by the prison authorities.

9. Why did Evans ask for a blanket while writing the exam?

Evans asked for a blanket while writing the exam on the pretext that he was
feeling cold. The actual reason for his doing so was that as part of his escape
plan, Evans had to dress up as Mc Leery, the invigilator. He had to hide under
the blanket in order to do so without being seen by Stephens.

10. What did Stephens notice about ‘McLeery’ when he was escorting him to
the gate?

Stephens noticed that ‘McLeery’ appeared to be ‘slimmer’ and assumed that it

was because of his long black overcoat that almost reached his knees. The real
reason for this was that ‘McLeery’ had removed the extra set of clothing he was
wearing. Moreover, he deliberately created doubt in the mind of Stephens
when he spoke in a stronger Scottish accent, that it was Evans who had escaped
in the guise of the invigilator.

11. What was the real purpose behind the call from the Examinations Board?

The telephone call from the ‘Examinations Board’ to inform the Governor about
the correction slip, had actually been made by one of Evans’s accomplices to
find out the exact time the exam had started. They needed this information so
that another call could be made just before the exam ended, in order to get
everyone out of the way for a couple of minutes, so that Evans and ‘McLeery’
could make the final arrangements for the escape.

12. What was the purpose of the correction slip that the Examinations Board
had mentioned?

The correction slip contained the name of the hotel ‘Golden Lion’ where Evans
was supposed to hide. His accomplices had not been able to fix up any hotel till
the last moment and this was the only way to let Evans know where he had to
go.

13. Why was the question paper left behind?

Evans had deliberately left behind the question paper with fake instructions to
misguide the police. The instructions gave the impression that Evans was the
real ‘McLeery’.

14. When did the Governor realize that the invigilator was a fake?

The Governor and the others had initially assumed that it was Evans who had
escaped from the prison after hitting the invigilator. But later, when he made a
call to the Radcliffe Hospital where Detective Carter had been told to admit the
invigilator, he was informed that the hospital had not admitted McLeery. A visit
to the real Mcleery’s residence confirmed that the parson who had to officiate
as the invigilator had been tied up and gagged in his room and the one who had
come as the invigilator was Evans’s accomplice.

15. What clues did the answer sheet provide to the Governor?

OR

How did the Governor come to know the name and location of the hotel Evans
was staying in?

In the answer sheet Evans had written ‘Index number 313; Centre number 271’.
The six figure reference 313/217 in the Ordnance Survey Map for Oxfordshire,
took the Governor to the middle of Chipping Norton, where the Golden Lion
was located. Since there were several hotels by the same name, it was this
information that took the Governor to the hotel where Evans was staying.

16. How did Evans manage to plan every detail of his escape, despite the fact
that he was allowed no visitors or letters in the prison?

Evans had managed to plan every detail of his escape with the help of his
‘German’ teacher, who was in fact one of his own accomplices. The prison
authorities had not bothered to verify his credentials.

Long Answers

1. What were the arrangements made by the Governor to ensure the smooth
conduct of the exam?

The Governor had taken every possible precaution to ensure the smooth
conduct of the exam. Evans was in a cell on his own. A parson from St. Mary
Mags was to invigilate during the exam. The prisoner’s cell was checked
thoroughly by Officers Jackson and Stephens. All the sharp instruments, such
as his nail scissors and razor were taken away from Evans. The cell was
‘bugged’, with the Governor listening in on the other side.
Rev.McLeery’s belongings were checked thoroughly. Officer Stephens was
posted outside his cell throughout the exam.

2. What could the Governor have done to securely bring back Evans to prison
when he caught him at the Golden Lion? Does that final act of foolishness
really prove that “he was just another good-for-a-giggle, gullible governor,
that was all”?

The Governor should not have attempted to arrest a criminal like Evans, who
was notorious for breaking out of prison, from the Golden Lion without a proper
police back up. He was in a self-congratulatory mood as he was able trace Evans
, so he did not even bother to cross-check the identities of the ‘officers’ who
were entrusted the task of taking Evans back to prison. This proves that though
the Governor was an intelligent person, he was capable unbelievable acts of
foolishness. Thus he was indeed “just another good-for-a-giggle, gullible
governor, that was all”.

3. Do you think that the Governor was really intelligent? Support your answer
with instances from the story.

OR

In spite of his hyper-vigilant attitude, the Governor unwittingly helped Evans

to escape. Explain.

OR

Do you think that the Governor was just another good-for-a-giggle, gullible
governor, that was all”? Support your answer with instances from the story.

The Governor was intelligent, but his over-confidence proved to be his undoing.
He made plenty of tactical mistakes that helped Evans to escape. The officers
under his charge were also equally responsible for the escape of Evans.
The Governor didn’t believe that Evans was genuinely interested in learning
German, but he failed to follow up on his suspicion. He failed to check the
antecedents of the German tutor.

He was doubtful when the call came from the Examination Board and made a
return call to confirm if the call really came from the Board. It was his idea to
frisk the invigilator, but the police officers accepted McLeery’s explanation for
the rubber tube.

It was the Governor who discovered the secret message superimposed at the
back of the question paper. Soon he found out that the real McLeery had never
come to the prison and that it was Evans who had escaped from the prison as
the injured invigilator. The Governor deserves credit for tracing Evan to Hotel
Golden Lion at Chipping Norton and arresting him. However, the Governor once
again became overconfident and did not spare a glance for the ‘prison guards’
who were to drive Evans to the prison; nor did he find it necessary to
accompany Evans in the van. Once again Evans got the better of the governor as
the prison van, as well as the officers, were fake and a part of the master plan
drafted by Evans.

4. Describe how Evans escaped from the high security Oxford Prison despite all
the precautions taken against his escape?
Or
Give an account of the blunders committed by the prison authorities which
resulted in making Evans’s escape plan a success.

Due to meticulous planning by Evans and his accomplices and a series of

blunders by the prison authorities, it was possible for Evans to escape from a
high security prison. Evans had planned out every detail of his escape. Moreover
he was able to foresee some the blunders made by the prison authorities.

First of all Evans managed to convince the prison authorities that he wanted to
appear for the O-Levels in German and despite knowing his reputation for
breaking out of prison, the Governor permitted him to do so. Evans managed to
get one of his accomplices to masquerade as the German tutor, and just as he
had expected, the police did not verify his credentials.

Evans had cut his hair with a razor to look like ‘McLeery’, but Jackson had failed
notice this, as he permitted Evans to keep wearing his bobble cap. The police
did not verify ‘McLeery’s credentials, nor did they carefully examine ‘McLeery’s
rubber ring which contained pig’s blood. McLeery wore two sets of clothing,
but the officers did not notice it. Stephens did not watch the cell all the time,
which enabled Evans to change under the blanket.

Stephens did not cross-check the call he received from the ‘Governor’. He
followed the instructions and escorted ‘McLeery’ to the gate. He later felt
suspicious and jumped to the conclusion that the ‘injured’ man in the cell was
‘McLeery’. This in fact was Evans himself who held a bloodied handkerchief to
his face to fool the police.

The police escorted Evans, posing as ‘McLeery’, believing his story that he knew
where ‘Evans’ would be. Detective Superintendent Carter let Evans get off on
the way, which made his escape quite easy.

Fake plans were noted on the question paper in order to fool the police and
they fell into that trap as well. Even after the Governor finally managed to
locate Evans, he foolishly attempted to arrest him and take him back to the
prison, without a proper back-up. Once again Evans outwitted him and escaped
in a prison van that was being driven by his own men.

Note: The answer is very long as it contains pts. for the three questions given. Use at
least 6/7 pts. for a 150-wd. answer. Other pts. may be included as well, such as the
Governor not verifying the credentials of the ‘German’ tutor; the call from the
Examination Board or the correction slip.