Class 12 English Chapter 1 The Third Level

Are you looking for the most accurate and easy-to-understand Class 12 English Chapter 1 The Third Level Question Answer? You’ve come to the right place! In this post, we provide NCERT solutions and important exam-focused questions and answers for The Third Level by Jack Finney, based on the CBSE Class 12 English syllabus (Vistas Book). Our answers are written in simple language, ideal for quick revision and board exam preparation. Whether you’re aiming to score high or understand the story’s deeper meaning, these solutions will help you grasp key themes, characters, and literary devices covered in this chapter.

English Class 12 Chapter 1 The Third Level Question and Answer

Class 12 English Chapter 1 The Third Level Question Answer

1. What does the third level refer to?

Answer- The Third level refers to a level at the Grand Level station that takes passengers to Galesburg, Illinois. The third level serves as a medium to escape from the real world, which is often full of stress, war, and worries.

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- No, Charley would never go back to the ticket counter on the third level to buy tickets to Galesburg for himself and his wife because the third level was his imagination, which is not present in real life.

Reading with Insight

1. Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley? Why?

Answer- Yes, the third level was Charley’s way to escape from reality.
Modern life is full of stress, fear, and problems. Charley wanted peace and a simpler life, so he imagined the third level at Grand Central Station. His friend called it a “walking-dream wish fulfilment.” Even his stamp collection was a way to escape reality for a while. This shows Charley had an escapist nature.

2. What do you infer from Sam’s letter to Charley?

Answer- Charley found Sam’s letter strange. While looking through his old stamp covers, Charley found an envelope with his grandfather’s address. It was dated July 18, 1894, and had a postmark with President Garfield. Usually, these covers are empty, but this one had a letter inside—from Sam.
In the letter, Sam said he was living on the third level and asked Charley and his wife to keep looking for it. But this letter was not real—it was likely just Charley’s imagination.

3. ‘The modern world is full of insecurity, fear, war, worry and stress.’ How do we attempt to overcome them?

Answer- We can deal with stress by doing healthy and fun activities. Spending time with family, doing hobbies, reading books, or playing games helps us feel happy. Exercise, meditation, and going outside also reduce stress. Even small things like music, movies, or time with pets can make us feel better and relaxed.

4. Do you see an intersection of time and space in the story?

Answer- Yes, the story shows a mix of time and space. The first two levels of Grand Central Station are in the present, but the third level is from the 1890s. Charley lives in the present but wants old money to travel to 1894.
The third level looks old, and people there wear clothes from the past. Even the newspaper is from 1894. The letter sent in 1894 but received by Charley in the present also shows this overlap of time and space.