THE LAST LESSON

Question 1.
What was the mood in the classroom when M. Hamel gave his last French lesson?
(Delhi 2009)
Answer:
When M.Hamel was giving his last French ; lesson, the mood in the classroom was
solemn and sombre. When he announced that this was their last French lesson
everyone present in the classroom suddenly developed patriotic feelings for their
native language and genuinely regretted ignoring their mother tongue.

Question 2.
What had the narrator counted on to enter the school, unnoticed? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
The narrator (Franz) had counted on the hustle and bustle that was usual when the
school began in order to enter there unnoticed. He had thought he could depend on
the commotion to get to his desk without anybody noticing that he was late for the
class.

Question 3.
“This is your last French lesson.” How did Franz react to this declaration of
M.Hamel? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
When M.Hamel declared that it was their last French lesson a grim realisation
dawned on Franz that he had so much more yet to learn. He felt sorry for whiling
away his time and skipping his lessons. Now he did not want to part with his books,
which he had earlier consi¬dered a nuisance. He was also deeply pained at the
thought that M.Hamel was leaving.

Question 4.
“What a thunder clap these words were to me!” Which were the words that shocked
and surprised little Franz? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
When M.Hamel mounted on the chair and announced that he was there to teach his
last French lesson that day, Franz was shocked and surprised. He felt very guilty for
deliberately ignoring to learn his native language and he suddenly developed a
strange fascination for his language and his school.

Question 5.
What changes came over little Franz after he heard M.Hamel’s announcement? (All
India 2010)
Answer:
When M.Hamel announced that this was to be their last French class a grim
realisation dawned on Franz that he could hardly write his language and now he was
being deprived of the opportunity to learn it. He felt very guilty of neglecting his
classes and escaping school. The thought of losing his teacher, M. Hamel, also
pained him.

Question 6.
What was tempting Franz to keep away from school That morning’? (Comptt. Delhi
2010)
Answer:
Franz was very late for school ‘that morning’. M. Hamel was to question the students
on participles and Franz knew nothing and feared a scolding. The bright weather,
woods, fields and chirping of birds tempted him to spend the day outdoors.

Question 7.
What was unusual about M. Hamel’s dress and behaviour on the day of his last
French lesson? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
On the day of his last French lesson M. Hamel was unexpectantly kind. He had put
on his beautiful green coat, frilled shirt and an embroidered black silk cap that he
normally wore only on inspection and prize days. In his last lesson he explains
everything with unusual patience as if he wants to teach them everything he has
ever learned in their last French class.

Question 8.
Why had the bulletin-board become a centre of attention during the last two years?
(Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
The bulletin-board had become a centre of attention because for the last two years
all the bad news had come from there. It was the source of all bad news-the lost
battles, the draft and the orders of the commanding officers.

Question 9.
What was Franz expected to be prepared with for the school that day? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Franz had started very late for school that morning. He feared facing his class-
teacher, M. Hamel. Because he was expected to be prepared with his grammar
lesson on participles and he did not know even the first word about them. So he
feared a scolding.

Question 10.
What had been put up on the bulletin board? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
A notice had been put up on the bulletin board informing the people about the order
from Berlin which declared that only German was to be taught in the schools of
Alsace and Lorraine. They had also been informed that the new German teacher
was coming on the following day.

Question 11.
Who did M.Hamel blame for the neglect of learning on the part of boys like Franz?
(Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Mr. Hamel blamed various people for different reasons for neglect of learning on the
part of boys like Franz. First he blamed the parents for not being anxious to have
their children learn and rather engaging them into household work. He blamed the
boys themselves for preferring to work on mills and farms. He also blamed himself
for sending boys on errands for his convenience.

Question 12.
Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” What does
this tell us about the attitude of the Frenchmen? (All India 2011)
Answer:
During his last French class Franz hears the pigeons cooing and wonders if the
Prussians would make them sing in German too. His thought reveals the
Frenchmen’s fear of complete domination by the Germans whereby they would try to
enslave even their minds.

Question 13.
“What a thunderclap these words were to me!” – Which were the words that shocked
and surprised Franz? (All India 2011)
Answer:
When M.Hamel mounted on the chair and announced that he was there to teach his
last French lesson that day, Franz was shocked and surprised. He felt very guilty for
deliberately ignoring to learn his native language and he suddenly developed a
strange fascination for his language and his school.

Question 14.
“What announcement did M. Hamel make? What was the impact of this on Franz?
(All India 2011)
Answer:
When M.Hamel declared that it was their last French lesson a grim realisation
dawned on Franz that he had so much more yet to learn. He felt sorry for whiling
away his time and skipping his lessons. Now he did not want to part with his books,
which he had earlier consi¬dered a nuisance. He was also deeply pained at the
thought that M.Hamel was leaving.

Question 15.
What did M. Hamel tell the people in the class about French language? What did he
ask them to do and why? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
M. Hamel told the people in his class that French was the most beautiful, the clearest
and the most logical language in the world. He advised them to guard it among
themselves j and never to forget it because it would prove to be the key to their
prison when they were I enslaved.

Question 16.
What was the mood in the classroom when M.Hamel gave his last French lesson?
(Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
When M.Hamel was giving his last French; lesson, the mood in the classroom was
solemn and sombre. When he announced that this was their last French lesson
everyone present in the classroom suddenly developed patriotic feelings for their
native language and genuinely regretted ignoring their mother tongue.

Question 17.
What changes did the order from Berlin cause in the school? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
The shocking order from Berlin that only German would be taught in the schools of
Alsace and Lorraine saddened and hurt the pride of the French people. So as a
gesture to express their solidarity for their language the village elders also attended
school for the last French lesson. The usual hustle and bustle was missing from
school and it was unusually quiet. M. Hamel was also dressed in his formal suit
which he wore only on special occasions.

Question 18.
How did M.Hamel say farewell to his students and the people of the town? (All India
2012)
Answer:
To bid farewell to his students and the people of the town M.Hamel wore his formal
suit on the day he gave his last French lesson. He assumed the role of a mentor and
advised the villagers to safeguard their language, which was the most beautiful and
logical language in the world. Being rimmed up with emotions, he wrote “Vive La
France” which mean Tong live France’ in order to inculcate a feeling of patriotism
within everyone.

Question 19.
What were Franz’s regrets after M. Hamel’s announcement of his last lesson?
(Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
When M. Hamel announced that it was their last French lesson, Franz realised he
had so much more to learn. He felt sorry for whiling away his time and skipping his
lessons. He was also deeply pained at the thought of M. Hamel leaving the school.

Question 20.
What change was there in Franz’ attitude towards M. Hamel? (Comptt. All India
2012)
Answer:
Franz’s attitude towards M. Hamel underwent a complete change on the day of the
last French lesson. He developed a strange fascination for his school and the French
language. When M. Hamel read out a grammar lesson to the class, Franz was
amazed at how well he understood it. All M. Hamel said seemed so easy to Franz
and he genuinely regretted ignoring M. Hamel’s classes and lessons.

Question 21.
Why did M. Hamel not scold Franz when the latter fumbled with the rule for the
participle? (Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
Since it was M. Hamel’s last class in Alsace, he did not scold Franz when the latter
fumbled with the rule for the participle. He told Franz that he would not scold him as
he knew that Franz was already feeling terrible enough and reproaching himself a
great deal.

Question 22.
How did Franz react to the declaration that it was their last French lesson? (Delhi
2013)
Answer:
When M.Hamel declared that it was their last French lesson a grim realisation
dawned on Franz that he had so much more yet to learn. He felt sorry for whiling
away his time and skipping his lessons. Now he did not want to part with his books,
which he had earlier considered a nuisance. He was also deeply pained at the
though that M.Hamel was leaving.

Question 23.
“What a thunderclap these words were to me !” What were the words that shocked
and surprised the narrator? (Delhi, Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
When M.Hamel mounted on the chair and announced that he was there to teach his
last French lesson that day, Franz was shocked and surprised. He felt very guilty for
deliberately ignoring to learn his native language and he suddenly developed a
strange fascination for his language and his school.

Question 24.
What did M. Hamel tell them about the French language? What did he ask them to
do and why? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
M. Hamel told the people in his class that French was the most beautiful, the clearest
and the most logical language in the world. He advised them to guard it among
themselves j and never to forget it because it would prove to be the key to their
prison when they were I enslaved.

Question 25.
What was the order from Berlin and what changes did it cause in the school? (All
India 2013)
Answer:
The shocking order from Berlin that only German would be taught in the schools of
Alsace and Lorraine saddened and hurt the pride of the French people. So as a
gesture to express their solidarity for their language the village elders also attended
school for the last French lesson. The usual hustle and bustle was missing from
school and it was unusually quiet. M. Hamel was also dressed in his formal suit
which he wore only on special occasions.

Question 26.
Why did Franz think of running away from the school that morning? (Comptt. Delhi
2013)
Answer:
Franz was tempted to run away and spend the day outside instead of attending
school as it was a warm and bright day and he wanted to watch the Prussian
soldiers’ drill. Moreover he had not done his lesson on participles from which his
teacher, M. Hamel was going to question and feared a scolding from his teacher.

Question 27.
What did Franz see when he passed the town hall? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
When Franz passed the town hall he saw there was a crowd in front of the bulletin
board. For the last two years all the bad news of lost battles, the draft etc. had come
from there and Franz thought to himself what the matter was then and what bad
news awaited them.

Question 28.
When Franz reached his school, what unusual situation did he observe? (Comptt.
Delhi 2013)
Answer:
The usual hustle and bustle of the morning hours could not be seen on the day of the
last lesson. It was all very still and quiet as it used to be on a Sunday morning. The
din of opening and closing of desks and the rapping of the teacher’s ruler on the
table could not be heard. The students had already taken their places and even the
village elders had gathered there.

Question 29.
After sitting down at his desk what unusual things did Franz observe about M.
Hamel? (Comptt. All India)
Answer:
Franz realised that M. Hamel was not his usual cranky self and said nothing to him
even though he was late for the class. Moreover their teacher was wearing his
beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt and the little black silk cap, all embroidered, that
he wore only on special days in school.

Question 30.
“But the thing that surprised me most was to see ” What surprised Franz most in the
class? (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
The thing that surprised Franz the most when he entered the classroom was to see
the village people sitting as quietly as the students on the back benches of the class
that were always empty. This included old Hauser, the former mayor, the former
postmaster and several others.

Question 31.
What tempted Franz to stay away from school? (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Little Franz was tempted to run away and spend the day outside instead of attending
school as it was a warm and bright day with the birds chirping merrily. Moreover, he
was tempted to watch the Prussian soldiers’ drill. All these things appeared rather
tempting considering he did not know his participles and feared the French teacher
M. Hamel’s scolding on that day.

Question 32.
Why were the elders of the village sitting in the classroom? (All India 2014)
Answer:
The elders of the village were sitting in the classroom as a mark of respect which
they wanted to show for their language and their country. They felt sorry for not
having learnt their language and wanted to thank M. Hamel for his forty years of
faithful service.

Question 33.
What words did M. Hamel write on the black¬board before dismissing the last class?
What did they mean? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Before dismissing the last French class, M. Hamel turned to the blackboard, took a
piece of chalk and wrote as large as he could -“Vive la France!” These words meant
“Long Live France”. He then made a gesture with his hand that the class was
dismissed.

Question 34.
Who were sitting on the back benches during M. Hamel’s last lesson? Why?
(Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
The village elders were sitting on the back benches during M. Hamel’s last lesson.
They included old Hauser, the former mayor, the former postmaster and several
others. They were there to show their respect for their language and their country.

Question 35.
Why is the order from Berlin called a thunderclap by Franz? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
The order from Berlin is called a thunderclap by Franz, because it was a complete
shock for him. He had never thought that he would be deprived of the right of
learning his native language. He realised he had so much more yet to learn and was
going to lose the opportunity.

Question 36.
Why does M. Hamel reproach himself for his students’ unsatisfactory progress in
studies? (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
M. Hamel reproaches himself for his students’ unsatisfactory progress in studies. He
had often sent them to water his flowers instead of learning their lessons. And when
he wanted to go fishing, he gave them a holiday.

Question 37.
What made M. Hamel cry towards the end of his last lesson? (Comptt. All India
2014)
Answer:
Towards the end of his last French lesson, as the church clock struck twelve and the
trumpets of the Prussians sounded under the window, M. Hamel was completely
overwhelmed with emotions. Feeling choked, he was unable to talk further and
dismissed the class by making a gesture with his hand.

Question 38.
What was unusual about M. Hamel’s dress on his last day in the school? (Comptt. All
India 2014)
Answer:
In honour of his last French lesson in the school, M. Hamel had put on his fine
Sunday clothes. He had on his green coat, his frilled shirt and the little black, all
embroidered silk cap that he never wore except on inspection and prize days.

Question 39.
Who occupied the back benches in the classroom on the day of the last lesson?
Why? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
The village people occupied the backbenches in the classroom on the day of the last
lesson. They included the old hauser, the former mayor, the former postmaster and
several others. They had come there to thank their master for his valuable service
and to show their respect for their language and country which was no longer theirs.

Question 40.
Why did M. Hamel write ‘Vive La France’ on the blackboard? (Delhi 2015 )
Answer:
Before dismissing the class, M. Hamel writes ‘Vive La France’ (Long Live France) on
the blackboard. He was extremely patriotic and he does this to make the Alsacians
conscious that they had to safeguard their language and identity among themselves
as this was the key to their prison.

Question 41.
“We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with”, said M. Hamel. Comment. (Delhi
2015)
Answer:
M. Hamel blamed everyone for putting off learning till the next time and thus losing
out on the opportunity to learn their native language, French. The parents preferred
to put their children to work on a farm or at the mills so that they could earn more
money. M. Hamel too sent them to water his flowers and gave them a holiday when
he wanted to go for fishing.

Question 42.
How did the order from Berlin change the situation in the school? (All India 2015)
Answer:
The shocking order from Berlin after the defeat of France shocked the French
people. It declared that all the schools in the two French districts of Alsace and
Lorraine would now teach only German. This not only saddened but also hurt the
pride of the people of France. On the day of the French teacher M.Hamel’s last
lesson, even the village elders came to show their respect to him for serving the
community faithfully for forty years. The usual hustle and bustle too was missing
from school and Franz found it unusually quiet as it used to be on a Sunday morning.
M.Hamel was dressed in his formal suit. Even though Franz reached late M.Hamel
did not scold him. He then went on to praising the French language at length by
referring to it as the most beautiful language. He called upon the French people to
safeguard their language among themselves and not to forget it ever.

Question 43.
Whom did M.Hamel blame for Franz’s inabil¬ity to answer his questions? (Comptt.
Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Hamel blamed the parents who sent the children to work instead of sending them to
school. He blamed himself for making them water the plants and giving them a
holiday when he wanted to go fishing. He also blamed the students themselves for
delaying the learning of their lessons thinking that there was plenty of time.

Question 44.
How did M.Hamel display his love for the French language? (Comptt. Delhi 2015)
Answer:
M. Hamel had great love for the French language which he had been teaching for
forty years. For him it was the most beautiful, most logical and clearest language. He
wanted the French people to preserve it among themselves and this would enable
them to be free from foreign rule.

Question 45.
What was the bulletin board news that caused a change in the school? (Comptt. All
India 2015)
Answer:
The bulletin board news that caused a change in the school was that, that day was
going to be the last French lesson for the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The order
had come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools and their new German
teachers would come the next day.

Question 46.
Who were sitting on the backbenches on the day of the last lesson? Why? (Comptt.
All India 2016)
Answer:
The village people occupied the backbenches in the classroom on the day of the last
lesson. They included the old hauser, the former mayor, the former postmaster and
several others. They had come there to thank their master for his valuable service
and to show their respect for their language and country which was no longer theirs.

Question 47.
Why were people standing in front of the bulletin board in ‘The Last Lesson’? Why
did Franz not join the crowd? (Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
For the past two years the bulletin board had been the bearer of all bad news—the
lost battles, drafts, orders from the commanding officer. That day an order had come
from Berlin that from the next day a new teacher would teach German instead of
French in the school. Franz could not join the crowd as he was already late for his
class and could not afford further delay.

Question 48.
Why did Franz not want to go to school that day? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Franz was tempted to run away and spend the day outside instead of attending
school as it was a warm and bright day and he wanted to watch the Prussian
soldiers’ drill. Moreover he had not done his lesson on participles from which his
teacher, M. Hamel was going to question and feared a scolding from his teacher.

Question 49.
Why was Franz not scolded for reaching the school late that day? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
It was to be their last French lesson that day. The order from Berlin allowed only
German language to be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Hence their
teacher, M. Hamel, was in a sad and sombre mood. So he did not scold Franz for
reaching school late that day.

Question 50.
What did Franz wonder about when he entered the class that day? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Franz wondered about a number of things when he entered the class that day. He
wondered as to why he was not given a scolding by his teacher, M. Hamel for being
late, why his teacher was wearing his formal clothes which he wore only on
inspections and prize days and why the village elders were sitting on the
backbenches in the classroom.

Question 51.
Why were some elderly persons occupying the backbenches that day? (All India
2016)
Answer:
The elders of the village were sitting in the classroom as a mark of respect which
they wanted to show for their language and their country. They felt sorry for not
having learnt their language and wanted to thank M. Hamel for his forty years of
faithful service.

Question 52.
“What a thunderclap these words were to me!” (Franz). What were those words and
what was their effect on Franz? (All India 2016)
Answer:
When M.Hamel mounted on the chair and announced that he was there to teach his
last French lesson that day, Franz was shocked and surprised. He felt very guilty for
deliberately ignoring to learn his native language and he suddenly developed a
strange fascination for his language and his school.
Question 53.
How were the parents and M. Hamel respon¬sible for the children’s neglect of the
French language? (All India 2016)
Answer:
M. Hamel blamed everyone for putting off learning till the next time and thus losing
out on the opportunity to learn their native language, French. The parents preferred
to put their children to work on a farm or at the mills so that they could earn more
money. M. Hamel too sent them to water his flowers and gave them a holiday when
he wanted to go for fishing.

Question 54.
How is the title ‘The Last Lesson’ appropriate? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
The title ‘The Last Lesson’ is appropriate because it was M. Hamel’s last lesson and
also the last French lesson in the school. During the last lesson, the teacher, as well
as all those who were attending it, were feeling nostalgic and repentant.

Question 55.
What changes did the order from Berlin cause on the day of the last lesson?
(Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
The shocking order from Berlin that only German would be taught in the schools of
Alsace and Lorraine saddened and hurt the pride of the French people. So as a
gesture to express their solidarity for their language the village elders also attended
school for the last French lesson. The usual hustle and bustle was missing from
school and it was unusually quiet. M. Hamel was also dressed in his formal suit
which he wore only on special occasions.

Question 56.
How different did M.Hamel look that particu¬lar morning in ‘The Last Lesson’?
(Comptt. All India)
Answer:
In honour of his last French lesson in the school, M. Hamel had put on his fine
Sunday clothes. He had on his green coat, his frilled shirt and the little black, all
embroidered silk cap that he never wore except on inspection and prize days.

Question 57.
What was M.Hamel’s regret on the day of the last lesson? (Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
M. Hamel’s regret on the last day of the French lesson was that they all had put off
learning their language till the next day and now most of them who claimed to be
Frenchmen could neither speak nor write their language. For this they all, including
M. Hamel himself, had a great deal to reproach themselves with.

Question 58.
How different was the scene in the classroom on the day of the last lesson? (Comptt.
All India 2016)
Answer:
The usual hustle and bustle of the morning hours could not be seen on the day of the
last lesson. It was all very still and quiet as it used to be on a Sunday morning. The
din of opening and closing of desks and the rapping of the teacher’s ruler on the
table could not be heard. The students had already taken their places and even the
village elders had gathered there.

The Last Lesson Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions (5-6
marks)

Question 59.
What did the French teacher tell his students in his last French lesson? What impact
did it have on them? Why? (All India 2009)
Answer:
M. Hamel told his students that a new order from Berlin has declared that all schools
of Alsace and Lorraine would teach only German so this was going to be their last
French lesson. This new order aroused patriotic feelings in him and he, in turn,
wanted to arouse similar patriotism in his students and the village elders. He made
them conscious of the glory and value of the French language and told them to
safeguard it among themselves and keep it alive at all costs as it was the key to their
unity and liberation. Everyone listened to him sadly but with rapt attention and
respect. Even little Franz listened to his teacher’s words with a new-found interest.
He felt sorry that he had neglected learning French. Everyone from the village
assembled in the class to thank Mr. Hamel for his forty years of faithful service to the
community.

Question 60.
How different from usual was the atmosphere at school on the day of the last
lesson? (All India 2015)
Answer:
Acquiring power over the Alsacians made the Prussians so dominating that they
even imposed their language on them. This way the Prussians intended to dominate
the hearts and minds of the Alsacians and wanted them to even think in their
language and thereby lose their complete identity. An order had been received from
Berlin that only German would be taught in schools of Alsace and Lorraine. So there
was something unusual about the school on the last day of the French lesson. The
usual hustle and bustle was missing. Everything was ‘strange and solemn’ as on a
Sunday morning. The village elders were seated on the back desks.

M.Hamel, who had been teaching French at the school for the last forty years, was
wearing his formal suit in honour of the last French lesson. While delivering the last
lesson, he called upon his students and the village elders to guard the French
language among themselves and never forget it, declaring French to be the most
beautiful language in the world. Franz developed a sudden fascination for school and
the French language and a sudden respect for M.Hamel. He wanted his teacher to
stay and felt very guilty for having neglected his French lessons as now he was
being deprived of the opportunity of learning his language.
Question 61.
Everybody during the last lesson is filled with regret. Comment. (All India 2015)
Answer:
The one common feeling that fills each and every person who is present in the last
French lesson is an acute sense of regret. M. Hamel reproaches himself for putting
off his students’ learning till the next day and sending them to water his flowers
instead of learning their lessons. He also gave his students a holiday when he
wanted to go fishing. Franz felt sorry for not learning his lessons and escaping
school. He wished he had attended his classes more often and even the thought of
losing his teacher saddened him. The village elders occupied the back benches of
the class to atone for their guilt and express their regret for not having attended
school regularly. They were now showing their respect for the country that was theirs
no more.

Question 62.
Our language is part of our culture and we are proud of it. Describe how regretful
M.Hamel and the village elders are for having neglected their native language,
French. (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
The feeling of regretfulness for having neglected their native language, French
comes quite late to M. Hamel and the village elders. They realise rather late that
their language is part of their culture and they should be proud of it. It is only after
they have been deprived of learning their language that they understand its value.
The imposition of German language made them suddenly realise the authority of
their captors and they felt a loss of freedom. So on the day of the last French lesson
the village elders are seated on the back desks and M. Hamel, who had been
teaching French at the school for the last forty years, was wearing his formal suit as
a mark of respect for the last French lesson. M. Hamel expressed how they all had a
great deal to reproach themselves for as most of the people of Alsace could neither
speak nor write French. Parents preferred to put their children to work on farms or
mills.

M. Hamel regretfully said how he himself sometimes sent his students to water his
flowers instead of learning their language lessons. While delivering the last lesson M.
Hamel called upon his students and the village elders to guard the French language
among themselves, declaring it to be the most beautiful language tn the world. Each
one of them felt guilty for having ignored the French lessons.

Question 63.
Our native language is part of our culture and we are proud of it. How does the
presence of village elders in the classroom and M.Hamel’s last lesson show their
love for French? (All India 2016)
Answer:
Acquiring power over the French made the Prussians so dominating that they
decided to impose even their language on them. So on the day of the last French
lesson the village elders were seated on the back seats of the classroom. They felt
sad and sorry for not having gone to school more often. Their presence was also
their way of thanking their master, M.Hamel for his forty years of faithful service.
M.Hamel himself had put on his fine Sunday clothes in honour of the last French
lesson. Assuming the role of mentor he advised the class to safeguard and preserve
their language among themselves and never forget it. He called French the most
beautiful and logical language in the world. By the end of the class M.Hamel was so
choked with emotion and could not speak so he took a piece of chalk and wrote on
the blackboard “Vive la France!” (Long Live France) and then dismissed the class.

Question 64.
Describe the atmosphere in the class on the day of the last lesson. (Comptt. Delhi
2016)
Answer:
On the day of the last French lesson the atmosphere in the class was strange and
solemn. The school was as quiet as if it was a Sunday morning. The teacher
(M.FIamel) moving in the class with his ruler under his arm was wearing his special
dress for the last class. The elders of the village were sitting on the backbenches of
the classroom. All the students were studying with complete attention and the
teacher was teaching with full dedication. All this was due to an order from Berlin that
from the next day German would be taught instead of French by a new teacher.
While delivering the last lesson, the teacher called upon his students and the village
elders to guard the French language among themselves and never forget it,
declaring French to be the most beautiful language in the world.

Lost Spring Important Questions CBSE

Class 12 English
Question 1.
What does the writer mean when she says, ‘Saheb is no longer his own master’?
(Delhi 2000)
Answer:
Since Saheb now works in a tea-stall, he is now bound to his master and feels
burdened. The steel canister he carries is very heavy as compared to his light plastic
bag. The bag was his own and the canister belongs to his master whose orders he
now has to follow. So he is no longer his own master.

Question 2.
Is it possible for Mukesh to realize his dream? Justify your answer? (All India 2000)
Answer:
Mukesh’s determination is going to prove instrumental in helping him to realize his
dream. His dream can become a reality only if he is able to find a garage where he
can be taken in as an apprentice and then he will have to learn how to drive a car.
He will then be able to graduate himself to be a good mechanic.

Question 3.
Do you think Saheb was happy to work at the tea stall? Answer giving reasons. (All
India 2000)
Answer:
Since Saheb now works in a tea-stall, he is now bound to his master and feels
burdened. The steel canister he carries is very heavy as compared to his light plastic
bag. The bag was his own and the canister belongs to his master whose orders he
now has to follow. So he is no longer his own master.

Question 4.
What does the title, ‘Lost Spring’ convey? (All India 2000)
Answer:
The title ‘Lost Spring’ conveys how millions of children in India lose out on living the
‘spring’ of their lives, that is their childhood. The best phase of life is lost in the
hardships involved to earn their livelihood. Poverty forces these young children to
work in the most inhuman conditions as a result of which they miss out on the fun of
childhood which hampers their growth.

Question 5.
Why does the author say that the bangle makers are caught in a vicious web?(All
India 2010)
Answer:
The author says that the bangle makers are caught in a vicious web which starts
from poverty, to indifferences, then to greed and finally to injustice. Mind-numbing toil
kills their hopes and dreams. They cannot organise themselves into cooperatives
and have fallen into a vicious circle of ‘sahukars’, middlemen and the police so they
get condemned to poverty and perpetual exploitation.

Question 6.
What does the writer mean when she says, ‘Saheb is no longer his own master’?
(Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
Since Saheb now works in a tea-stall, he is now bound to his master and feels
burdened. The steel canister he carries is very heavy as compared to his light plastic
bag. The bag was his own and the canister belongs to his master whose orders he
now has to follow. So he is no longer his own master.

Question 7.
Who is Mukesh? What is his dream? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Mukesh is a child labourer in a glass factory in Firozabad. Belonging to a family of
bangle makers, he shows no fascination towards bangle-making and insists on being
his own master. He dreams of becoming a motor mechanic. He desires to go to a
garage and get the required training for this job.

Question 8.
Is Saheb happy working at the tea stall? Why/ Why not? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
No, Saheb is not happy working at the tea stall. Even though, he now gets a fixed
income of ?800 alongwith all his meals, he has lost his freedom and his carefree
days. He is no longer his own master and is bound and burdened by the steel
canister he now has to carry.
Question 9.
Why could the bangle-makers not organise themselves into a co-operative? (All India
2012)
Answer:
The bangle-makers are caught in a vicious web which starts from poverty to
indifferences then to greed and finally to injustice. Mind-numbing toil kills their hopes
and dreams.
The bangle makers of Ferozabad were not able to organise themselves into a
cooperative because they had got trapped in a vicious circle j of the sahukars, the
middlemen, the policemen, j the bureaucrats and the politicians. Together they had
imposed a baggage on these people 1 which they could not put down.

Question 10.
Mention any two problems faced by the bangle sellers.(Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
The bangle makers had to work in the glass furnaces with high temperatures, in
dingy cells without air and light. They are exposed to various health hazards like
losing their eyesight as they work in abysmal conditions in dark and dingy cells. They
were also caught in a web of poverty, burdened by the stigma of caste in which they
were born and also caught in a vicious circle of sahukars, middlemen and policeman.

Question 11.
Garbage has two different meanings—one for the children and another for the
adults. Comment. (Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
For the children garbage has a different meaning from what it means for the adults.
For the children it is wrapped in wonder, their eyes light-up when they find a rupee or
a ten-rupee note in it. They search the garbage excitedly with the hope of finding
something more. But for the elders it is a means of survival.

Question 12.
Why didn’t the bangle makers of Ferozabad organise themselves into a cooperative?
(Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
The bangle-makers are caught in a vicious web which starts from poverty to
indifferences then to greed and finally to injustice. Mind-numbing toil kills their hopes
and dreams.
The bangle makers of Ferozabad were not able to organise themselves into a
cooperative because they had got trapped in a vicious circle j of the sahukars, the
middlemen, the policemen, j the bureaucrats and the politicians. Together they had
imposed a baggage on these people 1 which they could not put down.

Question 13.
How is Mukesh’s attitude towards life different from that of his family? (Comptt. Delhi
2013)
Answer:
Unlike his family Mukesh insists on being his own master. He dreams to be a motor
mechanic which in itself is a daring thought because he wants to break away from
the family’s work of making bangles wherein his forefathers have spent generations
working around furnaces.

Question 14.
Why can’t the bangle makers of Ferozabad organize themselves into a cooperative?
(Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
The bangle-makers are caught in a vicious web which starts from poverty to
indifferences then to greed and finally to injustice. Mind-numbing toil kills their hopes
and dreams.
The bangle makers of Ferozabad were not able to organise themselves into a
cooperative because they had got trapped in a vicious circle j of the sahukars, the
middlemen, the policemen, j the bureaucrats and the politicians. Together they had
imposed a baggage on these people 1 which they could not put down.

Question 15.
Why is Saheb unhappy working at the tea i stall? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Saheb was unhappy while working at the tea- stall because he was no longer the
master of his own life. He lost his freedom and carefree look. He had to live and work
under the instructions of the owner of the tea-stall. He was not at liberty to go out
and spend time with his friends.

Question 16.
Survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. , Comment. (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
Survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Over the years it has acquired the
proportions of a fine art. For the slum dwellers of Seemapuri, rag-picking is their daily
bread, it gives them the roof over their heads and is the very means for their survival.

Question 17.
It is ‘a tradition to stay barefoot ‘ What is the attitude of the rag-pickers of Seemapuri
towards wearing shoes? (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
The rag-pickers of Seemapuri have different attitudes towards wearing shoes. One
boy does not feel like wearing shoes. Another boy who has never owned a pair of
shoes all his life wants them. But the author feels it its not lack of money but a
tradition to stay barefoot for these poor people.

Question 18.
A young man in Ferozabad is burdened under the baggage of two worlds. What are
they? (Comptt. All India)
Answer:
The two worlds that burden a young man in Ferozabad include one of the family,
caught in the web of poverty, burdened by the stigma of ” caste in which they are
born; the other a vicious circle of the sahukars, the middlemen, the policemen, the
keepers of law, the bureaucrats and the politicians.
Question 19.
How is Mukesh different from the other bangle makers of Firozabad? (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Mukesh was different from other bangle makers because he wanted to be his own
master. He had a dream of becoming a motor mechanic whereas other bangle
makers did not even dare to dream but had accepted their fate.

Question 20.
What job did Saheb take up? Was he happy? (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Saheb took up a job in a tea stall. Though he gets 800 rupees and all his meals, he
is not happy and his face has lost the carefree look. He is bound and burdened as he
now has to follow the orders of his master and is no longer his own master.

Question 21.
Why did Saheb’s parents leave Dhaka and migrate to India? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Saheb’s home was set amidst the green fields of Dhaka. His mother told him that
many storms had swept away their fields and homes. For this reason his parents
were forced to leave Dhaka and migrate to India, looking for gold in the big city
where they now live.

Question 22.
What is Mukesh’s dream? Do you think he will be able to fulfil his dream? Why? Why
not? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Mukesh’s dream is to learn to drive a car and become a motor mechanic. His dream
is likely to be fulfilled because one can sense a kind of determination in him to
ensure the fulfillment of his dream. Though the garage is a long way from his home
he is willing to walk to learn despite the odds against him.

Question 23.
In what sense is garbage gold to the ragpickers? (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
The rag-pickers of Seemapuri consider garbage as nothing less than gold. For the
elders it is their only means of survival as it provides them with their daily bread. For
the innocent chil¬dren it is wrapped in wonder as they marvel at the chance of
finding a coin, a currency note or a curio that really thrills them and gives them a
hope of finding more elusive notes.

Question 24.
Whom does Anees Jung blame for the sorry plight of the bangle makers’?(Comptt.
All India 2014)
Answer:
Anees Jung blames the family of the bangle makers, who are caught in a web of
poverty, burdened by the stigma of the caste in which they are born and the vicious
circle of the sahukars, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of law, the
bureaucrats and the politicians for the sorry plight of the bangle makers.
Question 25.
To which country did Saheb’s parents originally belong? Why did they come to
India? (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
Saheb’s parents originally belonged to Dhaka in Bangladesh. His home, which was
set amidst the green fields of Dhaka, had been swept away due to the storms and
that was when his parents had left their native place and come to the big city in
search of livelihood.

Question 26.
Most of us do not raise our voice against injustice in our society and tend to remain
mute spectators. Anees Jung in her article, l “Lost Childhood” vividly highlights the I
miserable life of street children and bangle makers of Firozabad. She wants us to
act. Which qualities does she want the children to develop? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Anees Jung feels that there is dire need to provide these poverty-stricken children a
life of dignity and respect. This can mainly be done j through the medium of
education, which will further provide them with opportunities wherein they will be able
to pursue their dreams. There is utter lack of compassion and concern for
unfortunate children like Saheb and Mukesh. They are caught in a vicious circle of
poverty and exploitation. The author wants all i children to become aware of their
basic rights which will empower them and enable them to j organise themselves into
cooperatives whereby j they will not be ruthlessly exploited.

Question 27.
What does Saheb look for in the garbage 1 dumps? (All India 2015)
Answer:
According to the author Saheb scrounges for ‘gold’ in the garbage dumps. ‘Gold’
here infers . to items that are valuable to him like used clothes, shoes, plastic scrap,
stray coins or 1 currency notes. For children like Saheb, i garbage is ‘wrapped in
wonder’.

Question 28.
What did garbage mean to the children of Seemapuri and to their parents? (All India
2015)
Answer:
The rag-pickers of Seemapuri consider garbage as nothing less than gold. For the
elders it is their only means of survival as it provides them with their daily bread. For
the innocent chil¬dren it is wrapped in wonder as they marvel at the chance of
finding a coin, a currency note or a curio that really thrills them and gives them a
hope of finding more elusive notes.

Question 29.
“It is his karam, his destiny.” What is Mukesh’s family’s attitude towards their
situation? (All India 2015)
Answer:
Mukesh’s family have accepted their misery and impoverished condition as factors
that have been ordained by destiny. Years of depravation and suffering has made
them accept their condition passively in the name of fate or destiny. They feel that a
God-given lineage can never be broken and have accepted bangle making as his
destiny.

Question 30.
Describe the irony in Saheb’s name. (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Saheb’s full name is Saheb-e-Alam which means ‘Lord of the Universe’. But
ironically Saheb is a poverty-stricken ragpicker who scrounges the garbage dumps
to earn his livelihood. His name is in complete contrast to his miserable existence.

Question 31.
What does the reference to chappals in ‘Lost Spring7 tell us about the economic
condition of the rag pickers? (All India 2016)
Answer:
The reference to chappals in ‘Lost Spring’ tells us that the ragpickers were poverty-
stricken. The fact that they are not able to buy chappals reflects their extreme state
of poverty because of which they are unable to buy basic things.

Question 32.
How was Mukesh different from other bangle makers? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Mukesh was different from other bangle makers because he wanted to be his own
master. He had a dream of becoming a motor mechanic whereas other bangle
makers did not even dare to dream but had accepted their fate.

Question 33.
Why was Saheb unhappy while working at the tea-stall? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Saheb was unhappy while working at the tea- stall because he was no longer the
master of his own life. He lost his freedom and carefree look. He had to live and work
under the instructions of the owner of the tea-stall. He was not at liberty to go out
and spend time with his friends.

Question 34.
Which industry was a boon and also bane for the people of Firozabad? How?
(Comptt. Delhi 2017)
Answer:
The glass-bangles making industry was a boon and also bane for the people of
Firozabad. The industry has given them a means of livelihood but the hazardous
working conditions in the hot furnaces take a toll on their physical health.

Question 35.
How are Saheb and Mukesh different from each other? (Comptt. All India 2017)
Answer:
Mukesh’s attitude towards life was different from that of Saheb. Unlike Saheb he was
optimistic about his future and so he dared to dream. He wanted to become a motor
mechanic and also wanted to learn to drive a car. Saheb lacked determination so he
harboured no dreams or ambitions about his future.

Lost Spring Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions (5-6 marks)

Question 36.
The bangle-makers of Ferozabad make bea-utiful bangles and make everyone
happy but they live and die in squalor. Elaborate. (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
Through the story of the bangle-makers of Ferozabad, the author expresses her
concern over their exploitation in the hazardous job of bangle-making. Extreme
poverty, hard work and dismal working conditions result in the loss of the childhood
of children who are in this profession. The working conditions of all bangle-makers
are pathetic and miserable. They work in high temperature, badly lit and poorly
ventilated glass furnaces due to which child workers especially are at risk of losing
their eyesight at an early age and get prone to other health hazards. The stinking
lanes of Ferozabad are choked with garbage and humans and animals live together
in these hovels. There is no development or progress in their lives with the passage
of time. They have no choice but to work in these inhuman conditions. Mind-numbing
toil kills their dreams and hopes. They are condemned to live and die in squalor,
subjected to a life of poverty and perpetual exploitation.

Question 37.
Why did Saheb become a ragpicker? What did j he look for in the garbage dumps?
(Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
Saheb belongs to a Bangladeshi refugee family that migrated to Delhi from Dhaka in
the wake of the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Here he finds himself in a vicious circle of social
stigma, poverty and exploitation. He represents a growing number of refugee migrant
poor population who are forced to lead a life of penury. This migratory population
settle on the periphery of big cities and start doing menial jobs to earn a living. Due
to extreme poverty Saheb’s parents are unable to provide for him and so he ends up
picking rags for his own survival as well as to support his parents. The author says
that Saheb scrounges for ‘gold’ in the garbage. Anything valuable like used clothes,
shoes, bits of metal, plastic scrap, stray coins and currency notes can be termed as
gold for them.

Question 38.
What change did Anees Jung see in Saheb when she saw him standing by the gate
of the neighbourhood club? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
Saheb was a poor ragpicker who later takes up a job at a tea-stall in an attempt to be
a master of his own destiny. But unfortunately this move further enslaves him. His
new job replaces his light polythene bag with a heavy steel canister.
It even deprives him of roaming around with his friends without a care in the world.
Earlier, though he did not have the security of a regular income, he had his freedom,
and later he did have an assured income at the end of the month but he had lost his
freedom. He was no more a free bird and his own master. He appeared burdened
and forlorn. He was now a bonded labour who had surrendered his freedom. From
being a spirited free bird who was not answerable to anyone he has become bound.
He lives in a society where there is utter lack of compassion and commitment for the
upliftment of these unfortunate children.

Question 39.
Describe the life of squatters at Seemapuri. (Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
Most of the squatters at Seemapuri were refugees from Bangladesh.
Also:
Most of the people like Saheb-e-Alam settled in Seemapuri were refugees from
Bangladesh
who had fled their country and migrated to Delhi from Dhaka in the wake of the 1971
Indo- Pak war. Their dwellings were structures of mud, tin and tarpaulin with no
sewage, drainage or running water. Picking garbage and rags helped them to earn
their daily bread, gave them a roof over their heads and was their only means of
livelihood and survival. Though these squatters of Seemapuri have no identity but
they do have valid ration cards that enable them to buy grain. Living in Seemapuri,
which is on the periphery of Delhi, is like living in hell. Children here grow up to
become partners in survival to their parents. An army of barefoot children appears
every morning, carrying their plastic bags on their shoulders and disappear by noon.
They are forced to live a life of abject poverty that results in the loss of childhood
innocence.
Saheb, a ragpicker, roamed in the streets, scrounging for garbage, barefoot and
deprived of education. Later he starts working in a tea stall but he loses his freedom
and carefree life as he is no longer his own master.

Question 40.
What does Anees Jung tell us about life at Mukesh’s home in Ferozabad? (Comptt.
AT 2010)
Answer:
Mukesh’s father represents the underpaid, over exploited bangle makers of
Ferozabad who is a victim of his own caste and is caught in a vicious circle of
Sahnkars, middlemen, politi¬cians and policemen. He leads a hand-to-mouth
existence in a shack with his family which includes two elderly parents, two sons and
a daughter-in-law. Lack of education and awareness, the stigma of caste and a
vicious nexus of people who exploit them have killed all initiative and drive in the
young and the old. Time seems to stand still in Mukesh’s home in Ferozabad. There
is no progress and no development despite years of mind- numbing toil. All the
labourers of Ferozabad are victims of middlemen and touts. Their desire to dream
and dare is snubbed in their childhood. They have no choice but to accept their
subservience silently as their spirit is broken and their initiative dormant.

Question 41.
Give a brief account of the life and activities of the people like Saheb-e-Alam settled
in Seemapuri. (Delhi 2011 )
Answer: Refer to Question 49, Page 166
Question 42.
‘Lost Spring’ explains the grinding poverty and traditions that condemn thousands of
people to a life of abject poverty. Do you agree? Why/Why not? (All India 2011)
Answer:
‘Lost Spring’ does indeed highlight the miserable plight of thousands of poor people
whose life is completely marred by abject poverty and thoughtless traditions. They
work extremely hard in the most pathetic conditions and accept poverty and
exploitation as their destiny. Through the lives of Saheb-e-Alam, a ragpicker, and
Mukesh, a bangle maker, the author highlights the vicious circle of social stigma and
poverty which these people are subjected to. Saheb and Mukesh also represent a
growing number of refugee migrants and people who are forced to live a life of
penury. No one shows any kind of compassion or sensitivity to their pathetic plight
and there is also no initiative or commitment for the upliftment of these downtrodden
people. Acute poverty, no education and no infrastructural development has drained
their energy and willpower and they have no choice but to accept their destiny of
inevitable poverty.

Question 43.
What circumstances forced Mukesh not to pursue his family business of bangle
making? Instead, what did he decide to do?
(Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Mukesh dares to dream of a different life and decides not to pursue his family
business of bangle-making. He does not want to accept his life of misery in the name
of destiny. Though he is born in a poverty-ridden family in the caste of bangle
makers he dreams of a better future. He wants to break free from the vicious circle of
sahukars and middlemen and carve a new beginning for himself by becoming a
motor- mechanic. He knows what it is like to work in glass furnaces that are neither
well-lit nor well- ventilated. They are dingy hovels with high temperatures. He has
seen that the youngsters are weighed down by the baggage of generations of
subservience and have forgotten to dream of an alternative world. So Mukesh’s
dream of going to a garage and learning to be a motor-mechanic is an attempt to
break free off the mind-numbing toil.

Question 44.
In 1971 Bangladeshi migrants came to Delhi ‘looking for gold in the big city’. What
kind of life are they living in Seemapuri now?
(Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Most of the people like Saheb-e-Alam settled in Seemapuri were refugees from
Bangladesh
who had fled their country and migrated to Delhi from Dhaka in the wake of the 1971
Indo- Pak war. Their dwellings were structures of mud, tin and tarpaulin with no
sewage, drainage or running water. Picking garbage and rags helped them to earn
their daily bread, gave them a roof over their heads and was their only means of
livelihood and survival. Though these squatters of Seemapuri have no identity but
they do have valid ration cards that enable them to buy grain. Living in Seemapuri,
which is on the periphery of Delhi, is like living in hell. Children here grow up to
become partners in survival to their parents. An army of barefoot children appears
every morning, carrying their plastic bags on their shoulders and disappear by noon.
They are forced to live a life of abject poverty that results in the loss of childhood
innocence.
Saheb, a ragpicker, roamed in the streets, scrounging for garbage, barefoot and
deprived of education. Later he starts working in a tea stall but he loses his freedom
and carefree life as he is no longer his own master.

Question 45.
Describe the difficulties the bangle makers of Firozabad have to face in their lives.
(Delhi 2015 2012)
Answer:
Through the story of the bangle-makers of Ferozabad, the author expresses her
concern over their exploitation in the hazardous job of bangle-making. Extreme
poverty, hard work and dismal working conditions result in the loss of the childhood
of children who are in this profession. The working conditions of all bangle-makers
are pathetic and miserable. They work in high temperature, badly lit and poorly
ventilated glass furnaces due to which child workers especially are at risk of losing
their eyesight at an early age and get prone to other health hazards. The stinking
lanes of Ferozabad are choked with garbage and humans and animals live together
in these hovels. There is no development or progress in their lives with the passage
of time. They have no choice but to work in these inhuman conditions. Mind-numbing
toil kills their dreams and hopes. They are condemned to live and die in squalor,
subjected to a life of poverty and perpetual exploitation.

Question 46.
Describe the circumstances which keep the workers in the bangle industry in
poverty. (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Through the story of the bangle makers of Firozabad, the author expresses concern
over their exploitation in the hazardous job of bangle making and addresses the
circumstances which keep the workers in poverty. They live in stinking lanes, choked
with garbage in homes. Their houses are hovels with families of humans and
animals coexisting in a primeval state. They cannot organise themselves into
cooperatives. Their families are caught in a web of poverty and in a vicious circle of
the sahukars, the middlemen, the keepers of law, the policemen, the bureaucrats
and the politicians who impose on them a baggage which they cannot put down.
They move in a spiral from poverty, to apathy, to greed and to injustice.

Question 47.
How is Mukesh’s attitude towards his situation different from that of Saheb? Why?
(Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Mukesh’s attitude towards his situation is different from that of Saheb. Mukesh is
more of a rebel who dares to be different and wishes to become a motor mechanic.
Though, Mukesh too, like his community, is working in back breaking, mind-numbing
glass industry but unlike his peers, the spark in him has not extinguished. He wants
to break free from the vicious circle which his community has been caught in. Saheb,
on the other hand, has enslaved himself. By taking up work in the tea stall he is no
longer his own master. The difference in their attitude towards their situation can be
attributed to the fact that Saheb is a rootless migrant from Bangladesh and Mukesh
is a citizen of India. Moreover, Mukesh dares to dream. The author too senses a
flash of daring in Mukesh and this is what makes his attitude a little more aggressive
than Saheb.

Question 48.
“It is his karam, his destiny” that made Mukesh’s grandfather go blind. How did
Mukesh disprove this belief by choosing a new vocation and making his own
destiny?
(Comptt. Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Mukesh disproved the belief of “his karam, his destiny” by choosing a new vocation
in an attempt to make his own destiny. He decided to become a motor mechanic. He
mustered the courage to break free from the family lineage of bangle making. He
had seen his parents and others suffering because of the vicious circle of poverty
and exploitation that they were caught in. Mukesh was ready to walk a long distance
to reach the garage to learn the vocation of car mechanic. His determination is going
to prove instrumental in helping him to realize his dream. Mukesh dares to dream of
a different life and decides not to pursue his family business of bangle-making. He
does not want to accept his life of misery in the name of destiny. Though he is born
in a poverty-ridden family in the caste of bangle makers he dreams of a better future.
He wants to break free from the vicious circle of sahukars and middlemen and carve
a new beginning for himself by becoming a motor-mechanic. He knows what it is like
to work in glass furnaces that are neither well-lit nor well-ventilated. They are dingy
hovels with high temperatures. He has seen that the youngsters are weighed down
by the baggage of generations of subservience and have forgotten to dream of an
alternative world. So Mukesh’s dream of going to a garage and learning to be a
motor-mechanic is an attempt to break-free off the mind-numbing toil.

Question 49.
What kind of life did Saheb lead at Seemapuri? (Comptt. All India 2016 )
Answer:
Most of the people like Saheb-e-Alam settled in Seemapuri were refugees from
Bangladesh
who had fled their country and migrated to Delhi from Dhaka in the wake of the 1971
Indo- Pak war. Their dwellings were structures of mud, tin and tarpaulin with no
sewage, drainage or running water. Picking garbage and rags helped them to earn
their daily bread, gave them a roof over their heads and was their only means of
livelihood and survival. Though these squatters of Seemapuri have no identity but
they do have valid ration cards that enable them to buy grain. Living in Seemapuri,
which is on the periphery of Delhi, is like living in hell. Children here grow up to
become partners in survival to their parents. An army of barefoot children appears
every morning, carrying their plastic bags on their shoulders and disappear by noon.
They are forced to live a life of abject poverty that results in the loss of childhood
innocence.
Saheb, a ragpicker, roamed in the streets, scrounging for garbage, barefoot and
deprived of education. Later he starts working in a tea stall but he loses his freedom
and carefree life as he is no longer his own master.
Question 50.
Describe the living conditions prevailing in Firozabad. Mention why the bangle
making business does not give bangle makers a comfortable life. (Comptt. All India
2016)
Answer:
Through the story of the bangle-makers of Ferozabad, the author expresses her
concern over their exploitation in the hazardous job of bangle-making. Extreme
poverty, hard work and dismal working conditions result in the loss of the childhood
of children who are in this profession. The working conditions of all bangle-makers
are pathetic and miserable. They work in high temperature, badly lit and poorly
ventilated glass furnaces due to which child workers especially are at risk of losing
their eyesight at an early age and get prone to other health hazards. The stinking
lanes of Ferozabad are choked with garbage and humans and animals live together
in these hovels. There is no development or progress in their lives with the passage
of time. They have no choice but to work in these inhuman conditions. Mind-numbing
toil kills their dreams and hopes. They are condemned to live and die in squalor,
subjected to a life of poverty and perpetual exploitation.

Question 51.
‘Garbage to them is gold’. How do ragpickers of Seemapuri survive? (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
Garbage, for the ragpickers of Seemapuri, is considered to be nothing less than
gold. Picking garbage helps them to earn their daily bread, gives them a roof over
their head and is their only means of livelihood and survival. For the innocent
children garbage is wrapped in wonder as they marvel at the prospect of finding a
coin, a currency note or a curio that sustains their hope. These children grow up to
become partners in survival with their parents. Seemapuri houses around 10,000
ragpickers mostly Bangladeshi refugees, who have lived there for more than thirty
years without an identity and without permits. These people live in mud structures
with roofs made of tin and tarpaulin. The ration cards that enable them to get their
names on voters’ lists and enable them to buy grain and garbage are their means of
survival. Food is more important to them for survival than an identity.

Question 52.
“For the children it is wrapped in wonder, for the elders it is a means of survival.”
What kind of life do the rag-pickers of Seemapuri lead? (Comptt. All India 2017)
Answer:
Garbage, for the ragpickers of Seemapuri, is considered to be nothing less than
gold. Picking garbage helps them to earn their daily bread, gives them a roof over
their head and is their only means of livelihood and survival. For the innocent
children garbage is wrapped in wonder as they marvel at the prospect of finding a
coin, a currency note or a curio that sustains their hope. These children grow up to
become partners in survival with their parents. Seemapuri houses around 10,000
ragpickers mostly Bangladeshi refugees, who have lived there for more than thirty
years without an identity and without permits. These people live in mud structures
with roofs made of tin and tarpaulin. The ration cards that enable them to get their
names on voters’ lists and enable them to buy grain and garbage are their means of
survival. Food is more important to them for survival than an identity.
Deep Water Important Questions CBSE
Class 12 English
Question 1.
How did Douglas finally get rid of the fear he had of water? (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
The terror that seized Douglas because of his misadventure with water twice was so
intense that he sought professional help to overcome this fear. He engaged a
swimming instructor who gave him intensive training for six months to ensure he
overcame his fear of water which he eventually did.

Question 2.
How did the incident at the YMCA pool affect Douglas? (All India 2009)
Answer:
Douglas, a ten year old boy, was standing alone at the YMCA pool when a big bully
of a boy picked him up and tossed him into the deep end and at once he was at the
bottom of the pool. Though he did manage to come up with extreme difficulty, he
could never again go back to the pool. He started fearing and avoiding water.
Whenever he went near water a haunting terror would seize him.

Question 3.
Why was Douglas keen to overcome his fear of water? (All India 2009)
Answer:
Douglas was determined to overcome his fear of water because this phobia had
ruined his fishing trips. Moreover, he had also never been able to enjoy water sports
like canoeing, boating, and swimming. He was determined to get an instructor and
learn swimming to get over his fear of water.

Question 4.
When Douglas realised that he was sinking, how did he plan to save himself? (Delhi
2010)
Answer:
When Douglas realised he was sinking he was frightened out of his wits and it was
then that he decided to make a big jump and come up to the surface. He thought of
lying flat on water for some time and then to paddle to the edge of the pool.

Question 5.
What did Douglas experience as he went down to the bottom of the pool for the first
time? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
When Douglas is pushed into the pool, he at once goes to the bottom of the pool.
The nine feet deep pool appears like ninety feet to him. He feels a sense of acute
uneasiness and as if his lungs are ready to burst. Despite feeling absolutely
suffocated he makes desperate efforts for survival.
Question 6.
What sort of terror seized Douglas as he went down the water with a yellow glow?
How could he feel that he was still alive? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
When Douglas went down the water with a yellow glow it was a nightmarish
experience for him. His legs were almost paralysed, his lungs were aching and his
head was throbbing. He felt the thumping of his heart and the pounding in his head
and these made him realize that he was still alive.

Question 7.
Why did William Douglas develop aversion to the water when he was three or four
years old? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
William Douglas developed an aversion to water when he was three or four years
old. He stood at a beach with his father when a wave Swept over him and knocked
him down. He was buried under water and became breathless. He was petrified and
developed a permanent fear for water.

Question 8.
What misadventure did William Douglas experience at the YMCA pool? (Comptt. All
India 2010)
Answer:
A misadventure at the YMCA pool wherein Douglas was thrown into the deeper end
of the pool by a big boy made Douglas afraid of water. He went down into the water
three times but failed to come up. Though he was ultimately saved, a terror of water
developed in him as his lungs filled with water. His head throbbed and his legs felt
paralysed thus making him fear water permanently.

Question 9.
Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Douglas was determined to overcome his fear of water because this phobia had
ruined his fishing trips. Moreover, he had also never been able to enjoy water sports
like canoeing, boating, and swimming. He was determined to get an instructor and
learn swimming to get over his fear of water.

Question 10.
Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Douglas went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire to test whether he still had any
fear of water. After his vigorous swimming practice he was still not very sure if his
terror for water had left him. So he wanted to try out his swimming skills at Lake
Wentworth. He dived into the lake and only after swimming across the shore and
back did he feel certain his terror of water had fled.

Question 11.
Which factors led Douglas to decide in favour of YMCA pool? (All India 2011)
Answer:
When Douglas decided to overcome his childhood fear of water he preferred to go to
YMCA swimming pool to learn swimming because it was safe. It was only two or
three feet deep at the shallow end; and although it was nine feet at the other end, the
drop was quite gradual.

Question 12.
What did Douglas learn from his experience at the YMCA pool? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
His experience of drowning at the YMCA pool had a very deep impact on Douglas.
He became extremely terrorised and fearful of death. He had experienced both the
sensation of dying and the terror that fear of it can produce. So his will to live grew in
intensity. He learnt slowly to become a swimmer brushing aside his fear gradually.

Question 13.
Why was Douglas determined to get over his fear of water? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Douglas was determined to overcome his fear of water because this phobia had
ruined his fishing trips. Moreover, he had also never been able to enjoy water sports
like canoeing, boating, and swimming. He was determined to get an instructor and
learn swimming to get over his fear of water.

Question 14.
Why did Douglas go to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire? How did he make his
terror flee? (All India 2012)
Answer:
Douglas went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire to test whether he still had any
fear of water. After his vigorous swimming practice he was still not very sure if his
terror for water had left him. So he wanted to try out his swimming skills at Lake
Wentworth. He dived into the lake and only after swimming across the shore and
back did he feel certain his terror of water had fled.

Question 15.
What efforts did Douglas make to get over his fear of water? (All India 2012)
Answer:
Douglas was determined to get over his fear of water. He engaged a professional
instructor who understood the intensity of his fear and decided to not just teach him
how to swim but ‘build’ a swimmer out of him slowly and steadily.

Question 16.
Which two frightening experiences did Douglas have in water in his childhood?
(Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Douglas’ first frightening experience in water was when he was three or four years
old. He was knocked down by waves while surfing at California beach. He had been
terror-struck at that time. Years later, his experience at the YMCA pool revived
unpleasant memories when an eighteen year old boy had hurled Douglas into the
deep end of the pool. Both these experiences led Douglas to develop a fear of water.
Question 17.
How did the instructor turn Douglas into a swimmer? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
To ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas, the instructor began his training with extreme
caution. He attached a rope to a belt and put it around Douglas. The rope went
through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. Supported by the cable, they went to
and fro in the pool and practiced for weeks together. The instructor taught Douglas to
put his face underwater and exhale and to raise his nose and inhale. He then taught
him to kick in water for many weeks. Finally after seven months, the instructor told
him to swim the length of the pool and Douglas’ persistent fear started fading.

Question 18.
How did Douglas make sure that he conquered the old terror? (All India 2013)
Answer:
Douglas went to Lake Wentworth in New Hampshire to test whether he still had any
fear of water. After his vigorous swimming practice he was still not very sure if his
terror for water had left him. So he wanted to try out his swimming skills at Lake
Wentworth. He dived into the lake and only after swimming across the shore and
back did he feel certain his terror of water had fled.

Question 19.
How did William Douglas’s aversion to water begin? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
William Douglas developed an aversion to water when he was three or four years
old. He stood at a beach with his father when a wave Swept over him and knocked
him down. He was buried under water and became breathless. He was petrified and
developed a permanent fear for water.

Question 20.
Why did William Douglas use the YMCA pool and not Yakima river to learn
swimming? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Douglas used the YMCA pool and not the Yakima river to learn swimming because
the river was treacherous His mother continually warned him against it and kept the
details of each drowning in the river fresh in his mind. On the other hand the YMCA
pool was safe, only two or three feet deep at the shallow end.

Question 21.
What happened when ‘a big bruiser of a boy’ tossed Douglas into the YMCA pool?
How did Douglas plan to come out? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Douglas landed inside the pool in a sitting position, swallowed water and went at
once to the bottom. He was frightened but on the way down he planned how he
would come out. When his feet would hit the bottom, he would make a big jump,
come to the surface, lie flat on it and paddle to the edge of the pool.

Question 22.
Which two incidents in Douglas’ early life made him scared of water? (Comptt. Delhi
2014)
Answer:
Douglas’ first frightening experience in water was when he was three or four years
old. He was knocked down by waves while surfing at California beach. He had been
terror-struck at that time. Years later, his experience at the YMCA pool revived
unpleasant memories when an eighteen year old boy had hurled Douglas into the
deep end of the pool. Both these experiences led Douglas to develop a fear of water.

Question 23.
Why did Douglas prefer to go to YMCA swimming pool to learn swimming? (Comptt.
Delhi 2014)
Answer:
When Douglas decided to overcome his childhood fear of water he preferred to go to
YMCA swimming pool to learn swimming because it was safe. It was only two or
three feet deep at the shallow end; and although it was nine feet at the other end, the
drop was quite gradual.

Question 24.
What did Douglas feel and do when he was pushed into the swimming pool?
(Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
Douglas landed in the pool in a sitting position, swallowed water and went at once to
the bottom. Though he was frightened, on the way down he planned that when his
feet would hit the bottom he would make a big jump and come to the surface.

Question 25.
How did his swimming instructor ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas? (Comptt. All India
2014)
Answer:
To ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas, the instructor began his training with extreme
caution. He attached a rope to a belt and put it around Douglas. The rope went
through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. Supported by the cable, they went to
and fro in the pool and practiced for weeks together. The instructor taught Douglas to
put his face underwater and exhale and to raise his nose and inhale. He then taught
him to kick in water for many weeks. Finally after seven months, the instructor told
him to swim the length of the pool and Douglas’ persistent fear started fading.

Question 26.
Why did Douglas’ mother recommend that he should learn swimming at the YMCA
swimming pool? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Douglas’ mother recommended that he should learn swimming at the YMCA pool
because it was safe. It was only two to three feet deep at the shallow end; and while
it was nine feet deep at the other end, the drop was gradual.

Question 27.
How did Douglas remove his residual doubts about his fear of water? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
To remove his residual doubts about his fear of water, Douglas went up the Tieton to
Conrad Meadows, up the Conrad Creek Trail to Meade Glacier. He camped in the
high meadow by the side of the warm lake. There he dove into the warm lake, swam
across to the other shore and back just as Doug Corpron used to do.

Question 28.
How did Douglas’s experience at the YMCA pool affect him? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
The drowning experience left Douglas weak and trembling. He was unable to eat
that night and was haunted by extreme fear for days. The slightest exertion would
upset him, making his knees wobble and his stomach sick. He developed a complete
aversion to the swimming pool and this aversion stayed with him for years.

Question 29.
What lesson did Douglas learn when he got rid of his fear of water? (Comptt. Delhi
2015)
Answer:
After getting rid of his fear of water Douglas realized that ‘what one has to fear is fear
itself’ and if he is able to overcome that fear he can achieve anything he wants.

Question 30.
How did the instructor turn Douglas into a swimmer?
Answer:
To ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas, the instructor began his training with extreme
caution. He attached a rope to a belt and put it around Douglas. The rope went
through a pulley that ran on an overhead cable. Supported by the cable, they went to
and fro in the pool and practiced for weeks together. The instructor taught Douglas to
put his face underwater and exhale and to raise his nose and inhale. He then taught
him to kick in water for many weeks. Finally after seven months, the instructor told
him to swim the length of the pool and Douglas’ persistent fear started fading.

Question 31.
How did his experience at the YMCA swimming pool affect Douglas? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
The drowning experience left Douglas weak and trembling. He was unable to eat
that night and was haunted by extreme fear for days. The slightest exertion would
upset him, making his knees wobble and his stomach sick. He developed a complete
aversion to the swimming pool and this aversion stayed with him for years.

Question 32.
What deep meaning did his experience at the YMCA swimming pool have for
Douglas? (All India 2016)
Answer:
After his experience at the YMCA there was a haunting fear in Douglas’ heart. The
experience of fear and death and its conquest made him live intensely. Conquering
fear made him realise the true value of life and helped him enjoy every moment.
Question 33.
‘All we have to fear is fear itself.’ When did Douglas learn this lesson? (All India
2016)
Answer:
Douglas learnt this lesson after he had conquered his fear of water completely. He
went to Lake Wentworth, dived into the warm lake, and swam across to the other
shore and back. He shouted with joy at finally having con¬quered his fear of water
and realized the meaning of Roosevelt’s words.

Question 34.
When did Douglas first become afraid of water? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Douglas first became afraid of water when he was three years old and had gone to
the California beach with his father. He went under a wave for a few seconds and
though he was not in any kind of danger, yet he developed a fear of water.

Question 35.
When did Douglas’ dislike of water first begin? (Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
Douglas’ dislike of water first began when he was three years old and had gone to
the Cali-fornia beach with his father. He was knocked down by the waves which
swept over him and he was buried under the water. His breath was gone and he
developed a fear of water.

Question 36.
How did his experience at the YMCA pool make Douglas feel scared of water?
(Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
A misadventure at the YMCA pool wherein Douglas was thrown into the deeper end
of the pool by a big boy made Douglas afraid of water. He went down into the water
three times but failed to come up. Though he was ultimately saved, a terror of water
developed in him as his lungs filled with water. His head throbbed and his legs felt
paralysed thus making him fear water permanently.

Question 37.
What shocking experience did Douglas have at YMCA pool? (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
A misadventure at the YMCA pool wherein Douglas was thrown into the deeper end
of the pool by a big boy made Douglas afraid of water. He went down into the water
three times but failed to come up. Though he was ultimately saved, a terror of water
developed in him as his lungs filled with water. His head throbbed and his legs felt
paralysed thus making him fear water permanently.

Question 38.
Why did Douglas fail to come to the surface of the pool as he hoped to? (All India
2017)
Answer:
Douglas had hoped that when his feet hit the bottom of the pool, he would make a
big jump and come to the surface but before he touched the bottom his lungs were
ready to burst. Then when his feet hit the bottom and he summoned up all his
strength to spring upwards, he came up slowly and saw nothing but water.

Question 39.
How did Douglas’ introduction to YMCA pool revive his childhood fear of water? (All
India 2017)
Answer:
Douglas’ introduction to the YMCA swimming pool revived unpleasant memories and
stirred his childish fears when he was knocked down and swept over by the waves in
a beach in Cali¬fornia and had been buried in water. Thereafter he had an aversion
to water when he was near it.

Question 40.
When did Douglas first start fearing water? (Comptt. All India 2017)
Answer:
Douglas first became afraid of water when he was three years old and had gone to
the California beach with his father. He went under a wave for a few seconds and
though he was not in any kind of danger, yet he developed a fear of water.

Question 41.
What was the deep fear in William Douglas’ mind? How did he get over it? (Comptt.
AI 2017)
Answer:
William Douglas had a deep fear of water. Douglas had to resort to professional
assistance to overcome his fear of water. He employed an instructor to teach him
how to swim. He practiced five days a week, an hour each day with the instructor
and piece by piece the instructor built a swimmer out of Douglas.

Question 42.
What happened to Douglas at the YMCA pool?
Answer:
As Douglas was sitting on the side of the YMCA pool waiting for others, a boy who
was around eighteen years old came there and yelled, ‘Hi, Skinny! How’d you like to
be ducked?” saying this, he picked up Douglas and tossed him into the deep end of
the pool.

Deep Water Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions (5-6 MARKS)

Question 43.
” There was terror in my heart at the overpowering force of the waves.” When did
Douglas start fearing water? Which experience had further strengthened its hold on
his mind and personality? (All India 2010)
Answer:
As a child of three or four years, Douglas had been knocked down by the waves at
California beach. The waves swept over him and he was buried under them. The
overpowering force of water terrorized him and he developed an aversion for water.
This aversion to water resurfaced once again when Douglas was eleven years old
and further strengthened its hold on his mind and personality. An eighteen years old
boy tossed little Douglas into the deep end of the pool. This downward journey into
water for the second time was a nightmarish experience. His legs were almost
paralysed, his lungs ached, his head throbbed and he felt suffocated. Keeping his
wits intact, he pushed himself up to the surface of the swimming pool but all his
efforts proved futile. Finally when he came to his senses he was lying on his
stomach beside the pool. Now the haunting fear of water gripped his heart and he
continued to be mortally scared of water for a very long time.

Question 44.
How did Douglas develop an aversion to water? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
When Douglas was three or four years old, his father had taken him to the beach in
California. As he and his father had stood together in the surf, the waves had
knocked him down and swept over him. He was buried in water. His breath was
gone and he was frightened. Then, when he was about ten or eleven years old and
had decided to learn to swim, he had gone to the YMCA pool. There an eighteen
year old boy picked him up and tossed him into the deep end of the pool. After this
incident he never went back to the pool. He developed a fear of water and avoided it
whenever he could. Even when he went wading or boating in water the terror that
had seized him during these experi¬ences would come back and take possession of
him completely. His legs would become paralysed and icy horror would grab his
heart.

Question 45.
How did Douglas try to save himself from drowning in the YMCA pool? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
When his feet hit the bottom of the pool Douglas summoned up all his strength and
made a great spring upwards thinking he would bob to the surface like a cork. But
when nothing like that happened Douglas tried to yell but no sound came out. Now a
great force was pulling him under. He was paralysed under water stiff and rigid with
fear. Then in the midst of the terror came a touch of reason that he should remember
to jump when he hit the bottom. As soon as he felt the tiles under him he reached out
his toes towards them and jumped again with all his strength. Yet again the jump did
not make any difference. The water was still around him. Stark terror took an even
deeper hold on him and he shook and trembled with fright. He could not move his
arms and legs. He tried to call for help but nothing happened. Finally he ceased all
his efforts and decided to relax as blackness swept over his brain.

Question 46.
How did the instructor make Douglas a good swimmer? (All India 2011)
Answer:
The instructor put in serious efforts to ‘build a swimmer’ out of Douglas. He
understood Douglas’ mortal water-phobia and practiced five days a week, an hour
each day, with him. He devised a unique way to teach him how to swim. He attached
a rope to Douglas’ belt that went through a pulley which ran over an overhead cable.
Holding the end of the rope in his hand, he made Douglas move back and forth in
the pool without causing him much fear. Douglas was taught how to exhale under
water and raise his nose to inhale.
This exercise was repeated numerous times and they went to and fro across the
pool week after week. The instructor then taught Douglas to kick with his legs. At first
his legs would not work but finally he was able to control and command them. Finally
he was transformed into quite a perfect swimmer by his instructor.

Question 47.
What horrific experiences did Douglas have in his childhood? What impact did they
have on him? (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
When Douglas was three or four years old, his father had taken him to the beach in
California. As he and his father had stood together in the surf, the waves had
knocked him down and swept over him. He was buried in water. His breath was
gone and he was frightened. Then, when he was about ten or eleven years old and
had decided to learn to swim, he had gone to the YMCA pool. There an eighteen
year old boy picked him up and tossed him into the deep end of the pool. After this
incident he never went back to the pool. He developed a fear of water and avoided it
whenever he could. Even when he went wading or boating in water the terror that
had seized him during these experi¬ences would come back and take possession of
him completely. His legs would become paralysed and icy horror would grab his
heart.

Question 48.
What misadventure did Douglas experience at the YMCA swimming pool? (Comptt.
All India 2013)
Answer:
As the timid Douglas sat alone at the side of the YMCA swimming pool waiting for
other people to come, a big bruiser of a boy, probably eighteen years old came
there. He asked Douglas whether he would like to be ducked. Saying this he picked
up Douglas and tossed him into the deep end of the pool. Douglas landed inside the
pool in a sitting position, swallowed water and went at once to the bottom of the pool.
Though Douglas was extremely frightened he had his wits intact so on his way down
he started to plan. He decided that when his feet would hit the bottom he would
make a big jump, come to the surface, lie flat on it and then paddle to the edge of the
pool. At that moment the nine feet deep pool seemed like ninety feet to him and
before he touched the bottom he felt his lungs were ready to burst.

Question 49.
Describe the efforts made by Douglas to save himself from drowning in the YMCA
swimming pool. (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
Douglas was picked up and tossed into the deep end of the YMCA swimming pool.
At that time those nine feet seemed a long way down. As his feet hit the bottom he
summoned all his strength and made an upward spring. He came up slowly, opened
his eyes and saw only water. He reached up as if to grab a rope and his hands
clutched only at water. He flailed at the surface of the water, swallowed and choked.
He tried to bring up his legs but they hung as if paralysed. He again started on a
journey back to the bottom of the pool.
Then he remembered the strategy —he would spring from the bottom of the pool and
come like a cork to the surface. He would lie flat on the water, strike out with his
arms and thrash with his legs. Then he would get to the edge of the pool and be
safe. Yet again the jump made no difference and finally Douglas ceased all efforts
and relaxed as blockness swept over his brain.

Question 50.
How did Douglas’s experience at the YMCA pool affect him and how did he
overcome his fear of water? (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
The big bully of a boy found Douglas alone at the pool. He picked him up and tossed
him into the deep end of the pool. Douglas was thrown at the bottom of the pool and
feared that he would be drowned. This ‘misadventure’ caused Douglas a lot of
trouble and agony. He developed an aversion to water as he experienced a series of
fears and emotions. Icy horror grabbed his heart and made him panicky. This
experience had a lasting effect on Douglas. It deprived him of the joys of boating and
swimming. This fear of water ruined his fishing trips. He never went back to the pool.
This fear of water stayed with him as the years rolled by.

Whenever he tried to enter water, he was seized by fear. Wherever he went his joys
of fishing, boating and swimming were ruined. This fear of deep waters stayed with
him for years and firmly held him in its grip. Douglas had to resort to professional
assistance to overcome his fear of water. He employed an instructor to teach him
how to swim. He practiced five days a week, an hour each day with the instructor
and piece by piece the instructor built a swimmer out of Douglas.

Question 51.
The story “Deep Water” has made you realize that with determination and
perseverance one can accomplish the impossible. Write a paragraph in about 100
words on how a positive attitude and courage will aid you to achieve success in life.
(Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Douglas was afraid of water from a very young age. His misadventure at the YMCA
pool further increased his water phobia. He was unable to enjoy fishing and boating
trips. Finally he decided he had to overcome his fear. He could not do it without
seeking professional help, so he appointed an instructor who gradually made him an
excellent swimmer. Still Douglas was not satisfied. He made use of every opportunity
to swim and dive in water thus challenging his fear. He was able to overcome his
fear completely and this led him to make the statement that what one is afraid of is
fear itself and if we are able to overcome that fear then we can achieve anything in
life.

Question 52.
Desire, determination and diligence lead to success. Explain the value of these
qualities in the light of Douglas’ experience in “Deep Water”. (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
Determination and perseverance is a combination of attributes and abilities that drive
people to set goals for themselves and then to take the initiative to achieve these
goals. Douglas was able to overcome his fear of water by the values of positive
attitude and courage. Initially he was afraid of water but his grit and determination
made him get an instructor and overcome his fear. Determination today leads to our
success tomorrow. It is that innate quality in our soul, which comes to surface when
an incident irks it. It is a reflection of our values taught to us by society and
circumstances and enables us to overcome all obstacles.

There is always admiration for heroes like William Douglas who face challenges
courageously and finally emerge successful. For years the fear of water haunted
him. It deprived him of the joy of canoeing, swimming, fishing and boating. However,
it was deliberate, planned and continuous efforts that enabled Douglas to get over
his fear. He was absolutely determined to get rid of his fear and it was due to his
perseverance and resoluteness that he emerged victorious.

Question 53.
“All we have to fear is fear itself.” Describe Douglas’s experiences which led to the
making of this statement. (Comptt. Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Douglas was afraid of water from a very young age. His misadventure at the YMCA
pool further increased his water phobia. He was unable to enjoy fishing and boating
trips. Finally he decided he had to overcome his fear. He could not do it without
seeking professional help, so he appointed an instructor who gradually made him an
excellent swimmer.

Still Douglas was not satisfied. He made use of every opportunity to swim and dive in
water thus challenging his fear. He was able to overcome his fear completely and
this led him to make the statement that what one is afraid of is fear itself and if we
are able to overcome that fear then we can achieve anything in life.

Question 54.
With the help of courage one can achieve a lot. How did Douglas overcome his fear
of water? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Douglas was afraid of water from a very young age. His misadventure at the YMCA
pool further increased his water phobia. He was unable to enjoy fishing and boating
trips. Finally he decided he had to overcome his fear. He could not do it without
seeking professional help, so he appointed an instructor who gradually made him an
excellent swimmer. Still, Douglas was not satisfied. He made use of every
opportunity to swim and dive in water thus challenging his fear. He was able to
overcome his fear completely and this led him to make the statement that what one
is afraid of is fear itself and if we are able to overcome that fear then we can achieve
anything in life.

Question 55.
We always admire those as heroes who face challenges bravely in different phases
of life and emerge successfully. Elaborate on this statement with reference to William
Douglas. (Comptt. Delhi 2017)
Answer:
Determination and perseverance is a combination of attributes and abilities that drive
people to set goals for themselves and then to take the initiative to achieve these
goals. Douglas was able to overcome his fear of water by the values of positive
attitude and courage. Initially he was afraid of water but his grit and determination
made him get an instructor and overcome his fear. Determination today leads to our
success tomorrow. It is that innate quality in our soul, which comes to surface when
an incident irks it. It is a reflection of our values taught to us by society and
circumstances and enables us to overcome all obstacles.

There is always admiration for heroes like William Douglas who face challenges
courageously and finally emerge successful. For years the fear of water haunted
him. It deprived him of the joy of canoeing, swimming, fishing and boating. However,
it was deliberate, planned and continuous efforts that enabled Douglas to get over
his fear. He was absolutely determined to get rid of his fear and it was due to his
perseverance and resoluteness that he emerged victorious.

The Rattrap Important Questions CBSE

Class 12 English
Question 1.
Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain von Stahle? (All India 2009)
Answer:
Edla Willmansson had been rather nice to the peddler and had treated him with the
honour that was due to a Captain. The peddler, through this mistaken identity, got an
opportunity to raise himself and get above the petty temptations of the world. So he
signed himself as Captain von Stahle.

Question 2.
Why did the peddler think that the world was a rattrap? (All India 2009)
Answer:
The peddler considered the whole world as a big rattrap, its sole purpose being to
set baits for people. The joys and riches of this world are nothing but tempting baits
and anyone who is tempted by them was captured by the rattrap which completely
closed in on him.

Question 3.
Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler? (All India 2010)
Answer:
Edla was happy to see the gift left by the peddler as he had respected her faith in
him. Edla had retained him in her house even after knowing his real identity and he,
in turn, had shown her that the guest she had honoured was as honourable as the
Captain. The latent goodness of his heart had been awakened and he had been able
to overcome the bait of the rattrap.
Question 4.
Which act of the crofter surprised the peddler? Why? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
The peddler was always shunned away wherever he went. No one treated him with
kindness and so he had lost all hope of being shown any kind of warmth. But when
he approached the crofter’s roadside cottage he was surprised by the latter’s warm
welcome and generous hospitality.

Question 5.
How was the peddler treated at the crofter’s cottage? (Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
At the crofter’s cottage the peddler was welcomed warmly and received generous
hospitality. The crofter was an old and lonely man and the prospect of getting the
peddler’s company overjoyed him. So he poured all his warmth and friendly courtesy
on the peddler.

Question 6.
Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
The crofter was lonely. He lived alone in his cottage without a wife, a child or any
companion. Since he suffered from acute loneliness he was extremely happy when
he got the peddler’s company. That is why he was so talkative and friendly with the
peddler.

Question 7.
Why was the peddler surprised when he knocked on the door of the cottage? (All
India 2011)
Answer:
At the crofter’s cottage the peddler was welcomed warmly and received generous
hospitality. The crofter was an old and lonely man and the prospect of getting the
peddler’s company overjoyed him. So he poured all his warmth and friendly courtesy
on the peddler.

Question 8.
What made the peddler finally change his ways? (All India 2011)
Answer:
The peddler was touched by Edla’s kind treatment. She treated him like a Captain in
spite of knowing his real identity. This awakened the latent goodness of his heart
because he wanted to show Edla he was worthy of the honour she had given him.
So he finally changed his ways.

Question 9.
Why did the peddler keep to the woods after leaving the crofter’s cottage? How did
he feel? (All India 2011)
Answer:
The peddler discards the public highway and keeps to the woods after leaving the
crofter’s cottage because he wants to avoid being caught with the thirty kronors that
he had stolen from the crofter’s house. He walks through mazes of forest paths but
lands nowhere. When he realizes he has been trapped he feels extremely tired and
sinks to the ground in despair.

Question 10.
Did the stranger agree to go to the ironmaster’s house? Why or why not? (Comptt.
Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Initially the stranger declined the ironmaster’s invitation. He had the stolen thirty
kronors on him and thought it was like going into the lion’s den. But then he accepted
the ironmaster’s invitation because Edla’s sympathy and compassion allayed his
fears and her friendly manner made him to have confidence in her.

Question 11.
Why did the peddler decline the invitation of the ironmaster? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
The peddler declined the ironmaster’s invitation because he had the stolen thirty
kronors on him. He feared that he would be caught there for stealing the crofter’s
money. For the peddler going to the manor house of the ironmaster would be like
throwing himself voluntarily into the lion’s den.

Question 12.
Why was the crofter so friendly and talkative with the peddler? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
The crofter was lonely. He lived alone in his cottage without a wife, a child or any
companion. Since he suffered from acute loneliness he was extremely happy when
he got the peddler’s company. That is why he was so talkative and friendly with the
peddler:

Question 13.
Who was the owner of Ramsjo iron mills?
Why did he visit the mills at night? (All India 2012)
Answer:
The ironmaster was the owner of the Ramsjo iron mills. He was very particular about
the quality of his products. So he made nightly rounds of inspection to his mill to
inspect the quality control.

Question 14.
How did the ironmaster react on seeing the stranger lying close to the furnace? (All
India 2012)
Answer:
When the iron master saw the stranger lying close to the furnace he walked up to
him and looked him over carefully. Mistaking him for an old acquaintance, a comrade
from his regiment, he got very excited and invited him to come to his cottage.

Question 15.
Why didn’t the stranger tell the ironmaster that he was not Nils Olof? (All India)
Answer:
When the ironmaster mistakes the stranger for Captain Nils Olof, an old regimental
comrade, the stranger decides not to correct him as hopes to get a couple of kronors
from the ironmaster. So he does not want to undeceive him all at once.

Question 16.
Why was the crofter happy when the peddler knocked on his door? (Comptt. All India
2013)
Answer:
The crofter was very lonely. He lived alone in his cottage without a wife, a child or
any companion. Since he was suffering from acute loneliness he felt very happy
when the peddler knocked on his door. He treated the peddler in the most kind and
hospitable manner.

Question 17.
How was the crofter ‘generous with his confidences’ when he spoke to the peddler?
(Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
The crofter was generous not just with his porridge and tobacco but also with his
confidences with the peddler. He informed the peddler that he had been a crofter but
now his cow supported him. She would give milk for the creamery every day, and
last month he had even received thirty kronors as payment.

Question 18.
What did the peddler do to keep his body and soul together? (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
The peddler made and sold rattraps but his business was not really profitable so he
had to resort to both begging and petty thievery to keep his body and soul together.

Question 19.
Why did the peddler derive pleasure from his idea of the world as a rattrap? (Delhi
2014)
Answer:
The world had never been kind to the peddler so it gave him unwanted joy to think ill
of it by considering it as a rattrap. It became his cherished pastime to think of people
he knew who had let themselves be caught in the dangerous snare and of others
who were still circling around the bait in the rattrap.

Question 20.
Why did Edla plead with her father not to send the vagabond away? (All India 2014)
Answer:
Edla pleaded with her father not to send the vagabond away as it was Christmas eve
and she wanted to keep the spirit of Christmas alive. She wanted to provide the
vagabond with a day of comfort and solace. She justified that they had invited him
against his will and since he was lonely she wanted to do something special for him
on Christmas eve.

Question 21.
In what sense was the world a big rattrap according to the peddler? (Comptt. Delhi
2014)
Answer:
According to the peddler the whole world with its lands, seas, cities and villages was
nothing but a big rattrap. It only existed to set baits for people. If offered riches and
joys, shelter, food and clothing as the rattrap offered cheese and pork and as soon
as anyone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, it closed on him and then
everything came to an end.

Question 22.
Why did the peddler knock on the cottage by the roadside? How was he treated by
the owner of the cottage? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
The peddler knocked on the cottage by the roadside to ask shelter for the night. The
owner, who was an old man, without a wife or child, greeted him warmly, served him
supper and played cards with him as he was happy to get someone to talk to in his
loneliness.

Question 23.
What conclusion did the ironmaster reach when he heard that the crofter had been
robbed by the peddler? (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
When the ironmaster heard that the crofter had been robbed by a man who went
around selling rat-traps, he sarcastically remarked to his daughter that she had let a
fine man into the house and was wondering as to how many silver spoons were left
in their cupboard by that time.

Question 24.
What were the contents of the package left by the peddler as a Christmas gift for
Edla Willmansson? (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
The package that the peddler left as a Christmas gift for Edla Willmansson contained
a small rattrap which had a letter he had written in large, jagged characters and in it
also lay three wrinkled ten kronor notes.

Question 25.
How was the peddler received by the crofter? (Comptt. Delhi 2015)
Answer:
The crofter was a lonely person who received the peddler warmly, gave him supper
and tobacco to fill his pipe and played a game of cards with him. He was very
friendly with the peddler. He shared the details of his life with him and showed him
the thirty kronor notes he had received as payment.

Question 26.
What brought about a change in the life of the peddler? (Comptt. All India 2015)
Answer:
Edla’s warmth, sympathy and compassion brought about a change in the life of the
peddler. He is touched by the kind treatment Edla gives him despite knowing his real
identity. The latent goodness of his heart is awakened and he actually behaves like a
true Captain.
Question 27.
At the crofter’s home, why did the peddler feel very happy? (Comptt. All India 2015)
Answer:
The peddler was received very warmly and received generous hospitality at the
crofter’s home. The crofter, an old and lonely man, served him porridge, treated him
kindly and the two smoked and played cards. This made the peddler feel very happy.

Question 28.
Why was the peddler amused at the idea of the world being a rattrap? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
The world had never been very kind to the peddler. So it gave him unwanted joy to
think of the world with its lands and seas, cities and villages as nothing but a big
rattrap that sets baits for people in the form of riches, joys and other necessities, and
as soon as one got tempted, it closed in on him.

Question 29.
What hospitality did the peddler receive from the crofter? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Instead of the sour faces which normally met the peddler, the crofter who was an old
and lonely man received the peddler most warmly and offered him generous
hospitality. He gave him porridge for supper and the two smoked tobacco and played
cards. The crofter also shared his confidences with the peddler.

Question 30.
What do we learn about the crofter’s nature from the story, ‘The Rattrap’? (All India
2016)
Answer:
The crofter was an old man who was very lonely as he had no family. He was very
happy when the peddler knocked on his door as he got someone to talk to in his
loneliness. He treated the peddler most courteously and offered him food and
tobacco. The crofter was as generous with his confidences as he was with his
hospitality.

Question 31.
Why did the crofter show the thirty kroner to the peddler? (All India 2016)
Answer:
The crofter was too happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness so he was
generous with his confidences with the peddler. The stranger must have seemed
doubtful, for the crofter took down a leather pouch hanging on a nail near the window
and showed the thirty kroner notes to the peddler.

Question 32.
Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home? (All India
2016)
Answer:
The ironmaster mistook the peddler to be an old acquaintance Nils Olof, his old
regimental comrade, so he spoke kindly to the peddler and invited him to his house.
He and his daughter Edla did not have any company for Christmas so he wanted the
peddler to join them for Christmas dinner.

Question 33.
Why did Edla invite the peddler? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Edla invited the peddler because she wanted to celebrate Christmas in the true spirit
of the festival by having a guest over for Christmas supper. Moreover, she wanted to
give the peddler a day of peace.

Question 34.
Describe the crofter’s meeting with the rattrap peddler. (Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
The crofter gave the rattrap peddler shelter for a night. He was very hospitable with
the peddler. He gave the peddler supper, tobacco to smoke, played cards with him
and even shared his confidences with him.

The Rattrap Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions (5-6 MARKS)

Question 35.
Describe how the story, ‘The Rattrap’ shows that basic human goodness can be
brought out by understanding and love. (Delhi 2006)
Answer:
The theme of the story ‘The Rattrap’ is that most human beings are prone to fall into
the trap of material gains. However, love and understanding can transform a person
and bring out his essential human goodness. The peddler had been treated very
cruelly by the world. So even though the old crofter was kind and hospitable to him,
he betrayed his trust and stole thirty kronors from him. He was not impressed by the
ironmaster’s invitation also. But Edla Willmansson’s compassion and understanding
brought about a transformation in his nature. Her human qualities helped in raising
him to be a gentleman. He was easily able to overcome petty temptations. The
peddler who always considered the whole world to be a rattrap finally felt released
from this rattrap due to the sympathetic, kind, loving and generous treatment of Edla
Willmansson that was able to bring out his basic human goodness.

Question 36.
Give examples from the story, “The Rattrap” to show how the iron master is different
from his daughter. (Delhi 2006)
Answer:
The character of Edla Willmansson and that of the iron master are in stark contrast
to each other. Despite being young, the daughter displays a better sense of maturity
than her father who acts impulsively and behaves . casually. He jumps to
conclusions without thinking. First he mistakes the peddler to be an old regimental
comrade and without confirming his identity he instantly invites him to the manor
house and again on realising his mistake he refers the matter to the sheriff
thoughtlessly. Edla, on the other hand, displays a keen sense of observation. She
rightly judges that her guest is a tramp and has a sympathetic attitude towards him.
She persuades her father to allow the guest to stay, leads him courteously to the
dining table and makes him eat despite her father’s protest. It is because of her
compassion and generosity that the peddler undergoes a change of heart and
redeems himself from dishonesty. He leaves behind thirty kronors to be given back
to the old crofter and a Christmas present for Edla.

Question 37.
The story ‘The Rattrap’ focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with
others. Explain. (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
The main focus of the story ‘The Rattrap’ is on human loneliness. All the characters,
whether it is the peddler, the crofter, the ironmaster or his daughter, suffer from
loneliness. The peddler is a lonely man who has always been shunned by society’s
cold and unkind words. When he knocks at the door of the old crofter’s cottage he
does not expect hospitality but the crofter welcomes him as he is too happy to get
someone to talk to after being alone for so long. By serving the peddler the crofter is
in fact serving himself. He serves the peddler with supper, gives him tobacco and
plays ‘mjolis’ with him. He is a very good host. The iron¬master and his daughter too
miss company and this makes them all the more lonely on the occasion of
Christmas. So the ironmaster, who mistakes the peddler for his old regimental
comrade, invites him to his manor house for Christmas. The ironmaster’s daughter,
Edla, extends this invitation again and tells the peddler he can leave any time after
Christmas. Thus the need to bond is the main focus of the story ‘The Rattrap’.

Question 38.
Describe how the story, ‘The Rattrap’ shows that basic human goodness can be
brought out by understanding and love. (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
The theme of the story ‘The Rattrap’ is that most human beings are prone to fall into
the trap of material gains. However, love and understanding can transform a person
and bring out his essential human goodness. The peddler had been treated very
cruelly by the world. So even though the old crofter was kind and hospitable to him,
he betrayed his trust and stole thirty kronors from him. He was not impressed by the
iron-master’s invitation also. But Edla Willmansson’s compassion and understanding
brought about a transformation in his nature. Her human qualities helped in raising
him to be a gentleman. He was easily able to overcome petty temptations. The
peddler who always considered the whole world to be a rattrap finally felt released
from this rattrap due to the sympathetic, kind, loving and generous treatment of Edla
Willmansson that was able to bring out his basic human goodness.

Question 39.
How are the attitudes of the ironmaster and his daughter different? Support your
answer from the text. (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
The character of Edla Willmansson and that of the iron master are in stark contrast
to each other. Despite being young, the daughter displays a better sense of maturity
than her father who acts impulsively and behaves . casually. He jumps to
conclusions without thinking. First he mistakes the peddler to be an old regimental
comrade and without confirming his identity he instantly invites him to the manor
house and again on realising his mistake he refers the matter to the sheriff
thoughtlessly. Edla, on the other hand, displays a keen sense of observation. She
rightly judges that her guest is a tramp and has a sympathetic attitude towards him.
She persuades her father to allow the guest to stay, leads him courteously to the
dining table and makes him eat despite her father’s protest. It is because of her
compassion and generosity that the peddler undergoes a change of heart and
redeems himself from dishonesty. He leaves behind thirty kronors to be given back
to the old crofter and a Christmas present for Edla.

Question 40.
Describe the peddler’s interaction with the ironmaster’s daughter. To what extent
was he influenced by her? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
The peddler first meets Edla Wilmansson, the ironmaster’s daughter when, on her
fathers insistence, she comes to invite him to their manor house for Christmas. He
was so touched by the sincerity in her voice that he could not refuse her invitation.
Later, she comes to know of the peddler’s real identity but it does not change her
warmth, friendliness and hospitality towards him. She continues to treat him like a
Captain and the peddler quite spontaneously, starts behaving like a real Captain. He
leaves a rattrap as a Christmas gift for Edla and encloses a letter of thanks and a
note of confession in it. He leaves behind the stolen money to be restored to its
rightful owner, the crofter, thus redeeming himself from his dishonest ways. Edla
Wilmansson’s sympathy, compassion and understanding give the peddler an
opportunity to redeem and reform himself.

Question 41.
Describe the crofter’s interaction with the peddler. How did the latter get tempted?
(Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
When the peddler knocked on the door of the crofter’s cottage he was greeted by the
lonely old man who was just too happy to get someone to talk to. He served the
peddler with extreme hospitality and even played cards with him. He also shared his
confidences with the peddler telling him that he had been a crofter at Ramsjo
Ironworks during his days of prosperity and now his cow supported him. Last month
he had received thirty kronors in payment for the cow milk he had sold. He even
showed the peddler the leather pouch on the window where he had kept the thirty
kronors thus tempting the peddler. The next day the peddler after leaving the
crofter’s cottage came back there again, smashed the window pane, stuck in his
hand and got hold of the pouch that contained the thirty kronors. Then hanging the
leather pouch back very carefully, he went away.

Question 42.
‘The Rattrap’ highlights the impact of compassion and understanding on the hidden
goodness in human beings. Substantiate with evidence from the story. (Comptt. All
India 2011)
Answer:
The theme of the story ‘The Rattrap’ is that most human beings are prone to fall into
the trap of material gains. However, love and understanding can transform a person
and bring out his essential human goodness. The peddler had been treated very
cruelly by the world. So even though the old crofter was kind and hospitable to him,
he betrayed his trust and stole thirty kronors from him. He was not impressed by the
ironmaster’s invitation also. But Edla Willmansson’s compassion and understanding
brought about a transformation in his nature. Her human qualities helped in raising
him to be a gentleman. He was easily able to overcome petty temptations. The
peddler who always considered the whole world to be a rattrap finally felt released
from this rattrap due to the sympathetic, kind, loving and generous treatment of Edla
Willmansson that was able to bring out his basic human goodness.

Question 43.
Given his temperament, Edla’s father would have failed in reforming the peddler.
How did Edla succeed? (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
Unlike her father Edla is a compassionate, sympathetic and understanding girl and
because of these virtues she succeeded in reforming the peddler. The ironmaster,
on the other hand, is impulsive and whimsical. He invites the stranger to his house
without confirming the latters identity and as soon as the peddler’s true identity is
revealed he decides to refer the whole matter to the sheriff. But Edla continues to be
nice and hospitable to him and does not turn him out of their house on Christmas
eve. She treats the peddler like a real captain and he too behaves like one. She thus
awakened the potential goodness of his heart and before leaving the manor house
he leaves behind a rattrap as a Christmas gift for Edla and the money he had stolen
from the crofter’s cottage alongwith a letter in which he confesses his crime and
requests Edla to return the thirty kronors to the old crofter.

Question 44.
How did the peddler feel after robbing the crofter? What course did he adopt and
how did he react to the new situation? What does his reaction reveal? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
After robbing the crofter the peddler felt quite pleased with his smartness. He
immediately realised that he could not dare to continue with his journey on the public
highway so he turned off the road, into the woods. During the first few hours his
decision caused him no difficulty but later it became worse for he had gotten into a
big and confusing forest. He continued to walk and when he came to the end of the
forest he realized that he had been walking around in the same part of the forest.
Then he recalled his thoughts about the world and the rattrap and knew his own turn
had come. He had let himself be fooled by a bait of thirty kronors and had been
caught. His reaction reveals his gloom and despair as he realized the forest had
closed in open upon him like an impenetrable prison from which he thought he could
never escape. It also reveals that he was basically a good person at heart and was
repentant of his folly.

Question 45.
There is a saying, ‘Kindness pays, rudeness never’. In the story, ‘The Rattrap’ Edla’s
attitude towards men and matters is different from her fathers attitude. How are the
values of concern and compassion brought out in the story, ‘The Rattrap’? (All India
2013)
Answer:
Edla Willmansson displays qualities of compassion and understanding that transform
the peddler and brings out his essential human goodness. Her human qualities help
in raising him to the level of a gentleman and he is able to overcome petty
temptations. The peddler, who always considered the whole world to be a rattrap,
was finally able to release himself from this rattrap due to the sympathetic, kind and
generous treatment of Edla and thus redeems himself from his dishonest ways.
Despite knowing his real identity Edla continues to treat him like a Captain and the
peddler quite spontaneously starts behaving like a real captain. Edla’s compassion
and the peddler’s reformation arouses our optimism and belief in the essential
goodness of man and other human values.

Question 46.
How does the peddler respond to the hospitality shown to him by the crofter?
(Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
The peddler responds to the crofter’s hospitality by betraying him. One dark evening
when the peddler was walking along the road he knocked on the door of a cottage to
seek shelter for the night. To his surprise, he was welcomed by an old man, the
crofter, who lived alone in the cottage. The lonely crofter was happy to find a man
whom he could talk to. He served the peddler supper, gave him tobacco and played
a game of cards with him. The old crofter then went to the window and took down a
leather pouch. He counted three ten kronor notes and put them into the pouch. This
provided a big bait for the peddler who was tempted to steal the notes. The peddler
unwillingly allowed himself to be tempted to touch the bait and was thus trapped in.
He stole the money and thus committed a breach of trust. So he betrayed the
confidence reposed in him by his host.

Question 47.
How did the seller of rattraps realize that he himself was caught up in a rattrap after
he left the crofter’s cottage? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
After robbing the crofter the peddler felt quite pleased with his smartness. He
immediately realised that he could not dare to continue with his journey on the public
highway so he turned off the road, into the woods. During the first few hours his
decision caused him no difficulty but later it became worse for he had gotten into a
big and confusing forest. He continued to walk and when he came to the end of the
forest he realized that he had been walking around in the same part of the forest.
Then he recalled his thoughts about the world and the rattrap and knew his own turn
had come. He had let himself be fooled by a bait of thirty kronors and had been
caught. His reaction reveals his gloom and despair as he realized the forest had
closed in open upon him like an impenetrable prison from which he thought he could
never escape. It also reveals that he was basically a good person at heart and was
repentant of his folly.

Question 48.
Why did the peddler accept Edla’s invitation when he had already declined the
iron¬master’s to go home with him? (Comptt, Delhi 2013)
Answer:
The peddler first meets Edla Willmannson, the ironmaster’s daughter, when on her
father’s insistence she comes to invite the peddler to their manor house for
Christmas. The peddler who had earlier refused to accept the ironmaster’s invitation
could not decline Edla’s invitation. She looked at him with compassion because she
immediately noticed that he was afraid. So she spoke to him in such a friendly and
warm manner that the peddler felt a kind of confidence in her. Infact the peddler
even tells her that it would never have occurred to him that she would bother herself
over him and he would come with her immediately. So he accepted the fur coat
which Edla’s valet handed him and followed the young lady out to the carriage.

Question 49.
The peddler declined the invitation of the ironmaster but accepted the one from Edla.
Why? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
The peddler first meets Edla Willmannson, the ironmaster’s daughter, when on her
father’s insistence she comes to invite the peddler to their manor house for
Christmas. The peddler who had earlier refused to accept the ironmaster’s invitation
could not decline Edla’s invitation. She looked at him with compassion because she
immediately noticed that he was afraid. So she spoke to him in such a friendly and
warm manner that the peddler felt a kind of confidence in her. Infact the peddler
even tells her that it would never have occurred to him that she would bother herself
over him and he would come with her immediately. So he accepted the fur coat
which Edla’s valet handed him and followed the young lady out to the carriage.

Question 50.
Edla proved to be much more persuasive than her father while dealing with the
peddler. Comment. (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Edla does prove to be much more persuasive than her father while dealing with the
peddler. When the ironmaster invites the peddler to his manor house the latter
vehemently refuses to go. Despite trying to allay the peddlers’s fears, the ironmaster
is unable to convince him to give them company for Christmas. He finally gives up
after the peddler’s repeated refusals and goes away. Later Edla arrives, approaches
the peddler and extends the invitation once again. She assures him he can leave
after Christmas anytime. The peddler is touched by Edla’s warmth, friendly and
sympathetic nature. So he agrees to accompany Edla.

Question 51.
Why did the crofter repose confidence in the peddler? How did the peddler betray
that and with what consequences? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
One dark evening when the peddler was walking along the road he knocked on the
door of a cottage to seek shelter for the night. To his surprise, he was welcomed by
an old man, the crofter, who lived alone in the cottage. The lonely crofter was happy
to find a man whom he could talk to. He served the peddler supper, gave him
tobacco and played a game of cards with him. The old crofter then went to the
window and took down a leather pouch. He counted three ten kronor notes and put
them into the pouch. This provided a big bait for the peddler who was tempted to
steal the notes. The peddler unwillingly allowed himself to be tempted to touch the
bait and was thus trapped in. He stole the money and thus committed a breach of
trust. So he betrayed the confidence reposed in him by his host. After stealing the
crofter’s money he turned off the road, and ventured into the woods. There he got
completely lost in the big and confusing forest. Later the whole forest seemed to
close in upon him like an impenetrable prison from which he could just not escape.

Question 52.
To be grateful is a great virtue of a gentleman. How did the peddler show his
gratitude to Edla? (Comptt. Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Edla knew that her father was mistaken when he invited the peddler home thinking
he was his long lost friend. Later it was revealed that he was a complete stranger
and not a straight forward man. Despite this Edla begged her father not to send him
away on Christmas eve. She invited him home and gave him food, shelter and
clothes. Her kindness, compassion and sympathy brings out the goodness in the
tramp. He leaves a packet for her as a Christmas gift which contains a rattrap and
three ten kronor notes stolen from the crofter. It also contains a letter in which he
signs himself as captain. Edla’s care and concern changes the peddler into a
dignified gentleman.

Question 53.
How did Edla treat the peddler? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Edla was the daughter of the ironmaster. She was a warm, sensitive and
compassionate person. She understood in the first meeting that the peddler was
scared of someone and he had not had a single day of peace. So she decided to let
him spend Christmas with them in their house. She assured him that he could leave
anytime he wanted after celebrating Christmas with them. Edla woke him up to eat
food only. Otherwise, she let him sleep for two days. She showed genuine goodness
which brought about a positive transformation in the peddler. She continues to treat
him like a captain and the peddler, quite spontaneously, starts behaving like a real
captain.

Question 54.
The peddler thinks that the whole world is a rattrap. This view of life is true only of
himself and of no one else in the story. Comment. (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
The peddler had naturally been thinking of his rattraps when he was struck by the
idea that the whole world was nothing but a big rattrap. It only existed to set baits for
people. When someone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, it closed on him,
and then everything came to an end. But this view of life is true only of the peddler
himself and of no one else in the story. The three ten kronor notes of the old crofter
provide a bait for the peddler and after he steals the money, he gets lost in the big
and confusing forest. He then recalls his thoughts about the world and the rattrap
and knew his . turn had come. He had let himself be tempted by a bait and had been
caught in the rattrap. He realized the forest had closed upon him like an
impenetrable prison from which he thought he could never escape. The theme of the
story of ‘The Rattrap’ is that most human beings are prone to fall into the trap of
material benefit. However, love and understanding can transform a person and bring
out his essential human goodness. So even though the old crofter was kind and
hospitable to him, he betrayed his trust and stole thirty kronors from him. He was not
impressed by the iron¬master’s invitation also. But Edla Willmansson’s compassion
brought out a transformation in his nature. Human qualities helped in raising him to
be a gentleman.

Question 55.
The peddler believed that the whole world is a rattrap. How did he himself get caught
in the same? (All India 2017)
Answer:
The peddler had naturally been thinking of his rattraps when he was struck by the
idea that the whole world was nothing but a big rattrap. It only existed to set baits for
people. When someone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, it closed on him,
and then everything came to an end. But this view of life is true only of the peddler
himself and of no one else in the story. The three ten kronor notes of the old crofter
provide a bait for the peddler and after he steals the money, he gets lost in the big
and confusing forest. He then recalls his thoughts about the world and the rattrap
and knew his turn had come. He had let himself be tempted by a bait and had been
caught in the rattrap. He realized the forest had closed upon him like an
impenetrable prison from which he thought he could never escape. The theme of the
story of ‘The Rattrap’ is that most human beings are prone to fall into the trap of
material benefit. However, love and understanding can transform a person and bring
out his essential human goodness. So even though the old crofter was kind and
hospitable to him, he betrayed his trust and stole thirty kronors from him. He was not
impressed by the iron master’s invitation also. But Edla Willmansson’s compassion
brought out a transformation in his nature. Human qualities helped in raising him to
be a gentleman.

Question 56.
The people we meet in life leave an impression on us. How is the rattrap peddler
affected by meeting the crofter and Edla? (Comptt. All India 2017)
Answer:
The good people we meet sometimes leave an impression on us. Compassion and
understanding can transform a person and bring out his essential human goodness.
As is the case with the rattrap peddler whose meeting with the crofter and Edla bring
about a positive transformation in his nature. The lonely old crofter was extremely
kind to the peddler. Despite his hospitality the peddler stole his money and
committed a breach of trust. Edla too treated him nicely, even after she came to
know his true identity. The peddler who had always considered the world to be a
rattrap that enclosed upon people finally felt released from this rattrap due to the
kind, generous and sympathetic treatment of the crofter and Edla. He leaves behind
a letter of thanks for Edla with a Christmas gift and the money he had stolen from the
crofter, to be restored to its rightful owner.

Indigo Important Questions Short Answer Type Questions (3-4 MARKS)

Question 1.
Why did Gandhiji agree to the planters’ offer of a 25 percent refund to the farmers?
(Delhi 2009)
Answer:
Gandhiji had asked the indigo planters for a 50 percent refund to the farmers but
they offered only 25 percent. Gandhiji still agreed to their offer because for him the
amount of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact that the
planters had been forced to surrender part of their rights. So he agreed to their
settlement.

Question 2.
How was Gandhiji able to influence the lawyers at Champaran? (All India 2009)
Answer:
Gandhiji chided the lawyers for over-charging the poor peasants. When the peasants
were so poor and crushed, it was inhuman to charge heavy fees from them.
Gandhiji’s selfless service and devotion to the cause of the peasants put the lawyers
to shame.

Question 3.
How did Gandhiji help the peasants of Champaran? (All India 2009)
Answer:
At Champaran, the British landlords forced all the tenants to plant 15 per cent of their
holding with indigo and then surrender the entire harvest as rent. This increased the
misery of the poor tenants. But when synthetic indigo was developed and indigo
plantation was no longer profitable, the landlords obtained fresh agreements from
sharecroppers to pay them compensation for releasing them from the 15%
arrangement. Gandhiji came in at this time and through non-violent civil
disobedience he forced the landlords to refund 25 per cent of the compensation
money to the peasants.

Question 4.
Why did the servants think Gandhiji to be another peasant? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
In Patna, Rajkumar Shukla led Gandhiji to the house of Rajendra Prasad who was a
lawyer. The servants knew Shukla as a poor peasant of Champaran who often came
to Rajendra Prasad’s house and pestered him to take up the cause of the indigo
sharecroppers of Champaran. Since a simple-clad Gandhiji accompanied Shukla the
servants mistook him to be another peasant.

Question 5.
Why did Gandhiji agree to the planters’ offer of a 25% refund to the farmers?
(Comptt. All India 2011 )
Answer:
Gandhiji had asked the indigo planters for a 50 percent refund to the farmers but
they offered only 25 percent. Gandhiji still agreed to their offer because for him the
amount of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact that the
planters had been forced to surrender part of their rights. So he agreed to their
settlement.

Question 6.
How were Shukla and Gandhiji received in Rajendra Prasad’s house? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
In Patna Shukla led Gandhiji to the house of a lawyer, Rajendra Prasad. He was out
of town but his servants knew Shukla as a poor peasant who pestered Rajendra
Prasad (their master) to help the indigo sharecroppers. So he was allowed to stay
there with his companion. But Gandhiji was not permitted to draw water from the well
lest he be an untouchable and some drops of water from his bucket pollute the entire
source.

Question 7.
What made Gandhiji demand 50% refund from the British landlords? (Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
Gandhiji demanded 50% refund from the British landlords in the form of repayment
of money which the landlords had illegally and deceitfully extorted from the poor
sharecroppers.

Question 8.
Why did Gandhiji accept 25 percent compensation? (Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
Gandhiji had asked the indigo planters for a 50 percent refund to the farmers but
they offered only 25 percent. Gandhiji still agreed to their offer because for him the
amount of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact that the
planters had been forced to surrender part of their rights. So he agreed to their
settlement.

Question 9.
While at Champaran how did Gandhiji keep a long distance watch on his ashram?
(Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
During his long stay in Champaran, Gandhiji kept a long distance watch on his
Ashram. He sent regular instructions by mail and asked for financial accounts. He
even wrote to the residents that it was time to fill in the old latrine trenches and dig
new ones.

Question 10.
“The battle of Champaran is won.” When and why did Gandhiji exclaim this?
(Comptt. AI 2012)
Answer:
When several prominent lawyers told Gandhiji that they were ready to follow him to
jail, Gandhiji exclaimed, “The battle of Champaran is toon”. Gandhiji made this
statement because he had been able to shake the lawyers out of their stupor and
they were ready to support Gandhiji.

Question 11.
Why did Gandhiji feel that taking the Cham-paran case to the court was useless?
(Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Gandhiji felt taking the Champaran case to the court was useless as taking such
cases to the courts did little good. Where the peasants are so crushed and fear-
stricken, law courts prove useless. The real relief for these peasants was to be free
from fear.

Question 12.
What made the Lieutenant Governor drop the case against Gandhiji? (Comptt. All
India 2014)
Answer:
The Lieutenant Governor was forced to drop the case against Gandhiji because the
lawyers had told Gandhiji that they would follow him into jail. So the Lieutenant
Governor wrote to the Magistrate ordering him to drop the case against Gandhiji.

Question 13.
How did the Champaran peasants react when they heard that a Mahatma had come
to help them? (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
As the news of Gandhiji’s advent and the nature of his mission spread, the peasants
began arriving on foot and by conveyance to get a glimpse of their champion. The
lawyers, who had represented the peasant groups in court, also came to brief
Gandhiji.

Question 14.
Why did Gandhiji agree to 25% compensation? (Comptt. All India 2015)
Answer:
Refer to Question 20, Page 185

Question 15.
How did Rajkumar Shukla establish that he was resolute? (All India 2015)
Answer:
Rajkumar Shukla wanted Gandhiji to visit Champaran to take up the cause of the
poor sharecroppers who were being exploited by the English landlords but Gandhiji
said he had appointments in various parts of India. Shukla started following Gandhiji
everywhere the latter went and for weeks he never left Gandhiji’s side thus
establishing his resoluteness.

Question 16.
How was Gandhi treated at Rajendra Prasad’s house? (All India 2015)
Answer:
In Patna Shukla led Gandhiji to the house of a lawyer, Rajendra Prasad. He was out
of town but his servants knew Shukla as a poor peasant who pestered Rajendra
Prasad (their master) to help the indigo sharecroppers. So he was allowed to stay
there with his companion. But Gandhiji was not permitted to draw water from the well
lest he be an untouchable and some drops of water from his bucket pollute the entire
source.

Question 17.
What were the terms of the indigo contract between the British landlords and the
Indian peasants? (All India 2015)
Answer:
The arable land in the Champaran district was divided into estates which were
owned by Englishmen and worked by Indian tenants. The chief commercial crop was
indigo. The landlords compelled all tenants to plant 15 per cent of their holdings with
indigo and surrender the entire indigo harvest as rent.

Question 18.
Why is Raj Kumar Shukla described as being ‘resolute’? (Comptt. Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Shukla wanted Gandhiji to visit Champaran to take up the cause of the
sharecroppers but Gandhiji said he had appointments in Cawnpore and other parts
of India. Shukla did not leave Gandhiji’s side for weeks begging him to fix a date for
Champaran. Gandhiji was impressed by his determination and resoluteness and
Shukla finally managed to convince Gandhiji to accompany him to Champaran.

Question 19.
Why was Gandhiji opposed to C.F. Andrews helping him in Champaran? (Delhi
2016)
Answer:
Though Gandhiji’s lawyer friends thought it would be a good idea for C.F.Andrews to
stay in Champaran and help them, Gandhiji vehemently opposed it. He said that if
they had an Englishman on their side it would show the weakness of their heart.
They should not attempt to seek a prop in Andrews just because he happened to be
an Englishman. Gandhiji wanted Indians to be self-reliant.

Question 20.
Why did Gandhiji agree to a settlement of mere 25 percent? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Gandhiji had asked the indigo planters for a 50 percent refund to the farmers but
they offered only 25 percent. Gandhiji still agreed to their offer because for him the
amount of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact that the
planters had been forced to surrender part of their rights. So he agreed to their
settlement.

Question 21.
Why was Gandhiji unhappy with the lawyers in Muzzafarpur? Why was he against
taking cases to the law courts? (Comptt. All India)
Answer:
Gandhiji was unhappy with the lawyers in Muzzafarpur as they were collecting a
huge fee from the peasants. He was against taking the case to the law courts as he
knew the fear stricken peasants would be further crushed and exploited in the court.
Gandhiji wanted to free the farmers from the fear of Britishers.

Indigo Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions (5-6 MARKS)

Question 22.
Describe the difficulties faced by Gandhi at Champaran. (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight against the injustice of the landlord system
there. Most of the land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by
Englishmen who hired Indian tenants to grow indigo there. The Indian peasants were
sharecroppers and had to surrender 15 per cent of the indigo harvest as rent to the
British. After synthetic indigo was developed the Englishmen obtained fresh
agreements from sharecroppers to pay them compensation. Many refused to sign
and others wanted their money back. At this point Gandhiji arrived in Champaran
with an aim to free the peasants from fear. He collected all the facts and met the
commissioner who tried to bully him and advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji did
not leave. In the course of securing justice for the oppressed farmers of Champaran,
Gandhiji had to clash with the British authorities several times before he could
persuade them to agree to his viewpoint.

Question 23.
How was a solution to the problem of indigo sharecroppers of Champaran found?
(Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
The entire harvest of indigo, the chief commercial crop produced by the peasants in
the 15 per cent of their land had to be paid as rent to the British landlords. After
Germany developed synthetic indigo, it brought a steep fall in indigo prices. Now the
landlords very cleverly wished to give up this arrangement and get compensation for
releasing the farmers land. Gandhiji at this time appeared in Champaran and fought
a year long battle to get the poor peasants justice. Gandhiji decided to accept a
settlement of 25 per cent of the compensation money to break the deadlock between
the landlords and their tenants. The moral victory of the farmers to make the
landlords own-up their dishonesty and surrender their money and prestige mattered
more to Gandhiji. So he was successful in defeating the nefarious designs of the
British landlords and also made the farmers courageous and conscious of their
rights.

Question 24.
Why and how did Raj Kumar Shukla persu-ade Gandhiji to visit Champaran?
(Comptt. AI 2010)
Answer:
Raj Kumar Shukla was an illiterate and oppressed indigo farmer from Champaran
who came to invite Gandhiji to visit his district where injustice and oppression was
rampant. He wished Gandhiji to accompany him to Champaran and sort out the
problems of the miserable peasants. Gandhiji mentioned about his prior
engagements to Shukla but he did not give up and followed Gandhiji everywhere. He
kept urging Gandhiji to visit Champaran. Finally his persistent and patience bore
fruits and Gandhiji agreed to accompany him to Champaran immediately after his
Calcutta visit. Gandhiji’s truthfulness, sincerity of purpose and undeterred efforts
spelled the triumph of the campaign against the unjust British rulers. What began as
an attempt to fight for justice against the hapless peasants later turned out to be a
clear proclamation that the Indians would not submit to British tyranny meekly.

Question 25.
How was the Champaran incident a turning point in Gandhiji’s life? (Comptt. All India
2010)
Answer:
Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight against the injustice of the landlord system
there. Most of the land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by
Englishmen who hired Indian tenants to grow indigo there. The Indian peasants were
sharecroppers and had to surrender 15 per cent of the indigo harvest as rent to the
British. After synthetic indigo was developed the Englishmen obtained fresh
agreements from sharecroppers to pay them compensation. Many refused to sign
and others wanted their money back. At this point Gandhiji arrived in Champaran
with an aim to free the peasants from fear. He collected all the facts and met the
commissioner who tried to bully him and advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji did
not leave. In the course of securing justice for the oppressed farmers of Champaran,
Gandhiji had to clash with the British authorities several times before he could
persuade them to agree to his viewpoint.

The Champaran episode turned out to be Gandhiji’s loud pronouncement that the
Britishes could not order him about in his own country. It established the
effectiveness of non¬cooperation as a means of fighting for justice. The Champaran
episode revealed Gandhiji’s principles in the political field. Even after winning the
peasants’ battle against the English landlords Gandhiji stayed in Champaran for the
cultural and social upliftment of the poor and the backward of the villages of
Champaran.

Question 26.
Why do you think Gandhiji considered the Champaran episode to be a turning-point
in his life? (All India 2011)
Answer:
Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight against the injustice of the landlord system
there. Most of the land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by
Englishmen who hired Indian tenants to grow indigo there. The Indian peasants were
sharecroppers and had to surrender 15 per cent of the indigo harvest as rent to the
British. After synthetic indigo was developed the Englishmen obtained fresh
agreements from sharecroppers to pay them compensation. Many refused to sign
and others wanted their money back. At this point Gandhiji arrived in Champaran
with an aim to free the peasants from fear. He collected all the facts and met the
commissioner who tried to bully him and advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji did
not leave. In the course of securing justice for the oppressed farmers of Champaran,
Gandhiji had to clash with the British authorities several times before he could
persuade them to agree to his viewpoint.

The Champaran episode turned out to be Gandhiji’s loud pronouncement that the
Britishes could not order him about in his own country. It established the
effectiveness of non¬cooperation as a means of fighting for justice. The Champaran
episode revealed Gandhiji’s principles in the political field. Even after winning the
peasants’ battle against the English landlords Gandhiji stayed in Champaran for the
cultural and social upliftment of the poor and the backward of the villages of
Champaran.

Question 27.
How did Gandhiji use satyagraha and non-violence at Champaran to achieve his
goal? (2011)
Answer:
Gandhiji reached Champaran with a goal to alleviate the peasants’ sufferings at the
hands of the British landlords. He met the Secretary of the Landlords’ Association
and the Commissioner who told him to leave Champaran. They signed the order but
also wrote that Gandhiji would disobey it and sent a full report to the Viceroy. This
was followed by spontaneous demonstrations by thousands of peasants around the
court house. The lawyers too resolved to follow Gandhiji to jail forcing the case
against him to be dropped. This was the first victory of Civil Disobedience. Then an
official enquiry into the indigo sharecroppers’ situation was instituted and the
landlords agreed to refund the peasants. The sharecropper accepted the 25 per cent
refund. The landlords surrendered a part of the money with a part of their prestige.
So Gandhiji achieved his objective in removing the fear of the poor peasants and
getting justice for them through ‘satyagraha’ and ‘non-violence’.

Question 28.
Give an account of Gandhiji’s efforts to secure justice for the poor indigo
sharecroppers of Champaran. (All India 2012)
Answer:
Gandhiji took up the cause of the indigo sharecroppers at Champaran. He fought
against the injustice of the cruel British landlords who extorted money from the poor
sharecroppers. Gandhiji collected all the facts and met the Commissioner. He tried to
threaten Gandhiji and advised him to leave from there. But Gandhiji was undeterred.
He decided to launch a peaceful ‘satyagraha’ and non-violent movement. This led to
spontaneous demonstra¬tions in Motihari. Thousands of peasants challenged the
Britishers and the government was baffled. Despite earlier hesitations the prominent
lawyers declared their uncondi¬tional support to Gandhiji. Finally Gandhiji’s peaceful
and non-violent civil disobedience bore the desired results. The indigo
share¬croppers at Champaran secured justice and the landlords agreed to refund 25
per cent of the compensation money.

Question 29.
The Champaran episode was a turning point in Gandhiji’s life. Elucidate. (All India
2012)
Answer:
Gandhiji came to Champaran to fight against the injustice of the landlord system
there. Most of the land in Champaran was divided into large estates owned by
Englishmen who hired Indian tenants to grow indigo there. The Indian peasants were
sharecroppers and had to surrender 15 per cent of the indigo harvest as rent to the
British. After synthetic indigo was developed the Englishmen obtained fresh
agreements from sharecroppers to pay them compensation. Many refused to sign
and others wanted their money back. At this point Gandhiji arrived in Champaran
with an aim to free the peasants from fear. He collected all the facts and met the
commissioner who tried to bully him and advised him to leave the place. Gandhiji did
not leave. In the course of securing justice for the oppressed farmers of Champaran,
Gandhiji had to clash with the British authorities several times before he could
persuade them to agree to his viewpoint.
The Champaran episode turned out to be Gandhiji’s loud pronouncement that the
Britishes could not order him about in his own country. It established the
effectiveness of non¬cooperation as a means of fighting for justice. The Champaran
episode revealed Gandhiji’s principles in the political field. Even after winning the
peasants’ battle against the English landlords Gandhiji stayed in Champaran for the
cultural and social upliftment of the poor and the backward of the villages of
Champaran.

Question 30.
Why did Rajkumar Shukla invite Gandhiji to Champaran? How did Gandhiji solve the
problem of the indigo farmers? (All India 2012)
Answer:
Rajkmar Shukla who was an illiterate and oppressed indigo farmer from Champaran
invited Gandhiji to visit his district so that he could alleviate the problems faced by
the miserable peasants at the hands of the British landlords. He kept urging Gandhiji
to visit Champaran. Gandhiji’s truthfulness, sincerity of purpose and undeterred
efforts enabled him to solve the problem of the indigo farmers. He began by trying to
get the facts. The British landlords as well as Commissioner of Tirhut were non-
cooperative. Lawyers from Muzaffarpur briefed him about court cases of these
peasants. Gandhiji and the lawyers collected depositions by about ten thousand
peasants. Notes were made on other evidence. Documents were collected. The
whole area throbbed with the activities of the investigators and forceful protests of
landlords. The Lieutenant Governor summoned Gandhiji. After four protracted
interviews an official commission of inquiry was appointed to look into the indigo
sharecroppers’ situation. Gandhiji was the sole representative of the peasants. The
official inquiry assembled huge quantity of evidence against the big planters. After
negotiation a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers was agreed on. This
was a moral victory of the peasants. They recognised their rights and learned
courage.

Question 31.
Exploitation is a universal phenomenon. The poor indigo farmers were exploited by
the British landlords to which Gandhiji objected. Even after our independence we find
exploitation of unorganized labour. What values do we learn from Gandhiji campaign
to counter the present day problems of exploitation?(Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Gandhiji’s campaign in Champaran is relevant even in the present day to counter the
problems of exploitation. What we must keep in mind is to teach the downtrodden to
be courageous. Unless the labour class overcomes the fear within them, they will
never be able to fight for their rights. Therefore, priority has to be given to
empowering and making the labour class bold and fearless and to give them the
courage to oppose injustice and exploitation. Another thing we must remember is to
focus not on the problems of the labour class but on the solution of their problems.
We must possess a humanitarian approach and should be ready to brave hardships
with non-violence, patience and perseverance. Only then can we overcome the
present-day problems of exploitation.

Question 32.
Why did Gandhiji agree to a settlement of 25 per cent refund to the farmers? How
did it influence the peasant-landlord relationship in Champaran? (All India 2013)
Answer:
Gandhiji had demanded the indigo planters for a 50 per cent refund to the farmers
but they offered only 25 per cent. But Gandhiji agreed to their offer because for him
the amount of the refund was of less importance. More important was the fact that
the planters had been forced to surrender part of their rights. It was a moral victory
for the farmers. Gandhiji’s main aim was to break the deadlock between the
landlords and their tenants and to enable the peasants to recognise their legal rights.
Within a few years the British planters abandoned their estates, which reverted to the
peasants and finally indigo sharecropping disappeared.

Question 33.
Attempt the following in about 100 words:
Our scriptures tell us that determination and perseverance are cardinal virtues of a
good human being. Raj Kumar Shukla succeeded in taking Gandhiji to Champaran
with the help of these two.
How can young students today use these two qualities to make successful careers
for themselves? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Determination is your decision to do something against all odds. Perseverance is to
keep doing something for the time needed to achieve your goal no matter how long
or difficult the path is. No wonder these two qualities should be the ‘mantra’ for
young students to make a successful career for themselves. If there is one quality,
one personal trait that is most correlated with success it is the trait of per¬sistence—
the ability to endure till the end. With a little more perseverance what once seemed a
hopeless failure may turn to glorious success. Determination and perseverance give
us hope that the righteous suffer no other failure except that of giving up and no
longer trying.

Question 34.
Why is the Champaran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian struggle
for Independence? (All India 2014)
Answer:
The Champaran episode was a landmark in the Gandhian style of fighting against
the British. It was a long-drawn out but peaceful agitation. It was also a turning point
in Gandhiji’s life. During this struggle Gandhiji decided to urge the departure of the
Britishers. It did not begin as an act of defiance but it grew out of an . attempt to
make the sufferings of the poor peasants less severe. It was the triumph of the first
civil disobedience movement. The Champaran episode taught the farmers to be
courageous and made them aware of their rights. It was a spontaneous
demonstration around the courtroom and the beginning of the peasant liberation
from the fear of Britishers. In the Champaran episode, self-reliance and freedom
struggle went hand in hand.

Question 35.
Gandhiji’s was not a loyalty to abstractions; it was a loyalty to living human beings.
Why did Gandhiji continue his stay in Champaran even after indigo sharecropping
disappeared? (All India 2014)
Answer:
Gandhiji never contented himself with large political and economic solutions. He saw
the cultural and social backwardness in the villages of Champaran and wanted to do
something about it immediately. So he continued his stay in Champaran even after
indigo sharecropping disappeared. He appealed to two young men, who were
teachers and their wives to engage volunteers for improving conditions of health and
hygiene. Since the health conditions were miserable in Champaran, Gandhiji got a
doctor to volunteer his services for six months. He noticed the filthy state of women’s
clothes and asked his wife, Kasturba to talk to them about it. During his long stay in
Champaran Gandhiji also kept a long distance watch on the ashram. In everything
Gandhiji did, he tried to mould a new free India that could stand on its own feet.

Question 36.
Describe how, according to Louis Fischer, Gandhiji succeeded in his Champaran
campaign? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
According to Louis Fischer, the Champaran campaign began as an attempt to fight
against the injustice towards the helpless peasants to alleviate their sufferings. It
later turned out to be Gandhiji’s loud pronouncement that the Britishers could not
order him about in his own country. Gandhiji took up the cause of the indigo
sharecroppers at Champaran. He fought against the injustice of the cruel British
landlords who extorted money from the poor sharecroppers. Gandhiji collected all
the facts and met the Commissioner. He tried to threaten Gandhiji and advised him
to leave from there. But Gandhiji was undeterred. He decided to launch a peaceful
‘satyagraha’ and non-violent movement. This led to spontaneous demonstrations in
Motihari. Thousands of peasants challenged the Britishers and the government was
baffled. Despite earlier hesitations the prominent lawyers declared their
unconditional support to Gandhiji. Finally Gandhiji’s peaceful and non-violent civil
disobedience bore the desired results. The indigo sharecroppers at Champaran
secured justice and the landlords agreed to refund 25 percent of the compensation
money.

Question 37.
What did Gandhiji do to remove the cultural and social backwardness in the
Champaran villages? (Comptt. Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Gandhiji never contented himself with large political and economic solutions. He saw
the cultural and social backwardness in the villages of Champaran and wanted to do
something about it immediately. So he continued his stay in Champaran even after
indigo sharecropping disappeared. He appealed to two young men, who were
teachers and their wives to engage volunteers for improving conditions of health and
hygiene. Since the health conditions were miserable in Champaran, Gandhiji got a
doctor to volunteer his services for six months. He noticed the filthy state of women’s
clothes and asked his wife, Kasturba to talk to them about it. During his long stay in
Champaran Gandhiji also kept a long distance watch on the ashram. In everything
Gandhiji did, he tried to mould a new free India that could stand on its own feet.

Also add: Gandhiji was different from other politicians. His politics was concerned
with the day to day problems of the people. His aim was to mould the Indians who
could stand on their own feet and make India free. The purpose of
Gandhiji’s visit to Champaran was to bring justice to the sharecroppers. But after that
was achieved he stayed on to alleviate the sufferings of the people in Champaran.
He started schools and clinics. His friends, wife and sons volunteered to help him.
Gandhiji stayed nearly for a year in Champaran.

Question 38.
How did a visit to Champaran become a turning point in Gandhi’s life? How does this
show Gandhi’s love and concern for the com¬mon people of India? (Comptt. All
India 2015)
Answer:
The Champaran episode began as an attempt to fight against the injustice towards
the hapless peasants to alleviate their sufferings. It later turned out to be Gandhiji’s
loud pronounce-ment that the Britishers could not order him about in his own
country. It established the effectiveness of non-cooperation as a means of fighting
for justice. Gandhiji did not get intimidated either by the British officials or by their
offers. The Champaran episode was not an outcome of defiance of authorities but it
was a result of sincere efforts to relieve the suffering of the masses. It revealed
Gandhiji’s principles in the political field. After winning the peasants’ battle against
the English landlords Gandhiji stayed on in Champaran for the cultural and social
upliftment of the poor and backward villages of Champaran.

Question 39.
Gandhiji had great love for the poor. What did he do for the indigo farmers of
Champaran? (2016)
Answer:
The indigo sharecroppers in Champaran were being exploited by the British
landlords. Gandhiji was called for help to alleviate their sufferings. At first he
removed the peasants’ fear and united them. He then changed the professional
mindset of the lawyers. He also made the landlords agree to return 25 per cent of the
compensation. The landlords finally left Champaran. Then Gandhiji started his
second mission of solving the problem of the cultural and social backwardness in
Champaran. He spread awareness regarding sanitation, health and education. Since
the health conditions were miserable, he got a doctor to volunteer his services for six
months. After winning the peasants’ battle Gandhiji started working for the cultural
and social upliftment of the poor and backward villagers.

Question 40.
Gandhiji, Father of our nation, is a great leader whose values have been admired by
one and all. Describe at least three characteristics of Gandhiji you get to know from
‘Indigo’, which you wish to adopt into your own life quoting suitable instances from
the story. (Comptt. Delhi 2017)
Answer:
There is no denying the fact that Gandhiji’s values and ideologies have been
admired by one and all. In the lesson ‘Indigo’ we get a glimpse of his certain traits
that we should adopt in our own life. When Gandhiji reached Champaran, his main
aim was to solve the problem of the sharecroppers and he worked towards that
cause relentlessly. This quality enabled him to overcome all obstacles. Despite his
unassuming and simple personality Gandhiji did not get intimidated by the British. He
dared to face each situation fearlessly and nothing could deter him from his path.
After having resolved the issue of compensation of the sharecroppers he focussed
his attention on the social and cultural problems of the people of Champaran. Here
too he displayed an extreme sense of sincerity towards this mammoth task. If we
adopt these characteristics of Gandhiji in our life we too are bound to achieve
success in our endeavours.

Question 41.
Leadership is all about a strong concern for others. What light does Champaran
episode throw on Gandhiji’s leadership? (Comptt. All India 2017)
Answer:
There is no doubt about the fact that a good leader is one who has a strong concern
for others. Not only does he have a mass appeal but he even rises from the masses.
He is a man of principles and his life is an open book. Gandhiji’s sincere efforts to
get justice for the Champaran sharecroppers and his conscientious endeavours to
uplift the people there are proof enough of the true leadership qualities that he
possessed. His primary concern was the welfare of the common man because
Gandhiji never contented himself with large political or economic solutions. Seeing
the cultural and social backwardness in the Champaran village he wanted to do
something about it immediately. His politics was always intertwined with the practical
day-to-day problems of the millions and through his selfless actions he displayed
what true leadership was all about

Poets and Pancakes Important Questions

CBSE Class 12 English
1. Answer each of the following questions in about 30-40 words:

Question 1.
Why is the Englishman’s visit referred to us as unexplained mystery? (2002 Delhi)
Answer:
The visit of the Englishman raised many queries and doubts in the minds of those
who were working in Gemini Studios. The Englishman’s name was unfamiliar and his
credentials too were unconfirmed. No one could understand his speech so everyone
wondered why he had come to a film studio that made Tamil films for simple people
who had no interest in English poetry.

Question 2.
Who was the English visitor to the studios and what was the purpose of his visit?
(2004 Delhi; 2011 Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
The Englishman who visited the studios was Stephen Spender. He was an English
poet and the editor of a British periodical, ‘The Encounter’. He visited the studio to
deliver a speech at the invitation of Mr. Vasan who was the boss of Gemini Studios.
He was unable to establish a rapport with his dazed audience. No one really
understood the purpose of his visit. Even his identity was discovered by Asokamitran
years later, that too by sheer chance.
Question 3.
What was MRA and why it was welcomed at the Gemini Studios? (2005 Delhi)
Answer:
The MRA, the Moral Rearmament Army, was a kind of counter movement to
international communism. They were welcomed at the Gemini Studios due to their
political affiliations. The big boss of the studio, Mr. Vasan literally played into their
hands. Also, people at the Gemini Studios were averse to communism. So the Moral
Rearmament Army could not have found a better host in India than the Gemini
Studios, who welcomed them warmly.

Question 4.
How does the author describe the incongruity of an English poet addressing the
audience at Gemini Studios? (2006 Delhi)
Answer:
The English poet’s address was a complete misfit in the midst of the Tamil knowing
audience at Gemini Studios. His speech was incongruous and his accent so
indistinct that no one actually understood a word of what he said. He was talking
about the thrills and travails of an English poet to a dazed audience. Finally, neither
the Englishman himself nor his audience understood why they were going through
the entire ordeal.

Question 5.
Why did everybody in the studio think of giving the author some work to do? (2008
Delhi)
Answer:
The author’s job was to cut out newspaper clippings on a wide variety of subjects
and store them in files. Most people saw him doing this and considered it as useless
work as they felt he was doing next to nothing. So everyone in the studio thought of
giving the author some work to do.

Question 6.
Why did the ‘boy’ in the makeup department come to the author? Why was the
author praying for crowd shooting all the time? (2008 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
The ‘boy’ in the makeup department thought that he had a great literary talent and he
wanted to enlighten the author how this talent was being allowed to go waste and
that the department was fit for barbers and perverts. The author was very eager to
avoid his epical narrations so he prayed for crowd-shooting all the time to keep the
‘boy’ busy.

Question 7.
Who was Subbu’s enemy? Why? (2008 Delhi)
Answer:
Subbu’s enemy was the ‘boy’ at the make-up department. All his anger and
frustration were directed against him. The boy was convinced that Subbu was the
cause of his woes and miseries. This ‘boy’ was jealous of Subbu’s rising stars, his
success and his intimacy with the boss.
Question 8.
What were the positive qualities of Subbu that the writer admired? (2009 Delhi; 2011
Comptt. Outside Delhi)
Answer:
The writer admired Subbu as he was a multi¬faceted genius and gave a new
direction and . definition to Gemini Studios. Subbu knew the technicalities and details
of film-making and was a good actor and writer. He was civil, friendly and completely
devoted to his boss, Mr. Vasan.

Question 9.
Account for Subbu’s importance in Gemini Studios. (2009 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Subbu was a multi-faceted genius. He was a poet, a writer and a great actor. He
gave a new meaning and direction not only to Gemini Studios but also to the art of
film-making by using all his energy and creativity to the company’s advantage.
Moreover, because of his noble and charitable nature he was loved by almost
everyone.

Question 10.
Why was Subbu considered number two at Gemini Studios? (2009 Outside Delhi;
2012 Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
Subbu was a go-getter and made a position for himself in the studios by pushing his
way to the forefront with flattery. Mr. Vasan was the boss at Gemini Studios and
Subbu, his right-hand man, became the number two at Gemini Studios. Subbu used
his entire creativity to his boss’s advantage. He was a multi-faceted genius and if a
producer was not satisfied Subbu would come up with fourteen alternatives. With
Subbu around, film-making became a sheer pleasure. Moreover Subbu gave
direction and definition to Gemini Studios during its golden years.

Question 11.
How did the people of Madras and those at Gemini Studios respond to the plays
staged by the Moral Re-Armament Army? (2010 Outside Delhi )
Answer:
The Moral Re-Armament Army presented two plays ‘Jotham Valley’ and ‘The
Forgotten Factor’ in a very professional manner. The people at Gemini Studios saw
the plays over and over again. Though the message was plain, the costumes and
sets were first rate. These plays ran several shows in Madras and left a great impact
on the studios and on Madras in general. For some years almost all Tamil plays
imitated the scenes of sunrise and sunset of ‘Jotham Valley’.

Question 12.
Why was the Moral Re-armament Army welcomed at the Gemini Studios? (2010
Outside Delhi; 2011 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
The Moral Re-armament Army was a kind of counter movement to International
Communism. The big boss of Gemini Studios, Mr. Vasan literally played into their
hands. People at the Gemini Studios had an aversion to communism. So the Moral
Re-armament Army could not have found a better host in India than the Gemini
Studios who welcomed them warmly.

Question 13.
Give one example to show that Gemini Studios was influenced by the plays staged
by MRA. (2010 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
The MRA staged two plays ‘Jotham Valley’ and ‘The Forgotten Factor’. These were
presented in the most professional manner. The six hundred strong Gemini family
saw these plays numerous times because of their fabulous sets and costumes. For
years the Gemini Studios copied the sets and costumes in the manner of ‘Jotham
Valley’. Also for some years almost all Tamil plays had a scene of sunrise and
sunset in the manner of ‘Jotham Valley’.

Question 14.
Which example of national integration in Gemini Studios is given in ‘Poets and
Pancakes’? (2010 Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
The make-up department of the Gemini Studios gave a rare example of national
integration. The department was first headed by a Bengali who was succeeded by a
Maharashtrian. He was assisted by a Kannadiga from Dharwar, an Andhra, a
Madras Indian Christian and an Anglo-Burmese. Then there were the usual local
Tamils. All this gave ample proof of national integration.

Question 15.
Why did Asokamirtan pray for crowd¬shooting all the time? (2010 Comptt. Outside
Delhi)
Answer:
Asokamirtan was wrongly believed to have nothing to do so the office-boy often
came to his cubicle to give an outlet to his frustrations and stress the fact that a great
talent was being wasted. The author was bored with the office boy’s never-ending
babble and prayed for crowd-shooting all the time so that the boy remained busy and
did not pester him.

Question 16.
Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at Gemini studios? (2011 Delhi; 2012
Delhi)
Answer:
The author’s job was to sit at his desk and tear up newspapers all day. He used to
cut newspaper clippings on a wide variety of subjects and stored them in files. His
job was not directly related to film making at the studio. So he appeared to be doing
nothing at Gemini Studios.

Question 17.
How did the author discover who the English visitor to the Studios was? (2012 Delhi)
Or
How did Asokamitran come to know that the English visitor to the Gemini Studios
was Stephen Spender? (2012 Comptt. Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Years later, when Asokamitran was out of Gemini Studios he bought a pile of brand
new books at a reduced price from a footpath in front of Madras Mount Road Post
Office. In a book ‘The God That Failed’ six eminent writers had described their
journeys into communism. It was in this book that he came across the name of
Stephen Spender and finally discovered the identity of the English visitor to the
Studios.

Question 18.
What made the lawyer lose his job? What does the writer find so funny about the
situation? (2012 Delhi; 2013 Delhi)
Answer:
The lawyer was the legal adviser of an assembly of writers of the Gemini Studio’s
Story Department. One day, the Boss terminated the services of the poets and
writers as he found their contribution to the Studio negligible. With the closure of the
Story Department the lawyer too lost his job. The writer found this situation funny
because the lawyer lost his job as the poets and writers were told to go.

Question 19.
Why was the office boy disappointed with his job in the Gemini Studios? (2012
Outside Delhi)
Answer:
The office boy had come to work in the Gemini Studios in the hope of becoming a
star or a renowned screen writer, director or lyricist. But he felt disappointed because
in spite of having crossed the age of forty he had not been able to fulfil any of his
dreams.

Question 20.
Kothamangalam Subbu was treated with regard in the Gemini Studios. Why? (2012
Comptt. Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Kothamangalam Subbu was treated with regard at Gemini Studios. He held the No.
2 position there. His sense of loyalty made him turn his entire creativity to his Boss’
advantage. Moreover, he had the ability to inspire when commanded and he made
the art of film¬making appear very easy. He was a most charitable and improvident
man.

Question 21.
Why is the Englishman’s visit to the Gemini Studios referred to as an unexplained
mystery? (2012 Comptt. Outside Delhi)
Answer:
The Englishman addressed a dazed and silent audience at Gemini Studios. No one
knew who he was and what he was talking about. His accent also defeated any
attempt to understand what he was saying. The Englishman himself looked equally
baffled due to the incongruity of his talk. So his visit is referred to as an unexplained
mystery.
Question 22.
Why did Asokamitran pray for crowd¬shooting all the time?
Answer:
Asokamitran was wrongly believed to have nothing to do so the office-boy often
came to his cubicle to give an outlet to his frustrations and stress the fact that a great
talent was being wasted. The author was bored with the office boy’s never-ending
babble and prayed for crowd-shooting all the time so that the boy remained busy and
did not pester him.

2. Answer each of the following questions in about 125-150 words.

Question 23.
Kothamangalam Subbu was a ‘many-sided genius’. Elaborate. (2000 Delhi)
Or
Why is Subbu described as a many-sided genius? Give a reasoned answer. (2013
Comptt. Outside Delhi)
Answer:
It is through the character of Kothamangalam Subbu, that the author depicts a
caricature of the so-called ‘go-getters’ who are not really talented but manage to
create an aura of talent around themselves. Though officially on the rolls of the Story
Department at Gemini Studios, he was always with the boss. Subbu directs all his
energies and creativity to his boss’ advantage. He delves into the various spheres of
film-making successfully giving the impression of being a brilliant story-writer, a
talented actor and a man who is always ready with many solutions for any problem.
He makes the art of film-making appear rather easy for his boss. Thus Subbu with
his scheming nature takes advantage of his boss’ gullibility and passes off himself as
a multi-sided genius with multi-faceted abilities.

Question 24.
Asokamitran has used humour and satire effectively in ‘Poets and Pancakes’.
Discuss. (2001 Delhi)
Or
How does humour and satire enliven the account of the events and personalities at
Gemini Studios as portrayed by Asokamitran in ‘Poets and Pancakes’? (2013
Outside Delhi)
Answer:
In the chapter, ‘Poets and Pancakes’, Asokamitran uses a lot of subtle humour and
satire to highlight human foibles. Petty professional differences and inconsequential
differences not only keep our minds occupied but also bring out a subtle humour that
is spontaneous without being superfluous. The characterisation of the office boy,
Subbu and the legal advisor, have subtle touches of humour. Asokamitran’s chatty
style changes from one thought to the other rather quickly. For example, he makes
fun of the makeup applied to artists which can change any decent looking person
into a hideous crimson hued monster. Such references invoke laughter. The purpose
of the visits of the Moral Rearmament Army and the English poet also baffles
everyone. Satire is also directed towards people who are against communism and
can go to any length to oppose it. The writer’s tone of ridicule is devoid of the
slightest trace of mockery, which is most commendable.
Question 25.
Subbu was ‘tailor-made for films’. How did he use his genius in various activities in
the Gemini Studios? (2008 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
The author portrays Subbu as a man of versatile abilities who could delve into
various aspects of film-making successfully. Subbu had mastered all the arts related
to film-making ranging from story-writing to poetry and characterisation. He was in
fact ‘tailor-made’ for film-making. Film-making seemed rather easy with an expert like
Subbu walking around as he understood all the trivialities and technicalities of film-
making. Subbu was the one who gave ‘a new direction and definition’ to the Gemini
Studios during its golden years. Subbu directed his entire energies and creativity to
his boss, Mr. Vasan’s advantage. If his boss was dissatisfied with one scene Subbu
would offer him many alternatives. He understood all the complications of film-
making and could showcase his talent in every artistic arena.

Question 26.
Why and how was the Moral Re-Armament Army welcomed at the Gemini Studios?
(2008 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Frank Buchman’s Moral Re-Armament Army comprising of a group of two hundred
people belonging to twenty nationalities visited Madras in 1952. The MRA was seen
to be a counter movement to international communism and people at the Gemini
Studios did not think highly of communism and communists. But Mr. Vasan, the boss
at Gemini Studios was fascinated by the MRA, so they could not have found a
‘warmer’ host than Gemini Studios in India. The MRA presented two plays ‘Jotham
Valley’ and ‘The Forgotten Factor’ in the most professional manner. Six hundred
people of the Gemini Studios saw the plays many times. These plays conveyed
simple messages but their sets and costumes were ‘first rate’. They impressed both
the Tamil drama community and the Gemini Studios. The sunrise and sunset scenes
of ‘Jotham Valley’ continued to be copied for years to come.

Question 27.
‘Subbu was a troubleshooter.’ Do you agree with this statement? Give an account of
Subbu’s qualities of head and heart. (2012 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Subbu was a perfectly selfish go-getter whose obsequiousness brought him close to
his boss and shot him to number two position at Gemini Studios. He was a very
conniving person who took advantage of his boss’ gullibility and portrayed himself as
a rather competent and able person. Though he was undeserving and lacked talent,
he always remained cheerful and did not let anything dampen his spirits. He always
had something good to say about everyone. Film-making appeared easy with an
expert like Subbu around. He used all his energy and creativity to his boss’
advantage. Subbu was also a great poet and an amazing actor. He wrote truly
original poems for the masses and as an actor he played secondary roles better than
the main actors. His sycophancy to his boss earned him enemies. Also he angered
many such people who considered themselves much more talented and deserving
than him.
Question 28.
What political significance does Gemini Studios’ invitation to Moral Re-Armament
army and Stephen Spender show? (2012 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
The Moral Re-Armament army was a kind of counter movement to Communism and
the people at the Gemini Studios had a natural aversion towards Communists and
Communism. They considered that the aim of Communists was to spread unrest and
violence. So by being a ‘warm host’ to the Moral Re¬Armament army the people at
the Gemini Studios actually displayed a counter movement to the ideas of
Communism. By inviting Stephen Spender, once again the purpose of the Gemini
Studios was to highlight how a renowned English poet, who was once attracted to
Communism, was later completely disillusioned by it. This further strengthened their
aversion to Communism and they were able to publicly display this aversion

The Interview Important Questions CBSE

Class 12 English
1. Answer each of the following questions in about 30-40 words:

Question 1.
Why did Umberto Eco prefer himself to be called an academician than a novelist?
(2000 Delhi)
Answer:
Despite achieving fame as a novelist, Eco preferred to associate himself with the
academic community because his non-fictional work occupied him for the first fifty
years of his life. He wrote his first novel at the age of around fifty. He identified
himself more with the academic community and resorts to writing fiction only when
he’was not pursuing some scholarly work.

Question 2.
Why do most celebrity writers despise being interviewed? (2003 Delhi)
Or
What are the views of writers like V.S. Naipaul and Lewis Carroll on interviews?
(2005 Delhi)
Answer:
Celebrities like V.S. Naipaul, Rudyard Kipling, Lewis Carroll and H.G. Wells have
expressed their strong despise for interviews. They consider interviews immoral -‘an
assault’ because they feel interviews leave a rather disparaging effect on their
personalities and are an encroachment on their privacy.

Question 3.
What was unique and distinctive about Eco’s academic writing style? (2004 Delhi)
Or
What do you learn about Umberto Eco’s distinctive style in his doctoral dissertation?
(2013 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Umberto Eco’s academic writing style is personal, informal and playful. He fills his
research stories with all the trials and errors so that even his research work has the
uniqueness . of creative writing and reading. It is not only informative but also
interesting.

Question 4.
State the reason for the huge success of the novel, “The Name of the Rose”. (2008
Delhi)
Answer:
There is no one reason for the huge success of the novel “The Name of the Rose’.
Umberto Eco himself calls its success a mystery. It is possible that this detective
story that delved into metaphysics, theology and medieval history, interested the
readers because the time in which it was written was most appropriate, neither a
decade earlier nor a decade later.

Question 5.
“The Name of the Rose” deals with medieval history. Was it responsible for the
novel’s success? (2008 Delhi)
Answer:
The success of the novel ‘The Name of the Rose’ did not depend on merely one
factor. Many other novels dealt with medieval history but did not achieve much
success. Its success is more attributed to the timing of its publication, its narrative
style and detective yarn and also the fact that it delves into metaphysics and
theology along with medieval history.

Question 6.
What did the publisher think of ‘The Name of the Rose’? (2008 Delhi; 2012 Delhi)
Answer:
The American publisher of ‘The Name of the Rose’ loved and liked the novel but did
not expect to sell more than 3,000 copies. No one goes to a cathedral or studies
Latin in America so it was really difficult to sell such a novel there. But the publisher
was proved wrong as two to three million copies of the novel were sold in America.

Question 7.
What drawbacks of interviews have been pointed out by Lewis Carrol? (2010 Delhi)
Answer:
Lewis Carrol considers interviews as an ‘unwarranted intrusion’ that is immoral and
an offence against his person. He shunned interviews for fear of being projected as
larger than life. His vehement refusal for interviews
enabled him to keep his fans as well as interviews at an arm’s length.

Question 8.
Why do most celebrity writers hate to be interviewed? (2010 Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
Most of the celebrity writers shun interviews as they feel that interviews leave a
disparaging effect on their personalities. They consider them as an encroachment on
their privacy. Writers like V.S. Naipaul feel they are being wounded by interviews and
thus losing a part of themselves.
Question 9.
How did Lewis Carroll react to the interviews? (2012 Comptt. Outside Delhi)
Or
What was Lewis Carroll’s attitude towards being interviewed? (2010 Comptt. Outside
Delhi)
Answer:
Lewis Carrol shunned interviews for the fear of being projected as larger than life. He
vehemently refused to give interviews and kept his fans, acquaintances and
interviewers at an arm’s length. This give him a great sense of satisfaction.

2. Answer each of the following questions in about 125-150 words.

Question 10.
What made the American publisher think that the novel ‘The Name of the Rose’
won’t sell in America? What actually happened? What was the secret of its success?
(2013 Delhi)
Or
What is the reason for the huge success of the novel “The Name of the Rose”
according to Umberto Eco? (2002 Delhi)
Answer:
The American publisher believed that people like trash whereas ‘The Name of the
Rose’ delved into metaphysics, theology and medieval history and people do not like
these difficult reading experiences. Through his novel, which sold between 10 to 15
million copies, Umberto Eco reached only a small percentage of readers. But,
according to him, it is those kind of readers who do not want easy experiences, or at
least, do not always want this. Umberto Eco cannot categorically state the reason for
the huge success of the novel, ‘The Name of the Rose’. He himself refers to its
success as a mystery. He feels this detective story that delved into metaphysics,
theology and medieval history interested the readers as it was written at the most
appropriate time. Had it been written a decade earlier or later, it would not have been
so successful. The way the book stormed the literary world, once it was out,
surprised everyone. Even though it contained somewhat heavy reading, the book
attracted a mass audience and Eco became famous as a novelist, rather than an
academic scholar the world over.

Question 11.
What do you think about Umberto Eco? Does he like being interviewed? Give
reasons in support of your answer from the text ‘The Interview’. (2006 Delhi)
Answer:
Unlike various other celebrities who express a strong dislike for interviews and
consider it an encroachment upon their privacy, Umberto Eco seems to kind of enjoy
giving interviews considering the spirited manner in which he answers the questions
put forth to him by the interviewer, Mukund Padmanabhan. Eco readily and truthfully
answers all the questions in the most humble and sincere manner, delving into
details, thus revealing the fact that he actually does not mind sharing his experiences
with others. At no point does he display any kind of haste to wind up the interview. In
fact, he explicitly answers all the questions that Padmanabhan asks him giving the
interviewer a feeling of warmth and being welcome.
Question 12.
Why did Umberto Eco start writing novels and when? What does Eco say about the
huge success of his novel, ‘The Name of the Rose’ in spite of it being a difficult and
very serious novel? (2008 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Umberto Eco was essentially an academician who pursued his scholarly pursuits
through academic writings. He wrote about forty non¬fictions and as he himself says,
‘he became a novelist by accident’. That was the reason he started writing novels at
the age of almost fifty. Eco considers himself ‘a university professor who writes
novels (only) on Sundays’. He is not even very sure about any one single reason for
the huge success of his novel ‘The Name of the Rose’. He feels perhaps the timing
of the novel’s publication was the most important factor of its success. The fact that
at one level it appears to be a detective yarn but also delves into metaphysics,
theology and medieval history also adds to its appeal. Though the novel is quite a
heavy reading experience, it attracted a mass audience and made Eco popular more
as a novelist rather than an academic scholar.

Question 13.
What impression do you form about Umberto Eco as a scholar and writer on the
basis of ‘The Interview’? (2010 Outside Delhi)
Or
What was distinctive about Eco’s academic writing style? (2011 Delhi)
Answer:
Umberto Eco’s style is narrative, written in the manner of a story. This is in contrast
to a regular academic style which is invariably depersonalised, dry and boring. His
scholarly work has a certain playful and personal quality to it. He pursued his
philosophical interests through his academic work and novels. He also wrote books
for children on non-violence and peace.

Umberto Eco, a professor at the University of Bologna, in Italy, is an authority on

Semeiotics, the study of signs. He is also a well known novelist. His scholarly works
include academic texts, essays, childrens’ books and newspaper articles. He
pursues his philosophical interests through his academic writings and novels. In spite
of having reached the zeniths of intellectuality, Eco is a humble and modest scholar.
He brushes aside compliments and never boasts about his achievements. He is
keen to share his experiences with others and shares the secret of accomplishing so
much work by revealing the facts that he makes use of time- gaps between different
pieces of work. Eco follows an informal and playful style of writing with a narrative
aspect. Even his research work has a quality of creative writing and makes
informative as well as interesting reading.

Question 14.
Eco’s academic work has certain playful and personal quality about it. Comment.
(2013 Comptt. Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Eco presents his arguments very logically and with a subtle wit and playfulness to it.
He himself says that he started writing novels by accident. He essentially considers
himself a university professor who wrote novels on Sunday. This non-fictional writing
is a marked departive from the regular depersonalised style which is often dry and
boring. Even his research work has the quality of creative writing and makes not only
information but also interesting reading. In his doctoral dissertation, Eco tells the
story of his research including his trials and errors. His: essays too always have a
narrative aspect.

Question 15.
Umberto Eco is an academic as well as a famous novelist. Comment. (2013 Comptt.
Delhi)
Answer:
Despite getting famous as a novelist, Umberto Eco always associated himself with
the academic community. He has written only five novels as compared to the forty
scholarly works of non-fiction. He considers himself as a university professor who
writes novels on Sundays. When he presented his first Doctoral dissertation in Italy,
one of the professors was impressed by the way he told the story of his research,
including his trials and errors. His essays always have a narrative aspect. He started
writing novels quite late, at the age of 50, by accident to satisfy his taste for
narration.

Question 16.
Why do some celebrity writers not like being interviewed?
Answer:
Some celebrities see themselves as victims, and despise the interview as an
unwarranted intrusion into their lives. They feel that it somehow diminishes them, just
as in some primitive cultures it is believed that ‘if one takes a photographic portrait of
somebody then one is stealing that person’s soul’. V.S. Naipaul feels that ‘some
people are wounded by interviews and lose a part of themselves’. Lewis Carroll says
that he has ‘just a horror for the interviewer’ and he never consented to be
interviewed. Rudyard Kipling expressed an even more condemnatory attitude
towards the interviewer. His wife reports her husband as saying that he considered
an interview as a crime and immoral and thus it merits punishment.

Going Places Important Questions

Class 12 English
Question 1.
“Damn that Geoff, this was a Geoff thing not a Jansie thing.” Why did Sophie say so?
(Delhi 2010)
Answer:
Sophie had cooked up the story of her meeting with Danny Casey to impress Geoff
who was a great fan of the football prodigy. She knew this news would be of great
interest to her brother. She had also thought her brother would keep her secret. She
did not want Jansie, who was ‘nosey’, to know about this. So when Geoff told Jansie,
Sophie cursed him because she knew Jansie would spread her story in the entire
neighbourhood.
Question 2.
Why did Sophie like her brother Geoff more than any other person? (All India 2010)
Answer:
For Sophie, her brother Geoff was the only person who listened to her fantasies and
long cherished dreams. She only trusted Geoff to keep all her secrets to himself.

Question 3.
Why didn’t Sophie want Jansie to know about her story with Danny? (All India 2010)
Answer:
Jansie told Sophie that Geoff had given her the news of her (Sophie’s) meeting with
Danny Casey. Sophie cursed Geoff for telling Jansie this because it was meant to be
something special between Geoff and her. ‘It wasn’t the jansie kind of thing at all’.
Jansie was ‘nosey’ and now the whole neighbourhood would come to know her
story.

Question 4.
What did Sophie tell Geoff about her meeting with Danny Casey? (All India 2010)
Answer:
Sophie told Geoff that she had met Danny Casey, the wonder footballer. As she was
looking at the clothes in a shop’s window Casey came and stood beside her. Geoff
did not believe her. Sophie then went on to tell him that Casey had green and gentle
eyes and he was not very tall.

Question 5.
Why didn’t Sophie want Jansie to know about her story with Danny? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Sophie did not want Jansie to know anything about her meeting with Danny Casey
because she knew Jansie was good at spreading rumours. Telling anything to Jansie
was like telling the whole town. Sophie had made up this story only for her family and
she did not want this story to spread in the town.

Question 6.
Did Geoff keep his promise to Sophie? How do you know? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
No, Geoff did not keep his promise to Sophie. He told Sophie’s secret to Jansie’s
brother Frank who in turn told Jansie about it. We know this because Jansie
questions Sophie about her meeting with footballer, Danny Casey and Sophie is
startled that Jansie knows about this meeting.

Question 7.
How did Sophie’s father react when Geoff told him about her meeting with Danny
Casey? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
When Geoff told their father about Sophie’s meeting with Danny Casey he did not
believe it and suspected it was one of Sophie’s wild stories. He was filled with
disdain and did not want to encourage her in any way. So he warned her to keep
herself out of any kind of trouble.
Question 8.
What thoughts came to Sophie’s mind as she sat by the canal? (All India 2011)
Answer:
Sophie considers the spot along the canal the best place for a date, as it is away
from the rush of the city. As she sits by the canal she is lost in the world of her
dreams. She imagines Casey coming along the river and her own excitement
thereafter.

Question 9.
Which was the only occasion when Sophie got to see Danny Casey in person? (All
India 2011)
Answer:
The only occasion when Sophie got to see Danny Casey in person was when she
had gone to see the football match with her family. Sitting among the spectators, she
saw Danny Casey from a distance.

Question 10.
Why did Jansie discourage Sophie from enter¬taining thoughts about the sports-star,
Danny Casey? (All India 2011)
Answer:
Jansie is a practical girl who lives in the real world. She knows that Danny Casey, a
sports- star is far beyond Sophie’s dreams and imagination. So she discourages
Sophie from entertaining any kind of wild thoughts about him.

Question 11.
Did Geoff keep his promise? How do you know? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
No, Geoff did not keep his promise. He told Frank about Sophie’s meeting with
Danny Casey though he had promised her he would not disclose it. Even Jansie
came to know about it. Sophie was happy to know that Geoff had at least not
revealed the date of her meeting with Casey.

Question 12.
Why did Sophie not want Jansie to know any¬thing about her meeting with Danny
Casey?(All India 2012)
Answer:
Sophie did not want Jansie to know anything about her meeting with Danny Casey
because she knew Jansie was good at spreading rumours. Telling anything to Jansie
was like telling the whole town. Sophie had made up this story only for her family and
she did not want this story to spread in the town.

Question 13.
What do you think of Sophie’s dream about her career? (Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Sophie’s dreams of her future life are far removed from her reality. She dreams of
owning a boutique, of becoming an actress but the fact was that she was earmarked
for the biscuit factory. Sophie drifts into a world of fantasy and wants to live her
dreams by stepping out of her middle-class status.
Question 14.
Though Sophie and Jansie were good friends, how were they basically different from
each other? (Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
Although Sophie and Jansie were good friends they were completely different from
each other.
Sophie lived in a world of dreams and fantasy, a world which was far removed from
reality. Jansie, on the other hand, was a sensible and realistic girl who was grounded
to her reality.

Question 15.
Why did Sophie want to keep her story with Danny a secret from Jansie? (Comptt.
All India 2012)
Answer:
Sophie did not want Jansie to know anything about her meeting with Danny Casey
because she knew Jansie was good at spreading rumours. Telling anything to Jansie
was like telling the whole town. Sophie had made up this story only for her family and
she did not want this story to spread in the town.

Question 16.
Why did Sophie like her brother, Geoff more than any other person? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
For Sophie, her brother Geoff was the only person who listened to her fantasies and
long cherished dreams. She only trusted Geoff to keep all her secrets to himself.

Question 17.
Why was Sophie jealous of Geoff’s silence? (All India 2013)
Answer:
Sophie’s brother’s hallmark is his silence. Sophie feels “words have to be prized out
of him like stone out of the ground.” She is jealous of his silence and is very keen to
enter the recesses of his mind. There is so much about her brother that Sophie only
suspects because she has never really known anything about him.

Question 18.
Did Geoff keep up his promise? How do you know? (All India 2013)
Answer:
No, Geoff did not keep his promise. He told Frank about Sophie’s meeting with
Danny Casey though he had promised her he would not disclose it. Even Jansie
came to know about it. Sophie was happy to know that Geoff had at least not
revealed the date of her meeting with Casey.

Question 19.
What is unrealistic about Sophie’s dreams of her future life? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Sophie’s dreams of her future life are far removed from her reality. She dreams of
owning a boutique, of becoming an actress but the fact was that she was earmarked
for the biscuit factory. Sophie drifts into a world of fantasy and wants to live her
dreams by stepping out of her middle-class status.
Question 20.
Why does Jansie discourage Sophie from living in a world of fantasy? (Comptt. Delhi
2013)
Answer:
Jansie was a realistic and practical girl who knew both she and Sophie were
earmarked for the biscuit factory. So she discouraged Sophie from living in a world of
fantasy. Whenever Sophie expressed her wishes aloud Jansie became melancholic
and told Sophie to behave sensibly.

Question 21.
Why did Sophie not want Jansie to know about her story with Danny? (Comptt. Delhi
2013)
Answer:
Sophie did not want Jansie to know anything about her meeting with Danny Casey
because she knew Jansie was good at spreading rumours. Telling anything to Jansie
was like telling the whole town. Sophie had made up this story only for her family and
she did not want this story to spread in the town.

Question 22.
How do we know that Sophie’s family lived in poor circumstances? (Comptt. All India
2013)
Answer:
We know that Sophie’s family lived in poor circumstances as her father worked hard
as a manual labourer. Her mother’s back had become crooked due to the burden of
household work. Their house was rather small, easily suffocated with steam from the
stove.

Question 23.
Why did Sophie want to be admitted into Geoff’s affections? (Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
Geoff was an apprentice mechanic who traveled to the far side of the city every day.
Sophie wished she could be admitted into Geoff’s affections so that someday he
might take her with him to meet those exotic and interesting people whom he never
spoke about.

Question 24.
Whom did Sophie like more than anyone else in the story? Why? (Comptt. All India
2013)
Answer:
Sophie liked her brother Geoff more than anyone else. She was most fascinated by
his evasiveness and wanted to travel with him to his enigmatic world. Her brother’s
lost and inquisitive eyes captivated her and his silence intrigued her.

Question 25.
Why did Sophie long for her brother’s affection? (All India 2014)
Answer:
Sophie longed for her brother’s affection because she trusted him more than any
other member of her family. He symbolised freedom and she wanted to be a part of
his exotic and adventurous world. He was the only one to whom she could look for
approval as her father was critical and disapproving and she hero- worshipped him.

Question 26.
How are Jansie and Sophie different from each other? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Although Jansie and Sophie are classmates and friends, their approach to life is
completely different from each other. While Jansie is practical and grounded to
reality, Sophie lives in a make-believe world of her own, which she ‘invents’ in her
imagination.

Question 27.
Why is Sophie attracted to Danny Casey? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Danny Casey is an Irish football prodigy and Sophie is attracted to him because like
most youngsters she idolizes and hero-worships him. So she envisions her meetings
with the football star and also gives vivid details of their meetings.

Question 28.
What was Sophie’s ambition in life? How did she hope to achieve that? (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
Sophie’s ambition in life was either to have her own boutique and be a fashion
designer or to be an actress. She wanted to do something a bit sophisticated. She
hoped to achieve her ambition by being a manager at a boutique to start with and
then save enough money to have her own boutique.

Question 29.
Why did Jansie discourage Sophie from hav-ing dreams? (All India 2017)
Answer:
Jansie was a realistic and practical girl who knew both she and Sophie were
earmarked for the biscuit factory. So she discouraged Sophie from living in a world of
fantasy. Whenever Sophie expressed her wishes aloud Jansie became melancholic
and told Sophie to behave sensibly.

Going Places Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions (5-6 MARKS)

Question 30.
Contrast Sophie’s real world with her fantasies. (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
Sophie belongs to a lower middle class family and lives a humble life with her
parents and elder brother. But her dreams far supercede the reality in which she is
living. Her dreams are far beyond her reach. So she wishes to open a boutique,
entertains the idea of being an actress and also aspires to be a fashion designer.
Her dreamy disposition and romantic allusions lead her to hero-worship the wonder-
footballer, Danny Casey towards whom she develops a romantic fascination. Though
she sees him only once in person she sits for hours imagining Danny Casey coming
to her. The incurable dreamer in her remains an escapist who wants to remain away
from her real world.
Question 31.
Describe the character of Sophie’s father and the role played by him. (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
Sophie’s father is a happy-go-lucky and carefree man. He does not appear to be
either soft or even sophisticated. He is a heavy breathing man. He usually sits in his
vest at the table. Sophie, it appears, fears him. He does not believe in his daughter’s
‘wild stories’ and so he ignores her completely and prefers to go and watch television
than listen to her. Even when his son Geoff tells him that Sophie had met the Irish
prodigy Danny Casey, he completely ignores this news. He is extremely interested in
football and, like all his children, he also adores Danny Casey. He is a middle-class
man who goes to the pub on his bicycle to celebrate his team’s victory and the fact
that Casey had scored a second goal. He is a rather dominating person and a typical
representation of the lower middle-class family of that time.

Question 32.
Jansie is just as old as Sophie but she is very different from her. Bring out the
contrast bet¬ween the two friends citing relevant instances from the story, “Going
Places”. (All India 2009)
Answer:
Sophie and Jansie were classmates as well as friends. They both belonged to lower
middle- class families. But that is where their similarity ends. There is a striking
contrast between their characters. Sophie is a day-dreamer and Jansie is practical.
Sophie lives in a world of dreams and does not want to come out of this fairyland.
She is an incurable escapist and dreams of having a boutique, becoming an actress
or a fashion designer. Jansie, on the other hand, is very grounded. Jansie has her
feet firmly planted on the ground and knows they are both ‘earmarked for the biscuit
factory’. She knows big things require big money and experience which they lack
desperately. She advises Sophie to be sensible and not entertain wild dreams.
Sophie and Jansie’s temperaments differ greatly. While Sophie shares her dreams
only with one person, her brother Geoff, Jansie on the other hand is nosey. She
takes an interest in learning new things about others and can spread stories in the
whole neighbourhood.

Question 33.
Contrast Sophie’s real world with her fantasies. (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
Sophie belongs to a lower middle class family and lives a humble life with her
parents and elder brother. But her dreams far supercede the reality in which she is
living. Her dreams are far beyond her reach. So she wishes to open a boutique,
entertains the idea of being an actress and also aspires to be a fashion designer.
Her dreamy disposition and romantic allusions lead her to hero-worship the wonder-
footballer, Danny Casey towards whom she develops a romantic fascination. Though
she sees him only once in person she sits for hours imagining Danny Casey coming
to her. The incurable dreamer in her remains an escapist who wants to remain away
from her real world.

Question 34.
Compare and contrast Sophie and Jansie high¬lighting their temperament and
aspirations. (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Sophie and Jansie were classmates as well as friends. They both belonged to lower
middle- class families. But that is where their similarity ends. There is a striking
contrast between their characters. Sophie is a day-dreamer and Jansie is practical.
Sophie lives in a world of dreams and does not want to come out of this fairyland.
She is an incurable escapist and dreams of having a boutique, becoming an actress
or a fashion designer. Jansie, on the other hand, is very grounded. Jansie has her
feet firmly planted on the ground and knows they are both ‘earmarked for the biscuit
factory’. She knows big things require big money and experience which they lack
desperately. She advises Sophie to be sensible and not entertain wild dreams.
Sophie and Jansie’s temperaments differ greatly. While Sophie shares her dreams
only with one person, her brother Geoff, Jansie on the other hand is nosey. She
takes an interest in learning new things about others and can spread stories in the
whole neighbourhood.

Question 35.
Attempt a character sketch of Sophie as a woman who lives in her dreams. (Delhi
2012)
Answer:
Sophie belongs to a lower middle class family and lives a humble life with her
parents and elder brother. But her dreams far supercede the reality in which she is
living. Her dreams are far beyond her reach. So she wishes to open a boutique,
entertains the idea of being an actress and also aspires to be a fashion designer.
Her dreamy disposition and romantic allusions lead her to hero-worship the wonder-
footballer, Danny Casey towards whom she develops a romantic fascination. Though
she sees him only once in person she sits for hours imagining Danny coming to her.
The incurable dreamer in her remains an escapist who wants to remain away from
her real world.

Question 36.
Why did Sophie enjoy living in a world of dreams? Describe some of her dreams. (All
India 2012)
Answer:
Sophie, like most girls of her age, enjoyed living in her world of dreams which
provided to her the refuge she needed from her middle – class reality. Through her
dream world she visualised for herself a life that she would like to lead. Her
imagination drew into her life all the things she desired and people she idolised but
could never make a part of her real life. Sophie dreams of having her own boutique
after she leaves school, a boutique which will be the most amazing in the city.
Becoming an actress or a fashion designer is also her dream. She was conscious of
a vast world which waited for her and she was very sure that she would adjust easily
in that world. In her dream world, Sophie dreams of meeting the sensational
footballer Danny Casey. She even fixes a date with him and actually travels to that
place and waits for him to come. In her world of fantasy, Sophie moves rapidly from
one dream to another through the leaps of her mind.

Question 37.
Has Sophie met Danny Casey? What details of her meeting with Danny Casey did
she narrate to her brother? (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
No, Sophie had never met Danny Casey. Her story is merely a part of her fantasy.
Her fertile mind made up the story of her encounter with him. She told her brother
that she had met Danny Casey in the arcade. When she was looking at the clothes
in Royce’s window someone came and stood beside her and she looked around and
saw Danny. She also told Geoff that Danny Casey has gentle, green eyes and he is
not as tall as one would think him to be. She also asked Danny for his autograph but
could not get it as none of them had a paper or pen with them. Sophie’s dream world
makes her travel into those aspects of life which she may never be able to achieve in
reality.

Question 38.
What were Sophie’s plans for her future? Why would you call her dreams
unrealistic? (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Sophie had rather unrealistic plans for her future. She wanted to own a boutique and
have the most amazing shop in the city. She also dreamed of being an actress or a
fashion designer. Considering her meagre resources and family’s position, her
dreams are quite unrealistic, in fact they are in sharp contrast to her reality. Her
father works hard for a living and so she is never likely to be a part of the
sophisticated world. Her mother bears the back-breaking burden of household
chores. I Ier brother works as an apprentice mechanic. Considering her
circumstances she would actually have to work in the biscuit factory. So her dreams
would just remain dreams and never become a reality.

Question 39.
Sophie lives in a world full of dreams which she does not know she cannot realise.
Comment. (All India 2015)
Answer:
Sophie, like most girls of her age, loves to fantasize and live in a world full of dreams
which is far away from reality. She envisions a life for herself which she would like to
lead not knowing that she might never be able to realise her dreams. She dreams of
owning a boutique which again she might never be able to fulfil. The best part of her
fantasy is that she is unaware of the fact that her dreams may never materialise.
Though her friend Jansie tries her best to keep her grounded, Sophie is undeterred.
Sophie’s dream world makes her traverse into those spheres of life which she may
never be able to achieve in reality and this does not cause her any anxiety. She
blissfully ignores the fact that she comes from a lower middle class family and
continues to dream on.

Question 40.
How different is Jansie from Sophie?(All India 2015)
Answer:
Sophie and Jansie were classmates as well as friends. They both belonged to lower
middle- class families. But that is where their similarity ends. There is a striking
contrast between their characters. Sophie is a day-dreamer and Jansie is practical.
Sophie lives in a world of dreams and does not want to come out of this fairyland.
She is an incurable escapist and dreams of having a boutique, becoming an actress
or a fashion designer. Jansie, on the other hand, is very grounded. Jansie has her
feet firmly planted on the ground and knows they are both ‘earmarked for the biscuit
factory’. She knows big things require big money and experience which they lack
desperately. She advises Sophie to be sensible and not entertain wild dreams.
Sophie and Jansie’s temperaments differ greatly. While Sophie shares her dreams
only with one person, her brother Geoff, Jansie on the other hand is nosey. She
takes an interest in learning new things about others and can spread stories in the
whole neighbourhood.

Question 41.
It is not unusual for a lower middle class girl to dream big. How unrealistic were
Sophie’s dreams? (All India 2015)
Answer:
Sophie belongs to a lower middle class family and lives a humble life with her
parents and elder brother. But her dreams far supercede the reality in which she is
living. Her dreams are far beyond her reach. So she wishes to open a boutique,
entertains the idea of being an actress and also aspires to be a fashion designer.
Her dreamy disposition and romantic allusions lead – her to hero-worship the
wonder-footballer, Danny Casey towards whom she develops a romantic fascination.
Though she sees him only once in person she sits for hours imagining Danny Casey
coming to her. The incurable dreamer in her remains an escapist who wants to
remain away from her real world.
Her friend Jansie continued to ground her to reality by stating that they were
earmarked for the biscuit factory. Her father also stated that if she ever had enough
money she would first buy them a decent house to live in. Sophie’s little brother
Derek too feels that his sister thinks money grows on trees.

Question 42.
Every teenager must dream big. Yet the dream should also be rooted to the ground.
Write a character sketch of Sophie in the light of this remark. (Comptt. All India 2015)
Answer:
Every teenager must dream big. Yet the dream should also be rooted to the ground.
This statement is so true for Sophie whose dreams are larger than life and far
supercede her real life. Sophie had rather unrealistic plans for her future. She
wanted to own a boutique and have the most amazing shop in the city. She also
dreamed of being an actress or a fashion designer. Considering her meagre
resources and family’s position, her dreams are quite unrealistic, in fact they are in
sharp contrast to her reality. Her father works hard for a living and is never likely to
be a part of the sophisticated world. Her mother bears the back-breaking burden of
household chores. Her brother works as an apprentice mechanic. Considering her
circumstances she would actually have to work in the biscuit factory. So her dreams
would just remain dreams and never become a reality.

Question 43.
Teachers always advise their students to dream big. Yet, the same teachers in your
classrooms find fault with Sophie when she dreams. What is wrong with Sophie’s
dreams? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
There is nothing wrong with having big dreams. Infact it is an advice given to us by
our teachers. But then our dreams must not be in j complete contrast to our reality.
This is the fault with Sophie’s dreams. Her dreams are not ! only over-ambitious but
also most impractical. She is an incurable escapist and lives in the world of her
dreams. She drifts into the world of her fantasy and wants to make her dreams her
reality. Dreaming the unachievable can have a negative impact on one’s personality.
It can lead to depression. Sophie blissfully ignores the fact that she comes from a
lower middle class family and is ear-marked for the biscuit factory. She dreams of
owning a boutique, becoming a fashion designer or an actress, dreams which she
may never be able to fulfill. Sophie not only dreams big but concocts stories about
her imaginary meeting with the Irish prodigy, Danny Casey. She envisions her
meeting with the football star and also gives vivid details of the meeting. Such
unrealistic dreams need to be discouraged.

Question 44.
Every teenager has a hero/heroine to admire. So many times they become role
models for them. What is wrong if Sophie fantasizes about Danny Casey and is
ambitious in life? (All India 2016)
Answer:
Dreams and fantasies are an integral part of every teenager’s life. Their dreams
motivate them to achieve their goals. Every teenager has an idol to admire and these
idols become role models for them. Same is the case with Sophie who idolizes
Danny Casey. The only thing wrong with Sophie’s fantasy is that she nurtures
unrealistic dreams which are in sharp contrast to her reality. Her ambitions too are
way beyond the confines of her lower middle class status. Sophie has never met
Danny Casey but she envisions her meeting with the football star and even invents
vivid details of this meeting. Her over-imaginative mind concocts stories and she
starts living in her make-believe world. Through her dreams Sophie escapes from
the harsh realities of life and such people find it difficult to cope with reality.

Question 45.
Describe the fantasies Sophie had about Danny Casey. (Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
Sophie had never met Danny Casey. Her story is merely a part of her fantasy. Her
fertile mind made up the story of her encounter with him. She told her brother that
she had met Danny Casey in the arcade. When she was looking at the clothes in
Royce’s window someone came and stood beside her and she looked around and
saw Danny. She also told Geoff that Danny Casey has gentle, green eyes and he is
not as tall as one would think him to be. She also asked Danny for his autograph but
could not get it as none of them had a paper or pen with them. Sophie’s dream world
makes her travel into those aspects of life which she may never be able to achieve in
reality. Sophie imagines Danny Casey coming to her, her own excitement and
subsequent disappointment.

Question 46.
Geoff and Sophie are different from each other, though they belong to the same
family. Com¬ment with examples from the text. (Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
Though Geoff and Sophie belong to the same family they are very different from
each other. Geoff, Sophie’s elder brother is an apprentice mechanic who travelled to
work to the far side of the city everyday. He lived in reality and spoke little. In fact
Sophie felt that words had to be prized out of him like stone out of the ground. He
had a life of his own and though he listened to Sophie’s fantasies, he did not believe
her. Sophie, on the other hand, lived in a dream world. She dreams of having a
boutique, becoming an actress or a fashion designer. She is a day-dreamer and an
incurable escapist. She imagines meeting the football prodigy Danny Casey. Geoff is
the most important member of her family for Sophie who wishes to be admitted into
her brother’s affections so that some day he might take her with him to meet the
exotic and interesting people whom he never spoke about.

My Mother at Sixty-Six Important

Questions Class 12 English
My Mother at Sixty -Six Important Questions Short Answer Type Questions (3 –
4 MARKS)

Question 1.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2009)
…….and felt that old familiar ache, my childhood’s fear, but all I said was, see you
soon, Amma, all I did was smile and smile and smile …

1. What was the childhood fear that now troubled the poet?
2. What do the poet’s parting words suggest?
3. Why did the poet smile and smile?

Answer:
1. The childhood fear of death and decay now troubled the poet. She is concerned
about her mother’s frail health and old age.
2. The poet’s parting words reveal her fear. Though she hopes she will see her
mother soon but she is anxious about her mother’s deteriorating health and falls
short of words to convey her true feelings.
3. The poet smiled and smiled in an effort to reassure herself that she will meet her
mother soon. Her words and smiles are a deliberate attempt to hide her real fears
and feelings from her mother.

Question 2.
What do the poet’s parting words to her mother signify? (All India 2009)
Answer:
The poet’s parting words of assurance and her smile provide a stark contrast to the
old familiar fear of childhood. Her words and smiles are a deliberate attempt to hide
her real feelings. She is trying to hide her fear about her mother’s frail and
deteriorating health which might separate her from her mother.
Question 3.
Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
The young trees are ‘sprinting’ that is rushing past the poet as she is travelling in a
very fast-moving car. While travelling in a speeding vehicle, the objects outside
appear to be rushing past us in the opposite direction. These sprinting trees are in
stark contrast to the passive old lady sitting inside the car.

Question 4.
What is the significance of the parting words of the poet and her smile in ‘My Mother
at Sixty-six’? (All India 2010)
Answer:
The poet’s parting words convey the dilemma and confusion in her mind. Her
superficial smile expresses her helplessness. She is anxious about her mother’s frail
health and fears that anything can happen to her mother. But, on the other hand, she
also nurtures a faint hope that her mother survives long enough so that they can
meet again.

Question 5.
How did Kamala Das put away the thought of her mother’s old age? (Comptt. Delhi
2010)
Answer:
The poet started looking out of the window because she wanted to drive away the
pain and agony she was experiencing by looking at her aged mother. She looked
outside at the world which was full of life and activity. She saw young trees running
past her and merry children sprinting out of their homes to play.

Question 6.
Why did Kamala Das add the image of merry children to her poem? (Comptt. Delhi
2010)
Answer:
The merry children symbolise the spring of life, its energy, vigour and happiness.
Their image presents a sharp contrast to the poet’s limp and ageing mother. This
image is also imperative for the understanding of the process of old age which is
associated with decay. The spontaneous outpouring of life symbolised by these
children is in contrast to the poet’s mother’s passive and inactive life.

Question 7.
What helped Kamala Das put away the thought of her mother’s old age? (Comptt. All
India 2010)
Answer:
The poet started looking out of the window because she wanted to drive away the
pain and agony she was experiencing by looking at her aged mother. She looked
outside at the world which was full of life and activity. She saw young trees running
past her and merry children sprinting out of their homes to play.

Question 8.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows: (Delhi 2011)
…but soon
put that thought away and
looked out at young
trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes, …

1. Which thought did the poet put away?

2. What do the ‘sprinting trees’ signify?
3. What are ‘the merry children spilling out of their homes’, symbolic of?

Answer:
1. The poet put away the painful thought of her mother’s ageing and declining health
and the possibility of losing her mother.
2. The trees appear to be racing past as their car moves towards the airport. The old,
inactive mother is contrasted with the energetic and active trees.
3. The ‘merry children spilling out of their homes’ are symbolic of happiness, energy
and playfulness. They are in stark contrast to the old, dozing mother. The sad
thoughts of the poet are also contrasted with the merry children.

Question 9.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows: (Comptt. All
India 2011)
…..and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was, see you soon, Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile …

1. What was the childhood fear that now troubled the poet?
2. What do the poet’s parting words suggest?
3. Why did the poet smile and smile?

Answer:
1. The childhood fear of death and decay now troubled the poet. She is concerned
about her mother’s frail health and old age.
2. The poet’s parting words reveal her fear. Though she hopes she will see her
mother soon but she is anxious about her mother’s deteriorating health and falls
short of words to convey her true feelings.
3. The poet smiled and smiled in an effort to reassure herself that she will meet her
mother soon. Her words and smiles are a deliberate attempt to hide her real fears
and feelings from her mother.

Question 10.
What were Kamala Das’ fears as a child? Why do they surface when she is going to
the airport? (All India 2011)
Answer:
Since her childhood perhaps Kamala Das always feared that she would lose her
mother or in some way be separated from her. Now that her mother is old and her
health has deteriorated, the poet’s fear surface again when she is going to the
airport.

Question 11.
Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’? (Comptt. Delhi
2011)
Answer:
The mother looked pale and ashen faced like a corpse. During late winter the moon
too loses its brightness and looks rather pale and colourless like an ill and haggard
old person who has become worn-out and tired due to the ravages of time.

Question 12.
Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
The young trees are ‘sprinting’ that is rushing past the poet as she is traveling in a
very fast-moving car. While travelling in a speeding vehicle, the objects outside
appear to be . rushing past us in the opposite direction. These sprinting trees are in
stark contrast to the passive old lady sitting inside the car.

Question 13.
What were the poet’s feelings at the airport? How did she hide them? (All India 2012)
Answer:
At the airport the poet, Kamala Das, feels fearful of leaving her pale, ageing mother
alone and unattended. She has an ache and fear inside her heart and is not sure if
she will be able to see her mother again. She hides her feelings of anxiety by giving
a long and cheerful smile to her mother as she bids her adieu.

Question 14.
What childhood fear did Kamala Das refer to in her poem? How did she hide it?
(Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Kamala Das childhood fear was that she would lose her mother to the cruel hands of
death and thus would be separated from her forever. She attempts to hide her fear
through her elongated and superficial smile.

Question 15.
What childhood fear does Kamala Das have? Why? (Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
Kamala Das’ childhood fear is that she would lose her mother to the cruel hands of
death and thus would be separated from her forever. She has had this fear since her
childhood as she knows her mother will be scourged by age and time.

Question 16.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows: (All India 2013)
Driving from my parent’s
home to Cochin last Friday
morning, I saw my mother, beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with pain
that she was as old as she looked….

1. What was the poet driving to?

2. Why was her mother’s face looking like that of a corpse?
3. What did the poet notice about her mother?

Answer:
1. The poet was driving to the airport from where she would head to her house in
Cochin.
2. Her mother’s face was looking like that of a corpse because it was pale, lifeless
and colourless.|
3. The poet noticed that her mother was really old and this made her reflect painfully
on the latter’s imminent death.

Question 17.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows: (Comptt. Delhi
2013)
…..my childhood’s fear
but all I said was, see you soon,
Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile ……..

1. Who is ‘I’?
2. What was ‘my childhood’s fear’?
3. Why did the narrator smile repeatedly?

Answer:
1. T refers to the poet, Kamala Das.
2. The poet’s childhood fear is that of death and decay. She is concerned about her
mother’s frail health and old age.
3. The poet smiled repeatedly to reassure herself that she will meet her mother soon.
Her words and smiles are a deliberate attempt to hide her real fears and feelings.

Question 18.
Why has the poet’s mother been compared to the Tate winter’s moon’? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
The winter season is a traditional symbol of death and the moon, especially, if it is
pale, it enhances the image of decay. The mother’s pale and colourless face that has
becomes rather wrinkled due to old age gives her a look that the poet compares with
‘the late winter’s moon’.

Question 19.
How did Kamala Das’s mother look during the drive to Cochin? (Comptt. All India
2013)
Answer:
During the drive to Cochin, Kamala Das’s mother looked rather old and pale. As she
dozed off beside the poet, she looked almost like a corpse as her face was like ash,
totally colourless and it seemed to have completely lost the zest for life.

Question 20.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows: (All India 2014)
… but soon
put that thought away, and
looked out at young
trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes, …

1. What thought did the poet drive away from her mind?
2. What did she see when she looked out of the car?
3. How do you know that the joyful scene didn’t help her drive away the painful
thought from her mind?

Answer:
1. this could probably be their last meeting.
2. When she looked out of the car she saw young trees sprinting past her car and
young children spilling out of their homes to play. She looked outside at the world
which was full of life and activity.
3. The joyful scene didn’t help to drive away her painful thought because when she
looked at her mother’s pale and withered face, the fear of separation rose in her
again.

Question 21.
How does Kamala Das try to put away the thoughts of her ageing mother? (Delhi
2014)
Answer:
The poet (Kamala Das) started looking out of the car-window because she wanted to
drive away the pain and agony she was experiencing on seeing her aged mother.
She looked outside at the world which was full of life and activity. She saw young
trees running past her and merry children sprinting out of their homes to play.

Question 22.
What was the poet’s childhood fear? (All India 2014)
Answer:
The poet’s childhood fear was that she would lose her mother to the cruel hands of
death and would thus be separated from her forever. So she feared this separation
from her mother.

Question 23.
What do the parting words of Kamala Das and her smile signify? (Comptt. All India
2014)
The parting words of Kamala Das, ‘see you soon, Amma’ are in sharp contrast to
what she is feel¬ing. In reality these words are something she is not sure of even
herself. Her smile is elongated and superficial merely to give some kind of
reassurance to her mother so that she cannot get even a glimpse of her daughter’s
inner fears and anxieties.

Question 24.
Read the extract given below and answer the
questions that follow: (Delhi 2015)
I saw my mother,
beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face
ashen like that
of a corpse and realized with
pain
that she was as old as she
looked but soon
put that thought away, ….

1. What worried the poet when she looked at her mother?

2. Why was there pain in her realization?
3. Why did she put that thought away?
4. Identify the figure of speech used in these lines.

Answer:
1. When she looked at her mother the poet was worried about her frail health and old
age. Her mother’s face looked ashen like a corpse and she feared that it might be
their last meeting.
2. There was pain in her realization as the poet feared she would lose her mother.
She couldn’t reconcile to the thought of being left and separated from her mother
forever.
3. She put that thought away because it gave her great anxiety and pain.
4. A ‘simile’ is used in the above lines (Tike that of a corpse’).

Question 25.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (All India 2015)
and
looked out at young
trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes, but after the airport’s
security check, standing a few yards
away, I looked again at her, wan,
pale
as a late winter’s moon and felt that
old
familiar ache, …………..

1. How can the trees sprint?

2. Why did the poet look at her mother again?
3. What did she observe?
4. Identify the figure of speech used in these lines.
Answer:
1. The trees seem to sprint as they were moving past them as the car was moving
ahead at a high speed.
2. The poet was feeling anxious and insecure and thus looked at her mother again to
reassure herself about her well-being.
3. She observed that her mother’s face had become pale and withered like the late
winter’s moon.
4. A ‘simile’ is used in the above lines — “wan, pale as a late winter’s moon”.

Question 26.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All India
2015)
and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear, hut all I said was, see you soon, Amma all I did
was smile and smile and smile…

1. Name the poem.

2. What was the poet’s childhood fear?
3. What does her smile signify?
4. What does the word, ‘ache’ mean?

Answer:
1. The poem is ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six.’
2. The poet’s childhood fear was of losing her mother and never being able to see
her.
3. Her elongated and superficial smile signifies a sign of reassurance that she gives
to herself and her mother.
4. The word ‘ache’ means ‘pain.’

Question 27.
Read the extract given below and answer the
questions that follow: (Comptt. All India 2015)
I saw my mother
beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face
ashen like that
. of a corpse and realized with
pain
that she was as old as she
looked but soon
put that thought away,

1. Name the poem.

2. Where was the poet going?
3. Which ‘thought’ did the poet ‘put away’?
4. What does the phrase, ‘ashen like a corpse’ mean?
Answer:
1. The poem is ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six.’
2. The poet was going to the airport from where she was to take a flight to Cochin.
3. The ‘thought’ that the poet ‘put away’ was . the fear that she would lose her
mother.
4. The phrase ‘ashen like a corpse’ means ‘a pale and greyish face that has lost its
colour’.

Question 28.
What were the poet’s feelings as she drove to Kochi airport? (Comptt. Delhi 2015)
Answer:
The poet saw her mother dozing open-mouthed in the car. She was disturbed as she
felt her mother looked old and withered. Her childhood fear started to haunt the poet.
She feared if her mother would still be alive on her return.

Question 29.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2016)
Old
Familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was, see you soon,
Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile

1. What does the phrase, ‘familiar ache’ mean?

2. What was the poet’s childhood fear?
3. What do the first two lines tell us about the poet’s feelings for her mother?
4. What does the repeated use of the word, ‘smile’ mean?

Answer:
1. The phrase, ‘familiar ache’ means a pain or fear that the poet has had at a point of
time. It is the emotional pain the poet feels due to the realisation that her mother was
growing old and pale.
2. The poet’s childhood fear was that her mother would get old and die and she
would lose her mother and thus be separated from her.
3. The first two lines reveal that the poet loves her mother dearly and so she has
many insecurities in regard to her mother.

Question 30.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (All India 2016)
……..I saw my mother,
beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face
ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with
pain…….

1. Who is ‘I’?
2. What did ‘I’ realise with pain?
 3. Why was the realisation painful?
4. Identify and name the figure of speech used in these lines.

Answer:
1. ‘l’ refers to the poet ‘Kamala Das’.
2. The poet realized with pain that her mother had become rather old and looked
almost like a corpse.
3. The realisation was painful because it brought a fear of separation from her
mother and a sense of helplessness at her inability to do anything for her mother.
4. A simile is used in these lines, ‘her face ashen like that of a corpse’.

Question 31.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow : (Comptt. All
India 2016)
‘……..I looked at her, wan
pale
. as a late winter’s moon and felt that
old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
…………….

1. Name the poem and the poet.

2. How did the mother look?
3. What did the poet feel?
4. What was the poet’s childhood fear?

Answer:
1. The poem is ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’ by Kamala Das.
2. The mother looked pale and dull like the winter moon. Like winter is the last
season of the year so the mother to is in the last phase of her life.
3. The poet felt sad and depressed as she experienced the old and familiar pain.
4. The poet’s childhood fear was that of losing her mother.

Question 32.
What kind of pain does Kamala Das feel in ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’? (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
Kamala Das mother is old and pale and her health is deteriorating. So, the poet feels
a familiar pain, which is one of her constant fears that she might lose her mother.
She has an ache inside her heart that she might not be able to see her mother again.

Question 33.
Why are the youngsters described as springing? (My Mother at Sixty-six) (Delhi
2017)
Answer:
The springing of the youngsters signify the spring of life, their youth and vigour in
contrast to the poet’s old mother who looks pale and lifeless. The springing
youngsters are symbolic of the beginning of life as contrasted to the poet’s mother
whose ashen face symbolizes imminent death.
Question 34.
Having looked at her mother, why does Ka¬mala Das look at the young children? (All
India 2017)
Answer:
After looking at her mother, Kamala Das looks at the ‘merry children spilling out of
their homes’ as they are symbolic of energy, vigour and liveliness, which is in sharp
contrast to her old and pale mother. The spontaneous outpouring of life symbolised
by these children is contrasted with her mother’s passive and inactive life.

Question 35.
What was Kamala Das’s childhood fear? (All India, Comptt. All India 2017)
Answer:
The poet’s childhood fear was that she would lose her mother to the cruel hands of
death and would thus be separated from her forever. So she feared this separation
from her mother.

Question 36.
In the last line of the poem, ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’, why does the poet use the word
‘smile’ repeatedly? (All India 2017)
Answer:
The word ‘smile’ has been used repeatedly by the poet as behind her elongated
smile she attempts to hide her fear and anxiety regarding her mother’s frail health.
The poet smiled and smiled in an effort to reassure herself that she will be able to
meet her mother again.

Question 37.
What familiar ache and childhood fear did Kamala Das feel? (Comptt. Delhi 2017)
Answer:
Since her childhood Kamala Das always feared that she would lose her mother or be
separated from her. Now that her mother is old and frail and her health is
deteriorating, the familiar ache resurfaces that she might not be able to see her
mother again.

Question 38.
Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting in the poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-
six? (Comptt. Delhi 2017)
Answer:
The young trees are described as ‘sprinting’ which means rushing past the poet as
she is travelling in a very fast-moving car. While travelling in a speeding vehicle, the
objects outside appear to be rushing past us in the opposite direction. These
sprinting trees are in stark contrast to her passive old mother who is sitting beside
her in the car.

Question 39.
What did Kamala Das think when she looked at her mother? (Comptt. All India 2017)
Answer:
Kamala Das saw her mother dozing open-mouthed, her face looking pale and
colourless like that of a corpse. She then realized how old her mother was. She
looked quite haggard and worn-out as the ravages of time had taken their toll on her.

Question 40.
Why does Kamala Das compare her mother to a late winter’s moon? (Comptt. All
India 2017)
Answer:
The winter season is a traditional symbol of death and the moon, especially, if it is
pale, it enhances the image of decay. The mother’s pale and colourless face that has
becomes rather wrinkled due to old age gives her a look that the poet compares with
‘the late winter’s moon’.

Keeping Quiet Important Questions

Class 12 English
Keeping Quiet Important Questions Short Answer Type Questions (3-4 Marks)

Question 1.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (All India 2009)
Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still.
For once on the face of the Earth
let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.

1. How long does the poet want to stay still?

2. What does he hope to achieve by keeping quiet?
3. What does the poet mean by ‘not move our arms so much’?

Answer:
1. The poet wants to count upto twelve and stay still during the time we are counting
to twelve.
2. By keeping quiet the poet hopes that he will be able to live a fascinating moment
and then realise the value of calm reflection and quiet introspection. The ! poet
believes that by keeping quiet, we will be able to hear the voice of our conscience in
these moments of silence.
3. Whenever man has used his arms he has caused undue harm to others. So the
poet uses the phrase, ‘not to move our arms so much’ to emphasise the importance
of physical inactivity to lessen destruction caused by man in the world.

Question 2.
What is the exotic moment the poet Pablo Neruda wishes for? (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
Pablo Neruda wishes for that exotic moment when mankind will be free from greed,
cruelty and harmful actions. Unnecessary rush and noise have caused
unpleasantness and troubles. The poet wishes the noise of engines and machines
should cease and peace and tranquility should prevail.

Question 3.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2010)
It would he an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.

1. What does ‘TP’ refer to?

2. Who is the poet speaking to?
3. What would be the moment like?

Answer:
1. TP refers to that moment of silence and quietness when peace and calmness will
prevail.
2. The poet is addressing mankind who has no time for quiet introspection in its over-
hectic, busy life.
3. The moment would be exotic and unusual, a new experience in which mankind
will experience a sense of bonding and togetherness with each other.

Question 4.
According to the poet, what is it that human beings can learn from Nature? (All India
2010)
Answer:
Earth can teach a lesson to mankind on the preservation and resurrection of life and
how new life is believed to rise from the ashes of the dead remains. The Earth never
attains total inactivity. Nature remains at work under apparent stillness and keeps the
Earth alive. Life never ceases on earth when everything appears to be dead only one
thing remains alive and that is earth itself.

Question 5.
Why is Pablo Neruda against ‘total inactivity’? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
Pablo Neruda is against ‘total inactivity’ because that would amount to death and he
has no association with death. Life is a continuous and on-going process and so is
all about being on the move. Life should not come to a standstill under any
circumstance.

Question 6.
Which sadness is Pablo Neruda worried about in his poem? (Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
The sadness that Pablo Neruda is worried about in his poem is the sadness of
isolation that has made modern man its victim. This sadness has made man self-
centered and uncaring to the needs of his fellowmen. He has sacrificed the needs of
his emotional self in favour of materialism.

Question 7.
Do you think the poet, Pablo Neruda advocates total inactivity and death? Why/ Why
not? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
No, the poet Pablo Neruda does not advocate total inactivity and death. He wants to
give mankind an opportunity of quiet introspection to know and realize how he has
been harming himself and others. He makes it clear that stillness should not be
confused with inactivity. Stillness means halting of harmful human activities. He also
wants mankind to understand that life is about sprouting out of seemingly dead
surroundings.

Question 8.
What is the sadness that the poet, Pablo Neruda refers to in the poem ‘Keeping
Quiet’? (All India 2011)
Answer:
The sadness that Pablo Neruda is worried about in his poem is the sadness of
isolation that has made modern man its victim. This sadness has made man self-
centered and uncaring to the needs of his fellowmen. He has sacrificed the needs of
his emotional self in favour of materialism.

Question 9.
Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and death in the poem, ‘Keeping
Quiet’? Give reasons. (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
No, the poet especially says that keeping quiet should not be confused with total
inactivity. He wants no association with death. He wants to keep quiet as this will
prepare mankind for introspection and regeneration.

Question 10.
What is the exotic moment the poet Pablo Neruda wishes for? (Comptt. All India
2011)
Answer:
Pablo Neruda wishes for that exotic moment when mankind will be free from greed,
cruelty and harmful actions. Unnecessary rush and noise have caused
unpleasantness and troubles. The poet wishes the noise of engines and machines
should cease and peace and tranquility should prevail.

Question 11.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2012)
For once on the face of the Earth
let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.

1. Why does the poet want us to keep quiet?

 2. What does he want us to do for one second?
3. What does he mean by ‘not move our arms’?

Answer:
1. The poet wants us to keep quiet because this moment of quietness will give us the
time to meditate and introspect upon the kind of turmoil we have created on earth
through our ill-actions. Too much activity and rush has only brought misfortunes to
mankind, so it is better to be quiet and still.
2. The poet wants us to do nothing and remain inactive for one second.
3. The phrase ‘not move our arms’ implies that no physical activity should be carried
out for one second. Man has used his arms only to kill and destroy others. Therefore,
let him not move his arms to harm others.

Question 12.
How can suspension of activities help? (All India 2012)
Answer:
Suspension of activities will give us time to introspect and reflect on our follies. It will
give us the much needed time to forget our differences, wither away our
discriminations and enter into a world of peace.

Question 13.
How does stopping for a second help us, according to the poet, Pablo Neruda?
(Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
According to Pablo Neruda, when we stop for a second we get an opportunity to
introspect on our follies. During this moment we will forget our differences and
experience a strength of togetherness which will give us a moment of bliss. By
indulging in such moments of inacti-vity, we will realise the harm we are causing to
the world with our words and actions.

Question 14.
What is the exotic moment referred to in the poem, ‘Keeping Quiet’? What makes it
exotic? (Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
When people sit still without speaking any language in quiet introspection, that
moment, according to the poet will be an exotic one because this moment will help
us to experience a strength of togetherness and a strange relationship with which
humanity will bind itself.

Question 15.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2013)
Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
Now I’ll count upto twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.

1. What does the Earth teach us?

 2. What does the poet mean to achieve by counting upto twelve?
3. What is the significance of ‘keeping quiet’?

Answer:
1. The Earth teaches us how to nurture life under apparent quietitude and how to
work silently. It teaches us the importance of sometimes taking a break from all
activities.
2. The poet counts up to twelve in an attempt to remain calm and still. He wants to
make mankind realise the futility of their mindless words and actions and encourage
people to introspect for their own good.
3. By keeping quiet and calm man will realise his follies and refrain from harmful
destructive activities. It will also help in creating a feeling of natural understanding
and introspection among human beings.

Question 16.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All India
2013)
Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.

1. What can Earth teach us?

2. How can we achieve the state of ‘seems dead’?
3. Give one example of how the seeming to be dead things become alive.

Answer:
1. The Earth can teach us a lesson in pro¬tection and resurrection of life. It teaches
us that life and living never cease to exist.
2. The state of ‘seems dead’ symbolizes the doomsday when all life of earth will
come to an end.
3. New life emerges from the dead remains like a seed gives life to a new plant.

Question 17.
What are the different kinds of wars mentioned in the poem? What is Neruda’s
attitude towards these wars? (All India 2013)
Answer:
The different wars Neruda mentions in the poem are green wars, wars with gas,
wars with fire. Neruda feels that these chemical and nuclear wars and the war that
man wages against nature will lead him towards his doom.

Question 18.
Which sadness is Pablo Neruda referring to? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
The sadness that the poet refers to in the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ is the sadness of
never understanding oneself and nature. Human beings in a frenzy of activities, have
no time for introspection and thus threaten themselves with death or destruction.
This darkens their ways with distress and wretchedness.
Question 19.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All India
2014)
If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing,
perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.

1. Whom does ‘we’ refer to in the above lines?

2. Why does the poet want us to ‘do nothing’ for once?
3. What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?

Answer:
1. We’ in the above lines refers to mankind.
2. The poet wants us to ‘do nothing’ for once because during this time of inactivity
man will realize the strength of humanity and become aware of universal
brotherhood wherein he will be able to give mankind a healing touch. The poet wants
that for once we should not single-mindedly focus on keeping our lives moving and
do some introspection and spend our time in silence doing nothing. This way we can
understand ourselves better and escape from the calls of death.
3. The ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem is the sadness of isolation that
has made modern man its victim. This sadness is the selfishness of the modern man
due to which he has put his own life and the life of his fellowmen in danger.

Question 20.
Which is the exotic moment that the poet refers to in ‘Keeping Quiet’? (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Pablo Neruda wishes for that exotic moment when mankind will be free from greed,
cruelty and harmful actions. Unnecessary rush and noise have caused
unpleasantness and troubles. The poet wishes the noise of engines and machines
should cease and peace and tranquility should prevail.

Question 21.
What is the sadness the poet refers to in the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’? (All India 2014)
Answer:
The sadness that the poet refers to in the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ is the sadness of
never understanding oneself and nature. Human beings in a frenzy of activities, have
no time for introspection and thus threaten themselves with death or destruction.
This darkens their ways with distress and wretchedness.

Question 22.
How, according to Neruda, can keeping quiet change our attitude to life? (Comptt.
Delhi 2015)
Answer:
According to Neruda, when people on earth think of keeping quiet for sometime, that
will be an exotic moment when they will be able to forget their differences and a
feeling of brotherhood will prevail among them. Most of the evil thoughts disappear
when man becomes silent for a while. By keeping quiet, man will realize his follies
and refrain from harmful and destructive activities.

Question 23.
Which images in the poem, “Keeping Quiet” show that the poet condemns violence?
(Comptt. All India 2015)
Answer:
The images in the poem, ‘Keeping Quiet’, which show that the poet condemns
violence are, that he is totally against alienation among communities, races and
violence. The poet is against chemical and nuclear wars which leave no survivors.
He wants to bring all the destructive activities to a standstill.

Question 24.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. Delhi
2015)
‘ It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.’

1. Which exotic moment is referred to in these lines?

2. Why would that moment be strange?
3. What does the poet advocate in the poem?
4. What does the poet mean by the word, ‘engines’?

Answer:
1. The ‘exotic moment’ referred to in these lines is that moment when everyone
keeps quiet and there is no movement.
2. That moment would be strange because there will be no rush or engines and it will
bring the whole of humanity together for the first time.
3. The poet advocates the need to introspect and think before you act in the poem.
4. By the word ‘engines’ the poet means ‘automobiles’ or ‘machines.’

Question 25.
What will counting up to twelve and keeping still help us achieve? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Counting up to twelve and keeping still will help us to introspect upon the kind of
turmoil we have created in this world with our mind-less actions. This will be an
exotic moment during which we will experience a sense of bonding with one another.
It will give us an opportunity to understand each other and save our¬selves from
death.

Question 26.
Which symbol from nature does the poet invoke that there can be life under apparent
stillness? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
The poet uses the Earth as a symbol from nature to convey that there can be life
under apparent stillness. Earth teaches us that despite a dreary stillness, nature
continues to work and everything comes to life again.

Question 27.
‘Life is what it is all about;…’ How is keeping quiet related to life? (All India 2015)
Answer:
The poet advocates keeping quiet and inactivity but he does not want these to be
confused with death. Life is an ongoing and continuous process, so it should not
come to a standstill under any circumstances. People pursue their goals single-
mindedly and their lives keep on moving.

Question 28.
Why does one feel ‘a sudden strangeness’ on counting to twelve and keeping quiet?
(All India 2015)
Answer:
One feels ‘a sudden strangeness’ on counting to twelve and keeping quiet because
this is an exotic moment which builds a sudden and strange feeling of universal
brotherhood. This feeling of togetherness and brotherhood is rather new and
inexplicable.

Question 29.
How will ‘keeping quiet’ protect our environ¬ment? (All India 2015)
Answer:
When we keep quiet and refrain from activity, we will not indulge in chemical and
nuclear wars that cause total destruction by releasing toxic gases in the
environment. These will de-stroy all greenery and life on earth making it a dead
planet.

Question 30.
What does the poem, ‘Keeping Quiet’ teach us? (Comptt. All India 2015)
Answer:
The poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ emphasises the need for quiet introspection and creating
a feeling of mutual understanding among human beings. It conveys to us the poet’s
philosophy of an exotic moment of silence which will be an antidote to violence,
hatred and war.

Question 31.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (All India 2016)
Noiv we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still.
For once on the face of the Earth
let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.

1. What is the significance of the number ‘twelve’?

2. Which two activities does the poet want us to stop?
 3. What does the poet mean by ‘let’s not speak in any language’?
4. Describe the pun on the word, ‘arms’.

Answer:
1. The number ‘twelve’ signifies the twelve divisions in the clock (measure of time).
2. The poet wants the fishermen to stop gathering salt from the sea and he also
wants the chemical and nuclear wars to stop.
3. The poet means we should be silent and introspect and enter into a world which is
quiet and peaceful.
4. The word ‘arms’ means not only our own human arms but also refers to the arms
and ammunition that are used to harm others.

Question 32.
What does the poet want us to do in the poem, ‘Keeping Quiet’? (Comptt. Delhi
2016)
Answer:
The poet wants us to keep quiet and still and not move our arms and legs too much
in the poem, Keeping Quiet. This will give us the time to introspect over our actions
and also help to create a feeling of mutual understanding among human beings.

Question 33.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All India
2016)
‘Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive’.

1. Name the poem and the poet.

2. What does the earth teach us?
3. When do things seem to be dead?
4. Write the antonym of ‘teach’.

Answer:
1. The poem is ‘Keeping Quiet’ by Pablo Neruda.
2. The earth teaches us to continue doing constructive work quietly and the positive
results will be evident at a later stage.
3. Things seem to be dead during the winter season.
4. The antonym for ‘teach’ is ‘learn’.

Question 34.
How can ‘mighty dead’ be things of beauty? (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
The ‘mighty dead’ can be things of beauty because of their glorious deeds and
achievements. Their achievements make their lives extraordinary so they continue to
be a source of inspiration for others.

Question 35.
How would keeping quiet affect life in and around the sea? (All India 2017)
Answer:
Fishermen who are responsible for endangering marine life would get a chance to
realize that they are harming the whales who are on the verge of extinction. Men
who gather salt from the sea would also get a chance to reflect on the pain they are
causing to their hands.

Question 36.
How is total inactivity on the Earth in the winter months full of life? (All India 2017)
Answer:
In the winter months when there appears to be total inactivity on the Earth, life never
ceases on it. The Earth teaches us that despite a dreary stillness, nature remains at
work and keeps the Earth alive and new life rises from the ashes of the dead
remains.

Question 37.
Why does Pablo Neruda want us to count till twelve and keep still? (Comptt. Delhi
2017)
Answer:
Counting up to twelve and keeping still will help us to introspect upon the kind of
turmoil we have created in this world with our mind-less actions. This will be an
exotic moment during which we will experience a sense of bonding with one another.
It will give us an opportunity to understand each other and save ourselves from
death.

Question 38.
What will keeping still help us achieve? (Comptt. Delhi 2017)
Answer:
Counting up to twelve and keeping still will help us to introspect upon the kind of
turmoil we have created in this world with our mind-less actions. This will be an
exotic moment during which we will experience a sense of bonding with one another.
It will give us an opportunity to understand each other and save our¬selves from
death.

Question 39.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All
India)
‘It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.’

1. What would be an exotic moment?

2. Why would it be exotic?
3. What would be the result of all being together?
4. Explain: ‘Sudden strangeness’.

Answer:
1. The exotic moment would be that time when silence, peace and calmness will
prevail.
2. It would be exotic because we will not be in a rush so it will give us time for quiet
introspection, to reflect upon the futility of our mindless actions.
3. The result of being together would result in a new experience in which man will get
a chance to have a sense of bonding and togetherness with each other.
4. ‘Sudden strangeness’ is a strange and unusual feeling of universal brotherhood.

A Thing of Beauty Important Questions

CBSE Class 12 English
Question 1.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2000)
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways
Made for our searching:

1. What are the flowery bands that bind us to the earth?

2. What message do the above lines convey?

Answer:
1. The flowery band that binds us to earth is beauty in one shape or the other. It
removes all sufferings and sorrow that covers our mind and spirit. There is
disappointment and dejection all around but the presence of some objects of beauty
removes this sadness from our hearts.
2. There are many things that bring us troubles and sufferings. The message
conveyed in these lines is that the natural beauty of objects around us takes away
the suffering from our sorrowful hearts.
Some beautiful shape or any object of beauty removes the pall of gloom from our
mind and spirit.

Question 2.
According to Keats, what makes man love life in spite of all its problems and
miseries? (All India 2000)
Answer:
In spite of all the problems and miseries that make man’s life gloomy and cause him
suffering and pain, he does not cease to love life because a thing of beauty removes
all the sadness that covers his spirit. The beautiful things of nature make life sweet
and happy.

Question 3.
What image does Keats use to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth? (Delhi
2010)
Answer:
Keats uses the image of a perennial fountain that constantly pours forth bounties on
the earth in the form of an immortal drink from the heavens into our hearts. The
beauty of the sun, the moon, the trees, the daffodils and clear rivers are reflections of
the beautiful bounties God has blessed us with.

Question 4.
What makes human beings love life inspite of troubles and sufferings? (All India
2010)
Answer:
It is the occasional phases of joy and happiness that make life beautiful and make
human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings. Natural beauty in its
various forms, like the clear rivers, the gurgling brooks and forest vegetation,
motivates us to live life and moves away the pall from our dark spirits.

Question 5.
Mention any two ‘things of beauty’ that Keats has described in his poem. How do
they make us joyful? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
According to Keats every small or big thing of nature is a thing of beauty and a
source of pleasure. The sun, the moon, the trees and daffodil flowers are all things of
beauty. So are the small streams with clear water, mass of ferns and the blooming
musk roses.

Question 6.
Mention any two things which, according to Keats, give us pain and suffering.
(Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
According to Keats man suffers from pain and suffering due to the inhuman dearth of
noble natures on earth and due to the inhuman and hostile attitude that makes our
days sad and darkens our ways with distress and wretchedness.

Question 7.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. Delhi
2011)
A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet
breathing

1. List any tivo things of beauty mentioned above.

2. What does the phrase, ‘pass into nothingness’ mean?
3. What are the effects of beautiful things on man’s spirit?

Answer:
1. The things of beauty mentioned above include a quiet bower, peaceful sleep and
quiet breathing.
2. The phrase ‘pass into nothingness’ means it will never cease to exist but will
continue to have a lasting impression.
3. Beautiful things leave a lasting impression on man’s spirit. They give him great joy
and happiness and also help him to gain inner peace and calm.

Question 8.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All India
2011)
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways
Made for our searching:

1. What are the flowery bands that bind us to the earth?

2. What message do the above lines convey?

Answer:
1. The flowery band that binds us to earth is beauty in one shape or the other. It
removes all sufferings and sorrow that covers our mind and spirit. There is
disappointment and dejection all around but the presence of some objects of beauty
removes this sadness from our hearts.
2. There are many things that bring us troubles and sufferings. The message
conveyed in these lines is that the natural beauty of objects around us takes away
the suffering from our sorrowful hearts.
Some beautiful shape or any object of beauty removes the pall of gloom from our
mind and spirit.

Question 9.
Why and how is grandeur associated with the mighty dead? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Grandeur is associated with the mighty dead because of their grand deeds and
achieve-ments. Their achievements make their lives extraordinary. Therefore, the
grandeur of the mighty dead is a thing of beauty that is a source of inspiration for
other.

Question 10.
What is the message of the poem, ‘A Thing of Beauty’? (All India 2011)
Answer:
John Keats was a worshipper of beauty and he saw it as an everlasting source of joy
and happiness. Through his poem he conveys that a thing of beauty removes the
pall of sadness and sorrow and gives us joy and pleasure. The beauty of a thing
goes on increasing and never passes into nothingness.

Question 11.
How is a thing of beauty a joy forever? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
A thing of beauty is a joy forever because it gives us eternal and everlasting
happiness and leaves such an impact in our mind that we are able to relive the
wonderful feeling we get from it each time we think about it. It never fades into
nothingness, in fact its loveliness increases with each passing moment.

Question 12.
Why is ‘grandeur’ associated with the ‘mighty dead’? (All India 2012)
Answer:
Grandeur is associated with the mighty dead because of their grand deeds and
achieve-ments. Their achievements make their lives extraordinary. Therefore, the
grandeur of the mighty dead is a thing of beauty that is a source of inspiration for
other.

Question 13.
What makes human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings? (All India
2012)
Answer:
It is the occasional phases of joy and happiness that make life beautiful and make
human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings. Natural beauty in its
various forms, like the clear rivers, the gurgling brooks and forest vegetation,
motivates us to live life and moves away the pall from our dark spirits.

Question 14.
Describe any three things of beauty mentioned in the poem, ‘A Thing of Beauty’. (All
India 2012)
Answer:
The poet sees beauty in various natural things. He sees simple and scenic beauty in
the image of the sun, the moon, the trees, the sheep, the green pastures and the
clear water of the small streams. All these things of beauty are a constant source of
joy for us.

Question 15.
Why does a thing of beauty never pass into nothingness? (Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
The joy provided by a thing of beauty is ever-lasting. It leaves an indelible imprint on
our mind. Its loveliness never fades away and so it does not pass into nothingness. It
increases manifold each time we think about it and thus we are forever able to relive
the joyful experience.

Question 16.
Mention any two things of beauty that Keats talks of in his poem and explain how
they influence us. (Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
The two things of beauty that influence us are the lushgreen surroundings of
meadows and pastures that provide life to all living beings and the simple lambs and
sheep that Keats envisions as the embodiments of serene and divine beauty.

Question 17.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2013)
A flowery band to bind us to the Earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways
Made for our searching:

1. What are we doing everyday?

2. Which evil things do we possess and suffer from?
3. What are the circumstances that contribute towards making humans unhappy
and disillusioned with life?

Answer:
1. Every day we are wreathing a flowery band which binds us to the earth and
enables us to live life despite the dejection that surrounds us. We are looking for
lovely things around us and establishing a close bond with the earth and nature.
2. We suffer from selfishness and self-centredness due to which there is dearth of
noble souls on earth.
3. Man becomes unhappy and disillusioned because he suffers from pain and
hopelessness at various junctures in life. Also the lack of nobility in human beings
and gloomy days make him unhappy.

Question 18.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All India
2013)
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth Of noble natures,

1. What is ‘morrow’?
2. Why do we need ‘a flowery band’?
3. What is inhuman in life?

Answer:
1. ‘Morrow’ means the next day.
2. Everyday we are wreathing a flowery band because it binds us to earth and
makes us live our life despite the dejection that surrounds us.
3. Man’s self-centred nature and his inability to rise above pettiness is inhuman in
life.

Question 19.
What does Keats consider an endless fountain of immortal drink and why does he
call its drink immortal? (All India 2013)
Answer:
Keats considers beauty, in all its forms, which is God’s greatest gift to man as an
endless fountain of immortal drink. He calls it immortal because the beauty bestowed
by God is everlasting and perennial and men can bask in its glory forever.
Question 20.
According to Keats, what spreads the pall of despondence over our dark spirits?
How is it removed? (All India 2013)
Answer:
According to Keats, suffering and pain caused by man’s malice and his evil ways
spreads the pall of despondence over our dark spirits. Man lacks noble qualities and
his hostile and inhuman nature makes the world gloomy. This can be removed by
some shape of beauty that is a source of constant joy.

Question 21.
How does a thing of beauty provide shelter and comfort? (All India 2013)
Answer:
A thing of beauty will always provide a pleasant shelter, a place under the shade of a
tree, where we will always remain peaceful and comfortable. Whenever we are
under nature’s shelter, we will have a quiet and peaceful sleep which will give us
serenity and comfort.

Question 22.
Describe any two things mentioned by Keats in “A Thing of Beauty” which cause
suffering and pain. (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
According to Keats man suffers from pain and suffering due to the inhuman dearth of
noble natures on earth and due to the inhuman and hostile attitude that makes our
days sad and darkens our ways with distress and wretchedness.

Question 23.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2014)
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink.
Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.

1. Name the poem and the poet.

2. What is the thing of beauty mentioned in these lines?
3. What image does the poet use in these lines?

Answer:
1. The poem is ‘A Thing of Beauty’ and the poet is John Keats.
2. The thing of beauty mentioned in these lines are the tales we have heard or read
describing the glorified sacrifices of mighty warriors.
3. Using the divine image the poet tells us that beauty is God’s greatest gift to man.
This beauty is eternal and everlasting in whose glory man can bask and it is an
endless fountain from where he can drink the immortal elixir of life.

Question 24.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (All India 2014)
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.

1. Name the poem and the poet.

2. Why are we ‘despondent’?
3. What removes ‘the pall from our dark spirits’?

Answer:
1. The poem is ‘A Thing of Beauty’ and the poet is John Keats.
2. We are ‘despondent’ due to lack of noble people, because of gloomy days and
because of unhealthy and over darkened ways.
3. Any shape or manifestation of beauty removes ‘the pall from our dark spirits’.

Question 25.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All India
2014)
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.

1. How does beauty help us when we are burdened with grief?

2. Explain: “Some shape of beauty.”
3. Identify the figure of speech used in the above lines.

Answer:
1. Beauty, in some shape or form, will help to drive away the sadness and despair
from the dark enclosures of our spirit when we are burdened with grief.
2. ‘Some shape of beauty’ means some object of beauty bestowed on us by nature.
3. The figure of speech used in the above lines is alliteration.

Question 26.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. Delhi
2015)
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.

1. Name the poem.

2. Who are the ‘mighty dead’ referred to here?
3. What is the endless fountain of immortal drink?
4. What does the word, ‘brink’ mean?

Answer:
1. The poem is ‘A Thing of Beauty’.
2. The ‘mighty dead’ referred to here are our ancestors, the great people of the world
who are worthy of respect.
3. The endless fountain of immortal drink are all the things of beauty that sustain
mankind.
4. The word ‘brink’ means ‘an edge at the top/ the point of onset’.

Question 27.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All India
2015)
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways
Made for our searching : yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.

1. Name the poem.

2. Give one cause of human suffering.
3. What moves away the pall from our lives?
4. What does the word, ‘gloomy’ mean?

Answer:
1. The poem is ‘A Thing of Beauty.’
2. Man lacks noble qualities and his hostile and inhuman nature is the cause of
human suffering.
3. Nature’s beauty moves away the pall from our lives.
4. The word ‘gloomy’ means ‘dull or depressed.

Question 28.
‘ What does a thing of beauty do for us? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
A thing of beauty gives us eternal and everlasting happiness and leaves an indelible
impression on our mind that we are able to relive the wonderful feeling we get from it
each time we think about it. It never fades into nothingness and its loveliness
increases with each passing moment.

Question 29.
What makes human beings love life in spite of all the troubles they face? (Delhi
2015)
Answer:
It is the occasional phases of joy and happiness that make life beautiful and make
human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings. Natural beauty in its
various forms, like the clear rivers, the gurgling brooks and forest vegetation,
motivates us to live life and moves away the pall from our dark spirits.

Question 30.
Mention any four things of beauty that add joy to our life. (All India 2015)
Answer:
The poet sees beauty in various things of nature that add joy to our life. These
include the sun, the moon, the trees, the sheep, the green pastures and the clear
water of the small streams. These remove the sadness from our dark spirits.

Question 31.
Mention any two things which cause pain and suffering. (All India 2015)
Answer:
Pain and suffering is caused by man’s malice and unhealthy and evil ways. Man
lacks noble qualities and his hostile and inhumane nature makes the world gloomy
and depressing and brings misery and suffering in his life, thus distressing him with
sorrow and despair.

Question 32.
Which objects of nature does Keats mention as sources of joy in his poem, ‘A Thing
of Beauty’? (All India 2015)
Answer:
The poet sees beauty in various natural things. He sees simple and scenic beauty in
the image of the sun, the moon, the trees, the sheep, the green pastures and the
clear water of the small streams. All these things of beauty are a constant source of
joy for us.

Question 33.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2016)
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bcnver quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet
breathing.

1. Whose loveliness will keep on increasing?

2. Identify the phrase which says that ‘it’ is immortal.
3. What is a ‘bower’?
4. Why do we need sweet dreams, health and quiet breathing in our lives?

Answer:
1. The loveliness of a thing of beauty will keep increasing.
2. The phrase which implies its immortality is ‘it will never pass into nothingness’.
3. A ‘bower’ is a pleasant shady place under the trees.
4. We need sweet dreams, health and quiet breathing in our lives to refresh and
relax our minds and drive away our anxieties and restlessness. They help us to bear
the problems of life and remove, our sufferings.

Question 34.
How do beautiful things influence our lives? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Beautiful things take away sadness and gloom from our spirits. They give us hope
and joy. Whenever we think about a thing of beauty it brings a smile on our lips and
is a source of joy forever.
Question 35.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :(Comptt. Delhi
2016)
…….and clear rills
That for themselves a cooling covert make
Gainst the hot season; the mid forest brake,
Rich with a sprinkling of musk-rose blooms;
…………………………

1. Name the poem and the poet.

2. How do the rills protect themselves from the heat?
3. What makes the mid forest brake rich?
4. What does the word, ‘sprinkling7 mean?

Answer:
1. The poem is ‘A Thing of Beauty’ by John Keats.
2. The rills protect themselves from the heat by making a cooling covert overhead.
3. The sprinkling of musk-rose blossoms makes the mid forest brake rich.
4. The word ‘sprinkling’ means spreading of fragrance.

Question 36.
In the hot season, how do man and beast get comfort? (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
Man and beast get comforted in the hot season by walking past the rivers and small
streams which are a natural source of water and are considered as the vital potions
of life. They relax under a bower and under the shade of trees.

Question 37.
How is the Earth a source of life when all seems dead on it? (All India 2017)
Answer:
The Earth, which is a source of life, can teach us how new life emerges from the
dead remains of the ashes. Life is an eternal and continuous process and new life is
believed to rise from the dead remains.

Question 38.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. Delhi
2017)
Answer:
‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever
Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health and quiet breathing.

1. How does a thing of beauty give us everlasting joy?

2. What is the effect of increase in its loveliness?
3. Which one example of the beauty of nature has the poet given here?
4. What kind of joy do we get from a quiet bower?
Answer:
1. A thing of beauty gives us eternal joy as its loveliness never dies out or fades
away but keeps on increasing.
2. The effect of increase in its loveliness is that a thing of beauty will never cease to
give us joy.
3. The example of beauty of nature that the poet describes is of a quiet bower, a
shelter under the shade of trees which protects us from the hot sunrays.
4. The quiet bower gives us a place where we can sleep soundly and peacefully and
enjoy sweet dreams.

Question 39.
Mention two things of beauty that Keats refers to in his poem. How do they influence
us? (Comptt. All India 2017)
Answer:
The two things of beauty that influence us are the lushgreen surroundings of
meadows and pastures that provide life to all living beings and the simple lambs and
sheep that Keats envisions as the embodiments of serene and divine beauty.

A Roadside Stand Important Questions

CBSE Class 12 English
1. Answer each of the following questions in about 30-40 words:

Question 1.
Why do the people who run the roadside stand wait for the squeal of brakes so
eagerly? (2003 Delhi)
Answer:
The “squealing of brakes” means that a car has stopped at their roadside stand. It
raises their hopes that the city-folk have stopped there to buy something from their
roadside stand and some city money will come into their hands.

Question 2.
Explain: “soothe them out of them wits” with reference to the poem The Roadside
Stand’. (2005 Delhi)
Answer:
The powerful men approach the country folk with false promises of providing them
with better living conditions and a better life. These innocent and simple rustics
repose blind faith in their false claims and feel soothed and satisfied. They fail to see
through their crookedness and selfishness.

Question 3.
Why does Robert Frost sympathise with the rural poor? (2009 Delhi; 2011 Comptt.
Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Robert Frost feels an unbearable agony at the plight of the rural poor who are
ignored and neglected by the rich politicians. The Government and the party in
power are indifferent to their welfare. They fool them by making false promises and
then fully exploit them to suit their own selfish interests.

Question 4.
What was the plea of the folk who had put up the roadside stand? (2008 Delhi; 2011
Delhi; 2013 Delhi)
Answer:
The folk who had put up the roadside stand pleaded to the city dwellers to stop and
buy their wares so as to enable them to earn some extra money for a decent living.
They wanted that the rich people who passed from there in their cars should stop
there and buy some goods from them. The money that these folks would earn from
the rich people would help them to lead a better life.

Question 5.
What is the ‘childish longing’ of the folk who had put up the roadside stand? Why is it
‘in vain’? (2011 Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
The ‘childish longing’, the poet refers to, is the dreams and desires of the rural folk
who have a child-like longing for a better life that they hope to live with the help from
the city dwellers. Their longing is in vain because the city folk are not willing to help
them and so their ‘childish longings’ are not likely to be fulfilled.

Question 6.
Why didn’t the ‘polished traffic’ stop at the roadside stand? (2012 Delhi)
Answer:
The ‘polished traffic’ conveniently overlook the roadside stand and do not stop there
as their mind is focussed only on their destination. Moreover, they were critical of the
poor decor of the stand, its artless interior and paint.

Question 7.
What news in the poem ‘A Roadside Stand’ is making its round in the village? (2013
Outside Delhi)
Answer:
The news making its round is about the resettlement of the poor, rural people who
will be resettled in the villages, next to the theatre and the store. They would be
close to the cities and will not have to worry about themselves any more.

Question 8.
Why do people at the roadside stand ask for city money? (2013 Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
The rural people running the roadside stand are poor and deprived, unlike the people
of the city. They thus ask for city money so that they too can lead a life of happiness
and prosperity. This much-needed city money can give them the life that had been
promised to them by the party in power.

Question 9.
What does Frost himself feel about the roadside stand? (2011 Comptt. Outside
Delhi)
Answer:
The poet is distressed to see the interminable wait on the part of the shed owners for
their prospective buyers. He is agonised at the ‘childish longing in vain’ of the people
who have put up the roadside stand.

2. Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

Question 10.
The little old house was out with a little new shed
In front at the edge of the road where the traffic sped,
A roadside stand that too pathetically pled,
It would not be fair to say for a dole of bread,
But for some of the money, the cash, whose flow
supports
The flower of cities from sinking and withering faint.

1. Where was the new shed put up? What was its purpose?
2. Why does the poet use the word ‘pathetic’?
3. Explain: ‘too pathetically pled’
4. Who are referred to as ‘the flower of cities’? (2009 Outside Delhi; 2010 Comptt.
Delhi; 2012 Comptt. Delhi)

Answer:
1. A little house at one side of the road was extended and a shed was added to it to
put up a road stand. It was set up to attract passersby to buy things from them so
that they could earn some money.
2. By using the word ‘pathetic’ the poet emphasizes on the fact that the condition of
the shed was most humble and that it presented a rather pitiable sight.
3. It was as if by putting up the shed the owner was desperately pleading to the rich
city folks to stop by at his roadside stand and buy things from there so that they
could earn some extra money.
4. ‘The flower of the cities’ here refers to the rich and wealthy city-dwellers who can
afford the best things.

Question 11.
The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead,
Or if ever aside a moment, then out of sorts
At having the landscape marred with the artless paint
Of signs that with N turned wrong and S turned
wrong
Offered for sale wild berries in wooden quarts,

1. What does the poet mean by ‘with a mind ahead?

2. What are N and S signs?
3. Why have these sings turned wrong? (2010 Comptt. Outside Delhi)

Answer:
1. The phrase ‘with a mind ahead’ suggests that the people who pass the roadside
stand in their polished cars conveniently overlook the roadside stand as their mind is
focussed only on their destination.
2. The N and S signs stand for the North and the South direction.
3. These signs have turned wrong because they have been painted in the wrong way
and so these signboards are wrongly presented.

Question 12.
Or beauty rest in a beautiful mountain scene,
You have the money, but if you want to be mean,
Why keep your money (this crossly) and go along.
The hurt to the scenery wouldn’t be my complaint
So much as the trusting sorrow of what is unsaid

1. What attraction does the place offer?

2. What should one do if one wants to be mean?
3. What does the poet not complain about?
4. What do you think is the real worry of the poet? (2010 Outside Delhi)

Answer:
1. The place offers a scenic view of the beautiful mountains.
2. If one wants to be mean he can keep his money and move on ahead.
3. The poet does not complain about the landscape which has been spoilt because
of the artless painting done on the building.
4. The poet’s real worry is the unexpressed sorrow of the people who have put up
the roadside stand.

Question 13.
It is in the news that all these pitiful kin
Are to be bought out and mercifully gathered in
To live in villages, next to the theatre and the store,
Where they won’t have to think for themselves
anymore,
While greedy good-doers, beneficent beasts of prey,
(2000; 2007, Delhi)

1. Name the poem and the poet.

2. Explain why merciful have been called ‘greedy good-doers’ and ‘beneficent
beasts of prey’?
3. Why won’t these poor people have to think for themselves any more?

Answer:
1. The poem is ‘A Roadside Stand’ by Robert Frost.
2. The merciful are the crooked politicians, greedy people pretending to be good,
who only pose as beneficiaries. These powerful men are actually beasts of prey in
the guise of beneficiaries who ruthlessly exploit the common people.
3. These poor people are now in the hands of the so-called ‘merciful beneficiaries’,
who will actually do them more harm than any good, so they will not have to think
about themselves any more.
Question 14.
Sometimes 1 feel myself I can hardly bear
The thought of so much childish longing in vain,
The sadness that lurks near the open window there,
That waits all day in almost open prayer
For the squeal of brakes, the sound of a stopping car,
Of all the thousand selfish cars that pass.

1. What cannot be borne by the poet and why?

2. What is the ‘childish longing7?
3. Why the longing has been termed as ‘vain’?
4. Why do the people driving in the cars stop sometimes? (2004 Delhi; 2011
Outside Delhi)

Answer:
1. The poet cannot bear the thought of how these country folks are lured with false
promises which are never going to be fulfilled because he feels genuinely sad about
so much deprivation to these innocent people.
2. Like children, these country folk have many unfulfilled wishes and desires. So they
keep their windows open expecting some prospective customers to turn up so that
some good fortune can fall into their share.
3. The longing has been termed as ‘vain’ because it will never be fulfilled.
4. The people driving in the car stop sometimes either to just enquire about the way
to their destination or to ask for a gallon of gas if they ran short of it.

Question 15.
Sometimes I feel myself I can hardly bear
The thought of so much childish longing in vain,
The sadness that lurks near the open window there,

1. Why is the longing called childish?

2. Where is the window?
3. Why does sadness lurk there? (2012 Comptt. Outside Delhi)

Answer:
1. Like children, these rural folk nurture many unfulfilled dreams and desires which
might never be satisfied. They crave in vain like children waiting for their wishes to
be fulfilled.
2. The window is a part of their roadside stand where they wait expectantly.
3. Sadness lurks there because no car halts there to buy anything from their
roadside stand and the rural folk are unable to earn some extra money.

Question 16.
The sadness that lurks near the open window there, That waits all day in almost
open prayer For the squeal of brakes, the sound of a stopping car, Of all the
thousand selfish cars that pass,
Just one to inquire a farmer’s prices are.
 1. Which open window is referred to? Why does sadness lurk there?
2. What does the farmer pray for?
3. Is the farmer’s prayer ever granted? How do you know? (2012 Outside Delhi)

Answer:
1. The open window is that of the roadside stand where they wait expectantly for a
car to stop by. Sadness lurks there because no city dweller halts there and thus the
hopes of the country folk are belied as no customer stops there.
2. The farmer prays that the city folks apply the brakes of the car and halt at their
roadside stand to buy something from there.
3. The farmers’ prayers are not granted. The poet tells us that even if city folk do
stop at the roadside stand it is only to enquire about the prices of the goods.

Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Important

Questions CBSE Class 12 English
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers Important Questions Short Answer Type Questions (3-4
Marks)
Question 1.
Describe the tigers created by Aunt Jennifer. (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
The poet describes Aunt Jennifer’s tigers as ‘bright topaz denizens’ of the forest.
They are fearless and ferocious in sharp contrast to their creator, Aunt Jennifer’s
nervousness and timidity. Gallant and confident, they are sure of their purpose and
move ahead undeterred by any kind of hindrance or obstruction.

Question 2.
Why did Aunt Jennifer choose to embroider tigers on the panel? (All India 2009)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because of the nature of the
tigers. They symbolise strength and splendour which was in sharp contrast to her
own meek nature. The massive weight of the wedding band that sits heavily on her
finger symbolises the ordeals and hardships of her married life so she creates tigers
as they are a striking contrast to the frail, meek old lady who created them.

Question 3.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2010)
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers prance across a screen,
Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.

1. How are aunt Jennifer’s tigers described?

2. Why are they described as denizens of a world of green?
3. Why are they not afraid of the men?
Answer:
1. Aunt Jennifer’s tigers are described as powerful, strong and fearless.
2. The tigers are inhabitants of the dense green forests so they are described as
dwellers of a world of green.
3. Their courage and fearlessness gives them a confidence due to which they are
not afraid of men.

Question 4.
What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead? (All India 2010)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers will survive even after she is dead. She has created the tigers
in a panel out of wool. These objects of art are immortal. They will continue prancing,
proudly and fearlessly. To express her desire for freedom she had created the
chivalrous tigers who will survive long after her death but her own longing for
freedom will remain unfulfilled.

Question 5.
How has Aunt Jennifer created her tigers? What traits of tigers do they reveal? (All
India 2010)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer has created shining topaz yellow- coloured tigers who are denizens of
a dense, green forest. They are fierce, unafraid and fearless and pace in ‘sleek’ and
‘chivalric’ certainty.

Question 6.
Why are Aunt Jennifer’s hands fluttering through her wool? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer is a victim of gender oppression at the hands of her husband. She lives
a life of total domination and constant fear. So she feels nervous and terrified that
the hands shake and flutter through her wool as she sits down to knit.

Question 7.
Describe the contrast between Aunt Jennifer ‘ and her creation, the tigers. (Comptt.
All India 2010)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer is totally victimised and suffers from oppression by her male
counterpart. So she creates an alternate world of freedom in her art. The tigers she
creates go on prancing menacingly, exhibiting their pride and fearlessness of any
social group or gender conflicts.

Question 8.
How do ‘denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of the tigers’ attitude?
(Delhi 2011)
Answer:
‘Denizens’ means that the tigers inhabit a green world. They live in the forests where
they are free from constraints. ‘Chivalric’ means they are brave and fearless
creatures. This helps us to understand that bravery and fearlessness are the basic
nature of the tigers.
Question 9.
Why do you think Aunt Jennifer created animals that are so different from her own
character? (All India 2011)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers possessed all the qualities that Aunt Jennifer did not have. The
tigers were free, fearless, confident and proud whereas Aunt Jennifer was meek,
submissive and without any identity. She was a rather indecisive woman unlike the
confident tigers she had created.

Question 10.
What do the symbols, ‘tigers’, ‘fingers’ and ‘ring’ stand for in the poem, ‘Aunt
Jennifer’s Tigers’? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
The ‘tigers’ are symbols of bravery and courage and also of Aunt Jennifer’s desire
for freedom. The ‘fingers’ are symbolic of the nervousness and fear experienced by
Aunt Jennifer and the ‘ring’ symbolises a binding marriage that is full of oppression
and curtails one’s freedom.

Question 11.
Describe the tigers created by Aunt Jennifer. (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
The poet describes Aunt Jennifer’s tigers as ‘bright topaz denizens’ of the forest.
They are fearless and ferocious in sharp contrast to their creator, Aunt Jennifer’s
nervousness and timidity. Gallant and confident, they are sure of their purpose and
move ahead undeterred by any kind of hindrance or obstruction.

Question 12.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All India
2012)
Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.

1. Who are ‘They’? Where are ‘They’?

2. Why are They’ not afraid of men?

Answer:
1. ‘They’ refers to the tigers that Aunt Jennifer has knitted on the panel. They are
prancing jerkily in the forest (across a screen).
2. The tigers are not afraid of men because they are gallant and fearless creatures
who are undeterred by any obstacles or hindrances and thus are not afraid of the
men.

Question 13.
Why did Aunt Jennifer choose to embroider tigers on the panel? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because of the nature of the
tigers. They symbolise strength and splendour which was in sharp contrast to her
own meek nature. The massive weight of the wedding band that sits heavily on her
finger symbolises the ordeals and hardships of her married life so she creates tigers
as they are a striking contrast to the frail, meek old lady who created them.

Question 14.
How do the words, “denizens’ and ‘chivalric’ add to our understanding of Aunt
Jennifer’s tigers? (All India 2012)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because of the nature of the
tigers. They symbolise strength and splendour which was sharp contrast to her own
meek nature. The massive weight of the wedding band that sits heavily on her finger
symbolises the ordeals and hardships of her married life so she creates tigers as
they are a striking contrast to the frail, meek old lady who created them.

Question 15.
What kind of married life did Aunt Jennifer lead? (Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s wedding band lies heavily on her hand. It reminds her of her unhappy
married life. It is symbolic of male authority and power of her husband who had
suppressed her and made her a nervous wreck. He had dominated over her for so
long that she had lost her identity.

Question 16.
What will happen to Aunt Jennifer’s tigers when she is dead? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers will survive even after she is dead. She has created the tigers
in a panel out of wool. These objects of art are immortal. They will continue prancing,
proudly and fearlessly. To express her desire for freedom she had created the
chivalrous tigers who will survive long after her death but her own longing for
freedom will remain unfulfilled.

Question 17.
What lies heavily on Aunt Jennifer’s hand? How is it associated with her husband?
(All India 2013)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s wedding band lies heavily on her hand. It reminds her of her unhappy
married life. It is symbolic of male authority and power of her husband who had
suppressed her and made her a nervous wreck. He had dominated over her for so
long that she had lost her identity.

Question 18.
Why has Aunt Jennifer made ‘prancing, proud and unafraid’ tigers? (Comptt. Delhi
2013)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer chose to embroider tigers on the panel because of the nature of the
tigers. They symbolise strength and splendour which was sharp contrast to her own
meek nature. The massive weight of the wedding band that sits heavily on her finger
symbolises the ordeals and hardships of her married life so she creates tigers as
they are a striking contrast to the frail, meek old lady who created them.

Question 19.
What is the meaning of the phrase, ‘massive weight of uncle’s wedding band’?
(Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s wedding band lies heavily on her fingers as she has been a victim of
gender oppression at the hands of her husband. She has been so physically and
mentally trapped for so many years that she lives in a perpetual state of mental fear
which she has never been able to overcome.

Question 20.
What are the difficulties that aunt Jennifer faced in her life? (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer faced great hardships in her married life. She led a terrifying and
oppressed life wherein she had never been free but a helpless victim of male
chauvinism. Dominated and terrorised by her husband, Aunt Jennifer struggled for
an existence within the deep conflicts of slavery.

Question 21.
How are Aunt Jennifer’s tigers different from her? (All India 2014)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers possessed all the qualities that Aunt Jennifer did not have. The
tigers were free, fearless, confident and proud whereas Aunt Jennifer was meek,
submissive and without any identity. She was a rather indecisive woman unlike the
confident tigers she had created.

Question 22.
How does Aunt Jennifer express her bitter-ness and anger against male dominance?
(Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
To express her bitterness and anger against male dominance, Aunt Jennifer
chooses to embroider tigers on the panel. The nature of tigers symbolizes strength,
fearlessness and splendour which is in sharp contrast to her own meek nature
because of which she has suffered endlessly.

Question 23.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. Delhi
2015)
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers prance across a screen,
Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.

1. Why are the tigers called ‘Aunt Jennifer’s tigers’?

2. What does the phrase,’ a world of green’ mean?
3. How are the tigers different from their creator?
 4. Why are the tigers not afraid of the men beneath the trees?

Answer:
1. The tigers are called ‘Aunt Jennifer’s tigers’ because they are her creation. She
has knitted (embroidered) the tigers on a screen.
2. The phrase ‘a world of green’ means ‘the green forest to which the tigers belong.’
3. The tigers are brave, chivalric, confident and strong unlike their creator who is
weak, timid, frightened and meek.
4. The tigers are brave and fearless by nature. They are ferocious wild beasts so
they are not afraid of the men beneath the trees.

Question 24.
What is suggested by the phrase, ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’? (Delhi
2015)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s wedding band lies heavily on her fingers as she has been a victim of
gender oppression at the hands of her husband. She has been so physically and
mentally trapped for so many years that she lives in a perpetual state of mental fear
which she has never been able to overcome.

Question 25.
Why does Aunt Jennifer create animals that are so different from her own character?
(Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers possessed all the qualities that Aunt Jennifer did not have. The
tigers were free, fearless, confident and proud whereas Aunt Jennifer was meek,
submissive and without any identity. She was a rather indecisive woman unlike the
confident tigers she had created.

Question 26.
Aunt Jennifer’s efforts to get rid of her fear proved to be futile. Comment. (Delhi
2016)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer has been a victim of oppression by the overbearing dominance of her
husband. Completely terrorised by her husband she struggled for an existence and
was so victimised that even after her death she will not be able to liberate her mind
and spirit from the fear of male-dominance.

Question 27.
What picture of male chauvinism (tyranny) do we find in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s
Tigers’? (All India 2016)
Answer:
Aunt Jennifer faced great hardships in her married life. She led a terrifying and
oppressed life wherein she had never been free but a helpless victim of male
chauvinism. Dominated and terrorised by her husband, Aunt Jennifer struggled for
an existence within the deep conflicts of slavery.
Question 28.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. Delhi
2016)
When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie
Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.
The tigers in the panel that she made
Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid.

1. Name the poem and the poet.

2. What was the aunt’s ordeal?
3. Why did she ‘make’ tigers?
4. How were the tigers different from her?

Answer:
1. The poem is ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ by Adrienne Rich.
2. The aunt’s ordeal was that she was dominated by her husband and was denied
freedom.
3. Aunt Jennifer made tigers to give expression to her desire for freedom.
4. Aunt Jennifer was meek and submissive whereas the tigers she embroidered
were strong and courageous.

Question 29.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :(Comptt. All India
2016)
Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through her wool
Find even the ivory needle hard to pull.
The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand.

1. Name the poem and the poet.

2. What is Aunt Jennifer doing with the wool?
3. Why are her fingers fluttering?
4. What does ‘wedding band’ mean?

Answer:
1. The poem is ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ by Adrienne Rich.
2. Aunt Jennifer is embroidering tigers on a canvas with wool.
3. She has been tormented and dominated by her husband all her life, so her fingers
are fluttering due to nervousness.
4. ‘Wedding band’ means a wedding ring.

Question 30.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2017)
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers prance across a screen,
Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.
 1. Why are the tigers called Aunt Jennifer’s tigers?
2. How are they described here?
3. How are they different from Aunt Jennifer?
4. What does the word ‘chivalric’ mean?

Answer:
1. The tigers are called Aunt Jennifer’s tigers because they have been created by
her, she has embroidered a panel of prancing tigers.
2. They are described here as yellowish brown (topaz) coloured inhabitants of the
jungle. They are fearless, ferocious and brave creatures.
3. Aunt Jennifer is a timid and terrified old woman whose nature is in stark contrast
to the fearless and chivalrous tigers she has created.
4. The word ‘chivalric’ means ‘brave’/ respectful towards women.

Question 31.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (All India 2017 )
Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through her wool
Find even the ivory needle hard to pull.
The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand.

1. What is Aunt Jennifer doing with her wool?

2. Why does she find it difficult to pull her ivory needle?
3. What does ‘wedding band’ stand for ?
4. Describe the irony in the third line.

Answer:
1. Aunt Jennifer is embroidering the tigers on a panel with her wool.
2. Suppressed under male domination, Aunt Jennifer has become a nervous wreck.
As a result, her fingers flutter and she finds it difficult to pull her ivory needle.
3. ‘Wedding band’ is a symbol of male authority and power. The band symbolizes
her unhappy marriage, her husband and the patriarchal society that limits the
freedom of women.
4. Even though Aunt Jennifer wears the wedding band, it is ironical that the poet
describes it as belonging to uncle.

Question 32.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. Delhi
2017)
Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through her
wool.
Find even the ivory needle hard to pull.
The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand.

1. What is Aunt Jennifer’s mood?

2. Why are her fingers fluttering?
3. What is Uncle’s wedding band?
 4. Why is it heavy?

Answer:
1. Aunt Jennifer is in a state of anxiety and nervousness.
2. Aunt Jennifer’s fingers are fluttering as she is nervous because of her husband.
3. Uncle’s wedding band is the wedding ring that Aunt Jennifer wears in one of her
fingers.
4. It is metaphorically heavy because it is a symbol of her subjugation and
oppression by her husband.

Question 33.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Comptt. All India
2017)
‘Bright topaz denizens of a world of green.
They do not fear the men beneath the tree;
They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.’

1. Who are ‘bright topaz denizens’?

2. Where do you find them?
3. Why are ‘they’ not afraid of the men?
4. What does the word ‘sleek’ mean?

Answer:
1. The tigers embroidered on the panel by Aunt Jennifer are referred to as ‘bright
topaz denizens’.
2. They are found in the jungle, the world of green on a screen.
3. They are fearless and bold creatures so they are not afraid of the men.
4. The word ‘sleek’ means ‘elegant’ or ‘glossy’.

The Third Level Important Questions CBSE

Class 12 English
1. Answer each of the following questions in about 30-40 words:

Question 1.
What does the third level refer to? What is the significance of the third level? (2001;
2004, Delhi)
Answer:
The third level is a medium of escape through which man yearns to be away from
life’s harsh realities. Modem life is devoid of peace and tranquility so man in his
quest to seek solace escapes to a place where his aim is to seek the realization of
his dreams and unfulfilled wishes of his subconscious mind.

Question 2.
What convinced Charley that he had reached the third level at Grand Central Station
and not the second level? (2010 Delhi)
Answer:
The general layout of the third level was different from that of the second level. It had
comparatively smaller rooms, fewer ticket windows and lesser train gates. The
infor¬mation booth in the centre was made of wood and looked old. The place with
its brass spittoons did not look very bright. So Charley was convinced it was not the
second level.

Question 3.
How does Charley, the narrator describe the third level at Grand Central Station?
(2013 Delhi)
Answer:
Charley says that the rooms on the third level were smaller than that of the second
level. There were fewer ticket windows and train gates and the information booth in
the centre was wood and old looking. There were open- flame gaslights and brass
spittoons on the floor. Everyone at the station was dressed in nineteenth century
dresses.

Question 4.
How did Charley make sure that he was not in the present time? (2002 Delhi)
Answer:
To make sure that he was not in the present time, Charley did a reality check. He
looked at the newspapers which were on sale at a kiosk and found a copy of the
newspaper ‘The World’, which carried the main story on President Cleveland. Then
he confirmed from the Public Library files that the newspaper he had seen was dated
11th June, 1894.

Question 5.
How did Charley often get lost on the Grand Central Station? (2010 Delhi)
Answer:
The Grand Central Station was growing like a tree pushing out endless corridors,
doorways and stairs like roots. It had intricate and tangled pathways. The network of
passages was so complicated that instead of reaching his destination, one did tend
to move up and down to look for entries and exits. So, Charley often got lost on this
station.

Question 6.
Why did Charley suspect that Sam had gone to Galesburg? (2011 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
When Sam disappeared all of a sudden and no one knew about his whereabouts,
Charley suspected he had gone to Galesburg as Sam was a city boy and liked
Galesburg very much. Then Charley found an envelope mailed to Sam by his
grandfather from his home in Galesburg and so it confirmed that Sam was indeed in
Galesburg.

Question 7.
How does Charley describe Galesburg as it used to be in 1894? (2013 Comptt.
Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Charley describes Galesburg as a quiet, simple and peaceful place with big old
frame houses, huge lawns and tremendous trees. The summer evenings were rather
long and people sat out on their lawns in a peaceful world, men smoking cigars and
women waving palm-leaf fans.

Question 8.
What did Charley learn about Sam from the stamp and coin store? (2012 Outside
Delhi)
Answer:
From the stamp and coin store Charley gets to know that Sam had bought old style
currency worth eight hundred dollars. This money was sufficient to set him up in a
little hay, feed and grain business in Galesburg.

Question 9.
How did Sam reach Galesburg? What did he advise Charley to do? (2012 Outside
Delhi)
Answer:
Sam was fascinated by Charley’s description of Galesburg. He was so burdened by
the tensions and stress of modem life that he thought of escaping to the peaceful
world of Galesburg. His advice to Charley is that, he (Charley) and his wife, Louisa
should come over to Galesburg through the medium of the ‘third level’.

Question 10.
Why did the booking clerk refuse to accept the money? (2010 Delhi)
Answer:
The booking clerk refuses to accept the money because the notes Charley had given
him were of old style. He did not pay in the currency notes that were in circulation in
1894. So the clerk stared at him and told him, “That ain’t money, Mister”. He thought
Charley was trying to cheat him and even threatened to get him arrested.

Question 11.
Why did Charley rush back from the third level? (2012 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
When Charley took out the modem currency to pay for the two tickets to Galesburg,
the ticket clerk accused him of trying to cheat him. He threatened to hand Charley
over to the police. Charley was frightened and he decided to rush back from the third
level, lest he was arrested and put into prison.

2. Answer each of the following questions in about 125-150 words.

Question 12.
How did Charley reach the third level of Grand Central? How was it different from the
other levels? (2009 Delhi; 2012 Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
One night Charley worked till late at the office. Then he was in a hurry to get back to
his apartment. So he decided to take the subway from Grand Central. He went down
the steps and came to the first level. Then he walked down to the second level from
where the suburban trains left. He ducked into an arched doorway that headed to the
subway. Then he got lost. Knowing that he was going wrong he continued to walk
downward. The tunnel turned a sharp left and then taking a short flight of stairs he
came out on the third level at the Grand Central Station. Here he saw many unusual
things. There were very few ticket windows and train gates that were old-looking and
made of wood. Dim gaslights flickered and men wore derby hats and four-button
suits. It was a rather strange world of sideburns, beards and fancy moustaches.

Question 13.
Do you think that the third level was a medium of escape for Charley? Why? (2005;
2008 Delhi)
Answer:
The fears, anxieties and insecurities of the modem world are taking a toll on man’s
mind. He feels helpless and frustrated and seeks temporary respite from life’s harsh
realities. Charley too was unable to cope up with his fastpaced and stressful life so
his flight to the third level was undoubtedly a medium of escape for him. It is nothing
but a creation of Charley’s own mind. He wants to escape from the modern world’s
insecurity, fear, worries and stress and so seeks an exit, a medium to get away into
the world of dreams and fancies.

Question 14.
What made Charley believe that the was actually standing at the third level? (2010
Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
One night Charley worked late at the office. He was in a hurry to get to his
apartment. So he decided to take the subway from Grand Central. He ducked into an
arched doorway and then he got lost. He walked down the steps to the second level,
turned left and kept on walking. He came out on the third level at the Grand Central
Station. This was a different, old and romantic world. So he was convinced that he
was actually standing at the third level. There were fewer ticket windows there which
were made of wood and were old-looking. There were open flame gaslights. He saw
people with beards, sideburns and fancy moustaches. Then he caught a glimpse of
an old locomotive and also saw an 1894 issue of ‘The World’ newspaper. Perhaps
Charley is under pressure to escape from the harsh world of realities. He would like
to escape to the peaceful world of 1894.

Question 15.
What kind of people did Charley ‘See’ at the third level? (2011 Outside Delhi, 2010
Comptt. Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Having worked late at the office Charley decided to take a train back home. So he
came to Grand Central Station and from the second level he got lost while ducking
into an arched doorway and found himself inside a tunnel. This tunnel took him to
another light of stairs and he found himself on the third level of the station. As
compared to the second level, the third level had smaller rooms, fewer ticket
windows and train gates. Everyone there was dressed in ‘eighteen-ninety-
something’. Charley came across men and women wearing 19th century dresses.
Men sported fancy moustaches, beards and sideburns. Tiny lapels, four-button suits,
derby hats and pocket gold watches seemed to be in vogue. Women were wearing
fancy cut sleeves, long skirts and high-buttoned shoes. Charley was confused to see
people sporting old-fashioned clothes and hair styles at the third level.

Question 16.
How does Charley make his description of the third level very realistic? (2013
Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
To make his description of the third level very realistic, Charley describes its minute
details, vividly comparing it to the second level of the Grand Central station. He says
the rooms here were smaller. There were fewer ticket windows and train gates, and
the information booth was wooden and old-looking. He also gives a detailed
description about the people he saw at the third level and their dresses. He says the
people wore nineteenth century dresses; many men had beards, sideburns and
fancy moustaches. He also buys tickets to Galesburg, Illinois thus making the reader
believe that he was actually at the third level.

Question 17.
What is being inferred from Sam’s letter to Charley? (2003 Delhi)
Answer:
Sam’s letter to Charley is dated 18th July, 1894. It is written from Galesburg, Illinois.
In response to Charley’s claim of having visited the third level, Sam who is equally
insecure wishes the entire episode is true, as he too believes in the existence of the
third level. There are some inferences made by the letter. The introductory part of
the letter confirms Charley’s belief in the existence of the third level. It also suggests
that those who find the third level can travel across to Galesburg and enjoy the
festivities, songs, music and peaceful world of the 1890s. So the author uses Sam’s
letter as a unique combination of the real and fantasy world.

The Tiger King Important Questions CBSE

Class 12 English
The Tiger King Important Questions Short Answer Type Questions (3-4 Marks)

Question 1.
How did the tiger king acquire his name? (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram was known as the Tiger King. He got the name of
Tiger King as tigers dominated his life and his mission to live. He killed seventy tigers
in ten years and also married a girl from a State which had a large number of tigers
in order to kill the next 30 tigers.

Question 2.
What happened to the tiger provided by the Dewan Saheb? (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
The tiger provided by the Dewan Saheb was old and agile. It was passive and
exhausted. The Tiger King did not take careful aim at the hundredth tiger. The tiger
fainted due to the sound of the bullet and fell in a crumpled heap. No one wanted the
Maharaja to know this. It was a hunter who actually shot the tiger later.

Question 3.
What did the British officer’s secretary tell the j Maharaja? Why did the Maharaja
refuse • permission? (All India 2010)
Answer:
When the British officer was denied permission for hunting a tiger his secretary sent
a message to the Maharaja that the Maharaja himself could kill the tiger and then
allow his officer to get photographed holding the gun over the dead tiger. But the
Maharaja did not agree to his request because he felt doing so would mean other
officers would come with similar demands.

Question 4.
Why, do you think, was the Maharaja in danger of losing his throne? (All India 2010)
Answer:
A high ranking British officer wished to go tiger hunting but he was declined
permission by the Maharaja. The officer then requested to be photographed with a
tiger killed by the Maharaja. The Maharaja rejected that request also. Having turned
down a senior British officer’s request twice could have put the Maharaja in danger
of losing his throne.

Question 5.
What led the Maharaja to start out on a tiger hunt? (All India 2010)
Answer:
The chief astrologer had predicted that a tiger would be the cause of the Maharaja’s
death and he should be particularly wary of the hundredth tiger. So the Maharaja
banned the hunting of tigers in his State and those who violated this law had to hand
over their wealth and property to the kingdom, while the Maharaja himself started out
on a tiger hunt.

Question 6.
How did the hundredth tiger take its revenge on the king? (Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram, who was also known as the Tiger King tried to go
against
what was destined in his fate. The result was tragic and ironical. The chief astrologer
had predicted that a tiger would be the cause of the king’s death and he should
specially be wary of the hundredth tiger. The vain king banned hunting of the tigers
in the State by everyone except himself and was able to kill ninety-nine tigers. He
thought he had killed the hundredth tiger also but somehow the bullet missed its
mark and the hundredth tiger survived. Then on his son’s birthday the king bought
him a wooden tiger which he felt was a perfect gift for his son. A splinter in it pierced
the king’s hand and the infection spread all over his arm causing his death. It was
indeed ironical that despite killing all the tigers in his kingdom the king did finally
become the victim of the hundredth tiger and the astrologer’s prediction did come
true.
Question 7.
How did the Tiger King acquire his name? (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram was known as the Tiger King. He got the name of
Tiger King as tigers dominated his life and his mission to live. He killed seventy tigers
in ten years and also married a girl from a State which had a large number of tigers
in order to kill the next 30 tigers.

Question 8.
Why was the Maharaja so anxious to kill the hundredth tiger? (All India 2012)
Answer:
The chief astrologer had predicted that a tiger would be the cause of the Maharaja’s
death and that he should be particularly wary of the hun-dredth tiger. So the
Maharaja set out on a tiger hunt and was rather anxious to kill the hundredth tiger
who could be the cause of his death.

Question 9.
When and why did the Maharaja decide to get married? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
The Maharaja had killed seventy tigers and thus the tiger population became extinct
in the forests of his kingdom. It was then that he decided to get married to a girl in a
royal family of a state which had a large tiger population.

Question 10.
What sort of hunts did the Maharaja offer to organize for the high-ranking British
officer? What trait of the officer does it reveal? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
The Maharaja offered to organize a boar hunt, a mouse hunt or a mosquito hunt for
the high- ranking British officer. He offered to organize any hunt other than a tiger
hunt. This reveals that the officer was a meek man who, the Maharaja felt, would be
satisfied with any sort of hunt.

Question 11.
Why did the Maharaja ban tiger hunting in the state? (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
The Maharaja banned tiger hunting in the state by anyone else except himself
because he had to kill a hundred tigers so that he could prove the astrologer’s
prediction wrong. He had a limited population of tigers in his kingdom so he did not
want anyone else to hunt or kill tigers.

Question 12.
Why did the Maharaja order the Dewan to double the land tax? (All India 2014)
Answer:
Despite being in the forest for many days the i Maharaja was unable to find the
hundredth tiger so his fury and obstinacy mounted alarmingly. Due to his frustration
and rage many officers lost their jobs and when his anger | reached its height he
ordered the Dewan to double the land tax.
Question 13.
How did the Maharaja please a high-ranking British official? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
The Maharaja had annoyed a high-ranking British official by refusing him permission
to hunt. Later, to make amends, he sent about fifty samples of expensive diamond
rings to the officer’s wife hoping she would keep one or two rings as a bribe. But she
kept all the rings which cost the Maharaja three lakhs rupees but the official was
pleased with him.

Question 14.
Why did the Maharaja decide to get married?
Answer:
The Maharaja had killed seventy tigers and thus the tiger population became extinct
in the forests of his kingdom. It was then that he decided to get married to a girl in a
royal family of a state which had a large tiger population.

Question 15.
What is the reason for the Tiger King’s sudden decision to marry? (Comptt. Delhi
2014)
Answer:
The Maharaja had killed seventy tigers and thus the tiger population became extinct
in the forests of his kingdom. It was then that he decided to get married to a girl in a
royal family of a state which had a large tiger population.

Question 16.
What gave the astrologers the greatest sur¬prise of their life while they were
studying the horoscope of the ten-day-old prince?
Answer:
While the astrologers were studying the horoscope of the ten-day-old prince, a great
miracle took place that gave the astrologers the greatest surprise of their life. An
astonishing phrase emerged from the lips of the ten-day-old prince and everyone
stood transfixed in stupefaction.

Question 17.
How did the Tiger King become the victim of the hundredth tiger? (Comptt. All India
2014)
Answer:
The Tiger King brings a wooden tiger as a gift for his son. The poorly carved toy tiger
has a
rough surface, filled with slivers of wood. The Maharaja hurts himself when a tiny
sliver pierces his right hand. He neglects his injury, which becomes grievous when
pus develops on it and soon spreads all over his arm finally leading to his death. In
this way the Tiger King ultimately becomes a victim of the hundredth tiger.

Question 18.
The manner of his (The Tiger King’s) death is a matter of extraordinary interest.
Comment. (All India 2015)
Answer:
The manner of the tiger king’s death is indeed a matter of extraordinary interest. The
Tiger King vowed to kill a hundred tigers to ensure his longevity as when he was
born, the chief astrologer had predicted that a tiger would be the cause of his death.
He later brings a wooden tiger as a gift for his son and its tiny sliver of wood pierces
his right hand. He neglects his injury which becomes grievous and led to his death.
Thus, he gets killed by the hundredth tiger.

Question 19.
When was the Tiger King in danger of losing his throne? (All India 2015)
Answer:
The Tiger King was in danger of losing his kingdom when he annoyed a senior
British Officer by refusing him permission to not only hunt a tiger in Pratibandapuram
but also rejected the officer’s request of being photographed with a tiger killed by him
(the Maharaja).

Question 20.
Why did the Tiger King decide to get married? (All India 2015)
Answer:
The Maharaja had killed seventy tigers and thus the tiger population became extinct
in the forests of his kingdom. It was then that he decided to get married to a girl in a
royal family of a state which had a large tiger population.

Question 21.
How did the Maharaja overcome the difficulty created by a high-ranking British
Officer? (Comptt. All India 2015)
Answer:
The Maharaja had annoyed a senior British Officer and was in danger of losing his
throne. To make amends he sent about fifty samples of expensive diamond rings to
the officer’s wife in the hope that she would keep one or two rings as a bribe. But the
greedy lady kept all the rings. The Maharaja lost three lakh rupees but he managed
to retain his kingdom.

Question 22.
Who killed the 100th tiger? Why? (Comptt. All India 2015)
Answer:
Ironically, the hundredth tiger is not killed by the Tiger King. He does drop down after
he is shot by the Maharaja, but he only faints from the bullet shot. The hunters then
wonder what they should do. They realize if the Maharaja came to know this they
could lose their jobs. So one of the hunters takes aim and shoots the tiger.

Question 23.
When he was only ten days old, a prediction was made about the future of the Tiger
King. What was ironic about it? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
When the king was a ten day old infant, the chief astrologer had predicted that a tiger
would be responsible for the King’s death. So the king went on a tiger-killing spree
but it was a wooden toy tiger that caused the Tiger King’s death. So despite getting
rid of all the tigers in and around his kingdom, it was most ironic that the hundredth
tiger, a wooden one, took its final revenge upon the King. A tiny sliver of wood from
the wooden tiger pierces the King’s right hand which ultimately leads to his death.

Question 24.
How did the ten-day-old baby (the future Tiger King) react to the prediction about his
future made by the astrologers? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
No sooner had the astrologers made the prediction about the death of the ten-day-
old baby, a great miracle took place. An astonishing phrase emerged from the lips of
the baby and everyone stood transfixed in stupefaction. He said the astrologers
should tell: him how he would die and asked the reason for his predicted death.

Question 25.
What kind of life was enjoyed by crown prince Jung Bahadur till he reached the age
of j twenty? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Till he reached the age of twenty the crown prince Jung Bahadur did exactly what
the other crown princes of all the other Indian states did. He drank the milk of an
English cow, was brought up by an English nanny, tutored in English by an
Englishman and saw only English films. He had an uneventful childhood just like any
Indian prince during the British rule.

Question 26.
What was the prediction made by astrologers when the king was born? (Comptt.
Delhi 2016)
Answer:
When the king was a ten day old infant, the chief astrologer had predicted that a tiger
would be responsible for the King’s death. So the king went on a tiger-killing spree
but it was a wooden toy tiger that caused the Tiger King’s death. So despite getting
rid of all the tigers in and around his kingdom, it was most ironic that the hundredth
tiger, a wooden one, took its final revenge upon the King. A tiny sliver of wood from
the wooden tiger pierces the King’s right hand which ultimately leads to his death.

Question 27.
How did the Tiger King save his kingdom from the British? (Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
The Maharaja (Tiger king) had annoyed a high- ranking British official by refusing
him permission to hunt and stood in danger of losing his kingdom. Later, to make
amends, he sent about fifty samples of expensive diamond rings to the officer’s wife
hoping she would keep one or two rings as a bribe. But she kept all the rings which
cost the Maharaja three lakh rupees and the official was pleased with him. In this
way, the tiger king was able to save his kingdom from the British.

Question 28.
How did the dewan and his wife help in getting the hundredth tiger for the king?
(Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
An old tiger had been bought by the Dewan from the People’s Park in Madras. He
had hidden it in his backyard. At midnight, the Dewan and his wife dragged the tiger
into the car and then hauled him out of the car, near the Maharaja’s camp. It
wandered into the Maharaja’s presence and was shot at.

Question 29.
Why was the Maharaja once in danger of losing his kingdom? (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
A high ranking British officer wished to go tiger hunting but he was declined
permission by the Maharaja. The officer then requested to be photographed with a
tiger killed by the Maharaja. The Maharaja rejected that request also. Having turned
down a senior British officer’s request twice could have put the Maharaja in danger
of losing his throne.

Question 30.
How did the Maharaja deal with high ranking British officer who wanted to shoot a
tiger? (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
The Maharaja had annoyed a high-ranking British official by refusing him permission
to hunt. Later, to make amends, he sent about fifty samples of expensive diamond
rings to the officer’s wife hoping she would keep one or two rings as a bribe. But she
kept all the rings which cost the Maharaja three lakhs rupees but the official was
pleased with him.

Question 31.
Why did the Maharaja have to pay a bill of three lakh rupees to the British jewellers?
(Delhi 2017)
Answer:
The Maharaja had annoyed a high-ranking British official by refusing him permission
to hunt. Later, to make amends, he sent about fifty samples of expensive diamond
rings to the officer’s wife hoping she would keep one or two rings as a bribe. But she
kept all the rings which cost the Maharaja three lakhs rupees but the official was
pleased with him.

Question 32.
Why did the Maharaja decide to get married? (All India 2017)
Answer:
The Maharaja had killed seventy tigers and thus the tiger population became extinct
in the forests of his kingdom. It was then that he decided to get married to a girl in a
royal family of a state which had a large tiger population.

Question 33.
Which problem did the Maharaja face when he had killed seventy tigers? How did he
solve it? (All India 2017)
Answer:
The Maharaja had killed seventy tigers and thus the tiger population became extinct
in the forests of his kingdom. It was then that he decided to get married to a girl in a
royal family of a state which had a large tiger population.
Question 34.
When did the Maharaja decide to double the land tax for a village? (All India 2017)
Answer:
In a hillside village of the Maharaja’s own state there was news about a tigers
presence which could be the hundredth tiger the Maharaja would kill and overcome
the curse. But this tiger was not to be found and as the days passed the Maharaja’s
fury and obstinacy mounted alarmingly and he decided to double the land tax for that
village.

Question 35.
How did the Tiger King die? Did the astrologer’s prediction come true? (Comptt.
Delhi 2017)
Answer:
It was a tiger that was responsible for the Tiger king’s death, albeit a poorly carved
wooden tiger. A sliver of wood pierced the tiger king’s hand and he neglected his
injury which became grievous and finally led to his death. So, in a way the
astrologer’s prediction did come true as the hundredth tiger was responsible for the
king’s death.

The Tiger King Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions (5-6 Marks)

Question 36.
How did the Tiger King meet his end? What is ironical about his fate? (All India 2009)
Answer:
The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram, who was also known as the Tiger King tried to go
against what was destined in his fate. The result was tragic and ironical. The chief
astrologer had predicted that a tiger would be the cause of the king’s death and he
should specially be wary of the hundredth tiger. The vain king banned hunting of the
tigers in the State by everyone except himself and was able to kill ninety-nine tigers.
He thought he had killed the hundredth tiger also but somehow the bullet missed its
mark and the hundredth tiger survived. Then on his son’s birthday the king bought
him a wooden tiger which he felt was a perfect gift for his son. One of the sharp
splinter in it pierced the king’s hand and the infection spread all over his arm causing
his death. It was indeed ironical that despite killing all the tigers in his kingdom the
king did finally become the victim of the hundredth tiger and the astrologer’s
prediction did come true.

Question 37.
Describe the efforts made by the Tiger King to achieve his target of killing a hundred
tigers. (All India 2009)
Answer:
The chief astrologer had told the King that his death would come from a tiger and he
should be specially wary of the hundredth tiger. So to prove the astrologer wrong the
King decided to kill a hundred tigers. He vowed that he would . attend to all other
matters only after killing one hundred tigers. Initially, the king seemed well set to
realise his ambition. Then some dangers and difficulties cropped up. There were
times when the bullet missed its mark and at other times the tiger would leap on him
and he would have to fight the wild beast with his bare hands. The Tiger King was
able to kill ninety-nine tigers this way and if he could kill just one more tiger all his
fears would be over for good and he could give up tiger hunting. But the hundredth
tiger could not be found. The Dewan realized the disastrous results, if the hundredth
tiger was not found. So a tiger was brought in from the People’s Park in Madras and
taken directly to the forest where the Maharaja was hunting. The King took aim and
the tiger fell in a heap. The Maharaja was extremely happy to have finally killed the
hundredth tiger. After he left the hunters took a closer look at the tiger and realized
the tiger was not dead as the king had missed the aim. They decided not to tell the
Maharaja and one of the hunters killed the tiger. The king was left under the
impression that he had achieved his target of killing a hundred tigers.

Question 38.
When did the Tiger King stand in danger of losing his kingdom? How was he able to
avert the danger? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
A high-ranking British officer, who was actually a coward, wanted to kill a tiger to
flaunt himself before his compatriots. When he was not allowed to hunt a tiger he
sent a word to the King that he would be happy if he was just allowed to be
photographed with a dead tiger killed by the King. But the King was adamant and did
not agree to his request because it would encourage the other officers to come with
similar demands. The King thus seriously angered the visiting senior British officer
and now ‘stood in danger of losing his kingdom itself’. So to pacify the annoyed
official, the King and his Dewan sent bribes of fifty expensive diamond rings to the
official’s wife hoping she would select one or two and return the rest. But the greedy
lady kept all the rings. The King, no doubt, lost a few lakhs but managed to save his
throne and was thus able to avert the danger of losing his kingdom.

Question 39.
Why was the king worried after having killed ninety-nine tigers? How did his worries
come to an end? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
At the birth of the King, an astrologer had predicted that a tiger would be responsible
for his death. At the age of twenty, the state astrologer had told him to be wary of the
hundredth tiger. The Tiger King had killed ninety nine tigers and now he just needed
to kill one tiger to reach his tally of killing a hundred tigers. Then he would have no
fears left. So he is feverishly anxious to kill the hundredth tiger at the earliest. But the
tiger farms ran dry in his father-in law’s kingdom also. Out of frustration, the King
terminates the services of many officers and thinks of punishing the villagers by
doubling the land tax. He also orders his Dewan either to resign or find a tiger. The
Dewan gets worried and upset and recalls the old tiger that has been brought from
Madras and kept hidden in his house. He drags the old and weak tiger and drives
him to the forest where the King is hunting. The initially hesitant tiger then wanders
into the Maharaja’s presence and is finally shot by the King.

Question 40.
The astrologer’s prediction about the death of the Tiger King came to be true. Do you
agree with this statement? Explain why or why not. (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
The chief-astrologer had forewarned the king that a tiger would be responsible for his
death and he should be particularly beware of the hundredth tiger. After killing the
hundredth tiger the king was relaxed and became careless. He did not know that the
hundredth tiger had actually survived because the bullet had missed its mark. Finally
it was a tiger who was responsible for the king’s death though it was a toy-tiger
which he had bought as a birthday gift for his son. The carved toy tiger had a rough
surface with sharp wooden splinters. One of these sharp splinters pierced the king’s
right hand and caused a deadly infection that spread all over his arm. Three
surgeons tried their level best but they could not save the king and so the
astrologer’s prediction did indeed come true. Despite the fact that the king took every
measure to avoid the circumstance of his death the hundredth tiger took its final
revenge upon the king as predicted by the astrologer.

Question 41.
Why did the Tiger King wish to hunt hundred tigers? How far was he able to fulfill his
wish? (Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
At the Tiger King’s birth the astrologer had predicted that the death of the new born
future king would come through a tiger and he must specially beware of the
hundredth tiger. Amaz¬ingly the new-born prince growled “Let tigers beware!”. He
meant that he would not be afraid of tigers, instead tigers would be afraid of him and
he would wipe them out to disprove the astrologers prediction. So when he came of
age he wreaked havoc on the tiger population in an attempt to hunt a hundred tigers
as soon as it was possible. The tiger king was able to kill ninety nine tigers
successfully and he was under the impression that he had also killed the hundredth
tiger. But the hundredth tiger had survived his bullet shot. Ironically the death of the
Tiger King was brought about by a toy, a wooden tiger. Which he had bought as a
special birthday gift for his son.

Question 42.
What sort of hunts did the Maharaja offer to organize for the high-ranking British
officer? What trait of the officer does it reveal? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
The Maharaja offered to organize a boar hunt, a mouse hunt or a mosquito hunt for
the high- ranking British officer. He offered to organise any hunt other than a tiger
hunt. This reveals that the officer was a man who was a meek man who, the
Maharaja felt, would be satisfied with any sort of hunt. It also reveals that he was
very fond of hunting tigers and being photographed.

Question 43.
Giving a bribe is an evil practice. How did the Tiger King bribe the British officer to
save his kingdom? How do you view this act of his? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
The Maharaja had annoyed a British officer by refusing him permission to hunt a
tiger in Pratibandapuram, and as a result he was in danger of losing his throne. Later
to make amends he bribed the officer by sending about fifty samples of expensive
diamond rings to the officer’s wife in the hope that she would keep one or two rings
as a bribe. But the greedy lady kept all the rings. So the Maharaja lost three lakh
rupees but was still happy because he had managed to retain his kingdom. The
Maharaja was absolutely certain of one thing, that he would not let anyone else
shoot a tiger in his kingdom. He annoyed the British officer and later paid a heavy
bribe to appease the official. Even after losing a large amount of money the
Maharaja was happy because he had not only managed to retain his throne but also
dissuaded the British officer from shooting a tiger.

Question 44.
Even today so many among us believe in superstitions. An astrologer predicted
about The Tiger King’ that he would be killed by a tiger. He ‘killed’ one hundred tigers
yet was him¬self ‘killed’ by a tiger. How did the supersti¬tious belief ‘prevail’? (All
India 2015)
Answer:
The chief-astrologer had forewarned the king that a tiger would be responsible for his
death and he should be particularly beware of the hundredth tiger. After killing the
hundredth ti-ger the king was relaxed and became careless. He did not know that the
hundredth tiger had actually survived because the bullet had missed its mark. Finally
it was a tiger who was responsible for the king’s death even though it was a toy-tiger
which he had bought as a birthday gift for his son. The carved toy tiger had a rough
surface with sharp wooden splinters. One of these sharp splinters pierced the king’s
right hand and caused a deadly infection that spread all over his arm. Three
surgeons tried their level best but they could not save the king and so the
astrologer’s prediction did indeed come true. Despite the fact that the king took every
measure to avoid the circumstance of his death the hundredth tiger took its final revenge
upon the king as predicted by the astrologer.

1. Answer each of the following questions in about 30-40 words:

Question 1.
How do geological phenomena help us to 1 know about the history of mankind?
(2000; 2009 Delhi)
Answer:
It is geological phenomena that help us to know about the history of mankind.
Geologists say about 650 million years ago a giant ‘amalgamated’ super continent,
Gondwana existed in the South. At that time India and Antarctica were parts of the
same landmass. Gondwana had a warm climate and a huge variety of flora and
fauna. This supercontinent survived for 500 years till the age of mammals got
underway.

Question 2.
What kind of indications do we get while visiting Antarctica to save Earth? (2004
Delhi)
Answer:
Tishani Doshi’s entire experience of visiting Antarctica was nothing short of a
revelation. It made her wonder about the “beauty of balance in play on our planet”.
She hopes the new generation will understand their planet better and save it from
annihilation. The planet’s ecosystem and its balance that took millions of years to
form can be soon destroyed. Scientists warn that a further depletion in the ozone
layer will affect the activities of the phytoplankton. The lives of the marine animals
and birds of the region will be affected. But the school students’ visit to the Antarctica
may make human beings handle their planet in a better way.

Question 3.
How can a visit to the Antarctica be an enlightening experience? (2008 Outside
Delhi; All Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
By visiting the Antarctica we can understand the earth’s past, present and future. A
visit there can teach the next generation to understand and value our planet.
Antarctica also holds within its ice-cores half-million-years old carbon records which
will help us to study climatic changes by global warming.

Question 4.
Why is a visit to Antarctica important to realise the effect of global warming? (2008
Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Antarctica is the perfect place to study the effects that global warming is causing. It is
here that one can see the effect of melting glaciers and collapsing ice-shelves and
how this is likely to raise the water levels in the sea and the ocean, as a result of
which many low lying regions will be submerged under water.

Question 5.
How is Antarctica a crucial element in the debate on climate change? (2008 Outside
Delhi; 2013 Comptt. Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Antarctica is a crucial element in the debate on climate change because it is the only
place in the world which has never sustained a human population and thus remains
relatively pristine. Moreover, it holds in its ice-caves half-million- year old carbon
records trapped in its layers of ice. The world’s climate is changing fast and is at
present one of the most hotly debated issues. Antarctica is the ideal place to study
the effect of these environmental changes as it has a very simple ecosystem and
lacks biodiversity. If global warming makes Antarctica warmer, it will have disastrous
consequences elsewhere.

Question 6.
What was the objective of the ‘Students on Ice Programme’? (2009 Delhi; 2011
Comptt. Outside Delhi)
Answer:
The objective of the ‘Students on Ice’ programme was to take High School students
to the limits of the world and provide them not only with inspiring opportunities in
education but also enable them to understand and respect our planet. The idea was
to provide them a life-changing experience at an age when they are ready to absorb,
learn and most importantly act. According to Geoff Green, the High School students
are the future policy makers and through this programme they would save this planet
from ecological hazards and the harmful effects of global warming.
Question 7.
Why is Antarctica and its understanding important for the survival of the world?
(2009 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Antarctica and its understanding is important for the survival of the world because it
helps us to know that the southern supercontinent of Gondwana existed and
centered around the present-day Antarctica. Human beings had not come on the
global scene but a huge variety of flora and fauna was present in the supercontinent.
It was after 500 million years that the landmass was forced to separate into countries
that exist today. Antarctica’s ice-cores hold over half-million-year-old carbon records
which are crucial for the study of the Earth’s past, present and future.

Question 8.
What are the indications for the future of humankind? (2009 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
A fast and steady rise in human population in proportion to the limited natural
resources is exerting pressure on land. Forests are being cut and fossil fuels are
being burnt and these factors are increasing the global temperature. Melting of
glaciers, depletion of ozone layer and global warming are endangering man’s
existence on earth. This is bound to adversely affect marine life, birds and mankind.

Question 9.
How did the Antarctica amaze the writer when he first saw it? (2010 Delhi)
Answer:
When the writer first saw Antarctica he was amazed by its vastness and immense
white landscape. It was an endless blue horizon and the fact that it was isolated from
the rest of the world created an added sense of wonder and mystery about the
continent.

Question 10.
Why was Tishani Doshi filled with relief and wonder when he set foot on the Antarctic
continent? (2010 Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
Tishani Doshi’s first emotion when he set foot on the Antarctic continent was one of
relief. He felt relieved to have set foot there after over a hundred hours. Its vastness
and immense wild landscape dazzled his eyes. Its endless blue horizon and its
isolation from the rest of the world created a sense of wonder and mystery for him.

Question 11.
Why is Antarctica the place to go to if we want to study the earth’s past, present and
future? (2010 Comptt. Outside Delhi)
Answer:
The Antarctica landmass, that was an amalgamated southern supercontinent called
Gondwana dates back to 650 million years. It can help us understand better the
formation of continents and mountains like the Himalayas as they are in the modem
world. Its ice-cores hold over half-million-year old carbon records that are vital to
study the Earth’s past, present and future.
Question 12.
What were the writer’s feelings on reaching Antarctica? (2011 Delhi)
Answer:
The writer’s first emotion on reaching Antarctica was that of relief. He felt relieved to
have set foot on the Antarctic continent after over 100 hours. Then he experienced a
sense of amazement on seeing its vastness and immense white landscape which
dazzled his eyes.

Question 13.
What sort of brightness and silence prevailed in Antarctica dining summer? (2011
Delhi)
Answer:
The brightness that prevailed in Antarctica was surreal (strange) as the austral
summer light remained for 24 hours in the continent. The silence there was
ubiquitous (widespread) interrupted only by the occasional avalanche or calving ice
sheet.

Question 14.
What do you think is the reason behind the success of the programme, ‘Students on
Ice’? (2011 Delhi)
Answer:
The programme ‘Students on Ice’ was a success because it offered a life changing
exposure to the future generation of policy makers at an age when they could
absorb, learn and act. It provided them with inspiring educational opportunities which
would help them foster a new understanding and respect for our planet.

Question 15.
Why does the author of Journey to the End of the Earth state that in 12000 years
man has managed to create a ruckus on this earth? (2012 Comptt. Outside Delhi )
Answer:
Humans have been on this Earth for about 12,000 years and have created a havoc
and ruckus on this Earth. They have done this by encroaching on nature and
establishing cities and megacities. Their increasing population has depleted natural
resources and their callousness towards nature has led to a rise in global
temperature.

Question 16.
How was Antarctica a chilling prospect for a South Indian, Tishani Doshi? (2013
Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
Tishani Doshi is a sun-worshipping South Indian and for her to spend two weeks in a
place where 90 per cent of the Earth’s total ice volumes are stored is a chilling
prospect, not just for circulatory and metabolic functions, but also for the imagination.

2. Answer the following question in about 125-150 words.

Question 17.
How the programme, ‘Students on Ice’ was an attempt to equip future generation
with knowledge to save Earth? (2005 Delhi)
Answer:
The objective of the ‘Students on Ice’ programme was to take the High School
students to the limits of the world and provide them with inspiring opportunities in
education to enable them to understand and respect our planet. According to Geoff
Green, the High School students are the future policy-makers and through this
programme they would be able to save this planet from the ecological hazards and
the harmful effects of global warming. Antarctica, with its simple ecosystem and lack
of biodiversity, is the perfect place to study how little changes in the environment can
have major repercussions. The school students’ impressionable minds can study
and examine the Earth’s past, present and future by their voyage to Antarctica.

Question 18.
The world’s geological history is trapped in the Antarctica. How is the study of this
region useful to us? (2008 Delhi)
Answer:
The Antarctic landmass dates back to 650 million years. It was an amalgamated
southern supercontinent called Gondwana. This landmass centered around the
present-day Antarctica. Human beings did not exist as their civilization is only 12,000
years old. The climate at that time was warm and landmass flourished with a vast
variety of flora and fauna. The study of this region shows that Gondwana prospered
for 500 million years. But then the dinosaurs got wiped out and mammals began to
appear. The landmass disintegrated into countries and India, the Himalayas and
South America was formed. This left Antarctica frigid at the bottom of the earth.
Today, it stores the key to the significance of coridelleran folds and pre- Cambrian
granite shields, ozone and carbon layers as well as a study of the evolution and
extinction. This can help us to understand in a better way the formation of continents
and mountains like the Himalayas as we find them in the modem world. Its ice-folds
hold over half-million-year-old carbon records that are so crucial for the study of the
Earth’s past, present and future, thus trapping the world’s geological history in
Antarctica.

Question 19.
What are phytoplanktons? How are they important to our ecosystem? (2010 Outside
Delhi; 2012 Delhi)
Answer:
The microscopic phytoplankton are tiny forms of plant life on the sea. They nourish
and sustain the entire southern ocean’s food chain. They are single-celled plants and
use the energy of the sun to assimilate carbon supplying oxygen and synthesise
compounds. Depletion of the ozone layer that protects us from the harmful rays of
the sun adversely affects the activities of the phytoplankton. Any further depletion in
the ozone layer will hamper their activity which, in turn, is bound to affect the growth
of marine animals and birds and even the global carbon cycle. Thus to save the big
organisms the small organisms need to be cared for because even minor changes
have huge repercussions.

Question 20.
The author calls her two-week stay in Antarctica, ‘a chilling prospect’. How far do you
think is she justified? What other features of the Antarctic environment are
highlighted?
Answer:
Tishani Doshi, is a sun-worshipping South Indian and for her to spend two-weeks in
a place where 90 per cent of the Earth’s total ice volumes are stored is a chilling
prospect—both in terms of circulatory and metabolic functions and for the
imagination. She has been transported from the scorching sun to the ice floes and
glaciers where ninety per cent of the earth’s surface is ice-mass. Her two-week
Antarctic encounter left an epiphanic effect on her and she carried back indelible
memories of the continent. For her, it was like walking into a giant ping-pong ball,
devoid of any human markers like trees, billboards and buildings. She says one
loses all earthly sense of perspective and time here. As the day pass in surreal 24-
hour austral summer light, a silence prevails which is interrupted only by the
occasional avalanche or caving ice sheet.

She learnt that Antarctica has a very simple ecosystem that lacks variety. But if this
system is interfered with and environmental changes are effected indiscriminately, it
can lead to depletion of the ozone layer, which protects us from the harmful rays of
the sun. Since the planet is unravaged by humans, it remains unblemished. Its ice-
cores hold more than half¬million-year-old carbon records that are imperative for the
detailed study of our planet.

Question 21.
Why does Tishani Doshi call her trip to Antarctica a “Journey to the End of the
Earth”? What experience did she have during this expedition? (2011 Outside Delhi)
Answer:
Tishani Doshi calls her trip to Antarctica a ‘Journey to the End of the Earth’ because
she crosses nine time zones, six checkpoints, three water bodies and many
ecospheres to reach there. The entire journey takes one hundred hours. She is
wonder-struck by the immensity and isolation of the region. She is also relieved to
see its expansive wide landscape and uninterrupted blue horizon. Antarctica
provides young students like her with a platform to study changes in the
environment. The programme is also likely to help them develop a new respect and
understanding of our planet. Antarctica is also the perfect place for them to study
how little climatic changes can have big repercussions and how global warming and
further depletion of the ozone layer can affect the Antarctic region. The study of the
Antarctica will help them to understand the earth’s past, present and future.

Question 22.
In what ways is the research on Antarctica helpful in the study and understanding of
the Earth’s past and future, according to the author of ‘Journey to the End of the
Earth’? (2012 Comptt. Delhi)
Answer:
A visit to Antarctica will help us to understand where we have come from and where
we could possibly be heading. It will also suggest a lot of future possibilities,
probably for even a million years later. By visiting the Antarctica we get an
opportunity to study about the future climatic changes easily and more effectively.
We also come to know about the repercussions of the various environmental
changes. It also gives us the realization of the appearance of the ‘future world’. The
ice-cores of Antarctica hold more than half-million-year-old carbon records which are
very crucial for the study of the past, present and future of our planet. All this will also
help us to understand our planet better and also give us ideas to save our planet.

The Enemy Important Questions CBSE

Class 12 English
The Enemy Important Questions Short Answer Type Questions (3-4 Marks)

Question 1.
Why did the General spare the American soldier? (All India 2009)
Answer:
The General had his own selfish interest in sparing the American soldier. He knew
Dr. Sadao was indispensable to him and did not want him to be arrested. He did not
trust other surgeons. In his capacity as a General he should have had the American
soldier arrested but he refrained from it in his personal self-interest.

Question 2.
Why was Dr. Sadao not sent to the battlefield? (All India 2009)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao was a skilled and reputed surgeon who was in the process of perfecting
an invention of rendering wounds totally clean. Moreover, he was treating the old
General who could need an operation. So he was not sent to the battlefield as his
valuable services could be needed at any time in his hometown.

Question 3.
Why did the messenger come to Dr. Sadao? What did Hana think about it? (All India
2010)
Answer:
The uniformed messenger comes to Dr. Sadao to inform him that the old General
was in pain again. Hana felt relieved to hear that the messenger had come only to
inform Dr. Sadao about the General’s ill-health. She had earlier feared that the
servants had informed the police who had sent the man in the uniform to their house.

Question 4.
What forced Dr. Sadao to be impatient and irritated with his patient? (All India 2010)
Answer:
His patient was badly wounded and this was a cause of worry, concern and vexation
for Dr. Sadao. Saving him was a challenge for his skills as a doctor and harbouring
him in his house could lead to Dr. Sadao’s arrest and his treatment was the ultimate
test of the doctor’s patience.

Question 5.
In what context does Hana remember General Takima? What does she infer? (All
India 2010)
Answer:
Hana remembers General Takima who at home used to beat his wife cruelly though
no one now mentioned it ever since he had fought a victorious battle in Manchuria.
She inferred that if a man like him could be so cruel to a woman in his power, he
would be extremely cruel to the wounded American soldier.

Question 6.
How did Hana help Dr. Sadao while he operated upon the enemy soldier? (Comptt.
Delhi 2010)
Answer:
First Hana washes the wounded man’s face and body with warm water till it was
quite clean. She then assists Dr. Sadao during the operation even though she has
never even witnessed an operation before. She brings in the towels and though she
is not comfortable at the sight of the bleeding wound she gives anaesthesia to the
patient.

Question 7.
What was the old gardener’s reaction when Dr. Sadao gave shelter to the enemy
soldier? (Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
Like all the servants the gardener did not like Sadao’s efforts to save a wounded
American
soldier. He felt it was unpatriotic to give shelter to a prisoner of war. He felt if his
master healed what first the gun and then the sea did, they would be avenged.

Question 8.
How did Dr. Sadao ensure that the American sailor left his house but he himself
remained safe and secure? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao offered his personal boat with food and extra clothing to the American
soldier when he left his house. He then advised the soldier to go to a nearby island
where no one lived and escape from there by boarding a Korean fishing boat. Dr.
Sadao then informed the General that the soldier had escaped.

Question 9.
Why did Hana wash the wounded soldier herself? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Hana had to wash the wounded soldier herself because Yumi, the maid, refused to
wash a ‘dirty white man’. Moreover Hana felt necessary to help her husband. Her
qualities of head and heart enable her to take a balanced view about the wounded
soldier, even though he was an American.

Question 10.
How does the writer indicate that Dr. Sadao’s father was a very traditional and
conventional man? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Though Dr. Sadao and Hana had fallen in love in America, he got married to her only
after his father approved of her. His father always wanted Sadao to get married to a
girl who was pure in her race. Dr. Sadao’s marriage to Hana was arranged by his
father in the old Japanese way indicating that he was a traditional and conventional
man.

Question 11.
How did Dr. Sadao plan the American prisoner’s escape? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer: Dr. Sadao made elaborate arrangements for the prisoner’s safe escape.
The prisoner was made to row to a nearby island where no one lived. All the
necessary things were given to him. He was told to signal two flashes if he ran out of
food. When Dr. Sadao received no signal, he was convinced the prisoner had
escaped safely.

Question 12.
Did Hana think the Japanese tortured their prisoners of war? Why? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
When Hana noticed the deep red scars on the American soldier’s neck, she
worriedly hoped that he had not been tortured by the Japanese. She knew it was a
common practice for the Japanese to torture their prisoners of war in the most brutal
manner.

Question 13.
Why had Hana to wash the wounded man herself? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Hana had to wash the wounded soldier herself because Yumi, the maid, refused to
wash a ‘dirty white man’. Moreover Hana felt necessary to help her husband. Her
qualities of head and heart enable her to take a balanced view about the wounded
soldier, even though he was an American.

Question 14.
What help did Dr. Sadao seek from Hana while operating on the wounded white
man? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao sought Hana’s help while operating on the wounded white man. She
assisted Dr. Sadao during the operation even though she had never even witnessed
an operation before. She brought in the towels and though she was not comfortable
at the sight of the bleeding wound she gave anaesthesia to the patient.

Question 15.
Who sent a messenger to Dr. Sadao? What for? (Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
The old General sent a messenger to Dr. Sadao to inform him the General was in
pain again and needed Dr. Sadao’s immediate attention. The General preferred to
be treated by Dr. Sadao who had the reputation of being thoroughly professional in
his job.

Question 16.
What forced Dr. Sadao to be impatient and irritable with his patient? (All India 2013)
Answer:
Hana had never seen an operation and the sight of Dr. Sadao operating on the
soldier made her sick and she rushed out to the garden to retch. Dr. Sadao knew
how distressed Hana was and his inability to go to her made him impatient and
irritable with his patient because of whom he could not be with his wife.

Question 17.
In what context does Hana remember the cruel nature of General Takima? (All India
2013)
Answer:
Hana remembers General Takima who at home used to beat his wife cruelly though
no one now mentioned it ever since he had fought a victorious battle in Manchuria.
She inferred that if a man like him could be so cruel to a woman in his power, he
would be extremely cruel to the wounded American soldier.

Question 18.
What made a cool surgeon like Sadao speak sharply to his wife and what was her
reaction? (All India 2013)
Answer:
While Sadao was operating on the American soldier, Hana, his wife choked on
seeing so much blood. Dr. Sadao looked up and saw her sulphur coloured face. At
that moment he retorted sharply to his wife telling her not to faint. Hana clapped her
hands to her mouth and ran out of the garden to retch.

Question 19.
How nearly had Dr. Sadao missed marrying Hana? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao had met Hana literally by chance at an American professor’s house. He
actually did not want to go there as the rooms of the house were small, the food was
bad and the professor’s wife was rather voluble. But nevertheless he had gone and
there he had found Hana.

Question 20.
In what condition was the American sailor when Dr. Sadao found him?(Comptt. All
India 2013)
Answer:
When Dr. Sadao found the American sailor the latter was badly wounded and
unconscious. Blood was flowing freshly when Dr. Sadao touched his wound. On the
right side of the sailor’s lower back Dr. Sadao saw that the gun wound had reopened
and the flesh was blackened with powder.

Question 21.
Do you think Dr. Sadao’s final decision was the best possible one in the
circumstances? Why/Why not? Explain with reference to the story, ‘The Enemy’.
(Delhi 2013)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao rose above narrow prejudices of race and country and not only saved the
young American soldier from dying, but also helped him to escape. Basic human
goodness overpowered Dr. Sadao and the final decision that he took was indeed the
best possible one in the circumstances. He could not hand over a dying man, even if
he was an enemy, to the police. The ethics of his profession had taught him to save
a dying man. His essential love for humanity and his sincerity towards his duty as a
doctor transcend all other narrow considerations. As a doctor, it was his duty to save
a dying man and so he put aside all other options and respected the ideals and
principles of his profession.

Question 22.
Why did Dr. Sadao treat the American soldier even though it was an unpatriotic act
on his part? (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao rose above narrow prejudices of race and country and treated the
wounded American soldier. Basic human goodness overpowers him and he treats
the American soldier. Being a doctor, it was his duty to save a dying man even
though he belonged to the enemy’s camp.

Question 23.
Why did the General not order immediate arrest of Dr. Sadao who had sheltered a
white man? (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
After knowing that Dr. Sadao had operated on the white man with such success, the
General realized how indispensable Dr. Sadao was to him. He was the only one who
could save him. So he could not let Dr. Sadao be arrested lest he required Dr.
Sadao’s medical expertise to save his own life.

Question 24.
How did Hana help Dr. Sadao? (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
First Hana washes the wounded man’s face and body with warm water till it was
quite clean. She then assists Dr. Sadao during the operation even though she has
never even witnessed an operation before. She brings in the towels and though she
is not comfortable at the sight of the bleeding wound she gives anaesthesia to the
patient.

Question 25.
In what condition did Dr. Sadao find the American soldier at the seashore? (All India
2015)
Answer:
When Dr. Sadao first saw the American soldier at the sea shore, he was crawling on
his hands and knees and then he fell on his face. He was badly wounded and lay
motionless. Blood flowed freshly when Dr. Sadao touched his wound and the man
moaned in pain.

Question 26.
What role did the American professor play in bringing Hana and Sadao together? (All
India 2015)
Answer:
The American professor and his wife had been kind people who were anxious to do
something for their few foreign students and the students, though bored, accepted
this kindness. It was at the professor’s house that Dr. Sadao had met Hana, a new
student, and had felt that he would love her if it were at all possible.

Question 27.
What was Sadao’s father’s dream for him? How did Sadao realise it? (All India 2015)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao’s father had spent infinite pains on his only son and his education had
been his father’s chief concern. He had sent Dr. Sadao at the age of 22 to America
to learn all that could be learned of surgery and medicine. Before his father’s death,
Dr. Sadao ensured that he saw him not only as a surgeon but also as a scientist.

Question 28.
Dr. Sadao was a patriotic Japanese as well as a dedicated surgeon. How could he
honour both the values? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao was indeed a patriotic Japanese as well as a dedicated surgeon. An
American run away prisoner in a badly wounded condition is washed ashore on
Japanese doctor Sadao’s doorstep. The doctor is initially a little hesitant to save the
prisoner’s life when he discovers the latter’s real identity. But being a dedicated
surgeon he decides to treat the enemy soldier. He is able to save the prisoner’s life
but being a patriotic Japanese he informs a superior Japanese Army General about
the prisoner’s presence in his house and even agrees to have him killed by the
General’s assassins. He waits for the assassins to carry out their job but when they
do not arrive, he gives the prisoner his boat and helps him to escape safely thus
honouring both the values that he was a pa-triotic Japanese as well as a dedicated
surgeon.

Question 29.
Dr. Sadao faced a dilemma. Should he use his surgical skills to save the life of a
wounded person or hand an escaped American P.O.W. over to the Japanese police?
How did he re-solve this clash of values? (All India 2015)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao gives priority to his professional ethics over his patriotism and uses his
surgical skills to save the life of a wounded man even though he belonged to the
enemy’s camp. He rises above narrow prejudices and realizes his duty as a doctor.
The surgeon in him instinctively inspires him to operate upon the dying soldier and
save his life. But he is also a responsible and patriotic citizen of his country so he
decides to inform a senior Japanese Army General about the prisoner’s presence in
his house and even agrees to have him killed by the General’s assassins. He even
spends three restless nights waiting for the assassins to carry out their job. But the
assassins did not arrive. In this way, Dr. Sadao is able to resolve the clash of his
values and appease his conscience of having done his duty as a responsible citizen
of his country.

Question 30.
How did the arrival of the prisoner destroy the peace of Sadao’s home? (Comptt.
Delhi 2015)
Answer:
The arrival of the prisoner does destroy the peace of Sadao’s home. At the onset Dr.
Sadao and his wife are anxious and confused whether they should save the
wounded soldier who they know is an American. The servants in Dr. Sadao’s house
are against his decision of harbouring a soldier from the enemy’s camp. Yumi
refuses to wash the American soldier as he was a white man. The cook and
gardener criticise Dr. Sadao and threaten to leave the house. Finally all the servants
leave Dr. Sadao’s home and Hana, Dr. Sadao’s wife stands by him but is in constant
terror. The messenger from the General frightens Hana. She fears her husband will
be condemned as a traitor. Dr. Sadao himself is in a dilemma. Being a patriotic
Japanese citizen he doubts the rightness of his act. It is only after the prisoner
leaves that things start getting normal in Dr. Sadao’s house.

Question 31.
What was his father’s chief concern about Dr. Sadao? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Sadao’s education was his father’s chief concern. For this reason he had sent Sadao
to America to learn all that could be learned about surgery and medicine. Before his
death he had seen Sadao become famous not only as a surgeon but as a scientist.

Question 32.
Why was Dr. Sadao not sent abroad along with the troops? (Delhi 2016)
Answer: Dr. Sadao was firstly perfecting a discovery which would render wounds
entirely clean, so he had not been sent abroad with the troops. Moreover, there was
a possibility that the old General might need an operation, and for this Dr. Sadao
was being kept in Japan.

Question 33.
Where, when and how did Dr. Sadao meet Hana? (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao met Hana in America. He met her in the most casual way, literally by
chance, at an American professor’s house. The hospitable Professor Harley and his
wife were anxious to do something for the foreign students and thus had invited them
over. Dr. Sadao had actually nearly decided not to go to Professor Harley’s house
that night because of the bad food and the professor’s voluble wife, but finally he had
gone and there he had met Hana.

Question 34.
Where and how did Sadao meet Hana in America? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao met Hana in America. He met her in the most casual way, literally by
chance, at an American professor’s house. The hospitable Professor Harley and his
wife were anxious to do something for the foreign students and thus had invited them
over. Dr. Sadao had actually nearly decided not to go to Professor Harley’s house
that night because of the bad food and the professor’s voluble wife, but finally he had
gone and there he had met Hana.

Question 35.
What did Dr. Sadao understand more about the wound on peering into it? (Comptt.
All India 2016)
Answer:
After peering into the American soldier’s wound Dr. Sadao understood that he had
been shot some days ago and had not been tended to. The bullets were still there in
his body, though they had not reached the kidney.

Question 36.
What dilemma did Dr. Sadao face? (Comptt. Delhi 2017)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao finds an unconscious wounded white soldier on a lonely coast near his
house. Since Japan was at war with America Dr. Sadao faces a dilemma between
national loyalty and his duty as a doctor. He is confused as to whether he should
hand over the enemy to the Japanese authorities, or being a doctor do his foremost
duty and attend to a wounded man and save his life.

Question 37.
Why did Dr. Sadao’s servants leave his service? (Comptt. Delhi 2017)
Answer:
Japan was at war with America. Dr. Sadao was nursing a wounded American
soldier. The servants did not approve of Dr. Sadao’s generosity who was trying to
give an American a new lease of life. They thought Dr. Sadao was doing a
treacherous act by helping the enemy, so their patriotic feelings made them leave Dr.
Sadao’s house.

The Enemy Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions (5-6 Marks)

Question 38.
How did Dr. Sadao rise above narrow prejudices of race and country to help a
human being in need? (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
An American prisoner of war gets washed away to Japanese doctor, Sadao’s
doorstep. Being a doctor, Sadao gives top priority to saving the life of a dying man
despite the ongoing war between America and Japan and the fact that all Americans
were considered to be their enemies. Being a doctor, Sadao’s duty was to save a
dying man but saving an enemy would be an act of treachery. But the doctor not only
saved him from dying but did not even hand him over to the police. He rose above
narrow prejudices of race and country and helped the young soldier to escape. Basic
human goodness overpowers Dr. Sadao and he helps the wounded soldier first by
saving his life and then by arranging his escape, risking his own life and reputation in
the process.

Question 39.
Describe the difficulties faced by Dr. Sadao when he decided to help the enemy
soldier.(Delhi 2009)
Answer:
A wounded American soldier who was bleeding was washed away to Dr. Sadao’s
doorstep. Japan was at war with America and giving shelter to a U.S. soldier was an
anti¬national activity for which Dr. Sadao could be arrested. He could be severely
punished on charges of harbouring an enemy. Dr. Sadao also had to face open
defiance from his servants who refused to cooperate with him and his wife. They
wanted that “the white man ought to die”. Dr. Sadao was in a fix. He could not hand
over a dying man, even if he was an enemy, to the police and protecting him could
lead to Dr. Sadao’s arrest. But the ethics of his profession had taught him to save a
dying man irrespective of all things. So putting aside his dilemma he did what he
ought to do as a doctor. He not only operated upon and saved the enemy soldier but
also arranged for his escape.

Question 40.
Dr. Sadao was compelled by his duty as a doctor to help the enemy soldier. What
made Hana, his wife sympathies with him in the face of open defiance from the
domestic staff? (All India 2011)
Answer:
Hana embodies the concept of the perfect companion who joins hands with her
husband and renders all possible help to him to save the American soldier. When
her servants desert her she easily steps into their place and discharges the duties of
a maid and a governess most gracefully. In spite of all the tension and anxiety, she
displays a great sense of efficiency and knows how to conduct herself without losing
her cool. She is a cooperative and understanding wife who renders all possible help
to her husband to ensure that the operation is a success. The qualities of her
goodness of head and heart enable her to take a humane view about the wounded
soldier even though he is an American. She plays her role of a dutiful wife and the
mistress of the house with a lot of dignity and it was due to her sympathy and
cooperation that Dr. Sadao was able to save the dying enemy soldier.

Question 41.
What explains the attitude of the General in the matter of the enemy soldier? Was it
human consideration, lack of national loyalty, dere-lition of duty or simply self-
absorption? (All India 2011)
Answer:
The General is a self-absorbed man who is too involved with his own self. He being
a General, his illness and his fear of death are his main concern. It is quite surprising
that he fails to send his private assassins to kill the American soldier at Dr. Sadao’s
house. But here too he fears for his own self because he does not want the
assassins to even accidently cause any harm to Dr. Sadao and his wife as Dr.
Sadao was indispensable for his well-being and survival. So he feigns to be forgetful
and chooses not to send his assassins to eliminate the soldier. It is not neglect of
duty or lack of patriotism which is responsible for the General’s irresponsible attitude
towards the enemy soldier. It is simply his self-interest and self-absorption that make
| the General take a lenient attitude towards the j presence and escape of the
American soldier from Dr. Sadao’s house.

Question 42.
Draw a character sketch of the old General in the lesson, ‘The Enemy’. (All India
2011)
Answer:
The old General is a man whose personal considerations overweighted all other
considerations. Even though the Second World War was in progress and a doctor of
the calibre of Dr. Sadao would have proved to be a blessing for the wounded
soldiers on the front, he was retained in Japan because he was indispensable to the
General’s health and well being. Despite knowing about the presence of the
American soldier at Dr. Sadao’s house he refrains from sending his private
assassins to kill the enemy soldier. He understands Dr. Sadao’s importance for his
own survival and so does not want to take a chance in case the assassins accidently
harm Dr. Sadao or his wife. The General, therefore, comes across as a strange and
selfish person who is actually too preoccupied with his own self. He being a General,
his illness and his fear of death outweigh all his other considerations, even those
towards his country.

Question 43.
How did Dr. Sadao rise above narrow prejudices of race and country to help a
human being in need? (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
An American prisoner of war gets washed away to Japanese doctor, Sadao’s
doorstep. Being a doctor, Sadao gives top priority to saving the life of a dying man
despite the ongoing war between America and Japan and the fact that all Americans
were considered to be their enemies. Being a doctor, Sadao’s duty was to save a
dying man but saving an enemy would be an act of treachery. But the doctor not only
saved him from dying but did not even hand him over to the police. He rose above
narrow prejudices of race and country and helped the young soldier to escape. Basic
human goodness overpowers Dr. Sadao and he helps the wounded soldier first by
saving his life and then by arranging his escape, risking his own life and reputation in
the process.

Question 44.
What impression do you form about Dr. Sadao as a man and as a surgeon on your
reading the chapter, ‘The Enemy’? (All India 2012)
Answer:
An American prisoner of war gets washed away to Japanese doctor, Sadao’s
doorstep. Being a doctor, Sadao gives top priority to saving the life of a dying man
despite the ongoing war between America and Japan and the fact that all Americans
were considered to be their enemies. Being a doctor, Sadao’s duty was to save a
dying man but saving an enemy would be an act of treachery. But the doctor not only
saved him from dying but did not even hand him over to the police. He rose above
narrow prejudices of race and country and helped the young soldier to escape. Dr.
Sadao’s basic human values give him the ability to rise above petty prejudices. His
essential love for humanity and his sincerity towards his duty transcend all other
narrow considerations. As a doctor it was his duty to save a dying man so he put
aside all other options and respected the ethics of his profession.

Question 45.
Why did Sadao Hoki go to America? Narrate his experiences there. (All India 2012)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao was a dutiful son who was aware that his education was his father’s chief
con¬cern. So at the age of twenty-two Sadao’s father sent him to America to study
surgery and medicine. He had met his wife, Hana in America. He had ‘found’ Hana
casually and by chance at an American professor’s house. The professor and his
wife were kind people anx¬ious to help out their foreign students. Dr. Sadao had
gone to the professor’s house most reluctantly and there he had found Hana. He had
not married Hana heedlessly in America. The two had finished their work at school,
had come home to Japan and when his father had approved of her, their marriage
was arranged in the traditional Japanese way. Dr. Sadao had returned from America
at the age of thirty as a full-fledged qualified surgeon.

Question 46.
Why did Sadao help the American soldier to escape? How did he do it? (All India
2012)
Answer:
After saving the life of the American soldier Dr. Sadao could not hand him over to the
police and once again throw him into the jaws of death. If he did this his whole
purpose of saving a dying man would be defeated. So, Dr. Sadao decided to help
the soldier to escape. He made elaborate arrangements for the soldier’s safe
escape. He was made to row the doctor’s own stout boat to a nearby island. All
necessary things were provided to him and he was told to signal two flashes if he ran
short of supplies. He was also instructed not to signal in darkness for it could be
seen. He was to wait for a Korean fishing boat and not to take the help of any other
boat for his escape. Finally when Dr. Sadao received no signal from him at the
appointed hour he was convinced that the soldier had escaped safely.

Question 47.
Dr. Sadao was more a dutiful doctor than a loyal citizen. Substantiate the statement
by quoting suitable evidence from the story,’The Enemy’. (Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao is a dutiful doctor and when it comes to commitment towards his
profession even his obligation towards his country becomes secondary to him. He
brings back to life a man who is on the verge of death without caring about the fact
that the person whose life he is saving is a soldier of the enemy camp. It is
Dr.Sadao’s conscience and professional ethics that supercede his patriotism and so
he saves the American soldier. He rises above narrow prejudices as he realizes his
job as a doctor is to save a life and not to take it away. Even after he told the
General everything about the American soldier he felt restless for three consecutive
nights at the thought that he was actually waiting for someone to be killed. Finally, he
decided to help the soldier to escape so that he could be at peace with himself and
put his mind to rest.

Question 48.
What was the General’s plan to get rid of the American prisoner? Was it executed?
What traits of the General’s character are highlighted in the lesson ‘The Enemy’? (All
India 2014)
Answer:
The General told Dr. Sadao that the best thing would be to kill the soldier quietly and
volunteered to help Dr. Sadao in it. The General planned to send two of his own
private assassins to Dr. Sadao’s house at night. Dr. Sadao need to know nothing
about it. According to the General’s plan, Dr. Sadao should just leave the outer
partition of the white man’s room open to the garden so as to enable the assassins
to enter his room. The assassins would make no noise and they knew the trick of
inward bleeding and the General would also ensure that they removed the white
man’s body. But the General’s plan was not executed. The General is a selfish and
cruel man with no human consideration. He comes across as a self-centred person
who is solely preoccupied with his own interests. Despite being a General, his illness
and his fear of death overweight all other considerations, even those of his country.

Question 49.
Explain the reactions of the servants in Dr. Sadao’s house when he decided to give
shelter to an enemy in the house. (All India 2014)
Answer:
The servants in Dr. Sadao’s house were openly defiant to the fact that he had
decided to give shelter to an enemy in the house. They did not even enter the
American soldier’s room and did not want to stay in the same house where the
enemy soldier was lodged. They doubted their master’s very loyalty towards his own
country. Though they were mindful of their courtesies but their eyes were cold. Yumi
refused to clean the enemy soldier. The old gardener was sore that Dr. Sadao had
not let the young man bleed and die. He felt if his master healed what first the gun
and then the sea did, they would be avenged. The cook too was most contemptuous
of the fact that their master was so proud of his skill to save life that he saved any
person’s life even though he was their enemy. Finally all the servants left Dr.
Sadao’s house together.

Question 50.
What conflicting ideas arise in Dr. Sadao’s mind after he has brought the wounded
American soldier home? How is the conflict resolved? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
An American prisoner of war gets washed away to Japanese doctor, Sadao’s
doorstep. Being a doctor, Sadao gives top priority to saving the life of a dying man
despite the ongoing war between America and Japan and the fact that all Americans
were considered to be their enemies. Being a doctor, Sadao’s duty was to save a
dying man but saving an enemy would be an act of treachery. It is Dr. Sadao’s
conscience and professional ethics that supercede his patriotism and so he saves
the American soldier. He rises above narrow prejudices as he realizes his job as a
doctor is to save a life and not to take it away. Even after he told the General
everything about the American soldier he felt restless for three consecutive nights at
the thought that he was actually waiting for someone to be killed. But the doctor not
only saved him from dying but did not even hand him over to the police. He rose
above narrow prejudices of race and country and helped the young soldier to
escape. Basic human goodness overpowers Dr. Sadao and he helps the wounded
soldier first by saving his life and then by arranging his escape, risking his own life
and reputation in the process.

Question 51.
A doctor is supposed to be gentle and humane. How did Sadao show these qualities
in the story, “The Enemy”? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao is gentle and humane. When he came to know that the stranger was an
American soldier, he wanted to throw him back into the sea but could not. So he took
him to treat him although he belonged to the enemy’s camp. Then he decided to
hand the soldier over to the police after he had operated upon him and saved his life,
but in the end was unable to do so. Instead he gave him proper post-operative
treatment. He risked his and his family’s life by giving the stranger shelter. He even
risked the resentment and wrath of his servants who were so upset with him for
harbouring a soldier from the enemy’s camp that they left his house. Finally, Dr.
Sadao gave the soldier his own boat, food and clothing and told him to sail to a
nearby island and save himself. Dr. Sadao was not a traitor but could not let
someone, whom he had saved himself, die.

Question 52.
Describe how Dr. Sadao met his life partner in America. (Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao was a dutiful son who was aware that his education was his father’s chief
con¬cern. So at the age of twenty-two Sadao’s father sent him to America to study
surgery and medicine. He had met his wife, Hana in America. He had ‘found’ Hana
casually and by chance at an American professor’s house. The professor and his
wife were kind people anx¬ious to help out their foreign students. Dr. Sadao had
gone to the professor’s house most reluctantly and there he had found Hana. He had
not married Hana heedlessly in America. The two had finished their work at school,
had come home to Japan and when his father had approved of her, their marriage
was arranged in the traditional Japanese way. Dr. Sadao had returned from America
at the age of thirty as a full-fledged qualified surgeon.

Question 53.
Good human values are far above any other value system. How did Dr. Sadao
succeed as a doctor as well as a patriot? (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao is not only a good doctor but also a patriot. As a citizen of Japan Dr.
Sadao was expected to be loyal to his country but as a doctor it was his foremost
duty to save a life. Dr. Sadao was indeed a patriotic Japanese as well as a dedicated
surgeon. An American run away prisoner in a badly wounded condition is washed
ashore on Japanese doctor Sadao’s doorstep. The doctor is initially a little hesitant to
save the prisoner’s life when he discovers the latter’s real identity. But being a
dedicated surgeon he decides to treat the enemy soldier. He is able to save the
prisoner’s life but being a patriotic Japanese he informs a superior Japanese Army
General about the prisoner’s presence in his house and even agrees to have him
killed by the General’s assassins. He waits for the assassins to carry out their job but
when they do not arrive, he gives the prisoner his boat and helps him to escape
safely thus honouring both the values that he was a patriotic Japanese as well as a
dedicated surgeon.

Question 54.
How did Dr. Sadao face the dilemma he came across in his life? What light does it
throw on his character? (Comptt. All India 2017)
Answer:
An American prisoner of war gets washed away to Japanese doctor, Sadao’s
doorstep. Being a doctor, Sadao gives top priority to saving the life of a dying man
despite the ongoing war between America and Japan and the fact that all Americans
were considered to be their enemies. Being a doctor, Sadao’s duty was to save a
dying man but saving an enemy would be an act of treachery. But the doctor not only
saved him from dying but did not even hand him over to the police. He rose above
narrow prejudices of race and country and helped the young soldier to escape. Dr.
Sadao’s basic human values give him the ability to rise above petty prejudices. His
essential love for humanity and his sincerity towards his duty transcend all other
narrow considerations. As a doctor it was his duty to save a dying man so he put
aside all other options and respected the ethics of his profession.

Question 55.
To choose between professional loyalty and patriotism was a dilemma for Dr. Sadao.
How did he succeed in betraying neither? (All India 2017)
Answer:
Dr. Sadao is not only a good doctor but also a patriot. As a citizen of Japan Dr.
Sadao was expected to be loyal to his country but as a doctor it was his foremost
duty to save a life. Dr. Sadao was indeed a patriotic Japanese as well as a dedicated
surgeon. An American run away prisoner in a badly wounded condition is washed
ashore on Japanese doctor Sadao’s doorstep. The doctor is initially a little hesitant to
save the prisoner’s life when he discovers the latter’s real identity. But being a
dedicated surgeon he decides to treat the enemy soldier. He is able to save the
prisoner’s life but being a patriotic Japanese he informs a superior Japanese Army
General about the prisoner’s presence in his house and even agrees to have him
killed by the General’s assassins. He waits for the assassins to carry out their job but
when they do not arrive, he gives the prisoner his boat and helps him to escape
safely thus honouring both the values that he was a patriotic Japanese as well as a
dedicated surgeon.

On The Face of It Important Questions

CBSE Class 12 English
On The Face of It Important Questions Short Answer Type Questions (3-4
Marks)

Question 1.
What qualities of Mr. Lamb attracted Derry to him? (All India 2009)
Answer:
Derry suffers from a terrible complex. But his meeting with Mr. Lamb is a turning
point in his life. He gives confidence to Derry and encourages him to develop a
positive attitude towards life. Derry’s life now has a new meaning and purpose and
for this all the credit goes to Mr. Lamb’s motivation and words of encouragement.

Question 2.
What did Derry’s mother think of Mr. Lamb? (All India 2009)
Answer:
Derry’s mother did not think very highly of Mr. Lamb and claimed to have heard not
really good things about him. She had been told and warned by people about Mr.
Lamb and so she tells Derry not to go back to him. She also tried to hold him back
but he does go back to Mr. Lamb.
Question 3.
What consolation did people give when they saw his acid burnt face? (Comptt. Delhi
2010)
Answer:
Derry’s face was burnt by acid on one side. When people saw Derry’s acid burnt
face they tried to console him by telling him fairy tales. They said that it was not
important what he looked like. Derry knew that people lied and showed sympathy
only to comfort him and that he would not change and would continue to look like a
‘monstrous beast’.

Question 4.
Mr. Lamb told Derry the story of a man who hid himself in his room. Why did the man
do so and with what result? (Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
Mr. Lamb told Derry the incident of a timid man who hid himself in his room and
refused to come out lest he should meet some fatal accident. But, ironically, he died
in his room itself because a picture hanging on the wall fell off it, landed on his head
and killed him.

Question 5.
Why does Mr. Lamb leave his gate always open? (All India 2011)
Answer:
Mr. Lamb always keeps his gate open because he does not mind strangers entering
his house, He is an extremely social person and is ever ready to welcome anyone
who enters his garden.

Question 6.
How does Mr. Lamb keep himself busy when it is a bit cool? (Delhi 2012)
Answer:
When it gets a bit cool Mr. Lamb pulls down the ripe crab apples from the trees with
the help of a ladder and a stick. He then makes jelly from them as that is a good time
of the year to pick and make jelly out of orange and golden crab apples.

Question 7.
What peculiar things does Derry notice about the old man, Lamb? (All India 2012)
Answer:
Derry thinks that the old man. Mr. Lamb, is peculiar and says peculiar things. Derry
notices that although Mr. Lamb talks about his friends he has not seen anyone
visiting the old man, who lives all by himself. Even when he asks Mr. Lamb to name
his friends, Mr. Lamb fails to give him any name. Mr. Lamb refuses to admit his
loneliness. Also he asks Derry questions he does not understand. There are no
curtains at the windows in his house. He likes the light and darkness and hears the
wind with the window open.

Question 8.
Who was Derry? What did he suffer from? (Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Derry is a complex-ridden fourteen year old boy. He is a victim of inferiority complex
after acid accidently spilled and burnt one side of his face. His handicap has filled
him with bitterness and so Derry suffers more on account of the pain that his own
views of how everyone hates him, causes him.

Question 9.
If you were to give a different ending to the story, ‘On The Face of It’ how would you
end it? (All India 2013)
Answer:
I would rather want the story ‘On the Face of It’ to end with a happy reunion between
Mr. Lamb and Derry wherein the two become good friends with one another. Mr.
Lamb should continue to influence Derry positively and put him in a position where
he is able to befriend others despite his handicap.

Question 10.
As told by Mr. Lamb, why did a man lock himself up in his room and what happened
to him? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
The man locked himself up in his room as he was afraid of everything in this world.
So he went into his room and locked the door, got into his bed and stayed there.
Finally a picture fell off the wall on to his head and killed him.

Question 11.
In what sense is the friendship between Mr. Lamb and Derry fruitful? (Comptt. Delhi
2014)
Answer:
After his meeting with Mr. Lamb, Derry is gradually able to shed his complexes and
rediscover the joys of life. Mr. Lamb gives confidence and motivates him to move
forward in life. Derry’s short interaction with Mr. Lamb leaves an indelible imprint on
the young boy’s mind and his attitude towards life undergoes a drastic change.

Question 12.
Why did Mr. Lamb help Derry? (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
Mr. Lamb and Derry are united by the bond of loneliness and alienation they share
on account of their physical disabilities. Mr. Lamb lost a leg in the war and has a tin
leg while Derry has an acid burn on one side of his face. Mr. Lamb inspires Derry by
telling him not to focus on the shortcomings of life and his handicap and instead he
should try to enjoy the blessings of life. He persuades him to develop a positive
attitude and move forward in life.

Question 13.
Why did Derry insist that he would go back to Mr. Lamb? (Comptt. Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Derry insisted that he would go back to Mr. Lamb as he opened a new world of
thought and wisdom for Derry. Derry was comfortable and happy in Mr. Lamb’s
company and completely forgot his handicap. He felt he too could live an
independent life as he had all his faculties intact.
Question 14.
How did Derry’s handicap damage his life? (Comptt. All India 2015)
Answer:
Due to his handicap, his burnt face, Derry suffered from an acute lack of self-regard
and rejection. He did not like being with people because they constantly reminded
him of his ugliness and so he stayed away from them. He felt he was too ugly to be
liked and loved by anyone so he became a recluse.

Question 15.
Why does Derry stay away from people? (Comptt. All India 2015)
Answer:
Derry suffers from an acute sense of complex after one side of his face got burnt by
acid. He stays away from people who constantly remind him of his ugliness. He does
not like to see people shirking from him because he is ugly. He feels rejected and
unwanted.

Question 16.
What does Mr. lamb try to tell Derry through the example of a weed and a flower?
(Comptt. All India 2016)
Answer:
Through the example of a weed and a flower Mr. Lamb speaks against
discrimination and the futility of appearance. He tells Derry that people should have a
broader perception and positive attitude towards life. He does not want Derry to feel
an outcast so he says all living things are the same and should be given respect.

Question 17.
How does Mr. Lamb react when Derry enters his garden? (All India 2017)
Answer:
Mr. Lamb realizes that Derry is startled by his presence in the garden. So he tries to
pacify the young lad with his reassuring and kind words. He tells Derry that he does
not mind strangers entering his garden and so Derry should not be afraid of
anything.

Question 18.
Who was Derry? What problems did he have? (Comptt. All India 2017)
Answer:
Derry is a complex-ridden fourteen year old boy. He is a victim of inferiority complex
after acid accidentally spilled and burnt one side of his face. His handicap has filled
him with bitterness and so Derry suffers more on account of the pain that his own
views of how everyone hates him, causes him. Mr. Lamb has a garden that is full of
fruits, flowers and trees and herbs of all sorts. He likes his garden because it attracts
young children and he gets a sense of pleasure in pulling down the ripe crab apples
from the trees and making jelly for the children who visit his garden.

On The Face of It Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions (5-6

Marks)
Question 19.
How did Mr. Lamb try to give courage and confidence to Derry? (All India 2010 )
Answer:
Derry suffers from an acute sense of self-hatred and rejection because of his burnt
face. He feels he is very ugly because of which no one will ever love him. Mr. Lamb
too has heard Derry only complain and bemoan about himself. He feels very sad to
see a fourteen year old boy giving up on life just because of his physical disability.
Mr. Lamb at first startles Derry with his strange talk. He tells Derry he is interested in
everything created by God. His encouraging words have a magical effect on Derry.
Mr. Lamb’s conversation that everyone and everything is essentially the same, the
notion of beauty is relative and his concept of the world and friendship baffle but
appeal to Derry and he gets fascinated by the old man. Slowly he sheds his complex
about his ugliness and rediscovers the joys of life.

Question 20.
The lesson, ‘On The Face of It’, is an apt depiction of the loneliness and sense of
alienation experienced by people on account of a disability. Explain. (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
The lesson ‘On the Face of It’ aptly depicts the loneliness and sense of alienation
experienced by Derry and Mr. Lamb on account of a disability. The actual pain and
inconvenience caused by the disabilities is often much less than the sense of
alienation felt by the disabled person. Derry suffered from severe negative
complexes because of his burnt face. He became a pessimistic loner who indulged
in self pity and was always suspicious of the intention of others. His anger and
frustration made him withdrawn and an introvert. Mr. Lamb, on the other hand, was
inwardly a loner who craved for company and acceptance. Though outwardly he was
always jovial, outgoing and optimistic, he was an extremely sensitive person. Derry
and Mr. Lamb’s physical disabilities caused pain and suffering not only to their body
but also to their mind and soul.

Question 21.
How did Mr. Lamb’s meeting with Derry become a turning point in Derry’s life?
(Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Derry, a complex-stricken lad of fourteen, is a victim of inferiority complex which is
borne out of a misinterpretation of himself and the world. He suffers from an acute
sense of self-hatred and rejection due to his burnt face and this leads him to total
alienation. Mr. Lamb too has a disability, a tin leg, but he never allows his handicap
to interfere with the pace and pleasure of his life. Mr. Lamb’s meeting with Derry
brings a turning point in the latter’s life. He gives Derry confidence and persuades
him to develop a positive attitude towards life. His message to Derry is very clear.
Alienation and withdrawal is not the solution. Derry believes in running away from
people but Mr. Lamb lives among people. Derry’s brief association with Mr. Lamb
proves to be quite rewarding. Mr. Lamb teaches him a new perspective of looking at
life, people and things. Derry decides never to get back to his old seclusion. His
burnt face will no longer interfere with his self-respect, poise and confidence. He will
gradually learn to find his place in the mainstream of life. Mr. Lamb helps Derry
rediscover himself and gives a new meaning to his life. Now Derry wants to leave his
handicap behind, forge ahead in life and live life to the fullest.
Question 22.
What is the bond that unites the two—the old Mr. Lamb and Derry, the small boy?
How does the old man inspire the small boy? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
The bond that unites Mr. Lamb and Derry is the loneliness and alienation they
experience on account of their physical disabilities. Mr. Lamb lost a leg in the war
and has a tin leg while Derry has an acid bum on one cheek which gives him an ugly
appearance. The actual pain and inconvenience caused by a disability is often much
less than the sense of estrangement felt by a disabled person. But, unlike Derry, Mr.
Lamb always maintains a positive attitude towards life and is a downright extrovert.

Mr. Lamb inspires Derry by telling him not to focus on the shortcomings of life and
his handicap and instead he should try to enjoy the blessings of life. He tells him to
be thankful to God for two arms, two legs, two eyes and ears, a tongue and a brain
and advises him to be friendly with everyone around him. Mr. Lamb’s inexplicable
words of wisdom inspire Derry and towards the end of the story we see him rushing
back to Mr. Lamb’s garden to adopt the attitude and path that have been shown by
him. Derry’s long conversation with Mr. Lamb helps him overcome his inferiority
complex and poor self-esteem.

Question 23.
Derry said, “It (acid) ate me up.” How did this fact affect his attitude towards life?
(Comptt. All India 2013)
Answer:
Derry’s attitude towards life becomes totally bitter after the acid bums one side of his
face. He suffers from a sense of alienation, low selfesteem and self rejection. Derry’s
suffering is further aggravated by the feeling that he is unwanted and no one loves
him. His behaviour also results from people’s indifference, lack of concern and
compassion for physically impaired people. He feels their words of sympathy lack
genuineness and so he feels very hurt when they unwittingly remind him of his
impairment. Derry always remains very conscious of his handicap. He says that no
one will ever love him because he will continue to look ugly. He does not like Mr.
Lamb’s sermonizing as he feels that it or anything else cannot change the ugliness
of his face. Thus Derry feels a terrible sense of frustration and loneliness due to his
severely burnt face.

Question 24.
What benefits did Derry reap from his association with Mr. Lamb? (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Derry reaped many benefits from his association with Mr. Lamb. He was able to get
rid of the habit of self-pity. He started understanding others’ perspective and admired
Mr. Lamb’s views of life and his outlook on life. Derry understood that his physical
handicap, his acid-burnt face was not the only important thing, there were other
important things in life. Derry became more confident of himself. He learnt to
appreciate nature and his
surroundings and to think objectively. He stopped paying attention to what people
thought of him. Mr. Lamb advised Derry to wait, watch and listen and to try to know
himself. All this helped Derry to overcome his complex and face the world
confidently.
Question 25.
Both Derry and Lamb are physically impaired and lonely. It is the responsibility of
society to understand and support people with infirmities so that they do not suffer
from a sense of alienation. As a responsible citizen, write in about 100 words what
you would do to bring about a change in the lives of such people. (All India 2014)
Answer:
As a responsible citizen it is my responsibility towards society to understand and
support people with infirmities. I will always try to be supportive and considerate
towards them. I will treat them as equals and encourage them to take part in all
activities. It will be my endeavour to ensure that they do not suffer from a sense of
alienation and I will also advocate inclusive education for them. Campaigning for
their social acceptance, I will raise hope and encouragement for their empowerment.
It is the duty of each one of us to bring about a change in the lives of people who are
physically impaired and lonely.

Question 26.
What change took place in Derry when he met Mr. Lamb? (Comptt. Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Mr. Lamb’s meeting with Derry a complex- stricken lad with a burnt face becomes a
turning point in Derry’s life. Mr. Lamb teaches Derry to look positively at the world
and love and admire everything he sees and hears. He encourages Derry to make
friends with people and not to be bothered by their comments. He reminds Derry that
he can live a normal life as he has two legs, two hands, two eyes, two ears and a
brain like everyone else. Mr. Lamb warns Derry against hating people. Derry notices
that despite his handicap Mr. Lamb lives a normal independent life. His life and
attitude attract Derry and he now becomes determined to live and face the world
boldly. He becomes more confident of himself and gets rid of his habit of ‘self-pity’.

Derry reaped many benefits from his association with Mr. Lamb. He was able to get
rid of the habit of self-pity. He started understanding others’ perspective and admired
Mr. Lamb’s views of life and his outlook on life. Derry understood that his physical
handicap, his acid-burnt face was not the only important thing, there were other
important things in life. Derry became more confident of himself. He learnt to
appreciate nature and his
surroundings and to think objectively. He stopped paying attention to what people
thought of him. Mr. Lamb advised Derry to wait, watch and listen and to try to know
himself. All this helped Derry to overcome his complex and face the world
confidently.

Question 27.
Derry sneaked into Mr. Lamb’s garden and it became a turning point in his life.
Comment. (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Derry, a complex-stricken lad of fourteen, is a victim of inferiority complex which is
borne out of a misinterpretation of himself and the world. He suffers from an acute
sense of self-hatred and rejection due to his burnt face and this leads him to total
alienation. Mr. Lamb too has a disability, a tin leg, but he never allows his handicap
to interfere with the pace and pleasure of his life. Mr. Lamb’s meeting with Derry
brings a turning point in the latter’s life. He gives Derry confidence and persuades
him to develop a positive attitude towards life. His message to Derry is very clear.
Alienation and withdrawal is not the solution. Derry believes in running away from
people but Mr. Lamb lives among people. Derry’s brief association with Mr. Lamb
proves to be quite rewarding. Mr. Lamb teaches him a new perspective of looking at
life, people and things. Derry decides never to get back to his old seclusion. His
burnt face will no longer interfere with his self-respect, poise and confidence. He will
gradually learn to find his place in the mainstream of life. Mr. Lamb helps Derry
rediscover himself and gives a new meaning to his life. Now Derry wants to leave his
handicap behind, forge ahead in life and live life to the fullest.

Question 28.
Both Derry and Lamb are victims of physical impairment, but much more painful for
them is the feeling of loneliness. Comment. (All India 2016)
Answer:
As a responsible citizen it is my responsibility towards society to understand and
support people with infirmities. I will always try to be supportive and considerate
towards them. I will treat them as equals and encourage them to take part in all
activities. It will be my endeavour to ensure that they do not suffer from a sense of
alienation and I will also advocate inclusive education for them. Campaigning for
their social acceptance, I will raise hope and encouragement for their empowerment.
It is the duty of each one of us to bring about a change in the lives of people who are
physically impaired and lonely.

Question 29.
Who was Mr. Lamb? How did he make Derry gain confidence and come out of his
shell? (Comptt. Delhi 2017)
Answer:
Mr. Lamb is an elderly gentleman who suffers from a physical handicap. He has a tin
leg because his leg had been blown off in the war. The children tease him by calling
him “Lamey Lamb” but he does not mind it.
Derry suffers from an acute sense of self-hatred and rejection because of his burnt
face. He feels he is very ugly and so no one will love him. Mr. Lamb too has heard
Derry only complain and bemoan about himself. He feels very sad to see a fourteen
year old boy giving up on life just because of his physical disability. Mr. Lamb at first
startles Derry with his strange talk. He tells Derry he is interested in everything
created by God. His encouraging words have a magical effect on Derry. Mr. Lamb’s
conversation that everyone and everything is essentially the same, the notion of
beauty is relative and his concept of the world and friendship baffle but appeal to
Derry and he is fascinated by the old man. Mr. Lamb inspires Derry by telling him not
to focus on the shortcomings of life and his handicap and instead he should try to
enjoy the blessings of life. He tells him to be thankful to God for two arms, two legs,
two eyes and ears, a tongue and a brain and advises him to be friendly with
everyone around him. Derry’s long conversation with Mr. Lamb helps him overcome
his inferiority complex and poor selfesteem.

Memories of Childhood Important Questions

CBSE Class 12 English
Memories of Childhood Important Questions Short Answer Type Questions (3
– 4 Marks)

Question 1.
When did Bama first come to know of the social discrimination faced by the people of
her community? (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
Bama was in the third standard and she used to walk from her school to her home.
One day she saw an elderly man carrying a small packet that contained some
eatables. He held the packet by its strings without touching it and extended it to the
landlord who opened it and began to eat. She thought it was something funny but
Annan, her elder brother, told her that the man was not being funny and he was in
fact from a low caste because of which he couldn’t touch the food packet.

Question 2.
How did Zitkala-Sa try to prevent the shingling of her hair? (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
Zitkala-Sa disappeared unnoticed and entered a large room with three beds. She
crawled under the beds and cuddled herself in a dark comer. She could not hide
there for long and was soon dragged out. She resisted by kicking and scratching
wildly but then she was tied fast in a chair and her long and heavy hair was shingled.

Question 3.
Why did the landlord’s man ask Bama’s brother, on which street he lived? What was
the significance? (Delhi 2010)
Answer:
The landlord’s man asked Bama’s brother on which street he lived in order to find out
his caste. During those times, when untouchability was prevalent, each caste lived in
a particular street and by enquiring about the street where one lived, helped to
determine his caste.

Question 4.
Why was Zitkala-Sa terrified when Judewin told her that her hair would be cut short?
(All India 2010)
Answer:
Zitkala-Sa hid herself because she had got to know that the authorities wanted to cut
her long hair. In her community hair of mourners, prisoners of war and cowards were
cut and therefore she made a vain attempt to prevent her hair from being shingled by
hiding herself.

Question 5.
What did Zitkala-Sa feel when her long hair was cut? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
Zitkala-Sa felt rather anguished and indignant when her long hair was cut. She lost
her spirit and felt as helpless as a puppet. She got the feeling of being an animal
driven by a herder and desperately looked for some comfort. With her hair being
shingled like a coward’s, she moaned in anguish. She also felt she had lost her
distinct cultural recognition and identity.
Question 6.
What advice did Annan offer Bama? (All India 2011)
Answer:
Annan loves his sister Bama dearly and acts as her true guide and philosopher. He
told her that being Dalits they would never be given any dignity or respect. He
advised her to study and make progress to throw away these indignities. He advises
to his sister about the indigenous method of outdoing the upper class by winning
laurels in their examinations and thus earning their admiration.

Question 7.
“I felt like sinking to the floor,” says Zitakala-Sa. When did she feel so and why? (All
India 2011)
Answer:
Zitkala-Sa felt like sinking to the floor when the blanket she had donned over her
immodest- looking dress was stripped from her shoulders. She felt uncomfortable in
her tight-fitting clothes and because she was ill at ease.

Question 8.
What did Judewin tell Zitkala-Sa? How did she react to it? (All India 2011)
Answer:
Judewin, who knew a few words of English, told Zitkala-Sa that she had overheard
the pale¬faced woman saying that Zitkala-Sa’s long hair would be cut. Judewin
advises her to submit and resign to her fate but Zitkala-Sa disagrees with her and
decides to resist and stand-up against it.

Question 9.
How long would it take Bama to walk home from her school and why? (Comptt. Delhi
2011)
Answer:
It took Bama half an hour to one hour to walk home from her school, although it was
possible to cover the distance in ten minutes. This was because on the way many
attractions slowed her down. These included fun, games, entertaining novelties and
oddities in the streets, the shops and the bazaar.

Question 10.
When did Bama first come to know of the social discrimination faced by the people of
her community? (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
Bama was in the third standard and she used to walk from her school to her home.
One day she saw an elderly man carrying a small packet that contained some
eatables. He held the packet by its strings without touching it and extended it to the
landlord who opened it and began to eat. She thought it was something funny but
Annan, her elder brother, told her that the man was not being funny and he was in
fact from a low caste because of which he couldn’t touch the food packet.

Question 11.
How could Bama rise above indignities? (Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
Bama’s brother advised her to concentrate on her studies and outshine everybody in
the examinations in order to rise above indignities. So Bama followed her brother’s
advice religiously and earned the respect of members of the higher class by standing
first in her class.

Question 12.
What made Bama return home invariably late from school? (Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
Bama took thirty minutes to an hour to reach home as she would watch all the fun
and games that were taking place on the road. She would also stop and look at the
shops and the bazaars and even see the performance of the snake charmers and
the monkeys.

Question 13.
What were the articles in the stalls and shops that fascinated Bama on her way back
from school? (All India 2013)
Answer:
On her way back from school Bama would be extremely fascinated by various
articles available in the stalls and shops. These included the dried fish stall, the stall
selling fried snacks, the stall of the hunter gypsy selling needles, clay beads and
instruments for cleaning ears. Everyday she would see people selling payasam,
halwa, boiled tamarind seeds, iced lollies, etc.

Question 14.
What sort of shows or entertainment attracted Bama? (All India 2013)
Answer:
Bama was attracted by the shows that people from various political parties would put
up on a stage. These included a street play, or a puppet show, or a “no magic, no
miracle” stunt performance. All these happened from time to time.

Question 15.
Which activities of the people would Bama watch keenly in the bazaar? (All India
2013)
Answer:
Bama watched the way each waiter would cool the coffee in the coffee clubs in the
bazaar. She would watch the way some people sat in front of the shops chopping up
onion, their eyes turned elsewhere so that they would not smart. At times she would
watch people from various political parties put up a street play or a puppet show.

Question 16.
Which words of her brother made a deep impression on Bama? (Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Bama’s brother told her that because they were born into a lower community, they
were never given any honour, dignity or respect. But if they studied and made
progress they could get rid of these indignities. His words made a deep impression
on Bama.
Question 17.
Why was Zitkala-Sa in tears on the first day in the land of apples? (All India 2014)
Answer:
Zitkala-Sa was in tears on the first day in the land of apples because she was in a
new environment. She received a cultural shock because of the unknown language.
The strict regime of eating by formula, squeaking shoes and the news about cutting
her hair were also unknown to her.

Question 18.
What is common between Zitkala-Sa and Bama? (Comptt. Delhi 2014)
Answer:
Zitkala-Sa and Bama have a lot in common as far as their suffering is concerned.
They both belonged to marginalised communities. Zitkala-Sa was a victim of cultural
invasion where her own cultural identity was being threatened and Bama was a
victim of untouchability that is a form of struggle for class.

Question 19.
Why did Zitkala-Sa resist the shingling of her hair? (Comptt. All India 2014)
Answer:
Zitkala-Sa hid herself because she had got to know that the authorities wanted to cut
her long hair. In her community hair of mourners, prisoners of war and cowards were
cut and therefore she made a vain attempt to prevent her hair from being shingled by
hiding herself.

Question 20.
Why did Bama reach home late after school? (Comptt. All India 2015)
Answer:
It took Bama half an hour to one hour to walk home from her school, although it was
possible to cover the distance in ten minutes. This was because on the way many
attractions slowed her down. These included fun games, entertaining novelties and
oddities in the streets, the shops and the bazaar.

Question 21.
At the dining table why did Zitkala-Sa begin to cry when others started eating? (All
India 2016 )
Answer:
As Zitkala-sa glanced at the long chain of tables, she caught the eyes of a pale face
woman upon her. She wondered why she was being so keenly watched by the
strange woman. She was not used to eating by formula. When the third bell tapped
and the others started eating, she felt out of place and began crying instead.

Question 22.
How did Zitkala-Sa’s first day in the land of apples begin? (All India 2016 )
Answer:
Zitkala-Sa’s first day in the land of apples was a bitter-cold one. The snow covered
the ground and the trees were bare. A large bell rang for breakfast, its loud metallic
sound crashing into their sensitive ears. The annoying clatter of shoes and the
constant clash of harsh noises gave her no peace.
Question 23.
According to Zitkala-Sa what does ‘eating by formula’ mean? (All India 2016 )
Answer:
According to Zitkala-Sa ‘eating by formula’ meant following an eating-decorum in the
dining room. At the sound of the first bell the pupils drew a chair from under the
table. All were seated when the second bell was sounded and when the third bell
was tapped everyone started eating with forks and knives.

Question 24.
Why did Zitkala-Sa hide herself? (Comptt. Delhi 2016 )
Answer:
Zitkala-Sa hid herself because she had got to know that the authorities wanted to cut
her long hair. In her community hair of mourners, prisoners of war and cowards were
cut and therefore she made a vain attempt to prevent her hair from being shingled by
hiding herself.

Question 25.
Why was Bama always late while returning from school? (Comptt. Delhi 2016 )
Answer:
It took Bama half an hour to one hour to walk home from her school, although it was
possible to cover the distance in ten minutes. This was because on the way many
attractions slowed her down. These included fun games, entertaining novelties and
oddities in the streets, the shops and the bazaar.

Question 26.
What did Bama’s brother want her to do? Why? (Comptt. All India 2017)
Answer:
Annan loves his sister Bama dearly and acts as her true guide and philosopher. He
told her that being Dalits they would never be given any dignity or respect. He
advised her to study and make progress to throw away these indignities. He advises
his sister about the indigenous method of outdoing the upper class by winning
laurels in their examinations and thus earning their admiration.

Memories of Childhood Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions (5-

6 Marks)

Question 27.
What kind of discrimination did Bama and Zitkala experience? How did they respond
to their respective situations? (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
Bama and Zitkala belonged to marginalised communities. Zitkala was an American
Indian woman who was ill-treated by the whites who adopted force and oppression
to compel the natives to shed their age old customs and traditions. The worst
indignity she suffered was the cutting of her long hair. Her long and beautiful hair
were cut after she was dragged out. She cried and resisted by kicking and scratching
wildly as she was tied fast in a chair but still she did not submit. No one came to help
her or to console her. Bama, who belonged to a Dalit community was a victim of the
caste system. She was upset by the inhuman attitude of the people belonging to the
‘higher’ caste towards the ‘lower’ caste. She had experienced the evils of
untouchability when she was studying in the third standard.

Both these women fought and struggled against exploitation and oppression. Zitkala
does not submit but struggles when her hair is being shingled. She fights till she is
overpowered. Bama fights against the evils of untouchability in her own way. She
works hard and stands first in her class. People then come to her of their own
accord.

Question 28.
What are the similarities in the lives of Bama and Zitkala though they belong to
different cultures? (All India 2009)
Answer:
Bama and Zitkala belonged to marginalised communities. Zitkala was an American
Indian woman who was ill-treated by the whites who adopted force and oppression
to compel the natives to shed their age old customs and traditions. The worst
indignity she suffered was the cutting of her long hair. Her long and beautiful hair
were cut after she was dragged out. She cried and resisted by kicking and scratching
wildly as she was tied fast in a chair but still she did not submit. No one came to help
her or to console her. Bama, who belonged to a Dalit community was a victim of the
caste system. She was upset by the inhuman attitude of the people belonging to the
‘higher’ caste towards the ‘lower’ caste. She had experienced the evils of
untouchability when she was studying in the third standard.

Both these women fought and struggled against exploitation and oppression. Zitkala
does not submit but struggles when her hair is being shingled. She fights till she is
overpowered. Bama fights against the evils of untouchability in her own way. She
works hard and stands first in her class. People then come to her of their own
accord. The similarity between their lives is the struggle and fight against racial and
social discrimination. They did not accept this exploitation and injustice meekly but
fought against it.

Question 29.
Describe how Zitkala-Sa tried in vain to save her hair from being cut. Why did she
want to save her hair? (All India 2009)
Answer:
Zitkala-Sa’s friend Judewin warned her that her hair was going to be cut. Judewin
knew a few English words and had overheard the ‘paleface woman’ talking about
cutting the native Indian girl’s long hair. This news shocked Zitkala. Her friend told
her to accept her fate but she was not ready to submit and decided to fight against
this oppression. She disappeared unnoticed and went into a room where she
crawled and hid under a bed, cuddling herself in a dark comer. But she was caught
and dragged out. She then resisted by kicking and scratching wildly as she was
carried down and tied fast to a chair. As they gnawed at her long hair, she kept
shaking her head. No one came to her aid. Zitkala was desperate to save her hair
because among her people short hair was kept by mourners and shingled hair was a
sign of cowardice. So she did not want her long hair to be cut.
Question 30.
What activities did Bama witness on her way back home from school? (Comptt. All
India 2014)
Answer:
On her way back home from school Bama would take thirty minutes to cover a ten
minute distance. This was because she would witness various activities on her way
back home. The performing monkey, the snake charmer, the cyclist who had not got
off his bike for three days. She also watched the Pongal offerings being cooked in
front of the Maariyaata temple. At times people from various political parties would
arrive, put up a stage and harangue the public through their mikes. She would watch
a street play, or a puppet show or a magic stunt performance. All these would
happen from time to time. But almost certainly there would be some entertainment or
other going on, that would delay Bama.

Question 31.
How did the scene she saw in the market place change Bama’s life? (Comptt. Delhi
2015)
Answer:
Bama usually reaches home late from school. She walks along leisurely watching
and enjoying the sights on her way home. One day on her way back, she saw the
harvest being threshed. The landlord stood watching the work being done. It was
then that Bama saw one of the elders coming down the street holding a packet by a
string. The packet contained vadais for the landlord. At first Bama thought that the
elder man was being funny. But later her brother told her that the elder man was of a
low caste so he was not allowed to touch the vadais brought for the landlord. This
scene infuriated Bama and brought about a ‘ change in her life wherein she decided
to study well, make a position for herself in life and rebel against caste inequalities.

Question 32.
What were Zitkala-Sa’s experiences on her first day in the land of apples? (Comptt.
All India 2015)
Answer:
The first day in the land of apples was bitterly cold and as the bell rang for breakfast,
there was an annoying clatter of shoes which gave Zitkala-Sa no peace. Though her
spirit tore itself in struggling for its freedom, it was of no use. Zitkala-Sa was placed
in a line with the Indian girls and marched into the dining room. All the girls were
rather immodestly dressed in tightly fitting clothes. As Zitkala-Sa sat down she
observed that she was being keenly watched by a strange palefaced woman. Later
her friend Judewin gave her a terrible warning that this palefaced woman was talking
about cutting their long, heavy hair. Zitkala-Sa crept into a room and crawled under a
bed and huddled herself in the dark corner. But women and girls entered the room
and dragged her out. She resisted by kicking and scratching wildly. Inspite of her
resistance she was carried downstairs, tied fast in a chair and her long hair was
shingled.

Question 33.
Untouchability is not only a crime, it is inhuman too. Why and how did Bama decide
to fight against it? (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
There is no denying the fact that untouchability is not only a crime but it is also
inhuman. Bama, who belonged to a marginalised community was a victim of the
caste system. As a little girl, studying in the third class, she had seen, felt and been
humiliated by its effect. So the spark of hostility towards this social evil had been
ignited in her heart from a very early age. Upset over the inhuman attitude of the
people of the so-called higher caste towards the lower caste, she decided to fight
against this evil in her own way. Bama’s brother advised her to study and make
progress to throw away indig¬nities. She took the advice of her elder brother
seriously, studied diligently and stood first in her class thereby compelling people to
respect and befriend her.

Question 34.
In India, the so-called lower castes have been treated cruelly for a long time. Who
advised Bama to fight against this prejudice, when and how? (All India 2017)
Answer:
There is no denying the fact that untouchability is not only a crime but it is also
inhuman. Bama, who belonged to a marginalised community was a victim of the
caste system. As a little girl, studying in the third class, she had seen, felt and been
humiliated by its effect. So the spark of hostility towards this social evil had been
ignited in her heart from a very early age. Upset over the inhuman attitude of the
people of the so-called higher caste towards the lower caste, she decided to fight
against this evil in her own way. Bama’s brother advised her to study and make
progress to throw away indignities. She took the advice of her elder brother
seriously, studied diligently and stood first in her class thereby compelling people to
respect and befriend he